The group returned to the Sewers to talk with Kliff about their next target, who Vicktoriya said was very young despite the position she was in.
"Alright Kliff, be serious with us." Ethox said. "Is this next artist we're going after really only 9 years old?"
"I know it might sound hard to believe, but yes, she is." Kliff said bringing up some info. "Are you guys ready for the classics? Head towards the Natura District. I've prepared some tickets for you. A performance by Vinyl City's greatest pianist, Yinu. Truly a child prodigy."
"Man, I can't believe we're gonna be upstaging a kid." DJ said.
"Don't underestimate her just because of her age. I would advise you all to approach Yinu with extra caution. Despite NSR's bias, it is no simple feat to be where she is at her age." Kliff said.
"Kliff does have a point." Goblin Slayer spoke up. "We've all seen how strong Tanya is, despite her age, and she was also underestimated on the battlefield."
"So you're comparing me to some child that knows how to play the piano?" Tanya asked.
"Cmon Tanya, you two are exactly alike." Kazuma pointed out. "Same age group, same false god giving you powers…"
"Alright, I get it." Tanya said. "Honestly, the idea is ludicrous, but seeing what the last two artists were like, I suppose being on guard is a solid idea."
"Let's rock-a-tok!" Mayday said.
The group headed into the Natura district via Akusuka and looked around. They saw that Natura was abundant with flora and fauna and golden leaves floating down from the trees in higher areas as a grand concert hall was seen in the distance.
"There it is, the Natura Concert Hall." Ethox said, looking unsure. "Y'know guys, I'm just gonna say this now, I'm reallyI'm really gonna hate fighting a kid."
"I know how you feel, Ethox. We didn't really expect one of NSRs artists to be so young." Legolia said.
"I wonder why this child is even playing at this young an age?" Gimlior asked.
"Apparently, Yinu was brought into the world of music by her mother." Vicktoryia piped in. "It's never really explained why though."
"Still, I'm not gonna feel good about crashing this kids performance." Ethox said. "But, if it's for the sake of derailing Being X… let's just not try and hurt her, okay?"
The group somewhat agreed, and headed to the concert hall.
After bypassing the eight security gates, they entered the concert hall as they heard a piano being played while walking up the stairs to see a young girl in a white maestro outfit with her hair in the shape of rosebuds, an autumn leaf shape tattoo on her nose and bright red cheeks playing.
"Boo! Boring! Boo!" Mayday called as Yinu slammed the piano keys in irritation.
"Mayday, Zuke, and the Fatebreakers?! I knew it!" Yinu said turning to them and glaring with her bright red eyes. "You guys talk big about music, but the only thing-"
"Talk big about what?" Mayday asked, cutting her off.
"Yeah, you need to speak up! The acoustics here isn't designed for speech clarity!" Zuke added.
"Ahem! Talk. Big. About. MUSIC!" Yinu yelled. "But the only thing you guys seem to be good for, is breaking stuff!"
"What's that?! We're good at music stuff?! Why thank you!" Mayday said, holding up a large fake ear next to her right one.
"No! Gah!" Yinu frustratingly hammered the piano keys. "I'll show you why they call me the Golden Maestro of Vinyl City!" she said before taking a deep breath as she began playing.
(Cue: VS Yinu (Full Game Mix)- NSR)
Yinu started out with a mildly calm and joyful piano opening number.
"Wueghhh, you gotta be kidding me. I've heard this a craptillion times…" Mayday said.
Mayday was cut off when Yinu suddenly gave a piercing glare as her eyes glistened yellow as the music took a dramatic turn. The now incredibly booming and dramatic piano solo washed over the entire concert hall, the Fatebreakers seemingly both shocked and impressed.
YINU
The Child Prodigy Tangled by Strings.
"Wow… that kid is impressive." DJ admitted.
"And we just got schooled by her." Zuke added.
"Whatever. We're so going to stop this noise right now!" Mayday said as they began running up to the stage while avoiding large music notes before being cut off by a large red gate with a heart-shaped lock. "Ethox, if you would?"
"Um… right." Ethox muttered, using his Keyblade to unlock the gate.
"Stay away from my piano!" Yinu said as a large red hand popped out of the curtain behind her and lifted her up with strings of light attaching to the piano. The music became fully synchronized with EDM as Yinu sent even more musical notes at them in pairs, four for single notes, and two for double ones.
"Let's make this quick." Seiya said summoning his bow of light and fired off a 5-Shot Shining arrow, cutting all of the strings holding Yinu up at once as she and her piano began to drop.'
"Mama!" Yinu cried before the red hand caught her as stepping out was a large red woman in a black dress with a rose pattern, along with amber eyes and her hair in the form of branches as she also had a tattoo in the shape of a heart on her nose up to her forehead. "Mama!" she said happily.
"THAT'S her mom?!" Aqua asked in shock. "She's huge!'
"Yinu, my dear, please...stay calm. These bullies are nothing compared to you." Mama said with a demonic pitch in her voice as Yinu smirked arrogantly down at the group. "Now, close your eyes. Listen to my voice...and show them your magnificence!" she said as her eyes turned pure white as she sweeped the group down while destroying the tree props in the process as the music began playing in a more orchestral tune.
"Okay!" Yinu agreed.
Yinu's musical note attacks were now more grouped and wide spread as the group evaded them.
"Geez, talk about casting a long shadow over you, am I right?" Rista asked.
"Yeah, and I'm getting the feeling Yinu's mom is both influential and pressuring." Ethox said.
"What do you mean, there's nothing wrong with a healthy parent child relationship." Aqua said. "Even if your mom is a giant."
"Then… listen to her." Mirror Match said as Yinu was playing.
"Fingers curved...fingers curved...fingers curved...fingers curved." Yinu repeated.
"And look at the way she's being held up by those strings of light. Kinda reminds you of a puppetmaster working a puppet." Ultra noted.
"So it's Yinu's mother we're really after." Mirror Match said.
"I can see that. Let's cut some strings and get her attention!" Ethox said.
The group constantly avoided Yinu and her mothers attacks, solo or in tandem, as Mayday, Zuke and the ranged attackers retaliated by firing at the strings holding Yinu and her piano up before Yinu's mother caught her and shielded her.
"Get 'er!" Mayday said.
The group wailed on Yinu's mother as she shielded her daughter with all out attacks, repeating the process a few times before Yinu's mother dropped to the ground with a cry.
"C'mon, that's it?!" Nemo asked. "...I mean, sorry 'bout that." he said quickly due to the glare sent at him by Ethox.
"Listen, this doesn't have to go on. Please, let's just-" Ethox started
"Enough!" Yinus' mother cried out in rage. "You are ruining! Her! Performance!" she said, slamming the ground as the dome shattered as the stage was being lifted up by red vines as her tattoo shifted into a broken heart.
"Mama, wait-!" Yinu tried to protest.
"Keep playing, Yinu!" her mother urged in a more demonic tone as the orchestra began intensifying. "I should teach you brats some lessons in music!"
"Maybe we should teach YOU how to be a better parent!" Kazuma countered.
"Shut up!" Yinu's mother yelled, attacking the group herself in conjunction with Yinu's note attacks.
"Geez, what is wrong with this woman?! She's treating her own daughter like some object!" Grantz noticed.
"It's the classic case of a mother using their own child prodigy for their personal gain." Tanya said.
"It's also something that pisses me off!" DJ said, revving up his saws. "Hey! Get your puppeteering fingers off the kid, you old hag!"
"What was that?!" Yinu's mother asked, trying to smash DJ.
DJ avoided one of her hands and ran up her arm and then kicked her straight in the face. He then launched one of his disk buzzsaws and severed Yinu from the strings. The former assassin then took a flying leap, grabbed the child, then landed back with the other Fatebreakers, setting Yinu down behind them.
Yinu instinctively ran over to her Piano as she tried to urge her mother to calm down.
"Mama!" she cried out, but to no avail. Her mother was absolutely burning with rage.
"How could you?" she asked as she couldn't take it anymore. "How could you do this to her?!" she yelled before lunging to the center and forming a cage with her hair, faints of red glow were inside her eyes.
"Finally… it's just you against us!" DJ said as the music turned into full on classical Dubstep as the group fought against Yinu's mother. She incorporated new attacks, such as red vines erupting from the stage, giant piano keys smashing into the ground, and she even used her head, literally.
"Get. Off. Her. Stage!" Yinus' mother roared.
"Was it really her stage, or yours?!" DJ asked. "I know all about parents like you; hell, I had one! Possessed or not, it's wrong! Are you protecting Yinu or her music?!"
The group continued to battle Yinu's mother as she kept attacking them with all she had.
"Have you no shame?!" Yinu's mother asked, attacking them with rapid headbutts.
"We should be asking that about you!" Ethox countered, whacking her face while she was stuck in the ground.
"I won't allow you to do this!" she said, summoning more thorn covered vines.
"I don't think you understand who's really at fault here!" Tanya replied, evading the vines and battering her with gospel magic enhanced bullets.
"Yinu! Play harder!" Yinu's mother called as the piano keys hit the ground rapidly.
"You leave her out of this!" Ultra said as he brought out Xurkitree, who used Wrap to squeeze and shatter the keys.
"This ends now!" Molotok said, charging in as Yinu's mother went for another face slam. Molotok then swung his hammer upward, smashing it into her face as everyone was sent into the air. The group then landed on a bed of giant golden roses, Yinus mother stunned in the distance.
"It's time to end this!" DJ said.
"And there's only one way to do it!" Zuke said.
"Way ahead of you, Zuke!" Mayday said. "Red Light!" she said, holding her left fist up.
"Green Light!" Zuke said, pounding down on it as Mayday swapped out a canister on her guitar with a different one as it spun to show an angry face on it. Zuke was right behind her as he tapped his drumsticks in a three count.
"Bunka! Junka! Shakalaka-Whoooooooaaaaahhh!" The pair called before they were sent flying further down the vine as popping out of the rose was Yinu sitting with her arms crossed.
"What?! She's still fighting for her mother after all she's done?!" Nemo asked.
"Yinu, my dear… you got them!" Yinu's mother praised. "Now, play for mama, one last time!"
"I hate you all." Yinu muttered as her mother gasped in shock. "I hate you all! I so hate you all! Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!" she screamed as she began playing the piano like mad.
(Shift- Frenzy Piano Section- NSR)
Overflowing with anger and sadness, Yinu's powers blessed by Being X exploded forth as the Golden rose bursted high into the sky. Vines then portrueded from the stem and started grabbing everyone.
"Whoa, triplets! She's going all out!" Zuke said.
"Not just all out, she's outta control!" Kazuma said.
"Massive damage! Massive damage!" Mayday said as she and Zuke began running up the stem while avoiding rapidly approaching music notes. But they too were grabbed by the vines as the rose grew higher and higher still.
DJ avoided the notes and vines as everyone was being carried up.
"Ack...DJ!" Ethox said. "The Piano….. You have to break it!"
DJ continued on, barely listening as he dodged the vines and notes until he reached the top of the flower. With a flying leap, he jumped up…
"This piano is the center of everything for you… so I can't take it. But the show's over"
...and caught Yinu, sending them both falling towards the ground, DJ holding Yinu over him.
Yinu's platinum record appeared, before it was replaced by the image of DJ falling from the sky with Yinu in his arms as golden rose petals rained down around them.
Yinu
Her strings have been cut, and the DJ takes the fall for her! SAVED!
Without Yinu to supply the music, the giant rose dissipated as everyone was falling to the ground. They crashed back inside the now wrecked Natura Concert Hall, falling unconscious. The last thing to fall to the ground was Yinu's piano, as it sailed down to the floor and landed so far from above, that it broke in half.
Yinu freed herself from DJ's grip as she saw what happened.
"No…" she whimpered, running over to the broken piano as everyone came to.
"Ugh… I'm going to feel that for the next few days…" DJ said as everyone got up.
"You...imbeciles." Yinu's mother said.
"Uh-oh!" Mayday said.
"You imbeciles! You've ruined everything! Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Yinu's mother said.
"What we've done?!" Ethox asked. "We're not the bad guys here! We aren't the ones who used their own child for their own desires! In all honesty, I would have preferred to just ask for the platinum disc and leave, but I never got the chance to ask because you attacked us!"
"Before you start criticizing us, why don't you take a look around you and see what you've done. We didn't ruin your daughter's concert, you did." DJ said. "You urged her to keep playing. You destroyed her stage. You did all that. So, just stay quiet… and listen."
Yinu's mother didn't want to listen. She was so filled with rage that she aimed to keep fighting and destroy them. The group prepared to fight back, as Yinu's mother coiled to strike. She was about to attack them once more, but then….
…. Piano chords rang out, stopping her in her tracks.
Everyone then listened to the sound of Yinu playing her broken piano with a quiet, yet mellow and regretful tune. This brung her mother back to her senses as she looked and saw her daughter playing somberly.
Without anyone saying another word, Yinu's mother slowly walked over to her daughter, shrinking down to human-size as she sat down next to Yinu and began playing the other broken half of the piano alongside her as Yinu softly smiled while the group looked on, the Fatebreakers specially looking guilty. The group then silently exited the concert hall with Bunk Bed Junction.
Outside…
"Damn… that was really heart wrenching." Koenig said.
"..." DJ was silent before he turned to face both Ethox and Bunk Bed Junction. "Guys… are we the bad guys here?"
"I get what you're asking, DJ." Ethox said. "We're trying to help start a revolution in music… but in doing so, we're potentially doing it at the cost of these other artists' careers."
"Nothing potential about it." DJ said coldly. "That piano was her tool, her way to make people happy… and we broke it. I didn't want to break it, but that's what happened. It's like… it's like I'm back home, working under that son of a female dog that was my dad."
"Sorry to hear that, man." Zuke said.
"DJ…" Ethox said in dismay, before he wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "Don't worry. This may seem like we're doing more harm, but I promise… we'll do right by this city."
"Will we?" DJ said, before he turned to Mayday. "Mayday, you're saying you're fighting for the little guy with rock… but what if rock isn't what they want?"
"But if we don't do something, these rolling blackouts won't ever stop. NSR just can't keep the backup energy for themselves, it isn't fair." Mayday said. "I just want to be like Kul Fyra."
"Kul Fyra?" Ethox asked. "You mean the person on the poster you have in the briefing room?"
"Yeah. She's my hero. She's the lead guitarist of the Goolings, one of the greatest rock bands ever. She inspired me to become a rockstar, but after a while, the band disbanded and Kul Fyra was never heard from again." Mayday said.
"I see." Mirror Match said. "So you wish to inspire others like Kul Fyra inspired you. A rather noble goal."
"Everyone in Vinyl City should be allowed to play their own music, not just EDM." Mayday said.
"I get it. But what if, after all this, we get to Tatiana. We beat her, we eventually become the ones in charge. We'll just be becoming what she is now." Ethox said.
"You think that will happen?" Aqua asked.
"I dunno. But we can't ignore her oppression over the city either." Ethox said. "Cmon, there are only two more districts to go through before we get to NSR Tower. Like it or not, we have to fight the last two artists to get to Tatiana. Let's hope we can do less damage there than we did here."
"Yeah, so let's-" Zuke started before they soon heard familiar music. "Oh you've gotta be kidding me!"
"That music… it's DK West, he's back!" Ristarte realized.
"Great! Maybe we can get through to him, c'mon!" Ethox said running ahead.
The group then followed the music to the source and found DK West in the very same alley as before.
"Wait, he's still in the same alley we found him in last time?" Legolia asked. "You'd think he'd at least relocate."
"Well, it's not like he has to hide from NSR or anything." Seiya said. "I bet they're the reason he's here in the first place."
"Must've happened after we stopped Sayu's creators." Kazuma said. "So, I can only guess you're here for one thing… a rematch?"
DK West chucked. "Heheheheheh. Ya man….rematch."