Building Up

Autumn and I finished lunch and we began to ride throughout the city. We had been driving for hours and it was starting to get dark. Autumn pressed a button and digital particles appeared on the roof of the car then it disappeared. I looked up at the sky and was amazed by the stars.

Autumn gently nudged me, causing me to look at her. She held out a blunt toward me and smirked at my reaction. "It's Brinkwood, everyone here smokes..~"

"Oh yeah, baby..." I took the blunt out of her hand then snapped my fingers.

[Activating Bio-Fire...]

I snapped my fingers again then a small ember appeared between my fingertips. I lit the blunt and took a hit immediately. I inhaled the smoke and closed my eyes. The smooth white smoke filling my lungs was an experience I never thought I could have. The stars became brighter, my world expanded... allowing me to view more of the world.

"Yeeaahh..~ That's it huh?~" Autumn chuckled and looked at me.

I exhaled the smoke and chuckled softly. "Yeah..~"

Autumn and I smoked that blunt until nothing else remained of it. We had already reached the highway and Autumn began to connect her phone to the Bluetooth.

"I want you to listen to something I was making." Autumn said.

"Oh you produce as well?" I asked.

"Yeah...but I'm not all that good at it. It doesn't have a name yet." Autumn said.

"Mmm, aight play that shit." I said.

Autumn began to play the beat she made. The synths sounded heavenly, supported by the deep bass...The bells along with the second synth followed by the drop...it all sounds spacy, vibey, and heavenly. This beat was anything I've ever heard... Finally, the slowed beat...I had an eargasm, my brain couldn't comprehend this.

"Think you can freestyle to it..?" Autumn asked.

I looked at Autumn and smiled. "Yeah...Give me a word."

Autumn took time to think then had something in mind. "Sanctuary."

"Alright, uh...check it..." I started. "Look...We staying stationary, things are looking weary, I know that it seems scary, but one day we're gonna build our sanctuary..."

Autumn nodded her head as I continued to freestyle. She smiled and began to relax...She was feeling the vibe that my freestyle was setting. The energy around us became very calm and soothing.

"There's some things we don't understand, some things we will never comprehend, but on the other hand I hope you understand. Uh, look..." I continued.

Autumn chuckled as I freestyled and continued to nod her head. "Yeah..~ That's tight...Look..."

I heard Autumn harmonizing with the song and smiled. We had an entire session with this beat alone, changing up the lyrics along the way. We had some real fun with this... suddenly I noticed a notification pop up for me.

[Autumn Bond Level: 2]

I smiled and chuckled. Autumn looked at me and smiled then looked back at the road.

...

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...

"Man where is this ni—I'm calling this man. Why did I mention that woman..?!" Rich asked and sighed. He noticed I picked up. "Yo! Xav! The Studio bro! The Studio!"

"Relax gang, chill. We're here." I said and walked in the apartment.

Rich looked at me and noticed I was still with Autumn. "Ahh this bonyad done went on a date.."

"Bonyad?" Autumn asked and looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

I whispered the meaning in her ear.

"Oh..! What the hell?" Autumn said and looked at Rich.

"What? Bro whatever, come on. I ain't got all night like I planned." Rich said and walked to his computer.

"Why what happened?" I asked and motioned my hands around my neck, making headphones appear.

"Bro, Alaina Venus called me and you know I gotta go there and beat that fucking pussy, fuck you mean?" Rich said.

"The chick who already has a boyfriend? The boyfriend who happens to be like one of the best basketball players?" Autumn asked and placed a hand on her hip.

"She knows a real bonyad when she sees one. Now come on, she wants me there by 10." Rich said.

"Aight let's get to cookin'." I said and walked into the booth then closed the door.

Autumn walked toward Rich and stood next to him, placing her hand on the back of his chair. He looked up at her then looked at me. Autumn watched Rich and looked at me. He pressed play and the beat started.

Freestyle Hip-hop beat...A Dope Richie classic. The hip hop synths along with the sampled vocals of my sister's RnB single. The drop came in and the layers played, immediately set the vibe. This song was something one could dance too.

Autumn was really feeling it, slowly rocking to the beat. She smiled and nodded her head. She loved Rich's beats, as much as I loved them.

"Alright look. Shout out to Rich. Look, escape the oppression, face the opposition no matter the consequences. My homie Jordon was shot because of his position, I'm asking God why was this a decision. He also had dreams and goals, but now he'll never finish..."

Autumn noticed my lyrics also talked about the injustice of Brinkwood, but not in the way that would catch the government's eye. I rapped in a way that explains what's been going on in my life. She nodded her head as she listened.

Once the track ended, I walked out of the booth and looked at Rich. "Cool?"

"Yeah that was tight." Rich chuckled.

Autumn looked at me and placed her hand on her hip. "So those songs really do connect. Your last song called Rise Up, it talked about how Lo Draco and Revelations died by the government hands... You're actually against the government too..!"

"Damn straight I am. Those power hungry bastards killed my soul brother. They took Lo Draco and Revelations too. Them bulls grew up with me and Rich. Jordan was another childhood friend of ours, my adoptive brother and it really hurt when he was taken." I said.

"This happened recently huh..?" Autumn asked and looked to Rich.

"Yeah...I'll never forget that text I got from Xavier that night. He was ready to go kill someone. I mean they took away a brother, Xavier's brother. Someone we truly loved. But we can't fight them as we are. I mean Xavier might can taken he has a few skills under his belt, but me? Shit my system is literally music. That's why we formed together...to create Dope Kush. If we can't fight the government through our fists, well beat them through our main ability..." Rich said.

"Music Purification. Our music can purify any soul by creating a calm energy around anyone who listens. Our music, no matter the genre can erase all negative emotion from ones soul. Based on the intensity of the music, it can even purify extraterrestrial beings." I said.

Autumn looked at me. "Seriously..?"

"Shit the funny part is he isn't lying. Back in high school we had this one being come down from space and bro was devious. Bro's talking about conquering and shit so Jordan, Xavier, and I talked him out of it via Music Persuasion." Rich said.

"What the fuck goes on at Frontage Creek?" Autumn laughed.

"Shit a whole lot apparently." I chuckled and walked off. "Aight bro I'm clockin' out."

"Aight man, aye be down here at 12 PM sharp!" Rich said then dapped me up.

"Yeah I gotchu." I said and smiled.

"See ya~" Autumn said and waved at Rich.

Rich watched as we walked out of his apartment. "Oh she know she's bad! That bonyad gets so lucky every time..."

...

...

...

I leaned against Autumn's doorframe, talking to her more. She enjoyed talking to me then she heard her watch beeping.

"Shit...Uhm I should get to bed. I got a crazy meeting with this one record label tomorrow and I gotta get up early.." Autumn said.

"I gotcha. I should probably get some sleep as well.." I said.

We stared at each other for a bit. All the messages were there for me to go in for the kiss even if was only a few hours of knowing her. Autumn gently tucked her hair behind her ear, blushing.

"Uhm, Goodnight..~" Autumn said.

"Oh, yeah... Goodnight.." I said and walked backwards.

She looked at me with a smile then gently closed the door. I walked off and wiped my face with my hands. I walked down then heard some alternative metal playing. I walked toward the door and noticed it was cracked open.

"We're in the dark and far apart, our world is falling apart. We live in a world of injustice, and I'm wondering if it's still worth it. Desperately waiting for someone to save me, these thoughts make me so crazy. So someone just SAVE ME!" The woman said.

I listened to the music and felt a sense of hopelessness, a sense of dread. It felt like a cry for help. The key of D Flat...mixed with the chords and accompanied by the woman's screams. This song was intense.

Her song ended and she exhaled. "I know you're there...Come in."

I walked in and noticed the lights come on. I left the door cracked how she had it. I walked to where she was. I looked at her and Edge Queen fit the description perfectly.

She had ivory skin, purple hair with pink highlights, wore black eye shadow and wore colored contacts to match. She also wore an eye patch for whatever reason. Her clothes was the typical fishnet outfit, nothing extraordinary.

"May I ask, why to you have an eye patch?" I asked.

"It keeps my power hidden. When I look at them with the Eye of Requiem, their existence is automatically deleted! They are another stat on the page." The woman said and looked at me then crossed her arms. "Why were you spying on me?"

"What? I'm not the one with my door cracked open for the entire complex to hear me. Our rooms have noise cancellation for a reason." I said.

"I want everyone to hear and experience my pain. Do you feel my pain?" She asked and got closer.

"I feel creeped out..." I said and stepped back.

She sighed and relaxed. "You're immune...that means you're an ally. The name's Winter. My parents named me that because they said I had a cold soul. I don't think they understood the concept of a cold soul."

"Well I can say you do make the room a bit chilly." I said and rubbed my arms.

Winter stared at me.

I looked at Winter and cleared my throat. "Sorry."

"Well anyway, if you have nothing to give me or even say then the exit is where you entered." Winter said.

I looked at Winter and could tell she shut herself away from the world. I could tell she didn't want to be bothered so I left. I left her door cracked and walked back to my apartment. I walked in then sighed.

"I'm boutta crash out." I said and walked to my room and closed the door.

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...

I woke up the next day and heard my doorbell ring. "Man...it's 8 in the morning."

I dejectedly got out of bed and walked to the front door. I opened the door and looked at the woman who stood in front of my door. She looked at me and smiled.

"Word on the street is you're new around here~" The woman said.

She was a fair skinned woman with blonde hair, gray eyes, and perfect pink lips. She had the body of a beauty queen and the outfit of a street dancer. She was absolutely gorgeous, definitely top tier eye candy.

"Uh, yeah I am. Who are you?" I asked, trying hard to keep my eyes on her eyes.

"Summer~ Summer Ruby, named after the famous beach near Brinkwood..~" Summer answered.

"Cool, I'm Xavier. Whatchu need?" I asked.

"Well I'm inviting you out for breakfast. I want to learn about you, Mr. Lucid Kush~" Summer chuckled and placed a hand on her hip.

~To Be Continued~