maskormenace | Trace #001

[It's late on Sunday evening when this text post appears on the network.]

Hi. I know I've talked to a lot of you before, but I've never tried addressing all of you the way everyone seems to enjoy. Don't know why really. Anyway. My name's Red. I've been thinking a lot about musical instruments. Here and back in Cloudbank. The music styles are different, sometimes really different, but most of the instruments are the same. Which is nice but pretty strange. Easy to find comfort in it though... Is it like that for all of you? Is the music here the same as where you came from? If it is, how close? If it's not, I'd love to hear what's different. If you can play, I mean. Or sing. Or just describe it if you can't. It's probably a bit too late at night to be picky, huh? I've been working on something, if anyone wants to listen.

[Attached is an audio file: In Circles Instrumental.]

It's a little melancholy and not entirely my usual style but I'm learning to adapt. Let me know what you think. As an aside, anyone know a good place to start for learning sign language?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's a nice piece. I like it.

I don't think we have anything that's very different from here. There's some 'sounds' that only AIs can produce, but for the most part...not much has changed. But I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not? It's a little surreal, to be honest.

[ Why is it that everything reminds him of home, these days...when he thinks of music, he can't help but think of Elecman. ]

Sounds that only AIs can produce... Computer noises, do you mean?

Something like that, yes. Things that wouldn't really make sense to most humans, I suppose? Not because they can't hear it, but because what makes it appealing is different.

It's a little hard to explain, though. To be honest, I was never really that interested in it myself. [ Music has never been his forte (ha ha, etc). ] Are there instruments you miss that you can't get here?

Not really. The main ones I play are guitar and piano, and they're readily available here. I'd be curious to hear some of this music you are talking about, even if you weren't interested in it. Can you recreate it?

Well, that's good. I know musicians don't like to be without the instruments they're fond of - well, some, anyway. I'm probably generalising. [ He only knows like two. ]

Hmm...perhaps. Give me a few minutes. I think it's best if I edit your file, just to show the differences. [ He tweaks it, here and there, until he's reasonably satisfied.

Maybe it sounds oddly familiar, in its own way. Maybe not. But there's more distortion, certainly, and sounds that aren't easy on the ear. It skips around. ]

That's as close as I can make it for now. But I haven't heard it that much - it was never my taste. [ It reminded him too much of his creation, of the circumstances behind it, the environment that surrounded him in those early days. He can't help but interpret a different, sinister meaning in those distorted chords. ]

[There's a delay as Red listens to the music.]

It is certainly a unique sound. I'm not really sure how I would go about recreating it. Which would be an interesting challenge, now that I think about it. What do you prefer to listen to, though?

I'm not sure... it's like it's an almost melancholy sound for the start? I don't know much about music, so I don't know what I should say. It's thoughtful. I feel like it's the way you might consider a problem, as things get more complicated even if you don't want them to be. Before things change later on, where it's challenging but heavy. Then it's thoughtful again, right up to the end.

Anyway, sign language. That's talking with gestures for people who aren't able to hear or speak, right?

[ then, delayed: ]

Nice to meet you, Red! I'm Shino.

Well. Thank you for that. You aren't wrong. I'm still sorting out quite what I want it to say. And it's nice to meet you too, Shino. But yes, the gestures people use for those who cannot speak or hear.

Right, right... languages like that are important. Why do you want to learn, if it's okay to ask?

I am tired of using this text to voice feature on my phone. And the...mental communication we are afforded makes others uncomfortable.

I didn't know much about music or instruments until I got into acoustic guitar here. I mean, I knew a little but now I have a better understanding of them in this world. A lot of the music here, it sounds similar to where I'm from too, from what I can remember. Your song is really nice though, I like it. And to answer about sign language, I think the local library has a few books on learning. Or maybe you can find a listing for a class online.

You've learned to play guitar since you arrived here, then? Yes, the library seems to be what everyone is suggesting. I really should've thought of it myself.

Not since I arrived, but a month or so in. Oh and if the library doesn't work out, there's always apps on your phone.

I'd love to hear you play sometime. Yes, but they aren't as...I'd much rather learn in person.

Really? You want to hear me play? And uh if you need someone to help, you could always ask someone you know. Maybe a friend?

Of course. I haven't had the good fortune to meet anyone who knows it, yet.

[Suddenly an idea pops into his head.]

Hey, I've got an idea. You seem to know a lot about music, so you could teach me other aspects of it and I'll help you with learning sign language.

I'd be more than willing to do that. Does that mean you know sign language, then?

I studied a bit of it over the summer just for something to do. I'm not an expert, but I know the basics.

[Surprisingly for Naminé, this one is easier to draw something for compared to the song from the first time they met. The image file she includes is of an extremely exaggerated, almost diagonal, jagged line across the page. On the far end, a person stands with their back to the other figure in the foreground. Both of the figures' faces are obscured by shards of white and yellow color. The rest of it is black, shot through with angry red streaks along the diagonal line.]

Is the mental telepathy way of communicating not working, Miss Red?

That's...lovely. Sort of. It is but it makes people uncomfortable.

It's not my usual style either, but I like how it turned out.

Oh, I see. I'm sorry.

Would many people here know sign language?

I doubt it, really. But it would increase my methods of communication, at least. Experimenting with new styles is always a good way to expand what you can do though. Do you do it often?

I could try learning with you, if you'd like.

No, not really. I've been experimenting more with different forms of art, like watercolors and paper crafts. But this attempt was fun. Different...and darker, but fun. I might try it again.

Trace #001 - Text

text

text

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

text

text

text

text

text