Chapter 10: Welcome to Concordia
I stood facing the bow on top of the forecastle, drinking in the sights given to me and rendered in stunning clarity and definition with my Valkyrian eyes. The snowy landscape of the frozen north quite literally melting away into a vista consisting of grassy plains, scattered farmlands, lush mountains and clustered villages. Since this ship had its own propulsion system, there was no need for any masts or sails; which meant greater visibility all around the vessel. Bizarrely enough, there wasn’t an excess amount of wind sweeping over the deck; just what felt like a light breeze.
We we’re really hauling it too, a little over forty or so knots every hour. At this pace, we were bound to reach the Capital city within hours instead of the usual business day that it took via the train. The train couldn’t offer marvelous views like this either, all I was missing was a lawn chair and some snacks and the passing sights would have sufficed as an in-flight movie. As it was, I just leaned on the wooden banister of the railing lining the ship and popped in my ear buds before equipping my iPod and selecting a playlist of upbeat yet soothing sounds just perfect for this.
Forty five or so minutes in, I was shaken out of my trance like state by a hand grabbing me by the shoulder. I paused my IPod and turned around to address Daring… who was not at the wheel. I saw a questioning look in her eye but I cut it off with my inquiry first.
“Aren’t you supposed to piloting this thing?”
“Don’t sweat it; I have it set on the coordinates for Concordia” She replied with a dismissive tone.
“This ship has auto pilot? And here I thought I reached my quota of unexpected wonders for today” I dryly remarked.
“Then you’re in for a real treat once we reach the city, it never gets any less spectacular” She said with an amused smirk adorning her face.
“Doubt it can hold a candle to Coruscant” I muttered to myself, doubtful to the last part of that statement.
“What was that?” She asked, hearing me.
“Nothing, I’m just dubious about the hype surrounding this city. This supposed ‘Crown Jewel of Arcania’ has to be something special to deserve such a title”
“You’ll find out for yourself soon enough. In the meantime though… can we talk?” She asked pensively.
“We’re talking right now” Was my snarky response.
“You know what I mean” She replied with a roll of her eyes.
I motioned to the portion of wooden railing next to me and she leaned against it much like I was. We stood together in silence before Daring began her colloquy.
“So being the relic hunter I am, naturally I’m a curious person. And it’s been eating at me to know just what you saw back in the Citadel depths. With the last door Ya’know?”
I was less bitter than the last time she asked me what I saw, but I wasn’t going to reveal it without a proper exchange first.
“Quid Pro Quo” I chirped, looking her dead in the eye.
“Huh?” She stared back in confusion.
“Old language saying that basically means ‘This for that’. You tell me what you saw going into Sombra’s trap doors since you haven’t been forthcoming yourself, and then I’ll tell you what my last experience with those thrice damned doors was”
She grumbled to herself for a moment before giving in.
“Fine… the first door led me into some kinda stony corridor that reminded me a lot of the multiple jungle temples I’ve explored. As you can expect, I inspected it for the usual sudden death inducing traps but I couldn’t find a blasted thing. The door out was on the other side of the corridor and felt like it was within jogging distance, only the problem was that it never got any closer no matter how far I ran. That was when I heard a loud rumble and a wall absolutely bristling with spikes started closing in on me a little too fast for comfort”
“So how’d you get out of that one?” I asked, drawn in by the scenario.
“By running like a spiked wall was chasing me” She laconically responded, “There was a freakin gap separating me from the door too, which was suddenly close enough to see the shine on the handle but not close enough to reach. I used my whip to wrap around a portion of stone wall jutting out and swung across the gap, I didn’t even bother opening the door normally; instead I barged right on through”
“What’d you see afterwards?” I inquired.
She gave a frustrated huff, “Don’t see how it’s fair that I tell you everything I saw and you only tell me one thing in return”
“I gave you the first two for free back on the stairway, this is perfectly fair” I retorted.
“Whatever… so the second door had me at this high society party function back in Concordia”
“What? That doesn’t sound bad at all” I ejected with some aporia.
She gave me this incredulous look, “Have you ever been to one of those things? Boring as all hell, countless snobs trying to suck up to even snobbier smucks, the Hors d'oeuvre are tiny and tasteless, the music is alright but a little too high strung for me. But that’s not what made it annoying, what made it annoying was that I was completely naked”
I had to stifle an amused snort with Herculean effort, one hundred percent sure that I’d be doing a spit take right now if I had been drinking. This should be interesting to hear about.
“Didn’t know it was one of those parties” I humorously said while looking away to keep Daring from seeing my amusedly contorted features. I got another slug in the shoulder anyway.
“Not like that you perve! My usual outfit and gear were gone! Instead I was dressed in one of those frilly fru fru dresses, I looked completely ridiculous!”
“You’re afraid of attending a high society party dressed like one of the snobs?” I raised a skeptical brow.
“Of course not! I’d just hate myself for it, damn shindig didn’t even have any alcohol to drown away the indignity with” She bitterly replied.
“Go on, surely that wasn’t last tribulation you endured”
“No it wasn’t, I almost ripped the door off of its hinges once I found it. It... led somewhere a little more terrifying” She hesitantly concluded.
“And where was that?” I asked as I shuffled myself on the banister.
“The bottom of the ocean, the dark depths below about to swallow me up like an insatiable void. I couldn’t breathe… I tried swimming to the surface but I couldn’t reach it in time. My vision started to darken, my body was beginning to lose sensation, and my lungs were about to give out. I felt like the hands of death were closing in on me; wouldn’t be the first time either, only it felt like this time my luck finally ran out” She morosely finished.
“That… must have been nerve wracking, but you escaped that one right?”
“No… I didn’t. When I came to, I was in this building filled with old people too senile to remember the last five minutes of their life let alone all of it. But they were surrounded by family, and even though they weren’t that far from passing on; they looked happy. Like they lived a truly fulfilling life and were leaving behind something special behind to mark their passing. A legacy, not recognized merely from achievements but people they shared an intimate connection to and whose lives they touched”
“So what else happened? That can’t be everything” I doubtfully stated.
“It wasn’t. At first I just ignored everyone, knowing that they were just illusions from the trapdoor’s insidious magic. But try as I might, I couldn’t find the door out anywhere. And that’s when I found her…” She had a haunted look in her eyes as she spoke.
“Found who?” I asked, curious at this new development.
“Myself… or at least a much older version of myself. She was wrinkled, had those ugly looking reading glasses on, wore a black peignoir, and was turned away from me on her rocking chair. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the shade of her hair… still those solid stripes of gray” She gave a mirthless chuckle before continuing.
“She was alone… her only company were countless awards and recognition plaques and trophies that only served to gather rust and dust. Despite all of her fame and recognition, she was desolate and forlorn…. empty. Then she turned to face me… staring through me with those accusing eyes ‘Why?’ She said, ‘Why did you let this happen to me? Countless times we had the chance to share ourselves with someone else but you let our ambition get in the way. Any people we could call friend absolutely alienated by our indifference. Well this is where it gets you kiddo. Sitting by yourself idly wasting away while yearning for the old days and remembering old regrets of our life. So tell me… do you still think that it’s worth it?”
“That’s heavy” Was all I could manage, what else could I say to that?
She continued as though she hadn’t heard me, “I couldn’t answer her, but somewhere deep down I knew she had a point. I have some pretty big goals for myself… but what’s the point if it’s only going to be by myself? I turned and ran faster than I ever had, dead set on finding the door out that place. The overwhelming realization that I would end up like that was bearing down on me with a greater intensity than any deathtrap”
At that point I had heard enough, I swept her up in a fierce hug (Not usually my style, but she needed one) before granting her some reassurance.
“You will NOT end up alone Daring, and I promise that as your friend” ‘Still too used to calling them mutual acquaintances’ “That as long as I have anything to say about it, I will always be there for you through thick and thin… and to carry you home when you’ve had too much to drink” That last bit gave her the ghost of a smile. ‘Consoling mission a success!’
“You really mean that?” Her emotional disposition would be made or broken depending on my response.
“Word for word” I truthfully replied.
“Thank you… that means so much to me” She leaned into the hug, pulling herself back from the brink of despair.
“Just call on me when you need someone to share your burden with, I make a great pack mule remember?” I humorously poked, eliciting a soft chuckle from previously distraught woman.
“Lousy ride though” She grinningly riposted, sneaking in some subtle innuendo as well.
“Ha! You never complained” I volleyed back.
“Yeah yeah…so I’ve told you everything I saw, now it’s time for you to cough up the truth” She switched gears back to the topic at hand.
‘Darn, I was hoping that she’d forget’ I groused disappointedly.
I let out a short sigh, mentally preparing myself to disclose just what I experienced with the third doorway.
“A deal’s a deal, lemme just find the words to describe what I saw and how it made me feel about all of this” I waved around a finger in emphasis.
“So I was in relatively high spirits after the second, I managed to subvert an insulting perversion of a favored childhood pastime of mine using simple video game logic. However, the next door certainly didn’t pull any punches”
“What did it show you?” Daring inquired of me, ignoring the strange ‘video game’ words.
I stared at her with a neutral expression, “My life… or at least my life the way it was before I wound up here”
“And how exactly does that equate to your worst fear?” It was apparently Daring’s turn to be skeptical.
“It's not so much a fear as it is something that I despise with every fiber of my being, just living a tedious, boring, needlessly convoluted, and most importantly unfulfilling life. But that’s not really the part that got to me…what got to me was the fact that everything that I was experiencing thus far could just be an illusion. And for all I knew, I could be comatose and dreaming this entire thing up. The door must have somehow sensed my insecurities because the flow of images only got worse, from my parents grieving over me by a hospital bedside to all the people who would still miss me even though I was never a terribly outgoing person”
“You thought that everything you went through- that WE went through, was only an illusion?” Daring asked before making me look into her ruby red eyes, “That I was just a figment of your imagination?” She actually sounded hurt.
I scoffed at the ludicrous notion, “I never said I gave in to my fears. That vile dark magic was prying at my mental defenses just looking for a weak spot… it could never find any though”
“Yeah? And why was that oh impervious one?” She wisecracked to me.
“Because I have a remarkable ability to rationalize away all my fears and doubts. For instance even IF this was all a hallucination, then there’s no point fretting over it. It’s obviously not something I can change on my own power so I might as well enjoy it while the going’s good. They say that if you’re in crazy town, then you might as well have a good time. But if it makes you feel a little less insulted at having your very existence questioned, I don’t believe for a single moment that this is just illusory” I confidently explained.
“What makes you so sure of it?”
“Because you’re too incredible to simply be an echo of my mind. Besides... look at all of this!” I gestured to the picturesque passing landscapes below, “I’m not that imaginative” I grinned cheekily at the slight blush on her face from my first sentence.
“It didn’t stop the door from throwing some salt in the wound though” I continued, “The doorway out eventually revealed itself. But before I could turn the knob and escape that dreadful place, a voice that I felt instead of heard told me that I would never see my home or my loved ones again. If I wasn’t an expert at keeping my emotions in check, that would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. Nothing and nobody rubs that detestable truth in my face” I bitterly concluded, wishing I could go back and dismantle those bloody doors myself.
Daring looked sympathetic but couldn’t seem to find the right words to say. I could understand entirely, she already lost her family long ago so she had already made peace with it.
“Bah! Enough with this empathetically charged subject, how much longer before we reach Concordia?” I impatiently asked, tapping my foot against the wooden planking of the deck.
“At this speed and with a good tailwind? A good three hours or so” She answered.
Doing some quick mental calculations with what I knew, I came to the conclusion that the Krystal Kingdom was a little over two hundred and fifty kilometers from the Arcanian capital. I would have made an exasperated groaning noise at the excessive amount of time it would still take to reach our destination, but I had my ultimate time traveling material on hand. Music!
“Yo Daring, wanna know how I pass the time during long delays?” I grinned at her.
“Uhm… sure! This ship can practically run itself so I got plenty of time”
I whipped out my handy dandy IPod from my jean pockets and showed it to Daring, who stared at its glossy surface in a mix of confusion and wonderment.
“What is that thing? A vanity mirror?” She humorously asked.
“What? No! This is my IPod and it has a great multitude of uses, but for now it shall act as our music player” I explained with some mounting frustration at the vanity jab.
“That tiny little thing? But how? The only music players I know of are those clunky looking phonographs and music boxes”
“An IPod is like the GREAT great grandchild of those devices. (Putting it mildly to say the least) It has speakers of its own built in, but the best sound quality is with these” I pulled them out from underneath my polo shirt’s collar, “These are in-ear headphones, they let me listen to my music in private. On top of it, they’re noise isolating so I don’t have to worry about outside interference interrupting my listening sessions”
“And what kind of magic allows for such things?” She dubiously asked.
“Only the magic of technology my dear uninformed companion” I sniffed at the ridiculous notion of magical headphones, “Electronic signals travel from my IPod along the wires leading to the ear buds, inside each ear bud is a coil that becomes an electromagnet via input from the electrical signals. Those signals cause the coil to vibrate back and forth which in turn cause a diaphragm to expand and contract, this leads to the compressions and rarefactions that correlate to the sounds we hear. The IPod sends the right patterns of signals to produce the correct sounds requested” I took in a deep breath after I finished my mouthful of a laymen’s lecture on the inner workers of practically every modern speaker system.
Daring just stared at me like I was one of those little green men from a fifties B-horror film, although instead of fear it was just stupefaction.
“Are you sure you’re not talking about magic? Because you lost me after the first few sentences the same way somebody explaining the innermost workings of magic to me does”
“Disregard the technobabble then” I said with a wave of my hand, “And permit me to take you on a journey… starting with Journey” I motioned with my left ear bud to her, which she took with plenty of curiosity and slight hesitation.
“Don’t worry, it’s not like it’ll bite you or something” I said in my best reassuring yet snarky voice.
“I know that!” She indignantly replied, “It’s just that I don’t know what to do with it”
“Here” I scooted closer and took it from her hand, the brush of skin contact causing her face to heat up. I would have made a snippy comment about it but it made my heart rate rise too, much to my consternation. I parted her silky, lustrous, greyscale hair and inserted the headphone into her left ear. I selected the song on my IPod and pressed play, within seconds the woman’s face lit up with excitement and marvelment as the smooth tunes flooded her brain with the sensation of harmonious yet upbeat sound. (I tend to exalt legendary bands like Journey in case you haven’t noticed)
“This is incredible! It’s almost like having your own private concert playing in your head!” She gushed.
“And that’s only half of the full experience” I grinningly mentioned while tapping my right ear bud for emphasis.
And so three and a quarter hours passed by in what felt like one. Daring becoming even more drawn in as we cycled through a vast array of artists and genres. She had a liking for fast pace rock and electronic tracks, anything that possessed a good beat had her completely hooked. I found her fixation on Daft Punk’s latest album to be particularly endearing, seeing her bob back and forth to the straight funk of ‘Get Lucky’ was weapon’s grade adorable. I withheld showing her some of my favorite band’s music for fear of overwhelming her with the sheer amount of Epic that is Muse.
Strangely enough, once I hit the shuffle function I began to hear music outside of my right ear bud being piped in. I glanced down at the screen to see a rather famous duet song displayed, which was oddly fitting given the situation we both found ourselves currently in. Shrugging to myself at yet another of this world’s mysteries, I extracted the headphones from both myself and Daring before standing up and offering her a hand that she graciously accepted. I led her to the main deck where we had the most space for this outlandish phenomenon.
‘This world wants a cheesy duet? Then we’ll give it a helluva duet’
Knowing that musical magic was at play here, I didn’t have to second guess the fact that Daring knew the lyrics beforehand without ever having heard the song in her life. I let the jazzy and classy groove of the introduction resonate throughout my body before beginning the vocals. I didn’t even raise a brow at how my voice took on an even sexier pitch of baritone. Or how Daring’s voice emulated Gwyneth Paltrow’s while stile keeping her own unique flair as we swayed side to side on the deck.
Me: Baby lets cruise,
D: away from here
Me: Don't be confused,
D: the way is clear
Me and D: And if you want it, you got it forever
Me and D: This is not a one night stand
D: baby, yeah
Me and D: So, let the music take your mind
Just release and you will find
Me and D: You're gonna fly away, glad you're goin' my way
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Music is played for love, cruisin' is made for love
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Me: Baby tonight,
D: belongs to us
Me: Everything right,
D: do what you must
Me and D: And inch by inch we get closer and closer
To every lil' part of each other,
D: ooh baby yeah
Me: So,
Me and D: let the music take your mind
Just release and you will find
Me and D: You're gonna fly away, glad you're goin' my way
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Music is played for love, cruisin' is made for love
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Me and D: Cruise with me baby, ooh yeah ooh
Ooh baby, let's cruise,
D: let's float, let's glide
Ooh, let's open up,
D: and go inside
Me and D: And if you want it, you got it forever
I could just stay here beside you and love you baby
Let the music take your mind
Just release and…
Me: you will find!
Me and D: You're gonna fly away, glad you're goin' my way
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Music is played for love, cruisin' is made for love
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Me and D: You're gonna fly away, glad you're goin' my way
I love it when we're cruisin' together
Music is played for love, cruisin' is made for love
I love it when, I love it, I love it, I love it, ooh
Me: Cruise with me baby,
D: I love it when we're cruisin together
We finally came into view of the mountain that housed the capital city of the entire Arcanian nation just as the final notes of the duet played their last tune. Concordia wasn’t quite what I was expecting; it looked much more futuristic and even utopian in its architecture than I initially anticipated. Nestled firmly in the bosom of the mountain and standing tall over the surrounding landscape, the majestic city gleamed proudly in the light of the midday sun. Glistening minaret like ivory spires with flower bulb shaped domes dotted the skyline of the upper city; most were flying colors of some sort that billowed in the winds. Waterfalls cascaded down multiple channels running earthward via reservoirs in the mountain peak and through much of the city, which only served to add to the visual grandeur that was the Capital of Arcania.
There was more to the city than just the palatial district extending out against the mountain, an entire valley plateau carved into the mountain allowed for a large residential district filled with shops and homes to exist alongside the much grander structures next door. Even from this distance I could see the countless dots of people scurrying up and down the streets like so many busy bees.
Concordia wasn’t the only city in vantage point; just on the horizon was a massive grouping of clouds that were shaped conspicuously like an airborne megalopolis, I made it a secondary priority to find out if it went by the name of Cloudsdale as well. The surrounding airspace was also speckled with the occasional airship either heading toward the city’s many docking ports or departing from it. Based on our present course, we were heading for one of these docks ourselves. Daring left me to gaze in amazement at the wondrous city and sauntered over to the wheel to guide the ship in herself.
But not before getting a word in edgewise.
“So what’ya think? Does Concordia not hold a candle to that Coro-scant?” She smugly inquired, wholly slaughtering the pronunciation of the ecumenopolis.
“It’s Coruscant” I properly enunciated for her, “…and while I admit that the city is indeed impressive, it pales in comparison to a city that encompasses an entire planet”
I gave an amused snort. While this city had its own quaint charm, I never compare oranges to apples; especially when it’s an entire orchard of perfect apples in question.
“Is that where you come from?” Daring slowly asked, flabbergasted at the idea of a planet wide city.
“Uhm no… it’s just a place I’ve seen” I half truthed.
“You continue to mystify me Zenith” She said with a vexed shake of her head.
‘You and Crystal both, I gotta remember to write a letter to her sometime so I don’t forget’ I added that to my mental checklist.
We decreased altitude to become level with one of the mid-city docking harbors. A large rectangular box at the head of each port entrance glowed with one of two lights. For what I could deduce, they were red if the dock was closed off or already occupied by a vessel and green when it was open for docking.
‘Just like a stop and go light from back home’ I observed, once again befuddled by the similarities shared between the two worlds.
Thanks to the four very powerful and mobile fan blades propelling us, as well as Daring’s skill at the helm. We parked the Magnificent Maverick in half the time and twice the professionalism. The engines powering down as the sharp chopping noise of the fan blades was gradually reduced to a soft ‘shooping’ that signaled our arrival. A couple of dock workers scurried forward to catch the mooring lines that Daring casually tossed overboard before extending a ramp over to us. My companion then swung open a gate built into the railing of her ship and directed the dock workers to place the runged slab of wood at the foothold. I briskly retreated back to my bunk to retrieve my things before rejoining my friend on the deck. We proceeded to disembark and I took my first steps into the Capital City of Concordia.
‘I thought this would feel more memorable…bah, I’m just being jaded’ I had to stop to avoid bumping into a rotated Daring, who promptly gave me quick instructions.
“Wait here for me okay? I have to register the mighty mav’ with this level’s harbor master, mister gangplank” Daring explained with a hint of pride for her ship.
I nodded in understanding as she walked into an official looking building to square that away. I took that time to ponder my next course of action.
‘So here I am in the grand city of Concordia, I’ve got a little over three hundred bits on my person and although I’m not exactly loaded it should be enough to cover most of my expenses in this city. What’s next though? I can’t really explore the rest of Arcania without securing some additional income first, and I doubt that this city has many renegade dragon bounties to pursue’ I had to cut my musings short once more as Daring had apparently finished her business in the harbor office.
“That was awfully quick! Are the bureaucratic systems here more efficient than I originally guessed or are you just an express customer?” I quipped.
“The latter, Gangplank took one look at me and added the Mav’ to the registry with no additional paperwork necessary, since it’s already associated with the institute which is itself sponsored by the Concordia local government” She explained, which only piqued my curiosity.
“How does local government work around here? I doubt the Princesses make all of the decisions around here”
“Of course they don’t! However they do have the final say on all measures that involve the benefit of the whole nation or dealings with the neighboring countries. All other mundane tasks are for the municipal governments to handle”
“So it’s like a bureaucratic oligarchy?” I guessed.
“Something like that, I don’t know all the details since I rarely stay in country longer than a couple weeks anyway. Besides… I hate politics” She finished with a chuckle as we made our way to a street filled with pedestrians… and equestrians evidently (Not that kind!). Men on horseback trotted up and down the stony marble avenues alongside honest to goodness horse drawn trolleys that ferried their passengers to their destinations.
We lined up at one of the ‘bus stops’ along with other well-dressed bystanders for one of these antique rides. I honestly felt very much out of place, it was like being placed in Victorian era London for me. The city had a very quaint allure to it, but not really something that I’d put myself through without mentally preparing myself in advance. I was thankful that people here had the presence of mind to ignore the fact that my partner and I stood out from the crowd like two flamboyant flamingos amongst elegant swans. Even more so since we didn’t have those bindi jewels that 85% of the local population was sporting on their foreheads; marking this city as having a stellar mage population majority. It was interesting to note that most of the forehead jewels I saw correlated with a person’s iris color, though not always.
We paid the inexpensive toll and sat on the wooden benches of the trolley, my backpack situated firmly on my lap. The driver gave a light crack of his riding whip and the two draft horses resumed towing the long carriage down the city’s many winding streets.
“So what’s our first order of business?” I asked of the woman sitting next to me.
“Well I don’t know about you, but I’ve gotta report my success and additional findings to the institute” She gave a long and tired sigh; I guess she didn’t care for the more tedious parts of her job.
“I could accompany you so that you don’t get too bored” I graciously offered.
“I appreciate the thought, but I have to do this myself. Why don’t you go and explore the city for a bit? There’s plenty to see and do here in the capital” She said with a hint of yearning, most likely wanting to tag along herself.
“And risk coming off to the locals as a clueless tourist? I think I’ll take a rain check on that” I said with a roll of my eyes, “Perhaps you can show me yourself around once you finish up with your business here?” I hopefully inquired.
“Of course I will! But unless you want to spend the next half day skulking around aimlessly, I suggest you find something to do in the meantime”
“How will we meet up again? I might stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd but this city isn’t exactly small” I reasonably asked.
“I have my methods for keeping track of people and the places they’re located” She replied with an enigmatic grin, “Speaking of which, this is where I get off!” She pulled on a string above us that rang a bell, signaling the driver to stop.
‘Wait… what?’ I made a mental note to check myself for a tracking beacon later.
The trolley came to a slow standstill and the adventuress hopped off the transport and headed straight for a rather unassuming row of buildings before I could manage another word. They were distinct only by the fact that they were sealed off from the rest of the surrounding city by a perimeter of wrought iron fencing, which culminated into a metal gate with a fancy ovular emblem that Daring passed through once she waved that medallion of hers to the gatekeepers standing vigilantly by the entrance.
Feeling a little irked at being so unceremoniously abandoned to my own devices in the city, I sagged in my seat; feeling content to stay idle until I found a destination that grabbed my attention. What more could I do? I was lost amongst the urban sprawl of an alien city without a map, and I highly doubted that my good sense of direction would point me anywhere without a magnetizing prompt. And so a good few hours melted away as I surveyed multiple locales that the native population visited frequently; busy markets, carefree coffee shops, jam-packed pubs, fancy looking restaurants, places of business… and the occasional burlesque theatre or two.
‘Ah… the joys of public transit’ I sarcastically quipped in my intense mental boredom; if something didn’t catch my eye soon I’d probably fall asleep right there. I was close to giving up on finding anything to occupy myself with when I heard the muffled sounds of music coming from what looked like some kind of snazzy jazz club. Deciding that I had nothing better to do, I rung the bell and stepped off of the trolley with my pack before making my way towards said club. I decided to ignore the murmured “Took him long enough…” comment from the trolley man.
Day began to transition into the early stages of dusk as the Sun sank into the horizon, no doubt being moved by the Celestial Princess herself. Contrary to some of my preconceived ideas, she did not lower the stellar body in a manner befitting a clock with ‘ticking’ motions. Rather, it gradually submerged below the horizon just like it normally would back home; which of course gave my distrustful proclivities reason to doubt Celestia’s claim to rule. I quickly disparaged that line of thought; I wasn’t here to incite any kind of fiery revolution after all.
It really was shaping up to be a beautiful night though, being this high up meant that the evening air had a pleasant crisp chill to it. One by one the Stars began to reveal themselves and twinkle in the night sky. Those tiny sparkling dots up there were something I’ve always found captivating; and despite how well lit the city was, there wasn’t any ‘light pollution’ to drown out all but the brightest Stars. The open aired and rotund platform section of the city I was currently in offered absolutely breathtaking views into space; I could see nebulae, short lived meteors, and even the cosmic vapors composing whatever galaxy that this planet inhabited. I took in a deep breath as I Stargazed, it was…
“Glorious” I exhaled in satisfaction.
Believing that I had delayed long enough, I resumed my heading towards the melody exuding building. The gilded brass letters adorning the doors read ‘The Lofty Lounge’ and given that it overlooked half of the now shadow veiled verdant valley below; I supposed that it was an apt name. I passed through the doors and was instantly met with a dimly lit and tranquilizing atmosphere. Debonair looking patrons wined and dined in relative silence while listening to the quartet of musicians onstage. It was a setup not unlike the Gemmed Tankard from last night; with a pianist, drummer, a bass guitarist with a saxophone on a stand next to himself, and what looked like a cellist (Although they were shrouded by darkness so I couldn’t see them clearly). Although I highly doubted that the customers would prove as carousal or raucous as those back in the Krystal Kingdom, they did seem to be the more refined type after all.
Grateful that this wasn’t one of those places that required a reservation to attend, I grabbed an unoccupied corner booth table with cushioned seats near the entry and set my stuff down before perusing the menu selections. As to be expected of such places, most dishes were exorbitantly priced in the forty bit range; even more if you tacked on some liquid courage. A waiter dressed in one of those stereotypical albeit dapper looking black and white suits made his way over to my table posthaste.
“Good evening sir and welcome to the Lofty Lounge, how can I serve you this lovely night?” He put on a businesslike but sincere enough smile.
“I’ve yet to decide on an entrée, however the mint raspberry lemonade sounds like a good starter” ‘It better be for ten bits!’
“Very well sir, I’ll retrieve your drink and give you some time to decide what your main course will be” He gave a quick bow before scurrying off to the kitchen to do so. Since he didn’t comment on my choice of casual attire, I deduced that they also didn’t have a strict dress code that I had to adhere to. Still...compared to some of these people I may as well have been wearing sackcloth for all my sense of vogue. Not that I really cared but the point still stands.
‘I must commend the serving staff for their good sense of providing excellent service though, probably with a nice tip. Ten percent is pretty generous right?’
After an intense mental debate between getting the steak with lobster mashed potatoes and the venison piccata with linguine, the red blooded American in me determined that good ol’ fashioned meat and potatoes won out over pasta any day of the week. I made sure to inform the waiter of my choice after he delivered the somewhat costly drink to my table. I sipped at it in silence as I let the ongoing music sooth and stimulate me, the tune sounding suspiciously similar to ‘Smooth Operator’ except without Sade’s voice. But I paid it no mind, content as I was to relax and enjoy the revitalizing taste of my minty fruit drink.
Another hour passed as I feasted on my three course meal as soon as it arrived, I was practically rejoicing that the portions there weren’t pathetically miniscule like so many other expensive restaurants that I’ve eaten at. There was a lull in the entertainment as one of the members; the cellist apparently, decided to take a respite from performing while the other three re-tuned their instruments or got a drink at the bar. I figured that was about it for the night as I had finished my meal and the music that drew me in was no longer saturating the air with its pleasantness.
That was until a rather debonair looking fellow with an awesome handlebar mustache took the stage and clinked on a wine glass he was holding with what looked like a fondue spoon. The natural acoustics of the lounge allowed for his voice to carry. He spoke in gravelly baritone voice that rivaled Louis Armstrong’s yet had a somewhat ostentatious and clipped accent; it was a very odd combination to be sure.
“Good evening everyone and thank you for your attention. As most of you know I am Smooth Jazz, the owner and proprietor of this fine establishment. As most of my regulars are also aware of, every Friday we select one random member from the audience to participate in their own cabaret! Just a minor idea I came up with to liven up the mood and provide a bit of a breakaway from these stuffy old tossers!” He jokingly indicated with a flick of his thumb towards the three musicians who were fiddling with their instruments or guzzling down their alcohol.
“We love you too Jazz!” One them responded in good humor.
“Now remember, even if the light does fall on you, that doesn’t mean that you are obligated to come up here where we will all most likely be watching your every move and silently judging you” He jocosely admitted with a wry smile, eliciting a string of chuckles from the audience.
“Spotlight please!” He commanded with a raised index finger. A light worker on an indoor balcony switched on a limelight and began to scour the various patrons in search of a sucker (in my opinion) to either provide entertainment or be silently ridiculed by their peers. The light worker even had some fun with the crowd by pretending to focus the light on one person until they started getting anxious before swiftly moving on to the next and final victim. Unfortunately, that victim happened to be me. Seeing as I was all by my lonesome in the corner, they must have seen me as easy prey for their sick entertainment.
‘Okay maybe I’m being a little dramatic’
Betraying nothing of my displeasure at being singled out, I quietly sighed and stood up from my seat to make my way toward the modestly sized curtained stage where the lounge owner stood, the stage light (and the stares of every person in the lounge) never leaving me once. Once I was finally standing close to him he offered his hand which I slowly took before giving it a firm shake.
“No need to look so dismayed lad! Just for finding the courage to come up here, all your expenses tonight will be exempted! So what’s your name my good man?”
“That’s very beneficent of you, and call me Zenith” I replied, my munny bag would retain most of its circumference tonight at least.
“I do pride myself on being renowned for magnanimous courtesy. So Zenith! How shall you enthrall the good people who currently compose my clientele?” He asked me as he twisted at his waxed mustache.
“If they wouldn’t mind a little more music, then I intend to sing for them” Seeing as no one was tossing any tomatoes yet (If this world was that cliché) I assumed that they didn’t mind.
‘Besides, I’ve been dying to see just how flexible this ambient music magic is’
“That sounds splendid! Would music happen to be a special talent of yours?” He inquired, since Mana Marks for guys aren’t as readily visible as they are for the girls.
“Not exactly, but I do have a penchant for it. Bear with me though, it won’t be anything jazzy”
“That’s quite alright laddie! It’s your stage for tonight, feel free to delight us as you see fit!” And with that, he exited stage left to his own private booth.
I stared at the three musicians who remained offstage at the bar. Did they expect me to do this by myself?
“*Ahem* Gentlemen… if you would assist me please?”
“Assist you how? We don’t know what you’re going to sing” One of them questioningly piped up.
“It’ll come to you, trust me” I replied with a knowing smirk. Begrudgingly, they quickly downed their drinks before manning their instruments on the stage.
Spotting an acoustic guitar on a stand next to a wooden stool, I strolled on over to pick it up and sit down. It wasn’t the body shape I was used to (a dreadnought versus my cut away grand auditorium) but I figured it didn’t really matter since it was only three chords I would be strumming anyway. I removed the guitar pick from a custom sleeve in the headstock and examined it.
‘Agate guitar picks? Classy AND functional… nice’
I gave the guitar an experimental strum, the twang of the six strings resonated in standard tuning and in a rich tonal quality that my regular plastic tortex guitar picks just couldn’t afford me. The coffered ceilings and wainscoted wall panels of the miniature auditorium resulted in even the soft sound of the strumming carrying throughout the whole lounge. I nodded my head in bemused satisfaction at the excellent room acoustics.
I glanced back at the other musicians to see if they were ready; a curt nod from all three of them assured me that they were. Without further delay I began to serenade the audience with one of my favorite songs.
Looking for something I've never seen,
Alone and I'm in between
The place that I'm from and
The place that I'm in,
A city I never been
I found a friend or should I say a foe,
Said there's a few things you should know
We don't want you to see,
We come and we go
Here today, gone tomorrow
As I figured, my fellow musicians instantly got with the program and provided the appropriate instrumentation; once more I marveled at the gaps that magic could simply fill in.
Were only taking turns,
Holding this world
It's how it's always been,
When you're older, you will understand
Many of the lyrics of this piece were oddly fitting my mood as of late, and as such I sang with the raw emotion befitting such a powerful song. All eyes were on me as I continued to strum and fill the air with the profound lyrics that Isaac Slade wrote when composing this song.
If I say who I know it just goes to show,
You need me less than I need you
But take it from me we don't give sympathy,
You can trust me trust nobody
But I said you and me we don't have honesty,
The things we don't want to speak
I'll try to get out but I never will,
This traffic is perfectly still
My compatriot accompanists were truly drawn into the song, providing the chorus with their eyes closed in thoughtful introspection. The sheer synchrony of our voices was almost haunting in a way. To me this song has always been about feeling alone even when surrounded by people, but to also make the most of the time we’ve been given in this life.
We’re only taking turns, (taking turns)
Holding this world
It’s how it’s always been, (always been)
When you’re older you will understand!
The sudden crescendo had all but completely floored the audience as the song suddenly ramped up in both tempo and intensity. I could tell by the shocked looked on their faces that they were not expecting it; I grinned to myself, neither did I my first time hearing this enchanting song.
And then again maybe you don't!
And then again maybe you won't!
(We’re only taking turns!)
Were only taking turns,
Holding this world
It's how it's always been,
When you're older, you will understand
When you're older you might understand,
When you're older you might understand
As the final drum taps heralded the end of the song, I exhaled a breath that I didn’t even know I was holding in. The arrant cathartic release that the song demanded of me was a tad exhausting on my mental faculties. Still… it felt damn good to let it all out. I was arisen from my self-reflection by the slow sound of intermittent claps that gradually escalated into a standing ovation from the entire crowd. Smooth Jazz enthusiastically made his way to my side amid the applause, grasping my hand and shaking it fervently.
“Good show lad! Good show! That was positively magnificent! I’ve never heard anything like it!” He beamed at me.
“I presume everyone here is sufficiently pleased?” I rhetorically asked, seeing as they were still ecstatically cheering.
“I dare say they are dear boy! If I had a performance like that hosted every night, my lounge would be the toast of the town! You wouldn’t happen to be employable would you?” He hopefully asked of me.
“I’m afraid this will be a one-time gig. But if I ever find myself here again, I’ll be sure to pay this place another visit” Was my tactful excuse. ‘I’ve lingered here a bit too long anyhow’
His smile never faltered, “That’s quite alright lad, I find that the best acts occur in their own time” He finally let go of my hand and I excused myself back to my table.
‘Jolly fellow ain’t he?’ I thought to myself as I ducked past tables and the scrutinizing stares of their various well-dressed occupants. My normally acute hearing; which itself was even further enhanced by my Valkyrian senses, picked up on the cacophony of hushed comments coming from the clustered congregation.
“…Unlike anything I ever heard…”
“…His attire is rather simple…”
“…Such talent for a non-magi…” ‘Gee…supremist much?’
“…a handsome looking gentleman isn’t he?”
That last one almost made me stumble, barely three and a half minutes of singing and already they were appraising me for my looks. I shook my head in disbelief; I still had half a drink left at my table that I intended to finish before leaving and the cracks from the peanut gallery wouldn’t lessen my resolve.
I downed the last of my drink in one mighty swig and fished out a ten bit piece from my munny pouch. I waved down my waiter from earlier and gave it to him, he seemed surprised at what he saw as a very ample tip but I assured him that he earned it. He bowed appreciatively before resuming his attendance of the other tables. I was occupying myself with rifling through my belongings again in search of a contrivance to keep me busy for the rest of the night when the sound of someone approaching and stopping just shy of my table addressed my ears.
“Would you mind terribly if I joined you for a spell?” The refined but euphonious sounding voice of a woman requested of me.
‘Strange choice of words but whatever’
“Feel at ease” I automatically responded with a flick of my free hand, engaged as I was to sifting through my possessions. The sound of the booth cushions opposite of me compressing informed that she did just that. I could have sworn I saw a faint glow coming from one of the zipper compartments of my backpack. However, not wanting to come off as rude by ignoring her, I temporarily ceased my rummaging and gave her my full attention. It’s a good thing I did; else I would have risked marginalizing a fairly important person.
In retrospect, I should have had a stronger suspicion as to who the mystery cellist was. But I wasn’t exactly expecting her to moonlight at a jazz lounge that I happened to have picked, let alone have caught enough of her attention to warrant this colloquy. Though I suppose an artist has to find ways to earn their bread and butter somehow, and I doubt there’s a grand symphony hosted in this city 24/7.
I stared…a minor expression of astonishment on my face. Quietly coughing to myself to recover, I refaced my table guest with my usual passive countenance.
‘Uh...quick! Compliment her to break the ice!’
“You’ll have to forgive my slight faux pas; I was simply…caught off guard by your prodigious beauty”
Her cheeks briefly lit up before she regained her composure, “Well, you certainly are the charmer aren’t you?”
“So how can I be of assistance miss…?” I purposely trailed off as I extended an open hand towards her.
“Octavia” She shook my hand amicably, “Octavia Philharmonica”
“Ah... I thought you looked familiar” I inwardly chuckled, how could I not recognize her? The purple treble clef Mana Marks on her hands and the classy bowtie are a dead giveaway.
“Yes, I have performed with the Royal Concordian Orchestra on occasion. Perhaps you recognize me from one of their concerts?” She looked appreciative, no doubt pleased to have fans.
‘If only you knew’
“I’ve personally never had the pleasure of attending one, but I have no doubts that they are magnifique in their scope and grandeur” This was high praise coming from someone as cynical as me.
“Especially with someone with your musical caliber in their ranks” I additionally and shamelessly complimented.
“You’re sweet… but it isn’t my ‘musical caliber’ that I wish to discuss” She said as she narrowed her analytical gaze on me.
“Then what is it you wish to discuss milady?” A Shakespearean tone once more sneaking its way into my voice as I held her steady gaze.
“Why yours of course! You single handedly brought on a harmonious synchronization event by performing on that stage! I like to consider myself well versed in the musical arts, but only those with a truly powerful calling are capable of doing such so casually by themselves” She spouted in near fervent disbelief before continuing, “You must tell me how you are capable of such things, think of what you could bring to the world of music!” She looked at me with a hint of desperation in her lovely orchid colored eyes.
“Well… I have my doubts about showing you how to bring about those ‘sync events’ you mentioned since they kinda just… happen” I saw the spark of hope start to go out in her eyes, “However! I will be more than able to show you a whole new world’s worth of music” I saw the spark restored as she beamed me a wonderful smile.
“Although I don’t quite wish to discuss the particulars of which in the ‘rays of the public sun’ if you catch my meaning” I motioned with my eyes towards the less than subtle patrons glancing in our direction and murmuring to each other.
“Yes of course! I second the motion that we should continue this ‘most enlightening’ dialogue someplace more secluded, my abode perhaps? She offered.
“Oh.. I wouldn’t want to impose-” I began.
“Nonsense! This is an opportunity to learn from each other! Think of what it could mean for the arts!” She quickly batted away my flimsy excuse.
‘An incredibly beautiful musician inviting me into her home to talk about furthering the arts? Hell, I’m game’
‘I bet another part of you is game too’ My prurient side pointed out.
‘Shut up Brain’
“Very well” I sighed as I rose from my seat, “Shall we away?” I gestured to the exit.
“Let us away. My tenure here has expired for the night” She explained as she made way to the doors.
I grabbed my stuff and set it on my back, looking more and more out of place in the fancy restaurant slash jazz lounge. I bid it a fond farewell by grabbing a hearty handful of those complimentary mint candies on the way out. Popping one into my mouth, I swung the door open to join Octavia outside.
I found my newest acquaintance staring up at the sky just outside the lounge in a manner not so different from that of myself not three hours ago. I silently crept up to her side and observed the starry panorama with her. After five minutes or so of night watching, she finally broke the silence.
“Sublime isn’t it? Our Royal Princess of the Night has outdone herself once again. I’ve always found myself struck with the nocturnal aspects of the sky, the milky glow the moon casts over the land that illuminates everything the lanterns don’t, the cool caress of the eventide air against my skin, and of course the countless stars themselves. Whenever I want to feel inspired enough to compose my own sonatas or even when I want to unwind after a stressful day, I need only turn to the night sky to feel rejuvenated and replenished down to the core of my very being… that and a good cup of coffee the next morning” She breathed out a sigh, finished with her soliloquy.
“You and I have that in common then, minus the coffee of course” I chuckled to myself, “And I think you’ll be equally enchanted by the few nocturnes I possess”
I motioned for her to lead the way, to which she complied and we began treading the cobblestone roads of Concordia in search of Octavia’s residence. Since it was getting late, the streets were all but bereft of people, with only a few stragglers here and there save for us. We resumed our discourse along the way.
“I’m afraid I do not own a piano, so that could complicate matters” She apologetically explained.
“That’s perfectly alright; I have a way of showing you that bypasses the need for one completely” I smirked like a game shark with a trump card up his sleeve, I wonder what her reaction to technology would be?
“I’m most curious as to how, you don’t look like a musically inclined magi” She raised a critical brow at me.
“I’m not, but what I have to show you is just as functional. And you don’t even need to know magic in order to use it” She still looked unconvinced, but soon her doubts would evaporate like fog in the warm light of the Sun.
‘Technology doesn’t believe in gender or racial discrimination!’
“Tell me more about yourself… Zenith was it?” I nodded my confirmation, “You’re from out of the city yes?”
“What gave it away?” I responded with some harmless snark.
“A good number of things. You don’t have the pretentious accent that most residents here converse with; something I find very refreshing by the way, you also don’t seem to submit to or even mind the unofficial dress code that people here hold each other to, and you have the uncommon courtesy to look me in the eyes instead of less than proper areas when I speak to you” She listed as she peered into my piercing crimson irises with a commending smile.
‘What, the nobles here trying to sneak a peek?’
“In a similar vein, you have the most striking pair of red eyes I’ve seen since…” She looked deep in remembrance, “Since an old roommate of mine back in my academy days”
“Lemme guess, she was obscenely agitating, obnoxious, and loved to crank up the volume until she was blasting out the windows” The stunned look on her face suggested that I hit the nail on the head.
“H-how did you know that!? Did you know her?” She asked, absolutely flummoxed.
“Call it a hunch, and not directly no. I’ve seen and put up with enough perturbing roommates to have a whole rap sheet that classifies them according to their unique ‘quirks’ and such” One of the reasons I never lived on university campuses.
‘Although it’s the incredibly weird ones that have a way of growing on you’ I conceded to myself.
“I see…your eerie clairvoyance notwithstanding, we have finally arrived at my humble domicile”
Hers was an apartment from the looks of it, located on a winding city street in close proximity to the Palace grounds. All things considered, it wasn’t a half bad spot to be situated. Even if it was directly under the watchful eyes of the Princesses.
“Well? Aren’t you going to come in?” Octavia asked with a hint of amusement hidden in her voice. I then realized that I idled too long surveying the area.
“Yeah! Just taking in the sights is all” I crossed the threshold and climbed the stairs with the musician.
They led to your average hall filled with doors leading to the respective apartment rooms. Octavia produced a key from her person and inserted it into the tumblers of the lock before fumbling with the knob and opening the door with a slight creak. It was completely dark at first until the woman struck a match and lit a few strategically planted candles, giving the living room muted but adequate lighting. It also smelled faintly of…lilacs?
‘Ooh…scented candles, how aromatic… or romantic depending on the context’ I awkwardly finished that thought; we weren’t going to be creating that kind of sweet music!
Overall it wasn’t too shabby of a place, it had wood panel flooring with snug looking rugs placed where the furniture was, photographs of cherished moments in Octavia’s life, and an impeccably polished and well cared for Cello on a stand in its own special corner in the living room. Simple, but I couldn’t describe it as Spartan; nor was it modest by any stretch of the imagination. I mean look at that sofa! It was fully decked out with tasseled pillows and decorative shawls, who does that? Then I remembered that I was in the apartment of a woman who likely appreciated the finer things in life. The small crystal chandelier over the dining table was a nice touch though.
“So could I interest you in refreshments? A glass of champagne perhaps?” My hostess politely inquired.
“That won’t be necessary, I don’t imbibe. Thank you for your kind offer though” I replied with a curt wave of my hand before plopping down on the sofa.
It was inexplicably comfortable…like the soft embrace of a thousand leathery teddy bears, except less disturbing and more captivating. Shaking off the otherworldly feeling of absolute posterior bliss, I reached into my backpack to retrieve my laptop before setting it down on the coffee table; which fittingly enough had the barest traces of spilled coffee stains on it.
I noticed Octavia had brewed herself a cup of joe and had sat right down next to me looking at it in wonder.
“May I ask what that is?” The curious musician inquired.
“This my dear cellist” I flipped open the lid, “Is the medium through which I shall introduce you to music that could not only revolutionize existing musical genres, but evolve new branches through which these ‘sync events’ can occur” I pressed the power button in an overly histrionic manner to accentuate my previous proclamation.
If I didn’t have her full attention before, then I did after the start up chime announced that my laptop had booted up. The animated wallpaper of a chromatic nebula greeted us both.
“This is…I have no words” Was the stunned woman’s eked out vocalization.
‘These people have the most unusual reactions to technology; I mean my laptop is pretty freakin sweet, but it doesn’t warrant being thunderstruck. Heh, I wonder if she’d like AC/DC?’ I shook my head free of the random tangent.
“This is what is known as a laptop my dear yet confounded Cellist, they were rather commonplace back where I come from but one of a kind in this land. It has a copious amount of uses and functions, but tonight it will soothe your mind and soul with the genius that is Bach’s Cello Suites”
I pulled up the ITunes program and selected the song on my classical playlist before pressing the play button. Yeah that’s right; I have a classical playlist with musical pieces dating all the way back to the Baroque period… because I’m a classy chap with hidden character depth. Octavia could certainly empathize, she looked like she was pulled into a deep trance the moment Yo-Yo Ma’s bow vibrated the strings of the virtual instrument. She stayed glued to that very spot on the sofa for all of the piece’s two hours and ten minutes.
It was certainly a very interesting night spent reviewing the majority of the musical pieces I had stored on my laptop, the only thing that felt worrying was the fact that my battery meter still read a hundred percent.
‘Perhaps the indicator was broken? There’s no way my laptop could stay charged indefinitely right?’
Eventually I had to call it quits since it was well past midnight by this point. Octavia graciously offered to let me stay until morning and I was too tired to even bother trying to refuse her proposal. I still had to find a way to meet up with Daring the next morning… or maybe I don’t, she did imply that she’d come find me. Hope she won’t presume too much by finding me in the apartment of a city (and world’s) renowned musician and newly created ITunes junkie. I halfheartedly chuckled; better think of a good excuse beforehand.
My session of dour predictions and pre-crisis management were temporarily interrupted by my hostess, who was now dressed in a luxurious looking bathrobe.
“I’d like to extend my deepest gratitude for showing me all that exquisite music; I have so many new ideas for adapting some of those affettuosos and allegrettos into my own style!” She enthusiastically rhapsodized.
“I’m glad to have imparted some of my land’s art unto you” Was my sincere response; you can’t be too well informed about culture in my opinion.
“I look forward to discovering more in the coming days” I should have been more concerned with how she emphasized that; but again, too tired for it to really register.
“Good night Miss Octavia”
“Please, just Octavia… and goodnight Zenith” She finished blowing out all the candles but the one on the candelabrum she was holding, before using it to find her way to her own bedroom. Another thing that should have registered with me but didn’t was that she left her bedroom door wide open. Hopefully I wouldn’t come to regret accepting this woman’s suggestion to stay the night at her place.
‘She never said that we were staying over for hot coffee’ My still active logical half reminded me.
‘Sweet dreams’ My exhausted other half responded.
And then I was gone; off to that ethereal realm which was beyond the worries of the physical world.
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Very nicely done. I like the way you didn't turn this into a song fic by placing ten songs in one chapter. Like some other stories I've glanced at.
Its perfectly fine to put music or songs into stories but not to the point of being 80% song to 20% story like some others have done. The same can be said about the pictures as well. You've done really well in picking photos very specifically instead of generally relying on them to paint the scenery or moment. Bonus points for you. 
Enjoyed the chapter very much and can't wait for the next part of this exciting tale. Keep up the good work!!
Always Classy. Like a sir.
~8chill
P.S. This story should have way more views then this!!! Seriously, I don't understand how my story is so popular and yet this piece of wonderful fiction is not. It baffles me.
Can't wait for the next chapter.
Great chapter, mate!
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6h8h6439G1rwcc6bo1_400.gif
Awesome, this chapter made my day. Can't wait for more.
3195736 ERMAHGERD?! DUMBLEDORE? IS THAT REALLY YOU GANDALF?
"I mean my laptop is pretty freakin sweet, but it doesn’t warrant being thunderstruck. Heh, I wonder if she’d like AC/DC?" (Starwalker, Ch.10) With that question, I give you this. It is truly ironic that you wrote it to those exact words, because that video was posted after the chapter (I think)
This guy is kind of a dick...
There appears to be two broken pictures in this chapter.