[ open; action ] track 001

[maven]

Who: Sona & you there yeah yOU I SEE YOU
What: Um nothing really
When: Wednesday the 15th, after school hours.
Where: The downtown library, in a little indoor-cafe that serves as a foyer to the library.
Warnings: um none

[ Sona had agreed to meet someone from the Network here at the library, but honestly she didn't really think it through. No idea?? What he looks like?? And he has no idea what she looks like either, and she really likes to look confident so she's too embarrassed to ask for any details. And a part of her is also aware that um how is she even going to teach someone without... talking to them...

So she's sitting at the little cafe by the entrance to the library, and has decided the best way to find him would be to make him recognize her; so she's set up her keyboard out of the way of the doors, but nearby enough that anyone entering would spot her, and is toying around with it. Playing video game soundtrack music...

Plz approach! ]

Comments

[deludings]

[Things have been strange, lately. Discovering a network of people, being told that they were meant to fight aliens? All that's way over his head. What Shuuya's sure about is that he's... normal, in almost every aspect. Even the Echo he shared with Tsubomi was as ordinary as could be.

But he'll shove that thought aside for now. He's ridden his bike over to the library to return a book for his mother. He might as well, since it's on the way home. And it's on this errand that he spots the girl playing on the keyboard. With a grin, he sidles up beside her.]

Hey, hey~! What's this set-up, huh?

[maven]

[ s...ame... Sona has been trying to just live normally - especially knowing that she's had these numbers since she was eight. Not that the network has been around since then, but still. She was a bit slow to find it. And so far she hasn't had to deal with what this all means, but - it's a lot to think about...

She stops mid-song to look at him curiously. She pulls out a notepad and writes: ]

Waiting for someone. You?

[pianistofraielin]

[okay!! Russel is going to meet someone today and he is going to learn how to play the piano! It is going to be awesome and nothing could possibly go wrong!]

[except when he gets out of class late. and has to go back because he forgot the books he'll need for tonight's homework. and then misses his bus to the library and has to walk. THIS IS A DISASTER WHAT IF SHE'S ALREADY FED UP AND GONE HOME BY THE TIME HE GETS THERE AND HE NEVER GETS THE CHANCE TO BECOME THE AMAZING PIANO-HERO HE REALLY IS!?]

[no, everything will be okay!! he just has to believe that!]

[when he finally does arrive at the library, he is fairly noticeable. White pea coat over plain jeans and a sweater, green scarf, and a set of headphones--full-sized, also green. There's a nametag on the lapel of his coat too, labeling him "Russel". He figured it'd be a good way to identify himself and would save them both the trouble of having to ask a bunch of strangers if they were the one they were looking for!]

[but it turns out that probably wasn't necessary, as he sees the young woman sitting at the cafe beside the library with her keyboard out. he slides the headphones off, letting them hang around his neck, and brightens when he recognizes the music she's playing]

[THIS WAS A GOOD DECISION.]

[he walks up to the table, leaning down to look at her face, and gives her a bright, expectant smile] Hey, are you Sona?

[maven]

[ She continues playing the song she's in the middle of, and looks up eagerly. Oh thank god a nametag, smart boy!!! She gives him a smile and a nod :> ]

[deludings]

[Oh! So she's mute. Shuuya beams at her.]

I gotta return something. Who're you waiting for?

[maven]

Makes sense. [ It is a library, after all! ] Someone named Russel.

[pianistofraielin]

[it's really her!! :D!!!! he's really going to learn the piano today this is so exciting!]

I'm Russel! It's nice to meet you!

[he slides into the seat next to her.] You're really good! Did it come naturally or did you have to really practice at it?

[maven]

[ She has to trail off with the music, then gets out a notepad. ] The pleasure is mine.

I've practiced on my own since I was a child, but I take classes now as well.

[freezies]

[Marie is a semi-regular at the library regardless. She likes the noise and hustle and bustle of life here, but occasionally, it's nice to just sit and relax in a quiet place -- which was something she definitely needed, after this... whatever the hell happened the other day had happened. It wasn't like a math problem or anything, just a bunch of numbers. Or maybe it's all one number? More than the "memory" she regained, that was what bothered her. It goes without saying it was definitely time for some tea and quiet and a nice library book.

But as she walks in, she -- well, she doesn't recognize the song exactly, but it's a nice tune. So she takes a slight detour to talk to her.]

You're really good...! Is that from a game?

[maven]

[ Sona nods, grateful for the compliment! But also happy that it was somewhat memorized. :3 ]

[pianistofraielin]

[oh, she's writing something down? his eyebrows hitch up a notch; he leans over to see what she's writing]

[it sure is weird that she'd write instead of--OH]

[he looks up from the paper to her face] Can you talk? [he'd rather ask for confirmation than assume. she could be completely mute or she could just be suffering from a bout of laryngitis--it's best to be sure!]

[maven]

[ Sona shakes her head, then hesitates a moment before writing, picking her words slowly and carefully. ]

Thus, I'm not sure how good a teacher I'll be. If it turns out to be too difficult to follow, I won't be offended if your other offers are more suitable.

[deludings]

Ehhh~ Would that be a boyfriend~?

[maven]

[ She just shakes her head, looking unsure. ]

[deludings]

You're not sure, huh... [He rests on the keyboard, propping his chin up with a hand.] It sounds like you don't know the guy really well, anyway.

[pianistofraielin]

[if she's not explaining why she can't talk, then he feels it's safe to assume this is a permanent thing and not a transient one. Russel is actually pretty sensitive to people's needs, so knowing that will help him accommodate her.]

[his smile returns in full force; it seems the revelation has not doused his enthusiasm in the least] I'm sure it'll be fine! I'll just have to pay closer attention, and if you need to use your hands to guide me at all that's okay too!

[maven]

[ For a second she's excited because she thinks he means sign language, but then realizes he probably means guiding his hands. Well, that's fine with her, too. ]

If you don't mind.

Is there anywhere you'd like to go to begin practice? [ She wouldn't really mind staying here, but it might be hard to retain focus with people coming and going. ]

[maven]

Met him online this weekend. [ She knows the network thing is supposed to be a secret, so that's what she'll substitute. Besides it's - pretty accurate? Right? ]

[pianistofraielin]

[yeah he knows like zero sign language, sorry Sona. but some people are weird about being touched so he figured it was good to clarify that he's okay with it.]

Uh. Hmm...

[looks around... a cafe probably isn't the best place to do this, no. too much foot traffic, bad acoustics...]

Maybe one of the study rooms inside the library would work? It shouldn't be too loud if we closed the door, right?

[maven]

[ Sona nods an affirmation - that sounds like as good a plan as any. She has to go about packing up her keyboard, but it doesn't take her more than a minute or two before she's making her way through the library with ease of familiarity. ]

[pianistofraielin]

[he helps with the packing-up however he can. not because he's excited; he's just that kind of person]

[once they're sequestered away inside a study room, he ditches his backpack, coat, and scarf by the door and helps her set back up however he can, too.]

[HE IS POSITIVELY BOUNCING WITH ENTHUSIASM. HE IS GOING TO GET TO LEARN THE PIANO!!!]

Okay! So how do we start?

[maven]

[ she sets up the keyboard for him and pulls out a seat for him to sit in front of it. Then goes back to her bag and pulls out some really simple sheet music - things like twinkle twinkle little star. She sets them down in front of him, along with her notepad and writes: ]

1st: Can you read music?

[pianistofraielin]

Oh, yeah! I don't have a lot of practice at it but I know what everything means.

[basically, he knows the lines are E G B D F and the spaces in between the lines are F A C E, and what the standard notation looks like. if you handed him simple sheet music he could say what letter a note corresponds to and how many beats to hold it for, but it's kind of like knowing how to spell a word in a foreign language without knowing what it means or how to pronounce it.]

[deludings]

Wow, really~? That's sorta scary, isn't it?! [Never mind the fact that he's met his best friend the same way.]

[maven]

[ Sona has to admit that the stigma isn't exactly there for no reason, and she nods slowly. ]

Hence the public location.