makes her smile

chapter one

Marceline didn't typically hear music downtown. Sure, there was the occasional old guy with a guitar on that little public stage or some hipster playing at the coffee shop, but otherwise the little tourist town was empty of any noise- except, of course, that of the crowds pushing by. For tourists, they all seemed to be so rushed! Marceline had lived here for three years and still hadn't absorbed the beauty of the area.

It would've helped, of course, if she were able to focus on just one sound. Walking with her earbuds in could be distracting, but just eavesdropping on random strangers as they walked around wasn't very calming. Marceline just wished someone would start playing music or something where she could hear it.

And then someone did.

About a week into April, she started sitting on a park bench with her acoustic guitar, strumming the strings and hesitantly covering all types of songs, from Fall Out Boy to Taylor Swift. Marceline was pretty sure she was some kind of blessing sent from above, and, every time she passed the girl, she made sure to drop a few dollars in her guitar case. She wished there were some other way to support her (she always looked so tired, and Marceline knew what that was like), but with medical bills and rent, she didn't really have much money left over.

Halfway through June, Marceline was surprised to see the mystery musician still out there, playing her music in the park. She was amazed at the girl's voice. It had grown increasingly confident over all that time she'd spent playing publicly, and she looked so... Honest. She was singing Brief Candles by The Zombies when Marceline decided to approach her and try to talk to her. Almost every time she was downtown (a few times a week) since April, this girl had been out there singing. Did she have a job? Was she safe in a home?

At the end of the song, the girl sighed and leaned down to put her guitar up. Marceline stood, stepping over to the girl. "Hey. 'Sup?"

Wow, great job there. Totally a great introduction.

"Uh... What?" The girl looked up at Marceline, pushing a bit of fading blue hair behind her ear. "Sorry, am I bothering you?" Her speaking voice was strangely deadpan, not at all like her singing voice.

"What? No! It's just... I was wondering why you're out here playing music so often. I mean, it's cool, it's just kind of odd." Marceline laughed awkwardly.

"Oh. I just need to make some extra money until i can find a full time job, it's not a big deal." She had this look in her eyes that said, actually, it sort of was a big deal.

"Well, I was just wondering if you'd like to hang out some time. Maybe do a jam session? I sing too, and I play bass. My name is Marceline, what's yours?"

"I'm Lapis Lazuli. And I think that sounds amazing."