Chapter 26: Dancing Through the Fourth Spot

As they eat dinner at Garuda's tower, Garuda was impressed to his grandson for getting through the semi-finals.

"Nice win you have there, Reiji. Yer father will be proud if ya keep on winning the competitions everyday." Garuda said as Rage tells him.

"Yeah... But we need to practice tomorrow morning with Emi after I watch how Drum performs his dance moves perfectly."

"He maybe a chairman of the music company, he must be serious because he is good of hearing rhythm and beats of the music. It's just like people who have a real good talent." Garuda said nicely as he looked at both Akira and Yuni. "As for you two, you may lose once because your partner got some mistakes she was dealing. I guess you have to do your best to fight Team Future Patrol. You don't have to lose your hope."

"Well since this is would be our last shot. We have to practice more, Yuni. Just cheer up, we can do this..." Akira said trying to cheer Yuni as she replies.

"Okay... I would listen to you whenever the competition is on. I've been crying for a long time when we lose to Team AJRK and for my mistakes..."

"Yuni, it's better if you don't act so bratty... Besides, a dance competition is more serious than being slacking off." Retsu said giving her some advice.

"I agree with Retsu, Yuni. Just we did in every competitions we previously entered we got frustrated when each of us loses or accepting defeat." Emi said cheerfully.

"The group will be fine for tomorrow. If you guys go practice for the semi-finals, go on ahead. We're gonna watch tomorrow's battle between Akira's group against Astro's group." Kari said telling to both Rage and Emi.

"You're always giving me a lot of conflict, Kari..." Rage said in disappointment.

As his friends leave the tower, Rage decides to stay in his grandfather's place rather than going back to his family home. He remembers his father giving him a lot of chores within their family business where he carries a lot of box of liquor in the liquor shop. He dreamed to have Japanese restaurant in the United States and it was his American Dream and Garuda sees him.

"You look bothered... what are ya planning to do next?"

"I wanted to be like Retsu did, grandfather." Rage said gently as Garuda replies.

"You mean... you're going to the United States. Heh, just I like did in my prime."

"I wanted to pursue my American Dream is to have my own business there. I just decided to leave Japan and to strike my own business to have a restaurant. But unfortunately, I could not think what kind of a business am I going to take." Rage said finally tells his grandfather about his dream.

"United States is a lot different than in Japan, ya see. You have to learn somethin' about American culture just like how Afro and I met each other. That is the first step when you decided to live there."

"Really?"

"The most important thing when you get there in United States. You will meet different people just like how you meet your friends who are your opponents in the dance competitions." Garuda said giving him advice as Rage was happily surprised.

"Now I get it, when I first met Afro who is the Dance King he's from America. Same goes to the Hurley Twins, Blues who is my opponent in a dangerous Hyper Dash game and both Drum and Bass. I didn't know that they were natives fromthe United States."

"If you experience in the United States, this is how you can make your own business. Stay close to my advice and you do just fine. It's not just about your skills in ancing or being vigilante to fight opponents. But it's your own skill and talent to where people would love it."

"My own skill and talent, huh? Okay, grandfather... I'll think about something first when I get there in the United States. That way, I can open-up a business when I finally get some experience there."

"Good... but first you have to tell your parents about your dream." Garuda said telling him.

"I'll tell them once the second EXTREME competition is over." Rage said smiling to his grandfather.

The next day, as everyone are gathered at the Central Park of DDR City where two competitors who are eliminated in the third round are giving a last chance to get through the semi-finals. Retsu, Kari and Johnny are there to watch the battle.

"Seems like the battle is going to be interesting?" Johnny commented as he asks Retsu. "By the way, Retsu. Where's Rage and Emi? I thought they are here to watch."

"Reiji contacted me last night. He said that he's going to practice with Emi for the semi-finals and they need to practice extra hard." Retsu answered calmly.

"Now that's a spunky attitude would even say that?"

Princess-Zukin arrives along with Liana to see them both and Retsu was shocked about their vice principal's appearance.

"Ms. Liana... why are you here?"

"I was asked by Garuda to watch the battle in which one of them is going to get a ticket though the semi-finals of the competition."

"You know just like the first eliminations. They even gives us another chance to get through the elimination rounds. It's too bad that we lost to Team AJRK. I never knew this Asian woman is pretty good on playing the game." Johnny said in regret.

"As you know... you were lucky for once." Liana said telling him. "You even made it in the second round of eliminations but you lost in the end. Getting through the eliminations with a second chance is considering the group becomes a Wild Card."

"A Wild Card?" the trio said surprisingly.

"And now... both teams who lost in the third round eliminations are giving one last chance to join up with three other teams in the semi-finals. Team Best is facing off against Team Future Patrol." Lady said as she shows both teams are ready to commence.

"Listen up, Akira... I guess this is our last battle. Whoever reaches through the 4th spot then it's a winner." Astro said calmly and Akira closes his eyes.

"We're both officers in a different law enforcement so that's means. You and I we're in the same league."

"Wonderful! I guess this begins our strong rivalry then." Astro said smirking.

The first song to play is "Cosmic Hammer" as both men put on Heavy mode while both Yuni and Charmy goes on Standard mode. The beats can be confusing as Charmy was disappointed about the beats of the song. Astro knows the song is something futuristic. Both men are in the same pace until the song finally ends in a slow theme. Both men gets a grade of A as both women had the same grade as them.

"I'm amused... this song is kinda futuristic but I loved it." Astro commented as Akira warns him.

"Don't get too amused, Astro. I think this song can be very confused and a much more beat."

The second song is revealed as "Edge of Control" as both men put on Heavy mode while Yuni goes on Basic as Charmy takes on Standard. As Akira predicted, the theme of the song very confusing and more beats due to faster rhythm. Astro became confused when he missed his step gaining a miss and the other is good when he make a mistake as the song finally ends. Astro was surprised to get a B grade even his girlfriend Charmy who also got the same grade and both Akira and Yuni got a grade of A.

"Dang... I shouldn't miss my mark. That's why I got a B grade..." Astro said became disappointed about his grade and Akira tells him.

"I told you that song was very strange and confused. I never knew this song would come out because it's not on the second EXTREME game.

"What did you say?" Astro reacted as Akira points the background on the dance they play is none other than Ultramix 4 and was horribly surprised. "You gotta be kidding me, Charmy and I never play this game before?"

"Wow... The professor who sponsored the second EXTREME competition has full of surprises. I've never played this game since me and Astro practiced in the second EXTREME game." Charmy said knowing of Garuda's surprises as Yuni remarks.

"So the last chance to get through the fourth spot is to play this game. The songs are entirely different than the second EXTREME game even us had already turned into a different animation graphic types..."

"Don't get so frustrated, Astro... Let's just say we'll play this game then. We'll ask Professor Garuda about this." Akira said as Astro agrees as he remarks about Garuda's surprise.

"That infamous scientist struck us again. For Justice!"

The final stage of the song is none other than "GO!" Both men put them on Heavy mode as both goes on Standard mode as they play seriously due to a faster rhythm and beat and it's more traditional Japanese theme. However in the climax of the song has thirty second beat arrows which Astro couldn't keep this up as Akira knew this would happen when they never practiced those faster arrows as the song soon finishes. Astro got a grade of C while Akira's grade becomes B as both Yuni and Charmy got a grade of A as the referee tells their total.

"The competition is over, Team Best got a grade of B while Team Future Patrol got a grade of C. The winner of this round is Team Best."

"What an upset! Team Best wins the match and takes the fourth spot along with Team Burning, Team AJRK and Team Drum and Bass in the semi-finals." Naoki said announcing them as winners.

Astro became disappointed after Akira reveals about Garuda's surprise by playing an Ultramix 4 game and Charmy was happy to see them winning.

"You're improving again, Yuni. We're looking forward to watch your team and Rage in the semi-finals."

"You bet...! I can't believe the old professor has some things on his own sleeve." Yuni said happily.

At the audience side, Retsu was surprised to see the dance machines that Akira had played is a different game and to their shock.

"This dance game? Did Sir Garuda changed it?"

"He didn't change it, Retsu. Garuda wants to surprise the competitors when the dance game is a different dance simulation game." Liana said as she explains. "Naoki and Garuda had already discussed about this segment for both teams."

"Wow... I guess I was lucky that I haven't been there...? They use the second EXTREME game for the three of us to get into in the second round." Johnny said scarily.

"Mr. Garuda hasn't changed a bit... he's a surprisingly genius old man... who has some many advantages." Princess Zukin remarked happily.

Back at Burning Dome, both Rage and Emi had done practicing as they take a break until Retsu and the others are here to see them.

"Retsu, how did it go? Did Akira and Yuni win?" Rage asked eagerly as Retsu replies snobbishly.

"Of course they win... If you were there, a lot of changes happened in their battle for the fourth spot."

"What do you mean changes?" Emi asked as Retsu answered in disappointment.

"He changes the dance simulation game from second EXTREME to the fourth Ultramix and both teams haven't play that game well."

"Dang, grandfather... is a totally mind stresser. Why would he do that?" Rage said knowing of his actions.

"I guess he did that just to surprise the competitors and they became confused when some songs from a different game comes out." Kari said as Rage tells her.

"You were right, Kari. Grandfather sometimes really tried to surprise horribly. That's how he is..."

Back at EMTI, Drum and Garuda are having a conversation about the mafia leader after Liana gives him the picture.

"So this mafia leader is a Japanese like you people are...? How would he do such a thing?"

"I can't imagine this guy is nothin' more than a snake with large fangs can inflict venom with their teeth." Garuda said seriously.

"Garuda, we maybe competitors for the semi-finals. I keep maintaining my dance moves whenever I continue my research. I'll try my best to find the mafia leader's location then I will tell you." Drum said telling him as Garuda replies.

"Sure thing, Drum..."

"Sir Garuda, someone wants to see you..." Konsento Mark IV appears to see them as Akira arrives much to their surprise and he asks him.

"Professor Garuda, I have a question? Are you the one who changes the dance simulation game?"

"No, I'm not... It was Naoki who suggested to change the simulation game because we already discussed about the thrill of both teams competing in a different dance game. I guess yer team and Team Future Patrol did."

"I see... so the host of the competition did. Wow..." Akira said surprisingly in a deep tone of his voice. "I guess Astro was disappointed and confused because they haven't play that game before even us."

"What we did was to make a thrill of the competition in winning the fourth spot and we never did that in the first eliminations." Garuda said in a mild manner.

"Professor Garuda, who's this man on the picture." Akira asked skeptically as Garuda reveals to him.

"That person on the picture is none other than the leader of the mafia organization. His name is Katsuhiro Morishige."

"Morishige... that name... I saw his name on the text message after I killed Fang during the infiltration of the mafia's Chinese branch." Akira said as he recognizes his full name within Fang's text message from his cellphone.

"This guy is actually our real enemy, Akira. You have to inform Rage about this." Garuda said informing him. "Drum had already do his best to research the location of the entire mafia base."

"All right, Professor Garuda... I'll inform Rage about this. But before we do that, we have to prepare for the semi-finals..." Akira said finally agreed to Garuda's word as he leave.

Garuda watches him leave and seeing that the mafia is about to turn the tide as he thought.

Morishige it's time for you to put your group out of yer misery. I will crush your organization down!

Trivia:

*Rage reveals his dream to have a restaurant in the United States foreshadowing his role in the later DDR games where he takes up his takoyaki business.

*Both Team Best and Team Future Patrol are surprised to see them playing DDR Ultramix 4 as the game itself where they appear as playable characters in the game.

*The song GO! is played for the second time since Chapter 8 and this time it's in the battle between both Team Best and Team Future Patrol in the third and final stage.

*All three songs played for both teams are from DDR Ultramix 4.