Ethereal Orchestration [Milton/Irvine]

When Irvine came to Junction, he discovered something amazing. A lot of amazing somethings, even. At least, to him. Lights he could smother without a thought, machinery that could do such wonderful things...and in this instance, physics.
The sciences back home were never quite like here. It was more like what these people would call spiritualism, or something else along those lines. When ghosts did everything, then you worked with ghosts.
These people used tech to understand the universe. They'd come up with all sorts of approaches, made many observations, one of which he was making good use of now.

It was hard, teaching the dead science.
But when you found out that sound was just the motion of the air? And when you knew a lot of spirits had both the means and desire to give themselves a voice in the world of the living?
Well...you were going to take advantage of that.


Irvine sat by the Toha commercial centre as the sound of his latest effort in introducing madness to the world sounded out through the streets, telling the many confused passersby that what they were hearing was the official theme of Toha Heavy Industries.
Released just three days ago, don't you know. They were rolling it out on a new experimental speaker system.
Yeah, that's why they couldn't find the source of the music. Clever, huh?
If Irvine didn't know better, he'd think it were coming from thin air...everyone else certainly did.

Among the masses that stood bewildered by the tunes that came from an unseen source, Milton was making his rounds of the stands as well. Both he and Anni were being sent out along with the other working Mekor models to finish a few errands for the crew working in the labs. In Milton's case, the doctor was feeling a tad hungry with her secret mini-fridge of drinks and treats starting to run dry, so he would be tasked with getting her snacks. She was nice to him and treated him like a human, sure, but there were obviously some days where she'd simply use Milton to perform a task she couldn't be bothered to do herself. One of her 'lazy days' had come around today, coincidentally.

Milton stopped for a moment as he too heard the melody ringing out in the commercial center. Normally his ears were tuned enough to tell where the sound was coming from, but this instance suggested the music was humming from all around him, hanging in the air as this invisible mass of melodies. That's when Milton noticed a familiar face informing the people of the tune that was playing. He made his way swiftly through the crowd, people shifting out of his way as his scarf tails fluttered behind him. Then the two could meet face to face.

Irvine grinned wide as he saw Milton approaching from his seat by the commercial centre. This could be fun.
Time to see how long til he twigged onto his bullshit.
"Hey there! Been going fine Milton. Good food, good customers, and only one set of assholes we've had to toss out on their asses. Speaking of which, of you had Luractican Cream before? Place that sells it's opened back up, and even I have to admit, the stuff's delicious. If Ally had her way, we'd be ordering massive batches under the pretence of serving it up just for her to gorge on."

Irvine laughs, wagging a finger. "But that's not what you asked, is it? Nah." He rest the arm back on the bench. "Toha's been rolling out some experimental sound system. It's what you're hearing now. Hell, the song's the new official theme for them - and hell if they don't have a sense of humour if they're representing themselves with this!"

Alright, stage set. Let's see what happens.

Milton didn't have that much of a reason to distrust Irvine due to his initial experiences with him. but there wasn't something right about the discussion. Everyone else in the plaza seemed just as confused on where the music was coming from and why it played such an odd tune as the person beside them, yet Irvine seemed fully informed on the situation. Best to try probing for more details.

"Luractican Cream? I'll be sure to grab some, then. If it's anything like Nanab, Ms. Klein would love to have some. Anyways, something seems off about that explanation. Has Toha not informed anyone else about this development? I don't see any official explaining the unrest in the community. Where did you hear about this system anyways? Do you know how it works? It seems like the sound is coming from thin air... just hanging in the middle of the air."

Clever boy! He didn't just eat it up automatically. But still - the game wasn't over yet. "I'm sure people in the company know, but since they haven't informed anyone else yet, I'm figuring they're not making any announcement so they can gauge reactions. Enough shit happens here that they can call it off if they don't like the result, and people will brush it off as the typical Junction insanity. It's stupid corporate bullshit, but that's how it goes when you run an economy - the rules are yours to play with."
"Tch."
A contemptuous sneer develops. Yeah, this was just a harmless prank on his part this time, but the sentiment of what was saying was entirely genuine. "People do all sorts of crap if they think they can get away with it. No regard to other people except what they can get from them."

Quick as it came, it was gone, and he was back to normal. "Anyway - got a few friends who get about. I only know because if them." He shrugs. Technically true. "They passed it onto me, and I figured folks should know."
He looks around. "Interesting stuff, huh? If I remember right, there's a bunch of tiny machines in the air. I can't see 'em, but...well, you're hearing them, aren't ya?"

This was starting to become a more confusing explanation as time went on. Irvine still seemed way too informed on the matter to just gather this info from hearsay. Just to add to the uncertainty of Irvine's truthfulness, there was this underlying attitude to Irvine's explanations that was setting Milton's psychology experience off. Was Irvine purposefully lying to him?

"I'd say their reactions are plenty obvious to see; plenty of them are concerned and confused by this rather unfitting music blaring in the air. Plus, that evaluation of people... I can't stand by that. It just sounds so broad, so implanted... like you've been hurt before by the very people you're talking about. I don't know how much you intend on lying to me, but I'm going to take you at your word until I can prove otherwise. I don't detect any machines in the air though... who told you about them, exactly?"

"...you know, last I knew it wasn't polite to go around trying to psychoanalyse  people. I hope you don't do that to everyone you meet." There's more of a chill to his disposition. "Especially if you have any idea what you're doing. People's minds aren't yours to pry into as is convenient." Irvine's gaze cuts into Milton...

Only to lose its edge completely in the literal blink of an eye. "And how come you assume I'm lying? Ye of lit-tle faith! You wanna meet one of the folks who tells me this stuff, you got it! Meet Montgomery!"
As Irvine grins, the ground behind Milton shifts and warps as a skeleton rises from it, made of the same stuff as the very ground. Once it has fully emerged, it reaches down into the ground once more, and pulls out a top hat which it deftly puts on.
By the end, the ground looks no different than at the started of the process, save a miniscule difference in level invisible to the ordinary eye.

Irvine quickly looks left and right, before leaning in with his hand by his mouth in a blatant stage whisper. "Now between you and me, he's a little sensitive about his communication abilities, so be nice, alright? He can't talk any more and he never learned how to read. Working with him's been tough, but we manage."
He leans back again, hands behind his head with a smirk on his face. "So, that's Montgomery! Montgomery, meet Milton. Hope you two get along!"

Irvine's eyes drift upward idly as he makes a show of relaxing, clicking his tongue. "So...not to pry or anything, but how do you know there's nothing in the air? I can't really check myself, don't have the abilities you need to check for microscopic things in the air, but you seem pretty sure."

Irvine's gaze could cut into Milton's vision all he desired, but they would only be met with a neutral stare. Though his body remained fairly still as Irvine lectured him on his psychoanalysis, something behind his gaze indicated he was listening to every word. Who was he to tell him how to do his job? Being impolite? Prying into his mind? Milton didn't need to concern himself with either. He knew what he heard, and there was a good reason he thought that way. Milton's brows slanted down into an angered glare as he stepped forward.

"There was no need to pry for that observation. If you don't like what you hear, watch what you say. I only gained this observation because you think messing with me is funny. Besides, it's my job to learn how to pick up on details like this."

Just as Irvine grinned, something was alerting Milton's proximity sensors, the skin on the back of his neck rippling as the skeleton rose behind him. Milton quickly whipped around to face the boned being standing too close for comfort. His hand was at his side as if to pull out a gun, the purple flaring aura of Phobetor residing in Milton's gaze as he identifies the new arrival. Depending on Irvine's observation ability, the seated ghost whisperer may note an unnatural gleam to Milton's skin, part of the skin on his fingers unraveling for a moment before realizing the skeleton was not a threat. But there was definitely a new sound in the area; there was a light yet noticeable vrrrrrrr noise emanating from Milton as he spoke.

"What the- a skeleton? Where did he come from?! Montgomery, is it? How is it you can talk to a creature incapable of speech or reading? Sign language? A form of transmission mentally?

How do I know? Consider it an instinct of mine. Let's just say I have good ears. There's something in the air, but it's far from any form of machine I've had experience with. Electricity has a bit of a whine to it when there's plenty of machines around, and that's not what I'm hearing. Unless you can think of a better reason I know, that's all you're getting."

"You know, 'It was easy' isn't a particularly great response in this situation. Nor is telling me it's your job, either. I just said being trained makes it worse, because now you're using professional skills you have a duty to be responsible with to uncover sensitive details on unconsenting subjects."
"Really, all of this is rather telling, if you really want to keep playing this game. Keep it up, as you seem wont to do, and you'll go too far eventually. I hope you'll care when it happens."


Irvine tuts at Milton as he takes his combative stance. "Come on, that's no way to greet someone. Do you really think someone's going to attack you in front of the Toha Building? That takes a special kind of crazy." He sighs. "Chill, Shimmer. No need to attack my friends."

Irvine snickers as Milton starts actually talking. "You weren't paying attention? Floor behind you. It's not like he did it that quickly."
Montgomery looks over to Irvine, and gestures with his arms as if to ask what Milton's problem is.
"Yeah, I know buddy. Crazy how people here freak over this stuff." He shrugs and looks back to Milton as Montgomery walks around to sit next to Irvine. "Anyway, as for talking to him, well, I talk normally, and he..." The sound of bones rattling sounds out. "Does that."

Irvine quirks a brow, and smirks. "Sure, that works. I mean, you'd know, what with all the noise you're making."

"Look, I can't help it! It's just natural for me to do that because I'm-!" Milton starts to argue against Irvine before stopping himself mid-sentence. Was he just about to say he was a robot? No, he wasn't a robot. he was a brain in a robot body. Totally different... wasn't it?

"Look, I just want a straight answer. No games, no prying. People are starting to get majorly weirded out... and I think I'm starting to feel a chill. If you tell me, I may be inclined to answer your questions in turn. Deal?"

With the initial adrenaline from the initial exposure to Montgomery, Milton decided to calm himself and address Montgomery as he should. Seeing his gentlemanly attire, Milton performed a simple bow and greeted the skeleton. "Nice to meet you then, Montgomery. Apologies for the freakout. The eyes in the back of my head do tend to be on a hair trigger. Still, how did you manage to bring him out from the ground? Irvine... do you have some sort of power over the deceased?"

The smirk only gets bigger as Milton starts blurting things out.

"Yes and no. It's all ghosts."
The volume of the music drops minutely as a sudden gust blows into Milton's face.
"Montgomery? Ghost, he made that body five minutes ago. The music? Ghosts. Couldn't do that before, but hey, what do you know? Science is a beautiful thing, especially when you teach it to air manipulating spectres. That's where that gust came from by the way." He looks over to Montgomery. "Monty here can't actually tell anything you're saying here - outside me and my lot, none of them can - but I do appreciate the greeting and apology. All these people here, and folks still freak over a skeleton."

Irvine relaxes into the bench. "That's the truth. You can have believable lies if you don't like it."

"Gh-ghosts?"
It was pretty hard for Milton to take in. The spirits of the departed were fueling this invisible musical choir? It seemed surreal to hear, having very little experiences with actual spirits to relate this to. Irvine somehow managed to control these spirits, even alluding to how his people could do the same. With the breeze blowing into his face, parts of it passing through his skin layer and brushing against his metallic body, Milton brushed it off and took a seat on the arm of the bench.

"Wow... You can control spirits? That's an incredible skill to utilize. I guess that explains part of the technology around your café. So, is this some kind of experiment into utilizing spirits to make music? I guess that would be tough to explain without some folks getting more cautious. Anyways, you told me as much of the truth as I can figure out. If there's anything you want to ask about me, I can answer that. You've probably figured something's abnormal about me, right?"

Irvine laughs openly. "Control? Naaah, I just talk to them. Can't actually make them do anything, but folks tend to be pretty cool after a while of being dead." He shrugs and tilts his head. "Besides...it's boring being dead. They had all sorts of ways to help out and keep busy back home, but here? There's tech for everything. There's barely even any spirits from here, so they can't even get some conversation there."
Irvine stretches out, locking his hands over his head and bringing them out in front of him before breaking them away from each other and leaning forward. "Call it what you like, but at the end of the day, it's entertainment for those sorely needing it before all else. Me included."

"Now..." He leans back, leaving a fading trail of shadows in the air behind his foot as he crosses one leg over the other. "What's going of, Shimmer? You started shining when Monty showed up, you skin was coming off a moment, and you were about to blurt out that you can't help buzzing before you stopped yourself. I'm not half curious what's going on there."

"I guess I understand. Still, the idea of the dead actually having a presence you can interact with... it's not one I'm all familiar with. Do the dead not move on to a plane of afterlife in your culture?" Milton replies with a curious nod. "Being dead would be rather dull without being remembered. I wish I could talk to the dead!"

Much to Milton's expectation, Irvine noticed his mechanical vessel's actions and was curious about it. Milton got a bit more defensive in his stature, keeping his arms over his chest and standing a bit more straight. While he had silently wondered if he had actually peaked someone's curiosity with his condition, he was a bit worried about how Irvine would take it. Most people took it with a simple "Meh" if they even figured out, but maybe there would be more to this one...

"I didn't mean that buzzing sound when I mentioned something out of my control. I meant... well, it's better to just get the basic secret out."

With that, Milton held out his right hand pointed away from Irvine, rolling up his sleeve to expose his full arm. The vrrring sound grew slightly louder as the skin around Milton's arm seemed to unravel into hundreds of sparkling strings, exposing a dark metallic appendage of the same shape underneath. A bright circular light began to peak out from under Milton's clothing as he turned around to show his exposed arm.

"Nope. You think this is weird to you, imagine living your whole life with people from generations back floating around you just to come here and find the place basically barren. We didn't even have the idea of an afterlife the way everyone else thinks of it til we got here." He looks over to Montgomery, giving the skeleton a nod that it returns. "Pretty sure they'd appreciate it if you could talk to them too. You have no idea how hungry the deceased get for gossip."

Irvine looked back and raised an eyebrow as Milton pulled his sleeve back, and watched with fascination as his skin unravelled to reveal the metal below. "Damn...not sure what sure I expected with what this place is like, but I'm definitely not disappointed." There's a little glint to Irvine's eyes as he looks everything over, grinning wide. "Heard of stuff like this when I was learning about all the crazy things they have here, but I never got a chance to see it. All this tech everywhere to do everything you can think of, and then they tell you they've managed to hook it up to people. Man...really have to wonder how people figured this stuff out, sometimes. Who knows what else they could do if they tried?"