11. The Last Will and Testament of the Eclaines #2
She looked back and smiled at me, confirming my hopes to the point where I could barely contain myself.
I knew I let my emotions get the best of me as my face ran warm and she giggled.
She winked, then turned back to Boyband.
Neither of us had said anything, yet a silent conversation passed and confirmed that what was blooming between us was real.
Her song Let’s Eat played in my head and I wanted nothing more than to be by her side under the lights of the Blue District, away from this corruption.
“Tell me about your music,” she said.
I needed nothing more than to hear her talk about hers. I longed to hear her sing. See her talent shine. See her dance, just to let her lyrics live if by any chance they were meant for someone like me.
Zeg, I really was just as bad as her idolizing fans.
He scoffed. “Why do you care?”
“First, I care about you.”
He scoffed. “Hear that, Pet?”
We all shared a light laugh, lifting the tension in the room.
“He better,” Naoma said.
Levity returned to Boyband’s voice. “Don’t try to butter everyone up like Ralia.”
“Oh, she can keep that position in the group.”
“And second?”
“Second because I think this could be important for finishing off your parents’ business.”
He sighed. “I never was that great at it, which is why they were hoping to have me apprentice under someone so high up, you plug? Look, I don’t mean to talk down to you, but you can’t really help in the production department, can you?”
“No, but–”
“Oh, don’t worry, Idol, I’m not going to discount your worth, but mine. Zeg my part in this. They put me into that zegging school just to have what you do–a connection to Reef. Why worry about me when we are already in with you? You plug?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you if you’re involved in the production side, I just assumed they did it all with the Neon Idol ownership and such.”
She laughed.
“You can keep petting David, you know.”
She glared at him a second, then they both broke into laughter.
“You shac.” She shook her head. “No, you’re right. Sure, I might be able to provide a connection to Reef, but we need to finish listening to the message first to see what they actually want.”
“Sure, David–”
“But”—she pulled his shoulder so he faced her—“I’m not trying to put on a kind act. I’m actually interested in your talent. That is, if you have any.”
“I mean, I’m not that bad. Why?”
“Because I have no desire to remain with Reef and when this is over, I’ll have to make a living somehow, right? I’ve got the talent. Use some of your spare time to touch up the talent you were making and we can work out a little partnership, you plug?”
“You’re zegging me.”
“Fine, if you don’t want–”
He grabbed her shoulders and shook them. “Of course I want to produce for the Neon zegging Idol!”
“Good.” She pushed his hands off and grabbed his sleeve and wiped the David juice off her arms with it.
“You’re not zegging with me, are you?”
“Do you have better plans when this is over?”
“No… I guess I never really saw this ending, or at least with me coming out alive.”
“Well, it’s time to change that.”
“But you don’t really know anything about my talent. I’m not a Finian, I’m not a professional, and I’m sure you could find another–”
“Shut up, Devóne.”
He looked up at her.
“You might not have the talent I need now, but we’ll grow together. Who knows how good I am without Reef, but I would rather trust you than any shac who will try to manipulate and use me like those Fins. I trust you. Is that enough?”
“I…I guess so.”
“Good, because I’m counting on it. I fix your promise on the front of my neurospace interface.”
“Zeg, that’s a lot of pressure.”
“More than saving the world from some hidden god and his network of conspirators? Nah, du, music is nothing compared to that.”
“Alright.” He continued stoking David.
“And you won’t be alone.” She looked back at me. “We’ll need someone who can navigate the socials, right? How else can I advertise? Who better to choose than a former social titan?”
The thought of returning to such a path frightened me. I didn’t want that, but if it was for someone else, I think I could do it. If it was for Naoma, of course I could.
“I mean,” I shrugged, trying to keep my smile tame, “if you really need me.”
“I do.”
“Can we just play the zegging message already,” Ralia groaned. “Love y’all, but this is a bit much for now.”
“Right, sorry.” Boyband patted David. “Resume the clip.”
Naoma giggled and eyed me. Maybe I wasn’t delusional to think she wanted me with her in the future.
Collette’s voice spoke. “As long as you’ve graduated with a passing aptitude in production–which it looks like you should–then you’ll be fine. If not, I’m sure you’ll find another way to impress Bink.”
Boyband turned back, smiling, and pointed at Naoma. “Who needs a zegging degree when you have the Neon Idol?”
She shushed him.
“Bink isn’t the end for you,“ Robierre said.
“Sure, we have problems with Reef Records, but what is more important is that they are an outlet to a greater threat. That threat… well, that is for you to investigate. I’m sorry to leave this all on you, but what we have done is the groundwork.
All of the Luxists have been working at locating these Beacons that herald the end, because once the first is broken, they will concentrate their efforts on those who oppose them until their success is secured. Once it has begun, you cannot stop.”
“But, don’t let your father worry you. You won’t be the one to trigger that collapse. We just need you to find the Beacon so once the others are ready, we can strike them together.”
“Zeg, they really have no idea,” Abbas said.
“Had,“ Boyband corrected. “Their deaths and the mess we all caused led the Luxists to throw this guk on us.”
They spoke over a brief moment of Collette speaking, but I did not miss it.
“Many of the Violet elites–like the idols they produce–are connected to Zhou. All we know is that he has an intimate group that he calls his ‘Dynasty,’ though everything makes it sound more like a cult. The producers can help with finding connections, but it’s the artists you really want to focus on.
Don’t worry about the Neon Idol. She’s their cover girl and I doubt they would risk tainting her with Zhou’s filth.
Your best shots are Qluiqa, Giri Onara, or 3Rochi. ”
“Zeg,” Abbas said.
“Yeah,” Akna added under her breath. Both of them were looking at Naoma, who nodded but held a finger to her lips.
Collette continued. “They may take some time to warm up to you, especially because you are a non-Finian producer.”
“Or they could love you for being one of their flesh.”
“Maybe, but keep your head up, regardless. Let them see you as someone who might control the future of their music–according to the dictates of sponsorships and such–and make sure they see you as the ecstatic upstart we know you will be.”
“Get the girls to bring you into their club, du.”
The word sounded unnatural coming from his father, even earning a sound from Collette that I was sure accompanied an eye roll.
“Like I was saying, show them that you’re worth their time.
It will all click eventually. Keep close to the other Luxists.
They’ll guide you along the way. Once we–you–are ready to help end the tide, they’ll be with you around the world doing their respective work. ’
Robierre sniffed. His voice was weakening. “I’m really sorry to leave you like this, bud. I pray you never have to hear this.”
“And if you do, our light is with you always.”
“Nuwa bless.” David shook. The next words came through in his voice. “End of message. Might you end my suffering now?”
Boyband petted him with long strokes. “If you can learn to hold all of that in your little body, I’m sure you can learn to want to live.” I was glad to hear the strength in his voice. I doubted he enjoyed the abrupt end to their message, but he had powered through from mourning to determination.
“Why would I want to live if my existence is agony? An abomination to every moral forced into my mind by those with greater understanding?”
“Can we talk about 3Rochi now?” Akna said.
Naoma stood, hands crossed, and turned to her. “Did you meet them there? Bom-girls never mixed well with those three.”
“Really? 3Rochi weren’t there, but the others made it sound like they got along well, especially since you left.”
Naoma raised an eyebrow. “Really? Well, maybe I was the problem.”
“I’m sure you weren’t, but back to 3Rochi. You said you were in with them, right?”
“Yeah, back when I was at Reef.”
“So you can use them to get back in?”
“Then to this Zhou du,” Boyband added.
Naoma’s pinched brows made her look like she was on the edge of refusing, but she nodded and said, “I’ll do what I have to.”
“Pulse,” Boyband said. “What’s the plan?”
She shrugged. “We have to get in somehow. Might as well begin with a simple homecoming.”
“It’s about time the Neon Idol reappears in the Republic. Are we all coming along or are we sticking to smaller groups like we had with Water Hills?”
Naoma nodded, eyeing me for a moment, then focusing back on the others. “If I can manage to repair old relationships, I should be able to slide us into this private club or whatever.”
“Cult,” Boyband said.
“Sure. Correct me if I’m wrong, Petya, but I feel like we should have Abbas and Akna continue keeping eyes on Haven, keep Ralia here to make sure everything is going smoothly with your minds in the core, then–”
“I go with you to Reef and Pet finishes the thing here with Ral? Boyband asked.
“Well… Ralia, do you need Petya here with you?”