InsaneJournal

Who: Rapunzel and Ozma
What: Meeting to discuss Rapunzel doing artwork for Ozma
Where: Local coffee Shop
When: Recently
Rating: G
Status: Complete


Rapunzel had spoken briefly to Ozma on the network about the stupid convention run by equally stupid men. It had been a simple conversation, but she had definitely admired Ozma and her passions for her causes. It had been a bit of a surprise when Ozma reached out to her as a potential artist for a center she was creating, but Rapunzel jumped at the chance. A safe place for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families to go when things got rough was a worthwhile cause and Rapunzel was definitely up for lending her hand to make part of the dream come true. She arranged to meet Ozma at a local coffee shop to chat.

She entered the coffee shop and looked around for Ozma before spotting her off in the corner. Rapunzel had brought along her portfolio to give Ozma a sense of her artistic style before they started on the project. She also brought a sketch pad to help with any ideas they came up with during the discussion. Rapunzel joined Ozma with an easy smile, “Hi! So nice to finally meet you in person. I’m really excited about this project.”

***

Ozma had gotten to the coffee shop early so that she could make sure to get them a table, leaving her bag on it to hold it while she placed her order. Opting for real food this time and not just the normal sweets she got here. She was looking through the notes she'd made while talking to the contractors about specifics, things she needed to make up her mind on. Where was she willing to compromise to stay on schedule or did she want to push the date of completion back, and pay extra, for everything she wanted? That was the main question but she didn't let that keep her from keeping on the lookout for the blonde woman. She gave Rapunzel a friendly smile as she approached the table, standing up and extending her hand to shake after a moment. She didn't know where Rapunzel stood on hugging when you were meeting in person for the first time after all.

"I'm glad we were able to get together for this. The network is wonderful for bringing people together but when it comes to creating that’s always better face to face I think. And selfishly I wanted to get a look at your portfolio."

***
Rapunzel definitely hugged - big fan, but this was their first meeting, so she was trying to be polite. She knew from experience that hugging in a professional setting for a first meeting was usually frowned upon.Ozma did seem a lot friendlier than some of the business professionals she met, although a good chunk of the people she met with were artistic types and a little more open about that.

“The network is definitely an interesting place to be, but I really have quite enjoyed being able to meet all sorts of new people. Definitely agree that face-to-face is needed when it comes to creation. Also, super flattered you want to look at my portfolio,” Rapunzel admitted that with a blush on her cheeks. It was still exciting when people wanted to see her stuff. She sat the portfolio down on the table, “So tell me what you’ve got envisioned for this mural. I love the idea of the center.”

***

Ozma relaxed back into her seat, a smile on her face as she realized she hadn't been wrong in her estimation of the blonde. Rapunzel was very much one of the sweetest people she'd met and as she reached out for her portfolio she really hoped that there'd be a way they could work together on this. "Well it'll give me a better idea what we can do for the mural." She told her.

"I have to admit my creativity tends to run more towards clothes and decorating than painting but I was hoping for something that just...reflected what I'm hoping to accomplish with the center. It's been a dream of mine for awhile. Ever since I was forced to confront the fact that not everyone was as lucky as I was with most of my family. They were wonderful and accepting about my being transgender. Helped me transition as painlessly as possible and then when I told them I was bisexual - they accepted that too. But some people I care about a lot - their parents weren't as accepting. So maybe something showing different generations coming together? Different gender representations also? Am I making any sense?"

***
“Hopefully my art style works for your ideas as well. I tend to be a bit more whimsy than most people, mainly because I work in animation, but I can also do some more traditional type art. That just usually tends to be more of my landscapes and such,” Rapunzel explained as Ozma took the portfolio to take a peek through.

She grabbed the sketch pad out of her bag when Ozma started to describe what she was hoping for. She took down a few notes and did some quick sketching, “Wow, your family sounds wonderful. It’s unfortunately a little rare to know people who had full support during something like that. It’s kind of annoying that people are more accepting about changes in your sexuality, but if you try to change yourself to be your true self then all hell breaks loose. That’s why I really loved the idea of this center being a place where people could have safety. I like that generational idea a lot. We can definitely do ages and different gender representations. Maybe I can incorporate some colors of the different community flags for people.”

***

“I don’t have any issue with whimsy. My Dreams have forced me to embrace that part of myself. I woke up to a walking, talking, living Sawhorse from them. And also a more whimsical style might help kids relax more so that they can get more out of being there.” Ozma looked up from one of the drawings she’d been looking at, a smile on her face. “Plus - I really love what I’m seeing here and I think we can come up with a way to translate this to the walls. If you’d be up for doing more than one mural that is.”

Her face heated up a little at the compliment to her parents. “Well - Dad is a child psychologist and decided with Mom that they’d rather have a happy healthy daughter than another miserable son. My brother provides that more than they could possibly want some times.” There was love coloring the criticism of her brother. He was an ass and would be one of the first to admit it but she would still fight to protect him if necessary. “I would love that - incorporating the colors of the different flags into it somehow. To show that it is for everyone. I just...I can’t do much to protect people but giving them a safe place to learn about each other is more than nothing.”

***
“A walking and talking Sawhorse? Wow. And I thought my dreams about being locked in a tower were some kind of strange,” Rapunzel’s face lit up when Ozma paid her that compliment and she couldn’t help but grin back at her, “Wow, I really appreciate you saying that. And I would happily do more murals if you want.” That was definitely not something she would turn down if that’s what Ozma wanted. The idea of her art giving people a moment of happiness was important to Rapunzel and warmed her soul.

Rapunzel listened to Ozma describe her brother and couldn’t help but grin a little. She herself didn’t have any siblings, but she had grown up in a community so it felt like having siblings, and she could sense the love in Ozma’s voice. Not everyone was perfect, but family was hard to give up on.”Hey, that’s a very important thing you can do,” Rapunzel reassured her with a smile, “I know a lot of people will get a lot of use out of this.” She drew some more on her pad as she tried to put it all out on paper for an idea and wished she had some colored pens.

***

“There’s also a Pumpkinheaded man I named Jack who got brought to life by the Powder but I didn’t do that. I built him but Mombi brought him to life.” Ozma said, a little glint in her eye as she thought about her friend there. A part of her wished he’d show up but at the same time Jack’s insistence on calling her father would definitely get on her nerves. “My Dreams are almost like living in a fairy tale at times. And I probably haven’t helped that idea by using the Powder of Life here but I like to think I was smart enough here not to bring to life anything that would be able to talk. One sassy supposed to be inanimate object around my house is quite enough.” She loved her pets though. Just wished there was someway to make Sawhorse shut up a little more. “I definitely want you to do more murals for the center. If you’d like I can ask the architect to send you a copy of the plans so you’ll have an idea of the wall layout to help with laying out your sketches.” Ozma offered.

“What about your ideas for all of this? What are you thinking you might want to see in a mural for a place like this?” She wanted this to be a collaboration between the two of them. Something they both had a voice in.

***
Rapunzel was absolutely fascinated hearing about other people’s dreams and Ozma’s certainly seemed one of the more fascinating. Fairy tales were something she definitely enjoyed growing up and she felt like her Dreams were something similar, but she was still off exploring everything in the world outside of her tower. “Powder of Life? That sounds really interesting. My hair in my dreams heals people and can bring back youth,” Rapunzel explained to her and that powder sounded somewhat similar in a sense, but Rapunzel definitely couldn’t bring inanimate objects to life, “And that would be great. It’d be nice to see what I’m working with before I commit too much in my designs.”

“I think I just really want to add a lot of bright colors and hope. I really enjoy doing landscapes as well, so I’ll probably sneak some cool backgrounds onto the murals,” Rapuzel commented with a grin, “As long as you’re okay with that.”

***

“It’s something Mombi picked up in a trade. She didn’t take me with her because why should she? She was just raising me after all. And using me as free labor for her farm. Well using Tip as free labor. It’s getting harder and harder to keep it separated for me when it comes to these Dreams in some ways. But that’s what she called it - The Powder of Life. And I’ve tested it out here and it works. If you see a bench just walking around - don’t be alarmed. And text me I’d like to get him back actually.” Ozma told her with a grin. She pulled out her phone to send a quick text to her contractor so that she could get a copy of the plans sent over to Rapunzel.

“I am absolutely okay with you adding murals. Have fun with it. And I’m going to have an office there so anything you think of that might work in there for framed work would be great to. I want my office to be a place I can enjoy being in when I’m talking in private with people.”

***

Kind of sounded like the mother in her Dreams although Rapunzel wasn’t really used as labor; just as a means to keep Gothel young and healthy. It wasn’t a horrible life when you didn’t know better, but Rapunzel saw it with different eyes in this world and it was insanely frustrating, “Oh...I will keep an eye out and let you know if I see a bench around. Definitely not something you want to lose.” She couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the idea of running after a walking bench to try and capture it.

“If you like anything in my portfolio and I still have a copy of it I can pull it out of the gallery I show at,” Rapunzel commented with a smile. She was more than happy to sell her paintings to Ozma if she wanted them, “And a warm inviting space is definitely a goal for that.”

***

"I'll let you know when the contractor has the copy of the plans ready for you. And I promise when I get Benchy back he'll be staying at my house not the center. I think he might not be the most comforting thing for some people to see." Ozma said, grinning. There were a few people she could think of that she wouldn't mind freaking out.

Ozma had seen a couple pieces that she really liked in the portfolio. She flipped back to one of them. "What about this one? Is it still available?"

***

“Perfect, thank you. I can draw up some rough sketches and get them to you by next week if you want. I think it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing I’ve seen around here though,” Rapunzel countered with a smile. There had been so many strange things happening in the OC and a moving bench wasn’t the weirdest.

Rapunzel leaned forward and smiled when she saw what one Ozma liked, “I think it might be! I’ll call up the gallery owner today after our meeting and check in on that for you. I’ll let you know either way.”

***

"That sounds perfect Rapunzel. And for locals it's probably far from the weirdest but...Sawhorse will probably be there sometimes too. He sulks if I leave him alone too often. And I kind of want the bench for my garden. I can sit and read while he walks around the garden. The height of comfortable laziness on days off." Ozma joked.

She flipped another few images. "And...this one. For my house. If you could ask about it too?"

***

“That’s not a horrible idea though, I support that kind of laziness,” Rapunzel gave Ozma an easy smile before leaning over to see the photo and gave a nod, “Of course. I’d be quite flattered for you to have some of my paintings in your office and home. I’ll let you know tonight. Now, let’s put aside the work and just relax a little while we finish our drinks.” Rapunzel wanted to get to know more about Ozma as a regular person as well.

***