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 Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:56 pm
Quote: One on One between Caustos_Seraphim and Rosencreutz Dietrich
Paige had to admit she was proud, it was difficult not to be. She was a foreigner after all, coming into an island society with hopes for the best and expectations for the worst. But there it was, the fruit of her labors, a shop sitting on some of the most expensive ground in the world. Her wallet might be empty on occassion, finances strained, but she was succeeding as an American in a world where she wasn't exactly wanted. At least not wanted as a functioning member of society. Make her into an English teacher, use here as an exotic hostess, maybe turn her into some sort of mascot. But not make something for herself, much less in a traditional art of the land...Though many would call her art anything but traditional. Glancing to the side as she saw the old woman who ran the bakery next door come out and wrinkle her nose Paige couldn't help but smile and give a quick wave. She wished the woman a good morning, asked how business was doing, and only got a gruff mutter in reply. Still smiling as the Japanese woman took to sweeping around the storefront Paige looked back up to her own display, a rather stark contrast to the quaint bakery next door.
She had wanted her business to fit in of course, she didn't need a mob of angry store owners coming after her, but she also wanted to stand out. Paige had kept the boring gray front to the building that had once held one of the many mail stations within the city. But where the paint was peeling away she drew tigers clawing their way out, cracks became angry veins in an oni's eye, or fading colors a shift from the mundane to a geisha's robe. The shop had once had formal katakana declaring its name, but nobody could remember it. Those who came were curious as to what she, an American, and woman, was doing. One after the other people would pop their heads in asking 'Is this the gaijin's shop?' And so the name had been changed. In English and it sharp fashionable writing 'The Gaijin's Shop' was splashed over the main door. Paige had to admit she rather liked it.
Glancing to her watch and knowing that it was more than time to set up she pulled the sign from the doorway that declared some of the requirements of the shop to set it out front. What tattoos started at (she couldn't stand cheapskates), what styles she would do, the offer for custom tattoos, and her favorite declaration 'You leave with it half done, it stays half done' in the same slanted handwriting as the airbrushed store name. Flipping the sign out front from closed to open the woman slipped in to the already prepared shop. There were two chairs in all as she was the only one who worked there, two had fit, and it helped to sometimesleave a complaining customer to stew shaven and half naked on one of the beds while she went to work on another. They were usually more compliant once she returned and determined to sit through the rest of Paige's work. For all but the largest tattoos that she herself couldn't manage to perfection in one sitting she expected her customers to stay put and deal with it. She was a good manager, she hadn't been losing money at least, but Paige knew that things would get complicated fast if she had to start setting up multiple appointments for dozens of customers a day. They wanted her work so badly, they could suffer a bit. The thought let a laugh escape from the woman at the thrill she got. She did like messing with people, even if she only got away with it because they wanted something from her.
"Alright, let's do this." Chuckling and dusting off her hands though any work had yet to be done for the day Paige went to the main counter. Grabbing up a hair tie she pulled back; a mass of thick, layered, brown hair. It was dark enough to help her blend in, a nice plus considering her pale as a baby's skin and bright blue eyes obviously set her apart. It would have just been one more obstacle to overcome if she had been born blonde instead. Dressed in a set of sleek black jeans and a tasteful blouse Paige snatched up a packet of papers from the countertop and moved to the chair behind it, plopping down with a content sigh and opening up the magazine. The best part of the day, when no customers were around.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:56 pm
Japan was a wonderful country in The Undertaker’s mind. It was a country full of diversity, and somewhere amongst these city limits there was bound to be someone interesting enough to captivate and keep his interest. Here more so than anywhere else, here where he could own a funeral parlor and be known simply amongst town as The Undertaker. It was a name he has kept for himself for quite some time, far more appealing than mortician or funeral director. And it was, under all circumstances, his name. It quite fit his personality, and certainly his method of dress. It was, to say the least, unique. But ah, here on the streets of the city in Japan, he garnered no more strange looks than any other individual that expressed themselves by dressing in such fashions. Black was still his trademark color, it contrasted with his remarkably pale skin and shock white hair.
Somewhere in this sea of people there had to be someone amusing. And he was quite bent on finding them. After all, it was starting to bore him…being the leader, there was never anything new and he was quite content running the business as it stood. What better way than to pass the time than finding someone to act as a successor? Despite what he was doing being highly frowned upon, he couldn’t help but smirk. Or grin rather, as that was his usual expression he sported.
Somehow he had managed to slip down the wrong street and a momentary contemplative frown crossed his face. He stopped his stride midstep, finding the quaint little building quite out of place amongst so many of the others. And he had to admit, it was his kind of quaint. A nice little bit of color amidst a street full of grey. Perhaps his little detour hadn’t been such a poor idea after all. It might be interesting to check out such a unique little shop.
“Ooh….what do we have here?” He questioned quietly to himself, a low, lilting laughter and a wide grin spread over his features as he examined the Gaijin Shop. A tattoo parlor? And on the streets of the city it seemed to be the only one nestled in amongst row after row of un-amusing little chain shops. He tipped his head to the side, long bangs falling in place to keep his eyes hidden though he somehow managed to see through them. After a moment of contemplation he reached out, long fingers wrapping around the handle to the shop’s door and pulling it open to step inside. He never really planned such things out, if he found something interesting he would investigate it and come up with answers later. Sometimes there was no need for a ‘why’ there just was.
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:13 pm
Enjoying her relaxing morning Paige realized that she was quite dismayed when the tiny bell above the door rang out and bothered her thoughts as she looked through a page of escort ads for a popular host club. Wishful thinking, if only she had the money... But despite the number of years she spent within Japan she was still uncertain whether or not foreigners were welcome at such places that didn't just serve drinks with the men. Frowning and marking her page she brought her feet down from the counter and sat up, pausing there. She shouldn't be surprised, that she knew, there had been quite a few characters to visit her shop ever since opening day and she had never expcted any one of them. But at least he hadn't run into the door while entering, Paige still watched in a way that expected the man to stumble over the couch set aside for customers waiting for their turn or bash right into the main counter itself. Perhaps he was a tourist who stumbled off the wrong street on his way to Shinjuku? But he could be a local who knew where he was, just an odd ball, not that Paige frowned upon that. Anything was better than tourists when it came to her first tattoo of the day.
"How can I help you?" she spoke in Japanese even though he looked to be as foreign to the island country as she was. It would be terrible to assume. If he was home brewed then a greeting in English would be like suddenly calling 'Konnichiwa!' to an Asian named John Smith, incredibly embarassing, "Ya know though, if you were looking for the fashion show that's one more train stop away." Paige still believed him to be a lost Shinjuju-ite, it wouldn't be the first one...She turned away for a moment, craning her head back to look at the calander pasted on the wall behind her near the drawing station. A very tasteful variety of shirtless actors, the current month displaying a man with dyed auburn hair with only the jacket of a school uniform on, and that unbuttoned besides. It wasn't Sunday...Shinjuku was always busy, but that was the only day off for interested workers to go and actually participate in the event. Maybe she was wrong. Bringing her head back into the proper position she stood up, sliding a large portfolio from one side of the counter to rest between her and the customer, "First customer of the day gets a discount if you have an interesting idea." Always filled the shop during the summer months, every punk looking for a tattoo thought his 'dragon koi' idea was completely original, "I also have selections here if you're interested." she patted the book, "And examples of previous tattoos, none with a red sticker are available for use." Those were ideas that others had come to her with and if they didn't give their permission for distribution then she was going to let them keep their one of a kind work of art. Now she was begining to get worried that she had said too much, what if he didn't speak Japanese at all? Great...That might even be more embarassing than simply saying 'hello' in the first place, at least that way she could have excused herself as a stupid gaijin and be done with it.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 7:54 pm
At first Undertaker did not immediately respond, he was taking in the shop and all the decorations it had to offer. He tipped his head slightly to the side, hair slipping just enough for his eye to take in the quality of her soul, just enough he could see through the hair but any onlooker would not be able to see past the shadows the ridiculous bangs cast. He grinned again, eyes finally turning to look upon the woman as she spoke in Japanese. Likely it was custom to speak such to customers, as Undertaker did not look at all Japanese. Though, with his hair hiding his eyes it would have been difficult to tell.
“Ahh…so she speaks fluently heh….heh….” He spoke the first part in Japanese just to play along and grinned ominously, ghosting across the small room to the counter and suddenly in front of her he held up one finger to her lips, long painted nails just barely brushing the skin. “But lets speak English, shall we?” The shadows from beneath his bangs just showed a faint outline of an eye, never enough to reveal anything more. But whether it was just a strange fashion habit or he wanted to conceal the scar that was visible across his face was unknown. “I saw your shop and decided to venture inside on a whim.” He raised his other hand to his lips and grinned again, long sleeve clutched in hand and another long nail tapping his lips while he watched the supposed Gaijin. “Let’s see…let’s see…” He retracted his hand that was almost touching her and moved it to his side before he started moving around the room and examining what it had to offer. His movements were oddly graceful, it not slightly spectral, and there was something oddly fascinating about him if not creepy.
After a long time inspecting the various tattoo designs and decorations in the shop, he finally spoke to her again. “Gaijin eh?” He glanced upwards, nails tracing one of the artwork designs for a tattoo. “And what would your real name be?”
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:12 pm
Oh-kay, he was not normal. Recoiling slightly and watching the man in shock as he brought a finger far too close to her for comfort Paige tried to guage just how abnormal he was. Strange enough to warrant trying to usher him out and lose a sale? Or would it be better to just deal with the eccentricies, hope he wanted to purchase some of her time, and let him move on, on his own...She didn't know if any of the Law and Order shows about being nice to the crazies actually had any truth to them. For a moment her mind considered the gun beneith the counter, she was not at all fond of being touched without her consent, however lightly. The gun was not real of course, it was impossible to get the real thing in Japan unless you were a cop or in a gang and Paige had no desire to be involved in either. But it looked enough like a gun to scare the majority of troublemakers off and could act as a tazer of need be. Or a blunt object...But perhaps she was judging too harshly. He seemed harmless...So far. Even if he did grate on her nerves by touching her artwork, or in that case the glass that framed the beautiful piece.
"Marie." An instant lie. It was the name she always fell back on when she was in need of an alias and it was better to be safe than sorry. She even said it with a confident smile as if fully assure that it was, indeed, her name, "Do you like that one?" she glanced to the feathered dragon that he had touched and opened up the portfolio next to her. By touch she guaged the correct number of pages to another set of various forms of the scaled, or in her case sometimes feathered or furred beasts. Paige, or Marie, had also slipped into English as requested. A customer was a customer after all, "I'm afraid that one is not for sale at a customer's request. The pattern is based off of a deceased bird that was close to them. But I do have a selection of others." She tapped on the laminated book, hoping to get the man's attention to the task at hand. Whether he was out there or drugged up didn't matter. It just meant that she likely had to work faster if she got him on the table, but she wouldn't force him into something he didn't want. She did have morals, somewhere within her. And her work was stunning. Be it framed on the wall, painted outside, or in her book the pictures were able to practically come alive with expert coloring and shading. The gaijin had a talent for it, that was certain, even if she did look a bit out of place in the tattoo world with none of her own...None that were visible at least.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:55 pm
Undertaker’s grin turned into a knowing smirk and he pulled out a small black notebook. He paged through it, coming to the right section. She was lying, Marie was not her real name. Not according to the shinigami records book, which was never wrong. Which he had borrowed, just for the special occasion of finding someone interesting to perhaps make into a successor. Perhaps. He would have to return it to the library before any of the other shinigami noticed its absence. It was no book of the dead, but it was still important. He snapped the notebook shut and chuckled, the slightly errie, lilting laugh again.
“I see.” He replied in a silken voice, saying nothing more on the matter of her name as he slipped the black notebook back into place in his pocket. “No, no, I am just browsing.” He smiled again, looking over at the book she was pointing to. He was indeed browsing, but not for a tattoo. But to explain his real reason would be a silly thing to do, not a soul would believe him. And she was already, clearly uncomfortable. He did seem to have that effect on people…being both an Undertaker and a death god…and perhaps slightly otherworldly.
A brief thought crossed the shinigami’s mind and as usual, when a random thought came to mind he voiced it. “You do artwork.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement as he had noticed the paintings on the walls. He pressed his fingers together in a steeple pattern as he looked over to her through the silver curtain of his bangs. “Do you think you would be up to a particular task of decorating?” It would be quite interesting to have some artwork in the parlor, it certainly was eyecatching.
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:08 am
Great, just looking...That was usually something she only had to worry about when it came to tourists, not locals...But Paige supposed there was a first time for everything. But then, her opinion of the man changed again as he brought up the matter of decorating. Dollar signs flashed within the young woman's head, painting was a great deal different than tattooing and she could easily charge astronomical prices. The time, distance traveled, physical effort required, and of course the likely size of such a piece that would be used for viewing on a large scale. The back of her mind continued to sound of warning bells at the man's behavior, but it wasn't as if she couldn't take the tazer with her, it wasn't often that Paige was lucky enough to have a request for her artwork other places besides the body...Hell, it was a first and admittedly the idea was a bit of a thrill to the young woman.
"Depends on what you have in mind." Her smile became more natural now that she had the prize of work to look forward to, "Not the picture itself, I'm happy to draw whatever you would like. But where, when, and how long until you need it done."Hoping to make certain to solidify the deal that could have easily been created on a whim by the strange man Paige pulled out her own notebook...A mundane Hello Kitty styled version from beneith the counter, flipping through a few pages of, well, notes, doodles, and finaces to come to a clean page, "Your name?" She had to catch him, or, scare him off before he speant an astronomical amount of her time discussing what he wanted without any actual intention of completing the deal.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:23 am
(Darn, do you know where I can find Kuroshitsuji ep 24 subbed? My fansub site uploaded a file that has no subs! Doesn’t help me. XD I already deleted it off my computer the first time. I was watching the raw and the shinigami parts where William comes and speaks to Grell and Undertaker, it looks like he has an army of clones. They all do the sparkling glasses thing ahahaha.)
Of course she went for that one, Undertaker had an inkling she would. It would be great for business, and promotion…and in his favor it would mean a bit more time observing her to ascertain if she would be the right one. One had to make such decisions carefully, he couldn’t simply pick just anyone…it had to be someone interesting. He would be spending a fair amount of time with them after all. He grinned, reaching into his jacket and slowly pulling out a business card. Black of course, with gleaming red writing in an elegant cursive. At the top of the card it simply read Undertaker, with directions to the shop by the same name. For conveniences sake. A little coffin insignia was in the corner but there was nothing of times the shop was open. He held the card out to her, grin widening as she inquired his name.
“You may call me Undertaker.” He said simply, nothing else. No one else would have such an absurd nickname. “Ask anyone in town, you’ll be able to find me. My doors are always open, the dead never sleep after all.” He didn’t explain exactly what he meant, retracting his arm as she took the card and laughing eerily again. “As for time…take as long as you need. I have all the time in the world.” He added silkily, brushing his lips with the long black nails and smiling as if enjoying some private joke. “Price is no option.” He added the last part in simply to catch her attention, as otherwise he likely would have frightened her off.
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:36 am
It was force of habit. Even though she stared at the card with obvious shock Paige set down her pen long enough to take ahold of the business card with both hands and give the cursory bow, turning the card to read it...Not that there was much besides an address to worry about. Undertaker, really now? But considering the man's manner of dress she assumed that it was some sort of fashion boutique, a perfect fit for her kind of artwork at the very least. She certainly would be asking around. Putting the business card carefully into the case she carried on hand for just such exchanges Paige returned the favor...Albiet a great deal less gracefully. Snatching one of the many cards decorated with the traditional pairing of dragon and tiger in her own design out of a case near the register to hand over to the man. She preferred the 'gaijin' way of doing things and let people take them as they wished, but she wasn't foolish enough to not go through with the little ceremony. She still wasn't certain how involved within the locale the man infront of her was. But he seemed to have no attachment to his money and that was more than enough for Paige to put up with any eccentricies, and there seemed to be quite a few.
Writing down the man's...'Name'. Paige decided to push the issue another time, once at least some of the money was in her pocket and the terms were set. No need to possibly insult the man prior to that, "I see...Well then, if that is the case I could stop by after I close shop tonight at six. At least take a look at where you would like me to work." She would need a day or two to gather the proper paints and supplies before she actually began and knowing what kind of space she would be working with would help a great deal, "And a design?" she looked from the notebook back up to the man, trying to not appear to be as suspicious of him as she felt.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:37 pm
Perhaps his little venture hadn’t been completely in vain after all. And what was life without a few…surprises? He grinned, eyes still watching very carefully from behind the veil of silver hair, extending his hand to take the business card she held out and slipping it into his pocket without glancing at it. There was no need after all, he knew where she was and what she did and as the commissioner he had no need to think upon her hours of work as, frankly, his doors were almost always open and he had already extended the invitation.
“I leave that up to you.” He replied, leaving the option of design free to imagination. No need to spoil the surprise after all. There were so few surprises left in the world, and he reveled in the few amusements he could find. “Perhaps once you see you will become…inspired.” Behind the sleeve he had raised to his mouth he smiled, tipping his head slightly to the side.
“I shall take my leave then, my work here is done.” A dark chuckle and a smirk crossed the man’s face before he turned and ghosted towards the door. It was about time to open shop in any case. And just as quickly as the man had come, he had left without a trace, without a sound, much like a passing spectre.
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:55 pm
For quite some time after the strange man had left Paige was uncertain whether he had been there at all. The woman found herself constantly checking to verify that the odd business card was still in her case, half expecting it to vanish as the man had so easily drifted in and out of the shop. He was strange...But, as time went on, she decided he wasn't dangerous. Just something new and odd. It was rare for something so out of the ordinary to pop up in Japan, even if the money hadn't been there to solidify her desire to go to the shop she likely would have wandered over just to see what all the fuss was about. And there was quite a good deal of fuss.
"Undertaker? You mean that crazy shop a few stops down the line? Never went in."
"Clothes? Bah, he's an Undertaker, what do you think he deals in!"
"Absolutely absurd, never heard of such a shop. I wouldn't go near it."
"They say the only customers he gets are the ones he kills himself..."
"Under...What's under here? Some new museum? Should we go to it? Is it still open this time of the day?"
Shooing out the tourists that were her last patrons and last source of...Or attempted source of info for the day Paige was relieved to turn the sign on her door to closed. She did not know what to believe of the information she had recieved, even when it did come from reliable customers. After all, an undertaker in Tokyo? There was no need! Graveyards couldn't exists within the mountain of steel save for a few old plots tucked away behind shrines, and it was likely the rich that could afford such places to bury their families had far more...Acceptable morticians that they delt with. No. People buried their families in the country, what kind of business would he be getting? Or perhaps it was all a front? Or a joke from her customers? She had no idea. But wandering around her shop hoping that enlightenment would come to her was not going to fix anything. She had told the man that she would stop by that night and so she would, settle all of the mysteries once and for all.
It wasn't difficult to find the shop. Even when Paige became turned around all she had to do was say the name or flash the business card and a spooked looking shopkeeper would direct her down the right street. She didn't know why they would be so worried even if the man decided to name himself and the shop with such a morbid term. It wasn't until Paige stood infront of the building with the tipped sign, skeleton decor, and coffins on display outfront that she shared their sentiments. Holding tight to the messenger bag over her shoulder the woman was quite uncertain whether she actually wanted to go in or not...Or if it would truly be open despite what the man had told her. But money was money, right? Besides, it was likely just some sort of playful outside design, that was all. She reached out to tap one of the coffins, frowning when it didn't feel like styrofoam or make a hollow sound of aluminum to signify that it was just a fake. Even worse, since she had assumed it was fake and thus somehow nailed into the shop or the ground Paige had used a fair amount of force, sending the coffin toppling and illicting a sound of shock from the woman who hurried to try and catch it.
She succeeded in slowing the coffin's decent, minimizing damage, but also letting the door bang open and a skeletal arm roll out. Eyes widening and uncertain whether to assume that the contents of the coffin were as fake as the coffin itself Paige leaned over from where she stood behind the fallen item, paling at the full body skeleton within. Just a fake, just a fake, just a fake...But money was not worth anything and she had certainly over-estimated her bravery.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:42 pm
The usual silence of the shop was disturbed with a crash, and a bang from outside where the coffin had been disturbed. And then there was an eerie silence that followed, somehow quieter than before, dead silence was a term that fit quite well at that moment. From inside the strange shop a low, lilting laughter rose. “….hee…hee…hee….” Any shopkeepers or customers that were on the street looked at Paige with surprise, wondering what she was doing anywhere near the strange place. Most people refused to go anywhere near it, said they would be cursed. Japanese were very superstitious people.
“Come to pick out a coffin perhaps? Or pay your respects to the dead…?” The door to the shop creaked open, though there was no one near enough to open it. “Welcome.” A silken voice replied from somewhere within the dark confines of the shop. Again, a low chuckle. Undertaker was waiting, sitting on the lid of one of the many coffins that lined the room, his legs crossed and leaning back in a quite comfortable pose. The shop was full of coffins, tombstones, strange jars and containers, urns, a rack of fine memorial jewelry and other such burial tools. A shovel was in one corner, a large scythe (surprisingly enough) next to it and it was in quite good shape. Although the rest of the shop was not, cobwebs seemed to creep in the corners and behind coffins, and a very thin film lined the windows keeping the room mostly dark save for the lighting from several candles lining the room. It wasn’t really a wonder most people stayed away from the creepy shop. And the creepy shop owner.
He stood immediately and strided to the door, grinning when he saw exactly whom it was outside his shop. “Well, well, well…come after all, did you?” He looked at her once and then over to the fallen casket and his grin widened at the look of shock on her face. “Perhaps you’d like to try it?” He moved to the coffin to right it and picked up the skeleton’s frame, holding it in his arms like one might a dance partner. “Sleep in one of my deluxe coffins? One only gets to try it once…you’ll sleep like the dead.” He laughed again, but somehow it made it all the stranger when he still had that wide grin on his face. Anyone on the streets stopping to listen quickly moved on, wanting nothing to do with the strange man.
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:58 pm
Whirling around as the door opened Paige took a step back, and nearly did tumble into the coffin as the back of her legs hit against the expensive item. She managed to balance herself however, wide-eyed and with hands out infront of her, palms facing the shop owner in the traditional 'I'm harmless!' gesture. Though in her case and with the shocked expression she wore it was more along the lines of a childish 'I didn't do it!' when it was plainly obvious that she had, in fact, done it. For a moment the strangeness of the man did not keep Paige's attention. Her eyes began to wander through the shop itself and the reality of the situation that this was, in fact, a funeral parlour began to finally dawn on her. Well, at least she could be reassured that her long standing customer's weren't actually teasing her about the man. However, she was rather inclined to stay away from the place herself. But money...Money...And really, it was such a thrill to be able to paint on a building from time to time, it would be extremely painful to leave the offer and run.
Almost stepping back again as the man approached Paige caught herself before she began to topple once more and instead moved to the side and further away from Undertaker that way, "N-No, absolutely not!" looking slightly startled as she realized her hands were still up she quickly brought them back down and wrapped them around the strap of her bag in a subconcious sign of stress, "A-As open minded as I am, I-I think I'll pass." She glanced back to the coffin and then up to the man again, unable to repress a shudder at the sight he made with the 'body' (she still hoped it was fake). Though a moment later she did look somewhat surprised and interested, though quickly dismissed the idea with a shake of her head and beant to pick up the coffin. She did not want to stand out in the open and ask for permission to sketch the scene, her memory would be enough and she could manage it when she was somewhere that logic reigned. Wincing as she got her fingers under the coffin Paige was shocked at how easily it had fallen, but how heavy and hard it was to lift. A sign of quality she supposed, that, or the velvet lining within...Not that she was admiring, she was only shocked that he would put such obviously expensive things out in the open; creepy shop or not.
"Sorry, I thought, I mean. I assumed that it was fake and just..." she mimicked the knocking on the side of the coffin, a bad idea as she had both her hands under it and one could not lift it in the least. Her arm strained and her legs buckled and some interesting curses escaped the woman before she put her other hand back under the coffin where it belonged. A few painful moments that she would certainly feel in the morning later she had the coffin back up on its base, hands moving to the same palm open gesture again, willing the monstrosity to stay like a good dog as she inched away, "Ah, you do know that most Japanese creamate their dead...Right?"
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:15 pm
“Pity…” Undertaker added in response to her reply about the coffins. He had yet to find someone that would be so willing to enjoy his craftsmanship by taking up his offer, too afraid they might never come back out again. He tipped his head to the side, eyes flicking to the coffin on the ground. “Tsk tsk~” He moved to the coffins side and helped it stand upright again, “To assume such things. Superior craftsmanship should be on display for the world to see, nothing here is fake.” He grinned, knowing that might answer her question about the skeleton and set it back inside the coffin, but whether he was being serious or not with that strange smile it was difficult to tell if he was just teasing her or just not quite right in the head.
“I do that too of course.” He smirked, knowing the Japanese preferred the compact form of ashes to the bulky coffins. That was a pity as well, he worked so hard on them. But he did sell urns, and decorations for shrines, incense, even memorial jewelry which was quite popular with those that wanted something to remember their loved ones by. “Now then…” He turned from the coffin once it had been up righted and without warning rested one hand against her back to lead her into the shop without protest. He wouldn’t have her leaving on him after everything he had gone through to find her. “Welcome to my shop.”
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Rosencreutz Dietrich Captain
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:31 pm
A small sound came from Paige as she felt the man's hand against her and on instinct she dug her heels into the ground, if only for a moment, before logic that it was just a shop let her move forward. That, and the fact that the quicker she moved the easier it would be to remove the man's hand from her, "Hey hey hey, hands to yourself!" Dusting off her back as she stepped fully inside the woman was painfully aware that the few windows that there were had too many 'wares' within them to actually bring much light in. Or maybe it was the hour... Perhaps coming to a shop such as this was not the best idea when night was about to fall, but she certainly couldn't come during hours her own shop was operating...Dammit. One hand still resting on the small of her back Paige looked about, an uncertain frown on her features as she attempted to understand exactly what kind of motif the man was going for...Dead, as far as she could ascertain. It frankly seemed more like a joke version of an actual funeral parlour. Or a rendition of a haunted house, or a haunted house Lite she supposed. Paige herself was not a very brave person and could never stand such things, so she could not compare the Undertaker's shop to a haunted house as it didn't scare her...Just put her severely at ease and wonder if the man slept in a white padded room.
"And ah...Thanks, I think." She hadn't meant to add on the last two words, they just came out, but she didn't seem too keen on taking them back either, "It looks pretty full in here though, where did you want something painted?" Paige brought her attention back to Undertaker, only to have it waiver a moment later. She had never had any reason to visit a funeral parlour before and it was extremely interesting to see some of the Japanese wares. What had caught her attention were some of the expensive stone memorial tablets, not that she could read the old Japanese carved into them, but most Japanese couldn't either. Mostly just a sign of status. And her bad habit struck again as she wandered over to them. Paige reached out, tapping one of the larger varieties out of interest, but at least it didn't fall as the coffin had.
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