first song ♫ video

[hasitsthorns]

[ The video clicks on as someone is positioning it. The aforementioned individual walks quite a few paces back, whole upper body coming into view. Some may recognize her, some may not. But that's the point of this. ]

Hello, fellow cave dwellers! Have you ever heard the acoustics in this place? If not, allow me to demonstrate. They're beautiful, simply beautiful.

[ Without further ado, the woman begins to belt out a lovely tune. ]

You're alone, you're on your own, so what? Have you gone blind? Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours? Glass half empty, glass half full Well, either way you won't be going thirsty. Count your blessings not your flaws. You've got it all, you lost your mind in the sound. There's so much more, you can reclaim your crown; you're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head. Put all your faults to bed. You can be king again! You don't get what all this is about. You're too wrapped up in your self doubt. You've got that young blood, set it free.

[ It's not actually really able to be determined if her voice sounds better or not due to their underground dwelling. It's still a beautiful mezzo-soprano regardless. She continues a second round of the chorus and into a new verse. ]

You can be king again. There's method in my madness. There's no logic in your sadness. You don't gain a single thing from misery...

[ Wait for it. Her voice suddenly increases in volume and length as she sings at the top of her lungs to the sky: ]

Take it from me!!

[ She clears her throat then, turning back to the camera with a huge grin. ]

I've already met some of you, but I figured I should do a formal introduction! My name's Rose. Music is kind of my deal, if you couldn't tell. I have a guitar but, uh - [ An awkward waggle of her no-handed arm. ] - obviously can't play it anymore, so! Singing's about all I can do for now.

But tell me, everyone, what's your favorite song? What music do you like? That says a lot about someone, believe it or not. So talk to me, I'd like to get to know ya'll.

[ (insert eyebrow waggle and doofy grin at the camera here) ]

Comments

[muscovy]

I have a harp, if you want to be accompanied.

[He's nowhere near the level of his adopted father, but good enough to provide accompaniment.

He neither knows what a guitar is nor can he play it, though.]

[hasitsthorns]

[ Oh, goodness, look at the cutest little country. ]

A harp would be lovely! How long have you been playing?

[muscovy]

About two years.

[Give or take, time becomes a bit hard to keep track of when you keep switching places. He didn't have a teacher for even half that time, but his lord father was a very good teacher when he was still around, so he thinks that it was still enough.]

[hasitsthorns]

That's great! Do you like it?

[ She assumes so, considering he's stuck to it for two years. ]

[muscovy]

My lord father taught it to me, so when I play it is a very warm feeling.

[It is, in a way, like the memory of cooking soup for someone who is sad.]

[wormintheglass]

[And here's Bianca, her thin smile doing its best to camouflage an immediate, transcendent loathing. She has never shared the limelight gracefully - or at all, if she could help it.]

The acoustics are a great help, aren't they? Of course, I do most of my singing in the bar.

What happened to your arm, you poor child?

[hasitsthorns]

[ It doesn't escape Rose - not in the slightest - that this woman is being a bit condescending. To her credit though, she does what she does best: smile. ]

Dang, a venue! You must be pretty important.

[ The mention of her arm though, well... That does cause her to lose a little shine. Just a little though. ]

Ah, this? I stole something. So they stole my hand in return.

[wormintheglass]

But how positively barbaric, you poor darling!

[Of course she focuses on the arm. Of course she does.]


Who were "they"?

[hasitsthorns]

[ Mm. A wistful smile now. Not strained but obviously not sincere either. ]

The Yao Corporation. Looks like they aren't here, but they were the big wigs where I was before.

audio

[unitas]

[ The woman's name is Rose, and despite a total lack of similarity to her mother, Sharon can't help the twinge of grief at the reminder. ]

Lately, I've had Highwayman stuck in my head. I'd never call it my favorite song, but... [ There's an almost audible shrug. She's not sure what made her remember it, and she can only remember bits and pieces of the lyrics, but the melody has nestled itself in her brain. ] I'm sure you know how earworms are.

audio

[hasitsthorns]

I fly a starship across the Universe divide and when I reach the other side I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can. Perhaps I may become a highwayman again, or I may simply be a single drop of rain. But I will remain and I'll be back again, and again and again and again and again...

Not a bad tune to have stuck in your head! But trust me, I know.

[ That one had come out before she'd been free but still relevant enough that she'd learned it in the years after. ]

audio

[unitas]

Yeah, that's... that's the one. [ And Rose sings it well. It's not quite Johnny Cash's gruff, hopeful rendition of the last verse, but it's that song, and it's been a long time since she's heard it. ]

That's my favorite verse, too. [ A pause, and the next words are thick with sincere gratitude. ] Thank you, Rose.

audio

[hasitsthorns]

[ Rose is no stranger to that tone. She's probably held it herself when speaking to people in Haven when they'd helped her forget some of the horrors there. ]

You're welcome. I do what I can even if it's not that much! You kind of have to in places like these, y'know?

[Video]

[face_kick]

Wow, that was beautiful! [She does look rather impressed, yes.]

I don't know that I've listened to enough music to really have a particular taste though...

[Video]

[hasitsthorns]

Thank you, thank you!

[ The blond takes a bow, hair sweeping over dramatically before she stands upright again. ]

No? We'll have to fix that! I like everything, myself, but I definitely have a preference for Pop music. It's just so lively and fun and easy to dance to, y'know?

[Video]

[face_kick]

Well I do like to dance. I would love to listen to some of your music. Did you get to bring any with you when you arrived here?

[Video]

[hasitsthorns]

I have my iPod, yeah! Don't know how to keep it charged though.

Video

[ushahin]

[Ushahin looks far calmer than he usually does, his eyes closed as he listens to the music. Music soothes the savage beast indeed. He opens them up just long enough to turn on the video function.]

My favorite songs have no names and are spoken in tongues that no one here is familiar with. As for music, I shall listen to anything that drives the voices from my mind if only for a moment.

[Is it polite to talk about being possibly crazy this early in the conversation? Oh well.]

Can you sing another, please?

Video

[hasitsthorns]

I'd love to hear them someday. That sounds super fascinating.

[ Nah, he's totally fine. She's not really one to judge considering she kind of sort of eats people, so.

Still, she's not about to turn down a request for another song! She pauses for a moment to think. When she sings this time, it's quieter and notably more wistful than before. ]

I found a letter that said: "I'm sorry that you were asleep when I wrote these words down." You'd think I'd ought to be used to that by now. Save for a few of those late night episodes, missed opportunities, and "I Don't Cares," there's not a lot that I feel obliged to share or talk about. I'll have my brother stop by this Saturday to pick up my things, just make sure you're not there. This may sound bad, and don't take it the wrong way... I love you, however, you hold me down. You hold me down. You hold me down. You hold me down.

You're the echoes of my everything, you're the emptiness the whole world sings at night. You're the laziness of afternoon, you're the reason why I burst and why I bloom. How will I break the news to you? How will I break the news to you?

[ushahin]

Perhaps you shall, though I am not much of a bard.

[He prefers to let others do the singing. He doesn't think he has much of a voice for it. When Rose begins to sing again, he leans back in the chair he's sitting in, sighing softly to himself. He focuses on the song, letting the minds he can feel brushing up against his retreat and disappear, leaving him alone with just the music for a moment. It won't last, but it's peaceful for the moments that it lasts.

His eyes glitter appreciatively and he stays silent for about a minute after the song ends.]

Very lovely. You have a gift.

[hasitsthorns]

Anyone can share the gift of music!

[ There's no 'right' way to do it, Rose believes. Music is a reflection of the person and, hey, she's not about to knock anyone for expressing themself however they want to with music. ]

Thank you. It's one of the few things I'd dare to say I'm pretty good at!

Video /so late whoops

[knifecollecting]

I'm not sure I could pick a favorite. Music is pretty big, you know?

video; NEVER TOO LATE

[hasitsthorns]

Music is ginormous! That's what makes it so awesome, y'know? There's so many different ways of expressing yourself!

[ Make no mistake, Rose is internally screaming. It took everything in her to not hit the 'abort mission' button and hang up on poor unaware Jo.

It's... a second chance. This isn't the Jo she knew and there isn't palpable loathing in her voice, she isn't glaring daggers her direction. It's almost too good to be true. She'll do right this time. She swears she will. ]

video; hooray

[knifecollecting]

[Jo nods and smiles.]

I miss music. There isn't a lot of it here.

video;

[hasitsthorns]

I have an iPod! Not sure... how to charge it, but! I have it.

Maybe I can figure it out and share the joy of music with this world again.