Zen D'rion Ch. ProjectMirAIs-EN
Live in 1 hour
May 5 at 5:00 PM
A beautiful young woman with silvery hair and violet eyes. Wearing a pure white ball gown, she should have seemed an ethereal beauty. A perfect noblewoman who would be the star of the show.
But at the moment...
Vacant eyes that had lost their light. Arms spread wide, as if shrugging off everything around her. A smile that looked almost mocking.
And then the blood.
Crimson stains splattered all around her. A streak across her dress, like someone had been carve apart to leave a line of blood on her dress.
And yet, despite all of that, there wasn't a single drop of actual blood on her flesh. As if, the world itself had shielded her from the bloodshed. No, as if saying that she was too pure to be stained by something as base as blood.
Paired with the way the light shone from behind her, backlighting her entire form... and consequently with how her entire front was draped in shadow, she looked every bit the villainess that the nobles made her out to be.
> @ecstaticeel: OH MY GOD
> @otome_enthusiast: WE HAVE A VILLAINESS FOR REAL FOR REAL?!
> @yuri_lover: SHE'S SO HOOOOOOOT
...
> @uglybanana: IT'S SOOOOOON!
> @irateigloo: Bruh, dumping Lady Zen for a generic shoujo girl is stupid
> @lyingloon: New oshi confirmed
...
> @killerqueen: Mommy? I mean, mommy? I mean-
> @nice_guy: Is Protest gonna be a whole anime debut?!
> @takemai_munny: I NEED TEN SEASONS OF THIS NOW
...
> @notkirito: So we got the good ending right?
> @onlymai_railgun: Are we the baddies?
> @young_bluff: No, the world is wrong
> @otto_apocalypse: The world's evil shall be sundered by the villain...
> @notmai_impact: Bruh, stop larping on main
...
> @questioningquail: I wonder how the stream's gonna go?
> @evil_eye: I hope it's interactive!
> @not_a_hero: Go Lady Zen! Get your revenge!
...
> @kim_gongja: Huh.
> @lovely_silver_lily: I approve.
> @not_monarch: You go girl~!
...
> @knightof_d: Did anyone see the message after we revived the goddess?
> @justa_dream: I heard a rumor we'll be in the credits!
> @notkirito: Really?!
> @yuuki_asunah: Is the goddess going to be the leader of Protest?
Starting soon...
> @ohanadayo: Oh my gosh it's here!
> @hanas_imouto: Good luck and have fun! ^_^
> @unexpected_folly: Break a leg! Or ten!
===
[Play: THE DAY WE CHOOSE TO DIE | Epic Dramatic Strings - Powerful Atmospheric Orchestral Music Mix]
The stream immediately cut to a black screen as it started.
Then, ominous music echoed. A gong, a haunting wail... then bass drums echoing like heartbeats, along with a repeating string motif.
And as that played, a young woman's voice echoed. "I had everything. Riches. Prestige. Connections. All that anyone could ask for."
> @yellow_screen: OH MY GOD
> @back_room: WE'RE STARTING LIKE THIS?!
> @drama_turgy: HOLY @#$@#%
The music cut off. Then a soft piano played before kicking back into a full orchestra.
"But all I ever wanted was to be loved. To have my voice be heard instead of being used as a puppet."
The black screen slowly filled with light before revealing a greyscale sketch of a young girl smiling as she played a violin before an emotionless older man, his face scribbled out.
A page turned and then the violin was shattered.
In the next, the man had tilted up the girl's face and a textbox was written out beside him. *You will do as you are told. And you will do as a young lady of your stature should. Cease your worthless dreams.*
> @steven_heh: What da hell?!
> @righteous_rodent: Oh HELL nah.
> @jien_missle: Men like those belong on the lab table...
The page turned again, revealing more sketches. The young girl growing older, her smile dimming more and more.
Formal balls.
Tea parties with other young noblewomen, hiding their faces behind fans and their venom with smiles.
Courtesy greetings of noblemen with scribbled out faces, all clearly just treating her like a doll or trophy.
And then the young woman's voice echoed again.
"Yet, I listened. Because it was my place. Because that was all I was meant to do... because that was how they would love me."
> @irateigloo: My blood is boiling...!
> @keen_ai: That's... not acting.
> @open_secret: Did... DID JOHN FIND A REAL FALLEN NOBLEWOMAN?!
The orchestral suite continued. Dark and somber strings, pulling just like a yearning heart.
And then the camera slowly panned out, revealing Lady Zen holding a charcoal sketchbook.
Like in the debut picture video, she wore a pristine white dress, fit for a formal gown. But it seemed to be a bit before the start of the deput picture video, because she was in her bedroom, idly sketching.
But then there was a knock at the door and the screen turned black, showing words like the old silent films.
[Young lady. The Prince has arrived to escort you.]
The screen shifted back to show Lady Zen, pausing in her sketch. Letting out a soft sigh, she placed the book on her bed and put on a polite smile. "I will be there shortly."
> @redrabbit: Okay that's a real rich lady accent.
> @timekeeper: Is that... a bit of New York I hear?
> @socialite_343: Lady Zen sounds like she should be on broadway!
Lady Zen stood up. She glanced at her stained fingers and walked over to a water basin to clean them.
The camera zoomed in on the water, reflecting her face. But for a second, the smile shifted to a tired expression.
> @caring_cat: Oh, honey...
> @purple_pumpkin: My heart...
> @evil_slayer: I CAN'T TAKE IT. WHO DO I NEED TO KILL?!
> @notkirito: It's only been a minute and I wanna stab someone..!
The scene faded, turning into a charcoal sketch. Pages turned, showing Lady Zen putting on her jewelry, then riding a carriage, and finally arriving at the ball.
But despite being told the Prince would escort her, she was forced to walk in alone.
And the reason came clear as color filled the scene again, showing a blonde girl in a pink dress. Her face was scribbled out, but she was clearly talking to the prince.
> @femc_hater: I HATE THIS TROOOOPE
> @wild_monkey: HOW DO WE STAB THAT B!TCH?
> @loony_toon: Now see here, doc. It ain't our fault if we accidentally stab her...
The screen turned black again and then words appeared on the screen.
[Oh Prince, are you really satisfied with a ghastly girl like her? Wouldn't you be more fulfilled with a colorful girl like me?]
> @betrayed_hero: GRAGGGGGHHHHHHHH
> @kim_gongja: Okay, so like...
> @notfumi_iwatani: She's a 8itch. Get rid of her ASAP.
> @reasonable_parsnip: GUYS. THIS IS A METAPHOR.
> @jk_232_JP: Ugh, I know girls like her...
The screen faded back in, revealing Lady Zen biting her lip. But she quickly smoothed her expression and walked forward, keeping her head high despite the chatter and gossip around her, as well as the slights.
As she walked, speech bubbles popped up over the faceless background characters. Things like...
"She really just lets him do that?"
"What can she do, he's the prince."
"Poor Lady Zen..."
"The daughter of a duke, reduced to this?"
"Is the prince really choosing a commoner over her?"
...The usual gossip for a scene like this.
> @ohanadayo: O.o Is this a debut or an anime?
> @keen_ai: GUYS. THE GODDESS IS IN THE BACKGROUND! LOOK FOR THE BLUE
> @un_expecteD: HOLY CRAP YOU'RE RIGHT
> @meryl_enthusiast: MERYL IS THERE TOO! LOOK! THE GREEN HAIR!
> @kahns_piracy: WTF WTF WTF WTF
The camera panned to the side as the dark orchestral suite continued.
Lady Zen's footsteps echoed as she walked after the prince, who continued chatting with the brash commoner girl.
With each step, words scrawled across the screen in a delicate handwriting. Clearly Lady Zen's.
*It hurts.*
*Do I have to ignore this?*
*Isn't he supposed to be mine?*
*I thought he said he loved me.*
*They said I just had to listen and everything would be okay.*
*Why is it like this?*
*Why do I have to listen?*
*Why?*
*Why?*
The word 'Why' was scribbled across the screen again and again, slowly covering it in black.
But the events continued beneath it, showing the same scenes from the picture video.
Lady Zen approaching the prince with a pair of wine glasses to share a drink.
Him handing one to the commoner girl.
Lady Zen being disappointed, but toasting the girl as they shared a drink.
And then her collapse as the prince knocked away her glass.
> @white_night: PRIIIIIIIINCEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
> @sung_jinu: ...I will use you as fodder.
> @herald_of_despair: Even if you're fictional, I'll find a way, I WILL!
> @reasonable_parsnip: DOESN'T THIS MEAN THAT THIS HAPPENED TO THE REAL PERSON BEHIND LADY ZEN TOO?!?!?!?!
> @ohanadayo: T_T
The camera panned up, showing Lady Zen's cooling corpse, as well as the wine staining her dress.
The screen turned black, showing the prince's response written on the screen.
[Prince: Did everyone bear witness? She tried to kill me! If this brave lady did not take my drink for me, then it would be my dying right now!]
In response to that, Lady Zen's handwriting scrawled over the screen.
*Liar.*
*Liar, liar, liar.*
*You told me to get the drinks.*
*Your servant poured them.*
*You...*
*Did you hate me this much?*
> @emotional_elephant: Nooooooooo
> @killerqueen: I REJECT THIS ENDING!
> @john_enthusiast: JOOOOOOOOOOHN! I SWEAR TO GOOOOOOOOOD!
A pulse echoed across the screen. Crimson light, along with words written in gold. A different handwriting.
*Then let's change it. You did nothing wrong. The world wronged you.*
> @open_secret: OOOOOOHHHHHH
> @keen_ai: OH MY GOD. I KNOW THAT HANDWRITING
> @meryl_enthusiast: MERYL!? NO EFFING WAY!
"...Yes."
Lady Zen's voice echoed.
"I... didn't do anything wrong."
The sound of a clenching fist. Of glass being clutched into powder.
"This cruel fate, these lies, this accusation... I won't let it stand...! I reject it...! All of it...!"
The same words written in the picture video, but now spoken outloud. Emotional, anguished, furious.
And then...
The screen turned white.
And a blue message box appeared, like from an old JRPG.
===
[Would you like to save Lady Zen?]
> Yes
> No
===
> @righteous_rabbit: HELL YEAH WE WANT TO SAVE HER
> @terrible_twos: YES
> @purple_penguin: YES YES YES
...
> @cinder_ella: Let's rewrite this story into a happy ending.
A cursor appeared over [Yes]. And then, with a soft 'click,' the message vanished.
And the stream feed did too.
But just for a second.
When it came back...
"...I never thought I would get a chance to do this."
Lady Zen's voice softly echoed.
Murmurs echoed all around as the noblemen and noblewomen looked on in shock.
For a few frames, a hooded figure with long crimson hair ducked around the corner, dragging a woman with emerald hair.
For another few frames, a woman with sky-blue hair reflected on the puddle of wine on the ground.
But then the camera focused on Lady Zen, now wearing a pure white dress... and holding a tommie gun?
The screen went black again, doing the old-timey silent film dialogue box once more.
[Nobleman: Lady Zen! What in the goddess's name are]
Before the sentence could be finished, gunfire echoed and the screen was ripped apart, blood splattering across the camera.
> @mogochan: BAIOLENCE!
> @fuwachan: YES!
> @killerqueen: I'M ALL FOR THIS!
> @john_fa_kennedy: I respect it.
Lady Zen's laughter echoed and she stepped forward, revealing an upshot towards her brilliant smile, completely free and relaxed... and holding a smoking tommie gun. "I should have done this sooner."
The camera slowly panned back, showing nobles running away in a panic.
Lady Zen just kept smiling and reloaded her gun. "...I'm not sure if the voices I'm hearing are just in my head or if you're real. But... What do you think I should do? Leave? Or... should we clean up?"
After she said that, a transparent blue window appeared in the middle of the screen.
[You have chosen to save Lady Zen. Her actions are your responsibility. Guide her as you wish.]
> @irateigloo: WE GET TO DIRECT THE VIOLENCE?!
> @suiko_path:
> @clueless_cat: Huh? Do commands work?
The transparent window vanished and then the tommie gun in Lady Zen's hands vanished as well.
But in its place, a golden axe appeared, one as long as she was tall, with an axehead as large as her torso.
And yet...
"This is surprisingly light. Perfect." Lady Zen giggled and said, "I'll have to reward you later, cute spirits. But for now... shall we dance?"
> @mogochan: VIOLENCE!
> @doom_s1ayer: YES.
> @virgil_dmc: So this is power...
> @Sui-say: YES HONEY! GO GET THEM!
> @HanaHomura_VT🔧 Isn't my kouhai amazing?!
> @rationalrabbit: Y'all need Jesus in your life...