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 Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:01 pm
Characters::. Milo and Nayeni
Plot::. Milo goes to his usual location to play his violin, one of the music rooms. He starts to play and gets so caught up that he doesn't realize that he had an admirer while he played.
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 8:16 am
  
Milo was feeling his creativity flowing again after the art class when for some reason he just didn't have it. His focus was back, and he decided that he would practice his violin to get some of it out. It had been a while since he had played it in earnest with everything going on. Not many people, if any of them, knew that he played after all. He walked down the hallway, violin case in his left hand as he ran a hand through his hair. He had been having lunch with Riven almost every day, and even when he had found her after art class, he surprisingly had a nice nap with her. Was it embarrassing to wake up and realize they both had dozed off? Yeah, but part of him didn't mind and he felt surprisingly invigorated afterwards. He couldn’t help but find himself enjoying his time with the young woman, and she had even begun to ease up a little bit with the titles. Not that he minded, but this way it seemed like she was more comfortable, which made him in turn feel happy in a way he wasn’t familiar with.
Pushing the thought aside while trying to keep his good mood he found the music room that he had routinely been using. He closed the door behind him softly and walked over to the closed piano. He set his case down and adjusted the vest he wore. It was managing to keep him warm, but they usually kept the inside of the school warm anyway, no matter how chilly it was outside. He ran his hand over the top of the case before smiling to himself, undoing the latches and opening it. He took out the chestnut brown instrument, it was a little worn from use and love, but it was recently restrung before he came to the academy. Carefully sliding the bow out of the lid, setting them both to the side and propped up the music book inside the case, using it as a makeshift stand. He didn’t want to bother getting an actual stand out today. As he tucked the violin against his collarbone and rested his chin down, he counted down in his head before he began to play. It was still properly tuned from last time thankfully.
He began to play the tune, before he closed his eyes and a serene look formed on his face. The song was one he played many times before and it was easy for him to get into the rhythm of the music. It was hard for the mute man to express himself sometimes, and he was glad that even at a young age he had his powers. However, it was hard to feel like he made an impact without a creative outlet and because of that he found both painting and music. He had tried to play piano, but he didn’t take to it as well as he did the violin. He felt himself smiling as he focused and tuned out the rest of the room, able to go into his own little world again.
No one had ever bothered him before, why would they now?
WHO WITH: Alone
x
FEELING: Calm, In the moment
x
WHERE AT: Music Room
x
WEARING: Sweatervest, tie and light colored pants. Lace-up shoes.
x
OUT of CHARACTER: Song being played.
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Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:24 pm
location MUSIC ROOM xxxxx company MILO xxxxx outfit DANCE WEAR The cooling temperatures did not agree with Nayeni.
Admittedly, it wasn’t particularly cold yet – but it also wasn’t winter yet, and that was her main concern. She was used to spending the coldest months of the year in Funkazan with her mother, avoiding the worst of the winter weather in Musique entirely. Thus far the climate of Utopia was comparable to her home, but this year she had no motherland to escape to. She had no choice but to brave whatever this new region would throw at her. That meant, of course, shopping for winter clothes, which almost made everything worth it. The blend of styles that could be found here was thrilling, and already she’d spent a pretty penny stocking up. Still, every week brought a stronger and stronger chill, as autumn barrelled toward its end.
Today the chill was tolerable mostly on account of the sweat she had been working up, practicing alone in some dance room for the umpteenth time. Nayeni dabbed at her forehead and neck, casting a glance toward the window she had opened midway through her routine. The wind had done well to air out the room, and now it was a welcome respite for her heated skin. She stepped over to the wall, basking in the breeze until cool turned to cold. Finally the duchess closed the window and gathered her things, preparing for a brisk walk back to the warmth and comfort of her dorm room.
But she did not make it far. She had only just turned down the hallway housing the music rooms when the tune of a violin cut through the silence. It was a tune she didn’t recognize, yet it filled her with nostalgia all the same. Back home, there was always music playing – live bands or street performers or records on the phonograph. Utopia was mostly void of the lifeblood of Musique, and these days it was rare to even see her fellow Muses indulge. Oh, how Nayeni had missed the sound…
She shuffled down the hall until the sound grew loudest, and she dared a peek through the slitted glass of the door. There was a boy inside, fingers long and lithe like the bow he drew against the strings of the violin. He took no notice of Nayeni, with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in the music he was creating. For that, the duchess could not blame him. Nor could she look away, as he continued to draw out the soulful melody of his song.
It was a pity, really – to play a song like that without and audience. What was art for, if not to be appreciated? To be felt? To be loved? Quietly, so as not to disturb the young man, Nayeni slipped into the room, intent to give his music all the unhindered listening it deserved. She leaned against the wall beside the door, hands clutched at her chest – and allowed her eyes to fall closed, too, as if doing so might whisk her away to wherever the unwitting maestro had gone.
It was beautiful.
Lost as she was in the music, she met the silence following the song’s finale with the same reaction she would give any performance –
A standing ovation.
Which was maybe not the best move to take, clapping like that out of nowhere, when the other person in the room didn’t even know you were there. Nayeni snapped to attention, her face flushing a deep scarlet, as her existence was now made loud and clear. Still wrapped up in thoughts of home, she began to sign I’m sorry – only to remind herself she was at the academy, and all of the people she had met so far very much needed her to speak to be understood.
She tried to still her hands, and instead anxiously wrang her wrists. “I am so sorry,” she repeated, out loud this time. “I heard your song, and I – I was so entranced that I… Oh, I shouldn’t have barged in without asking. The music was just so beautiful…” Excuses, excuses. Behavior like this was exactly why her father thought her unfit to inherit the duchy! Nayeni pursed her lips and bowed low. “Please forgive my intrusion. I only meant to appreciate your playing completely!!”
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2025 8:05 pm
Milo hadn't expected anyone to come into the room, so far in all the times he'd come to practice he had been left on his own. Not that he would have minded if someone came in but that would mean he'd have to use his powers to converse and that was a lot sometimes. As he played, he had shifted his footing to maintain his balance but most of his motion was in his right hand as he moved the bow back and forth and his fingers shifting over the strings up near the top. He had played the piece many times before and it was clear that he was comfortable playing it. It gave him great solace that he was able to come and enjoy something that was likely frowned upon by his own father. Since he couldn't speak unless he used sign or his powers, Milo often felt like he couldn't communicate with people as affectively. This had led to quite a few cases of splintering friendships and relationships with people he cared for. However, even with his mother and sisters he found that music and art were two places that people could really show how they felt without the need to have words involved. Sure, singing added an extra layer to the concept of music but it wasn't needed. If one pulled the right notes in the correct order out of an instrument, you could invoke almost any emotion.
As he slowly slid the bow off the strings, he suddenly heard clapping. ' Wait who is that?' his eyes opened quickly, and he turned to look over his shoulder, half expecting it to be a figment of his imagination only to find himself face to face with a familiar person. Kind of. He knew her face, but he couldn't quite recall her name. As he urged his heart to stop beating hard in his chest as he caught a glimpse of her hands moving for a moment before she seemed to realize something and began talking. He blinked, his shoulders relaxing as he lowered the violin and turned to face her a little bit more. He was taken in by her words and he felt a surge of appreciation that he hadn't felt in a while. Someone enjoyed his music. He knew that it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but his Duchy wasn't known for the arts nor was Hyouden. So, he was fairly certain that the young lady was not from his home. Not to mention she looked far tanner than most of the people from where he lived, although it suited her.
He shook his head and allowed his smile to form before he set the instrument down in the case after he shifted his sheet music and faced her properly. It was only the polite thing to do after all. He was curious about her hand movements but just in case he decided to pick up the pen, writing a message out for the other person. Please, no apologies needed. It only jumped me a moment, I was not expecting anyone else to be here. He paused before lowering that hand and raising his now free right hand, hesitantly and slowly moving his hands in deliberate motions. He knew that even if she had used sign language it may be a little different than his own. Different nations and all that did that. Did I see you sign? his question was simple, but the look in his eyes said it all. If he had met someone who knew how to communicate with him this way, it would be very exciting for him. He had met a handful of people, but not many after all. Not everyone saw the need for it, and while he understood it worked to make him feel a little more left out than usual.
WHO WITH: Nayeni
x
FEELING: Calm, In the moment
x
WHERE AT: Music Room
x
WEARING: Sweatervest, tie and light colored pants. Lace-up shoes.
x
OUT of CHARACTER:
　
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 11:34 am
location MUSIC ROOM xxxxx company MILO xxxxx outfit DANCE WEAR Nayeni's heart hammered in her chest as she waited for the young man's reaction. As long as he didn't get mad or upset by her intrusion, she wouldn't feel too terrible. But he shook his head and smiled -- a wordless gesture of forgiveness -- and Yeni let out the breath she had been holding. A tentative smile formed on her own face, though his next action caught her off guard. He was writing something down... Why? Nayeni watched curiously, stepping a bit closer to read the message once it was displayed to her.
Please, no apologies needed. It only jumped me a moment, I was not expecting anyone else to be here.
Her eyes shifted from the paper to the young man's face. Oh, she knew this move well; she'd had to write out her words many times in her life, during those periods of time when she would not or could not speak. And she did not need to dwell on the question of whether or not her companion was in the same sort of situation, because moments later he lifted his hands to -- sign? Nayeni studied the movements intently, searching for familiarity. She knew sign language differed between nations; she'd learned as much from her time in Funkazan. But some gestures were universal, or similar enough in nature to be understood.
And this one, she understood. Well, hopefully. He seemed to be asking if she had signed. And all at once, excitement bubbled up in her stomach. Of course it was only natural that there might be other people at this school who were mute -- or deaf -- but until now, Nayeni had not met a single one. Her amber eyes shined as she stood to attention, signing an enthusiastic Yes!!
Clearly he had understood her speech, not to mention the fact he was playing music, so she could only assume he was not hard of hearing. Which meant he must be mute! What luck it had been to stumble upon him, then. Nayeni knew her own experiences were different from those who physically couldn't speak, but there was still a certain level of camaraderie there. She bit her lower lip to keep her smile from breaking out into a full-blown grin, for fear of looking like a madwoman.
"My name is Nayeni," she said softly, signing as she went -- just in case there were any major differences between their respective languages. "What's yours? I'm really happy to have met someone here who can sign!!" Would he wonder why she did, when she was so obviously capable of speech? Did it matter? Nayeni's hands stuttered a bit as she considered the situation, and then she continued. "Sometimes I can't speak because of my powers -- and that makes talking to people here difficult. I'm sure you know the feeling well..."
To emphasize her point, she dug through her bag to pull out the notebook and pencil she used to communicate, flipping to the last pages with writing on them. It was her messages to Izzie, before she had finally broken her vow of silence. Sheepishly, Nayeni flashed the page to her companion with a little grin, just to show she was in the same boat.
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 1:28 pm
Milo wasn't expecting to run into anyone who was the same as him, and even then, it wasn't exactly the same. He figured it was worth a shot asking through sign if she was the same or would somewhat understand. She didn't look like she was from Hyouden but he would take a shot anyway and when she straightened up and replied he felt his shoulders lighten immediately. She understood! In all his time here he's known a handful of people who understood. Stephanie, Viktor...although his brother was a given as they came from the same place. He could add one more to the ranks now. Her sign was a little different from his own which led him to believe she wasn't from anywhere he had ever been. That wasn't surprising as the man hadn't left his home to travel much at all with the difficulty he had with communication. It wasn't going to stop him, however and a lot of the signs were similar enough for him to put them together. It helped that she was saying them out loud as well; perhaps they could learn from each other in the process.
Milo tucked his paper under his arm, moving his hands slow enough so that any discrepancy could be accounted for. He didn't have the luxury of adding in his voice so this would have to do. My name is Milo, it's a pleasure to meet you, Nayeni. he paused, her own notepad being shown to him making him smile slightly. Ah, so that's how she knew. He nodded his head and after tapping his throat with one hand, he signed again. Relaxing despite the conversation topic and admitting that he wasn't able to talk. I've never been able to speak, so that I do. I have only found a handful of people here who understand. another brief pause, thinking about how his brother wouldn't really appreciate him outing him like that, but he figured a brief mention wouldn't hurt. One of them being my brother. he left it at that and smiled again as he set the book down on the piano. He found himself curious as to what her power was that kept her from talking sometimes. Clearly, something to do with her voice as with how quietly she spoke but this would be blatantly against the rules to ask, so he wouldn't do that. Eventually, perhaps things could come around so that it was spoken of, but he wouldn't outright ask her the question.
He motioned for her to sit with his hand before pulling around another one of the chairs so they could talk without standing too much. Hopefully you have a support system as well, perhaps some friends made here at the school. he signed at the same pace before he thought of something else. Sliding his hand down his pants, he pulled the quill out of one of the pockets. Even while he was hesitant, he had shown others who did not have similar issues as him and it went over well. So, if anything, things will be even better received with Nayeni. Or one could hope. He raised his hand up and wrote in the air, the ice forming and lingering for longer than usual before it slowly vanished, leaving a nervous duke hoping for a good reaction. I also was blessed with this for a power, so it makes it easier to communicate than carrying around a pen and paper. He still did have to carry a pen, but that wasn't his point.
WHO WITH: Nayeni
x
FEELING: Calm, In the moment
x
WHERE AT: Music Room
x
WEARING: Sweatervest, tie and light colored pants. Lace-up shoes.
x
OUT of CHARACTER: The darker writing is his powers, and the lighter with sign. smile
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 4:44 pm
location MUSIC ROOM xxxxx company MILO xxxxx outfit DANCE WEAR The boy began to gesture, slowly and deliberately, and there was nothing but unbridled joy in Nayeni's eyes as she watched. Knowing someone with whom she could effectively communicate without endangering them was exciting enough. But the thought of being able to learn a new regional dialect of sign language? It was something she hadn't really even considered, coming here to Utopia. Yet now, it felt like such a glaringly obvious opportunity. She had struggled just to learn Funkazan sign, those few lessons she spent with Naomi during her winter trips to her mother's homeland. And Naomi had only held a passive interest in the language. But here, now, with someone who was fluent, Nayeni had the chance to gain a genuine proficiency. In... whatever dialect her new companion was using.
Which... would maybe stay a mystery, if they weren't allowed to share where they were from?
Not that she needed to be getting ahead of herself. Maybe M-i-l-o -- as he introduced himself -- wouldn't want to teach her. And that would be fine, of course. Nayeni never wanted to be a bother. But it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?
Abuzz as she was with enthusiasm, her shoulders slumped a bit as Milo continued, explaining he'd never been able to speak. It wasn't an unexpected revelation -- just a sobering one. She needed to remind herself that even though they shared something, their situations were almost as different as could be. Nayeni still could speak, though that was perhaps completely a blessing. Despite her newfound determination for overcoming her own afflictions, there were still days she wished she could give her voice to Francesca so it was impossible for her to hurt anyone ever again.
Her attention remained trained on Milo's hands, as she attempted to parse together the meanings of the gestures. Naturally, the more abstract words were difficult to guess. Something about people... understanding? And someone who Milo was fond enough to smile about. A smile blossomed on her own face as soon as his appeared, and she was quick to accept his offer of a seat.
It's so nice to meet you, too, she signed, doing her best to keep at an even pace. Out loud, she asked, slow enough that he could nod or shake his head in response, "Your name... Is it pronounce mee-lo? Or mai-lo?" Ah, but he'd asked her something, hadn't he? Something about support -- friends!! She could only assume he was inquiring about having people to help her. Raising her hands, she signed again as she spoke. "I'm lucky to be here with some old friends, and luckier still to have met new ones who..."
Nayeni trailed off, thinking of the brave Izzie, who did not fear the danger of her voice. She did not want to scare Milo away, though. Not yet, at least...
"-- who, um, don't mind the... complications, of talking to someone like me." Surely that was something Milo could sympathize with. Writing things down was perfectly effective; the problem was how much longer conversations took doing that. Not everyone had the patience.
Her eyes followed Milo's hands as they trailed down his pants, and she was surprised to see him withdraw a quill. With no ink? Considering the differences in their sign language, writing was probably a great idea, just to tide them over. Oh, but she was not expecting him to write in the air. Nayeni's panic over trying to decipher the invisible words only lasted a heartbeat, however.
Because the words were not invisible at all.
They clung to the air like shimmering ice crystals, smooth as silk. Her eyes widened in surprise -- as well as delight. She clapped her hands together and clutched them at her chest. "Oh, that is a blessing indeed! That's so very amazing -- what a useful power!!" Milo was so incredibly lucky to have gained an ability that actually helped him, especially when he hadn't been granted a voice.
Nayeni cleared her throat and settled a little more politely into her chair, before simultaneously speaking and signing once more. "I apologize -- I wasn't able to understand all of your signing before. But I would love to learn, if you have any interest in teaching me. Please don't feel obligated if you aren't; I just think it would be wonderful to know as many dialects as I can." She paused with a sheepish smile, peeking at the air where he'd written his last response. "Maybe you signed this already, but do you have support here?"
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