{se} call and response

HARPER

Smuggling isn’t something Harper deigns to involve himself in. Petty crime - and not so petty crime, this is Torchline - are no longer his realm of duty as it had been in his old world. Vigilantism doesn’t really exist in a world like Caido, where every man is relatively self-governed. It had been an adjustment his first few years, but he finds his training regime is enough to fill the space where structure and purpose had once lived. Well, that and Safrin’s guidance.

The Fingers are still a place of curiosity if nothing else. Harper has yet to explore them, though currently he is doing little more than poking around at the mouths of the cavern systems. No sense in getting lost and giving Phoebe a heart attack when he disappears again.

Instead, he accumulates rocks and tosses them at the walls, gleefully listening to the different echoing noises each tunnel supplies. Though there’s no shortage of stones, Harper eventually grows bored enough to stick his head inside and begin hollering and singing various phrases. “And let us be jolly and drown melancholy, drink a health to each jovial an’ true-hearted soul!” his boisterous but luckily in-tune voice cries cheerily down the tunnels, waiting with bated breath for the words to bounce back at him, and his laughter echoes moments later when it does.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

Now that she was back in her childhood home and old enough to walk around without supervision, Torchline was full of interesting places. It would be easy to get lost in the deep jungles or the vastness of the ocean, to forget herself and disappear off on some adventure or other.

But. And this was a big but. Seren had already done that kind of vanishing act, and knew how easily it might spin out of hand. While she did poke her nose into many things during this most brief of stays on the coast, she made sure to keep her exploration confined to the areas around Haulani. For her father's peace of mind, if nothing else.

That restriction made the Fingers the perfect destination. Not that she even knew of their existence; it was mostly by accident she had stumbled upon one of the entrances. And in her usual happy-go lucky way, she had dived right into the dark pit, with only a star-cat to light her way. It padded on soundless paws ahead of her 'round bends and twists, until she inevitably became hopelessly lost.

But it was fine. What was the worst that could happen? The shivers that ran up and down her spine at the sound of singing and distant laughter bouncing off the walls had nothing to do with fright. It was excitement. Yes, that was the word.

She repeated back a few of the lines in a sing-song voice, twisting her vocals in a serious attempt at making it sound doomy and majestic. As the words echoed down the tunnel, they twisted and turned into broody questions. True? Heart? Soul?

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

Echoes are to be expected considering his intent on drawing them out, but when the words bounce back in an entirely different vocal register, Harper becomes far more attentive. Spirits, ghouls, and creatures alike are capable of such things in Caido, but the notion of them has never dissuaded him from exploring their calls. Stepping further into the mouth of the cavern, Harper cocks his head with a slowly budding smile as he listens to the echo of the other voice until it fades.

If it's another person, their insistence on turning the song darker is met as a playful challenge, and though Harper is no sailor himself the shanties are well known to him with how often he is found on Torchline's shores. So a scant moment is all it takes to find lyrics that are far more upbeat; "I dreamed I saw my own true love, Lowlands, lowlands away, my John! I dreamed I saw my own true love, my lowlands away!" Well, the rest of the song is pretty depressing as most shanties are, but Harper is willing to do a little verbal editing to entice the mystery singer out to play.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

Whoever the singer was, they had an interesting taste in music. Seren had a hard time keeping from laughing when a new melody came echoing towards her. Apparently they were not to be frightened off... and in turn, her own momentary unease faded.

Not necessarily bent on making this spooky, the young woman thought quickly, and then sang a song of her own in return, this time with her own sweet timbre. "My mother told me, someday I would buy, galley with good oars, sail to distant shores. Sail to distant shores. Stand up on the prow, noble bark I steer. Steady course to the haven, hew many foe-men. Hew many foe-men."

It was hard to pinpoint where the male voice originated, now that the tunnels were fairly thrumming with sound. Hoping that there was no rocks or stalactites to fall down on her, Seren urged her shimmering star-cat to try and sniff the person out. There was something vaguely familiar with his voice, and she was curious to know who she was holding a concert with. Flicking its bottle-brush tail in acquiesence, the cat darted off down a fork in the tunnel, with the demi-god close behind.

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

The next refrain that echoes down the corridors is much longer, and more familiar. Harper is positively giddy, and though timing is difficult with the way the sound carries, he lends his deeper voice in harmony to the stranger’s chorus. Letting it rumble lower than his preferred register, until the caverns seem to hum with their combined voices. It’s beautiful and eerie and makes him want to kick his heels like some cheesy ancient sitcom.

“Ahooooyy,” Harper lilts playfully down the tunnel as he begins to venture inside just far enough to increase the range of his voice without losing sight of the outside. It’s difficult to choke down the instinctive ‘Marco?’ Considering the fact the historical figure had never existed in Caido, it would likely only be confusing, but if they’re aiming for a pirate theme he’ll draw out the cavern singer with other repeat call-and-response enticements.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

The cat listened to the racket with ears slicked back against the head. It did not much enjoy the echoes that filled the tunnels. They reverberated back and forth, billowing in a tidal wave of sound until the rock rang like a bell. Somewhere off to her right, Seren heard an ominous rumble cut in through the harmonies of the song. Her voice cut out rather abruptly, and in the nervous silence that followed as she listened, the man's Ahoooy! sounded much too loud.

There was a moment of stillness, as she deliberated. This was fun, but was it fun enough to risk being buried by a cave-in? Hm, tough one. "Ahoy, me hearty! Batten down the hatches!" she responded eventually, a bit less exuberant and hoping that the other person would understand the warning in her words.

Turning around a corner, Seren could see the darkness brightening. A faint pinprick of light suggested that there may be an exit up head. She wondered what she would look like, emerging from the pitch black with a glowing cat winding about her feet. A ghost? Some ethereal being come to play tricks? Maybe she looked exactly like she felt; a girl with sore feet, slightly anxious about the uneven roof and happy to see the light of day again.

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

The rumble is not unheard from the mouth of the cavern, though it sounds far less daunting so far from the source. Lucky then that the young woman's voice crests on the backbone of it, delivering a message via song and tempered decibels. Delighted as he is that the game continues there is all the same a slight downturn of his lips in concern for the girl's welfare. It makes him reluctant to respond, though Harper also fears her getting lost in the tangled web of the cavern systems. So instead he tempers his own voice into a dulcet croon, soft and low in his chest so that it will still carry but not too far. "To port with ye! Sails down!"

From inside, she is only a vague shape at first. A shifting of shadows only apparent enough to the trained eye. The closer she comes the more individualized her outline, and Harper has to shift his weight between his feet to stop himself from darting in to pluck her from harms way. She likely wouldn't appreciate being slung over a strange man's shoulder regardless of his good intentions.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

Hopeless romantic as she was, Seren could likely find the silver lining in even the most brusque of rescue operations. All the more since as the creak and groan of the ceiling kept following in her footsteps. When dust and pebbles began to rain down on her she picked up the pace, from saunter to brisk walk into a jog.

Then, a sharp crack like thunder broke over her, and with a terrified squeal she ran. The light of the exit was growing, from a star's faint pinprick to the brilliant glow of a full moon. Her fellow singer's silhouette outlined like a dark shadow, a promise of refuge from the storm.

Steady course to the haven.

But she had no breath left over to sing even as the phrase popped into her mind. Running, with the star-cat speeding along before her feet, Seren reached out a hand towards the man who waited by the light...

... and was struck to the ground when a large rock broke loose from the ceiling, hitting her square on the shoulder.

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

Startling her would have been a better alternative it seems. Harper’s heart jumps into his throat at the same time his feet dig into the sand to lunge forward into a run the moment the cracking sound overhead is heard. He’s far too well-trained for hesitation, but his desire to not scare or intimidate are meaningless when the girl is struck to the ground by the falling debris.

Harper lifts one arm to shield his own head, relatively careless as he sprints into the cavern and slides in the sand to kneel over her prone form. The rocks batter at his shoulders and spine, leaving what will surely become lurid bruises, as the tunnel makes its objections known.

She is small and willowy beneath him, and Harper doesn’t hesitate to turn her on her side in order to pull her into his arms, curled over her body and wincing with the spray of rocks and silt against his neck and head as he races back for the opening and into the sunshine with the young woman held safely in his grasp. “Are you alright? Let me see,” immediately tumbles forth, old field training as fresh as it has ever been. He kneels and places her as gently as he possibly can onto the sand before his scarred fingers are gently probing at her shoulder. Reluctant to pull on the seams or otherwise disrobe her, but searching for blood.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

Too shocked to even feel the pain at first, the girl was trying to push herself up on her feet by the time the young man reached her. Under the rumble of falling rocks that turned the air into a mire of swirling dust and debris, conversation became impossible. She could offer nothing more than a surprised little yelp when she was unceremoniously hoisted up into a pair of strong arms. Under different circumstances it might have been a rather pleasant experience... but today the starchild could only offer gratitude and stillness as legs not her own brought her to safety.

The first breath of free air, open and high under a radiant sun, was the sweetest the starchild had ever tasted. Coughing to expell volcanic dust from her lungs as solid ground rose up to embrace her, she flinched when nimble fingers found her shoulder and made her aware of a stabbing pain. "Ow! I... I think it's dislocated."

Pale under the fine coating of dust, Seren threw a glance at her shoulder - even turning her head was painful, and the odd angle of her dangling arm added credibility to her guess - and became properly aware of the hands that probed her for signs of injury. Vivid blue eyes traveled from kind digits, scarred and steady in their purpose, to stronger arms, and shoulders, until she found herself gazing up into an even kinder looking face. Somehow, the man managed to instill a sense of cheer and comfort in her, even while frowning in concentration.

To her surprise, Seren realized that he was also familiar. "Ah...! It's you! From the skyport."

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

While normally he would be the type to flit and flutter over her figure, Harper is far too accustomed to injuries in the field, and keeping a level head is the least he can offer her after their fun little game had ended in such a painful way for her. His own injuries forgotten with his pain tolerance, Harper gives a soft hiss through his teeth in sympathy as the dark-haired maiden coughs, shoulder moving awkwardly with the heave of her chest. Already knowing exactly the problem even as she turns her beautiful eyes to stare down at it, ashen in more than one way.

“It will be okay, I know how to set it,” he assures, voice smooth and soft as he levels his warmest smile at her. Only that seems to trigger recognition for the pair of them, matching blue eyes blinking rapidly. Harper gives a bright bark of a laugh, readjusting on his knees beside her. “That’s me! I never got your name. Mine’s Harper.” Reaching for the hand on her good side to give her fingers a squeeze instead of disrupting her balance for a friendly shake.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

It could have been devastating. What might have been a powerful combination of charming smiles and gentle treatment to overwhelm any fair maiden's heart had its effect lessened somewhat by the agony she was in. Whether that was for better or worse was not for her to say; either way, a slight blush crept up on freckled cheeks as Seren returned the smile.

"Thought there was something familiar about your voice," she murmured, both delighted and a little bashful to find her hand caught in his. "I'm Seren. Nice to meet you, properly." Squeezing his fingers in return, she wondered quietly if it was common to feel so awkward when receiving aid, or if a rock had hit her head, too. Her stomach felt decidedly fluttery any time she met the clear blue of Harper's gaze.

Sitting up a bit straighter, Seren bit her lip and tried to find a way of sitting that did not agitate the arm. "How are you going to..?" she asked, more worried than she wanted to be about what was to come. The shoulder felt worse and worse with every moment, and the mere idea of having it touched had sweat beading at her back.

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN

HARPER

Her fingers squeeze his back which is reassuring in a medical sense, and he brushes his thumb over her knuckles while they are within reach to try to bring some measure of physical comfort to her. “Seren the Siren. You have a beautiful voice, one to bring roofs down apparently.” A playful wink is aimed her way before he is retrieving his hand back in order to properly examine her shoulder. Definitely dislocated. An easy fix, but one that would certainly be painful.

That brings his attention back to her, and the paleness of her fair features that comes with trepidation. “I will have to pop it back in. It will hurt, but very briefly. Like running it into a door jam, and it aches the rest of the day.” His voice is calm and measured, reaching for an experience for her to draw on as a parallel. “The noise will be the scariest bit. It will pop, and perhaps sound like a grinding noise. But I’ve done this many times, and you can hold on tight to me wherever you need - though I will need both hands.” Harper is prepared for the bite of her nails and the bruising of her fingers, but it will be a small price to pay, and a way to share her burden of pain.

in the night you come to me because I'm the one who knows who you are

Oh, empty my heart

If her laugh was a little breathless, it was probably because of the pain. Not the quick brush of a thumb over her knuckles. Because that would be silly. "Thank you. I think it was more due to our combined grandeur... I really like your taste in music."

To keep herself from staring too openly at Harper, she watched his hands examine her shoulder instead. Careful breathing kept her from flinching at the gentle prodding. He sounded practiced and clinical as he explained what would happen. It was reassurance she very much needed; for all that the girl tried to appear unphased by the whole thing, the wide eyes and softly trembling lips betrayed her. Harper might be used to this, but she was not. Pain was new, unfamiliar; a terrible unknown the starchild had yet to learn how to endure.

"Alright," Seren murmured, as he finished speaking. "Do what you need to do; I trust you." Her free hand sneaked in to pinch a fold of his shirt. Too shy to grab hold more firmly, yet not so brave either that she could face this agony entirely on her own.

It was a conundrum; one she threw herself into wholeheartedly, so that she wouldn't have to think of anything else as she entrusted her injured arm to this singing pirate boy.

I've got to make room for this feeling

SEREN