A/N: Welcome back to Save The Last Dance! I know I said that this wouldn't be as uploaded as regularly as I originally planned, but I've had these two chapters sorted for a while. Also, I noticed that there was a character name dropped at the beginning of the last chapter, who I was supposed to introduce in a different story. Her name was Chie Chikaru. Now, I know I said I'd upload this after all characters I needed were introduced in other stories, but since Chie won't serve a role past that of that first little news report, I decided to ignore it. So, please don't count this as her first appearance.

Anyway, enough of that. Enjoy the chapter!


Chapter 2 - First Dance

After that day, μ's schedule remained pretty consistent; Nozomi would call Adam when the girls planned to meet up, and he and Jamie would shadow them wherever they went, in case something happened. After that, they would eventually dismiss the brothers, who would return home. All that changed one day, when μ's decided to check out UTX, the high school where another idol group, a trio of girls called A-RISE, performed. After a chance meeting with the group's leader, a girl called Tsubasa Kira, μ's met up with the other two girls of the trio, Erena Todo and Anju Yuuki, who had previously declared that they considered them rivals. Affirming that neither team would lose the Love Live! competition, A-RISE offered to μ's an idea to use a street in Akiba for their performance. Immediately, Honoka agreed, which would later be critiqued by Adam...


Nishikino Household

"Well, it's not a place you've performed before, that's for damn sure." The younger brother said from his position leaning against the wall. "And you know that how, exactly? You stalking us?" Nico demanded. Over the days since they met, the brothers and Nico never got along, due to the pair despising Nico's stuck up attitude and her delusions of being the "World's Greatest Idol", and her always butting heads with the pair of them. In fact, Adam had, even at a couple of times, thought that she was actively looking for a fight.

"Don't flatter yourself. We've just watched all the performances you've done so far. My brother and I like to know our clients. Now, correct me if I miss anything, but to my knowledge, you've performed at your school's auditorium, roof, entrance, courtyard, athletics field, a maid café and the roof of UTX. I miss anything?" Adam explained, getting a shake of the head from the girls. "Not that I noticed." Umi piped up, getting a nod from Adam.

"One question, however; You said A-RISE declared you as their rivals. You sure performing in their area is a good idea?" Jamie spoke out, making the girls look at him in confusion. "If they're your rivals, they could be out to humiliate you by pretending to help you out. Trust me, I've been burned too many times by acts like that." He explained, causing his brother to scowl, as he saw Eli roll her eyes out the corner of his own.

"I believe we can trust Tsubasa. She's not the kind of person to do something like that." Honoka said, making Jamie shrug. "Alright, I was just saying. But do keep in mind that you've personally known her the length of a couple conversations." He explained, before looking at his watch. "I'm going out for a bit." He said, heading towards the door. "Be careful." Adam spoke out, getting a wave from his brother in response. "Always am." Harbinger replied, taking his leave afterwards.

"Your brother's a bit...how do you say...?" Hanayo piped up. Over the course of the last few days, the rice lover had softened up to Adam, but she still had a sort of aversion to Jamie. "Yeah, he's an asshole, but a damn good shot. If not for him, I'd have been dead way too many times to count." The younger brother replied, as he looked to his watch. "Unless you dismiss me, he won't be back for a while." He stated to Nozomi, who nodded. "Well, we're about to head to training. You feel like coming?" She asked, getting a shrug from the boy. "Well, I'm getting paid for protecting you lot, so I've got no choice." He replied, pushing himself off the wall. "Shall we?" He asked, getting nods from the girls. "Follow us." Honoka ordered. Out of the rest of μ's, Honoka had been the one who had warmed up to Adam the most, second only to Rin. However, like the rest of the idols, she still felt uneasy around Jamie, due to his volatile attitude.

"Alright, let's go." Adam replied, following the girls out of the door...


An hour later...

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!" Umi called out, clapping her hands in rhythm with the numbers. As she did this, the rest of μ's acted out the steps of their upcoming routine. Occasionally, Umi would point out any mistakes that they made. They had been at this for the past half hour, before Umi called an end to the practice. "Alright, let's take a break, then we'll get back to training." She ordered, as the girls passed out water bottles to each other.

As μ's started to talk amongst themselves, Umi spied Adam squatting on a wall, looking down the stairs. "You okay, Mentor?" She asked, startling the boy out of his trance. Looking to her, Adam's gaze was immediately drawn to the bottle she was holding out to him. "Here. Take it." She offered, before he obliged and took the bottle from her. "Thanks." He said, bringing the bottle close to his lips, but before he could take a sip, his eyes narrowed. Throwing the bottle down, he leapt off the wall, landing on the ground about halfway down the stairs. "Mentor!" Umi cried out, catching the other girl's attentions. As they ran over, they were shocked to see that their bodyguard was wrestling with another young man, who was wearing a camera around his neck. Eventually, the bodyguard had his victim pinned under his foot.

"I'll take that!" Adam growled, yanking the camera away from the man, who started to panic, just as μ's reached them. "No, please! I'll do anything! Don't look at them!" He cried, as Adam adopted an evil grin. "Mentor, why have you taken his camera away from him?" Kotori asked, as the boy in question accessed the camera's gallery. "I saw this worthless sack of shit taking pictures of you lot from behind a bush. And as sure as I am you love getting your pictures taken, I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate these getting out..." He explained, holding out the camera to them. Looking at the camera, the girls saw that all the pictures were indeed of them, but they all focused on the rear ends of the girls.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Nico scowled, as she shot a death glare to the man, who was still pinned under Adam's foot. "Girls, I'd suggest you wrap up practice for today. This area's not safe right now." He suggested, getting a nod from Eli. "He's right. Girls, let's go." She ordered to μ's, who quickly gathered their things and left. Leaning up to Adam, Eli whispered, "We'll be at Nozomi's." Nodding, Adam let the blonde run off to catch up with the others, before turning back to the man.

"Okay then. Time to have some fun..." He started, with another evil grin on his face, which made the other man scream in terror...


Later on...

"Can't believe the nerve of that guy!" Nico yelled, after the girls had all sat in Nozomi's living room. "Nicocchi, I'm sure he had a valid opinion..." Nozomi started, but she was cut off by the black-haired girl snapping back with, "Yeah, he's a pervert, that's why!" "Alright, let's assume that's true. I'm sure he had a reason..." Umi spoke up, before a chuckle caught her off guard.

"Yeah, he did. Turns out, it's his fetish." Adam said, causing the girls to snap their heads round, only to see him leaning on the wall, arms crossed. "I didn't hear the door open. How'd you even get in here?" Nozomi asked, a scowl on her face, before her ex smirked. "Window." He replied bluntly, before Honoka spoke up. "Getting back onto the subject at hand, what did you do to him?" She asked, as Adam cracked his neck. "Scared the living shit out of him, but I never touched him. Smashed his camera, though, and warned him against doing it again." He explained, getting a nod from Eli. "Fair enough." She retorted.

"So, now what?" Hanayo asked, causing the girls to look to Adam, who shrugged. "If you're calling an end to the day, may I kindly ask that I be dismissed? I've got an appointment to keep." The boy asked, getting a nod from Nozomi. "Sure. See you tomorrow." She said bluntly. Nodding, Adam pulled his keys out of his pocket, and took his leave.

"Asshole." Nozomi thought to herself, as she heard the front door close. "Hey, Nozomi, I noticed you said you'd see Adam tomorrow, but the final prelims are tomorrow, remember?" Umi asked, getting a Cheshire smile from Tojo. "Exactly." She said, making the rest of μ's look at her. "You gotta be kidding me..." Eli groaned, as she realized what Nozomi was implying...


The Next Day...

"So, you called us out here, in the freezing cold and snow. Why?" Jamie growled, as he and Adam stood with μ's in the snow. Looking at Adam, Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell him?" She demanded, getting a shrug from the boy. "Must have slipped my mind. Had other priorities." He stated bluntly, as he looked at his nails, but the girls could detect the lack of care in his voice. "Well, if you need brought up to speed, Harbinger, we've got a concert to perform." Eli spat, making the boy raise an eyebrow, as he looked at the girl's outfits. "Which explains...those." He replied, causing the girls to scowl at him. "You could sound less disgusted. Kotori worked hard on these." Umi stated, venom lacing every syllable, causing Adam to look to the ash-haired girl in question, who was looking positively downtrodden, but a blush was slowly spreading on her cheeks. "Huh, so Sonoda's protective over Minami. Interesting." He thought to himself.

"As always, you're as blunt as an atom bomb, Jamie. Not saying that's always a bad thing, but you could at least learn some tact. Myself, on the other hand, think that Miss Minami here is quite the accomplished little seamstress." Adam stated, causing the girl's face to light up, before she smiled at him. "Thank you, Mentor! That means a lot." She said, getting a smile from the boy, who internally laughed as he saw Nozomi slightly clench her fist out the corner of his eye.

"Well, we should be getting to the stage. Show's about to start." Maki stated, before Honoka nodded, and held out a hand. "Alright, girls! Same as always!" She stated, before the girls held out their hands.

"1!" Rin called out.

"2!" Nico carried on, a smile evident on her face.

"3!" Maki stated, in a tone unlike her usual cold attitude.

"4!" Hanayo cheered, her normally shy demeanour falling away, revealing a confident and strong individual.

"5!" Umi stated, her voice full of passion.

"6!" Eli contributed, her eyes glowing with anticipation.

"7!" Kotori shouted, with no signs of nervousness.

"8!" Nozomi cried out, as she smiled as widely as she could.

"9!" Honoka finished the roll call, with her voice portraying nothing of the ditzy airhead she normally was.

"μ's, Music, Start!" All 9 girls called out, as they threw their hands up...

As the music started, and the girls started to dance, even Adam and Jamie had to admit, the girls looked like goddesses on that stage, just like their group's namesake.


"SNOW HALATION"

"Fushigi da ne ima no kimochi

Sora kara futte kita mitai

Tokubetsu na kisetsu no iro ga tokimeki o miseru yo

Hajimete deatta toki kara

Yokan ni sawagu kokoro no Melody

Tomerarenai tomaranai na・ze

Todokete

Setsunasa ni wa namae o tsukeyou ka "Snow halation"

Omoi ga kasanaru made matezu ni

Kuyashii kedo suki tte junjou

Binetsu no naka tameratte mo dame da ne

Tobikomu yuuki ni sansei mamonaku Start!

Oto mo naku kehai mo naku

Shizuka ni unmei wa kawaru

Korekara no mirai ni mune no kodou ga hayaku naru

Tatoeba komatta toki ni wa

Sugu kaketsukete dakishimetakute

Doko ni ite mo dokodemo Fly high

Isoide

Itsu no ma ni ka ookiku nari sugita "True emotion"

Yume dake miteru you ja tsurai yo

Koibito wa kimi tte iitai

Yasashii me ga tomadotteru iya da yo

Kono mama ikki ni aijou azukete Please!

Todokete

Setsunasa ni wa namae o tsukeyou ka "Snow halation"

Omoi ga kasanaru made matezu ni

Kuyashii kedo suki tte junjou

Binetsu no naka tameratte mo dame da ne

Tobikomu yuuki ni sansei mamonaku Start!"


As the song ended, the audience cheered, and even the brothers found themselves applauding along with them. "Not half bad." Jamie said to Adam, who nodded, but not tearing his eyes away from the girls, more specifically Nozomi. Despite his hate towards her, he found he couldn't look away from the purple haired girl. Although, what he didn't know, was that his brother was having the exact same problem with Eli.

After μ's left the stage, and got changed into more suitable clothes for the weather, they walked over to the brothers, who were leaning against a nearby wall. "What did you think?" Nozomi asked, although she already had an inkling of the answer. However, she was caught off guard by Jamie stating, "Surprisingly, not half bad." "Really? You enjoyed it?" Honoka asked excitedly, getting nods from the brothers. "Normally wouldn't listen to idol music, but I gotta admit, you girls killed it out there." Adam said, drawing a smile from Nozomi, as well as the rest of μ's.

"Well, don't know about all of you, but I'm freezing! So, can we go already?" Nico demanded out of nowhere, causing the group to laugh. "Well, we still need to wait around for the results, remember, Nicocchi..." Nozomi said, getting a glare from the black-haired girl in return. "Fine, but we're leaving directly afterwards. Agreed?" She growled, getting a nod from the rest of the group. "Sounds good." Honoka said, before she shivered. "It is a little chilly, anyway." She said, before the sound of a loudspeaker blared across the area.

"Well, that was the last of our performances for tonight! We hope you've all enjoyed yourselves! We've sat and tallied the votes, and the winner of the final preliminaries, and the ones who will be performing for this region at the Love Live! Final, is..." The loudspeaker said, causing all the members of the crowd to fall silent, as they waited with baited breath...

"μ's!"


A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! See you all in Chapter 3 - A New Surprise. Madman out!