31-Is it Copyright Infringement if in another World?
1/2/5/4353 M.A.C - Great Western Rainforest- Evening
"So, you made us eat the first kumquat today to buy enough time to set this up? How shrewd."
Emi was looking around at what basically amounted to a festival, her belly full and her spirits high. All the tribe members had helped set up the farewell dinner. Some had gone from cabin to cabin to get tables to arrange them around the bonfire while others were busy preparing their specialty side dishes. A group, led by Strong Armor Spear, had gone out to hunt and had brought back two large boars which another group butchered before converting the bonfire into a grilling pit. It had reminded Emi of the handful of family backyard barbeques she had attended after moving to America. Emi nibbled at the last bit of her honey-roasted potato and decided she couldn't swallow another bite.
"This was great Majusculus. I'm happy I was able to get along with some of the adults that were dodging me. Honestly, it actually makes me look forward to visiting in the future. So...what do you have planned for entertainment?"
Most of the tribe members seemed to be in about the same state as Emi, and although a few were grouping up to play a dice-like game with small animal bones, most of the others seemed content with sitting back and having slow discussions.
"Well, you can always play bones if you feel so inclined. I'm going to have one of the few cigars I saved up and drink some of my special tea. If you ask around, I'm sure you can find some homebrewed fruit alcohol, some in the tribe enjoy it occasionally."
Since Arctic had jammed with her during her first night in this world, Emi had originally assumed that the tribe had some sort of musical culture despite their lack of voice. It turned out she had been wrong. It wasn't that music was forbidden, but the inability to sing or hum seemed to have impeded their cultural development in that regard.
"Hey Majusculus, do you have two empty pots, two ropes, and some deerskin laying about?"
Majusculus seemed confused by Emi's shopping list but sent someone to fetch the items she requested.
"What are you going to do with those?"
"You said Mimic Macaques were good at picking up skills quickly, so I am going to teach you all something that can make nights like this more fun in the future. With Arctics's help."
A pair of tribe members approached the table, a few minutes later, with what Majusculus had sent them to fetch.
"I normally use the deerskin to make vellum for my books. This one hasn't gone through the whole drying process yet so it should still be somewhat flexible. We don't have any raw deer hide at the moment, but I do have some fully processed vellum if that is better."
"No, I think this will do the trick nicely. I'm not making something permanent just showing you a basic version. If you like it, I'm sure you can figure out improvements. Can you stretch the deerskin over the opening of the pot, please? Pull it tight but be careful not to rip it."
Majusculus did as instructed and Emi started using the rope to make a series of criss-crossing knots to hold the deerskin in place while losing as little tension as possible. The second pot being identical to the first, Emi repeated the process after filling it part way up with water, to produce a different sound. Emi then called Arctic over and showed him how the sound would change whether he struck the rim, the central section, or the section between the two.
"I'm not sure how tough these skins are, so use your hands instead of sticks for tonight, it will be softer, but at least you won't pierce through by mistake. I'll give you a couple minutes to get used to it then how about you help me with a song?"
Arctic nodded and spent the next few minutes discovering his new instrument.
"Drums? I've seen smaller ones that are carried and played while marching, or much larger sideways drums, but I have to admit I haven't seen drums paired up like this before."
"Well these are a bit big since I didn't specify the size of pot I wanted but this is my take on bongos. An instrument from Earth that is often played outside around bonfires. Although they are usually meant to be small enough to be carried on your lap. what mood are you in for the first song? Something slow and peaceful, or something more lively?"
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Majusculus seemed to think it over but then just told Emi to go with her gut. Arctic gave her a sign, to tell her he was ready, and the two approached the fire before turning their back to it.
"Alright everyone, gather up on this side of the fire! Arctic and I are going to perform a few songs for you."
The occasion kind of calls for "Furusato", "Save Tonight" by Eagle Eye Cherry, and "Country Roads" by John Denver, but those are better saved as a finisher. I'll tweak some lyrics here and there like "West Virginia" to "West Ashrama" and it should fit just right. What to start with though? I kinda want to bring the mood up a bit, and maybe have a little bit of dancing before I break out the nostalgia bombs. Oh wait, I know an upbeat song that fits this situation.
Emi popped a node into existence above her head, using [The World is a Soundstage], and used [Persistent Memories of the Blessed] and [Onomancy] to have the node begin playing an instrumental track that had never failed to put a smile on her face. While practicing with her Abilities over the last six days, she'd noticed that although she needed to remain concentrated for the whole duration she was using [Onomancy] on its own, she could queue songs into the node like a karaoke machine. This freed her attention and allowed her to use [Onomancy] to add effects to her singing on the fly.
"I want to thank you all for taking me in when I was alone. I have a song from very far away that I believe you can all relate to right now. This song represents the glimmer of hope one sees after getting over difficult times."
The node started playing the bass line to " I Can See Clearly Now" and Arctic tentatively started getting in sync with the rhythm as Emi began to sing.
Damn....! Is that really me singing?
Emi had always been fairly talented when it came to singing, but she had never put in enough structured practice in her previous life. Between learning how to play different instruments, how to compose music on the pc, how to do audio post-production, and how to work recording and broadcasting equipment, Emi hadn't had a lot of time left to take proper lessons under a vocal coach. She had a good ear and a lot of musical knowledge, that made up for a lot of the training which she didn't have, but some of her soloist friends had put her to shame. Now though? Emi sang with a voice that she might have maybe achieved had she given up all those other skills and concentrated on singing alone. She was amazed by the sounds coming out of her, but that was nothing compared to the reaction of the tribe.
[Communicative Intent] was functioning at full force, the meaning of her song was clearly translated, and one the new Abilities she had gotten from reaching level two was working overtime. [Share my joys, Share my pains] allowed Emi to project her current emotional state and induce it in willing targets. Although Emi had never been as good at some when it came to singing, or playing any one specific instrument, there was one thing that she had always excelled at. Emi knew how to truly feel her music. She would let herself get swept by the emotions that the music was creating within her and let that trance-like state enhance her performance. She wasn't at her technical best during those moments, but her performances felt more real, more heartfelt than many of her more skillful peers. Now though, she had the best of both worlds, and the crowd was caught in the emotional current with her.
---
So much for dancing...
Emi had lost sight of her original plan and followed " I Can See Clearly Now" by a couple songs that Phill Collins had written and performed for a Disney movie. At some point, she noticed that her energy was starting to run low and decided to finish the evening with the three songs she'd thought of earlier. While her version of "Country Roads"; "Forest Roads", and the unchanged "Save Tonight" had been popular with the crowd, her last song was the biggest hit. "Furusato" was a song that nearly every single Japanese person had learned as a child, and it was the one Emi had the strongest emotional attachment to. As she sang the song, she remembered scenes from her childhood. When her mother was still alive and her father had yet to escape from reality by burying himself into work. Back when her maternal grandparents had still been alive and well in a small village deep in the mountains of Izu. The carefree happiness she had felt then, and the knowledge that it was doomed to remain nothing but a distant memory, had mixed and turned into a bittersweet feeling that traveled through the crowd. Arctic had needed to stop playing before the song was over because his tears were getting in the way, forcing him to wipe his face more and more frequently.
After Emi finished her performance, the tribe of sniffling monkeys made their way to their respective cabins and turned in for the night.
"Big sis, I'm going to spend the night with the other young ones since I won't be seeing them for a long time. Thank you for the songs. The truth is I was happy about leaving because I don't have many good memories in the tribe, but thanks to tonight, I'll have at least one great memory to make me wanna come back someday. Goodnight."
Emi patted Arctic on the head and sent him on his way before heading back with Majusculus.
"There is a lot we could still talk about, and a lot of questions I'd like to ask about your old world, but the hour is getting late and you are starting a long journey tomorrow. You should turn in for the night, I still need to finish writing the letters, but I won't be long either."
"Sure, but I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all you have done for me. I was lost and alone in this confusing world and although I can be a handful at times, and that I caused a bit of a mess, you and Arctic still helped me out. You are even accepting me in your family without asking for anything in return. While I'm on my adventure with Arctic, I will keep an eye out for any information I can find that might help you transition to a full spirit beast. I can't promise I'll find anything, but if I do I will send you word immediately."
Majusculus looked away from Emi so that she couldn't see his face anymore and replied.
"You really are intent on making a grown monkey cry, aren't you? I appreciate your feelings, but you earned a spot in this tribe. Not only did you help us out of a tricky situation, but you also made me realize how much I was missing. What is the point of living hundreds of years if I don't go about actually living? Also, you are the one who accepted taking care of my grandchild without asking for anything in return, so I am the one who owes you thanks."
A young owl and an old monkey walked side by side in silence, looking away from each other to hide the tears that were streaming down their faces, both underestimating how much what they had done meant for the other.
After splitting from Majusculus, Emi decided that a short stroll would help with her digestion and headed back toward the center of the village.
*scritch*
"Show yourself, I know you are following me!"
Emi spun her head until it faced directly behind her. One of the younger adult monkeys, who looked like they had just recently come of age, smiled at Emi with a toothy grin. He started sloppily performing a series of signs and all sense of urgency left Emi as fast as it had come.
"After-Party? Secret stash of booze? Show me the way!"
As they say, old habits die hard. It turns out that even dying at a party had not sufficed to make Emi change her ways. As she was oft to do, she would regret her decision in the morning, but that was tomorrow's Emi's problem.