Saki decided to go out on the mansion's veranda to clear her head.
Leaning against the wooden railing while breathing in the cool night air, Saki couldn't help but agree with her manager that getting herself involved in Maria's affairs could tarnish Franchouchou's reputation due to the potential violence surrounding the biker gangs. Although she didn't intend on starting any trouble by confronting Korosuke, simply inserting herself into their affairs was risky for someone whose profession required maintaining a pure image to her fans.
Saki hated it. All she wanted was to find out how her former partner was doing and discover what was going on between the two gangs fighting for dominance.
If she must not associate herself with New Dorami anymore, how the hell can she find out if Maria is really Reiko's daughter or not? More than that, she felt compelled to stop Maria from following the troublesome path her mother and herself once walked. From what she saw in the stubborn wannabe leader, Maria had the potential of leading a normal life, not forcing herself to be a delinquent and possible criminal for the rest of her days. At worst, she could end up dying.
If she wanted to snap Maria out of the dangerous path she's taken, then she wouldn't hesitate to do so. The way she sees it, it's not too late for Maria to discard her life of delinquency and lead a normal life…
…just like her mother did.
"So… Do you know what your plan is yet?"
That starting question from Reiko popped into her head. She then remembered the conversation after, one she heard as she leaned against a railing, similar to what she's doing now.
"For what?" Saki turned her eyes away from the widespread view of Karatsu and looked at Reiko.
They were on Mount Kagamiyama's observation deck, taking a break after going around the city together. After stopping there, while Saki leaned on a railing, Reiko chose to stand as they gazed at the city below, nestled among the green leaves and the river separating two cities and sets of land. The woman repeated what she had said earlier. "The 「future」."
Saki thought her answer was obvious after understanding her question, so she didn't wait for her to finish asking it. "I guess once we take over Kyushu, we'll take the whole country!"
Reiko laughed at her answer, remarking how it sounded like her to come up with a future plan like that. "It sounds just like you."
"Well, what's your plan?" Saki asked her next.
"Me?" She wanted to be fair, so she told him about her aspirations for her future as she gazed up at the blue sky teeming with clouds. "Get married, have kids, you know… just 「normal」 life stuff."
"Huuuuh?" Saki is baffled by her reply. Normal life stuff? That… is out of her field, she admits. It's not like she doesn't understand it. She had lost her chance to have a normal life ever since she entered middle school. That's when she met Reiko and realized that they were both alike in terms of acting rough and unruly.
"…I mean," side eyeing Saki, Reiko reminds her of their position in the eyes of society. "My parents are divorced and I'm in a biker gang. Nothing's been that normal for me, you know. It kind of sucks. I wouldn't want my kids to grow up the same way I did."
Reiko's desire to settle down and leave Dorami behind sounds reasonable to anyone's ears. Someone who is part of a criminal gang or organization would like to seize the chance of settling down to a normal lifestyle if they don't want to burden themselves with their criminal status anymore. This is especially the case for anyone with a desire to live longer instead of throwing their lives away.
For Saki though, she genuinely doesn't quite understand her choice of retiring and settling down. Or actually, she doesn't understand the meaning of the word, normal. "You keep saying 「normal」. What do you mean by that?"
Reiko giggled at her question, finding it funny how she looks like an innocent child asking an obvious question. "Oh Saki…"
The memory disappeared into the recesses of her mind after. Even before her last conversation with Reiko and afterward, she never really understood what it meant to be normal. It sounded like a nice thing to have, but she believed she would never attain the sense of normalcy in her life unless she died.
Returning back to life as a zombie to become an idol while being protected by seven tall and intimidating zombie boys possessing a bizarre power called Stands shouldn't necessarily mean being normal. Perhaps… It was fate that Saki would never be normal starting from her middle school days.
"…That girl had the same eyes as Reiko." That's the conclusion Saki has about Maria and her mother. Guess she managed to settle down, after all. Unlike me…
Saki's further thoughts and regrets are interrupted when she hears the sound of motorbikes speeding down the road and letting out a distinct honk, which tells her that it is Korosuke's bike. She's annoyed that Korosuke interrupted her thoughts; it seems they always choose to be loud just to assert their place in society, especially this late at night. She was going to ignore them until she remembered what Misa had said to Maria during their first meeting.
"I'm sure we'll find another way to settle the score. 「Sooner than later」."
Her eyes widened at Misa staying true to her word. "…This is pretty damn soon!" Saki exclaimed as she rushed through the mansion's corridors. Going downstairs, the door was in front of her as she caught her breath after rushing frantically with the intention of stopping Maria from throwing her life away.
As her hand reached for the doorknob, a voice stopped her. "Going somewhere?"
Kotaro was the one who spoke. Carrying a sleeping Romero in his arms, he's dismayed to see her again when it appeared she hadn't actually listened to his warning. As for her, she's annoyed he had stopped her from going out. Well, she wasn't going to stand by and let him scold her again.
"Did you not absorb a word that I said earlier?" He berated in a serious tone.
"…I told you, I get it." Saki replied.
"Well then, where are you off to?"
Remembering Kotaro's warning about idols needing to not get into a violent situation or risk tarnishing their reputation, Saki decides to obey his words. With this thought in mind, she forms her response to him that may satisfy him. "Where do you think, Shades? I got some 「idol business」."
Kotaro remained silent but he didn't stop her from leaving.
Meanwhile, at the Amabuki residence, Reiko checked on Maria's room because she hadn't eaten anything since returning home. "Maria? Are you hungry?"
Expecting to see her in the room, Reiko let out a gasp when she realized Maria was nowhere to be found.
ドドドドドドドド
Wind entered the room through the open window and waving curtains, cluing her that Maria escaped through her window. What? Maria, why did you-
The open window was not the only thing she discovered. On a nearby table, an unfolded piece of paper lay in full view for Reiko to read the message given to Maria by Korosuke. Her heart dropped in shock and fear as she let out a second, deeper gasp when she read the message.
「Come at midnight to Kagamiyama
10th Korosuke Boss」
"Kagamiyama…!" She let out in fear. The name of the place… That was where Saki Nikaido died. What was supposed to be a challenge between Dorami and Korosuke ended in a disaster on Dorami's side, and left Reiko with enough grief and PTSD from watching her dear friend die.
"Are you ready to do this?" The former Korosuke boss, sporting one hell of a wild haircut shaped like a crowing rooster on her long red hair, sneered at her.
"Are you ready for a haircut?" Saki retorted back, referring to her wild and tacky hair.
Removing her Tamagotchi from her wrist, she handed it to Reiko's hand and said to her, "Reiko, hang on to this guy for me."
Dorami's second-in-command starts walking away from Reiko when the leader, unsure of the safety of the challenge that could injure either of them or worse, tries to make her change her mind. "Saki."
"Relaaax…" Saki assures her with a cheeky grin, stating, "There's 「no way in hell I'm gonna die」!"
ドッガァァン !
The thick, rising smoke, sizzling fire, and the unmistakable sound of an explosion proved Saki's assertion wrong in the worst way possible as she went careening past the railing and plummeted to the ground below, causing her bike to explode and killing her.
Reiko had seen it happen before her eyes. Looking over the edge of the cliff, she found Saki's scorched and torn-up body, dispelling her denial and fading hope that Saki somehow survived; this experience would have a serious impact on her for many years to come.
"Saki… SAKIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"
Reiko didn't hesitate to take action immediately. Finding her old motorbike key lying beside Saki's Tamagotchi that she had never gotten back to her since her death, she hurried over to the garage, removing the boxes out of the way then pulling the tarp covering something big.
バーン !
It's her old Dorami motorcycle, preserved and maintained over the years even after quitting the gang. She takes it back out onto the streets and highways as Reiko makes her way to Kagamiyama Mountain.
She never thought she would get to drive this bike again, nor did she expect the same challenge that had cost Saki's life would happen again, which could potentially cost Maria's life as well if she didn't hurry up. Having witnessed Saki's death, she was determined to prevent history from repeating itself and save Maria from meeting the same fate.
Not wanting to arrive too late, Reiko performed a wheelie as she sped up, dropping her apron along the way.
Tubular Bells has been eliminated after being hit by the final balloon bomb. Born This Way has managed to keep itself together after taking multiple hits from flaming ankhs, emeralds, punches, and bullets. Clearly, everyone has dealt enough damage to the bike that it now looks like it's about to explode.
This is not to say the four are uninjured, though. Just as they work together to make up for their weaknesses and play to their strengths, so too do the enemy Stands. As if reacting to their moments of teamwork, Born This Way has managed to have many balloons latch onto them and puncture them hard by either sending the balloons flying with the wind it conjures, making them fast; slowing down the four through freezing them even a little bit; or popping them prematurely so that the momentum of the burst flings them towards any body parts. For the latter part, this happens with the balloons resembling pufferfish.
For six minutes, neither side would give up the fight. The four zombies assisted each other with their respective Stands to deal many blows on Born This Way and eliminate all the balloons. They knew that they were successful because no balloons had appeared since then. At the same time, however, the four sustained grievous injuries from the enemy's combined attacks. Blood stained the road and the adjoining wall beside it, and out of the four, Narancia received the worst amount of injuries; he had three punctured nails in his thighs, a knife in his gut, his shoulder perforated with scissors, and his left foot and shoe shredded by many razors he didn't see in time.
Kakyoin and Bucciarati are currently attending to him as he lies on the ground in pain, using tendrils and zippers to stitch or zip closed his wounds. For their injuries, Kakyoin has been wounded by scissors and nails, with both of his hands sustaining the most damage as he tried to get them off earlier; while Bucciarati has had his right shoulder pierced by knives, was pricked by multiple needles to his one hand, and his left ankle is bleeding from having received a scissor to it.
"A-Agh… It… It hurts…like hell…" Narancia mumbled quietly, feeling most of his wounds being covered up. "I… I shouldn't have gotten… careless…"
"You'll be alright, Narancia," Kakyoin comforted him, rubbing his shoulder as Hierophant Green backed away after he'd finished covering the serious wounds to the best of his ability. "Please endure a little longer. Our fight will be over soon."
"What he said," Bucciarati concurred as he zipped up all his wounds. Sticky Fingers dissipated back into its user's hand. He turned away from him to look at Avdol, saying, "Avdol will take care of the enemy from here on out. All we can hope for is that he landed the final blow against Born This Way."
"W-wasn't he… in a bad shape like me?" Narancia asked. "Do… do you think he can… handle it?"
"To be honest, he sustained a lot of injuries like you, Narancia," affirmed Kakyoin. "He needs immediate treatment like we told him to. But he declined, because the enemy is still breathing, so he will not rest until he successfully kills it."
"I'm worried if he has enough strength to attack the enemy with that amount of injuries…" Bucciarati remarked. "Seems like the enemy wants to kill him off 「first」 before we're next because he has 「Magician's Red」. It is an ideal 「counter」 against the freezing winds conjured by the motorbike."
"Well, let him deal with the enemy, Bucciarati-san," Kakyoin affirmed his faith in his friend with a smile. "I believe… I 「know」 who's going to be the victor of this fight."
Smiling as well, Bucciarati nodded, stating, "I can feel it in him. His 「resolve」 to achieve victory. I still have some doubts, but all we can do is hope that he'll succeed."
The next second is marked by silence as Avdol and Born This Way continue their intense stare-down they're doing after both groups crippled their allies and left one of them still standing. The howling wind and rumbling motorcycle engine break up the silence momentarily, but neither side lets it get to them as seconds pass. They do not dare succumb to their injuries out of desperation and pride, mostly on the latter for Avdol. The man himself has his pointing right hand leaned against the back of his left hand as he stares closely at Born This Way, specifically its face that is now exposed to the world when its helmet was destroyed. Despite his confident pose, Avdol's body is shaking from the amount of blood lost after scissors, knives, and bolts struck his torso, shoulder, and left arm. His robe is also tattered and marginally shredded.
Born This Way had been waiting patiently for some time; it then raised its foot to the pedal, revved up its bike, and prepared to ram and freeze the intruder to ensure his demise. For added effect, ice spikes formed on the wind beside the rear tire, and snow could also be seen nearby.
Recognizing it was about to attack, Avdol smiled in response before speaking to offer the enemy Stand some words. "A Stand that rides in a motorcycle that can conjure freezing winds to immobilize its opponents… It's quite a dangerous ability, I admit. I'm sure if I ever slip up once, your winds could put me at a disadvantage."
Born This Way continues revving up, apparently not hearing his words due to being too focused or the engine being loud.
"However," continued Avdol, "Did you think you had a chance against my Stand? 'The cold winds may cause the traveler to pull his coat on tight, but the heat made him admit defeat'. That is one of Aesop's quotes. Do you know that? I believe the quote fits our stand-off, don't you think?"
The engine rumbles louder, indicating Born This Way is about to drive towards him.
"Now then," he thought to himself, not letting his injuries and the cold winds get to his head. Staying calm and confident, Avdol waited for Born This Way to launch its final attack. Forming his signature hand gesture, Magician's Red hovered behind him, and he said, "Let us see if Aesop's quote is true. Who will win? The cold wind, or the sweltering heat? Come at me if you disagree that the heat will prevail!"
The Biker Stand accelerated forward in response. Sending out a harsh freezing gale, icicles, and heavy snow in Avdol's direction, it believed that the cold wind would prevail due to its ability. Even if the wind failed to kill him, getting struck by its motorcycle surely would.
Having frozen the road and immobilized the four, the Stand believes that it has won this fight even before feeling the impact of their opponents on its bike.
BGM: Scorching Flames
"You're faster than I anticipated… but I have been waiting for this moment! MAGICIAN'S RED!"
"KRAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Moving at a speed comparable to Born This Way, Magician's Red created a ring of flaming ankhs around themselves, just as Born This Way collided against Avdol. Touching the ankhs as a result, Avdol directed a smirk at the enemy Stand before pushing the enemy and its bike away from him.
Successfully baiting the enemy, Avdol sends out the ankhs against Born This Way, pelting it in flames relentlessly and forcing them to remain in the air. Meanwhile, Magician's Red charges another attack that will surely incinerate the enemy for good.
Uncaring of how badly scorched and crumbling Born This Way looked, Avdol and Magician's Red crossed their arms as a fire crackled beneath the enemy Stand. The user yelled, "CROSS FIREEEEEEE! HURRICAAAAAANE! SPECIIIIIIIIIIIIAL!"
ドゴーン
A giant flaming ankh erupts from the ground, signaling the end of Born This Way as the intense fire melts the crumbled remains of the Stand in the air or on the ground. Even the bike isn't spared.*
BGM Ends
Satisfied with how he had ended the fight so spectacularly, Avdol let out a confident smile as Magician's Red dissipated back to its user. A small flame stood on his index finger, which he quickly extinguished before wagging it twice. "Tsk. Tsk." He made a sound from his mouth similar to a lighter igniting a flame. "The scorching heat has won in the end."
With two enemy Stands defeated, the four Stand Users turned back into their zombie forms, which also healed their injuries. Their make-up remained on their faces and bodies, much to their relief.
Rising up from the ground after enduring the intense pain caused by his grievous injuries inflicted by Tubular Bells, Narancia couldn't be any happier to see the fight come to an end as he grunts out, "Ughh… Man, that really hurt…" Rubbing the back of his neck, Narancia stands up wobbly, only to feel any lingering pain in his body ache in protest. Ignoring it, he stands up properly.
Walking towards him, Kakyoin tried to assist him, worried he might fall down, even though his injuries had been healed. "Are you alright, Narancia? Do you want any of us to help you?"
"…Nah, don't worry," Narancia twisted both his shoulders and arms. "I think… I'm going to be fine."
"Well, if you're sure, then I won't stop you," Kakyoin gives him a smile in relief. "I am happy to see you managed to survive the last leg of our fight. I don't like seeing one of my friends die in excruciating pain."
Rubbing his head, Narancia returns his smile with his own, chuckling as he said, "Hey, I won't go down that easily again! You mark my words!"
"Hahaha. We shall see."
On the other side, Bucciarati congratulates Avdol for killing Born This Way and securing the safety of the roads. "Well done Avdol. You finished off both enemy Stands."
"Actually, we finished off both enemies, mister Bruno," Avdol reminded him that they all did their part fending off Tubular Bells and harming Born This Way little by little. "I wouldn't have had the chance to scorch the Stand if not for you and the two's assistance."
"Yeah, you're right," Bruno agrees with him. "By the way, quoting one of Aesop's quotes before your final blow… *chuckle* Do I sense pride in your voice when you say it? I was led to believe that the heat did make the traveler give up, just like you did to Born This Way."
"Wahahahaha! I didn't let the opportunity to taunt the enemy pass by. That's all!" Avdol laughed.
リンリン リンリン リンリン リンリン
Any further conversation is interrupted when they hear bell chimes coming from behind, along with hurried pants and rapid pedaling of a bicycle. "Huh? Who's up cycling up this late?" Narancia asked, turning his attention to the approaching bicycle.
"A student coming home late?" Kakyoin wondered, knowing the habit of a studious student based on his experience as a former student.
"Hm? Hold on. That's not a student," stated Avdol when he looked clearly at the approaching girl. Because of the dark, he cannot discern her features until she gets closer. His eyes widened in surprise when he recognized the rider. "Huh? Is that… Saki!?"
"Saki?" The two parroted in unison, also sounding surprised.
"What? Why is she out? And… where did she get that bicycle?" Bucciarati asked, moving to stop Saki so they could ask her properly and figure out her intentions.
However, Saki is in a hurry, so she doesn't have time to talk with them. She thus exclaims, "Oooooi! *pants* *pants* Outta the way! *pants* *pants* I got important 「idol business」 to do!"
"Idol… business?" Kakyoin repeated.
"What… What are you talking about, Sa-"
"Move! I said MOVE!"
Saki told them lastly before she pedaled past them, with Bucciarati wisely stepping back in bewilderment.
Watching her continue bicycling across the road above them, the four look at each other. A silent agreement is made among the four. Although they have disposed of the enemy Stands, they must remain vigilant even outside of a battle. They don't understand why Saki is outside yet, but as her bodyguards, they must attend to her and stand by her side at all times to ensure her safety.
After they gave each other a firm nod, the four started running in Saki's direction.
Kagamiyama Mountain. The site of Maria and Misa's game of chicken.
The two bikers, their engines running, stand beside their respective bikes. Their members and Maria's friends flank them as spectators for their challenge involving how far the two can go to the edge of the overlook. There's a risk of them overshooting past the overlook's railing and sustaining serious injuries or even death. They're aware of it, but they do not mind it since it makes the game of chicken more thrilling.
Watching which one of them will ultimately emerge victorious at the game's conclusion will be an exciting and spirited way of settling their score once and for all, consequences be damned.
Maria is willing to take risks, especially since she's eager to start the challenge. She has the guts to do it, unlike her mother.
"This overlook has a bit of 「history」 for Dorami and Korosuke," recounted Misa. "I think it's a good place for your gang to die."
Her ridicule gets on Maria's nerves, who retorted how mouthy she is. Misa does not stop, as she then lays out the rules of their challenge. "We'll play chicken to the cliff's edge. First to hit the brakes… loses."
Thinking she doesn't have it in her to take on the current ruling leader of all biker gangs in Kyushu despite her self-assured bragging, Misa tells her she can back off when an opening is there, only to be rebutted angrily by Maria, exclaiming, "That's enough talk! Let's just do it!"
"Now that's what I wanted to hear."
Giving a Korosuke member a nod to start the countdown, Misa and Maria set their eyes to the overlook's railing as they listened to the countdown. "Three! Two!"
ブォォォォォン
However, an unexpected visitor to the gang's battle for dominance pulls everyone's eyes to the sight of an old and impressive Doremi bike turning in their direction. The motorcycle slides across the asphalt for two seconds before stopping, and the biker herself looks up to see Maria is still on the starting line, much to her relief.
They haven't started yet. Good. Now to stop Maria from endangering herself, or worse like Saki did…
As everyone murmurs to themselves about who the chick is, Maria is none too pleased to see her mother. She recognizes immediately what her intention is, so she angrily yells out, "What the hell are YOU doing out here!? Would you just butt out, this is my business! HEY!"
Reiko ignored her angry words and walked past her to face Misa. She bowed pleadingly before her, saying, "Listen. Please call it off. I'm begging you."
Seeing Reiko's best choice is to plead for mercy, especially when this is happening in front of Korosuke, Maria growled at her, shaking angrily at her mother being too much of a weakling to even raise her voice. "How pathetic can you get? All you know how to do is bow your head and apologize… *sniffs* And I thought you were supposed to be the first boss of Dorami!? SO how the hell did you end up this way!? *sniffs* I'll never end up like you, and I'll prove it! You walk away from this team, but I NEVER WILL!"
Having said her piece and laid out the reasons why she bears such a dislike toward her, Maria walks back to her scooter, ignoring Reiko's pleading for her to stop. "Wait, don't do this!"
リンリン リンリン
Everyone turned their heads to the approaching bicycle ridden by the second visitor for this night. The rider hit the brakes on her bike, or at least, attempted to do so; however, she was going so fast that she screamed in panic.
"nnnnnNNNNNGOAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH CRAP! This thing has the worst brakes I've ever seen! Stop, stop, stop, STOP!"
"Hierophant Green!"
ガシャン
Saki felt something soft and slippery coiled around her waist before she was pulled out of the bike, which finally listened to her panicked pleas, but not before it crashed into Korosuke's motorbikes.
Having arrived in time, Kakyoin puts Saki down after Hierophant Green pulls out of the bike. She was confused at first, until running footsteps behind her led her to turn around and see the four had followed her.
"Oh. It's you four," Saki casually greeted, having expected that they would go after her when they saw her pedaling hard and fast. "Did one of you pull me out from the bike using your Stands?"
"I did," Kakyoin confirmed, glancing briefly at the murmuring crowd who had their eyes on them, wondering who they were. "We don't want you to get hurt under our watch, so I acted."
Letting out a chuckle, Saki gives him a thumbs up in gratitude. "Well thanks for pulling me back before I crashed," she says. Her face becomes serious as she starts walking toward the biker gang members. She tells them, "But save your questions until later. And don't interfere with what I'm about to do, a'right?"
"We sure as hell have questions!" Narancia exclaimed. "Just what's going on here? Is there an event I don't know taking place on this mountain?"
"Just watch and see Nara! Just watch and see!" Saki simply told them again. "That goes for you three, Bucci, Cherry Boy and Avdol!"
Murmurs and questions still occur among the gang when Saki gets near them. While she has her day clothes on as usual, there's one addition to her attire: a sash hanging around her torso.
"Even if my heart stops beating," narrated Saki, walking through the Korosuke girls who chose not to get in her path and wisely stepped back, making a path for her. "I can still hear an echo… It's the voices of all my 「old friends」, and to show them my thanks… I'll keep 「racing down」 the road of carnage."
Displeased, the game is temporarily halted again by the same girl who also interrupted her earlier spat against Maria in the afternoon. Misa asks her, "What the hell are you doing here? This doesn't concern you."
"Actually it does bitch," she countered. Facing her with a smirk, she has her sash visible on her torso as she says, "Read the sash. Says I'm Dorami's 「Captain for a Day!」"
!?
Everyone is stunned to hear it from this newcomer's mouth that she will be the captain for this day, or this night to be accurate. In their eyes, she sounds like an unruly girl who wants a life full of risks to satisfy her need for excitement. She definitely looks tough, they'll give her that, but they have doubts that she has what it takes to be a temporary member of a biker gang.
As Saki knows though, their assumptions are wrong. And she will prove them wrong alright, just to have Maria stay out of a dangerous game of chicken that killed her many years ago.
Misa seems impressed and interested in Saki for deciding to be a temporary captain. "Well, this is definitely a first."
Irritated someone else interrupted the start of the game again and someone she doesn't know chose to take her place, Maria walks up close to her face and exclaims, "You have no right to do that!"
"That's no big deal," Saki brushed off her complaints, knowing this was for her own good. "You should be happy you just got another group member."
"DON'T MESS WITH ME!"
Maria was about to explode in anger until Saki grabbed her shoulders and glared at her hard before telling her something that had happened in the exact same location, "If you're in this gang, it's only right that you know. One of your girls got killed during this. You are seriously willing to die here?"
Saki doesn't have to point out the irony in her mind that a Dorami member died in a game of chicken in 1997, which is her. She doesn't care if she's recounting her death to a teenager who is only looking for a place to die if she continues being her delinquent self. All she cared about in this night was not breaking Reiko's feelings when she witnessed her only daughter perish like she did.
Her harsh words stunned Maria for a moment, but she refused to waver. "I-If that's the risk I'm taking to prove I have what it takes to surpass my mom, then-"
"ENOUGH! THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE GAME YOU'RE PLAYING, YOU STUBBORN GIRL!"
"Wha?!"
Maria jumped out of her skin when Bucciarati, whom she recognizes was with Saki this afternoon, arrived at the scene to berate and dissuade her from the life of crime at last. An angry expression is on his face as he pointed a finger at Maria, causing her to lean back in fear and shock as Bruno continues berating her, "YOU EVER TRIED TO INSIST OF BECOMING SOMETHING YOU'RE CLEARLY NOT, I'LL GIVE YOU A BEATING OF YOUR LIFE!"
The furiosity behind his voice stunned Reiko, Saki, and even Misa, if only because the manner he scolded Maria felt so fierce it dwarfed the menacing aura of these biker girls, both retired and active. They don't know he used to be part of mafioso aside from Saki, and he's a kind of different breed compared to the ragtag group of bikers. As such, it seems his instincts proved superior to theirs.
After saying what he should've done to Maria during their first encounter, Bucciarati's scowling expression softens, before he says, "It's not too late for you to back out. You still have a good life ahead of you. A life that your mother, and yourself, would want. Please, trust me when I say being a gang member and the hardships behind it is not something you'd like to experience."
Three of his subordinates watched on in silence. They, alongside Saki, realize the reason why he scolded Maria harshly: To make up for not dissuading Narancia enough to join Passione. Something he already knows.
"Bucciarati…"
And yet, in spite of it all, he never regretted his decision to be Bucciarati's underling. He simply grinned, glad to see his caring side still present within his apparent anger.
Left speechless by the man's sudden ferocity turned empathetic pleading, his and Saki's message have finally got through her thick skull. For the first time during her time being a Dorami leader, she's scared and… regretful.
"Ahem. Setting this gutsy man's speech aside, I don't care which one of you girls I'm up against," Misa cleared her throat and reminded the party present, getting impatient. "I'm still going to run Dorami into the ground."
Giving Bruno a silent thank you through a thumbs up and nodding, Saki goes to her partner's bike and asks her permission to use it. The woman, after getting her bearings, is totally against her decision. Even if she managed to stop Maria from participating, she will absolutely not let someone end up in the same fate as Saki. "Don't take one more step! You know how dangerous this is! What if you die!?"
"…"
"There's 「no way in hell I'm gonna die」!"
Her closed eyes and toothed smile on her face when she turned around, as well as the same exact words and tone, stunned Reiko due to the déjà vu she got. At that moment, it's like her old friend has returned from her grave to participate in a dangerous stunt between Dorami and Korosuke.
Now that she looked intently at her, Reiko cannot shake the feeling that the blonde girl before her bears a striking resemblance to her deceased friend. Could it be…? The woman standing before her with a cheeky smile is…
"…Saki?" Reiko muttered dazedly.
Obviously, she couldn't be any more right that it is Saki Nikaido. The two former Dorami partners look at each other out of reminiscence, surprise, hope and disbelief on Reiko's end. Seeing she's close to recognizing her, Saki didn't hesitate to make a hard decision of dispelling her hope for the sake of concealing her identity to the world.
"Who's Saki?"
Despite dashing Reiko's hope, Saki gives her a wide smile again. I may not say this out loud but, it's good to see ya again… partner.
After she has done her part to them, it's time for her and Misa's game of chicken. Everyone, including the four Stand Users, stand on the sidelines as their spectators. Revving up their bike's engines as they look at the edge of the overlook they must get near without withdrawing first, the two bikers are more determined than ever to earn a victory for Dorami and Korosuke.
"I hope you're ready, newbie," stated Misa.
"Oh I'm ready more than you'll ever know." Saki replied, already seeing how this game will end.
The countdown has finally started. "Three! Two! One! GO!"
ブォォォォォン
Saki and Misa accelerated. Winds rush past them as they rev the motorbikes across the parking lot, inching close to the edge railing. Misa yells out in determination, hoping to come home the victor against the supposed newbie of Dorami.
Heh. It's time to settle this! What Saki thought before she made an unexpected move that surprises everyone present, including Misa: speeding up to its limit.
"W-Whoa!? Did you just speed up!?" Misa said in disbelief. She hits the brakes when her motorbike is still speeding up, the clash and change in momentum making it spiral in circles.
"Oi, oi, oi! She's going too fast!" Narancia pointed out. "If this keeps up…!"
As for Saki, she never stopped. Even when the edge is so close that she won't stop the motorbike in time, she never wavers. Fear and worry are not in her books for this night, and instead, resolve is the only fuel that carries her towards the edge without a care for her life.
There is only one conclusion that can be gleaned from her reckless stunt.
"EAT MY DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST! ! !"
ゴッバァァッ
Everyone looked on in shock as Saki charged through the railing without stopping, kicking up dust as she flew off the edge with absolute confidence. She and Reiko's motorbike remain in the air for a few seconds, and then they plummet down to the bush and ground below…
ドッガァァン !
…before exploding.
No one dares speak up as they take in the sight of the smoldering flames and smoke rising from the likely pile of scrap metal below. To think she would fly past the edge and probably go out in a blaze of glory, just to earn victory for Dorami…
None of them are as shocked or petrified as Reiko however. Of all the things she didn't want to see, this was the worst possible scenario for her. Seeing someone die the same way as Saki brings back bad memories of that fateful night when she lost her old partner, right at the beginning of the game in 1997. It serves as a constant reminder of just how dangerous being in a biker gang can be, and teaches her a valuable lesson - never lose your temper, no matter what the situation demands.
"Ah… A-Ah…" Stuttered Reiko, her arm reaching out forward as she took small steps still in shock.
…But she stopped when a hand gripped the edge.
! !
Reiko, Maria, and all of the bikers gasp in surprise when they see Saki climb out of the fiery wreckage without so much as a visible injury on her body. The same cannot be said for Kakyoin, Avdol, Bucciarati, and Narancia, who all expected her to survive since she's a zombie. They aren't concerned about whether or not she'll die; their only worry is the possibility that she might expose her true identity or her being a zombie to everyone else.
Oh Saki… You're so reckless. Despite being worried for her, Avdol nonetheless smiled proudly at her stunt that left everyone wide-eyed.
With that confidence, I'm sure you have the potential to gain a Stand… Saki. Bucciarati smiled affirmatively for the resolve she got to make the jump.
"Damn, that hurt," groaned Saki, dusting her left sleeve in discomfort. It appears the worst she got is getting hurt from the impact and explosion. Amazingly, her clothes and make-up are not burned at all.
"…What the hell…" Maria lets out in disbelief, watching Saki march away from the fire remains of Reiko's bike. If she had persisted, she could have ended up getting injured or killed when she plummet to the ground past the edge. This also gave her a lesson that she should never forget regarding partaking in dangerous stunts just because she wants to start a biker gang. "I've never seen anybody that brave."
Walking over to her former partner who is standing with her mouth agape, Saki has the courtesy of being embarrassed she destroyed her bike. Scratching her head, she says, "Geez. I just wanted to help and I ended up trashing your ride." She tries playing it off in good humor and with a smile as she next says, "Well I'm sorry for causin' you so much trouble, I guess."
ゴッ
"Ugh!"
Saki did not expect to be punched, but when she got decked in the face though, she caught a glimpse of Reiko's angry expression and scowling teeth directed at her. Reiko's not satisfied with punching her hard though. She grabbed her jacket before she fell to the ground to have some words with her. "YOU DUMBASS! WHAT WERE YOU GONNA DO IF THIS THING ENDED UP GOING SOUTH, HUH?!"
!?
Her angry face is in stark contrast to Saki's easygoing smile. This is what she's been wanting Maria to see. Proof that Reiko is not a pathetic wimp who always grovels when things get tough. Ah, there it is… That's the Reiko I remembered.
"Maria!" Saki called out. "From where I'm standing, your mom's got 「plenty」 of guts. If you want to keep Dorami alive, then you need to stand up and look her straight in the eye! Show her that you're strong too so she won't have to worry."
Listening to her, Maria looked straight into her mother's eyes, who also looked back at her, after letting Saki go. With everything they had witnessed that night, it seems their relationship will no longer remain strained due to a misunderstanding. Maria now knows that her mother is not a wimp and has plenty of guts when she wants to let them out, while Reiko realizes she was constantly worrying about her daughter so much that it led Maria to try to be tough so she wouldn't be so concerned about her all the time.
While she was glad to have helped them repair their relationship, Saki wasn't entirely satisfied. Watching a mother and her daughter come to an understanding put a damper on her happiness just a little. Sighing, she lay on the ground with a contemplative expression, saying, "I still don't get it though… What is 「normal」, anyway? It can't be this."
"Guess you win."
"Hm?"
Saki looks up to see Misa reaching out her hand for her to grab and get her up and Korosuke members standing behind their leader in a line with their hands on their lap. A proud smile is on her face over the surprising performance she did comparable to that of a veteran biker. "You know what, if you were a biker, you'd probably be 「legendary」."
"Legendary…" She parroted quietly. This is where she realizes she almost forgot the other reason she came here to settle the conflict between Dorami and Korosuke. "Ah! Oh crap! I forgot that's the most important part!"
As everyone wonder what she's getting at, Saki stands up and get on a motorbike with hands on her hips to give them a speech that will not only promote Franchouchou's upcoming song number and concert, but also will put a stop to the rivalry between two biker gangs, specifically that didn't involve a lot of violence. "Listen up everybody! There's nothing legendary about throwing your whole life away! I found something way more badass to work toward! I'm here to show you a little taste of what it means to be a real legend!"
Off to the side, a black van is parked there the whole time. Kotaro has watched the event unfold in the driver's seat, leaning his hand against the open side window with a smile. He has been waiting for this moment, and after hearing Saki's speech loud and clear, he has four words Franchouchou and Rianima would be familiar with to say with a snap of a finger.
"Now music… come on."
パチッ
Inspired by Saki's past as a biker gang member and hoping to have Dorami and Korosuke make amends and pursue a life worth living that isn't marred by constant conflict and violence, Franchouchou takes the stage once more to deliver another heart-pumping concert.
This time, Franchouchou's attire and hairstyles for this concert are themed after bosozoku, the gangster style worn by biker gangs in the 1990s. Their outfits consist of long red jackets with writing on them and stylized school uniforms, each member having a different color collar scarf to designate their role within the group. Additionally, Saki forgoes the long skirts worn by the other members for tight, black leggings, while Tae wears a black mask.
With the bosozoku-inspired attire, it shouldn't be a surprise someone internally dubbed as the Legendary Kamikaze Squad Leader is the lead singer for the concert. With Reiko, Maria, Dorami and Korosuke standing along with the cheering audience, she hopes to give it her all for the sake of their lives through a song.
If it's her fate to be an idol, then she shall sally forth carrying the memories of her comrades in her heart as she and her new friends forge a path for Saga.
BGM: Tokkou Dance ~ DAWN OF THE BAD (Anime version)
"Whether it's taking over Kyushu, or the whole damn country… Anyone who laughs at us is dead meat." Saki declared to the audience, as the lights, beating drums and strumming guitar kicked in to start the concert.
Woohoo!
Woohoo!
Yo - ro - shi - ku!
Hankouteki taido shimeraretemo
Iji de tsupparu sokon toko
Yoroshiku!
(Woohoo! Woohoo! Yo - ro - shi - ku!)
Kattobe!
Tobetobe
Everybody!
Tobetobe
Ichido shindareeeeeee!
Kobushi de katare ya
Omae dake no porishiiiiii
Gaku mo neeeeee
Asu mo neeeeeee
Hana ni dake nareru ze
Hanpa ja nee nara norainu no sokojikara joutou
Kono yoru wa owaranai
Tokkou DANCE!
Eien niiiiiiiiiiii!
Woohoo!
Woohoo!
Woohoo!
Yo - ro - shi - ku!
Sokon toku yoroshiku!
Cheers and applause filled the air as soon as the song ended. Everyone in the audience, both old and new, were shouting Franchouchou, especially the lead singer Number 2. Reiko, Maria, Dorami, Korosuke, and even the Metalhead Duo, all felt the same way about their idol group. The fact that people from various backgrounds and demographics had come together for Franchouchou's concert was what made it so appealing to them. They were thrilled and proud to be a part of Franchouchou's fanbase, and they considered themselves lucky to have been the group's very first fans.
"Hehe!" Saki smiled, beyond happy and glad to be reunited with Reiko, stop Maria from risking her life, and watching Dorami and Korosuke settle their rivalry while Franchouchou performed their latest song and concert. She hoped they and Rianima were happy for another successful concert that wouldn't have been possible without Kotaro and the others' help.
To be continued
* Taken after Avdol's Great Heat Attack in All-Star Battle and its remaster.
Onomatopoeia:
リン リン (Rin rin) - Sound of bicycle bell
ブォォォォォン (Buooooon) - Sound for an accelerating motorcycle
ゴッバァァッ (Gobbaah) - Wooden railing splitting apart
ゴッ (Goh) - Normal sound for punching
パチッ (Pachi) - Fingerclick