[Open] .2nd Fantasy Impromptu.

[sakedrinking]

There would be a new sound in the castle this morning. A certain recent arrival had managed to make her first wish at the fountain, and gotten it the very next day, much to her joy.

So out in the room just past the old bridge, the lyrical strains of an acoustic guitar could be heard, followed by a voice singing in Japanese to the bubbly song.

Join? Interrupt? Listen from a distance?

What do you do?

Comments

[returntothesea]

Oh, music ...

It was a sound she was familiar with, and one that she very much enjoyed. She had never heard this song before, but it definitely sounded nice ... so nice, in fact, that she couldn't help but move a little closer to listen a little better.

Here, Haku, have a fourteen year old girl standing somewhere to the side, listening to your song.

[sakedrinking]

Haku finished the song with a faint smile, listening as the last cords rang out through the large chamber. But the smile faded quickly, replaced by a distant look and a sad sigh. It was nice to have her guitar again, but it didn't help just how homesick she was already feeling.

She plucked at a few strings absently, considering starting another song just to fill the silence, but she finally picked up on the fact that she wasn't alone. She turned around and smiled awkwardly, bowing as much as she could with the guitar still in her arms.

"H-hello..."

[returntothesea]

Caught! She froze for a moment, but eased right back up as she heard the girl's greeting. She bowed politely in return, obviously a little awkward, herself.

Polka stepped a little closer.

"Hello ..."

She offered an awkward smile of her own.

"That song you were playing was lovely."

[sakedrinking]

"Thank you..." Haku replied softly, offering the shy girl a smile. She could understand just how she felt, being quite reserved herself.

"Are you new here? I... just got her a few days ago myself..."

[returntothesea]

Polka nodded, stopping nearby so that she could be at least somewhat conversational.

"Some part of me still thinks this place is just a dream I'm having," she commented, a sheepish expression crossing her face as she continued.

"I know it must be real, though. It feels too real."

[sakedrinking]

Haku sat down on the steps that led down to the lower level of the chamber, motioning for Polka to come join her while she gave an understanding nod.

"I know how you feel... it really is hard to believe this place is real sometimes... but at least we're not here alone?"

[returntothesea]

Polka took that invitation, already feeling some relief in the fact that she was able to connect so easily with this girl. Good, she'd made a friend in this new place!

She sat down and began smoothing out the skirt of her dress, nodding in response to what she had said.

"That's true. I still have to wonder why a place like this would gather so many people to it, though ..."

[sakedrinking]

Haku looked at the dress curiously, admiring how beautiful and intricate it was. It reminded her vaguely of the dresses the girls in Harajuku would wear, with all the layers and the ruffles, but there was something more... old fashioned about the one the blonde girl wore.

"I have no idea... I don't even think I could begin guessing," she answered after a moment with a slow shake of her head.

[returntothesea]

"Me neither," she responded rather quickly, finishing with her dress and clasping her hands atop it as she looked to Haku with a small smile.

"I guess it's just one of those things we'll have to find out for ourselves, right?"

[sakedrinking]

"Eheh... I guess we don't have a choice, do we?"

Haku smiled sheepishly, realizing finally that she hadn't properly introduced herself.

"Ah... sorry, I'm Haku Yowane. It's nice to meet you, Miss."

[returntothesea]

Oh, right, introductions ... they didn't even know each other's names, did they? Polka laughed a little bit, though not at her. At herself.

She then smiled again and nodded, holding out a hand to her politely.

"I'm Polka. It's nice to meet you, too, Haku."

[sakedrinking]

"Polka?" Haku echoed, clapping her hands together with a bright smile. "That is such a beautiful name!"

[returntothesea]

Of all the things Polka was expecting, that was not one of them. She blinked a few times in confusion.

"A-Ah, you ... you really think that?"

[sakedrinking]

"Yes! It's lovely," Haku insisted with a nod. "I'm... not that fond of my name, though, so I might be a little biased towards other names."

[returntothesea]

Polka's smile returned. "For what it's worth, I think you have a lovely name."

[sakedrinking]

"R-really?" Haku blinked a few times, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.