Ronan can't even collect one let alone all

[somnioergosum]

[Ronan opts for video this time. Not that this is a good move, considering he spent a few weeks in a coma and even after a week of recovery, he looks it. He’s paler than usual, which is saying something, visibly tired, and actually has hair on his head, just enough for his dark brown locks to start curling.]

I lost one of my pets. If anyone’s seen a floating pink blob with-- [He sighs and rolls his eyes.] purple flower markings and a huge nose, let me know. He answers to “hey, shitead” and also Hypnopompia.

[He’s about to end this when he pauses, then adds, sincerely...]

If you steal or hurt him, I’ll break your legs.

[OOC: No plans for where his munna is so feel free to make something up/have them see some of Ronan’s nicer dreams.]

Comments

[somnioergosum]

[Musical tune. This cannot be happening.

Ronan walked around the cage and craned his neck. If he squinted, he could just barely make out the sensor. Stupid of him to miss.]

Son of a bitch. Why would anyone...

[Is this just for him? Ivar knew he could sing and people had seen him with his pipes-- but no, this wasn't his style. It could just be a coincidence. He'd let Adam figure it out-- or Cisco, if he volunteered.]

Forget it. We gotta get him out of there. Sing something.

[franciscoramon]

[ There are situations in which Cisco loves to sing. Driving in the car with Eddie. In the shower, using a conditioner bottle as a mock microphone. At karaoke, when he's drunk out of his mind. But perched uncomfortably in a tree, in the abandoned city, entirely sober and unaccompanied, in front of Ronan Lynch, because a creepy trap told him to?

No way. ]

Uhhhh, he's your pet.

[ Cisco is generous with his time and his aid, but there are some lines a man has got to draw. He doesn't care how bad a singer Ronan is, or how unconfident. This one's on him. ]

C'mon. You sing, I grab. Perfect duo.

[somnioergosum]

[This is now officially one of his worst nightmares. It's a shame that Hynopompia won't be able to suck this one out of him.]

Jesus. Fine. Let's get this over with. And not a God damn word of this to anyone.

[He takes a deep breath, then starts.]

Squash one, squash two..

[There was a sharp buzzing sound from the speaker.]

INCORRECT. MUSICAL NOTES OUT OF PITCH.

[Ronan's eyes widen first in horror then anger.]

Fuck you! My pitch was fine!

[The response is simple:]

TO UNLOCK THE SECURE COMPARTMENT, PLEASE PROVIDE A MUSICAL TUNE!

[franciscoramon]

The fuck even is that song?

[ Clearly they haven't got that meme in Cisco's universe. What's worse, his grip on the tree is slipping, and while he realizes this has got to be embarrassing for Ronan, he also wants him to just get it over with. ]

Just do 'twinkle twinkle little star' or, like, 'single ladies'. Y'know, something basic.

[ He scrambles, getting a different foothold but almost falling, first. He definitely manages to scrape his palm painfully grabbing on, and he mutters: ]

Soon as we get him outta here I'm gonna find out who made this thing and-

[ But then he stops, abruptly, because all at once finishing with -and kill them is actually really not funny at all. ]

[somnioergosum]

It's not my fault it doesn't recognize a masterpiece.

[His eyes dart to Cisco after he cuts himself off. The sense that something is off with Cisco himself is finally starting to occur to him. That was just a little too abrupt. But, being Ronan, he isn't going to call it out. A life is one the line and also his dignity. One of the two must go.]

You think I know 'single ladies?'

[Give him some credit. He only knows the chorus!

He closes his eyes and thinks. It has to be perfect pitch. Probably needs the right rhythm. Yeah, he knows what he has to do. He snaps his fingers a few time to confirm he has the right beat, then starts. His voice is clear, the words are well enunciated, and it's... good.]

The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death you'll find him;
His father's sword he has girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him;
"Land of Song!" said the warrior bard,
"Though all the world betrays thee,
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"

[He looks up at the cage. There's a pause, then a pleasant tone.]

ACCEPTED.

[And the door slides open.]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco mutters, quietly enough that Ronan might not even hear: ]

Must have a different definition of masterpiece in your world...

[ But then Ronan is snapping, giving himself a beat, and Cisco hushes up. He does his best to stay still, and not to appear like he is listening. Of course, he is, but he doesn't want to stare and throw Ronan off. So he pretends that the cage is suddenly fascinating, and only catches glances of Ronan as he sings out of the corners of his eyes.

The song is absolutely not what he'd been expecting. Something traditional, clearly, and something that Ronan knows well. This is obviously a song he's sung before, and more than just once or twice. Really, perhaps it shouldn't surprise him. Ronan has always seemed like a jumble of parts that don't fit well together. This is just another one of those strange components that add up to make Ronan.

As soon as the ton sound and the door opens, Cisco scrambles to reach in with one arm and scoop the wayward pokemon out. He hugs the thing to his chest, not wanting to take any chances that it would run off again, or that the door would shut once more before it got out on its own. Then, awkwardly, since he only has one hand free, he starts to make his way down the tree, toward Ronan. ]

Thank fuck! You oughta put a tracker in this guy. Case there's a next time.

[ He knows he probably shouldn't say anything, that even praise will likely earn him a scowl. But not saying anything feels disingenuous. So he asks, as he's handing Hypnopompia over: ]

What's the name of that song?

[somnioergosum]

[Cisco barely has to take a step before Ronan scoops Hypnopompia out of his arms. The pokemon rests happily against his chest, ignorant of how much trouble he's caused.]

You little shit. I'm sticking a tracker up your ass.

[He glances up at Cisco, then back down at Hypnopompia until he finally gets him into a secure and comfortable position.]

The Minstrel Boy. Never heard it before?

[Spoken as if it were standard for people to hear traditional Irish songs so of course Ronan knows that one. Who wouldn't? It's not like Cisco's been to his world to know the difference. For all he knows, Murder Squash really is a masterpiece and maybe Ronan really can get away with not looking like a nerd.

Ronan adjusts his own posture so his shoulders are back and his head is ever slightly tilted. He's going for his standard 'I don't care' look but he's more of a musician than an actor. His effort just comes across as forced.]

[franciscoramon]

[ For all Ronan's annoyed words and insults, Cisco can see that he's happy to have the creature wrapped up in his arms, safe and ready to be hauled home. ]

Nope. I don't know shit about folk music, though.

[ Whatever teasing or judgment Ronan might be expecting, Cisco's clearly not interested. The song could be one that is well-known in his world, or maybe it doesn't even exist. As he starts to climb the tree again, to get that cage down, he admits: ]

Anything that's pre-Prince is a total mystery to me.

[ Now that there is no vulnerable creature inside the cage, and since there's no one here but Ronan, getting it down is easy enough. Cisco climbs up just a little, to get a better angle, holds up a hand, and shoots a vibe blast at the branch that had been holding the cage. There is a brief flash of color - a shining, pulsating light blue - and the branch is rocked back, splinters, and then comes crashing down, cage and all. It lands with a heavy CLANG that sends birds flying from some of the nearby trees. ]

I'm serious, when I find out who made this shit we're gonna have words.

[somnioergosum]

[Ronan's happy enough he lets the Prince comment go without remark. Looking up, he narrows his eyes at the cage, then quickly backs away before it falls. Watching the vibe at work was something, but Ronan has no real compulsion to comment on that either. Powers aren't something to casually ask about and they've already covered the basics.

He slowly walks up to the cage. He lifts his foot but stops it just short of touching it.]

I'm gonna have more than words. I still want to know why they did this.

[He resists the urge to kick the cage and steps back.]

I'm guessing you want to take that back for tests. I'll drive us back. Let's just get out of here before they come back. I can't kick their ass in front of the kid.