Fifth Trial - A Test of Artistry

[knighterrantofthedragon]

WHO: Alric and Anyone
WHAT: Alric practicing guitar
WHERE: Music room
WHEN: In the early evening or during the weekend, before the Hellfire Club event
WARNING(S): None anticipated


Alric could be found many evenings in the music room, practicing with his guitar. Besides running through some scales, this mostly involved a little time working through rhythm phrases from various songs, followed by putting on a few preselected riffs to play lead over. The riffs transitioned through styles every couple of minutes, the range including blues and classical, but tended to be heavy on more symphonic rock and metal.

Music is one of the things Alric has used since he was a child as a coping mechanism for his volatile, emotionally-driven powers, so he's had a great deal of practice. His style tends to be a bit brash, a bit fierce, tightly restrained and crisp in calm sections and erupting with intensity during heavier parts.

Of course, the music room's still a public space, so anyone's welcome to drop by and listen, and say hi in between sets when he takes a break for a few minutes.

Comments

[turbedon]

"Branching out to become the first royal mutant musician?" Dick asks during 'interval', having walked in to listen to the older student practice for a bit.

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric looked up and chuckled, shaking his head.

"Hardly the first, I'm sure... nor exactly branching out. Something I've done since a child. I've always sought... acceptable means of self-expression."

Considering the formal register in which he habitually speaks, perhaps that shouldn't be entirely surprising.

[turbedon]

"You mean you didn't just blow up small buildings on a whim? I know plenty of people who'd love to do that for self-expression, but they can't afford the damage costs," he joked with a shrug.

[knighterrantofthedragon]

For a brief moment, Alric's not quite sure what to make of that suggestion--but smirks and shakes his head.

"I have enough problems with the nobility. I needn't spoil my relations with the people, as well, in the name of self-expression. At least, no more so than would be done by having a reputation as a 'rock-and-roll prince.'"

He says the last bit somewhat dramatically, as though it were somehow scandalous. Since, after all, there's bound to be someone who completely sincerely finds it scandalous.

[turbedon]

"I don't know... you could build your own country on rock and roll," he comments with a waggle of his brows.

[knighterrantofthedragon]

"...ha. Yes. Well. I think I owe my country something better than puns."

[turbedon]

"Puns are the best gift you can give to someone, gosh," he jokes, voicing a gasp of indignation and putting a hand to his chest. "Good puns take time and effort and wit to put together, you know. What more could someone want from you for a personalised touch?"

[vanishingdusk]

Yuuko had been meandering the halls after working on her club's meeting place when she heard the sound of music. Of course, she felt she needed to investigate. When she reaches the doorway to the music room, she just sort of peeks in quietly, waiting for him to stop before entering with a little applause.

"That was pretty good!"

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric blinked and glanced over, smiling a touch sheepishly at the unexpected audience and the compliment. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's a compliment from such a lovely girl--although perhaps more than anything, he takes note of the unusual color of her eyes, his own a bright golden-amber.

"Ah... oh, thank you. If you've got any requests, Miss..?"

[vanishingdusk]

She offered a smile of her own before shaking her head at the question. She wished she did have a request, though. Unfortunately, she hadn't gotten to listen to much in the couple years since she lost her memories.

"I'm afraid I don't know very many songs, so anything you'd like should be fine. I'm Yuuko."

[knighterrantofthedragon]

"Mm... fair enough. Is there a... style, then, or genre, of which you're particularly fond?"

He smiled to himself, just a bit playfully.

"It would be rather uncouth on my part to merely entertain myself, when I have company."

[vanishingdusk]

It took her a moment to think that over before she shrugged with a sheepish smile.

"As long as it isn't like, ear-splittingly loud, anything should be okay. So surprise me.~"

And maybe it'd help give her a better idea of what she'd really like.

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric laughed lightly and nodded.

"I'll do my best not to split either of our ears."

He pauses a moment, starting out with a clean tone before switching on distortion as the music shifts to a more intense character like so, and afterward blending it into another piece like so, although without accompaniment, replacing any piano or other softer instruments with clean guitar.

[vanishingdusk]

Yuuko can't help but laugh a bit as well. Well, he didn't blow out her eardrums before, so she's hopeful that'll continue to be the case. She listens quietly with a sense of awe. She doesn't have much to compare it against, but he's pretty good in her opinion.

When he's done, she claps enthusiastically, smile plastered on her face. "Impressive!~"

[the_saner_one]

During his free hours Yuui has a tendency to drift to either the kitchen or to the music room and tonight it happens to be the latter. He doesn't always come to play and it's usually a pleasant surprise to find someone else occupying it. Especially if the person in question knows how to handle their instrument. He stays silent while Alric plays, not wanting to risk disturbing him, but when the music dies down he makes his presence known by clapping softly.

"I hope I'm not disturbing, but I couldn't help dropping by when I heard your playing. You're pretty good at that."

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric glances over and smiles amiable, shaking his head.

"Oh... thank you. And no, it's quite all right. I've been playing some instrument or other since I was a child, I can only claim to have practiced a great deal."

He smiles a little more sheepishly to himself.

"...ah, what of yourself? Do you have an instrument, as well?"

[the_saner_one]

"Practice is usually what makes someone good." He says it amicably enough, and his smile is genuine, but there's a wry undertone to his words which disappears as he continues. "And yes I guess you could say I have a few, though I mostly favor the piano."

He nods towards the instrument in question.

"Do you currently play anything else besides the guitar?"

[knighterrantofthedragon]

"Well, I've dabbled, but there's none I've played as long, or as regularly. I suppose I can make do on a piano, should the need arise, but I don't expect that I'd earn any sincere applause."

[the_saner_one]

Yuui's smile deepens a bit. "I suppose that depends on if you're the kind of person who underestimates their own abilities or not. And on your audience." That last part is added after a brief pause and is rather clearly meant to be teasing.

"Piano was my first musical experience. I'm not sure if that's the reason I always come back to it in the end or if it's because something else." He shrugs. "Did you have a teacher when you were younger or are you self-taught?"

[knighterrantofthedragon]

"Oh, no, I had tutors. It's not even a year since I saw them last."

Alric smiles, shaking his head.

"I assure you I'd not have come even as far as I have without their guidance. I've become... more self-sufficient, of course, with experience. More so with the guitar. I've found it somewhat more expressive--subjective and idiosyncratic an impression as that is, of course. The piano is more... proper, I suppose, but also an excellent platform for learning principles of music."

[the_saner_one]

Alric's last comment surprises a small laugh out of him. "Proper, hm? I don't think I've ever heard it expressed that way before. Maybe that's why it suits me so well. After all, I am supposed to be the proper one." Then again, considering his brother that wasn't always hard.

"Did you stop seeing them because you came here, or was it more of a leaving the nest kind of thing?"

[gregorydeegan]

So. Plans in the work to meet with his other potential new band mate coming up, Greg decided to get in some practice before hand, to try and get his sound closer to theirs. He could practice in his room, treat the dorm to a free concert...

But this school has a music room. He checked it out with his dad when they toured the place. And the best thing about practicing in a music room? Spontaneous jam sessions! They were almost as sweet as spontaneous jelly sessions!

So, Walking stick in hand, guitar - the one his father gave him, so he was being extra careful with it - strapped to his back, he walked towards the room. Hearing someone else already rocking out... he pushed white fire into his limbs so he could quicken his pace.

He slid into the room and waited for the other guy to be done, listening carefully, feeling the tune move through him. Once the other was clearly done, he played a riff that would work well with the style the other had been using. Dueling axes, anyone?

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric glanced over, raising an eyebrow at that--and smirked to himself, taking a moment to pick up the key of Greg's riff before replying with a complimentary doodle over it. It's not as intense as some of what he'd been playing, but more inquisitive, as though testing whether he's serious. Not so far off from dueling banjos, albeit less... banjo. He's content to let the musical repartee speak for him, though, for the moment.

[gregorydeegan]

He grinned and started a new thread off of the response, feeling right at home with the musical back and forth.

[knighterrantofthedragon]

Alric was quite content to let Gregory play rhythm, setting the foundation for the getting-to-know-you musical exchange, and embellishing around his riffs, adding some flair and intensity with his contributions but following Greg's lead.