Dark Prayers (D2, MA) [Open]

[Susumu Yakumo]

This morning had been productive so far, as her muse had provided her with inspiration for new work. So of course, that meant she had to take her time to offer her prayers at the shrine. It was not a shrine to Uzuki, but this was the next best thing.

Dressed in her traditional kimono with spider-motifs, paired with a black obi with red spider lillies, the singer solemnly offered her prayers at the altar in silence.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi wasn't overly religious but they were no stranger to this shrine. The Soshi was knelt before some burning incense softly muttering to themself. Likely a prayer of some sort given the circumstances.

Kazumi made no special effort to dress up they wore the usual modern pants and top in black with a loose fitting red and black jacket over top.

Kazumi rose from their praying and made to leave before something, more accurately someone caught their eye. Kazumi had no interest in interrupting the Spider in her prayers and waited a respectful distance away for her to finish.

[Susumu Yakumo]

Yakumo finished her prayers, and left a few coins in the alms box at the end.

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she focused again on the world around her, taking in the scenery. And the other visitor. He did seem... vaguely familiar. Maybe from the club last night? There had been a lot of people there, and a lot of masks.

"Scorpion-san. Good afternoon," she offered a bow.

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi bowed in return "Susumu-sama, I apologize if I am bothering you while leaving prayers. I just finished my own offering and thought to make an introduction." Kazumi replied their unique voice issuing from an unlit mask looking like a traditional Oni mask. The voice hit a middle road not quite high but not low and lacking in definitive gendered qualities. It also carried a pleasant rasp to it not too heavy but still noticeable.

"This one is Soshi Kazumi, if I seem familiar I was performing and observing at the Wicked Wasp last night." Kazumi said as they relaxed into a more casual posture.

[Susumu Yakumo]

"It's no bother at all," she assured him, "it's good to see other worshippers here."

As he offered his name, a light kind of went up in her eyes. "Aha, Soshi Kazumi. Usagi Rei-san mentioned you to me, yes. And I must have seen you last night too as well." Though his appearance had been a bit overshadowed by the Yogo girl. "Usagi-san put your name forward for an idea I had in mind, you see... if you're free to talk now, that is?"

She couldn't help but to be a bit curious by his voice, and she wondered if it was natural, or his mask altering it somehow.

[Soshi Kazumi]

"Usagi-san keeps very impressive company, not to mention youre the second person to bring him up to me in as many days." Kazumi said with a touch of amuesment. If the voice was digitally alter it was expertly done so as no static or digital noise accompanied the words.

"But yeah of course, I'd be happy to chat with you. Would you like to walk and talk Susumu-sama? The temple has seen better days but is still fairly impressive." Kazumi offered gesturing towards the rest of the building.

[Susumu Yakumo]

Rei certainly seemed to get around. She'd have to ask him how many music-friends he had at some point.

"Walking and talking is a favorite pasttime of mine, especially when I spend so much time in transit," she chuckled, more than happy to begin setting the pace of their leisurely stroll.

"It's my understanding you're a DJ, and a musician specialising in electronic music, correct? I haven't been able to look up your music since Usagi-san namedropped you last evening."

[Soshi Kazumi]

"A rather simple pastime for one of the most famous, and I can't help but assume rich, performers in the galaxy." Kazumi noted with a hint of amusment as they matched her pace.

Then Kazumi nodded "Hai, I have been making electronic music for around ten years and have been performing it for about half that time." They replied "My music is readily available is you look up my stage name Moonshade."

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Moonshade, huh? Well, knowing the stage-name is a good start to finding your music - no wonder I didn't find much under Soshi Kazumi," she chuckled with some good humor. A theatrical stagename like that sounded good to her; a good sense for flare.

"Did you train with the Shosuro then perhaps? They do train some exceptional performers too, though I'm mostly only familiar with actors coming from their dojos. Like Shosuro Hashinako or Bayushi Mariko."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi laughed a bit, a soft pleasant sound known to be a little infectious "Yes, well Moonshade seemed more fitting than DJ Sting Face or Shadow Sword. Good balance of theatrically without tipping into the absurd. Or so I like to think." Kazumi explained.

"But yes I did train with the Shosuro in fact. They train many forms of entertainment but are most well known for their acting instruction. While I do having passing knowledge of acting and singing the bulk of my training was actually geared toward computers and data architecture. Believe it or not performing and music are just Passions for me. I work as a data architect for Soshi Biopharma as my day job. Though they saw fit to give me time off to assist with court."

Kazumi dropped their voice conspiratorially and leaned in slight "but between you and me I've just been putting in extra time in the studio and at the Wasp." Kazumi chuckled a little.

[Susumu Yakumo]

Her smile widened, sharing in that little secret he gave her. "Can't say I blame you. I would do the same, or rather, I suppose I have been doing the same. While I am technically on leave for the season, as negotiations over the contract is taking place... and I am supposed to be assisting in court too... well I have spent more time working on new music than court."

Two artists paying hooky as it were.

"But I won't tell on you as long as you do the same for me." Yakumo grinned a little.

[Soshi Kazumi]

The look Kazumi gave her back was a good as a return grin. It paid to have expressive eyes if you went for a mask that covered the mouth "Well us Scorpion are known for our secrets, what's another added to the pile." They said jokingly.

"So working on music during your vacation, do you plan on gracing World of Dreams with a surprise show Susumu-sama?"

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Perhaps. It wouldn't be unheard of of me exactly to spring such a surprise on everyone," she mused, looking away from Kazumi and at the surroundings of the shrine as they walked. "Takes time though. Finding a good venue, setting everything up. I did like the intimacy of my performance at the Blackfish Den on New Kalani - it's different to be so close to the audience compared to on the big stage."

Yakumo looked back to him over her shoulder. "But you're a local musician, and play your music at Wicked Wasp. How would you rate it for live shows?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi had most of their attention on Yakumo as they were already fairly familiar with the shrine "It's a good venue mostly built as a night club but stage is good, currently set up for DJs but easy enough to rearrange it for other kinds of performances."

Kazumi paused thinking for a moment "acoustics are good enough maybe not as good as a venue built for live performances but I doubt it would cause problems. You were at Yogo-san's performance last night so you can at least know what it's like being in the audience."

[Susumu Yakumo]

It took her a moment to actually remember that she had in fact been in the audience, and not just some... random observer! Gasp. Is this what it felt like to be the less famous person in the room? Inconcievable.

"It was certainly a lively audience. I'll have to look into the capacity number for the locale." Because to her it was unthinkable that someone else would have a full house for their performance. "But yes, it seems like live shows aren't unheard of there then. Have you had the opportunity to work with other live performances then too, as the resident DJ of the club?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

Kazumi shrugged "A few times, its not terribly common and technically DJ Stingface is the house DJ, he works directly for the club. I'm just the best DJ that performs there." Kazumi said with a confident tone, not cocky or boastful but matter of fact.

"Looking for someone to work a table for you during your performance?" They asked with an eyebrow arched

[Susumu Yakumo]

"I might be." Judging by her smile and the look she gave him, she absolutely was. "But of course, I'd have to give your music a proper listen first."

She did like his confidence though. There was something to be said for artists who were legitimately confident in their craft, and not just overconfident.

"So apart from yourself, and Yogo-san, what is the music scene like here? As alive and active as the nightclub-scene seems to be?"

[Soshi Kazumi]

"Of course, can't just work with someone based on just a pretty face." Kazumi joked

They then nodded to her question "It's lively. A number of DJs play at the Wasp, lots of different artists play at local venues an bars. A planet this big with this many clans on it you're bound to have a decent number of talented people. Not to mention smaller artists that were popular on their homeworld coming here to see if they can make it big."

[Susumu Yakumo]

She nodded. "Exactly. But sometimes a pretty face helps." Yakumo did keep her gaze on his mask for a while, still wondering if it played a part in his interesting voice.

"Makes sense, I guess. Not a lot of big city-worlds like this that are also great hubs of trade and entertainment. I've seen my share of worlds, and few can compare to World of Dreams when it comes to the sheer size of it's... city-life."

[Soshi Kazumi]

Catching the Gaze "see something you like Susumu-sama?" Kazumi asked with a light and slightly teasing tone to the words

"But yes World of Dreams is very unique in the galaxy as far as I know. More of a melting pot than another world I've read about. Visiting other worlds would likely be interesting since this place is all I've ever really known."