Expression With Love [Irvine]

Potentially Relevant Strengths/Weaknesses:

Oh man...now that had really blown up.
For all Irvine didn't really follow fashion much, and certainly was not the sort of person you would expect to find in attendance at a show like Dasht-e's, the opportunity to get ammo on the girl that nobody had any idea about was not one he was going to pass up.
And today hadn't disappointed. Murmerings were that she was none too happy over the appearance of an unexpected model.
The model herself certainly hadn't been happy when he'd caught her cursing the woman out.

And then, joy of joys, Irvine spotted the woman in question.
He wasn't passing this one up.
Irvine strolled up casually to Dasht-e, as if she wasn't just about the most acclaimed designer of fashions in all of Junction.


"Well, hello there! Enjoy the show~?" He grinned all too wide. "You seem like someone who keeps up with the latest trends, and I hear someone made quite a stir tonight."
He didn't necessarily mean the model.

Hmm. What do you know? She was one of those sorts. Question was, what was going in that head of hers? He was expecting her to be more highly strung at the moment, and yet here she was, acting like nothing was happening.
Well...he was going to have to see if he could coax out a response somehow.


"No, seriously, let's think about this a moment." A few waves of his finger, and a small scene would form in the air, a little shadowy figure walking a runway. "So, someone gets up who wasn't supposed to be there, with things they weren't supposed to have. Can't be having that, can we?" Another pair of figures advance onto the runway, and with a smooth gesture, they pick up the first one and throw it off, arms flailing in the air before it dissipates. "So you get them the hell out of there, and things go on." The remaining pair walk off, and the whole scene disperses.

"Now, all of that? Pretty normal. Sort of thing that can happen. But then, there's what comes next." Another scene - silhouttes filing out of a building, seemingly enthused. "People still love it. Why wouldn't they? It's only the work of the most acclaimed designer here." The scene whirls and changes, a tailed reptilian figure by a computer and a window. "And they're certainly waiting eagerly, not least because they've been having a hard time getting anything good to wear since they came here." A whirl, and the figure changes, a simple bipedal reptile becoming something closer to a four-armed winged centaur...
Seating that woman in the restaurant had been one hell of a challenge.
"So, they wait...and wait...and wait..." Stylised mockups of the sun and moon whirl by the window, before eventually the figure leans forward with a sigh and walks away. "Foooorever. No wonders for them. And all it took was one unexpected arrival."

Irvine shrugs, leaning against a wall. "And isn't that sad? All it took was two people. One to show up where they shouldn't be, and another to make far too big a deal out of it the same way they've done every other time things don't go exactly as desired." He looks over, sending a challenging look toward Dasht-e. "I mean, come on, if your history every other time is any indication the things everyone saw today aren't going anywhere. Hell if it isn't unprofessional to let that much get to you so much."
He leans back, laughing. "I've no idea if it's spite, some sort of childish tantrum, or just an utter lack of faith in the ability of your work to hold up by itself."

And theeeeere it was. There was life in those eyes! She had doom in her gaze and a haste to her words, as she educated the plebian who knew nothing of an artist's plight. Oh woe was she to face the uncultured masses so, to have such a boor assail her sensibilities!
And Irvine weathered it all without a dent in his attitude.
He'd dealt with worse.
Finally, she would finish her piece, and fall silent again. The life would drain away again, leaving nought but this in turn.
Seemed like it was finally his turn to speak again. Girl had a mouth on her.

"Hey, what may we insignificant masses do but speculate?  When you have this big name that nobody really knows about, of course we're going to throw about ideas as to what's going on in their heads." The smirk returns in full force as he looks back the woman's way. "You corrected me. Lovely. Absolutely wonderful. So let's see if I can do better on take two."

He tilts his head from side to side. "So. Let's. See...people having the tantrums rarely think they're so silly as they look to everyone else, but let's just ignore that line of thinking, shall we? I question your faith in your art, and you go to...money. An absolute confidence that people would buy what you brought out without question. That's how much you believe in it. That's the measure of your faith. You think it'll sell." He continues to smirk, but the look in his eyes is all too flat. "The rest of what you said tells me you don't think it can hold up to other people trying to blight it."

"Seriously...you talk about all these scum trying to drag you down - and yeah, 'course people will want to knock you down a peg. All sorts of assholes, from competitors that think they need to play dirty, to just the outright resentful. But you're putting way much stock in the idea that any significant amount of people want to, let alone that could actually do anything. Probably who those people are, as well." He raises an eyebrow. "I'm guessing that model from earlier? You thought she was out to ruin your work. That they had any desire to. But by all means, correct me if I'm wrong, I can take it again."

He draws up another display of shadow puppets, a figure hiding by a selection of clothes. "You realise they only wanted to boost up their own name, right? Or maybe they're one of those crazy fan types. This case? Doesn't matter either way. It's your work! Work that nobody's ever seen! And they'd wear it first, be the first to seen in it, let alone in one of your shows! Come on, tell me that wouldn't give people an ego boost. That it isn't the sort of event you could make a career out of. That it isn't the sort of thing dreams are made from."
The scene disperses as the figure makes off with an outfit. "Not that you need me to say this. You know full well what you're worth."

"Either way, be it a side effect of selfish motivation or an actual desire to ruin your work...it's done. It's happened. It's tainted and disgusting now." He pauses again, swallowing down a fit of cruel laughter before it could burst out. He desperately wanted to let it fly, but it was not the moment. "And that's all it takes to ruin it. All your efforts...your love, the essence of your being...ruined by someone wearing it that you didn't want to?" For a moment, he casts out a scene of the streets, numerous people walking by. "You know these things only get worse once they're actually released, don't you? When everyone is able to reach your work. The only real difference is when it happens. You can go ahead and enlighten me as to what the big difference is, I'm more than happy to listen."

He dispels the scene. "Fact is, you made something you think can be polluted so easily. That can't withstand the hate and the disrespect, can't face up to the blights a person may seek to inflict, whatever form it takes before your eyes. And from what I hear, true art is supposed to endure. If you don't think your work can do that, then that sounds like a lack of faith to me."

Irvine...smiles. Just a simple smile. No edge, no cruel intent, no drive to jab and prod - just a simple sign of what he thought which he would soon make clear.
"Now THAT'S what I like to hear!"
He pushes off from the wall, going back to stand before her properly again.


"No over-the-top pretention, no obsessive possessiveness over the things you create...hell, I could count on one hand the people I've met who really give a damn about folks after they even think they've hit it big. Hell, you actually pulled me up on calling myself insignificant without even so much as a backhanded compliment to follow." He laughs again, a sound filled with more good humour than there was before. "I mean, sure, you've still got a look that says you don't believe I could possibly comprehend the true scope of what you're speaking of, but that's much easier to tolerate with half the condescension taken out of it."

Well, she'd made a good impression at this point. Now she had to maintain it. "You know why I didn't bother with the chick that snuck in? Get the story there? Well-" He flicks out one hand, holding up a finger. "- for one, she was cursing up a storm that put some of my rowdier clientele to shame, which is really no time to get anything useful-" He flicks his hand again, holding up another finger. "- and for another, the only reason she matters in all of this is because of what she did in the first place, and I don't need to hear from her about that." He opens up his hand in full and sweeps both arms out to his sides.


"You're the special girl in the equation, because it's what you believe that makes things happen how they do from there."
He lets his left arm hang loose as he places his his right hand in his pocket, a grin on his face and one eyebrow raised. "And really...well, I can't say I think exactly like you do - be a hell of a waste if we were all the same like that - but I think I have an idea what your problem is. And it's one I get. I know I wouldn't be happy if someone broke into the kitchen and started spitting in the food." He smirks and shakes his head, holding up his left hand and wagging a black finger. "Oh, I know it isn't exactly the same. You'd still be able to send the clothes out if you really wanted to, just to give the most basic example. Buuuut you don't. They tampered with it, and now it's in no state to end up in the hands of anyone else. That's the baseline, when you strip away the nuances of it, and that's something I can get."

Irvine buries his blackened hand back into his pocket, tilting his head slightly and grinning. "So, question. Those clothes were spoiled. You've made that clear. What about the rest of them? What is it that means you can't stand to let those go out either?"

My, my. The ar-tiste of Junction was full of surprises.  It was enough to warm the cockles of this bastard's heart.
For once, he'd found someone that didn't seem that bad.
Not even the for what she is sort of not that bad. Just outright not that bad.

Dasht-e had Irvine's full attention as she elaborated on what she had said, and he listened attentively to what he was hearing, thinking it through rather than trying to pick it apart. "Hmm. Essential components, huh?" So that was her attitude toward this. "Maybe while the pieces were separate, you could pick one away and work with the rest. But once it's all come together into the final product? There's no separating that. Even if they were physically separate on a plate, getting rid of that one part wouldn't really make it sanitary. Sure, serve it if you want...but I wouldn't invest anywhere where those are the standards."

"And besides that - like you said, it's essential. You need it for a complete, full-bodied product. It's going to fall short otherwise." Irvine sighs, and wipes the back of his hand against his mouth.


"What you asked? It isn't really a question. The fact you have to make the distinction is telling enough - you can't put it out like it's the same because it isn't the same. That's not all there is to it. A meal can be full of all sorts of parts that make up the order, and while it's one thing if that one dish is all you were to deliver, it's another when there's more to it. Deliver any less than that, and it isn't what was expected, promised, or under care to deliver."

His arm falls, and he has an oddly serious look on his face as it's uncovered. "Unfortunately for me, the show has to go on. If something goes wrong, we still have to push forward. We aren't just delivering a product and a service- we're working to do so in a timely manner, and in the end, that means we've got to compromise when things don't go to plan. We have to tell people about delays and when things aren't available, we offer our concessions and make our apologies, and in the end, we have to get out what we can and make good on the rest where we can. We may not like it...but we can only do our best when we can't have perfection. And if we can't give them what they're due, then we have to let them know so they can do what they can from there, even if it costs us."

He gives a one-shouldered shrug, a fairly neutral expression on his face. "You have certain privileges that I don't, from the time you're given to the patience you're afforded. If I just redid the entire order because of what had happened to one item, I'm pretty sure my customers would crucify me." He laughs, bitterly. "But you, at least, get leniency on these things, just as long as you maintain standards and keep up your work. Maybe not a complete reprieve...but more than many of the rest of us can rely on. Definitely more than I can."

He smirks. "I'm more than fine with that, though. If I had to rely on people cutting me breaks, then I wouldn't really be living up to my responsibilities." Irvine's gaze fixes solidly on Dasht-e, awaiting his own answer. "That something you can agree on?"

"Oh, sure, no problem." His grin widens as he thumbs toward himself. "You're talking to one of the owners of High Spirits, a dining establishment here in Junction, and a damn fine one if I say so myself." He puts his hand back in his pocket, raising an eyebrow. "Given, not always the line of business I've been in, but my old job doesn't exist here and me and my friends figured someone needed to provide good food from home. It'd be a damn shame if nobody got the chance to try some of the stuff we had to eat back on Charnel."

He shakes his head, laughing. "Seriously, you flatter me. You're an interesting gal yourself. I don't regret coming to pester you, even if I got something far different than I expected."

 
She would say as she observed his behavior, her somewhat amused smile not leaving her face. Perhaps this one could understand after all the passion for one own work; however, whether that was true or not would have to be put on hold as the car she was waiting for came.

"Hmph. Perhaps you should not expect things to be a certain way then." she'd say with in amused tones before turning slightly her behavior changing back to serious.

"It is time to go for me to go. Good day," she would say her tone professional and devoid of emotions; however, there was something in her eyes that suggested that maybe she wouldn't mind bumping into this one again. Even so she would confirm nothing as she turned away fully and made her way towards the car to leave.

Irvine shrugs. "Maybe, maybe. I'll not hold you up. See ya."

As Irvine walks away, hands in pockets, a card drifts in the breeze over to Dasht-e's grasp, almost as if guided there. It was for High Spirits, promising a Troublemaker Special upon redemption at the restaurant.
Irvine smirks. It'd be interesting to see if she'd stop by.