The Future of Sulani | 4
Malia's still-evolving ability to convene with the island spirits has a steep learning curve. On some level, she can understand why her mother spent her life constantly on the run from it. It's certainly disconcerting, to say the least, to find yourself in the most unexpected moments suddenly in the presence of mysterious, bright blue orbs of light that only you can see and don't so much speak as pulse with an unintelligible urgency. Although she still has yet to crack the code of what they want her to do with it, she can feel her power grow stronger every time they surround her. It's like they're siphoning their psychic energy straight into her veins.
There's no denying that something is happening deep inside her, even if she doesn't yet have the words to explain it. Her meditation sessions lately have been more intense than she's ever experienced, at times nearly transcendent. Sometimes, her mind and body become so perfectly aligned that she feels weightless, as if she's floating light as a feather in the air, supported on mental willpower alone.
"Oh, shit," she exclaims as her attention is abruptly thrust back into reality and she finds her feet scrabbling frantically for her meditation stool, only to find nothing but air beneath them. "I'm actually levitating. What the fuck?"
She somehow doubts it's where the spirits are trying to lead her, but she figures she might as well make good use of her newly-acquired super mindfulness powers and see if she can land her first real job at a spa in Mua Pel'am.
"I'm afraid we're already covered for yoga instructors and meditation gurus," the owner tells her, and Malia's heart immediately sinks. "But we could use another masseuse. Got any skills in that area?"
Full of spirit-invoked confidence, Malia explains that, technically, no, she doesn't exactly have any massage experience, but she is a quick learner and is willing to be trained on a trial basis for the first week or two. "I promise you won't regret it!" she concludes breathlessly.
"I appreciate your spirit," the owner tells her. "Well, our first booking of the day isn't for a couple of hours yet. Hop up on that table and let me show you how it's done. It's best to experience it firsthand. I've always believed we absorb knowledge more quickly through the body than the brain."
Malia happily obliges. She can't say no to a free massage, though she's careful not to let her mind drift away and instead focuses as intently as she can on the movements of the owner's hands across her back and the pleasant tingling sensations they produce at the base of her spine.
The second part of their date is an ocean dolphin encounter. Between Nani's dad taking her out on ecological missions as a kid and Noelani's dad regularly summoning sea life with his mermadic abilities, it's not exactly a new experience for either of them, but there's still a certain magic in it, especially since they get to enjoy the moment together.
"I'm not sure who's cuter, you or this dolphin," Nani muses aloud.
"You'd better say me," Noelani responds in mock outrage, "or I'm never taking you out again."
As daylight is slowly replaced by the hazy orange glow of sunset, the dolphins dive back to their underwater lair and the two of them are left drifting alone in the still, silent waters. Nani pulls Noelani's body close against hers. "Of course it's you," she tells them. "It's always you."
The night quickly grows chilly, and they remain tightly intertwined even after reaching the shore, pressing skin against skin to stay warm. It's amazing how comfortable and familiar their relationship already feels. Of course, they were friends first, but neither of them was certain that would necessarily translate to a successful romance. Luckily, the transition has been smoother than they ever could have imagined.
Early the next morning, it's back to the old grindstone for Nani. Having done her fair share of grunt work, she's been recently promoted to the position of conservation regulator, which means she'll be doing less cleaning up beaches and more creating, promoting, and enforcing policy, which is where her real passion lies. She's always been good with people and words, and she feels like she's finally in a position to use these talents to make a real difference.
Her parents are proud of her, too, though she wishes they would be a little more subtle about showing it. Sometimes, she wishes they didn't live on an island so small they can easily track her every movement. Her mom is constantly showing up, by complete coincidence, naturally, to shower her with praise while she's trying to get work done. She can't deny it boosts her confidence, but she also finds it hard to concentrate with Lilliana beaming over her shoulder.
Meanwhile, Noelani has been hard at work throwing together some fresh new tracks for their next pop-up DJ set. They've also started uploading their songs to Simify, though none of them have gained much traction - until today. When Nani gets home from work, Noelani can't help but immediately burst out with the good news. "I don't know how or why, but I got added to one of those ultra-exclusive curated playlists, and my listener count has been blowing up ever since! My song's right there next to some of the heaviest hitters in the electronic game! Do you know what this means? This could be my big break!"
Later that night, they head out with their portable DJ booth to the Ohan'ali Town pavilion, where a large crowd is already gathering for a neighborhood barbecue. They plan to capitalize on hitting the algorithm-generated playlist placement jackpot by playing the chosen song, complete with new live transitions and improvised samples, and uploading video of it to SimTube and Simstagram, where some carefully-selected hashtags and keywords might boost its profile even further. First, though, they have to peak the attention of the party happening on the opposite side of the grounds enough for them to wander over. They can hardly share a recording that doesn't show a decently-sized crowd.
Naturally, Malia takes it upon herself to shift the crowd in Noelani's direction. "Hey, I recognize you! You were totally at our beach party last week! Wasn't the music just amazing? You know you've been dying to hear those tunes again."
"Uh, actually," the guy mumbles, running his hand awkwardly across his head. "I only stayed because you begged me to. I was hoping I might get a date out of it or something. I'm not even much of a music fan, to be honest with you."
"Ha!" Malia exclaims sharply. "Not even a music fan, funny. Well, you're going to be a music fan tonight, buddy, and you're going to like it."
He shrugs noncommittally. "Yeah, sure, I guess. As long as that date's still on the table."
"Maybe," she tells him and then scurries off again before he realizes that she's absolutely lying. There's no harm in playing along and making him feel like it's a worthwhile chase for an hour or two, is there?
"All right, everybody, let's dance like our lives depend on it!" Malia shouts to those who have gathered around, pressing record and raising her phone on high as Noelani prepares to segue into the song.
Everyone seems to love it, though it's not quite the rapturous response Noelani was hoping for. But it's not as though the majority of Sulani's residents have their pulse on the electronic music scene. They appreciate having something high energy to dance to, but they can't really pick out the nuances of the track's construction. Still, Noelani hopes they'll be a bridge to listeners who can, carrying them slowly but surely toward an audience who connects with their work not only physically but intellectually.
Noelani smiles every time they see a phone in the air. Any recording is another opportunity to go viral and finally be seen by the right eyes, and the more opportunities there are out there, the higher the chances are.
When the set is over, Nani is quick to remind Noelani she's their biggest fan by swooping in with a congratulatory kiss.
"Tonight felt really good!" Noelani says, glowing with accomplishment. "I finally feel like I might be getting somewhere. For the first time, this crazy dream of making it as a musician I've been holding onto for so long seems like it might be within reach."
That night, the spirits bless Malia with their presence, surrounding her in light and warmth even in sleep. There's something different about their energy this time. It's almost like they're pleased... or maybe even proud. Tonight felt so joyous and celebratory and communal. Perhaps they picked up on the mood, too, and are glad to see their island and its people thriving.
It's only a few days later when Noelani receives a call that might change their life forever. On her end, Nani can't quite get a handle on the broader context of the call, but she knows it must be an important one. The excitement in Noelani's voice is evident in their frequent exclamations of "Oh my god!" and "Are you serious?" and "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"Okay, spill already!" Nani can't help demanding as soon as Noelani hangs up.
Noelani shakes their head and laughs incredulously. "You'll never believe it, but that was a record label, a real record label. And not only a record label but Dinky Beats, which is only one of the coolest underground electronic imprints going right now!"
"Oh my god, babe! Are you telling me you're a signed recording artist now?"
Noelani laughs again. "Not quite yet. There's a ton of paperwork to sign first, and they only want to license the one song. But they'll put a big promotional push behind it, which will hopefully mean a boost in popularity and royalties. Plus, if it performs well enough, they might be willing to sign me for more."
Quickly, the celebration evolves into an extended make-out session, leaving Malia once again feeling like the awkward third wheel. "I think I'll leave you guys alone to savor the moment," she says. "I should be getting to work anyway. I'm finally going to give my first massage!"
But her announcement barely registers, as Noelani and Nani are still wholly consumed by their excitement. They're already making lofty plans and predictions about where Noelani's career might be headed from here and what they will buy with Noelani's first big royalty check. If even half of their wildest guesses come true, Noelani will be over the moon. They hardly could have predicted they'd even get this far when, years ago, their parents gifted them with their first DJ set-up as a Winterfest surprise. Back then, it was just a hobby for them to channel their intense teenage emotions into; now, it feels like it could be the key to their entire future.