Chapter 25: Battle of the Agents: DDR Style
After the 30 minute break, the third round of eliminations is finally resumed as everyone are exciting to watch the second group do battle.
"Thank you for waiting after the 30 minute break... And now the second group will now compete is both Team Best against Team AJRK." Naoki said as he shows both groups are ready to compete.
As all of the audience watch the competition, Rage, Emi, Retsu, Beechum and Rico watch the fight between both teams.
"Looks like Yuni becomes confident to win the third round." Emi said cheerfully.
"She maybe confident to win. But just look at both Legna and AJ, they are ready to get serious." Rage said pointing out on his group.
"Since you and Akira were practice in the dance game, It appears they're both are in the same league." Retsu remarked about their performance.
As they are ready to play, both teams prepared as the first song revealed as "Balalaika" a song but in a slower rhythm as Akira was surprised that the song was slow but the arrows are the same in the faster pace. Rage becomes reacted when he sees a multiple versions of himself in the dance game's background music.
"You gotta be kidding me!? How come there's a multiple versions of me in the background music of the game? It's just like in the 5thMIX game when there's two versions of me are showing on the caution background screen?"
"You look terrified when you see yourself in the game, Reiji. It's just like you became popular to most people when it shows you." Retsu said smirking.
"I didn't know Rage could be very terrified when he was seen in the backgrounds." Rico said knowing of this as Emi smiles.
"Rage... it's okay... even me is always on the background music too. Besides we danced with Akira and Yuni on the Sweet Sweet Love Magic background and the Break Down song."
"Uhhuh... I just don't like to look at the mirror." Rage said sadly while lowering down his head in disappointment.
After the song ends Akira and AJ got a grade of A while both Legna and Yuni also got the same grade and AJ was impressed to see this.
"Looks like we tied... I'm impressed on your skills, Akira." AJ said nicely as Akira replies.
"Since the song was slow but the rhythm appears faster. I just got it already."
"Maybe if you try on the next song... I think you might confused..." Legna said smirking as the next song "September 99" has been played.
Akira was disappointed when the song appears as retro but in the easiest pace. Yuni became dismayed when she makes mistakes as she tried the Heavy mode like Akira does and it was an opportunity for Legna to get through. As the song ends, Yuni becomes a bit tired and to her surprise, she got a grade of B due to getting so much Good grades and Legna got a grade of A. Both Akira and AJ got a grade of A due to getting some Great! grade.
"Yuni! When did you have an idea to put Heavy mode on the game? You shouldn't become serious when you tried in Heavy mode?" Akira said scolding at Yuni which she replies in a bratty manner.
"I wanted to be act professionally, Akira. You don't have to scold me like that?"
As both are arguing, Emi knows how Yuni was confident to win but because of her overconfidence they are not on sync.
"Yuni, you shouldn't say something bad to Akira... He was trying to correct you in other way. You might as well trying either a Light and Standard mode."
"Emi... I know I wanted to get through the semi-finals... I maybe get a B grade but I need to put it on AA." Yuni replies while yelling.
"Her bratty attitude needs to toned down a little. It's pathetic for her when she wanted to complete the song." Retsu said coldly on her bratty behavior.
"That song is just like what Afro plays in the dance game." Rage commented nicely.
"Okay the final stage of the song is about to begin. Be ready both teams. This song will be very interesting to play." Lady said as the final song revealed to be "Speed Over Beethoven" and is a fast song. Yuni wanted to put on Standard mode but she accidentally put on Heavy mode which she became dismayed because the song is fast but have thirty second beats within the song.
Akira knows the song too well because he was practiced with Rage before and seeing Yuni's mistakes, he knows they're gonna lose. To his shock, Yuni got a good and misses because she does not know well about the thirty-second beat and sixteenth beats are much faster to take. As the song ends, Yuni was totally exhausted and became upset when her grade becomes C as Akira, Legna and AJ got a grade of A.
"The competition of the second group is over... Team Best got a grade of C while Team AJRK got a grade of A. The winner of the third round is Team AJRK." The referee declared the winners as Yuni became upset when she made so many mistakes as she cries in regret.
"Poor Yuni... I just did that before when I get sick after I accidentally put in Heavy mode rather than in Basic." Emi said sadly.
"..."
"You did well, Akira... I guess you're gonna wait for your next opponent just to reach into the 4th place." Legna said calmly.
"I know for sure we lost in the third round. Don't worry... we'll win it next time." Akira said as he let Legna walking away with AJ and seeing Yuni crying over their loss as Rage, Emi, Retsu, Beechum and Rico came to see them.
"You did your best, Akira. I'm proud of your skills." Rage said nicely as Emi comforts Yuni.
"It's okay, Yuni... There's still have a chance to win. Like Mr. Itoh says you can still fight another group when it loses within the third group."
"Emi... you were right... I shouldn't became overconfident to win. I never knew Akira would told me that. I also made the same mistake as you... I'm really sorry... sob..." Yuni said as she hugs Emi as she too is crying as Rage, Retsu and Akira watch them comforting each other.
"I guess we let Emi and Yuni need some space... they really need a heart to heart for a while." Rage said as Akira agrees.
"You maybe right... Yuni needs to lessen her bratty behavior whenever the competition is on. I let Legna to win because I already know Yuni would make mistakes."
"You actually know that...?" Rage reacted.
"As a Security Police from the Verse Family and a special agent, her parents know her bratty behavior well. But on dance competitions she needs to learn more of this. Thirty second beats on some songs will be a lot a challenge."
"I guess she needs more practice when Heavy mode is a hard dance course." Retsu said calmly.
"And now ladies and gentlemen, the moment we were waiting for is the battle of the third and last group consisting of Team Drum and Bass against Team Future Patrol for the third round eliminations." Naoki said finally commenced the battle of the third group.
As the audience goes a round of applause, Rage, Retsu, Akira, Rico, Beechum are watching the battle as Kari, Johnny and Alice arrive to see them.
"Hey, Rage and Retsu... you're gonna watch the competition too. But where's Emi?"
"Emi is with Yuni, Alice." Rage said telling her. "Team Best got lost in the third round and Yuni was crying remorsefully from her mistakes so I let Emi to comfort her for a little while."
"Oh dear..." Alice said sadly.
"Kari, I thought you were practicing knife throws again." Retsu said and Kari replies.
"I just need a little break for practice. I heard cousin made it in the semi-finals."
"I like watching the competition but my sister Jenny just left in Japan so early." Johnny said sadly as Rage came to see him.
"So Jenny left in Japan, huh. What she's gonna do there?"
"Hmm... she left for the United States for the acting audition. Once she passes the audition to become an actress. I wanted to be like her too." Johnny said telling his aspiration.
"Good for you, Johnny." Rage said nicely.
"Well I like to see Kari one last time because I like to watch the competition. But Lorraine is gonna kill me if she found out I was chasing out of a woman." Johnny said knowing of his actions.
"It's better to be loyal to your girlfriend, Johnny. Cheating to girls is another bad thing to commit. Be careful..." Retsu said giving him some advice.
"Uh... you better look everyone." Rico said and to their shock, Charmy and Astro are in a good sync trying to beat Team Drum and Bass. Charmy and Bass got a tied in an A grade but both Astro and Drum also got a grade of A.
"Wow... it's a tie..." Rage said amusing as Akira seriously informs him.
"Don't get so amused, Rage. Didn't you remember we watched how both Drum and Bass practiced their dance moves? It's based on style and elegance, that's why they became unbeatable in every elimination rounds."
"You're kidding right..." Alice wondered as Akira tells them.
"We maybe practice very well to our dance performance. But for those two they are strong to beat them down."
"You look well to dance, Mr. Drum... I've never seen you come this far in the third eliminations." Astro said impressed to Drum's dance moves.
"Don't be so callous... we try so hard to practice these kind of routines. As chairman of the record company, I already know what rhythm of the song will come out." Drum said knowing of the list of dance songs.
"He looks confident, Astro." Charmy said as Astro warns Drum.
"Very well then... since this is the competition for the last pairs. I'm not going to lose with the likes of you, you hear me. "
"Drum, you think you can beat him for that." Bass said as Drum replies to Astro in outspoken manner.
"It would be a finesse when you said that. I think the next song would be very interesting."
"Now the next song of the second stage is about to play." Lady said as the song "Sakura" has been played as the rhythm of the song is faster with a slow motion pace.
Charmy was disappointed when the music was played she haven't get used to it. Both Astro and Drum are competing each other because of the sixteenth beat arrows in a faster pace. Rage, Rico and Johnny are surprised how they competed each other except for the girls while Akira remains unfazed. Meanwhile, Garuda was watching behind their backs and seeing Drum was a tough dancer to deal with as he thought.
Seems like Team Future Patrol is gettin' out of hand... Drum and Bass are the toughest dancers to beat them all. I already warn Reiji about their performance in every eliminations.
As the song ends, Charmy got a grade of C while Bass got a of A. As Astro got a grade of A while Drum got a full score of AA.
"No way... how did you perfect that music? I never knew you could made a full combo of it." Astro said shockingly.
"Like I said, I know exactly the rhythm of the song as this song appears faster with a slow motion."
"Forgive me, Astro. We might lose this round because of this grade." Charmy said sadly as Astro smirks while cheering her up.
"It will be alright, Charmy. We still have one last shot. When Akira and Yuni lose to both Team AJRK we might face them if we lose and this is our last chance."
As the group are ready to engage for the final stage, Rage becomes thrilled when he saw Drum perfected the Sakura song.
"I don't believe it, Drum may be assisting us to beat the mafia, he's really good. So that's what my grandfather warned me about."
"Listen Rage, when we tried the Sakura song back during the first EXTREME competition, it was difficult for us to make a full combo perfectly." Akira said informing him about Drum's dance performance. "Seems like Mr. Donald appears as a worthy opponent when he masters all of the difficult songs we play."
"It's probably listening to rhythm and beats of the song." Rico said telling them. "If we could hear the song normally it was fine. Since his occupation as chairman of a record company. He has a high sense of hearing. That's why he knows the technique of both rhythm and beats within the song."
"Now I understand why Jenny and I we lost to him. He even told me that he is also a ladiesman like me, what a shame...?" Johnny said knowing of their lost to them.
The final stage is revealed as "Can Be Real" a normal but techno song as Astro and Charmy did their best to take on the music while both Drum and Bass does the same. Astro was having problems on the freezing arrows on the music. As the song ended, Astro was exhausted as he has a grade of A as Charmy got a grade of A as well. Drum got a perfect grade of AAA due to getting more perfect and marvelous grade while Bass got a grade of AA when she makes a full combo of it.
"The competition of the third round is over, Team Future Patrol got a total score of B while Team Drum and Bass got a grade of A. The winner of this third round is Team Drum and Bass." the referee reveals the winner of the third round.
"Amazing, Team Drum and Bass manage to get through the semi-finals along with Team Burning and Team AJRK. Now for both teams Team Best and Team Future Patrol will battle for the fourth place tomorrow afternoon."
After Naoki finally conclude the third round of eliminations, Rage becomes determined to beat Drum and Bass after Drum had perfected the song twice due to getting a higher grade.
"I've never seen this group can get a much higher grade." Alice said became surprise to Drum's grades in the dance performance.
"AAA's is the most perfect score than AA." Retsu said explaining. "Getting a full combo to reach AA when you have many Marvelous, Perfect and Great score. But AAA's get most of marvelous and perfect score."
"All right, we're gonna practice extra hard. Now I know why Drum could master the song when he listens the rhythm and beats. I'll make sure we'll confront them when we reach through the finals." Rage said became determined to beat Team Drum and Bass and Akira has to prepare for tomorrow's battle. As all of the competitors are getting ready for the semi-finals.
Trivia:
*Rage becomes dismayed when he looked at himself in the background a reference to his background appearance within DDRMAX until DDR Ultramix 3. He also references himself who appear doubled in the caution background in DDR 5thMIX.
*Yuni made a similar mistake in the competition by accidentally put on Heavy mode rather than Standard mode a reference to Emi's mistakes in the final chapter of The Babs' When Emi met Rage.
*Johnny mentions his twin sister Jenny who departure back to United States for her acting audition shadowing her occupation as an actress in later DDR games as Johnny also aspires like his sister which he also did to become her stuntsmen in her movies as seen in DDR X.
*Drum's performance and scores are based on OMG KON!'s DDR videos when he gets a perfect score of AA and AAA.