"Does a group of women turning around to say 'Hi Barbie' to me when I'm not dressed any different count as iconic behavior? I'd like to think so."

"Yes, I'd like to think so. I think you could be stereotypical or fashion Barbie easily. I'll join you and be mermaid Barbie. Except maybe without the plastic pink hair..."

Boo. Marie thinks Albert was a bore--Though she thinks most people are boring if they're not on her level of chaotic.

She pouts, "I'm fun. Spend the day with me!" Marie takes Janie's hands and bounces, looking less like a grown woman and more like a spritely little pixie. "We can be fun together!" Or lonely together. Both is good.

It is a bit like being in a club with someone who's already a few drinks in when Marie takes her by the hands. Janie can't help but laugh. "So you'll make me less of an old woman... What's your idea of fun now, thought? Is it cabarets or painting? I can't quite guess which would be your favorite now." Janie's eyes glance to something in the distance, suddenly shy by the hands holding. Victorian habits die hard.

Ehm, yeah, I s'pose it is... normally the other way around, though.

[ His voice meanders as most of his attention is fixed on his wrist, tilting his hand back, or angling it to catch different amounts of light. For the moment he's oblivious to her suspicions, which is probably for the best. ]

And if it's not, then normally it's meant as a joke, I think, a lot of the time...

[ It's close enough to his nose, so intent is his inspection, that if she'd bopped him on the arm he probably would have hit himself in the face with it. ]

... which really ain't what I'm going for exactly. Right, anyway, I reckon, I'm probably blue-toned? So a more leanin' away from red sort of pink is the shade I want, yeah?

[ With that sorted, Peter scoots over to her side, trying to get a look at her phone screen. It's important that she gets a good first impression! And, what if there are unmarked spoilers?? Spoilers for a twenty-six year old series?? He has to look and ward them off! He's suppressing the urge to pre-emptively gush and fawn (some more) over how cool this character is, but it's a bit like trying to force the carbonation back down into a pop after you've opened it. Still, he is doing his BEST. ]

I can't believe you only got into colour theory two centuries ago. [ Peter rolls his eyes, mischievous and bright. ] Sheesh. Who taught it to you though? Someone I know? Was it any fun? --And, yeah, that's her there! Her hair's short in the film, thank God, but I'm still goin' with her main outfit besides that.

Sort of, yes. As long as it's more of a reddish pink than a peach or coral, it should be fine. I had a feeling you would be cool-toned. But I think that's because I am, and I'm biased with us northern islands. [Yes, she called him an island.]

[Janie angles her phone so they can both watch her scroll through pictures of a woman lavishly surrounded by roses, swords and... Oh, another woman? This is getting more obvious. She nods as if it's all clicking.] Ah, see, with short hair, you're already halfway there to looking like her. Although I have to say, I haven't a clue what this story is about by the photos?

[She puts her phone to her chest as if it's her shield.] Oh I'm sorry, when did you get into color theory? You came around at a time when it was more than well-established! I had to find it from the beginning. It's like discovering a band before it's on the radio! Anywho, it was Sir John E. Millais. Or he was the one who was patient enough to explain it to me in full, anyways [A soft, fond smile graces her lips.]

Always had a soft spot for me, that one. Don't tell anyone, but I was even the model for the Ophelia painting. [Silent pause] Alright, that's a lie, I just wish he'd asked me. [ A laugh. It's not very serious for her.] But really, he used plenty of color on his paintings at a time when academies were asking for subdued tones. And now he's celebrated- Which I think says something.

But ehm, Sea-- For the con, it's at Derby, yeah? Please go with a mate. I'm assuming you already would be going with someone, but it could be helpful if you find, I don't know, a bus driver who doesn't want to let you on because he's... [What's a good word?] ... An arsehole. There's power in numbers.

"I have been in the shadows of the trees and the laughter of children!" Which is to say, Marie has been depressed as fuck and hiding away in her flat under luxurious sheets and quilts. You know how it is. "But now I am here, darling, to grace you and all the little people with my presence!" You know, like it's a charity act. Or something. "Tell me, how has the little world changed without me in it?" Definitely for the better.

“Little people?” In the past, Janie might have raised her eyebrow at her companion's hoity toity attitude. But she’s heard it all before; so to lighten her day, she plays along. “All the little people are doing their usual little people things. You know, behaving poorly on planes, surviving a summer that feels more like fall… Now I know how Camus felt. ” Oof, is this Janie complaining? That’s weird to hear from herself. One can tell by the way she widens her eyes. She reels back. “I should think of something fun to do today…” Tapas come to mind first.

Beautiful Emilia in Italy ♥️

Source (X)

SEND “ ✿ ” FOR 2 HEADCANONS FOR OUR MUSES’ RELATIONSHIP.

Er-- well of course I've been, I've got all this time sittin' on my hands like a bloody elephant and absolutely nothin' to do with it all, of course I've walked to the bottom of the earth and back!

J-Con's good though, it's been gahn on for a while now, and it's not as though I've got it in me to put together more than one decent costume per year...

[ He trails off, though, downright stumped by how to answer her taking of these basic colour theory vitals. His grin is fluttery, like a kite flooping around to stay aloft in the gentlest breeze. ]

... Ehm... ... y'know, I just sort of wear whatever! I've not got, like, a personal dresser or whatever, I know red orange yellow are the warm ones, green blue purple are the cool ones... I've not got gold or silver anything I don't think! That's well unhelpful I bet, sorry-- but it's the truth!

But I guess, though, I guess you don't think it's weird, if I dressed up as a girl character? Seein' as you've skipped straight past that bit as a total non-issue? I don't want everyone starin' at me unless it's because they think my costume is sick.

[It suddenly clicks for her that she doesn't know what Sea does with his time. Outside of the visits to his brother, their chats, and the occasional wild story of died hair perhaps. Who is paying the bills? Is that even a concern on the fort roughs. But her eyes go from staring into space to bright again at the talk of colors]

Oh, shoot, not even some sort of ring as an event momento or anything of that sort? Well, anywho, it's important to know that there are warm versions of cool colors, and cool versions of warm ones. So, for example, you may have a cool skin tone, but can wear a shade of yellow as long as it's a bit cooler-- In other words as long as it leans slightly more green than orange.

... Right, there's a better test. [She holds her arm out with her palm facing upward, revealing a wrist as best as she can despite it being mostly covered by a smart watch.] See my veins? Trust me, I know this seems odd, but trust me-- If they're purple or blue, you're cool toned. If they're green, you're warm toned. And if you can't tell, you might be smack in the middle! And there's no shame in not knowing it yet. I only caught onto color theory when I had a chance to visit royal art academies. So, two centuries ago?

[He brings up the point of him playing a girl again, and she blinks. You can see the gears turning in her head as she works it out. She knew a queer person, Claude Cahun, far long ago before it was ever popularly understood... And wasn't there that time Sea was down about someone rejecting him, but he wouldn't say if it was he or she? Janie had wondered if Sea was queer. But she resolved it in herself not to ever say that to anyone, because, well, it's his perogative.]

[She puts her wrist down, and looks to the side, pensive] Hm... Well, I thought that sort of thing was normal at conventions, isn't it? Dressing up as a character opposite your gender. As long as it's the norm there, it can't hurt can it? Although... I'd be scared to do that myself because I wouldn't know how to explain it to coworkers.

... Anyhow! Let's see this Utena character, then? [She pulls out her phone, opening it the way a boomer might- phone in one hand, and using an index finger to type.]

Erm... not quite! J-Con is in Derby! It's about seven hours from my house, but everything is at least three hours away so that ain't as bad as it sounds...

[ Has she... never been to one? Actually, that checks out, that's what he should've assumed from the beginning-- good grief, has he been blathering on about absolutely nothing while forcing her to tag along with it? Whoops! ]

And it's been a while, don't worry! But, maybe, could you help me with figurin' out a pink that looks nice? You're good with that sort of thing, I imagine? I didn't actually... factor that in in the slightest.

Oh, well that's not so bad. It's not as if you're going to, I don't know, Australia. And I'm sure you've been on that side of the globe by now, if not for a con then something else. Bare with me, I thought J-Con might mean it's directly in Japan, but I guess that sort of thing is widespread enough... I got caught in London traffic just the other day because a J-Pop group was having a signing. The way they dress really is quite cute, those pop stars.

[She catches herself trailing off, and shakes her head]

Anyway! Yes, you've come to the right place! First things first, you want to figure out if you have a warm or cool skin tone. Do you find you look better in silver or gold, for example? Actually, how familiar are you with the warm versus cool color concepts? [She taps her fingers together as if preparing herself to bring out a presentation]

Utena Tenjou the main character of this anime I just got into she's brilliant she's amazing I love 'er so much thanks for askin'. I've got to commit to dyin' my hair pink though, wigs always look a bit crap. And I've got to double check J-Con's weapon rules... you reckon I'd look all right in pink?

And, ehm, I don't think there's any harm in preparin' for a crisis beforehand... you'll be better equipped to deal with it! Why wouldn't the same go for existential ones? It's the same thing really.

[She crinkles her nose and looks aside as if he's driving a good point.] Alright, but don't spend too much time planning, will you? Give it a crash course and leave it at that. I'm trying to prevent you from being perpetually anxious. [As if he seems particularly anxious! She shrugs it off]

[And then she grins, because his enthusiasm is contagious even if it's for a character she doesn't know. But wait-- Hair dying, weapons, a conference. There's a lot to unpack here. How does one do so without sounding like a gran?]

... Alright, now the real answer is that you need to find a shade of pink that works well with your skin tone. So you should try wigs before dying it a color anyway. But haven't you dyed your hair a few times before now? If you're dying it frequently, you must be careful it won't burn!

... Sounds like you've got a visit to Japan planned then?