Week Two

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, no murder happened! Instead, a lot of students started work on Salieri's school play, which sounds pretty cool even though it's gonna be short, several people destroyed Bigfoot and got a few mysterious clues, and Orpheus started a fire in the kitchen! All in all, not a bad first week!

Though some people might have gone to talk to Hester, she hasn't made any more public announcements. There's some new papers posted up around the cafeteria, but it looks like it's just your upcoming lunch schedule. Seems like nothing's driving you towards Rule Five except, perhaps, all of the kidnapping and how criminally boring some of you are finding the school. Maybe the Balladeer is right, and you really can just wait this out? Only time will tell!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( No new locations this week, since y'all haven't paid in blood! Hester's office hours are still open, as are regains! Make sure to complete your first activity check by Tuesday! ))

Comments

band room

[prophetpriestandking]

[Mumble's drawn in by the sound of song, and soon he's listening maybe a bit too close over his shoulder.]

Wow. [He comments, awe pretty apparent.] That's - that's beautiful.

[But his face falls, with confusion more than anything.]

...You're not happy with it?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus looks up from his guitar as Mumble speaks up, leaning back a little from how close he is but seemingly not too bothered by it. ]

Oh, thanks! [ he says, and tries to force a smile. It falls quickly, though, and he looks back at his notebook, propped open on one of the music stands.

It's just... I think I have the melody, but the words won't come to me. There's so much I need to say with this one song, and making it all fit feels impossible.

[prophetpriestandking]

[Oh...that false smile won't do. Mumble's not exactly a lyricist, hell, he flunked school (and it's not like penguins have to learn anything but singing) but he wants to help Orpheus. Like he'd helped him before. ]

Maybe - [A thought comes to him. One that he, compared to other penguins, has the unique experience to dispense.] Maybe you...don't need to say it all. If you just put the feeling into it, I'm sure everyone will feel it too, no matter what comes out.

[themuseabandonsyou]

That's true! You can do a lot with just a melody.

[ He frowns thoughtfully, drumming his fingers on the body of the guitar as he considers. ]

We talked a little bit about what's going on, back where I come from, right? The droughts and storms and famine. If I get this song right, I can fix all of it, but I've been stuck trying to figure it out for a really long time.

[ Too long, and now they're running out of time. He shakes his head. ]

But maybe what I need to do is focus more on the feeling than the words. Maybe I can give it room to speak more for itself, like you said.

[prophetpriestandking]

I remember.

[A song with the power to change the world...what a feat. The idea sounds impossible, but Mumble's always been one for his 'imaginings' - and if what he's just heard is anything to go by, he's sure that Orpheus could be the one to do it.]

That's it - you just need to...find the feeling. Happy feeling, sad feeling, maybe lonely feeling. [There's the sense that he's echoing someone else's words, reciting them from the top of his head.] And then you just - feel it. And let it out.

[You know?]

Be spon-tan-you-us.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods, listening thoughtfully. ]

There's a lot of really, really complicated emotions, going into this? But maybe that's because I'm looking at it all wrong. Maybe it's simpler than I think, and I just need to find the heart of it, and let that shine through.

[ He taps his pencil to his lips, looking back at his notes and thinking for a moment, before turning back to Mumble, smiling a little. ]

That's really good advice. Thank you.

[prophetpriestandking]

[He brightens up, seeing Orpheus smile back.]

It's no problem. Happy to help.

[He stands there for a moment, and then that moment stretches on a little too long.]

Do you...mind if I hang around?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ At least Orpheus doesn't seem bothered by the awkward pause? He just keeps on smiling through it, mind starting to wander slightly towards the end before Mumble asks if he can stay and snaps him back into the present. ]

Oh! Of course, if you don't mind watching me work on this. [ He strums a simple chord, idly, and flashes Mumble a brief little grin before scribbling something down in his notes, speaking up again as he does so. ]

Someone at the meeting said you're a dancer, right? So I guess you'd know all about getting the feeling of things across without words. Did you learn from someone? Or did you teach yourself?

[prophetpriestandking]

Oh - yeah. I guess I am. [He's a little embarassed?] I've never really been called a 'dancer' before.

[Usually it's some kind of dance-based insult.]

I taught myself. Or, it's more like - I just...knew it. Even when I was a chick, right out of the egg, I was doing my little - [He lightly taps his heel against the floor.] - thing with the feet.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Wow, that's incredible! I guess birds are a lot more independent than humans whey they're first born - or hatched. Can I see, though? I can play something, if you need accompaniment.

[prophetpriestandking]

Sure!

[This marks the second time Mumble’s been asked to dance, and it doesn’t get any less thrilling. For once, people actually want to see it. Imagine that.]

Maybe - try playing to this.

[He drums out a beat against the floor, encouraging Orpheus to follow it with whatever comes to mind.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods along with the beat for a moment, watching Mumble's movements, before launching into a very basic jig, lively and upbeat. ]

How's this?

[prophetpriestandking]

[It’s not Mumble’s usual style - but that’s not a bad thing. Watching Orpheus ease into the music brings a smile to his face; it feels like they’re building something together.]

Yeah! That’s great!

[He dances along with the beat, tapping and clicking his feet against the floor to create his own percussion track. His movements aren’t thought out or planned - just pure impulse, letting Orpheus’ music carry him and then lead it in turn.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus laughs, delighted, as Mumble breaks into his dance. He'll adjust his playing subtly to match, improvising new bits of melody to match what Mumble is doing and grinning all the while. ]

You're fantastic! [ he says, tapping his foot along with the rhythm as he plays. ] And you figured this all out yourself?

[prophetpriestandking]

Thank you!

[He can't help but go a bit red at that.]

Not really 'figured out'...it just came to me. Every penguin has a heart song, a music that lives inside of them -

[He continues to dance as they talk.]

It's just there. Waiting to come out.

[He stamps a foot on the floor.]

I guess mine is dance.

[themuseabandonsyou]

A heart song... [ Orpheus repeats. ] I guess it must be, because you're amazing at it. Like it's what you're meant to do.

[ Just looking at how happy it made him, to be asked to dance and to be doing it. ]

[prophetpriestandking]

You really think so?

[He smiles, small, but a little sad.]

I wish you could tell my Pa that. He thinks I shouldn't do it at all. Penguins aren't meant to dance.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Oh. [ Orpheus's smile drops at that, going deeply concerned. ] They're not? Why? If everyone has a song in them, why can't you have yours?

[prophetpriestandking]

Because it's not like everybody else. It's not 'penguin'.

[themuseabandonsyou]

And they're all... singers, then?

[ Orpheus doesn't know much about penguins, but he's having a rough time imagining them playing instruments, so. He shakes his head, confused. ]

Dancing is just as important a form of expression as music. In fact, we - humans? - write songs specifically for the purpose of being good to dance to. Like the one I just played for you. I'm not a great dancer myself, but I can't imagine people who just... don't.

[prophetpriestandking]

[He confirms Orpheus' thought with a nod.]

You've never met any Emperor Penguins then. [He shakes his head.] Maya was telling me about these schools for singing and dancing, and about how dance is just as important - how she has partners... [He sighs, a little longing, a little fond.] Sometimes I wonder if I'd fit in better with you guys.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Maybe. You're more than welcome here with us, obviously. But I hope your people realize how important what you can do is, too. You deserve to have your heart song recognized.

[prophetpriestandking]

...Thank you, Orpheus.

[With those thoughts coming over him, Mumble begins to slowly tap his foot on the ground. Rolling, it becomes rapid, forming a beat.

It's a big, big universe...]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus strums his guitar to the tune, idly, almost without thinking. One mind, one voice, one body to live in. ]

Of course! I don't know as much about music or dance as some of the others here? But if you ever want to talk about things, I'm always here.

[prophetpriestandking]

You sound like you know a lot. N-not just from talking about it, but... [It's a short small thing we lead.] From your song.