010 Omens of Crusnik

[kinship]

[A: Elementary School (OPEN)]

[What is that sound floating out over the playground at lunch? It's piano music, just basic tunes being repeated over and over again from the open window of the music room. Cain has retired there to study the books that Charles gave him, tireless in his pursuit of being the very best at whatever task was set to him.

Every time he makes a mistake, he repeats that part of the piece over and over again until it's flawless. Anyone at all is free to hear his attempts or tell him to shut up.]

[B: Around Town (OPEN)]

[Tis the season, and all that... It's Cain's first Christmas where he'll actually get to celebrate, instead of watching all the colonists exchange presents while never being part of it himself. He's been saving all the pocket money that his drone not!mother had been giving him (until she got replaced yesterday), as well as the money he got for doing odd-jobs for his friends. So now he's out and about shopping for gifts.

Do you work in any of the stores? Then this blond haired boy might just be peering over the counter with a bright smile. Are you wandering down the street aimlessly? Feel free to bump into Cain as he carries a stack of boxes too high to see over... because clearly that's just asking for trouble.]

[C: Phone (OPEN)]

[Did you order a rousing pep talk by a ten year old today, Mayfield? No... shame, because it's coming anyway.]

Christmas is coming soon... Maybe you celebrate something else in your world, or maybe you don't celebrate anything at all, but here... I think they'll have Christmas. I don't know if anything will happen, but...

Even if it does, and even if it hurts us, we can't let it break us. We have to keep our eyes forward, and we have to stick together. As long as we look out for each other, then we can change the future to whatever we want.

[D: Home (Locked to Housemates)]

[It seemed like he was the first one home, which was a little odd after the drone!Esther housewife who had always been there to welcome him in and tell him to do his homework before dinner. Which, consequently, led to the thought that there was no dinner... Astha didn't seem the type to make a meal for the family based on what he had seen, Rachel had already shown she believed cooking beneath her, and he didn't want to die so Abel was out.

Therefore, whenever anyone else gets home, they might find the youngest non-drone member of the household stood on a chair by the stove. He's pouring over one of the recipes Esther had left behind, not being allowed to go and find any more of his own, and is carefully adding things to a big bubbling pot.]

Comments

[encored]

I do tend to enjoy them, yes. They pose a bit more of a challenge than other instruments because the precision of notes and clarity of sound depend entirely upon the player, and not just the tuning.

[kinship]

[His eyes light up with interest at that, the challenge and the precision both tempt him.]

Perhaps I'd like to try a stringed instrument next, it would be good to get diversity after the piano.

[encored]

That was my reasoning. You'll find them to be suitably different, enough to keep you entertained even if some things might carry over from the piano.

[considering how easily bored he is at times, that's saying a lot. granted he's always had more patience when it comes to music, and there's a certain fondness in the way he speaks about the topic.]

[kinship]

[Suitably entertained? This wasn't the first time Charles had mentioned being bored...]

Do you find it hard to create more entertainment for yourself, given your long lifespan?

[encored]

At times, yes. It seems easy to run out of new things to try. [being awake every hour of every day and in roughly the same location all of the time certainly doesn't help much...]

Here as well, but that's understandable given the size of the town.

[kinship]

But you will never run out of new people to meet, Mr. Charles.

[He smiles, looking over at the other boy with keen interest.]

How can you be bored with so many worlds and lives to learn about?

[encored]

It can grow tedious living with the knowledge that those worlds and lives will have never mattered to you at all once you leave this town, you know?

[he sounds pretty nonchalant about it, though. after a small pause, he adds:] Just Charles is fine.

[kinship]

All knowledge becomes obsolete in time, it doesn't make it useless for the time you spent learning it.

[Computers would always upgrade, language would evolve.]

And if you insist, Just Charles.

[encored]

One could say that, but it feels like walking in circles nonetheless.

[...well that manages to get something of a smile from him, small and short-lived as it is.] I can see that the familial resemblance between you and the cake idiot is quite strong.

[kinship]

He does take after me in all the best ways.

[Sagely nod.]

[encored]

Don't tell me the horrid, voracious appetite is a shared trait as well.

[kinship]

You know, not that I think about it, I am feeling pretty hungry...

[encored]

Shall I treat you to a meal at the bakery as well, then? I shan't have one sibling complaining about unfair treatment if I can help it.

[kinship]

...Not the bakery, I can't stand sweet food, but I wouldn't say no to some fish or a hot dog at the diner!

[encored]

Oh, truly? [why does he sound more surprised by that than anything else thus far...] ...Well, to each their own.

However, I find the diner quite foul and refuse to subject myself to the scent of it long enough to purchase you anything. You ought to visit later for dinner instead. [he almost adds that Abel should come along as well but whoops the last time they ran into each other wasn't exactly great.]

[kinship]

I would very much like that, thank you.

[And he fully intends to visit for dinner, except Abel is going to go and get his kidney ripped out like an idiot and he'll forget... poor Charles will get stood up by a ten year old.]

[encored]

[his life is misery!!]

Think nothing of it. The more people I can direct away from the diner, the better. [whoop he's grabbing the music book again while standing up from the bench, seemingly looking for something.]

[kinship]

[Watching Charles mess with the music book, Cain raised a brow curiously.]

Lost something?

[encored]

No, I'm just looking for something.

[after flipping through a few more pages, he sets the book aside and moseys over to the rack to look through a few more. eventually he finds what he's looking for and sets the new book back on the stand. it appears to be a drone teacher's copy, more advanced than the beginners books, and is open to a page with Chopin's Nocturne for piano and violin.]

You might enjoy this more than the simple songs and exercises when you move past them.

[kinship]

[Looking over the new music that Charles had provided him with, he tried out the first few notes slowly and carefully.]

How does it feel to watch your pupil progress, oh great and wise teacher?

[encored]

[oh, he looks fairly amused... whether it's because of the silly title or something else entirely is unclear.]

It's certainly impressive, I'll give you that. At this rate, you won't need someone to teach you for long.

[kinship]

Nonsense! What would I do without my teacher? I'd fall apart for sure.

[encored]

You oughtn't give so much credit to one who has only provided the books. I'd go so far as to say even that much you could have accomplished on your own.

[kinship]

You're doing yourself a disservice, Just Charles! I would have never touched the keys of a piano without you.

[encored]

Well, a small introduction is all one needs, correct? You could fair well on your own without a doubt.

[and just because he is so curious...] Have I doomed myself to such an unfortunate name?