The four of them had spent time going over some of the documentation that was recovered from the factory, searching for anything useful for their new ideas. By mid-afternoon, they finally approached the smith to go over everything in detail.
"You all do realize how crazy this whole thing sounds, right? Making strange instruments never seen before out of Fortress-style stuff. Instruments typically need to be very well tuned, or they would sound like garbage. Practically nothing we have on the fortress is even useful for anything like this, they've cared about things more practical than music." The smith came back at them right away with the bad news.
The smith looked over all of them suddenly feeling defeated and sighed. "You're really lucky I specialized in wood working before coming out here. It's not like I'm ignorant to how a bunch of musical stuff is made, but if you're going to be using your 'Terran' ambitions in this, keep in mind that the best we can do is something from before my Fortress days. It has to be that simple, or it's not going to happen. From there, maybe we can reinforce it a bit with Fortress metals, if we can make sure it has the right effect. Qheria's shield should show you at least that I'm familiar with how that metal can ring." The smith still didn't really like this idea. It just didn't seem practical enough, making musical toys when there was more important jobs at hand. Well, the more important jobs were still the four girl's ideas too. Ideas came from somewhere, maybe this would help.
Thanrie was first to speak up at this. "That's fair. Yes, so.. considering the norm around here and the familiarity of instruments most of the others would have, I can see a standard drum set is probably a good place to start. The main parts are similar enough to percussion instruments around here, for the main drum. A hallow barrel, wooden felt mix probably, would be fairly similar to the normal. We could try and setup the pedal, it shouldn't take much for special design. Snares would be fairly similar, depending on what we have on hand. Could maybe even go with a slightly Japanese-styled drum, without much difficulty. The cymbals.. I don't think those exist yet, but I can certainly tell you that we easily have the material required for it already." Thanrie was considering a standard three-piece drum set for herself, with maybe some added pieces for audio variations. If they were lucky, she might even get a hi-hat.
Qheria was trying to reflect on what she knew of the Celesi musical scene. "I believe we have an assortment of string instruments. Most of what we have though.. it's more like harps and lutes, but rather than anything with a lighter sound, I was hoping for something a little more.. distinct. On Earth, it was called a Bass. Probably an acoustic bass, given what we have to work with. I'm more of a fan of using my own hands anyway, almost as much as my other memories. I wouldn't be against a double bass, but that might be too complicated, it's rather big." Qheria doubted she would have the materials for a standing instrument, plus such a thing might be harder to play. The lack of electrical parts made most of this difficult.
Lwyn considered Qheria's statement, generally at a loss for musical norms. While instruments had passed through the Inn, she didn't get much opportunity to marvel at them. "Well, a string instrument could be cool. I've always loved the violin, maybe we could do that? It's like Qheria's idea, but a lot more simple. Though, we would have to come up with a violin bow.. that should be okay, right?" Lwyn's idea to use a bow made Thanrie cringe out of history. Still, it wasn't exactly like the kind of bow she used to use, and she was even now using a crossbow. The principles were based on the same concept used in both, so making such a tool shouldn't be overly ambitious. It would still be very new.
Mhyl pondered for a second, and then made her own attempt in English, after having been updated by Lwyn on things so far. "I've never actually seen any instruments in Celese. But on earth, I've always loved the piano. Can we do something like that?" Mhyl's idea almost had Thanrie slip from her chair. There was NOTHING simple, small, or easy about a piano. Also, nothing like it actually existed in all of Celese. Making it small would require electrical innovation. Making it otherwise would be a complex arrangement of hammers over some really complicated parts in what was effectively a larger box than the double bass Qheria had been hesitant about.
"Mhyl, uh.. I don't think we can do a piano. It's okay, your singing is awesome as is, lets just go with that, okay?" Lwyn had noticed Thanrie's reaction and was doing her best to lend comfort. Qheria's head was still spinning thinking about it. Mhyl pouted, she really wanted a piano. Still, there would be no helping it then, no one seemed to think it could happen. She reluctantly gave up on that idea, and just accepted Lwyn's suggestion.
Thanrie took a moment to consider their composition. Both humans had gone with low-note instruments, stuff familiar to their Terran counterparts. However, both elf-kinds would have a much higher note. The piano might have had a wider capacity, but Mhyl's singing itself was very much so on the high-side. A violin for Lwyn would also probably compliment that very well. In consideration of this, Qheria opting for an acoustic bass over a double bass might work out, it might be easier to have less contrast that way. Her drums would need to consider the same degree of compliment. She would have to learn a few new tricks, but in truth she didn't exactly have the same style of musical appreciation as her Terran-side. The deep notes didn't have as much thrill as they used to back there. It might have something to do with her own life having a much higher-pitch note this time, being female and everything. Qheria was actually considering the same thing, to a small degree. She did still prefer the bass in concept, however.
Lwyn caught on to the other two being lost in thought and sneaked up on them to give them a hug. "Well, this is a thing that happened. What kind of experience did you guys have with this stuff in the past?" "Well, we know I had a bit of a punk-side to myself over there, right? Rock, metal, it was sorta a thing. Not the main thing, but.. like now actually, it was a thing that brought the gang together sometimes." "Cadets, actually. Down-time had me do a lot of music. Remember how I never trusted my feet? I started using my hands to make up for it, music was something that was actually respected in that situation. Was originally more simply a guitar, but sorta shifted to bass when I got back home. Felt less.. center-stage that way. Still, it didn't last much out of cadets, unfortunately." Lwyn nodded at both Thanrie and Qheria's musical story. It all made sense, really.
"So what about you Lwyn, why the violin. Did you have lots of practice with it?" "Nope! Nothing I could remember. I remember listening to a lot of violin music, a ton of online stuff about violins. It was probably my favourite instrument, but I don't remember anything about getting into music itself. I mean, when I say 'a lot'.. it's still probably way less than you two. I just mean it was more than anything else I can think of. A flute might have been cute, but beyond blowing into a rod, I really don't know much about how it works. Violin was just the best answer." Thanrie was surprised at getting her question answered by Lwyn like this. Then she remembered that being surprised was actually probably rude. Lwyn remembered hardly anything about herself at all, this was probably the best she could do. An impulsive choice was concerning, but there was little else to do about it.
Mhyl meanwhile had been working with the smith a bit more directly about their ideas. Just like with weapons, she wouldn't be getting anything from him. However, she was actually really familiar with the Terran versions of all three instruments. She was lucky that there was an elven translator still present, who obviously didn't want to be there at that point, translating words with layers of English suddenly buried within it. Lwyn eventually noticed what was going on and switched in to help.
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Lwyn stepped in, only to notice that Mhyl had taken the initiative to express her own ideas in a drawing, something which she could actually share much more directly. Qheria and Thanrie suddenly caught wind of something going on in the silence and went to investigate. There, they caught Mhyl drawing all three instrument ideas, from multiple perspectives, each image clearly depicting various aspects of design, like a wordless blueprint. Thanrie realized that Mhyl was probably their most creative in the group. Singing, dancing, drawing.. how much more fine arts did this girl have? Then she realized that Mhyl also was their most critical and scientific. More than being creative, she was just good with all levels of smart.
Thanrie realized this might have been one thing she didn't compensate for when sparring with Mhyl. Mhyl was fast, agile, and smart. She just knew things, and used that knowledge to her advantage. It didn't mean she was good at making choices though, planning and process, even instinct and reflex, was much more Lwyn's thing. Actually making choices based upon an informed process, and being driven to follow through, that was Qheria. Thanrie however didn't realize that the one with the most prudent intuition was herself. None of them actually realized their own potential in these areas.
Once Mhyl had finished drawing, the smith looked over everything with an eye for detail. Nothing here was normal, but none of it was too far fetched. Would still take several days to make, though. Would be more, if he didn't get any help. The smith set the papers down. "Okay, so you four are obviously going to be helping me with this. Between this and your earlier project, there is quite a lot that needs to be done. It's became more too, since Rhyde found some of the documents had things he sorta really wanted. You'll be each one of my assistants in all of this. I'll be working you hard through this, but you'll get what you want from it. Sounds like a fair exchange?" The smith's offer sounded fair indeed. Right now, all four of them just wanted to stay safely at home. They had grown tired of endangering their lives as it was.
While their idea had a few metal parts, most of it was a wooden foundation, so they found all four of them quickly assigned to wood-working. Qheria was again sawing at wood, while Lwyn was back to shaping it's design. Thanrie however was deprived of her sheet metal, and instead found herself doing what was effectively sanding down pieces of wood. It wasn't exactly with sandpaper, but it was pretty close. Some kind of really rugged felt, sturdy in design but coarse in feeling, much like sandpaper. She had a feeling she knew what creature this felt came from, but didn't want to ask about it.
Mhyl was also no longer doing her old choir. She was left to handle painting, well actually more like wood finishing and protection. A coating that kept the wood sturdy. She might have enjoyed putting an artistic sense into patterns of design with paint, but this was still too soon for that. She was however once again singing. Instead of just coming up with words to things she felt, she was practicing songs she could remember from Earth, overall from a variety of languages and cultures. She was marvelling at how her singing voice was so much more effective at hitting notes than it was back on Earth. Certainly none of the others had complaints to share either, her singing was actually amazing and provided them some atmosphere to work with.
Mhyl stopped suddenly and unexpectedly. The others saw Chyurae there, who had paused and was enjoying the song. "That was a very pretty song, even if I don't know any of the words. You're a very good singer." Chyurae telling Mhyl this made her go scarlet, a reaction she didn't even have when the other girls had told her about the same thing earlier. They had known the words for her made up songs, but most of these were of languages none of them knew, even if some might have also been Japanese or German, or on the rare occasion English. "Thank you." Mhyl couldn't get her singing voice back after this, but managed to at least reply. Chyurae realized things were getting awkward and he still had work to do, so he went back to it.
All of them resumed work in otherwise silence. Thanrie considered that Mhyl's reaction to Chyurae like that was actually kinda adorable. Chyurae's treatment of Mhyl was so genuine. "Oh, hello ladies. AHH!!" Zyuixqs had finished another report and was just passing through, being an example for Thanrie's 'less genuine'. Thanrie had set her wood down and stood up, wielding the felt like a weapon. "Oh, actually, wow, Thanrie is smoothing wood. That's new." Zyuixqs could have imagined her breaking wood instead, but this was actually impressive. Thanrie was caught off guard, suddenly getting appreciation for own her work.
Zyuixqs picked up the wood and inspected it, realizing Thanrie had backed down. "Woah, this is actually very nicely done. To think you were working on something of this level of craftsmanship. I hope there is something I can do to help." Thanrie snatched it from him, going a bit reddish. "No, it's fine, we've got things under control. You have a lot of things to worry about, stop wasting your time around here and go get your own work done." Thanrie sent Zyuixqs back on his way, as she resumed her own work. She couldn't believe how much that guy could get in the way sometimes, the nerve of him. She was perfectly good at taking care of herself, usually, normally.. kinda. There was that time she had almost died and he had sacrificed so much for her, but.. that was different.
Lwyn and Qheria just kept working, despite all of the distractions. Qheria herself had run out of wood at that point and went off to get more. Lwyn set aside the piece she had finished and picked up another. Shadows and coattails, it's where she belonged. She didn't deserve anything more than that. She had a couple more pieces she wanted to finish before dinner, and after dinner there was that pump she was told to work on. That thing was a curiosity, obviously having everything water-powered, there were pumps everywhere. She even saw the watermill that kept things going, off at the river.
Water was so central to how things worked around here, something Mhyl probably didn't enjoy thinking about. Thanrie herself seemed to less enjoy times the neon-filament lights were used instead of even a simple candlelight, she found it really really creepy. The pump itself then was both, as it mixed both technologies to move either water or the filaments for lighting. The pump could probably pump air too, but no one had ever used it for that purpose before. They still had to work on something like that, in order for Mhyl's floating innovation to even happen. Too bad this world didn't just have helium sitting around.
Air pump technology however was built into most of their own tools. Thanrie and Qheria both had an air pump device, ones that promoted movement. However, buildings were far heavier than people, especially buildings full of people. She had a few things to consider over the evening on the subject.
Qheria herself was mostly calming herself down, very happy that everyone had accepted just staying behind. However, she was still worried about the work they were causing by staying behind. Over lunch, she had heard that their exploration teams had been reassigned. Everyone works under Rhyde now, she had been left to pile everything upon him. The Reavers were mostly full time scouts and patrols at this point, making sure their outer perimeter was safe. The Embers had been absorbed into many local tasks, most involving the Smith. Being skilled at melting down metals was only making everything easier, and Ehryinae had been enjoying scouring designs for ideas even the Arch-Magus had no way of understanding.
Ehryinae mostly was thinking forwards. If Lwyn took over, the Pillars would certainly be forced to change. There might even become a Pillar dedicated to this Fortress stuff.. this Terran stuff. It wasn't something that fit in with the gift, but it took almost as much ability to understand. She was also aware about potential language expectations in the future, but that was something that still remained farther than even she could deal with right now. Elaethyx was one thing, but even trying to pronounce anything as complicated as Terran languages remained inconceivable.
The smith simply continued with his seemingly endless pile of work. He was admittedly more occupied than he had ever been before, and that might not in whole be a bad thing. Some of his newest projects were honestly a wonder to behold. The bigger projects might not see much for a while still, but the smaller ones might at least give people hope in the potential the bigger projects might bring. He looked over the pictures Mhyl had made, still handy before him. These small projects could very easily bring in the confidence and reputation needed for everything to keep going. In fact, maybe he should see if Mhyl would be willing to draw more like this in the future, who knows what kind of new projects he would be able to work on with plans like these.
Everyone continued working until dinner, to then resume where they had left of afterwards. When night fell, everyone was satisfactorily tired after all they had accomplished that day.