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TogetherAgain

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Chapter Sixteen

Kermit was, as usual, among the last to enter the house that night. When he did, he was surprised to pick out, from the usual cacophony, the unusually slow sound of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony on Rowlf’s piano.

First he smiled. Then he frowned. Rowlf’s wrists were broken, and playing piano was bad for them, wasn’t it? The notes seemed more fluid than he would have guessed Rowlf could play in casts. His curiosity led him straight to the piano.

He wasn’t the only one. A small circle was starting to form. The piano had been greatly missed.

And sure enough, that was Rowlf sitting at the piano, with a huge, contagious grin on his face.

Kermit wore half a smile as he crept around the piano. Then he broke into a grin as big as his whole face when he saw Robin in the dog’s lap, using two fingers to press each key, his eyes jumping between the keys and an old piano book that Kermit didn’t recognize. Rowlf had his paws to either side of the young frog, and he lightly played a few chords, giving a slightly grander sound than Robin could have achieved on his own. As they played the final notes, Rowlf nodded his approval and murmured, “Very good.”

Kermit was proud to applaud his nephew.

Robin’s smile was as big as Rowlf’s when he looked up, noticing for the first time that his uncle was standing there. He instantly had a thousand things to say and didn’t know which to tell first, or that Kermit had all ready comprehended most of them, so the old stand-by punched out of him with an energy that was roughly comparable to Animal’s. “HI UNCLE KERMIT!”

“Hey Robin,” Kermit beamed, “Hi Rowlf. Looks like you guys have been busy!”

“Yeah!” Robin exclaimed.

Rowlf chuckled. “You’ve got one quick study of a nephew, Kermit,” he said. “He plays the melody, and I try to keep up.”

“Sounds like a good system,” Kermit said, sitting next to them on the bench.

“Works so far,” Rowlf said.

If Robin had been wearing pants, one might have said that he’d had ants in them. Since frogs typically don’t wear pants, this was clearly not the case, but he fidgeted all the same. “Rowlf taught me about octaves and whole notes and half notes and quarter notes and staccato and scales and he said I learn really fast!”

Rowlf grinned at Kermit. “His hands aren’t quite big enough for proper finger placement, but he’s doing pretty well,” he said.

“I see that!” Kermit said proudly. He set his hand on the piano and played three rising notes. “Mind if I play, too?” he asked.

“Sure!” Rowlf said, reaching for the book. “There’s a duet on the next page.”

Robin looked at his uncle, amazed. “Uncle Kermit- you can play piano, too?”

“Well, it’s been a while, but I think I still remember how,” Kermit said.

“How did you learn?” Robin asked.

Kermit looked over the piano, his nephew, and the dog. “About the same way you’re learning,” he said, “Except that Rowlf’s wrists weren’t broken then, and I didn’t sit in his lap.”

“Well, you could reach the keys on your own,” Rowlf said. “Wasn’t that about when you taught me how to play the banjo?”

“It was the same week, I think,” Kermit said. He turned to the piano. “I don’t think I’ve seen this book before, though,” he observed.

“Well you could all ready read sheet music,” Rowlf said. “We ready to start?”

“Yeah!” Robin said.

They played slowly, and as they did, the surrounding circle of Muppets drew closer. Fozzie sat down next to Rowlf, and Miss Piggy propped herself against the piano with her usual elegance. She watched Kermit’s hands with mute, admiring fascination. Kermit noticed her there, and sharpened his attention on the music.

The two of them set tension across the keys; there was no denying that. But the tension wasn’t enough to keep the Muppets from creeping closer, squeezing tighter, pinching in to fit as many people as possible around the piano. After all, there’s nothing in the world like music, and no feeling in the world like watching music being made in a cozy, tight-knit group.

When Rowlf, Robin, and Kermit finished their song, Rowlf looked around with a huge grin. “I didn’t know we could fit this many of us back here,” he said, for by this time a dozen Muppets had packed themselves between the piano and the wall.

They laughed at themselves and their less than spacious position.

“What else can you play, Robin?” Fozzie asked.

Robin shrugged. “Well… I can play Mary Had a Little Lamb.”

So Robin and Rowlf worked together to play simple children’s songs, and everyone laughed, smiled, and sang along.

With everyone around the piano, Rowlf’s smile was the biggest of all.
 

The Count

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Heh... Rowlf's smile might've been the biggest out of everybody at the piano... But our smiles are bigger for you finally posting more story.
Rully nice, what with the frogs playing at the same time... Loved it.

*Sigh... If only I knew what I wanted... But that's a subject for another day.

Thanks Lisa... Now quick, before Prawny notices...
 

TogetherAgain

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Quick, before Prawnie notices, WHAT? ...Post another chapter?

...Okay.

<Giggles>

(It was a good day today...)
 

TogetherAgain

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Chapter Seventeen

Early the next morning, Rowlf settled himself at the piano, as always. He lightly pressed a few notes, hoping that someone would hear it and come downstairs to talk.

Last night had been encouraging. They had gathered for the sake of the piano. Maybe the piano could bring someone here again.

He played slowly, softly, but it hurt to play much more than one careful note at a time.

But, as he slowly realized, no one could hear one careful note at a time.

He was quickly losing patience for playing one careful note at a time.

So he forgot about playing one careful note at a time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

Kermit stared up at his ceiling. Many thoughts were swirling through his mind. He thought about his number with Fozzie, about the blocking for the diner skit, about Miss Piggy’s bruise, about Miss Piggy’s behavior, and about countless other worries that he had grown accustomed to thinking about.

Beethoven’s Fifth, he thought.

Now that was peculiar. Why had he suddenly thought that?

Beethoven’s Fifth.

Oh! No wonder he was thinking it- he had just heard the signature notes of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. And now he could hear it continuing, as perfectly as if it had been recorded.

Now why on earth…

Piano. Someone was playing Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on the piano.

That wasn’t Dr. Teeth’s style. Rowlf’s wrists were broken. Maybe Rowlf was playing with Robin, but the young frog was rarely awake this early.

Kermit slipped out of bed and slowly made his way down the stairs.

“Rowlf?”

The dog looked up at him and nodded for him to approach. “Morning, Kermit,” he said quietly. “What’s on your mind?”

“Not much.” Kermit sat close to the piano. “Rowlf,” he said quietly, “…Are you sure you should be playing like that? I mean, with your wrists… Doesn’t it hurt?”

Rowlf nodded. “Yeah,” he said. He lifted his colorful casts and stared at them forlornly. “It hurts… and it’ll probably keep hurting.”

“Then why do you keep playing?” Kermit asked apprehensively.

Rowlf looked at the frog. “Kermit- I can’t not play,” he said. He shook his head. “Why do I play… Why do we put on the show every week? Why does Fozzie keep telling jokes in front of Statler and Waldorf? Why does Gonzo… never mind, bad example. Why does Beaker stick around with Bunsen? Why does Bean hang around any of us? Why does Piggy keep trying to make you love her?”

He purposely stopped there. Kermit looked up, edgy, almost about to say something, the wheels in his head clearly turning. Rowlf waited, but the frog said nothing.

“Sometimes it hurts,” the dog said. “But we keep going.”

Kermit was quiet. “And you keep playing,” he said softly.

Rowlf looked at his sore paws, and bent and flexed his fingers. “And I keep playing.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

“Guys, who’s staying with Rowlf today?” Kermit asked at the breakfast table.

“Kermit, we’ve all ready decided,” Gonzo announced. “And as a group, we voted that Rizzo should stay home.”

“What?” Rizzo said. “Since when?”

“Si, si, dis is true, hokay?” Pepe said.

“Yup,” Clifford said, “We decided at the meeting.”

“What?” Rizzo demanded. “What meeting?”

“Oh yeah!” Lew Zealand chimed in. “All my fish and I voted anonymously!”

Sam leaned over. “Don’t you mean unanimously?”

“What’s the difference?” Lew asked.

“Rully, like, we all voted on it, fer surely,” Janice said.

“Yeah, at the meeting, man!” Floyd agreed.

“MEETING! MEETING!” Animal chanted.

“WHAT MEETING?” Rizzo shouted.

“Oh, you know,” Scooter said. “The one where we voted!”

“But I didn’t vote!” Rizzo said. “Guys, this is no fair! No taxation wid’out representation!”

“Those are pretty big words for a pretty small rat,” the Newsman said.

“Hey, come on, Rizzo, you’re not backin’ out of it, are ya?” Johnny said. “This was all decided at the meeting!”

“Yeah! And NOBODY backs out on Johnny Fiama!” Sal said.

“Okay then,” Kermit said. “Thanks for staying back, Rizzo.”

“WHAT?”

Kermit calmly resumed reading the newspaper.

Fozzie was perplexed. “Hey Kermit?” he whispered. “What meeting?”

Kermit smiled and leaned over. “Gonzo?” he said. “There was no meeting, was there?”

“Nope,” Gonzo said.

“Yeah. I didn’t think so.” Kermit straightened up. “Don’t worry about it, Fozzie.”

“Oh,” Fozzie said. “So there was no meeting?”

“Nope.”

“Oh good,” Fozzie said. “I thought I missed a whoopee-cushion opportunity.”
 

The Count

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Heh... Inciteful and funny all at the same time.
Big stuff going on between Rowlf and Kermit in that moment of silent agreement... And of course, the meeting.
Hey Rizzo... You don't back out of a meeting like this. You show 'dem that meetings can take place, if you know what I mean.

So now the authors are tied with 17 chapters each. Wonder if any of their other colaborations will get updated sometime soon. Or if I can shake off the blahs.
Oh well... Lisa... More please!
 

redBoobergurl

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Two chapters of Muppety goodness! Wow, I don't know where to begin! First of all, the scene with Robin playing the piano and the pride that Kermit felt was so sweet. I like that Kermit sat down and played with him too, it was very nice. And Rowlf. Oh man, give him a hug for me please! We do things even though sometimes it hurts! Oh the philosophy of that dog! Great stuff Lisa, I'm really enjoying this story, especially the deep messages lying underneath the fluff. :smile:
 

theprawncracker

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Okay, so Lisa, you hit us with TWO chapters. First of all WOW! Second, if I had a voice, I'd squee, but since that would be murder on my throat I'll just applaud loudly at this part right here:
The Other Half to Topple all Other Halves said:
Rowlf looked at the frog. “Kermit- I can’t not play,” he said. He shook his head. “Why do I play… Why do we put on the show every week? Why does Fozzie keep telling jokes in front of Statler and Waldorf? Why does Gonzo… never mind, bad example. Why does Beaker stick around with Bunsen? Why does Bean hang around any of us? Why does Piggy keep trying to make you love her?”

He purposely stopped there. Kermit looked up, edgy, almost about to say something, the wheels in his head clearly turning. Rowlf waited, but the frog said nothing.

“Sometimes it hurts,” the dog said. “But we keep going.”

Kermit was quiet. “And you keep playing,” he said softly.

Rowlf looked at his sore paws, and bent and flexed his fingers. “And I keep playing.”
So, yeah, that made me ONE happy prawn.

...Wait...We're TIED?! No! It can't be!! Oh crud prawn, WHY did you have to run off to Disney World like that?! *mutters something about being sick and going to Disney World* I'll get you other half! You can count on it!

Yes Ed, you can count on it too. :stick_out_tongue:
 

The Count

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Count on it Prawny? Well, I would... Except that I won't until more story actually gets posted for Don't Trip The Driver. And please remember to finish off the commentary for Old Friends too.
 

Beauregard

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Ya! Ye! Yu! Yeeehaw! Yaw! Yeah! Yey! Yay! Yooy! Y*insertsomethinghere*

Detailed reveiw to come.
 

The Count

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Uh-Oh! Bo's on the fritz again!
*Smacks the mecha-janitor to get him working well once more.
 
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