HtH129 – When Dramaturg Isn’t Home
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Trombone sounds intensify.
DOOT DOODOOT DOOT DOODOOT DODODO!
The sound coming down the first floor hallway is no cozy quartet. It is an improvised ensemble, more intent on funmaxxing than playing any coherent tune! Right at the back is Hikari, who carries a small taiko drum slung in front of her like a parade drummer. She twirls and pirouettes down the hallway, painting the hallway in this vibrant new sound! Right in front of her, piping an eclectic tune while bouncing up and down is Piaccta with a piccolo flute! This odd baroque ensemble is completed by House two-handing a gigantic golden trombone, the entire length of the trombone swinging wildly up and down, telling the tale of season's change and era's turning---
As they pass down the hallway, the kitchen door opens just a crack to allow Jules to peek at the Les Terribles Quartet coming down the hall.
Why were they all wearing shades like Ablam?
Why did it seem like they were all heading this way?
And why is Mistrál walking backwards while waving a conductor's baton in hand?
At last, the procession does stop in front of the kitchen door. The golden sound falls silent for a moment, Piaccta still marching with her knees up high in the air.
"Hello Jules! We are embarking on a journey of friendship and fraternity," Mistrál waves her baton across the trio to the loud TOOT of the trombone. "We would seek to use the kitchen oven for our musical aspirations---"
The figure behind the door folds her hands in chef's clothing, a suspicious eye widening.
"You want the oven. For music."
A pause.
"Do you know what happens to a trombone in a hot oven?"
"Oh, fear not, Jules! There won't be anything like that!" Mistrál laughs, waving the baton in circles like a magic wand that gives +1 to Persuasion. "We simply want to use it for..."
(intense taiko drumrolls)
Mistrál makes a horizontal forward and backwards motion in the air;
With each rhythmic slamming of the air oven door, House belts out an all too-familiar trombone tune, her teeth biting her lip in an exaggerated manner under her shades. Piaccta claps in joy, not understanding a thing except that this is fun!
Jules studies them for a moment—not with suspicion, but with calculation.
She opens the door a little wider,
the makeshift rustling of aluminum comes from behind the door.
"Alright, I want to hear this... arrangement first. One piece. Right here. And if it's good, maybe..."
Moments later, the Les Terribles Quartet are on their way again.
"It appears that our chef would prefer to play a different role in our composed symphony." Hikari remarks, lightly tapping the sides of her taiko drum.
"Aw, it was worth a shot!" House has kept her trombone under her arm now, "Besides, we now have our fourth player!"
PLAP PLAP BANG BANG BANG!
Ahead of them, Mistrál delights in the rhythmic beating of an aluminum baking tray, her hand smacks the underside of the tray like a tambourine, all pretense of rigor and decorum melted away in pure joy. Piaccta laughs beside her while tugging at the underside of Mistrál's arm, a smiling request to 'share'!
The revolution continues.
A crisis was averted,
and lunch was properly prepared on time.
"What is that sound coming from upstairs...?"
Minara had just rolled off the bed in the darkness of her room. Some odd procession of sound had been blasting from the first floor, waking her up from her slumber. The girl grabs around in the darkness, before flipping on a lightswitch.
"Urgh... I don't really want a heavy breakfast today, maybe I'll ask the chef if she has cocoa puffs..."
But first, a wake-up drink.
It had become a habit of hers to slip a drink from Mistrál's mini-bar in the morning.
Since her friend never said anything about it, she must have silently permitted it!
With impeccable morning logic, the girl stumbles over to the door which connects to Mistrál's Fun Place.
There, the only thing that can be seen in the room are the soft lights that illuminate the bar, and nothing more.
Like a desert wanderer engulfed by thirst, Minara makes her way to the light with her arms outstretched. Leaning over the front counter to where the mini-chiller is, she finds her prize, and rights herself in the darkness once more.
[PSST!]
Gulp, gulp... Snort!
Lemonade spills over the front of her dress, for in the darkness of the room, the girl sees the outline of something impossible.
Something that stands over the mini-bar, a single red glowing 'thing' in its center.
That was definitely not the shape of anything human!
Its legs are so exaggeratedly long and slender, it looks ridiculous!
Minara can already imagine the awkward walking animation this thing has in her mind already!
She cannot tell if it is a conical hat at the top of its head or a horn, but it wiggles with the flexibility of a limb, like it was wagging a knowing finger!
It crosses its long star-like arms, leaning over toweringly, the red gem sparkling like a knowing eye in the darkness.
In silence, it returns to its original position of dominance, as if nothing happened at all.
Minara stares at it.
It stares back.
Then, very quietly, it produces a single, soft sound:
[BRRRINNNME]
W-what was that?!
Did that thing just try to communicate...?
The drink slips from her fingers.
[CLACK.]
Minara runs for the elevator!
Cocoa puffs, here we come!
Lemonade? In the morning again?
We are trying something different! This is a simul-posting at the same time as the Scribblehub release! Go check out the entire series at this link!
