Chapter 2: Life of an Idol
The sun rises once again over the city of idols. All of the idols of Sweet Dance City wake up one by one and gets ready for another busy day. The warm tropical sun greets them as the city comes to life after a peaceful night's rest. Most idols take this moment to stretch their arms and practice their dance moves early in the morning. Once they had a chance to work out their stiff muscles, they get ready to continue their journey to becoming Super Idols someday.
The bright sunlight fills Magali's room. Her eyes slowly open to see the morning sunrise waking her up. She then sits up and stretches her arms before letting out a great big yawn. The crew building was quiet all night long, and Magali slept quite well. She knows that today will be her first full day as an idol, and she can't wait to get started.
Once she is fully awake and changed into something fresh and comfortable, she pops her head out her room and takes a look around. Conrad is not around, so she assumes he is either still asleep or left for the day. She takes this chance to grab her bag of toiletries and a change of clothes to take a shower. She remembers Conrad mentioning that there are no bathrooms in the halls, so she will need to use the public bathroom down on the first floor. Lucky for her, the base is easy to navigate, and she finds the bathroom easily.
Inside the bathroom, Magali is shocked to see how massive it is. The bathroom is so big that she can see at least a hundred other idols walking around and socializing comfortably. There is a heated bathtub the size of a swimming pool for idols to bathe in. She also sees a dozen or more private showering stalls for idols to use at their leisure. Nearby are several machines that sell soap, shampoos, lotion, and many other toiletries for idols to look their best. Everything an idol needs are readily available to them, and nobody is there in need for anything.
As Magali showers, she notices how well kept and maintained the bathroom is. The water is perfectly warm, tiles are clean, nothing smells like mildew or mold. Clearly the building is well taken care of to keep the idols happy and relaxed. She hated the idea that she would have to share the bathroom with the other girls in the base. Now that she had a chance to try it out, the experience is better than she'd expected.
After getting all freshened up, she returns to the crew hall to get ready to explore the city. Inside, she finds Conrad in front of a folding table all set up with a banquet of food waiting for her. The smell of eggs, bacon, toast and sausage fills her node and makes her mouth water. She was starting to feel hungry, and she is glad that there is food prepared for her.
Once she is seated, Conrad greets, "morning! How did you sleep last night?"
"I slept just fine. I am pretty surprised at how easy it is to relax here. It's almost like this building is specifically built for idols."
"I'm glad to hear that. I knew that once you gave the base a shot, you'd love it. Now let's have some breakfast, it's on me today. It's a Sweet Dance tradition for the crew leaders to buy breakfast for their new members."
"Thanks, don't mind if I do," said Magali just before she picks up a breakfast sandwich. She takes a bite, and her eyes glow with delight as the flavors blend well in her mouth. "Wow, this is delicious! The spices on the meats are full of flavor, and the eggs are light and fluffy. How did they make the food this good?"
"Sweet Dance society only hires the best chefs to feed the idols. Our jobs as idols are important, so they make sure that we are well fed and taken care of. Everything they make for us is full of calories and nutrition to keep us on the stage. The healthier we are, the better performances we can provide for our visitors. It only makes sense that they go out of their way to take care of us."
"That does make sense. Too bad it can't be like that everywhere," answered Magali before taking a drink of some fresh squeezed orange juice.
As they continue to eat, Magali takes a good look at Conrad for the first time. He is no longer wearing his blue hoodie, so she can take a good look at him. First thing she notices that his hair is naturally blonde. Not a wig or dyed like other idols. His brown eyes are friendly and makes her feel comfortable. He looks a few years older than Magali, but still quite young and good looking. She can assume that is the reason why Conrad is so popular as an idol.
After they finish eating, Conrad clears the table. He then asks, "so, did you fill out that application? I'm going to need to drop it off at the council building before the end of the day."
She nods and slides the completed application on the table. "Filled it out this morning. Let me know if I missed anything."
He picks up the application and looks it over. Once he sees that there are no issues, he signs and puts it away to be delivered. "Congratulations, you're now officially a member of the crew. Welcome to Howard's Dance Party!"
"Just so you know, I only decided to stay because my dad said great things about you. I've decided to stay, but I am keeping an eye on you. So, no more stunts like you did yesterday."
"Fair enough," answered Conrad
Once everything has been settled, Conrad clears all the furniture and stores it in a nearby closet. Meanwhile, Magali is by the glass door to the balcony looking out to the city. She looks down watching all the idols leave the crew base and off to do whatever idols do every day. She then looks out to the distance and sees many people enjoying their day. Idols are taking pictures with guests and signing autographs. Restaurants have lines of customers ready to try the city's fine breakfast cuisines. Everyone looks so happy, unlike the people back in her old home.
"Hey Conrad, can I ask you something? What exactly do idols do here in the city? I assume we do performances and stuff like that, but then what?"
He takes a moment to think about his answer, "I don't think there's anything that we are supposed to do. This city is both our home and job. The main think to keep in mind is that as idols, our job is to entertain the guests who come and watch our performances. As long as we do that, we can do whatever we please. I could spend hours describing all the things we do every day, but I think you should just experience the city and find your own way to fame. What I can say is that most young and new idols should go and attend their trainee classes."
"Trainee classes? What is that," asked Magali curiously.
"The trainee building is a place where older and more experienced idols teach and train younger ones. They also help set up performances for us."
"Hold up! After all this work to become idols, we still need to go to a dance school? How does that make sense?"
"The trainee classes are in no way, shape, or form required. Even so, anyone would recommend doing it. It is a great way for Idols to meet each other and form strong friendships. Try not to think about it as a school, but rather a resource we take advantage of. It costs nothing, and it can only make us better idols. And besides, considering what the judges said about your entrance exam, I would take full advantage of it."
"I guess you do have a point. I'll give it a try and see where it takes me."
Conrad smiles. "I'm glad you're considering it. What class are you in by the way?"
"What do you mean? I didn't sign up for one yet."
"Everyone is assigned a class once they become an idol. They do that for you so you can get started on day one."
"I didn't know that. How do I find out what class I'm in?"
"You can check your profile on the computer."
"Really? Where can I get a computer?"
"There's a computer right there against the wall," answered Conrad as he points to a small desk with a computer and monitor.
Magali approaches the computer slowly and curiously, "this is a computer? I thought this thing was an old relic you have laying around as as decoration."
"Wow, you really are a princess. I guess you only had laptops back at home."
"Hey, I thought I told you not to call me Princess," shouted Magali.
Conrad chuckles as he says, "yeah, you're right. Sorry about that. I found the fact that you've never seen a desktop kinda funny. How about I call you Mags instead?"
"Hey, who said you can give me a nickname?"
"Don't get me wrong, I think your name is cute. But Magali can be a bit of a tongue twister. If you want, you can all me Connor, Rad, or even C-Rad!"
"Ew, no! I'll just call you by your normal name. Call me whatever you like, just not Princess."
"All right! Now that everything is settled, let me teach you how to use the computer. We'll get this bad boy booted up and log you on." With a push of a button, the monitor comes alive and boots the home page. Conrad then grabs the mouse and connects to the internet. He then takes the keyboard and logs into the Sweet Dance Society official website for registered idols.
"Okay! Now that we're in, you'll need to set up a username and password. Use your ID number to find your profile."
After taking a seat in front of the monitor, she uses the keyboard to enter all her information. She then pulls out her license and enters the ID number to pull up her profile. Once it comes up, she gasps as she sees her photograph and all her idol information already published on the internet.
"Wow, this is incredible! And they set all this up in just one night?"
"Sweet Dance Society has a team of people working around the clock to update every idol's profile quickly. It can be scary knowing that they can manage everyone's profile so quickly. I personally find it pretty convenient. Nothing about our profiles is ever outdated."
Magali continues to review the information on her profile. "Hey," she screamed as she points to the part where her family lineage is filled out. "Why is my mom and dad listed here? I specifically left it blank in my application. Can they do this?"
"Well, you did tell the judges who your parents are during your entrance exam. You did sign a contract letting them publish anything you tell them."
"Can anyone see my profile," asked Magali.
"Yep. Everyone including other idols, guests, and even fans. I know it feels like an invasion of your privacy, but everyone wants to know who the idols are they came to see. Especially other idols who need to know who they will be working with. Think of it like a tool for idols to assemble teams or partners for bigger performances. You can find idols based on many different search criteria."
She lets out a stressful sigh. She had no idea that being an idol meant being so open about her life to the world. She starts to wonder how many people in the city already knows who her father is. At this point, she hopes that the news wont travel to fast, and she can at least have a normal life for even a brief amount of time. The last thing she wants if for people to judge her based on her family before they get to know who she is as a person.
"Did you find out what trainee class you were put into?"
"Let's see. . . My class is called Violet Skies. Are you in that class?"
"Nope. I'm in the Crimson Wings Class. We're still in the same building, so we should run into each other pretty often."
"Are you headed to the trainee building today?"
"Sorry, but I am a bit busy today. I need to drop your crew application to the council building first. Then I need to go to the record store and sign autographs for the rest of the day. I can tell you how to get to the trainee building. It's easy, I promise!"
Magali nods. After she receives instructions on how to get to the trainee building, she gets ready to go. The day is still early and there is plenty of time to get to the trainee building in time for class. Once she's out of the crew base, she heads to the bus stop and waits. With Conrad's directions in hand, she is sure that she'll make it without getting lost. She learned that the bus she's waiting for stops at all of the city's most important locations, including the dance hall and trainee building.
The bus arrives a few minutes later. She boards the bus and scans her ID which allows her to ride for free. She then asks the driver to stop at the trainee building for her. The driver nods and pulls off. As the bus moves through the city, Magali looks out the window and takes a good look at the city. Everything looks so peaceful outside. Considering how large it is, she was expecting some type of crime or corruption going on. But so many people are just walking around wearing all types of outfits without a care in the world. The police keep everyone safe, and not a single sign of poverty can be seen.
After several stops, the bus drops Magali off in front of the Trainee building. She stares at it in wonder at how massive and elegant the place is. The building is in the middle of a huge park with idols peppered all over the place. The building itself takes up as much space as a city block alone. Three towers pop out of the building, drawings of idols can be seen on them with the words "STAR" written on them. Since the building is far away from most of the rest of the city, she doesn't see any random guests disturbing idols and their work. All she sees are idols just roaming around and socializing happily with each other.
A local police officer inside the building helps Magali find her class. The officer points her to an elevator that goes up one of the towers to the many classes. She rides the elevator up to the correct floor and takes a quick look around. Each floor has eight doors each leading to a trainee dance hall: one on each wall and one on each corner. Each door has a plaque with a room number and the name of each class. The class to the north wall has a plaque with the name "Violet Skies" written on it. She finally takes a breath of relief knowing that she made it to her destination with no issues.
She opens the door and takes a look inside. The size of the dance hall is quite impressive, slightly larger than the dance floor of the crew hall. One wall has a massive window overlooking the city facing the Dance Square in the distance. Another wall is covered with mirrors and some railings for balance. Another wall is covered in decorations and the words "Were Idols" are written in huge bold print. The hall also has everything a young idol needs to practice their dance moves near the door.
Hanging out at the railings are two young women chatting. They both seem to be slightly older than Magali which makes her feel relieved. One of the girls has platinum white hair tied in a bun and wears a white dress decorated with butterflies. The other idol also has white hair with pink highlights and keeps it in a ponytail. Her black outfit is decorated with multi-colored ribbons. They both seem to be polar opposites with their choice of idol outfits. They seem to have a light and dark theme among them.
She takes a nervous breath and starts walking towards them. They both seem friendly enough, so Magali is confident that she can make friends with them. She only hopes that they don't know who her father is and fit in. As she gets close, they both notice her and greets with an excited smile. Magali smiles back and greets, "good morning It's nice to meet you two. My name is-"
"Wait, we know who you are. You're Magali Artisan, Julian's daughter," said the girl with the ponytail.
"Oh, you already know about that?" She then sighs, her hopes of living a normal life in the city shattered in mere moments. She can only wonder how many other people know.
"Yeah, I have notifications on my phone alerting me of all new idols. We got so excited learning that the daughter of a Super Idol is not only joining the city, but our very classroom," continued the girl with the ponytail.
She then pulls out her phone and shows Magali the notification she received yesterday shortly after Magali was accepted as an Idol. She had no idea Sweet Dance Society even had an app. Seeing this, Magali immediately gives up on the idea that she can keep her father a secret at all. She believes that she will always be treated like a celebrity.
"Oh my god, how rude of me! We never even introduced ourselves! My name is Desmond Dorrow, fourth year idol. Please call me Dessie. It's so nice to meet you," greeted the girl with the ponytail.
"And I'm Lannabelle Anders, third year idol. Please call me Lanna for short," said the white-haired girl.
Magali blushes as she smiles. They both are very friendly to her and don't feel intimidated to be the daughter of a Super Idol. "It's so nice to meet you two, I hope that we can all work together to be great idols someday."
"Well, this is quite the surprise," said the voice of a young man. Magali turns around and finds a young man in his mid-twenties hanging out by the entrance of the hall. His brunette hair and azure light overall outfit sparkles with the sunlight. His smirk radiates confidence and arrogance. There is an overpowering aura that Magali can't help but to feel intimidated.
"So, you're Julian Artisan's daughter. I'm shocked that a celebrity with such talent would even bother attending dance classes. You're pretty modest, I can appreciate that," said the young man.
He confidently walks up to Magali and extends a welcoming hand saying, "my name is Brandon McCatt, I am a seventh-year idol. It is an honor to meet you."
She shakes his hand and greets, "thank you. I'm Magali and – Wait, did you say seventh year?" Magali takes another look at Brandon. He is a bit older than she is but looks younger than Conrad who is only a fifth-year idol.
"I see that you are a little shocked. Allow me to explain. I have been an idol since I was only fourteen years old. I have more experience than most idols my age."
"Fourteen? I thought you can't be an idol until seventeen?"
"That's true for most people, but that only applies to people moving into the city. I was born and raised here, and I live in the homeland with my father. The society doesn't want minors living in the crew halls with older idols, so they banned anyone below seventeen to become idols unless they live in a house. Since my family owns a house in the homeland, I am allowed to be an idol at a younger age."
"I see, that makes sense. Sorry, this is just my second day living here, so everything is so new to me. I have so much to learn."
"That's perfectly fine. If you do have any questions about the city, please feel free to ask me anything. I am more than happy to help," said Brandon in a comforting voice.
Magali nods happily. She can smile knowing that all her classmates her very friendly and willing to help. She thought that as soon as people knew that her father is a Super Idol, people would look down and treat her poorly. She can take a sigh of relief with hope that she can live a normal life in the city after all.
"Well, look at what we have here! I was told that I was getting a famous new idol in my class, but I figured that she wouldn't bother attending," said the voice of an older woman.
Magali looks by the entrance and finds an older woman leaning against the door. Unlike the other girls, she seems quite older at around her mid to late thirties. Despite her age, she is very attractive and has lots of curves which can make any young woman blush with envy. Her wavy hair is a dark brunette that reaches down to her waist, her brown eyes are narrow with a piercing gaze. She is dressed quite casually for an idol with her blue jeans and cream blouse. There is a Latin flare with how she stands and folds her arms.
"Line up everyone," clapped the older woman with authority.
Dessie, Lanna, and Brandon line up without hesitation. Magali lines up wondering what's going on and who this older woman is. The older woman stands in front of the four idols like a drill sergeant. With her hands on her hips, she says, "I know most of you knows who I am. But since we have a new student in my class, I'll introduce myself once more. My name is Leilah Pikul, and I am the dance instructor for the Violet Skies class. My job is to teach you all how to become better idols and lead you through the road to Super Idol. The road will be long and full of challenges, but with my dance moves, I am confident that one of you will make it. Are there any questions?"
Everyone shakes their head no. Leilah then pulls out her phone and taps on a song it to get the music playing. The song that is playing is very fast paced with a lot of beats to follow and full of energy. "Okay, we'll be working on stamina today. Many idols will be dancing for a long time with no rest. Just follow me and copy my dance moves. Do your best to keep up!"
Without even a moment to prepare, Leilah starts to dace and everyone else mimics the moves behind her. Magali tries her absolute best to keep up, but the dance moves Leilah is performing are too new. Everyone else has been working with her for quite some time and memorized everything she knows. Each dance step flows gracefully one after another. All Magali can do is stay a few seconds behind and follow what she can see.
Most of the moves are easy enough to follow. Then there are more complex ones that requires spinning or standing on one foot. These complex moves can cause Magali to stagger and fall or trip on herself. She gets up and tries to follow the rest of the class, but that becomes harder and harder with each slip of her toes. Nobody even stops for a moment to let Magali catch up and continues to dance with no issues.
Once the music ends, Magali falls to her knees and takes a few gasping breaths. The song was only shy of five minutes long, but it felt like an hour to her. She had no idea that being an idol was so exhausting, and she didn't even do a single performance on stage yet. She thought that her talent from her father was enough to get by but learning so many moves at once is too much. She then looks up at everyone else who appears fine, nobody else even broke a sweat.
"Magali, what happened? As the daughter of a Super Idol, I expected much more from you. If you plan to make it here in Sweet Dance City, you're going to have to give it much more than that," said Leilah with her hands on her waist.
"I'm sorry. . . I'm just not used to these new moves. Couldn't we start with some more basic moves and work from there?"
"Absolutely not," said Leilah sternly. She then looks to the others and continues, "since our newest classmate is having a bit of trouble, we are going to repeat what we just did. And we are going to keep doing it over and over until my moves are burned into your brains. By the time we are done, you will be able to dance in your sleep! Am I making myself perfectly clear?"
Everyone else nods obediently while Magali dreads the idea of starting again. At that moment, she starts to wonder if she made a mistake. Does she have what it takes to be an idol? Should she have stayed at home and worked with her father instead at his job?
Suddenly an image of her mother comes into her head. She then starts to remember why she even came to Sweet Dance City in the first place. Her mother never had it easy for her as well, and she worked hard enough to receive the title of Super Idol. Magali ca imagine her training hard every single day perfecting impossible to master dance moves to perform on stage. She must have wowed the crowd as the fruits of her labor bloomed over the stage. After years of training with her father, hey both became Super Idols together.
The thought of her mother gives her the strength to get up and try again. The music plays again, and Magali gives it her all. She still trips and stumbles trying her best to follow her teacher's moves, but her determination lets her get back up and try them out over and over again. Following the class only gets harder the more exhausted she gets. She keeps telling herself that this is only the first day and she will get through it. All her other classmates have been doing it for years, and no one else is complaining. If she wants to make it as an idol, she will need to work hard like everyone else.
The class is finally allowed to rest a couple of hours later. Everyone is sitting in the class having a bite to eat and recharge. Magali takes a bottle of water and chugs down until she feels cool enough to stop sweating uncontrollably. She then gasps and take a few deep breaths before saying, "wow, hat was intense! Seriously, how are you two okay after all that training?"
"Oh, we're just used to it by now. Miss Pikul can be quite a drill sergeant when it comes to dancing. I've seen lots of people transfer classes or just quit being an idol all together because of how rough her training is," answered Lanna.
"Oh my god, really? I thought all teachers were this strict on their students. Why hasn't anyone done anything about her?"
"That's because everyone who can survive her training has become some of the best idols in Sweet Dance City. She is a tough cookie, but nobody can argue with her results. I know I wouldn't have gotten this far without her. I heard that ever since she retired being an idol, she became obsessed with training the next Super Idol," answered Dessie.
"Wait, she retired? How old is she? She looks way too young to be retired, and she's still a great dancer."
"Most idols do retire in their thirties, but Miss Pikul has been retired for a long time now. I think she quit being an idol in her mid-twenties," said Lanna.
"What? But she's such a skilled dancer. Why give up being an idol so soon?"
Dessie takes a moment to think. "I'm not sure. She had already quit by the time I became an idol. I did hear some rumors about why she quit. One rumor says that she tripped during a performance and all her fans laughed at her. She was so embarrassed that she could never get back on stage. Another rumor says that she lost a partner who worked with her for a long time and couldn't find another one. All her fans abandoned her and followed her partner. She lost the will to get back on stage ever since then."
"Dessie, really? How many times must I tell you to stop spreading false rumors about people. It's very rude," said Brandon as he approaches the girls.
"Oh really? I don't suppose you know why Miss Pikul retired so early," asked Dessie.
Brandon crosses his arms as he answers, "actually I do. I was only a kid when it happened, but it was pretty big news around the city.
"You see, Leilah Pikul was born and raised in Columbia, and she specializes in Latin style dances. Salsa, bachata, merengue, bomba, and any other South American style dances. You name it, she was an expert at it. She came to the city as a teenager and really drew a crowd. Her footwork is second to none, and she was on her way to becoming the next Super Idol.
"During her travels around Europe, she fell in love and married a French Idol. Their marriage was good for a brief moment, until the topic of kids came up. Leilah wanted to wait until after her idol career was over to have children. Her husband desperately wanted a family sooner than later. Two years after they got married, Leilah's husband left her for a younger idol. She took the divorce pretty hard, and it affected her performance on stage. Her fans started to attend her performances less and less, until she eventually quit.
"Leilah planned to return to her hometown back in South America. The Sweet Dance Society didn't want her talents to go to waste, so they offered her a job as a dance instructor. Over the years, a lot of people complained that she's too harsh on idols. If you ask me, those idols are just weak and have no business on the stage. While others whine about her teaching style, I admire her and became a great idol. She doesn't hate anyone; she just wants us idols to do our best. The stage is ruthless, and the fans show no mercy. She wants nothing less for us to survive them, even if she has a hard time showing it."
Magali can't help but to smile after hearing Leilah's story. It brings her comfort knowing that Leilah was not being mean or vindictive to other idols. If her goal is to forge only the best idols in Sweet Dance City, then she wants to do her best to make that dream come true for Leilah.
"All right everyone, break time is over," shouted Leilah as she walks back into the class.
Magali takes a quick look around and notices that everyone else has already finished their food. She has been so busy talking about Leilah that she forgot to get any food for herself. "Hold on a second, can I get something to eat real fast," she asked.
Leilah crosses her arms as she says, "sorry Magali. The stage waits for no one, and neither do I. We have a lot of work to do to get you caught up with everyone else. Let's get to it now!"
As her stomach rumbles, Magali sighs as she has no choice but to keep practicing. The training ends after a couple of hours and everyone leaves to finish their day around the city. Meanwhile, Magali boards the bus headed back to the crew base. She is starving and is looking forward to another delicious meal from the cafeteria.
Her legs are sore, and she is weak from hunger. As she gets closer to the crew base, she drags her feet feeling exhausted. She is only practicing, and she is completely to tired to do any other idol tasks for the day. She can't wait to take a warm shower and jump into bed.
She takes a moment to look around and watch the other idols smiling and chatting with their friends. No one else is as tired after a long day performing or practicing as Magali. She can only hope that with time she'll get used to her job like they are.
"Hey Mags," called a familiar voice. She turns around and finds Conrad walking up to her wearing his Oceanic Tyrant hoodie. He rests a hand on his hip as he says, "man you look beat! I guess they put you through the ringer at the trainee building?"
She nods, "I had no idea that being an idol was so much work. How do you do it?"
"Don't sweat it Princess, you'll get used to it."
"I thought I told you. . . Not to call me Princess. . ," said Magali, too exhausted to raise her voice.
Conrad giggles for a moment, "sorry about that. It's just funny watching new idols get a taste of what we do every day. You look hungry, why don't we head to the cafeteria? It'll be my treat!"
"Really? What are we waiting for, let's go," she shouted. The thought of free food gives her a burst of energy to sprint into the crew base. Once inside the building, Magali and Conrad look in shock at the closed sign on the cafeteria doors. Magali can only sigh as her tummy rumbles some more.
"Well, look at that. Looks like we're on our own today," said Conrad sheepishly.
"Does the cafeteria close often?"
"No, but it's not surprising. The kitchen cooks for a lot of idols every day, something is bound to break down or needs maintenance."
"How are we supposed to eat now? I'm starving!"
"Relax. We'll just go eat at a restaurant today. Don't you worry, I'm still paying."
"Oh right! I totally forgot about the restaurants in the shopping district. That's where we first met, right?"
"Yep! And since the city has visitors and idols from everywhere across the globe, there is at least one restaurant for every kind of food imaginable."
"Really? I wonder what kind of food I want today? I could go for some Italian, but Chinese sounds good too. But I'm kind of in the mood for Mediterranean. Oh wow, the choices are endless!"
"How about we go to my favorite spot. You'll love it, I promise!"
Magali nods, "sure. As long as you're buying, I'll try anything!"
With that, they leave the crew base and board a bus headed to the shopping district. The day is still bright and very busy with visitors. People from all across the globe has come to watch idols perform on stage and meet them around the city. As Magali looks out the window, she sees many idols taking pictures and signing autographs for the many visitors they encounter walking around. She wonders if she will need to start doing that once she starts gaining some fans who traveled to meet her.
The bus drops them off at the heart of the shopping district. Conrad explains that the restaurant is only a brief walk from the bus stop. As they walk around, Conrad gets stopped many times from adoring fans to sign autographs and take pictures. He kindly turns the down and reminds them that he has a meet and greet schedules for tomorrow afternoon at a nearby cafe. Magali can't help but to be amazed at how many fans he has and how polite he is to them. She'll have to learn proper etiquette for the day she has to meet her fans.
Soon enough, they arrive at a small Japanese style restaurant hidden in an ally. The place looks quite rugged from the outside. Considering this is Conrad's favorite place, she was expecting something fancier. Despite its appearance, the smell coming inside is quite pleasant.
Conrad nods, "this is the place. They sell the best damn ramen in all of Sweet Dance City. Not too expensive, the owner is friendly, and the food is amazing! It's been a while since I last been here, and I'm pretty hungry myself."
They pass through the Japanese style curtains and walk in. Magali takes a look around in amazement as the restaurant is a lot fancier from the inside. There are many Japanese style decorations and murals giving an eastern look. Idols and visitors are sitting together enjoying their meals. Several people in the back are cooking like professional chefs. Quite a surprise considering the shabby exterior.
She follows Conrad to the owner who is counting money in one of the registers. The middle-aged Japanese man notices Conrad and smiles. "Conrad, it's been a long time! Where have you been?"
Conrad chuckles as he answers, "it's been a while Yuiichi. How's the business doing?"
"Pretty busy like always. But never mind the store, it's fantastic to see you! How's your partner doing? And who do we have here with you? A pretty lover? After all this time, has the amazing Conrad Howard finally decided to settle down?"
"Oh stop it. She's just a new friend of mine. Allow me to introduce you to my newest crewmate, Magali Artisan!"
"Oh wow, I heard that the daughter of the legendary Super Idol Julian Artisan was joining you idols. I still remember Julian from my younger years." He then turns to Magali and smiles, "It's fantastic to meet you. Please tell your father that Yuiichi Aizawa said hi. He might not remember me, but we knew each other."
Magali smiles back, "thank you. It's great to meet you too."
"Hey Kelsi, come over here," called Yuiichi.
A young woman wearing a waitress outfit approaches them. "Yes boss, what can I do for you?"
"Take Conrad and Magali to our best table. Please take care of them, will you?"
She nods at Yuiichi. She then turns to Conrad and Magali, "good afternoon, I'll be your waitress. My name is Kelsi Tailor. Please follow me to your table."
They both follow Kelsi to a table far from the noisy crowd to give them some privacy. After they are seated, Kelsi pulls out a notepad from her apron and asks, "can I get you something to drink?"
"Just some water for now. Actually, we're ready to order our food now. We'll take two Aizawa specials please," answered Conrad.
Kelsi nods, "I'll bring your order soon."
As soon as Kelsi walks away, Conrad takes a moment to look around and see if anything is new from the last time he has been around. At the same time, Magali looks at the table and notices that there are no forks or spoons. All she sees are a pair of fancy chopsticks wrapped in a napkin. She picks up the chopsticks and starts to fidget with them. She tries to pick up the napkin with the chopsticks, but they just fall out of her hand. As she tries again, Conrad notices her struggling. He chuckles as he watches her struggle with something so simple.
"Having trouble there, Mags?"
Magali grunts. "Sorry, I just never could figure these things out. Why can't we just eat with a fork?"
Conrad reaches over and takes the chopsticks from Magali. He then places them back in her hand showing her how to use them correctly. Once she gets the hang of the chopsticks, she stares at them pinching over and over. After getting an idea on how to use them, she is quite amazed at how easy they are.
"Better," asked Conrad.
Magali nods, "these are pretty cool once you get the hang of them. Where did you learn to use these?"
"One of our crewmates is Japanese. He taught me. And he also introduced me to this place a long time ago."
"Wow, I can't wait to meet our crewmate. Actually, you said that there are two others besides us. So, when are they coming back?"
"I don't know to be honest. They left about a year ago."
"Wait, a whole year? Are you even sure they're coming back at all?"
"I'm sure they will eventually. They are like family to me after all. Like all families, we sometimes fight and go our separate ways. We'll eventually forgive each other, and they'll find their way back home."
Magali can clearly see a painful look in Conrad's face. She can tell that there's more to this story than Conrad wants to share. She wants to ask what happened between them. Instead, she decides to leave the topic alone until he is ready to share it. She can only hope that when that day comes, she'll be able to help him.
Kelsi rushes over and drops off two large bowls of ramen on their table. She takes a look at the delicious looking food and smiles with delight. The broth is very fragrant, the rice noodles and vegetables are tender, and the slices of pork and beef are cooked to perfection. She can't wait to start eating.
"Is there anything else I can do for you today," asked Kelsi.
"Not right now, but we'll call you if we need anything," answered Conrad.
Kelsi bows, then walks away to tend to other customers. Using the chopsticks, Magali grabs a slice of meat and takes a bite. She squeals as the taste is better than she imagined. The meat is moist and tastes great the flavorful broth. All the seasonings blend well with everything. She can't believe how good all the food in Sweet Dance City is.
"This is delicious! Best Japanese food I ever had," said Magali.
"I'm glad you like it," said Conrad before taking a bite. "So how was your first day as an idol? The trainee class treating you good?"
"I had no idea being an idol was so much work, but I did learn a lot of new dance moves. Then the practice is quite intense, and I don't know how hard a performance is just yet. I used to think that idols just got on stage and only did their best. But there's so many people here with more talent than I have. Every time I look around, Idols are just keeping guests happy. I can't believe that there isn't more Super Idols running around here."
"Is that way you came to this city? To become a Super Idol like your dad?"
"No. I only came to this city to get to know my mom a little better. You see, she passed away giving birth to me, so I never actually had a chance to meet her. All I know is that she was also a Super Idol with my dad. I've seen pictures and heard stories, but those are just not enough. So, I became an idol so I can experience the life she had while living here among other idols. It's my way to feel close to her."
"I can respect that. Lots of people come to this city for a lot of reasons. Most wants to become the next Super Idol. Others just want to experience the life of an idol. I personally love to entertain others and dream of becoming a Super Idol. Just like your dad."
"Oh, have you ever heard of a retired idol named Leilah Pikul? She's my dance instructor."
"I have heard that name floating around every now and then, but I've never met her."
"I just heard her story from one of my classmates, and I admit that it made me feel a little sad. She really wanted to be a Super Idol, but she quit because her husband broke her heart. Now she's teaching people, hoping that someone can finish what she started. Isn't that such a tragic story?"
"It is, but she's not the only idol with that kind of story. In fact, the story of most idols ends that way. Just about everyone quits for some tragic reason or another."
"Really? Most idols," asked Magali.
Conrad nods. He then looks over at his friend who is still counting money in the registers. "Take him for example: Yuiichi Aizawa was an idol when he was younger. He was not only an idol, but a master at the taiko drums. His skills were so legendary, that he earned himself the title and nickname of Rolling Thunder. One day, he injured his right arm during a performance. He did recover, but also lost the ability to play the taiko drums ever again. He had to quit his idol career and was supposed to return home to his family in Japan. Instead, he used an old family recipe to open up a restaurant here in the city. He may have lost his ability to be an idol, but he decided to stay and support all the new and young idols with his family's cooking skills."
He then turns to Kelsi who is happily taking an order at a remote table and smiles. "Kelsi Tailor is also a retired idol too. She was an amazing ballet dancer; her footwork and grace were nothing less than incredible. People came from all across the globe to watch her glide across the stage and capture the hearts of her fans. She retired three years ago to raise her baby as a single mother. Instead of doing the one thing she loves, Kelsi is working here to make enough money to raise her daughter."
"I can't believe it, she was an idol too," gasped Magali. She then takes another look at Kelsi and continues, "but she's so young. She looks around the same age as you."
"She is. In fact, we both took our entrance exam on the same exact day. Now that I think about it, most of the people who started as an idol with me has already quit and either took jobs or left. It breaks my heart knowing that so many people just quit performing. The one thing everyone has been passionately doing since we were just kids, just give up and move on.
"You see Mags, the life of an idol is full of joy and happiness. At the same time, it ends with regret, disappointment, and sadness. Everyone in Sweet Dance City came with a story that continues through their idol career. Some stories are better than others. But as scary as that fact is, all of us can only do our best and hope nothing bad happens along the way."
"Wow, everyone came with a story that continues through their idol careers," asked Magali. She then takes a moment to imagine what kinds of stories she will hear from people while living in Sweet Dance City. What stories she will be a part of and help write. Trying to imagine every possible scenario is overwhelming, and yet full of curiosity and wonder. "So, what's your story like Conrad?"
He chuckles lightly before answering, "let's save that for another day. After all, Yuiichi once told me that it's rude to let good food go cold. So for now, let's eat up!"
Magali nods, and they both continue to eat. Once their food is done, they both retire back to the crew base and rest. The day was filled with hard work and discovery, and they both look forward to another day in the city of idols.
As the sun sets on the city, Magali sits on the balcony and watch the idols return to the crew base. Many of them are exhausted, but they know their jobs as idols are far from over. She looks down at the stage filled with practicing idols while others watch. As they perform, she starts to wonder what kind of stories each of them has. What sort of lives they've had? What sort of stories are they destined to have? And most importantly, how will she affect those stories in the future?
Her cell phone suddenly rings. She looks at the caller ID and sees it's from her father. She then picks up the phone and answers, "hey dad, what's up?"
"Good evening Magali, how was your first day as an idol?"
"It was fine. I had no idea how much work it takes to be an idol here. How did you and mom get through it?"
"Sheer will and determination. Of course, we couldn't have done it alone. Many people did help us get through the toughest parts of being an idol. I sure would have never survived alone until I met. . . Your mother."
She notices the pause when he had to talk about her mother. Even though it happened so long ago, it is still difficult for him to talk about his late wife. The loss was too sudden, and it gets depressing for the whole Artisan family. She can't help but to feel sad herself. She has never met her mother, and she can never rely on her father to talk about Katrina.
Instead, she decides to change the topic and ask, "hey dad, can you tell me about your idol days? Knowing you, I know you have weird and crazy stories about what you did when you were my age."
As long as Julian could, he shared many tales of his adventure to his daughter. All the people he met, the many crazy things he did with others, and the performances he held. Soon enough, Julian had to return to work, and Magali retires back to her room. She quickly falls asleep so she can rest for another busy day in the city. All she can do is pray that her story will be filled with more joy than regret.
