Chapter 338: Putting on a show redux

*Bing-Bong*

The writer of this work would like to take this time to provide the context for what songs were used in the previous chapters to provide the reader better context.

Hurricroak sang an original translation of A Cruel Angel’s Thesis while Zhen Liu sang a cover of On the Rocks.

Both can be found on your favorite video sites/music service, please give the originals a listen.

...

You didn’t even use lyrics from that latter one, why mention...

|Because art deserves to be shared and I don’t want to risk legal stuff!|

Fair enough.

*Bing-Bong*

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<Huh...I just thought of something. Can our lord still sing without the aether transference doing it’s thing?>

=What are you talking about? We both sifted through his memories and found all those times he sang.=

<Yeah, he sang karaoke, that’s different than performing in front of people.>

=True...but he does also have Hurricroak in his head.=

<Yeah, but...they have different vocal ranges?>

=Oh....ohhh...it’ll probably be fine. He just needs to use a song he’s familiar with, which one was it again?=

<This one.>

=...=

<...>

=Our lord is a bit of a romantic ain’t he?=

<Yuuuuup.>

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Name: Dream Siren’s Solo

Class: Major Ethereal Art

Element: Dream/Music

Description: By focusing aether into the lungs and brain, the user is able to create songs that can ensnare a listener’s senses in a vivid dream-like illusion that defies common sense. While it works best with those with an over active imagination or those who can ad-lib very well, a user can also substitute by using a song they’re familiar with. Supposedly, masters of this art are able to use their aether to recreate every note and melody with whatever instrument they’re familiar with.

Personal note: You’re basically subjecting people to the homemade AMVs you imagine but never make because of...reasons.

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"So...we good?"

"Yeah...fine...I won’t mount your boyfriend before you do."

"Fucking... okay."

Rianna and Jin Fang had finished their quarrel at this point in time, and were rather exhausted by the whole affair. While no blood was spilt, bones broken or teeth removed, there was plenty of wrestling and grappling with a small amount of biting.

"I can’t believe you bit me."

"It works on Giant Maggots."

"Gross."

With that out of their systems, the two girls proceeded to pick themselves up from off the ground and were about to make their way over to Zhen Liu, only to find that he was no longer where they had last saw him. They did see a random patch of grass and flowers in the area he should have been, but the boy himself was nowhere to be seen.

Evidently, the two of them were so caught up in their argument that they failed to notice when he left the quarry.

"Where’d Zhen Liu go?"

"He went that way," Nepherage answered while pointing in the direction Zhen Liu left in.

Her, Frosttusk and the protos seemed to be in no hurry to get moving to where Zhen Liu was at the moment, being perfectly content to just sit in the quarry for now.

An understandable action given the hectic activity as of late.

"Move...fast...," Frosttusk added, "another...show..."

"WHAT?!"

"Oh no..."

Without even a word of thanks, Rianna bolted up the quarry to see Zhen Liu perform another song and dance while Jin Fang stared after her in disbelief.

Jin Fang may have been Zhen Liu’s girlfriend, but not even she got this rabid over his performances.

Was it because she was used to?

Was it because Rianna lived around giant insects who had such mating rituals?

Either way...she should probably chase after before she did something indecent.

"Not before me anyways."

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[Really, maestro? This is the song you’re most familiar with?]

’Shut up, it’s a good song.’

[Is it, or did you just watch all of those fanmade music videos made with computer animation programs?]

’Yes.’

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"Y’all sure you still want to listen to this? I’m still practicing the art and it probably won’t sound pretty," Zhen Liu asked his cousins, "plus it’ll probably a different song than the one my master used to enchant all of ya moments ago."

"Yes, we’re sure," Zhen Yue answered for the group, "besides, messing up arts in the pursuit of practice is completely normal."

Zhen Hai, Zhen Yue, Zhen Xing and Zhen Guo were sitting several feet away from Zhen Liu as to watch him perform this so-called [Dream Siren’s Solo].

"Alright then...don’t blame me for this next part..."

Zhen Liu closed his eyes and focused on the ring hanging around his neck, summoning Hurricroak to his side.

"Whoa!"

His cousins reacted with shock at the sight of Hurricroak’s appearance, because as far as they were concerned, this was the first time they actually seen Zhen Liu use this particular "puppet".

"Never seen that puppet before."

"Wait, I heard about this one. It’s the one Zhen Liu used to kill that Leech guy."

"What did he use to make it that color? Is it glowing?"

[D’awww, they’re slack jawed over little ole me? I’m touched.]

’Alright enough talk, let’s rock.’

[Of course, maestro.]

Knowing full well that he probably shouldn’t show his cousins the "possession talisman", Zhen Liu added some additional movements to make it look as if he directly absorbed Hurricroak’s form into his own. Granted, his cousins were still incredibly shocked about the action.

"Wait, that’s how he can use aether arts now?! How?!"

"I don’t know, but look at his aura, it’s way different."

"Huh..."

(Un)fortunately, none of the young scions had the ability to view someone else’s aether flow and channels, otherwise they could see that Zhen Liu had essentially overlaid Hurricroak’s channels on top of his non-existent ones, jury-rigging the set-up most other cultivators would have.

Granted, among the four of them, Zhen Hai had at least a slightly clearer idea of what was going on despite his memories being fuzzy about the whole thing.

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[Possession complete maestro, feel free to take the lead whenever.]

’Okay...let’s do this.’

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Zhen Liu’s aether circulated rather wildly as he merged with his aether puppet, but it eventually settled down when the process had completed itself. For all intents and purposes, and in the eyes of his cousins, Zhen Liu appeared to be someone who cultivated aether in regards to thunder, lighting and music.

"So... he’s stupid strong and can also change his aether expression? That’s just...unfair" Zhen Xing pointed out.

"To be fair, he did have about twenty-ish years of being unable to do jackshit," Zhen Guo defended.

"Both of you shut up," Zhen Yue scolded, "Zhen Liu is about to do...whatever this art does."

Zhen Liu took a breath as his aether began to circulate, the sound of instruments warming up resonating in the air around him. As they did, Zhen Liu lifted up a single hand and snapped his fingers.

Immediately, the sound of drums and stringed instruments filled the air as Zhen Liu began to vocalize in a strange manner.

"Huh. This is a different than last ti-huh?! Again?"

"Why do these illusions include outfit changes?"

"Hold up now, this dress looks incredible."

"Oh this suit is just timeless."

As soon as the sound met their ears, the four of them were caught up in a new illusion, nothing as extravagant as last time, but still strange.

Zhen Hai, Zhen Xing and Zhen Guo were dressed in classic suit and tie set-ups, complete with lapel pins unique to each of them, while Zhen Yue was in a blue and yellow dress in a style she wasn’t familiar with, but anyone born in a certain country on a certain blue planet during the 1950s would definitely know.

As for the main performer of the hour, Zhen Liu was also dressed in a suit but his seemed bit more loose fitting than his cousins, but that was due to him dancing while singing a love song of some sort that they didn’t recognize.

But if anyone from the aforementioned blue planet showed up at this time, they’d immediately recognize the song as being Classic.

"Huh..."

In this moment, they learned three new things about Zhen Liu: he could sing, he could dance and he could do both at the same time.

Thankfully the four of them were so entranced by Zhen Liu’s execution of the art that they didn’t notice the sound of a struggle behind them being punctuated by the sound of primal noises.

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"RIANNA, NO!"

*Primal horny noises*

While holding Rianna back from doing something indecent, she made a mental note to herself to keep her away from Zhen Liu whenever he did these aether transfers in the future.

’On the plus side, I think I can skip exercising for the day...’

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<Huh...okay, so our lord can sing. Duely noted.>

=Kinda. Hurricroak is helping him to perform the choreography while he himself is providing the vocals.=

<Hah! Our lord is essentially two dudes in a trenchcoat.>

=Kinda.=