Audacious Pattern

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

"...and that concludes today's lecture."

Such a resounding declaration from the teacher was followed up by a cacophony of shuffling papers, sliding chairs, and the chatter of students. The clock on the wall read that it was still five or so minutes before the day's end, but the teacher was wise enough to not drag things out for the sake of filling time. It was one of the many reasons why Komachi liked her fashion design classes compared to the general education she got back in Aozora Academy, among other reasons.

However, it wasn't just her usual classmates in the classroom today. Apparently, someone from the theatre department was here to shadow the class today. To Komachi, it made sense, especially considering the assistance she was giving to an upperclassman with another unrelated theatre production. A few times during the lecture, Komachi would glance to the side to the blonde-haired observer, always noticing that she was dutifully buried in her own notebook. And Komachi respected that; if you're going this far out of the way, might as well absorb all you could.

Komachi looked around, glancing again at the observer before looking into her own notes. On the left side of the pages were the copious amounts of text she had transcribed, while on the right side there where sketches of ideas that would come to her, both related to whatever subject was on hand but more often wherever her mind was at the moment. There was a frown on Komachi's face as she propped up her notebook. There were thousands of ideas scrawled into the pages, yet she felt that there was nothing that could compare to her work before she came to Fukui. Sure, it was amateurish and very hackish, but Komachi was proud about how she was able to create something for the satisfaction of her friends.

Her friends...

Perhaps that was it. Sonohara Yuki, her best friend and most reliable 'client', was far and away in Tokyo in her own special technical academy. Without her, Komachi had no...goal. That realization unsettled her, causing her to flick at her notebook in frustration, toppling it to the desk. Inspiration was plentiful, and while she could craft every single outfit in her notebook, she had no one to give them too.

"A project..." Komachi whispered, crossing her arms. "Yeah...I need one."

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

The first impression of a person was the most important, this was accepted as true throughout the world. Though a first impression told you nothing, though people also said you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, the first impression was the most important as it could color all interactions from there on. Theora knew this, but it held a special place in her mind as engineering a first impression was a big part of her job. Every time the curtains opened, a whole new host of people had their first impression and it had to be perfect. To further this end, Theora had set up, in another of her copious free periods, an observation of a design class.

She sipped her coffee and took copious notes. Unfortunately, she didn't understand a word that the teacher spoke and lost track nearly immediately, but that was fine. Theora was not here to learn about how to create fashion. She was a producer, The Producer, that meant it was her job to see things got done and the best way to get something done, if you couldn't do it yourself, was to hire a professional. Each and every girl in this class was going to go on to be a professional something or other,whether they kept with this path or not. Her opinion was that it was best to snag them when they're young and impressionable. Which was a little odd considering that Theora was the same age as nearly everyone in the class.

Annoyingly, unlike her time observing other art type classes, they didn't have a break to work on projects which was a bit annoying. It meant that she was unable to have a walk around, look over people's shoulders, pick out the targets she liked best. It was like an actual class and that was incredibly dull. So, instead of people hunting, mostly she'd been forced to work on her upcoming project and the pitch for it. If it wasn't for the nature of the project, she wouldn't have bothered, there were a great number of perfectly serviceable types of people who worked with costumes but Theora needed something special.

She also needed somebody with a special kind of temperament, somebody who might be seduced by the theater and who could see the opportunities that lay within. Nobody too flighty, some of the students were paying no attention to the lesson so that wasn't worth pursuing. But not somebody too dedicated to the craft, so that took out the people who were overly attentive and never took their eyes off the teacher. They would be harder to steer away from their path and less likely to even experiment with Theora. She'd have to talk to the professor, find out when they were having a bit of a show and tell day, then she could shadow that.

As the class ended, Theora stood up and stretched. She was unwilling to let the whole day be a loss, so she'd go after one of the people on the list and see if they panned out. She checked her notebook and ran down the list. Rather than names, every person just had a physical description and some notes about behavior. One who had caught her eye had seemed to have a very eclectic note taking style, Theora could identify with that, writing on one side of the page then another, then returning. It wasn't much but it was something.

Theora packed her notebooks away and walked to Komachi. "Excuse me," she began, "my name is Katou Theora. Tell me, what is it you hope to learn in this class?" It was best to be circumspect, act like an actual class evaluator.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

Five minutes can go by rather slowly when you're frustrated, though at this point Komachi's frustration was such that she was content with fixing up her notebook and flipping through the pages. But she didn't have a lot of time to ruminate as she was getting called out.

After that outburst of frustration, being talked to was the last thing that Komachi expected, and by the girl who was watching her class nonetheless. Komachi deflected her gaze, welcoming the distraction and grinning back to this Katou Theora, glad to actually have a name, even though it was something the teacher had likely talked about earlier.

"Eh? Learn from this class?" Komachi echoed, laughing softly in surprise. This felt like a trick - clearly the class decription was available before Theora decided to peek in, but Komachi decided to play along. She got out of her chair sot that she could rotate it and face Theora, sitting back down with her arms crossed. "Well, this is a fundamentals class, isn't it? Sure, theory is all dry and such, but you need a strong foundation when learning any craft, right? I mean, sure, I thought I was hot stuff before I came here, but..." With a hearty chuckle, Komachi looked to her side and riffled through her notebook with one hand before closing it with a forceful snap. "...well, I do look back on some designs in embarrassment now that I know a little better. So that's pretty much it, fundamentals."

Beating around the bush really wasn't Komachi's style, and in the end she couldn't hold it back any longer. There was that trademark wild grin on her face as she looked back to Theora.

"Though, if you were looking for something more hands-on, there's quite a few other classes I can recommend if you want to peek into that. But...that's not exactly what Katou-san was looking for, was it?"

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

Theora put her fingers to her chin and stared at the girl intently as she spoke. There was a laugh there, some joke that Theora did not understand, though she did not care to at the moment. But this was of interest too. She met the girl's eyes and stared into them. The eyes were the window to the soul, it was said in poetry, though Theora found that to be a bit silly. But they certainly could show off a great many things, and few people were able to meet a steadfast gaze for long without being thrown off balance. That could be telling as well. Her eyes were tempted to dart towards the notebook, to catch any designs, any art styles in there that might give her a hint as to the girl's talent, but Theora resisted temptation, locking eyes was more important.

"You're quite correct. However, that is not the answer to my question, nor have you given me a proper one." She tapped her cheek with one finger. "Fundamentals, theory, all very important to any craft. I've come up with a few myself." She said. "But what is it that you hope to learn from this class, what is it that you seek?" She put further emphasis on the 'you' this time. Obviously it was time for a more direct approach, though not so direct as to give the game away.

"As you've deduced, I am not in this class to learn about the theories and fundamentals of fashion design. I'm here for the people. In my notebook," she brought her hand down and patted the book bag, "I have quite a lot of people. Those are my fundamentals, the fundamentals of theater, of story, of life. The people that make up all of them." She leaned back against the adjacent desk and folded her arms across her chest. "I think you might be an interesting addition, Cáo." It was the eyes, definitely the eyes. They reminded her of a fox and so that would be her name.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

A notebook full of names? Eyes went wide in a mix of fascination and expection and from Komachi's lips escaped a hum of intrigue. So, this wasn't some cross-diciplinary or intramural thing, but rather...scouting. The bells rang to announce the end of the school day and the rest of her classmates and even the teacher were making great haste through the doorway, but Komachi wasn't going anywhere. Instead, she leaned in, her mad grin intensifying. Now Theora truly had Komachi's attention. This was a girl with a plan, and tailor had more than a passing interest in seeing how far the rabbit hole went.

"People watching, huh?" Komachi exclaimed. "Bold, quite bold. I respect that. I've seen this story before, walked through it too, not for theatre, but something else. I wonder what your little adventure is. Anyways."

The clothier snapped her fingers to annouce the return to the previous question.

"I can indulge your curiosity further. That said, I'm not quite sure what kind of answer you want from me. Short term, long term? I gave you the short term - absorb the fundamentals. But why learn this, admittedly drab stuff?" With the rhetorical question, Komachi gave off a rather exaggerated shrug and a frown before tapping her lips in contemplation. She had an answer, just no good way to word it without exposing too much.

"Well, I doubt it's much of a secret now. Family owns a clothing store. We want to attract more customers, get our hands on exciting and fashionable clothes without raising our prices. Getting it from the outside is quick but leaves you will a few other...risks. Instead the decision was to...invest."

Komachi's eyebrows raised in emphasis at the final word. She doubted that such an answer was sufficient, but if Theora was going to keep circling like that, then a vague answer was only fitting.

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

The hook had been taken, though the bait was still there. Theora decided she would give it a little more time before setting the hook in the prize catch. Shame she wouldn't know the value of what she'd caught until it was all on display. Theora leaned back and finally broke the intense eye contact. She laughed her little, well rehearsed laugh, and spread her hands apart, as if in surrender. "The basics are important, a refresher course is valuable, and who knows what new thing might be picked up. Certainly it is an investment that might pay dividends or..." Theora paused dramatically, "not." She put her hands against the desk and tapped it with her left index finger.

"I know a little about risky investments, though I like to think of my own as sure things. Rarely have I been disappointed, Cáo." So this fox came from a family of foxes, that was interesting, and a business focused one at that. But what better occupation for a fox? Theora just needed to set up the chicken coop with the perfect sort of chicken, and it was starting to look like it was an invisible chicken to lure in a fox that couldn't resist the curiosity. "By the sound of it, you are the investment, create the fashion that everyone desires and they will flock to you. A bold strategy but it sounds to me as if you have no ultimate goal for this singular class." She began to trace circles with her finger on the desk, circles within circles, never just one reason for doing anything. "If I were to return to basics, I think it would be for more than just a refresher. To find new talent, maybe to have a lighter work load in preparation for a larger project that takes up more of my time."

Theora met the other girl's eyes again. "It seems a shame to be so focused on a single target that the rest of the world flows past, missed, unseen, unnoticed. So many opportunities flowing by on the river of time." She waved her right arm theatrically, which was, admittedly, the way she did pretty much everything.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

New talent? Larger project? Not wanting to let the world slip by? Really now.

It was hard to suppress a laugh. The rest of the class had already shuffled off to wherever they wanted to go, leaving the tailor and the producer on their own in the classroom, a fact that Komachi was rather acutely aware of. And the way that Theora seemed to dance around the subject was so amusing that it temporarily supplanted Komachi's usual impatience. So much theatrics, so much flowery and dramatic language, but Komachi decided to take another stab in the dark.

"Ah, Katou-san..." Komachi sighed, leaning back into her chair and resting her chin atop her fist. "With all due respect, Katou-san, I've never been one for a masquerade. If you find it such a shame to have world slipping by, I would have thought you would have been a bit more direct in your intentions. Unless you are one of the shameless sort, in which I'm not going to judge."

There was shrug and an apathetic yet comical frown passed through Komachi for a moment before the seamstress went back to lounging in her chair, though her expression was a bit more serious. "Let's not waste each other's time, then. From what I gather, Katou-san isn't one to idly people-watch, solve crimes, or have a passing fancy in pyschology. No, you've got a job that needs doing. What it is, I don't know." Komachi emphatically shrugged. "Here I am, free enough to take on a job or two. But do my skills fit the bills? I don't know either." This time Komachi rotated her head and body in the opposite direction as she shrugged.

Then with a loud clap, Komachi put her hands together and rubbed them as if to warm them up. She looked right into Theora's eyes with a burning eagerness.

"Now, I think that this is a situation that can be solved quickly."

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

Not one for masquerades? Well that wuold have to change, obviously Cáo had not been going to the right sort to learn of their unending fun. "I think I'm quite proud to say that I'm definitely one of the shameless sort, my dear Cáo. Shame is for people who have things to be ashamed of." She answered, it was a favorite line of hers, and one she parroted out fairly often. After all, if she'd given in to embarrassment then it was unlikely she would have accomplished nearly as much as she had. So much muse lost, likely she would never have even tried to get on the stage, and she certainly wouldn't have stayed the course after being laughed off it. No, shame was for other people.

"Besides, you're quite wrong about me, I find idly watching people live their lives is the most enjoyable thing to spend a day doing. After all, they could have anything going on, an entire life that is a mystery, that has brought them to silently perform in front of me if only for a moment. A lifetime instilling in them a way of carrying themselves, of walking, of being and there it is in front of me. What could be more amazing than the series of events leading to a single, purposeless event?" Theora sighed with some satisfaction. "Best of all, that life is a mystery that will never be known and can only be surmised."

And that surmised life was the basis for an untold number of plays, though not the one she had her mind set to putting together right now. "And speaking of our mutual not knowing, I also don't know if your skills fit the bills. I know nothing about you except that this meeting was thousands of years in the making. An entire galaxy led up to this very moment. I hope it has not wasted either of our time." She smiled again and said "So tell me, have you heard of a ballet called The Nutcracker?"

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

Clearly, Theora wasn't going to get the point, and the excessive dramaticism and flowery language was getting rather insulting at this point. That left Komachi at a crossroads - press the matter as forcefully as possible, or let Theora hang herself by her own words.

What would Yuki do?

As Theora spoke about why she observed others and mused about destiny, Komachi leaned back into her chair, resting on her fist again and pondering what her best friend would do. Polite or rude? Now or later? Did she have any leverage? Was all of this worth a prospective commission? Komachi had zoned out completely, brought back just in time to respond to Theora's question.

"Yes, I have. A ballet by Tchaikovsky, popular in the early Winter months," Komachi replied, sitting up straight in her seat. She had decided to remain somewhat polite. While the rest of her face was calm, she peered into Theora's eyes, trying to muster as much threat as possible. Komachi wasn't trying to emulate Yuki this time, but her father.

"Unfortunately, you are wasting my time. Please get to the point. If this is how you would treat your collaborators, then I do not believe you and I could work together effectively on any project. Quite frankly, a new project would be nice, but this?" Komachi shook her head slowly, as if immensely disappointed in what she was seeing. "Revenue and expenditures are not purely monetary, and what you have shown me so far appears to have a very...poor return on investment."

Komachi narrowed her eyes as she emphasized the word 'poor'. The tailor was rather aware of her own body language and made and effort not to cross her arms and appear defensive. Instead, she tried to use her chair like it was a throne, as if it would give her a more commanding presence. It was a facade Komachi wasn't fond of, but when the alternative was playing 'bad cop'...

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

"The point is exactly as I've been saying, Cáo. I have been trying to explain it, haven't you heard a word I've said?" The fox had bite but she was young and inexperienced. She had not learned the patience that would make her a powerful hunter and able to strike true at the best time. Well, not everyone was perfect, even Theora herself had some flaws to work through. Perhaps Theora could help sand down the rougher edges on this girl. "An investment may return more than what is put in, but you must put something in to start with. The return on nothing will always be nothing."

Theora took a breath and started from the top, or what she perceived as the top. "Tchaikovsky created a story that can be watched and understood though it has no dialogue. Nothing but dance and song. Except, it's more than that, there is a forgotten element that people see without seeing." She spoke of the costumes, sure, good ones or bad ones might be judged but they were often forgotten about after the first impression and just part of the character. "When you see a person, you get a first impression, all that is a part of their life, all their choices led them to that moment when they step in front of you and your stories merge. You look at them and maybe you can tell somebody's entire story from a glance, or maybe they just blur into the background scenery."

Theora was starting to speak faster, her hands blurring as she seemed to use them to emphasize her words. "This is why I have come to this class. To see if, among the needles and thread, there could be a storyteller. You talk of fundamentals, but the most fundamental thing is the first impression. It colors every moment after. On stage or in film, there is a short time for a story to be told and the more that can be told in an instant, without words, the more one can devote to the story of what comes next and the development. The sad woman wears drab colors because her life is dull. The easiest of metaphors! How can this be improved? What more can be told about a woman simply by her clothing, her posture, her make up and her walk? That is the point, Cáo, that and the same for each character that steps out onto the stage so a story can be told without dialogue without music, without sound. A story told in a single sense." Theora's chest rose and fell as she finally stopped to take a breath after that rather long and loud monologue. Maybe she'd gone a bit overboard but that was the point.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

It was undeniable that Theora was passionate. Komachi could respect passion. But she was immensely disappointed with Theora's clear lack of focus. But if neither direct approaches nor hints helped, and Theora was the sort to never admit blunder or be curbed by manners, then there really was no helping the situation further. There was a faint hope that the subject of The Nutcracker was relevant, but in the end, it seemed like there was nothing relevant to the matter at hand. In the end, there was no outside pressure for Komachi to work on a project and so the tailor felt comfortable ending the conversation now.

Theora's countenance made the tailor reflect a bit. Sure, she knew very well and was even proud of how stubborn and straightforward she was, but Theora's actions and manner of speech were bordering on arrogant, if not crossing the line already. In the corner of Komachi's eye, the door was invitingly wide open. But to walk out now, in the middle of Theora talking would mean stooping down to her level, and Komachi decided that would be too much a blow to her pride.

With face unchanging, she slowly moved her hand into her skirt's pocket to reach for her phone as Theora continued to talk about her reason for shadowing the class, her eyebrows flickering in amusement over the irony of first impressions. From under her skirt, Komachi manipulated her phone, stealthily sending a message to all her friends. A simple phrase. Then, she let go, withdrawing her hand from her pocket and resting it at her side. And throughout it all, Komachi maintained some semblance of eye contact, even though most of what Theora was saying barely registered.

As Theora stopped talking, there was a realization. Though they spoke in Japanese, there was a language barrier. Where Komachi wanted to get to brass tacks, Theora was talking...something else. And that's what Theora wanted, not someone to work with. Komachi sighed softly and relaxed, her phone buzzing in her pocket trying to tell her that her friends were trying to respond to her message.

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

Not a single word, no reply, no dawning of understanding. Theora had dealt with this before. Every day, every week, people out in the world held themselves in reserve. They did not let their feelings out. She'd come to recognize that drifting mind. When confronted with a speech of the heart and true unbridled creativity, they might turn away, move back, as if it were something to be feared. Perhaps it was. The girl was, maybe, not a fox after all. Her own energy was more suited toward the stadiums where she could gather with others who felt as strongly as she did. Anyone else, well, you could see it here.

The eyes glazed over, general politeness tempered with disinterest. That subtle tensing of muscles, waiting for the first opportunity to change the subject to something less divisive, or to simply exit the conversation entirely. It was like being on the train with a stranger who wore a Giant's jersey. Theora's face softened as she forced down that energy and composed herself. No, there was no fire here yet. Perhaps an ember might set off a blaze at some time, but now would not be the time to gather any warmth.

"You truly haven't listened to a word I've said." Even if she had, it was obvious the girl hadn't truly heard the message. "When a person steps out onto the stage, the audience is getting their first impression. From their shoes to their hat, each piece of clothing is important and must convey a message." She held herself back from going further onto a diatribe about the nature of mankind, it would be lost on a person such as this. "In a play without sound, the visuals are even more important. But of course, that wouldn't matter to somebody whose only interest is in the interest." In Theora's opinion, money was a very poor motivational factor, and one that stifled creativity. At best, it was a necessary means to an end.

i am not interested in fulfilling borrowed dreams

❝

"Who isn't listening to who?"

There was enough amusement in the irony created by Theora's dissertations that Komachi could still raise an eyebrow in reaction. From the insinuation that Komachi was ignorant of basic viusal metaphor, to the The arrogance of this girl was astounding, and it began to dawn on Komachi how...engrossed Theora was in fiction. It was her own little world where she was the master. Oh, Yukari and Motoko would have a field day with this girl. And how did the topic get to this anyways? Maybe that was the mistake, Komachi mused - that there was an agree-upon topic in the first place.

As Theora went silent, Komachi sighed and chuckled. But as soon as she opened her mouth, a peircing series of beeps erupted from her skirt pocket. As if in reflex, the tailor jumped out of her seat and pulled the phone out of her pocket, gesturing to Theora that she needed a moment.

"Ikezawa," Komachi said into the phone, pulling away and walking towards the glass windows of the classroom. Even with the distance, a sound of another girl could be heard from the phone. Though perhaps too distorted to hear the words properly, there seemed to be a sense of urgency in the digitized voice.

"Really now, from Mirai-chan, how rare...is that so? ...no, no, just was chatting with a classmate. Yes, I can but - of course, of course." Though her eyes kept looking out the window, Komachi paced, grinning like before. "And what do you propose? I can definitely do it over the pho- ah, that's why. Very well, I'll take care of it in a moment. Please give Mirai-chan my regards. Thank you, Yuki-chan."

With a sigh, Komachi put her phone back into her pocket. She still faced away from Theora, but in the light of the setting sun perhaps the reflection of the tailor's conflicted expression could be seen in the glass. The plan worked, or at least so far. She had a feasible out, or so Komachi thought. As if struck by a terrible burden, Komachi turned around to look at Theora.

"My apologies, Katou-san. That was a friend, she needs a bit of help with something. And now." Komachi explained, chuckling softly. It wasn't a lie; Mirai really needed help with something, but Komachi was only pulled in now. "Perhaps, if time was kinder, we can continue this discussion further?"

Respectfully, Komachi bowed, smiling as she stood up again. The phone buzzed again in warning before beeping threateningly, prompting a sigh and a laugh as Komachi picked up the phone and walked out the door.

Theora Katou ● notes: ● 000

MADE BY MIZO

The girl was speechless, they so often were. But walls had to be torn down before any kind of construction could begin. That said, this girl seemed to be erecting walls as fast as they could be attacked. Or maybe it was just an extreme form of luck. No, Theora had seen it before, she wasn't blind. A disappearing hand, subtle movements under the skirt, a cunning attempt, but they were alone together. There was nothing to pay attention to but the other girl. Performing in front of any kind of audience required just as much attention to that audience to gauge what needed to change, though Theora didn't see much use in changing her tone for somebody who obviously hadn't taken any bait so she could set a hook.

A set up, but a well played one. Theora closed her eyes and listened while the other girl got up and moved toward the window. She couldn't make out the words but there was something there, something that this girl kept talking over. A fine actress to play off a fake phone call as something urgent, but then, Theora might be keen to run off if the roles were reversed or if this girl was droning on about the Tigers. Well, there was nothing to do but to let the scene play out. Be gracious, Theora reminded herself. Not every interview ends in a hiring. Nobody is perfect all the time.

"Perhaps we can. I will be in this class a while longer, hopefully I will get to see something surprising before the time is up." She opened her eyes and looked at Komachi. Theora kept her face neutral, better that than any real negative emotion that could be misconstrued. There would always be another chance, another perfect choice. Rushing would lead to sloppy mistakes, those needed to be avoided. She straightened up and returned the bow. "I do hope you think at least a little about what I've said." Theora watched the girl gather her things and walk out the door. The phone rang again. Too many panic buttons hit, obviously.

Theora stared at the door as it swung shut. At the click, she turned and looked down at the desk. She ran her index finger across the top and then tapped it twice. "Why didn't it work?" She asked herself and punched her knuckles into the desk. "No, calm down." She muttered and took a long, slow breath. This was fine, she had all the time in the world, nothing was set in stone, the production could continue. That's why she was here so prematurely, so that she had time to make all the decisions, so nothing would be rushed. She had time to make mistakes. Theora turned to her school supplies, there would be time. "I won't fail again."