Bianca (
wormintheglass) wrote in
hadriel2016-04-01 09:11 pm
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Reflect What You Are [video]
[It's not that Bianca hasn't been enjoying the party. She's been everywhere, but fleetingly: pouring drinks, drinking toasts, absorbing the ambience, drinking some more. She has made no effort to take centre stage - till now.
It's during the last days, when everyone is feeling the worse for wear and the riotousness has died down some, that Bianca appears on the network.
She is not on a stage, not using one of the karaoke machines. She's in her house, the lights low, and one of her pet hyenas props her back up while the other acts as a footrest. She has an open bottle of tequila in one hand, and the carcasses of several empties lie around her. When she stares into the video feed, the unfocused look in her eyes suggests that standing up might currently be beyond her power. Her mirror lies on her lap.
Instead of speaking, Bianca starts to sing. Her voice is deep, powerful and true, and she doesn't speak until the song is finished.]
My cavemates. My friends. I fell here from a great ship between the stars, one just as inescapable and dark as these tunnels, just as full of monsters.
It had its own mirror, its own equal and opposing force. I shall not bore you with the tale of the two ships' struggle for dominance, of how I changed sides and fought at my own side for love and redemption.
[She says these words with derisive emphasis, and then smiles.]
I was sure I would die. What does one do, after one's great heroic sacrifice is rejected? After one wakes from the final battlefield to find oneself on another battlefield, ridden by yet more gods and monsters?
[She answers her own question by raising her bottle shakily to take another deep swallow.]
I am Bianca. Tell me, my children, where did you arrive here from? Where is your home?
It's during the last days, when everyone is feeling the worse for wear and the riotousness has died down some, that Bianca appears on the network.
She is not on a stage, not using one of the karaoke machines. She's in her house, the lights low, and one of her pet hyenas props her back up while the other acts as a footrest. She has an open bottle of tequila in one hand, and the carcasses of several empties lie around her. When she stares into the video feed, the unfocused look in her eyes suggests that standing up might currently be beyond her power. Her mirror lies on her lap.
Instead of speaking, Bianca starts to sing. Her voice is deep, powerful and true, and she doesn't speak until the song is finished.]
My cavemates. My friends. I fell here from a great ship between the stars, one just as inescapable and dark as these tunnels, just as full of monsters.
It had its own mirror, its own equal and opposing force. I shall not bore you with the tale of the two ships' struggle for dominance, of how I changed sides and fought at my own side for love and redemption.
[She says these words with derisive emphasis, and then smiles.]
I was sure I would die. What does one do, after one's great heroic sacrifice is rejected? After one wakes from the final battlefield to find oneself on another battlefield, ridden by yet more gods and monsters?
[She answers her own question by raising her bottle shakily to take another deep swallow.]
I am Bianca. Tell me, my children, where did you arrive here from? Where is your home?
no subject
[Bianca says this with a perfect pokerface, but the hyena behind her makes a soft, low sound and shows his teeth in a grin.]
no subject
Looks like your animal approves. That's a first.
no subject
She smiles thinly, like a cat, and strokes the hyena's head.]
They don't forget who feeds them, precious one. Have you been blowing up buildings?
no subject
[ Johanna reaches into her pants pocket and pulls out a cigarette lighter, flicking it on and off, letting the light illuminate her face at creepy angles. ]
Care to join me? Can't promise I won't frighten your animals.
no subject
One day, I'll tell you about the man I stole them from, dear one. They're accustomed to far worse.
[She considers Johanna on her communicator screen, head tilted like a bird, and then decides.]
...I shall leave them here. It would be a crime to cramp your style.
no subject
You stole them? Fuck, I think I might actually like that story.
[ Johanna grins, and then the screen goes dark. She's switched over to just audio. ]
Guess I'll be seeing you soon.
[ And she cuts off the feed. ]
no subject
She does not succeed in calming them, and after the first breath, she swears luxuriously in sibilant ancient Martian and only stops to put on shoes before running out of the door.
She is not, of course, still running when she finds Johanna, though the exercise has brought some colour to her cheeks.]
I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning. Afternoon.
no subject
She snorts a little at Bianca's comment. ]
Almost evening. Not that it matters, I don't think time is super relevant in a cave.
no subject
[One day she will tell Johanna about her particular relationship with Time, but not here and now; without her TARDIS it's academic, and she has something more interesting to think about.
If she's surprised by Johanna's partial nudity, Bianca doesn't show it, but it's clear in her avid, pleased gaze that her vote on the take it or leave it front is to take it. It's not a matter of physical beauty - though that still shines through the wear and tear - so much as the story told by every mark on Johanna's body: Bianca has yet to learn the details, but the portrait of a vivid, laughing ferocity, fuelled by anger and sharpened by cruelty, enchants her.
She wants badly to simply enfold Johanna in her arms and kiss her, and Bianca's very aware she should probably ask before attempting it, but she doesn't - though she does hold herself ready to back down at any reluctance.]