vatheon | (no subject)

Characters: Prussia + Anyone who wants to join
Where: The shops
When: Late Monday morning, 9th April
Style: Prose or action
Status: OPEN

Gilbert tugged the scarf closer around him, burying his slightly pink nose into it to try and fend off the cold. He found it weird that an underwater dimension could reach close to freezing, and wondered if things would actually start to ice over. It would be fascinating to watch, that's for sure, but Gilbert didn't really want to have to watch out for Glaciers or the like just for going out for a walk. He was glad that the cold came just after he did his clothes shopping though. Would've sucked wandering about in nothing but the clothes he arrived in - i.e just his boxers. He would've frozen to death.

And he knew from experience that freezing to death was simply awful.

"Wish I had Gilbird. Shopping's fun with him..." Gilbert grumbled quietly, sorely missing his little bird companion. He lifted his hand out of his pocket, holding a rumpled piece of paper in his grasp. Thank God stuff were for free here otherwise he would've been living in a cardboard box. He still found it fishy that the apartments and furniture and food were for free, but the mystery could be placed on the back burner while he secured a good headquarters - with a fridge full of food. He still felt a bit uncertain wandering about in the streets though. So many strange beings with their own strange abilities and their strange customs - it was both exciting and worrisome. Gilbert remembered his altercation with a blond Superman-wannabe the last time he was here. It did not end well for him.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. The cold always made him a bit woozy and tired. Shopping and scouting. Focus on those things.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Engineer? It was Gilbert's turn to look bemused, but he shook it off with a small grin. Medic, Engineer...what, were these people named after their occupation? A bit bizarre. Gilbert wondered if they even had personal names. Even Nations had personal names.

He followed after Medic, keeping in step with the taller man. "There's a music shop?" he asked. "What, selling instruments and shit?"

"Indeed. Zhey sell instruments, scores und ozher zhings. It had been Norvay zhat had shown me vhere to find it, actually." there was the faintest chuckle from the man as he recalled some other more positive memories that came with the store's existence. After all, he had met Rhi'a there as well.

"I got a violin in zhat store. Haffing a creative outlet sometimes ist just zhe right zhing."

Gilbert looked pensive.

Most people believed Gilbert to be an uncultured warmonger with little patience for music - solidified by his rivalry and general distaste towards Austria and his "piddling piano playing". But the fact of the matter was that Gilbert had many musicians born in his country; it was just that there was a bit of a debate on who was Austrian and who was German and oh you fucking moron /obviously/ Ludwig van Beethoven was German I don't care how many years he spent in Vienna learning to play the piano - and ad nauseum.

To put it simply, underneath his rough exterior, Gilbert knew more than a little about the musical arts.

"Do they sell flutes there?" he asked curiously.

After thinking about the question for a moment, Medic nodded, sounding amused "I at least vould be very surprised if zhey had no flutes." He glanced over to the nation, a single brow perked "So you play zhe flute, ja?"

Prussia surely wouldn't ask for that specific instrument if he had never held one of them. The idea sort of intrigued the RED.While he played the violin, he still enjoyed to listen to other instruments being played. Or several instruments being played along well and in synch with one another.

"I play many instruments," Gilbert said smugly, puffing his chest out with pride. "But I'm a bit partial to the flute since- er, well, one of my favourite bosses liked the flute, so, y'know, it gets extra awesome points." He sounded a little sad briefly. Remembering Old Fritz always brought a dull ache with it. Gah! Gilbert had never missed someone so keenly before - sans Ludwig when he was trapped over at Russia's.

"I see." Medic nodded "Zhere seem to be several people hier zhat play more zhan just one instrument, vhich I admit ist impressive. I only ever learned one und... I do not zhink I could manage learning a second one now anymore anyvay." he shrugged carelessly. There was no denying it: He was getting old and immortality was yet something that had to be discovered in at least his world.

But there was no use wallowing over these sorts of things too much. Medic gestured forward with one hand "It's right over zhere."

"Hah, well, I cheated a little," Gilbert said thoughtfully. "The German states, including Prussia, have had many philosophers and musicians generals and, in recent years, great mechanics and shit, so those talents sort of, er, show themselves through their nation, y'know? I never really had to learn - except for Turkey's weird guitar thing. But that was a bet so...doesn't really count."

Not even Gilbert understood the osmosis between citizens and nations - it just sort of happened. So he quickly ended the topic, and instead followed Medic's gesture to where the music shop was. "Oooh...looks cool."

The man was silent for a moment at Prussia's explanation, but then noddedquietly before replying "Vell, zhat must be... Convenient. To simply inherit zhe talents of your people." Talents, yes. He had met many people with incredible talents in Vatheon as well. Heroes that saved their world, beings with amazing powers and knowledge... There were times when the RED even considered being jealous of them. But then he reminded himself, that there was nothing to gain from that.

"Let us go inside, zhen." Medic spoke and did as he just said, Archimedes reacting to the change of their current setting with a soft coo and a curiously lifted head "Take a look around. I am going to look for some new scores if I am already hier."

"Alright," Gilbert moved away from Medic, over to where the instruments were stored. They were all of the highest quality, and even Gilbert had to admire the craftsmanship of the closest violin. He moved past the strings to the woodwinds, scrutinising the varying flutes set out on display. He couldn't see any price tags...surely these weren't for free too? Instruments were super expensive!

How exactly the economy of Vatheon worked was beyond Medic for sure. But he had come to terms with the idea of not paying for most things. They kept them trapped in this place after all, so why should he be bothered?

The man picked up a dark green leather folder and went through the sheets within, reading over the notes intently for a while before setting the folder back into the shelf with a nod and trying a different one. He would chose one or two pieces to practice at the base.

After a moment, Gilbert shrugged and picked up the flute he had been eyeing hungrily. He turned it in his hands, testing the weight and feel of it, his fingers pressing over the little valves and holes in experimental silent chords. It felt fine. Well since Gilbert was taking it, he could try it out properly, right?

Not feeling self-conscious in the least, Gilbert brought the instrument up to his lips and played a simple melody. The noise was pure and ringing from the instrument, and Gilbert grinned in satisfaction when he lowered the flute. Oh this was perfect.

The tune that suddenly rang through the store had Medic look up from the folder he was currently holding and, even though he already knew who this was coming from, he turned a bit, head tilted to the side as if to listen. Apparently Prussia had found something to his liking. And just as apparent it was, that the nation knew well how to handle the instrument.

"If you take it, I demand to listen to your play one day at least." the mercenary called over to Prussia with a faint smirk while turning back to the scores, closing the folder he had in his hand right now in a quite final gesture.

Gilbert snorted, but there was a pleased grin on his lips. He enjoyed people listening to him play, even if it was very very rare for him to pick up an instrument. Most people likened the orchestral instruments to Roderich, and like hell Gilbert was going to be compared to that Austrian pansy. "That's fair. I am taking it, it's a pretty awesome flute."

He finally moved over to where Medic was. "So what're you getting then?"

"I found a few pieces zhat look interesting." Medic replied, holding up two of the folders briefly "I do not know zhem yet, but zhat should not prove a problem." That's why he had decided to get them after all, right?

"I only know a few piezes by memory, actually. But until now I never really had zhe time to find somezhing new to try und play." the German seemed quite content with this developement "So shall ve move on, zhen?"

Gilbert nodded. He was old enough to have memorised several pieces - and besides, Gilbert loved fiddling about and developing his own melodies. "Yup. I'm done here. Still need to go grocery shopping though."