Rewind With A Superstar System-Chapter 72: New York
<🎧 Song Recommendation: Welcome To New York by Taylor Swift>
...
Emily had not been joking when she said they were driving to New York. She meant it in the most literal way possible.
Hours bled into one another as they drove through the long winding road, and the adrenaline of the escape, the sheer audacity of walking out of the Star Mansion and jumping into a stranger’s van, began to wear off, replaced by the monotony of the open road.
The landscape shifted from the urban sprawl of Los Angeles to the dusty, scrub-brush plains of the desert.
It was a forced proximity that neither of them had truly prepared for, but they used the time to peel back the layers of strangerhood.
Between bouts of radio silence and the static of dying radio stations, they talked and got to know their paths better.
Somewhere around the border of Arizona, with the sky painted in oranges, Von finally voiced the thought that had been gnawing at him since the confetti fell.
"The bars," Von murmured. "In the last minute... Bar B spiked and shot right past A which was leading comfortably."
He turned to look at Emily. Her profile was sharp, illuminated only by the dashboard lights and the headlights of oncoming trucks.
"I’m suspicious," Von admitted. "I think they manipulated the votes in Julian’s favor."
Emily didn’t look surprised. Instead, she let out a dry, humorless laugh, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel.
"Of course they did," she said, her tone as casual as if discussing the weather. "I knew about that before the show even started airing tonight. What were you even expecting in the first place when someone like Julian West was competing?"
Von frowned, the confirmation stinging as much as the suspicion.
"Hmm," Von looked back through the window. "Can’t we do something about that? If we can prove it..."
Emily shook her head without her eyes leaving the road. "No. We’re truly helpless in that situation. Proving digital fraud against a network owned by Cloudary Holdings? You’d be broke and forgotten before we even got to discovery."
"But," she added. "I can help you get your prize money. That’s not a problem. I’ll request for it as soon as we’re done with the agent agreement."
Von stopped gazing out the window and turned to her in shock. "What? How are you going to do it? The legal team said it was frozen pending an investigation."
Emily smiled at the question, a predatory grin that made Von glad she was on his side. "I should be asking what gave them the right to freeze your money in the first place. That’s an intimidation tactic, Von. West World filed a claim, not a court order. A network can’t withhold earnings based on a third-party complaint without a judge signing off on it. They’re just banking on you being unrepresented."
At that point, Von was convinced he had made the right decision choosing Emily.
He sat back, letting the relief wash over him. He would soon get 100 grand. Even though it wasn’t the 1 million dollar grand prize, it was still life-changing money. It was more than he had ever seen in his life.
"I can do a lot with that," Von whispered.
Emily interrupted his thought trail, her voice cutting through the daydream. "Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s barely enough for our expenses. My commission takes a chunk, and then there’s New York. Rent, food, equipment. And if we’re putting out a proper single that can go for the charts, marketing, studio time, mixing, mastering, I’ll have to make a lot of cover."
The reality hit Von immediately, but still, having a fighting chance was better than having nothing.
Von pulled out his phone. The screen was cracked slightly from a drop during the chaos backstage, but it still worked. He opened the file Emily had emailed him hours ago, the revised Agent Agreement.
He read it over one last time. It was standard and fair. 20% commission on all entertainment-related income. A clause that she acted as his exclusive manager and booking agent. She had simply reduced the amount he owed her.
He couldn’t be too careful, though. He had sent a copy to Zack earlier to review. Von opened his messages and saw that Zack had given his reply.
[I read through it. It’s legit, honestly. Standard rates, no weird ownership clauses over your masters. It’s perfect! You can sign it if you’re ready. Good luck and stay safe! 🙂👍🏻]
Von felt a surge of warmth at Zack’s help. He had already spoken to him and Naomi on the phone earlier, explaining the sudden departure.
Even with how things were going he still felt guilty that he wasn’t able to hand them a stack of cash immediately. But that feeling helped his mindset to work harder and faster. He would change their lives, too. He just needed time.
Von digitally signed the document and hit send.
"It’s done," Von said. "I signed it." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
"Good," Emily said. "Now we’re officially on the same team."
"How much longer is this drive going to take?"
"Long enough."
***
The trip took two days. It was a blur of highway markers, gas station coffee, and the changing face of America. They crossed the Rockies, the flatlands of the Midwest, and the green hills of Pennsylvania.
Unfortunately, they had to sleep on the road. They pulled into rest stops for a few hours at a time, sleeping awkwardly in the seats. Emily suffered the most. She drove the entire distance since Von was unable to drive.
Finally, late on the second night, the skyline appeared.
New York City.
It was different from Los Angeles. LA was a horizontal sprawl of lights; New York was a vertical wall of fire and steel rising out of the black water. Even from a distance, the energy was alive.
They navigated the traffic of the Holland Tunnel and emerged into the chaos of Manhattan. Emily drove with the aggression of a local, weaving through yellow cabs until she pulled up in front of a modest hotel in the Chelsea district.
Emily stretched in exhaustion after getting down from the car. "I booked you a room here for a week. You’ll stay here for now. Until you get an apartment."
"Hmm," Von nodded, grabbing his bag and stepping onto the sidewalk. The air was cooler here as there was rain minutes ago. She had already informed him of most of their plans, and from the looks of it, he would be in New York for a quite long time. It only made sense he steadied himself first.
"I’ll get going now," Emily said, waving him goodbye and putting the van in gear.
"Hold on. Where are you staying?"
Emily looked at him, surprised by the concern. "I live in New York..."
"Ah, I see. Drive safely then."
Von turned and entered the reception. The check-in was quick as Emily had evidently prepaid and he soon had a key card in his hand.
He took the elevator up to the 4th floor to find his room. It was a modest room. Beige walls, a sturdy desk, and an average-sized bed with white linens.
The window looked out into an alleyway and it wasn’t anything too luxurious, certainly a far cry from the opulent suites of the Star Mansion, but it was private and comfortable.
Plus he couldn’t complain considering he wasn’t the one footing his bills in the first place.
Von dropped his bag by the door and quickly refreshed in the small bathroom before settling on the bed.
His mind was still racing about the earlier events. What if he hadn’t followed Emily? He didn’t know why, but something inside him warned him that it wouldn’t have ended well if Project: Star handled his transportation.
He still hadn’t forgotten the night of the Finale. Even though he hadn’t won, the aftermath was sweeter than the trophy. He had ended up exposing Julian for the fraud he was. The silence from Julian’s camp only confirmed the guilt of the fans who had dissected his lyrics to make up their theories.
The Finale had racked up over 21 million views on InkTube, so there was no way to hide keep it under wraps either. But that also meant he was a target. Von was sure the West dynasty wouldn’t take this lying down.
Von shrugged and a grin spread across his face.
’Well, it was more than worth it at the end.’
He closed his eyes and summoned the interface.
[SUPERSTAR SYSTEM — STATUS PANEL]
[BIO]
● Name: Von Varley
● Age: 18
● Class: Student
● Title: Uncrowned King (equipped), Street Performer,
● System Level: 1
[STATS]
● Vocals: B- (145/1000)
● Composition: D+ (15/100)
● Charm: C (0/300)
● Willpower: C- (0/300)
[PROGRESSION]
● Skills: Basic Instrument Mastery, Resonance (D), Emote (D-), Advanced Choreography Mastery (B)
● EXP: 1,520
● Current Fans: 30,860
● Quests: 1 available.
● Star Shop: 35 Vouchers, 1x Zone State (A), 1x Egg
[Uncrowned King: Your fans are significantly more aggressive in defending you. Negative press or smear campaigns have a 50% chance to backfire, generating sympathy instead of ruining your reputation.]
Von was very impressed by the title he had received from the main Quest reward. It almost didn’t seem real. A passive defense against bad PR was invaluable in the industry he was entering.
But the most shocking fact was the fandom growth. Over 30,000 fans! He was still a long way from the next milestone of 50,000 fans, but knowing there were thirty thousand real people out there waiting for his next move made him feel fulfilled.
And the EXP reward was a plus he hadn’t even decided how to spend yet. There were just too many routes: upgrading a skill, upgrading one or more of his many stats, or even saving for a purchase.
He had a lot to spend on but far too little.
As for the egg...
Von focused on the Star Shop inventory. He had gotten it from the Lottery Ticket weeks ago. He still had no idea what it was.
[Item: Egg]
[Description: Unknown]
[Bonding Days: 5/7 Days]
’I guess we’ll find out tomorrow,’ Von thought. The bonding period was nearly over.
Von proceeded to summon the egg on the bed. It was a pitch-black, smooth oval about the size of a football. It felt cold to the touch.
He did something that still didn’t feel right to him, a daily ritual the System required for Bonding.
Von bit his thumb hard, wincing as the skin broke, until he drew a bead of blood. He smeared it onto the shell of the egg.
The black surface drank the liquid instantly, absorbing it without a trace. The egg vibrated once before becoming inert again.
Von wiped his thumb and returned the egg to his [Inventory]. Tomorrow, he’d find out what it was about.
