B-1: Shirabe (A/N: B chapters are a bonus chapters to extend Act 2's story by telling other character's stories)
Prerequisite: Unlock and read 6-3 + Unlock A-8
Requirements: PM the following songs using Shirabe awakened (level 30) in PST difficulty only: carmine:scythe + Scarlet Cage


Darkness, this was what the girl only saw since the start of her life. What only helped her survive was the sound of glass shattering, an object falling onto the floor hard and the sound of danger. She didn't know what was 'real' or 'fake'. The only 'real' she knows is if they would make a sound. Everything else was just a mere illusion.

Shirabe wanted to know what was real in life. It can't be only be loud, or soft, or fast, or slow, or long, or short. A life like this is only dreadful. She wants to know what else is real. What she could hear couldn't be the only thing that is real.

When Shirabe was taught on how to feel, she could touch anything. The feeling of touching is amazing. It's a new feeling that she never had. As she grew to learn how to use more of her senses that she already possessed, she could slowly imagine a world that is real. However, she still lacked a sense that she never had.

Sight

What if everything she imagined was fake? What if everything she felt was a lie? As she realizes this, she slowly shut everything that she learnt down. She never trusted her own senses except of her hearing. Her hearing never lied to her. Hearing has guided her destiny to survive, to learn, to experience.

Shirabe trusted nothing else. Not a person, not an object, not even her sense. She only trusts her hearing. Overtime, she even starts to question if her existence was real, or even if life was real. She never grabbed any attention that wasn't real until she heard those words.

"I can make you become complete"

Complete? What would have given her to become complete? What makes her incomplete? What if this was a lie too? However, the tone of this voice, she thought of this ideal being real. If this is real, then she should cherish it. She grows tired of this boring fake world.

She followed this person. That person sent her to give her the very thing she needed. She needed her sight to know that everything she experienced is real.

It wasn't easy for her to digest what she saw when she could finally see. It was very different from what she imagined. It has different colours. She did think of the colour being a singular item or a singular 'colour', but it is a group of colours. This world suddenly become more real than she realized.

Years came by, Shirabe was no longer a child that finally gotten her sight. She had no real ambitions. All her dreams were just a child's play. Nothing real. She bathes in boredom as she tries to find motivation to continue her quest pursue what she wanted. This was where she started to remind her of her best sense, hearing.

Yes, back then, she only relied on her hearing. She could hear even the smallest detail of a particle moving. Live got even more interesting when she was introduced with the concept of music. She guessed that now she finally found a real dream, a real motivation, and a real ambition.

Shirabe wanted a very real excitement, something that could excite her more and more. When she saw the crimson guitar, she knew that it was calling to her. It calls to her for more excitement.

At first, she played guitar at a very loud volume, hoping that it could spark joy to her. But soon, it is not good. Loud music became an annoyance to even her. She must make a meaning to this loud music. She played it again and again, and she grew more excited in return.

Shirabe was praised by others for her rock music when she finally got her chance to perform to everyone. No young girl would choose this genre as it was too masculine. She sought to improve her rock music as she continuously engages her audience with her rock music. Soon, as she gained reputation, a man who was very impressed with her walked to her, interviewing her for her musical interest.

"So, what made you start playing music?"
She didn't want to answer that question. It reminded her of the time she couldn't see at all. It was her darkest moment of her life.
The man switched his question, "What made you choose rock music? I honestly thought you would pick pop music."
"Rock music gives me the feeling for excitement. It has a quick pace of loud music that makes my blood rush. I felt like I could move faster, and I felt stronger with this music." She answered the man honestly. She didn't think that she would be given a personal acknowledgement from the man herself.
"Then, would this excite you further?" The man passed her a poster. This poster is an invitation, an invitation to a competition. When she saw it, she knew that it is a different kind of excitement. This is a challenge, a challenge to surpass her limits. But not only that, she saw a name, a name that interest her.

Alexandar.

She has heard of him. He is a musician that is versatile in many genres of music. He is that good. If she could challenge him into a music battle, then it will be the most real excitement she could possibly have.

She smiled, she would want to join this Music Talent Show to find anyone who could play music well and to compete with them. As she accepted it, she asked:

"So where do I sign up?"
"There is no need, I will sign up on your behalf. Just get in there and have fun!"
"Then, who are you? What is your name?"
"Call me Tenniel."

As Shirabe prepares for the competition, she made many and many songs. However, she only has so little time to perform. So, if she were to perform, she had to pick a few out of the many, particularly, the best ones. She went through every single song she has made. She cursed; everything is all the same effect she made. There is no real effect if she were to pick them. This is when she heard two unique music that she made. She named the two "carmine:scythe" and "Scarlet Cage". Yes, these two are very special to her as it tells her certain parts of her life: "carmine:scythe" tells her the time where she couldn't see and "Scarlet Cage" to remind her of how she found excitement.

During the day of the Music Talent Show, she was one of the last people to perform. She was bored, bored that none of her competitors could ever give her excitement or any sort of feeling. These songs make her too bored that she wanted to sleep. Maybe this competition was a lie. Or maybe she was that good of a musician herself. Either way, with that lacklustre difficulty that they could pull, she was certain that she would win this. There was no real challenge. Her turn came by, and she managed to engage her audience more than she ever did with her signature songs.

The last group, or rather a pair, who was just right after her, turned her whole opinion about this competition around. This pair, they called their song Auxesia, how did they play that song with a violin, a harp, and a guitar? There is no way you could a play a song with that combination, but they just did. She laughed as she found a real opponent. She had to thank Tenniel for allowing her to find her new rival, one that she must beat before she could dream to challenge Alexandar.

As the competition ended with them winning with Shirabe attaining the first runner up, she remembered their names well. And with that she swore:

"Both of you may have beaten me, but I swear, the next time we go into a music contest again, I will not lose again. Hikari and Sophia Liddell."


A/N: Shirabe is like Sophia where they obsess with a particular word which will affect their lives. Shirabe kept thinking of the word 'real' which she will only pursue it if she determines it so. Sophia on the other hand obsess with the word 'perfection' which she will go onto it if she determines if it's a 'perfect' decision. However, they go about it for different reasons, Shirabe couldn't see until she was given eyes. But she continues to question what's real even after being able to see. Sophia on the other hand, she just wants her perfect life back ever since Alice died to a point where she would take very extreme actions.

Today, Arcaea's Nintendo Switch platform just came out. How was it? All I know about the switch version is this:
1. The only BYD song is Tempestissmo. No other BYD songs available which means no Lost Chapter. I don't know how you can unlock Tempestissmo on switch because of the passcode thing that was originally from mobile.
2. You can spend fragments on leveling partners with not only Ether Drops. That is pretty neat!
3. Instead of paying songs using memories, you farm them in world mode (which they don't use stamina). $40 for all these songs is worth it.
4. There are more visuals in story mode. Am looking forward to see them. In the mobile version, they only have V-1, V-5, VS-7 and VS-? as visuals.
5. Not all song packs are in switch. For example, EP and EO (just came out on mobile last week lol) are not in switch. And obviously collab packs are not inside either.