Why They Sing
Foreword-
AKB48 are a Japanese Idol group
who were created so that fans may get to interact with their idols,
they have frequent events where you have the chance to meet your idols
and their live shows are an intimate affair. However I have never been
good at reviews or dealing with the reality of the matter so choose
instead to write a small piece of fiction revolving around some of the
central girls.
Cast –
The primary cast are based
on members of AKB48, the surrounding female cast also mostly consist
of AKB48 members although they shall have significantly lower roles
in the story. However I shall not be using AKB48 as a single idol group
at all, there are just too darn many to create anything meaningful or
interesting.
Kojima Haruna – Team A
Oshima Mai – Team A
Ono Erena – Team K
Minegishi Minami – Team A
Komatani Hitomi
Genre
Drama/SciFi/Girls Story
Okay this ended up only being
half the story I intended to right, but writers block and deadlines
mean this is the story I wrote in the end. Hope you enjoy it.
Why They Sing
Laying on her side she gently
squeezed at the cat patterned quilt as she pulled her knees up to her
midriff and sighed. Her fringe had flopped away and the bangs that normally
framed her perfect face instead obscured it. Her ear poked out slightly
from her thick full mane, the small black studs of her earphones baring
the BI logo. She looked at the back of her hand for a moment and then
slowly covered her face with outstretched fingers. She stared at a stuffed
toy cat sat on a small chair next to her makeup dresser.
She was number one. The lead
singer of the most popular idol band in New Europa, so why was it she
felt so empty. She asked herself that time and time again. She was able
to smile on demand but couldn’t ever remember smiling for herself.
She loved to sing though, that alone compelled her to go on. Yet she
didn’t know why, she put up a façade to hide herself completely from
even the closest of friend…
She dropped her hand to the
side her head and rolled onto her back. The ceiling was plain and uninspiring.
The track playing through her ear phones was a compilation of recent
instrumentals the composers had compiled for her and the group. The
same nondescript stuff they always sent, her mind rapidly formed ordinary
lacklustre lyrics that would sate the bland corporate masses that made
up the proportion of their audience.
“When did it change?” Her
voice chimed quietly.
She flicked the switch on her
music player, sat up and looked at her alarm clock, it was a brand new
Hansai holographic projector model. The time, projected onto a soft
background covered in kittens and clouds read ten past eight am. She
was late again.
Beep. Beep. Her music paused
and a message appeared in front of her eyes “incoming call – Hiichan”
she let out a groan and fell back into bed answering the call.
“Haruna – where are you?”
“At home, laying in bed.
Why?”
“You’re supposed to be
at the studio. The marketing guys are really angry.”
“Heh, my heart bleeds –
it really does.”
“Haruna…” Hiichan sighed,
she was Haruna’s best friend and fashion adviser to the group. Haruna
frowned and looked at the clock again.
“I’ll be there soon.”
“You’re a star!”
click
“Don’t mention it.” Haruna
answered but Hiichan had already hung up.
She was already dressed, a
long loose white dress with intricate lace decorating the low cut collar
and thigh high light pink stockings. She stood up and unruffled the
bottom of her skirt and shook her head and flicked her hands through
her hair in a single flawless action so that it fell back into place.
She grabbed her pink cardigan from the back of her chair, opened her
shoe cabinet and looked for her white ankle high boots amongst the hundred
or so pairs of shoes within. Finding them took a moment, she put them
on carefully and tied the laces, finally picking up her SongBird bag
and leaving her room.
“Haruna! Your agent has been
phoning since seven! Why didn’t you open your door when I knocked!”
Her father shouted as she walked past ignoring him entirely. Her step
mother was stood by the door scowling like an old witch.
“You should be more responsible.”
Her stepmother hissed.
Haruna opened the door, then
turned to face the house and put on her best smile.
“I’m going now. Have a
nice day.” She then turned and walked out.
She lived on the seventy second
floor of the Skylight Residential District, the accommodation was provided
by MediaSense her management company. Three years ago her and the other
members parents had convinced the group that signing the MediaSense
contract was the best way forward. Skylight was a high class corporate
district, only the wealthiest people and the most critical of corporate
assets were permitted. Everything was bright and well maintained –
the cyber interface terminals and virtuality net projectors were all
cutting edge, fresh from the corporate labs at Orbital.
It took her just over a minute
to reach the monorail station door, the entrance system scanned her
on arrival, checking her security clearance and directly charging her
credit account. When the train arrived it was full of men in black featureless
suits with silver virtuality studs and brief cases. The woman wore equally
featureless black dress suits, or company uniforms the sort warn by
door staff and tour guides. Bland and featureless. There were no students
on the train at this time as schools tended to start at half past seven,
students she found were the last rare glimpses of colour she came across
in Skylight. She walked in and held onto a support bar and stared out
of the window as the train shot past other, less wealthy residential
zones, where hundreds stood on platforms waiting for the slower and
fuller trains.
She took a moment to flick
over the in transit advertisements; her mind drifted to memories of
small theatres crammed with jumping cheering fans singing their own
heart felt lyrics at her and the other girls. Their intensity and dedication,
the silly little gifts they’d spent hours picking and spent hard earned
money on. The memories became more and more vivid as the train descended
into the scrawl, dilapidated buildings, former corporate high rises
converted into rag tag malls, virtuality billboards and advertising
projectors decorated every possible surface with promotional material
for just about everything.
Quickly the scene changed back
to sleek lines and well lit streets.
“Now docking with MediaSense
excitement plaza. Please enjoy your stay – and have a productive day.”
The pitch perfect announcer stated.
The doors next to Haruna opened
and she shuffled out with a number of other passengers into the vast
open dome, the sky latticed with walkways, suspended platforms and monorail
stations. Advertisements streaked through the sky and holograms danced
amongst the lights. She could clearly make out herself amongst the dancing
images with her fellow band members. “Lily Garden” had shot to fame
with the support of MediaSense and their vast advertising network.
As she walked up to the record
company office she took in the grandeur of the architecture reminiscent
of things she’d seen in holo-novels about the era of antiquity. The
security guard smiled as she walked in and nodded,
“Morning Miss Kojima, how’s
you?”
She smiled and tilted her head
slightly “I’m fine, and you?”
“O same as always Miss Kojima,
same as always – they’re waiting for you on the twelfth floor.”
He said pointing at the lift.
“Thanks – see ya.” She
said as she walked into the lift. She took a deep breath and stretched
as the lift ascended to the correct floor.
The doors opened and she walked
out into a corridor with a door at the far end and a door on either
side half way down. She walked through the furthest door into the planning
room two girls sat on one side of the table, facing a trio of furious
looking men in suits.
“You’re here!” An over
excited Erena leapt at Haruna from the side, hugging her tight. Erena
looked up and as Haruna looked down into her wonky eyes she couldn’t
help but smile.
“Of course I am.” She petted
her twin tailed head and Erena stood back, she was a good head shorter
then Haruna.
“What do you think you’ve
been up to!” One of the men stood up and faced her.
“I over slept.” Haruna
said with a smile, as she took Erena’s hand and lead her to a seat
beside Mai.
“Over slept! Do you think
this is some kind of holiday camp?” The older man with shades exclaimed
with a scowl, he was the marketing director for the group.
“You seem to be losing your
focus.” The producer said, a younger man with bleach blond hair.
“I’m sorry. It wont happen
again.” She said with a bow.
“Indeed. Make sure of it.”
The marketing director commanded.
“So have you had a chance
to think of some lyrics for the new instrumental?” The producer said
leaning back.
“I trust you received the
new guidance on acceptable material I sent you all?” The Marketing
director said taking a moment too look at sales charts on his portable.
“I read them.” A note of
disgust evident in Oshima Mai’s response.
“I’d been thinking about
the lyrics and may have something in mind.” Haruna replied.
“Oh – good, our guys over
at the New Bradwell labs had a few suggestions too.” The producer
said happily.
“I bet.” Oshima Mai strummed
her fingers on the table.
“Well, when do you think
you can have your lyrics available for us?” The marketing director
asked staring Oshima.
“I have to discuss them with
everyone, maybe tomorrow.”
“Well I’ll bring the ideas
over from the labs too. Now you girls have a heavy schedule of practice
and a signing from three till five the limo will take you to Prospect
Heights.” The three men stood up and left the room.
“Man they really get to me.”
Mai said just after the door had closed.
“Did you read the new rules?”
Minami asked with an annoyed pout.
Erena idly flicked through
a magazine on the table only half paying any attention to her surroundings
at all.
“Yeah.” Haruna answered
as she stretched across the table and laid her face flat against the
fake wood.
“Well?” Minami probed.
“They’re as annoying as
the last set of rules.” Haruna sat up and stroked her hair.
“Well we did all agree to
this, and we are reaching more people.” Mai suggested.
“At least we don’t need
to worry about getting electrocuted by dodgy wiring anymore.” Erena
said looking up. “I’m hungry.”
“You’re always hungry.”
Haruna smiled, stood up, walked over to the cupboard and pulled a box
of jam donuts out. Erena’s eyes lit up.
“I guess that’s true.”
Minami said reaching for a donut as Haruna sat back down at the table
placing them in front of Erena.
“And we get to live in Skylight.”
Mai said. Minami smiled a Cheshire cat grin.
“Have any of you been to
Cerise? It’s an amazing store!” Minami asked whilst picking at her
donut. Erena’s eyes lit up; however she didn’t say anything as her
mouth was blocked by her own jam donut.
Mai got up and walked over
to the schedule board, her tight denim shorts accentuated her incredible
legs, her boots reached half way up her calf and she had thigh high
light green socks and a loose pink jumper with a hood the cords on the
hood had big fluffy bobbles on.
“Hmmm, another video shoot
tomorrow. Then more dance practice, more dance practice, then the concert
at the Star dome.” Mai traced her finger across the board.
“Ahh that’ll be good.”
Minami stood up and walked behind Mai, suddenly bear hugging her.
“Hey Miichan!” Mai yelped
as Minami tickled her.
“That looks fun!” Erena
took her attention away from the donut and lunged into the Mai tickling
frenzy. Haruna watched and smiled. Laughter filled the room.
“Harunyan, help me!” Mai
begged from beneath a carpet of tickling.
“Come on now, we have to
get to dance practice.” Haruna fingered her music player for a moment
and then stood up the her dress swaying perfectly.
“Awww.” Erena pouted, even
her twin tails seemed to droop. Mai let out a sigh of relief as Miichan
helped her up.
“If the wind changes your
face will stick like that.” Haruna said nodding. Erena looked shocked
a moment and then puffed out her cheeks, the other girls laughed.
Erena was wearing a dungaree
dress, a light blue blouse, white socks and blue trainers, her eyes
crossed, her nose and mouth were small and cute.
Minami was elegant but casual.
Practice was long and hard
as always but they didn’t mind, in fact they enjoyed practicing, maybe
even more then writing and performing live. During practice there was
only one rule, and that was practice hard.
The handshaking event was bland,
the only interesting fan had been filtered out by security before he
got a chance to reach them, it ended up the usual monotonous affair
of bland people who didn’t love them. She longed for a screaming mad
man to express his love, or a quiet geek covered in photos of the band.
The girls smiled, shook hands
and signed CDs surrounded by holograms of their latest single.
When they finally got back
to the record label office it was night the artificial sky glittered
with fake stars as a elegant white moon gracefully rose.
“Remember when that used
to be fun…” Erena said looking sleepy.
The other girls looked at her
but said nothing, Haruna stroked her hair and Erena leant on her.
“Are you all getting picked
up?” Haruna asked.
“I am.” Erena chirped.
“Damian arranged us a lift.”
Mai said indicating her and Minami.
“Do you need a lift?” Minami
asked.
“Huh? Oh no – I just wanted
to make sure you girls were already sorted. I’ll make my own way.”
She said with a bright smile and waved.
“See you tomorrow!” They
all chimed and waved each other off.
Haruna stood in front of the
train door and looked out of the window. There was a loud noise followed
by a sudden jolt then screams of other passengers. Haruna looked around
urgently as the train came to a stop just outside the Port Down station.
She could see panicked people around her but she stayed calm, after
a moment a voice came over the intercom,
“There has been a slight
technical fault – if you could all please wait and a secure transport
shall arrive to transport you to the Skylight terminal.”
Haruna looked out of the door
again.
“Okay. Let’s go.” She
said to herself as she pressed the door control and walked onto the
platform. A stark contrast to the bright halls of Skylight, the platform
was dimly lit and the vending machine had a protective grate over it.
She walked towards the exit gate taking her phone from her bag and swiping
it over the archaic sensor pad. The gates opened and she walked through
onto the street rain pouring from the sky. Of course it wasn’t rain
in the old fashioned sense but vapour that condenced on the air purification
systems above that dripped down. An old man stood hunched over a box
of umbrellas, she put her hand in her bag and fished out her purse then
walked over.
“I’ll have an umbrella
please.” She said dropping a two credit piece in his cup. The old
man grunted and pulled an umbrella from the box passing it to her. She
lifted it up and pressed the release button, it popped open without
any problem. She stepped out onto the street the pitter patter of rain
above, neon lights lined the tall buildings and people bustled back
and forth. Moving through them with practiced grace her nose picked
up a sent that lured her towards it and after a moment she found herself
standing in front of a food stand. She stared at the colourful array
of meats and after a moment decided on what to eat. She handed over
some change and took the food in a plastic tray with her as she wondered
down the path.
Skylight was over an hours
walk away but she didn’t mind she was used to walking through the
run down streets of the sprawl. She could see the beautiful lights of
Skylight towering into the sky like a beacon, behind her stood the equally
impressive MediaSense archology a massive commercial hive.
“Hey baby, you wanna party?”
Haruna almost bounced off the huge chest of some guy. He was wearing
a red jacket, black shirt and a baseball cap on sideways. He had a trimmed
beard and shades. Stood either side of him were other guys that she
didn’t get much of a look at as she leapt back.
“Yeah, you’re cute, come
play with us.” One of the other guys – wearing a blue and white
bomber jacket with large white trainers motioned to her moving closer.
Her heart began to race. The backs of her hands went cold.
“Yeah, lets party.” A third
truly huge guy with an afro and an arm of metal said a sickly grin.
A sharp terror spread through her as she shrugged them off and made
a move to dart between them but they immediately blocked any escape
and surrounded her. She couldn’t count them but there had to be at
least five, panic rose in her heart.
“No…” She whimpered.
“You don’t sound to convincing,
hey come on lets go.” The guy with the red jacket grabbed her shoulder.
The other guys laughed as she
felt someone push her from behind, she turned to see another of the
guys grinning he wore a bandana with a skull on it. “Let’s go party
kitten.”
“No, I don’t want to!”
She felt hot tears running down her face, her umbrella pushed tight
against her body.
“You shouldn’t lead guys
on!” The one in red yelled.
“Yeah!” A chorus of voices
yelled out. Haruna felt pressure from all sides as the guys pushed her,
filthy rain dropping from the sky. Their rain soaked hands staining
her white dress. She’d lost all sense of time, her hearing dulled,
she was being pushed along. She didn’t notice the explosion or the
falling masonry, the flying bullets, the screams of others, the street
erupting into bloody chaos.
She was on her knees sobbing,
her dress dirtied from the brown rain and filth covered floor, her bag
and umbrella had been kicked aside. Through her tears she could barely
make out the figure before her, just gentle fingers on her cheek and
something soft wiping away her tears. The gentle touch calmed her and
seemed to suck away the fear. As her eyes dried she could make out the
face of the girl tending to her, bobbed black hair with long bangs,
chocolate brown eyes, red painted lips, and a soft complexion.
“You’re okay.” A soft
musical voice, a reassuring smile, and deep compassionate eyes.
Haruna still felt weak and vulnerable, but then the girl leant forward,
wrapped her arms around her and held her closely. “You’re safe now,
it’s okay.”
Haruna finally collected herself
and the girl let her go, “Thank you” she said weakly.
“It’s fine.” The girl
looked Haruna up and down. “You should come back to mine to get cleaned
up.” Haruna nodded. They were both soaked through from the rain
once they arrived hand in hand at the girls flat. The block she lived
in was run down, a burnt out bed jammed one of the corridors, a old
washing machine blocked another, the lifts were broken and only a quarter
of the lights worked. The two had had to dodge smashed syringes and
old nappies in order to finally reach the door.
When the door opened and they
walked in Haruna was shocked, everything was tidy, the surfaces gleamed,
and most surprising were the posters of her on the wall from before
she joined MediaSense. The girl seemed to blush a moment but then seemed
to focus on the task of getting Haruna safe and dry.
“Okay…” She rushed into
a side room as Haruna stood shivering in the hall of the flat. “Here
use this to dry yourself.” The girl handed her a towel.
“Thank you.” The girl darted
into another room as Haruna started to rub herself down with the towel,
her clothes and hair were a complete mess but she felt safe and secure
as the girl reappeared holding a pile of clothes.
“And these should fit you.”
The girl bit her lip then smiled as she waited for Haruna to take the
clothes. “And you can get changed in here.” She opened the door
to the bathroom, a small room with a shower and a sink. Haruna nodded
and went in.
She started changing, drying
herself after removing each piece of sodden clothing.
“You’re pretty lucky, not
getting hurt during the fight between the security forces and the lowjacks.”
The girl said from the other side of the door. “What were you
doing here though, aren’t you living in one of the high class arcs
now?” She pried.
Haruna finished dressing, the
t-shirt the girl had given her had a bunny on the front and the pyjama
bottoms were decorated with cats. She opened the door and the girl was
standing opposite yellow pyjamas.
“Sorry I didn’t have anything
better to give you but I don’t think most of my stuff would fit, and
the stuff that would wouldn’t keep you warm. You should get your management
agency too pick you up.” She smiled and handed her a mug of chocolate.
“These are fine, and no,
I don’t want to go back just yet.” Haruna said taking the chocolate
and then walked into the living room, she smiled as she saw the holo-concert
disks, the posters, the light sticks. “How long have you liked Lily
Garden?” The girl looked down and shuffled a moment on the spot.
“Ever since I saw you all
performing at the food court in the Twycross multiplex.”
“Eh?” Haruna was shocked,
as the girl nodded.
“You were all so determined
and your songs were all so exciting and edgy. I remember the crowd that
formed to watch you all, you were even prettier then the Skylight then.”
She sat down on her sofa next to a large teddy bear.
“Have you seen any of our
shows?” Haruna sat next to her.
“Of course, from then on
I saw everything until your promotion to the big league. The Zeitgaist
Apollo show was incredible when you first song Cherry Blossom and Streetwalk
Rebel.” The girls eyes were glistening. “You inspired me to become
a singer.” She smiled and nodded in the direction of a poster. “Hikari – Starlight of the Sprawl.” The poster had the girl singing in the centre and flanked by pillars
of orange light, at the bottom you could see a crowd bearing light sticks.
At the top stars.
“Wow, are you popular?”
Haruna asked focusing back on the girl.
“I guess – nothing compared
to you guys though, I could never make it in the big leagues. Not that
I think I’d like too anyway.” She settled back.
“Why?”
“Well… I couldn’t see
my fans anymore. I couldn’t share jokes with the people who’ve come
up from the same place I have, I couldn’t bring happiness to people
who don’t have happiness.” Haruna felt a twinge of guilt sat before
this girl who just beamed a happy purity that she didn’t feel able
to even aspire too.
“You’re right… Once you
join a media corporation you lose your voice.” Haruna looked down
at the hot chocolate in her hands.
“Song birds shouldn’t be
caged. Infact no bird should be.” Hikari stood up and walked over
to a wall, her nimble fingers activating the media centre. An image
flashed up onto the screen, it was the Apollo.
“What’s this?”
“A bootleg of your concert
just before you joined MediaSense, it’s my favourite. I was right
at the front, my mate took this.”
Haruna watch as the crowd exploded
when Lily Garden came on, the crowd surging forward, the chanting, light
sticks flailing, the synchronised jumps, claps and calls. Haruna watched
the whole thing and hadn’t realised that tears were dropping from
her eyes. Hikari wiped away the tears with a giggle.
“You do cry more then I imagined
you would.” Haruna smiled sheepishly.
“Sorry, it’s just that,
I’ve not seen something like that in a long time.”
“Why did you join MediaSense?”
Hikari asked, they were sat next to each other now.
“So that we could sing to
larger crowds and spread our music.” Haruna sighed.
“Do you enjoy it?”
“No, sure we play to large
crowds, but we aren’t singing our songs anymore, we’re singing the
marketing department songs.”
“That sucks, but at least
you aren’t poor and living in the sprawls.” Hikari smiled as Haruna
rested her head on her shoulder.
“I don’t know, I didn’t
hate the sprawl, and compared to the corporate archs it’s so lively.”
“Heh, yeah that’s one way
of putting it, but it’s also filthy and dangerous.”
“Danger makes life interesting
though doesn’t it?” Haruna looked up.
“Yes it does, I can’t imagine
those giant cages holding anything that could really inspire you.”
The night drifted into morning
and they kept talking until they both fell asleep curled up on the sofa.
Haruna was woken up by a beeping
in her ear; she sat up and looked around slightly confused until she
remembered what had happened the night before. The smell of stir fry
and toast whiffed from a door and she could hear Hikari humming to herself.
Her attention focused back on the beeping. She had turned the message
centre to silent but her MediaSense handlers had put a remote in it
so they could turn it back on if they wanted to talk to her.
“Dammit.” She murmured.
She turned to the wall behind her and answered the call. “Hello.”
She chimed in her best “nothings wrong” voice.
“Where are you?” A disarming
male voice. It was one of her handlers.
“Oh, I’m at a friends house.”
“Why didn’t you call us?”
“It got late and it slipped
my mind, then I thought it was too late to call.”
“It’s never too late to
call, you know that, we’re always here to help.”
“Sorry, I just didn’t want
to cause a problem.”
“That’s okay. We’re sending
someone to collect you now, they should be there any minute.”
“Excuse me?” She was shocked
as there was a bang on the door.
“Ah they’re there already
– we have to take good care of our assets Miss Kojima.” Haruna’s
shoulders slumped. Hikari opened the door oblivious to the call; she
was holding a large stun baton.
Three men stood at the door,
all of them over seven foot tall they barged past a shocked Hikari pushing
her to the side,
“Out of the way.” One barked.
“Miss Kojima it’s time
to leave.” Hikari cast her a glance and then shot her a tender smile.
“It was fun.” Hikari said.
Haruna smiled then ran over to her and coiled her arms around Hikari’s
slednder waist. The guards didn’t notice as Haruna slipped an id tag
into Hikari’s Jeans.
“We’ll see each other again.”
Haruna and Hikari gazed at each other a moment, then Hikari blushed
and giggled.
“Go now - you’re embarrassing
me.” Hikari’s hand had however clenched Haruna’s t-shirt tightly.
“I promise.”
“Make sure you do.” Hikari
looked up “remember to sing free songbird.” She let go of Haruna’s
t-shirt. As the three men ushered Haruna out of the door. Hikari leant
back against the wall and stared at her ceiling. “Oh boy…” Her
heart was pounding.
Haruna sat in the maglev car
and stared out of the window; she watched the sprawl change and vanish.
Her mind full of thoughts of their old fans, the ones that queued for
hours outside of run down theatres and abandoned arenas. Driving around
the outskirts of the great dome looking for stadiums that hadn’t fallen
down. Rigging up make shift generators and concerts lit with glowsticks
and light sticks.
She was still thinking about
it when she reached the changing room the next day, the other girls
didn’t even get a chance to probe her before she started talking.
“Remember when we stayed
on stage singing at the evergreen stadium even though it was raining
and their was no roof?”
“Haha we were soaked!”
Miichan laughed.
“Wasn’t that where you
got the idea for Steampower?” Mai asked Miichan.
“Yeah! Haha the steam coming
off the crowd was just insane.”
“I remember when we came
up with Streetwalk Rebel, some government types had been spying.”
“They call it profile apparently”
Miichan scoffed.
“Spying on us and other school
mates, man that day we burnt down the local police HQ.” Mai said shaking
her head.
“Jeez I remember that, three
whole days of riots… didn’t we do like five shows?” Erena asked.
The conversation rolled on
until Haruna finally asked,
“Why are we still here?”
The other girls shuffled in their seats.
“Well… we’re on contract.”
Mai said.
“My parents would kill me!”
Erena moaned.
“What do you want to do?”
Miichan asked, her eyes a blaze. Haruna smiled.
“I say we leave and do a
concert in the sprawl again. We’ve still got friends there and fans.”
“We’re supposed to do a
MediaSense concert on the 23rd.” Erena worried.
“Then we’ll do our own
instead! We’ll sing our songs.” Haruna declared.
“MediaSense will pull the
show instantly!” Mai noted.
“Only if we go to their concert.”
Haruna smiled.
“Eh?” Erena looked confused.
“The Pi dome superplex was
shut down last month, it’s huge…” The other girls eyes went wide
and their mouths dropped until suddenly Miichan burst into laughter.
“I’m in! I hate this place
anyway.” Miichan smiled and wiped a tear from her eye.
“What got into you anyway?”
Mai asked.
“I went back to the sprawl
and realised that we had lost ourselves here.”
“We’ll be poor and living
in dumps.” Erena sighed.
“And we’ll probably be
in breach of contract…”
“Yeah, but we’ll be singing
our own songs and to our audience.” Haruna smiled.
“And we can spark a fire
again.” Miichan smiled, she looked like she was running through new
lyrics already.
“So, it’s decided – we
play the superplex!”
“Ah hell… of course.”
Erena smiled and hugged Haruna, Mai smiled and nodded while Miichan
looked lost in thought.
The 23rd rolled
around and at the MediaSense super arena men screamed at one another,
secretaries scampered, an audience mumbled. While in the run down superplex
a huge crowed yelled and leaped as Hikari whipped them into frenzy.
She’d spent all of her time in the last few days making sure everyone
in the sprawl knew that an incredible event was to take place at the
superplex, for the small small admission fee of five credits. She’d
also let a rumour slip about who the main act would be, the rumours
spread like wildfire everyone taking the chance that not only would
they get to see Hikari live but Lily Garden to.
“She’s pretty incredible.”
Mai said from behind Haruna. Looking at Hikari parade across the stage.
“Well, she’d have to be
to drag our Haruna back to her senses.” Erena said cheekily.
“Hey you little imp, you
need to get to your place on the other side.” Haruna chimed with a
smile. As Erena slipped an impish smile and skipped off.
On the stage Hikari finished
her final MC,
“And now, the moment you’ve
all been waiting for, the return of the sprawls favourite idols, Lily
Garden!” The crowd erupted into cheers and the four girls ran onto
stage hi fiving Hikari as go.
“Hello everybody!” Haruna.
“HARUNYAAAAAN!!!” The crowd
screamed.
“We’re back!” Erena twittered
holding her hand in a v pose next to her eye.
“EREPYON!!!” The crowd
cheered, glow sticks waved. The audience glowed ultra orange.
“Don’t forget me!” Mai
bounced around waving.
“MAIMAI!!!” The crowd was
going mental, cheers exploding left right and centre, the girls hearts
raced.
“Have you all been good whilst
we were away?” Miichan said with a jump.
“YEAH MIICHAN!!!”
“Well we’re sorry it’s
been a while, but we’ve come to say sorry and give you all a really
special night!” Haruna.
By the end they’d remembered
why they did it, they needed the fans even more then the fans adored
them. Most of them were far from perfect but they were pure of heart
in one matter – that of their devotion and as Hikari said what inspiration
do you have when you and those around you already have everything?
The five left the stadium to
get drinks, Skylight didn’t seem so impressive anymore.
“So how about a new tour?”
Erena asked as they walked past the hoards of sweaty fans who stared
dumbfounded.
“One step at a time.” Haruna
said poking her in the ribs. “One step at a time.”
