☆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.”

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☆THE THUMBELINA CHALLENGE

[interdimanagers]

[Not too far away from the Rapunzel challenge, another obstacle course outside of Vista City has been prepped up. Just like the other area, this one also has a large pool of water set up. The various platforms, rubber mushroom tops, and cage area are all kept up and out of the water.]

[Royal in the cage? Check. Whistle and drone control present? Check. Hero ready at the first platform to take a leap of faith? Check! Cameras, get rolling.]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Awwww, man.

[So there's Jecht, gamely leaping onto the first bouncy mushroom. His legs immediately shoot out from under him, and his back slams into it, sending him hurtling forward -- fortunately, onto the first platform.]

That coulda gone better!

[magic_to_do]

[Trucy is all decked out in a pale green dress decorated with tiny flowers. Clearly a spring or garden theme was intended. A flower crown rests atop her head. And she's playing her role to the hilt. An appropriately dramatic gasp accompanies Jecht's near fall.]

Don't give up, brave hero! I'm counting on you!

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

I think I got it...

[It's not that he's uncoordinated or out of shape. This is just a raw deal! Picking himself up, Jecht squints at the next pair of bouncy platforms like he can't believe it.]

[Oh, wait. He's on camera! Quickly, he thrusts a finger skyward.]

Don't worry, fair maid! It'll take more than a little danger to stop this hero from hastening to your side!

[magic_to_do]

I have every confidence in you, oh brave hero!

[Trucy clasps her hands to her chest in the most cliche 'damsel in distress' pose ever.]

But if you have need of it, I could summon my magical golden fish to carry you to victory...

[She means the fish boat. She'll whistle for it if he wants.]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Save your summons for when danger lurks most! We might need your fish's aid to escape or something!

[They can't all be winners.]

[Jecht hurls himself to the next platform, scrabbling madly for just enough purchase to bounce himself to the next one.]

[magic_to_do]

Then I shall wait faithfully for your valiant rescue! Beware the frog guards, though! They seek to hinder all brave heroes.

[No, they can't. But at least it's only a game. Trucy gasps dramatically as he just barely makes it to next platform. So suspenseful!]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

They coulda given me a Royal I coulda at least made out with a bit at the end of it. [Jecht's grumble isn't meant for public consumption, but given his position it's kind of unavoidable, isn't it?]

[Oookay that's a rotating platform coming up next. Jecht rears, jumps, and -- lands pretty damn well. A lack of stupid springiness went a long way towards making this manageable.]

[magic_to_do]

[Yeah, the problem is that this is a tv show. Which means everyone was miked before it started. Although the comment draws quite a few amused chuckles from the spectators.

Trucy, on the other hand, doesn't find it quiiite so funny.]

H- hey! I'm not a little kid or anything!

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

You're like a third my age! I could be your father! [Plus she just kinda looks young, which exaggerates the whole thing. Let's be real here, Jecht's not THAT picky about age, but...]

[magic_to_do]

But I-!

[But then she stops and frowns thoughtfully.]

Are you really that old?

Kuroko and Kise

[invisiballman]

Where is he? We're on the air in three minutes!!

[There seems to be a bit of a hitch in the start up of this one. One of the contestants hasn't arrived yet.

Except he has. He's been there the whole time. Which he politely points out, once he finally gets their attention, but the announcer seems irritated anyway. At any rate, with everyone finally in place, the cameras roll and the and the game starts.

Kuroko takes in the platforms, the distance to the cage, and the possibility of frog guards and paint balls and concludes that this is not going to be easy. Although, winning the game is slightly less important than accomplishing his actual goal. Even though its small and weighs practically nothing, he can still feel the tiny packet of powder in his pocket. Will he be able to get Kise to take it?

Well.... he'll worry about that later. For now, he has mushrooms to jump on. With as much of a running start as he can get, Kuroko jumps, landing squarely on the first mushroom. Which is entirely bouncier than he expected, and he finds himself being flung onto the first platform, landing on it with a thud.]

Ugh...

[That hurt a little, but at least he didn't fall.]

[yellowcopycat]

[Ryouta's chilling in his cage, perfectly at ease with the whole thing. He's all decked out and sure his rescuer is coming. He scans, and because he's looking, and because he's beginning to remember how to look for him, he sports Kai on the the mushroom.

His heart swells up. Kai was his hero! He had been hoping it was him. He knew it was unlikely, but when they annouced it'd be people off the streets he had dared to hope a little]

Kai!

[And he waves.] You came!

[invisiballman]

[Kuroko pulls himself back to his feet and returns the wave. It's a little impressive how Kise can wear something like that without a hint of embarrassment. He's glad they hadn't asked him to wear anything like that.]

It's good to see you again. I'll be there soon.

[Hopefully. He can't get as much of a running start on this platform, so this next jump is going to be tough. He steps back, trying to gauge the distance.

It is a little unusual that they got paired for this. What are the odds? But he's not questioning his luck on this one. He has however, failed to consider what the audience might think of the fact that they clearly know each other. The rumors and speculation are already spreading on the internet.]

[yellowcopycat]

[Well, subtly was never Ryouta's strong point. And there's plenty of rumors about Ryouta's love life on the web, so he's not too concerned. There'll probably a tabloid article about this though.

BTW, he is a little sad that Kai's not wearing a prince outfit of some sort.]

Oh! Here, I got this. [He blows a whistle loud and shrill and the friendly fish motor boat comes over to Kai to give him an easier way to his cage]

That should help!

[More fuel for the fire. Way to go Kise]

[invisiballman]

[Kuroko watches the fish arrive with a raised eyebrow. That... certainly is convenient.]

That should help a lot. Thank you.

[Very nice assist. Too bad they're not close enough for a fist bump. He hops onto the boat, which starts zooming it's way to the cage. He'll be there in no time. That is, if he can get past the actors dressed as frog guards who are closing in on him in their own fish boats.]

[yellowcopycat]

[Ryouta was beaming. The Frog guards made their way to intercept Kuroko, looking a little confused, why had the musician sent fish to someone not there?]

You're welcome!

[invisiballman]

[It's actually not until they're nearly on top of him that the guards finally notice Kuroko. If he can get around them, it's only a short jump to the final platform.

Well, this is a use for the vanishing drive that he never considered before...

There are several gasps of surprise, both from the crew and the audience as he seemingly vanishes, and is past the guards before anyone knows what happened. Finally on the last platform, he steps up to the door of the cage and opens it.]

That was a lot easier than I expected. Although I don't know if I would have made it without your help.

[Okay, maaaybe he could've been a little more dramatic at the actual rescue part, but whatever.]

[yellowcopycat]

I'm sure you could have Kai!

[Good thing Ryouta's easily pleased by whatever little thing Kuroko did, brain washed or not.]

Thank you for saving me!

[invisiballman]

Anything is possible.

[Realistically, he probably couldn't have made all those jumps, but it's nice that Kise has faith in him. He glances back at the still rolling cameras.]

Do you think they want us to take a bow?

[They were hoping for a slightly showier finish, but they're probably not getting it. It might be time to cut to commercial and then move on to the other games.]

Tooru and Robin

[worthlesspride]

[In his cage, Tooru Oikawa, dressed not in princely garb he was wearing earlier, but dressed as a demon king he cackles madly. Going into full ham mode.]

Can you rescue the Grand King? Or rather, dare you?

[thetruehistorian]

[High atop the starting platform, cape fluttering and hood pulled down low, Robin smirks.]

I have come to free you, my liege. I am known as the Devil's Child.

[Introductions finished, for now, Robin crouches for a moment, gauging her landing, and leaps head-first off the platform. Just before crashing into the giant rubber cap, she flips, unsheathing a set of fake knives from a holster on her thigh and hitting the elastic surface with both feet, launching herself upward and forward. Several Frog Men swarm the first stable platform and she arcs over them this time in an unwound flip just out of their reach. Robin lands in a crouch at the far end of the platform, then dashes forward- moving backward in terms of the obstacle course- knives flashing as she spins dance-like through the small mob. When she reaches the end, she twirls once more, orienting herself toward the goal, knives held out to the side, the blood red half cape falling dramatically back into place.

So far, so good. But there are more platforms, and more mushroom caps, and a lot of room for error or accident. Touching the water means defeat, but more than that for Robin. It is her weakness. If she falls in, she will most likely drown before anyone thinks to come and save her. Her lips, painted a deep red to match the half cape, split in a smile certainly worthy of someone given the name Devil.]

[worthlesspride]

[Well. This was interesting. He grins, manically. This was gong to be fun, fun, fun.

There was no reason to make it easy for her, as interesting as she was. He took the control of the flying paint ball gun and sent her way, making it fire a few rounds, aiming wide, missing on purpose. He grinned]

Careful! They send reinforcements from the sky!

[thetruehistorian]

[Robin narrows her eyes, gauging just how much damage the paintballs can do. Nothing drastic unless one counts the destruction of the costume- but one connecting at the right moment could shift balance, which would be catastrophic. Best to treat them like seastone, then. Robin bows dramatically, holding the hilt of one knife against her heart.]

Your Majesty's concern for my well being has touched my very soul.

[She runs forward, trusting a portable microphone to catch her words as she goes. The jump is longer this time between the platform and the elastic cap, and there are two caps between platforms this time, both being swarmed by frog men.]

Will my liege try stealing my heart next?

[Robin makes sure to launch herself high and slightly forward the first time she hits, engaging some frog men in the air. She moves with grace, spinning and flipping delicately above the pool. But there's a brutality in her movements, a deadly efficiency. To them, this is a game, but for her it's a struggle to survive. The only thing saving some of them is the fact that her blades are fake. She absolutely cannot afford to let one of them throw her down.

She lands hard on the second platform and has to roll in order to not break her legs. Her hood-which had somehow managed to stay put during the previous flips and spinning- drops to her shoulders, and she shakes her hair loose. It is long and raven black, flashing with colored highlights from the stage lights, her eyes bright and intense. Even if Tooru isn't impressed, there are several in the audience who are.

One more stable platform to go, with longer jumps and smaller mushroom caps in between- not to mention whatever Tooru might choose to do with the drones. Robin bites her lower lip for only a moment as she catches her breath. She can do this!]

[worthlesspride]

[Oh, this woman was funny]

Mayhap I shall. Thou art beautiful creature. And with such a name as Devil's Child thou must have a heart as dark as mine!

[And he sends more drones at her, because that was funny.]