I need a shamisen Rhiannon arrangement stat

[therewerefifty]

Who: Makie and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Iskaulit, Twin Roses
When: Now-ish

[She'd been, uh... somewhat distracted about thinking on this from a bunch of ships colliding with each other and upsetting her carefully maintained equilibrium (guys I'm just a samurai chick who wants to sit peacefully and drink tea enough of these space shenanigans) and avoiding looking outside entirely, because being under the ocean is extremely unsettling.

Today is the first time she's been to the Iskaulit gardens since they arrived in this odd place.  It reminds her of something she'd like to do.]

...in Adstringendum, people arrived and left all the time, much like this place.  You grow used to a person's presence, establish... ties.  [What a formal way of putting it.  She's thinking of the bizarre jar collection in her room.]  And then suddenly, they're gone.  The same holds true here, doesn't it...?  It can be hard for a great many people, even if you know you'll see them again.

In Adstringendum, we kept what we called a memory tree.  People would attach the names of those who'd left... paper monuments, so they'd never be forgotten.  And new arrivals would always know who had been and gone.

I wondered if we might do the same here.

---------

[She'll be in the garden for most of the day.  Either playing her shamisen or actually, you know, gardening.  It's a thing.  And if she concentrates on the dirt under her knees, maybe she can forget they're submerged in the ocean.]

Comments

[therewerefifty]

[Makie glances up with surprise. And then she takes in the shy politeness and offers a small but genuine smile for his courtesy, getting to her feet.]

Otono-Tachibana Makie. I am known most by Makie, however. [She offers him a polite bow of her own, hands folded over her shamisen.] I believe we've passed each other a number of times.

[bythewaves]

Well met, Lady Makie. [ He smiles at her ]

We have, although I have been remiss in never speaking to you. [ His eyes follow her hands to the shamisen ]

Do you play?

[therewerefifty]

Ah-- then the fault would be equal, sir. [She's hardly the most talkative of people. She glances down as he asks, and changes her grip to splay fingers lightly over the strings.]

I do. I was lucky enough for this to accompany me here. Are you familiar?

[bythewaves]

A little - my food friend Lady Misty plays one, also, although tis not an instrument familiar to me before now.

[ He shrugs and gestures at his harp shyly ] This is what I am most familiar with.

[therewerefifty]

[She brightens immediately at the mention of Misty, some of the stiffness leaving her frame, and she smiles.]

Misty is my friend. I'm teaching her how to play. By chance have you tried accompanying her?

[bythewaves]

Ah! So you are her teacher! I am glad to meet you at last. And I have, from time to time - we are both learning to play together.

[therewerefifty]

[So Misty's spoken about her, if not by name. If only for her teaching-- it makes her a little happier, anyway.]

I think they'd make a lovely accompaniment. [She has little experience with harps directly, but the instrument looks passingly similar to the koto.] I would like to hear it some day.

[bythewaves]

I am at your disposal, if you would like to hear me play. [ he assures her ]

I would only beg the opportunity to hear you, as well!

[therewerefifty]

Likewise. Perhaps we can satisfy both our curiosities.

Has Misty mentioned that we have regular lessons?

[bythewaves]

I would like that, milady.

[ Maglor smiles at her and nods ]

She has, yes, and her skill grows daily, even one like me who does not know the instrument can see that! - you should be proud, Lady Makie.

[therewerefifty]

I am... definitely happy that she enjoys her lessons so much. Perhaps you'd like to attend some day...?

[She smiles.] It's not just about the teaching of an instrument. We enjoy the music. [Kubo also has such an invitation. It's... nice. To find other musicians.]

[bythewaves]

If it is no intrusion, I would definitely enjoy it.

[ Maglor echoes her smile ] It brings me joy to find others to whom the Music speaks.

[therewerefifty]

Music is something that... for me, makes it easier, to settle my thoughts sometimes. It's a force for creation.

[Even if every song she ever plays sounds terribly miserable, haha.]

[bythewaves]

Mm, I can understand that - in my world, it is more than just a force for creation, for it could be said to be the very force of creation itself.

[therewerefifty]

All of creation...? [She lifts an eyebrow as she's not sure she understood correctly, but--]

I do like the sound of that.

[bythewaves]

Even so. [ He nods ] My world sings, Lady Makie. I would that all could hear it. This one, also, although the songs are different, here.

[therewerefifty]

I would love to hear it myself, but... it seems I am sadly lacking the talent to hear it. [She doesn't doubt it sings as he says. So may people are different above and beyond those of her world.]

[bythewaves]

I could... try and echo it for you? [ He offers ] It is not quite the same but...

[therewerefifty]

But it is music, nonetheless. [She smiles, inclining her head.] And I would greatly enjoy hearing you play, if it pleases you.

[bythewaves]

[ He smiles back ]

I am at the lady's disposal! Of the world around us, is there anything that you wanted to hear?

[therewerefifty]

[That's a hard question to answer, so new she is to the idea that the world even has a song. But after a moment of thought--]

Is there music for... the land itself, under the water? The coral, or the plants.

[bythewaves]

[ he looks thoughtful, eyes going distant ]

Aye. [ he murmurs, and his voice is full of water ]

It is a bit hard to separate from the water, but it is there, if you would hear it?

[therewerefifty]

[There's such a difference to that response, for a moment she just stares. Before she remembers her manners, ducking her head. Now, she's doubly intrigued.]

I would, if it isn't trouble. Please.

[bythewaves]

[ A smile and a bow, and Maglor opens his mouth and Sings, and in his voice is heard the teeming deep, the richness of the kelp forests, the rocky barreness where life thrives on the edge of disaster, where the molten heart of the world pumps fumes into the water, the teeming life of the reefs.

He manages a minute, maybe two, and then he has to stop, shuddering and putting his hands over his ears and shutting his eyes until he can ground himself in flesh.

[therewerefifty]

[To say Makie is stunned would be an understatement. She listens with wide eyes. How can such description be kept in such a song? But it's beautiful, and she's completely rapt, taking a few moments to register the difference between singing and-- shuddering.

She reaches out, but stops short of touch.] Are you all right...?