[IC] Metalheart

[Dmessenger]

Max woke up and jumped out of bed to get ready. He was excited because graduation was today after class. while he was getting ready he stopped at his desk which had a small hand built clock sitting on it. He grabbed the clock stuffed it back into the drawer. He knew his father wouldn't approve, but he liked building stuff. "I'll do it for fun, it's not like it's going to be my job." He said to himself as he finished getting ready. He then headed out to go to school for the last time.

[ladyanglaise]

Cooper was thrilled about graduation; all her life she'd been waiting to join her parents and friends as a Metalheart, and maybe make life just a little bit better for them. She started the long walk to school from the Metalheart village.

[Rusalka]

"Miss Reindheart, five minutes till showtime."

The kindly stage manager chimed in as she sat vacant expression at her lavish vanity, the hot glow of the light, such a feeling she couldn't bear for much longer. A brief but courteous nod she gave, resuming the application of her makeup, ugh...so thick and so gaudy. Is this really what she aspired to those past years long gone? Is this really...what made her happy? She sighed, setting down the makeup brush, one last look into the mirror, but no, not towards her reflection, the flawed porcelain mask riddled with cracks and pocks. Her gaze was languid and longing towards...a photograph, slightly torn at the edges and crumpled a tad. But despite its not so well-off condition, still the image she deeply cherished, or rather...who the image encompassed.

A boy....short auburn hair and a face lit by a dazzling, charismatic smile. His fate was chosen...and so was hers...

~"Fate....is it of our choosing...or of another? My dear Maxwell....where are you?"~

----------------------------------------

~Two Years Ago~

-------------------------------------------------

~"Ave Maria, gratia plena.
Maria, gratia plena-"~

~"No, no, no."~ Perturbed her mother sighed shaking her head in displeasure, always one to nag constant at her performance. In fact, it was getting a little bit under Daniella's skin. ~"You need to project more, my dear. Be boisterous, not timid. Your persona on stage must be larger than life! This, why, I feel as though I'm teaching a mouse to sing! Try it again."~

~"Mother..."~ Daniella muttered under her breath, crossing her arms. ~"If we keep this up, I'm going to be late. The graduation ceremony is today."~

~"Which is why we must practice harder, Daniella."~ Sharply her mother quipped. ~"You're going to be a singer, not a metalheart. Gods only know what your father would say if that happened."~ As if she needed to be reminded of her father's bigotry. Such a single minded fool he was, but nevertheless when he went on his rantings about the metalhearts, how they were the bottom sludge of the barrel and whatnot, Daniella could only gnaw at her lip and quell her fiery tongue, seething in silence. ~"Now come on, from the top."~

~"Fine..."~ Rolling her eyes, Daniella huffed. This was getting to be annoying for her. Once more, her mother's frail, dainty fingers graced the ivory keys of the grand piano, the melody encompassing the room in such a serene and demure atmosphere. Daniella, she waited for her cue, taking a deep breath inwards, and then....

~"Ave Maria, gratia plena.
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus,
Tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
Et benedictus
Benedictus fructus ventris tui
Ventris tui, Jesus.
Ave Maria."~

Soft was her voice, but now, just as instructed, her entire heart she put behind it, every lyric sung with such passion, such fervor she could muster despite her fatigue towards these menial lessons. However, even if her mother pushed her to the brink of her own sanity, music was one of her many joys in life. The second verse she was about to sing, but of course, another distraction. This time, not of her mother.

"Miss, I'm sorry to interrupt, but your daughter's carriage is waiting to ferry her to the academy."

~"Ah, very well sir Winston. I must prepare for the ceremony anyways. Besides, I can tell Daniella is growing bored of these lessons, but soon...oh so very soon shall they pay off."~ And to Daniella, a soft smile she gave, though Daniella could sense a different meaning behind it. ~"For the both of us. Your father and I shall see you at the ceremony then my daughter. Good luck, and may the favor of the gods be with you."~

~"Of course mother. See you then."~ A short hug she gave her mother and out the door she was, boarding her carriage and soon arriving upon the gates of the school.

[ladyanglaise]

The roads hummed with the energy of all the machinery underneath and around them. Cooper grinned, kicking a pebble as she walked; this would be her world in just a few hours. Her world to make perfect, to fix. She wondered who else would be a Metalheart; surely not that Maxwell kid, the son of the lawyer, or that lovely singer named Daniella. Cooper wondered if she would be alone; she hoped not. She kicked the pebble into a gutter and kept walking.

[Dmessenger]

Alex arrived at the school quickly since he lived close enough to walk. He got to class before most so he could draw some more things to build with no one noticing. He pulled out his notebook which looked normal, it had notes, homework and art drawings, but in the very middle is a few small drawings of random machines. He began to work on this one drawing that he hadn't finished last time.

[ladyanglaise]

Cooper got to school, legs tired and panting lightly. She'd have taken a bus, but she didn't particularly feel like getting beat up by people who thought they were better than her. She practically collapsed in her desk behind Maxwell, but managed to catch a glimpse of his drawing. What's he doing that for? she wondered.

[Rusalka]

"My apologies, Madame, but it seems we will be arriving a tad late."

The pearlescent sheen of the elegant carriage shined amidst the light of the early morning sun cresting over the hills with a gilded shimmer and bathing any and all in its soothing warmth as it rose to signal the beginning of yet another day. Daniella, who sat quietly and entranced in thought, her soft, pale cheek resting upon her hand, a few dainty fingers drumming against her skin, she sighed a tad bothersome and batted her eyelashes a few times as the city scenery passed her by and the prestigious school came into view of her languishing emerald eyes.

"Madame?" The chauffeur Winston, a man in his mid thirties, wearing the proper attire of a personal driver and escort, glanced back at her, whispering smoothly yet courteously to gain her attention. "Madame, I said we shall be arriving late. My sincerest apologies for being the cause of your tardiness, my lady. Surely your parents will not appreciate this either." To this a soft smile crept across Daniella's lips, parting to answer softly with quite the refined giggle, ~"Oh please, Sir Winston, there is no need to punish yourself for a mere fraction of time. After all...there is such a thing as arriving...fashionably late, is there not?"~

The driver's cheeks reddened a little, precocious as always Daniella was. The carriage came to a halt, out first stepping Winston to open the door for his lady....and then....into the beaming light of the sun she emerged, robed in such lovely and elegant attire, again fitting more of a princess or a refined, sophisticated young woman, rather than a student of the school.

"It is rather bright today, Miss. Would you care for your parasol?" Winston asked as Daniella stepped down from the carriage. Yet with a sincere gesture of her hand she replied, ~"No need for that."~ Winston nodded and soon departed from her, leaving her at the entrance.

She glanced around at all the students, some immediately she could tell were metalhearts, and others...well not. Twas their last day, the very day that would carve the divine path towards destiny. But it was odd to wonder to the girl, was destiny shaped by the hand of man...or god? Twas a question many had posed, even before her, and yet vague were always the answers. ~"I suppose one day the truth will come to fruition, but for now..."~ She was looking for one student in particular, a boy, and sure enough...she found him, her heart swelling with such a tender warmth. ~Ahh....hello Maxwell. May this day perhaps our destinies be intertwined my sweet.~ How she couldn't help but swoon upon sight of him, her eyes sparkling, the beat of her heart a gentle rhythm she could but serenade to of her affections for the bright and charming young man, but alas, such feelings she kept obscured beneath her visage.

....perhaps today, however, she wouldn't keep them hidden any longer.

[Fubsy]

Today was the day. Marcella stared out her window of her carriage, an eager gleam in her eyes. Her foot tapped against the floor in giddy excitement, earning her a sharp glare from her madre. Not that Marcella cared. Today was the day she was going to be free. Free from her parents, from the strict rules, from the gilded cage she called home. Today was the start of a new life——her life.

As the school drew near, Marcella reached for her bag, tensing as her madre's talon like hold gripped her arm. "Make us proud, mi figlia," she whispered. Her tone was soft, but the meaning was clear: get a good job or else. Marcella forced a smile as her madre released her hold. "Of course," she replied. As if I had a choice. Taking a hold of her things, Marcella slipped out of the carriage and away from her madre's icy gaze.

[Dmessenger]

Maxwell closed the notebook quickly when he noticed Daniella enter the room. He looked up with his usual smile and said "Oh Hello, Daniella, you look nice today, are you wearing that for graduation?" Max would talk to her more but he was honestly starting to get nervous about graduation. His parents had such high hopes of him, he was afraid that the machine would figure out what he is good at even though he has hid it so well. He opened the notebook up to his note section and studied some of the notes for the final test.

[Rusalka]

@Dmessenger (Umm actually Daniella was saying that in her mind))

~Oh gods! Did I say that out loud? Curses, Daniella, you've betrayed yourself!~ A rather heated blush befell her pale cheeks, coyly her arms clasping around herself. ~"Ahh umm...why yes."~ She stammered, losing herself to that debonair smile of his. How she wished to see it every day. ~"Tis a gift from my father, made by one of the finest seamstresses in the city. Do you like it?"~ Daniella couldn't help but show off her fancy dress before him, albeit she had hoped she wasn't transmitting the wrong sort of signal so to speak. The act, it was quite akin to a peacock flouncing their feathers about.

[Dmessenger]

(oh ok hang on I'll change my post.)@Rusalka

[Rusalka]

@Dmessenger ((Nah it's all good. ^__^))

[Dmessenger]

Max said "it looks good on you, your father must have his hands full dealing with all of your suitors." Max gave her another smile, he may have thought of her as attractive, but when he comes to status, he paled in comparison to the guys that talk to her. Though he does like that she at least talks to him.

[Rusalka]

Her blush was a tad more evident at the mention, her hand upon her lips as a soft giggle she gave. ~"True, father is always searching for the perfect husband for me, but I could care less honestly. The man I desire is not one of wealth in materialism but wealth in heart, if that even means something."~ The smile she returned to Max, although a tad languid. She shook herself out of it however, ~"So, Maxwell, are you nervous? It is graduation after all. Who knows what our futures may have in store?"~

[ladyanglaise]

Cooper lifted her head from her desk and looked up at Daniella and Maxwell. Daniella was lovely, Cooper had always thought so, but right now she was more fascinated by Maxwell. She wasn't cruel enough to ask him about it publicly, but what was he doing drawing machinery? She stared absentmindedly at him; would he join her as a Metalheart?

[Fubsy]

Marcella dragged herself to the classroom, choosing a seat beside Cooper. The girl came from a family of Metalhearts, but that didn't matter to Marcella. She had learned long ago to not judge someone by their family or position. Especially the former. "Ciao," Marcella greeted flippantly. She let her shoulders droop and her neck arch. A posture that would have scandalized her madre, but at that point Marcella didn't care. She glanced over at Maxwell and Daniella, the latter's blush clear on her face. It was a look she had seen the handmaids in her estate give the passing rugged (and admittedly not too bad looking) stable boys. Marcella raised an eyebrow and allowed herself an amused smile at the blatant flirting.

[ladyanglaise]

Cooper looked over at Marcella. "Oh, hello Marcella." she said, trying to brush her hair out of her face. Cooper looked like a mess, even in her best clothes. Her dress was faded blue and didn't fit right, her shoes were just her everyday work boots, and she wasn't wearing any makeup or jewelry. She smiled at the Italian girl, "You look lovely today. Excited for graduation?"

[Dmessenger]

Max stretched and said "yeah, nervous is right, my dad has been bragging to our neighbors that I will be richer than him once I get my job." He chuckled "I guess my father thinks I'll be given a pretty important job."

[Rusalka]

~"You and I both, Maxy."~ Daniella giggled, unaware of letting that cute little nickname slip. ~"Mother is convinced I'll become a singer just like her. She's driving me crazy with all these lessons. I mean sure, I love to sing, but...I don't know if it's what I want to do with my life."~ Her smile faded for a moment. And perhaps being a lawyer wasn't what Max wanted either, just assuming.

[Fubsy]

"You as well." Marcella gave her a polite smile. It wasn't exactly a lie. Even in less than charming clothes, Marcella saw an almost wild charm in Cooper. The Italian twirled with a stray curl of hair, her hands unable to keep still. "I can hardly wait to graduate. Can you believe that we're of age already?" A flash of nervousness glimmered in her dark eyes, snuffing out the anticipation. "Although...I hope that I receive a good job..."