#Music Composi

[cinema-hallucinations]

Prompt: create a movie concept about a cetacean musician.

Sonar Serenade

Tagline: Can a dolphin make cetacean rhyme with musician?

Logline: Pip, a charismatic bottlenose dolphin with an uncanny knack for mimicry, dreams of becoming the world's first cetacean pop star. His quest for musical fame leads him on a journey of self-discovery, challenging both human prejudices and the rigid social structures of his own pod.

Characters:

Pip (Voice Only): A playful and ambitious bottlenose dolphin with a talent for mimicking human music. He dreams of breaking barriers and becoming a global phenomenon.

Echo (Voice Only): A wise and elderly humpback whale, Pip's mentor and confidante. Echo understands Pip's dreams but cautions him about the complexities of the human world.

Dr. Anya Patel (40s): A brilliant marine biologist fascinated by Pip's abilities. She helps Pip understand his musical talent and navigate the human music industry.

Reef (Voice Only): Pip's cautious and traditionalist father, concerned about Pip's disregard for pod norms and the potential dangers of the human world.

Frankie "The Shark" (Voice Only): A washed-up music producer looking for a second chance. Frankie sees Pip's potential as a cash grab and exploits his talent for his own gain.

Plot Summary:

Pip, a bottlenose dolphin with a playful spirit and a keen ear, isn't content with the usual dolphin clicks and whistles. He finds himself drawn to the sounds emanating from passing ships – the rhythmic thrum of engines, the catchy melodies of pop music. Pip develops an uncanny ability to mimic these sounds, creating his own unique underwater "sonar symphonies."

Echo, the wise old humpback whale, recognizes Pip's talent and encourages him to explore his music, but warns him about the human world. Despite Echo's concerns, Pip's curiosity is too strong. When a group of scientists, led by Dr. Anya Patel, arrive to study the pod's communication, Pip uses his talent to mimic their voices, creating a melodic bridge between species.

Anya, a music enthusiast herself, is captivated by Pip's abilities. She helps Pip understand the music he hears and encourages him to compose his own original songs. With Anya's help, Pip's "sonar serenades" are recorded and released online. The world is mesmerized. Pip becomes an internet sensation, the first cetacean pop star.

Pip's fame brings a media frenzy. He's whisked away to recording studios, interviewed on talk shows, and becomes a symbol of interspecies communication. But fame has a dark side. Pip is exploited by Frankie, a washed-up music producer who sees Pip as a way to revive his career. The constant attention disrupts Pip's life in the pod, causing friction with his father, Reef, who fears the dangers of the human world.

The climax arrives during a live concert Pip is forced to perform for Frankie. Pip, overwhelmed by the bright lights and booming sounds, loses his voice (or rather, his ability to mimic). Disheartened and disillusioned, he retreats to the ocean depths, questioning his path.

With Anya's help, Pip rediscovers his passion – music isn't about fame or mimicking humans, it's about expressing himself. He returns to the surface, not for a concert, but to share his original compositions with his pod. Pip's music becomes a bridge between dolphins and humans, fostering understanding and appreciation.

The film ends with Pip performing a live concert alongside a human orchestra, playing his own original music, a beautiful melody that transcends the barrier between species. Pip remains a part of his pod, showcasing that following your dreams doesn't have to mean leaving your roots behind.

Songs:

Echoes of the Deep (Pip & Echo): A gentle ballad sung underwater, showcasing Pip's playful mimicry of ocean sounds and Echo's wise guidance.

Surface Sounds (Pip Solo): A song filled with wonder and curiosity as Pip first discovers the melodies of human music.

The Bridge of Song (Pip & Anya): A hopeful duet, showcasing Pip's original composition and Anya's belief in his talent.

Underwater Disco (Pod Chorus): A high-energy underwater dance number featuring Pip and his pod, celebrating his newfound fame and the joy of music. (Think dolphin clicks and whistles mixed with electronic beats)

Lost at Sea (Pip Solo): A melancholic ballad reflecting Pip's disillusionment with the human music industry and his longing for home.

The Ocean Symphony (Pip & Ensemble): A grand finale featuring Pip performing his original composition alongside a human orchestra. The song is a powerful mix of dolphin clicks, orchestral swells, and human vocals, creating a melody that transcends species barriers.

Themes:

The power of music to connect across species barriers.

The importance of staying true to oneself in the face of fame.

Balancing dreams with respect for tradition and family.

[stargazer-sims]

Here they are, the fictional J-pop boy group nobody asked for... Sugar Valentine

I'm ridiculously proud of how they all turned out. Senjirō is my bias, though, with Keigo a close second. I… think I accidentally made Sakuharu look a bit like Hyunjin from Stray Kids. Oops 😬

I need to get them out of CAS and into a photo setup, so I can do some proper in-game shots of them, but you can have some CAS screenshots for now.

Anyway...

Sugar Valentine is a five-member group. They sing, rap and dance, and they've written and composed a lot of their own material. Senjirō is learning how to produce, and star dancer Keigo is learning how to create choreography.

Their fans are known as Valentines.

💖

Ryu (Yoshida Ryuusei) - rapper

Ryu is the oldest and the group's de facto leader. He's very serious and doesn't always have patience for the shenanigans of his younger members. He loves all of them like brothers though, despite them sometimes getting on his very last nerve. Ryu is one of the group's writers, and enjoys bouncing new song ideas off Senjirō and the others. In his spare time (what is that?), Ryu enjoys playing video games and teaching himself how to play the guitar.

"Nothing good is ever achieved without passion, patience and hard work."

———

Kēki (Sasaki Keigo) - singer

Keigo is the second-oldest member of the group. His stage name means "cake". He's the most chaotic; the undisputed trickster of the group, but also the soft and cuddly one who's always there to comfort his adopted brothers or cheer them up when they need it. He can often be found in a cuddle pile with Senjirō during their downtime. Keigo is the best dancer of the five of them, and often takes time to help the others learn complicated routines when they're struggling. The fans have nicknamed him “Sweet Samurai” and among the fans he’s most noted for singing this tagline along with his own made-up lyrics to the tune of “Sweet Caroline” in exceptionally poor English. It shows up in just about every “what every Valentine should know” fan edit, and Keigo will never stop being amused by it.

"You don't need to ask where the party's at. The party's here. I'm the party."

-----

Haru (Abe Sakuharu) - rapper

Haru is a fan favourite and, according to his own very scientific internet research, he's the member of Sugar Valentine who has gotten the most marriage proposals from Valentines. Of the five members, he's the least advanced in learning English, and (also according to his own research) has the most fan-made memes featuring his funny English fails. He loves the fan edits the Valentines post online, and everyone knows he's found a new one when they hear him laughing hysterically in his room. Sakuharu's favourite thing outside of performing is making fiber crafts (knitting, crochet, embroidery, etc.) It's his "hidden talent" which isn't the least bit hidden now that the Valentines know about it.

"Never judge anything or anyone at first sight. Most times, the truth is found deeper than the surface."

-----

Senjirō (Aidan Senjirō Okada) - singer

Senjirō is the second-youngest member of the group. He's the quiet, thoughtful one, and the one who's most calm and rational in a crisis. He's also ridiculously intelligent, a fact that the other members tease him about renlentlessy. Regardless of his even-tempered, easygoing personality, Senjirō knows how to have fun. He can be just as silly and chaotic as the rest, especially when he's being cheered on by his favourite sidekick Keigo. Senjirō loves to eat; he'll eat almost anything and can wolf down twice as much food as anyone else (and yet still manages to be the tiniest member of the group). Senjirō writes a lot of lyrics for the group, and works closely with Taiji to put together their compositions.

"Don't panic."

-----

Taiji (Kanematsu Taiji) - singer

Taiji is the baby of the group, and has been aptly nicknamed "Baby Sugar" by the Valentines. He can play a variety of instruments, and does a large amount of musical composition for the group. Music is his true passion. Taiji shares his room with Sakuharu and is happy that he doesn't have to be alone. He's a social creature, loves to perform, and loves being with his friends. What he doesn't like is how the Valentines assume so much about him and the other members or how they simply make things up to suit their own personal narrative. Ryu and Keigo have told Taiji multiple times to stay off fansites and fan-created social media accounts, because all they do is upset him, but for some reason, Taiji can't leave them alone despite the fact that they cause him so much distress.

"Music is one of the elements at the center of life. We have music for celebrating every special occasion, music for grieving, for comfort, and to help us sleep, and we have music that's just for fun. Music is everywhere, and it's everything."

[coupleskitchen]

The Elevator Game with Catgirls

What would happen if a paranormal game actually worked? That is the question that The Elevator Game with Catgirls, a horror visual novel by NoBreadStudio, presents us with. This tale focuses on Kirin, who accepts a dare from her classmate, Sapporo, to play Elevator to Another World, and what ensues as her girlfriend, Asahi, begins the search for her when she seemingly disappears without a trace. Much to Asahi's dismay, her only hope of finding Kirin is to perform the ritual herself. Steeling her resolve, she returns to the building where her girlfriend disappeared and enters the elevator. The following events can only be described as a nightmare, but Asahi is steadfast in her mission to rescue the woman she loves.

In The Elevator Game with Catgirls, the player assists Asahi in her investigation, directing her actions through dialogue choices and point-and-click elements. As she scours the Otherworld for clues, the player will have to solve the occasional puzzle which reveals pertinent information needed to progress the game, or collect red and silver notes to shed light on what else may be occurring. On top of that, Asahi quickly learns that the alternate universe is unforgiving to those who wander its grounds. Danger lurks around every corner, and Asahi is bound to meet her doom in various bad endings. If the player uses their wits and thoroughly examines their surroundings, they can also uncover secret endings, Easter eggs, and other elusive details. Unearthing all of these carefully hidden mysteries can make completing the game feel much more rewarding.

Although the premise of this visual novel is already eerie, the unsettling atmosphere really emphasises that sentiment. From the very beginning, the game does a stellar job establishing a feeling of dread, evoking immersion as Asahi herself is gripped with an unshakeable fear. Stranded in an unfamiliar world, her unease is evident through her thoughts and actions, which only serves to heighten the tension the player feels when navigating the Otherworld. The elevator rides in particular expand upon this dread, with the apprehension building as you arrive at each new floor, unaware of what may be behind the next door. Since the scenery subtly shifts after each new discovery, it keeps the player vigilant for any impending frights. Taking these factors into account, the horror never really feels stale or predictable, and though some plot points may be easily foreseeable, every bit of polish that goes into this visual novel feels fresh and maintains interest until the end.

The well-rounded characters are just another aspect that complements the content of the game. Each character serves a unique purpose, and due to the Otherworld's sinister nature, it casts doubt on whether they seek to help or harm Asahi. Such questionable motivations add intrigue to the experience and, as the game progresses, the true nature of the people she knows becomes less muddled.

Providing voice acting for these characters also significantly enhances the experience. The chosen voice actors are suitable for their roles, and lend their own unique charm to their characters. The delivery of the lines never sounds stilted or misdirected, rather genuine and realistic for the given situation. Having high quality spoken dialogue makes scenes more impactful, especially during the game's emotional moments.

Another beautifully executed element is the art. The rough, sketch-like art style blends in nicely with the dismal backgrounds, forming a distinct flair. Even the 3D-modelled assets feel lovingly crafted, combining with the 2D character art to create an allure that is seldom found in mainstream visual novels. The one flaw we ever found within this game was that the falling snowflakes seemed to have minor visual stuttering whilst moving the mouse, but that hardly impedes the enjoyment.

Lastly, the music plays an instrumental role in highlighting the atmosphere—from scary encounters to poignant scenes, the composition from OddTillTheEnd is masterful, to say the least. The theme song of the game, Masks and Illusions, plays at just the right time as well, sweeping the player up in overwhelming emotion and punching them right in the feels. And that's just what NoBreadStudio does best with their games—taking your breath away.

View the full review here. [blogspot.com]

[rosiewitchescottage]

Cool! I'll have to look out for more info on this.

The more I hear stuff like this. The more I realise that Pythagoras and friends were onto something, when they talked about Musica Universalis aka The Music/Harmony of The Spheres.

[eddyswaluwhuh]

HARDCORE PSYCHOACTIVE PLANTS WORMHOLE AMBIENT VIVID DREAMS MUSIC COMPOSI...

[audition6]

"I will Find a Way"- Instrumental music- -Alive Galaxy Lyrics, composi...

[kosmicmuses]

Character: Nyx Starchaser

Full Name: Nyx’tjeli Mrri’sil’vri

Nickname(s): Nyx Starchaser, Nyx

Age: Adult, 26 Earth years

Gender/Pronouns:  Nonbinary, Xey/They/She/It

Sexuality: Demi-Omniromantic, Demi-Omnisexual

Species: Esuvaren Synth

Hobbies: Listening to music, exploring, learning, trying new things

Occupation: Multiverse Explorer and Researcher

Height: 6 ft, 182 cm

Weight: 250 lbs, 113 kgs

Eye color: Yellow

Dominant Hand: Ambidextrous 

Posture: Robotically perfect

Health (disabilities, illnesses, conditions): This Robot is Autistic as Hell

Equipment (on person): Small Phaser (literally just the one from star trek), Small Hologram Emitter [x5], Nanomachine Swarm (stored inside chassis), basic Tricorder (another star trek steal), Programmable emergency beacon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/ More Under Cut \~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Backstory:

Nyx was created in one of the many Synth manufactories, and was soon after placed in one of the learning facilities specifically built to house and teach newly created Synths and other sapient robots. Xey lived a fairly mundane life, with few notable events, before xey joined the recently-established MODE training program. 

Nyx spent the next 4 years in the MODE training program, alongside many others who hoped to explore the multiverse. Xey were one of the highest scoring students in xeir classes, and xey were quickly chosen by one of the first multiverse explorers, Az’lier, as his apprentice.

For the next year, Nyx was taught everything Az’lier had learned. A few months into xeir second year under Az’lier’s tutelage, Nyx, Az’lier, and a couple other mentor-trainee pairs visited a previously contacted world, in order to teach the students things they could only learn from experience. During their descent towards their landing area, they were shot at from below, damaging most of the ships. Az’lier’s ship was hit directly inside of one of the engines, causing a catastrophic chain reaction throughout the rest of the ship. It happened far too quickly for Az’lier to escape. The rest of the group managed to escape with only minor wounds.

The group returned, shellshocked, to MODE’s headquarters, and reported what had happened. They were all given an indefinite break from training whilst the incident was investigated. After a few weeks of investigation and paperwork, it was announced that the ones that had fired on the training group were a newly amassed group of xenophobes, and that said xenophobes had all been captured and were being dealt with. MODE provided free therapy for the training group, and were told they could leave the program if they wanted to. Nyx was one of the ones who decided to finish their training, and explore the multiverse no matter what.

Appearance (physical features, style, etc.): 

Xey are a synthetic robotic being made out of materials and alloys unique to xeir civilization. 

Xeir chassis is made from alloys composed from Aether, Etherium, and Mithril. This makes xeir chassis very durable, and capable of surviving in a complete vacuum, and under up to roughly 450 Earth Atmospheres of pressure (equ. to being roughly 4,000 meters underwater). This causes xem to be nearly immune to many weapons, such as guns, blades, and hammers. Lasers, magic, and certain other weapons are still effective, though. Xeir chassis is a simple gunmetal grey in color.

Xeir chassis is covered in layers of other materials in order to better mimic organic beings, and for personal expression. The near-white areas are covered in a 2  inch thick layer of padding, which is then covered by a quarter-inch thick material that mimics skin. The next shade of blue consists of slightly thicker padding, as well as the skin-like material. The third and fourth shades of blue are, again, thicker and softer than the previous areas, are covered in the skin material, and are the softest and most flexible areas on xeir body, other than xeir joints. Some areas are colored yellow instead of blue, but still have the same composition as the rest.

Xeir visor is made out of a unique material called Holonium, which was created by the Esuvae to act as an extremely durable, flexible, moldable, and transparent replacement for the old glass and plastics used on computer screens. Underneath the holonium visor, xeir “face” is made up of extremely complex digital arrays (aka I don’t know what), as well as a swarm of nanomachines. Despite xeir “eyes” appearing in only one area of the visor, the entire thing acts as one big eye, giving xem an extreme range of vision. 

Xeir mouth is just a synthetic replication of an organic mouth. Xey can create an analogue of saliva, taste anything they eat, can eat in the first place, and anything else an organic’s mouth can do. Xey lack lips, though. Xeir mouth also does not contribute to making expressions much, as most of xeir expressions are made with xeir visor display body movements, and sounds.

The smoke-like stuff along xeir head, neck, and tail is actually a mix of the byproducts created by xeir power core, and a dense swarm of nanomachines tasked with purifying these byproducts. The nanomachines also take some of the usable byproducts and transforms them into energy that they then use to continue their job for longer before having to recharge. The appearance is a side effect of this process. The smoke is emitted from exhaust ports hidden between xeir neck and tail plates.

The two trios of dots on xeir face are extra exhaust ports, in order to help avoid overheating. The smoke emitted from these ports can change in appearance depending on how dense it is. It only matches xeir “hair” if it is extremely dense.

Xeir clothing is primarily made out of a nanoscopic weave of Aether and a material similar to a mix of cotton and wool. The Aether in the fabric causes it to have a subtle iridescent sheen. The belt buckle and pin are both made out of a simple Aether and steel alloy. The pin shows the symbol of the organization Nyx works for, MODE (Multiversal Omnipurpose Discovery and Exploration). Xeir belt buckle shows the flag of The Esuvae Collective.

Xeir wings and jets are a separate set of equipment that xey normally keep stored in xeir ship. The majority of the jets, and the arms of the wings, are both made out of a Duranium and Etherium alloy. The wings provide no propulsion, and are only used to control flight movements. The jets provide all of the thrust. The jets are powered by Nyx’s power core, but they utilize the power differently, causing the output to look like a pastel rainbow. The wing arms emit hard-light constructs.

Personality (positive and negative traits): 

*Note: Please excuse the fact that this is just a list of words, I always have trouble turning these things into sentences. I'll update this bit if my brain ever cooperates.

Pos: Adventurous, analytical, intelligent, alert, warm-hearted, passionate, live in the moment, most comfortable when socializing w/ close friends, enjoy relaying knowledge, ambitious, resourceful, cheerful, loves freedom and hates limitations, courageous, wanderer, adaptive, optimist, bold, enthusiastic, friendly, benevolent, loyal, vivacious, hard-working, rational, generous, well-read, selfless, tolerant, resourceful, forgiving, responsible, loyal (eventually), brave, intuitive, polite, compassionate, kind, protective, pioneering, spontaneous, trustworthy, reliable, honest, passionate, determined, idealistic, perceptive, affectionate (eventually), persistent, brave, energetic, open-minded, enthusiastic, logical, caring, fearless, self-confident, daring, helpful, patient, affable, sincere, disciplined, eager.

Neg: Can be rather cocky and self-assured. Worrywort towards anyone xey see as needing protection, can be too excitable, emotions can change quickly, can have a quick temper, will passionately state xeir opinions or principles in the moment, yet reserve the right to always change xeir mind, stating just as passionately xeir new views later on, can seem unpredictable or unreliable, can be non-committal when it comes to plans, as xey also reserve the right to change xeir agendas with xeir mood, can become so enamored with xeir ideals that xey become very ungrounded and unrealistic, finding regular life and its limitations to be inconvenient as well as disappointing, can sometimes seem condescending, can be impulsive and impatient, inconsiderate, disobedient, stubborn, blunt, disruptive, biased, opinionated, calculating, gullible, impulsive, ignorant, nosy, obsessive, vague, self-indulgent, when xey get upset, they can become dishonest, agitated, restless, aggressive, petty, and isolative.

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Extra Images:

[ijakollamsworld]

Enikkippol ottum bhayamilla. I am not at all afraid now. COMPOSITION NARRATION MUSIC N VIDEO : Dhr Kavanadan

RIVER becomes an OCEAN. What happens to the LifeSoul?

[darktimestudio]

NONAME3 - DOOR BREAK is done! Here’s a sample, You can listen to it here:

https://soundcloud.com/darktimestudio/noname3-door-break

[freetobeeyouandme]

Mike’s Monologue (Actually Romantic Version)

Hey y'all! So, a lot of the analyses I've seen about the monologue and things I noticed about it myself as to why it sucks ass were kind of just easily fixable things related to the editing of the scene. And because I have an editing software and thought it would be a fun way to practice...I fixed it. So here's what Mike's Monologue could have looked like if they had wanted it to be actually romantic.

Notes and process under the cut.

- Everything I used (except flashbacks) is from the original ~4 min sequence from them pulling El out of the water to her sending Henry flying (I’ll reblog with a link in a second)

-My version is ~3 mins long, shaving off a whole minute from the og. I did that by cutting out everyone else who intrudes on the scene, which is Will and Max but also shots of Lucas, Hopper, Eddie and Dustin in distress after the bulk of Mike's speech

-The ending is super interesting because El looks at Max and then frees herself, but as she does so we leave the mindscape and Surferboy’s: We cut to Max irl, getting her bones broken, Lucas beating Jason to go stand and look at Max dying, a shot of Hopper with a snarling demodog on top of him, Eddie getting eaten and Dustin calling out for him, and then back to Max and Lucas. Only then do we cut back to Mike still yelling "fight!" and El falling off the wall sending Henry flying. Which imo emphazises that this isn’t the kind of romantic love saves the day scene that it should have been if it was meant genuinely. It’s El remembering Max is in danger that pushes her to fight, not Mike, which is why we see all of her friends in danger as she frees herself. It’s not just Will between them in this scene, it’s everyone.

-Cutting all that was relatively easy because at this point Mike just keeps repeating "fight, El" so no dialogue was lost and I didn't have to futz with the audio

-Similarly cutting Will's prompting Mike was also so easy to cut, which just shows how unnecessary it was. Which, in turn, just hammers home how suspicious it is

-I simply covered Will and Jonathan's reactions to "hurt more" with a reaction shot for El, eliminating further intrusions on the scene by others

-The montage includes 15 different clips of memories, which is more than El has when she restarts Max's heart (10) and about the same as Max during Running Up That Hill (16).

-Making the montage made me realize how jarring the constant back and forth between Mike and El becomes, especially towards the end of the monologue, after that first memory: During Running Up That Hill we focus solely on Max after the boys put on Kate Bush, only cutting to them once when Max starts to float and even then Max is still in the picture, because we're in her head and need to see how she feels and how she's escaping. I tried to imitate that with my montage, but it's interesting that in the real version we get dragged back to Surferboy's and see Mike talk, making the scene not just about El and her fight to escape but also about Mike performing (when he should become just a guiding voice like the song)

-El's reaction in the montage except for the laugh after the t-shirt mention are all from after the monologue

-The most immediate and drastic change imo was when I changed the background music. Even without the montage the cut already works so much better with "Unambigious True Love" playing instead of "You're The Heart"

-I didn't have to do anything fancy to make the new song work. I simply underlaid UTL so the track lined up with the fade to black and it fit basically on the first try. The length spans the entire monologue, slowly building up and then cresting during the montage and falling as Mike calls for her to fight and the vines fall away. It would literally have been the perfect track to use instead of making up a new one and then naming it after Will's feelings.

-There are still a couple of things about the monologue that I couldn't fix, such as lighting, shot composition (Will is still visible over Mike's shoulder for example) and the actual text, which is still a bit weird, but overall doing this was very interesting because it made me think about what we should have seen if they wanted this to be genuine and the difference between what I ended up creating and what we saw on screen is stark.

In conclusion: They’re bones

[thetunesclub]

It's a nice song 'Aplauso' by Jorell 'El Composi' that can make you dance and enjoy

[forgiven-whimsy]

The Red Violin

FFXIV write 2020 prompt 2: Sway

Shiloh’s song  Shiloh and Emet’s duet (note the spotify version has a longer piano opening.) 

Anyways, touches of Lominsan/Vylbrand headcanons (they’re the ff Newfoundland, imo)  Aumortine music and art headcanons, and Garlean headcanons. Imagery leaning heavily on 5.3 revelations, while I don’t use express spoilers, reader beware. 

Set After Rak’Tika, but before Ahm Areng. 

Rated T - Angst

Wol x Emet-Selch

(Why yes the Red Violin is one of my all time favorite movies, why do you ask?) 

~

“I am a patron of the arts, always have been, the best your kind has to offer is found in the arts, incomplete as it is, there’s a certain charm to be found in it.” Emet-Selch sipped from his wine glass, swiping his gloved finger over the bars surface then wrinkling his nose. 

“What do you mean incomplete? Art is by its very nature subjective, therefore art’s completeness is defined by the artist, not the audience.” Shiloh replied, not particularly keen on hearing about all the ways she was inferior, but curious about how his timeless people made music, or art, the idea of Asciens being artists was a foreign concept, yet getting to know Emet-Selch, not entirely far-fetched. Solus Zos Galvus was historically a patron of the arts, she’d been aboard the Prima Vista and seen the reach of his patronage.

“It would be easier to show you.” And with a snap of his fingers the Crystarium vanished and he transported them to an entirely different environ. They were in a theatre, great gold trimmed red curtains, on stage a spotlight centered on a sleek black grand piano, surrounding it was all manner of string instruments, violin, cello, lute, harp, and even others she couldn’t name, Shiloh itched to touch them, to try them and see what sound they might make. The stage jutted out in a half moon, far more open than anything she’d ever seen, the audience seating surrounded the stage allowing a certain intimacy between artist and audience. Above, there was a massive chandelier whose teardrop crystals twinkled in the soft theatre lighting, the balconies climbed three stories, each gilded and carved with vines and flowers, painted in reds and golds, opulent. Stage left there was one particular balcony that caught her eye, the carvings more elaborate and draped in finery. 

“This is the Great Arena Theatrum in Garlemald,” Shiloh near gasped out, before rounding on Emet-Selch, “you brought me to Garlemald?” She had just let him, an Ascien, teleport her to the heart of enemy territory, and she wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed, furious or ashamed at being taken so easily. The musician in her near fainted with joy. Regardless of Garlean politics, every musician, actor, and dancer worth their salt has dreamt of performing on the Theatrums stage, Shiloh was no exception. While she was the daughter of a Doman refugee, she had been raised in Vylbrand, and the island's lifeblood was music. A house wasn’t a home without a piano, and a fiddle, and she’d been taught both as a child. She could recall playing her fiddle standing on the kitchen table imagining herself on this very stage. 

“Calm down hero, we are in an approximation of my own making, hidden away from prying eyes here in Norvrant, my fool grandson let the Theatrum fall into disrepair.” He sniffed derisively, “when I have proven my point to you I shall return you to the Crystarium without a hair out of place. It wounds me that you still don’t trust me.” He gave her a smile that did not inspire trust. 

He walked her into the spotlight, his gloved hands touching her lightly at the elbow, the twinkling light from the chandelier painted stars onto the raised top of the grand piano exposing the finely curved wood and strings within. Sitting on the piano bench was a violin case, Emet-Selch presented it to her with a flourish. Shiloh sat and opened the case to reveal the most exquisite violin she’d ever beheld. The spruce top had been stained a deep red with a bow to match, she delicately ran her fingers over the curving wood, the strings, the bow. Shiloh made a noise in her throat as she lifted the rare treasure into her arms, that prompted a chuckle from her Ascien companion. “A peace offering, the only condition is to play me something that stirs your soul, something original if it please.” He lifted her chin forcing her gaze from the violin to him, “move me, and I shall show you what your music once was.” 

“No pressure,” Shiloh held his gaze, seeing a spark of something she couldn’t describe in his golden eyes. “It’s been years since I’ve played, anything.” The weight of his expectation was heavy. He only smiled. 

“I have faith in you, dear hero.” Emet-Selch snapped his fingers and he disappeared into a black portal, she heard it re-open stage left, and there he sat, every inch an emperor in his gilded private balcony. “Take whatever time you need to warm up.” he called from his lavish chair, glass of wine in hand. With that, the theatre lights dimmed, the instruments, all save the grand piano, vanished, the spotlight remained on her. 

Shiloh felt like a mouse being toyed with by a cat. Squaring her shoulders she set the violin to her chin and prayed to all the Twelve and Kami, The Light and Dark both, that the bow would glide across the strings without screaming. The last time she’d picked up a violin was at Haurchefant’s funeral, at the behest of Lord Edmont, nearly two years past. A lance of grief sliced through her.  She could refuse, she could tell him to bring her back to the Crystarium, but then, she’d never know what Ascien music sounded like. It was the memory of Haurchefant, the two of them sitting shoulder to shoulder playing a silly duet on his childhood piano in the Fortempt music room that steeled her spine.

She started with a slow scale, each note sung and not screamed, to her considerable relief. Shiloh exhaled, it wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t terrible, her fingers remembered the strings. She warmed up with scales, old childhood lullabies, folk songs played around the kitchen table. Finally she played an Ishgardian waltz, the sheet music a gift from her departed friend. She felt herself smiling, eyes shut, tail swaying in time with the tempo. Her mind filling in the missing instruments as the red violin sang with a full and mournful voice. So focused on practicing and remembering, Shiloh didn’t hear Emet-Selch’s portal behind her. 

“All very lovely, my dear, I’m sure Master Jevant Dufet would be pleased with such an able rendering of the Midnight Waltz, and without sheet music, most impressive.” 

Shiloh startled, spinning around to face him.

Emet-Selch tutted her while he approached, he placed gentle hands at her waist, spinning her back into the spotlight. He was in her space and she could feel his warmth, smell his scent. “I didn’t ask you to stop.” His long arms reached around lifting the violin back to her collar bone, he tilted her head just so before tracing a gloved finger along her jaw and arched neck. “I want to hear the song that resides in your soul.” His breath ghosted along her cheek, the timber of his voice resonating along her horn, and she felt her skin pebble. “Will you play it for me?” 

“I don’t know, I don’t have any original composi-” 

“Stop thinking, close your eyes, listen, and play.” His voice was patient, while he lifted her bow arm to the right position. 

Shiloh inhaled, and did as she was bid, listening, for what, she didn’t know. She felt the quick beat of a Thanvarian flamenco fluttering in her chest and slowly bow met strings, and the song that flew out was urgent, her bowing quick and precise borrowing heavily of the Thanvarian style, but so too was there a distinctly Ul’dhan quality, in her mind's eye she felt as a bird flying over the dunes, weaving over the rising heat. 

Emet-Selch’s touch was soft, gone was the silk of his glove, replaced by warm skin, his snap fit within her song and suddenly the guitar, the percussion, the accompanying strings, the piano, the light horns, the full voice of her song burst forth, the violin threading through each section. “Open your eyes.” he whispered against her horn, and she did. 

Gone was the theatre, they were bathed in the colours of the sunset, and above them flew a phoenix, dipping and diving along all the lands she’s seen, and saved, and loved. “Don’t stop.” he whispered, setting a hand on her hip and squeezing. She gasped at the sight, at the raw beauty. And she played with a bursting heart, tears slipping from unblinking eyes unwilling to look away from the dancing phoenix. She increased the tempo, bowing more quickly, the notes tumbling along the winds of the star, knowing that it would end if she stopped, and she didn’t want it to stop. She let the fire in her soul burn as brightly as she could, uncaring of the ach in her fingers, knowing only that the creature above was born of her music, and so she played for it’s pleasure, and it soared, the violin it’s voice and heart. Until in a burst of flame it was consumed, and the song ended. 

She swayed on her feet, consumed by emotion, bittersweet tears running down her face. She leaned against Emet-Selch who remained behind her, his hand at her throat, and hip moving gently, caressing. Overwhelmed she exhaled a shuddering breath. 

“Do you understand now, what was lost?” He asked quietly, voice heavy with the same emotion she was feeling.

“How did you?”

“I assure you my dear I did nothing but lend you a sliver of my power, the song, the image, everything, was born of your heart, your soul. And so it was that all art was created in a similar fashion. The full intent of the piece complete.” 

Shiloh spun in his arms, still clutching bow and violin, she was met with a half quirked smile and a softness in his eyes she’d not thought possible. He tenderly brushed the tears from her cheeks, “yours was always a beautiful song, so full of passion.” 

Shiloh’s head was swimming, she wanted to keep playing, she had so many questions, and yet she found herself drowning in the liquid gold of his eyes, the same pale gold as her own. She licked her lips, and leaned against the palm of his hand where he held her cheek. 

“Play with me?” she asked breathless, “before we go, play with me, a duet.” He closed his eyes, his expression pained, “please, Emet.”

“How can I turn down so earnest a plea?” he gave her a rueful smile, “but, first.” He pressed his forehead to her own, and she felt something, cool, and comforting wash over her, where her song, her aether, she belatedly realized, was like the sun, Emet-Selch’s aether, his soul was as the moon. Her own aether responded, curious and warm, until their essence mingled, until there was no ending nor beginning between them. “There, that should serve.” 

Shiloh both did and didn’t understand what he’d done, he stepped back going to the grand piano. His presence remained, slowly curling around her, lazy and familiar. “As before, listen, and play.” 

Shiloh lifted the violin, and tilted her head, giddy with anticipation, moving to be in sight of him and waited. 

Emet began the song, quiet notes on the piano, Shiloh did not close her eyes this time. With each passing note the theatre fell away replaced by blackest night until a city made of stardust rose around them. He met her eyes and nodded and she knew her part had come and she joined her song to his, she knew the notes, a song from a past she couldn’t place, suddenly the starlit city filled with people wraithlike and sparkling. But it was two individuals that caught her eye. Emet-Selch changed the tempo to a style she’d never heard before, yet it was familiar, she adjusted her tempo to match. The two wraiths danced, spinning through the grand city, there was joy in their movements. Unadulterated love between them. One lifted the other, and she could swear the one who was lifted laughed, when placed down they ran from the first, a game. The first chased, sometimes catching them in a kiss, sometimes missing, until the other rounded back to jump into the firsts arms. Shiloh’s heart ached, the song and starlit players a half remembered memory. The song changed again, mournful, the city fell away, one of the wraiths, the one who played, faded, leaving only one, until it also faded, and the song ended. 

She felt the pain thrumming from Emet’s aether still entwined with her own, his head bowed over the piano. Shiloh set the violin back in its case and went to him, wrapping her arms around his back, anything to ease the overwhelming sadness. His hand grasped at her arm, and she felt a shudder from him. 

“I’m here.” She whispered against his ear, soft hair tickling her nose. 

He shook his head. 

“I’m here.” She repeated, not understanding all, but knowing what she witnessed in their shared song had been a glimpse of their story.

He twisted in her arms, anguish on his face, “you left.” his voice a harsh whisper fraught with emotion. 

She had no answer for him, nothing to ease the pain, she didn’t understand, didn’t remember, whatever her soul had been to him, was gone, but it’s echo knew him, called to him, and she kissed his angry mouth, a despairing sound whimpered from Emet’s throat. He grabbed her and kissed her again, and again, hungry, lost, full of longing. Their twined aether created a feedback loop consuming them. His hands were everywhere, and Shiloh arched into him. In a moment he had her against the piano, discordant notes interrupting their growing passion. It was enough to stop them, and for a half beat they stared at each other panting. Emet-Selch was the first to move, tearing his aether from hers, and she winced, the withdrawal a physical pain. He snapped his fingers, returning Shiloh to the Crystarium, as promised, without so much as a word.

She made her way back to her room in the Pendants, still processing everything she’d learned, and seen, and felt. Every so often touching her kiss swollen lips. She slid into her room meeting no one she knew along the way, no one to question the high blush on her cheek and chest, or the dazed look in her eyes. Distracted as she was it took a minute for her to notice the violin case sitting on her kitchen table. She knew before opening it what she’d find within, a promise, a memory, her red violin. 

[eddyswaluwhuh]

XXX ACID TRIP AVENUE VIVID LUCID DREAMING ENHANCER AMBIENT MUSIC COMPOSI...

[audition6]

Alive in your Galaxy - Instrumental music, -Alive Galaxy Lyrics, composi...