tabularasa_rp | [open] a day in the life of a ghost

[ iiiit's not immediately obvious that there's someone already in the room, save for the sound made from leo's current task of being On The Floor collecting the blank scraps of papers scattered about (it's not like there's a store he can buy some more at, so they're precious if he's not gonna end up drawing on the walls, okay....). leo's thoroughly distracted, enough to take cole's appearance as very, very sudden when he shifts upwards onto his knees, looks around to see if he's Finished, and finds a stranger here instead that... he thinks wasn't there before? he can't be sure. was he there the whole time???

needless to say, leo startles a little. and also drops all the paper that he just finished collecting, rip. ]

Woah! Where the heck did you come from?!

[While he doesn't notice him the moment he comes in, it's hard not to notice him moving about on the floor after he's taken some steps inside. At which point he just stops to watch. What are they doing on the floor?]

[The startled reaction is a familiar one, if not one he often gets in this place.]

[He gestures to the door.]

I came from there. Why are you on the floor?

[He asks with honest curiosity.]

[ y.....eah, that is where people come in from. the door. thank you for that straightforward and literal response, cole, truly appreciated.

... no, really, it is. for when leo's surprise wears off, there's just a pleasant kind of satisfaction remaining. as if that stupid question was a test, and cole had passed with flying colors. ]

Ahh, okay! As long as you didn't appear out of thin air, that's fine!

[ because that is absolutely possible. but it didn't happen, so leo can go right back to picking up the remains of his shock, still scattered on the ground... all while playfully stating the following: ]

Anyway, mmm, why am I on the floor? You can see, can't ya? Why don't you take a guess?

[ let's make things Difficult just to be Difficult ]

[He tries. As it is, normally people think he does just that- appear out of thin air. It's easy for them to think that when they literally couldn't see him before that moment, though.]

[He looks at the mess of paper that he had previously been holding. A guess?]

It looks like you were picking up those papers.

[A+ very deep observational skills.]

Ding ding! Wahahaha, congrats, your imagination lined up with reality! Kinda cheaply, since I'm still in the middle of the act, but whatever.

[ hope cole enjoys holding the single brain cell present in this room.

one more paper, another, another. he's almost done shuffling on the floor, though he's certainly not done with complicating what should be simple answers. ]

Whaaat about something harder? Whaddya think I'm doing that for? [ why ] Don't say anything boring like "to use 'em"! I'll fall asleep right here on the floor if you do!

[Rather than stand there while he goes on, he moves further inside to crouch down and help pick up a few papers himself.]

[Oblivious to any single brain cells going on in the room, he answers honestly.]

I don't know. Could you tell me? Would it help if you had more?

[ oh, cole.

though with his joining in to help, leo can't be upset at the lack of response. or, well, he wouldn't be upset in the first place...

he glances up for just a moment, thinking, then back down he goes. ]

Mmm, sure! You answered one of my questions already, so why not go easy on ya? [ ... ] They're for writing music. There's lots of sources of inspiration here, but not any stores or anything to pick up the small things in life... I don't wanna end up drawing on the walls if I get caught unprepared. I need limitless amounts with how many ideas keep popping in my head!

[ so, yeah, more would help.

but he's done collecting what he has now. he shuffles them all into a neat little pile, then outstretches his hand for what cole's picked up. ]

[Writing music?]

Isn't music something you hear? I didn't know you could write it.

[He is a simple honest boy. But more importantly, he hands him the papers he gathered.]

I can bring you more.

[He found some in Hammerlocke when Senior Wei wanted paper, so he already knows where to look.]

[ cole's question gets him a curious glance, if only for the fact that... leo's never quite encountered somehow who didn't know music could be written before?

that shifts into some kind of grateful smile, as the question settles. leo yoinks the papers from cole's hands and integrates them into his pile. ]

You're eager to help, huh? [ he shuffles on over to a wall, leaning against it. and then paaaatttting the space beside him. ] Here, get to know me before you go on a fetch quest for me! And I can show you this...

[ he'll take one of those papers, uncapping a marker he keeps in his pocket to begin sketching a messy rendition of the first couple of notes of twinkle twinkle little star, just for visualization purposes. ]

You're right that music's heard, but in order for it to be heard, it needs to be played! If you want it to be played from hands besides your own, it has to be written. We're not mindreaders or gods or aliens... We can't implant the music from our head right into someone else's, so writing it down is a necessity, y'know?

[Helping is what he does, yep. It takes him a moment, but he manages to interpret the invitation correctly and comes over to sit beside him, one knee bent so he can lean his arm on it as he watches him draw. The images don't mean a lot to him, but it does look like he's writing them with a specific intent.]

[While he may normally be a mindreader, the way he explains it actually makes a lot of sense to him. People can't read each other's minds, after all.]

You write the music so that other hands can play it... I didn't know you could do that. Is it easier than learning by listening?

[Hearing a song and then copying it is what he assumed most bards do.]

Dunno! Both are the same to me, but it's more common to play things off sheet music. I guess that means it's easier for regular people?

[ he ain't normal. also, no need to learn music that you write... so he's a bit of an anomaly, a bit out of touch.

but that's fine. he finishes the sketchy music, putting down the paper and the pile its on top of in front of both of them. ]

[He's learning things today, if not necessarily things that will get much practical use in his case. He continues to look at the music after he sets it on the pile. It's as silent as everything else is, not that even he imagines it would sound like whatever is written on it.]

What does this music sound like?

[ --oh! curses, leo tsukinaga, why didn't you think of something as simple as demonstrating the music.

he offers cole an amused grin before he leans forward, outstretching his finger to trace through the notes as he sings it out for him. it's short, a pretty and energetic little: ]

Twin ♪ kle, twin ♪ kle, lit ♪ le star! How ♪ I ♪ won ♪ der what ♪ you ♪ are!

[ don't ask him about the star, cole, he'll die. anyway, he lifts his hand as he reaches the end of the scribbles, wordlessly signaling the end of the music. ]

This one's pretty simple!

[What if he wants to ask about the star. But no, he's fine listening to him sing without questioning the lyrics too much. Mostly.]

[It was short and simple, but he liked it. It's so quiet here, it's nice to hear a song again.]

I liked that. Do you play an instrument too?

[Since it's apparent he can sing, and he did say that writing music was for other people to play it.]

[ cole's getting a little smile in thanks! both for sparing leo the explanation and also for the compliment.

see, he enjoys performing for others, and the fact that it brought cole even a little bit of joy -- simple and silly at is was -- pleases him enough.

his audience sure is a curious one! ]

I'll let you know I mostly play piano, but you sure are asking all the questions! Lemme ask some too! [ cole ] D'you like music? If we end up finding something I can play hanging around somewhere, I'll offer up a song to you!

[ dedicated to their meeting, here in this oozy, weirdo apartment... it's fine. ]

[That's not the kind of question he usually gets, though he has yet to mention the kinds of things that usually get him questioned.]

I like listening to it. Though if anything in this place sings, I can't hear it.

[Things like that, for instance.]

You would? [He's not sure what he means by offering it up, but if it means he can listen to him play a song, then that's nice.] Thank you.

[And now, for yet another question...]

What is a piano?

... Wahaha, wow! I get lost in conversations sometimes, but this is a whole different kind of lost...!

[ yet he says this all pleased and not in a confused manner at all. it's like cole's told leo a joke that's particularly amusing instead, rather than pulled out a whole bunch of things that would make anyone ??????

maybe it's because leo likes weirdos. and cole is, certainly, a weirdo... even if his somewhat calming air wouldn't quite hint at that.

how the heck to navigate this... how the heck to describe pianos... he's not good at explaining things normally at all. ]

It's like... a big thingie with black and white keys, and depending on which key you touch, a pretty sound comes out! Ding or [ higher: ] diiing or [ lower: ] dong. Ah, though I guess they can be smaller... Technology's come a long way from the past! Aaand if we are adding keyboards in here, they can make a whole lot of other sounds besides regular piano sounds now, too--

[ brilliant. nailed it. moving on, ]

Anyway, you must be from way back when if you've got instruments but not pianos! What do the guys where you're from play on? You've gotta have... flutes and lyres, I'm guessing? Lithophones?

[ maybe too ancient there, leo ]

[Nothing unusual to see here, folks. Just two normal dudes having a normal conversation.]

[While he can't entirely picture what a piano looks like from Leo's description, it probably makes more sense to him than a more traditional explanation would. He conveyed what it's for and how to make it work. That's good enough.]

[He's less sure of what he means by way back when. He just assumes everyone here comes from a different "world" than his.]

The minstrel in the tavern plays one with strings, and she sings at the same time. I don't think I could do that.

[Making the instrument make the right sounds, with only your fingers, and sing the right words? It's a lot.]

[ cole is the only person in the whole wide world to understand leo's tomfoolery.

leo, on the other hand, maybe understands a little less on the cole side? but he's gotten accustomed to adjusting to things as he goes, and the things he's currently saying are far more understandable than whatever he was saying before.

not that getting lost was a bad thing... ]

"The Minstrel in the Tavern"... jeez, what an old sounding phrase! I feel like I'm getting plopped into a time machine riiight back to the past!

[ amused, mostly to himself. cole's just a goshdarn boomer

and also unnecessarily putting himself down, leo thinks. music is a difficult thing to do well, maybe, but it doesn't take much to pluck a couple strings and sing. if he really wanted to, leo wouldn't dissuade him from that.

leo shifts to outstretch a hand and... gently nudge cole on the shoulder, over and over, as if commanding the attention he. already has. no personal boundaries here, not for someone he just met, ]

Listen, ummm... [ ... did they introduce each other? did leo forget? not important, ] Whatever your name is! It'd sound absolutely terrible at first, reaaaally crappy, definitely, but you could do it if you tried. Here, sing! We can start it out one piece at a time, then put it together later!

[ oh no. another gentle nudge. ]

Try the song I just showed you! After me: twin ♪ kle, twin ♪ kle!

[If he ever encounters a Real Piano, he may have more questions. But until that day comes, here we are.]

[He looks at the nudging. He's not bothered by it, Leo seems nice. And Cole's not always great about personal boundaries himself.]

My name is Cole.

[Suddenly, time to sing? He said he'd sound really bad, not that he takes that as any kind of encouragement so much as a statement of fact. He doesn't exactly have much in the way of pride or ego to hurt.]

[So,]

Twinkle... twinkle?

[He's right, it's pretty bad. It sounds more like he's talking in a sorta of sing-song way, trying to imitate what singing sounds like. He's trying.]

[ and that's the important part... trying... though leo is absolutely tactless and sometimes ruthlessly honest, so what comes out first is: ]

Wahahaha! Ahh, I haven't heard that shameless of an attempt in a while! I love it, Ko! Don't stop singing, okay?

[ he says it's terrible but he's encouraging cole to continue... while just snapping a nickname he's absolutely not explaining, it's fine. ]

You gotta try and relax a little... Like, really let yourself go! Don't just talk melodically. Take all your feelings and let 'em tear through your [ singing again, a little louder: ] twin ♪ kle, twin ♪ kle! Go, go!

[ he is saying this like twinkle twinkle little star is some metal screamo song but that is absolutely what leo wants at this point ]

[If he thinks anything of the sudden nickname, he doesn't say so. Follow your kokoro, Leo.]

[While he's giving somewhat mixed signals, he does seem to be encouraging him to keep trying. All his feelings? He's not sure about that, but he does listen intently to Leo's singing. He does like listening to music, so maybe if he uses those feelings?]

Twin♪kle, twin♪kle...!

[It's still not anything to write home about, but it at least sounds more like (Leo's) singing this time.]

[ it may not be much, but for leo... well, it's enough improvement and injection of... self, perhaps, that it gets his approval. he didn't expect cole to go celine dion or anything.

that nets cole a tiny applause from one (1) orange gremlin, smile bright and pleased. ]

Yeah, great! Just like that! Weeeell, maybe not just like that, but it's close. Closer!

[ can't hype him up too much. leo also has to be a little honest too, and cole isn't exactly stage-ready or anything, so. not that he has to be. ]

How'd that feel, Ko? Didja like it?

[ genuinely curious. ]

[open] a day in the life of a ghost

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