Sky Log #3: The Pianist

Recalling my moth days is pretty much a blur these days.

It was just a short three months before I went into a deep slumber. When I woke up, the very first thing I did was try to find all the friends I befriended when I was a moth. After all, to suddenly go missing and to come back again would still give them a shock. Even if we have met once or twice, it will still be good manners to tell them that I'm in Sky now and that I don't intend to leave any time soon.

Honestly, it wasn't easy.

There were so many that had turned inactive during my period of absence. I could see their stars in the night sky but… I don't think they will ever light up. Day by day, night by night, I always glanced up at the sky, hoping to see numerous glowing halos around the stars that represented my friends. Yet, I can only see a few bright stars.

I felt that it was a pity to not have any opportunities to hang around in Sky and enjoy some adventures together. All the possible fun that we could have… could never be fulfilled because they have left Sky forever. Maybe… someday, they will remember Sky and the people they have met here. Then on account of that small possibility, they might return just to pop in for a hello and reminisce the good old days.

One can hope for that.

No matter how small it is.

Fortunately, there are some friends or acquaintances left.

But one left a deeper impression than any of them.

I can still remember the day I first met this Sky kid. It was as though it was yesterday. After all, first impressions do stick well.

I was exploring prairie's most common out-of-bound(oob) area.

I believe it was my first oob at that time. At that moment, I was immensely happy that I had gotten through a hole in the big cave since I had been trying that for some time but my limited wedges made it difficult for me to get through. Fortunately, there was a kid who was stuck there so we recharged each other up before going about own way.

After that encounter, I met him.

There is an area in the oob that has a hole that blows unsuspecting kids into a smaller part of the cave. He sat quietly at the corner of the area, near the hole. I don't remember what outfit he wore on that day but it was very peculiar and I knew that he had definitely played Sky far longer than I was. He was playing his piano peacefully when I came. I hope I wasn't a nuisance to him since I made sure to wait for him to finish while enjoying his music. Enthralled by his music, I gave him my candle before I dropped through the hole. Or at least that was what I believed I had done. I don't quite remember what exactly happened after that.

I called him Pianist… since… he played the piano when we first met.

So, after my slumber, I teleported to this friend whenever he was online.

…

It was the best decision I ever made.

Whenever I was with him, he took me to a new oob place. Or maybe it just so happened that he was going to an oob area. But, whatever the case, the places he and his friends took me to were beautiful.

Among all of the oobs he took me, I love the Valley sliding race the most.

I wouldn't exactly say it was an oob place since it didn't involve much of getting through any walls or grounds. It was a regular farm when he suddenly stopped in the middle of the race, at the particular spot where there were 3 paths with an overarching structure above. He did an emote to say he has an idea. Curious of what he was going to do and accustomed to how that emote usually lead to an oob place, I honked back for him to show me what it was. He flew straight up to show that the overarching structure was actually something like buildings.

Or… what's left of the buildings.

I was surprised. Since Valley's races were boring, many kids, including myself, tend to want to complete the race as quickly as we can and get it over with. The thought of observing the scenery never did cross most of our minds.

Afterwards, he flew over the track towards the buildings. There was a huge wall of strong wind to prevent us from going out of the track so it was a little difficult to get to where he was planning to go. However, it wasn't impossible because he managed to land and honk to get my attention. To say surprise was an understatement at that time.

I was literally blown away by what he had shown me.

I didn't know that sunset or sunrise (could never differentiate that in Valley, honestly) could be so beautiful. There weren't enough words in my limited vocabulary to describe the awe I felt with all the shades of such warm and bright colours filling up my vision. At that moment, I just had to take a picture. Just to preserve this moment and etched it within my heart.

So, I did.

An adorable picture with chibi-sized Pianist.

It was my first time seeing Pianist looking so small and cute. It was strange, funny and charming at the same time. I remembered that I had a good laugh before we entered Valley. He was so confused about why I was laughing that I had to take a shrink potion to tell him that it was because he turned small.

…

Pianist is probably one of the many reasons why I love Sky.

I look up to him as a big brother with the cool Valley 'Kakashi' hair and a guitar (he changed from a piano to a guitar when I came back to see him). I believed that at one point in time, due to our frequent meetups and farms, I had a slight crush on him for being such a nice and accommodating friend.

Maybe... that is why I really find kids with that hair attractive. Of course, that is not the only hair I find attractive. The Rhythm quest-giver's hair is another looker but unfortunately thanks to my slumber, I missed a lot of seasons. It was a small stroke of luck that I managed to enjoy the ice-skating rink in Home before it melted away.

I am thankful to have this 'big brother' of mine that I see from time to time. So much so that every time I met him, I would unlock a portion of the friendship tree or give him a gift. Yet, there is one portion of the tree that I never thought to unlock.

It was the chat.

To many lonely travellers in Sky, this chat is perhaps the most mystical part of Sky. It is the one function that really allows you to verbally communicate with your friend without the use of emotes.

I don't know why I didn't.

Nor do I know why he didn't too.

Maybe both of us wanted to keep this peaceful silence between us.

Maybe we just wanted to keep this beautiful image of each other as a silent friend…

But it is fine.

I'm not too sure of what I would expect if I ever tried to unlock it.

Perhaps… that dreamlike vision will break if I heard his voice.

And…

That is a reality that I do not want to face yet.