To Tell A Tale. :Gift:

The island was located in the middle of a small pond. An ornate wooden bridge allowed people to cross to it. It was a tranquil place, where people came to relax and forget about their worries for a while. Tashako sat on a rock located next to the island's only tree. A sweet fragrance filled the air from the blossoms that were in bloom amongst it's branches. As he sat, Tashako watched as people came over the bridge. They carried chairs, or blankets, and set themselves up on the lush green grass. He was pleased. It was going to be a decent sized crowd for his latest gathering. Once everyone appeared to be settled, Tashako stood up and, notebook in hand, he addressed his audience.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Boys and girls. I am Tashako Ana, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking time out of your busy day to come and listen to my latest work. Today I present to you a tale of action and adventure upon the high seas. Of love lost, and then found. So please, sit back and allow me to transport you to a land far away, and long ago..."

Tashako had the audience in the palm of his hand from the very first paragraph. He could see it in their eyes as he read from his trusty orange notebook. He spoke, and his voice rose and fell, emphasizing just the right words to carry the story along. His free hand seemed to move on it's own, mimicking a flourish of a sword, or illustrating the size of a ship, or the motion of the water. As he continued, something tugged at the corners of his consciousness. Music. He could hear music. At first he thought that it was his imagination filling in a soundtrack to the tale, but he soon realized that wasn't the case. There really was music. Someone in the audience playing a guitar. Yet Tashako didn't find it distracting. If anything the music accompanied his own voice. Rising and becoming dramatic as he read out the action scenes, and then softening and becoming gentle during the romantic parts. It helped to spur on his own performance.

At last he came to the end of the story, and the crowd erupted into applause. Tashako leaned back on his long tail and blushed. He didn't do this for the praise. It was the joy of storytelling that he liked the most, and being able to enrich the lives, and inspire the imaginations of others. He acknowledged the audience, thanking them for having come along. As they began to leave, Tashako noticed a rattlesnake sitting on the grass. She had a guitar sitting on her lap, and he guessed that she was his mysterious musician. He walked up to her, and noticed that she had her eyes closed. She was listening to the crowd as they dispersed.
"You have a beautiful voice," she said as she opened her eyes. "Very melodious and powerful."
"Thank you Rebar," Tashako said with a smile.
Rebar looked at him surprised.
"You know who I am?" she asked.
Tashako opened his notebook, flicking through the pages until he came to what he was looking for.
"Rebar Rattle," he replied. "Twenty years old. Widowed. My condolences. You have three younger sisters, and two younger brothers."
"How do you know that?"
"Best friend: Hisspan Down," he answered turning to another page.
Rebar shook her head and laughed.
"Figures."
"You're also quite talented when it comes to music," Tashako said.
Rebar's eyes widened as she realized what he meant.
"Oh my," she gasped. "I'm so sorry if I was a distraction. I just got caught up in the story, and..."
Tashako held up his hand and smiled.
"It's OK Rebar. I liked the music. You followed the flow of the story perfectly. In fact, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me during my next gathering in a months time?"
Rebar nodded.
"Good," Tashako said. "If you would like to visit me soon, we can sort out the details. And maybe you can tell me of some of the adventures that you and Hisspan have had. If they're anything like the others she has told me of, then they'll make a wonderful series of stories."
With that, Tashako bowed deeply to Rebar, and made his way home.



A gift for sonicinterface featuring his character Tashako Ana. [link]

Tashako Ana belongs to

Rebar is my fan/original character.