Verse 1-Small Town Boy

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 11:00 Rise

  Smith Sound Station House In Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-It was business as usual for the people of Urban West & the usual went double for Kayjay. He had divided his time between work & all night gaming sessions. He had separated his interest with better honing his skills as a Soundsmith & reading more books about things he’d likely never encounter. He had continued life as usual, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his encounter with The Owls. His ancestors, along with the birds of prey & myth they had so lovingly revered. His thoughts had led to no fruitful rewards, just headaches ripe for the static to pick at. He was right back where he started, only now he had much more on his mind.

  CHARIE-(The sound of her mallet crashing into the molten metal filled the Sound Station with a smooth burning rhythm) Well, why not try & speak with The Owls again? You’re more than welcome to give it a shot, they’re your ancestors.

  [CHARIE SMITH-The Hazy Alchemist, Female, Age 48, Job-Master Soundsmith, Status-The Best At Making The Most Out Of The Usual.]

  KAYJAY-(His best efforts to keep up with his mom’s rhythm, only leading the same rougher sounds he always produced. His headphones were off his ears, but the goggles attached to them were over his eyes) I actually have tried that…every mornin’ & evenin’ since the first time, actually. No luck, I don’t even feel that strange pressure weighin’ on me from my initial walk.

  [KACEY “KAYJAY” SMITH-The Fledgling Smith, Male, Age 18, Job-Soundsmith’s Apprentice, Status-The Usual Once Again Taking The Front Seat.]

  CHARIE-Oh, so that explains why you haven’t been nearly as late as you’ve been before. I guess that’s still a plus.

  KAYJAY-(Stopping his mallet swings to catch his breath) I don’t get it.

  CHARIE-(Glancing over at the Gear he had been working on) Well…maybe you should make full use of ya’ Crown Goggles & cover those ears up.

  KAYJAY-(Sliding the goggles off his eyes as he took his apron off) I wasn’t talkin’ about that, I was talkin’ about The Owls. Why aren’t they poppin’ up anymore? Do I only get one question?

  CHARIE-(Shaking her head, a slight grin forming on her face as she stepped closer) If that was the case, I would’ve jus’ told ya’ that from the start.

  KAYJAY-Then why-

  CHARIE-(Flicking his forehead) Three things.

  KAYJAY-(Looking more irritated than harmed) What was that even for?

  CHARIE-So you’d actually focus on what I’m goin’ to tell you. Now pay attention please. (Holding up one finger, pointing it at Kayjay’s stomach) First off: Ya’ haven’t fully understood what they’ve told ya’ already. They’d be wastin’ their breath if they answered the call again. (Holding up another finger & pointing it at his heart) Next: Ya’ still fully don’t believe what happened in those woods actually happened. You were there & experienced it all, even felt them so close & yet part of you still can’t accept it. (Holding up a third finger, all three now focused on Kayjay’s forehead) Finally & most importantly of all: You’re overthinkin’ things to a much higher degree than you already normally do & it's even causin’ you to double down on your regular copin’ mechanisms. You’re goin’ in extra on the usual and so you’ve gone & made it all harder on ya’self.

  KAYJAY-(His eyes focused on her three fingers almost pressed against his forehead as he took a step back) Okay, let me counter that with two things then. (Holding up one finger with his left hand) First: If ya’ knew they weren’t gonna answer my question if I went back & asked, then why ask if I went back to see them? (Holding up one finger with his right hand) Second: Then what am I supposed to do if I’m not supposed to overthink it?

  CHARIE-(Taking off her apron as she pointed one finger at the center of his chest) Easy, I want ya’ to understand that the answer isn’t with them & that it’s all within you. So go take a walk into the Section & clear ya’ head.

  KAYJAY-(Looking down at her finger poking at him) That’s two things though, isn’t it?

  CHARIE-(Getting ready to flick his forehead again) I wasn’t countin’ again, I was tellin’ ya’ what ya’ should be doin’ & why. Now go take a break & clear ya head before I send ya’ rollin’ down the hillside.

  KAYJAY-(Scurrying towards the exit of the Sound Station) Okay, okay, but what do ya’ mean clear my head? Ya’ want me to think more?

  CHARIE-No, I mean exactly what I said, clear up any of the thoughts in ya’ brain that are unnecessary. The ideas that jus’ repeat in different fonts, the questions ya’ know don’t have answers for, things like that. Once ya’ do that, whatever is left over is more than likely gonna’ be what you need to be honin’ in on.

  KAYJAY-But that would jus’ require me to think about everythin’ again, how is that gonna help?

  NARRATOR-Charie simply gave him a blank stare & nodded. She grabbed her mallet & made her way out of the Sound Station.

  CHARIE-(Her voice calm, but something more was layered underneath) Alight, come on out front. And grab ya’ mallet too.

  KAYJAY-(He shivered, wanting to question her, but he knew it would only upset her more than she already seemed to be) Uh…okay.

  NARRATOR-As he followed her out he could see that this wasn’t going to be some chat they had a few days prior. Charie twirled her mallet around effortlessly as she waited for her son. He stood in front of the Sound Station as she was already not too far across from their home’s front door.

  CHARIE-(Her tone was more stern, but more like an aggressor rather than a parent prepping a lecture.) I know Ya’ still can’t use your Presence, but what about Musik as a whole? Still about the same as it has been?

  KAYJAY-(Holding his mallet tightly as his hands shook a bit) Uh-uh, yeah. I can really only bring out any Musik right as I’m about to make contact with somethin’. Same as when ya’ taught me the Soundsmith basics.

  CHARIE-(Nodding) Right. Okay, put ya’ Crown Goggles on.

  KAYJAY-Uh, mom, what exactly are we doin’?

  CHARIE-Kacey, put the goggles on. (Her stance became sturdier as she held her mallet over her shoulder.) If ya’ don’t, then ya’ won’t have a chance of knowin’ when I’m about to strike & ya’ won’t be able to defend ya’self.

  KAYJAY-(Almost dropping his mallet) Wait, wait, wait! What? Hold on a second! What do ya’ mean? You’re about to attack me? For what!?

  NARRATOR-She said nothing in response. Her Stage flowing out, the scales between the owl’s beak tilted greatly in its user’s favor. She pointed her mallet right in his direction.

  KAYJAY-(Quickly putting his Crown Goggles on in full) Okay! I’m doin’ it already!?

  NARRATOR-Chair suddenly rushed Kayjay, her dash forward looking like a slide along the grass from his perspective. Kayjay’s goggles lit up with different numbers & letters as his view was focused on Charie. He raised his mallet up to swing, waiting for when his goggles would give him a beeping signal to perform the action. As Charie got got only a few feet away, her Stage suddenly faded back into herself. The display on Kayjay’s goggles suddenly went blank. Beep-beep-beep! It wasn’t his signal to take action, it was an alert that told him that there was no action to take. His heart sank. He lost the metronome to everything he had trained for. Then his mother quickly vanished from his sight as if she had never approached. His sunken heart bungied back up as it began to drum roll into an intense rhythm.

  He heard it before his eyes ever caught it. His mother’s Volume had rocketed back up. He turned to his left to see her preparing to slam her mallet down over him. Beep-beep! The display on his goggles had come back to life, alerting him of an upcoming action to take. It was something he already knew, yet he lacked the skills needed to do anything about it. With or without the assistance, he never had a shot. As he looked up at his mother, he could only think back to how he felt when he was stuck in that shell in the darkness, the bundle of noise racing towards him. The only difference is he could brace for impact, his horrified eyes preparing to accept their fate.

  CHARIE-Okay, I think I’ve proven my point.

  NARRATOR-Kayjay felt like he could move again, quickly stumbling back from Charie, her strike stopping just short, her Stage once again fading into her. Kayjay slid the headphones slightly off his ears, the desperate sounds of his own breath now clear to him.

  CHARIE-(Speaking more friendly like usual) I take it by ya’ face ya’ don’t know why I did that.

  KAYJAY-(Finally calming his breathing) I uh…no, I don’t. I don’t, no.

  CHARIE-(Her tone warm & motherly) Then why don’t ya’ go clear ya’ head until ya’ do.

  KAYJAY-(Using his mallet to hold himself up on his shaky legs) Sounds…great.

  CHARIE-(Smiling as she pulled out her Phonograph) That’s the spirit. Now go on & get goin’. No time limit of the trip, jus’ go ahead & get everythin’ on the list I jus’ sent ya’ & make ya’ way back. Ya’ should have that head of yours cleared out by the time ya’ finish.

  KAYJAY-(Pulling out his Phonograph & seeing the list she sent.) This is goin’ to have me goin’ to a bunch of stores. Did ya’ jus’ scare the crap outta me as some sort of excuse for me goin’ to run errands for ya’?

  CHARIE-(Smiling as she waved him off) I promise ya’ that it's more than scarin’ ya’. Besides, this will be two birds with one stone. Remember what I said right? Two birds with one stone-

  KAYJAY-(Finishing her sentence as he put his headphones on) Leaves no stone unturned. Fine, fine, I’ll be back home in a bit then. I kinda feel unsafe here right now anyways.

  NARRATOR-He attached his mallet to the back of his hoodie. He then adjusted the sliders on his headphones as he pulled the goggles from over his eyes to up against his forehead. With a few taps of his Phonograph, music was filling his head as he dragged himself down the hillside & towards Urban West proper. Charie watched him for a bit before heading back for the Sound Station.

  CHARIE-(Worry on her mind) Best advice I could give an overthinker was to not overthink it. Yes, I am indeed the best mother in Urban West. (Stopping before she looked back over at the hillside) Even still…when I went to attack, his body hesitated like I thought it would, but his face…(Thinking back to the horrified look in his eyes as he braced for what he thought would be impact.) His eyes were one thing, but then why was he…

  NARRATOR-She quickly let the thought go, second guessing whatever it was she thought she had seen & getting back to her work.

  Verse 2-A City Girl

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 12:00 Set

  Streets Of Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-She had only been in Urban West for three hours, but Marrijane already wanted to leave. Three hours with not a lot to show for it, three hours of no results; the irony in the duality. She had grown tired of the constant high stakes excitement & just wanted something easy to cash in on. The Pale faced man seemed easy for obvious reasons. Some one like him should have stuck out in the endless sea of melanin of the Philharmonic. What was supposed to be the easiest job was actually the longest one she had ever been on. Worst of all it was just plain dull, the duality in the irony. Three hours just to grow more frustrated.

  Around 9:00 Rise

  Marrijane exited the Swansong station, a large dome, crystal clear & smooth. It was like a snow globe full of Swansongs entering & exiting through a perceived mirage via the shimmering light hanging above. Despite the sun being unclouded, a chill still stung the air. While locals seemed to have very little trouble dealing with this, newcomers who dealt better with the heat were bundled in caps & coats. Marrijane was the anomaly, a newcomer that wasn’t bundled up, nor bothered by the cold. It was this & the sword on her back, wrapped up in a thick white cloth, that drew the attention of some local guards in front of the station. They caught up & stood in the path of the young woman, trying to look intimidating in their dingy gray uniforms, Compass Star Security Service (C.S.S) arm bands on full display. Marrijane looked up at them & nodded, stepping around them, but one simply slid in front of her again. Marrijane scoffed silently, stepping around him only to be cut off by the other guard. She rolled her eyes, she knew they desired to be acknowledged & were waiting for her to fulfil that wish.

  MARRIJANE-Something I can help you guys with?

  [MARRIJANE-The Scarlet Girl, Female, Age 17, Job-Amateur Musician, Status: Does Not Feel Like Helping These Guys]

  GUARD 1-(Trying to sound professional) Well, lil’ miss, we’re jus’ makin’ sure that everythin’ is in order around here. Don’t want someone from out of town causin’ trouble for us in Urban West.

  MARRIJANE-(Bluntly) Yep, that sure would sure suck pretty bad. Now if you excuse me, I have some business I’d like to get to. The sooner I can get it done, the sooner I can get out of your hair.

  GUARD 2-(Suspicion carrying his voice) And what type of business needs ya’ to be carryin’ an Instrument around? There ain’t anyone of note out here that does any kind of serious Sonicnaut trainin’.

  MARRIJANE-(Trying to slow the rapid tapping of her foot against the clean stone floor of the station.) Well I didn’t come here for any Sonicnaut training, I don’t need any either. I’m a Musician & I’m here to follow up a lead for a job.

  GUARD 2-(His eyes giving way to his doubt) A Musician? A little thing like you? Heh, I don’t know about all that.

  GUARD 1-(Smug look as he shook his head) Now come on now, she probably is one of those Trainee Musicians. The job is like gettin’ her used to travelin’ around or somethin’ like that. (Smiling a Marrijane) Am I right, or am I right?

  MARRIJANE-(Her red aura starting to flare up around her as she spoke as calmly as she could through gritted teeth) No, you’re wrong & you’re wrong. Why can’t you morons get it through your thick skulls? I’m trying to get to work so you two buffoons & this Section don’t end up in danger. Or maybe you actually want to die, is that it?

  NARRATOR-She reached for the wanted picture of the pale man in her pocket, but decided against it last minute. She instead pulled out her Musician’s badge. The Guards flinched as she did this, faces covered in sweat from the irritated glow of her aura, assuming she was about to snuff their flames out. She dangled her Musician’s badge at them, unable to hide the passionate annoyance in her eyes. The Guards' fear rolled into embarrassment upon seeing this, attempting to clear the sweat off their faces.

  GUARD 1-Oh…well this is embarrassin’, sorry for the misunderstandin’.

  GUARD 2-Yes, we apologize for the inconvenience. It’s our first day, we were jus’ tryin’ to make a good first impression.

  NARRATOR-The two cleared the way for Marrijane to be on her way, opening her up to the view of the onlookers who had paused their day to take in the events. Marrijane sighed as she strutted away from the scene, her aura fading back within her, but her cheeks still left with a faint red glow.

  MARRIJANE-(Mumbling as she tried to ignore all the eyes on her) Waste of time…all that did was give me a damn headache.

  Around 10:30 Rise

  NARRATOR-Marrijane had found her way to the shadiest parts of Urban West she could find, taking the lack of the unusual on the main streets as a sign that the locals had not yet seen her pale target. These “shadier” parts of the Section however were still quite vibrant. They were a series of back roads & alleyways that had a regular upkeep schedule based on their cleanliness. The best that it could offer were the few local tough guy gangs, some a bit younger than her & some a bit older. Nothing that put a price on them, just petty turf wars & squabbles. No Labels, just the hardest thugs Urban West had to offer, much to Marrijane’s disinterest.

  TOUGH GUY 1-(Dismissive tone with a confused chuckle) The fuck is this supposed to be? You edit a picture jus’ to scare locals? This how Big Central folks have fun now?

  MARRIJANE-(Rolling her eyes as she put the picture of the pale man back in her pocket.) I’m not from Big Central, smart ass.

  TOUGH GUY 1-Did you not jus’ get through tellin’ how ya’ came from Big Central?

  MARRIJANE-Yeah, I came from through there to get here, but it wasn’t like I was born there.

  TOUGH GUY 1-Okay, enlighten us then. Where ya’ from, hot head?

  NARRATOR-Marrijane felt her head lightly throb as she registered the question. She shook both off as she turned to leave. She balled her fist, trying to keep her cool in the face of another dead end.

  MARRIJANE-You know what? Forget I asked. You guys clearly don’t know who I’m looking for & I’m not the type that likes wasting people’s time. Have fun with your turf wars or whatever.

  NARRATOR-As she began to double back from where she came, Tough Guy 1 waved his hand. The five other Tough Guys that had been standing by in the background stepped forward, blocking her way out. Marrijane took a deep breath before turning back to the lead Tough Guy.

  MARRIJANE-Dude, be serious here.

  TOUGH GUY 1-Ya’ think I’m not? Ya’ came on our turf. Ya’ think we’ll let some Big Central bitch disrespect us? Musician or not, we’ve been waitin’ for an opportunity like this.

  MARRIJANE-Dude…I’m not from Big Central.

  NARRATOR-The Tough Guys began to close in on her, only to begin feeling the cold melt away in the tight space they were in. Marrijane’s aura lit up around her as she reached to unwrap her sword, but decided against it, instead putting up her hands. The group laughed at her strange battle stance & prepared to do what they were ordered to. The first fist to reach out to her was swatted away with her left hand, her right cutting through the warm air as she stepped forward. Her target gasped as he clutched his throat.

  MARRIJANE-(Her eyes like a demon’s) Slash!

  NARRATOR-The gasping man toppled over, shocking the rest of the group & leaving them open. She threw her right hand on another guy’s head, the hot force ringing through his skull before he blacked out.

  MARRIJANE-(Her gaze already away from him) Split!

  NARRATOR-She followed up by swinging the same hand across the chest of another. The guy stumbled back trying to take in the searing pain.

  MARRIJANE-(Glaring) Slice! (Her left hand chopping across the opposite way) Slice!

  NARRATOR-The second chop did the trick, the Tough Guy stumbling back & smacking his head against a wall. As he slumped down, the remaining two Tough Guys rushed her. She stepped forward to meet their challenge, her right hand darting ahead into the gut of one.

  MARRIJANE-Stab! (Her eyes already honed in on the other, grabbing his swinging arm with her left & holding it tight as heat radiated off of it.) Sizzle!

  NARRATOR-As one of her opponents screamed and struggled to break loose from her burning grip, the other was already unconscious. She swung around the last guy, releasing him as she made a full arc. His back felt the sting of the wall he was sent towards. Marrijane’s attention was now on the leader of the group, a knife in his hand.

  TOUGH GUY 1-(His orangish aura struggling to surround him) Get the fuck away from me! You ain’t killin’ me!

  MARRIJANE-(Already in his face, a chop knocking the blade from his shaking hands.) Dude, you wouldn’t even be worth it. You & your boys aren’t worth a single copper. Still…I’m leaving here with something.

  NARRATOR-A horizontal chop to the throat. A vertical chop to the shoulder. A diagonal chop across the chest. A stabbing jab to the gut. Before he could react to a single strike, Marrijane sent him flying with a sudden burst of flames from around her body. He crashed into a recently emptied dumpster, his groans echoing through the hollow container.

  MARRIJANE-(Her aura fading back within her) Nope…nope, still irritated. Jeeze they couldn’t even burn off a little steam.

  NARRATOR-She made her exit, her fruitless search still ongoing.

  Around 11:45 Rise

  Marrijane had gotten to the point where she was experiencing burnout from sheer boredom & disinterest. She made an on the move decision to stop her aimless steps & treat herself to something good. She walked out from a local burger shop with a double patty smashed together with cheese & smoky sauce between two thick pieces of toast. The aroma brought her the smallest sense of comfort.

  MARRIJANE-(Taking a seat on a local bench & sighing with some sort of satisfaction. Her mind filled with positive vibes.) Looks like something good is finally coming out this trip.

  NARRATOR-She went in for a bite, but stopped short, the scent of something unwelcome breezing past her nostrils. She took a peak inside the burger. Chopped peppers. Her head felt another wave of pain for a moment. She looked back at the restaurant she had just come out of, ready to tug on the cloth around her sword. She let it go & began to pick the peppers out from the burger instead, tossing them into the trash beside the bench.

  MARRIJANE-(Mumbling) I said no peppers…

  NARRATOR-She ate in silence before heading back to her search, no leads to be found. This brings us circling back to her current time of 12:00 set. Three hours, three events, no results.

  Verse 3-I Heard It

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 01:04 Set

  Streets Of Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-Kayjay was almost finished with his mom’s errands, but wasn’t even close to clearing his head. Trying to find a new epiphany on familiar streets was much easier said than done. Bags of raw materials in one hand, some groceries in the other, he trudged along as he watched the laces of his boots swing with every step.

  LOCAL WOMAN-(Waving in front of a produce shop) Kayjay! Runnin’ errands for ya’ mom?

  KAYJAY-(Fronting a more positive tone as he walked by her) You know it!

  LOCAL WOMAN-Well ya’ tell her to give me a call soon.

  KAYJAY-Will do.

  LOCAL MAN-(Giving him a nod as he sat in front of a barber shop reading a paper) Aye, Kayjay, lemme know when you’re finally ready for me to chop that hair of yours into somethin’ more presentable.

  KAYJAY-(Nervous laughter as he shook his head) I keep tellin’ ya’ that it's an old family tradition to have locks. Besides, all ya’ specialize in is bald taper fades or straight up buzz cuts.

  LOCAL MAN-(Scoffing) Well those are the best cuts for startin’ a fresh new job.

  KAYJAY-(Sighing & chuckling a bit) I work with my mom still sir.

  LOCAL YOUNG MAN-(Stepping out of a boxing gym) Kayjay, my man! Ready to finally start ya’ first lesson?

  KAYJAY-(Nervously stepping back from the young man) Come on, man, ya’ know I don’t need to learn any Audio Arts.

  LOCAL YOUNG MAN-(Smiling as he threw a few swift punches at the air) Ya’ never know man, Ceejay took lessons on a whim & she was the toughest fighter here.

  KAYJAY-(A soft smile on his face upon hearing his sister’s name) Yeah, well…she was a different breed.

  NARRATOR-As he passed all the shops by, his front of positivity shifted back into one contemplating. Urban West had the same streets that always showed him the same love, but Kayjay over time had only begun to feel smothered. Everyone in the Section did their own thing & were nice enough, but their things were not his. The love only made him feel more lost & lonely. Before he could sink further into his unease. He watched as a police Swansong cruiser sped past him, packed with some of the local trouble makers. He only got a glimpse, but he had sworn that all of them looked pretty battered down.

  KAYJAY-(Thinking) Guess their turf wars are gettin’ pretty rough now. There’s at least one thing new around here.

  STATIC-(Ringing through his head) At least they know what they wanna’ do with their lives, wasteful as it is. You can’t even find your niche in this quiet little Section. Maybe you should jus’-

  NARRATOR-Kayjay cranked up the volume on his headphones and placed them firmly over his ears. He still couldn’t get rid of the static for good, but he could drown it in sound temporarily.

  KAYJAY-(Back to his thoughts) Maybe I’ll treat myself to something while I’m still out. Oh, I am near that new coffee spot. What’s it called again?

  NARRATOR-He sped up and hit a left, heading towards somewhere where the name alluded him. His arrival was a trade off of sorts. He got the name, Refreshing Fills Coffee Shop, but in exchange he saw that they were closed for the day. Even the windows were shuttered up.

  KAYJAY-(Stepping closer to see their hours sign) Yeah, I was right, they usually run from 5 Rise to 3 Set. Hmm, maybe they just had an early day. Either that, or business was slow. Oh well…I can try another place on the way home. Better let mom know I’ll be on my way back, she might also wanna’ try & have me grab more stuff for her though…uhg, whatever.

  NARRATOR-He lowered his bags & paused his music, praying this call wouldn’t lead to more bags needing to be dragged uphill. The headphones were still covering his ear, but he heard it. He swore he heard it. He hoped he hadn’t heard it, he wanted to ignore it & act like he hadn’t heard a thing, but he heard it. A desperate but futile gasp to breathe while they gurgled. Someone was drowning, but there wasn’t a body of water deep enough in the area. Worst of all Kayjay was sure there wouldn’t be any water deep enough inside Refreshing Fills to drown anyone. So why did he hear the faint gasp & gurgle from just inside the coffee shop?

  Marrijane wasn’t too far away from Refreshing Fills, just around the corner the opposite way Kayjay had come from. She cut through the dull streets of Urban West with nothing to show for it. With no further progress in her search, she was just about burnt out on the day entirely.

  MARRIJANE-(Her eyes scanning the boring Section as she tried to think of any new plans) It’s been hours, either this guy is a prodigy at hide & fucking seak or he’s just not here. It’s not like it be the first time I was late to the party. I had to double to Big Central to try & catch up…& to chew Jobber out. I get there only to find that I’m too late AGAIN & Jobber saved his own ass with this info on the house. (Balling up her fist) But I’m starting to think I’m the first person ever to get ripped off with free shit. (Her walking quickly turned into stomping.) This job has just become more trouble than it’s worth, I’m bleeding Koin at this point. (Taking a breath & slowing down) Forget it, I’ll call it in a bit & just find an inn to relax at before heading back to Big Central tomorrow. (A small grin on her face as she daydreamed) Yeah…then I can light Jobber’s whole damn lot on fire.

  NARRATOR-The thought of vengeance upped her spirits as she focused on locking in just a bit longer. She turned the corner looking for any local in the area that seemed willing to answer her questions. She glossed over the older folks & anyone that looked too similar to the Tough Guys she had dealt with earlier. Her right eye grew wide as it caught an ideal candidate. A guy that looked her age as he was lowering his bags to pull out his Phonograph.

  MARRIJANE-(Giving a nod of approval as she thought) Perfect, someone in my age range who doesn’t look like he’ll pull a knife. Plus it looks like he’s pausing his music…wait, are those goggles attached to the headphones? Weird…but I guess it isn’t important, younger people tend to have their ears to the streets a little more than people in their 30s.

  NARRATOR-She quickly strutted over to him, doing her best to not look intimidating, something easy enough due to her smaller size & build.

  MARRIJANE-(Her voice the friendliest it had been in days) Hey man, hate bother you out of the blue like this, but I’m thinking someone closer to me in age would be able to answer my question. You got a minute-(Her friendly tone flipped right back into her usual studier personality as she saw a frightened expression twisting on his face) Hey, um, are you okay?

  NARRATOR-Kayjay didn’t want to stand around & wait for confirmation, but he wanted to confirm what he had heard to keep him at ease for the rest of his day. His eyes remained focused on the coffee shop as he slid the earphones to the side, he had to be sure he heard what he thought he had. He grew still, he didn’t want any sort of other sounds to make him second guess it. He began holding his breath as he leaned a little closer to the door.

  MARRIJANE-(Feeling his discomfort in the air around him.) Hey dude! You good!?

  KAYJAY-(He jumped, almost running into the coffee shop door) Oh my god!

  MARRIJANE-(Sighing) Bit of a spazz, I see.

  KAYJAY-(Looking at Marrijane with both confusion & embarrassment) I’m a…my bad, were you sayin’ somethin’ to me? (Thinking) I’ve never seen her around here before & she speaks like she’s from busier places…Big Central maybe?

  MARRIJANE-(Trying to sound more friendly) Um, it’s all good, I guess I did just walk up on you. (Thinking) He definitely sounds like he’s from around here, but I know I wasn’t that pushy. Maybe Urban West is just that boring & didn’t expect a stranger to approach him.

  KAYJAY-(Looking around the area, unable to hold eye contact with the young woman) So…so were you askin’ me somethin’?

  MARRIJANE-(Quickly taking notice of how flustered he was) Uh, yeah, but you seem to be distracted by something. You good? (Looking at the closed coffee shop) Sad they’re closed?

  KAYJAY-Not exactly…

  MARRIJANE-Then what exactly? If you don’t mind me asking.

  KAYJAY-Wel…I know it sounds silly, but I uh-I swore I just heard someone gaspin’ in there.

  MARRIJANE-(Curious) Gasping?

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  KAYJAY-And uh-gurgling.

  MARRIJANE-(Fully invested) Gurgling? Like someone was drowning or something?

  KAYJAY-(Hesitantly nodding) But that can’t be right. It’s not like there's a pool in there.

  MARRIJANE-(Crossing her arms) Well, no, probably not. But that doesn't rule it out. Someone could just fill up a sink & dunk someone’s head in. Hold them down while they struggle.

  KAYJAY-(Shuttering at the thought) Seriously? Folks are that cruel?

  MARRIJANE-(Laughing a little at his innocence) You’ve lived here your whole life, for sure. The world is full of cruel people. (Looking over at the coffee shop again, closing her eyes to focus) Then again…I’m not hearing the Volume of anyone inside. Place looks like it’s lined with Tunelite, but standard construction wouldn’t make it that thick, so maybe you were just hearing things.

  KAYJAY-(His body relaxed as he felt the tension float off) I see…that’s good then. Ya’ tried hearin’ a Volume in there? Ya’ some sort of Sonicnaut?

  MARRIJANE-(Proudly showing off her sword still wrapped in cloth & pulling out her Musician Badge) Nice little deduction. Amateur Musician, I’m here following a possible lead on a target.

  KAYJAY-(Eyes lighting up a bit) A Musician? That’s awesome, we hardly get any of you guys out here, you do look the part though, even though you’re young-

  NARRATOR-A gasp & gurgle clear as day. Kayjay heard it. Marrijane heard it. They both turned their attention towards the coffee shop again.

  KAYJAY-I thought you said no one was in there..

  MARRIJANE-Because I didn’t hear anything. Is it actually that coated in Tunelite? For what?

  NARRATOR-Kayjay quickly thought of a solution. He slid his headphones back on & put his goggles over his eyes. He adjusted the nobs as he faced the shop.

  KAYJAY-I can’t hear Volume very well on my own, but these help me out a ton with my Soundsmith work. It might be too thick, but if not-(BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!) Three! Three low signals!

  MARRIJANE-(Surprised) Are those some kind of Corona Lenses? (Her Stage instantly formed around her body as she tossed the cloth off her sword) Well, whatever it is, it confirmed our suspicions. (She drew her blade, flames shrouding it) Now just stand back & let me get to work.

  Verse 4-The Pale Man

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 01:11 Set

  Refreshing Fills In Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-Marrijane held her fiery sword in front of her, her eye ball shaped Stage glaring at the door as fiercely as she was. Kayjay was at a loss for words as he took a few stumbling steps back. His stomach with a mix of fear & fascination; he knew the chaos he was in the radius of, but he couldn’t help but to remain an onlooker.

  MARRIJANE-(Her blade cutting a burning arc as she held it high) Split!

  NARRATOR-The quick motion of lowering the sword created a noise that was one part melting slush, one part shattering glass. The tinted glass front door was easily severed, giving the Soundsmith & the Musician a perfect view of unfolding events; a sight to match the sounds. Three men, all dressed in barista outfits & old scars were sprawled throughout the hardwood floors. One was silent, but his body twitched & spasmed as if he was attempting to force his mangled body to return to its proper shape. Another was motionless, but his breathing was heavy & frantic, his body like limp noodles sat out until cold. The final man reaching out towards the severed front door, trying to drag his bloody & pulpy body closer to the exit, choked up by the amount now pooling in his mouth. His gurgle now crystal clear to the young man & woman.

  MARRIJANE-(Her stance held firm, but right eye slightly twitching) Fuck me…

  KAYJAY-(His stomach twisting as his face grew pale) Oh my Muse…fuck…(He tired to hold back his nausea, but found it a bit easier than expected since he also felt a sense of excitement that kept him from running away like he should’ve.) H-how are they-

  MARRIJANE-(Her eyes focused inside the coffee shop as she scanned the dim interior) Hell if I know, but they need medical attention fast or they won’t even have a chance to recover. Hey, dude, call an ambulance & the cops. Then get the fuck away from here. As far as you can. Whoever did this may still be close.

  KAYJAY-(Nodding as he reached for his Phonograph. Ignoring the lingering thrill in the back of his throat.) Oh! Of course-holy shit.

  NARRATOR-Marrijane didn’t even need to ask, she already increased the flames around her sword in response to it. She never felt it & he never caught it on his goggles. Neither one of them heard them in the shop, but he was there, shrouded by the dim lighting & the black aura wafting around him. As he slowly stepped closer to the exit, it rattled the three men broken on the floor. A chalky shape became more defined in the shadows as he got closer to the light of Marrijane’s flames. A hulking figure in both length & width. Kayjay couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Marrijane couldn’t believe she was finally seeing it. The Pale Man from the poster she carried around. A man known as Thursday.

  KAYJAY-(His heart pounding as his legs caused a rolling vibrating through his entire body) How was someone-somethin’ that big inside without us hearin’ the Volume? He’s radiatin’ Musikal aura & my Crown Goggles aren’t reactin’ at all.

  MARRIJANE-(Hopping back a bit to give herself space to prepare) Who cares about all that right now? Call the cops & get away from here before grounds you into a patty like those guys inside! I’ll hold it down here, just hurry up & bail!

  KAYJAY-(The feeling of excitement still hiding inside of him as he forced his body to agree) Okay! Please don’t die Musician girl, be kinda traumatic for me to see that happen!

  MARRIJANE-(Scoffing) You won’t have to see anything if you get the hell out of here already!

  NARRATOR-As Kayjay turned to make a run for it, he was slowed to stop upon seeing many of the locals being attracted to the sound of the door being broken open, as well as their back & forth yelling. Kayjay’s concern for the familiar faces overrode his need to escape.

  KAYJAY-Hey! Hey guys! Please get away from the area! A Jongleur is causin’ trouble inside, but a Musician is already on the scene to stop it. Please leave the area & head inside wherever ya’ can, please!

  NARRATOR-Marrijane could hear him pleading with the locals, but kept her attention pointed at Thursday.

  MARRIJANE-Alright, stop moving & just give up peacefully & we can avoid me giving your pasty ass a bit of color.

  NARRATOR-Thursday fully stepped out from the coffee shop, disregarding the entrance too tight of a squeeze for himself. He simply broke the walls around it as he pushed ahead, his black aura & image of him now out in the sunlight. The locals caught a glimpse of him. That was more than enough to cause a panic as people screamed & scrambled into sprints to whatever buildings were close by. Thursday watched them, seeming to smirk at their panic before he continued to move forward. Marrijane didn’t give him another warning as she rushed towards him. He looked down at her as she closed in, but immediately lost sight of her at the same moment. Marrijane pushed herself back into a standing position after sliding under & between his legs.

  MARRIJANE-(Now behind him) Too big for your own damn good! (Springing off her feet and getting a bit air) Slice!.

  NARRATOR-Her blade cut diagonally through the air to reach Thursday’s back. Her flames were stopped short by his large right arm. The proof of his flexibility in the sight of him bending it completely behind his back, the thick Musikal aura around it clashing against Marrijane’s flames. Marrijane pushed off his arm to get away as he twisted around to face her. She raised her sword above her as soon as her feet touched the ground, Thursday’s left fist hammering down. Her Stage wrapped itself around her as she felt herself being pushed back. His fist insisted on pushing, shoving her off her feet & flinging her back through the air.

  Marrijane watched as Thursday ran to follow up on her, his quaking steps left few gaps in between. Marrijane let herself fly back towards the coffee shop, slamming her feet against one of the glass windows. A crack spread throughout upon impact, shattering to pieces as she pushed off of it. She swung her body with as much force as possible to meet the next incoming strike. Thursday swung his right arm to sweep across the air, wanting to swat the swordswoman like a housefly. At the peak of her arc she pointed her blade directly at his open palm.

  MARRIJANE-(Eye honed in on her target) Stab!

  NARRATOR-Her set up paid off, her sword pierced through his hand despite the thick layer of dark aura around it. His sickly yellow eyes gave way to red irritation as he felt the heat in his hand increase. He swung his hand around with great force, but Marrijane remained holding on to her sword & the sword remained planted in his hand. He then swung his left hand in an attempt to smash her between his palms, but she proved too agile. Marrijane swung her body up, balancing on the grip as the blade continued to burn. Marrijane’s Stage glared directly at Thursday & her flames continued with a healthy flow.

  KAYJAY-(In complete awe of the Performance) Amazin’. She’s so skilled & she’s only an Amateur rank. (The twisting feeling in his stomach slowly being traded for the unraveling feeling of excitement.) She could die, but she keeps goin’. It’s terrifyin’, but I jus’ can’t stop watchin’...

  MARRIJANE-(Glancing over at him, completely unamused) Why in the fuck are you still just standing around!? Did I not tell you to run?

  KAYJAY-(Embarrassment creeping up on his face) I uh…I don't really know.

  MARRIJANE-(Irritated) You don’t know!?

  KAYJAY-Well uh…uh…curiosity?

  MARRIJANE-(Angry) Curiosity!? You just have a damn death wish is all.

  NARRATOR-The two’s bickering left Thursday with enough time to form away forward. He smiled gleefully as his black aura took to the shape of his Stage. A pitch black lung, expanding & contracting as if it were taking in air. Marrijane still couldn’t hear the Volume coming from him & so she only noticed when it was too late. The area around herself & Thursday became draped in a thick black smog. Marrijane wheezed & coughed as she mistakenly breathed it in. As she struggled to catch her breath, she hadn’t realized her flames were suddenly extinguished & her Stage struggled to hold its form. Kayjay observed from a few yards away, adjusting his Crown Googles to get a read on anything from within the cloud.

  KAYJAY-(Adjusting the knobs & buttons on the side of his Crown Goggles) What happened? Is this this guy’s Presence ability? I still can’t get a read on his Volume & Musician Girl’s got fainter. No, no, no.

  NARRATOR-The Crown Goggles beeped & a reading filled the screen as Marrijane was suddenly ejected from the cloud of smoke. She cartwheeled across the sky before crashing through the other window of the coffee shop.

  KAYJAY-(Rushing towards the shop) Musician Girl!

  NARRATOR-His path was suddenly cut off as Marrijane’s sword whizzed past him. He turned to see Thursday approaching him as the smoke around him began to break down in small, solid particles. His eyes were glued to Kayjay & Kayjay was glued to the floor.

  STATIC-(Buzzing loud in his head) Oh shiiiiiiit! Sink or swim, sink or fuckin’ swim! What are we doin’, my mans? Come on now, we don’t have all day!

  NARRATOR-Kayjay felt himself sink into Thursday’s shadow as he towered over him. He was in the darkness again, trapped within a shell as the noise got closer to him. The difference this time was that Thursday’s Volume was silent. His Crown Goggles went off as he felt a surge of heat come up from behind him.

  MARRIJANE-(Sprinting towards them, her cheeks lightly bleeding from a few shards of glass, her hands shrouded in flames) Get the hell away from him!

  NARRATOR-She delivered two fire covered chops in a cross formation, her best effort while unarmed. She quickly felt body being lifted off the ground once again. Thursday swung low to meet her strikes, his arm now coated in a layer of pitch black; the leftover particles from his smog turning into armor. The armor easily shattered on contact, but it was more than enough to cancel out Marrijane’s unarmed attack. She was flung up before quickly hitting the ground. As she struggled to catch her breath, she saw Thursday lifting up the shaking & struggling boy she had just met.

  KAYJAY-(Fruitlessly struggling) Let go! Hey! I don’t want to be picked up! Musician Girl, a little help!

  MARRIJANE-(Still trying to get up) Shut up, I’m coming. (Her legs shaking a bit)

  THURSDAY-(Smirking as he began to run from the scene) Thursday has the upper hand now.

  [THURSDAY-The Pale Man, Male, Age ??, Job-Mysterious Jongleur, Status: Thursday Now Has The Upper Hand.]

  Verse 5-Trailblazer

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 01:21 Set

  Streets Of Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-The chase began as soon as Marrijane was able to catch her breath & steady her legs, something she hated to admit took a little longer than she expected. She quickly picked up her sword & took off. It wasn’t hard catching up to Thursday, all she had to do was follow shouts of the locals & Kayjay’s strange sounding Volume. It was like a quiet scream at the top of his lungs in a melodically noisy hurricane. It was impossible to mistake, impossible to forget. She pushed off her legs as hard as she could, striding forward with each kick off the concrete. A left turn & right diagonal cut across a road led her right to where she needed to be; her eyes set on her target & his captive.

  Kayjay flailed around with little to no results, unable to even try and grab his mallet, pinned tightly in Thursday’s grip. He held the young Soundsmith over his shoulder, his left holding him place as he charged ahead at full speed. His large size was irrelevant to his speed. He was crouched low, pushing off both his legs & his freed right fist like some sort of primal beast. His black aura oozed off him, a monochrome smudge streaking through the modest streets of Urban West. Most people that saw him blitz by had the expected reaction of screaming & sprinting to the nearest building for safety. Others, who were more trained to hear Volume, shuttered as they felt Kayjay’s along with the silent blurry monster. Naturally Kayjay felt a sense of dread he had never gotten the opportunity to ever experience before.

  STATIC-(Ringing louder than ever) Yoooo! This is actually fucking wild!

  KAYJAY-(His thoughts zoned in on one thing) This is actually really excitin’…

  STATIC-(Cackling) Right!? This is dope!

  KAYJAY-I’ve never felt this alive before. Like…ever.

  MARRIJANE-(Shouting from a slowly shortening distance) Dude, what in the fuck are you smiling about!?

  NARRATOR-The static in his head grew quieter as Marrijane questioned the smile he didn’t know he had formed on his face. His heart was still racing, he was still sweating & terrified & nervous. He was everything he should be in the situation he was in, and yet he was everything he shouldn't've been at the same time. An accidental contradiction, but one that he welcomed in with open arms without even noticing. His smile shifted to a panicked look in response to Marrijane’s scowl pointed at him & Thursday.

  KAYJAY-(Shouting back) I guess it's kinda like…a nervous response? Like when somethin’ is so awkward that ya’ jus’ laugh a lil’.

  MARRIJANE-(Rolling her eyes as she tried to increase her speed) Well I’m glad you seem to be enjoying yourself. It would probably be harder to rescue you if you were freaking out. (The flames around her sword grew more intense as she pointed straight ahead.) Now hang tight. Well, I guess you don’t have a choice at the moment.

  KAYJAY-(Looking at her burning sword with an uncomfortable stare) Whoa, wait, what are ya’ doin’? Some super firepower move or somethin’?

  MARRIJANE-That’s the idea, yeah, now shut up & let me focus.

  KAYJAY-(Looking around at all the people in the streets still running to safety & Thursday’s movement while running) Hold on! Hold on! You might end up hittin’ folks that have nothin’ to do with this mess!

  NARRATOR-Marrijane was going to ignore him, but her eyes picked up on Thursday’s patterns, zig-zagging suddenly & curving closer to buildings as he turned a corner. Marrijane eased up on her flames a bit and stuck to her focus on keeping up with him.

  MARRIJANE-(Gritting her teeth as she collected herself) The bastard is doing all that on purpose. Damnit all, fine, I’ll just have to keep up & wait for an opening.

  NARRATOR-Her scarlet aura flowed freely around her, a fireball trying to burn away the colorless impurity that stained the streets. Thursday suddenly made a hard left that seemed to lead to nowhere besides behind a local supermarket. Marrijane pushed herself to move faster, thinking he finally hit a dead end. The sound of glass shattering was now mixed in with the shouts of the locals. Marrijane hit a hard left, praying against the inevitable. Thursday had leaped up through one of the supermarket’s back windows, easily shattering through it.

  Kayjay was left rag dolling around between Thursday’s hand & shoulder, in disbelief of his efforts to evade Marrijane catching him. Thursday’s giant bare feet dented the store floors, the glass shards raining down a melody for the chorus sung through the shopper’s screams. He quickly eyed the exit, smiling as he casually strutted towards it. Kayjay could hear his deep breaths as he moved, watching him grab a gallon jug of water along his path. He chugged it in a full gulps, a comically refreshed noise escaping his lips as he tossed the empty jug to the side. People were stumbling & dropping bags of food they had just paid for to get away, though Thursday didn’t seem to be bothered by them in the slightest.

  KAYJAY-(Heart still racing as he could hear the static growing louder again) He jumped into the store on purpose to trick Musician Girl & so he could catch his breath?

  STATIC-(Laughing) This asshole is smarter than he lets on, isn’t he?

  KAYJAY-(Trying to hide his excitement underneath his fear) This is crazy, how’d I get wrapped up in this?

  STATIC-(Laughing quickly stopping as it began to sound like it was whispering right in his ear) Who cares. This shit is fun regardless, right?

  MARRIJANE-(He voice cutting through the few people still shouting & making their escape) You thought I was just going to let you take a fucking breather in here!? As if!

  NARRATOR-Marrijane had already landed comfortably in the store, darting straight towards Thursday. Thursday grunted, his expression giving way to agitation as he got back into his running stance & bolted. He swung his arm at the isles he passed while doing so, sending the racks & shelves crashing down over his pursuer. Slashes & slices blazed through each of the tall shelves, Marrijane carving her path through the wreckage. Her flames frenzied through products & infrastructure, her sword swings having no regard for the property. Before they could spread into a fierce inferno, the sprinklers went active, dampening them out. Thursday bolted out from the exit, glancing over his shoulder at Marrijane. He was both surprised & annoyed to see her flames around her & her sword hadn’t gotten any less intense from the sprinklers.

  He pushed off his legs & right hand as he made a hard right, propelling himself back on to the main streets. Marrijane didn’t let him get much distance between them as she made the same hard turn, more determined than ever to stop him. Kayjay at this point simply held on for the ride, still conflicted over his conflicting feelings about the situation. His goggles began to beep in response to Marrijane’s increasing Volume. She was once again preparing for something special, only now the streets they were racing on weren’t nearly as crowded. His Crown Goggles let him hone in on & hear the aggressive, but rhythmic nature of her Volume. He found himself slowly becoming a bit lost in it, to a point where even the static in his head was more of a faint echo.

  MARRIJANE-Got your ass now. I know you’re getting tired so I won’t slow down here. Rough-

  NARRATOR-Thursday’s Stage swelled around him as his puffs of smoke began to form around his body. He suddenly leaped on the side of a building, pushing off of it onto another one close by. More smoke shrouded him & Kayjay as he pushed off to another building, taller than the previous one. He then pushed off on to a taller one & then the tallest one he could find, one that sat on an edge of civilization & nature. It was where the streets of Urban West ended & the foot of the west hill began. He pushed off the last building as high up as he could, gaining an astounding amount of distance between himself & Marrijane. She hadn’t attacked as flashes of what the smoke had done to her & her abilities replayed in her head. She sucked her teeth in frustration as she reached the foot of the hill, seeing that Thursday was about to make his landing.

  Kayjay coughed & wheezed, taking in a clean breath of air as the smoke around him dissolved away. As his view became clear & he felt his dread deepen, overtaking his excitement in that moment. He saw the familiar hill he walked up & down all his life & he saw that they were about to crash a good way up it. He opened his mouth to scream, but wasn’t given the chance to as he watched the leftover smoke particles cover Thursday’s legs. They formed an armor coating like what had happened to his arm earlier. He braced for landing as he rapidly approached the ground. The landing was heavy & the armor cracked slightly, but Thursday & Kayjay remained unharmed, Thursday sliding to a stop about a third up the hill. He looked back down to the foot of it to smirk at Marrijane, but if his pale skin could get any paler, it would’ve.

  Marrijane’s Stage radiated scarlet & heat at the foot of the hill as she took some steps back. She aimed her blade towards the ground, the flames only growing more potent as she did. The eye shape Stage focused right on Thursday as Marrijane ran forward, her motions matching something you would see from a pole vaulter. Her voice cut through the space between them, her declaration something that forever carved itself into Kayjay’s memory.

  MARRIJANE-Rough Red Road: Trailblazer!

  NARRATOR-Marrijane jumped as the flames around her blade extended in a similar shape. They planted themselves into the ground as if stabbing deep into stone & kept extending high into the sky. Marrijane hung along for the ride, her hands wrapped tightly around her sword’s grip. She vaulted through the sky, the flames bending in her arc across like a flexible blade. Kayjay & Thursday were left speechless as they watched her soar, reaching the peak of her vault above them & retracting the flames back to their original length around the blade. As she began crashing towards the ground, she pointed her blade straight down, the flames growing potent once again.

  MARRIJANE-(Her words just as strong as the first time) Rough Red Road: Trailblazer!

  NARRATOR-The extending flames pierced the grassy hill below, planting firmly as they slowly shrank back to their original length. Kayjay watched Marrijane bring herself to the ground gently in front of them, worried about the grass catching fire, but there was no spreading of flames to be found. Marrijane smirked at the angry Thursday.

  MARRIJANE-What’s the matter? Didn’t expect the little girl to know any Songs?

  THURSDAY-(Through his gritted teeth) You making fun of Thursday?

  MARRIJANE-What’s the matter? I thought you had the upper hand.

  KAYJAY-(Muttering) She’s amazing…

  NARRATOR-Thursday gave in to his frustrations, rushing Marrijane, his black aura forming a thick layer around his free hand. He suddenly stumbled back, pain ringing through his body as Marrijane’s extended flame pierced his left shoulder, causing him to lose his grip on Kayjay.

  MARRIJANE-(Hardly visible within her Stage) Stab.

  Verse 6-The First Step

  Corday, 15th Of Whislate, Essence Of Snowfall 2995 A.M., 01:35 Set

  West Hill Of Urban West, Compass-Star

  NARRATOR-Kayjay tumbled along the grassy hillside as Thursday crashed into it on his back. Marrijane’s flames returned to the blade they formed from, the flesh & blood of her target steaming & bubbling. Kayjay stumbled to his feet as Thursday rolled around in the grass like a turtle on its back & ran over to Marrijane.

  MARRIJANE-(Shaking her head) Wait, don’t come further up, get out of here & back home!

  KAYJAY-(Shaking his head as he pointed further up) My house IS this way!

  NARRATOR-Thursday continued to writhe in pain.

  MARRIJANE-(Glaring at him in disbelief) What? Why would you live all the way up here!?

  KAYJAY-(Shrugging) Hey, it’s not my choice, it's an ancestral home kinda deal.

  NARRATOR-Thursday stopped writhing & stayed on his back for a moment.

  MARRIJANE-(Rolling her eyes) So he just happened to run up the one hill in the Section & you just happen to live at the top?

  KAYJAY-(Trying to hide his annoyance, but his scowling face failed him) Excuse me? What’s up with that city livin’ attitude you keep sportin’? Is everyone from Big Central like this?

  NARRATOR-Thursday sat up, watching the two argue.

  MARRIJANE-(Her sarcasm switched to anger) Excuse me? Excuse you! I keep telling you country bumpkins that I’m not from Big Central! Is that the only other place in the world you guys know about?

  KAYJAY-(Looking surprisingly upset) Who are ya’ callin’ a country bumpkin!?

  NARRATOR-Getting to his feet, bothered by the fact that he was being ignored.

  MARRIJANE-You, Country Boy! Come on, you look smarter than how you’re acting right now.

  KAYJAY-You’re the one with the short fuse here, not me! Some Musician you are!

  NARRATOR-Thursday approached them, ready to repay Marrijane for his injury. As he closed in, Marrijane tossed Kayjay behind her, her eyes set on the large pale man.

  MARRIJANE-(Readying her sword) What’s wrong with you? Still don’t understand that you’re beaten? (Stage growing more defined as her flames reignited around her Instrument) Fine, I don’t mind branding that lesson into your skin until it sticks.

  NARRATOR-Thursday growled in frustration, sweeping his arm like a sledgehammer. Kayjay flinched, but Marrijane remained in the pocket. She leaped up, kicking off Kayjay's chest to push him further from the danger as she flew closer to it. Thursday's first strike missed, but his follow up was already on the way, a hammering left fist. Marrijane pointed her sword straight up as the attack was racing down. Her flames extended, another Trailblazer forging another path to a successful attack. The flames stabbed through Thursday’s fist, his scream shaking through the hill. She retracted her flames, landing in front of him & keeping the pressure steady. Thursday looked down at her, his aura growing to an intense thickness as he prepped for what he couldn't stop. Slashes & slices in a speedy, but precise pattern; a raw, boom-bap rhythm ending with a splitting finish like a sharp snare.

  The two then shuffled back from each other, Marrijane reading how sturdy his defenses actually were, Thursday realizing how her successive attacks could eat away at him. Slight indents & chips in his aura refilled themselves, but his suit shirt had been torn open, revealing a shallow cut down his torso. Marrijane began to feel uneasy, something strange was off & something far worse was on the way.

  MARRIJANE-(Slightly glancing at Kayjay, but not looking away from Thursday) Hey! Country Boy! Get your ass up the hill & home, then call the cops, let them know exactly where we’re at & lock up as tight as you can!

  KAYJAY-(Uncomforted by the serious air in her voice) Hey, what’s wrong? He didn’t hit ya’, did he? I mean I-I-I didn’t see him hit ya’. And I’m still not gettin’ a Volume from him of my goggle-

  MARRIJANE-Country Boy! Just do what I said!

  KAYJAY-My name’s not Country Boy!

  MARRIJANE-(Feeling her unease increase as Thursday just looked at them with a blank expression) Fine! Then what is it?

  KAYJAY-(Thrown off by her question) It's Kac-It’s Kayjay.

  MARRIJANE-Alright, Kayjay. I’m trying to keep your ass alive so your family won’t have to mourn you. I can’t guarantee your safety if you’re still close though. I don’t want you caught up in my mess like you already have. So seriously, get to safety & let me handle this. It's the job I signed up for.

  KAYJAY-(Her words clicking, despite the excitement he still felt trying to bubble up) Right, you got it. (Turning to head up the hill) Thanks Musician Girl.

  MARRIJANE-(Flames revving back up) My name's Marrijane, not Musician Girl, just Marrijane.

  KAYJAY-(Running as fast as he could as he mumbled to himself) Good luck then, Marrijane.

  NARRATOR-Thursday watched Kayjay head further up hill, crouching low before pushing forward into the air. As he aimed to crash down in front of Kayjay’s escape route, Marrijane cut him off mid air. Her sword aimed to split his arm from his body in a vicious rain of metal & fire. Then the two locked eyes, but Marrijane suddenly felt that she had made a mistake.

  MARRIJANE-(Fixed on his sickly yellow eyes, more sharp & predator like than they had been. Her mind was trying to process it.) Shit, I knew it after my last attack, but I didn’t want to believe it. He’s been running on some sort of self imposed auto pilot this whole time. Now he’s locking in.

  NARRATOR-Marrijane’s attack was pushed aside with an extreme yet casual aggression by Thursday’s right hand. She felt herself left to the mercy of free fall, Thursday’s approaching left fist filling her vision.

  MARRIJANE-(Holding tightly to her sword as she tried to remain focused) I was an idiot to get so sloppy just because this guy was acting like he was primitive.

  NARRATOR-She managed to fire off a Trailblazer in time to push herself out of the way of Thursday’s punch, the flames stretching out and leaving his fist to run into a clothesline of fire. Even still Thursday’s fist proved to be more devastating than it already had displayed, his pale arm shrouded by a black layer of Musik aura blasting the flames away. He was unaffected by a single ember, but the pressure of the punch once again caused Marrijane to lose control in the air.

  MARRIJANE-(Her Stage forming an eye shaped shell around her as she braced) I haven’t been able to get a read on his Volume, so I didn’t realize until now but…(She slammed & tumbled into the hill side, her Stage allowing her to tumble into a squatted stance) He’s been holding back this whole time. No, not holding back, he’s only using as much Musik as he thinks is needed to take me out. He’s actively adjusting to the fight, but hasn’t been threatened enough to give it his all-

  NARRATOR-Thursday planted his feet right in front of her, shaking her back to standing. He swung his right hand, Marrijane raising her sword to defend as best she could. She only felt a slight breeze from the strike stopping short, before his left fist came crashing into her side. Her pained gasp cut through the hillside as she slammed into a tree yards away, & finally feeling numb as she fell to her knees. Kayjay did his best to keep running, but he couldn’t help but look as he heard the quick & violent clashes. His heart sank as he saw his protector being flung into a tree. He wanted to call out to her, but he held his tongue since he didn’t want to disrespect what she asked of him. Thursday rushed her, readying to punt her like a football while she was still a crumpled heap. The young Musician hadn’t given in just yet however, sucking in air before exhaling & jumping to her feet. Though she was still wobbly, she had avoided the strike that collapsed her speedbump seconds prior, wood splintering. Her flames charged up as she pointed her blade directly at him. Thursday’s Stage radiated off of him as he turned to face her.

  MARRIJANE-Fuck off already! Rough Red Road: Trailblazer!

  NARRATOR-Her attack darted at Thursday's heart, propelling her backwards at the same time the flames extended. She was unfortunately unable to breath, a thick black smog surrounding Thursday before the fire blade could reach his chest, extinguishing it almost instantly. Marrijane hadn’t been propelled out of his reach yet either, his hand reaching out from the smog & pulling her in by her jacket collar. She lost grip of her sword as she was pulled in, leaving Kayjay horrified to see her being dragged into the unknown unarmed. Marrijane began to wheeze within the smog as Thursday prepared to slam her into his fist. As she felt herself being pulled in closer, she raised her arms, slipping out of her jacket & rolling along the grass below. She then attempted to stay low & back out from the smog, unable to even see in front of her. Her head rang harder than any of her headaches as she felt her nose get wet & she almost lost her balance. Thursday’s knee was close enough to her face to be seen & she groaned, but let the momentum of the blow knock her out of the smog cloud.

  She quickly grabbed her sword & wiped off her bloody nose as Thursday revealed himself from the dissolving smoke. Marrijane’s Stage had yet to properly reshape itself, her head still too dazed, but she still didn’t hesitate to swing her old blade. It clanged against Thursday’s blackened arms, armor covering them both. Her attack proved worthless, the recoil knocking her off balance as Thursday moved in. He grabbed her by the throat & held her up, her strength fading, she dropped her blade again. Kayjay continued to watch. He felt it was all he could do, because what else could he do? He hated not knowing, especially now. Marrijane’s hands twitched as she felt oxygen leaving her body. Thursday smiled at her struggle, waiting to run out her clock. Kayjay took a step forward, but quickly walked it back, his body shaking. Marrijane managed to clap her hands together, forcefully sparking up her Stage as her hands glowed with fire. It was her last attempt to struggle against him, but to her surprise, it worked surprisingly well to melt away his armored arms. Thursday’s smile grew to a pained expression as he finally released her. Marrijane landed on her feet & quickly retrieved her sword, her Stage gaining an intense focus on her target. She raised her sword above her head as the flame grew more intense & extended as she swiftly swung it done. A full force Trailblazer immediately cut off by a fresh cloud of smog. Marrijane stayed on her feet, but it was all she could do, her exhaustion & the pain catching up to her. The smog began to slowly creep closer to her; a cloud of death to consume her.

  KAYJAY-(His mind racing) No!

  STATIC-(Buzzing in Kayjay’s head) Damn! That is a fuckin’ bummer, isn’t it? Too bad, she was pretty hot too. HAH! Pun intended & not intended.

  KAYJAY-(Taking a step forward again) No, I can’t let her die…

  STATIC-Oooh! Now you have a back bone?

  KAYJAY-(Taking a step back) I just…I just want to help her.

  STATIC-And you’ll do that by standin’ here watchin’?

  KAYJAY-(Taking a step forward) No, of course not, I have to do somethin’.

  STATIC-(Laughing) Do what!? Ya’ some kind of Musician now? Is that what you want to be?

  KAYJAY-(Taking another step back) No, I don’t want that. That was Ceejay’s dream, not mine.

  STATIC-How do you know that? Do you even know what you want?

  KAYJAY-(Taking another step back) I…I don’t. (Taking another step back) I still don’t, but that doesn’t mean I should just…(Taking another step back) I don’t know what I’m doin’. This shit is terrifyin’. Those bodies, being kidnapped, watchin’ this girl get beaten down after she went out of her way to help me. I’m scared, of course I don’t know what I want…(About to step back once again, but stopping short) But…at the same time I-(His heart slowly beating faster & faster, thinking back to everything that’s happened. Terror sinking deeper in his gut, but some sort of excitement floating upward) I can’t say that I hate that this happened. Is that weird? Does that make me an awful person? To want to not only keep watching, but to be a part of it?

  STATIC-(Snickering at his self doubt) How the hell should I know? I only know about as much as you do. I do know that you’re always goin’ to be runnin’ in the same circles over & over again for the rest of your life unless you decide to fully break out of that shell.

  KAYJAY-(His body feeling tense but energized as he reached for his mallet behind his back) That shell…yeah, but I can’t move as long as I’m in it. (Seeing himself back in the darkness, stuck inside a broken shell. Marrijane & Thursday not too far ahead, the bundle of noise creeping closer from behind) But I have to know, right? I need to know. No, I WANT to know. (Trying to force himself to move out from the shell, but not finding the strength) I won’t be able to learn a damn thing until I take that first step! (His mind envisioning himself pushing his legs through the shell below. Still in the shell, but now able to move towards Marrijane) So here it is! The first step towards whatever!

  NARRATOR-Kayjay sprinted back down the hillside, backtracking in search of a new way ahead. He held his mallet tightly in his hands as his feet moved him as fast as he could go. Marrijane saw him making his way back, frustration & fear in her right eye, her left closed from the pain she was in. Thursday, still in the smog cloud, shifted to face the young Soundsmith after noticing Marrijane’s focus towards him. The area began to feel more anxious & tense, Kayjay’s Volume increasing as he channeled it as best he could. To Thursday it was nothing more than noise that would quickly stop bugging him. To Marrijane it was a chaos of raw emotion, underlined by a harmony of beautiful sincerity. Something lovely in the noise of it all, both factors feeding off of each other; both aspects bettering one another.

  As Kayjay reached close enough to strike the smog cloud, his Stage formed in front of them all for only a moment. His Musikal aura crystal clear, as clear as Tunelite, giving shape to a young owlet that was sitting anxiously, still not quite able to fly. Kayjay tried to skirt himself to a forceful stop as he prepared to deliver the mightiest blow he had to offer, swinging his mallet in a wide arc, carried by all the momentum of his charge down the hillside. Thursday simply waited to cancel the attack, standing comfortably within his smog. Marrijane snapped back to her senses as she realized what he was planning.

  MARRIJANE-(Shouting) You idiot! Wait, He can cancel out Musik somehow with that smog!

  KAYJAY-(His honed in focused flipping back to his normal anxious & timid self) Ah! You’re right! (His focus lost, the Stage & aura around his body & instrument suddenly vanished, but it was too late to stop the follow through of his swing ) Shit, I can’t stop!

  NARRATOR-Kayjay’s inevitable clash with the smog had come to pass, but the outcome was not the expected one. The Soundsmith & The Musician matched in jaw dropped expression. The Pale Man stood in the suddenly dispersed smoke shaking with bulging eyes, the mallet crashing & hammering deep into his side. He gasped, the shockwave of pain still tingling. Kayjay’s first step had been successful.

  TRACK 001 END

  TUNE IN FOR MUSIKAL TERMS

  Song-Songs are fighting techniques specialized by a Sonicnaut. Think of these like super attacks in a fighting game. These attacks are seen as Sonicnaut's signature techniques, something that exemplifies their control over the art of Musik. They often cost a larger amount of Musik than normal attacks, but come with more power & even special properties & effects. Most Sonicnauts usually have 5 fully defined Songs, but could have countless smaller ones. They are only limited by their own creativity.

  Tools-This type of equipment was made to help supplement a Sonicnaut's Presence, Instruments & Audio Arts. They are constructed to look like everyday items & built with specific mechanics that can help edge out a battle while being powered via a Sonicnaut's Musik.

  Corona Lens-A specialized Tool in the form of glasses, shades, monocles, etc. They serve as a way to read & locate the flow of someone’s Musik. They are usually used for Sonicnauts in training to help them grow more used to seeing & hearing the Volume of an opponent. They are also often used to help better track specific targets in hiding, though results vary greatly depending on the quality of the Corona Lens. Corona lenses also tend to be less accurate (88.8 % Accuracy) than just sensing Musik & Volume naturally, a trade off for their ease of use.

  Crown Goggles-A specialized Tool that is only well known by hardcore Soundsmiths. They are a version of Corona Lenses that used to help train apprentice Soundsmiths, or Master level ones as a way to fine tune their craft. They have the same functions as Corona Lenses, but with an increased accuracy of 95% & more potent functions. The goggles (Lenses) are attached to headphones in order for the user to hear the flow of Musik as they work, allowing newbies to better understand the fundamentals & for veterans to iron out fine details of Soundsmith work. The goggles & headphones together work better than regular Corona Lenses since the headphones better gather the Volume of Musik & the goggles display the gathered data for the user to see. In combination & with experience, the goggles & headphones may also possess advanced systems & functions. These functions are however only known by the experts who know how to exploit them.