norainu (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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damned_institute2011-12-11 01:48 am
norainu) wrote in damned_institute2011-12-11 01:48 am
Day 60: Music Room (Fourth Shift)
It wasn't often that Renji felt less like punching people in general as his day wore on. This was a new experience for him. A not unwelcome one, if he was being honest. And the fact that he felt less like punching Fai? Kind of mind-blowing. The sort of thing Zen masters would probably use as a kouan to reach an all-new level of non-punching enlightenment.
So he was back from the dead, almost everyone he'd known was gone, and yet bizarrely his day felt like it was looking up. Kind of. Renji wasn't sure what to make of this. Maybe his grumpy meter was just nearing empty. That was as good an explanation as the next, considering how this place made him feel.
Whatever the reason, he ended up in the music room. And he remembered oh yeah. He'd always kind of hated this damn shift. He grabbed a little book of music and a drum and retreated quickly to the far end of the room. He put the drum down in front of him just so he looked like he was doing something and opened the book. But he had no idea how to read music, and really, he was more interested in the ongoing puzzle of what the hell had happened in the last four weeks.
And brooding. Of course. There was always brooding to be done.
[Okay Tolten, let me lay it out for you. When there's a mommy and a daddy... or sometimes a daddy and a dadddy. Or, hell, sometimes a mommy and a mommy if you buy the right kind of wood cuts (and a third mommy if you go to just the right shop)... but anyway when they love each other very much, or at least a suitably large amount of money changes hands, there are some things that happen...]
So he was back from the dead, almost everyone he'd known was gone, and yet bizarrely his day felt like it was looking up. Kind of. Renji wasn't sure what to make of this. Maybe his grumpy meter was just nearing empty. That was as good an explanation as the next, considering how this place made him feel.
Whatever the reason, he ended up in the music room. And he remembered oh yeah. He'd always kind of hated this damn shift. He grabbed a little book of music and a drum and retreated quickly to the far end of the room. He put the drum down in front of him just so he looked like he was doing something and opened the book. But he had no idea how to read music, and really, he was more interested in the ongoing puzzle of what the hell had happened in the last four weeks.
And brooding. Of course. There was always brooding to be done.
[Okay Tolten, let me lay it out for you. When there's a mommy and a daddy... or sometimes a daddy and a dadddy. Or, hell, sometimes a mommy and a mommy if you buy the right kind of wood cuts (and a third mommy if you go to just the right shop)... but anyway when they love each other very much, or at least a suitably large amount of money changes hands, there are some things that happen...]
no subject
Maybe another distraction was in order.
The girl entered the music room: a place that was bound to get noisy enough to drown out some of the thoughts nagging at her within her mind.
Actually, Anise had always wanted to learn some kind of musical talent, but never had the time or money. It seemed to be a common hobby for noblewomen, though. Maybe rich guys were really into girls who could perform music. All the more reason for Anise to give it a try! After looking over the various instruments, she selected a flute, which seemed small and cute enough to suit her.
Bringing that and a beginner's book over to a chair and stand, she sat down and began her lessons. She carefully matched her fingers to the book's illustrations, blew gently, and... there! Her first note! She repeated the process with a few other notes, then began to practice a short tune suggested by the book.
C D E. C D E.
She fumbled at the last note, then tried again.
C D E. C D E. C D E D. D E C.
Well, that wasn't so hard. Maybe it wouldn't be so long until she was playing like a pro!
[free! and please handwave any failings in the player's musical knowledge]
no subject
Ah the music room. The place had always been his favorite of the institute, ever since he'd first entered and found the piano awaiting him. Since that time he'd stolen that very piano and stuffed it into a closet, only to have another appear the next day as though the event had never happened. He still had thoughts of a repeat performance, if only to have a better way of cheering up his roommate the next time Michelangelo needed a song, but for the moment, he was content just to be in the room.
He saw that the piano was free as he entered, and he was just about to reach it when he heard the sounds of someone playing a member of the wind family. Not particularly well - a beginner's sound by all means - but enough effort to garner his attention. When he found the source was a young woman, Brook couldn't help but smile. It was always nice to see such a young person trying out music, even with such a simple song.
"Not bad at all," he exclaimed suddenly, compelled to leave the piano for another time so that he could turn to compliment the young miss. "Is it your first time playing?"
no subject
"Um, yeah!" she replied, taking on a sheepish grin as she gestured to the book. "It's the first exercise in the book. I only know how to play these three notes, eheh." It was a little embarrassing to have someone approach her while she could barely even do that much. Despite his words of praise, she probably looked kind of silly.
"Can you play the flute?" she asked after a moment.
no subject
"Well, three notes are better than no notes, yes? As long as you stick with it you'll be playing all the notes in no time!" he encouraged despite having no idea if the book she had would teach beyond just those three. This was another world; they could do things differently here - step by little step. "And I certainly can! It's not my instrument of choice, but I know it well enough."
He looked to the small flute she held, remembering how he'd picked up a similar piece on that first day. The piano had been taken and with the absence of a violin or any member of the string family, the plasticky thing had been the best choice as an instrument. It hadn't been too difficult to figure out for it's similarities to a proper woodwind, so he was at least confident that he could play this particular kind of flute.
no subject
Well, even if she didn't feel at her best, Anise could still try to act her best, especially if someone was going out of his way to encourage her.
"Really? Show me!" She held out the instrument to him with a big grin. Even if it wasn't the man's instrument of choice, chances were that he could do way better than a little three-note tune. Even if it wasn't something she could keep up with, she wanted to see what he could do. She couldn't forget her manners, though, quickly adding, "Oh, and I'm Anise! Nice to meet you!"
no subject
It could not have had a music room, for example.
"Most certainly!" he agreed, reaching out his fingers only to pause when he thought better. Sharing instruments on his crew had never been a problem since they were all friends and therefore family, but sharing with a young girl he'd just met? He could have more manners than that! Especially if he was going to give her back the instrument afterwards. "Ah, but I shouldn't use your instrument after you. Let me see..." he looked up and headed over to the instruments.
Since the room was so prepared, it wasn't difficult for him to find another of the small flutes to take up and return with. "There now, we each have out own! And I forgot before, but you may call me Brook. It is a pleasure to meet you, Anise-san!" he finally returned her greeting as he raised the flute to play, "Now... I suppose I should play a song I know fairly well..."
There were any number of songs that he could have played, but his bias showed once more as he began to play his usual Bink's Sake (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM0nVi-WopA), trying his hand a bit more steadily than he would have given he had an audience. He didn't want to scare the poor girl away from music because it could seem difficult, after all!
no subject
She rested her flute in her lap as she listened attentively to Brook play. It was a simple but lively tune, the kind that might be fun to dance to. When he finished, she clapped for him, giggling.
"That was great!" she complimented him with a smile, though the expression faded a little when she looked back to the open page displaying Exercise 1: C D E, and her grin turned sheepish again. "Ehehe. I guess I'm a long way from playing like that."
no subject
Sure, he'd sung for his roommate, but no instruments had been involved there, and while music was music whatever the form, there was just nothing more soothing than being able to play in addition to singing. That was why his preferred instruments didn't block his mouth, not that he had anything against the wind or brass families. Some of his crew had played those and been excellent singers just the same!
Lowering the flute, Brook smiled at her modesty as he nodded to the book. "Everyone has to start somewhere, Anise-san. Even I began learning when I was young, though that was many, many years ago!" he laughed at just how many decades it had been before shaking his head, "Don't let the time get you discouraged though! You've already got three big notes down, so you're off to a good start! And while I'm not sure what that book might teach you, if you ever have difficulty, I'd be more than happy to teach you a thing or two," he offered with a wave, first at the flute, then off at the piano, "I'm most familiar with the small piano they have, but I'm quite sure I can play any instrument they have should your interests change."
If only they had a violin. Then he could have shown her his absolute best playing!
no subject
"Wait, seriously? That's amazing! It takes a long time to learn just one instrument, doesn't it?" Was this guy some kind of musical genius? A big-shot composer, maybe? At a glance, he didn't even look like someone who'd be into the fine arts, much less someone seriously talented and dedicated to them.
[oh my gosh, this thread is SO CUTE!!]
He had always been proud of his musical talents, especially when he could put them to use cheering up those around him. He was, after all, still a member of the Rumbar Pirates - a crew that could bring a smile to any crying child's face no matter what! Even without them around, Brook had that reputation to uphold!
"I used to travel with a band of talented musicians, and we often shared our knowledge of each others' instruments," thinking of his friends calmed his smile a moment before he brightened again and placed a hand to his chest, "My specialty is the violin normally, and the piano is a close second. It's such a shame that they don't have any violins about... I'd even take a large bass at this point! But I should be thankful that they offer us music at all, right?" He laughed again.
[sorry for the delay!]
The first time she heard it, she wasn't sure what to think, but now that Anise heard it again... This guy had a really weird laugh. Was it natural for him, or did he do it on purpose? It was pretty funny-sounding, either way.
"That's really neat. I never learned how to play any music. I'm pretty good at dancing, though! ... Um, but I didn't get much instruction for that, either." Anise's fighting style was kind of like dancing too, even if it wasn't so easy for some people to look past the rampaging giant doll to see that. Controlling a body other than her own required considering every single step and swing, and being able to execute them in order, quickly and rhythmically.