recolle | open | cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels

Entry tags:

open | cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels

WHO: Tsukasa & you
WHERE: A variety of places, both in Recollé and outside of it... (which is just Pesgare) (for a weekend)
WHEN: Throughout the month
WHAT: It's an open post... and a catch-all. All-purpose post.
WARNINGS: None, will add if necessary

do. drawing in the city

[ Due to some recent... developments... Tsukasa's been putting a lot more effort into keeping himself busy, and that chiefly involves getting better at drawing people. Landscapes, flora, all of that? He's perfectly great at, albeit his style errs more on a loose, flighty style of watercolor.

But again. Getting better at drawing people. He can be found at a few of the parks doing studies on people, couples, animals, you... all of that. Looking vaguely frustrated and, at one point, just kind of. flopping back in the grass with the world's loudest groan.

Not that his attempts at it at the square are much better, where he ends up laying on the fountain's edge, looking at the water like he's considering rolling into it.

......Yeah, it really isn't going well. ]

re. drawing out of the city

[ "Maybe I'll have better luck somewhere new," he said, and then went to Pesgare one weekend when he wasn't busy.

Except Tsukasa doesn't handle boats well, so on the way he can be found leaning on the railing and looking more than a little miserable. He prefers these to like, airplanes? Definitely? But... boats... Three hours of this is awful, like at least it isn't walking into heat but Respartum had only been like an hour away...!?

When he's there though, he can be found resting his poor stomach on the side of the road for a bit before he starts sketching again. Those with a keen eye will notice, though, that he ends up drawing the sights more than the people... Pesgare is beautiful, and he needs to practice architecture anyway... ♪ Even if he's supposed to be focusing on people.

He can also be found just around, taking in the sights and... in the marketplace, taking in the smells. And the bakeries. And— look, he likes food, shush. Are you reaching for that last chocolat au pain or other tasty treat too? Tsukasa'll back off with an "Ah, sorry," though he'll look a little put-out at not being able to have it himself. ]

mi. wildcard

[ Nothing catching your interest/we already have plans/you wanna do class stuff (his electives are art and home ec, he's in Art Club)/maybe at work at the riding school and stables/whatever? Go ahead and throw me anything, I'll roll with it! You can also catch me over on plurk at flaired, or on Discord at Bella#4429; I'm quicker to reply to pings though, as a heads up. ]

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[ Thank you, senpai.... ]

No, and no. Well, the wind makes them move... [ Does that count. Probably not. ] I just decided to start trying this recently,. Mmm, I'm in art club now, so I thought it'd be good for me to expand my horizons.

[ . . .

he's

covering his face more ]

And I sort of got the idea that it'd be really nice if I could paint a portrait of someone I really like and give it to them~? Ahh, as long as that's not creepy or anything...

Yeah but do you draw them like that? Or do you draw the other stuff when it's still and posing for you? You have to start with thing that are kind of similar, I think.

[ Ohhhhhhhh. That makes a lot more sense, and it makes Mao smile a little. ]

Nah, it's not creepy. People can take so many different kinds of pictures whenever they want so that kind of thing that takes time is way much more special, you know?

[ Oh, that's a relief.... Mao's probably right about the sitting still stuff too. Hmmm.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Tsukasa'll sit up again, reaching for his sketchbook. ]

I'm glad you think so.... [ Ahem. How does he ask this. Hm. Hm-hm. ] ...Would you mind posing for me, then? Um, I'll make it quick...

[ A good sign! Progress. Sitting up is great.

The request is a surprise but Mao just nods. ]

Sure. You want any particular kind of pose or just... something easy I guess? And don't rush, it's fine.

[ He leans back on his hands on the edge of the fountain, casual and relaxed. ]

Whatever makes you comfortable, honestly... [ After all, if Mao's telling him not to rush, then he's probably going to take a while? He doesn't want him to sit in a bad position.

...He probably would've taken a while anyway, though. He can't promise quickness and then also be, like, him. Tsukasa'll adjust himself a little, scooting back so he can get a better view of Mao and start working. Basic shapes first... ] ...Your face is really nice to draw.

[ oh my god ]

I mean— it's a pleasing shape.

[ uh ]

It's symmetrical. [ let him die ] So, ummm... It's nice... Ah, I guess it helps you're closer than some of my other studies... Maybe...

[ He's Very Focused On His Lines Right Now. ]

This is fine, then. [ Mao's plenty comfortable. The stone of the fountain is a little cold but he'll survive; it's still less awkward than the poses he tried for the figure workshop.

Then again, apparently it's not actually the pose that matters to Tsukasa? Every time Mao tries to say something in response, the other guy just kind of digs himself in a bit deeper. Mao's embarrassed for him but he's also like eighty percent sure Tsukasa's not trying to hit on him so it's not nearly as bad as it could be. ]

Uh, thanks? Nobody's ever said that before. That it's symmetrical, I mean. Is that unusual?

[ Mao never really noticed but are other people walking around lopsided somehow? ]

[ Only eighty percent sure. That's still twenty percent "he might be hitting on me" Mao oh my god. ]

N-No, but... Uurrrgh, I just mean that it's easier to draw than some people's have been. [ A siiiiigh. ] I met Shuji today in person, and I tried drawing him, but he was kind of hard...~ Mm,though I think you're going to get harder when I move onto your body... Faces are without a doubt the easiest of the hardest things.

[ ... ]

I just wish people looked more like flowers. [ He wants to draw... them... ] Those are much, much easier for me... ♪ Everything's the same size and shape, and the pattern's even easy to work out, so if you want to make things more or less voluminous you can sort of guess at how that'd look.

[ It's a weird thing to say! And Tsukasa's not easy with the compliments, Mao remembers how nasty he was at first at the pond. It's not likely, though, and he knows that too. People don't hit on Mao Yata. ]

Well either way I'm glad, I guess. Having a symmetrical face is a good thing, right? [ Sorry, Shuji, but it's probably genetic anyway. Mao glances down at his body to assess whether it's symmetrical or not--basically but not really, he can kind of see that now--then remembers himself and puts his head back in the position it was in before. ]

You could always draw people more like flowers. Like if somebody's eyes are two different sizes or their ears are crooked, just fix it so it fits the pattern. They'd probably appreciate it, but even if they didn't it's just for practice for you, right? Once you're good at drawing people that way you can move on to how they really look but why make it harder on yourself right out of the gate?

[ He did say he hadn't been drawing people that long, after all. ]

[ ~~apps someone solely to flirt with mao~~ ]

...Mmm, I guess so, but there's something disingenuous about that, right? Ahhh, but you're right that most people might appreciate it... People touch up pictures all the time anyway, I guess. That's just the art version. [ If Mao was a flower, what would he be... Tsukasa looks at his picture, looks back up at Mao, and frowns a little. Hmmmmmmmm. ] ...Do you have a favorite flower, Mao? Ahhh, not that it's important to anything, I'm just curious. I like camellias because they have a lot of petals, and plum blossoms because they have cute, round ones that're easy to just doodle, and roses because they have a nice shape... My least favorite's, mmm, daisies... I just can't ever get them right.

[ ...........yes his likes and dislikes are based purely on how well he can draw them just

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh okay. ]

[ ~~gl with that~~ ]

Probably but if people wanted a picture that looked exactly like them they'd just take a photo, you know? That's art too but it's a different kind. For something like what you're doing, I think a little adjusting is probably OK. [ He's pretty sure he doesn't look as good as Izumi always draws him, at least, so somebody's fudging things somewhere.

He listens as Tsukasa starts describing flowers, thinking as he does. This isn't something he's ever given that much thought to but it's clear Tsukasa really has. It's kind of impressive. ]

what is it about daisies you don't like? They're so all over the place they seem like they should be easy... ohhh, but if you're better when stuff is symmetrical then that makes sense, too, huh? [ A symmetrical daisy is bound to look wrong, after all. ]

And uh, I dunno, I guess I kinda like water lilies? They're pretty, and I like how they grow from the mud up... through the water... toward the sunlight.

[ It didn't sound nearly that lame in his head oh god can he tip backward into the fountain? Is that OK? ]

[ "Impressive" is a really kind word for it, Mao, thanks. Tsukasa just nods about the daisy thing—they are vexing to draw, and it never looks good? There's always too much space or too little, this and that...

...but that's actually a pretty cool answer, even if Tsukasa's laughing at it a little from behind his sketchbook. ]

That's a surprisingly poetic answer... I wasn't expecting it. [ From you is the implication here, but it's not supposed to be too mean. He's just pleasantly surprised anytime anyone pulls out anything like that. ] But I like it. Water lilies are really nice, it's just too bad there aren't as many poems about them...? Oh, but I guess lotus sort of fills that role classically... Though I'm pretty sure they're two different flowers entirely.

[ ...he's pretty sure. Anyway, he'll sketch out some water lilies too now, idly. This isn't what he should be doing, but he can't help it. ]

[ Uuuuugh, Mao tries really hard to focus on the compliment but he can tell Tsukasa's laughing. He deserves that, he knows it was a weird thing to say, but it's still not fun! Next time he's just saying tulips because the name is funny. ]

Uh, thanks. And I guess not? I don't know a lot of poetry about flowers at all and definitely none about water lilies. I did a project on them once in middle school and it just stuck with me. [ Thanks, sixth grade earth science homework! ]

Do you read a lot of poetry too, then?

[ Well... that's pretty ordinary, he's pretty sure he's the only one of their age group who knows as much poetry as he does and writes it too... ]

My mom teaches Japanese literature at the university, and I was homeschooled before January, so... you could say that. Mom used to have me write my own for homework, too. Mmm... Responses to poems and things like that. She still does, actually. [ .... ] Do you... Um, would you like to hear one...? I mean, I'm not really good at them--she's always telling me I could try to emulate this or that poet better--but I like writing them...

[ ...he's embarrassed to say that and will just be focusing really hard on his art because Mao doesn't seem like the type of guy who'd be interested in that kind of thing. ]

[ Wow. Suddenly 'a lot of poetry' almost seems like an understatement. Mao's kind of surprised but also not. There's something about the way Tsukasa carries himself that makes an interest in poetry somehow not completely unexpected; he's so well spoken and clearly appreciates art. ]

Wait, even now that you're in school and not at home? She gives you extra homework? And sure, I guess, if you wanted to share one? I don't know anything about poetry so I probably wouldn't be able to understand it, though.

[ If only because Tsukasa seems embarrassed and that in turn makes Mao feel bad. Sure, it's not the kind of interest every high school guy has, but so? And if his past self was anything like this is probably made him a better idol, too. ]

Doesn't have to be right now or anything, though, I know you're trying to draw...

Even now... My dad does the same thing too, but I'm not really interested in history—well, some parts of history are pretty interesting, like the Kansei Reforms of 1787.

[ Hmm, what poem should he do... He'll just explain idly as he figures that out, glancing up every so often as he's naturally drawn to trying to work on this sketching business. ]

Color printing using woodblocks had been discovered about twenty years before that and grew into a style of graphic novel that's really similar to our modern day comic books... Gesaku. They weren't too popular with people in power though, since they exposed a lot of moral issues with politics and the like~. So in 1787, the Kansei Reforms started, and gesaku was banned, and its practitioners were punished, too. A lot of other reforms came afterwards too, until 1793, to try and help save the sinking ship that was the Tokugawa government's financial and moral standing. [ A beat. ] They sort of helped, at least as a temporary measure, but they ended up gradually being undone anyway...

[ ...ah, he knows ♪ ]

Sorry for the impromptu history lesson... I'm used to talking— well, not in English, but talking. I thought of a nice poem to recite too, so please bear with me a little longer...~ [ Ahem. ] "Winter's sharp breezes cannot compare to the warmth of your heart by mine. Your smile, tinged pink with cold— The snow falls, and so do I."

But you get enough homework at school. With the poetry at least it's something you're interested in, too, but Japanese history is pretty niche...

[ That being said, he definitely listens as Tsukasa explains about the reforms. He's never been especially in touch with this part of his identity and this isn't exactly the sort of thing that gets covered in a basic high school world history course. That being said, comic books and especially Japanese ones are right up his alley so it's not hard to pay attention. ]

So it was government censorship which I guess makes sense if they wanted to prove some kind of moral higher ground but wouldn't that, you know, cost money? And if you're trying to look more financially responsible, is that really how you want to spend what you have?

[ Seems kind of backwards to Mao. If he was the troublemaking type, his mom would still be less likely to punish him if she had to pay someone to do it. He shakes his head at the apology though. ]

It's fine! Seriously. [ He's quiet again when Tsukasa recites his poem. It's... shorter than he expected, but at least it's pretty clear. ] That's really pretty. Was it about someone specific? And was it always in English? Because if you're not used to speaking it, you still wrote something really nice.

[ The homework thing isn't something he can help, and he's doing reasonably well at keeping on top of it—among other things—but government talk... ♪ ]

It's always important to at least appear like you're in the right... Ah, as far as governments are concerned. That's why people go to such lengths in propaganda, speeches, et cetera. After that's cinched up, money will eventually circulate again... Hopefully. [ But there's probably a reason they didn't exactly stick around, so.

Tsukasa smiles a little at the praise though, giving a small nod. ] ...Mmm, it's about someone I really like. And it was originally in Japanese—that's all we really speak in my house, since my grandmother isn't very good at English, and I talk to her a lot when I'm painting with her—but translating it to English wasn't that hard. Really, the hardest part is keeping the syllable structure right. It's in the style of a standard tanka— five-seven-five for the upper phase, and seven-seven for the lower... That is, the first three lines and the last two lines. It's harder to illustrate that with speaking, but if you see it written, you'd get it a lot quicker.

[ ...He's lit up a little, he really loves talking about this stuff—it's as close to his heart as watercolors, or horses and chocobos. He's still not interested in going into academia, unfortunately for his parents, but still. ]

[ Mao listens attentively to Tsukasa's talk about government, he really does, but it's still kind of lost on him. ]

I guess. Nobody wants their leaders to be wrong all the time, that'd destroy their confidence, but that still doesn't seem like the smartest way to spend the money to achieve that.

Mmmm, did you ever read it to them? [ No assumptions here about who but Mao's not immune to curiosity, plus Tsukasa really seems to like talking about this and it's easier than trying to talk politics for sure. ] It's not impossible to hear if you're listening for it, which I'd probably know to do if I knew more about Japanese poetry. "Win-ter's sharp bree-zes, can-not com-pare to the warmth..." [ He's counting on his fingers to prove he gets it. ]

Isn't that close to the way a haiku is structured? [ Haiku, the favored poetic form of every high schooler who has ever had to half-ass a poetry writing assignment. ]

...I did, but they thought it was for someone else. [ Tsukasa's back to focusing on his art, but it's not be... okay, it's because he's a little embarrassed, but he's mostly still filled with an unsatisfactory upsetness that he shouldn't have.

It isn't Anya's fault at all; if he really wanted to confess, he should have done so. Even if she didn't return his feelings, but then it'd hurt her to turn him down, and that's unforgivable, too... Though— he brightens bit by bit, relaxing as he continues onto his Favorite Subject Ever. ] And nice catch~. It is, but a haiku's only the starting triplet—what sets it apart from tanka is the lack of an ending couplet. Tanka was popularly used for renga—it's a game where you write poems with someone else, like you'll start off your three lines and they'll finish it with two, and so on—and while the final couplet is very, very dependent on the triplet... It isn't the same vice versa.

So some people left off the last two and kept the hokku, the beginning lines, since it could be a stand-alone poem, and the name "haiku" was attributed to it a while later. Haiku wasn't that popular when it first started out though; it only gained popularity via Matsuo Bashou-san's works... ♪ [ He's a fan. ] He really redefined the genre and gave it a fresh start.

[ . . . ]

"An ancient pond, a frog jumps in, the splash of water" is a popular one of his... The syllables match up better in the original language, but I wasn't going to assume you know it or anything.

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open | cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels

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