"In cento anni o cento mesi, l'acqua torna a' suoi paesi."

[sharktrash]

Who: Squalo and YOU!
What: birthday catch-all! Squalo's turning 23 on the 13th. Yes he is Pisces because his character wasn't fish-related enough yet.
When: 12th-14th
Where: All around Vista city, the mall, the bars, Pride HQ, MANTICORE penthouse, Junkyard Carnival penthouse, etc.
Warnings: Squalo language, violence, substance abuse, (mentions of) banging, will update as necessary


[ prompts in comments! ]

Comments

[sharktrash]

[ Wow, Roy, you're the best. Squalo would shed a tear at that generosity if he was capable of it. Surely Sharky #?? will be very grateful too. It probably remembers that hazing kiss fondly, if it's the same one at least. ]

[ Squalo's just gonna peer at that book over his shoulder as he passes by. ]

...back in school?

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy would rather forget that kiss. With all this fake memory vs real memory confusion he's not sure if he has kissed a girl or if Sharky #?? was his first smooch. Pretend it never happened. ]

[ He looks up from his reading for a split second before staring back down at it. ]

If I'm going to put together the best effects for our shows I need to be on top of the research for it.

[ Funny. He's not reading an engineering book right now. Instead it's some sort of advanced chemistry text. ]

[sharktrash]

[ Oh my god. Oh my god. Roy you hopeless virgin. Seriously having a goldfish be your first kiss is what you deserve for holding out until this ripe age. ]

Oh? [ Well, technically, burning is a chemical reaction, so hey, it's not like it's unrelated. He suddenly lights up, as if stricken by an idea. ] Can you make it burn blue?

[snapcrackleburn]

Of course. If there's a firework in the color I can make a flame in it as well. The hard part is jumping through safety regulation hoops. Some fuels and oxidizers are very toxic and not good for air pollution either. [ He smirks and notes, ] I don't think Genos will let us get away with making him breathe that between lines.

But then again the nicer, safer materials aren't too expensive for a giant like Pride. I'm sure blue fire can be done. If worse came to worse there are also lighting effects to create the illusion of it.

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo is itching to note that it looks like Genos won't be needing to breathe at all soon, but bites it back and instead just nods as he listens. Can't say he's knowledgeable with those things aside from "pouring petroleum on things make them burn better", so he'll trust Roy on that. ]

I've sorta been plagued by the idea of blue flames. There's plenty of pieces it'll work for. "Radioactive Sky", "Hades", "Deep Blue"...

[snapcrackleburn]

'Plagued' by the idea? Are you sure you're not having dreams about your future home in the afterlife?

[sharktrash]

[ Was he supposed to be unsettled by this, Roy, because he's actually going to bark a laugh. ]

Maybe. Always thought it's red and orange in the land of fire and brimstone, but it's not like I've gone down to check.

[snapcrackleburn]

[ It's not necessarily supposed to be unsettling, mostly teasing. If Squalo knows where he's going after he dies then at least he's not in denial. ]

It wouldn't be fire in the normal sense. Supernatural eternal flame could be any color imaginable. Who knows.

Is blue your favorite color?

[sharktrash]

[ Of course not. He's already making plans to dethrone Satan so Xanxus has a comfy chair when he joins him down there. ]

Huh. You might have a point.

[ He thinks for a moment. ]

No, it's red. But blue looks good on me. Second favorite, I guess. [ That and there's something else. Can he tell Roy? Well, it's not like he has to explain it thoroughly or anything -- ] Do you know what a "Rain Flame" is?

[snapcrackleburn]

[ The name sounds contradictory. Is it some sort of natural phenomenon in nature? It certainly isn't a chemistry or stage effects term. Roy shakes his head. ]

A type of fire I haven't heard of before? What is it?

[sharktrash]

[ It's probably not, but he doesn't remember that part. Just the sensation it comes with, and that it's supposed to be his. ]

...I'm not sure. [ He actually sounds a little quieter than usual. ] It's a flame, but it's... more like water. Blue. Looking at it burn is like looking at the lights and wave shadows fluttering at the bottom of a pool.

[snapcrackleburn]

So it's... More like an aura than an actual destructive fire?

[ Sounds like a job for some blue lights and a little fog. ]

[sharktrash]

No, it's a flame. But it's not destructive. Not this one.

[snapcrackleburn]

What's its "fuel source" meant to be?

[ Blue lights, fog, and some material with a fan to recreate the movement of fire. ]

[sharktrash]

... Life force.

[ OKAY HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM he looks as confused as if it was someone else who just said that and clears his throat. ]

I mean, it probably doesn't matter? Just go for something that's the least likely to give us cancer.

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy nods to himself. Supernatural catching on fire? ] That's what I meant by aura.

It's easier displayed on the stage than on a person but it can be done.

[sharktrash]

[ Right up his alley, isn't it? Squalo still looks unsure about the word 'aura', but then just shrugs. ] You're the expert. It doesn't have to be on a person either. Just... you know, around.

[snapcrackleburn]

Mm. [ Roy nods affirmatively. He might insist on something wilder and more impressive like the illusion of a person's aura. He's that much of a perfectionist about this part of the job. ]

I actually have an idea to add drama to our show. I meant to ask the rest of the band for an opinion. What do you think of starting off a song with a shot of fire that starts with a snap of the fingers?

[sharktrash]

[ Well, Squalo's definitely not going to protest that. In fact he might even volunteer himself, as long as Roy can promise his hair won't catch on fire... ]

[ He actually looks a little impressed. ]

I think that sounds fucking grand. Is it possible to do, though?

[snapcrackleburn]

Of course it is. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think I could make it happen.

I suspect the hardest part would be silencing the audience so they can appreciate the drama of something so small making something so big.

[ He snaps his fingers, imagining the stage set out in front of him. Lucky for Squalo, Roy's not in alchemy-mode at this moment so no actual fire sprouts up anywhere. Right now he's still just a chemistry nerd snapping his fingers. ]

[sharktrash]

[ GRINS. ]

Leave that to me. You just polish your thing and let me know when it's ready to go.

[ Because Squalo yelling into the microphone is a horror that leaves crowds quiet(ly nursing their bleeding ears) for a while. ]

[snapcrackleburn]

Oh right. You have the loudest hush in the world.

[ He doesn't associate you with creating quiet so this is only now hitting him. ]

[sharktrash]

[ Slaps him on the back in what's probably supposed to be a show of camaraderie, though it's pretty hard. ]

Exactly.

[snapcrackleburn]

[ He's been living with Jecht long enough not to be shocked by a hard pat on the back. ]

I will get back to you on this idea later then.

[sharktrash]

[ Good good. ]

Great. Enjoy the food.

[ He'll just be off to harass some more guests and then embark on his bar quest, no big deal. ]