One Conductor, No Train

Posted on Tue Feb 7th, 2023 @ 2:37am by Anthony De Luca & Rebecca McMillen
Edited on on Tue Feb 7th, 2023 @ 2:42am

1,338 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: 1. Year One
Location: Ridgehaven Manor - Foyer and Parlor
Timeline: Friday August 28, 1992

Rebecca had set up a folding table in the foyer to house her folder pile and paperwork. While the Doc was busy setting up the fundamentals and the back office, she took it upon herself to meet and greet the new additions to the facility. Eventually she'd probably be there to meet and greet the students and parents, but at the moment, meeting the new additions meant the other teachers and faculty.

Between the two of them, Rebecca felt that she was less imposing than someone in a lab coat. She didn't mind, honestly. She took a look at the stack of folders waiting for her, and checked her watch. The folder she had next to consider had the name Anthony on it, and that folder had nothing else in it aside from a piece of paper with his name and a picture of what to expect.

Anthony opens the door to the manor, still looking at the letter he received making sure he was at the right place. He stops when he saw the light pattern of something breathing. No not something, someone, but he could swear there was an undertone that seems like the breath of a small animal. He put the letter back in his pocket and sees the girl across from him, behind the table.

"Hello there, is this Ridgehaven Manor? I got this letter invited me to be a Music Teacher?" He looks puzzled as he said that, still not really believing someone would invite him to be a teacher of anything.

Rebecca seemed to be in the middle of standing when he came in, and she gave a smile, "Oh, yes. Sorry I was hoping to meet you at the door." she admitted, "And yes, this is Ridgehaven Manor. My name's Rebecca, and yes we're looking for a music teacher." she walked around the table to offer him a hand. "Glad to see you found the place alright."

He shook her hand, looking her over curiously. "Yeah, it was a bit of a walk, but I am used too that. Before we go any further though, how did you all even know who I am? let alone find me?" His eyes traveled past her, looking around the manor as the sound echoed ever so slightly throughout, seeing the layout in sound.

"That's more a question for Doctor Drake. He's the one with the contacts and connections to find people. He found me, and while I'm decent at finding things, finding *people* isn't exactly my specialty." she offered. "The Doc is handing some back office maintenance at the moment, he wanted me to just meet folks, look cute and wave." she said with a giggle, looking cute and essentially just saying hi.

"Coffee?" she offered. "And yeah any questions or concerns please, please just lemme know."

"Coffee? Yes please." He smiles, seeing her voice carried a genuine welcoming intention. "Anyone ever tell you that you have an adorable little squeek to your voice? It's subtle, but very adorable" He took off his sunglasses, revealing his deep jade green eyes.

Rebecca paused, and blushed. "Oh, umm, no but, th... thank you." she flustered a bit at the compliment. "But, coffee yes. T.. this way." she was going to be blushing the whole time. She almost couldn't even look at him as she lead him to the other room. As she started to lead him, her thin mousey tail unfurled from around her waist and started to swish swish gently behind her as she guided him. "So, umm, how do you like your coffee?" she offered as she poured two mugs. Once for her, cause she needed it.

Anthony breathes a sigh of relief seeing the tail. "Two sugars and cream. I like the caffeine, but it's typically too bitter other wise". He looked at her tail "So, this place is for people who are different and not a trap?" He said half joking.

She didn't notice him looking. Or she didn't obviously notice him looking. "Got it, two poison packets and the mind control drug." she offered a smirk over her shoulder, then looked down, "Oh, oh ummm..." she blushed again.

"Yeah, this is a place for folks who are different. And golly I hope it isn't a trap cause I'm right here too." she responded. Her tail, now noticed and free, just kept slowly swishing and swaying as she moved. "I'm pretty sure if I came right out and said 'Welcome to Ridgehaven Manor, we are not a trap' that's kinda exactly what a trap would say."

She giggled, handing him his coffee. "Here you are. One coffee, two sugars, and cream."

"Thank you. And as I am not hearing any grinding gears, or the sound of rapid foot steps I think your right. And your heart is... well it's beating a bit fast. Are you alright?" He knew she must be a bit embarrassed by his squeek remark, but still wanted to test her reaction.

"You can tell that?" she questioned, "The heart thing, not the grinding gears bit. Not a robot, just kinda caught a bit off guard with, well..."

"You called me cute." a pause, "I mean, the squeak. You called a squeak cute." she scratched the back of her head gently. Now very much caught off guard.

"Oh I definitely can tell, in a nice quiet place like this I can perceive all sorts of sounds. And your about as cute as your squeek" He takes a sip of his coffee. "So what's this doctor like?"

And with that, Rebecca sputtered into her coffee. A small coughing fit later, and a dab or nine of a napkin, and she was ready to... No, no she was not ready. Still flustered, still off guard, heart racing. "Oh, ummm, um I mean, I mean thank you. Thank you? Yes, thank you. I... thank you." fluster fluster fluster. That squeak of her's was a little harder to hide now. "So, audiology perception. That's... that's very interesting. I mean, I hope you don't mind me saying."

She tucked a bit of hair behind an ear. "I... my hearing is a bit better than most folks. Nothing crazy but, high and low enough to hear, well... I have the range of hearing of a mouse, plus a person. Plus a little bit extra. Nothing like bat sonar, but yeah it's a bit better." she paused, "From the sounds of it, nothing like yours."

Anthony sighs and shakes his head. "I wish it wasn't sometimes. To be honest, I don't actually hear anything. I am deaf. I precieve sounds visually and I still somehow understand them. Not entirely sure how that works, but it does. It gets pretty intense sometimes" He states putting his sun glasses back on "These help, but it dulls out the softer sounds"

"That's..." she paused for a moment, and then just took a breath. "That's an amazing adaptation. And a clever use of shades to keep from damaging your .... your hearing? Your vision?" she questioned, rhetorically.

"Well, I suppose fair is fair, you shared. So I should at least do the same. I can talk to mice and rats." she offered. "And not like squeaky squeak squeaken squeaker or whatever. I can talk to them, like this here, meaningfully. They squeak back to me, and it makes sense."

She took a deep breath, "Icanalsoshrinktothesizeofamouse moving on oh the doctor he's a great guy visionary wonderful put the whole place together I hope you get to meet him which you will cause he wants to meet all the faculty together!" she blurted out, hardly having room to breathe.

"That was very rapid" pausing to process "I think maybe decaf is the way to go for you" He says with a smirk. "Let's just sit, relax and have our coffee, I am sure we will have plenty of time to get to know each other"

"Decaf is for quitters." she said, muttered half into her mug as she leaned against the counter.

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