[ oh good she loves deep internal dread. she pushes a little bit of hair out of her face carefully, smoothing it back like she smoothes over her emotions. boy. that dread's not going away. eugh. anyways. ]
No, I've come too far and I don't have to cheat to get the edge.
[ she sure did cast hurting on someone, just a vague fragment of it and made them puke on their shoes mid-performance right onto the judges panel. it was impulse, a sheer flare up of anger. sometimes a cocky guy literally pulls your pigtails and steps on your cute shoes so you decide he deserves to puke in front of thousands. it didn't earn him a single pity vote.
[ ha ha what's wrong with being a silly, goofy guy! answering in silly manners! silly and funny and--caelus feels wretched and awkward and like he'd love to disappear. shrink down to absolutely nothing. why are all these people looking at him? judging him? he's a harmless introvert that cannot withstand such direct and overwhelming attention--
and it passes. ]
Never. When I win, it has to be by my own power. Sabotaging my competition would make me win by default, not by my ability. That's meaningless.
Is that so? When, in group one, the previous contestants all stated that they hope Caelus is humiliated on stage and burnt to death because he is less capable than Marina.
[ wow that sure is a turn of events. marina just rests her elbows on her podium and rests her chin in her hands. she glances over at caelus with a raised brow like "i see." ]
Quite flattered, but no need to burn him for his failures. Better to let him live and learn~sometimes that's the sweetest victory.
marina feels the contact and snaps forward against her podium, feeling it dig into her shoulders. the pain radiates hard from the back of her skull and she yelps actually, because she is just a girl! when it leaves, she reaches up with a hand to touch the back of her head as the crowd gets its laughs in, her face burning in quiet fury.
who the fuck is human centipede? she should totally know this. ]
U-uh... [ oh her head... ] Mmmmm ah - Drummer slept with the lead singer-slash-lyricist's boyfriend who then promptly broke up with him. Their lyrics went to shit after that and they disbanded.
[ wait or was that another band...? no. no she's certain she's right. ]
[ pageant life is so wild sometimes. did someone get beaned with a fucking hammer? a blunt, metal object? to their head? good thing nothing has occurred that would ever make caelus not want to think about that! what matters is it wasn't him and he's in the lead, despite his many detractors wishing for his embalming!!!
get rekt!!!! ]
Two different members decided to switch tracks to neo-funk solo careers. The rest couldn't hack it without 'em.
Haha, I see that some of you aren't really fans... it's a shame, since some of the members are in the audience today!
[ the crowd gasps, and a spotlight is directed towards some people in the crowd. you have no idea who this is, but it's exciting for the audience, apparently.
the announcer continues talking after the commotion dies down. ]
We are moving onto the speed round. There should be a paper and a pen on your podium. We will give you five questions and please answer them discreetly.
[ when you look down, a pen and paper is suddenly there. written on the paper is:
1. Do you deserve to live? 2. Are you willing to do anything to live? 3. Would you kill the other contestants to live? 4. What is the capitol of Germany? 5. Why do you want to win?
[ human centipede is overrated she's more of a c*heed and c*mbria girl. she squints out into the audience briefly before just giving a slight shake of her head, trying to return to her properly poised self. as the pen and paper appear, she glances down at each question. cool.
in her neatest penmanship, with her head aching... ]
1. Yes 2. Whatever it takes. 3. Yes. 4. Bremen 5. To finally be free.
no, i'm kidding. he leans over the paper on his podium, protecting his answers from prying, cheating eyes.
1. Yes!!! 2. I want to survive no matter what I won't kill anyone just to save myself 3. see 2 4. the capitol of Germany 5. If I'm going to compete, I'm going for the grand prize
he's not sure he answered some of these correctly, but he refuses to change anything after his initial cross-out. ]
[ there's an odd way they say the last word, but the crowd cheers anyway.
before them, the paper and pen vanishes, and then the podiums do as well. spotlights shift to shine in the middle of the stage, indicating that they will have to move that new spot instead. ]
For the last part of this round, I need you to each tell a story from your childhood that you believe defined who you are today.
[ das weird........................ das suspicious...
no it's not this is totally how pageants go, right? right? the crowd is cheering and marina just kind of lets out a short breath as the next question is presented. here goes nothing. ]
After a rather taxing fight with my father... I'd found my way to what would become my favorite bookstore back home - but what I'd only known as a decrepit little bookshop on a poorly-paved street at first glance. I sought an escape in any way I could, and upon entering, I'd realized that my getaway was waiting for me right there.
Lined ceiling to floor, books, books on every surface - books dedicated to countries far away from my own, books determined to send you to a completely different world all within the theatre of your mind, and books to teach you everything you might need to know to begin your journey reaching out to the gods.
[ lifting her head a bit higher ]
In that moment I was determined to devour every piece of literature before me. I'd spend hours there, well into the evenings, sometimes starting right at the break of day - reading about distant lands, yearning to travel to them, reading about magic itself and beginning to truly, truly throw myself into my practice. That moment, discovering that little bookshop, was how I became the disciplined, young occultist standing here today. I still go to that bookshop - it's still my very favorite place in the whole world.
[ story from his childhood. story from his childhood. story from his--
the thing is, he's having a lot of trouble suddenly recalling much of his childhood. caelus knows that he is a pageant star who definitely, for certain has always been on the stage and meant for the grand prize. the crown.
should he talk about pageantry, then? but that could sound desperate. what about how he learned to play baseball?
... how does one play baseball? he knows how to bat. that is another thing he cannot seem to recall how he picked up.
shit. ]
When I was a kid, one time... I met my handler. She made me play a game with her and I figured out how to beat it. I also ran around many places completing puzzles and running errands. It was a great childhood and I can't think of one defining moment because they were all really vibrant and are distinct in my mind right now.
[ ██████ speaks next. they talk about joining a force that was meant to protect the people, and how they dedicated their life to spreading good and making sure the people were safe. their mentor helped them, guided them, and they respected him more than anything. but then their mentor turned out to be a liar, somehow who did not have the good of the world in their best intentions, and it crushed them more than anything.
███ ████ is next, and they talk about working on a ship with many people. they travel, going from place to place, following a path that had been created a very long time ago, in order to protect everyone. they speak about the people that are on that ship, and how they accept them for who they are.
the crowd claps politely after each tale. ]
Very good! You may all head on back as we prepare for the next round!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
No, I've come too far and I don't have to cheat to get the edge.
[ she sure did cast hurting on someone, just a vague fragment of it and made them puke on their shoes mid-performance right onto the judges panel. it was impulse, a sheer flare up of anger. sometimes a cocky guy literally pulls your pigtails and steps on your cute shoes so you decide he deserves to puke in front of thousands. it didn't earn him a single pity vote.
but no one needs to know. ]
no subject
and it passes. ]
Never. When I win, it has to be by my own power. Sabotaging my competition would make me win by default, not by my ability. That's meaningless.
no subject
the announcer continues, ]
Is that so? When, in group one, the previous contestants all stated that they hope Caelus is humiliated on stage and burnt to death because he is less capable than Marina.
Next question! How does that make you all feel?
no subject
Quite flattered, but no need to burn him for his failures. Better to let him live and learn~sometimes that's the sweetest victory.
no subject
I feel like they're the ones scared of the competition. It doesn't really bother me.
[ it sort of really bothers him. ]
no subject
Alright, let's discuss the recent rankings... In current first place is... Caelus! And in last is our dear Marina.
[ the crowd goes silent.
and suddenly, from behind, a metal hammer comes flying and knocks hard against the back of her head.
once the contact is made, the crowd laughs. ]
Very good! Next question, what is the reason that the boy band Human Centipede broke up?
no subject
marina feels the contact and snaps forward against her podium, feeling it dig into her shoulders. the pain radiates hard from the back of her skull and she yelps actually, because she is just a girl! when it leaves, she reaches up with a hand to touch the back of her head as the crowd gets its laughs in, her face burning in quiet fury.
who the fuck is human centipede? she should totally know this. ]
U-uh... [ oh her head... ] Mmmmm ah - Drummer slept with the lead singer-slash-lyricist's boyfriend who then promptly broke up with him. Their lyrics went to shit after that and they disbanded.
[ wait or was that another band...? no. no she's certain she's right. ]
no subject
get rekt!!!! ]
Two different members decided to switch tracks to neo-funk solo careers. The rest couldn't hack it without 'em.
[ they're just saying words now right? ]
no subject
[ the crowd gasps, and a spotlight is directed towards some people in the crowd. you have no idea who this is, but it's exciting for the audience, apparently.
the announcer continues talking after the commotion dies down. ]
We are moving onto the speed round. There should be a paper and a pen on your podium. We will give you five questions and please answer them discreetly.
[ when you look down, a pen and paper is suddenly there. written on the paper is:
1. Do you deserve to live?
2. Are you willing to do anything to live?
3. Would you kill the other contestants to live?
4. What is the capitol of Germany?
5. Why do you want to win?
well? ]
no subject
in her neatest penmanship, with her head aching... ]
1. Yes
2. Whatever it takes.
3. Yes.
4. Bremen
5. To finally be free.
no subject
no, i'm kidding. he leans over the paper on his podium, protecting his answers from prying, cheating eyes.
1. Yes!!!
2.
I want to survive no matter whatI won't kill anyone just to save myself3. see 2
4. the capitol of Germany
5. If I'm going to compete, I'm going for the grand prize
he's not sure he answered some of these correctly, but he refuses to change anything after his initial cross-out. ]
no subject
[ there's an odd way they say the last word, but the crowd cheers anyway.
before them, the paper and pen vanishes, and then the podiums do as well. spotlights shift to shine in the middle of the stage, indicating that they will have to move that new spot instead. ]
For the last part of this round, I need you to each tell a story from your childhood that you believe defined who you are today.
no subject
no it's not this is totally how pageants go, right? right? the crowd is cheering and marina just kind of lets out a short breath as the next question is presented. here goes nothing. ]
After a rather taxing fight with my father... I'd found my way to what would become my favorite bookstore back home - but what I'd only known as a decrepit little bookshop on a poorly-paved street at first glance. I sought an escape in any way I could, and upon entering, I'd realized that my getaway was waiting for me right there.
Lined ceiling to floor, books, books on every surface - books dedicated to countries far away from my own, books determined to send you to a completely different world all within the theatre of your mind, and books to teach you everything you might need to know to begin your journey reaching out to the gods.
[ lifting her head a bit higher ]
In that moment I was determined to devour every piece of literature before me. I'd spend hours there, well into the evenings, sometimes starting right at the break of day - reading about distant lands, yearning to travel to them, reading about magic itself and beginning to truly, truly throw myself into my practice. That moment, discovering that little bookshop, was how I became the disciplined, young occultist standing here today. I still go to that bookshop - it's still my very favorite place in the whole world.
no subject
the thing is, he's having a lot of trouble suddenly recalling much of his childhood. caelus knows that he is a pageant star who definitely, for certain has always been on the stage and meant for the grand prize. the crown.
should he talk about pageantry, then? but that could sound desperate. what about how he learned to play baseball?
... how does one play baseball? he knows how to bat. that is another thing he cannot seem to recall how he picked up.
shit. ]
When I was a kid, one time... I met my handler. She made me play a game with her and I figured out how to beat it. I also ran around many places completing puzzles and running errands. It was a great childhood and I can't think of one defining moment because they were all really vibrant and are distinct in my mind right now.
I've also been in a lot of pageants.
no subject
███ ████ is next, and they talk about working on a ship with many people. they travel, going from place to place, following a path that had been created a very long time ago, in order to protect everyone. they speak about the people that are on that ship, and how they accept them for who they are.
the crowd claps politely after each tale. ]
Very good! You may all head on back as we prepare for the next round!
[ they may leave the stage. ]