[video] un: post-modern

[depressiveoptimist]

[Kieren turns on his phone, revealing his face. Of course, he's not wearing his makeup, because even if he isn't 'alive' anymore, he isn't going to hide himself. It will--he'll go back to the way he was in Eudio, eventually. Hopefully. Still, others will see a pale face, milky white eyes. Basically, the face of a doe-eyed dead boy.

He smiles a little, doing his best to not be nervous, or awkward. He succeeds on the first, probably not as well on the second. He speaks, his accent something from northern England]

So hi, I'm sure some of you have seen me about, but I'm Kieren Walker? Your resident PDS sufferer. [Might as well be upfront.]

So, I just snagged a job at the Cadelle Museum of Art, and I know that I've already talked to a few of you about you're uh--lack of art knowledge? [He rubs the back of of his neck, laughing lightly.]

I just thought, if anyone was interested, I wouldn't mind maybe giving some tours, or at least teaching a bit of art? I don't have any real formal training--but I've taught myself a lot on my own. [And was good enough to get accepted/scholarships to universities, twice--but he still doubts his own art, sometimes, so he doesn't mention that.]

I'm also always looking for people to paint? Just--just portraits.

Let me know if you're interested.

Comments

[angelpants]

PDS?

[It's not something Waverly is familiar with, or at least she doesn't think so at this point.]

[depressiveoptimist]

Partially Deceased Syndrome.

It means I'm basically a zombie, if you are familiar with the term--we just don't like that.

[angelpants]

Uh yeah, I wouldn't want to be called that either.

I'm Waverly, by the way.

[depressiveoptimist]

Nice to meet you.

[He's glad she understands--or at least respects his choice of terms.]

Have you been here long?

[angelpants]

Not really that long, no. How about you?

[depressiveoptimist]

Just arrived in the past month, but I was in a city similar to this for a while. So at least I'm used to the concept. There are a few of us from that place, actually.

[angelpants]

I've heard of it before from others here, but this city is my first time with something like this.

[ video ] un: yourfriend

[ferdi]

[ Ferdi's not quite mastered the art of video chatting yet and the camera is some blank white space but is luckily nothing embarrassing. ]

What exactly is PDS?

[ First things first. The other did look quite odd. ]

[depressiveoptimist]

Partially Deceased Syndrome.

It means I'm the living dead, basically.

[He knew he'd have to explain this quite a bit, so he's patient. It's different than in his world, where everyone knew. Or in Eudio, where he had already explained to people what he was.]

[ferdi]

[ He's quiet for a moment as he processes that idea. There were a lot of things here that are difficult to comprehend here. ]

That's...

[ usually he is quite good at coming up with something to say in any situation. He decides to move on. ]

How did you come to be interested in art?

[depressiveoptimist]

[It's not easy for everyone, he's sure.]

I don't know--it's something that I've always enjoyed. My parents bought me a sketch book when I was small, and I just started filling it up with drawings. I've been doing some sort of art ever since.

[ferdi]

I would like to see some if you don't mind sharing.

A tour would be nice as well. [ He assumes like many other things, art might have also evolved since his time period. ]

[depressiveoptimist]

I wouldn't mind--if you would like to do it in person? Or--or if you would rather just do it virtually, I understand, as well.

[He knows he makes people uncomfortable, due to his appearance.]

video

[smoak]

[ It's those eyes that get her. The milky gloss feels ghastly, but the the earnestness that she sees in them settles her. ]

You don't ... look very well. [ Her voice is soft, empathetic, a little scared. The fact that she just says something like that though? Well, Felicity's never quite been good at talking, even if she talks a lot. ] I mean- is PDS something they can treat here?

[depressiveoptimist]

[Kieren gives the woman a tight smile, but there is tension in it. Ah--now there is a reaction he's more familiar with. The way most people just seem 'accepting' has been strange, so some fear...that's more what he is used to.]

Considering I'm dead, I actually look pretty good. But I understand.

[A beat.]

I suffer from Partially Deceased Syndrome. I'm on medication, which I'm provided here. But it doesn't really change much besides keep me...me.

[Saying 'keeps me from going rabid' is not something this girl needs to hear.]

[smoak]

[ He looks so ... sad, she thinks, which just makes the whole thing even stranger. Or maybe people just look sad when their eyes are that way, and there's barely any color in their cheeks. ]

You're-

Partially deceased?

[ Give her a second. Zombies aren't real in her world, not that she's even realized that's essentially what he is. ]

[depressiveoptimist]

Yes?

You know--like a zombie.

Though we dislike the term. Undead is fine, though.

[A little shrug.]

[smoak]

[ Mmmmm strike that. She's going to need more than a second, and since they're on video, the sheer amount of stunned Felicity looks isn't easy to hide. Especially since she's terrible at hiding things like that.

She snaps out of it at some point though, not many seconds later. ]

Yes- I mean, I've heard of zombies- and the undead from books and comics and TV. Do you- Can I ... [ The question just sort of comes out: ] But in real life, how does that even work?

[ A beat. ]

You don't ... have to answer that if you don't want to.

[ She seems to be finally realizing how much she's intruding on his privacy. ]

[depressiveoptimist]

[Kieren raises his eyebrows at his eyebrows, but doesn't say anything; people react in different ways. He lets her take her time.]

Guess it really depends on what you mean. We don't know why some of us rose, and some of us didn't.

Medication keep me 'safe', if that's what you're worried about.

( video | un: rocksolidpanda )

[creatio]

So, I totally already have that art stuff down, but maybe we could hang out at the Museum anyway?

( Because she hasn't had anyone to talk about art with in a while. )

Or we could go to the supply stores one day? I definitely need to pick up some new paints. And pencils. And actually everything, really. I didn't pack. ( Nobody did. She knows this. But her smile is amused anyway. Hopefully she's not too forward, she'd just really like to make friends. )

video

[depressiveoptimist]

You're an artist, too?

[He grins wide, because he didn't expect that.]

Of course we can. And I didn't come here with much--so supplies are always needed.

[He honestly hasn't ever talked to another artist.]

--what medium do you like more?

video

[creatio]

I am!

( Listen, they are now officially best friends. There's no other way around it. ) I actually go to art school. Or I did. ( Before the Shadowhunters. Actually, that's something to consider. Maybe there's a place here. ) But that's so cool. I never really hang out with other artists.

( Belatedly she realises she should have asked what PDS means, but Kieren's smiling and it suits him. She'd much rather focus on that. ) I'm a pencil and paper kind of girl. Call me traditional, but it's much easier carrying around a sketchbook than it is hauling slabs of concrete on your back? I did that for a project once. Never again. ( Beaming. ) But what about you?

[depressiveoptimist]

I was supposed to go to art school but...things got complicated. [Revoked citizenship and all. But hopefully one day that will change.]

I prefer acrylics; pastels if I'm out of the house. [She has such a brightness; it really is infectious. Amy would have liked her.]

My pieces don't completely follow fauvism, but I think they tend to have that feeling, if that makes sense. [He always likes to use more color to brighten people, to bring out pieces of them in ways that might not show in realism.]

[creatio]

So, for real. We're now going to have to have an art party stat. I mean, I'm more Impressionism than anything else but I kind of like trying to branch out too? It kind of depends how I'm feeling. One day I could be trying to make my own graphic novels, the next all I want to do is paint the horizon. So we should definitely get together and see what we could create.

( She's clearly so very excited to have someone to talk to about this kind of thing, her smile wide. )

Plus, I'm seriously nosy so I want to see your stuff.

( Apparently curiosity about art trumps curiosity about PDS? )

[depressiveoptimist]

I'd really like that. And impressionism and fauvism are siblings, aren't they? I like to think so.

[Clary's enthusiasm is infectious, and it's great to have someone so energetic about art. He can't help but smile wide in turn.]

I don't mind showing it off--just don't expect too much. You have to show me yours, too.