Easter Bonus: A Meeting between Protagonists Part 5

“This test is really just a place where you can show off your various skills and have fun,” John said as he showed us the various rooms, currently the carpentry room. The first thing Alysara noticed was the lack of power tools.

“Most worlds don’t have the technology for power tools, so this also serves to adapt you to low technology worlds… but I’m sure you already know that..” John added. “If you don’t have a skill in music art or crafting, then usually we have you at least try and see what you may like. Talent in an art or craft can often help in your second lives.”

Alysara nodded gracefully. “My people are craftsmen, much like how dwarves are portrayed on earth. Every child is encouraged to take up a craft or art, usually, both a craft and an art, crafting and arts are more important than most think.” Alysara formed a flute out of mana and skillfully played a few notes, her royal blue fluffy tails dancing to the tune

“Exactly.” John said, “With technology, most reincartees are used to service-based economies and factory-made goods, but it’s the crafts like carpentry and smithing that will separate you from low-skill jobs if you don’t want to do dangerous adventuring. I’ve seen enough of your abilities that I have no doubt you’ll ace this test, Alysara, but what of you, Hestia?” John asked, turning toward the dragon girl.

Hestia forms a microphone with the air around her, using aerokinesis to control it. She then began playing around a bit, adjusting the volume of her volume before singing.

“Let the music play, let it enter your soul ♫

Rest your weary body here ♫

To a tune or melody ♫

Listen now, to a soothing remedy ♫

Listen now, let your stress disappear ♫

Let my song reach you, fill your heart with wonder and more ♫

Gaze up to the blue sky ♫

To smile to the light ♫

Listen now, you know what is right ♫

Listen now, don’t need to look so wry ♫”

A jazz song. An angelic voice filled Alysara’s and John’s ears, tickling them so gently that all traces of stress disappeared as they were entranced by Hestia’s voice. Accompanying her was a set of instruments, playing out so perfectly one would think a band is around.

Once the song was over, John felt a sense of loss, wanting to listen more to it, whilst Alysara was flabbergasted at how similar to a concert it just felt, or at the very least, playing a song on your phone or your computer. A heavenly voice like that belonged to none other than a dragon.

“My dream is to become an idol. An entertainer who can capture people’s hearts and give them a reason to smile every day. I was born into a musical family back on Earth, so I can also play the violin or piano, aside from singing and dancing. I am versed in the classical and baroque period, from Vivaldi to Beethoven, but I can play more ‘classics’ and also modern songs. Anime songs, especially!”

Hestia then grabbed a rock and sliced it in half. “But, if my music education isn’t enough, I can also make this.”

She emptied out the interior of the rock before filling it up with her scale-dust and some of her mana. She closed the shell together and threw it to John, who frantically caught it as his gut was telling him nothing good would happen if he let it fall.

“I can do some crafting. Grenades, toxin mixing, and also use my magic to create traps and such. I can also cook, but baking is my passion. And… I think that’s about it. I thought of picking up potion-making once but found it too boring. So, yeah.”

“I don’t know why I am surprised by this, but I shouldn’t have been,” John said, looking at the grenade in his hands before slowly setting it down and quickly backing away. “Well, you’ve already displayed your abilities enough for me to give you two a passing grade, so… I guess we can just send you back now.”

“Wait!” Hestia said, then looked at Alysara. “Why don’t we perform an idol concert?”

“What?” Alysara looked like a deer in headlights; although she was now used to showing her abilities to her village, this place wasn’t her village.

“Yeah! I’ve seen your dances at the ball, you’re extremely graceful and talented, and you can sing too, right?”

“Well, yeah. But I don’t think I can perform in front of hundreds of people just like that…” Alysara held her hands up defensively.

“Well, a concert would be good enough for an official test,” John said with a shrug. “If you want, I can probably organize a stage for you. You need to make the preparations yourself, though, since it counts towards ‘crafting your future.’ In a way.”

“See?” Hestia tapped Alysara’s shoulders. “That is an option. You have two choices, Alysara. We can either perform together, sparkle and shine in the spotlight as we touch people’s souls with music. Amaze them with a performance that will fill their hearts with happiness… or just entertain them.”

“… And what is the other option?” Alysara asked, hoping she didn’t have to take the first one.

“Or, you can help me prepare the show with all the special effects and so on. I can perform on the stage alone, while you can make sure everybody is having the time of their lives!” Hestia then leaned forward, looking at Alysara with puppy eyes. “But I want to perform with you, really!”

Alysara remembers the time when she was dragged in front of the village by Chofel. At the time, she felt just as apprehensive as she is now, but ultimately it helped her connect with the village and helped her open up more. Perhaps it isn’t so bad, and worse case, she can shrink her perception so she doesn’t see the crowd and pretend they aren’t there; that always helped.

She isn’t going to continue traveling with Hestia, so making one more memory won’t be a bad thing; who knows, maybe some cosmic dragon can teach her how to jump between realms? If that’s the case, she might even be able to visit Hestia again!

“A-Alright…” Alysara said, clearly a little flustered.

“I’ll show you to your rooms; it’s getting late, so tomorrow you can do your concert,” John said, leading the way to the dorms. “The dorms increase or decrease in size based on how many people are here.”

The dorms resemble old Victorian buildings with hardwood flooring and brick walls. Vases and exotic plants that Alysara suspects came from different worlds decorate the halls. Small rugs are set in front of each room, and crystal lights hang from the ceiling, bringing forth the beauty of the hallway.

“This will be your room,” John said, stopping at room two hundred-twenty-four. He showed us in, revealing a cozy rustic room with a lit hearth.

“Is there a tall mirror?” Hestia asked, “So we can practice our dance choreography.”

“If there is anything you need, just place your hand on that door and think about what you want, then open it, and it will be a room you need,” John answers, pointing to another door.

Trying it, Hestia walked to the door and opened it, revealing a mostly empty room with a large wall mirror.

While Hestia walked into the room excitedly, Alysara burned the strange magical phenomenon into her memory, with how the world just seemed to expand to allow new space. However, Alysara was jerked from her musings as Hestia pulled her into the room.

“We don’t have long, so we need to make use of the time we have now” Hestia started a few moves while singing an upbeat song.

Alysara just kinda stood there, not knowing what to do.

“Like this!” Hestia shows a few beginner moves to the energizing music; however, Alysara’s Bond wavers, dissatisfied. Her [Inquisitive Perfection] has its own criticisms too; Hestia has clearly played and performed this song, so she is well-practiced, but her movements don’t seem to speak with the song she is playing.

“Correct me if I am wrong, Hestia, but did you have difficulty mastering dancing?” Alysara asks.

“Err, well, you know… dances need proper choreography and…” Hestia said but stopped, looking bashfully. “Mhmmm… Is it your Bond speaking again?”

“Yes, your dancing lacks restraint,” Alysara criticized. “It’s like a fire burning out of control as if you’re trying to impress every single person in the world. Sometimes, less is better. ” Alysara then showed an example, a simple dance that incorporates the passionate flame flickering from side to side. Her royal blue tails gracefully dance behind her before she twirls elegantly, but with equal youthful passion, she even flickers her ears at appropriate times, using her entire body in the same flowing dance.

“You demand attention,” Alysara continued. “But music and dancing are arts; they are a form of beauty and thus should not grab people's attention but rather enrapture them, entrance them; they should lose themselves in the flow of your art” This was what her Bond was trying to tell her for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that her Bond’s whisperings have been clearer.

“Hmm? Is that so? You sound a bit like my father. But—” Hestia then grabbed Alysara’s hands so deftly she couldn’t resist in time. She then positioned them around, one around her hips and the other holding hands. “Music and dancing are art; I understand and agree with you. But, the thing is, idols aren’t only seeking to make art. Idols are there to invoke emotions within people, bring forth their will to cheer for them! It has to be fun!”

Classical music began to play as Hestia led Alysara around. With her Bond, Alysara was perfectly able to follow along, making no mistakes. Hestia saw this, smiling as they continued their waltz.

Once Hestia saw Alysara was starting to question what they were doing right now, the music switched to something more suitable for a tango. With the energy from the song, the fire in Hestia’s eyes blazed again as she twisted her body around in perfect motions. Alysara was intrigued by what was happening.

“Dancing is always hard for me. I want to give it my all, but that means breaking the rhythm a bit. That’s why I need a choreography before going on stage,” Hestia admitted, looking conflicted. “Art is in the eyes of the beholder. ‘Music is the art of touching the souls of thousands to empower and heal them’ is my motto. And I apply this to my dancing too, as the performance is the most important point of a concert.”

The music then stopped. Hestia let go of Alysara and began giggling nervously. “But, I get you. If I dance this way on stage, it will steal away your moment. Sorry, I got a bit excited there. Your Bond probably is a better judge than whatever I think is right. I have to get better, so please teach me, Alysara-sensei!”

Alysara smiled softly. “My Bond only speaks for beauty, and sometimes I don’t consider other points of view. Hmm…” Alysara adopted a thinking pose for several minutes before speaking again. “Basically, you want your performances to instill meaningful emotions in people without using mind-affecting spells…”

Alysara started trying out several dances, each one seeming to grow more and more fitting to the song Hestia plays. Alysara humed along and played a flute but mostly focused on perfecting the dance choreography.

Hestia, on the other hand, creates a piano made from air and begins playing on it, helping Alysara learn the song she wants them to perform. Having done this once with her friends, Hestia had experience in dividing the lyrics equally to everybody participating. To be exact, which parts of the song fitted the vocal range of the two girls.

Strangely they don’t feel tired even through the entire night of practice, although Alysara could have used her clones and spare minds to keep going as her real body slept anyway.

“It’s probably due to the magic of this place,” Alysara explained when Hestia brought the topic up.

Some golem maids came in the morning with freshly made breakfast. Hestia’s stomach growled as she realized it’d been all night since she ate, and there was no sunlight to help sustain her. Alysara, on the other hand, doesn’t feel that hungry, her mana production helping to sustain her, but the peckish hunger is slightly uncomfortable.

“Breakfast time. No idea if you’re hungry, but I’m ravenous!” After thanking the maids, Hestia took out the utensils and began devouring the food, although keeping up some sort of etiquette at the minimum not to look like a brute. She was happy this was a casual event.

As Hestia digs in, Alysara picks up a piece of buttered toast and examines it. Her past life had a large variety of food, but her current life is the opposite; she has lived fifteen years with only the crab-like Domrs, fruit, and dairy products. Alysara takes a bite of the toast, which was competently made, but by no means was it professionally done.

Once they had their fill, John arrived and showed them a new building that didn’t exist yesterday. It is a modern stage with tracking lights and large speakers to the side. A mic stands in the center, as do a large variety of musical instruments.

“I assume you made good use of your time last night?” John asked.

“Yup!” Hestia gave a thumbs up.

However, Alysara didn't feel very eager to stand up in front of everybody; although she didn’t mind the outfits she made for this, her fellow villagers usually showed way more skin.

“Great!” John smiles, probably glad this will have no explosions; unfortunately for him, Alysara and Hestia already planned some fireworks, but those are the good kind of explosions. “Your concert will start in two hours.”

Hestia immediately went into action, analyzing everything around her with the scrutiny of an expert. Once she identifies what she needs, she waves Alysara over to her, explaining what she needs help with.

As she left Alysara to do that, Hestia took the instruments off the stage, knowing her aerokinesis was more accurate in producing the proper song than letting Alysara’s clones play them. She then went over to the loudspeakers and began modifying them, feeling giddy since she hadn’t used any Earth-like technology for nearly two years now.

Two hours passed by so quickly for the girls as they prepared the stage to their liking, to the point they had to frantically change their clothes to their idol outfits in the last minutes… well, Alysara just materialized a new outfit for herself around her making a new mana silk dress.

Hestia hid behind the curtains, looking through the gaps to see a nearly full room of people waiting for the two girls to perform. Usually, the idol or their company had to promote themselves, but in this case, due to a shortage of time, John had graciously done it to help the two girls as a send-off present.

Hestia smiled at the noise in the audience. Sure, most of the attendees were young men with relatively generic appearances, but that doesn’t bother Hestia. She didn’t care if they were an adonis or chubby person or old men or young girls. To her, if they came here to be entertained, then she would be here to perform. For the stage was her life.

“You ready?” Hestia asked Alysara with a mesmerizing wide grin, looking as if she had sucked up all the energy of the world, including from Alysara. The latter felt the presence around Hestia had suddenly changed as if the person she saw yesterday was just the preview of how Hestia truly was.

“Mhmm.” Alysara managed to nod after a few seconds to recompose herself.

They step out to the curious cheers of the oddly generic and similar-looking crowd. Alysara wondered if the generic trio were out of the forest yet or were still looking for the dagger; she couldn’t tell them apart from the crowd of forgettable faces, nor would she care to.

“Welcome, everybody!”

The spotlights activate, shining white light upon an excited Hestia and slightly nervous Alysara. In the dark of the concert hall, nobody but the two girls could be seen clearly. Hestia produce veils of fire, fluttering them around in the air like a bird’s wings, successfully wowing and pulling people’s attention to them before they dissipated.

“My name is Hestia, and this is my friend Alysara. This is our last day with all of you, but we aren’t planning on leaving just yet. At least, not without a seriously needed musical performance to brighten up this place.”

As Hestia introduced them, Alysara weaved an illusion with [Figments of Reality], pushing it as far as she could; the whole area around them transformed to show a starry night sky and an aurora borealis dancing in the sky, stretching from one horizon to the next.

“Hope you’re ready! Let the show begin!!” Hestia announced with her voice transmitted through every single person using the loudspeaker, prompting Alysara to remotely kill off the light, returning the hall to pitch-black darkness.

As the crowd wondered what just happened, music started playing from nowhere. First the sound of an electric bass playing, pulling its strings up and releasing it. The light reappeared, showing only Alysara before she clapped her hands.

“Ooh, the moment our eyes met, ooh, my heart couldn’t stop beating ♫Badump, dump, dump, it’s like you used a skill on me ♫”

Finger snapping. It echoed in the hall as Alysara let silence permeate before another light went on, shining down on Hestia. With a single clap, she raised her microphone.

“Ahh, but don’t you even think I’m so easily swayed ♫ Can you prove to me that you can set my heart on fire, pal♫”

The two girls then began moving, shaking their hips like supermodels as they approached the front of the stage, exciting the numerous young men with their frilly skirts and colorful dresses. Now posing together, they sang in unison.

““Until you show me the flames in you ♫I will smile and keep these three words for myself! ♫””

And the brilliance of the stage erupted, dazzling people as the two girls began their synchronized dancing.

““I can’t wait! ♫””

A perfect harmony. Hestia’s powerful vocals complemented Alysara’s elegant voice, letting everybody know this was the time for them to be impressed once again. Dividing the lyrics once again, Alysara took over, enchanting people with her intonations and mystifying leg and tail movements.

“Just watching you makes me feel so anxious ♫I dream of the day that you will hold me ♫You are it, my Fireheart! ♫”

““Say those words! ♫””

“Don’t just stand there and keep your mouth wide, dummy ♫Can’t you feel the rhythm of our heartbeats ♫Say those words, my Fireheart! ♫”

On the other hand, Hestia’s remarkable voice overwhelmed the crowd, exploding in their ears and capturing their hearts with the first verse. Some of those with a masochistic fetish was even entranced by the “dummy” part. Regardless, to bring it to a fulfilling climax, Hestia fully displayed her mastery over her singing.

““Oh oh Oh oh Oh oh Oh oh Oh oh Oh oh Oh ♫””

And to finish their already captured hearts off, the girls shook their hips while waggling their fingers at them. With the combined powers of their synchronized “Oh”s, none of the boys could endure it any longer. Most of these young men already had experienced in idol concerts like these, and even those who didn’t followed suit.

Using the magic they’ve learned from their stay here, all of them molded their mana into light sticks and began swinging them. The audience was fully ready to continue this concert.

“Alysara, you’re the best ever!”

“Hestia, look at me, please! We love you!”

The crowd shouted their support as the song ended. Alysara cast the entire place in darkness and weaved new dresses for her and Hestia, then the illusion around them shifts to a dark forest with yellow eyes staring from the shadows.

A light shone on Hestia and Alysara, who now looked like adventurers with sheathed swords on their hips and bows in their hands. They stood back to back with confident grins on their faces.

“No matter who our adversary is, we will prevail!” Hestia declares and starts the next song with a foreboding undertone.

They sing about a hunt against a terrifying monster, showing a shadow stalking the perimeter, causing the people nearest to it to shiver in fear. But suddenly, the song shifts and two arrows of light are shot toward the ‘monster,’ banishing it.

Hestia winks at the boys, her bow still poised, while Alysara blows them a kiss. The crowd goes crazy as the song now inspires courage.

“YEAH!!!”

“Can’t believe they had something like this in store! Why haven’t they done this earlier?! This whole place would be so much better if we had this more often! Wooooooo!”

The concert was a riot. The crowd exploded as the girls performed two more songs. Even Alysara, usually reserved, was fully immersed in the atmosphere, smiling so brightly she looked radiant. Hestia’s endless energy infected everybody as her heavenly voice egged people on to cheer and dance with their light sticks.

However, the sweat and heat inside the concert room was taking its toll on everybody. They were still cheering and celebrating this rare event, but Hestia and Alysara both noticed how some of them were starting to tire. Even Alysara had to admit her voice was slightly sore after performing their fifth song.

Still, the girls finished their goal. Five songs are more than enough. The crowd called for an encore, but the two girls hadn’t prepared a sixth song. It was Hestia’s fault for not accounting for it, but the concerts she had in her world didn’t know the concept of encores. She forgot all about it. Even then, the girls only had a single night to learn five songs and create choreographies for them.

It is already a huge achievement. If they are to be rated for this performance, it would most likely be an SSS grading.

As the girls retired to the backstage, the song of the cheering crowd still reached them. As Hestia worried about getting out of the building, John knocked on their door. When he was let in, he congratulated the two girls for an amazing performance.

“Hahaha, I think everybody who attended it won’t forget about it until they leave this place. Hopefully, this will motivate them even further.” John smiled proudly at the two girls. “It will probably be hard to leave now. However, since this will be our last hour together, let me do you two a favor. Teleport us to Reincarnation Exit five.”

As if responding to John’s command, the three disappeared from their backstage room in a blinding light, reappearing in a room with a complex magic circle.

“Well, I guess this is where we part,” Alysara said, turning toward Hestia. “It’s been fun.”

“Yeah! I wish there was a way for us to visit each other… but I doubt that’s possible.”

“Perhaps… maybe there is a way?” Alysara suggested optimistically. “If I can study and learn how to cross into other realms, then perhaps it’s possible.”

“Only gods can do something like that,” John said, earning a glare from Hestia and Alysara. “Well, I mean, at least it’s true for us; these magic circles don’t work without the help of a few supporting gods.”

“According to my study and witnessing some things, I think I have that part down,” Alysara said, her tails flicked in irritation. “If I am right, then my Bond is a source of divinity, and I can already teleport, so it’s not too much of a stretch to think that I might someday learn how to cross into other realms.”

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before the implication sank in.

“You mean to say you are a goddess?!” John’s eyes widened.

“Well, I’m still mortal.” Alysara said with a shrug. “I, nor anyone else in my world would call me a god but in a world where everything that has a soul has a Bond I don’t think the presence of divinity itself means much.”

Alysara stepped onto the magic circle, her three beautiful tails moving in tune with her gait. She gracefully turned around and gave Hestia a confident smile.

“This isn’t a farewell, but rather a ‘see you later’ I look forward to when we next meet” With a flash and a crackling of black lightning, she disappears.

“Huh,” John huffs. “She somehow activated the transportation herself… I’m gonna have to talk with the higher-ups about potentially bringing godlings here by accident. Well, it’s your turn, Hestia; as promised, I’ll send you back.”

Hestia nodded and stepped into the same spot Alysara was just at, and with a wave of John’s hand over the control panel, the world shifted, and she woke up in her bed, unsure if all of that was a dream or reality.