Chapter 23: The Star Room of Christian Dior Denim Flow.

  “I've got the world in my hands, Hallelujah! Thank god I have a future.”

  August 28th, 1991.

  The clock spoke of 10 AM.

  Link II woke up from his bed, smiling gleefully like a child.

  Because today he turned 8 years old.

  Rushing to the living room, he expected to see Samuel back again…

  Remembering he was still at rehab.

  Keeping his hopes up as he saw Duckworth sitting on the couch, speaking.

  “Morning, Link.”

  Both immediately hugged each other like family.

  Duckworth embracing the hug rather than care about some silly comment.

  Smiling to each other as Link II glanced back to the door, hoping that Samuel would come home.

  Even if he didn't want to admit, it did feel lonely without anyone else here on his birthday.

  Even with Duckworth around.

  But Duckworth, sensing the emotional turmoil from Link II, spoke.

  “Hey Link? Why don't we listen to some new music during your birthday?”

  Perking up at the offer of new music, saying.

  “Fuck yeah! I've been needing some new music to brighten up my day and some new genres!”

  Just then, something ripped through his clothes like a blade.

  Wings popped out like dogs.

  Claws sliding out of his knuckles.

  Finally, his ears broke through the disguise, having zoomies of high energy.

  Both panicked, screaming as Link II's attached abilities flailed around like a child's smile.

  Then, Duckworth spoke.

  “Wait! Are you… still in control of it? Or is it like a dog's tail where it just flicks around when excited?”

  While Link II processed the question, realizing how to talk about it without blushing up like a tomato.

  “Uhh I think I have control…

  I'm just really excited to get a present on my 8th birthday without any blood on my hands…

  Sorry-”

  Right as Duckworth interrupted Link II.

  “Hey, it's okay. I guess I kinda freaked out because I never saw your extensions go haywire like that…

  But it's kinda cool, like, having a pet is cool, not weird or anything like that.”

  As they both laughed, smiling for what felt like a moment of peace.

  Diming down as Duckworth asked.

  “So, you ready to get those new music tastes?”

  And Link II eagerly nodded, as they both planned.

  Duckworth used telepathy to try and find a great year for music while Link II summoned a Walkman.

  Just to test the waters of portable music.

  After an hour, Link II began to cast a spell, not caring whether it fit right with his magic type.

  Thanks to Duckworth for encouraging the multidiversity of superhuman abilities.

  Beginning with one called “ChronoStar”, which was a time manipulation spell.

  But with some added benefits, where he and Duckworth could control the events around him to his benefit.

  Rather than let it become dangerous for traveling into the future, by letting some force interfere with it or any danger come to him.

  Like a lucky charm added to time travel.

  Casting the spell into his home and lifting his hand to shoulder height.

  Aiming towards the hallway, a portal began, flickering into reality with sounds of white noise.

  Intertwined into the purple hue from his hand emitted towards it.

  Rather than emitting noise, it had a strain on himself, easily countered by his childlike energy.

  All within about 10 seconds, then the portal fully manifested itself into reality.

  The portal glew purple like last time, but now, with his own training, had completely stabilized rather than fizzling a bit.

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  Shaped like an imperfect vortex, slowly morphing into the outline of a door.

  Stepping through the portal, he ended up in modern-day Compton.

  October 27th, 2025.

  The streets were empty, less gang violence than there was before.

  Sensing the eager welcoming sign of Compton, twined with the calmness of regular city life compared to that of its past.

  Looking around, he saw the beauty of the city rather than the junk-ridden, gangbanger pile targeted city that it was previously.

  Walking on the roadside of 2136 Artesia Blvd, seeing the stores around it like Teri’s place, and Starbucks.

  Seeing a record store right by, named Boogie Maru Sounds.

  As Duckworth spoke yet again.

  “This is the place, kid.

  I'll let you handle the interaction.

  Remember, just try and be yourself while you pretend to browse vinyl albums.

  And let the music guide you.

  Oh wait, don't forget to put the mask on so nobody sees your elven ears.”

  Taking a breath, Link II entered the store, quickly strapping on his V1 Elven mask.

  Disguising as an adult and his adult brother.

  A small record store, peering at all the music, all the vibes each album brought.

  From bright eager greens to medium purples to dark reds, it was like taking a kid to the candy store.

  Only this time he had the funds to be able to purchase all the things he wanted.

  Walking to the cashier, he asked.

  “Hello sir? Do you have any rap albums in stock?

  I'm looking for some good rap albums to listen to.”

  Yet the cashier spoke, voice filled with ignorance.

  “Yeah, we got the kicks, but haven't you heard of an app called Spotify?”

  Glancing up to the desk, he saw two figures.

  One boy looked at the albums on the shelf and the other directly near the counter.

  Speaking with shock.

  “…actually, you probably haven't.

  So, what Spotify is, is basically an online music service that plays your music on and offline with or without your other apps open.”

  And as the cashier spent the last of his shift talking about playlists, music remixes, and transitions between songs to Link II.

  Both talking about hot takes of songs and musicals for good or worse.

  The clock in the building read 5:30 PM.

  Yet the cashier decided to let him listen to some music, enjoying the conversation.

  Pulling out his phone and booting up Spotify.

  Being Smuckers by Tyler, The Creator.

  Link II was astonished by the music.

  The rapping underneath the weird instrumental combination made it sound like pure anger.

  Something that Link II didn't know he liked.

  Lyrics about such controversial things, but tamed down enough to be normal.

  Especially the braggadocio lyrics of not following the rules and being who you are.

  The song ended abruptly.

  Frozen in his steps, Link II had no words.

  The silence filling with tension.

  Each moment feeling like life or death.

  …

  Finally moving, jumping into the air and cheering.

  “Woo!

  That song was amazing!

  What's it called sir?”

  Yet the cashier looked disappointed, almost angry that Link II yelled in the store.

  Understanding he needed to let the cashier punch out so he could go home.

  Wanting to know where to get this strange device called a phone, he asked meekly. “Where can I get a phone, sir?”

  The cashier pointed to the nearby State Farm down a few blocks.

  He immediately bolted from the store into another.

  Wanting to experience more music, while Duckworth stopped him, asking.

  “You sure you wanna believe him, Link?

  I mean, we don't know if he's lying or not.”

  But Link II ignored him, walking into the State Farm, eagerly waiting for his turn.

  Realizing the cashier lied.

  As the support spoke.

  “Sir, this is a insurance company, not a place where we sell phones.”

  Immediately, the adults gazed him down like a gun.

  Not laughing, but neither angry.

  More like held back laughter.

  So he walked out, annoyed that the cashier had betrayed him like the gangsters in the streets.

  Eyes filling with anger at the simple minded cashier, deciding he didn't want to leave home… yet.

  Rewinding time to seconds earlier, moving his hands in the circular shape of a clock.

  The air humming with silence rather than a car.

  October 27th, 2025. (Minutes earlier)

  Link II walked back inside the Vinyl store with confidence, finally deciding to say to himself and Duckworth.

  “Fuck it, what have I got to lose? It's not like he's gonna freak out if I borrowed his phone for a few moments and made something unique with it.”

  Storming into the store, holding the cashier against the wall with a loud thud.

  Telekinesis active during the steal.

  While the cashier screamed for help, Link II just grabbed his phone, annoyed from the noise.

  Deciding to shut him up permanently.

  Increasing in size within milliseconds before reaching his face.

  Slapping him with the strength of a billion men, knocking him out cold.

  Sounding like an elephant's nose.

  As Duckworth and Link II browsed the selection of albums they found.

  After Hours by The Weeknd, Good & Evil by Tally Hall, Man on the Moon: The End of the Day by Kid Cudi.

  Finding even more albums they wanted.

  As Duckworth spoke.

  “Link, pull out that Walkman you brought please.”

  Pulling it out, still pristine and barely used, Duckworth grabbed it.

  Taking apart the Walkman, alongside the cashier's phone.

  As Duckworth spoke yet again, giving directions.

  “Alright Link, Do your thing with creativity.”

  Link II approached, thinking for a moment.

  “What should I do, combine them both?

  Well, I guess so…”

  Deciding to combine their features into one unique device.

  Using telekinesis and the functions of both devices, became the portable Walkman.

  A Walkman that had the functions of music apps like YouTube Music and Spotify.

  But with a change, having an equal display Youtube music where he could browse for more music directly.

  Even if he was in 1991 scrolling through it.

  Also intrigued by an app called “YouTube" but decided not to get it.

  Only wanting music and anything related to music.

  Teleported away back to the past with childlike glee.

  August 28th, 1991. [3 PM]

  The clock read 3 PM.

  Link II arrived home, excited to hear the large library of music he had.

  His hands shook with emotions of joy.

  Spending a little of his time messing around with features like playlists, downloads, and smooth transitions between songs.

  His hands clicked the Walkman buttons like a video game.

  Enjoying their clicking noise.

  And yet, as he scrolled through the many artists in his library, he found an artist he had never heard of before.

  Mac Miller.

  Playing his album “Swimming” first.

  Intrigued by the symbolism behind the man leaning on a metal door.

  Starting with…

  Come Back to Earth.

  The beauty intertwined into the lyrics, which spoke of a man wanting to leave his mind for a few moments.

  Wanting to spend time in hell swimming gleefully with regret and sadness.

  But seeming happy with his fate anyways.

  Link II felt like crying.

  The music, the beautiful art of it all despite the regret and sadness.

  It all felt like swimming as a whole species of creature.

  He felt more seen than before.

  Treated like an actual person compared to his own hellish lifestyle.

  Letting the song repeat again as he looked out the window.

  Suddenly, Duckworth asked.

  “What's wrong, Link?”

  As Link II spoke.

  “You know… I feel selfish for leaning on somebody.

  I mean, they are human too, so why should we lean on somebody that has their own responsibilities?

  It's like we meddle with each other as a sort of feeling for purpose…”

  But Link II knew that sometimes… they could be friends in an alternate reality.