[Open] Movie Night: Ninja Mime

[nutkrusher]

Who: Cassie Cage and YOU (or you and somebody else, but Cassie is your host for the evening)
Where: Cinema carriage
When: 19 Grasshopper
What: A screening of Johnny Cage's 90s classic, Ninja Mime

SNACKS AND PREPARATIONS

Cassie will be making preparations for tonight well before the film starts, making good use of the popcorn machine, as well as some of the juice stocks from the kitchen. Every other guest is free to bring their own snacks as well. She'll be available for any questions regarding the oeuvre of one Mr. Johnny Cage, or whatever else you might want to talk to her about.

Alternately, you could just hang out and chat about whatever.

THE FILM

It's a tale as old as time. Boy becomes ninja, ninja clan loses sacred idol that has served as its emblem for hundreds of years, ninja clan tasks boy to retrieve sacred idol, boy finds idol, boy leads rival ninja clan on chase through New York City, boy loses idol in rooftop scuffle, idol finds its way to an antique shop owned by a foxy single mother with an adorably precocious child, boy goes undercover at the mime college next door to hide from his rival clan while he attempts to discreetly retrieve the idol from the foxy antique-shop-owning single mother he might be falling for.

You know, standard stuff. But what'll really keep you riveted is the revolutionary choreography, in which the twin arts of mime and ninjutsu are combined to create new unstoppable techniques. In the hands of a ninja, an invisible rope is a deadly weapon. It also makes for some solid sight gags. Johnny has clearly studied his Jackie Chan.

Also a highlight is the demanding and temperamental head instructor of the mime college, played with aplomb by a beloved character actor. Only such a master as this could truly unlock Johnny's full potential as a ninja. But having tasted the art of mime (as well as having tasted the friendly and attractive antique shop owner), will our hero even want to go back to his previous life?

Or shall he remain...a Ninja Mime?

Your character may react to these proceedings as they see fit.

[OOC: You can make something up that fits the general description I've given if you like.]

THAT'S A WRAP

Ever the gracious host, Cassie will be sticking around for cleanup and any after-film carousing that may take place. Help her out if you feel like it, or continue to converse with your friends.

Comments

[flatteries]

It's so easy to embrace Inigo. He doesn't move one bit as Roland does so - doesn't try to move away from it even pull away in the slightest. He just allows Roland's arms to move around his back, and Inigo even does let his head fall forward to rest against Roland's shoulder like that.

He shouldn't cry, he tells himself, but there's no way he can stop the tears from coming now they've started. It feels almost childish. All the battles he's been through, all the people he's killed, all the injuries and pain he's had to witness from himself and others-- and yet he always managed to swallow the feeling up, push it down, save his tears for when he was alone at night, when no one would notice.

Yet here he is, absolutely bawling his eyes out over something as simple as someone accepting him the way he is. Thinking of him fondly, like a son. He's trying to keep the sound of his crying down in case anyone would be able to hear it, but it should still be very much audible to Roland with how close the two of them are right now. It feels like years worth of pent up tears finally come out.

"B.. By Naga, I must look so stupid.." He manages to choke out between the tears. Roland may say it's okay, but Inigo knows how Roland is - or thinks he knows, at least. Roland is so nice, surely he'd say that to anyone under any circumstances, even if those people would look as stupid as Inigo does right now. "I'm not-- I'm not even sad, I'm.. just happy.."

[adregem]

Even if strange looks are thrown their way from passerby's trying to watch the movie, Roland pays none of them any mind. In fact, the only thing he's cognizant of is the moment shared between the two, tears staining his shirt as Inigo continues to cry. His hands don't let up, and the more the young man bawls, the tighter he embraces.

It occurs to him that Inigo's life before the train must have been difficult. This was an outburst, and he knew that feeling well. He knew it better than anyone, he thinks, feeling the rough texture of Inigo's clothes against his own calloused palms as he strokes calming circles over and over again. He opens his eyes; glazed, intense, boring holes into the floor. What happened, Inigo? Your pain...where does it come from?

All in due time. It's not like Roland can do anything about that anymore anyway, whatever it is he keeps in his past. Whatever skeletons he hides in his closet. What Roland is determined to do now, is to be this child's pillar of support. See him through the end of this journey, the here and now. So when the time comes for the void to tear them all away from the train, back to the lives they need to live, he will regret nothing. They would all be fine.

"I know, Inigo. I know." He shushes him softly, tone warmhearted. "And you can look stupid. I won't mind. Looking like a fool isn't the worst thing a person can be. So, just cry."

[flatteries]

Just cry, Roland says, and so that's what Inigo does for a few moments more. Right now he doesn't hold back any of the tears, crying on until he feels like his entire supply of them has been emptied. It feels weirdly safe to cry like this, anyway, as if somehow no one would manage to notice him or hurt him while Roland is holding him like this, with those soothing gestures moving on his back.

Once those few moments pass, Inigo's tears finally seem to slow. He reaches a hand up to wipe at his cheeks and then at his eyes, trying to get rid of the last remainders of them, even as his eyes are still very much red and puffy.

He doesn't try to fully escape Roland's hold, as if he doesn't want it to end just yet, but Inigo moves back ever so slightly, just enough so he can actually look at Roland instead of burying his face against him.

".. Thank you so much."

For so many things. For comforting him right now. For telling him it's okay to cry. For having been so kind to him, so patient, for all the good advice Roland has given him already. Inigo doesn't even know how he could ever begin to repay all of that.

Maybe a start would be trying to be more honest, no matter how hard it is to say these things.

"I.. I guess I kind of wanted to hear that from my father all along." Maybe he had partially hoped his father would have seen through his strong facade. That his father had told him it was okay to cry, that he didn't have to pretend to be strong all by himself.

And yet it took meeting another fatherly figure under these strange, strange circumstances for him to finally hear it.

"So I would be really grateful if.. if you could continue to think of me that way, Roland." Like a son, he means, but even after Roland's obvious offer it's like Inigo is too afraid to say that part out loud. Like it's too much to ask for.

[adregem]

He parts slightly from Inigo, giving him space to regain composure at his own pace. But until Inigo is ready to let go completely, Roland will stand dutifully by his side. He watches him wipe his tears, assists him even, another action mirroring one of their very first tender moments at the standard car. A gentle hand reaching the damp skin of his cheek, and a small yet kind smile to encourage him.

"Then until your father is ready to say those words to you himself, let me say them in his place. It'll be easy for him. You're growing up well."

The swell in his heart grows in crescendo. He doesn't need to hear more. The spaces in between speaks volumes. His hands grip the sides of his arms firmly, and his gaze does not falter.

"Alright then." He nods, a determination rolling off of him in waves. A fate relived again, and again, and again. So be it. "Thank you. For your trust in me. I won't let you down."

[flatteries]

"I know you won't," Inigo simply says, though his voice sounds a little choked up as he says it.

It's true though. He can't even imagine Roland ever letting him down when he's seen nothing but good from the other - well, aside from his total inability to hide his wounds, but that might actually be a good thing in this case, since then Inigo can badger him to get help when he's hurt. All the good about him is only reaffirmed in this moment. That gently smile, the way he helps Inigo wipe his tears away. It's almost too much to process, even though he's had that long cry to try to do so already.

He glances over his shoulder, back towards where they came from.

".. I suppose we should go back though, huh..? You might miss the best parts of the movie. And Tidus might throw a fit if he doesn't know where we went for so long."

I think we can wrap this? :3 here are ur adoption papers kid, welcome 2 the crane's

[adregem]

I know you won't.

He exhales heavily, feeling a weight suddenly settle in the bottom of his heart. He wills it away though, and he's good at holding the pain at bay. He's already let someone like Inigo down, he thinks. Once. Roland just smiles, nods, and finally lets go.

"Don't worry about that. I can always watch the movie from the start, later. It's not going anywhere. As for Tidus," he chuckles; the fog still settling in his bones, but he is thankful for small distractions. "I'm sure we can use this to mess with him, later on. Heh."

He walks forward and extends a hand to Inigo. A new charge, for a new life.

"C'mon."

yes it's a wrap!! finally a last name...............

[flatteries]

The moment Roland sticks out his hand like that, Inigo finds himself reaching back, holding it.

It feels natural. Like he doesn't even have to think about it. Roland's hand is rough and calloused, but so is his own - it fits. It's just like this situation just now, really. Inigo doesn't know how things came to this, but.. it fits. It feels right.

Despite his eyes still being slightly red, he smiles brightly back at Roland as they move back to their seats.