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Ziran Chao

0 · 297 views · located in Ariosas

a character in “Pangaea: Solstice”, as played by ŕźź つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

Description


christmas gift for eva. do not steal/copy & repurpose. you have been warned.
also note to self that Xiao Wen Ju has been an active model for 10+ years so make sure you get that picture-to-picture age consistency.




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ziranchao_
32xxfemalexxchinesexxpansexualxxhuman witch with fey (魉/仙女) ancestry
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It never occurred to Ziran that she would take over the business, but it was always in the back of her mind. Being the middle of three children (and the only daughter), she expected to inherit nothing aside from taking her of parents once they retired. Both were hardy in different ways, her father a stalwart authority figure and her mom, a tenacious and guile woman. Chen Hao might have run the coven, but Rui Xiao ran him. Ziran took after her mother naturally.

Image is always at the back of her mind and control at the forefront. Her graceful stride and elegant casting exude effortlessness while the certainty behind her words leave little room for criticism which is just the way she likes it. Beneath her curated exterior are sleepless nights, migraines, and hours on the elliptical. She's the woman that needs to have it all. She needs to be the smartest one in the room, the strongest in the building, and look pretty while doing it. Even her love life is an exercise in control, never moving beyond brief flings once she gets bored of them. She maintains that she's always been aboveboard with her intentions, but her mother often chides her callousness. Nonetheless, nobody can argue that her skills far outweigh her blindspots. Her hard work and dedication has cemented her as an authority figure when it comes to medicine, even among the elders. Da Xiang, her older brother, was focused on taking over as the leader of the main branch and her other brother, Vic, was (is) too immature to be more than a career student. Years of irresponsibility left her picking up his slack and she knew that if he took over the western branch of the coven he would run it into the ground. Rather than risk that possibility, she took matters into her own hands.

Taking on a sizable loan from her father, Ziran opened a branch in Ariosas as a means of jump starting her own coven. A handful of corporations dominated Ariosas' marketplace and she wanted to break the mold. It wasn't a hit at first due to the ample number of conventional healers, but Tian Guan Pharmaceuticals found a niche market among those looking for more "exotic" (she despised that term) healing methods. Additionally, she wasn't afraid to price out the competition. Aside from being affordable, her shop offered exotic (sometimes contraband) ingredients and she was willing to work with small businesses to boost one another. Business cards for realtors, handmade soaps from forest sprites, and baked goods drew attention from tourists while fostering good will in the neighborhood. Building on her previous connections, she continued shaking hands with larger and larger figures in the food and beverage industry and soon, the pharmaceutical one as well.

Unlike other covens, the Tian Guan Coven welcomed people regardless of bloodline (though most were immigrants). Her base grew to include health gurus, socialites, and tech bros hoping to jump on the latest trend of alternative medicine. Suddenly, "TCM" was the panacea and all those people who wrinkled their noses when they passed by the shop clamored for goji berry tea and cupping sets. That wasn't to say she invented the herbal tonic (potions were common across all schools of magic), but the allure of the wooden drawers and satchels of dried herbs added a sense of exoticism.

After a few years, Ziran paid back her family in full and flew back to China to discuss the future of the coven. Now that their father retired, Da Xiang would be the new leader and more than likely, he'd choose Ziran to expand their coven beyond Ariosas. The night before the inauguration, Vic confessed to her and their older brother that he needed help. In an attempt wrestle control away from Ziran, he stuck a deal with a Money Demon. In exchange for seven years of prosperity, he would pay the demon back with seven of his blood. If he didn't, the demon swore to steal a month of his life for every day that he didn't repay his debt. After years of squandering everyone's good will, drawing a contract was the only way for him to prove that he deserved the still-contentious position of the western branch head In his mind, all of the money he donated to coven was worth more than the renown garnered from Ziran's shop in Ariosas. He begged them to find a loophole, exorcise the monster-anything to keep him from spilling blood.

Ziran had to laugh. Not only did Vic lie, but he broke the tenets of the coven. He endangered everyone and burdened his siblings with his ill-conceived bargain. She was done rescuing her brother. Traitors didn't deserve her help. Unfortunately, Da Xiang pointed out that if they didn't help, Vic would act recklessly. It wasn't worth punishing the rest of their family just to punish their brother. They estimated that he would have twenty years left assuming he fulfilled the contract by the end of the month; however, it wouldn't be a simple task. Neither of them were well-versed in exorcism magic nor could they find anyone powerful enough to vanquish a monster of that caliber. Their only option was outsourcing a mediator. After a few phone calls, they arranged a meeting to summon the demon and void the contract.

Negotiation came naturally to Ziran whose silver tongue eased the demon's hostile disposition. Between the mutual deprecation of Vic and the endless grievances the Money Demon had with humans, their motivations soon became clear. It relished in her brother's downfall. They loved watching Vic beg for mercy as his life toppled over. She knew it wouldn't be swayed by his tears nor would it fall for Vic's excuses. Instead she appealed to the demon's maliciousness. Humans had a short lifespan; their lives were a blip compared to that of a demon. Why shorten Vic's life when the demon could continue savoring her younger brother's misery? Suffering was a meal best savored and accelerating his death was too merciful. Humans ought to be punished for their greed so what better way than to spectate from afar. They could rebuke all of his successes, leaving him in the same position he was before: resented, shamed, and single. The demon cackled before shaking its head. It couldn't survive off of schadenfreude alone;it needed sustenance. With a lick of its lips, the demon offered a single alternative: Ziran's womb. If she could bear its child then the demon would not only void the original contract, but become the new patron of their coven. Before Vic could accept, Da Xiang stepped forward. He would shoulder half the debt. Instead of taking a month from Vic each day, the demon would siphon two weeks from the both of them. Despite Ziran's protests the three of them sealed the contract in blood.

It wasn't fair. The callous side of her screamed at Vic, asking why he couldn't take responsibility for once, but Da Xiang held her back. He stated simply that he would be the one helping for once. Since flying back from China, Ziran has thrown herself into the world of exorcism and shadow magic. Whether by sword, tome, or hire she's resolved to save her brothers and the future of the coven.

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So begins...

Ziran Chao's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kayleigh Walsh Character Portrait: Niamh Monaghan Character Portrait: Priyanka Aarush Character Portrait: Dakoda Montour Character Portrait: Ziran Chao Character Portrait: Crowley
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TW!!!! (themes of violence, death and ritualistic sacrifice. Skip to picture with words Solstice Festival to skip these parts)


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Screams echoed off the stone brick walls, the shadows quivering as the flames writhed. Halls that had been paced in silence for decades now desecrated by the shrill ring of death. A trail of destruction that led down into the depths of the earth, littered with the corpses of those who thought they could keep her from getting what she wanted.

The remaining guardian stumbled into the final room, the place the dark witch had come for; the temple. Sealing the door behind him, the wards lit up as they activated. He pulled several books from the shelves, dropping them across the table and hurriedly turning the pages searching for something - anything that could save the temple. All of their final defenses had been decimated, there were only a handful of beings capable of doing so with such ease.

A loud knock began at the door, first a dull repetitive rap that crescendoed into a cacophony of deafening blows. The guardian couldn’t waste time looking up or covering his ears. He continued to rifle through the pages trying to figure the right spell, his eardrums beginning to ring. The doors had been made of elder oak, carved with ancient runes and blessed with divine magic. They had been meant to survive a direct attack by any earthly creature, which is why when the guardian could hear it begin to be torn from its hinges he realized what must be on the other side of the door.

He couldn’t help but to watch as the doors to the temple which had stood for centuries was ripped from place, thrown aside like it was trash and not an ancient magical relic. The wards lit up with resistance, a thin transparent veil that would serve as a last line of defense. For the first time, the guardian had time to look at the trespassers. The woman spoke first.

“You know, you should really let us in.” She said, pressing her blood stained hand against her cheek in thought. “I imagine you know this is end for you. Why prolong it?”

Her English had a slight accent that he couldn’t place, not infernal but he could have sworn he had heard them speaking it earlier. He looked back down to the book, running his fingers over the infernal text fumbling for an absolution to banish the demon.

“Who are you?” The guardian shouted.

“I am the Way. There is no other.” The women called out, eyes flashing inken black.

“And you? Speak your name foul demon!” The guardian absconded, raising a hand in absolution towards the figure beside her.

Way laughed, looking over to the demon lord himself - Sabazios. It was always entertaining for her to watch as these religious zealots fumbled over exorcisms that might banish some lesser demon. There was always a moment of complete horror as the realization struck them that made their faces freeze in the most amusing expressions.

Sabazios stood beyond his charge, blocking the churning of infernal flames filling the corridor behind them and casting them both in a menacing shadow. He towered over her, his demonic form a bastardization of a human body in every way. Curled horns encapsulated his head and dark hair, protrusions of a similar fashion running down his spine and along his shoulder bones. His skin was dark and in some areas covered in thick scales that glowed with the inner heat of his flames. His eyes glowed with a similar heat as he looked down at Violet, letting her control this dance for now.

“You know I can get in whenever I want, right? I’m giving you a chance to earn a merciful death.” Violet taunted the guardian, tapping at the wards so that they lit up. Sabazios stayed put in the doorway, letting his flames lick up his heels and spring around him like a pack of well trained dogs.

The guardian scoffed. “As powerful as you and your demon may be, only divine magic can break those wards and you two are stained with infernal origins. No way you could ever execute divine will.”

“Mm, no - maybe not.” Her voice was teasing, lips curled into a wicked grin. “But maybe my new friend will.”

A young woman stepped from the shadows, though her face made her look more like a child. She still had the sort of soft features that only youth could provide. Her eyes were glossed over, staring blankly into the distance. Her garb bore the same colors of the guardian, though much more ornate with gold threading.

“No,” The guardian gasped, “Priestess! Are you alright?”

“She can’t hear you. Well, she can hear you but, she’s not listening...to you that is.” Violet wrapped an arm around the priestess, ruffling her hair affectionately. “It was so cute she tried imprisoning me in a crystal. Sometimes it’s hard for me to make new friends too, so I won’t hold it against her.”

“Go on, show him what a good girl you are.” Violet whispered in the priestesses ear, pushing her forward.

The priestess nodded, still staring off into the distance though moving with direction. Bringing the amulet around her neck forward, her hands gave off a soft glow as they moved around the amulet suspending it in the air. Drawing from the amulet’s power, the glow gradually grew into a blistering light. The priestess spoke in celestial, Violet only picking up on every other word but recognizing the formula of the spell. One by one the wards fell, shuddering down the length of the doorway dismantling the final security measure.

“I will not allow you to cross this threshold, demon!” The guardian shouted, summoning a divine light materializing it into a spear. He threw the light bolt towards Violet, raising both her hands to deflect and dematerialize the projectile. Her fingers wound in a hypnotic pattern, surging the shadows around them towards the guardian blowing him back.

Raising her hands as she crossed the threshold, she looked back to Sabazios with an all too toothy smile: like a child reveling in it’s own chaos, asking for teacher to look. The guardian pushed himself upright again to attempt to cast a spell. Violet spoke in infernal as she walked forward, fire emanating from her fingertips into a stream of roaring flames. The guardian reacted defensively, interrupting their spell. They managed to subdue the flames, but his efforts bought Violet all the time she needed closing the distance between them.

Violet stabbed upwards between the jawline and the spine, ripping the blade across the width of the guardian’s neck. His flesh gave little resistance beneath the edge of her athame, cutting a clean line that immediately made his head bend back in an unnatural angle when she gripped the hair at the top of his head. Spilling his blood over the altar, she struggled to hold him upright as his body went slack. She whispered in infernal as he faded, her eyes turning black as her shadow magic surged through her. His body fell with a dull thud, Violet discarding it with a heaved sigh. The demon lord grinned in the doorway, entertained by his charges unquestionable violence.

“Now you don’t get to die until I say so, enjoy the show.” She crouched down before she spoke, making sure the guardian had a good view of her. It was a simple spell, one that trapped a consciousness in it’s body. She had made some tweaks to extend past death - though a dead vessel didn’t serve much use beyond being a prison.

“Alright then, let’s get on with it.” Way stood back upright, turning back towards the altar. Her dress had been saturated with blood during the course of their descent. The black silken fabric turned a deep shade of red clinging to her skin. A stark red handprint on her cheek, the only part of her that wasn’t covered in blood at this point was her hair. She knew Zios had grown weary of their recent work and while her taking the lead was a bit messier, it was her attempt at minimizing the contention. Though some things were beyond her capabilities and unfortunately it was always the ugliest parts.

“Come now.” Violet beckoned the young priestess, patting atop the altar. Still under Violet’s charm the priestess came without another thought. Guiding the priestess to lay her head down, Violet looked to Zios. She reached across the altar to hand him her athame, tilting her head to the side. “Your turn, Lord Sabazios.”

He moved from the doorway without question, the majority of his flames staying put but a small trail along his footsteps. As he moved closer, he slowly pulled his demon form into himself, his horns and bonelike protrusions sliding under human flesh, scales and molten head simmering under skin. By the time he made it to the opposite side of the altar, the man that stood before Violet and the priestess had a handsome, young face full of roguish charm, but very human. His eyes, though brown and simple, had a darkness to them that betrayed his infernal origin.

“Your name” He said down to the priestess, tucking a stray hair behind her ear in a soothing manner as he also reached for the athame offered to him.

“Rhea.” Her voice was hollow, drunk on whatever spell Violet had enthralled her under. The demon lord nodded, sliding his hand down her neck, along her collar, caressing her chest bone with the practised ease of someone that has sacrificed thousands. His touches were smooth, hot, and languid- one never rushed this sort of thing, even if their death meant nothing.

“I am sure you meant for your life to come to more than this, Rhea” His voice was barely a whisper, words meant for only the girl below him, “But know that at least your death has brought this demon a moment of pleasure”

He slid the ornate dagger forward, his movement minut but sure, driving the blade through her ribs and upwards. The priestess made no noise, her eyes steadfast on his own entirely black ones. Though he cut directly into her heart, she did not die immediately and he pitied her resilience.

Sabazios held her gaze only until the moment she passed and then stepped back, brushing his hands off on the altar and shoving them into his pockets in the manner of someone entirely done with their predicament. “Are you finished?” He asked his charge, casting bored eyes across the high ceilings of the hall.

Violet had already moved on, rifling through a blood spattered book with mild interest. She glanced up with mild confusion, as if she was surprised he was still here. The demon could be anywhere he wanted at any time after all. Though he never left before the job was done, that much she had to give him credit for.

“Huh? Oh, yes. That’ll be all for now.” She said, forgetting herself for a moment before adding. “Thank you, Lord Sabazios.”

He disappeared with a *crack*, leaving behind a wisp of smoke and a subtle sulfuric odor. Violet set down her book, looking back to the guardian who remained trapped in his lifeless body. A smile split across her face, taunting the lingering spirit. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten you, we haven’t even gotten to my favorite part yet.”




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Midgrasp was the center of Ariosas, making it the focus of the celebrations. Though there were parties rippling out through the entire city, the festival took place along the fringe of the inner ring of the city. There were stretches of vendors, street performers, stages scattered. Earlier in the day there had been a parade but the sun was beginning to set which was when the real festivities began.

The nest was located just off a side street from the festival, it’s door open with a few folk lingering near the entry chatting politely as they shared a smoke. There seemed to be a welcoming presence radiating from the place that illuminated the otherwise dingy cobblestone passageway that led to the abode. It was apparent that the nest had been designed with great care. Every room was decorated meticulously and with great extravagance.

The harpy who owned the nest had an eye for treasures, and an even better eye for how to showcase them. He had created the nest as a way to facilitate his true work, but it ended up becoming a project in itself. Arlo had transformed it into not just a place for the wandering traveler to lay their head, but also a place for people to come together. He provided a neutral zone that wasn’t as common these days, at least when it came to where you could get a good drink.

Despite the harpy not having much weight on his own to enforce the neutral ground, he was strangely well connected to the elite of Ariosas giving him and the nest an extension of their influence to maintain the peace. It was without a doubt that at any given major party at the nest the guest list would be stacked with large names. One of the harpies' closest friends was Princess Briar Celestia Lightfoot, the two often photographed with Sebastian Flores - a less prominent figure than the princess of course but still of high pedigree.

It would surprise no one to know the three of them had been preparing the nest for the party all day together, now all piled in the same nook of the nest together looking out onto the fruits of the labor adoringly. The entire place was picture perfect ready as Diana’s instagram story had demonstrated. She’d been one of the first to arrive, never one to miss a photo opportunity. At her side was the devilish minx, Kayleigh. The two next to one another were lethal, all legs and curves.

Sitting among all these stars huddled in their own little world was Percy Lawless and Wren Caprine. Neither were really that notable, but they both seemed to be somehow sucked into this fantastical world leagues beyond their own. It made sense, the two were outright adorable snuggled together in the egg shaped hanging wicker chair. Their love seemed to radiate, warming the entire room around them. Percy hung from that chair so often it was a wonder he hadn’t imprinted his shape into the cushion already. Though the halls of the Nest were full there were still some notable names not in attendance. Chiyoko Ito had already been photographed at some political function, though she had a reputation of partying well into the night along with the rest of the girl squad as the tabloids so cleverly called them.


ImageZiran was notorious for arriving fashionably late so few even batted an eyelash when she hadn’t shown yet. Gossipgrams who loved to theorize about who would or would not attend the party had polls in their stories. Almost all who they had predicted out of the high profile guests had arrived, though there was one that had a 50/50 split that still hadn’t made an appearance. Priyanka Aarush hadn’t been at the nest as much since her previous security detail broke into the place to retrieve her, though she still would make surprise appearances so it was really a toss up.

The sun elves considered the Solstice a sacred holiday. Back in their oasis in West Bengal the Aarush family had leagues of sun elves throwing light shows into the sky above. There were some sun elf troops that performed in Ariosas, as well as fireworks - but it wasn’t the same as the night sky lit up by flashes of sun.

Her aunt and uncle hosted a traditional sun elf celebration and though it wasn’t the same as home it was still glorious. Usually their festivities would last way into the night but here they would end at sunset, many having other obligations at night. Raavi and Maya Aarush would usually go to some corporate party. Previous years they would ask Priya to come along but she usually would end up breaking out at some point.

Due to Arlo’s less admirable ways of making income, the Nest was relegated to the ‘High Risk’ list of locations her security team weren’t allowed to let her go to. However Priya had pleaded and begged and with some tears and promises she had no intentions of keeping, she was able to get acquire permission to attend Arlo’s Solstice party - after they had they completed their solstice ceremonies.


Leaving straight from the sun elf ceremonies Priya had no time to change, arriving in full traditional regalia of the Aarush Sun Elves. Gold coins hanging from her clothes jingled as Priya all but skipped down the passageway towards the nest. Two large figures followed behind her, the sun elf looking back at them both with excitement.

“Oh my god, aren’t you so excited?” Priya squealed, falling back between the two to link her arm through both of theirs. Even in the dimly lit street Priya still seemed to glow gold. Not just the rich tones of her skin but the bits of gold brushed on her face and the delicate and ornate golden henna on her hands and feet.


ImageFreshly energized from a day of soaking in such a powerful day of sun Priya felt like she were ready for whatever the night would throw at her. She didn’t even falter when she recognized Nia hanging near the entry smoking a cigarette. While Priya didn’t mind hanging around Nia, she wasn’t about to wait around at the edge of the party while her security detail had a smoke break. She was impatient and ready to go in and see her friends.

“Hey Nia,” Priya said with a polite smile. She kept her pace as she walked by, making sure not to give her security detail the opportunity to ask her to hang back so they could both catch up with Nia. Besides they had made it to the party, they didn’t have to follow her every second. Within a couple minutes she was able to find Diana and Kayleigh, Priya coming up behind Diana to wrap her arms around her resting her head on her shoulder.

“Hey babies,” Priya smiled to both Diana and Kayleigh. “What I miss? Anything good?”

Looking around she could spy Arlo, Seb and Briar all together in a corner. Priya gave a little wave and a smile, holding up a finger to indicate she’d be over in a minute. The nest was big enough that it was possible some other people of note were around, but she doubted if Briar and Diana were here that Chiyoko and Ziran would be somewhere else in the nest, unless . ..

Priya shook her head, rotating the golden bangle around her wrist to reveal a screen sending Chiyoko a message.

‘im mad im here and ur not’

She sent it, biting her bottom lip nervously. Priya hated how much she over analyzed every interaction between the two of them. They had drawn that line in the sand and they kept trying to make that barrier thinner and thinner. She knew the moment they crossed that line Chiyoko would realize Priya wasn’t the girl she imagined she was, and she’d leave. Just like Diana, and Itsuki before her. As fun as it was to fantasize, it had to remain just that with Chiyoko because it wasn’t worth the heartbreak.

That being said, Priya did keep picking unavailable people to spill herself into. Be it emotionally or physically or maritally, she kept picking people she knew it wouldn’t work with. She wasn’t mature enough to figure out why. Unable to help herself, she shot Arturo a message as well.

‘hey outlaw, if you don’t want to get into some trouble definitely don’t show up at the nest right now :p’

It wasn’t her most mature way of handling the insecurity of where Chiyoko and Ziran could be right and what they were doing and who they were doing it with. . . Priya couldn’t let her mind go there. The night was only just starting and she didn’t want to spend it pouting. Looking back to Kayleigh and Diana she wiped any residual emotions from her expression flashing them both a smile. “By the way, did I mention how hot you both are tonight?”

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kayleigh Walsh Character Portrait: Priyanka Aarush Character Portrait: Ziran Chao Character Portrait: Crowley Character Portrait: Diana Mercury
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Outfit and Makeup
The party had been going on for a good hour when Ziran finally made her entrance. Despite the Solstice being a worldwide holiday, she wouldn’t be Ziran unless she squeezed in a few extra hours of work. She’d been kind enough to give all of her employees the day off, but it didn’t mean that medicine didn’t still need to be delivered or that partygoers wouldn’t want something to take the edge off. As much as she enjoyed her business, there seemed to be a disconnect between holiday and service wherein a handful of people still expected Tian Guan to be open despite the exceptions being made for nearly every other industry. Lucky for her, nobody expected her to be punctual so she took all the time she needed getting ready.

With burgundy lipstick, painted nails, and an endlessly spacious clutch, she exited her cab with all the flourish of an A-List celebrity. The outside of the Nest was sprawling with young party hoppers and paparazzi hoping to catch a glimpse of Ariosas’ elite.

Her friends were already inside and presumably on their way to getting absolutely wasted so she made sure to take an extra shot of whisky before arriving and a pill to reduce her Asian glow.

“Ziran! Did you get my email about partnering up?” one man asked, sliding next to her and pointing towards his phone.

Before she could answer however, a younger woman piped in.

“What’s your relationship with Arlo Daylee?” she asked before flashing a photo, "is it true you're supplying him with-"

Holding back an eyeroll, she smiled before answering.

“Today is the Solstice, everyone. Let's focus on celebrating before talking business.”

Large gatherings weren’t new territory for her. The Chao family was known for their lavish galas, inviting everyone from immediate family to business partners to friends of friends so long as they weren't paparazzi. It wasn’t uncommon for Chao parties to double as networking events, often leading to partnerships (both business and otherwise).

That was where the similarities ended however.

Her family didn’t look too kindly on recreational drugs, finding them to be a crutch compared to other types of stress relief. Granted, alcohol was still allowed on the basis of being considered a food rather than a narcotic. The level of alcohol consumption alone would be enough to make her father shudder. She didn't want to think about how the rest of the Nest's behavior would reflect on her if she made a fool of herself at the party.

Weaving her way into the crowd, Ziran spotted Priya along with two other parts of the infamous “Ariosas Girl Squad.” It was hard to miss the elven princess in her summery glory. Even among the extravagant decor, her brilliance was impossible to obscure and the Chao woman adored her for it.

“Hello, hello! Sorry I’m late everyone! Work was absolutely swamped today” she announced after approaching the four, “and I would absolutely love to grab a drink."

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kayleigh Walsh Character Portrait: Priyanka Aarush Character Portrait: Ziran Chao Character Portrait: Crowley Character Portrait: Diana Mercury
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“Hey girl!” Kayleigh said with a big smile on her face. “You missed an awesome pre-drink and get ready.”

Priya had masked her pouting by distracting herself with texting Chiyoko. She wished she could just tag along on a whim to Diana and Kayleigh's plans, but it was never with ease. Not that Priya would have wanted to have skipped out on her solstice celebration with the other sun elves, but it often felt like she was left choosing between two lives. It was either her culture and family, or her identity and her friends. When she looked back up to compliment the two, Crowley had stepped in beside her.

“Don't believe you did but I could be mistaken. Unlikely but possible.” He said, then closely looked towards the pair before continuing, “I would have to agree with your observation and conclusion.”

"Johnathon! You flirt!" Priya squealed, swatting at his arm playfully. He was always too formal for his own good, though he'd thawed over time. Given that his relationships with many of his friends was often filled with contention it was amusing to see him play nice with them. Diana smiled, raising a hand to cup Priya's face gently to say. “I could say the same for you, my darling.”

Priya felt a clench in her heart, immediately falling under Diana's spell. Her presence was so potent. A heat spread across her face, color rushing to her cheeks as Priya glanced down. She wanted so badly to play it cool but she never could, letting out a nervous laugh as she put her hand over Diana's.

"Diana, please - you know your touch makes me weak." Priya pleaded, her words serious but her tone playful. She was always just one text away from being Diana's again, though that text came less and less often these days. There was no point in playing coy, they all knew Priya fell in love over and over again - usually with the same few people round and round. At this point it was more of a joke than a love life, or so Priya had accepted.

“Hello, hello! Sorry I’m late everyone! Work was absolutely swamped today” Ziran swept in at the perfect moment, as usual “and I would absolutely love to grab a drink."

Priya pulled her head back as Diana dropped her hand, looking over to Ziran. As usual, Ziran was oozing class and culture. It amazed Priya that Ziran could work all day and still look like an absolute queen. Though Ziran's beauty was unmatched, all of Priya's friends were beautiful. Ziran's entrepreneurial aptitude and sharp wit however made Priya shudder with both fear and awe. Though she had no reason to believe otherwise, Priya was convinced that Ziran must hate her and desperately over compensated on the off chance those thoughts might be true.

"No worries! I just got here too, let me go get us all some drinks. What does everyone want?" Priya asked, waiting for everyone to tell her their drink of choice before turning to Crowley. "I assume you'll be coming with me, so you can help me carry them."

She linked arms with Crowley, pulling him towards the bar with her. He was used to being dragged around by her at this point, if you can’t beat ‘em - join ‘em, right? Priya might not have been as small as Wrenz or Kayleigh, but she still was dwarfed under Crowley’s shadow. If he wanted to resist, he could - but he knew she would go whether or not he wanted her to, and it was his job to follow her after all. Arlo had hired bartenders to work the party, Priya waving one down and checking her texts while she waited for one of them to come over. She had two; one from Chiyoko, the other from Koda.

‘Don’t pout, pretty girl. I was just leaving.’

‘I’m going to go fetch. I’m going to tell Crowley that I lost my wallet along the path and went to retrace my steps real quick. Need anything while I’m out?’


Though Koda didn’t say as much, Priya could guess that she was going around to scoop up Chiyoko. She did her best to mask her excitement, discretely angling herself so that Crowley couldn’t see her messages. Koda always looked out for Priya, making sure she didn’t miss out on real life just because her family was paranoid. Reacting to Chiyoko’s message with a heart, then texting Koda a quick - ‘nope - just hurry back. :p’, Priya went back to her message to Turo seeing that it was read. That meant nothing, like Diana, often ignoring her texts only to show up and take her on a wild night of adventures.

The bartender interrupted Priya’s prepared list of excuses for Arturo, ordering herself and the others drinks, making sure to order Crowley’s non-alcoholic drink of choice. She had yet to have seen him drink on the job. Though she once might have tried to sneak him some sort of seltzer spritzer, they were on better terms now. She didn’t see the need to trick him, that's what her friends were for. As the bartender made their drinks, Priya began to drift into thought. She had spent so long looking forward to this night and now that it was here, there was a nervous energy in her stomach.

“I feel so weird tonight.” Priya frowned, looking over to Crowley with a huff. “Like I’m not myself . . . like I’m pretending to be someone else.”

It was a feeling Priya often struggled with. So many people only perceived her through the small scope her social media provided, at what point was she more of an idea than a person? Admittedly there was more of a sense of existential dread than usual, but that’s what distractions were for. As if on cue the bartender returned with their drinks.

“Here you go,” Priya said, handing Crowley his and Ziran’s drinks. She balanced Kayleigh, Diana and her own drink in her hands gesturing for Crowley to follow her back to the group. In the walk returning to the group, gradually Priya pulled her mask back up - the brief glimpse into her not-so-sunny demeanor already faded by the time her friends were within view.

She handed Kayleigh her drink with a smile before swooping in beside Diana to slide her drink into her hand, lingering their touch. Priya looked up to Diana, positively glowing beneath her gaze. Like a sunflower, her face always turned and lifted to others like they were her sun. Any memory of insecurity immediately faded because right now someone she was the beauty in the eye of at least on beholder. She smiled up at Diana before moving beside her to face the others.

“I’m still baffled my family gave me permission to come tonight.,” Priya sipped her drink, looking over at Crowley. “So no one give Johnathon too hard a time, who knows - maybe this can become a regular thing again?”

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Kayleigh Walsh Character Portrait: Priyanka Aarush Character Portrait: Ziran Chao Character Portrait: Crowley Character Portrait: Diana Mercury Character Portrait: Iza Kuroi
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astra yves
hex: #fbb3b3
location: the nest
attire: x x
anthem: when i grow up
iza kuroi
hex: #3a495a
location: the nest
attire: x
anthem: gucci linen
it had been a long time since she had felt such agony. tears pooled in her eyes, every ounce of her remaining will keeping them from falling. her hands trembled, their fingertips stained red. as the pain bubbled in her throat, her affliction was inescapable.

she took another bite, finishing off what remained of the devil's-inferno-hot-sauce-dipped hot wing. bravely licking the remnants of the sauce from the edges of her mouth, she smiled through the pain. "It's actually not too bad!"

"'Not too bad'? You're crying, right now." The interviewer responded in dubious amusement, prompting a loud laugh from the actress, any remnants caught in her teeth hidden by her hand.



"And... turn this way! Yes, beautiful! Gorgeous!" The photographer was bent in a way reminiscent of paranormal possessions, both the natural curve of their body and gravity seemingly inconsequential to the performing of their craft. "A bit more of an angle to the face... a bit lowe- yes! Perfect!"

Astra was used to the compliments, but nonetheless felt compelled to smile in response to them. Affirmations, apparently, never got old. Still, she maintained her severe expression, so as not to betray the photoshoot's ice-queen concept.



"Why hide from it, when you can Fae-ce it?" Any traces of tiredness were hidden deep beneath an enigmatic smile, and a face full of the entire Fae-ce It makeup collection.

"Aaaand... cut! Astra, love, that was great. I think one more take and we'll be all set. That okay?"

Astrid nodded cheerfully, "Sounds good!" As she bent down to help the dainty makeup artist reach her face, she stifled a yawn, and glanced down at her phone.

Thank fuck- enough time for a powernap before the party. It had been a long day, but, with the day being what is was, it was also one she had no intention of ending, any time soon.

not before getting seriously hammered, anyway.




the tin was circular and slender as a compact mirror, its body dark and plain save for the dappling of silver stars across its lid. Its contents were far more colourful; ten red-and-blue tabs, a number that turned to nine as Astra tapped one from the tin, and placed it with a habitual ease onto her tongue.

it wasn't wise to mix medication with drugs of a more illicit nature, but any reticence that Astra had once held that significantly diminished over time, encouraged by a lack of unfortunate events during previous attempts. her fear, it seemed, paled in comparison to her self-assurance, at least when it came to parties. or perhaps it wasn't arrogance, but rather a lust for a freedom she seldom otherwise granted herself.

medical science doesn't care much for the personal philosophies and anecdotal reasoning behind the evasion of its guidelines, but that was, and always would be irrelevant, so long as Astra was having a good time. Which she was, or, rather, would be soon.

She considered bringing the tin with her, but then remembered where she was going, and put it back into her dresser before leaving her home for the car waiting outside. Iza, hair already wild and pupils already diluted, leaned out of the passenger window.

"Took you long enough."

Astra rolled her eyes, shoving the vampire's head back into the car with before getting into the vehicle after them.

"That's rich, coming from your chronically late ass."

Iza only smirked, raising their hands to reveal two glasses hooked between their left's fingers, and a bottle of champagne, which they waved lazily with their right.

"Honey, everything's rich coming from me."



they arrived to beautiful lights and chorusing voices. People were cheering, laughing, kissing... all things Astra anticipated for herself as she stepped out of the car. She caught her own name being spoken, but didn't turn in response; she had learned to differentiate the voices of friends from strangers years ago, when it became household. Most did not try to engage her directly, content with taking their videos from afar. But the crowd was dizzy tonight, on drugs and joy and booze, and liquid courage prompted three separate groups to approach her for selfies before Iza, bored of waiting (and of photobombing), dragged her away. As she was pulled through the doors to the Nest, Astra offered a final smile, and an ethusiastic "Happy Solstice!" towards her accumulated audience.

Entering the Nest she was immediately met by familiar faces, though not the ones she was most excited about. She realised, retroactively, that Priya may not have escaped to the Nest yet, but as her thumb hovered over the keyboard of her phone (one that she would likely have had little luck typing on, given how it swirled in her state), she caught sight of them; a collection of some of her nearest and dearest.

"-No one give Johnathon too hard a time, who knows - maybe this can become a regular thing again?"

Catching the latter half of Priya's statement, Astra slipped in beside her, putting a flutter of a kiss on the cheek of the sun elf before shooting Crowley a mischievous smile. Iza, similarly, moved in beside Diana, offering a similarly sly expression.

"No promises."