(2103)By the Piano

[Alessandra]

A slight nod of her head, “Grazie. I was quite excited when it was finally delivered.” Ordering a piano was not as simple as it sounded. Between choosing the wood and the finish, it had taken a few months. Cain, still on alert, remains standing beside Ale, watching.


Smiling, “It’s been an adventure to retrain myself how to play. Thankfully, years of training as a child isn’t easily forgotten, but it has been a bit challenging.” She would always remember the basics, but it was hard to relearn a lot of the music she had learned. “How has your own pursuits gone?” she remembered the conversation they had. “Both in the music world and otherwise.” She wasn’t sure his pursuits outside of music, but everyone had them.

[JC Smith]

"Do they tune it during delivery?" he asked curiously. He knew pianos aren't as finicky with of temperature and air as other strung instruments but getting a new was probably different. "I'll stick to only having to learn a single clef at a time, though."

"They've going well, Prince Antinori. I recently sent a note to Archon Twist asking if she would be kind enough see a show at her theater and talk," since he could never seem to get the chance or the courage to ask in person "Court always seems a whirl, so I thought I'd try through writing."

"And my studies into our blood have advanced faster than I expected. I had hoped to have Mr. Dirt Nap's guidance in mastering different forms," or just his reassuring presence in general "But I'll be continuing that work while he's out of town."

For now he didn't bring up the investigation. The Seneschal had probably already informed her and he had no new information to bring up. Plus, given her inclinations, talking about poachers in the Domain might be taken as her being weak.

[Alessandra]

There was a nod, “It was tuned when it was finished being built, then checked when it was delivered. Once it’s settled, there will be another tuning, as it adjusts to new temperatures and environment, but I’ll be doing those myself.” She had been taught how to tune at a young age. Knowing when your piano needed it, and being able to do, were important. Well, at the time. Smiling, “Sometimes that’s the easiest way to learn.” Too much and the student becomes overwhelmed.

A brief look of pleasant surprise, “You will not be disappointed. Not only are the shows spectacular, but Archon Twist is wonderful company.” He’ll enjoy himself. Granted he doesn’t step out of line or anything. “Nothing wrong with a well written letter, many have forgotten the art of it.” She never mastered that art herself.

“Excellent! Mr Dirt Nap has proven himself to be quite helpful to those around him. I’m glad you were able to learn from him.” He was a good guy, quiet, but ok. “I was saddened to receive his letter that he had to leave town. A shame.” It really was a shame, to finally take the initiative, only to leave. "Though I'm sure Miss Wood would be able to assist if needed, or even myself."

[JC Smith]

“Really?” he asked when she revealed she’d being tuning herself. He immediately hoped it wasn’t taken as a doubt of her skill. “I've never seen a piano tunes. How is it done, your Grace?” He chuckled a bit to himself. God he must seem like a bootlicker. He was curious though. “I guess in principle it’s probably not too different from a violin. A piano just seems like a much more complicated instrument.” He looked again at the innards of the grand piano. It certainly looked more complicated but then looking at a violin didn’t let you seeing how tuning incorporated harmonics between strings.

“I only hope she accepts,” he admitted, not to mention that he hadn’t some how made a dangerous mistake in his address “I am a bit concerned I didn’t approach in person, given how long I’ve been in the city.” JC found that the beast was in agreement with the Prince. It hated admitting what could be seen as weakness. Yet at the same time… if you didn’t fear saying you were weak; didn’t that make you stronger. The beast part wasn’t entirely convinced (as much as it had conscious thought it didn’t steal from other parts of himself). It withdrew to consider… for now.

“As much time as we have, a first impression happens only once.” Twist hadn’t responded to his letter. Maybe it was that he was hard to reach. Maybe it was because he’d ‘shunned’ her presence out of fear. Maybe both. He supposed he’d find out when he sought entry to her territory.

As she spoke of Dirt Nap, there was a brief flare of a smile that faded over time “I’m glad I got to meat him. Know him. I just wish it could have been for longer.” JC sighed. Tense, release. The smile flickered just a little when JC heard that the Prince had gotten a letter. More than either Guinn or himself. “Did...?” the word caught with concern slightly in his throat “Did he say what happened?” Where he was going? Why he’d left so quickly? If he was safe? A dozen questions flooded JC’s mind. So many, but in Court, all he would have was the one.

[Alessandra]

There was a brief nod. “If you would like, when it comes time to tune it, you are welcome to be here. But I warn you, it’s not exciting.” quite boring actually. “There are special tools that are required to tune it, the ones I have are quite old, and I should probably replace them. But it’s a lot of increasing or decreasing the tension of the strings. Then learning the proper overtones and harmonics for the particular style of instrument. It’s not recommended one tunes their own piano, but when you have the type of time we have on our hands, it seemed like a worthwhile skill to learn.” At the mention of a violin, “I would think it would be the same general principle. Tightening or loosening the strings to find the perfect pitch.” But that was a guess. “It’s a more tedious task, taking hours to do. But, in some ways, it’s relaxing.” As weird as that sounded.

A small smirk, “It can be hard to approach those you don’t know. Though Archon Twist can be quite personable.” At least she found her to be. But she could see how others might be hesitant, as her Hound, she could see people being intimidated by her. There had been a time when Ale herself had been intimidated by Twist. “But there is something to be said for the time and effort one puts into a personalized letter.” Though that could only be her. “That is true, but sometimes one can make an effort to make a better second. Depends on how important it is, and if one is willing to put in the time.” She’d come across Kindred who made a horrible first impression, but they improved it over time. It was quite a thing to see.

Her head nods, “He was a steady member of the Domain who was always there to help.” Quiet, but reliable. Catching the catch of the word and the concern, she wondered just how close the two had been. “His letter simply stated how sorry he was for needing to leave. Anything else within the letter I don’t feel obligated to say. If there were reasons, and he wanted them shared, I believe he would have.” Neither denying there was a reason, or confirming. “But I don’t think it was brought on by anything or anyone within the Domain. And I do hope he decides to return, he would certainly be welcome.” He was finally coming out of his shell. How far would he have gone? He was going for Reeve, but what else?

[JC Smith]

JC managed a genuine smile "Relaxation and excitement aren't always opposite but if I had to chose between one or the other, I think I'd take relaxing." Pure excitement alone tended to trigger anxiety "Assuming, your Grace, it wouldn't interfere with your own enjoyment." Sometimes the best part of doing a tedious activity was being able to do it alone and (Prince or not) JC wouldn't want to intrude.

Speaking of first impressions, he noticed a new Kindred enter the Elysium and almost immediately withdraw into a corner. She looked like a holier than thou piece of shit invading the domain, worth only the blood her rip from her body and drink from her wounds.

Flex, relax. Listen and see without emotional parts influencing the core. JC checked again.

She looked again. She seemed only, unsure. Maybe scared? Of course that could be the beast in her eyes. He glanced around and saw a bigger problem.

His attention returned to Alessandra quickly and as she spoke of Dirt Nap he realized he was falling short of that description.

"Indeed Prince Antinori. I was only spared embarrassment my first Court because of his help. He let me know you were both Prince and Priscus of the Gangrel Clan and should not be approached without first being invited by your Grace." Not exactly subtle (he nodded his head slightly to Alessandra for that hoping she understood) but if the woman in the corner really was paying attention she'd hear and get the message. Without Seneschal or the Prisci of the Ventrue and Deava clans there (and Alessandra head of Gangrel) there was a good chance she'd have to be acknowledged by the Prince herself. There wasn't anything about her that screamed the monstrous nature of the Nosferatu but that mean anything for certain. You wouldn't know Jennifer as a Haunt until she spoke.

However, he couldn't think too much about the newcomer with current company. Definitely not with current conversation. "That's unfortunate," he sighed when she said was in the letter and what wasn't (or couldn't be) mentioned in the letter. JC wasn't sure if she was covering for courtly reason, something else, or there hadn't been anything. Unfortunate didn't really cover it. "I hope he comes back too," was the most he could muster beyond that.

"But," he said with somewhat forced smile "Things won't be on hold till then. Treasure the time our friends aren't here. Making use of it the best way to honor them." Again, not subtle. Cliché even. Yet it did make a small part of JC feel better

[Alessandra]

A brief nod of understanding, “It is always nice when we are able to find a moment to relax.” She needed more of them personally. “If I thought it would interfere with the task, I would not have offered.” She never made offers that were not genuine. “Now if it was my lepidoptery, that is not something I would let someone sit in on.” That was her away from everyone time. A private hobby that she only shared by displaying her butterflies. "And you've proven yourself to be good company, so maybe it will make the task less tedious." maybe.

Her Beast noticed the presence of a new weak Beast before her years did. Dark eyes zero in on the weakling as her Beast paced and demanded the flesh of the weaker one. But that would be rude, especially on her first night in the Domain. As Jennifer moved to intercept her, Ale focused back on JC, soothing her Beast as she did. Cain noticed as well, his murderous gaze watching the new girl, but still on alert of JC.

“He was always looking out for those of the Domain, making sure a good first impression could be made.” Unlike some.

She heard the new girl was a Lance. Her thoughts drifting to the last one they had. The one who dared threatened her Court because he wasn’t getting his way. While he had been allowed to live that night, she would not be so kind again. So an ear was kept focused on the conversation.

Friends? A surprising word. Could their kind have friends? It was a curious word. “Our world is an ever moving one, always in motion. Kindred come and they go.” It was just how their nights went. “He’s drifted from the Domain before, and returned, so perhaps he will repeat that.”

Daeva. And Twist wasn’t present. Seemed Ale might have to go introduce herself. Not that she had to, the girl could wait until she could call Twist. But where was the fun in that?

[JC Smith]

“I wouldn’t know the word enough to even ask to intrude,” he admitted. Though he repeated lepidoptery silently to himself several times in the hopes he’d remember to look it up later.

He gave a small but very genuine smile at her praise, as he worked to control the twitch of a snarl from his beast “Tedious maybe, but every concert starts with the players tuning. Dissonant, cacophonous, but necessary.” He’d rarely thought of it that way himself but it did make a good allegory for the Danse. Listening for the music to be beneath diaspora of sounds. If you knew how to listen.

Priscus Hazelton of course approached the newcomer. JC wondered if Sister Confessor Adira of the future Parish of Dark Saint Longinus felt as lucky as she should. Somehow, even hearing the Haunts slithering words across the room, he doubted it. Even with her talk about her being there to support the Invictus.

He followed Antinori’s brief look of appraisal.

His glance returned to the Prince, who had yet to move. Though it was hard to be sure why. Setting up the mewling predator to meet with Twist. Alessandra had to know Adira wouldn’t know what that truly meant for relations between first and second estate. Maybe that was the point? A part of him hoped the Sister would meet a grisly end because of it. The woman’s presence was an affront seeped of political machinations.

Was the Prince’s comment about helping other make a good impression aimed at him. Twist for not being there. JC noticed Edward made no approach to his cousin and couldn’t help but think about what he’d heard of Heinrich. Or maybe even toward Adria herself for expecting the Prince to call her forward.

His Priscus’ words brought him back from his thoughts. And for several long seconds JC was silent.

“I suppose… until he returns… we must aspire to show those things we loved in him,” he said distantly. He looked again at Adira and did his best to ignore the abiding thirst he had for her blood. To be ignorant and alone wishing intrude on another’s domain, without Priscus or Seneschal and afraid to approach the Prince because she might see how you wished to seize control. Flex reflex. Hiding behind the pomp and circumstance of an Elysium. That could easily have been him.

“Your Grace, may I be excused for a moment?” he asked turning back to his Prince and looking into her eyes.

[Alessandra]

The Savage had to chuckle; it wasn’t a common word these days. An art that wasn’t as appreciated as it used to be. “It’s not as common of a practice as it was years ago.” It was still common, just not, extremely common. Because getting the butterflies was easy to do.

“This is very true. It does amaze me how often one needs to do such a task though.” Even after all these years, she wasn’t used to it.

The words coming from the new face hardly surprised her. It wouldn’t be the first time one assumed their Covenant had ‘special’ privileges. Maybe in some Domains, but not hers.

If one was expecting Ale to step in to offer Acknowledgement, they were poorly mistaken. The Clan Daeva had a Priscus, and stepping in was overstepping without valid reason. No, this one could wait. Let her speak with her Priscus, and the Judex. Two birds…one stone.

“Of course Mr Smith, thank you for the pleasant conversation.” It was true, she enjoyed talking with him. He made her think, and it was quite welcome. “I’ll reach out later about when I will be tuning the piano.”

Cain, for his part, simply watched. He always watched. And waited. For the word from his Master, for the chance to destroy, to rend and tear.

[JC Smith]

"Thank you, your Grace," JC bowed deeply and for the first time during this court moved away from the piano. It upset part of him more than he'd expected. Like the beast was giving up territory and didn't like it. However, he pushed past the feeling and into the cacophony.

JC returns to the main thread.