12 --- Power Levels Rising? [private visual to soul donors]

[soulofblue]

So, um. Some of you know this already. But during the eclipse, I realized that I...sort of have pieces of your magic. The unicorns, anyway; I don't know how to tell if I got it from Bertie, Andrew, and Joshua too. My aura has other colors in it now sometimes, and it's much stronger than I'm accustomed to.

Don said he felt a pull when I used magic near him, so I've been trying to use it as little as possible. I'm not sure it's safe. Princess Luna, do you know anything about this...?

Comments

[tinkertytonk]

[One would hope she hasn't kept it, but this is the native Princess Celestia they're talking about. In spite of himself, Bertie's a bit dubious.] Ah, well, I'm sure she has. [No need to worry Pollo.]

You've got all this new magic, though, eh? [Time to redirect the topic.] I could come round and see if I get any sore of pull when you're... doing things I would. We could try seeing if you've got a knack for darts now, too, I suppose.

[soulofblue]

That...might be a good test to run, actually. [He's only tried it with unicorns and magic before.]

[tinkertytonk]

Are you at the Commune, at the moment? I think you chaps have still got that piano Nemo bought.

[soulofblue]

I am, yes.

...do you think it would matter if I played it with my magic or my hooves?

>[action]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie ponders that for a moment.] I've never had magic to play with, so I'm not sure how that would turn out. We could try it both ways. I'll meet you at the barn in ten minutes, shall I?

[Once he's gotten Pollo's nod, Bertie rolls up his scroll and is off. He can feel his nerves jangling just a bit, but he silences them with an inward glare. Pollo is entirely Pollo now. Mostly Pollo... He's not a bit Mechakara is really the point. Convincing his head of that is just a bit of trouble and, Bertie suspects, it might be a while yet. He can manage being around the other stallion better now, at least.

When he arrives at the commune, he heads straight for the barn and the old piano. He really does miss playing it.]

[soulofblue]

[Pollo's already there. He's just looking at the piano, clearly waiting for Bertie to show up before he starts playing it. Or attempting to.]

...I really don't think I actually know how to play this. [He greets Bertie with a hesitant smile. He remembers killing him now. So. You know. That's a thing.] Um. But you probably shouldn't show me, just let me see if it...starts.

[And he presses his hooves to the keys tentatively. Okay. Should he try to think like Bertie, or should he just do it?]

[tinkertytonk]

[Thinking like Bertie might very well be the least sensible thing Pollo's ever tried in his life. For his part, the pegasus hangs back, looking over the unicorn's shoulder at the keys and where he's putting his hooves. It's a little hard to just let him have at the piano without commenting.]

You might want to try some scales to warm up.

[As Pollo's hooves begin to play, Bertie does feel the tiniest tug somewhere inside him, but for the moment, he's putting that down to wanting to play the piano as well, rather than anything Pollo's doing.]

[soulofblue]

Scales...? Okay.

[He may not be very musical, but Pollo at least knows what musical scales are, so that's probably a good place to start. Once he hits a few more keys, they actually seem to come fairly naturally - not that playing scales is difficult anyway. Right?]

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie nods as Pollo runs through a few of the basics. That sounds all right, then. Maybe if-]

Wait. You said you haven't tried it... I say, Pollo, have you ever played the piano?

[soulofblue]

No.

[Should he have?]

[tinkertytonk]

How do you know which notes to play? [Bertie moves closer, the pull feeling stronger and almost certainly something more to do with what Pollo's doing than just the music.]

[soulofblue]

Well - [He hesitates, having not really thought about it.] - that's common knowledge, right? Scales? They're simple enough.

[tinkertytonk]

If you've played a piano before. Do you even know what the keys are, though?

[soulofblue]

Um...

[He looks down at them.] I don't know which notes they are...

[Cautiously, he pokes one of the black ones.]

[tinkertytonk]

That's F♯ or... well, G♭, depending on what key you're in. Anypony can play a C Major scale, but you were just playing A Major... and before that it was F Minor.

I, uh... I think you've probably picked up a bit of my music. Hold on a moment! [He trots over to the cupboard where he used to keep his sheet music and finds it still there. He picks out St. Hoofus Blues from the stack and brings it over to show Pollo.]

Can you read this?

[soulofblue]

Let me see...

[Oh. Dear. That's a little complicated-looking. Pollo's never learned to read music before, and that seems to be holding.]

No. Not at all, really. I suppose I didn't get that part...and I hardly think I could play a piece by ear. Maybe it's more aligned to instinctual actions? [He knows he wasn't really thinking about it when he played those scales, at least.] Would you say scales are something you can do without much focus?

[tinkertytonk]

[He thinks about it for a moment.] I'd say so, yes. It's one of those things they sort of beat into you as a kid. Well! If you ever would like to learn the piano properly, I suppose this means you're primed for it, eh?

[soulofblue]

I feel like perhaps I should, now.

[In all honesty, it's never been a great interest of his, but as long as he already has some of the basics there's no reason not to.]

Your cutie mark isn't for playing the piano, though, is it? I don't feel as if I've gained any dancing ability...how odd.

[tinkertytonk]

[Bertie raises a hoof uncertainly.] It's... well, it's spats. Those are what a rich chappies wears out dancing. I suppose we could wait and see how your spending habits develop? [He offers a half smile to show he's joking.] As for dancing, well, you never really know until you try, eh? Is Ms. Twilight around? We could test out your dancing prowess with her.

[Because the thought of having Pollo gripping him is just the tiniest bit daunting.]

[soulofblue]

I think she's at the library right now. Maybe we can try it later today.

[It's okay, Bertie, Pollo doesn't really care to dance with you either.]

[tinkertytonk]

Righto! [Well, that's sorted for the moment. Now he can buzz off and have a minor break down about the fact that another fellow has a very literal piece of his soul.] Just give me a call on the scrolls whenever you're ready, old prune. No rush!

[soulofblue]

Oh! Wait!

[Pollo steps back from the piano, gesturing towards it.] Can you...play some scales? Just a few?

[He's suddenly afraid that him having that might mean he stole it from you.]

[tinkertytonk]

[It's a moment before Bertie realizes why Pollo's asking. That... that hadn't occurred to him. For a very terrified few seconds, he seats himself at the piano and frets about whether he'll know how to play. It's a moment later that he's playing scales up and down.

He breathes a sigh of relief and hops off the bench.]

Well, um... if you ever need a teacher, I'll be about, as well. For the piano, I mean. I can't promise I'm the best, but I'm happy to do it for free.

[soulofblue]

Alright. Thank you.

[He's mostly just relieved that he hasn't literally stolen his soul donors' talents. In this case. Which is probably representative, right?]

[tinkertytonk]

Not a problem. Ah, toodle pip! [Bertie waves before taking off and heading back toward Vergil's cave. Now. About that minor break-down...]