I woke up to the sound of jazz. I lifted up my head and saw that people surrounded me. I looked around and saw Fern, Leo, Piper, and Jason by my side. They led Phoenix into an alley, and then I got off.

Phoenix neighed. "You expect me to stay here?"

I combed her hair with my fingers, hoping that she'll understand. The whole place will be crawling with people of the fair. The last thing I want is them to notice a horse with wings at the fair. We walked out of the alley, people filled the streets. We all didn't know where the festival was, so we asked a guy who was walking by us.

Piper asked, "Do you know where the Jazz Fest is?"

"Ha, you guys are funny!" He walked past us saying, "Where the Jazz Fest is?! That's hilarious!"

Piper muttered, "That was rude."

We asked another lady holding a trombone. She then noticed my amphisbaena vest since I took off my jacket and put into my backpack.

"Oh. My. God," She snapped. "Where did you get such a fabulous vest?"

Leo answered quickly, "It's made in China? Now answer our question."

"China, huh? Isn't it always?" She muttered. "It's easy to find the Jazz Fest, just follow the music."

She then walked away, playing with her trombone.

"Okay," Jason said. "Just follow the music."

We listened for the Jazz Fest, easily enough we could hear the loud jazz ahead of us. We followed it, and saw thousands, no millions of people gathered around the stage. It was a huge, portable stage. The type where you have to bring then build, it was huge, I was a little afraid that it was unstable. We had to go up front, but there was only one tiny problem. We were all they at the back, behind miles of people, just itching to hear the music.

"Great", Fern groaned. "How are we going to get through?'

Piper cracked her knuckles. "Just watch and learn."

She tapped at the people in front of us and asked sweetly, "Could we go in front of you? We really want to hear the music."

The people moved themselves away, and let us through. She asked another set of people to let us go ahead of them.

"Please", she pleaded. "This is the first time we're here; we've heard the music here is the best."

They let us go in front of them just like the others. She did the same to the person after person. Leaving a trail of daze people, wondering what just happened. Soon we were all the way at front of the concert.

Leo applauded, "Nice work, Beauty Queen. Who knew your power can be so useful?"

Piper snarled, "Watch it".

Fern broke the two up. The concert was about to start. A lady came up to the stage. She was one of the nine muses; she had the same ash brown hair tied into a braid with the same platinum gold hair band, and green eyes. She wore a blue sundress with blue sandals. She took the mike and got everyone's attention.

"Erato's the name, as you can hear. Don't like it? You have something to fear", she rhymed. "Enjoy our music, made by my sisters and I. And if you hate it, you can say goodbye."

Two more ladies who looked exactly like Erato appeared behind her. One wore her hair in a ponytail and held onto a saxophone. She wore a green sundress and green sandals. The other wore a red dress and sandals. She held her hair in two braids, and held onto a tambourine.

The muse in green started to play the song "My Funny Valentine" by Frank Loesser, on her saxophone. The song was catchy and smooth, like most jazz songs are. The lady in red, started to dance to the music. She played her tambourine to the rhythm as she danced around the stage. Her dancing was very hip, that everyone around us did a few steps to the music. Erato started to sing, she had that smooth style of voice that most jazz singers have. After a few songs, they went back stage.

Piper then asked a bunch of people to let us through. When we finally got out of the crowd, we headed backstage of the concert. We went into the tent where the muses were. Erato was sitting on a desk, writing something down. Once in a while, she'll play a lyre and play a tune, and then go back writing. The lady in red danced all around the tent, playing her tambourine to the beat. The muse in green was playing with a double flute, an Aulos. The Aulos was an instrument made by Athena from the bones of Medusa. When she saw herself playing it, with her cheeks puffed out and lips puckered, she threw it away placing a curse on it.

Marsyas, a Phrygian satyr, or sometimes Pan found the flute and was delighted with the instrument. He then boasted that he can play better music than Apollo. He got his contest with King Midas and the nine muses as the judges. When the satyr played, two melodies were played at once. Apollo played his lyre but also sang while doing it; the satyr said he was cheating. The muses chose Apollo and his singing, while King Midas chose the satyr. Apollo was mad, so he cut the hide of Marsyas then gave Midas ass's ears.

The muses suddenly noticed us.

Erato sang in a rap, "Visitors, visitors, come in, come in. We'll show you our singing, from within. Here's a limerick made just for you. I love limericks as much as Apollo likes the Haiku." She then recited,

"Whenever you may hear a rhyme,

Do not forget about the time,

When you heard us play,

And shouted, hurray!

That all of our songs are sublime."

Erato bowed as the other muses applauded for her limerick.

The lady in red skipped and danced around us. She waved the tambourine as she danced.

"My name is Terpsichore, please to meet you."

The muse in green's aulos changed into a saxophone. She then played it with a catchy tune.

"'Scuse me if I burp, but my name is Euterpe."

Jason asked, "So you guys are the muses?"

Euterpe giggled, "The aulos must have given it away. Why you are here, give us the say."

Erato snapped her fingers. "I have another limerick to say, so please, my sisters, back away."

Her sisters backed away as they were told. She then sang,

"The three of us are the muses,

Singing is our excuses,

Music's our game,

We honor its name,

And sing whatever amuses."

She bowed again, pleased with two limericks in the row.

Terpsichore danced around us and sang, "What brings you to our tent?"

Fern pushed me forward and said, "Alexandria would like her voice back."

I looked at them with pleading eyes. I can't lose this chance on getting my voice back again. But all of the muses gave me were glares. I guess they still hate me.

Erato explained it in limerick.

"Apollo made an awful vow,

We're offended, and you know how,

We now hold a grudge,

So who are you to judge?

You're officially a mute now."

I wrote on my whiteboard that Apollo didn't really mean it. He didn't mean to offend the muses. All I want is my voice back. The muses gave me pity; maybe they'll feel sad for me. My face lit up, I can get my voice back.

"She reminds me of Echo," Euterpe sang. "Her lost voice was a great sorrow."

Erato said, "But shouldn't I add, that Calliope will be mad?"

"Fine", Terpsichore managed. "We'll give you your talking voice back. But we'll still keep your singing voice."

Euterpe made the same crystal ball appear in her hand. She spun it; a misty figure came out of it. The misty thing then went into my mouth. I gasped then touched my lips.

"I can talk," I whispered.

I looked at the muses, "Thank you, thank you so-"

My voice was gone. I'm a mute again.

"We still can't forgive you," Euterpe said. "No matter how much you plead or do."

"We limited your voice, we're the nice ones of the muses," Terpsichore explained. "Calliope still holds a grudge on Kassandra, your namesake. So she has the right to hate you."

Euterpe sang, "Your voice will be gone from time to time. You must save it, investing's not a crime."

"Oh," Leo said. "Kind of like my tool belt, sometimes it needs to reload."

Fern turned to me. "You need to save up your talking ability, then you can use it when you really need it."

Erato then said another limerick.

"We've given the mute back her voice,

It was only a simple choice,

Your voice is confined,

It's your fault, not mine,

But it's still not time to rejoice."

Terpsichore explained, "If you want your voice back you need to see our eldest sister, the leader of our group."

"We should warn you, Calliope is not the forgiving type," Euterpe sang. "If you anger her, your voice will be once again swipe."

Then they vanished, our ears heard the song of jazz.

I gave a twirl, I have my voice. Well sort of, it's limited like my texting. Piper gave me a hug.

"I'm so glad you can talk."

Then she stopped then mumbled to herself, "That's something you don't say everyday."

Leo asked, "If you can talk, but they have your singing voice. What will you sound like if you do try to sing?"

I started to think of that, what's going to happen? I pictured myself sounding like a chicken. No, they can't be that cruel, can they? I took a deep breath, and started to sing. Or at least try to. My song was bad, but was not as bad as I imagine a cat singing.

"Wow," Leo said. "That was interesting."

Fern pushed Leo away. "He means that at least you can talk."

Jason nodded, "He sure does. Right Leo?"

Piper elbowed him.

Leo said, "Oh yeah, sure. Talking is the main thing in life."

I rolled my eyes. I can see sarcasm when I see it. I just wish Leo can do better than that.

Jason said, "All we need to do is go to Los Angeles."

Piper nodded, "Maybe Jason will remember more, since he's going back to California".

Leo sighed, "California, sunny beaches, celebrities, and bikini-"

Piper stomped her foot at Leo again.

Leo croaked, "Never mind".

When we left the tent, the whole place was deserted. Everyone must have left when we talking to the muses. The whole area was covered with trash, and stomped grass and plants. The crew members were packing everything up. They were folding the tents and un-building the stage.

Fern groaned, "The concert finished?"

Piper asked, "Why? Did you want to listen some more?"

"Of course I did!" Fern exclaimed. "I wanted to see if there were any music sheets for the pan pipes."

Jason coughed. "I doubt that they have that."

Fern went down to his knees, he was taking this way to seriously.

"I don't have my horns. All I want is a few jazz sheets!"

Everyone was silent, and trying not to laugh.

He cried to the sky, "Why are you so cruel!"

I patted him on the back. I limited my words. "Don't worry, there's always next year."

He got up and muttered, "There's always next year. That's what they all say."

We started to walk back to the alley.

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This chapter is off the hook, so why don't you vote on my book? The limiricks are no gimick, so if you want to past the time. Try singing a rhyme. How do you like this chapter, leave you comments and I'll post the next chapter. BYE