[open]

[wordcarvings]

WHO: Koutarou & open
WHERE: Recollé Square, Grocery store & flower shop.
WHEN: 4/15-21  (and other days for 2)
WHAT: After getting a weird gift from Retrospec, Koutarou needs some distraction by drawing. Also staring at fruits and buying flowers.
WARNINGS: None at the moment.

(( Recollé Square, 15th to 20th, afternoons ))
[ Today is a lovely day. And Koutarou needs a distraction from what Retrospec sent him most recently. He wasn’t entirely sure of the day that they sent it, but the package had been with his mail when he came home and that had been...weird… Getting a book that turns into a rifle doesn’t make any sense.

So instead he goes to the Square to do some outdoor sketching, sitting in the grass and drawing things, people and animals that he sees.

He’ll be there more days too, spending some sunlight hours outside, instead of losing them while spending hours indoors. ]

(( Grocery Store, every time ))
[ Every time he goes to the grocery store, he can’t help but look at the fruits. Nearly a month and he can’t get over the faces. Particularly that the lemons got messed with bugs him, because he likes lemons (or else he wouldn’t have named his atelier Lemon Leaf). You can’t help but pass those fruits if you want other fruits, which is...unfortunate...

So yeah, there’s a guy with paint-stained clothes looking at the lemons, oranges, and limes with suspicion, standing at the other side of the aisle with his shopping basket. ]

(( Flower Shop, 21st ))
[ For one of his commissions, he needs flowers. Sunflowers, to be specific. He couldn’t buy them earlier because the person in the portrait was allergic - but wanted to seem like she was not, or...something...he has no idea - and so he had to do the flowers separately, and do it after the person if finished sitting for the portrait so there would be no leftover pollen around.

So he goes to buy flowers and finds the sunflowers. ]

I’ve never seen such a fluffy sunflower.

[ That’s a goldie sunflower. ]

Comments

[wordcarvings]

[ Koutarou is very close to managing not to make a face at the question. A bit of it does slip up on his face though. ]

Yeah, every single pieces that has one of these fruits on them have changed, it's quite disturbing and an insult to the artists.

[viktorymaker]

[ Well, not making a face when thinking about this would be strange, honestly. ]

Wow, that's the worst. I'll have to check that out myself later. Do they pass, or is it obvious that they're forgeries?

[wordcarvings]

[ He shakes his head and sighs, a frown on his face. ]

The people who does not have Retrospec on their phones or computers don't think there is anything weird with the paintings, they think they always had faces. Which it looks like. It looks like they were painted there when they paintings were made, but they were not. There's no way to prove it though.

[viktorymaker]

Yeah. Well, at least most artists won't feel insulted even if their work has changed.

[ He pauses, glances at the fruit again. They look so happy.]

We're the only ones who are bothered by this, aren't we? The Retrospec users.

[wordcarvings]

I suppose that they won’t.

[ Doesn’t help the frustrations the ones who does know feels. Particularly not for the people interested in art. ]

From what I am aware, that’s right. And why that is is still a mystery.

[viktorymaker]

[ He nods, and then grabs some... bananas. Not his first choice. Not his second choice either. But what can you do. ]

Because we're on our own?

By the way, can you let me know if you hear or notice anything new about the effect of these changes in art, Koutarou? I'm trying to look into this, and the more eyes, the better.

[wordcarvings]

Mmm.

[ That might be it.

He looks at Viktor with a little surprise for a few moments, but then he nods. ]

Of course, I can do that. I’m at least likely to notice those, even if I might not notice other things without having them pointed out.

[viktorymaker]

Thanks. If we all focus on the things we know, we're more likely to work something out. Retrospec users cover many skill sets between us, so why not try to use that to our advantage?

[wordcarvings]

Yeah. That sounds good. I’m not really good at anything except art, [ except martial arts but he’s put that behind him, ] but I can at least help with that.

[viktorymaker]

OK. Let's keep in touch then! You have my contact through the Retrospec app, yes?

[ He's basically done with his grocery shopping at least, even though what he's buying doesn't make him very happy. Oh well! He takes a step back, still looking at Koutarou as he waits for confirmation before leaving. ]

[wordcarvings]

[ He nods. ]

I do, yes. I'm not very good with it, but, I do have it.

[viktorymaker]

Good, I'll let you know if anything comes up, and please let me know if you hear something, OK?

Have a good day, fruit aside!

[wordcarvings]

Okay, I will.

[ He smiles, and inclines his head in a nod. ]

You as well.