soul_campaign | 20th February | late evening

[ Who knows where Re-l has managed to find a piano in Death City, particularly coming close to midnight - the entire point of tonight's excursion was to play again without a large audience, at least in theory.

( But then again, her device seems to be recording as she sets it down, tripped by a stray touch of her finger to the screen as she sets it down on top of the smooth black wood..)

It's been years since she's last touched a piano for more than a spare few seconds or stolen notes before she continued on a busy day of investigations. She'd humored her grandfather by giving up the instrument years ago when it had 'distracted her too much', but Death City was without those distractions, and after a few hesitant notes she begins to play.

Chopin's Nocturno seems to be what her fingers have chosen to play tonight, even though it's been an eternity since she'd played it last. Her fingers seem to be finding the right ivory keys to press without fail, despite the late hour and time away, every piano seems to be made the same, whether in Romdeau or in Death City.

It's a fitting song, at least, for those who might need a lullaby or perhaps just to fit Re-l Mayer herself, and not much longer than five minutes later the song comes to and end, a long silence precipitating the end of the audio feed. ]

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[ She sighs, and for a moment her frustration shows in one sentence, before she goes silent again for a short pause. ] I am unhappy with this cage.

I finally had my freedom where I was from, before BREW brought me here.

Exactly what is holding you back here?

For one the literal confinement of the city. It reminds me of being in a dome, and I haven't missed that since the first time I was outside. The other... [ A short, rueful chuckle, as if she's laughing at herself. ] .. Let's just say it's confining to be in a new place with new people I don't know or trust.

That is hardly the fault of the city, and I doubt I can understand missing what you miss. I... I rarely left Pendragon. I missed home greatly even if I was in another city almost identical to it. But then, I worked hard to make it resemble what I loved. Even so, it was hardly the same.

[ Sigh. ] If you do not get to know, you cannot trust. You will continue to remain in your cage in that sense. I had to trust these people when we were ... kidnapped together months ago.

Romdeau was hardly ever a home. A boring paradise and cradle for those who would rather live mindlessly was more like it. Getting out was like a second chance at life as it might have been supposed to happen, but instead I'm here, now.

... Trust is not so easy.

A cage of your own making this time.

I'm fine with that, if it means my safety.

Safety is nice.

Trust and freedom is better.

I had those, before I arrived here.

It is not as though it is impossible to have those things, again.

You're someone who has broken free and now just lets herself be tied down, again. Don't you have more strength of will than that?

In due time.

Things can't be properly built without the correct base.

Are you trying, at least?

Nosey, aren't you? [ A little sigh. ]
I am.

Well, at least, that is something.

I suppose it is.

Anything is better than doing nothing.

20th February | late evening | audio

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