damned_institute | Day 36: Intercom, Evening

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Day 36: Intercom, Evening

The intercom's jingle rang out and the somewhat uninhibited movement that was going on between the main activity rooms halted as the Head Doctor made one of his usual announcements.

"Good evening everyone, and I'm very pleased to see so many of you in such high spirits after meeting with your loved ones! However, like with all good things, it can't last forever, so I ask now for nurses to escort our patients in the waiting rooms and in the main areas back to their rooms, where they will be treated with a special Sunday... steak! That's right: today, we'll be serving juicy, delicious steak with fries and cooked vegetables on the side – simple enough for everyone to like and good enough for everyone to thoroughly enjoy! (Our patients with specialized diets will receive their alternate meals, of course.) Our usual beverages are available, and for dessert, we'll be serving warm slices of apple pie.

"After all, patients, t's always wonderful to see all of you cooperating with the staff even when given so much freedom, so I'd like to personally thank and congratulate all of you for helping us, your family, and more importantly, yourselves. Hopefully, we can help you to a speedy recovery so that you can see your loved ones more often, but first... dinner! I hope to speak with you all again soon."

The intercom clicked off.

[ All room threads go in response to this post; please post your character's room number as the subject line of the initial post. Thank you!

On an added note, just wanted to clarify to players of characters who are canonly vegetarians and the like that you get to decide (within reasonable and realistic limits) what kind of diet your character gets from the staff. :3 ]

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"It's like a language unto itself. A realm where words are superfluous. Whole ideas can be expressed in a few bars of music. It grips the heart and suddenly everything isn't as important. Suddenly the weakest man is a lion, and the ones who thought love was impossible are brought to tears of longing. It's... amazing. Realistically impossible, but amazing."

Well, it had been worth a try. If Keman didn't want to talk then he certainly wasn't going to pry any further. He knew the boy had other, closer friends than himself. If he was going to open up to anyone it'd be them.

The name threw him off, though. What he knew about Earth he'd learned from his stay here and what Claude had told him. Given that Claude apparently came from a time a good few hundred years ahead of the current one, he didn't know what well known names would have survived history. Even then, the two of them had never talked much about literature. "I... can't say I know anything about him, sorry. I grew up on a different planet than this one."

"It's interesting," Haku pointed out after listening quietly for a few moments more. "That music can still evoke the same sorts of feelings and bring similar images to mind between people like us, who don't even share a reality, let alone a language."

Artemis nodded, "I thought it would be something we could share." The boy blinked, his gaze suddenly becoming much more aware. "Though, if you don't like it, that's fine as well. I can understand if you don't."

Haku smiled and waved a hand, not wanting to risk shaking his head and dislodging the ear piece. "No, I like it. Very much. Thank you for sharing it with me Artemis. Really."

Artemis looked very pleased with himself and rested his head on Haku's shoulder, continuing to conduct the piece with his hand. "It's soothing. I usually do this right before I have to enact one of my more risky plots. So I suppose listening to this with you is just about the best preparation I could hope for."

Haku shifted to tuck his legs up beside him on the bed, magaging to fold himself comfortably on a fairly narrow stip of bedding. "I wish I could join you," he said softly, "At least for moral support."

Artemis nodded, enjoying the closeness. "I wish you could as well. But I think we both know how Zabuza-san would react to you wanting to go with me and not do whatever he has planned."

Haku wrinkled his nose. "Plans ... are not really Zabuza-san's way." He smiled as he spoke. The plans were left up to Haku usually, though he wouldn't disobey his Master should Zabuza have an idea.

"Really?" Artemis found that curious. However, he'd never actually been in the room to see how Haku and Zabuza's dynamic worked. He figured he'd rather not watch it.

"Well... then his opinion of me should be enough to detract," the boy said with a frown.

Haku laughed softly at that. "He has poor opinions of everyone. You should have heard the things he said about his old team before here. Those were people he worked with on a near daily basis."

Artemis chuckled as well. "How you manage, mankind may never know," he teased. The track changed and suddenly the opening chords of Beethoven's 5th Symphony filled the headphones. Artemis grinned to himself, obviously approving the CD's choice of music to include.

Haku blinked and made a soft sound. This was interesting. "I've never heard intruments like these before," he said after a moment. "None of these."

"Mm," Artemis agreed. "These are violins, violas, and cellos. They're European instruments, so it's no wonder you haven't encountered them. Or perhaps you have? They're instruments with four strings, about this long..." Artemis indicated with his hands. "The cellos can be as big as I am," he said with a laugh.

"Four strings?" Haku thought then shook his head slightly, careful of the ear piece. "No.... though sometimes the Kokyu has four. Usually it's only three and it's played with a bow."

"Well these are played with a bow as well," Artemis explained. "Here."

The boy reached over Haku to get his journal, tugging a little at his injury. He winced, but managed to get what he was after. "I'll draw one for you."

Haku very gently tapped artemis on the knee. "Ask me next time. I can get it for you," he said. "Or at least get out of your way."

He shifted so that he could watch what Artemis was drawing.

"Maybe I just wanted to lean over you for a bit," Artemis said with a smirk, then flopped back into his previous spot. He began to draw the basic shape of a violin.

"They're very curvy, and have four strings made of out metal. They used to be made out of catgut, but someone discovered a more humane and sanitary way of doing it. Each one is constructed according to a method or school of construction. Stradivarius, Nach Amati... there are names for the different types. Stradivariuses are the most expensive, but have the richest tone and are constructed with the highest quality in mind."

Haku nodded, putting the names to mind, though he doubted that he would ever attempt to say them. They rolled so nicely off of Artemis's tongue. They would probably sound terrible if he tried.

"Metal strings?" Most of the strings he knew of were made with silk.... though the use of animals to make something was familiar.

"Yes," Artemis confirmed. "There's a metal core, and then thin metal strips are wrapped tightly around the core. The string is then stretched between holes down here," he circled the area. "And pegs up here to obtain a certain tone or note. The process is more art than science, especially with stringed instruments. Obtaining a pleasing tone is very difficult at first. You have to develop recognition for tones.

"Musicians can alter the tones of these strings by placing their fingers in certain spots and vibrating the string by plucking it or running the bow over the string. Combinations of these tones create music.

"At least, that is how it works in my world," Artemis finished, a little unnerved that Haku would be bored to tears.

Haku plucked the pen from Artemis's fingers and slid his journal over. He quickly and easily sketched the stringed intruments he was familiar with, naming them as he went along.

"We have the Biwa.... Ichigenkin.... Koto and Kugo. The Sanshin, Shamisen, Yamatogoto, and the Tonkori." He frowned as he finished the last. "There might be more, but those are the more common ones."

Artemis nodded as Haku drew. "Yes, I am familiar with those in theory, from Japanese literature. But I'm afraid I've never actually played one before," he said with a small chuckle. "Do you play?"

Haku smiled and shook his head. "I know how to play some of them, but do I play them well? No." He laughed softly. "I was trained by a courtesan in a few different arts and music was one of them. I am ... passable."

"Ah, a shame. I can't pressure you into performing for me, especially since we lack the proper equipment," Artemis said with a grin. "Though even though you say you are merely passable, I would still like to hear you play."

Artemis wanted to see into Haku's soul, and what better way than through music? After all, they both agreed on that topic at least--music said something words couldn't.

He wanted to play for Haku. One day.

Kaoru sat up when his roommate returned and leaned back against the wall, still grinning.

"I am. You?" His smile faltered a minute wondering if Wolfy thought Kaoru was smiling so much because of the bulletin board. "My brother and I just had a good day. Met some interesting people. Glitter was involved. It was all good."

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Day 36: Intercom, Evening

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