[Action/Accidental Music]

[goldenglasses]

[Forest]

[It was getting colder so Vash was spending more time out in the woods. Enjoying the nature that was turning colors and feeling just a little sad watching some of the flowers he had planted in Rem's memory dying once more.] Well, little guys. I suppose it's nearly time for you to sleep again, huh? [Yes, he talks to flowers.] You were very pretty this year. I'll-- [He always sees Rem in his mind when he's out in the forest, but then she's just suddenly there. Vash's heart clenches tight in his chest for a moment as she looks down at something he can't see. Not that he notices, too busy staring at her happy smile.]

R-Rem! You're back! I can't believe it! [She was alive again. Where he can finally see her in person again.] Rem! [Why wasn't she answering him? He steps forward to touch her.] Ah, maybe you don't remember- [Something wasn't right. His eye sight had picked it up right from the start the way she wasn't quiet there. Yet his mind refused to believe it.] It's me, Vash. I've grown-- [Only he can't deny what his eyes see once his hand passes right through her arm. It's also then that he realizes he's been crying the whole time.]

Rem. [Even though she is nothing but a memory he can't look away. Soaking in this rare moment to see her. The ghost of her laughter in his mind. Or did he really hear it? Then the image starts to fade.] No. Don't go, Rem! Please don't go. [The plea is empty. He knows she's not really there. Yet it hurt to watch her go once again.]

[Outside Houses 6 and 5 - All week, any time]

[It didn't take Vash long to figure out what was going on. As soon as he did he parked himself outside houses 6 and 5. Either standing or squatting quietly between the two buildings. Eyes calm as he stares at the empty homes. For hours and hours nothing will happen, but Vash has a hundred and thirty years of practice under his belt. He hardly notices the hours ticking by. Only noticing days by the sun setting and rising which is when he heads home for bed.

Eventually his quiet and patient waiting will be rewarded by brief images throughout the days. A pre-teen Wolfwood dragging his cross behind him gets a smile from the gunman. Then there's a man with a long nose making a snowman in the front yard. He can almost smell the cigarette smoke as he watches Sanji yell from the kitchen window. At one point Meryl walks by. Seems she was upset by something that day, probably something he did. A man with white hair sits quietly on the roof. The roof seems to be a popular spot as Nami suddenly drops in the day after. One of his favorites is watching Milly wrangle a Christmas tree into the house with Noah in her arms.

He's happy to wait for the images to come. These now being the only way to see his family.]

[Accidental Music]

[It's a bit after watching a certain skeleton fade through the front door of house six does Vash think of something to do to pass the time between the next glimpse. He takes a now well used harmonica and starts to play. Of course he doesn't realize that the motion to take out the harmonica has turned the recording to the journal on. At some point the song will slowly change into another song. Eventually he'll catch on his journal is recording, but even after his turns it off he'll continue his vigil and play bits of songs he's heard during his time his time in Luceti as best he can on his humble instrument. Uncaring whatever the weather may be that day.]

Comments

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

[Sheena's polite and attentive enough to wait until the music ends before saying anything.]

Nice playing. What's it about?

[voice]

[goldenglasses]

[It takes him a moment of fishing his journal out of his pocket. How does this thing turn on sometimes? But he doesn't seem to really mind too much that it ended up being turned on once he can get the book open properly to answer.]

They're a couple songs that two of my friends use to sing often when they were here. One is about sailing the sea. It's an interesting song, depending on the way you play or sing it, it could either be a really happy song or a song of well, saying goodbye.

The other is a song that someone very close to me use to sing whenever she was very happy. When she was feeling inspired by the future and the uncertainty of the paths we would all choose to take.

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

I can't say I think uncertainty is that inspiring, but I know some people like that, too. Did you...see them? The people whose songs those really are.

[Everyone's been seeing ghosts; Sheena is no exception.]

[voice]

[goldenglasses]

I think she liked the idea that as long as someone kept looking forward then there was hope to change things. A person could make a mistake, but without the future written in stone then they had the chance to try to atone for it. Even if the road wouldn't always be easy.

[It probably sounds like a conversation they had no too long ago, but it's Rem's hope and dreams of the future that keeps Vash moving.]

And yeah, I did. And a few more too.

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

It sounds like you've got all the hard to keep up with lessons living in your head, huh? [One Sheena lives as well as she can but still hasn't learned: keep going.] D'you think the road is easy for anybody?

[voice]

[goldenglasses]

No, I'm pretty sure it's not. Then again, I guess that's part of what makes life worth living for, right? I mean, things would probably get boring if everything was too easy.

[But it sure would be nice if it wasn't so hard sometimes.]

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

They'd take a while to get boring. Sometimes I think I'd almost rather have that while instead.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Hey... I think I heard that song a long time ago. [But from a different player.]

So you know it too, Vash? You played it really well!

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

[It takes Vash a few moments to dig his journal out of his pocket. A smile on his face when the camera faces him.] Yeah, a friend of mine taught me this song. [He chuckles a slightly embarrassed laugh.] I guess I was just feeling a bit nostalgic. [Or well, a lot.]

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

A friend, huh? I... I think I heard Katie play it over the journals once. [He looks into the journal warmly.]

It... it makes me feel real nostalgic, too.

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Yeah! She could play the guitar. She was really good at it! But we both learned it from a man named Brook when he was here a long time ago.

[Voice]

[savedtheworld]

Brook...? He was one of the Straw Hats, wasn't he? The skeleton guy! [He only met him that other time he was here.]

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Oh! You did get to meet him! Yeah! That's the guy! With the big Afro!

[Voice]

[middlegames]

That sounds squeaky. [Shikamaru, no matter the age, has never had an appreciation for music. But it also doesn't sound terrible, and he thinks to himself he should probably be less rude.] But it's pretty nice otherwise, I guess.

Re: [Voice]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash chuckles at the squeaky comment as he fishes the journal out of his pocket. A sound the Vash, Shikamaru might know doesn't make very often anymore.] Yeah, I guess harmonicas are a bit squeaky sounding in general. [He smiles brightly into the camera.] But I'm glad you've enjoyed it anyway!

[Wait. Is that a shrunken Shikamaru he's looking at? Vash doesn't let his surprise show through his smile as he wonders if this Shikamaru still has his adult memories or not.]

[Voice]

[middlegames]

Wait, that was you? [HE ACTUALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHO THIS WAS AT FIRST, and that laugh had only further served to throw him off. Wow he was not expecting that, and he hmphs lightly on his end.] I take it back. You could use some work.

[THE OTHER VASH HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A JERK THE FEW TIMES THEY'VE TALKED OKAY. He spoke to his nice personality so few times before Vash died, he's come to think the mean one is the real thing, just like the first time they met.]

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Eh!? [While Vash thought he could easily handle Shikamaru remembering him or not, this was a bit unexpected. It was clear that the kid had memories of him, but what kind of memories?!]

W-what did I do? Was my playing really that bad?

[Voice]

[middlegames]

Yep. [STONE COLD. Or as hardass as you can get when you're nine. Don't listen to him Vash, a certain skeleton would be very proud of you for keeping up your lessons.] I mean I'm no music-lover, but that probably stunk.

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash chuckles lightly in embarrassment. Yet, he doesn't seem to phased by the comment.] Oh? You think so? I guess it has been awhile since I had a formal lesson.

Do you have any suggestions on what I could do better next time?

[Action - by the houses]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka isn't out this direction of the village all that often, but he definitely could use the time to clear his head and get away from the places where he had been in hopes of finding places where familiar ghosts didn't tread. So far, he'd not been that lucky, but he hadn't been this way in a while... and so it seemed like a good idea at the time.

As he wanders along the path, he happens to see Vash outside of the houses... doing what he would consider to be people-watching... except there weren't actually any people to be spoken for... or at least that many. That's weird.]

Out watching the grass grow a few inches? [he calls over.]

[Action - by the houses]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash turns his gaze towards the voice, even though it's a big hard to move it from the houses, to smile at Sokka.] I suppose so. At least for the moment.

[...] Have you seen any images of people?

[Action - by the houses]

[theideaguy]

[Sokka certainly didn't expect him to actually admit to watching the grass grow whether he was or not. But the conversation takes a certain unexpected turn... but it's much less unexpected once Sokka gives it a few moments of thought.]

Oh... is that what you're doing? [He chuckles for a moment before display a slightly more weary expression.] All over the place. It hasn't been helping my sanity much, but I might just be getting used to it.

[Action - by the houses]

[goldenglasses]

Ha! Yeah, if it's one thing Luceti is great at is questioning your sanity. Kinda glad that it's not just me! Still it's kinda nice getting to see old friends again. So I think I would have been alright if I was.

[Action - by the houses]

[theideaguy]

Old friends, huh? I guess, in a way. Most of the people I've been seeing are people I haven't seen since coming here.

[He wanders over and leans against the wall of one of the two houses.]

Though I suppose if you've been here a bit longer than I've been, it might be nice to reflect upon the nicer memories of this place.

[Action - by the houses]

[goldenglasses]

Yeah, this place isn't all bad. You get to meet some really great people here. See some really interesting things. Hear stories about place and things you've never even imagined before.

[Although leaning against the wall was probably not a good idea. As suddenly through the window a man in a black tux with dark hair, smoking a cigarette leans out and begins to shout. Something about how Vash had better get back in the house and clean the mess he made in the kitchen.

Vash just smiles as he watches.]