His Dominant, Her Submissive

23.

♞

Even if she didn't want to see his face in the crowd, she still had a performance to get through and her unresolved feelings will not impede that. Taking her seat as the first violinist, the oboe played a note, signaling the rest of the band to tune to that note. As the note rang through the building, anyone in the crowd immediately went silent to not interrupt the performance.

"Hana-Bi" was the first song to play, and the piano began the tune with the orchestra following behind. A visual in the background followed streaks of light. As the piano stopped playing, the musical dynamics never faltered, even as the tune expressed an emotion that couldn't be said.

As the piano had a solo with the first seatings in the instrumental arrangements, the cello and double bass quieted down. Kiara and Milton were the only two who played at this moment, the piano following the violin. Even as her nerves grew, her fingers remained unchanging, and when her solo was over, the sound of the other instruments plucking their strings with the piano gave a feeling of walking on clouds.

When the piano played solo for a bit, the rest of the orchestra followed behind with the climax of the song. The difference in playing speed to sound like the song went too fast was purposeful, yet the other instruments caught up in time for the resolution of the song. When the first song finished, there was an immediate shift to "Doves and the Boy/The Girl Who Fell from the Sky."

Trumpet and Cornet began the song to sound like angels playing over a crowd. The rest of the instruments followed suit, the percussion both leading and following. As the piano brought in the next movement, double reed instruments had a supporting part before the violins began the next movement in the heartfelt song. The sound of the cymbals crashing with the rest of the orchestra following into the music went in tandem with the visual of a floating castle caught in the cloud.

Cellos led the sound before the strings ushered the climax, yet each instrument played could be heard as the support to another. Even if the song's end led to an upbeat march, the feeling wouldn't be forgotten. "A Street Brawl/The Chase/Floating with the Crystal" was the next selection to play as the snare led the band in tempo.

The orchestra's sound grew fuller as the song moved to a faster tempo, resembling a march. This was not the end, however, as the next movement had more action from the brass instruments. The song's final climax led to fast-fingered trills within the violins as the brass instruments led the piece.

What brought the song to a close was the violins, bringing the sound to a relaxing tone as if whisking through a forest to a side of paradise. "Memories of Gondoa" had a lighthearted sound from the flutes and violins playing together. Because the song is shorter than the others, "The Crisis/Disheartened Pazu" followed with an urgent tone in the beginning.

The oboe brought the tone of worry into the music, with the first violins leading the music. Because there was a false sense of relief, the song's end gave a quiet hand into "Robot Soldier/Resurrection-Rescue." A more demanding and action-packed song followed, giving way to the strings and snare leading the audience to a climax of a march-like ending.

"Gran'ma Dola" started with an immediate tone, like someone snuck around, but still had the power to it. The straightforward piece left a feeling of no discussion, but when the orchestra quieted for the oboe/bassoon solo, the rest of the instruments came with a forceful tone. The violin used a feeling of compassion before the song's tempo sped up to give the audience an edge.

"The Castle of Time" was led with violin and the other strings coming in after the solo. The leading tone within the song was picked up by the flutes leading the next section before giving the melody to the violins. A climb to the height of the song felt like discovering something new before the resolve faded to the next song.