interstellar5555 | ☆TRACK IIX: BETTER TO PRETEND PT. 2

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.”

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Robin gives him a funny look, because unlike some people, she is not entirely clueless. But it's still weird. Sabo never seemed the least bit interested in her before- nor anyone else, for that matter. But then, he'd always been busy. Eternally, wearyingly busy. What use is a drink or a dance with friends when the fates of nations rest on your shoulders? And how intensely unfair is it that Robin is here to enjoy seeing another side of Sabo, and Koala is not?

She chuckles. This is all going to make quite a story when they get home.]

Because all of the other musicians are doing it. You've made it very clear you have no interest in following along. Too much of a rebel, I suppose. Who will you be saving?

[He has to shake his head a bit to clear it, flushing a little as he catches her look. Maybe it was a little out of bounds.

What she says is true though. More or less.]

I'm not completely a rebel. I owe a lot to Pride.

[he's willing to sacrifice some of his integrity for them. It was important that he do so. He wasn't sure why. Just some kind of gut feeling. but it was enough.

He has to think a second when she asks.]

Ah, Nia Tepplin of Virgo, I believe. [he pulls the notebook out of his outer pocket to double check the details.] She plays for Surviving Friday. Have you heard them? [he puts the notebook away and then suddenly realizes his hat feels fine now. Great even. As if he's put together. He reaches up and touches the strap of the goggles.

Did he... used to wear these as a kid?]

What a strange thing to put on a hat... [but when he speaks it's distantly, as if not aware he's spoken aloud]

They give it character. It suits you.

[Robin leans back a little, her finger pressed against her lips in thought.]

Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with Virgo artists. Pride is more my style.

[She winks, then leans in close.]

Have they given you a Hero's Gift to give her yet?

You think so? [why is it so familiar? Why does it feel so right? He feels if he can just... just reach...for what? He blinks and leans back a little as she leans in]

Hero's Gift? I don't remember anything about that.

It's something some of us Heroes decided to do- a commemoration, of sorts. Something shared between a Hero and their Leige. A bag of flavored candy powder, like those ones that come in the little paper straws? You share it after you rescue your liege, but the challenge is that you have do it without the cameras or any of the staff catching you. It's a secret, just between participants. Then you get to keep the little bag as a souvenir, to remember the event.

[Robin straightens and shrugs.]

Of course, if you don't think you could pull it off, I understand. It'd be a little strange to try and get a complete stranger to go along, don't you think?

[Sabo watches her carefully. This is a little strange. No, a lot strange. Away from the cameras? Just a secret? What are they trying to hide. What's in those things? And it's no secret that all of the rescuees are musicians. He doesn't like it one bit and this woman has been strange to begin with. Still, when he speaks, at most he sounds curious]

All the heroes are doing this? That's kind of odd, don't you think?

[is it some kind of secret drug? Are they trying to open up some kind of new market? Or trying to bring people down?]

[Robin shakes her head.]

I don't think word will spread fast enough to reach all the heroes. It'd certainly be something if it did. Mostly it's just the ones who want things remembered.

[This would all be so much easier if she could find a way to meet him somewhere truly alone. Even just once, to explain. That would require finding a way to lose his stalkers- she's beginning to note a few familiar faces always hanging around, but she doesn't want to miss one. Still, hopefully he'll start to put pieces together, to listen to the words she can only imply.]

Understand?

[it's a conspiracy. He's not sure what it's about but he can smell it. But not all of them so just a certain group. No wonder she stalked him in the alley that night. It had sounded like her even if she hadn't been there. Or pretended she hadn't.

The word remembered strikes him. Like a punch to the gut. Something acidic like anger flashes through him and he doesn't understand it. It's close to hate. It's close to desperation. It pisses him the hell off.

Now it's him that steps into her space. He's sweating lightly but his fists are clenched as he speaks in a low voice]

I don't know what you're up to but you'd better stop if you know what's good for you.

[She matches his tone, her eyes locked on his.]

I'm not here for my own good. I'm here for yours.

[A discrete eye on a rafter gives her a good view of the backstage area. If he wants to have a physical altercation, so be it. Maybe she could use it to knock him into a closet or something.]

[he's a bit taken aback by that. There for his benefit? Why would she say something like that. It seems incongruous with the con game she was playing earlier. But there's a directness to her. A boldness. She's meeting his eyes. She's not afraid of him.

Well why would she be? He was just a drummer.

Guitarist.

Still he can't seem to figure her out.]

It seems like you have a lot more on your mind than my own good. I'm a hero, remember. I don't get a gift. So why are you sending it to everyone else?

Fairy Trial is an allegory. Happenstance made you a hero this time, but you're one of the princes caught in a gilded cage.

[The various designers seem to have finished their own bickering, and turn toward Robin and Sabo.]

I can't say any more right now, but I'll explain as soon as I can. Take the extra challenge. I know you can do it. Please?

[he watches her. It's like she's switching tactics. He twitches at the word prince. He is not a prince. He is not anything like that.]

Tell me one thing I can believe... and I'll consider it.

[She speaks quietly, almost a whisper as the attendants draw near.]

I don't know what you will or won't believe. But we were friends once. We fought side by side. You'd use a long iron pipe and a fighting style called Ryusoken. Your brother, Luffy, is my Captain. I-

[She swallows the rest of her words, the attendants gathering around and trying to draw her away. She addresses them next.]

I need just one more moment, please.

[Robin wraps her arms around his shoulders- not so tight that he can't break away, but firm enough to keep him there a few seconds longer. There's another something added to the pocket of his coat as Robin speaks.]

Good luck. I hope you win.

[And then she steps away, turning to go with the costume designers.]

☆TRACK IIX: BETTER TO PRETEND PT. 2

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