Flight of the Bumblebee

In addition to playing their instruments, each member of SASO had a very specific role to play in the orchestra's tapestry of personalities.

Minoth, for example, was assigned point person for intercepting Vandham's inane questions (these ranged from reasonable queries about the starting rehearsal letter, because his hearing was going, to correcting the conductor when he sang an incorrect pitch or asking where the cutoff was for a note the basses didn't play anywhere near - really, Minoth's job was to keep his standmate from announcing things that didn't need to be announced, dragging the entire rehearsal down just beyond the line of levity in the process).

Zettar, as concertmaster, sucked up to the conductor with a facility his playing would certainly benefit from sharing. The rest of the first violins were silent, Azurda acted a perfect old hand with real professional rapport, and Akhos was surprisingly studious - and prepared! - for all his bravado. Cellos, headed by Aegaeon, held down the part, but no more.

So Minoth largely ignored his fellow strings, knowing that the winds held the main body of them in a certain sort of resigned contempt. Though Khanoro wasn't the most inspired nor inspiring leader, shaky strings trashed the best interpretation.

Those back four rows were where things got interesting. The trumpets clowned under lesser leadership, but here they held firm. Trombones? Home to some real nutcases, so hit or miss.

Horns were a solid mix of nice people and solid players - couldn't get better than Lora's tone, noble with a real core to it. A fellow named Bolearis was subbing in on assistant principal, and she actually let him play, because she wasn't insecure like some principal horns Minoth had seen.

(Pneuma's intonation bested Brighid's by miles, but politics were politics. Thus: they tuned sour.)

Depending on the composer, clarinet-bassoon duos could be the most common color, or they could be sidelined in favor of the flute-bassoon mixture, which Minoth had to admit was a sweet sound. Jin's impeccable pitch pulled other players to match to him, not the other way around, but hey, if it worked, it worked!

There was no sweeter way to doze through a long, aimless rest than listening to Addam and Flora wind out a phrase together, though. She kept the whole orchestra tied together, musically and administratively, and he supported her just as almost-perfectly as he could. Eyebrows up, glanced to each other, and a shared smile Minoth couldn't help but match. No need for words. It just locked. Every. Single. Time.

Now if they could only have a whole string section full of players like that...

If only Minoth could get up the courage to tell them what he thought, and how he felt, to boot.