Ninth Lesson // And now for something completely different

[ruined_jaw]

[Today finds Jono, of all places, in the gym. He's shirt- and maskless, the flame in his body pulsing like a heartbeat. He's attempting to learn better control over his powers, inasmuch as he can, given his physical deformity, so he's sitting cross-legged in the floor, facing a mirror, his journal open not far from him.]

I'm curious about something. For as many different worlds and cultures as we've got here, one can only assume that there're as many different styles of art and music as well. Being that I'm a musician, I find myself curious about the music of other worlds, what it sounds like, if there're any songs that are particularly well known or famous for some reason.

Care to share? Doesn't matter if ya can sing or play or not, so long as you know the words or basic melody. If you're not from some version of Earth around the 20th or 21st century, the odds are good I won't be able to tell anyway.

[Now Jono's just gonna keep attempting to meditate, feel free to bother him either in person, or over the journal!]

Comments

dictated

[inafadingcrown]

Now that I find difficult to believe. You know talent when you hear it, my friend.

dictated

[ruined_jaw]

Fair point, but I was speaking more for the fact that if someone sings or plays a song I don't know, I won't know if they've bollocksed it up or not.

What about you? I know for a fact that you can play. Have anything to share?

dictated

[inafadingcrown]

Oh, there are a number of things I might share. I may need reminding of what you have heard already.

dictated

[ruined_jaw]

Oh, I can't remember. The last time we played together was a long time ago. Shame, that.

Anyway, surprise me. I always like to hear music. It's my one real vice, aside of zoning out in front of the goggle box every now and then.

dictated

[inafadingcrown]

[She laughs a little.] Very well.

[Give her a moment and she'll come out with something like this, harp music and all.]

dictated

[ruined_jaw]

[He listens quietly, letting the calming effect of the music wash over him as he listens to it, all sorts of questions forming in his mind.]

Sounds like you were telling a story in song. Something that happened a long time ago, I'd guess. I've worked out a song or two like that in the past. I like it.

[He pauses his meditation to grab a cello. Yes, a cello, from the music room, and play a tune of his own, the flames of his powers acting as a second set of hands, so it sounds like he's playing two instruments at once.]

dictated forever

[inafadingcrown]

Beautiful. [By now she's grown accustomed enough to the strangeness around here not to question how he's playing two instruments.]

And you are not wrong. Most Elven songs tell tales of one manner or another.

[ruined_jaw]

It's a song about coping with things in one's life. Loss or addiction, that sort of thing. Was a favorite of mine as a boy, when I was first figuring myself out after my powers had come to me. I'd lost so much, and even with all I'd been given in turn, the life I'd had was gone for good. Remember how I was when we met in Unova? That's what I was like before my powers took it all away.

Seems to be a common thing, among music from other worlds. Not that music from Earth doesn't have it's own stories to tell, but music where I come from has a tendency toward the vague, so more people can relate to it.

[inafadingcrown]

You bear a heavy burden, I know, but I am honored and grateful to know you as you are.

I do not mean to say all of our songs are such, of course. [She's written a few that are more vague, if equally about a particular story] But the greatest tales have something in them we may all relate to- love, loss, longing.

[ruined_jaw]

Thanks for that. It's hard sometimes, thinking about who I was, you know?

True enough.

[inafadingcrown]

I know. You are hardly alone in that.

[ruined_jaw]

One would think I'd be over it by now. I've been as I am for the better part of a decade, less the time I spent as a gray-skinned mistake of nature. I've had this life nearly as long as I had my "normal" life, yet thinking back on those times is still as painful as ever.

[inafadingcrown]

Some wounds never fully heal. We may only hope for the ache to dull with time.

[ruined_jaw]

Fair point. At least I've got things to keep me busy here. People to teach what I know.

[inafadingcrown]

We must take what small comforts we can.

Action - Told you I would

[wizard_redfive]

[It's a rare day indeed, when Dairine goes to the gym. Not that she dislikes the gym per say, but compared other parts of the castle (like the library, game room, kitchen, exc.), it doesn't really score high on her priories. Yet after the emotional trainwreak that’s been these past few weeks, Dairine feels like blowing off a little a LOT of steam.

So without much of a plan, Dairine walks to the gym. While she would love to have the gym to herself, Dairine doubts she'll be that lucky. What she doesn't expect to find is a humanoid torch sitting in front of a mirror.

Dairine pauses in the doorway, watching him in a somewhat confused manner. The stranger is interesting enough on his own right, but why did he bring a mirror to a gym of all places? Odd...]

Action - =3

[ruined_jaw]

[Despite Jono not being great at the whole "meditation" thing, he hears Dairine come in. Without looking up or turning, he "speaks", his voice being little more than an accented whisper in her mind.]

Take a picture. It'll last you longer, eh?

[When Jono opens his eyes, Dairine might notice in the reflection that they're glowing noticeably red, before fading to the more muted reddish color that was natural for him.]

Action - Switching to more telepath-friendly text

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine has plenty of experience with mind-to-mind conversations, but there's still a small jolt when she hears the unknown voice inside her head. Chalk it up to surprise or being out of practice.

The glowing eyes do get her attention. Oh crud. Glowing red eyes usually show anger, right? Has she offended him? It was never her intention, and she hadn't even done anything yet.

So Dairine answers in kind, though casually and with her usual sarcastic humor.]

I'm afraid I don't tend to bring my camera to workouts.

Action forever!

[ruined_jaw]

[Now that gets his attention. There weren't many telepaths in the castle, and even fewer that chose to engage him in telepathic conversation. It's a comforting feeling, almost. It,along with the sarcasm, reminds him of home. He turns around to face his gawker.]

In this place, one can never be sure who's doing what, and where. I'm sure I make a curious enough sight on my own, even with all the strange goings on around here.

[wizard_redfive]

[Said gawker is leaning against the doorframe now, a slight grin on her face. She's probably younger than Jono might have expected -- someone who could easily mistaken for a normal junior high kid. But Dairine is anything but normal.]

With so many the different cultures that live here, we all do. I can imagine how strange I must seem to someone from the 1800s. Or the ponies.

Fasionably late? *falls over and dies*

[ruined_jaw]

[When it came to telepaths and other people with powers, Jono was surprised by very little at this point. After all, he'd once known a 13 year old fishboy from Canada, so he's been around the block a few times.]

Heh, fair enough. Guess it just depends on the sort of world you come from. Where I'm from, someone like me is only a little uncommon, though my lot's become a bit rarer in the last few years.

Of course. *pets*

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine is friends with a giant alien centipede and a walking sentient tree, so it's pretty hard to surprise her as well.]

Very true. So where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?