"I'm sorry sir. Your card has been declined."
"Oh... No... It's fine. I'm sorry for wasting your time."
Lance looked down at his shopping cart filled with the typical essentials. Littered inside the basket included food, toiletries, and other lotions that made living on land as a hybrid shark-kin easier to navigate. HIs exotic people had never adapted to living beyond the frozen seas of their home moon. They were an isolated subspecies that required a rather specific environment in order to survive and thrive. Not only did they share the needs of all living species, they also had to ensure that their moisture was sealed in proper attire and protective-sealant;
Otherwise, they would be subject to a pain akin to having their skin melt.
While the richest among them were able to afford the assistive faculties necessary for an easy life on land, the shark wasn't as financially well off. Instead of special suits, he had lotion. Instead of having the special water of his home planet, he had distilled water bottles. Even if it wasn't perfect, it was enough. Lance was an ex-butler laid off from his only job so he needed to save money where he could. With nothing else other than music to guide him, he pursued a degree in music at the only university station that would take someone like him: Noctua U. Using whatever funds he got from working part time as a bartender, he was able to muster a meager lifestyle for himself; That was, until
tuition started increasing. With the economy healing after the war's devastation, luxury services had begun to scale with inflation,
though his paycheck didn't.
Sighing, the shark grabbed only the barest essentials needed to survive: Top ramen and lotion, leaving the rest behind. Everything else, he deemed he could gather on campus fairly easily. After ringing up and paying for the rest of his goods, he returned to his cramped apartment dejectedly. This was not the life he originally imagined himself leading,
but for her, he'd give it a fair shot. "
I wonder how she's doing." As he entered, Lance looked up to the poster on his wall which showed the girl who became his best friend and master. She was everything Lance was not, and yet she treated him as though
he himself was special. "
Hope you're proud of me, Tsuna." He gave her image a polite bow before taking off his shoes and entering in. After starting the burn to boil water in a pot, he pulled out his phone to browse for another job. Bartending wasn't cutting anymore.
He needed another gig or two just to survive.
A galaxy full of opportunities
and none of them of which he was qualified for.
Scrolling through the list of part time job openings, he found himself disappointed at what the station had to offer. From positions for fast food places his biology couldn't work which were rated one star on the local job forums to the listings of security for a convention he didn't have the experience or combat certs for, he was met with result after result of poor options. One by one, he read through the employment boards, finding nothing in return. Some company websites he visited weren't hiring for the position anymore. Other internships he found had an average wait time of
nearly a year before hearing anything back. Some even required him to have a degree already
as a student. The requirements and bureaucracy had acted like an unbreachable wall, separating the poor musician from good work that could take care of his tuition. Succumbing to his feelings of being a failure, Lance relented in his search and instead looked through the list of gigs in his area.
Immediately, a couple postings have caught his attention. The first involved a competition where there was a cash prize at the top as well as an opportunity to sign with a record label. Saving it to his bookmarks, the shark gave the challenge a tired smile. Even if he didn't win, the least he was able to do was perform in front of people
like she did. It was a step in the right direction,
another opportunity to change a life. While she played for crowds chanting her name, he performed in front of bars for the few that sat around to listen. While she filled out arenas with her stage presence, he personally invited others to open seats nearby.
While she was out there changing the lives of trillions if not more,
he had managed to change hers. It was this outcome that pushed him further into the realm of music. Regardless of whether the life he would lead was a humble one, he wouldn't have a regret. Her smile and future were the product of his channeled creative efforts.
Despite the first gig garnering more of his interest, the second gig was an opportunity too good to miss. A cafe had parked nearby with one of its residents seeking a musician to join their ranks. Oddly enough, it didn't appear on any major interest boards. Void of attention and riddled with formulaic language that hinted the posting was made by a robot, it was likely that this was a scam. Still, with his stomach growling and his bathroom nearing emptiness, anything that would allow him to make money through music was not a chance to pass up. He couldn't afford to be choosy anymore. Sending a response out, the shark turned towards his ramen before hearing a near instantaneous response. Whoever was on the other side seemed to be online and ready for his message. Opening the response, Lance's eyes had shined with interest;
It was an invitation to an interview. "
One step closer, Lance. Just one step closer to her."
"Evening, friend."
His first evening at the Midnight Cafe.
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ᴇᴘꜱɪʟᴏɴ ɪɴᴅɪ | ᴄᴜʀᴛɪꜱ ꜱᴄʜᴡᴇɪᴛᴢᴇʀ
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺
"
Might I interest you in a drink? My boss told me that I could offer you any of your choice for free." The moment that Lance heard the
f-word, his fin-like ears shot upward. His eyes had quickly turned to the menu written on the screens. Lists of many deserts and other pastries invented by the cafe's one and only human had all beckoned his attention. Passing pictures had caused his mouth
to leak moisture. It was far too long since he had a genuine treat for himself. "
I'll take a... Moonblast please." The glowing pink solution was vibrant, pulsing as it tempted the fish boy from its pixelated screen. "
Coming right up." Io chirped, sending a message to the kitchen.
"
T-thanks! So uh... About that interview." Lance was a bit shy. Sitting across from an
eight-foot tall robot was enough to make any stranger tremble,
especially when he was being scanned from head to toe. Io appeared like one of the war machines rumored to fight during the reunification wars. A massive battle drone capable of walking through reinforced titanium,
typically known to be unfeeling. Though, judging from the simulated notes and the oddly human gestures, the shark couldn't help himself from feeling at ease. The sense of fight or flight his species had adapted to inherit didn't seem at play. Whoever built this robot must have had another goal in mind separate from the battlefield.
"
Of course. Shall we begin?" Io loaded up his questions. "
Please answer honestly. I can detect if your kind is lying." Pulling out a notebook, he turned to a page filled with the handwriting of the other boys in the crew. The page was full of interview questions that were meant to help the robot decide whether he would be a great fit. "
First question. What instrument do you play and why?"
"I've learned how to play the piano"
"For an old friend to sing along to."
Lance thought back to his glory days alongside Tsuna. Even if they weren't the most grand of moments, he could never forget her smiles in silence. Together, they were at peace as they performed under whatever moonlight broke beyond the frigid veil of their cool ocean's surface. They didn't need the approval of massed crowds, the fame that won over many, or the riches that glamor would provide;
All they needed was each other to make music. She was his other half, the lyrics to his song. She was his duo, the breath to his symphony. She was his air, the strength beneath his wings. Without her, his music felt incomplete though he refused to give up, hoping one day his playing would lead him back to her again. "
She was the one who helped me find meaning so I thought, this was my way of thanking her for her kindness."
"
Beautiful." Io checked off the first question. "
Second question, what does music mean to you?" Lance pondered for a bit. For a robot to ask a question so abstract, he wondered whether he was a robot in the first place or whether he was a living person under a plasteel costume. There didn't seem to be a right answer. However, if the robot was true in its ability to tell whether he was lying, Lance doubted he could do any better than tell him the truth.
"
To me, music is the language of love. The language of the soul." The robot tilted his head, curious. "
It's the manifestation of our dreams and passions. A window that permeates the surface of our being." The pianist recalled Tsuna's words that moved him. While his truth was a variant of her own, she inspired him to press the keys in the first place. Unlike the cold staff that saw her as a boss or a master,
Lance saw her as a friend. In pursuing her happiness, he found his own. "
Every step we take in the past and everything we seek to be in the future make up how our music comes out. No one is the same, we're all unique in our pleasures and our pains. Even you." The shark gave his future friend a pleasant smile.
"You have a song of your own that deserves to be played."
"Then can you play a song for me? Whatever you think best suits me?"
"
Of course, do you have a piano I could use?" The robot nodded his head, gesturing his guest towards the bar. Once the two had made it inside, Lance's eyes were immediately greeted with the sight of a piano more fancy than the one inside of the bar. This one appeared new; Its finish so clean that he could see the reflection of his own gills through the black mirror. "
T-this?" The shark gulped. This was more than just a simple interview at some random gig. Not even his classmates had played on a piano like this one. This instrument belonged on a stage in a massive opera theater,
not some cozy bar in the middle of nowhere. "
Are you sure about this?" The more he looked at it, the more he realized that it was something that belonged alongside
Tsuna. With the robot refusing to deny him his opportunity, Lance returned him an excited look.
If he was ever to perform alongside her, he needed to get used to playing on an instrument as grand as this one.
Sitting on the bench, he rested his fingers on the keys, familiarizing himself with the distance in between notes. Once he felt comfortable, he turned towards Io to give him an inquisitive look. '
A song for a robot that's curious about music. Hmmm.... I might have just the idea.' Lance thought to himself. Finally, his fingers had pressed down towards a key, beginning the familiar tune. It was one of Tsuna's favorite melodies; A song of their people and their curious nature to explore the skies above their moon:
Epsilon Indi. "
This might be a simple tune, but I digress. Even in the simplest of things, you could find meaning. Complexity and nuance exists in all things, from the most massive of superstructures down to the tiniest cells."
"All that exist within the stars have gravity..."
"... So never doubt just how special you really are."
Io listened quietly, finding meaning behind every note. As he played, the robot could tell just how much emotion he placed behind every press of the note. Each movement was brought forth from memory, well practiced over years of servitude. Instead of playing it for himself, when in the presence of another asking for it, he could easily imagine having Tsuna hum the same tune by his side. It was how he kept in sync with the songs; No matter how far she was, she still lived on with him in his heart.
"Thank you for giving me a chance to play this. Usually, when asked to perform, people want to hear the popular songs. It's not often I get the chance to choose something myself." Lance gave a polite bow once he finished, only to be surprised once he heard the mechanical clapping of a robot giving applause. "Huh?" Io walked over to him, shaking his hand. "Welcome aboard..."
"Lance."
"Lance. You have a good name. You've earned a place in our family. Consider this your second home, friend." The robot pulled the pianist into a hug, confusing the shark. It was the first time anyone other than her had treated his music so special. "H-hey uh... T-thanks! It'll be an honor playing for you too. Anyways, is this your ship? It's massive and looks really expensive." Io shook his head, rotating his chin back and forth. "No, I'm just its copilot. This is the Seventh hero's ship. You're on the Midnight Rider." Lance's jaw dropped, his eyes left in shock.
"Wait... What?"
"HUH?!?!?!?!"