A Composer's Muse, a stella glow fanfic

Author's Note: [Hello, this is my first fanfic ever, and it's a short one-shot concerning the most mysterious character in the game- an entity known as Sense Data. It was difficult to walk in Sense Data's shoes since the game gives you barely anything of who she is or what she does other than a few implications of her importance and role. I'm maintaining the headcanon that she is the "Composer" or "creator god" of sorts in the Stella Glow universe, so it's rather difficult to write about an entity like that. Anyways, thank you for reading this.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Stella Glow characters, and some video game text has been reused (mainly the 'monologue' at the end).]

This desolate castle was as empty as it has ever been, and the sounds of the typewriter's click and clang and ringing bells were the only things audible. Perhaps I must have forgotten what other noises sounded like, such as the beat of my footsteps. As I thought about it, I may have been working on this for quite some time—not that I have sense of time, mind you, but it surely must have been a while since I have left this seat. Nevertheless, with a poised look at the printed paper, I continue to sit down reading the words, sentences, and phrases that flow with every beat from the keys.

I'll have you know that I am not typing it out, so I suppose that it is not quite right to call this work my own—at least entirely. Sometimes I let these stories write themselves. I have let the stories write themselves lately, and I keep getting mystified and mesmerized by the results.

The idea that my characters have appeared to even doubt their own existence makes them special.

I think therefore I am.

Those were my constant thoughts—a repeated mantra that may lose its value just as Rusty uses the word 'love' so whimsically.

I have no worries though. Despite them being unaware of my presence, I do know that I also exist. That conclusion has never left my mind the moment I first hoisted the typewriter unto my desk and began composing.

And now with this story drawing to a close, I am left with a bittersweet feeling. Giving the gift of "existence" while not having your own acknowledged is quite lonely. I would not blame them, for my stories do not leave room for me and my presence.

No… Perhaps I didn't want to intervene. Maybe I just wanted to marvel at the course. Perhaps I wanted to see them birth those same ideas and values that I have in mind without forcing my pen.

Regardless, the story has concluded, and with that, I rip off the page for what it would seem like an eternity—at least in their minds. For them it must have been at least 10,000 years. Glancing once more at the ending, the bittersweet sensation that draped upon me would not settle. Giving off a resigned smile, I rolled the lengthy story into a scroll and shelved it snugly onto the display.

Stepping out from my seat, I pulled on my shawl and retrieved my cane before advancing past the hallway. I am expecting someone: my first ever guest in my domain and perhaps my most prized creation.

Looking about the castle hall, I was compelled to quote someone who I considered to be as much as a fool as he is a king.

"Nothing is more fitting for a king!" I bellowed out to no one in particular. That someone would drop his jaw if he were to see the castle interior, and strangely, he would most likely be humbled by these premises.

As I entertained the idea, I opened the door before me, and expectantly found the small child sleeping comfortably in bed. The castle has never heard the sound of sleep, yet I knew what it sounded like even when the actual sound is foreign to my ears.

…

"Are you awake?"

She lay asleep, but an audible voice resounded not from her lips, but from the entire room itself.

"Who are you…? Where am I…?"

"Me? I am a transparent deity," I replied giving off a motherly tone to my voice, "I should exist, yet I shouldn't."

"…?"

"But enough about me. More importantly, it's time for you to wake up princess," I said with a tone to guide her to open her eyes.

"Princess?"

"I'm talking about you."

The girl then slowly opened her eyes like that of a newborn chick. She rubbed them haphazardly before locking her eyes unto mine. It appears that we have the same red eyes, but what used to be blood red was now a vibrant burgundy. She is but a remnant now of what I've observed before.

She gave off a startled quiver before giving me an innocent yet defiant stare. There was no hint of suspicion nor negative emotion in heart.

"But… I'm not a princess," she stammered before wanting to correct me. She gave it some thought, but it seemed that she had no idea how to convince me that she was not one.

"My name is… My name is…?"

She bit her lip as her brow furrowed with the attempt to remember her name.

"Ma… Mar… Ee… I'm sorry, I don't really know my name," she said seconds after the thought, "It's at the tip of my tongue."

"Chloe."

"Huh?"

Giving of a smile, I sat at her bedside and patted her head gently.

"Your true name is Chloe, and therefore, I will call you as such."

"Do you know me? I don't remember meeting you before," she said slightly tilting her head.

"Hmmm. It's because I exist even when I shouldn't," I replied, "Then again, I don't think you remember anything before you have woken up, but yes I do as a matter of fact know you."

"Then who am I?" she asked with an expectant smile.

"It's better if you find out for yourself. I'm sure that you will remember everything if you follow me," I said leaving her bedside.

"You will come to my quarters when you are ready," I insisted as I head out of her room with my cane in tow.

Step-clack, step-clack,

Step-clack, step-clack

The sound of my feet and the beat of my cane seemed to grow distant in her ears. But the sounds vanished too rapidly.

Noticing this, Chloe bounced out of bed and peeped at the hallway looking to see if I was still walking off.

"Huh? Where did she go? I didn't even get her name…" she said dumbfounded. The hallway seemed endless, and to her, it was not possible to cover that much distance and be out of view in mere seconds—she wondered how I did it.

Closing her door and taking a brave step out, she was met with the glistening glow and sheen of the castle hall.

The castle halls were plated with gold, the floor made of clean sparkling glass. Walls were adorned with geometric lattices and matrices of what she recognized to be topaz and amethyst. Those gemstones made her nostalgic. However, the poor child hasn't remembered the significance of those stones. I used to think that it must be unfortunate to have no recollection of one's previous identity or life, however, a certain young man has shown me otherwise.

Chloe kept walking and took more note of the interior. The door frames were decorated with large pearls. Some walls were lined with jade. Other doors with diamond. And above were lines of intricate vaults embellished with precious stones lining the countours—the child spent a good time admiring the splendor as she trotted aimlessly. As she did this, she liked the way her shoes clacked. The sound got her dancing merrily with an internal beat projected outward with every spring of her step. She closed her eyes spinning, and she hummed out a tune to match the dancing. Medea would have smiled happily at the sight.

Dizziness from spinning too much ensued, but her eyes continued to dazzle with her mouth opened wide with 'ahhh' and 'oooh'. What was a hallway for me was a treasure trove for her. There was a regal majesty to this castle, and Chloe can't help but feel that she had stumbled upon a very special place. I also think that this is a special place, however, the lavishness of any 'precious' metal or gem cannot compare to the illustrious nature of my works—this young child is proof of that. She is my child, muse, and inspiration.

She suddenly became frantic and looked all around her.

"Oh no! Where is it!" she cried hoping that she dropped it nearby when dancing.

She could not find it, and she bolted towards her room with a scamper. She was missing something important—something precious to her. Just as she was about to open the door, she heard continuous clicking sounds and the occasional ring of a what sounded like a bell. Pausing for a moment and forgetting about finding what she has lost, her curiosity got the better of her and opened the door.

Into view was a gaudy study with a wide golden desk that spanned a third of the entire room. Several towering shelves were lined against the walls with a myriad of scrolls, and the back of a woman—me, madly typing a new manuscript.

I stopped typing and turned around to face her.

"Thank you for coming, Princess," I greeted.

She pouted in response, "I'm not a princess…"

She gave off a good stare at me—a woman with blue curly locks. She noticed my white hooded shawl draped over my cane that leaned tightly on the desk. With my shawl gone, she gave one good look at my attire and found it slightly odd. She has never seen a woman dressed in what appeared to be a man's uniform. My attire had reminded her of a certain stern and uptight man that had to deal with a young princess and queen for his entire life. I chuckled at the mental connection. Even though she could not recall the name nor appearance, I am sure that the very image of the regent was etched in her mind.

Before she had time to become the chatterbox that I was familiar with, I spoke up first.

"I believe you were looking for this."

From my breast pocket, I pulled out a unique orb. This stone was much different than the other stones in this castle, and it certainly caught Chloe's attention.

"Ah! That's—" Chloe exclaimed before taking the orb from my hands. She placed it on her chest and closed her eyes with a gratifying smile.

"I think this is precious to me. … It's a gift from my friend!" she proclaimed as she flashed her red eyes at me.

"My my… I'm wishing that we can be friends too, Chloe," I said reciting or rather, paraphrasing what I used for Medea's words.

Her eyes grew even wider and she delivered an elated smile.

"Okay! From now on, me and you are friends!"

I giggled at her answer. I expected as much.

"I'm pleased," I said with delight, "You are the smallest friend I have."

"Well you're the prettiest friend I have!

She stammered as it finally dawned to her, "Your name! If I don't know your name, how can we be friends?"

"Hahaha, then I will tell you child. You may call me Stella."

"Stella… Stella… Okay! We're friends now!" she cheered.

She glanced around the study and took note of the scrolls in an attempt to find something interesting. I suppose that my study was not gaudy enough compared to the hallway behind the door.

"What do you do here? It looks a bit boring to play here…"

"Boring?! Oh my..! I just write stories."

"So I'm here to see you write stories?"

"Hmmm, that's not quite why you are here," I said gently as I stood up and coaxed Cloe to sit down in front of the typewriter.

"You are here to compose a story, and when you are finished, allow me to be first one to read it."

"A story…" Chloe murmured, "I just know the thing!"

When she began to think and imagine, the typewriter spun to life and recorded her thoughts unto the paper. Her thoughts became words, her pictures became phrases, and her words became lyrics.

"It's time."

Tick tock..

Tick tock…

And so it begins…

Tick tock…

A story… A story that is all yours.

Tick tock… Tick tock…

The rusty cogs spin… They squeak as if screaming…

The cogs spin, and the needle moves...

Thousands of colors shine on dark times…

Tick tock… Tick tock…

The curtain has risen…

Time to tell the story of the moon and stars.

Tick tock…

Author's Note: [This may be spoilers for the game, but yes, I wanted to bridge the Normal End to the True End with this character, Chloe, setting up the stage for Alto's story as he embarks on his new narrative. I did take liberties with Sense Data's name and decided that Stella will do; even if she introduced herself as Sense Data to Alto, she reverts to being unnamed in the Normal End.

Honestly, I derived Chloe from the word Glow to match the title of the game, but to my surprise, Chloe means "Green Shoot." The name was not difficult at all to make, but it was hard to consider which of the girls appeared in the Normal End for this story. Given that Marie and Eve were considered part of one entity before Eve's conception, I felt that choosing some avatar that embodies both fulfills the purposes of this story, so we see that Chloe also seems to imagine Marie's memories and also bears more resemblance to Eve's appearance. But for simplicity's sake, simply remember Marie when you see Chloe.

So what will I be doing with this? Well, in the future (a big IF), I plan to develop Stella and Chloe's relationship alongside the various routes that the game could have. Stella and Chloe's development is already set and stone- it's up to me of when I write out their progression as a teacher and pupil. Given that Chloe will be writing the True End of Alto's story, I would like to delve into why the same story ended differently in comparison to Stella's Normal End and why Chloe was ultimately brought into Stella's realm in the first place after the Normal End.

If you have any feedbacks on my writing, please let me know and state which areas where I can improve and how.]