ANH was on the day before the Blight twins' birthday. Luke had been rehearsing with Shane and Penny and working tirelessly on his plans.
The Foxes were in sync as they practiced.
"We're better than ever!" Pam says.
"You got that right!" Oliver says.
"I am so excited for tonight and tomorrow!" Stevie says.
"Why is that?" Oliver asked.
"We get to perform tonight, then go to a big party tomorrow!" Stevie says.
"So, this is the Opry…" Penny says as Luke and Shane nod.
"I've performed here before." Luke says.
"I've never performed here before." Shane says, admittedly nervous.
"It's so big!" Penny says.
Stephen, Remy, and Melony were rehearsing as they were more than prepared for tonight. The group just didn't do well without Garrett, however.
"We need him back." Melony says. "Or we'll lose. It's like the Foxes. We need him to balance things."
Meanwhile
"Can I have a birthweek?" Alem tuber asked.
"Sure, honey." Skylia says as Angry Luigi groans.
Alem tuber smirked. "7 days of a birthday bash this year will rule and I will humiliate my twin 7 times." He says.
"Sweetheart, we'll do the bash on the final day." Skylia says.
"Okay." he says.
"Just 5 days, okay?" Skylia says.
Meanwhile, Melony was backstage as her team was being interviewed without her. She sniffed as she was alone. She missed her sister and parents.
"Do you think it's going to be hard without Garrett tonight?" Gemma asked Remy and Stephen.
"Yeah, we kinda need him " Remy confessed as Stephen nodded.
"Without him, our group isn't complete." Stephen says.
"Do you think he's learned his lesson well enough to come back tonight?" Gemma asked.
Stephen nods. Garrett smiled, standing in the doorway.
Melony sighed, but smiled.
"GARRETT!" Stephen and Remy ran up and gathered him up in a group hug, grateful and happy to see him.
After them, Luke was up. He sat with Shane and Penny as Gemma smiled at the group.
"Hello, Luke, welcome back." Gemma says as it had been a long time since they saw each other.
"Thanks." Luke says.
"So how are you 3 feeling heading into tonight?" Gemma asked.
"Confident, yet nervous." Shane says.
"So, are the rumors true? Are you really playing the role of Grayson Greene on TeenHeart Street?" Gemma asked Shane.
Shane nods.
"How excited were you when you were told that you got the role?" Gemma asked him.
"10,000 out of 10!" Shane says. "It was the role I was literally born to play!"
Gemma smiled.
Soon, it was the Foxes' turn.
"How are you five doing today?" Dave asked them.
"Great!' Oliver says.
"So, how have things been for you all?" Dave asked.
"Better since we don't have step-siblings anymore." Oliver says.
"So, you moved into your original house, right?" Dave asked.
"Correct." Rachel says.
"What were your step-siblings like?" Dave asked.
They explained. "Pretty annoying with their annoying antics." Stevie says.
"Being dragged on one adventure after another just to feed their egos." Griffin says.
Rachel then mentions their loss on the Space Opera Network thing, and Dave frowned, knowing their ex-stepbrother beat them just to be in a movie.
"Will you five be seeing that movie?" Dave asked,
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The Fox quintuplets say.
"We also lost on the big screen and it destroyed us for days!" Oliver says.
The Adventure Kids were being interviewed by Gemma.
"How are you kids doing?" Gemma asked.
"All right." David says.
"What have you all been up to since the last show?" Gemma asked.
"Getting dragged on adventures." Cynthia deadpanned.
"Getting in tune with nature. And watching Luke's music videos." Ann says.
"Cynthia." David says.
"And you two?" Gemma asked Kali and Brock.
"Just being me." Brock says.
"Going on adventures even though the cosmic buddies get cooler ones for some reason." Kali says.
"How are you feeling going into tonight?" Gemma asked.
"Not really sure. We're not famous like Luke." Kali says.
Finally, the cups, Mona, Art, and Deco were being interviewed.
"How are you feeling?" Gemma asked
"Amazing!" Mugman says.
"So, you have a band now, I understand. How is that working out?" Gemma asked Mugman.
"Great." Mugman said.
"And Cuphead, I presume your musical re-debut is also going to go well?" Gemma asked.
"Yeah, it will." Cuphead says. "I'm pretty confident it will, anyway."
"And Mona, how are you and your bandmates going into tonight?" Gemma asked.
"We're really positive." Mona says.
"I heard you're playing at the most exclusive birthday bash tomorrow. Who is it for, exactly?" Gemma asked.
"The Blight twins. Mugsy, me, and the band are stoked to get to play for their party tomorrow!" Mona says, excited.
Soon, the show was set to start in 2 hours.
Meanwhile, Jitro was in the middle of his hero interview
"What do you think of this whole movie nonsense" A interviewer asked
"Well, it was a waste of time for one thing." Jitro says. "I've heard the cosmic buddies acquired a new member to their team and she decided to be in a movie."
"What are your thoughts on Luke?" The woman asked
"He's a great actor. He could have won but he didn't. Life is life. Not sure why he would attend, but it's none of my business. Just like the cosmic buddies are a waste of time. I'm sure they're going to that movie thing. But I'm not. I don't see a need to."
"Oh, Jitty!" a voice says as Jitro turned to see the cosmic buddies entering as fans watching the interview screamed.
"We were on patrol, but couldn't help but listen in and you made some good points, but here's the thing. You may wanna watch the greatest movie of the year. Mainly because I like watching my bro get embarrassed and also because Luke and Shane are in it!" Alem tuber says as fans scream at the mention of Luke and Shane.
"And not to mention in two months it's my birthweek!" Alem tuber said as fans cheered.
"And not to mention we're entering the hero competition." Alex says as fans scream.
"Oh, ha, ha ha!" Jitro mocked " I've won 17 times and you cosmic buddies have never won. What? you think just because Melony is friends with Garrett and is a movie star, you think you'll win and get special treatment? You're wrong." Jitro says.
"You know what? You're wrong. we're stronger, faster, smarter, and all out better than you because the Cosmic Buddies rule!" Delta says as fans cheered as the cosmic buddies walk off. Jack waved at Jitro as Jitro shook his head, rubbing his trophy.
Meanwhile, Lucy was writing poems while watching TV. She wondered if she could submit the poems she writes for Luke and Shane.
"Mom, do you think I could get money or an award off of these?" Lucy asked. Charity looks over the poems and smiles a bit.
"Yes. Yes, you absolutely could!" Charity says. Lucy goes out to submit them wondering what could happen.
With Luke…
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Marcy asked.
"Born ready." Luke says. "This will be my best work yet!"
Soon, the show was starting as Gemma and Dave appeared.
"Welcome to Country Night here on America's Next Hitmaker! We are live from the Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. Our teams will be performing on the very stage as so many country legends have before them." Dave says.
"Tonight's elimination will consist of ten teams getting sent packing. That will leave 25 teams to go to our Movie Magic show in Los Angeles, California. Voting is crucial to keeping your favorite team on the show, so vote, America! And of course, the platinum button is in play for one of our teams tonight to guarantee their spot in the next show and save them from elimination." Gemma says.
"So, without further ado, let's bring out our first team, The Fox Quintuplets!" Dave says.
Fans cheer as they come out. They start performing Born To Boogie by Hank Williams, Jr.
Girls and guys went wild for the quintuplets as they performed.
Remy looks down as he watches.
"Something wrong?" Garrett asked.
"We're going to lose…" he sniffed.
"Remy, just calm down, okay? Your doctors say not to get worked up." Stephen says.
Melony thinks about this. "I'll still compete." Melony says.
Remy begins to hyperventilate.
"Look, we can win." Melony says.
"Get Remy some water!" Stephen shouts to Garrett.
He ran and got Remy a bottle of water. Remy started to sip the water calmly.
"Breathe gently now." Stephen tells Remy. He does so as Stephen holds his hands.
Soon
"Coming up next…" Gemma says.
"Cuppy and Mugsy!" Fans screamed.
"You got that right, folks! Gracing the stage next is your favorite cup duo, Mona, Art, and Deco!" Dave says.
Fans cheered as they came out. They set up and started performing Rockin' The Beer Gut by Trailer Choir.
Fans cheered and screamed for the cups. They spun their heads as girls fainted. Especially at the handsome sight of Mugman.
Soon they finished as fans cheered.
"Okay, let's go, Luke's going last." Kali says.
"Garrett's group may need time, too. Remy had another one of his hyperventilation episodes and he still hasn't calmed down." Cynthia says.
Luke was rehearsing, then could see Remy laying on the floor and hyperventilating.
"Remy!" Luke says as he runs to his side. "Did someone call his mom?" Luke asked as he knelt next to Remy and began to hold him.
"Tonight was a bad night." Gemma thought as the thought of losing did this to Remy. But losing thoughts wasn't causing this. Remy was close to relapsing.
Victoria holds him. "Remy? Honey? Are you okay?" she asked him.
"He should be in the hospital. Someone get a bucket!" Melony says, hoping that he'll be okay.
Remy threw up into the bucket as Victoria was crying.
"I…I…" Victoria sniffed.
"I'm sorry…" Melony said and walked off.
"Melony, are you all right? Usually, you're the first for interviews." Gemma says.
"Leave me alone…" Melony says. "I can't see and I have no family. Remy needs you." She sniffed and ran off in the snow.
The Adventure Kids finished as the show went to a commercial break.
"I don't think Remy can compete tonight." Maria says.
"So it's a repeat of last year?' Haiku asked, scared.
Maria had Remy taken to a local Nashville hospital, where he was diagnosed with ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). He had this type before, and his relapse came up all of a sudden.
Garrett told Melony they needed to go on and she could go be alone after they performed. Melony sighed and went on with Garrett and Stephen. Before they performed, Stephen spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately Remy was re-diagnosed with ALL. This song we're going to perform is dedicated to our strong-willed friend, Remy Estevez." Stephen says.
The trio then performed Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw as the fans cheered. Garrett and Stephen were both choked up with tears by the end of the song.
Once they finished, Forest walked Garrett offstage and Colin had to carry Stephen offstage. As they left, Dave pressed the platinum button for that trio, holding back tears as he did so. That song hit home for him as he had lost his dad to cancer and that was his dad's song.
It was finally time for Luke, Shane, and Penny to go on. The fans screamed for them as they began their performance of their song Fake ID.
The crowd danced and sang along with the song as they performed it. Mugman was also singing along as it was a song he loved.
Girls screamed as Luke and Shane did a dual guitar solo. Others fainted on the spot.
They finished as the crowd roared.
After the show, the teams all came to see Remy. Garrett, Luke, Shane, and Stephen were sobbing messes after seeing their friend laying in his hospital bed.
"Guys, I..I.." Melony says as all the trauma crashed down as she needed alone time. She ended up running outside as she sobbed her heart out.
Victoria was in tears as Forest, Colin, Caroline, and most of the adults rallied around her. She was an emotional wreck upon hearing about Remy's second ALL diagnosis, and it tore her apart.
Haiku just watched in horror.
"It's going to be okay." Lucy says as there were too many people around Haiku, who swallowed a bit. Lucy took her out of Remy's room as she sobbed.
"Why, why, why?" Haiku sniffed. "Remy doesn't deserve this!"
Lucy held Haiku close. Remy is her true love, and it hurts her to see Remy in this condition. Haiku thinks of a spell to cure him, but at a cost. She'll be sick instead. But she couldn't bring herself to try anything like that. She didn't want to be in that state herself.
Luke thinks of how Remy's birthday was celebrated in the hospital last year. It was sad. Very sad. He had to think of tomorrow. That would take his mind off of all this.