[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019bf21c-4359-754b-bbbc-48a99ebf447a.webp[/img][/center][hr][center][i]“The truth is only hidden to those who do not seek it…”[/i][/center]
Maya gasped as she awoke, and promptly coughed as her lungs filled with essential oil vapours. When her fit was done, she was momentarily confused as she blinked at her surroundings, but it all came back to her quickly. She was in the bath; specifically, she was in her new, massive, custom-made tub, sized more like a large hot tub than a bath, built into the floor of her newly-renovated master bathroom at the top of one of Juniperus’ most exclusive condo buildings. She was surrounded by glossy black marble tiles, gently illuminated by a host of floating candles, and enshrouded in a dense fog of chamomile-and-rose-scented steam. 

She shook her head, reclining back against the side of the tub. That dream again. She must have drifted off in the bath. No wonder; she glanced to her left, where the sky was just starting to lighten in her floor-to-ceiling window, the last few stars finally winking out as inky blackness slowly turned to blue. Normally, the only thing that could get her up this early was a golden hour photoshoot, but ever since that dream came to her in the middle of the night, she couldn’t sleep a wink. Well, until now, apparently.  

Maya was hardly one for analyzing dreams - she'd leave that new age stuff to the tiktokers - but it was odd that she couldn't seem to shake this one. She usually didn't remember her dreams at all, or if she did, they didn't usually [i]recur[/i]. And this one wasn't even scary or particularly interesting; she couldn't think of any reason it should have stuck with her so firmly. Yet here she was. A bath was supposed to clear her head, not bring the dream back. Although, she supposed it must have relaxed her enough to get a few extra winks, so that was something. 

The sharp buzz of her phone on the tile next to her startled her yet again, but it provided a welcome distraction. Maya grabbed it before it could wander into the water, ignoring the torrent of notifications for the moment in favour of opening her camera. Cheesecloth pouches of oats floated around her, turning the water milky and opaque, and rehydrated rose petals from her bath bombs provided a nice pop of colour to compliment the candles; the first few rays of sunlight even made an appearance to give the steam a dreamy glow. She carefully poked one knee up out of the water (quite chastely, of course), making sure to catch the label of one of her sponsors’ products in the frame, before spending a few minutes composing an Instagram post. 

[indent][indent]“Soaking up the last sunrise of the millennium ☀️😊 
How are YOU spending the last day of the 900’s? 👀
#NewYearNewMe #MillenniumFestival 
#Bathfluencer #FlowUp”[/indent][/indent]
She made sure to tag the manufacturer of the bath kit she used, as well as her skin care partners and her own new collaborative line of scented oils, attaching shop links to the relevant parts of the photo with practiced ease. After all, if she was going to be up this early, she might as well make it worth her while.

[center]~ /// ~[/center]
Maya’s freakishly early start made a long day even longer, but she couldn't argue with the results: By the time her limousine rolled up to the Cathedra Incepta, she had enough sponsor placements littered through the day’s content to pay her security budget for the coming year, and a couple of emails from new brands with collab pitches that Maya intended to leave unread for the next several days at least. As a bonus, she already had #SeenAtTheMillenniumFestival trending, and her followers were positively teeming with anticipation for who she'd find to collab with throughout the night. She was dressed to the nines in a new dress from a new designer she was working with, and Edmund was even looking presentable, and all with only a couple of hunger-induced outbursts. 

Not bad for a day’s work, in her opinion. 

And her designer did not disappoint. When she stepped onto the red carpet, she was the very picture of glamorous elegance. Her dress was nearly black, the only indication of any color being ripples of dark blues and turquoises on the skirt and the dearest rim of white along the hem, like a tiny cresting wave. It might have looked plain, but the true character of the dress came out when Maya stepped out of the car: In the light, previously invisible black-on-black embroidery shimmered to life, depicting the gnarled and curling arms of a sea monster unfurling around the bodice and down the skirt, lurking just within the dark fabric. The dress had a high neck, but no sleeves, kept modest by a black fur stole wrapped around Maya’s shoulders. A black gossamer veil completed the look, invisible save for the matching crystals that made her long black hair look like a night sky full of stars. 

It was with some displeasure, then, that Maya realized she might have been the first Scion to arrive at the cathedral. Dammit, her early start got her ahead of schedule, but she didn’t think she’d be [i]this[/i] far ahead! Ugh, half the audience wouldn’t even be watching the ceremony broadcast this early; she didn’t put all this work in just to be missed by people still busy making dinner! 

But it was too late now; she was out, and the cameras were on her. Maya met them with a flawless smile, of course, stalwart in the face of this unfolding disaster, and comforted herself with the thought that this would make her look like the most pious of the current crop of Scions. 

She was already mentally composing a tweet about being [i]so lucky[/i] to spend an extra few minutes with the Goddess when a reporter met her on the red carpet. He flashed a treatment-white smile at Maya and shoved a microphone in her face. “Scion Maya, it’s big news that you recently became the biggest account on Instagram, breaking a ten-year record for highest follower count. What’s your secret, Your Holiness?”

Maya returned the reporter’s smile with a winning one of her own, looking positively radiant and completely humbled. [color=dodgerblue]“Honestly Drew, I don’t think I have a secret,”[/color] she replied sweetly. There was about a 60% chance that this was the reporter she thought it was. [color=dodgerblue]“Everything I have comes from The Goddess, and if She’s choosing to reach out to the younger generation through social media, then I’m just honoured to be able to facilitate that.”[/color]

“Wow, what a beautiful sentiment,” said the reporter, glancing at the camera. Either he [i]was[/i] the one Maya thought he was, or he wasn't willing to correct a Scion on his proper name. Either option worked for Maya. “Thank you very much Your Holiness, and enjoy the night!”

[color=dodgerblue]“Thank [i]you[/i] so much, Drew,”[/color] Maya added intently, turning to the camera herself to blow a kiss. [color=dodgerblue]“And may the blessing of the Mother go with you and all your viewers in the new year!”[/color]

The reporter moved on to the next Scion arriving, and Maya took advantage of the momentary distraction, slowing to walk beside Edmund and producing her phone.

[color=dodgerblue]“Hang back and get a good shot of me going through the doors,”[/color] she whispered, tapping his forearm. [color=dodgerblue]“It’ll be perfect to close off my Year in Review.”[/color]

She gave Edmund a knowing smirk and walked on again, making sure to strike an appropriately awed and pensive pose under the imposing arch of the cathedral’s historic doors before proceeding inside. She didn’t bother to look behind her, quite confident that Edmund would get the shot.[hr][right][@webboysurf][/right]