video; un: kishibe

[penpoint]

[ The video flickers on and Rohan's at his desk. He sets down the pen he has in his hand on the desk in front of him. He looks fairly serious, though his tone has a certain ease to it when he speaks. A cat is perched on his left shoulder, white and a little fluffy and leaning into his space at every opportunity. Rohan makes no attempt to get the cat out of his bubble. ]

Good evening, everyone. Just a couple of quick things.

I finally found a reliable publisher. [ He leans forward, placing his chin in his palm. ] Which means that some of the recent manga I'm working on can finally be more easily accessed by the public as soon as it's ready. I'm considering making it easily accessible in a digital format, too.

That having been said, I am in need of a few models. This is a paid job, and I found studio space that I can use when I need to meet someone. This is a little different from if I weren't drawing you. I like to keep in practice, and I like to use a variety of different people. It keeps my skills sharp.

[ The cat, poised on his shoulder, starts to nudge his head against Rohan's face, wanting attention. He brings his hand up, moving his fingers over the fur. This seems to satisfy whatever attention it was wanting and returns to just settling himself in. ]

And the last is I am also taking commissions. I work very quickly, so if you need it fairly soon, let me know. I'll need to know what you're looking for and how big of a project it is. We can meet either in the studio space I'm using, at a park, or cafe if preferred to just discussing here.

Just drop me a line here, privately, or whatever works for you for any of the above.

Comments

[penpoint]

I like the sound of that. Due to my work, I have quite a lot of free time, so I'm glad to work with your schedule.

[ Sends address of the studio space ]

I'd be glad to show you manga. I'll bring some of mine, even.

[freshtilapia]

Wonderful! I'm absolutely looking forward to it then!

(( ooc: would you like to carry over to a log, or would continuing within this thread be okay? ))

i'm cool with actioning it up here~

[penpoint]

[ Rohan will already be at the studio space when Fish arrives. It is pretty simply decorated. There's framed work up on walls, drawings of his home and a couple of people from home hang there. There's a few windows, and against the wall is a small supply cabinet that he has things stacked on top of and more supplies than one could ever need or want stuffed inside. He has a single easel and a desk. He's left the front door unlocked, as he would when expecting anyone. There's the first stages of a few pages of his newer manga on his desk, to be finished later that day.

There's also a few other chairs and a couple of small tables pushed against a wall, and it's a little clear that he's just recently moved into this place. ]

action, then!

[freshtilapia]

[ When Fish arrives, they knock politely at the door first before coming in as this seems to be a private sort of workspace than some public studio where just anyone could waltz in. They're in an outfit typical for them: loosely-fitting fabrics draped in a way to highlight their slender, genderfluid physique. They're very tall-- some would say modelesque, though they're well beyond the average standing at 6'4". ]

Hello there, thank you so much for allowing me to come visit on short notice! You must be busy with the new deal and all.

[ They walk up to where he is, and extends a hand to shake in greeting. ]

It's a pleasure to meet you.

[penpoint]

[ Rohan's busying himself with getting supplies ready when he hears the knock. He moves towards the front door, ready to greet the other when they arrive. Woah. Rohan looks up, used to being shorter than others he interacts with, and hesitates. He takes their hands and shakes it in greeting. Rohan knows immediately that he was right in agreeing to use them as a model. He's used to being around people taller than him (the Joestar bloodline is full of people who are), but they're even taller somehow.

He withdraws his hand quickly and takes a step back - and realizes something. ]

I never got your name, by the way.

[ An important first step. His own name was part of his screenname, so it seems redundant. ]

[freshtilapia]

You can just call me "Fish", darling.

[ They wink at him, all smiles. There's a playful air around them, and the way they move and present themselves gives away how they're used to being watched-- being the center of attention. ]

Shall I call you "Kishibe"?

[penpoint]

Fish.

[ Rohan nods. He's curious of them, but doesn't ask a lot of questions, not yet anyway. There's plenty of time to do that, after all. He's curious by nature, after all, and he already has a few questions he'd like to ask. ]

Rohan is fine. Here - I'll show you where I work.

[ It's pretty...straightforward, where he leads them. There's a small platform, and a few chairs to the side should they need to (or should Rohan ask them to) sit. There's places for Rohan to sit nearby and start his work. He has a sketchbook - fully blank for now, to use. ]

So, Fish. Where you're from, are there many Merfolk? I've never had the opportunity meet someone before who was. My home is fairly...normal [ not really ] I guess.

[freshtilapia]

[ Fish sees the platform, and rather instinctively they get on to it. This is where they're meant to be, right? ]

Well, where I grew up there were only merfolk. Outside of the tribe I was a part of, my kind were rare. I think normal is relative for all of us. My world was full of all kinds of races: elves, dwarves, halflings, tieflings, gnomes... even bird-people. What is normal for you?

[penpoint]

Good -

[ Nods when Fish steps up to it, they seem to understand how this works, after all. Rohan shifts to retrieve his sketchbook and a charcoal pencil and takes a seat as he talks. But first -- ]

Start there.

[ Just as they were, and he starts to move his hand over the paper quickly. ]

Humans are the baseline for us. I'm from a fairly small town, and weird things happen... like haunted buildings and locations. But that's about as weird as things get for us, as it were. I guess people from places that are more exciting - would find it pretty boring.

[freshtilapia]

[ Fish naturally falls into a rather statuesque kind of stand, pulling their posture up straight, showing off the elegant lines of their slender and tall physique. It's relaxed and not forced, knowing how to hold themselves in a way that looks good. ]

I see... well, it would depend. If your haunted building and weird events are really shocking, then I suppose it could be more exciting than an ordinary city full of strange folk of various races.

What kind of things have you seen in your world?

[penpoint]

[ Rohan watches as they take a pose. They're... very good at it. He raises one brow then shifts to grab a seat with his sketchbook and gets started. His eyes are mostly focused on the person before him, but his hand moves across the paper very quickly. ]

We have a rock that growls at people that for some reason couples enjoy visiting.

[ As his fingers move, he fills in some of the details on the picture. He's moving fast, but clearly still ensuring every little thing is added. ]

I say for some reason because it's quite hideous. Supposedly people can hear it talk and grumble, too.

It's still pretty ordinary. Small town superstitions.

[ He focuses on his work. ]

Very good, though. You're a natural.

[freshtilapia]

Huh... that certainly is pretty odd. But... mm... I guess if it's just a superstition maybe it is certainly a very ordinary world.

[ Their eyes catches him as he works, and the speed of his hand is astounding. ]

If there's anything not ordinary, it's your work right there. I can't imagine working at your speed.

[penpoint]

I've been told that before.

[ Nineteen complete page chapters in just a couple of days. No assistants. He didn't like working with other people, so his speed, he assumes - just comes from years of doing it on his own. So, instead he simply said: ]

I work with deadlines, I guess it's natural.

[ Though it absolutely is not. ]

It's all superstitions, though. I can't imagine a real talking rock. Unless your world has something that fantastical.

[freshtilapia]

...

[ He seems really dead set on not thinking anything he does or anything of his world is out of the ordinary. Well, if that's so, then Fish will leave it. ]

We don't have talking rocks, as far as I know. Though... I do know that there's magic to make a rock talk? But only for a moment.

[penpoint]

Magic to make a rock talk? I wonder what a rock would have to say. For real, I mean. Not grunts and weird mysterious stories.

[ His fingers move over the page, and he turns to the next, eyes drifting up to the over. ]

Change pose, really quick.

[ So he can start again. He's going to always insist that things are perfectly normal at home because the explanation is just a lot. ]

[freshtilapia]

Well. It's more the illusion of making it talk, but that's something complicated.

[ They relax and look over at him. ]

What kind of pose do you need?

[ It's easy for Fish to be beautiful, but they aren't sure of what kind of look Rohan would like. ]

[penpoint]

[ Rohan shifts, moving his arm behind his head. The pose he's doing with his arms is...very modelesque. He shifts his attention between Fish and his paper then back up as he considers. ]

Turn to your left.

[ He said, knowing exactly what he needed. ]

Right foot a little forward.

[ Yeah, a little strange, but that's how he gets good use out of practicing anatomy. ]

Illusions, then. Sounds interesting. That's a bit more extensive than any Illusion magic I've seen.

[freshtilapia]

[ Fish mimics Rohan and follows his orders, maybe taking a while or being a bit tentative because modeling for a picture is a new kind of performance to them. They're naturally beautiful in their carefully maintained androgyny, but still very new to the art of posing to be captured on camera or in art. ]

What kind of illusion magic have you seen? Anything like this?

[ With an elven incantation and a spellcasting gesture, they cast Prestidigitation and a shower of sparks fly and cascade over them as they return to the pose Rohan had asked of them. ]

[penpoint]

I can do things during Cordis, but nothing like that.

[ It was mostly focused on himself, or at least what he had tried had been. He didn't want to accidentally hurt someone because he tried something he shouldn't have, after all. But he could handle it himself. Still, he watches as Fish moves, and does the trick, and that inspires him for a moment, so he flips the page in his sketchbook and proceeds to move his hands over the paper quickly - drawing the performance of magic rather than the pose itself, before continuing onto the pose. ]

Here is my first time seeing magic like this. I mean, we have magicians who perform tricks but it's mostly tricks of the eyes and hands, and has nothing to do with real magic.

[ Real. ]

So it's pretty impressive - that trick you can do.

[freshtilapia]

I can do more, if you like.

[ Beaming, Fish moves their hands again-- more artfully this time-- to produce small illusion butterflies that float around the room for a few moments before fading out. They follow it up with another graceful wave that produces small fish swimming around them before disappearing as well. ]

[penpoint]

It's impressive. One moment --

[ Rohan absorbs the vision, committing it to his memory as he watches the other shift and move their hands to allow the butterflies to appear around them. And then his hand moves across the paper as he captures a specific moment from his memory, when the butterflies were just starting to appear near their hands. He's otherwise quiet and after a few moments, he shifts, lifting up the sketchpad and revealing the sketch. It's clear, it's detailed for as quickly as it was produced. ]

[freshtilapia]

Just... your talent is astounding!

[ Fish is just absolutely floored by everything Rohan has produced. ]

I'm sure you must be tired of hearing of it, but I'm just so impressed!

[penpoint]

[ Never. He enjoys getting praise for his work. He always worked more to have his art seen than to strictly make money, and he found a way for both to happen. So the compliments mean a lot to him. ]

I appreciate it. This is more exciting than other opportunities for things I've gotten to draw. It was a nice bonus, so it had to be perfect.

[ As if that's why. ]

[freshtilapia]

What other things have you gotten to draw, if you don't mind me asking?

[penpoint]

[ Rohan nods towards the walls. There are sketches up there, some are locations at home, some are people. But nothing up there is a picture of something from here. ]

Those drawings are mine. They're of places at home. I have a pretty good memory and can draw from it.

[ The reality is, he may not necessarily need a model, but opportunities to see new people can't be passed up. ]