sanpatron

[sanpatron]

" It is pretty beautiful, isn't it? " He can't exactly put a finger as to why, but Django feels rather caught up in what the woman says. Perhaps it's the longing he finds himself dealing with every so often—wanting nothing more than to see his loved ones back home once again. " I actually have a few other tattoos on me that represent different things in my life. Guess you could say I'm kinda sentimental, hehehe. "

oh, how kind of the man to give her a better view of the tattoo. after some careful consideration, old tales could see some resemblance to a lily. not that she's actually seen one in the wild. but abe had some books regarding flora that she had taken a little peek at. ❝ a group you were formerly associated with. a way of remembering … how beautiful. memories themselves might fade away but having a physical reminder makes forgetting much harder. ❞ especially if those memories had positive emotions linked to them.

[sanpatron]

" Oh? Is your home caught up in a war? " Had to be the case, or else why even mention one? Must be pretty freakin' dire as well if the island's relative cleanliness was something to be surprised by. " Well, I hope being here is a nice change of pace from whatever it is y'all were dealing with. Can't say I have much experience on the matter, or with the military either. " Unless you want to count gang wars and fighting off a paramilitary under the supervision of the United States as experience.

" Y'know, for someone who was in the military, they sure let ya stylize your uniform however you want. It looks cool! "

"If you count before arriving here then yes I was." Granted Rapi didn't really know where stood compared to anyone else's worlds. Of course she hoped not every other place out there had similar treatment to Nikke's. Nor did she wish a completely ravaged surface to anyone. But sometimes not everyone could be so lucky.

"Now I'm guess you can just call me a wanderer for now. There's clearly no war being fought here so having such a large amount of free time is a bit unusual. On top of it being so...clean I suppose."

[sanpatron]

Call it a gut feeling, but something tells him to be very mindful of the lady. Mind you, it's not because of anything bad. She seems rather pleasant enough. But there's a chorus of familiar voices in his head screaming 'DON'T BE AN IDIOT' that he should probably pay attention to. " Oh, that's completely fine. My goal isn't to replicate your dress in its entirety. I just need a reference point so I can start coming up with my own ideas. Taking away something that's uniquely yours just seems really rude, ya feel? "

Before he sets off to do this little impromptu interview, Django is suddenly struck with the reminder that he had forgotten his social norms again. Oh, how silly of him. " Almost forgot; it's a pleasure t' meet you, miss. You can call me Django. Django Foley to be exact. "

" Tell me; how does it feel moving around in your dress? I'd wager pretty good considering the material doesn't seem too heavy. You'd want to be able to present yourself in a certain way, but without compromising your own comfort. Regal, but practical. "

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀I'm relieved to see you have self-awareness, even if it is a little late.⠀❜ ⠀⠀SHE'S ⠀not sure that she would've phrased it quite like that — 'slack-jawed weirdo' sounded more like something Red Hood would say, and only if she were floundering — but it's accurate enough.

⠀⠀⠀On a surface level, there's nothing wrong with his request. Most would find it rather flattering, and to some degree, she's no exception. Far be it from her to argue if someone wants to appreciate her likeness... Except the thought of imitation dresses wandering around this city she can already barely stand makes her feel queasy. Dorothy folds her arms with a slight shake of the head, opting to shove down her discomfort for the time being... It's best to see what he has in mind, at least.

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀I suppose I can humor a few questions, but I doubt you'll achieve anything close to the original. In human terms, I would consider it something of an antique — and one of a kind at that.⠀❜ ⠀

[sanpatron]

" Oh! This ol' thing? " he replies back—lowering his collar in order to give the woman a better view. " Yes, actually! This here's a fleur-de-lis, which is supposed to look like a lily. It has a ton of different meanings back where I'm from; royalty, French culture, religious stuff. For me personally, it's meant to symbolize my heritage and a group I was formerly associated with. "

❝ how curious. is there a meaning to that mark on your neck?? ❞ she could only barely see it, but a black mark was on his neck. curious. a tattoo?? did it have meaning?? it was rather pretty. perhaps that was the reason why @sanpatron had inked his skin??

[sanpatron]

" Oh? So you're one of those types, eh? " he says with a laugh. " I'm the same way, actually. Don't really care what season it is, you can't go wrong with something sweet and cold. " His mind begins to recall a memory from long ago; one where his friends gave him such a look of confusion as he happily ate an ice cream sandwich in 35 degree weather. Something which he would absolutely do right now if he wasn't so focused on taking Cecilia somewhere special.

Maybe he'll treat her out later on.

" Well, I guess now's a good a time as any to fess up. " Replacing the sound of people enjoying their time within the funhouse was the soft and sweet melody of chimes echoing throughout its halls. Django always found it a bit eerie given how they seemed to playing from thin air. But something deep inside—call it a gut feeling if you will—told him that it was all okay. They were simply a guiding hand.

" I had such a good time at Ritsky's party that I thought, maybe it'd be nice to.. you know, dance again? " One would imagine that more people would have gone to make use of this ballroom. But it seems as if they had lucked out and found the place all to themselves, which suddenly made things a touch more intimate. Aw, look at him try to be romantic.

" Had you mentioned that there'd be shaved ice I would have shown up sooner." not that the frozen treat was her favorite of all time, but she had a fondness for ice-cream and the like whenever winter was around. the same could be said for summertime and soups but that wasn't important right now.

despite her comment, Cecilia doesn't take any shaved ice for herself. instead, she continues to follow Django's lead, her arm wrapped loosely around his as he guides them deeper into the crystal funhouse. soon, the sound of chatter from the more occupied rooms falls to almost a whisper.

" So, where are we going? You refused to tell me on the way over here but now that we're here, come on, spit it out."

@sanpatron

[sanpatron]

" Nah, you did perfect. As expected from a lady of your caliber. And thank you! Getting all dressed up like this usually ain't my thing. But I can't deny that it's sometimes fun to do. " Oh, but of course the Christmas Tree was by the catering. Probably went over to pull a Gordon Ramsay and see if everything was up to snuff. " Not surprised. He's probably getting all judgy on what they're serving the guests. Classic Ragna. " he laughs to himself.

" Oh? Yeah, actually! She's right over there if ya look closely. Her name's Cecilia. She's super cool, drop dead gorgeous, and makes me feel a kind of stupid that I haven't felt in a good while. "

       ❝   Honestly, I was worried I'd done too much — but it seems I understood the theme correctly. You look pretty polished yourself.   ❞ ⠀  TSUBAKI  likes to think she isn't terribly vain, but she can't help it if there's a swelling of pride for a job well done. She does a slight turn, unable to resist watching her gown catch the light from the corner of her eye.     ❝   Ragna definitely had some thoughts on it... He's hovering by the food, like usual. Did you come here with anyone ?   ❞ ⠀

[sanpatron]

" Oh, for sure. It's been a helluva good time. My scene's usually a bit more wilder than this. But I can always appreciate a classy event. " he says with a laugh. " What about you? Enjoying the night so far? "

he tilts his head slightly, before nodding. “She wanted to come.” and then, she had prepared them before he had even picked up the eyeliner. the brush would have to rest for a few hours until they returned or the ink would go to waste. “Have you been enjoying the celebrations?”

[sanpatron]

" Then go blind and lose your sense of smell. " is his immediate response. He cares little for anyone's comments at the moment. Far too focused on getting at least four drinks in him before he fucks off to another bar and repeats the process. The Frenchwoman was right to assume that he had gotten into a scuffle—a rather annoying one if you asked him. Nothing remotely thrilling at all. Perhaps his annoyance at such a piss-poor excuse for a brawl is why he might have overdid it a tad and caused those men to bleed. Oh, well. They had it coming.

" You new? " he asks after ordering himself a two liter glass of the house beer. " Haven't seen you around before. Cool outfit. " he says with surprising sincerity. Following that, he would spend the next several seconds chugging an inhuman amount of beer as if the idea of kidney failure meant nothing to him. As horrifying of a sight as it must be to witness, at the very least you couldn't deny the fact that he at least seemed rather happy.

Damn shame that wouldn't last long.

@sanpatron

she hated this city, being powerless as she found herself somewhere she knew she didn't belong. it wasn't the worst since she found master and several other servants throughout, but the city still left a bad taste in her mouth.

at least the alcohol was palatable

she had taken a recent liking to a local bar not heavily trafficked. it smelled like thick smoke and looked like someone trashed the place and constantly had at least one or two people getting into a brawl, but it was a quiet place for her to think and not have to deal with anyone in general.

until slight curiosity got the better of her

she initially ignored them, having watched him slam through the bar doors with almost enough force to break the door down (for the fifth time this week). he was clearly another drunk and from the blood recently the winner of some fight. she figured she could get some kind of entertainment out of them before he either passed out or kicked the bucket from alcohol poisoning.

' you look and smell like shit. '

[sanpatron]

" Huh? Oh, sorry about that. I'm all good. "

Incredible. Doesn't he remember that it's impolite to stare? For shame. Though in truth, it was a bit hard to blame him for doing so. It's not every day you see someone walking around the city in an outfit like hers. As far as Django knew, Spirale didn't exactly have any sort of military base, let alone on the rest of the island either. Who was this girl exactly?

" Actually, do you mind if I ask you a question? You wouldn't happen to be military at all, would you? "

"Is there something you need?"

She wasn't against helping someone who needed her help but there was really only so much Rapi could do from her own own. Sure not all of her strength was gone but still he seemed like he could hold his own. Even then menial tasks didn't seem on his mind either?

"Not to be rude but you've been staring for quite some time. If you needed help I'll be more then willing to assist you. As long as it isn't too out there..."

@sanpatron | s.c

[sanpatron]

" Ugh. Feels like I haven't gotten any downtime in months. Jeez, man. The holidays can be such a freakin' drag sometimes for us big money hustlers. Well, at least things've finally calmed down. Wonder what everyone's been up to. "

[sanpatron]

There's a sense of peace to be found in the Mistwood compared to the hustle and bustle of Spirale. A feeling which Django has grown to appreciate quite a bit as the years went on. Perhaps a life filled with nothing but death and violence wasn't all it was cracked up to be once you've had a taste of what a simple life had to offer. Yet even he knew that a man such as himself could never let go of what one may consider the very foundation of what made him who he is today.

For better, or for worse.

Interpersonal nonsense aside, Django was just simply glad to be out of the city for a few days. He recalls moments from his childhood where his family—his mother especially—would show him the essentials of what it meant to survive in the great outdoors. Such lessons were further expanded upon by a rather unlikely companion during a fairly memorable trip to these same woods some years prior. One who he would make sure to visit sometime soon as it had been a while since last they spoke.

With nothing but the music from his stereo and the fire crackling before him to keep him company, Django begins to prepare himself a dinner fit for a king. Onto a grill that had been placed over the fire would go several steaks along with diced up and seasoned potatoes. The aroma would no doubt attract all manner of wildlife towards his little camp, but that was something for future Django and the several weapons he kept on hand to worry about.

Which was about three minutes from now.

" ..... "

@whitememory

[sanpatron]

" What's a guy supposed to do for his birthday when the flow of time here practically feels non-existent? Can't tell if I've even aged a day since coming here, what, six years ago? Jeez. Well, I guess experience is another way you could measure things. Most of us ain't the exact same person we were after getting kidnapped. So I guess that's gotta count for something, right? "

" Ugh! This is getting ridiculous. Who gives a rat's ass about introspection and all that crap when I could be stuffing my face at a buffet. "

[sanpatron]

To be worried about like this was something that Django still found difficulty in accepting. Don't get me wrong, the man appreciates it quite a lot. How better it is to have others be there in your life and worry for your well-being than to find yourself losing all sense of yourself due to loneliness. A sentiment that had taken the former gangster far too long to understand.

But my god does it feel just the tiniest bit embarrassing.

" Yeah, that sounds familiar... " he replies back in a half-hearted grumble. " Got some bruising around my abdomen. I'm sure it's fine. "

"Haven't I told you to be more careful?"

There's a twinge of frustration in her voice, but it's more from concern than anything else. In a way, he's similar to Clive -- Diving right in to a situation that ends with injury. Thankfully, it's nothing serious enough that requires more than a bandage. So Jill dutifully sits by his side, carefully wrapping the small wound.

"Are you hurt anywhere else? Tell me the truth."

@sanpatron

[sanpatron]

" Trust me, babe. It ain't the first time I've been burnt to a crisp. " Nor was it the first time he made light of a traumatizing event that nearly put him six feet under. " No worries. I promise to be a good boy. " he continues. Even with a mask concealing that handsome face of his, it was quite apparent that Django was grinning like a buffoon underneath it. All too excited at the prospect of getting even the tiniest bit of affection from such an enchanting woman.

" Well, I can't deny that seeing you in a nurse's outfit would pretty much make the rest of my year and the next. But if I may be so bold, I'd take a guess that you and I would be REAL disappointed if my body were out of commission for any amount of time. "

" Oh! Here's a fun question. " Django begins as he grabs two drinks from a service tray. " What's the wildest thing you've ever seen at a party? Any kind! I'll tell ya right now that I've got soooo much blackmail on people that it'd probably disrupt the political landscape back home for decades. "

lips curve into something of a smirk as the witch laughs– whether he knew it or not, he was quite on the mark there. she holds many memories of such scenarios, whether it be from her being personally involved or coming across such a situation. " I don't doubt you. But I've seen plenty of clever ways those in high society would hide their debauchery– though from how highly you speak of the host, I don't believe much of that will happen. "

no, she believes people will be far too preoccupied with enjoying the night to its fullest for as long as they were allowed to.

" Please do your best not to. I'd hate to have my date get charred to a crisp because he took on a few too many drinking challenges. It'll make that good night kiss all the more difficult." not for her, mind you, but for him. of course, she doesn't bother elaborating on her words nor shows any hint of doing so, quite content to enjoy the liesurely pace to the main event. for someone who has spent many centuries always on the move, it was nice to not have to worry about having to look over her shoulder at every shadow that flickered as she passed.

" Unless your goal is to have me nurse you back to health. "

[sanpatron]

Having accidentally swung the door wide open for Kaeya to work his magic, Django begins to really think about the question he's been asked. Just how familiar was he with the city and its many branches? One would assume that having lived here for about six years now, Django would have come to know this island like the back of his hand. Potentially even more so than his own hometown by this point; a terrifying thought that sends a shiver down his spine. Yet, with all that has gone in his life during his seemingly permanent stay on the island of Radiale, has he really put in the effort to memorize its layout?

" Uh, to tell you the truth, I think I might be lacking a bit in that department. " he replies back, seemingly ashamed of himself. " This place feels like it's constantly changing, so it's been hard to keep up when my time's been taken up by other things. I'll give ya this though; Im more familiar with Spirale and the Mistwood. So if ya ever need help with either of those, I guess you can rely on me. "

OH, WELL THAT WAS A TWIST. honestly, he hadn't expected it to be taken that way, though he figures it may be a little fun to mess around in that regard. how long has it been since he's played up some bold faced lie? ❝ That's right. Thank you for the welcome, ❞ he speaks, as natural as ever, just like he were fresh and new to this island instead of, well... being here for going on three years.

❝ Haha. You never know what someone might be looking for. It could've been their lucky day. But I've had the luxury of seeing my home, ❞ he speaks, a technical truth, albeit under the guise of not divulging too much. ❝ Ah. But that doesn't help much when the rest of the island is just as much of a mystery to me, does it? It seems there's quite a bit to take in... are you familiar with this place, then? ❞

[sanpatron]

" Trust me, I ain't looking at you for whatever it is you may be thinking. "

Blunt and to the point. Sure, it comes off as rude. But Django would rather make his intentions clear than dance around the matter like some idiot fumbling over his words. An encounter like this wasn't exactly his first rodeo, nor would it be his last. Every single day the island brought forth all manner of people with different sorts of temperaments. Hers was nothing new or really anything that concerned him. As the retired gangster tends to think: it is what it is.

" I'm curious about your outfit. I run a fashion company on this island and was thinking of designing clothing similar in style to yours. Would it be alright to ask you a few questions? If not, then it's no biggie. Apologies for gawking at you like some slack-jawed weirdo. "

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀Has anyone ever told you how rude it is to stare ?⠀❜ ⠀

⠀⠀⠀NOT ⠀that it was a new experience for her. It wasn't even a new experience before she became a Nikke. But in a place like this, inexplicably thriving and surrounded by water, her unease tends to make it feel as though she's always being watched — so being actively gawked at doesn't exactly ease the mind.

⠀⠀⠀The irony isn't lost on her — somehow getting acknowledgment and recognition everywhere she goes, but not the kind she wanted and not from humans that mattered. He hasn't even said anything yet, but he's agitating her; he's committing the crime of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

⠀⠀⠀❛ ⠀I would hope you have a point to make, or a question to ask. If it isn't worth my time, one of us will have to leave.⠀❜ ⠀

⤷ @sanpatron : s.c.

[sanpatron]

" And why would I go and reveal my source? " he replies back with the confidence of a man who knew good and well he didn't have jack shit. In truth, Django was mostly going off of a few rumors he had heard in passing. The usual sort of gossip you'd come across from people trying to live their day-to-day while dealing with the assortment of weirdos populating your island home. Which is saying a lot when said island is already pretty freakin' out there.

" So let me get this straight. " he replies back, ignoring that little comment about a second magazine. " If I were to give you an outfit that's 100% completed—every seam sewn up, button put in its place, and sized correctly—you'd be able to make an exact replica? Or am I missing a couple of rules here with your funny little skills. "

@sanpatron

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Wha— who told you I could do that?" It's old habit for Shirou to hide his magic from the normal world, even when this world is far from normal in countless ways. So it wouldn't be far-fetched if word of mouth managed to reach the ears of random people from certain incidents... Or maybe someone just casually mentioned it to— Boss? ... Mister The Boss? At any rate— the opened magazine held up by the older man shows some expensive clothes, presumably from one of his own clothing stores. And the question he just asked was rather...

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well... Putting that aside— I can't actually... make something I haven't actually seen in person. I have no idea what those clothes are made of, so I couldn't make anything remotely close to them with just pictures and verbal details. ... Unless— you just want an extra magazine?"