304/Moonlight Serenade

Moonlight Serenade
Date of Scene:	16 August 2015
Location:	Pikarigaoka - Clover Street - North
Synopsis:	Ikiko's out on patrol when she hears someone playing the violin. She discovers a cat and a fiddle.
Cast of Characters:	Ikiko Hisakata, Ikuto Tsukiyomi

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Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
That's an odd thing to hear on the street-- violin music. Especially this late. Most people in the city have gone to bed; this is ridiculously late even for this city. Of course, it could be someone up to no good, wasn't there someone using a violin to do terrible things to people? Stealing dreams from kids?

Well, if one follows the sound, there is a blue-haired young man wearing all-black, with a silver cross necklace, and a smaller cross hanging from the cuffs of each sleeve. He's playing the violin. That's him all right. But there are no people around, especially not children; it's way too late.

It's also worthy to note that he's not playing that sad melody that's so good at making people feel so horrid about themselves. It IS a sad melody... but it's wistful, full of an almost hopeful longing. He seems completely wrapped up in the song, paying little attention to the world around him. The white voilin case is sitting on a bench that he's standing beside.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
At this late hour, most reasonable people have gone to bed or have otherwise fallen asleep, especially kids still in elementary school.

Of course, no-one has ever claimed that magical girls are reasonable.

Cute Wolf Tsukiko bounds along the nearby trees, patrolling the neighborhood. Her ears twitch at the sound of violin music, somehow familiar while at the same time pleasingly different. After a bit of prowling to track the direction of the sound, the wolfgirl wanders towards the source of the music, sticking to the shadows whenever possible.

She watches the violin player from a distance, a slight frown on her face. The lack of ears and a tail is throwing her slightly, but she's pretty sure he's the catboy jerk who likes hassling koi and who stole that one kid's dream egg. What is he up to tonight?

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
From all appearances he's just playing his violin. Nothing catastrophic is happening around him. There are no hordes of peoplezombie-ing their way down the street towards where he is, there are no demons coming up from out of the ground, there is no lightning flashing in the sky nor unnatural cloud formations above. He really looks for all the world like a busker.

If left unaccosted, the blue-haired boy will... just continue to play his violin. It's amazingly mundane. But he seems to draw some sort of enjoyment from it, because as he plays the last note of song and he opens his eyes, he smiles. Not a smirk. An actual, honest-to-goodness smile.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
So the blue-haired boy is just playing the violin... although the word 'just' undersells the music. Tsukiko finds herself relaxing somewhat as she listens, enjoying the beauty of the music.

Once the music comes to a halt, the wolfgirl waits a moment or two, then steps out from the shadows, applauding with a moderate amount of enthusiasm. "That song was pretty," she smiles to the violinist as she walks a bit further from the shadows where she had been standing.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto pauses when he hears the applause. The wolf girl? Is that her voice? What's she doing here? Well, she /is/ a wolf, and it's night-time. Wolves are nocturnal, right? 'Creatures of the night' and all that? So... that makes sense, at least. But still... why here?

Outwardly though, it looks like just a simple pause. Without turning to look in Ikiko's direction, he ventures, "It's you again?" He moves to put the violin back in its case. "Isn't it a bit late for a moonlight stroll?" Though there's no venom in the words at all. He's really more being lazily cantankerous because he's sort of obliged to. Cat, dog-- you know.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"I could say the same about your violin-playing," Tsukiko replies with a bemused smile. There is a hint of a retort there, but it's jovial and friendly instead of snarky and confrontational. "I was just wandering around town, keeping an eye out for shadowy nightmare-causing monsters and the like, when I heard some beautiful music. I followed it, and it happened to be you."

Her smile fades a bit as Ikuto starts putting the violin away. "Aww, done already?" she says with a slight pout.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"No one's out this late," Ikuto points out to the mention of him being out late. "Usually." The puts the violin away carefully, wiping the guard and the back of the instrument with the cloth inside the case before placing it into the boilin-shaped depression in the case, then placing the bow alongside it.

He pauses as she seems to pout about him putting his violin away. Then he looks up at the sky. A crescent moon. Funny, fits of lunacy are only supposed to catch hold of people during the full moon. But apparently one's caught hold of Ikuto. Or maybe it's seeing the wolf-girl pout. He really can't stand seeing a girl pout.

Then he's put the violin to his shoulder again, though he hesitates. And that smirk is back, but there's no malice. And then... there is music.

This one isn't one of his, but it's one that he thought of when thinking of the wolf-girl. the piece is more suited to Halloween, actually. But it's also not sad, or melancholy in the slightest. In fact it begins with a strong but rather creepy-sounding opener, before going into a fast-paced portion.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko gives Ikuto a beaming smile when he picks the violin back up, but she's respectfully quiet as she waits for the music. She's expecting another calm, beautiful song, perfect for more relaxation.

What she gets instead is something lively and energetic.

The wolfgirl blinks for a moment, then a smile overtakes her face and she starts dancing around, moving to the rhythm of the music and cavorting acrobatically. Calm and relaxing is good, but lively and playful is better!

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto is pretty calm, despite the song he's playing. It just doesn't seem to be in his nature to get excited. He is smirking as he plays though. He knows he has skill with the violin. And really, he's more pleased that the sound of his father's violin is entertaining people. Even if it's someone that fought him earlier.

Though he's not completely aware of the clues he's giving. How much does Ikiko know about music? If she knows very much-- which could be possible, wolves being the 'musicians' of the night-- there is heart in this song. There is feeling.

The song also has a very abrupt end, but that's not his doing. But it does sound like he's stopped in the middle of playing. He chuckles, pulling the violin from under his chin. "That wasn't one of mine," he admits. Probably because all he writes are those sad things.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
It takes Tsukiko a moment to realize that's how the song ends, but she applauds Ikuto as her dancing comes to a halt. Other than her most powerful howls, she's not much of a musician, but she can still recognize heartfelt music when she hears it, and she smiles warmly at it.

"You still played it awesomely," the wolfgirl points out. She certainly feels energized for taking on the rest of her planned patrol! "Thank you for playing that song for me; it really made my night."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
At first, Ikuto doesn't say anything at the compliment, but the smile is genuine. A far cry from the horrible cat who was harassing Reiko's koi. Though the question of /why/ he was doing that, if he's capable of being nice, could be asked. Then again, /CAT/. Who knows what they're thinking half the time.

Though he does finally speak. he seems to really have trouble with this one too. "...Thank you. For listening." He's played for crowds before, yes... but only at the behest of others. He's never at his best when playing because someone else told him to. This was different.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"You're welcome; I'm glad I was able to listen," Tsukiko smiles back. Teasing harassment one day, genuine kindness another? Ikuto's an interesting dichotomy, certainly... but it seems almost familiar, in a roundabout way.

The wolfgirl's eyes widen very slightly as she places /why/ the dichotomy seems familiar: it's like what her older brothers and cousins do -- tease you most of the time, but still care for you when it counts. Does this mean that the violin-playing catboy is an older brother to someone?

Not that it's relevant tonight.

"I should probably get going," she says with a sigh. "It was nice listening to your violin playing, and may you sleep well when you finally go to sleep!" Tsukiko waves to Ikuto, then starts walking back towards the shadows of the trees. She's not bounding away immediately, but unless given a reason to stop the wolfgirl will be resuming her patrol once out of sight.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto gives an affirmative grunt, and moves to put his violin back in its case once more. He does seem like he's going to let her just leave, but just before she steps away, he notes, "...I come here a lot. You might see me again if you come here." As he speaks he too begins walking away, rather than summon his cat ears and tail, and leaping away. Then again, the absence of Yoru is also notable.