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.
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[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]
Post by Genesis Fantome on Oct 22, 2020 0:37:07 GMT -5
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[attr="class","boxas"]
Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
Genesis sighed. It’s for the yul. It was the only reason why the young woman was now making her leisurely way down the streets of Silva, down the streets of nobles and wealthy people to a certain studio. Not just any studio, but the main business building for the Cloversationist, Clover’s most elite and fashionable magazine. She had modelled for them before, though it was because they pulled her off the streets, along with another shadow mage. At least they paid her well, so she was willing to come back again.
Today, the shadow mage was donned in her usual all-black outfit, a simple relaxed top and pants to match. From her previous experience, she knew enough to wear something that could be easily changed out and into. Her wavy crimson hair hung free and wild, like usual. She could certainly pass off as a piratess, with her menacing scar across her left eye and her dagger and knives strapped to her side. She never went anywhere without her weapons, as she would rather be always inconvenienced then be caught unaware once. Besides, she had gotten used to carrying her deadly instruments around; they were almost like a second skin or an extension of their carrier.
Of course the red-headed woman drew some stares as she sauntered down the paved streets, especially from the upper class, but she paid them no mind. She just wanted to get this little gig done as soon as possible and fill up her yul pouch again. Truly, if it were not for the money involved, she would have rejected the studio’s invitation to model for them again in an instant. After her harrowing experience in Kikka, she had gone home and invested in upgrading and refining her weapons. That had a hit on her resources, so here she was. Again for the yul. Might as well write that as her epitaph over her gravestone: ‘I did it for the money.’
As Gen pushed open the door and entered the studio, she noted that it was in a flurry with activity, just like last time. A familiar-looking female rushed over and ushered her over to the side.
"The male model will be here any minute!" The young lady chirped. "And perfect! You did that scar makeup again! Who’s your makeup artist? It looks so real!" What was her name again? Oh right, Mel. The transformation mage who usually took care of the makeup and photoshoot backgrounds. Where was that other assistant? That Adrian guy?
"No, it’s not makeup, it’s an actual scar." The redhead injected nonchalantly, and was inwardly bemused at the surprised look on the assistant’s face. Yes, they had all thought she had a makeup artist do that to her face last time, but no, it was the real thing. To prove it, Gen drew a finger underneath her eye, across the scar. Nothing smeared. It was real.
"Ah, I see!" Mel nodded, recovering from her surprise quickly. Her enthusiastic and preppy attitude was back in full force. "Well, lucky for you, that scar of yours will work with your outfit again today!"
As Mel touched up her face with makeup, Gen wondered who her modelling partner was going to be. If there was any. "Am I modelling by myself today?" That Vincent-but-not-really-Vincent was a decent guy, but she doubted it would be him again. However, if she was to be partnered up with someone, she just hoped it was not going to be a flamboyant and insufferable individual like that photographer.
The female assistant only grinned. "Nope, you’re in a shoot with someone else again! He came to model for us when one of our regular guys fell ill. Honestly, I think the manager should just fire that particular male model! He keeps reporting in sick and whatnot." She lowered her voice, like she was disclosing a secret. "But in my opinion, I just think he’s just trying to skip out on work!" She shook her head, and finished touching up on Gen’s face. "There you go, girlie!" And spun her around so she could see herself in the mirror.
The shadow mage recoiled at her reflection, just as the studio’s front door swung open to reveal the aforementioned male model, her partner for the day...
Post by Hania Ravencrest✾ on Oct 24, 2020 19:56:38 GMT -5
It had been only a short time ago that Hania had paid the piper in regards to the bet he made with his elder sister Lydia and became a model because she found it amusing. He had to admit it wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be but having to deal with a man that looked like a gaudy tulip that was seemingly hyped up on caffeine and sugar was something he was hoping that he would never have to deal with again. Soon enough he would find out he was going to have no such luck as a personalised letter had been sent to the young Ravencrest. He took the letter from the messenger and tipped him before going back to his study to read what it was for, he couldn't think it was for anything formal or he would have heard about it from Lydia surely and if it was a mission as a magic knight there is no way a messenger would have been sent, he would again have been told by Lydia or his captain. Neither of which had happened so his curiosity had been piqued, to say the least. Sitting on his chair he carefully opened the letter and began to read what it had said. The letter was an invitation to the Halloween photoshoot, it had turned out that they enjoyed taking his pictures so much they wanted to have him there more frequently.
He wanted none of that as he remembered the last time he had to deal with him and his hairstylist who wanted to cut his hair for the photoshoot because it would be easier to style. He, on the other hand, was having none of that as he knew he'd get into trouble with Lydia for allowing it to happen as she knew just how protective he was of his hair for some unknown reason and the hairstylist well she'd likely go missing and if she didn't her reputation would be ruined to the point that she wouldn't even manage to find work as a maid at some run-down motel inside the rogue's sanctuary. Luckily she had taken the hint and found a way to get the look without having to cut his hair at all which he was more than a little thankful for. Reading the letter over again he wanted to understand everything that was expected of him, he couldn't help but pinch the arch of his nose and sigh silently. "We all must make sacrifices for the family." he said having it bashed into his head over the years. It was true, however, everyone within the family had their place and role within it, with how his magic was forming it was clear how he would help the families agenda but it didn't mean he had to completely like it. He was from a prominent family in Clover so it wasn't like he could go to places and not be noticed so he had to hope that he would either be able to get into transformation or he would need to learn the art of being seen but not seen when in public. In honesty he preferred the latter of the two options as transformation magic seemed like a headache for him and when he was already having flashes of things he didn't need something else muddying the waters when he had to put on a persona.
After taking a few moments to centre himself he stood up and started yet another walk down to the town of Silva from his families estate. The letter had stated that he would be working with another model, he had no issue with this as he had worked with a wonderful woman the first time around and so believed it may be the same person this time round or someone that wouldn't give him to many issues. Along the walk he had noticed children helping their parents decorate their homes spookily, the trees were starting to turn to reds, golds and ambers and some had already started to fall to the ground and while it was still rather warm there was a noticeable chill in the air. It took around thirty minutes maybe longer with how he took a leisurely stroll to where he was going to be modelling yet again, in honesty, he was dreading what they were going to make him dress as given the theme for the next release of the magazine. It was too late however for him to back out as he opened the door to be met by the photographer again, once again he took his hand and shook it like a crazy person. Hania was sure he was saying something but he wasn't actually paying attention to what he was saying but more how he was wearing bright red trousers with white roses, a black shirt with bright red ruffles and makeup that he guessed would make him look like a vampire. 'Does this man get dressed in the dark or am I missing something?' he couldn't help but think to himself "Yes, thank you. I was excited about being requested to model for you again." he said without missing a beat. He knew appearances were everything to his family and even if he was quite the opposite he still had to make it appear as if he was.
He was then escorted to a seat where he saw the same makeup artist and hairstylist that he had the first time "I trust my hair isn't going to be cut" he said to the hairstylist who looked somewhat nervous at his words. "No, but we are going to be changing the colour." she said a little sheepishly "Will it be permanent?" he asked looking up to her just to watch her shake her head "No, it'll wash out in a few days." she replied unsure of how the white-haired noble would take the conversation "Will it damage my hair in any way?" he asked wanting to get as much information as possible "No, within five days it'll be the same colour as it is now." she said biting her bottom lip "Very well, however, if it doesn't I will be holding you responsible to fix it." he wasn't at all stuck up over the matter it was just clear he cared about his hair and how it might be affected so wanted as much information as possible and letting the woman know that if she messed it up she would have to be the one to fix it. He knew accidents happened on occasion and would rather give her the chance to fix the mistake than get someone else to fix it and his sister deciding where she was going to hide this poor woman's body for making her brother upset after he got an earful for allowing it to happen. Of course, the thought of Lydia killing someone for something so petty was just an over-exaggeration or at least he hoped it was he could never really tell when it came to his sister.
Closing his eyes he allowed the makeup artist and hairstylist do what they needed to, to begin his transformation into who knew what. It hadn't taken to long before he was spun around and looked at himself in the mirror his hand going to his head looking to those around him like he was suffering from a headache, in actuality he was getting flashes from when he saw his snowy white hair now a deep raven black. He had no idea what had triggered it but he knew he felt sick "Are you alright Hania?" the makeup artist asked "Do we need to call the medic over?" the hairstylist asked quickly "No, no... I'm fine. It happens now and then." he reassured them as he breathed a little heavier than normal but it was something he got under control once more "I think it was the shock more than anything" he said in a less than confident voice, he had was unsure why but looking like this made him uneasy, to say the least. "It said I was modelling with someone else, would you happen to know who they are?" he asked trying to get back into the right mind frame for the task at hand only for the pair to turn him towards the redhead in the chair next to him "Hania meet Genesis the female model you'll be working with today." they said in unison. Hania remained silent, he had never met this woman before but he was sure he could recognise her from somewhere, it was such a surreal feeling for him given he had a photographic memory but he had no recollection of her. Standing he moved to her taking her hand before kissing it gently "The pleasure is mine Lady." he said politely his tone sweet as honey, clearly sincere with his words making the two women behind him giggle like two highschool girls rooting for a friend.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Oct 28, 2020 0:35:52 GMT -5
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[attr="class","boxas"]
Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
Gen had been taken aback at her reflection in the mirror, though it was more out of surprise than shock. Now, instead of having a scar across her left eye, she now had two. Two streaks ran down underneath both eyes, which the makeup artist had expertly matched with her natural scar. There was also a generous amount of kohl applied around her eyes, accenting her hooded eyes and giving her a darker and more forbidding appearance than she already had.
On top of all this, Mel had also sharpened her facial features with a slightly darker powder, accenting all the sharp counters of her nose and jawline. She even brushed some reddish gel on her eyebrows, tinting those darker hairs to better match her fiery crimson waves. As for her hair, she had somehow straightened it, making the femme all angles and almost no curves. At least from her chin upwards.
The shadow mage tilted her head to the left and to the right, noting all the changes the female made to her face. It was almost like wearing a mask, how different and...artificial it was. Surprisingly, she rather liked it, not showing her true self to the camera. This way, she could hide behind the makeup, as they only wanted her face and her body for the shoot—they did not want any of her fighting abilities. Perhaps this was not so bad, after all. At least it would be better than last time. Hopefully.
The first time she was here, she was pushed into a summer themed photoshoot. It had been all bright and sunny and terribly uncomfortable. The outfit had made it worse. Well, it was more like the lack of it. She inwardly shuddered as she thought back to what little fabric had covered certain parts of her body. It was all so uncomfortable, and did not even look good. That is, in her opinion. They had gifted her that outfit after she was done, and the shadow mage had quickly sold it off not long afterwards. It helped that the particular magazine issue was apparently a big hit in the noble circles, and she found herself using her shadows to hide her features more when walking down the main streets. It had been done out of caution, to avoid being discovered and to be pulled to who knows where for who knows what.
Her thoughts were interrupted at the jingle of the bell that hung above the door—and the overly excited voice of the photographer. What was his name again? Zeljko or something like that. His voice was exactly the same as she remembered it: bright and hyped up. She wondered if the man ever calmed down enough to sleep. Then she heard a male voice. Ah, must be her modelling partner for the day. She would have turned around to look, but Mel was still working on her face, and tsked at her when she tried to move. Gen sighed, but settled in. She heard the photographer and the male model exchange a few more words, then someone sat down in the makeup chair next to her.
From the corner of her eye, she could see a tall man with long and flowing white hair. As for his features...she could not see them as well, not with Mel holding her chin firmly and not allowing her head to move an inch. All she could hear was the male model asking the other hairdresser about the temporary hair color, and making sure it was not a permanent dye or something like that. Come to think of it, the redhead had thought about changing her hair color to black before; it would definitely match her element and personality well. On further thought, perhaps she would ask about that temporary dye later.
Then Mel was finished and she now had the freedom to look at the man by her side. Goodness, that dye was certainly...potent. It had completely changed his snowy white hair into a gorgeous shade of raven black. Yes, she would ask about that dye later. However, when the male got spun around to see his own reflection, his hand was on his head and he looked to be in pain. Gen cocked a head. What was bothering him? Did the strong dye smell give him a headache?
The other makeup artist was expressing her concern, even offering to call a medic. Just who was this man, to be greeted by the photographer himself at the door and being fawned over and cared for so carefully by the assistants here? Some nobility, she would guess. The woman had mentioned his name, Hania. Well, whoever he was, she only respected and looked up to those who were not lazy, and those who worked hard in their craft, whatever it may be. That was her philosophy so far, but who knew when it might change upon certain choice encounters?
The male model had then reassured and soothed over the concerns, claiming it to be shock. Gen guessed that explanation could work, but who was she to pry in other people’s business? She had a job to do, so she just needed to get through this and get paid. No more, no less.
"It said I was modelling with someone else, would you happen to know who they are?"
Well, he knew even less than she did. That made the two of them. The two women then introduced him to her, and Gen was immediately struck by how icy blue his eyes were. It was so cold, despite his friendly body language. At this, the edges of her mouth twisted up to a half-formed smirk. Thank goodness he was not another copy of that flamboyant character, otherwise it would have been a very time to get through.
He was staring silently at her, and the redhead cocked an eyebrow—perfectly done, thanks to Mel. Why was he looking at her like that? She had never laid eyes on him before, never seen his person in her life. So what was up with that indescribable look? But then he stood up, and before she knew it, was kissing her hand and saying his greetings.
"I’m no lady," she grimaced, "just Gen." But she chalked up his address of her as formality. This highway thrown orphan was no fine lady, and did not pretend to act as such. The women behind him giggled and squealed like a bunch of girls, and Gen had to bite back a retort. Instead, she just shot them a cool look. Such frivolous and immature behavior from those females. But then again, she supposed she was also like that when shopping for knives, so she could not really blame them. His touch was gentle, and did not feel unpleasant. His tone was polite, and his chivalrous, if not sweet, actions just now would have melted any other girl’s hearts to a helpless puddle. Unfortunately, she was not one of those types.
"Looking forward to working with you, Hania." She responded, all business and with barely a trace of emotion. The female did not know what a noble like him was doing over here for a photoshoot, but regardless of his reason, this was just a job to her.
"Since both of your makeup and hair are all done, let’s get changed, shall we?" Her makeup artist was now leading them towards the back of the room, where the closets and changing rooms are. Thankfully, the theme for this photoshoot was much more up her alley, and Mel now brought out her outfit.
Goodness, those sleeves. Those puffs of sleeves was the first thing Gen noticed. She looked at them curiously, if not without a hint of disdain, at the excessive amount of fabric. A seamstress would be able to make two more full sleeves with that billow of fabric. It would only get in the way of a fight, and it simply was not practical at all. Though, she did not deny the material looked very rich and very fitting in the holiday spirit. She rather liked the bold designs, however, and thankfully, the outfit this time covered way more skin. Not that she minded showing skin, but only if it gave her more unhindered freedom of movement.
Mel threw her a few more things to the pile of fabric in her arms and now pushed her towards the changing rooms. Gen complied. She could hear the other woman making small talk with Hania before handing Hania his outfit, but she did not yet see what it was. She would get to see it soon enough, though. The shadow mage slipped off her simple outfit, and had a little struggle of figuring where to put her arms and adjusting the dress-like outfit to fit the way it was designed. The sleeves slipped on easily, as well as the thigh-high boots that were surprisingly comfortable. To her, comfort and freedom of movement over style. But this was quite the interesting combination of both.
To finish off the look, there was a giant knotted belt with a large jeweled skull in the front. She stared at herself in the tall and narrow mirror. She looked so...different. So very unlike herself. Just another mask, she told herself, and a smirking redhead reflected back at her. Like last time, she left her old clothes folded up neatly on a stool in the changing room, and came out of there with an air in her stride. Surprisingly, this outfit was affecting the way she walked.
The women who had been lounging outside was now ‘oh’ing and ‘ah’ing over her new appearance. Mel was also standing nearby, with an outrageously gigantic hat. And a staff with a golden eye on top. "To complete the look" was all she said before she shoved the staff into her hands and plopped the hat down on her straightened crimson hair. The assistant then adjusted the hat this way and that way, until it fit just the way to her liking. "There we go!" She stood back to admire the whole setup and nodded her approval. Then her mouth dropped open, her eyes looking past Gen.
"What?" The red-haired femme twisted her head to behold the icy-eyed man coming out of his changing room, who had also presumably changed in the outfit he had been given...
Post by Hania Ravencrest✾ on Nov 3, 2020 17:45:11 GMT -5
Thanks to the flashes Hania hadn't really taken notice of just how pale his skin had gotten at first let alone the rest of his appearance even if he had he knew it could have been much worse such as looking like some undead monstrosity. His eyebrows too had been turned not only black but had become far more angled and became thinner as they got to the outer edges of his eyes, his eyes themselves had been given a darkened colour with the use of eyeshadow and eyeliner. He even had wings on the edges of his eyes making his eyes more almond-shaped than they already were, his features, however, remained the same feathered way they had always appeared he was quite sure it would very hard to make someone like him look anything other than feathered without a touch of magic but time could tell on that one. He could barely recognise himself when he did take a few seconds to look properly so wondered if his elder sister would and if she did would she be fine with his snow-white hair being changed to the opposite colour that it currently was, he couldn't say that he really liked it, he didn't know why but he felt sick and had turned back to the redheaded woman that he would be working with. He took a long moment to take in all the features of the woman that was in front of him once more as she spoke to him "I meant no offence in my words miss, I do apologise." it was that simple to him though he couldn't help sigh and roll his eyes at how the women behind him had acted "I know you are both excited but this is a place of business and not girls night out or a sleepover where you get to talk about your crushes." he said calmly and respectfully to them making them try to contain themselves but it was clear they were still squeeing on the inside.
They realised he had a point and bit their lips but they had also noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes of Genesis the entire time he had been speaking to them. "Do you know her?" the hairdresser had asked "Perhaps he seen the cover of the summer issue?" the makeup artist said to her colleague as they tried to put an end to the mystery "I do not, in fact, I have never seen her before today and yet her appearance seems familiar to me, it's quite odd." he said before he saw the other being taken to her changing room "Please follow us Hania, we need to get you dressed and then the rest of your makeup has to be done." the pair said in unison he could only nod and follow them to where he was being led. He stopped in front of a changing room before being given a clothing bag, he guessed his costume was inside, he couldn't wait to see what he would be made to wear this time given the last. He couldn't exactly say he had a bad experience the last time he was made to do this given the clothing was tasteful and to a style, he appreciated but still, this was the season to go against the norms of what a person was so he was a little apprehensive due to this. Walking into the changing room which was more a dressing room as it had a vanity mirror, a full-length mirror to check your clothing and the likes within it. He hung the bag up, on the hanger at the back of the door before unzipping it and looked over just what he was to be dressed in.
He was quite surprised to see what he had uncovered and wrinkled his nose at it, he could tell the entire outfit was made of silk bar the burnish gold armlet thing that was to go on the shoulder and arm of the only sleeve it had and the double leather belts it had for around the waist and the leather straps for around the gloves. 'Those straps for the gloves are going to be fun to try and get right.' he thought to himself as he let out a small sigh. Then he noticed the right side of the outfit seemed longer than the left and from what he could tell it was tailored for his body which he had to admit made him a little uncomfortable as he had never given them his measurements. So there was no issue with the outfit as a whole so if someone was to have seen him wrinkle his nose it would have made them wonder what was wrong with the outfit and in a single word it would have been the colour. Hania had a distinct dislike almost loathing of the colour black, he had had it from as long as he could remember and even hated his own magic when it showed the colour, he had the same disdain for shadows for the same unknown reason going so far as to refuse to sleep in a room with any within it and so slept in a room filled with light. He had always asked his older sister Lydia to use her gifts in light magic to make sure his bedroom, study, personal library and any other place he spent a lot of time was engulfed in light so no shadows could form. The thing was he was always was calm when asking it but his eyes and the undertone almost pleaded as if he was afraid of something, luckily for him she had always complied with the request without teasing or even asking why it was almost as if she knew it was important to him and that he would tell her the reason when he was ready to.
He started to remove his top the large black marking on his left side easily reflected in the full-length mirror within the corner of the room. He hated the marking, he knew he couldn't help the fact it was there he had been born with it as far as he could remember and why he was thrown out. His eyes welled with tears for a moment before he steeled himself once more "Weaknesses aren't permitted! Only the strong survive where the weak perish." he quietly scolded himself as if he was repeating words that had been almost beaten into him he shook his head. "Emotions confuse and create chaos during times when clear thinking is required... they can be exploited." he said calmly centring himself returning to his normally stoic demeanour. It was a reminder however why there was nothing more than a hand mirror in his bathing chambers, he once had other mirrors but he kept breaking them upon seeing his marking. Lydia to her credit never got angry at him for him breaking the mirror but she did when she heard the normal break and came in to see him almost disfigure himself as he was ready to cut the marking off the marking. She had hit him making him drop the mirror shard before hugging him telling him never to do it again, she remembered her broken voice so vividly, the pain, the sadness, the concern that it held before he pulled back and seen the woman who had fought so hard for him to be her brother crying.
He was sure that it would have burned into his memory even if he hadn't had a photographic memory as it had been one of the very few times even to this day that he had ever seen his older sister cry. He had promised on that day he would never try and harm himself again as he never wanted to be the one to bring her such pain that she would have to cry again. He had also made a personal and silent promise that any that made his sister cry would disappear and he'd be the reaper that would make it happen. Since that day Lydia had made sure that his personal areas never had anything but a small hand mirror that would help him fix things like his hair and clothing if dis-shuffled, of course, it would take longer to inspect things this way but it was better than the self-loathing that would come with seeing the marking he was born with. He neatly folded his top before changing out of his trousers folding them neatly and placing them on top of his top before putting the black silk trousers on, they were comfortable so he couldn't complain about that at least. Next, he put on the almost clawed gloves. With a little effort, he had managed to deal with the leather straps to where it looked like he hadn't done it by himself before putting on the odd top.
It was now he saw the royal blue hems and large collar with a red inlay at that point "Did they run out of blue silk?" he asked himself finding it quite odd to the random red in something that was blue and black otherwise. He was happy that it was long at the back it seemed to slant so the side and front were longer at the right than the left. He put on the top that gave the illusion that it was actually two layers, moving his hand he slid up the glove of the right hand as he moved to the vanity and used some sticky looking stuff he knew models used to keep it up before moving back to the mirror and started closing the there was a clear split in the top at the bottom due to the hem but he was pretty sure that this was for freedom of movement and fighting. It was now he put on the two belts but realise that the top wasn't closing and revealed most of his chest and some of his marking. He couldn't say he was happy about the former but it was the latter that he wouldn't allow at all. It was a point of shame for him after all it was because of that he had lost everything but then again it was because of that he had gained the life he currently enjoyed still he was treated like a daemon by those who gave him life for something he couldn't help.
There as one last thing he hadn't noticed at the top of the hanger there was a choker as he was putting on the armguard/armlet combo. "They can't be serious." he muttered knowing that if it was there they were entirely serious on it. Taking the infernal thing he placed it around his neck to where it was comfortable but appeared tight before walking out of the room and looked at the makeup artist. "I have a request." He said calmly before anyone could mutter anything else "What is it?" she asked tilting her head unable to believe how he looked, it was far different from what he looked like entering "The marking that can be seen, I would like it covered, I don't want it seen." he said softly for her alone to hear "I don't want anyone else to know so please hold your tongue." he said she nodded knowing it wasn't a threat in any way, she realised there were some things people didn't like to talk about and it was far above her paygrade to ask about it "I need to do the marking on your arm." the makeup artist said leading him away for a moment before she started to use the same technique to pale his face on his stomach and sides before starting to paint the red marking on the right arm. He hadn't taken notice of Genesis at that point as he was more concerned in having his 'birthmark' covered.
Once done he stood up and looked at himself in the vanity mirror, he detested how he looked but it was part of this shoot so bore a smile and made it look like he was happy for the transformation "I don't recognise myself, you're a true artist at your tasks." she said to the pair who had now tended to him. It was now that he turned his attention to Genesis his hand going to his chest as he bowed just slightly his other hand was just slightly away from him, his hand flat and turned faced towards her. This was something that she had seen in the past an action that only one certain person had done. "My apologies for being so rude miss, it wasn't my intention. It seems like they have gotten you ready for the witches hour." he said with a warm tone as he stood up taking in everything properly.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Nov 8, 2020 0:49:37 GMT -5
[googlefont="Lobster"][googlefont="Be Vietnam"]
[attr="class","boxas"]
Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
As expected, the assistants squealed when they saw the male model emerge from his changing room. Gen could not help but roll her eyes and gave an inaudible sigh at the girlish shrieks, which still happened despite the man’s earlier gentle reproof. Some things never change. Though, he had responded like the perfect gentleman, with his polite responses and proper inflections of tone. When he had apologized for any offenses, she had only shook her head. He had not offended her in any way by calling her lady, but she was curious as to why she deserved such respect. She was only a commoner, an orphan of unknown origin, versed in the way of shadows. Definitely not the type any noble should be consorting their time with. But at the same time, she could not fault him for that, though it perturbed her that he was such a well-behaved noble. She thought most nobility were arrogant and egoistic, and thus always viewed them with a sort of distance and aversion. But as of late, she has been pleasantly proven wrong, and he was a prime example of that.
There was also something else. He said she looked familiar, but she had never seen him before in her life. Was there someone else he knew that looked like her? No, that could not be possible. The assistants had guessed that it might have been one of the summer issues that he had seen her, but that was denied. Again, it was highly doubtful that someone of his rank would know such an average-looking woman. She was no great beauty—her facial features were much too angular and sharp for that. Her only physical assets were her wavy crimson hair and striking grey eyes that may lean towards an emerald or azure tint depending on the lighting. Of course, there was also that tell-tale scar of her that marked over her left eye and did nothing for her appearance.
Yet despite all this, the shadow mage was puzzled—and a little unsettled—as to why he knew of her. Having the attention of the higher ups were never a good thing, and it alarmed her. All she wanted was to blend into the shadows and be unnoticed by the world. Would dying her hair black help with that? Little did she know that the male model in question was also not sure the reason behind the familiarity. It was all very strange. But now that he had come out of his dressing room, he had captured the eyes of all the females in the room.
Gen had to admit, he presented himself well. With his hair dyed black, it seemed to give him a dark and brooding presence, contrasted by his icy blue eyes. His outfit fitted him well, with one sleeve curiously longer than the other. It was a nice combination of black and blue and a hint of red at the inner layer of the collar, and there was also that choker around his neck...the only thing that was covering his otherwise bare chest with the interesting marking. Overall, it gave him quite the mysterious air. Tall, dark, regal, and certainly fitting to the photoshoot theme.
So there were the squeals, but before the female assistants could start gushing all over him, she heard him say something to his makeup artist, who led him away to do whatever he wanted done. As the other makeup artist fulfilled the request of the male model, the redhead stood there idly, fiddling and adjusting various areas of the assigned garb. The giant skull belt was awfully heavy, and she had to keep shifting it around so its jaw was not poking her thighs. The hat, too, was horrendous-looking, and terribly heavy. As soon as she moved her head, it would slip around. She had to be careful not to crush or wrinkle the enormous ballooning sleeves. What a contrast this was to her plain but comfortable trousers and simple top. At least the crossing halter design in the front was doing something for her chest area, though it was showing more than what she was used to seeing on herself. Though the fabric was of a grey-blue color, all the accessories and designs were so colorful. Again, something she was not used to seeing on herself, but at least the colors were not brazen or ‘loud.’
As she stood aside and waited, the photographer came in, highly spirited and flamboyant. Goodness, did he ever run out of energy? He kept praising her in the outfit, saying how well it fitted her and how sexy she looked, and going on about how her previous summer shoot had been such a hit, blah blah blah. The femme only nodded vaguely at his words, just giving him the barest amont of attention to let him know that she was not outright ignoring him...even though to be honest, she was not really listening to him. As long as she got paid at the end of this, that was all she really cared about, otherwise she would not be standing here wearing this ridiculous outfit and this even bigger fool of a witch’s hat.
The photographer finally stopped his lively chattering when Hania stood up, turned around, and…bowed at her? Her eyes widened, and she was suddenly speechless. It was not the bow itself that rattled her, but the way it was done. It was familiar, and she only remembered only one individual who had bowed in the exact same way. Though her outward expression did not change, a shiver ran up and down her spine. What was this, some trick of fate? It was too similar to be just a coincidence...right?
"Wonderful! Gorgeous! Amazing!"
The photographer’s voice broke into her thoughts, interrupting any further suspicions of linking this male model to him. But now Hania was addressing her. Why was he apologizing again? He had no nothing offensive. "Non, non. She shook her head, then had to catch the hat from falling off her head. "What rudeness?" Now that he had stood up, she could see him properly. She noticed that his marking had been covered up, and there was a new red marking on his bare arm instead. So that was his request to the makeup artist.
Gen could kind of relate to that. She used to hate the scar across her eye, as it had scared away all the kids her age and left her friendless. It also did not help that whenever she walked down the streets, mothers would pull their children close to them and cover their eyes, as if they would catch her ‘curse’ just by looking at her. Being treated as one having a ‘curse’ all the time had conditioned her to believe that she indeed had some sort of evil cast on her.
Thus, she had tried various ways to cover it up, be it in makeup, potions, or magic. But at the end of the day, there was no permanent solution and it was still a part of her that could not be done away. It was frustrating, but in the end, she chose to accept its bitter hand and bottled her feelings up on this matter. At least her scar had not a hindrance in these two modeling instances, otherwise she would have missed out on these opportunities to earn more yul.
"You look...good" was her lame response at the fine specimen before her. She had little to no experience in praising others for their looks. If it was in terms of skill, she knew how to express her respect for them. But as for looks? She was as proficient in that as she was in dancing a waltz. Or doing embroidery. Or how to dress in a corset. Thank goodness the photographer jumped in at this moment, lauding and gushing over Hania properly.
"Perfection!" He fluttered around the male model like a fly. "Now please step this way!" He led them towards the back of the studio. "We’ll take some solo pictures first. If you please, Hania?" He bowed at the waist and motioned him towards the center of the now-blank backdrop. "And Mel! Your paint magic, please!" Her paint magic would be used to transform the blank wall into whatever was needed.
Assuming that the male model would go ahead for his solo pictures first, Gen would stand by the side and watch. She assumed it would be the same as last time, where the male model would have his solo shoots first, then her, and then the couple shots. At least she was mentally prepared this time around, though she was a little apprehensive as to what kind of poses the photographer would have her do today.
Post by Hania Ravencrest✾ on Nov 20, 2020 13:20:56 GMT -5
When the now raven-haired male raised from his bow he noticed that the redhead's eyes went wide almost if surprised or seen something that had startled her to their core. He couldn't help but feel he had somehow wronged her with his movements but he had always done such things and no one had ever reacted in such a way so he was perplexed over the matter, to say the least. He had noted that her body hadn't altered but he could read micro-expressions and it was this he was going from. "Is everything okay miss?" he would ask with a soft concerned tone, it was clear he wasn't trying to stir up any issues with the other. He couldn't change his quirks or personality but if he was the cause of her to be unsettled then he could excuse himself from the shoot or he could do it separately from her. There was plenty of ways to get this shoot done in his mind but it would seem like those on looking would look confused to his words, he realised to the untrained or less astute the female model hadn't seemed to have any issues one way or another towards him, the shoot or the staff, in general, it had been noted that she did keep fixing her hat, the belt and attempted not to affect the balloon sleeves of her dress. He had to admit where it looked somewhat comfortable there was an issue with the functionality of it. To him the hat was comedic at best the belt would be too heavy to run and if you doubled over it would dig into the sternum. The balloon sleeves could be used to hide daggers or other weapons, they could even be used to distract, he couldn't help but feel sorry for her but at the same time glad it wasn't him.
Hearing her question he could only smile "Making you wait miss while my look was complete." he said not even commenting or giving his marking a thought, he didn't think she saw it so there was no reason for him to bring it up, then again there was no reason to bring it up even if she had. He didn't like lying in all honesty but he could easily do so and say that it was a tattoo that he had, after all, who would believe someone had an inky almost void black birthmark? It was when he was in his thoughts he heard her awkward compliment "Thank you, you look beautiful if not a little silly with that gigantic hat on your head." he said with a light chuckle. He wasn't meaning it in a disrespectful way towards her or even towards the person who designed it but anyone could tell it was more just for the shoot and no logical person would readily wear it outside of this shoot. "I can't say I've ever been too much of a fan of this season so I might be a bit bias towards the outfits." he finally said after a long moment of silence, that was the understatement of the century there. It wasn't that he hated it but something about this season brought out certain emotions in him that he was uncomfortable with but that was more to do with the fact they almost didn't feel like they were his own. He had a loving sister and family now but it was something he had always struggled with on his own afraid that what had happened when he was younger would happen again to him and he had that fear of being alone once more.
He sighed as the photographer almost flew around him like a hummingbird looking for the ideal flower giving praise once more on his appearance, he couldn't help if this would happen each and every time he would see this gaudy. flamboyant tulip of a vampire. Part of him really wanted to ask if he had dressed himself with his eyes closed, in the dark after falling into his wardrobe but then he had to wonder who willingly had this sort of stuff in their wardrobes. Hania knew a bit about fashion and how outlandish it could be at the best of times especially when it came to high fashion but to call this photographer a fashion disaster was like calling the shattering a gentle breeze. Okay, he may be over embellishing on that but still, the point still stood that any normal person would be ashamed to be seen in public dressed how this photographer had been the last time he worked with him or even this time, he didn't even want to imagine the next time he had to work with the man what he was going to be dressed like as he now believed there was always going to be a next time when it came to this job. He had no idea well how the autumn edition he was in had sold but why would he care none of the funds was going to him at the end of the day, he also hadn't gained notoriety from it and could still do things without being bothered but had a suspicion his sister got a copy for one reason or another.
As they were requested to follow the photographer he nodded and done so his steps seeming precise and each seemingly had its own purpose. It wasn't like he was afraid of making a mistake at the current time he was however keenly aware that doing an action without knowing its purpose could cause an issue later down the line if not for himself someone else entirely so was always astute in that manner. It would seem as if the solo pictures would be taken first as it had been the first time he had done this followed by the 'couple' photos and he was to go first because of course, he was. He moved to the area in front of the crystal cam and awaited for the backdrop to change, he had to admit he didn't like the unnaturalness of the setting it seemed inorganic but he could understand given that if they attempted to do shots at night it would make things a bit more tricky but it still didn't mean he had to like it. "This is unnatural." he whispered to himself more than anyone else, it was clear his energy was off but still he began to do what was requested. The background was a deep midnight blue with a low pale moon, he was standing in what seemed like a lake of water up to his knees and had some ravens fly past him. He looked into the camera, his sleeved hand just behind him almost looking like it was going into a pocket while his unsleeved one's hand traced the water lightly. He of course done several others where he was holding a weapon towards the camera or to the side even as if he was holding it in front of him with the blade in the ground, another he did was with a raven on his shoulder and another on his hand and one more where he was almost having a conversation with the bird on his hand.
Once the photographer had been appeased the backdrop faded as did everything else letting him know his solo shoot had finished. With a small bow of his head to the pair, he moved to where the female model was and took a seat knowing that she now would have to do her own solo photos. He made sure to avert his gaze knowing that not everyone liked being looked at by onlookers when such things were happening and the last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable with such a trivial matter. He would just wait till he heard that he was needed again and accept a refreshment that was offered to him not long after he sat down.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Nov 27, 2020 0:46:15 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
“Is everything okay miss?”
“O-Oui...yes.” That bow was frighteningly similar to a certain individual she knew...but there was no way they could be related. No way. Genesis quickly recovered herself, shaking those wayward thoughts away. There was no need to think about that now, not when she had a job to do.
Then the male model explained the reason behind his apology, to which she responded with a shrug. “It’s fine...and no need to be so formal and proper. I’m just Gen.” Being called ‘miss’ was almost like degrading the rest of those real fine ladies out there, who actually strove to earn that title of respect. Her? Beyond the standard of decorum, her humble breeding did not result in any courtly politesse.
"Thank you, you look beautiful if not a little silly with that gigantic hat on your head."
Did he just compliment her? The latter part she could understand perfectly, but being called something besides ‘cursed’ was foreign to her ears. What did people usually respond to things like these? "Err, merci? Thanks?” Her tone was obviously dubious, as if she was doubting the actuality of his words. But as for the hat, she completely agreed with him.
“You’re right. This hat..." she pushed it back up, as it was slipping down. Again. "...is just downright silly. There is no way anyone can wear this in public." She was straightforward, and it was likely that the assistants hanging around heard her. But who cared? She did not own the outfit, nor would she want to. Then she mumbled a little to herself. "I wonder how much I can sell this for..." Only if they decided to give away this outfit like they did with the last photoshoot. However, that would be highly unlikely, as this was much more elaborate compared to the skimpy swimsuit she was given the first time.
"I can't say I've ever been too much of a fan of this season so I might be a bit bias towards the outfits."
Judging from what the man had worn earlier, it made sense. She had little to no opinion of the season, unless it concerned her with dressing warmer clothes as the days grew cooler. “As long as I can wear black, it doesn’t matter what season it is.” Again she shrugged, but the action made the belt shift lower on her waist. Even if it looked good, the front skull decoration was quite heavy and cumbersome. “Just give me black and there’s no need to worry about clashing colors and whatnot.”
She heard Hania sigh when the photographer Zel fluttered around him, lauding praise after praise like he has never seen such a fine specimen before. She would have sighed as well, if she was not looking on in undisguised amusement. She would have been uncomfortable, but he was elegant and regal and in control of himself. She did not care too much about the first two qualities, but she was all about controlling herself and her features—something she was far from mastering.
Then they were both ushered towards the back of the studio, and Gen watched as Mel changed the backdrop. It was a dark and gorgeous night scene, with the moon that glowed in the background on top of knee-high water, drawing and pointing all the attention to its model. The transformation mage had even added a few ravens, complimenting the dark aura of the scene. Hania had said something, but Gen did not catch it, as it was drowned out by the excited titterings in the background from the assistants.
“Can you two please shut up?” She muttered underneath her breath, just barely loud enough for the individuals in question to hear it. At that, the noises stopped, and she did not need to look to see that she had offended them. But did she care? Not really, not when they needed her for the shot.
Now the ice mage was striking different poses, putting his hands in different places, interacting with the ravens, looking like he was well-versed in this art of modelling...which he probably was. At the very least, he was no stranger to it. Gen remembered the first time she was here, how awkward and tense she was. It also did not help that her outfit was so bare and Zel had wanted a more happy and sunshine-y theme. But this time, there was much more fabric covering her skin, and the dark theme was right up her alley, so she was much more confident and not as worried. Just as well, as now the backdrop faded and it was now her turn.
With one hand holding onto the hat and the other at the belt, Gen strode up to the middle of the blank wall...which had quickly morphed into an eerie forest background. Instead of ravens, there were a few bats flying about, weaving between gnarled branches of trees long dead. She could even see the fog drifting by, and marvelled at how realistic it all looked. She had to give props to the female mage, who clearly knew what she was doing and did her job well. That was something the shadow femme could appreciate and respect.
From her peripheral vision, she saw Hania sit down and accept a refreshment that one of the assistants offered him. Such great treatment. Who was he? Probably some noble she should know about but does not... But there was no time to ponder upon that, Zel was already back behind his camera and waving his arms to indicate that he was ready for her. Letting out a breath, Gen held onto the staff more firmly and straightened herself up. With her chin held high and eyes glowing in quiet intensity, she started to pose.
In between the camera flashes, she saw Mel giving her pointers out of the corner of her eye. Little things such as tugging on a certain wrinkled section of her outfit, adjusting her shoulders and hands in various angles, and trying to show what kind of facial expression she might want to do. The redhead did her best to follow them. One was with her hand holding near the top of her staff and having it behind her back while the other hand curled upwards like she was about to summon a ball of shadows. There was one with her reaching out towards one of the bats fluttering by, as if she was a witch welcoming them as her companions and pets. Another pose was her lifting the golden-eyed staff up above her head, like in victory. Mel really had outdone herself, even adding a slight ‘breeze’ to make her crimson hair lift and fly. A nice touch.
Zel was beside himself, almost tripping over himself in all the different angles he was taking the pictures in. "Good! Lovely! Nice!" and other various words of acknowledgment were all that she heard from the photographer. She was focused, and kept her eyes strictly on the camera, besides that one pose which she looked to the side, off in the distance, like she was perusing what kind of dark magic she should do next...while in actuality, she was wondering how much she was going to be paid.
"Perfect!" Zel exclaimed, and the backdrop faded away. Gen rolled her shoulders to ease out any of the stiffness she may have unconsciously gathered from her short but productive shooting session. Then she looked over at the transformation mage and gave her a quick nod of thanks, for making her look good and all those wordless but helpful little tips.
"Now for the couple shots!"
She should not be surprised. Of course. Just like last time. The Cloversationist sure liked their couple shots. It made sense, as it would encompass both sides of their audience. Mel was already getting ready, her transformation magic starting to swirl on the canvas. Gen stepped off slightly to the side, making room and awaiting her picture partner. Then, assuming Hania would take his place next to her, she would say in a low undertone that only he would be able to hear. “I hope he doesn't tell us to do anything scandalous, otherwise the first thing I’m slashing up is his ugly vampire outfit...”
Post by Hania Ravencrest✾ on Dec 24, 2020 18:26:28 GMT -5
All he could do was nod as he was told everything was fine, he knew from the micro-expressions that she had given this was in fact not the case but it wasn't as if he could call her on it. Who knows he could have been reading more into things than he should have but that was neither here nor there at the end of the day. He tilted his head to the side a little after she told him that there was no need to be so formal but to him, he as actually being quite relaxed as he could have actually added her name to the end of it or called her lady as others did when interacting with others, that being said he was more formal than say his sister or other family members but that was just part of him he guessed. He was adopted into the family not born into it and where he had long since put the distinction behind him during the time he did he had overcompensated due to not wanting to be rude or make a mockery of the family that had shown him kindness. "I am not being formal miss, this is just how I am" he said with a charming smile, it was clear he wasn't being rude to her it truly was how he acted in his day to day especially in a more professional setting like they currently found themselves in.
He blinked in confusion as it didn't seem as if the woman he was working with knew how to take his compliment "Miss, I assure you I do not say things in order to hear my own voice when I say something I mean it." he was obviously being honest with her but he brought a loosely clenched hand to his mouth as he chuckled "I may not mean to say everything I do but I do mean everything that I say." He was quite blunt on things and would call others even his superiors out if they messed up or where going about things stupidly, he guessed it was a trait he picked up from Lydia but he didn't regret it as some things did indeed need to be voiced whether it was good or bad. He couldn't help but chuckle seeing her struggling with the hat and nodded "You will be surprised, there will be at least three noble ladies wearing that this coming season." he said knowing how somewhere thinking that it would make them seems special, he honestly didn't know the reason behind such stupid fashion or need to stand out but then he wasn't in that mindset but at the same time he did have his own style that he hadn't changed since he was younger. He had to admit it did tend to make him stick out like a sore thumb but he honestly didn't care.
When she wondered about how much she would be able to get from it "For that one outfit you would be looking at roughly three to six months of a captains salary " he would estimate but he knew it could likely be much higher because of it being 'high fashion' which was stupid in his eyes, then again he didn't want to mention the price tag of his normal clothing it would likely make most people weep. He listened to her telling him her preferred colour but he could have likely made that connection with what she was wearing yesterday. "I find distaste for the shade" he said his voice flat, he knew it drew in and kept warm but still he would rather wear white even in winter, he had no idea why he hated it but found it might be the same reason he wasn't comfortable with himself or his magic, it could hide things or not appear as it should. He couldn't help but shudder slightly but not enough to be noticed by most. When they had been brought to the back and during his time doing his solo's he had darted his eyes over to his co-model as it seemed as she was less than happy with the girlish outbreaks of the others, he honestly couldn't blame her as it did indeed drive him somewhat nuts but he had the good sense to keep such remarks to himself or put it in a more eloquent manner as not to upset those he was actually working with or for.
As he walked he paused for a moment beside Gen for a moment as their paths crossed "You lack control and it will cause mistakes." he closed his eyes "Some mistakes cost lives and lessons not learned are doomed to be repeated." he whispered before he moved towards his seat. The whole conversation would have taken merely a few seconds making it seem as if he didn't stop at all. The entire time she was posing he paid no attention instead he was having a conversation with the woman that the other had insulted previously and drinking his tea. It seemed they quickly forgot about the slight that they had received previously and were happy that he was talking to them. He was acting as if the previous comments hadn't been made at all as he smiled and lightly laughed with those around him, he wasn't trying to be rude to the other but he knew some didn't like to be watched and he believed doing some damage control on her behalf was likely the best thing as people in this profession refused to work with those they deemed problematic. Before long he heard Zel calling for the couple shots and smiled to the pair he was talking to kissing both their hands before heading to where he was needed.
He watched as the backdrop changed to an eerie looking forest with a lake nearby being kissed by the light of a low hanging moon. His piercing blue eyes looked to her as he heard her words. "He wouldn't dare with me, it would end his career." his voice was low as not to disrupt anyone but it was clear she was safe not to worry about anything untoward in this case and that his family had enough sway to end the career of a highly renowned photographer for doing anything they may find unreasonable or that could damage their reputation. "I still agree that the gaudy vampire outfit needs to be destroyed, I'm pretty sure that is a crime against the kingdom to be dressed like that even in this season." he said with a quiet chuckle as he moved to be back to back with her, his hand going towards the moon a stoic and longing look on his face and in his eyes as a crow flew across the sky. When she did her own pose she moved to face her but took control to help her as it seemed like she was needing direction before he moved a bit away and grabbed her wrist gently with her being still turned from him it would almost look like he was trying to prevent her from running from him more so because his expression was that of sorrow and pain.
The next pose he looked at the paint mage "Could we have a group of people on either side please" he asked the paint mage was confused but done as was requested of her "One gripping her and one gripping me please." he requested watching as what he requested was again done he made sure that their fingertip almost touched as they leaned in the crows and likely bats that would have been created circling and fighting above them. It was almost as if he was desperate to get to her and hoped she would understand the cue. The final pose he struck he looked almost angry but it was controlled, the sword prop he had been given was back in his hand and aimed right towards Gen as if he was ready to strike her down, the blade gave off dark wisps as he wrapped his mana around it, it was now giving off a cold aura, he had to wonder what pose she would do as a counter to it around him almost wrapped in a raging wind would be the black feathers of ravens. The entire time there had been praise but he had paid it no mind but as the set dropped completely he smiled "Thank you for working with me today miss, I look forward to doing it again." he said his left hand going to his chest, his right slightly away from his body his palm flat and turned towards her as he bowed before going to get changed and leaving, he could only imagine Lydia seeing this one when it was released.
Post by Genesis Fantome on Jan 8, 2021 0:29:02 GMT -5
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Genesis Fantôme
La Poste
Genesis still shook her head slightly in disbelief at the compliment. Praise for her abilities and skill—that she could understand. But outwards appearance? Or character? Definitely something she could not quite wrap her head around. But at least they could agree on speaking bluntly. And on the sheer ridiculousness of this outfit. Perhaps they could get along, after all. Seriously, who would ever want to wear this in public? But according to him, there were ladies who actually liked this.
As for the price of the outfit, she nearly tripped over her own feet. Quite a feat, as she was barely moving. “Well, then...” The shock was evident in her facial expression and tone, but she quickly reined it in. “I see.” Numbers were flying in her head. It would take care of her living expenses for a good while, and she could well spurge on a new blade to her collection. Perhaps that beautiful makhaira she spied at the market a few days ago. Of course, if she only knew what nobles were used to, her eyes would certainly be popping out. But thankfully, her partner did not elaborate further on that, as bulging eyes would not be a flattering element in a photoshoot.
Gen took another look at him. Did he just shudder? Nay, it must be just her imagination then. She guessed she could understand why he disliked dark colors. To her, it was her haven. But to him, it probably meant something else entirely. She had long learned to simply embrace her shadows and make the most of them. What was it that plagued him, she wondered? Nightmares? Bad memories? A dark past? Just by looking at him, she could not see how those would fit, not when he seemed to have anything he could want. Little did the redhead know where this man was really coming from.
With her partner’s solo pictures done, it was her turn. But as she passed him to go up for her shoots, he said something to her. He was right, of course, though she was loath to admit it. But deep down, she knew he spoke the truth. She lacked control, and if often did not end well for her. In this situation, if she offended those whom she was working for, she would probably never be called back for another time. But the question was, did she even want to be called back to this type of job? Her first instinct was to scoff and place down a hard ‘no’...but on second thought, they paid handsomely. Was that worth holding back certain comments and staying in their good graces? Was it?
Gen did not know whether it was by accident or intentional, but during the entire time she was posing solo, the ice mage did not look her way. It was strange, but it was freeing, as she could relax a bit more...but it was also slightly disconcerting. She stopped herself right there. Wait, since when did she care about how men looked at her body? Since never. Her posing time came and went quickly. Thankfully. Now all that was left were the duo pictures.
At her muttered comment, he responded with a fairly reassuring answer. Just who was he? Did he own the place or something? Was he actually the owner’s son or something like that? The grey-eyed femme would soon find out in the near future. But for now, she smirked when he played along with her thoughts on the photographer’s outfit. So they did share some common grounds here...like discreetly criticizing egregious clothes and fashion, though she personally knew very little of the latter.
But now they were back to back, and Gen was momentarily confused as to what she should be doing with her body and face and hands and expression and everything. However, her posing partner gave her a hand, it that first pose went off without a hitch. It was a very dark and sorrow-tainted background, and she tried to let that show in her facial expression.
For the second pose, she acted as if she was being pulled away by the ‘crowd’, while reaching towards him. She was almost stunned by the range of expressions the stoic man was giving her. Or, not for her necessarily, for the shoot. But nonetheless, it was impressive, and she did her best to match it. Whether that actually was passable was debatable, but at least Zel seemed satisfied with it.
As for the third scene, it was probably her favorite one. He had a sword prop, and it seemed like they were at odds with each other. She was given knife props, and while those were flimsy and unbalanced things, it brought out the shadow mage’s personality quite appropriately. While the ice mage had his swirling mass of black raven feathers, Gen also had her own cold aura of shadows, though it looked more like flames of fire licking up around her than a raging tornado. As wind could fan and spread fire, so did his attacking pose ignite and empower hers. She had dropped down to a lower guard position, with her knees bent and one foot in front of the other. Both hands held a knife, one hand outstretched in defense while the other one was pointed forward at the ‘enemy’.
“Wonderful! Perfection!”
There was the sound of clicks and shutters all around, as well as Zel’s unabashed praises when he got all the angles he wanted. When it was finally over, Gen relaxed her stance and rolled her shoulders out. Then Hania was smiling and bowing at her again. This time, she was not as put off as the first time, and returned the gesture with an awkward attempt of a more ladylike bow...and failing miserably. “See you around.”
Only when Gen left the studio did his parting words sink in.
