97.5 - chewing gum fraise

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

[anyone wandering around Montmartre around, oh, let's say TEN PM - will find a teen chilling bundled up with a boombox. no Leonard Cohen this week - instead you get something ridiculously catchy and French bopping out of the speakers.

as Mark chills at a cafe table, nearby, Nora's sitting in the light from said cafe with an easel, a box of pastels, and a fresh supply of paper. a colorful sign propped on the back of the easel says PORTRAITS in big, bold letters, and there's a hat at her feet]

Heeeeeeey, welkommen, bienvenue, welcome, et cetera! It's yours truly, 'Arry le Dur, comin' at you with a big, sloppy wet French broadcast from the art center of Paris! That's right, the show goes on!

I know some of you are going absolutely apeshit about whatever job you rolled outta bed to find yourself stuck with, but think of it this way: at least you didn't wake up with fuckin' homework. Which, uh, yeah, no, I am not doing. What's French for "fuck school"?!

[this elicits a very loud whoop of encouragement from Nora]

So hey, if you've got a job you don't like, you know what I say? SHOVE IT! Throw your bills in the Seine, stick your school books on the subway tracks! This is fucking PARIS! At Christmas!!! I say we earned ourselves a fucking vacation, let's all GO NUTS! Even our poor confused newbies, Love and Remilia. We also have a guy who showed up in the journals TODAY, so ... Serious sympathy cards can be sent along with coping mechanisms of your choice to Legolas.

And hey, just because we're in Paris, don't think I'm gonna get off your asses about keeping the sheep-vibes at bay! We've got an emergency plan in the works, but it still needs floor captains! Go check it out on [page number]. It's filtered, so nobody who shouldn't see it will be able to, just in case any of the First Gens or their traitor buddies are wandering around the city, too.

But hey, if you're anywhere near Montmartre, come say hi. Seriously, this place is the shit. The cafes have great food, the music's badass, and Nora's doing portraits if you want one for whoever's on your Christmas list.

[and the boy speaks the truth. come and hang out with the kids and their artistic rebellious sensibilities! it isn't Paris until you get your bohemian on!]

Comments

dictated

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[Great food.
Badass music.

yep totally knows where he's going like right now]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Hey, Ryuutaros! If you can get on the Metro, take ... [there's the rustle of a map] ... line 2 to a station called Anvers. It's at the base of a bigass hill, and you'll see signs for Place du Tertre. That's where we are. The cafe's called Deux Moulins - you'll see us right outside.

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[Any other attempts at contacting the guy will go unnoticed. Luckily he has two people currently guiding him around who know what they're doing in his head so not crazy, so after some time he'll eventually show up.

He has this completely fascinated look on his face, kind've thing you'd expect a five year old to have once they first get to jump into the ballpit.]



[Just sort've looking around with the occasional spin or little hop thrown in in time with the music; would you believe he's completely forgotten about you being the one who invited him here already Mark?]

[eat-me-beat-me.livejournal.com]

[Nora laughs watching the guy dance around. Seriously. The reactions people have is kinda the best part of all of this]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

[Mark grins at Nora, then peers over at Ryuu. and yep, there's the purple streak of hair. he lets out a small sigh of relief. either he guessed right, or calling him that brought out that aspect of his personality? either way, company in the form of friends is wicked awesome, and he waves him over]

Hey! Ryuutaros! Over here, man!

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[He'll pause mid-step, glancing over towards Mark, suddenly grinning and heading on over, still half-walking and half-dancing.]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Isn't it the greatest? So much better than being stuck on ships and dealing with all that bullshit! [he beams] And, hey, have you met Nora?

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[He'll push himself up onto the nearest elevated surface, be it a table or counter or whatever's handy, sitting himself on it.]

[eat-me-beat-me.livejournal.com]

[Nora laughs and flicks some paint in his general direction]

Hey! Do I look boring to you?

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Heh, believe me, boring is the last word I'd use. I'm sorta surprised you two haven't met, you're both artists ... [to Nora] This is the guy who painted the stairs.

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[Some of it gets on his face, but all you'll get is a laugh in response.]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Hey, even if you're just messin' around ... [he glances at Nora, grinning] That makes you an artist.

[eat-me-beat-me.livejournal.com]

[She grins right back]

Hey, messing around is half the fun! I come up with some of the greatest shit that way. And don't worry, I'm not boring, and I'm only a jerk to people who piss me off.

[She glances at Mark. DAMN does this guy have energy.]

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[He'll cross his arms and huff, but immediately move onto something else, grinning wildly as he stands.]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

'Course we dance. [he grins] But what's that about a robot?

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Aradia? [his eyes widen, and then he's shaking his head and holding up his hands] No, no, man, don't -- don't hate her for that shit. She was on a loss. ... Anyone explain those to her, yet?

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[You'll get an exasperated huff and he'll cross his arms, pouting.]

[eat-me-beat-me.livejournal.com]

[Nora frowns]

We've all done shit we wouldn't normally do while we were on losses.

[She glances at Mark, concerned, before back at Ryuutaros] Hell, I basically told a few friends to fuck off while I helped destroy the town once. I've heard about people attacking people while on losses, too. The way I see it is it wasn't us doing it. It was that fucked up castle controlling us. If you talked to her now you'd see that she wouldn't do anything like that normally.

I'm not saying you hafta like her... just don't hold something like this against her.

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[He'll shrug his shoulders, grinning at the two of them.]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

'Cuz the same thing happened to us, and I know how I felt when people judged me for it.

[pointed look. he's not pissed off yet, but ... he wants him to understand how things are, here] And it'll happen to you, too, whether you want it to or not. If you cut other people slack when it happens to them, they'll be more likely to return the favor. Y'know?

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[Sorry guys; dealing with quite the brat here.]

[eat-me-beat-me.livejournal.com]

Bet you won't be saying that after the first time this place pulls that shit on you.

[She sets her jaw, starting to get annoyed.] How can you not care? This place brainwashes us into turning against our friends, fucks everything up and you don't care?

[fatedtobehated.livejournal.com]

[hard-talker.livejournal.com]

Kinda dumb? [his eyes widen] Kinda DUMB?! Jesus fuckin' Christ, man, you just got here! You don't know ANYBODY that well, so if I follow your crazy-ass logic, that means you don't care about anyone but your fucking self.

Call me crazy, but I thought you were cooler than that. [he looks equally large quantities disappointed and disgusted]