☆TRACK IIX: BETTER TO PRETEND PT. 2

[interdimanagers]

Who: Royals, Heroes, and Rebels.
What: Hit gameshow series “Fairy Trial” is celebrating one of its anniversaries, and it’s invited you onboard. Check out the OOC post for IC match ups!
When: March 21st.
Where: Sevetop Entertainment’s studio.
Warnings: Mingle log mystery bag.

“Every prince is a fantasy, The witch is inside of me. Her poison will wash away the memory.” ☆BETTER TO PRETEND The day has finally come for Fairy Trial filming to begin! No matter if they’ve arrived by limo or taken the bus, everyone involved gets star treatment as the makeup and costume departments go wild with the models they’ve been given. At least Sevetop has good accomodations. While it’s a chaotic and crowded scene, everyone still manages to fit in the two buildings Sevetop has dedicated for Fairy Trial’s purposes in this area. It’s one of the only points today that anyone will have a chance to everyone else. After all, once everyone involved in a particular challenge is done with, they’re hurried out the door and to their particular destination. Every challenge has a different area it takes place in, after all. For some pair ups, they’ll find themselves merely being escorted to another set on Sevetop’s huge property. Others will find themselves being escorted to some very classy transportation and taken outside of Vista City to special obstacle courses that simply wouldn’t fit anywhere else. On the bright side, once the actual filming is done no matter the location, the crew involved seems to relax considerably. Whether they’ve done great or not, Heroes and Royals are treated to dinner and a change out of their costumes. Good job, everyone. “We kill the lights and put on a show. It's all a lie, but you'd never know. The star will shine, And then it will fall, And you will forget it all.”

Comments

[spokethetruth]

Luna!

[Signless proclaims it loudly as he approaches, already decked out in the under layers of his roguish outfit, still lacking the cloak. Given his more masculine presentation they aren't fussing over his makeup quite as much - which is good, since his exterior human appearance is entirely made of magic so far as he understands.

He's affecting a loud kind of personality as he enters, in the hopes he can overpower the makeup artists enough to go make them bother someone else.]

Your dress is lovely! Could I ask you for some advice on the outfit they've given me? I'm not sure where to begin...

[Lets go talk about capes or something.]

[oceantier]

[Signless.]

[The glamour is working well -- better than the makeup he normally tries, with that grayish undertone he hasn't quite been able to avoid.]

[Even if she hadn't been talking to him earlier, though, his voice is unmistakable, and she's unaccountably glad for it at that moment, her eyes offering fervent silent appreciation.]

[The makeup artists eye over at him; he's interrupting -- the nerve. Lapis takes advantage of their brief distraction.]

I-I'll come.

[Pulling back sharply from the still-extended brushes, she weaves her way around them and their protests.] I'll be back?

[It's a lie. She won't if she can help it.]

[In a couple of half-trotted steps, she's at Signless' side. Get her out of here, please.]

[spokethetruth]

Oh, thank you! [He turns to the make up artists for a moment.] Sorry for the interruption, this is really important- !

[And then he scurries off with her, with no intent on bringing her back unless she feels like it. He laughs a little once they are a safe distance away.]

You'd think they could spread out their efforts...they have enough people to handle as it is. You already look perfect.

[oceantier]

[Her hand reaches out (tentatively, as though not quite sure if he'll mind), and snags his -- just lightly, gently, but connected. It's a form of security in its own way, though she couldn't fully say why . . . maybe in the back of her mind there's the idea that joined, they would be harder to break apart.]

[She releases a breath as they come to rest a short distance away, staring back the way they came.]

One of them said something about having a face "made for makeup" . . . [She's frowning.] They kept putting all the powders on and then taking them off. They kept . . . getting more excited. They were saying something about glueing feathers on my eyelashes, something about multiple colors of "shadow" on my eyes . . .

[A shudder, very small and tight, goes through her shoulders, and she releases his hand.] I don't think they were even seeing me . . .

[Coming back to his words, a small bit of color forming:]

Thank you. [It's meant for both that and the rescue.]

[Her eyes shift back up to him, take him in again in turn.]

It looks nice on you. [It really does. It's a bit more mysterious than he is, but none of them are dressed as they normally are.]

Have you seen him? [His person -- the one he's come for.]

[spokethetruth]

[Signless listens to her explanation of the experience, his brow creasing sympathetically. He puts a hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, before he actually says anything.]

People sometimes forget what they are looking at when they stare too long. [He shrugs a shoulder, as if to let something roll off his back.] Feathers in your eyes don't seem useful for doing any kind of task, though.

[If he'd known what she thought about the rogue's outfit, he would have laughed. Back home, he dressed closer to this than she's possibly ever seen him.

He pauses to think for a moment, and then nods, soberly.]

I did. I...actually saw him at the auditions, but...I'm worried that encountering him again will get us in trouble. I'm worried for him...something isn't right. Beyond the obvious, even.

[oceantier]

What do you mean?

[Conscious that they might be watched by roving hairdressers (and glancing sideways to make sure that they're not) she plucks a bit off his shoulder. Just helping out with costumes here!]

[spokethetruth]

[He frowns, trying to put words to it.]

He cried when I spoke to him at the auditions.

[He stops there, unsure of how to go on. It upsets him more than he shows, but since he doesn't know what to do about it, he stays quiet.]

[oceantier]

Cried . . . ?

[She doesn't recognize the upset in him yet, with him for all appearances just quiet. But he has her full attention.]

Because . . . he saw you?

Or . . . something was said?

[spokethetruth]

I suggested that he might remember me...and it seems that he did.

[He glances up at her hesitantly, and then looks down again.]

It wasn't what I would have expected.

[oceantier]

[Oh . . .]

[Her voice softens as she dips just a little, trying to catch his eyes back.]

But . . . isn't that good?

He remembers you.

[spokethetruth]

It is...in part.

[He smiles a little in return to her catching his eyes.]

I just can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important.

[oceantier]

People . . . sometimes seem to cry for a lot of reasons. Not always just because they're sad.

[There's a smile, very small, in return -- something in the back of her mind is pleased at being able to elicit that kind of response.]

I'm not sure everyone would agree with me . . . we're supposed to be cautious.

But I think you should talk to him. Even if it's bad . . . isn't it better to see him?

If it were you . . . wouldn't you want that too?

[spokethetruth]

[He crosses his arms around his chest, sighing.]

If this goes how we're hoping...I'll have all the time in the world to talk to him. As it is, it's hard to say if he misses me or dreads me.

[oceantier]

[Looking a little doubtful over here.] That could be a long time from now.

And . . . it seems to bother you now.

[She does notice that he never answered the question.]

[spokethetruth]

[That's because he has no idea. He laughs frailly.]

Plenty of things bother me, but...I know full well there will be no solution unless I bide my time and be as wise in my actions as I can. There is too much resting on my shoulders to be reckless.

[oceantier]

[Signless, you make no sense to Lapis . . . but then again, "reckless" can sometimes be par for the course for her. She doesn't agree with him, but. She watches him for a long moment.]

[Then reaches out to touch his hand. Folded against his chest, she can't slide her fingers into it, but . . . she rests them there against his wrist, grip tightening gently.]

[spokethetruth]

[It surprises him for a moment, but then his smile deepens, his fingers twining around her in return. His skin is still extraordinarily warm, even through the glamour.]

Thank you, Lapis.

[oceantier]

[It's something that she's learned from both J and Steven -- that sometimes something as simple as a touch can be both help and comfort . . . a solidity that keeps the world in focus. Her own palm is quite cool in comparison to his, tempering the heat of his.]

[She nods.] If I can help, I will.

[spokethetruth]

I appreciate the offer.

[He says it with a small exhale, as if releasing tension.]

If I can think of a way I'll let you know...otherwise, the best I can do is stick to the plan.

[He's quiet for a moment, and then:]

How are things with Steven fairing?

[oceantier]

[Her eyes slip away at that, her fingers starting to pull back.]

He's . . . back. At Pride.

He went back on his own.

He's . . . fine.

[spokethetruth]

[Signless looks uncertain. This story has been a bit hard to follow at times.]

Is that bad...or good?