isleofavalon | I have always been a fortress

[It's very normal for two friends to meet for a coffee and maybe something to eat. Even with Elsa realizing some things lately, she doesn't consider invitin Izumi out a date. Just two friends meeting.

Yet it took her weirdly long to decide what to wear for this normal, casual meeting. She's wearing a nice looking blue summer dress, close to the style she usually has but much more brighter and fit for summer. Her hair is also on a side braid like she sometimes like to wear it. She feels her outfit is casual enough... but it still took her time to decide on it.

Weird.

Elsa's waiting on Izumi to arrive as she's also a little early to their meeting. Which is normal, really, she's usually always too early. But she seems calm. Definitely not at all a little like she has butterflies dancing in her stomach.]

( Likewise, Izumi takes a bit longer than normal finding the right outfit. Because Elsa is very pretty, and always looks good. It's not a competitive thing, but... when you're standing next to a beautiful rose, you want to complement it, not detract from it. That kind of thing. And besides, with the warm weather, it seems like a waste to use a day off on her usual jeans and t-shirts combination.

Which is how she ends up arriving with her hair sprawling loosely across her shoulders and onto the sleeves of a simple cream coloured dress which flares around her knees. And maybe she also added an extra touch of her usual floral perfume when she was leaving.

It's summer! She wants to smell like summer! )

Elsa-chan! ( She dropped the -san for something more affectionate a while ago, but there's still at least a little honourific going on. For now, anyway. Maybe Elsa would be amiable to being simply Elsa, but something about that makes Izumi's stomach do knots. Probably just because it's always awkward to ask such a thing. She felt awkward with Tsumugi too! See. Just that. )

Sorry I'm late. I missed a taxi...

( She is not late. But she did miss a taxi. He'd just been called to another job when she was heading towards him. Unfortunate. And she definitely wasn't going to walk in the wedge heels she's got on. )

Have you waited long?

[Elsa definitely thinks Izumi is the beautiful one here. She'd had thought that even with jeans and t-shirts because she makes them work well. But the dress definitely brings her beauty out even more and makes Elsa look at her a little longer than usual as she approaches.

Elsa is still getting used to the honorific system most of the Kaika staff seems to have, but something about -chan instead of -san makes her feel very warm and bubbly. Like she's being accepted. Yeah, that's what it is. She's belonging in the group and becoming closer to them. That's the explanation.]

Hey. It's alright. I didn't wait for too long.

[It's a tiny white lie, since she was early... but also she felt like she hadn't been here that long. Somehow time had flown past as she had waited. That's what it's like waiting for a good friend, right?]

You look nice. That's a really cute dress.

[Just normal girl compliments.]

( Back home, Izumi might have been more serious about the maintenance of proper honourifics while at work, but Avalon's a different place. A different culture... a different amalgamation of cultures, if you want to be really specific about it. So here, she can go with things that are a little more comfortable. A little more familiar.

And speaking of familiar... Nah. That flutter in her stomach was definitely just because she's always been bad at accepting compliments. She tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear and tries to ignore the heat in her cheeks. )

Thank you! I wanted to wear something new.

( Yeah. Just. Buying dresses because Elsa invited her for coffee. Normal girl things. ) I love that colour on you.

( Blue is something of Elsa's colour in general, true, but that bright and summery shade really pops, drawing the eye to her, and... Ahem. Nope. She's just checking out the dress, that's all. )

Tsumugi did a really good job here. It's perfect for warm weather, isn't it?

( Surrounded by all this beauty. It just puts you in a good mood! )

Oh! Thank you. I bought it a while ago and I wasn't sure about it... but I'm glad if you think it suits me.

[Just warm fuzzies over being complicated. Nothing to see here.]

Definitely. This has definitely become one of my favorite shops here.

Of course. ...You look pretty in anything, Elsa-chan.

( Definitely normal things to say when your cheeks are slightly pink and your voice lowers, just enough that the compliment becomes an intimate thing shared between the two of them. )

Me too. I love coming here to look over my notes for our plays. It has a good atmosphere to keep you focused.

( Not that Izumi needs a good atmosphere to focus on the pretty lady in front of her, but that's neither here nor there. )

[She's blushing. Totally normal, when getting a compliment like that.]

I could say the same about you, Izumi. I always think you look great in whatever you wear.

[She's definitely feeling a little shy saying that, but it's how she genuinely feels. Still, it's something friends would tell each other. Especially girls.]

Definitely. Sometimes I don't even notice the time passing when I'm here and reading the scripts.

[Or in today's case, spending time with a very (beautiful) close friend.]

( Now if only Izumi could look dignified while turning tomato-red. She's pretty sure that ability is reserved only for people like Elsa, though.

Instead of brushing off the compliment, though, she laughs at Elsa's second comment. That's relatable. ) Right. I've had some of the staff come up to me and tell me my coffee was cold.

( Oh well. More money for Tsumugi's business, she guesses. )

[Yes, good. Let's focus on Moondrop. A good change of subject from their looks. They've said enough about those. (Even if Elsa could continue about how pretty Izumi's hair is--)]

Maybe that's why I've changed my drink of choice to a cold drink rather than coffee.

[Then again she's got a fondness for cool things in general, but she does like a nice coffee from time to time.]

I might take a coffee this time though.

[Even if... it'll likely go cold if they get into talking or Elsa gets too distracted by Izumi, but she can take the risk.]

( Yes. It's always awkward to accept compliments on your looks, and even worse when those compliments make your stomach do strange little flip flops which must surely be because she feels like Elsa is out of her league.

Uh. That came out wrong.

NEVER MIND she's gotta check the menu, even though she knows exactly what she wants. )

I think I want a mocha... And the egg curry!

( Of course she does. )

[Elsa chuckles softly. She could have definitely guessed her choice right.]

I think... I'll try one of the pastries this time. I've been curious about the chutney filled ones.

[It seems a bit different from the rest of the menu...?]

( When has Izumi ever been predictable about her food choic... never mind, not even gonna finish that. )

Oh, I tried those! ( Bestie privileges. ) They work well with spicy food.

( Ma'am I swear to god. )

Oh? I'm not very good with spicy food, admittedly. [Must be because she's an ice spirit...] Does it help with the burn or increase it?

( That would do it. )

It helps! The sweetness mellows out the spicy kick.

( Izumi can always be trusted on spicy foods. )

To be honest, I think mellow curries are better. You get a better flavour profile.

( Ma'am you are on a date with a cute girl stop talking about curry. )

Maybe I'll try it out with spicy food sometime, then.

[Mostly out of curiosity.]

All of the curries I've tasted so far have been on the more mellow side, haven't they? They've all definitely been very tasty.

( Izumi nods. Everything she's cooked for Elsa has been more mellow, it's true. )

It's easier to make a mild curry spicy, after all!

( In other words, it's playing it safe when you don't know others' spice tolerances.

But look at that, someone has managed to find a minute in their conversation to come and ask them what they want to order, before heading back to the counter to sort out their orders. )

Oh! What kind of food do you normally eat at home?

[It's a normal practice day at Kaika Theater. Elsa is one of the people practicing on stage. A monologue scene if you will. It's largely supposed to be an improvisation practice, which gives her quite a bit of freedom on what to do.

Freedom to also sing, which... actually happens spontaniously as she thinks of the scene she's built up and the lines she's already said so far. It's a familiar song, but it fits.]

Every inch of me is trembling
But not from the cold
Something is familiar
Like a dream I can reach but not quite hold
I can sense you there
Like a friend I've always known
I'm arriving
And it feels like I am home

[She will sing the full song if she's not interrupted before that, but she's really into the song.]

[ Maybe bursting into song isn't usual for Kaika, but hey, musical theater exists! And even if he'd needed to, Tsumugi doesn't have the heart to interrupt her. Not when she sounds so passionate as she sings, and the lyrics flow so nicely with the scene she's established.

He waits a few seconds after her final note before clapping, smiling warmly. ] I'm surprised! I didn't know you had such a beautiful voice, Elsa-san.

[Elsa looks a little exhausted. Singing with so much power and passion takes a lot out of you ~~when it's not for a disney scene~~. She smiles a little bashfully.]

Thank you... I hadn't intended on singing all of a sudden, but I'm glad you enjoyed it, at least.

[ Even with his confidence in the skill of the Actor Juza Hyodo blooming, and no matter how often his brother'd praise his singing voice, he doesn't feel like it's something he can do on stage. Autumn troupe's action-packed plays don't mix well with it, and even if they don't have troupes here he's still more comfortable packing or taking a punch.

That's not to say he doesn't take any interest; he's the type of person who'll soak up everything coming to his eyes and ears. It's just like that now as he sits in front of the stage.

What's the character of her role? ...Someone who yearns to have their place in the world but also the faith that they'll discover it. With the loose prompt they got given, Juza hadn't been able to decide on his own interpretation yet. He's portrayed people who had been able to confide in someone else's strength to shape their future, and someone who had submitted to his apparent fate, someone who had quietly struggled with it but finally seemed to find acceptance......

No way'll he interrupt, he and his thoughts are absorbed in the performance as he sits with a quiet glower full of concentration. But, after she's done: ]

'S like no matter how many times you'd say the same lines, they got more meaning as a song... With music, you get the meaning without even listenin'.

[ He liked it. ]

[Elsa seems a little bashful after finishing the song, and a little exhausted in the progress, but she manages a smile.]

Sometimes... I feel like some feelings need something more than words to convey them. This scene was definitely something like that, as I relate to it a lot.

( Improvising is, in Izumi's opinion, the cornerstone of theatre's charm. It's a medium where you can only experience each moment as it happens. The play you put on Monday night is not the same as Tuesday afternoon's. Whether it's a spur of the moment adlib, a mistake saved and turned into something unique, those improvisations provide the impetus for audiences to keep coming back, and show exactly why you can't compare plays and movies.

So she asks Kaika to improvise, frequently. And Elsa does all that and more. Izumi watches from the seats, entranced, propping her chin in her hand as her eyes follow each of Elsa's movements, hypnotised by every inch of her expression. It isn't just the song, it's the way she sells it.

When Elsa finishes singing, Izumi is furiously writing notes, eyes gleaming. Is she considering a play where they get to make full use of Elsa's singing skills? Uh. Yeah. )

[Elsa is slightly worn out for singing so much and so intensely, but she sheem satisfied... which turns both into confusion and slight embarrassment, seeing Izumi write notes so furiously. She tilts her head and walks off the stage to approach her... maybe to get a little sneak peek at what she might be writing?]

( Okay, she's satisfied now! Plans to message Tsuzuru-kun and put together a new play are formulating in her mind as she looks up and smiles at Elsa. )

That was amazing! ... Say, would you like to take a lead role in a future play?

[Well THAT WAS SUDDEN.]

Lead role? But I'm still such a novice in acting and everything. [Not to mention she just burts into song in the middle of a monologue.]

Not that I'd say no to an opportunity like that, but this is all so sudden?

( Bursting into song is (part of) the reason why! It's something different to their usual plays, but beyond that... )

A lead role is invaluable experience for your acting career. Back in Mankai, two of our first plays were led by novice actors. ( Sakuya's first play barely counted, if we're honest, and Banri hadn't acted before. )

I'm sure with your charisma, you'll be a fantastic lead!

O-oh... if you're sure, then. I would like to try.

[She had to start somewhere right? Right. This was still very sudden and she felt a bit lightheaded at the thought, but... Izumi believed in her. If she thought that way, she could do it, right?]

What sort of a play were you thinking about?

( Hm. )

I want to message Tsuzuru-kun for scripts we could use, but I'd like to make use of your singing abilities. I'm sure we could attract a lot of fans if you were to sing like that again.

Oh... I'd be honored to sing for an audience.

[A little nervous, too, since usually she sings by herself or with Anna.]

Could he also maybe write a singing role for Anna? I'd feel more confident if she performed in the same play with me and her voice is very gorgeous.

( How could she say no to a request like that? )

I'm sure Tsuzuru-kun will have something like that up his sleeves! He's a very talented writer, after all.

( Why yes, she is beaming with pride at how wonderful all her actors are. )

[Elsa can't help but smile and relax at Izumi beaming over her actors.]

Does he handle all the script writing?

Uh-huh. It was his reason for joining Mankai.

( Thinking back to those days now seems like such a far off concept, despite the fact that whenever she returns home, Mankai will only have completed its 4th play. )

Back then, we needed... well, every person we could get. And a scriptwriter who was also willing to act was a very lucky find.

( She smiles. It's not all Mankai winning, though. )

I think his ability to perform the scripts he writes can only help his writing abilities.

[Elsa is still very new to her new secondary magic. It's still unsettling to not be able to do any sort of ice magic... but she's gotten by.

Most she's been practicing has been talking with animals. Which has been both succesful and not so succesful. She can understand her and Anna's puppies rather well already, but sometimes her magical strength just isn't enough yet to understand wild animals.

Except small birds. Small birds were always talkative towards her. In fact a robin is currently perched on her finger, talking away.]

I'm not sure why you would ask me about that. I don't have any experience on "wooing" anyone... besides, don't you guys have your own habits of how you woo another bird?

[This is awkward because the bird is convinced she'd know how to win a girl's heart and just wants honest advice! Please pretty lady!!]

I have always been a fortress

This is not a date. // for Izumi // at Moondrop

no dating only fwends!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Show Yourself // OTA // Kaika Theater

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

ok one more gay tag

wow gay

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Animal magic // OTA