Colors of Remnant

*In the ballroom, a young blond man was alone, playing on his flute. Well, alone wasn't exactly correct, as there indeed was no other human but him, however down on the ground a few steps further, a rat was listening to him with great attention.
Not just any rat though : it's body black, it's head white like a skull, and it's eyes orange-red and menacing. It was, of course, a Grimm, but it seemed to have no ill intent towards the student. On the contray, it was... Listening to him. Almost enjoying the music, as some sort of growl ressembling a purr was coming out of it's throat.*

Sei had always loved music. Most of her days in the estate had been spent listening to it in one form or another, even as she learned other things, and even as she read. Her time in the mansion had been similarly full of music, as the Curator had also enjoyed music. So when she heard the notes of a flute echoing through the halls, she set off to find the source.

Said source turned out to be a young man sitting in a ballroom, playing for a small rodent that was similarly entranced. "You play well," she commented as she entered the room, taking a set far enough from the small animal so as not to intrude into its space but close enough that she needn't raise her voice to be heard by the flautist.

*He took a look at her and nodded, but without stopping his play. The rodent crept closer, and the boy extended his hand, allowing the small Grimm to climb on his arm and up to his shoulder. Finally, he ended his private concerto. Then, with a smile, he turned towards the white-haired woman.*
"Hello ! I hope I didn't disturb anyone, I was just making sure that he wouldn't freak out in a new environnment."

"Oh, don't stop on my account," Sei responded. "I was just walking by and heard music and decided to meet the person playing it. I doubt anyone would be bothered by the sound of music coming from a ballroom in any case," she added with a smile.

Turning to face the creature now perched on the boy's shoulder, she asked, "Who's this?"

"This is..."
*He sighed.*
"Morty. I didn't choose his name, my teammates just started calling him that and it stuck. That's a Grimm I tamed with my Semblance. I need to introduce him to everybody by the way, just so they don't attack him by mistake."
*As he spoke, he started to pet the rat under the chin. The creature showed no sign of liking nor disliking it.*
"Wanna touch him ? You probably won't have many occasions to pet a Grimm, haha."

A Grimm? It was certainly true that she'd rarely get the opportunity to approach one without it trying to fight her.

"If it's alright with him," she acceded, rising from where she'd sat on the floor and approaching slowly before reaching out an open hand to the creature, allowing it to sniff her before petting it under its chin the same way the boy had.

"My name is Saoirse," she introduced herself, "but please, call me Sei. May I have your name?"

"Richard Hamelin, nice to meet you. But please, call me Rick."
*He answered with a slightly flirty smile and tone. The rat climbed his arm back to the young man's shoulder, where it nestled as always.*
"I come from Mistral as an exchange student with my team. We arrived like a few days ago."

"A pleasure to meet you, Rick."

Mistral. That was the kingdom to the east on the neighboring continent, right? "You've come a long way. I hope your stay is a pleasant one."

Turning back to the earlier topic, she asked, "Where did you learn to play?"

"Well, my Semblance is hereditary, so my mother and father teached me how to play it, and how to dress the Hamelins with it. Sadly they were no music teacher in Mistral, so I had to train myself. And I think I reached a pretty good level, isn't it ?"
*He did a little curtsy as a joke.*
"Still, I have to keep practicing, and I took the opportunity to teach him to not be afraid of the new people or environment."

"Indeed you have," Sei agreed. "I would very much like to play a duet with you in the future," she added after a moment. She wondered if there was an enharmonic pianoforte anywhere on campus. She would have to look for one.

"Indeed, the habit of practice is imperative," she commented. As to his little friend... "He seems to be settling in well."

"I sure hope so. Otherwise I might have to keep him asleep at all times, can't really have a Grimm running around the place, he'd get himself killed. You play an instrument ? I'd like to hear you one of those days."
*He sheathed his flute, and Sei caught a glimpse of a blade protuding out of it.*
"On a side note, are you doing anything ? Would you fancy a drink ?"

"I play the pianoforte," Sei explained. "We shall have to find a free moment to play together."

Was she doing anything? She was speaking to him, was she not? That clearly was not what he meant, however - this was probably a colloquialism asking her if she had any plans for later that day. "I have no previous commitments," she answered diplomatically. "What sort of drink?"

"Well, I know a place down in Vale where peoples have free access to instruments, and if you can put on a good enough show, the drinks are free. Waht do you say ?"
*His smile was radiant, but he was talking a bit fast, like people do when they are stressed.*

A musical establishment that served drinks? That sounded a lot like the taverns Sei was familiar with.

"Why not?" she asked. "At the very least, I can learn more about modern music."

"Shall we go then ? It's down there in Vale. I can show you the way."
*As he was talking, he started to juggle mechanically with his Grimm, letting it run across his shoulders, throwing it up in the air and catching it back.*
"It's for his exercise. He gets moody without properly working out."

"Alright, then," Sei agreed. "Lead the way."

The young man began playfully juggling his little familiar, explaining that it was good exercise.

"I believe it," she commented. "The need for proper exercise is common to many creatures."

"Yeah, but it's less physical and more psychological in his case. It helps him gets the agressivity out of his system... He's still a Grimm, you know."
*As they spoke, he lead her towards the road to Vale.*
"Wanna take a bullhead or would you rather walk ? Or maybe... Have you ever ridden a horse ?"

"I love horses!" Sei exclaimed, face brightening into a wide smile. Riding lessons had been some of her favorite hours as a child - at first it was just because she could get out of the house and have some measure of freedom, but she came to care for her horse as well. The mare was long dead by now, of course, but she missed those afternoons greatly.

"I wasn't aware students were permitted horses," she commented as they continued walking. "Are there stables on campus?" If students were allowed to own and stable horses, she would definitely be buying one later.

*He smiled.*
"Well, not exactly... But if you're already experienced, then it helps."
*He took out his flute and started to play. From the inside of his coat, several bottles opened, letting out some kind of cinders that coalesced and conglomerated around his 'pet' into the shape of a horse, but with the rat's head emerging from the forehead. Bony structures were made out to resemble saddles, and even tendrils to act as reins.*
"If you're wondering, that was Grimm remains that I stabilized into cinders with my Semblance."

Ahh, so his Semblance was some manner of control over the remains of Grimm. That was quite useful.

The conjuration wasn't exactly what she pictured when she thought 'horse', but it would probably ride like one all the same.

"So no stables then?" she asked, disappointed.

Wait a minute - she could just commission one be built on campus if there wasn't one already. Yes, that would work.

"I don't think it would be a good idea. You would need to train those horses to have aura, otherwise they'd just get slaughtered by Grimms anyway. Anyway."
*He invited her to take the main rider's place.*
"He should behave like a normal horse, maybe a bit smarter and disciplined."

Sei chuckled. "I didn't mean as combat mounts, silly!" She smiled, shaking her head slightly as she approached the horse conjuration. "I meant for recreation."

She hadn't been expecting him to offer her the position of jockey rather than passenger, but accepted the reins and gracefully settled herself into the saddle. "How is he for speed?" she inquired curiously as her companion's familiar settled himself with her as his new rider.

"Oh ! My bad."
*He watched her settle on the horse creature with an evident experience and ease. Almost... Noble-like. Hmmm....
He shrugged his shoulder as he prepared to take the other place.*
"I think he should be pretty fast, I modeled it after the bottom half of a Nuckelavee. Do you know the way or do you need a guide ?"

"I guess we'll find out, then," Sei noted as Richard settled into the seat behind her.

"I know the way to Vale, but you'll have to point out the turns to this musical establishment you mentioned," she responded as she gave her mount the ghost of a squeeze with her legs. This was apparently all he needed to understand her intentions, and they set off toward the city.

*The construct was fast. Very fast, in fact, and yet surprisingly comfortable. It was like he barely needed directions too, as if he already knew where they were supposed to go. It barely took twenty minutes for them to reach the entrance of the city. There, the horse stopped by itself as Rick jumped down and extended his hand to help her descend.*
"M'lady ~"
*He said with a playful smile.*

A short but pleasant ride later, they arrived in the city.

"Thank you," she said as she accepted his hand and dismounted. "I will definitely be looking into an equestrian extracurricular activity. I've missed riding immensely."

"I can understand that, but believe me, it doesn't compare to what you feel like when your mount has wings... I can show you what it's like later if you're interested... And not afraid of the heights, of course."
*He turned his pet back into a normal rat, and headed towards the place he was talking about.*

"A flying mount? I must admit that sounds interesting," Sei mused as she followed Richard toward the establishment.