the history channel

[her_imperial_radiance]

It's something of a truism that "it's not like the Empress is going to make a speech or anything" when the Masquerade folds up. Regardless, there comes a time when the incessant requests to be allowed to make a documentary about the Golden Coven are met not with "absolutely not", but instead, "let's talk".

Elspeth does a fair amount of the negotiating for this - she does run PR. Harley, presently thirteen, is allowed to sit in on a few of the storyboarding discussions - the documentary will not be fictionalized, but they still have concern for narrative flow. It's going to be very long, after all.

Significant portions of the documentary will be conjured recordings of events, from outside or even first-person perspectives, but an entire segment is devoted to personally profiling members and peripheral associates of the Golden Coven, one by one. Harley's not on the list - it's mostly a history documentary, with younger generations present almost entirely for 'where are they now' color, and he's not, technically, her son - but Elspeth and most of her family is. And Harley is permitted to lurk around the studio setup while various people prep with their interviewers, or eavesdrop, or - if they are sufficiently non-vampiric to allow makeup to stick - get that applied. It's a big production; the supernatural community would have found it just as convenient to spread it out, but the film people want everything taken down, edited for a consistent look-and-feel, and released according to schedule within a certain time frame.

So there are a lot of people around. Mostly vampires, but plenty of hybrids - there are most of Emmett and Rosalie's kids, over there, with the proud parents themselves - and wolves; Jacob is over with Elspeth - and even a few humans, ranging from imprints to Lizzie who's with Carlisle, Esme, and Lily, and also Alice and Jasper and their son Brandon. People not normally seen around the Golden Capitols have been hauled in. There's Marcus, no longer as craquelure thanks to magic, and Didyme at his elbow, literally radiating happiness. (Bella rendered her power opt-in along with several other mind-affecting abilities that can't be turned off, but it's very inviting, so people usually do so opt.)

And of course Bella and Edward themselves are present, flitting around, mingling. Their interviews aren't until later.

Kerron waves to Harley when he shows up.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"Thank you," says Rosalie, chuckling.

"What are you up to?" asks Henry. "Are you getting interviewed or are you just tagging along with Elspeth?"

[pythbox]

"Tagging along with Elsie, getting in everybody's way, threatening to feed Kerron pie," says Harley.

[alicornucopia]

"How terrifying," says Parker.

"I doubt anyone appreciates you deliberately getting in their way," says Nicole.

[pythbox]

Harley blinks at Nicole.

[alicornucopia]

Nicole rolls her eyes.

Emmett says, "You coming to watch the Olympics this year, Harley?"

[pythbox]

"Dunno. Maybe," says Harley.

[alicornucopia]

"I'm in for swimming and Lindsay for gymnastics," Parker volunteers.

"Are you going t-" Lindsay starts to ask Harley. "Oh, right," she corrects herself. "Maybe there should be a human division."

"That's just the regular Olympics," says Nicole.

"They're different in other ways," Oliver says.

[pythbox]

Harley giggles.

[alicornucopia]

"Are you ever gonna turn into a vampire, do you think?" Henry asks.

[pythbox]

"Nah," he says. "Well, not and stay that way."

[alicornucopia]

"Temporary turning?" asks Emmett thoughtfully. "I don't think anybody's - well, no, that one Joker alt did it, I remember hearing about that."

[pythbox]

"Yeah, see?" says Harley.

[alicornucopia]

"Don't think anyone else has though. Especially now Bella wishes the thirst away on request, it's nice."

[pythbox]

"Well, yeah," says Harley. "But I'd miss food, for sure. And being squishy."

[alicornucopia]

"What's good about being -" Lindsay begins, but Rosalie shakes her head and she stops, puzzled.

"Food's a thing. I guess. I can't remember it much," says Emmett.

[pythbox]

"Food is so a thing," says Harley, "food is the greatest thing, I love food."

[alicornucopia]

"Bubbly's tastier," shrugs Oliver.

[pythbox]

"Not to me!" snorts Harley.

[alicornucopia]

"What does it taste like to you? Have you ever tried it?" Parker inquires.

[pythbox]

"Weird and kind of bitter," he says.

[alicornucopia]

"Huh," says Nicole.

"Quarter-vampires don't like it as much but they still like it. I don't know about one-eighth," muses Parker.

[pythbox]

"I wonder how little vampire somebody can have in 'em before it stops even mattering," says Harley.

[alicornucopia]

"It will probably always matter a little, but it can start getting washed out by normal human variation around one-sixteenth, I think," says Henry.

[pythbox]

"Are there any one-sixteenth vampires running around?"

[alicornucopia]

"Lemme think," says Parker.

"Yyyyes," says Oliver. "Yeah, I think Catrina and Lucio are one-sixteenth. Ella's great-grandkids? Via, I don't think I know if it's Rodrigo or Silverio but it's one of her sons, not Francisca."