Author's Note

Finally got this chapter out. I wanted to add a few more events but it's getting a bit overloaded for one chapter. Well, here it is. I hope this chapter is better than the last.

Also, I hope everyone is doing ok with the coronavirus, Covid-19 to be exact. Actually, the virus name is SARS-CoV-2 but details... I wish everyone can make it through just ok. It seems like this virus won't go away any time soon. The year 2020 is a bit of a scary one I guess. Either way, enjoy!

Chapter 18: Festival Final day, Jewel Star Friendship

Early in the morning.

Hibiki "Finally! Today is the day for the special live!"

Kanade "I hope we get the special seats."

Ellen "Well, everyone earned a few points. I think we will be able to get the seats."

Yume "Well, how many points does everyone have?"

Hibiki "Four."

Kanade "Three."

Ellen "Four."

Ako "Two."

Yume nods "I see, then Ako, take one of my points. Three points will be enough to get the ticket, I think."

Yume then gives Ako one of her points while leaving the rest of the girls looking a bit confused.

Ellen then asks "How do you know?"

Yume answers "By counting how many small and major events. Normally, getting four points would be needed but since there isn't a limit on how many points we can get, I think three is enough."

Hibiki and Kanade look at each other for a moment and Hibiki questions "Uhmm, Yume?"

Kanade continues "How many points did you get?"

Yume answers proudly while holding out her Aikatsu Mobile "Seven points!"

Hibiki feels frustrated "Ahh, three points. No, we still have today. I'll definitely catch up!"

Kanade smiles "I'm not going to lose either."

Yume nods "Alright, then let's go!"

The girls start running towards Neo Venus Ark. However, a moment later, Ako slows down.

Ellen notices her stopping asks "What's wrong?"

Ako says "Yume, she had seven points."

"Yeah, is something wrong?"

"No, I mean she still had seven points."

"Hmm? Ah!" Ellen finally realizes what Ako means.

Ako can't help but getting a little bit of cold shoulder "Amazing, I guess that is what it means to be a top idol."

Ellen nods "Yeah, but I think we are not that different."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"No way, did you not check our profiles? Wait, now I think about, you never post anything."

"Profile? Ah, you mean that. You are not saying there are people actually following us, right?"

Ellen then shows Ako her own profile and Ako reads it.

"Kurokawa Ellen, followers… 6802? No way, are you serious?"

"Yep, and this is yours."

"Mine? Eh? 1031, how? I never post anything."

"If you read what people say, they seem to be waiting for you to make posts."

"That's… but…"

"Isn't it also your duty to answer what people want? Princess?"

"Mmmm, fine… I'll just post a picture we took yesterday at the festival."

As Ako puts up the picture, Hibiki and other turns back and waves at them.

Hibiki yells "Ellen, Ako! What are you two doing? Hurry up!"

Ellen waves back "Alright." Then she looks at Ako "Let's go, just check it again in a few hours. I'm sure there will have comments by then."

Ako sighs then say "Okay, I got it. Let's just go, Hibiki is calling us."

Ako then starts jogging towards Hibiki and Ellen follows right behind her.

During the festival, the girls join more events.

Kanade "Ah, that's!"

Kanade rushes over to a room.

"As I thought, there is an event like this too!"

Yume pops her head out around the corner and looks into the room "What is it? Oh!"

Hibiki and others also check it out.

Hibiki "Sweets!"

Kanade stops Hibiki from creeping forward "Hibiki, not so fast. This looks like a contest… but…"

Yume asks "Do you want in?"

"Ah yeah, but it looks like they are starting."

Hibiki looks at Kanade then budges in "Why not just ask? Hey, is the sign up over?"

A student staff answers "No, you can still join. We got 2 spots left."

Hibiki smiles and looks at Kanade "See? There is still a spot for you."

Kanade nods "Yes, then I'll join! Time to show off my skill."

Yume then takes a few steps forward "Then I'll do the same."

Kanade looks at Yume surprised "Eh? You know how to make sweets?"

"Yep! My family actually runs a bakery shop."

"Eh? But I won't lose!"

"Alright, then it's a showdown between us!"

The two then go to their assigned station.

Student staff "Ah right, just like everyone else. The two of you can find a helper."

Kanade and Yume look at the three girls. Ako then shakes her hand saying no.

Yume then says "Hibiki!"

At the same time, Kanade says "Ellen!"

All four of them "Eh?"

Kanade asks Yume "Do you really want Hibiki as your assistant?"

Yume nods "Yes, we did really good together in volleyball. I'm sure we can do the same."

"I see…"

"To be honest, I thought you were going to pick Hibiki."

Hibiki then half crying like questions "That's right, why?"

"Because you will only get in the way."

"No, I won't!"

"Then let me asks you, if you were making the cream and it starts to take form, what do you do?"

"Give it a taste!"

"..."

Yume then helps "Well, tasting it is correct too."

"If she is only taking a small sample…"

"Of course it'll be a small sample?"

"Really?"

"Well, maybe a spoon?"

"You mean like this?"

Kanade takes out a large spoon and scoops up a spoon full of premade cream. However, it leaves less than a third left in the bowl.

"Of course!" After a short pause "Ah…"

Yume then says "Hibiki, I'll handle most of the process. Can you do the decoration and stuff? If we win, I'll give you half of what we made."

"Half! Okay, I got it!"

Ellen then quietly says "Amazing, she got Hibiki under control."

Kanade "It's fine, I'm going to win anyway."

The staff then says "Alright, it looks like everyone is ready. Now, this is the theme: Fun!"

Kanade "Fun, to make a fun sweet?"

Ellen "That's hard, what should we do?"

"I'm not sure…"

Kanade looks at Yume and Hibiki. The two looks like they know what to make and start pulling out ingredients.

Ellen looks as well but quickly back at Kanade "Why don't you stick with cupcakes?"

"I can do that but… we need something different."

"Something different… Ah…"

"Hmm? Did you get an idea? What is… Oh, the black frosting."

"No no no, let's not. It may look cool but the theme is fun."

"I know, but…"

Kanade and Ellen wonders and soon hears some none participants' comments.

"I wonder what they are making? I hope it is cute."

"Ehhh? But isn't bite-size food better?"

"I don't know what you two like but I hope it is sweets unique to them."

Kanade then thinks out loud "Unique to us, unique to idols?"

Ellen does the same "But to be unique to idol and fun to everyone…"

The two of them look around again and sees a girl that has a keychain with a Taiyaki Rola.

"Ellen!"

"Ah, I got it. Let's do it!"

While they are making the sweets, Pii flew in and finds Ako.

Ako "Oh, did you have your fun?"

Pii nods and looks at the four girls working on sweets.

"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll save some for us.

"Pii!"

"Hehe, but looking at what they are making… this might be a close match."

The participants all work on their fun sweets and about a little over an hour later, the stop timer goes off.

Staff "Okay, stop! Everyone, please bring out your sweets!"

One by one, each participant show their sweets. There are well-designed cake and sweets of different sizes, all are well made and look delicious. After waiting for a bit, it is Yume and Hibiki's turn to show their sweets. The sweets are covered in a thin white sheet of cloth.

"Hibiki!"

"I got it, Yume!"

The two together "One two…"

They lifted the sheet and reveals their sweets.

Ellen "That's… a stage? But where are the sweets?"

Even the staff questions it "Uhmm… this is?"

However, the knowledgeable Kanade looks at it with a surprise "No way! In this short time?"

Staff then asks Kanade "Do you know what's going on?"

Kanade answers while walking towards Yume and Hibiki "Yes, I think so…" Kanade then breaks off a piece of the stage and eats it.

Kanade "A… Amazing, this is just amazing. A stage… Live… This is definitely fun."

Hibiki "That's right, I was surprised when Yume suggest making a stage out of cookies but… Even the idea sounds fun so I agreed."

Yume nods "Yep! However, what did you two make?"

Yume looks at Kanade and Ellen. Kanade looks at Ellen and they nod at each other. The two of them reveal their sweets.

Yume "Chocolate, but they are…!"

Kanade nods with pride "Yes, they are idol chocolate!"

There are several chocolates and each takes a form of different idol's face.

Hibiki "Ohhh, they look amazing! Hmm? Wait... "

Hibiki then walks over and takes some of the chocolates.

Kanade complains "Hibiki!"

"Just hold on, I got something nice."

Hibiki then walks back and fiddle with the cookie stage.

"Tada!"

Hibiki took the chocolate of their faces and stand it up on the cookie stage. Not only the girls, everyone nearby got excited. Samples of it are handed out and everyone starts to judge every single sweet.

The staff then cuts in "Alright, it seems like that is everyone's sweets. But it looks like everyone can agree about which two are the best."

The staff then looks back at the cookie stage and chocolate idol. After a moment, the staff seems to have been notified by someone and nod.

"Alright, since the two are not possible to judge and have a clear winner, they will both be the winner!"

The girls look at each other with a smile.

Kanade "Well, I guess that's fair. A stage, I should've thought of that."

Yume nods "I know, same here. Chocolates, that is a great idea. If only I had a little more time."

Hibiki "Uhmm, can we start eating? There are so many sweets here, it is hard to resist."

Kanade "Hibiki, really?"

Staff then says "Well, this is a lot of sweets. I also can't wait to try them out."

Every participant agrees and all the sweets starting to be consumed. Kanade and Hibiki try out every single different sweet. Kanade however, is also taking notes. Noise also enjoys his share and the sweets party lasted for two hours. Afterward, the girls enjoy a few more festival events. In the late afternoon, the girls relax and waiting for the special live.

Yume "Ahh, that was fun."

Ellen nods "Yeah, there was so much to do."

Noise "Pii!"

Hibiki smiles and pokes Noise "All you did was eat. Of course, you look happy."

Kanade looks at Hibiki "Aren't you the same?"

"Well… Ahhahaha."

Ako sighs "Well, that's just like Hibiki. Anyways, it's almost time to announce who gets the tickets."

Yume "Oh, that's right."

Everyone then takes out their Aikatsu Mobile and as they do, everyone got a mail.

All together "Got it!"

Ako quickly withdraws and adjust her seat.

Hibiki "Hehe, Ako gets excited about it after all. Even though you look so indifferent the whole time."

"Whatever, let's go. The live is starting soon, right?"

Yume nods "Yes! I can't wait to see what Hime and other will do!"

The girls then immediately start moving towards the stadium.

Behind the stage, the 25th generation S4 is preparing.

Yozora "It's finally time, isn't it."

Tsubasa nods with a confident smile "Yeah, and we will definitely make this festival an unforgivable one."

Yuzu "That's right! Ah! By the way, Hime, what do you think about the new girls Yume picked up."

"Picked up, haha. But let's see, I think they are all amazing. Hibiki is already full of energy. Kanade is the one who can make plans very well. Ellen got the best skill. Their Ako is also quite mysterious with a few interesting tricks."

Yozora then stops her movement "But Ako, she is too young. Hibiki, Kanade, and Ellen could contest for S4 position but…"

Tsubasa turns over and looks at Yozora "Don't worry, I think everything will be fine."

Yuzu agrees "Yuzu thinks so too!"

Hime "Me too, If it is the four of them, I'm sure it will be okay. But for now…"

Yozora stands up "It's almost time for our live."

Hime smiles and for a V with her fingers "Let's show everyone our new song!"

Tsubasa "Yes!"

Yuzu "Yeah!"

Yozora "Of course!"

They look at each other for a second and say together "S4, Jewel Star Friendship!"

Moments later, the four of the shows up on the stage.

As the music starts, Hime and Tsubasa sing "Within our heart is a jewel of warmth. A jewel that connects us all."

Yozora and Yuzu follow up "No matter when, no matter what, it'll be alright."

Then all four "Our eternal star friendships!"

The four then walk away from each other. However, as their aura forms, it forms a diamond shape star.

Hime then begins the next verse "Each and every drop of glimmer, holds its own unique color!"

Yozora, who stands to the right side of Hime continues "It's projecting them, right here, right now and I must not try to deceive!"

Then moves to the right again, Yuzu follows up "With our back towards the stage, I will bring out my true pride!"

Up next is Tsubasa "I will project it, right here, right now and it'll be more beautiful than anything else!"

The girls then return around and facing each other. They slowly move towards each other as they continue to sing and dance.

Hime sings first again "The dream that shone the brightest within the jewelry box."

Then starting from Yozora then to Yuzu with Tsubasa last. Each sings a small segment

"I will hold on to it tightly, because I know, it will not break."

The four them are close together now and immediately go back to their four-person formation. The song keeps going and the four of them continue to dance and sing at their best.

Near the end of their performance, they begin their special appeal like Episode Solo. However, the star expands outward and the surrounding immediately looks like space. Then tiny stars start to swirl around the four of them and at the end, they all pose while each star shines brightly.

Just as everyone thought the appeal is about to end, the four of them follow up with a Swift Appeal. Some of the stars begin to form into a small star-like platform for each girl. They ride on them and spins around. In the end, the girls jump off and let the stars crash into either other. The star explosion becomes the Four Star Academy logo and the girls pose around it. As the swift appeal ends, the music stops and the live is over.

Several seconds passed and everyone is in absolute awe. Only two people were able to respond to it.

Yume silently praises it "Amazing…"

Elza "That is… To think a live like this exist…" Elza then smiles with excitement

Only after people heard their praise, cheers can slowly be found within the crowd. It takes several minutes for the crowd to die down. As they did, the four girls begin to talk.

Hime "Thank you, everyone! This is a song we compose together and we hope to show our feels."

Tsubasa "That's right, our feelings our precious experience at the Four Star Academy."

Yozora "Not only that, but there are also friends and rival we found. As well as the time we all strive to shine brighter than another."

Yuzu "Our fun times and sad times. They are all important memories to us and we put all of our feelings into this live!"

Hime then speaks again "Four Star Academy, S4, and live. Everyone, we welcome you all to do your best! Neo Venus Ark, we welcome you all to Japan and our school, Four Star Academy!"

As the cheer happens once more, it also marks the end of the welcome festival.