He never did let go what happened to him at the Ranger Scout meeting.

Growing up after, he still owned up the stereotype, trying to turn it around.

He still tried things outside of that like something better was still calling him out.

Nothing really stuck with him, though. One failed attempt at a hobby and another.

Then High School happened, and first semester's last class was next to Band.

Underfunded, same classroom as any other, no auditorium, but... That Piano.

It was a whim, and all the teacher cared about was "You better not steal it."

She got hers sometime later but... That hurt.

Didn't stop him pouring his soul into a set of keys like front page drive in news tho.

Some of the students from band would actually give him pointers at times.

Whenever they weren't busy screwing or pranking each other, up to any other shit.

But it struck a chord. Moved him. The focus kept his mind off shit and it was good.

And he was good. Getting better. Had Night Moves perfected like Zootopian Pop.

It was his father's song between him and his mom that made it connect.

The teacher still got tired of him coming 'round and made up some shit to staff.

She got fired eventually, but it still hurt him like nothing else, like it was all he had.

No matter, though.

Sahara Square's Palm Tree had a Grand in the Lobby. Noone cared to stop him.

Years and years whenever he could, he'd make the trip there. In the dead of night.

Noone'd even see him, they'd just hear it, and it'd be so good noone'd stop him.

Brings him back. To that time he sang it and played it to Marian.

She kissed him, pulled him down to the floor and it's why he got kicked out.

Ain't it funny how the piano still moves him? After all this time, it still takes over.

Brings him back a good and beautiful and righteously built up moment.

Maybe he could've gone famous, but the con jobs made enough money for him.

But he still remembers the good of these keys in front of him.



(Sorry if the story's kind of off. Kind of went off cuff, I was aloof at first and didn't think to re-edit it much.)

(Hoping it doesn't come off too seperate from what you first had in mind while drawing this, and thank you for doing so.)