(Disc. Thread)
Sebastian found himself in that heart-pounding freefall once again—thirteen times, to be precise. As he hurtled from an unknown height, he watched the moon with a fresh perspective. There was an uncanny sensation that the moon was gazing directly at him, its pale and unfeeling eyes tracking his descent. When he jolted awake, he was left with the lingering memory of the moon's cold scrutiny.
The Harmonic Hall, a place that should be harmonious, held no love in Elara's heart. She couldn't stand the tension in the air during these meetings. Despite the elegant name, these gatherings felt like an arena for trivial debates that even a recent MAE graduate could solve. Elara was making her exit when Sir Dudley Hartwell, Harmonium's Councilor, blocked her path.
"Ms. Nightingale," he began with the precise tones of Harmonium, "May I have a quick word?" Hartwell circled his point cautiously, a common trait among Harmonium's representatives, and offered to lead the challenging project assigned to Elara.
Elara had half a mind to tell him that she didn't need a three-page essay of advice. She wanted to take a page from her Uncle Riff's book, advocating for the mantra 'Stick it to the man!'. Instead, she responded, "Thank you," after a sharp inhale, wearing her best accent. "I believe I'm still far from reaching my limit. If that changes, I'll be sure to seek help."
Hartwell appeared satisfied with her answer, precisely as she had anticipated. With a polite bow, he departed, convinced that he had earned brownie points with the High Harmonist. Elara sighed, knowing that today was bound to be a long one.
Crescendia, the city of everlasting elegance, appeared untouched by the passage of time. The landscape was a serene tapestry of rolling hills, meticulously groomed gardens, and serene lakes. Ducks filled the air with their harmonious quacks. To Sebastian's surprise, their numbers seemed to have dwindled since his last visit. He had precious memories of the duck symphonies that echoed through the area.
As he meandered through the city, he was tempted to pause and savor the 'world's best music,' as a Folklorian painter had once described it. However, he had to remind himself that this trip was not by choice.
The enigmatic letter he had found in his room after his recent excursion to Ariastrum to see Hellen Belle in her latest casting had left him deeply perturbed. His true identity was a closely guarded secret, shared with only a select few.
The ducks' harmonious serenade brought back the memory of a school trip from his past. It was a bright day in early spring, with summer's warmth just beginning to unfurl. The class had gathered by the bank, awestruck by the creatures gracefully gliding on the water. A guide had selected a student to play an accordion, and a young duck had enthusiastically echoed the melody, showcasing its musical prowess.
Without warning, the visage of someone else entirely, a girl, had flashed in his memory, her name lost to the whispers of time.
He remembered her vivid red hair and enchanting, velvety eyes that had once held a world of warmth. He couldn't place exactly who she was, though the mellow sensation in his chest signified she was once a friend - a dear friend from a bygone era.
Back to the memory of the class trip, the enchanting serenade from the ducks took on a new tone. This time, it sounded slick and quick, distinctly different from the native Harmonium ducks. Another traveler, perhaps an envoy from Technosymphonia, had passed through, leaving their mark on the local ducks' repertoire.
Sebastian's destination was the Melodic Council's HQ in Crescendia, Harmonium. As he transitioned from the idyllic outskirts to the bustling city, he drew his hood low and kept his head down, wary of being recognized. It had been four or five years since his mysterious disappearance, but he knew his father was an unwavering force. Whether or not they were still searching for him was a lingering question.
His reminiscence was interrupted by a sudden collision.
"Oof!" he exclaimed, ending up on the cold pavement. Another person had experienced the same fate.
"Hey!" a girl's voice reached his ears. "Watch where you're going, dude!"
Sebastian lifted his gaze to meet the girl who had rebuked him. Her warm, dusky skin and silver eyes complemented her striking golden dreadlocks adorned with gleaming silver accents. However, what stood out most was her vibrant and distinctive style. She sported graffiti-inspired clothing, donned stylish headphones, and zipped around on retro rollerblades, emanating electric beats. There was no mistaking her as anything but a proud Rhapsodian.
Embarrassed by his clumsiness, Sebastian offered a sheepish apology. The rest of the sidewalk was filled with passersby—musicians, conductors, and Council personnel—gazing at them with a mixture of disapproval and intrigue before moving on. It was a stark reminder of how welcoming Harmies could be.
Sebastian was about to take his leave when the girl called out to him.
"Wait, hol' up hol' up!" she cried, waving her arms energetically. She held up a piece of paper that bore a striking resemblance to the mysterious letter he had discovered in his hotel room the previous night.
"Man, this is my first time here, and I don't know where anything is!" she explained as if they were lifelong friends. "Do you know where I can find the Council HQ?"
Sebastian pondered how much to reveal to this enthusiastic and vibrant stranger. He had always maintained a low profile when he wasn't in costume. This girl seemed lively, to say the least.
"Yeah, I'm actually on my way there now," he found himself saying. After all, he had come this far. "Wanna come with?"
"Dang, ain't that a coincidence?" she exclaimed with a warm smile, gracefully gliding on her skates before extending her hand.
"The name's Zara, but my friends call me Reverb!"
While her boundless energy was a tad overwhelming, Sebastian did his best to keep up.
"Nice to meet you, Zara. You can call me Seb."
Sebastian found himself in that heart-pounding freefall once again—thirteen times, to be precise. As he hurtled from an unknown height, he watched the moon with a fresh perspective. There was an uncanny sensation that the moon was gazing directly at him, its pale and unfeeling eyes tracking his descent. When he jolted awake, he was left with the lingering memory of the moon's cold scrutiny.
The Harmonic Hall, a place that should be harmonious, held no love in Elara's heart. She couldn't stand the tension in the air during these meetings. Despite the elegant name, these gatherings felt like an arena for trivial debates that even a recent MAE graduate could solve. Elara was making her exit when Sir Dudley Hartwell, Harmonium's Councilor, blocked her path.
"Ms. Nightingale," he began with the precise tones of Harmonium, "May I have a quick word?" Hartwell circled his point cautiously, a common trait among Harmonium's representatives, and offered to lead the challenging project assigned to Elara.
Elara had half a mind to tell him that she didn't need a three-page essay of advice. She wanted to take a page from her Uncle Riff's book, advocating for the mantra 'Stick it to the man!'. Instead, she responded, "Thank you," after a sharp inhale, wearing her best accent. "I believe I'm still far from reaching my limit. If that changes, I'll be sure to seek help."
Hartwell appeared satisfied with her answer, precisely as she had anticipated. With a polite bow, he departed, convinced that he had earned brownie points with the High Harmonist. Elara sighed, knowing that today was bound to be a long one.
Crescendia, the city of everlasting elegance, appeared untouched by the passage of time. The landscape was a serene tapestry of rolling hills, meticulously groomed gardens, and serene lakes. Ducks filled the air with their harmonious quacks. To Sebastian's surprise, their numbers seemed to have dwindled since his last visit. He had precious memories of the duck symphonies that echoed through the area.
As he meandered through the city, he was tempted to pause and savor the 'world's best music,' as a Folklorian painter had once described it. However, he had to remind himself that this trip was not by choice.
The enigmatic letter he had found in his room after his recent excursion to Ariastrum to see Hellen Belle in her latest casting had left him deeply perturbed. His true identity was a closely guarded secret, shared with only a select few.
The ducks' harmonious serenade brought back the memory of a school trip from his past. It was a bright day in early spring, with summer's warmth just beginning to unfurl. The class had gathered by the bank, awestruck by the creatures gracefully gliding on the water. A guide had selected a student to play an accordion, and a young duck had enthusiastically echoed the melody, showcasing its musical prowess.
Without warning, the visage of someone else entirely, a girl, had flashed in his memory, her name lost to the whispers of time.
He remembered her vivid red hair and enchanting, velvety eyes that had once held a world of warmth. He couldn't place exactly who she was, though the mellow sensation in his chest signified she was once a friend - a dear friend from a bygone era.
Back to the memory of the class trip, the enchanting serenade from the ducks took on a new tone. This time, it sounded slick and quick, distinctly different from the native Harmonium ducks. Another traveler, perhaps an envoy from Technosymphonia, had passed through, leaving their mark on the local ducks' repertoire.
Sebastian's destination was the Melodic Council's HQ in Crescendia, Harmonium. As he transitioned from the idyllic outskirts to the bustling city, he drew his hood low and kept his head down, wary of being recognized. It had been four or five years since his mysterious disappearance, but he knew his father was an unwavering force. Whether or not they were still searching for him was a lingering question.
His reminiscence was interrupted by a sudden collision.
"Oof!" he exclaimed, ending up on the cold pavement. Another person had experienced the same fate.
"Hey!" a girl's voice reached his ears. "Watch where you're going, dude!"
Sebastian lifted his gaze to meet the girl who had rebuked him. Her warm, dusky skin and silver eyes complemented her striking golden dreadlocks adorned with gleaming silver accents. However, what stood out most was her vibrant and distinctive style. She sported graffiti-inspired clothing, donned stylish headphones, and zipped around on retro rollerblades, emanating electric beats. There was no mistaking her as anything but a proud Rhapsodian.
Embarrassed by his clumsiness, Sebastian offered a sheepish apology. The rest of the sidewalk was filled with passersby—musicians, conductors, and Council personnel—gazing at them with a mixture of disapproval and intrigue before moving on. It was a stark reminder of how welcoming Harmies could be.
Sebastian was about to take his leave when the girl called out to him.
"Wait, hol' up hol' up!" she cried, waving her arms energetically. She held up a piece of paper that bore a striking resemblance to the mysterious letter he had discovered in his hotel room the previous night.
"Man, this is my first time here, and I don't know where anything is!" she explained as if they were lifelong friends. "Do you know where I can find the Council HQ?"
Sebastian pondered how much to reveal to this enthusiastic and vibrant stranger. He had always maintained a low profile when he wasn't in costume. This girl seemed lively, to say the least.
"Yeah, I'm actually on my way there now," he found himself saying. After all, he had come this far. "Wanna come with?"
"Dang, ain't that a coincidence?" she exclaimed with a warm smile, gracefully gliding on her skates before extending her hand.
"The name's Zara, but my friends call me Reverb!"
While her boundless energy was a tad overwhelming, Sebastian did his best to keep up.
"Nice to meet you, Zara. You can call me Seb."
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