Androgyny Event: Escape from Club Apophis, 8

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STORYLINE: In a sanctum buried beneath the neon veins of New Seoul, Dr. Lucien Ginerva reclined like a bored demigod on a hovering chaise. His clothing, if one dared call it that, was little more than suggestion. A silk slip clung carelessly to bone-pale skin; a fur wrap threatened to slither off one narrow shoulder. His legs, crossed and gleaming, ended in stilettos sharp enough to draw blood.

Around him, floating screens flickered and pulsed, casting warped shadows across the cathedral of vanity he ruled. Scattered below his heels were piles of glimmering flex-glass dossiers, stacked like offerings at some grotesque altar. Each one bore the idealized face of a desperate hopeful: socialites craving eternal youth, influencers pleading for patented jawlines, CEOs requesting “predator eyes” for boardroom intimidation. Their holographic portraits shimmered faintly in the gloom.

Unread. Uncared for.

“Cancel them all,” he said, voice like poison poured through a crystal flute.

A delicate chime answered. “But MasterGin, tomorrow is your touch-up session with the American president.”

Gin’s pale, glossed lips barely moved. “Tell him I am otherwise engaged. An emergency of the highest aesthetic priority.”

“Sir,” the AI persisted, clipped and clinical, “He has waited five years. Protocol—”

“Then tell that spineless little statesman to pack a bib and a bucket,” Gin snapped, silk slithering as he leaned forward. “Because if he dares complain, I’ll melt his face off live during his precious State of the Union address.”

The AI hesitated, beeped in protest—then fell silent. Calendars shimmered, appointments evaporating as if scrubbed by invisible hands.

“Good,” MasterGin purred. “I don’t want to look at that hideous old fart anymore.”

The AI, ever rational, replied: “But sir, you are 2,281 years older than—”

A hidden button clicked beneath Gin’s long finger. The AI’s voice died mid-sentence.

Silence fell. A faint trace of clove cigarette curled through the air.

With a sigh, MasterGin reclined once more. His eyes slid toward the mirror.

“It’s showtime, Little Worm.”

His clawed fingers danced across the chaise's sleek interface. A screen blinked alive with liquid ripples as the system connected.

LOGIN: EVILQUEEN
PASSWORD: poisonedapple

The image stabilized. Jihoon’s dorm came into view.

The student stood alone in his dorm, wearing one of the latest deliveries: haute couture lingerie, designed to seduce. The fabric clung to him like a whisper, sinfully tailored, cruelly perfect. He moved awkwardly at first, guilty and confused, then slowly began to pose. One hand rose to the curve of his neck. His other hand, hesitating, hovered near his cheek. A flush crept up under his skin, darkening the angry red burn Minjo had left there, a bruise of guilt made visible. He tilted his chin. Bent a knee. Swayed a hip… exactly as MasterGin had on the red carpet.

And in that moment, something ancient smiled back from the mirror, as if it approved.

A low, pleased rumble stirred in MasterGin’s chest, like a king cobra purring.

“Oh, you delicious copycat,” he cooed, reclining on his chaise like a fallen god. “I didn’t even train you yet.”

He raised a flute of something red and unholy, toasting the mirror feed.

“I think it’s time for some positive reinforcement.”

Beside him, the white snakeskin box pulsed faintly, clinical and elegant, echoing the flicker of black snakeskin box Jihoon’s dorm. The signal link was alive and strong.

MasterGin tapped the screen to zoom in, eager to savor Jihoon’s expression as he pulled the new items from the box: a sleek skincare kit and a pale bottle labeled with shimmering text. SPF 100 Nano Enhanced Sunscreen. As Jihoon read the notecard tucked inside, confusion bloomed on his face.

“Nice sunburn, Little Worm.”

MasterGin roared with laughter, teeth flashing too sharp in the surveillance gloom.

“You’re welcome!” he cried across dimensions. “Mommy takes good care of her special baby.”

But his joy was short-lived.

From offscreen came the crash of the dorm door bursting open.

Jihoon spun in alarm, face flushing so hard the burn scar on his cheek darkened. He snatched up a bedsheet and clutched it to his chest, stumbling backward like a cornered animal.

Gin lurched forward in his chair, claws clicking over glass as he scrambled to reposition the surveillance feeds. The cameras pivoted with mechanical whines, zeroing in on the chaos.

“Temu Scully,” he snarled. “Don’t you know how to knock, bitch?”

Minjo stalked into view, eyes lit with fury, a crude homemade scanner already glowing in her hand. “You were going to hide this from me,” she said, her voice cold and sharp. “Where did this designer trash even come from, Jihoon?”

Her gaze swept the room with surgical precision. Jihoon babbled a string of excuses, half denial, half panic, as he backed away from her, feet tangled in the bedsheet.

Minjo ignored him entirely. Her scanner ticked like a Geiger counter as she moved with a predator’s focus. And then it shrieked. A full spike of interference, as if it had struck raw data. A cloaked signal detected.

She looked up.

Locked eyes with the mirror.

Across the glass, faint serpentine runes flickered, slithering like molten silver just beginning to boil.

“Wait,” Gin barked, straightening in alarm.

But Minjo was already moving fast.

She sprinted toward the mirror, arm raised.

The feed convulsed.

Then static.

Transmission severed.

“NO!”

MasterGin hurled his drink at the screen. The crystal exploded in a flash of sparks and smoke. Gin collapsed back into his throne, face twisted with rage, strangling a crushed velvet pillow like it owed him an apology.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the surveillance chamber.

The velvet pillow slipped from Gin’s fingers. His breathing slowed, caught between a growl and a gasp.

Not quiet. Dead. As if sound had been vacuumed out of the space, along with the air. The cyan glow from his chaise lounge sputtered, dimming like a dying ember.

Then came the hum.

Low. Inhuman.

It rolled through the walls like a slow avalanche, vibrating the glass, the screens, the bones of the room itself.

Gin turned slowly as the air turned cold.

Every surface in the surveillance chamber went completely black.

Then one monitor, dead just moments ago, flared to life.

A silhouette emerged. Towering. Cloaked in something darker than shadow, plated in ancient battle-armor that shimmered like wet obsidian.

The Ruler of the Night.

His gold eyes glowed like hellfire. Unblinking. Locked directly on Gin.

MasterGin’s breath hitched. He immediately averted his gaze, dropped to his knees, and bowed deeply.

“Caught me again, Darling?” he said with a trembling smirk. “Naked ambition. Always such a hazard in my line of work.”

All around him, the mirrored glass began to crack.

And that was when he knew, he was in very big trouble.

Androgyny Event is the inspiration for this whole series, and MasterGin himself is my top model for androgyny. So naturally, I took some time on for this reveal for him, I hope you enjoyed it!

From this round of AE, is the Starlit Endeavor Optica Catwalk glasses. They come with an interactive hud with 20 texture options for different sections of the glasses, and even 3 pose/glasses placement options: worn, hanging from shirt, and held. The glasses are mod, so I change their change to be less round to better fit Gin's style.   ....The Slay Plague claws are a must have if you ask me. They have a more animalistic sharpness to them than most nails. Love it. Legacy Famle, male, and Reborn fits with more options to come.  ....The scandalous Mordessa dress and boa are by YUEBIN. It comes with a rich set of fits. Dress for: Anatomy Male, Belleza Jake, Ebody and v-tech, LaraX, Legacy Female and v-tech, Legacy Male and Athletic, Perky, Petite X, Waifus. Plus male and female pantie options for all too.   ...The smokey glitter eyeshadow is BOM layer from Super Bomb and comes with 11 colors.   ...From Sintiklia is the Jules hair with fits for men and women. And I added a long strand of bangs from Ginko Hair #189.   ...The appropriately themed Smoking Snake cigarette holder by GRAAL is wonderful touch.   ...And finishing MasterGin's look are the sleek stylish Millicent boots by Cult which include male fits.   ...The Setting is built from pieces by Apple Fall, Backbone, Kazza, and Pitya. I changed the look to a more sleep cyberpunk style of several items using PBR materials.   ...One more thing of interest to share, the new Firestorm update includes, built in native, the best 3D figure poser hud I have ever used. I'm dying from the coolness! It's a dream come true. Thank you Firestorm Team. 

On him, The King Cobra:
Glasses: Starlit Endeavor Optica Catwalk Glasses [mesh](Androgyny Event)(900L)

Claws: Slay Plague Claws, Legacy Male/Athletic [mesh](Androgyny Event)(275L)

Makeup: Sugar Bomb Neutral Smoke - Soot [BOM](Androgyny Event)(399L)

Dress, panties: YUEBIN Mordessa,  Legacy Athletic, white [mesh](299L)

Boa: YUEBIN Mordessa,  Legacy Athletic, white [mesh](299L)

Hair: Sintiklia Jules Fitted M, black and brown [mesh](350L)

Hair bangs: Ginko Hair #189 Hair, Strands1, Unrigged [mesh](465L)

Boots: CULT Millicent - Legacy Male [mesh](369L)

Cigarette holder: GRAAL SMOKING SNAKE [mesh](349L)

Head, piercings: LeLUTKA CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: FOXCITY Lazy-4, (with custom edits in Firestorm poser)

Setting:

Chaise: Apple Fall Ram Chaise (with white leather PBR) [mesh]

Montors: BackBone Lazy Gamer's Hideout - Desk, black [mesh](1209L)

Sheet: KAZZA BytheSeaCouch3 - couch (with white silk PBR) [mesh](555L)

HUD screens: Pitaya Cyber Interface - Color [mesh](208L)

PBR Walls: kyoobo Metallic Hexagon Tiles (PBR)(79L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky. (Note: Female panty option shown)

Androgyny Event / Cyber Fair: Escape from Club Apophis, 6

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STORYLINE: The red carpet was hastily unfurled across the cracked asphalt of the EV charging station garage. Sunlight shimmered off the oily concrete as bots buzzed overhead, laying down LED runners and adjusting their projection halos with twitchy insectile precision.

The entire baseball team was ordered to line up. So were the cheerleaders. Faculty. Reporters. The scene had the panicked sheen of a state visit no one had prepared for.

Jihoon stood among them, tugging at his sleeve, collar itching against his skin. First the forced photoshoot, now this red-carpet circus.

Coach stood stiffly at the edge of the lot, arms crossed, sweat darkening the brim of his cap. Behind him, a flickering holographic banner blinked into view:

WELCOME, VIP DONOR.

Whispers rippled through the assembled crowd:
“Who’s it for?”
“Some investor?”
“Big money, they said. Real big.”

Lisa Liemawr hovered nearby, practically vibrating with excitement. Her Hexa Herald bot bobbed midair, lenses swiveling, emitting a pulsing headline overlay:

"WHO’S THE MYSTERY DONOR?!"
#RedCarpetAtJWU #VIPguest

Jihoon’s stomach knotted. He felt like merchandise on display, a mannequin flanked by teammates.

Then the air changed.

A long shadow crawled across the red carpet as a nearby tower blocked the sun. The heat of the afternoon dipped abruptly. Jihoon’s skin prickled. There was a drop in pressure, and a breathless hush settled over the crowd.

Above, halo lights flickered on.

And there, just for a second, he saw it... A coil of something ancient, suspended in the gloom like a ghost in the wires. Not a drone. Not a trick of the light. A serpent of shimmering code, flickering like it had always been there, and only revealed itself in the absence of light. Its presence made the hair on his arms rise.

Then came the roar.

A sleek cybercar, lacquered black-cherry with neon accents, screamed around the corner then screeched to a stop with surgical precision. Smoke rose in curls of ozone and burnt rubber.

The doors hissed open. A seal cracked. And smoke billowed out, tinted by red LEDs beneath the chassis.

A single elegant foot clicked down on the wet pavement in metallic silver heels shaped like fangs.
The mystery VIP emerged, rising from the car like a deity of glamour and annihilation.

Towering. Ethereal. Sultry. A pinstripe suit draped over an exposed alabaster chest. White hair flowed over his shoulders like carefully combed spider silk. His face hidden behind a sleek, jet-black mask with faint circuitry pulsing, and rabbit-ear antennae hovering overhead.

He moved as though seduction had weight, each step liquid confidence. Every head turned. Reporter bots surged forward; flashbulbs erupted like fireworks, synchronized to his stride, as if the scene had been choreographed by gods of drama.

Kyra whispered, “Is that… a model?”

Jihoon barely registered the question. His pulse hammered in his ears. 

The VIP paused mid-carpet. The perfect center of gravity.

Then garage fell completely in shadow. As if on cue, the mask retracted with a smooth hiss of hydraulics.

Gasps rose from the crowd. Even Kyra’s hand flew to her chest, “Oh my god. He’s gorgeous.”

The face beneath was otherworldly: a sculpted vision of the divine on Earth. Pale as bone. Eyes rimmed with liner darker than a moonless void. And a poised, million-dollar smile that gleamed with polished warmth and prestige but with whispered smirk almost too subtle to be seen.

His gaze swept across the assembled team as if they were insects on a dish. Then it stopped. On Jihoon.

Jihoon felt like a blade was sliding into his stomach. His chest tightened. Vision tunneled.

That wasn't just a sponsor. Not just a some big donor.

It was the King Cobra himself.

CyberFair, so thick with amazing cyber goodness, will be ending on the 23rd and then we have to count the days until it returns once more with the latest awesome creations from all the talented designers.   ... This post finally debuts the wickedly awesome MasterGin! I have been wanting to show you guys the diva in my inventory, always ready and willing to genderbend fabulously. He's the inspiration for this post, and I am so excited I could squeeze in the Mythic Bastet Cat Bot Prime. I had wanted to use it for Club Apopsis, but time is always my enemy. Deadlines do not forgive. So I had to go an emergency rewrite and drop 3 chapters to move this one up. But that's showbiz. Gotta be flexible.

The pitch perfect heels for MasterGin are the Subject 13 Cadaver Heels. To wear then on Legacy male, wear the update body's High Heel foot option. I love this! The shoes come in several colors, I used silver.   ...The striped suit by Gild is gorgeous. It fits so well, I love it. I used the cool pinestripes for that Mafia Diva look. The stripes are part of the fatpack textures.   ...The Bunny mask has a brilliant black texture with gold edges, perfect for the Egyptian theme with Cat Bot Prime.   ...The Garage X Zone backdrop by Teriyaki. I used the mod version to disable the Fulbright and tint the walls to my color themed image of cyans and red.   ....The garage is the perfect home for the Jey's Westinz Car-B. This car not only looks good, but doors move and fully drivable.   ...MasterGin has shiny glittery-like body skin thanks to the Ambrosian Body materials by Auro.   ...Working perfectly with bunny mask, is the 189 Hair by Ginko. Its long hair is pulled to the back in a loose braid.   ....The crop is something MasterGin always has, it's like a part of him. The one used here is in a furniture by Dictatorshop. ...The 2nd round of the Androgyny Event will last a little longer than Cyber Fair. You have until the 28th.

On Him, MasterGin:

Suit: Gild Levi suit, jacket, pants, legacy(m/A), fatpack [mesh](Androgyny Event)(1850L)

Mask: TERIYAKI _TRK_ Takea Flux [CYBER] [mesh](CyberFair)(699L)

Heels: Subject 13 S13 Cadaver Heel legacy male, silver [mesh](Androgyny Event)(300L)

Shine: [AURO] Ambrosian, Body FX Materials, legacy [mesh](Androgyny Event)(250L)

Hair: Ginko Hair #189 Hair [mesh]

Crop: DictatorShop *DS* Riding Crop [mesh]

Head: LeLUTKA lel EvoX CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Pose: STUN Marcos 4

Setting:

Setting: ZEROICHI C ZONE Backdrop Ambientlight, mod [mesh](CyberFair)(540L)

Bots: MYTHIC Cat Bot Prime - Bastet BOT [mesh](CyberFair)(640L)

Snake: MoonRabbit ~MR~SNEK SPIRIT~FATPACK [mesh]

Car: JEYS WESTINZ-CAR-B [mesh]

Barriers: Violetility Cyber Tape [mesh]

Red Carpet: FOXCITY Photo Booth, The Red Carpet

Big thanks for Akira for the help on the set!

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky

Cyber Fair: Escape from Club Apophis, 4

STORYLINE: One day ago, at Baseball Practice

The bat cracked like a whip.

Another ball soared past the outfield net, denting the fence. The batter didn’t even flinch. His body moved with frightening precision, hips snapping, arms fluid, as if something else was swinging through him.

“Who is that?” someone muttered near the dugout.

That’s when the high-pitched whirring answered. A sleek drone, pearlescent blue and humming with quiet excitement, zipped into view and hovered ten feet above the field. On its glossy chassis, the glowing insignia of The HEXA Herald, the university’s omni-channel newsstream, blinked to life.

RECORDING IN PROGRESS: BASEBALL PRACTICE, DAY 4
SUBJECT OF INTEREST: UNREGISTERED PLAYER? UNKNOWN TALENT?

“Zoom and enhance,” chirped a girl’s voice through the drone's speaker. “Is that... our team?”

The bot adjusted its lens, capturing the impressive player’s stance and the datapoints pulsing from his bat’s smart-core. An on-field player laughed: “Yo, Lathandro! Leave some fence for the rest of us!”

The drone froze mid-hover.

“Did he say Lathandro?” the voice asked, amused. “That can’t be right… Wait. Did the coach say it too? Rewind five minutes.”

The bot rewound.

"ROOKIE ROLL CALL!" Coach’s gravelly voice bellowed. “Lee? Minwoo? Kang? Sohyeon? Lathandro?”

Jihoon’s voice, calm and automatic: “Here.”

A pause. Then a gasp. “Oh my cyber-soul. That’s not even a real name on file, is it? M10, scrape the registry.”

Another pause. Then the data appears:

LATHANDRO
TRANSFER: LISTED TWO WEEKS AGO
MAJOR: UNDECLARED
FILE ORIGIN: RESTRICTED ADMIN LEVEL

“Ohhh, this is a story,” the reporter whispered, her voice brimming with glee.

The drone zipped away, collecting interviews. Girls giggling behind their visors:

“He’s, like, part machine or something.”
“I swear his bat glows.”
“Did you see his gloves? They look like something out of a noir assassin sim!

When asked about the mysterious rookie ringer, the coach only grunted: "Lathandro? No, no. That’s Yoon Jihoon. He calls his bat ‘Lathandro,' like it’s some kinda good luck charm. Hell of a swing on that kid. Hey, ... I don’t ask questions. I’m only interested in results.”

“Ahhhh, I see. So Lathandro is the bat,” the reporter said, barely hiding a smirk. The moment the mystery boy hit the ball, she knew he was marketable.

She already had her headline.

Later, that night — livestream from Jae Won Stadium

The HEXA Herald’s stream overlay sparkled to life. A stunning crimson glass cyborg girl with antennae, slick letterman jacket, and oversized holographic-enabled sneakers sat on the bleachers, holding a mic that gleamed like polished metal.

“Hey there, Dragonlets! It’s your girl, Reporter Lisa Liemawr, with Bot M10,” she winked. “Coming to you live from Jae Won Stadium, where I just discovered an incredible talent!"

M10 projected a montage of Jihoon’s footage: the swing in slo-mo, the glowing bat, the dented fence.

"...Mysterious, gorgeous, and slightly terrifying. It's... Lathandro!”

The floating bot squeaked happily beside her.

“And guess what?” Lisa grinned, raising one foot toward the camera. “There’s already merch! Check out these totally outrageous AHEGAO Lathandro slippers!”

She kicked her feet back and forth—the slippers, black and white with exaggerated cartoonish Jihoon faces, complete with drooling tongues and googly eyes, jiggled like a toy.

“He hates them. Like, absolutely hates them. Which is why I ordered ten more pairs!”

She leaned in, stage-whispering, “Naturally, they’re selling like hotcakes. Grab yours before the Friday opener and wear them loud, proud, and slightly cursed. Just 3,600 credits. Buy it now!”

Bot M10 flashed the QR code in midair with a happy ding.

“Lathandro’s legend is just getting started,” Lisa purred. “And The HEXA Herald has the exclusive!”

Laughs.  This was so crazy fun to do. Thanks to my fellow Blogger Bats, Aarya and Akira, for brainstorming and encouraging this wacky post.   ... The REKT Glass Automata is very cool. It come with cyborg skeleton and exoskeleton of glass. With the detailed image of the texture hud you can change the colors of the various parts. It's mod, so I rezzed the Exo Arms to hide the arms so they wouldn't clip the jacket.   ...Speaking of, the Pallas jacket and pants is by Kira. It has a wealth of color options. I went with a letter jacket type look instead of a cyberpunk style.   ...The Ursidxe Hair, Digital V2, worked perfectly with the Paw Paw headphones, BTRFLK-X01. The hair has many textures and streak options. The headphones come with butterfly wings, but you can hide them like I did. It also has a lot of texture options.   ...The Antenna-like horns, Tech Horn by {ID}, and the bridge augment add even more Reporter on the Scene type of vibe. They include texture options.  ...The eyes are Pixelated. Arcade Eyes, by IKON. They look smooth from the distance, but get up close and you get that 8 Bit artificial feeling.   ...The Face Implants are a tattooo layer by Physique X. They include a few options for different internal views and color wires.   ...The sunny college girl skin is Kyka by GLOOM. It's very nice, and I love the many color options. I used the Dracula, and then tinted the face to match the glass body as closely as I could. Then I made the skin Fulbright with a slight glow to match the head and body. Pretty cool trick!   ... M10 is the InkMe Space Robot 10. You Rez on the ground and click him to start his wander. The face blinks and glows.   ...But you guys want to talk about the funny shoes right? Diaboli Design's Mindbreak Slippers are another wild and eye-catching pair of shoes. This time with an anime face on it, making uh... funny faces. lol Lots of color and animation options, rigged. and unrigged.

On her, Reporter Lisa Liemawr:

Body, skeleton: REKT Glass Automata, Legacy [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Hair: URSIDXE Digital V2  [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Headphones: PawPaw BTRFLK-X01 Set [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Horns: {ID} Tech Horn, and Bridge Augment [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Outfit: Kiru Pallas Jacket (Fatpack) Legacy [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Shoes: Diaboli Design MindBreak Slippers Disco [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Eyes: IKON Arcade Eyes (BOM) - Paradise [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Tattoo: Physique X FI02 Face Implants Cyber ZR-33 / v1 [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Skin: Gloom Kyla Skin, Velour Fantasy, Dracula, tinted [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Microphone: Infinite Karaogay Microphone  [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Collar: Madame Noir Elsa Collar LEGACY [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Head, eyes: LeLUTKA lel EvoX LILLY 3.1 [mesh](3990L)

Pose: Foxcity Licky

Setting:

Pet: ::InkMe:: Space Robots 10 [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Bleachers: ANTINATURAL[+] Deathracer / Neon Bleachers [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky.

(Note: pants not included because they clipped the glass body)

Engine Room: Murder at the Cabaret, 2

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STORYLINE: Giselle hovered above her own body, limbs sprawled across the dressing room floor like a broken marionette. A single black feather from her headpiece drifted down, catching in a pool of spilled perfume, while downstairs, Le Rouge Noir pulsed on with its gilded glamor and champagne lies, unmoved by her absence. Now a ghost, translucent and shimmering in the haze of cigarette smoke, Giselle watched *her.*

Lady Dupree. 

That woman.... No, that *man* in disguise, her nemesis in satin gloves and fake eyelashes. They had fought for everything: applause, attention, the gold-ringed fingers of rich fools in velvet booths. The very name curled on Giselle’s ghostly tongue like bitter wine. That man, that fraud, had been her competition for nearly a decade. Always twirling in finer silks, always stealing glances from sugar daddies too drunk to care that “The Lady" was no lady at all. Every flirt, every wink, every applause had felt like a dagger between Giselle’s ribs.

So it made sense, didn’t it? That *he* would be the one to slip something in her drink. That *he* would finally outdo her... permanently.

But now… 

Now Lady Dupree was slumped over her cooling body, weeping into a handkerchief soaked in stage powder and tears, black eyeliner dripping like ink down her porcelain-painted cheeks. Her impeccable glamor crumbled. Her cries were raw, gasping. Not for attention. Not for performance. Dupree was clutching a tiny secret treasure, a locket with Giselle’s picture inside. 

Suddenly, her ghostly heart was snagged by something unexpected, -- guilt. 

She’s faking it, Giselle thought. She has to be. 

And yet, no one else wept. Not the dancers in their feathers and fake diamonds. Not the barkeep polishing glasses like souls weren’t slipping through the cracks. Not even René, the club owner with a heart made of debts and cigars. He’d only looked at the body once, grunted, and barked orders. 

“Put Lady onstage,” he said with all the empathy of a cash register. “She’s on in five.”

Even as The Lady clutched the hem of her sequined corset, begging for mercy, the stagehands dragged her into the wings. The spotlight did not wait for grief. 

Giselle shivered though no cold could touch her now, the club roared with drunken laughter, the clink of glasses, the soft growl of a jazz saxophone. The Master of Ceremony’s sinister voice echoed in her head: 

"Three days, darling, to find who ended your curtain call."

She glanced down where her body had fallen and back at Dupree, now center stage beneath the cruel glare of gold. Her sobs had quieted. Her eyes were empty, her makeup smeared.

The band began to play the music of what had been Giselle's act as if her death wasn’t a tragedy, just a messy inconvenience. 

Wow this was a complex challenge, I hope you all liked it. Lady Dupress was inspired by the Red Wine Burlesque set that includes fits for men. The bustle comes in rigged or unrigged, and the textures include many cool PBR textures including sequins.   ...The Lady's stage persona includes elements of both the bride and groom with the Stovepipe Hat and Wedding Veil by Grasshopper ST. Both come with texture huds. The Wedding Veil also comes with linked rigged or individual veils and individual unrigged options. Lace can be blend or mask ... The loose pulled back hairstyle into a braid is by Ginko Hair for girls and guys. (I love the white to black texture!)  ...And another win for fashionable gents and gals are the Pendle Boots by Seydr. There a several texture hud styles stuffed with color and lace options.  ...I combined the choker of Red Wine with the Random Matter's teardrop Xavia choker. It's unrigged and has texture options. ...The soulful eyes are Kairos Eyes by Mana with cat pupil and nice little glints.   ...The stage makeup Georgiana is by Eyecing. It includes several separate or combined makeup layers for white face paint, rouge, and moles in several key places.  Matching the damask pattern of the Red Wine corset are the BOM gloves by Miamai and stocking by Violent Seduction.  ...This stunning club setting is The Night Car Backdrop by FNY Designs, and Moon swing and poses by Fox City.

On her, Lady Dupree:

Outfit: MILKBATH Red Wine Burlesque, full set [mesh](Engine Room)(1200L)

Hair: Ginko Hair #189 Hair, Rigged, male [mesh](Engine Room)(465L)
Shoes: Seydr Pendle Boots, Legacy M [mesh](Engine Room)(750L) 
Hat: Grasshopper ST GHS Stovepipe Hat [mesh](Engine Room)(263L) 
Veil: Grasshopper ST GHS Wedding Veil [mesh](Engine Room)(300L) 

Necklace: Random Matter Xavia Choker [mesh](Engine Room)(200L)  

Eyes: Mana Kairos Eyes, Clear, 15 [BOM](Engine Room)(399L) 
Makeup: Eyecing Georgiana, fatpack  [BOM](Engine Room)(75L) 

Cane: Deadwool Goat cane - v1 [mesh](group gift)
Underwear: NOCHE. Latex Ayo Jockstrap, Legacy [mesh](249L)

Gloves: Miamai Latex Gloves_Black  [BOM] (220L)
Stockings: Violent Seduction Psyche Stockings, Black [BOM] 
Makeup: K R E E P Roaring 20s, EvoX [BOM](1L)

Makeup: SAXO Bleeding Eyes lel EVOX Unisex, tintable gift [BOM](1L)

Head: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Setting:

Moonswing, pose: FOXCITY Crescent Moon, with poses, Gold [mesh](370L)
Set FNY Designs The Night Car Backdrop [mesh](999L)

BONUS IMAGE: inworld raw shot, midday sky. 

BONUS CLOSEUP: edit only for hat shadow & background.

Engine Room: the Automaton Blood Doll

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Miss Anna was stuck in a nightmare. The dream began as she was piloting her small airship above New Deco. She was about to dock at the SkyCrypt, when there was a horrible explosion. Flames, and fire. Then pain, screams, and the roaring wind in her ears. She was falling, falling, falling forever but never hitting the ground. She didn't know how long she was stuck in the dream. Suddenly, gravity hit her like a wall of bricks. Her eyes snapped open to strange sounds like whirls and clicks. “Thank the Gods of Invention and Blood!” That voice.... yes, she knew that voice, it was her master, the vampire Monsieur Bleu. “There was a horrible accident, my love." He lifted her stiff heavy hand. "This was all I could do to save you," he whispered as he kissed it. Strange, she felt nothing. She wanted to scream, but had no voice. She began to thrash wildly. "I will find who did this," his outrage barely contained. Knowing what she wanted to see, he held her hand firmly, as if to say "be calm," and slowly guided her off the platform towards the scene of the blast. Light leaked from the crumbling wall and gleamed on her beautiful metallic doll face. “It is a new day. Whatever challenges come, we will face it together.”

Engine Room! Necrotize! And Halloween! Three of the coolest events in SecondLife! This post was inspired by awesome gothic items at Engine Room and Necrotize that work wonderfully for a classic vampire style. How sweet is that? From the Engine Room: Mr Bleu is wearing an excellent hairstyle all dapper gents need, Ginko Hair #97. And just as elegant is the VC Lab outfit, top and pants, Favorite II. The jeweled brooch is awesome. The skeleton Necro-mask is by Dreamcatcher and on sale at Necrotize. Between Bleu and Anna is the Hot Air Balloon Chandelier by Architect. Anna is wearing the Gracious Dress by toksik. And for when you need to be really over the top, try the Beatrice Collar by DREAMCATCHER! Anna's face is the Bespoke Marionette Doll Head. It takes EvoX textures. For extra machine touches, are the Realm Eyes by TWC, and layers of the Fallen Gods Metropolis tattoo, and Materica skin. Have you tried Aii's new BOM hairstyles? The Sonata Hair comes with a normal hud, but you can also switch it to the fancy next generation of hairstyles by going to BOM mode. And one more fun item from Engine Room is the metal Fan by Arts&Gears. It's interactive with animations to flick your wrist to open and close the fan.

On Him, Monsieur Bleu:
Hair: Ginko Hair #97 Hair - Rigged, Male [mesh](Engine Room)(465L)
Outfit: V.C.LAB Favorite II - Legacy M, red [mesh](Engine Room)(289L)
Mask: DREAMCATCHER Necro-mask [mesh](Necrotize)(199L)
Earring: RAWR! Ankh Queen ELF MALE EvoX Earrings [mesh] 
Claws: RAWR! Merciless Claws Legacy MALE [mesh] 

Eyes: S0NG Charmmy - Lust Eye [mesh] (50L)
Cape: egosumaii Catacomb Prince Cape, gacha [mesh] 

Head, Lips, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution .2.5 [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.0) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: FOXCITY Forever After (200L)

On Her, Anna the Automaton Blood Doll:

Guest Appearance: Aarya Phantomhive. For complete stylecard, go to Dark Phantom blog.
Dress: toksik Gracious Dress (Lara) [mesh](Engine Room)(500L)

Collar: DREAMCATCHER Beatrice Collar [mesh](Engine Room)(199L)

Head: BeSpoke Doll Marionette - Head, female [mesh](Engine Room)(600L)

Hair: Aii Sonata Hair [F] [L style3] + {HAIR HELL} [mesh](Engine Room)(500L)

Eyes: [TWC] Realm Eyes (Gld-Blue)(Engine Room)(400L)

Fan: Arts&Gear *AG* Iron fan R[A] (Engine Room)(220L)

Tattoo: Fallen Gods METROPOLIS Rust Prototype, complete[mesh](Engine Room)(480L)

Skin: Fallen Gods Materica female +FGInc.+ RUST Elegance [mesh](1200L)

Setting:
Lamp: Architect Hot Air Balloon Chandelier [mesh](Engine Room)(275L)
Decor: Pitaya The Last Vampire - Long Banner, Curtains, Candelabra, Coffin, Chains 01 [mesh]

Setting: Remarkable Oblivion Danse Macabre - Ruins Stage RARE [mesh]

Thanks for your help, Aarya!

Midnight Order: Scandalous

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Stop the Presses! Oh, my dear dark hearted readers of Midnight Magazine, today is a Daily Scandal for the record books! Remember how, with her engagement to the King, the Queen of the Succubi promised to be a shiny example of Dark Camelot's high minded ideals? Oh but dear readers, you know where this is heading or this column wouldn’t be called the Daily Scandal! Our intrepid photog captured on camera the Queen's secret rendezvous with someone who is definitely not a friend to succubi! In fact, he is the last person you would expect to become entangled with one. Yes, you heard me right. The White Knight, an unstoppable enforcer of justice and punisher of the wicked, was caught at the castle in the throws of passion drinking the Queen's blood right under the King's nose! It's a Shocker! Could the rumors be true its not the King’s awesome power that keeps the White Knight in line? Oh my, the taste of that sweet, sweet seductive succubi blood must be quite a weakness for our nocturnal Lancelot. Stay Tuned, dear Readers, as we confront the King with this shocking image!

Hahaha This is was a fun image to do, 2nd in my Midnight Magazine series. Many thanks to Aarya Phantomhive for teaming up with me for this. There is another version of this image that shows more of the setting, be looking for it!  

Lots of goodies from the current round of Midnight Order. The Bete Noire waistcoat by Contraption with Turb, has something I wish all clothing had, -- alpha channels. You can hid the sleeves, the tie, and all parts so it can fit under the matching coat by Turb, also at the event. The top includes a harness for guns, can you buy the Contraptions sold separately, or add your own. It even has options for left handed, right handed, or both. The top comes with many texture options by hud. And you can also get matching pants for a complete Film Noir badass look. The Order Gauntlets by Static have fits for many avatars. Love them! And the BADs earrings rigged to fit Lelukta human or elf ears. The setting is beautiful gothic skybox, that comes in regular and crimson, Lordhunter Crypt by Spires Society. For more information on what Aarya is wearing, go to Dark Phantom blog.

On him, the White Knight vampire:

Top: ContraptioN x TURB Bete Noire Waistcoat Legacy M [mesh](Midnight Order)(500L)
Gloves: Static Order Gauntlets, Legacy M [mesh](Midnight Order)(365L)
Earring: BADa Cross B Earrings < Human EvoX [mesh](Midnight Order)(229L)
Hair: Dura U109-HAIR-FAT PACK FA/ Male [mesh](380L)

Blood, chalice, arm pose: sacrilege eternal damnation [BOM](329L)

Pants: toksik Remnant Pants Legacy M, White [mesh](240L)
Head, Lips, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution .2.5 [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.0) [mesh](5000L)
Pose: FOXCITY Close (200L)

On Her, The Queen of the Succubi:

Guest Appearance: Aarya Phantomhive. For complete stylecard, go to Dark Phantom blog.

Bodysuit: Enfant Terrible Lendsey Body [mesh](Midnight Order)( 225L)

Sleeves: Enfant Terrible Lendsey Sleeves [mesh](Midnight Order)(199L)

Hair: S-Club Emily [mesh](Midnight Order)(399L)

Horns: Unholy Asmodeus [mesh](Midnight Order)(450L)

Wings: Aii & Ego Night Glamour [mesh](Midnight Order)(1000L)

Eyes: Ikon Deadshine [mesh](Midnight Order)(390L)

Setting:
Skybox: Spires Society Lordhunter Crypt_Bloodlust Mesh [mesh](Midnight Order)(1500L)

Smoke: Midjourney love spell smoke effect clipart created in AI

Thanks for your help, Aarya!

Summerfest 2019: The Vampire Pool Party

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Summer is a time for going to the beach, splashing in the surf, and soaking in the sun. But what about the creatures of the night? Are they doomed to never experience the joys of summer?  Well down on the Moonset Strip at a little club called the Rockabilly Rox, the vampires are throwing a hell of a pool party. The speakers are blasting, coffins and headstones lined in neon, beach balls bouncing everywhere, and over at the dance floor the Nosferatu are splashing around happily in inflatable pools filled with suspicious looking red liquids. Who says only humans get to enjoy summer?

Summerfest is close to an end, but forget to grab the the fun-gear for your Summer. The image above was inspired by Schadenfreude's fun inflatable pool, bat wing inner tubes and floating drink holders. All them come with a hud to change the colors combinations in many ways, and their materials catch a perfect plasticky look in the light. The floating drink holder and ring, will slowly turn on the water for a realistic floating effect. The inner tube also comes in a Vehicle version, so you can race around and terrorize your neighbors in your own floating batmobile. There is a wearable ring, and floating ring and inner tube both have poses  build into them. The skull shaped inflatable pool can change its colors and even do a sugar skull texture versions. And you can change the water color from white, blue, pink, toxic green or of course red.  On the floor are beautiful Triton beach towels with poses from Balaclava.  From S16B, I picked up the cool Tootime club skybox by Anxiety for 30% off. Also from Anxiety are the neon gravestone group gift, and the neon coffin from the Cult gacha. The finishing touch of neon wireframe palm trees are from Foxcity.

Setting:
Pool, pose: Schadenfreude Skull Inflatable Pool [mesh](Summerfest)(250L)
Inner Tube: Schadenfreude Bat Inner Tube, float [mesh](Summerfest)(250L)
Cupholder: Schadenfreude Bat Inflatable Cupholder, floating can [mesh](Summerfest)(250L)
Beach towel: Balaclava Triton Beach Towel Flamingo [mesh](Summerfest)(120L)
Beach towel: Balaclava  Triton Beach Towel Strelitzia [mesh](Summerfest)(120L)
Coffin: anxiety CULT [Neon Coffin] BLACK, gacha [mesh](75L)
Tombstones: anxiety neon gravestone 7 group gift [mesh](free)
Palm trees: Foxcity Potted Wireframe Mood Plant  [mesh]
Skybox: anxiety TOOTIMEclub skybox [mesh](SL16B, Golden)(280L) 30% off

Also from Summerfest are the retro Surfer sunglasses by Bondi which comes with a hud to make many different color combinations and bonus fatpack colors, and Val hair from Action that includes the option to turn rings in the hair on or off. Vampire Valerie is modeling the pose from Eidolon available in the Sumer Picnic Pack.

On Him, Vampire Val:
Wings: Schadenfreude Inflatable Bat Wing [mesh](Summerfest)(250L)
Sunglasses: BONDI Surfer Sunglasses [mesh](Summerfest)(205L single, 445L fatpack)
Hair: Action Inkubator Val [mesh](Summerfest)(377L)
Collar: Artificial Hallucination  +AH+ Belt Collar male rig [mesh](249L)
Teeth: 6DOO bento vampire teeth Cuspid fangs [mesh](250L)
Ears: Mandala STEKING_EARS_Season5 [mesh](697L)
Tattoo: silentsparrow Spooky Tattoos - Slink & Omega Appliers - SL Av Tattoo Layers (199L)
Tattoo: Izzie's Face & Body Blood & Wounds (199L)
Mesh head: Raven Bell  BJD Bento Head James // OMEGA-UV [mesh] (2000L)
Body: Signature Gianni - Mesh Body [mesh](3500L)

On Her, Vampire Valerie:

Top: 1313 Mockingbird Lane Norma Jean Swim Halter Black Polka Dot [mesh] (Lootbox)(50L)
Bottom: 1313 Mockingbird Lane Norma Jean Swim Briefs Black Polka Dot [mesh] (Lootbox)(50L)
Gloves: Addams Marion Gloves Custome Maitreya [mesh](75L)
Glasses: Barbwire Bettie .:BB:. Punk Pin-up glasses - Black skull [mesh](60L)
Necklace: deviousMind dM! LaSombra VampireNecklace ONYX/SILVER [mesh](225L)
Hair: Alice Project Kumi Bloody White [mesh](Halloween hair)(50L)
Tattoo: Izzie's Face & Body Blood & Wounds (199L)
Skin, eyemakeup: Pink Fuel [PF] Harley <Porcelain> fatpack (1500L)
Head: RavenBell BJD Lance Head // OMEGA-UV [mesh](2000L)
Body: Maitreya Mesh Body Lara [mesh](2750L)
Pose: EIDOLON Summer Picnic Pack, Bambiberry Wine (Summerfest)(100L)

Thank you for your help, Fulli!