Chapter Forty-two
The next morning as we had left our hotel a little earlier than necessary, since we weren't told where we were supposed to meet up, we decided it was best just to head back to Rosewood Park. Our hotel was three blocks away, Chance was right and there weren't any hotels that had more than one bed per room so eventually we gave up and all got individual rooms, though Charle convinced Wendy to share a room with me since it would be cheaper for herself, which I didn't mind since this was the first paying job that I've had since I was hurt. It was more expensive than the guy's would have liked, but there wasn't any chance of convincing them to share beds.
When we arrived at the park, there was already several people moving around and setting up cameras and other equipment, Gideon and Chance were standing near the center with a small group around them. Gideon was speaking to a few making grand gestures with his hands, while another few were talking directly to Chance as she nodded along and marking things on her clipboard.
Our small group walked towards the two job requesters, Gideon's eyes sparkling even more once he noticed us before going back to what he was doing, and Chance walked towards us and immediately began speaking.
"You guys are earlier than we expected." She gave us a small smile, "That's good. If we have problems with your clothes, we'll have more than enough time to fix them." Chance looked down at her clipboard for a moment, then brought her eyes back to us, "Now, follow me. You'll be using two of the hotel rooms to get ready in."
Chance walked quickly along the grass, us following behind her. She was stopped a few times by workers holding some equipment that I couldn't name and asking what was supposed to be done and when. Each time, Chance always had a patient warm smile as she told them when the particular item was to be used, along with where and how.
The fourth time we were stopped, Bixlow spoke, "If all these people are supposed to be working for you, how come none of 'em know what to do?"
"When Gideon first started in the business, he almost never got any work because all the professionals didn't want anyone who didn't know what they were doing, so it made actually getting started very difficult for him." Chance stopped when a girl with short blonde hair and glasses came up to her holding another clipboard, quickly reading it over and signing the page before continuing, "He says that everyone needs to start and learn somewhere, so, in order to give everyone that chance, Gideon usually only hires people new to the field."
She finished as we walked into the hotel, walking down the halls and opened two doors beside eachother. "Your clothes have your names on a tag. Lucy, Wendy, I'll be coming in with you because of the amount of clothes in there. Laxus, Bixlow, Doranbolt, if you need anything, just call for me. If you finish up first, just head back and find Gideon."
Wendy and I peeked into the room that Chance was standing in front of while the boys made a noise to show that they heard and then entered the room that had the clothes they were going to wear. From the doorway we could see that there were several sets of costumes with feathers and glitter and I felt a shiver run down my spine at the thought of it. I must have made a noise of some kind while eyeing the clothing because Chance placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled in understanding.
"Nothing to worry about, Lucy. Your clothes are formal with a bit of a shine to them, but no glitter or feathers." She stepped further into the room and added, "Yours either, Wendy." At that I heard Wendy release a small sigh of relief and saw her shoulders relax as we stepped towards the numerous racks that had several clothing covers with name slips on them in neat cursive.
The room was quiet except for the loud squealing of the metal hangers, that really weren't actually that loud, sliding along the metal racks as we searched for the covers that had mine and Wendy's names.
I breathed in deeply as I moved through the rack, There must be a lot of beginner female models here for this. Either that or some of Gideon's ideas must need several different outfits. I have passed a few for a girl named Elie. I cringed at a particularly loud squeal of metal. It's really quiet in here. Might as well make some conversation.
"So, Chance?" Chance hummed in response, "You said you were a Rune Knight before?"
"Yes, I was. Oh, Wendy, I found yours." I saw Wendy scamper past me then come back to move to another area of the room to change as the bathroom had what looked to be sewing supplies and unfinished outfits scattered throughout it.
"Did you practice magic?" Just then we heard Bixlow's raucous laughter and I could feel Laxus' anger, with slight embarrassment. I heard Chance chuckle through the clothes.
"Yes and no. I have a magic, but it's not very useful in battle because I hadn't developed it very much then."
"What's your magic?" I heard Wendy pitch in from somewhere behind me.
"My magic is called Analyst. I can take anything I've seen and recreate it, not actually recreate it as a solid object." Chance hummed thoughtfully as she tried to find a way to word her magic. "When I was a Knight, I could take what I saw and draw it, or use something else to show what it was I saw. Eventually, if I focused enough, I could make small... Holograms, I suppose, but they were only outlines in bright lights, like writing from a light pen. Mostly I was used to make plans based on everything we knew since it was essential that I knew everything for my magic to work. I was more of a strategist than anything else." Chance's voice sounded closer to me than it had at the beginning.
"Lucy," I jumped when she appeared from around the rack, "I found yours as well." I looked to the cover and saw that it puffed slightly near the bottom. I took it from her hands and nodded in thanks. She turned and went back the way she came and I quickly changed where I was with a quick warning to Wendy not to come in that direction.
"What made you go into the photography business and leave the Rune Knights?" I asked to take my mind away from the fact that I was naked with two other girls in the room without a bathtub.
"Actually, it was Gideon. He saw me practising my holograms in a park and said he could use my help with the effects in his photos. He wasn't that great at schedules and keeping things progressing, in fact he still isn't, so he was way behind in building the sets, but with my magic, I would be able to help things finish on time, even if the sets weren't complete." I heard Chance laugh a little, seemingly at a memory.
"He was so flustered when I told him I'd have to get permission from the Rune Knights to the point that he even said he'd pay me, which was probably just to give my leaders reason to believe that I wasn't just missing work for nothing, or maybe he thought that if I was getting paid I'd try harder to get the days I needed away from the Knights. I wouldn't have cared either way. There was something about him that made me want to help him." I could hear a smile in her voice everytime she spoke about Gideon.
"I got to help him, and when I got there and saw the disarray of everything, I accidentally took control from him, and when I started giving instructions and no one listened, Gideon quickly told everyone to listen to me and do as I said. He didn't seem to care though. With my control, all things on the lists were done, including the sets, I still used my magic to give certain atmospheres to some of his scenes, mostly dust clouds, mists, lights, that kind of stuff."
"By the end of the week, I had so much fun with the work and Gideon himself that I found myself dreading having to go back to the Knights. Gideon seemed to realize my reluctance, so when he offered I work alongside him as his partner, I didn't hesitate in saying yes and leaving the Knights." I'd finished getting the dress on as she finished her story and couldn't help but smile for her.
What I had to wear was beautiful dress that looked like the bouffant style that my father always had me wear, but had an evening gown-esque look to it since the skirt was less full and puffy and fell easily that seemed to flow with every twist of my body because of the thin silk-like top layer that shone in the lights. It was a blend of a few quiet oranges that made it look like a soft, but fiery sunset. The sleeves were barely existent, they were small, off my shoulder, and made of a very thin material, similar to the top layer of the dress.
I made my way back to the open part of the room to see Wendy fully dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed looking between short dark brown cloth boots and small heeled Mary Janes of the same shade while Chance played with Wendy's hair a little, trying to decide the style it should be. Wendy stood up to place the boots back from wherever she got them from, deciding on the Mary Janes, when she noticed me coming from the racks.
"Wow! Lucy, it's so beautiful, it looks great on you."
"I thought that colour would bring out those orange traces in your eyes. Looks like I was right." Chance said as she walked around me, seemingly proud of her choice in colours. "Gideon thought we should go with blue or pink, but I wouldn't hear any of it. It was once I showed him what I saw in your eyes that he finally agreed and he'll be so glad he did once he gets a look at you." She finished with a nod while I blushed at the hidden compliment.
"Thanks, both of you. Wendy, you look really cute, as well." Wendy smiled, and she really did look cute. She wore a dirndl that had a short sleeved white blouse under a brown bodice and matching skirt that went to just below her knees. There was a red ribbon that went in and out along the hem of the skirt and a thinner one on the sleeves of the blouse. She had on plain white socks, or maybe tights, that went into the bottom of the skirt. She had pulled on the Mary Janes, which I realize now were a perfect match to the colours of the bodice and skirt. What drew my attention the most, though, was the shining red cloak that Wendy had pushed behind her shoulders. It seemed to carry on endlessly, but in reality it ended only a couple of inches below the dress.
"Well, Wendy is basically ready, she just needs her hair done," Chance started as she turned to a closet and grabbed a box before bringing it back to me, "This has your shoes and any accessories you may choose to wear, take a look and we'll head out once you're done."
I opened the box to see simple shoes that had a small heel, but were still formal enough to wear with a dress like this, some small pieces of jewellery, all of them centered around orange or gold as the main colour, and two pairs of gloves. I picked up the gloves to look more closely, one pair was a fingerless orange lace that would only go maybe three inches past my wrist, the other pair was the same orange silk as the dress and would go past my elbows. I was staring curiously at them when Chance spoke up again.
"They're meant to hide your Fairy Tail mark," I looked to Chance to see that she was fiddling with Wendy's hair again, "it would have been too difficult to keep covering it up with make-up." I nodded in understanding, looking back to the gloves and rubbing my fingers along them.
A hand reached out to grab a pair, and my eyes widened when I saw Chance was standing in front of me instead of with Wendy. "The long gloves would look better with the dress, but I think the lace ones suit you better, and it is you we'll be photographing." She finished with a gentle smile, placing the ones she had taken back into the box.
I looked to my hands to see that she had left the lace pair, so, with a smile, I slipped my hands into them. The material on the inside was softer than most laces I had owned before and fit my fingers perfectly. There wasn't a single loose piece that could snag on something in the park, fitting snugly to me like a second skin.
I sat on the edge of the bed to put the shoes on, "What exactly are our jobs?"
"I think either loose braids or low pigtails." Chance muttered before answering me as we made our way out of the room, "Gideon makes stories with his pictures, so you two, along with your friends, will be enacting out some stories that Gideon either thought up or stories that he enjoys and wants to create."
Chance stopped to knock quickly on the guy's room, "Guess they finished up and left already. You guys are the models for Gideon's two most important projects, well, the two he's most excited about, so he and I will personally be working with you, all the while making sure all the other projects go to plan. I'll be helping moods and scenes with my magic, and Gideon will be doing all of the camera work. Just follow everything Gideon says, that is your job." We were back in the park before we knew it and the sun was beginning to light up the sky, not yet peeking over the hills surrounding the town.
Chance led us over to a petite blonde with wild curls in her hair, which was pulled into high pigtails, "Lucy, Wendy, this is Tanis, she'll be doing your hair and make-up." Chance turned to the girl, who stood up slightly straighter, if that was even possible, "Tanis, Lucy is to look formal, yet natural and we need her ready soon, so work on her first. Wendy I want to look casual, and because of the hood, I was thinking loose braids or low pigtails. Remember, Lucy is early sunrise, Wendy is just after. I'll be back in ten minutes."
Tanis nodded along with everything Chance had said, despite how quickly she was speaking. She relaxed slightly as Chance walked away, releasing a small breath, before gesturing for me to sit in a chair I hadn't seen.
"Don't worry," Tanis spoke calmly from behind me, "despite my hair, I do actually know what I'm doing, and I personally think I'm quite good at it." I made a small noise that I heard her, and I didn't doubt her words as I felt her brush through my hair, moving almost as easily as Cancer would, and spray it lightly with water. I felt her fingers move through my hair and after a moment I felt my hair leave my shoulders. I hadn't really noticed that my hair even reached my shoulders again, let alone gone past them.
Tanis moved in front of me, "Close your eyes for a minute." Once I did, I felt a soft brush move along my eyelids, then both felt and heard Tanis blow away any excess dust from the eye shadow. "You can open them now, if you want. You don't flinch away from me like most people do."
"My family was high society, I had people do my make-up for my father's or his colleagues functions. I left when I was sixteen, though." Tanis nodded along as she continued using different brushes, powders and whatnot on my face moving faster than I thought possible with it all, all things I never needed to know, nor did I really care about. I knew the basics and that's all I needed before now.
Tanis stepped back, assessing her own work. "Yup, I am quite good, if I say so myself." She said with a nod, "Just one little thing," She leaned towards me, moving a hand to my hair, with a quick flick of her wrist, I had hair framing my face and my bangs back in my eyes, "and, done!"
"Perfect timing, as usual, Tanis." Both of our eyes widened and our head turned to see Chance standing a little to the side, clipboard in hand. "The sun is almost up, Lucy, this is the perfect lighting for your first picture." Chance spoke quickly as she ushered me forward. "I'll be back for Wendy in ten." She said over her shoulder to Tanis.
"I thought you guys only hired beginners?" Tanis was no beginner with how quickly and easily she did everything.
"The beginners work on the minor projects, Tanis is Gideon's cousin and is our lead make-up artist and hair stylist, teaching all those who work with us for only a short time. Just like how Gideon teaches all aspiring photographers and I help with the special effects and backgrounds while working with those who want to do the stuff behind the camera. We've also got Ray, who is in charge of the clothing."
As Chance was speaking, I felt my heart suddenly skip a beat and my breathing go shallow before an excited voice was in my ear.
"Oh my goodness, Lucy, Chance was absolutely right when she said orange was the best colour for you. You look absolutely stunning, gorgeous, shining, beautiful, wonderful. Tanis did great at accenting your beauty without overpowering it. Jeez, with that girl, it hardly matters what I do, the pictures are going to be brilliant no matter what. Even with the boys, with Ray's clothes and Tanis' accenting, I barely have to do anything." I looked behind Gideon to see Laxus and Bixlow, Bixlow elbowing Laxus's side with a wide grin on his face, both staring in my direction. Or, I assume that Bixlow was looking towards me since, as per usual, he had a mask over his face.
It took me another second before I realized that Laxus had no shirt, his tattoo almost free for the world to see, if it weren't for his fur-lined jacket that never left his side. I didn't allow myself to ogle at the firm muscles of his chest, stomach and arms, all peeking from his jacket, because I knew he could see me and my heart was already picking up speed from the little I did look and I would not allow him to have the satisfaction of that damned cocky smirk. Instead I moved on in my curiosity of his clothing and looked at his pants. It suddenly hit me as to why Bixlow was laughing so hard in the hotel.
Laxus has to wear leather pants. And be photographed in them. The entire guild will see it, and probably so many other members of the other guilds. Not to mention all the citizens of Fiore.
I could barely hide the amusement on my face, but, judging by the look on Laxus' face, he can feel my amusement anyways.
"Gideon, we should get started." Chance stopped Gideon's babbling, drawing my attention back before I had a chance to see where Doranbolt was.
"Oh, yes! Of course." Gideon picked up his camera, his eyes turning serious, "Lucy, I need you over here." Gideon grabbed my wrist and led me over to a flower bed. "Yes, sit down here." I followed his instructions, and he adjusted my dress slightly.
"Good. Now, look down at the flowers as if you are enjoying being outside, away from any castle or home. Small, content smile on your face." It was easy for me to look that way, I simply thought of the days after I left home almost two years ago.
Two years to me, almost nine to the rest of the world.
Gideon took a few steps back before laying on the ground camera pointed up towards me. He hummed before looking back at me. "Could you take that hair on this side of your face and put it behind your ear?" I did as he asked.
"Perfect." He whispered before ducking back behind his camera and I heard the click of camera a few times.
"Kay, now stay here. Laxus, follow me." I heard Laxus let out a huff and heard his footsteps move with Gideon's.
I slumped when I saw that Chance had already left, presumably to lead Wendy to wherever she had to be, leaving me with no one to talk to.
"You know, this is one cosplay I could get into." I jumped in my place, twisting to find Bixlow crouching at the edge of the flower bed a few feet away, a wide smile on his face. He was wearing a shining metal suit, looking like a literal knight in shining armor, if it weren't for the fact that his armor was black. It wasn't big, nor was it bulky, it just seemed to form to him.
I smirked at him, "Mine or yours?" He snickered at my response.
"Mine ain't too different from my regular clothes in my opinion, yours on the other hand, I can definitely see the beauty of a noble." I felt a blush cross my cheeks at the offhanded compliment.
I began to open my mouth to reply, but the snapping sound of a camera halted me.
"I wasn't going to have you two be so close for a picture in this lighting, at least while Lucy was still sitting, but that blush, and the looks, and, oh my gosh, the intimacy was just too perfect." Gideon lost his seriousness as he gushed.
"Okay," Gideon breathed, "Come on, Bixlow I need you over here. Lucy, you're going to be in one of the shots, so you'll need to be admiring the flowers again. Everyone else, I need you to clear the way."
There was only a few people, since it was still early morning, murmuring as they moved several feet out of what could possible be in the frame of the picture, which was a much wider frame than I expected. Though, I supposed, it would depend on where Gideon is when he takes the picture.
I sat in place, poking at a few flowers as I let my thoughts wander.
Much of the morning carried on in this way. Gideon would come take our pictures, leave for the Wendy and Doranbolt project, as well as check in on other projects, so we really only got in a few pictures an hour. Chance had said that the slow progress was generally good, because then it would show a passage of time in the pictures, rather than it all seeming rushed. I still really only had to sit in the small flower bed, or in the area around it, Bixlow joined me after a few minutes, while Laxus was still in a separate area of the park. Gideon still hasn't told us what the story is, other than the fact that Bixlow and I had never met before, because, according to both him and Chance, Gideon only had a general direction of what he wanted for this shoot. He's told us that he usually uses the chemistry of the models to decide what happens in the stories, but also tends to take multiple pictures for what could be an alternate ending.
By noon, Gideon had Bixlow and I sitting relatively close, similar to two people on the edge of falling in love. He told us to stay close, and look as if we were enjoying each other's company, because we would be in Laxus' next picture, then there would only be one or two more before he joined us and I felt my heart flutter at the news.
A few moments after Gideon walked away, heading in the direction of the large boulders, Chance came close, still far enough that she wouldn't be in the picture but close enough that she could speak to us.
"Bixlow, turn to Lucy a bit more, and when I tell you to, take a flower and make it seem like you're going to put it in behind her ear, the one opposite the boulders." Chance instructed, and, from what I could see, Bixlow seemed confused but did as she said. "Lucy, you turn as well. Choose appropriate and natural expressions."
It was about five minutes later did Chance have us do as she told us. Bixlow held a light blue flower and held a smaller version of his usual smirk on his face that was somehow also a gentle smile, one knee brought up in front of him. He twirled the flower slightly before leaning forward. I couldn't help but think that this was exactly how Bixlow would be in an act as seemingly innocent as giving a girl a flower, and even if I knew it was fake, my face and body reacted as if this were very, very real. I felt the blush creeping up my neck, and the way my lips parted and a small gasp escaped them. I could also feel some emotion from Laxus tingling my spine that was dulled by both my own emotions and his will to stamp whatever it was down.
As Bixlow's hand got closer to place the small flower behind my ear, I thought I heard a camera, but my mind supplied that Gideon was still with Laxus in the boulder area. Once the flower touched my ear, I noticed it was slightly damp and chilled, contrasting with Bixlow's fingers, which were uncovered because Gideon had told him to take off the gloves or gauntlets or whatever they were. My eyes closed of their own accord, along with the smile that took over my face and my hand that grabbed Bixlow's own while it was still beside my face, holding it there.
I heard several more sounds like the camera clicks, and what was usually a tingle of emotions from Laxus erupted so strongly in me so abruptly that I gasped, my eyes tearing open and my body automatically turning in the direction I could literally feel Laxus in, only now realising that the once dull emotion was now extremely potent jealousy.
I would have had this up a bit ago, but I have been struggling so much with the ending of this chapter. I'm not sure that I like it, so I may edit it later.