Welcome to Gaia! ::

In another of the room, there is a small stage that has been set up. For the moment, it is empty ... but soon, two performers arrive ...

A bit nervously, Emrys edged into the little cafe mock-up, glancing around at everything curiously. He hadn't been here before, having been spending most of the past few days practicing some songs with Biwa in one room or the other. He still wasn't completely confident about most of the pieces they had agreed on, but ... hopefully he wouldn't make a total fool out of himself. Instruments were clutched close in to his chest as the little blond made his way to a corner set up with a small stage. Setting the instruments down, he pulled a stool over and sat down to wait, picking up his lyre after a moment and kind of idly tuning it.

In contrast, Biwa, who entered only a few minutes later, had only one instrument. She brought a large case into the room, bringing it over to where Emrys sat. Settling it down, she opened it, and pulled out a long, flat stringed instrument that looked somewhat like a very low table. She set it out on the floor, and plucked a few strings, listening to the exotic, twangy sound, and adjusting it accordingly. Not too bad.

"Is..." she started, then cleared her throat, knowing she was speaking too softly. "Is the order of songs still the same?" She didn't, after all, want to start playing one thing and then have Emrys start playing another.

Emrys glanced up when Biwa came in, offering a shy sort of smile. He stopped tuning his own instrument so she could hear hers better and nodded at the question. "I don't ... see any reason to change it." Twisting hands together a little, he glanced down, staring at where they rested in his lap. "I just hope we don't mess up..." he said quietly.

Biwa reached out without thinking about it, lightly touching his clasped hands. "We'll be fine, if we trust our instruments. They know the music as well as we do."

She smiled, sheepishly, and moved her hands back to the koto, strumming a few strings and singing softly, practicing.

Emrys jumped just slightly at her touch, but looked up and smiled. "You're right ..." he said softly, forcing himself to relax and running hands along the smooth wood of the lyre. Then he set it down and began tuning the dulcimer next. He had done all of this before he even left his room ... but it was always a good idea to check.

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Throughout the time you are wandering through the café, the two take turns playing music - some solo pieces and a couple of duets they have practiced beforehand. Being mostly untrained, the music is sometimes slower than one might expect ... some notes fall sour ... but it's all in fun. And they're trying their best ... won't you listen?

:: The Songs ::
Biwa plays a traditional Koto........