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 Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:31 pm
The music room at Makkai Academy was grand, its fixtures elegant yet simple. Gold edging around the ceiling made it seem more fancy than it actually was, and the pale cream wallpaper was textured so that when one ran their fingers along it they could feel every nook, every crevice. Books were stacked neatly on the shelves, not haphazardly tossed around like the ones in the parlor at Requiem's home, and the piano itself was a glossy black as black as a raven's wings. It was such a beautiful instrument, and Requiem tended to sneak into the room even after the normal hours of the day had passed, just to sit and be comforted by its presence. Perhaps it was a silly notion, but it was the same feeling as looking at an important photograph; Requiem tended to feel calmer and more at ease when he was in a place that relaxed him.
This particular afternoon, after classes, Requiem had wandered almost automatically into the room before he realized that he wasn't exactly in his dorm room where he had intended to go. Despite that, however, he slipped his bag from his shoulder and settled himself on the plushly cushioned bench, carefully lifting up the piano cover to expose the smooth, white and black keys beneath it.
His chest hurt a little; Requiem raised a hand, pressing it against his torso and breathing slowly, closing his eyes briefly. After a few moments he opened them again, and once he was more comfortably settled on the bench, he let his fingers rest lightly atop the ivory keys, just feeling the cold smoothness beneath his fingertips. It was such a familiar sensation, such a welcome relief to a pencil or some other utensil, and once he was situated, Requiem's hands began to move, the music starting to flow. The notes were clear and concise, echoing loudly in the quiet of the room.
A flat, B, three fingers to the left, a G...
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 9:20 am
The hallways were dark and almost forbidding as Falys moved along them, well after lunch and the possibility of meeting anyone. Most people had long since retired to their dorms to play their card games or their loud music, or whatever it is they did that seemed to make so much noise. Not that Falys didn't care for music, she simply didn't care for it quite as much as it seemed several others in her class did. Her tastes, when the fancy struck her, ran to the more classical variety, instrumental work that could easily be turned up to distract her mind from a trying day, or turned down to lie in the background of her work.
Oddly enough, it was music that had her out in the hallways to escape the ruckus emanating through the dorm walls. She had no intention of pursuing the study of music in any fashion, but had taken the introduction to sheet music class on a whim. Sheet music was a code to her, and she felt uncomfortable not knowing it, especially now that so many others around her were musically-oriented. Uncomfortable not being at least a little ahead of her classes, she'd borrowed a book from the professor, to read ahead. She'd forced herself not to roll her eyes at the woman's insufferable 'knowing' look, despite Falys's protestations that she most certainly did not want to take up creating music herself.
Approaching the music room, book in hand to return it to its rightful place, Falys paused. She heard...music. Not the blaring banalities of the misleadingly-named 'pop' genre, this sounded rather pleasing. To Falys's untrained ears, the execution sounded flawless and she wondered suddenly if someone simply had the radio on. Stepping carefully so the heels of her shoes wouldn't click, she peered into the music room. A young man, a student like herself, was playing the grand piano in the instruments section of the room.
She stopped and leaned against the door frame. The only people she'd yet heard play live were the brass instruments, as they had class the period before her sheet music class. Loud, blaring things, she didn't understand how anyone could want to play something so brash. As it was, Falys watched the young man play and waited patiently for him to finish so as she might compliment him on the apparent skill of his playing. That she found the music pleasant to listen to was of course an added bonus to her waiting.
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 10:45 am
For Requiem, music was life.
Growing up in the home he had, he had been the typical child - his desires lay in wanting to go outside and play with his friends rather than being stuck in the stuffy music rooms of his various tutors and instructors. Requiem had had very few friends, so the small time he spent with them was precious. It was only after he turned ten and he was discovered to be what he was did his entire world shift. He hadn't been allowed to play with most of the children on his street anymore, no longer invited to their birthday parties or on special outings.
So instead he turned to music. Forced into spending more time learning, now that he had no real reason not to, Requiem had thrown himself into the music, even when he went through music instructors like most children went through socks.
He didn't like the music, but it was all he had. And now it was all he needed. The music kept him sane, calmed his nerves, kept his black heart beating.
Stopped the pain, even if it was only temporary.
Requiem's fingers moved easily over the keys of the piano, sliding from one glossy ivory to the next. The song was not a long one, nor a particularly complex one; simplicity was more important to him than sounding "impressive" like his teachers had wanted in the past. Requiem had never cared for that sort of thing; he did what he wished to with the music. Respect it, and it would respect him back.
After several long moments his fingers carefully slowed, playing out the last few final notes before he stopped completely. Requiem's eyes closed briefly and he inhaled deeply before opening them again. It was only then that he noticed the figure in the doorway; an unfamiliar girl with dark hair, leaning against the frame.
"...good afternoon," he said, after a moment's hesitation.
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Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:13 am
The song was quite enjoyable, neither overbearing nor irreverent, and bore a kindof elegance that Falys found most pleasing. She wondered suddenly if he had chosen the song based on its musical merit, or if he was another lover of pop and was simply practicing an assignment. Her pessimism soured her just as the music drifted to a soft conclusion.
She looked up to see the player looking at her. He looked tired, or perhaps sad. She was immediately apprehensive and unconsciously tightened her grip on her book. If he was going to try and spill his emotions out on her, she'd better come up with an escape plan. It seemed many people who actively practiced in the humanities has such difficulties with their emotions. What was it the music professor said? Something about music and healing the soul, or some such bohemian nonsense.
It wasn't that she doubted one could find solace in the arts, she found it herself in the regularities of matricies or the steady, tedious task of balancing account books. However, one would rarely find a student of the sciences explaining through choked sobs how the equation they used helped heal their broken heart after their beloved pet hamster's passing. It was one thing to inform a friend of difficulties in one's life, it was quite another to display difficulties as plumage in order to gain sympathy.
"Good afternoon." Falys replied formally. Here she was, letting her mind carry her away. She didn't know him, and she certainly didn't know his reasons for playing. Perhaps he played outside of class purely because he didn't wish to engage in such emotional nonsense. "That's a lovely song. You're quite skilled." He looked safe enough anyway, not sobbing at the keyboard, no deep, heart-wrenching sighs.
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:41 pm
Requiem had long since grown used to people watching him, but it was rare that they watched him for his music and not for what he was. The girl that stood in the doorway to the music room seemed to be around his own age, with pale skin and dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail and tied with a vibrant blue ribbon. He did not recognize her, though he may have seen her in the hallways now and then. After all, though Makai was large and prestigious, one grew to be very familiar with the surroundings and the students of your level. There were many Witchlings, but Requiem tended to keep to himself for the most part; a force of habit that he could not seem to break.
Whoever this girl was, she held herself very properly, strong and confident, evident from her stance alone. Other than that, he could not tell in the slightest what she was like, but the fact that she had complimented him was nice. Although some merely said it as a passing obligation when they stumbled across a musician, even if they did not appreciate or like the music. It had become a sort of mantra sometimes; a blasé gesture that Requiem had long since grown used to hearing.
But it was impolite to assume things. Perhaps she did actually mean it; who was he to say otherwise? Requiem swiveled where he sat, folding his hands quietly into his lap.
"...thank you," he answered her, his voice low. "I have been teaching myself to work harder with the instrument, so I am grateful that you believe me to be skilled."
A pause. Requiem wondered what she was doing here, anyway. "What brings you to the music room this afternoon?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:25 pm
His voice was so low, Falys stepped further into the room to be sure she heard him. Few things were as embarrassing as asking someone to repeat themselves. He seemed very reserved, and Falys's opinion of him subsequently rose.
"I'm dropping off a book. The professor let me borrow it and I had wanted to return it before the weekend." Glancing down, she shifted the book to her side. She had only planned on stopping for a brief moment while she returned the book to its rightful bookshelf. At the young man's admission of being self-taught though... It was rare to find other students who took the matter of learning into their own hands. She may not have had fine tutors growing up, but her discipline in learning was one of the things she was quite proud of. Unfortunately, she'd yet to find another person she could connect with on that point. Until now, perhaps?
Stepping forward again, she leaned one hip against a desk, still a respectable distance away from him. "Work harder? To...play more complex music? Or to play music of your own creation?" Those were the only things she could think of that musicians would strive for. Mathematicians, they were so different in that respect. There was no 'try harder' in math. Either you knew the theorems, or you didn't. Either you solved the equation, or you didn't.
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Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 11:36 am
Requiem's voice was naturally low, but speaking quietly was a force of habit; he did not particularly like to draw attention to himself. Not because he didn't appreciate it, but because he saw little interest in having to put on a facade in order to show someone else. He did what he wanted silently and as unobtrusively as possible, preferring instead to gain no glory, prying eyes, or difficult to answer (or awkward) questions. Perhaps it was not the best way to go through life, but Requiem had long since grown used to it.
"Oh?" he answered her, gaze automatically flickering briefly to the book she held under one arm; he did not recognize the text. Absently Requiem's fingers slid up and down the cool, ivory keys of the piano as if to reassure himself that it was still there. He made no noise, did not add pressure to the keys, but instead just very lightly brushed his fingers thoughtfully over them.
Her question caught him slightly off guard. Requiem shrugged. "Both, I suppose," he answered, casting a vaguely wary glance at the instrument in question. "I prefer simplicity over complexities most of the time, but there are moments when more complex compositions have their place as well. As for the second half of your question..." He trailed off briefly, brushing a stray strand of hair from his eyes. "I suppose it's creating my own music that keeps me as calm as I am, so that is where most of my focus lies."
There was a small pause as he scrutinized her. "And what of you?" he asked her, a small note of curiosity in his voice. "Do you play any instruments?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:12 am
Falys's eyes flickered to his hands as he ran his fingers over the piano keys. Did he even realize he was doing it? An unconscious motion perhaps, borne of familiarity. Like a particular food, texture, or even scent, basic things that touched a particular sense and had been conditioned into one's mind as a source of comfort. Falys wasn't aware that she had any, and the thought of having a habit that she wasn't aware of unnerved her. There were things she liked of course, but none that she could think of that would alone bring her comfort. The smell of a new book, the sound of a pencil on paper, the brand of chicken broth her mother used.
The mention of keeping him calm brought a small amount of impolite curiosity in Falys, and she pushed it away. If he was calm when he had his music, what was he when he didn't? Was he the sad, sobbing type that she despised? Or did his tendencies lie more towards anger? Instead of intruding and asking, she merely nodded. "To each their own comforts."
A small smile twitched at her mouth at his return inquiry. "No, I'm quite lacking in musical talent. I have no interest in it, besides." She wryly displayed the front of the book. Introduction to Sheet Music. "I can read the sheet music, nothing more." Feeling unusually bold, she met his eyes squarely. "I'm...Falys. Falys Credita."
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:31 pm
Most of the time Requiem was not that used to conversing much with people. Girls were more difficult to find things to speak about, since he had little to no experience with them, and he did not usually find their interests to lie in the same areas. It was not that he disliked them; he simply found no underlying reasons to speak to them most of the time. And it was not just with girls; people in general Requiem found to be confusing, so he tended to stay to himself, preferring to speak only when spoken to so as to not cause any ill outcomes.
Though sometimes those outcomes were unavoidable.
"Yes," he answered her with the smallest of nods, and turned back to the piano, his fingers lifting from the keys to close the lid on them, hiding them from few. He smoothed his hands across the smooth blackness, then stood, taking a few steps to the side to retrieve his bag.
Her easy admission surprised him a little. Requiem's gaze flickered towards the girl as he pushed his books into his bag. "How honest," he said simply, and then added quietly "But like you said - to each his own. If you have no musical talent and have no interest, then there is little point in pursuing it, is that right?"
Sliding the handle of his bag over his shoulder, Requiem stood in front of her without making an effort to exit just yet. She had met his eyes - a bold gesture - and he gave her a nod.
"Requiem Driscoll," he replied to her introduction. "I am obviously just a witchling here, as are you."
His fingers, now that they were not on the piano keys, seemed to not know what to do with themselves. Requiem gripped the strap of his bag. "What is it that you prefer to do, then, if you do not enjoy music?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 1:49 pm
How honest.
A smile twitched at Falys's lip at that. Honesty's the best policy, her mother always said, except when it's not. Falys herself had always considered herself to be a truthful person; lying had the very real danger of coming back to bite your credibility in the future. She certainly wasn't going to lie about herself, especially to others. If they didn't like the person she was, they could move right along.
"Certain professors seem to have it in mind that interest can be acquired." She looked away, an irritated smile twisting her lips. "I took a class in sheet music out of curiosity about the...language, if you will. Not for any eventual practical application."
She shifted on her feet as he obviously prepared to leave, and wondered suddenly if she was keeping him from anything. "I...read. A great deal. And keeping up with classes, of course." She also did a small amount of long-distance bookkeeping for her parents, but that somehow didn't seem appropriate to mention in newly-acquainted company.
"I hope I'm not keeping you from anything..." It was proper to at least mention the sentiment, even if she was finding the conversation rather enjoyable. Holding up the book briefly, she moved swiftly down the aisle to the front of the classroom, carefully replacing the textbook in it's still-empty place on the shelf. With a last touch to ensure it was level with the books around it, though the entirety of the bookshelf seemed to be uneven and untidy with knickknacks and the like, Falys turned to start back up the aisle. "Are you heading back to the dormitories?" She felt...forward asking him, but she certainly didn't want to keep him, while at the same time wanting to continue their conversation.
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:26 pm
Requiem, being who he was, did not notice the faint smile that crossed Falys' face; or at least, he did not notice the one that appeared when he called her honest. However, the look of mild, lighthearted annoyance that came afterwards he did notice. Requiem's shoulders rose and fell in a small shrug. "Interest can only be acquired when the person is interested in acquiring it," he said. "If someone doesn't want to do something, you can't force them into doing it or developing an interest in it."
To Requiem, this was a fact of life that he had learned from both of his parents. They had tried several different activities for him growing up, but rarely had anything panned out to be anything more than a failed test of his ability. But the piano had been different. Though he had told his parents he disliked playing, that he held no interest, the fact that they had not forced him into playing was what spurred his curiosity about it more. A subtle interest, developed on his own without the added pressures of outsiders.
His brow furrowed a little. "Language?" Requiem repeated, tilting his head. "I'm afraid I...do not understand what you mean by that. Are you talking about the symbols?"
"And no," he answered her with a brief shake of his head. "No, you are not keeping me from anything. I was merely gathering up my things before I went back to my room."
There was a nagging feeling that he should probably act the gentleman, but Requiem was not used to that sort of thing. He absently reached up, running his fingers through his hair.
"Shall I walk you back to your room, then?" he said finally, his face deliberately expressionless. "If you are going that way, of course."
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Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:19 pm
Coming to a stop near Requiem, Falys resisted the urge to fold her arms now that she had nothing to carry. She nodded, but did not expand further on subject of her interest in music. She was internally grateful he so easily understood her lack of interest in a subject he was apparently close to. Admittedly, she mentally derided others for lacking in certain areas, though having interests similar to her own was never one of them. Manners, work ethic, and currying attention to oneself were her chief irritations since coming to Makai, though she did her best to keep her opinions to herself unless said affectations affected her person or her work.
"Yes, I'm sorry, the symbols of the sheet music." Folding one hand in front of her mouth, she considered how to clarify her thoughts to him. "Music always seemed so transient to me. But seeing the sheet music makes it more...permanent, I suppose, structured. Like the imprint of a fossil. Or an equation defining the results of a particular phenomenon." She met his eyes briefly as she lowered her hand, unsure if he would understand the sentiment.
For a brief moment, she saw both of his eyes as he brushed his hair back. Was he agitated? He didn't appear to be otherwise, but Falys mentally kicked herself for her previous question. She'd practically invited herself to walk with him. Mentally searching for a way to imply he didn't have to, she failed to come up with an appropriate response. Instead, she smiled. "Thank you, if its not too much trouble. Do you come down here often?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:53 pm
He had felt somewhat obligated to offer to walk her back to her room; it was the gentlemanly thing to do, was it not? He was not used to this sort of thing, though his parents had always tried to explain to him the importance of being a well brought-up young man. His father especially had often taken the time to sit down with his son and give him the basic details of how to deal with not just girls, but other students his age as well. Except all of the lessons in the world could not change the fact that Requiem was just simply not as used to being around people as others were. Where they seemed calm and confident like this Falys girl, Requiem was quiet, stoic, and slightly awkward.
"I must admit, I do not read sheet music that often," he told her as he opened the door, gesturing for her to leave first and he would follow. "I can partially understand your reasoning for wanting to "structure" music, but part of the reason why I have tended to stray away from sheet music is so that I do not have to be stuck within the confines of those structures."
His instructors had been brutal when it came to organization and set patterns within music, but Requiem had held his own ideals of how to change the notes to suit his own tastes. When that had been severely frowned upon by his tutors, he had shifted and played to appease them, but now that he was on his own he had the freedom to choose where he wanted the music to go; and it was a liberating feeling.
"Yes," Requiem answered as he slipped his hands into his pockets, his steps slow and careful. "I do. The music room is where I can feel the most relaxed, after all." He gave a small shrug. "I suppose one could say it is a safe haven for me in ways."
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Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2011 6:14 am
Falys was inwardly pleased that Requiem had decided to walk her back. Conversations where she wasn't immediately frustrated, or exasperated, or at least trying to school her face a socially acceptable emotion, were hard to come by. Perhaps she had too high a threshold for what constituted a good conversation. She and Requiem didn't appear to share any definable interests, outside of possessing a solid work ethic. She was quite certain he didn't want to hear that she'd recently found a rare mistake in her parents' bookkeeping and managed to account for an errant $3.52 that had been confounding her for a month. She was also certain that if he tried to explain the complexities of a piece of music, she'd be lost and stuck schooling her expression into mild interest. And yet, conversation had gone by with relative ease.
She nodded her thanks at the opened door with a slight smile. Another increasingly rare trait, manners. She could academically accept the need to break free from structure, though she didn't understand it emotionally. Without structure, what was there? Chaos, and the 'open-learning' days her sheet music teacher insisted on instituting every now and then. She couldn't say that though; it would be rude to openly object to someone's opinions so soon after meeting them. "As with anything it seems, to each their own. I rather...prefer order and structure. Hence my being drawn to the sciences."
Again, he referenced turmoil in his life, and her previous thoughts repeated themselves. What was he escaping from if he needed a safe haven? He was so withdrawn, she had a hard time believing her earlier guess at a deep temper, but depression was a possibility. By bringing it up again, did that mean it was an appropriate subject to broach? She wasn't sure, but better safe than sorry. "Do you spend much time in the music room then? I imagine it must be difficult with classes coming and going."
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 10:20 am
Requiem still felt a little awkward walking with Falys, but at the very least he was glad the conversation was flowing well. It was not always easy to find things to speak about; more often than not he was struggling to make sense of what was going on, or there were uncomfortable pauses between sentences. With Falys, though he did not know her well at all, and could not read her mind to understand what exactly she was like, the conversation was going relatively well. It was unusual, but not unpleasant, and Requiem was at least partially content.
"I do not deny that order and structure have their place," he said, tilting his head so that his hair inadvertently fell across his face. Reaching up a hand, he brushed a few strands aside, then slipped it back into his pocket. "However, I find the lilting melodies of free form to be much more enticing." He gave a small shrug. "This isn't to say that I dislike a more...structured environment, but I cannot say that I feel more comfortable within one."
Requiem lapsed into a brief silence, glancing up after a second as they were passed by a few giggling students on their way back from classes. One of the boys gave him a hard look, as if trying to gauge something, but Requiem, as usual, ignored him, looking straight ahead before he answered Falys.
"Yes," he replied, after a moment. "I find it to be one of my...more preferable places for my time spent. When there are times as if I feel the need to relax, that is where I go."
Gold eyes flitted towards the girl beside him."What of you?" Requiem asked her. "Any particular places you go?"
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