bakerstreet | When is a monster not a monster? (oh, when you love it.)

When is a monster not a monster? (oh, when you love it.)

the monster & the maiden fair meme

There's a long precedent in folklore and myth of beautiful young people - both men and women - being kidnapped by monsters: dragons, beasts, goblins, demons, elves, vampires, wolves, or even evil humans. In the end, however, these prisoners are almost always rescued and brought back to civilization to live a normal and happy life.

But what if they didn't want to leave their jailor?

They've seen behind the surface and have begun to sympathize with this "monster;" no, more than that, they've fallen for them. Will this story have a happy ending? Will the monster believe that anyone could love them? Most importantly, though, can the two of them be left alone without any attempts at a "rescue?"

how to play

Comment with your character, your preference, and what role they'll play. Feel free to AU characters to your desire role.
Reply to others.
Thread anything that could remotely fit under the umbrella theme. Was the kidnapping just that, or did both parties know (and care) for each other before, making it a collaborative, mutual effort? Perhaps you'd prefer to play the actual Beauty and The Beast-style getting to know each other or seeing behind the grizzly facade. What about an attempted "rescue?" Or maybe you could thread out a scene where the prisoner runs away from the society they were forced back into and returns to their beloved beast! It's all up to you. You could even do smut if you wanted to, but this isn't a smut meme.

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((Monster, and she has a tendency to turn people into hounds if you really want to go for broke.))

[I'm canonblind, but I did a wiki search, and she sounds really interesting. Are you interested in cross medium?]

((I don't mind cross canon at all. Would you like to start with Light already in her care or would you like to make a deal for his life?))

[Light is a planning, schemey little thing, so I think we should start with deal for his life c:]

Lea really isn't the type of fae who needs to give out her name. It was out there in the ether taken down in tomes so ancient they had fallen apart by now and passed along by word of mouth until she was was terribly misrepresented even if the danger of summoning her might not be. So it is that she felt the call of someone who'd come upon her name and a means to make it difficult to ignore. The red haired Sidhe Lady looks at her hounds with a cross between annoyance and interest before she lets the pull of the summons direct her.

When she appears before Light Yagami it is in a puff of sparkly green smoke. The Sidhe could choose how they appeared and was, at times, creative. This time she just feels like something sparkly. As the smoke clears her golden eyes settle on a young man, a baby by her standards, looking young and ripe for the picking and her smile is sweet and closed lipped.

"Who calls upon me?"

((Awesome. Let me know if you want me to switch to brackets and I will do so :) ))

Finding her name wasn't easy, but it hadn't been impossible either. Light had used his connections, his resources until he had finally found the fae. It was fitting, something that seemed as old as the fae herself would be. It was risky, he knows that. Many a night he lay awake, wondering if it was a good idea to risk her summon, but a certain enemy stayed inside of his head. His enemy had no solid name, unlike Lea herself, and he continued to allude Light's attempts. It was maddening, being unable to defeat him when Light himself had always been so intelligent. Instead, he had barely managed to become his equal, had never been able to get revenge for the mockery that was their feet meeting.

He can handle a fae. The egotistical view of himself makes him too confident, too sure he can handle something far more powerful than himself. She wouldn't be fighting him, after all. Light only had to be smarter.

Nonetheless, he isn't about to disrespect her. He wants her help, and if she should give it willingly, he would be all too happy.

"Leanansídhe." Light smiles, and it looks entirely genuine. Despite his young age - at 18, he isn't terribly old by human standards either - he's an expert at false impressions, about lies hidden behind pretty words. The other people around him fell for it, but the others around him weren't ancient faes. "I'm glad you came. My name is Light." He's careful with his own name, unsure how much power it would give her over him. The practices were mostly lost to time, and his research had barely been able to come up with her name.

[ooc: This format is fine!]

Her head tilts a little to one side, the motion almost birdlike and then she glances around her. He hasn't circled her which is either polite or foolish. Stepping forward she lifts a hand toward his cheek. "Light." Her inflections match his perfectly and she laughs quietly the sound like bells. "It has been some time ere one so young bid me visit. Such a polite child. I wonder how you came to find me."

Her hand falls away and she steps back, breathing in the air of the human world and looking up at the sky. She twirls once, her emerald gown belling out to reveal bare feet before she stops and claps her hands together once. When her eyes fall back to his they are intent and merry. "Very well, Light. You have won an audience you have my ear. What is it you wish of me?"

Few of her actions are a surprise. She's powerful, enough so that even if he had bid her to come, she most likely holds most of the power. That's why he doesn't demand, why he doesn't degrade. He's not her master, and pretending to be would only get him hurt. Light is hardly meek, but he's also far from stupid.

The hand on his cheek is surprising, and it's almost strange to feel it be so solid. Though it would be invading for most strangers, he allows it as a curiosity, but when she steps back, he's secretly relieved. Calling her had been a risk, and he doesn't want to end up a corpse.

Distantly, he knows she's beautiful, and the gown only accents that exotic beauty. He's never been one easily swayed by attractive looks, but he knows when someone is or isn't attractive. Why shouldn't she be? She has the ability. Few people would choose to look disgusting.

"Power. I've heard you've been said to grant it. I need enough to stop an enemy without every being seen. Can you do that?"

There is tension at the touch, but Lea mentions nothing. He is wary, formal, quite out of his league but he seems to understand it in some small ways. And quite focused while Lea enjoys a bit of play.

The high Sidhe tend toward the beautiful, perfection. It is simply what they are terrible and beautiful especially the Winter court. Those who are not high can be lovely or hideous. Nightmares that live in darkness and cold and thrive. And the High Sidhe love the imperfections of the mortal.

"Power." She hmmed at him, the smile never leaving her face. Power is such a delightfully vague term it can be as great as ruling from on high, and as simple as being a superior at work. Power can help you destroy a planet or lift a car or start a dead battery. Even his specific request can be interpreted so many delightful ways. To be unseen. To stop an enemy. Three requests all in one. Three requests filled and a game won. The smile finally leaves her face and she lifts a hand, holding it palm up. "What do you offer in turn for such things?"

She's most certainly one of his riskier moves. He normally doesn't make one without being better informed, but he had exhausted all of his leads and nothing else had been found. They were closing in, he has to make a move or lose to them. Losing isn't something he can afford to do.

So he risks it. He risks his life so that he can be victor. Defending would not win him the game, but Lea very well may.

"I'll use it in your name. I'm not offering bondage, but your name isn't known anymore. I had to look very hard to find you, so much so that not many will follow in my footsteps. Something so powerful and beautiful shouldn't be lost to history. I can work with you to make sure that doesn't happen, to make sure you have a way to leave your mark here."

Oh you dear, darling, lovely thing. Three wishes in one, there will be no escape for you, sweet mortal morsel. He wishes to offer exposure. The tinkling bell sound of her laughter slices through the quiet night. "My sweet boy, do you not think I can make my name known? Do you believe a name is the only means to summon me?" Her expression closes off now, all laughter gone like the switch of a light, suddenly there is nothing human about her. Light has chosen more dangerously than he might believe. Lea is not altogether sane.

"Power is always the desire, nations have collapsed with it, ever searching for more. Through the rise of the mountains in this world until the last breath of the last creature power will be sought, until empty night when nothing reigns and the void is the power. You offer a pittance."

"Tell me, for what foe do you risk my ire?"

"I'm not asking for the power to crumple nations. As for what I can offer, we both know there's nothing I can do that you're incapable of. You didn't come here looking for a new chance, but you're known for making trades nonetheless. That means there's something in it that you enjoy too. I need the power to stop one man, and my offer is yours. The offer may be a pittance, but the request is so small in comparison to what it is you can do.

The man...he only goes by L. I need to make sure he's stopped soon."

His fear doesn't show, but it's very present. Light has always been good at hiding annoying emotions, and now is no different. She's not happy, but is she reasonable? He's doing his best to keep the conversation on a friendly, even ground, but the last reply had taken a turn for the worse.

If they didn't make a deal? Would she go away without payment? Would he be punished for summoning her? Nothing in his books had answered those questions.

"L" She wracks her brain for the pseudonym though it is not often that western fae are called so far east. She is not as familiar with the players here. L though, is famous. "A detective." She determines. Her godchild is a detective he makes the world interesting.

"The needs must be great to call upon High Sidhe without thought to the consequences of a three part request." She replied slyly. "Three requests indentures you my sweet. For your life, fortune and power I would grant all three." It is good he did not ask for L's death as the high sidhe cannot outright kill a mortal. He did study enough to know this much.

He's famous enough for her to know. How enduring. Only it's not. Light can't deny L's genius, but Light's own isn't so small. He was the only person that detective had failed to catch, the only person on a level playing field with him. Unfortunately, L had more resources, and while Light had managed to evade detection, circumstances outside of his control was making it more difficult.

Immediately, the list of costs make him frown. His life? What good would his victory do if he was dead?! That was ridiculous! He was making this deal to assure he would live on to leave his mark in the world, to fix it!

"I can't offer my life. There's too much I need to do, and killing him won't having the desired consequences if I'm dead. If there's no other price you're willing to accept for that portion of the deal, we'll leave it out. I'll need to know what you mean by 'fortune' and 'power'."

Would she accept that? Would she negotiate or decide to kill him outright?

The inherent problem with not getting caught is that no one knows who you are. And while L's reputation has been built up for several years, Kira (who's name has not been mentioned) has been on the national stage only very recently. She could see him thinking though he was good about keeping his face impassive the muscles tightened occasionally

"You misunderstand. I have no use for you dead, Light. In fact I do not believe you have such wealth that it would in any way benefit me. But were you my creature bound to my bidding..." She flipped a hand in a 'you see now' gesture. "What power you gain you gain for me. It is a small thing now."

"What would your bidding be?" He wants this to work, he needs it to work. He won't let fear make him run away, not when it's not based in experience. She was known for her deals, for working with humans, at least in the talk he had heard. It was possible the stories had been watered down across time, Light knows that. But, he had made deals with bad people before.

But his life? How much control would she gain? He had a mission outside of L, a world he has to mold. What if she wanted the opposite? It wouldn't really be a victory if L died, but Kira lost.

Of course he was considering it. Those that weren't desperate did not go to the trouble of summoning something beyond their control. She smiled benevolently, "Whatever I choose, of course. To defeat your mortal enemy I shall make it worth your while in many ways."

Now she will call his bluff. How much does he truly want to defeat L? Does he have other choices?

But he doesn't know if he can give into it so easily. To give his life to someone else? Control and a position of power is too important for him. No matter what power he gained, he would be a slave to her until she was finished to him. Could he live with the invisible shackles?

"And if I say no? What happens?"

Maybe he can defeat L on his own. They seemed to be on equal ground. If it wasn't for other Kiras popping up and making things more difficult...

"If you say no?" She seemed to consider it. "Well then this will have been something of a waste." And an annoyance. But she was fae and she could be patient. Light seemed to be stuck. Why else would he summon her. If he said no and she left the door open, he'd come back again. "I imagine you would have to find some other way to stop an enemy without being seen. An enemy who is well known to be remarkable in his observational skills."

She smiled at him and inclined her head. "How will you do it I wonder." Her head tilted a little to one side like she was listening to something before she straitened and gave him a passive look. "Shall I give you time to consider your choices?"

He knows what she's thinking, what shes implying, and that she's not wrong. Because of Misa and her meddling, L was closer than ever, and he has little choice. At least, for now, it seems that way. Making that decision in haste would be a mistake, especially with it being so hefty. There was still the deal with the eyes, but even that would require half his life. She wanted all of it, but there wouldn't be death. Furthermore, her way would be much harder to detect...

Slowly, he nods. "Yeah, I do want more time. My life isn't something I can so easily give away, and I want to be sure there is no other choice."

Despite the calm manner in which he spoke, he was worried she wouldn't be so forgiving for being asked to wait. There were so many unknown variables in play.

He was still considering it, and that was a good sign that what she offered was worth the consideration. He was careful, which made this kind of deal that much more thrilling. Not as careful as those who understood the fae from the past, likely because after the time of iron people began to have less and less interaction with fae and because there were more people in general. A few going missing here and there was hardly a drop in the bucket. When one considered the amount of people who disappeared every year and were never again found, the numbers were staggering. But no one ever did. Not all of that was the fae of course, there were many predators that picked off humans but in Winter alone there were enough predators to make one take a step back and reconsider. And Lea had no plans on making a meal of this human. He was indeed lucky.

"Very well." She replied, "You have three days and three nights on midday of the fourth, we will meet back here and you will give me your decision."

Three days. That's really not a lot of time to decide if he was willing to give everything for the chance to win. No, he just wouldn't take the deal. There was no reason to accept such a high cost. Light was intelligent, he would win on his own.

"Four days then."

As he says he the words, as he returns back home, he's already made up his mind. It's not worth it. If he was willing to pay such ridiculous costs, he would have the eyes. It would be good to pretend he's considering it, but he's not.

Not right away, but a lot can happen in three days. Misa can get taken into custody, the Shinigami can disagree to work with his plans, and everything can come crashing down. Hours have been spent in his room, staring at the wall and computer as he works for some other kind of way out. There's nothing. Will he even be able to remain out of custody for four days?

When he does return, midday on the fourth as promised, he has no choice. If he doesn't take her deal, his entire life is over. It's with anger that he says her name. While Light does his best to contain his mood, he's ready to snap.

When Lea appears this time it is like a bubble of water bursting, she has a hound sitting on either side next to her as the water drips away, settling back into the earth and disappearing as though it had never been. The hounds are huge, they come nearly to her chest while seated, and they gaze impassively at Light with eerily intelligent eyes. Lea rests a hand on the head of the brindle coated hound to her right and looks at Light intently through completely inhuman eyes. Golden with pupils like a cat, her coppery hair falling to her hips in waves.

She steps forward letting her hand fall to her side and stops directly in front of him, her expression curious but self assured. He is here, he is all but hers she can see it in the ire that flashes in his eyes.

"Light. Three days an more gone by, you have had time to consider my offer. What decision do you make?"

Her newest appearance is quite formidable, isn't it? Is this her way of letting him know she wouldn't be happy with refusal or the request for more time? Light wishes that was why he called her, he wishes he had the luxury of more time. He doesn't. It was only by reckless chances that he was even free to call her tonight.

Anger rushes through him. L would die for this. It was a cost he would never pay otherwise, but Light would make sure L paid for making him give up so much. Misa would be next. If it wasn't for her idiocy, this wouldn't be necessary.

"I'll accept your deal." There's no small talk because Light isn't sure his brain can think of anything but the detective's death. "Provide me with the way to kill him without being caught, and I will give you what you want."

He looks sulky when she sees him, his eyes moving almost absently over her pets before settling on her. His voice barely holds back a rage she hadn't yet realized him capable of and it intrigues her. It isn't particularly surprising that he accepts her offer. The fae knew how to bargain, they'd had epochs to learn. One human had told her it was like being among cutthroat lawyers.

She let her head dip forward once, her smile small but pleased. The hounds never moved though their eyes tracked Light with silent intensity. Light has no magic so she cannot help him lean to veil which is essentially what he requested of her. "I have promised to provide the means by which you will achieve your goal." And she took four steps forward, lifting a delicate hand to press it against his chest, fingers smoothing the fabric of his shirt. A moment later his clothes seem to writhe, shifting against his body as they change color and settle against him just enough modification for his needs. Whatever it was he wore before he now wore a perfectly tailored grey suit. Seemingly innocuous, it feels lighter and easier to move in than a normal suit, and just inside the jacket in a sheath that he could feel but not see hung a long bowie knife. This would always be hidden even when he was visible. If he shifted he would notice he made no noise at all. Even if he walked on concrete his shoes would make no sound and the sounds of his breath were muted.

She took her hand from his chest and below it was a single tie clip, shaped like a primrose in copper that matched her hair, just a flat outline with engraved petals, a splash of color against the grey and white of his suit.

"These will last three days and three nights. At noon on the fourth they will revert to your standard clothes." She waited for his reaction. She hadn't, of course, told him the best parts yet. She might want to see him indignant first.

When is a monster not a monster? (oh, when you love it.)

The Leanansídhe | The Dresden Files

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I'm so sorry he's being difficult

I kind of expect it from him

;3 Thanks for being understanding!

I am so sorry the week ate me and I almost lost the email reminder

No worries! Welcome back! If the time skip isn't okay, let me know and I can edit!

\0/

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