recolle | [OPEN]

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[OPEN]

WHO: Sakura Tohsaka, YOU
WHERE: Recollé Park, the Leviathan's Claw
WHEN: 9.22.17
WHAT: Either Sakura's drawing your character as a fantasy trope or she's telling you ghost stories to sell wares. This girl's got shit to do.
WARNINGS: Maybe vague mentions of monster horror in her drawings/stories, but otherwise none!

I. Draw Me Like Your French Girls, Senpai

[There's only so long Sakura will allow herself to skimp out on drawing practice, so come Friday she heads out of her apartment early, art supplies carefully tucked underneath her arm in a pink tote bag. To her luck, she lives within walking distance of Recollé Park, and with the brisk morning air to clear her thoughts, she's in the proper mindset once she settles on the dew-dropped grass. For what exactly?

Well, that's where everyone else comes in. You might feel a pair of eyes on you, stranger, in the form of a young woman sneaking glances before her hand winds around her drawing pad. Though she'll do her best to avoid eye-contact, it's pretty obvious what she's doing. The real question is who is she drawing.

You?

Maaaaaybe.

For anyone bold or annoyed enough to demand an answer or steal a peek, they'll see Sakura's gotten creative with her people watching. She's not just drawing who she sees; between the gesture drawing and expression studies, she's traded normal outfits for a more fantastical flair, reimagining everyone as D&D characters. Perhaps she's decided you make a fine-looking Barbarian, Miss, or the person over yonder is looking particularly Rogue-ish today. And for the truly unfortunate among you -- Sakura did you just draw that poor dude getting eaten by the Kraken?

There sure are a lot of monsters in this sketchbook.]

II. I Wouldn't Turn Around If I Were You

[And after she inevitably loses her nerve and vows never to draw in public again--

It's work time! Specifically at the Leviathan's Claw, here to serve all your weird nicknack and supernatural needs. At first it seems no one's manning the front until you wander further in, and a smiling face pops up right behind you, esteemed customer.]

Ah, how may I be of service to you? Oh but please speak quietly -- [Voice in a whisper, she leans in with a hand half-covering her mouth. Her expression is dead serious.]

I haven't yet caught our Kuchisake-onna, and it's best you not see her without her mask on...

III. Wildcard

[What weirdness do you wanna see? I am here to make all dreams come true. Just PM me or leave a prompt, I will follow along.]

-----

[ooc: For the first prompt, let me know if you prefer I RNG what Sakura draws your character as, or if you have a specific outfit you'd like seen!]

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Eeeeh...! That's nearby where I am. [Living in that rundown building in Tisse is apparently good for something today. Guess she's officially recruited for Team Union.

Putting that aside for now, Sakura's delight is actually two-fold. Picture finally complete, she tucks her pencil
behind her ear and holds it at a distance to observe.]

I actually got one done...

[everyone kept interrupting her before, this is practically a Christmas Miracle]

Nice! Lookin' forward to seein' you there, then. [ he's pleased as punch...

also maybe consider someday move out of her crappy tisse apartment, yeesh!! while john doesn't quite sit up yet, he does push back his hat to squint against the sun. he raises a hand to block it out, glancing to her. ]

Ah, really? Mind if I get a look?

[Listen John she doesn't have "better apartment" money right now. She's staying in that hellhole until the second coming of Christ. Or her sister bombs it off the face of the Earth.

And as it'd be in poor taste to hide the drawing after using him as a model...] Sure, here.

[She holds it out for him, the bulk of the pages keeping the sun from blinding him.

So congratulations, John, you've been assigned the role of Lazy Bum, which has jack all to do with her previous D&D sketches. She really did just draw him reclined against the grass with some choice shading to create the illusion of the sun on him. If he has any affinity for art, he might see where she cheated - drawing his hands tucked underneath his head, not bothering with the eyes because they're hidden under his hat - but seeing as that's what her model was doing, eh. She's cutting herself some slack.]

[ where's the lie ]

[ john stares at it, expression falling to something neutral-- that's not a tree or a hill or anything else, no, even if he can occasionally. you know, do his tree thing. ]

Oh.

[ ... he probably say something more than just that though. he props himself halfway up on his elbows, allowing a smile to reform. indeed, he doesn't realize that the lack of hands or eyes points to anything other than she saw and recreated. ]

—It's good! You did that pretty fast...

["Oh"

How to Give an Artist a Heart Attack in One Syllable: a novel by John Becker.

Sakura hears the initial reply, and the thought bubble that pops above her head fills with anxiety-induced static while she sits rigid and nervous. By the grace of God she doesn't yank the picture away, but she has to bite her tongue in order to keep a wave of apologies from escaping.]

Yeah... I mean, thank you! [A quiet wince]

Sorry, I probably should've warned you. I came out here sketching... [Her hand gestures at everyone in the park - both the passerbys or anyone who feels like taking a catnap in the sun]

[ how to continually eff up potential friendships: a sequel, by john becket ]

[ at least he has the decency to realize this; the static is helpful to pointing to where that went wrong. john's hasty in waving his hand through the air. his own smile, while apologetic, is bright again. ]

You don't gotta apologize for whatever. Even if I know not to be too complimented, 'cause you're just practicin' and all... It just ain't often that a guy like me gets his picture done all nice, y'know?

[ l a m e explanation... he represses a sigh. ]

But, yeah. I meant what I said, so you're welcome.

[Well, potential lameness aside, the explanation helps. Whether or not she suspects he's paying lip service to alleviate her feelings, Sakura tends to feel better when an attempt is made. That's usually all she needs to relax again.]

Oh... I see.

[She shakes her head, her own attempt at airing away her nervousness]

Well! You make a good model, in my opinion. You didn't even fidget that much.

[This is perhaps the weirdest compliment she's ever given someone]

Hey, thanks a bunch!!

[ and a robust thank you for such a robust compliment of being non-fidgety!!! john slides his elbows out from under him again, letting himself relax. probably just for a few more minutes, as... ]

... I gotta go to class, soon. [ ugh. he likes class, actually, but potential catnaps in the sun > most everything else. ] You don't anywhere to be, huh?

Not right now, no.

[Later she'll head to work, but that's still a few hours off. Hence the reason she decided not to be a useless introvert in her apartment]

I won't join school until the spring, maybe, so I'm free unless I'm working.

I knew you were a high schooler...

[ ?? forgive him, he's notoriously Awful at guessing people's ages. his statement comes with a bit of a gloating undertone, even if her checking out the college has been hinted at repeatedly. ]

Don't worry. The university seems pretty good! I'm sure you've met a few of the professors on Retrospec by now, huh.

-- I-I am not!

[Oh no son she is backing this train up. Did he just call her a high schooler?]

I'm eighteen! I haven't been in high school for almost a year!

[Making her sound like she's some kid SHE'S NOT A KID TAKE IT BACK--

Yeah sorry did he say something else? Sakura can't hear him over the sound of her howling fury]

[ wwwWWWWWw okay, that's more like it. all gloating goes out the window ]

You're not??

[ APPARENTLY ]

[ uh, maybe the howling fury could be stemmed by an apology. he'll try: ]

Ahh, my bad! [ ... ] It's not like kids can't still be in high school at eighteen, you know...

I know that, John-san! That's not the point.

[Shut up she can't remember if his last name is Bucket or Baker so "John" it is until she can glance at her phone]

... Do I really look that young?

[ a thought: Should I be honest here, or... he's recalling how he annoyed he was that one moment when someone thought he wasn't of drinking age. that'd been absolutely infuriating. ]

[ also, side note: ask him about the time he mistook a seventeen-year-old for a twelve-year-old ]

Noo...? [ convincing. ] Really, I'm probably just no good at that.

[Well to be fair... she assumed John was 18 until he brought up his younger sibling being 19, soooo... (also YIKES JOHN please stop guessing)

She also takes stock of that thought bubble but at this point the damage is done.]

Fine, well fair is fair. How old are you?

Edited (gdit icon picker do as I say) 2017-09-30 05:07 (UTC)

Twenty-one.

[ dreading: her pulling the same crap on him that he just did ]

[............

A moment of silence for John's perpetual baby face.]

So how often do you get the "You'll be thankful when you're my age" backhanded compliment?

[When in doubt, salt the earth]

Oh, whatever.

[ no holds barred though, wow?! annoyed, john tugs his hat over his eyes again. ]

'Least I know that my "other self" or whatever the hell you wanna call 'em is this age. There's some woman out there that was 'round twenty, maybe, and now she's half that.

[ #truestory ]

Edited (words) 2017-09-30 05:39 (UTC)

[Sakura "I'd nail a dead rat to someone's door rather than leave it on their porch" Tohsaka.

But yikes, the girl gives a grimace at the thought. It's not an angle she'd considered, either]

That poor woman...

And I think mine is a bit younger? [Her eyebrows knit] It's hard to tell; I've only had two of those visions so far.

... Well, lucky you!

[ hopefully, the sarcasm is palpable. ]

[ but two... she's relatively new to this entire experience then. ... or else just fortunate if she's been on the application a great while. literally, though, it's like: welcome to America, now here's some wacky visions you have to deal with. ]

Frankly, they tend to get pretty aggravatin' after a while, so try to enjoy that lull while it last.

[The sarcasm earns one hell of a side-eye from her; she really doesn't need your sass, boy...

But no, that's exactly how it's been. Sakura's perception of American society is all shades of fucked. Thanks for that, Retrospec.]

They're already aggravating.

[Voice a tiny bit flat]

So I can be understanding of why everyone's so touchy about the subject.

[ hmph... ] Learned that quicker than me, then.

[ to be aggravated about it, that is, weirdly enough. and her words remind him to be-- well, not immediately touchy about it. it's his fault for bringing the topic up, so he feels stupid. ]

[ blargh!! ]

I won't be nosy 'bout it [ for once ], but if you ever wanna talk 'bout 'em, I guess I don't mind listenin'. I won't even charge you for that.

Mmm... [Humming in surprised amusement]

Are you sure? My previous life might've done some really strange things.

[Her tone is teasing, but it's a better deal than letting her thoughts stray. If there's one thing her "memories" have taught her already, it's that that girl held... a lot of bitterness in her heart.]

Yep, really sure. Weirdo visions included!

[ john's trying to look like this isn't any sweat off his back or anything, or that experience hasn't told him that he's generally really, really bad at helping with other people's memories. but he's successful in this lie. sort of. ]

I'd hope I've heard enough strange things to not be completely fazed by 'em anymore, anyway! It wouldn't be any trouble.

Edited (sighs) 2017-09-30 23:53 (UTC)

... That's very kind of you.

[It's not quite an acceptance of the offer, but she can acknowledge that she finds it a sweet sentiment all the same.]

Well, I'm probably not very good at handling anyone's visions, including my own, but if you ever want to talk yourself...

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