After Maiko, A TMSFE Fanfic
By Tommy Gu
To Joe Gonzalez
As her viewed from his cubicle window. Itsuki knew his days as an idol and a Mirage master we well behind him. The once bubbly and optimistic teen relegated to a workaholic, middle aged man. He still had his acquaintances from when his team was still together.
Itsuki was married to Kiria and had a Son and Daughter
Tsubasa, originally a pop star, moved on the stage acting
Mamori was heading off to college, and was starting her own restaurant.
Barry Goodman became an english teacher at a Japanese High school.
Touma became Japan's Jackie Chan, renowned for his monkey like reflexes and fighting style.
Eleonora fulfilled her acting dream and starred in all Hollywood's most popular movies.
Maiko… Maiko however committed suicide in her apartment in Tokyo. Investigators uncovered her diaries. She stated that managing Fortuna entertainment after the mirage masters left, was like breathing without oxygen, by the moment it became harder and harder to live when the mirages masters left her. None of the idols she had worked with after the mirage masters had the same appeal and success. Fortuna, a brand that pumped out hit after hit, suddenly had zero appeal. Maiko believed everyone, herself, the public, and even her dearest colleagues would never understand the hostile mirages that were stress, loss and Karōshi , or overwork to the extremes, that if she committed Seppuku, the ritual of suicide, she could be liberated from her pain.
With that, the whole world went silent. People from Alberta to Akihabara, were paying homage to her legacy, for that she wasn't only an influential music producer, but she helped gather up many of the world's most talented people to fight the impending apocalypse and over the slimmest chances, succeeded.
Itsuki thought of this for a moment. He was too old to be and Idol now, but he could teach the next generation of Mirage Masters.
Evil had been vanquished 16 years ago. There would always be evil in its many forms, obvious or subtle, big or small. But there would always heroes too. Etsuko realized after the mirage masters left their career, there was a dearth of quality music, right now the world needed heroes more than ever before.
Bingo, Itsuki thought. If no one was willing to continue Maikos legacy, he would. So began the Revival of the Mirage Masters. As Itsuki called upon his former companions to reunite, there was a sense of wellness. Fortuna Entertainment, before on the verge of Bankruptcy, was topping the charts like never before. The world knew Fortuna Entertainment to be an underdog in the relentlessly competitive J-Pop industry, almost a metaphor for the group of Idols it represented. But only the superficial side of Fortuna, because not only did it message hope in its songs, but it brought hope through people that fought menaces almost allusions to the human eye, mirages. As he passed his knowledge and experience he had to the new generation, his mind went back to square one "No one can truly replace Maiko, as colleague, or a leader. But we can do one thing: Make her proud.