Music on the Train

[gundamofthedesert]

Who: Quatre and Open
Where: Music Carriage
When: Nebula 20
What: Music time? Come listen to violin.
Warnings: None at the moment

It had been quite a while since Quatre had taken out his violin to play. There had been a lot that had been distracting him recently so it had just slipped his mind. Of course, like it did back home as well. There was always something to distract him from practicing his violin and he was falling back into that habit.

Well, not anymore! He was determined that he was going to try and practice more often. So he had taken his violin from his cabin and headed out to the music carriage so that he didn't disturb too many people. With that, he took out his violin and began to play the first thing from his heart.

Anyone walking by might notice that it seemed a little somber. Perhaps even sad. There were so many people sad today - watching friends leave - that it didn't help him play something that was upbeat. Maybe having someone else around would help with that.

Comments

[weifinder]

He was walking through the Music carriage when he heard the unfamiliar strains of a new melody, on an instrument that sounded a little familiar, but also largely new. Wei Wuxian follows his curious ears, padding through until he sees the young man standing on stage with the wooden and string instrument tucked up on his shoulder and under his chin. He does play with what looks to be a very small bow, tightly strung; the music that's coaxed out of his instrument carrying a depth of tone he found surprising.

He loved it, really. He didn't speak, simply listening, until Quatre took a break in playing, either seeing him standing there leaning against a wall, listening to the somber music with a small smile, or not.

"Never heard anything like that before," he said during a pause. "Was this one of the instruments you mentioned on the islands, when we spoke over the SCA?"

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre was kind of absorbed in his violin playing but did finally realize that someone was there. He lowered his violin with a smile, seeing who was standing there.

"It is. This is a violin. Would you like to see it?"

[weifinder]

"Please, may I?" Wei Wuxian smiles, pushing off the wall to approach, eyes bright and curious as they roam the form of the violin. "We've stringed instruments at home, like the zither, and like things entirely unlike the zither, but this way of playing is rather novel."

He reaches out to gesture to the bow, giving Quatre an inquisitive tilt of his head.

[gundamofthedesert]

"Of course." Since he had offered, of course he was going to let him see it. When WuXian reached him, Quatre handed over the violin and bow carefully so that WuXian could see them up close.

"I suppose it is a little like a zither. You can play a violin by plucking the strings. It's called pizzicato at least when applied to violins."

[weifinder]

He handled the violin with firm handed gentleness, turning it around to regard its shape and study the curve of the wood.

"How many pieces is this carved from?" He shifted his hold, and grip on the bow, so that he could pluck at the strings more like a zither. The sound had a different quality to what the bow produced, but he was picking out the notes, changing the shifted press of his fingers to hear how the violin, played pizzicato, sounded.

"What's the technique for using the bow along with your fingers?"

He handed the violin and bow back to Quatre, meaning for it to be a demonstration if his young friend were so inclined. He smiled as he did so. "It's a beautiful instrument."

[gundamofthedesert]

"There are over 70 pieces of wood in a modern violin. I don't know if they used to be made from fewer pieces. Probably less just because the techniques were not as refined, but violins took much longer to produce back then."

He reached to take the violin back when WuXian handed it back. "Thank you. So when you play it, this is how you hold the bow." He demonstrated, tucking his violin back under his chin. "And you use your fingers on the bridge to help change the pitch."

[weifinder]

"Truly masterful pieces can take years, even when and where I'm from," he says, nodding at the number of pieces involved. Truly jointed together in an amazingly unified, beautiful manner. His respect and regards to the master crafters involved.

He shifted a touch to the side, studying how Quatre moved his fingers, the bow, the way he rested the violin under his chin and oh, all of it is curious. He tapped his fingers to his chin, then reached to his waistband, tugging Chenqing free.

"How do you feel about harmonising?"

[blitzcheer]

Tidus hears the music, as soon as he comes in through to the music room by the hall. A surprising treat, but not a bad one - though he isn't sure if he should do what he came in here for.

But why turn and leave? He's quiet as he wanders the room, finding a place to sit, not wanting to interrupt Quatre from the music he plays.

Not until there seems to be an opening - one to fill the ending sound with a new one: clapping.

"Feel like I just walked in as the main character got some bad news in a movie." Despite the remark, his tone is jovial, playful.

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre had been absorbed in his music as he usually was. It was just something that happened when he was actually able to start playing. He loved playing, just never did it enough.

Finally he did reach what was a natural conclusion to his song when he heard clapping, lowering his violin and lifting his head. He smiled and gave a bow.

At the comment, he nodded. "Platform day always makes me a little sad. So many people we have got close to leaving... so I guess it just came out."

[blitzcheer]

Quatre would know well about that too, wouldn't he. Those close to them leaving - loved ones, and even those from home. Sometimes one and the same.

"Did anyone leave this stop you were close to?" Tidus asks, softly.

[gundamofthedesert]

"Someone I had talked to a few times. Miss Della. We had some good talks so I was sad to see her go."

He said this as he fiddled with his violin as though he were tuning it, but he really wasn't turning any of the tuning pegs.

[blitzcheer]

Ah. He nods his head, kept bowed for a few moments after.

"She's got a few people missing her." To understate it. "I remember the first day she came - she was going around the train, knocking at all the walls." Hah. "You see her? She was looking for hidden secrets."

[gundamofthedesert]

He smiled.

"I think I did see her. It's strange... remembering what people did the first time they saw the train. I can't say that I blame any of them no matter what it was."

[flatteries]

Inigo is in the music carriage often enough. Usually to check whether there's someone there or not, since there's definitely moments where the carriage is quiet, considering it's less popular than some of the other ones..

But it seems like there's someone there right now. Inigo can tell the moment he walks in and hears the sound of that violin. He supposes that means he isn't going to be able to dance today after all, huh.

Rather than turning around and leaving the carriage though, he instead heads over towards the source of the sound.

.. Quatre. Unsurprisingly, since he's just about the only violin player Inigo knows on the train.

He waits until the other guy has finished his current piece before speaking up.

"Had an itch to play?"

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre finished up the song that he was playing after a few minutes. It hadn't been a long one in his head when he had started playing. But he could always play another piece once he was done so the length of the song didn't matter so much.

He looked up once he had finished and smiled seeing his friend Inigo.

"I did. It has been so long since I have. Or at least, it feels like it has."

[flatteries]

"Come on, surely it hasn't been that long, has it?"

Inigo approaches the spot where Quatre is standing more now the other isn't playing - and therefore Inigo knows sure that he won't accidentally startle the other by doing so.

"You've got to have played sometime before the last mission, at the very least."

[gundamofthedesert]

"I'm sure I have. It just feels like it has been a long time."

He smiled. "Of course, I didn't practice much more at home either. I was often busy."

[flatteries]

Inigo doesn't even have to ask what Quatre was busy with. Considering what Inigo heard about the other's world, he can make quite some guesses as to what he was busy with - and that's way too depressing of a topic to talk about.

So instead he just shakes his head with a smile.

"Did the mission feel that long to you? I guess some people must have walked around a lot.." And in Inigo's experience, that often feels like so much longer than it usually is. "The time just sped by for me, since I was so busy working on those bridges. The mission was over before I even realised it, really."

[gundamofthedesert]

Given that the war was over, it wasn't so bad. He was mainly just a workaholic because that's what his company demanded of him. He didn't necessarily like to admit that though.

"It didn't feel that long," Quatre remarked. "No matter what we were doing, it all seemed to go pretty quickly. I know it has been a long time since I have watched so much. The blue leaders asked if I could go with their team so I walked a lot of one of the islands."

[wewillwewill]

The violin is a familiar instrument to Elidibus. The music played not so much. On hearing it he sought the source and lingered to listen for a while. Songs wind to an end however and eventually when Quatre wends to the end of a piece but before beginning a new one, the Ascian speaks up.

"Would you mind if I accompanied you?"

On the top floor of the music carriage is the performance space and that's where they happen to be. But Elidibus holds no instrument; instead he indicates the piano on the stage.

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre had been absorbed in his music and hadn't heard the other come in. He looked up at the question, finally seeing the person who had come into the room with him.

At the indication towards the piano, he looked back at it before turning back Elidibus. "I don't mind at all. Please, join me."

He lowered his violin for the moment while the other came up and got settled.

"I'm Quatre Raberba Winner." Since they were going to be playing music together.

[wewillwewill]

There is an answering nod.

"I am Elidibus." No indication that he has a surname; his tone indicates he has given his full introduction. The man claims a seat at the piano's bench with the minimum of motion needed and his manner suggests he's not worried about the instrument's sound.

He has, since arriving on the train and discovering its existence, periodically made sure it was in tune.

Now that he's settled, Elidibus looks up and offers the lead to Quatre.

"I'm not familiar with the music you've played. So if you begin, I will improvise around it." It seems only courteous to give the lead to the one whose music he interrupted.

[gundamofthedesert]

"It's nice to meet you." He didn't mind at all. He had friends who prefer to answer with a grunt than an actual introduction if they could so he didn't worry about the fact that he hadn't been given a last name. It wasn't important.

"Of course. I will pick something that is slower so it is easier to follow along."

He then raised the violin back under his chin. With one foot, he tapped the speed that he was going to be playing at before he began, giving him a heads up.

[wewillwewill]

Simple had not been needed but Elidibus nods acknowledgement and simply goes with the flow. In matters like this, it is easier to show skill than waste time with prideful boast and well...

Music is music.

After listening for a few moments with his eyes closed, the Ascian sets his fingers to the keys and begins to play. The piano will not overpower the violin piece; foot pedals are used to mute the strike of hammers on strings and keep it in the background; a soft compliment to showcase Quatre's violin line rather than overpower it. Occasionally though, as the music bridges into a suitable segment, the piano's accompaniment becomes that of a peer in the performance.

It's a combination of skill and experience. Perhaps also a touch of birthright for Elidibus's people were naturally gifted with powerful clairvoyance. Yet there are elements to music which are oft universal. At the very least it seems the places where Quatre and Elidibus come from do not appear to be much different in its pursuit.

[gundamofthedesert]

Quatre was certainly impressed. He could hear Elidibus's playing in the background and for the most part, that's where it remained, as an accompaniment rather than trying to take over. He did have some swells of music, but those were at completely appropriate times and didn't detract from it.

Man, now he wished he had a recorder on the other side of the room so he could hear it properly.

Finally, when his song ended, he lowered his violin and smiled. "That was very nice. Thank you. It has been a while since I have had someone to play along with me."