Peek: Audition

Slash idly picks at his axe in his own form of meditation. The Composer may not technically have composed any of the music Slash can barely hear through the bond, but the sheer breadth and variety marks him as someone with a keen interest, right?

Sometimes he wants to ask Teemo about that, but more and more, he feels that might ruin the mystery, the fun. That Composer Thedeim sometimes focuses in to listen to him play is all the motivation Slash needs to continue to hone his craft.

Scions like Rocky and Fluffles seek the power to protect with the mastery of their affinities, but Slash is more of a mind with Nova, in creating art, in creating wonder. Coda creates wonder in his own way, but it's a much more rigid thing, like enchanting or alchemy. But music and sculpting don't really have a point, and that's really the entire point.

It doesn't need to be anything more, and so somehow evokes even more. He's seen the reactions his music can generate even without him putting any mana into it. It's a magic all its own. Of course, he still enjoys empowering his music, to truly enable his listeners to go beyond their limits, to do the impossible.

And yet, he knows there is more possible. Despite his mastery of Sonic affinity, he is still only one scion. He can flex his earth affinity to act like drums, twist the sounds of his axe and his hat to produce impossible chords, sounds of instruments that only seem to exist in the Composer's mind...

But lyrics elude him. He's tried to manifest words, but they always feel hollow, somehow. Perhaps he's being greedy, but to be so close to recreating some of the music of the Composer, only to fall just short is frustrating.

But maybe he doesn't need to be a one man band. Part of his practicing right now is to prepare for Doppler. The other scions know he's interested in music, but they don't know exactly how deep that interest is. If Slash had to guess, even Doppler doesn't know yet.

Slash nods to himself and shoulders his axe, before taking a shortcut. If Doppler is uncertain, Slash will show him just what music can do.

The other scion isn't difficult to find, at least for his fellows. The delvers are only barely aware the roots even exist, so Doppler likes to spend his time there, trying to find himself. The others have been content to let him try to figure things out on his own, but in Slash's opinion, you can only get so far without a bit of help.

Doppler's form shifts away from Slash as he exits the shortcut, the newest scion startled by the sudden appearance of the more experienced one.

"Ah, Slash. I was not expecting to see you."

Slash nods and starts plucking a simple looping introduction of a song. "I know. You're stuck in the intro, not knowing how to move on."

Doppler winces at that, but doesn't contradict. "I... yes. I have heard some of your music. I do not think anything I could do would measure up to it."

"Ah," replies Slash, the simple musical intro growing even more simplistic, single notes playing out slowly, like someone who only just picked up an instrument. "I wasn't created with my skill, you know. I did know what I wanted, and the Composer helped me with this axe and hat, but before all that, I just had a lute some bard dropped."

Doppler nods, not even realizing he's doing it in time with the notes. "I know, but... it seems so far away."

"Putting it off won't get you there any sooner," answers Slash, muting the strings of his axe. "What do you like about music?"

Doppler's shifting form stills as he considers, the poppers of his body only starting to move again after several long seconds. "It is... I do not know. There is precision and skill, power and emotion, and more. It seems so wondrous. It seems... out of my reach."

Slash smiles and strums his axe. "If there's one thing the Composer shows every day, it's that nothing is out of reach. You just need the courage to reach for it, and the resolve to get back up and keep reaching."

He lets his fingers play as Doppler thinks, a song of a traveler on a long road, finding what seems like a peaceful hotel in the middle of the night. But the hotel is not quite what it seems. It's a melancholic song, to be sure, but to Slash it has an undertone of hope. Though that may just be the hauntingly beautiful melody, a siren's song luring the unsuspecting to their doom.

"I want to learn," Doppler quietly declares as the last notes fade, looking determined. "I want to make something like that, no matter how long it will take."

Slash smiles wide and starts picking a much simpler song about the stars. "Then listen. Music is as much about guiding as being lead. There are words to this song, but I've never managed to make them sound right. But together, I think we can do them justice."

Doppler nods and stills, listening to the music, letting it flow through him. An hour goes by in mere moments, carried by simple notes. Doppler doesn't manage to work out any of the words, but he's not discouraged. He's had a taste of music now, and Slash is confident his time as a solo act is over.