Only 3 Days Left, Until The Big Day...
Cricket was sleeping very soundly in his bed as morning came, though the sun was shining bright, which makes him rub his eyes and wake up later on. As he woke up, he got greeted by the sound of birds chirping, which makes him smile. It makes it feel like the birds are actually singing.
Everything about this seems like the festival is still approaching, but looking at the construction going on for the festival's preparation, it seems he still has time to get himself ready.
"Good morning master." Cricket said to Master Mantis, upon seeing him awake.
"Good morning to you too. I also have something to report you." Mantis replied, wanting to talk to Cricket about something.
"What is it?" Cricket wondered, with him confused about what report will be.
"I had been reported that the festival, that you'll be taking part in, is in 3 days. So, I assume that you have to focus on that for the day before the festival begins." Mantis explained.
Cricket can't believe this. 3 Days? He checked back on the construction, and as it turns out, the progress is going by a little bit fast.
"I can't believe this... But, don't worry master. I have all my friends be ready for this. I got everything in control after all, so don't worry about me, alright?" Cricket assured, having a nod of agreement from Mantis.
"Well, if you're going to get help now, bring your violin with you if you need to either calm yourself, or entertain your friends." Mantis instructed Cricket, which Cricket does exactly what he always does.
"Alright, I'll be going now master. I'll be ready that I'll ever be!" Cricket bid Mantis farewell, and with his violin case on his side, he walked out of the door, ready for his next friend to help him out.
"I'm counting on you Cricket. You're gonna need your friends for this." Mantis smiled, hoping the best luck for Cricket in the day of the Classical Music Festival.
BGM: Laughter and Merriment (From "Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX")
Cricket was walking his way to Kat and Ana's home, where the kindergarten ninjas are skipping out of their house, ready to start a new day.
Kat suddenly noticed Cricket and waved at him. "Helloooo! We're over here!" Cricket noticed the kindergarten ninja duo, and walked over to them, but mostly Kat.
"Hey you two! But also, hi there Kat! Seems like you two are in a good mood!" Cricket smiled, happy to know that Kat and Ana are in a good mood.
"My sister, Kat, told me all about your participation in the Classical Music Festival this year! I'll be cheering you on, live on TV!" Ana smiled, with Cricket smiling from that encouragement from Ana.
"For me, I know that if you don't want hunger to take over you for the big day, I bet it's time that me and Anna take you to a restaurant that serves a lot of delicious food!" Kat explained her method to help Cricket, with Cricket smiling about it, that with a lot of food, he wouldn't be that extremely hungry for the big day when doing the final performance for the Classical Music Festival's big concert.
"Alright, show me the way!" Cricket offered to Kat and Ana, with the kindergarten ninja duo helping Cricket follow the duo to where they're going to take Cricket to.
As they all walked to the restaurant that Kat and Ana are taking Cricket to, Cricket started to ask them something.
"So, Kat. Is it true that you and Ana always eat food. like whenever you're tired, or feeling hungry during training?" Cricket asked Kat.
"Of course!" Kat answered. "And plus, the food is always so good! There's sushi, chowder, steak with garlic butter, pizza, rice, pancakes... I could go on forever!" Kat smiled, feeling so dreamy about the yummy food.
"And also, it could help us keep training when we're hungry during it! Like you always say, "You'll never master something on an empty stomach!" Hahaha!" Ana replied, quoting something from Cricket that he remembered.
"Oh yeah! I remember that!" Cricket remembered, smiling back at Ana. "Thanks for that quote you remembered from me! Now I'm looking forward to your sister's tip for me!"
And so, the three head off to a restaurant, so that Kat could help Cricket on eating full before his big day of the Classical Music Festival.
Fade Out/Stop/End Song
They have finally arrived at the restaurant, with Cricket being speechless on how it's designed there. It's almost luxurious and retro at the same time.
"Alright, this should be the place!" Kat smiled, looking at the restaurant with a smile on her face. "It's certainly one of our favorite restaurants ever!" Ana eagerly said, jumping in excitement upon looking at the restaurant.
Cricket is still speechless on the restaurant's design, but was still happy when he find out it's one of their favorites.
"Well, shall we?" Kat asked Cricket, with the latter nodding. "Oh, and if you think the design was really amazing, wait until you see the interior of this place!" Kat smiled, making Cricket seemed like the inside of the restaurant is gonna be more luxurious than he ever saw.
"Alright, to the restaurant we go!" Ana gleefully exclaimed, opening the doors for Kat and Cricket to enter, and soon after, Ana herself.
When they finally entered, they proceed with a little long hallway leading to the restaurant's entrance.
Kat explained to Cricket on the way to the entrance. "This restaurant was very well known for its amazing food, and for its magnificent dining experience as well! They serve food from many countries around the world as well! That's why we love going to this place because of those reasons! What you're about to see is the lively chit chatting and amazing food you'll see, but most importantly, how amazing it looks!"
Kat, Ana, and Cricket have finally arrived at the entrance doors to the restaurant. Kat and Ana both looked and nodded to each other before holding the entrance door handles side by side.
"And now... Behold!" Kat announced, with her and Ana simultaneously opening the entrance door for Cricket.
There, he was awestruck about the scenery presented to him.
BGM: Isn't it Lovely? (From "Kingdom Hearts II")
The restaurant was decorated with beautiful imagery relating to royalty, as there are walls painted with a white and gold color to it, and there, it's also combined with the retro theme, as there are many colorful neon lights that still matches the royal theme of this. There are chandeliers of each table, the tables are decorated with a royal feel with a long sheet of white cloth on it, the floor was designed like from a castle, and the design for it is like a mashup of luxury and retro together, to make one magical design for it.
As for the people, many people are chatting, laughing, and enjoying the amazing food that the restaurant has to offer. They bet that the foods from around the world is also so amazing, as they express looks of joy and pleasure from it.
Cricket was beyond words at this point, but soon smiled about the scenery presented to him.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's eat together!" Kat happily announced, with her, Ana, and Cricket happily walking to their seat that they'll love!
As they founded a seat, they waited for the waiter to give them their orders. But while they're waiting for their orders, Cricket has discovered something that he hasn't seen before until now.
There was a big royal stage placed in the center of all the wonderful dinning and such, decorated with white curtains, spotlights, little grand stairs that lead to the stage in gold lining, and a guard keeping protection of the stage, unless someone pays him 10 dollars to perform.
"Hm? What is it Cricket?" Kat questioned Cricket, noticing he's focused on something he never saw before. It took her a while to suddenly notice that he's looking at the stage in the center where all of the dining is happening.
"I feel like the stage is calling out to me..." Cricket said to himself. Kat still doesn't know why he's focusing on the stage, but then decided to give Cricket an explanation about the stage.
"That? Oh yeah, that! This is the stage from the center of it all. Unfortunately we don't really get performers there, so we don't see performances there." Kat explained, sulking her head down once she said there are no performances at all.
Cricket looked at the violin case he has with him, and suddenly, he had an idea.
"Well, before you do anything, we have to get our orders first and finish eating them." Ana interrupted, causing Cricket to stop what he was about to do.
"Ah, right. I'll let that wait until I'm finished." Cricket sighed, putting down his violin case and waiting for the waiter to take their orders.
A couple of minutes later, the waiter has arrived, giving them their orders. Kat wants some sushi and steak with garlic butter, Ana wanted pizza and chowder, and Cricket, as usual, wants dumplings.
"Well, I'm actually surprised that they order food around the world!" Cricket smiled. "And that's one of the best parts about them!" Kat smiled back. "The food here is so amazing to eat, and so we love this place!" Ana smiled as well, putting her hands on her cheeks in pure excitement about the food.
5 minutes later, their food has already arrived, and as usual for them, they immediately started eating their orders, happy about the taste of the food they're eating.
However, Cricket has finished early, as Kat and Ana are still eating their food.
"This is probably the perfect time to get do this!" Cricket thought to himself with a smile on his face, holding his violin case, and after sometime to get off of his seat, he makes his way to the gorgeous stage in the center.
Fade Out/Stop/End Song
As Cricket finally makes it to the stage, he is greeted by the guard, who won't let him perform until he has 10 dollars.
"If you're gonna perform, you need 10 dollars to go up and perform." The guard said.
Luckily for Cricket, he just had a 10 dollar bill with him. He always knows what to get in scenarios and situations like these, so he's always prepared in no time.
"Here you go!" Cricket gives the 10 dollar bill to the guard, which the guard smiled and lets Cricket in.
This is finally the right time to give them a performance!
Kat and Ana are almost done with their food, but Kat soon noticed that Cricket is not here. "Huh? Where is he?" She thought to herself, before she looked at the stage and was shocked on what she saw.
She gets Ana's attention to the stage as soon as she called her, causing Ana to look at what's going on in the stage.
Are they gonna see a performance in the restaurant they loved for the first time?
The lights slightly dimmed as a signal to everyone that a performance is coming, and everyone turned to see Cricket on stage. Kat and Ana are extremely surprised that Cricket was there, and to make things more surprising, he has a violin with him!
Cricket took the time to himself to take some few deep breaths, before positioning his violin and bow to the right positions.
He then smiled, and has soon began his performance.
BGM: Libiamo ne'lieti calici [Vocal parts played on Violin] (From "La Traviata")
(Keep the song going to the end and don't read on of this line here until it finishes.)
As he began playing his violin as the vocal's melody, the dining people including Kat and Ana are wowed by his magnificent playing there.
"Wow...!" Ana looked in awe of this sight. "He really is amazing there!" She couldn't help but look at this amazing sight she is seeing. It's... amazing!
"It's just the beginning! Just wait until a certain point, where he actually brings the whole house down with his amazing violin playing!" Kat looked at Ana, with a smile on her face.
Ana smiled and nodded after what Kat said, waiting patiently for something amazing to happen at a certain point during Cricket's violin performance.
As Cricket played on his violin, smiling at the fact that it's like singing every part of it, he then noticed one of the people started to get up from their table, and dance along to his amazing music, with them holding food they have on their hand, and a drink on the other hand!
At this point, one by one, everybody dining went to the stage he's on, dancing and waltzing along to his amazing performance, celebrating the joys of food and drinks they have on their hands!
"Whoa! It's so amazing! They're celebrating the many foods and drinks there and dancing along!" Ana happily said, observing what's been going on lately.
"Then what are you waiting for? Let's celebrate the joys of food and drinks!" Kat happily shouted, and the ninja sisters make their way down to the stage with a lot of food on their hands.
At this point, the whole performance turned into a big waltz with Cricket's violin setting the mood, with people dancing along, eating and drinking joyfully from food and drinks! Kat sure knows from Ana that she loves this performance, so much.
"Well, what do ya know! If you got an instrumentalist that is so amazing, they could turn a whole restaurant into a huge ballroom!" Kat smiled to herself, as Cricket's performance is about to go to its climax.
And as the climax arrives, people of the restaurant, including Kat and Ana, started to chatter and cheer, with it getting increasingly louder at the climax reaches its grand finale.
Cricket gave it his all as the conclusion begins, playing very amazing, and making his violin sound more and more powerful, all with the loud chattering and cheering from the people including Kat and Ana.
And finally, the final note, where he played an amazing high note on his violin, with a huge cheer from everyone at the restaurant, along with Kat and Ana as the final note played, echoing out from the dining, to the hallway, to outside to the restaurant's entrance!
BGM: It Began with A Letter (From "Kingdom Hearts")
Meanwhile, in the streets of Diamond City, Mona is still wandering about, still thinking of something to help out Cricket for her turn tomorrow.
As she was walking from the streets, when she got to the park, she suddenly noticed how the construction for The Classical Music Festival is going so much faster, as there are more booths, buildings, and sets going on, at a much faster pace. She smiled about this, hoping for sure that the day for the Classical Music Festival is going to be a very special day for Cricket after all.
She also noticed that it's the conductor that she also met one day!
"Oh! Hello there! It's me again!" Mona waved, having the conductor look at her, and smile upon seeing her.
"Ah, It's you again! Have you noticed that this process is getting better there?" The conductor asked.
"Yeah! It seems that they're doing very good at the construction there!" Mona smiled. She then took a moment, and asked to the conductor about what she remembered.
"How is your late father doing?"
The conductor took time to answer... And after about a few seconds, he answered.
"I bet he's doing well up there, always watching me." He looked to the sky, with a soft smile on his face.
"After all, I bet this year will be better, just for you, but also, to all of us at Diamond City" Mona replied, hoping that the year will be much better for this year's festival.
"I guess so too. If everything goes out planned, then I bet this year will be the best!" The conductor smiled. "Well then, shall we meet at the festival when everything is ready for the day after construction!"
"Alright! See you at the festival!" Mona waved farewell to the conductor, as she leaves.
While she's walking away, she thinks to herself. "Hmm... What should I do for him tomorrow? I better think about this until I get back home tonight."
And so, she continues her stroll in Diamond City, still thinking about what she should do for Cricket tomorrow.
Fade Out/Stop/End Song
Cricket, Kat, and Ana have already exited the luxurious restaurant with a lot of food in their bags, smiling and chatting in excitement about how great the experience was.
The sky is already in a mix between afternoon and night, and the clouds are looking much prettier with the afternoon and nighttime sky mixture. They took a moment to look at the pretty sky they are presented with, smiling about how breathtaking it really looks there.
"Hoo! I'm so stuffed and full! I bet now I can be ready for the festival now when construction is finished!" Cricket smiled, looking at Kat and Ana with their smiles as well.
"Yeah! I bet my tip actually helped you a lot! We have a lot of food in return from that after about your performance there!" Kat smiled, happy that her tip really helped him out.
"Yeah! Your performance there was amazing, and you really got the whole house down with all your playing, and made this a big ballroom!" Ana added in as well.
"Well, what do you expect from me and this violin I have with me? I could entertain you as much as I want!" Cricket smiled, while showing off his violin case as he saids that.
The three smiled and continued their stroll of Diamond City to their homes, with the afternoon and night sky mix setting the beautiful mood there.
As soon as they reached Kat and Ana's house, the ninja sister duo looked at Cricket, and smiled at him.
"Well then, I'll be seeing you in the festival once it's ready!" Kat waved at Cricket, with a smile on her face. "And I'll be rooting for you on TV once the concert begins and you come on for the finale!" Ana waved as well, smiling at Cricket.
"Thanks you two, and thank you Kat for this amazing tip you gave me!" Cricket smiled, thanking the two, but mostly Kat.
And so, the ninja duo went to their house, and Cricket walked his way to his home.
As he walks his way to his home, he is suddenly bumped by someone, and fell in response.
"Ugh... Watch where you're going..." Cricket stumbled, slowly getting back up. He checks to see if his violin is alright, and thankfully, it's still in its perfect condition.
"Oh, I'm sorry! Are you alright?" A voice asked, worried that it bumped into him by accident.
"Yeah, I'm alright, I-" Cricket suddenly saw the person who bumped into him.
It's her.
BGM: Kairi (From "Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep")
"Oh, thank goodness you're okay." Mona sighed in relief after seeing Cricket back up. "Sorry, I just didn't know you're there."
"I-It's okay, I didn't noticed you as well, heheh." Cricket chuckled softly. "Well, it's been a while since we saw each other, doesn't it?"
Mona remembered and soon knew what he was talking about. "Ah yes! We met each other and smile at each other while taking a walk by ourselves!"
"Heh, yeah. Kat has helped me today, and we have a lot of food today at a very retro, but very luxurious restaurant. I even gave off a performance there as well!" Cricket smiled.
Mona was surprised when she heard that. "Really? You really did?"
Cricket nodded his head to mean yes. She couldn't believe it. "Whoa, if only I'd be there to see it... But still, there is the festival's concert where me and your friends could see you!"
The two laughed, and smiled at each other. "Well, I guess that I'll be doing very amazing there for the concert after all." Cricket smiled.
"Well, gotta go home. See you tomorrow!" Mona waved, and left, so does Cricket.
Cricket knew that Mona is next tomorrow, and that she'll be willing to do something with him to help him out for the upcoming festival tomorrow.
Fade Out/Stop/End Song
As Cricket enters his home, he suddenly notices another envelope with the same teal music note seal as last time when he received it as a invitation. Alongside the envelope, was a letter from his master. He decides to read it first.
The letter said the following:
Cricket
You may have noticed that I'm not here at home. Well, I have other things to take care of, like shopping for example. So as of tonight, I will be arriving very late at midnight.
In other words, I have received another letter from The Diamond City Orchestra in news regarding about this year's Classical Music Festival.
As usual, I hope you still have a lot of friends helping you for this festival.
From your master, Mantis.
Cricket was a little surprised on what his master wrote for him, but took his time to read the letter more and more, until he finally accepts the fact of his master returning at midnight.
He then went to the envelope, opened it, and began reading the next letter from the Diamond City Orchestra.
Young Cricket
We are giving you a reminder that after today, tomorrow there will be 2 more days left until the festival will begin!
Please remember about the song you will be playing in the festival's concert tonight, and once you made your song choice, you won't change it once your turn comes, so be extra sure about it.
As always, we hope to see you in the festival once it begins!
- The Diamond City Orchestra
Cricket gave off a confident smile, knowing for sure that he'll have to give it his all for the festival and the concert tonight.
After all, tomorrow Mona will help him out, and from that, he smiled that he'll be already prepared for the festival.
However, this gives him a little thought about what the letter from the Diamond City Orchestra said. Tomorrow will be 2 days until the festival?
He thought this to himself as he makes his way to his room with his violin case on his hand.
BGM: Destiny Islands (From "Kingdom Hearts II")
(Keep the song going to the end and don't read on of this line here until it finishes.)
Somewhere, in the nights of Diamond City that has already been in lights, Mona is still thinking of a way to help him tomorrow, but with no such luck.
However, she passed through a billboard that she decided to check once she passed through it. It's just filled with such posters promoting other events not related to the Classical Music Festival, which makes Mona a lil' uninterested of them.
However, one poster stood out to her, that she decided to take another look at it. It's something that she recalled way back before she and the others got the news that Cricket will be performing in the festival.
She looked at it more and more. Finally, she smiled, as if she had finally founded a way to help him out.
Or more importantly, take him back way before he got the announcement.
"I think I have finally founded something to support him." She said, with a smile on her face.
ED Song: onoken - Un Happy Heart