2nd Duel

[parttimejob]

WHO: Akio, Mozenrath, Laura Palmer, Irene Adler, and Dr. Crane
WHEN: around midnight tonight and a bit after
WHERE: CES/Dueling Arena
WHAT: Second part of the duels with Crane an invited observer
WARNINGS: Probably none.
NOTES: This isn't just a traditional log. If people could chime in with what they plan. Akio won't talk to anyone himself except

Comments

Just writing out Moze's first transformation. No replies needed, but you can assume you saw this.

[mightymorbid]

Things were going as planned. Mozenrath had led each of the duelists into the arena, and when all was in readiness he took up the roses they were to wear and stepped into the circle.

The unthinkable happened. Aptly termed, as what occurred was entirely unexpected, and so far beyond what Mozenrath could expect, that initially he was frozen in place in awe. He changed, and he felt it as it happened. He shrank, and his clothing morphed around him. The bare bones of his right hand were overtaken not by the leather of a gauntlet but flesh, nail enamel, and milky skin. Robes became a gown -- not of any design he was familiar with but that which his host would probably know quite intimately.

Mozenrath looked at his hands and knew immediately that the body he inhabited was the body he had during his most loathed of floods. The gasp that broke free found its way out a female throat and climbed to delicate and high octaves.

His first instinct was to look to where he hoped Akio had concealed himself, but he suppressed it, realizing that this, likely, had to have been the sacrifice he'd been expected to make. If he faultered -- if he showed the duelists his confusion -- the image would be broken, and with it, perhaps the magic, itself.

For the power, Mozenrath thought.

The Rose Bride rose to her full height, stoic, and moved to bestow each duelist with their rose.

AFTER THE DUEL

[parttimejob]

Akio had no inherent magic of his own, and he knew it. Whatever gifts the Rose Prince had possessed in the past were long gone. Even the Sword of Dios had been more his sister's in the end than his. He used other people's swords, and other people.

So watching Mozenrath transform into a Rose Bride, like the duelists had seemed to do back at Ohtori, both thrilled and worried him. Mozenrath had real magic, if only a limited amount here. Real magic, like Anthy had had. Akio kept quiet during the duels, observing as he'd always done in the past.

Then when they were gone, he hurried out to greet Mozenrath with a secretive smile on his face. "You look lovely that way, Rose Bride," he said to Mozenrath.

AFTER THE DUEL

[mightymorbid]

Mozenrath did not preside over the duel with the same cocky air as he held last time, as one who was confident in the eventual end of these games, humming with anticipation, for the obvious power that these rituals held and might ultimately bring him. The transformation had been unexpected, not necessarily a wrinkle in the plan -- he'd known from the beginning he wouldn't be the one driving. He could not call a setback what must have been part of the deal all along.

And telling himself this was meant to happen was the only thing that kept him from panicking for the whole of the duel. Through the entire battle he was stoic, staring, silent, and by the end he'd forgotten he had changed at all. It was only when Akio approached him after all others had gone that he turned and realized how much taller than him the other man now was.

But Akio was pleased. It meant he was doing what he was meant to do. It meant they were one step closer to that power.

He bowed his head in acquiescence, effecting the same calm he had come to identify in Akio, himself. It was comforting. There was something inside of him that was screaming, that he had to ignore to succeed, and if he buried it, he was strong. "Thank you."

AFTER THE DUEL

[parttimejob]

When he was close enough, Akio reached out a hand to Mozenrath, unsure if the younger man would take it. "You did not seem all that surprised," he observed. He felt a certain enthusiasm, a kind of pent up energy, and was more than happy to be alone with Mozenrath at the moment.

"What do you feel?"

AFTER THE DUEL

[mightymorbid]

Mozenrath took his hand almost immediately, with gentle confidence. "I refuse to be surprised, Akio," he said, smiling smoothly. "I will see this through to the end, and we will succeed."

AFTER THE DUEL

[parttimejob]

Akio knew he'd have to be both cautious and gracious. He held Mozenrath's slender hand in his. "That's very wise of you." He lifted the hand to kiss it. "You make a very convincing Rose Bride."

He wondered what Anthy would think of this. She'd not had a lot to say about the brides that had accompanied the duelists to the later duels to help draw out their heart swords. He wondered if Mozenrath still had a heart sword. He was a fierce fellow at the best of times.

Akio was fairly sure his own heart was empty.

"We will. I wonder exactly what we can get from the duelists we have left, but two have tasted victory. It must be very sweet to them." It certainly was to Akio.