Aria sat in her last class for the day, anxious to get to the studio and start recording. Life had settled down at the school a few weeks after the shooting, aided no doubt by the lack of any supernatural activity from Heidi. People were still extremely curious about her, but time had a way of dulling even the most exciting events. According to Autumn, Heidi hadn't disagreed with any of the teachers regarding history or science in the last two months, much to the relief of the teachers. More than one teacher had been questioned by students regarding Heidi's version of the pyramid timeline and the growing planet. While they told their students that it was just nonsense from the internet, it was obvious that they themselves had a difficult time disregarding anything Heidi claimed to be true. While she was rarely in god mode, the memory of the times she was were extremely poignant. How do you doubt the word of a god when it comes straight from their mouth?
Aria shot out of her chair as soon as the bell rang and walked over to Miss Devons classroom. She stopped in surprise as she entered, staring nonplussed at the dozens of students milling about. They all turned to watch her keenly as she stood in the doorway, their eyes filled with intense curiosity.
"What's going on?" Aria asked an amused Miss Devons uncertainly.
"I showed some of the students what you, Heidi, and Autumn have been working on," Miss Devons informed her with a slight curve of her lips. "I wanted to see if any of the other students would be interested in joining the after school music club."
"Oh," Aria said lamely. She wasn't sure how she felt about having her time studying with Heidi encroached upon. "Heidi mentioned a little while ago that she wished she had a choir to work with."
"Is that so?" Miss Devons asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I have a feeling that she's going to get one."
Autumn and Heidi arrived a few minutes later. Autumn stared in surprise, but Heidi looked completely unfazed.
"That's what I'm talking about," Heidi said with a satisfied smile. "Now we can really bring the energy alive."
Heidi wasn't able to get another word out before Miss Devons rushed over and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Miss Devons said fervently, unshed tears in her eyes. "From now on, you'll get whatever you want from me. Just name it."
"From now on, you tell me before you run out of the country with a sick relative," Heidi told her sternly. "I already owe you for more than I could ever repay. I know you don't understand how, but trust me, you have done far more for me than I for you. Before you rush someone off to some primitive medical facility, bring them to me."
Miss Devons nodded through her tears as she released Heidi. "I'll remember that. Sorry."
Heidi shook her head ruefully, repeating the word 'sorry' wearily. "I see we have reinforcements."
The other students had watched the exchange in a reverent silence as they realized what had happened. The expectation in the room was palpable as everyone realized Heidi had not stopped performing her miracles—they just hadn't been witnessed by the masses.
"That we do," Miss Devons replied with a guilty look. "I hope you don't mind, but I shared your music with my classes throughout the day. I was hoping it would entice them to get more involved with music after school."
"I couldn't have asked for more," Heidi assured her with a pleased smile. "Recording to tracks is nice, but a recorded song is only a half-life of the real thing."
"Do you have a preference for how we proceed?" Miss Devons asked, as if Heidi was the teacher.
"Can everyone line up, please?" Heidi asked the anxiously awaiting students.
They made a line, watching Heidi curiously as she walked up to the first student in the line. She reached up and touched his head between the eyes. An inverted boom filled the room and caused the lights to flicker. The kid stumbled a little, but Heidi caught him by the elbow and steadied him. The other students gasped in amazement at the auroral discharge that briefly surrounded the two of them. Then she was moving down the line to the next student, leaving the previous kid staring around at everything in sudden wonder.
It felt like a thunderstorm as a steady stream of inverted booms filled the air. The students were bouncing with excitement as they chattered to each other about how much more alive they felt. Principal Wiley had entered the room at some point and was watching the performance in awe. When Heidi was finished, she sent the students to their respective instruments to warm up.
"Can you give them the notation?" Heidi asked Miss Devons.
Miss Devons didn't ask how she knew it was already printed. She handed out the sheets of music to the students and they quickly settled in to practice the new song.
"Grab your guitars," Heidi instructed her and Autumn as she sat down at the drum set.
As soon as Heidi started the intro, it was like a control net wrapped around all of them, linking their minds. Hearing the song performed live was exalting. She wouldn't have believed that it could sound better, but now there was an energy to it that was raw and wild. They played through the song without a single mistake, leaving Miss Devons gaping in amazement at her formerly third rate orchestral class. Principal Wiley was staring in shock as well. A small crowd of students were clustered outside of the door, drawn in by the amazing music.
"We're going to add the vocals this time," Heidi told the students calmly.
The students all nodded eagerly, their eyes shining with excitement. The energy in the room was electrifying as the group prepared to begin the song again.
Aria started the first verse, with Autumn joining in harmony halfway through. As the chorus arrived, Heidi's glorious voice joined theirs and time seemed to stretch out before them into infinity. Her voice had a golden sheen that carried the song into another dimension where sound became something physical. The song was accompanied by vivid imagery of an ancient civilization that had spanned every part of the globe.
Aria nearly stopped singing as the vivid imagery flooded her mind. This had never happened before. It must have been caused in part by the use of live instruments as opposed to recording it.
When they finished the song, silence reigned. The watching students' eyes were glazed as they slowly returned to the present. The super-civilization slowly receded from thought as the last shimmers of the symbols finally died away.
A loud cheer went up from the students as they regained their senses. Principal Wiley and Miss Devons shared a triumphant glance as the cheering continued. Aria realized she was cheering with rest of the students as an overpowering sense of accomplishment permeated the room. They had just seriously leveled up.