"Hi!" moaned the heavily burdened Kurt who was carrying four instruments total.
"Hello... are all of those your guitars?" Eternia asked, impressed.
The teenager shook his head. "Nope, just the two basses. Brian said since I lent his bag I could play drudge for 'im."
"Oh, so you belong to Dark Delight, right? You're Kurt?" Now the blonde recognized him. On posters the bass always looked older. Still, he was very cute in real life, too.
"Correct, Ma'am. This's getting heavy, can I drop 'em here?"
"Sure! I'll take care of them. Geez, how shall I pack them all up?" The woman felt despair creeping up in her. "Hopefully I won't forget to note everything down."
"You alone?" Kurt asked curiously. "You should really team up with someone. Can I help some?"
"It's okay. I'm actually waiting for a replacement for my friend. Why don't you put your hat on the shelf. You will never be able to take that with you in the hand luggage."
"'kay."
"You don't talk much, huh?"
"I leave that to Arion. That's why I'm bass, not singer, eh?" When Kurt put away his hat he shot her a quick and cheeky grin over his shoulder. With that look under his wild bangs he didn't look like a teenager to Eternia at all. She asked: "Say, how old are you, anyway?"
"17. Why? Wanna date me?"
Eternia felt a cold shiver run down her spine. "Err... no, I just think you play great for someone your age." she hastily said.
Kurt's grin widened. "'s alright, Ma'am. Don't be miffed but you'd be too old for me, anyway." When Eternia's face darkened he quickly added: "Err, not that you're old or so, but ya know..."
"It's okay." Eternia was as abashed as him. Then she thought of something. "I have a younger sister, though. Her name's Yuki."
"Uhm..."
A newcomer interrupted Eternia's attempted matchmaking. The unusually clad teenager carried just as heavy a load as Kurt did before. Kurt however leaned smiling against the shelf and watched Eternia handle the steampunker.
"Hello, Miss Eternia!" the boy greeted. His tools rattled.
"Good lord!" the blond said in awe. "Is all of that your stuff?"
"Yes, indeed. Is something wrong with that?"
"No, no, it's all right. Seems like today is the day of heavily burdened minors. Who are you?"
"My name is Apollo, at your service, Miss Eternia!" the boy exclaimed with a polite bow, which led to half his things falling down.
"Ah, no, blimey!" he yelled and put the rest down too.
Eternia sighed. "So much to pack up... What keeps Sinistra up?"
Kurt said from the background: "So we travel together? I'm Kurt."
"Oh, hello!" Apollo eyed the various guitars and basses. "Oh, a musician! You should let me at it, I could turn your guitar into the best instrument of the world!"
"No, no, mate, don'tcha touch my axe! And I play bass, not guitar, by the way." Kurt quickly replied before pouting his lower lip in thought. "The look of your stuff ain't half-bad, though. Can you build me a wholly new axe?"
"Sure! Of course! You just have to outline the important details for me!"
Kurt's grin went up almost to his ears.
Eternia began to pack everything up. "Great that you two get along so well. Then you have something to talk about while traveling. But now shoo! Shoo! Get off and let the poor old lady work."
"Yo, about your sister - I already have my eye on someone. But perhaps Abe here is interested?"
"My name's Apollo!"
"That's way too long, buddy. Keep your hair on!" Kurt put his arm around Apollo's shoulder and both of them went off, chatting keenly.