@Sugar Brock noticed Alyssa approaching to listen and started experimenting with a simplified fingering for the F chord, creating a relaxed melody. While it wasn't very often he used the F chord, he would still brush up on various simpler fingerings for that chord, just in case the F chord was needed in a song. (what Brock plays)
Alyssa made a beeline for the stage before stopping right in front of it to hear this music. It was short, but both sweet and enjoyable at the same time, something Alyssa had always liked in a song.
(Mm, okay.) Alyssa stopped by the tip jar and dropped in a little something before retreating back to her spot in the audience.
@Sugar Brock acknowledged Alyssa leaving a quarter as he started his next song--a more upbeat tune in C. He had written the song in celebration of Miracolore's 4th anniversary that year, as he had done the previous anniversaries. He knew that most bands were not so lucky to see 5 years together, and a select few ever got to see more. Nevertheless, he was already brainstorming the song for the 5th anniversary, never mind he had a whole year to write it, tweak it and practice it. (what Brock plays)
A little upbeat heat Alyssa throught. An upbeat tempo combined with some absolutely beautiful notes with a little fancy fingerwork on the strings mixed in. She simply had to drop another quarter into the jar cause she enjoyed the song that much.
@Sugar Brock didn't care how many coins anyone dropped in the "tip jar"--every tip was used to maintain the classroom, provide for the Vulpixes, and anything else that would enhance the student experience. If he earned a large amount, some of them would go towards bringing music to poorer schools, or to save an arts program from being cut somewhere.
The song was flowing really smoothly up to this point. Alyssa hoped the ending would be as good as the beginning. However, her eyes kept drifting off to that one piece of merchandise in the window. She didn't want to leave before the performance was over, but she heard it calling to her...
(Oh, perfect.) Alyssa made a beeline for the shop she saw the piece of merchandise in. It might have been just a display model, but Alyssa wanted it, whatever it was.
@Sugar The Phoenix Power shop wasn't too terribly busy, and the outfit in question was near the entrance--a lovely sparkling gold costume that evoked the rainbow phoenix, Ho'oh
Alyssa scanned the area for an employee and walked up to one of them. "Excuse me, what is the name of that outfit you have in the window? It really caught my eye when I was walking past."
@Sugar "That is Golden Fire, one of our latest arrivals." an employee replied. "It's meant to evoke Ho'oh."
"That's a relatively simple name for such an outfit." Alyssa said. "I'd like to hear a bit more about this beauty though."
@Sugar "It was inspired by several different illustrations of Ho'oh in old fairy tale books." the employee explained. "The intent was to convey beauty and grace."