A musical approach to this lovely series. No magic, but hey, the magic is in the music. *badum tiss* Also this story in general is super cringy- like jeez, why did I spend so much time on such cringe-

It's best if you listen to each song as the time goes on. You'll probably listen to ten seconds of the song and be finished with what I described. Regardless, I hope the music choices I made, despite being very lame and boring, were alright for you. I'm not really a musical prodigy, but I have four cousins I see often that play quite well. I also busied myself on this cruise (THIS CRUISE WAS IN AUGUST OF 2017, THATS HOW LONG I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS WHAT) when I could get away from my family, to watch a piano player and a violin duet. They play separately, but I was able to scrape up what it looks like to play, I suppose? I'm not really good at describing-

And it probably makes no sense, but hey, I tried. Emery also gets a little OC in the end, no hate thanks ,)

Ceony Twill was always a fan of the musical arts. She did not delve into the topic much on a regular basis, but when prompted, she could go on a spiel that would last for ages on different pieces and creations that were her favorites or perhaps even show how she was well-versed in playing a multitude of instruments. She would often proclaim how her favorite instrument to play was the violin and how it was her first ever instrument she touched.

Ceony was well known as someone who could memorize music sheets in the span of an hour. People would ask her hurriedly to accompany them in talent shows or anything of the sort last minute. Yet, every time she played with someone, nobody sparked her any interest. It wasn't that they were terrible with the craft, it was just that she didn't find anything...sparkling about them.

"Miss Twill."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Aviosky. Did you say something?" She glanced up at her. Ms. Aviosky was her clarinet teacher several years back. They kept in touch often, as Ceony would always come to her for advice or anything, really. This time, however, Ms. Aviosky requested her presence.

"I have a friend who needs your help." Ms. Aviosky said, "He needs a violinist."

"What am I accompanying?" She asked.

"A piano. Emery Thane, have you heard of him?"

"Emery Thane." Ceony paused, "No, I don't believe so." Ms. Aviosky raised an eyebrow, as if it was a shock to not know him.

"Well, he needs your help. He's performing for the Tagis Praff board along with several hundred people." The Tagis Praff board consisted of many high ranking officials in Ceony's dream school, people Ceony looked up to. She gaped at Ms. Aviosky.

"The Tagis Praff board?" Ceony asked, ignoring the amount of people mentioned. Ms. Aviosky nodded. Tagis Praff owned a school that only the most prestigious musicians could attend. Ceony only dreamed of stepping into the school, but if she did this, she might give a good impression. Maybe Tagis would even let her into the school for a year or so, on scholarship. Just one solid year would be a blessing as it is.

"The one and only. He's an esteemed teacher there, but he may have lied a little too well." Ms. Aviosky chuckled slightly at the memory. Ceony raised an eyebrow.

"What did he do?"

"Well, he decided it was a good idea to tell Tagis that he could play the piano and would be able to have a violinist with him this year." Ms. Aviosky fiddled with the hem of her skirt, "He can play, beautifully, but the violinist part...he didn't think it through. The person he originally asked to play isn't even in the country right now. Tagis is absolutely smitten with people that can play. I've seen it when I attend the banquets."

"I can handle that. Do you have the music?" Ms. Aviosky nodded, handing her the sheet music. Ceony smiled as she skimmed through Liebeslied, or Love's Sorrow by Fritz Kreisler. She knew this song like she knew the back of her hand. "What time should I be there?"

"Six o'clock. Emery wants to practice with you in the music hall first. I'd recommend wearing a white dress. Emery coordinated something." Ceony only hoped this Emery was of decent caliber. She nodded at Ms. Aviosky and thanked her for the opportunity.

Ceony took her first step into Tagis Praff's School of the Musically Inclined and the first thing she heard was soft piano music, despite the loud conversation all around her. She automatically recognized the song as Clair De Lune by Claude Debaussy. One that she often played when she was nervous. Though the way this person was playing it, the emotion was so adamant. She found her legs slowly making their way towards the beautiful playing, her hands fumbling to take out her own instrument.

Once she reached the music room, she found a man sitting at the grand piano, eyes closed as he played. His black hair didn't appear to be combed, despite his formal attire. He wore a black tuxedo with a white tie, though he wore an indigo coat over the whole combo. Strange, to say the least. Ceony stood in front of the piano and she followed at a moment she felt a violin would be appropriate. She opened her violin case quietly, taking out it's contents and waiting for a moment, then following in suit of the man's playing.

The man's eyes opened at the sound of her violin's first note and they locked eyes, his emerald ones with her sky blue ones. His emerald eyes seemed sad, with a hint of excitement. His emotions seemed to spill into the piano, like a painter and their paintbrush. The colors flowing with deep somber tones. Ceony followed along for the ride, allowing herself to fall into this feeling.

It was if the two had a silent mutual understanding, as their playing began to intensify in the first half. The two competing against one another like two fireworks trying to get high in the sky first, but both would reach their climax regardless.

As the playing softened toward the end, the two smiled at one another, finishing their last thirty seconds of their sweet duet.

"Ceony Twill, I presume?" The light baritone asked and Ceony nodded, her head slowing down from the rush. "You play beautifully."

"Likewise...Mr. Thane." She guessed and he nodded.

"You can call me Emery." His eyes glimmered with curiosity. "I would ask about yourself, but I think it would be best to just play it out, hm?" Ceony paused, then realized what he meant. He wanted her to express herself with a song. Out of everything, she decided to play Bach's Chaconne, or rather Partita No. 2 in D Minor by Johanne Sebastian Bach.

She watched his reaction at her first note. He stuffed his hands in his indigo coat pockets, examining her every step. A song like this shows determination, prowess, and all the sort, but with feeling of deep grief. Something Ceony would like to be shown to her superiors, to prove her worthiness as well as her own human nature she had.

Bach's Chaconne has raw emotion of grief, something Ceony held in her heart after her best friend, Anise, had passed on. She may enjoy playing her instruments, but really, Ceony plays for her lost best friend, ever since they both took up the art years ago. Ceony allows Anise live through her- even if she didn't live now. It was often the piece she played when she wanted to warm up, or perhaps get lost in her playing.

Emery closed his eyes after a minute, listening to every second with his full attention. She had expected him to cut her off, as every musician knows what impression this song gives out, but Emery was keen on listening.

She flawlessly played the violin, her hands deftly moving her bow in different multitudes of directions, similarly to a writer with a fountain pen. A thin layer of sweat started to form on her lily white skin and she smiled through. This seventeen minute violin solo was nothing more than child's play, in Ceony's thoughts.

As the song came to a close, Emery's eyes fluttered open. She looked at him with anticipation. His eyes shown a small look of worry.

"You're crying." He pointed out, standing up and handing her a handkerchief. Ceony touched her cheeks and looked to his offering.

"I had no idea." She gratefully took the handkerchief, dabbing her tears away to avoid any further embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, I just got carried away."

"Don't be. Music took you up and away. I'm surprised you chose that piece." He said, "Such grief for a young beautiful woman like yourself." She felt her cheeks redden.

"W-Well, I pursue music over a grief I hold in my heart." She explained. He nodded, like that was all he needed.

"I'm just glad you're joining me, let alone on such short notice. Are you nervous?" He inquired, smiling softly.

"A little," She sighed, holding her violin and bow a little tighter and wiped her brow with the other hand. "It's the Tagis Praff board. My dream school's top administrators. Even if they don't know my name, I'm still equally as terrified."

"Tagis Praff's your dream school? You could aim so much higher." Emery crossed his arms, "Tagis is a good school, don't get me wrong, but with your playing, it could land you in better places."

"I would try, but..." Ceony bit her lip, "The scholarships ended months ago. Even if I wanted to go to a different school, I don't have the money to go to higher places. I missed it, I...had other things. So I'm probably taking up my second interest, cooking, if I can't scrape up the money before school starts at Praff." Emery's eyes showed sincere worry, as well as a glint of an idea, but it was a brief moment.

"I see. Well," He glanced at his watch, "Perhaps things will work out for you. Let's head out then, shall we Ceony?" Before Ceony could even speak, Emery took her wrist and led her through the school, his long coat trailing behind him. She struggled to keep her violin case on her back and hold her instrument in her hands without dropping it.

The first thing she took notice was how large the place was as they slowed down. It was the size of at least a football field and some, filled with tables and a large stage in the very front. Many waiters and waitresses were running about, assisting their rich guests. Without even searching, Ceony could see Tagis Praff himself near a side table, speaking to someone. Emery followed Ceony's gaze and smiled.

"There's the man." Emery chuckled, "The nicest person in this room. Besides me, at least." His eyes narrowed at the man speaking to Tagis. "There's Sinad Mueller. Stay away from him. He's absolutely horrid in his musical expertise."

"How so?" Ceony questioned as Emery led them to the back.

"He hides behind that giant pile of pounds he always has. Frustrating, really." Emery's eyes narrowed, "He deserves none of it." He paused, "I think he's just over-compensating for something." Ceony got his joke immediately and the two shared a laugh.

"I see the two of you are getting along." Ceony jumped towards Emery, surprised at Ms. Aviosky's voice coming from behind her. The two turned around.

"Patrice, were you dragged into this too?" He asked, motioning towards Patrice's case in her hands.

"He asked me last minute. Luckily, my clarinet was in my office." She noticed Ceony's instrument in her hands. "You do know that you don't need your instrument, right?"

"Hm?" Ceony looked up at Ms. Aviosky.

"You don't need your instrument. I was going to actually provide it." Emery said, "But I did learn about you, so it worked out in the end." He glanced at Ceony and smiled warmly, more in his eyes rather than his facial expression, but Ceony paled regardless. She always used her trusty violin, as it was her very first instrument. Emery noticed. "Are you alright with that?"

"Peachy! Just peachy." Ceony assured. Emery nodded warily and walked away, only to come back with a 'paper' violin case. It looked like it was made of paper and extremely fragile. Emery set it down on a table besides them and opened it, revealing a flawlessly crafted paper violin and bow, laminated onto the wood of the instrument. Ceony stared in awe.

"I'll be using a 'paper' piano myself." He noticed the surprise in Ceony's eyes, "Did Patrice not tell you about my inventive ways of wooing an audience? Hand crafted by yours truly." He put on a smug expression and Ms. Aviosky rolled her eyes.

"I thought it would be best put as a surprise." Ms. Aviosky responded, crossing her arms. He lifted the violin and bow from the casing, as if it was delicate glass. Ceony watched as Emery played a few notes and Ceony was surprised it played just as well as a normal violin- well, she shouldn't be surprised, but it did look convincingly like paper. Emery handed it to her and Patrice took Ceony's regular violin and bow from her. Ceony took the paper items excitedly and started to play Schön Rosemarin by Fritz Kriesler, the first song to pop up in her head.

She played the first thirty seconds and stopped. Ceony smiled sheepishly. Emery smiled back at her. Patrice watched with child-like interest, a stark change from her usual demeanor.

"I thought I would have to stop you, Tagis was just about to start speaking." Emery said, chuckling. He pulled her to the side, so she could see Tagis, standing there in all his glory.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman and welcome to the forty-fifth annual fundraising banquet. If you do not know me, shame on you." Tagis earned a small amount of chuckles, "I would give you a long spiel in regards to the school, but that's not why we are here today. We are here to see the performances that I had promised you all, as well as the donation amount."

"We're near the end," Emery whispered to Ceony, "It's apparently because I end the performance list beautifully. Something of that sort."

"We'll just have to see about that." Emery chuckled at Ceony's response, but did not reply. Tagis first introduced Ms. Aviosky, the first performer of today. She played Time Pieces: Introduction Andante Molto by Robert Muczynski. Often accompanied by piano, but Patrice chose to be a soloist. The piece earned her a great amount of applause. Ms. Aviosky was an amazing teacher and even greater performer, Ceony learned that back when she was under Ms. Aviosky's watchful gaze.

Each performance continued, though Ceony paid them a small amount of attention and focused more towards this paper violin that was now in her grasp.

The paper violin seemed to have taken ages to create, let alone a paper piano. Ceony wondered how Emery would have had that done. Each curve and area of the violin and bow perfectly covered by the paper without any sort of flaw. Ceony wondered what other things this man could make.

"Didn't you say you were a teacher here?" She asked her partner. He glanced over to her.

"I didn't, but Patrice probably did. Yes, I teach the art and history of music. Boring as it is, I tie in actual art. I'm rubbish at drawing, but I've always been great at origami. I use that to my advantage." Ceony was about to ask what he meant, when Tagis Praff called them up. Emery shrugged off his coat, placing it near the paper violin's casing. He adjusted his tie and outfit, wiping off invisible specks of dust. Ceony quickly did a check on her own outfit, a simple strapless white dress that fit her curves and danced in the wind near the bottom.

"And for our final performance, we have our arts and history teacher, Emery Thane." Tagis paused, "He's a bit of a showoff, as many of us know. He promised something exhilarating, so let's hope he doesn't disappoint." A short round of applause came from the audience as the two made their way to the stage, though the curtains were still closed. Ceony's eyes widened at the sight while she could.

A paper piano covered in paper origami. He didn't lie when he said he would play with one. From paper songbirds to paper dragons, the entire stage was just littered with these paper creations. The stage crew must have placed his creations all around. Emery took his seat near the piano as the curtains opened. Rounds of 'oohs' and 'ahs' came from the audience. Emery and Ceony locked eyes once more and nodded simultaneously and began to play.

The entire room seemed to relax at the first note as they watched the two musicians play Liebeslied. The raw emotion inputted from the two, one of pure nervousness and the other of pure gracefulness worked together to create something more. They did not break eye contact and yet, out of nowhere, during the end of the first minute or so, Emery winked at her. Before she could even input why, Emery started to play a whole different song, his hands deftly moving through the keys. Ceony recognized it immediately as Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a classic.

Though, it was a completely different tempo, rather than the slow pace of Liebeslied. Flight of the Bumblebee was supposed to stimulate patterns of a bumblebee's flight. Ceony switched, following along in suit as she pulled up the music sheets from her hazy memory, following along as much as she could. She wasn't aware he wanted her to play by ear. She thought it was just going to be Liebeslied. As she played the notes, she realized what he was doing. He was competing against her in this duet, to test her perhaps? Ceony was indeed known by a select few of people for her quickness and memory that was positively astounding. Perhaps Ms. Aviosky decided to tell him? Regardless, the crowd seemed to enjoy their display of musical colors. His eyes glinted with interest, as if he was testing the waters with something 'simple.'

It was a battle of dominance, to say the least. A glance at the audience proved they had their attention. Even Tagis Praff was watching her intently. The audience and Emery wanted to know if she could keep up. She was unknown to these people, but they knew Emery and he must pull things like this over and over again. She wouldn't even be surprised. He was a man of that nature, despite his quiet expressions.

She sidestepped towards her companion, playing around the piano that lay in the middle. Emery swayed slightly, as much as he could while sitting down.

And then he switched again. She obliged of course, noting his change to Mozart. It was one of his sonatas, a duet for both the piano and violin. Number 18, in G Major, K 301.

She wondered if he would switch to a song that Ceony was unfamiliar with and would have to play by ear. It wouldn't be impossible, but she was pretty rubbish at it. She prayed she didn't.

But, this isn't a story without tension, is it?

He glanced towards Ceony with his bright emerald eyes and smiled, slowly leading into yet another song. She searched her mind for where the song was going. She thought of different possible pieces, but then, as the first proper note was played, she realized it wasn't any sort of song she heard of.

It was an original piece. The unconventional way he was playing it made it clear. The surprise in the audience was obvious too.

Emery actually expected for her to switch the notes and make use of it for the violin. Although she was doing fine, she could tell that his tempo was rapidly increasing. She gulped, sweat beading down her temples as she played by ear. He seemed to have positively 0 trouble with any of this. Curse him.

He winked at her and she could tell that he was slowly reaching to the point of ending. She watched as he stood up, using one hand to still play the basic melody of the song, while the other grabbed onto a piece of paper and began to fold meticulously. She continued to play, eyebrows rising as he folded, his hand still on the piano and playing it ever so well. Several folds in, he seemed to have made a single butterfly. He threw the model into the crowd, landing onto Tagis Praff's table. He then nodded towards to people in the wings, to which they complied and began throwing out paper butterflies to the audience. Ceony had never seen such a display of pure amusement in anyone's eyes before. People caught onto the butterflies and looked at them. The origami creations seemed to have taken lots of time. How the hell did this man teach, yet manage to make all of this? She had no clue.

Emery put both his hands onto the piano now, finishing strong. He held out one last note before ending. Ceony brought her tired arms down and stared out to the audience, who clapped until they couldn't anymore. She stared at him in awe, while he held a knowing smirk. He gingerly stepped forward to her level, as they bowed together. They walked off from the stage and Tagis Praff took the reigns from there. Emery was laughing as Ceony hit his arm with her elbow.

"You didn't tell me you were going to do that!" Ceony said, seeming comfortable around Emery, despite this being the first day of their meet. It felt as though she had known him forever, judging by his music choices and how he just dropped those surprises onto her.

"I like to keep you in suspense." He responded, "You did amazingly, though."

"Only because of the pressure!" She giggled and was about to say more when Tagis Praff came backstage.

"Emery, that was an astounding performance, just like always. Do tell me you're going to clean up after yourself." He motioned to the stage and Emery just shrugged.

"You have to admit that it makes the stage look nicer." Emery smirked. Tagis rolled his eyes.

"Only you, Thane, only you." Tagis looked over to Ceony. "You were amazing. If you had no idea what was going on, I couldn't tell."

"I really didn't." Ceony blushed, smiling sheepishly.

"I thought so. Emery does this all the time with his performances. You are the first to have impressed me, though." Ceony felt her cheeks grow even brighter. She shifted her weight between her feet, looking up to Tagis. "Are you by chance a part of our program?"

"No, I...I'm in a different college right now. I come from a poorer family and I missed scholarship opportunities." She explained, "So I'm currently studying cooking, my secondary option."

"And music would be your first option?"

"Yes, sir. Always."

"Then it's decided." Tagis said simply. Ceony's eyebrows rose.

"Huh?"

"I'm taking you into the program, all expenses paid."

"You can't be serious." Ceony gaped, looking to Emery, who grinned knowingly.

"Very much so. Come to the school tomorrow, to my office. I will officiate all the papers and such. I hope it all works out." Without another word, Tagis walked off the stage and went back to the banquet.

"Impressive." Emery said, "Just one performance and you impressed him."

"I didn't-,"

"Just take it, Ceony. It isn't often he does that, if not at all." Ceony was about respond, her stomach growled loudly. She chuckled sheepishly. "I see I made you hungry. Let's go."

"Emery-,"

"Come on, Ceony." He offered his arm and she peered to him, before deciding to grab onto his arm as he led her out to the main banquet area. Different guests approached her and discussed her techniques, all of them speaking positively on it. Her first professional outing and it was already going quite well.

She smiled to herself. She was going to do something important in the music world, she knew it.