Aug. 27th, 2019
via https://ift.tt/2Zugl6O
sparklecryptid:
Okay, so this is - an expansion on the series of asks I sent you a while ago. The one with dancer!Jean experimenting with illusionary shape-changing as the Dancer.
…basically, Jean - with his father’s knowing permission - decides to try and hit Somnus where it hurts. For Spite’s sake, if nothing else. Of course, Somnus is in the Ring, so he has to do this in front of Regis - and I don’t know. He probably doesn’t sneak into Insomnia to do this; maybe he manages to make *just* enough of a ruckus outside of - wherever Regis is staying on one of the King’s Very Few Diplomatic Trips Out Of The City to draw his attention - in person, via video camera, whatever, just as long as Regis (and, by extension, all of those in the Ring) see.
And then Jean launches his campaign of experimental psychological warfare. With a song.
The Dancer is swaying back and forth silently, unseen eyes fixed on the camera - as if he can stare *through* them, as if he is staring directly at Regis - and as the humming intensifies, his outline changes as quickly and as easily as a man putting on a cloak as he begins to sing.
Dancing bears, painted wings
Things I almost remember -
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December.
It’s not the Dancer standing there anymore. It’s a tall man - a man with long, dark hair loosely bound back, with tired blue eyes; a man wearing simple clothing, with work-hardened hands and a hard-worn smile.
Any onlookers - aside from Somnus - would not have the least idea of who the man is.
Pre-Scourge Ardyn. The Healer.
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory -
And the outline shivers once again, and now the man draws an intake of breath from everyone watching.
Because he is wearing black and gold, in full noble raiment. Because the Dragon Crown is tucked behind one ear. Because his bearing is still tired, is still worn, but he stands like a King - with authority, and nobility, with a presence that cannot be died, with eyes sharp and bright as his voice raises in the chorus once more.
(The King of Light. The Sage. The Light that Burns, the First King of Lucis.)
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
And then the figure’s outline changes one last time. But it is not a sudden change. Fast, still - but not fast enough for anyone’s comfort as lines of blackest night creep beneath his veins, rise to his face, until he weeps black Scourge as his skin pales and his eyes gleam sickly and inhuman. As wounds opens in his hands, his feet, as his clothing is distorted by the black blood seeping from the terrible injuries that severed him from everything -
As the darkness rises and consumes him, until his outline is blurred in darkness, until he is crowned in a halo of shadow, until nothing can be seen of him but the terrible dark flame obscuring any hint of identifying features -
And yet. Still, he sings.
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember
Is his voice terrible, or is it plaintive? Is it a crow of inhuman triumph, or a terrible, unknowable grief? It is as beautiful and lyric as the words that came from his mouth when he was still human, or is it as rough and gloating as a crow’s call?
His voice is slow, almost hesitant as the last lines come pealing forth.
And a song someone sings - Once upon a December.
screeching
loud screeches of joy and feels
hamelin this is so good you have no idea how much i love it omg
omg
i am keeping this forever because its such a Jean Thing to do and because Somnus hurt /his/ father, Somnus /hurt, killed, and tortured/ jean’s father. somnus betrayed his older brother in the worst way possible and there had been a time where ardyn would have done anything for somnus, where if somnus had been burdened with the gift of healing ardyn would have stood beside him
because once ardyn had been a good man that loved his brother enough to eclipse the stars if somnus had asked
because a part of ardyn still mourns that love, that loss he feels whenever thinking of his brother, nowdays it is mainly overshadowed by rage and hate but if you dig enough it is still there
and jean knows this so jean goes-
he goes and tries to hurt somnus in one of the only ways he can
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sparklecryptid
Thank you! I’m glad you like it; the song’s - one of my favorites, and it was a delight to choreograph this scene to it.
Out of curiosity - how do *you* think ring!Somnus reacts to this?
(Your picture was not posted)
sparklecryptid:
Okay, so this is - an expansion on the series of asks I sent you a while ago. The one with dancer!Jean experimenting with illusionary shape-changing as the Dancer.
…basically, Jean - with his father’s knowing permission - decides to try and hit Somnus where it hurts. For Spite’s sake, if nothing else. Of course, Somnus is in the Ring, so he has to do this in front of Regis - and I don’t know. He probably doesn’t sneak into Insomnia to do this; maybe he manages to make *just* enough of a ruckus outside of - wherever Regis is staying on one of the King’s Very Few Diplomatic Trips Out Of The City to draw his attention - in person, via video camera, whatever, just as long as Regis (and, by extension, all of those in the Ring) see.
And then Jean launches his campaign of experimental psychological warfare. With a song.
The Dancer is swaying back and forth silently, unseen eyes fixed on the camera - as if he can stare *through* them, as if he is staring directly at Regis - and as the humming intensifies, his outline changes as quickly and as easily as a man putting on a cloak as he begins to sing.
Dancing bears, painted wings
Things I almost remember -
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December.
It’s not the Dancer standing there anymore. It’s a tall man - a man with long, dark hair loosely bound back, with tired blue eyes; a man wearing simple clothing, with work-hardened hands and a hard-worn smile.
Any onlookers - aside from Somnus - would not have the least idea of who the man is.
Pre-Scourge Ardyn. The Healer.
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory -
And the outline shivers once again, and now the man draws an intake of breath from everyone watching.
Because he is wearing black and gold, in full noble raiment. Because the Dragon Crown is tucked behind one ear. Because his bearing is still tired, is still worn, but he stands like a King - with authority, and nobility, with a presence that cannot be died, with eyes sharp and bright as his voice raises in the chorus once more.
(The King of Light. The Sage. The Light that Burns, the First King of Lucis.)
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
And then the figure’s outline changes one last time. But it is not a sudden change. Fast, still - but not fast enough for anyone’s comfort as lines of blackest night creep beneath his veins, rise to his face, until he weeps black Scourge as his skin pales and his eyes gleam sickly and inhuman. As wounds opens in his hands, his feet, as his clothing is distorted by the black blood seeping from the terrible injuries that severed him from everything -
As the darkness rises and consumes him, until his outline is blurred in darkness, until he is crowned in a halo of shadow, until nothing can be seen of him but the terrible dark flame obscuring any hint of identifying features -
And yet. Still, he sings.
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember
Is his voice terrible, or is it plaintive? Is it a crow of inhuman triumph, or a terrible, unknowable grief? It is as beautiful and lyric as the words that came from his mouth when he was still human, or is it as rough and gloating as a crow’s call?
His voice is slow, almost hesitant as the last lines come pealing forth.
And a song someone sings - Once upon a December.
screeching
loud screeches of joy and feels
hamelin this is so good you have no idea how much i love it omg
omg
i am keeping this forever because its such a Jean Thing to do and because Somnus hurt /his/ father, Somnus /hurt, killed, and tortured/ jean’s father. somnus betrayed his older brother in the worst way possible and there had been a time where ardyn would have done anything for somnus, where if somnus had been burdened with the gift of healing ardyn would have stood beside him
because once ardyn had been a good man that loved his brother enough to eclipse the stars if somnus had asked
because a part of ardyn still mourns that love, that loss he feels whenever thinking of his brother, nowdays it is mainly overshadowed by rage and hate but if you dig enough it is still there
and jean knows this so jean goes-
he goes and tries to hurt somnus in one of the only ways he can
sparklecryptidThank you! I’m glad you like it; the song’s - one of my favorites, and it was a delight to choreograph this scene to it.
Out of curiosity - how do *you* think ring!Somnus reacts to this?
(Your picture was not posted)
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fleurison-deactivated20190824:
you are going to secure a major win soon. from that moment on, your life will change completely. keep your vision alive. keep moving. what’s to come will be better than anything you’ve ever known
(Your picture was not posted)
fleurison-deactivated20190824:
you are going to secure a major win soon. from that moment on, your life will change completely. keep your vision alive. keep moving. what’s to come will be better than anything you’ve ever known
(Your picture was not posted)
via https://ift.tt/2Zg07Pw
fantasyartfinds:
Art by windfalcon
luxroyalty charlottedabookworm
(Your picture was not posted)
fantasyartfinds:
Art by windfalcon
luxroyalty charlottedabookworm(Your picture was not posted)
via https://ift.tt/2Hs6Bjg
THOUGHT: regis is going to have a heart attack, die, then come back from the sheer joy of having *all the kids*
another thought: ace runs the beer tents.
another another thought: more than one LC bastard found their shield in that circus and then found out their shield was supposed to be an heir to a high ranking noble family
one last thought: if we shove sable, velvet and All The Bastards in there sable winds up the ringmaster for some undetermined amount of time
(Your picture was not posted)
THOUGHT: regis is going to have a heart attack, die, then come back from the sheer joy of having *all the kids*
another thought: ace runs the beer tents.
another another thought: more than one LC bastard found their shield in that circus and then found out their shield was supposed to be an heir to a high ranking noble family
one last thought: if we shove sable, velvet and All The Bastards in there sable winds up the ringmaster for some undetermined amount of time
(Your picture was not posted)