Page 78 of Elemasters

The Winter Formal was shaping up to be a resounding success, thanks to the immeasurable efforts of Chloe Li.

Everyone was dressed in either traditional formal wear, or unbearably tacky Christmas themed outfits. Some students had clearly snuck in airplane bottles of liquor and were drunkenly flailing off beat to the music, others were too busy making out to even pay attention to what songs were playing, and some were even sneaking off to fuck in less conspicuous locations.

It wasn’t the kind of audience Dustin would normally be excited about performing for, but honestly? In this moment, he couldn’t care less.

This wasn’t for them.

He was peeking from backstage, waiting for Colorful Trauma to be announced, while Bailey obsessively tuned and re-tuned her guitar and James wiggled rhythmically to the bass thumping through the speakers.

After what felt like an eternity, the only other twins at Kochiyama High took the stage; Chloe’s popular “friends”, Krissy and Kristen.

“Hiii everyone,” Krissy… or possibly Kristen, drawled. Her vocal fry was so exaggerated that Dustin could feel it rattling his bones, and she was smiling wide enough for him to see the whitening strips on her molars, “welcome to the 2006 Kochiyama High Winter Formaaaal,”

Dustin was still reeling from her butchering of that pronunciation when her sister Kristen… or possibly Krissy, took the baton, reading from a cue card that Chloe likely wrote.

“It is like, our pleasure, to introduce tonight’s performers. Some of you may remember them from their electric performance at last year’s Junior Prom. Ladies and gentlemen, Colorful Trauma!”

Dustin rushed to the mic as the curtains drew back. He was in place just as the lights came up; dramatic reds and blues illuminating the stage as the audience clapped. As soon as the applause died down, James started playing, and Dustin’s voice came out smooth and strong.

“Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you’re never coming ‘round,”

The moment he started singing, the restless, disinterested audience locked in. It was like he was having a siren effect on them or something; most of the students were speechless, and the ones who weren’t were reduced to stunned whispers.

As he belted out the chorus, his focus transcended the crowd entirely. All he could think about was him and Chris’s childhood pajama concerts, the way they’d sing this song at the top of their lungs in the back seat of their mom’s car, or that one time when they sang it in church under the guise that they’d be performing a hymn together.

Dustin was carrying that flame for both of them now… but not forever. He and Chris completed each other.

Fire and water. Yin and Yang. Same same but different.

The song reached its climax, with Bailey absolutely shredding alongside Dustin’s soaring high notes. The crowd whooped, cheered, and clapped as the trio took a bow. Dustin was grinning ear to ear…

But of course, the moment couldn’t quite last.

“Masters, I have completed preparations and fortified the Palace of Radiant Clouds. We must act swiftly and decisively if we are to save Master Ying before it is too late,”

Dustin locked eyes with Bailey and James, and Chloe flashed lights from the AV booth, signaling that she’d got the message loud and clear as well.

“That was like, totally amaaaazing,” Krissy/Kristen (Dustin seriously needed to learn to tell them apart at some point) said, taking the stage again and patting Dustin on the back, “who else thinks we need an encore?”

The crowd applauded in agreement.

“Unfortunately, we gotta split,” Dustin said into the mic, prompting a chorus of boos, “so sorry everyone! But trust me, the next time we perform it’ll be even better!”

He vacated the stage before anyone else could try to coerce him into staying, with Bailey and James hot on his heels. Chloe met them in the hallway outside of the gym, the harsh fluorescent lights nearly blinding them after spending so long under muted party lighting.

“Our friendly neighborhood ghost boy has killer timing,” Chloe rolled her eyes, gesturing at her stunning silver dress and matching pumps, “I’ve seriously gotta fight in this outfit now,”

“No worries, I brought a change of clothes and an extra pair of sneakers for you. They’re in the back of my truck,” Bailey reassured her, “now let’s move. We can’t miss this chance,”

The four of them bolted out of the school, and Dustin did his best to make his determination ironclad.

There weren’t gonna be any second chances. No margin for error.

It was time to bring Chris home.

Chapter 31

I Will Follow You Into the Dark