Where do I come up with these things? Seriously! Enjoy!
Dis: I don't own MBAV
"Hey, E!" Benny Weir called, walking into the auditorium of Whitechapel High. He was frowning down at his spell book, but paused when he heard something unusual coming from the stage. The Spellmaster looked up and did a double take. "Wow." Benny admired, lightly swaying to the melody.
His best friend and the resident Seer, Ethan Morgan, was sitting at the grand black piano at center stage, playing a soft and random tune that didn't seem to belong to a particular song, just uncommon notes flowing beautifully together. Ethan's eyes were closed as his fingers ghosted over the ivory keys with practiced ease and grace. His body was more relaxed and comfortable than Benny had seen it in a long time. A small but pleased smile was across Ethan's face as he played. The Seer was truly enjoying himself, the little chuckle of delight he emitted complete proof, and was the only sign of happiness that Ethan had displayed since the whole Lucifractor incident. It was nice to see.
Ethan paused in his playing, Benny fearing that he would stop completely as a look of thoughtfulness crossed over the Seer's face, as if he were debating something. Ethan opened his eyes and started playing again, his smile growing wider as the notes of the song flowed effortlessly from his mind to the keys underneath his fingers. Benny recognized the tune, but not much more than that. He was stunned when Ethan opened his mouth and began to sing along, and sing well. Benny pulled out his phone and, through a text, urged Sarah, Rory and Erica to come to the auditorium now.
"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday,
The regular crowd shuffles in,
There's an old man sitting next to me,
Making love to his tonic and gin.
He says, Son can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes.
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete,
When I wore a younger man's clothes."
"What?" Sarah demanded as she, Erica and Rory flitted in at vampire speed. Benny shushed them and pointed to the stage, Ethan so wrapped up in his playing that he failed to notice them enter the auditorium. Erica and Rory's eyes went wide with suprise and Sarah's jaw nearly hit the floor. Who knew that Ethan had such musical prowess? Benny smirked proudly. That's my buddy! Benny suprised Sarah by pulling her into a dance across the back of the auditorium, chuckling at her. Sarah smiled and danced along with him, even laughing a little herself. Erica rolled her eyes but accepted Rory's invitation.
"La la la de de da
La la de de da da dum.
Sing us a song, you're the piano man,
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us feeling alright.
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine,
He gets me my drinks for free.
And he's quick with a joke,
Or to light up your smoke,
But there's someplace that he'd rather be.
And the waitress is practicing politics,
While the business men slowly get stoned.
Yes, there sharing a drink they call Loneliness.
But it's better than drinking alone.
The piano, it sounds like a carnival,
And the microphone smells like a beer.
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say Man, what are you doing here?"
Ethan jumped, startled, when Sarah, Benny, Erica, and Rory started singing along. He was so suprised that he almost quit playing. They all smiled brightly at him, even Erica, and Benny motioned for him to keep going. Ethan barked a laugh and continued to play, nodding with his head for his friends to join him on stage. They continued to sing along with him as they ran up to the stage.
"Oh, la la la de de da
La de de da da dum.
Sing us a song, you're the piano man,
Sing us a song tonight.
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody,
And you've got us feeling alright."
Ethan finished, playing the last few notes before stopping. The others clapped and laughed, cheering him on. Ethan blushed and smiled, almost shy.
"Dude! That was awesome!" Rory exclaimed. Ethan blushed darker.
"I didn't know you could play." Sarah protested.
"Or sing!" Erica added. Benny smirked. Rory and Sarah nodded in agreement.
"Benny knew." Ethan pointed out.
"It's true." Benny confirmed. He smiled at his best friend. "I haven't heard you play in a long time. It was nice to see you enjoying yourself like you used to. It was nice to actually hear you play."
"Thanks Benny." Ethan returned the warm smile and chuckled when his best friend nudged him playfully.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah!" Rory exclaimed, suddenly offended.
"You never asked." Ethan replied simply. "I haven't played since I was thirteen, in all honesty I'd almost forgotten I could. Then, when I came here to grab my jacket and I spotted the piane. and I wondered if I could still play as well as I used to. A few notes later and here we are."
"Who taught you to play?" Erica asked curiously.
Ethan's smile turned soft and sad. "My grandma did, before she died when I was thirteen. She'd started teaching me how to play after I wouldn't stop asking her to play mine and hers favorite song, so I could play it for myself whenever I wanted to hear it. I was six. I was a master pianist by the time I was ten."
"You stopped playing after your grandmother died?" Sarah guessed.
"Oh no, I still played." Ethan disagreed. "I quit because my idiot uncle had a massive freak out and destroyed the piano with a baseball bat. He was the baby of the family. I guess walking by that old piano that his mother played on everday was too much for him, and he took it out on that poor instrument." Ethan shook his head sympathetically. "I was there when he damaged that piano, it broke my heart. I couldn't look at another piano the same way again, and I never touched one again until today because of that. That piano had a lot of sentimental value to me. Grams always told me that if I wanted it when I was old enough, I could keep that piano after she died. The piano was technically mine when it was destroyed, but I wasn't old enough to claim it, I guess." Ethan rolled his eyes.
"Whoa, sorry dude." Rory apologized.
"Nah, don't apologize for something when it wasn't your fault." Ethan shrugged, sliding his fingers across the ivory keys, almost wistful. He smiled to himself, but there was no emotion behind it. "He got what was coming to him, though. He died in a car crash a year later. Drunk driving. Did I mention that the idiot was a drunk?" Benny clapped his shoulder and squeezed. Ethan smiled up at him.
"What was your Grams's favorite song?" Erica asked. Ethan looked at her oddly. He knew she was trying to change the subject, but why? Erica was never nice to him. "Could you play it for us?"
"Yeah E!" Rory bobbed his head up and down excitedly. Sarah was looking at him with an expectant smile. The Seer looked at the Spellmaster and shrugged. "Whoo!" The blonde vampire cheered as soon as Ethan started playing again. Sarah smiled, recognizing the song. Benny laughed as soon as he realized it.
"Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three." Ethan began. "Come with me, and you'll be, in a world of pure imagination..."
The end! I hope you liked it! I'd always envisioned Ethan with musical talent. The songs are Piano Man by Billy Joel and Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Review please! No flames!