Opening Author's Notes
I have to let you guys know something right now. Just two days ago, I won a big internship that I had applied for—a spot in the Disney College Program. I'm really happy about it because it has been something I've wished for and competed for over the last 3 months or so. I'm going to be busy both with work (both classes and an actual job at Disney World) and play down in Orlando from mid-May to just after New Year's, so my writing will probably slow down, but I definitely don't plan on stopping and I'm happy I'm still able to bring you guys some new stuff with this chapter (Happy Easter, everyone!) Prototype is the main song in this chapter, but Player's Ball and even A Hard Day's Night make cameos.
There's an error on Rise's age in Chapter 1 that I'll be correcting—she's 15 instead of 16 in here (her birthday is June 1st, so she wouldn't be 16 yet in this story)

Warning: Spoilers for Rise's Social Link final scene on the game calendar's last day.

Chie Satonaka's voice came in a squeal over the other end of the line. "You didn't!"
"I did." I said with a smile, suddenly remembering that the cameramen at the event had told me they were going to post the performance to YouTube as soon as possible. "I had a talk with myself—with Titania, specifically—and decided it was the least I could do." I paused for a moment, then felt my face fell as a thought came to me and as I asked uncomfortably, "Did I do the wrong thing?"
"No, of course not! It was so awesome—you killed it, Carlo!" She replied, making me grin again. "Yosuke wants me to ask if you have an audio recording of it."
"I do because I practiced it in a studio, but I can go even better. The cameramen told me they'd send me the raw clip file that was posted to YouTube, and I know how to copy the audio track out of it." I replied, my grin widening.
"So we get the live version? That's great! I know he'll love it—along with the rest of us. And you can bet that includes Rise." She said fervently. "Oh, hang on—Yukiko wants to talk to you!"

I wore a grin as Yukiko Amagi's voice came in after a brief pause. "Hi, Carlo!"
"Hey, Yukiko! How are you?" I asked.
"Great! Chie just showed Kanji and me the video of your performance! When I heard that you were rapping, I got a little tense, but you definitely don't sound like half the rappers on the air these days. I can tell you put a lot of thought into your lines." Yukiko replied.
"Yeah, I'm not exactly a Soulja Boy, V.I.C. or Flo Rida fan either." I said sincerely and with a hint of anger towards those I had referred to and their ilk. "I pretty much always change the channel or station when their stuff comes on. If I start sounding too much like them, please let me know before I sour things!"
"I will—if Rise doesn't first. She knows all about not letting the industry rule you, remember?" She replied, referring to the fact that what had caused Rise to take her break was her losing herself amongst all the industry hubbub.
"Oh, yeah." I said with a quick laugh.
"Oh, hang on—Kanji-kun wants to talk to you too." Yukiko said, and I heard the phone being passed again.

Again, I was grinning as Kanji picked up the phone after a brief pause "Hey, what's happening?"
"Not much other than this right now, Kanji—how about yourself?" I asked.
"Same for me—not too much other than this. That was a hell of a rap, Carlo." Kanji said. "I was about to get on your ass for making a mistake similar to mine, but I wouldn't have done what you did once you knew you had to respond, so it's even."
"Thanks." I said with a grin.

Once I'd hung up after talking to the three of them, I went over to my dresser, picked up a silver bangle off the top of it and held it to the light. It was a little oddly shaped, but I liked it for two reasons—first, I thought it made it look novel, and second, Rise had designed and made it herself at a carving class in Okina and had given it to me for Christmas.
I hadn't worn it since I had come home—not because I no longer loved her, but because I hadn't wanted people asking who and where I'd got it from. Now, though, I knew the time for worrying about that had long been over. With a smile that was small but warm, I put it back on my right wrist next to my yellow LiveStrong bracelet with the solemnity that I imagined a man with a wife who was presumed dead but recently rescued would put his wedding ring back on with after leaving it in the jewelry box.

The next day, MTV Japan hailed Rise's Homecoming verse as the most widely heartfelt true musical romantic confession since the Plain White T's' Tom Higgenson wrote Hey There Delilah for cross-country runner Delilah DiCrescenzo even though he knew it was unrequited love. As the week went on, the speculation heated up as more people heard our verses until seemingly everyone from passersby on the street to news announcers on national TV were asking the questions—Who was the boy in Inaba that Rise had written her verse for? Who was the girl over there that I had written my verse for?
Both Rise and I never thought of saying a word amidst the commotion because we both didn't want to say anything until both of us wanted to spill the beans, and Tito Ryotaro (Tito is a Filipino honorific for an uncle) let me know that he'd tell anyone in Inaba who knew about us to keep quiet for the moment out of respect for our privacy. All the while, I kept writing lyrics and then practicing them at the same studio once I'd nailed down verses both in order to occupy my time and also because I felt like the studio might be a lucky place for me, as the last verse I had practiced and recorded there had helped me return Rise's feelings and also bring mine all the way back to the surface.

That Friday evening—the last Friday evening of April—I was finishing a box of some spicy Indian curry chicken with rice on the production side of my booth (you know, the side with the mixing boards and all) during a break in another session when my pollen-allergic nose, now decongested by the heat of the curry, picked up an interesting smell from an adjoining booth.
What's that smell? I thought. Don't think I've smelled that before…it smells like honey and cinnamon…
My nose twitched as I sniffed a couple more times and got up after tossing the empty box and plastic utensils in the trash to see where it was coming from. As I was just outside the booth, a girl's voice suddenly sang,

I hope that you're the one
If not, you are the prototype

I froze, but at the same time, my heart started beating a little faster.
Holy mother of pearl…that's Rise's voice! I thought frantically.
It sounded like it had come from the booth directly to the right of mine. I peered through the window—and felt my mouth fall open.
Rise was sitting back in a reclining chair on the production side of the booth clad in her favorite summer outfit—khaki capris, a bright orange spaghetti-strap top with some gold peacock motifs on it, matching orange sandal heels, golden stud earrings and a small gold heart pendant. She looked like she was in emotional pain, and her beautiful voice confirmed my suspicion as she sang with even more emotion than I had heard in her Homecoming verse,

I hope that you're the one
If not, you are the prototype

She closed her eyes, and as she clasped her hands in her lap, I saw a tear slide down her cheek. I had gone white as if I had seen a ghost, but I managed to avoid myself from freezing completely, as I managed to knock on the door.
No response. Normally, I'd let it sit for the sake of not being intrusive, but I knew I'd be darned if I left her at a time like this. I slowly tried to open the door and felt a shot of joy as I found it was unlocked. I stepped in and walked slowly towards her, not wanting to startle her too much and blow it.

"Rise?" I asked nervously, not wanting to frighten her. "Rise-chan?"
I saw no response, so I dropped to one knee, slipped my right hand inside her clasped hands, and took her right hand in both of mine. She then opened her eyes and saw me, and my heart started racing even more.
"C-Carlo?" She asked weakly, clearly thinking she was probably seeing things. "Is it really you?"
"Yes, it's really me." I said with a smile that was equally joyful and comforting. "And I'm not leaving again."

Rise bent forward and took my face in her hands, evidently trying to make absolutely sure she wasn't dreaming. I just kept smiling.
"Oh, my God…" It was just a whisper at first, and then it became a joyful shriek. "Oh, my God!"
She dropped to her knees, threw her arms around me, and broke down completely as she had at the Inaba station, crying what seemed to be the Hudson into my shoulder. I put my other knee down so that I was on both knees as well and couldn't help but shed some tears of my own into her shoulder. It was indeed just like the last time we'd seen each other, only we were on our knees in a studio booth—and the tears were tears of joy.

"I missed you so much, Carlo-kun…" She told me.
"I missed you so much too, Rise-chan…" I replied. I rarely use the honorific "chan", reserving it for when Rise calls me "Carlo-kun" and when I feel I really need to get her attention for whatever reason, but that was one of those times where I felt like I couldn't say anything else.
Before I could say or think anything else, Rise had brought her lips to mine again and was leaning me back as she kissed me with even more feeling than she'd brought at the station. I felt my thighs strain from the stretching, but the soft, gentle feeling of her arms, hands and lips allowed me to disregard the pain and do my best to return it. After a minute, we came apart, and this time, she leaned back and allowed me to rest my head over her heart for a moment despite me being about half a head taller than her.
Now I know I'm home, I thought with a big smile on my face and my eyes closed, mouthing a prayer of thanks.
"I've just got a new song." Rise said when I opened my eyes and looked up at her to find her looking back warmly. "Could you play the track that's loaded here already?"
"Sure." I said, smiling back as we got to our feet. I then went over and hit the corresponding play button on the mixing board, and a relaxing guitar-laden track filled the room. Rise let it run for a bit, apparently leaving it as the intro, before she sang, this time with a smile,

I hope that you're the one
If not, you are the prototype
We'll tiptoe to the sun
And do things I know you like
I think I'm in love again
I think I'm in love again

The last two lines, which formed a chorus, were drawn out a bit and also had a little pause in between them. When she finished, she was still smiling and also giving me a warm look after closing her eyes for a part of the segment, but my smile was wistful because those last two lines also made me feel as if I'd done her wrong.
"Like it?" She asked. Then she saw my face, and her own face fell. "Oh, no…was it bad?"
"No, it was great!" I said earnestly, before my voice started to betray my worry. "It's just…I really did lose your love, didn't I?"
"Don't worry, Carlo—it's not that." She said with a reassuring smile. "It's just that whenever we meet up and have fun like this, I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again."
"Oh, stop it…" I said, turning red. Then, coming back to my senses, I said, "Hang on, let me get a couple of things…"

I quickly headed to my original booth to get my stuff and also a track I had been working with. When I came back, I demoed a new verse I had been working with that day, tentatively titled Reflections, which was inspired by watching Rise and the others having to face their Shadows, their darkest alter-egos.
"Man, you've definitely got some talent as a lyricist!" Rise said as she smiled and clapped when I took off the headphones and stepped out of the recording side. "Were you joking when you said you could only freestyle once in a blue moon?"
"Thanks." I said with a grin before adding, "That's still true, but it's really funny in a way what happened to me the past week. I realized that the experiences I had in Inaba, especially the fight against Izanami, gave me a lot of material to say the least—I learned just what it was like to take up a weapon and fight to protect my friends and family and also defend my beliefs. I think what really helped inspire me, though, was the fact that we went through all that together, because I ended up learning how empowering love is and also how tough it is to try to live after losing it."
I took a moment and then added, "If I've learned anything from being an MC—albeit a karaoke one until recently—and a fan, it's that a rapper needs to make music that can make people laugh, cry and think, and I felt like your verse was the last straw—in a good way, because then I could make music that fit those criteria."
"I can see that." Rise said. "I gotta say I really admire how you guys can just move a crowd like it's nothing."
"Thanks. It's really no accident, though—after all, we still do take the literal meaning of 'MC' seriously because we strive to be masters of ceremonies." I replied.
"It sure looks like you do." She said.
"Thanks." I responded. My voice then turned grave as I said, "I don't feel like I'm the one without a Shadow anymore—I feel like I faced it over the past week, only I fought it lyrically and found the power to write my own stuff as a result."

My look at the end said, I'm scared I may let you down decisively, but Rise responded, "Don't worry, Carlo-kun. Remember what you told me—that my Shadow was a part of me but that it didn't have to rule me?" When I smiled slightly and nodded, she said, "This is the same thing, only better—it may be a part of you, but I know you're strong enough to only use it when you need it. Besides, I know you're human and that you do make mistakes."
"Thanks a lot, Rise-chan." I replied gratefully, feeling that worry quickly dissipated.
"Anytime." She replied. "That reminds me—there was something I wanted to ask you if I ever got back into showbiz and you started writing your own lyrics."

"What is it?" I asked.
She responded with a smile that was sheepish but fond, "I know you probably heard about me accepting an invitation to perform at the Shiba Park Jam next Friday—I know it might sound a little crazy, but I'd like to do an all-new set…and I'd like you to be onstage with me."
My eyes widened as she realized just what she was asking me. The Shiba Park Jam is an event that features top Japanese artists but also has a novel element about it because every artist or group that performs at it is required to have at least one song in his/her/its set that has never been performed in front of a live audience before. To put out an all-new set would be unheard of, though, as no one had done it despite it not being taboo at all.
When Rise had been announced as one of the artists who would perform there, I had felt stricken by the weight of my suppressed feelings again because Shiba Park is in Minato and was thus essentially in my backyard, and the thought of hearing her singing from my bedroom when I didn't know how to feel about her made me even more uneasy. Now, though, here she was after we'd reunited asking me if I could not only be there to see and support her, but also help her out and take the stage alongside her. Any doubt I had that we could have a full set in a week was snuffed out by the realization that it certainly couldn't be as hard as fighting Izanami.

"Let's do it, Rise." I said with a grin. "I'd love to help give those people more than just their money's worth."
"Oh, Carlo-kun, you really are a dear!" She said, throwing her arms around me and squeezing me quickly but tightly before pulling back and asking, "Have you eaten already? I'd definitely like to treat you tonight and catch up after we're done!"
"I'd just had some Indian curry during a break in my own session, but I think I've still got room for some tofu." I said, and we both grinned at each other.
After some chilling out in the studio and getting a head start on the new project and also a snack of some fried tofu with some dipping sauces outside, I almost strutted back home, smiling and mouthing a couple of lines I had come up with when we had taken a break and just fooled around.

It's beginning to look a lot like what? Follow my every step
Take notes on how I rep—I'm 'bout to go in depth

Every day after I was done with both class and club activities (I had made it my business to stay as active in Tokyo as I had been in Inaba) I went to the studio. Rise's team had given her the okay to pursue having an all-new set with me ready for the Jam, and her producers had been turning out quite a few tracks for us to work with, so I found myself practicing my existing verses over those tracks and also modifying my verses or creating new ones altogether to fit Rise's. On top of that, once the songs took shape, we did shoots for quick clips that we would be using as transitions between some of the songs and also did rehearsals in larger studio spaces.
It was definitely a challenge, but one that we handled deftly. Needless to say, our reunion was a big shot in the arm for both Rise and me, and we ended up wearing out the team with how fast we were going. On Thursday night, the night before the event, we had just finished up our booth work and had eight songs ready—pop and hip-hop were predictably the predominant influences, but we also had elements of funk, soul and rock in there too—but everyone but the two of us looked almost asleep on their feet.

"Come on, guys, cheer up!" I said. "I know it's been hard, but we've been handling our business this past week and we're in pole position to rock this thing tomorrow, so liven up a bit!"
"Yeah, let's look alive!" Rise said, slapping a couple of the others on the back encouragingly. Turning towards me, she then said, "Hey, Carlo, I've got an idea…could you play the last track on the CD?"
I nodded, grinned back, and said, "Coming right up!"
I quickly pulled up and played the last track on the CD of tracks that Rise had brought in—the first eight were the tracks that would be used the next night. We couldn't tell what it was, as it was simply labeled "Track 9".
When it hit, the way she moved was decidedly different than what I had seen before from her—it was like she was at a party in the 50s or 60s—and I soon know why: from the way the guitar and drums sounded, it was a classic rock track. The next thing I knew, she was singing with a smile on her face and her eyes closed,

It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog
It's been a hard day's night—I should be sleeping like a log
But when I get home to you, I find the things that you do
Will make me feel all right

We all livened up a bit as we laughed, whooped, and cheered Rise as she took a bow. I also was a bit red as I had realized she had been looking at me as she'd finished.
"Nice one! I did not know you liked the Beatles, Rise!" I said with a chuckle.
"Thanks! I like quite a bit of their earlier stuff—but A Hard Day's Night is definitely my favorite. I might be doing a cover of it in the future."
That evening, Rise released two announcements to Tokyo radio stations—she would be doing the first-ever all-new set at the Shiba Park Jam, and she also had gained permission from her beloved boyfriend from her time in Inaba to reveal his identity at the concert. If the buzz surrounding the concert was palpable beforehand, it was almost inescapable now.

Friday dawned cloudlessly with the temperature halfway between warm and hot—perfect summer outdoor concert weather.
I had had my short black hair trimmed earlier in the week except in the front, where I had it just long enough that I could put it up like the visor of a cap after applying gel to put it up and flatten the rest of my hair (I had decided to leave the gelling up until right before the set began.) I also picked out the outfit I would be wearing that day—including to the concert—light gray Gap cargo wind pants and a black ASIJ short-sleeved polo shirt with an undershirt underneath (which is actually my daily habit since it soaks up sweat in the summer and helps me keep warm in the winter) plus white mid-low socks and my black and gold Nike Frees.

As class let out at ASIJ, I could hear my friends excitedly talking about the event, and I found it hard to suppress my excitement and avoid giving my surprise part away.
"You going to the Shiba Park Jam tonight?" One asked.
"Yeah—there's going to be quite a few top artists there, including Rise, so I had this on the calendar way back!" Another said energetically.
"You want to come with us, Carlo?" A third asked me.
"I'm afraid I can't go with you guys—I've got some business to handle tonight." I said with a grin.
"Oh—sorry about that." He replied. "Take it easy, all right?"
"I will." I replied while thinking, Of course, that doesn't mean I don't plan to go hard tonight onstage…

The concert was less than an hour from the end of basketball practice, so I quickly showered and dressed back into the clothes I'd be wearing to the event and traveled to Shiba Park by subway. On the way, I stopped by a jewelry store to pick up my chain, which I had ordered after the reunion. It was simple but good-looking—a gold chain with a pair of matching dog tags with my name on one side of both, an American flag on the other side of one of them, a Filipino flag on the other side of another and also a pair of small diamond-studded clasps. I put it in my pocket, not wanting anyone to see me wearing it until I got to Shiba Park, and arrived there with time to spare.

The stage was large and raised with a wide building in the center with a couple of entryways with doors attached to either side and also a huge video screen covering the wall facing the crowd. Attached to it was a large mobile backstage area, which I went into in order to get ready.
As I donned my dog tag chain, Rise came into view, and I couldn't help but whistle. She was sporting what looked like a Gothic Lolita outfit, featuring a black mid-thigh two-layered pleated skirt with orange ruffles that showed off her legs, black high-heeled platform Mary Jane pumps, a black frilled spaghetti strap tank top that showed off a cool six inches of stomach, white opera-length shiny satin fingerless sleeve gloves with sequins and beads and also a thin black ribbon worn as a choker, wrapped multiple times around her neck but not too tightly and tied in a bow.
"How's this, Carlo? Do I look okay?" She asked, touching up her hair in a couple of places.
"To say the least." I said fervently before asking, "Do I look good enough?"
"Don't worry about a thing—you look sharp." She replied with a reassuring smile.

We were to be the final act of the night, so night had fallen outside by the time it was time for us to get our turn.
Just as I finished gelling my hair, the capacity crowd was suddenly both energized and startled as a news announcer-like voice said, "We interrupt this program for a news flashback…"
Less than two weeks after I had returned to ASIJ and the spring trimester had started, President Obama had visited the school and had spoken there as part of a tour of Japan. The first clip was a news report that picked up there, with a female reporter saying while the footage played on the screen,
Everyone knows that President Obama spoke at the American School, but what many don't know is that some were invited to have a chat with him in private. One of those people was Carlo Santos, the 15-year-old standout born in New York and raised partially in North Carolina who had returned to the school after spending a year at Yasogami High in Inaba due to his parents being stationed in the Philippines for a year.

The footage and audio then changed to music video-style footage of Rise performing her Homecoming verse in a street, then the footage of me performing my own Homecoming verse live at the RT…and then a shot of the two of us walking together in our Yasogami High summer uniforms and holding hands—which is even bigger in Japan than it is over in America—as the music started.
The crowd gasped at the revelation—the boy that the 15-year-old idol who had been ripping it up on the comeback trail was singing about was not just another 15-year-old, but the Filipino-American wunderkind and blossoming rapper who had responded with a verse of his own. While they were still stunned, more photos of the two of us started appearing on the screen, Rise took the stage and some backup singers also appeared before she started it off with the lines she had come up with first at our reunion:

I hope that you're the one
If not, you are the prototype
We'll tiptoe to the sun
And do things I know you like
I think I'm in love again
I think I'm in love again

Screams had issued from the audience when she had started singing, and they resurfaced when the chorus came up—and rightly so, because she sounded as good as she had when she had come up with that part at our reunion, if not better. When she wasn't singing, I could see a warm smile on her face that seemed to say, Yes, that's my boy!
I couldn't help but smile myself as a result as the second verse began, with the backup singers more involved:

(Today) Today must be my lucky day
Baby, you are the prototype
Do something out of the ordinary, like catch a matinee
Baby, you are the prototype
I think I'm (I think I'm in love again)
I think I'm in love again

Rise said she drew inspiration for the next quartet from the last encounter we had had before she and the others went to see me off.
I had been around town to say my goodbyes to all those that I had become very close to—Kou from the hoops team, Yumi from the drama club, Tito Ryotaro, Nanako, and finally Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Naoto Shirogane, and Teddie—but I had saved my visit with Rise just outside Marukyu Tofu for a reason. I closed my eyes for a second and smiled as I found I could remember it now without feeling sad:

"Oh, Senpai! Where are you going?" Rise had asked brightly.
"I wanted to see you, Rise." I had said, not able to hide a sad smile.
"Senpai…no…that's like you came to say goodbye…!" Rise cried. It wasn't the tearful kind, but she was clearly suddenly distressed. "I'm not planning on letting this be the last time we meet! It does make me sad, though…"
She paused, and then managed a smile and said, "I told you before, right? I'm returning to showbiz, starting spring."
I nodded with a smile before she continued, "I went to voice training today to prepare myself for that. You see, I'm redebuting myself with a new album!"
"That's great!" I said, now able to smile without sorrow.

"Yeah…I'm writing all the lyrics myself! Well, I got a D in Composition, so they aren't exactly masterpieces…" She said, her grin a little sheepish at the end.
"Remember what I passed on to you, though…" I said, repeating a lesson from some Tokyo hip-hop heads that I had drilled into her. "Play the game—don't let the game play you."
"I know…and I intend to play it hard." She said with a smile. "You know…a lot of stuff's happened while I was on break. I made friends—dear friends—everyone was so nice to me…I want to express that to everyone who will listen. My deepest feelings, in my own words."
"You know I'll have that record the day it comes out." I said, beaming at her.
"Thanks." She replied, before exclaiming, "Ahh, I'm scared! I'm scared of putting the real me out there for everyone to see…but…I can't give in to that fear, right?"
"No, ma'am." I said fervently, shaking my head but smiling. "You're doing the right thing and you know it."

She nodded and responded, "I'll work hard for all my fans out there…I'm gonna make a huge comeback! So wish me luck!"
"Of course." I replied.
"I'll always be myself. Whether I become popular again or not, I'll be the same person who's talking to you right now. I look back at Junes now, and I feel all those good memories of us…Maybe I'll offer to appear in a commercial for Junes. Then you'll remember all the times we had every time you see it!" She said, before her face fell again and she said as the thought came to her, "But then we'll all feel a bit lonely afterwards, huh?"
"You know I'll miss you, so how can I say no?" I replied, my smile now wistful again.
"I'll miss you too, Senpai…I'll see you tomorrow…I'll say goodbye, and I won't cry…" She said. She was unable to bring herself to smile now, but I could see from her eyes that she was just wishing to high heaven that I could stay.

I had hoped she'd be able to keep that last promise, but I couldn't blame her for not being able to, as I remembered I'd shed tears too and thus wouldn't have been able to keep that promise if I'd made it.
I looked at the screen, saw that Rise did appear to be thinking back to something and had no doubt she was remembering that moment too so that she could sing the next part as well as she could. And that she did, as the next four lines rang,

If we happen to part (If we happen to part)
Lord knows I don't want that, but, hey…
We can't be mad at God (No, we can't be mad at God)
We met today for a reason—I think I'm on the right track now

More cheers and screams sounded as the chorus came back around:

I think I'm in love again
I think I'm in love again
Let's go, let's go to the movies, yeah

"If you know what I'm talking about, go ahead and wave those hands, everyone!" She called, waving her free left hand rhythmically over her head as a guitar solo broke out during an interlude on the track. Everyone promptly started waving their hands from side to side over their heads rhythmically.
"Oh, that's beautiful!" She said with a grin. "Now, if you've got someone beside you who you don't want to leave your side, look at him or her and let him or her know it!"
There must have been many close couples in the audience, because I could see the camera panning over many of them either cuddling or softly kissing each other in response.
"Oh, wow…" Rise said. Knowing she'd done her job, her smile widened and became warmer, and all of us backstage were both proud of her impact and awestruck at just how widespread it was.
As I heard the last part come up, I kept smiling as I remembered what Rise had said when she put it together. She had told me, "When I sing this last part, it's not just because you rescued me from my Shadow at the club." It went,

I think I'm in love again
Boy, right now
(I think I'm in love again)
I wanna say…I wanna say…I wanna say "Thank you (thank you) very much (very much)
For picking me up and bringing me back to this world!"
(I think I'm in love again)
I think I'm in love again

As the track cut out and Rise finished the last line acapella with the backup, the crowd erupted with its loudest cheer of the night so far. Many were wiping away tears because they'd been so moved, and among all the noise, I could hear a girl shrieking, "Oh, my God!"
Oh, yeah…I thought with a grin. And the crazy part is that's just the first one.

Closing Author's Notes
Rise saying "I've just got a new song" is a deliberate sop to OutKast's movie Idlewild (I won't say how so that I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it.) The next chapter will feature a duet performance—I'll do what I can to have it up before I leave for Orlando.
You know the rules—please read and review, but please don't flame me just because you're not a Rise fan.