lessons in the art of the selfie - closed

[r3f4c70r3d]

Who: Angel (r3f4c70r3d) & Prompto Argentum (punshots)

What: Sightseeing and selfie taking downtown

When: Backdated to early August Where: the bustling streets of the capital

Warning(s): none

[ Angel has spent the majority of her time since arriving in the capital not actually in it at all. Thesa had everything she needed, in terms of food and shelter, she was more familiar with its level of technology, and nice as the thought was, she didn't especially need her own space, the boarding rooms on the station suited her just fine. Besides, it was taxing to going back and forth to check up on things every other day so she would just spend several up there at a time.

Ironically freedom had lead her to never getting out.

She at least has some self awareness though, so in an effort to combat herself, after checking the cryopods that morning she texts the most outgoing person she has met thus far. ]

Good morning! Apologies, this is a bit out of the blue, but are you free today?

Comments

[punshots]

[ Oh, man...of all the people she could pick to ask to do this with her, she asked him? ]

yeah, definitely!
if you want the total lost tourist experience, i'm your guy!
just name the time and place and i'm there.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Angel is honestly pretty relieved he said yes, asking for genuine favors isn't something that comes easy to her. ]

There's a large fountain near the center of the market district. It's a good landmark, could we meet in front of it?

[punshots]

[ He might be the type to say yes to just about any favor asked of him, but this sounds like a lot of fun, so it's hardly putting him out. ]

you bet! i know just the one you mean.
i'll see you there in a few?

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Angel smiles down at her phone as she makes her way to the teleportation docks writing a last quick ]

Beaming down now, scotty.


[ A few seconds later ]


Er, sorry. Even I don't really understand that reference.

[punshots]

[ Huh...wasn't that from some old spacey TV show? Nah, he doesn't know for sure. ]

ha, for a second there i thought you forgot my name! ;)
be there in a jiff

[ And he is, in fact, there in a jiff. When Angel finds him outside the fountain, he'll be casually pacing around the length of it, hands in his pockets and posture relaxed.

Today's gonna be a good day, he just has this feeling. ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Prompto will have arrived first. It's not like the teleportation process is long or anything (in fact it's practically instant) but getting from the drop off point to their meeting spot is the real time eater. She isn't much of a power walker.

She still made an attempt at it though, so when she finally arrives she's a little out of breath, ]

H-hi...one moment.

[ She holds up a hand, motioning for Prompto to please wait as she takes a second to sit down on the lip of the fountain and catch her breath, pulling at her collar a little to get some cool air. The goal of today (getting to know the area aside) will be to find clothing that is still adequate in coverage but a little lighter in weight, she thinks. ]

[punshots]

[ As soon as he spots her, he jogs up to her, all smiles in an enthusiastic greeting. This is is a task he's much better suited for than sharing survival skills, even if he's still learning his way around this city, too. She'll have a good time. He's determined to see that happen. ]

Hey! [ Oh...she is a little out of breath, isn't she? No big. When she sits down, he sits next to her, still grinning as he leans forward on his knees. ]

Now we can make our plan of attack. Anywhere you wanna hit first?

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ She chuckles lightly as she settles herself, Prompto's cheerful excitement is kinda contagious. ]

Something [ A deep breath ] lighter to wear may be a good place to start. I have no money but I would like to see my options. [ Or get some fashionable ideas? ]

[punshots]

Sounds great! And if you find something you like, I can spot you a few silver. Call it an investment in your well-being.

[ He's doomed to be perpetually broke for this very reason. He's still paying off Rocket's debt to society... ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

Oh! No that's totally unnecessary...I don't mind just looking, for now.

[ She's not very good at accepting kindness. Both because much of her thinks she isn't worthy of it, but more directly because acts of kindness always come with a great cost. At least in her experience. She doesn't recognize it when it's genuine. ]

Just point the way and we can begin.

[punshots]

[ Well, he won't insist to the point that it'd make her uncomfortable...but she might just find something she likes packaged on her doorstep a few days from now, that's all. ]

You got it! Let's start... [ Anywhere is probably good. So he starts off towards their left. ] This-a-way! City Tours by Prompto is leaving the station!

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ As they start down the cobblestone path Angel takes the opportunity to really take in the sights around her. The architecture really is something to behold, nothing like the scrap metal shacks of Pandora or the sleek hallways of Helios. This place is like something out of a fairy tale, hand carved stone and wood everywhere you look.
Angel spies a particularly pretty wall carving as they pass by a building that must be the local theater an takes out her phone to snap a picture. ]

[punshots]

[ Prompto catches sight of her taking out her phone to snap a picture, and all at once, he's like a puppy that's seen his favorite toy dangled in front of his nose. ]

No way! You're into photography, too?

[ SOME PEOPLE JUST TAKE PICTURES, PROMPTO. But even if it's not a big hobby of hers, he's still excited to see it. ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Angel starts a little at his prompting, turning the phones screen inward to her chest. Hobbies...were not something she was really permitted to do, time wasters. ]

Oh- um, no...I just thought it was pretty. [ She nods to the carving ] I have no experience in photography.

[punshots]

Ha, well, you do now! You just snapped a pic. That's experience.

[ And of course he's going to encourage this. He's always got his camera with him at the ready, so he pulls out now, holding it between his hands for her to see. ]

I guess you could say...photography is kind of my thing.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Angel leans a little closer to have a look. To her eyes it seems vintage, something you'd find in one of the odds and ends stores on Pandora, though never in such intact shape- and given how intact the camera is, yet still with a little wear around the edges, Angel figures it must be a beloved item. ]

Wow. I've never seen one of those in such good shape.

[punshots]

[ His eyebrows shoot up. This is good shape? Considering what it's been through, his camera has survived extremely well, but it's no brand new, state-of-the-art model. ]

Really? We've been through a lot together, this camera and I...buuuut I like to think I take pretty good care of it.

sorry for the delay!

[r3f4c70r3d]

This kind of model can still show you the photographs on it, right?

[ She knows that even older models, the absolutely ancient ones, didn't have that ability. ]

Could I...would it be okay if I saw some of the photos you've taken?

no problem! o7

[punshots]

[ Her question kindles a certain shining light in his eyes. He's always happy to share his photos, but when he's asked to share them, it's even better. ]

Of course! But just to warn you, some of them aren't all that. [ Not that he's particularly worried about her judging his photography skill. He's just eternally bashful about them because they mean so much to him.

With the press of a button, the display on the camera goes into album mode and he holds it out to her. She'll find plenty to see on there - pictures from Eos and from El Nysa, though the former feature a certain quartet of people much more prominently. ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ As always, Prompto's joy and enthusiasm are contagious as he flips through the pictures. She's especially interested in the ones that are clearly not from around here, since this is the first time someone has been able to actually show the world they came from, commenting as he flips through the reel ]

This is your world, right? Are these your friends- Oh! It's one of those bird creatures. That is way bigger than it seemed from the picture you sent me...

[punshots]

[ He hangs on her every word as she flips through the pictures, ever conscious of the feedback others have for his pictures, even if that's not really his reason for showing her. It's just a joy to share his world with someone else, someone who seems to come from somewhere very different than he did. ]

Y-yeah. We had all sorts of adventures back there, to say the least. [ Adventures, and then some. ] Chocobos are big enough to ride, so they're pretty huge! Just more cuteness to go around, if you ask me.

[r3f4c70r3d]

Thank you for showing me these.

[ It's a little melancholy, knowing that this beautiful world will both remain crystalized in Promptos camera, but that it's also gone forever. She wonders how he's dealing with that. For her, leaving Pandora and her position on it was deliverance, but Prompto's world looks like it was actually really nice.

She wants to ask but she also doesn't want to run the risk of making him sad, to bring a perfectly nice afternoon down with such questions, so instead she refocuses on something in the window of the tailor shop across the cobbled road from them. ]

I've never seen garments like that before

[ There's a lightweight looking jacket in the display Angel is particularly drawn to. ]

[punshots]

[ He thanks the camera back in hand, fondness in his smile as he replaces it at his belt. There's no doubt he'll be whipping it out again soon, because while it is full of bittersweet memories of home, that didn't mean he wasn't going to make new memories worth photographing here as well.

That same smile still on his lips, he looks up at the window display when she remarks on it. Those are some pretty sharp-looking duds... ]

You think so? You should try it on! Or several things on. Fashion montage!

[ That's half the fun of shopping! ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Angel fusses for a moment. She hasn't done something like a "fashion montage" since she was a literal child. How old...maybe 7? Can't remember, but it was with Jack and her mom, a happy memory. She feels like this shouldn't be allowed, it's too big a luxury. Something a typical teenage girl should have gotten to do every weekend, but by being denied it something so simple has become almost overwhelming.

She's emboldened by encouragement, however. Nodding in affirmation and crossing the street with a sense of purpose. She's free now, she can do whatever she wants, try on as many clothing pieces as she feels like. Maybe even buy for herself, once she has sufficient coin. Own things that will truly be hers alone.


The door sets off a tinkling chime that sits above it when opened, and she lets herself and Prompto into the store ]

Hello?

[punshots]

[ Now that's the spirit! With a buoyant grin, he follows after her into the shop, peering around for anything he might suggest for her - and, okay, for himself, too. The main focus here is her, but if he finds something he likes for himself, he won't stop himself from trying it on, too! ]

Hey, they've got some really nice stuff in here! [ He strolls over to one of the racks and starts picking through it. ]

What would you say your style is, anyway?

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ She's busy taking a closer look at the display mannequins, though she dare not touch anything considering the little money she currently has in her possession. When Propto asks what her style is she stops, taking a look down at the clothing that has been provided for her here(nothing to sniff at, a simple long sleeved tunic and leggings) and then thinking to the clothing provided to her back home (once again, nothing very fashionable. A grey and yellow bodysuit made up of clean lines, though it was always covered by her plating) ]

I don't really have one.

[ Hadn't been given the chance beyond what she'd searched and seen on the echonet to develop a style to call her own. ]

[punshots]

[ Hey, that's fair. Not having a personal style just means she probably had other important things going on in her life. But he's undeterred, giving her an appraising look. He's no expert on Olympian fashion - it's waaaay different than what was trending back in Insomnia, anyway - but that isn't about to stop him. ]

Hey, now's as good a time to form one as any! Just pick out some things you like and you're already on your way.

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ She scans the racks of clothing for a moment, before she finally settles on a dress  in the back of the shop, reaching out and carefully touching one of its finely woven sleeves.

Everything on Pandora was covered in a fine (or not so fine) layer of dirt, ripped and burned and shredded and stitched back together much like its people. Helios was all bold, sharp lines. Sterile.

This was clean, but there was a human touch to it too. Special care put into each part of the garment.

She, as gentle as possible because she's sure this is worth her weight, pulls it out a little further so that Prompto can see what she's been eyeing ]

Something like this?

[punshots]

[ He steps over to her when she pulls out the dress to take a closer look at what she's chosen. It seems a good fit for her, personality-wise - from what he knows of her, at least. And style-wise, it looks great.

Of course, she could have pulled out a pajama onesie and he would have supported it. But this is better. ]

Winner of Outfit of the Year right here! [ He beams at her. ] Do you wanna try it on?

[r3f4c70r3d]

She looks to the outfit, then back at Prompto, then what seems to be an a scan of the entire store, before saying in an unsure, almost conspiratorial tone

Am I allowed to do that? It's--



I don't have any money to buy it. I doubt the shop owner would be pleased.

[punshots]

[ He shrugs breezily, features still bright and enthusiastic. ]

Don't worry about that! Besides, you can't start building your style deck without trying anything on.

[ Plus, if she really likes it, he'll spot her the coin to pay for it. It's the least he can do, really. ]

[r3f4c70r3d]

[ Prompto no.

She studies the item again for a moment, unsure if this is actually allowed. Some places on Pandora would have your head for wasting a shopkeeps time with idle browsing. But this isn't Pandora, she has to keep reminding herself that. This is new and different, and she should start taking advantage of simple freedoms such as this. A chance to try on clothing wouldn't be a luxury to most, but it is to her.

Carefully, she removes the hanger from the rack ]

Okay. I am going to try it. There is a place in here to do that right? Rooms to change in.

[punshots]

[ His grin widens even further, if possible, when she removes the dress from the rack. Yes! This is the first step on her journey to...well, maybe a few things. Finding clothes she likes is one of them. A little more comfort in her own skin is another, not that he really has room to talk, there. But if he can help her feel confident enough to at least try on an article of clothing, he'll feel like he's done something right. ]

Yeah, of course! Let's see - [ He tips up onto his toes, before pointing near the back of the shop. ]

Back there. If you want, you can come out and show me after you try it on!