(Untitled)

[priceonyourhead]

Who: Kilroy, Ryoko
What: Telephone call
When: Sunday afternoon
Rating: PG-13 for language I'm sure

All day Kilroy had this strange feeling like he was forgetting something. He was wearing socks. He had fed the animals. He had given May all the attention he could between phone calls to LA and Japan about the movie. No, it was something else. It

Comments

[lepetitrouge]

[priceonyourhead]

Just the mere sound of her voice makes Kilroy nervous. He falters a little bit, his usual self confidence now nowhere to be found. "H-hi! Did I- are you-" He coughs, but it sort of comes out like a strained laugh. "Just wanted to check in. Wanted to see how you're doing. Wanted to know if there's anything I can help you with since I'm in the city now and-"

Kilroy almost mentions the baby, but changes his mind. Never turn the attention on him with her. If she thinks it's important, she'll bring it up.

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

Kilroy's face turns noticeably white and his hands start to shake so much that he has to set down the basket of food he's carrying. "W-w-w-well." The line goes quiet and all that can be heard is the faint sound of the store he's in as if he had just managed to vanish. Then, suddenly, Kilroy speaks again. But, so swiftly it would be difficult for anyone who did not know him very well to make heads or tales of it. "M-m-my Queen I am working very hard to put this project together and frankly if I could spend every day helping you with what you needed I certainly would. But, you understand I am a married man and as you said- yes May is with child and I am try to learn how to be a good father. She's three months pregnant you know and that means it should be arriving v-very soon."

He inhales deeply as that little speech has run him out of air. "But I- I am doing well. I just I would just like to know what I can do for you. That's- well that's why I called. That's why I usually call."

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

If there was one thing Kilroy couldn't quite grasp about himself yet it was that he had a tendency to be selfish. May was his, so was the baby and even though he was going to make the best decisions for all three of them it would not be a selfless act. So it would be clear to someone like Ryoko that any sort of groveling being done was partially because he didn't want his head chopped off. One day, perhaps, a selfless act would emerge, but now was not the time.

"Ryoko. I have been in the entertainment business for a long time. Yes, this will be a Japanese film however it will be funded by Americans. American studios. Flying back and forth from LA to NY until we have something settled is part of the process. It will only take a couple months. And hopefully when it's over I can go back to living and working in New York." His voice was steady as he decided it was his turn to act like the voice of authority here.

"As for May- well I-" The voice of authority, however, falters here. "I am optimistic about the child. I want a family and I

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

Kilroy lets her talk, nodding along and picking his basket back up as he somehow, someway feels comfortable again. Well, as comfortable as he can at any rate. "It doesn't matter if you don't fit in. If the roses are white you paint them red." Like in most cases, if Kilroy's insanity or unavoidable closeness to his tale breeds a spark of genius, he is not aware of it. The line is delivered like he was telling her what was sitting in the freezer in front of him. "There's something special I get out of your book. Maybe I have some things to learn about Japan, but if you stick with me on this I know we can do it justice. We come from the same place."

This was why he didn't need some ceremonial trip to England. He was always close to Wonderland. On any given moment he could hear tea cups twinkling. He could see the low hanging lanterns around each table he sat down at. Wonderland was part of some girl's mind and now it was a part of him. He didn't need to see it for himself if he lived it every day."Just, promise me you'll be careful

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

His tone changes back to business oriented. "Well, I was most interested in storyboarding it first. Character designs, things like that. You probably know how visual Number Nine is. Perhaps you'd like to meet with the artists I've spoken to? They are strange little fat men, but they'll likely kiss your feet if you tell them who you are."

Kilroy hoped this was enough to satisfy her. After all he hadn't been working on the project long and the truth of racism against Asians in Hollywood proved to be a major blockade. No, he would not tell her how the studio executives looked him straight in the eye and asked if the story could take place in New York instead of Japan. Why couldn't it be like Speed Racer? It's not like they used actual Asians for a Japanese created universe. Oh, no.

"Hmm? Wizard? Darling, he isn't the wizard. He's the Wicked Witch. Who is frankly more of a terrorist than a supreme ruler."

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

Kilroy pauses too, his eyebrows raising so high they probably could have touched the ceiling. "Well of course Ryoko I thought we agreed on this before. Why would I- I thought we had-" For the first time in his life he exhales sharply in annoyance loud enough for her to hear. "I'm all mixed up. I mean- I can- I could-" He leans his head on the cool, glass door of the freezer section. "I can write my own movie. It can take place in America. Or I can do what the studio wants and just make another outlandish comedy." He does not seem excited about that prospect.

"Yes, the one with the monkeys. Throw some water on him and see what happens."

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

He is in the middle of drawing little stars on the frost of the glass door, but as soon as she speaks he starts making little notes to himself. Like he'd be able to come back to said door and use it as a checklist. Kilroy smiles. It sounds in his voice. "Sometimes I tell people things without actually telling them. It's a problem I have. Oh, but I am glad you want to make it into a movie! Don't you see how brilliant it would be? Especially the last chapter. The laster chapter is going to blow their fucking minds Ryoko." He speaks lowly as if they're sharing some sort of secret. And, in a way, they are.

"I recruited a couple in New York so that you can be close to them. Their ideas for Goatwriter are pretty impressive. Tomorrow we can swing by and then we'll go get dinner with May?" This would essentially kill two birds with one stone for them. They could take care of business and have a nice social outing with May.

"And he absolutely got fucked over by karma. That's why he's still such a bitch."

[9thdreamer]

[priceonyourhead]

"That's simply bullshit. Goatwriter was meant to be put in a movie. That entire tale-" His voice trails off as he's back to making notes. With the television show he never got the chance to be this creative. He didn't have the story. But, now that he did he could be as visually creative as he wanted. Or, as much as Ryoko would allow. "No no no, this is your movie as much as mine. And this is a Japanese story. So help me god there's going to be Japanese actors. You have my word." And as far as he was concerned, the Hatter's word was golden.

"Sebastian is only being nice because he wants to make you into one of his monkeys. Having you in his pocket means he has the rest of us." Kilroy didn't mind Sebastian. No, in fact, he thought the man was talented. But, as soon as he started targeting the Hatter and those around him, he couldn't help but let his dark side out.