The finale of Les Bijoux Brilliants is playing while I clean up my room. My 17-year-old brother, chains jangling from his camo pants, plants himself in the chair before the TV. I freeze where I am standing, pouring myself a cup of tea on the other side of the bedroom.

A few tense moments stretch out like taffy as the Takarazuka orchestra plays on ebulliently.

Finally:

Me: They have a lot of feathers, don't they?

Brother: Yes. *one eyebrow up in a rictus of confusion*

Me: The more important they are, the more feathers they have.

Brother: *slightly alarmed expression*

*Sena Jun appears on the screen, feathers wafting, sequins on the unnecessary headband glittering*

Me: Ah, if you have an ugly headband, you are even more important.

Brother: ... I swear to god I just saw that guy come down the stairs a minute ago.

Me: Yes, there are really only three actresses in Takarazuka, and a team of very crafty video editors.

*Tom appears, in her needlessly striking lipstick and clashing gold accoutrements.*

Me: Ah, if you have a gold headband, you are even more important.

Brother: That's the same guy as before. They all look the same.

Me: Mirror tricks.

Brother: They look like gigantic Indian headdresses strutting around.

Me: *chokes violently on tea, staggers to the bathroom*

"Elements of the past and the future,
combining to make something not quite as good as either."

<3 Can't wait for Merry's Branded Ann party. <3

Title: Shades All Over Babylon (Chapter 2)
Rating: PG-13ish
Pairing: WataruxKomu, MizuxKomu, MizuxTomu, TomuxKimu, TomuxKomu, and more
Summary: In a medieval universe, Hikaru is a blacksmith's daughter working under the abusive authority of her father and his assistant, Wataru. At the time of the story she has forged a sword to be presented to the ambassador prince from the Red East, Todoroki. Hikaru, determined not to live another day in her father's house, will do anything she can to get away...

Title: Shades All Over Babylon (Chapter 1)
Rating: Pg-13 (for now >D)
Pairing: WataruxKomu, (in future: MizuxKomu, MizuxTomu, TomuxKomu, and more)
Summary: In a medieval universe, Hikaru is a blacksmith's daughter working under the abusive authority of her father and his assistant, Wataru. At the time of the story she has forged a sword to be presented to the prince from the Red East, Todoroki. Hikaru, determined not to live another day in her father's house, will do anything she can to become a part of the prince's entourage...

Nan Desu Kan is an anime convention for the Rocky Mountains and an excuse to post pics of yourself on the internet.