MEMORY | open to both courts

[trashkind]

“Those shots you did for me turned out great! You sure you haven’t done this before, Matou-kun?”

[ the memory opens with a man who looks to be in his mid-30s, a large envelope tucked carefully under one arm, entering what looks to be the (fairly cluttered, if clean) living area of a small-ish apartment, and calling out to someone else sitting by a low table on the floor who looks to be in his late teens. ]

Eh--? [ the teenager on the floor – now recognisably a younger Kariya – stumbles to his feet, taken a little off-guard by both the question and the praise. ] Ah… no this was my first time. Doing it for real, at least. [ somewhat awkwardly, he adds, with a respectful dip of his head: ] Thank you.

[ the older man waves him off, though the dismissive gesture is belied by his pleased smile. ] “Well, you’ve got a good eye – that’s key in a photographer, you know. I know pros who’ve been at this for years who would’ve come over all shaky and ruined at least one of their shots.”

[ Kariya gives a small shrug. ] I just have really steady hands, I guess.

“A good thing, too – film’s expensive, you know. Don’t get complacent, mind, you’ve still got a ways to go, but you could make a living for yourself out of this yet.”

You think so--?

“You know me well enough to know I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think it. Now, I have some copy to deliver. Keep an eye on the place while I’m out, alright?”

[ what follows is a typical exchange of pleasantries – “i’m off”, “see you later” – before the sound of the apartment door closing is heard, and Kariya is left standing a little way away from the genkan, fighting back a tiny, pleased smile. ]

Comments

[trashkind]

Since you asked, no, I wouldn't.

[ he also has some rather more unkind assessments, but "idiots" is a good start. ]

[gordianknots]

And for no reason at all you'd think that sentiment wouldn't be present within the community as well?

[trashkind]

Sorry if I don't exactly have much faith in a community where passing around people's children like they're interchangeable objects is still something that happens.

[gordianknots]

And for that exact reason, I'm actually in complete and utter agreement with you. That, in addition to other practices including what boils down to selective breeding, are why I look at many magi and wonder why they have selective critical thinking skills.

And if I wasn't a lord who responded to statements about those matters with a side eye, they'd laugh in my face for being a third generation magus questioning his genetic elders and betters.

[trashkind]

[ . . . ]

So you're, what? Some kind of reformist?

[gordianknots]

If I wasn't, I'd had walked away like you did.

[trashkind]

Why are you telling me this?

[gordianknots]

Mostly because you're the only other person here that has any understanding of the systems in place back home, and because we do have shared acquaintances. If they ever turn up here - and I pray they don't - having an understanding of each other and the points in time that the other is from is a wise idea.

[trashkind]

... You have a point with that.

Alright, so what are you after?

[gordianknots]

That's...actually about it, in all seriousness.

[trashkind]

I see.

Okay, fine. I suppose I don't object to that much.

[gordianknots]

But to change topics - you may be pleased or disheartened to know that film becomes a nonexistent cost for photography in a decade or so.

[trashkind]

[ OH FINE he'll go with your topic change El-Melloi his curiosity has been grudgingly peaked ]

What? How did that happen?

[gordianknots]

Photography became digital, to an unprecedented extent. Cameras can have their photographs viewed instantly, on a screen that's a part of the camera itself.

[trashkind]

You're kidding?! That's incredible. Not to mention it sounds cheaper and a lot less time-consuming.

[gordianknots]

They're in people's mobiles.

[trashkind]

You mean in phones?!

I... have to admit I'm struggling a little with picturing it. How does that work? Is that sort of thing widespread?

[gordianknots]

I don't have my mobile on me right now, otherwise I'd show you but--

Actually the whole mobile-phone system isn't unlike this locket set up. Just image using this thing to take a photo, rather than video.

[trashkind]

Really? And you said that's just in the space of ten years - that's amazing, honestly.

Then, do people still use film at all, or is that just a thing of the past?

[gordianknots]

Twenty.

And you know, I believe some people do, but the ease of digital format has made it fairly uncommon.