### Chapter 8: A King's Invitation
The clock ticked over to April 17, 2009, a Friday morning steeped in the humid warmth of Atlanta, Georgia. Justin Drew Bieber, still 15 years old, was riding the crest of a digital wave that had crashed across the social media landscape just the day before. The date was exact—April 17, 2009—and the location, the same Midtown Atlanta penthouse, buzzed with the afterglow of his YouTube stream's triumph. The Ascension System thrummed in his mind, its metrics gleaming from the night's restless sleep: *Fame: 89% Aligned. Universe Influence: 62%. Social Media Impact: 70%.* Twitter's #BieberFever trended, MySpace glittered with his name, and the world was his oyster. But nothing—nothing—could have prepared him for the call that shattered the morning's quiet.
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#### The Call That Changed Everything
Justin was sprawled on the couch, scrolling his BlackBerry Curve—Twitter buzzing with "@JustinBieber UR MY LIFE 😍🎶"—when the phone vibrated hard against his palm. An unknown number flashed, area code 310—Los Angeles. He frowned, *Intelligence: Active*, and answered with a cautious, "Yo, who's this?"
A voice, smooth as velvet and sharp as a blade, cut through the static. "Justin? It's Michael. Michael Jackson."
The world tilted. Justin—Malachi reborn—froze, his barista's cynicism warring with teenage awe. *Perception* flared: *Credibility: 95%. Intent: Genuine.* The system chimed: *Opportunity: Legendary Catalyst Detected.* Michael-freaking-Jackson, the King of Pop, was on *his* phone. In 2009, MJ was 50, a recluse prepping his *This Is It* comeback, but his aura was undimmed—untouchable.
"Uh… hey, Michael," Justin managed, voice cracking slightly. "What's up?"
A soft chuckle. "I saw your stream, kid. That voice, those moves—you've got it. The spark. I want us to make something together. Something big. You in?"
Justin's mind raced—*Intelligence: Strategic Overdrive*. A collab with MJ wasn't just big; it was seismic, a coronation. "Yeah, I'm in," he said, steadier now. "When?"
"Tomorrow. My studio in LA. I'll send a jet." Click. The line went dead.
Braun burst in minutes later, eyes wild. "Was that who I think it was?" Justin grinned, tossing the phone. "Pack your bags, Scoot. We're LA-bound." The system logged: *Fame Potential: +20% Pending.*
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#### Arrival in LA: April 18, 2009
The private jet touched down at LAX on April 18, 2009, a Saturday afternoon under a sky so blue it hurt. Justin, still 15, stepped onto the tarmac—hoodie, skinny jeans, Nikes—flanked by Braun and Pattie, who'd insisted on tagging along. *Stress: 85%,* the system tagged her, but her grip on his arm was fierce. A black SUV whisked them to Holmby Hills, MJ's rented mansion-turned-studio, a sprawling fortress of white stone and mystery.
Michael greeted them at the door—tall, thin, clad in a red silk shirt and fedora, his eyes hidden behind aviators. "Justin," he said, voice soft but electric, extending a gloved hand. "Welcome to the magic." Justin shook it, *Charisma: Synced*, and felt the weight of history. The system buzzed: *Michael Jackson: Influence 98%, Trust 70%.* No ulterior motives here—just pure artistry.
Inside, the studio was a cathedral of sound—polished wood, banks of equipment, a grand piano gleaming under lights. Michael waved off Braun and Pattie—"Give us the room"—and they retreated, leaving Justin alone with the King. "Let's create," Michael said, gliding to the piano. "What's in your soul, kid?"
Justin—Malachi's old grit surfacing—spoke up. "Something epic. Love, struggle, triumph—big hooks, bigger heart." Michael nodded, fingers dancing over keys, and a melody bloomed—haunting, grand, alive. The system flared: *Creativity: +10% Boost.*
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#### Crafting the Masterpiece: "Eternal Flame"
They worked through the night, April 18 bleeding into April 19, 2009. The song took shape—*Eternal Flame*, a title Michael whispered like a prayer. Justin's *Singing* and *Dancing* traits fused with MJ's genius, crafting a track that was timeless yet fresh, a torch passed and rekindled. The lyrics poured out, long and sprawling, each verse a tapestry of emotion. Here's the masterpiece they forged:
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**"Eternal Flame"**
*Written by Justin Bieber & Michael Jackson, April 19, 2009*
*Duration: 8:42 (A marathon of soul)*
**Intro (Michael):**
*(Soft piano, a rising string swell)*
Close your eyes, let the shadows fade,
Feel the fire that the heart has made,
In the silence, hear the echoes call,
A flame eternal, burning through it all.
*(Justin joins, harmony soaring)*
Oh-oh-oh, we rise, we fall,
Oh-oh-oh, we answer the call,
Oh-oh-oh, the light won't die,
Eternal flame in the endless sky.
**Verse 1 (Justin):**
I was lost in a world so cold,
Dreams I chased, but they wouldn't hold,
Streets of gray, a boy alone,
Carving my name on a heart of stone.
Then a spark lit the dark inside,
A voice that pulled me from the tide,
Through the pain, through the rain, I see,
A fire burning wild and free.
**Pre-Chorus (Michael):**
Can you feel it, the beat of time?
A rhythm deep, a soul's design,
Every tear, every scar we bear,
Lights the way through the midnight air.
**Chorus (Both):**
Eternal flame, we'll never break,
Through the storm, for love's sweet sake,
Burning bright, through endless night,
We'll hold the world in our blazing light.
Oh-oh-oh, we rise, we soar,
Oh-oh-oh, forevermore,
Eternal flame, our hearts proclaim,
Together we'll ignite the flame.
**Verse 2 (Michael):**
I've walked through shadows, felt the sting,
Crowned a king, yet a broken thing,
Every step, every fall I took,
Wrote my truth in a sacred book.
Now I see you, a mirror's gleam,
Young and bold, chasing every dream,
Hand in hand, we'll rewrite the skies,
A flame that lives where the spirit flies.
**Pre-Chorus (Justin):**
Can you hear it, the song we weave?
A bond so strong, we'll never leave,
Every hope, every fear we share,
Builds a fire that the world will wear.
**Chorus (Both):**
Eternal flame, we'll never break,
Through the storm, for love's sweet sake,
Burning bright, through endless night,
We'll hold the world in our blazing light.
Oh-oh-oh, we rise, we soar,
Oh-oh-oh, forevermore,
Eternal flame, our hearts proclaim,
Together we'll ignite the flame.
**Bridge (Justin, then Michael):**
*(Justin, slow and raw)*
I've seen the dark, I've felt the cold,
A barista's life, a tale untold,
But here I stand, a soul reborn,
In music's arms, my oath is sworn.
*(Michael, soaring)*
I've danced through time, a shadowed king,
The world my stage, my heart to sing,
Now with you, the torch is passed,
A flame eternal, built to last.
*(Both, layered)*
Oh, we'll climb, we'll fight, we'll shine,
Through every doubt, through every line,
A legacy in every note we play,
Eternal flame will light the way.
**Verse 3 (Justin):**
From the streets to the stars I rise,
A million dreams in a billion eyes,
Every scream, every cheer I hear,
Drives the fire, year by year.
I'll carry on, through storm and strife,
A borrowed soul in a gifted life,
With you beside, we'll never fade,
A timeless mark that we've made.
**Verse 4 (Michael):**
I've seen the world from a lonely throne,
Felt the weight of a crown I've known,
But in your voice, I find my peace,
A brother's bond, a sweet release.
Through the years, through the tears I've cried,
The flame within has never died,
Now it burns in a double glow,
A light the ages will always know.
**Chorus (Both, extended):**
Eternal flame, we'll never break,
Through the storm, for love's sweet sake,
Burning bright, through endless night,
We'll hold the world in our blazing light.
Oh-oh-oh, we rise, we soar,
Oh-oh-oh, forevermore,
Eternal flame, our hearts proclaim,
Together we'll ignite the flame.
Oh-oh-oh, the skies will sing,
Oh-oh-oh, the bells will ring,
Eternal flame, our souls entwine,
A fire that defies all time.
**Outro (Both):**
*(Piano fades, voices soft)*
Close your eyes, let the shadows flee,
Feel the fire that will always be,
In the silence, hear our song unfold,
Eternal flame, forever bold.
Oh-oh-oh, we rise, we fall,
Oh-oh-oh, we answer the call,
Oh-oh-oh, the light won't die,
Eternal flame in the endless sky.
---
#### The Perfection Unfolds
The song was a beast—8 minutes, 42 seconds of pure, unadulterated magic. Michael's falsetto wove through Justin's raw tenor, their harmonies a tapestry of past and future. The intro was cinematic, a piano-and-string swell that hooked the soul. Verse 1, Justin's, was Malachi's story—lost, reborn, triumphant—while Michael's Verse 2 dripped with regal melancholy. The pre-chorus built tension, the chorus exploded—hooks so fat they'd lodge in your brain for days. The bridge was a revelation, Justin's barista roots bleeding into Michael's kingly lament, a duet of eras. Verses 3 and 4 stretched the narrative—Justin's rise, Michael's legacy—before the extended chorus and outro sealed it with goosebump-inducing grace.
They recorded it in one take, April 19, 2009, at 3 a.m. Justin's *Singing: Flawless* synced with Michael's mastery, their voices a perfect yin-yang. *Dancing* kicked in during playback—Justin moonwalking beside MJ, a mirror of moves. The system roared: *Creativity: +15%. Collaboration Impact: 95%.* Michael clapped, eyes shining. "This is it, Justin. Our flame."
---
#### The Aftermath
By dawn, April 19, Braun and Pattie returned, jaws dropping at the playback. "This is a Grammy, JB," Braun stammered. *Wealth Potential: +30%.* Pattie hugged him, tears falling—*Trust: 97%.* Michael smiled, cryptic. "Release it when the time's right."
Justin, 15, left LA that day, *Eternal Flame* on a hard drive, a secret weapon. The system updated: *Fame: 92%. Mission Progress: Amplify Presence 50%.* Michael's jet soared back to Atlanta, and Malachi's soul sang—he'd just duetted with a king, and Earth-Prime-7 would never be the same.