In this world, Magic is Everything. All people, all races, are granted with the power to perform mystical and magical feats via grimories, mystical tomes granted to each and every child on their 15th birthday. Those blessed by the mana can have their names written down in legend.
Shattered Grimoires is the work of the mind(s) of Ardere & Shattered Grimoire's staff. All characters and content are copyright their creators, and may not be replicated without their creators' permission. Black Clover is owned by Yuki Tabata and published by Viz Shonen Jump. All images belong to their original owners. The theme you are currently viewing was made by Eliza of ElizaCodes exclusively for Shattered Grimoires.
[break] The Cloversationist, an elite fashion magazine whose covers are usually graced by only the most attractive of wizards needs a model for their upcoming weekly issue. Go pose for their flamboyant photographer until he is satisfied!
[attr="class","shadowsSub"]Details
Minimum Number of Players: 1 [break]Minimum Word Count: 1,000 [break]Location: Town of Silva [break]Special Requirements: N/A
[attr="class","shadowsSub"]NPC Information
What NPCs are in this mission? Please fill out the template for any notable NPCs. While those you have to socially interact with during the mission are not required any enemy that is presented in the mission must be listed in here. [break][break] Up to Player [break][break]
When was the last time she had felt so shy and bashful around a man? Oh right, witches do not hang around their male counterparts. Unless it was for a mission. Or seduction. Or something else. Certainly not because they enjoyed the company. Most certainly not.
But she was no witch. Not anymore.
The blue-haired elf breathed out slowly, quietly, lest her companion hear her and take up on her inner thoughts. Relax, Suna, he isn’t going to hurt you. In fact, it would be the exact opposite. He had been nothing but kind and caring for her welfare ever since they met. Despite all the tense situations of fighting witches and thugs and sirens, he had remained a consistent and dependable force by her side. So why was she so nervous?
They had just finished a job at Nairn, meeting a pair of elderly ladies who asked them to find and bring back a treasure chest in the middle of the lake. Definitely not the usual job one would find stuck on the wanted advertisements. The duo had battled long and hard against sirens and feelings—at least, in the elf’s case. She was still unsure as to what the dark mage thought of her, and had thus kept one part of the episode from him. It was her own little secret, something she would forever treasure regardless of what happened afterwards between her and him.
Speaking of which, she glanced at the figure beside her from underneath her lashes. Assuming that the mercenary was right next to her, she would continue her leisurely pace down towards the middle of town. He had asked if she wanted to grab a drink with him, and she had responded in affirmative before he even finished his question. It surprised even herself of how quickly and readily she had accepted. As if she had been waiting for that all along.
Since he asked, the young woman had been in a shy and self-conscious state, twisting her hands together even as they made their way down the street. However, it would quickly be broken soon enough.
"Hey! You two!" Just a few steps ahead of them, a young woman was waving frantically at the duo. "Do you have a minute?" Despite her well-tailored clothes, her top bun was falling apart and her cheeks were flushed in frantic worry.
Suna instinctively stepped a little closer to the man she assumed was besides her. Even though she was sure the girl was harmless, recent events had made her more wary than usual.
The young woman had by now bounded straight up to them, panting and a little breathless. "Two of our models are out this week, and I couldn’t find anyone else to replace them. So I ran out here and saw you two! You two look great together, by the way." She added, then clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture. "Please?"
Suna’s heart went out for the flustered girl, and she wanted to help. However, there was one small problem. "Erm...but I’ve never modeled before—"
"No worries!" The girl had seemed to light up at the slight interest. "I’ll coach you through all the poses and such! We just desperately need a male and female model for this week’s magazine, and the prints have to go to the publishers today, so we’re in a bit of a pickle!" She winced, a little apologetically. "But yes, you will get paid for it! So, what do you say?"
"I, uh..." She turned her eyes towards her companion, looking to him on what to do. Yes, they had their plans, but the elf would feel guilty for turning the girl down, as she so obviously needed their help. "I don’t mind getting our drinks later." She flashed him a quick smile, then bumped his arm playfully. "And besides, a few more yuls doesn’t sound too bad, hmm?"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Here he was, walking through town with her by his side...the woman who has been making him feel strange ever since they met. There was no danger of any kind this time around, just two friends on their way to get something to drink.
Friends....
Was that the right word for these two?
Hans was not sure where he stood with Suna. She was someone who has proven herself trustworthy, enough that Hans would give her his mother's old necklace. The merc still isn't exactly sure why he gave it to the elf. It felt right at the moment...and it still does, but it felt like that his reasoning was for more than just trust, or that it'll help protect her. There was something more to it...something Hans could not explain.
Being beside Suna now, each step he took meeting with hers, it made Hans feel...nervous? Still, the guy kept his weird new feelings hidden behind that stoic expression of his, but his mind was still going crazy. The dark mage was beginning to notice things about the elf that he didn't realize before, like how her long, flowing hair complimented her eyes. How smooth and clear her skin looked, the way she laughs...that cute smile of hers...
Cute....
Just having a thought like that cross his mind made the man raise an eyebrow. Whatever he was going through, this new territory he has stumbled upon, Hans has no idea how to handle it, and it honestly scares him a little. Still, he refuses to fight it. The moment Hans glanced at Suna, he caught her glancing back, making him quickly avert his eyes, a part of him hoping that she didn't notice. 'What the hell is going on with me?' he thought to himself, and before he could dive further into this rabbit hole of emotions and nervousness, voice called out to the both of them.
A woman was at the pair. Hans furrowed his brows before noticing the elf getting closer, causing his cheeks faintly light up as he turned his head away. The woman then came up to the two mages, Hans' attention fully on her. She had a request...one that was even more odd than the whole treasure chest fiasco that happened not too long ago.
Model!? They wanted Hans to...model!?
Without having to say anything, it was safe to say that Hans was on the same boat as Suna. Modeling was something he clearly has no experience with. Unlike the elf, the merc was just about ready to fully turn the woman down with his usual 'Not Interested.' Until she brought up getting paid which immediately caused Hans to close his mouth. He very much does enjoy making yul...but he was still on the fence about this. "U-uh..."
Hans looked back at Suna who unlike him, she seemed convinced enough. After that playful bump, Hans found himself not being able to keep eye contact and once again looked elsewhere, now rubbing the back of his neck. "Y-yeah. I'll give it a shot....for the yul of course." Hans claimed...still not sure about this. But if Suna was involved it wouldn't be all that bad and nerve racking....right?
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Suna continued on, not noticing that her playful little bump had made the mercenary uncomfortable. "So," she addressed the female recruit. "What do we need to do?"
"Thank you sooo much!" The girl was almost jumping up and down at this point. "Just follow me, please!" She opened the door to the photo studio, and Suna would enter in, assuming the man would also follow.
The elf did notice, however, how the girl’s eyes stayed longer than necessary at Hans. To her surprise, she felt a flare of jealousy. Why did she feel that? It was not like other girls could not look at him, after all. Besides, it was not like she had any claim over him, so why did it bother her so much? She quickly suppressed the strange feeling, focusing on the task at hand.
"Soooo our theme this week is activewear!" The girl was saying as she led them to the back of the studio. There were various outfits hanging from the walls, from casual to summer to formal wear. "And here are our closets!" Apparently the ones hanging out there on display were the selected few; here the closets were bursting with fabrics and colors of every shade imaginable.
The elf’s mouth had dropped in a very unladylike manner, azure eyes as wide and round like the orb in her pouch. She had never thought there were so many different styles and hues in clothes—it certainly opened her eyes to what riches and finery nobles had at their disposal.
"It’s been pretty hot recently, so this will be a breeze! Last week, our female model had to wear those fancy ball gowns. Poor thing almost fainted from the heat and corsets."
"Mmm..." Suna was still staring wide-eyed at all the selections before her. Slender fingers reached out to touch one of the dresses near her, feeling the smooth silk and cool fabric. It rustled like a whisper, and not just that one, but all the ones besides it.
"Pretty cool, isn’t it?" The girl was grinning at the elf’s obvious awe and shock. "Anyways, here is your outfit, now go get changed!" She pushed a hanger with an outfit into Suna’s arms and ushered her to a door by the side. "There’s the changing room. Come back out when you’re done."
"Now, as for you, handsome..." She had turned to face Hans, pursing her lips. "With a fit body and good-looking face like yours, I bet you can fit into anything with no problems. Let’s see..." She tapped a finger on her chin, then raised her eyebrows. "I have just the thing! Wait here!" She started rummaging through one of the racks, then held something up for the mercenary to inspect. "This! What do you think?"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
With a hint of regret, Hans followed behind the woman and Suna, placing his hands in his pockets. As the three entered into the photo studio, the merc started to look around. This was his first time setting foot in a place like this, and he was already not too fond of it. A lot of folks dressed in strange, exotic clothing with some...more revealing than others. There were also similarly looking portraits hung about. Why some people decided to spend their lives using their magic for...stuff like these is something Hans will never understand.
The merc then turned his attention back to the two ladies, one of them currently staring at the guy longingly. The woman looked like she wanted something from Hans, not letting up even though she was caught looking. Hans was still not the best with women, so he was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. The guy quickly shifted his eyes to the side to try and avoid eye contact, but he could still feel the woman's gaze as if she were trying to burn through his face...
With the woman now talking about the current theme and such, Hans looked back at her, paying attention until the trio entered another room, the closets as she pointed it.
Although Suna had an expression of pure shock and joy...Hans face scrunched up into a cringe.
There were so....many....COLORS!
Hans thought the things he saw in the main area were bad enough, but this...It was safe to say that Hans wasn't a fan of these sorts of things. The merc took a step back. His expression, his current demeanor, it was all almost comedic looking. At this moment, Hans just wanted to run straight out of the studio and the town, daring to never look back at it! But he took notice of Suna, and the way she reacted, touching one of the clothing puzzled the merc at first, but then he smiled lightly. At least she likes them....but why that mattered to the man was still a mystery to him.
The woman then gave Suna some clothing, most likely what she was going to wear for this thing and sent her into one of the changing rooms. The merc didn't get a good look at the clothing, but he was going to see it sooner or later.
"Now, as for you, handsome..."
"H-huh?" Hans looked back at the woman. She had that damn look in her eyes again, causing the merc's cheeks to light up slightly in embarrassment. She proceeded to rummage through some clothing for Hans who quietly waited, nervously scratching the side of his cheek with a finger. The woman then came back to Hans...with nothing but a pair of athletic shorts that were mostly dark blue in color with white streaks on the sides....
The merc blinked once before blinking a few times in bewilderment at the...thing presented to him. "E-Ehhhh?" The guy immediately cleared his throat, with his cheeks flushed again. "Wh-where's the rest of it?" he asked. The woman looked confused at first but then she giggled. "You're looking right at it! It'll give the people a fantastic look at your well-built....assets~" she claimed as her eyes wandered a little lower, biting her lower lip. Hans' face lit up a little more with a slight look of disgust on his face. "Ye-yeah. I don't know about...this." The woman sighed before giving the merc a dismissive wave. "Okay okay, I'll throw in a little something extra if you aren't feeling comfortable."
The woman went back to rummaging through clothes while a sigh of relief escaped Hans' mouth.
"Tada!" The woman came back to Hans and presented him with....a pair of hand and foot wraps. With ones of his eyes twitching, Hans pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes while the woman continued to grin confidently. "It's for the yul..." The merc muttered before grabbing the attire and heading to the changing room on the opposite end of Suna's, slamming the door the shut!
Since there wasn't really much to put on....Hans wasted no time and stepped out of the changing room, wearing nothing but those shorts that went down to around his knees, and the wraps around his hands and part of his feet, making him come off as some training mix martial arts fighter. His muscles and abs were well toned. Along with the scars, he had the build to definitely pull off these sorts of wear...not that it made him feel any less exposed.
Hans had a strong reluctant look on his face, almost appearing stiff as he held his neatly folded clothes in his hands, his katana and grimoire resting on top of them. Despite how nervous he looked, that didn't phase the woman, nor her...wandering eyes. "Mmmhmmm, you look so...wait a moment..." the woman stopped and started to circle Hans, occasionally getting closer to feel up his arms and chest....for examination purposes of course! She then backed up and snapped her fingers. "Got it!" "Got...what?" Hans tilted his head just as the woman summoned her grimoire. Using a mixture of water magic and transformation, the woman sprinkled Hans with her magic, making it look as those beads of sweat were running down his features. While Hans looked at his body in disbelief in a nearby mirror, the woman gave him a double thumbs up! "Now you look even more sporty! ....And attractive~" Hans was now glaring at the woman, but she just grinned at the man, not at all phased.
"Now all that leaves is your friend~" The woman said, turning in the direction of Suna's changing room in anticipation.
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Ah geez. BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
The blue-haired elf was pushed into one of the changing rooms, and now she looked at what she had been given to wear. It was a two-piece outfit, a blue and white shorts crop top and a short skirt with a lining of ruffles to match. She loved that shade of blue, but there was a problem: it did not have enough fabric. She bit her lip, now starting to regret accepting the offer in the first place. It would barely cover her upper body, and her midriff would be completely bare for anyone to see. Worst thing is, he’s going to see it.
As she quickly changed into the given clothes, Suna could hear a commotion outside and a door being slammed shut. She had a suspicion that Hans was also a victim of such antics. By now, she has figured that “activewear” was really just a more proper and subtle term for beach outfits. Not as revealing or as explicit, but the exposure was still present. How did she get herself into this situation?
There was a vertical mirror inside the changing room, and the elf gazed back at the awkward figure in the reflection. It was so strange seeing herself in such a revealing outfit—definitely not her usual choice of clothes. As she feared, it showed off her midriff and long legs. Though she was not naturally blessed in that area, that top did something to her chest. She had mixed feelings about it. While it did well to show off her slim figure and toned legs, it was just too much, too much bare skin.
The female hugged herself. She had thought it would be some sort of gown or casual clothes, but apparently she came on the wrong week. It was too late to back out now, though, and to think she was the one who had been so enthusiastic to take this up...
The sound of a door being opened and closed. Her partner must be done changing. Suna bit down on her bottom lip nervously. This was just a photo shoot, nothing more. The elf gingerly stepped out of the room, keeping her eyes down and trying to use her folded clothes and items to cover up the bare areas. The embarrassed flush she had kept down so far flared up when the recruiter squealed.
"Girlll you look good!" The other female bounded over to her, and to her horror, snatched her clothes and other things away, leaving her exposed and defenseless. "Here, let me take these!" Then she laughed when the elf rubbed her arms self-consciously and tried to hide behind her. "Don’t be shy! You should see your friend now! Added some sexy sweat and poof! Doesn’t he look simply dashing now?"
Shy? That was the understatement of the century. As for her ‘friend’... Azure eyes found where the mercenary was, and she peeked up shyly, from the ground up. Her eyes found his shoes, then went up to his dark blue shorts, and up to his…bare chest?! The sweat on his skin definitely accented those muscles of his, as well as his toned build.
Suna flushed a deep crimson red, eyes dropping to the ground again. They darted here and there, anywhere but at the handsome man before her. Was it possible to get a nosebleed from seeing this well-toned and muscular physique before her? Thankfully, the awkward moment was broken by the other female.
"Hmmm...that won’t do, hon." Suna’s eyebrows scrunched up in puzzlement, and the girl sighed and pointed at her shoes. "Those boots gotta go." She opened a drawer nearby and grabbed a pair of long socks and sneakers. "It looks like you’re about to ride off into battle. Not the vibe we’re going for, sweetie. Catch!" The elf caught the items in question and breathed a small sigh of relief. At least the thigh-high socks would cover her bare legs. "Quick, quick, put them on! Talus will be here any moment!"
Suna spotted a nearby chair and quickly changed into the appropriate footwear, hoping that her fumbling actions did not accidentally flash anyone due to her short skirt. Hopefully. Her cheeks were still burning, nonetheless, but she worked as quickly as she could. Just in time, too, as a flamboyant character entered the scene.
"Hello, hello, dearies! I’m Talus, your photographer! Time’s a-wastin’, so let’s get in position now!" A man in bright garb had come bounding into the area, holding a mechanical thing which could only be a camera. "Single shots first. Sir," he motioned at Hans, "You’re already there. Why don’t you move over a few steps to that wall and we’ll get started?"
Then he chuckled and turned towards the recruiter girl. "I see that you still like your male models hot and sweaty."
"Hey, don’t blame me!" The girl pouted, crossing her arm in mock annoyance. "And just look at him! Tell me it doesn’t enhance his natural assets!"
"No, no, you have the right eye for all these details," Talus shook his head, laughing. "Now be a dear and move on from the body to the background, hmm?"
The female pffted but did as she was told, waving her hands and forming the backdrop for the photoshoot. The scene was set. Everything was ready.
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
The merc stood there, feeling like some half naked fool. He was really starting to consider just putting his regular clothes back on and just jump out of the nearest window, but of course, the woman yoinked Hans' belongings right from out of his hand. "Hey, wai-" The merc reached his hands out but the woman wagged her finger at his face before shaking her head. "Now now, handsome, you'll be getting these back after~" she winked, causing Hans to lower his arms in defeat. The guy could've easily taken his things back by force, but it would've really been unnecessary...no matter how badly he wanted to.
The door Suna had went to had started to open, catching both Hans and woman's attention. As the woman went to compliment the elf, Hans stood there in utter silence. "U-uh..." His mouth was open, surprised...and captivated. It was the same elf he had gotten to know, but in a more...revealing attire, only wearing a crop top, and a skirt so dangerously short! His eyes first focused on her face, but slowly lowered, examining areas he had dared not to think of before. Her chest, the amount of skin that she was showing off....and dear gods those legs. They appeared so smooth, and well toned...
A bit of blood had started to rundown from the left side of his nose, the feeling of it being enough to snap him out of his...trance. Hans slowly wiped the blood off with a finger, and looked at it in sheer disbelief. 'Wh-why is my nose bleeding!?' he thought to himself with his cheeks flushed. He then looked up just in time to notice Suna looking right back him, causing the guy to nearly stumble before trying to stealthily wipe the blood off of his fingers then started to look elsewhere with his arms crossed....trying his hardest to play it cool. At this point, Hans was silently praying to the gods that she didn't witness the his wandering eyes gaze...
Hans peeked at the two women as the one responsible for roping him into this mess made a fuss about someone coming. At least Suna now had something to cover those legs better with...but Hans couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed for some reason. But as the elf fumbled to put them on, the merc had caught a glimpse of something that made even more blood run down from his nose. "..."
"Oh no no no! Are you feeling alright!?" The woman said as she ran up to Hans, rubbing the blood from under his nose with a small towel she had. "Can't have anything happen to that handsome face of yours!"
The merc didn't have enough time to react to any of this as Talus came busting in, exerting way more flamboyance than the woman who recruited the duo!
"Wha-huh!?" Talus was ready to get to business, and Hans was still a tad bit dazed from the events that occurred mere seconds ago. Quickly looking around, Hans noticed the blank wall nearby which was obviously used to take photos. "Ri-right..." the Merc managed to regain his composure and scooted himself to the wall, with arms crossed. "Hmmmm, you're looking a little stiff there, son! Come on, give me a little bit of this!" Talus said before flexing one of his arms, wanting Hans to do the same. A sigh escaped the merc as he reluctantly followed, flexing his right arm, showing off them muscles. "Yeah yeah, here we go! Now just keep flexing them muscles, let the poses flow and show my darling camera all that you have to offer!" Talus said as his grimoire floated up beside him, changing the background to appear more like a gym with various athletic equipment.
Hans hesitated at first, but soon he continued to flex his muscles, starting off slow and unsure at first...but as it went on, his poses started to flow a lot more naturally, doing various body builder forms that was enough to make the woman swoon while hugging both Hans and Suna's belongings close to her chest! How easily Hans was now doing it felt...very unlike him, and it was still obvious by the look on his face that he hated it...very much.
"Wonderful, fantastico! The camera loves ya, son! Oh, and that look of "not wanting to be here" you're pulling it off almost too well! Oh, and don't get me started on those scars! This is perfect! You were made for this!" Talus claimed as he continued taking shots, getting into various bizarre positions around Hans while he continued doing poses, some of them now involving the various exercise equipment.
During all of this, fitness type music could be heard, fitting in well with the setting. It was coming from the woman's secondary element of sound. Water and Sound, and interesting combination...yet she has chose to use her blessed abilities...for this. "Now now, I want ya to give me more of a fighter's vibe!" Talus said as he started to punch at the air with a fist. The merc groaned a little, but at least this was better than those...poses he was pulling off earlier. Hans was now pulling off kick boxing like poses, starting with various poses that involves his fists, before moving on to his footwork, kicking at the air rapidly and such. Being a fighter, this portion came off more as training...but it didn't ease the merc's mind that much. He still had a camera on him, and audience...one of them being Suna who the very thought of almost caused him to trip over his feet!
"Woah woah, you good there, son?" Talus said as he stopped snapping photos. "Don't worry about the slip up. Happens sometimes!" Talus claimed as he waved an arm dismissively. "Plus we've got enough photos to work with. You did excellent!" he added as he gestured for Hans to come towards him and the woman. "This yul better be worth it..." Hans grumbled to himself as he walked over.
"Now it's your turn, my dear!" Talus gestured at Suna with a wide grin on his face. "Hey, you got this! Don't be afraid to strut your stuff~" the woman commented before shaking her hips and giving the elf and encouraging pat on the back!
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Against her will, her eyes kept drifting to the dark mercenary as he posed for the pictures. If it had been anyone else dressed like that, she would probably not have felt so bashful. Still, her eyes roved over his form and muscles. The sweat did not help, either. They dripped into those chiseled contours of his and reflected back every time the camera flashed. It was a good thing that the other people were not looking, otherwise they would see a very shy elf peeking through her fingers at the male model.
Sweet spirits above, he looked so devilishly handsome and attractive. One would have to be completely blind to not appreciate this work of art called Hans. Back there, she had caught the look of surprise on his face before he looked away. She was not sure what to make of it, but the sight of his bare chest and shorts was enough to cloud her mind completely. It was like her brain and mouth had ceased to function. Even the background was all a blur to her—she had eyes only for the man posing in front of it.
She knew the dark mage had an attractive face, and had even seen his upper body bare before, but never in such stunning detail and clarity than now. Oh dear, now he was flexing his muscles. Heavens have mercy, she would never be able to see him in the same way again.
It was the series of squeals and swoon from the recruiter girl that snapped Suna out of her transfixed haze. The way she clutched so tightly onto their clothes, creases would be in order. "Isn’t he simply gorgeous?" She gushed.
"More like sexy." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop it. Her hands flew over to her mouth. W-What did I just say?! She dearly hoped that the fitness background music had drowned that comment out.
It was at that moment that Hans seemed to stumble, and the two women in the room gasped in alarm. The blue-haired elf stepped forward in concern, but he had already recovered, and now it was her turn. After that last comment of hers, the elf was too shy to look at Hans in the eye, and kept her eyes down. The woman gave her an encouraging pat on the back as she went up, but it did not get rid of the butterflies in her stomach.
With a hand on her arm, the elf walked shyly up to the wall, which had now been transformed into a track field. The upbeat music had not stopped, but she found solace in that, strangely enough. Just focus on the music, Suna.
Talus waved her over. "Beautiful! Now loosen up a little, my dear! Loosen your arms first and—yes, just like that!"
Suna tried not to blink as the bright camera flashes. Was this what royalty had to go through on the daily? As long as she focused on the music, she could forget her embarrassment at wearing something so out of her comfort zone.
"Perfect! Now tilt your head back a little and give us that smile!"
The bashful smile came easily to her, much to the delight of the photographer.
"Yes, gorgeous smile there, honey! Now if only we had a wind mage, we can get that stunning hair of yours flowing..." Talus was muttering, but waved it off. "But we’ll make do! Now, can you pretend that you’re running in place?"
Suna followed the directions, doing her best not to look over in the general area where she knew Hans was watching. Unbeknownst to her, the transformation mage had added some additional light on her, making it seem like she was glowing.
"Good...good!" More clicks and flashes. "Jut that hip out a little, give us that sly and foxy look...ooh, put your right hand behind your head, elbow out...nice!"
The elf blushed, but did as she was told. Whether it came across successfully was another story.
"Now let’s have that cheerleader pose!"
At that, the recruiter girl ran up and handed her two blue fuzzy looking things. These must be pom poms, or whatever they were called. "You’re doing great, girl!" She winked at her before stepping off set.
"Now raise your arms and...a little lower...there! Perfect, now let’s do one with a little hop..." Talus coached her through several more poses before stopping and giving her a thumbs up. "Lovely! Now for the couple shots!"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Just as Suna wasn't able to keep eye contact with Hans, the merc wasn't able to neither. As she looked down at the floor, the dark mage looked up at the ceiling, pretending to be preoccupied despite the crimson glow on his face betraying him. He was still in sheer disbelief of over what he just went through. Those poses, the sweat....and the huge lack of clothing. If it weren't for the promise of Yul, Hans would've been anywhere but here about now...but of course that wasn't the only reason, no matter how much he wanted to lie to himself.
Hans took Suna's old spot, and crossed his arms. The recruiter lady wasted no time inching herself closer and closer to the unsuspecting merc like some sort of predator stalking its prey. Wasn't until she was in near hip touching distance that the dark mage would notice, causing him to quickly look over at her, and jump back a bit. She had a sly look in her eyes as she used the clothing she was holding to hide the bottom half of her face. "Sooo~ I really think you should consider making this a full time care-" "No." the merc bluntly said much to the woman's dismay. Hans may be desperate for yul, but he wasn't THAT desperate. If he ever finds himself in that situation, he'd most likely turn to murder before even considering...this.
The merc would be torn away from his brooding as he started to hear Talus bark out orders to the elf in a similar fashion to what he did for Hans. Turning to face the two, the dark mage was taken off guard by Suna's first pose. He slowly found his crossed arms loosening and lowering to his sides as she continued on. The way she moved, and on top of that the uniform they made her wear....her features made all the more noticeable as she was apparently glowing, courtesy of the recruiting lady who had her grimoire out, wiggling her fingers in Suna's direction.
Hans didn't realize any of that, he was too fixated on the elf. She managed to pull off all of those poses with ease. It was graceful...yet alluring. Hans did not care if she was well endowed or not...it didn't stop his eyes from wandering as if they had a mind of their own, and unlike the elf, he wasn't trying to hide his gaze, mostly because he didn't realize what he was doing himself at the moment.
"Woooooo, you go girl! Show them what you're working with!" the recruiter yelled out, loud enough to make Hans 'wake up'. "Hu-what? I-I wasn't..." the man looked around almost bashfully, but it didn't seem liek the lady next to him noticed, being too caught up with Suna and of course the loudness of the music.
It appeared like Talus was done with Suna, making Hans believe that all of this was over. Before he could let a sigh of relief slip out of his mouth, the flamboyant photographer uttered one more request that caused Hans to nearly choke. "Hmm? You okay over there, son?" Talus asked while the recruiter girl patted the merc on his back.
Couple....shot!?
Surely he meant just a couple of pictures of them together, and far apart....right?
Once Hans got himself together, Talus gestured for him to come over. Hans looked over at him before looking at Suna which he couldn't keep eye contact with as he quickly looked to the side, rubbing the back of his neck. Without saying a word, Hans trudged his way over until he was awkwardly standing next to Suna. "Come on now, boy! Where'd that beaming confidence of yours go!? You're suppose to be my star athlete, not some shy celebrity heartthrob....That's for my next issue!" He claimed before making a gesture at the two mages with his free hand.
"I need you two to get closer now." he requested. Hans was very reluctant at first, only giving Suna occasional side glances before he slowly scooted towards her and stopped, assuming she'd do the same. "No no, closer!" Hans would grit his teeth as he drew closer, and continued to move as he followed Talus' gesturing hand until he held it up for them to stop. "There we go!"
If the both of them followed his orders, the two mages would be hip to hip. At first, Talus requested the two to do some poses separately which wasn't that bad despite how close they were. The merc was praying that this was all that Talus would want them to do, but of course not! "Now get that arm of yours around her waist, son, and get one of yours around his neck, dear!" He wanted what now? 'It's for the yul. It's for the yul. It's for the yul.' is what the merc was trying to focus hard on in his mind. Still not looking at the elf, he hesitantly wrapped his arm around her slim waist, causing the man to draw her closer in. "Nice nice! Now we're really getting somewhere!" Talus claimed, assuming Suna did her part as well.
"Now flex your free arm, boy! Shat that pom pom of yours, dear!" he requested as he started taking pictures. "Now I want you both to turn till you're almost facing each other, give my camera nice little side eye glance! I need you to look stone cold my boy, and keep up that peppy attitude, my blueberry beauty!" Hans would reluctantly oblige as he turned his body, his flexing arm more towards the camera...and the skin on skin contact getting a bit more personal for comfort.
"Now pick up your cheer leader, and carry her for the camera!" He'd say, now holding his camera in a way that he wanted to merc to do. "I...wh..." Hans mumbled but he went along with it. If she'd allow him to, Hans would lift Suna up like a newly wed couple...one of his hands placed where he assumed it shouldn't have been, causing him to quickly correct himself by shifting his hand a little downwards, all with his face completely engulfed in red. "Keep that arm around his neck, my sweet! Extend that pom pom out!" He asked, taking more pictures in various positions like a mad man. During all of this, Hans was having...a lot of mixed feelings, trying to drown them out by keeping his mind on the yul, but it wasn't working too well anymore, especially with the more orders Talus requested...
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
All the bashfulness came rushing back. A hundred different thoughts ran through her head, and she rubbed the side of her arm with her hand. As the mercenary came over, the elf shyly held her props in front of her, trying to hide part of her exposed skin. She could sense that he felt just as awkward, and surprisingly enough, it made her more at ease. At least she was not the only one who felt that way.
"You look...good." She murmured, then bit down on her tongue. She had wanted to say something else, but could not quite bring herself to say anything more than that. Not yet. Now Talus was shouting at them to get closer. And closer. On one of those side glances the dark mage was giving her, she met his eyes for one of them. A nervous laugh. Was he really looking at her? Or was something on her face? She quickly wiped away a non-existent spot on her face. However, if there really was something on her face, she was sure the recruiter or the photographer would have said something about that earlier.
At first, it was all right. Their poses were shot together, but it was just an occasional brush or touch that the other would immediately pull away, as if in silent apology. Of course, Talus had something else in mind. "No no, closer!" He had commanded, and went on to describe more poses. Put her arms around his neck? His arm was already on her waist, so she quickly followed suit, following the directions.
Now, she could feel the alluring heat that radiated from the man. It did not help that she was basically pressed up against him, her bare midriff coming dangerously close in contact with the other’s bare chest. There were more clicks and flashes, but after the side glance at the camera, her face turned towards her companion. Unbidden, the edges of her mouth curved upwards to a soft smile. Sure, he had such dashing looks, but he looked so adorable in his moments of awkwardness.
"Oh!" She yelped in surprise as he picked her up bridal-style. Her arms instinctively wrapped themselves around his neck for balance. She could feel the warmth of his arms under her legs, and blushed hotly when it went somewhere she was sure he did not mean to go. However, there was nothing she could do about it. She was held up off the floor, completely at the mercy of the man.
"That’s the spirit! Good good, now let’s have you two shift a little so she is straddling your waist...there we go! Hold on to her, son! And honey, put up both pom-poms in the air...and look at me...both of—yes! Oh, nice!" The recruiter girl was also squealing and jumping up and down at this point. She was so excited, she had dropped the transformation magic on Hans.
Suna held her arms above her head, waving the pom-poms in the air as she smiled for the camera. She was getting more relaxed now, and her body was not as tense. She trusted the man carrying her, and knew he would not let her fall. For those looking from the outside, the elf had on a bright smile and even brighter eyes.
"Got it! Next one….hmm, let’s have you hop on his back, dearie!"
Suna patted Hans’ shoulder, indicating he could let her down now. Assuming he would crouch down or do something similar, she would once again wrap her hands around his neck and her legs around his hips. This position also meant that his arms and hands would be supporting her up from her behind, and her midriff was definitely touching his bare back now. It felt so warm and smooth.
"Perfect! Now smile for the camera, both of you!"
She wiggled a little to settle more comfortably into position, hoping that her extremely short skirt was not riding up past her waist. From her palms, she could feel all the muscles rippling underneath his strong shoulders and chest. It stirred something in the female’s blood, but she was still unsure as to what her body was telling her.
A few more different facial expressions, and Talus was waving at them for the next pose. "Great! Now let’s get some wall hitting going!"
"Wall hitting?" Her eyebrows went up in question. Assuming that the mercenary had let her down to the ground again, the elf would covertly adjust her skirt, pulling them down as much as possible. At least in the pictures they just took, Hans was in front, so whatever was exposed beyond proper would not have picked up anyways.
The photographer himself came up to the duo. "Sweetie, I need you to have your back against the wall here...yes, like that! And you, my boy," here he demonstrated the pose, slamming his palm against the wall and hovering extremely close over Suna. "Like this! Got it?" Without waiting for a reply, he drew back and got into position to capture the scene. "Look into his eyes! Yes, yes, there we go! Love that shy and flustered look you have there! And you! Act like you’re the captain of the team and always gets what he wants! Give it a touch of intimidation! You’re trying to pick up the hottest cheerleader of the school!"
Suna had never been called ‘hot’ before, and it felt strange hearing that addressed to her. She had always been known as cute, but hot? That was new. He was so close to her now, and she rather liked the intimidating pose he had over her, assuming that he was attempting Talus’ suggestions. She could not help but gaze into those captivating dark eyes, her mouth forming a little o. Those windows to the soul spoke fathoms of secrets and mysteries, and she was instantly drawn into them. If she was not careful, she would fall into them and never get out...
"Nice, nice!" Talus’ voice cut through her trance, and she blinked rapidly. For a moment, she had forgotten that they had an audience who was capturing their every move. He had even gotten closeups. "Great-looking couple!" Then the photographer waved at the recruiter girl. "Any other poses you want to suggest? Or," he turned back to the duo, "any poses you two would like to try?"
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
"Y-yeah...You too..." Hans replied, his voice barely audible. To say that she looked good was an understatement, but the poor merc couldn't bring himself to say more, especially in this current situation.
Hans made sure to hold onto the elf tightly as her other arm went free from his neck. He could be wrong, but the dark mage had started to notice a change in the sound mage's demeanor. She seemed a little more relaxed, and was enjoying herself, causing Hans to loosen up some with his mouth now forming a little smirk. Other than all of the...skin contact, Hans was starting to feel a bit more at ease being this close to Suna. It felt comforting for lack of a better word.
Now Talus wanted the elf to get on the merc's back for this next pose. This was something the had done before so Hans wasn't really bothered about it. With a nod, Hans gently placed Suna down and crouched so she could get up on him. With arms and legs around him, the merc placed his hands behind him so she could help support her, but unlike before....he was feeling a whole lot more than he should've. Just like that, the brief moment of ease Hans was feeling vanished as he felt like he was violating the poor elf, stepping past boundaries he had no business being around! He also felt her chest squeezing against his back, and her midriff against his skin. Despite all that, he couldn't just let go, or else she'd fall, so he just had to bare with it and hope that she'd forgive him after all of this.
Despite all of the wiggling his partner did, Hans managed to keep calm, or at least give off the appearance that he was. Talus continued on with his picture taking, clicks and flashes all over the place from the guy's constant shifts in positions. Finally, he was satisfied with the results and wanted to go onto something more...'wall hitting?' With an eyebrow raised questionably, Hans crouched down to let Suna off just as Talus made his way over. He watched and listened as Talus demonstrated this pose. The merc still didn't quite understand the purpose of it, but there appeared to be a lot less skin contact with this one at least.
"Hmm...okay." As the other guy backed up, Hans took his place in front of the elf. With eyes closed, Hans took a deep breathe before slamming his palm against the wall that the sound mage was up against. The way Hans did it was a bit more aggressive, and dominating, not that he was trying to go for that...It just sort of happened. Both Talus and the recruiter girl seem to have approve of it however. A small light chuckle escaped from the guy's mouth as Talus referred Suna to be hot. "Well...He's not wrong." the merc mumbled in a whisper like tone. ....What was just uttered was meant to remain in the merc's mind, but it slipped out. With how low he said it, the only person who could've possibly heard him was the elf herself...
He couldn't take it back now...nor was he sure if he even wanted to. Hans' eyes were fixated on Suna's. They were so welcoming...and expecting. Being so close to her like this felt different than the previous poses. At this moment, Hans forgot why he was even here, and that there are others in this room. With another smirk, his face slowly inched closer, and closer until.....
"Nice, nice!"
Talus wasn't that loud but to Hans who wasn't expecting this, the guy sounded like a really loud and obnoxious alarm clock.
Hans blinked a few times before quickly backing up while clearing his throat while Talus continued to talk. "Right...W-wait! We're not a...." Hans just stopped himself and let out a sigh at this point. If he continued to get flustered over this stuff than he'd probably end up boiling over. "Just give me my yul..." Hans said. He seemed to be just about done with this place, but prior to saying that, one could've swore that he looked like he was thinking something over, just for a split second before looking over at Suna. "Hah! You sound just like some of my more spoiled models, boy! What about you, my sweet? Got anything in mind either something solo or with your tall dark and brooding partner here!?" Talus asked, looking more at Suna now. Hans also looked in her direction, but with a hint of curiosity this time.
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Don't think Hans would be the type to suggest anymore poses xD BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
As time went on, Suna felt strangely at ease being held by the mercenary. She knew that he would not drop her or let her down, and that fact was incredibly warming. Heart warming, even. Even when she was on his back and there was all that skin contact, she trusted him. He had been the perfect gentleman so far, and she knew he would not unwittingly try to push her boundaries. Not on purpose, at least. Although she did blush scarlet when his hands touched somewhere not covered by her short skirt.
At the ‘wall hitting’ pose, Suna was taken aback at the force from the man. He certainly fulfilled that ‘intimidation’ request, and she found that something seemed to awaken within her. The female was confused, since she had never felt this way before. Perhaps this was something she needed to look up on. Or perhaps she could ask some of her female friends. She had met a few as of late—perhaps they could enlighten her on what this was all about.
As for the ‘hot’ comment, the elf’s eyes widened when she caught wind of Hans’ mumble. Unbidden, her heart skipped a beat, and her knees were in danger of melting from beneath her. Compliments came few and little, but even so, they would not have meant as much. Not unless it came from someone she cared about. Wait, what?
Despite being an elf, she was not blessed with the slightly-taller-than-average gene, and her short height was easily overshadowed by the dark mage’s stature. She shrank in a little at first, but then her eyes widened when he returned the gaze. He even had a smirk, as if he knew of his dominance and power over her. Which he did, whether he knew it or not. It was so intense, but she could not move from it. It was as if time stood still, and nothing else existed. Nothing besides the handsome man in front of her.
Of course, that moment was broken and reality came rushing back. Hans and the photographer were saying something back and forth, but she was still caught in the haze. Even though they were not physically touching, it felt more intimate and intense. Wait, Talus was addressing her now? Suna only shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She did not have any particular pose in mind, not when her mind was full of...other things.
"Guess we’ll wrap it up here! Great work, both of you!" The flamboyant character flashed them a big smile and a thumbs up, then ushered them back to the changing rooms. The recruiter girl had brought their original clothes back into the stall, and Suna changed quickly. Ah, it felt so good to be back in her normal clothes again. Although, she had rather liked the way Hans looked at her when she was wearing the photoshoot outfit...
As she stepped out, she was greeted by the recruiter, who hurried over with two small pouches of yul...and two bags. "Here you are!" She gave each of them a pouch and a bag. Seeing Suna’s puzzled face, she laughed. "These bags are for you to carry your new clothes back home!"
"A-Are you sure?" The blue-haired elf shook her head. She was not sure if she ever wanted to wear these types of revealing clothes again. But then again...she glanced over at Hans, assuming that he had also changed back to his normal attire and was also out of the changing room.
However, the other female was adamant and would not accept it back. "Nope! Nope! Not takin’ them back! Not when you two fit into those so well!" She had her hands in the air, not taking no as an answer. Then she turned to Hans. "Hey handsome, why not leave your contact info, hmmm? I can hook you up in the future when we need a body like yours again!" She flashed him a wink.
Suna bit down on her tongue, speechless. That strange feeling was back again. She did not like the recruiter’s special attention on Hans, and even less that she was angling so close to him. Then she did something she normally would not do.
"Uh, we...we actually have somewhere to go now!" She would grab his arm and try to pull the mercenary out of the studio. Once she was out of the establishment and back on the streets, she would look back at the man, assuming he had followed along. "Erm..." She dropped his arm, suddenly aware of her brash action. "S-Sorry about that." She laughed nervously, eyes shifting to the side. It was completely out of character for her; she did not know what came over her, except that she had to get him out of the clutches of that woman.
Then she caught sight of something glowing green from her main pouch. Puzzled, the elf opened it and peeked in. "Oh!" It was the orb from that morning. The twin sisters had conveniently left out critical information on how to activate it, but it seemed like something was happening now...
“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”
Just like Hans, the elf appeared to not have any suggestions as well, but she seemed a lot more quiet about it, causing the merc to raise an eyebrow. To him she seemed a little out of it, but he wasn't sure why despite the answer being so painfully obvious...
Now the duo were truly done with this whole modeling thing! The moment he was allowed back to the changing area, Hans immediately changed back to his usual attire. He felt relieved to be back in his regular clothes...but a small part of him was actually going to miss those shorts. The merc couldn't put a finger on it, but there was something about those clothes that made him feel more...confident oddly enough. Plus the way it made Suna look at him....Hans immediately brushed those thoughts to the back of his mind with a shake of his head before stepping out of the changing room!
As the merc made his way back to Suna, the recruiter girl also came up to the duo with pouches of yul and two bags. Hans took his pouch of yul and bounced it a bit in his hand. It felt like a decent amount for a job like this...but they could've put in a little more. He then looked down at the bag just as the recruiter girl told them what they are. The man lowered his eyes a bit. They really want them to keep....those? "Er thanks, but n-" Hans stopped himself as his eyes drifted towards Suna.
Memories of how she looked at him while he was wearing those briefly flashed through his mind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to just hold onto them...for training purposes of course! But then again, the merc didn't exactly have a place of residence, so carrying that around on top of the other things he has will probably grow bothersome. Well, it didn't matter now, since the girl practically shoved the bags into the duo's faces, not taking "no" for an answer. Hans grabbed a hold of the bag and looked at it before sighing. Guess he was stuck with it no matter what now.
"H-Huh?" The recruiter girl was at it again, getting a little too close into Hans' personal space. Something about his contact info and needing his body? "I don't exactly have any contact inf-" Suddenly the man felt himself being yanked by the arm by Suna! From the look on his face, he was very much not expecting that, nor was the recruiter lady. Even though Hans could've easily taken his arm back, he continued to allow Suna to pull him...even though he wasn't sure why this was happening.
Now back outside, Suna relinquished the merc's hand. He looked at her, a bit puzzled. She appeared to be nervous about something, which that laugh wasn't helping to hide. "H-hey..." Hans was just about to reach out in an attempt to comfort her until he saw a glow coming from Suna's pouch. At the same time, a glow was illuminating from Hans' pocket, green as well. Digging in his pocket, he fished out that orb he and Suna acquired earlier back at Nairn. He could feel a faint source of power dwelling within it, but just as fast as the orb glowed, the light diminished. "It stopped?" He muttered. Hans looked back at Suna silently wondering if she felt the same thing. He wondered what triggered it, but that was for another time.
"Umm..." He slowly placed the orb back in his pocket, trying to figure out what to say. "I guess we're models now." Was the first thing to come to mind, raising the bag that contained his clothes. "I wouldn't mind er..I mean...you were really...uhh..hmmm..." Just like that, that intimidating domineering demeanor Hans exerted back in the studio went back into hiding, making way for Hans' usual anti-social bumbling self. What he wanted to say was that he wouldn't mind doing this again...at least just for her.
"I...I'll...See you, Suna." He then turned around and was about to make his leave, before stopping. "H-Hmm...Hold on to those clothes. You look really good in them..." He clenched the bag that he was holding with his back towards the woman, not wanting her to see how flustered he was. If there wasn't anything else to add, he would start to take his leave, to where, he wasn't sure...
He wasn't sure about a lot of things at this point.
-Exit-
POW
26
DUR
30
SEN
10
STA
20
CON
28
HEALTH senior
SKIN senior
MANA POOL 80/80
MANA REGEN 25 IC / 20 OOC
ITEMS Magic Broom and Dark Edge
NOTES Blah blah blah BATTLE *pew pew pew* SPELLS Show us your stuff
Suna lifted the glowing orb from her pouch. It had turned green, and was pulsing. She could feel a strange warmth from it, and she felt something stir in her magic. Then, just as suddenly, it flashed once and flickered out. "Hmm..." She lifted it up. Now, it looked like an ordinary glass orb. Then she noticed how the sky was streaked in reds and oranges.
"Oh! It’s later than I thought." She realized that the afternoon had swiftly passed by, and the sun was already making its descent down to the horizon. They have been in the studio longer than expected. The modeling had certainly been an experience. "I guess so." She fingered the bag with the photoshoot clothes. It was unlikely she would ever wear it out in public, but it might actually be a good workout outfit if she chose to train in the forest...where no one could see her.
The man was saying something, but kept stopping himself. By now, the elf had gotten a pretty decent idea of what he was trying to say, and smiled at his adorable attempts. "Thank you. You also looked rather...dashing today." Just like Hans, she was not used to giving these types of compliments towards the opposite gender, and especially not on expressing her feelings. There was so much more she wanted to say, but they never made it past her tongue. But at least she managed to get something out this time.
It had been a very eventful day, and frankly, and she needed some time to process it all. Mainly, about her strange behavior when around Hans. It wasn’t like she never talked with other male mages—but somehow, it was different when it came to him. "O-Oh...okay." He liked it when she was wearing those clothes? Well, she would not mind if he happened to stumble across her forest training then. She blushed as she thought about it, but nodded and waved farewell to the mercenary. "See you, too, Hans." Even if his back was turned towards her, anyone would have been able to hear the smile in her voice.
Little did she know that she would send out a note the very next day, asking the dark mage to meet her at the place known as the Eldritch Home. Little did she know that certain things would develop and that they would never be the same...
