mallowhallow | Rehearsal 3 (5/22): [Video, from Astralfield]

Current Mood: pissed off
Current Location: His room in Astralfield

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Rehearsal 3 (5/22): [Video, from Astralfield]

[The audio feed gets turned on before the video, meaning that anyone on the network will be subjected to a few moments of black accompanied by grunts and grumbles before the view switches to what looks like a vast expanse of white. A moment later, Victor pulls his head back, looking absolutely furious. As he continues to move back, it's easy to see why -- and to see why he apparently had such trouble turning his communicator on.

He's wrapped up in what is clearly a straitjacket.

Not only that, what is visible of his Astralfield hotel room has a distinctly white and padded look. Victor glares up at the ceiling, then at the chalkboard.]

THIS ISN'T FUNNY, ASTRALFIELD!!

[A beat, then some of the anger leaves his face, replaced by a sort of bone-deep weariness and sadness.]

Could -- c-could someone please come here and free me? The room number is 6988.

I was doing so well too. . .

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Yes. . .

[Victor suddenly spots something across the street -- a shop going by the name "Electrobeats." The weird name done up in flashing green neon, with the 'b' styled like a flat key signature would be enough to catch anyone's attention, but what's got Victor's is what's in the window.

What looks like a keyboard without a piano.]

Oh! Terra, look!

[Terra's eyes focused on it and went slightly wide. She'd never seen anything like this before, never anything so ostentatious, and she finally locates what Victor had pointed out.]

How does that even work? How would it make noise without wires?

[Victor's seen ostentatious before, but never anything quite so -- shiny. It's rather overwhelming. Fortunately he has his confusion and hope over this mysterious keyboard to keep him afloat.]

I haven't the slightest idea. We should go find out.

[He checks the road carefully for more of those motorized bikes, or anything else that might come rushing up the street, then hurries across.]

[Being cautious as well, Terra followed after him.]

This ought to be interesting. I've never seen anything like it before.

Neither have I. But -- if it works. . .

[He gives her a smile. If it works, he'll have the best portable piano he can find!

He opens the door, triggering a brief snatch of music that makes Victor arch an eyebrow. All technological buzzing. . .will those things in the window sound the same way? Most of the interior is taken up with shelves filled with CDs and DVDS, along with an MP3 kiosk in the corner, but there's some instruments for sale set up along one wall -- electric guitars, electric violins, some sort of super-advanced drum set. . .and more of those keyboards without pianos. Victor gravitates toward a white one, picking it up and looking it over. Curiouser and curiouser. . .]

[The place is so noisy, so full of lights and sounds and things Terra can't begin to understand, that for a moment, it's rather overwhelming. But then, from that, springs a sense of wonder and awe. That these people have no more pressing concerns than to produce something like this... she envies that kind of freedom.

She followed Victor, looking over the keyboard.]

Does it... work?

I -- don't know.

[Victor hesitantly presses a key -- and no sound comes out. His face falls -- but, then, he frowns.]

Wait, they have to work. They wouldn't be able to sell them otherwise, would they? Maybe there's a trick to it. . .

[He begins to investigate.]

Very strange.

[Terra looked the thing over as well, looking for some kind of switch, anything.]

[An employee, dressed in a shirt with glowing musical symbols on it, comes up to them as they look, asking if they need help.]

Oh -- yes, actually. I was hoping to try this out, but it doesn't seem to be working. . .

[The employee finds the on switch and flips it, then presses a key. This time, a familiar note rings out. Victor grins at the employee, then at Terra.]

Looks like they do work!

[Terra laughed happily, smiling with delight.]

That is incredible!

It is! How does it work?

[This is directed at the employee, who gives him a funny look before cottoning onto the fact that he's probably a newcomer. Therefore Victor gets the short 'electrical impulses' answer instead of the more full explanation the employee'd give one of his fellows.]

Ah.

[And to Terra again:]

Amazing what they can do with electricity. Back home we were only just beginning to explore what could be done with it.

Amazing. Stored entirely in the device. My friend, Edgar, would give his eyeteeth for ten minutes poking around this thing's insides.

I know! Just incredible. . .

[The employee takes this opportunity to do a quick explanation about batteries and how Victor should probably take a spare pack if he wants the keyboard.]

Oh -- I see. Thank you. Goodness, I wish we had things like this at home. . .

[He strokes the keys for a moment, playing a scale, then looks at Terra.]

See anything that interests you?

Terra looked around for a moment, before her eyes settled on a simple flute.

{Hey! Look! I think Terra like's the music! She smiled!

She's just a baby. It's probably just gas.

Oh no, she smiled...}

[Her mouth fell open for a moment.]

[Victor notes her expression and frowns, concerned.]

Terra? Is -- is everything all right?

I...

[Terra gathered her thoughts.]

I think my father used to play music for me, when I was a baby.

[Victor stares a moment -- then grins a little.]

You -- remember, you mean? From before?

[Oh, he hopes that's the case.]

Just... just a quick flash of memory.

[A hesitant smile.]

But that's something, right?

Oh, that's definitely something!

[Victor grins wider.]

It's a step forward! Small step, perhaps, but a step!

[A true smile works its way across Terra's face.]

I had parents. And they loved me. I wasn't just some Imperial foundling.

[Victor nods, delighted for her.]

I'm so glad to hear that. Hopefully that one flash is the herald of lots of others.

[A nod and a smile.]

I hope so too.

Terra... Terra is the name my parents gave me. I remembered that too.

Wonderful. It's a nice name too.

[Not one he'd generally hear where he comes from, but the point stands. He looks at the flute she was looking at before.]

Did you want to get that then? See if it stirs up any more memories?

[A small nod.]

I think... I think I would.

[The employee, still lurking around, picks up the flute and hands it to her. Nothing here costs money for them, so -- yeah. He asks Victor if he still wants the batteries.]

Oh, yes please.

[He smiles at Terra again as the employee heads off to fetch them.]

This has been a very fruitful trip.

Rehearsal 3 (5/22): [Video, from Astralfield]

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