Hello!
I didn't make you wait too long this time, see? Hooray! In all honesty, though, this installment was a pain to write, I don't even know why. I think it turned out okay, though, I hope you all think so too!
No spoilers for this one!
Thanks 10Blue10 for commenting on the last story! It's good to be back, and I'm glad you liked the chapter!
Vworp on!
~Octy
P.S. since I haven't said it in a long time, guess what? I don't own any of these characters! That's probably a good thing!
26. Unhappy ending (recording 2!)
"Right, now. While everyone else is gone, how about I serenade you for a while?" The Doctor asked the TARDIS. He pulled his trusty recorder out of his pocket and put it to his lips.
No!
The TARDIS shuddered violently, sending the Doctor toppling onto the console. "Oh please!" he said. "I'm not that bad at the instrument, and wether you know it or not, I have been practicing."
The TARDIS did not feel at that moment like telling him that he hadn't exactly been practicing in secret. He had, as a matter of fact, been practicing within her corridors, which was more than close enough for her to tell that he had not improved much. She settled for silence and hoped he'd give up.
"Don't be like that," he grumped, wetting his lips and putting the recorder's mouthpiece in position. He puffed out a few notes as a warm up, and then broke into a jarring rendition of a tune traditional to Gallifrey called Glowing Night. The timbers jarred in her circuitry, but she attempted to tolerate it, for his sake. A scathing review he could get from anyone- perhaps someone who wouldn't be living with him for several hundred years in all directions.
After the first few bars, though, he seemed to find some sort of median. While his tootling was still not good, it was not intolerable and it was consistent. So perhaps his practicing had paid off after all.
She hadn't meant to, but he seemed to pick up on her relief. He nodded and smiled, then frowned as the facial expression had caused him to miss a note.
They will be back soon
The TARDIS prompted, knowing that he couldn't go on for too long and might as well stop while he was ahead. Besides, his companions would be back soon.
The Doctor thought back something about dematerializing and Chopin and fish, but the TARDIS decided not to find a new time for him to continue playing in. She very firmly opened her doors so that Jamie and Zoe could get in as easily as possible.
So, since he was still very bad at taking hints, the Doctor decided to finish off the tune with a Grand Finale. His melody raised in speed, volume, and intensity and his feet did a bit of a dance along with it. And then, on the final note (which was usually played softly and tapering off) he blasted the mont incompatible note throughout the console room.
The TARDIS couldn't help but wince at the unhappy ending.