The Flute and The Zither

A soothing melody drifted through the top two levels of the Goliath, the crew who heard it felt disturbed they had been listening to the {Call of the Night} all along so when Astro played the flute regularly the difference in musical level was apparent.

Coincidentally, Amelia who happened to have just exited her room heard the flute, she at first could tell that the flutist had just started to learn how to play the flute, but as the song advanced further she could feel the music improving at a great rate. At this moment she knew that the flute was a construct because when she learned the zither this had happened too. After listening to three songs in the past two and a half hours, she realized that the flutist's progress had hit a plateau just barely reaching the entry-level. She had been stuck at the same level of the zither for a long while now and after much contemplation she found out she needed a practice partner or someone to push her. In an attempt to take her playing skills to the next level, she decided to bring her zither to the flutist and have a stand-off.

The zither was the same one she used back at the tea house, it floated around her for one-ish orbits before resting in front of her. Amelia placed her hand on the nine strings of the zither and waited for the perfect moment to interrupt the flutists' rhythm allowing her to enter the melody the flutist was playing. While she was waiting the water drops in the air began to condense into a small cloud for Amelia to sit on, Amelia's bloodline allowed her to have an almost a god level control over water. Thus when she was concentrating on the melody she subconsciously created a more comfortable environment for herself.

The melody was reaching its crescendo and Astro was finding himself out of his element, having played Night for almost three hours straight put a strain on his energy reserves. As a result Astro made a mistake, he had taken too deep a breath during the break making him off a note. Amelia noticed this slip and plucked the first string of her zither, the sound reverberated throughout the top layer of the Goliath. The sound came crashing onto Astro causing him to completely stop playing.

He had been playing leisurely earlier and when he reached his limit he had decided to further find a more comfortable position on his chair. Astro was confused as to why someone was being so aggressive, then he remembered that the sound just now came from a zither and the only person he knew who had one was Amelia. After their talk, Astro tried to be civil with Amelia, yes he was upset about the whole ordeal but he had decided to get over it due to other, more serious problems. He didn't want to get too involved with her so he decided to stop playing for the day.

Amelia who had already sat on her cloud seat had made its way to the top of the Goliath. She had reached in time to see Astro ready to put away his flute. She was surprised that the flutist was Astro, but she wanted to continue the opportunity to further advance her level or just gain a better understanding.

Meanwhile, Amelia, comfortably seated on her cloud, had ascended to the top level of the Goliath in time to witness Astro's intention to put away his flute. Surprised that Astro was the flutist, she still desired an opportunity to advance her own skills or gain a deeper understanding. As Astro noticed Amelia's presence, he couldn't help but be intrigued by her determined expression, devoid of taunting. It seemed she was genuinely eager to improve, a feeling Astro could relate to. Having observed this, he realized that Amelia's actions might serve a purpose beyond mere annoyance—perhaps she sought to enhance her zither playing skills. After all, she had learned the zither by playing at the tea house, deprived of challenges due to her family circumstances.

Amelia, smirking inwardly at Astro's misinterpretation, decided to leave their encounter to chance. If she could play, she would, and if not, there would always be another opportunity. Just when she thought Astro would depart, he brought the flute to his mouth, mirroring her earlier patience.

And so, Amelia and Astro engaged in a musical duel, their instruments filling the air with the sounds of zither strings and flute notes. The melodies resonated throughout the entire Goliath, capturing the attention of those on board. Tomas had finally come out of hiding to see what these two exclusive VIPs were doing and what he saw mesmerized him.

Amelia, cradling her zither in her lap, sat atop a fluffy cumulus cloud, its edges tinged pink by lights twisting in space, as she floated above the boundless expanse of the sea. The cosmic tunnel shimmered in the background, its ethereal hues pulsing like a heartbeat. Below her, the velvety pink petals of cherry blossoms adorned the Goliath, providing a resplendent backdrop to Astro's soulful flute playing. The tranquil melody of his instrument harmonized with the gentle rustling of the petals in the soft breeze, creating a moment of pure serenity. The two created a scene out of a painting making Tomas forget the reason for his visit. The musical exchange continued until late into the night, both Amelia and Astro succumbing to exhaustion. The cloud beneath Amelia gradually returned to the Goliath, and the two musicians, barely able to keep their eyes open, fell asleep right in their chairs. Observing their tired state, Tomas approached to make them more comfortable before retiring himself.