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Chapter 9 - Rehearsal
PSC's recording studio is on the third floor of the building, and they head for the elevator to finally do that rehearsal Ruki is so keen on. In between conversations while they wait for the elevator to arrive, Ruki tells them that he has put together a new setlist for the tour, with a few changes to the encore.
The elevator arrives and everyone goes downstairs, heading towards the studio room. On this floor there are also other audio recording rooms, the percussion rooms, where there are the devices for adjusting and tuning the sounds of the guitars and bass. In the corridor, they walk to a large room with a huge glass table next to it, acoustically insulated, and the equipment is already set up for them to rehearse the songs Ruki has selected.
They're all familiar, they know the rhythms and the melodies, but the order of this sequence is quite unusual, it's very mixed up and the chords between the drums and the guitars have to be in sync so as not to get out of tune when changing songs.
Uruha picks up his guitar and tries to get the feedback right. Aoi does the same, testing the sound of his instrument, Reita with her bass is already waiting, she's set the feedback and tested the monitor. Kai is checking the pedals and that the cymbals are aligned with the sticks, he starts a rhythm to evaluate the drums, the microphones are working and aligned on some songs, they do the backing vocals. Ruki checks whether the audio is coming out too high-pitched or too low-pitched.
All set for the rehearsal, they look at the sequence on the paper that Ruki hands out to everyone, and start with the songs chosen for the first part.
Vortex,
Agony
Akai One Piece
Sugar Pain
Ruki's vocals are truly incredible, how he changes from a normal voice to a guttural one without getting lost in the music. Uruha, despite his sleepiness, is perfect on the guitar, sometimes in sync with Kai's drums. At times during the song, he partners Aoi on guitar, but sometimes they shake their heads in excitement to the rhythm of the drums. Reita completes the sound with a bass drum solo or when called upon by the vocalist to join in with the others.
The second half of the rehearsal setlist is made up of different rhythms and some calmer ones.
The Suicide Circus
Chizuru
Cassis
Last Heaven
Completing with ballad-style songs, to fit in with the rhythm and melody of Dogma which is soon the song that begins to be sung, bringing a darker touch to the next half of the selection before the encore. Ruki takes the microphone and starts to sing, and the others join in.
Fuhai shita bakenokawa
Tsumi wa suitai no yo ka
Obitadashiku korogaru douzoku wa yoku no shigai
I deny everything
I deny all of it
I deny everything
Yami o matoi koko wa gi ni mukau
Soko ni shinjitsu ga aru to
When they recite the last verse of the song, the possession is activated, and again their eyes are entirely black and their features are malicious, with an air of evil and desire, just like in the forest before the fire.
Dogma continues to be the trigger, they keep singing and the production staff behind the glass are extremely frightened.
Han kyouran no bouto shisou kurai
"Mazaranu kuro" by nuritsubusu
Rinen no taigen mure o hazure kami ni somuku
I'll be a brain-dead God
Chi o hau mirai yami to mae
Guzou to nari kakushin
Their orbs are glowing, they look like flames of fire, the instant after the chorus of darkness, they are interrupted by the production of the rehearsal causing microphonics in the returns due to the sudden stop, making them return to normal.
However, they don't know why the rehearsal was stopped and they look at each other trying to figure out what happened, then they see the people behind the glass with astonished looks on their faces as if they had seen ghosts or demons.
Ruki knocks on the glass, making a shoulder movement of dissatisfaction with the sudden stop, the professional at the sound desk opens the microphone saying that they were frightened by the way they were playing the song.
- What did he say Ruki? - Kai asks, still sitting at the drums.
- That they were scared about how we were singing Dogma - Ruki replies without understanding, because they were so pale.
- Ask what happened - Uruha suggested quietly and a little hoarsely at the back of the studio, still holding the guitar tightly, he felt strange.
- What did you see, can you tell us? - Ruki asks the boy behind the glass.
He opens the microphone and says that we all had black eyes and the way we sang was very scary, similar to horror movies where people are possessed by demons.
- Did you hear that? Is the nightmare real? - Aoi asks apprehensively.
- It's over now, it's just a coincidence," Reita asked, trying to deflect the subject.
- We've played this song many times, we've never had a problem," said Ruki, looking at the others and nodding.
- It's a concept song, a bit dark gothic, but it's just a song. - Kai expresses his opinion on the creation of the song even though his heart was beating desperately.
- But its lyrics were used in a ritual at a bonfire, where people died. It's not just a song, it's a spell - Uruha says coldly in a voice that doesn't sound like his own, leaving everyone wide-eyed.
Ruki and the others looked at each other and analyzed what Uruha had said. Luckily, the audio in the room was closed, so the boys behind the glass couldn't hear their conversation, which was very strange. He hadn't told anyone what had happened in the USA. The translator and the cameras only know about the dream, but they just laughed, they didn't take it seriously. Uruha continues to stand in his playing position, just staring at his guitar, oblivious to everything around him.
- Enough nonsense, guys. We've already started this rehearsal late, so nobody's having lunch today - Ruki complains, breaking the awkward and tense atmosphere that had formed.
- I'm really hungry, let's get on with it, " said Aoi, who was already hungry because she'd only had breakfast.
- Let's start again from the beginning. - Kai set the rhythm with his drumsticks, making the others join in and Ruki start shouting.
Fuhai shita bakenokawa
Tsumi wa suitai no yo ka
Obitadashiku korogaru
Douzoku wa yoku no shigai
I deny everything
I deny all of it
I deny everything
After this chorus, a solo with the guitars is supposed to take place in the next stanza of the song. But again something unusual and strange happens. Uruha is standing still, but the chords of his guitar are off-key, making them fight with him to pay more attention.
Yami o matoi koko wa gi ni mukau
Soko ni shinjitsu ga aru to.
The sound of Uruha's guitar is just shrill, high-pitched chords, and he is oblivious to the voices around him, causing them to interrupt the music again. Ruki is talking to him, but it's having no effect, Uruha looks like a living statue, just standing there, only his fingers moving with that ear-splitting chord.
Ruki puts the microphone aside and goes over to him because he's closer. He's startled when he touches his arm and gets an electric shock that makes him jump backwards, both from the shock and the popping noise the contact makes, his hair standing on end.
- Help me! Uruha, he's being shocked by the equipment. - Ruki gets very nervous - Quick, turn off his guitar!
Aoi immediately drops his guitar, jumping over the wires almost knocking over Reita who was in the way, he reaches Uruha the scene is very shocking, he raises his head and what we see is a deep nothingness as if his soul was leaving his body, his orbs are deep and inhabited by an immeasurable darkness, standing there is just a hollow lifeless shell.
His body gives slight spasms, his hair stands on end, his breathing is short and energy comes out of his fingers, moving from the guitar to his hand.
- Uruha! Talk to me, what's going on? - Aoi brings his hand to his left shoulder where the tattoo is and feels it frying, the heat burns his hand and a spark repels him too, making him move away.
- Wood! We need wood to use as insulation! - Reita exclaimed, raising her hands to her head in despair.
Trapped inside that room, with wires and metal everywhere and their friend being shocked, they feared for their lives one more spark and everything could catch fire in a matter of seconds.
Kai gets up from the drums and looks down at his hands. In his confusion and anguish, he had forgotten that his drumsticks were made of wood. He leaps towards his friend to switch off his guitar.
- Guys, my drumsticks are made of wood! Aoi stands behind him, I'm going to grab the connector cable and pull hard. - Kai hooks his drumsticks into the metal cable, pulls it and manages to disconnect the equipment.
There was a great relief in the room when Uruha scrambled to his feet, falling backwards but being supported by his boyfriend. At that moment, his soul seemed to have returned to his body, he was well again, that feeling of fear and emptiness was gone, his eyes were normal, he was breathing loudly, panting and a little scared, but he seemed fine. Kai thought quickly and didn't receive a major electrical discharge that could have caused more serious damage.
- Shima! Are you all right? Are you hurt? - Aoi asks, holding Uruha a little nervously. But he doesn't answer, he just stares with eyes like two porcelain saucers and pale skin.
- Guys, help me get the guitar off him. - Kai, who is next to him, calls his friends to help him.
Still supported by Aoi, Uruha moves his arms so that Kai can finally get his guitar out. Uruha tries to stand up with help but his legs weaken, Kai and Aoi hold him up again.
- Hold on! Don't try to move too fast, we don't even know how badly you've been affected, " Reita said, approaching her friend who seemed to be in a state of shock.
- Uruha, you gave me quite a fright. If I'd had a weak heart, I'd have had a heart attack - said Ruki, giving a nervous little laugh to try and improve the mood. - Feeling better?
Uruha still can't answer with words, but makes short gestures. This worries Aoi: has his voice been compromised or is he just trying to process what happened there?
Ruki puts her hand on his wrist, his heartbeat sounds like that of a frightened cat, he's no longer panting as he was, but he's still not breathing normally. Kai puts the guitar away and goes back to watching the reactions of his friend, who is still lost with everyone around him.
- Let's get out of here, you need some air and some sugar water," said Aoi, holding Uruha with his hands around his waist for fear that he would fall.
- I think we all do! - Says Reita with a silly laugh, but he still looks very nervous.
- Yuu... - Uruha tries to say something, his voice shaky and embarrassed, he takes a deep breath and rests his head on Aoi's shoulder - I... saw...
- Shima, I don't understand, speak calmly. - Aoi and the others stare at him as he forces himself to speak again - I... saw... - He sighs heavily and his heartbeat slows, his skin heats up again - He's... in... danger... Yuu!
At that moment, his warm body softens and he loses consciousness, collapsing in Aoi's arms. Kai helps him up. Ruki and Reita are at a loss for words. Their friend was fine and then, out of nowhere, he loses consciousness when he tries to speak. Who could be in danger, apart from himself?
The boys behind the glass witness everything that has happened and rush to the door of the room to help Uruha. Other supernatural events happened as soon as Uruha lost consciousness. The lights begin to flicker rapidly, some of them burst, sparks fly and glass falls on them. Sparks are seen coming from the equipment, which is very strange as they had turned everything off.
Aoi puts one of Uruha's arms on his shoulder and Kai puts his other arm on his shoulder, he's very tall but slim. The staff have already opened the door, Ruki went out first to open the way, they practically ran out of there, dragging Uruha until they reached the living room with the big sofa and laid their friend on it.
(...)
It had been a few minutes since they had been in the living room, Uruha was lying on the sofa still unconscious, Aoi had a piece of paper in his hand shaking him, he had already undone his belt and taken off his choker to breathe better.
A paramedic was called but had not yet arrived. Kai had a small wet towel on his friend's forehead and his head was turned to his side, his legs elevated on the arms of the sofa. Ruki was testing his pulse, which seemed low but stable, he was breathing and that was the important thing. Reita had her hands on her head, pacing back and forth nervously.
- Shima, can you hear me? - It's Yuu, open your eyes for me, Kou.
- Uruha, we're worried about you. - Kai is also talking to him, who seems to be starting to stir.
- He's waking up, everyone! - warned Reita, already getting desperate as Uruha lay unconscious on the sofa. - Uruha, gee, don't do that anymore, man, I'm sensitive. - A few tears are seen streaming down Reita's face, wetting his sash, which he dries with the sleeves of his T-shirt.
- Let's try sitting him down so he can breathe better," suggested Ruki, letting go of his wrist. Together with Kai, he tried to lift Uruha, who was looking at everyone around him, still a little limp.
- Guys, what's going on? Why are you looking at me like that? - Uruha doesn't seem to remember anything - Reita, are those tears in your eyes? Who opened my pants? Shame on you! What's going on? - Uruha quickly zips up his pants and shrinks back in shame.
At that moment, the paramedic enters the room and they breathe a sigh of relief, clearing the way for him to attend to Uruha, who doesn't know why they've called a doctor for him.
- Can I take your blood pressure, Takashima-san? - Uruha nods and stretches out his arm - It's normal now, it must have been a drop in pressure. Let's see your reflexes.
- Can someone tell me what happened, Yuu? - Uruha is sitting on the sofa, Aoi is next to him and the doctor is on the other side, checking his vital signs - I'm fine people, there's no need for a doctor.
- Uruha, don't you remember being shocked in the studio and then fainting? - Ruki asks, looking at him in disbelief at all the movement around him. - Aoi and Kai dragged you here on the sofa.
- What do you mean I fainted? We were playing and out of nowhere, I opened my eyes and I'm here on the sofa with you staring at me in awe. - Uruha is still lost and continues to stare in amazement.
The doctor checked his pulse, listened to his breathing and shone a flashlight in his eyes. Everything seemed fine, nothing physically was affected.
- Takashima-san, have you been eating properly? Have you been sleeping well or have you been suffering from insomnia? - asked the doctor, to find out what might have caused the fainting spell.
- I had a snack that Kai brought," Uruha replied thoughtfully. - I was sleeping very well until Ruki kept calling to wake me up, so I left the house without eating, he's the one with insomnia. - He points at Ruki.
- I really did, you're always late for rehearsals - Ruki retorts in his defense. - But don't change the subject! You gave us a fright, are you feeling better?
- I'm fine! Doctor, can you confirm that for them? - Uruha asks, waiting for the doctor's answer.
- Clinically, everything seems to be fine. No injuries or bruises. There must have been a drop in pressure. - The doctor gives his opinion - Try to eat better and at the right times.
- That's right! Let's have lunch, everyone. This scare has made me hungrier," says Aoi, looking at Uruha, who is still uncomfortable with all the looks on his face.
The doctor bids him farewell and asks them to keep an eye on him. Uruha thinks it's absurd, but he doesn't argue, his friends were very scared and worried, even Reita, who says he's strong, had tears in his eyes, which he said was just irritation.
After the scare, they headed for the cafeteria on the first floor of the building. The rehearsal was ruined, so the only thing left to do was eat and prepare for the meeting about the tour and the countries where they would be performing.
They would only be in Japan for another four days and they still had to go to a radio interview and then a cocktail party.
A lot of work in a short space of time, so resting was difficult with their busy schedule.
Final Notes
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Translated with DeepL