Voice

[foundafamily]

Is anybody here a fan of Poe? I got this in my locker last jump:

[There's the sound of a paper rustling. Firo clears his throat.]

"Thy soul shall find itself alone
‘Mid dark thoughts of the gray tombstone;
Not one, of all the crowd, to pry
Into thine hour of secrecy..."

[He continues to read, impatiently speeding up at the end so the lines of the last stanza run together.]

To be honest, I never really got the end back when my friend used to read it. But it’s creepy, isn’t it? Really suits this place.

What I'm wonderin' about is if it's supposed to be some sortta threat or message. 'Cause just comin' out and sayin' it would be too easy, right?

Comments

voice

[gardienne]

I do not know of a 'Poe', Monsieur... but those are such lovely words. Lovely and lonely all at once. Is it a story, Sir? Will you read more? Does the man find solace?

voice

[foundafamily]

It's not exactly a story, it's a poem. So that's... sorta where it ends, I think. But the guy's written other poems that are sorta like it.

[He doesn't dislike the stuff, but after hearing a few of the poems from Luck they sort of blend together for him.]

I gotta ask, what exactly do you find "lovely" about it?

Re: voice

[gardienne]

A poem... yes, yes, of course a poem. I like that it is short - it is easier to read. But only it makes you wonder what becomes of the man talking. Do you not find it peaceful, though, Sir? It makes me feel heavy, as if I could sleep forever and have some of the quiet it says. I would like quiet where I am not alone. Often I wandered Paris at night when I was alone - but I had to imagine a companion. It would be nice to just have it. To be with the dead. It would be quiet, I think, and sometimes I have been so tired.

[She finds it hard to explain, really. But it sort of encapsulates a lot of what she has felt in her life, in a way that Eponine could never express herself. And it comforts her to think that she is not the only unhappy soul in the world. This Poe almost feels like a friend to her.]

voice

[foundafamily]

I prefer, well, company who's alive. You don't get much meaningful conversation out of a dead guy.

Is it really that lonely where you're from?

[The way she talks about it doesn't convince him any more of the poem being pleasant, but he is thinking that she must be pretty sad. Really, he doesn't even know the half of it.]

Re: voice

[gardienne]

But it is nice to think up your own conversations. I talk to myself to make people say as I wish them to - but perhaps the dead would listen to me. There are lots of people where I am from, Sir. I am from Paris. But people do not listen to women like me. Sometimes I think it would be nice to be in a place with people who wish to talk to me. I would like the stars - but I like your poem, Sir. Do you truly not like it?

Video

[invis]

Do you have the one about the raven?

Video

[foundafamily]

Nah, I just got this one all by itself. Is that one your favorite?

Video

[invis]

Yes. It's in one of my favorite Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons.

Video

[foundafamily]

...Treehouses never seemed very scary to me.

[And he's never heard of The Simpsons, but the kid did say "episodes" and Firo doesn't even know what serials they're playing now.]

Never heard of it. Is that on the radio?

Video

[invis]

That's the name of their Halloween specials. It's an animated television program. Are you from before that time?

[jilt]

Are you an admirer of Poe?

[foundafamily]

Not especially, but I guess he's all right. My friend is; he could probably say half of his stuff just from memory.

[That's something of an exaggeration, but Luck is a genius.]

[jilt]

Is he aboard?

[foundafamily]

Not as far as I know, and we woulda' found each other by now if he was here.

It's good, I guess. Who'd wanna drag their friends into a place like this?

[jilt]

You'd be surprised.

[ though it's selfish to want, but irene's a selfish creature by nature. ]

Do you have any takers for the book?

video;

[lastisocorn]

[Quorra listens carefully to the reading. It's familiar to her, as is the majority of Poe's work.]

I did not like Poe's poetry as much as his stories. The Cask of Amontillado was much more exciting, don't you think? [SMILE.] And suitable, too, since we're all trapped here.

video;

[foundafamily]

Isn't that the one where the guy bricks up his "friend"? ...You think that's excitin'?

[lastisocorn]

Well, it's not a great adventure like my favorite books, but it's pretty thrilling all the same! Poe wrote stories that keep you up at night. Isn't that a kind of excitement?

[foundafamily]

[He laughs.]

I thought that'd more be called "terrifying", but whatever suits you.

What're your favorites?

[lastisocorn]

[Promptly--]

Jules Verne! Anything by him. Or anyone like him. But he was the best.

voice;

[makalaure]

Poetry...

[ Maglor likes poetry and song, but the things humans write about and the things they focus on are much different than much of what elves write about, and it interests him greatly. ]

Is 'Poe' the author? I think I would like to hear or read more...

voice;

[foundafamily]

Yeah, Edgar Allen Poe. You've never heard of him?

[He knows it's possible and even likely considering there are so many people from different worlds. It's still a strange thought for him.]

Glad you liked it. Unfortunately, this is all I got... I'm not sure how much I'd know off the top of my head.

voice;

[makalaure]

No. I know of no such person, but I am told we come from many different times and places here so that may account for that.

Ah... is there any library here that may have more? Or does this ship carry only limited records?

voice;

[foundafamily]

Yeah, probably. It's just weird to think about, you know?

I don't think the ship's library has anything like this. It's not like the libraries we have back home--there aren't any real books.

voice;

[makalaure]

[ A library without books? ]

Scrolls then? Or is it full of things like these devices we are speaking on?