10th Taunt | Video (Backdated to July 1st)

[misterbrief]

[He's not going to beat around the bush. When the video pops on, it's clear Vegeta is in his workout clothing, in the Battle Dome, and looking HORRIBLY ANGRY because SOMEONE has been pranking him for the past week with Justin Beiber.]

Alright, I'm only going to say this once. Whoever the prankster is that continues to play that hideous music during my training sessions is going to pay with their life. When I find you, I'm going to rip both of those arms of yours right out of their sockets.

And if any one of you know who it is, you had best tell me now. I might even consider letting you get out of this scot-free if you turn in the clown that continues to elude me.

[And with that, he slams the journal shut in anger. He'll check it again later that night, when he's cooled down a bit.]

Comments

[windandrain]

[She takes a bite of sushi, nodding.]

Alright. [A pause.]

What kind of music do you like, anyway?

[misterbrief]

Me? [He wasn't really expecting that question.] As long as it's not screaming at me or speaking of something unspeakable, I usually don't mind it.

[windandrain]

Oh? Have I ever played you music before, then? I can't really remember.

[misterbrief]

Ah...

[Give him a second he's getting a little flustered at the idea of Saori playing for him because shy]

No. I didn't even know you played.

[windandrain]

[She quirks her head at him and looks to the instrument case.]

I...play several instruments. I believe I've even played them over the network.

[misterbrief]

That's good and all, but I don't always pay attention to everything on those blasted journals.

[Most of it was pointless anyway...]

I guess I get to learn something new everyday about you, huh.

[windandrain]

Yes, I guess you do.

[She finishes off her omelette in two big bites and wipes her fingers clean on a napkin before reaching for the case.]

Here, I'll play something much more pleasant.

[misterbrief]

[He raises his eyebrow. He was wondering what was in the case.]

[He won't say anything, but just silently watch her remove the instrument and get ready to play.]

[windandrain]

[The case contains a three-stringed instrument, obviously well cared for and quite ancient. Saori cradles it lovingly, running her hands along the wood, not paying him much mind at all. She'd play whether he wanted or not, but it was always better with an audience.

No more words, no preamble either. She just starts to play a slow but gradually quickening tune.]

[misterbrief]

[He sits, chin resting in his hand as he listens. It's not anything he would go out and listen to on a regular basis, living in the west and all and used to western sounds, but it wasn't bad. It wasn't screaming at him and it sounded like actual music.

When she finishes, he doesn't clap as he's still in a bad mood as it is, but gets up, and sits beside her. Reaching out a finger, he goes to give one of the strings a twang.]

What is it?

[windandrain]

The instrument, or the song?

[She doesn't jerk it away, but she does give him a reproving look. This instrument is older than some continents, Grumpy.]

[misterbrief]

[He kind of looks back at her with a blank look at her own reproving look. What. It's just an instrument.]

Both.

[windandrain]

The instrument is a shamisen. And the song is Kojo no Tsuki, the Moon over the Ruined Castle.

[She picks it up once more, and launches into a much slower tune. This one clearly holds a lot of meaning for her, as her eyes close, and she doesn't hum. Each tug of the strings is carefully measured, along with her breathing so she will make no mistakes.]

[misterbrief]

[Listening again, he doesn't interrupt her as she plays. It's a very pretty tune. When she finishes, he shows no distaste for it, his own way of saying that he enjoyed her playing.]

I didn't know you held so much value in this music of yours. [He'd never bother with music himself, and it was pretty clear that she cared a lot about it by the way she played.]

[windandrain]

[Saori smiles as she finishes playing and lets the shamisen rest against her knees. Looking at him, she quirks her head to one side and laughs. Oh how little he knew.]

It's something I kept from my family. But all gods love music. It's as important to me and mine as fighting is to Saiyans. Music has a kind of power all it's own. And I happen to have a gift for it.

[misterbrief]

You're pretty confident. [He takes a look at the shamisen again.] Music has power, huh. Guess I'll just have to learn to play it and make you dance around like a fool, I would certainly be entertained by that.

[windandrain]

I've got centuries of experience, and millenia of memories of playing music. I compete in the same arena as the god of music.

[Confident? Yes.

And at that suggestion, she lifts it up and offers it to him.]

Try each string. Carefully.

[misterbrief]

[He takes it with a bit of surprise. He wasn't being totally serious when he said he'd want to learn to play, but now it's in his hands and he's trying to hold it as she had been.

Um.]

[He plucks each string, lightly enough that the volume isn't loud at all. Looking back up at her, he narrows his eyes.]

Okay, now what?

[windandrain]

[She passes over the paddle.]

Use this, gently stroke the strings further down, near the base.

[misterbrief]

[He does as instructed, making all the strings sound at once.]

You know, you don't have to explain this to me as if I were a child.

[windandrain]

I'm not. But you're a beginner at this.

[A child wouldn't be allowed to touch the instrument.]

Now, try playing this chord. First, third, first, third, second, first, third strings, top to bottom.

[misterbrief]

[He quints at her.]

If I do that I'll just make the same noises as before. Don't I have to put my fingers somewhere?

[windandrain]

Each string is tuned differently, you're just learning what sounds they make. The goal of that exercise isn't to make anything complicated. But, try moving your fingers up and down after the first chord, so you can get a feel for different positions.

[misterbrief]

[He only continues to look back at her for a second, before he makes the chord as she told him to the first time. Then, pressing a finger to the board, he depresses the first string and attempts to make a chord out of that, though it sounds terrible.]

This is far too complicated. That sounded horrific.

FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD, be back soon.

[windandrain]

[She doesn't make a face. She expected it, after all.]

Well, it takes practice. You have to learn the right way to do things, just like fighting.