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(Dead) What is that!? *anyone*
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 10, 2008 18:52:11 GMT -5
After finally finding her dorm and unpacking Art sat on her bed and gazed out the window, debating on what to do. She could explore some more, but she had the whole year to do that. As she gazed out the window something caught her eye. A little market not that far from the school. Art had always liked to shop, and it was a beautiful day out, and it couldn’t take more than 20 minutes to get there. Her decision made Art grabbed her wallet out of her bag and headed outside. Once outside she saw the road that she was assuming lead to the market, considering there were other students coming and going and the ones coming carried bags with their purchases in them. Smiling happily Art went down the same road.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 12, 2008 9:05:17 GMT -5
"Are you crazy? I won't sell it for less than seventy," the vendor exclaimed indiginantly.
The dark-haired boy in old-fashioned clothes gestured simply- he made a twist/downward snap movement with his hands to convey that the product was broken. "It's an antique! It's a valuable remnant from the past! ...I'll let you have it for sixty-five." Another sharp gesture from the tall kid and he finally relented. "You drive a hard bargain. Fifty it is. I hope you're happy that you're driving a poor man out of business."
Sam'ael handed the man what he owed him, took the guitar case and said his goodbye with a good-natured salute. He really didn't need to haggle like that, but he knew that the man was overpricing everything he sold.
The instrument had a crack in the side, but Sam had a feeling that the sound would not be affect too much if at all. No, he was more worried about the neck. As a guitar ages, the neck bends forward. Originally, guitar necks are tilted slightly back, so that their angle is a little more than ninety degrees to the body. With twelve-stringed guitars, the gradual changing of this angle went faster because of the increased tension placed on the wood by the strings.
But this instrument was a beauty nontheless. Sam paused to kneel down and take it out of the case. He cradled it lovingly against his lean form. Once tuned, this girl would sing in two voices. His long fingers bounced from string to string and he closed his eyes. It had not been played in a long time so this tuning took a little time. There.
It was done. A smile graced his elegant features and his emerald eyes sparkled. A flamenco-sounding tune soared from the guitar's hollow body, making it vibrate with the melody and harmony intermixed.
He wasn't trying to show off or draw attention to himself. No, this was just a test of the instrument. If he could enjoy himself while he did it, then who would blame him?
He was a little confused when a person tossed coins into the guitar case in front of him, but he didn't pause in his playing to wonder why.
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 12, 2008 22:00:06 GMT -5
Art reached the market and smiled, she loved markets and everything about them. Her favorite parts where the eccentric characters that were the vendors or performers. She just loved to sit and people watch. Not today however, today she really wanted to shop. She began perusing the stands when she came upon the one with jewelry. Smiling she went right up and began haggling. Finally after about 10 minutes she came away with many new pieces. As she continued on she heard some guitar playing, smiling she began heading to where the music was coming from. Seeing the boy playing she stopped and listened, after a while she walked up and dropped some money in the case. Examining him for a second something dawned on her “Are you a student at Foresta?” she asked him, logically he probably would be considering the school was 20 minutes away and this would be a good place to make some extra cash.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 12, 2008 22:19:28 GMT -5
Sam raised his eyebrows at more money tossed into the guitar case, then his eyes traveled up the patron's person until he met her eyes. At the question, he immediately smiled and rose to his feet. He nodded ecstatically, his vivid green eyes sparkling with delight. He quickly bowed, an old-fashioned habit of his that he'd adopted from his somewhat limited contact with his uncle.
He gave her the one-index finger gesture that meant "one sec", then placed the guitar gently in the case over the money and pulled out his notepad.
"My name is Sam. You?" he wrote in a legible, albeit pointy script, then held out for her to read.
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 12, 2008 22:29:26 GMT -5
Art smiled back at the boy as he rose; making eye contact with him she was blown away by his eyes. Now those are what you would call green she thought to herself. She was little thrown off by the bow and not knowing what to do did a dinky little curtsey. Never thought I would do that she thought to herself smiling. As he held out the notebook for her to read she smiled “Well it’s very nice to meet you Sam, I’m Artemesia, but just call me Art its way easier” she replied.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 12, 2008 23:03:51 GMT -5
Sam's smile widened and he replied in a short note, "My pen thanks you." His eyes returned to the girl briefly before he showed her the note. She was very striking, with eyes that glinted like a dragon's hoard would: all fire and gold. Some of her hair was also a coppery color that sparked in the sunlight.
Everything about this girl seemed to glow to Sam... it was something he couldn't quite describe in his head, but it was no matter. He'd figure it out eventually.
He wrote something else, last minute, then held out the notebook again. It read, "Are you enjoying the market? If there's anything you wish me to play, don't hesitate to ask."
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 13, 2008 18:25:32 GMT -5
Art studied the boy and realized two things; 1. He had a nice smile and unbelievable eyes and the 2nd just dawned on her while he was scribbling furiously. He can’t talk she thought to herself sadly. Her smile faded for a second but came right back when he showed her what he wrote. Holding up her bag of purchases she shook it and it made a clinging noise. “Made out like a bandit.” She replied reading the rest of the note she thought for a second then shook her head “No, I don’t actually know any songs because I don’t listen to music that much” she replied with a shrug.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 13, 2008 18:48:20 GMT -5
He chuckled silently at her success in the market that day. At the next thing she said made his jaw drop. How could anybody not listen to plenty of music? However, he realized his impoliteness and recovered his former smile.
He wrote, "I think I have a song for you anyways."
He handed her the notepad and picked up the guitar again. From its body flowed a rather sweet celtic tune that he'd heard a recording of once and had taught to himself afterwards. The song was called the Rose of Allendale, and Sam had a feeling that there were lyrics to it somewhere that he'd never bothered to look up.
It was a gentle, rolling tune that opened up the twelve-string's full bodied voice. Sam closed his eyes periodically, enjoying himself in the music. If he didn't have his studies to do or people to meet, he could easily do this until his fingers dropped off.
||The guitar is a lot like this (excuse the quality) www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz0GEHeyUcQ
Note: songs like this are very hard to play well on a twelve-string. I know this from experience.||
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 14, 2008 23:26:33 GMT -5
Art shrugged at his reaction to her not listening to music. The truth was she never really listened to music while she was growing up because she was so paranoid about her gift and then after she got kicked out music was the last thing on her mind.
Reading his note she smiled “Lay it on me, I’m open to anything” she replied taking the notepad as he began playing. It was the most beautiful thing she had every heard. As he played she watched how he just went into the music, like they were one thing. Art had never had that feeling with anything or anybody.
After he was done she began clapping enthusiastically and she realized she wasn’t the only one. As Sam had been playing a crowd had formed and they were all clapping and cheering enthusiastically and began throwing money in his case. Once they had all dispersed she handed him back his notepad with the biggest smile “That was beautiful, you’re an incredible guitarist.”
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Post by Tempest on Jun 15, 2008 8:11:16 GMT -5
He had not expected this, and it showed on his face. Upon hearing the applause, he turned bright red and gave a somewhat clumsier bow than he had before. He had a very silly-looking, bashful smile on his face.
As the crowd dispersed and Artemisia handed back his notepad, he nodded his thanks. However, the bashful look on his face came back at Art's praise. Hesitantly, he wrote, "It was nothing. Thank you." He'd scratched out the first part because he thought it sounded... well, arrogant.
He held the notebook up long enough for her to read the note, then busied himself with putting the guitar away so as to hide his reddened features. He still didn't know what to do about the money, since he had more than enough as it is. He took out an approximation of what Art gave him (he rounded up, just to be sure) and proffered it. He did not feel right, taking money from a girl he would have played for freely.
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 18, 2008 15:54:03 GMT -5
Art saw how taken back Sam was by the reaction of the crowd and smiled. He was even more taken back by her compliment and that made Art’s smile broader. She nodded her head “Your welcome and its true” she replied as she watched him begin putting his stuff away. When he tried to give her the money she put her hands up and stepped back “Oh, no that is your hard earned money. I’m just a customer appreciating your music” she said smiling.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 18, 2008 19:25:35 GMT -5
Reluctantly, Sam slipped the money into a pocket. He studied Artemisia for a moment, then wrote, his smile renewing itself when something came to him, "As a preferred customer, you're welcome to a song, free of charge, whenever you want."
He looked around, then added, "Care to peruse the marketplace with me?" Sam had a very hopeful look on his features.
One of his best traits was a tendency to treat the person he's conversing with as the only person in the world. Naturally, it only stemmed from his isolation. But it usually charmed people nonetheless.
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 18, 2008 19:36:12 GMT -5
Art nodded “Well when I discover a new song that I like, you will be the first person I ask to play it” she confirmed. Reading the rest of his note she shrugged “Why not” she replied smiling. Art had this feeling that she had just made a new friend and that this was one of the good ones. As they began walking Art started to wonder why he didn’t talk. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye she wanted to ask him why, but thought it would be rude to ask what seemed like a very personal question when they had just met.
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Post by Tempest on Jun 18, 2008 20:14:29 GMT -5
As they passed by stands and vendors, Sam felt increasingly pleased with how the day was turning. The sun was pleasantly beaming, but the temperature was not uncomfortably warm at all. Then something caught his eye.
His pace picked up and he almost startled the vendor as much as his sudden presence startled the birds he was trying to sell. A few of them flapped and voiced their complaints, but the bird he'd been looking at merely cocked its head and fixed him with an intelligent gaze.
It was a raven. Finally, Sam could see one up close. He tried to impart his excitement through gestures to Art, but ended up resorting to a brief note, "I was looking for one of these in the forest! I didn't find one, though... I was sort of interrupted."
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Post by bubblelicious33 on Jun 20, 2008 12:03:48 GMT -5
Art enjoyed just walking along the vendors in quiet; it was kind of nice; almost as if Sam’s presence was enough that they didn’t need to have a conversation. It startled her a little when he began walking faster and Art was hurt for a second Maybe he doesn’t want to hang out with me anymore she thought sadly as she slowed her pace, it would make it easier for him to ditch her. However when he stopped at the bird stand and wrote on the notepad and showed it to her she felt a relief wash over her. “Oh! Why where you looking for one of them?” she asked curiously, it’s not everyday you meet somebody who was looking for a raven.
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