Harmonies Unveiled

Chapter 13: Promises Broken

Meanwhile, Scott's mind was filled with a mix of anger, disappointment, and concern for Joel. As he drove back home, his thoughts raced with the revelations he had just learned. The dreams, the hidden memories, and Joel's extraordinary musical abilities—it all seemed interconnected, forming a puzzle that demanded to be solved.

Arriving home, Scott walked through the front door, his footsteps heavy with the weight of his emotions. He found Joel sitting in the living room, focusing in their tablet. The sight of his child brought a mix of relief and worry. Joel looked up and noticed Scott's angered expression.

Joel noticed their dad, they placed their tablet aside. They are still holding on to their tablet pen.

Scott's voice was filled with a mixture of concern and determination. "We need to talk, Joel. About your dreams, about what happened at Yuka's, and about the truth you've been hiding."

Yuka told me what happened when the two of you went out," Scott began, his voice softened. "She told me about the thieves and how you used your musical abilities to defend yourselves."

Joel's gaze dropped to the floor, a mix of guilt and apprehension filling their expression. 

"I have told you not to go outside the mansion and stay in. But YOU broke the rules and became a rebel, you're not different than your friends."

Joel's anger flared in response to Scott's words. The unfairness of their situation, the feeling of being constantly restricted, boiled within them, "Arpeggio! Risoluto." their anger translates to, "It's not fair, Dad! Why should I be limited in what I can do just because of my death? I want to live my life, not be confined to these walls! And how do you know that I was out there, huh?"

Scott's own anger intensified as Joel talked back to him. "Don't you understand? It's not about limiting you—it's about keeping you safe. When I created you in the lab, I wanted you to have these extraordinary abilities to not put yourself in danger. I know this because I talked to Yuka at her house, she explained everything, including the part when you unleashed your musical abilities against the thieves on a video."

Joel's eyes widened in disbelief, their body frozen with shock. The feeling of betrayal washed over them, crushing their spirit. Their best friend had betrayed their trust, exposing their abilities against their wishes, "Crescendo? Arpeggio?" Joel's was frustrated, "So? I used my powers, right? I defended myself. Why are you so mad that I am able to protect myself and my friends?"

"I have given you everything. I've provided a home, safety, and a chance at a new life. And this is how you repay me? By disobeying my rules and putting yourself at risk?" Scott's voice boomed with a mix of anger and disappointment.

Joel's anger flared in response to Scott's words. The unfairness of their situation, the feeling of being constantly restricted, boiled within them.

"Risoluto... Absatz?", Joel's voice trembled with a mixture of frustration and desperation, "How can you understand?.. You've never been in my shoes! You don't know what it feels like to be isolated,"

Scott's own anger intensified as Joel talked back to him. "I may not understand exactly what you're going through. But please understand, that I'm doing my best to protect you. To keep you safe from a world that could harm you."

"Cadenza, Arpeggio?? Largo!" Joel's voice rose, their frustration reaching a breaking point. "So what? I'm supposed to stay locked up forever? To never experience anything beyond these walls?? I won't let my death define me. I want to live, to explore, to be free!"

"Don't you see what I am getting at? I don't want you to go outside the house, because I don't want to lose you again!" Scott's voice cracked with a mix of anger and pain. "I've already lost you once, and I can't bear the thought of losing you again!"

As the argument reached its peak, Scott's face tightened, and he made a decision. With a determined gaze, he spoke, his voice holding a mix of resolve and sorrow.

Joel took a deep breath, focusing on their feelings as they closed their eyes. 

First, their dad knows that they've been going outside. Second, the person who they trust the most has exposed their secret to their dad. 

Their voice sounds heavy from the emotions they've felt, "Well, you just lost them again" this time, they spoke normally in English.

In that moment, Joel's music ability surged again. Their treble clef shun once more, but this time, it carried a darker energy. Their clothes were morphed into their blue conductor's outfit once again. The pen they hold transformed into a baton as they raised their arm, preparing to conduct the piece. 

The melody resonated with their feelings of betrayal, disappointment, and loneliness, creating a somber requiem that filled the room. Even Joel's catchphrase, once filled with optimism and determination, took on a different tone, reflecting the pain they felt.

Joel, their eyes still closed, stood at the center of this otherworldly manifestation. Their voice echoed through the transformed space. 

"Let's show them our music."