Another year passed…
Chara had grown a little taller.
But after comparing herself in front of the mirror several times, she was still so short?
Her hair had grown a bit more, already hanging down past her thighs.
When let loose, it looked like a dark brown waterfall.
Flowey hadn’t changed much.
He was still that little yellow flower, planted in his pot, sleeping when he should sleep, waking when he should wake, and eating when he should eat.
He spent most of his time in Chara’s room, occasionally carried out by her to sunbathe.
Isee had finished teaching her most of what he planned.
From words to common sense, from star maps to history, he had taught almost everything there was to teach.
She could now read most of the text, understand the complex markers on the star maps, step off the train like everyone else when it stopped, and read the documents and notices on those planets during Trailblaze.
Dolly had also taught her a lot: violin, piano, guitar, and so on.
Although she hadn’t reached Dolly’s level, she could already play complete melodies.
She had started participating in Trailblaze half a year ago.
As for how she asked Akivili for permission?
Don’t worry about it.
Anyway, the first time she truly set foot on an unknown planet, she followed right behind Dolly.
Her feet stepped on the unfamiliar soil, looking at the terrain and buildings that weren’t marked on the map.
After that, she went to many more places.
Some planets were bone-chillingly cold, some were as hot as a steamer, and some were covered entirely in water, requiring a small boat to move forward.
She encountered some dangers and some things she couldn’t solve, but she made it through every time.
In a sense, she could already be considered a true Nameless.
That night, Chara tossed and turned in bed several times.
The blanket was rolled into a ball, and the pillow was squished flat and then patted fluffy, but she still couldn’t sleep.
It was probably because she ate too much chocolate in the evening.
It was definitely not because she was staying up late!
She sat up, threw off the blanket, put on her slippers, picked up Flowey’s flower pot, and walked out of the room.
“???”
At this hour, most people should be asleep.
The small lights cast a warm yellow glow, throwing soft shadows on the floor.
She walked slowly along the corridor with no clear destination.
She stopped when she reached the Parlor Car.
There was no one in the car, but there was an extra thing in the corner…
a piano?
It was black, the lid closed, reflecting the starlight from outside the window.
It was newly bought by Dolly.
She had mentioned it a few days ago, saying she wanted to teach Chara some new chord progressions.
● Play the piano? Get faster updates on g.com.
● Yes
● Action: Piano
Chara walked over and sat on the piano bench.
She placed Flowey’s flower pot on the low table next to her, then opened the lid, revealing the interlocking black and white keys below.
She reached out and pressed a key.
The sound echoed in the quiet car.
It was crisp, carrying a slight metallic resonance.
She pressed a few more keys, listening to those notes collide and dissipate in the air.
She remembered a melody she heard on that planet during the Trailblaze a few days ago.
She couldn’t quite remember all the notes, only remembering how the first few notes connected.
She tried to play those few notes, piece by piece, scattered.
She pressed the keys, finding the sounds she still remembered in her head one by one and piecing them together.
Some notes were right, some were wrong, but after trying a few more times, those scattered fragments slowly connected.
She didn’t know what she was playing, just following those sounds downward.
Her fingers pressed down and lifted off the keys, one after another, getting smoother and smoother.
[BGM: His Theme (The author changed the name here due to plot needs) (Our Theme)]
The sound of a celesta rang out from somewhere.
That sound was bright and pure, like the gentle sound from a music box, carrying a childlike innocence, so clean without a single impurity.
The piano sound slowly joined in, intertwining with those crisp celesta notes, one high and one low, one light and one heavy.
Those sounds flowed from under the keys into the car, flowing into the stars outside the window.
The rhythm had always been gentle.
The sound of the string section seeped in from the underlying layer, low and long, wrapping around those crisp notes like warm water, mixing with those sounds.
The melody slowly pushed higher.
Those sounds climbed up on their own, higher and higher, wider and wider.
The strings supported them from behind.
There was no explosion, no drastic turns.
It just steadily supported those sounds, letting them rise to the heights, and then steadily bringing them back down.
Those sounds echoed in the car.
After the last note was pressed, it didn’t dissipate immediately.
Instead, it dragged a short lingering reverberation, slowly disappearing into the air.
● The old story has ended, and your new story begins.
The car was quiet for a long time.
Then some faint sounds were heard.
Fabric rustling?
A quiet exhale?
She turned her head…
She wasn’t holding anything, her long pink hair draping over her shoulders.
Behind her stood a few Nameless.
Their eyes were all focused on her.
There was no surprise, no teasing, only something she couldn’t clearly describe.
“Dolly?”
Oh no, I got caught (꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)
Dolly took a step forward.
“I heard the piano and came over to take a look.”
“When did you…
get here?”
“We’ve been here for a while.
But I have to say, you played it very well~ Worthy of being my student.”
“I didn’t!
(huff)”
Then Chara looked down at her fingers, then at the marks on the keys she had pressed.
“Besides, I didn’t even know what I was playing.”
“That’s even better.
True music isn’t casually and deliberately written out.
It’s when you have something in your heart, and it actively flows out on its own.”
Dolly reached out and gently patted the top of her head, exactly touching the edge of that little yellow flower.
“Go back to sleep.
We have to Trailblaze tomorrow.”
Chara nodded, stood up, and picked up Flowey’s flower pot from the low table.
Flowey was half awake and drowsily asked, “Done playing?” before shrinking his head back in.
She quickly walked back to her room, placed the flower pot on the nightstand, and lay in bed…
Ahhhhhh!
So embarrassing!
(°ﾛ°٥)
She closed her eyes.
Those sounds were still echoing in her mind, gentle and soft, wrapping around her consciousness like warm water.
The story of her hometown had ended.
Now, this was her new story.
She slowly fell asleep.
● You played a melody that belongs to you.
This fills you with DETERMINATION.