princess maker - avante en garde

[idolpro]

[ When you insert the key and open the door, you'll find the room inside looks like the living room of a mansion. There are several doors, but one in particular stands out to you: it is ornately decorated, the very door's wood itself carved beautifully with gold etched in to make luxurious patterns depicting what looks like the sky and the wind blowing through the grasslands. Though the door is closed, you can see through it—as if it's somewhat transparent.

The room is painted baby blue and a gold-plated cradle sits in the room. Inside, a baby cries - high pitched and noisy, though immediately a nurse comes in to rock the child back to sleep. ]

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[ Slowly, the scene changes, fading in and out with various silent scenes—the baby sits up, trying to climb out of her cradle; a little toddler dressed prettily with expensive clothes beams pleasantly; a tantrum, thrown by the little girl who's distressed; the little girl holding a puppy, pleased as punch; then the wall becomes opaque. ]

[ In the middle of the open doorway, a young girl the age of 10 sits on a chair, smiling at you. a golden retriever is curled up beside her.

This is your little girl. you couldn't help spoiling her, honestly - after all, she's a noble too, and she should like to become a princess as well. She deserves it! But you also know, with how your history's gone, she's going to have to work to get to the top. Still, you have faith in her - she's your girl, after all. ]

Comments

[idolpro]

You encounter a few choice people in fashionable looking shackles - sleek, modern, less like imprisonment cuffs and more like fashion cuffs. Make no mistake, however; they're most definitely there to prevent the bound from leaving.

In this excursion, you learn that Plague Bearers are just . . . people. Or rather, people shaped monsters: children who come out of the womb deformed, with three eyes or one ear or sprout wings or have fingers growing out from their eyes, children who burn everything they touch, children who could suck out your souls through your blood . . .

Monsters. All of them are. However, through the miracle that is science and the benevolence that is the King, systems have been put into place - the Plague is well-researched, well-documented, and there are special medications that can be given to those who are Plague Bearers - or in other words, closer to their Plague nature than their human nature - to suppress the Plague, though it cannot be banished from their bodies completely.

For the able-bodied Plague Bearers, they find work in the King's guard - the military - or they find themselves here, to entertain nobles. Do you remember what was said about Oura. . . ?

It isn't exactly legal anymore to sell and buy Plague Bearer pets - the law was passed around twenty years ago - but it's still a lucrative business. The rich love to entertain themselves, after all. It's practically socially unacceptable for a noblegirl to not have a Plague Bearer at some point in her life.

(It's because of Plague Bearers that your land has this tradition: children aren't named until they reach the age of 10. Most cases of Plague breaking out happen at a young age; the children are immediately taken to the Capital. What's the point of naming something that won't make it through childhood?)

Well, this is a fun thing to have a week full of! Your daughter is pretty good about not actually sneaking away in front of you, but - well, when she's not around you . . . you know. . .