and i dance dance dance, and i dance dance dance

[ravenly]

Who: Rue & you!
Where: Various buildings in Vatheon
When: Daytime. Sort of a delayed response to Siegfried's announcement about ballet classes.
Style: Whichever
Status: OPEN!!!

(Too small. Too old--too dirty. When is the last time someone picked up in here?)

[...Ugh. Rue shakes her head, walking out of yet another building. She's gotten used to this stupid thought bubble following her around for the week, though it is no less inconvenient...

She is looking for a place to quietly practice ballet now, since she's evidently going to be teaching lessons. She has no idea how to feel about it honestly; but her prince had garned quite a bit of interest, so she figures it'd be best to be prepared.

Around her neck rests a small music player, attached to headphones; she is familiarizing herself with the music she plans to dance to. It would be a hassle to deal with the cords while doing so, however. But luckily, the building she's finally settled on has a set of larger speakers she can hook everything up to.

...It takes her a moment to figure it out, but it seems to work just fine.

Taking a last peek to see that she's not being watched, she begins with an easy routine that she's done many times before.]


(( OOC: feel free to run into her as she's searching for the building, or walk in on her dancing later! ))

Comments

[bountyofthesun]

[Thankfully, short and unimpressive and funny-looking as he is, Hideyoshi doesn't cut a very intimidating figure. He immediately smiles at her when she opens the door, although he is a little disappointed to see the change in her bubble. Her mental exercises were almost as fascinating as the physica ones.]

No, no, [he shakes his head.] I passed by and heard the music, that's all. Was that you playing? Where do you hide the extra arms?

[ravenly]

...Extra--

[She's about to repeat the phrase, when she realizes how ridiculous it sounds. Although Gold Crown did have many kinds of people, both human and not-so-much, where multiple arms are possible...so perhaps it's not so ridiculous after all.

She is distracted enough, though, that she doesn't even answer the first question.]

Excuse me?

[Congratulations, Hideyoshi, you are treated to the mental image of Rue with multiple arms, in her thought bubble.

How embarrassing!]

[bountyofthesun]

[Well, embarrassing is one way to put it. Another is hilarious. Hideyoshi tries his hardest not to laugh, but doesn't manage to resist grinning widely. Still, it's a friendly enough expression. Nothing wrong with a bit of good humor.]

About like that, yes, [he says with a chuckle and a nod toward her bubble.] To play all those instruments at once? Unless it's magic. Honestly, I can't tell anymore.

[All he can tell is that he's quite glad not to have any bubbles of his own.]

[ravenly]

[Rude. :|

But it isn't as if she can suddenly undo what he's seen, so there isn't much use in trying to hide it. Unless someone else happens to show up. But for now, she is a bit too preoccupied with him to think about that.]

It's hardly magic. But as you can see, I only have two arms.

And I am not the one responsible for the music.

[And now there are speakers in the thought bubble. Much like the ones nearby in the room itself. There are other odd things too, like headphones. mp3 players, which she admittedly had only learned about in her time here.

All these shiny things long after this samurai's time.]

[bountyofthesun]

[Probably rude, yes. Alas. Hideyoshi can only help himself so far. He tries to stop looking at her bubble, but it's right there - and everything that appears in it is immediately interesting. And he's always been easily distracted by shiny things.]

I don't think I'd have missed it if you had more, [he gives humor another go. If at first you don't succeed...]

Ohh - more, what do you call them, machines. I get it. [He nods, though his still baffled expression betrays that he doesn't get it in the slightest.]

[ravenly]

[Rue takes it literally of course, so she doesn't quite laugh. She merely nods, because that was her point exactly. Even someone like him would hardly miss such a thing.

...But anyway, it seems he's getting the picture, so that's good.]

Yes. Would you like to see how they work?

[bountyofthesun]

[Easier to get the picture when it's right there in the bubble! He visibly brightens at her offer. There is a mind-boggling amount of things to learn in Vatheon, and he's been soaking them up like a particularly eager sponge.]

Ohh, yes, yes I would![In the heirarchy of mind-boggling things from magical bubbles down, music-playing machines are pretty minor, but Hideyoshi is the kind who appreciates the little things.]

[ravenly]

[Easily enough to comply. Ignoring her thought bubble for the moment then, she gives him an affirming look before she walks over to the nearby stereo in the room that had been hooked up to speakers.

She seems to stare at it a moment--actually getting used to using the device herself, and finally presses play.

Music begins to sound through the room once more, and she turns to see the samurai's reaction to it all. Unintentionally, her body begins to sway in time with the music--because it seems she can't even sit still while it plays.]

[bountyofthesun]

[Hideyoshi follows happily, staring at the strange mahcine - he'd seen it before when he was peeking in, but it didn't get any less strange since then. He peers over her shoulder when she leans to switch it on - it probably wouldn't jump out at them, but why take chances? - then claps his hands in delight when the music starts up again. So simple!]

Brilliant! Does it play whatever it feels like, or can you make requests?

[He glances at her and sees her moving - it's a shame that he has this feeling that a comment about it won't go down well. He likes few things better than watching a lovely lady dance.

[ravenly]

[Delightfully simple, even.

Rue has to grin a bit at his reaction. If she's going to be a teacher anyway, this would be a good place to start, she supposes. It's not every day that the opportunity to practice comes so easily...alongside practicing dance itself.]

There are different tunes, if you like. For instance--

[Another button on the stereo, then, and after a brief pause, another song is playing.]

[bountyofthesun]

[Finally, a smile! Hideyoshi isn't sure if it's at his expense, but he doesn't mind either way. He's been trying to get that smile since the start of their conversation.

He grins back at her, then crouches by the stereo to look more closely at what she's doing. Just the click of a button... a machine, she says, but it all looks like magic to him.]

I'm gonna guess that there aren't actually any tiny musicians there, [he says in a tone that suggests that he's only mostly joking.]

[ravenly]

No... [She shakes her head. She catches that joking tone of his, but just in case--she'd rather be clear about things.] I don't believe so.

Though I'm sure there are real musicians in the city who are more than capable of obliging you.

[If that's the kind of thing he likes.

He looks rather tough though, she wouldn't expect him to be into something as graceful and gentle as dance and music. But, she gets surprises here every day...]

[bountyofthesun]

[That is actually a good thing, because Hideyoshi was not completely joking. What does he know? Tiny musicians and electricity are equally likely, in his book.]

I'm sure there are. This city does seem to have most of everything! [[He nods eagerly, then laughs.] Not that I'd know what to do with music. [He only looks tough in his armor - under it, he mostly looks goofy.]

I'm sure you have more talent in one toe than I've got in two whole legs.

[ravenly]

...You're very kind.

[Rue finds herself grinning a bit; a reddish tint to her cheeks that is very rare. She's used to being complimented, of course, used to being top of her class...

But from someone new, it's always a pleasure to hear.]

Yet music and dance are for everyone, and they mean something a little different for everyone as well.

I am sure that you can find what it means to you.

[bountyofthesun]

No, no, [he waves a hand, instantly pleased at her reaction.] No need to be kind when you're just speaking the truth! [So he does have a tendency to lay it on a bit thick...

He chuckles a bit wryly at her words.] Ahh, I'm nothing like that. I only sing when I'm drunk, and all that gets me is cups getting thrown at my head. Although this kind of music - I've never heard anything like it.

[ravenly]

[He's included in "everyone."

There isn't really an exception, according to Rue, but she supposes there is only meaning when the people themselves are willing to look for it. At the comment on the music, she gives another glance over to the speakers where it's coming from.]

Luckily, you do not need to sing to enjoy music. [a grin, and a mental image of his drunken form, singing, may appear in her thought bubble] I'm sure you are beginning to realize that now.

[bountyofthesun]

Luckily, indeed! [He laughs out loud - this time he thinks she can't blame him for it, he is effectively laughing at his own expense, after all.] Good thing these don't come with sound, too! [He nods toward her bubble.

Now, he thinks, might be a good chance to cautiously poke at the original reason that he came in. Now that she's smiling and amused, she might even indulge him.]

But music like this - how do you go about it, anyway? Singing and dancing to it.

[ravenly]

[Haha, well hey, Rue doesn't actually know what it's like, to be drunk; and she's never even been around a drunk person. It might be something to experience one day; but for now, her imagination based on the stories she's heard should be enough.

...]

...How? [She tilts her head a bit at his question, blinking.] It is not much different from the way you dance and sing to your music.

It simply elicits a different feeling.

[...Does he wish to learn?]

[bountyofthesun]

[Considering what a hilarious show Hideyoshi is when he's drunk, however outrageous her idea is it can't be too far off. He's still sniggering a little as he shakes his head at her.]

No, no, it has to be different. The music's completely different! There's a lot more of it, to start with. [He's used to simple crude village songs, and the subdued music of Noh theater. This is absolutely something else again.]

I would love to see a demonstration, [he says, one eyebrow raised hopefully.]

[ravenly]

[It may be a different form, sure. Her dance may be more refined, but dance at its core is all very similar. It is about self-expression, about basic movements of the body, and most of all--

emotion.]

...Oh?

[Hmm. Perhaps he hadn't seen as much of her routine as she'd thought, when he'd first arrived. But she has no qualms about dancing in front of an audience, so she nods.]

Well, I suppose I can oblige.

[bountyofthesun]

[Even if he did catch his eyeful, Hideyoshi thinks eagerly, it's something else again to watch her when she is aware of her audience. Something like that had to make a difference, knowing that someone's eyes were all on you.

Especially with the way she talked about dance. He didn't know much about music, but he knew people. He could tell a born performer when he saw one.]

Please! [He stood back, giving her her space.]

[ravenly]

[He's polite, too.

That cinches it, she supposes; so gracefully, she walks back over to the stereo and fiddles with it for a moment, trying to find a proper song once again. Music notes appear in her thought bubble, bouncing up and down to the tune of the songs as she goes through--

And once she finds one she is satisfied with, she stops and steps back, quickly preparing to dive into the routine.

Listening...

Counting one, two, three--

And then she begins, doing a routine slightly different than the one he walked in on. It's a bit more complex, but she does well enough--

At least for a while.]

[bountyofthesun]

[For the first few moments, Hideyoshi watches on and makes the appropriate sounds - 'hm's and 'oh's of appreciation, the occasional excited clap at a particularly graceful gesture, soft laughter of appreciation, all that. He's a very active audience.

But as she goes on, he stops. He forgets, more like. Her dancing is like nothing he had ever seen in his life and it is exquisite, with its grace and its flow, nothing like dance as he knows it. It suits him much, much more.

(There's also the little matter of her being very beautiful. There's that.)

So after a minute or two, he falls silent, and simply watches, eyes gone soft with fascinated awe.]

[ravenly]

[She grows a bit tired towards the end of the song; probably from all her practicing beforehand as well, and from simply being rusty in general from lack of practice. This is pretty much the reason she's here today, though, so--

While she hadn't expected an audience, she does the absolute best she can and manages to finish proudly. She is a bit out of breath, but she smiles at him nonetheless.]

...It is harder than it looks.

[Certainly not for everyone, but she would try to teach anyone willing to give it a chance.]

[bountyofthesun]

It looks plenty hard already.

[For once, there's no joke in his tone, only deeply impressed appreciation. He raises both hands high to clap for her, bouncing enthusiasm sobered up by amazement. He thinks about O-Ichi. He isn't happy about it in the slightest when he realizes that, but he thinks about her - she could dance like this...

He gives his head a mental shake, trying his best not to show his distraction, which works because he's good at doing that. His bright smile returns.] You must have studied for years!