Crestlands, Merry Hills…
The spirits of Team Chronicle were high as they took their first steps through the bustling streets of Merry Hills, where many other performers had gathered.
"We made it…" Agnea said, eager joy present in her voice. "This is Merry Hills, the home of the Grand Gala!"
"My word, would you look at all the people here?" Double D remarked. "It's as though people from every region in Solistia have gathered here."
"Yep! And Agnea's gonna be dancing in front of all of them!" Eddy said. "This one's for all the marbles, Agnie. You ready?"
"Definitely!" Agnea affirmed as she pulled out the Song of Hope. "The Song of Hope is almost done…I'll dance to this at the Grand Gala. I can't wait for everyone to hear it!"
"Just you wait, gang! This'll be Agnea's best show yet! I can feel it!" Eddy grinned.
"...There you are."
The group turned around at the sound of the voice to see two suspicious-looking men standing behind them.
"Is there something we can help you with, gentlemen?" Double D asked.
"Agnea and her managers, Team Chronicle, am I right? We have business with you." one of the men said as the two took combat stances. "Our master would like a word with all of you."
"You're all to come with us whether you like it or not…" the second said.
The group and Agnea exchanged unimpressed looks before turning back to the two men.
*POW!* *BONK!* *BAM!*
The two thugs were knocked out, falling into unconsciousness.
"Well, that killed the mood." Garnet remarked.
"What in the heck was that all about? These two were pretty stupid t'try and take us by force." Bismuth said.
"It appears someone doesn't want Agnea to make it to the show in time." Pearl said. "We should keep going. And keep watch for more of these hired thugs."
"That's a given Pearl, but let's also enjoy the festival on the way there, alright?" Sans asked.
With that, the group continued forward into the festival grounds, making their way to the arena where Agnea and Dolcinaea would face off.
"Wow, you were right before, Double D! People really did come from the realm over to perform! I can hardly believe my eyes! There are minstrels, circus performers, and even a circus here!" Agnea said.
"Hey, look up ahead, isn't that…?" Frisk asked, seeing someone.
"Why, it is!" Double D said as everyone ran up to the sight of Giselle's traveling troupe.
"Giselle's Traveling Troupe! We meet again, and here at the Grand Gala, just as the Great Papyrus predicted!" Papyrus said.
"Well, if it isn't Agnea and her friends! The little dancer who touched my heart… I knew I'd see you all here." Giselle said. "Haha. What a sweet reunion this is!"
"Did you come to dance, Agnea?" Coda asked.
"Of course I did! I made a promise, didn't I?" Agnea asked.
"Thank the goddess we could see each other again like this." Tanzy said. "We'll be performing soon. How about you?" she asked.
"I'll be dancing here…" Agnea said as she pulled out the invitation.
"Check it out! Agnea's gonna be performing in the Gala's main event alonsgide Dolcinaea!" Rainbow Dash-2 said.
"Agnea is gonna perform in the Festival of Grace?! No fooling?!" Rico asked.
"Only the best of the best can perform there!" Coda said.
"How did you get this?" Tanzy asked.
"Well, funny story about that… it was given to us by Dolcinaea herself." Connie revealed.
"D-D-Dolcinaea?!" all four members said in shock.
"So the rumors were true!" Rico said.
"Rumors? What rumors?" Agnea asked.
"We heard that some special dancer's skills were recognized by the Dolcinaea. But we had no idea it was you! You're unstoppable, Agnea!" Giselle said.
"Yeah she is!" Amethyst agreed.
"So, you're all heading to the stage?" Tanzy asked.
"We'll walk you there!" Rico offered.
"Yeah, let's go!" Coda added.
"That sounds like a great idea! Let's go see it for ourselves!" Agnea declared.
Accompanied by Giselle and her troupe, the group advanced a little further until they saw two more men who looked to be acquainted with those thugs from earlier.
"More of 'em? Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash-2 groaned.
"They're quite the shady-looking bunch. Are they friends of yours?" Giselle asked.
"Quite the opposite, actually. Accomplices of those who tried to kidnap us, though unsuccessfully." Pearl said.
"They what?!" Giselle said.
"We believe someone doesn't want Agnea going on stage, so they'll do whatever it takes to deny her performing with Dolcinaea. We could subdue them, but we don't want to waste too much time…" Toriel said.
"Hmm…" Coda hummed.
"Oh, goddess, dear goddess…!" Tanzy said before getting an idea. "I've got an idea, everyone. Gather around." she said as she explained something to everyone.
"Hah! Our brilliant director strikes again!" Giselle beamed.
"You're a genius, Tanzy!" Agnea smiled.
Within moments, Giselle, Coda, and Rico had set up, the others remaining hidden behind some convenient cover.
"Everyone, gather 'round!" Giselle declared, nearby onlookers turning towards the three performers. "We are Giselle's Traveling Troupe, bringing smiles to every corner of the realm!"
Coda and Rica threw out confetti as Giselle summoned a bird as it distracted the two suspicious men.
"Now's your chance, everyone!" Tanzy said.
"We'll be right behind you!" Giselle added.
"Thank you, everyone! We'll see you soon!" Agnea said as she and the group ran on ahead.
"Good luck, Agnea!" Rico and Coda said.
Soon, the group reached the front steps of a massive coliseum, where the crowds were at their thickest.
"That's where they're hosting the Festival of Grace, huh?" Undyne remarked. "Big place for a big dance."
"I…I… I can't believe my eyes!" Agnea marveled, slipping into her native accent. "It doesn't get more excitin' than this! Oh my…"
"Hey, calm down, Twinkle Toes." Emo said. "I know you're amazed, but you have to be focused when you get on stage."
"Right, sorry! This is no time to be nervous!" Agnea said. "Come on, we should-"
"Duck left!" Princess Twilight said, the group heeding her advice as two more shady-looking men walked up and started asking people questions around the area.
"More of 'em?! How many mooks does this master guy have?" ZS wondered.
"We have to do something or else we won't make it in time for the show…" Agnea said. "Maybe we could push this piano over and stall for time… No, I couldn't do that to someone's precious instrument. But maybe we could still use it somehow…"
"...This stage is a thing of beauty." a familiar voice said from the crowd. The group peered through the sea of people to see none other than Gil standing there.
"Talk about a lucky break! Gil, over here!" Connie waved down the tavern owner.
"Huh? That you, kids?" Gil asked, making his way over to them.
"Yeah, still going strong!" Eddy said. "We need help. There's some shady guys trying to kidnap Agnea, and if we try to fight through 'em, we'll miss the Grand Gala!"
"Guess there's no time for pleasantries then." Gil remarked as he looked towards the piano. "Well, well…that is quite the piano. How about I play your fans a song or two? A big enough audience ought to block their path."
With that, Gil sat down at the piano and immediately started playing a lively number. Said melody began attracting multiple people around, forming a sort of barrier. Soon, the two men came upon the scene and spotted the group.
"Hey, there they are!" one of them pointed out.
"Oh boy, here we go…" Scarlet remarked.
"Don't worry. I'm just getting warmed up!" Gil said as he kept playing, more people gathering around. "Hehe. This is cool, but…I think it's time to turn up the heat!"
Gil picked up the tempo from there, causing the crowd to become firmly packed, keeping the shady men from getting to the group.
"Out of my way!" another familiar voice called as Laila ran up to where the group was.
"Oh, Laila!" Steven said.
"Hey, everyone! I came to see you!" Laila greeted.
"Oh, looks like you all made a lively new friend." Gil noticed.
"You could say that." Connie said.
"Hehe. Mind if I join you, gramps?" Laila asked.
"Hey, he's not that old." Connie said.
"Ah, I don't mind. Be my guest, kiddo!" Gil said.
Laila then joined in, perfectly dancing in synch with Gil's musical number, wowing the crowd even more.
"You're quite the dancer, aren't you?" Gil asked Laila.
"This is amazing… I've never felt a fire like this inside me before! I wanna take this feeling home and show the whole town!" Laila said.
"You two are in perfect sync! I could watch you perform all day!" Agnea said.
"But you really shouldn't! We're running behind as it is!" Eddy reminded her. "We're runnin' late! It's now or never, gang!"
"You're right, Eddy. Let's go!" Agnea said.
"Before we go Gil, you should know we've been working really hard on completing the Song of Hope. Who knows, Agnea might even perform it onstage today!" Frisk said.
"Not might, Frisk. I will perform it today!" Agnea promised.
"I look forward to it already." Gil said before Agnea and others ran off to the stadium, the thugs pushing past the gathered crowd and arriving near him and Laila too late.
One of the thugs huffed. "Where'd they go?"
"Sorry, but they're busy being stars! But I'm not too bad of a dancer myself. Here, I'll show you! Take this! And that! And some of these!" Laila said, as she went into a dance that knocked the thugs off their feet, literally. "Whoops…I think I may have gone a little far."
"No way, kiddo. Your moves were hot." Gil complimented her as the crowd cheered.
Making their way into the Shrine of Ul'sterra, the group quickly arrived at the top floor, where they saw a stage surrounded by a stadium full of people.
"There it is! The Stage of the Moon and Sun!" Frisk said in delight.
"Looks like we're just in the nick of time. Agnea, you'd better hurry and get on stage, before-" Pearl started.
"You foolish little star…and her foolish entourage. You've fallen right into my trap." a voice said as walking out from the crowd was none other than La'mani.
"Hold on, aren't you…? Yeah, you're that stage manager from New Delsta!" Connie asked.
"So you're the one who sent those men after us!" Eddy scowled. "Can't you see we're busy, fat guy?!"
"Of course I know that! I hired those men to kidnap you, all so I could have my revenge." La'mani said. "Because of all of you… I…I..!"
"Look, man, I'm sorry I set you on fire…" Emo started.
"I don't think he's mad at us because of that, Emo." Alkal said.
"He must hold a grudge against us because of what happened with us. Remember after our fight with him? Dolcinaea told him off straight." Krillin said.
"He's hung up over that? C'mon, what happened after Dolcineaea scolded him couldn't have been that bad…" Emo said.
"Oh, but it was! I remember it as if it were yesterday. On the way home after that humiliating defeat… I couldn't control myself and picked a fight with a stray dog. But that mutt was all bite and no bark…it nearly ate me alive!" La'mani declared.
The group was silent, taking in the sheer nonsense the man was saying.
"It was the first time I'd ever suffered such a disgrace…" La'mani seethed.
(Cue: In Pursuit of Hope- Octopath Traveler 2)
"For that, I cannot forgive you. No.. I will not forgive you!" La'mani declared.
"...Alright. Is this really how you wanna do it?" Eddy said, as he stepped in front of the group. "Agnea, guys, leave this jerk to me."
"Eddy…?" Mark questioned.
"My name is Eddy Skipper McGee! I'm the manager of Agnea Bristarni! And that means…everything she's willing to do for her dream, I've gotta do to! And that includes fighting for it!"
Eddy then got into a fighting stance. "This…this isn't just the biggest dance in Solistia. This is her chance to prove what stardom is all about. And as long as I'm still breathin'...I won't let you take that from her, La'mani!"
"You despicable child…. I will make you and your charge dance to my whims!" La'mani declared.
With that, the two of them charged at one another, but just before Eddy could even throw a punch, someone sprinted right past him, and punched La'mani straight in the gut.
(song cut)
"Guah!" La'mani screamed before collapsing to the ground, unconscious. The one who knocked him out cold was none other than Veronica.
"...Well, that was a waste of a good speech." Eddy grumbled.
"It was still a good one, Eddy!" Ed said. "Lothar himself would be proud!"
"...That doesn't make me feel better, but thanks anyway." Eddy said.
"So, do we need to worry about La'mani, or…?" Rainbow-2 asked.
"Pay no mind to his words. They're the ramblings of a delusional man." Veronica said.
"But Miss Veronica, you're Madam Dolcinaea's bodyguard." Double D remembered. "Why would you ever come to our assistance?"
"I was merely safeguarding my lady's show. Now go." Veronica said.
"Thank you so much." Frisk thanked. "Alright everyone, let's escort Agnea to the stage! It's almost show time!"
The group then hurried down to the stage of the Moon and sun as night began to fall. As they did, they could hear the crowd cheering raucously, and the show had not even begun. But it was for one reason only, and that was because Dolcinaea had already taken the stage to appeal to the fans.
"Sealticge, Lady of Grace, is no more. In her place is another worthy of the title. She stands before you tonight to entertain you. Her name is…Dolcinaea Luciel!" Dolcinaea announced as she laughed haughtily.
"Ugh, listen to her, hamming herself up…" Lapis groaned as they made their way down, the group approaching the stage and listening to Dolcinaea's speech.
"That's the overdose of glitz and glam for ya." Eddy said.
"My beloved audience, tonight is a special night. For I have invited a special dancer to perform. Agnea Bristarni!" Dolcinaea said as a musician approached.
"Have you brought a song?" he asked the group.
"We do. Here it is." Connie said as they handed the sheet for the musician to look over. After confirming it, he handed it back and allowed the group past.
"Now come, my little star." Dolcinaea said.
"This is it, Agnea. This is the big stage." Eddy said. "We'll be right down here if you need us, kay?"
"Thanks Eddy. But this is probably just gonna be a dance-off, not an actual fight." Agnea reminded. "Oh! But if you get any ideas for special effects for when it's time for me to perform, you're welcome to pitch in!"
"I think we might have a few ideas…" Pinkie-2 smiled in that regard. "But for right now, it's your time to shine!"
"Go forth, Agnea, and show these humans what it means to be a true star!" Papyrus declared.
Agnea nodded, and with that, ascended the steps onto the stage of the moon and sun, Dolcinaea across from her, all while the crowd was cheering, mostly for Dolcinaea.
"You are a brave woman to have come this far, Agnea… but can you hear their voices? They call for me, and me alone." Dolcinaea said, as Agnea could hear the crowd's chants.
"This may be the first time I've been so nervous about dancing…" Agnea admitted.
"Ahahaha… and the show has yet to begin." Dolcinaea said as she went to the moon part of the stage. "Now, everyone! Prepare yourselves for a show! We shall begin the night with my song…'All For You'!"
(Cue: All For You ~ My Heart Feels No Pain *feat. Kayla Brown* - Hi-Fi Rush)
Right as Dolcinaea began her song, the moon part of the stage started rising upwards, giving her the high ground. Agnea was caught off guard at this.
"A star never loses her shine, come what may. Are you up to the challenge?" Dolcinaea questioned the less experienced dancer, who was silent for a moment. "It's time we found out who the real star is."
"...You'll see." Agnea said, standing tall. "My mother wasn't wrong. I'll put a smile on everyone's faces!"
With that, the dance off began. Right before Agnea's eyes, Dolcinaea spun around as her dress unfurled to become a pair of wings, as her outfit changed to a slimmer, turquoise blue dress, almost as if she became some sort of angel.
Solistia's Brightest Star
Dolcinaea Luciel
From there, Agnea and Dolcinaea started dancing with all their hearts. The differences between them couldn't be any more apart. In Agnea, there was an aspiring star following in her mother's footsteps to perform solely to bring smiles to everyone's faces. But Dolcinaea on the other hand, was Cuani's former student who, after becoming a star herself, became completely absorbed in her own fame. In a dance off between them, this could only be described as a battle of wills!
"Look at them go! The both of them are dancing so passionately, I can barely keep up with both of them at the same time!" Peridot-2 said.
"Mark…I-I know you're more of a fighter and you don't have any experience with stuff like this, but… what do you think about this?" Bernadetta asked.
"Well…I think they're both wonderful dancers." Mark nodded. "What about you? What do you think?"
"Well… I don't think Dolcineae's evil or anything. N-Not that she is, even though she almost destroyed Sai..! She's just…blinded by her own fame that she's forgotten what it means to be an entertainer. I-It's not about being famous, or having fans… it's about what Agnea always said. A star is supposed to bring smiles to peoples faces… they give people hope for their dreams, and everything…! And while we've been traveling with Agnea, and completing her song…. I hoped for Mark to…to… "
"To what, Bern?" Connie asked.
"T-to finally get over his fears!" Bernadetta said. "I don't want him to be afraid of being close! I want him to not be afraid to open his heart to someone. Maybe even be close to me…b-but not that close! I just want him to get better and be cured of his paraphobia so he can be happy."
"Wow… I can't believe you of all people would hope for that to happen…" Bardock said.
"Ah…ah…" Bern trailed off, hiding in her hoodie, while the others, especially Mark, looked shocked.
"That… took some real guts to admit, Bernie." Amethyst said.
"I know what she's trying to say, if I'm being honest…" Garnet said in sympathy.
"I think a lot of the others would too if they heard her." Gohan said.
"(Bernadetta…you really want me to be happy?)" Mark thought.
"Hey guys, look! Dolcinaea's number's over!" Pinkie-2 pointed out.
Indeed, All for You had finished, and for the moment, both she and Agnea stopped dancing. Dolcinea looked like she had hardly broken a sweat, but Agnea was panting heavily.
"Aaand… times up!" Dolcinaea announced as the crowd applauded and commentated on what an amazing opening match that was.
"Gh… that… that was incredible! My heart nearly leaped out of my chest in excitement. I can still feel it in my veins… this is the first time I've ever been so moved." Agnea said.
"Ahahahaa… did you enjoy yourself?" Dolcinea asked as the crowd was cheering for her, and noticed Agnea's exhaustion. "Is something the matter, dear? You look like you've barely got a twinkle left in you… are you truly a star?" she asked as Agnea growled. "Oh dear… is that all the shine you've got?"
The crowd's cheers for Dolcinaea soon rocked the stadium as Dolcinaea turned her back to Agnea and basked in the glory of the spotlight. Agnea sighed and collapsed to her knees.
"Aw, nuts…Agnea!" Applejack-2 said as they ran to the edge of the stage to give her support.
"Don't let her get to you now! There's no way you can lose to her!" Peridot-2 said.
"You didn't come this far with us just to give up, Agnea!" Eddy said.
"I know, but… Is she right? Is my dancing just not good enough?" Agnea asked.
"Don't give up, Agnea! Mark, say something!" Krillin said.
"...You can't give up yet." Mark started. "Because…Because…"
"Agnea!" A voice called out.
"That voice… Could it be…?" Agnea said before spotting a familiar face. "Papa!"
Everyone then turned to see Garud in the front row, and he wasn't alone. Pala, Gus, Giselle, Gil and Laila were all there, cheering Agnea on.
"Your mother's with you!" Garud said. "Get up, Agnea! Give these people a real show!"
"Garud… you really came to support your daughter…" Toriel said.
"Agnie! We all came out here to cheer you on!" Pala called.
"Pala's here too! And so is Gus!" Steven said.
"You can do it! Show 'em your hot moves, kid!" Gil cheered.
"Hahaha! We're rooting for you, Agnea!" Giselle said.
"Show her who's boss, Agnea!" Laila said.
"Everybody came…" Agnea said in happiness.
Mark saw them all in the crowd, and then came to the realization.
"They're all here because of what we did. Because you helped them realize their passions and dreams, and in return, they gave you something in return." Mark said.
"We reignited Gil's passion for dreams."
The worth of a dream.
"When Giselle was down and out, you helped her find her confidence, and showed her the value in her own smile."
The value of a smile.
"And when Lalia had no hope, you helped her find the determination to forge a better path."
The power of determination.
"With all those feelings… you can finish your song, and show Dolcinaea…how bright you really shine!"
"You can do it, Agnea!" Steven said.
"We're here for ya, kid." Sans smiled.
"C'mon all you people out there! This show ain't close to over yet!" Eddy yelled. "Chant up a storm for our stars here!"
The crowd started cheering, half for Agnea, and half for Dolcinaea.
Agnea refocused herself, and stood back up.
"Thank you everyone…thanks to all of you, I finally finished my song." Agnea nodded, before spinning around and posing, getting Dolcinaea's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen… it is now time for you to listen to Agnea's song! It's called…!" Eddy starte
"The 'Song of Hope'!" Agnea said.
(Cue- Song of Hope- Octopath Traveler 2)
"Haha… So the time has come. Let us decide once and for all who the true star is…" Dolcinaea herself said as she posed herself. "Come, Agnea! Let's give them a show they won't soon forget!"
Bardock tightened his headband as he nodded to everyone as they scattered around the stage. "Hehehehe…bring it on…Dolcinaea Luciel!"
Mother's Student
Dolcinaea the Star
With that, Agnea and Dolcinea started dancing again, and with the song Agnea was performing, their routine was even more fierce and passionate than before. But this time, Agnea had way more confidence and stride in her voice and steps.
"Pinkie, set up party cannons around Agnea's half of the stage!" Mark ordered. "Sans, after she's done, have her take a look at your Gaster Blasters. I think she might be able to do something with those…"
"You got it!" Pinkie-2 said as she zipped over to prep her handiwork.
"I'm on it, buddy." Sans saluted.
"Rainbow, get up high and get ready for a Sonic Rainboom! Rarity, do you have any gems you can lend Rin?" Mark asked.
"But of course, darling. I'm never without them." Rarity-2 said. "I suppose you want them to be used with Rin's magic for a light show?"
"Exactly!" Mark confirmed. "Emo, make some water for Lapis to use!"
"On it, boss man!" Emo said, quickly producing some water.
"And finally…the Z-Warriors!" Mark said, the fighters looking towards him. "...Light up the night."
"Right!" Goku nodded as he and the other Z-Warriors took to the air.
"And I'll be the grand finale!" Rainbow Dash-2 added as she shot high up in the air to warm up for her Sonic Rainboom.
As Agnea and Dolcinaea continued to perform, the others got into their positions and set up around the stage. Once Agnea entered her second verse, that signaled the others to get to work.
"Ready, Rin darling?" Rarity asked.
"Of course!" Rin nodded.
Rarity then scattered dozens of gems into the air, all levitated with magic, and RIn aimed at them.
"Angfang!" Rin chanted, as magical energy of multiple attributes appeared in the space between the gems. The light continuously reflected inside the gems, expanding their magical energy. Magical energy of multiple attributes then shot upwards as several beams flew into the sky.
"Here they come guys!" Goku said, charging up a ball of Ki, the other Z-Warriors doing the same. "And…now!"
The Z-Warriors all blasted their simultaneous Ki balls towards the magical beams, creating makeshift fireworks that wowed the audience.
"Now it's our turn, Lapis!" Emo said.
"I'm so ready for this." Lapis smirked.
Emo sent the water he conjured the hydrokinetic Gem's way, as she quickly reshaped the current, and in one swift motion, wired it around in the air before dissipating it as water sparkles showered down around Agnea as she was dancing into the second chorus, twinkling in the light of the water and light.
"Pinkie, Sans, you're up!" Emo called to the party pony and skeleton. Pinkie had set up six Party Cannons around the outside of Agnea's half of the stage, and likewise, Sans had a Gaster Blaster paired with each one.
"So uh, are you sure about firin' our stuff off at the same time?" Sans asked.
"Abso-lutely!" Pinkie-2 assured with a smile.
"Heh, what a coincidence. Me too." Sans smiled.
Both Cannons and blasters fired off at the same time, each one blasting one after the other, as the lasers from Sans' gaster blasters lit up the stage even more like giant spotlights, as the confetti from Pinkie-2's party cannons rained all over the stage, making the crowd fired up for Agnea even more.
Steven looked up and saw that Dolcinaea was faltering in her dance routine, barely able to keep up. "It's working! Dolcinaea's losing steam!"
"We just need one more big push, and she's gonna get knocked right off her feet!" Connie said.
"That's where the grand finale comes in, Connie!" Eddy said. "Hey, Rainbow, y'ready?!" he asked in his comm, Rainbow high up in the sky.
"When am I not? Watch out, I'm comin' in hot!" Rainbow-2 said as she came down from high up in the sky, a slipstream forming behind her.
"Here it comes, gang!" Eddy practically cackled.
"You want a star, Dolcinaea? Here comes a supernova!" Rainbow-2 declared. Just as she reached the roof of the shrine, Agnea on her last verse…
*BOOM*
Everyone present was left in awe of a massive rainbow that shot across the sky, lighting up the night in a spectrum of colors, as Song of Hope came to an end.
(end song)
Dolcinaea stumbled on her feet as she took in everything about the performance, from Agneas song and dance, to Team Chronicles special effects.
"What song… You were dazzling…Agnea…" Dolcinaea said before she fell over her back and collapsed to her knees. "No…could it be that I..I.."
"Dolcinaea!" Agnea said as she slowly walked over to Dolcinaea, but due to overextending herself, she suddenly tripped and wobbled. "Ack…!"
She was about to fall flat on her face, before something unexpected happened. She was caught and put over the shoulders of Mark.
"Whoa, take it easy, Agnea!" Mark said. "Hang on, we got you."
"It's alright Mark… I'm okay…" Agnea said, recovering and moving slowly with Mark's support. "I… I can still..!"
"You should listen to your friend. Your body is exhausted, your form unsightly…so why… why do you still try to stand?" Dolcinaea asked.
"Because… everyone's waiting for me." Agnea said.
At that saying, Dolcinaea remembered something. She let her mind flash back to when she was young, and still under Cuani's wing as a child in Sai. After a session, she didn't want to continue anymore because she was filthy, and she thought everyone would laugh if she looked so unsightly. But Cuani said she could still shine and brighten everyone's day despite it. That's what it means to be a star.
"Dolcinaea…" Agnea said, finally able to stand and offering her hand to Dolcinaea.
"Agnea…" Dolcinaea said as she was helped up. "I admit it… I lost. Everyone was moved by your dancing… even me."
"So does that mean…" Mark asked.
"Yes. Agnea is a true star." Dolcinaea said.
"Heck yeah she is!" Eddy cheered, hopping up and down, before turning to the crowd. "Hey, everybody! Let's give a big hand to our stars, huh?!"
The audience burst into applause as Dolcinaea got up and left the stage. As Agnea and the others followed down below, they could hear the crowd chanting for an encore.
"Dolcinaea, wait! Don't you wanna give the people one more performance with Agnea? You hear them, right?" Rainbow-2 asked.
"...The encore is Agnea's time to shine." Dolcinaea said as she walked away.
"Dolcinaea…" Agnea said.
"That's the first time I've ever seen her so at peace. Thank you all." Veronica said, following behind her lady. After that, Pala, Gus, Giselle and her troupe, Gil, and Laila appeared to join the group.
"Thank you everyone..!" Agnea thanked, not just Team Chronicle, but all her friends and family as well.
"You're really somethin' incredible Agnie! You're famous now!" Pala said.
"Haha. Looks like you fellas really did help make Agnea's dream come true." Gus said.
"You bet we did! Uh… hey, where's Garud?" Rainbow-2 asked.
"He was too embarrassed to show his face, even though he was hollerin' the loudest. He left a message for ya, Agnea. 'You really are your mother's daughter.'"
"Hehe… Papa…" Agnea said.
"You showed off some hot moves out there." Gil said as he clapped.
"I couldn't have done it without your song, Gil." Agnea said.
"Don't make me blush, kid." Gil said.
"You may have stumbled, but you certainly got back on your feet. That was a show I'll never forget." Giselle complimented.
"Hehehe, well I…" Agnea started, looking bashful.
"Uh oh, heads up." SE said as the group saw La'mani approaching.
"Ah! You still haven't given up?" Agnea asked.
"C'mon, she just danced her heart out just now, give the girl a break!" Krillin said.
"..Tell me. What was that dance your charge did? It made my heart soar…" La'mani said before coming to realization. "No, it can't be… I think I…I've become her fan."
"O-oh… have you now?" Agnea asked.
"Didn't I tell you? You're going to bring happiness to people the world over. All your hard work is finally paying off!" Giselle said.
"You're a star, Agnea!" Tanzy said.
"A superstar! Yippee!" Rico and Coda cheered.
"Even the goddess has her eyes on you…" Tanzy said.
"Go on, Agnea. Give the crowd another dance. Make them smile." Laila said.
"Thanks, Laila…" Agnea said as she began heading back out to the stage before turning to everyone. "I'll be back, everyone." she said. "Eddy…thank you so much for helping me get here. I'm really glad I met you, Mark, and everyone in Team Chronicle."
Eddy looked surprised for a moment, before he smiled. "Yeah, well…glad I could be there. Now, go have fun out there!"
Agnea nodded before running up to perform her encore.
"That was very mature of you, Eddy. And you were even successful in managing Agnea. You were right. We really did grow on this journey." Pearl said.
"You gave one heck of a speech back there before Agnea's comeback too, Mark. If I didn't know any better, you made a big stride yourself." Gohan said.
"Yeah, well…these things happen." Mark replied.
"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that." a female voice spoke in Mark's head as time stopped around him. "Your performance was just as moving as your Dancer was, Mark Anarchy."
"Who said that?! Wait… I know who you are! Dolcinaea said your name. So you must be…!" Mark realized.
"Indeed. I am Sealticge, Lady of Grace. Congratulations on helping this dancer to complete her journey." the voice said. "However, your role in all of this is not over yet."
"It's not? There's still more?" Mark asked.
"Yes. And you must assemble alongside the others before you can face what lies ahead." Sealticge said.
"Alright. Thanks for the heads up." Mark nodded.
"Before you go, i belive a reward is in order for all your hard work." Sealticge said as a mark appeared on Mark's arm. "The skills of the Dancer class are now yours to wield. Use them with wisdom… and of course with-"
"Actually…" Mark spoke up. "I appreciate the gesture, Sealticge…but I don't think I'm the right fit for this power. But…I know someone who might be."
"Oh? And who would that be?" the goddess asked.
"Well…" Mark started, before giving his answer.
"I see…very well. If that is your wish, then I shall grant it." the Lady of Grace said, as the mark vanished from Mark's arm. "I wish you luck on the road ahead, Angel of Wrath…"
Time resumed as Mark shook his head. "Guys…we got our next stop in Ku, right?" the leader asked.
"Yeah, we promised Hikari we'd drop by afterwards." Eddy remembered.
"And based on that surge of power we felt before, it looks like they finished up on their end too." Goku said.
"Well then, next stop, the Kingdom of Ku!" Eddy said. "...After Agnea finishes her encore, that is."