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Enjoy the next chapter.
Iruma sat in his room, putting in his purple contacts before drying his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he began applying a thin layer of eyeliner and eyeshadow. Hearing a light knock at the door, he sighed and shook his head, "It's opened!" the door opened and Sullivan and Opera stepped inside, "Hey grandpa, hey Opera, what's up?"
"We were hoping you could tell us, darling grandson," Sullivan hummed and stepped closer to him, "Is there any reason you're going out as Izama? We thought you were trying to keep this side of you a secret, but if someone were to see Izama walking out of the house, they'd know where you live an-"
"I know, grandpa, but Oswell said he set up an interview with the Demon Kings at Spin City, but the only catch is the Devi Dolls are going to be at the interview and they only have enough room for one deal this year." Iruma shook his head, "I don't know if the Devi Dolls are going to be there with the Demon Kings or if they're going to be in a different part of the building, but I'm not taking any chances,"
Opera sighed as he shook his head and crossed his arms, "Why in the hell would your manager set up an interview with a record company the same time another band had an interview?"
"I don't know, Opera…Oswell is strange like that," setting his makeup down, he picked up a aerosol can and covered his eyes as he began spraying his hair and the two saw the familiar purple tint on his hair. Setting the can down, Iruma stood up and looked at the two with slightly narrowed eyes as he tied his hair back, "Well…I better get going before the Devi Dolls are offered the deal before the Demon Kings even get a chance to perform," Sullivan and Opera nodded as Iruma walked past them and down the hall.
IAS
Two limousines pulled up in front of a tall building and the two bands along with their managers stepped out of the vehicles. The man in the dark purple suit walked up to the woman with purple hair and smirked, "Rika Raim, as I live and breathe…how long has it been, love?"
"Not long enough, Orias," the woman spat, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes, "But we're not here to talk about the past," she looked over at the band she managed and smiled, "Right now I'd like you to meet my girls Kuromu," she gestured to the purple-haired bandmate who glared at the Demon Kings with narrowed eyes, "Nee-San," she pointed towards one of the two tall bandmates with blonde and red hair as she stared at the band with a blank expression, "Mononoke," she pointed towards the other tall bandmate with red and black hair and she smiled as she waved at the two while giving a forced smile, "And Kari," pointing towards the smallest bandmate with green and pink hair as she winked at the Demon Kings while sticking her tongue out.
"Intimidating," the man laughed and shook his head before he looked back at the band behind him, "And I'd like for you to meet my boys. Shax, Sabro, Jazz and Izama,"
"The only member who knows how to stay out of the public's eyes," Rika stepped towards the leader of the Demon Kings and looked down at him with narrowed eyes, "Tell me boy, who taught you how to hide from the public? It's obvious you didn't learn that from your bandmates,"
"Watch it, lady," Iruma spoke in a cold tone as he narrowed his eyes, "If I were you, I'd focus on the band you're managing, not the band you're competing against." Rika glared at him, "Don't trash talk my band. It'll be the only mistake you can't fix,"
Rika sighed as she looked up at Orias and narrowed her eyes, "You've got yourself a little charmer here…is he always this rude?"
"Not always, you should see him without his makeup. Sweetest kid you can ever find an-" before Orias could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his side and he looked down at Iruma and hissed, "What the hell, Izama? I was complimenting you,"
"Yeah, don't do that…I don't want people knowing who I am or that I'm considered soft…the Demon Kings are a hardcore punk band and even if you were complimenting me without telling them who I am, don't. It'll ruin our image," Orias sighed and slowly nodded, "So…should we go inside," everyone nodded before they turned and headed towards the building.
IAS
The Devi Dolls stood in front of a flirtatious looking woman with long pink hair. The woman looked up and smiled as she waved at the four, "Hi there, I'm Amaryllis Asmodeus and I'm going to be judging both the Devi Dolls and the Demon Kings tonight to see who will get the record deal. Now why don't you girls show me what you've got," the four bandmates looked at each other as the woman smiled and shook her head, "Don't be shy. I won't play favorites, but you do need to perform in order to try and get the record deal," the four nodded as they began playing their chosen instruments and Kerori began singing.
"Playground school bell rings again.
Rain clouds come to play again.
Has no one told you she's not breathing?
Hello, I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to
hello." Amaryllis frowned as she wrote on the piece of paper in front of her as the band continued to play.
"If I smile and don't believe
Soon I know I'll wake from this dream.
Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken.
Hello, I'm the lie living for you so you can hide
Don't cry,"
Amaryllis sighed and shook her head as she mumbled under her breath, "What is with this band? I've heard a few of their songs and they're usually cheerful…why are they singing something so sad?"
"Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping.
Hello, I'm still here
All that's left of yesterday," the band soon stopped and the four looked at the pink-haired woman in front of them with looks of anticipation crossing their faces.
Amaryllis took a deep breath before she stood up and stepped towards the four bandmates and shook her head, "That was lovely you four, we do want to sign you girls on for this deal, but unfortunately, we at Spin City like to give everyone a fighting chance and so we have to give the Demon Kings a chance to earn a deal with us,"
"We understand," Kerori nodded, "But when will we heard who you've chosen to sign with?"
"Once I hear from the Demon Kings, I'll get back with both bands in about a week to let them know who will be getting the deal," she walked over to the door and opened it before slightly smiling at the four, "Once you get back to the green room, do you mind sending in the Demon Kings?" the four narrowed their eyes slightly before nodding and walking out of the room as Amaryllis closed it behind them.
Walking back to her desk, she sat down and took a deep breath, "A band that is usually cheerful singing a depressing song…while it was beautiful, I have to play fair and give both bands a chance at this record deal."
IAS
The four bandmates entered a room and looked at the other band before Ameri gave a forced smile, "You four are up…good luck,"
"Thanks, beautiful," Sabro smirked as the four stood up, "But we don't need luck! We're the Demon Kings an-" before he could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his side and he looked down to see Iruma glaring at him, "What the hell, Izama! You know the Demon Kings are amazing an-"
"And an opposing band wished us luck, Sabro, don't gloat," Iruma took a deep breath before he shook his head, "Let's go you three," they nodded as they walked past the Devi Dolls and down the hall as the four glared at them as they faded from view.
IAS
The Demon Kings stood in front of Amaryllis and the woman smiled, "Hello, I'm Amaryllis Asmodeus and like the Devi Dolls, you four will be performing to see which band will be getting a deal with us at Spin City," she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she shot the band a seductive look, "Whenever you boys are ready," the four nodded as they began playing their selected instruments and Iruma began singing.
"Take the light
And darken everything around me.
Call the clouds
And listen closely, I'm lost without you.
Call your name every day
when I feel so helpless.
I've fallen down
but I'll rise above this, rise above," Amaryllis sighed as she frowned and shook her head and wrote something on the piece of paper in front of her.
"Hate the mind
regrets are better left unspoken.
For all we know
This void will grow and everything's in vein.
Distressing you though it leaves me open.
Feels so right
but I'll end this all before it gets me!"
"Another band with another sad song," Amaryllis took a deep breath and frowned, "What is with these two bands. The Devi Dolls are usually cheerful while the Demon Kings put a lot of heart into their songs, but tonight…it's like they're hurting for something."
"Call your name every day
When I feel so helpless
I've fallen down (fallen down)
but I'll rise above this
Rise above this.
Call your name every day
When I seem so helpless
I've fallen down (fallen down)
but I'll rise above this
Rise above this doubt," the band continued to play while Amaryllis listened.
Taking a deep breath she looked down at the paper in front of her and frowned, "What am I supposed to do? Both bands sound amazing, but at the same time it sounds like they're all hurting."
"(I'll mend myself before it gets me)
I'll mend myself before it gets me
(I'll mend myself before it gets me)
I'll mend myself before it gets me!
Call your name every day
When I feel so helpless
I've fallen down (fallen down)
But I'll rise above this
Rise above this.
Forty-eight ways to say
that I'm feeling helpless.
Fallen down (fallen down)
But I'll rise above this
Rise above this
Rise above this
Rise about this doubt," the song soon ended and the music died as the band looked at the pink-haired woman in front of them.
Amaryllis took a deep breath and stood up, "Like I told the Demi Dolls, both of you have great potential to have a deal with us at Spin City and I'm going to talk about this with some of my superiors and we'll get back to both bands in a week and let you know which one of you earned a deal with us," the four hummed and nodded, "Now if you don't mind, I have a lot of paperwork to go through, so please show yourselves out," the four nodded again before they turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.
IAS
The members of the Devi Dolls and their manager sat in the back of the limousine as it drove down the street. The four bandmates looked at their manager before Elizabetta spoke, "Rika?" the older woman hummed and looked at the guitarist in confusion, "How did you know the manager of the Demon Kings?"
"Oh, Orias?" Rika sighed as she leaned back in her seat and shook her head, "He and I used to date in high school, but one day I caught him behind the bleachers with one of our upperclassman and I started yelling, he started yelling and we just walked away from each other. He transferred to another school and I haven't heard from him since until tonight." She chuckled as she shook her head, "If I had known he was the manager to the Demon Kings, I would've rescheduled your interview,"
The four frowned as they looked at each other, "But anyway I heard you four in the listening room and you girls were amazing as always. There's no way they wouldn't sign the Demi Dolls after that performance." The four looked back up and slowly nodded before the ride fell into silence.
IAS
The Demon Kings and their manager satin the limousine as it drove down a dark street surrounded by woods. The four bandmembers looked at their manager to see him staring out the window with a hardened look crossing his face, "Hey Oswell," Jazz spoke, "What's up? And how the hell did you know that woman? You two spoke like you were sworn enemies or something?"
"That's because we used to date in high school," Orias sighed as his focused turned towards the four, "One day, an upperclassman pulled me behind the bleachers and before I knew it, she kissed me just as Rika rounded the corner. I pushed her away and tried to explain to Rika what happened, but she started yelling and calling me all sorts of names, I was getting angry and started yelling back before she left. I later found out that my upperclassman did it because her boyfriend had just broken up with her…I tried to explain everything to Rika for a while, but eventually gave up and transferred to another school,"
"What?"
"But forget about the past," Orias smirked, "You guys were awesome tonight. I have no doubt in my mind that they wouldn't sign you. The passion in your song was enough to break anyone who heard it," the four looked at each other before looking back at their manager, "I want you all to get a good night sleep tonight. We've got a busy week ahead of us, a concert, another interview, plus we'll be hearing from Spin City at the end of the week," the four hummed and nodded before the rest of the ride fell silent.
Well this chapter was fun to write. The two songs that were used in this chapter were Hello by Evanescence and Rise Above This by Seether. Enjoy.