(not at all) accidental video; @maedae

[trashmammal]

[The feed cuts in abruptly ( maybe a little too abruptly), revealing Mae sitting at the edge of her bed. Her head's cut off by the frame, leaving just a torso and a pair of fuzzy arms cradling what is probably the shittiest looking bass in the world. She plucks a couple strings experimentally, like she's still not entirely sure what to do with the damn thing.

Then she starts playing.

It's shaky as hell and she misses about as many notes as she hits and her bass is insanely out of tune, but the song's there. Kinda. About halfway through, she starts singing, just humming at first, then little "dah dah dah"'s in places where she can remember the rhythm but not the lyrics. It's only when the second chorus comes around that she really hits her stride.]

I just wanna diiie anywhere else!
If only I could diie anywhere else!
So come with me, let's diiie anywhere else!
A-ny-where
Just not here.

[Her singing voice is, ah, how you say not so good. Really it's more shouting than singing, but she's doing it with gusto. Eventually, the song comes to an uneasy finish, and Mae's left sitting there in silence for a couple more seconds before she turns and, in what's pretty obviously a prepared reaction, notices that she's recording.]

Oh, shit! [Said with all the convincing acting prowess of an eight grader.

She dips down, enough that you can see her face for about a fraction of a second, and practically slams her laptop shut, embarrassed and a little bit afraid.]

Comments

@dodger/audio

[smokedout]

[This gets a laugh out of him. But at the very least, it's a genuine and affectionate laugh. He'd played with the idea of doing the same exact thing, so he finds it kind of adorable that she went through with it.]

Jesus christ, kid, tune your bass.

[She's still smaller and cuter than him, which makes her a kid. He won't accept arguments.]

audio

[trashmammal]

Adult!

[Thank God Dodger can't see her now, otherwise he'd know just how much she's blushing.
The laughter doesn't really hurt as much as it would normally, cause he's her friend and also kind of an asshole anyways, so it's expected.]

It's not like I haven't tried, yknow. Stupid thing keeps fighting me the whole way. It's like that thing. Yknow, introphy. [Entropy. she means entropy.] Like when you look away and things just go to complete shit without you knowing.

[smokedout]

You're what, 20? You're still a kid.

[Ah yes, Dodger, because being 25 makes you such a mature adult.]

Sounds like you need some new pegs. Or y'know, you could ditch the thing and get one that works. [Although he gets if it's a mess because she brought it from home, and he's not adverse to helping her bring it back from the dead. He's kind of a huge nerd about stringed instruments.] Basses are like cats, you gotta give 'em some love every once in a while or they lose their shit.

[trashmammal]

Still over 18, so still legally an adult!

[This is not the first time Mae's had to make this argument, and probably not the last, so her tone's more amused than genuinely annoyed.]

Yeah, I dunno about just throwing it out. I guess see somebody about all that stuff if I got the time and the money, but it's not technically my bass? So getting it all fixed up feels kinda weird. Like, sacrilegious, almost.

[smokedout]

Sure, but you can't drink yet. Least not in America.

[He's noticed Riverview is more lenient, but they probably didn't have a really stupid history of alcohol vs parents.]

Could always keep it for display and get a new one. But it seems like a waste to have it lay around without getting to serve its purpose. [A pause.] Did you steal it?

[trashmammal]

But I can buy porn! I mean I won't, but I could. If I wanted to.

[Which she doesn't and probably never will. Paying for stuff is for suckers.]

But yeah, no. This is one of my few rare, non-stolen possessions. Like, technically it's my friend Gregg's, but I'm the only one who ever plays it 'cause he's always on guitar. So I guess it's pretty much mine by right?

[ video | un: jkent ]

[supersweet]

[ Jon doesn't know what to make of it, but talking cat > everything else is clearly the answer. So he claps tentatively and politely with a faint smile on his lips. ]

It's a good . . . start?

audio

[trashmammal]

[Holy shit, this kid's gotta be like eight or nine or something. The fact that he's trying to pay her a genuine complement just slightly overtakes that initial shock.]

Uh, thanks? It's sorta been awhile and I just got this thing back, so I figured. [SHRUG.] You guys weren't really supposed to see that, though. Sorry.

[It's kinda surprising just how easy it is for her to lie to a child.]

[supersweet]

[ Jon is still fairly naive, so he takes it all at face value. ]

Lots of people seem to into guitars lately. You're the second person I've seen.

[trashmammal]

Oh, word? [She just barely remembers seeing Ellie's network post the other day, so that's probably what he means.]

I was in a band back home, so this isn't like. Super new to me. Just kinda trying to work the kinks out.

[supersweet]

What was your band called?

Were they all animals? Was it just cats?

[ Jon, that's insensitive. ]

Video @Morgan.Knight

[morganknight]

Damn, Mae. On top of everything else you play bass? Ah do declare you're given me the vapors.

[Morgan makes a show of fanning himself to go along with his terrible faux-Southern accent.]

audio

[trashmammal]

Oh man, are you gonna be alright? Maybe you need to lie down a minute before these tasty licks overwhelm you.

[She's trying to stay as deadpan as possible, but there's a laugh creeping into her voice and there's nothing she can do about it.]

Just wait til I figure out how to do chords again, then you'll really lose it.

[morganknight]

You just wait till I get my axe. Or some guitar around here. You and me, jam session. [Two fingers point to her, then he brings it back to himself, all cool-like.]

[trashmammal]

Dude, for real? I would be so into that. Just break out the fainting couches and go to town.

[He can't see it but she is definitely nodding in agreement very hard.]

[morganknight]

Hell yes for real. Though I've never played on a fainting couch before.

video | @the.young

[leadintheyoung]

It needs to be tuned.

[ And her ears need a brief moment to recover. If she had any doubt about Mae's lack of magickal ability, that has been confirmed. Had she been meaning to cast a spell, she doesn't want to think as to the effects that might have been had she the ability to make them so. Still, she's got that spirit of hers; though, why she subterfuge is certainly something Líadan is wondering. ]

If I may, how long have you been playing?

audio

[trashmammal]

[Look she just wanted unqualified praise without having to actually own up to anything, is that so wrong? Shame on you, Lía. Shame.

There's a sound of nervous shuffling while she tries to look cool and unflappable in front of somebody who can't actually see her.]

Since, like, high school? Stopped playing for a couple years when college stuff happened, though. So yeah, pretty rusty.

Sorry.

[leadintheyoung]

There's nothing to apologize for, Mae. If you're out of practice, you're out of practice. That's something that can be fixed easily enough. As for my tone, I apologize. You could say my hearing is, um... sensitive?

[ She tilts her head with a smile all the same, wondering. ]

Did you write the lyrics yourself?

[trashmammal]

Sensitive to terrible, terrible bass-playing, I get you.

[She's not bitter in the slightest, please pay no attention to her tone. She shakes her head, mostly reflexive because she knows for a fact Lía can't see her.]

Nah. Yoooou don't wanna hear anything I've written, trust me. Think that one was either Casey or Bea.

[leadintheyoung]

I'm sensitive to sound and music in general. I suppose you might say it's one of those weirdo fantasy land things?

[ She guesses? She's not entirely sure and it's very much audible about her voice. Maybe? ]

They're certainly interesting. It conveys a certain sense of yearning. Were you thinking about picking your instrument back up and starting something here?

@endsoftheearth, voice;

[earthy]

Uh... [???] Are you... all right?

[No one else seems the least bit concerned here, but...]

audio

[trashmammal]

Yyyyeah? [why does he sounds so worried is there something on her face oh god]

Didn't notice the laptop turning on, I guess. Sorry about that.

[earthy]

You were yelling. [While playing music! But that couldn't possibly be an important part of this...] About... dying.

[Pause.]

Somewhere else. ... No, anywhere else, you said. Just not here...

[Ayup, that was the gist of it.]

video;

[peacekeeps]

( username: mccree )

[ look here's some unironic applause!!! with a metal hand, so it's a little tinnier than usual. he's highly amused. ]

Is this supposed to be a romantic song?