Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They woke up to a strange sensation: to them, it felt as though they were floating in water, yet without the feeling of suffocation that would typically come with it. Curious to see what's going on, they tried looking for their eyeglasses. But, as they stretched their hand outwards, they’re blocked - there seemed to be a glass wall in front.

Soon enough, footsteps came approaching, and the water surrounding them slowly drained down. Their eyes vaguely made out a silhouette of a man, who came to approach them and held out something. It's a cloth. They took it and covered themself in it. Then, the man spoke.

“I’m glad to see you. Am I right to assume that you’re...?”

-o0o-

Hello there, Kanae! How are you and your friends in the mansion doing right now? For us, we are doing fine here. I just meant to tell you that someone I know is going to visit the mansion, so I hope you’ll be able to accommodate her. Have fun!

Kanae was just sweeping the floors of Otowa Mansion when, suddenly, her phone received a message from Kyougo. He hasn’t contacted her for a long time: the last time he did, it was when she just heard from him about the huge debt they incurred.

“Really, Dad? You haven’t been keeping in touch for months, and once you do, you ask me about a guest? Get your priorities straight, jeez!” 

“A guest?! Who could it be?” Mozart arrived from outside on his heelies, and looked at her phone.

“Motz, I’ve been telling you not to make a mess inside.”

Ding! Kanae received another message. This time, it’s from Wagner.

Sister! I hope this message reaches you safely. How are you doing? Are the idiots still pestering you with their nonsense? As for us, we went on a trip to the Philippines to meet a friend of Father, and it turns out that this friend created another ClassicaLoid. This ClassicaLoid seems to be excited about meeting the idiots over there, so I’m just worried for you.

“Eh? Another ClassicaLoid?” Kanae and Motz said together.

BOOOOM! Something exploded in the kitchen.

Kanae fumed. "Beeeeet..."

Motz chuckled as he ran after Kanae, who stormed to the source of the explosion.

“Beet! What mess is this again?!”

“Ahhh! How am I going to be able to create more of the perfect gyoza?!”

“I told you not to use that strange contraption again. Now where are we going to get funds for fixing this mess?!”

“WRAAAAAAHHHH!”

The fiasco continued. Suddenly, they were interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

“Is everyone alright?”

Kanae, Motz, and Beet looked towards the doorway, where that voice came from. There appeared a bespectacled woman in a sundress, with a tan complexion and long, flowing hair.

“I’m really sorry for coming in without permission! I just heard something loud and disturbing, and I got really worried.”

Kanae approached the woman, attempting to pretend that nothing happened. “Ah! Could you be the guest Dad told me about?”

“You mean Kyougo Otowa-san?”

“Yes! I’m his daughter, Kanae Otowa. And you’re perhaps…?”

“Right! My name is Abelardo.”

“Abela--rdo?” The name didn't ring a bell for Kanae, it seems.

She smiled. “I guess I’m not well known around here. Oh well. You can call me Nica if you like.”

“A first name?!”

Motz approached the visitor with a bright expression. “Ah! Are you the new ClassicaLoid I heard about?”

“A new ClassicaLoid? Really?” Liszt appeared behind Nica.

“What is this about?” Chopin sheepishly trailed behind his companion, his face hidden by an orange box.

“Beethoven-senpai! Are you okay?!” Schubert appeared as well.

Nica's face lit up. “Could you all be, perhaps, the great composers the scientist told me about?!”

“The scientist?” Kanae said.

"Yes. He told me about this matter called ClassicaLoids, so I became very curious."

"Well, they call themselves like they're the great classical composers, but actually they're just a bunch of stupid i-"

"Then,” Nica took out took out a notebook from her bag, “can I...”

Everyone wondered what she was about to a-

“Get an autograph?!”

-o0o-

After some introductions and autograph signing, everyone gathered in the living room.

“So I’m thinking of staying here for a couple of days before going back to Manila. I noticed that you are looking for tenants, so may I ask if you accept transients here?”

“Yes, we do accept transients! The rent per day is quite cheap actually! It should just cost...” Kanae took out a calculator, registered numbers, and showed the results.

Nica turned pale.

Oh no! I don’t have enough money for even a single day and I already booked a ticket to Manila and I can’t refund that. To think that I worked for a good five months just so I can get here and finally meet them… My God, what should I do? She said that this is already cheap. Where do I even get the money just so I can sleep somewhere? AAAAAAHHHH! Somebody get me a gin, I need to- Nicanor, no! Haven’t you learned your lesson yet? You died from this!

“Abelardo-san, are you okay? Did I say something bad?” Kanae said.

She snapped out from her daze, noticing the landlady’s worried look.

“Ah, can I, uh, ask where I can wo-”

“If you're worried about the rent, Nica-chan, you can just sleep in my room instead!” Liszt suggested to her.

“Eh?” The visitor was confused for a moment.

“Just leave the rent to me!~”

“EHHHHHH?! Tha- That sounds-!”

“Now don’t worry too much about it!”

Motz interjected. “What about us?! Help us pay our rent, please!”

“You guys aren't even transients,” Liszt replied.

“Liszt-san," Kanae said, "you do know that’s going to be an additio-”

“Say, Nica-chan, which of us do you like the most?” Liszt said.

Kanae sighed.

“You are all very admirable composers," Nica said, "but if I have to choose one, it’s, well, actually, it’s, Wagner-san.”

“Ehhh?!” Everyone else’s eyes widened.

“I mean, have you actually met that boy?” Liszt said.

“I did! If I have to be frank, I didn’t expect him to be, particularly, mean.”

“Maaan, how could he be so mean to such a fine lady as yourself?”

“Shut it, Motz,” Kanae said.

While wiping his glasses with a cloth, Schu asked: “That fool aside, what did he do to you?”

“He told me that my music was unremarkable.”

“Ehhh?!” Everyone shouted in chorus.

“I don’t usually think too much of what other people say about me, but,” she scratched her head and chuckled nervously, “it still sucks to hear that from someone that had so much influence on me.”

“Could you be,” Liszt’s eyes sparkled, “in love?”

“Love?” Nica’s reaction wasn’t that of someone flustered by the suggestion of having a crush. Instead, her expression looked rather somber.

“Abelardo-san?” Kanae took notice of her expression.

“I’m not sure, but it feels as though I’m forgetting something really important.”

Motz stood up in excitement. “Could this be Musik?!”

“Musik?” Her eyes widened.

“We don’t know why, but whenever these people are trying to remember something, it usually meant that there's going to be new music,” Kanae said.

“So could this mean,” Liszt took her hand, “that you’re really in love?”

“It really isn’t like that… or rather, it doesn’t feel like that’s what’s bugging me. I’m not sure why.”

She knew aspects of her own past life, and she even knew what her name was, as she felt that the man that time was right:

...that you’re the Nicanor Abelardo?

...and yet, she felt that something more was missing.

Chapter Text

He claimed to be a scientist, and Abelardo to be his creation - a ClassicaLoid, a being reincarnated from great composers of the past. He told them that decades have passed since, and that the country was no longer an American colony as the composer remembered. That he was an assistant to the first ClassicaLoid project under a certain Kyougo Otowa, that the project was cut short because their head suddenly disappeared. That he was now back in the Philippines, in Manila, his hometown.

He also told them that his learning about Kundiman, this local genre of love songs, compelled him to replicate Otowa’s research, and that he chose to reincarnate Abelardo specifically because he happened to have an album of his works, one which he was most fond of.

Even for the composer, who in the past was known for his sharp memory, these information were overwhelming to hear. But for as heavy as these information were, Abelardo still had as much lingering confusion about a lot of things.

“That's all I can say for now. Do you have any questions?”

The composer raised a hand. “Frankly, a lot.” 

“You are very well within your rights to feel that way, Maestro.”

“You do not have to refer me by a honorific,” they chuckled.

He scratched his head. “All right, then. What should I call you though?”

“I'd rather talk about that later. Anyway, here is one thing. I sure seem like a girl right now.”

“Oh! About that, I was inspired to base your appearance to one of your works. You know, the Muse of Pasig?”

The composer did not expect such a mundane answer out of this.

“That? Well, alright, not like I care much about it. I don’t mind living as a woman. And since you mentioned it, you can just call me Nicanor or Nica, whichever you prefer.”

“Alright then.”

“But assuming you just decided on your own how I should look...”

"Hm?"

She squinted her eyes. “Why do I still see poorly?”

“A- About that, th- that’s a coincidence! Just a coincidence!”

She looked at him directly, her eyebrows furrowed by her squinting.

“A- Anyway! I should get you eyeglasses later.”

“Well, you better commit to that.”

He let out a sheepish chuckle.

“Anyway,” she stood up from her seat, “you mentioned that there are other ClassicaLoids besides me. May I asked who they possibly are?”

“I’m not sure where they are right now, but off the top of my head,” he mentioned as many names as he could recall. She knew what those names are - any musician worth their salt would!

“Are you dead serious?”

The scientist nodded.

“Then-!!”

Abelardo decided that she wanted to meet these ClassicaLoids. Neither of them were sure of their whereabouts, but as soon as she got her spectacles she already started looking for a job. In the case that they find out where they are, at least she would have enough money to go on a trip.

She was unsure about how she could possibly apply for anything without having any evidences of her identity, but she fortunately stumbled on a job that wouldn’t need her to have them. It’s a cafe that happened to be a small family business, and they were looking for a pianist who can entertain customers live. For whatever reason, they didn’t ask for any documents from her - they just needed someone skilled. She knew she can more than qualify for that, and surely enough her performance impressed the proprietors.

The head proprietor, a woman of mid-ages, approached her. “You’re amazing, Nica! I’d just like to ask, what music did you just play right now?”

They didn’t know. “It’s my- I mean, it’s a solo piano arrangement of a Cavatina composed by a Filipino art composer. Do you know?”

“I’m unfortunately not as knowledgeable of classical music as I want to. But you can talk to me about it sometimes.”

“I'd love to!”

The proprietor quickly accepted her. The pay was not bad, she felt; she didn’t really need the money as the scientist was willing to look after her, but the possibility of being able to meet the greatest of composers motivated her. Plus, they seemed to be in good vibes.

Her life was fairly mundane for the next four or five months. She would usually play light classical and dance music, though some customers would occasionally approach her to play pop tunes on piano. She could somehow ad lib them after a quick listen, or sightread them based on scores found online, and sometimes the customers clapped by the end of it. She found these tunes pleasant enough, but not particularly impressive, but whatever got her the money.

As mundane as these days were, she was slowly recovering memories of her past life. One time, she asked the scientist, if the 'conservatory' still existed.

“Oh, you mean, the conservatory you studied in and taught for a long while?” the scientist replied.

Nica nodded. “It's kind of sad that I can no longer meet Tony and the other, but I want to at least pay a visit to the conservatory, in case it still exists somewhere.”

“It still exists, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Though it's a College of Music now, and it’s no longer in Padre Faura. It moved to somewhere towards North. It's not too far from here though. I could give you some directions.”

Through a tablet computer, the scientists told her what transportation to ride to get there. Getting it, she quickly left.

“Great! I won’t take long!”

“Alright. Keep safe.” The two waved at each other, and the composer left. The scientist returned to his tablet computer when something came to his mind.

“Oh, yeah, right. The name of the building, wasn't it...”

Suddenly, an email. He checked it to see a message from Kyougo Otowa-

“Are you dead serious?!”

-o0o-

“Wow.”

Nica got to the college without any problems - she was just surprised that the building was literally named after her.

Curious, she walked along the college building's hallway. There were students rehearsing their pieces everywhere, without paying heed to the clashing of sounds from all over the place. She happened to a pianist practicing a piece called, based on the score, Antonio Molina’s Malikmata. Oh! I see Tony has picked up some things from Debussy. That's nice, she thought.

She continued to walk around, fascinated by the sounds created by students rehearsing around the building. Before she knew it, the sky began to show a hint of red, so she decided to go outside.

This time, another tune greeted her. It’s coming from the Carillon Tower nearby. She knew that piece: it's from the university hymn she composed before. 

Then a strange feeling struck her - an intense sensation radiating from her chest. She felt as though she was forgetting something, something important. She tried to find the source of this feeling, navigating around the vast yet nebulous space that is her memories, but it seemed too distantly placed at the back of her mind for her arms to reach.

“If Santos’ description is correct, then you must be the new ClassicaLoid he created. Am I right?”

A voice came from behind her. She looked back - It’s of a middle-aged man, accompanied by a blond boy with a ring-shaped brooch. Santos? A pretty common surname, and the surname of the scientist's as well.

“I know a Santos, but who could you be, perhaps?”

“Right. I’m Kyougo Otowa. As for this boy right here, his name is Wagner.”

Nica became nervous. Kyougo, she remembered, was the scientist who created the first set of ClassicaLoids, so the Wagner with him was, definitely, the real deal Wilhelm Richard Wagner. The Wagner whose music played a big role in her past life as a musician and composer.

“I told Santos earlier that we were going to visit the carillon tower here before meeting with him, when he suddenly replied about you,” Kyougo said.

“Oh, wait, seriously?”

Meanwhile, Wagner looked at the carillon tower. “This is what you brought me for, Father? It's rather unremarkable.”

Nica turned pale. Kyougo chuckled while scratching his head.

Soon after, the three rode a bus on their way to the scientist’s house, while chatting along.

“Are you serious? Mozart and Beethoven and many more composers are currently staying in your place in Japan?”

Kyougo nodded. “I’m sure they’re having fun while looking after my daughter.”

Wagner retorted. “You say ‘looking after,’ but I’m sure those idiots are just creating mess over there and making Sister angry.”

The two chuckled nervously.

“Anyway, I’ve actually been wanting to personally meet them, so it's a pleasure to know their whereabouts. So, can I ask for the address?”

“Oh sure! Kanae would be happy to meet you.” Kyougo ripped a page from his notebook and wrote the location and directions to the Otowa Mansion. He gave it to her, whose face lit up in response.

“Thank you so much for this! I might even ask for their autographs.”

“Autographs, I see? Do you also want to ask an autograph from Wagner over here?”

“That would be the greatest honor!”

Wagner blushed, but tried to keep his cool exterior. “Of course it would be a great honor for you to receive an autograph from a composer as great as myself! Here. Take it as a gift from me to you.” He gave her a page from a notebook with his signature. It seemed like he has a notebook full of his signatures.

“Waaaaah, this feels so surreal,” she was mostly very happy to take the autograph. Still dead inside, but nonetheless happy.

The three safely arrived to the scientist’s house. Some time after, Nica took a flight to Japan. On how she was able to secure a passport for this, well, it was a secret that she and the scientist decided to take to their graves.

Chapter Text

The following day, after Abelardo’s arrival, Kanae proposed to the five ClassicaLoids in the mansion to do housekeeping. There were some arguments for a while, but the tasks were delegated soon enough. Schu and Motz got partnered again at mopping the floor, and Chopin and Beet cleaned the laundry. Liszt assumed the role of the symbol as usual. As for Nica, she went out to try to visit Bach.

Soon enough Nica arrived, seemingly tipsy.

“Ah! Nica-chan!” Motz exclaimed.

“You guys are cleaning the mansion, I see. Mind if I help out?” She clumsily walked towards the kitchen, took a rag, and wiped dust off of furniture. She held a vase so weakly that they seem about to fall off, but she appeared to be doing the work just fine.

Schu and Motz' jaws dropped.

“Hey, Schu-san, Motz, don’t just stand there and do your work!” Kanae’s voiced terrified the two that they quickly went back to mopping.

Kanae approach the drunk visitor. “Are you okay over there?”

“A little tipsy, but I’m not wasted yet.”

“How was the visit with Bach-san?”

“About that, by coincidence I was able to meet Tchaiko-san.”

“Ah, Tchaiko-chan! Isn’t she adorable?”

“She is! A little strange too. She asked for us to disguise as a man in a trenchcoat so she could buy vodka, and I went along because I also get mistaken for a teenager sometimes and I wanted to drink gin once in a while. I try not to, but I just, wanted to try once in a while.”

“Ehhhh.”

“To no one’s surprise, the bar’s bouncer caught us. It was strangely funny seeing her rage about it. She gave up after a while, but as we were walking away, we saw Bach-san. What a tall man, that Bach-san.”

“He is! What happened after?”

“He invited us to his office. I wonder if he heard us talk about the plans because he had gin with him.”

“He didn’t have vodka?”

“He said Tchaiko-san isn’t allowed to drink, sadly.”

Kanae chuckled. “Anyway, did you also meet Bada-chan? Her partner?”

“Ah, the girl with Tchaiko-san? I saw that person scolding Tchaiko-san over the vodka thing. I don’t think I should be laughing over it but it was hilarious.”

A piercing scream suddenly came from the are where the washing machine is located.

“Chopin-san? What happened?”

Soon after, Musik resounded around the mansion, turning everyone’s outfits into superhero costumes.

“That’s Chopin’s Heroic Polonaise! Is this the Musik thing everyone told me about before.”

“Yes. I’m worried about the scream though. I’ll check it out.”

Kanae ran to Chopin’s location. Abelardo followed, still as clumsy as she was tipsy. They saw Beet in the middle holding a flamethrower. Meanwhile, Chopin is trembling while conducting in one corner. On a wall exactly opposite to him is a cockroach.

Kanae sweatdropped. “Chopin-san, that’s the problem?”

“T-this cockroach-! This cockroach can fly!”

“Ehhhhhh.”

Nearby, Dvorak with Pad-kun arrived at the scene, noticing the new visitor in the mansion.

“I believe that you must be new here.”

“I came here to visit for a while, yes.”

“I see. Is this your first time seeing a Musik?” Pad-kun said to her.

“Yes, this is the first time I’ve seen one. It’s fascinating.”

“It is! Since we just met for the first time, let me introduce myself. I am Pad-kun. As for my job, I’ll let you in on something: Chopin was said to compose this Heroic Polonaise as his way of expressing his love for his hometown Poland.”

“A love for his hometown,” this line struck a chord in Nica. It’s that strange feeling again. She tried to pursue the source of that feeling -- what was it about the university’s hymn that struck her? Right, the lyrics, what was it again? She ran the song through her head until...

All hail, thou hope of our dear land.

Love - hope of our dear land - a love for his hometown—

“I remember now!”

In that exact moment, blue light quickly enveloped around her as a stylized baton resembling a river sprung out from her hand.

“Tanggapin nawa, itong awit ng pagsuyo! (May it be accepted, this song of adoration!)”

The light around her spread out, revealing Nica in a blue and brown dress with the silhouette of a traditional Philippine attire. She stood on top of the mechanical organ, as her baton transformed into a figure of a mystical woman in front of her. A tune in minor key and of a rock ballad kind resounded all over the mansion, transforming the scene into an evening of wooden houses standing beside a river.

Everyone in the mansion were surprised by the sight, but they were more surprised to see themselves wearing similar traditional clothing.

“Eh, what is this?” Kanae exclaimed, seeing herself wear a modest gown with layers of flaxen sheer fabric.

“I couldn't find anything about it on my Japanese database, but I finally found it elsewhere,” Pad-kun’s screen showed a portrait of the composer, “this piece is called Muse of Pasig, composed by Filipino composer Nicanor Abelardo on 1926. In incorporating folk music in classical forms, Abelardo hoped for music that Filipinos could claim as theirs.”

“They got that right,” Nica said, and looked at the woman in front of her, “and that was exactly what you wanted from me, right?”

The woman smiled, and held out her hand to her. Nica took her hand, causing memories to suddenly flash on her mind. Memories of being greeted a happy birthday by his Filipino friends during his otherwise lonely stay in America. Memories of being embraced by his wife as he arrived back home. Memories of his youngest sister talking about her joys of finally graduating as he laid on his deathbed.

Finally, memories of attending a carnival in Pasig, the very carnival that inspired him to compose the very Musik she just unleashed.

Going back to her senses, Nica saw the woman in front of her slowly dissipate, leaving a baton in her hand. Waving it, the music transforms to a comforting major key. The sun started to shine around them.

“It’s ridiculous for that boy to call her music unremarkable. This Musik is far from it,” Liszt said.

“Well, he's the type to say such a thing,” Schubert said, adjusting his glasses.

“Fair point.”

Soon enough, the Musik ended. Nica looked at the rest of the people in the mansion.

“I literally showed my Musik to people like you, I can’t believe it!”

“That’s a pretty interesting Musik you showed us earlier! We should play music together some time!” Motz said, approaching her very closely.

Did Mozart just praised me? “Yes! It would be an honor to!”

Motz nodded.

Nica was set to leave the next day, so they held a small party -- rather, a jamming session -- in the mansion’s living room. She already sobered up a bit by that time. They rented a set of stringed instruments nearby, and now playing pieces they could think of. Beet and Schu took violins, Motz a viola, Chopin a melodica, and Liszt a piano that she was able to get back not too long ago. Nica was playing cello with them. The jamming session continued until very late at night.

“Hey, everyone, look! Nica-chan is sleeping, yet she’s still playing the cello like she’s awake,” Motz said.

Everyone thought he was just being silly until they actually saw her doing exactly just that.

The next day, Nica arrived safely in Manila. Outside the airport, she saw the scientist, Kyougo, and Wagner with suitcases with them as well.

“Ah, yeah, I forgot to tell you that they’ll be leaving today,” the scientist said.

“Oh! I guess it’s nice that I’m able to meet them today,” Nica said.

“Say, how was Kanae over there?” Kyougo asked.

“Kanae is really nice! I was glad to be able to meet her.”

“That's great! Anyway, I'm meeting with my wife in the underwater research facility soon. I’ll see you next time, hopefully!”

The two started walking towards the airport, when...

“Wagner-san!”

Wagner stopped and looked at Nica.

“I don’t plan to be a remarkable composer for you. But, at least,” she let out a gentle smile, “I hope one day to see that proprietor happy again.”

“Oh-kay?” Wagner was confused, but he tried responding anyway. He ran back towards Kyougo and disappeared to the airport.

Nica and the scientist walked away to return to his house.

“How come you didn’t tell me about the Musik thing?”

“I forgot,” he chuckled, “but, oh, you were able to use Musik?”

“Somehow. It was really weird.”

“That’s interesting! You should show me some time.”

“Hm, I’m not yet sure how it works yet, but I can try some time.”