03: † audio

[salvagedsoul]

[An audio post begins, and for a few seconds it's just the sound of the rain. Then, a piano begins to play. Those familiar with classical music would recognize it as French Suite No. 4, a well-known work by German composer J.S. Bach.

The music goes on for about fifteen minutes. It's a piece with a sense of introversion to it - even as the music turns complicated and speedy in some areas, it maintains a restrained elegance. Emotional, without being passionate.

When it finally ends, there are another few seconds of rainfall before Kaworu speaks.]

The demands of human relationships are overwhelming when you consider just how much love a heart needs to survive.

But, conversely, a heart can give an infinite amount of love in turn. The world is less scary if you simply remember this.

Comments

audio;

[sonofabyte]

Less scary.

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

[ah. this man.]

Naturally. The darkness can never be driven away entirely.

audio;

[drowns]

Ah...you play beautifully.

...Do you really believe that, though? That a person can love infinitely?

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

And, yes. Do you disagree?

audio

[firstroar]

[no i'm not following whatever conversation you're having up there at all. no. no sir. i don't spy on people i have invested interest in ever at all.]

Any heart, perhaps.

audio

[salvagedsoul]

[it's okay it's not like kaworu didn't totally do the same thing a little while ago..]

Certainly, any heart, if its caretaker allows it.

text

[eyecontact]

You're really really good! Is that the piano you wanted to fix?

text

[salvagedsoul]

Yes, it is. I was able to get some work done on it, thanks to your advice. As you can tell, it has a long way to go, though.

audio

[tried]

Mm, I agree. Ah-- that was beautiful, by the way. You're really talented.

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

Thank you very much. I thought some of my fellow transports might enjoy it.

text

[imusntrunaway]

Do you really believe such a heart exists?

[salvagedsoul]

Yes. You only need to look inward to find it.

video;

[judgmental]

I thank you for the concert. It was much appreciated.

[A pause. He's not sure if he wants to get into a conversation like this...]

Do you believe love is really necessary for survival?

perma audio

[salvagedsoul]

A Lilim named John Donne once said long ago, "No man is an island."

[audio]

[galactically]

Not bad at all. I have to admit, it's quite elegant.

[Actually, the piano playing is really great, but the approval shows in her tone anyway.]

Love is a fragile thing, isn't it? Something that some people take for granted, that they think it can be easily discarded without a second thought.

[salvagedsoul]

Thank you.

Love involves an interesting catch-22 in that way, doesn't it?

video;

[dualreaping]

Not always the case.

Much like anything, it's always vulnerable to corruption.

perma audio

[salvagedsoul]

Beneath every blackened human heart is the capability of love.

[ text ]

[reassures]

That was beautiful.

How much love does a person need to survive?

[salvagedsoul]

Thank you.

I wouldn't know. I can only say that the need is great, and never permanently satisfied.

perma video;

[skypsalms]

A, ah! This... This Bach, isn't it? How lovely.

[ she hums some of the song from memory for a little bit. ]

Is it really scary though? I think loving someone is rather easy.

perma audio

[salvagedsoul]

Yes, it's French Suite No. 4. Thank you.

Do you find it easy? I'm glad you can find that happiness and give it to others.

video;

[motioned]

Mm, I don't think love or relationships are very scary at all. You're really great at the piano, though!

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

[oh no she's so cute.] Thank you so much.

I'm glad you're not afraid of them. I don't believe we've met, miss.

→ audio

[controlledvariable]

[She listens to the whole piece, her fingers twitching absently as she follows along in her head. She doesn't really need to reply, but she finds herself switching on the feed anyway.]

I always did have a soft spot for Bach. [She misses Wayne Manor and it's piano.]

How long have you been playing?

[salvagedsoul]

Since I was small. So, perhaps eleven years, now.

audio

[velveteened]

I didn't know we had such talented pianists here! Though I have to admit, I don't recognize the music at all.

[salvagedsoul]

Not at all? Are you unfamiliar with classical music?

[whatsupcroc]

What brought this up?

[salvagedsoul]

Idle thoughts on a quiet day.

audio;

[fortissimos]

Bach, right? [ ... ] It sounds better now. I'm glad you managed to fix it up.

[ At least to an extent. She considers ignoring the second part, but after a moment: ]

I don't know if you're right about the rest, though. You make it seem way too easy.

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

Do I? I'm sorry. I understand that not easy to love others.

video;

[jailbreaks]

Pretty sure if one person could fix the world with 'infinite love', we wouldn't be having these problems.

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

Not one. Everyone.

video;

[invocation]

Who says you need love to survive?

[She appears vaguely offended at the insinuation. She managed fine without it.]

audio;

[salvagedsoul]

Survival of the body is possible, but without love, a heart turns brittle.

text;

[concealingeyes]

[Whoa that's really good. Kido doesn't usually listen to much classical but she likes that.]

hey you're really something at that.

['Human' relationships, though...? Now that she thinks about what he said, it's kind of weird, isn't it?]

Did the song get you thinking about love?

text;

[salvagedsoul]

I've had it on my mind. Music gets me thinking of many things.

audio

[osakastrut]

Well I dunno about you, but the amount of love I'm willin' to give is pretty finite.

audio

[salvagedsoul]

There's willingness and there's capability.

audio forever. || not late not late not... late ....

[defending]

It's the only way you can look at life unless you wanna go completely insane.

never late

[salvagedsoul]

Yes, exactly. I was beginning to wonder if I should have phrased it differently.

voice; sorry for the late tag but i really wanted to hit this!

[moralperil]

When you hear music like that, how can there be any question what humans are capable of? But I don't think most of them realize it, for whatever reason. The power of love - they laugh and stuff.

It's totally fine! There are no late tags

[salvagedsoul]

[Kaworu couldn't agree more. he had no idea so many people here shared the same perspective.]

Music is the greatest achievement in all of Lilim culture. It appears to be easier for them to express themselves through the arts than through concrete, honest words.

audio; /also late

[skilful]

Bonding with others may be overwhelming, sometimes painful, but whatever exists after is worth it. That's what I believe in.

[ and -- applauds! ] Ah, but that was wonderful! Have you played the piano for a long time?

its fine!

[salvagedsoul]

It can be worth it, yes. But perhaps nothing exists after it. Or, perhaps what exists after it is painful. This fear is what keeps people from trying.

[inutile]

To be without love is to not be "human" at all. The capability, and presence, of the world's most powerful emotion within ourselves... that's what makes us what we are.

People like to think that they are complicated - and maybe they are. But everything complex in this universe can be taken apart and reduced to simpler fractions, in the end.

...That's how I like to think of it, anyway. But my point of view is no doubt very limited.

[salvagedsoul]

Perhaps it could be said that the refusal to give or accept love, despite having just great need for it and great capacity for it, is what makes people human.

voice

[implying]

And some hearts need a bit more than others, I would say!

[salvagedsoul]

Yes, of course. Each Lilim is a separate, unique individual, after all.