Music of a Hero
I was just getting ready to go to the place that hired me for a special occasion when I got a call that I was no longer needed due to technical difficulties. I was hoping that I could have played my favorite tune at that club; however it seems I would be unable to. I went to my computer to check for any requests, since I normally get quite a few.
I got the headphones I always wear, got my favorite Camo button-down shirt. Some nice black jeans, my blue scales shining in the light. My red hair spiky shaken up, still tied into a pony tail. My wings shaking from the air conditioner, a breeze that I loved to feel, so I stretched them a bit. I knew I probably looked like some gang member you would find in an alley way, hard to believe I am famous right?
Yep, I am a famous DJ. Though I specialize in any kind of music, people know me best from the common clubs I used to play at. People know me as the "Mind Reader", a name I picked up back in the clubs, when I always put on the music everyone wanted, even if they didn't say it. But my real name is Bass.
I went back to my computer to check for requests, and I did indeed have one. The job was at a new club that just opened down the street; they wanted me in order to make their club a bit more popular. I understood their request and accepted it. I went outside as I stretched my wings.
As soon as I was able to, I took to the sky. The air was cool, and crisp. With some good sunshine and decent winds, and brilliant blue skies, I soared across the city. I flew downwards after flying for a few minutes, as the club I was assigned to, was right beneath me. I landed a lot harder than I anticipated and lost my footing, I fell over like a fool.
"That hurt…" I said to myself.
I got up and took a look at the place; it was surprisingly well built, and very well decorated. Half the building must have had neon lights on it. And 2 plasma balls near the entrance. I walked towards the place only to see the line is quite long, I felt bad for the people at the end, I would use a slow start until more people get in, I thought to myself. I walked towards the front of the line and the person guarding the place was about to ask for identification, but realized who I was and let me in.
The inside was unlike anywhere I had been before; there was technology in every corner. I looked at the glass floor, only to see that there was tons of electricity surging underneath it. The walls had strange machines as well as amplifiers where music plays. I looked at where I would be sitting, and even I was awed into silence. It was any DJ's dream, at least a thousand different disks lined the wall, and the tech for running the music was top grade. It even had a few buttons for special effects. I watched as the place started filling with people, I went to the post and started up the first song.
The day went by; you had your usual thing. Friends hanging out, people who had a bad day and wanted for forget it, People looking for dates. All the nine yards and then some more, though there were unusual things, Strange people playing strange games, and that one group of people that stayed in the corner, doing who knows what.. I played music depending on the attitude, atmosphere, and suggestions of people. I always seemed to play the correct songs spot on. I got a couple people some juice, and I even talked with some of the people in the place. It was like a social hotspot, everyone has a good time, the end. This place was amazing; I would love to be able to be here again. By the end of the day, people were complimenting my choices, saying I read their minds. I was used to everything people said to me. I wandered off after my job was over.
I flew home, and checked requests I could do tomorrow, and noticed something strange.
"Why don't I have any requests? I normally had plenty of them!"
Then I noticed a note on the desk… I read it.
"You seem to be having fun, but you have a much more dangerous job with us. The details are on your computer, and remember, if you decline… Let's just say that if people knew you were with us, your career with us and in the musical field, are over." The note said.
It sent shivers up my spine, they found me again! And this time they are threatening me. I would have to accept this job, though I wish I could stop leading a life with them. If I had known this is where I would be, I never would have joined them.
"How did they find me again… they must have someone following me… but who?" I asked myself.
"Me" said a familiar female voice.
"Why are you here?!" I asked, though I knew the answer already.
"To keep an eye on you and to annoy you" she said
I turned around only to see those familiar red eyes, that white fur, black hair, and the all too familiar bullet proof vest. I knew her; I "met" her on a battlefield when I was still a soldier. Ever since then, she continues to annoy me as if I were still an enemy. She always wore that vest ever since that day; she says it has saved her life more than anything or anyone else.
"So, what is this job that you are forcing me to do?" I growled.
"Ha! You never change do you! Ha! Ha!" She laughed, as she often did.
It was an annoying laugh, one that has stayed with me for far too long. I was ready to just jump out the window and fly off. But my reputation was kept in the balance by this group; I could not afford to screw this up.
"Tell me the job!" I yelled
"Ok! Ok! Just stop making me laugh!" She continued on and on.
She told me that I was needed to infiltrate an enemy base, and they recently built a club, and looking for a DJ, I could slip in. It was a risky mission, but would I ruin my life because of something as simple as this?
"Fine, I will accept this" I growled like a wounded dog.
"That is the only good thing about you, you know when to quit!" She said with sarcasm
"Shut up, Shih" I growled
"Good to know you still remember my name!" She chuckled.
Suddenly, as fast as she appeared, she disappeared. Leaving me in a daze, I would not like what is too come, and then I saw a note.
"I will be going with you, the boss said so." I read
It was Shih's Handwriting, no doubt about it. But, why would the boss send me and her together on a mission? It's like introducing 2 bombs, but the bombs are random chance, and that anything could happen.
I knew the job would happen tomorrow morning. I needed the rest, but I couldn't get to sleep. I decided to make a cup of sweet tea, but I saw Shih inside my kitchen.
"Bit late to be breaking into a house, don't you think?" I asked her
She seemed to be startled by my appearance; she had obviously been deep in thought.
"Why are you up so late?!" She asked
"I am up to get some tea, mate" I put on my best British accent as a joke.
"Ha, ha, very funny" She said.
"Back to the point, why are you here"
"I… wanted to apologize" she said, I noticed tears in her eyes
"You? Apologize? This is a first!" I said
"Shut up Bass" She said
"Ouch, you seem angry" I said
We stared at each other for a bit, and then she sighed.
"Got any music?" She asked
"What? Why are you asking?
"The boss said I should live with you, to make sure you don't run off again" she sighed
The look on my face must have been priceless, I knew since she almost cracked a smile.
"This is terrible! Why would he do something like that?!" I said in a panic
"I think it is wonderful, I would love nothing better but to get to know you better after what happened at the battle of firefall" she said
I hated when she pulled that incident up, and especially when I am around. I always thought she would have felt the same way I did, or worse. But the way she is casually throwing that incident around, I doubt it.
"Never bring up what happened at firefall!" I yelled
"Jeez, sorry! I didn't know that's how you felt about it! I just found it to be humiliating that I was disarmed so easily" she commented.
I grumbled, and remember how I was the one who disarmed her, and shutting my mind out to what happened. I can still hear the screaming as the enemies were facing charges, except her. Since they never found her, but everything has its price.
I left those thoughts behind. I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least know who it was I had hurt so badly, I asked an idiot question. I asked how old she was, next thing I know, I was sprawled on the ground with a handprint on my face.
"Rule 1 of talking to a woman, never ask for her age!" She chuckled.
"Ouch, again, for the 3rd time today…" I groaned.
I never knew she had it in her to hit me so hard, when I joined the group I was in, we never talked, but she never even tried to hurt me.
"How have you been, err, since firefall?" I asked
"Well, though I had to go to the hospital to have a certain operation done. After that, I just never think of what happened, and it seems to work." She replied
"Well, you can forget it since there was no way to stop what was bound by fate, but at least you don't have to hear the screams of someone you hurt, everyday, for the rest of your life!" I said
"Just know this, I don't blame you, it was instinct, had you known I wasn't going to fight you, then you could have avoided it, but no one avoids fate." She said.
I grumbled as I went to bed, I showed her where the guest room is, and I slept somewhat peacefully, knowing I wasn't going to be attacked in my sleep.
I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping away happily, I heard something cooking, I felt like I slept on a brick wall, my back was killing me and my head was pounding. I looked around; I was in my room as normal, my music playing softly. Why then? Why did I feel like I slept on a brick wall? Then I noticed that Shih had put bricks in my bed…
"Shih!" I yelled, I was really quite angry.
"Sounds like you found my present!" She said
I could tell she was laughing from here; I got up, took a quick shower, and immediately headed to the kitchen, only to see that a nice breakfast was laid out, and shih was already eating.
"Good morning, ya big dummy!" she said sheepishly
"Good morning" I said as I sat down, I was too tired to care about the bricks anymore.
We ate breakfast, which consisted of bacon, noodles, collard greens, and rice. This might sound strange but actually tastes good. I made myself tea while she stole some of my favorite coffee.
"You're paying for that coffee, after all, it is my favorite blend" I joked
"As if I would pay you!" she replied
"Sheesh, can you take a joke?" I sighed.
I decided to check my computer, but as I thought, still no requests, I shut it down just in case I do get requests later on.
I decided to take a flight around the city; I got on my coat and ran outside. I pulled myself into the air and took flight. The weather was absolutely perfect that day, big shame I couldn't enjoy it more. I flew around until my phone rang; I hovered in mid-air as I answered it.
"Hello?" I asked
"We will be started the job soon" Shih said
"Fine, give me a second" I closed the phone and flew back home.
As I landed in front of my house, she was already there in her car. I got in and we took off down the street like a bullet.
"So, where are we going?" I asked
"An underground base, a lot of crime happens there. The enemy of the boss happens to be taking refuge with the bunch of brutes down there. And that is where we come in." She said
"I know, I am to pose as a DJ for their recently opened club"
"And I am supposed to pose as your girlfriend" she said casually
I nearly gagged at the thought, but I knew it was necessary that we were both there. I put my headphones over my ears and put on some of my favorite music, some nice classical pieces would ease my mind from what I am going to be doing at the end of this car ride, and I was not going to like it.
"Any plans for how we are to retrieve the data we need?" I asked
"We are to pose as if we were hired by these people, when they leave to let us set up, we sneak out and attempt to get to the control room. I will hack into the systems once there to allow us free access to the records room, where the files we need will certainly be." She explained
"Almost as easy as Operation Huntsman" I remarked, remembering the good times I had when I was a soldier.
We continued down the highway, I felt as if something was watching me, though I knew we were alone in the car. I realized something, it dawned upon me. I was not in my right state of mind; something or someone had drugged me. And I would be more susceptible to my instincts or impulses, I remember the feeling. It's what was used on the military team I was on, to heighten our reaction time, but often clouds our judgment. I knew this would be disastrous; I had to find a way to keep a cool head and keen mind with this, but what worried me more, is how I got drugged. I immediately thought that the boss was testing me, but then I realized…that Shih might have done it, but why?
"I am feeling a bit ill" I said to see if she reacts
"I know, you always feel ill going into the enemies territory" she said
I immediately knew that she did this for a reason, but I did not know the reason. For now I have a job and can't ask why, all I know is that she looked disappointed. It dawned on me that the Firefall incident might have something to do with this, and if so, was it revenge? All I knew is that she drugged me with an impulse drug, and this could end badly if I let it take advantage of me.
We had just arrived at the base; it looked like a normal underground criminal hideout. I knocked on the door and a small window opened to reveal a pair of eyes.
"Who are you?" The man asked
"I am the guy you hired for your new club" I said
"Ah, the new DJ, brilliant, everyone was getting bored down here you, you know?"
"Aye, we know" said Shih
"Allow me to let you in" he said
The window closed and a large door opened very slowly
"That is one big door" said Shih
We walked in, and were immediately hit with quite the smell. I did my best to ignore it, and Shih was having a hard time doing the same. We walked through the main citadel; I guess you could call it. We were met by a man; he had too much gold for his own good, and a smile that should say "DO NOT STARE DIRECTLY AT TEETH, PERMANENT BLINDNESS". He had a purple suit and purple hair. This guy must be quite the character, so I thought.
"Welcome! Sir… What is your name sir?" He asked in a booming voice
"Bass" I said
"Shih" Shih said
"Welcome Bass! Welcome Shih!"
"It's pronounced Bass, like the instrument, not like the fish" I growled
"At least you got my name right" said Shih
"Sorry, Mr. Bass" he said, still smiling
"I don't think he will ever get my name right" I muttered
"So, you are here due to the opening of our club, yes?" He said
"Yes, I brought some of my best music with me" I said
"Ok! The club is right over there, if you need anything! Here is a map, you are allowed to go anywhere on that side of the citadel!" he yelled
"Can this guy get any louder?" Whispered Shih
"Thank you" I said as I bowed.
"No! No! No! No problem at all! Ha Ha! Keep the formalities to yourself! Just enjoy yourself!" He kept going on and on
I swear I would have fallen asleep had he not wandered off to help someone with a project.
"He was quite the character" Shih said.
"You can say that again, I didn't know that people like that existed!" I said
We walked over to the club and ducked behind the DJ's desk.
"So, we can start operation beatz, right?" Shih asked
"Indeed" I replied
We walked over and played the loudest music we could, and when everyone walked in, we snuck out and ran over to the other side of the citadel.
"Yes! We made it!" She said
"Let's check the map" I said
We opened the map and check everything. It appears that there were 3 citadels set up in a triangle; each citadel was connected to the other 2. And the control room was found in a hallway between the 2 far citadels. We ran down the hallway here into what seemed to lead into the kitchen.
"I am hungry!" complained Shih
"Is that a joke?" I asked
"No! I want to take something small" begged Shih
I knew she wasn't going to give up without a fight, so I got her an apple. And I grabbed a sandwich for myself. We heard the sound of footsteps and hid in one of the supply closets. It was cramped but soon the footsteps went away. We exited only to find ourselves with 2 thugs with blackjacks.
I did probably the least appropriate thing and told a joke.
"How many sticks does it take to bring down an army?"
The thugs seemed confused and one of them asked
"How many?"
They didn't notice Shih sneak up behind them.
"One" she chuckled as she brought down a stick on one of their heads, he immediately crumpled.
I kicked the other one in the stomach, and then I raised my foot high and dropped it down on the last man's head.
"That could have gone better" Shih said
"You think so? I think it went quite well" I laughed
We were both panting by the time we got their unconscious bodies hidden and removed any trace of a fight. We then rushed down another hallway into a storage room. We were both out of stamina, so we stopped and sat down for a bit.
"Well, good thing the alarm hasn't sounded yet, otherwise we couldn't be taking a break and probably fighting triple what we just did." Shih commented
"You know? You are probably right." I said
We sat up for a while, the impulse drug attempting to take greater control of me; it took my entire willpower to stop it from doing so. Most of the time Shih just stared at me, I looked at the map and at my surroundings. I knew the alarm would go up as soon as the thugs woke up, and I was hoping to be long gone by then.
"Let's get moving" I said
We got up and ran down a hallway, we went into an empty room with an air vent, sound of footsteps behind us.
"Get in the vent" I told Shih
We both got into the vent, her before me. And we make our way to the end of this. I kept looking behind, for 2 reasons. One is to make sure we aren't followed, the second one is to not look ahead, and Shih has that covered.
We got out of the vent into another empty room when the drug made another attempt to take me, and this time, it succeeded. I was taken completely and lost control of my body as it chose what to do purely by instinct. It went over to Shih and raised its hand to strike her, just like in the Firefall incident. I wanted to scream at her to run, but my voice would not work. I knew what was to happen when my body strikes her down. I would have any other punishment, no matter the cost. I kept taking attempts to re-take my body, again… again… again… I failed, and failed, and failed…
My body struck her down; she lied sprawled upon the ground, eyes wide with fear. I could just scream my attempts at controlling myself failed. This is going to be exactly like Firefall… But, I could not lose hope! I made a final attempt for control, and got myself to stop, if for but a second! Enough time for her to regain footing and strike me, I fell to the ground, and completely regained control.
"How dare you strike me?" She yelled
"Wait! Wait! I can explain!"
"You better explain!" she screams
I explained the impulse drugs that I used to take as a soldier, which were the cause of the Firefall incident. And somehow, someone drugged me again with it. I wanted to know who it was who drugged me, and more importantly, how did they get their hands on the drug? She was the only person I could think of, but she didn't know, or did she just not know the effects?
These questions spiraled around in my head, I wanted answers, and soon. I remembered more about Firefall and how I lost one of my best friends during the battle, this wasn't why I hated remembering Firefall, but it is one reason I continue to work for the Boss today.
"Swae Matthews…" I said without thinking
"Who?" Shih asked, obviously demanding an answer
"A friend I lost during Firefall apparently became a casualty, but his body was never found. Everyone assumed it was burned during the raging fire. He was a good soldier, with a good heart." I explained
We eventually got up and walked towards the next citadel, we were close to where we needed to be. The citadel was a different color but identical to the one we were in before it. I noticed that there were no guards around, and I saw a couple unconscious people on the ground. I saw that they were assaulted, but by whom, I did not know.
We ran to the hallway connecting this citadel to the one we haven't been to yet. We ran through a number of rooms, sneaking past a few guards, and even once stopping for a snack (because of Shih). We eventually saw a branch off point, we looked down it to the main room which was obviously where the controls for this god-forsaken place is. We went down towards it when we heard the sounds of a fight.
"You call that a fight?" said the obvious Victor of the fight
"Who is that" Shih asked
I knew all too well that voice, that voice that sounded so evil, but always contained a hint of good intent. The voice of a soldier with a good heart. The voice of "him"
"Swae Matthews" I whispered
"Ha!" he laughed
"I thought you said he was dead!" whispered Shih
"Me? Dead? It would take a whole army to make such a situation!" Swae continued to laugh
"So, you aren't dead? I saw you take the fatal blow!" I nearly choked with excitement
"Fatal? That? Ha! I could take ten more of those blows and still walk away alive!" he kept laughing on.
It was an unexpected reunion, a welcomed one, but unexpected. Last I saw him, he got crushed by a piece of burning rubble, I had tried to help him back then, I was able to free him, but I had to leave without him lest we both get caught in the fire.
"Why are you here?" Shih asked
"I am here to help you two, who seem to always find trouble" he said
"Who sent you?" I asked
"The Boss" he said
So, we were both working for the same man, and here I thought he was here by random chance. But I knew better, in this world, everything has a reason.
We went into the control room and started looking through it. Trying to find the switch to unlock the records room, it was not easy as there were a hundred switches, all doing something different. We eventually found it near the armory unlocks and the complete lockdown switches. We looked at the map, the records room is next to the armory, in the hallway connecting the 3rd citadel with the 1st, and we quickly grabbed some medical supplies in case things took a bad turn.
We quickly left the control room only to find ourselves fighting 3 guards who had apparently just come back from a break. They all had stun sticks, which were electrified batons, often used in high security. I was worried, seeing if we touch that, its 20,000 volts, not enough to kill, but enough to certainly render us unconscious. I immediately, without thinking, grabbed a steel pipe and swung it at them.
You know those dumb moments when you do something very stupid, and get immediate results? That was one of those moments. I immediately felt a huge pain as I was shocked; I was surprised I was still standing after that. I threw the pipe away and tried to think of a different course of action.
"Stand down!" A voice said
The guards immediately holstered their weapons as a man in a pink suit walked in the room.
"What a disaster!" The man exclaimed.
"You again?" Shih sighed
"Call me by my real name please" he asked
"What is your name?" asked Swae.
"Just call me Lance!" he said
It must have struck all of us, the boss of this underground complex. Was the CEO of the most important business in the city?!
"Lance Kvow" I growled
I remembered this man well; he was the enemy in the Firefall incident, and the one responsible for the Fire, though no witnesses remained except for the 3 of us.
"Good to know someone remembers my last name!" He laughed
"You said you hired me for a good reason! I was not expecting to be attacked in a fire that you started!" Shih growled
"I was nearly killed because of the fire you started!" yelled Swae
"Yes, Yes, Yes, all of you have a bone to pick with me, and I do indeed have a few skeletons in my closet" he muttered
"A few skeletons?" I said
"More like a thousand! People are always suffering because of your actions!" yelled Shih
"Sad it had to be this way, but I had reasons" he said
"Reason enough for this?!" Swae yelled as he lunged toward him
Lance suddenly loosed his purple suit only for us to find that he was wearing a full suit of armor. He grabbed Swae and flipped him onto the ground
"I am afraid I had to come prepared" Lance said
He grabbed a helmet from one of the guards and donned it upon his head. He grabbed a scabbard from the other guard.
"I am afraid I will have to smite thee!" He yelled
I grabbed a sword off the wall, to my surprise, it was authentic. I knew I would have to fight.
Suddenly, everything went black, when I could see again; we were on a plain of fire. Lava circling around us.
"Only fitting that we should fight here, for fire has struck between us once again!" he said
We charged at each other, steel clashing against steel. Shih and Swae fending off the guards from intervening.
"If you smite me" said Lance
"I will allow you to walk away with the information you want, the guards will give you no trouble!"
"However, if I am struck down?" I asked
"You will be tended by our doctors, and you will work for us" he said, smiling.
"Then I will not be smitten!" I yelled
"Do you not remember the time we have spent together as children?!" He said, obviously baiting me to attack
"I do remember" I said, knowing that I was fighting my best friend, one who had suddenly disappeared. One who used to cheer me up whenever I was down? My greatest friend…
"And it changes nothing!" I yelled, grabbing a second sword from the ground, a sword one of the guards dropped.
I charged forward, slashing left and right, parrying all of his attacks. We traded blow for blow, strike for strike, and steel for steel. It seemed to be an eternity before either of us started wearing down. I dodged left as he swung his sword at me, I swung at him, he parried it. It continued on and on.
Then, he lost his footing; I struck what should have been a fatal blow. And an explosion sounded behind me as we were both flung off the cliff…
I awoke to the sound of him yelling my name, he was holding onto the cliff, the heat of the lava clawing at me scales. I looked over, only to see his ears poking over the edge, and his hands slipping. I lunged forward to grab his arm…
"You are not falling! I remember you!" I said, remembering my childhood, how he was my best friend, how we used to tease each other.
"You… Remember?" he coughed
"Yes! And you are not falling! Not now! I am not losing you!" I yelled
"I am sorry, but the friend I once knew, has died. In his place, is a hero!" He said
I lost my footing and nearly slipped. Suddenly, Swae was at my side, holding a knife.
"You are not strong enough to help him. Neither am I. does he not want help? Let him fall" he said as he slashed my hand, Lance jumped into the lava far below.
Then, suddenly, Swae grabbed me and threw me onto the ledge above using strength I didn't know he had. I looked back down to see him lying on his back, his strength obviously depleted. I yelled at him, looking back at his green hair, grayish-bluish fur, and his green eyes seemed to flicker. His army coat singed from this hard battle. He gave me a smile.
"It has been a good run my friend, but never forget. Call it the FinalFlare Incident." He said
"No! You will survive; I will get you up here!" I yelled, but my strength quickly failed me.
"No… *cough* my friend. This… *cough* *cough* is my final stand, my final place, to rest, forever. May our last meeting be but a sad memory… *cough*" he said, obviously in pain.
Suddenly, the ground shook, and lava waves spread towards him, flowing to his left, then his right, then he sunk under the waves of fire…
My tears stained my scales; I went over towards Shih, who was obviously crying.
"Well… we still have a job to do." I said, a new determination flashing through my eyes
Suddenly, a bright green light shown, and flew away. And in it, I saw those green eyes…
We went through the way we got here, and suddenly, we both fell unconscious…
…
We awoke near the records room, 2 guards at the doors saluting us. We went in to find the information we needed. We wept at our losses, but we had fire in our hearts. We went back to the boss to give the information we needed.
We went back to my house, as we walked in the door, I noticed a note.
"You are now free from our chains" the note said. I noticed it was signed by the boss
I could not believe what we had gone through for us to be released from these chains. But I felt like a caged bird that has just be released into the wild.
Then, I heard a voice.
"Well, tonight has sure been eventful" said a familiar voice.
The night had been cold and harsh, but that voice has proven to me that, tomorrow, the morning sun will be strong.
For that voice, was none other, then the voice of us… Me, Shih, and Swae.
End