escordvi | closed 🌠⚡ how do we rewrite the stars...

[The decor certainly suits a performance theatre quite well, and it's one Eustace himself has never really seen before. Every theatre he's been to was more of the traditional kind where everything was well kept and uniform. So he looks it all over in interest before they continue their way towards where their seats are.]

Naughtilust.

It's different.

[In some good ways and some... interesting ways, as her cheeks flush when she sees a pair of dancers dressed in flowy silks twirling around someone, one of her hands grazing the man's cheek while the other presses up to him from behind, others greeting people as they walk in through the doors. They, fortunately, manage to slip by to get to their seats, but Tifa does pause to admire the way that they move so fluidly and effortlessly.]

I'm on Elah all the time, and I know where everything is. It's kind of nice not knowing what I'm in for here. Get to discover it all with you instead.

[A quiet hum as they continue on, more silks and ribbons draped low from the ceiling as lights float around them rather than be attached to the walls or ceiling. As one floats by them, he raises a hand to lightly tap it back up.]

Fair enough. And the Naughtilust is also known for its entertainment. It's not a bad choice.

There are definitely some... more interesting things around here, too.

[She glances over her shoulder as they find their seats, making sure that none of the dancers are following. She's not sure how she would feel about someone draping silks around them.]

But I think I made a pretty good choice, too. [She draws her attention to the rest of the theatre now, eyes wide with wonder.] And managed to get great seats along with it, this is incredible...!

[Who knows, it may be worse and one of them is dragged up on the stage later instead—

But Eustace just nods as he looks around where they are.]

Roughly center and on a higher tier... You really did manage to get some of the best seats.

[With the height, they can actually see more of the stage and the dancers better than if they were closer to the front, making it easier to see over the rows ahead of them. Although they are close to the aisle...but that also makes it easier for them to get in and out easier, which for Eustace is more comforting.]

How long is the performance?

[She is still looking around, and her eyes go up to the ceiling, lips parting in a gasp at the paintings that cover it, all of them as mismatched but equally beautiful as the rest of it, when he asks his question.]

Oh. A little less than two hours, I think? So should be done at around eleven.

[Her cheeks flush, and she looks for something else that isn't him to stare at.]

Still plenty of time after, too...

[........Oho? There's a slight arch of the brow as he leans in closer.]

Plenty of time after?

[He has a good guess of what she might be implying, but he of course has to tease her first.]

[She could be implying a lot of things, and the way her cheeks turn pink says everything she doesn't.]

Mm-hm. If we wanna look around some more or something. They do say that this Leviathan never sleeps.

That's true, and they will probably have more interesting activities later in the night.

[He leans in a little closer, his voice is a low murmur.]

Just don't want you getting too tired too quickly.

[She stiffens, but only slightly, having fully expected him to lean in close, but he can probably feel the heat radiating off her when he speaks in her ear.]

Don't worry.

[There's the slightest turn of her head, bringing her lips inches from his.]

I've got plenty left in me.

[Her lashes flutter as the lights start to dim, and after she hitches in a breath, she turns to look at the stage.]

I think it's starting soon.

[There's just the quirk of his lips as his gaze will be enough of an answer to that before he hums.

And as he turns forward, the lights begin to dim, the chatter of the audience fading as everyone quickly find their seats or turn back around. Soon the music starts, the stage lights turn on, and the performance begins...]

[There's an orchestra that surprises her as the stage opens up—a small one set off to one side while the dancers take the other. The women are dressed in all black silks and linens, light fabrics that billow with very movement they make. The men in the same, though in far less. Except there are two that stand out among all the others, the woman in silver and the man in gold. There is an opera singer that sings the tale of two star-crossed lovers who couldn't be—a siren goddess of the night and a god of the land.

It is a sad yet provocative tale, the moon like a siren calling to her love over and over again and him following the sound of her voice, her drawing him in, and him being pulled under.

Partway through, Eustace will feel Tifa's hand slip into his, her fingers interlocking, but her gaze remains locked on the dancers at center stage, watching in awe at the way they move together, and it draws a flush into her cheeks.]

[When he feels her hand take his, he glances over and smiles as he first slips his hand away....

...

Only to slip that arm over her shoulders, pulling her in a little closer as his other hand will take hers, as if to replace the one she had tried to hold before.

But there is something about this play that...it's moving to be sure. Beautiful with the way the dancers move and act out their scenes. But the story itself, of star-crossed lovers somehow resonates within him. Is it because he is reminded of himself and Tifa? Of how they are from two different stars, and without this world they would never have met? Had he been caught in her song and pulled under?

Even if so, he had gone willingly.

Before his thoughts can wander further, the scenes change drastically, the music taking on an almost tribal war march as more aggressive forms of dance that are more gymnastic in style fly over the stage. The dancers represent the warriors of the sun who is trying to pull the land back away from the night. A jealous rival, one who has enjoyed basking the land with her warmth and does not wish to see the god of such precious land disappear into the waves of the night. A rage that scorches the land...]

[She feels his arm go around her instead, and she leans into him for a time, into his warmth, her head falling to his shoulder as they watch... until the story starts to pick up.

There are several times that Tifa gasps during that part of the performance, her eyes going wide in awe as the dancers start to move off the stage and towards the audience. Just when she thinks they are too high up, several come through the doors behind them, dancing with their red and silver scarves, clashing together as the fabrics spin over their heads.

The show's halfway point ends on a somber note, with the god of the light taken back by his people, by the other gods who force him back away from the ocean, leaving the sea goddess on her own.

The curtain falls on her, and the lights slowly turn on, remaining dim to signal that this is only the halfway point. And once the audience starts to chatter, Tifa turns to Eustace.]

That was amazing...!

[And it's not even done yet!]

It was.

[He can't help but agree. The story, the music, the entire production—it was more than he had ever seen before. He had even himself more engaged in the scenes than he expected of himself.]

But I feel somewhat sorry for the god.

[She wears a somewhat sad smile beneath the rosiness of her cheeks.]

Yeah, me too. You'd think his people would want him to be happy. Could a god not rule from where he is...?

[Hmmmmmmm.

There are a lot of different analyses he could give at this point, but a lot of them would probably kill the romantic mood. Instead, he tries to think differently and then looks at her.]

I think... The problem is he'd still be effectively abandoning the land and the people if he went with the siren. Instead they should take turns, where he can be with her during some time and she joins him at another. Or even create their own space they can share.

Mm...

[She leans her head against his and looks to the curtained stage.]

I wonder if he could use his magic to give her legs to walk on land, like she can help him breathe underwater.

Maybe that's what they'll try in the next act. I know I would try, if just so she could experience what it's like to be on land.

[Another contemplative hum.]

But then there's the other one, the sun goddess. What do you think about her?

I don't think any of them are wrong. Not even her.

[In all her fiery rage, as a sun goddess would.]

I think that even the gods could love like humans can, and... it can make people do some crazy things. Imagine if you had all that power, and still you couldn't do anything to change the outcome? ... I wouldn't be happy either, I think. I feel for her, too.

Who do you think will end up together? Or do you already know the plot?

[A light tease as his fingertips brush over hers.]

I didn't spoil myself if that's what you're asking.

[She leans in, boops his nose with her free hand.]

But... I really do want the two main characters to end up together. The ocean and the land... they deserve each other. And... love is love, yeah? We can't help who we fall for, even if it's not all that compatible or likely.

[She watches her thumb brushing over the back of his hand.]

Given they are the main characters, it's most likely.

[A soft smile as he can hear the hidden meaning behind her words.

But it's not long after the lights begin to flicker, the intermission about to end and the performance about to start again. With the last having been that of the sun ready to wage war on the ocean, what will happen?]

[The intermission is shorter than she expected, but she's eager to get back into the show and to see what happens. If she's right about who will end up with whom. It's a dramatic start again, opening up with the war in full force between the two, warriors of both coming together on stage in a clash of monochrome and blues and bright yellows and oranges. The goddesses fight, the drums beat loud, and in the end...

The ocean takes the fall. She begins to dry under the scorching heat, receding further and further from the land and the man that she loves. The music is sad, the dance even sadder, somehow evoking emotions in Tifa that she did not think possible. She manages one last goodbye to him, one night of passion before she must leave him forever. The dance that they share makes Tifa flush with heat, but she cannot take her eyes away from them as they move in tandem with one another.

And then they must say their goodbyes...

Eustace will feel Tifa's hand squeeze his.]

[It's Tifa's hand that pulls him out of watching the performance, and for a moment his eyes flit towards her to catch her profile before he squeezes it in return, the arm around her tightening a bit to pull her in closer.

After the dance, as the moon goddess disappears into the water and the land god falls to his knees in woe. The passage of time is presented by dancers with colorful outfits and streamers, all of them circling around the land god who remains where he kneels, head bowed low. Only when "night" comes and the moon shines down on him does he look up as if in yearning...

But then the sun goddess descends, approaching from behind, hand reaching out as if hesitant as a song of sorrow and yearning begins.]

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