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Some time previously....

Practice. Practice. Practice.

It wasn't an obsession, per say, that drove her to it. Cerissé had carefully opened the case to the old violin with a ginger touch she gave to only most precious of things. She carefully checked it's strings, plucking gently to test their tone and adjusting as needed before she took the old masterpiece from it's safe haven. It certainly wasn't the first instrument she'd held in her hands ever, but it was her favorite thus far.

For her 18th birthday she'd been told her hands were now big enough for it. That she was now allowed to handle it with the ease with which she'd handled the rest of them. She could recall mornings at her Grandmother's house as she learned to handle a much smaller, but just as genuine instrument. It held a meaning that nothing else in the world ever would to her.

Most people didn't usually practice on the stage at the Academy, but Cerissé was not most people. She needed to hear the sound as she intended for other people to hear it. A single strum of the bow across the strings drew out the first note, enough to check her tuning by. Then another. She pressed her fingers down, then drew again. A test play, but she'd longed to hold this instrument in her hands for so long, she had to play something she knew she could make sound good no matter the instrument.

She could imagine the rest of the orchestra around it so easily. Would she allow herself anything but second best? Never. Never at all. Which was why her ego - the only thing she allowed her ego to show about her - allowed her to stand where anybody could hear her as she made the violin her b***h broke in a new instrument her fingers were still unused to. The entirety of it, as the sheet music would dictate, even without accompaniment.

It was about the violin, not the song after all.

As the tune finally faded out, she looked out into the imaginary audience with a sigh. Perfect. This was the perfect place to play a new instrument. A perfect instrument.

Oh. She'd had an audience after all. If she was surprised by the young woman who appeared from behind the curtain, it was hard to tell. Cerissé's expression remained neutral. She kept her delicate hold on the violin but dropped it from where it rested against her shoulder as she turned to face Jade. Of course someone had been drawn in by her music. Everybody should have felt that way about the stringed instrument in her hand.

"Of course it is. I would expect nothing less," Cerissé stated firmly, no nonsense allowed in her world. Not where something so perfect existed. Hoo. Just a wee bit stuffy. It would sound better when the entire orchestra was assembled, but she knew of course it was the instrument in her hand that was the true star of the show.

But only while it was in her skillful hands.

Cerissé regarded the woman carefully, holding her violin delicately, yet firmly. An oxymoron, but there was a cherished possessiveness she had about the instrument that was obvious.

"This violin? Weeks. The violin, since I could hold one." Cerissé firmly and pointedly distinguished the difference. She could make any violin sing in her hands - as was proper. There was no instrument like it (and if you mentioned the viola, she'd practically flip you over verbally to establish that not it was not the same thing you absolute peasant how could you even think that!).

"I don't care much for Youtube." she'd watched perhaps two videos on there since it had come out and only then, for music. Some performances were such that she wouldn't miss them even if she had to watch a recording. Fortunately, she had been blessed with parents that made sure their little violinist got to see the best from the best. She'd never accepted anything less. "Nor magazines nor a great deal of television programming. If you're here to sweet talk me about some show, I'm not interested." her voice was firm. Her position on everything about her life was absolutely firm.

Jade had just earned a few points in the 'ego stroking' column. Of course, she wasn't saying anything that Cerissé didn't already know, but it was always nice to hear someone else appreciate her skills. "Ah, of course someone has been recording me. I doubt there's a violinist in Destiny City that could hold a candle to my music." She'd spent long enough practicing and straining that Cerissé was nearly certain of this face.

Humble? Not so much.

"If you were hoping for my attention, you have it." For now.

"What?"

Cerissé hadn't considered the option of the world. Ever. It seemed like a lofty promise and briefly, she felt a tinge of suspicion. "And where in the world would you display talents like mine?" she inquired. Normally such requests ran through much more official channels and now the fact she wasn't familiar with whatever company it was that Jade was working for was suspicious.

"Of course my talent is meant to be enjoyed but..." she remained standing tall, deciding if she trusted all of these sweet promises that Jade was offering to her.

Now France sounded absolutely romantic. If there was a way to a fancy girl's heart, it was playing music in such a place. Jade probably knew this, however. Cerissé regarded this offer carefully. What Jade was offering was the chance to make a name for herself as a musician - to make everybody in the world accept that she already knew. That her music was meant to be heard by all and was second to none. Her finger ran over one of the strings of her beloved violin as she considered Jade's sweet words.

Words of official sounding providence. Words that were starting to hold weight as she implied making things a bit more official. Through proper channels as she needed them to be.

She plucked the string once before removing her hand to take the one extended to her. While made up firmly, Cerissé was in essence simple in needs.

"You have my interest, Ms. Argent."