Three Months Earlier.

"I can't believe you're making me do this."

Xisuma Void and his twin sibling stood outside Mr. C418's, or just Mr. C as all students had been instructed to call him, office. It was 7 in the morning on a Saturday, and they'd already been in their gods-forsaken high school for an hour.

It was audition day for the honors orchestra- Hermitcraft, as it was called.

The twins mirrored each other nearly perfectly- X held his instrument case in his right hand, EX's in their left. EX had white hair, X's was sandy blond, and his was brushed in the other direction. X wore yellow, typically, while EX wore red.

Granted, EX was holding a cello as compared to their brother's violin. The two weren't exactly the same, and their personalities couldn't be more different, but they were definitely twins. Anyone who knew them could tell you.

Xisuma sighed at his sibling's antics. "EX, just because you taught yourself to play doesn't mean you don't deserve to be here. You're amazing!"

EX regarded the door suspiciously. Behind it held either a future in music- or years' worth of confirmed self doubt. They'd started teaching themself to play because of their social anxiety in elementary school, right around the same time X began actual violin lessons.

They refused to play in middle school, while X made it to the advanced orchestra.

For three years of high school, they insisted that it was too late for them. However, Xisuma wouldn't take that and dragged them straight to auditions by the time senior year rolled around.

     Eventually, EX sighed in defeat. "Just... open the damn door."

     Xisuma smiled brightly (fine, fine, maybe it was worth it to be here just to see their brother smile like that) and knocked on the music officer's door. A muffled voice told them, "door's open!".

     Mr. C's office was cozy and light, with a couch and bookshelf against one wall, multiple windows (his office was in a corner of the school), and a plain old armchair behind the desk. Various records were displayed on the walls. A little potted stick of bamboo chilled beneath the computer monitor.

     "Hello, Voids," Mr. C said cheerfully as the twins each set down their instruments at their feet. X leaned over the desk to shake the teacher's hand.

     "Hi Mr. C!" he said cheerfully. EX resisted the urge to roll their eyes.

     Mr. C was a very nice man, very musical. He knows his way, somehow, around every type of music most people can think of. If you want in to a music program at Mojang High, you come to him.

Mr. C gestured to a plastic chair and a couple music stands in the corner of the room. "Xisuma, I hope you're alright standing. That chair is for you, Xay. Go ahead and play whenever you're ready."

As the twins began setting up, EX tightened their bow with practiced agility. Maybe X was right- maybe they could make it with their music skills this year.

And maybe, being a bit more social wouldn't exactly be the end of the world.

TAKING OFF FOR DISNEYLAND WOO