Stage 03: Welcome to Akibastar?
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the AKB0048 series or any other songs or ideas that I might have obtained them from…Except for my OC. Note that asterisk stars (*) at the end of the chapter, refers to facts that can help clarify the terms.
January 26th, S.C 49
Unknown Location…
A jackhammer drilling its way straight into his head, that's what Daryn is feeling as he groaned in pain, scratching and rubbing his head. He slowly opened his eyes, his vision very blurry. It took him a good few minutes to recover from his stupor, before realizing how his mind went black so suddenly. Getting blasted by a mech and then feeling the ground burst underneath him was certainly not a fond moment to remember.
Sitting up straight, Daryn looked down at himself to see that he is still dressed in his casual plain white T-shirt and baggy jeans. His red flat hat, with a black and white music note, and his black and grey vest are placed on a nearby chair. His red and black sneakers are right next to his bed, at his right.
Daryn took a good look around to find himself in what looked like an apartment bedroom. Like any other ordinary bedroom, it has just one bed, an extravagant rug, a desk with a Holocom, a Holovision screen, a closet, and even a set of patio doors to his left that lead to a balcony.
After he finished looking around the room, Daryn walked toward the patio doors, opened it, walked onto the balcony, and beheld a perfect view of a vast city. Gazing at the city, Daryn began to wonder where he was. Initially when he woke up, he thought he was sent home but that quickly changed when he knew the city he was in wasn't on Metrostar. Then, there was two things that confirmed where he was. the sky above is artificially displayed and induced, which meant the city is actually underground. Another noticeable thing about the city is the distinct tower with a gem-like spire at the top. Recall seeing images of its, Daryn knew that was the AKB0048 Theater.
It hit him. Daryn was on Akibastar. Realizing what this meant, he immediately went back inside to get dressed. Over by the bed, on a counter was a basket of many colorful flowers, along with a short note on top. After making the bed, Daryn grabbed the note and reads it...
Daryn Kingsley,
Congratulations on passing the auditions along with Nagisa Motomiya, Chieri Sono, Orine Aida, Yuka Ichijo, Suzuko Kanzaki, Makoto Yokomizo, and Sonata Shinonome. We had placed through medical examination and determined that you will recover soon. Once you are awakened, you should be able to move about but please refrain from doing any excessive physical activity for the next few days so that your body can fully recover.
These flowers are from the new 77th Generation Trainees, since they wish to thank you for helping them through. As of now, you'll be living in the AKB0048 dormitory, but on the opposite side of where the girls are. Whenever you are ready, please come to my office so we can discuss your future. The address will be listed below. See you soon.
Tsubasa Katagiri
Thinking back, Daryn realized what the final test was actually just a much more realistic simulation of a battle to not only see how much the applicants were willing to go through to join but to see if they have the heart to work together to succeed, which he and the other girls certainly did.
Daryn turned to look at the basket, filled with peony flowers, and smiled warmly. After getting one final glance at Akibastar, he went back into the room, turned for the door, and preps to start his first day on Akibastar.
After taking a morning bath and brushing his teeth, Daryn went down to the cafeteria to get something to eat for breakfast. It was quiet as there was literally nobody in the room. Since it is so early in the morning, it was natural that nobody would be up yet, particularly in the cafeteria. Daryn went over to the counter to see what he can make.
"Oh?" Daryn looked to his left to see a middle-aged man with blonde hair in a chef's outfit carrying stacks of food supplies.
"Hello, young man. You must be the newcomer, are you not?" The chef asked chummily, putting the food down.
"Aye, the name's Daryn Kingsley. Nice meet you, Mr..."
Daryn stopped before the old chef replied, "They call me Chef Papa. Nice to meet you, Mr. Kingsley."
"Daryn is fine, Chef Papa. I'm not one into formalities." Daryn waved his hand as Chef Papa chuckled.
"Alrighty then! Say, you got up pretty early. Nobody's up yet."
"Well...I sort of hit the sack early for a very painful reason." Daryn grinned nervously.
"Is that right?" Chef Papa chuckled, "Well, I'm gonna get started on getting breakfast ready for everyone so you might have to wait."
"No probs. Say, is it okay if I help you out?" Daryn asked, much to Chef Papa's surprise, "I can cook. Since I'm here I might as well make myself useful."
Helping Chef Papa will leave Daryn to cook food for himself which wasn't a problem as he was no stranger to carrying his own weight.
"Alright then, Daryn." Chef Papa grinned, walking up to the boy and patted his shoulder, "Grab an apron and get the food ready to cook."
"Aye, sir!" Daryn saluted cheerfully.
Later...
It was past 7AM in the morning. One after another, all of the trainees went in the bath, getting ready to start the day, especially the new 77th Generation Trainees. From the very moment they arrived, Nagisa and the girls were thrilled to be here.
First touring the 00 theatre, they witnessed the performance of the two remaining members of the 75th Generation Trainees, Kanata Shinonome and Mimori Kishida. Kanata is the older sister of Sonata with a serious and hard-headed persona. Mimori, on the other hand, had a bubblier and more upbeat attitude with a smile that one cannot help but return.
While the meeting between the two Generations seem generally alright, the reunion between the Shinonome sisters was not as pleasant. Despite being greeted warmly Sonata, Kanata seemed unaccepting of the idea that her sister was here, for unknown reasons.
Even after Kanata and Mimori helped introduced the newcomers to their dorms, the tension between the Shinonome sisters escalated when Kanata ordered Sonata to go home, after the latter revealed that she lied to get into AKB. After refusing outright, Sonata called her sister out for not being honest with herself either, implying that her intentions to join AKB0048 is a lie and that was why she could not become a successor. Nagisa and her friends had to search for Sonata all the way up a tree to get her into bed, whilst Mimori tried to placate her friend.
Eventually, everyone called it a night and went to bed. But it was also obvious to everyone that Nagisa was going to oversleep as she has been having trouble sleeping since the audition. Though she was happy to have passed with everyone else, she cannot forget how Daryn managed to save her from being blasted. Seeing him knocked out, she was worried of his wellbeing and was concerned whether he passed the audition as they did. The fear that he didn't plagued Nagisa's mind with guilt. But eventually, she fell asleep.
As of now, the girls, in their pyjamas, have gotten up from their beds, brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and arrived at the cafeteria for breakfast.
"Good morning, Chef Papa!" They all exclaimed as Chef Papa turned and chuckled.
"Morning, girls! We got some special dishes for today."
The food counter was filled with nicely-made omelettes, pancakes, scrambled eggs, and other breakfast food as everyone grabbed their own dishes.
"Oh, this tastes delicious~!" Mimori smiled with glee.
"Chef Papa, your cooking really is amazing!" Yuka complimented.
Chef Papa grinned, "Well, since you girls are having your first day here, I made these dishes extra special, thanks to the newcomer today."
"Newcomer?" The girls wondered.
"I'm talking about Daryn." Chef Papa replied.
...
"Daryn-kun!?" Most of the 77th Generation girls, except for Chieri, shouted in disbelief.
"Daryn-kun was here?" Orine asked as Chef Papa shrugged.
"You girls just missed him. He was helping me with the cooking and took off after he finished his meal. A spirited one, that young man."
"Him?" Kanata and Mimori muttered in confusion.
"Oh, yeah." Yuka turned to the 75th Generation girls, "Daryn Kingsley is a boy who joined the 77th Generation audition with us. He trained with us and helped us pass the audition."
"Oh my," Mimori smiled, "That's wonderful."
Kanata, on the other hand, furrowed her brow, "Hold on. Aren't boys prohibited from joining AKB?"
"Technically, yes. Boys shouldn't be allowed to join since they are unable to succeed any of the original AKB idols." Suzuko explained, "However, Tsubasa-sama still agreed to let him join and, from our perspective, it was a blessing that it happened."
"Linda is right!" Sonata nodded cheerfully, "Big brother D.K was awesome!"
"Big brother...?" Kanata frowned, "No one asked you, Sonata."
"Big sis..." Sonata whimpered.
While everyone was still talking, Chieri simply ate her breakfast, lost in her own thoughts. While she did not say it upfront, Chieri agreed with her fellow trainees.
Daryn indeed played a crucial role in prepping them for the final test and they came out relatively unscathed from it, allowing them to pass the audition due to their teamwork. But after witnessing Daryn taking the blast for Nagisa, Chieri couldn't get this sense of pain in her chest.
Chieri quickly tried to shrug that feeling off as she now felt a sense of relief. Relieved that she will get the chance in the future to know why her Kirara reacted with a shine both him and Nagisa.
Meanwhile...
Rushed steps can be heard as Nagisa ran like her life depended on it. Upon waking up, she quickly realized that she overslept and forced herself out of bed. After brushing her teeth and washing her face hastily, she ran down the stairs, still in her pyjamas, to get to the cafeteria.
"Oh no! I'm late!" Nagisa shouted. "I'm late! I'm late! I'M LATE!"
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs for a moment to catch her breath, "Oh gosh...I'm so late..."
Before she can continue, Nagisa hears piano coming from the dance studio. Curious, she walked over to the door peeked inside and sees Daryn playing the piano. A sudden burst of happiness echoed through her mind, relieved to see her friend seeming better while also appeared to have passed the audition and came to Akibastar.
"Daryn-kun!"
The sudden call got the young man to turn his head and smiled, "Nagisa!"
The pinkette darted into the dance studio and embraced Daryn.
"Thank goodness." Nagisa said, "I'm so glad you're alright."
"I am..." Daryn coughed, "For now..."
Nagisa quickly realized that she was choking Daryn with her embrace and quickly loosened her hold, "Ah! I'm sorry!"
Taking a deep breath, Daryn fell to his knees and gripping back.
"Are you alright?"
Daryn groaned, "I...don't think so. You may have just put a serious strain on my back. I still haven't fully recovered from the audition."
Nagisa came over and held his arm to keep him from collapsing.
"Do you need help getting up?" Nagisa asked in a panic.
Daryn suddenly smirked and raised his head, "Bless your sweet heart."
...
It took a moment for her to notice but Nagisa then gave him a deadpanned expression, "...Jerk..."
*Smack!*
Realizing that Daryn was only faking his pain, Nagisa smacked him on the head in retribution. After getting a good laugh, Daryn apologized for the joke and the two started talking.
"It's good to see that you and the girls made it through."
"Yes." Nagisa nodded, "I am so glad."
"You gonna be starting your training soon?"
"That's right. The 77th are going to start our first dance lessons today at 00 Tower. The 75th Generation Trainees will be helping us with that."
"Looks like you'll be getting a lot of help."
"Well..." Nagisa sweatdropped, "There's actually only two."
...
Daryn blinked, "...Say what?"
"Nagisa!" Yuka's voice suddenly caught their attention as the 77th and 75th Generation girls arrived at the dance room.
"And Daryn-kun!" Orine added.
"Hey, girls!" He waved, "Good to see you all here."
"Nice to see you back on your feet." Suzuko nodded.
"Are you...feeling any better?" Makoto asked, "Because it looked like you had really rough landing."
Daryn nodded, "I'm still feeling the pain from that but I'll be fine in a few days."
"That's good to hear." Orine smiled.
"Oh, that's right." Nagisa recalled as she gestures to Kanata and Mimori, "Daryn-kun, these are our seniors from the 75th Generation"
Daryn smiled and bowed respectfully, "Daryn Kingsley, at your service."
Seeing this, Mimori returned the smile and bowed, "Mimori Kishida. It's a pleasure to meet you, Daryn-kun."
Kanata, a bit hesitant, bowed anyway, "Kanata Shinonome."
With introductions out of the way, the redhead glanced to Nagisa, "We have just finished breakfast and are getting ready leave."
Nagisa blinked in shock, "Oh no! I forgot!"
With that, the pinkette darted out of the room to get a quick breakfast.
Chuckling, Daryn glanced at the girls, "Are you all taking the train to 00 Tower?"
"Yes, we have a dance lesson together very soon." Mimori said, "So we must be going."
"Do you mind if I tag along?"
"Huh?"
That caught the girls off guard.
"Why are you coming with us?" Kanata asked firmly.
"I have to visit Tsubasa-sama to discuss about my future. Since I passed the audition but cannot join AKB0048, we have to decide how things are going to work with me."
"Oh..."
Later, on the trainline...
As Daryn accompanies the 75th and 77th Generation girls to the 00 Tower, he and Nagisa began talking about their thoughts on Akibastar and the city that serves as the home world of AKB0048. While they were talking, Makoto showed a rare expression of enthusiasm to start her first dance lessons as was everyone else in the 77th. However, as everybody awaited the next stop, Daryn noticed the displeased expressions on the two Shinonome sisters.
Curious, Daryn asked, "What's up with those two?"
"Oh, about that." Nagisa said, "Kanata-san and Sonata-san got into a fight with each other last night. It seems Kanata-san doesn't approve the fact that her little sister came to join AKB0048."
Daryn raised a brow, "Is that really the only reason? Because, that's not something that can get the two to look so distant from one another. Sonata looks like she has been having a bad day while Kanata, on the other hand, looks annoyed and frustrated...very frustrated. I don't think one can get that irritated towards a sibling that you just reunited so quickly...unless they were arguing something more serious."
"Eh?"
"Forget it." Daryn shook his head, "Forget I said anything."
Gazing at the young man, Nagisa felt as if the strained relationship between the Shinonome sisters struck a chord in him, "Daryn-kun..."
In Tsubasa's office...
It is just a few minutes before 8AM. Tsubasa was looking through some files about Daryn on her Holocom, including the audition video that contained him singing his own song. Watching it, Tsubasa knew that his style in music was quite different from AKB but that was one of the reasons why she allowed him to join the audition. Earlier, Tsubasa has already began making plans for Daryn to begin his career as she stood up and walked over to the large window, looked over the city of Akibastar, and thought to herself.
'Times are changing. After Acchan vanished, AKB0048 began showing signs of struggle. Hopefully, with the 77th Generation, we can retain and, perhaps, even exceed what we once had. Also, it's clear that if entertainment is to be fully restored to this galaxy, we need more capable people to expand our hopes and dreams. Daryn has the potential to become a truly great idol as Sensei Sensei said, but...'
As Tsubasa was rubbing the bridge of her nose-
*Knock*Knock*Knock*
"Come in."
The door opened and in came Daryn.
"Glad to see you've arrived." Tsubasa said, returning to her desk, "Are you feeling alright?"
"Well, I'm walking so that's good news, right?" Daryn remarked.
"Indeed, I hope you find Akibastar to your liking."
"It's a beautiful city. Reminds a bit of my home at Metrostar...well, what it used to look like."
...
Seeing Daryn's saddened demeanour, Tsubasa decided to change the topic.
"I believe you know why you are here?"
"Yes." Daryn nodded as he came right in front of the Tsubasa's desk, "So, how's it going to be, Miss Katagiri?"
"As you know, AKB0048 cannot have boys in their group. However, you can become an idol here on Akibastar. Therefore, we will decide your future based on your attributes as a performer."
Daryn listened intently with great interest and grinned, "I am absolutely fine with that."
"However, there are some rules that you need to follow while being here." Tsubasa explained, "Most significant among them is that you must not engage in romantic activities with the other idols, successors or trainees. Should the public believe that you are engaging with, let's say, inappropriate acts with other members, it will lead to a scandal that can serious damage not only yourself but AKB0048's reputation as well. Therefore, please refrain from such, understood?"
"Absolutely." Daryn nodded, "I'm here to perform and contribute not to cause unwanted trouble."
Tsubasa nodded but kept a solemn demeanour, "There's something more serious to discuss. Even though you will not be a member of AKB0048, the idea of having a male idol present here on Akibastar will incite controversial reactions about you and the girls, but mainly on you. The fans, especially the more zealous ones, will get paranoid and fearful of the safety of their idols. And that fear will generate a lot of hate against you."
Listening intently, Daryn can comprehend that the AKB fans' fears are understandable.
"Daryn." Tsubasa called, grabbing his attention again, "Chances are is that even if you overcome the initial storm. You'll be in a more discriminatory position than all of the girls combined. The hate from the fans will still be fierce. Also, the DES-"
"The DES will do whatever it takes to erase me before I can be anything significant, to avoid dealing with another foe besides AKB0048, right?" Daryn inquired.
Tsubasa nodding her head.
Daryn closed his eyes and thought deeply, comprehending the dangers.
"Daryn. I understand that this is a very hard thing to deal with. If you need time to consider than we can-"
"I'm in." Daryn answered immediately.
Tsubasa was taken aback from the quick response as he continued.
"I was well aware of what would come of it before I set out for the audition." Daryn stated seriously, "I'm aware of the dangers and the difficulties that will be thrown at me...But that's all the more reason why I must do this. If there are people who wanna hurt me then they're welcome to come and try. Besides, I have nothing to lose. If I don't succeed in this path, I'll just find another route that suits me. After all, in the realm of idols, there's only two ways to do it: Go hard or go home!"
As she listened intently, Tsubasa could have sworn that Daryn's eyes and hair glimmered a bit for a brief second.
She sat there in silence before smiling warmly, "Then it's decided. We will prepare to start things out with your promotional video. You ready for this?"
Daryn simply grinned and nodded confidently as Tsubasa chuckled before gesturing for the door, "Come on in."
The door opened as a woman...or rather a man dressed like a woman walked into the room. He was wearing a red hat, gold earrings, and a jumpsuit.
"Daryn, this is Ushiyama. He is AKB0048's dance instructor." Tsubasa introduced. "With him, we wish to see the full scale of your dance skills and onstage performance."
"Hmm... " Daryn thought before smiling and walked over to Ushiyama raising his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ushiyama. Daryn Kingsley, at your service."
"Likewise." Ushiyama responded sternly, "We will be heading for the dance studio, where the 75th and 77th Trainees will be having dance lessons from me. You will join them. Based on how well you do, I'll decide if you are worthy of being accepted to be an idol...Although from what you declared to Tsubasa-san just now, I can already see you have some promise."
"...Oh..." Daryn muttered.
Tsubasa stood up and chuckled a bit, "Ushiyama is a very strict when it comes to precision. So, I hope you're ready for this."
'Precision...' Daryn thought as he gave Tsubasa a huge smile and turned to Ushiyama. "Mr. Ushiyama! I'm ready when you are! Hit me!"
Ushiyama smirked. "Hm..."
Minutes later...
The 75th and 77th trainees have donned their workout clothes and are ready for their dance lesson. While the new girls were trying to adjust to their new attires, Tsubasa Katagiri arrived and introduced the new girls to Ushiyama, their dance instructor. To the girls' surprise, Daryn was also joining in on the lessons. He wore a light gray sleeveless training top with a blue shooting star symbol on one side of his chest, dark-gray baggy sweatpants, a blue sweat-band on his wrists, and dark blue and white sneakers.
The dance lesson quickly began as Ushiyama told Daryn to sit on the sidelines to watch him tutor the girls in the choreography of the AKB song, "Shonichi." On paper and from a viewer's perspective, it was a simple dance routine. But eventually, the reality of the choreography's difficulty truly kicked in. As Daryn watched, Kanata and Mimori seemed to nail their roles almost perfectly while the 77th trainees were obviously struggling. It quickly dawned on him as Daryn mentally cursed himself for forgetting that AKB0048 are exemplary when it came to cohesiveness. Team coordination, with every idol on stage correctly executing their role, defines the marvel of their onstage performance.
As the time of the lessons went into the hours, the 77th trainees got the general aspect of the choreography and began to rehearse. Already exhausted from the earlier training was falling behind and going off beat, the 77th trainees received a several moments of scorn from Ushiyama, which stunned new girls and Daryn at his strict and severe coaching. Regardless, they proceeded with Daryn carefully observing, whilst also faintly moving to the music to memorize the routine.
Three hours after the start of the lesson, Ushiyama's scowl deepened.
"That's enough! You girls are all losing your focus!" He shouted as the 77th girls all began panting in exhaustion, "Short break. I expect a better performance afterwards."
As the girls gradually walked to the sides to rest, Ushiyama glanced over to Daryn, "Kingsley!"
"S-Sir?" Daryn stuttered.
Ushiyama said nothing but stared at Daryn and pointed at the center of the dance floor. Realizing that Ushiyama is ordering him to approach, Daryn walked over and stood attentively but nervously.
"You have been watching and following along with today's lessons for the past 3 hours." Ushiyama asked sternly, "Am I to assume that you can rehearse it properly."
As look of uncertainty could be seen in his eyes as Daryn glanced over to the other trainees, who were watching intently, before gazing back at Ushiyama, "I can't say that I can do any better...but I have memorized the steps, yes."
Ushiyama's eyebrow raised slightly. Slowly stepping back a little, he then raised his hands and clapped. Shonichi suddenly began to play again from the very beginning. Stunned, Daryn realizes that Ushiyama is having him rehearse the routine. Under his severe stare, Daryn felt pressured a bit, especially when the girls began watching him with mixture of suspense and concern.
Reminding himself that he could only give his best, Daryn took a deep breath and began to dance the routine. Starting off simple, Daryn quickly recalls the steps before getting into the main chorus. Throughout the rehearsal, he did not focus on anybody other then himself, making sure that he did the movements exactly. All the while, Ushiyama continues to observe Daryn, consistently retaining his stern expression but also carefully examining him.
Finally, the dance ended up to where Ushiyama has taught so far and the music stopped. Daryn began to pant in realization that that the dance was much more difficult than meets the eye. Glancing back at Ushiyama, Daryn can tell the dance instructor was deep in thought. As the deafening silence made everyone nervous, Ushiyama looked back at Daryn and gestured him to return to the sidelines.
"Girls!" Ushiyama called, "Back to practice!"
The trainees wasted no time to listen as they go back in position. At the same time, Daryn walked over to the side and sat in deep thought, wondering what Ushiyama thought of his dance. His attention turned to Tsubasa, who was still present, placed a hand on his shoulder, and smiled.
"You did well."
Daryn faintly nodded, "Hopefully, Mr. Ushiyama shares the sentiment..."
"Whether he thinks the same as I is one thing, but seeing your dancing has given me an idea as to how you will proceed here on Akibastar."
Daryn blinked in surprise at this before looking back at the girls, watching them dance. Thinking of it, there was no telling what Ushiyama thought of his dance since AKB songs are meant for group performances not solo. Therefore, Daryn shook his head to discard those thoughts before focusing back on the girls.
"Stop! Stop!" Ushiyama suddenly shouted in annoyance, "You're all off beat! You, new girls, have memorized the choreography but your timing is completely off and uncoordinated! Worse of all-...Kanata!"
The mentioning of her name shocked her more than the others.
"Your dancing is completely lifeless today. These 77th Generation girls have just started their lessons and they're all filled with potential." Ushiyama sighed with a disappointed expression, "How could this be the best you can do after two long years of lessons?"
Those words stung deeply into Kanata as a shocked expression enveloped her face. Even Daryn and the other girls gawked at this.
"Seriously?" Yuka muttered in disbelief.
"That's harsh..." Makoto added.
"Now, let's see..." Ushiyama gazed at the girls, "What's your name again? Chieri!"
"Yes!" Chieri stood firm.
"Move to the front and switch places with Kanata."
"Wait!" Kanata spoke up in protest, "Why are you letting someone who just joined take my place?"
"I am merely considering the balance of the group. Besides, someone without any motivation has no right to voice her opinion." Ushiyama retorts, flicking the redhead's forehead.
"I can't take Kanata-san's place, Ushiyama-sensei." Chieri suddenly declined, catching everyone's attention, "I haven't completely memorized the moves yet. Please allow me to watch my seniors dance first."
Everyone, including Ushiyama, blinked at this as Chieri continued, "As Kanata-san said, I only just joined. I don't know anything. That's why I need my seniors to keep their act together, even if they don't feel into it."
Again, those words hit Kanata hard as she gritted her teeth and tears suddenly pooled in her eyes. Unable to handle it, Kanata made a beeline for the entrance of the dance studio and left with Mimori following her to calm her down. The sudden aftermath followed as the other 77th girls berated Chieri for her harsh remark, especially Sonata.
With what has happened, Ushiyama saw no reason to continue today's lesson and began to leave. Passing by Tsubasa, he whispered something into her ear with a grin before leaving.
Seeing how things went awry so quickly, Daryn turned over to the AKB manager and asked, "Ms. Katagiri."
"Hm?"
"I know this may sound extremely presumptuous but...why does Kanata seem so...depressed?"
Hearing this, Tsubasa sighed before answering, "That is a long story and a very private matter that you shouldn't get your head into."
"I know." Daryn agreed, "But how is the 77th Generation going to learn from the best when one of their seniors is like this? Please, I need to know what is bothering her."
...
Tsubasa stared at Daryn for a brief moment before giving off a faint smile and sighed, "The Shinonome family has a violent history with the DES."
Those spoke more meaning than it may first seem as Daryn immediately pondered on that before nodding in understanding.
"I see..." Daryn muttered, "Thank you, Ms. Katagiri."
With that, he immediately began to head for the exit, much to Tsubasa's surprise.
"Daryn, where are you going?"
"Starting over."
Tsubasa couldn't get the chance to ask what he meant as Daryn already left before she could. But she does have a slight idea as to what Daryn plans to do. Nagisa also seem to notice Daryn's departure, wondering what he was up to.
In the restroom...
The 77th trainees got to washing themselves up from the sweat during the dance lesson and change back into their normal civilian attires. Chieri was still washing her face before Nagisa, in her civilian clothes, approached
"I don't think you should have said that." Nagisa expressed, "Kanata-san has been working so hard for the last two years, but-..."
"I know." Chieri agreed, to Nagisa's surprise, "Anyone can tell. Kanata-san's singing and dancing are probably both at successor level...perhaps even better. It must have taken a considerable amount of effort to get that good."
Nagisa smiled to hear that her friend knew Kanata's capability but then Chieri continued, "But there's such a thing as a person's original nature. No matter how hard you work, there's a brilliance you can never obtain. That's the glow of an idol."
As she said that, Chieri thought back at the time when the DES attacked the cruiser and her Kirara shined when she was with Nagisa. Recalling the event, Chieri's expression grew more downcast but then thinking of her Kirara reminded her of someone else.
"Nagisa."
"Eh? Yes?"
"What do you make of Daryn's dance?"
"Daryn-kun? Well..." Nagisa thought back with a smile, "His dancing was good. His movements were sharp, fluent, and precise. Although, he did miss a few steps, Daryn-kun seemed to have been really into it."
"Yes..." Chieri agreed, "Besides everything you mentioned, Daryn also had one notable attribute during his dance."
"Commitment."
Chieri faintly nodded at Nagisa's answer, "You could see it too, Nagisa. There was commitment in his every move, like he is fully aware of what he wants and devoted to achieving it. I wonder..."
"Chieri?"
The blue-haired girl said nothing as she seemed to be in deep thought.
"Nagisa!" Yuka, now dressed in her civilian clothes, suddenly called, "We're going to go and find Kanata-san."
"Ah. Right!" Nagisa glanced to Chieri, "Do you want to come with us, Chieri?"
For a moment, Chieri thought of it but-
"No. I don't think seeing me will make her happy. I'll be heading back."
"U-Umm...Alright." Nagisa nodded before bowing, "Good work today."
With that, Nagisa went off to join the other 77th girls, leaving Chieri to her thoughts.
Meanwhile...
In downtown Akiba City, it was at sunset as the day was rolling to its end. Kanata wandering next to a stream, lost in her thought. After running from the dance studio, she didn't know or care where she went but simply felt that she needed to leave the 00 Tower, away from the frustration that has been plaguing her for the last few years. After finally calming down a bit, Kanata took a troll throughout the quieter places of Akiba City to ease her mind. But no matter how long or how much she walked, she just couldn't alleviate the pain that has been present in her heart.
'I wonder what it is.' She thought, 'Singing, dancing...All I want to do is avenge my father.'
As she contemplated, Kanata glanced a nearby billboard to see successors being part of an advertisement, which once again plucked a heartstring.
Kanata's lip began to quiver as tears filled her eyes again.
'Why...' She thought tearfully, 'Why do I feel so frustrated?'
As she wept, Kanata failed to notice someone approaching her from behind. A sudden freezing sensation met her cheeks, snapping Kanata out of her crying as she screamed and jumped. To her utter shock, Kanata glanced to see a sniggering Daryn holding two bottles of Qoo fruit drinks.
"You!" Kanata said in surprise as Daryn stopped laughing and smiled.
"Thirsty?" Daryn asked before tossing one of the fruit drinks to her.
Kanata caught and gazed at Daryn in bewilderment.
"If you're having a rough day, a nice cool beverage is always the answer." Daryn grinned as he began chugging into his.
Looking at the bottle in her hands, Kanata simply shrugged and began drinking. Upon seeing her nerves cooled, Daryn leaned on a nearby railing near the stream.
"We should head back, Kanata." Daryn said, "Everyone would be looking for you."
Kanata sighed, sitting on a nearby bench, "I don't want to go back...not yet."
"Your friend Mimori and your little sister Sonata will be worried sick."
"My sister." Kanata frowned, "Why did she have to come here? Now of all times...she doesn't understand what it feels like to work so hard for something. Yet, no matter how much effort put into it, I can never accomplish my goal."
"And what goal is that?" Daryn asked, "Becoming a successor of AKB0048 or something else."
"That's none of your business!"
"It is my business when Sonata is being disheartened."
"She's not your sister!" Kanata shouted, locking eyesight with Daryn, "She's my responsibility."
"Ooh?" Daryn raised his brow, "And here I thought you didn't care and wanted her to leave Akibastar."
Kanata grumbled, "It's because I DO care for her...if she doesn't leave Akibastar, Sonata will experience pain she will not be able to handle alone."
"Aye." Daryn agreed, "She definitely can't handle it alone-..."
He then glanced at Kanata, "But she could if she's with you."
The redheaded girl blinked at that.
"Kanata." Daryn called with a solemn tone, "Have you ever considered what it was like in Sonata's shoes? Watching her older sister leave home to go on a personal mission...with the days rolling by without seeing your big sister as you usually do, missing her, fearing for her, and even wishing that you can contribute to her in any way or form? Do you know how tormenting that feels? That sense of inability to do anything for the one person you cherish more than life itself?"
Kanata listened intently as Daryn continued, "I had an older sister once...she dreamed of travelling the stars and seeing things that would define her more than she could ever be. She left our home to fulfill that dream...and I supported her. I was willing to do anything to help her come closer to her goals. I could have done more and, yet, I was too afraid of overstepping my bounds. I hesitated. And then-..."
Kanata noticed Daryn's eyes getting watery before he wiped them and took another sip in his bottle, "And then two years ago, my sister faded from my life completely..."
Kanata's mouth silently gaped, disturbed by what she heard.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Kanata muttered sadly.
"Heh!" Daryn smirked, "You should be apologizing your sister. Sonata's only 11 years-old and she's braver and more decisive then me when I was that age. She risked getting taken by the DES, lied her way through the first part of the audition, and nearly getting seriously hurt during the final part of the audition. Sonata went through all of that just to come to Akibastar and be here for you."
Daryn then glanced at Kanata, "Don't you think she deserves a little appreciation from her big sister?"
Kanata glanced down on the ground with an ashamed demeanour as Daryn sat on the bench right next to her.
"We all have to face difficult choices in our lives. But we must be absolutely certain what we want to become so that we can move forward without doubt holding us down."
"What we want to become..." Kanata muttered, "I don't care about singing or dancing. All I wanted was to aven-...To fight the DES and protect AKB0048."
Daryn raised his brow, "If you just want fight the DES and protect AKB0048 then why not just join WOTA (Whole Over Technology Association)? They have more martial contact with the DES than all of the AKB successors combined. I'm sure you're more aware of that than most."
Kanata's eyes widen at the mention at this and glanced at Daryn incredulously. She opened her mouth to say something, but it didn't come out and Kanata looked back down.
"If you don't care about singing or dancing and just wanted to smash DES mechs, then you would have quit AKB0048 not long after you came...But instead, you stayed. Why?"
"I..."
"Because of Mimori, isn't it?"
Kanata's eyes widen again at the mention of her friend's name as Daryn continued, "You didn't want to leave her alone here when every other trainee in your generation left. You both shared a dream of becoming idols...because you love to sing and dance."
Daryn then patted Kanata on the shoulder, "Even back at today's dance lessons, you were dancing up front like you owned that spot. Despite what Mr. Ushiyama said earlier, I think you truly owned that spot. Because you worked to earn it."
Hearing this, Kanata's eyes gradually grew teary again.
Daryn smiled, "To be able to go onstage and express your heart to the masses. Oh, how grand that would feel. Singing and dancing to your heart's content is like being free. Free from the pain we experience in our lives and share our story to the stars. You love that. You enjoy it, Kanata. That's why you stayed...Because you LOVE to be an idol."
Kanata began to choke a bit as she is trying really heard not to cry again. But hearing Daryn's words brought not pain but a strange sense of relief that she could not express in any other way...because he speaks the truth. She does love to perform. Being onstage with Mimori during the past two years was the only true joy and comfort she has felt since coming to Akibastar. To simply leave it all behind was something that Kanata subconsciously could not allow.
Seeing that his words got through, Daryn stopped talking and patted her shoulder to comfort her a bit. Then, the two heard a soft voice singing nearby:
Itsumo Raibaru ga
(Always, my rivals)
Kagayaite mieta
(Looked like they were sparkling)
Looking to the source of the voice, both Kanata and Daryn can see Mimori approaching and singing lyrics from the song Shonichi with a warm smile on her face.
Yume wa ase no naka ni
(The dream is amidst the sweat)
Sukoshi zutsu saite iku hana
(It's a flower that blooms bit by bit)
Sono doryoku
(That effort)
Kesshite uragiranai
(By no means will let me down)
Yume wa ase no naka ni
(The dream is amidst the sweat)
Me wo dashite zutto matteiru
(I'm always waiting for it to spout out)
Itsuka kitto
(Until one day, for sure,)
Negai kanau made
(The wish comes true)
As she finished, Mimori gazed at her friend with a smile as Kanata stood up with an uncertain look.
"M-Mimori..." Kanata stuttered, "I-..."
Before she could continue, Mimori held her finger to Kanata's lips and calmly silence her before speaking, "Daryn-kun is right, Kanata. You do love to be an idol. And there's nothing wrong with doing something you like. Afterall, it's always better to have more love than anything else, right?"
"Mimori..."
Happy to see the two friends reconnect, Daryn gave off a warm smile.
"Kanata!"
The three looked over near the street to see Sonata and the other 77th girls, except Chieri, standing there. Hearing her sister calling out, Kanata couldn't help but feel relieved.
"Sonata..."
"Even though, you're not a successor." Daryn said, "You already have a passionate fan that will not hesitate to support you with all she's got. That's good thing, no?"
"Daryn-kun..." Kanata said, addressing him by honorifics.
"Come on, Kanata." Mimori gestured.
Seeing her best friend, her sister, and the other juniors here, Kanata gave off her first actual smile of the day and called out to the girls to join her. The girls all joined together and sang Shonichi side-by-side as Daryn simply watched with a smile on his face. But that did not roll with the girls as Nagisa and Kanata gestured him to join. While somewhat surprised, Daryn did not decline and joined in on their singing as they all look forward to a bright future together on Akibastar.
That night...
Tsubasa was riding in a hovermobile driven by Ushiyama back to her office in the 00 Tower as she reviewed the upcoming events on the schedule, especially for the 77th Generation girls. Looking through the data, she can see potential in all of them and very soon, they need to let the public know who they are. Therefore, Tsubasa was delighted for what's to come.
"I'm assuming things are going along well?" Ushiyama asked.
"Indeed." The AKB manager answered, "Everything is ready for us to prepare developing a promotional video for the 77th Generation."
"Just those girls?"
Tsubasa smiled, "Daryn also...but he will be in a separate promo of his own."
"By himself?"
"Yes. Tell me, Ushiyama. You were observing his dance. So, what do you make of him?"
Ushiyama paused a bit before answering, "He's a decent dancer with the right conception of precision but his movements are spastic and sloppy when he misses a step, even though they went well with the beat. He's going to need to practice hard if he plans on dancing onstage."
"So, you approve that he can be idol?" Tsubasa smiled.
"More or less." Ushiyama smirked, "Interestingly, he is quite devoted to his maneuvers. Usually, when a dancer misses a step, he or she tends to freeze in place or lose control of their dancing. But as the song played, Daryn managed to somewhat adapt to unexpected occurrences, which credits his dedication to the choreography. Despite knowing he will never perform that song, he paid very close attention to both the basics and detail. No simple feat for beginners. However, one interesting thing about his dance was-..."
"The particular steps he followed." Tsubasa finished.
"Yes. You noticed it too." Ushiyama nodded, "The routine he observed was for the one who performs at the center of the stage. That tells a lot about the young man."
"Indeed." Tsubasa agreed, "Clearly, Daryn wants to be seen and heard by the audience, unsatisfied with simply being at the side-lines and out of everybody's line of sight. In a way, this supports my hunch about his true intent in coming here to Akibastar."
"Oh?"
"Regardless, we shall proceed as scheduled. Hopefully, we will make promising progress for what's to come."
To be continued...
Next Time:
Stage 04 - Day-Off
After settling in and training for a few days, the 77th Generation reminded by Tsubasa that all the idols have a monthly day-off. The 77th Generation go off to do various things and meet different AKB members. Suzuko and Sonata try to investigate the mysterious Sensei-sensei, while Makoto, Kanata and Mimori do some training to try and change their personalities, and Yuka and Orine meet Tomochin, who brings them back to her house. As for Nagisa and Chieri, the two ends up meeting with Yuko and the talk in length about their thoughts in Akibastar. All the while, the question about Daryn's presence on the AKB homeworld is called into question...
Author's Note: Hello everyone, Seraphias here. If any of you are good with writing poetry or lyrics, please PM. I don't want to rip off another popular song that already exists, that would be plagiarism and nobody likes a plagiarist. I don't care if you think your literary skills doesn't seem enough, as long as you are willing to work with me then I'm up for advise. Thank you!
Again, huge thanks to co-writer Nagisa Maeda for beta-reading this fanfic. Please do check out his stories!
And as always, review for anything including holes & errors, as well as possible improvements. Also, I welcome new ideas anytime. It will inspire me and prevent writer's block from happening so don't be afraid to share! See ya!
Here are lists of characters that are present in the chapter:
77th Generation
Nagisa Motomiya
Chieri Sono
Orine Aida
Yuka Ichijo
Suzuko Kanzaki
Makoto Yokomizo
Sonata Shinonome
Daryn Kingsley
75th Generation
Kanata Shinonome
Mimori Kishida
AKB Staff
Tsubasa Katagiri - AKB Manager
Ushiyama - Dance Choreographer/Instructor
Chef Papa - Main Cook