|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 3:49 pm
It had been one of those rare winter days that the snow had let up, melted in the courtyards and sidewalks, and the sun showed itself for a while. The forecast said it was short lived and it would go back to snowing and thwarting the sun's effort to thaw everything out, but for now, it was welcoming and enjoyed. Many people seized the chance to go shopping, glad for the nice weather, and walked in bunches with their friends, hopping from store to store and checking off their Christmas' lists.
Ladon was out and about looking for something his friend Paris might want. HE had been debating on clothes for a while, and had a moment where he wondered if he should buy Paris the panties he so often ranted and raved about. Then the idea of a boy buying another boy underwear dawned on him and he shook the small thought out of his head. Instead, he went to Prince Charming, a small shop hidden around the shopping district, and bought the boy some clothes. Things he assumed he would like, and little accessories that matched. Happy he had his shopping done, he decided to enjoy the day wandering around the mall. He wasn't a big shopping. Mainstream gadgets and toys just didn't interest him, but the festive lights and Christmas displays were nice to look at and got him in the spirit.
When all that was said and done, he started to make his way home, leaving the mall and heading to the nearest bus stop. It was on his way there that he noticed a bench and on the bench a row of paintings, against and atop, with one frowning artists nearby. The boy's set frown was enough to make him want to just walk by as quickly as he could, but the paintings caught his attention.
Vivid, details paintings of foreign, imaginary words that made him think of so many fantasy novels he read. Stopping, he looked at then, and then knelt down to look at a few on the ground rested against the bench, looking at them more at eye level and taking in their detail. There was a rather nice night scene he was looking at with strange creatures that made him think of the home world the youma he worked with. The more he looked at it, the more he felt an urge to have it. It wasn't something he usually did. He wasn't an artsy type of person, but with cash in his pocket and a pretty picture in front of him, it just seemed right.
"These are really good." He said, looking up to the boy and hoping his expression would lighten. "…you did all these?" It was a stupid question to ask, but he felt the need to say it. "They are really good." He paused, looking back at the picture before him. "This one is very nice. Lots of monsters. They almost look real." They looked like the creatures that sneaked around the Negaverse HQ, with glowing eyes and keeping out of sight.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 3:59 pm
BIlly had watched his would-be patron with that distant, bored, gaze he looked at everyone with as the dark-haired boy looked over Billy's wares. With the snow and damp surroundings, Billy had made sure to protect his work as best he could, laying old newspaper in several layers over the bench before the fabric scrolls of art were layed out.
"Indeed, these are all my doing," Billy spoke from where he stood behind the bench. He wasn't fond of this cold weather, but it was the shopping season, and like hell was he going to miss his opportunity to sell his art. Perhaps, though, being cold made him a bit grumpier than usual.
When Ladon spoke of his monster scenes, Billy walked around the bench and over to Ladon's side. "They should," Billy then lowered his voice mysteriously, "After all, I have seen them. Such a sight does not easily leave one's mind."
It was true. Ever sense the events of that organ ring known as Barren Pines, Billy had not only sensed but seen monsters.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:00 pm
The weather wasn't one to perk anyone's spirit up, but the sun coming out for a rare appearance had at least made him a little happier with the day than the others he seen this week. Being stuck indoors always made him feel worn, caged in, and short-tempered. Well, as short-tempered as Ladon got, which wasn't much. With Christmas shopping and snowy weather, even the sun wasn't able to brighten their spirits, and he guessed this kid had just had a bad week and winter was taking its toll early on him. Nothing he could do about it, though he had hoped that someone who wanted to sell their art would find more pleasure in it. Then again, maybe selling his art was a choice he had to make in his desperation for money and, if he didn't, he would have kept them. Who knew? He wasn't an artist after all.
What he did get was youma, and it was surprising to hear a civilian to mention them. It made him suspicious. The boy could very well be a senshi, but then again, was a senshi so stupid to make it clear he saw monsters? Maybe he's crazy? That was always a possibility, and he rolled that idea around in his head as he looked at the painting. Youma or monsters, he wasn't sure what this kid saw.
..but he wanted to be sure.
"Hmm. I see. A lot of people have been talking about monsters. Must be scary, seeing them." He mused out loud, his tone not that of a person trying to play along with an insane person, but being serious about the matter. "Have you seen more of them and painted them?" He looked up from the painting, feeling more and more inclined to buy it. "I really like this painting. Are there any more like this?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:10 pm
"Scary? No. Not when you feel them. Know they're coming," he gave a wry smirk, "But then again, maybe I'm just crazy. Either way - it keeps me alive. I don't usually stick around to see them. This is the only one like it I have."
Because in truth he had only painted it to get the images out of his head. The Youma weren't the most aesthetically pleasing thing in the world, but each he saw stuck with him, intriguing in their ugliness. On account of aesthetics though - this boy had them. He found it odd though that he'd have any interest in the monsters...
Well, it was always the small, nice, ones you had to worry about.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:41 pm
Interesting. Very interesting. If he was a senshi, he wouldn't be revealing this much to a stranger. Did unawakened senshi notice youma, or was this kid really just crazy? The descriptions sounded correct. He often felt a youma before spotting one, and the nightmarish creature slinking about the dark landscape of the picture looked like something he'd see creeping the streets of Destiny City at night. Whether it was one thing or the other, he knew that letting a picture like this slip by and attracting the attention of someone else wasn't the type of thing he wanted. Best to buy it. It was a good thing he liked it.
"I'll take it." He said, deciding that moment that he would take the picture home and hang it somewhere. If anyone asked, he could fake ignorance of what the creature was and say he liked dark, gothic things – which would be saying something considering how many stuffed animals and warm colors made up his room. Reaching over, he picked it up and rose from his kneeling position, looking at what would his first ever piece of bought art. Street art, but art nonetheless.
Still, there was another issue to address. "Could you make another picture of this or tell me when you make another? This one…" he tried to think of an excuse to get the boy to draw the creature move vividly. Maybe it would help him figure out if this was just the product of a ill mind or something more. Something that he could report. "….is one I'd like to keep, but I know someone else who would love it. It would really help me out a lot." He could easily fake that it was a Christmas present when in fact he would just take the other home with him to make a matching set.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:49 pm
"Fifteen Dollars," Billy said, reporting the price of the piece and returning back to behind the bench. "And yes, I could make another. Exact replica, or some other beast?"
Billy would have no problem recreating the art piece. The image of monsters was something that the artist could easily summon from his memory. It simply wasn't something you forgot. It also wasn't the only monster he'd seen - just the only one he'd had the displeasure of recreating on his fabric canvas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:02 pm
He rose up, fishing in his pocket for the money. He had to be wary. He had more money than he typically carried around, and he didn't want to tip anyone else around to mug him. True, he could lure them into an alleyway and make short work of them, but there would be witnesses. Instead, he pulled out the cash, and handed it over, tucking the painting delicately under one arm. It was a little hard to manage with a reusable shopping bag in one hand, and he regretted not bringing his backpack for this trip.
"If you can do another beast, that would be great. The more, the better." He said, and caught how crazy he must sound. "My friend really likes creatures of this type, and I do too. I haven't found anything like this. I was about to just give up. It's really lucky I found you." He said, and then patted his pockets for his phone. "Should I....give you my number? So that you can contact me?" He didn't want to rush this boy or anything, but he didn't want to loose the kid either and miss out on a chance to find out more about his ability to feel monsters. Who knew if what they saw about the artistic types being flighty and forgetful was true, but he didn't want that to happen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:17 pm
"I see," Billy wasn't going to question about this 'friend' or even this boy's own likes. To each their own after all, and I was the season for gift-buying. It was intriguing though. Billy nodded regarding the phone number. He didn't have a phone of his own, but that didn't mean he didn't know where the rare and ever so elusive pay-phone was.
"When I have finished I will contact you. Payment will not be due till then."
When it came to business, Billy tried to be concise and short, engaging in little conversation. This was business, not social time. So long as he got hims money and name out there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:26 pm
Ladon scrambled for a piece of paper and taking out a flier for holiday specials he got with his purchase at Prince Charming, he fished for a pen and wrote out his name and number. Slowly, he looked at the paper, making double, triple even, sure that it was correct, before handing it over. As Billy took the paper, he felt there was little left. Should he ask how long it would take or would that ruin his artistic process and make him take even longer out of spite? Seeing as the boy seemed rather...short with him, he wasn't about to push it. Best to play it safe and just let the guy be.
Still, he had to know who he was. If he lost contact with him, he wanted a way to find him so that he wasn't randomly describing this guy to strangers and hoping someone knew him. "That's great. Call anytime. I'll be more than happy to see it, or even to hear or see about a progress report." Play it cool. "The name is Ladon Shepard." He said, sticking out his hand for the to take. Best to get his name out so that they could make this official.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:36 pm
Maybe later Billy would look at the flier and ponder, but for now he pocketed it, and committed the boy's name to memory. For now, business was business. And the business Billy was a fair bit different from regular Billy.
"And I am Billy Roadinger. You can expect to hear from me soon. Efficiency and quality - I put out nothing less. Your 'friend' will have their art in time for Christmas."
Pride - Billy has it, and he was not about to not flaunt the fact that he was absolutely the best at what he does.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 6:58 pm
His matter-o-fact attitude, straight to the point, no unneeded ranting or pleasantries, and heavy confidence in that he WOULD be getting done by Christmas made Ladon pull back. For someone who rarely poke in such a way, who was so convinced he was capable in doing something with every fiber of his being, it was strange and a bet frightening in how strong it was. Ladon always had doubt that seeing someone appear to have none and speak with such power was strange and made him feel out of place. The attitude of this guy was better suited to a scientist or one of those young entrepreneurs – not a guy selling art on the streets.
Were all artist this way? If so, he had a completely different view on them.
He shook for what was deemed necessary, and gave him a slow, wary nod. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Roadinger. I look forward to hearing from you." Even though the boy was around his age, his personality seemed anything but young. For a name like 'Billy', which made Ladon think of a playful boy, he felt Mister suited him better.
With the boy acted, idle chatter to find out more didn't seem to be the way to go. Instead, Ladon awkwardly stood there, then arranged his bag and painting and nodded to him. "…l-later then. Um…hope your sale goes well." It was all he could offer in a way of being friendly, and with that, he made a slow goodbye.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
