CJN555

"Grandpa, why do you like music so much?" The elderly eel, Greyson Vimor, gently smiled at his grandson, closing the storybook, taking off his glasses, and setting both on the table beside him. He admired how inquisitive Nolitz was for his age. "Why do you ask?" Nolitz shifted in his bed, sitting up against the pillow. "You're always humming when you're busy. You sound peaceful and happy when we go on walks, angry when you're in your workshop, and sad when you're with the flowers. And you always want to go to the theatre when there's a musical. You even dragged us all to the last one, too." Greyson chuckled at the last fact. "I'll give you that, but I recall you enjoying Raiders of the Hidden Coast. You wanted to stay behind after the show to meet the cast. Your mother almost had to drag you out." Nolitz felt his cheeks heat up as he sank slightly under the covers while his Grandfather held back his laughter. "I thought they were good singers. And the leading lady was really

"I appreciate you coming in early, Mr. Onlok. You'll be glad to know your booth setup is underway. Our sound engineers are currently connecting your cables to the sound systems." "I appreciate that, Stevens." Nolitz walked with the amphibian manager through the main floor of Harmony Den. Around them, the club's staff were busy getting to work, ensuring everything was ready for Lockd0wn's evening performance. The DJ picked up lingering smells of polish and fermentae in the air, probably remnants from the morning cleanup. Staff members sanitized counters, mopped the floors, and set up tables while others adjusted and checked stage lights. Despite the busy crew, the stage and floor seemed abandoned without active strobe lights. Nolitz already envisioned how tonight would look, the lights working in tandem with his music. Whether he or someone else was performing, Harmony Den always knew how to put on a good show. At this point, Mischief had fallen asleep across his owner's shoulder.

Nolitz's shoes clacked against the lobby's marmoreal floor as he passed the front desk. Behind the desk, a young woman was typing away at a terminal, her eyes flicking up briefly as he approached. She was efficient at her job and had been helpful and polite to him since he moved in. And she was one of the few who hadn't sent him any disapproving looks or gestures since the incident. "Morning, Ava," he greeted casually, stopping. Ava paused her typing. "Morning, Mr. Onlok. I trust you slept soundly?" Nolitz could detect notes of concern and caution in her voice, possibly related to the email. He sent a small smile her way, hoping it would reassure her there were no bad feelings. "I slept fine, thank you." He rubbed Mischief's ears, eliciting a content squeak from the Ryuu-neko. "I can't say the same for this one." Ava smirked. "Another crabby morning?" "Every morning is a crabby morning for this hairball." The two shared a laugh as Mischief let out a small huff. Ava developed an

It was a jarring screech that wrenched Nolitz Onlok from his sleep. Reaching out from under the blankets, he reached over to the table next to his bed, found it, and slammed his fist against the alarm clock, stopping when one of the strikes hit the off button. Groaning and smacking his lips, Nolitz rolled onto his back and lightly huffed as he stared at the ceiling. He could feel the rays of the day-moon warming various parts of his blue skin as they poked through the blinds. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes before opening them, greeted by the blurred image of his room coming into focus. As he twisted his back in an early morning stretch, he felt a series of pops trailing down his spine. Getting out of bed, he moved to the bathroom. He slightly winced as the lights over the mirror flared to life at the press of the switch. He blinked several times as they tried to adjust. When his reflection came into view, he recalled how unsettled people were by his eyes during first impressions. It