damned_institute | Day 39: Music Room

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Day 39: Music Room

Lunch had been fruitful. Celes had chosen not to eat, but that was fine enough for her; she’d eaten plenty at breakfast and it was not very good manners to eat while discussing war (for Celes, it’d always given her a bit of a stomachache), or plotting. Especially if one was in mixed company. Her nurse escorted her to the Music room, citing that her ‘sister’ had suggested that musical therapy would be good for her. Celes rolled her eyes. This was no music room, with their ‘electronic’ instruments; where were the violas and the harpsichords and phonographs? She’d been past this room before, but had never been interested enough to go into it.

The general sat down at the keyboard, staring at the odd device before prodding the buttons with a nail. On, off, rumba, tango, Caribbean (what in the world was ‘Caribbean?’), little numbers that changed the tone. It was the first time Celes wished that there was a real instrument before her, instead of this ridiculous thing. Still, it didn’t stop her from curiously stringing notes together with one hand, and the only song she could bring to mind was the Aria di Mezzo Carattere.

How dreadfully delightful.

[for Adel~]

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"It shouldn't be too much of a problem," he said. He figured he could ask Mello for another scalpel. The idea of the Commandant using such a thing to fight with was almost laughable, but it was better to have something than nothing.

"We'll meet Zex at his room, M66. After we collect the metal, I agreed to help him investigate the doors leading to the third floor. Hopefully we'll find something better to use to defend ourselves against monsters. I also don't think we'll be able to negotiate if we find any brainwashed patients; we got lucky last night but I doubt we'll be so lucky again."

His tone was more formal than he meant, probably in response to taking orders. He didn't have a huge issue with them, really. Besides, he'd been taking orders from Van for years.

He was surprised by the thanks, however, and it showed on his face.

"You don't have to thank me," he said, feeling awkward. "I'm only asking you because two heads are better than one."

Van nodded, still smiling. It was hard not to, now that it seemed that Asch was finally on his side once more. Even if their 'truce' would only last until they escape this place, there was still a chance that he could make Asch understand what he was trying to do. Van knew better than to let this opportunity go to waste.

"Very well. Regardless, we are helping each other with a common goal. A thank you is the least I could do."

Then he stopped, frowning slightly. "Have you seen anyone else from Auldrant here? Surely we can't be the only ones." Hopefully Asch didn't find that he already spoke with the replica. That wouldn't go over well at all.

Asch was still uneasy about the whole affair, but he let it go for now. They were really just using each other, but that was better than Van using him and him not realizing it. He knew he'd have to tread carefully, but he could manage that. Van had never treated him as an enemy, even though he had certainly treated Van that way. It probably wouldn't change now, so he figured their truce could last at least for awhile.

He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. He decided to ignore the thank you for now, and answer the question instead.

"I ran into Guy at breakfast and Sync at lunch. I heard that some of that replica's friends are here, but I've yet to see them. Did you see anyone else here?"

He didn't mention that both he and that dreck had allegedly been here before. He had no memory of it, and didn't want to admit something like that in front of Van.

So he had met Guy already, though Van hadn't heard of Sync being in this place. Van would have to find him as soon as possible. The more allies he could gather in this place, the better.

"I thought I had spotted the replica earlier but I wasn't able to confirm it. If he's here as well..." Van hesitated a moment, wanting to be careful not to trap himself in a lie. "I want you to try and minimize conflict. We can't afford to fight them here, not until we learn more of this place. Do you understand?"

Asch bristled visibly at that. It made sense, if what Guy had told him earlier was true. If they'd disappeared from here together, then logic said they'd both be here now. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the replica. It was easy to hate him, to be mad at him. But that was no longer all he felt, not since the last time he'd seen him. That did not mean he wanted to run into him, though. As far as he was concerned, they were better off apart.

This 'order' galled him more than the previous one. He hated being told how to act. He'd always hated it, ever since he was a child. And what right did Van have, now, to tell him anything like that?

"To hell with avoiding conflict," he said, irritated. "I'm not the one everyone hates, remember? Maybe you should take your own advice."

Van frowned deeply. Perhaps he had gone a bit far to assume that Asch needed to be told that at all. However, the response he got didn't please Van at all.

"I have no intentions of having any conflicts here. If those that hate me attempt to start anything, I will deal with that myself." Van gave him a glare. "I only ask you do the same, before you jeopardize your chance to escape and find yourself in a solitary cell."

Not that that seemed to be an actual problem here, but it was unlikely that Asch knew that.

Asch crossed his arms again. "It's nothing I can't handle," he said, obviously still perturbed by the whole thing. It was obvious that they were still on shaky ground. Regardless of how Van viewed him, how he viewed Van just couldn't change. And taking pointless orders was no longer his job - and was no longer in his best interest.

After a minute, he sighed and looked back up at the Commandant.

"I'm not going to go hunt down that dreck and pick a fight with him, if that's what you're so worried about." Of course, he had every intention of talking to the replica later, even if he had to wait until after night fell, but there was no point in sharing that information with Van.

Van'd barely been in this place a day and already he was having trouble maintaining his calm. Usually such a thing came easily to him, but it was difficult to do so now that everything seemed to be working against him. And here he had thought that he was making progress with Asch...

Everything he said to him from here on would have to be carefully determined. He can't risk losing Asch again now, not when he'd need him to overthrow the Score.

"Very well," Van answered, keeping his voice low and calm. "It's doubtful that the replica will try to start anything himself, so hopefully I won't hear of anything happening between you."

"You won't," Asch said, still somewhat annoyed. Van didn't seem to really be angry, but he had obviously struck a nerve earlier. Well, good, then at least they were close to being on the same page. Knowing he could push Van's buttons at all was almost...justifying. After all, Van could sure as hell push his.

He wasn't sure what else to say, or how to even get back to the page they'd been on before. He was probably letting himself get too angry over nothing, and he knew that, but that was too bad.

It seemed that this conversation had reached its end, thankfully with no bloodshed on either end. Van supposed that was it's one positive, though he still would've liked to continue talking. The topic didn't matter, so long as he and Asch could peacefully talk once more.

There was a long awkward silence. Then Van asked; "Do you have any interest in the music here?"

Asch was thinking of just walking away at that point, but he wasn't annoyed enough to be totally impolite. At least, not yet.

"I...what? The music? I hadn't thought about it. Why?"

Van nodded. "Yes, the music. Would you like to see what sort of sheet music they have? I imagine if this was a different world, they would have different music here as well."

It was a completely, utterly useless topic of course, but it was still preferable than allowing the awkward silence to continue.

Asch was still boggled by the topic. Music, what the hell. Of course, Van could actually play music, which was something Asch had never really learned how to do. And they were in the music room, so it wasn't entirely out of the blue...

He shrugged. "Yeah. Maybe it's really different from what we have back home. I guess we could...look."

It was surreal, having a normal conversation with Van. Of course, they'd had plenty of them through the years; he'd known Van as long as he could remember. It was just strange to be talking to him normally now.

Van allowed himself to smile again, before turning and leading the way toward the instruments he had seen earlier. The fontech keyboard was still in use, much to his disappointment, so he moved toward the smaller instruments.

"It's not much, but they do have some variety here." Van glanced over the selection, considering for a moment before picking up a oddly shaped flute...If it was that at all. "They seem to use a lighter material for their instruments here. It may have some effect on the music played."

Van frowned, looking over the area. "They don't seem to have any sheet music though."

Asch hadn't really taken the time to notice what anything here was made out of. He had noticed that the keyboard being played sounded different from anything he'd heard before. It wasn't a significant difference, but there was definitely something off about the sound, to him.

He followed Van, either out of habit or lack of a better idea; he wasn't sure which.

"Guess you'll have to improvise, then."

Van looked down at the light flute in his hand, trying to think of the best way to play it. Normally one would hold it horizontally and blow along the top but with the way this flute was shaped, he would have to hold it vertically, more like a clarinet in that sense.

He was about to raise it to his mouth to test a few notes before he stopped, frowning deeply. After a moment, he held it out to Asch and asked, "Does this look, clean to you?" There was no telling who else had also placed their lips on the instrument, it couldn't hurt to be careful.

Asch made a face. He wasn't even sure what kind of instrument that was supposed to be. It looked kind of like a vertical flute, but not quite like anything he'd actually seen before. And what was it made out of...? That wasn't wood.

"I wouldn't trust it," he said.

Van gave the odd flute a distasteful look before setting it back aside with the rest of the instruments. Things such as this certainly wasn't making him any fonder of the institute.

As the flute was no longer a safe option and he highly doubted he'd have his chance at the fontech piano today, he picked up a small drum instead. Looking it over, he gave it a small tap to hear. Then he frowned. "The selection here is pitiful."

Asch made a sound like scoffing. "Well, what do you expect? They don't want us to be entertained. They're just keeping us busy until they sic monsters on us, as far as I can tell."

He looked over at the lady playing the piano. She was good, he supposed, but he didn't know the song. He'd been listening to Van play the piano since he was very young, though he hadn't really sat and listened to it in a few years.

"If they merely wanted to keep us busy until nightfall, they're doing a poor job of that as well. Unless they found some sort of enjoyment in allowing us to make plans to esca-"

And as if on cue, the intercom cackled again, this time with the announcement of an unappetizing dinner. The constant interruptions were beginning to be quite the annoyance.

Van placed the small drum back where he found it, then turned to Asch. "I'll see you tonight." That said, he turned to go.

Asch thought he had something to say, and realized he didn't, in the end.

He settled for a nod. "Yeah. M3, don't forget," he said, letting Van get far enough away before he walked out of the room himself, and back down to the cafeteria.

[♥]

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Day 39: Music Room

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