first sparkle ✧ (thirty-fourth breath) ✧ video/action

[musubi]

GOOD MORNING, PEOPLE OF LUCETI!

[Standing in the middle of town today, right on the edge of the fountain, is a young man dressed as a teenaged girl. His tone is feminine as well, lips painted black around a wide grin. He raises his hands in the air.

His journal is laid on the ground in front of him, purposefully recording everything for anyone in the village to see.]

I am Ai Tokunaga! And the amount of gloom in this place right now is simply unbearable!

[He wraps his arms around himself in a self-hug, face distraught only for a moment before becoming cheery again.]

Never fear though, lovelies. Ai has come to give his advice to all of you! Share with me your woes, my precious feathered dearests, and I will do my best to bring light back into your lives!



[[OOC: For an idea of WTF is going on here, see this post. Responses will come from okamareason. Please don't have your character immediately recognize him as Isamu unless you've spoken with me first.]]

Comments

[ledbythewind]

[Hey, to Richard's credit, the amount of gloom hovering over his head lately has been slightly less than normal, thanks to Isamu. ... not that that says much, but hey, it's still something, right?

He hadn't thought it that odd that he hadn't seen his friend when he got ready to leave for work-- the two of them have been sleeping in separate rooms for quite a while now, and knowing Isamu, chances are he was just being his lazy self. So he doesn't have any suspicions at all as he walks past on his way to work, looking... well, like he hasn't gotten all that much sleep lately, which would be an accurate assessment.

This tired-looking guy could definitely use some cheering up, Ai!]

[okamareason]

[Aha. Just the man Isamu, or rather Ai, had been hoping to see.

His face brightens further as the blond comes into view, and he's quick to wave him over.]

You! You there, gorgeous! You look like you have something on your mind. Perhaps little Ai can help you sort it out, hm?

[ledbythewind]

[The word "gorgeous" is all it takes for Richard to be pretty sure that this person is talking to him, and though his better judgment tells him to keep on walking, he'll pause and look over at the speaker, confused.

In part because he's... not sure whether that's a guy or a girl addressing him just yet.]

Are you referring to me?

[You know, just to be sure.]

[okamareason]

Of course! Who else on this street is nearly as striking as you are?

[There's no one else on the street at all at the moment, but that's beside the point.]

Let me get a better look at you, my good sir. Those locks are simply to die for.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash was out people watching today. Having set himself on a bench, dressed today in a black jacket and blue jeans. Hair pulled back into a very small pony tail while he's outside to keep it out of his eyes.

Well, that wasn't exactly what he was expecting to see while people watching. Not that he minds; Gunsmoke had a lot stranger people with even stranger fashion sense. He's actually more surprised by the offer.]

Yeah? Careful with that offer. You may find some people hard to cheer up, but good luck with the rest of them.

voice;

[deadlyjuliet]

[Hello there.]

Ooh, I completely agree! It's hideous how these people go about their lives determined to not enjoy them!

[okamareason]

Perhaps I can't fix everything, but I can at least try my best!

[He gives Vash a wink, glittery eyeshadow sparkling a bit.]

What about you, handsome? You're certainly dressed dark and gloomy today.

voice;

[okamareason]

[Oho.]

And you? Do you find daily cheer in this place amid the angst and boredom?

[ledbythewind]

[It's probably a good thing that Richard is too confused to do much beyond just stand there staring at this... he's pretty sure by now that it's a guy, but a guy who is even more feminine than HE is.

And there's something oddly familiar about him too...]

Thank you. I do try my best to take care of it, though I have been considering cutting it shorter lately.

[okamareason]

What? Heavens, no! Perish the thought of removing these golden tresses!

Some people spend years trying to obtain what you've been gifted with.

[He gives his own red "hair" a casual flip.]

[ledbythewind]

[Now he can't help but smile a little.]

I didn't mean I was going to cut it all off, just make it a bit shorter so that it looks more masculine. You don't agree?

Action

[concasse]

[Huh... that's a new face. Sanji slows down on principle, to watch the show and wonder what this New Feather is doing.

She's certainly taking her captivity pretty well. Just imagine how easier life would be if everyone could take it in stride]

You're new here, Miss? [He's still a few paces away, but squinting and drawing close]

[okamareason]

No!

[Ai looks downright appalled at the idea.]

Your image is yours alone! It can't be dictated by what's masculine or not masculine!

voice;

[deadlyjuliet]

Cheer? Not quite.

Amusement, however? Most certainly.

It's the most entertaining macabre theatre, I've been privy to in quite some time.

Action

[okamareason]

Sir. ["Ai" easily corrects him with a grin, one finger raised to get his point across.

He'd been sort of hoping the chef would come by, if only for the chance to mess with him a little.]

And I'm relatively new, yes.

voice;

[okamareason]

[...Ah. He was wondering if he'd ever run into one of these types.]

Well. Everyone has their own idea of a good time, I suppose.

[goldenglasses]

Heh, am I? [Vash shrugs.] It's just a warm coat. [Even if he's been a bit depressed for several months now.]

[ledbythewind]

[Sob, he should have been expecting this, really.]

Perhaps I should reword that: I wanted to try something new for a change, something that looks more masculine than what I have now. I wouldn't be doing it because anyone told me I should. The decision to change my image is entirely mine.

[Just influenced by outside factors.]

voice;

[deadlyjuliet]

No, a good time would be theatre, a nice dinner with wine and chocolates.

This? It's simply a prolonged working holiday.

[okamareason]

A warm coat covering a strong man, am I right?

["Ai" approaches Vash, laying a hand on the back of the bench.]

[goldenglasses]

[There's a pause before he answers again. The face structure, it looks a bit like- no, the wings are wrong.]

Sorry, but afraid I'm not into men. [Just putting that out there right off the bat.]

[okamareason]

Of course the decision is yours!

[He sighs, putting both hands on his hips and shaking his head.]

But style is something determined completely by who you want to see it. Beauty is, in fact, in the eye of the beholder. If you were happy with your appearance, you wouldn't want to change it. If you're unhappy, then the way others view you doesn't please you.

I am a viewer, and I see nothing wrong with your attire. I am therefore not your target audience, in which case you clearly have someone else in mind. Is this someone else worth the change?

voice;

[okamareason]

Ah! That's what we need here! A theatre!

Surely there has to be some acting talent somewhere in this enclosure.

voice;

[deadlyjuliet]

Wouldn't it be lovely? I do need to do something with that club eventually.

[Besides clean it since Lord has it been awhile it was opened.]

Perhaps it can become a stage instead.

Action

[concasse]

[... Oh dear god]

You're an okama?! [Despite the sizable amount of time between that incident and right now, Sanji can't help his knee-jerk reaction of... fear? It certainly looks like something close to that. He doesn't back away so much as he grimaces, desperate to keep a flood of memories from overtaking him.]