riverview | (not at all) accidental video; @maedae

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(not at all) accidental video; @maedae

[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.]

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[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.]

[ 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?

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.]

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.

[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.]

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.

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.]

[ 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.

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.

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.

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.]

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.

What was your band called?

Were they all animals? Was it just cats?

[ Jon, that's insensitive. ]

[There's a VERY audible and poorly-concealed sigh on her end. Kid please you are killing her.]

Well, I'm not really a cat? Just getting that out there, for the record. I think Bea's the only one of us with scales though, so that's something.

But yeah, we never really settled on a name. Never really play out or anything, so I guess there isn't much point?

[ This time he catches onto the sigh, wondering if he should back off . . . ]

Then . . . why have a band?

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?

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

I wasn't saying you should, but I guess there's always room for innovation. Maybe it'll help with... I dunno. The acoustics.

[She does not know a whole lot about music it turns out.]

[Okay maybe that was a little unfair of her. He's just a kid, it's not like he'd know any better.]

'Cause it's fun? Why does anyone have a band? I mean it's not like we could play if we wanted to. Everyone's busy with jobs and adult stuff.

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?

Edited 2017-04-20 22:42 (UTC)

Or you can watch it online like every normal human being.

[He's pretty much already forgotten Mae's a cat, honestly. It's not important information.]

Well, if you're the one playing it it's your job to keep it working. [He chews his cheek a moment.] Listen, if you tell me what brand it is I can probably track down some new pegs and strings for it. Least I can do to make up for trying to smash your speakers.

[ Oh. ]

Yeah. That's the worst. I guess bands are fun if you have the friends.

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?

Think we just need to tune you a little and that's solved. Not that I'm trying to get out of curling up on a couch with you.

[Wink wink.]

[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.

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(not at all) accidental video; @maedae

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[ video | un: jkent ]

Video @Morgan.Knight

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video | @the.young

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