Getting Settled [Dorm 067]

The room was quiet like usual.  The room behind the table was cracked open letting a soft breeze filter into the room.  Mika sat on her own bed, her head rested against the wall as her wings twitched softly.  Her eyes were closed as she was lost in thought.  She had been at Foresta for a little while now, but it was still taking her time to settle in.  It was so different from the world she was used too, that she still felt out of place.  

At the end of her bed was a stack of books she had borrowed from the library along with her violin case, and an open book sat in her lap.  Her intent had been to spend the day reading up on whatever she could, but she was finding it hard to concentrate.  Her mind kept wandering from the her new surroundings, to the orphanage, to the dark void in her memories beyond her memories.  Each time her mind wandered deeper into the nothingness beyond where her memories stopped her head began to throb.

With a defeated sigh she closed the book on her lap with an aggravated snap and picked up her violin.  That always helped her concentrate and take her mind off of anything it was stuck on.  She settled the warm wood under her chin and picked up the bow.  With a long soft stroke she began to play a quiet melody.  The song began slow the low tones vibrating through the instrument.  After a few minutes the tempo picked up, but was still laced with a twinge of sadness.  The song had been something she often played at the orphanage, and the melody came without needing thought.  Completely entranced in the sound Mika continued to play without taking notice of her surroundings. 

    Part of Eve wondered how long it might take for the schools administration to see to the repairs from damage inflicted upon the entrance hall. Surprisingly enough, the red head had already been exposed to the exact sort of danger she might very well expect from fellow students. Not but five minutes on the campus and already she’d watched some megalomaniacal boy set cannon fire to the entrance hall, scaring the living hell out of most of the students to the point it that the area was left devoid of life save for four people. One being the boy who was causing the damage, the second being herself, the third being an older woman wearing dark clothing and a sense of authority surrounding her that Eve quickly realized part of the staff almost immediately. And lastly, a man stuck head first in a recycling bin. Though not exactly complicit in the damage the building had suffered and the finical draw back it was sure to have on the school as a whole, Eve felt as though there was something more she could have done.

    All she had accomplished was probably getting herself expelled before her first day of classes. Apparently, and she was not entirely certain of the logic, approaching the crazed boy and informing him of his actions was not acceptable. It was entirely unlike what she’d been programmed and designed to do. See the threat, eliminated the threat. Non-violent measures first but if that failed, lethal force was always authorized. It was strange to Eve because she completely lacked the ability to tell the staff member was teasing her. The woman many might call an ‘abomination’ did not often fret over things she had no control over…But to be sent back to the labs so early as a complete failure due to her ineptitude…It was simply embarrassing - though admittedly she didn’t realize that was what the feeling was.

    With the trouble disposed of in the entrance hall, she was sent on her way to continue to find her dorm room and settle in. The very next day she would be expected to attend classes and she would have to have her things put together in time. Or in time to see the headmaster and get kicked out, in either case. It was inexcusable, being late. The red head had just completed climbing the latest set of stairs and was turning to keep heading up until the numbers matched the one on her key when her step ceased. Sometimes, despite the ability to abnormally fixate on some of the oddest of things, Eve could be caught getting distracted. In this instance, it was the sound of music flowing down the hallway in an otherwise quiet dorm due to most everyone being in class. For a long moment, Eve simply stood there, listening intently to the melody of what was clearly a violin.

    Suddenly though, and almost without question, the young woman pulled herself away from the stair case and began to meander down the hall. The sound was easy enough to follow and her walk ceased only when she came upon one of the doors left ajar. From within the room, a girl could be seen absorbed into her practice. Nothing about her stood out as particularly strange for Eve because until this very day she’d only ever encountered a handful of people in her life. She was made expressly aware that some might appear abnormal, and that was okay, it didn’t make them ‘bad’ people. Silently the girl stood there, a hard back book pressed to her chest as she observed the other from the hall. It was the picture to show to your friends to prove you had a stalker.

The song continued for another few minutes.  Mika's eyes remained closed as she played.  It was easy for her to get lost in the sound of the instrument.  All her life, at least that she remembered, playing her violin was the only true way for her to unwind and collect her thoughts.  No matter how scattered her thoughts were, focusing soley on the music eminating from the strings seemed to center her.  As the song began to wind down shadows swirled about her feet.

When the song finished she took a deep breath and set the instrument down on her bed.  She slowly let her eyes flutter open and began to become more aware of her surroundings.  It was then that her stormy grey eyes settled on the door.  She had forgotten the door wasn't fully closed when she began to play.  Kicking herself, her wings twitched ad she reminded herself to close the door so as not to disturb others next time.  As she was thinking she noticed the girl on the other side of the door.  She instinctively jumper, her wings curling against her as she did a look of confusion and sheepishness etched into her features.  She looked down as she spoke.   "I....I'm sorry.  Was I disturbing you?  I didn't realize I had left the door open....

    The song the white haired girl played beyond the door went on for several more moments. In that time frame, Eve did not move from her place in the hall. In fact, it would be hard to even accuse the young woman of blinking, the way she listened with an unfeignable interest. A number of questions ran through the red head’s mind, but at the same time did not have the will to stop the other from carrying on with the performance. The show itself was worth more than any answer the girl could give her about what she was doing. Now, that wasn’t to say Eve didn’t recognize the violin as an instrument, her questions more ore less pertained to how one made it sound so wonderful. Up until now Eve had only been witness to musical things after it had been pre-recorded to a device or on one of the many educational dvd’s she sat through. It was altogether strange and exciting to see it first hand.

    All too soon the song ended and the girl, with her dark wings set aside her instrument and seemed to notice finally that she’d left her door opened just slightly. However, the second the other caught sight of Eve lingering outside a visible shock wave racked her body. Instantly, the unnamed girl turned her gaze to the floor in an age old sign of shyness or embarrassment. A quivering voice escaped the girls mouth, apologizing if her practice had disturbed her in some manner. There was just the slightest tilt of the Eve’s head, green eyes exhibiting their strange glow in a rather soft manner despite the lighting provided by several fixtures. ”No.” She responded simply at first. ”I came because it was nice to hear.” To further the explanation of her excuse for standing beyond the door. Remaining right where she was Eve cast her gaze to the instrument before speaking again. ”Is it hard to learn?”

Mika's stormy grey eyes quickly scanned the other girl, taking particular note of the girls eyes.  Her own head tilted softly in interest.  As she spoke Mika cast her eyes downward ashamed for a moment.  She was always quick to assume she was bothering someone, it had been what she always felt like growing up.  Unwanted things should be neither seen nor heard.  Upon the posed question she bit the corner of her lip in thought.   "It definitely takes practice.  I've been playing as long as I can remember.  There was a long time that even listening myself I thought I sounded terrible.  I'm Mika.. She extended her hand to the other girl.

    Eve noted the way the girl turned her gaze to the ground, averting her eyes. It was tell sign that suggested the girl was shy at best, and quietly suffering an anxiety attack at worst. The girl was not bold. The girl was withdrawn. Perhaps it stemmed from her past? A traumatic event or events that steered her down the path that kept her reserved and quiet, lest what she say bring about suffering. Either to herself or to others, Eve could only guess. When presented with the question, she bit the corner of her lip which was another sign of her nervousness. It made Eve wonder if she was the cause for the girls distress. After all, the red head had quite a gawking look about her. Unlike when someone blatantly stares at you, giving you that feeling of being undressed almost, Eve’s stare was more penetrating. She looked past clothes and skin alike, as though trying to pull the truth from her counterpart by any means.

    In spite of this, there was no sense of hostility about the red head. Her curiosity for all things simply made her more intent than others and she, therefore lacked the ability to understand why she might make someone uncomfortable. Regardless, the girl explained that it took a very long time to learn and make it sound good. Eve would have asked out long exactly, but the other stretched her hand out to her and introduced herself as Mika. Softly glowing eyes moved from the girls face to her hand, complete indifference coloring her features before she took a single step back and offered Mika a bow instead. ”I am designated as Eve.” Rising back up to a proper standing position the question she had thought of before came back. ”How long does it take?” A better question would have been, ‘how long did it take you’. Talent was not something she took into account, for her, everything was based on hard work.

As she extended her hand she saw the girl in front of her drop her gaze to her hand.  Watching the red head step back Mika slowly let her arm fall to her side.  It trembled slightly as it did, almost as if she was shaking the slight confusion at the turned down form of greeting.  The winged girl had assumed it would have been the standard form of greeting, but to each their own.  She certainly wouldn't hold it against anyone, maybe some didn't like to have physical contact.  Carefully she shook her wandering thoughts from her own mind and gave the girl a small smile as she bowed.

As the question was posed Mika closed her eyes for a moment, and bit at her lip.  She had a tendency to fall into those particular habits when thinking about something.  Drumming her fingers against her thigh as she thought she opened up those stormy eyes again as she settled on a number.  "I can't say for certain how long it took me to learn.....in my earliest memory i was already playing the violin.  But if i were to wager a guess, I would say it took me about 6 years to feel as though I could play fairly well.  All time after that it was continued learning, but you could say I had "learned" by that point."

    The girls arm fell back to her side as Eve bowed to her. It was nothing personal, assuredly, for somewhere along the line Eve had developed a fear you might call it of germs. Touching those she did not know well often produced adverse reactions. In fact, there was a small bottle of hand sanitizer tucked away in her side bag for just such occasions. With the new question posed, Mika closed her eyes and bit at her lip again, signifying that for some reason she was nervous. This prompted the red head to remain perfectly still, and kept her movements slow, made with purpose. The tapping of her fingers against her leg drew Eve’s gaze away from the others face only momentarily, quickly going back once the origin was recorded, noting the thoughtful expression the other held before speaking.

    Mika began to explain how long she’d been playing the violin. Go so far as to say she’d been doing so in her early years. This led Eve to believe the girl was probably playing at about five or six, perhaps later even. She revealed the estimated magic number to be six years, and this had the young woman tilt her head every so slightly as this registered with her. For a brief moment the green eyes with their distinctive soft glow moved from Mika to the instrument located further in the room. Her expression was blank, but a million thoughts ran through her mind. ”It does not appear that difficult.” She remarked, as though learning to play such a thing was akin to taking a test.

Mika gave a small smile girl in front of her continued to think.  As she spoke Mika tilted her head for a moment, silver locks falling over her shoulder.  "It might not look to hard.  And it depends on what you mean by learning it.  It may take someone less time than it did me to learn, but its something most never feel they truly master.  Its why I keep practicing, that and it helps me relax and think."  She cast a small glance at the instrument with a far away look.

[ooc: sorry this took so long, and is short.  I've been working crazy shifts at every time of the day for the last week, so im a touch fried.]

    The one named Mika gave an awkward sort of smile. Her head tilted, and immediately Eve knew she had perhaps on some level insulted the girl. Or it could still be her anxiety at play, in either case the red head listened to the given statement. She began by implying that it was harder than it looked, and that the subject of ‘learning’ was based on individual standards and most never felt as though they mastered it. To this end, it was why Mika continued to practice, in the hopes that she might one day master it. ”I see. It is difficult to discern because it is based on personal standards.” Realizing that not everything had a set bar, nor was everything clear cut. ”Apologies for interrupting your practice. I will leave you to your work.” Eve offered a final bow to the girl before turning upon her heel and continuing on to find her new dorm.

Eve Exits

The girl in front of her spoke her thoughts so clearly, it was almost unheard of for Mika.  She was used to completely sensoring herself.  As Mika went to speak again, the girl bowed and left her to her music.  As she disappeared Mika stared at the spot she had been occupying for a long moment, before sighing to herself.  She ran her fingers over the warm wood of her instrument and sat on her bed next to it.  "I think I'm terrible at interacting with people.  I'm not sure I can get much worse at least.". She mumbled under her breath before closing her eyes and lyin back on her bed.