mylittlejamjar | Second Note: Bye Bye, Blackbird [Visual]

[When the scroll comes to life, it will show a concerned stallion, pawing at the ground.]

What ho, all! Sorry to be a bother, but I was wondering if anypony knows what it means if you can't catch hold of somepony via these fine little whatsits. There's this fellow, Jay, who's been staying with us on Vantas' farm, but he seems to have disappeared. I mean, I'm not about to go chasing down every fellow who finds an itch to go wandering, but it's been a day or more. There was also another chap I'm having trouble finding. A red fellow with a tiger on his flank by the name of Jan. And then there was another fellow, a very upstanding-looking gent with a rose on the hindquarters going by Tamaki Suou.

All three of them were humans before they were ponies.

[He pauses to ponder.]

Well... Jan might also have been a tiger. I wasn't very clear on the specifics, what with it all being byunbyun due to the zowazowa. Honestly, the cove could do to be a bit more precise about these things. Which does remind me: Are the rest of you actually speaking English? Jan said he wasn't when I mentioned it to him. He said I sounded like I was speaking Japanese, which is a marvelous notion, if utterly mad.

Right, but to the point. Has anypony else noticed their new chums buzzing off for parts unknown sans magical whatsity scroll?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh. [While Flutters is a nice girl, and Harvey'd certainly have a few words for Zetta about treatin' her that way...that's not exactly the diabolical scheme he was expecting.] She alright?

She's a brave girl and managed to bear up under it all. We sneaked away with the ducks when Zetta started boasting. Not the most observant fellow, it must be said.

Yeeeeah, he didn't seem too sharp. [Barely a threat by Harvey's standards, honestly. He agrees the guy's a jerk, though.]

Unfortunately, he is as large as the scrolls would seem to indicate, as well. And brutish, to boot. I've signed up with Lieutenant Slipstream's whatsit to learn a bit of fighting. I'll trounce the bounder the next time he tries to chuck innocent fillies in the water.

[Or, well, he hopes he'll be able to redirect Zetta's attention into a chase, at least. Running away from angry chappies is something at which Bertie excels.]

Yeah. Well, 'til then, don't hesitate to gimme a call if you run into him. [He ain't sure how effective bullets would be at scaring off a magic user, but he's always willin' to give it a shot or two. Also he's not at all convinced that Bertie will ever trounce anything.]

Speakin' of, you know if Fluttershy's goin' to the Gala?

I don't want to put you to any trouble, old thing, but I'll give a shout if needed.

[At the mention of the Gala, Bertie frowns and glances toward the sky for a moment.]

She didn't mention it. We met before the scrolls Princess Celestia sent out announcing it went out. Hmm...

[He ponders that. He's been pondering romantic pursuits more than he thought he might when out from under the hawk-like gaze of his aunts. Jay's comment on his... bizarre romantic situation in another universe weighs heavily on the lemon.]

Well, um... I'll find out for you! I'd been meaning to ask her if she'd like to accompany me, you know? She's a lovely girl. Will you be escorting any lucky fillies?

Me? Naaaah...I got offered a gig there, though! I was thinkin' about askin' Fluttershy to pet-sit for me if she was stayin' here, but - [He grins a little.] - hey, good luck to ya.

You're playing the palace? Congratulations, Finevoice! If that doesn't win you a cracking career in Canterlot, I can't imagine what would. Are you still in need of a pianist? I could play a set or two if Ms. Fluttershy says yes and wouldn't mind.

[Harvey's encouragement isn't particularly heartening, though Bertie can't say why.]

If she's staying behind, I'm sure she'd be happy to pitch in, though. I think her house might just have more rooms for animals than ponies. What sort of pet have you got?

Actually, that'd be pretty good! Don't really wanna rely on the magic music while up on stage, y'know?

[He turns to glance off-screen, giving a sharp whistle.] Hey, Frank! Hop on up here!

[His words turn out to be quite literal: a rabbit soon appears right in front of the scroll, apparently sitting on the same table it's resting on. Harvey reaches out and scoops him up in the curve of his foreleg, pulling him back away from the paper.]

This is Frank. Had him while I was up on the Satellite, but he didn't make the jump back with the rest of us. Didn't think I'd see him again 'til I found him out in the woods a couple weeks back.

[Bertie couldn't help eying Harvey with some skepticism. He'd taken the stallion more for the sort to trot about with a faithful hound at his side rather than a bunny rabbit. He doesn't want to point out the oddity, though.]

Hullo, Frank! He's a fine looking little fellow. Very, erm... fluffy. I suppose everything is here. Barring the dragons, of course. Did Ms. Fluttershy mention she's got a rabbit, as well. Come at the call of 'Angel.'

[Frankly, Harvey'd always thought the exact same thing. But hey, when you find yourself with a rabbit...truth was, he'd grown very fond of the little guy.]

Yeah, she did. Gotta say, she did seem the type. Anyway, if you end up takin' her, I can just leave him with whoever she uses - she's gotta have someone lookin' after all those animals when she goes outta town.

Now, if you 'n I are gonna be performin' together, we'd better get together a set list, maybe have a couple rehearsals.

Oh, right! I'll ask her to let you know who it is if she agrees.

[He's getting a little excited at the prospect of singing. A proper set list and practicing? Harvey was taking him seriously! How marvelous.]

I'm afraid most of what I know will be old hat to you, but I can learn most things by ear. I suppose it rather helps that the setting supplies the musical accompaniment when you're lacking it, as well. Would you like to come round to the farm? Or I could visit wherever you're staying. Er... after a bit of searching, of course.

[He sets Frank down on the ground again, glancing around.]

My place is kinda small, and the walls're about as soundproof as a sheet of paper. We'd probably be better off at the farm. Satyr...whatever, right?

Saturnalia? Er... yes. Yes, that's the one. The one that isn't Sweet Apple Acres, really.

[It's the only unpronounceable place in or outside of Ponyville. Bertie wishes, not for the first time, that he'd offered something else for all of their sakes.]

Just give a shout up in the sky when you call. I'm usually up in the clouds just above the field.

Right. I'll come around tomorrow sometime, I still got a few things to finish up on my end. [Having a pianist opens up a few more numbers, he'll have to ask around and figure out what'd fly best with this audience.]

Righto! Hopefully, we'll have everypony found by then. Pip pip!

Second Note: Bye Bye, Blackbird [Visual]

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