Shanzira and Virion: B support.

I really like this drawing. I'm doing an ink sketch, and this one's been a hell of a lesson in the amount of ink I pick up from my well. I just drop the quill in, just only slightly if I want good, thin lines. But if I want thick, I turn it into a bit more of a dunk. It's also been great training in getting my hand to relax so I can draw straight.

My hand used to shake really bad, I'd have to hold my breath to stabilize it. Or otherwise put serious pressure on my pen. Anyways... It's fair to say that doing that on a tablet was the bane of my existence. Hand cramps like no tomorrow...

But now's different. I'm getting better at this, and I'm drawing with the gentle hand I've always possessed. I can actually do proper justice to the extremely small lines I like to add to properly texturize hair, I can even dilute my ink enough to add gentle shadows.

"O fair and beauteaous lady!"

Thank Naga I'd just lifted my quill, or I would've wrecked my drawing, right there. That's Virion's voice and his word choice, without a doubt. Sure enough, an upward glance reveals him approaching me, in his usual attempt at grace. I'd better entertain the asshole. "Oh gods, what is it now?"

He bows and rises back up before speaking again. "There is a gravely important matter I would ask of you."

If this is another marriage proposal, I'm going to throw him off a pegasus. "No," I preempt. Seriously, what are the odds of him not asking that?

He blinks, not having expected that. "I beg your pardon?" Argh, is he going to ask permission to ask his question? Grr, let me just clarify, dumbass.

I clear my throat. For Virion, proper diction and enunciation is required, so I'd better spit out my words like I'm singing. "I'm not going out with you, and no amount of flattery will change that." I learned a lot of useful life skills in choir, specifically in the way of making myself audible.

"Milady," he responds with a polite bow of his head, "'twas not my request. 'Tis not your company I ask for, though I desire it still, but I would ask for the powers of your quill." Two sets of eyes drift towards the doodle I'm working on; mine and his. One thing I noticed while he was speaking, he did the same thing I did just now with the enunciation, but a little less... ptooey in them. I don't know how to describe it.

"You want me to draw you something?" Yes, the clarification is needed. The man speaks like Bastian (oh! Gods, I want to do a Tellius-set fic, Bastian's speech is crazy fun to write) so sometimes he's a pain to translate. That, and I don't trust my skills of translation. I've been wrong before, I'd rather not repeat those moments.

"If it please you, yes." Virion nods again, with a hint of bow included. "I will pay, if gold will persuade you." Here I'd expect someone to pull out their wallet, but I remember that Virion doesn't carry gold.

I play the DLC way too much. So many Risen... So few galeforce units...

Tu-tu-tu-tap. That sound repeats in quick succession as I tap my fingers on my parchment in thought. Now, how should I do this? He's asking for a commission... Should I have him pay up front or pay later? Back in high school, I had people pay up front, but that was because I was strapped for cash. I believe clients like it better if I ask them to pay when I finish. So, viewing Mr. Frenchman as a client instead of that asshole who always tries to hit on me, I should ask him to pay upon completion.

Bearing that in mind, I tell him what is now my policy regarding commissions: "Tell me what you want me to draw and then I'll decide if I'll do it or not. If I do, you pay after I finish." I pull out a fresh piece of parchment to serve as a contract, and dip my nib in ink.

He smiles. I suppose the attitude of "finally, something went right!" is appropriate for him right now. "Very well. The masterpiece I ask for is a portrait of the very lady I speak with presently, perhaps a keepsake for the archest of archers."

Good lord this man is stubborn.

"You just don't give up, do you?" I ask, looking into his eyes with incredulity. His expression remains the same until I drop the obvious bombshell. "No. Is there anything else you want to ask for, other than my hand in marriage?"

His riposte comes pretty quickly: "Very well, then perhaps milady might portray me?" Damn, his best weapons are words. Makes me want to have a duel with longswords just to see if he's just as clever with blades as he is with his tongue.

Thankfully, I've been damn well trained. I sigh, because I needed that breath, and mull that over. It's another disguised attempt to show me that he's not a snob, but I was planning on drawing him anyways with the Shirtless Shepherds Set. "This I might consider, but how so?" Context is important, as any artist– no, any intelligent person– knows.

"Hmm," wow, he's actually thinking, I can see the steam. He takes a few paces and glances around, as if searching for inspiration. Is he... Wow, he's trying to make my job easier. I could shit a brick. Then, an idea appears to strike, as his eyebrows briefly jump and an open-mouthed smile crosses his face. He turns to me, eager to present his idea. "I hear tell of a new movement in art called realism, the idea of which is to draw plain people in plain tasks. Perhaps you might depict me in a mundane setting?"

I shit you not, my first thought was "that's not possible, you're not a plain person". Better refrain from saying that, he might think I'm warming up to him. The other thought that comes to mind is how odd this is– as I remember from modern art history, when realism first cropped up, most of the upper crust found it distasteful, as it depicted the lives of the poor masses, reminding them that like isn't so glorious outside of their estates. I have to give Virion points in personality for this. "And I get to decide said task?"

He bows, hand over sternum and all. "Of course, if you like."

I hate to admit it, but he's at least not a shithead like the stereotypical rich fart. It's with this sort of distaste– the one you feel when you know you're wrong and you really hate being wrong– that I chew out my response: "If I can figure out something fitting, then I'll do it." I swear to Naga, this is a trap, yet I have no real excuse to turn him down. Damn!

Once more, he bows. "My deepest thanks, good lady!" Wow, he isn't even asking when I'll finish. Works for me!

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," I warn, scribbling down his commission on that scrap of parchment. "I still don't know what you'd be doing." Good, I'm leaving myself a good buffer in case I later decide that payment isn't worth it. That's on crucial skill of politicians: Leaving their options open. Ever since I heard that piece of wisdom, I've done my best to emulate it. Flexibility is the best.

One finger floats up to make a suggestion. "If milady might observe me in my doings–"

I believe this calls for an immediate interrupt. "Still not accepting those subtle moves." I sign the commission to serve as my stamp of approval, and hand it and the quill to him so he might do the same. "Nice try. Sign at the bottom so I'll remember you agreed to this."

... Huh. First time I've ever signed my name as Shanzira Dinrel. So much for my old signature...

The fluffy end of the quill dances everywhere as Virion signs. Wow, must be a really fancy or messy signature he's got there. "I tried, dear lady. I tried, and that is all one can ask." He hands the contract back to me... And surprisingly, his writing is extremely neat.

I carefully blow the ink dry before folding it up and stuffing it in my bag. "Stop trying." Please.

And that's the first time I've ever been so absorbed in writing fic that I forgot to do something, namely, get the fuck off the train. If another student hadn't snapped me out of my reverie, I would've missed my stop. He got thanked.

Anyways, Chapter 26 is taking a while, it's a heck of a long one. Ten pages of script, and now that I'm only halfway through fluffing it, it's ten pages of writing. Be prepared for a crazy high wordcount, this is gonna be a doozy. Also, getting where I am now with it took four sittings. I'm accustomed to writing a chapter in one or two.

Anyways, in this support Shanz realizes that maybe Virion isn't such a prick and entertains the thought of at least letting him befriend her. Enjoy! And do request supports.