03. [video] Show off

[mech_and_mutt]

I dunno if you guys have seen it, but...

[The feed starts off to the sight of Red reclining in a cockpit chair, with a drone of engines in the background and a passing of clouds in the windows surrounding him. Someone's more than a little bit proud of his airship finally flying again, it seems.]

There's some big new project goin' up by Curti Center, right? Well, back at the festival, I got talkin' with the guy that's settin' all that up. And I don't think he'd mind if I drummed up a li'l excitement in the meantime.

[His usual toothy grin quickly returns to his face.]

Two words: Monster Arena. Go ahead and think back to the biggest, greatest monsters you've gone up against, here or back home-- and keep those memories fresh, 'cause apparently that's what they're gonna be usin' to make the battles! I didn't know we even had that kinda tech here in Vaikuntha...

Now, I know not everyone here enjoys gettin' their hands dirty, but for those of you who do-- Got any awesome fights or big beasties you wouldn't mind givin' another go? I'm sure some of us might get some useful trainin' and experience out of it.

Oh, and speakin' of...

[He tips the camera over to his face, with a focused stare and a more personal and fond grin.]

Keep an eye out for me in the next Dragons match. They're finally gonna be bringin' me out to the field.

Comments

[mech_and_mutt]

[A pause.]

Do you...

Do you have it with you? Here?

[songbird_slayer]

The jasper? Oh, heavens, no. But I do have the other parts.

[Right here, she'll pick up Vespertine the guitar.]

I've upgraded my guitar, you see.

[mech_and_mutt]

[Just give him a minute to gawk. To gawk at the amazing electric monster-guitar.]

PLEASE tell me that thing sounds as cool as it looks...!

[songbird_slayer]

[An upward nod. Give her a moment to swap to her dusty old Bard Asterisk for a minute, all while strumming the strings. At first it sounded like the warm, honeyed wood that came from any acoustic guitar, singing a deep, folksy tune without speaking a word.

After the fifteen-second interlude, however, her fingers trailed down the neck as the guitar wailed, gunning straight into something of a 'Master of Puppets' tempo.]

[mech_and_mutt]

[Yes. Yes it does. It was a bit of a surprise, too-- here he took Madhuri for the old-fashioned sort!... at least musically. But maybe all she needed was the right instrument. Just like how all he needed was his mech back.

By the time there's a break in the music, he's just stunned, blinking.]

...What were you back home?! Some kinda rockstar?!

[songbird_slayer]

I was born and raised in a traveling circus, but... Bard. It's how we all were back in the Prime Material Plane. Tricky, silver-tongued sirens, the men and women.

...And the creators of the oddest half-breeds, now that I really think about it.

[mech_and_mutt]

Half-bree--

[Beat. His face takes on an oddly serious look of interest... and perhaps concern.]

...What exactly do you mean by that?

[songbird_slayer]

[The music stopped. When she sat up straighter, she took a moment to make a quick adjustment via shifting Asterisks to White Mage. One breath, and she gave her new glasses a little nudge.]

Well, you see Red, when a silver-tongued bard and a rather enamored dragon love each other so very much...

[mech_and_mutt]

[Nope stop the music here right now]

Quit talkin' about that like it's a feature of the job!! I know it doesn't work that way!!

[...At least, he hopes not.]

[songbird_slayer]

[She laughed.]

It doesn't! Bards don't throw themselves bodily at everything that moves, and yet not a single one likes to try and speak up about it! Ha hah!

[Then her face grew serious. A beat.]

...It gets old.