A night in the realm of music

[Ganz]

A fiery sunset had layed dawn upon Crocus and Tetsu had started his walk from Domus Flau to the opera. He loved Crocus, truly and deeply. The most beautiful and peaceful country that was situated in Fiore. Full of flowers and the aura of culture and art that you received from this city was too immense to take in at once. That was why it was Tetsu's sixth time on the same bench in Domus Flau and night to the opera. It was also the sixth time that Tetsu was extremely excited to see the national orchestra of Crocus playing Iphigenie en Aulide, one of Tetsu's favorite operas. It was getting night and as Tetsu walked through the streets of Crocus he bathed in the liveliness of Crocus' night. People were rushing around, the market was on fire, the restaurants were full and not few people were fluctuating towards the culture isle of Crocus. Two operas, a cinema, a theatre, a concert hall, 4 art gallerys, the biggest flowerrshop in the country and a art school were located there. Tetsu was admiring the isle in its full beauty and felt the urge to dance. Moving his feet to the rythm of a group of street musicians playing Brahms he swepped rythmically through the crowds of people, slithering like a snake, quick like a mouse, precise as an eagle. This was his element. The nightlife of Crocus.

Tetsu stood in front of the opera's entrance and wondered about all the people coming here. It warmed his heart that there was so much appreciation towards music in the country. He felt his heart beating higher, as his hand moved to touch his chest he somehow sensed the pulse coming from the stream of people all headed to venerate in the voices of angelic singers that procured the message of gods so beautifully, wide and upheaving. Tetsu felt there was something more to these people, they were the ones who at least tried to understand what others had already found out about the world. It was so admirable and pleasant, Tetsu's body handled the ecstasy by constantly moving around to the rythm of the street. Twisting and spinning around his legs in the air he took deep breaths of the urban , so rough yet cultivated. It was something that Tetsu would die for, to experience. This was what made his life so valuable to him. Art was more than just colors or noises coming out of carved wood or strings, but life, nature and emotion. A sort of, forced empathy spewed out of him whenever he encountered art. And now he was standing before the best opera in the country, about to hear the best orchestra in Fiore playing one of his favorite pieces of music. He felt like heaven, shortly for a moment in which his senses were swept away by the rural and dense streets. Ever-breathing, ever-pulsating.

[Basker]

~If you're blue and don't know where to go to, why don't you go where fashion fits? Putting on the Ritz~

The sunset above the avenue was blazing with the heat of the.. well, the sun. Frankly, there was no need for any sort of fancy metaphor, it was just the sun. The sun was the same as it was on every single other day, it hadn't become sentient or grown a leg or something, it was just the sun. It was the view itself that was beautiful, the sky turning into a glorious pink from the dwindling light of the sunset. The buildings stood out of the ground like gigantic monuments to the past, which they pretty much were. This city had many different memories of his based around the city, there was the place that he'd first discovered blood donation clinics, and the club that he'd first experimented, and somewhere was the chapel that he first got married at, even if he had been drunk at the time. The entire city was a hive of memories, and it was a wonderful place to be in. Tonight, he was going to the opera, a major event like this was going to require a proper touch of sophistication. So, tonight he wasn't wearing his usual clothes. A pair of tight fitting trousers, combined with his usual riding boots covered his lower body whilst his shirt was covered in a black suit jacket. Over the top, he wore a rather fashionable cloak and walked with a silver cane. It was a strange ensemble, rather like the traditional vampire, but it was certainly a good one. He could feel the eyes of others around him as he walked around the area, people seemingly moving out of his way instantly.

Some people moved, other people stood still for a few seconds before a friend pulled them out of the way to let him go through. He had no idea what this reaction was over. Was it the fact that there was a guild master walking amongst them, or the fact that there was someone who gave off such an aura here? He flashed a smile, pointed fangs and all, and a poor woman fainted, queuing her friend to pick her up and scurry off. As he got towards the front of the area, he noticed someone that he had already observed, although only from a distance. This was Tetsu, the iron dragon slayer. But that didn't matter quite so much as the fact that he was a wizard saint. The eighth one at that, so he was strong but not too strong. It was Hal's duty as a guild master to look at the saints and make sure that his members wanted to be just like them one day, but he had had no idea that this would be the kind of place someone else so powerful would be. He knew that most people didn't invest in his belief that strength wasn't all it took to be a good mage, that you required culture and intelligence, manners and class. After all, you were the protectors of the community, those without magic looked at you to protect them, you needed to show the best you could be. So, with this delightful little lesson, he moved over and put a hand on the man's shoulder, smiling warmly.

"Good evening, Mister.... Otome, isn't it?"

[Ganz]

A pleasant view expanded before Tetsu. People, happy, smiling and excited to step into the halls of the opera and open their ears to a bit of beauty in the world. Learn from it, maybe take it home and tell about it to spread the message of art. Quite a wish, rather than reality. Tetsu knew however, there were barely any people that took art the way he did. Maybe too excessively and absolute but Tetsu thought that the music, the paintings, the writings and scripts, the statues and structures were the only things able to properly convey the message of the world and pass it on to the future One day, even Tetsu wanted to contribute and write his own piece of art to carry it out to the world. A dream, a child's wish but for Tetsu it was reality. Something he fought for, yes. He wanted to create something that was able to coney the beauty of this world. In his opinion, those regid and wrong people were a layer of dirt on the shining diamond that the world was able to be.

Tetsu's smile faded while these thoughts ran through his head. He didn't like thinking things out too much, he rather let his mind take its own flow and let it control him. He trusted that he would be able to become an artist that was able to convey his own messages. What he meant by those thoughts was even an enigma to him but one, that he would find out someday. For now, the building that arched up before him was enough. In that moment, where his thoughts were clear and he was ready to step inside, he noticed a hand on his shoulder, he turned around. A pale man, with flowing brown hair and quite a unique and flashy makeup stood before him asking his name. Tetsu had always been hard remembering names and faces but this one he knew quite well. Harry Baskerville. Strong and wise, the master of Lamia Scale. Tetsu had always admired him for his culturised existence. It was on a much higher level of Tetsu's he knew. At a place, Tetsu was only beginning to understand. At least he hoped. His face brightened up at the sight of the man, his respect for him clearly shown in his instant tensed up muscles trying to suppress his actual behavior. Tetsu just hope that he hadn't seen him dance around the streets. "Mister Baskerville, no need to be formal. I am just Tetsu, that is all." Usually conversations were incredibly easy for Tetsu but under these circumstances all that came up ended in superficial babbling that resembled small talk. "What..... what might bring you here?"

[Basker]

Mister Otome.. no, Tetsu turned around when Hal spoke, and Hal was actually glad he had. Not only because it was polite but because he was a gift to sore eyes. Just because Hal was dead didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy things, and he was certainly enjoying looking at the young man. Very handsome, with a head of brown hair. It was nice to see a good looking person that was not just going to try and flirt with him... but as he looked at him, he realized that he was smiling. He had seen that look a million and one times, maybe even more. The look of appreciation, of respect, of admiration. He'd always been given that look, probably why people treated him like they did. Still, he had to be tactful so he smiled warmly, making sure to keep it lipped so that he wouldn't broadcast his fangs. he had managed to go so far without letting people know what his actual magic was, in fact it had spawned a few legends. People claimed that he had darkness, whilst others said summoning, and others said he was a figment of pure magic himself and thus didn't have any magic. There was also those who said he had mustache magic although they were generally drug addicts. Showing off vampire fangs would be a bit too obvious.
"Well, Tetsu, you can call me Hal. It's very nice to..." he was interrupted when the man asked what he was doing there.

His face seemed to freeze into a look of shocked confusion, like someone who had just been asked what a brick was. Or, more accurately, someone who was waiting to go into an opera and asked what he was doing waiting to go see an opera. There was really only one thing that he could be doing, right? He certainly wasn't here to sign the latest copy of his books. That frozen face only lasted around ten seconds before he was back smiling warmly again, as if his momentary shock had never actually existed. It was a rather pleasant smile that broadcasted his lips, but he was a little confused about how much sanity this guy actually had. He was a dragon slayer, they were ALL a little bit insane, right?
"... I'm here to watch the opera. I assume you are too, or you wouldn't be standing in the queue in front of the opera house dressed like that." he said, a little teasingly. He wasn't being mean, he was just trying to point out how strange and silly the question was.

[Ganz]

Tetsu was quite flattered that such a person had spoken to him. Even though their meeting was completely random Tetsu was happy that such a cultivated person was up to having a conversation with him. After a moment of thoughts steering in every direction he caught himself. It was rare for him to let his thoughts to overload like that. Now he was clear again. A slight breeze brushed through the people-packed alley and wooshed up Tetsu's hair. He liked the feeling of thoughtlessness. There it was again. He lifted his hand to brush his hair out of his face. He had heard all of what the man, Hal, had said. "Hal.... I see. Nice to meet you too then." Back on track he tried to steer the conversation in the right direction. "I'm here for that too." He let out a slight snicker, holding his hand before his mouth. "Yes. But I'm always dressed like that though. A suit seems the most fitting for me."

Tetsu looked at the line that was quite long. The masses stormed into the opera and didn't let loose. They barely did. Tetsu knew the time gap though in which he was able to slip freely and without worries into the opera's hall. "Since we're here together already, do you mind waiting with me? I don't like pressing myself through such amounts of people." It would take at least an hour until that time gap was reached. Tetsu just like having that moment for himself. Sharing it with someone like Hal was not out of option though. It would be interesting to have a conversation about things like these.

Tetsu pointed over to an italitan café that had the best coffee in all Fiore after his opinion. He always waited here for his sparse time limit in which he was able to walk casually into the opera house. "How about there? It's a small café but my favorite one to be honest." Tetsu would accept a no anytime as he had always spent his time there alone, but having some company would be very welcomed by him.

[Basker]

A breeze brushed through the street, fluttering around the entire plaza and blowing into everyone. Causing his cloak to flutter like it belonged to a villain in some sort of terrible old movie with a budget bigger than their amount of common sense, Hal sighed inwardly at the annoyance. His mind on the cloak, he half-listened to Tetsu about what he was doing here. A part of Hal's mind whispered that he should tear out Tetsu's throat and stop him from talking any more nonsense, but that was the feral side of his mind seeping through the cracks again. He would ignore that as he always did.... well, almost always. This conversation was not leading anywhere productive and, as nice as it was, it was a bit stupid. Why were they talking about the fact that they were going to the opera outside of the main gates of the Opera House. It was like being in an army barracks and saying that you were a soldier.

However, what happened next caught Hal off-guard a little bit. He was being asked to wait with Tetsu because he didn't like pressing through the throngs? That was... surprisingly nice of him. Hal couldn't help but smile, the feral voice seeping back through the cracks that were rapidly being paved over inside his mind. Most wizard saints, as much as they claimed to be good, went out of their way to be spoiled little brats. To have one who was still socially awkward, or perhaps he was just too nice for his own good, was a little surprising. But in the good way, like a child coming down on Christmas morning to find that one of their presents is in the exact shape of the gift that they've been wanting so much. "Of course! How could I refuse such a polite request, my dear?" he asked, his smile widening slightly.

Moving his arm so that it formed a small hoop for Tetsu to slide his arm in so they could walk arm-in-arm, he proffered himself to his new friend. "Well, shall we?" he asked, his voice a little teasing. It wasn't so much that he was flirting, although it could certainly be seen that way, but it was more out of pure manners. After all, he was brought up over one hundred years before, his mannerisms and behavior might have had to adapt over the last century but that didn't mean that he would always just keep up the appearances of a thoroughly modern gentleman, even if he was supposedly an 18 year old. Just like he was very year since, and every time when someone asked him his age he would always say 18. After all, after you die you don't grow any older do you?

[Ganz]

Tetsu's mind was a little off today, mostly because the beauty of the opera was all he was able to think about about, but this did surprise him. Not the acceptance of the offer, but the fact somebody wanted to go arm in arm with him. Had it been a long time? No, he had never had such an offer, especially not from a man. It did feel weird being offered this, not that Tetsu found it socially somewhat off, but the thought of someone trying to be flirty with him didn't cross his mind. He thought more of a mockery that was directed towards him. His eyebrows went up and his face got quite questioning. A little snicker followed, and his impulsive side got the better of him. What the hell Tetsu thought. His body jumped slighty with his singular laugh that heaved his mood up quite a bit. His arm locked into Hal's arm and Tetsu's free hand crossed fingers with his hooked.

"So anyway.. Hal.. still weird calling you that, what are you on about these days?" Tetsu asked while they were walking. On that note, he found it weird that Hal was addressing him with a surely superior undertone. Not that Tetsu minded, but it was still quite weird. He did look older than him, Tetsu thought, but he was always bad at guessing ages. Not wanting to revert the situation back to what it was before by living out his social awkwardness he decided to not ask. It was a nice walk, the wind still pressured through the alley, Tetsu's hair flowing around his face. A movement of his hand pushed them out of his way and revealed quite a smile. He loved feeling wind flow around his body, though Hal didn't seem to like it as much. His enjoyment didn't last long therefore.

After arriving by the cafe, Tetsu was immediately recognized by a waitress who was approaching him with open arms. She wasn't too tall, barely 1,75 meters in height and weighed maybe 55 kilogram. But despite her feeble appearance her mood made up tenfold. Her bright smile was accompanied by her red flowing, curls that reached down right below the beginning of her spine. Tetsu glanced towards Hal and before he would get shoved into this probably weird scene he wanted to warn him. "I hope she won't scare you away." It wasn't all her, Tetsu did play a major part in their combined outgoing conversations but he didn't want to make a bad impression now.

"Tetsuuu, there you are again! Haven't seen you in a while and ooooh, who is THAT?" The woman asked while eyeing Hal quite a bit. Her glance wandered from Hal's tip to his toes and straight back up again. "Iana, I'm sorry but opera tickets are quite hard to get. Haven you seen the influx lately?" Tetsu asked while going in for two cheeck kisses with the waitress called Iana. "Oh GOD yes, the opera has full house EVERY weekend." Iana called out with a bunch of emphasis in her words. Then she turned towards Hal. "But where, are, my, manners. I am deeply sorry. I am Iana Heidis, head waitress in our Café Verlet. Pleasae follow me to your seats." Iana said dropping a small courtsey to accompany her shining existence. She signed towards a set of table and 2 chairs that was kept at an angle from which the entrance to the opera was visible. From there on she kept talking. "But really Tetsu, you have to tell me all about what happened that you are here with somebody. This IS a first after all." Iana said at her arrival by the table.

[Basker]

With one arm constricted into his partner's arm, his other stayed on his cane and met each of his footsteps with a little clink sound of wood on stone. It seemed the very height of sophistication, despite how old the cane actually was. In fact, Hal had been there from the very moment that it was created, plucked from one of the magical trees that grew near the bank of Seven's rivers. That had been over fifty years ago, long before his partner was born, around twenty years after he had forged his familiar. It was familiar, and comforting, which he was going to need in a moment, as little as he knew it. Still, the conversation seemed amiable enough, and he was actually a little bit interested in the fact that Tetsu was a bit awkward about calling him Hal. Maybe it was because it was so informal and he was a guild master? Really, he was a wizard saint, he shouldn't be so embarassed.... but then again, so was he, and a higher ranking wizard saint for that matter.

[color=scarlet]"Me? Well, I'm still busy running Lamia Scale and trying to teach my students culture and arts." His refusal to call them his children was a little odd, as most guild masters had the habit of referring to their 'subordinates' as their children. But there were three reasons why he called them his students. First, he actually had children so he wasn't going to compare the two, even if his children were long since dead. Second, he looked too young to have children, so he didn't want to burst an illusion. Third... well, he was always putting them at risk just by commanding them, he didn't want to put any more guilt on his shoulders and think that he was risking his family... again. He had already lost his family once because of him, if something went wrong again... he was not going to think about that. He was going to dig a hole and bury that thought in the hole, then concrete over the hole and build a house on top of the hole then live in that house.

Of course, seconds later, a waitress had come over and began to talk incessantly. Her voice made Hal feel like he was being molested in his ears, and that was not a good thing. But, he was too polite to be the one to tell her to shut up. Thankfully, he didn't have to. A raven came down from the nearby rooftops where it had been eating crumbs and landed on the hand of Hal's that was rested on his cane. It surprised Iana, but what surprised her even more was when it began to talk.

"Lady, do ya ever shut up? My master came here with his friend and he doesn't want to be bothered by some large-mouthed, horse-faced, lousy old trout like you." The words seemed to hang in the air for a few moments before she forced herself not to burst into tears and hurried away to get their menus. Cringing slightly, Hal shot an angry look at his familiar, before saying in a tone that implied that he was about to murder someone if his words weren't heeded.
"Bei, I said I didn't want to bothered today. I thought you understood that,"
"I do, master, but she was bothering you. Better the demon you know than the loud-mouth you don't, eh?"

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