Description: An enchanted forest with dashing heros and a mystical melody drifting through the wind. This is nowhere to be seen in this log. Instead, we have Vince being all boring and STUDYING while Gabriel butchers a song on her violin. There may be no action really going on right now, but if this encounter is any indication, there's definitely some looming in the horizon!
After regular classes, he's taken up his books and made his way straight to the best place he can think of to find peace and solace: the woods. And really, it's a perfect day for outside studies. The sky is clear, bright sun beaming down. The weather is quite warm, but mercifully enough, there's a cool breeze whipping about the forest.
Vince, himself, is leaned back against a tree, right boot propped against the trunk behind him. In his left hand, he holds an open textbook, the motions of his eyes indicative of reading. His right hand periodically turns a page over. Really, it's a lazy day for the swordsman. Training will come after studies, of course, but otherwise? The day has been largely uneventful.
Gabriel was older, no longer a student, but not exactly an adult. She had moved on to college, student teaching at the very same school she had graduated from. That was only her school life, but on her own time she had a passion for her violin. This was an idea location she seemed to think, so here was the self proclaimed crusader of light in a clearly by the path, her instrument out and playing to the trees and grass and leaves. There wasn't any concern of being over heard, not the way she played, even though she obviously wasn't very good, she played her heart out a bit. Her eyes closed.
Well, he's been -trying- to study at any rate. Vince is finding it increasingly difficult, though. Tuning out the noise has become impossible, enduring it as long as he has.
Finally Vince just snaps the book shut with a sigh. His head lifts to peer about himself, then leans off the tree trunk to place the book back in his pack. This is then hoisted onto his left shoulder, and he turns to follow the noise to its source. Maybe if he talks to whoever is playing, they'll be inclined to stop. Conversation with anyone would be ultimately more pleasant than that cacophany, anyway.
She hasn't been addressed yet and so immersed in her playing, Gabriel doesn't stop. The violin seems maybe just a little off, perhaps there was some fundamental aspect of music she just didn't seem to understand. Perhaps it was the inability to hear tone. A tone deaf musician certainly didn't make a very good one, but it wasn't unusual either. The music is pretty nasty sounding though, if anyone were to distract her from that. Still the bow moves over the strings and they vibrate.
It really doesn't Vince long to locate the source of noise pollution. The grl holding the bow and violin is noted, and Vince decidedly takes a moment to compose himself. Severely. He draws in a deep breath and exhales it in a quiet sigh, letting all (or most, anyway) inclination to beg her to stop seep away. She can thank socialite training for that. But at the same time, it makes the situation all the worse. Vince is a lover of the arts - music being a chief one. And this girl? She's... really not good at it.
At the same time, though, she could just be learning. That's the idea he clings to as a source of redemption for her.
Still, Vince doesn't do anything to -interrupt- her. He simply stands by and observes at a polite distance, right hand settled casually over the pommel of a rosette. Her song has to end at some point. Right?
Eventually she actually just stops on own. You know eventually someone needs to do things like stop and tune their violin. So Gabriel lowers her instrument and takes in the sound of things around her. Letting the woods just be silent, except for well the breeze and the animals and eventually she decides not to be so quiet and stares at her instrument. She then takes out a tuning fork and taps it on her thigh and listens to it then.
Flat.
She seems annoyed by this
She's finished! At last! And since she's managed to not notice Vince, he considers slipping back over to where he was earlier. But... screw it. That would be rude. Besides, he -is- a little curious about her. So he decides to make his presence known after the tuning fork is used by clearing his throat softly.
And if -that- wasn't enough, Vince pipes up with an amiable, "A bit off?"
There was a spot of surprise on the young woman as Vince appears, but after a careful look over him, he doesn't appear to be that sketchy, actually he seems rather reasonably clean and well mannered. She gives him a chance.
"The tune is not to my liking," Gabriel replies simply and lowers the instrument. She turns to the case and begins too put it away, apparently that was that, she's done.
The violin's egress is to -his- liking, at any rate. And Vince bites off that somewhat bitter thought before it sneaks its way into vocalization. Instead, he offers up a pleasantly friendly smile. "Next time, I'm sure," he encourages. Maybe that was the cause for it. It was off. ..She just took a seriously long time realizing it.
Either way, Vince inclines his head. "Do you usually come this far out to practice?" He then lifts his right hand to his lips briefly. "I apologize. That was an assumption. You could have a nice home out here."
With a shake of her head Gabriel answers in a voice that seems to lack any indication as to if she is enjoying this conversation at all or not. Really it could be either way, it's very casual, but not a soft casual, a formal casual. She's very formal.
"I do not, I typically practice in a studio within the city."
The latter part isn't a question, it goes unanswered. Instead Gabriel continues to pack her things, though when she finishes she does not leave, instead she turns her attention to Vince with the care and patience of someone who seems to enjoy watching rocks grow, or perhaps spend a great deal of time simply in prayer or meditation.
It seems as though Vince was expecting more to be said, as he simply watches her with large, expectant icy blue eyes. But when it's dwindled a bit into awkward silence, those eyes shift aside a bit.
"Well!"
The eyes zip back over to Gabriel. "A studio? I imagine that would be ideal. No interruptions to worry about, yes?" He then takes a mirthful, joking expression, attempting to ease the air. "Like what I may have done now."
"That would make sense, but it is right across from Gedo high which makes it very troublesome at certain times of day." Gabriel says and reguard Vince for a moment.
"I had already stopped." She states, apparently unaware he had been watching previously. Still he's being pretty easy going.
"So you did," Vince concurs.
And Vince hits something of a speed bump in conversation. That is, he isn't sure what to say to her now. Except maybe to bring the violin up yet again. The blond bites the bullet and inclines his head, giving her a now inquisitive look. "How long have you been practicing, anyway?" Even if he was hoping to change the subject, he supposes her answer could explain a lot.
"I used to practice with Ingrid-san, someone I know, however we have been focused more on some sort of team tournament. Though there are only two of us on the team," Gabriel says, getting rather as conversational as she ever does, which isn't very much. Speaking about how she is dressed now, it is nice clothes, but not very colorful, clearly silk.
"Why are you here?"
Lackluster in conversation as she might seem at first, she's given him a question! Vince can take that and fly with it! "Studying! Summer is coming, you know," Vince explains. "I prefer coming out here for the solitude and peacefulness." He pats a hand at the pack carrying his books. "Besides, I can usually get some training of my own done here."
"Is that like studying?" Asks Gabriel, despite that she just herself said the bit about being on a team, you would think she would know what he meant by training.
"What school do you attend?" Asks the self proclaimed crusader of ligth, not having anything to add it seems to the big about the forest.
"In some cases," Vince agrees, shoulders lifting in a small shrug. "Fencing is certainly a scholar's form of combat."
At the inquiry of which school, Vince immediately answers, "Pacific High. And yourself?" She, for all intents and purposes, looks about the same age to him. Hopefully she won't be another rabbid Taiyo High student angry over the fight with Hurricane Hime. What a whirlwind -that- created.
"I am a student teacher at Justice High, but a student at the southtown university," replies Gabriel. She might of heard about him, might of heard of a lot of things, but she might also live under a rock, it is hard to tell. Her face is pretty incredibly void of exprssion.
"What are your aspirations in life?"
Her lack of fury/outrage/'grr' is a little pleasing to Vince, at any rate. Competition is good. Builds character in a person. But the degree that some take it to is a bit much, in his opinion. Lacks civility and grace. So she's earned a bit of brownie points with that, and Vince gives her a lighthearted smile. "I mistook you for someone younger," he admits. "Clearly you don't look old."
The question of aspirations warrants a moment of pause in thought, however. His hand lifts to tap a finger to his lips. "That's a difficult question to answer. There are many things I hope to accomplish. One of the biggest is to show the world Rose Dansant as the finest style of swordsmanship to behold."
"I am nineteen years of age," Gabriel replies, not really taking it too seriously that he thought her younger. There is no register of her being offended, or complimented, she seems to more or less take it completely at face value.
"The finest style of swordsmanship?" This perks her interest,
"Tell me of this style." It wasn't a question.
Vince tilts his head slightly aside, bangs drifting before his face. "Oh." She's nineteen. He supposes that looks about right. Why he thought being a college student/student teacher would make her older, he's not really sure in retrospect.
And then she makes her request. Or.. non-request. Vince takes it as a request, at any rate. "Rose Dansant is a rapier style that emphasizes grace, precision, and speed - redirection, deflection, and riposte. To simplify: it's pure finesse."
"Tell me more," Gabriel says, looking visibly very interested at this point. Perhaps it suits her somehow. There is interest, where there was more or less a lack of emotion before. The young woman looks at Vince in rapt attention before asking,
"Perhaps you can demonstrate."
Her sudden interest gets a soft, amused laugh from Vince. "You're interested in swordplay, then? I wouldn't mind giving you a demonstration at all. But I feel I should tell you that I'm not allowed to teach Rose Dansant to anyone outside the family. The style is taught only to those who are born or wed in." His smile then turns wry. "Enforced training, I might add."
"I do not mind, I am not asking to be taught, only to see a demonstration of the style," Gabriel replies in a casual air as though the thought doesn't really bother her, she seems quite content to just watch what Vince has to do or say.
Vince nods at her, bangs bouncing. She didn't react in any further amusing manner to his extrapolation, however. Ah well! It matters not! "If that is what you wish, very well!" He drifts back from her and removes his pack of books to set it on the floor. His right hand then sets to the handle of his sheathed weapon, drawing out the blade, turning it over to glint in the sunlight. "Hrm..."
"Perhaps a challenge, your team against mine. If you lack a partner you may choose anyonee you wish." Gabriel reaches into her violin case and produces a buisnes card. The expensive kind.
"You may reach me from here." She hands the card , or rather hold sit out to Vince.
Vince lifts the blade in preparation for a quick flash of his blade.. or somesuch. But then a card is produced. He freezes immediately and eyeshifts to it before turning to her fully. "Oh? You.. fight? Very well." The card is taken and examined, before his eyes shift to her. "I don't have a partner though, no."
He hesitates a few moments, placing the tip of his blade against the grass. "You seem an interesting girl. I'll certainly take up this offer. And perhaps I'll see you again in the meantime?" Vince assumes this will be the finale of their meeting, pocketing the card.
"Yes, I think we shall meete again, " Gabriel replies before turning to leave. She doens't get far before turning and asking with a call,
"How can I reach you?" She seems ready to go, perhaps she has things to do, but not before swapping information.
Vince turns to watch her as she moves off in her exit. Her question seems to surprise him for a moment, brow furrowed. "Oh. Well..." He trails off again, this time in thought rather than surprise. "I.. can't recall my number off hand. But if you go by Pacific High, you should be able to find me. My name is Vince LaRose, captain of the fencing team." That should be sufficient information in tracking him down, should she so desire.
Log created on 20:45:33 05/05/2008 by Vince, and last modified on 12:54:33 05/07/2008.