See the remnants of my memory. The past is not dead. It's not even past.

[digophelia]

CHARACTERS: Alice and open!
DATE: February 20th
WARNINGS: Vague mentions of mental illness, but if it exceeds to anything problematic, I'll apply warnings in the subject line. And that depends on who approaches her!
SUMMARY: After getting back into Oska, Alice tries to unwind. Maybe hijinks? Shin kicking? And practicing the lute!


Living Quarters

[ Alice can't really recall the last time she slept well since arriving to Oska.

She undoubtedly lost track of days, again -- not really much of a surprise. The last thing she remembers is fainting. Of course, she doesn't recall where or how it happened, other than she was ill, she could barely think straight. Naturally, the hallucinations progressed, they became worse. Yet, Papyrus' reminders that she wasn't dreaming kept her grounded and stable.

Eventually, Alice emerges from a bedroom, of the sort, unaware of the fact she had been out for nearly two days. As with anyone else, when they're tired, they're disoriented. Alice, more so, still huddled in a dirty cloak she had in the "false reality".

False reality?

Well, Alice had gone back to her own, in the time she had been asleep. ]

Remind me the next time I decide to sleep that long to at least drink tea.

[ Alice says mostly to herself, but... anyone else passing by may overhear her. Or see her awkwardly stumble through, nearly stubbing her toe. She's allowed to whine, just this once, leaning down to rub her leg. Caffeine or something to that affect would be a great thing right now. ]

Ow! Blasted- what is this?

[ Spoilers: coffee table. ]

Library

[ Once Alice is more coherent (and sound of mind), she's nearly spent half of her time in the library, with the lute sitting beside her. Fortunately, for her, she's found a book on sheet music once again and is looking through a book on the lute and how to play, amongst other things.

Amongst other things meaning that Alice has almost walled herself up around a small pile of books on music and stories. This is actually a pretty cool corner and every so often, she gets a small glare from a librarian. She will put these books back, don't worry.

Maybe.

If she ever moves. ]

I'm beginning to think she doesn't really like me all that much.

[ But as Alice thumbs through the book, she glances down at the lute and back to what she's reading. ]

The notes take time to adjust to, but I remember what an "A" note sounds like on a piano. It almost sounds... higher on this instrument. Thank goodness I found a diagram.

[ That's a lot of strings, though. ]

Courtyard

[ As time goes on, Alice has sweet-talked the librarian into letting her borrow a book after her little book fortress and finds a spot in the courtyard to practice. Instrument in hand, book in her side, she's been slowly practicing picking the strings, getting her fingers used to the rifts and notes, and seems... relatively content. The notes are slow and they take time. So, every so often, one may hear the same strings being plucked over and over again, or the same five notes of a song being played, over and over.

Hey, once she masters it, it won't sound that bad. ]

Comments

library;

[agrizzlysin]

I wonder why.

[The dry but friendly retort is delivered by everyone's favorite fairy before he floats down atop one of Alice's book fort walls. He balances on the stack of books with the grace and weightlessness of a cat, a cat who will probably earn poor Alice another librarian glare. As always, Chastiefol - in comfy pillow form - is in the air behind him.]

You disappeared for a while there.

[digophelia]

[ Alice is slowly becoming adjusted to the fact when she speaks to herself, there's a chance that others may respond to her. She watches him with careful eyes (because it would be a shame that those book fell over) and goes back to studying chords. ]

Well, I haven't been in a library for a very long time. I can't help myself.

[ She's a little reluctant to ask how long she was gone. ]

I was tired, I needed rest.

[agrizzlysin]

No doubt. I'm glad you got some.

[Genuinely so, if that rare little smile means anything. He may be digging, hoping to learn if she really did get the rest she needed. Either way, he hops down from the books and crouches next to Alice. Idly, he flips through a few open pages.]

So you're a fan of books? Or just music? I didn't even know there were books on music.

[digophelia]

Well, I like books, yes, especially stories.

[ How she obtained almost two days worth of sleep, she wouldn't say. She slept good -- any time she sleeps good is when she passes out. Literally. ]

I just happened to find this lute in the ruble and remembered musical notes. So, I am learning how to play it.

[agrizzlysin]

[It strikes King as odd, that someone would use this time to do something so... casual. He's been so frantic to find out as much as he can about Oska itself that it hasn't occurred to him to make use of Oska's perks.]

You just happened to find it? Were you looking for something else?

courtyard

[grunehexe]

[Since the end of their false hellscape, Sieglinde has spent the majority of her time in the library- and though she'd largely ignored her surroundings entirely, too caught up in consuming as much knowledge as she possibly could, she'd managed to barely notice the people in there with her- including Alice.

But she isn't exactly seeking her out- just making her way through the courtyard on her way to return a few of the books she'd borrowed, (Magic of the Seventy Three Realms, Potion-making Traditions of the Swamp Witches), when the sound of music distracts her.

There hadn't been much music in Wolfsschlucht. There hadn't been many distractions at all- they weren't allowed. It's enough to lure her from her original path, tugging on Isengrim's collar to pull the skull-faced canine along with her for balance in her mincing, swaying steps, until Alice comes into view.

Though Sieglinde had intended on a greeting, she ended up struck silent, not wanting to interrupt, staring somewhat starry eyed.]

[digophelia]

[ The chords were still a process to learn. She practiced a number of them, learning the major and the minors, trying to picture the riffs like the chords of a piano. As much as she would like to practice on a piano, again, the lute was refreshing her memory on sheet music. Every little note her mother drilled into her were coming back, bit by bit. What mattered most to Alice was not the smooth transition of her fingers moving riff to riff, string to string, it was finding pride in understanding music notes again.

It was another memory Bumby wasn't successful in erasing from her mind. She was pleased with herself, for once, after hard practice and study that the music stuck. Feeling eyes on her, Alice set down the lute and left a pen over the book so that she wouldn't lose her place.

She looks somewhat better, at least. ]

Oh, hello, Sieglinde.

[grunehexe]

[That she looks better is something else that Sieglinde is glad to notice besides the music. Perhaps it was the music- she'd read enough texts to come across a few that mentioned the benefits of such...]

Alice, good day.

[She remembers to shut her mouth and then how to move it to form words, shifting the heavy pile of books in her arms and balancing precariously by leaning on Isengrim- who thankfully was used to it and just sat, tail wagging slightly as it regarded the scene with... well. Eye sockets?]

I did not know you could play the lute.

[digophelia]

I didn't, actually.

[But, in a way, the more she tinkers with the chords and notes, the more it reminds her of a piano. It's been great for stress relief, taking her mind off of what had happened. Alice seems content that she has managed to play little things. She swings her feet as she looks at Sieglinde's companion and back to her. ]

When I was very little, my mother insisted I learned the piano. Naturally, like any little girl, I didn't find practice very fun. I found this lute and musical notes on the back of it. I remember them, even now. Though, if I had a choice, I would still prefer the piano. This is... odd. The chords are so different.

courtyard;

[naturallywavy]

<sub>[ Gintoki is also in the courtyard around the time Alice is practicing her instrument. He's just around the corner, hidden behind a maze of brush, but the sound of foot steps brushing against the cobblestone and his blade cutting the air can be faintly heard. Gintoki is training inside of the shrub maze, which was odd. Alice should know by now that Gintoki doesn't really "train" .. she has probably never seen him try and "train" before in her life, but here he is.

Gintoki stops when he hears the music and peers above a wall from the hedge to see Alice. ]</sub>

Oi, Alice!
_{[ Just a greeting— he even lifts a hand to wave, the rest of his body obscured by the plants. ]}

[digophelia]

[ Even over the lute strings, Alice hears a blade cutting through air. Peering up, finally, after she deems herself in a good spot to stop after memorizing chords. No, she really can't recall a time she's seen him train or his sword work, other than the goblin riot from months ago.

The lute is relaxing, so Alice is sitting there, relatively calm, swinging her feet as she sits there, on the ledge. ]

Hello, Mr. Gintoki.

[naturallywavy]

<sub>[ Well, Gintoki will just swing around the corner of the hedge out of the maze to get a better look at her. His yukata is completely off of his shoulders and resting around his hips— heaven knows why he wore that thing to start with. Both of his hands are wrapped in bandages down around his wrist, but he looks anything but injured.
Despite the chilly weather, his shirt has gone missing, but his abdomen is also wrapped up in the best kind of DIY sarashi he could muster up to keep his stomach warm. He lifts his bokken and rests it against his collarbone.

A curious look at the instrument as he approaches. ]</sub>

What's that thing?
_{[ —is all he is asking.
Pretty cute they are both practicing something here. ]}

[digophelia]

[ What he is wearing earns a faint eyebrow raise; she's gotten used to it, but manages a small smile once she sees that he's still wearing the yukata.

The one she always insists on fixing constantly. Balancing the lute on her lap, she leaves off in the book with a piece of paper. ]

It's a lute.

[ She's playing the notes that she's been practicing so far. ]

I found it in the rubble and decided to keep it.

Living Quarters

[boneafide]

That would be a table!

[ Papyrus helpfully points out as he happens to be walking through the hallway of bedrooms and towards the kitchen. He'll always stop to have a talk with his friend, of course. ]

Hello, Alice! You're up from your extremely long nap! Are you feeling better now?

[digophelia]

Well, I knew that.

[ Alice takes a moment to center herself, glancing at Papyrus through her fingers. A nap is such a gentle way to put it, when she fainted. ]

I don't know, I'm not sure, I still feel ill.

[boneafide]

Would you like me to get you anything? I think you might need food, since you haven't eaten in two days!

[digophelia]

Well.

[ Alice really hates to correct him, but- ]

It's actually been a little longer than two days. I am a little hungry.

living quarters;

[winces]

[ it's at just that moment that olivia enters the hallway from the opposite end, a look of surprise lighting up her expression. ]

—oh, Alice!

[ it had been a rather busy handful of days, so while olivia can't say alice's absence was noticed, she certainly looks pleased to see the other girl either way. she's currently toting around a large bag that seems to be filled with a number of fabrics. this she drags over as she approaches the other girl. ]

Are you alright? [ now that she's close, she can notice the little signs here and there that all is not well. ]

[digophelia]

[ A little dizzy, but nothing too major, not before Alice found herself sleeping in one of the rooms. Despite losing a few days, she's thankful that she's, at least, caught up on sleep. Even bleary-eyed, Alice notices Olivia. ]

Oh, I-

[ Well, it feels manageable to her. ]

I'm fine. My eyes are a little blurry, I just need a moment to adjust.

[winces]

[ olivia hovers just a few feet away, her hands clasped to her chest and wringing slightly in her uncertainty. she wants to reach out and help steady the other girl, but she's mindful of how alice doesn't seem too keen on touch in the first place. ]

Are you sure...? Did you just wake up from a nap? My eyes can be a bit funny after I've slept for a long time, too...

[digophelia]

I would be hesitant to call that a nap.

[ She's not even sure how long it's been, only that her head hurts and she's a little hungry. ]

It had to be longer... how long has it been since we've been here?

Library

[jamminshield]

[Steven beams as he approaches Alice and notices what she's looking at, as well as her lute.]

Alice, you're doing music stuff! That's great! [He has his own ukulele slung over his back.]

Oh, and here! [He then tries to hand her some flowers he picked from the garden. They're small and insignificant, but picked with care!]

[digophelia]

Just a little.

[ She peaks behind him to take a look at the ukulele. It's good to see children learn music; maybe they'll have better attention spans than she did. Her eyes widen slightly at the sight of flowers. ]

Ah, for me? Thank you!

[ She'll keep them. Seriously. ]

[jamminshield]

[He sure knows a thing or two already! And he beams as she accepts the flowers.]

Yep! You're welcome. [He hadn't seen her around that much lately, so he thought she might appreciate something like that.]

How've you been, Alice?

[digophelia]

I've been tired after last week.

[ Ever honest, even if she's omitting the details of fainting. ]

What's that you have there, Steven? I've never seen an instrument like that before.