The First Show

I couldn’t believe it, I stared at the piece of paper in my hand. Freya had somehow managed to get me a place to perform, a place where I can try. Sure it was just a little coffee shop that no one really came too, but I got a chance! Taking a deep breath, I simply looked up at her, and hugged her. She was so much younger than me, and she didn’t really understand my love of music, but at least she supported it. 

I had to get ready, I had performed before sure, in class, where it was more of a contest. In just a short week, I’d get to perform in front of a live crowd. “I hope this helps you, oh and I made you something.” She pulled herself out of my hug, The red haired kat pulled out a small box, handing it to me. “I hope you like it!” She almost sang it, and as I slowly pulled off the lid I realized what she had done for me.

“Thank you, Freya it’s amazing.” was all I could manage, I was on the verge of tears. She had recently taken up wood working, and was learning how to make things, so she had found something in the forest, and done her best to make me something similar to a conducting stick. She had to know I wouldn’t need one for this performance, but she also knew it meant the world to make me one. 

She grinned at me, one of the few times I’d ever seen her do that. Now that she and our little brother Thor lived with me on earth, they had some adjusting to do. She had grown quite protective of us, even if I was older and had been here longer. “I’m going to be there, and so will Thor.” She nodded her head once, as if it had been decided just like that. “Alright, I’m going to have to get to practicing, as soon as dinner is done.” 

She shook her head, “I’m making dinner, go practice.” I stared at her in shock, she very rarely wanted to make dinner. “You heard me go on, it’s nothing too hard to make right? Besides I have a recipe and you're always looking out for us.” I just hugged her again, before running off

I took the stairs two at a time, heading down into the basement where I kept my music stuff. It wasn’t the ideal place to keep it but, it’s the best I had. I took my seat at the piano, I knew I was gonna be playing by myself so I best practice until my fingers are aching. 

It honestly felt like almost no time at all had passed, but the week ended incredibly quickly. I was practicing a large part of it, when I didn’t have more important things to do. I was anxious about it the entire time, and honestly I’m terrified I’m just going to freeze when it's time. 

As I started my way to the coffee shop my heart was leaping out of my chest, and the closer I got the more nausea was hitting me. I was psyching myself out like last time. 

“What if you can’t perform, what if you choke and freeze up like last time, you're just going to fail again why bother trying” It felt so real, I was terrified that was going to happen. I almost turned around right there, but… No I couldn’t let Thor and Freya down. I held the conductor stick to my chest and continued on. 

I arrived at the door to the shop with about two hours to spare, which should be enough time to set up. I pulled out the sheet music, and made sure they had a kat sized piano. This place was meant for both kats and humans after all, so I couldn’t be entirely sure. I quietly played a few notes to make sure it was in tune, before I sat down in the corner and ran through the music in my head again. Over and over and over, till I heard my cue that they’re doing a performer switch.

I took a deep breath, held onto the gift from Freya, and headed onto the stage. As I sat down at the piano I felt like I was going to freeze, I was terrified, but when I saw Freya and Thor come in, well, I felt a lot better. 

I looked out over the crowd for a second, before sitting down, my brown fur and broken horn were probably not the most impressive to look at, and though I had music notes floating around me, I doubt that helped much. 

I took a deep breath, and I started to play. It started very soft, light and repetitive. It felt almost natural, and just like in practice I felt everything else fade away. I heard the music, I saw the keys in front of me, and that was it. The notes flew from the piano in a beautiful way, and they sounded just perfect. As it kept going I saw the sheet music, but I also saw the faces of Thor, and Freya, the beautiful forest I grew up in back on Nie, The wonderful wild life.

When the peace started to pick up, and have a sadder tone to it, I saw the fighting my parents did, the incident that broke my horn, the tears in Freya’s eyes when I left for earth. The last one almost always made me cry to think about, and as I pressed on to try and fit this story into the time I had, we reached my favorite part. 

The music had picked up even more, had a more happy tone to it. With this came visions of finding out Freya was moving in with me, bringing Thor with her, and of course, a memory from long before, The first time I had ever played music.

The peace came to a close slowly, and repetitively, like it started, but with a more victorious air to it. The flowers pushed out of the grown where a storm had just raged, and my siblings were with me, safe.

As I stopped playing, nothing really happened. I faded out of the music and back into myself, and no one was clapping, or cheering. They where just continuing their conversations, but that was ok, I had proven to myself I could perform, That was all I needed.

 Besides, the only two people whose opinions I cared about? They seemed to love it.