Application - Herr Drosselmeyer from Princess Tutu

[tragitragedy]

((OOC: To avoid godmodding issues, Drosselmeyer's canonical story spinner abilities (i.e., writing stories that come true) have been voided by the magic of Hogwarts. Of course, he can surely find other ways to mess with people's lives...))An old and eccentric man strode through the Sorting Room doors, a red cloak flowing from his hunched shoulders

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[vislor_turlough]

"It's always tragedy with you, isn't it?"

[tragitragedy]

"There is nothing to compare with the finest tragedy. The beauty, the fragile moments of triumph, the despair that brings a tear to the eye of the beholder..." Drosselmeyer gave a wistful sigh, thinking back to the finer points of Princess Tutu's story, before the characters had seen fit to tweak the ending.

[vislor_turlough]

"You Earthlings are such gawkers. Taking such pleasure from someone else's pain, it's sickening."

Never mind that Turlough's probably done it before too.

[tragitragedy]

"What's truly sickening is a man who doesn't appreciate fine literature," he sniffed. Nevermind that Drosselmeyer toyed with the lives of real people and enjoyed it rather than having qualms about it or explaining away his responsibility by considering them fictional characters. But he was used to his genius going unappreciated, regardless.

Drosselmeyer scanned an appraising eye over Turlough. "Still, you might be interesting yet. What's your story?"

[ringo_raver]

Well, the sexual harassment question sealed it for him.

"I like you."

[tragitragedy]

Drosselmeyer wasn't used to being liked; but then, he had mainly interacted with his characters and puppets after his death, and he would have been failing in his hobby if they liked him. Still, he grinned readily and with a twinkle in his eye as he exclaimed, "Oh ho, are you a kindred spirit? A writer, perhaps, or a connoisseur of tragedy?"

[ringo_raver]

"Well, mainly, I just like watching humans. They are so interesting. And yes, I might have technically killed someone, but I did warn him that was how his life would end. If he got too boring, I'd write his name in the Death Note."

[tragitragedy]

Drosselmeyer sat straighter in his chair. "Oh yes, aren't humans just fascinating? They would be so happy if they simply accepted their fates and followed their stories to the natural conclusion, but they never do. They must take everything so personally, and fight it, and struggle in the most poignant and glorious depths of tragedy. And they're always so surprising," he added, thinking of the unexpected ending they'd tacked onto his tale of Princess Tutu, after giving him quite a fine show.

"There's nothing more insufferable than a boring character, adding nothing but insipidness to the plot." Drosselmeyer nodded in approval of getting rid of such a nuisance. "This 'Death Note' you mentioned--what is it?"

[woocha]

You tell stories? I wanna hear one I wanna hear one! Wishbone said, wagging his tail.

[tragitragedy]

A talking dog was par for the course after everything Drosselmeyer had pulled in Gold Crown Town. He shifted the chair, angling it away from the desk, and settled himself comfortably with the air of a grandfather readying a story for the children crowded around his feet.

"How would you like to hear a fairy tale? I've written an excellent one with a prince, a knight, and two princesses. And for the villain, a raven with a heart as black as his wings." Drosselmeyer smiled in what he felt was a charming and winning manner.

[woocha]

Cool! Wishbone is so the prince in his head.

[tragitragedy]

"This story is called The Prince and the Raven," Drosselmeyer began. "Once upon a time, there lived a prince who loved equally all the subjects of his kingdom, and was loved by all the subjects of his kingdom. It was a happy land; but unfortunately," and somehow his smile didn't quite match the feeling of the word unfortunately, "this happiness was not to last forever. For to this kingdom came, one day, a monstrous raven and his many minions."

He paused in case Wishbone might want to interrupt with some reaction or question, the way children were wont to do.

[im_wacky_times]

T-Rex, too, was a storyteller. An acclaimed novelist, even! When he wasn't programming awesome computer games, he was totally writing awesome stories. Or trying to shoo raccoons and cephalopods out of his bathroom, but that was a minor part of his day, compared to doing his awesome writing of awesomeness.

How did he fit in the Sorting Room? Well ... the Sorting Room had a really high ceiling? And also, T-Rex was capable of going to the mall and driving a car and using a computer and stuff, all while being an ordinary (if awesome) tyrannosaurus. So, somehow he could do these things and it was okay.

"So, where do you get your ideas from?" He wasn't afraid to talk shop with a fellow storyteller.

[tragitragedy]

Like Wishbone, T-Rex was hardly that far out of the ordinary after all the twisting Drosselmeyer had done in Gold Crown. So he just smiled.

"I find real people to be very inspirational. I like to draw on their stories for my work."

[im_wacky_times]

"I, too, find inspiration in real people! Ghosts, astronaut skateboarders, superheroes. Just ordinary Joes!" T-Rex might be smiling, or he might just like holding his very toothy mouth wide-open, who could say? "Lately I am not so into realism though!"

[tragitragedy]

"Oh, a fellow writer, are you?" Drosselmeyer brightened and laughed, clapping his hands together. "Splendid! I should love to see some of your work, at a more convenient time. Personally, I find myself quite drawn to fairy tales in my own writing. I also appreciate the fine storytelling tradition of ballets."

[chinasorrows]

The storyteller made China laugh, but not in her often condescending, scornful way, but a genuine laugh that warmed even her cold veins. He was such an adorable man, foreboding smile aside.

She came to stand in front of Herr Drosselmeyer in an elegant black dress, her exquisite necklace draped around her neck, the emeralds glinting in the light. The dress had an impromptu plunging neck line, that China felt perhaps drew too much attention to her assets, but the dress had been such an eye grabber -- the house elves did well.

She extended her pale hand, "Hello Mr. Drosselmeyer, it's a pleasure." China smiled, her black tresses framing her face, and emphasizing her pale blue eyes. She found him a lovely distraction from her own application.

[tragitragedy]

It wasn't exactly a romantic or physical infatuation, but something about China charmed and attracted Drosselmeyer's artistic sensibilities. Such a poetic beauty with that hair, those eyes--she would make a perfect princess in a tower.

"I am delighted to meet you, my dear." He took her hand and kissed the back of it with a gentlemanly flourish. "I suppose you are another one of those poor souls taken away from your proper story and spirited here. I would love to know a bit more of your tale, Miss." His smile actually managed to look rather pleasant and charming instead of maniacal.

[chinasorrows]

Her smile turned coy as she took back her hand. China nodded to her being spirited away, crossing her arms loosely, rather then having them dangle uselessly by her sides. She had become comfortable with the path that fate violently put her on, the castle held... wonders, that she intended to locate. As for her story, well, she wasn't going to divulge much. Albeit a charming man, he was still a stranger and could in fact be working an angle. Because, that's what she would have done, and what she did do.

"Ah, my story. It's a long one I'm afraid, Mr. Drosselmeyer, and quite frankly, a boring one that would sooner put you to sleep than thrill you." China smiled, narrowing her eyes appreciatively. Her eyes twinkled.

[tragitragedy]

So self-assured and charismatic and charmingly cautious--China reminded Drosselmeyer a bit of Kraehe. Perhaps she would be as delightfully fragile beneath that pretty veneer as well. He sighed inwardly; she would make such a lovely prima, if only he were able to spin his stories here.

"Ah, yes, I understand quite well." He clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them. "Young people like you haven't had as much time to lead exciting, troubled lives the way we old ones have. I've hardly any tales worth telling from the time I might have been your age." People's pasts had a way of coming out one way or another, so Drosselmeyer simply smiled and didn't press. For the moment, he'd rather put his potential princess at ease and look forward to discovering the details later.