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 Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:28 pm
Jack frowned to himself. This was so stupid. It wasn't like all that many people even visited his LJ comm to begin with--things were a lot slower there than they were on Facebook. But still, he thought, he'd met a couple people at conventions and things, and some people just found him on the internet, so maybe they could help him out. Yeah, yeah, Facebook was the cat's meow these days, but he knew a good chunk of people on LJ--some people had ordered stuff from him and sent him pictures of themselves wearing his costumes, others owned clothing shops themselves and they swapped advice-- and these people, he felt, might just have some hints to help him with his new predicament. Besides, on LJ he at least had a pseudonym to hide behind. Jack knew the world wasn't always fond of strange happenings, and he wouldn't endanger his kid if unnecessary. So, there was the added layer of secrecy. Still, though, he had to start somewhere. He needed advice, and he needed it badly. And so, he went to the LJ comm he'd made for updates about his clothing shop, Compass Rose Clothes and Fine Garments, and made a new post. Captain_Calico Ahoy! Thanks as always for watching my comm as well as for just sticking around. We've been storm-tossed and sea-sloshed, but we've stuck through it. I come to you today a mite empty-handed: I don't have any new designs as of late because someone new has just come into my life, arrrr. Narry a bonnie lass, me friends, but a young babe. Your Captain was very much surprised to find a small orb on his stoop one fine morning, and is a bit at a loss as to what to do with it. A note--on my honor as a seaman-- said the gift was from a salty dog by the name of Rethe Phonne. Now, I know I cater to a good and varied lot, so I'm asking for your assistance. Being fair new to this parentin' business, Captain Calico's in a right pickle. If any of you might know of things to help a fellow sea dog, please scribble 'em down and cast 'em along out to me. I'd much appreciate it. Yours in stitches, Captain Calico (( OOC: So basically, this is an LJ comm that Jack has devoted to posting his designs and announcements about how he's coming along with orders. You don't have to be a member to post or be in this RP (you can even post anonymously~ 8D )--Jack's comm post should also show up in a Google search of Rethe Phonne, though maybe on the third or fourth page. Also, feel free to send Jack a message for a PRP. ))
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:18 pm
Antoine was bored. James had decided to scamper off to New York to meet with the other guardians and had left him all by himself: they were two fully grown men who had their own lives: but their lives had revolved around the restaurant for so many years he couldn't remember what ELSE life had consisted of. Sitting at work and scrolling through the google searches, he paused when he saw the latest find on Rethe Phonne. What the... was this man a pirate? Did he just read correctly? Bonny lass? What the hell was a calico anyways? A type of quilt pattern? Still... With a smirk that thankfully no one was there to witness, Antoine cracked his fingers before responding to the message. You know what? He was Aya's UNCLE! He had a right to involve himself in things like this... James was clueless as well, so maybe the two men could connect. Feeling vaguely like a matchmaker between children and knowing that James would probably disapprove: he did it anyways. He responded to the message. Antoine Trivoli Ahoy there! I think I know what you're talking about. I'm the uncle to one of these Rethe Phonne children and it's been a couple of weeks now since she has entered our lives. Believe me, it WILL turn into a child: and I've heard depending on your luck you'll end up with one curious mite who isn't completely human. My babygirl is off discovering the world with her dad right now, but I'm here! A mite desperate perhaps? But he was BORED. Besides. Pirate.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:47 pm
Jack was nearing his wit's end. How was he supposed to go out in public? He couldn't take Remy to a daycare, could he? He shook his head, looking at the kid still asleep in his crib. Bending over, Jack checked for what must have been the tenth time that day that the kid was still breathing. Hey, can't accuse him of being over-cautious. To ease his nerves, he decided to do some sewing and check the comm for more orders or, hopefully, replies. What he saw made him smile. See? There were people out there going through almost the same thing as he was. He quickly wrote a reply back, sewing forgotten for the time being. Captain_Calico Arrr, really, you say? Well, congratulations are in order. Glad to hear your girl is well. Not completely human, you say? Not to you into particulars, but I believe I believe my dear scalawag might follow along those lines. He's a right delight, but not as completely human as might have been originally surmised. Any parenting tips for an old sea salt? Jack looked at that last line and frowned. Hmm. Well, he supposed it would have to do. He always wrote and answered his announcements piratically, but 26 was so not old. Aaarrr, he was an experienced sea salt, that was what. Arrr.
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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:59 pm
Antoine scowled as he sent another waiter scurrying in the kitchen: he didn't care WHAT James said: this was not a smooth ship yet and they couldn't afford to open a second restaurant yet! Speaking of ships... he smirked as he thought of the pirate. He couldn't wait until the man responded: doing a little bit of stalking around the live journal hadn't been as satisfying as he had expected it to be. No, he was still a little bit edgy because he hadn't managed to do the one thing he wanted to, as an uncle. Show off about his kid! Er. James' kid. Scrolling through his emails to see that he had actually received a notification, he grinned. A boy, was it? Fantastic! Frowning, he decided to send the man a PM this time: better not to let these particulars get too known without James' permission. Antoine Tivoli I say exploit and blackmail as many hands as you can to help you with the child rearing: the girl's father is taking advantage of the fact that he's my boss by making me and my staff do the dirty work; like finding day cares and researching schools for when she's a tad older. Bully and browbeating is the way to go! Okay but seriously: a boy? Congratulations! And what about him is so unusual? I'll share first. My little girl (Aya is her name) is bambi, personified. Really. Sucks that I've been put off serving venison because of her...(I work in a restaurant.) Old, was he? Maybe he was as old as James!
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Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 10:12 pm
Jack stretched and watched as Remy explored the confines of his play pen. At the current moment, his ward was delighting in carrying his hippopotamus stuffed animal with him everywhere around the play pen, and then promptly falling asleep on it. Jack couldn't help but smile, though he did want some relaxing time. Or down time, period. For God's sake, he hadn't left the apartment since his kid was born and this was...getting silly. He was not going stir-crazy. No, he was not. Man, the outside was sure looking good... He hastily distracted himself with a glance through his LJ and saw a reply. Not bothering to check his relief, he wrote a reply as quickly as he could. Captian_Calico Arr, I see. As head o' me crew, I think I know just the man for the job. Dependable enough to be my first mate, but quiet, too: a good combination. I'm sure he'll take a shine to my boy. Why, bless yer heart--thank you. Your Aya sounds like a darling lass indeed. My young 'un's name is Remy, and he's got the aspect of a griffin, mayhaps? Forgive my uncertainty, but the boy's winged and tailed, and I'm still not sure what to make of the dear bloke. A noble sacrifice indeed. I have a quite a fondness for chicken, so I hope the babe doesn't mind. Bert would be a perfect caretaker. Both his kids had gone off to college, and Jack had a feeling that the man would relish getting to look after a little baby for a short amount of time. Naturally, Jack would see that his wages were augmented for his troubles, but--oh, to go outside again! He picked up the phone and quickly punched in Bert's number. He was starting to scare himself already.
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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 6:08 am
He was so tired. He wanted James. He wanted a second in command himself. He wanted to beat up the customers who complained the steak was too rare when it was in fact perfect. He wanted... Antoine groaned as he shut the door behind the last guest, flipping the lights that decorated the awnings outside off. It was time to clean, then. But before that... his angry and exhausted face shifted to one of pensiveness as he walked towards the office. Maybe James had written something about his pending arrival date. Maybe he'd written to say he was hiring more staff for the restaurant... No, nothing like that. But there was something about that captain calico guy... with a frown he opened it up, wondering how the other man was doing handling a son. While he loved Aya to bits, it would be nice to have a little boy to play with. (... course, James would tell to marry and have his own kids: but that wasn't fair was it?) Antoine Tivoli A griffin? Woah. Really? I didn't know they could come in so many different types! I've heard there is a facebook group with parents of these children, but other than that James and I are sadly in the dark about what these children are actually capable of... quite sad really. We're not exactly the best parents without the help. If you have someone in mind, that is superb! One question: how are you dealing with the fact that your kid doesn't look too entirely human? Tails and wings huh? James just covers Aya... but hers are quite small, so it isn't too much work really. I'd be interested to know! hmmm. Maybe this man relied on things like pirate hides and those big sashes that seemed to be the rage in those pirate movies. What was that one called, with the guy who looked like he was wearing eye liner all the time? Grah. He'd remember later on.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:05 pm
Jack streched. Now that he'd called Bert and more or less forced Remy on him with the promise of increased pay, he'd showered, washed up, cleaned the apartment (Jack was a bit of clean freak), and was now checking up his email and other news at the cafe. He took a bite of his muffin and sighed contentedly to himself. Bert was loyal to him, that he knew, and Jack would be able to return to work while his day manager looked after his kid. Thus far, Remy was proving to be a fairly easy-keeper, after he'd found a good caretaker in the daytime. Seeing that there was a reply waiting for him, Jack began to respond. He was feeling much relieved now thanks to this Antoine, and he liked getting to converse with people. captain_calico Aaah, I'm not sure myself yet. The little tyke's remined me a mite of Sephiroth, being one-winged and all, but he's a real sweetheart. Loves his dear little hippo. As far as taking him out...I'm still working on my grand plan. I doubt a tail could be stuffed up a shirt, and having a wing flopping around's got to be quite difficult for walking. I supose I'll say I like to dress 'im up, given my profession. No one'd think twice about ol' Calico Jack's kid sporting a bit of his dad's wares! Come to think of it, I could probably design a few decorations for that wing, might even base a new costume around it, hmm... Aarrr, but I digress. I saw that facebook group, indeed, but I'm hesistant to come out of the barracks of my ship and into the open as such. Life as a pirate affords precious few opportunites for waltzing about with one's real identity in the wide open. Such are the perils of maurading on the high seas. Aha! Second good idea from talking to the man. If he had a third, he'd have to send along a gift or something to thank him. And Jack thought, as he shifted through his files, he had just the idea for Remy's clothes.
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Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:52 pm
Dear Diary, I made a friend today. Antoine smirked as he stared at the response over a cup of coffee at home. It felt good, taking a bigger role in Aya's life and helping her find these random people to connect with. One wing, was it? He had a lot more to research then. He hadn't even known that wings could come in anything more or less than two. How fascinating this all was! Staring at it with a frown, his eyes lit up. Right. This pirate made clothes! You know... that was a very useful friend to have, considering the fact that Aya was a little bit unique looking herself. Maybe when James stopped cavorting around the world with the little munchkin, he could convince the man to let him take Aya to meet this man and get some clothes fixed. Oh. That would be wonderful. Antoine Tivoli Your profession being what it is, if you do design clothing and accessories for your own child, might I ask that perhaps one day I could bring Aya over and get some work done for her as well? She's not as unique as some of the other kids, but I sense a new business growing! Heck, so many of the kiddlets I've heard about have one form of tail or another, and it is a PAIN deal with cutting holds out of bottoms. (The other alternative is tucking it under the skirt... but it looks strange that way.) A new business! We'll be rich!! Antoine winced. Was it pompous to include himself? ... naaaaaaaah.
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 5:37 pm
Jack was sewing along merrily by the time evening rolled around and he was once again up to checking his mail and things. He'd have to either adjust all of Remy's clothes himself or make them himself, he reasoned, being that shirts didn't seem to want to stay on the kid with the wing, and pants were difficult to come by that could accommodate a tail. Still, it was for his kid as well as a challenge, and those were two things that Jack liked an awful lot. He read the response and typed out his reply. captian_calico Of course! I'm sure young Rem would be quite pleased to make the acquaintance of someone else like him. And I'd be tickled to design something for your little one! If yeh'd like to switch to conversing o'er private messages, I'd be delighted to exchange coordinates with you. Ah yeah, that's the crux, there. The key, I think, will be making everything look natural, kinda part of a bigger outfit so that people look at them as eccentric and not freakish. Little Rem's not fond of clothes overmuch yet, so I'm working on a few sets as we speak. Haha! If you've a knack for balancing books, I'll take you on in a heartbeat, matey. If I have anything more on my plate to do, I'm like to lob some poor bloke into the drink. Arrr... A new clothing business, huh? Jack had to smile as he sewed a little faster. Well, he'd see how his stuff worked out with Remy, and hey, maybe he could even have the kid model some stuff and post it online! Business opportunities, here he came!
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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:43 pm
Antoine read over the message with a grin. This man liked him! Antoine Tivoli was making friends like a good little boy: the thought made the man laugh. Really, he was treating this situation as if he were the child looking for friends, and not that he was doing this for Aya's sake. But without that little girl, he wouldn't have even heard of this very interesting world. Pirates and griffins and baby man wolves... it was like something out of a Harry Potter book. Except maybe the pirate. He would very much indeed like to meet this man one day. Pirate speech! Antoine Tivoli That would be fantastic! I'll be sure to bring my little girl in one of these days. (I don't know heads or tails of this live journal thing. Wait. You can private message people?) This will be a very interesting business opportunity. A sub Rethe Phonne clothing empire! The girl's father has let me know that they should be back in a week... I'll be passing along your information details to him then, aye? If there is anything else that you need or question, I'm your man!
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 9:43 pm
Jack had made up his mind. He'd been prepping for this all week, and before packing Remy off to head out to L.A., he'd been sure to update a few things on his LJ page. Looking back on it, he was quite proud of the way that this was turning out, and had to hand it to that Antoine guy for pointing him in the right direction. A new announcement on the comm directed people to view Captain Calico's shop page, wherein a fresh header had been added: Compass Rose Clothes NEW! The Sea Shanty Line: Clothes for Rethe Phonne ChildrenHave you been gifted with an orb and are at loss what to clothe it in? Got a baby that requires a little more from its daily wear? Captain Calico has just the trick. With quick, discreet, and affordable service and clothes specially tailored to your child's needs, whatever they may be, the good Captain's new collection is sure to amuse and delight, as well as provide a satisfactory option for beleaguered parents from all seven seas. Accepting advance orders, model forthcoming With a grin on his face, Jack set about replying to the comment at long last. Captain_Calico Arr, t'would be a delight, laddie. I'm sure my own little one would be tickled pink to meet her. Arrr, I forgot. You need to have an account for that, mate. Either way, if you'd like to set somemat up, the shop email will work just fine if you're ever in my neck o' the ocean. I took your suggestion--hoping you don't mind my running with it. Many a briny terror has found himself down on his luck these days and this salty dog is doing all he can to keep his ship afloat. Ah, I do have a few more things that had been bothering me. Did you catch a glimpse of that scoundrel what deposited your lovely lass on your doortep? I can't say I did mine--I nearly stepped on the poor thing.
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 1:14 am
Antoine was grinning in delight when he saw the new announcement on the page. He had bugged one of the younger chefs to teach him how to do this whole live journal thing (the whole thing about subscriptions and blogging and user accounts had confused him a great deal: he wasn't much older, but the generation gap was definitely there) but so far had been unsuccessful. Not that it mattered: he knew how to check a page, and look! It seemed this pirate had followed his advice. He'd order Aya some clothes as an early birthday present. Maybe some hats to showcase those adorable little ears. Wait. How long did babies wear daipers? DIAPER PANTS! With a little hole for the tail. That would be adorable. Completely swept away by his train of thought, he found himself reaching for his credit card before realizing that he didn't know Aya's sizes. Hmmm. Maybe all children started as small? He'd have to call James and ask about that. Seeing the response to his message, he scrolled down with a grin. What did the pirate have to say this time around? Ah, about that man! This was indeed interestng. Antoine Tivoli You know speaking of that character! I was quite curious to hear your side of it as well. James never saw the man: in fact, Aya was wrapped in a pretty little parcel and waiting for him downstairs because someone had delivered it to concierge! We asked the man but he has no clue: says it was UPS. Or some other delivery service. Very sneaky. Makes me wonder how he does it. Quite creepy if you really get into it. Knows where you live and when you're not around! Maybe he's supported by hi-tech devices? Not sure. Would dearly like to meet this man though, and figure out the logic behind the choices of guardians and songs! (Maybe ask for my very own little lass or laddie to raise...) I saw the announcement, congratulations! I'll be expecting great things.
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Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:25 pm
Jack smiled at the response. He was still working on getting Remy to stay still long enough for him to take a picture, which was proving difficult, as his child enjoyed moving around faster than Jack was able to get to a camera. Ah well. He sighed, checking for responses. He smiled at the comment the other man had written. So Rethe Phonne delivered the kids in about the same fashion, huh? Well, it wasn't much, but at least it was more than he had before. And, perhaps with a little more help from his newfound friend, he could figure out what was going on with this guy after all. Captain_Calico Arr, I see. That sounds identical to my discovery as well. Remy was only a wee orblet back them--lovely yellow and blue swirls, I took a picture-- but he came in brown packaging with a note from the man himself. Can you ask your James what his note said when he got Aya? I'd be very much interested if our notes said the same thing. A high-tech baby dropper, you say? Ah, that sounds a scourge to be feared. Songs, you say? My Remy sounds something like an old Disney song to tell you the truth. Is this the same for Aya? Thank you, matey! It's thanks to you that I got the idea, so I'd very much like to send you a token of my appreciation, perhaps something for your Aya. Send me an email at my shop and I'll put something together for you!
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:46 am
James was back with Aya! Fantastic. Antoine hadn't told him of the new development with this pirate, but he didn't really feel as if he needed to yet: this was Antoine doing his part as the indulgent father! Skimming the message, he laughed out loud. Bwahah. You know what, time to change this to private mail now. Opening up his account at work, he grinned. Maybe they'd be able to exchange addresses, and Antoine would be able to nick Aya away for some private uncle-niece bonding time... antoine.tivoli@zuma.com I've asked him and he told me it said something about granting him life? If all the messages are the same... well. That's not very special, is it? It's so generic. Almost like spam. Special spam, but spam. I know in the beginning James was a little bit upset because he wasn't sure if the package had been meant for him: with no name listed on the note. Disney? Really? I didn't know that was even allowed! No, I saw the orb: it made this strange noise that now we realize was the noise deer make. So nothing quite as distinct as a song. Do you know what song it was? That's strange. Does he sing to you then? Does he talk already? Aya hasn't said a word yet: typical for a baby I guess... but worrying as well. I fear for her mental development sometimes. Which reminds me! I've attached a copy of my address and Aya's approximate sizes. ... okay I just looked at some of the extra clothing we have here at the restaurant for Aya, and they just happen to be all small. ... yeah. Hope it goes well!
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 7:57 pm
Jack clicked open his inbox at the store and skimmed through the orders. He'd had a rough time convincing his boss that he really needed the time off to take a trip to L.A., but Mr. Catalides would have to deal. Leafing through the messages, he saw two new orders--one for a ballgown, one for a shirt--and a message from the man he'd been taking with on LJ. Excited, he began jotting down notes and forming ideas in his head. Oooh, this would be such a fun project. captain@compassroseclothes.com Woah, woah, woah. You've talked to this dude? For real? Where does he live? Spam kids. I like it, except not really. Maybe the messages are all the same to guard against people finding out too much about him. I mean, if all the notes are the same, then there's no way to connect a note to a person, let alone prove that this guy thought about who he was giving the notes to in the first place. He could just as easily be doling them out randomly as watching us for months to see if we'd be good as parents. Okay, end conspiracy theory. Yeah, Disney. Beauty and the Beast, in fact. I had to listen to a few bars before a figured out which one it was: "Belle," the opening piece. I researched the lyrics and I was convinced that I'd get a girl, given what the song is about, but Remy is all male. Nah, he doesn't sing to me, though his orb kept repeating lines over and over again, kinda like having your music player stuck on repeat for a week, if you know what I mean. Rem hasn't talked yet, no, he's still a baby. I'm trying saying words to him and pointing at things, but I think he's probably convinced by now that Daddy's lost his marbles. Huh. I was really sure that all these kids had to come from songs of some kind. Did your orb sound like it was singing in deer? Are you fluent in deer? Excellent! Does Aya prefer any particular style? I tend to err on the creative and gregarious side, so this is fair warning if you choose to leave me to my own devices. ;D
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