Sound of the Cityscape

by **Gwin** on March 30th, 2014, 5:01 pm

When Malus lagged behind a bit, Gwin had a hard time keeping up her rhythm too. She was used to and always strived for harmony, but during that short moment, she had to cling to disharmony until he adjusted to her. Not the other way around. He did so quickly, despite mixing up a few beats that briefly stung in her ears.

Applause came up from the background. Obviously part of the audience understood the musical challenge and cheered them on. Gwin only noticed the noise through the song they were playing though, completely throwing herself into the music. Her arms started to ache and her fingers lost their speed and flexibility bit by bit. Slowly, but surely, the effects of playing for a long time wormed their way into her body. They’d have to conclude the challenge soon…

For the time being, Gwin reveled in the sad and slow quality the song had shifted to. Those were the waters she knew, lukewarm and safe, although she could tell Malus wasn’t as familiar. Her facial features relaxed a bit. The Svefra should try and explore it, squeeze out all he could learn from it. Instead he changed it once again. At first she didn’t notice, drifting in her own little world of melancholy, but then the discord reached her ears and she started to pay attention again.

It wasn’t discord, not really, but rather a different way to support her voice with his ge’tear. Gwin kept up the rhythm and let the melody resonate within the hearts of their listeners, but Malus added a quality that she hadn’t intended or even heard in her slow pace and theme. Slowly, very slowly she realized it and noticed the different message trickling into her too. Once again it was the sheer fun of the free life the Svefra knew, combined with the pleasure and delicious tension of carnal desire.

Gwin knew nothing of it and felt it strange to find that theme in her music. Of course, Malus had added it to their play, but once their instruments connected in harmony like they did, the song belonged to both of them. By bringing up that theme, he’d let her take part in it. With a slight frown, she wove in a little break, just a beat or two, to take a step back mentally.

When she joined him again, it was on a note of parting. The violin whispered her farewell within the next beats, fading into the background. It’d be up to his ge’tear to end the song in a suitable way. After that, they were surrounded by people applauding and smiling.

Once the noise subsided, Gwin tilted her head in a bit of an apology. “I’m sorry. I simply couldn’t go along with the theme you raised towards the end. It is not the kind of music I’m used to playing. I don’t even know if I want to…” Her eyes were fixed on the cobblestone sprinkled with dark drops from the fountain. Oh, part of her was annoyed that she’d given up – although she’d have denied the nature of the challenge if he’d stopped first.

“Thank you for playing with me though. I learned a lot.” Those words were more sincere and with them she found the courage to look up with serious gratitude. The violin rested in her lap like a small child.

by **Malus Tidalwave** on March 30th, 2014, 8:05 pm

The crowed that had formed around the pair went unnoticed by Malus, enthralled as he was by their playing. Instead he focused on her and the music. he noticed that she seemed unfamiliar with the current theme that he had chosen even going so far as to have some timed breaks to align her self to it, and for a moment, he felt a tang of regret. She seemed to be drawing their little session to a close, winding down her playing, the final notes telling his gea’tar a farewell. Finally she ended her part of the musical dance that they had joined and played her final notes.He let those notes linger in the air, wishing to preserve them. Instead of playing over them, he instead gave his own ending. He weaved the notes around the last crystal sounds of the violin, trying to accentuate them, to define them, and to have them linger if only for a moment more.He did so in an attempt to show an appreciation and an admiration of her instrument and her skill.

As the last notes finally faded, Malus came back to his surroundings; his world expanding once more to include not only her and the music, but the crowed that had formed. It was only then that the applause became noticeable, were as before it was only a muffled sounds when compared to the music that they had created together.

“No ne’ed for apolo’gy,” he replied as she looked upand met his gaze, “ ye almost ha’d me der onc’ o twise ye self” He Smiled broadly, a chuckle escaping his lips “Trufe be tol’,had ye change’d the melody onc’ more it woulda hafe been’ me that wou’d ‘ave ended it. Ye are ver’y skill’ed, th’pleasure was mine t’be had.”

He kept his smile up, trying to reassure her. “Musta ha’ve been ol’ Rhaus, t’ bring us t’gether” He said, invoking the name of the god of music. “Not evr’y day I meet’ ah new soun’, perhaps he here and watch’ed us play?” he joked, making to look as if he could actually spot the god himself amongst the crowd.

He returned his gaze back towards her, resting his guitar on his laps and smiling bashfully. The experience was not one that Malus had expected in getting, and the joy that he had found in playing with her madehim cherish it that much more.

by **Gwin** on March 31st, 2014, 2:15 pm

With the music gone, Gwin felt exhausted and empty, although she cherished the echo as long as it lingered in the air between them. The melody still tingled in her ears, promising to play back and forth in her head for a while. Maybe she’d write it down later, maybe not. The challenge they’d played together didn’t seem to be meant for recording.

At the compliment, she lowered her head and allowed strands of blond hair to fall into her eyes. Her cheeks grew warm. As a musician, Gwin knew what she could and couldn’t do, but she didn’t believe in an ultimate limit. There was always more to learn! Thus, she didn’t know how to cope with compliments. A whispered “thank you” was all.

As he mentioned the God of music, the unease slipped away like dark clouds on a spring day. She inhaled cold air before replying. “Oh, I’m sure of it. Whenever we play our instruments or just use our voice to sing, Rhaus is here. It’d only be natural since He’s music itself… Aye, I believe He was here among us.” She gave a decisive nod. As always, the Akvatari didn’t smile, but her face radiated a mild light that expressed her satisfaction with what they’d done.

Still, whenever she reached for the stars, it wasn’t quite enough. Sometimes her fingers seemed to brush the roof of possibilities, but other times it seemed like empty smoke. Only in dreams Gwin felt the pure ecstasy of perfection in her music. However, why would Rhaus enter her dreams? The Akvatari were altogether alone, never favored by any particular deity.

Looking down, she fiddled with the bow. “No matter how magnificent the music, I can’t seem to shake the feeling that there’s more. What we can achieve with skill is never good enough. Do you get that feeling too…?” She didn’t dare meet his eyes, but a fraction of her solitary self longed to share the experience with Malus, a fellow musician.

by **Fractale** on June 12th, 2014, 7:09 pm

Gwin :

Malus :

It would be highly appreciated if you could edit your post in the Grade Request Thread to acknowledge that it has been graded.

If there are any questions or concerns send a PM my way and we'll do what we can to work it out.

Composition	+2 XP
Observation	+2 XP
Violin	+3 XP

Observation	+3
Guitar	+3 XP

Closed Sound of the Cityscape