#bergen_county

He grins. "You know."

"mm trust. I like it" And she slides him under.

He curls up, making space against him for her.

And she settles

The dreams ar e.. as usual, nice

(End Scene)

(Earlier i nthe week)

Piper has made some mortal friends, clueless as to her true nature. Among them is Tricia , African American music nerd. She doesn't just love music, she memorizes its history, culture and more

Piper has enjoyed Tricia's company. While she readily understands that she doesn't understand the African American experience, being raised by a mom who does has given her some perspective and background in soul, R&B, gospel, and similar musical stylings as well.

"So, the oldest known instrument, musically speaking, besides the human voice itself, might be a cave bear femur flute. which is in blowing my mind, because 'slovenia'? "

"Slovenia? Really?" A dubious look. "Is that even a real place? It sounds like it could be made up. " Geography is not her strongest suit. "See, I was just listening to a podcast on NPR, I think. About the influence of Ragtime and traditional Jazz on South Africa, along with Dixieland but mixed with African trance rhythyms and and cyclical harmonies, then when swing got added in, it was something entirely new. Mixing up different styles to create something new is incredible, that there can still be sounds like... invented after so many generations."

"Hey, Slovenia is in Eastern Europe.. you want to tell me white people were into flutes that long ago, I'll say what I say about White classical music all the time 'I can Handel it"" A grin. Did we mention the nerd part? "And oh yeah heard that pod cast. It was a good one. I think sometimes we more re-invent than invent, but it sounds new to us who never knew. It's amazing when you think how many songs might be lost"

"Yeah, maybe the new hotness will be like, Mongolian Throat singing mixed with dubstep." A grin! "I saw a Youtube about that the other day. It was odd, but it kinda ruled."

"The Hu? Do not mock the hu... throat singing is what Heavy metal never knew it needed" She says

And at that point, the star fish floats over head

It's a glowing chimerical starfish.. that floats

A blink, and she drops the pen she was twiddling between her fingers so that it rolls under Tricia's chair. "Oh, damn. Could you..."

"Oh, sure" She bends down and starts to feel for it.

And Piper reaches up overhead, curious, extending a finger towards the thing.

It tightens around her fingers. Like a child closing a fist around an adult finger.

A gasp she tries to mute, and she gives her hand a sudden, frantic shake to try to free it.

It's not coming loose.

Darn thing is stuck on there.

"Got it" Tricia says

She should have known better, Mama didn't raise her to touch no unknown ocean critters. Hand behind her back, she tries to unobtrusively scrape it off against a desk. "Oh thanks.. sorry, hand cramp I think..."

"You need me to take a look at it? My grandma gets cramped legs"

It can't hurt, she offers out the hand, fingers somewhat scrunched together under the invisible grasp. "Too much handwriting. Why do we have to write anything anymore when we have computers?"

"So we can sign contracts that legally bind us so the man can keep us down, of course" She says and takes the hand. Tricia isn't that banal for a human, but she is still no fae. The touch doesn't bother Piper at all...but the chimera, not used to autumn folks interacting... recoils, and thus lets go.

She sighs and flexes her fingers once free. Taking a quick inventory that all her digits and fingernails are still there, and how her hand feels. Stinging like a jellyfish? Did it try to leech any glamour out? "That helps - thanks. I should remember that. But even contracts can be printed, and can't I just sign with a bloody thumprint to sell my soul?"

"Actually, forget it. History says that contracts may steal your voice, and that I'm not willing to part with."

No stinging. But she did feel like it was, for a moment..intruding?

"Ha. your soul maybe, your voice never hmm?"

Her eyes follow the Starfish floating in the air. It seems harmless, but she isn't much of a fan of intrusive chimera. "You got it. Ariel trading her voice for a man? Puh-LEASE."

"She could live in an underwater Paradise as a literal princess and have the pick of any Merman she wants, but nooooo, she's gotta go up on land for a hottie with a boat."

"Wouldn't be the first white girl to shut up and put out for some rich guy with a yacht" Tricia winks

"Not that we people of color are ever attracted to such tawdry things as hunky guys with castles" she adds faux loftily

Still keeping an eye on the chimera, but now she can't let this thought go. "Maybe we could do a Disney villain song review for our next band performance. The villains always get the best songs..."

"They do, don't they? Mmm maybe a medley of villain songs? Think you could come up with a good transition pattern?"

At the talk of music, it drifts down again.

Trying to settle onto Piper slowly

She stretches out her arms in a shoulder relaxing motion, and this time leaves an arm flung languidly over the edge of the chair where the Starfish could land, not on her precious music-making fingers, but on her arm instead. Curious.

Humming for a moment, then trying a few lines.

Those poor unfortunate souls
So sad, so true
They come flocking to my cauldron
Crying spells, Ursula, please
And I help them
Yes, I do...

...So prepare for the chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news...

A grin forming on her lips as she tests out the transition.

...An injustice deliciously squared
Be prepared...

And she goes from the low note in Scar's song to a low, gospel-esque..

"Beata Maria
You know I am a righteous man
Of my virtue I am justly proud..."

It latches on.. drawn by her music, and for a moment, there's that intrusive feeling ..not like something's taken, but sorted trhough, and.. the star fish twinkles ..it's pattern matching the tune.

And then Piper feels it the other way, she's intruding on the starfish. It has music inside of it.. and she can learn in return.

She hiccups for a moment, distracted from her song for a moment, before abruptly transitioning...

Are you ready...
Are you ready....!
Transformation central...
Transformation central!
Transmodification central...
Can you feel it?
You're changing- you're changing-
You're changing, allright!
I hope you're satisfied..."

And a sudden glance and sheepish grin to Tricia, having almost forgotten she was there. "Sorry, I was a bit in the zone there..."

"I could tell, your'e good." SHe grins "Damn, Disney has some hard core villain songs"

"It could be even better with accompaniment." Rubbing at her arm a little.

That's not disney coming in...

some music that...villain songs

She listens....