Do you feel it, Louis? You should. You should feel this like it was yesterday, everything is set in motion. It’s happening again. I have brought the catalyst of change and the peasantry is trying to take that catalyst and turn the winds of change into one giant tornado.
Do you remember, Louis? They want to drag your beloved into a war. The sheer presence of her superiority has them shaking in their boots, they don’t want to lose their precious power that never belonged to them in the first place.
Do you see, Louis? Enemies are at the gate. They want to surround us. They want to outnumber us. They want to ambush us. I recall the times of turbulence, I lived the ups and downs with you. I felt hope and despair with you all the same.
To say that we loved each other would be a lie, wouldn’t it, Louis? You loved me, you worshipped me. You served me instead of your country and its people. Fools have discredited you as their king because of that, not knowing that you couldn’t do anything in the first place. I didn’t love you. I just adored you. You were nothing more than a pet. But that was more than alright for you, wasn’t it? After all, it is our pets who get our affection the most.
I feel everything, Louis. I remember and see everything clearly. Everything I see does not please me and with every night and every move, I feel myself taken back to our palace. Malice surrounds us, skullduggery decorates our daily lives. No one appreciates you, for you were truly a weak man. No one appreciates me either, for I am the witch who enthralled their king. It’s fine with me, hatred and love are emotions nonetheless. I do not see the avalanche all of this would create. I don’t see and-
You’re not here with me anymore. Our story together ended years ago. But I’d like to think that you’re still watching me somewhat. It’s not just you either, I believe that everyone is watching me. You, Sanson, that cockroach Marat and of course, little Maxey. You are all both doomed and blessed with an eternity of the most beautiful woman you’ve ever laid your eyes on. You will be able to only watch me as I leave all of you far behind.
You all were somebodies, kings, executioners, powerful revolutionaries. But your legends have ended one way or another.
The fools don’t know that once upon a time, I was a queen too. When I lost my crown and my throne, I became more.
Much, much more.
Times have changed and so have I. I went from being the victim of revolutions to being the very revolution itself.
I will not let history repeat itself. If insolent peasants want to band together once again and change the course of history … then I will simply let them try. Louis, my Louis, you will finally see how it is done. Just don’t forget to tell the rest that this would’ve happened to them too if they were born in the times I live in now.
I see them, Louis. I’ve been seeing their hints and messages and offers. I know that the only reason they could re-create such an alliance is to oppose the biggest current force in EBWF.
Whatever they want to call themselves, I will crush them.
Whoever they have in their ranks, I will obliterate them.
I can sense it, Louis. This will be a war. A war against ugliness. I will call upon everyone who rejects the vile and the hideous. I will call upon everyone who wants to be beautiful, I will call upon everyone who agrees to be re-shaped and molded by me. Beauty is universal, it doesn’t discriminate.
Rest easy, Louis. Our palace is not a home of treachery anymore. Every corner of Versailles is filled with flowers like it once was instead of rats. I made our house a powerhouse again. Just rest easy, my king, I’ll do everything you couldn’t.
Hell, maybe, just maybe, if you want it hard enough …
I’ll even bring a crown back to our palace.
........
Do you remember, Louis? They want to drag your beloved into a war. The sheer presence of her superiority has them shaking in their boots, they don’t want to lose their precious power that never belonged to them in the first place.
Do you see, Louis? Enemies are at the gate. They want to surround us. They want to outnumber us. They want to ambush us. I recall the times of turbulence, I lived the ups and downs with you. I felt hope and despair with you all the same.
To say that we loved each other would be a lie, wouldn’t it, Louis? You loved me, you worshipped me. You served me instead of your country and its people. Fools have discredited you as their king because of that, not knowing that you couldn’t do anything in the first place. I didn’t love you. I just adored you. You were nothing more than a pet. But that was more than alright for you, wasn’t it? After all, it is our pets who get our affection the most.
I feel everything, Louis. I remember and see everything clearly. Everything I see does not please me and with every night and every move, I feel myself taken back to our palace. Malice surrounds us, skullduggery decorates our daily lives. No one appreciates you, for you were truly a weak man. No one appreciates me either, for I am the witch who enthralled their king. It’s fine with me, hatred and love are emotions nonetheless. I do not see the avalanche all of this would create. I don’t see and-
You’re not here with me anymore. Our story together ended years ago. But I’d like to think that you’re still watching me somewhat. It’s not just you either, I believe that everyone is watching me. You, Sanson, that cockroach Marat and of course, little Maxey. You are all both doomed and blessed with an eternity of the most beautiful woman you’ve ever laid your eyes on. You will be able to only watch me as I leave all of you far behind.
You all were somebodies, kings, executioners, powerful revolutionaries. But your legends have ended one way or another.
The fools don’t know that once upon a time, I was a queen too. When I lost my crown and my throne, I became more.
Much, much more.
Times have changed and so have I. I went from being the victim of revolutions to being the very revolution itself.
I will not let history repeat itself. If insolent peasants want to band together once again and change the course of history … then I will simply let them try. Louis, my Louis, you will finally see how it is done. Just don’t forget to tell the rest that this would’ve happened to them too if they were born in the times I live in now.
I see them, Louis. I’ve been seeing their hints and messages and offers. I know that the only reason they could re-create such an alliance is to oppose the biggest current force in EBWF.
Whatever they want to call themselves, I will crush them.
Whoever they have in their ranks, I will obliterate them.
I can sense it, Louis. This will be a war. A war against ugliness. I will call upon everyone who rejects the vile and the hideous. I will call upon everyone who wants to be beautiful, I will call upon everyone who agrees to be re-shaped and molded by me. Beauty is universal, it doesn’t discriminate.
Rest easy, Louis. Our palace is not a home of treachery anymore. Every corner of Versailles is filled with flowers like it once was instead of rats. I made our house a powerhouse again. Just rest easy, my king, I’ll do everything you couldn’t.
Hell, maybe, just maybe, if you want it hard enough …
I’ll even bring a crown back to our palace.
........
........
........A pale horse walks under the equally pale moonlight, riding a carriage of two. The moon and the stars enlighten their path as their ride continues in these hours of the night. In the carriage sits the former leader of Queen’s Court, Utami. Her once-flowing red locks are still as short as the length she had cut them the moment she gave herself to Sakisama’s warm embrace. Instead of royal garbs, Utami wears a maid’s outfit, happily knitting something without anything troubling her pretty little head.
Next to her, of course, is her fair lady. The strong and beautiful Sakisama. The French Aristocrat gazes at the moon, her face is devoid of a smile. The camera follows the carriage as they continue to be carried by the horse without any word exchanged between them. Utami has nothing to say but Sakisama … maybe she has too much to say to actually speak.
Or maybe … she’s just waiting for the right time to talk.
Sakisama: “I’m not in a good mood.”
A strangely straight-forward expression. Utami looks at her with confusion, unaware of what might be worrying Sakisama. Sakisama does not look back at her, instead, she stares in the distance.
Sakisama: “Ever since I found out that Maika Style was nothing more than a style of no substance and complete disappointment … my heart was shattered hard enough that it has probably created an earthquake somewhere in the world. She looked so adamant of her revenge, she totally believed that she was the knight in the shining armor. And I believed her as well. I believed that she could feed me with those pristine emotions of hers. But … I was wrong. Painfully, painfully … wrong.”
Utami tries to interject, trying to tell her Mistress that Maika had always been a weakling but Sakisama shushes her with a finger on her lips.
Sakisama: “Did I give you permission to talk, Utami?”
Utami apologizes with a nod as she goes back to her knitting in a hurrying manner.
Sakisama: “I believe that everything should know its place in nature. Plants, animals … humans … everything. It is the very foundation of this world. A harmonious machine that makes life possible for all of us. Plants grant oxygen for people, water is always in a cycle, the sun and the moon always in each other’s trails. If any of those tried to defy its nature, what kind of a chaotic place would we live in?”
The camera shows a glimpse of the full moon, affirming Sakisama’s point in a way.
Sakisama: “Yet, isn’t it always worthy of a story when someone eventually tries to do exactly that? Don’t get me wrong, it always ends in a tragedy, but isn’t it always compelling? Well, maybe most of the time.”
Finally, a smile manages to curl up, even if it’s a half-one.
Sakisama: “The sun has already set as me and my Utami ride in the night. The destination and the journey are both beyond your understanding. The only thing you should pay attention to is my words, for I have never wasted them and this occasion shall be no different. Total Supremacy is approaching and I must say that it is an appropriate name for yours truly to be on display for everyone’s eyes to feast. For that … is what I’ve been proving for years. Total supremacy is what I’ve established wherever I went. Paris, Tokyo, from here to Timbuktu … the rose petals have scattered all over the land, signifying me and my eternal glory. The dumpster state of Texas might not be an ideal location, but I will spread my roses all the same.”
Truly, her generosity knows no bounds.
Sakisama: “It’s pretty clear at this point, I don’t care for crowns anymore. They are nothing more than shiny accessories, they have never signified power in a major sense. I am nobility personified, just one look at me would be enough to see true power. Yet, it always fascinates me how even shiny toy hats like those manage to weigh heavy enough for some people’s heads. Monarchs who can’t handle crowns are like knights who can’t hold swords. I’ve seen plenty of both. When an artifact like that is around and people are driven to defy their natures just for a shiny trinket … well, wouldn’t that be appropriate for me to step in?”
Mockingly, Sakisama makes a crown gesture on Utami’s head, who looks confused at this, but does not question Sakisama at all.
Sakisama: “Hoshiki, tell me, is your head strong enough for even a symbolic hat? We see what it did to Utami before I had to step up and save her from herself. Who’s to say that it won’t do the same to you? I’ve been around the block, so I’ll tell you, there’s nothing more ugly in this world than a queen who lets what little power they have go over their head. If you want my true opinion, you can’t handle it. Crowns aren’t worth much but you are worth even less.”
Now Sakisama pats Utami in the head in a condescending manner.
Sakisama: “Am I underestimating you, Arisa-chan? We can’t know for sure until we meet in that ring. But my optimism about my opponents is pretty much gone. You can thank Maika for that. I made the grave mistake of … overestimating … her. And trust me, I will not spare you one more thought than you deserve.”
Another shot of the night sky graces the feed. It looks really clear.
Sakisama: “Don’t let the prettines of the lights fool you, Arisa-chan. This is the dead of night. This is where your career would’ve been if Utami didn’t think highly enough of you as a pawn. The twilight you have been dreaming of is only possible because of my cute little maid sitting next to me. I’m not asking for your thanks, nor do I need them. I just need you to realise how flimsy of a position you are standing in. You are hanging onto your career by a thread, a thread that I have wrapped around my finger until the end of Total Supremacy. Utami has abandoned you long ago and the only person you have left is a narcissistic pig who doesn’t care about you in the slightest. You have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. That’s why your only option is to fight back.”
Her eyes flare up at this, Sakisama seemingly likes the idea of Arisa having her last stand against her.
Sakisama: “I will not praise your supposed resolve to high heavens, hatching my eggs before they count is what led me to get disappointed by Maika Style. I will just tell you that if what you say is all true, then I will see it for myself in the ring. I will see the last cries of a dreamer. I will see … someone defying her nature to the bitter end and then some more. I will be more precise about this than I was before. Prove it to me that you can hold onto your dreams and I’ll show you a world beyond your twilight. I will show you the sun again. Be everything Maika wasn’t, do everything she couldn’t.”
Her gaze once again turns forward, into the road.
Sakisama: “A war is on the horizon, Hoshiki, I can feel it. And when it breaks out, there will be no neutral sides. And when the time comes, your supposed friend will be the first to turn on you. Impressing me is your only chance or else, your twilight dreams are going to turn into twilight nightmares, by my hand or by someone else’s.”
The carriage then follows, going into the distance, as one last remark from Sakisama echoes in the night.
Sakisama: “Make it worth my while, Arisa-chan, or the only crown you’re getting is the crown of thorns.”