Aikatsu Stars! Melody Start!
Star 4: Shock! Debut is Here?!
Today, we start our classes. The basic studies that weren't shown on the show such as Math, Japanese, English, History, and Science were relatively easy. After all, I have the mind of an adult. However, we're covering stuff that I had trouble with in high school, so I'm probably gonna need to study some more in order to survive. However, with basics out of the way, time for our idol classes!
Now, my Tokyo self helped me with the school work, but this Hibiki knew how to be an idol! Learning choreography? Easy. Reading random lines? No sweat. Walking with a bottle on my head? No sweat. Singing? Oh man, this girl has it all. Except she has a bit of low stamina. Near the end of classes, I had to take a break while Yume and Rola were singing with Anna-sensei.
"Are you feeling better?" A familiar voice made me look up and smile. "I got you some water."
"Thanks, Ako-chan." I smiled at her and took the water. "Sorry about this. I forgot that I get tired quickly. I should work on that, huh?"
"Of course. Having great stamina is important for an idol." Ako smiled as she sat next to me. "So are you going to the Flower Song Class? With a voice like that, I don't think any other class would compare."
"Flower Song?" I asked, trying to remember.
"Yes, the class activities. This school has four classes split with the Japanese proverb kachou fugetsu. You know, the one that means 'experience the beauties of nature, and in doing so learn about yourself.'" Ako pointed out and jogged my memory.
"Ah, what we learned in Japanese class today." Smiled. "Oh yeah, S4 comes from those classes as the top student. There's Flower Song, Bird Theatre, Moon Beauty, and Wing Dance."
"Yes." Ako smiled. "I'm joining Bird Theatre." Yep, and in season two, you get the S4 spot and take Tsubasa-senpai's spot.
"Oh? You're taking the Bird Theatre Class?"
The new voice made us both look up and see Rola walking towards us. "Ah, Sakuraba-san." I called her and got up from sitting against the wall. "What class are you joining?"
"Flower Song." Rola answered, confidently. "I'm sure I'll get in too. Also, you can just call me Rola. Your name was…"
"Hibiki. Nanase Hibiki." I smiled. "And this is Ako Saotome, my roommate."
"N-Nice to meet you…" Ako pouted. I guess she's shy around strangers. "If you join Flower Song, Hibiki-san, you'll end up competing with Rola for the S4 spot."
"Eh?" I blinked. I didn't say I was joining that class.
"Oh, then you and I will become rivals?" Rola smiled. "I saw you earlier and everyone is saying how you have a good set of pipes."
Wait, doesn't Rola and Yume have a rivalry? That was the main focus of their friendship. Oh, yeah. Rola took notice of me because I opened the door for her the other day and now because I'm showing skills as a great idol. If I become her rival, then it's bye-bye to that good character development.
"I'm going to wait." I told them. "I want to check out the classes first and then audition for the one I want to join. I mean, Flower Song is a good class, but I want to check out the other classes before settling on one."
"That's true." Ako smiled.
"Yeah, no rush." Rola gave me a thumbs up. "Hey, what are you two doing after this?"
"I was thinking of going to get some lunch." Ako smiled and then looked at me then Rola. "Wanna come, Hibiki-san? Rola-san?"
"Yeah, I'm feeling a bit hungry." I laughed.
"Yume-chan!" I turned to see Koharu walking in the room to meet with Yume who was wiping her sweat with a towel. "Koharu-chan… Yume-chan…" I mumbled.
"Ah, that blonde girl…" I heard Rola start talking and turned towards her. "She's not that good."
"Really?" Ako blinked. "I wasn't paying attention since I was worried about Hibiki-san."
"Yeah, her vocals are weak, she's a bit slow with dancing, I guess she reads lines well, and not to mention, she has trouble with balance." Rola sighed.
"But…" I started, remembering her words. "She looks like she's having fun. Isn't that the most important thing as an idol?" I asked.
Ako and Rola nodded. "Yeah!/Yes!"
"Attention, girls!"
"Huh?" The three of us blinked when Ana-sensei walked in.
"All the trainees need to change into their uniforms and gather in the concert hall." The fab teacher smiled.
"Is something happening?" Yume asked for everyone in the room.
"Oh no." I gasped as I remembered what will happen next.
"You may not be ready, but we decided to go ahead with the trainee debut concert." The teacher popped out her mic stand and posed. "Get ready!"
Oh the nervous squeals and gasp were filling up the room, followed by whispering and silent worrying. Then there's me. I was frozen and leaned onto Ako and Rola. "No way." I muttered.
"Alright. This is my chance!" Rola smiled.
"I agree with you on that." Ako flipped her hair.
"What…" I blinked. These two are too confident. I just want to survive!
"Good, you're all here for your debut concert." Anna-sensei started as all the first years stood onstage nervous and shaking. Well, except Ako and Rola who looked ready for war. "This is your chance to strut your stuff in front of S4, your upperclassmen, and all the teachers. Baby, put your game face on!"
I looked into the crowd and saw S4 and the teachers. Seeing them with a couple of other senpais made me a bit nervous. However, unlike the two next to me who were both very confident, I was a bit conflicted. This might be a big deal, but it's also Yume's debut with that strange power.
As we walked toward the waiting room, my nervousness faded. Now I just wanted to get it over with. But what song do I sing? Dancing is impossible for me since I'm still tired from training. Come on… Think! As I was lost in thoughts, Ako and Rola guided me to a couch.
"So I guess this means that we can use what we know?" Rola spoke up. "I don't know some dances from the songs we learned in class so I'll sing Start Line. It's my favorite song that Hime-senpai sings."
"I was thinking of using S4's Episode Solo. I know that song by heart." Ako smiled. "What about you, Hibiki-san?"
"I…" I started to speak but Ann-sensei walked in.
"Up next, Sakuraba Rola! Come on!" The teacher cheered.
Rola stood up from her seat and smiled at us. "Wish me luck."
"Break a leg!" Ako waved.
"Knock them dead!" I smiled, but went back to planning. "A song I know by heart, huh? My favorite…"
"Hibiki-san?" Ako blinked.
"I just don't know what to do." I told her. "I don't know that many songs." After all, Aikatsu songs were targeted towards children. There were a few good bangers in the original but I can't think of them nor do I know the lyrics by heart.
"Then, why not just sing your own song?" Ako pointed out. "You don't have to use the songs that they give you."
"My own song?" I blinked and remembered something from my first day. That's right the app! Smiling while taking out my phone, I looked at her. "I'll look for one. Thanks, Ako!"
"Ako Saotome! Let's rock!" Anna-sensei called out.
"I'm off then." Ako waved at me.
"Yeah!" I waved at her. "Good luck!" I looked at my phone and smiled when I saw the familiar app. "There it is!"
The app was a Youtube music app. I had a youtube account and premium at that so I could follow all the streamers I could. I also had a twitch account, but that isn't important right now. What's important is that this phone app has my old account. I can access music and podcasts on it. Too bad I can't see any videos. However, why I have this app on my phone is an unsettling concern…. I need this app more than anything else.
"Well, who cares." I sighed as I looked at my list of playlists. "Let's see. What songs do I know by heart?" Once I thought I found a song I could sing, I heard a name being called.
"Up next, Nanakura Koharu! Come on!"
I looked up and saw Yume alone, waving to her friend. That's right I did remember it back then but forgot it when I realized that I was also debuting. This is where Yume begins her idol world. She goes on stage, kills it, and then faints. Right now, she looks unsure and nervous. It's kind of unsettling.
I got up and walked over to her. "Nijino-san," I called out to her, "can I talk to you?" Seeing her confused face turn into a smile, made me nervous. "Are you okay?"
"Ah, yeah!" Yume smiled. "I'm just a bit nervous."
I then had a thought. A song that inspired me a lot when I was having trouble at work. A song that lifted my spirits. A song that I can sing right now. That's right. I looked at my phone and searched for the song. Once I found it, I smiled. "Yume!"
"Alright, Nanase Hibiki! Stage time!" Anna-sensei called for me, making me jump.
"Y-Yes!" I looked at my phone and sighed. "I wanted you to hear this song before I left… Huh?" I looked around and saw it was just me and Yume. "Ah, Sensei! Is it okay if Nijino-san comes along and sees my debut? I want her to listen to the song I'm about to sing to help her become more confident with herself."
"Huh?" They both blinked.
"Please! Let me do this!" I bowed. "I need Nijino-san to listen to this song!"
Anna-sensei looked at Yume and shrugged. "What do you think, Nijino?"
"If I can, I would love to watch!" Yume smiled and I felt relieved.
"Nijino-san." I stood in front of her and nodded my head. "I'm not trying to show off or anything of the sort. I want you to hear this song that I will sing adn be encouraged to try your best. That's my wish."
"What song are you singing, Baby?" Anna-sensei asked, a bit confused.
Pulling up the instrumental, I gave her my phone. "I'll be singing 'CLEAR'. Please play this for my debut."
I was inside the room where people changed into their outfits and I was really nervous. Holding my school dress, I walked up to the machine and placed my cards inside. Walking in, I felt my clothes switch and soon I was walking on stage.
The stage was the same one where Hime sings her Start Line song. It kind of fits with the song that I'm about to sing. Hearing the start of the song, I took a deep breath. I'm not dancing but I should spin around sometimes in the song.
"Soaring high on the wind, like the birds flying free in the sky. I don't have wings, but hey. I still can dream about all the places I would go if I could only make them real." I started to sing and felt the music engulf me. Alright let's do this. Just listen, Yume! "Going ~ Going ~ Going ~ Going on!"
I felt energized as a soft flower shower aura surrounded me. Everywhere I stepped, some glowing vines would curl up and sway with the music. I could only think of helping Yume so my body felt lighter than in dance class.
"Within my dreams, you see the world is painted differently. It's really unlike reality, where nothing goes my way." I saw Yume from the side lines and waved at her, making her wave back. "Within this heart I'm holding, there's a spring overflowing. I'll brush away all the haze that may come my way. Nothing can hold me down 'cause the dream I see is crystal clear."
I did my cute appeal while singing these next lyrics. "This is it! This is it! I can't wait to give this feeling a name! Every emotion's filling me with so much happiness. I feel like I might cry!" Landing on my feet, I continued. "Soaring high on the wind, like the birds flying free in the sky! I don't have wings, but hey! I still can dream about all the places I would go if I could only make them real! Going ~ Going ~ Going ~ Going on!"
Once I finished, I made a cute pose and everyone cheered as the stage returned to its original form. Taking a bow, I rushed off stage to see Anna-sensei. "Where's Nijino-san?" I asked her.
"Since you killed it on stage, she was excited and rushed to start hers." Anna-sensei patted my shoulder. "You did good. She didn't look nervous anymore."
"I'm glad." I let out a sigh of relief and blinked when the stage transformed. "She's starting!"
Now watching it from the anime was one thing. Seeing it live was another, more awesome side. I managed to get to a coed seat next to Ako and Rola who told me that they loved my debut. I had to quiet them for Yume's sake.
Then it happened.
Yume's strange power debuted and surprised everyone. Everyone, except me. I guess that can't be changed. She will faint, letting everyone see that she has an amazing potential.
"Wow!" Rola blinked. "It's like she's a different person!"
That's right. You will become her rival in the end. Why was I worried? Wait. What if I can't change anything, no matter what happens? After all, I'm an extra. I can't interfere with the main plot. That's right. CLEAR probably had no effect on her. I have no effect on her. I can't help her.
Once the song ended and Yume posed, the stage returned to normal and everyone cheered. The cheers were louder than mine, making it known that she was amazing. When I saw her falling, I jumped out of my seat and rushed to the stage. Reaching towards her as she hit the ground, I began to tear up.
I can't help her.
"YUME!"
Thanks for reading!
I don't own Aikatsu Stars!