Music in the Dark (Shale)

by **Shale** on May 29th, 2011, 12:56 am

Shale shook herself and leered at the top of the stairway for a few moments. This day was just getting more and more suspicious. Why the two had tried to keep out of her sight, if it was indeed not just a trick of the mind and they really were there just a moment ago...

The Kelvic huffed, as much an internal declaration to assure herself that she was a big girl now as it was an attempt to alert Alphonse to her presence. She started to open the door and enter the room, readying herself mentally to see this grand chance through.

But still, Shale also prepared for a disappointment. Alphonse had better not be misleading her. If he did...well...she'd...she'd...turn into a fox and bite him! Shale grimly clenched her teeth for but a moment and swung the door open.

by **Archon** on June 1st, 2011, 5:01 pm

As Shale opened the door Alphonse stopped playing the lyre and rose up from the stuffed chair to greet her with a smile, "Shale! Glad to see you could make it. Please, sit down," he gestured to the second chair seated opposite of his own around the table, "Would like anything? Something to eat or drink perhaps?"

It could have been the remnants of the dream, or Shale's own suspicion, but there seemed to be something a little off about Alphonse's smile. Shale couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but the feeling was there. His words and actions seemed earnest enough, and if she took him up on his offer for anything to eat or drink he would ring a small bell on the table, and order whatever she wished from the waiter that arrived in response.

Regardless of whether Shale sat down, or ordered any food, Alphonse would be silent for a few moments before clearing his throat and asking, "Tell me Shale, what do you know of the Divine Symphony?"

OOCFeel free to make up something regarding the Divine Symphony, or have Shale know nothing at all.

by **Shale** on June 4th, 2011, 3:05 pm

"Thank you, Alphonse." Shale nodded assuredly. "Trust me, I'm glad I can make it too." Shale returned the happy greeting, glad to see such a warm welcome, even if it had something off about it. Just like nearly everything about him.

Still trying to see the memory of her master through via his 'secret project', Shale consoled herself, marshaling her thoughts even as she moved to take a seat opposite of Alphonse's. Maybe the man was just an awkward sort.

Shale delighted in the chance for some proper food. Especially one in such a prestigious place. Living off of rodents and her own personal supplies that she had brought along for her adventure wasn't the most exquisite of lifestyles. Oh sure, as a vulpine Kelvic, her usual choice of meals nowadays came naturally, but she wasn't about to waste the moment to try out some finer dining.

Unfortunately, the entertainer had failed to notice the menu as she had instead been distracted with trying to find Alphonse, and those two men who stared at her back...

"A meal would be fine." Shale said, before taking one last look at the door behind her and glancing around the room for a moment. She might have whistled at the grand furnishings and design, but was trying to avoid making herself look any more... homely. She reminded herself that she had to put on a proper air for someone who sought to do business with her.

Before she could ponder it over much more, Alphonse ringed a small bell at his side.

Shale could hear the distinct noise of footsteps outside of the room and for a brief second, paranoia took over. Was it a signal for the two threatening guys from earlier?!

She tilted forward slightly in her chair and pressed her hands down on the arm-rests. If anything bad happened, she'd be ready to spring from the chair and-

The door opened and a figure approached. Shale snapped her gaze to him. "You rang sir?" Much to her relief, it was a waiter.

The Kelvic sighed under her breath as Alphonse addressed the newcomer. "Yes my good man," he gestured to Shale. "My friend here is hungry."

The waiter looked at the entertainer expectantly. If only Shale had seen a menu! She was silent for a second and the waiter raised an eyebrow. "I'll uh," her voice lost its usual confidence before she leaned back in her chair and resumed her usual manners. "I'll have today's special."

"Very good, miss." The waiter bowed and left the room, closing the door with the gentleness of a practiced server.

Shale crossed her legs and looked back at Alphonse as he mentioned a "Divine Symphony" as soon as the waiter disappeared. She wracked her brain, unable to get any detail on the subject. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with it," she professed.

by **Archon** on June 5th, 2011, 5:08 pm

"The Divine Symphony is what Matthew was searching for before he died," Alphonse said softly, his gaze turning down to the table in front of him, "He was not sure what exactly it is, but the rumors about it are astounding. Some say it is the greatest instrument ever created, that it can turn even the clumsy fumbling of a novice and turn it into music beautiful enough to make the most stoic of men cry. Others say it is a gift from Rhaus himself, and that through playing it powerful magics can be invoked," Alphonse turned his eyes back up from the table and to Shale once more, "Regardless of the truth Matthew believed it was real, and believed he was on the path to finding it."

Alphonse fell silent as the waiter returned bearing a tray of delicious smelling sliced lamb in one hand, and a lightly fragrant cup of red wine in the other. Placing the two in front of Shale silently the waiter gave a deep bow, and then left once more with hardly a noise.

"I have the last of Matthew's notes regarding what he had found about the Divine Symphony, but sadly they make little sense to me," Alphonse's voice had dropped down, almost to a conspiratorial whisper, as he leaned towards Shale slightly, "That's why I've been looking for you Shale. I figured you might have better luck understanding what it all means," Alphonse reached out a hand and lightly placed it on Shale's shoulder, "Will you help me, for Matthew's sake at least?"

by **Shale** on June 6th, 2011, 12:46 am

Shale was unable to hide her surprise, staring, open-mouthed at the "secret project," finally revealed. Something so amazing, and it was being tracked down by Mathew?! The Kelvic grinned inwardly. Only her late master would do something so grand.

All this possibility that lay in front of her, all the grandeur and splendor! All that could be hers. Her grand mission seemed ever so close, ever so attainable! The greatest show of all time, done to honor the memory of Mathew himself; it was possible! Alphonse's guest was nearly stirred into a frenzy at the mere prospects.

As hungry as the delicacy of food set before her was making Shale, it was completely forgone as far as she was concerned.

Shale answered Alphonse, clutching both hands into fists raising them up. "Yes!" And continued to answer. "Yes yes yess!" But then a thought hit her. A very, very important one that came to her with the force of a sledgehammer. The fact that it drove away her joyous revelry was immediately evident by a sudden change in her expression. Her left eyebrow raised and she narrowed her eyes, looking directly into Alphonse's. "I don't want to seem ungrateful for the opportunity, but just what are you getting out of this? I doubt something so, unique, is up for charity."

by **Archon** on June 6th, 2011, 7:44 pm

Alphonse's face lit up with a delighted smile at Shale's eager reaction, but it fell just as quickly at her suspicion. With his hand still upon her shoulder Alphonse looked at Shale intently for a few moments, as if searching for something in her face, and then finally gave a soft sigh, "I suppose I can't blame you for being suspicious. You're right that I'm not just doing this out of the kindness of my heart."

Alphonse's eyes turned down from Shale, looking at the wood of the table as if contemplating something. After a deep breath he spoke again, though his eyes remained down, "I don't tell many people this, but I owed Matthew a great deal. It's thanks to his help that I'm as well off as I am. I owed Matthew a lot, but never got a chance to repay him before he died. Knowing how much this meant to him I figured finding the Divine Symphony and making sure he receives credit for what he did would settle the debt between us."

by **Shale** on June 8th, 2011, 3:07 pm

Shale got up and moved closer to Alphonse, her suspicions allayed and replaced with a sort of empathy. As she saw it, Alphonse was tied with loyalty to her master just as she was. Maybe not as personal as her cause, but his was at least something like it.

On a spur of the moment, Shale placed a hand over Alphonse's, looking directly into his eyes. "He never said much about his special project. But I promise you, I'll do whatever I can to help you repay your debt."

by **Archon** on June 10th, 2011, 2:21 pm

"Thank you Shale, I appreciate that," Alphonse's voice was warm as he smiled at Shale, but as she had seen before that smile did not touch his eyes.

Turning his attention away after a moment Alphonse reached under the table and pulled out a single sheet of paper, "These are Matthew's notes on where the Divine Symphony is hidden. Do they make any sense to you?"

Placing the paper on the table in front of Shale so she could see it clearly Alphonse quietly sit back and watched her expectantly. The handwriting on the paper was immediately recognizable to Shale as her old Master's, but the content of it all she had never seen before.

One corner of the paper was taken up with a hand drawn musical staff that contained the three chords that Alphonse had been playing when she first peered into the room. The second corner held what looked like little more than a doodle, a long single like that curved back and forth with small little marks scattered along the length of it. Another corner held Matthew's unmistakable writing, "Divine Symphony, ~~Syliras?~~, ~~Zeltiva?~~, Ahnatep?" The final corner held a simple little drawing showing a contraption that seemed to be made of various pipes and had several faces scattered about the pipework.

by **Shale** on June 11th, 2011, 6:12 pm

The Kelvic took a closer look, picking it up and studying it. The supposed design of the item, this, Divine Symphony was odd to say the least. Her eyes traced along the image, trying to figure out just how something like that was supposed to be played. "Well, the pipes probably make the sound..." Shale thought out loud. "Sounds like some kind of flute?"

After looking it over and pondering the notes for a time, Shale's thoughts went to the only real text on the entire paper. "I'd say that Matthew thought the Symphony might be in Ahnatep." It was so simple. Finding such a powerful object couldn't be this easy, could it?

Shale glanced back to the picture again and abruptly her mind returned to imagining how it might sound. She tried to compare other instruments, the first being the recollection of Alphonse's strumming on the lyre. No, no way it could sound like those very three notes. Those same ones from the dream. She visibly shuddered for a second.

Well as long as the dream's gone, and it's not like it was uncommon to be haunted by a peculiar dream. Maybe a little too uncommon; how powerful was the Divine Symphony supposed to be...

Shale's expression screwed up as she suddenly stumbled on a startling idea. If it can make any random person into a grand musician, that implies it can affect people's minds. Could it cause nightmares as well as great music?

Matthew thinks it's in Ahnatep. But that was some time ago, especially to a Kelvic. It could have moved...

"My gods..."Shale looked at Alphonse in shock, her voice lowering. "...it's, it's in Syliras."

by **Archon** on June 13th, 2011, 7:36 pm

Alphonse was silent as he listened to Shale muse over the note, paying rapt attention at first. He showed little interest in her musings on the design and sound of it, and a frown teased at his lips as she gave her thoughts regarding the Divine Symphony being in Ahnatep.

The frown continued to faintly tease at his lips during Shale's silence, but when she looked back up at him it vanished, and his eyes widened at Shale's declaration, "Here? In Syliras? Are you sure? How do you know? Where would it be?" there was definite excitement in his voice at her words, and an eager gleam in his eye as he leaned forward slightly with his questions.

Forcing himself to calm down a little Alphonse sat back in his chair, "Sorry if I got a bit excited there Shale, but didn't Matthew cross off Syliras?" he pointed at the note and the word itself, "What makes you think it's here?"