FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The Gift

Daniel's Storyline, Chapter 4.5

copyright comidacomida 2018

As I stood there panting, looking down at my guitar and my fingers that had just played the song for the first time, I realized that every last word, every last chord, and the kick-ass guitar solo in the middle were as familiar to me as any of the songs I'd bothered learning to play. It took a minute for me to regain my senses but, when I did, I looked up at Herne and his expression remained unreadable. He stated simply "All of my creation must be channeled through a Human... but that is only a fraction of what I can do, Daniel."

The statement blew my mind; even if he was trash talking for the benefit of the other spirits, or over exaggerating, what I'd experienced had already blown my mind. Taking a deep breath, I looked around at all of the Spirits then back to Herne. "Okay... even if I have to set aside the whole spontaneous song creation, I still want to know how THEY all knew how to play it and what parts to do too."

The Elk set his guitar down and walked over to me. He held up his hand and moved each finger in turn, then his thumb. "A hand is comprised of many parts, Daniel, yet, when you reach to pick up your guitar or to play a chord you do not pay attention to what any single digit is doing-- you focus on the end result."

I wasn't really interested in metaphors so I was purposefully dense. "So you're saying that our little band here is a hand and you're-- what? The brain controlling everything?"

Kon quickly chimed in "In that case, I'm the pointing finger."

Talapus was just a step behind. "I'm the middle finger."

Aiden, in a strange break from the norm, actually contributed to the (off topic) shout-out in spectacular off-topic-for-an-off-topic statement. "In insurance settlements the thumb is considered the most valuable finger."

Herne, surprisingly, took the initiative to bring the conversation back to focus rather than forcing me to handle it. "Why do all of you know how to play Daniel's knew song 'Because That's Life'?"

They replied in unison. "Because Daniel knows."

The Elk looked back at me while gesturing to the other Spirits. "There is your answer."

I couldn't help but frown. "That isn't an answer."

Herne argued the point. "It is a perfectly acceptable answer, but your question is flawed. You aren't asking the right one."

His better-than-you tone wasn't helping and I let him know. "That's bullshit, Herne. Come on... that's like saying 'Why is the sky blue?'. It's a stupid question that--"

I was interrupted by Talapus. "It is blue like the waters because the many fish of the heavens need somewhere to swim."

Kon followed suit right behind. "Izanagi, creator of the world and sky father bade the sky be clad in sora-iro."

Aiden, not to be forgotten, also weighed in on the issue. "The tiny molecules in Earth's atmosphere create a prism and reflect all waves of light. Blue is scattered more than the other colors because it travels as smaller, shorter waves, so that is the color we see most of the time when we look up at the sky."

Rather than let me object further, Herne again motioned to all of the spirits. "Three different answers to the same question, Daniel."

Although I was frustrated, I couldn't help but wonder if the four of them were teaming up against me. Aiden, at least, was helpful when he commented "To help you find the right answer sometimes it's easier to narrow down your question... kinda like an internet search."

I frowned, scornfully following his advice. "So, something more like 'According to science, why is the sky blue?'?"

The Bat, who apparently didn't catch that my enthusiastic tone was all sarcasm, was all fang-y smiles. "Exactly! That's right!"

Rather than object further or tell them all off, I looked back to Herne, wondering why the damned Elk had to always make things so difficult. "Okay, Herne... scientifically speaking, how is it that all of you could know how to play the song you helped me make up in my head while I played it?"

Although his answer was straight forward, it really didn't help much. "Science cannot explain your spontaneous creation of the song or our ability to play it alongside you without direction, Daniel."

At a loss, I stared. I just stared at Herne, and stood there, saying nothing. I stared and stared and stared, and he sat casually, staring right back. After what felt like an undeniably long stretch of time, and once I'd been able to collect my thoughts, I asked a simple question to the room as a whole. "Does anyone know what it is I'm trying to ask?"

Aiden raised a hand with a smile, both large ears up and looking at me. "You bet, Daniel. You want to know why we were each able to play the song you made up as you were playing it for the first time."

I pointed right at the Bat. "Yes! For god's sake, YES! That's exactly what I asked too, so what's the problem?"

Herne crossed his arms. "No... you made a statement about wanting to know how all of us knew how to play your song. That is different than asking a question."

Although I really wanted to debate the point I kept it simple by giving in and following his advice. "Herne: Why was everyone able to play the song I made up-- while I was playing it-- for the first time-- without any guidance at all from me?"

I hadn't noticed that Talapus had moved up beside me until he sat down direct at my right. Surprisingly, for once at least, he seemed seriously dedicated to a discussion. "Daniel... Spirits echo the mortal world. We survive off of energy created by Humans, and that includes things like creativity."

Aiden, with a huge smile still on his face, sat down on a stool in front of me. "Yeah-- you were so caught up in your song that you were handing it out like candy on Halloween... and we were able to feel enough of it that we helped bring your song to life just like it was in your mind."

Kon took a seat on my right and reached out to pat the back of my hand with his paw. Although his digits passed through my skin I could still feel the little tingling sensation that the gesture should have created had he touched me. "And, besides, if you really wanted to use Herne's explanation about the hand, WE were more the fingers-- including Herne. It was YOUR hand, not Herne's. You were the one in control."

I sat silently, slowly digesting what the three had actually said. Even as I was working through that realization, Herne's strong, commanding grip came to land on my shoulders, firmly massaging my muscles not unlike an overbearing boss as he spoke. "You are in control when you wish to be..."

Opening my mouth to speak, the most I could say was "I--"

He interjected, drawing back. "But you may surrender control any time you wish-- hopefully waiting until the time is right."

Only once he'd pulled away did I realize that his touch on my shoulders was all in my head, but it was enough for my muscles to continue tingling as he drew back. What took up more of my attention though were the flashes of insight and snippets of waking-dream that had coursed through my mind. I was mesmerized by the impressions of being caught up amidst a swirling dance of furry bodies, the erotic feel of several lengths of slick, excited flesh thrusting against, along, into, and across me. Our band session had come to an end, that much I knew, but had something else begun?

I was hypnotized at the sensations that created a shadowy double-impression of the world around me and, for a moment, I had a hard time figuring out whether they were thoughts imprinted into me, or were another example of my creativity running wild with a little poke from the Elk. Herne's haughty, knowing smirk creased his muzzle before he walked out the door. "There is no reason to think that it would be a little one."

Only once I saw the other Spirits looking at one another with knowing glances did I realize that I must have given off another buffet of spirit energy. Kon, still sitting next to me, was panting contentedly while Talapus on my other side was stretched out across the raised section of the stage, perfectly content in his nakedness. Aiden was just staring, starry eyed, licking his lips with hesitant uncertainty.

Suddenly very self conscious, I stood up and hastily followed after Herne, pausing only long enough to grab my guitar... and adjust myself.