Culture and Tradition and ... Accidental Videos

[therewerefifty]

Who:  Misty, Makie, and Anyone!
Broadcast:  Fleetwide, whoops
Action:  SS Windrose
When:  Today


[The feed switches on suddenly, showing a brief glimpse of Makie’s face before it slides out of view, showing a portion of the cargo hold recognisable to those who know it as belonging to the Windrose. Misty, wearing a pale green kimono, is kneeling on what looks like a small exercise or yoga mat in the middle of the room. Her back is ramrod straight and her expression is very serious as she holds a shamisen in her lap, somewhat awkwardly. She looks at Makie with some uncertainty.]

Just to keep them out of the way. [Makie puts her own comm down and then turns to glance at Misty, and after a moment she smiles.] That’s good posture. Relax your shoulders a little. You don’t want to get stiff.

[Misty nods and relaxes her shoulders, then tries to position the shamisen like Makie showed her earlier, with only half of the shamisen resting on her lap.] Like this?

That’s right. I think you’re a faster learner than I was. [Said with good humour. Makie walks a small half-circle around Misty, before sitting nearby in much the same fashion.] It’s not always necessary to be so formal, but I think… it’s better this way, sometimes.

Gotta learn the proper way first, right? Before you can start experimentin’?

Mmm. There’s a great amount of tradition behind the shamisen. Though I suppose that’s true of any form of music. Regardless, I think you look very pretty in a kimono.

[She reaches out to make the tiniest adjustment to Misty’s grip of the bachi. Honestly, though, the other woman’s form is near perfect, if it weren’t for the uncertainty.] Relax, and don’t lock your wrists. Nobody can see you but me.

[...about that.]

[Misty beams at the compliment.]Thank you for letting me wear it - I don’t think I’ve ever worn anything so beautiful. [Then she takes a deep breath.] Ready?

Yes. Whenever you are. [For this performance, Makie will just be an attentive audience.]

[A piece of Misty’s voluminous hair falls in her face. She quickly brushes it aside before reassuming her position and starting to play. The song is simple enough, clearly meant for a beginner. Misty plays very slowly and unsurely, missing a few notes here and there, but she resists the urge to go back to redo them. This time, she’s going to play all the way through if she can. Of course, unbeknownst to her, she’s giving the fleet a free concert.]

Comments

[spontaneouscombustion]

[Ooh, hey, a free concert! It's clear Misty needs a LOT of concentration, so it's not until Misty's all the way through that Pinkie starts applauding. That was a really good first try, even to Pinkie's novice ear.]

Wow, that was great! That's the instrument you were wanting somebody to put the weapons in, right, Makie?

[therewerefifty]

[...possibly there's a silence that stretches just long enough to be awkward. Makie turns to glance in the direction of the comms. Oh, no.]

Pinkie Pie...?

[Please tell me you're like. Hiding behind that stack of boxes and not on the comm.]

[mistyday]

[Misty jumps at the sound of someone else's voice, nearly dropping the instrument. Fortunately, she catches it before it hits the ground.]

Shit!

[She frowns in the direction of the communicators and sets the shamisen gently down on the mat before crossing over to stare at the communicator.]

I think it's on!

[spontaneouscombustion]

[If this were Ponyville, she likely WOULD be behind the boxes, buuuut she's a little more bound by spacely physics here. Also, what's that four-letter s-word?]

Oh, oops! Is it NOT supposed to be on?

[therewerefifty]

[Shh Misty, don't teach the pony swears.]

It wasn't meant to be, no. But no harm done. [Which is more for Pinkie Pie's benefit, at any rate. There's no point making her feel bad about it now.]

I'm sorry, Misty. [She's drifting over to the comms now.] I must have accidentally switched one on. [Somehow. She was sure she was careful.]

[mistyday]

[She doesn't mean to, honest.]

It's all right. These things are confusing.

[But now she's squinting at the video screen on her comm in disbelief.]

Is that... Miss, are you a talkin' pony?

[spontaneouscombustion]

Yes indeedy~! My name's Pinkie Pie! And YOUR name's Misty, right? Is that your full name? Great job, by the way, that sounded pretty good!

Action

[passingthrough]

[Kitty noticed the broadcast and took herself down to the cargo bay quietly. She makes her presence known with some clapping once the song ends.]

Your comm's on. [Nodding to Makie.]

Action

[therewerefifty]

Yes... [So they'd just discovered, a little late. Though Makie's response is more sheepish than mortified, which goes to show she's improved since her arrival here.]

I did not mean to inflict an audience on Misty so soon, but I suppose it can't be helped.

[Key words 'so soon'...]

Action

[mistyday]

[Misty has turned red as a beet.]

How many people do you think were listening?

Action

[passingthrough]

Oh, probably just the whole fleet. [Kitty is the best at reassurance.]

Action

[therewerefifty]

It could have been worse.

[You could have sucked. :D]

I don't think they will mind, all things considered.

[mistyday]

I missed a buncha note though.

[collegedropout]

[Sam watches pleasantly for a moment.

You're both aware enough, you're ratted out by your own device.

So. He won't rub it in.]

You're doing great, Misty.

[mistyday]

[Ahh! Sam heard. Of course he did. She ducks her head, but she's smiling.]

Thank you. I missed a lot of notes but I'm glad people are still enjoyin' it, it bein' accidental and all.

[collegedropout]

Hey, I can't play anything to literally save my life.

... Except maybe poker.

You're doing awesome, though. It's a pretty interesting choice in instrument, huh?

[mistyday]

Atroma let Makie keep her shamisen and she offered to teach me!

[She's beaming about it.]

I ain't ever learned an instrument before, but it sounds kinda like the banjos the boys played down in the bayou.

[collegedropout]

Well, considering how great you sing, I'm sure you'll be a one-person show in no time.

Makie's pretty great herself, huh? Color me envious of your knack for talent.

[okay he's not really an envious kind of dude about talent

but he's complimenting u shhh]

[mistyday]

Oh, I bet you'd do fine! Makie's a good teacher.

video;

[stefanged]

[This seems too intimate for Stefan to comment on it at first, but he listens for as long as he can.]

That was great. Sounds like you've got a good teacher, Misty.

video;

[mistyday]

[She ain't even embarrassed about Stefan overhearing. It's different, with him.]

Oh, Makie's wonderful! And look!

[Misty stands and twirls, giving him a good look at the kimono she's wearing.]

She even let me wear one of her kimonos! Isn't it beautiful?

video;

[stefanged]

[His entire face softens at that twirling.]

You look beautiful. I guess that's part of playing that uh, [crap he doesn't remember the name] instrument?

video;

[mistyday]

[She ducks her head and smiles at his compliment before explaining.]

The shamisen! It's basically like a... Japanese banjo. Or I guess a banjo is like an American shamisen 'cause Japan's a lot older. And you wear the kimono out of respect.

video;

[stefanged]

Oh! So it's traditional, like those tea ceremonies...

[Traditions that remind him of friends long gone, like Rei and an ex-girlfriend he never mentions, so his face falls for the briefest of seconds.]

That's really cool, though. I'm glad you're getting a chance to learn it here.

video;

[mistyday]

Me too. I woulda never got a chance like this at home. Ain't no way a girl like me was ever gonna get to go to Japan.