So Wanda says, when they're on their raids, that Kyle stays awake in the van, rather than come inside for whatever hotel they booked for the night, and I just had the thought of like, Wanda and Mel getting tired of Ian and Jared's unique brands of possesiveness and going out there to get away from them.
She let's herself in up front with the key, up moves to the back to sit with Kyle so no passers-by will see her and take note of her odd behavior.
Kyle asks what she's doing, but doesn't try to make her leave, or leave himself.
She says the boys are being annoying, and he laughs and says, "Wow, something we finally agree on."
And it's awkward at first, because, like, who'd have thought, Wanderer willingly being alone with Kyle, and Kyle like, not having anything he can really think to want to say to her.
But they sit there in,,, amicable silence. Maybe Kyle has some music on, an ipod hooked up to little speaker turned way down, and it's you know, idk, Kyle asks, mostly sarcastically if the soul in the artist body is still making music, and Wanderer probably doesn't know. But she says it wouldn't be anything like what's currently playing, and Kyle makes a comment about "they came for the music just like the came for the TV and movies. See, that's enthocide right there, Wanda. That's another reason why I hate you guys. You talk about trying to experience life on the planets you invade, but you get rid of everything we had that was us. Not just inside, but out in the world. You're not experiencing Earth. You're experiencing some white washed glossy fake earth you made up."
And you know, whatever the song is, it's one of Kyle's favorites, and so he's like starts in "See this song is from this one album, and the whole thing's a story about..." and start telling her all about it, and what it means the artist and how he personally connects with it.
And then midway though he catches himself and trails off.
And Wanda averts her eyes when she says "Yes, I can see how the artist had passion for their art.. It... IS a shame, what we've taken. I know that now. And, I like story telling, I like stories, but soul wouldn't have a story like that to tell, and certaing not this... abrasivly."
And then Kyle's like "Yeah it is. But at least it's still out in the world. That's what arts for. Outlasts the artist and leaving their mark on the world for everyone to experience no matter when they find it. And you know what?" And he picks up the iPod, or cd player or whatever, and starts the album over. "You're gonna experiance it too."
And really, it's not at all to Wanda or Melanie's taste, but Kyle talks though the whole thing anyway, giving explanation for the meaning behind almost every verse, and telling her to listen for certain melodies and beat, and how they come back in other songs as motifs for certain people or emotions.
Wanda is surprised by his passion and understanding of not just the album but of music theory in general, and while she doesn't tell him she thinks he would enjoy living on Singing World as she had, she does tell him how music composition is done there, and he compares it to how it's done on Earth, or America at least.
And idk the subject gets onto other things, Kyle shuffles his deck of cards a splits it in two as the album comes to an end, and he pops in a mix tape or puts on a new Playlist, so they can play War, and resolves that they're all going to have to teach her poker, so she can learn to mask her emotions better, and so he can beat her "So you wanna take a bet?"
She asks what they could bet with, as money is as useless in the cave as it is outside of them, and all the resources are already communal. He says chores, smirks at her look, because she is ever so expressive and he knows she knows she'd only be putting more chore on her own back in a bluffing game with humans, but hey, "this is just a fair game if chance right?" So they bet on the next week of chores.
Wanda's not sure how he could, but his smirk has her worried.
"Mel, don't let him cheat."
"Wouldn't dream of it. Make him roll up uis sleaved."
"Melanie says to roll up your sleaves."
And Kyle laughs a laugh just as loud as Ian's "Oh, common Melanie! You're supposed to be on my side here!" But he roles them up anyway.
"She would be stuck with your chores too Kyle."
And he tried to kill us.
Maybe things get a little more serious, and he asks about other humans that survive inside their own heads, and Wanderer, you know, tell himself the statistics, of all the planets and how they compare to earth- that earth is the strangest outlier in that resistance happens at all.
Later on, Wanderer will learn that this was the night he first got the idea for rescuing Jodi.
She wins the game of war after half an hour, and Kyle plays at being a sore loser when he concedes he's stuck himself with double dish duty for the next week, lunch and diner.
Melanie has to stop Wanda as she plots ways to do the dish for him
"you literally won that fair and square. That's the whole fun of it! He wouldn't help you if he won, and I wouldn't even be mad Wanda. Take the Damn win."
"...Fine."
Eventually, Ian and Jared both come out to the van, clearly trying to act like they don't think Kyle killed her, and Kyle rolls his eyes.
"Well guess that's curfew. Night Wanderer."
"Good night, Kyle."
Wanda resolves to ask Ian if Kyle plays any instrument, and maybe in the next raid, if it's a resonably sized instrument, she can get him one at a music store, along with some sheet music. It would be beneficial to everyone too, not just Kyle, if there was music in the caves, she thinks.
Anyway I just think it would be hilarious if Kyle ended up as Wanderer's best friend. Like Ian is her partner, he's kind in the way she needs for that sort of intimate relationship. But Kyle, as a best friend? That's a hilarious turn about.
And I made up the music thing on the spot, but I think it would be a good bonding tool. And when he learns she came from a world all about music? he'd want to learn alien songs (he's got nothing against the Bats after all) and Kyle teaching a music class at Sharon's insistence, so she can take a break from teaching the boring subjects none of the kids want to learn. She'd be like "Okay everyone, field trip to Kyle." And Kyle would be like "Wanda do you have the receipt for the guitar????? I want a refund"
Wanda, having never heard the concepts while in Melanies head, and now in Pet's host who never heard the concept at all herself: the what and a what?