R&B Gig

[Duo]

Duo's first impression of the rather shady bar of Sweetwater Saloon once he entered is rather bleak and uninteresting. He was hoping that he could find some entertainment here; whether a lady sitting alone so he can initiate a conversation with her, or a few men sitting on a table laughing so Duo can easily slip in and join in the conversation they're in...or maybe even a stage nearby to see if he can temporarily lend his musical ear to serenade himself with whatever the music is playing.

He did not realized, however, that the keyboard casing that was behind him is ushering fate to made him actually join in a random group that was about to perform here.

Sure, there are no stage, but there is a free corner without any tables and chairs, specifically for putting instruments so a random group could randomly play there if they want. Duo was tapped on the shoulder minutes after he entered the bar, and turning around, he found a man in his forties, asking if that's a keyboard he's carrying on his back.

Duo's positive answer to the man's question immediately made him pulled into a group of musicians, each person have no idea who the other is, apparently they've all been pulled in by the man into the corner where instruments were supposed to set up. And set up they are, by each of the musicians, each bringing different instruments.

Duo's setting up his keyboard as he pulled a table closer, and as he plugged in a few needed wires to the amp, he looked at the group he randomly joined in just for the night's gig. The man who asked him was sitting behind a drumset, there were a pair of men a few years older than him by the guitar and bass, then there's a girl setting up the microphone.

He smiled at this random chance of performing something he has no idea of. Just as they have all finished setting up their equipments, the man in the drums announced, "Alright, we'll just go this by ear, no plan, no music sheet. Just let your ear guide you. Come in the beat when you caught the rhythm."

Just as the man spoke that, he brings out a pair of drum sticks before began a slow beat he had chosen. It doesn't even reached 5 seconds till the guitar began following in. Duo turned to the man playing it, quite surprised that he caught the rhythm and created his own music to overlap the drums so fast like that.

Of course, with every sound of a guitar, there is bound to be followed up by the bass. Sure enough, the man playing the bass began strumming the strings of his instrument, looking very much at ease as he followed the beat.

Within moments, the three men were synchronizing so amazingly with their own instruments, it astonished Duo that these three men has no idea who the other is. The man in the drums was quite fast in catching what the gutarist has in store, so by the second beat, he was already accompanying the guitar's thrumming with the percussions.

"The main rhythm's now up to you, boy. Play whatever you want out of this!" The man in the drums called out to Duo, and by now, Duo's head is already bopping slightly with the beat, and by the 20th second, he readied his fingers to challenge himself to something he had only attempted using his feet.

Speed.

When he pressed his fingers against the keys of his keyboard, the rest of his movements were like automated. Even his body moved along with how he flows his fingers quickly against the keys. The new rhythm Duo had created made the man in the drums laughed and yelling out at him that he's doing great.

"Great! Great! Keep that up! Okay, lassie, anytime." The girl at the microphone nodded and when the beat allowed it, she sang out random syllables that replaces the words.

Amazing music was created all without a single plan.

The man in the bass then steps in beside the girl, just in time as Duo's part came in and began randomly rapping his way. The girl followed in after that, and almost as if synchronously, the music slowed down for only the drums and the guitar strumming the slow chorus. Duo turned to look at the guitarist, who spun his attention straight at Duo.

Both the men smiled, and just as if the drummer had noticed this silent pact, he ended his beat with a catchy introduction to a new sound; The same time Duo presses his fingers on his keyboard is the same moment the guitarist strummed his guitar, and both began playing the strange fast tune Duo played earlier with their own instruments.

The effect? Jaw-dropping.

The guitarist did his own version of Duo's tune, and the singer had to clap excitedly by the sound they just created out of the whim. She turned back to the microphone and sang the last bit of song.

In the end, Duo, the guitarist and the drummer played till the music is about to end, everyone could tell. Finally, it did, with the bassist's final strum of the string.

The music, is fantastic.

"That was AWESOME! Oh my God, how did we do that?!" Duo jumped from his place, at the same time as the guitarist put up a high hand to the bassist, where he high-fived the man. The girl commented how the bassist has a good singing voice, and then the guitarist went to Duo to express that they should totally drink together after that synchronous solo play they did together.

The drummer laughed from behind his drumset, having fun just creating this music.

"Holy crap, if only someone recorded that. That was pretty tight!"


[OPEN]

[Eyuki]

Eyuki was sitting with a few other customers at the Sweetwater Saloon as she heard some people behind her talking about improvising a short concert. Since anything musical excited her, Eyuki quickly turned towards the men and offered to join as the vocalist. She found out afterwards that the men, Jeff and Luis, were a drummer and a guitarist. They pointed out afterwards that they had been regulars at the saloon but never met before now, but they had seen Eyuki performing there recently and were excited that she offered to join them.

Eyuki got up and went to fetch the necessary microphone and microphone amplifier and brought it over to the clear corner of the room. This saloon did have a stage, but they often had it hiding behind a curtain during the day and refused to open it for an impromptu concert like this.

As Eyuki set up her equipment, she noticed Jeff and Luis bring over two more guys. She smiled at them as she noticed one setting up a bass guitar and the other setting up a keyboard. This ought to be fun. She thought happily as she plugged her microphone cord into her amplifier then gave a thumbs up to Jeff who sat at the drums now.

When Jeff start up a beat, Eyuki caught onto it with slight bobbing movements of her body. She smiled to herself as she heard the guitarist and bassist come in. She looked over at the boy with the keyboard when Jeff signaled him in and smiled as she heard the cool, fast tune he began to play. She nodded to Jeff as he signaled for her to start then turned to her microphone and began to sing random vowels in a light and airy tone.

When she noticed the bassist move up to her microphone, she moved over slightly to let him rap. She smiled as he did so, rather impressed by it. Because her brothers, Hikaru and Zephel, occasionally rapped when she forced them to make music with her, she felt a sort of familiar comfort in that. She joined in again when she felt it was right and passed the mic to the bassist once more to add something else in before he went back to his place through the rest of the song and she finished it up.

Hearing the keyboardist's sudden exclamation of excitement after they were done, Eyuki jumped slightly then looked over at him with a huge smile. "That was so much fun!" She said with a smile then moved towards the bassist and complimented his rapping. "You were really good." She said with a smile at him, receiving a smile back and an introduction from the bassist saying his name was Keil.

Eyuki laughed at the keyboardist's next exclamation and smiled at him. "Even if we don't record an improvisation, we can always just make more." She said with a cheerful smile. "My name is Eyuki, by the way!" She said happily to the keyboardist and for anyone in that little group that didn't already know it. "You play that keyboard really well!"

[Duo]

Duo is so positively thrilled to be meeting people in his division, right now being musicians, that he decided he would treat all of them lunch. They had a short chat on the stage after the gig ends and introduced themeselves.

He now learns that the drummer is Jeff, the guitarist is Luis, the bassist is Keil and the singer is Eyuki. "Heh, yeah! This beat's gonna be playing in my head over and over though," he laughed happily until the singer complimented his keyboard playing.

"Aaww, thanks. You sing awesome, are you a pro?" He asked, not out of manners, but out of curiosity. Duo then led them all to the bar table and allow them to order any drinks they want since he's paying. "My name's Duo! And please gentlemen, give them a few shots." He said to the men behind the counter.

[Eyuki]

Eyuki giggled also at the keyboardist saying that the beat would be playing in his head over and over. Eyuki smiled at him then when he complimented her singing and asked if she was a professional. She blushed slightly and giggled again. "Well, I'm not technically a pro, but I do have a job singing in this saloon most nights." She said happily, smiling at him.

When he led them to a table and offered to pay for their drinks, Eyuki followed and sat with them, smiling still. "It's nice to meet you, Duo." She said with a smile, the other guys saying similar things and remarking on being glad to be getting free drinks from their new musician friend.

When the man behind the counter began handing out shots, he paused at Eyuki. Eyuki simply smiled at the bartender and gave him a small wink, suggesting in that that she won't tell that she's underage if he won't. The bartender let out a quiet sigh as he put the final shot in front of Eyuki and went to tend to other customers.

Eyuki smiled to herself at her success in getting a drink from the bartender. Since she had started working at this bar, a number of men who came up to her after her performances offered to buy her and occasionally also her brother a drink. When she could, Eyuki would accept and has since gained a liking to the bitter impairment that the alcohol brings.

She took the shot glass in front of her and looked to the other guys there. "Cheers." She said with a smile, lifting her glass to them a bit then pulled it back and easily downed the shot. She lowered the glass down to the table as she swallowed the liquid, feeling the familiar burning sensation flowing down her throat and smiled at the guys again.

[Duo]

"Passion is a good thing!" Duo immediately remarked when the singer said that she has a job singing here, he noted how happily she stated that out and that's the most important thing.

After leading them to the bar table, Duo made sure each one of his guests got their respective refreshments first before he can even touch his. He noticed the hesitation of the bartender when he's facing Eyuki.

Confused at first, Duo was about to ask the barkeep about it, but then Eyuki lifted up her glass, cheered to the bandmates, and drank it in one shot. '...Wait.' A sudden memory sparked in his head and then Duo immediately scurried his way unseen using his speed and sat himself on the empty seat at Eyuki'sother side.

"Wait, this country has an age limit..?" he whispered to her, his face now coloring with guilt. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry..!" Darting his eyes from Eyuki to her drink then back to Eyuki again, Duo bit his lower lip in remorse.

All the countries he visited has their own set of rules, and since Duo rarely went for a drink, he'd forgotten which one of the countries banned alcohol-consuming under 18. "And how old are you exactly..?"

[Eyuki]

Eyuki chuckled at Duo's exclamation about passion. "Yep!" She responded with a bright smile.

Since she was looking at the guys after she downed her shot, she was struck with surprise to see one of them seem to disappear only to reappear on her other side. She looked at him with a surprised expression at both his actions then at his sudden concern and apologizing. Eyuki giggled lightly then raised a finger to her lips. "Shh, I'm almost eighteen, it's okay~" She whispered back with an almost mischievous grin and a wink. "Don't worry about it~ You're not the first to buy me a drink since I started singing here." She added with a light chuckle.

[Duo]

The concern on Duo's face eases down into silent admiration when the girl convinced him that it's alright in such an easygoing manner. "Wow... To be honest, I'm amazed. A pretty lady like you working with what you love at such a young age... I mean, when I was your age, I was still flailing and bumping into walls everywhere, hahah!" He was about to take a sip of his drink, but then realized he left his glass at where he sat before. "Ah." And in a blink of an eye, he disappeared from where he was, and just as fast he's gone, he returned to the seat beside Eyuki with his glass in his hand.

He raised his drink to her with a smile on his face before gulping down the drink. As he does so, he figured it'd be nice if he starts a casual conversation with the girl as the three men from before seem distracted talking among each other. "So... Eyuki, right?" Better make sure he got her name right, at least. "When did you start singing? That's some real talent there."

[Eyuki]

Eyuki smiled happily at Duo's compliment of amazement at how Eyuki's already working with what she loves. She giggled lightly at his comment about how he was flailing and bumping into walls at her age. "Haha, the way you say that reminds me of my brother." She said happily, pleased to be reminded about her brother, Hikaru.

Eyuki's eyes widened again seeing him flash away and back, now with a drink in his hand. She smiled at him, assuming it must just be an ability of his. She's known many people in her time with many different abilities after all. When he started speaking first, Eyuki just smiled and said "yep~" in answer to him confirming her name. She giggled again at the compliment of her vocal talent.

"Actually, I haven't exactly been singing for very long. Only a couple of years. I made some friends in school who were very into music and they just sort of pulled me into it. It was fun though, so I just kept singing. My brother occasionally writes music too." She smiled while briefing over her introduction to music, remembering her friends from DD and thinking about Hikaru. She wondered for a moment what he was up to at that moment.

"What about you? How long have you been playing keyboard?"

[Duo]

Duo is so glad he collaborated with this group, it's always exciting to find like-minded people who shares his love for music. This young woman, especially. At her musing of how he reminded her of her brother, Duo inwardly felt glad that at least she doesn't seem to be alone here.

He listens to her brief background with rapt interest, the glass in his hand slackens slightly. "Ah~ So the passion started from school~" He nods understandingly. Kids nowadays are so lucky to have music included in their curriculum. "I'm glad that you found it to be fun and decided to pursue it, Eyuki." Duo sincerely remarked, and raises his glass towards her. "I'll drink to your bright future!"

He gulped down his beverage and heaved off a loud sigh. "..Hah! Whew! That was spicier than I expected..." Duo looks down at his glass to study it, as if he can somehow tell what the drink is by just examining its color. Each of the country he visited has specific tastes in drinks, he learned. Some, like this one, needs an acquired taste to get used to.

While he's still staring into his glass, he heard Eyuki questioning him back on how long has he been playing his keyboard. Duo looks up to catch her eyes and sheepishly laughs his answer off, "Ahaha, I started as a kid! In church. They needed someone to play the organ after the last kid... left, so." He lets the sentence hang for a moment as he twirls his drink around his glass.

"It's really all I had at that time to have fun, and through the years, I kinda needed it to let loose sometimes, y'know?" Duo gazes back at the corner of the saloon where they had left their instruments. "Sometimes I feel like... music saved me. Don't know what I'd do without it."

Realizing his uncharacteristic way of randomly opening up like that, the braided man tips his glass bottoms up as he drank the entire content of his drink.