To be known is to live.
To be heard is to live.
To be seen is to live.
To live is to love.
To be loved is to be human.

“Odd to think that we’re just a tiny little speck, isn’t it? We as people are so… insignifcant in the grand scheme of the universe, yet we still try to make ripples. Testaments to the outer worlds in the hopes that one day the universe might speak back, to recognize our efforts, our stru-” crrk. In a blink, the zealous ramblings of a renowned astrologist were severed short. Cast away into an endless darkness residing within a small flatscreen TV that stood on an old mahogany dresser in a small, cluttered, and quite messy apartment. A raspy, miserable groan echoed throughout the apartment as the golden glow of the sun snuck its way through the blinds of the only window and into the eyes of a poor, unsuspecting great horned owl who somehow found himself asleep and flipped upside down on his own couch, still fully clothed in his favorite band shirt, brown sweats, and leather belt from the day before. The light from the sun pierced through his eyelids, waking the poor bird from his slumber. Struggling to keep his eyes closed, he attempted to find his bearings as he begruggingly woke up. However, these attempts were met with a distinct lack of… anything. Before long, he had realized there was nothing to grab onto as he slowly slid forward. His floor-bound fate had been sealed. Half of his body had already rolled off the dark leather couch, setting a course straight for the floor. As he flailed his arms wildly to latch onto his saving grace, his right shoulder was the first to meet its demise as his body struck the hardwood floor with a loud THUMP. 

“Fuck!”

“I was waiting oh so patiently for that to happen, Robby. Learn to sleep like a normal person and maybe you wouldn’t end up on the floor so often.” A large, beastly looking northern hawk owl dressed in white polo shirt, gray khakis, and an out of style knitted green sweater-vest sat on the other end of the couch from where Robby had fallen from. His thick feathers seeped slightly out from under the collar of his shirt, giving him a messy but still quite sophisticated look. Large, circular glasses rested on his face just in front of his green and yellow eyes. To him, it made him look like a scholar, but to most, it made him look like a dork. A grin snuck onto his face as he spread his left wing out onto the now open couch and watched his friend roll around on the floor. The poor bird was holding his shoulder as if someone had struck it with a bat. 

“Asshole! You could have at least tried to help me, dude!” The tense scowl on the owl’s face faded into a groggy frown as the pain subsided. He rolled onto his back, spreading his arms and legs out as he released a miserable breath of air and relaxed himself. Once satisfied with his morning floor time, he sat upright quickly, brushing his hand over his black and brown plumicorns as he opened his bright orange eyes to see who was mocking him. 

“Wait, Erik? What the hell are you doing here? Why are you in my apartment?” 

“I was hoping you would know. You were the one who asked me to come over last night, after all. I had just finished up some late night reading when you texted me and asked me to come over and ‘see stars’ with you. Of course, when I got here, you were high out of your mind and wouldn’t open the door. I had to climb in through your damn window. You and this apartment were a total mess, and I decided out of the kindness of my heart to stay and watch you for the rest of the night. We don’t want you to fall out of your window again, do we? That food stand won’t be in the same place twice, you know.”

“Whatever, man. That shit won’t ever happen again, so quit worrying about it.” He covered his feathery face with his hands to shield his eyes from the sunlight that continued to fill the inside of his apartment. 

“What day of the week is it? I think I had something planned this week. You would know anyway. You keep track of my life like a creep.”

“It’s Friday. I stayed over not only because I had to make sure you didn’t almost kill yourself again, but to wake you up for the breakfast planned with your family and I. It’s just past eight, and they wanted everyone there by ten. You better get ready now, too. I called Sylus and told him to be here at eight thirty. I think he’d hate to see you like this.”

“You told Sy to come OVER? My place is a fuckin’ mess, man! I’m supposed to be his cool older brother. I can’t have my place look like a dump! You know how much he looks up to me, almost a little too much. He’ll start treating his room like shit, too!”

“Well, you better get to it then, pal. I’ve got a little reading to catch up on while we wait to go. Speaking of, can you reach into my left pocket there? I’ve got a micro-novel in there. I would grab it, but y’know, my wings are a little large.”

“How did you even get it in there in the first place?”

“Had a stranger put it in there for me. I’d usually have one take it out, too.”

“Whatever, dude. Can you just help me out for once? I’ll owe you a favor or something. You do a better job at cleaning up than I do, I couldn’t possibly get this done in half an hour.”

“Alright, but you have to promise you’ll watch ‘The Godfeather’ with me. You’ve been putting me off for months on it now!”

“Whatever.”, Robby whispered under his breath as he clammered onto his feet. Erik stood up from the couch and stretched his wings out. He was watching astrology interviews and making sure Robby didn’t do something stupid all night. His back and wings were stiff from sitting on the suprisingly uncomfortable couch. His wings spanned far out from his torso, revealing a beautiful pattern of gray, brown, and white stripes spanning horizontally across the feathers. The backside of his wings and body consisted mainly of a darker grey with patterns of white. 

“Dont get your feathers everywhere dude, remember last time you were here?”

“That only happened because I ran out of my feathercare soap. I learned my lesson, and now that I won’t run out, I won’t lose as many feathers.” As if a higher being was punishing him for his statement, a feather fell elegantly off of the backside of his right wing, floating gently onto the brown and white patterened rug on the floor. The two stared at it in silence for a moment, with Robby holding back a laugh.

“Whatever. Let’s just start cleaning this hellscape you call a home.” The two got right to it, with Robby frantically picking up pot-stench ridden garbage around his apartment while Erik tidied up the left out laundry and the bed that had become disheveled from the restless night Robby had. Robby always found it fascinating how good Erik was at doing things with his feet. To him it just seems inconvenient, but he grew up with arms and hands. Who is he to judge? He is quite jealous of Erik being able to fly, however. To take to the skies in an instant, no need to drive, walk, or deal with anything on the ground. He hates being stuck so low, but he can at least skate better than Erik could. Though he hasn’t done it since he fractured his beak on a failed grind.

Robby continued blankly staring across the room in his envy fueled daydream, only to have it shattered by loud banging on his apartment door.

 “Rob, get the door. I guess he’s here earlier than I thought he’d be. Probably blew through a bunch of stop signs again.”

Through the loud banging on the door, a low, bellowing voice could be heard. “Talon City Police Department! We’re here for a routine drug check! If anyone is home, answer!” After the shouting had ceased, the apartment fell dead silent. Robby quickly looked back at Erik, still folding laundry, with a look of terror in his eyes. Under his breath, Robby whispered, “You gotta be fucking kidding me! I’m on my second warning already. They’ll haul my ass off to jail for this!” As he panicked, he frantically ran around his apartment to hide any traces of last night’s solo party. 

“Just go open the door, dude. I doubt you’d get hauled off, anyway. It takes very little to bribe the cops in this city.” 

Taking Erik’s advice, Robby hesitantly crept his way over to his door, pausing once more before resting his hand on the doorknob. Erik could be wrong. This could be more community service for him, and even worse, jail time. Laws on drugs were strict in Talon City, after all. Shaking nervously, he closed his eyes, twisted the knob, and swung the door open quickly. As he slowly reopened his eyes, the expectations of someone being at the door were ripped away by a lack of anything. There was no one there, as if a ghost had come by to mess with him. A breath of relief escaped Robby as he concluded it was just some ding-dong ditchers pulling a fast one on him. Though just as he began closing the door once more, a dark figure lept out from around the door and directly onto Robby, turning his breath of relief into a gasp of panic, followed by a loud screech before both of them hit the floor. 

“Got you! I can’t believe you fell for that shit again, Robby!” Robby gasped once more as a sharp pain swelled in his back from hitting the floor a second time in twenty minutes. As the initial shock of the assault had passed, he quickly opened his eyes and was met with his brother’s dark feathered face, bright orange-yellow eyes and a wide, cocky smile staring him down. Robby scowled. He clearly didn’t think it was funny. “Fuck you, man! You always do shit like this and you know I hate it!” 

“Whatever dude, you know I love making you scream like a little fledgling! Even Erik can’t help but laugh at you!” Robby frowned and laid his head back on the floor, twisting it upside down to get a good look at Erik from across the apartment. To no surprise, Erik was letting out a quiet chuckle as he watched Robby get done in by such an obvious trick. How couldn’t he? He’s fallen for this kind of stuff since seventh grade, and not once has it ever gotten old. 

“You can get the hell off me now, Sylus. This is my second time on the floor this morning and it hasn’t gotten any more comfortable.”

“Alright, alright. I’ve had my fun.” Sylus chuckled one last time before climbing off from Robby. He knew he could add today to his long list of all the times he’s scared the hell out of Robby. With Sylus being a stygian owl, he had the upper hand in that kind of thing. His body was coated in dark feathers, ranging from jet black to very dark grays. Large, dark plumicorns stuck up from the top of his head, almost looking like a devilish pair of horns. The feathers on his head were a bit long, and quite messy, forming a sort of style you don’t see often in owls. If you stood him next to a bunch of other male owls, you would notice he was the only one who had the feathery equivalent of “hair”. His most defining trait, his eyes, accompany his dark, stygian (get it?) look. Bright yellow in natural light, and a devilish bright red in the dark. He almost always wears exclusively black clothes, accompanied by lots of chains, rings, and many other accessories. It helps him put on that unnerving feeling you get by being around him. Of course, he only acts like this around people he doesn’t know. Around Robby and his friends, he’s a completely different person.

“You’re here early, Sylus. Robby was really hoping you wouldn’t be, seeing as this place is still a mess.” Erik gave Sylus another quick smile before resuming his task of cleaning up the apartment.

 “I only got here so quick because traffic is weirdly light today. I was expecting to be caught at that stupid five way intersection again, but to my surprise it was empty. I guess it is a Friday, after all. People are likely getting ready for the festival at the lakeside. I heard a ton of businesses closed for the day because some ‘rockstar’ is coming to perform. I guess it’s important enough to warrant that.” Robby’s ear tufts perked up as he heard the word rockstar. His father had been talking all about an “old friend” potentially visiting for the last few weeks.

“You think it’s Dad’s friend he’s been talking about? He helps set up the festival each month, so I wouldn’t be shocked if he managed to sneak in something like that. There’s always open time near the end of the night anyway. It would only make sense for something to be put there on stage.”

“Probably. I bet you he’ll tell us about it at breakfast today. Speaking of, are you getting ready or what?” Robby quickly turned around to look at his alarm clock residing on his small nightstand that read eight fitfty-seven in bright red numbers. He knew they had to leave soon, because being early meant their father wouldn’t have that scary look of his on his face the entire time. The last time they were late to meet him, he didn’t say a word to them. His stare could bring a poor fledgling to tears if he looked at them for too long. 

“I was just finishing up getting ready before you pounced on me like a feral beast. Your stupid spiked bracelets nearly impaled me as well. How are you even able to jump like that with all that stuff on? You’re like a freakshow, man.”

“Don’t know. Guess I’m just athletic. Also, are you really going to wear the same outfit you had on yesterday? I saw the same shirt on you yesterday morning. Surely you have some decency, Rob.” Robby looked down at himself. He was, in fact, wearing the same outfit he had on yesterday. A black shirt joined by brown cargo pants and his favorite belt. However, his favorite hat was nowhere to be found, raising his concern. He always kept it in his sight, no matter what.

“Erik! Have you seen my hat? You were doing my laundry, right? Surely it’d have to be in there.” Erik looked back at him from across the room, giving him a quick shrug before going back to hanging up Robby’s shirts in his small closet where his guitars also lived, tucked up against the wall. 

“Fuck! Sylus, you gotta help me find it man. Do me a favor, will you?” As Robby continued his hat induced panic, Sylus peeked around him to see Erik now trying to get his attention. With one leg raised, Erik wielded Robby’s hat in his right leg’s talons. The old gray hat was an odd mix between a cap, a trapper’s hat, and an old postboy’s hat riddled with patches that had to be sewn onto it to keep it from falling apart. His father gave it to him when he was in first grade, when he sat Robby down after one of his greatest shows. 

“It’s magic, kid. This hat will be the key to make you a great musician like me. It won’t show itself until you’ve proven yourself, though. So keep it around for your old man, eh?”

 Now, the supposedly magic hat was going to be used as ammunition as Erik prepared to throw it right at the back of Robby’s head. Sylus received the message clearly, giving Erik a quick wink as he turned back to Robby to distract the poor bird.

“Is the hat really that important to you, man? It was on the verge of completely falling apart the last time I saw it. Why not just get something new? Maybe something a bit more in style? It’s quite tacky.” An unwise choice of words. Robby snapped his gaze onto Sylus and looked him in the eyes as the feathers on his face furled downward. Before Sylus could get another word out, Robby grabbed the front of Sylus’ shirt and yanked him close to his face. 

“You know what that hat means to me. It means more than you could even imagine. When Dad is dead and gone, you’ll be sorry you had nothing like th-” WHACK! His head lurched forward from the impact, nearly slamming his forehead into Sylus’ face. His rage fueled words had been silenced by the supposedly magical hat nailing him in the back of the head cap first, with credit to Erik’s killer throwing leg, of course. The collision caused Robby to release his grip on Sylus, who then quickly turned around to see Erik laughing at him from across the apartment. 

“Look Robby! Your magic hat returned to you! Of course, it needed a little help from a pro pitcher like myself!” Still scowling, Robby held the back of his head with one hand as he leaned down to pick up his hat with the other.

“God, I get really sick of you sometimes, Erik!” Before he put his beloved hat on, he snapped back to look at sylus. 

“You too, prick! It’s always gang up on poor old Robby with you guys!”

“It’s all in good fun, Rob. Not our fault your reactions are always golden.” Sylus cracked another smile at Robby.

“Whatever. We should go. I wanna make sure we’re early.” He placed his hat on his head, moving his feathery tufts aside as it fit itself perfectly onto his head. After so many years, it had basically adapted to it. Grabbing his apartment keys and his phone he had left on the counter, he strutted angrily out the front door. Erik and Sylus exchanged another devious look at each other once more as Sylus followed behind Robby. The two of them had been messing with Robby for years, this was just another average day.

 “Perfect throw, dude.” With a confident look still on his face, Erik carefully stepped through the still pretty messy apartment and out the door. Shutting and locking the door, Robby led the three down the hall towards the elevator. 

“So Erik, are you gonna go to the festival tonight? Or are you too busy reading your dumb books to go, just like last month?”

“I actually will be going tonight, decided I’ll tag alongside you and Sylus. I’m quite caught up on my reading, thank you very much.” 

“Thats surprising, seeing as your nerd shit always seems to get in the way of things.”

“It’s not ‘nerd shit’. It’s just reading. You’ve never even tried to pick up a book in the last ten years, so I don’t want to hear that coming from you, dude. It’s hard enough to get you to even watch shows with me. You just can’t seem to sit still, can you?”

“I can sit still just fine! I’ve sat through plenty of movies with you. By the way, they were all total snoozefests!”

“No, they weren’t. Don’t act like you weren’t crying at the end of ‘A Tale of Two Feathers’. Or what about when you were cheering on Gustave at the end of ‘Flightless’?”

“Okay, maybe some of them were good. But thats not my point!”

In the heat of their back and forth, the three had reached the alcove in the hallway that housed the elevators. Pushing the call button, Robby stepped back and pulled out his phone while he waited. Turning the cracked and beaten FlyPhone on revealed a staggering 4 missed calls and 23 unread texts from his mom. 

“Fuck, you gotta be kidding me. Mom’s gonna be pissed when she sees me at breakfast. What am I even supposed to tell her? That I just fell asleep late?” Hearing his complaints, Sylus eagerly peered over at Robby’s phone. 

“Wow. You’re totally screwed, dude. I’ll try to help you make up an excuse, to make up for what I said about your hat.” Robby’s worry caught the attention of Erik as well, as he looked at the texts over Robby’s shoulder as they walked into the now open elevator. However, he had to weave his way through the few people coming out, so he couldn’t get too good of a look. On his way in, he was met with a starling mother and her fledgling son, who looked up at him excitedly. 

“Woah! Mister, how did you get so big?! You’re like a giant!” For Erik, this wasn’t a rare occurence. He stood tall at a staggering six foot six, gifted to him by the genetics of his late father. Putting a warm smile on his face, he kneeled down and met the kid at eye level.

“Well, little guy, if you want to be as big and cool as I am, make sure you eat what your mom tells you to and stay active. Nothing helps you grow more than the great outdoors, kid. Oh, and don’t forget to read lots of books! It’ll keep your mind sharp!”

“Thank you, mister! I’ll be just as big as you one day, I promise!” Erik gave the little bird a pat on the head with his wing before he stood back up and looked over at his mother. She gave him a quick thanks and walked down the hall with her kid skipping joyfully at her side.

“Look at you, Erik. Indoctrinating another poor soul into your nerd-cult.” Robby and Sylus looked at eachother and snickered.

“Yeah, yeah Robby. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.” He stepped into the elevator, tucking his wings to his side so he could fit. The elevator reeked of cigarette smoke and piss. Likely attributed to the unkept carpet floor of the elevator. An odd design choice for sure, but one that the apartment residents learned to put up with. Erik’s faced winced at the stench as Robby pushed the button for the lobby floor.

 “God, Rob. How do you ride this thing daily and not vomit? Do the apartment owners not even care?”

“Yeah. The shitheads who run these apartments don’t really care about the hallways and such. They think just the water, electricity, and air conditioning is enough for the residents to be happy. The building could topple over and they wouldn’t do a damn thing about it. Honestly, I don’t really care. I’ll be out of this shithole one day, when we make it big of course.”

“Can’t argue with that, can I?” With a quiet ring from the half-screwed on speaker resting in the corner, the elevator had reached its destination. A loud metal scraping echoed from the shaft of the elevator as it slowed to a halt. The poor thing was likely about to fall apart. It was a miracle the door even opened. 

“I thought you had plans to get your own place with Sylus? Or is that still too far away?”

“How about I tell you when we sit down at breakfast? We were planning to ask our parents about it then, anyway.” Erik shrugged. He decided he didn’t need to pry further. “Oh, by the way, do you wanna join us in Sylus’ car? I think his backseat is actually cleared out for once.” Robby turned to Sylus for his approval, only to be met with an embarrassed look. He had, in fact, not cleared out his backseat. It was still full of boxes full of junk he just can’t seem to part ways with. Erik knew both of them too well, so he expected something like this.

“It’s fine, Rob. I’ll just meet you guys there. If traffic is light like Sylus says it is, we’ll all be there quite early. The place is all the way across the city from here, though. You’ll have to drive near the lakeside at some point. Good luck with getting around all the barriers they love putting around, traffic or not.” As the three of them walked across the relatively well-kept lobby (compared to that elevator, at least.) Robby’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling out his phone, he was unsurprised to see it was another message from his mother. As he rushed to respond, the three had walked out of the front door, when Erik almost immediately began preparing to take off.

“I’ll see you guys there. If you two end up being late, I’ll try to make as much small talk as I can so they don’t get mad. They’re lovely people after all, especially your mom.” He followed with a quick wink. The guy was a real joker when he wanted to be, and he knows how to get under his friends’ skin when he wants. It took only a moment for both Robby and Sylus to process what Erik had just said, both stepping forward simultaneously with a quick “HEY!”. Though before they could cuss Erik out for the comment on their mother, he stretched his wings out wide and motioned a large flap downward. In an instant, he had lifted off the ground as he followed the initial motion with smaller, more consistent flaps. The wind from Erik pushed away leaves on the ground and blew a bit of dust into the eyes of Robby and Sylus, causing them both to recoil. In just a moment, Erik had taken to the skies.

“God, he is annoying.” Robby crossed his arms as they both watched him rise higher and higher with each flap of his wings, before eventually taking off forwards as he passed above the tall city buildings.

“But so are you to him, so it balances out.”

“Whatever, Sy. Let’s just get going.” 

“My car’s about a block down. Couldn’t really get too close of a spot, seeing as I can’t park in the parking garage without getting a stupid fine. Your apartments suck!” The two owls set off down the street, passing many fellow residents along the way. Quick glances from strangers towards the two were common, Robby’s hat stuck out like a sore thumb and Sylus was like a mass of black paint with his leather jacket, boots, shirt, and just about everything else. Dodging unkept roots that grew into the sidewalk, the two finally turned the corner, where they were met with Sylus’ Lexus LS 400. To no one’s surprise, it was painted jet black. Old and worn, it was a hand-me-down from their father, but still a real sight to behold. Sylus was the one to get the car because actually he got his license at a reasonable age, unlike Robby who was still putting it off.

“You might have to move a couple of things to the back, sorry about the mess. I’ll probably clean it out when we move in together one day.”

“Better not treat that place like you do this car, Sy.”

“That’s rich coming from you, dude.”

Climbing into the junk ridden car, Robby threw a small box filled with memorabillia for many of Sylus’ favorite bands into the back. Sitting down and getting comfy in the passenger seat, Sylus followed shortly after, seating himself and placing the key in the ignition.

“Bear with me for a moment.” Turning the key, he attempted to start the car as it screeched back at him in protest. Another turn, no dice. On the third turn, it finally waved its white flag as it roared to life. The dash lit up, the air conditioning blasted cold air into Robby’s face, and the radio tuned into Sylus’ favorite radio station, 118 ROCK FM. “About time!” Giving the dash a little tap to congratulate it for even starting, he carefully pulled out from the street, barely missing the car in front of them, and took off for the other side of the city.

Warm rays of sunlight cut through small clouds and onto Erik’s back as the cool air of the early fall morning blows past his face, his feathers flowing elegantly in the wind as he glided high above the cityscape below him. Flying was always his favorite part about his life, as ever since he was just a fledgling it had just come naturally to him. Being so high above the rest of the world, a sense of freedom always washed over him as he flew. The sky was tranquil. Nothing up there could bother him, interrupt his own thoughts, or barge its way into his life. It was almost like he lived in his own world, a world where he could just close his eyes and drift off into bliss. Glancing one more time at how high he was above the rest of the world, he began slowly shutting his eyes as he embraced the peace, with nothing but the sound of the air blowing past to disturb him. That was until something had, in fact, come to disturb him.

“Erik! Eeeerik! Is that you, man?” Just as quickly as he had entered his meditative state, Erik was stolen away from it. He quickly opened his eyes to figure out what, or who, was calling his name. Turning his head over his left shoulder, he spotted a figure trying to catch up to him as it swooped down from a higher elevation. “Slow down, man! My wings can’t keep up with you!” Erik, still annoyed by his alone-time being cut short, slowed himself down with a tilt of his wings, still maintaining his glide. The motion invited the figure to glide down and fly parallel to Erik, revealing itself to be the Chief of Talon City’s Mail Department, Toby. 

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite postboy. You came at a great time. I was getting sooo bored up here by myself.” Erik gave Toby a stern look, trying to convey that he was disturbing him, but the winged saddle-billed stork dressed in his blue post-man outfit seemingly couldn’t recognize Erik’s sarcasm.

“Well, I saw you gliding down here below me and thought I’d come down and say hello. How have you been, man? You catch up on your reading yet?” 

“As a matter of fact, I have. Now I’m spending the day with Rob. I’m about to meet him and his family at ‘Le Perchoir Du Roi’.”

“Your French is surprisingly good for someone who’s rarely left Talon City, Erik. You’ve been taking lessons or something? Or maybe those books are just rubbing off on you!” The stork laughed. Just like Robby, he thought Erik was a total nerd. He was at least nicer about it, however.

“Not really, honestly. I’ve got an uncle who visits from France every couple of years, and he sure loves to rant to me and my mom about a lot of stuff in French. We both just kind of memorize as many words as we can so he doesn’t feel bad when we dont understand his ramblings.”

“Well, thats real kind of you two. Hey, by the way, are you going to the festival tonight? I heard some rock legend is gonna be there, thought it’d be something you’d wanna’ see.”

“Yeah, I’m going tonight with Robby and Sylus. I owe them a night out after I skipped out last week to finish a book of mine, anyway.”

“What about Leah? Is she gonna be with you guys, too?”

“Sadly, no. She already told Robby and I that she was gonna be going to the festival with her parents. She doesn’t really want them to meet us in person yet, as they really don’t like the music we play. They think rock and metal make evil people, but if anything, I think the country-pop they listen to really brings out the worst in people.” They both laughed. Toby was just as big a fan of rock as Erik was, and had been supporting their band since they formed it back in highschool. Despite being rivals in Talon High School’s flight club, they were both quite close. 

“Bet you’re glad she isn’t turning out like them, aren’t you? You guys wouldn’t have such a killer drummer if she did.”  

“Tell me about it. Can’t imagine someone as sweet as her ending up like how she describes her mother.” Looking down at the city below, then at his satchel full of mail, Toby realized he had accidentally passed two buildings already.

“Oops! I missed a couple of stops. I gotta get going, do you wanna chat sometime again? I started that book ‘Scratches’ you told me to read.”

“Y’know what? Sure. It’s nice talking to someone that isn’t Robby or Sylus sometimes, they can be a real pain in the ass.”

“Hah! You don’t mean that. Catch you later!” The stork broke away from the parallel flight with Erik and glided away as he turned to reorient onto his mailing route. Erik, now unable to enter a meditative state again, flew a little lower to get a nice view of the city below. He was about three quarters of the way across the city, with the restaraunt just barely in his sight. However, something had caught his eye. Down on the road below was none other than Sylus’ car, which Erik had learned to recognize by its shape from up high. It was just coming to a stop when Erik decided he wanted to pay the two a “little visit”. 

Down on the ground, Sylus and Robby waited impatiently at a red light. For as long as they could remember, the city had timed traffic lights instead of the nice ones that use the magnets in the ground to scan for cars. 

“You know, Robby, you should be glad you don’t drive. This city’s streets are the absolute worst.”

“I’ve noticed. I keep seeing stop signs in the weirdest places and barely marked crosswalks. Makes you wonder if they even want people to drive at all.” As Robby rambled on about the city’s flaws, something quite large had landed on the car, shaking it and terrifying the two inside. 

“The fuck?! What just hit my car?!”

“I did!” Before Sylus could yell back, Erik had bent over from the top of the car, poking his head out in front of the windshield.

“Jesus, man! I thought something just wrecked my car! If I see a single scratch on my roof from your talons, I’ll kill you with my two hands!”

“Relax, I know how to land myself. Your precious little car is fine! Anyway, how’s the road been treating you?”

“Everything was just peachy until you deemed my car your new landing strip!” Sylus made a quick gesture at Erik to move his head out of the way of the windshield with his hand. Abiding by his command, Erik moved his head over, revealing to Stylus that the light had just turned green.

“I’m bored of flying up high. How about we race over to the restaraunt? It’s a straight shot for you, and if you beat me there, breakfast is on me!” Erik was feeling confident in himself today. He loved proving himself better than others when it came to flying, and he had never really seen Sylus’ car in real action. He had no clue if it could blow him out of the water or not. Though it never hurt to try, he had beaten cars plenty of times before. His horizontal speed was unmatched thanks to his legs being so strong, giving him a tremendous amount of takeoff power, with more credit to his father’s genetics.

“You’re on, Erik!” It wasn’t often a golden opportunity like this came up for Sylus to do a little street racing. Sure, it was in broad daylight, but who cares? 

“It’s settled then. See you there!” From the roof of Sylus’ car he leapt forward, boosting himself forward to an incredible speed with his legs alone. His wings would only complement that speed, of course, with each large flap maintaining his level and giving him a bit of speed as he flew. He had the potential to go olympic if he didn’t loathe sports.

“Sylus, are you sure you want to do this? Dad would probably pay for breakfast anyw-” Robby’s words were cut short by Sylus slamming his foot into the gas pedal as far forward as he could, pressing both of them into the back of their seats. Erik wasn’t lying either. It was a straight shot there, and the road was completely empty. Why not have a little fun, right? The car had already taken off, its engine roaring out to the world as it pushed itself to its own limits. It’s worn tires screeched on the ground as the car shot forward. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. Fourty. Fifty. No turning back now. 

“You’re gonna fucking kill us, Sy!” Robby’s words fell on deaf ears. Sixty. Seventy. He was gaining on Erik. Halfway down the road already. Seventy-one. Seventy-two. Seventy-three. “Thats enough, Sylus! Stop the fucking car!” His pleas were futile, and he grabbed onto the whatever he could to brace himself. Seventy-four. Seventy-five. The road was shortening by the second, and Sylus was just about to pass Erik. Seventy-six. Seventy-seven. Seventy-eight. Clear. By just an inch, he had passed Erik, whose face boasted a very pleased look. Sylus considered that a win. Quickly switching his foot over to the brake, he laid onto it just enough to not completely derail his car while still slowing down safely. At least, safely enough for him.

“Fucker! Why the hell would you do that, Sy? You really fell for that idiot’s bait? All he wanted to do was boost his own damn ego!”

“Bet you he didn’t think I’d have the balls!” As they approached the turn onto the block that housed the restaraunt, Erik had already flown far past them, turning the corner onto the upcoming street and leaving their sight. 

“Your car can’t handle stuff like that and you know it. If you’re gonna risk your life in this shitbox, make sure I’m not in the damn car!”

“Oh, you’ll be fine, Rob. I know what I’m doing behind the wheel. I’ve got 5 years under my belt already.” Sylus turned the corner slowly to ensure Robby could keep himself calm.

“Whatever man. Don’t entertain that asshole like that again. He’ll try to get you to do stupid shit and you’ll end up getting hurt. You’re lucky there weren’t any cops around. You’d be hauled off to the station in an instant if they caught you pulling that shit!” Robby crossed his arms, sunk his head into neck feathers, and turned to look out the side window.

“It is what it is, Rob. Now let’s see what he has to say. I bet he won’t want to challenge this ‘shitbox’ again!” Sylus pulled up slowly to the lot out front of the restaraunt, with Erik watching them pull in from just outside the front door. That pleased look remaining glued to his face. Sylus pulled into a spot just in front of Erik, matching his look from the inside of his car. Robby clammered out of the car as fast as he could, still looking a bit queezy from the speed. 

“Wow, Rob! I didn’t think you’d be so scared of a little race. You’ve ridden with him a million times before. What’s so different about today?”

“Maybe the fact that we were going nearly eighty in a thirty-five? Did maybe you consider the lives of the people in the car?”

“Oh, shut up Robby! Quit acting like I was trying to get us killed. It’s called following through on what you say you’re gonna do. If he wanted a race than god damn, I was gonna give him a race! Speaking of, guess who’s paying for breakfast today?”

“Well, I know it isn’t me.” Erik’s pleased grin faded once more into a stern look. “You didn’t beat me here. That’s what we agreed on, after all.” Sylus threw his arms up into the air in protest.

“Dont be like that, asshole! I passed you fair and square! My car couldn’t handle going any faster. You had the upper hand. That isn’t fair!”

“I just wanted to see if you would do it, is all. I knew I would win anyway, and that your dad was going to pay for breakfast as well. Let’s be real. I don’t have the money to pay for five people’s breakfast at a fancy restaraunt, anyway. Your dad’s a retired rockstar and I have no job at all. I think you can deduce who can afford it.” As Sylus and Erik bickered back and forth about following through with things, Robby pulled out his phone to check the time. They were there at a nice nine-fifty. Looking back, he definitely had the time to put on a different outfit. They were lucky to make it there earlier than his parents, though. They seemed to always try to be as early as possible to everything, whether or not they planned it. Though this time, it looks like he was the victor. That was until he had noticed a car parked a little further down the lot. It was hidden behind a van on the way in, so neither him or Sylus had noticed it. To his dismay, it was his father’s red Porsche 911. Branded with it’s signature white stripes on the roof and side, it was a beautiful classic. Though to Robby, it was a bad omen. 

“Sylus, I’m so sorry.”

“Huh? What is it Robby?”

“Just, look.” With his head low, he pointed towards his father’s car. Sylus’ heart sank, his eyes opening wide in disbelief. No matter how hard they try, they can never seem to win.

“You gotta be kidding me, man! We are EARLY! How long have they been here? Half hour? Hour? All morning maybe?” As Sylus’ and Robby continued gawking at their father’s car in fear, the front door to the restaraunt had opened.

“You had it right the first guess, Sylus.” Robby and Sylus whipped around to see none other than their father walking out of the restaraunt. The large, husky, and tall great gray owl dressed in a casual light gray suit stood before them, a dissapointed look spread across his face as he crossed his arms. Behind him stood his wife and mother to the two, a smaller great horned owl dressed in a black and white business casual outfit. Robby and Sylus both fell to their knees in shame. Once again, they had been proven to be a couple of slowpokes by their early bird parents.

“Nice to see you Paulie, and you as well, Anna.”

“Great to see you too, Erik. You’re looking quite fashionable today.”

“You’re too kind, Paulie. Hey, if you wouldn’t mind, try not to be hard on these two for being late again. It’s been a bit of a slow morning for us three.”

“Wasn’t planning on it. We’ve got a good day ahead of us, and a lot to discuss. These two knuckleheads get a pass from their old man for today.” Sylus and Robby rose from their knees, each breathing a sigh of relief as they stepped forward to greet their parents, who, despite their dissapointment in their ability to be early, still loved them dearly. They passed around hugs, and everyone was ready to head inside. “Come, we’ve been sitting for a little while inside.” 

The five of them stepped inside, greeted by shining marble floors, calming piano music, and a large pink cherry tree set in the center of the dining area ahead of them. The restaraunt was revered not just for its food, but for its decor as well. It was built around the cherry tree as per the request of the founder when it came to be seventy years ago. Apparently, it had been planted by his father when he was just a fledgling. Turning right from the entrance, Paulie and Anna guided the group to a half circle booth near the corner set next to a window. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t choose to sit next to that wonderful tree, Paulie. Personally, I would love to be up close to such a beauty.”

“Bah! I don’t enjoy sitting over there. A leaf fell into my meal one time and ruined it.” The five of them scooted into the booth one by one. Robby and Sylus sat opposite from their parents, while Erik sat in the middle between them all. Quite inconvenient, as he liked to spread his wings out a little whenever he sat down, though it was much too late to rearrange now. As the group got themselves comfortable, a small blue grosbeak had stepped over to greet the table and take orders. 

“Robby, Sylus, you two can get your favorite today. I’ll be paying.” The two looked at eachother ecstatically and then back at their father. They rarely get to come to this restaraunt already, so being able to get their favorite meals and not having to pay meant the world to them. As the two celebrated, Erik turned over to Paulie and Anna. 

“So, what’s with this rockstar I’ve been hearing is coming to the festival tonight? Friend of yours?” 

“You could say he’s a friend of ours. Here, come close.” He gestured for Erik to lean in closer to him and Anna as to ensure Robby and Sylus didn’t hear them.

“We’ve known him since he took band in middle school with Paulie. You may know him as the legendary ‘Dark Star’.” Erik recoiled a little. He had been listening to this classic rock legend’s music since he was just a young owlet. Excitement had replaced all formalities as he heard the news.

“You gotta be kidding me! The Dark Star?! In the flesh?! Tonight?!” Erik’s whisper almost became a low shout. Paulie shushed him, trying not to garner the attention of the two brothers who were now distracted as they played a game together on their phones.

“That’s right. He’s flown across the sea to come visit his old pals and put on a damn good show for our city. He’s even bringing Comet and Wave.” Erik was stunned. Dark Star’s band ‘Galactic’ had disbanded 15 years ago when their bassist, Meteor, passed. The band hasn’t played a show since. They were the kings of rock back in the day, hitting top charts with ease with their legendary album “Vibration”. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for the citizens of Talon City, and not person in the city knew. 

“No one knows besides you two? Why tell me?”

“I told you because I can trust you to keep secrets, Erik. I want to have a one-on-one chat with you at my place in a few days as well, if you’re available that is. I’ll call you and give you the details in a couple of days as well. For now, let’s just enjoy breakfast together, shall we?” Erik nodded, still trying to process the information he had just received. Sitting back into the cushion of the booth a little, he stared blankly as he envisioned the show in his mind. The spirit of the classics, brought to life by none other than Dark Star himself. A relic of the past come to enlighten the modern generation with the power of rock. Still waiting for the food to arrive, Paulie looked across the table at his sons.

“So, how are you holding up, Robby? Your apartment doing well?” Surprisngly, Sylus chimed in first.

“It’s a total mess. Saw it this morning myself, even Erik had to he-” Robby threw a punch right at Sylus’ shoulder to shut him up, causing him to recoil and grab his arm. “Ow! What the fuck, Rob?”

“My apartment’s doing great, Dad. Just did a bunch of laundry this morning, and loaded up all my dishes into the washer. It’s running right now!” He put on a nervous smile as he told very unconvincing lies. Erik was giving him a mean look for taking credit for the laundry.

“Well, I’m glad to hear your place is doing alright, Rob. Sylus, didn’t you have something you wanted to discuss with us?” Sliding his hand off his shoulder, he looked to his father excitedly.

“Oh! Yes, yes. So, Dad, Mom. I have found a golden opportunity for both me and Robby. A friend of mine and his girlfriend just moved out of a place their parents had bought out for them since he’s a big time nepo-baby. They don’t want it anymore, so they offered to give it to me and Robby for a pretty low price! Twelve grand for a little two bedroom one bathroom house that me and Robby can split. It’s even got a small garage that’ll fit my car!”

“Well, color me surprised Sylus! I’m glad you’re looking into such an opportunity for yourself and your brother. What I’m wondering is, where are you going to get that twelve grand? Not to get down on you, but you haven’t really been working lately.”

“Here’s the kicker, Dad. He’ll let us pay it off gradually at five hundred a month, starting whenever we’re ready. And as you know, Flock is gonna make it big soon. We just need to make songs and we’ll be a hit, I know it!”

“Is that right? Well, if you’re that confident I believe in ya!” Paulie adjusted his suit a little as he laughed. It seemed to be a size too small, but he still got it on himself through sheer willpower. Ever since he retired, he definitely put on a few pounds. 

“Oh, looks like our food is here.” The small blue grosbeak had returned with their food, setting it gently on the table as Robby and Sylus drooled at the sight of their food. As soon as those plates hit the table, the two of them tore into it like a couple cavebirds. The rest of the table took their time getting into their food, treating it with the respect such a fancy restaraunt like ‘Le Perchoir Du Roi’ deserves. Even just saying the name will make someone feel classy.

“Mmph- so Dad, whats going on with the festival tonight? Bringing a friend of yours to perform or something?” Robby spoke with his mouth full of food, luckily not spewing any out towards the rest of the table. Holding back the urge to rag on him for having such indecency at the table, he gave a short answer.

“It’s a secret.”

“Huh? A secret? Why’d you say you had something to tell us if you were just gonna keep secrets?” Robby finally swallowed his food, though only after he finished speaking of course.

“I have something much more important to ask of you three. Please listen closely.” Obliging, Robby, Sylus and Erik all put down their food.

“Ask of us?”

“Your mother and I have been watching your band practice almost every day together. The rare few times you come to our place to rehearse has given us a pretty good measurement of where you guys are at. Being at it for quite a while now, I thought I’d make you three an offer.” Sylus’ plumicorns perked up at the statement. Robby’s attempted to as well, but were pinned down by his hat. 

“An offer? You couldn’t mean-”

“I want your band to open for the show tonight. You’ve been playing out of Erik and I’s garages for too long. It’s time we let you ‘fly from the nest’, so to speak. Remember that history test, Rob?” Paulie laughed to himself as the table went silent. Eyes were wide open, and mouths were open wider. It was almost too much for the three to take in so suddenly. With a quick glance back and forth between the three, it fully set in. Robby and Sylus both stood up and slammed their hands down on the table, barely missing their own plates of food as they leaned forward.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! For the FESTIVAL?!” Robby turned to Erik and Sylus. “This is it! This is our big break! We can finally make a name for ourselves, we can finally put it all towards something! What an opportunity!”

“Dad, this could be the start of our careers! We’d be brought out into the light by you as well! The legendary Grey!” Robby grabbed Sylus by the arm and pulled him out from the booth, slinging it over his shoulder as he kicked his legs forward in a weird, old timey bar dance. Sylus rolled with it and danced along with him.

“We’re gonna make it big, y’hear! This is what we’ve been waiting for! The opportunity of a lifetime! Oh, life is good! Oh, life is great!”

“ROBBY! SYLUS!” 

“W-huh?” Broken out of their joy fueled trance by their father’s yelling, the two looked around to see the entire restaraunt staring at them. Their weird dance episode had garnered the attention of the workers as well, with some of them giving tired looks at the two. They didn’t want to deal with this. A few tables down, a little fledgling was even laughing at them.

“S-Sorry!” The two quickly sat back down with their heads held low, embarassed by their own celebration. Erik laughed at the two, who looked like a couple of drunk clowns who had just won the lottery.

“Couple of dumbasses, you two!” Erik eased out of his laughter as he looked back at Paulie. “Paulie, it would be an honor to open for the show tonight. You really are giving us the opportunity of a lifetime. I’ll ask Leah what she thinks as well. Shame she had to miss breakfast today.”

“Probably better that she didn’t show! If she was here, I don’t think that dumb little dance could have been stopped.” Anna laughed as she glanced at Robby and Sylus, then back to Erik. “My boys are just so full of energy, aren’t they? Glad you’re able to put up with it.”

“I’ve been managing.” After another laugh between the three, the group finished their meals and continued chatting before paying and returning out into the lot. Two hours had passed since they arrived, with most of their time spent in the restaraunt comprising of small talk. The sun marked a nice twelve o’clock as it stood in the center of the sky.

“Well, you three, it was lovely connecting with you again. I’m glad to hear that my two boys have been surviving fine out there on their own in this scary world.”

“I wouldn’t say on their own necessarily. I end up stuck with these two dummies almost every day. We practically live with eachother at this point.” As the group said goodbye, Robby and Sylus exchanged hugs while Erik extended his wing out for his weird version of a handshake. Paulie awkwardly grabbed the end of his wing. “Again, we are honored to have such an opportunity given to us, Paulie. This might really be what makes it for us. Getting the ball rolling is the first step. I promise we’ll make you proud.”

“Oh Erik, I’ve heard you guys rehearsing plenty. I’m already proud of what your band has become, and especially proud of my boys for following in their old man’s footsteps. I’m confident you guys will put on a damn good show tonight. I’ll see you boys then.” Paulie and Anna climbed into their Porsche, pulled out of the lot, and took off down the road to go help prepare the festival. The three looked at eachother in silence for a few moments before all hell broke loose.

“Are you fucking kidding me?! Is this real?!”

“Yes, it’s real dude! We’ve got our shot! We’ve been waiting years for this!”

“I can’t believe it either! I was just getting used to be a garage band too!” Erik couldn’t help but let out his excitement. “All those years were leading up to this very night! The stars have aligned and we must seize the moment! Hell, come here, you two!” Erik spread his wings out wide, stepping forward and quickly catching the two in a hug as he wrapped his wings around them. They had no choice but to embrace it and be crushed as he squeezed them up against himself. Luckily, his feathers were soft and kept, so it was quite comfy. Letting go, Erik gestured Robby to pull out his phone. “Call Leah! Call her now! She has to hear about this! Tell her to cancel her plans with her parents! We’re gonna make it big tonight, baby!” Sylus grabbed onto the ends of Erik’s wings and joyfully hopped around in circles with him while Robby made the call. One ring… Two rings… Three rings… Four rings… Robby eagerly awaited an answer as his phone continued its low hum to signal the ringing. Eventually, he was met with a quick click as she was put on the line.

“Leah! Leah! You are not going to fucking believe this!”

“Are you serious? You’re pulling a fast one on me, aren’t you Rob? I don’t believe you for a moment.” Long, white feathers adorned with black stripes wrapped around a Flyphone tightly as the snowy owl tensed up. She stared blankly out of the window from the backseat of her parent’s car, casting away all senses as she processed what Robby was telling her.

“I’m serious! My dad works with the city for the festival. He wouldn’t just lie to us about something like that! You have to meet us as soon as possible. You’re not too busy, right?” Leah worriedly looked forward into the front seats as her parents made small talk.

“This is horrible timing, dude. I’m so backed up on things to do today I can’t possibly work this in! My parents would kill me if I ditched them now!” From the front seat, an older snowy owl turned her head almost completely around to look back at Leah.

“You bet your ass we would. You signed yourself up to get this all done today, Leah. You can’t back out of all these appointments because of some stupid stuff with your delinquent friends! I won’t let them drag you away all night like the last time they invited you out. Do you understand?”

“But mom, this is a serious matter! I won’t get another opportunity like this, you have to understand!”

“I’ve already understood the last three excuses you made. I won’t tolerate you dissapearing all day again unless you give me a damn good reason!” An intimidating scowl formed on her mother’s face. She had put up with Leah’s procrastination for months, but after dedicating her entire day to helping her daughter get her license and find her own place, another chance wouldn’t be given so easily if she abandoned ship. 

“You best listen to your mother, Leah. Just like you, I won’t hear the end of it from her either.” The other snowy owl in the driver’s seat chuckled to himself under his breath, desperately trying to keep the conversation positive.

“I’m sorry, guys. It’s a personal matter and I can’t explain it all right now. Dad, can you please park in that lot?” He looked over at his wife, who still boasted a scowl, shrugged, and turned into the lot.

“This is all your choice, Leah. It’ll be a long time before you get another opportunity like this from us again, we want to support you but you can’t keep putting us off! Keep this up and we might just kick you to the street!” 

“Dont listen to her, Leah. We’ll support you no matter what, though it will be a lot tougher to want to if you do this.” Parking the car, the almost completely white snowy owl looked back at his daughter in the backseat with a worried face. “I understand that you’ve got a life outside of us, but you have to understand that all we want is to help you get out there in the world.” To Leah, her father didn’t actually know a single thing about her “outside life”. For the last few years, they’ve been pressuring Leah to get through university so she can pursue a job in computer science. Boring. They rarely ever let her take a break from school, let alone give her any breathing room. The only times she’s able to hang out with her friends is when she sneaks out in the middle of the night. Her parents say it’s all out of love, but to Leah it’s total bullshit.

“I’m sorry, but this is just too important. I’ll meet you guys at the festival, text me when you get there.” With a guilty face, Leah stepped out of the car and onto the pavement of the lot. Poking her head in on more time to say something, she only got a dissapointed look from both of her parents. Despite their protests, they didn’t really have a way to actually stop her. All they could do was make her feel bad.

“I’m sorry. I love you guys, you’ll understand later.” She closed the door and stepped out from the gap between her father’s car and a large truck, the feathers on her wings brushing against both vehicles. She looked at her phone that still resided in her hand, the phone call had ended a while back when Robby hung up as soon as he heard Leah’s mother speak. All that remained on the screen was a short message from Robby. 

Meet us at Erik’s place. Don’t worry about your sticks, he’s got spares. 

Turning the phone off and stuffing it into the back pocket of her baggy black jeans, she let out an exhausted sigh and prepared to take off. She desperately wanted an excuse to get out of the backseat of that small and cramped car. Bending her knees and stretching her white and black wings out wide, she made one large motion downward accompanied by a strong push from her legs. It took a couple more large flaps before she was stable enough to rise at a more comfortable pace. Her head of long, black and white feathers swayed in the fall wind as she looked down upon the parking lot she was gradually rising further and further away from. She wasn’t as experienced as Erik was in flying, but she knew her way around it well enough.

 Leah was a particulary special case with her wings, having a rare wing structure that not only gave her large wings to fly with, but appendeges at the end that resembled large, feathery fingers. This was a condition known as Ritomasia, an extremely rare condition that can only develop in children of both winged and non-winged parents. Her father boasted arms, and her mother boasted wings. Robby and Erik’s jealousy for eachother’s arms and wings are overshadowed by their envy for Leah’s wings. Not only can she experience the wonder of flight, but she can do just about anything someone with hands can do. Hard to call it a “condition”. It’s more of a blessing than anything. Albeit, her “hands” are a bit large, holding her back from doing things that involve a lot of precision.

She continued to rise higher with small, individual flaps that raised her a few feet with every motion as she held the forward momentum her legs had given her. Like Erik, she adored flying and preferred it as her main method of travel. She hates how often her parents force her into the backseat of their car whenever they go out, confined spaces always make her feel like a prisoner. Finally reaching a good height to glide above the city, thoughts of what Robby had said crossed her mind. 

“It just cant be possible. I’ve been with them for two years, and we’ve only ever played out of garages. Now we’re suddenly being put out on the big stage? In front of the whole city?” Fear spread throughout her mind. 

“Are we even ready for this? We’re four dipshits with instruments. Sure we’ve been playing a while, but is a ‘while’ really enough?” Closing her eyes as she glides above the city, visions appear in her mind. The stage. The crowd. The drumkit. It’s terrifying. They could end up embarassing themselves, making them into the city’s laughing stock. More visions appeared. Her mother and father, scolding her for being so rash and ditching them. Her friends from the internet laughing at her. Her whole life could be torn to shreds in one night. Though through her fearful visions, something else shined through. Visions of Erik, Robby, and Sylus. Her bandmates, the people she’s spent countless nights sharing drinks and partying in the city with, the people who make her feel like herself. They were almost another family to her. 

Opening her eyes, Leah looked down upon Talon City. Though she has only lived there for three years, it feels like she’s been there her entire life. Between the bright lights and the towering buildings, it wasn’t just a place full of opportunity, but a home. Looking out towards the edge of the city, the maze of dark gray buildings faded into much calmer patches of untouched natural land. Huge, open sections of land protected by the city that have been left alone by the spread of the city’s infrastructure, yielding several large properties that were spread out far from eachother. This is where the more wealthy residents of Talon city lived, political figures, investors, and people who were lucky enough to have inherited the properties from their ancestors that inhabited most of the homes. Large, multi-storied houses littered with fancy cars and beautifully kept landscape dotted the land, but one particular home stuck out from the rest. A smaller, two storied lodge right in the middle of a large patch of forest sat humbly by itself. It’s worn wooden roof and mixed brick and wood walls gave it an authentic rustic look. This was Erik’s home, an isolated and quiet place, perfect for someone like him. The dirt road leading to the property could barely be seen from up above. It was almost as if the home was meant to be flown in to.

Nearing the forest, Leah slowly oriented herself downward as she descended. Keeping her eyes locked onto the lodge, she spotted a large figure glide into her view from farther down below. The large owl elegantly descended onto the property, landing just in front of the porch. Just barely, Erik had beaten Leah to his own home. Though he was completely unaware of her presence. As he stepped up onto the porch to get inside, he stopped on the second stair as he heard a voice yell down at him from above.

“Well, look at that, Erik! I almost beat you to your own home!” Erik quickly turned around to see Leah calling down to him as she approached the ground to land. 

“Leah! You wouldn’t have gotten so close if I didn’t get caught up helping dumb and dumber go home and grab their things! You’d be surprised how many times I had to repeat myself as they danced around like idiots!” His feathers were gently blown backwards as the downdraft from Leah’s landing pushed forward onto Erik. He stepped down from the porch and approached her as she straightened out her clothing from flying. 

“You have a lot of explaining to do. My parents are going to ki-” Her words were ripped away from her mouth as she was overwhelmed with a large mass of feathers suddenly wrapping around her. Erik had caught her off guard with a surprise hug, his signature move. His wings squeezed Leah tightly as her face was forced into his torso, which sunk in slightly as the feathers under his clothes compressed. Erik swung back and forth gently as he held her captive in a prison built on joy. 

“You don’t even know how big this is, Leah! I was wondering when we we’re finally going to get our shot! I can barely even comprehend it myself! It’s just wonderful!” Deciding it wasn’t worth it to resist, Leah embraced the hug and let Erik have his fun. She’d never seen him this excited for anything besides when she got him the entire “Tales from the Feathered Lands” series for Christmas, so it wasn’t wise to ruin it at this point. Though she feared she may just be suffocated if he kept it up. “Just picture it now! The crowd! The stage! All eyes on us! We will go d- oh!” Releasing his grasp on Leah, he quickly stepped backward with his head down, embarrased. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what got into me!” Leah caught her breath as soon as Erik released her, barely making it out of that hug alive. Though it was quite the comfy hug.

“Don’t worry about it, dude. You’re happy. I’m happy. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Yes, of course. I’m just excited. Do you want to come inside? I can make us some tea as well. Those two stooges probably have awhile before they get here, since they have to grab their gear. I’ll tell of all the details while we wait.” Erik gestured to Leah to follow as he walked up onto his porch, with Erik lifting one side of his doormat to reveal his house key underneath, which he promplty picked up with his talons and held up to the lock with his right leg. Fumbling around a bit as he balanced on his other leg, he missed the keyhole and hit the door, causing it to bounce onto the ground. “Damn! I hate this stupid thing.” 

“Want some help?” Erik looked over at Leah and sighed. 

“I guess. Don’t say a word about it though!”

“Pfft, I won’t.” Fitting the key into the lock, she turned it and pushed open door, gesturing Erik to go inside ahead of her.

“Oh, you’re too kind.” Stepping into his home, he reached his left wing over to the wall on his left and flicked the light switch upward. Warm, orange light descended onto the large room from a massive, electric chandelbra as Erik and Leah stepped all the way inside. Erik’s house was large, but in the sense that it’s essentially one big room. The second floor looked down upon the first with an open wall that housed railing instead, quite convient for someone who can fly. Erik’s study and living area resided just to the right of the front door, where a large leather couch and two chairs sat in front of a stone firepit, and his polished wooden desk sat just up against the back of the center couch. To the left and right of that firepit, towering bookshelves stretched all the way from the floor to the ceiling that was about two and a half stories above them, thanks to it’s slanted shape. The shelves were filled to the brim with books that Erik and his father have both collected. Some were quite old, bearing worn covers and pages, but were still in readable condition. A large flatscreen televison also lived just above the fireplace, sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the study. Though it was a wonderful place for Erik to indulge himself in classics.

“God, it always throws me off how many books you have, Erik. How many have you even read? It’d take a lifetime to get through all of those.”

“Well, to be honest with you, I’ve only gotten through about half of the left shelf since I really started on it four years ago. It’s fascinating reading all the books my father left for me, the stories he enjoyed, the information some contain. It’s inspiring, to say the least.”

“Almost makes me want to break into them myself, just to see what they have to offer.”

“You should visit more often then! I adore having people I know over, sitting and discussing the books I read in front of the fire. It’s calming. Only problem is finding people to actually do it with. I dare you to get Rob to read a book.” Leah stepped over to the couch and promptly dropped herself into it, sinking into it as she relaxed herself from flying. She didn’t come inside too often, as most visits comprise just a few hour long rehearsal living within Erik’s garage. It’s a convenient place to practice, no cars in the way and no neighbors to tell you to turn down the music, just solitude and deafeningly loud music coming from the amps. Robby is no stranger to turning it up too high. “If I didn’t know you I would have scolded you for dropping onto my couch like that. Not only is it genuine material, It’s my father’s, just like almost everything else in this house.”

“My bad. Hey, how long do you think we have until they get here?”
“I’d say another hour, knowing them. They always find themselves in weird situations when they’re together.” Erik stepped over towards his kitchen that lived under the second floor, reaching his leg up to grab a metal teapot off the countertop up against the wall. “Would you like a cup of tea, Leah? It’ll probably warm you up after flying. Get’s real chilly up there, doesn’t it?”

“Well, tea’s not really my style. But since you asked so nicely, I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

“I bet you’ll like it, anyway. These are great leaves I pay good money for.” Filling the teapot under the sink, he placed it on his stovetop and twisted the knob to high with his talons. Leah, still sprawled out on the leather couch, continued to examine the bookshelves. Rows of books, sorted by letter, blend into eachother as she looked higher and high up the bookshelf. Though, one book stuck out in particular, likely because it was literally sticking out from the bookshelf. Standing up, Leah quickly lifted herself off the ground with her wings and grabbed the book with her right leg’s talons before carefully descending back down. Grabbing the book from her talons, she examined the cover. “The Search for Autumn”. Coming back over from the kitchen, Erik took a peek over Leah’s shoulder to look at the book as well.

“Oh, this is a wonderful read! It’s about a kestrel named Donny who’s girlfriend goes missing in June just moments before their anniversary, and is placed as a suspect in the police’s case, and if he doesn’t figure out where his girlfriend is by the beginning of October, he’d charged as guilty for her death. A great mystery that houses messaging about the power of relationships. I think you’d like the main character, he rocks your style!” He chuckled a little and sat down in one of the leather chairs.

“How do you even memorize this stuff? You read so many books but still summarize them off the top of your head? What’s your secret?”

“Connecting with the books. You could just read a book, think nothing of it, and put it back on the bookshelf. It would have no meaning to you, so you have to find what it means to you. How can you connect it to yourself? Your life? How can you make it impact your life?”

“You sound like such nerd, dude. At least, a nerd with passion!” Erik crossed his legs and looked at Leah with a frown.

“I just want people to understand the beauty in literature, is all.” 

“Well, you sure look cute when you get going.” Before Erik could return the compliment, they could hear a loud screeching coming from the kitchen. The teapot was begging to be ripped off the stove. Flustered by what Leah had said, Erik quickly stood up. Leah says things like that to him all the time, and yet he can never tell if it’s just a compliment or something else entirely. Maybe he’s just gone too long without a girlfriend, always ending up rushing to conclusions with people in his mind. 

“I’ll go get that. You should call Robby and check on those two. If they take too long, we can set up before they get here.” 

“Good idea. Who knows what those idiots are up to?” Pulling out her phone, she called Robby in the hopes she could figure out what’s taking so long. Sitting back down on the couch, she awaited his answer.

Robby crossed his arms and stared at the mess in front of him. They were only a couple miles out from Erik’s place, but to their dismay, Sylus’ car wasn’t built for offroading. With no paved roads leading to their destination, the two brothers had to make a cut through the forest on the small dirt road. Sylus, being the “good” driver that he is, turned the wheel just a little too hard on a turn, causing the right front wheel to go off the road just enough to land in some deep, thick mud. 

“I can’t fucking believe this, Sylus. I get we’re on a strict schedule today, but you could have at least driven normally.”

“I was driving normally, asshole! These roads are so bad it’s almost impossible for me to tell how hard I have to turn. If you’re gonna blame anyone, blame Erik for living out in the middle of fucking nowhere!”

“You’ve driven this road a million times though. Why the hell are you still struggling to drive on it?” Robby squatted down to get a better look at the front wheel. It was about halfway deep in that mud, and didn’t look like it was gonna come out easily, if at all.

“Believe it or not, no road is ever going to be the same! And no driver is gonna drive the same! Sadly, you don’t seem to understand that, mister ‘I’ll get my license soon, Dad’!”

“Oh fuck off, prick!” Just as the two brothers were about to get into a childish back and forth, Robby’s back pocket vibrated as his phone rang. Stopping himself just before he let loose on Sylus, he reached back and grabbed his phone. “Oh thank god, it’s Leah. Maybe she can come out here and help us.” Answering the call, he put Leah on speaker so both he and Sylus could speak to her.

“Hey Rob. Are you and Sylus on the way? Me and Erik have been waiting for like, twenty minutes. We’re about to share a nice cup of tea without you!”

“Sorry to break the news to you Leah but we aren’t on the way. Some dumbass-”

“Hey!”

“-got the car stuck in mud. We haven’t been here long, but we don’t know how the hell we’re gonna get this thing out. Can you come out here?”

“Come out where? ‘The Forest’ doesn’t really wittle things down.” The brothers looked around desperately for some sort of landmark or signage that could give any hint. Despairingly, the two were met with nothing but trees and bushes. Not one hint of civilization as far as the eye could see. 

“Nope, I got nothing. You could probably just see us from above if you got off your ass, though.”

“I probably don’t need to. How many tires are stuck?”

“Just one.”

“Have you dunces just tried reversing hard enough? You have three wheels on the road. Please tell me you at least considered the option.” Sylus and Robby looked at eachother defeated, they had completely glossed over the possibility. Robby didn’t want to make them look like ‘dunces’, however. 

“Y-yeah! We did. It didn’t budge at all.”

“I don’t believe you, dumbass!”

“Uh oh, I think my service is dying. You’re cutting out for me!” Robby started making static noises as a pathetic attempt to end the conversation. “We’ll figure something out, I promise!”

“You two really are a couple of-” Robby hung up. He didn’t want to accept such an embarassing defeat.

“You heard her, Sylus. Let’s just go.” Heads low and spirits lower, they both climbed back into the car. After a couple of key turns, the car roared to life once again. Shifting into reverse, Sylus pressed on the pedal. At first it didn’t budge, worrying the two of them. Maybe they really were stuck. But after pressing the pedal to the floor, the car shot right out of the mud and back onto the dirt road.

“I can’t believe it. Maybe we are dumb.”

“No, we’re not! Just… don’t talk about this, especially not around Erik!” The two set off once more down the dirt road, with Sylus driving just a bit slower to ensure they don’t have to go through that again.

Back at Erik’s place, the tea had just finished. Leah stood up to grab her cup, but as she approached to grab it she stared confusedly at Erik.

“Wait, how do you drink your tea? I’ve only ever seen you drink things with a straw. You can’t grab it with your talons or your mouth. Do you just dunk your beak into it and drink?”

“Goodness, no! I’m not a barbarian, Leah. I’m more capable than you think.” He carefully extended his wing forward and wrapped the front section of it around the cup. Surprisingly, he could pick it up just fine. “Just because I dont have fingers like you doesn’t mean I can’t pick some things up. I can do plenty, I just prefer to use my talons, is all.” The two carefully stepped back over to the leather couch in the study, setting their cups on the fancy glass coasters upon the short spruce coffee table. Leah sat back down on the couch as Erik lit up the fireplace. The two got cozy and awaited their bandmates. 

Another half hour had passed as the two continued to chat about books and movies. Erik loved being around Leah, because unlike Robby and Sylus, she was actually open to listening to him ramble on about his interests. It was like talking to a real person for once. But all good things must end, as the two heard a car pull up to Erik’s driveway. 

“Looks like they’re finally here. Hey, are you free soon Leah? If you want, I want to show you some of my favorite books next time you’re over. I have had no one who actually cared about this kind of stuff to talk to in a while.”

“Well, university is always kicking my schedule’s ass. My parents are also always making sure I never get day off, as well. But if I somehow get a free day, I’d love to come back over. Oh, do you think they’re gonna knock or slam on the door?”

“Slam. Definitely slam.” BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Right on the money. Neither of them even got the chance to get the door before the two let themselves in, instruments in hand. 

“I bet you two lovebirds were having a great time, weren’t you? You need to get a proper damn road built out here, Erik! Driving through that mess of a forest is the worst thing I’ve ever had to fuckin’ do!” Stepping inside, the two brothers dropped their instruments straight onto the wooden floor.

“Lovebirds? Oh shut up, Rob.” Erik stood up and looked at the two angrily. “Pick up your shit and meet us in the garage. Wipe your damn feet off before you take another step, too!” Leah chuckled nervously as she stood up, following Erik into the garage. 

“What’s his problem?”

“He’s very protective of this house, remember? Daddy’s hand-me-down home.”

“Forgot about that. Lucky bastard.” The two picked up their instruments just moments after disrespectfully dropping them and cut through the study to follow the others. To no surprise, they didn’t wipe their feet.

Passing through the door, the two of them were met with what they call their “nesting grounds”. Large stacks of amps layed up against the long western wall of the garage just under mass amounts of memoribillia scattered along the wall. Vinyl lived on small clear shelves next to many posters of the four’s favorite bands. In the center of it all, a piece very dear to the band stuck out. 

About a year before, the four owls found themselves partying in the same garage. Robby and Sylus were drunk out of their minds, dancing around together and sloppily playing their instruments. Erik and Leah watched together from the side, as neither of them enjoyed drinking like the brothers did. The two were deep in conversation about the future of the band, but were cut off by Sylus as he approached with a slurred question.

“You know, you guys… do we even have any like, symbols or shit yet? I mean- hic we’ve been at this for like… a year, no cool hic poster or anything.” Erik and Leah exchanged a look at eachother, then back to Sylus. Robby could be seen dancing around in circles, still thinking he was dancing with his brother. Both of them had way too much too drink, courtesy of Robby always pushing it when he got in a good mood.

“I guess we haven’t really thought to make any designs yet. We haven’t really become ‘official’ or anything, so we never really thought about it.”

“Well, you two should put those great hic minds of yours to use. I’m gonna go rejoin the partyyy!” He flicked himself around quickly, almost tripping himself, and raised his arms up as he went to rejoin his brother. “Robbyyyyy! Oh, yeah!!!”

(Art by @sequalsaur on X)

“What a couple of idiots. At least they’re having fun. He is right though, Erik. We don’t really have a logo or anything.”

“Well, we should work on that, then. Do you wanna come upstairs to my dad’s old studio and see if we can draw something out?”

“Sure, but let’s make sure these two are asleep first. Don’t want them to run around drunk and break stuff.” They watched and talked for about another hour until both brothers ended up collapsed on the floor, passed out from the alchohol and their dancing. Erik was able to slide his wings under them with Leah’s help and carefully lifted them to his couch in his study. Tossing a blanket over the two, Leah and Erik left them to sleep as they went upstairs to come up with something. That night, Flock’s logo was born. Four dark sillhouettes resembling each one of the members stood next to eachother as a large pair of white wings spread out behind the four of them. White paint was lightly splattered around the edges of the logo to give it effect as well. It was simple, but unique enough to be recognizable. Proud of themselves, the two hung the large piece of paper on the garage wall, where it has lived since.

Back in the present, Robby and Sylus set their cases down and kneeled down to open them. Robby’s case yielded his bass, a beautiful and shining vintage Fender American II. Most of its body was a crisp white, with a large red gradient spreading outward from the center of the front. It was Robby’s dearest treasure next to his guitar, and was the only thing he ever bothered to keep clean in his place, with him polishing it whenever he could. Sylus’ case opened to reveal his guitar, a kick-ass black and purple Victory Figured Top Gibson. Passed down to him by the guitarist of his father’s old band, Lenny. The solid black consumed most of the body of the instrument, aside from a deep purple that spread across the center up to the base of the neck. Just like Robby, he treated his instrument like an extension of himself. 

On the other end of the garage, Erik was struggling to raise his microphone stand higher. Last time they played, they lowered it all the way down for Sylus, and didn’t put it back. Leah stepped around the worn drumkit in the corner, carefully making sure she knocked nothing over before sitting down on the small leather stool in the center. 

“Oh, yeah. Erik, you got spare sticks?”

“Of course I do. Should be behind you in that small box in the corner. I keep a stash in case you break another pair, like you tend to do.”

“I’m not ‘breaking them’, it’s called ‘getting in my zone’.” Erik chuckled.

“Whatever makes you happy.” After a little more struggle, Erik had pulled the stand up to his face. Meanwhile, Robby and Sylus had just finished plugging in, giving a quick sound test. Sylus’ amp screeched at the four, causing a painful ringing to pierce all of their ears. All of them being owls with very sensitive hearing didn’t help either. Though maybe that should have been considered a long time ago.

“Fuck, my bad!” He quickly reached out and turned the amp down before the ringing could do anymore harm. Robby had plugged in just fine and was warming up with a little freestyle. Leah had just finished adjusting the kit for herself, along with Sylus figuring out his amp situation. 

“So, what’s our first song gonna be tonight?” The four all stared eachother down as a near perfect silence filled the room, only being ruined by the low humming of the amps. The clock on the wall near the door read four sixteen, and they needed to be there to prepare by six thirty.

“Shit.”

“Can you move your damn wing, dude? I’ve got barely any room back here as is!”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t! Theres no other way for me to sit, especially not with these stupid guitars back here!” Stuffed into the back of Sylus’ car, Erik and Leah both struggled to find a comfortable way to sit. Shuffling into different positions while managing the two guitars sat between the two yielded no good results. It didn’t help that they swung around as Sylus cut through turns too quick. The four had pushed their rehearsal time a little too far, leaving Erik’s place at six forty without realizing it was a 40 minute drive out to the festival grounds, not including the treacherous journey through the forest. The small digital clock on the car’s dashboard read six twenty as it constantly applied pressure on Sylus while he sped down the roads of Talon City.

“Damnit, how about this, then?” Leah released her seatbelt and grabbed one guitar case and shoved it over her lap as she shuffled left towards the center of the backseat. Doing the same for the other, she shifted the instruments over to the right seat and wedge the ends under the front seat to stop them from shaking. “Go ahead and just put your wing behind me. I assume you don’t mind?” She was much closer to Erik than she was before, almost completely up against him. Personal space wasn’t a thing in the back of this car, anyway.

“Y-yeah. Sure thats fine.” Leah bent forward a little to allow Erik to spread his left wing out across the backseat and behind Leah. I sense of relief in his right wing washed over him as he extended it out as much as he could, loosening up the previously tensed muscles. This feeling, however, was cut short when Leah leaned back onto it and the seat. She wasn’t gentle about it at all, and a sharp pain shot up through his wing as she crushed it between her and the seat. A yelp of pain almost escaped him, but not wanting to make Leah feel bad, he held it down. “Sylus, how much longer until we’re there?” His voice was shaky as he continued to tolerate the pain in his wing. This was worse than just the discomfort from before, but at least Leah was comfortable. 

“Phone says about another twenty minutes. We’ll be there a little late, but I think it’ll be fine. No way dad gets mad with all this happening, he’s too busy. Show starts at 8 anyway, so the only thing we’re losing is a little more practice time.”

“Just lovely.” Erik relaxed himself as much as he could, and tilted his head to look out the window. Maybe he’ll see something cool enough to take his mind off the pain. Up front, Robby sat in the passenger seat, completely frozen. It hadn’t really set in until they got in the car what they were about to do. While the others were excited, he was terrified. He loved to put himself out there, but felt much different when the crowd exceeded about fifteen people. Even worse, if it was in the hundreds. Like the time he had to make a speech in middle school to represent the choir class as a punishment for acting like a fool during practice. He barely got a sentence out before he completely froze up and needed to be escorted off stage. But he was a grown man now. He couldn’t be pulling stunts like that on the big stage. Each turn only worsened his creeping fears as the lights from the festival grew closer and closer by the second. The festival itself had started only half an hour ago, so it was still packed and full of energy. The party had only just begun, after all.

“Alright you three, we’re here.” Sylus carefully pulled the car into a small spot crammed between two large lifted trucks, who were clearly compensating for something with how high off the ground they were. “Are you all ready to go?” Glancing into his rear-view mirror, the only thing he could see were two birds who were as far away from ready as possible. Leah was leaned up against Erik’s side as she slept peacefully. Erik, with the pain of Leah crushing his wing still very prevalant, shook his head quickly to signal to Sylus that they were in fact not ready. 

“I don’t know what happened. She just took a nap out of nowhere! I didn’t want to be rude and wake her, but now I don’t know how to get out like this.”

“What a lame excuse to get a girl to rest on your shoulder, loser!”

“Shut up!” Twisting himself in his seat and reaching his arms into the backseat, Sylus brought his hands up close to Leah’s face.

“LEAH! WAKE UP!” Accompanied by a loud clap directly in front of her face, the yelling had done its job. Leah shot up quickly, hitting her head on the ceiling of the car.

 “Ow! Fuck!” Rubbing her head as she reoriented herself, she realized the car wasn’t moving, and that it was time to get moving. “Oh, are we here? Well what are you guys waiting for? Come on!” Quickly sliding over to the other side of the backseat, she did not care to pay attention to Erik’s wing at all. As she moved, she continued to crush his wing all the way up to the very end of it. Still withholding screeching in pain from the torture, Erik quickly reeled his wing back towards himself as soon as Leah began stepping out of the car. Sylus saw the whole thing happen, too.

“Dude. Are you okay?” With small tears in his eyes, Erik gave a quick nod to Sylus.

“Y-yup! Let’s just… go. Please.” Sylus twisted himself back into the driver’s seat, glancing over at Robby again, who was still completely frozen from fear, staring blankly ahead out of the windshield. 

“Rob, you feeling alright? Hello? Rob?” Sylus snapped his fingers a couple times in front of Robby’s face, breaking him out of his fear-induced trance.

“W-huh? Oh. Yeah, yeah. I’m all good.” He hastily opened the car door and climbed out before Sylus could say anything to him. Sylus followed shortly after, grabbing his keys out of the ignition and climbing out of his seat. Opening the door for Erik, he watched as the poor hawk owl continued to tremble as he slowly stepped out of the car. Leah was crushing his wing for a good twenty minutes, forcing him to endure a pain few had ever experienced.

“God, we are one big fuckin’ mess.” Closing the backseat door and following Erik out from between the cars, a pleased look was still fixed on his face. Sure, the band was a complete mess, but what band isn’t? At the end of the day, they were all having fun as a little musical family. He was confident in himself and the rest of the band that they were going to put on a damn good show. Stepping around to the other side of the car, he reached into the backseat, pulling his and Robby’s guitars out. 

“Here, Rob. Take your guitar. Rob?” Looking up from the car, Sylus found Robby standing in the middle of the lot, looking up at the purple and orange sky that glowed as the sun fell below the horizon across the lake. Sylus approached carefully, he hadn’t seen Robby act like this in a long time. “You alright, dude? What’s got you so shaken up?” 

“Sylus. Are we… ready?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, are we really cut out for this? Are we really going to be able to put on a show of this scale? For our first ever performance?”

“Of course we are, dumbass! What, are you just gonna come all this way to quit now? You’re in it for the long run now, dude. Better get used to it before it swallows you whole.” Robby broke his skyward gaze and turned his head to Sylus. Tears swelled in his eyes as he looked fearfully at his brother. “Theres nothing to be scared of, dude! This isn’t life or death, Rob. It’s a show about having fun! We’re not trying to impress anyone.” Sylus tried to continue consoling his brother, but before he could get another word out, Robby reached out, grasping Sylus in a hug. He held Sylus tight as the tears in his eyes broke. 

“I’m just… I’m terrified, Sy. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just… I don’t think I’m ready.” Sylus dropped the two guitar cases as he wrapped his arms around Robby to embrace the hug. 

“Come on, man. There’s nothing to worry about. You’ve got people behind you at every step, people who want to see you succeed. I mean, you’re here right now with your band, man. The only thing we want for you is the best, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“But… this is the whole city out there! What if we mess it all up? Ruin the show and our reputation?”

“That won’t happen, dude. You know it won’t. I know this is all sudden, but you have to trust in us, and especially yourself. Look at Erik and Leah over there, chatting it up. They have nothing to be worried about, because they know how good we are.”

“But all we are is just a dumb garage band! We’re no big shots, not city-wide show worthy either!”

“You know that’s not true. You’ve heard it from Dad as well, we’re something special. If he believes in us, then you should too!” Robby continued to sob into his brother’s shoulder, showing weakness that few have ever seen from him. Despite playing for years, his stage fright had gotten none better. 

Releasing Robby’s embrace, Sylus place his hands on his brother’s shoulders. His reddish-orange eyes met with Robby’s bright orange eyes as he gave him a comforting look. “Now, pick yourself up a little as we walk. How about I buy you your favorite cheesy dog on the way, too. That sound good?”

“Y-yeah. That would be awesome, Sy.” Wiping the tears off of his face, Robby picked up his guitar case and walked back to Erik and Leah with Sylus. Erik stood up from his lean against Sylus’ car as the brothers approached the two.

“You two all cool? Looked like you were talking about something important.”

“Just a bit of bro-talk. Nothing to worry about. ”

“You sure? Looked like Robby was crying, if theres something we shou-”

“It’s okay, Erik. Let it be.” Robby’s interruption caught Erik off guard, but he understood. No need to pry. The four set off down the parking lot, making their way towards the festival as light shined outward from it as they could hear the voices of hundreds of people partying. It was a time of celebration for the city, for the people to let loose from their jobs and their responsibilites and dedicate an entire night to freedom. The winged flew high above, blissfully circling the festival as they watched their peers party down below. Many people were perched high up as well, watching the party as they chatted between eachother. The festival was not just a place to party, but to connect. Many people form relationships here, whether they end up lifelong or just one-night stands, it didn’t matter. It was a night to party, and party they will.

The band approached the main entrance, being blocked by a rusty and almost dysfunctional gate system controled by an exhausted and overworked warbler in the small booth to the right. 

“Hey, come over and pay for your tickets, please.” They all paused. None of them had even considered they had to actually get into the festival. 

“Uh, sorry. We’re here for the performance. We’re opening tonight! Can we just come in, please?” Erik’s nervous attempt at persuasion was met with a cold, hard stare back at him from the warbler.

“Listen, big guy. I don’t care where you came from or what you’re doing in there, but you gotta pay. It’s my job.”

“Come on, can you cut us some slack? We’re here on business, not to party!”

“Don’t care. Just pay, please.” Erik scoffed and looked back towards the others. 

“Do you guys have your wallets on you? Any cash at all?” The three shook their heads with an embarrased look. They had their wallets on them, but were all dead broke. Just enough money in Sylus’ wallet to buy a couple cheesy dogs for him and Robby. Erik turned back to look at the warbler behind the glass screen of the booth.

“Please sir, we’re performing tonight! We have to be backstage as soon as possible, we’re already running late!”

“Again, I don’t make the rules. Not my fault.”

“Well, what about the person who makes the rules?” The band all quickly turned their heads to see who dared to protest the law of the ticket boy. Like a shining angel flying down from the heavens, albeit a little on the heftier side, Paulie was approaching the barrier from inside the festival.

“Dad! Thank god.”

“Huh? Dad? Did I hear that right?”

“You, in the booth! Let them in. They’re some of our special guests tonight.” The warbler slid open the glass screen and peaked his head out around it to look at who was coming. All it took was one glance from Paulie to make the poor bird jump back and nearly fall out of his seat. 

“Shit! Hey, I’m sorry, man. Don’t tell my boss about the hassle, this is the only job I’ve had in months! I didn’t know you were his kids, I swear!” Flicking the switch under the booth’s desk, the barrier into the festival slid out of the way with a loud screech coming from the rusty metal it was made of.

“You were just doing your job. Hope to see you in the crowd later.”

“Y-yeah! Hope to see you too! Uh, haha!” Erik turned away from the booth to follow the rest of the band as they entered the festival grounds. Shining lights were glowing bright between the hundreds of small stands that stood throughout the ground. Food trucks, carnival games, puppet shows, just about anything could be found. Small, hastily built rides were running all around the grounds as well, ranging from merry-go rounds to roller coasters. Robby’s favorite ride, THE GUT TWISTER, could be seen standing high above the rest of the festival as it lifted people high into the sky, only to shake them violently before dropping them back down quickly. Robby and Sylus gazed in awe at the lights and the rides, holding eachother closely as their excitement swelled. Though before they could run off, Paulie had reached them.

“You four are late. No surprise there.” The excited look on the brothers’ faces dissapeared as they heard the tone in their father’s voice. 

“Sorry about that, Paulie, sir. Traffic on the way was just bad, I promise. Erik and I could have flown here too, but we didn’t want to leave those two to drive here on their own. 

“Never again.” Erik stretched his wings out once more as he mumbled under his breath, still feeling the pain brought upon him by Leah.

“Bah, it’ll be alright, Leah. The only reason I don’t chew all four of you out right now is because you and Erik can actually own up to being late, unlike some people.” The glare he cast upon the two owl brothers could send shivers down any spine. The brothers both held their heads low. 

“Sorry, Dad.”

“Pick yourelves up you two, not like I don’t still love my boys. Now, let’s get going before the stage crew chews us all out.” Setting off towards the stage, the group immediately had to weave their way through the bustling crowds of birds. Families, couples, and even some loners littered the festival grounds in a completely disoriented manner, making just walking from one side to the other a daunting task. Everyone seemed to get through just fine, except for poor Erik, who seemingly could not help but to bump into people every few seconds. He and his wings being so large made it difficult to see people who were on the shorter end. Thousands of different species lived within Talon City, leading to an extremely diverse population of varying heights, wings, and more. As Erik barely passed his second family of thrush, a small hummingbird and his girlfriend stood directly in front of Erik. Though because of their height, they were completely lost in the crowd in Erik’s eyes, causing him to run directly into the two. The male hit the ground face first, and his girlfriend was only a little staggered, barely catching herself before she joined her boyfriend on the ground.

“Shit! God, I’m so sorry sir! Are you okay?”

“Damnit man, watch where you’re going you prick!” Climbing onto his knees, the hummingbird began wiping the dirt out of his eyes with his hands. “Fucker! You need to learn to watch where you’re going you damn pu-” Turning around, the hummingbird was met with the worst possible person to be cussing out. Erik towered over him by nearly three feet and looked like he could kill the poor bird in an instant if he wanted to. “You… you..!” Trembling, he slowly lifted a finger to point at him.

“Sir, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me, but I have to be going. I have something very important to attend to.”

“You…!” Before the bird could finish his sentence, Erik had vanished back into the crowd as quickly as he appeared. Dropping his hand back to the ground, he remained frozen as his girlfriend comforted him. If only he had known who Erik really was, a man who wouldn’t even hurt a fly.

“Come on, Erik! Don’t worry about all these people, we just need to get to the stage!” Looking over his shoulder as he stuck close to Sylus, Robby watched as Erik continued to struggle through the crowd, lifting his wings high and carefully stepping through whatever gaps opened in the crows. “Also, why don’t you just fly there?” Erik stopped dead in his tracks. Robby was right. What the hell was he doing on the ground? Acknowledging his own stupidity, Erik braced to takeoff. The crowd surrounding him cleared a small circle out away from him as they saw him brace. No one wanted to get caught in that beast of an owl’s downdraft. With a few large motions, he was off the ground and headed straight towards the stage entrance. Leah, holding desperately onto Paulie’s suit as they squirmed through the crowd in a weird line formation, saw Erik in the sky as he took off towards the stage. What hell was she doing? Letting go of Paulie, she followed Erik into the sky as well.

“Oh, I guess she can too. Lucky bastards, those two.” 

“Come on, you two. We can cut through the staff area, should get us there real quick.” Following their father’s instruction, they followed him through a gap in the chainlink fence that surrounded the grounds. Up in the sky, Leah had caught up with Erik. Getting level with him, she flew parallel as the two exchanged a glance.

“Why the hell didn’t we just do this from the start?” 

“I just felt bad for those three, having to walk on the ground and all. Didn’t want them to feel left out.”

“Oh, don’t lie! You forgot you could fly just like I did. No shame in it!” Erik turned his head away in shame for a moment, glancing down at the festival below, the shifting crowds of people seemed to meld into eachother, forming a big blob of birds. The bright lights of the stage shot outward in all directions, nearly blinding Erik everytime he looked at it. On the opposite end of the large field in front of the stage, they could see a single gate holding back hundreds of people. All of those people waited patiently in line to get the best spots for this show. Their show. 

“Hey, Leah?”

“Yeah?”

“I heard Robby and Sylus talking in the lot. They weren’t very quiet. Poor Robby was crying his eyes out in fear that we would mess this show up, and that we may not be ready for this.”

“I heard him crying, but I didn’t know it was over stage fright! Is he really pursuing music if he’s this terrified of getting up on stage?”

“Not sure how that mind of his thinks, either. But I wanted to ask you something, too.” Erik turned his head back to look at Leah as the two locked eyes.

 “Are you ready?” Proccesing the question, Leah’s thoughts of the crowd and the stage from earlier in the day came crawling out from the back of her mind to torment her again. She was just as terrified as Robby, but didn’t want to show it. Coming this far, putting up with her idiotic bandmates for two years, and practicing day and night wasn’t all for nothing. She had to let her fears go. Bringing down the others over such a thing would be an act of unforgivable selfishness. Everything they had worked for came down to this one night. Letting out a deep breath, she answered.

“Yes.”

“That’s just what I wanted to hear, Leah.” Erik, looking back down at the ground once more, let out a small chuckle as small tears swelled in his eyes. 

“Oh, Erik. Save the emotions for when the shows over, will you? Am I gonna be the only person who doesn’t cry tonight or what?” Erik’s tears blew right off of his face and into the wind as he looked back at Leah once more. 

“Sorry. I’m okay, I promise. We’ve just come so far. It’s hard not to get emotional.”

“Oh, you big baby. Look, the stage is just right down there. They probably won’t let us in without Paulie, so do you wanna grab a drink? I know a stand that makes killer mocktails. They’ll make us some for free. I’m a regular every month.”

“I would love that.” With Erik on board, Leah tucked her wings in and quickly dove towards the stand. Erik followed shortly, keeping just behind her as they descended. Back down on the ground, the other three had just barely escaped the crowd. Slowing themselves from a near jog down to a casual pace, the three caught their breath as Paulie waved festival security to move out of their way. 

“Sometimes, huff- I really hate how this festival is laid out. City needs to get it’s shit together.” Paulie stopped, leaning up against the fence of the staff area to catch his breath. “Just take a rest with me real quick, boys.”

“Dad, we have to get going! Erik and Leah are probably already there, and we need to practice!” The brothers looked at their father worried, they needed to get going and couldn’t wait around for anything.

“Oh, alright you two. Just keep going straight from here, and make a right at the second staff gate. It should be a straight shot out of there to the backstage entrance. If anyone asks why you’re back here, just tell em’ you’re with Paulie. They’ll let you by if you refer to me by name. You can get backstage like that too, make sure you bring the other two with ya. I’ll catch up, just let an old man take a break.”

“You’re only fifty two, dad.”

“Quiet, Robby! Get going!” Obliging, the brothers took off quickly down the staff area. They couldn’t afford to be any more late than they were. Backstage rehearsal was the most important thing to them. Losing any more of that time could spell their musical doom. Dodging staff and assortments of boxes, the two continued until they reached the second gate, quickly swerving around it. Outside the staff area, another large crowd awaited them.

“God damnit, man! This is getting annoying!”

“Look, Rob! I can see Erik from here. We’re close!” Reluctantly, the two pushed into the crowd towards the others. On the other end of the crowd, Erik and Leah were sharing a nice conversation about their vintage band shirts. Blissfully unaware of the brothers’ struggles, they clicked their plastic cups together before downing the rest of both of their drinks in one large gulp, slamming them hard into the table as they let out a refreshed breath, followed by a shared laugh. From within the nearby crowd, they could hear someone faintly shouting their names.

“Erik! Leah! There you guys are!” Robby called out to the two as him and Sylus continued to squeeze through the dense crowd.

“Well look at that. The two of them survived, after all! I don’t see Paulie, though.” Finally breaking through the edge of the crowd, the brothers slowed down to a halt as they finally came face to face with Leah and Erik. 

“You are some lucky motherfuckers, you know that? Take off whenever you like and just skip the crowd!”

“I don’t know what to tell you, Rob. We’re glad you two made it through, but where’s Paulie?”

“Lost his breath about halfway here, told us to just go ahead without him. I love him, but he is out of shape for sure. And Erik, pick me up and take me with you next time. I’d rather my shirt get a little torn than go through that again!” 

“So, how are we gonna get backstage without Paulie?”

“Don’t worry, just come with us.” The backstage entrance wasn’t far, taking only a couple of minutes for the band to reach from the stand. Just outside, two large golden eagle guards stood tall. As the four approached, the two stepped inward to block the way backstage.

“Sorry, you four. Backstage is off limits to festival attendees.” The guard on the right looked down at Robby, giving him an aggressive glare. Erik stepped forward to reason with the guards, but was stopped by Robby before he could say anything.

“We gotta get backstage to rehearse, sir. We’re with Paulie, he hasn’t caught up with us just yet.”

“And why should I just believe that you four are with Paulie? Anyone could say that, not like you know him personally.”

“Look, man. We’re here on important business and need to get backstage. Let us in, and when Paulie get’s here he can expl-” Sylus stepped forward, cutting Robby off.

“We’re Paulie’s sons. These two are with us, and we’re opening for the show tonight. Do I need to show you my license so you can see my last name?” The two guards leaned in towards eachother to whisper between themselves.

“Paulie was talking about his kids being at the festival tonight. Do you think they’re actually his kids?”

“I don’t know. To be honest, I don’t want to risk it. They’re here with instruments, so they are definitely here to play. Last thing I need is to be chewed out by Paulie for not letting his kids by.”

“Yeah. You’re right.” Turning back to the group, the two guards stepped out of the way of the steps leading backstage.

“Sorry about that. We wanted to make sure you were the real deal. Hope you four put on a good show tonight.” The brothers wasted no time heading up the stairs backstage, while Erik and Leah were a bit more gentle as they passed between the two guards, giving them both a quiet thanks as they followed up the stairs. The backstage smelled like wiring and cigarettes, with spare instruments lined up across the back wall nearly from one end to the other. There was even an entire drumkit prepared, in case something terrible happened. The smell of cigarettes was accompanied by smoke that blew towards the four from further down backstage thanks to a large industrial fan in the corner that kept the place cool. Two leather couches sat around a small circular table, where ashtrays and drinks could be seen scattered on top of it. The cigarette smoke could be traced back to three people sitting on one couch, with an out of style pompadour shaped from long, black feathers sticking out from behind the couch. Seeing this tacky style, Erik gasped loudly as realization set in. The others turned to look at him, confused as to what could have shocked him so badly. Noticing how much noise he had made, he quickly covered his mouth with his wing to preserve a casual greeting. However, this effort turned out to be futile as the pompadour bearing raven stuck his head out from around the side of the couch.

“Well look who it is, boys! If it isn’t the next generation!”

DISCLAIMER FOR THIS AND FUTURE CHAPTERS: As this is a rough draft still, songs mentioned and used within the story of Flock are not final. Up to chapter nine. Eventually, original songs from the world of Flock will replace all real songs used. I also want to say, those will definitely take a while before they are written in. I am an author, but definitely not an experienced lyricist. For now, you get a look at some of my favorite songs. Hope you’re enjoying the story so far!

–Dizzy

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of talons rythmically hitting the floor pierced an intense silence that no one in the room seemed willing to break. Four owls sat on a couch just across from some of the most renowned rockstars to walk the earth, unable to bring themselves to say a word in fear of embarassing themselves. Three of them sat nervously, hands tucked into their laps and trying hard to not make eye contact, while Erik just gawked in silence at the people before him. Since he was just thirteen, he had been listening to Galactic and Dark Star’s music almost daily. If he hadn’t discovered them, he would have never adopted the spirit of rock, and likely wouldn’t have ever pursued music. After all those years of looking up to them, they were suddenly sat just a few feet away from him. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Tension grew tighter and tighter as the two groups continued to sit in silence. Robby nervously coughed, looking down at his watch that read six fifty-four. The flow of time hadn’t stopped, and the time to perform only drew closer.

Twirling a glass of whiskey in his hand, the peregrine falcon sitting on the left end of the couch stared back at the four. Going by the name of Comet, the drummer was renowned for his incredible speed not just behind a drumkit but also in the sky. His orange bandana he wore around his neck at all times made him look like a wannabe cowboy. On the opposite end, a snow petrel by the name of Wave stared Leah down, admiring her beautiful white and black patterned feathers. The backing vocalist and guitarist had never met a snowy owl in person, since he came from the southern cold, not the northern. Between the two sat a brown necked raven, who had just lit his third cigarette in the last 10 minutes. Going by the stage name of Dark Star, his feathery pompadour bobbed lightly as he moved his head, drawing the attention of Sylus as he looked at the outdated style. 

“You four wanna see something cool?” Bringing the freshly lit cigarette up to his beak, he let in a large breath that filled his mouth and lungs with smoke. Holding his beak closed still, he pulled his head back and aimed it up towards the ceiling. Breathing out, smoke blew in columns out of each side of his beak, making him almost look like a calliope blowing steam out of it’s pipes. “Was that cool, or what? Took me a few months to get it down, but it’s a damn good party trick!” Him and Comet were the only two to laugh, while the four across from them sat in silence still. Wave was still too focused on Leah’s feathers to pay any attention. Sensing that there was still tension that needed to be cut, Dark Star leaned back into the couch and kicked his feet up onto the table. “Tough crowd. You four need to learn to respect your elders!” Erik’s awe turned into fear as he straightened his posture and snapped himself out of his trance.

“S-sorry! I’m just- We’re just-”

“You kids sure are a bunch of characters, aren’t you? At least tell me your names, will ya? You. Great horned, with the bass and the worn hat. What’s your name?” Robby shifted around in the couch, before hesitantly opening his mouth to speak. 

“Robby. My name’s Robby.”

“Alright. You, with the spiked collar.”

“Sylus. Rob’s brother.”

“I know you two are family. I’ve heard it all from your old man already. How about you, pretty one with the luscious head of feathers?”

“Leah. Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Alright, alright. How about you, big guy? You’ve been gawking like I just handed you a million bucks this entire time.”

“E-Erik sir! It’s an honor, really. Please excuse my staring. I’m just… a little surprised, is all!” Dark Star brought his legs off the table and leaned forward. Snuffing out the cigarette in an ashtray, he inspected Erik carefully. 

“You’re the only one who hasn’t been staring at me like a stranger. You must know us then, right? You a fan?” Erik’s attempt at hiding his excitment had been seen through. His only option left was to own up to it.

“Yes! Yes, I am!” His tone shifted near instantly, going from nervous to ecstatic in the blink of an eye. “I-I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember! I have every single one of your albums in vinyl and disc both! If I never discovered your music, I wouldn’t be sitting here on this couch right now! Your music changed my life, made me who I am tod-” Erik paused, noticing he had blown up in excitement in front of everyone. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-” Erik was cut off once more as Comet laughed.

“You see that, Star? Turns out the kids are alright, after all! Shouldnt’ve bet against me, you owe me a beer!” Dark Star mumbled angrily under his breath to himself. The last few years have made him worried about the modern generations. With the age of mediocre pop and wannabe rockstars, he feared the real spirit of music was fading. Nowadays, a lot of musicians only care about making it on the charts. Stolen riffs, boring lyrics, it was all degrading slowly. Though now, he sees a light in the dark. A very disoriented and disorganized light, but a light nonetheless. The four owls who sat in front of him today could be one of the few to keep the torch lit. But first, they had to prove themselves.

“I respect your passion, Erik. Though looking at you four all I see is a bunch of dumb kids.” Robby, Sylus, and Leah all formed an angry look on their face. But before Robby could butt in, Dark Star continued. “A bunch of dumb kids with spirit, at least. I think you have the potential. What do you call yourselves? You got a name for your band?” Sylus was the first to speak up. 

“Flock, sir. We go by Flock.” Once again, Comet was laughing. 

“Hah! Well look at that, Star! Isn’t that funny?” The four owls looked at the falcon, confused. “That’s what Galactic was called when we first started! We thought it was a bit of a stupid name, but I guess it appealed to some!” The three older birds laughed together, as the four owls across from them wielded annoyed looks on their face. Robby and Sylus didn’t seem to like the three at all, espeically with how Robby was looking at that pompadour. It was the most disgusting and out of style thing he had ever seen, making him want to hurl as it bobbed around the raven’s head. As the laughter faded, Dark Star leaned in one more time in preparation to criticize them once more. However, before another word could be spoken, a voice yelled from the entrance.

“Take it easy on them, will you? I don’t think you realize who you’re talking to.” Paulie had finally arrived after having to find his way through the maze that was the festival grounds. He looked annoyed, he could tell that the three birds were poking fun at them, and that they weren’t really enjoying it. Besides Erik, of course. He didn’t mind being called stupid if the words came out of Dark Star’s mouth.

“Huh? Oh! Paulie! There you are, big guy! What took you so long to get here?” Paulie gave Dark Star a glare as he stomped his way over to the couches. “Woah, somethin’ wrong? You look like someone just insulted your kid!” 

“Almost as if you just did, Davey. I heard you guys laughing at em’. Cut them some slack, they’re nervous.”

“Nervous, eh? I see, I see.” The raven turned his head back to look at the four. “Loosen up a little! It’s only in good fun. You best prepare yourselves to rehearse as well. You’re down to about an hour before the show.” 

“He’s right. You four have had your time to chat, and will have more when the show’s over. I need you to plug in over there and show us your set.” The four could barely stand up as the weight of the upcoming show still crushed them. Sure, some of them were confident, but deep down, each one of them was completely terrified. Hundreds, maybe thousands, would be watching them. Though they continued to push on. The opportunities this may bring is worth the risk of embarassing themselves. Heading over to the corner of the backstage, Robby and Sylus quickly pulled out their guitars and plugged in as Erik and Leah adjusted their setups to work with them. Wave’s attention was quickly pulled to Sylus’ guitar as it shined under the backstage lights, showing clearly how well kept it was. 

“Wow, Star. Maybe these kids are serious after all.” Dark Star grinned as he kicked his legs up onto the table in front of him once more. 

“We’ll see, won’t we? I’ve never been one to bet on kids. Though you never know what they might hit you with. Let’s see what they bring to the table.” Once the brothers had plugged in, the large amps against the walls were all switched on. A low but very notable hum could be felt throughout the backstage as it filled the silence of the room. Erik looked at the rest of the band, seeming less scared now that he stood in front of a microphone. Something about being behind the mic brought him solace, as if it was some sort of safe space for him.

“Where are we starting? We have enough time to get through the set, I believe. Any suggestions?” Robby looked up from his bass as he finished adjusting the strap around his body. 

“Why don’t we start with Flight of Icarus? Good song to warm up, if you ask me.” Erik looked at the other two to see if there was any protest, but it seemed like they didn’t mind. They had more time than they thought, so there was room for flexibility. Paulie had just sat down on the couch in front of Dark Star, giving him a confident look.

“You’re gonna be surprised, Davey.”

“Sylus, whenever you’re ready!” Giving Erik a nod, Sylus prepared his fingers on the neck of his guitar as his other hand gripped the pick tightly. With a deep breath in and out, his hands moved.

They broke the silence of the backstage as Sylus played out the opening riff of the song, with Robby and Leah joining in just moments later to accompany him. Dark Star remained unimpressed, as it was a song he knew wasn’t too difficult for himself. He even knew the guy who made it personally. What he really anticipated was how Erik sounded. To him, vocals tie everything together. Watching him closely, he saw Erik relax himself before taking in his first breath. 

As the sun breaks, above the ground

An old man stands on the hill

His tone was good and his voice clear, but there was still room to impress for Dark Star.

As the ground warms, to the first rays of light

A birdsong shatters the still…

Dark Star still seems unenthused, despite the band performing the song perfectly. Whether it be out of his distaste for the younger generation, or the fear that he could be usurped, he awaited for something to truly blow him away.

Now the crowd breaks, and a young boy appears

Looks the old man in the eye

As he spreads his wings, and shouts at the crowd…

Erik shifted his foot back slightly, bracing himself.

IN THE NAME OF GOD MY FATHER, I’LL FLY!

There it was. That’s the spirit Dark Star was looking for. He still thought himself to be better, but maybe the kid had something going after all. While Dark Star focused all of his attention on Erik, Comet and Wave were more honed in on the others. Comet’s attention was drawn to Leah, watching her as she maintained the rythm of the song without a worry on her face. It seemed apparent that she knew what she was doing as her feet moved in tandem with her arms, as if they were one. No hiccups in her rythm, and her grip on the sticks was loose but firm, allowing freedom when playing.

Fly, on your way, like an eagle

Fly as high as the sun! On your way!

Like an eagleee! Fly! 

Through Erik’s powerful vocals, they could hear the sounds from the two brothers as they played nearly back to back with eachother, in almost perfect sync. Every hand movement made by Sylus was matched by Robby as his bassline brought feel to the guitar, only making it sound better. Though the guitar was much more prominent, it didn’t make the bass hard to hear at all. A perfect dance of sound filled the air as the entire band played with passion and energy. At a certain point, the band had pulled back on their energy to allow Sylus the spotlight as the solo approached. Though it was his turn to shine, the flow of the rest of the band had not come to a halt. 

The rough, low chords of the song turned into high, fast, and precise singular notes as Sylus’ fingers moved all around the neck of the guitar. His notes were on point, and his other hand could maintain speed without losing that precision. The three birds on the couch still watched intensely, but a bit of surprise could now be seen through the cracks of their serious tone. They hadn’t expected someone so young to play so well. Playing this quickly usually comes with decades of experience. Sylus proved all of that wrong, showing to the three that it was possible for someone as young and dumb as him to shred like he’d been doing it his whole life. As the solo neared its end, the rest of the band eased its way back into the energy it had before. It was natural, smooth, and left little to criticize. The end of the solo marked the transition into the end of the song, as the fast, single notes transformed back into the patterned chords of the song. With one last burst of energy, Erik prepared the finale of the song.

FLY AS HIGH AS THE SUUUUUN!

Spreading his wing out far to his sides, Erik held the last shout of the song for an impressive thirteen seconds, all the while the rest of the band followed with one last burst of energy as well. As soon as that last shout had ended, everyone else cut off their sound in sync. They silenced all of that noise in just a moment, leaving Comet, Wave, and Paulie all with a big smile on their face. Comet was the first to speak up.

“Wow! I mean, wow! I’m sorry to say I doubted you four for even a moment! You all flowed with eachother wondrously, and seemingly never got remotely close to a slip up. I’ll be the first to say it. I’m impressed. Especially with you, Leah.” It couldn’t be seen under her feathers, but Leah was blushing.

“Thank you, sir.” Wave was the next to chime in, pointing directly at the two brothers who stood side by side.

“You two, I could tell you got something special going on. Neither one of you was behind or ahead of the other, every single motion made by Sylus was always amplified by Robby who seemingly never missed a beat. The way you two play as well, I could tell you’re having fun. That’s key to a good show, y’know.” The brothers turned to eachother, with Robby reaching his hand out for a fist bump, which Sylus accepted without hesitation. Expecting Dark Star to say something next, the four turned to look at him. Though all they were met with was a cold, silent stare. The room stood in silence for a few moments before Erik nervously turned back to his band. 

“So uh, what next?”

“Uh, how about Stargazer, Erik?” His expression shifted from nervous to excited as he heard Robby suggest the song. Stargazer, the song he loved dearly for its powerful lyrics and tone. It was the song he was looking forward to playing most out of the upcoming five. 

“Good! Good one, Rob. Leah, this one starts on your call. You got that opening part down?” Leah answered his question with a quick nod, before sitting back down on the drumkit’s seat and preparing herself. Sticks in hand, she began. 

Thirty minutes had passed since the start of the rehearsal, with the band making it through their entire setlist and an extra run of Vitamin (as per Robby’s request). The clock on the wall had struck seven forty. The inevitable performance drew closer and closer by the minute as the four unplugged from the backstage amps and sat back down. Leah and Robby had both broken a sweat playing, but not enough to tire themselves out. If anything, the rush only helped them get into the performing mindset. Erik asked Paulie for his sixth bottle of water since they started as he sat down on the couch.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough, Erik? At this rate you’re gonna piss yourself right up there on stage.” 

“You don’t know how badly I need this to keep singing like that. It takes more out of you than you’d think. Star can vouch, right?” The cold stare from the raven had eased up only a little after the rehearsal had finished. He continued to hide his appraisal until the show was over. There was a big decision to be made that night, and he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. Erik was once again defeated by that look from the person he looked up to the most. Was he doing something wrong? Why the silence? Whatever it was, it didn’t matter now. Erik got his water and, without a second thought, chugged nearly the entire bottle in an instant. The cold water soothed his throat, which had been feeling rough after straining it a little during rehearsal.

Sylus nudged Robby’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Hey, Rob. I’m hearing people. Wanna go peek our heads out at the stage?” Robby was split. While he wanted to see what he was walking out to, it terrified him still. Sylus could tell from his silence that he was still worried. “Oh, come on. If you see what’s out there, it’ll help you feel more ready for when we actually go. Now come on.” Standing up from the couch, Sylus grabbed Robby’s arm and pulled him up, ushering him to follow. Obliging, he walked with Sylus until they had reached the small door that led out onto the stage. Sylus, grabbing the edge of the doorframe, poked his head around the corner. Robby stood just behind him and leaned out around the corner to look as well. Both of them froze up in an insant. Hundreds and hundreds of people had filled the once empty field in front of the stage, creating a huge mass of heads and feathers as people tried to push themselves forward to reach the front of the crowd. The amount of people standing out there had completely exceeded the expectations of both brothers. Robby, with dread washing over him, quickly turned back around the corner and stepped away. Sylus hadn’t noticed and continued to look at the crowd in awe. 

“Robby, are you seeing this? This is absurd! I’ve never seen this many people in one place!” Sylus pulled himself back out from the doorway. “God, man! I see why you were so sc- huh? Rob? Where’d you go?” Turning around, he found his brother had dissapeared. He didn’t even see him back at the couches, let alone anywhere else backstage. Worried, Sylus quickly walked back to the couches. “Did any of you see where Rob went? He was just here a moment ago, and then he just dissapeared from behind me!”

“Looking for Rob? He said he had to use the bathroom. It’s right back there, if you haven’t seen it already.” Leah pointed towards the far end of the backstage area, where a single door labeled “BATH” resided.

“Shit.” Before anyone could ask Sylus if something was wrong, he set off quickly towards the bathroom. 

“Probably no big deal.” Leah turned back around on the couch to rejoin the conversation she was having with Comet and Wave, who were still the only people in the room open to talk. Swinging the bathroom door wide open, he was met with a surprisingly well kept bathroom for a public event. One stall, one urinal, and one sink, all neatly compacted into the small room. Though none of this mattered to Sylus at all, it was Robby who he was here for. As the door swung closed, the room went silent, with the exception of a faint sob echoing from the stall. Sylus had really begun to start worrying, as there were just under fifteen minutes until the show and they needed to get ready in about three. Tapping the door a couple of times, Sylus awaited an answer, but was met with more silence.

“Rob? Hey man, you alright? Say something to me.” The sobbing continued, but through it came a quiet and shaky voice.

“Y-yeah… Sylus. I’m okay. I’ll be out in a moment, I swear.” 

“Don’t lie, Rob. Come on out, let’s talk. Please?” The sobbing turned into sniffles as Robby’s talons scratched along the floor while he stood up. Pausing for a brief moment, he unlocked the stall with a quick click. As soon as Sylus heard that click, he grabbed the handle and swung the stall door outward before Robby could do it himself. His poor brother’s face was completely drenched in tears as he looked ahead at him, making him look like he had just been sprayed with a hose.

“Oh, Rob. I’m so sorry.” Reaching out, he grasped Robby in his arms as he attempted to console him. “I’m here, Rob. It’s okay man. Tell me what’s wrong.” Embracing Sylus once more, he squeezed him tighly as he tried to speak with his shaky voice.

“There’s too many. It’s too much. Sylus, I-I’m not ready. I’m sorry. I’m letting you all down right before we make it big. I just don’t think I ca-”

“Shut up, dude.” Breaking away from the hug, Sylus looked Robby dead in the eyes. “Don’t you see, Robby? You have no reason to be scared. You’ve got so many people behind you. You just need to forget about the crowd. You’re my big brother. I know you’re strong. Who do you play for? Tell me. Who do you play for?”

“F-for the crowd…”

“No, Rob! Answer me truthfully. Who do you play for?”

“Dad…?”

“Wrong again! Answer me. Who. Do. You. Play for?” Sylus stepped aside, revealing to Robby the mirror above the sink just behind him. Looking at his own face in this state brought him shame, misery, and fear. But it had also given him the answer to the question. Memories faded in and out of his consciousness as he thought about everything leading up to this point. He had gone through so much, worked so hard, and dedicated his whole life to this. Though the whole time, he never did it for the right reason. All he thought he would do was please a crowd one day. Though now, that same crowd had become a nightmare to him. What was there left to do? Who did he play for? Taking one more look at himself in the mirror, he answered.

“Myself.” 

“That’s what I wanted to hear. Wash your face off and come get ready with us. I can tell you’re ready now.” Giving Robby one more quick hug, he stepped towards the bathroom door to leave. As he reached for the handle, Robby spoke once more.

“Sylus?”

“Yeah, Rob?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Robby.”

Exiting the bathroom, Sylus was met with his father rushing around the backstage nervously as he set everything up. He strugg;ed set up this whole performance by himself, but hiring a crew to help was of no interest to him. 

“Sylus! You need to start moving, kid. I plugged your guitar into the amp already. We’ve got fancy wireless jacks so you and Rob can move around the stage freely. Speaking of, is he gonna be out soon? I need all of you ready in three minutes.” Looking around Sylus towards the bathroom, Paulie yelled out in the hopes of getting Robby out faster.

“Eight minutes till stage time, kid! We need you out here!”

“Dad, please! Don’t rush him, he needs time.”

“Well, too bad! We don’t got any time!”

“Seriously! Leave him be! He’ll be ready in time, so back off!” Paulie looked at Sylus with his mouth agape. Neither of his kids had ever talked back like that before.

“Sylus! You don’t have any right to talk to me like tha-” The bathroom door swung open.

“Sorry, Dad. I’m ready. Sylus, let’s go.” Paulie’s lecture about attitude was halted as Robby stepped out of the bathroom, his face now cleaned up and he boasted a much less dreadful look on his face. He nudged Sylus with his arm as he walked by to go pick up his bass. Paulie, deciding there was no time for a lecture, went back to his preparations. Sylus followed Robby to their guitars, where they both shined under the bright lights within the backstage as they stood leaned up against a large amp. 

“Myself. Do it for myself.” Robby was whispering under his breath to himself, with Sylus only barely catching it as they both reached for their instruments. The only thing he could do was hope those words of his helped. The brothers met up with Erik and Leah by the door that led out to the stage. Unsurprisingly, Erik was downing another bottle of water while Leah watched in awe at how fast he could drink those things.

“Are you two ready as well? This is it. This is what it’s all led up to.”

“We’ve never been more ready, Sylus. What about you, Rob? Feeling okay? We were wondering what happened in that bathroom.” The brothers looked at eachother as they desperately tried to think of an excuse. It had to stay between them.

“I grabbed a burrito from a stall on the way here. Absolutely tore my guts apart, but I’m okay now as long as it doesn’t come back for round two!” Sylus was surprised to see such a shift in tone from Robby. Maybe his words did work after all. As Robby laughed at his own made-up story, Paulie approached the four.

“I’m going to be managing the lights. I need you four to keep your eyes on the clock. As soon as it hits eight, I’ll be killing the lights. I need you four out on stage and in position as quickly as possible before I turn the lights back on. From there, start your first song. All the amps will come on as soon as the lights do, so make sure you’re not making any accidental noise.” He gave the four one more confident look as he prepared to go to the controls. “I’m trusting you four to put on a damn good opening show tonight. Knock em’ dead!” Away he went, running up a small set of stairs towards a relatively hidden platform where the light control panel lived. 

“The time has finally come. Are you guys fuckin’ ready or what?!” In response to Sylus, the other three shouted aloud in a battlecry-esque manner. The only thing that stood between them and the big stage now was just a few seconds. Hearts were racing between the four of them as they patiently awaited for the lights to go dark. There were no more fears. All that remained were them, and the music.

The crowd could be heard mumbling amongst itself as they patiently awaited the start of the show. The clock on the backstage wall was ticking closer and closer to eight. All that remained was just ten seconds between them and the stage. 

“I love you guys.” Robby’s voice was shaky, no longer out of fear, but out of excitement. It was just the thing the others wanted to hear, and before they knew it, the lights had been cut. The crowd had gone silent in anticipation. The four quickly moved themselves out onto the stage, moving in near pitch black darkness besides a few dim lights in the floor showing where to stand. The sun had fully set, leaving the perfect environment for the stage to really shine. Once they had settled into position, they all prepared themselves as they awaited the lights. Erik seized the moment in the darkness, spreading his wings out far to his sides and looking upwards before the lights came on. He really wanted to make sure he looked cool. 

Where there was darkness, there was light. 

All hell broke loose from the crowd as the blinding lights of the stage revealed the four. Leah, standing up from the drums, crossed her sticks over eachother as she held it up over her head. The drums were up high on a raised platform, not only giving the crowd a good view of her, but giving her a good view of the crowd. She felt like she was on top of the world. Down on the center of the stage, Robby and Sylus stood an even distance from eachother, both holding their guitars close to themselves as they too posed for the crowd. Erik stood in front of them all, his massive wings spread out wide as he took in the sounds of the crowd. After three years of playing out of a garage, Flock had finally hit the big stage. Unbeknownst to the band, a massive cloth banner had dropped behind them, bearing the shoddily painted logo they’ve had for years. Four figures, one set of wings. How Paulie got his hands on that design was a complete mystery.

Bringing his wings back in and tilting his head back down to look at the crowd, Erik wrapped his wing around the microphone stand and pulled it close to his face. He had to come up with something to get the crowd going.

“TALON CITY! ARE YOU READY?” A roar of approval bellowed from the crowd. Everyone was eager for the show to start after standing around waiting for the last hour.

“HUH? I ASKED YOU A QUESTION! ARE YOU READY?!” Another answer from the crowd, this time even louder. The other three hadn’t planned for Erik to act like this so suddenly. They would have never guessed he would be so forward on stage, but they knew how to adapt. Sylus, thinking on his feet, shifted his left hand into its proper shape, and played the quiet opening riff of their first song. As the sound of Sylus’ guitar faded in, Erik looked out to the crowd with a burning fire in his eyes. He had just one more question for the crowd.

“I WANNA HEAR IT ONE MORE TIME! ARE YOU READY?!” With another blast of shouting from the crowd, Erik had received his answer, to his own surprise. He was totally winging the crowd pleasing, and wasn’t expecting so much energy for a band that existed to no one but them until this point. With Sylus nearing the end of the opening riff, the rest of the band braced as the real beginning of the song approached. Leah and Robby listened closely, waiting for their moment. Eventually, Sylus paused for just a moment. What followed could only be described as wondrous. The inclusion of Robby and Leah’s parts had cranked it all up to eleven. Lights flashed bright from the top of the stage down onto the crowd as the band exploded with energy. The low, heavy bassline nearly shook the entire stage as it blasted outward from the large amps living on the sides of the stage. Leah was playing with such precision and power that it was hard to ignore. Every kick, snare, and crash could be heard from just about anywhere, bearing passion behind every motion.

 Erik, looking lovingly out to the crowd one more time, joined in.

Hey, Mr. Seeker!

Hold on to this advice,

If you can seek, then you will find…

His voice was powerful. He put his all into every word, while still keeping himself comprehensible. It was a wonder how adaptive and clear of a voice he had. Many people in the crowd couldn’t believe it. Many were surprised by how well the entire band flowed with eachother. The bass and the guitar never lost track of eachother, and the drums never lost track of the song itself. It was a wonderful serenade of vibrations upon their ears.

Are you ready?

Are you ready? 

For what’s to come?

The crowd had finally matched the energy the band was putting out. All Erik could see from the crowd was pleased expressions and a lot of headbanging. They were nailing it. Robby had finally brought himself to look up from his bass and out to the crowd as well, where he to saw all the people enjoying themselves. Is this what it really felt like? The crowd wasn’t booing him or giving him an awkward look. The crowd was stirring with energy as many watched him with an inspired look as he plucked the strings of his bass with passion. It could only be described as wonderful. 

Hey Mr. Hero!

Walking a thin, fine line

Under the microscope of life…

Sylus, now feeling the energy being passed around as well, glanced over at Leah. She was completely in her own world. Nothing mattered to her but the kit in front of her and the music. Her long and thick head of feathers bounced around her head as she moved it along to the song. According to her, the headbanging helped her play. Though to most it looked like an easy way to get a headache. Back down on the center of the stage, Sylus approached Robby as they both continued to play. Both knew the song well enough to have it down in muscle memory, so walking around while playing was no problem. 

(Art by @birblyfe on X)

Sylus gestured Robby to follow him up to the front of the stage with a quick movement of his head. The song was nearing its end already, despite it feeling like it had only just started. The two brothers both approached the front of the stage as Erik continued to sing passionately to the crowd. He was too into it now, not even bothering to look back and check up on the band. As long as he could hear their instruments, everything was fine to him. The brothers had made it up to the front, with both of them splitting off to different sides of Erik. Luckily, they had arrived up front just in time for the final push.

Your life- has- just- begun!

Life- has- just- begun!

Life- has- just- begun!

Life- has- just- beguuuuuuunnnn…

The rest of the band had stopped, and all that remained was Erik’s voice and Sylus’ final strum as they both slowly faded out. The first song of the night had reached its end. All four of them stood still, their minds and bodies still shocked by the energy of the crowd and their own performance. As soon as Erik cut off the final hold of the song, the crowd erupted into cheer. Hundreds of people cheered once more for the band on stage in a mix of clapping and shouting. They loved it. Sylus smiled. He picked that song he knew damn well would get the crowd going. Erik, being the first to break out of that shock, wrapped his wing around the microphone once more.

“Talon City! How are we fuckin’ doing tonight?!” Once more, the crowd erupted in response to Erik’s question. “I bet it’s been real fun for a lot of you, hasn’t it? Drinkin’ heavy, playing games. It’s wonderful, isn’t it? Now, there’s something real special coming tonight as well. But first, you got to go through us! So how about some more fuckin’ music?!” Erik had turned into a completely different person as soon as he stepped on stage. He had never sworn this much in his life. 

Another powerful cheer from the crowd signaled to the bandit was time to move onto the next song. “Leah!” Turning around to look at her, she had just finished hastily sending a text on her phone to someone. Her parents had just arrived at the festival at the worst possible time, and she had to text them to tell them to get to the stage as they continuously called her phone. Though he was concerned what it could’ve been about, Erik didn’t question it. It wasn’t the time. As long as she was ready to play, that’s all that mattered. “Get us started, baby!” Erik turned back around to the crowd, thinking to himself how stupid he was for calling Leah “baby”. As if he wasn’t already an awkward mess around her. However, it didn’t matter anymore as she had already started the opening for their next song.

Backstage, the three members of Galactic sat amongst eachother as they listened to the performance. Four songs had already been played, each a beautiful performance in their own ways. No one was left behind on any song, with opportunities for each one of the four to take the spotlight several times. The entire time, the crowd was on their feet and constantly in an uproar of pleasure as they were kept hooked in with each song. Now, they had come to their final song, Stargazer.

“Come on, Star. You gotta admit this is some pretty damn good playing.”

High noon, oh I’d sell my soul for water!

“Yeah, Wave’s right. You gotta quit being so harsh on the kids. Did they do something to you?” Dark Star looked up from his blank stare into the other couch, then to Comet with an angry expression.

Nine years worth of breaking my baaack!

“No! Stop asking me so many damn questions, you two. They haven’t done anything wrong.”

Where is your staaaar?

“So what the hell’s the issue, man? We’re having fun. Why aren’t you? Spill it already.”

Is it far? Is it far? Is it faaaar?!

“Shut up, Comet! God. I need to go do something.” Dark Star quickly stood up from the couch, walking towards the backstage exit that led back onto the grounds. Before he left, he grabbed a spare hoodie hanging off a metal coat rack and put it on over his glossy suit. He was just barely able to put the hood over his huge pompadour, which did a terrible job of covering it. Good enough for him, however.

When do we leeeeave?

“What do you think is up, Wave?”

I believe, yes, I belieeeeve!

“Hell if I know, but if he doesn’t want to enjoy the show, thats on him. More for us!”

In the heat and the rain!

“Guess so.”

With whips and chains!

Outside the backstage, Dark Star hastily stepped down from the small stairs and out onto the grass of the festival grounds. His glossy silver pants that accompanied his suit shined brightly under the lights spread throughout the ground.

Just to see him fly, so many dieeed!

He moved quickly along the outside of the covered fence that surrounded the field in front of the stage, coming to a halt in front of a small entrance in that was for staff only. A small blue sugarbird was the only thing that stood between him and his way in.

We build a tower of stone,

“Hey, I gotta get in, man. Lemme through.” To his dismay, the small bird didn’t recognize who he was. He was too short to get a good look at the raven’s face, and couldn’t even see the pompadour from where he stood.

With our flesh and bone!

“Sorry, sir. This entrance is for staff only. You can get in through the gate just around the corner there.” Dark Star didn’t care anymore. He looked down at the small bird, who then quickly recognized who he was.

Just to see him fly, but we don’t know why!

“Exclusive access, kid. Move.” Panicking, the bluebird stepped aside and ushered him in. Stepping through the gate, a clear path from the staff area right to the front of the crowd could be seen. Walking quickly, he strode through the staff area, getting confused looks from the staff as they watched the legendary Dark Star walk right by them. Eventually, he made it to another small gate that led out into the crowd. Pushing right by, he squeezed his way through dozens of people as he slowly made for the front. Many were bothered by him cutting through the crowd, with the hood around his pompadour sticking up tall and blocking people’s view. Little did any of them know, they were getting annoyed at the very person they showed up at the show for. How they didn’t recognize his glossy silver pants was a mystery.

Oh, now where do we goooooo…

The music continued to overpower all else as Dark Star approached the front of the crowd. Erik was performing at his best. This was his song. His elegant but powerful vocals, which brought upon many emotions, mesmerized the crowd. they weren’t expecting to feel as he told a tragic tale of a broken dream in the lyrics. Though none of those lyrics would be as strong if it wasn’t for the rest of the band playing the beautiful instrumental of the song. 

Hot wind, moving fast across the desert!

We feel that our time has arrived…

With one last push through the second to the front row of the crowd, Dark Star had successfully made his way to the front and center of the crowd. He stood directly below Erik, who continued to sing with everything he had.

The world spins while we put his dream together…

A tower of stone, to take him straight to the sky!

Dark Star had arrived at the front of the crowd just in time for the peak of the song. Erik, recognizing the tacky pompadour under the hood, stared Dark Star down as he prepared for the best part. With another deep breath, he let loose.

Oh, now where do we GOOOOOO?!

Without breaking eye contact with Dark Star, he let out everything he had into one magnificent scream. It was clear that his intent was to impress, but to Dark Star, it almost appeared as aggression. He loved it. He finally found what he was looking for in Erik, someone who sang with as much soul and passion as he did in his prime. Crossing his arms, he gave Erik a proud look. Seeing this, Erik broke eye contact and looked back at the crowd. The fire in his eyes still burned, but was now accompanied by tears as he continued to give his all. His tendency to get emotional while singing had caught up to him once again.

The time had come for Sylus to take the spotlight once more. The orderly and rythmic chords slowly transformed once again into fast, singular movements of his fingers as the solo approached. He closed his eyes as he let the energy of the show take over, and take over it did. His fingers were moving alarmingly fast up and down the neck of his guitar, hitting and releasing notes faster than anyone in the crowd could even comprehend. All they could do was watch as he pushed himself to his limits for this solo. Slowly, he continued to speed up as he moved further and further up the neck, approaching the tight high notes at the end. His mind and body were completely disconnected. Now, everything came from the soul. The crowd continued to watch in awe as he kept going, with the solo like it was never going to stop. As much as Sylus wanted to shred like this forever, he finished his solo with one last set of bends that gave a majestic end to it. Eventually, he reverted back to the rough, powerful chords from before. Erik rejoined the song as he sang his heart out once more. 

All eyes, see the figure of the wizard!

As he climbs to the top of the wooorld!

No sound, as he falls, instead of rising!

Time standing still, then there’s blood on the sand…

The crowd listened not only with excitement for the peformance but now with intrigue for this story being told through the song. It was Erik’s favorite part of it. It wasn’t just a song; it was an entire story. A wizard who had enslaved thousands to build a tower to the sky in the hopes it would help him fly, only for him to fall to his death from that very tower in a sad twist of fate. 

Oh, I see his face!

Where was your star? Was it far? Was it faaaar?!

Erik had embraced his emotions entirely as tears continued to stream from his eyes. It wasn’t just the song, but the moment. Not once in his life had he been happier than he was performing on that very stage, with the crowd cheering for him and the rest of the band. 

In heat and rain,

With the whips and chains!

Just to see him fly, 

So many died!

His wings were stretched out wide, revealing to the crowd his beautifully patterned feathers as he continued to sing. It was a one of a kind sight, to be sure.

But why?!

In all the rain, 

With all the chains?!

Did so many die?

Just to see him fly? 

It was unlike anything Dark Star had ever seen before. This wasn’t just some wannabe band, this was something different. Something special lived within those four owls, and this performance may finally bring that to light.

Look at my flesh and bone!

Now look! Look! Look! Look!

Look to his tower of stone!

I SEE A RAINBOW RISIIIIIING!

LOOK OUT, ON THE HORIZON!

With that, the song began the approach to its end. The others began to really put their all into it, with each of their parts all coming together into one final ballad of song. Robby, Sylus, and Leah all boasted a joyous look upon their faces as they neared the end, all the while Erik continued to cry his eyes out as he sang.

Going hooome!

I’m going hooome!

My eyes are bleeding!

And my heart is leaving here! 

Ooooooooh…

Take me back! Take me away from here!

Back to my hooooooooooome!

Accompanying the final stretch of the lyrics, the rest of the band built up to the end of the song, with every bit of their souls put into their parts. With one final burst of energy, the four all stopped abruptly, marking the end of it all. 

The moment of silence that washed over the entire festival ended as quickly as it started, as the crowd completely lost their minds. The cheering could be heard from every corner of Talon City. This was more than anyone expected from this show, especially going into it without a clue as to who was playing. Robby, Sylus, and Leah all looked out towards the crowd, but not without noticing Erik, who had fallen to his knees. His head sat low and his wings spread out along the ground as tears continued to pour from his eyes. His throat burned as if someone had poured molten steel into it, though weirdly he had never felt better in his life. It was the happiest he had ever been. The same went for the other three as well, who approached the front of the stage to meet the crowd alongside him. Robby was the first to make a move, resting his hand on Erik’s shoulder.

“Get up, Erik. They want to see you! Don’t hide now!” Robby’s words snapped Erik out of his emotional trance. Realizing the others stood next to him, he wiped the tears from his face with his wing and stood back up. The four stood side by side as the crowd continued to shower them in love for their astounding performance. Someone must have put something in the air, as the other three couldn’t help but tear up themselves. With a performance like that, who wouldn’t? Grabbing the microphone once more, Erik spoke up to the crowd.

“Thank you! Thank you all! We’ve been waiting years for this very moment, and we’ve never been happier to play for you! Without you, Talon City, we would have never made it this far!” His voice was now raspy and weak because of the performance. He had almost completely torn his throat apart from how passionately he sang. For the other three, all of their arms were sore and shaking from how much they were playing as well. Leah could barely hold herself up after all the kicking she had to do. This was also the longest they had ever played for at once. Erik looked to the others, making a quick downward gesture to them. They all received the message loud and clear, and in near perfect sync, the four bowed before the crowd. Another uproar from the crowd, which seemed to now never get old to the four. 

“Now, we’d like you to stick around for tonight’s special guest! A band a lot of you will probably know VERY well. Thank you again, Talon City!” Erik noticed Dark Star had disappeared from the crowd. He was pleased with what he saw, or was about to give the four another mean look. With one last look at the crowd, the four owls walked off the stage as completely different people.

 As the four stepped back into the room, they shielded their eyes as they readjusted to the bright LED lights in the ceiling. Once they were clear to see again, they were met with another, much smaller crowd. Paulie and Anna stood next to eachother, with a sense of pride in Paulie’s face, and Anna’s full of tears. 

“Mom? Where have you been this whole time?”

“She was out in the crowd. Told me she wanted to get the ‘realest’ experience possible. Safe to say you hit the mark.” The brothers quickly set their instruments aside and reached out to their parents as they all held eachother in one large embrace. Leah, however, was met with her parents. Who had a mixed look of anger and joy on their faces. Her father had his hands on his hips, as if he was about to give a lecture. All the while, her mother’s wings were clearly tense as she stared Leah down. Preparing for the worst, Leah approached the two.

“Um… hi?” What came after was the last thing she could have ever expected. Both of them immediately wrapped their arms and wings around her and squeezed her tight as they both began to cry. They were crying? She’d never seen it before.

“Oh, Leah! My sweet baby girl! Why didn’t you ever tell us? How long have you been keeping this from us? A month? Two months?” Still trapped in the two’s embrace, she hesitantly answered.

“About three years. Sorry.” All hell broke loose between the three as her parents cried into both of her shoulders, expressing how much they’d been worrying all day after she abandoned them. Erik stood alone, watching with a smile on his face as the others embraced their families. If only his father could see the man he had become. Though he’s sure he’ll be hearing plenty from his mother soon enough. His attention was ripped away from the families as the three members of Galactic approached him. Dark Star stood before him once more, in all of his stylish glory.

“I have to give it to you, kid. Never in my life have I seen someone sing with that much passion in their voice. You blew me away.” Erik struggled to find words to respond with, with the shock of the show and the soreness of his throat still weighing down on him.

“It’s… an honor to hear that from you, Dark Star, sir.”

“Don’t call me that anymore. You can just call me Davey.” Stunned by what he had just said, he looked at him with his beak agape. Very few people were given the privilege of calling Dark Star by his real name, not even his own bandmates like call to him Davey. 

“Can I ask, Dark Star, I mean- Davey, sir. What were you doing down there in the crowd? Why’d you risk revealing yourself like that to the people?”

“I wanted to see it like it was, Erik. I couldn’t see your band for what it really was unless I put myself right there in the crowd. It’s safe to say I found what I was looking for.” Erik looked at him, confused, and still extremely nervous. Looking for? 

“For what? If I may ask… uh, Davey.”

“A successor.” The words pierced into Erik’s mind like a bullet. He couldn’t have heard that right, could he? It was impossible. None of this was real. He was dreaming! He couldn’t be serious! There’s no way, right? His words had proven too much for Erik as they banded together with his already prominent exhaustion. He passed out on the spot, collapsing to the floor. 

“Damn! Star, you should’ve waited! You know how exhausted these kids are after a show like that?”

“I didn’t think that would happen!” Erik’s collapse had alerted everyone else in the room, causing the embraces of both families to be broken as his bandmates rushed to help. Taking a good look over Erik as he laid spread out on his back, worry washed away quickly between the four. Erik had done this many, many times before when practicing. He would always overdo it and completely tucker himself out, causing him to be extremely prone to passing out. 

“He’s fine. He just needs some rest and a little water. Help me lift him over to the couch, you two.” Obliging, Robby and Sylus both picked him up by his wings while Leah lifted him by the legs. Even with three people, his size still made him quite heavy. Setting him down on one of the leather couches, Leah sat down on the other across from him and watched, making sure nothing else happened to him. “Thank you. Mom, Dad, come sit with me. I need to keep my eye on him.”

“Why do you need to watch him? Seems like he’s resting just fine to me.” Leah didn’t want to admit that she worried about him more than anyone else in the room. 

“It’s called being a good friend. I’ll make sure he gets up before you three get on stage. I don’t think he’d ever forgive me for letting him miss you play.” Shrugging, Dark Star turned to the others alongside Comet and Wave.

“Well, we’ve got half an hour to kill. Who wants to get some drinks?!” To his surprise, only his fellow bandmates responded. “Guess you’re not in the mood. That’s fine, more for us! We’ll be right back.” The three set off towards the exit, heading out onto the festival grounds to party for the next half hour. An odd choice for people about to go up on stage, but to each their own. Sylus and Robby both returned to their parents, where they followed them up onto their father’s special platform on the side of the stage. All that remained now were four owls. One was asleep, and the others had a lot to talk about.

“Leah. I know there’s a lot going on, but you have to explain yourself. Why the hell have you been keeping this from us for so long? You didn’t want to tell your own parents you’ve been playing in a band for three whole years?” Leah looked down, embarassed. 

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think you two would approve. You’ve always wanted me to become a perfect, straight-A student in school. I felt if you knew about this, you would take it away in fear that it would ruin my interest in university. I kept it secret for so long because I was worried about what you would think. It would have remained a secret as well if we didn’t have a show thrown on us so suddenly.”

“We just worry about you, Leah! We only want the best for you, and you know you have to go through university if you want to be successful! It’s all out of love.”

“Well if it was out of love, than you would understand that university isn’t my life!”

“Leah! Don’t yell at your mother like that.”

“I’m sorry, I just- I need you to understand. I can live a normal life outside of university just fine. This should be proof, is it not? I’ve been playing in a band for three years and I’ve had straight As the entire time! I work my ass off in university just so you don’t get down on me for living my normal life. You’ve been so obssessed with keeping me ‘set straight’ my whole life when I’ve never even been out of line! I understand you love me, and god I love you too, but you have to let me live my life how I want to. I can’t spend my younger years just- glued to textbooks!” Her parents looked at her in silence. They were completely speechless. She’d never been this open before. 

“We just don’t want you to end up some dropout punk like all the other kids your age. Don’t act like you don’t still put us off, either. You just ditched us earlier today! We want you to grow up to be a nice, smart, and respectable person.” Before Leah could retaliate, Erik rolled around on the couch a little before beginning to talk in his sleep. 

“Leah’s the… nicest person I’ve… ough… ever known…” He was still clearly dreaming, but their conversation had rubbed off on his consciousness as he heard it all in his sleep. Leah’s parents looked to Erik, then back to their daughter.

“Mom, Dad, I’m not telling you I’m dropping out of university or anything. You don’t know how much him and the others have changed my life. I’m serious. If I hadn’t found them, I would likely have no friends at all. I need you to leave this part of my life alone, and let me have at least something. It won’t impede anything, I promise.” Her parents looked at her with sorrowful eyes. She was right. Her father reached out and grasped her, pulling her in close across the couch to hug her. Her mother looked away as she began to cry on the other end of the couch.

“I’m so sorry, Leah. You’re right. We’re too worried about you, but I can see that you’re doing just fine, my sweet baby girl. May I confess something?”

“Yeah?”

“You killed it out there.” Leah laughed.

“I know.” The three sat close to eachother for the next twenty minutes, watching Erik as they awaited for either him to wake up or for Galactic to show up again. Her parents had a lot to think about as they sat in silence, but at least their daughter still loved them. The silence was eventually interrupted by Galactic, who came waltzing back in with drinks in hand. 

“We’re baaaack!” Leah and her parents stared silently at the three. “Tough crowd. Where’s Paulie? This beer’s got his name on it and we gotta start getting ready.”

“He’s up on his platform, with the rest of them. We’ll be joining them as soon as we wake Erik back up.”

“He’s still asleep? Right before our show? Not on my watch.” Dark Star set one of the two beers in his hands down on the small table and grabbed an open bottle of water that Erik hadn’t finished. Without a shred of hesitation, he splashed it right onto the poor bird’s face.

“Wakey, wakey, big guy!” Erik’s eyes shot wide open as he panicked. He flailed around a little on the couch before sitting himself upright. He was feeling better now, aside from the fact that his face and shirt were now soaked.

“Asshole! What’s your fuckin’ problem, Davey?! Oh! I mean- I’m sorry-”

“Look at that! You remembered. We’re up in ten. We knew you wouldn’t wanna miss it.” Erik quickly looked over to Leah, who covered her mouth with her wing as she laughed at him. Annoyed, soaked in water, and still recovering from passing out, he now sat completely upright on the couch.

“Real thoughtful!”

“Hey, at least you’re up! You four should go head up to Paulie’s little hideout up those stairs. Oh, and bring him his beer if you don’t mind.” Leah grabbed the beer as she stood up from the couch, her parents following shortly after. Erik shook his head around to dry off his face, splashing water everywhere like a wet dog. 

“Some idol you are.” The four of them set off for the stairs, where they carefully stepped up one at a time while avoiding catching their talons on anything. Reaching the top, they walked through a small doorway that led to what seemed to be a private lounge. Robby and Sylus could be seen stuffing their faces with food at a small party table where they sat with their mother. Paulie could be seen at the huge panel he described earlier, managing the lights of the stage as he prepared to have Galactic come up on stage. 

“Oh! Mmf- Looks who’s here!” Robby, with his mouth completely full of food, called the four over to the table. “Erik, Leah! Come get in on this, there’s all sorts of grub over here!” With both of them starving after the performance, they rushed over to the table to get in on the feast with no hesitation. Leah’s parents were stunned at how messily she ate as she tore into the food like a psycho alongside the others. Even Erik was no stranger to it when he was starving. Anna stood up, and approached the two. 

“I don’t think we’ve gotten to meet yet, have we? You two are Leah’s parents, I presume?”

“Yeah. Nice set up you guys got here. How the hell did you pull this off if the city runs the festival?”

“My husband has been working as the one and only stage crew for years now. It was only a matter of time before he set up his own nest up here. Would you two care for a drink? Show starts soon. You’ll find seats with a perfect view over there as well, if you’d like.”

“You’re too kind, Mrs…”

“Anna. You can just call me Anna. I’ve known your daughter for so long. She’s a family friend now. No need for formalities.”

“Well thank you, Anna.” The two sat themselves down at some seats that looked down on the stage. It wasn’t a directly forward view, but it was still quite good. Back at the table, the four sat satisfied as they finished up the last of their meals. It was the one thing they needed most after giving it everything on stage, after all. Anna came around as well, pouring everyone drinks. Erik and Leah splurged a little, asking for a drink alongside Robby and Sylus. The time to celebrate was upon them. 

“So, we finally made it. Our first show.”

“It’s been a hell of a ride, hasn’t it?” 

“About damn time, I say!”

“How about a toast?” All of them were on board with it. Robby wanted to be the one to come up with the toast, so without hesitation he lifted his plastic cup full of alcohol up before anyone else could. 

“To Flock!” The others smiled, and all four of them raised their cups in tandem.

“TO FLOCK!” All of them clashed their cups together, spilling a considerable amount of alcohol on the table before all of them chugged like it was nothing. Slamming their cups down, the four laughed together. The night was still young, and the party had only just started! 

Lights shined bright before Robby’s eyes once more. With his vision blurry and his ears ringing, he desperately tried to keep himself together. His legs shook violently as he felt like he was bearing hundreds of pounds of weight on his shoulders. Once again, he found himself upon the stage. Clutching his bass to his chest, he desperately tried to pull himself together as he battled the stability of his own legs. In front of him stood the crowd, a blurred mass of feathers and colors that let out a warped cheer towards Robby as he stood before them. He didn’t understand what was going on or why he was on the stage again. The rest of the band was nowhere to be found, leaving him completely alone to please the crowd by himself. He felt like he had collapsed already, but yet he still stood. Terrified, he tried to step away from the stage, but couldn’t seem to bring his legs to move at all. As he stood frozen, the crowd slowly moved itself towards him, chanting his name as the mass of people climbed onto the stage. 

“Robb-y! Robb-y! Robb-y!”

He continued to try and move his legs, though he couldn’t even feel them anymore. His bass had dissapeared from his hands, and the crowd had now surrounded him completely.

“Robb-y! Robb-y!”

The chanting was rythmic, though was barely comprehensible as Robby continued to feel dazed. From the crowd, a familiar figure approached. Sylus had stepped out from the crowd, a blank expression on his face. As he stood before his brother, his arm began to raise.

“Robb-y! Robb-y! Robby! Robby!” The cheering had turned from a rythmic cheer to now what seemed like a singled out voice calling out to him. The crowd was still incomprehensible besides his own brother in front of him. Sylus’ arm had now completely raised, he was preparing to hit Robby with a haymaker. Sylus stepped forward, winding his arm back as the now completely singular voice continued to call out to Robby.

“Robby! Hey! Robby!” Still unable to move, Robby braced as his brother’s fist descended upon his face. But before it could connect, a weird rush washed over him as it felt like he was being pulled out of a pool. The fist had become an open palm, still which still ended up collingding with the side of his face. His neck turned nearly ninety degrees as he recoiled, awakening him from his drunken slumber.

“Robby, wake your ass up!” Robby’s eyes shot open wide as his face seared from the collision of Sylus’ hand.

“Ah, fuck!” He instinctually raised his arm in front of his face, expecting another hit to come his way. As his blurry vision cleared, he moved his arm back down as his brother came into view.

“Wake the hell up. You gotta see this! Come on, come on!” Before Robby could swing back at his brother for waking him up so suddenly, Sylus had ran back to the leather couch just across the room. Robby sat slumped against one of Erik’s bookshelves, legs spread out far with his back and neck burning with pain from sleeping with such bad posture. His legs were numb and had that painful static feeling from losing bloodflow. Gathering his thoughts and recovering himself from the sudden waking, he looked forward to see that he was in Erik’s study. With absolutely no memory of the night before, he sat confused as he wondered how he ended up there. From the left side of his vision, Erik, Leah, and Sylus all sat next to eachother on Erik’s couch. They were all staring up at the television that stood above the unlit fireplace.

“Finally got him up, Sy? Just in time for this. Rob! Get over here, quickly!” Erik beckoned him over to the couch with a quick wave of his left wing. Regaining feeling in his legs, he pushed himself up off the ground. Using the bookshelf as support, and knocking down a few books in the process, he had finally stood all the way up. His journey to the couch was short but strenuous, as he almost tripped over on himself twice as he approached.

“Spot right here, Rob. Hurry up!”

“I’m fucking hurrying! God.” His head was throbbing. Reaching the couch, he dropped onto it as he rubbed his eyes. 

“Oh! There it is, look!” On the television, the news was playing, which had comprised the usual weather forecast and petty theft arrests until a very special headline appeared. On the bottom bar, bold words spelled out the headline for the 9AM story. “ASPIRING BAND SHOCKS AT CITY FESTIVAL” A picture appeared just above the bar, showing an up close angle of the band from the front of the crowd. There they stood, Erik clutching the microphone stand in his wing as he sang his heart out, Robby and Sylus back to back with eachother, both completely lost in the moment, and Leah being lost in a mass of her own feathers as she pushed every one of her muscles to their breaking point.

“Holy shit. There we are... I almost can’t believe it.” Leah was the only one to speak, as the rest of them sat with mouths agape. The picture shrunk down a little and moved to the corner of the screen, revealing a male cedar waxwing who acted as Talon City 7’s main reporter.

“Last night at eight, festival-goers were shocked as a previously unknown band by the name of ‘Flock’ debuted itself as an opening act for the legendary rock band, Galactic. Hundreds were blown away by what they described as ‘one of the most powerful performances ever’ by many. Upon the stage in the photo stands four owls, whom we still have not discovered the identities of as of this morning. The band itself remains a mystery as well, as they do not come up from any internet searches. We have reached out to the well-known festival planner Paulie Dyanmo for an interview, but we have only received silence from him so far. 

“Wonder why he’s keeping quiet about it? Don’t you think he’d want to tell people about us?”

“I’m not sure. Dad’s always been a man of many secrets, so maybe he wants us to reach out instead?” More photos flashed by in intervals upon the television. Closeups of Erik’s face as he cried his eyes out during Stargazer, Robby and Sylus staring eachother down during the solo of Flight of Icarus, and Leah, with her feathers flowing back, arms high in the air, and sweat flying off of her face as she gave her all on Stargazer as well.

“The appearance of the mystery band has left many in turmoil as people desperately search for the four in hopes of getting information. For now, that is the only update we have. If you happen upon any of these four, please get their names and contact us so we can seek an interview ourselves. Now, onto the next story. A local restaraunt caught fire this morning as…”

“Why the hell are they treating us like we’re wanted criminals? ‘If you find them, get their names and contact us’? God, what the hell did we sign ourselves up for?”

“I’m unsure, but I think I’m going to be hiding out for the day. I’m hungover, and looking like this in an interview would be the death of me.” Erik stood up from his couch, his feathers were ruffled and messy from last night’s party. All he had left on was his white polo shirt and his pants, as his green knit sweater and tie had mysteriously dissapeared. This was no problem to him however, as he keeps a backup set of all of his favorite outfits. “If you guys want to stick around here just for today, I think that’d be our best plan of action. We need to figure out how we’re going to prepare for all… that. Shower’s open in the guest bathroom as well.” 

“Dibs on first!” Robby raised his right arm above his head, still slightly disoriented from waking up. The thought of taking a hot shower made Robby excited, as it was probably what he needed most right now. The problem was, Sylus wanted that shower just as much as Robby did. He jumped up off the couch and run towards the bathroom.

“Not if I get there first!” 

“Absolutely not, prick!” Robby sprinted after him with wrath in his eyes. No one breaks his dibs and gets away with it.

“If you guys break anything in this house, I swear to god I’ll kill you!” The two turned the corner and headed into the hallway that housed the guest bathroom. Erik let out a tired breath and looked to Leah, who was staring blankly at the still running television. “You alright, Leah? I honestly thought you’d run after them, too.” He was met with silence, not even a glance from Leah. Concerned, he stuck his wing out and waved it in front of her face. “Leeeaah? Hello? You awake?” With no response still, he decided to take drastic measure. He shoved his wing into her face, forcing his messy feathers upon her. Her trance was broken, and she pushed Erik’s wing away as she recoiled from the surprise.

“Ack! Sorry, sorry! I’m awake. I’m fine.”

“Sure you’re okay? I’m hungover too, if you’re sick I have medicine in the upstairs bathroom.”

“No, I’m okay. Just… thinking. About things. It’s a lot, you know?”

“Oh, I know. But everything will turn out fine. Don’t even worry about it. Now, good luck fighting those two over the shower. I’m off to take a bath.”

“Yeah. Cool, cool. Oh! You got anything in your fridge?”

“Would telling you stop you from raiding it?”

“No.”

“Go wild, Leah.” Erik quickly launched himself upward from the first floor, and with a couple of flaps he had reached the balcony looking over from the second floor. With another motion, he had passed over the railing and left Leah’s sight. A few large feathers fell down from where he had flown, with one landing gently next to her on the couch. She stared at it, her mind beginning to zone out again as she admired the colors on it. A beautiful dance of what would normally be considered dull colors, each exemplifying the other enough to make them stand out just as much as any other color. They were well kept, with the only time they fell off being completely naturally or if he’s really roughed up. Only a couple of other hawk owls like him lived in Talon City, so it was cool to her she gets to know one so personally. He reminds her of home up north, where you’d see a hawk owl like him almost everywhere you turned. Of course, she was terrified of every single one of them after a bad high-school breakup. But something about Erik was different.

Before she could continue her thoughtful trance, Sylus had turned back around the corner from the hallway. He stomped back towards the couch, with an annoyed look on his face.

“Asshole. My jacket looks fucking great. Like he would have any sense of fashion, anyway. Dick.” Dropping himself back onto the couch, he crushed the stray feather Leah was staring at. 

“Aw, damn! Sylus!”

“What? What’d I do?”

“Stand up!” Confused, he stood up from the couch, unveiling the sad sight of the now crumpled feather.

“A feather? What’s it matter so much to you?”

“I… I don’t know. The colors were nice to look at I guess.” The peeved look on Sylus’ face had dissapeared as he now had something to distract himself with while he waited for Robby to finish up. He was curious. Leah was always seen trying to get close to Erik whenever the four hung out. Something about him just made her feel good. It’s likely that he helps her not feel so secluded, being as she’s from up north. Both her and Erik stuck out like a sore thumb in Talon City, a place where few from the north come to live.

“Can I ask you something, Leah?” Sylus grabbed the feather and sat back down onto the couch, holding it up in front of both of them. “I’m just curious about something.”

“Well?”

“I’ve seen how you are around Erik. I’ve heard some things you say about him when you’re around him. Those one-off, unsubtle compliments of yours. You mean those. You like him, don’t you?” Leah was stunned. Suddenly, she was being interrogated.

“Why the hell would you want to know about something like that? What’s it matter to you?”

“Well, we’re all in the same band, right? No use keeping secrets from eachother. “

“I don’t have to tell you a damn thing, Sylus.”

“So is that a yes?”

“No- fuck- Sylus! Fuck off!”

“Theres no shame in it! It’s just something that doesn’t hurt to know about your own bandmates. I know it doesn’t affect me at all, so I’ve got no problem with it or anything.”

“Will you stop? Where the hell is this even coming from?”

“Well, let me give it to you straight.” Sylus leaned in close to Leah.

“Guarantee you this. He likes you back. You see how he perks up whenever you’re around? Guy’s a total loser. Hasn’t found a girl since sophomore year, and is too busy sticking his beak in books to try.”

“Likes me back?! What are you- Whats your point here, Sylus?”

“I think you should ask him out. Give the guy a chance, I say. It’ll be good for both of you.”

“You’re still under the impression that I like him? I mean- come on, really?”

The nervous look on her face didn’t help sell her case to Sylus.

“Listen to yourself. You’re tripping over your own words just talking about him like this. I got my answer already, so I just wanted you to hear me out. You’ve been around with us for three years. I don’t think theres any reason to hide anything from eachother anymore.”

“Alright, alright, man! Can we not talk about it anymore? I don’t need you throwing shit like that at me right now. We’ve got more important things to focus on, anyway. Like, oh I don’t know, that we were on the fucking news this morning?”

“I only say all that with good intentions, Leah. I know the band is more important, but I think it’d benefit the both of you. Break that bubble already.”

“What made you cupid all of the sudden, asshole?”

“To be honest, I just want to see Erik open up more. He’s awkward, quiet, and unsocialable around people. I think you could help him break out of that funk. Sometimes all a guy needs is some affection.”

“Whatever. It’s none of your fucking business, Sylus. I’m grabbing something to eat.” Getting up from the couch, Leah stepped angrily over to the kitchen, annoyed by the sudden interrogation. Sylus chuckled under his breath a little and laid his head back on the couch. Shutting his eyes, he attempted to squeeze in a quick power nap before Robby finished showering. Still hungover and exhausted from the night before, it was well deserved.

In the kitchen, Leah opened the doors of the stainless steel fridge, being met with her favorite thing about Erik’s place. His fridge was completely loaded. Just about anything could be found in it, as ingredients piled up constantly. Erik can’t really cook properly because of his wings, so he often eats simpler, pre-packaged meals, leaving everything else in his fridge to never be used despite him continuously buying them. Why he does so remains a mystery to this day. 

“Thank god.” 

Upstairs, Erik was digging around in his closet in search of what he was going to wear for the day. Sifting through several of the same white polo shirt and sleeveless sweater, he eventually dug up his favorite sleeveless sweater. There was no difference between this and the others, besides the fact that it was a much darker green. Grabbing a gray polo shirt and black pants along with the sweater, he decided it was a good day to dress as he would describe, “rebellious”. He laid the outfit onto his bed, pondered it one more time, and gave himself a small nod of approval before entering his bathroom.

 As he shut the door behind himself, he flicked the lightswitch on the wall with his wing, which caused the room to be filled with a dim orange light. A handful of electric candles spread around the bathroom lit up as well, complementing the already warm lighting. He reached over the bathtub and twisted the small handle that said “HOT” as much as he could. A quick moment of silence led into the loud rushing of water from the faucet and into the bathtub. Turning from the bathtub, he looked at himself in the large, square mirror above the sink. He looked like he had been caught in a hurricane, with his feathers messy and ruffled all over his face and body. It had been forever since he let himself go so much, the last time being the high school graduation party hosted by Robby. You can imagine how that went. To his left, a small CD player sat near the edge of the countertop. Already loaded with Jean Parrotuier’s Midnight Classics, it took a small push of the resume button with the end of his wing for the small stereo to being emanating the soothing sound of a slow, quiet saxophone. The mood was set, the tub was full, and Erik had just finished stripping himself of his old clothes. Excitedly turning the handle back to where it was before, he quickly stepped both legs into the tub and laid the rest of himself down into the water. His blissful excitement of taking a nice, hot bath had blinded him and his senses from the horrible truth. A sheer, freezing cold ran throughout this entire body as he shot his eyes wide open in shock. Not one drop of the water in the tub came close to the promised warmth written upon the faucet’s handle. Now wildly flailing himself around, he desperately splashed around in the tub as the cold shock continued to torture his mind, body, and soul. Eventually, he gathered enough strength to stand himself up and clamour out of the bathtub, splashing water all over the floor of his bathroom.

“Fuck! Fuck! Ah! Oh, Fuck!”

Now soaked, freezing, and spilling water everywhere, his private time had been completely ruined. There was only one thing to blame, and to no surprise, it was Robby, who was currently stealing all of Erik’s hot water as he sang to himself in the shower. Oblivious to his thievery, he was having the time of his life. Erik sat cold and miserable on the floor as he pondered what to do. After a few moments, he decided it was too late to go back and climbed back into the bathtub, braving the cold.

Back downstairs, Leah had made herself and Sylus each a simple ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwich. She left Sylus’ on the coffee table, as she didn’t want to wake him up from his nap. Despite his very personal and annoying interrogation, she wouldn’t leave him out of a sandwich. It just wouldn’t be right. Up above the fireplace, the television continued to play the news on mute. Boring headlines continued to pass by, with many blending into eachother as petty crimes seemed to barely have any variety in Talon City. Still exhausted, Leah was about to fall asleep herself with sandwich in hand. That was until a picture of her own face flashed upon the television. Nearly hurling all the food in her mouth out, she sat upright quickly as she gawked at the television. Eyes open wide and mouth agape, 

“What the fuck?!” Unlike the last photos from earlier, her face could actually be seen. Several photos from her Hootstagram page were being plastered on the news for thousands to see, ranging from selfies with friends all the way to mirror poses when she had a good outfit on. “Are you fucking serious?!” She quickly set the sandwich down on the table and grabbed the remote, fiddling with it for a moment thanks to her large feathers before she could unmute the television.

“Thanks to anonymuous people who spoke up from social media, we have identified one member of the mysterious band ‘Flock’. By the name of Leah Straumr, she is the drummer of the band and a student at Talon City’s University of Avian Arts…”

“You can’t be fucking serious! My school? MY FULL NAME?! This has to be a nightmare. I’m still seven beers deep and passed out. I have to be.” Leah’s panicked yelling had woken Sylus from his nap, who sluggishly opened his eyes to see what she was shouting about. Getting a good look at the television, his mouth dropped open just as far as Leah’s. He couldn’t believe it either.

“What the fuck? Why the hell is it just you up there? And why are they talking about you like some wanted criminal?”

“I don’t know! I’m just revealed to the entire world now, I guess! How the fuck am I going to go to university, let alone walk down the street like this?! What about my parents? I wasn’t ready to say anything yet! At least a week would have been nice!” Fear crushed down on her mind, and to make things worse, her phone vibrated intensely from her back pocket. Quickly grabbing it, it continued to vibrate in her hand as dozens of notifications flooded onto her lock screen. Almost all of her friends from online were texting her, along with dozens of messages suddenly coming in on her previously small social media profiles.

“Oh, fuck me. What the hell is their problem? Why the hell is the news allowed to just broadcast all of that?” Her phone continued to explode with notifications, all the while Sylus watched with an odd mix of fear and excitement.

“Well. It was bound to happen eventually, I guess. The gig is up! They know who we are, so we now we lose the element of surprise. Hope you’re ready to answer questions, because I know I sure as hell am not.” Looking back from Leah, he spotted the sandwich that Leah had made him resting peacefully on the table amidst the chaos that had just broken out. “Oh, sandwich!” Without hesitation, he reached forward and ripped the sandwich from the table like a true predator would with its prey. Leah was too focused on her situation to realize that he was devouring the sandwich she prepared while she desperately responded to as many of her friends as she could. “Can’t talk right now.” “Text me tommorow.” “Tell you about it later.” Excuses made to buy her just a little of time from the onslaught as she also muted her social apps. The vibrating had finally ceased, leaving Leah at peace for just a moment before it began vibrating again. 

“God, what now?” Raising her phone up once more, her heart sank as she read she was getting a call from her mom. “No. Not now, please.” Sylus continued to watch the television as he ate, with more pictures of Leah appearing alongside the bold red text of the headline.

“Surely this isn’t legal. I don’t think they’ve shown this many pictures on the news when they caught the Pink-Beaked Maniac a couple years back.”

“Alongside this aspiring band, the concert also held a surprise reunion show for the legendary band, Galactic. Three of the members rejoined together after twelve years to put on a…”

“Finally stopped talkin’ about you. What the hell kind of news station is this, anyway?” Looking back to Leah, Sylus found her missing from the couch. She had run outside the front door with her phone to her ear, with frantic apologies being the last things Sylus heard before the door shut. “Poor thing.” He looked down to the remaining half sandwich in his hands. “Now it’s just me and you, sandwich.” Before he could tear apart the rest of the sandwich, a shout from down the hall interrupted him.

“Sylus! Sylus, can you do me a favor?” The sandwich’s life had been spared as Sylus lowered the sandwich from his mouth.

“What the hell do you want, Rob? You take the shower and then you ask for a favor?”

“That doesn’t matter! Can you bring me an outfit? I forgot to grab one when we were racing in here!” Sylus frowned. 

“Dumbass! Whatever, you owe me!” As he stood up from the couch, a small issue occured to him. Where the hell was he going to find clothes for Robby at Erik’s place? Unsure of where to start, he spotted a small, thin, and steep flight of stairs that led up to the second floor. Unable to think of anywhere else to check, he set off towards the stairs.

Outside, Leah was quickly walking around in circles in Erik’s driveway with her phone held tight to her ear.

“How the hell was I supposed to know this would happen?! The plan was to put on the show and then wait a week before we got back out there! I didn’t think my Hootstagram would cause such an issue!” From the phone, her mother’s furious voice bellowed into her ear.

“Well, you should have thought of that before you decided to go and blow the entire city away! Now your father and I are wrapped up in this too! Hell, I’m getting e-mails from my boss asking about you!”

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal! You think I wanted the news to suddenly obsess over us this quick? No! We wanted time before we got out there. That show was just to get our footing!”

“Well, your ‘footing’ seems to have been lost, seeing as you’re on the damn NEWS! Do you know how scared we were to see your face up there? We thought you had died before we read the headline!” 

“Look, Mom, I don’t know what to tell you! I’m figuring things out. Just- just let me handle things, please.”

“You told both of us last night that this band of yours wouldn’t impede your life. Clearly we were wrong to believe you, just like the last three attempts at assurance! You don’t have your license, you don’t have your own place, and your grades have been on a steady decline! Don’t think I don’t check! You’ve done nothing but dissapoint recently. I don’t care how cool your little band is, you’re not focusing on what really matters!” In the background, her father could be heard faintly as he tried to calm her down.

“Alice, don’t be so hard on her. Please. We just cut her some slack last night, let her have her breathing room.”

“What the hell do you want from me then? I’m trying my hardest to make things work for you! I can’t be perfect, it’s not possible! Did that whole talk mean nothing to you? Do you think I did this on purpose? Oh, yeaaah! You got me, mom! This was all a part of my plan to dissapoint you! I got you good! NO! I’m doing as much as I can without slaving myself away and wasting my life! I wouldn’t have made it past the second term of university if I didn’t have this band to keep me sane! All you ever do is expect more and more from me when I’m not ready to offer it!” Hoping her outburst would bring some sense to her mother, her expectations were shattered by what followed.

“To hell with that, Leah! We’ve tried our hardest to make you happy and you keep turning away from it! If you didn’t go to that stupid show, you’d be in your own fucking apartment right now! We gave you a chance last night, but you went and messed it all up! You’re a hypocrite, Leah! You need to ditch that band and straighten yourself out!” Leah’s frantic pacing had come to a halt. Those words had reached deeper than she was expecting. A hypocrite. She’d never heard her mom call her that before. For a moment, Leah conisdered that maybe she was right. No. I’m just living my life. The words passed through her mind, ready to exit through her speech, but nothing came out. She had nothing to say. Still frozen, she hesitantly gathered the strength to say something she’d consider completely idiotic.

“I’m taking the week off. Don’t expect me home soon.”

“What?! Leah, you better not fucking-”

Beep.

The phone call was cut. The only sound that now remained was the passing of a gentle breeze that blew threw her feathers. She lowered her arm down to her side, taking the phone along with it. Looking up to the sky, she stared blankly for a moment, before closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh.

“What am I doing?”

Back inside, Sylus’ spot on the couch was now occupied by a refreshed and clean Robby, who was watching ‘Kitchen Flightmares’ on the television. His outfit was a complete mess, frantically thrown together by Sylus, who had to scavenge through Erik’s wardrobe. A large vintage band shirt covered most of his body, it being three sizes too large since it belonged to Erik, who stood a staggering nine inches taller than Robby. The dark gray sweatpants also picked out by Sylus fit him surprisingly well, with them being an old pair Erik used to wear when he was only thirteen. Now sprawled out on the couch, he was as comfortable as he could be.

The front door swung open quickly, letting in a chilly breeze of air that made itself known to Robby by sneaking its way through the oversized shirt and directly onto him. Shivering, he sat up just enough to turn his head around and peek over the couch. He watched as Leah slammed the door behind her and stomp over to the stairs.

“Oh, hey Leah! Sylus just got in the shower, if you’re wondering where-”

“Sorry. I need to use the restroom.” She quickly dissapeared up the stairs before Robby could get another word out. 

“Oooookay. Have fun, I guess.” He slumped back down, orienting his focus back onto the television. Upstairs, Leah had sat herself on the edge of Erik’s bed with a frustrated look on her face. Already hungover and tired, her parents’ preaching didn’t help her mood at all. Staring at the floor with her arms crossed and the feathers on her face furled, she mumbled angrily to herself.

“Stupid fuckin’ parents. Give me a break for one day, will you? Make me all mad, act surprised when I shout! Whatever. I don’t care. School will be fine. They’ll be fine. They just need to back off for once. Why’d it have to be me, anyway? Why isn’t Robby or Sylus up there? It’s not fair at all. I have to be the one to take the blow, and I just so happen to be the only one with responsibilties! Fuck!” She dropped her head low and grasped her face in her hands. She let out a pathetic shout that was muffled by her feathers. Raising her head back up, she was prepared to start the second round of mumbling to herself. That was until the bathroom door in the room’s corner opened. 

“Leah? Can I ask what you’re doing up here? Why’s my wardrobe a mess?” He stepped through the doorframe, wearing his slightly darker than usual outfit. His feathers were still a little damp and his glasses slightly fogged. He had yet to get to his post-bathing routine.

“Oh! Erik, I’m so sorry, I- I just came up here for a moment to-” Erik turned his head slightly, curious as to why she was up there in the first place. He could see there was a worried look on her face, so he quickly raised concern before she could make an excuse.

“Are you alright, Leah? Did something happen while I was in the bath?” Leah sighed. She lost her opportunity to make up an excuse so Erik wouldn’t worry, but he was too quick to sense something was wrong. Stepping over to the foot of the bed, Erik sat down next to her. He went to wrap his wing around her, but realized he was still a little damp and likely cold to the touch still, with credit due to the freezing bath.

“Erik, I- It’s bad. You know how we wanted to take a week before we got out there? Maybe come up with some original songs while we got our footing?”

“Yes, so what’s the issue?”

“I was on the news just a moment ago. Pictures of me, my name, everything.” 

“What?! You were on the news?! How the hell did you end up there?!”

“‘Anonymous tip from someone on Hootstagram.’ Some asshole friend of mine probably.”

“Did anyone else show up on there? How about Robby, Sylus, and I?”

“No. Just me. Treated me like I was some wanted criminal or something.”

“Did they at least talk about the band? Surely it wasn’t just you.”

“They did. Apparently, people are really desperate to find out who we are. Only reason you guys haven’t been discovered yet is because no one really knows you three besides a select few people. I just- didn’t think this would happen.”

“Well, I’m sure it’ll be okay. Just lie low with me for the next week, anyway. Do your parents know about this yet?” Everything Erik said echoed back into his mind as he worried he could say something awkward at any moment. 

“That’s the worst part.” 

“Oh, man. I’m so sorry. Though, were you three not just happy with eachother last night? I heard your conversation with them.”

“You were awake that whole time?” Leah gave him a light punch in the gut. “Prick!”

“I’m sorry! I just… was curious what you were going to talk about. You’d been telling me they were very strict and intense people up to that point, so when you stood up to them I couldn’t help but want to listen.”

“So what you mumbled in your ‘sleep’… did you mean that? Or was it just to help my case?”

“Of course I meant it! It’s the truth, I thought it would help!”

“God, you try too hard sometimes! You’re nicer than you need to be, you know that?”

“What, do you want me to be meaner or something?” 

“No, you’re just- you’re something, you know that? So grounded. So… real.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t know, honestly.”

“Pfft. Okay, weirdo. Hey, you know what would take your mind off your parents? A hot bath. I just got done in there, so it’s all yours if you want it. Just make sure Sylus is done showering first, or else you’ll be frozen to death by the supposedly ‘hot’ water. Or maybe you won’t, seeing as you lived up north for most of your life.” He gave her a small smile as he stood up from the bed.

“I should take you up there when I visit my family again. I think they’d love to see a hawk owl like you. Most of them are all brawn over brains up there. Though you seem to have both. Way to break the stereotype, big guy!” 

They both shared a laugh together as Leah stood up to prepare for her bath. Just like Robby, she had to pick out something from Erik’s wardrobe to wear for the day. Nothing but oversized bandshirts and pants. She would not be going home soon, so her own clothes were off the table until they were washed alongside Robby and Sylus’, courtesy of Erik’s top of the line washing machine. Once Erik had finished helping Leah, he hopped over the second floor railing and descended down toward Robby to join him in the study below.

It was the night of the big show. Talon City’s streets were near empty as the sunset neared its end, with only a spare few people roaming still. The air that weaved its way through alleys and streets grew colder as the sun dissapeared below the horizon and took its warmth with it. The darkness of the night closed in upon the city as streetlights lit up on their own, guiding those who still wandered the streets. Despite such a momentus event occuring only a few blocks away in the city’s central park, some chose to stick to their own private lives for the night. 

Slow tapping of talons upon the cement sidewalk emenated from a hooded figure who walked alone along the road quiet road. The surrounding buildings showed no signs of life, with not a soul to be found within any of them. Though, one particular building stuck out from the others as it emitted a warm orange glow through its small square windows. A hanging sign stuck out from above the polished wooden door that served as the only way into the last respite left in Talon City, “Soul of the Sea” was written upon the sign in an annoyingly fancy font. The tapping had slowed to a halt as the figure stopped to look up at the sign, taking a moment to read it before ducking his head down low once again. Steppng up to the door, he slowly pushed it inward as he stepped inside to find solace in the cold night.

The inside of the building was a stark contrast to the cold fall air outside. The dim and warm lights seen from outside filled the interior of the building, casting onto a dark brown and green pattern of wallpaper and wood which gave the place an older, more antique feel. A large stone fireplace stood near the northern corner, and polished wooden tables surrounded by chairs were spread throughout the main floor in an orderly pattern, and a large bar extended outward from the eastern wall. Behind it stood shelves filled to the brim with many different expensive kinds of alcohol. From imports to handcrafted locals, even a wealthy person would scoff at the price of some. Alongside the alcohol, an older northern storm petrel stood polishing a shot glass with a small rag grasped in his large, feathery fingers. Another bearer of Ritomasia. Clad in a formal red and black outfit, he wore an eyepatch and a very worn sailor’s cap. He almost looked as if he was putting on some character, though the accessories were genuine. The feathers on his head and wings were well kept and compacted to give himself a skinnier look than his feathers let on.

“Welcome in, stranger.”

The hooded figure approached with his head still low, the petrel being unable to see his face properly. Reaching the bar, he slowly dragged a stool out from the bar before sitting down and laying his arms out on the bar in front of him. The bartender could barely make out who could be under the hood, causing him to become tense. The only thing that stuck out were a few white feathers and a large black-brown beak. The figure gave off an intimidating feeling, leading the bartender to tread carefully with his words.

“Not joining the rest with the festival, huh? What’ll it be for you tonight, stranger?”

“Oxidized Royale. On the rocks. Three shots of lime.” The bartender was taken aback for a moment, as this was no ordinary order to him. Still unable to recognize who was under the hood, he worried this stranger could really be trouble for him.

“Waves crashed or settled?”

“Crashed.” Without saying another word, the bartender nervously began working on the drink, while also occassionally looking back to the figure to make sure he wasn’t about to attack him. Though the figure continued to stare downward into the bar table as he waited patiently for his drink. Quiet jazz played from a couple of small speakers mantled in the corners of the room, adding further into the comfortable feeling of the place. The hooded figure tapped his fingers on the bar along to the drums of the music, matching its slow pace and failing to miss a beat. At the moment, nothing else mattered to him besides the music. Tap. Ta-tap. Tap. Ta-tap. Ta- clink.

“Here you are, stranger. Door’s to the right of the bathroom. Are you uh, a friend of theirs?” The bartender nervously set the drink down in front of the figure before stepping back for his own safety. He stood in silence as he watched the stranger pick up the glass with his right hand, and reach above his own head with his left. Before he drank, he pulled his hood off of his head with his left hand. 

“Thank’s for the drink, Gary.” The bartender let out a deep sigh of relief, which then quickly morphed into an annoyed look.

“You can’t do that to me, Tom! You know I get nervous when I work this late.”

“Baha! I knew I was putting on a good act when you didn’t recognize me walkin’ in!” Below the hood was the head of a bearded vulture, whose face was adorned with white and black feathers that were thick around the top and back of his head that gave him a mane-like look. His eyes were a deep red with orange pupils and his beak stuck far outward. The top part of his beak curved downward over the bottom half, rounding out on the end face but coming to a sharp point at the tip. 

“Should’ve just showed me your face, instead of forcing me to make you a drink. Have heard no one use that order in forever. Also, since when the hell did you decide to unstain your feathers, you ass?”

“Couple weeks ago. Chick at the club on the west end turned me down because she said I looked ‘dirty’. Felt that comment warranted a bit of a style change, no?”

“I guess so. Do the others know about it?”

“Nah. I like surprises. Do you think Benny will pull a knife on me if he doesn’t recognize me too fast?”

“Likely not. No matter what color your feathers are you’re the only B.V. in the city. You been holding up well since your parents moved abroad?”

“Been fine, I guess.” He quickly downed the drink in his hand in a single gulp, taking the ice along with it. It was bitter and had a real kick to it, but he had come to enjoy that kick over the years.

“Glad to hear you’re doin’ okay, lad. You worry me sometimes, especially when you dissapear for weeks on end.”

“Are you my grandpa or something, old man?”

“Hah, no. You’re just my most active customer. Wouldn’t want to lose the business.” The two shared a quick laugh together as Tom stood up from the bar.

“Well, I’m gonna’ kick some ass at the table tonight. I always do whenever we play on festival nights.”

“Knock em dead, lad. Harry needs to pay off his tab, so take it off him for me, will ya?”

“Will do, boss man.” The bartender gave him another smile as he walked down the thin hallway that lead towards the bathroom. Old photos and paintings from the nineteen-twenties filled the walls of the hallway, turning it into a sort of walk-through museum on the way to the bathroom. At the end of the hall, three doors stood. Two had signs hung on the doors that had men and women listed upon them respectively. The third held a bright yellow “EMPLOYEES ONLY” sign. Despite not working at the bar, Tom could waltz in like nothing. Gary was the only one who worked at the bar anyway, seeing as he owned and ran the place by himself.

Pushing the door open, another hallway stretched out further before ending at a left turn that had light and some voices coming from it. The walls had shifted from the nice brown and green patterns to a dark, dull gray with pipes and wires hanging across them. Stepping through, he made his way down the hallway as the door shut itself behind him. His pace was much quicker in the hall than it was outside, and the tapping of his talons echoed once again down the hallway as he walked. Upon reaching the turn, he slowed down and cautiously poked his head around before finally stepping out. 

In front of him stood a large room, just a little smaller than the bar itself. Band posters and shirts filled the walls of the concrete room, and some were even tacked up onto the ceiling. In the back corner, a worn, jet black drumkit stood aside a few guitars that rested upon stands. A pile of disorganized speakers and amps layed near the center of the back wall of the room, creating a musical mess of wires and plugs. In the corner opposite of the setup, a light brown couch stained with many mysterious liquids stood in front of a small box television. A fridge stood up against the right wall alongside a few cupboards, housing beers and many other alchoholic drinks that Gary doesn’t want to sell. In the center of the room, a large, circular mahogany table stood shining under a light hanging from the ceiling. Cards and gambling chips were strewn about the table alongside empty beer bottles and ashtrays. Three people sat around the table, eyes locked with eachother as they played an intense game of poker.

“Hear ye, hear ye! Your ‘Champion of Cards’ has arrived!” The three at the table broke their eye contact with eachother as they all snapped their looks to Tom. In the leftmost seat, a male white-headed vulture sat angrily. The top of his head boasted short, white feathers, while the rest of his face was free of feathers entirely. His pink face faded into a light blue as it approached his beak, with that light blue then fading into his thick, salmon-pink beak. A thick layer of black feathers with a large white stripe in the front wrapped around his neck and flowed into the rest of his feathers on his body. By the name of Harry, he was a stern and menacing person who rarely cracked a smile for anything besides watching Benny lose nearly every poker game he played.

In the right seat, a male cinereous vulture sat with the chair leaned back and his legs kicked up onto the table. His face was covered in short white, black, and gray feathers and the main section of his beak was a pale, light blue that faded into a gray-black further along to the end. Similar to Harry, he boasted thick, jet-black feathers that ran from the back of his head down and around his neck that flowed into his body that comprised even more of the same black feathers. He was hard to see in the dark, for sure. He went by Benny, with most just calling him Ben, though neither were even his real name. Not a living soul besides himself knows what his birth given name is, and he prefers it that way. He boasted a smug smile on his face; he was either leading tonight’s rounds of poker or was putting on a desperate facade to get Harry to fold.

In the center seat, a female egyptian vulture sat with the cards in her hands held closeley up to her face, staring intently at them as she desperately tried to put together the puzzle that was making a hand. She always struggled to grasp the basics of poker, and Harry was just scummy enough to squeeze money out of her because of it. Unfortunately for her, she was too nice to say no to playing cards with him. She wore a long, creamy-white plumage that ran down the back of her head and into the large tuft of feathers around her neck and shoulders. Her face was a bright yellow wiith a longer, more slender beak that stuck far out forward. In a similar situation to Tom, she was the only egyptian vulture in the entirety of Talon City. Common talk in the city is that vultures tend to dislike adapting to the city lifestyle, so they are found few and far between. By the name of Zahra, she was the only person at the table who had even a lick of kindness in her heart. Some would say she’s hanging with the wrong crowd, but she’s glad to be with other vultures like herself. 

“Who the fuck are you supposed to be?”

“Wow. The hell happened since we last saw you?”

“Ooh! Hi, Tom!”

“Oh. I guess it is Tom.” Benny turned his view back to his cards, barely hiding a frown as he looked at the measly high card he held. “Wait for this round to finish up. There’s piss in the fridge for you, too.”

“You still calling it that?”

“Yeah. It’s funny.” Tom shrugged and stepped past the ongoing game of poker as he approached the old white fridge. Inside, his favorite IPA brand and leftover Papa Star’s pizza laid front and center before him.

“Which one of you knew? Come on. You can tell me.” 

“Zahra did. She protected that shit with her life. Benny almost tore into them twice in the last few hours, and then almost sent her to the ground for it. Fatass.” Benny looked up from his cards and gave Harry a mean look, but Harry met it with a cocky smile. “Should be down on your damn knees for her, if you ask me.” Zahra looked up from her cards once again when she heard her name. Looking over, she spotted Tom taking out the coveted leftovers.

“Oh! Yeah, you’re welcome Tom. Since I knew you were coming, I thought I’d save some for you. Benny almost tore me apart just to get to it.”

“Thanks, Z. You have the reigning poker champion’s blessing!” He chuckled to himself before taking the food and stepping over to the couch. He dropped himself onto the stiff cushions and reached his leg across to the small coffee table where the television remote resided. After a little fiddling, he hit the small red ON button with one of his talons. As the light from the television flashed forward onto him, he opened the small box where the pizza was and immediately began devouring it. An analog clock sat above the television on the wall, reading seven fifty-five. None of them knew they were just missing history be made in Talon City. Of course, that didn’t matter to them one bit, at least for now. Grabbing a slice from the box, Tom sunk back into the couch and got comfortable as he took a massive bite out of the slice. His agenda for the night was to get blasted and dominate in the cards for the millionth time. The television had the nightly news on, which Tom usually used as a good background for his feasting.

On the screen, a female scrub jay reporter held a large microphone up to her beak as she stared directly into the camera.

“I am here at tonight’s monthly festival, where hundreds of people are eagerly waiting just in front of the stage. This month’s event advertising boasted highly of a ‘special guest’ coming to perform for Talon City tonight, with a former member of legendary rock band ‘With Grace’ Paulie Dyanmo also talking about it in a recent interview. The prospect of a mystery performer has brought nearly enough people to break the all time record here at the festival, so for such a large event we at TCNews have received permission to live broadcast the show to all those at home. In just a few moments the show should be starting, so I will sign off for now to watch the show as well. This was Kat with TCNews, signing off.” As if she had planned for it, the moment she cut the sound to her microphone, the lights had cut to black. The show seemed to really peak Tom’s curiosity, so he sat upright and focused in on the television more. Realizing this could be something big, he quickly called the others over to watch.

“Hey! Guys! Come over here! There’s some big show at the festival tonight, and they’re playin’ it on the news!”

“The news?” Harry quickly set his cards face down on the table and stood up quickly to head over. Benny didn’t seem to really care, but since the game had to be halted thanks to Harry, he chimed in anyway. Zahra was the last to reach the couch, where she joined the others to witness the show. Harry and Zahra both leaned forward against the back of the couch, while Benny quickly hopped over it and landed on the opposite end of Tom. They were just in time to watch the lights of the stage flash back on in an instant to reveal the special guest everyone was raving about. Expecting some big named band to appear upon the stage to blow everyone away with their appearance, they were instead shown a measly handful of owls nervously running up onto the stage.

“Huh? Who the hell are they?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen these people in my life. Any bells ringing for you guys?”

“Could just be some band of nobodies from up north. Look there, in the front. How long’s it been since you’ve seen a hawk owl down here in Talon City, huh?”

“Woah. I’ve never met a hawk owl before, he’s huge! What kind of outfit is that, though? He dresses like my grandfather.” The four continued to watch intensely as the opening song of the night had just begun. As the bright lights of the stage flashed and the sound of the music blasted through the television’s crusty speakers, they were just as blown away as anyone else in the crowd. Angles from reporters up in the sky gave a better view of the four owls as they began their powerful performance. 

“What the hell is this, anyway? Flock?”

“A hawk owl, a great horned, a snowy… and even a stygian. Wow! It’s like some kind of owl bargain sale.” With a quick chuckle, Harry took his view away from the television to pull out his flyphone as he began frantically searching the internet.

“I mean, damn! They’re pretty good. They’re… powerful. Though what the hell got them up there? Have we been missing something?”

“No. Not a single search anywhere comes up with them. They’re brand new.” Tom’s face furled in annoyance. Their band, Desolate Winds, had been struggling to pick up for years. After only a few bar shows, they never really gained traction in Talon City at all despite their best efforts. Seeing Flock get such a large crowd for what’s presumably their first show, it brought an angered envy upon Tom. 

“No. There’s no way these guys are just complete nobodies who just happened to get up on stage for the fuckin’ festival. I refuse to believe it. There has to be a catch.” Leaning forward, he reached across to the remote on the table and turned the television down so he could speak with the others. “Those pricks at the city have to be playing some sick prank on us. They turn us down twice for this month and then let those losers up on stage? Don’t believe it.” Zahra was still mesmerized as she watched the performance still. Her focus honed in particularly on Robby, who she watched pluck away at his bass with fear in his face. Despite playing just fine, he was still nervous and shaky throughout the entire show.

“It’s weird. I mean, look at them all. They’re all terrified, and yet they seem to be playing perfectly. There’s no way anyone sweating that much on stage doesn’t slip up at least once.” Anger and jealousy continued to mix as they built up rapidly within Tom, who was tightening his now closed fists as he nearly dug the talons on his hands into his flesh without realizing. The air of the room was now tense as the four continued to watch the show confused. While the others kept relatively quiet, Tom had reached his breaking point. With a loud SLAM of his fists upon the small table, he stood up from the couch quickly and stomped towards the large setup of instruments and amps against the western wall. 

“You alright Tom? It’s really not that big of a deal, those losers a-”

“SHUT UP! Don’t open your fucking mouth again, Benny!” As he reached the assortment of equipment, his head had begun to throb. He was angry, and at this point was out of the others’ control. He only ever got this mad when he was drunk, but something in particular about Flock had set him off. All they could do was watch as he reached for his guitar, a vintage white and black Flying V his father bought for him for his sixteenth birthday, which he promptly grabbed with his left hand and yanked it off of the stand it was on. “What’s the fucking point? I mean- fuck! What kind of sick joke is this?”

“Tom, it’s alright man! Those dipshits mean nothing to us. Don’t let them playing their stupid show get to you. You just got back from your trip, can we at least have the first night back go smooth?”

“Harry- fuck! Fuck you!” Wrapping his other hand around the neck of his guitar, he lifted it high above his head as he stared furiously at the others. “I’ll show you smooth, asshole!” As he prepared to crash his guitar downward into the floor, his vision snuck by his bandmates and onto to the television once again. He watched for just another moment as Flock gave their all upon the stage, and just as he was about to swing, he closed his eyes and suddenly relaxed himself. Letting out a deep breath of air and bringing his guitar back down from above his head, he dropped his head low and stared at the floor. “You’re right, Harry. They don’t mean a damn thing to us.” 

“Alright, so what the hell do we even do?” Back at Erik’s place, the four had congregated in the study once more. Robby, Sylus, and Leah all wore oversized, barely fitting clothes they had borrowed from Erik while their actual clothes were in the wash. Erik sat next to Leah on the couch, while Robby and Sylus both sat in the two smaller armchairs. Robby sat laid back and seemingly carefree, sipping from his third can of ‘Dr. Pecker’ in the last ten minutes.

“Hell if I know. At this point I’m just going with whatever hits me.”

“Thank you, Rob. How very helpful.” 

“I mean, shouldn’t we tackle the elephant in the room? We were just on the news, and are now being hunted by reporters who are desperate to squeeze every last word out of us. Not to mention poor Leah having her entire life made public by those invasive shitheads on there.”

“Do we just hide out? We’re not ready at all for questions or anything. People are going to expect so much from us and honestly, we have nothing to really show for it. A couple of songs under our belt, sure, but those are rough and never meant to even be heard by anyone other than us.”

“Ooh, how about this?” Sylus leaned forward in his chair, almost as if he was about to whisper a campfire story. “I think we can use the mystery to our advantage. If we go out there with nothing right now, we’ll be thrown to the wind like dust immediately. The mystery keeps us relevant and gives us enough time to come up with something to show, at least.”

“That sounds like our best course of action. Though, how are we going to avoid being found at all? I can’t go to the store, school, or anything. I’ve had to go completely ghost on my phone as well, even with my parents.” Robby’s plumicorns stuck up from his head a little as his curiosity was peaked.

“What happened with your parents? Thought you three were finally buddy-buddy again.”

“I’ll tell you about it later, Rob. For now though, I think just hiding away is our best bet.” Leah looked over at Erik, who was already noticing where this was about to go. Erik scoffed as he came to the conclusion in his mind.

“I don’t have the room for all of you! One of you would have to sleep on the couch and I know for a fact that couch is not comfortable to lie on.”

“Aw cmon, Erik! You already invited me to stay for the next week. What’s so wrong about these two?” Robby and Sylus both locked eyes with eachother, large grins spreading on their faces. Robby was the first to make a move.

“Ooooh, is that right? You were gonna’ have just her stay here? You aren’t very slick, Erik.” Flustered, Erik quickly straightened his posture upright and looked back at Robby angrily.

“Shut up, Rob. That’s not-”

“Yeah, Erik. Why don’t you just say it out loud, you nervous?” Leah was just as mad as Erik was about them antagonizing him about that. It’s not something to just joke about so lightly, especially when both of them are just as confused as one another.

“You guys are assholes! He offered because I just had to tell my parents I’m running away for a week! You don’t even have a proper reason to stay here, you can just go run back to your parents’ place! I’m trying to cover your asses here!”

“No, we can’t. You heard the reporter say earlier that they were trying to get in contact with our father. They’re likely posted up with cameras right outside the front door as we speak.” Robby took another sip of his soda with a still smug look on his face. 

“Look, you two! I just don’t have enough room here without it turning my home into a shithole! Especially not with how you two are! Just yesterday morning, I was wading through Robby’s garbage and laundry in his place!” The smug look on Robby’s face quickly faded. Leah, still determined to keep the band together in this situation, got Erik’s attention once more with a quick tap on the leg. When Erik turned to look at her, her glistening, bright yellow eyes were wide open as she made a pitiful puppy-eyed face at him.

“Come ooooon, Erik. It’ll help the whole band out. We need to stick together for this. I’ll even help make sure they don’t tear shit up!” Erik was now both flustered and confused by the earlier comment and now the odd, sympathy seeking face that Leah had put on. 

“What the hell are you doing?” He couldn’t help but to grin a little. She did look quite funny. “Don’t look at me like that!” The look from Leah was overwhelming. He didn’t know whether to laugh at her poor attempt at a sad face or if he should actually feel bad. Though, with a bit of bias leaking from the back of his mind, he couldn’t resist it any longer. “Fine! Just- pfft. Quit looking at me like that!” He lifted his wing up to his mouth to avoid laughing directly in her face. Whatever kind of performance she was putting on, she was doing a damn good job at it. Once she had succeeded in her mission, she wiped the look off of her face quickly and laughed.

“Hah! Knew you wouldn’t be able to handle it. My parents hate it when I make that face too!” Crossing his wings, Erik put on a stern look and stood up quickly.

“Alright. But you three listen well. You have to clean up your mess everytime you make one. I work my ass off day and night to keep this place as spotless as possible, and the last thing I need is garbage and clothes everywhere. Do you understand? You guys already tear this place apart when we rehearse, so please, just be normal.” Excited, Leah quickly jumped up from the couch and wrapped her arms around Erik, burying her face in his torso. 

“Thank you, Erik!” Erik was now too flustered to even move. Robby and Sylus watched in awe as Erik lost his emotional balance and froze up. Breaking away from the hug, Leah stepped back and looked Erik in the eyes. “I needed this, really. I almost never get breaks from school or anything! It’ll be great to take some time off, and I get to spend it with you guys too! Now, I’m starving. Do you guys want something? I’m gonna’ raid the kitchen again and see if I can’t put something together.”

“Oh, hell yeah!”

“I would kill for something to eat. That would be fuckin’ sweet, Leah.”

“I- uh- sure- yeah!” Erik was still in a little shock. He dealt out hugs all the time, but rarely did he receive them, let alone from Leah. Leah gave Erik a playful punch on the shoulder, which was still sore from last night’s performance.

“You’re a really funny guy, Erik. You’ll be fine.” She set off to the kitchen, leaving Erik frozen in place still while the two brothers reveled in the glory of messing with him.

“You know, Erik, neither of you could be any less subtle.”

“Shut it, Sylus! Not another word about it or so help me god I will kick you two out so damn fast!” The two laughed at him once more as he sat back down on the couch and spread his wings out. He was still exhausted from the day before, and now had to bear the weight of keeping roommates for a whole week, even worse, having to deal with both Robby and Sylus. One night parties with them are tolerable, but an entire week was different. Could it get any worse? 

It would, in fact, get worse. Though for the moment, the four owls sat together in the study once again, now with plates full of food and the afternoon coming near to a close as the sky outside was slowly enveloped in a beautiful orange sunset. Robby, who unsurprisingly was the first to finish his plate, set it down on the coffee table as he finished swallowing the last bite.

“Alright. It’s time to get serious about all this.” The other three watched him as they continued to eat their food at a much more reasonable pace. “We need songs, badly. We only played one original at the show and from what I saw, it was the least interesting of the set.” 

“Mmnuh-uh.” Sylus had interrupted Robby with his mouth still full of food. “They were mmf- loving it.” 

“Swallow, dude.” With a quick gulp, he shook his head slightly in protest to what Robby had said.

“I was watching the crowd the whole time. They were totally into it. Which was unsurprising, seeing as I wrote most of it.” A prideful smile spread across his face as he pointed his thumb to his chest. Out of the three originals the four had attemped to make, only one of them had stuck. Lovingly named and written mostly by Sylus himself, “Around the Blind” was just about the best the band offered. A song about a deranged blind man killing people for his made up god who promised his sight back, it was quite easy to tell who drew the inspiration for it. The only reason it made it up there on stage was because it was all they had, and the lyrics were vague enough to not make the crowd uncomfortable. It had always been hard for the four to settle on a consistent genre, as all of their tastes were pretty split besides a select few bands. Erik preferred the classic rock bands from way back in the sixties to the eighties, Robby the early 2000s nu-metal and punk era, Sylus the nineties to modern heavy/thrash metal scene, and Leah, who was the real outlier, the nineties and early 2000s fusion/funk scene. Though, she admits to enjoying classic rock as well for reasons she oddly doesn’t want to specify. 

“Well, you can believe what you wanna believe, Sy. I just think we can do better.” Sylus scoffed at the remark.

“Whatever, prick.”

“Alright, calm down, you two. We have to find some sort of middle ground for all of us. We won’t be able to write anything if we can’t combine our own inspirations, if you understand what I’m saying.” 

“Yeah, I get it. We have to really like… align ourselves. Where do we even start though?”

“Well, why don’t we take a little from everyone and see where it gets us? Someone give me a concept.” Robby was the first to chime in. 

“Flight.” He stared intensely at Erik as he said this, almost as if he was trying to send a message. It felt like he had some sort of problem, but he didn’t seem to be mad at Erik at all. 

“Alright, now how about a feeling? Something to… convey.” Leah was next to speak.

“Freedom?” She was hesitant to speak, as she was often nervous when pitching in her own ideas into things.

“I like it.”

“Of course you do.”

“Shut up, Sylus!” Now wasn’t the time to get on Erik’s nerves, but sometimes Sylus just couldn’t help himself. “Anyway. What about… a scenario? Something involving what we’ve been over. Flight, freedom…” Over in his chair, Sylus sat rubbing his face with his hand while deep in thought. Eventually, those deep thoughts had morphed into a revelation as another prideful look appeared on his face.

“I’m willing to ditch the old song, so why don’t we consider this one our debut? The first song from a band that’s finally getting out there after all this time. Hear me out on this, but I remember our high school history teacher talking about our old ancestors and shit. They would like… fuck, I can’t remember it! When they finally matured, they did something. God…” Bringing his hand to his face, he started tapping just above the ridge of his eyes with his finger. Opposite of Sylus in the other chair, a spark had lit in Robby’s mind as well. Sure he failed that history class, but he didn’t forget everything.

“They left the nest! That’s what he called it! Sylus, that’s genius!” Sylus’ plumicorns perked up and his eyes opened wide as the brothers locked eyes in their revelation. Erik and Leah were both surprised that the two dunces could come up with something like that.

“That is pretty good. The song could be called… oh I dont know, Takeoff? Beginning? Unshackled?”

“Maybe something a little more simple, yknow? How about… Leap? Like a leap of faith. If you get what I’m saying.” Erik gave Leah a nod of approval and looked to the two brothers who were too busy celebrating their bright idea to pay any attention.

“I love it. What do you two think?” The two broke out of their celebration and turned their attention back to Erik.

“Sorry, what was it?” Erik scoffed, annoyed by their lack of attention.

“Leap. I think it’s good. Simple, yet strong.”

“Hell yeah, Erik! Fuckin’ good one man!”

“Oh, it wasn’t my suggestion-” Before Erik could give proper credit to Leah, Robby had jumped up from the chair with newfound inspiration.

“Well, I’m gonna head into the garage and start fiddling around a little. I need to get my fingers moving, y’know? That shower really fixed up that killer hangover, and I think I’ve got a good feel for this song, anyway. I’ll be cooking up one of my signature basslines in there. You too, Sy. Join me, will you?” With no protest, Sylus jumped up from his chair as well. The two hastily took off for the garage with excitement in their step. Still seated together on the couch, Erik gave Leah an embarassed look as he hastily apologized to her.

“I’m sorry- I didn’t think he would just-”

“It’s whatever, dude. Don’t even worry about it. Now, you better brainstorm some lyrics. Looks like we both have to keep up with those two!” She laughed, and Erik responded with a nervous chuckle. “If you ask me? We’re gonna be alright.” Standing up from the couch, she gave Erik another quick smile before turning towards the garage. Though, as she stepped away, Erik hesitantly spoke up again. Out of nowhere, he felt the sudden urge to try seeking clarity.

“Hey, Leah?” Pausing for a moment, she spun around and locked eyes with Erik.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really sorry. About those two and their… pestering.” Confused and now concerned, she crossed her arms as she waited to hear what this could all be about.

“What do you mean? Is it about all that shit they’re saying to us? Who cares, honestly? I mean, it’s not like- well, I don’t wanna say that.” Her heart had picked up in pace just ever so slightly.

“It’s embarassing, is all. I don’t know why they’re so adamant about it. I fear it might start to really bother you at some point and I don’t want it to get in the way or anything-”

“Well, it’d bother me if it was completely out of this world.” Just as nervous to speak on this as Erik was, she seized the opportunity to control the situation to the best of her ability. “But, it’s not. I’ve known you long enough now, Erik. And honestly, it’s quite obvious what’s going on up there.” She brought her hand up to the side of her head and tapped it a couple of times with one of her fingers. Erik was now on the verge of breaking down as he gave her a pitiful look. Now that he knew she was aware, it couldn’t be any more embarassing for him. 

“So you- I- do you-” 

“Look, Erik. I don’t want to say no, but what I want to say is that we’ve got more important things to worry about. The stage calls for us, man! Once we’ve conquered it…” Despite her confidence, she was just as fragile as Erik was. “…come to me again. I’ll be much more ready to talk.” With another sweet smile, she turned around and quickly walked to the door leading to the garage. Opening it, the loud noise of two brothers desperately trying to come up with comprehensive choreography blasted through towards the two. Though as quickly as she had opened it, she stepped through and gently shut the door behind her, leaving Erik to himself in the study. Still frozen from embarassment, he stared forward blankly for a good ten seconds before leaning backwards into the couch. Turning his head upward to look towards the ceiling, he quickly covered his face with his wings as he mumbled into his feathers.

“Ooooh god, help me. Where do I even go from here? How did she even know? Fuck, Erik. Get your shit together.” Lifting his wings off of his face, he leaned forward once more as he prepared to go meet the others in the garage. 

“Another time. Another. Time. It’s alright. It’s okay. Just go make some music.” Quickly standing up, he marched with a nervous confidence towards the door leading to the garage.

Back in Soul of the Sea’s occupied backroom, the four vultures had come up with a similar fate to Flock as they awoke in a distrought mess. All four of them had also ended up blackout drunk the previous night, but unlike Flock’s celebration, they did it moreso to cope. Zahra, Harry, and Benny all laid spread out on the cold concrete floor while Tom slowly brought himself into consciousness on the couch. His head was throbbing, his eyes were dry, and his left leg was completely numb as it hanged just off the edge of the couch.

“Oh, fuuuck me.” Trying desperately to sit himself up on the couch, he struggled to even move his arms, which were both oddly sore. However, as he pushed himself up, his right hand had slipped off the edge of the couch, causing him to drop back down and roll off the edge of the couch. Trying desperately to catch himself, he barely missed the sharp corner of the wooden table and went left shoulder first into the ground. 

THUMP.

“Shit!” With a quick hit of adrenaline waking him up, he quickly climbed up onto his feet before the pain in his shoulder could set in. As he held himself up against the couch, he slowly regained feeling in his previously numb leg as the pain then set in. “Ow! Fucker!” All of his shouting had been enough to wake up Harry, who was considered quite the light sleeper. As he sat himself upright, he sluggishly rubbed his eyes with his hands to clear his blurry vision. 

“That you, Tom? You alright pal?”

“Just- fuck- fell off the damn couch.”

“Business as usual, I guess. Hope we can wake up a little before Gary opens shop up. Treats us like his damn kids as soon as he flips that stupid sign around.”

“It’ll be fine. Was a bit of a lighter night, anyway.” Standing up, Harry stretched his arms outward and let out a quick groan as he attempted to wake his muscles up. 
“We’ve got a big day ahead of us, I can feel it. Something’s different in the air.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Meh. Don’t know. Now let’s see…” Looking down to the floor, both Benny and Zahra laid sprawled out on the floor. Benny was face down, his head twisted to the side in a very uncomfortable position. He already seemed like he was having a rough time sleeping, which would only seem to get worse in the coming moments as Harry lifted his right leg back. Tom watched on unsurprised as Harry kicked Benny in the ribs with incredible force. The impact seemed to send Benny’s body into shock as he desperately gasped and opened his eyes.

“FUCK!” Harry smiled as he watched him grab his side in a panic. “Christ, man! What the fuck was that for?!”

“Wakey wakey!”

“I’ll fucking kill you one of these days… agh!” The side of his torso continued to throb in pain as he shakily stood up. “Fuck you.”

“All out of love, Ben.” 

“Well I’m not fuckin’ feeling it!” Harry laughed at him as he bent down to give Zahra a nudge to wake her up. A much more gentle approach compared to what poor Benny had received. In response to Harry’s nudge, Zahra rolled over onto her side as she mumbled quietly.

“Mmm… five more minutes…” Harry almost nudged her again, but for some odd reason he was feeling merciful that day, likely also feeling bad for robbing eighty bucks out of her at the table last night. Across the room, Tom had already made his way to the fridge. Hoping to find something to get himself going, he was distraught to find that there was nothing to be found. Not a single beer or slice of pizza remained from the night before.

“Oh, goddamnit. Of course.” Slamming the fridge shut, he quickly turned around to the other two, who were now bickering to eachother over the unnecessary kick in the ribs. “Hey, you two. I’m running up to the store. There’s fuck all left in the fridge and I’m hungry.” The two looked at him, shrugged, and then returned to their bickering. “Alright, whatever. I’ll get your usuals. See you in a bit.” Without even considering how messy he was from all the drunken partying, he set off down the hallway towards the bar itself. The back and forth that had now turned into shouting slowly faded away as he exited through the staff only door and into the bar, where he spotted Gary just beginning to set up behind the bar for the day.

“Oh, hey Tom. You’re up earlier than usual. Rough time sleeping?”

“Yup. I’m off to the store for some grub and cigs. You want a pack?”

“No thanks. Been trying to cut back.”

“Your loss, pal. See you in a little.” Opening the bar’s entrance, Tom was blasted with a gust of chilly fall wind. He quickly threw the hood of his jacket over his head, and set off down the sidewalk towards the convenience store on the corner. The streets of Talon City were now much more populated than they were the night before, with dozens of people filling the streets on every corner. It was loud, busy, and left no room for any silence. Tom hated it, but he tolerated it for the sake of his bandmates. Nearly bumping into a warbler couple, he quickly turned another corner onto the street that housed the store, which oddly had nearly no one on it. It was as if people were avoiding it. But to Tom? Doesn’t mean anything. As long as the store was open, he couldn’t care any less. Luckily for him, the small neon sign in the front flashed the word “OPEN” in bright blue and red lights. As he approached the sliding doors of the store, the generic pop music playing from its speakers faded into his hearing. With a quiet scoff to himself, he walked through with head low and his hands now down in his pockets. As soon as he entered, he immediately took a sharp left down the first aisle, where he was met with shelves, instant ramen and other small snacks, as well as racks of pinup magazines all filled to the brim with birds in skimpy outfits. Grabbing a few packs of noodles from the shelves, he made his way towards the alcohol in the back corner of the store while reading the packs to make sure they were the right flavor. However, as he walked with his head down as he read, he seemed to neglect the two people right in front of him, and unsurprisingly walked face first into the back of one.

“Oof! Aw, shit. My bad dude-” His apology was cut short as the collar of his jacket was grasped and he was shoved backwards. Nearly falling over, he quickly caught himself and tensed up as he recovered. As he was about to yell at the two for disrespecting him like that, he looked up and realized he was face to face with a complete beast of a golden eagle, who stood much taller than him. Taking another step back with a nervous sweat now forming on his face, he turned his attention to the other one. Clad in a bright red suit with black accents, the seemingly wealthy dracula parrot stared him down as he examined Tom. 

“You can relax, Mart.” Obliging by the parrot’s orders, the large eagle stepped back to stand next to him. Tom was now faced with what he assumed was some rich big-shot, which were the types he hated the most. Though today wasn’t a day for conflict, so he relaxed himself as he began to speak.

“Look, I’m sorry dude. Didn’t mean to bump into you. Wasn’t trying to rob you or anything, either.” As a further attempt at reassurance, he lowered the hood off his head.

“Hm. I haven’t seen one of you in a long time. What’s a vulture like yourself doing all the way out in Talon City?” 

“Just where I live. Sorry to break the stereotype for you. I could ask you the same thing though, what’s some big hot-shot like yourself doing in Talon City? Let alone this shitty convenience store?”

“Hot-shot, you say? Flattering, really.” Reaching into the front pocket on the chest of his suit, he pulled out a small card and offered it to Tom. “I’m here in Talon City on business. I’m surprised you don’t recognize me. Dare I say I’m well known in a lot of places?” Taking the card from his hand carefully to not enrage his bodyguard again, he squinted his eyes as he read the small words written on it.

Drake Devol

Finyl Vinyl

Label publisher and vinyl manufacturing.

C.E.O.

Below was an e-mail address and phone number. It was surprising to Tom that someone like him would just hand out his information like that. Though what really caught him off guard was the company. Finyl Vinyl. Label publisher.

“Label publisher?!” He had accidentally shouted loud enough for the whole store to hear him. Quickly covering his mouth, he took a moment to process what he had read. Without any thought or hesitation, he began desperately pleading to him. “Sir, you gotta listen to me. We need someone like you, our band has been-”

“Calm yourself!” Tom quickly clamped his beak shut and straightened his posture. “Band, huh? How about you walk with me, kid? Also, you can just call me D.D.”

“U-uhm, sure!” Tom’s heart was now racing as he struggled to keep his cool. He could not afford to mess this up, or else Desolate Winds might never get the chance again. His previously intimidating look had now been completely replaced with a nervous mess as he walked with his arms tight to his sides. 

“So, you’ve got your own band, huh? You got a name?”

“Yeah! Uh, Desolate Winds, sir.”

“Hm. It’s cheap. But it’s got a little spirit behind it.” He cracked a slight smile as he paused in front of the store’s fridges that housed dozens of different alcohol brands. “You drink? My treat.”

“Are you sure? T-thank you!” Tom quickly reached in a grabbed a twelve pack of Feathered Spirits. Anxiously shutting the door, he continued to follow the parrot and his bodyguard through the store, forgetting completely what he was there for in the first place. 

“I’ve been looking for a band here in Talon City, you know. I flew here as soon as I set my sights on them.” Tom’s feathers quivered and his heart started racing. Did he mean them? Maybe one of their bar shows got the word out? Did his Hootstagram post do well? This could really be it. 

“They go by Flock. You know anything about ‘em?”

Tom stopped dead in his tracks, his heart sinking to the deepest pits of his stomach. Thoughts and emotions clashed violently in his head as he tried to stop himself from going completely apeshit. He clenched his fists and let his sight unfocus as he processed what had just been said to him.

Those motherfuckers.

Drake. had turned around to check on Tom in the hopes that he would receive an answer. Instead, he saw him frozen in place with a terribly mean scowl on his face.

“Everything alright there, kid? I say something wrong?” Despite the clear warning signs of an infuriated vulture, he stepped forward and put his hand on Tom’s shoulder. Tom’s fists had opened and his eyesight had focused back in as he was caught off guard. He was surprised to find that this big shot C.E.O. had put his hand on his shoulder like they were best buddies. As he returned to his painfully nervous state, he gathered the strength to answer reasonably.

“N-no, sorry. I know as much as you do, sir.”

“That’s a shame. I’m really looking for a good lead. You see, those four have completely disappeared since last night.”

“Disappeared?” Drake turned back around and began making his way to the register. 

“Let’s talk more outside. A little more privacy, y’know?” As he approached the register, he quickly pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of his pocket and put it on the counter. “Keep the rest for yourself, pal.” Confused, the clerk tried to object so he could do his job properly, but a glare from Mart had kept his mouth completely shut. For the sake of his own life, he had to just roll with it.

“Uhm, have a n-nice day sir!” Tom followed closely behind as Drake marched out of the store. Once he was outside, he paused and turned back to Tom. 

“I like you, kid. You got spare time today?”

“Y-yeah!”

“Good. You know any good bars, too?” Tom stopped to consider his options for a moment. Did he dare bring him back to Soul of the Sea? Maybe another bar as to not risk his bandmates messing it all up? Scared that he might be taking too long to answer, he quickly made his decision.

“Yeah. It’s called Soul of the Sea. Only a couple blocks from here, I’m a regular too.”

“Perfect! Lead the way, mister…” Surprisingly, during that entire conversation, Tom hadn’t said his own name once.

“Tom. Call me Tom, sir. Uhm- Also, why’d you buy me all this beer if we’re going to a bar?”

“Take it home later, kid. Like I said, my treat. Now show us the way, will you?” Just like that, his day had completely flipped itself upsidedown. Now he needed to figure how to look professional.

“Robby, what the hell are you doing? Why are you standing like that?”

“You got a problem, Erik? I’m in my feel.” He stood in what seemed to be an uncomfortable pose for both himself and the others. One leg bent, the other stretched out, and his back completely hunched as he leaned over his bass. 

“Cut that out, dude. We’re running the song again.” 

“Yeah, whatever. No fun allowed, I guess.” Straightening himself out, he adjusted the strap on his bass before resting his hands in a ready position. “Go on then! Hit us, Leah!” With his command, she raised her drumsticks high above her head and tapped them together to signal the countdown. One, two, three, and they were off. Instantly, the garage had filled with sound as Robby, Sylus, and Leah all joined eachother in the intro. It was quick, powerful, and left no room for anyone too slow to keep up. Sylus wielded a large smile on his face as he played along to Leah’s rythm, striking each chord with passion as he really got into it. Robby stood beside him, plucking away joyfully at his bass as he bobbed his head to the music. Oddly enough, he was playing with his eyes closed. Though that didn’t stop him from hitting all the right parts. Over on the drumkit, was nothing but a mass of feathers as she bobbed her head along to the song. Nothing could impede her playing at this point. Erik watched on as the three slowly wrapped up the intro, waiting patiently for his queue. Then, in an instant, the loud and energetic intro had transitioned into the much more somber chorus.

Can’t you feel it in the air?

Something’s different, can’t you see?

Come see it, by my side…

As I stare into your eyes,

and as I stare into the ground,

there’s only one thing I ask of you…

won’t you come and FLY?! 

The song had once again completely flipped from the slower chorus back into the loud booming of the instruments being played.

Follow me, take my hand,

There’s only one place to land!

It won’t hurt… can’t you see?

Take this leap of faith with me!

Erik had finally joined the others in the “zone”. Tapping his talons to the rythm of the song, he held the microphone stand close to his face as he prepared for the next verse. His heart was racing as he let all of his troubles go for the sake of the song. The nervous mess he was just a few hours ago had dissapeared entirely, and what was left was an owl with a hell of a voice.

Take it!

Take it! 

Take this leap of faith with me!

The energy within the garage was unmatched. All four of them were putting their souls into this song, and they loved every second. The air and the ground had felt like it was shaking as the vibrations of song coarsed throughout the entire garage.

It’s not so far, just don’t look down,

I assure you’ll be alright!

Take my hand, open your eyes!

You can see it too, can’t you?

It’s time to live your life so free!

With those words as his queue, Sylus had taken over as he began his solo. Robby and Leah both toned back the power in their hands as they made room for Sylus to take the spotlight. He was fast, passionate, and a little rough in some spots, but that didn’t stop him from having a good time. The solo began with rapid pentonics that occasionally broke up into bends that seemed to flow perfectly within the notes. The other three had their gazes locked on him, and he loved it. This was his solo. His work. Creating his own solo that wasn’t completely abysmal (as described by Robby) was the most refreshing thing he had felt in a while. After transitioning into is a quick shred that slowly slid up the neck, he finished his solo with a strong triple bend.

“Fuck yeah!” The others all smiled as they watched him revel in his own work. Whenever the four were rehearsing, they always felt connected. If one of them was happy, then the rest were. If one of them was pissed about a biffed riff or a broken stick, the rest would be pissed too. It was like a weird musical hivemind. 

Take it! 

Take it!

Take the leap of faith with me!

Take it!

Take it!

Come now, it’s not so bad!

Take it! 

Take it!

Don’t you want to live so free?

Take it!

Take it!

Erik’s face winced as he looked away from the mic to take a quick breath. The other three had slowed their parts once again to allow for the grand finale. Erik now had a tight embrance on the mic stand as he pulled it in close with his wings. He wasn’t scared to overdo it again; he was in his feel.

Come now, don’t you see?

If you want to live your life so free,

you’re gonna have to…

FLYYYYY!!!

The other three broke out of their slowed parts and let loose as Erik held the last word with all he had in him. Sylus and Robby were shoulder to shoulder, both tearing away at their instruments while Leah finished with a final drumroll. As the energy exploding from the four slowly faded out, it all came to an abrupt end as they all cut their parts in near sync. Robby, of course, accidentally plucked another note right after the cut. Without wanting to bring it up, he looked to the others as they all caught themselves. Sylus was rubbing his now sore right arm with his left, Erik had stepped back and leaned against the half open garage door while covering his face with his wings, and Leah was face first in her snare as she desperately caught her breath. Robby felt left out as he stood more firm than the others, fearing maybe his part on the bass wasn’t powerful enough.

“Wow. Didn’t think we’d go that crazy. Though you guys seem to have the wind knocked out of you. Is my not part not strong enough or somethin’? Should I be passing out too?” Erik lowered his wings from his face and looked at Robby with an exhausted look.

“No, Rob. You- huff sounded awesome, dude. I could feel the bass the whole time. Don’t you worry about it.” Robby’s concern vanished as he took that complement to heart. Joining the others in a silent agreement as they all exhchanged looks, he switched off his amp and unplugged his bass.

“Well, I’d say we fuckin’ killed it, huh? Can’t believe we could come up with that in just a few hours.” Sylus unplugged shortly after Robby and laid his guitar into the open case on the ground.

“Color me surprised, honestly. I didn’t think I had it in me to come up with riffs like that on the fly. Same with you and Leah, too. You guys nailed it.” After closing and zipping his case, he turned around to look at Erik. “You too, dude. Don’t know how you came up with those lyrics so easily like that.”

“It could’ve been better, really. If anything, I’d call it a rough draft.” Robby held back a chuckle as his finished putting away his bass. 

“Rough draft? Pfft. Is it a song or is it a story? Make up your mind.” A smug chuckle came from him as he finished putting his stuff away.

“Well, sometimes song and story can be one, Rob. If you listened to some of the stuff I reccomend yo-” Robby whipped around in an incredibly quick motion as he seized his opporunity to poke some fun at Erik.

“NERD!” Erik’s face quickly shifted to a frown as he was cut off.

“Whatever, Rob! You got the attention span of a five year old, anyway. I wouldn’t expect you to get it.” Erik had no intention of properly insulting Robby, but apparently he had taken that one to heart. 

“Hey fuck you, asshole!” Leah had finally lifted her head from the snare as she looekd up to the two who were about to let loose on eachother like they always do.

“Cmon guys. Not the time. Let’s enjoy the rest of our night, please?” Erik and Robby both looked to Leah, then back to eachother, and gave a silent nod to eachother. 

“Alright, alright. Can you get the mic for me, Rob?”

“Yeah, okay. I’m tired anyway.” The four left the garage with a sense of fulfillment. They found that night that they were much more capable of writing their own songs than they had previously believed. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll have enough ready before the media gets to them.

“Anyone got the time?” Sylus looked to the small black watch on his left arm, squinting his eyes to get a better look at the hands.

“Yeah, it’s nine thirty-eight. Pretty early, if you ask me.”

“Did you say it was past nine? Oh, damn!” Erik’s small panic had grabbed Sylus’ curiosity. 

“Something wrong?”

“Yeah, I’m supposed to be asleep by ten. I’ve got to follow my sleep schedule when I’m at home for the night.” 

“What? Seriously? Come on, man. Don’t go running off to bed when we’re here! Not very host-like of you.” 

“Who said I was a host?! If anything, you guys are a bunch of freeloaders!” The three laughed at his little outburst as they stopped in the middle of the study. 

“I’m just joking, dude. But seriously, stay up a little longer for us! Show us around more! Let’s relax.” Sylus looked at Leah with a devious look on his face. “You wouldn’t want Leah to be bored now, would you?” Robby quickly turned away and covered his mouth as he held back laughing.

“Fuck off, Sylus! Cut that shit out already!” Erik once again broke into a nervous fluster as Sylus’ comment dug deep into his mind. Even worse, Leah was right there. He was antagonizing both of them now. How bold. Though his little plan seemed to work anyway as Erik quickly regained his composure.

“Alright, fine. But I’m not like you three. I will pass out after two, though. It’s not even something in my control. You know hawk owls like myself have strict circadian rythms.” 

“I got no clue what that possibly means, but it’s not so bad, right? I just wanna keep us close. Connected. If you get what I mean. Hey, where’s Rob?” Somehow, Robby had snuck away into the kitchen as the other three talked. He was exceptionally slick when he wanted to be. “Uh oh. Erik, I don’t want to alarm you but your fridge in is danger. Wait, didn’t I say I was gonna cook us something tonight?” He quickly turned around towards the kitchen and ran off to stop Robby from breaking into the food. “Hey! Rob! Don’t eat anything! Don’t even think about it!” He was gone before the other two could say anything, leaving them to an awkward shared thought about Sylus’ comment. 

“Erik, It’s alright. I still stand by what I said, no matter how annoying it may get. I’m gonna go watch some T.V. now, wanna come?”

“Y-yeah! Yes, I would love to. Sorry.”

“Stop it, you big softy! Clear your mind and have fun. Forget about it, okay?” He didn’t know if he was embarassed about what Sylus said or the fact that he can’t help but to apologize.

“Alright. Alright! Alright. Let’s just enjoy ourselves, shall we?”

“There you go!” She chuckled as she walked towards the study, with Erik following closely behind her. He thought to himself as he walked. 

When the hell am I going to get over it? Will I get over it? Just be normal, Erik. It’s not that hard. Just have some fun and focus on what matters, you got dreams to chase! Yeah. Dreams to chase.

“God, this place is apalling.”

As the fancily dressed parrot turned the corner of the hallway, he was met with a complete mess of a residence. The smell of beer and dirty clothes overpowered all other senses as it forced itself upon the three entering. Drake quickly covered his mouth and looked to Mart, who was trying his best to remain stoic despite the smell.

“How do you live like this? This is just horrible!”

“What? Is it that bad? Jeez.”

“Do you have- ack- anything? Some air freshener? Maybe a stick of gum I can stick on my beak?” All the noise he was making as he struggled to adapt to the smell had made his presence known to the other three vultures who sat together on the couch. Benny quickly whipped his head around to look at who was reacting so poorly to his home. Expecting another hooker Tom pulled off the street, he was surprised to find such a distinguished bird and his massive bodyguard.

“Who the hell are you? Tom, who’s this rich-looking asshole?”

“Benny! This is important. Be respectful or so help me god I will fucking skin you.” The other two had reached their heads over the back of the couch to get a good look as well. Harry was just as surprised to see Drake as Benny was, and Zahra was scared completely shitless of Mart as soon as she laid eyes on him.

“Respectful, eh? Tom, what did you drag onto our doorstep?” He quickly turned around and jumped up from the couch, squeezing between Benny’s legs and the small table. “I know you liked to buy hookers from time to time, but I didn’t think you’d be into guys as well! Hey, I don’t judge!” Him and Benny both laughed at his little joke, but it didn’t last long as Tom had stomped up to Harry. Grabbing him by the underside of his beak, Tom forcefully pulled Harry’s left ear to his mouth.

“Harry. I’m dead serious. Let him introduce himself so you can straighten yourselves out.” Harry’s curiosity had quickly morphed into concern as Tom released his beak and walked back towards the parrot. “I’m so sorry, Drake. These three are… a little special, to say the least. You’ll get used to them.” Now completely adapted to the room’s stench, he stepped forward as he prepared to introduce himself. With every step he took, Mart followed perfectly parallel.

“I already gave my card to your friend here, so let me say it aloud for you. I’m Drake Devol, head of Finyl Vinyl. If you somehow haven’t heard of it, just know we’re one of the largest label publishers in the world right now. Oh, and call me D.D.. I prefer it, if you’d be so kind. Benny and Zahra had risen from the couch and now stood side by side to Harry as all of their jaws dropped in unison.

“HUH?! LABEL PUBLISHER?” Almost as if it was part of a script, the three had shouted in sync. 

“That’s right, you guys. I told you this was important, so get serious!” The three quickly straightened their posture and closed their mouths completely. For once, they had actually listened to Tom when he told them to shut up. 

“Ahem. I found your friend here in the store up the street. We had a small chat and eventually ended up here in this… rotten room of yours.”

“What are you here for, then? Business? You suing us for playing some of Tarnished’s stuff at our paid show?” Harry was now sweating lightly as he worried that something may have gone wrong. “Tarnished? I’m not associated.” Harry breathed a slight sigh of relief. He knew he couldn’t afford a lawsuit. “I’ve been looking for a band since I landed here in Talon City just a few hours ago. They go by Flock. You three know anything about them?” As they looked to eachother worried and trying to come up with an answer, Tom had clenched his fists once more as rage started swelling inside of him once more. Something about their name made it act like a sleeper agent for him. This time, Drake was unaware as he questioned the other three, so Mart had to jump in himself. He stepped to his side towards Tom and lightly rammed his elbow into the side of Tom’s chest. This immediately snapped Tom out of it as the elbow was far from light.

“OW! What the hell, man?”

“Doing my job. You looked like you were about to rip my boss to shreds if I didn’t calm you down somehow. You better be careful, pal.” Tom rubbed his chest with his arm as he looked nervously at the massive eagle. 

“Yeah, yeah. Okay. Alright. That’s cool.” In the meantime, Drake had come up with no answers from the three.

“Nothing? Not one thing about them?”

“No, sir. We’re sorry, we genuinely know nothing about them!” The three looked worried as they feared this would make him mad. Though instead, he straightened up hit suit a little and turned to Mart.

“Well, that’s okay. I’ve got guys looking for them, anyway. It was a pleasure chatting with you four, no matter how rancid it may be in here.” It shocked Tom to hear that he was leaving so soon. He quickly stepped in front of Drake as he tried to leave.

“W-Wait! Wait! Don’t go! Weren’t we going to discuss something? I’m willing to do anything for an opportunity, sir. We three have been-”

“Enough! I hear you, kid. I’ll entertain you just this once, I suppose.” Tom let out a sigh of relief as he rushed over to the messy table to clear it of the remnants of last night’s poker game. “You want to get out there then, huh? All of you, sit.” Despite being on their home turf, the four obliged with no hesitation to his commands. The other three vultures had now finally understood the severity of the situation, remaining completely silent as Tom tried his hardest to negotiate. Once they had all sat, Drake put his arms on the table and locked his fingers together. “If you four want any chance of getting this, you’re gonna have to give me something in return. I need your help, you see.” Help? The four were now curious as to why this rich C.E.O might need their help. 

“Us? What do you want us to do? What can even do?”

“Like I said to Tom here earlier, I’m in Talon City for Flock, and Flock alone. Though you four just happened to be lucky enough to come across me, and even luckier since you fit the bill.” 

“Fit the bill? Bill for what?”

“Let me finish! Don’t interrupt me.” Benny sank back into his chair out of fear. He wasn’t worried about Drake himself, but about his bodyguard, who was giving them a scary look. “I’m going to be straightforward with you. Finyl Vinyl isn’t doing too well. We’re down a couple of bands as they went independent on us, and so our ratings are headed straight for the shitter. That’s why I’m looking for something big. Something to shake up the music industry and keep Finyl Vinyl kicking as we slowly move towards this new digital age.” The tension between the four vultures was thick enough to withstand a chainsaw. They weren’t ready to take on a guy like this right after a bad hangover. “I set my sights on Flock as I saw something special in them. That spirit, that passion, that… love. The unbound love for music that I’ve been watching dissapear for the last few years. I wanted to find them and put them to the test to see if they were truly worthy of hitting it big. Though now, they seem to have dissapeared. I need to lure them out, give them an opportunity.”

“What’s this have to do with us?”

“I was about to get to that. You are a part of that opportunity.” The four looked to each other in confusion. Was he just going to use them to get to Flock? In what way? “I was going to find them myself anyway, but I’ve decided to take a more fun approach. I want you two bands to duke it out on stage.” Harry choked on his own spit as he tried to gasp, but held it back to not anger Drake. 

“Duke it out? What, are we gonna fight em?” 

“Well, yes. With music.” They all understood immediately what this meant for Desolate Winds. Though, there was an issue.

“S-Sir, you can’t be serious, right? How can you come to this conclusion if you haven’t even heard us play yet?”

“I’m a gambling man, friend. I like to take my chances, and so I’m betting on you to help me out. I’ll need you to play some of your stuff for me soon, though. I still gotta make sure you guys aren’t complete shit.” Zahra scoffed at the remark. Though nervous, she now had a much more stoic face.

“So what’s in it for us then, huh? You’re gonna have us fight ‘em on stage, and then what? Do we get something?”

“Well, yes, of course! If you four go through with this and really hit the mark, then I’ll set you up with a dear friend of mine’s label. He’ll treat you just as well as I would. My label would go to them, of course. They’re the ones I have my sights on, after all.”

“Why don’t you just take us in, then? What if we totally kick ass and leave them in the dust?

“Well then, I’d flip the positions. You’d get the spot with me and I’d send them to my friend. Both ways are a win still, if you ask me.” Tom jumped in before anyone else could say anything.

“We’ll do it! No hesitation, sir! We need this. We’ve been in the gutter for too long.” Benny sat anxiously in his chair. He still found Drake to be quite suspicious. 

“Well then, play me something! I need to kill time as I wait for my guys to find those owls. Shouldn’t be too much longer, now. I pay them well.” Tom jumped up from his chair and motioned to the others to stand. 

“Come on, look alive! It’s time to get serious, cmon!” The others hesitantly stood up, still nervous about it even as Tom made all the decisions like he usually does. It was too late now, though. Tom had this locked in, and they wouldn’t escape it until they saw it through to the end. They all quickly stepped over to their instruments and prepared themselves to play. Switching on the amps yielded loud screeching, which was quickly shut down by Zahra as she oriented herself. 

“How much do you want to hear? We’ve got about a dozen songs. I don’t like most of ‘em, though.”

“Just play until you’re finished or until I get a call. I’ve got a couple of my best guys searching all night tonight for them. They’re quite good at their job. Now, I’m hoping to hear good things come out of those amps.” The four quickly huddled around the drumset together and brought their voices to a whisper, discussing what songs they wanted to play for Drake. After just under a minute of quiet chattering, they broke out of the huddle with their decision made. 

“We got some good stuff for you. Hope we live up to your expectations. Benny, roll out the red carpet, will you?” With a nod of approval, Benny raised his sticks in preparation. With only a few quick taps, the four were off to the races.

“Mmph- Sylus, this stuff is killer! When the hell did you learn how to cook like this?” Leah’s face was constantly shifting through a multitude of emotions as she tore away at the food on her plate. The four sat together at the large dining table on the other end of the kitchen from the study, enjoying themselves a nice meal as they chatted amongst themselves.

“I was down South for a field trip in high school, and down there I met another stygian owl like myself. He was one of the coolest people I had ever met, and he taught me how to cook some of his traditional meals! He even sent me back with some of his recipes. This Ropa Vieja was the only thing I could make with what we had here, but I’d say it turned out fuckin’ great!” Sylus looked to the other two to see what they thought of their food. Unsurprisingly, Robby was nearly face first in his food as he mindlessly devoured it. He was no stranger to Sylus’ cooking and knew he couldn’t make anything bad, even if he tried. Erik, however, seemed to be lost in thought as he stared at his food blankly. Untouched still, Sylus assumed he was waiting for it to cool down a little more. Though his mind was somewhere else completely.

“Hey, Erik? You alright there, big guy? You haven’t touched your food at all. I didn’t serve it that hot, so it should be cool enough for you!” Erik continued to stare forward with no response. His gut was twisting and his head was nearly throbbing as he felt a sort of nervous pressure come down upon him.“Hey, dude. Don’t be an ass. If you don’t like it just say so. I know Robby will take your plate!” Robby looked up from his food when he heard his name. 

“Mhm! This stuff fucks, Sylus!”

“Thanks, Rob.” He leaned across the table to get a closer look at Erik, who seemed more likely to just be ignoring him now. “Alright dude, you can say something now. Erik? Erik!” He had finally reached his breaking point. “ERIK! WAKE THE HELL UP, ASSHOLE!” His words had finally gotten through to Erik as he jumped back in his chair in surprise.

“Sorry! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I just- I’m sorry!” For whatever reason, he seemed to be bothered by something.

“You okay, dude? Thought we lost you there for a moment. It’s only eleven!”

“I’m fine. Sorry, I just got a little lost in thought. I’m not feeling too great, either.”

“A little lost? I think you were far more than a little lost! Your food’s gonna go cold, man. Eat it! You’re sitting with the chef, you know!” Though Sylus was concerned about his food going to waste, Leah was more concerned about why Erik had fallen into such deep thought as that. 

“Erik, is something on your mind? You looked bothered by something. You wanna tell us about it?” 

“N-No! It’s okay, just some passing thoughts about… things.”

“Tell us, Erik. Give us something to talk about at the table. How about that?”

“Seriously, it’s okay! It’s nothing.”

“Erik!” Once again, he found his mental footing stumbling as he spoke to Leah.

“Alright! I’m thinking about the band, is all. About the future.” A look of dissapointment appeared on Sylus’ face as he hoped for something really interesting to talk about and began tearing back into his food as he listened.

“Well, that’s nothing special now, is it?”

“I’m worried.” Concern had risen around the table.

“About what?”

“Us. Our way of life. What’s gonna happen from here? Not just in all of our individual lives, but to us four together as well? Let’s say we make it big. Now we have to keep up on songs, try to stay relevant, and maybe even have to go on tour! I fear it would take away from everything else.” 

“Erik, you worry too much. We’re going to be fine. Hitting it big would only change our lives only as much as we let it. Who says we have to stick to some song schedule? Who says we have to go on tour? It’s our band, man. We can do whatever the hell we want.” Despite her own fears, Leah’s words brought a small amount of comfort to his worries, just enough to get him to take a bite of his food. “Make sure you don’t let yourself get thrown around, Erik. Sure, you’re a nervous mess who lives alone in a cabin in the middle of the woods, but that doesn’t make you any less important than anyone else.” As she took another bite of her food, Erik had just finished his bite.

“I guess you’re right, Leah. I’m just worried it might end up being too much. I’ve read all about some of the best bands breaking up because the spotlight became too bright. I just don’t want that to happen to us, is all. I don’t want Flock to impede our bonds.” Robby, who had finally finished his food, looked up at Erik with a bit of an annoyed look. 

“As if, Erik! Do you hear yourself? Are you that unconfident in us? That shit wouldn’t happen in a million years. I’d never ditch you guys even if I was offered a million bucks.” 

“Pfft. I doubt that.” Robby had heard himSylus mumble to himself, but couldn’t make out what was being said.

“You say something, Sylus?”

“No. Just enjoying my food.” Erik looked back down at his food with an embarassed look.

“Alright, I get it. I’m sorry for thinking so hard about it. The future can be scary sometimes, you know?” 

“Sure it can, but you’re stronger than that, Erik. Look at me.” At her request, Erik looked across the table at Leah, locking eyes with her. “It’s gonna be okay, man.” Whether intentional or not, she had turned Erik into another flustered mess. 

“Thank you, Leah. I- Thank you.” Words spilled out of his mouth with little thought. “You’re so sweet, you know that?” His eyes opened wide as he realized what he had just said. Not in front of those two, dumbass! Fuck, what are you doing? Leah chuckled quietly as she watched him panic. She can’t bring herself to get as flustered as Erik as long as he gets flustered first, but she still felt just like him. She stood up from her seat and grabbed her almost completely clean plate from the table. She knew all hell was about to break loose between those three and wanted to get out of there.

“You too, Erik.” She gave him a quick smile as she walked to the kitchen to rinse her plate. Robby and Sylus looked across at eachother with mouths agape, and Erik had buried his face in his wings out of embarassment.

“Oh, come on, Erik! You can’t even hide it anymore. You’re gonna tear yourself to shreds if you two keep pulling this! You either rip off the band-aid or let it fester until it dissapears!” 

“Yeah, dude. Neither of you are being subtle about it. Say something to her or don’t, either way she’ll likely end up saying the same-” With a combination of Erik’s flustered state and the fact that he was up much later than he would normally allow himself, he couldn’t stop himself from letting out a little steam. It didn’t help that he had just embarassed himself in front of the others as well.

“SHUT UP!” Sylus and Robby were taken aback by Erik’s sudden outrage, with both sinking back into their chairs. “Cut it out already, will you?! Can’t you just leave things alone for once in your fucking lives?!” His shouting was loud enough to be heard from the kitchen, where Leah was now listening with concern. 

“Those two have really been pushing their luck, haven’t they? Maybe Erik will set them straight.”

“I’ve had enough of your fucking pestering! You guys have been sticking your beaks into my business too much! Leave it the fuck alone already!”

“Jeez Erik, we’re sorry!” The two had only ever seen Erik get this mad just a few select times. Though he’d never been this infuriated before, not even his and Robby’s usual back-and-forths had brought him to this point.

“Sorry isn’t going to fucking cut it! If you want to stay even another minute here, you will shut your god damn mouths about it!” Leah was hearing everything from the kitchen. 

“Holy shit. Is it really that bad? I know those two are insufferable but- has it been tearing away at him that much? Maybe I shouldn’t keep him waiting. But… I’m not sure if I’m ready.” She finished rinsing her plate and sneakily walked upstairs while Erik was busy chewing the two out hoping it would seem like she didn’t hear a thing.

“What even changed, huh?! You’ve been acting like this for the last week! We’ve known Leah for fucking forever, and you decided that now is a good time to obsess over it? Get fucking real!” Erik took a moment to catch his breath, in which Sylus took the opportunity to say something back.

“C-Can I ask you something, Erik?” Erik looked down at him with a glare that could make just about anyone piss themselves out of fear.

“What do you fucking want, Sylus?” Sylus was hesitant, but he knew Erik wouldn’t hurt him. He felt the urge to get answers somehow. He was persistent.

“How long have you liked her, then?” Erik was just about to go completely apeshit, but barely held himself back. He didn’t want to act too irrationally as to maintain the band’s integrity. Though, in his wrathful state, he didn’t think before he spoke.

“TWO YEARS! How’s that, Sylus?! Are you happy? God- Just- FUCK!” He slammed his wings down onto the table, just barely missing the plate of food below him. “Now leave it be! Leave me alone. And especially leave her alone, too!” His rage had finally subsided, and the brothers remained completely frozen. Robby feared Sylus may have pushed it a little too far. Just as Erik was about to sit back down to eat, a knock came from the front door. It was loud enough to be heard from all the way across Erik’s home. Erik was too caught up in his frustrations with the two to really understand the severity of someone being at the door. He pushed his nearly untouched plate of food towards Robby, giving him a gesture of offering. “It was delicious, Sylus. I’m just not hungry anymore. All yours.” With those words, he hastily stepped away from the table to get the door, leaving the brothers to contemplate what had just happened. On his way towards the door, he calmed himself down so he could greet whoever was at the door with a much more pleasant look on his face. Though as he was about halfway to it, the realization had set in.

“Wait, what the fuck?! There’s someone at the door?!” Stopping in his tracks, he quickly thought about what to do. He feared it could be a journalist or some other nosy asshole looking to get their hands on Flock. He carefully approached the door to avoid making too much noise and peeked through the door’s peephole. What he saw on the other side made his heart sink low. Two birds clad in black suits stood at the door, awaiting a response. A short, brown and olive-colored spinetail stood on the left, his face barely in view as he was quite low to the ground. On the right, a beach kingfisher who stood much taller than the spinetail was impatiently looking at his watch. Looking up from it, his long beak covered most of the peephole as it nearly touched the door. Erik could hear a quiet knocking coming from what he assumed was one of them tapping their talons on his wooden porch. Thinking on his feet, he looked around for something that might conceal his face while he attempted to shoo them away. On his right, a tall brass hat rack stood. Hanging from it were Robby’s hat and Leah’s purple scarf she had left the last time she visited. As he panicked, he could hear the two birds talking to themselves as they waited.

“You really think this is the place? It was a pain in the ass to get out here. No sane person could live with that kind of travel.”

“Unless they could fly, dumbass! You look at the photo? One of them’s got huge wings. It adds up.” As Erik continued to search for something to help, Leah was just coming back down from upstairs. Seeing him running around in a panic, she quickly raised concern.

“Erik? You alright, man?”

“Sh! Keep your voice down, Leah!” Now that she knew something really was going on, she quickly descended from the stairs.

“Whats going on? Is something happening?”

“Theres people at the door! I don’t know what to do!”

“Shit, really?! What do we do?”

“Help me get Rob’s hat and that scarf on. I think I can shoo them off if they don’t see my face.” Obliging, she quickly ripped the accessories off of the rack and threw them onto Erik. She had to really push down on his head to get the hat to stay on, and wrapped the scarf as tight as she could to hide as many of his feathers as possible.

“Your glasses. They might recognize them. Will you be fine without them?”

“Oh, god. I can’t see anything without them, but you’re right. Take them off.” Once she had lifted the glasses from his face, he instinctually began squinting his eyes as his vision almost completely blurred. “Fuck, I hate this.” Once Leah had taken his glasses, she quickly peeked through the blinds of the window next to the front door to get a look at the two. They hadn’t moved an inch in the last few minutes. They were persistent.

“This place looks like it belongs to an old couple. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re asleep and left the lights on.”

“I don’t know. I’m feeling like this place could have something. I mean, we’ve checked almost everywhere else in Talon City. All that’s left are the rich houses and the lakeside. If you ask me, I just wanna go back to our hotel.” As the two conversated, the kingfisher briefly looked over towards the window. In the worst timing possible, he made eye contact with Leah as she peaked through the blinds. She quickly reacted and pulled away, signaling to the two birds outside that this place was at least a little suspicious.

“That didn’t look like an old person to me. I think his could be it. Knock again.” With another loud knock on the door, the spinetail called out for a response.

“We’re here on business! We just need to ask a couple questions and then we’ll be out of your feathers!” The door then quickly opened, revealing just the head of an owl whose face was poorly covered.

“Hello. Is there a reason you two are knocking on our- I mean- my door? I’m trying to get some rest.”

“Yes, hello sir. We’re here to ask a couple of questions, is all. We’re looking for a few people and were hoping you might know anything about them.”

“I’m sorry, but I probably won’t know much. My memory commonly escapes me and I live alone out here. I barely watch the news, too.”

“Is that right? Okay, we just need you to answer a couple of questions anyway and we’ll be right on our way.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can answer questions right now. I’m terribly sick, you see? Can you maybe come back tomorrow?”

“Sorry, sir, but we can’t. We need these answers or else our boss will chew us out.”

“I don’t consent to questions. I hope you two have a good night.”

“Not so fast.” As Erik tried to shut the door on them, the kingfisher stuck his leg into the doorframe. Erik’s heart quickly began racing as he feared a conflict may break out. He spotted the spinetail reaching towards his back pocket and feared the worst. They could be armed.

“Okay, I’ll answer! Just… calm down, please.” 

“I’m glad you came around, sir. Now, may we meet the other person with you? I saw them peeking through the window. We’d like to ask both of you these questions.” Erik looked to Leah, who was now panicking as she became roped into this. Improvising, she quickly tied her feathers back with a tie she had in her back pocket. Hoping the feathers being more hidden would help, she stepped towards the door to reveal herself.

“Hello.”

“Pleasure to meet you. May I ask you two your names?” Erik had to come up with something on the spot.

“Y-Yes! I’m Dale. Dale… Turgoiba. And this is my uhm… wife! Yes, this is my wife, Karry.” He couldn’t worry about the incredibly stupid words coming out of his mouth at the moment.

“Thank you. I’m Jason, and this is Lars. We’re with Finyl Vinyl. I’m glad we can properly introduce ourselves.” Erik’s worry multiplied as he heard who they worked for.

“Finyl Vinyl? They can’t be serious. These two look like feds, no way they’re just from a publisher. But if it’s true, that means…” 

“We’re looking for a Leah Straumr. Our boss wanted us to get leads on the mysterious band that popped up just last night. Flock. Hear anything about them? Or Leah?”

“N-No! I’m sorry. I know nothing about those people. I’m not too caught up with the news, you see.”

“Yeah, those names don’t ring a bell for me, either. Sorry about that.”

“Okay… we’re also looking for a few other owls, as well. From the same band. Most notably…” Jason looked intensely at Erik, who was still squinting so he could get a proper view of the two birds. “…a northern hawk owl. Pretty large, too. You know, you’re pretty tall yourself, mister. Do you mind lowering that scarf off of your beak?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to risk getting any of you sick. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself!”

“Hm. Alright. Well, do you think you can at least give us some pointers? Know any particular parts owls like to live in?”

“Yes! I would try the lakeside. The dense trees make for a nice covered that owls love- from what I’ve heard, of course.”

“Aaaaalright. That’s about all we need from you. Sorry to bother you so late into the night. We’re just in a bit of a rush.”

“It’s alright! It was nice talking to you two, I hope you find-” 

“Hey, Leah! What’s going on over there? Who’s at the door?” Out of all possibilites, the worst possible outcome had come about. Just a step away from the finish line, they had been caught on a tripwire. Realizing that Robby had just doomed them all, Leah snapped around quickly and immediately began storming back into the house to give him a piece of her mind. Erik was left alone to try and handle the situation.

“I’m sorry, please ignore him! He, uh, enjoys calling Karry by that name. Back in highschool we-” The spinetail cut Erik off, with a split reaction of happiness and annoyance. They got what they came for, but they almost walked away like fools.

“Don’t even bother. We’ve got what we need. Our boss will be here tomorrow to have a talk with you four. Good night.”

“Wh- but- I-” The two birds had already turned around and began walking away. Stunned, Erik could only watch them leave as his heart sank.

“Also, work on your disguises, pal. We could see your wing the entire time, and that hat wasn’t doing a damn thing for you. Cmon, Lars. Let’s go get some drinks.” With those final insulting words, the two climbed into the small black car they had arrived in and took off. After a few minutes of standing frozen stil, Erik gently shut the door as his mind went quiet.

“You have to be kidding me.”

Still without his glasses, as Leah had stormed off with them, he awkwardly took the hat and scarf off and fumbled his way towards the kitchen. Hoping to have Leah come back with his glasses, he was instead shocked to hear shouting from the dining room.

“Robby, you fucking idiot! What the hell is your problem?!” Leah had Robby pinned to the floor, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling his face towards her as she yelled at him. “We are so fucked, and it’s all your fault! You couldn’t just keep your mouth shut for another five fucking seconds!”

“Leah, I’m sorry! I didn’t know there was someone there! Let alone-”

“I don’t wanna fucking hear it! You just ruined everything! Fuck!” As she curled her fists tighter, Robby’s shirt wrapped further around them and pulled him even closer. She had begun to choke Robby without realizing.

“Leah- I- Stop!” This was all new to Robby. Leah had never acted like this before. He worried that all this really was taking a toll and both her and Erik. But more importantly, he was worried about his own survival.

“Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!” Using the shouting as a guide, Erik had finally fumbled his way into the kitchen, and with a little searching, found his glasses that were hastily thrown onto the counter. As quickly as his wings would let him, he placed the glasses back onto his face. As his vision cleared, the first thing he saw was Leah nearly choking Robby out on the floor. 

“Woah, Leah! Calm down! Hey!” Erik rushed over to help, wrapping his wings around Leah to the best of his ability and pulling her off of him. Her grip was tight, and it was a struggle to get her to let go.

“Fucker! No, let me go Erik! This motherfucker-!”

“Leah, stop! Cut it out! It was an accident!” Robby crawled backwards along the floor, desperately trying to catch his breath as he looked at Leah, terrified. No one had ever seen her so made like that. “Seriously Leah, stop! It’s alright!”

“No! Let me- fucker! ROBBY!” Erik had to take to drastic measures as she continued to attempt to break free from his wings. Her arms shifted back and forth, with her elbows digging into Erik’s torso with every shift. After a bit of struggle, he had eventually wrapped his wings completely around her. With a bit of force, he squeezed her tightly against himself. She wasn’t able to move her arms anymore, and she couldn’t gain any traction on the floor as he lifted her slightly off of it. He had essentially become a feathery iron maiden. “Let me go, Erik! Let me-”

“Leah, stop it! What’s gotten into you?” After a few more moments of struggle, Leah had finally stopped her efforts to escape, though she was still furious. “Leah, please. It’s not his fault, he had no clue. Leave him be.”

“I- Erik!”

“Leah. Stop.” With Erik’s assertive tone, she had finally given up her efforts, and now sat quietly with her head down in Erik’s wings. Robby had stood up and backed himself up against the wall behind him.

“Dear god, Leah! I didn’t know! You nearly killed me!” Leah didn’t respond to him. He couldn’t see her past Erik’s wings, though to him it looked like the two were now having a private conversation. Deciding it wasn’t best to stick around, he quickly took off towards the guest room to meet with Sylus. 

“Erik, I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me. Everything seemed to just get worse so fast- I was just trying to-”

“You did nothing wrong. If the roles were swapped, Robby would have done the same. You have every right to be mad.” With a few more moments of piercing silence in the air, her emotions gave in as she began sobbing into his chest out of guilt, which led to Erik quickly losing his own cool. He could barely keep it together as he attempted to console her, but he knew he had to control his own emotions to make sure she was okay. “Leah… I’m sorry. I’m sorry this is all happening so fast. If I could have planned all of this, I would have. It’ll be alright, though. We’ll pull through, I know we will. You said so yourself, right?” Minutes passed as she continued to cry. Several times she tried to form words to speak, but failed to do so as her emotions restrained her speech. Her heart continued to beat strong enough for Erik to feel pressed up against his own because of the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Erik continued to hold her close, hoping that his feathers were comfortable enough to help her calm down. Though he feared he may have been holding her for too long. “Do you want me to let you go, Leah?”

“No. No, not yet.” Erik was a nervous mess on the inside as his mind constantly raced during this somber moment. He wasn’t sure what to make of what he was doing, but it seemed to work, and that was all that mattered. After a few more minutes of standing in silence, Leah’s crying had ceased, and she pushed herself away from Erik. Looking up to him, she couldn’t hold her usual stoicism around Erik anymore. The feathers on her face were damp, and what was left of her tears glistened under the ceiling light.

“I’m sorry, Erik. I’m just- I’m scared. I really am. I wasn’t ready to get so… overwhelmed. Maybe I’m just still tired from the show.”

“I’m scared too, Leah. Scared… completely shitless. Though I somehow find solace in it all. At least, solace when I’m around you.” He condemned himself in his mind as he spoke without thinking once more. “And- the others! The band!” Leah couldn’t help but laugh at him as he fumbled awkwardly over his own words. His poor attempts at complementing her without making it seem like flirting really cracked her up.

“God, you’re- sniff- so pathetic.” There she goes again, making his heart bounce around the walls of his body as she says things she knows will make him crumble.

“Um, uh- thank you, Leah. I could, uhm… say the same for you. Except, you’re not pathetic! I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay, I know. Everythings just moving so fast around us… I’m glad I get to be around you too. You’re the only person I feel comfortable being… vulnerable around. If you were anyone else, I’d probably vomit all over you out of embarassment!” Her quick jokes kept her head up at least a little as she tried not to be dragged down by everything else. Erik was about to lose himself in embarassment, so all he could do was try to wrap up the conversation before he could say something stupid again.

“Well, uh- it’s pretty late, now. Do you want me to set up the couch?”

“No. Can…” She didn’t know where it was coming from, but she was suddenly making a very bold decision. “…can I sleep up top tonight? I just, you know…”

“Of course! I’ll let you have the bed all to yourself. I don’t mind, really!”

“No, I… I don’t want to sleep alone tonight. I really need someone close. Just for comfort, at the least.” In her mind, she had no clue what she was doing. Just like Eriks, words came out before any thought. She now felt obligated to follow through with it. Erik’s heart was now racing so fast that it could nearly kill him. This was completely insane. But what was he supposed to say? No? He wouldn’t forgive himself in a million years. He struggled to focus, and could barely put a sentence together.

“I- Yes, I- I wouldn’t… mind.” He was nearly about to keel over out of embarassment. What’s going to happen? What if Sylus and Robby- What if-

“Thank you, Erik. I promise I won’t take up too much room. You’re… a real lifesaver.” She walked on past him and into the study, where she promptly flew herself up to the second floor. Erik, now trying not to dissapoint her, folllowed shortly behind. He didn’t know what to think anymore.

Drake sat deep in thought as he sat on the side of his hotel bed, looking out at the beautiful lights of Talon City as they lit up the night sky from the thirty-second-floor window. He held a small notebook in his left hand and a cheap red pen in his right. He had been sitting for two hours, jotting down immense amounts of notes to himself.

“Alright, Drake. How are you gonna do this?” He was exhausted after a long day of having to deal with Desolate Winds. The kids had a fire in them, sure, but they were nearly unbearable to hang around. Maybe he was just too used to living lavishly. He didn’t mind that. He worked hard for twenty years to get where he was. “You’ve roped a bunch of vultures into it, but you don’t even have who you’re really looking for. Flock. I need to find Flock.” With little thought, he quickly wrote Flock in his notebook in large, crude letters. “I need those two to do their damn job, that’s what I need. If I don’t fly out of Talon City with something, then we’re all going to end up in the gutter.” He wrote Jason and Lars’ names in his notebook as well in the same crude writing. Next to them, he doodled a small clock and a skull nefore quickly scribbling over it. “They’ll get it done. They’ve done this kind of stuff for years.” Flipping the page, four small printed photos of each member of flock had been taped to the paper. Ramblings and opinions on each one were jotted down in small words near every picture. While there was nothing of note for Robby, Sylus, and Leah, Erik’s photo was circled. Below the picture were much larger words, simply reading out “His legacy.” He stood up from the bed, setting the notebook and pen together on a small table next to the window.

“Oh, darling! You can’t! You’ve heard of the curse! Don’t touch that guitar!” The flatscreen television on the wall played an old action-romance movie, with the fittingly cheesy name of Man of Music 2. 

“It’s alright, my sweet. I’ve learned of its secrets! I can take it. I can take that guitar!”

“Darling, no!” With the screen being covered in poorly edited lightning, the movie was reaching its climax. Though before it could finish, the television had gone black.

“God, that was loud. Classics and their lack of good sound teams.” He stood in the center of the now quiet hotel room, still thinking about his options as he dealt with Flock. It was midnight, and he was considering letting it go for the night so he could relax a little. After a few more moments of thought, he decided it was best to rest. He walked around his hotel room and flicked each lightswitch off one by one until the only light that remained was the small on the bedside table. 

“Alright. Relax yourself, Drake. Everything comes tomorrow.” He took his polo shirt he had been wearing under his suit all day off, revealing his beautiful black and red patterned feathers that covered his surprisingly toned body. When you’re rich, you get a lot of free time. Taking his phone out of his pocket, he set it on the hotel’s included wireless charger and tucked himself into bed. He took a deep breath in and a deep breath out, relaxing his entire body as he prepared to get a good night’s sleep. Reaching over to the nightstand, he flicked the small button on the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Rolling over on his side, he let himself drift towards the street of dreams in his mind. Though as he was nearing his peaceful sleep, his phone rang loudly right in his ear. His eyes shot wide open, and he quickly rolled over to grab the phone.

“Motherfucker. If it’s not those two telling me they- oh.” Lars was calling. It must have been important, as he would never dare to interrupt Drake’s sleep. Now excited to hear some promising news, he answered and put the phone to his ear.

“Boss! I’m so sorry to bother this late.”

“It better be good, Lars. I’ll have you thrown in the damn lake if it isn’t something I wanna hear.”

“Don’t worry, boss! Its good news.”

“Yeah? Spill it, then!”

“We found them. Out in a secluded house just out of the city, towards the wealthier homes. They tried to… disguise themselves. They didn’t do a very good job.” Jason could be heard laughing in the background.

“Yeah, but be honest Lars! We almost walked away like a couple of idiots. We got lucky when an even bigger idiot yelled Leah’s name out for everyone to hear.”

“You two, that’s incredible! I knew I was right to put my faith in you again. You rarely ever fail me, no matter how… difficult you can be sometimes.”

“Uh… thanks, boss! So, what do we do from here?”

“You guys are gonna come back to your hotel room and relax, that’s what. I’m treating us all to breakfast in the morning and then we are off to meet them.”

“You’re too kind, boss! Thank you!”

“I know, I know. Thanks for the good news, boys. See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, boss!” Drake shut off his phone, this time putting it on mute, and set it down. He rolled back over with a smile on his face. Visions of the four passed through his mind as he drifted off to sleep. They were the key to getting Finyl Vinyl back on track, he just knew it.

“About damn time. See you soon, Flock.”

Seperated rays of golden sunlight shined into Erik’s home as the blinds on the large windows did a poor job of stopping it. The huge open space that was Erik’s home was slowly brightening as the sun rose. One stray ray of light peeked through the perfect spot in the blinds, as passing through and leading itself straight into Leah’s eyes. Being ripped away from the world within her dreams, she grumbled a little as she woke. She cracked her eyelids open for just a moment before immediately closing them again as the sun beamed into her eyes. 

“Oooh, man.” She rolled over onto her back, opening her eyes slowly. Her whole body still felt sluggish as her mind kicked back into gear, and she could barely even form a coherent thought. All she knew was that the blanket of the bed and the pillows under head were keeping her tucked in. “This bed is just too comfy… better than that tiny bunk at home.” Shifting around in the bed a little more, she felt a little chill on her chest and shoulders, as they weren’t covered by the blanket like the rest of her body. She pulled her right arm up slightly and went to reach for it to cover herself. Though upon touching it, realization had set in. “This isn’t a blanket. So what…?” Lifting her head up a little, she looked just past her chest to see a large wing resting over her. Erik’s wing. Seeing this, her eyes had now fully widened and her mind woke up completely. Looking to her right, she saw Erik sleeping with mouth agape. He was lying on his stomach and stretching his wings out wide across the bed, likely to keep them in a comfortable position as he slept. Little did he realize he had rested his wing upon Leah in his sleep, which she had mistaken for a soft blanket. “Oh, shit. Erik!” Not wanting to disturb him, she kept her thoughts in her mind instead of whispering them aloud to herself. She had to think of a way out without waking Erik, or else he might freak out and feel embarassed. Gauging her options, she opted to shuffle herself to the side until she made it to the edge of the bed. With tiny movements, she slowly inched her way across. That was, until Erik had suddenly wrapped his wing around her and pulled back, almost as if he didn’t want her to go.

“Oh, fuck off… Robby. I should… kick your ass…” He was mumbling to himself as he slept, getting caught in Robby’s antics, even in his dreams. Leah had to reassess, desperately trying not to make any sudden movements. Her next best idea was to grab his wing and slowly push it off of her, though as soon as her hands touched his wings, she had failed. Erik’s mind had set off some sort of alarm in itself that woke him up, and he opened his eyes. Realizing this, Leah panicked. “Shit! Erik, I’m so sorry.” Erik kept his wings still as he slowly opened his eyes and took in a deep breath. As he breathed out, he opened his eyes all the way to be met with Leah looking back at him. For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming. Though only after a short moment, realization had set in, his heart immediately began racing once again. Noticing that his wing was resting right on top of her, he immediately pulled it away and began frantically apologizing.

“Leah! I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to- I wasn’t-” 

“Erik, it’s fine!.” He tucked his wings into his sides and rolled over until he was close enough to stand up from the bed. 

“No, Leah. I’m sorry- I hope I didn’t seem-” Several of his feathers had fallen off while he slept, and the black shirt he was wearing was disheveled. Leah stood up quickly from the bed, also embarassed. She knew she needed to keep her cool, however. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to rest my wing on you like that! That’s just how I sleep, I swear! I didn’t mean-”

“Erik! Calm down, dude. It’s not the end of the world.” He clamped his mouth shut, watching Leah stretch her arms out before turning around to look at him. “You did nothing wrong, dude. You’re just not used to sharing a bed, I get it. You didn’t grow up with any siblings, did you?” 

“N-no, I’m an only child.”

“Be glad. I know I am.” She straightened her outfit out and prepared to glide down to the first floor in search of breakfast. Though before she hopped over the railing, she looked back at Erik again. For whatever reason, she always felt the need to rub salt in the wound whenever Erik was set off. “By the way, don’t think I was uncomfortable or anything. Your feathers are really soft.” He stood frozen, flustered by what she had said. 

“Really? I mean, thank you! I didn’t think-” She hopped over the railing before Erik could finish his sentence. “Oh. Um, I’ll be down soon!” He sat back down on the bed, staring at the floor. “What do I even do at this point? It feels like shes just insenuating it. Maybe that’s what she wants. Maybe she just wants you to man up, Erik. Man up and ask her out. No, I can’t!” As he sat thinking about what had happened still, a stray thought about last night had flown into his mind. They were expecting guests today, albeit very unwelcome ones. “Shit, that’s right! What time is it?” Looking at the small alarm clock on his nightstand, it read an alarming one thirty-two. “Holy shit! Did I really sleep that long?” He quickly stood up and hopped over the railing, making his way down to the first floor. The house was still quiet, as Sylus and Robby seemingly hadn’t woken up yet. Either that, or they were still scared of Leah, who was now putting Erik’s kettle on the stove.

“Woah, you’re making tea on your own now? Did you like it that much?”

“Yes, actually. I thought it was great. I just didn’t say anything for… whatever reason.” He couldn’t afford to be distracted at the moment, so he quickly changed the topic out of urgency.

“Leah, I don’t want you to panick or anything, but we’re expecting guests today.”

“What?! No, that means- oh, fuck!”

“I’m sorry. I really tried to play it off last night. They walked off before I could try.”

“Fuck, okay. Alright. Did they say when?”

“No. They could show up at any moment.”

“What about Robby and Sylus, then? Do we wake them up?” Leah was hesitant to ask about them. She feared that both her and Erik’s outbursts terrified the brothers enough to have them hide away in the guest room.

“I guess? I… don’t know what to do about them. I was… a little harsh last night. I hope you didn’t hear me.” She didn’t want Erik to worry about her hearing everything he said about her, so she forced herself to brush it off.

“You were? I heard nothing. I went to go use the bathroom.”

“I’m glad. You wouldn’t have wanted to hear it, anyway. Though, I’m going to check on them. I don’t want things to be tense when we’re still so distraught.”

“I wish you luck.” He walked towards the hallway connected to the kitchen slowly, making sure he didn’t make too much noise as he approached. Turning the corner, he was faced with the shut door of the guest room.

“Alright, Erik. Just peek your head in and hope they’re just sleeping.” He grasped the knob of the door with his wing and slowly opened the door. He had forgotten to knock. How impolite. A horrendous smell was the first thing to hit Erik’s senses. At first he couldn’t tell what exactly it was, but after another second he had recognized it. “Is that pot?” He didn’t care about formatlities anymore. He swung the door wide open, catching both Robby and Sylus off guard. The two both sat on the floor, high out of their minds, with all of Robby’s smoking trinkets spread around them.

“Erik?! Fuck!”

“What the hell are you two doing? Are you fucking high?!”

“Erik, it’s not-”

“My god, you’ve even spilled it all over the floor! Do you two have no respect?!” In the hopes he could mend the woes between him and the two, he was instead brought to an even stronger rage than he was last night. “First you have the balls to freeload in my house, and then you pester me until I get mad, and now you’re smoking pot in my fucking guest room? What is wrong with you?!”

“We were stressed, man! We’re allowed to calm the nerves from time to time!”

“Not in my fucking house, you aren’t! You two- I can’t- ARGH! I can’t deal with this right now! Stay in this fucking room until you sober up, and clean up that goddamn mess! You’re lucky I don’t smash that bong over your heads!” 

“Erik, I’m sorry! We didn’t think-”

“No! No excuses! You two are already on thin fucking ice! I’ve told you a million times before you can’t even smoke in my garage. Now everything in this room is going to reek for days! Like I said, don’t come out until you’re sober!” He slammed the door shut on them, leaving them sat in silence among the mess they created.

“Fuuuuck. We’re totally boned, dude.” Sylus, who didn’t even get to say a word to Erik, promptly laid back on the floor. 

“Eh. It’ll be fine. He wouldn’t kick us out, even he knows it.” 

“Yeah, I guess so…”

Erik stomped back down the hall towards the kitchen. Leah could hear each step of his as he rapidly approached. She could tell that whatever happened, it wasn’t good. When he turned the corner back into the kitchen, the furled feathers on his face said everything.

“So, uh- How are they?” Erik looked at her with a scowl still on his face before letting out a deep breath as it faded.

“They’re high. High out of their fucking minds.” Leah’s eyes widened. The pot was unsurprising to her, but at a time like this? At Erik’s place? It was like they had a death wish. 

“Wow. I don’t know what to say, really.”

“I dont know either, Leah. I am just- god. Whoever’s showing up today will probably only be talking with us. Maybe that’s for the better.” Deep down, Leah didn’t agree at all. She knew the four needed to do everything together to get through all the stress, but she couldn’t blame Erik for feeling the way he was.

“Do you think they could sober up in… how long do we have?”

“No clue.”

“Lovely.” Finishing the tea, she poured both herself and Erik a cup as they sat in the study to wait. Hopefully, the brothers would sober up in time for whoever this mysterious “boss” was to show. Hours passed as the two chatted and watched television together. After what had happened last night, they didn’t feel so bad being alone around eachother anymore. They felt too embarassed to even bring it up however, and both were on strict watch of their own words as to not say something that would kick up another storm. The entire time, Robby and Sylus did not make an appearance still. Erik hoped they cleaned up their mess and fell asleep. He still contemplated how merciful he was going to be when they awoke.

Leah was scrolling her Hootstagram on a new alternate account. She couldn’t help herself sometimes. Erik had looked over one too many times and ended up lost in the scrolling as well. They both became so lost in it, they hadn’t realized that they were incredibly close to eachother on the couch. Time continued to pass as the two sat. Then, it happened.

THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.

Erik and Leah had both shot upright out of shock, with both going into a panic as they heard the banging on the door. Whoever was seeking them out had finally arrived. With no sign of Robby or Sylus still, the two had to face this themselves. They both stood up and began for the door in near perfect sync. When they reached it, Leah paused to allow Erik to open it. Suspense filled not just the air, but the minds of them both. Anyone could be behind the door. Whoever it was, they were there for Flock. Whether that was a bad thing, only time would tell.

Erik wrapped his shaky wing around the doorknob, slowly twisting it until the mechanism of the door had clicked. He held still, his body frozen as his mind ran fears throughout itself. Suddenly, the tone in his mind had shifted as he injected a newfound confidence into himself. Instead of slowly opening the door, he swung it towards himself in a single quick motion. 

The large golden eagle that stood eye level with him neutered Erik’s confident gaze. His incredibly muscular stature made him scarier than most things Erik had seen before, and if he wasn’t wearing a professional two-piece suit, he could’ve easily been mistaken for an escaped convict.

“What a pleasure it is to see your faces after all this time. Why’d you have to hide away? It was quite the pain to find you.” Erik was still locked in a gaze with the eagle as he failed to realize the voice wasn’t coming from him, but from someone just below his vision. Looking down, he was met with none other than Drake himself in all his devilish glory, staring right back at him. 

“Uh, um-”

“Ah! say nothing.” He looked at Leah, who was now hiding just behind Erik. “Leah! There you are. Finally found our lost princess, haven’t we, Mart?” The eagle grunted in approval, and Leah retaliated with an annoyed scoff.

“Who the hell are you, dude? You came out all this way for what?”

“What do you think, dear? Haven’t you looked around? You’re a star! All of you are!” He peeked around both Leah and Erik in search of the absent brothers. “At least, I thought there were more of you. Were those two a couple of last-minute hires? Where are they?” Erik had broken free of his shock when he heard such insulting words spoken.

“Last-minute hires are far from it, asshole. They’re busy.” Drake looked up to him with a large grin on his face.

“So you speak! And you’ve got some balls on you! Anyway, may I come in?”

“Will you leave if I said no?”

“Hah! Of course not. We have much to discuss.” Erik looked to Leah, who hesitantly nodded as she knew another way out of this was unlikely.

“Fine. I don’t care who you are though, you’re in my home.”

“Oh man, you’re funny! Don’t worry, Mart and I are quite polite.” Erik stepped to the side and ushered the two unwelcome guests in. Drake looked around at Erik’s home with a smile remaining on his face still. He promptly walked over to the study and sat himself in one of the armchairs. Mart continued to stand close instead of seating himself down. Leah and Erik followed shortly after as they sat themselves onto the couch. Tensions in the room were high, but it seemed like Drake wasn’t affected by any of it. He continued to look around as if he lived there.

“You’ve really done well here, friend. It’s just like how I remember it.” The statement shot into Erik’s mind like a bullet. 

“How you remember it? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Different conversation, friend. Or, I guess I should just say Erik at this point.” Erik had frozen up once again. He knew his name? He had entered another small panic as he raised his voice.

“How do you know my name? Who the hell are you?! What do you even want?!”

“Calm yourself, Erik! I’m no threat to you or any of your bandmates. I’m a friend.”

“I don’t believe you! I mean- look at you! Clad in red and black, you scream untrustworthy from a mile away!” Leah nudged his wing and gestured him to relax.

“Calm down, Erik.” He didn’t see the value of yelling anymore, so he sat back on the couch with an angry look on his face. 

“If you want a single word out of me, you’re gonna have to tell me why you’re acting like I’ve known you forever. You haven’t even told us your name!”

“Have I not? Oh, I’m so sorry! I’m Drake. Drake Devol, but you can call me D.D. if you’d like.” Despite his requests, no one still had ever called him that.

“I still don’t trust you.” Drake was now annoyed after being told that fot the umptenth time. He looked to the other armchair for a moment, then back to Erik.

“Alright, fine. See that armchair? Lift the cushion. There’s a small cabinet with a bottle of wine. If there isn’t, I’ll walk out the door right now. I swear on it.” Erik looked to Leah, hoping she would be the one to do it as his wings would likely make it hard.

“Yeah… yeah. I got it Erik.” She stood up, taking just one quick step to the armchair before lifting the cushion from it. To their surprise, there really was a cabinet hidden in the chair, with a built in three-digit code lock. Erik stood up to get a better look. He was in complete awe of this mysterious cabinet he had no clue existed. Despite living in this home for four years, he seemingly never knew this existed.

“How do you know about this? W-what’s the code?”

“Leah! I assume you’ve known Erik for a while now. What’s his birthdate?” 

“The first of February, but-”

“Go ahead.” She slowly put the code into the lock as Erik watched from over her shoulder. Drake tapped Mart with his elbow and gave him a grin. “Pretty cool, yeah? I was excited to do this kinda stuff.” The moment Leah had put in the last digit, the lock clicked and the cabinet pushed itself out slightly on its own. Leah quickly opened the cabinet, where she found an old bottle of wine that had been tucked away.

“You gotta be kidding me. This can’t be-” Erik snapped around to look back at Drake.

“Who are you?! Seriously, answer me right now!”

“A friend! How many times do I have to say it? I’m a friend.”

“A friend of who’s? It sure as hell isn’t me!”

“Your father, Erik! How’s that? That make it a little easier?” 

Erik’s expression went completely blank. In complete silence, he sat back down on the couch without breaking his gaze at Drake. Leah watched in confusion as Erik switched up completely.

“Leah, dear. Would you do me a favor? Hand me that bottle and grab a couple of glasses from the kitchen, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Why the hell would I do that for you? I still don’t even-”

“Leah. Do what he asks.” His now low and strict tone caught her completely off guard, but she now knew something was up. Erik wouldn’t act like this if it wasn’t serious. With no more opposition, she handed the bottle to Drake and quickly walked off to the kitchen. Drake examined the bottle closely, looking from it to see Erik staring at him instensely.

“Listen, Drake. I don’t know what your goal here is, but I’m willing to listen. The only catch is, once I’m done listening to you, I want to hear everything you know about my father. Do we have a deal?”

“Ah, sure. It doesn’t hurt. I still want to know though, where are the other two? It would be nice to speak with all of you at once, you see.”

“I’m not going to cut corners here anymore, and I expect you to do the same. I found both of them in my guest room, high out of their minds. I told them hours ago to sober up before you got here, but they don’t seem to understand the importance just yet.”

“Oh, man! You four are a bunch of characters, aren’t you? That’s gonna make this even better.” Leah had come back from the kitchen with two wine glasses she had picked from Erik’s cabinets. Seeing this, Drake promptly pierced the cork of the bottle with the talon on his finger and ripped it right off. The pungent smell of perfectly preserved wine immediately conquered the senses of all four of them.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to open this sucker. It makes me just so damn happy to see it still here after all this time.” He slowly filled the two glasses, making sure not to spill a drop on Erik’s carpet. “Erik, might I ask how old you are?” Such a random question confused Erik, especially when Drake claimed to be there for “business”.

“Uh, twenty-two? Why do you ask?” Once the second glass was filled, Drake set down the wine and offered the glass to Erik.

“Perfect. That makes this special. Go ahead, it’s a gift from me to you.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m just not in the mood to drink right now-”

“God, you’re a pain. It’s from your father. Merry Christmas.” Erik once again entered an oddly focused state when his father was mentioned. He took the glass from Drake quickly. Leah continued to watch on in confusion as she wondered what about Erik’s father made him so tense. “Alright, I apologize for dragging this out so much already. Let’s talk business. Or should I say, opportunity?”

“Opportunity?”

“You see, Erik, and you too Leah, I’ve got a good pair of eyes here. Eyes for talent, that is. I watched the whole show of yours you put on during the festival. It was broadcast throughout the whole world, from what I assume. It at least made its way out to me all the way in the East!”

“Broadcast? The entire world? How many-”

“I don’t know, kid. I don’t run the networks. However, I wanted to say that it was a fucking killer. I haven’t seen potential like what you four have in a looooong time.” Erik was really putting the pieces together.

“Finyl Vinyl, the show, is he…?”

“I could tell you recognized the name Finyl Vinyl when I mentioned it at the door. That makes this much, much simpler.” He took a long sip from the glass, giving a pleased look when he finished. “God, that’s good stuff. He always had the best taste.” He looked back to Erik once more and smiled. Over time, Erik was feeling a familiar aura slowly develop around Drake. Did he actually know him? Has he forgotten?

“I know you, don’t I?”

“Different conversation, Erik. Where were we? Oh, yes. I see an immense amount of potential in you four, which is why I have a proposition for you. I want Flock out there. I want to see you go places. I want you to work with me.” Erik and Leah looked at eachother with a mix of worry and excitement. Drake seemed professional enough, and might help quell the chaos happening in their lives.

“How so? I mean, what does this ‘offer’ of yours entail?”

“I want your band under my name. That means I’ll basically be your… musical guardian, so to speak. You’ll have plenty of benefits come your way, I assure you. Your name will be out there, you’ll have a proper studio to record, and I will gladly fund almost anything you may need. We’ll both be profiting big time.” 

“I mean, I- We’ll have to think on this. We need to talk to the other two about this. Make yourself at home! You’ve made yourself much more welcome than we considered before, so don’t be shy to, uh, look around. Just- if you pull any books off the shelves, please put them back.” Drake laughed at him like a father would his disobedient son saying something rash. 

“I won’t lay a finger on anything, kid.” Erik set the still full glass on the table and stood up, giving Leah a quick gesture with his head for her to come with. She followed without hesitation as the two left for the hallway. Leah still understood nothing that was going on. Erik’s sudden change of tone when his father was mentioned was unexpected. She always hated secrets, so now she felt the need to know. As the two were about to pass the bathroom on the way to the guest room, Leah did something unexpected. She grabbed Erik’s shirt tightly with her wings.

“Wha-? Leah? What are you-” She pulled Erik to the side as hard as she could and threw him into the bathroom. Erik was too surprised to react and plant his talons on the ground, leading him to stumble in as he tried to stop his momentum. Following just behind Erik, she ran into the bathroom and shut the door quickly, locking it. “Leah! What is this? Why did you-” The sudden move Leah had left him confused, and his mind drifted to several conclusions. Unsurprisingly, he was flustered once again.

“Why the hell are you so buddy-buddy with this guy suddenly? Just a moment ago you were shaking just seeing him at the door. What’s this all about, Erik?”

“Leah I- I don’t know what to say! My reasoning is important, I just-”

“What’s up with your father? What is all this? Tell me, Erik. I have to know. I just… I have to know!”

“I’ll explain it another time! We just have to get through today and I promise-”

“No! Erik, I have to know. I’ve only heard you mention your father twice since I met you. You treat his name like a forbidden saying! What’s it all about?!”

“What’s gotten into you, Leah? Please, just let it be! I promise I’ll explain it all later. We need to get Robby and Sylus-”

“Tell me! I want to know more. I want to know more about you. It’s killing me!” Leah was now stepping forward towards Erik, forcing him to step back until he had hit the bathroom wall. Backed into a corner by an aggressively curious Leah, he gave in.

“I don’t know, okay?! I don’t know. I don’t know a thing about my father.” Leah’s advancements had halted as she was taken aback by the answer.

“You… don’t know? Your own father?”

“Yes! That’s why I’m being so friendly. I know nothing, and I’ve been searching for anything about him for years. This is something, Leah. It’s important.”

“What about your mother? Has she told you nothing about him?”

“Sadly, yes. She claims she’s withholding what she knows because it’s important that I ‘figure it out myself’.”

“Is he… not around anymore? I mean-”

“He died when I was three. Brain cancer. That’s just about everything I know about him. My mother always said he wanted to be there for me.”

“O-oh, Erik, I’m so sorry! I didn’t think-”

“Leah, it’s fine. Let’s just move on for now. I promise I’m not trying to keep secrets. I’m just as unknowing as you are. C’mon, let’s go grab those two.” Leah had gone silent. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything else. She got her answer, but it wasn’t at all what she was expecting. Erik squeezed by her in the narrow bathroom and opened the door, turning right and heading down the hallway.

“I- Erik…” Unsure if she felt defeated or if she had got what she was looking for, she followed Erik towards the guest room, where he was waiting for her before the door.

“Alright. Let’s just hope they’re sober.” This time he knew to knock, giving three gentle taps with his wing. To his surprise, he received a response.

“You’re good! Go ahead!” Despite this welcome, he still opened the door slowly. He was met with Robby and Sylus, both laying on their respective guest beds, with Robby scrolling his phone mindlessly and Sylus staring up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

“Hey, Erik. We’re not high anymore, if you’re wondering. Just needed a good nap.”

“I’m glad to hear that, and I’m glad that horrible smell is gone as well. Look, I know things have been a little rough around here lately, but you guys need to come out. We have a guest, and I need all four of us out there. C’mon, let’s go.” The brothers glanced at eachother confused.

“Guest? What the hell? Did someone find us that quick?”

“Yes, Rob. But it’s not as bad as it could be. He’s a… friend.”

“You’re cool with us out there? I mean, you didn’t seem too happy with us a few hours ago.”

“Its… water under the bridge, Robby. Worse things have happened in this guest room. We’ve got more important things to deal with.”

“Well alright. I’m comin’.” Shockingly compliant, Robby jumped up from his bed, quickly stuffing his phone into his pocket as he stepped towards the door. Sylus followed shortly after, and the four walked out of the guest room in silence. Approaching the study, Robby and Sylus both became anxious as soon as they laid sight of Drake. 

“Oh, man. Who the hell is that?” Erik quickly tapped Robby with his wing, giving him a stern look.

“Be respectful, please. I’ll explain more later… if he doesn’t explain it all himself.” The four entered the study where Drake was now reading a book he had pulled off of one of Erik’s bookshelves. The four entered the study without a word and sat, with Erik sitting in the other armchair while the others all shared the couch. Drake closed the book and looked up towards Robby and Sylus, giving a judgmental look at the two.

“So you must be the other two, then? What a couple of characters, I’ll say.” The two couldn’t discern if that was an insult or a compliment. Robby was the first to speak. 

“I’m Robby. This is Sylus, my brother.”

“Sylus stared back, completely silent. Since Drake was unfamiliar, he had completely switched up from his usual energetic personality to a much more serious one. His feathers were furled as he gave Drake an angry stare.

“Drake Devol. Call me D.D. Or, if you’re like Erik here, call me Drake anyway.”

“It’s, uh… nice to meet you, Drake.” Drake gave a slight frown. Despite preferring D.D, no one ever calls him it. Tom was the first to do it in months.

“Well! Now that all for of you are finally all together, I can properly talk about my offer. Like I said to Erik and Leah here already, I want to partner up with you four. I want Flock under Finyl Vinyl as a benefit for both of us. Again, I see great potential in you four.” Robby already seemed unconvinced, he felt nothing but untrustworthiness as he looked at Drake.

“What’s in it for us, then? I’ve heard all about label publishers like you from my dad. I know there’s always a catch.” 

“No catch, friend! I know it sounds like I’d be owning you, but I would consider it more a partnership. Fifty-fifty. Hand in hand. I’ll help you stay organized, get you your own studio, fund what you need, I’ll do it all.” Both Sylus and Robby’s plumicorns stuck up when they heard what was being offered. The guy seemed suspicious, sure, but they didn’t see why they should turn down such benefits. Sylus crossed his arms as consideration now crept into his mind.

“Why though? Why us, exactly? You can talk about ‘potential’ all you want, but I don’t believe that’d be your only reasoning. Tell us. Be truthful, or consider me out.”

“I like you. You’re stubborn, aren’t you? Fine.” Drake leaned forward in the armchair, setting the glass of wine in his hand down and grasping his hands together. “I’m in the gutter. Finyl Vinyl is about to go out of business at the rate it’s at. Modern technology, all your fancy ‘streaming services’, it’s killing business for companies like mine. All these big streaming corporations hoard all the rights to all these bands and artists, leaving nothing for the more… humble companies like my own. I need something big to keep me afloat, and judging by how much of a fuss you’ve made here in Talon City, you’re clearly my best shot.” 

“Well, that’s a damn good reason. Better than just saying you want more money, at least you seem genuine.”

“You’re too kind, Sylus. Of course, alongside that, I’ve got more personal reasons for working with you four.” He turned his head to look at Erik, who matched his gaze with his own intense stare. Breaking from the gaze, Erik looked to the rest of the band.

“I’m on board with it. We need something like this right now. I think it will benefit us more than it will harm us.” The other three looked to eachother to see if there would be any protest, but they all remained silent. 

“You won’t make us sign any contracts or anything, are you?”

“Of course not, Leah dear! I hate those evil pieces of garbage. I find binding your collaborator leads to nothing but tragedy.” With every assuring word he spoke, he grabbed the trust of the four slowly but surely. Chatting for another hour, the conversation was nearing a close. Robby and Sylus had lost eventually lost their skepticism, with Leah and Erik now seemingly completely on board. 

“So, have you for come to a decision yet? It’s been so lovely chatting with you today.” All four of them gave their approval. They saw no harm coming from it. “I’m so glad! Now, heres the catch.” Robby jumped up from the couch, his approval quickly dissapearing.

“Hey, what the fuck?! You said there was no catch or anything like that! What’s your fuckin’ problem?!”

“Calm down! It’s not what you think. Sit back down, please.” Robby obliged and sat, now furious that Drake had duped him.

“What? Spill it alredy.”

“This partnership won’t come so easily, you see.” 

“You’re going to earn it.”

“You want us to what? Battle? You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, but I am. As much good as I see in you four, I can’t just put my faith into you so blindly. As good as that show of yours was, it’s not enough to show me what you really are.” Drake checked his fancy platinum watch on his arm, giving a slight chuckle as he looked back up to the four. “What do you say? I think it’ll be fun. I’ll even take you to meet your opponents right now, if you desire.” Erik stood up and straightened his shirt.

“We need to discuss this as a group. Do you mind excusing us for a moment?”

“Of course not! I mean, it’s your home, kid.”

“Oh, yeah. I guess you’re right. Anyway, come on, you three. Meet me upstairs.” Leah and Erik both quickly flew up over the railing to the second floor, while Robby and Sylus took the thin stairs up.

“Those two and their fuckin’ wings.”

“Oh relax, Robby.” When the two had reached the upstairs, they sat themselves down next to Leah on the edge of Erik’s bed. Erik stood in front of the four with his wing to his head, deep in thought. 

“I mean, this is a lot to take in. It’s only been two days, we’ve only been able to make one song!” He was pacing back and forth across the room, eyes to the floor as he walked.

“Well, I don’t really see a downside. As long as he gives us a little time to get ready, I’m pretty cool with it.” Robby laid back onto Erik’s bed, embracing the wonderfully comfortable mattress.

“I don’t know. I still don’t trust him. We’ve still only just met him as well. How can we just sign ourselves onto some partnership like this?” Erik ceased his pacing as he look to Sylus.

“We don’t have to. You heard what he said, right? We have to earn this special deal of his. If we go through with this ‘battle’ of his, we can figure out more about what he’s really all about. This whole thing could be good for publicity, too.”

“I guess you’re right. Though isn’t publicity the last thing we need right now? Look at what that last show did to us already, we’re still recovering and trying to figure out what the hell is going on.” Leah, who was sitting in silence while the others were discussing, broke her silence suddenly as she stood up.

“I want to do it. I don’t care what his whole deal is.” The three looked at her, surprised that she was suddenly so confident. They didn’t expect her to be so forward, seeing as she’s the one whose life it had affected the most.

“Woah, what made you so adamant all of the sudden?” 

“I don’t care about publicity or any dumb partnetship. I want to do it.”

“Why? Do you have some other reason you’re not telling us?”

“I want my parents to fuck off, that’s what!”

“Woah, where’s this coming from?”

“You know where it’s coming from, Erik! All of you do. I’ve dealt with my parents controlling my life for years now. Making me go to university for a degree I don’t want, trying to shape me into some perfect little lady. My mom wants me to be just like her, and as much as I love her, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy!” Robby quickly sat back up after he nearly dozed off in Erik’s bed.

“Wow! I knew they bothered you, but I didn’t think it was that bad. But how’s this going to make them back off?”

“I want to show to them what I really am. I want to keep putting on shows and I want to keep blowing them away. This is the best way I can think of without them straight up disowning me.” Sylus laughed to himself.

“I gotta give it to you, Leah. You are a real character, and that’s fuckin’ awesome. I’m in too, then. If I dont have any other reason to, I’d say thats a pretty good one. Of course, I want Flock to succeed too.” Erik and Robby looked to eachother, with a quick moment passing before Robby shrugged to himself. 

“Well, who am I to say no? I’m game. Flock’s been my whole life these last few years, anyway. Plus, hiding away here at Erik’s place has been boring as hell. Sorry, Erik.” 

“No, no. I get it. I think us expecting some peace after the show was a little dumb. Let’s ‘ride the high’, shall we? Also, Drake and I have… important things to discuss. I don’t want to squander this opportunity. “

“So it’s settled then? We have our reasons, so let’s scrap these dumb hiding plans and get out there. Flock’s going places, I just know it is.” With that, the four went back downstairs to meet with Drake once more. None of them sat this time, as they all approached with a look of confidence.

“So whats your decision, friends?”

“We want in. We don’t want to hide here anymore, we want to get out there. We’ll do the show.”

“Wonderful, oh wonderful! I knew I was right to silence my doubts about you. Well, in that case…” He stood up from the chair, adjusting his suit and tie. “Would you care to join me, then? I want you to meet your new rivals, as I’d describe them.”

“Well, we got nothing better to do today. Right?” Erik looked to the others, who gave no protest. “Do you have a ride for us? Or are we just meeting you somewhere?”

“Oh, I have a ride all right. I take it you all could go for some lunch?” At the mention of lunch, all four of their stomachs called out to them as they reminded them it was nearly three, and none of them had eaten.

“Hell yes, I could go for some lunch! What are we waiting for? I needed some fresh air, anyway!” Robby immediately took off for the door, swinging it open quickly and stepping outside. Sylus and Leah followed quickly behind, enamored by the prospect of lunch as well.

“Mart, go show those three to the car, will you? Erik here wants to talk with me for a moment. I can see it by the way he’s looking at me.”

“Oh! No, I-”

“It’s okay. Go on, Mart.” Leaving out the door, he carefully shut it behind himself to stop anymore cold fall air from getting in.

“Alright, you got me. I have things I want to ask you. But don’t you want to wait a little longer? Maybe after lunch, so we don’t keep them waiting?”

“I know your questions would keep us here for hours, Erik. You’re tense. I can see there are a couple of things you need to get off of your mind. Just hit me with the surface for now, and we’ll finish later.” Erik and Drake stared eachother down as Erik fumbled over his thoughts. He didn’t know what to ask first, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Who are you, really? You got what you wanted, so spill it.”

“Well, that’s a big one. I can’t tell you yet.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“Your mother would kill me. You know just as well as I do you don’t want to cross her.”

“How do you know my mother? Or my father? You can’t just- say these things and then not explain! You’re killing me here!” Drake crossed his arms and looked down to the floor for a quick moment, before looking back up to Erik with a much more stern look. He walked past him, but not before stopping and placing his hand on Erik’s shoulder.

“Alright, fine. You clearly have nothing ‘surface level’ for me. I’ll tell you more in the car, nephew.” He quickly walked towards the front door before Erik could say anything. He was clearly fishing for some sort of dramatic effect.

“Wha- NEPHEW?! You’re messing with me! I would have-”

“Cmon already! They’re all out there waiting.” Erik couldn’t bring himself to speak another word after Drake had cut him off. After standing paralyzed for nearly a minute, he could only walk in a shaky silence towards the door as he obliged. “You’re in for a real wild ride, kid.” 

“I- I don’t-”

“Save it. I promise I will explain everything in due time. Just not yet, okay?” Stepping out onto Erik’s porch, the two could spot the others fawning over Drake’s car. Which, to Erik’s surprise, was a limousine.

“Is that… a Bentley?” It in fact, was a Bentley. Fittingly painted in Drake’s red and black color scheme, it shined under the midday sun as its polish glistened.

“You bet it is. C’mon, there’s room for all of us in the back.” The two approached the others as they continued to look in awe at the vehicle.

“Sylus, are you seeing this? I mean- a limo?! It’s fuckin’ huge, too!”

“I know, Rob! This is fuckin’ awesome! Do you think they’ve got fancy tech in there?” Leah had her face up against the glass of the window, though to her dismay, it was near impossible to see in.

“I can’t see. Surely this isn’t a legal tint, right?”

“You’d be surprised what they let you get away with in Talon City.” Leah quickly snapped around to see Erik and Drake approaching.

“Erik! You gotta see this. Come here! Quick!” 

“Don’t worry, he will. Mart, let them in, will you?” Mart, who had been standing with arms crossed just in front of the driver’s door, reached over to the handle of the back door and pulled it open. A thin mist rolled out from the floor of the car, with a red glow emanating from the LED lights just under the seats.

“Holy shit! Can I…?”

“Yes, be my guest.”

“Hell yeah!” Robby nearly leaped into the car, with Sylus and Leah following shortly behind as they excitedly looked around the limo. Erik was hesitant, still shellshocked from what Drake had said just moments ago. 

“Oh, Erik. Forget about it for now. Let’s have some fun!” He dissapeared into the vehicle, leaving just him and Mart outside. They exchanged an awkward, silent stare, leading Erik to climb in with no more hesitation. Inside, the LED lights shined bright upon everything within the vehicle, including the five of them. There were minifridges, ice buckets, and more cupholders than one could count on their hands.

“Wow. It’s…”

“Fancy, huh? I know. This thing’s my pride and joy, and it’s been living here in Talon City for years. If I didn’t out fly here for you, then I would have for this. Now get comfy. It’s a bit of a long drive from here to the place.” Erik looked to his left, where he found Robby, Sylus, and Drake occupying the seats on the left end. To his right, he saw Leah sitting by herself on the far backseat. The other half of it was the only seat left. It’s like she did it on purpose. “Damnit, okay. Be normal, Erik.” He slowly climbed into the backseat, having to keep his head low the entire time because of his size. Squeezing himself into the seat, he had no choice but to get quite close to Leah, who was sensing Erik’s nervousness. She tried to make as much room as she could to avoid making him worry, but she could only move so far over. Sitting down, Erik couldn’t keep his wings folded to his side comfortably. Just like in Sylus’ car, Leah noticed and offered to lean forward and let him extend it out. To Erik, none of the awkwardness mattered if he could keep his wings comfortable, so he gladly stuck it out. To his dismay, Leah didn’t remember what had happened last time, so when she leaned back, she crushed his wing once again.

“Ah! Fuck!” Leah looked to him with concern, but before she could ask what was wrong, Erik quickly reassured her. “T-thank you, Leah.”

“Of course! I get how much of a pain those big wings of yours can be.” She pulled out her phone and got sucked into her social media apps almost instantly. She couldn’t stand car rides without it.

“Y-yeah. They sure can.” Across the car, the other three were are laughing under their breath at Erik. Robby and Sylus had already pulled cans of soda out of one of the minifridges, and beyond them he could see Mart starting the car through a small glass window seperating the cabin and the seats. Drake looked at Erik with an almost devious look.

“So, Erik. You wanted to talk about-”

“No need right now! I don’t want to… cause a scene about it. How about we talk about these, um, rivals of ours?”

“Hmph. Alright, then. Let me lay it all out for you…” For just over half of the ride, the five spoke about the plans. Drake explained who the four members of Desolate Winds were to the four, giving a fair warning about the vultures’ “unique” personalities, as he described. They also discussed the plans for the battle itself, where Drake vaguely explained some details. He took pride in being vague. Though the conversation still finalized the plans, in some ways.

October twenty-sixth.

Scrub J. Street, on the docks.

Six PM.

Ten songs, eight birds.

“You get all that? Sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

“I mean- yeah it does! By the lakeside? I’m all in, Drake. Sir.” Despite Robby’s excitement, he was still nervous in the prescence of Drake. He wasn’t sure if it was the red and black color scheme, or the constant grinning.

“You’ll have three days, starting tomorrow, to get ready. You better brainstorm songs if you don’t have any. Those other four played some of their stuff, and I won’t withhold my honesty. They were quite good. You’ll have to work hard to win.”

“I like the sound of that! What’s a little competition, eh?” Sylus leaned forward and pointed directly at Drake. “You can bet on us winning, anyway. Better get that merchandise ready! Hah!” Sylus and Drake laughed with eachother. After chatting in the car the whole time, the two had bonded in their pride in looking as dark and intimidating as possible. In just one car ride, they now treated eachother like best friends.

“Well, I might just have to. You see, the advertising starts tomorrow as well. You’re still in that spotlight, with the news and all that seeking you out. I must say, I haven’t seen such a start since Fortune’s Favor made their debut.” He looked at Erik, who looked entirely confused. “I guess you wouldn’t know, would you? That’s fine.”

“What? Is it-”

“Later, Erik! We’ll talk later.”

“Stop cutting me off!” The others laughed at him as he stressed his hatred for being interrupted. They spent the rest of the car ride with Robby, Sylus, and Drake caught up in conversation about instruments, and how Robby was looking into picking up a keytar from an old highschool friend. Erik and Leah, however, were now much closer together than they were before. Erik had peeked over Leah’s shoulder to look at her phone, where he, too, became lost in the scrolling trance. When Erik had finally snapped himself out of it, he looked out the window to find that they weren’t on city streets or anything like that. They were driving up a mountain on a small two-lane road.

“Drake, uhm, where are we going exactly? I should have asked before.”

“Oh! I forgot to tell you, that’s my mistake. I’m taking you to a place I’ve gone to for years. A small little restaraunt up at the top of the mountain. They make the best damn pancakes in the world.”

“Pancakes? Is it not nearly four?”

“That means nothing! You can have pancakes at any time of the day.”

“Really? I mean-” The car had reached the top of the mountain, coming to a halt just outside of a small strip of three buildings. A restaraunt, with a small sign above the singular door reading a single word. Barry’s. In the middle of the three was a small convenience store with no name to it. Just a sign on the window that said “store”. Inside, they could see an overworked and exhausted sapsucker struggling to stay awake at the counter. On the right was a small single-storied house that was painted olive green. The front had small garden boxes with rows of colorful flowers filling them nearly complete.

“Here we are, just in time.”

“In time for what?”

“The restaraunt’s about to close. I knew I timed it right.”

“Close? Why would you take us up here for a closed restaraunt? Is this some kind of joke?”

“No, no. You’ll see. Now come, let’s stretch our legs a little.” Mart approached the door from the outside, opening it gently for the five. Drake climbed out first, with the rest following shortly after. Erik was relieved to be out of the car, with the thin, cramped space allowing little comfort. It didn’t help that Leah had been leaned back against his left win the entire time, either. Robby tapped his talons on the ground anxiously, he was ready to kill for a good meal.

“Come on, just take us in there already! I’m gonna keel over and die if I don’t get a bite to eat soon.”

“Calm down, calm down. I know the owner personally. I can ensure it will be quite to your liking.” Closing the car door, Mart joined the rest of the group as they entered the restaraunt. The inside was much larger than the outside let on, as the restaraunt extended far back in a rectangular shape. Orange and red hanging lights covered the restaraunt in the illusion of a warm sunset. Booths lined the left and right walls, extending all the way into the back. The walls were littered with music memorabilia, with dozens of different artists and bands featured on posters and vinyls. All the way on the back wall, a small gray swinging door stood as the single entrance into the kitchen. As Drake pushed open the glass doors, a small silver bell hung from the doorframe let out a small jingle. In almost immediate response to it, the group heard a voice yelling from the back.

“About time! I hope that’s who I think it is!” Rushing out of the kitchen door, a short and slightly husky female hooded merganser approached the group rapidly. She stuck her arms out wide as she shot in a straight line towards Drake.

“Oh, boy- oof!” Drake almost fell backwards as the merganser ran face first into him, quickly wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Drakey, it’s so good to see you again! Oh, goodness! How long has it been? A year? Maybe two?”

“It’s nice to see you too, Darla. Though, its only been a couple of months.”

“A couple of months that felt like lifetimes!” When she broke from the hug, she looked at the four owls with endearing eyes. “Wow! Who are your guests here, Drakey? Owls, owls, owls as far as I can see!” Her enthusiam was overwhelming, catching the others off guard. 

“These are my new… how to put it, business associates?” Robby put a cocky smile on his face as he stepped forward.

“We’re his next big hit!” He crossed his arms in an attempt to make himself look cool, but only made himself look like a dork. Darla looked at him with the eyes a mother would have when her kid hands her a crude drawing.

“Is that right? Well, I like this one here, already! What’s your names, all of you?”

“Erik, ma’am.”

“Robby.”

“Sylus.”

“Leah.” Darla’s eyes shot open as she heard Leah speak.

“Leah? From the news? Well I’ll be damned! I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, Drakey here has a real eye for talent.” Robby and Sylus giggled to themselves a little everytime she called Drake by that nickname. “Well, it’s lovely to meet you all! But you should join the others, no?” She leaned in close to Drake’s ear, bringing her voice to a whisper. “I’ve been fending those vultures off with as many mocktails as I can. You better set em’ straight, Drakey.” Drake scoffed at the remark. 

“I told them to act normal, damnit. Sorry about that, Darla.”

“All good, Drakey! Now come, they’re way in the back. I pushed a couple tables together to fit all of you, too.” As the group walked towards the back, they looked in awe at the immense amount of memorabilia on the walls. Signed vinyl, tour posters, and even the clothes of some rock legends. The restaraunt essentially doubled as a museum. Though as they approached the back, they could all feel a sort of sinking feeling in their hearts. Robby was the first to look forward, where he saw the four vultures sat at the table in a row next to eachother. 

“Oh, man. Those guys are fuckin’ scary.” Once the others had laid their sight on them as well, they all felt the same way. When they reached the booth, the two bands had all locked eyes in an intense stare. Where Flock was nervous, Desolate Winds was pissed. Sat himself down near the end alongside Mart, leaving the seats to be sat directly across from Desolate Winds. Hesitantly, they all sat without breaking the stare. Across from Erik sat Tom. Despite his seemingly relaxed state, on the inside his blood was boiling with rage as envy wrapped itself around his mind. Across from Robby sat Zahra, who was surpringly nice looking compared to the others. Unlike the rest and their dead, blank stares, she gave Robby a nice smile and small hand wave as he sat. Across from Sylus sat Harry, who did not let up his gaze for a single moment. The two had seemingly tuned out everything else around them as they fought to be more intimidating than the other. Across from Leah sat Benny, who was looking at her with an odd mixture of anger and joy. She couldn’t tell if it was confidence or something else entirely. Whatever it was, it made her extremely uncomfortable. 

“So, here we are. One nice big happy family, huh? Flock, meet Desolate Winds. Desolate Winds, meet Flock. Introduce yourselves, will you? Let’s make it fun. Each of you give your name and then your role. Treat it like this introduction you’d be forced to make back in elementary. At least, I did.” Before any of Flock could get a word out, Tom jumped in as soon as he posisbly could.

“Tom. Vocalist and lead guitar.” He gave Erik a nasty look as he mentioned him being lead guitar, almost as if he was trying to insult Erik’s lack of hands. 

“Erik. Just the vocalist.” He replied in a snarky attitude, snapping back at Tom for his insinuated insult. The rest of them went down the line, repeating their names and their roles until they had reached the end of the table where Drake sat. During the exchange, nasty looks were being traded between all eight of them, besides Robby and Zahra. From just a look, Robby could tell Zahra wasn’t like the other three. She seemed much more composed and outgoing.

“Alright! Now that you’ve gotten aquainted, let me run through this all again. You two bands are going to be head to head on stage when the twenty-sixth comes around. I’ll be advertising it well, so expect a crowd.” Robby shivered a little at the prospect of a crowd as large as the last. He had to find a way to get over it. “I want five songs from both of you, and you’ll be switching after each one.” Tom interrupted, he seemed adamant on asking questions.

“Who’s going first, then? You pickin’ a favorite, or are we earning it?”

“No, no. I’ll be putting it on a coin!” He smirked, but Tom wasn’t having it.

“What?! Come on, I’d rather you just pick the others and move on with it! I fuckin’ hate suspense. Just toss it now, then.”

“No again! Coin’s not being tossed for a little while. I’m waiting until-”

“Until what? Just do it, dude!”

“…until after we eat. My treat.” Tom quickly sat back down in silence. He was much too broke to risk losing a free meal. “Speaking of, I take it you all are ready for something? The four of you from Flock have been starving. Your stomachs are quite loud.” He called Darla over to the table, where she took all ten of their orders and ran off to the kitchen in a hurry. Since she was the only one working there, she had to try he hardest to keep up. 

“Hey, Mart. Go join her back there and help. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be okay out here.”

“Hmph. Alright.” Mart stood up from his seat, towering over the rest sitting down before making his way back into the kitchen. 

“Perfect. Now we can discuss some of the real details.”

“Real details? You mean you didn’t tell us everything?”

“Precisely.”

“What is with you and being so vague?”

“All part of my style, Sylus. Now, listen close all of you. I haven’t told you the whole story here.”

“Well, duh!” Sylus elbowed Robby’s side, causing him to recoil a little.

“Shut it, Rob!”

“I’ve already told you that Finyl Vinyl is in the gutter, but I haven’t told you I have a way out of it. It just involves some… under the table business. You see, the show’s going to have a pretty large crowd. In that crowd, theres going to be a LOT of investors. A scary amount of business people. I promised a few companies if they invested in me they’d profit, but I kind of have to prove that first.”

“So what? You signed yourself into a bunch of contracts like an idiot?”

“I… yes. I did. I need this show to be top shelf or else they won’t invest. If I don’t get this money then it’s wraps for Finyl Vinyl. Completely.”

“Wow. So how’s this gonna’ change the show?”

“I know I’ve painted it out to be a ‘battle’ of sorts… but I need you all to collaborate still. As much as you might not like to.” Benny leaned back into his chair and rested his hands behind his head.

“Yeah, fuck no. It’s a fight and it’s gonna’ stay that way. Show will be damn good, anyway.”

“All I’m asking is for you eight to not let your… emotions get in the way of anything.” All eight of them sat up straight in their chairs when Drake dared to utter those words.

“EMOTIONS?” All but two of them yelled in perfect sync. A brief moment of silence filled the room before Robby made a dreadfully idiotic comment. 

“Emotions aren’t going to get in the way of anything, Drake. Unless you got anger issues, of course.” The rope of tension in the room had snapped when Robby glanced over at Tom, who made eye contact with him. Tom slammed his hands down on the table and stood up from his chair.

“Did you fuckin’ say something to me, asshole?!” Something was going on in Robby’s head that was making him more aggressive than usual. It was likely the lack of food he had eaten. Now, he had poked the bear that was Tom.

“To you? Pfft. No way. Unless you think I did. Your call.” 

“Oh, you fucker. Take that dorky hat off, look me in the eye and say that to my face.” 

“What’d you say about my hat? Alright then, I’ll give you a piece of my damn mind then!” All hell had broken loose at the table, with Robby and Tom going back and forth as the others desperately tried to calm them down. As Erik stood up to sit Robby back down, he felt his cell phone vibrating in his back pocket. He quickly gave up on stopping Robby as he reached with the end of his wing to grab it. The pocket was custom-sewn to be much wider, accomadating his large wings. He fumbled around for a moment before managing to get a grip on the phone. Pulling it out and holding it close to his face, he saw it was Paulie calling. He had completely forgotten that he promised to call after the show.

“Shit!” He looked at Drake, who noticed him panicking, and gestured that he was going outside for a moment. Drake gave him a quick thumbs up before settling back into his seat to watch the show unfolding in front of him. Erik quickly stepped outside as he tapped his phone a few of times to answer. His phone could be quite finnicky with his feathers sometimes. Once he was outside, he door was shut behind him and held the phone to his ear.

“Uh, hey, Paulie.”

“Erik! Hey big guy, how are you feelin’?”

“I mean, I’m alright I guess. A lot’s been going on lately, y’know?”

“Oh, I know. I was hoping to hear how you four are holding up. If the others are there with you, that is.” 

“Uh, well…” He looked back to the restaraunt, where he could see through the glass door that everyone was now standing and shouting. Even Drake, for whatever reason. “Things are cool. Robby and Sylus have been doing fine, somehow better than me and Leah, at least.”

“Really? Well, isn’t that just great! I was worried about Robby breakin’ down or something after you guys were up on the news. He hates the spotlight.”

“I never understood that. Is there a particular reason?”

“Not that I can think of. I’ve asked before, but he only gave me silence. I’m sure he’ll get over it.”

“Yeah… Hey, was there a particular reason you wanted to call? When you approached me at the concert, it seemed like it was important.”

“Oh, yeah, it is. Do you have thirty minutes, give or take, on your hands?”

“No, not at all, sorry. I’m out at lunch with the others and a friend. We’re discussing business and such.”

“Business? What do you mean, business?”

“A publisher… found us. So we talked. Now we’re at lunch with him and another band.”

“Another band? Lunch? Who’s this publisher?”

“Robby didn’t tell you? That’s surprising. We were approached by Drake Devol. He seemed scary at first, but now that we’ve talke it seems-”

“DRAKE?! Are you fucking- what- no fucking way! Erik, tell me where you are right now.”

“Is something wrong, Paulie?”

“Don’t worry about the details just- where are you? Address? Anything?”

“I don’t really know. We’re at a restaraunt named Barry’s though.”

“Barry’s? So he is… okay. Alright. I’m coming to meet you guys.”

“Woah, what? You’re coming here? Is there something going on?”

“I’ll explain it all when I get there. For now, just keep watching my boys, will you?” Erik looked back into the restaraunt again, where everyonebesides Sylus had sat back down. Tom was missing, however, leading him to raise a little concern as to what happened.

“Yeah, I’ll uh, I’ll try. Should I tell Drake you’re-”

“No! No. Don’t. I’ll see you soon, Erik. Bye.”

“Uh, bye Paulie.” The call was cut. Erik could only stand confused and worried. “What the hell was that about? Does Paulie know about Drake or something? I guess… I guess it doesn’t matter. Alright Erik, go meet the-” As he turned around to enter the restaraunt, Sylus had walked out of the doors. Nearly bumping into Erik, he stopped in his tracks before quickly walking past him.

“Don’t mind me, Erik.” Erik was caught off guard, but realized he needed to tell Sylus about Paulie. He quickly turned around and followed Sylus.

“Hey, Sylus-” Erik noticed something off. Sylus had reached into his pocket, pulling out a lighter and a pack of cheap cigarettes. 

“Sylus? Is that…?” Sylus turned around, shocked to see Erik still outside with him. Hiding his hands behind his back, his voice became shaky as he tried to cover it up.

“Erik! Hey, man! Is there something you want?”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing. Just getting fresh air!”

“What was that, then? I won’t tell. I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“It’s nothing, Erik! It’s none of your business. You should go back inside. Robby and Tom got into a bit of a scuffle.”

“Really? That’s no surprise. That Tom guy’s an ass.”

“Yeah. I uh- I’ll be back in there in a moment.” 

“Oh, yeah. Your father called.”

“What? Dad called?”

“Yeah, he just wanted to check in. When I told him about Drake, he panicked and quickly ended the conversation. Said he’s on his way here now.” 

“What? He’s on his way? Was there something wrong?”

“No clue. I’m heading inside, though. Enjoy whatever it was you were doing.” Once Erik had entered the restaraunt again, Sylus stood in contemplation. He stared quietly at the pack of cigarettes in his hand, wondering if it was even worth it. He knew Erik had noticed, so it was only a matter of if he would keep a secret. If Robby ever found out, god knew what would happen. As his older brother, Robby really wants to make sure Sylus doesn’t end up on drugs like he used to be, aside from pot of course. Whatever happened, he couldn’t bring himself to not. He sat on a small bench out front of the restaraunt and lit one up, despite his hesitation. Back inside, Erik approached the now silent table. Whatever happened while he was out, it had completely shifted the mood. No one dared to exchange looks at eachother anymore, and Robby now had his head held low. He held a small ice pack up to his beak as he stared at the floor.

“What the hell happened? Where did Tom go?” Drake looked up from the table, relieved to see Erik again.

“I should have seen something like that coming. It likely wasn’t wise to put you eight at the same table. You can sit somewhere else, if you guys would prefer that.” Erik looked to Leah, who was the only one willing to make eye contact with him, who gave him a quick nod. She clearly didn’t wan’t to be at that table anymore, especially not with how Benny was looking at her. 

“Yeah, actually. I think we do.” He looked towards the three vultures still seated, giving them a quick smile to avoid seeming rude. “Sorry, it’s nothing about you guys. It’d probably just get a little cramped on this table. Robby’s a messy eater too!” He was the only one who laughed at his own joke. “Yeah. Uh, you two go find a spot. I need to use the restroom.” Erik left towards the bathroom in the far back of the restaraunt, while Leah and Robby both stood to find another table. As the two looked for a table as far away as possible, Robby was still holding onto his beak tightly with the ice pack.

“He really fucked you up, didn’t he? What a piece of shit.”

“It’s okay, Leah- ow! I started it. I just didn’t like the look he was giving us.”

“Still, he had no right to sock you like that! If Drake expects us to collaborate with those sickos, then he’s out of his mind.” 

“It’s for the band, Leah. We have to.”

“I know… and it pisses me off. Let’s just eat and get out of here as quick as possible. Where’d Sylus go, anyway?”

Entering the bathroom, Erik squinted his eyes as the bright bathroom light shined directly in his eyes. He wasn’t there to actually use the bathroom, he just wanted a break. A bit of time to himself in front of the mirror to take his mind off of things for a moment. Though as his talons tapped on the tile floor as he walked, as voice called out from the lone stall.

“Drake? That you, man?” Erik’s heart jumped a little. He had forgotten that Tom was in there as well. He pondered if he should answer for a moment before hesitantly speaking back.

“No, sorry. It’s Erik.”

“Oh, great.” The room fell silent after that. Erik spent his time looking over himself in the mirror. Preening and tucking some feathers under his clothes, he wanted to make sure he looked half decent for when Paulie showed up. Whatever it was about, Paulie didn’t make it sound good. As he was about to leave, Tom had exited the stall. They both paused for a moment, staring each other down before Tom crossed his arms.

“So, Erik. Where the hell did you come from?”

“What? What do you mean? I mean I was born here in Talon City but-”

“No, I mean your band. Flock. You appeared out of nowhere, put on some big show and got the whole city thrown into a fuss over you. What the hell happened?”

“I- I don’t know. One moment we were getting breakfast with Robby and Sylus’ dad and the next we were… on stage. We were just as surprised as everyone else to be up on that stage. It was a miracle we played so well.”

“Is that right? I don’t believe it.” He stepped forward towards Erik, who, despite being nearly 6 inches taller than Tom, still feared he may get violent. “That’s not a thing that happens. You know it isn’t. You don’t just show up out of nowhere and hit it big like that. There’s something you’re not telling me, and likely not Drake, either.”

“I’m serious! I wouldn’t be able to tell you how any of it happened. The others and I… we’ve only been a band for a few years. We started just out of highschool, and we never really expected it to go anywhere. If anything, we were using it as an excuse to waste our early twenties.”

“So if thats the case, why the hell did you take that show? You weren’t confident in yourselves, and from what I heard, you had no original songs.”

“We had one…”

“Sure, you had one original. Out of what? the five you played? Only reason the crowd went so wild is because you all played niche shit! Shit no one’s heard of before!”

“It’s not- it’s not niche! I mean, it was-”

“What I’m trying to say is, you four were nothing special. I’m baffled why you got so much attention.” That comment had struck deep into Erik’s mind. He’d never felt more insulted. As if Tom had flicked a switch in his head, Erik’s tone shifted drastically.

“Nothing special? Nothing special?! Fuck you! Who the hell are you to declare us nothing special? Sure, we may not have had many originals. But we put our hearts into it! Isn’t that what music is all about? If you don’t think that way, you have no right to call yourself a musician!”

“I have every fucking right to! And I have every right to say you sounded like shit, too!” Tom’s fist curled, but he withheld himself from swinging for a second time that night. 

“Look, I don’t know who the hell you even are, or why Drake is making you out to be some big deal to us. All I see is an envious asshole who can’t handle the fact that whatever we did, we did it better than you! I don’t see you on the news, so back off!”

“I- fuck you! You guys are fucking nobodies! And you’ll stay that way when that damn show is over! You and your stupid ass band will be NOTHING when we’re done.”

“I’m sick of looking at you. Don’t say another fucking word to me or my band. I’ll see you at the show, asshole.” Erik stormed out of the bathroom, leaving Tom to himself. He walked right by Drake and the other vultures, who gave a concerned look, and sat down with the rest of Flock at a table much farther away from Desolate Winds than before. Sylus, who had just rejoined them, looked completely exhausted. Erik knew he should have called him out on it. 

“Hey, Erik. Everything alright?” 

“No. Fuck those assholes. I want to get our food and then get out.” 

“We feel the same, dude. Drake can call us back later.” Over at the other table, Tom had just rejoined his band.

“Drake, what’s your fucking deal? I mean, I know we agreed to this, but these guys are fucking insufferable. Couldn’t you have just given us seperate shows?”

“I’m sorry, Tom. That’s just not the way I roll.”

“No, Tom’s right. What the hell is the point of all this? You’re making us ‘fight’ so you can choose one over the other? Why not just take us both, is it really that bad?”

“I have my reasons, Harry. I mean, come on, you guys know it’ll be fun. It will be your biggest show yet, no?”

“I mean, I guess. What does that have to do with anything?”

“You’re in their shoes. You haven’t had your big break yet. I can see how jealous you all are of it, but you act like you won’t get that opportunity too. That’s what this is.” Before they could object any further, the kitchen door had swung open. Darla and Mart both came out of the kitchen do with all of their meals. Mart, who was now sporting a chef’s hat and an apron that read ‘kiss the chef’, carried the meals to Drake’s table. while Darla took all of Flock’s meals to them. 

“Oh man, finally! God, this looks fuckin’ good!” Everyone’s spirits had lifted as they all devoured their food in a barbaric manner. Even Drake couldn’t help but rip into the plate of pancakes he had ordered. As the two groups ate, a familiar car had parked just next to Drake’s limo outside. Robby, Sylus, and Erik were all much too busy to notice that Paulie’s Porsche 911 had just arrived. The conversationless feast continued uninterrupted until the glass doors of Barry’s had swung open once more. It was nearing dark outside, so at first the figure in the doorframe was hard to make out. Though when he stepped forward and the dim light had shined upon him, the room went silent. Paulie, in all his large gray glory, had arrived. All four members of Flock stared excitedly, they never hated seeing Paulie’s face at any time of the day. Though the other table was a contrast, with each member of Desolate Winds giving him a mean, unfamiliar look. Drake looked at the band, confused why they stopped, before turning his head to look at the door. His body sent itself into a shock, and he dropped his untensils onto his plate. He swallowed the bite of pancakes in his mouth before rubbing his eyes.

“W-what? There’s no way.” Mart stood up and placed himself next to Drake, worried that whoever this mysterious figure was posed some sort of threat. Though when Drake placed his hand on Mart’s arm, he relaxed himself. 

“Nineteen years. Nineteen looooong years, Drake.” Drake stood up from his chair as Paulie approached, shaking from the shock of seeing him. Everyone else in the room was tense as they tried to guess how this was going to turn out. Either they hated eachother, or they were best friends. 

“Paulie? Big Gray? Is that really you?”

“You can bet your ass it is!” He stuck his hand forward and to the side, waiting for Drake to do the same. Drake did the same, and as Paulie got close enough, they brought their hands down upon eachother. A perfect clap echoed throughout the entire restaraunt as the two stared face to face with eachother. 

“I- How did you find- What-”

“Come here!” He yanked Drake toward himself, wrapping his other arm around him as he fell into him. Once Paulie had a good grip, he squeezed Drake as tight as he could. Drake could only accept his fate as he sank into Paulie’s shirt, shifting his feathers beneath. “I had a feeling you’d show your face around here! Why didn’t you ever call? Did you not miss Big Grey or somethin’? Hah!” He let Drake free of his embrace, who had to catch his breath after nearly suffocating in Paulie’s huge mass of feathers.

“I just- how did you even find me? We’ve been cut off ever since… you know.”

“Well, fate is a weird, weird thing. Isn’t it, Drake? I know you believe in it just as much as I do!”

“What does that have to do-” Paulie wrapped his arm over Drake’s shoulder, turning both of them to look over at Flock. He stuck his hand out and pointed directly towards Robby and Sylus.

“Robby, Sylus! Meet Drake here. Or should I say, meet my old guitarist!” The four members of Flock each dropped their beaks wide open, unable to speak a word as they watched in shock. The others seemed to be completely unfazed, as they had no clue who Paulie really was. They didn’t even recognize his stage name. 

“Your old guitarist?! Paulie, sir, what are-”

“I’m not done!” He looked over at Drake with a big smile on his face, before turning his head back towards Flock. “You’ve already made yourself aquainted it seems, but Drake, I want you to meet my two sons Robby and Sylus!” Drake stood silent. He was never one to be supertitious about fate, but his mind had changed. 

“What are the chances? Paulie, come sit down with Flock and I. Mart, keep Desolate Winds company, please. Not that they seem to care, of course, you and Darla seemed to have them served just fine with your cooking. Good job.” For once, a small smile appeard on Mart’s face. If one could see under his feathers, he would likely be blushing.

“Thanks, boss.” Drake and Paulie joined the others at their table, with all of them still blown away by Paulie’s introduction. First it was Erik’s father, now it’s Paulie? It felt like it was only a matter of time before he somehow was connected to Leah.

“Well, Paulie. I guess we have a lot to talk about, don’t we?”

“That we do, Drake. But before we get to that, what the hell do you think you’re doing with these four?”

“What does it look like? I mean, I’m just doing business is all!”

“Just say it Drake. Break the ice now, before we talk. Are you here for him? Or them?”

“Them, Paulie. But I won’t lie and say that’s all of it. Whatever it is, I assure you I mean no harm. Now let’s just have a nice night, shall we?”

“Ripples shatter my image of you,
Oh girl, I know it can’t be true…
Reach your hand forward~
I haven’t left your side…
Can’t you feel it? There’s no need to drown!”

Vibrations ricocheted all around the concrete walls of the garage, finding their way in and out of five sets of ears. The power of the bass amp cranked nearly to its max simulated what felt like an earthquake concentrated into a single room. The banging of drums, the screeching of a guitar, to most it would sound like a jumbled mess in such a poor sounding environment. But to the great gray owl sitting on a plastic chair that could barely fit his own feathers, it sounded like music. Music that could use a lot of work, that is.

“Visions of Poseidon, 

Ripping you away from me,

I can’t let it be, you mean too much-”

“Ah! Listen up!” All the noise had gone quiet as the four ripped away from their respective instruments. “Erik, who wrote these lyrics?” Nervous that Paulie was about to lay into him, Erik hesitantly spoke.

“Uh, me, sir. This one’s from me.”

“Erik, you poor thing. I’m gonna’ say this in the nicest way I can. You got a killer voice on you, man, but these lyrics are not it.” Erik’s heart sank, and he nervously gulped as his head sunk into his feathers out of embarassment. “Again, I’m not trying to rag on ya’, kid. I’m just trying to help.” His head sunk even further into his feathers, his beak now completely lost in them. “Get your head outta there and listen to me!” His embarassment turned into fear as he shot his head upward to look at Paulie. 

“I- I’m sorry, Paulie- I’m not-”

“Do you have them written? Let me see them. Now.” Erik began sifting through his back pocket for a small piece of paper he had roughly written the song’s lyrics on. In the meantime, Paulie turned his attention to his two sons.

“Sylus, your main riff has foundation, but you’re not flowing. You and Robby both play again, but you play two frets down this time.” Obliging, the two played together for their father. Their tone was much more in sync compared to before, when it was apparent that Sylus was playing much too high. “Good, good. That’s the spot. Thank you, Sylus.” After fumbling his wing around in his back pocket, he got a grasp on the small piece of paper and handed it to Paulie. Unfolding it, Paulie was met with writing so sloppy it could have been written by a four-year-old.

“Excuse the hand- er- wingwriting. I’m working on it.”

“Wow. I mean, it’s readable. But looking at this here, you got to work on some of this. I’m sorry, but some of this just doesn’t make any sense. Poseidon? What’s this song supposed to be about again?”

“The dread of loss and the depths of-”

“Yeah, alright. I get where you’re coming from, but you need to make it make sense. You get what I’m saying?”

“I- I think so.”

“Good. Now don’t worry about changing them now, just run the song again. Oh, and Leah?” She looked to Paulie, worried he was going to lay into her as well. “Your rythms on point and your power is controlled. Good stuff.” 

“Oh! Uh, thanks Paulie. Do we have to run it again though? We’ve been here for three hours. I’m tired.” Paulie crossed his arms and looked to the band. 

“I guess we have, haven’t we? Alright then. You guys are done for the night. At this rate, I think you’ll be alright.”

“You think so? I mean, a few days isn’t all that much. We’ve got two songs under our belt. He wants five.”

“That’s exactly why I’m here, Robby. As much as I love you, you couldn’t make five songs in a few days in a million years.”

“Jeez, Dad!” 

“Just being honest! Look, I’m gonna’ go back home to Anna. I’m here at 9 AM tomorrow sharp. Be ready or else I’m starting rehearsal without you.”

“You gonna takeover the whole band, Dad?” Robby’s sarcastic remark was followed by a cocky smirk.

“No, I mean, if you decide to sleep in like a freak, then we just won’t have a bassline!”

“Damn, alright! Don’t be so hard.”

“I’m sorry, kid. I just want you four to make it. No matter how much any of us know Drake personally, he will not let up on his deal. Beat those vultures, or else you’re not gonna hit it big again for a long time.” His stomach called to him, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear it. “Also, can I stay for dinner? I’m fuckin famished.” Erik looked at Paulie, baffled.

“Didn’t we just have dinner? At the diner? I doubt you’re hungry again, Paulie. There’s no way!”

“You’d be surprised what a big guy like me can do. I haven’t had something made by Sylus in a long time though. Why would I squander this chance when I’m with my boys? Ever since Robby moved out, I’ve been missing father-sons time.” 

“Erik, I’m cool with making him dinner. I saw you had those meatballs in your freezer. I know I can make something he’ll like.”

“Go wild, then. Let’s get out of the garage, though. It’s getting stuffy in here. Likely Robby forgetting deodorant again.” Erik gave Robby a small smirk as he turned to leave.

“Hey!” 
As the five stepped out into the study, Sylus and Paulie both took off towards the kitchen without a moment’s hesitation. Robby threw himself onto the couch and turned the television on, preparing himself to pass out on the spot. It was getting late, after all. Unsure of what to do with the rest of his night, Erik looked at Leah for something to do. She looked up at him with a smile and pointed towards the front door.

“Wanna’ go catch some air real quick? Up on the roof, that is.” 

“Yeah! Yeah, absolutely. I would love to.” Here it came again. Even at the slightest mention of being alone with Leah, he had been set off. 
“God, Erik. Just be normal! You can’t keep doing this… fuck!” He went completely quiet as the two stepped out and flew up to the roof, where they sat themselves down on the small flattened tip of the triangular roof. The sun was just about to fade into the dark, giving one last purple and orange skyline as they looked out past the trees and towards the city. It’s lights shined bright enough to illuminate the darkening sky, and they could faintly hear the noise of thousands of people. 

“It’s really beautiful, isn’t it? Talon City. Pfft. What an original name. You ever think about that?” She looked to Erik, who was unsurprisingly frozen up out of nervousness. “Aw jeez, Erik. Loosen up a little! I mean- god, you poor thing.” He continued to look outward, unable to move himself at all. Though he still spoke.

“I’m sorry. I’m just cold!” 

“Do you really expect me to believe you’re cold under all those feathers? Cmon. We’re both northern, we don’t get cold. Unless you’re some kind of genetic freak made in a lab! Is there something you’re hiding? Hmmm?” Her jokes seemed to help, as he loosened up a little as he chuckled quietly to himself.

“Okay, you got me. I’m just worried again. I’m feeling more like you are right now. It’s all so much, I can’t comprehend it all. First we get thrown onto a show, then we’re on the news, now my supposed long-lost uncle is making us play against another band?” Leah’s eyes widened. She had only thought that Drake was a family friend.

“Uncle? What are you talking about? You don’t mean…?”

“Drake, apparently. At least he knows my father well enough to consider himself an uncle, calling me his nephew like I’ve known him forever. Kind of like I Robby if I ever… I mean I’ve known him long enough to consider him a brother. A really annoying brother, but a brother nonetheless. Sylus, too.”

“Wow. It’s all so weird, isn’t it? Anything could happen at anytime. Anyone could meet anyone. Just like how we met, yknow? I just so happened to fly by that day, and I just so happened to find you at the library as well. I… I just think it’s cool.”

“I wasn’t superstitious until all this happened. Now, I don’t think I can deny the existence of fate.”

“Hmph. Yeah. It’s a beautiful thing, how we’re connected as people. We’re all just tiny stars in our own constellations.”

“I… couldn’t have worded it any better myself. Two is better than one, I guess!” His quiet chuckle signaled what seemed to be the end of his anxiety. The two sat together for nearly thirty minutes, making small talk about the band and their family’s past as the sky finally darkened completely. The entire time, Leah continuously tried to make subtle remarks to potentially bridge that nervous gap between the two. Though whether by accident or on purpose, he never picked up on those signs. Eventually, she couldn’t help it anymore and said something she knew would get a reaction.

“Hey, Erik?”

“Yeah?”

“What am I?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“What am I to you? If Robby and Sylus are like brothers, then what am I?” He couldn’t help but to lock eyes with her. She sat with an expecting, but also assuring, look in her eyes. Erik’s whole body felt like it was about to fail as thoughts in his mind rushed around with no sense of control.

“What is she? Erik, think! You can’t say anything dumb. Don’t ruin this! I just don’t feel ready. I can’t. I can’t answer. I’m not ready to say it. I’m so sorry, Leah.”

“Hey, you alright? You’re looking like you’ve seen a ghost!” Leah, now worried she was still too early, rested her wing on his leg as he sat frozen again. Before she could change the topic, Erik had decided, a surprising choice even he wouldn’t expect from himself. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. I- I think I’m gonna go take a shower. I’ll feel better. Yeah!” Before Leah could get her answer, he had jumped off the roof and descended toward the front door.

“Erik, wait-! Shit- I… jeez. What am I gonna’ do with you? Maybe I’m being too forward. Am I not nervous enough? Maybe… after the show. That’s the time I’ll try again. I don’t wanna see the poor guy suffer anymore. But maybe… I could do something rash.” She stayed on the roof for a while. The fresh nighttime air brought her solace as she continued to think about her life choices.

 Down inside, Erik flew himself up to the second floor as quickly as he could, hiding himself in the upstairs bathroom before anyone could get a word out to him. Robby, Sylus, and Paulie all witnessed him pass through, with Paulie confused as to what had him so shaken.

“Woah, what happened to him? Is he alright?”

“Yeah, he’ll be alright dad. He’s just having some love issues.”

“Love issues? You mean he likes Leah? Hah! I’m not surprised. He couldn’t make it anymore obvious.”

“She can’t either. He’s a fumbling mess, and she’s trying too hard to make him approach. It’s mutual, but they’re both too scared to do it. I tried to help, but it didn’t turn out too well.”

“What’d I tell you about trying to be a wingman, Sylus? You gotta leave things be. You should’ve learned your lesson after what happened to Robby in high school!” Robby’s head poked out from behind the arm of the couch, as he was now laying sideways in it.

“Hey! Don’t talk about that!”

“Hah! Shame you’ll never be able to live it down, both of ya’! How about you, Sylus? You have your eye on any girls lately?”

“Me? Eeeh, not right now. I’m at a very busy point in my life. I’m dealing with… a relationship of sorts already. I don’t want to explain.” As the two continued their conversation in the kitchen, Leah had entered the home again. Robby sat upright and turned his head to look at Leah from behind the couch.

“Everything alright? Erik seemed to be in a rush.” She let out a deep breath as she sat down on the couch next to Robby. 

“It’s all good. I… dug too deep about his family. Yeah. Shouldn’t have brought up his dad.” She felt sick lying to her bandmates, but she knew they couldn’t stick their beaks in it anymore.

“Oh, well, in that case, he’ll be fine! He’s either gonna pass out in his bed or be back down here any moment now. Wanna bet on it?”

“I’ll pass, Rob. I’m just gonna watch TV until I pass out. I need extra rest.”

“Heh. You got the right idea, Leah.” The two zoned out on the couch, and the night continued to pass on.

Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. 

A worn baseball striking against concrete walls filled the miserable silence of the cold room. In an old office chair held barely by duct tape, Harry stared blankly at the walls while he tossed the ball back and forth in a seemingly endless cycle. Benny sat asleep in one of the wooden chairs at the dining room table, with a near dozen empty beer cans strewn about around him. On the worn couch, Tom and Zahra sat silent as well. Zahra was scrolling away on her phone, while Tom sat with a nasty look on his face.

“That great horned piece of shit is going to fucking get it. I’m still fuckin’ feeling that.”

“Aw, let it go Tom. You were both acting rash in the moment, and you’d do the same if someone insulted something close to you. Would you punch me square in the beak if I said your feathers looked bad with that outfit?”

“I… yeah. I would. But that doesn’t mean that asshole gets to walk away scott-free from that. Next time I see him, he won’t have a beak anymore.”

“Jeez, Tom! You’re thinking too hard about it.”

“What are you, his fangirl or something? Why the hell are you siding with him?”

“I thought he was cute. He was the only one who didn’t give me a nasty look at the table, too.”

“You think he’s what? I- whatever. It doesn’t matter.” The sound of the baseball hitting the wall had ceased as Harry spun around in the office chair to look at the two. 

“So what do we do, then? I mean, we’ve got more than enough songs to play already. Three days until the show, too. Plenty of time to do anything, really.”

“Starting tomorrow, we’re rehearsing near non-stop until we’ve perfected our songs.”

“Woah! Calm down a little, man. You know we can’t take any more than three hours at a time. It’s exhausting! Remember that time you couldn’t speak for a couple days because you tore your throat apart screaming for Bloodlust?”

“That means nothing. I hate those motherfuckers and we need to blow them out of the water, thats all that matters. We’ll kill ‘em up there. We will.”

“You got the spirit at least, Tom! Just… maybe don’t be so mad.”

“You don’t get it, Zahra! Whatever. Just… I don’t know. We can just sit on our asses and wait if you guys really want.”

“Well, that’s no fun! Look Tom, I just got my paycheck this morning. How about breakfast tomorrow morning? We can go to Papa Beakers, then maybe you’ll loosen up a little.”

“That would be… fuck you, Harry. It would be great. I hate that you know me so well.” Standing up from the couch, he stretched himself out and rubbed his eyes. For tonight though, I’m gonna’ walk down to the lake and get some air. Either of you wanna’ come?”

“I’ll pass this time, Tom. I’m about to end up like Benny over there once I break into my personal stash.”

“I would, but you know I don’t like going out in the dark. Maybe another time, Tom.”

“Your loss, I guess.” Leaving his band’s hideout, he grabbed the small key that opened the front door of the bar and set off down the sidewalk towards the lake. Even though night had come, there were still plenty of people roaming the streets. As he walked, he constantly bumped into people without realizing, and when they went to confront him, a single look from him scared them off. The thing was, he didn’t mean for any of that. For reasons unknown to himself, everyone was terrified of bearded vultures like himself. Or maybe it was just him. His band and Gary were the only people who didn’t run away, leaving him to feel completely isolated within every other part of Talon City. As he moved further west into the city, the smell of the lakeside faded slowly into his senses. Despite being a lake, over the decades that Talon City has been around, a surprising amount of salt had found its way into the water, somehow making the lake smell like the ocean. A man made wonder of the world, created by politicians who suck at resource management. “Never gets old.” The lake was the only other place Tom found solace in the city besides Gary’s bar. Eventually, the sidewalk faded into the wooden boards of the lake’s docks. Lined along the edge of the lake were dozens of vendor stands and other setups meant for entertainment, making the lakeside a hot tourist attraction. Despite this, it was dead silent and shrouded in darkness, as everything had closed for the night. Tom made his way to the edge of the docks, where he leaned himself up against the wooden barrier. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a box of cigarettes and a spare lighter, which he promptly lit up a cigarette with to smoke while he stared out at the water. The single, dim light above him reflect onto the water, creating a beautiful dance of light and dark as the water rippled. Around ten minutes passed, with Tom just smoking and staring. For him, he was at peace. That was until someone had arrived to ruin it. 

“Fancy seeing you here, huh?” Tom jumped at the sound of a voice behind him, causing the cigarette he had in his beak to fall out and land in the water. Turning around, he was unexpectedly met with the Drake’s devilish face.

“The fuck?! Have you been following me? You scared the shit out of me!”

“No, no. It just so happens we’ve begun setting up the area for the show. You can see it from here, its right along the edge over there.” He pointed towards the opposite side of the lake, where a group of hired contractors had begun building a large stage in the one open spot left on the lakeside. The only light they had to build with in the dark of the night was the single standing floodlight.

“In the middle of the night? Do you even have the city’s approval?”

“Nope! That’s the fun part. Believe it or not, wave enough money around and any contractor under the sun will gladly break the law.”

“So what, you’re gonna have us play an illegal show? In the city’s hottest tourist spot? You’ve lost your mind.” Drake reached both of his arms forward and grabbed Tom’s shoulders, bringing him closer than he was comfortable with. 

“That’s the best part, though! You saw what happened with Flock, right? They blew everyone away because they were unexpected!” Tom shoved Drake’s arms away as he turned back around to look out at the docks.

“That’s stupid! They got value from surprise instead of skill, they didn’t deserve that stage one bit and you know it.” Drake leaned up against the railing next to Tom, who was now grabbing another cigarette. As he stuck it in his beak, Drake had offered up his fancy golden lighter before Tom could pull his cheap plastic one out. Scoffing, he reached his head down and stuck the cigarette in the flame.

“You really need to see the importance of everything else, Tom. You focus too much on those four. You don’t even realize you’re getting the same opportunity they are. You’re acting like a baby over them, you know that?”

“Shut up!”

“Cmooon, man. Loosen up a little. Your future is bright! How about this? Let’s go grab some drinks, you and me. Mano y mano. How ‘bout it?”

“What the hell, sure.” Drake’s face lit up. He wasn’t expecting Tom to even want to be around him after the what happened at the diner.

“Great! Walk with me. I know a spot close by.” Side by side, the two walk down along the docks in silence, which Drake was seemingly not happy about. He constantly looked over at Tom, staring him up and down for a moment before looking back forward. He paid no mind to this, as he thought Drake was already weird enough for this to be a normal thing.

“Tell me, Tom. What do you seek from your life?” Surprised, Tom stopped as he wondered why he was suddenly being asked such a serious question.

“What? The hell kind of question is that?” He took one last puff of the dying cigarette in his hand, dropping it on the ground below him and snuffing it out with his foot. “Do I look like I can answer that right now?”

“Well, yes! As long as you know what you want, of course. So, what is it?” He looked up to the sky as he walked, it now being populated with stars.

“I don’t… I don’t really know. I’m kind of just going with whatever happens.”

“EERR! Wrong! That’s not the answer. You know what it is.”

“I guess… I just want people to like me. Everyone turns away from me. They think im violent, wrathful. They took one look at my face and run off before I could ever introduce myself. I don’t understand what I do wrong, really.”

“I see. You and Erik aren’t too far off, you know that?”

“What did you just say? Don’t be an asshole.”

“I mean it! I’ve heard it all from his own mother. He seclusive, anxious, emotionally fragile, and doesn’t try to appeal to anyone. At least, he fails to.”

“So what does that say about me? You calling me all that?” 

“Yes, actually. You two are two sides of the same coin. The difference between the two of you is that he’s terrified of others, while others are terrified of you. You say people run from you, but have you tried to follow them? Get them to calm down? Say your name even as they leave?”

“No… not really.”

“Exactly! You’re not the scary, violent person you believe you are. The issue is that you’ve only allowed yourself to be happy when you’re not alone. You have your bandmates and your friends, but you’re still lonely.”

“How the hell have you been able to interpret all of this from me? You barely know me beyond my name and my music. How can you just… say all this with nothing to go off of?”

“When you’ve been in the industry for so many years, you really get to understand aspiring musicians. You’re complicated. We all are.” Turning at the corner of the dock, Drake suddenly stopped right outside of a closed stall. Tom, who had continued walking without realizing, reached for another cigarette in his pocket.

“Tom! No smoking here, pal.”

“Huh?” Turning around, he saw Drake standing alone outside of the stall. “What the hell are you stopped for? Nothing’s open here.”

“Things are only closed as long as you don’t know the person who can open them. Watch this.” He banged on the metal door covering the stall six times, confusing Tom as to why he’d be making so much noise. “Six stars on the Northwest Isle, I’ll be gone to drink for a while!” Tom now thought he had gone mad, he was almost tempted to just walk away. Though before he could tell Drake he looked stupid, the latch on the metal door could be heard coming undone. 

“Debo estar todavía dormido. No fuckin’ way.” The door violently slid upward in a single motion, and as Tom approached, he could spot traces of bright, colorful feathers.

“Dios mío, ¡eres tú! Drake! Where the hell have you been?!”

“I told you I’m a busy man, Luis.”

“Busy enough to not visit for almost eight years? What the hell, man!” The blue and yellow macaw quickly stepped out of the stall through the side and ran up to Drake for a hug. They were just about eye level with each other, with Luis being just slightly shorter. His pink patterned hawaiian shirt stuck out like a sore thumb in the chilly autumn night. Once Luis had broken from the hug, turned to Tom with a bit of a nasty look. “So, who’s the buitre?”

“He’s a friend. We just wanted to get some drinks, and I couldn’t think of anywhere better to get em’.” Luis quickly ran back inside the stall, immediately fumbling around down in the shelves under the window. 

“Say no more than! Catch is,” Luis poked his head up from behind the window and looked Drake in the eyes. “You have to tell me everything that’s happened to you in the last eight years. I’ve missed you, Drake!”

“Hah! I’ve missed you too, buddy.”

“What do you two want? I’m curious what buitre’s taste is like.”

“My name’s Tom. Just… surprise me. I’m not picky.” Drake invited Tom over to a small metal table next to the stall, and as they sat, another freezing fall breeze blew by. It was nearly cold enough to pierce through the two’s feathers. “So what’s the story behind you two? You gonna’ tell me he was your drummer or something?”

“No, but you’re close! That’s our tour manager right there. Was with us on every flight, every bus, he was our best man.”

“Any other people I should know about? Last night was that Paulie guy, now it’s him. You trying to get your band back together or something?”

“Funnily enough, no. Besides Luis here, I kind of lost contact with everyone else until earlier. Even then, you heard him. Eight years since he’s last seen me.”

“Now you’ve got me curious, Drake. Paulie happens to be that Robby asshole’s dad, but you said earlier you’ve heard about Erik from his mother? You have some ties with him too?”

“Well, you see, Erik’s father is a bit of a sensit-”

“DRINKS ARE READYYY!!!” With two dolled-up glasses in hand, Luis was doing an awkward-looking shuffle towards the table. For it being the middle of the night, he sure seemed energetic. “Here you are! Drake, your usual. And for you, my buitre friend, something completely new. I’ve never met a bearded vulture like yourself in my near fifty years of life, so this is a special occassion!” Tom stared at the fancily shaped glass with one eyebrow raised. Filled nearly to the point of spilling, the drink was a bright orange to crimson red gradient with cherries seen submerged under the ice in the drink. It almost felt too colorful for a place as dreary as Talon City’s nightscape, but Tom didn’t care. 

“Is that right? I mean, thanks dude. I… I’m surprised you’re so excited to see one.” 

“Why wouldn’t I be? I’ve never been able to get out east besides going on tour. Even then, we never did much sightseeing out there. No matter how much I asked.” A small, mean glance came out of him as he looked at Drake, who wasn’t paying attention as he sipped from his fittingly crimson red drink. “Tch. So, Drake. What are you doing out here in Talon City? You trying to stir the pot again?”

“What else would I be doing? Of course I’m getting this city riled up again! It’s been too quiet around here compared to back then.”

“Back then? What’s so special about back then?”

“You heard it earlier yourself, Tom. We used to rock Talon City like a bunch of motherfuckers back then. Isn’t that right, Luis? Hah!” Luis held his head down with a smile on his face, a tear nearly breaking free from his eye. “Cmon, Luis. Now’s not the time to get emotional.”

“You know how I am! Last time you were here you had me bawling in your arms, Drake! You expect me to not be emotional?”

“At least look professional when you cry. Tom here’s giving you a cold stare.” Tom, who had just finished the last of his drink, brought his head down from the swig to see Luis looking at him with a sorrowful look on his face.”

“Huh?! No I’m not! Drake’s just saying shit.”

“He knows what he’s doing! He’s here to pull on my heartstrings just like the last time! ¡Diablo, me lastimaste mucho!” He wiped the tears from his eyes with his arm and looked to Drake. “So, how are they? You been in contact with the rest of them? I lost you all so long ago. I… He sido un cascarón de hombre!” Striking a dramatic pose with one hand clutching his heart, he looked up to the sky.

“Huh? Drake, do you know what he’s-”

“Nah. He likes to whisper under his breath in his home language. Funny he’s still doing it after all this time.” Luis broke from his pose and looked Drake directly in the eyes.

“Tell me.”

“Well, all I can give you right now is that Paulie’s in town.”

“Paulie?! He visiting too?!”

“No… he’s lived here in Talon City for a long time.”

“So where the hell has he been?! If you could remember my stand, why couldn’t he?!” He stood up and slammed his hands down onto the table, shaking it enough for a bit of Drake’s drink to spill out of the glass.

“Calm down, Luis! I didn’t know he was in town, either. I thought he was up north still.”

“How about Sarah? Danny? Hell, even-”

“STOP! Stop, Luis.” Luis had nearly fallen completely over as he leaned back in his chair. “I… I have to tell you in private. Tom, will you go to the edge of the docks for a bit? We need to be alone for a moment.”

“Alright, I guess. I wanted to light up another cig, anyway.” He quickly walked away from the table, following the wooden dock down to a secluded spot where he could legally smoke. “Jesus, could feel my body calling for one of these. You got a problem, Tom.” His quiet mumbling to himself kept him occupied as he stared out into the black waters of the lake once more. Looking directly down over the edge, he got a clear look at his face in the water. As his face warped with the waves, multiple interpretations of himself faded in and fade out one after another. He could only stare blankly as his mind wandered on its own. Eventually, the cigarette had burnt all the way up. As he went to light another, he looked backed down the docks at the two. Luis, for whatever reason, was curled up on the ground, crying his eyes out. He seemed to have entered a full-blown breakdown, and Tom could only watch as Drake tried his best to console the macaw. “Christ. What the hell could they have been talking about? I mean, whatever. None of my business.” As he went to light up another cigarette, his phone stopped him as it vibrated in his back pocket. Pulling it out and turning the brightness up to accomodate for the night, he saw he was getting a call from Zahra. “What the hell could this be about?” He begrudgingly answered as he put the unlit cigarette away. “Hello?”

“Tom, can you please come back quick? Benny and Harry are fighting again. Benny had- woah! -one too many drinks from Harry’s stash. I’ve been trying to- fuck! -get them to calm down, but my words aren’t doing a thing.”

“Shit, Zahra! Fuckin’ horrible time for this. I’m on my way back, just wait in the bar until I get there.”

“A-are you sure? You usually want me to protect the gear- stop throwing shit, asshole!” It surprised her to hear even the slightest hint of concern from Tom. 

“No, I don’t care about the gear. Just don’t get hurt, please.”

“Um, alright! Hurry quick please!” Beep. Tom didn’t hesitate for a moment, stuffing his phone back into his pocket as he approached the two to announce his leave. As he approached, Luis’ desperate cries sunk deep through his ears and into his heart. Whatever was said, it broke Luis entirely. 

“No! No se ha ido! No puede... No... No se ha ido! No se ha ido!” Tom couldn’t understand a word of what was being said, but he could feel the emotion pouring out from Luis’ soul. “Drake, please…! Tell me it’s a lie! Please! Please! Plea-ea-ease!” Drake had sensed Tom’s approach and had turned to look back at him. Tom withheld his words, only pointing towards his phone and then back towards the city. Drake only gave him a quick nod before he went back to console Luis, who was now laying in Drake’s arms like a wounded soldier about to breathe his last breath. 

“Tch. Just wanted to smoke alone. I’m not sticking around for this soap opera.” Cutting across the grass towards the city, Tom set off back to the bar.

Vrrrrrr. A dead silence was being occupied by the rumbling of the fan in Erik’s bathroom. A dim orange glow from a small bulb above the mirror shined down on Erik as he sat on the edge of the bathtub. His head was low and buried in his own wings as he tried to cover his face out of shame.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know. What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I just- I can’t just- fuck!” Sitting upright, he continued to hold his wings to his face as he groaned. “You’re so pathetic. You should have just said it. You should have just admitted it all right there. The stage was set. The sun was setting. You fucked it! You fucked it so hard! FUCK!” As he continued to sit alone in his regret, his thoughts continued to pester him like insects. His head was full of nothing but degradation and pity for himself. He almost felt like bashing his head against the mirror. He didn’t even want to look at himself. “You’re tearing yourself apart, Erik. Maybe I should just… give up. Let time run it’s course and-” Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Erik? Hey, are you in there? I wanna’ talk. Robby and Sylus went with Paulie for the night. Or at least that’s what they said. They looked guilty as they left.” Erik’s heart nearly stopped as he heard Leah’s voice before it quickly kicked itself into overdrive. 
“Fuck! Now’s not-” He lowered his wings from his face. “Yeah! I’m- I’m in here. Just using the bathroom.”

“Erik, it’s been nearly two hours. I can tell something’s up. Do you wanna talk?”

“I- I’m okay! Just dinner not sitting right, is all.”

“Don’t lie to me, Erik! What’s wrong?”

“I… I’m scared.”

“Scared of what? What the hell is there to be scared-” His heart began to spoke before his mind.

“You! I’m scared of… I mean- I just-”

“You’re scared of me? Over what? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, I just-”

“Come on out, Erik. I know you want to talk. I know we said we’d talk it out later, but… you’re clearly troubled. Come out!”

“But- Leah, I-”

“It’s just us here. Robby and Sylus can’t eavesdrop on us. Please?”

“Alright. I just- don’t know how to talk about it.”

“It’s okay! I’ve got… a way to solve this problem. I think you’ll be surprised.”

“What does that mean? Surprised?”

“Just come out already, Erik!”

“Okay, okay!” He stood up from the edge of the tub, slowly inching his way towards the bathroom door before opening it. On the other side, he was met with Leah. Expecting a solemn, assuring face, he was surprised to see something… much different about her. She was making a face Erik had never seen before.

“So, do you wanna talk? Or do you want to try my method? After all this time, I feel like maybe talking is… out of the picture.”

“W-what? What else can we do besides talk?”

“Well, Erik. We can solve everything with just… a fun game.”

“I still don’t understa-”

“Let’s play ‘Who’s Gonna Say it First?’, shall we?” She lunged forward, grabbing Erik’s single band shirt he had on and yanked him to the side. Caught extremely off guard, Erik let out a small shriek as he was thrown towards his bed. Stumbling over his own feet, he turned as he fell onto his bed, landing face up as he tried to figure out what the hell was happening. As he tried to sit himself up, the unexpected had struck. Leah quickly followed him onto the bed, climbing on top of him before he could get up. The weight of her body felt sharp as it pushed down onto his torso, restraining him to the bed. With just a few quick moments, she was on top of him completely.

“Leah! What the hell’s gotten into you?! Are you feeling well?”

“Erik, I’m feeling fucking great. I’m sick of all this waiting around for us to say it. Don’t act like it’s not obvious already!”

“But why are you-”

“Because words haven’t seemed to work! I’m resorting to drastic measures. There’s only one thing I can see fixing this.” To Erik’s dismay, she began to take the oversized shirt she was wearing off.

“L-Leah! You don’t mean-” By this point, she had already tossed the shirt to the side, leaving nothing but her sweatpants and her bra.

“I mean it, Erik. I said I’m sick of waiting, and I know you are too. Now, are you going to join me?”

“I- I- I-” His heart was racing faster than what would be considered safe, and his mind had completely gone blank. As he stared forward blankly at Leah, he spoke to himself in his head.

“Erik, this is it. You’re not prepared, you’re not ready, and you’re definitely not experienced. But I can’t go back now, can I? I’m in too deep. Leah… you win.” His blank stare become filled with emotion once again as Leah made eye contact with him from above. “Yes! Yes, I don’t care anymore! Fuck!”

“About time, you big dork!” She leaned forward, nearly falling onto him, and locked her beak with his in a passionate kiss. At least, the closest thing two owls can do to kissing. Erik was lost in it. Wrapping his wings around Leah as she felt him up and down, he was experiencing something entirely new. His heart was racing, but no longer in a bad way. Breaking free from the kiss, Leah refused to sever eye contact as she leaned over him. “Are you gonna say it?”

“Well, I- why don’t you, huh?” His tone had shifted completely, and a much more positive look spread across his face. Suddenly, he sounded cocky.

“No, you say it!”

“Why don’t you want to? Say it!” Leah reached forward and wrapped her wings around the back of Erik’s head, holding it in a feathery brace.

“Say it! Say it! Say it!” With each word spoke, she inched closer and closer to his face. She was nearly about ready to lean in for another kiss. Her gaze was cold, but filled with something Erik had never seen from her before. It wasn’t her usual graceful stare, but something else. It was lust.

“Hah! I’m gonna win, I know I will! Now say it!” 

“I’m not gonna back down either, you ass! Say it!” As the two continued to yell back and forth in eachother’s faces, Leah’s ears could be seen tearing up. It took a drop falling on his beak for him to realize, and once he did, he began to tear up as well. It wasn’t sadness. It was love, and it was coming at him like a bullet. 

“I- You say it! I’m not scared anymore. I won’t quit!” 

“Yes you will! I know you’ll cave. I know you!” Every single muscle in their bodies were tense, but they both felt like they were at the peak of their lives. Eventually, Erik slowly began to drift out of his proclaimed stoicism.

“Say it!”

“Say it!”

“Say it!” Though they couldn’t hear it, their hearts had begun to beat in sync. 

“You say it! Say it!”

“No, Erik! You say it!” He could feel that the battle was coming to a close, and he was on the losing side. She was now almost touching beaks with him again, her gaze weakening his defenses. It felt like it was coming to its climax, and yet, it was only the beginning. Erik, admitting defeat in his own mind, spoke.

“Fuck! Don’t look at me like that!”

“Cmon, I know it’s coming! Say it!” The white flag had been waived, and the beginning of something beautiful was realized with just four words.

“Leah… I love you!” 

“About time! Erik, I love you too!” She leaned forward again, bringing their beaks together for a second round. With only a day before the show, the two had cast away their role as musicians for just a single night, and became something much more than bandmates.

Hours had passed, and the two were now laid next to eachother at a crisp three in the morning, just staring at the ceiling. Neither of them could bring themselves to sleep, their hearts still racing with pleasure. Eventually, Leah rolled over onto her side and looked at Erik, who was still staring at the ceiling, deep in thought. She had never felt more comfortable in a bed in her entire life. With another mischievous look on her face, she asked him a question.

“So, what is it, then?” Erik snapped out of his trance as he too rolled over onto his side to face Leah.

“W-huh? What?”

“What’s your answer?”

“Answer to what? I don’t remember you asking me a question.”

“What am I to you?” His heart snapped itself back into overdrive despite being exhausted from the last few hours of fun. He zoned out again, giving Leah another blank stare. About a minute passed as Leah stared at him patiently. She knew it was best to give him his time. Still thinking about the experience she just had, she wondered how Erik was going to turn out after it. “Get it out already, man. Say it.” Erik had finally snapped out of his trance, leaving Leah in anticipation for his answer. So, he spoke.

“The one. That’s what you are… the one.” An answer she wasn’t expecting. She anticipated something more along the lines of “a lover” or in the worst case, “a friend”. Though, she still knew what it meant. 

“Same goes for you too, dork. See you in the morning… Erik.” With another smile, she reached over to the single lit lamp and flicked it off. Rolling back over towards him, they embraced each other as they drifted away into the street of dreams. 

“Erik? Eeeerik! Come on, open the door already! It’s chilly out here and I haven’t had breakfast!” Robby continuously slammed on Erik’s front door, awaiting a response. Though to his dismay, he was given only silence. 

“Do you just wanna wait in the car? Maybe like another hour and they’ll be up.”

“Sylus, it’s twelve thirty! Erik has never slept in this late in his life, so either they’re not here or he’s just ignoring us. ERIK! OPEN YOUR DAMN DOOR!”

“Calm down, Rob! There’s probably another way in. Doesn’t the garage have a code thing on it?”

“I think it does. Let’s just try that instead.” The two stepped down from the porch and onto the cold stone path that led across a small flower garden and into the driveway. Approaching the side of the garage door, there was a small keypad and a large square button. 

“Fuck. What is it? Erik ever tell you?”

“Probably, I just forgot. I’ve never had to use this shit, anyway.”

“Well, try something.” The two stood and tried every combination they could think of, eventually landing on the right one out of sheer luck.

“0… 2… 0… 1… oh, shit!” The garage door immediately began opening on it’s own, its loud motor and constant scraping against the ceiling creating deafeningly loud sounds as it moved. “God, that shit’s loud. Let’s drop our stuff off and find those two. We need to rehearse as soon as possible. The show is tomorrow, after all.” The two set their instruments down, with Robby taking off his new leather jacket he got from his father the night before and setting it on top of some amps. “Do you wanna come with me, Sy? You could start going now, too. We need as much rehearsal as we can get, after all.”

“Yeah, I’ll plug in. Go find those two if you can.”

“You got it, Sy.” Robby carefully opened the door that led from the garage into the house, peeking through the crack to get his bearings. Everything seemed normal mostly until he looked over at the kitchen. A single shelf above the countertop was open, and all the glasses inside seemed to have been moved around. Stepping in, he walked far enough in to get a good look into the kitchen, where he saw glass shattered all over the floor. It looked to be three or four glasses worth or shards, and upon seeing it, concern rose within Robby. “What? The hell happened?” Erik would never let something like that slide in his home. Something was up. He passed through the side of the kitchen that had no glass on the ground and turned into the hallway. He crept through, passing the pantry, bathroom, and eventually making it to the guest room. He assumed Leah would sleep in there, but to his surprise, there was no one to be found. He really only had one place left to look, and that was upstairs. Making his way back out to the main area of the house, he snuck over to the bottom of the stairs. Looking up, the daylight that crept through the windows struggled to continue up into the second floor. Each step Robby took was methodical, being careful not to make too much noise if Erik was sleeping. When he made it to the top of the stairs, he turned around the railing to see something he could have never predicted. An entire empty bottle of wine stood on the left nightstand, next to two empty glasses. Pillows and blankets were scattered about the floor, and the bed itself was completely misplaced. Upon the mattress laid Erik and Leah, embraced within each other’s wings. Erik’s shirt was nowhere to be found, and Leah still only had just her bra on. Though it was hastily and loosely tied back, as if it was taken off and put on again. Luckily, both had at least put pants back on. 

“Holy shit.” Robby whispered under his breath, immediately turning back around and rushing down the stairs. “Sylus is gonna fuckin’ love this.” Nearly jogging across the study to the garage door, he quickly opened it, ran in, and closed it behind him quietly. 

“Woah, did something happen? The hell are you in a rush for?”

“Sylus! Sylus. Oh my god.”

“What? Did something happen? Is everything alright?”

“Things are fine. You’re just not gonna believe this.”

“What is it? Did something happen with those two?”

“They fucked. Without a doubt in my mind, they fucked.”

“WHAT?!”

“Right?!”

“I don’t believe you, dude. You’re just trying to make me excited!”

“No, I’m serious! Look, we just gotta act oblivious for now. Last thing we want is for them to know we found out. This is Erik’s chance to break out of his bubble.”

“I suppose you’re right. Let’s just start play-” chnk. The knob on the garage door twisted, causing the brothers to snap their attention to it. The door opened slowly, its squeaky hinges crying out as it swung outward. Leah stood, rubbing her eyes with one wing as she opened the door with the other. 

“Leah!”

“Robby? Sylus? How long have you been here?”

“I- we just got here a moment ago! We were gonna start practicing without you. Robby didn’t want to wake you and Erik and up.” Robby twisted his head around quickly and gave Sylus a furious look. Realizing what he just said, he tried his best to recover the situation. “I mean- we didn’t know where you were, so we just assumed-”

“I appreciate that. Erik needs to sleep, anyway. I’m gonna go make a pot of coffee. I’ll be out in a few.” Her expression hadn’t changed. She was acting like nothing had even happened the night before, just business as usual. Robby and Sylus were left in silence as she stepped back into the house.

“I- wha? Did you? Huh?”

“I don’t know, Sy. I… don’t know.”

“So is it like… a thing? Or not?”

“Like I would know. Maybe they’ve just come to accept it.”

“I don’t know. Let’s just run Leap, I guess.”

“God, but now I’m curious!”

“Okay, so what if instead…”

Inside, Leah had made her way into the kitchen, as she still attempted to wake herself up. Everything she did felt sluggish, like she had a constant weight crushing her as she moved. The wine from the night before was much stronger than either of them knew. It had been preserved in Erik’s cellar for years; they were taking a gamble for how close it was to the show. 

“Fuck, that was killer. I didn’t know he had it in him. Erik, you are a real character.” Sifting through cupboards and shelves, she found a lone bag of coffee grounds hidden behind a box of crackers. “There you are.” Stealing a mug out of Erik’s cabinet, she ran the rarely used coffee machine and waited. The low humming of the machine was the only thing Leah could comprehend as her body fought off the hangover. Though she wasn’t alone in that battle. Suddenly, a pair of large wings wrapped around her, pulling her backwards until she hit something that sank inward slightly as she was held tight against it.

“Gooood morning.”

“E-Erik!” Her surprised voice would usually set him off and throw him into a nervous panick, however, this time was different. He didn’t budge, holding her tight in his embrace while he stood silently. “I… good morning Erik. Could’ve given me a little more warning!”

“No need. I know you like being wrapped up in my wings.” Leah blushed under her feathers, surprised but glad to hear how confident Erik seemed.

“Well- I mean, yeah. You’re right.” He didn’t seem to want to let off as his feathers almost put her back to sleep as she stood wrapped in his warm embrace. 

“Thank you, Leah.”

“For what?”

“Last night. Everything. All of it.”

“I mean, you’re welcome? I could say the same to you, y’know.”

“No, I should thank you. Really. It was the greatest night of my life.”

“Oh, it was nothing, Erik. Just me resorting to drastic measures. I was tiring of you running off whenever I even thought about flirting.” 

“And I was tiring of running off. I would’ve said something soon enough.”

“Sure you would have, big guy.” He scoffed, but he knew she was right. If she didn’t force all of that on him, he would have never opened up. It was the right choice, even if it was extreme. He tightened his embrace, now really sucking Leah into his feathers. 

“I love you. I don’t want to hide that anymore.” The coffee machine gave a small beep as the last few drops of coffee splashed into the mug. Realizing Leah was in the middle of making coffee, he loosened his wings and laid them back to his side. “Sorry, I-” Before he could apologize for the sudden hug, she stood up on the ends of her talons and tapped her beak against his.

“I love you too, dork.” As Leah returned to finish making her coffee, Erik looked towards the fridge across from the kitchen. There was likely something he could snack on to fight off the hangover, but before he began walking to it, he noticed something odd. At the bottom of his vision, a pair of black plumicorns stuck up from behind the center kitchen counter. It took him a moment, but as soon as he realised a furious expression spread across his face. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?! You asshole!” Sylus knew he was busted, all he could do was surrender. He jumped up from behind the counter with his hands held up, his phone still recording in his left hand. The small timer on the phone read about four minutes, ticking upward as it ran. 

“Erik! Hey, man! How’s it going?” 

“You motherfucker! Were you fucking eavesdropping on us?” Concerned when she heard about eavesdropping, she turned around to see Erik scolding Sylus. She couldn’t help but laugh a little as Sylus’ guilty face looked fearfully at Erik. “Since when the hell were you even here? Is Robby here too?” Sylus looked down near his feet and gave a small kick to his left.

“Ow! Fucker!” Robby jumped up from behind the counter himself, his hands also up in the air. 

“You two! What the hell is your deal? Eavesdropping? Recording? I should kill you!” He stomped around the edge of the counter, with Robby and Sylus moving in the same direction as he approached. They were now stuck in a game of cat and mouse. The three wrapped around the counter twice before Leah eventually blocked Robby and Sylus off. 

“Uh oh. Leah!”

“You guys are hilarious.” Erik had reached the two brothers, towering over them with a wrathful look. 

“We’re sorry! We just- we were curious!” Erik reached his wings out to the side of each brother, and pushed them towards eachother. Both of them stumbled, and their heads bumped into eachother lightly.

“Ow!”

“Ow!”

“Delete the video off of your phone, Sylus.”

“But you two look so cute together! I mean, the secret’s out, anyway. Look!” He stopped the recording on his phone and opened the video. Holding it up to Erik’s face, Sylus pondered if this was even a good idea.

“I love you. I don’t want to hide that anymore.”

“I love you too, dork!” Erik couldn’t help but admit in his mind that it was a cute video, though with how it was being recorded, it spoils the mood. Before Erik could wail on the two for spying on them again, Leah laughed to herself loud enough to catch everyone’s attention.

“Oh, it’s fine, Erik! You guys are- you guys are so funny!” Erik loosened up as he watched her laugh. Maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal. “The secret is out, Erik. And that’s okay with me.”

“I- whatever. You two get to live another day.”

“But you two are really cute. I just wanted to say.” 

“Alright, dude! You know what’s more important, though? The show. It’s tomorrow. What time is it? We need to rehearse immediately.”

“Gimme a moment to wake up a little more, Erik.” Leah rubbed her eyes as her groaning voice pleaded for more time.

“I- alright. But we need to get moving on this. Only one more song before we have our set of five.” Another hour passed before the four all congregrated in the garage. Most of that time Erik and Leah had spent cuddled up on the couch while Sylus and Robby watched hockey on Erik’s television. When they had all finally set up in the garage, the room had been filled with an oddly powerful confidence.

“Tomorrow’s the big day. Our second show. Our make or break. We cannot mess this up, or we’ll lose our best shot at establishing ourselves.”

“Don’t act so serious, Erik. We’ll blow these guys out of the water and then some. Flock is the next big hit.”

“Yknow? Yeah. You’re right, Robby.” Leah let out a deep sigh as she finished adjusting your seat. Almost instinctually, Erik looked to her concerned. “Everything alright, Leah?”

“Yeah, it’s cool. Just my parents again.”

“Oh, shit. What about them?”

“They texted me earlier, while we were hanging out. Told me how dissapointed they were. Told me how idiotic I’ve been. Told me how much of a bad influence you guys are.”

“Wha- assholes!”

“They gave me a choice. Be home tomorrow night, or get ready to pack my things the day after.”

“They’re kicking you out?! Over being gone for a few days?!”

“Apparently so. But, I don’t really care. I know what I want. I’m playing tomorrow night’s show no matter what, and if they do kick me out? So be it.”

“Leah, you are fuckin’ ballsy. Risking your whole life like that? Jeez, girl.”

“Like I said, doesn’t matter if they do. I’ve got people to fall back on now, people who care, people who see me for what I am. People who love me.” She glanced at Erik as she spoke, flustering him slightly. “Now. That’s enough of that. It’s my problem, anyway. You guys ready to play?”

“I- Yeah! I am ready to get this ball rollin’, baby!” Robby was in an outstandingly good mood that day. The others assumed it was just because he was excited, but no one truly knew. “Let’s start with A Part of Me. Kick it, Leah!” Raising her sticks high above her head, she counted off the band. One. Two. Three. And- 

The song began with low, clean toned strums from Sylus, setting a slow but emotional pace for the song. The way he moved across his guitar, and the way he had set up his amps just right, made the sound entrancing. The song felt isolated and cold, though as Robby’s bassline join alongside Sylus, it brought more life to it. Now, it just felt cold. Erik would chime in next, his voice soft and near a whisper.

You told me those were your last words,

that you’d never take another breath…

Though now you call to me, a pact broken in blood

What do you seek, truly? Is it love? 

Or is it just another part of…

ME!

His short but powerful shout kicked off the real meat of the song, with Leah now joining Robby and Sylus as the song took a much more powerful direction. With tje tap of a couple of pedals, Sylus’ tone had shifted from the quiet clean to a much heavier and grittier tone. His slow strumming had turned into quick, cut off riffs that nearly sounded like chugging. Its tone was only amplified by Robby, who’s bass nearly shook the room once again as he picked away at his bass. 

Said you wouldn’t lie!

Told me I would fly! 

Left me to bleed, left me to die!

Leah, who had slowed down her pace on the drums, leaned forward slightly to get close to the microphone that hanged over her from above.

Said you would let it go, said you wouldn’t let it die!

I’m calling out for youuu…

You take from me, tear me apart!

There’s nothing left of youuu…

Leah fought hard with her own body to keep her voice steady as both sang and played at the same time. The coordination needed to manage both is nothing short of impressive.

The words you spoke, just an empty lie!

I’ve only deceived youuu…

It’s clear to me that all you seek…

I promise this to youuu…

Is another piece of-

ME!

YOU!

The two’s synchronized shout bridged the song into a momentary silence. The only noise made was the fading of Robby’s bass and the slowing rattle of Leah’s cymbals. Sylus tapped his pedals once again, his tone shifting once more to a heavy, but now cleaner, tone. He broke the silence with the beginning of his solo, strong chords that sped up as he strummed, each one getting faster and faster. Eventually, he transitioned from chords into much faster single notes. The fingers on his left hand rapidly bent and weaved into the proper positions to catch up with his right hand, which had no end to its rapid movement. Every tap, every pull, every pick, all the different motions flowed together perfectly to create the perfect serenade of shred. Erik could only watch on as Sylus took the lead for just those few moments. Eventually, the fast movements slowed as Sylus pulled back on the strength of each note. Quieter and quieter, it eventually faded back out into silence.

So you spoke your deceptive words,

I didn’t want this for youuu…

Left me in nothing but pieces,

It’s only the best for youuu…

All you wanted-

All I could ever desire…

IS JUST ANOTHER PART OF ME!

IS JUST ANOTHER PART OF YOU!

The song had kicked back into gear, with every instrument now playing together again. Leah had pulled back from the microphone, now pouring all of her energy back into the drums. Sylus and Robby had both shuffled close to eachother, their movements in their usual synchronization. 

You left me in pieces!

You left me to die!

You left me with nothing but another empty lie!

All I ever asked from you,

was to speak those closing words!

But you led me astray,

and took another part of…

ME!

With the final shout, the song came to an abrupt close. Though it was one of their shorter songs, it was one of their most powerful. The four looked at eachother with large grins on their faces, especially Sylus. He mostly influenced the song, his only gripe being he wasn’t the one singing. Though he couldn’t just leave Erik out, could he?

“Yeah, that’s the fuckin’ shit!” Robby dropped his hands from his bass and wrapped his arm around Sylus’ shoulders. “Fuck all those covers, man! Why haven’t we been making our own shit until now? Where the hell has all this been?” Erik, who’s shouting had left him a little winded, leaned himself back against the garage wall.

“I don’t know, Rob. But- huff- I think we got it, man. I think we got it.”

“Y’know, Erik, I didn’t know you had it in you to shout like that so much. I always took you for a much cleaner vocalist, especially with all that classic shit you listen to.”

“Well, I’ve had my time to practice. No hands? No instrument. Next best thing? My voice.”

“Yeah, dude! Erik, your voice is beautiful, dude.” Leah’s chiming in caused him to blush under his feathers. 

“Oh, stop! You heard yourself there too, didn’t you? You’re voice was like an angel’s!” The two began going back and forth between eachother, tossing compliment after compliment between themselves. At first, the brothers were letting them have their fun, but after the third minute straight of it, they were getting a little tired.

“Get a room, you two! What’s next on the set?” Both of them broke out of their complimentive trance, embarassed. 

“Ahem. Why don’t we run… oh I don’t know, Freefall?” Robby’s plumicorns perked up as much as they could from under his hat. 

“Yes! Yes. I need to really get my fingers moving. Let’s do Freefall. Yes. Yes!”

“What’s gotten into you lately, Robby? You weren’t even this cheerful rehearsing for the last show.”

“I uh- I’ve just been having some stuff happening lately. It’s good, it’s really good. But I can’t explain.”

“How? You’ve been with us every day since the last show. We would have seen if-”

“It’s fine! It’s none of your business. I’m happy, so roll with that! Let’s just- run the song, please.”

“Alright, alright!” With Leah’s sticks in the air again, the band braced themselves as they prepared for the count.

“One, two- one two three four-!”

“Fuck! Are you serious? Harry you- I can’t believe this.”

“What did you want me to do, Tom? He was on top of me like a rabid animal!”

“So what, you beat that animal senseless then? No!”

“But- I mean-”

“This can’t be real.” Benny laid sprawled out on the floor, his left eye swollen and his beak agape. In their scuffle from earlier, Harry had knocked Benny out cold. It looked to Tom like he was in no condition to play. “It’s about to be the day before the show, and you’ve rocked Benny’s shit. I mean- okay.”

“He swung at me fir-” 

“That doesn’t matter! You should’ve acted like a normal person and- FUCK!” Tom grabbed one of the chairs sat around the large table and threw it across the room, nearly hitting their equipment. “I can’t fucking do this! I- We- We need to get our shit together. Right now? We’re going fucking nowhere. Nothing. If we’re gonna be knocking eachother out, then we shouldn’t be playing at all!” Harry looked at the floor, his usual stern tone being overpowered by Tom’s rage. 

“Look, Tom. I’m sorry, I just-”

“SHUT UP! FUCK YOU, HARRY!”

“What?! Fuck you, dude! It was a mistake. You would’ve done the same! Don’t act all fuckin’ high and mighty all the sudden!”

“You’re the one who rocked his shit!” 

“Not on purpose! How many times do I have to say I was defending myself?!”

“Sometimes you don’t have to be violent to defend yourself, dumbass!” Zahra, who was stood near the back corner of the room, was tiring of all the bickering. It was nearly one in the morning.

“Can you guys stop, please? Guys?” Her pleas were left unanswered as neither of them heard her over their own shouting.

“You’re calling me the violent one? Coming from you, Tom ‘Anger Issues’ Korya! Am I the one who nearly threw a chair into our best amp? Don’t think so! You have no ground to call me violent when you’re the one whos always destroying everything!” The two were right up in eachother’s faces, their beaks nearly touching as they stared furiously at eachother. Already stressed by the upcoming show, they couldn’t stand to argue like this anymore. “Theres a reason you’re so alone all the time, Tom! You’re a hypocrite with no sense of awareness as you destroy everything around you!” Zahra froze up herself, she knew Harry had said one too many words. Tom clenched his fists, ready to send Harry to join Benny on the floor. 

“You think I’m violent? I’ll show you violent! I will fucking scalp you, asshole!” He prepared his arm, readying a swing. He’d rather have Harry knocked out cold than saying another word to him. His arm raised, and Harry braced as he desperately tried to defend himself. Zahra, not wanting anyone else to be hurt, did something rash. As Tom’s fist came down towards Harry, Zahra had stepped in front of him, arms stretched out wide. 

“Fucking stop, To-” Tom hadn’t had enough time to react. His attempt to pull back his swing was futile. Thus, Zahra was the next to join the concrete floor with a loud thump.

“Oh my god. Tom, what the fuck?!” Harry stared at the now floorbound vulture like he had just witnessed a murder, all the while Tom was still trying to process what had happened. As Zahra fell, a small bit of blood spurted out of her beak and onto Tom’s hand.

“I- I- I-”

“Oh my god, she’s out cold! You motherfucker!” Tom stepped back as his hands shook, his body and mind both in shock as they recovered from the adrenaline.

“I didn’t- I-”

“No, Tom! Get out! Get out of here!”

“But- I-”

“GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, TOM! DON’T COME BACK UNTIL YOU’VE FOUND SOME FUCKIN’ SENSE!” Tom stood frozen. He had just knocked out the only person who treated him with even a shred of kindness in his life. 

“No! I- Zahra! I didn’t-” Harry was sick of trying with words. He reached into one of his jacket pockets and pulled out a small switchblade. Unfolding it, he pointed it directly at Tom.

“Leave! Leave or so help me god I will take one of your fingers!” In a state of both shock and dread, Tom walked himself out of the room. “Come back when you’re ready to play at that stupid fucking show! After that? God knows.” Before he turned the corner, he could hear Harry whisper to himself as he picked Zahra up to get her on the couch.

“We are so fucked.”

As Tom stepped out from the backroom and into the bar, Gary had just entered with a panicked look on his face.

“Tom! Tom, I got a call from Zahra. Is everything alright?” Tom said nothing. “Tom? Seriously, is everything okay?” He looked over Tom for any signs of a scuffle, looking at him from head to toe as Tom held his head low. The knuckles on his right hand were stained with a small amount of blood. 

“I’m sorry, Gary.” 

“You didn’t…?”

“No. But it’s not something that won’t be forgiven soon.” 

“Oh, god. You four vultures are a fucking handful!” As he walked past Tom and towards the backroom, he hung his sailor’s hat up on a nearby rack. Something Tom hadn’t seen him do in ages.

“I’m sorry.” Stepping outside, he walked around to the side of the bar, sat himself down between some trash cans, lit up a cigaratte, and sobbed to himself.

Meanwhile, at Erik’s place, the sun had just risen for the second to last time before the show. It was their final day to put themselves together. Erik’s alarm clock blared into his ear, a bright red seven A.M. spelled out for him to see.

“Fuuuck. Erik, can you please get that?”

“Mmmfh… I just wanna- go back to sleep…” His voice was muffled as he sank his face into his pillow, his mind refusing to acknowledge the alarm clock. 

“Erik? Erik, can you please get that?” 

“Mmmmpphh… nooo-uh…” Leah rolled over to get a better look at Erik, who looked quite cozy. How the alarm clock was failing to do its job was a mystery, especially with how sensitive an owl’s hearing is.

“Erik. Erik, please get that. Erik?” No response. “Erik, dude. Cmon. Erik!” She tapped his shoulder with her wing, her own hand only sinking into his feathers. “Erik! Erik! Tch. Jeez, you big oaf.” She sat herself up in the bed. “ERIK! WAKE UP!” Her shouting caused Erik to jump, leading to him rolling quickly around in the bed as he woke up in a panick. 

“Wha-? Huh? Leah? I’m sorry I- woah!” He had rolled off the edge of his bed, landing facefirst on his carpeted floor, the alarm clock now actually blaring into his ears. 

“Pfft. Are you alright?” She crawled over to the other side of the bed and switched the alarm clock off. 

“Ooooouuughhh….” He remained with his beak dug into the floor for a few moments, his mind and body both still trying to wake. 

“Oh my god, Erik. I’ve never seen you sleep this hard before.” Erik spoke back, his voice muffled as his face remained in the carpet. 

“It’s because you’ve never slept with me before. You’d be surprised.”

“Huh. Guess so.” Climbing out of bed, Leah broke into Erik’s closet and stole another one of his oversized band shirts. With it being the last day before the show, she wanted to give herself a little time to rest before they rehearsed until they dropped. Hopping over the upstairs railing and gliding down to the first floor, she was surprised to find that Robby was already awake, watching the television as he waited for the band to rehearse.

“Oh, hey Leah! How’d you sleep?”

“Honestly, really damn good. I feel like a million bucks.”

“That right? Well, you’ll feel better knowing that Sylus made breakfast for everyone already.”

“Really? What’d he make this time?”

“Breakfast. Casserole. Exciting, right? Best I’ve had in ages.”

“Hell yeah! Speaking of, where is he?”

“Said he wanted some fresh air and stepped outside. Nothin’ special.”

“Odd. Never took him for a ‘fresh air’ kinda guy. Probably smoking a cigarette out there, if anything.”

“God, no! He wouldn’t touch those things with a mile-long pole! Like I would ever let him either!” Robby seemed bothered by the remark. His protectiveness of his little brother was peeking out, leading Leah to spread a grin across her face.

“Sure he wouldn’t. All that pot smoking you do with him? He would never.”

“Shut up, Leah.”

“Hah!” She threw herself onto the couch, spreading her legs and wings while sinking into the cushions. “I’ll get some food when he’s back in. You know he doesn’t like it when people serve themselves without him around.”

“Guess you’re right. But it’s fuckin’ bomb still.” Erik joined the two downstairs shortly after Leah, waiting not even a moment to wlak himself into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. 

“Tomorrow’s the big day, huh? How you feeling, Robby?”

“I’m feeling great, dude. Since we got our songs down, I’ve been stress free this whole time.” He kicked his feet up onto Erik’s coffee table, a smug look forming on his face. “It’s in the bag. Those dumbass vultures won’t even stand a chance.” 

“I don’t even think they have it in themselves to play the show. You saw how they were looking at eachother at the restaraunt, right? There are bad vibes between those four. I feel bad.”

“Eh, none of our concern. If they fuck up the show, that means it’s just an easier shot for us to hit big with Drake. Plus, I don’t even think Drake wants to deal with them. I know he struck some ‘deal’, but come on. You look at that guy and tell me he’s actually gonna keep that promise and I’ll think you’re crazy.”

“Seriously? I think Drake’s a great guy. Sure, he doesn’t look the part of trustworthy, but he’s a good man under all that.”

“You only say that because he knows your dad, Erik.”

“Nuh uh!”

“Yuh huh!”

“Don’t make me come over there, Rob!” Leah laughed at the two bickering as she stood up to join Erik in the kitchen. As she stood, Sylus had just stepped back through the front door.”

“Oh! Leah, Erik! Good morning.”

“Hey, Sy. Now that you’re back, can I tear into that casserole?”

“Don’t see why you couldn’t before.”

“Sweet!” Leah locked her eyes onto the covered cassrole on the stovetop and invited Erik to come serve some with her. Sylus sat himself down on the couch next to Rob, him smelling of very light smoke.

“Sylus? You smell like smoke, dude. What for?”

“Was just uh- hanging out outside. Snuck a little of your pot, nothing else.”

“Snuck my pot? Dude, come on.”

“You got plenty, dude! I have every right to some here and there.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me? You’ve only snuck my pot one time before, and that was just to give it to a friend.”

“What? No, Rob. I got nothing to hide. I stole your pot, that’s all. Sorry.”

“Okay, just ask me next time. My pot’s all yours as long as you tell me.”

“Yeah, I know.” From the kitchen, the two could hear Leah and Erik both ripping into the casserole.

“Holy shit, Sylus! This is fuckin’ good, dude!”

“It’s nothing special, really. Just some bullshit I threw together with what I could find.”

“You’re makin’ better use of it than I ever could. Why do you think there’s so many t.v. dinner’s in my freezer?”

“Why the hell do you buy all those ingredients then if you’re not able to cook with them?”

“For exactly what just happened. Someone else’ll make something with em’.” Once Erik had cleaned the rest of his plate, he lightly tossed it into his sink and walked to the study, where he eased himself into one of the chairs and laid his head back. “Good shit, man. Oh.” He lifted his head back up and looked to the others. “When are we rehearsing? I know we’re ready to go, but we still need to practice. At least I need to, my fuckin’ voice is killing me.”

“Erik, I’m curious about something.”

“Huh?”

“What’s gotten into you lately?”

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?” He sat upright in his chair, crossing his wings over eachother in his lap as he grew a little concerned.

“You’ve been acting different. Talking different, too. Not to mention how much you’ve been swearing lately. It’s not like you.”

“I mean- I’m not really sure-” Leah stepped into the study and placed her wing on the top of his head, ruffling his feathers.

“My fault, guys. I’ve been whispering in his ear at night and making him evil.”

“Leah! I mean… I’ve felt a lot looser lately.”

“Exactly. And who can you thank for that? Hm? Hm?” She ruffled the top of his head even harder, even slightly pushing down on it. His head sunk into his chest feathers as he put a big smile on his face.

“Yeah, Leah. We know!” The two laughed with eachother for a moment before Erik suddenly straightened his face. Robby worried something was wrong when Erik looked at him with such a serious tone. “Alright. I’m about ready to get going now.”

“Jeez, Erik! Don’t look so serious.”

“Well, I’m feelin’ serious, Rob. As prepared as we are now, the show’s still worrying me.”

“What for? Like you said, we’re ready for this.”

“We just don’t know what those vultures have in store. They could be musical prodigies for all we know. They could blow us out of the water!”

“Musical prodigies? So what does that make us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Erik, we’re a city-wide sensation in one show. The news is looking for us like killers because we played so well. You wanna’ talk about musical prodigies? Look around!”

“I mean- okay, yeah! Alright, you’re right. I shouldn’t be worried. We kick ass.”

“Exactly. Now come on, let’s not waste any time. Out to the garage you three! Chop chop!” Robby nearly threw himself off of the couch as he skipped to the garage door. Sylus, now that he had a moment without Robby in the room, snuck a devious look onto his face.

“So. How are you two feeling lately?”

“What? What are you on about now, Sylus?”

“Y’know. You two are lovey-dovey now. Robby mentioned it just a moment ago, too. Erik’s been a lot different since you two finally just said you loved each other.”

“What’s it to you, dude? Why’s it matter to you?”

“Well, because I had a hand in it, right? I was a wingman for both of you!” Leah and Erik looked at eachother, then back to Sylus.

“No, you weren’t.”

“No, you weren’t.”

“What? Yes, I was! Come on, don’t discredit me!”

“Were you the one who thought of the great idea of just having sex with him, Sylus?”

“Wha- Leah! What the hell?!”

“They already knew, Erik. We didn’t do a very good job of hiding it.”

“You- I- Leah-” 

“Anyway, that’s enough of that. Let’s go rehearse so I can bum out the rest of the day. I need as much rest as possible before the show gets going.” Sylus, embarassed of his failure to take credit, left for the garage in silence.

“Leah, you didn’t-”

“Erik, it’s fine, you big oaf. I’d rather everyone knows than not, if you ask me.” Standing behind the chair, she stood on the ends of her talons and leaned over Erik. With her head upside down in front of Erik, she tapped her beak with his and gave him a small smile. “Now come on, let’s go rehearse already. If we do well enough, I might even give you a little somethin’ later.” Standing herself back up straight, she set off towards the garage as well, leaving Erik stunned in the chair.

“You’ll- I- Leah! You don’t mean…” Before he could continue, she had already shut the garage door behind herself. Letting out a deep breath, Erik sunk into the chair for just a moment longer. “I don’t deserve that woman. You’re pathetic, Erik. And lucky. Damn lucky.” He turned his head up to look at the ceiling again. “Wonder what Mom would say if she saw me. Maybe I should call her. Meh. Another day, Erik. Another d-” His own thoughts were cut off by the sudden blaring of his home-phone going off. “The hell? Who…?” Concerned, he got up and stepped to the phone. Carefully wrapping his wing around it, he put it up to his ear. “Hello? Who is this?”

“Erik? Erik? Is that you, buddy?” The voice was unrecognizable at first because of the phone’s poor quality.

“Who is this? How do you know my name?”

“It’s Davey, Erik! Remember me? It’s been a hot minute!”

“Davey?! What the- you actually called!”

“Well, of course I did! Sorry for taking so long. Me and the others got caught up in a bunch of travel issues on the way back to Italy. How are you doing though, kid? You been keeping up since the show?” 

“I mean… kind of? It’s hard to explain.”

“How so? Your claim to fame gettin’ to you?”

“…Yeah.”

“Oh. Well, what’s up then, kid?”

“Just been stressful. It’s felt like the entire world is expecting something from us. I fear we won’t be able to fulfill that.”

“Oh shut it, Erik!” Erik tensed up when he heard Davey yell at him through the phone. Even though Davey treated him like they were best buds, Erik still knew who he was. He was on the phone with the Dark Star. “I felt the same way when we started out. Trick is? Don’t think about it.”

“What?”

“Don’t think about it! Treat it like it doesn’t matter, man.”

“How am I supposed to- Davey, we were on the news! We’re basically wanted dead or alive!”

“It’s not that serious, Erik! Just take it at your own pace. Wait around until you can plan your next show, and then kick it back off your own way. Galactic’s third ever show took a year of planning, y’know. It was one of out greatest, and that’s because we got to do it our way.”

“I wish it was that easy, Davey. We’re just-”

“Just what? You want my help to plan something for you guys? I know a guy in your area who can get you set up. He’s real scary lookin’, but he’s a really cool guy. His name’s Dr-”

“Drake. Drake Devol.”

“What? You know Drake already?”

“Davey, we have a show tomorrow. Planned by him. We’ve already struck a deal.”

“Hah! Sleazy bastard. I’m not surprised, that parrot’ll jump at any opportunity to seize fresh blood. So you got a show tomorrow, then? That’s wonderful!”

“I mean, I guess it is… Drake’s got me worried about it though.”

“Ah. He threw one of his twists on it, didn’t he?”

“We’re playing against another band. Some other unkown band of vultures he pulled off the street.”

“Well, isn’t that just fun! What’s there to be worried about?”

“He’s judging both the bands based on what the crowd thinks. There’s no guarantee he’ll partner with us afterward. It’s our only shot at getting a foundation for the band. If we mess this up, then I think we’re done for.”

“Stop thinking like that! You’re going places, kid. Remember what I said?” Erik paused for a moment to reach into his mind and remember what Davey had told him, though he couldn’t remember at all.

“Uh… sorry, no. I don’t.” Davey scoffed.

“Come on! You’re my successor, kid. Start acting like it!”

“Oh, that’s right! I’m so sorry!”

“It’s whatever, kid. Look, I decided. I’m flying back over there again, just me this time. I’m going to be at that show, and you’re gonna blow me away. It’s decided.”

“Wha- That’s just gonna stress me out more! I’m already worried the crowd’s gonna throw us out!”

“Like hell that’ll happen! You entranced them last time, and you’ll do it again! Now quit thinking like a pussy and play some damn music!” 

“I… alright, Davey. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“I’m excited to see you up there again, kid. You’re gonna make me proud. I know you are. See you around.” He hung up before Erik could say anything back, leaving him alone to think.

“This is a lot. I mean, I shouldn’t be worried, but… what the hell am I gonna do? I don’t think Drake would… but- ah, fuck this. Just go rehearse, Erik. If all goes wrong, just go be with Leah. Yeah.” With a quiet chuckle to himself, he left into the garage to join the rest of the band, where they rehearsed for nearly seven hours straight.

Tomorrow was the day that decided everything.

THUMP.

“Ow! Sylus, slow down a little!” 

“Sorry, Erik! I just want to get there early, y’know?” Erik rubbed the top of his head with his right wing as he waited for the pain to subside.

“You can at least slow down over speed bumps! We’re not even gonna be late this time!”

“Whatever, Erik! You’re fine, you softie. We got another twenty minute until we’re there, anyway. So why don’t you cuddle up with Leah there and get some shut-eye like her?”

“I… whatever.”

“Exactly.” Looking over to his right as he stopped at a streetlight, Sylus saw Robby looking out of the passenger side window deep in though. “How are you holdin’ up, Rob? Better than last time?”

“I guess. I’m still just… eugh.”

“Come on! Did everything we talked about in that bathroom mean nothing? Liven up, Robby!”

“I will, I just can’t get that feeling out of me. Theres just this… dread.”

“Oh, cut it out. Has it not set in what we’re about to do? Is it not awesome, Rob?”

“I mean, yeah. It’s pretty cool, but-”

“Exactly! So quit your worrying and have fun, man. I know I’m gonna be.”

“I’ll try, Sylus. I will.”

“Don’t just try, man! Do! I’ll take you off stage myself if I see you do anything but smile for even a moment.”

“Shut up, Sylus.”

“Come on, liven up!”

“Shut up, Sylus!”

“Hey! Don’t start being a buzzkill because you’re a bitch about the stage!”

“I’m not a bitch! Fuck you!”

“Go up there and play like the musician you are, Rob! Do you really need your little brother to tell you that? Come on!”

“SHUT UP, SYLUS!”

“HEY! Will you two shut up? Leah’s trying to sleep, goddamnit!” Both Robby and Sylus looked back at Erik, who boasted a scowl on his face. “If you two are going to argue the whole time, then we’ll lose! Very quickly! Both of you need to take this more seriously. Everything is on the line here.” The two looked at eachother, then both sighed and looked away.

“You’re right, Erik. We just need to get into the mood. How about a little music?”

“Sure. Just keep it down for Leah.”

“Yeah, yeah. She’ll be fine.” Sylus reached down to the old radio installed in his dashboard and twisted the pushed the small power button multiples times until it turned on. “Thank god you’re still working, old girl. Now please…” Twisting the leftmost knob, he sifted through the many static filled stations until he finally settled on his favorite one. From the radio, Sylus’ favorite band ‘Feathered Falsehoods’ began to play. “Hell yeah!” The rest of the drive for Sylus was a good one. For the others? A bit more tense. No matter how cheery Sylus seemed, just like the others, he was nervous as all hell. 

“Hmph.” Robby grunted quietly as he looked out of the passenger side window at the passing city buildings. All the other birds walking down the street became nothing but a blur to him as they drove past to their destination. All he could do while he waited was think. Think about himself, who he is, and what he’s doing. “What is wrong with you? Is this not your calling? Why are you so scared, me?” He settled further into his seat, his hat sagging slightly over his eyes. As much as he didn’t feel like napping, he knew Leah had the right idea. His eyes shut, his muscles relaxing as his hat now came all the way over his eyes. “There really is nothing to worry about. What’s the issue then? What’s wrong me? I don’t even understand. Yet, Sy’s right. I am a bitch.” His own internal monologue cut short as his mind took a trip once more to the street of dreams.

Sylus, noticing his brother drifting off to sleep, turned down the radio station in the hopes it wouldn’t wake him up. Looking into his rear-view mirror, he saw Erik, now cuddled up completely with Leah, drifted off to sleep as well.

“Why do I always have to be the driver? Maybe I wanna take a nap too. Jeez.” The rest of the drive was spent with Sylus sat to himself in silence. After a few minutes the radio had already turned to a messy static, forcing him to turn it off. The sun had begun setting already, oddly reminscent of the drive to their first show. It hadn’t even been a month since then, though to him it had felt like ages. After the initial shock of the show, every day he spent at Erik’s felt like three at once. Part of him felt like he had just moved in at a certain point. As if he had finally left the nest of his own home… “Oh, fuck! Grant! Oh, damnit!” Sylus’ shouting didn’t have much thought put into it, leading Robby to suddenly wake back up from his short-lived nap. 

“What the hell, Sylus? I was just about to like, actually fall asleep.”

“I-I’m sorry, Rob! I just- we forgot-”

“We? We forgot what?”

“Robby, we were supposed to meet with Grant about the house tonight!”

“Wha- Oh, shit! That was tonight?!” He sat upright in his seat, frantically pulling out his phone as he checked the date. It was, infact, the day they were supposed to meet.

“Fuck! That was such good shot, too!”

“Hold on, Sylus. I’m calling him and asking him to meet us another day.”

“Okay. Okay.” Robby quickly dialed up the number, stuck the phone to his ear, and awaited an answer. In the back, the panick from up front had awoken Leah.

“What are you two dipshits yelling about? Can’t you see I’m trying to sleep?”

“Sorry, Leah. We just missed something, is all.”

“Missed what?”

“Deal on a house. From a friend.”

“Shit, really? You guy were actually going to get your own place?”

“Yeah. Robby can’t afford rent at his place anymore. It’s too expensive.”

“I get that. My parents are charging me too much to live as well. You’re not gonna believe this, but they’re basing my rent off of the market. Off of the fuckin’ market!”

“Pfft. That’s fuckin stupid. Hey, what’s going on with your parents, anyway? I heard you the other day yelling at them on the phone in the driveway.”

“You heard that? That was like, forever ago.”

“Erik’s walls aren’t soundproof for shit.”

“Really? His walls are that shit?” She looked to her side, where Erik’s face was buried in her shoulder as he slept. He was heavy as he laid on her, though heavy in a comfortable way. “You live in a weird ass house, don’t you?” Expecting him to wake up as she spoke in his ear, she was surprised to still have his heavy figure on top of her. He seemed to not even budge a little. 

“You forget how heavy of a sleeper he is, Leah? Surprising you don’t remember after you two fucked.”

“Hey! What the fuck?!” It hadn’t set in for a moment what Sylus had said, but after he did he looked to Robby, who despite still being on the phone, was listening well enough to give him a dissapointed look, and then a hard punch in the shoulder. 

“OW! Sorry!” Robby quickly turned back around as he continued to speak to Grant on the phone. “Sorry, Leah.”

“Asshole.”

“Alright, you two. We’re almost there, so look lively. Drake said get there, keep our heads low, and just make our way backstage. He doesn’t want us to ‘bring attention’ by showing our faces. People are hunting for us, remember?”

“I guess they are, aren’t they? Guess I just got used to it after about a week.” The rest of the drive was surprisingly peaceful, with Sylus driving in silence, Robby starting out the window, and Leah snuggling up close to Erik. It was another beautiful fall evening, the warm sunset helping to bring a sort of comforting feeling upon the four. After a few more turns around the city, they had made it to the stretch of road that led down to the parking lot in front of the lake. It was already packed, with nearly every single spot being taken up besides a select few in the back.

“Jeez, how much did Drake advertize this? This is a lot of fuckin people, man!”

“He advertized this? I thought it was just something that spread around by word. He didn’t tell us he was advertizing it.”

“I mean, I’m not really sure, Leah. He said he would. He’s got some ‘buddies’ of his that are apparently good at it. I guess we’ll just have to ask him when we see him backstage. Probably some shit that doesn’t matter. Oop, there’s a spot!” He tapped the brakes a little too hard as he barely caught the parking spot in his vision, caushing Erik and Leah both to lurch forward. Leah caught herself, but Erik, still asleep, rolled off of Leah’s shoulder and hit his head on the passenger seat. When he collided, his eyes quickly opened as he straightened out his posture quickly.

“Ah! Fuck! Fuck. Hi. Hi, I’m awake. I’m awake!”

“Pfft-” Leah couldn’t help but giggle at him a little. “Hi, sleepyhead. We’re here.” Erik got his bearings once more as Sylus pulled backwards into the parking spot, fitting nicely between the two other cars. If there was any redeeming factor about his driving, it was his surprisingly accurate parking. 

“Ooookay. I’m not waiting for a moment. I need to stretch my legs!” Sylus shut off the car and stuffed his keys into his pocket as he climbed out of the car. Slamming the door shut, he walked right out in front of the car and began to stretch. Robby followed shortly behind, getting out and taking in a large breath of lakeside air. Erik and Leah however, took a moment longer. Erik let out a breath and sunk back into the seat, before rolling his head back over and burying it in Leah’s feathers.

“Oh, man.”

“What? You feeling alright Erik?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, I’m just…”

“What, you changing your mind or something?”

“No! No. I just… don’t wanna see those four again.”

“What, those vultures? Oh, Erik. Don’t be such a baby. You’re not gonna let that Tom guy get to you, are you?” Erik rolled away from Leah, sitting himself upright and pulling his wing out from behind Leah.

“No. I just think he’s gonna kill the vibe, honestly. Seems like an asshole. Well, I guess he is. You gotta dig deep to get Robby to sock you like that, y’know.”

“I know, but we’ll be fine. They’re just a bunch of nobodies. Now come on! No use in sitting around, you big dork.” She climbed out of the car, rolling over Erik’s wing as she still remained oblivious to the pain it brought. Stepping out, she approached Robby and Sylus who were now joking around with eachother about the show. Sylus was trying his best to cheer Robby up, while Robby chuckled nervously.

“You know what you’re gonna do, Rob? You’re gonna blow em’ away, give that Tom asshole another good fistful, and then send em’ running! Cheer up, now.”

“Yeah, I would like to hit him again, but…”

“Show shmow, whatever. Give him another afterwards, how about that?” Leah approached from behind, resting her wing on Sylus’ shoulder as she caught him off guard.

“Rob’s not gonna be hitting anyone, Sylus. We’re gonna have a fair fight, I guess that’s what it is. I’ve never seen two bands fight on stage like this.”

“It is weird, isn’t it? Feels like he just threw some bullshit together to gather a bigger crowd.”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?” Leah pointed out towards the docks, where hundreds of birds mingled about between the food stands as they waited for the stage to open up. “People like conflict. It’s in our nature, kind of.” Sylus looked over Leah’s shoulder to see Erik just barely making it out of Sylus’ car on his own. Leah had left the poor bird (with no hands) to open the door by himself. Though once he had climbed out, he approached the others with a groggy look on his face.

“You look like a zombie, Erik. The hell’s wrong with you?”

“I got sleepy, sorry. I don’t… know what to say, really. It happens. Leah’s real soft too… heh.” Leah flipped around and looked at him, flustered. 

“Erik!”

“Wha? Oh! Oh, I’m sorry! I don’t know what I’m saying. I’m waking up. I’m awake!” The fluster had spread to his face as well, embarassed for saying that in front of Robby and Sylus. 

“Pfft, would’ve never heard you say anything like that before. You really changed him, didn’t you, Leah?”

“I- shut up! Go grab your instruments and lets just go backstage already.” Leah wrapped her wing around Sylus’ shoulder and gave him a shove towards the car. 

“Alright, alright! Jeez, Leah.” Sylus walked quickly to the car, reaching in to grab the brothers’ instruments. Leah whipped around to look at Robby, but halted her annoyance as she saw the look on his face. Just like the first show, he had suddenly become miserable. He was terrified once more.

“Rob? You alright, man?” Robby quickly straightened his posture as he heard Leah speak to him.

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m cool. Don’t worry about it. I’m ready.” He grabbed his case from Sylus who had just returned with the instruments and ushered the others to move along. “Let’s go! No time to wait.” He set off quickly, forcing the others to catch up before they reached the docks. The sound of all the people moving about slowly grew louder as the four approached, and while three of them didn’t mind, Robby’s fear only grew worse. Another crowd, hundreds of people. All are going to be watching him and recording him. Judging him. Though he bottled it up for now, leading the four’s path through the crowd and towards the backstage. Unlike the festival, this time he was the one doing the pushing. He was agressive as he moved through, becoming inconsiderate for other birds, espeically smaller ones. Behind him, Erik spoke to Sylus, concerned.

“Sy, do you knwo what’s gotten into Robby? I’ve never seen him like this. He look terrified earlier, now he’s angry. The hell’s going on with him?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t, he just tends to go through some emotional rollercoaster leading up to a show. He did it at the festival, too.”

“Odd.” As they continued to push through, there were several times where someone recognized them, in which Robby promptly shushed them and told them to buzz off. The last thing he wanted was for a big fuss to be made over the four moving through the crowd so casually. Eventually, Robby’s warpath came to a halt as the four reached the entrance to the backstage. The same two golden eagle bodyguards from the festival stood at the doors, in nearly the exact same manner as before as well.

“Hey, you two were from the festival, weren’t you? What are the chances you guys are guarding the same spot again?”

“We’re on your father’s payroll, Mr. Dyanmo.”

“Woah, real formal!” Sylus turned to the others and pointed backwards at the two with his thumb. “I like these guys.” A small smile spread across his face as he turned around. “I see why. Good stuff, guys.”

“Mhm.” The lack of care for Sylus’ words threw him off, and he stepped through the small gap in the metal fence that blocked the way embarassed. The rest followed him closely, with Robby giving a nervous smile to the two. After a small left turn around another section of fence, they came to the small area that sat right behind the wall that seperated it from the stage itself. Immediately, Sylus noticed Drake sipping on a wineglass as he looked through papers on his lap. He was hard to miss, now wearing his bright red that sported an upside down cross hanging from the brim. His head perked up as he heard the four enter, quickly snapping his view to them.

“Ah, look who it is! You guys are here real early, good. As you should have been, you’ve got a lot of work to do!” He approached the four, wrapping his arm around Sylus and pulling him in close. “It’s good to see you again, Sylus. You’re looking just as scary as ever! Hah! Now, come. Sit.” He ushered the four to a surprisngly fancy leather couch. “I’m glad you all could make it. I’m really looking forward to this show. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Wait, you haven’t? I thought this idea came from a place of experience. You’re like, a publisher-manager whatever right?”

“Yes, but this was just a passing thought that I knew would be fun. It’s like… experimenting on you two bands! In a good way, of course. We all benefit from this.” He looked over the four, with Erik and Leah giving him a serious look, Sylus smiling because he liked Drake’s vibe, and Robby sat with his head down and his arms in his lap. “What’s wrong with you? Something got into you, Robby?” He shot upright again.

“No! No. I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.”

“Whatever. I’m sure you’ll do fine on stage, nervous or not.” Drake sat in a small metal chair just across from the couch, adjusting his hat and taking another sip of his wine.

“So, wheres the others? Uhm, Desolate… Desolate…”

“Desolate Winds? I don’t know. I’m sure they’ll show soon enough. Worst case is they don’t, and you guys get a free show.” Interrupting their conversation, the sound of a port-a-potty’s door slamming shut echoed throughout the backstage. “Oh, that’s right! I forgot to mention he was here.” The four owls turned their heads around to look back the entrace where they had come from. The tapping of talons on the floor grew louder as they nervously awaited whoever could be turning the corner. They all tensed up. The way Davey had said he made them fear some big face was gonna show. Though, it was just Paulie.

“Hey! You guys are here!”

“Oh, Dad!” Robby and Sylus both hopped over the back of the couch and ran to their father, who both pulled them in close into his feathers. 

“Hi, you two.” He looked up from the brothers and to the others. “And you two as well. You guys excited?” 

“Yeah! I mean, as excite as we can be. I’m not looking forward to seeing those vultures again. Especially that Tom guy.”

“They are a handful, aren’t they? I get where you’re coming from, Erik. From what I saw they all had some sort of hatred in em’. Well, maybe not the girl. She seemed sweet.” Paulie pushed his two sons back and waved his hand to get them to sit back down. He grabbed another metal chair from a nearby table and set it down near Drake, and as he sat down his feathers wrapped around it like a pillow. Most would say the chair is much too small for a bird of size, but he would beg to differ. “So, big show, huh? Look at you guys. Still got fight in ya’ after that first one, I’m real proud.” Before Paulie could continue speaking to the four, one bodyguard from outside the backstage had turned from the corner.

“Boss, there’s someone who says he knows you. He wants in.” Drake looked up from the papers he had just begun sifting through again.

“What? I didn’t plan for anymore people back here besides Desolate Winds. Is it them? Vultures?”

“No, boss.”

“What the hell? Hold on.” He stood up from his chair annoyed, walking angrily towards the door. The five owls watched as Drake stormed off, just as confused as he was.

“Surprise guest, huh? Someone any of you know?”

“You heard the guard, dad. Someone Drake knows. Which honestly could be anyone at this point.” They all waited patiently for nearly five minutes for either Drake to return or alone, or with someone else beside him. After Paulie nearly stood to go check, the tapping of talons on the floor approached. 

“Finally.”

“Well, we have a guest. Erik.”

“Huh? What’d I do?”

“He wants to see you. More than me, apparently. Tch. Some friend.” From behind Drake, a familiar figure stepped from behind him. In all of his pompadour-bearing glory, Davey had returned to Talon City to see the show.

“Miss me, you four? Long time no see, huh?”

“Davey?!”

“Dark Star?!” Erik was the only one who spoke his actualy name, and was also the first to stand.

“Oh, there he is. Hard to miss ya’, Erik!”

“Davey! It’s so good to see you again. It’s been- well, actually not that long.”

“Did you still miss me? I mean, who wouldn’t?” Erik nervously stepped up to him, eager to shake his hand. Though, when Erik stretched his wing out, Davey had mistaken it for a hug offering. “Well, if you say so!” He stepped around Erik’s wing and buried his face right into Erik’s torso. Erik, already nervous from seeing one of his idols again, was frozen in shock. 

“He’s hugging me? He’s-” He wasn’t sure what to do, all he could feel was Davey getting oddly comfortable in his feathers. All he could think to do was to wrap the wing he had stretched out around him. “Uh- yeah! I missed you, Davey. It’s real good to see you! Heh. Yeah, uhm…” Davey broke from his forced hug and looked Erik in the eyes.

“Good! Good. Glad to be back to see you four at it again. It’s also lovely to see you once more, Drake. I never thought I’d see your smug face again.”

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever Davey. I missed you too, now have a seat please.”

“Whatever you say, boss.” He threw himself into Drake’s chair he was sat in, leading to Drake angrily grabbing another chair from the corner for himself.

“It’s cool to see you again, uh- Dark Star! Since when you were all buddy-buddy with Erik?” Robby was curious as to why Erik was getting such special treatment.

“Family matters. Also, you guys are the next generation. I gotta watch you grow! I’m like a parent in some ways.”

“Ooookay.” Erik had just sat himself back down on the couch, cuddling up close to Leah.

“Oh, look at you two! All lovey-dovey now, are we? Lot can happen in just a couple weeks, can’t it?”

“What? I mean- yeah, we are but- why are you…?”

“The way she cared for you when you passed out that night made it obvious. That woman loves you, Erik.” 

“Well, duh!” Leah cuddled up even closer to him, seeming almost protective.

“Alright, you all. Listen up.” Drake sat down in his freshly unfolded chair, a much more serious look forming on his face. “You all know what’s at stake here, right? I made a deal with all of you. Winner get’s my backing, loser gets my buddy down south.”

“Is there a downside? I mean, everyone still gets backing, right?”

“I love my buddy, but you want me. You really, really want me. Trust me. To be honest with you four, I want you back. I don’t like those vultures, but I’m real kind. I’m rooting for you to win this so I don’t have to be stuck with em. They’re a real mixed bag.”

“How so?”

“Emotionally unstable, alcoholics, really bad at scheduling, just a publisher’s nightmare. They got potential, sure, but I don’t want to be the one to get it out of them.”

“Emotionally unstable? Drake, can we trust them not to like, yknow…?”

“Oh, you’ll be alright. They’re good at heart, it’s just really hard to get to that. Though do be careful. I fear Tom might be out for blood.”

“What?!” Robby sat himself up in the couch, worried that Drake’s about to put them up against some psycho.

“Your blood, Robby. He hasn’t let go of when you punched him. Dumb move, if you ask me..”

“I- It was his fault! He deserved that shit!”

“You’re lucky I’m seperating you two bands, or else someone would definintely die.” Now everyone had sat upright.

“Jeez, Drake! What the hell?!”

“Okay, I’m exaggerating. Still. All of them are naturally violent people. Aside from the girl, she’s real sweet.”

“At least one of them is normal.”

“Funnily enough, I think she likes you, Robby.” His plumicorns nearly shot his hat straight off of his head.

“What?! What the hell are you on about, Drake?!”

“Pfft. Nothing, nothing. I’m just messing-” Drake was cut off by one of the guards poking his head around the corner to the exit once more.

“Another visitor, boss. I think it’s them.”

“Are they vultures?”

“I mean, yeah.”

“Then let them in!”

“Aye, sir.” The room had grown tense. After Drake’s “violent” description of the four, everyone had begun to worry. Would Tom jump straight at Robby like an animal? Would they all argue? Would something be broken?

“Drake! You back here, dude?” Tom’s voice bellowed from behind the corner.

“There he is.”

“Drake! Where do we set our-” He froze once he turned the corner. To his dismay, he had to lay his eyes upon Flock once again. “…stuff.” Drake hailed them down with a smile on his face. He was trying to be cheery, as to not set off Tom. 

“Right over there, in that corner, thanks.” Tom walked slowly around the room, while the others followed shortly behind. Benny and Harry both boasted stern, angry looks on their faces as well, with Benny having a very prominent black eye. It was obvious that they held just as much as a grudge towards Flock as Tom did. Zahra was the exception, having a much more nervous look while she tiptoed towards the corner. A small bandage was laid across her beak at the point where Tom had accidentally struck her. Tensions were high not just between the bands, but between the vultures themselves as well.

“Where do we sit, Drake? You not save any seats for us, asshole?”

“No, I did! Couch is under the blanket, there next to the other table.”

“Oh. Thanks, I guess.” Tom ripped the blanket off from the couch, tossing it to the side and immediately throwing himself onto it. The others followed shortly after, an eerie silence replacing all words that they could have spoke. 

“Lovely bunch, aren’t they?” Sylus nudged Robby’s shoulder and have him a smirk.”

“Tell me about it. Real scary looks on them, that’s for sure. You should take notes, Sylus.”

“Hey! I look plenty scary when I want to!” Drake stood up, calling the vultures over.

“Come on, you four! Come introduce yourselves.” Robby looked to Drake, panicked.

“What?! I thought you said we were gonna be seperated?”

“Lied to your face. Hah!”

“Do we really have to, Drake? I don’t wanna be around those fucks.” Tom yelled from across the room, making sure to have the tone in his voice that he knew would bother Flock. 

“Yeah, you have to. I want you four warmed up with eachother more. We’re having a friendly competition, right? No bad sports allowed.”

“Whatever.” The four stood and approached slowly. Their mean gazes didn’t break for even a moment, leading Erik and Robby to cower in fear a little. Sylus and Leah however, were unfazed by their looks. 

“Lovely. Look at all you little aspiring musicians. You all remind me of myself, yknow. Now, here’s whats going to happen. Desolate winds, you’re playing the first song tonight. Then once that’s done, it goes to Flock. Back and forth until you’re both out of songs. I hope you all brought five songs of your own?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“Good! Now, I know you’re competing, but more than anything you’re putting on a show. If the crowd isn’t erupting for you, then you’re no musicians.”

“Harsh.”

“I know, Harry. That’s just how the world of music is. You either set the crowd ablaze, or the crowd sets you ablaze.”

“Whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean.” Tom crossed his arms, continuously giving mean glances to Robby. “We’re gonna kick ass anyway. No doubt they will too.”

“The four owls were surprised by the comment.”

“Wow, you’re actually being reasonable? That’s a first.” Sylus punch Robby’s arm.

“Ow! Sorry.”