Héctor (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
unpocoloco) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
daybreakacademy2019-10-25 09:09 am
unpocoloco) wrote in daybreakacademy2019-10-25 09:09 am
Calacala calavera la noche invita los muertos bailan con mi canción
WHO: Héctor OTAs, MUSIC CLUB, and anyone wandering in on the Día De Muertos mingle
WHERE: Around Soliel and campus, in an expanded music classroom, and Lumiere Floor Three respectively
WHEN: Through October and into November
WHAT: A BIG LOG MASH UP WITH Héctor preparing for the day of the dead, MUSIC CLUB MINGLE, and a Día De Muertos mingle
WARNINGS: The big spoilers, nothing much else atm
A Helping Hand
The set up starts early in the month. Acquiring all the needed items to properly fill out the ofrenda while staying in France means a lot more care is required in hunting things down, ordering early, and begging the french chefs of Daybreak to make orders for copious tropical fruits not typically sold. Finding a florist who will go the extra mile to acquire the flowers they need proves even harder, never mind one who will get the sheer amount. At least, worst-case scenario, Imelda's always got some cempasuchils on hand.
At any given time in his waking evening hours, Héctor can be seen trying to haul boxes this way and that. The healing done on his bones is weakening a little, his leg starting to give him problems again. Perhaps one wants to give him a hand.
Calaveritas de Azúcar
In the days leading up to the Imelda may likewise be busy. There's a lot to cook and prepare after all. Nevertheless, Héctor tries not to leave all the work to her. It's rare to see him doing anything with food, but he seems to be working with a sticky white paste of some kind. It's evident what it's for once he's finished working all the molds into shape. Eventually, he's managed to shape several blank white sugar skulls. There are tubes of colored frosting and decorative pieces featuring ribbons and candied flowers and gems. There's an empty chair at the table where he works.
Las Flores
la Toussaint isn't something he'll be witnessing this year, technically. He's got too much tend and mind, not to mention actual school business. But with all his ties to the dead, his family lost and the ghosts he only just learned he could see this year, he heads out one night near the day, hauling as many flowers as he can-- the kind that are easier to find around France, the tiny little mums that come by the barrel. He couldn't come for the official grave sweeping, his schedule being what it is, but in a way, that's for the best. It means that he doesn't have to pretend he isn't chatting with every spectral figure he can, opting for Spanish when English gains no understanding and doing the best he can with French from there. He lays out the flowers over the graves and settles with his guitar. In honor of Old Garcie, he plays La Vie En Rose for the spirits lingering there and any other requests he knows how to play.
He does the same at both gravesites but lingers for a longer time at the one in the forest, holding the graves of the forgotten. He can be found throughout the night.
Music Club - [MINGLE BELOW]
It's been a long time coming and it's nothing if not ambitious with all he's set out to do this month, but The Music Club gets its official opening. Posters go up around the school to advertise the event. It's advertised as a club for musicians and music aficionados, a space for people to play together, offer and receive lessons, share and discuss any musical interests with one another, and simply enjoy music.
For the first meeting, an expanded music classroom has been taken over, reinforced with runes for better acoustics. Storage closets line the walls with just about every kind of instrument, plenty of spares available to be borrowed, not to mention electronic equipment for mixing and sampling. It is a wealthy school after all. There's even an enclosed side room for anyone who might like to go a little crazy on the drums, or practice matching the high notes of their favorite singers.
The main central floor is quite large, open to fit a number of instruments and the people playing them. Chairs are stacked on the side, available to be used or kept out of the way depending on the type of practice that's happening. Club participants could even turn it into a game of musical chairs if games of musical trivia are a little too serious for their tastes.
One corner has been arranged into something of a lounge area with bean bags and comfier seating, mats, rugs, and pillows around on the floor. An old fashioned record player has been hauled in to sit in the corner, a less-old-fashioned boombox with CD player near to it. There's a selection of headphones to borrow and listen more privately if one wishes. There's also a set up of the infamous video game; Rock band.
A board on one wall advertises lessons, who's teaching them and what instrument they teach, and when those lessons are available, as well as the dates and times for any upcoming personal performances. There's even space just for some interesting concerts in the area people would like to invite others to join.
A selection of snacks and drinks have been lain out for those attending. There are also name tag stickers featuring musical notes, with little notes suggesting people add their favorite song to the sticker as well.
Día de Muertos - [MINGLE BELOW]
Halloween and October pass on by, one man working on setting up into the night, and one woman busy at work in the day as the rest of Daybreak wraps up their festivities. By the late afternoon of Día De Muertos, floor three has been completely taken over.
Tables have been pushed to the wall, covered, and made into a massive ofrenda. Lain out over a delicate tablecloth, framed photos of various people sit. Gifts and trinkets are lain with the pictures, amongst spilling piles of marigolds, fruits, breads, and other foods. Sugar skulls sit with the pan de muertos, along with offerings of water and other drinks. The fruits pile on the floor. Fuschia cockscombs, purple orchids, yellow chrysanthemum, and white amaryllis settle in vases not claimed by the cempasuchils. Candles burn bright upon the table, many plain but a few with the image of the cross or the Virgin Guadalupe. Burning with them are sticks of incense and dishes of copal. Set apart is a dish of fresh earth and a plate of salt. Amongst it all are cheery statues of grinning Catrinas and Calacas in suits and a few small toys for any young spirits around the school. Although not traditional, an alebrije or two has made its way into this ofrenda, mostly in thanks to the spirit guides Imelda works with, such as Pepita who presides over the festivities. Over it all is a great arch of marigolds. Elsewhere around the room, Papel Picado hangs above, along with strings of purple and yellow paper chains.
Another table sits aside from it all, cluttered with candles and flowers and food, but to a lesser degree than that of the ofrenda. The food there is cooked fresh and made for the living; tamales, calabaza tacha, atole, champurrado, hot chocolate with cinnamon, conchas, mole, and countless items more. It's really all too much for one person alone and so guests and passerbys are encouraged to take more than their share.
(There is also a small cake, set aside specifically for Maverick. A few wrapped gifts sit on this smaller side table, decorative paper strings hung around it.)
The Karaoke machine is in its same place on the floor, though it's hardly the only music for the evening. Besides Héctor himself, quieter music in the Spanish language drifts about the common area, interspersed with lively mariachi style recordings. There's just enough space to dance if one wanted to.
Anyone with an awareness of ghosts may find a few stopping in to visit the party. Whether or not that the case for every visitor, everyone is welcomed to leave an offering or even a photo on the ofrenda if they wish-- things can be hard on the magic side of the world and sometimes loss can creep very close. Despite that, the celebration is a joyous one. Anyone close enough to the Riveras is invited into Lumiere's third floor commons for the evening and even those simply curious as to what's going on are allowed to stay if they wish.
It's very carefully hidden, and it'll only be found by those who look-- and know where to look for that matter, but there's a smaller unframed photo of Héctor himself tucked in amongst the ofrenda's flowers. Next to it is a very small bag of chapulines.
When night falls, the celebration begins.
(Later into the night, for those who stay that long, a laptop is pulled out, two identical men and one teenage girl waving out from the screen, speaking rapidfire Spanish. The room behind them has been done up with as much extravagance.)
WHERE: Around Soliel and campus, in an expanded music classroom, and Lumiere Floor Three respectively
WHEN: Through October and into November
WHAT: A BIG LOG MASH UP WITH Héctor preparing for the day of the dead, MUSIC CLUB MINGLE, and a Día De Muertos mingle
WARNINGS: The big spoilers, nothing much else atm
A Helping Hand
The set up starts early in the month. Acquiring all the needed items to properly fill out the ofrenda while staying in France means a lot more care is required in hunting things down, ordering early, and begging the french chefs of Daybreak to make orders for copious tropical fruits not typically sold. Finding a florist who will go the extra mile to acquire the flowers they need proves even harder, never mind one who will get the sheer amount. At least, worst-case scenario, Imelda's always got some cempasuchils on hand.
At any given time in his waking evening hours, Héctor can be seen trying to haul boxes this way and that. The healing done on his bones is weakening a little, his leg starting to give him problems again. Perhaps one wants to give him a hand.
Calaveritas de Azúcar
In the days leading up to the Imelda may likewise be busy. There's a lot to cook and prepare after all. Nevertheless, Héctor tries not to leave all the work to her. It's rare to see him doing anything with food, but he seems to be working with a sticky white paste of some kind. It's evident what it's for once he's finished working all the molds into shape. Eventually, he's managed to shape several blank white sugar skulls. There are tubes of colored frosting and decorative pieces featuring ribbons and candied flowers and gems. There's an empty chair at the table where he works.
Las Flores
la Toussaint isn't something he'll be witnessing this year, technically. He's got too much tend and mind, not to mention actual school business. But with all his ties to the dead, his family lost and the ghosts he only just learned he could see this year, he heads out one night near the day, hauling as many flowers as he can-- the kind that are easier to find around France, the tiny little mums that come by the barrel. He couldn't come for the official grave sweeping, his schedule being what it is, but in a way, that's for the best. It means that he doesn't have to pretend he isn't chatting with every spectral figure he can, opting for Spanish when English gains no understanding and doing the best he can with French from there. He lays out the flowers over the graves and settles with his guitar. In honor of Old Garcie, he plays La Vie En Rose for the spirits lingering there and any other requests he knows how to play.
He does the same at both gravesites but lingers for a longer time at the one in the forest, holding the graves of the forgotten. He can be found throughout the night.
Music Club - [MINGLE BELOW]
It's been a long time coming and it's nothing if not ambitious with all he's set out to do this month, but The Music Club gets its official opening. Posters go up around the school to advertise the event. It's advertised as a club for musicians and music aficionados, a space for people to play together, offer and receive lessons, share and discuss any musical interests with one another, and simply enjoy music.
For the first meeting, an expanded music classroom has been taken over, reinforced with runes for better acoustics. Storage closets line the walls with just about every kind of instrument, plenty of spares available to be borrowed, not to mention electronic equipment for mixing and sampling. It is a wealthy school after all. There's even an enclosed side room for anyone who might like to go a little crazy on the drums, or practice matching the high notes of their favorite singers.
The main central floor is quite large, open to fit a number of instruments and the people playing them. Chairs are stacked on the side, available to be used or kept out of the way depending on the type of practice that's happening. Club participants could even turn it into a game of musical chairs if games of musical trivia are a little too serious for their tastes.
One corner has been arranged into something of a lounge area with bean bags and comfier seating, mats, rugs, and pillows around on the floor. An old fashioned record player has been hauled in to sit in the corner, a less-old-fashioned boombox with CD player near to it. There's a selection of headphones to borrow and listen more privately if one wishes. There's also a set up of the infamous video game; Rock band.
A board on one wall advertises lessons, who's teaching them and what instrument they teach, and when those lessons are available, as well as the dates and times for any upcoming personal performances. There's even space just for some interesting concerts in the area people would like to invite others to join.
A selection of snacks and drinks have been lain out for those attending. There are also name tag stickers featuring musical notes, with little notes suggesting people add their favorite song to the sticker as well.
Día de Muertos - [MINGLE BELOW]
Halloween and October pass on by, one man working on setting up into the night, and one woman busy at work in the day as the rest of Daybreak wraps up their festivities. By the late afternoon of Día De Muertos, floor three has been completely taken over.
Tables have been pushed to the wall, covered, and made into a massive ofrenda. Lain out over a delicate tablecloth, framed photos of various people sit. Gifts and trinkets are lain with the pictures, amongst spilling piles of marigolds, fruits, breads, and other foods. Sugar skulls sit with the pan de muertos, along with offerings of water and other drinks. The fruits pile on the floor. Fuschia cockscombs, purple orchids, yellow chrysanthemum, and white amaryllis settle in vases not claimed by the cempasuchils. Candles burn bright upon the table, many plain but a few with the image of the cross or the Virgin Guadalupe. Burning with them are sticks of incense and dishes of copal. Set apart is a dish of fresh earth and a plate of salt. Amongst it all are cheery statues of grinning Catrinas and Calacas in suits and a few small toys for any young spirits around the school. Although not traditional, an alebrije or two has made its way into this ofrenda, mostly in thanks to the spirit guides Imelda works with, such as Pepita who presides over the festivities. Over it all is a great arch of marigolds. Elsewhere around the room, Papel Picado hangs above, along with strings of purple and yellow paper chains.
Another table sits aside from it all, cluttered with candles and flowers and food, but to a lesser degree than that of the ofrenda. The food there is cooked fresh and made for the living; tamales, calabaza tacha, atole, champurrado, hot chocolate with cinnamon, conchas, mole, and countless items more. It's really all too much for one person alone and so guests and passerbys are encouraged to take more than their share.
(There is also a small cake, set aside specifically for Maverick. A few wrapped gifts sit on this smaller side table, decorative paper strings hung around it.)
The Karaoke machine is in its same place on the floor, though it's hardly the only music for the evening. Besides Héctor himself, quieter music in the Spanish language drifts about the common area, interspersed with lively mariachi style recordings. There's just enough space to dance if one wanted to.
Anyone with an awareness of ghosts may find a few stopping in to visit the party. Whether or not that the case for every visitor, everyone is welcomed to leave an offering or even a photo on the ofrenda if they wish-- things can be hard on the magic side of the world and sometimes loss can creep very close. Despite that, the celebration is a joyous one. Anyone close enough to the Riveras is invited into Lumiere's third floor commons for the evening and even those simply curious as to what's going on are allowed to stay if they wish.
It's very carefully hidden, and it'll only be found by those who look-- and know where to look for that matter, but there's a smaller unframed photo of Héctor himself tucked in amongst the ofrenda's flowers. Next to it is a very small bag of chapulines.
When night falls, the celebration begins.
(Later into the night, for those who stay that long, a laptop is pulled out, two identical men and one teenage girl waving out from the screen, speaking rapidfire Spanish. The room behind them has been done up with as much extravagance.)
[Music Club Mingle]
no subject
Until anyone else does arrive, she spends her time mostly looking around, looking to see what exactly has been set up here, until she finds the table with the name tags. She doesn't yet write a favorite song onto hers, mostly because she doesn't particularly have an actual favorite song, just favorite genres.]
no subject
He walks over and holds out a hand, his guitar behind his back.]
Desidera? Hola. I don't know if you remember me, I'm Héctor. We talked once on the network. Have you been doing alright since then?
no subject
She takes the hand and gives it a squeeze; just a light one to avoid causing any harm, but it's probably still enough for Héctor to tell that she's got a bit of strength to her.]
no subject
[He notices the control in strength. He recognizes if from Peter and it makes him laugh softly. He gives a good shake and lets go.]
And happy too that you decided to join us here too.
no subject
Barring that, the club is about music in general, isn't it? It's acceptable enough to even just discuss it, if her attempts to learn something here don't quite work out as intended.]
no subject
no subject
He greets those who walk in even later. "¡Hola! Welcome!"
He's quick to post up his own offers for lessons; guitar, writing and reading music, even a few other instruments.
Once he's sure there will be no more stragglers, he calls out to the group.
"¡Bienvenidos a todos! Welcome to music club. I was thinking since this is our first meeting this semester, perhaps we can all share a little of what music means to us personally, including the kind of things we like to play or listen to. Just by being here we know we've all got something in common so lets take the time to get to know one another!"
[ooc: Feel free to talk to have your character talk to him personally or jump in other people's threads!]
no subject
"Music influences the mind and the soul. It provides clarity or may color your perception. It can be a powerful tool for meditation." A clean simple response. Direct. Impersonal? "I play the bamboo flute, but have considered learning another as a challenge to myself."
no subject
"An excellent answer!" Héctor declares. "Very good. Do you have your flute with you today? I'd love to hear a wooden flute played. It's great how instruments can be both complex and yet made of the simplest things. I like to dabble a bit myself in different things."
no subject
He reaches over the side of his chair and lifts the cloth case he keeps the flute in onto his lap. "It is the shinobue flute, which has a different sound than the shakuhachi. What tone would you prefer? Something calming or more lively?"
no subject
He hums and taps his chin. Either of those can be good depending on what it is. But...
"How about whichever you feel best portrays the instrument? Give me an audio portrait of the kind of sound I can expect."
no subject
"I shall give a warning that...some people I have found do not enjoy the high-pitched tone of the shinobue," he says. "If anyone would prefer to move away, it is certainly understandable." He takes the flute out of chase and sets the cloth easily in his lap. He looks around, waiting to see if anyone would prefer to leave before he begins to play a song about a little bird.
no subject
A soft laugh escapes, soon followed by aplause as the song concludes. "¡Eso! Nicely done! Ay, that was really cool."
no subject
he's not actuallythat can make his own choices!But he's distracted from that quickly enough as he goes to inspect the nearest piano, fingertips brushing over the keys and watching the area around him for a few minutes until he determines no one is interested in messing with it for now.
Which means he's absolutely going to test the tuning on this thing and get a little carried away in his own thoughts.
Feel free to interrupt him, or wait until he's done. Either way, he's a chatty asshole when he wants to be.]
no subject
It's a melancholic tune, but a sweet as well. His eyes close to see long-missed sunny days, light dancing between the leaves of a tree. Of city bustle but in a quiet, simple way, like the downtown areas of soliel.
He leans nearby and listens to it all. When it ends, there is faint and satisfied sigh from him before he walks up properly.]
That was beautiful. A cover? Or a composition?
no subject
After Toki left and the debate club was suspended, Seiji decided to look for something else.
So he wears his name tag politely, assesses different instruments set out for them, and even brings a CD his younger sister had purchased for him of flute and harp duets to share. Because she at least knew he would have taken far too long to learn how to play the music on his smartphone when he first purchased it.
Admittedly, he has been intrigued watching people play Rock Band, having little familiarity to most of the music on it. Is it actual training or merely a game?]
Does this game provide real lessons or merely entertainment?
no subject
[Desi's been watching as well, making what sense of it she can; her exposure to video games before had been fairly limited and was almost entirely retro. Seiji may be picking up a sense of curiosity here.]
It looks like you're supposed to go along with what gets shown on the screen. Pressing specific buttons with the right timing, basically. [Well, buttons would apply to the guitar controllers. The game's drums seem to be just a little closer to the real deal, but only a little.]
no subject
So you follow the rhythm which is conveyed by the cues on the screen and the winner is whoever gains the best score as a "band"? All right.
[He picked up one of the guitars up to look it over and get a sense of how the replica worked. He had never played a guitar before, but the strings were buttons and levers.]
Do you intend to play?
no subject
no subject
Are you certain? There are times when the best way to learn is to engage.
no subject
[She pauses for a moment to think. If she is careful about it, which she would be, then it'll probably be fine as long as she's not on the drums.]
Mmm, actually, I may as well. [Now she picks up the other guitar.]
no subject
Is this suitable?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
no subject
*So maybe her sense of humor isn't dead. She is not playing her cello right now, just laying there listening as people mill about. She'll talk if she hears a sound she knows, or a sound that interests her.*
no subject
Never gonna give you up, huh? Good song. I wouldn't have guessed it's your favorite.
[He doesn't seem to realize anything's up.]