"- shocked her fans today with a surprise announcement that she will be retiring from the music industry. Sometimes known as the Queen of Idols, she capped off a stunning 16-year career with last night's sold out show at Tokyo Dome. Today, she topped her own headlines in a press conference held at the Idol Academy, where she will be taking a position under one-time rival Kira Tsubasa. The announcement stated she will continue to foster the upcoming generation in a special program to provide support for promising school idols. Starting out as a school idol herself in the breakout group Mu's, this brings her career full circle. Once again, our top story is the sudden retirement of Yazawa Ni-"

The television fell abruptly silent as Nozomi hit the mute button almost without realizing it. In fact the whole world seemed to lose its voice, nothing existed save for the continuing stream of images from Nico's career. A few of those images contained her own face, although they barely registered on her consciousness. For a moment that seemed like forever, she had no idea how to react; her body and brain gone numb. Is this really happening, some small part of her mind thought. Is it really true?

The remote began to slip from her hand, and as she moved to catch it the world came alive around her. All at once her ears were filled with a chorus of "Awwwwwww!" as a dozen voices expressed their displeasure. She turned, almost surprised to find herself in the café she managed, surrounded by desperate-looking schoolgirls.

Regaining her composure a little, she returned the remote to its place before turning back to the girls. "All right, all right. " she said, "I know this is a shock to everyone. But there's nothing on the television you don't already know."

"But you're her friend, right?" asked one of the bolder girls. "You've got to know something!"

Nozomi looked at her with sympathy. So desperate for just a little information, it was like the world was crashing down around her. They all looked like that, wanting answers that Nozomi couldn't provide.

"I'm sorry, but I'm as surprised as you are. I imagine none of us could tell you anything."

"This is such a big deal! Why wouldn't she talk to you?"

She smiled as warmly as she could, knowing the girl was too upset to be easily calmed. The rest watched the exchange in hopeful, nervous silence. "That's simply how Nico is. She was always like that, and I'm sure she'll speak with us when she's ready. Until then, all I can do is bring you tea, if you'll all go back to your seats."

They grumbled, but accepted they wouldn't learn more this way. So they went back to their own private conversations, some huddled around cell phones trying to find out just a little more on the net. Nozomi didn't blame them for being desperate. At their age, something like this would have felt like the world was ending. For the girls at Otonokizaka Academy Nico was a living legend. So was she, to some degree, although out of the whole group Nico was the only one still on that big idol stage. At least until today.

There was little time to dwell on it however. Despite calling in part-timers to help it was hard to find a moment's peace. The news had brought a crowd of girls not only from her old school, but the nearby UTX Academy as well. Despite once being rivals for the Love Live! competition, the students of both schools got along surprisingly well, united in their support of the former members of both Mu's and their own A-Rise. Every new wave of girls brought the same questions again and again, seeking insight into what happened.

Why had Nico retired? Would she still perform sometimes? Was Nozomi sure she hadn't spoken to anyone beforehand? A few even wanted her to consult her Tarot cards, despite being rushed. It pained her to have to refuse, but she knew the cards had no answers for them. She may have been the area's premiere fortune teller, but this was not a matter for the spirits. All she could do was give a quick response of "I'm sorry, I really don't know," before moving on to the next table to say the same thing. The shocked looks they all shared made her feel guilty, even though she was nothing but honest.

It took hours, but at last the tide of customers slowed, and finally stopped. Exhausted, Nozomi pulled the doors shut and allowed herself a moment to take a rest. She already knew Nico was popular in both schools, but this exceeded all her expectations. It would probably gratify her friend to know just how deeply she'd touched all those lives, and more besides. The thought brought a weary smile to her face.

Taking a seat with a fresh cup of tea, her first all day, she looked out the window and let her mind wander. Before she even realized, she had retrieved the Tarot she'd refused to use earlier and began to shuffle. It was a familiar, soothing sensation which had been a constant in her life since before she'd even met the girls from Mu's. All women now, she corrected herself, and all very important to her. Still shuffling, she thought more deliberately about the group, and Nico in particular. Then, in a movement as natural to her as breathing, she drew a card and placed it on the table before taking a look at it.

XIII: DEATH

Nozomi examined the card, with its proud, skeletal warrior for a moment, and smiled. A dramatic image to be sure, appropriate for the day. But not a surprising one. Nico's announcement was surprise enough.

From behind came a familiar voice. "Well, isn't that a depressing choice?"

Nozomi turned with a start. Standing nearby was her employer, the owner of her café and one of her oldest friends, Kousaka Honoka. She was smiling, still looking down at the card. "I imagine you had a crazy day too, what with Nico and all. Half the girls in the district were in the shop asking questions, so I imagine you had the other half."

I never ceased to amaze Nozomi how different her friend was from when they met. They all had, of course. Adulthood doesn't discriminate, bringing new aspects to everyone. But where Nozomi felt she was much the same as before, with Honoka the change was dramatic. She had grown a little taller and lost the last traces of baby fat in her face, leaving behind a true beauty. Inside, she'd changed even more. It was hard to believe that the bubbly, somewhat clumsy but infectiously confident girl she once knew was now the graceful, self-assured woman before her. Surely her continued love of dancing, a love she shared with Rin, played a part, but greater credit was likely owed to her wife, Maki. For her, these things came naturally, and in order to stand by her side Honoka changed in turn.

The café was her personal dream; the other members of Mu's teased her for years that she created it to get a steady supply of bread. But it was her nature to tackle a project with everything she had, and this was no exception. Eventhough she eventually gave in and took over her family's shop, hiring Nozomi to manage in her place, she still came by often to check in on her baby.

"I admit, the retirement thing was a shock," she said, her thoughts returning to the present. "It's just like her to end on a dramatic note."

Honoka chuckled. "She was always headstrong. The two of us are alike in that sense. We both gave you a lot of trouble back then, didn't we?"

Nozomi stood and began tidying while she spoke. "I think you troubled Umi a lot more than me. Nico, well, she troubled just about everyone."

"No, there was something special with you two. You're right that she bothered everyone, but the relationship you had was different. More subtle."

"Subtle isn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Nico. No offence, but I'm surprised you noticed."

"I didn't," Honoka said with a little shake of her head. "Not consciously anyhow. It wasn't until I talked to Maki about it later on that I managed to add things up."

Nozomi was silent for a moment, making certain the table she was wiping was absolutely spotless. "And what answer did you come up with?"

"No answer at all. Something was definitely there, but neither of us wanted to pry beyond that. Nico keeps personal matters under pretty tight wraps, so once we realized we let it drop."

Silence fell again, for a moment. She moved from table to table, not looking back. After a minute, Honoka spoke up.

"At first glance it looks so morbid," she said. "I remember you threatening her with it whenever she didn't want to study. But it's not really as dark as the name says, is it?"

Nozomi turned, seeing Honoka tracing the edge of the card with a fingertip. Her friend knew nothing about telling fortunes, so it was a surprise that she picked up on the card's deceptive image. Most simply took it at face value and reacted with fear.

"No, it isn't," she said, coreturning to the table. "The card isn't literal; few of them really are." She retrieved the card from Honoka, studying the image even though she'd placed it countless times. "It means change. Renewal. It does mean death in a way, but not like a person dying. More like wheat at the end of the season, making way for next year's crop."

"Or next year's bread," Honoka said impishly. "Clearing away the old to make room for the new, huh? Sounds appropriate, but your fortunes always are." She looked up at the television, still occasionally flashing images from Nico's career. "I wonder what's about to start? Knowing her, it'll be something grand."

"I wouldn't accept anything less from than grand from the great Nico-nii!"

Both of them laughed. "We've all been pretty grand in our own ways, haven't we? Sharing one big dream together, then going on to live out our own personal dreams." She turned to look around the café with clear satisfaction. "Sixteen years, that's such a long time. Do you think by now, we've all managed to make our dreams come true?"

"Almost," Nozomi said, half to herself. "There's still one left, but maybe not for much longer."

Honoka turned, her eyes becoming more serious but not losing her smile. "I'll leave it in your hands. Take tomorrow off, and make that last little dream come true."