Love Live! Great Shine!

ラブライブ! 素晴らしい輝き！

(Rabu Raibu! Gurēto Shain!)

Chapter 21:- Ranked number 1

Opening:- CORE PRIDE - UVERworld(Cover by Raon Lee & PelleK)

-In the early afternoon after a regular school day, Shinji and Jun had visited the school of Uranohoshi Gakuen as they were asked to go to the school by Dia and Mari. From the arrival of the two, all of the girls were staring at the two as they watched them walk pass everyone as Jun and Shinji headed straight for the club room of Aqours. Riko and Hanamaru met up with the two males and brought them around the school instead of heading straight to the club room, Hanamaru would bring Jun to the library as he was interested in books while Riko wanted to show Shinji where her friends would gather together and practice together, as Riko was walking up the stairs in front of Shinji, Riko would then turn back at him as she blushed and got flustered as she covered the back of her skirt, making sure that Shinji doesn't see her underwear as the two walked upstairs-

Shinji: W-What?

Riko: Pervert..

Shinji: I didn't see anything..I swear!

Riko: Really?

Shinji: Yes. I definitely did not see anything with frills on it. -He hinted as he smugged slightly. Riko would then blush madly as she got angry and hit Shinji's shoulder lightly- Ow..

Riko: Hmph! That's what you get, you pervert!

Shinji: You're making me sound like I'm the bad guy..

Riko: You could walk next to me!

Shinji: If I did, the other girls in the school would think we're dating..

Riko: But we are.

Shinji: If news went out, hell would break lose.

Riko: Good point..

-In the library as Hanamaru and Jun were alone in the library as the two were discussing about books together-

Hanamaru: I've just recently read the light novel for Koe no katach, zura.

Jun: Is it good?

Hanamaru: Very good, zura! I cried at the end, zura!

Jun: Haha! Not surprised since people say that it's a very good book after all. -He sighs in relief as he was holding a book in his hand as he then smiled happily, Hanamaru would look at Jun as she blushed and just stared at him until she spoke out to him-

Hanamaru: I-I...I..-Before she could complete her sentence, Jun would place a finger on her lips as he winked at her thus making her blush even more-

Jun: I know what you're gonna say but it won't be fair if you catch me off guard~

Hanamaru: Buu! You're no fun, zura!

Jun: I'll be waiting for you to make me fall for you instead after all~

Hanamaru: I see..Oh! By the way, what are we suppose to do about Dark Rose being third place, zura?

Jun: Maki-san is handling that right now, apparently she'll go talk to one of the members and ask them what are they planning and such.

Hanamaru: I-Isn't that kind of desperate, zura?

Jun: May seem like it but we both know for a fact that the ranking system gives us enough allowances to help us each month.

Hanamaru: That's true, zura..

Jun: Once Maki-san handles the problem, I'll notify you and your friends and everyone else about the situation and we'll see how it goes after that.

Hanamaru: All right then.

-In Akihabara's main street, Maki was walking through the street as she went to the cat cafe that was near the station and went in as she was greeted by four maids as Maki then noticed Kotori and Rin together-

Kotori: Oh? Maki-chan~

Rin: Maki-chan!

Maki: Rin. I need to talk to you in private.

Rin: What? Why? I-I'm in the middle of work, nya.

Maki: Kotori?

Kotori: Sure~

Maki: There, now come on.

Rin: O-Okay..? -Maki walked passed the girls and sat on an empty seat and ordered a drink as Rin joined her and sat at the opposite seat in front of Maki- What's up, nya?

Maki: Explain why are you in a team with Nada Arata.

Rin: I'm sorry?

Maki: Why are you in the team: "Dark Rose" with Nada Arata? the Independent singer.

Rin: T-That's because I wanted to sing with him, nya.

Maki: Why?

Rin: It's fun.

Maki: Where did you meet him?

Rin: Here, nya.

Maki: How come you two got 3rd rank in just a few months?

Rin: We practise every single day whenever we're free, nya. Why?

Maki: I want you to stop this, Rin. The ranking system is very important to my team and I don't you to pull us down to rank 2 or 3!

Rin: Why do you care? Why is it even important to you, nya?

Maki: Because I don't want to lose and because Jun-kun dreams in being first out of everyone else!

Rin: Saitou Jun, huh? I'm surprised that he's that competitive, nya. But I'm sorry Maki-chan, this is something I must do for Arata, nya.

Maki: W-Why can't you just help me out like before?

Rin: -She slammed her hand on the table strongly as the wood table cracked slightly as the other maids were surprised as they looked over at Rin and Maki- Do not be ridiculous, Nishikino Maki! I have been doing a lot of favours for you since our first year of High School together until we became third years and I have never asked for any favours from you. I will not be pushed around by you any longer.

Maki: But I- -Maki was panicking slightly until she got interrupted by Rin once more-

Rin: Get out.

Maki: Eh?

Rin: I said "get out"!

Maki: No! I want to discuss this with you!

Rin: Really now? Then you have to discuss this with him. -She said as she glared at Rin and got up from her seat and moved to the side as Arata walked towards the two as he had a guitar bag behind his back-

Maki: Nada...Arata..

Arata: I heard the whole thing.

Maki: What do your say?

Arata: Even if Rin and I stopped singing for about a month, we would get nothing in return along with the fact that you and your friends will receive many more funds than we do, thus putting us at a disadvantage.

Maki: W-What? I don't understand.

Arata: If Rin and I stayed at Rank 3 for a few months, we would receive a lot less and become less popular while your team along with Aqours would become more popular instead, this will not be fair for us and none of this would have happened if Soul-2-Cry didn't lay back and relax.

Maki: Lay back and relax?

Rin: He's saying that because of the lack of performance from the past few months, Soul-2-Cry and Aqours' popularity has been dropping because of your laziness, nya!

Arata: Exactly.

Maki: We're not lazy! We're just extremely busy with our own things!

Arata: I am busy too, including Rin, yet the two of us can make time and perform together without stressing our mind and bodies. Nishikino-san, I apologise for what I am going to say but Soul-2-Cry lacks planning and teaming.

Rin: Exactly, nya. You guys are pros but you can't make time together to perform at least 2-3 times a month and then not worry about situations like this, now look at you, pathetic, nya.

Maki: But I...

Rin: You can't run away anymore, Maki-chan. This is the truth! Your lack of performance brought you down, not us, nya!

Arata: Dark Rose will be Ranked number 1 in the next following month.

Maki: Eh? Ranked 1?

Arata: Unlike Saitou Jun, my goal to be Ranked number 1 is not as childish as your leader's.

Maki: Tell me your reason..

-Minutes later as Maki left the cafe as she was in complete shock, she would then call Jun and the other members of Soul-2-Cry for a meeting in their recording room. After everyone of Soul-2-Cry met up together, Maki explained the situation to everyone as they were all in shock as the room was quieter than an abandoned building as no one said a single thing until Jun spoke out to them all-

Jun: All right then, if that is Nada-san's plan then we'll have to come up with more songs and perform them in the next competition for next month.

Shinji: Riko said that Aqours won't be performing so we'll be going up against newer performers but the toughest one would obviously be Dark Rose.

Sei: I hope ya know whatchu doin, Jun, cus I don't think risking one of us for the band's rank is gon'be a good idea.

Ren: I agree, I mean this is Nada Arata, he's an independent singer who started all of his songs and popularity alone unlike the rest of us, we formed up together and brought this whole band together as a team but if that man can do as much as we can on his own then he's on a different level.

Jun: I am aware of that but I do not want to lose the Rank of number 1 to someone as Nada-san.

Nico: Why are you so obsessed with being number 1, anyway? It's just a ranking. We get paid and supplies of food and water at the end of a month like any other job but we earn five times more than any normal businessman.

Shinji: That's the whole point, because we're such a large band, we need a lot of funds and supplies to support this whole band together.

Alisa: I-I'm sorry but isn't Rank number 2 good enough for us?

Maki: No it isn't. If we ever go down one rank, we won't have enough funds to support the whole band and then earn as much by hosting concerts and live performances.

Nico: Can't the Nishikino family support us in this?

Maki: Papa does not want to be part of the musical community.

Shinji: Yeah, so we can't ask our dad to spare us some cash for the band, he does give me and Nee-chan monthly allowances but we were told to not use it recklessly and keeping this band alive is quite expensive after all.

Nico: God, you guys are just a pain in the ass..

-After the meeting as everyone went back home, Maki and Shinji were walking back to their apartment together as Maki thought of what she should do and remembered what Arata told her about his plan for the next competition-

"My plan is to get to Rank 1 as fast as I can so that I can support Rin and myself for future ideals and that I will let the world know something about the two of us that will risk the band name but if it get us to Rank 1 then I'll be fine with it." -Arata said as Maki listened but was still confused by what Arata meant, though Maki was still considering and was thinking of what was Arata's plan-

-TO BE CONTINUED-

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Note: This is a remake and a remastered version of Love Live! Ultimax!