Sunday afternoon, the Docks

[superartie]

Artie is still bouncing. And still posing.

He might have done something else for awhile, but it's hard to tell. No one really knows what he does with his time when he's not battling killer bees, vengeful bowling balls, or school bullies.

His bouncing and posing does seem to be drawing him nearer to the town, though. It's possible he's going to explore.

It's also possible that he doesn't actually have control over his limbs.

With Artie, it's very hard to tell.

Comments

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

After a day spent walking on the beach, and trying to see if anything looked like a door to another world (it didn't), Susan had decided to watch the sunset from the docks. The sailboats were gently bobbing on the waves, and some of the seagulls were fighting over fish that had washed up along the shoreline below.

And then, there was this fellow.

Susan tried not to stare, but after a while, curiousity overcame any trepidation.

"Hello?"

[superartie]

Artie paused in his posing to turn, stading straight upright, and smile at Susan. "Greetings, fellow citizen! How are you enjoying this marvelous day?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan managed not to laugh at this, but she had to smile back. "I'm enjoying it quite well, thank you. It is lovely, isn't it? If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing, just now? With the--" She tried to copy his pose, but had a feeling she only looked even sillier than he did.

[superartie]

Artie perused her pose. Or possibly did an immitation of a chicken. "Constant vigilance, my dear! Constant vigilance! You would make a fine superhero!"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Superhero?" Susan's grin widened. "That's never been my ambition, but it sounds very important. Thank you for saying so!" Insane, or possibly entirely truthful? It was rather refreshing to have more than one choice, for once.

Susan then introduced herself to GOB Bluth. (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/555982.html?thread=21755598#t21755598)

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB saw this weirdo earlier, but he felt it was probably time to officially introduce himself. It looked like they would be neighbors so it couldn't hurt to talk, right?

[superartie]

Artie posed and grinned in GOB's general direction. "Neahha!" he laughed. "Hello, man of the docks!"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB winced at this guy. "Hey there," he said, putting on a smile and holding out a hand to shake. "I'm GOB Bluth. I live in the yacht right over there."

[superartie]

"A pleasure! I am Artie!" Artie struck another ludicrous pose. "The strongest man . . . in the world!"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB felt as if he should look around for a desk to throttle his head against. Seeing that there was no desk, he merely said, "The strongest man in the world? What, like one of those competitions they have on ESPN?" Those guys were usually built like brick walls. This guy? Weirdo.

[superartie]

"Indeed?" Artie held position. For once. "I have not heard of these 'competitions'. Tell me, friend GOB, what do they do there?"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"I don't believe I've heard of them either," Susan admitted. "Is it like weight-lifting?"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Really strange weight lifting stuff. They drag trucks around, lift boulders, throw logs... weird stuff," GOB said, looking pointedly at Artie on the last two words.

[superartie]

"Iiiiinteresting!" Artie struck a thoughtful, weightliftery pose. "Tell me, entertainer, can they do this?" Then he pranced over to GOB's boat and lifted it clear out of the water with one hand, careful not to upset the delicate balance of anything on board. "Neeeeeurgh!" he grunted. When he had it over his head, he put his free hand on his hip and grinned. "Huahhahaha!"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"What the hell? Put that down!" GOB yelled. "I just got it back the other day!"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan's eyes were the size of saucers. "Don't hurt yourself! I mean, do be careful! I... well. That's not something you see every day. Is it?"

[superartie]

"Hoo-ooah!" Artie gave a tremendous gasp and lowered the boat back into the water.

Then he struck another heroic pose.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

There wasn't much of a splash, but sure enough, GOB got wet.

That wasn't surprising considering the way his weekend had gone. "Well. Thanks for being gentle."

[superartie]

A little known fact about Artie, the strongest man . . . in the world, was that he was immune to subtext.

"You're welcome!" He began to dance. Well, one would assume it was dancing. It involved a great deal of odd noises and jerky, jumpy movements. He certainly seemed pleased with himself, though.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB just shook his head. Between this guy and the situation with the Sin right now, he might have to consider moving.

[superartie]

"And now, neighbor-man! I must be off." Artie struck yet another heroic pose. "I have a town to explore, after all. . . ." Artie bowed to Susan again. "My lady,"

And jumped and leaped and generally made a total buffoon out of himself as he wandered off into the town.

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Good-bye, Artie!" Susan called after him. "Thank you for the demonstration!"

How delightful.

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan wiped wet hair out her face, still grinning. "Good lord. That's as good as magic, isn't it? Bravo, Artie!"

[superartie]

Artie paused in his dancing to bow very, very deeply to Susan. "Many thanks, lovely maiden!"

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan cocked her head at the newcomer, and gave him a little wave. "Hello. Susan Pevensie. Counselor up at the high school." She smiled at Artie again, still entertained by his speechifying.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Hello there," GOB said. "GOB Bluth. I'm an entertainer over at Caritas."

He pulled some flowers out of his sleeve and offered them to her. "I'm an illusionist."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan accepted the flowers with small bow. "Thank you, Mr. Bluth. I actually caught your show the other night, with the... puppets." And then she'd had a good bit to drink. "Not your usual show, I take it?"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"No, that was a special show in the name of tolerance. Not that those zombies understood that," GOB said, shaking his head. "Mostly I just do some stage magic. Card tricks, making things disappear, sawing people in half. That kind of stuff."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"So not the kinds of magic or alchemy that some of the population of the Island do, then? That must be a challenge." Susan raised her eyebrows, not sure whether to be impressed at his moxie or pitying the futility.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB had been through this kind of stuff before. It wasn't going to phase him now. "No, none of that stuff. I'm talking about Illusion. That 'Real Magic' stuff is great, sure, but where's the challenge? Where's the artistry? No, Illusion is much more of a challenge. More rewarding, really."

He then reached over and pulled a quarter out of Susan's ear.

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Very clever." And the kind of thing Eustace had delighted in, when he was nine. Susan nodded gamely. "And I do see what you mean. Artistry. Takes more effort, I'm sure of it."

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"Don't worry," GOB said, rolling the quarter across his fingers. "I do more impressive stuff than that in my act. This is kid's stuff, really."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

Susan laughed a little, embarassed for one of them, but not sure who. "Good to know. I mean..." Right, ask something specific. "Do you do escape artistry as well? Handcuffs, boxes with locks, that sort of thing?"

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

"I haven't done any handcuffs or boxes," GOB said, perhaps giving a quick glance at the Sin, "but I did get out of a straight-jacket with a wild animal threatening me on stage." GOB definitely avoided giving particulars on that trick.

"They're not my specialty, but I know a lot of tricks."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Rather exceptional of you. I do know how difficult those strait-jackets are to get out of. Did you use a lockpick, or just wriggle out?"

Susan has no idea how that sounds. Sadly.

[bluth-illusions.livejournal.com]

GOB raised an eyebrow at this. Then he decided that she's the counselor. It seemed a little extreme for a school, but some of those kids probably needed it.

"It's all technique. You just have to relax, let your muscles go loose, and then it's easy as long as the jacket's not too tight."

[susanofnarnia.livejournal.com]

"Ahh. Of course, whenever we had to use them, leaving them loose was not an option." Susan shook her head. "Perhaps I ought to try it myself, sometime."

Any comment GOB might have made on this was then undercut by SuperArtie lifting a boat. (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/555982.html?thread=21761230#t21761230)