The Missing Bard

by Kiniro

Chapter 3: Lessons from Octavia

The Missing Bard

Chapter 3: Lessons from Octavia

Excited of the thought of being the forefront of helping develop an improved version of a musical instrument, had made me disregard going back home to practice my guitar until Octavia came back. "I'm sure Twilight is ok at home for just a bit more, plus I can just tell her that Octavia had to run some errands and I stayed behind practicing." I thought to myself. "But a guitar that was electric and could produce sound from itself? Honestly sounded like a new an improved version an acoustic guitar. But considering what I was told was required to play this type of guitar, was another piece of equipment entirely, and this invention of Vinyl's was eliminating that extra piece?" I couldn't keep my thoughts off this idea that it was making it extremely difficult to practice, but I had to stay focused I do have to practice to get back to my old self.

I had glanced over at my guitar wondering. "I know I've gotten better at playing since I first became a pony, but every so often I make a mistake in my hoof positioning, while grabbing the neck. Will all of this really help me?" I thought to myself. My playing had gotten extremely better but when I'd get into playing more complicated, I'd always think as if I had hands, and not hooves. I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to play a few of my basic magic songs, and those were the ones that mattered to me the most, personally anyway. I was unable to play "The Rift" and I sure wasn't able to play the "Song of Ragnarok." I had attempted these few furiously in the past few days but, I couldn't get my guitar to glow due to making several mistakes, but at least I had "Bragi's Poem" and "Song of Lutie."

"Vinyl? I'm home!" I heard a pony call out as I heard the front door open.

I looked toward the front door to see Octavia returning home. "Why hello there Octavia? Any luck with your errands?"

"Oh, hello there Kiniro, and no, I went down to the shop to see if I could find some new drinking glasses, after my friend's crazy invention had broken the ones we had, but no luck, they didn't have any that I liked. By the way how was your practicing going?" Octavia asked.

"Well, I haven't been practicing much since you left, I know its been less than an hour, but I've just had a lot on my mind. Plus I really enjoyed the silence here and it gave me a nice place to think, mostly about music." I explained.

"Wow it was really that silent here? Hmm... I'm surprised that Vinyl hasn't been filling the neighborhood with wubs let alone the house. Anyway shall we get to your lessons?"

"Sure, I've been itching to get this hoof play down." I commented.

"Very well, let me go get my Cello and lets get you started on playing a small melody." Octavia commented as she trotted into the next room. I decided to take a seat on her couch to wait for her, but I had underestimated her timely return, only to see her coming through the doorway with her Cello in tow. "Here we are Kiniro." She promptly set up her Cello in front of me. "Are you ready?"

"Uh... uh... I guess..." I said with hesitation a I got up from the couch and tried to position myself around the cello. Putting my left hoof around the neck so I was able to hit the different notes, and put my right hoof near the center so I could play the strings. "Ok... now... lets try... to play..." I tried to play the cello like my guitar but I kept plucking the Cello as I tried to strum it. "Ugh, I can't do this!" I said frustrated and stopped playing due to my incompetence.

"Its alright Kiniro, try to again, and try to take these things slow." Octavia said supportively.

I sighed heavily. "Ok I'll try." I again tried to play the Cello with the same response but I kept trying to carry on. "I really can't do this Octavia... I've been coming over for weeks, but I can't get any better at this." I stopped playing. "I'm just... useless at this."

"Its alright Kiniro these things take time, here let me show you." Octavia said as she grabbed her cello, and she positioned herself behind it.

"Don't you need your bow to play it?" I asked.

"Oh don't worry Kiniro, let me show you something, I picked this up before I started performing for the Canterlot Orchestra." She slowly began to play simple melody which seemed to have a heavy bass line. I had never seen someone play a Cello this way, but as the melody progressed a series of chords became more and more common to produce what seemed like Jazz. It was a new style of music that was progressing in taverns in Juno before I arrived here.

"Wow that's amazing!" I commented. "I wish I could play like that!" But as I finished my sentence, I realized I can, but my guitar! I quickly reached of my guitar and joined in her song playing a higher key to keep the music from becoming stagnant while adding in a few rifts of my own as we played. Letting my heart and soul play into the song. We both played for what seemed like minutes, and I began to look down and saw my guitar starting to glow bright light blue. "Oh shit.... no no no no no." I thought to myself and quickly looked at Octavia to see whether or not she had noticed. "Good she hasn't noticed, she has her eyes closed due to her dedication to playing." I thought. I was enjoying our duet together, but I realized she could open her eyes at any moment and see my guitar glowing so I decided to stop.

"Whats wrong Kiniro? Is everything alright?" Octavia asked. "Why did you stop? You were playing excellently!"

"Oh. I just realized I have something to take care back at home! Sorry Octavia!" I commented to cover up why I stopped.

"Oh that's quite alright there, and consider your Cello lessons over. Kiniro there is nothing wrong with you playing the guitar. You say that you've come to learn the Cello to learn to play the guitar better, but hearing you perform, you know more than I can teach you." Octavia explained.

"But but... I'm not good enough." I said with a shameful tone.

"Kiniro you are good enough, I listened to you play! The only problem you have is in here." Octavia pointed her hoof at my chest. "Its in your heart Kiniro, you just need to find that passion as you play and I'm sure you'll always do well." Octavia explained and gave a big supportive smile.

"I see." I agreed. "The power of passion? I have to admit I haven't had much passion lately in my music, only because I haven't found much passion to be playing for, other than when I'm around Twilight. Twilight! That's it! I've been so hell bent on playing for myself to get better!" I had a sudden realization. "When I originally learned to play the guitar back in Midgard and the first time I saw my guitar glow was because when I met my first love and I dedicated a song to her. My passion comes from wanting the best for others to see people smile! To see people happy!" I thought to myself.

"Very well Kiniro there is nothing much more I can do for you, but I do wish you the best, now why don't you go play for Twilight and show her this new found passion of yours!" Octavia commanted.

"I think I will!" I agreed. "Thank you so much Octavia! I can never thank you enough for opening my eyes again!" I began to head out the door realizing what it was that I've been missing and why my music had been so faulty. I had forgot my roots and my connection to my music. Now I knew I'd get better and I knew I'd get better to make my friends smile with my music and I'd make Twilight very happy to be my special somepony.

As I walked outside waving good by to Octavia. She slowly closed the door behind her. Only to hear someone calling me. "PSST! Hey Kiniro! Heads up!"

"Huh?" I said.

"Up here!" I looked toward the source of the voice. It was Vinyl poking her head out from the second story window. "Hey you forgot to test my guitar!"

"Oh I'm so sorry!" I forgot! I got caught up with something!" Suddenly I had an idea. "Hey think you can bring the Guitar over to Twilight's place in just a bit? I think its better that we test it there just in case if you're still trying to avoid Octavia"

"Oh good idea! I'll be over shortly!" Vinyl said and quickly closed her window.

I walked up to door of the Library and opened it only to see Twilight reading a book on the couch. She looked up at me and smiled. "How did your lessons with Octavia go?" She asked.

"They went well, I found my source of inspiration for my music. Octavia said that it was the passion I had been lacking, and that I found it again." I commented.

"Oh what's that inspiration?" Twilight asked.

"Making others smile, making others be happy with my music." I said as I walked over to her. "And being with you, you bring the passion back into my music." I followed my sentence with a kiss to her forehead, only to see Twilight blush heavily. I can't believe that it had been 5 months already, and now I knew that she was my passion, not only in my life, but in my music as well. Twilight, I can never thank you enough, I wouldn't know what I'd do without you.

End of Chapter 3.

Author's Note: This Chapter is dedicated to my friend Jesse who I found out passed away this evening after losing his fight with cancer. I miss you bro. May you rest in peace. I wish I could have hung out with you one last time.

-Kiniro September 6th, 2012