10179/A Six String for the Soul

A Six String for the Soul
Date of Scene:	24 November 2019
Location:	Classroom - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	The Muse shall set you free
Cast of Characters:	Samuel Morgan, Nightingale

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Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Sunday. A day of rest, relaxation, and probably of some shenanigans considering the amenities available to students with little structure to use them in. But of all the places to go, all the infrastructure to use, few would go willingly into the classrooms without good reason. With a few notable exceptions, of course...

    Bean ghosts through the mansion as if he's going through a hostile facility, trying to stay out of sight from everyone else. Even Bear seems to sense his desire for stealth, padding quietly behind him. Down the stairs, into the corridor, to the door he rarely ever uses... the music room. It's as if the guitar case he carries contains nothing less than the nuclear launch codes, and being seen with them would be disastrous. And yet for all his circumspection, the case, when he opens it, is revealed to hold nothing more unusual than a second hand guitar, an age-darkened Yamaha.

Nightingale has posed:
     Bean isn't the only one taking advantage of a small break in their studies to indulge in their joys, budding or otherwise. There is a familiar winged figure at the piano, who seems to be so lost in her notes that, initially, the would-be guitarist's stealth has its intended effect. Shannon's in her long red sweater, brown-and-gold stripe and snowflake leggings, and her sheepdog slippers. Her hair is long and loose except for the glacial blue braid which she seems to have adopted more recently, a thin little lock of hair dyed just a few shades darker than her eyes, hanging on the left side of her face, braided, and bearing three little silver beads on the end. She's smiling, and for once on this song, finally has no music on the stand in front of her--perhaps testing her memory on the piece? Or enjoying it for its own sake? Her silky alto voice rings out pure and clear, with more power and confidence than Bean might have heard from her before, her fingers finding their place with relative ease on the keys.

"Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open
I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion...."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Stealth and discretion is key. Bean is very quiet with the door, has mastered the art of walking without making too much sound years ago, and takes great care to stay out of Shannon's visual range, taking into account any reflections she might be able to see. All so he can find a quiet seat and open the case, looking at the guitar that is now his without disturbing anyone, and figure out exactly how to affect music from the instrument.

    Bear has no such inhibitions and traipses over to Shannon, putting his paws on the piano bench and giving her an affectionate nuzzle. So much for stealth...

Nightingale has posed:
     The song comes to a screeching halt with the first touch of that cold, wet nose to Shannon's hand, and she lets out a surprised laugh. "Bear! What are you doing here, you silly pooch? Hmmm?" Well, since Bear came to her first, she has no qualms with giving him a quick scratch behind the ears, chuckling. "Come on, let's find B..." As she shifts about on the bench, she grins, and waves with her free hand to Bean. After all, she had not been given permission to slack in her petting duties just yet!

     "Hey, Bean! How's it... OH MY GAWD!!!!" A squeal of pure delight and excitement escapes her, and she claps her hands. "You finally got a guitar, too!!! Who did that for you, I'm gonna give 'em the world's biggest hug EVER!!!" Well, so much for out-stubborning St. Nick--it seems he outsmarted her instead!

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Hey Shannon." Bean smiles. He'd wave back, but both his hands are busy with the intricate business of guitar and strap somehow achieving a three point brace via the left shoulder. Better to do that sitting down than standing up. Unsurprisingly, he's first trying it as if it were a rifle, finding that it doesn't quite work, and then lifts the strap over his head to the other shoulder to achieve his goal. Those things should come with a manual... "It's a belated birthday present from Miss Pryde. I guess she saw how I was eyeing those guitars yesterday too."

    Bear lets his tongue loll out and twists his head under those scratches. He seems to be very much in play mode at the moment and using every second of it.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon bursts out laughing and shakes her head. "Well, frak. St. Nick didn't outstubborn me, he outsmarted me and got Kitty to do his work for him this time! That sly old devil!" She's soon busy scritching Bear behind the ears and along his muzzle with both hands, unable to be anything other than in good spirits with her bestie and his canine companion around. "I've got a couple books I got from both the mall and Salem Center, with chords, a few basic lessons, things like that. I'd be happy to share them with you if you like? Or... if you'll let me, I can get you a couple books for yourself as part of your Christmas present. Plus," she adds, grinning. "I'm pretty sure if we were to maybe ask Sam's ladyfriend, she'd have you playing in no time flat."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    What Bean knows about guitars would probably fit on a very small post-it. Despite having the awesome power of the internet itself at his very beck and call, he's finding the entire experience a bit... daunting. But then he always feels that with a new project, until more information can be gathered and parsed. So, out of sheer curiosity, a single string is strummed. Being the nearest, it is of course the low E, and the low sound rings for a moment. He has no idea if that was in tune or not. Because as it turns out, knowing theory and actually recognising pitch are two completely different things. "I... think I'm going to need expert help with this one, yes." As expert as the fashion advice yesterday. He hasn't even touched his new clothes yet.

    After a few good moments of expert petting, a very happy Bear disentangles himself and traipses back to Bean, watching the experiment with the bits of wood and twangy string with great curiosity.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles and turns back to the piano, as Bear trots back on over to Bean. "Well... I'm no expert on the guitar, but I do know at least what each string's supposed to be tuned to. Maybe I can help you get that far, at least. We've got the piano right here to compare against... what do you think?" She tilts her head, smiling wider and wider still as she listens to that single note, even though she winces ever so slightly. "Sounds like that's fallen a little bit flat. Come on, let's see about fixing that."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Flat? The string doesn't appear to be..." Bean peers along the strings, checking for flatness, until an urgent search query brings up a bit more on actual musical theory. Ah. Luckily he stops himself from talking when the new information comes in, mentally reformatting his response. "... so it was oscillating along the wrong frequency? I take it these pegs on the long part change the string tension?" Cue looking intently at the headstock, following the E string to the correct adjustment knob. "Ah, I see, there is a reduction gear to change the ratio of... ah... clever."

    Bear lays down, watching this fascinating back and forth of tones. "How do I determine the correct oscillation?" Bean asks, instantly accepting Shannon as the local music specialist.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon smiles, knowing all too well that Bean's likely looked up all this information in the blink of an eye, before she even had time to think. It never ceased to amaze her how he could do that, and she chuckles softly. "Yep. Those are your tuning pegs right there. Here, let me play the note for you on the piano, and you can match the tone. When a note is 'flat', that means it's playing a little lower than it should. 'Sharp' means it's playing a little higher. We can get into how that applies to sheet music later. Let's just focus on getting your instrument tuned for now." She finds the corresponding key on the piano and plays it, just a single low E like the guitar string. A nod is offered in Bean's direction so he knows to play the string as well. "Can you hear the difference as it is now?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Tuning a guitar, is turns out, is remarkably similar to tuning an engine. By increments, looking at the result, and going from the aggregate change rather than shooting for an absolute, adjusting timing cylinder by cylinder. In this case, string by string, and that starts with the big fat one at the top... the E string, so his search has told Bean. It's struck again, and since it's flat, that means he has to adjust it... up? Yes, up. That means increasing the string tension, ever so slightly. Then another try. And another. "Play the note again?" He's getting close. Must be. The sound is getting more similar.

Nightingale has posed:
     It delights the winged healer to no end to see her best friend on his maiden voyage into the previously uncharted waters known as music, and she nods. The grin on Shannon's face looks as if it's wide enough to swallow an X-wing, as she plays the low E key for Bean once more. "You're getting closer. When the tones match, you'll hear it sort of 'click' together, like two pieces of a puzzle. Or... like an engine that's been tuned up and cared for properly."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Listening to an engine note to figure out what's wrong with it is easier when you can also ask the engine directly. Most engines anyway. Most /modern/ engines. It's harder with guitars, although Bean finds that they also seem to speak, except to his ears rather than his mind. The E is tuned. Success achieved. "I'm developing a whole new respect for musicians..."

Nightingale has posed:
     Giggling softly, Shannon shrugs a little. "I'm a pretty poor musician. Especially compared to someone with massive talent like Andrea, or Dazzler, or Alexis. Who would probably pinch me for saying so." Especially if word ever got back to her, right? So Bean is hopefully going to keep that to himself, right? Right! She grins, nodding towards Bean. "You tell me the next note, and I'll tell you if you're right, and help you get that one tuned, too."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Standard guitar tuning? There seems to be some disagreement about that, but there also seems to be some form of consensus at least for his type of guitar. Along with a trick on how to tell if strings are in tune. Interesting. Checking the fretboard, he makes sure his index finger is firmly on the fifth fret, and then the E string is played again. Which, in theory, if he did it right, would make an A, which should be the exact same pitch as the string below it. Aha! The A string is struck. They are not entirely similar. "A, appears to be the common wisdom."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's eyebrows go up, and she grins from ear to ear, playing the A on the piano as confirmation of his wisdom. "Looks like you did a little quick research there too, I'm guessing. I saw something about using the fifth fret on the guitar for most of the notes. One of them, though, you have to use a different fret. I think when you're matching the B string. But double-check that." Wow. Just... wow. He was an incredibly fast learner, and it was a truly amazing thing to see.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Theory and practice are two very different things. It might take Bean a week or so to learn most things there are to learn about the theory of guitars, actually playing them... well, that's muscle memory. And muscle memory is only gained through practice and repetition. In short, hard work. Playing a whole song is a different skill altogether, not to mention playing and singing at the same time, or the absolute leap of skill required to write and then play a song you've thought up yourself. Honestly, these may be impressive first steps, but they're only first steps. "It's all a bit... imprecise. I like the mathematical correlations, but once you get to finger placement, or technique... nobody seems to agree on a best way. How do musicians get anything done?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon purses her lips in thought, canting her head slightly. "Well... I don't know if it helps, but I think there may be something out there that has the exact frequency of each note in hertz. Something a little closer to precise for you. Of course, when you're talking about an instrument, there's always a little bit of imprecision, but maybe that'd help you get a bit closer?" As for the rest, her grin is a little bit sheepish, and she shrugs. "As for the rest... finger placement, technique, and all that... that's where you may want to find a teacher who actually knows what they're doing. I'd really strongly recommend Alexis, or Jay, or possibly even Andrea if she hasn't got her hands full with her charity work."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Once again the instrument gets a close, examining look. And then Bean shifts his attention, and his posture, for a more natural conversation. "Andrea wanted to know if I was coming to the concert. You know, the one you'll be in too... I think half the school wants to come, if not all of the school." A long strum, just to listen to the way the guitar sounds when all the strings are struck simultaneously. Some of it sounds discordant... some tuning still required. "I told her that I'd make sure the stage is well lit."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon gets a conspiratorial grin on her face, the young mutant glancing back and forth as if checking to make sure nobody else was listening. "Keep this one to yourself, but I changed my plans at the last minute. Won't be performing 'Fight Song' after all..." There's a bit of a waver in her smile, as if nerves were starting to get the best of her at the thought of what she /was/ going to do instead.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Oh?" Yup, that does get Bean's attention. Not only because he's interested in knowing what his friend /is/ going to be singing, but also because he has to work out a lighting schedule for the whole show, and a change like that would probably require a change in his own plans... "Doing 'waiting for a hero' instead?" He hopes he got that title right, knowing how much it means to Shannon.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head and grins even wider. "Nope. Not 'Holding Out For A Hero', either. It's... not one you'll have ever heard before, I'm 100% sure of that." She pauses for effect, taking a bit of a shaky breath. "Because it's one I'm writing myself."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Well now... An eyebrow goes up as Bean smiles, disentangling himself from the guitar strap. "That's going to be amazing. I know it's too early for it, but when you've finished writing it... could I hear it before the show? I need to give you some lighting effects that do it credit."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon tilts her head to one side. "Well... I'm fleshing out the accompaniment on my laptop right now, but I've got a more bare-bones version on my phone, if you want to sort of get a feel for the song? I was starting to write it before the nightmares and everything, but finishing it out and performing it's becoming part of my therapy." She slips her phone from her pocket, glancing towards the door, hoping it's closed, and then back to Bean for confirmation.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    The guitar is put back in its case, carefully, and the strap arranged so it doesn't touch the strings. Without saying anything else, Bean stands and walks to the door, testing that it's been properly closed, reassuring his friend that nobody else is going to walk in. Not while he's leaning against the door from the inside, at any rate. "Go on."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon grins a bit nervously and swipes through a few things on her phone before coming to the song file she wants. "This still needs a little work, so there are likely to be changes right up to the day of the performance. But most of the guitar, bass, and drums are pretty well fleshed out by now, so hopefully it'll give you something to go on." With that, she taps the screen of her phone. A light, rhythmic guitar riff starts playing, with a simple bass drum keeping the rhythm. Bit by bit, more percussion is added in, and when the bass line and a light bit of vibraphone accompaniment chimes in, she starts to sing, her voice a bit more confident even than when she was singing just a little while ago.

"Maybe my story's not like some
Livin' my life under the gun
But it's mine
And that's just fine

I've seen sorrow, I've seen pain
I'm learning to dance in the rain
Look at me
Now I'm free..."

Her voice picks up in strength and raw, powerful emotion as light cymbals and a slightly more complex vibraphone line is added for accent. Surely, this must be the refrain of the song.

"I'm going to touch the
Don't know how, don't know why
But now I'm gonna fly
And you can't stop me
No, you can't stop me

I'm going to reach the sun
Hold my hand up, touch the stars
The sky is mine
And I'm just fine
I'm going to touch the sky..."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Bean... listens. No, more than that, he listens to the emotion as well as the words, finding the meaning, the intent. And he can't help it. Eyes close when the refrain begins, picturing himself flying, leaving the world behind. To be free, free of care, of worries, of the past. To just ... be up there, with infinite ways to go, infinite opportunities, and nothing around to block the view of the horizon. Bear lays down next to him, reacting to the change in heart rate and tension. Ah, to be free...

Nightingale has posed:
     The driving drumbeat continues, with some strings added in to fill out the instruments, their sweet, swooping notes adding to the images painted by each word of the first verse and chorus. Plaintive notes weave in and out of the main melody, some soft, some a little stronger, but all forged into one harmonious whole.

"I've taken chances some won't take
Bending 'till my back would break
Crying, please
Oh, God, help me please

Prayers whispered in the night
Answered, now my heart takes flight
Never alone again
No, I'm never alone again..."

     The music swells, Shannon singing the refrain once more with renewed strength. There is no doubt that this song is her soul put into words, her journey to date finding voice as so many have been encouraging her to do....

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    With his eyes still closed, back against the door, Bean sits down, smiling. As expected, Bear drapes himself over his lap straight away, receiving a fierce hug. No, never alone again.

Nightingale has posed:
     There's an interlude where the drums drop off to just the bass drums, the bass guitar, and the rhythmic guitar strumming, which has been maintained through out the piece. Once more, bit by bit, the instruments are added back in, building to an intense crescendo, with Shannon breaking into the refrain a final time.

"I'm going to touch the sky
Don't know how, don't know why
But now I'm gonna fly
And you can't stop me
No, you can't stop me

I'm going to reach the sun
Hold my hand up, touch the stars
The sky is mine
And I'm just fine
I'm going to touch the sky..."

     The music ends abruptly, leaving the listener to soar on their own, as she always knew they could, as perhaps they always would be able to do ever after.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Wow."
    'Whurf'

    It seems both boys are in agreement. And both Bean and Bear still have their eyes closed, both of them smiling in their own way. "Yeah, much better than what you were going to sing."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon turns very red, tapping the screen of her phone to shut the music off before it can loop back and start all over again. "Thanks. I think 'Fight Song' is better, but if I don't get up the guts to sing my own stuff now, then when? Besides," she adds. "It sounds like most of, if not the entire Guthrie clan will be there, and it's really the only present I can give to all of them at once. To everyone who's been helping me, really. You had no small part in this song, you know. You did a lot to help inspire it."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Nonsense. That was all you, I could hear it. Those wings aren't just for show, that was your inner self talking." Bean gives Bear one last squeeze and then lets go, patting the ground next to him, telling the Shepherd to get out of his lap so he can stand back up. Covered in dog hair, maybe, but it was worth it. "Are you going to be okay doing this in front of a crowd? Because I've got an idea for the lights for that song, and I can use that trick I was talking about."

Nightingale has posed:
     "I won't have another chance anytime soon to perform this for the clan, so it has to be then. Just..." Briefly, there is a bit of a hitch in Shannon's voice, her eyes misting over a little bit. "It's stupid, but I wish my folks could be there, too. I'll have to perform it for them when I go home for a late Christmas." She closes her eyes, taking a few deep breaths. A single droplet trickles down her face, and she ducks her head for a moment.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    And there he has it. The tear clinched it. Without hesitation, Bean steps over and wraps his arms around Shannon in a well meant hug. "It's nearly Christmas, miracles happen. So they say anyway."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon hugs Bean fiercely, momentarily undone. More tears follow the first, her wings drooping and her shoulders shaking as she cries silently. She can't speak, just vent emotions she rarely lets out of their bottle in front of anyone.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Emotions... are not something Bean knows how to deal with very well. But he's here for his best friend, strong arms and a strong embrace. Luckily, Bear is an absolute champion when it comes to dealing with human emotions. The German Shepherd is there in a flash, rubbing the side of his face against Shannon's leg, giving a soft whine. It's like he wants to be be hugged... surely you would hug such a sad sounding doggo?

Nightingale has posed:
     Who could say no to a face like that, with those big pools of cocoa brown just begging for a hug around that furry neck? Who could resist that little headbutt, that whimper just crying for a little bit of love? Shannon certainly couldn't. Disentangling herself from Bean's hug, she wraps her arms around Bear's neck, hugging that sad sounding doggo gently. "Shhh... it's okay, Bear..."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Bear, for his part, seems to instantly feel better, laying his head on Shannon's shoulder. He swivels those large eyes to Bean and squeezes them both shut at the same time, the imitation of a human wink that he was taught. And that little performance has earned him a treat as well, from Bean's pocket to Bear's maw, crunching happily.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon smiles a little as she disengages from Bear, scratching him behind the ears. Her face is wet with tears, her eyes gone a bit red and puffy, but the major waterworks seems to have been shut down for the time being. "I'm sorry I came unglued like that. Just... I knew I'd miss my family, staying here for the kids who didn't really have anyone. Didn't think it would hit quite as hard as it did."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "It's okay." The assurance might not be the greatest, but it's the best Bean can do. "As I said, miracles happen this time of year. Especially to angels." His version of a wink is entirely human, although it's shared with Bear nevertheless. It's clear there's a conspiracy starting to form here...

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon laughs a little bit and shakes her head. "I've already had my miracle quota for the year. There's been my family bringing me here... meeting and coming to know everyone that I have... being grafted onto another family tree... aww hell, I got to meet and actually earn the privelege of calling one of my heroes a friend--and that list keeps growing the longer I stay here... really, what more miracles could I ask for?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "The Miracle of Christmas, of course." Bean adds with a smile. The kind of smile that promises something interesting is almost bound to happen. Oh dear...

Nightingale has posed:
     "Bean...." Shannon warns, catching that look in his eyes. "You'd better not be thinking of doing anything crazy...." But he wouldn't do that. Would he? Of course not. We're only talking about the one who hacked into the good Captain's phone and used up perhaps his one advantage there, just because she'd been upset over events of the time. No, he wouldn't do anything crazy /at all/....