Page XI - Sanctuary's Seeker

"Silence. That's all I need." Theodore was talking to himself. Not even in the classroom there's silence, not even in his own dorm with Ray with him. There's nothing in his place that he can call a sanctuary for his own private time. "Why is it even a highly renowned school if we have to share dorm rooms... Then there's only one place I could think of."

The luxurious room styled in a Victorian era-like. Carpet laid out on the floor. A table in front, a seat on each side and a sofa in the middle as they faced the giant television in front. If anyone went in here, no one would treat it like a club room. But a luxurious room from a five star hotel.

The extravagant designs on the room and the obvious expensive things scattered around is a sight to behold. The woman brought out a set of teacups on the containers on the wall next to an antiquated clock. The one that loudly ticks every second and the giant circle hanging from it moves in a pendulum motion. The room's silence were being made up by the loud ticks of that clock.

The woman brought out a kettle and poured it elegantly onto the teacups. After she was done, she moved over to Theodore and gave him the tea. She then returned to her seat and picked up the teacup to her face to smell the aroma. "Fragrant. As always." In that moment, the wind from the open windows came in the room and a light breeze was felt.

Her stature was unfazed as she held the teacup perfectly and drank it with grace as her hair goes to the direction wherever the wind blows.

It was a peaceful moment. Something Theodore wished for. All he could think of was, "How can someone be so beautiful and elegant?" But it wasn't love that he felt. It was simply admiration. Amazement on how one can be... 'classy.'

"So, what's your request?" The woman, Victoria Sinclair, asked Theodore.

"Its not a request but a question..." Theodore gathered up his courage to ask something that he thought was, 'shameless.' "If I became a part of your club, will I be able to use this room whenever I want?"

Victoria's hands stopped before she could take a sip of the tea. She placed it down on the table and let both of her hands rest on her lap. "Yes. But why would you ask that? For a person who wants to join my club I thought you were going to ask about activities and stuff. Why this room exactly?"

"The atmosphere is something that I just want. I want to be in peace. And I haven't had that in a while." That's not the full story. All that Theodore wanted was to find a quiet place to indulge in his books. There was no such thing as peace. All he wanted was a quiet place to read his books.

"I can let you join but I just can't randomly accept you. This is a music club. And you will show your talents with music itself. You must show that you can play music and the music should be something that is within my standards."

"It has been a while... but..." Theodore closed his eyes as he looked back on the teachings of his mother. "I didn't want to remember this. But this is the only way I can get in. My mother's teachings to me." He thought to himself.

"Is something wrong?"

Theodore opened his eyes and resolved himself. "No. Its fine. Let's do this now."

"Now? Without preparations? Are you sure?"

Theodore walked over to the piano and sat down and adjusted the seat to his preferred height.

He raised his hands and delivered a powerful performance as the first four notes of the song was the feeling of impending doom.

It was then followed up by an upbeat rhythm composing of high notes speeding up and speeding up until it goes back to the very first four notes of the song giving the listners a sense of fear as the pitch goes from high to low in a single second.

The happy upbeat rhythm was shown but it also felt like there was a sense of dread and sadness as Theodore hit every note that was needed for the song.

A slow rhythm then followed and it continue to rise up and rise up until it turned into a happy song.

The winds from the open window came along and blew inside the room. From the inside, they could hear the rustles of the leaves, the chatter and murmurs and all the enviromental things. But that soon disappeared as Theodore drew Victoria in his performance.

A harrowing doom of notes followed.

The song restarts back to the start but this time its a bit different. Its more aggressive, heart pumping.

This piece is a mixture of fear, sorrow, dread, horror, happiness, joy and peace. It was a perfect yin and yang of sadness and happiness. Victoria couldn't help but be amazed by Theodore's performance.

Nothing. Not even a single wrong key was pressed.

"I was ready to decline him with just one single wrong note in whatever piece he chose for his request was nothing but shameless." She thought to herself. "But this... this is something far amazing than I thought. He's interesting!"

Theodore's hands grew far more aggressive as he tried to hit the climax of the piece going over a hundred beats per minute. Smile grew on his face for he's impressed on even what he's doing.

The piece grew slower and slower until he hit the final note of the song.

As if the world had unpaused itself, the both of them suddenly heard the noises of people, chirping of the birds, the wind's whistle and the rustling leaves.

"Beethoven's 5th Symphony, 1st Movement..." Victoria muttered.

"So you know of it." Theodore casually replied.

"I was ready to reject you whatever you did but you surpassed my standards. I didn't think that someone who just wanted to use the clubroom was this good."

"Did I pass?"

"Yes. Yes you did. Welcome to the music club Theodore Payne."

~~***~~

[Sanctuary Get!]

"Oh, nice! New place to build my troops! YARGHHH!!!" Ray was deeply invested in whatever game he was playing.