Mask? Yup.
Costume? Hope a leather jacket and black pants work.
Cup for donations? Yup, one of the tins that homeless guys use because I can't afford a good money hat.
That seems to be everything. I carefully grab the flute I spent half my paycheck on, the music sheet(normal ass paper I wrote on) and head out. I don't really take care to hide my 'costume' when leaving. Street performing is legal last time I checked.
I've done a bit of research following the robbery. The guy that robbed the place had a quirk that allowed minor control over blood. Apparently a very minor ability, but enough to induce a stroke if he felt threatened.
And I just walked up like a hollow-headed stud, gambling with my life like it was nothing. Fortunately my ability Nothing Strange helped smooth over my idiotic actions and probably saved my life.
Still, I almost died. Thats a problem. Solution? Get stronger. And to do that, I need more tickets. I seemed to get tickets whenever I did something out of the ordinary, and street performance is a pretty safe way to do things that qualify as 'extraordinary'.
So here I am taking advantage of my Novice Performance skill, ass clenched like I just dropped the soap as I walk to the nicer parts of the city. Sure, I know how to peform somewhat, but damn if I'm not nervous.
I calm down somewhat as I reach my spot. Its a wide sidewalk near a fourway. I've gotten permission to perform in front of a bakery a couple days back. Novice Communication really helped when speaking with the owner. I showed him my skills too, and while he seemed somewhat skeptical, he deemed them passable enough to not drive people away from his shop.
I take a couple minutes to set things up, review my notes and grab a hot piece of bread for breakfast as thanks. The chefs smile became almost as bright as his bald forehead when I did that.
I slip my mask on and take a deep breath. Underneath the nerves is a genuine excitement at finally doing something that could get my name out. Something truly different from what I've ever done before. Novice communication really helped when 'composing' the song, and that eased my nerves as well.
And so I performed.
The flute plays a slow melody that calms the soul. Calming notes that drift like leaves from a tree, ever shifting with soothing purpose. It isn't amazing music, but its easy and pleasant to be around. Its music that you won't get sick of even when listening for a couple hours.
I would know, I pretty much ripped it straight from minecraft.
It's easy to be hyperaware of your sorroundings when nervous. I noticed tiny glances my way as I played. That served to make me even more nervous. But like any other person with a working brain, I understood that those glances weren't negative things.
Heck, I noticed a woman recording me as I played! Thats pretty damn cool! Some people took nearby seating, which confirmed that I wasn't really bothering anyone.
Someone finally walked over and dropped a quarter into my can. Not much, but I wasn't dissapointed. Its more than I expected for my first performance.
Ding!
Achieved: Perform a song in public and recieve positive feedback: 1 Advantage Random Bronze Ticket
Roll:
[Vorpan]
|Common Item|
Dead Cells - An unbreakable frying pan that can double as a very useful and practical cooking utensil. Strikes done with the Vorpan are slightly stronger than usual.
OR
[Lactation]
|Common Trait|
You are capable of lactating; the quality of milk that you produce scales with your physical stats and has unique qualities depending on your traits. This trait can be rerolled for free.
…
The pan seems like it could be a really good tool. Unbreakable and slightly increases the strength of my attacks. I'm tempted to take it, but its an Item that I can misplace easily and I don't really have a use for it at the moment.
As for lactation?
….
Unique qualities? Do I become a potion themed milk factory? Breastfeed my allies with my manly pecs? I can see it now. 'Hmm great traveler, taste my finest milk and derive strength from my supple mammaries.' Yeah, hard pass.
The real question is whether or not I chance on the free reroll or take the vorpan. Objectively, the vorpan is a sound choice. Good for the future and a solid cooking implement. But I can't bank on the future right now. I need to make risky choices to determine my future. Its what a real man would do.
And its definitely not because I'm a chronic gambler. For sure. Yeah, lets take the reroll.
I take the lactation trait. Before I can start… producing I quickly reroll it. I enjoy dry nipples thank you very much.
…
[Spray Water]
|Common Ability|
Allows you to unleash a spray of water from your hands like a showerhead or a hose. Useful for putting out fires and dousing people.
…
Thats pretty useful actually. I'll need to figure out what I can do with that later.
A young woman walks up to me holding an Oboe. Huh, I guess I know what an Oboe is now. She seems a bit nervous but also a little excited.
"Hello! By any chance, do you mind if I play with you? Thats Minecraft, right?" She fiddles with the instrument a little as she does. I don't respond for a moment, a little shocked that I'm good enough to attract a potential duet parter and much more shocked minecraft exists in this world. Ill need to play when I can afford a PC… focus!
"..hm, sure. Im honestly surprised you know about minecraft. Is it a big thing around here?"
"Well, about as popular as a game over a century in age can be. Pre-quirk era stuff like that is pretty niche. Don't get me wrong though, I love the music and I definitely won't hold you back!" She rushes to explain herself in the nervous way only a teenager could. Kind of reminds me of my little sister back home.. yeah, lets not think about that.
No longer flat-footed, I chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm not very good at this instrument so you wont be holding me back. I'm down to play a bit. I'm only going to be here for an hour or so more though."
"Thats fine. Thank you for having me!" She plops down beside me, handling her oboe some impressive finesse. Something you don't really appreciate until you can play almost any instrument.
Now a duet, we slowly form a small audience. Not enough to block the sidewalk or anything near it, but a couple kids and older people chat nearby while enjoying the ambient music. Its… pretty nice actually. This girl has some lungs on her, I had to catch my breath multiple times and she never even looked winded.
Once its finally time to go, my tip jar actually has some heft to it. I turn to the girl who I'd played with and handed her about half of my earnings. She glanced at the money and back at me with confusion. I clarified.
"Your earnings. It was a duet after all." I nudge the money a little closer but she pushes it back into my hands in a hurry.
"No!- I just joined, I barely did anything." She waved her hands to refuse. Does she actually think she did nothing? I made more than double in that last hour than what my previous 2 hours of performing earned me. This isn't Japan girl, no need to be so polite.
"And I was just blowing an oversized whistle the whole time. Kid, you made me 30 bucks. Thats chump change, you deserve half of it at least. You did good. Buy some icecream or something." I chide. Its important for a performer to get what they are owed. Exposure ain't shit.
She reluctantly accepts the money with rosey cheeks and mumbled thanks. Yeah, she's 100 times nicer than my sister ever would be. Mine would just take the money and book it to the nearest fast food place like a calorie driven hobgoblin.
"Well, it was fun. See ya!" I wave before walking off. All things considered it really was fun. I think I'll do this again on my next day off too.
"Wait up for a moment." I stop and turn around. She shyly walks up to me before pulling out her phone.
"You never told me your name or your number."
….
Oh god, I hope this isn't what I think it is. Ive got a solid 6 years on her at least and I'm 24.
"…uh, kid, you know I'm solidly in my twenties right? Im flattered, but you should find others your-"
"No! Not like that." She groans and I almost slump in relief.
"Phew, thank the lord." Bullet dodged.
"I just wanted your contact info so we could maybe play again some time. Nobody else really plays the older stuff and I had lots of fun so-" I pat her shoulder to stop her.
"Got it. You want to be music buddies? I can do that. Names Evan by the way." Dang, we never introduced ourselves, just played a duet.
She seems to realize that too and introduces herself.
"Lionel. Lionel Anil. Its a pleasure to meet you. My quirk is 'Lion Lungs'. I have increased lung capacity and I can shout really really loudly."
Suitably impressed, I reply. "Thats a pretty cool quirk. I can spray water from my hands." I let a small sprinke escape from my hands that soaks the concrete. Its a safe unremarkable power that is neither powerful nor conspicuous.
"Thats pretty neat actually." She says cheerily as if she hasn't seen multiple water based quirks pass by during our song.
We exchange contact info and part ways. Its still only twelve, so I jog a bit while in the part of town where I won't get robbed before headed home. 20 bucks richer and a succesful first outing. Solid.
Ding
Form a duet and draw an audience during your first performance: 1 Advantage Silver Skill Ticket
Make a music buddy during your first outing as a musician: 1 Bronze Item Ticket
Roll 1:
[Farming]
|Common Skill|
You have extensive farming knowledge and skills that can compete with the most experienced of farmers, including how to maintain a farm, care for livestock, know how to maintain soil, etc.
OR
[Novice Medicine]
|Common Skill|
You are about as skilled as a doctor in training, you know how to perform first aid, how to apply medicine, what most medicines do, and in a pinch improvise medical tools to perform basic surgery.
….
Well thats a pleasant surprise. Definitely taking Novice Medicine, I'm not a midevil peaseant.
Roll 2:
[Glock]
|Trash Item|
A gun, the old reliable Glock 19, simple, easy to use, easy to handle, and will work for most situations where you will simply need a basic handgun. You get a magazine for it every 24 hours.
…
There is no way thats a trash item. 10/10 better than any vorpan for the average joe. Oh, you have an Ice ability? I've got an ICE specialty lead bullet that will deport you straight to hell!
..that was a bad joke. I'm going to go take a nap now.