In hindsight, Sunday should have known about life's unexpected twists and turns. As much as he prefered the routine and predictability life can offer, in the plans and schemes and preparing everything to the clothes, life will always throw out circumstances beyond's one control that forces you to just flow through with it without any resistance.

That was what happened when Sunday and his family faced a Stellaron disaster and lost his mother, leaving two siblings homeless and on his own. It was only by the Harmony's grace that the siblings had been adopted to the Family and raised for greatness, a new chance of life and to dream, by the Dreammaster himself.

Then, there was Sunday wishing Robin well for her idol journey when they made promises to unite the people around the galaxies with wonder to the Harmonious Choir and dreams of being a Chordmaster by becoming a star but at great danger that Sunday didn't know when Robin was shot by a stray bullet to the neck and thank the Harmony, was still alive.

Robin never knew that Sunday knew and out of respect kept it a secret when Robin never brought it up but there were times that he wished he could help, like he always done when she pursued her dream of stardom. But they started living different lives back then, him being a rising leader of the Oak Family and her a superstar of the galaxy.

They were still as close as ever but had a certain distance when it came to their problems and duties of their lives. As much as he wanted to protect her, even if it meant locking her in a cage, he couldn't bring himself to forsake her dreams and could only watch over her, powerless planets away if anything else were to happen to her. Sometimes, it made Sunday wish he never suggested her to be a star but he also knew it was something he would not take back, for his sister's happiness and for the beautiful dreams to come true. But at what cost, he would sometimes think. When he remembered a certain Charmony Dove, how he wished it to live, no matter what and realized he wished the same for many whether it be the people close to him or anyone else who deserved to live a full life and never experiencing tragedy like Sunday and Robin had during the Stellaron crisis when they were children.

Then recently, when it felt like Sunday might have a semblance of control in this erratic life with his fear of the unknown, with his wish to never wake from a dream, the Charmony Festival was uprooted with many invitations to factions all over the galaxy that was unauthorized by the Family and yet something they had to roll with for the Harmony. And something that caused a chain of events that caused Robin's 'death' that should not have happened after its presence didn't appear for a while. 

He was even helpless to investigate and even with his tricks, he couldn't do much except go with the flow while working behind the scenes because losing the only family member he had left, one that meant so much to him... was something he could never come to terms with, until he satisfied himself with served justice. And he still remembered how everything flip on its own head when he realized that she was still alive and what the Watchmaker and his lackey had done and was forced to make a choice.

A choice he would do all over again, for surface level reasons the "Dreamaster" would have been satisfied with and deeper reasons he would take to his grave, when it involved the well-being of people dear to him and never swaying ideals.

And now, here he was when everything was over and done with nothing but a shattered dream and fearful reality. Despite such loss and odds stacked against him, Sunday felt an odd calmness to the point of nothing that felt scary in and of itself when such situations caused him unease. The calmness persisted greatly at the current flow of his life out of his control, when he was seated in a starship with yet another passenger who was observing him cooly.

"Am I that interesting to you, Miss Kafka?" Sunday asked casually, a feat his past self would not expect when this was an extremely wanted criminal sitting before him. Then again, with his escape, he was about to become a wanted criminal himself so he had no room about having higher ground in this conversation.

He had long since fallen from being a revered head of the Oak Family but he found himself surprisingly comfortable with such a downfall. Restarting at a blank slate doesn't sound too bad, even when giving up the life of an upright civilian and resigning to a true life of survival of the fittest when he's undoubtedly going to be a wanted criminal but he surprised himself by finding it refreshing.

Maybe, blasphemous thought as it was, he found it better than being surrounded by servants and a master no different from each other and of the ravens that watch everywhere as long as the dream was still flourishing. Thus, so used to perching ravens and their eyes staring from above, a feeling that always tingled his back, made him used to Kafka's staring, equally enticing and ephemeral that while it did not unnerve Sunday, it prompted him to start a conversation that should have started the moment he met Kafka.

"Well, let's just say that I'm particularly charmed to meet such an interesting individual, and to recruit after such a bombastic event," Kafka answered smoothly.

"Then, why stare instead of ask?" Sunday asked, and Kafka smiled.

"Well, I wanted to see where first impressions would lead me to. For example, whether the person I will meet even seems capable of everything that has and will happen. Makes me feel like appearance is skin deep."

Sunday crossed his arms, the contemplative and serious expression never leaving him. He found himself in a particularly luxurious spaceship that Firefly provided access combined with a perception filter to avoid any prying eyes. Waiting for him inside one of the rooms reserved in the ticket was Kafka, standing near the window that had now showed passing planets embarking to location unknown. When he had asked  where he was going, Kafka did not even deign to answer and simply stared which brought them to present time.

Sunday did not like not knowing because not knowing meant risk of danger, of unknown encounters that would set him back or not being able to prevent any of his loved one's danger they never needed to go through in the first place...

Deep down, he wondered why Robin never told him about where she was really going for her idol tour. Why she thought he was better off not knowing that the Dreamaster had to tell him what a brother should have a right to know when his sister  was off to danger like that. He could never bring himself to ask, because Robin never knew Sunday personally visited her on that dreadful day to ensure her well-being but felt powerless to do anything else that could prevent tragedies like that happening. Sometimes he wished he was like the Dreamaster who seemed to have everything under control and knowing it all. To have power, and yet...

He had wished to be confided, to know for the ease of his heart but in the end, the both said little of what happened behind the scenes in achieving a dream and in believing everything was alright with one another, to show to their only family member that they were truly fine and keeping their paradises alive to one another and only confiding when it could possibly affect the other to warn them like the protective and caring siblings they were to each other.

"Hmm, now who's the one staring at who? Although it seems you were seeing somewhere far away than right here. Don't tell me, you miss your home?" Kafka asked.

Even now, he could not stop thinking about his sister and about their dreams that now surround with what-ifs when the situation before him should let Sunday focus on his present. But the idle chatter without much information, the soft music from a gramaphone on a table near the window separating him and Kafka by a small amount and being witheld of any knowledge that Sunday would like to grasp starting from the mysterious poem to the Stellaron Hunter's agenda had created a mind for idle thought about a past that might relate to the future and reminiscing past regrets and what-ifs to wonder whether things could have been done differently.

At the very least, he never wanted Robin to figure out about Sunday's true affliation nor the conspiracy that had to happen so soon. It would have happened regardless, but Sunday rather things be done on his own terms, that's all.

Back to Kafka's question, Sunday stared distantly at the window, the luxurious hotel that was once his home a distant star far away now and blandly answered, "If I was going to miss my home, I would not have done anything to risk myself from getting kicked out, now would I? If me leaving is meant for greater things to Penacony, I would not mind starting my dreams afresh either, Miss Kafka. After all, Mr. Sam still seems to be following a script for Penacony if he still stayed back and along with helping my escape from Penacony despite how we were on opposite sides, I would like to believe my recruitment might play to something deeper than a simple invitation, something I would like to know instead of travelling in silence."

Kafka hummed, sounding as if she disbelieved the answer about whether he missed home or not but decided to follow along with Sunday's subject change, and finally get down to business.

"How can you say that we are travelling in silence when we have lovely music playing around us?" Kafka asked, her voice beguiling that Sunday felt wary of knowing her own capabilities and yet made no move, "And who's to say we didn't recruit you just because we are short on hands and we were simply charmed by your handsome mug?"

So much for finally getting down to business. Sunday was not amused and he showed it clearly on his face towards Kafka who kept up her intriguing smile.

"You also can't follow along a joke like Bladie, huh?" Kafka asked, sounding disappointed despite her smile, "Maybe one day we will figure out how to lighten people like you up, but as the former Oak Family Head raised by the Dreammaster, I am sure you know yourself why you are escaping from the planet itself instead of laying low. Otherwise, you might not have followed along and simply stayed where you are instead of letting Sam break you out."

Kafka did not say much, keeping her cards close to her chest. Observing him, making idle chatter and now this. One would think that she was simply testing him. For her penchant of humour, it was easier to believe that she might be joking but Sunday knew that they were going somewhere and after everything that happened, he had nothing to lose.

He had no watchful eye from the sky listening orders from the sun to judge his karma and exploit his weaknesses.

"Penacony is still facing against the IPC over the rights to the planet and thanks to a certain gambler might even have a few chips to help with the case. With what I have done, it also left the Family at a certain disadvantage if they are forced to negotiate the rights of Penacony. Either way, I could be used either by the IPC or the Family to make or break any further negotations. My escape would make things complicated, giving enough time for anyone with other agendas to make certain moves. Maybe, someone will find out the true master of the Stellaron and considering how you call yourselves Stellaron Hunters, finally swoop in to accomplish what you sought out for."

He looked straight to Kafka after, who never let go of her beguiling smile and simply said, "The show must go on after all. Elio really does make interesting choices in particular with his recruits when setting up the script to that predestined ending. Even so..."

Kafka now rummaged around her coat, taking out a file as she almost reached it out to Sunday, with him knowing well it is a certain script of sorts considering the context of this conversation but she stopped short of truly placing it to Sunday's now outstretched hand when she continued saying:

"Let me indulge my curiosity. You might already be a wanted criminal but taking this script now means that you will embark on a path unlike how you tread the Harmony and Order. A true fall of grace for the former Oak Family Head and yet you were about to take it without any hesitation. What drives you to such lengths?"

Sunday simply smiled, possibly keeping his own cards close to his chest and yet answering with the most sincerity he could muster for what some others might regard as a disbeleving ideal after everything he had done:

"Simply for the paradise of our dreams, why else?"

Kafka had once again looked a little disbelieving for a split second, before she returned to her amiable and beguiling self before she set the file on the table for Sunday to take, to read and finally understand.

He didn't even hesitate, flipping the script's first page for a start to yet another poem from the last one that he was given. From Death of the Crow to Birth of the Raven, with a slightly shorter poem serving as some welcome message giving way to Destiny Slave's script:

Nevermore, you have heard the raven cried
And you respond "At the aftermath and nothing more"
And what lies beyond the aftermath if not nevermore itself, once more the raven cried
And you respond "Beyond nevermore itself, where anyone can take flight."
Thus, you chose the infinite possiblities
You chose those welcome arms
Even when the raven kept crying out
Even when nevermore it shouts
'The dying dove never crashed and flew'
'It was the raven yourself that was too scared to fly'
'Be not afraid'
'The dove might have never showed you how and nevermore'
'But I will'