The soft ambient lighting around the corner of the room they found themselves in which glimmered against the glass doors, casting golden streaks over the stone tiles. The sounds of the party faded slightly into the background, creating a private bubble as Sara and Chloe curled up together on the large outdoor furniture. Sara lazily twirled a lock of Chloe’s hair around her finger, their legs tangled beneath a shared throw blanket.
“So, what’s this big project you’ve been working on?” Sara asked, a playful tone in her voice. Her finger gave Chloe’s hair a gentle tug. “I thought we had a no-secrets policy, Miss Gracewood.”
Chloe turned her head with a smirk, her cheek brushing against Sara’s shoulder. “Oh, come on, I think I’ve been pretty good lately. But you did tell me about Jordan running away at Dayton’s… and when you first found him, even before you fully processed it yourself. So yeah, you’ve definitely earned some full disclosure.”
Sara raised an eyebrow. “Don’t think flattery’s gonna save you, babe. Spill.”
Chloe exhaled, nervous energy hidden behind her usual cool demeanor. “Alright. I started a record label.”
Sara blinked, stunned. “Wait—what?”
“Yeah. Not a Generitech label either. I wanted it to be mine. Separate. Not just another Gracewood Division acquisition. I needed something that was purely me. I wanted to prove, to myself, mostly, that I can build something that isn’t handed to me.”
Sara sat up straighter, the excitement in her chest matching the proud gleam in her eyes. “Chloe, this is huge! Why didn’t you tell me sooner? We should be throwing a party just for you! What’s it called?”
Chloe smiled, looking just the tiniest bit bashful. “Echo Riot.”
“Ooh, I love that. Echo Riot. It sounds dangerous. Rebellious. You.”
Chloe chuckled. “Thanks. I’m actually going public with it tonight, posting about it and making the announcement. I’ve already signed my first act.”
Sara’s eyes widened. “Already? You move fast. Who is it?”
“It was a little complicated… literally. The band’s called Liv Dangerously. Remember that video I sent you on YouTube?”
“The punk band? Yeah, I remember, I actually added them to my Generify playlist. They were really good.”
Chloe nodded. “Well, they’re all Littles. And they’re overseas, so we had to go through the whole legal process to purchase their rights. Generitech helped handle the acquisition officially, but Echo Riot owns the label. And I hired a licensed guardian employee, someone I trust, to manage their care. They’re performing under my brand, with full agency support.”
Sara looked at her, stunned. “Chloe… this is monumental. You’re doing something nobody else has even considered. You’re giving Littles a voice, literally.”
Chloe shrugged slightly, but her eyes betrayed the pride she was trying to downplay. “I didn’t want to announce anything until I knew it was real. I needed to be sure it wasn’t just a hobby project or a vanity move. I wanted it to be solid.”
Sara took Chloe’s face in her hands, tilting her head to meet her eyes. “You should have told me. We’re a team, remember? We face everything together, wins and messes. No secrets, you said.”
Chloe leaned into the touch, her eyes softening. “I know. I just… I didn’t want to disappoint you if it fell through.”
Sara kissed her forehead, then rested hers against Chloe’s. “You could never disappoint me. I’m so proud of you, Chloe. You’re not just building a label, you’re building a future. One with space for people like Jordan. Like all of us.”
They sat in silence for a moment, hearts beating in sync.
Then Chloe smirked again. “Besides, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t surprise you every now and then?”
Sara grinned. “You know I love surprises. Especially when they come with a rebellious record label attached.”
They kissed again, this time slower, deeper, one born from admiration, trust, and a growing sense of something larger than either of them.
Together, they were more than two people navigating a complicated world. They were building a future, one lyric, one Little, one act of rebellion at a time.
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Ooh, a musical act made up entirely of little,s that’s cool.
I’m so excited by Chloe doing this lol if they were to get on the top 100 and start beating out non-little bands, it’d be a massive accomplishment for Littles in general
That was the hope. It was kind of teased with the stage and such appearing in the background of a few scenes.
Honestly might be the most influential moment of the whole story we’ve seen thus far regarding Littles. That’s going to be such a big announcement that it might even be controversial (probably why Echo Riot).
The Echo Riot name is meant to be a bit of a disrupter in the space.
I could see people not liking it. That wouldn’t surprise me. However it does make good business sense within the confines and rules of this world.
Having a band of littles would make good business sense as well as provide an opportunity to the littles.
I like the name; it stands out amongst other record labels. Let’s see if Chloe can be successful with this venture.
I have always thought there are so many talented people in the world that a % of them became littles and that talent was being wasted or could come back to haunt the big’s. I think Chole being smart saw this and now can hire all the talented little bands before it becomes a thing and everyone try’s to follow her lead like always happens in business.
I think this could be a opportunity for Chole to start a online little work service with talented littles in education, engineering, science and other jobs to help anyone who calls up. And she could work out a deal with the government for taxes to let them do it because in the end most governments just want money which is power to them.
1) “So, what’s this big project you’ve been working on? I thought we had a no-secrets policy, Miss Gracewood.” Chloe likely knows things she isn’t allowed to tell Sara. I doubt that no secrets policy is universal
2) “But you did tell me about Jordan running away at Dayton’s” You were there when it happened, Chloe.
3) “I started a record label… Not a Generitech label either. I wanted it to be mine. Separate. Not just another Gracewood Division acquisition. I needed something that was purely me. I wanted to prove, to myself, mostly, that I can build something that isn’t handed to me.” But made with money that was handed to her by her successful family.
4) “Ooh, I love that. Echo Riot. It sounds dangerous. Rebellious. You.” Echo Riot is a pretty cool name. Any connection to that Band of the same name?
5.1) “The band’s called Liv Dangerously. Remember that video I sent you on YouTube? Well, they’re all Littles.” I’m surprised Sara wouldn’t have already known that. especialy sice Kelli knew it.
5.2) “Generitech helped handle the acquisition officially, but Echo Riot owns the label.” definitely nothing is being handed to her here, totally her own merit and accomplishments.
6.1) “Chloe… this is monumental. You’re doing something nobody else has even considered. You’re giving Littles a voice, literally.” I doubt Chloe’s the first to give them a voice, they’re still politicians in power in some countries, maybe the first to have them a record deal, but they’d have had voices before.
6.2) and isn’t Sara against giving Littles voices? She’s been pretty disgusted by people who wanna help littles in the past, and has had no issue taking the voices from her Little.
6.2) I think that’s a fair question, but i guess it could be inferred Jordan’s presence been making her views change. It could also just be her being supportive of Chloe and Chloe’s opinions
6.2) It could be, but Jordan’s only been with Sara for 5 days; I doubt that change would be made in such time. We also know Sara and Chloe often fought about Littles and their rights, to the point where they both agreed to avoid the topic.
1) She would. Sara was more saying it tongue and cheek hence the Miss Gracewood usage. Chloe couldn’t do a universal one. As she would privy to lots of private details.
2) She was but Sara could have not said anything and tried to cover it up. She didn’t have to share it with the group so to speak.
3) Well she is paid for her work at generitech. So it was with her own money. Its not like she used generitech company money was more what she is getting at.
4) I’ve never heard of that band. So I can safely say there is no connection. Searching i spotify i see they only have 236 listeners so they must be pretty small.
5) Sara saw the video and listened to the song but it wasn’t blatantly obvious they were littles. Kelli knew them becuase she was in facility so had a ton of time on the littlenet and little ipad usage. So she has been all over that.
5.2) Well they are a foreigners. So anyone would acquiring foreign littles would have to have them imported, foreign fees paid licensing, registration,import fees paid, us fees paid. Its a whole legal process and importing process. Most companies who import who don’t have a staff go through a import broker. Thats not uncommon in business. Chloe could have used Preematech to import littles but hte optics of the daughter of generitech going to preema tech to import littles would be a PR nightmare. She would definately be hearing about that from her family.
She did pay for the services as a customer. She didn’t just utlize the brokering services for free.
6) America often doesn’t recognize foreign achievements equally to their own. This would be no different. Plus its always more monumental when someone with influence that people care about do something. Joe somebody in some far off country wouldn’t be news and certainly not news a typical 15 year old would see.
6.2) Sara isn’t against little voices. She doesn’t care for the activism and rallys that go on. She doesn’t like people who go to far overboard like the Cindys on the either side of the aisle. She’s more of a this has been decided lets just all follow the rules so to speak. The current rules are what she follows and believes in. But she isn’t some extreme hater or supporter either. The rules and laws were presented to her and she abides by them. As they don’t seem unreasonable to her.
1) Fair enough, lol
2) She almost ran out into the yard to intervene; Chloe had to talk her out of it. (which is Chloe’s worst moment.)
3) She was paid high wages for a job undoubtedly handed to her by her parents. Still not independent.
4) I Googled it after I read the name because it sounded too good not to be taken.
5.1) I see, Littles probably would be more acutely aware of this.
5.2) So where are they from? I’m surprised she didn’t use Genrich’s backdoors or employee benefits.
6.1) That makes way too much sense.
6.2) “She’s more of a this has been decided let’s just all follow the rules so to speak.” that’s rich coming from a girl who’s broken not just her mother’s rules, but the laws of her country. But it also makes sense, she wants people to blindly obey these laws the same way she wants Jordan to blindly obey her. I personally see Sara as the halfway point between Cindy and Chloe, though she does seem to lean Cindyward.