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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jan 6, 2014 10:28:38 GMT -8
These people are seated here, underlit by an electric orb on the brocade table cloth, lit from above by cool colored chandeliers. They have champagne glasses and a bottle in the middle of the table, but don't seem very thirsty.
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 10:33:32 GMT -8
The two people sitting here look cool and detached, though the woman is slyly eyeing the crowd. The man looks dreadfully bored.
Siblings?
Eli remembered the woman as the first person he'd seen arriving. Did that mean she was extra important? She was giving everyone an amused look, seemed like the type to know some good yuks at least. Her bro was significantly less approachable, but eh. Interesting style, looked like something Todd would reblog. Eli- "Hi! Um, well, I guess this is the thing we're doing, huh? I'm Eli." He lingered a moment before sitting, in case they banished him immediately.{originally} Eli recognized the girl he had first seen walking into the party. He didn't really know where to go, so he figured he'd start with someone he (at least somewhat) recognized. She did have an impeccable style, anyways, which caught Eli's attention. 'Wonder if she models...She'd be a lovely subject.'
The guy next to her was snappily dressed as well. Eli couldn't help notice he looked miserable, though. He wondered what the man would look like if he actually made a conscious effort to be happy - probably not half bad.
Oh well, he supposed he'd have to dive in. Maybe he'd get the grumpy guy to smile, if he tried hard enough. Eli hated seeing people upset at parties.
"Hello there. Mind if I join you two for a bit? " He wished he knew more about these people. It would have made this challenge significantly easier.
'Well, they like art. That's something.'
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 11:28:25 GMT -8
Woman- "Hey hey, that's the name of the game tonight, isn't it? I'm Francesca and this is my bro Demyyy--" Man- "--tri. Demetri. Hello."
Woman- "So you look trim, do you have a sport? Any martial arts?"
Eli- "Oh wow, haha, thanks? No, I... Well I did swimming when I was younger. Now I just do it for fun. Um--"
Eli- "Do it..."
Eli- "How about you? Couple 'a boxing champs here?" {originally} The woman, Francesca, was nice. Eli felt more relaxed, having not been rejected.
'Looks like I got lucky this time around. Someone friendly!'
He slid into a seat next to the pair. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Francesca and Demetri."
She liked sports! Excellent! Another subject to chat about. "Swimming, mostly. I've been toying with taking kickboxing, as of late, though." A statement that was mostly true. Glenland wasn't necessarily the most intolerant place, but he had considered taking self defense classes to prevent being a victim of gay bashing. Plus, kickboxing would tone his legs. He always felt they were a little weak, and a tiny part of him was bothered by this.
"How about you?"
He turned towards Demetri."And you, Demetri? Are you interested in sports?"
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 12:19:03 GMT -8
Francesca- "Trim, but not athletic. Sorry. Demetri- Can't be a badass boxer like us." "Nevermind that. It's not like I was very physically adroit before... getting into this business. Eli, was it? What sort of pursuits are you 'into'?" Eli- "Ah, I'm an art kid like the rest of 'em. Painting. I wasn't really into film before this project, but I had a great time so I'm all about it now. I do some web stuff, nothing really exciting.
How about you? I don't really know anything about this crowd. Besides being cool action badasses." {originally}
Francesca- "Oh kickboxing, great! I dabbled back in the big craze a few years ago, then I went on to a little MMA, Pem-Te... Demy here's a fiend, you should see him on the mat! Demetri smirked just a little, but quickly went back to gazing into the distance until Eli addressed him.Demetri- "Sports? Oh... This and that. As Francesca has said, I've practiced martial arts a bit. Mostly just for practical purposes."
Fran- "Oh he's just turned off since that rooftop bowling accident..."
Demetri- "Maybe you can assist Francesca with whatever new dangerous thing is in vogue." Wow, these guys were pretty intense. Francesca's passion intrigued Eli. 'Another kindred spirit, perhaps.'
"I can definitely see the usefulness of self defense courses. I've thought about it a lot...since I came out. You never think something is going to happen to you until it does. Best to be prepared." Eli hoped that wasn't too personal. He tried not to dally on his reasons. 'You never know how people will react.'
Francesca- "Heh."
"Rooftop bowling?" Eli chuckled from the absurdity. "That sounds pretty wild. I hope no innocent bystanders were injured."
Francesca- "I mean, who really is innocent, y'know?"
"But, anyways, I suppose I should ask you both the obligatory 'What made you interested in the arts?' question." He said this in a somewhat silly tone.
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 12:58:02 GMT -8
Fran- "Eh, explaining yourself is the Demetri- quickest way to get bored with life." "Maybe, but never mind that. You said you were a painter?"
Eli- "Mysterious! Yeah, I tried to do the whole traditional route, but man, people are real fussy about it. I do it on-- Er, I paint on the computer now. Takes up less room. So, not to be blunt, but you guys are in a market for some kinda art in particular?"
Demetri- "Not sure what I'd do with Francesca- a computer painting." "Put it on your phone, behind the app..lets."
Eli- "That's exactly what you do with 'em!" Eli- "Well, you can get prints or whatever too. I did sketches for the movie and I'm not sure whether they used them or not, but I got paid, so I guess it doesn't matter too much!"
Eli- "While I don't want to ruin your mysterious allure, I'm curious what you do in the art scene. Just patrons for art, or do you make any yourselves?"
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 13:33:15 GMT -8
Francesca- "Demetri can paint like Vincenzano and Mitracelli." Demetri- "Oh it's just old-fashioned rubbish. Repeating tropes of the past with Francesca- adequate skill. What is your choice "Yeah don't all the kids just of subject matter, computer painter?" like, rub paint on their naughty bits and fling themselves against the wall?"
Yeah maybe, twenty years ago! Eli- "Haha! That's right, the corporists! Oh man, there's this one professor who keeps his old work on the walls and it's like, exactly that. Imprints of his biz all over the classroom."
Eli- "Like you need to be thinking about that while the old dude is lecturing. Swear it still has little bits of p--"
Eli- "Whewww, got a little carried away. Oh, I just do-- well, people rag on me for being boring so now I just do whatever gets me the dough. Not to be, eh, crude about it. I got some skills but I'm not really the idea man, I guess. That's where you could come in! Eh?"
{originally} Demetri- "Oh it's just old-fashioned rubbish. Repeating tropes of the past with adequate skill. What is your work like?"
Francesca- "Yeah don't all the kids just like, rub paint on their naughty bits and fling themselves against the wall?"To Francesca, "Not that I've seen. "
"Although, I did hear about a guy who had sex as performance art, apparently. Kinda strange, if you ask me." To Demetri,"As for myself, nothing so...abstract. I've been playing around with photorealism lately. It's a fun challenge.
I doubt it's rubbish. Admittedly, I'm something of a biased source. I've lost count of the sketchbooks I have filled with studies of the old masters. And canvases, too. I tend to default to a rather antiquated style, I suppose. There's just so much to be learned from the past."
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 14:04:18 GMT -8
Demetri- "Treating art as a tradecraft I can respect. The modern conception Francesca- of it has only the barest merit." "Whoaaa, what do you think Demy? Pretty cool..." Demetri- "...Tch. Fran, just don't. " Francesca- "Anyhow...! So hey kid, what would you Demetri- do if you got like, a gazillion Glenmarks?" "We don't have a 'gazillion' Glenmarks." Francesca- "Give or take, whatever."
Eli- "Well, if it was at least half a gazillion, we can talk. Hmm... I guess I'd pay all my bills, pay all my friends' bills. Get a better car. Then... hmm. Commission people to make sequels to my favorite movies but I get to pick the ending. And... c'mon, everyone has to have the mansion with water slides instead of stairs."
{originally}
Demetri- "Yes, wonderful."
Francesca- "Whoaaa, what do you think Demy? Pretty cool..."
Demetri- "...Tch. Fran, just don't. "
Francesca- "Anyhow...! So hey kid, what would you do if you got like, a gazillion Glenmarks?"
Demetri- "We don't have a 'gazillion' Glenmarks."
Francesca- "Give or take, whatever."
'So much for warming him up. I guess there's not much I can do.'
These guys were funny, though. An unique pair, to be sure. Eli couldn't help but enjoy himself; he felt at ease. "An interesting question..."
"I guess I'd start by traveling. Learning about different cultures, meeting new people... And then I'd bring that back to Glenland. Use the money to breath some life into the art scene. I'd dump a lot of cash into BADA...and HAM too."
"I'm pretty big on educating people about the arts. No matter how much money I had, I wouldn't stop working. I'd still follow that dream. Plus, that brings even more passionate artists into the community."
"Though, I have to admit, if I had a ton of money, I'd also focus on experiencing different things, no matter how crazy. Maybe even rooftop bowling. Heh."
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 15:14:24 GMT -8
Demetri- "Nice, and also takes the question as seriously as it deserves to be taken." Francesca- "Pretty good, pretty good. So what would you do if like-- a bunch of katana guys jumped in here to wreck up the place? What Demetri- would you do kid, what would you do? "Fran..." Francesca- "I'm serious, it's not impossible. Demetri- You remember that one time." "...Why do they let you get involved in these events?"
Francesca- "What? No way, I was great with that Avant thing. It's not my fault it went like that. I was great."
Eli- "Okay, avant/boxing champions vs. katana guys. Not something I'd come up with, but highly workable. Maybe for part three of Kill Crazy. Part two is set in stone."
Eli- "Well, barring any hidden weapons caches, I'd have to whip this table over as a barricade against their bladed assault. Then I'd start swinging this messenger bag like a shotput. This thing can crush skulls, I guarantee it."
Eli- "I'd prooobably get decapitated, but at least I could go to the sacred warrior's heaven and prove myself to my ancestors."
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 16:16:00 GMT -8
Francesca- "... That's just... Beautiful." Demetri- "I think she's just messing with you." Francesca- "Never. You think there's an afterlife for warriors like us?"
Demetri- "Anyway, a serious question. If something terribly bad happened, do you think you could survive, emotionally? Like, a crippling accident or the death of your nearest and dearest." Francesca- "Blugh, dreary much?" Demetri- "This is supposed to be thoughtful."
Fran- "I think about everything."
Eli- "Whew, that's pretty profound. Huh..."
Eli- "This must be some pretty for-real art we're talking about."
Eli- "Y'know, I'm kind of a soft boy, but I like to think I could deal. I'm still young, haven't had things too rough so it's easy to say that now, huh? I'm not a nihilist or anything but I don't think super deeply so maybe that'll keep me from getting hurt super deeply. I might shed a tear or two, but I ain't gonna glue my face to my pillow permanently."
Eli- "Just fyi, I won't be waterboarded for minimum wage. We're talking, like, pay-the-rent bucks here."
{originally} Francesca- "Hey, it could happen..."
Demetri- "I think she's just messing with you."
Francesca- "Never."
Demetri- "Anyway, idealism. Is there a finite supply? Has your nature persevered through difficulty, or have you mostly been lucky in life? If something terribly bad happened, do you think you could remain optimistic about the future?"
Fran- "Blugh, dreary much?"
Demetri- "This is supposed to be thoughtful."
Fran- "I think about everything." "Oh I know. Fun scenario, though."
Eli was lost in thought for a moment and, when he returned to reality, he had a serious, but somber expression on his face. "Something terrible happening? Well, that sounds rather ominous."
"I...can't say my life's been perfect. But it is what it is. It's not good to dwell on things forever, then you'll never be able to move forward. I don't know if I have a finite supply of optimism, but I do know I have a finite supply of life. And I don't want to spend it being miserable."
"If something bad happened, I'd cope. Maybe not instantly, but I'd find a way to get past it, as I always have. Things seldom turn out in a way we expect, but we have to deal with it, regardless."
After Eli finished his statement, the moment was lost and he returned back to his friendlier self.
"What about you guys? Are you optimists or pessimists?"
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Post by ◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊ on Jan 6, 2014 23:40:49 GMT -8
A light seemed to turn on in Demetri at his answer - like you got the right one baby, but Fran snuffed it with a joke. Demetri- "Hm, well-" Fran- "HaHA! We'll take you up on that." Demetri- Francesca- "That's not we're after." "Maybe it's what I'm after."
Demetri faux-coughed to get past Fran's crappy joke. Demetri- "How do you work with others? People in positions of authority?" Fran- "Wow, is this a job interview?" Demetri- "Well, in a sense, yes..." Eli- "Oh man, waterboarding and dealing with 'authority'...?"
Eli- "Not my exact thing, but nice work if you can get it, I guess."
Demetri- Francesca- "Not exactly the answer I was "Hahaha!" looking for, but I'll take it." Eli- "Haha, maybe I'll win the grand prize after all!"
Eli- "Wait, what if the grand prize is one free waterboarding session!"
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jan 7, 2014 0:39:57 GMT -8
Demetri- "You won't have to worry about that for long. Now, ah, let me see. Your demeanor isn't quite professional enough for a job interview, but perhaps it is best we proceed in that vein just the same. Job Fran- interview questions..." "If you were a tree..."
Demetri- "Kastanian Ash, don't even bother with that one. Eli - is that short for Elijah? - can you describe for me one time you failed at a task you were trying to accomplish, how that made you feel, and what you did about it?" Stock job interview material. Ill. Eli- "Ah you got me on the Kastanian Ash, I'm a Rojo not a Rödhårig thus I'm an Elias. Hooo a time I failed... I think I generally decide I didn't wanna do the thing anymore before I officially fail at it, but I'll come up with something."
Eli- "One comes to mind-- I wanted to quit the swim team because yawn, right? And I get all psyched up to do it, but then they're gonna take us out for ice cream after. And then the next week I forgot. The next week was pizza... I didn't end up quitting until senior year. Made me feel like a super-chump but free food is hard to turn down."
Eli- "But I did quit eventually, and vowed to never participate in team sports again. And I've kept true to my word." {originally}
Demetri- "Good. You interview well. What's another classic interview question?"
Fran- "If you were a tree..."
Demetri- "Glennish Aspen, don't even bother with that one. Eli - is that short for Elijah? - can you describe for me one time you failed at a task you were trying to accomplish, how that made you feel, and what you did about it?" Stock job interview material. Ill.Glennish Aspen? What did that mean? ' They're tall and pretty, I guess. Hopefully that was a good thing.' "It is. Everybody calls me Eli, though." Eli couldn't help but grin widely at the question. He had just the story. "That's got to be my first advanced art class in high school. Remember how I mentioned my default style being more traditional? Well...that used to be the only style I was comfortable using. I walked in the classroom and my teacher is a fan of Ladaism, of all things. So, of course he assigns us all to do a lada inspired piece."
"So, I've got a week to do this assignment that's way, way out of my comfort zone. I'm freaking out, I don't know what to do, so I end up turning in this big, green monstrosity. It was horrifying. Pretty sure he gave me a D. I was miserable. That was my first serious art class and I was already screwing it up."
"Well, I go back to my teacher and ask him what I can do to improve. And he tells me "How did you learn to paint in the first place? Practice. Go make art." And I did. I painted and I painted. Constantly lada, lada, lada. And a week later, I come in with that same canvas, except completely painted over with a new piece. This time, it actually had meaning and aesthetic value. My teacher just grins like a madman and says "If you would have brought that in the first time, I'd have given you an A. But I'll give you a B- for the transformation.""
"That whole class was the first time I was actually challenged. And I'm really grateful for it. There's no way I would have gotten into BADA, not if I had clung to one style. Now? I don't have any problems trying something new. I know that if I really work hard instead of stressing out, it'll turn out fine." Eli paused for a moment. "So...If this is a job interview...do you want to see my work? I don't have my portfolio with me, but I do have my sketchbook." 'That always helps with clients, anyways. Give them a sketchbook to rifle through. Plus, this one's got a nice variation of styles.'
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jan 7, 2014 4:58:32 GMT -8
Demetri- "This time I genuinely don't know whether to take it as a joke or earnest determination. I'm usually very discerning, so congratulations on that." Fran- "Yeah, you're off to a good start, Eli!" Demetri- "... Quite. You should get out there and talk to some other people though. We'll see you around." How did Eli feel about this? Did he want to win the prize? Did he even remember what the game was at this point? Eli- "Hey just in case I lose big time and never see you again, it was fun talking. That plus pizza, top 10 nights of my life. Basically." He strolled off, feeling pretty entertained. Maybe when the booze buzz wound down he'd be snoozing in the corner but for now he was cold kickin' it. But yeah, what was this 'game' again? They didn't even look at his portfolio, nor did he even have it with him. Huh. Maybe the waterboarding thing wasn't just for yuks...
After he left, Francesca- "What can I say, mi bambino? Demetri- The garzone is un buon uovo, eh?" "Whatever you say, nonnina." Eli moved on to a new thread!
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jan 7, 2014 17:47:55 GMT -8
This table is open.
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DKender
Only One Skeleton has the Power to Control both Life and Death, Light and Dark, Words and Blank Space, Our Humble Lives Continue Only by the Grace and Magnanimity of This Skeleton
Nay, let us walk from fire unto firey skeleton ...
Posts: 9,204
Gender: Unknown Skeleton
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Post by DKender on Jan 7, 2014 18:01:15 GMT -8
The table was not open for long! "Hello. If I may?" She took a seat and adopted her customary legs-crossed-hands-clasped pose. "I'm Babette. A pleasure to meet you ... Francesca and Demitri? I just spoke to Eli." She stretched her hand across the table, in Fran's direction, an invitation to shake.
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Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Jan 7, 2014 20:41:44 GMT -8
Francesca accepted the hand as warmly as her cold fingers allowed.
Francesca- "Babette. Nice."
Demetri- "He's... energetic. How are you?"
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