mr. fanservice

Sefu Iskandar stands at the center of a stage in a brand new suit, surrounded by shadows that wield cameras and flashes and speedlights and softboxes, all looming over him and waiting for a signal. The boy’s body language is as strong and energetic as ever, but even through the screen you can sense the hollowness in his eyes as the Assistant whirls around in their chair and snaps.

He barks out orders as shutters click and lights flash, and Sefu obeys without a word. He shifts effortlessly from pose to pose as the lamps grow brighter and the shadows circle closer, revealed as carbon copies of the gas-masked man as they draw closer to the light. Regardless of his efforts, none of them seem pleased with his work– it starts as nudges into the poses they seem to want, but escalates quickly to shoves and slaps that the broken boy barely reacts to as he holds his position.

His mind had left this place long ago; it died when he’d realized what he’d done, right there among his friends in the middle of that trial. So as the execution streaming cameras lost sight of his twirling body amidst the crowd, it didn’t feel as much like execution as it did putting him out of his misery.

The only sign of Sefu in all the commotion is the occasional yelp loud enough to carry past the machinery noises, or the rare glimpse of an arm or leg bent at an unnatural angle. Time passes at an excruciating pace, leaving your imagination to wonder what’s happening to him, if the video has an end, if they’ll ever let you leave this room. Finally, finally, the shadows retreat like curtains pulling away to reveal the final attraction…

The bruised and broken body of Sefu Iskandar, propped up on a chair like a ragdoll.

The Assistant walks out on stage, straightens the corpse’s tie, and takes a photo for himself.

[Sefu Iskandar, the SHSL Suit Model, has been executed.]

This had affected them all. Rich could feel the unease, cloaking the room. But even though they were all apprehensive, there was no denying that some were affected more than others. And it didn’t take a genius to see that Sefu was one of the ones who wasn’t quite taking this very well.

Rich spent a few moments gathering his thoughts- or, rather, pushing them into the back of his mind for later- and let his eyes wander a little. He stopped at Sefu, and it was a minute before he decided that someone ought to help. He probably needed any bit of comfort or assurance, or even a distraction, that he could get right now. And Rich was good at being distracting, at least.

“Hey, um. Are you okay..?” He reached out a hand gingerly and hesitantly, and as he spoke Sefu’s name, he gave him a very quiet tap on the shoulder, not really sure what to do. “S… Sefu?”

If there was anyone on the ship whose appearance alone could snap Sefu out of his stupor, it would have to be Rich. And it did-- even before the boy’s hand reached his shoulder, he blinked and shook his head as if trying to wake himself up.

“A-ah! Uh--” wait what was his name again it was the really long one-- “--Sir Fourth! Um... hi!” He was quiet for a moment, then cocked his head to the side, noticing the worried look on Rich’s face-- or well, what he could see of it with those huge sunglasses covering his eyes.

Toki was glad to be out of her restraints; they hadn’t exactly been anything she hadn’t dealt with before, but it still was a pretty terrible situation. Just looking around she could see Sefu looking distressed as all hell. Poor guy. She was used to fearing for her life, but these poor kids had probably never even had to think about this kind of thing. Let alone perpetually cheerful Sefu.

“Hey, Sefu? You okay there, big guy?”

Toki asked once she was close enough to talk very softly to him. She hesitated before very gently patting his arm,

“If you, um, if you keep twisting your tie like that you’ll r-rip it-”             

Sefu froze for a couple of seconds when he felt something touch his arm, but as his surroundings settled in around him, he straightened his tie obediently.

“O-oh. Sorry, um…” He glanced up to see who was talking to him– oh, the nice ballet lady. He barely held eye contact for a few moments before glancing down at the floor again.

Someone was approaching, fast and with a ton of force. Kitao. He was rushing over to Sefu because he was clearly the other strongest person here and..right now something was bothering Kitao.

SAILOR, SAILOR , SAILOR!! THIS ISN’T RIGHTY IGHT

Kitao yelled as he rushed up to Sefu, stopping short of plowing into the other teen.

Sefu sure looked like he wanted to scream, but the only sound that came out was a tiny whimper as he curled up defensively in his chair. It took him a few seconds to process that the voice wasn’t-- it was just Kitao who always talked loud he wasn’t mad at him. Probably?

He peeped at him over his knees as reality began to settle in again, then unfurled himself and stood up warily.

Akito gently aproached Sefu. He didn’t quite know how to help the other, but at the same time he felt he did have to at least try to do something. 

“…We’re free now, though,” the composer wasn’t the best at talking to people, or helping them, but was trying, “Things won’t be as bad,” he tried to say gently, and also tried to gently pat the other.

“Huh?” Sefu blinked up at Akito when the boy touched his shoulder. Oh... The clamps were gone and the lights were on, and the nice red-headed boy from earlier was here. Were they supposed to get up now?

He stood up quickly and smoothed out his jacket with a nervous laugh.

“That….” At first, Candela seems to be about to make a tirade of words against Sefu.

“…Is honorable. Thank you for expressing your lack of knowledge truthfully. That is a highly courageous thing to do. I can note that many other people would attempt to bluff, or change the topic of conversation. You are highly courteous.”

Aww, cute. And true. Sefu is great.

He froze a little as she started to speak, but...

“You’re not... mad at me?” Wasn’t he wasting her time? He cocked his head to the side in confusion, but a small smile crept across his face as she continued. “Um... thank you, Miss,” he mumbled, glancing down at the floor again.

“Hmm …?”

She was a bit confused when he giggled over her use of the word suit, and it took a moment before she realized it had been a pun. Oh. 

“Ah ….”

She paused, pondering his questions. 

“Yes, I suppose … I would be dealing with that sort of stuff. I … am sure there is something for you to do. Perhaps it may not have to do with your talent … but … there must be something else you are good at, yes?”

It was her own way of trying to reassure him.

“Well, I’m strong, and I can cook some, and that’s about it, ahaha! But as long as I’m helping somehow, I’ll be happy!” He beamed at her again with a renewed intensity. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out, huh?”

“Huh… Yeah, you do have a point….” Akito didn’t know how to react to Sefu’s comment about not being smart for most things, but he didn’t think there was anything wrong with physical work. Besides, Akito wasn’t particularly smart for most things outside music and maybe cooking, either, “Every little thing you do to help others is important, I think, at least that’s what I believe in,”

“I like the way you think! Ahahaha!” Akito still hadn’t said anything about his talent, but Sefu of all people understood not wanting to talk about talents!

“Aha, now the formal attire makes sense.”

“And why shouldn’t it? If that is your talent, it only makes sense to be wearing that. Otherwise, how would people recognize you? As the SHSL Suit Model I mean.”

You say that, but you aren’t exactly carrying around a bow and quiver at all times, are you Dexter?

“I-I didn’t, um... I didn’t really want people to recognize me though. I dun’ like attention much. I wouldn’t be wearing this if I hadn’t just woken up in it!” He shrugged. “I’d rather people recognize me as a-- a nice person, a friend, y’know... rather than a celebrity or somethin’.”

It took a few seconds for him to realize the potential for misinterpretation there.

WEEEEeeeEEEELLLLLL… Learning to fist takes bit but you got the first steppy step right.

The first thing you want to work on is for sure your posture. The way you stand, your stance, can be the determining factor of a fight. Your pose right now is pretty good but not great. You need to widen your stance just a bit more and move one foot farther back. Since I’m right handed you should shift your left foot back to act as a brace.

“Yeah, attention is …. bleh. I don’t want people, like. Staring at me. That’s weird. Pretty bold to take it as a job. Even if you don’t like it. Y'know? I dunno.”

Shirokawa doesn’t know what she’s talking about - not that she ever does. She tipped her head to the side and shrugged, pretending to crack her knuckles.

“I mean. That depends on the type you buy. Lotsa variables that go into it. Some sorta cheap. Some really expensive. Expensive stuff is the best. But the cheap stuff isn’t bad. Wouldn’t sell it otherwise.” she spoke quietly, often pausing between sentences. “I dunno. I like liquor better. But wine is what I make. So it’s whatever, I guess. Stupid church gets their ‘blood of Christ’, or whatever. Other people get wine-drunk. All works out.”

“Mmh...”

Sefu didn’t much like talking about his career or why he was in it at all, and Shirokawa’s frankness only upset him more-- not that he was mad at her or anything, but between that and the quiet vitriol seeping through her words as she spoke of her primary client, he thought maybe it would be best to just... change the subject entirely.

“Awww, thank you!”

Having a Super High School Level Model Model compliment her appearance was already amazing enough as is, but his excitement at the prospect of dance lessons was so childishly adorable, Toki couldn’t help but visibly grin with exictement,

“Of course! There’s a serious lack of male ballerinas these days, so even just giving you some basics would be super fun!”

She took a small risk and, willing herself to not freak out, gently patted Sefu’s arm in the most friendly way she could muster,

“I assure you, no one is too much of a klutz for ballet. Trust me, honey, I’ve seen some real terrible attempts, but you’ve got a good build! Especially if you were to work with a partner, those arms would be perfect for a fish lift, but as a beginner, a finger turn might be much easier as a starter-”

Toki, your nerd is showing.

“Well I’m afraid you haven’t met me! Like, I can hold a pose well enough y’know, but once I have to start moving and stuff... fwump!” He flopped his hand over to the side, pantomiming his own graceless topple.

“But if you think I can do it, Miss Nakajou, I’ll give it a shot! I’m not really sure what turning fingers or lifting fish has to do with ballet, but... I can lift a fish! I can probably lift a dozen fish, depending on the fish... Sharks may be too big.”

Himori was super excited to be here. It was exhilarating to experience such adventure! There were so many sights and people, she was unable ot remain still as a result of the excess energy.

She took out her trusted camera and snapped shots of everything around her. It wasn’t necessarily something she was doing consciously, but moreso akin to a compulsive action.

She went up to the nearest one of her classmates and took a picture, the flash going off in the poor person’s face.

“Ooops! Sorry ‘bout all of that! I didn’t realize the flash would be so bright in your eyes!”

She laughed. and set her camera back by her side.

“YIPES please don’t-- don’t do that!!” Sefu yelped, ducking away from the camera flash like he was being shot at. After a few seconds though, he remembered where he was and that she wasn’t-- he stood up straight and fixed the collar of his jacket with a nervous laugh.

Rich paused for a second.

“I’m… I’m, um. No? No, I wouldn’t think there’s police in space. Or space laws, even. Would there be? I wonder if you break a space law, when you reach Earth, are you arrested…?”

He shook himself, as if shaking away the thought. Whatever! If that was a problem, it was a problem for the future.

“As far as I know, there are no casinos in space, but I’m here, and that’s pretty much the next best thing.” Rich dug around in various pockets, showing everything he was carrying on his person- two red dice, a pack of playing cards, and a singular poker chip. “I even came prepared, a little. So maybe I can fill in, in lieu of a big casino. But it’s not like I’m carrying around a roulette wheel or a poker set in my pockets, I suppose…”

“… Damn.” He sighed. “I suppose I’m too eager to get back to work already.”

“Ahahaha, well we don’t have to do it right now!“ Sefu didn’t really want to get arrested either... wait, how would you get arrested for playing card games? There was the age limit, but if they weren’t in a casino, what was Sir Fourth so worried about?

She watched as his mood changed when he responded to her question, and felt a slight pang of guilt. It looked like he found it to be a more sensitive topic …

“… It is fine … I do not mean any offense.”

“I, too … have things I do not like talking about … I should not have asked.”

She paused. She didn’t want to say too much, yet she felt bad for seemingly upsetting him. But what more could she say? 

“… I do like the suit you are wearing currently. It … suits you …”

Here was her attempt to cheer him up, though it was pretty badly done and quite awkward as well. She didn’t even realize the unintentional pun she’d made. 

“It’s okay Miss Ming-Hua! You don’t have to apologize...” Honestly, an apology was way more than he was used to from anyone.