Singing soothes the soul {Mousie!!!}

[Tiffany]

Belle sat in an open area of the forest. She was surrounded by trees that had the greenest leaves she had ever seen. She almost wanted to reach out and touch them to find out if there was as much moisture in them as there seemed to be. She smiled and resisted. She had sat down gracefully right in a ray of light that shone through the canopy of the trees. She lifted her face up to the light, soaking up the heat. Her eyes closed against the glare, and her lips curled up slightly in a happy smile. It was so silent. Slowly and softly Belle began to sing. Her voice grew gradually as she got farther into and had caught on to the rythym of the song. Her voice fell and rose, the song that had no discernable words cascaded through the woods. She had no reason why the words came to her as easily as they did, for when she wasnt singing she had no idea what the words meant. Right now they represented, to her, a soothing sound. Peaceful and happy. A face formed in her mind. It was of the sweet Jaden. As her song continued, the face grew inexplicably into the form of Zefrums. A hard and cold face. Belle could no longer remember the words when her consentration was broken. She stopped singing and immediately took the book she had taken from Zefrum out and began to read.

[•Mouse•]

There was a soft piano playing somewhere in the forest. The tinkling of the crystal chords filled the air around a small duet. Light it the purple crystal piano wonderfully and sparkled about in random directions. Sitting at a seat of purple diamonds was Roxanna, her slender fingers pressing the white and black crystal keys. Her yes were closed as her fingers danced across the keys gracefully.Her tongue was sticking out a bit from the corner as she played on, the music flowing as if it were blood.

Valerie sat on a crystal bench made by her sister, leaning against a tree trunk near by. She smiled softly, listening to her sisters playing before returning to the book she had rested in her. Today the dress was white, the same halter style and seemed to float to her ankles where it seemed to turn upwords like a flower around her. The ends of the dress would ripple in the wind and caress her legs gentley as she sat patiently listening to her sisters playing.

[Tiffany]

Belle looked up slowly from the book. The new silence had been broken yet again, this time though not by Belle's singing. Her head leaned to the side and rotated slowly as she sought out the source of the sound. She was amazed by the clarity..the beauty of the music. She stood up slowly, slipping the book back into a pocket of her dark blue kimono. She stepped softly in a circle around the enclosure of trees, until she had zoned in on the sound. It was just a soft music, undefinable when she started out. So soft, in fact, that Belle was at first sure she was just hearing things and heading off to find a sound that would soon disappear as a whisper on the wind. But as she walked farther, the sound grew louder, and more definite. A piano..definitely a piano. Belle's brow furrowed into a frown, it was harsh on her soft features. A piano..in the forest? Belle shook her head. Surely she was wrong, but as she turned around a rather large tree, she realized that she was in fact hearing piano playing. For in the open feild before her was a piano. It was a purple piano as was the bench the pianist was sitting on. There was another girl there to, but she seemed to be just listening to it. Belle cleared her throat hoping to catch one of their attention. "Umm. Excuse me.."

[•Mouse•]

Slender fingers fumbled across the keys in shock as Belle cleared her throat. " Whoa, where'd you come from!?" Came the shocked question of Roxanna as she looked the girl in her kimono over. Her fingers had slipped off the piano and it sunk into her skin. Roxanna stood, and the bench she had been sitting one sunk into her body as well. Valerie only seemed to notice something was going on when the music stopped. Her lavender eyes found Belle an dshe smiled, pleasent in appearence.

[Tiffany]

Belle jumped slightly as the girl fumbled in her playing. The silence was deafening. "Oh, please..dont stop on my account..your playing was lovely.." She stopped and collected her thoughts so they didnt think she was a bumbling fool. "My name is Belle.." She started out, hoping to start their meeting off on a different note this time. "I didnt mean to startle you." She said as she realized that the piano was disappearing. Then..the bench was gone to and the girl was standing in an empty space. Belle pointed a finger at the spot that had once been occupied by a brilliant purple piano. "Wha--? Oh that is cool.." She said before she could stop herself. She clamped a hand over her mouth, realizing that maybe it would be best to just be quiet. Her eyes turned to the girl that was still sitting. She was just smiling, though the music she had been listening to stopped. Belle felt bad that she had ruined their peaceful moment, which is just what she had come to the forest for. She sighed and let her hand fall to her side. She began to fidget with the belt on her kimono and kept her eyes on the ground. The girl that had been playing had been looking her over and she felt like she was being scrutinized..judged...Belle shook her head at the thought. She was overreacting and she knew it. "I..I'll leave...if you want.." She asked taking a hesitant step back. She wanted to get to know the two, for she loved the tune that the girl was playing, but she felt a little out of place.

[•Mouse•]

" Don't leave. You'll have to forgive Roxanna. She's a bit noisy. And a little shy when it comes to her piano playing. Please, Come sit." Valerie stood, her hand motioning to a space beside her. Lavender eyes slowly moved to Roxanna and the eldest gave a firm nod of her head. The bench grew longer, to form a two person seater. The calm girl kept a warm smile on her face. " I'm Valerie Faust, and this is my sister Roxanna." Came the pleasent introduction.

Roxanna smiled a bit, liking the girl a little more. Though she was confused by the kimono, Roxanna pushed that aside and slowly the Crystal piano and it's bench came back into existance, escaping her body like a bird that had just been freedom from a life in a cage. She sat herself and looked at the girl. " You can call me R.A if you want." Came her happy voice before the gentle playing began where it left off.

" And you may call me, Val." Came the added expression fro mValerie a few feet away. Once more she made a tender motion for Belle to sit with her. Roxanna had stuck her tongue out in concentration once more as slender fingers pressed the keys down gently.

[Tiffany]

Belle smiled brightly. She walked over to the girl and sat down gingerly next to her on the seat that it seemed her sister had made. "Val and R.A.? " She nodded her head. She smiled as she noticed the look that Roxanna was giving her kimono. Even though she had gone back to playing the piano, Belle felt a need to explain. A hand soothed down the silk. "My mother was Japanese..she was a beautiful woman. She moved to America with my father, but never let me forget my heritage.." She laughed softly. "Not like I would want to anyway.." She said wistfully. She felt her body sway slightly to the music. Belle couldnt help but hum to the tune. Her voice was clear and sweet, but she did not fully sing as she really wanted to hear Roxanna play. The girl had a talent for the piano, that was sure. Belle smiled as she leaned over only slightly to Valerie. "What is your power?" She asked, for Roxanna had made hers known, Belle was curious as to what her sister could do. Was it similar to her sisters? Or completely different?

[•Mouse•]

" This." Valerie said simply. Her dress burst into life, shortening to her knees. The slit brought itself together and then the length grew extra long. The V-neck front became swoop necked and the halter-top turned to thick strapped tanktop. Her hair went from long and straigh tto chin-length and extra curly. Her hair was in small spring-like curls. She smiled at the change and still felt normal. " I can animate anything on my person. Hair, Jewelry, Clothing. Whatever. I can't make them change color however."

" Nope, She can't." Explained Roxanna as her fingers danced across the keys. She had listend to Belle's explanation and finally understood it. However she had returned to playing, a smile on her face as the tongue slipped back into her mouth casually. Slowly the girl turned to a amber colored crystal. IT started at her feet as she became her Crystalized-Self. Now the light was caught in two differnt prisms and refracted as oranges and purples all over the place. Her Dove wings remained wings however were currently pure, see-through crystal.

" She also can become a crystal herself." Valerie said as a sidenote to her sister showing off.

[Tiffany]

Belle was so startled by the dress that she almost fell off the bench. She laughed with glee. "That is wonderful!" She was in awe at the girl's talent. She noticed something was different with Roxanne and when she turned around, the girl was made of crystal! Belle's hand went back to her mouth as she stood up and walked closer to Roxanne. "Wow.." She reached out like she was going to touch her wing but jerked her hand back, disgusted with herself for almost violating R.A.'s personal space like that. "Sorry.." She said putting her hands behind her back. She looked between the two. "My power is not as flashy..or nearly as cool..But..its something..mostly it works when people are asleep..I can manipulate dreams..but..my singing can give people a sense of peace, put people to sleep ..and I can cause daydreams.." She opened her mouth and began to sing. Her words started out hesitantly as they always did. Belle focused on the tone she wished to portray, and like always the words came to her. They were in a different language, one that even Belle herself didnt recognize, but it was lulling and beautiful with its mystery. The words only existed to take on Belles thoughts and send them to others. Belle imagined a rose garden. It was exquisite with red, yellow, white, and blue roses.. The sun was shining brightly and the wind brushed the roses ever so lightly, making them sway and seem to dance to the tune of Belle's song. She sent the scene into the minds of R.A. and Val. And her song slowly died down as she finished her demonstration of her power. "See? Nothing fancy.."

[•Mouse•]

" Cool!" Val said feeling at once at peace. She smiled a bit and her hair stayed as it was. However, her dress reformed to what it was before and she smiled at her appearence. Wonderful and elegant as she had always appeared before. It was what she wanted to keep as her appearence. " I sing as well, but it has no powers over anyone. And it is only to sing Roxanna to sleep if she weaks from night terrors." Explained the girl, her voice carring even at it's own soft level.

" You're goood." Roxanna said, still playing her piano. She smiled at the girl and how she was shocked at the crystalied Roxanna before her. " You can touch it if you want. I won't break. I guarentee it." Laughed the girl happily as she changed to a more upbeat and happy sounding song. Val seemed far off as the song filled her ears and she closed her eyes. She didn't sing but to the sisters they could hear their mother singing the sweet lullaby that always made them feel at hime.

[Tiffany]

Belle blushed furiously." No..not that good..and it wasnt that I was afraid you would break..I just..have no right to find out.." She said walking away from R.A. to Val. She heard the song R.A. was playing had become more upbeat. Belle swayed her hips as she walked back, moving to the new beat of the song. Her feet were light as she twirled, a great smile on her face. She stopped, curious as to why she had started to dance in front of people she didnt know..but she felt almost at home with them. They were nice people. She sat down quickly next to Valerie. "Lets here you sing!" She said as if it was an epiphany of hers to get the girl to sing. "And then maybe we can find a song we both know..see if Roxanna can play it..then have a duet with background music!" She exclaimed happily as she clapped her hands. She had come here to be by herself, but she was glad she had met the two.

[•Mouse•]

" A Duet?" The piano came to the a stop as Valerie spoke. Roxanna looked up and over at Val who seemed a bit perplexed. It was as if someone had spoken a forsaken word at first. Val had only sung to Roxanna before. But, this girl had been kind enough to sing to Val and R.A why should Valerie risk a friendship over such a silly thing as playing. " Alright, I'll sing to show you what I can do. But, I need Roxanna to play now so I can keep in time." Valerie explained, her voice seemed to return to a normal, calm and respectful tone instead of a shcoked and unnerved one.

" The usual then?"
" Of course, R.A!"
" Right-o!" Came the happy reply. The crystal girl reverted to her normal self and the piano shifted to a rainbow swirled color. The light reflecting of it dancing wonderfull across the tree branchs, leaves and the ground. Softly, she began to play. Fingers performing a slow and graceful dance across the keys, music filled the air. It reminded one of sorrow. A soft soulful and somewhat depressed song. A voice softly mixed with the music, quiet at first as the song had required. But her vocals were powerful, demanding you to acknowledge them. The harmony was a wonder as her voice rose above the music and almost drained it out. Her voice would die slowly, fading to what it needed to be and ocne more soar into the sky and kiss the clouds. Finally, after a few moments of singing, Valerie stopped. Along, drawn out word of " Goodbye" had faded slowly with the dying piano's music.

" Well, there you have it." Laughed the girl a bit unsure of whether she sounded as good as she felt while singing. If she did it would have been spectacular. However, it wasn't liable to happen, not according to Valerie.

[Tiffany]

Belle had sat happily on the bench, curious to see how good of a singer Valerie was. She was dismayed by the look Valerie and Roxanna had given her at first, but it passed quickly. Her eyes remained fixed to the piano as the colors swirled and dance. She was almost overcome with childlike glee. It was so pretty. She heard Valerie singing and turned to see if such a strong voice was coming from such a little body. Her eyes widened as the song progressed, requiring Valeries voice to rise and fall for the harmony. The clarity and beauty of the girls voice was indeed a thing to behold. Belle had to fight for her jaw not to drop. "Umm...wow. You should sing more often! " She exclaimed. "I mean..I can convey images and feelings through my songs by my powers ...but dont you realize that your voice does hold power. Its beautifu..haunting...mysterious.." Her hands flailed out slightly as she tried to convey what it was like to hear the girl sing. She stopped and slapped her hands on her thighs. "No..no duets..you are much too good of a singer..I am afraid I would feel inadequate , singing next to you!" She said with a giggle. It was no big deal to find someone that was a better singer than her, it was fun! "So you sing and she plays..must work out well for you two.." She said content now that she had solved her own little mystery of how Valerie sang. She smiled as she realized that she was easily amused but shook off the thought as unimportant.