prismatica | video

[The camera opens to Crystal Beach. With the weather as it's been lately, nobody should be surprised that someone decided to spend a little time there. With the sun starting to set, the sky has burst into mingled red and gold, the color spread over the sea as well in gentle lapping waves. A small jostle, and the camera is all set on a beach chair that was the resting place of a few cute little dolls. Some were shaped like local animals, but among the others were a smattering of dragons, perhaps an inspiration from their recent dealings with Lyestellus.

Kanji stepped back and into the frame, dressed for the outing: A basic black speedo and a pair of snappy designer sunglasses. He didn't seem bothered by his choice of attire- it was too damn hot to give a shit anyway- as he lowered to his knees and settled next to his makeshift display.]

A'right... uh, yo! Ain't done one of these videos in a while. Few months, I think? Anyway, I'll just get right into it with the question I sometimes get:

Did I make these? Damn right I did! They're cute as hell too, yeah? And if somebody's got a problem with a guy like me makin' stuff like this, they can kiss my ass or get outta my way! This is what I do, and I'm damn proud of it!

[He sat up straighter with a grin.]

...For the rest of ya who don't give a crap and want a piece of what I can make, I'm open for orders. I make dolls, charms n' clothes. Hell, they can be clothes that accommodate ears n' tails or whatever when the moon changes. I can do alterations, too.

I'm gettin' better at workin' needles while transformed, too, so the Sanguis moon ain't slowin' me down much. Gimme a little more time, and that'll be nailed no sweat!

[He supposed that was it. Off-camera, there's a distinct panting. Kanji looked off-frame, too. Despite the hardened look right up until then, his expression softened immediately.]

Hey, pal... tired of diggin', huh?

[A large black and white dog pads in, some kind of jowly breed but it's sporting a strange pair of horns and very dirty paws from a digging adventure. His tail is wagging like crazy as he flopped beside the human, and is happy to get those tummy pets.]

Anyway... drop a line here or in the inbox.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Is this something people actually give you grief over on a regular basis?

[He arches an eyebrow. Seems like a weird thing to tease someone over, but maybe it's just how defensive he gets about it, plus him not looking like the type to enjoy such a hobby.]

Yup. Got bad growin' up, still happened before I woke up on Iris, but not as often. Maybe it'll eventually stop, but not unless I do what I can to put my best self forward like a man, y'know?

That's a good way to go about it. I'd suggest doing your best to pretend it doesn't bother you at all. It makes it harder to tease you about your hobby if you shrug off the teasing like it's nothing.

Yeah, that's the hard part. It opens old scabs, y'know, so I do let it get the best of me instead of keepin' my cool!

I gotta work on bein' cooler, I think. But, uh... not what the prismals here think is cool. I dunno how to ride a skateboard!

[That gets a chuckle out of him.]

I don't know how to ride a skateboard either. I think there's plenty of other ways to be cool without knowing how to do that.

I ain't... anger-management angry. I was close to it once. But I just get flustered and feel humiliated if people poke fun. I dunno how I can start letting it just roll off me. It's been years since I faced and accepted myself, but I still feel like I gotta make good changes.

Well...if you don't mind a slightly personal question, are you attracted to girls?

[He's not going to assume one way or another. He could be, could be interested in guys instead, could be interested in both, or have no interest in dating at all.]

If yes, I have an idea of how you could turn their mocking back on them.

[The question caught him by surprise, enough that he's quiet a minute, face turning bright red. Easy, easy... he wasn't making accusations, he was asking a simple question and wasn't going to get WEIRD about it-]

I-I have a girlfriend!

[Who could very well be his husband if Naoto declared it be so and he saw no problem with this, but that was a whole other multifaceted chestnut.]

Wh-what's that gotta do with comebacks, though?

Being in a hobby that tends to be more popular with girls rather than boys means that you're in a better position to meet and talk with more girls. It also means you can make your girlfriend thoughtful and personalized gifts, and you can tailor your clothes to fit you perfectly.

[He's not offering snarking suggestions just yet, so much as pointing out some side benefits to the hobby.]

So...here you are, with a hobby that you genuinely enjoy, that's given you these advantages. A life hack, if you will. If any guys laugh at you for being into crafts, you can laugh at them for not thinking of getting into crafts.

[His eyebrows shot up. The man is 19, having had this hobby for nearly the entirety of his life and his lifestyle, and he never put together that in some weird way he would have had some sort of edge in getting to know girls!

Well, except for the whole 'girls almost exclusively bullied him and in turn terrified and angered him' thing. But he did make lots of lovely things for his girlfriend.]

Heh... yeah! I guess I could put it that way, too. I get a lotta dudes askin' for stuff for their lady friends, for starters. Man, for all the weird shit that happens here, the people are WAY better than back home.

I think the fact that we've all been forced to accept strange things from the point that we've arrived onward has helped open everyone's minds quite a bit. Even just the idea of chroma took some getting used to.

Sure did. I didn't think I'd be a touchy-feely type, let alone somebody who'd uh... 'go all the way', but here I am.

But you're right- the world bein' strange helped open everyone up to all kinds of stuff.

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