TIME TO MEET AGAIN

[disharmonizes]

[So, for a change of things, it's not Salieri gathering people together in the cafeteria this time, but... Discord? Discord, organizing? Willingly? Oh, we are having a time here. There's enough tea and cucumber sandwiches for everyone, everything all set up.

Some of the sandwiches are floating. Don't worry about it.

There's whiteboards set up, as well, though right now they're mostly filled with a lot of random doodles of people here and in the land of the living. Some of them are nicer than others. There's more than a few rude ones of the SQUIP, because we're all super mature adults here. At least one of the boards is just a mess of abstract colors.

Everyone will be greeted by Discord and also the dulcet tones of Dancing Queen playing on the boombox he dragged over here. You're welcome.]

Ladies, gentlemen, others... Welcome to the meeting. We have a lot to go over, so! Let's get started.

( NAVIGATION )
BETA TEST RESULTS ✹ OPERATION A.S.S. ✹ OPERATION GLITTER BOMB ✹ INVESTIGATION SHARING ✹ MAYA...? ✹ CHATTER

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

I, um. I might be able to help. I may not be, um. A real composer, still, but I remembered some things.

[ He glances at Eurydice, still looking exhausted and full of grief, but he raises his head and looks back at Antonio and the group. ]

I brought back the spring with the song I wrote, like I said I would. And I... almost convinced the Lord of the Underworld to let someone go. [ He did, really, but he couldn't keep up his end of the bargain. ] So if you need - someone else. More help. Maybe I can be useful, this time.

[disharmonizes]

Oh, you most definitely can be.

[immediately weighing in. hi.]

What we need, more than anything, is heart. We could have all the stuffy composers in the world [love you babe] but without heart and friendship, it won't matter. That's what we need.

And I'm sure you can provide.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus looks a little surprised to hear Discord say that, out of everyone, but he nods. He still doesn't smile, but he holds Eurydice's hand and thinks about how love brought them both so far (and tries not to think about how they still fell short). ]

I can. If it'll help free the others - if it might free us.

[ Maybe it will turn out this time. ]

[wanderlusttitania]

I think you would be an excellent addition myself!

[voicerights]

We will be needing as many people as we can. Even those of you who think you are unable to contribute...

[It shakes its head, and grimaces]

There is a flaw in the current code. Without the help of others, I would have been performing indefinitely. After reviewing the troubleshooting, I have come to the determination that the more people able to carry the performance, the less likely a catastrophic failure. Not only can one pick up if another begins to falter, but it will further...[a glance towards Salieri] Please explain what you brought up before, of alternating measures.

[It could quote him. But this, too, is important; to share the burden.]

[violentenvies]

[As indicated, Salieri will explain:]

The main flaw was that the structure was too rigid. Our reality is made up of structure and chaos both--order and emotion. Music is created much the same way: there are familiar structures and patterns that any piece needs in order for it to be pleasurable to listen to but there must be an element of surprise, of emotion, of chaos, too. The trick is going to be not to force that chaotic part of reality into compliance, but rather to coax to where we want it to go; to convince it that it wants to move and change and grow in the direction we desire. Therefore, the more options we have of different ways for that chaos, that emotion to be directed, the higher our chance of success.

[disharmonizes]

Trying to make reality ordered and structured is possible, in theory, but it tends to work out... poorly.

And that's very much not what we want to have happen here.

[voicerights]

Agreed.

[holy shit what the hell happened during that sync]

[disharmonizes]

...I'm sorry, what?

[did

did they swap the squip with someone else

is this an imposter]

[voicerights]

I expressed agreement with you.

[oh, look, they're already in an emergency meeting! convenient, huh?]

[wanderlusttitania]

So next time, all of us must be involved.

[She had seen what happened, after all. It only made sense. Vary the song, and have a symphony. The music is richer. Louder. More.

That and no one explodes with nosebleeds. Hopefully.]

[violentenvies]

Exactly.

[voicerights]

Even if only in the chorus.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods, slowly. ]

Maybe... leave room for a little improvisation. See where it carries us, instead of trying to structure everything. We'll still have to practice, and make preparations, but...

[ He takes a deep breath. He doesn't really want to talk about this, but. ]

When I sang to Lord Hades, it wasn't with any of the words I wrote with the rest of you. I only realized how I needed to connect with him as it was happening. After I saw him for who he was. [ A man in love with a woman. A man so terrified of losing his wife he'd do anything to make her stay, and in the process only pushed her further away. A man like himself. ] Depending on how things go, we may not have time to plan everything perfectly. So maybe we should embrace that. Write what we can ahead of time, but leave things open to change depending on what happens.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri listens, quietly, nodding in agreement]

I agree. Though it will be important to have some structure beforehand, improvisation will really be the key here, both in terms of the allowance of movement and growth, but also due to time constraints. If things are really reaching an end, then we should make another attempt as soon as possible.

[voicerights]

...it cannot be an attempt. It must be the final product, however ready we are.

We do not have time to recover from another attempt. [A pointed look towards B and LP]

[violentenvies]

A full performance in whatever state it happens to be in, then. [a nod]

The sooner we can get enough of the pieces in place, we shall simply have to rely on it being enough.

[whatyouwant]

Okay, but I'm not super musically inclined. I can sing along with top 40, no one's ever really complained, but I don't know if it's really reality warping.

[voicerights]

So long as you are willing to give yourself to the performance, it won't matter.

[violentenvies]

Agreed. Conviction and will will matter more in the end than anything else. And faith.

[violentenvies]

[there's something that pangs in Salieri's chest to see Orpheus looking like that, as understandable or expected as it may be. He doesn't deserve that.]

Of course, we'd be more than happy for your assistance, Orpheus. I'm sure it would be invaluable.

[howtheworldwas]

[ that someone takes Orpheus's hand and whispers, gently: ]

You did. The terms weren't fair.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus squeezes her hand gently. He doesn't say anything, doesn't agree but doesn't argue either, just leans against her shoulder silently. ]

[tellthestory]

Hey, you're way more of a composer than I am! You'll do great!

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus tries to force a smile for the Balladeer, but is... not super successful at looking like he isn't incredibly miserable. ]

Thanks. I'm sure you've been doing great, too, though.