muse: the swans swim so bonny o

[coronaviridae]

remliel and I keep ourselves adequately amused, late at night. As, apparently, do Abernathy and Prismatic Spider.


[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy can be heard, singing softly, over the relative nighttime silence of the broadband channel. o/~ A farmer who lived in the north country // a hey ho a bonny o // he had daughters, one, two, three // the swan swims so bonny o ... o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider intones back in a similarly soft voice. O/~ "These daughters they walked by the river's brim // a hey ho bonny o // The eldest pushed the youngest in // The swans swim so bonny o ... o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy sings back, unfazed: o/~ Sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand // with a hey ho bonny o // And I will give you house and land // The swans swim so bonny o ... o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider continues on: o/~ "I'll give you neither hand nor glove // with a hey ho a bonny o // Unless you give me your own true love // the swans swim so bonny o ..." o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Ricochet transmits, "...you two frighten me."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Daryn says, as if affronted, "My....My schtick..."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy begins the third verse with a certain wry humor in his tenor voice, o/~ "Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam // with a hey ho a bonny o // Until she came to a miller's dam // the swans swim so bonny o ... " o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider 's voice is tinged with a slight amusement itself: o/~ "The miller's daughter, dressed in red // with a hey ho and a bonny o // She went for some water to make some bread // the swans swim so bonny o..." o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy's voice has gone plaintive now, mimicking the 'singer' of the next verse. o/~ "Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan // with a hey ho and a bonny o // It's very like a gentle woman // the swans swim so bonny o ... " o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Deceptor Raccoon sounds like a middle-aged Jamaican woman..? "Good evening chile! I read da cahds for ya tahnight!" *flip flip* "De cahds tell me yoo gonna start a new career real soon!"

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider ignores the revived ghost of Miss Cleo, continuing on with the song: o/~ "They placed her on the bank to dry // with a hey ho and a bonny o // There came a harper passing by // the swans swim so bonny o..." o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Deceptor Raccoon *flip flip* "Ooh, de Three of Swords. Yoo gonna strike rich, chile!" *flip flip* "...Ooooh. De death cahd." *flip* "Coupled with da Two of Ones. T'ings looking real bad, chile."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy has been idly strumming a guitar, following the melody of the song, this whole time. Not enough to drown out other radio antics, but it provides the bridges between his stanzas and Prism's response. His turn: o/~ "He made harp pins of her fingers fair // with a hey ho and a bonny o // He made harp strings of her golden hair // the swans swim so bonny o ... " o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Daryn transmits, "Didn't peg yah as the type to sing'n'play over the radio itself, eh? Heh, told ya, told ya."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider continues singing as the guitar fades back, the Spider's voice moving to the forefront once more. o/~ "He made a harp of her breast bone // with a hey ho and a bonny o // And straight it began to play alone // the swans swim so bonny o..." o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy picks up on the guitar again as Spider's voice fades away, before starting into the next verse, voice subdued: o/~ "He brought it to her father's hall // with a hey ho and a bonny o // And there was the court, assembled all // the swans swim so bonny o ... " o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Daryn transmits, "Definately didn't peg the Spidey as one, guess he can't be half bad if he can sing."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider intones as well, voice counterpointing Abernathy's as he sings. o/~ "He laid the harp upon a stone // with a hey ho and a bonny o // And straight it began to play lone // the swans swim so bonny o" o/~

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy quiets the constant guitar line down a measure, taking the melodic thread from Prism deftly as he begins the final verse: o/~ "There doth sit my father the king // with a hey ho and a bonny o // And there doth sit my mother the queen // the swans swim so bonny o" o/~ Instead of trading this next line to the Repliforce commander, however, he takes the harmony of the final stanzas, voice softer and almost dissonant.

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider sings on in an eerie, dissonant duet with Abernathy as he continues the melody of the verse: o/~ " And there does sit my brother Hugh // with a hey ho and a bonny o // And by him William, sweet and true // the swans swim so bonny o // And there does sit my false sister, Anne // with a hey ho and a bonny o // Who drowned me for the sake of a man..." o/~ At this, his own voice fades away, allowing Abernathy to finish.

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy sings out the last line, voice clear and true: o/~ "The swans swim so bonny, o!" o/~ He holds the last note a whole measure, crescendo to decrescendo -- and from there, it's all guitar.

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy continues to play a half-minute longer, allowing the melody to fade out of its own accord. Finally, he transmits -- speaking normally now, "Thank you, commander."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider transmits, "You're welcome, Director. It was an unexpected opportunity."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy's voice is wry. "Indeed. I was surprised that anyone else actually knew that particular song."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider transmits, "Music helps to pass the time during research. I've built up quite the library of music, old and new."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy laughs, softly, without humor. "I'm not particularly surprised. You have a pleasant voice, as well."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Prismatic Spider transmits, "I'm lucky enough to have been given a well-made voicebox. The use of it in performance takes practice, but I am thankful I can manage enough to sing a little song over the radio."

[Radio] Prismatic Spider sends you a tightbeam radio transmission: "It is time for rest... Farewell, Director. Pleasant dreams."
[Radio] You send Prismatic Spider a direct message: "Goodnight, commander. Take care of yourself and Repliforce."

[Radio: (C) Globalcrack] Abernathy transmits, "Hmph. 'Little', indeed." He then falls quite silent.


muse