afterliving | 2nd Concert - [ video / action ]

A.) Video

[ Yeah, those videos the owners didn't know were being posted? Have one of those. There's a court yard, apparently belonging to a rich castle or something, In a cage, there is raging zombies. In front of them there is a little boy, playing the violin and an older man accompanying him. The sound of his violin appears to make the zombies sing along. The daughter of the castle's owner demands to have that violin bought for herself. The little boy, appearing to be a much younger Kohaku, refuses. She is enraged and releases the zombies at him. It appears the music of the violin protects the boy with ease, but his suspected father falls victim to their attacks. The flashback and transmission ends there. ]

B.) Action

[ If you're in the school, you might be noticing violin music. Not just any violin music - you can tell that the one playing the violin here is skilled beyond compare. Despite playing solo, his soft and clear sound reaches the heart. It's almost fragile, you can't grasp it and yet it brings a certain sentimentality over you.
If you happen to find the orchestra room, you will see Kohaku being the source of these sounds that are so contradictory to his personality. His usually angry or annoyed face is full of peace and concentration as he plays - this is him, his essence. Only sometimes he frowns. He's used to a much better violin, something special and the one he plays now is ordinary at best. He tuned it as well as he can, but it just isn't the same. Still, it's better than being without music.
Feel free to listen in or interrupt. ]

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[ music is definitely not too frequent in the afterlife, much less a violin played so professionally. akashi's drawn to it, too, though he favors a less intrusive approach and leans against the doorway of the orchestra room while he listens. ]

[ He finishes his song without paying much mind to the listener. Under other circumstances he would have refused to play for a stranger without being paid for it, but in the realm they were in now that was kind of ridiculous.
Finally, he turns around after he's finished playing. ]

These instruments really don't get used too much, huh?

[ and in any other circumstance, akashi would have more than enough to pay ... if he even wanted him to. ]

I suppose not. I've not met anyone else familiar with the violin in my time here. [ a short, reserved bout of applause. ] It was a fine performance.

Thanks. [ Judging by his tone he knows fully well how fantastic he was, but hey, hearing it is nice. ]

Was about time someone came here to use this thing then. Are there any other musicians around?

[ he's very used to dishing out societal pleasantries, regardless. ]

I would be surprised if there weren't. Whether or not they were aware the school was stocked with instruments is another story, and whether or not they want to play is another after that.

What a waste to have all those babies here and nobody to use them.

[ He sighs. Kohaku's a tough and bad guy, but he cared for music and musical instruments a lot. Additionally, playing solo forever really didn't sound preferable for him. ]

[ a chuckle (or maybe it's a scoff?). ]

Babies?

Yeah.

[ He likes music very much, okay? ]

'Instruments' if you insist on talking all stiff and proper.

[ he can tell. ]

I don't think anyone'd take a musician seriously who calls an instrument his child. [ snark aside ... ] How many violins are there? Just the one?

Man, it's a figure of speech, no need to freak out! Besides, I wasn't calling it my child either. [ ~~Reserved for his own violin at home--~~ ]

It's three, this one was just in best shape.

[ akashi is exceptionally poor with figures of speech.

shrugging off the first response — it doesn't really make a difference to him. three violins, on the other hand, prompts him to actually walk over and examine them for clarification on what 'in best shape' means. ]

Still playable, surely? None of them look too broken up.

[ he assumes he soundtested them. ]

Yeah, just not in good up to my standards.

[ Kohaku has a little too high standards for a music room that was not even designed for a professional orchestra but rather an ordinary high school. Passed through the hands of a good deal of students, the instruments were not damaged but appeared a little worn out. ]

[ which is good. nothing that can't be helped. ]

If you were looking for accompaniment, I used to play.

You did?

[ He sounds interested for a moment. Not that he'd expect much of someone who stopped practicing, but it's been a while since he met another violinist. ]

Let's hear your sound.

[ he nods, and extends a hand to kohaku ... because if he wants to hear him play, it'd be best if it was on the most playable violin, of course. ]

[ Kohaku hesitates briefly, almost dis-trustingly, but then he shrugs and hands it over. These were nowhere near as valuable to him as the instruments back home after all. ]

[ he voices a brief hmph at the initial hesitation, but seems pleased enough with the end result and sets to playing after a few moments of refamiliarizing himself with the instrument. his playing is nowhere near as impressive as kohaku's, of course, and it's clear he's not as well-practiced as he could be, but he's still no beginner. ]

Edited 2013-08-06 05:01 (UTC)

[ He listens, carefully. Kohaku's not generous when it comes to music - he won't pretend something was nice when it wasn't, he doesn't have time to be nice. Still, by the end he at least gives a nod. ]

That's not the best you could have done for sure - but you at least posess the capability of being decent.

[ not the high praise he'd prefer, but he's not going to delude himself into thinking he really deserved better. ]

It's been a few years since I stopped playing. Some practice is no doubt in order.

Definitely. With an instrument, regular practice is absolutely everything.

[ He may look like an easy-going asshole, but actually he's never skipped on practice if there hadn't been a huge emergency - he knows he's gifted, but the gift needs hard work to back it up or it becomes shallow. ]

[ and that's quite admirable. akashi's no slacker either, but violin quickly became less of a priority. ]

Of course, as it is with any talent. [ he seems very pleased with this arrangement. ] Perhaps, in time, I'll play to your standards.

[ Kohaku raises an eyebrow. Sorry, when it's about his music he's kinda arrogant. Not only kinda, actually. ]

You'll have a lot to catch up on. I never took a break in practicing as long as I can think back after all.

[ akashi's arrogant when it comes to everything, so he only responds with a confident smirk. there's not much of a competitive basketball scene, so his primary hobby's out the door anyway. ]

I learn quickly. It'll be a welcome distraction from the normal mediocrity of our lives here.

So?

[ Kohaku's kind of insulted this kid thought his level was something some kind of hobby-ist could reach, but the confidence is at least interesting. ]

Better get to work then.

Edited 2013-08-13 19:28 (UTC)