Jackson Square

[GGJ5]

Jackson Square, one of the most famous landmarks of the city, is centered around a passionate statue of Andrew Jackson en route on his horse. Behind the statue rises the fantastic St. Louis Cathedral. To its left is the old city hall, the Cabildo, which has been made into a historic museum. To the right of the cathedral is the Presbytère, a visual complement to the Cabildo and also a museum. On the opposite side of the square are the Pontalba Buildings (built in the early 1800s and so have an elegant, old look about them-- like much of the area), which house dozens of shops and restaurants on the ground floor. However, the upper floors are apartment buildings rented out to whoever can afford the rent.

One can often find street performers and live musicians utilizing the busy square to get an audience, a practice going on for more than a century. Fortune tellers come out around evening, but mostly around Mardi Gras, and people often get their palms read just for kicks.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Family outings. Lovely-- she preferred to weasel out of them, but now there was no weaseling. A lost cell phone, being grounded from everything and everyone-- sneaking onto the internet when her parents were sleeping and sneaking a text or two from her mom's phone and deleting it afterward-- those were her brief outlets at the moment. Being grounded sucked. Being grounded and on family outings sucked squared.

So now her parents had taken her for some 'quality family time' in the Square. Old buildings filled with old stuff on old roads. Yay. Exciting. Not even very entertaining street performers... actually, only one and he was boring... power chords on an acoustic guitar. Yay.

"I don't think we've ever taken you to the museums around here, Erin," her dad suggested optimistically as Erin poked the spoon/straw into a wedding-cake flavored sno-cone.

"Museums are too slow," she responded.

"We're going to go to one of the restaurants over there," she nodded, refering to the Pontalba place across the way. Which was something unusual-- usually they didn't do eating out. "You want to pick out which one?"

No, I want to be with my boyfriend, Erin wanted to say. Instead, she just shrugged. "I dunno. It's fine for whatever."

It was weird, like they were trying to soften up the blow of the stricter rules and grounding and breaking their trust and everything by cutesie little outings like these... it was really lame, actually.

[More than Music]

OOC: First post with a new character! YAY!
BIC:

Jareth Shoultz

His hands were in his pockets as he walked down the street to where he was suppose to be now. Jareth's eyes were half-closed with tiredness, but he somehow managed to find who he was looking for: his mom and his thirteen year-old sister, Amelia. They were sitting on a bench with some ladies, knitting, and listening to a musician who was playing a guitar.

Jareth looked lazily up at him . The young man seemed to be enjoying himself, playing the little acoustic guitar with vigor, at least from what Jareth could see.

Which, honestly, wasn't that much.

“Jareth! Come here and meet these nice young ladies.” his mother called, and Jareth slowly turned to look at them. His eyes were still partially shut, so he couldn't really see them, but they looked familiar... “This is Pandora, and her older sister Nicole.”

'Not ringing a bell.'

His mother laughed. “They got to Musical Theatre Class with you, don't they?” she added.

'Ooooh...'

He nodded, though his eyes didn't open all the way, and he heard someone giggling. His mom finished the conversation and they started to leave. Thinking it would be rude to just walk away, he turned and waved. They didn't really notice him, but a lady nudged them until they waved back. A tired smile came onto his face as he followed his mother.

Walking along, a familiar voice seemed to be talking. "Museums are too slow,"

Jareth paused, and blinked. 'Erin? No... way.' He began walking again when he heard it again.

"I dunno. It's fine for whatever."

He couldn't ignore it now. Jareth's eyes widened a bit – perhaps to nearly normal size – as she walked right by. There was no mistaking it now. It was Erin Spenser! They'd gone to one of his dance classes together at one time. She'd been so fun! They'd disrupted classes together, sometimes even actually danced together and had lots of fun together. “Erin!” It came out before he realized it. He also found one of his hands lifted up. 'Well, might as well...' “Erin Spenser?” He smiled, even though he was still really tired. “Remember me?”

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Her dad was just insisting that a historical museum wasn't slow at all, that it was actually some kind of enlightening journey or something... sounded more like an excerpt of "how to be a Buddhist" than "why you should check out a museum" to Erin. Instead of responding, Erin filled her mouth with the flavored ice.

Just then, though, her head turned immediately at a called name that sounded just like hers-- she turned around to search for a familiar face in case she'd actually heard right. She didn't see anyone right away, but luckily another call came before she turned back around: "Erin Spenser?"

Her eyes flew to the source of the sound, and she swallowed the ice so she could smile at the sight-- a familiar face met her, a hand raised in a half-baked hello. She smiled brighter. "Remember me?" he asked.

Erin broke from the annoying line of her parents around her and skipped over to the blond-- Of course she remembered him! You can't forget someone you goofed off learning the salsa with. There was no such thing as awkward moments in learning dance-- and if there were, you learned to let it go. She laughed at the memories-- having been a while now since they'd seen each other, since she'd had to leave dance about halfway into freshman year. "Jareth!" she shouted, reflecting his exuberance twofold. Still holding the sno-cone cup in her hand, she happily hugged her old dance partner and partner-in-crime. "Hey!" She dropped the hug and said to him conspiratorially, "You've just saved me from an 'enlightening journey' through museums for the rest of the day. Thank you!"

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoultz

She turned around and saw him just as he called out her name again. A smile came onto Erin's face, a face that looked much more awake than his. "Remember me?" he asked as she came over to him, more of a skip than a walk with a laugh.

"Jareth!" she cried. Yes, just as he remembered her: very, very, VERY energetic at all times. Erin gave him a hug, which he gladly returned.

They'd had such fun together. It had been a shame for it all to end. Maybe - just maybe - now they could start that up again.

Because life was steadily nearing boring without Erin Spenser.

"Hey!" she said, then her voice dropped as she stepped back. "You've just saved me from an 'enlightening journey' through museums for the rest of the day. Thank you!"

Jareth looked up at Erin's parents - if he remembered right - with a smile and a nod, then looked back at Erin. "That doesn't sound so bad. You want me to tag along, or do you wanna go some place more exciting?" He punctuating his last remark with wink. "I've got the rest of the day free."

It would be a shame if she missed out on a day with her parents, but - honestly - he really wanted to keep her all to himself. True, there was enough of Erin for everyone, but that didn't mean he wanted to share.

Then he smiled. "So, what've you been up to?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

It was actually kind of funny how much you realized you'd missed someone when you finally run across them again. She even felt a little mad at herself for not keeping in better touch with him after having to leave dance, but Erin had never been very good about keeping in touch. And since he didn't go to her school, and she had to leave either her band behind or her dance behind... well, nothing was going to cut into the possibilities of making music.

She smiled brightly, adding in a low voice as her parents had followed her when she'd split to greet Jareth, "You've just saved me from an 'enlightening journey' through museums for the rest of the day. Thank you!"

Jareth glanced at her parents, acknowledging them with a smile, then told Erin, "That doesn't sound so bad. You want me to tag along, or do you wanna go some place more exciting?" He punctuated the request with a wink. "I've got the rest of the day free."

Erin smiled wryly and said to him quietly, "Wish I could say the same." The idea had already occurred to her by this time that with Jareth with them, the whole museum tour thing could be a lot more fun. Maybe they'd even get kicked out or something. She grinned at the thoughts, and told him in a tone that was very matter-of-fact, "Tag along. It'll be fun." Not like I could break away from them anyway, she added sarcastically in her head.

"Jareth, you were in dance with Erin, right?" interrupted her mother cheerily. She looked over at Jacob Spenser and nodded her approval-- making Erin roll her eyes. It was gross, the whole approving her companions thing. As if she regularly hung out with creeps or something. Mandi was the one to take Erin to anything dance-related and only very limitedly knew of Jareth (which meant she remained unaware of how rambunctious both could be together) so her dad took her (silent) word for it. "You're welcome to come with us, if you want."

Jareth smiled. "So, what've you been up to?"

Erin returned the smile, though coyly-- he'd probably laugh at how typical it would sound to him. "Getting grounded from everything on earth," she said lowly as her parents went to get the entrance tickets. "It sucks, basically. The only way I can go out of my house, pretty much, is with them for now..." She rolled her eyes again. "And that means no dates with my boyfriend unless I want them watching the whole time." She wrinkled her nose, shaking her head like she'd tasted something nasty. "I'll pass."

It was her turn to smile now. "You? Gosh, I haven't seen you in forever!"

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoultz

"I've got the rest of the day free." he told her with a wink.

"Wish I could say the same." Erin replied with a smile. "Tag along. It'll be fun."

"That'd be awesome." he replied, just before her mother spoke.

"Jareth, you were in dance with Erin, right?" Erin's mother asked, and Jareth nodded, ruffling Erin's hair a bit.

"Yeah, wish she was there now." he said, though he knew it wasn't her fault.

"You're welcome to come with us, if you want."

"Okay," he said, smiling at her. "I'll let my mom know where'll be, then. This'll be fun!" Then he turned back to Erin. "So, what've you been up to?"

Erin returned his smile in a way that made his grow. She'd been into trouble, hadn't she? "Getting grounded from everything on earth," she said and Jareth had to laugh as he watched her parents moved away.

"Wow, I know the feeling."

"It sucks, basically. The only way I can go out of my house, pretty much, is with them for now..." she explained, pausing to roll her eyes. "And that means no dates with my boyfriend unless I want them watching the whole time." This idea was absolutely awful to her, from the look on her face. "I'll pass."

He laughed again. "I can imagine."

The truth was, he couldn't. He'd never been on a date before. But, from what he'd heard from friends who'd had been chaperoned, it was pretty much miserable.

It was her turn to smile now. "You? Gosh, I haven't seen you in forever!"

Jareth shrugged. "Not much. Musical Theatre class, hanging out with Peanut Butter lots more since my other friends are busy, trying to watch her like a hawk so she doesn't get into more trouble with her new boyfriend," He pointed at his little sister at this, who saw it and squinted her eyes at him, sticking out her tongue. He returned the gesture. They were definitely siblings. But Jareth laughed. "Yeah, she gets into all sorts of stuff. I don't get it, what's with her taste in guys anyway? Why can't she have a boyfriend that's actually decent and loves her?" He shrugged again.

"I guess that's the majority of highschool couples, though. So, speaking of such..." He leaned close to her with a teasing sparkle in his eyes. "Who's your guy? He's really good to you, isn't he?" He put up his fists playfully. "Just let me know when he isn't and I'll beat him up for ya. I've got practice."

He spoke in a very joking tone, but his words were very serious in his mind. He meant it; he was a very protective person, from his sister's boyfriends. If there was one thing he couldn't stand - which was true; he wasn't irritated but that much - it was when someone hurt the people he cared about. And Jareth was perfectly able to hold his own in a fist fight.

But he hoped that Erin's guy wasn't a bad person. She deserved a nice guy, one who really loved her. So did his sister, but she never seemed to find ones like that.

The world was a hard place, and he wanted to hide that fact from her, but he couldn't. She wouldn't let him.

'Ride life the hard way or die, right sister? I think that's ridiculous. Just chill out and live life the right way why don'tcha?'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"You? Gosh, I haven't seen you in forever!"

Jareth shrugged. "Not much. Musical Theatre class, hanging out with Peanut Butter lots more since my other friends are busy, trying to watch her like a hawk so she doesn't get into more trouble with her new boyfriend." He pointed at his little sister at this, who made a face at him and he made one back, punctuated with a laugh. "Yeah, she gets into all sorts of stuff. I don't get it, what's with her taste in guys anyway? Why can't she have a boyfriend that's actually decent and loves her?" He shrugged again. Erin raised her eyebrow at his protectiveness over her, though she still smiled genuinely. As long as it wasn't Erin that he was being protective over, she could smile about it, because he cared.

"I guess that's the majority of highschool couples, though," he continued, and Erin's smile grew smug. Not mine," she wanted to contradict. We're the lucky ones. "So, speaking of such..." He leaned close to her, expression teasing. "Who's your guy? He's really good to you, isn't he?" He put up his fists playfully, making Erin laugh. "Just let me know when he isn't and I'll beat him up for ya. I've got practice."

Still laughing, Erin shook her head. "I don't think that'll be a problem!" The heat bearing down on her head, Erin pulled a ponytail holder off her wrist and started pulling her hair back off her neck. "I'm dating a guy named Yukito," she said brightly, more than willing to brag on him a bit. "He's a senior at school with me, he's a musician from Japan," she added with a proud grin. "I have one of his CDs on my iPod!" she remembered, digging in her pockets to find it and share it with Jareth. "He sings, plays bass, guitar, and drums, and don't worry, he's totally sweet to me." Her grin turned into a frown when she could find her iPod but no earphones. "Aww. I think my earphones are lost again..."

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoutlz

"You? Gosh, I haven't seen you in forever!" Erin asked, and Jareth just shrugged, telling her he'd mostly just either been at class, or with Peanut Butter, or trying to keep his sister out of trouble. The conversation trailed over to typical highschool couples.

"I guess that's the majority of highschool couples, though. So, speaking of such... Who's your guy? He's really good to you, isn't he? Just let me know when he isn't and I'll beat him up for ya. I've got practice."

Erin laughed and shook her head. "I don't think that'll be a problem!" she said, pulling her hair back. "I'm dating a guy named Yukito. He's a senior at school with me, he's a musician from Japan. I have one of his CDs on my iPod!" She was glowing, searching her pockets for something. "He sings, plays bass, guitar, and drums, and don't worry, he's totally sweet to me."

Jareth smiled. "Good. At least someone has a good taste in guys." he said with a laugh, because it sounded very strange coming from him.

Erin produced an iPod but no earphones. She frowned. "Aww. I think my earphones are lost again..."

He smiled wider, reaching into his pocket and producing a pair of his own. "Will these work?"

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Raiu Wahei

Okay. This would be his third attempt at drawing the Andrew Jackson statue. Hopefully, this time, he would get it right.

No loud noises, distractions, yelling, anything stupid like that.

He sat down again, cross-legged and very comfortable, his sketch book laying across his lap as he gazed up at the stone figure.

'So, Jackson-san. Will you keep everybody away so I can finally draw you in a way that does you justice? I mean, it's not fair. Usually I'm fine with people annoying me. But... I was trying to re-draw something, and... I guess it's okay. But, I need something to go right. I just got here. I need stuff to go right at least for a few days so I can settle in.'

'Is that too much to ask? Make a few friends, find a few beautiful sights, and do things right for a while without having headaches everyday?'

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"...Who's your guy? He's really good to you, isn't he? Just let me know when he isn't and I'll beat him up for ya. I've got practice."

Erin laughed and shook her head. "I don't think that'll be a problem!" she said, pulling her hair back. "I'm dating a guy named Yukito. He's a senior at school with me, he's a musician from Japan. I have one of his CDs on my iPod!" She started searching for it to share it with Jareth, but was meeting with no success. "He sings, plays bass, guitar, and drums, and don't worry, he's totally sweet to me."

Jareth smiled. "Good. At least someone has a good taste in guys." He punctuated the comment with a laugh, probably because he noticed the weirdness of his saying that, and Erin laughed, too.

Finally she found her iPod buried at the bottom of her bag, but no earphones. She frowned. "Aww. I think my earphones are lost again..."

Jareth's smiled widened as he reached into his pocket. "Will these work?"

"Oh! Yay! You rock!" Erin gave Jareth a fast hug before connecting his earphones to her iPod and handed it to him, already on. Even though when they hadn't been together, Erin had gotten rid of all the pictures and such involving Yukito, she had a habit of never cleaning out her music. So she was lucky enough to have kept the music on there that Yukito had given her months ago, before they were even dating. "Here, listen, it's his band from Japan!" And she turned it up.

---

Trent Fisher

Well, he'd finally given her phone back to her. So, that was the end of that and time to move on.

A friend of his was playing with his band unplugged in the Square today, and Trent had promised to come. Their acoustic set had been pretty good, though some songs were always harder to adjust to acoustic.

But now it was over and the show had broken up, everyone dissipating to their own ways. And since he didn't have any other plans for the rest of the day, Trent decided to meander around the square for a little while. He hadn't done that before, really, and it was kind of weird how if you were around something for so long, you would never even notice what's around you. He glanced at the large statue of Jackson and his horse-- things like that were in the history books. And it was fifteen minutes from his house.

It took him a second to register he was standing next to someone and hadn't bothered to address him. And they were looking at the same thing. He glanced over at the dude next to him-- he was sketching, it looked, and he was good at it. "Hey," he voiced quietly, in case the dude was the kind that zoned out while they worked and didn't hear anything. "Looks just like him so far."

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoultz

"Aww. I think my earphones are lost again..."

He smiled, brandishing his own set of earphones with a wide grin. "Will these work?" he asked, and watched as Erin's face lit up.

"Oh! Yay! You rock!" she cried, giving him a two-second hug before handing over the iPod to him. He smiled gently, taking it and slipping the left earphone in - for some reason, he always put that one in first. "Here, listen, it's his band from Japan!" As the music began to play, he put the other earphone in. Erin turned it up - he heard the difference.

It was heavy metal music, with some English he understood. He wasn't very interested in Japanese, though he didn't want to tell Erin that - she looked too excited to tell her that. He looked up at her expectant face with another smile. "Cool."

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Raiu Wahei

It was going well. Raiu was barely looked up at the statue after a while, the image imprinted in his mind for the most part. He was detailing the horse with great concentration when a voice came behind him.

'Hell. Not again.'

"Hey. Looks just like him so far." a young man's voice came. Raiu looked up. This guy was blond and interesting, but Raiu wasn't the type to guess his age. He didn't care how old this intruder was.

This was the third time he'd been drawing this. What was with this luck?

Raiu sighed, looking up at Jackson-san with a slight smile. "Yeah. And it's harder than it looks. Every time I come here to sketch, somebody comes through here and talks to me." he said, turning to the stranger with a pointed smile. He knew his 'Mom' would be ashamed of him for being so blunt - she, like so many others, had the habit of not saying the truth, for want of peace; Raiu liked peace, and quiet, and to be able to sketch without some bozo coming up and making bogus comments on his sketches.

What was so hard about that? Maybe he had to keep his distance from the people here.

He held up the partially-drawn picture. "You like to do this? It's really hard. There's so many distractions, it's hard to focus and draw sometimes, but you get used to it." He shrugged. "I guess just about any idiot could sketch, but it takes real dedication to actually go through with it."

Raiu cast no thought to how rude this might be taken as. In his mind, he was just telling the guy his opinion. How it was taken wasn't his job to worry about.

His opinion was: people just needed to talk a little less. Small talk was stupid and meaningless, in all senses.

What was the point anyway?

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

A proud smile on her face, Erin eagerly waited for Jareth's response to the music in his ears, herself bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. She wanted to give him time to hear it so he could say what he thought, but it was really hard to wait being so excited. Luckily, Jareth didn't make her wait long.

He looked over at her and smiled. "Cool."

Erin's proud grin increased. "I know, right?" she chirped, taking back her iPod and quickly unplugging Jareth's earphones, dangling them toward him with an outstretched arm. "And when you meet him, you can't tell him, but I wanna surprise him by seeing if he wants to be in Veritas. Omigod, that would be so freaking sweet!" she exclaimed, taking Jareth by the shoulders. "Don't you think so?"

----

Trent Fisher

The quiet, nearly apathetic comment-- a similar one that he used to start up conversations with a lot of the local artists-- only earned him a disinterested glance for a moment. Heh... guess he's not one of those types that likes to talk about their work.

The dude was Asian, and if Trent had to guess, he'd say Japanese or Korean. For a second Trent wondered if he should just leave the guy alone in case he was one of the migrant artists who didn't like speaking English or something, but it didn't take a genius to learn that that was the most far-off theory Trent could have thought. "Yeah," he finally voiced. Totally not an immigrant. Good thing he didn't act on his assumption... "And it's harder than it looks. Every time I come here to sketch, somebody comes through here and talks to me."

Great, I get the artist with an attitude. Forget it... Still, Trent couldn't help but comment, "Sorry, man. It's just, most of the artists I run into around here actually like talking to people, is all." He said it friendly enough that it should come across as rude, but he could take a hint. Trent shrugged. "You're a first."

Artist with an Attitude held up the half-finished sketch, which really had been going good, and asked Trent, "You like to do this? It's really hard. There's so many distractions, it's hard to focus and draw sometimes, but you get used to it." He shrugged, and now Trent was starting to wish he would've just kept his mouth shut and walked home. Or.. something. "I guess just about any idiot could sketch, but it takes real dedication to actually go through with it."

Trent raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, well, I guess you just met another one of those idiots... Yeah, I do like to draw, just not people... but hey, I can tell I'm sucking your muse or whatever, so... later, I guess."

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoultz

"Cool."

Erin seemed to glow at this. 'She's really into this guy a lot, isn't she? I better keep an eye on her... to make sure this dude of hers doesn't get her heart and then run with it. That can't happen to Erin too.' he thought, and though he spoke none of these thoughts to his friend, he was helpless to how it made his smile twitch a little. He wasn't good at faking emotions like some people.

"I know, right?" she cried, taking her iPod back. She handed him back his earphones, and he slipped them into his pocket again, still watching her. He was worried about her already. "And when you meet him, you can't tell him, but I wanna surprise him by seeing if he wants to be in Veritas. Omigod, that would be so freaking sweet!"

Jareth just laughed, ruffling Erin's hair. 'He's got her hooked. I've gotta be more careful about this than I thought.'

"Don't you think so?"

He laughed again. "Yes, Erin, yes that would be awesome." he replied, looking over at her parents. "Shall we go?" He held his arm out to her dramatically.

'You know I want you to be careful, don't you, Erin?'

-------------------------

Raiu Wahei

"Yeah, and it's harder than it looks. Every time I come here to sketch, somebody comes through here and talks to me."

"Sorry, man. It's just, most of the artists I run into around here actually like talking to people, is all." the guy replied with a shrug. "You're a first."

Raiu's face remained apathetic. "Being normal isn't exactly my goal as an artist." he said, simply. Then he held up the sketch of Jackson-san. "You like to do this? It's really hard. There's so many distractions, it's hard to focus and draw sometimes, but you get used to it." He shrugged. "I guess just about any idiot could sketch, but it takes real dedication to actually go through with it."

The guy looked a bit shocked. 'Why? What'd I say to make you offended, anyway?' "Yeah, well, I guess you just met another one of those idiots..." he muttered, and Raiu turned to give this guy his full attention. 'What up with you?' "Yeah, I do like to draw, just not people... but hey, I can tell I'm sucking your muse or whatever, so... later, I guess."

Well, that wouldn't do. Raiu sighed, trying to think of something else to say. He didn't usually say much at all, by choice. "You don't draw people because you can't or you don't draw people because you don't?" he asked, looking up at this guy. "You're not 'sucking my muse'. Don't try and make me feel bad. I was just stating a fact. If you have something to say, hell, say it. Just know I'm much more of a listener than a talker."

"And don't you think that means I said 'I'm sorry' or anything dumb like that. I just want to make sure you know what I meant."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Jareth's one-word compliment was enough to make Erin beam proudly. "I know, right?" she chirped, putting away her iPod. "And when you meet him, you can't tell him, but I wanna surprise him by seeing if he wants to be in Veritas. Omigod, that would be so freaking sweet!" She'd been toying with the idea since they played music together once, but not she couldn't really imagine their band going anywhere without him. And Erin thought he'd liked that, too, to make music with her. It would be perfect.

She made a face when Jareth's only response was to mess her hair and laugh, and she automatically went about fixing it as soon as his hand was out of the way. "Don't you think so?" she insisted, wanting verbal feedback. Wanting more reason to talk about what made her happy.

Jareth laughed again, the action contagious to Erin. "Yes, Erin, yes that would be awesome."

"Mmhmm!" Erin agreed with a nod and grin, as her parents came back, admission paid for the museum. "Are y'all ready? Let's go!" her mom said to the both of them, like it was something exciting to go and stare at old dusty things.

Well, at least she had Jareth around now to joke with.

"Shall we go?" He held his arm out to her dramatically.

"Yes, we shall," Erin responded, just as theatrical and with a hint of phony British accent, slipping her arm into his. "And afterwards we might enjoy some scones and tea?" She broke character and laughed brightly.

-------------------------

Trent Fisher

To be honest, this particular street artist- one that didn't even like talking about his work- well, he was kind of boring. He was used to people being blunt and frank with him, but somehow this guy took it to a whole new level. He made a comment he hoped would drop a hint to the artist-dude that his words weren't exactly the most fantastic.

"Yeah, well, I guess you just met another one of those idiots... Yeah, I do like to draw, just not people... but hey, I can tell I'm sucking your muse or whatever, so... later, I guess." Even though he really didn't have any intention of leaving just now. He'd leave on his own terms.

"You don't draw people because you can't or you don't draw people because you don't?"

Trent shrugged. "I can... I just don't like it as much. I like more design-type things instead of living portraits and things like that... Just a personal preference." Like your preference for snapping at people trying to make a decent conversation.

"You're not 'sucking my muse'. Don't try and make me feel bad. I was just stating a fact. If you have something to say, hell, say it. Just know I'm much more of a listener than a talker."

"And don't you think that means I said 'I'm sorry' or anything dumb like that. I just want to make sure you know what I meant."

Yeah, definitely being filed under the 'annoying know-it-all' category.

"Yeah, I get you," he said flatly, hands in his pockets, matching this guy's apathetic tone. Two can play. "I should let you get back to your stuff, though." But maybe it would be different if the dude weren't drawing, and he wouldn't be such a smart alack. He held off on making a snappy remark at him.

[More than Music]

Jareth Shoutlz

"Mmhmm!" came from Erin in response, adding a smile and a fervent nod to this. Jareth had to laugh. She was so enthusiastic about... everything. He'd missed it.

"Are y'all ready? Let's go!" Erin's mom called to them. Erin didn't look pleased that they were going, so Jareth decided to make it a little bit more interesting. He had nothing to do, right?

"Shall we go?" he said, extending his arm to her like a true gentleman should. Luckily, even though he wasn't that much of a gentleman, he could surely act like one.

As long as it made her feel better, it was well worth the act.

"Yes, we shall," Erin told him, responding to it perfectly, linking her arm with his and even adding a British accent. "And afterwards we might enjoy some scones and tea?"

Jareth gave her a very serious look, shaking his head. "No, no, no, no. We mustn't. I have been gaining some weight recently and I cannot bear to eat a single crumb until I have berid myself of it." he replied, just as Erin laughed. He broke the act as well, laughing heartily. "Let's have some fun."

Jareth is done here

----------------------------------

Raiu Wahei

"Yeah, I do like to draw, just not people... but hey, I can tell I'm sucking your muse or whatever, so... later, I guess."

Raiu raised an eyebrow, watching the other young man with little emotion. "You don't draw people because you can't or you don't draw people because you don't?"

This earned a shrug. 'Whoop-dee freakin' doo. A shrug.' "I can... I just don't like it as much. I like more design-type things instead of living portraits and things like that... Just a personal preference." the guy said, and Raiu felt his eyebrow go a little higher. He didn't like this conversation. Neither of them did.

"You're not 'sucking my muse'. Don't try and make me feel bad. I was just stating a fact. If you have something to say, hell, say it. Just know I'm much more of a listener than a talker. And don't you think that means I said 'I'm sorry' or anything dumb like that. I just want to make sure you know what I meant."

"Yeah, I get you. I should let you get back to your stuff, though."

Raiu sighed deeply. "Yeah, sure." he muttered, giving up. 'Look, I'm not gonna draw out your despair, mister. If you wanna leave, then leave. Just go.' He turned back to his drawing, finishing it quicker than he'd thought he would. It at least turned out better than the last. And he wasn't going to come here to sketch anymore. Too busy. When he was done, he got up and left, not bothering to acknowledge anyone. Why would anyone care if he was polite? No one liked him anyway.

It was just something that had become that way.

Raiu is done here