OC - Mun is voice-testing again

[winter_raven]

Mundane,

Okay, if you really insist, I'll call you that. I still think it sounds rude. Just a couple things.

1. How old is they guy I'm talking to over at LJ? And why do you think it's amusing that I'm talking to him? He seems okay, for an adult. Why do you think Father wouldn't like him?

2. You have a novel to edit. You have a 100 challenge you gave yourself, for me, which is cool, don't get me wrong. You have two other muses - really, we're called muses? - in games right now. What's with this idea of sending me across the country to NYC? I'll be away from Carol and Father, away from Lee and Kyle, and is there even a Court in NYC? If there is, isn't there some sort of procedure I'd have to follow to go? Or do I have to go ask Aunt Verity about that, too? And anyway, weren't you thinking of sending the French chick there? How much time do you think you have?

3. I did mention the novel, right? Because I'd like to be more than just an RP muse.

~ Raven

Comments

[winter_raven]

Like reverse Shakespeare. So that means you get to be Caliban or Dracula instead of Miranda or Mina. Definitely cool. A lot of the really good parts are written for guys. Except for Madea, but no one ends up liking her by the end of the play.

No, not historical reenactment. They're...they're part of this thing Father brings me to when I visit him. Dancing's expected, so I've had to learn fast.

[She's going to watch your expression carefully while she talks, just in case she can catch any sort of recognition.]

Sometimes it's a mundane place, like ending up at home when she walks through a door at school, or ending up in the bathroom when she'd been walking into the cafeteria. But sometimes, if she concentrates, she'll end up somewhere that isn't mundane.

[nomorefeathers]

Yea, pretty much like that. I was totally thrilled when they sorted me for it in school.

Oh. That's interesting. Sounds... a bit needlessly formal though.

[She chews on her bottom lip for a moment, choosing her next words with extreme care]
I... know of such things being possible. Sort of. Never to mundane places though.

[winter_raven]

Needlessly formal describes a lot of what I have to do on weekends. It isn't really needless, but if you don't get it, it can seem that way. Tradition and ritual is very important at these things, according to Father.

[Her eyes light up at that. She isn't being laughed at or dismissed - this woman *knows* something.]

She can only do it to mundane places because that's her inborn gift. She doesn't need the blue stones to make a doorway lead somewhere else like the rest of us do.

[nomorefeathers]

Oh. Well, tradition is understandable then I guess. You sound like you don't really like it though.

[And she doesn't like that obvious interest]

The rest of... us?

[winter_raven]

It's not that I don't like it. It's just...it's a bit overwhelming when you have to take it in all at once. Some of it's really fun! Dinners are amazing, especially Summerside dinners. I'm just not usually that social a person, and the sort of thing Father brings me to is something I'd never have done on my own. I've never even been to a school dance.

[She nods eagerly, but catches that hesitation. Cautious. Father would say the woman was being smart.]

People who aren't entirely mundane.

[nomorefeathers]

[She just nods at that first part. It's rather beyond her experience, and she's more concerned with the latter anyway. ]

You say entirely.

Forgive me, this is going to sound like an odd question, but what color is my hair?

[winter_raven]

Your hair?

[That does sound like an odd question. But she looks at the woman, really looks at her.]

I want to say it's kind of auburn or red, but there's...kind of purpley low-lights to it?

Why do you ask?

[nomorefeathers]

[Well. That was... singularly unhelpful. If this girl could see through the Mask, she shouldn't have seen auburn at all. And if not, then no purple. She sighs]

Forgive the bluntness then, but what are you?

[winter_raven]

[Raven is more than a little taken aback at the question. Not "who", but "what". She frowns, then straightens up.]

Raven Masters, Heir to the Court at Winterhaven. Who are you?

[nomorefeathers]

[And now she's even more confused]

You are Winter Court? But you're not... How did you...? You have no...

[Stop. Breathe. It was an introduction. It deserves one in return.]

Miyaki Ren. Nominal member of the Dusk Court. [She debates saying further, but stops herself]

[winter_raven]

[That makes two of them.]

I am. I've never heard of the Dusk Court, though, just Summer and Winter. Maybe Court is structured differently in Japan than in the Northwestern US?

[She offers a gloved hand to the other woman.]

It's nice to meet you, Ren. Wait, is that too informal, to call you Ren? Would you rather I use your family name?

[nomorefeathers]

Well it's not one of the Directional Courts, so I guess that's not surprising. Though Yuito-san said Dusk had branches everywhere...

[She shakes her head, still confused]

And I'm pretty sure they said there's usually a full complement of seasons, not just two. Portland you said?

[She does take the offered hand and shake it though]

Ren's fine.

[winter_raven]

So, it's like a satellite Court?

[Still not making sense on her end, either.]

Aunt Verity was just traveling somewhere in Asia, and she didn't mention any satellite Courts. And, yeah, Portland. Most famous city in Oregon. But Winterhaven and Summerside control more than just the area right around Portland. I think we go all the way north to Seattle, and I know we go as far south as Sacramento. And each Court rules for two seasons.

[And not a word about the gloves. That earns a smile.]

Call me Raven, then.

[nomorefeathers]

I guess. It's not a creed that calls to a lot of cha... people.

Where in Asia? Around here there's four Directional Courts, and they each claim a season. If I remember correctly I've heard of places that just have Day and Night Courts, but not places with just Summer and Winter.

Raven. Good to know.

[winter_raven]

Creed? Wait, you can change what Court you're a part of? You aren't born into them?

[She bites her lip at that question.]

Shanghai or Sri Lanka or...it was some place that started with "S". Father mentioned it when he introduced us, but we haven't talked a lot about it since. She's been grilling me in rules and etiquette and dance for the last few weeks. Training, for when I have to take over from Father.

[Snicker.]

At least I won't have to perform my Ascension Dance naked, unlike the Heir to Summerside.

[And back to grinning.]

If you ever find yourself State-side, let me know, and I'll bring you along to Revelry.

[nomorefeathers]

Well yea. It's about what resonates with you and such. I wasn't too enamored with the directional Courts, so I was courtless until I hooked up with the Dusk folk.

Ascension Dance?

[winter_raven]

Courts in Japan work really different to Courts in the US. At least to the ones I know. When you're born determines what Court you belong to. Halloween through the end of April belongs to Winterhaven. May Day till October 30th belongs to Summerside.

[Nod.]

When Father steps down as Lord of Winterhaven, he'll hand power over to me in a formal ceremony. Ascension has to be done a certain way, or else it messes up the magic. That's what everyone tells me, at least. I'm still new to a lot of this stuff.

[nomorefeathers]

Yea, I guess... Wait, born into? How can you be born into a Court? They only exist for those of us that made it back.

What are you?

[winter_raven]

How can you not be born into a Court? How else do you get any sort of magic? If you aren't born into a Court, you're mundane.

[This makes no sense whatsoever to her.]

I'm half Winterhaven and half mundane. I'm my Father's only Heir. Why, what are you?

[nomorefeathers]

[A sigh]
By being kidnapped by the True Fae and managing to escape. The Courts, the ones I know at least are part of how we... keep our balance.

I'm a changeling. A Romancer Fairest.

[winter_raven]

[Wait. Wait. True Fae? What the hell is Father's Court, then?]

So, just so I understand this: you got kidnapped by these True Fae, but you got away from them, and joined a Court, which is made up of all the other mundane people who were kidnapped and escaped, too?

I...haven't done a lot of studying the history of the Courts yet, but maybe we're some sort of offshoot of that? Like ours were like that once, and changed over time? Would something like that be possible, based on what you know?

[And more stuff she doesn't know. And as Heir to Winterhaven, it seems like stuff she should know.]

What's a Romancer Fairest?

[nomorefeathers]

Well, we're not exactly mundane any more.

I don't think so. I mean, I don't know everything, but it just... no.

[A long pause as she thinks about the last bit.]

It's... how to describe my true seeming. And implies a lot about what... why I was taken. Here, it's easier to show than to explain.

[She roots around in her pocket for a moment and pulls out a coin]

Catch this and you'll see clearly.

[And she tosses it towards you.

[winter_raven]

I figured that. If you're part of a Court, you can't be mundane. Not fully mundane, at least. You have to have some magic.

[Frown. That isn't exactly what she wanted to hear.]

There can't be two types of Courts, can there?

[Before she can even ask about what Ren means, she's reaching out to grab the coin before it falls, and wishing she'd worn velour gloves instead of satin ones - less slidey. But she manages to grab it.]

Are you sure it'll work with my gloves -

[And she just stops as she looks up, because Ren looks *very different* now. That hint of blue she'd seen before did not prepare her for this. The woman is *handsome*.]

...yeah, ignore that last question.

[More staring.]

So...they stole you away to make you more hot?

[Wait. No, that did not just come out of her mouth, did it? Damn. Cue blushing.]

[nomorefeathers]

[Palm, meet face. Literally. And if Raven wasn't so obviously blushing right now, Ren would be getting more than a little angry. Because really, she'd been pretty fine with how hot she'd been before.]

There's a reason I'm called a 'Fairest'.

[winter_raven]

I'm noticing. And I don't normally notice girls like that.

[Her face might just resemble a tomato.]

And you - you're an actor - actress - performer. Did that factor into it, too?