02 [Action]

[exsuperman]

[In the days following the lifting of the Mist, the school had been chillingly quiet. Everyone was still feeling the pressing effects of the Mist's wake, and many students and staff had left... The academy was uncomfortably silent.

Mr. Trent hadn't been very well off, either... the Mist had taken a heavy toll on him, scrambling his mind in ways only

Comments

[imnot_laughing]

Excuse me, but what is this? [The action is not totally unfamiliar to Roxas, and something about the singing stirs him- but he can't quite remember what this is meant to be.]

[exsuperman]

[Mark stops his playing and turns, surprised that he didn't notice Roxas earlier.]

Oh, sorry- what's what? Are you asking about the song itself, or the guitar..?

[imnot_laughing]

The- I mean, all of... this. [He gestures vaguely to the guitar and Mark himself, embarrassed that he doesn't know the words.]

[exsuperman]

Singing..? Music? ...I'm sorry, I'm not exactly sure what you're asking.

[superdupervi]

[Violet's been quietly listening to him play. She didn't want to interrupt him, so she's been sitting just outside his door for the past hour.

She waits for him to take a break before she pokes her head in and gives a small wave.]

Uh, hey Mr. Trent.

[exsuperman]

[He looks up, setting down his guitar in a nearby stand]

Hey.. sorry, didn't notice you there. Ah.. Violet, right...?

[superdupervi]

Uh, it's okay. I was trying not to be noticed anyways...[She laughs, feeling awkward.] And you're right.

You sound good, by the way. [She only means this guitar-wise, but she's too polite to say anything about his singing.]

What's the song called?

[exsuperman]

Thanks. I was just doing a bit of playing for.. fun.
[And a bit of cathartic healing, but aside from that..]

It's called "The Dock of the Bay".. it was written by a singer named Otis Redding, kinda considered the "King of Soul". It was recorded a few days before he died.. It's one of my favorite songs, even if I'm a bit more drawn to other genres.

[neveradamsel]

[Roxanne has purposefully been avoiding two specific people since the Mist had decided it was going to make life a living HELL for everyone, and while she's pretty sure this isn't the healthiest way to go about things, she has decided that, after much consideration, it is for now her way of handling things.

Of course, she's bound to run into one of them here or there, considering she DOES live on campus. It hasn't been a problem so far, since each of those said two people have been fairly scarce as of late.

Except for now, when she recognizes a voice and it startles her, and she manages to drop a box of film canisters to the ground not terribly far from where he was playing.

So much for going unnoticed. The crash alone would startle anyone.]

[exsuperman]

[Truthfully, he'd been avoiding them too, but fate seems to enjoy their conflict. At the sound of the crash, his playing immediately stops and he gets up, rushing to see what happened.]

Is everything alright?

[He stops in the door frame and catches sight of Roxanne.
He's frozen for a moment, guitar in hand and mind reeling as memories flood back. He frowns and shakes it off, stepping a bit closer.]

Roxanne? Is.. w-what happened?

[neveradamsel]

[She'd hoped he wouldn't come investigate, but that had been ridiculous thinking. This was Metro Man, former defender of Metro City. Of course he was going to come check out a clatter outside the door.

She dropped to her knees, purposefully not looking at him as she gathers the scattered canisters. There were a lot, along with several rolls of film that had managed to escape.]

Everything is fine.

[Just fine. Perfectly fine. Nothing to see here. Her hands aren't still shaking from the whole experience at all.]

Just dropped something, that's all.

[exsuperman]

[Of course, he kneels down and picks up a few of the film rolls that had managed to roll away.]

Here, let me get that..

[Once he's picked them up, he walks over and hands them to Roxanne, noticing the way her hands are trembling. He wants to ask if she's alright, but the answer is obvious...]

[outcastinparis]

[ The music room isn't all that far away from the dance studio. And Esme can't help but catch the tune. It's pleasant. It's not rapid, like Facilier's jazz; or too slow like other music was either. She likes the beat. Don't mind her head popping in your door. ]

[exsuperman]

[Once he's finished the song, he starts to put the guitar away and notices Esme in the doorway. He chuckles a bit and turns to face her, smiling.]

Didn't realize I had an audience.

[outcastinparis]

I didn't realize we had a music teacher.

What kind of music is that? It's nice.

[exsuperman]

It's soul music. Glad you like it, Miss..?