Kaito and his friends embarked on another quest, but we're not following that story.
Toni wandered through the sunlit streets of Astrale, guitar case slung over his shoulder, the soft hum of music trailing behind him from the town square. His steps slowed as he approached the familiar old brick building tucked between two merchant shops—the orphanage. The paint on the sign was chipped, the wooden gate squeaked as he pushed it open, but the garden out front was blooming, just like always.
Inside, the halls were quiet, filled with the soft rustle of paper and distant laughter. He found her in the corner room, sitting by the window with a book far too big for her small hands.
"Hey, kiddo," he said with a smile, leaning against the doorway.
His little sister looked up instantly, her eyes lighting up as she leapt to her feet. "Toni!"
She threw her arms around him, and he laughed, hugging her tight. They sat on the floor together, backs against the wall, and he began telling her about his day—the bustling streets, the crowd that had gathered while he played, how a group of teenagers had asked for his autograph.
"They really loved the new song," he said, nudging her gently. "The one I wrote with you in mind."
She beamed. "Are they finally gonna let you perform at the town show tonight?"
Toni hesitated. The question hit him harder than expected. He hadn't heard back from the organizers. Maybe he'd been ignored again. Maybe they didn't take street musicians seriously.
But then he saw her smile—hopeful, proud, unshakably certain.
He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "Of course they are."
Her cheer filled the room like sunlight. "That's lovely! Their gonna take us all to the performance tomorrow!"
Toni's heart drops. "Well then, ain't that great?" He timidly says. He had been lying about the greatness of his music! "I can't wait to see you performing!"
Toni leaves the orphanage. "Ah you really dumped this up Toni, how the heck are you gonna perform at the concert?" He asks himself.
Later that evening, Toni leaned against a crumbling wall in one of Astrale's back alleys, the sun dipping low behind the rooftops. The warm tones of dusk painted the sky, but the mood among his so-called friends was anything but golden.
They lounged around him, tossing jabs and insults like they were part of the air they breathed.
"Still clingin' to that guitar like it's gonna save your life," one of them scoffed.
"You think you're gonna get rich with those love songs, huh?" another laughed. "You'll be beggin' for scraps like the rest of us by next week."
Toni said nothing, just tuned a string absently, letting their words wash over him.
Then one of them leaned in, voice low. "We're hitting the elder's place tonight. Word is he's got a stash of coin hidden behind the bookshelf. We split it, clean and fast."
The others grinned and nodded, already pulling together the plan. Toni looked up, brows furrowing.
"I'm out," he said simply.
They turned to him, surprised. "You serious?"
"You're lame, man," one sneered. "You get one round of applause and now you're too good for us?"
Toni shook his head. "Don't you guys ever want more than this? Running around town, making trouble—that's all we've been doing for years."
"Oh, now he's got morals," someone shot back. "You've done it with us a dozen times. Don't act like you're clean."
"I know," Toni said quietly, standing straighter now. "But I'm after something else these days. Time's.... running short."
They scoffed, waving him off like a fly. One of them muttered something under his breath. Another lit a cigarette and turned away.
Toni didn't argue. He just slung his guitar over his shoulder and walked. "You fellas take it easy.
A few blocks later, he climbed up the side of a narrow building with practiced ease, his fingers finding old bricks and ledges like second nature. At the top, he sat on the roof's edge, the wind tugging gently at his jacket.
Below, the town was winding down, but across the plaza, the grand hall was lighting up—lanterns swaying on its steps, people beginning to gather.
Toni looked at it for a long moment, then pulled the guitar into his lap and strummed a soft, quiet tune. The music floated upward, untouched by the noise of the city. Just him, the wind, and whatever future he could still reach for.
Walking the streets at night, the soft strumming of the guitar catches Kaito's ears. He climbs atop the building. The sight that greeted him was Toni sitting at the edge of the building.
Toni turns to see who his intruder is, he's delighted to see the boy from earlier. "Howdy friend," Toni greets peacefully.
Toni's music seemed different from earlier. "Why's it sound so sad this time?" Kaito asks.
Toni smiled softly. "Whatever i'm feeling is what i play, my guitar conveys my feeling," He says before playing once more. "I play here, whenever i'm feeling down, it's my favorite spot in the whole town, The plaza, the lights, the great hall, it's all beautiful friend." He explains.
Kaito looks at the great hall in the distance, recalling the things Dante explained. "Do you wanna perform in that building?"
Toni nods. "It's been a dream of mines, to share my music with the world," he responded, the sting of his friends from earlier, fresh in his mind. "My friends think it's stupid, but i think i can do it."
Kaito begins laughing, "Sounds like you need better friends."
Toni joins in the laughing. "Yeah." He says before he looks at the time. "Well i'm just awful sorry to keep running off on you like this friend!" Toni says before jogging away.
The hospital was quiet, the air heavy with antiseptic and dim hallway lighting. Toni stood at the front desk, guitar in hand, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm here to see Meriel," he said.
The nurse glanced up at him, her expression softening. She gave a slow nod, sadness flickering in her eyes before she motioned for him to follow.
Toni walked the familiar path through the corridors, each step growing heavier. They reached a small room tucked at the end of the hall, its door already half open. Inside, the beeping of machines kept a steady rhythm, and the light filtering through the curtains bathed everything in a pale glow.
Meriel lay in the hospital bed, pale but peaceful, her chest rising and falling gently beneath the blankets. Toni took a breath, then stepped in and sat beside her, placing his guitar carefully against the wall.
"Hey, Mom," he said softly. "I've got some good news. I'm gonna pay for your medicine, okay? We're gonna get you better. I promise."
Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a faint smile. "Still chasin' that dream?"
He chuckled. "Yeah. Still chasin' it. The guys give me a hard time about it, though."
She frowned. "I don't like those boys you hang around with."
"I know," Toni muttered. "But... they're around."
Meriel's gaze turned stern despite her frailty. "I want to see you perform at that hall, Toni. Not get arrested with them."
Toni looked down at his hands, his voice small. "I'm sorry, Mom."
There was a long pause. Then, as if needing to change the subject, he added, "I met someone today. A pretty decent guy, actually. He's got that calm way about him. Kinda cool. Makes you forget how loud the world is."
Meriel gave him a knowing look. "You gettin' lonely?"
"Yeah," he admitted. "A little."
She nodded, her eyes softening. "How's the house? And your sister—how's she doing in school?"
Toni hesitated, but forced a smile. "We still have the house," he lied gently. "And she's doing great. Top of her class."
That brought color to her cheeks. "Good. That's good."
She reached out and touched his hand. "You've always had a big head, you know. Use it to make music, not trouble."
Toni grinned and picked up his guitar, settling it across his lap. "Well, in that case… I've got something for you."
He began to strum slowly, the familiar melody carrying through the room. "Remember this? The duet we wrote when I was a kid? I'm gonna perform it at the hall. Just for you."
Meriel closed her eyes, the music wrapping around her like a warm blanket. And for a little while, the hospital faded, and it was just the two of them, lost in the notes of a song they'd written together—hopeful, aching, and still unfinished.