Felix Bauer had been a failed artist. He wanted to be idolized like Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, all of them.
In reality he was a nobody in a garage band. Even his "biggest hit" wasn't worth mentioning.
One day a drunk truck driver ended his life. It wasn't painful. He'd expected it to hurt more. That was Felix's only thought as everything went quiet.
After a breath of nothingness, he was standing in an endless white room.
"Yo," a guy his age said. Chill voice. "You popped in fast."
Felix looked at his hands, then up. "Am I dead?"
"Yeah, but like… between tracks," the guy said with a half-grin. "I'm the one who helps with the next song."
They stood there a second. Not heavy - more like waiting before the kick drops.
"Here's the deal," Hoodie said. "There's a nearby world you kinda know. It's missing songs. Not silence - holes where certain feelings used to have a map. I don't want you to copy the old maps. I want you to draw new ones that get people to the same place."
Felix swallowed. "Me? I wasn't even good."
"You cared," Hoodie said, like that settled it. "You listened. That's a start."
He flicked his wrist and a note card appeared. "You wake up as Felix Bauer. Sixteen. German exchange student. A mom at a PTA meeting just volunteered your host family with two days' notice. You get a Music System. Keep it simple."
Felix took the card. Clean print, like a to-do list.
Note
Streams → MP0–25k: 1 MP per 1,00025k–100k: 1 MP per 2,000100k–1M: 1 MP per 5,0001M–10M: 1 MP per 10,00010M+: 1 MP per 20,000
Spend MP on craftStats: Keys, Guitar, Bass, Drums/Percussion, Arrangement/Production, Performance, Ear Training, Songwriting. Costs go up as the stat rises.
Lyrics Library - text onlyObscure 40 MP · Known 100 MP · Hit 240 MP · Big Hit 620 MP · Iconic 1,400 MP(Just the words. No chords. No melody.)
He read it twice. "What about a starter?"
"Novice gift," Hoodie said, tapping his ear. "Perfect Pitch. Won't write for you. Will keep you honest."
Felix let out a short, shaky laugh. "Why me, though?"
"Because when rooms get loud, you still hear the note in the middle," Hoodie said. "Also, you're stubborn. That helps."
"Any tips?"
"Yeah. Make real stuff. For real people. That's it."
"Ready?" Hoodie asked.
"Not really," Felix said. "But yeah."
"Good enough."
A soft chime slid in behind his eyes.
[ MUSIC SYSTEM ONLINE ]Novice Gift: Perfect Pitch
The white brightened until it wasn't a room anymore. It became an airport aisle, a boarding call, and ahead - a glittery sign spelled almost right. He took a breath and stepped forward.
A man held a poster: FELIX BAUER. Felix almost stumbled.
Phil freaking Dunphy. Holy shit, he almost blurted.
Beside Phil stood another familiar face - Claire. Julie Bowen on TV. Claire here. His brain screamed; his mouth tried to act normal.
This wasn't very successful.
"Pretty nervous, huh, kid?" Phil stepped up and gave him a warm tap on the shoulder, mistaking excitement for nerves.
"Yes, Mr. Dunphy. Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Dunphy. My name is Felix Bauer. I'm 16 years old. I'm from Munich, Germany. I don't have parents and I hope to have the time of my life here in California," he said with a polite smile.
They blinked, maybe taken aback by how camera-ready he looked - lean-athletic build, defined shoulders, a clean V-taper; thick, wavy dark-brown hair falling forward under a backward black cap; warm brown eyes, strong brows, a straight nose, and a sharp jaw that softened with dimples when he smiled.
Claire, not one to be rattled by appearances for long, recovered. She was also a little worried about putting someone that handsome under the same roof as her daughters.
"No need to be too formal, Felix. Just call me Claire, and my husband Phil. Your English is really good. I can even hear an American accent. Where did you learn this?"
"I had a few online friends from America," Felix said quickly. He couldn't exactly tell her he'd been reborn from another world.
"I also have a few online friends from Europe," Phil said, brightening. "They're magicians. Do you want to see some tricks?"
"I'd love to, Phil," Felix said, grinning. He still couldn't believe he was talking to one of his favorite TV characters.
"Look. I'll show you a classic." Phil produced a coin. "See this?"
"Yes."
Phil flipped the coin, made a move, and it vanished. He reached behind Felix's ear and produced it - then fumbled from nerves and the coin clinked to the floor.
"How did you do that?!" Felix asked, full of curiosity, politely ignoring the miss at the end and Phil's brief embarrassment. He'd seen that trick before but never knew how it worked.
"A magician never reveals his tricks," Phil said, scooping up the coin.
"Felix, he hid the coin in one hand, pretended to put it in the other, showed that hand empty, then reached up and popped the coin out from behind your ear," Claire said from the side.
"Why did you tell him, Claire!" Phil groaned, only half-serious.
"Stop pouting, Phil. Let's bring Felix home," Claire said.