markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .022

[Today, Katara is on a mission. There are people she has to thank for giving her presents, and to that purpose she has prepared small pressed impressions of dried goldenrods in glass (thank you, Usopp and the item shop) or pressed into paper with the words 'Thank You' written on it, depending on what she thinks you'll like more. Yes, this has taken her all week.

She will either be dropping them off at your house, or meeting with you personally to touch base with you. There are a few other people she's on the look out for in particular, and several side missions she also hopes to accomplish. Feel free to bump into her at any point as she goes about her business, whether or not there is a dried flower for you!]

[Courtesy 15 percent filter to the people addressed, so as to not spam your journals if you don't want to see it.]

Ginko, where are you today?

Allen - are you busy today? I'd like to stop by.

Brook... [there is some hesitation here] can I ask you a question?

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[And sometime after the conversation with Sanji, you'd better believe that she's hunting her brother down. Where will she find him? Will she have to hold his dinner hostage?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She laughs a little helplessly.] I don't know what to look for!

Then that's your problem! You should be listening. [He makes an eager motion with one hand, urging her to pick up the instruments.] Try your hand at them and see what sounds you get!

[Well, since she's got her hand on the violin already, she picks it up and mimics what she's seen Brook do -

And that was not a pleasant sound by any stretch of the imagination. Wince.]

Sorry!

No need to apologize! If I were to expect a perfect note right off of the bat, you would have to have been my first student.

[He will offer to play these expertly for her if she would like to hear the real sound, but for now he thinks she should continue to experiment.]

[She puts the violin down as warily as if it had been a gopher-viper and turns to the drum. She strikes it once, experimentally.]

These we have at home - we'd use them for some tribal cerimonies.

I remember you telling me that. Did they let childern partake in the ceremonies?

[She nods.] We all had our parts. Even if it was just that we got to dance in front of the fire to the drums.

Ah, dancing~ I was wondering if you had ever gotten a chance to play the drums or not, but dancing is just as much fun.

No - no, we didn't get to do that. [And she strikes the drum again, then adding another hand, beating out a quick, half-remembered rhythm. It had been two years since their last ceremony, after all.]

[Brook nods approvingly.] That's not half bad, even so.

[She shakes her head and moves on to the trumpet.] This looks a little bit like the tsungi horn -- did you get to hear Roku play it at the birthday party?

From afar, yes! I was happy to hear that he found one!

Me too. [She smiles and shakes her head and moves on, not wanting to learn the trumpet.]

What's this one called? [She points to the clarinet.]

The clarinet - it's a woodwind instrument, like the flute.

[She picks it up and blows into it experimentally. It makes a low sound.]

Any thoughts on that one, if I might inquire?

It's pretty, and it's portable... [But Sokka is learning to play the flute and he has enough issues without...

...you know what? Sokka just needs to get over his issues. She sets the clarinet down with careful deliberation.]

I'll think about it! But I think I'd like to try everything first.

I cannot fault your reasoning! But you never know! Sometimes a certain instrument will just take fast.

[But that concludes the end of his line up.] Ah, just one moment! [He vanishes behind some odds and ends, only to return with a guitar.]

Care to try your hand at this one while I find a few others for you to look over? It's called a guitar, and you hold it like so. [He gives her a quick demonstration before moving to hand it over.]

[She takes the guitar and holds it somewhat awkwardly.] We don't have anything like this back home - nothing so big, anyway.

[She runs her hand down the strings hesitantly, and then looks up at him with a smile.] It's pretty!

Very! It's quite the popular instrument. One of my crewmates, Franky-san - he's the one who's still at home - plays this one. There's a nice variety of tones you can get from it.

[Walking off to gather a few more instruments.] Though if you find that one to be large, I really should show you the cello I received as a gift last Christmas! It is about as tall as you are.

[ Action, Voice ] .022

[Action] You're my hero, Pi

[Action] I know I hate it when that happens to me. XD

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[Action] Oh thank God, I still have a happy thread. ;;

[Action] It will be waiting for you when you get back!

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[Action] /finally gets some backtags out of the way

[Action] oh yes, back here where there were happy times

[Action] We'll have them again someday ;;