Chapter 2---The Sound

At dinner Ned had called a family meeting with his children.

Ned; Kids, I know your all wondering and still shaking about what happened this afternoon and right now all I can say is that these things come every year two weeks before the coronation, and I don't know what to make of it, so for the next few day's you all should be home right after school, no going out after seven and if you need to go out, you'll be accompanied by either me, your mother or Jojo. I'm not trying to scare you kids but I'm just trying to protect you guy's make sure your safe.

Sally; We don't know how long this will go on but it's for your protection, and Jojo with the responsibility as the oldest we want you to watch your sisters like you did with Hedy, you'll take them to and from school straight home, alright.

Jojo;*nod's head*

Ned; One last thing, I don't want any of you to go looking for those things they could be dangerous, so promise me that neither of you will go looking for them, do you promise.

All 96 daughters: We promise, Daddy.

Jojo;*nods head*

Ned; O good, now that that's taken care of your mother is going to help you with your dresses for the coronation ball so get going.

Haley; Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Heidi; Hey mom help me with this.

Helga; Mom, I want my dress to be green to match my hair.

Hanna; Mom, I need pearls.

Helen & Hooly; Mom, our spring dresses our wrinkled again.

Holly; Mom, Hilda took my pink hair ribbons.

Hilda; Holly's been using my blue hair ribbons.

While the girls were busy with there mother deciding what they would wear, Jojo found the opportunity to talk with his father about the mysterious cloaks.

Jojo; Hey dad you got a minute.

Ned; For you son I'll make time, what's up.

Jojo;*looks all around him* Can we talk....in private.

Ned; Oh sure son come on. *leads him into his private study and shuts door behind him* So Jojo what's on your mind son

Jojo; um, it's about the coronation ball......

Ned; Oooooh, I'm glad you asked about it, because many of the women of the jury council have daughters who really want to meet you son, they even filled out a survey including a picture of themselves. *grabs a stack of folders and places it on desk* Ah now let's see who we have here, ooo, Ms. Farris's daughter Lucy is very cute she's studying animal behavior and loves sharing palm pear smoothies with that one special boy, what do you think son. *shows picture of a violet fur colored who*

Jojo; Uh, I don't think so dad, but.....

Ned; Ooooooo, what about Ms. McGill's daughter Stacy, she's a cheerleader and loves having picnics under a starry sky, ooo, she's pretty too take a look son.*shows a picture of a blond fur colored who with loose hair*

Jojo; Cheerleaders are to self centered and romance makes me gag, but dad I really...

Ned; What about Kayla, Ms. Stern's daughter she's a guitar player and skateboarder sounds like your type of girl, eh Jojo.

Jojo;*looks at a tan colored who with a buzz cut and face piercing, he's frightened by her picture* Jeezus, this girl actually has a crush on me, freaky.

Ned; Yeah I know she's a little scary son but it's what's on the inside that counts right.

Jojo; yeah ok, but dad I want to.......

Ned; Hey what about Christina you haven't seen her since elementary who and wow has she grown a lot, she looks so beautiful now and.........

Jojo; Dad will you stop with the pictures and listen I am trying to tell you something.

Ned; Sorry son what is it your trying to tell me.

Jojo; Well about those flying cloaks, I noticed something unusual, one of them saved Hedy from being crushed by a tree and not only that but it actually let her go as if it had feelings. I think those cloaks are who's.

Ned; Now son let's not jump to conclusion, even if they were who's there's no way we can prove it and besides if they were who's there still criminals for disturbing the peace.

Jojo; Yeah but you said that they appear every year two weeks before the coronation what if they had something against the who coronation ball, or even against you or the family maybe if we wait for them to strike again we can catch them and finally understand the means for there actions and then....

Ned; Now Jojo listen to me, I'm very proud for what you did today, that was very responsible and you took care of your sisters, I'm also very proud your coming to the ball but I don't want you to go looking for these things it's like walking into a trap it's too dangerous.

Jojo; But dad...

Ned; No Jojo, I've made myself clear, do you remember what happened a year ago when the city was almost destroyed.

Jojo; Yeah the town was almost boiled and our existence was almost extinct, but we survived because of my undiscovered voice was a vital asset to our survival, but what's that got to do with this now.

Ned; I was scared that I might loose you son, and I won't let it happen again now promise me you won't go looking for those things.

Jojo; But dad...

Ned; Jojo please I don't want to argue anymore, your seventeen and your almost a man now and you should know better now and start making the right choices, I trust you Jojo but I can't let you do this, even if it means.....having to ground you and keeping you away from that observatory. All I want is you to respect me Jojo so respect my decision when I say, stay away from those things.

Jojo;*looks angrily at his father* Fine dad, I won't go looking for them.

Ned;*hugs his son* Jojo you have to understand your getting older and so am I and I won't be around very long and I need someone to take my place as Mayor, and be the man of the family if I die. This is your time son and you have to stop with this music and grow up I need you son so please.

Jojo; I understand dad, I'm sorry if I opposed you.

Ned; Thank you son, now you can focus on who you'll take to the coronation ball, I think Christina would be great she was your play buddy back in elementary who and she still likes you son. But it's your choice, and I looking forward to seeing you at the coronation and who the lucky lady is. *places stack of folders in Jojo's arm and leads him out of his study* I know you'll find someone special that will be just right for you son, you just haven't found her yet, don't give up hope son just have faith.

Jojo; Yeah thanks dad, good night.

Ned; Good night Jojo.*shuts door behind him*

Jojo; I hate it when he gets all wise old hermit man on me.

He decided not to tell his father about the charm necklace he had found, it would only upset him more and cause his father to take precautions of his son's actions instead he just kept it in his pocket and began to make plans to head for the star-studying tower. With the thought in his head Jojo still couldn't shake the feeling that those things were trying to make a connection with his father or the council men, he knew there had to be some reason for their actions. That night he took the folders up to his observatory, which he has turned into a mechanical music studio, were he could think and look over the surveys his father had given him, he still couldn't believe so many girls were so desperate to go with him to the coronation ball, some of these girls didn't even go to his school and some were older than him, sometimes he had thoughts of shaving his head and putting on fifty pounds and just to be a normal teen instead of a sex icon to easily desperate girls. After looking through twenty-three surveys and looking at pictures Jojo decided to take a break and create some music, blowing and bouncing and tinkering it went the observatory was filled with noise and as the louder it got Jojo felt calm and relaxed by the music he had created almost as if it had a personality of it's own. If it did he would fall in love with the music in him that has taken a form of all this around his, his desire and appreciation for the music is what really mattered to him, but somehow he wanted to try something new, something he has never heard before something extraordinary amazing. He than remembered the charm necklace in his pocket, he took it out and began to observe it more clearly it was a strange charm, unlike something he has never seen before, it was a dangling charm with one big, medium, and small bead stacked on top of each other and two "V"s on their sides on each side of it attached at the point of the dangler, it was strange but Jojo just unhooked it and tied it around his neck. He felt weird putting on jewelry but it was only to remind him of his reason to find those mysterious cloaks. He began to make his way up to the viewing point of the observatory were he could see the stars and think, what was he looking for and what did he need. Suddenly it returned, the sound he heard earlier today had come back, that sound as a string instrument he just knew it but this time it had a different tone, as if it were calling him tempting him to follow, Jojo thought about the cloaks he had saw save his sister, if it was calling to him then he was sure that it wanted to communicate with him. Without another thought Jojo jumped down from his tower and began following the music, it began to get closer but as he got too close it moved even deeper, it wanted him to follow, this time Jojo started to run towards the sound and it still kept getting even farther away so far it led him into the forest, Jojo was to anxious to find the maker of this sound that he'd follow it to the ends of the speck. As he got deeper it got darker and colder so cold his breath felt like ice down his throat but he was still following the sound, soon just as the sound stopped playing he looked ahead of him to see a bright part of the forest that looked like it was the only part of the forest the seemed to be eliminating with light, that's when he realized were the sound had lead him. As he took a few steps closer he came across eight tall circular pillars all formed in a circle, underneath him were what looked to be cryptic markings and in the center was what it looked to be a symbol of four aces in a cross form. The sound had led him to an abandoned ruin, all around him he began to look back and forth between the pillars and above the moon was nearly above the ruin, he had followed the sound to this ruin, was this what it had wanted to show him, well he was here but what was he supposed to do, as he got his fill of the ruins he thought that he should be getting home it was already getting late his parents would be worried, as he began to make his way out of the circle and between two pillars it had started to play again, that sound he just heard but his time it was faster and full of energy, he tried to find were it was coming from but it kept moving and moving all around him so quickly then it became louder as if it's owner was playing right in his ear, he turned to look but it was gone, he had enough of this he started to run out of the ruin circle and head out of the forest but there was a strange barrier in between the pillars that prevented him from leaving and instead a wind had caused him to move backwards and back into the middle of the circle. There he found were the music was coming from, he caught sight of a person perched on top of one of the pillars playing the music he heard, that person started playing much faster and faster that it shot a long stick like figure at Jojo, it aimed so close that it nipped a part of his hair and stick to the ground behind him. He turned to see that what was aimed at him was what looked to be a violin bow, so the instrument was a violin, then he turned again to see that the person had been standing at the base of a pillar hidden in the shadows, it extended an arm out into the light and suddenly it had recovered it's violin bow back as if it had called to it. Jojo, as confused and curious as he was just stared at the person, until it began to move back and suddenly open a door at the base of a pillar were a bright orange light had poured out, as it entered it had signaled Jojo to follow. Being curious and gullible as he was Jojo did follow, but remembering his father's words and took a minute to think about what he was doing, he had come to far to solving the mystery behind these cloaks and he wasn't about to stop now, without another thought he entered the pillar and made his way down a circular staircase with lit torches on each side. As he descended deeper it got colder even with the hot torches he still felt cold, soon he reached the bottom of the circular staircase were it was even more colder and darker. But suddenly he reached what looked to be a dark hallway that didn't seem to end, Jojo tried to adjust his vision on the path in front of him but it was to dark to see anything until a pair of floor torches on each side of the path began to light automatically and soon two more were lit and it kept going like it was lighting the floor for him until it stopped and made the whole hallway illuminate with fire. That's when he realized he was not in a hallway but a narrow passage on water leading to an end were right at the very end was a standing figure, just standing and motionless Jojo realized that the figure distant from him was a girl with her back against a black wall, a tall and slender figure with shoulder cut hair and wearing a black and white mask, since it stayed motionless Jojo figured it was a fake figure but until the figure lifted her head to look at him and slowly began to disappear into the black wall he realized that she was very much alive and human soon she completely disappeared into the dark wall until only the mask was viable until that disappeared to, and she was then completely gone.

End of chapter 2, continued in chapter 3---Demise