A Starlit Serenade [BeeJai/Open]

[Crick Watson]

It certainly was unusual for Crick to be out this late...but tonight, he felt restless. He was excited by the prospect of a potential talent show...or rather, the idea that there -could- be a potential for one. Music, singing, dancing, perhaps even poetry or readings of classical play scripts....oh, how he wondered what all talents lay within these walls. Should anyone be interested in such a thing as a talent show. He wondered what kind of performance he would make...probably something from memory, either music or a section of a play. Perhaps even music from a play. Yes, that seemed to work....and what better than one of his personal favorites, Phantom of the Opera? How ironic that he had, himself, become akin the the Phantom in that his appearance tended to cause others to cringe away from him. No matter...it changes not the art within the performance itself.

It did not take him long to begin with the overtures of one particular song that he enjoyed...the sound coming from his mouth being the sounds of the actual instruments. He then began singing both parts to the song with an accuracy that was incredibly astounding....yet the instruments were still playing, even with his singing. As far as he knew, there was no one out here to hear him singing.



As he sang, he got lost in the lyrics, his eyes closed as he stepped fairly nimbly in step with the music through the grassy section of the courtyard...wouldn't hurt to throw in a bit of waltz practice, even without a partner. As the music came to an end, so would his dancing with his imaginary partner. Hmmm...though he had to wonder if perhaps a different song would be better recieved? Crick sighed as he muttered to himself.

"Oh, blast it all! So many song choices, if this is really going to happen..."

[BeeJai Melania Ricarda]

Memories flashed within her mind, making her amethyst colored eyes seemed to flicker as a few tears began to slide down her cheeks. She was sitting down upon the ground of the courtyard, in the grassy fields as far as she was able to go within these walls. Her legs were elegantly tucked underneath her as a soft sigh escaped her lips. Her memories always brought her back to this, always brought her back to the tears and anger and even the heartache; which then brought her to another feeling.

Oh, how BeeJai missed her Mikael… It seemed like only yesterday, that her dear brother was taken away from her. But…it wasn’t. It was nearly a year ago, and…he was taken from her. He was taken away because of human’s greed for needs. After ALL her and Mikael had done for them; healing them, giving them hope, giving them a reason to believe in faith. Humans; they only knew one thing. They only know one way; to kill and to destroy.

Humans killed her brother like it was nothing, and then destroyed her own innocence by allowing her to watch as they did so. How could they? How could they just take a life without any remorse? “But they did have it in the end…” BeeJai had whispered as she grinned a bit smugly for a split second before her usual non-emotional expression came back. She made sure that they did.

How long did it take after she “visited” the ones who killed her brother and then she began to stalk and seemingly haunt them? How long before they finally turned on themselves and then one killed the other and then placed the gun to his own head to end the craziness going on with his mind? “Two weeks…” BeeJai whispered once more with a slight giggle. Yes, it only took two weeks before destruction and mindless craziness took them over. She watched it all happen. Justice was serviced, or…so she thought.

“What kind of justice was truly served, if I am not stuck here?” It was a question she had always asked herself when she ended up thinking of the past. BeeJai had no idea why she was brought here, but maybe…”this is now my hell…” She said slightly above a whisper as she buried her face into her small and delicate hands, not crying; just seeming to wish to hide her face.

Her beautiful black wings now would have expanded out behind her, like she was stretching them and only after this, would they pull in and wrap around her, keeping her small, slender figure warm. Her silk black dress which was sleeveless and flowing down to be touching her shoes was not exactly the best outfit for her to wear at night when it was cold, and her comfortable black ballet shoes were supposed to be worn only when she was dancing. Her long jet-black hair would be following freely behind her, gently brushing her waist as she sighed softly. Her amethyst eyes would look so sad, though her facial expression would be blank. Non-blemished skin would be seen upon her shoulders and arms, as her face as it was fair skin, which made her amethyst colored eyes show brightly against it.

She seemed made perfect, like an angel whom just walked out of heaven. “Heaven on earth…” Another whisper escaped her lips as she shook her head slowly. Sure, they spoke of her that way before…”And what would they say about me…now?” BeeJai gave a bit of emotion to her face now. And it stayed longer than the other time. It was of sadness. She –was- an angel from heaven…but now, “… a fallen angel…” She whispered as she closed her eyes and buried her face into her hands even more.

While all of this was happening with her thoughts running mad, in the distance, BeeJai heard …music? She blinked; the tears falling down her cheeks would now seem to pause as she let her ears zone in on the sound. Someone was playing music, or…singing? She wasn’t sure. Slowly, she expanded her wings out as she rose from the ground, her wings flapping once gently before pulling back in to relax behind her. –“Off to the right…”- The thought crossed her mind as she began to walk slowly in the direction of where the sound was coming from.

Once she got to her destination, she kept herself hidden in the shadows as much as she could. Pity she could not use her powers, as the necklace, which was placed tightly against her made of a metal that kept her powers in check. She then watched this…being as he sung; the instrumental part of the song even was coming from his lips. What was he? She wasn’t surprised by his look. But she also knew that he was something unnatural. Not surprising in a place like this.

As BeeJai watched, the being would seem to be dancing with an invisible partner, waltzing from the looks of it. She felt the song and dance was done wonderfully. Oh, how she missed such music and…contentment. She could not help but envy the being. How easy it was for him to be content here, of all places. Slowly, she whispered softly, not sure if she would be heard, “Wonderful…”before she began to walk away.

[Crick Watson]

Crick sighed, pacing a little while keeping his gaze to the ground...perhaps something more melancholy would work better. Yes...perhaps now would be a good time to practice his monologue of the Shakespearean play Hamlet. He cleared his throat, and struck a pose to where it would be as if he were holding something in an outstretched hand, and were talking to it...anyone familiar with the play itself would know that this object should be a skull. As he spoke, it was in his normal British accent...though clearly, this was his own take on the monologue as to where emphasis and such should be placed. To begin with, the tone of his voice was more of an inquiring tone.

"To be...or not to be. THAT is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?"

He would insert a theatrical sigh here before continuing, his voice becoming more sriously contemplative.

"To die; to sleep; no more...and by a sleep to say we end the heart ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep...to sleep, perchance to dream...aye, -there's- the rub. For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause. There's the respect that makes calamity of so long life...for who would bear the whips and scorns of time? The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely? The pangs of despised love? The law's delay?"

Over the past few lines, he seemed to get slightly angrier...though it was merely part of his take on this performance. The anger would come to a climax at the next couple of lines, even with him making a throwing motion with the skull at the end.

"The INSOLENCE of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes, when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin?!? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life?!?"

At this moment, he would take a deep breath to create a theatrical calming of himself as the monologue continued, his tone becoming more depressed.

"But that the dread of something after death...the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns; puzzles the will, and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus, conscience makes cowards of us all...and thus the native hue of resolution is sicklied over with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pith and moment....with this regard, their currents turn awry....and lose the name of action."

With that, Crick would let out another heavy, theatrical sigh and hang his head, gazing back upon the ground. This particular monologue had a meaning behind it...it was actually a scene in which Hamlet himself contemplates suicide, and the repercussions of such an action. While Crick was nowhere near considering such drastic action, he did channel his frustrations and sadness into this performance...he was decidedly not happy with being within these walls. He just typically found a different outlet for unleashing said frustrations than most others did.

[BeeJai Melania Ricarda]

As BeeJai walked away slowly, she heard the being she had watched clear his throat, about to speak again. After the first few words, she was stopped dead in her tracks. She blinked; her amethyst colored eyes seemed to flicker in the dim light of the area. Déjà vu seemed to creep over her and she slowly turned around, her wings slowly expanding around a little bit folding in to her back as she would walk gracefully back towards the being. She seemed to be in a trace as she then again kept to the shadows of trees nearby.

Right now, she was having memories of another whom had done this scene for her, especially when they were first brought to earth from heaven. Oh how her brother, Mikael did this so well. This being did it just as well. She would now be remembering how her brother did this scene one time…

-“Come on, little sister. Do not be afraid of being in this world…” Mikael had held her close, nuzzling her softly in a loving way as he then kissed her forehead. She smiled softly as she closed her eyes. Mikael wiped away her tears before he grinned. “BeeJai…I know what will make you smile happily!” He then would have pulled away from her. Striking a pose almost as this being did, as his facial expression would change to be more serious, giving her the feel of the scene. Once he began, BeeJai was lost in the scene.-

Now, BeeJai watched this being, but was not seeing him, rather, she saw Mikael and would be smiling big as she did so. Everything was like how Mikael did this, and she would feel the emotions. Once the ending finished, she would be again seeing her brother…

-“With this regard, their currents turn awry....and lose the name of action." Her brother had his head lowered after this line, and he would have suddenly looked up, grinning at BeeJai as she giggled to him, and she smiled brightly. After this, Mikael would have rushed towards her, and scooped her up into his arms, twirling her into the air as she would have squealed and laughed….-

She had tears falling down her eyes by the time he had finished the scene. BeeJai could not help but begin to clap not realizing that she was until it was too late, and also, finally coming out of her little flashback of such. How would he even react to her clapping? Her face showed no expression though, nor did she speak. She only would stand there, now waiting to see what he would do.

[Crick Watson]

Upon hearing the clapping, Crick was so startled he actually jumped...and as a result, ended up tripping over himself, landing almost facefirst in the grass....his top hat actually rolling away from him for a few feet. He had absolutely no clue that he had an audience, and any such noise actually ended up startling him. As he stood back up, quite embarrassed, he would firstly pick up his top hat and place it back upon his head as he replied.

"Dear me, I had no inkling that I had an audience of any sort. Had I known, I would have made sure to be facing you directly. I do hope you enjoyed it, at the very least..."

He would then turn to face the person who was clapping, and be quite surprised. He had known that there were quite a few odd beings in the Asylum, but the last kind he had ever expected to see was an angel of ANY variety. Well...at least that's how she appeared to him. Even with her black feathered wings, she was still quite lovely...in fact the wings themselves gave her more beauty than would the standard white feathered ones.

"I do sincerely apologize, dear madam, about not facing you during my performance. Again, I would have faced my audience, had I known I had one...especially an audience as angellically sublime as you. Perhaps there is a song or another performance you would like to see? I know quite a few monologues and show tunes I could do..."

He then did a theatrical bow towards the woman as he introduced himself.

"My name is Crick Watson, by the way...it is a pleasure to meet you, miss...?"

He left the question hanging, as a prompt to see about getting her name at least.

[BeeJai Melania Ricarda]

Her face remained expressionless, even if she did want to laugh at the fact that he had nearly fallen over face first to the ground. She even wanted to smirk, as she had caught him off guard. But, nothing would be seen upon her facial features as to how she was reacting to any such things. It was quite interesting how ever since the day her beloved brother had died, did she learn to close every emotion off; even something as the need to laugh at someone else’s fault.

As she let her amethyst gaze look to him, she could not help but note how gentleman like he seemed to be. This was interesting, seeing as he was…not human. BeeJai blinked slowly as she would wrap her arms around herself, keeping the blank expression upon her face. As he did finally turn around, she noted that he paused to let he gaze fall on her, like he was surprised to see someone as her out here. Or maybe… wondering why someone as her even being -here.-

The corner of her lip twitched a tiny bit but nothing else happened when he bowed down to her. For some reason, she found that a bit annoying, or was that even the right word? Her mind mentally sighed. So, his name was Crick Watson? That’s interesting. She then would tilt her head when he let his words seem to hang on one thing…her name. She blinked as she did not speak right away. She was contemplating on telling him or not. She thought about it but finally said in a soft yet dark tone, which was hushed and like she wasn’t as friendly as she looked, but it was a tone she learned to keep.

“Which name do you want? “ She kept her expression blank as she did not say anything after that, awaiting his answer. She would more than likely give him the name she went by now and not her formal name, but…she did not wish to. She didn’t know him or anything.

[Crick Watson]

Crick looked a bit confused when she asked what name he wanted. She had multiple names? That was highly unusual, indeed. He wasn't sure what to make of that, truth be told...no matter. He simply stood back up and tilted his head towards her as he replied.

"Why, dear lady....whatever name you might wish to give me, if any at all. I can understand if my appearance is unsettling, if that is what the issue here is. You would be surprised how few friends I have here thus far. I usually scare them off before even getting to speak to them. I garuntee you though, I am far nicer a person than my appearance might lead you to believe."

He did admit...that tone in her voice was fairly unsettling. However, such things were never such to deter him from attempting to be polite and friendly. It was, after all, the correct thing to do. He hoped that, perhaps, this lovely lady would perhaps be another person he could call friend.

[BeeJai Melania Ricarda]

BeeJai blinked slowly, watching Crick’s reaction to how she, herself, had asked which name he would want. This made the corners of her lips twitch once more, but that was all she did as she would wonder if she should give him her name simple and to the point, or make him have to figure out what her name was or even have to get to know her before she gave him any name.

But, her thoughts were cut short when he mentioned something about the way he looked, and this made her amethyst eyes seem to darken a bit, though no expression crossed her face, save for a tiny twitch of her right corner of her lip. “Your appearance does nothing to me; nothing I have seen before, but seeing that I have seen much, it is not surprising…”

Her tone in her voice would be now even darker, and harsh; cold straight down to the bone if heard. BeeJai then slowly moved to turn, as if to walk away but she paused, taking a deep breath before glancing back towards Crick, her tone seeming to soften, but not enough to have the darkness within it fade away, but it -did- make the coldness of it fade away.

“I have been called many times, Crick…I am very old…” She made what sounded like snorting sound before closing her eyes. “But…I prefer to be called BeeJai…and as for my last name, you will have to find out for yourself…” As she was saying this, her amethyst colored eyes had slowly opened as she now was looking straight at him, though, no expression would be upon her face once again.

“You are very talented…like someone I had known for most of my life…someone whom is no longer here...” It was at this point, that BeeJai moved to walk towards the direction she came and away from him, not caring if he followed her. She would walk about the grassy fields and let her mind run wild until she grew tired if nothing else happened.

[Crick Watson]

Crick was astounded by the hostility he detected in her voice...or was it perhaps something else? Some deeper meaning behind the dark, cold tones in her voice? Rather than deter him, it actually made him curious. He could already tell she was going to be one tough nut to crack...but once a Watson had their curiosity piqued, by golly, they were going to satisfy it! He wanted to learn more about her, and figure out, perhaps, what was behind her mystery. He straightened his hat and strode towards her, even as she began walking away. His tone was quite sincere when he spoke.

"It is a very lovely pleasure to meet you, Miss BeeJai...though I am deeply sorry to hear for this loss of a talented person. I take it you were close to them...indeed, I am truly sorry to hear that this happened. I know not if you have any friends here yet, but I would gladly be willing to be someone you could talk to if you ever feel the need."

He then paused as he caught up to her, easily keeping stride with her. He then wondered what he should say next...and then it hit him. He had never heard her mention anything she wanted performed. Perhaps that could be something?

"Say...you never mentioned if you wanted anything performed. Would there be anything you would like to hear to honor this person? I would be happy to do such a performance for you."

He then smiled a bit to her, continuing doing nothing but being friendly. He hoped that, maybe, he could find out more about her at some point soon.

[BeeJai Melania Ricarda]

BeeJai listened to Crick, mentally smirking at the fact that he followed her. -“Foolish being, he might just be”- would be a thought that ran through her mind. She scoffed though, at him saying she must have been close to the person she spoke of beforehand. Even with his words of being someone she could come to and talk to, she had to let out a dark snicker as she shook her head. “-He- was my life, Crick. My brother, that is…” She did not speak right away again, but then thought of his words, like she had to think on what to say.

“Friends? I have no friends….by choice…” BeeJai now let a slight smirk, very faint, more like a hint of it spread onto her darkened lips as she continued to walk on. Now, as he mentioned that she never said what she wanted to hear him next perform, she blinked stopping dead in her tracks. Did he not get it? She narrowed her eyes at him, her facial expression would seem to darken along with her eyes, yet it was as blank as ever.

“Anything that which you do will only bring back memories of a life I had that was perfect, and was taken away from me. Ripped away from me…” With that, BeeJai turned away from him, continuing to walk on before she said something else. “But, if you must…any song you know from Le Miserables would be interesting to hear…” She now stopped, looking back to him as she crossed her arms over her chest. She did hope he did not do one certain song or she might end up singing along with him.

[Crick Watson]

Crick listened in somber silence as BeeJai spoke...and he realized he felt for her. He could tell she was going through a rough patch in life on the spot....really rough. To him, it was almost as if she pushed others away for fear of getting close to them and, consequently, somehow losing them in the end. At least that was his impression of what he had heard so far. He spoke quietly as he lowered his gaze somewhat somberly.

"I...see. I am very, very sorry to hear that, Miss BeeJai. I do sincerely hope I have not truly offended you in my efforts to be friendly. However, I am quite familiar with Les Miserables...it was a performance I saw when I was twelve, and it was quite moving to me once I understood some of the deeper meanings behind it. I have one song in mind that I think mirrors somewhat how you maybe feel...its original intent was, of course, different, but I feel it might be able to fit in here."

With that, he cleared his throat, and when he opened it again, the opening instrumental chords for the song would play. When he actually sang, it was in a woman's voice, and not his own or any other male's. It seemed Crick was not ashamed of taking either gender role when it came to singing...