( open ) baby i like your style

[winces]

CHARACTERS: lapis (onerism), nami (weatherscience), olivia (winces), & company!
DATE: one lovely evening before the 8th
WARNINGS: nami's feminine wiles, lapis' pyro-happy ghost buddy, and olivia's hives... also extreme second-hand embarrassment and possibly some less-than-savory audience members. potential for violence?? maybe???
SUMMARY: lapis, nami, and olivia try to earn some extra $$$ by doing what they do best. chaos ensues.

Whether you've come to the Desert Flower Saloon this evening for boarding or for entertainment, you'll find the first floor practically vibrating with activity and life. On this night, unlike any other before (or so Miz Poppy will proclaim), the saloon's main stage will feature not one, not two, but three new performers, fresh (a week or so old is still fresh, right?) from the far corners of the universe to delight and excite the saloon's loyal patrons with the song and dance and magic of their alien people.

Come! Sit, watch, and enjoy!

Comments

nami ☁ ota

[weatherscience]

[ When she heard Olivia and Lapis' plans to perform, there was no question whether she wanted to help out and take part of it -- not only for the money (and this is Nami, so that's saying a lot), but for something to do; as it turned out, pirates weren't good at standing around and waiting, and some nice dancing and showing off her skills sounded much more like a good time than clearing rubble or fighting bandits!

Nami's talents lie outside of dancing, though. That isn't to say she can't give a good performance: she twirls between her friends, throwing her Clima-tact like a baton in the air, winking at the audience... before drawing a wide arch with her hand; Mirage tempo never fails. The three performers disappear in light mist, only to dance their way to the other end of the stage to suddenly appear again; and as they keep dancing, one by one there seem to be... more of them. Two Olivias, two Lapis', even two Namis standing at both ends of the stage, twirling the Clima-tact in the air.

Needless to say, the performance is a success. ]

( i. )

[ After it is over, you may catch the navigator-temporarily-turned-performance-artist at the bar, sighing and fanning her hand near her face like she's unbearably hot despite her choice of dress... ]

Ahhh, that really took a lot out of me! If only someone was kind enough to buy me a drink...

[ Said. loudly enough that whoever is nearby should catch the implication... come on, buy her a drink, why don't you? Yes, you. Or you. Or everyone, really.

(Or just approach her to chat her up about the performance, ask about her "magic"... she'll buy that damn drink herself if she has to!!) ]

( ii. )

[ When the inevitable happens, and some drunk patron slides into the seat next to her with more than unsavory suggestions, she glances at them out of the corner of her eye and says, with a conversational tone that manages to be more terrifying than anything else, ]

There is a stable pressure in the air today... but there are some areas were extreme air temperatures mix. And in those areas, you might find some dark clouds forming... beware of thunder strikes!

[ Sound like nonsense? So the patron seems to think, despite the way the Clima-tact in her hand seems to already spark with an electric charge... someone maybe step in before the forecast becomes a reality?? ]

( iii. )

[ wildcard me!! anything goes c: ]

ii

[perma_banned]

[More than one drunk patron seemed to be accosting Nami at that rate though the first one found it difficult to talk with a giant hand plastered up on his face. The drunk's head was shoved into a table as Ban stumbled forward to greet Nami, red-faced and tipsy as a lush tended to be when they hit their stride.

Snickering, Ban delivered a punchline to the joke that nobody wanted to be made.]

Don't worry about the weather--Nami, you outta decide whether you're gonna buy me a drink or not!

[Then, as drunks were want to do foolish things--Ban set his hand on the Clima-tact as it sparked with electricity.]

[weatherscience]

[ Ah. . .

The good thing? At least Ban's sudden appearance means the Qorral making those unwanted advantages towards her is temporarily pushed away -- good riddance, as far as she's concerned.

The bad? Ban's hand connects with her Clima-tact and electricity jumps, the charge releasing immediately, finding the fastest way towards the ground: through Ban.

Nami watches this disaster unfold with a sigh... before leaning down, to look at the man still leaning his head against the table. ]

You. It's your fault he's like that! You wouldn't want me calling the Sheriff, right? So just buy us both drinks as an apology and I'll let it go!!

[ ... zero concern for Ban, but as it seems her words scared the Qorral into action that results in two full cocktail glasses being placed in front of them, well. All in a day's work, right? ]

[perma_banned]

[A bit of smoke churned from Ban's mouth as he stifled a stupid, ill-sounding chuckle. He removed his hand when he realized that he had been getting zapped a bit too long and felt his eyelids twitch unintentionally as he began to enunciate.]

That's-- [An idle twitch surged up his neck.] --a good point~.

[Ban opened his hand and released the poor fellow long enough to let him rush over to get the two of them drinks. He clapped his hands and grinned at Nami as if a magic trick had been done for the two of them.] Kahaha! Bet none of 'em were expecting to be shaken down by a dancer, huh ♪?

[weatherscience]

[ She watches his neck twitch and his fingers smoke slightly, and perhaps someone else would show him concern — Nami simply turns on her chair so she's facing him better... and grins. ]

Well... they should have known better, then!

[ Once the drinks are hastily placed in front of them, she takes her own and holds it up in a toast. ]

You asked for a drink, didn't you? I always provide for a friend! [ Though not necessarily legally or with her own money... ] Drink up! [ What a dangerous combination two thieves can make... ]

i

[moneyballer]

[Asher leans against the bar, eyeing Nami from across the way.

He's here on "business," although all he's really gotten around to since his arrival is monkey business. Pretty girls catch his attention easily enough, especially since playing good student got him thrown in jail the last time.

Without responding to her request right away, he hovers close. If nobody takes her up on that offer (there's no chance in hell that's going to happen, just look at her), he'll definitely send a cocktail in her direction.]

[weatherscience]

[ The mind of a law student is a fascinating place, and yet Asher screws up the most important part of them all, the one crucial aspect of logic -- remembering the situational variables. The variable in question: Nami herself.

Instead of waiting for someone nearby to fawn over her, instead of paying attention to the men flocking to her... spotting a friend means it's game over for all of them, and so she brightens up, waves at Asher as she catches sight of him, and promptly pushes her way through the crowd without one more thought spared for everyone so willing to buy her a drink... (And no matter, they'll be there later on!!) ]

Asher-kun! You made it, good! What did you think? [ Of the performance, of course. She'd mentioned it before, after all... it's good to see he came to see them! ]

[moneyballer]

-Coon? Wait, what?

[He's never heard that suffix used before, and confuses it for something else.

Raccoon? Is she saying he looks like a raccoon?

Fingers spring upwards to cover his nose and mouth, the tips of them running over the dark circles beneath his eyes. His voice immediately lowers to that of a whisper, and Asher even bows his head as if to ask Nami a serious question.]

Can you tell that I didn't get that much sleep last night?

[weatherscience]

[ wh

?????

She tilts her head, staring like he's a particularly strange puzzle that's not been put together quite right, or maybe there's a piece missing... ]

Well... [ She doesn't really understand what prompted the sudden question, but now that he's asking-- ]

You do have rings around your eyes. Like a panda! [ thatshelpful.jpg ]

i. as if this was surprising

[diablejambe]

[From the distance comes a noise. A very familiar, very rapidly increasing noise. A melodious cry of NaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAMI-SWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN~! followed by a rapidly approaching maelstrom of hearts and flailing limbs.

And there he is, coming to a sudden stop by the table Nami's at, bowing at the waist and calmly sliding a drink in front of her (a beautiful drink that definitely didn't come from the saloon here).]

To leave such a gorgeous performance unrewarded would be the most heinous crime. I'd sooner be clapped in irons rather than leave such a wonder to go thirsty.

[Look at him, he managed to actually get sentences out without devolving into a heart-eyed, wriggling mess!]

im so happy

[weatherscience]

[ For one, fleeting second, the saloon around her blurs away as she leans back in her chair; she can almost smell the sea, hear the waves, her tangerines moving in the slight wind... for that one moment, she could be back on the Sunny, sitting on the deck with Robin, waiting for Sanji-kun to twirl there with their daily snack or some new drinks...

... well. At least one of those things is actual reality. ]

Thank you, Sanji-kun!

[ She takes the drink with a bright smile... though it fades into a look of consideration-slash-remembrance as she tilts her head at that weirdly specific reference. ] Irons...? Come to think of it, didn't you have something like those during the horrible bug incident in Oska?

[diablejambe]

[It's an easy pattern to fall into, an easy thing to get swept up in. It's not easy to forget the fact that they're not at sea, that they're not surrounded by familiar chaos and sixfive other well-missed voices, but in times like this it's a little less heartwrenching. A little easier to go with familiar actions in unfamiliar settings.

So, Sanji responds to Nami's smile with one of his own, settling into a chair next to her as he continues to puff out little hearts from his cigarette.]

Anything for you, Mellorine~!

[Of course, that smile is hard to keep on his face as soon as Nami keep speaking. It fades just a little in it's brightness, his energy fading back to the point where he seems almost composed, despite the fact that he should just keep fawning over all the pretty ladies that have been performing tonight.

He shouldn't lie to them. To his friends. He told Nami as much before, back when Bege came to take him to Whole Cake Island. But at the same time, he's-- he's handling it. He's dealing with things with his family and the wedding as best as he can on his own. And sure, that means he's about to face off with all three of his brothers. Sure, that means his fight with his father didn't exactly go as planned. Sure, that means he was put in explosive handcuffs by his own shitty blood relations. But... he's handling it. He has to be handling it.

And what kind of man would he be if he forced Nami to worry about him?]

Those? They were nothing to worry about. See? [He holds up his right hand with a grin, showing off the blissfully handcuff-free skin there.]

[weatherscience]

[ They were nothing to worry about, he says with a smile, and all Nami can hear is but I'll be back for sure, a brightness meant to reassure, then and now; all she can remember is feeling paralyzed, helpless.

Didn't you say you shouldn't lie, she wants to say, wants to lean forward and shake his shoulders and yell because she can't do anything else, she can't go back and make sure Luffy beats up every single person who even thinks of putting their friend in handcuffs, she can't — ]

Sanji-kun... please remember you're not alone.

[ He's not alone, just as Robin wasn't alone, just as none of them ever are — they're a crew, they're nakama, they're all for one and one for all. She knows her words must sound strange, must make no sense to him, not having yet set foot to Zou... but she hopes her words will stick with him, that later, on the way to Big Mam, he will think back to this moment and remember.

They're coming for him. ]

i.

[pummelling]

[Not only is Jin not particularly invested in their performance, he doesn't drink. Like. at all. Truth be told, he isn't in here for any good reason-- he'd wandered into the Desert Flower on the heels of a bandit he'd had a bone to pick with, then lost track of the guy as the crowding shoved him further into the stage.

He's here now, though, whether he likes it or not. And Nami seems to have directed that at him so, uh... awk........ward...

Jin responds, flatly:] No thanks. You're not really my type. [he's even very pointedly looking her in the eyes. Like a gentleman.]

More importantly, though, what was that stuff you were doing onstage?

[weatherscience]

[ That's.... too bad, because the gentlemanly behaviour is overshadowed by the rude, flat refusal; all it does is to get her to puff her cheeks and direct him with an equally flat look, 1000% unimpressed with him, as she declares, ]

Ehh, who cares about that? You're not my type, either [ and maybe she could sound a little less dismissive, like the possibility was never there to even entertain ], but you could still do the gentlemanly thing and buy a lady a drink!

[ She pauses, brushing a stray curl behind her ear, and regards him out of the corner of her eye... hm, so he's curious about her Sorcery Clima-tact? ]

I guess I could tell you... but my throat is so parched I really can't talk before I've had a drink! [ If he wants her to tell him... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ you know what to do, Jin. ]

[pummelling]

Does it really have to be a drink? [it's his stipend and his cashmoney, lady. he needs that stuff for emergencies!!! Jin casts her a dubious look, because the fact that he's been rude in blowing her off... totally doesn't occur to him. This is how he normally acts, ok.]

C'mon. Let's work out a deal. Information for information.

[He spins around on his barstool, arm resting leisurely on the bar behind him.] You tell me what I wanna hear, maybe I'll have something interesting to tell you, too.

[weatherscience]

Aren't you stingy!

[ Jin why u gotta be like this...... ]

Hmm, information, huh? Alright, that sounds good. But if you think I'm telling you first, you're wrong! How can I know the information you have is good? You tell me first what you have, and I'll see if it's worth sharing what I know.

[ If he thought this was going to be easy... he should have picked someone else for this. ]

wildcard???

[grunehexe]

[There are some people who are going to stick out in a place no matter how much they change their clothing to reflect local tastes. And in Sieglinde's case, not only does she have her lily-white skin and small stature working against her, but.

She's... obviously the youngest patron in this place.

But she's here with a purpose. Only occasionally pausing to take a sip of her drink or blindly grope about for a handful of food, she's very intently... taking notes?

At least, that's what it looks like she's doing, scribbling furiously during the performance in a combination of German shorthand and quick, anatomically accurate sketches, muttering to herself under her breath and continuing to observe even after the actual stage dancing is done.

Hope you ladies don't mind being the focus of a study?]

[weatherscience]

[ During the performance, Nami takes care to look at the patrons, maintaining eye contact with those watching, making sure it seems like she is performing to each and every one of them — what it means, though, is that she catches sight of the most obvious "spot the odd one out" game there ever was.

Is she... writing?

That's the weirdest form of enjoying the performance she's ever seen... but why not?

After the whole thing is over, Nami swings over to the bar, a half-full, colourful cocktail glass in hand, wandering over to Sieglinde when she spots her tell-tale pale skin and slight form sitting at a table, her eyes deeply focused on where Olivia's bright hair can be seen among the crowd of people. ]

What are you writing about...?

[grunehexe]

[Not expecting to be spoken to, Sieglinde half starts once she registers Nami's closeness and realizes she's... talking to her.

Blinking a bit, caught off guard by the curiosity, (as if it was strange someone might find it odd to be studied in this manner), Sieglinde looks almost comically between Nami herself and... one of the sketches of her on her paper in a rather seductive dance pose.]

... the performance?

[Which might have seemed a bit more serious if she hadn't had a mouth full of the qorral equivalent of bar peanuts.]

i

[scarredhorns]

Um, excuse me.

[Nyuu shyly emerges from the crowd and walks up to Nami, eyes still twinkling from the performance she'd just spectated and hands folded in front of her chest.]

T-That was amazing what you just did! But really, all three of you did wonderfully!

[Nami may or may not have seen Nyuu herself perform on a previous night accompanied by Gwen.]

Are you a magician?

[weatherscience]

Thank you!

[ It would be easy enough, to recognize the girl simply by virtue of her hair colour, but it's the performance she remembers even better -- sweet but strong, a surprisingly clear voice for someone so small. ]

A magician...? [ She grins and shakes her head; if she had a beli for every time someone's asked that of her, she'd be rich. Well, richer. ] Not at all! All of that was just science! [ Weird shounen manga science, don't question it.... ]

[scarredhorns]

Oh, I see! I've heard about how the way light is taken into the eyes can cause people to see things. [At least that's the most logical explanation to weird science...] Was it something like that?

I like your dress, by the way.

[It looks good on Nami, but Nyuu would be too embarrassed to wear something similar herself. Low-cut outfits weren't her preference.]

i.

[whatshimadayou]

I suspect that you could easily afford it yourself, Nami.

[His lips twitch, not quite smiling. Despite his words, he nods to the bartender.]

A drink of her choice, please.

The performance was quite impressive.

[weatherscience]

Ah, Hanzo-kun!!

[ She brightens up immediately, beaming up at him before quickly turning to the bartender and pointing at one of the local blends of wine. ]

A glass of that, please!

[ Once it's placed in front of her, she takes a sip and turns back to Hanzo. ]

Wasn't it? I'm sure no one here will ever forget it! [ A wink; it's clearly the intention, for the performance to have been nothing the locals have ever seen before. ]