#ako rinko and sayo not as much though since they have other games that are their primary interests

[chisatowo]

Combines my interests by thinking abt who bandori characters would main in genshin

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A New World Chapter 17: Goals (1/2)

Author Note: Hi, I’m still alive. I spent some time going for podium in D4DJ and things irl have been blowing up lately. I’m still dedicated to finishing this fic. This chapter has been split into two chapters. Thank you for your patience and continued support!

Please listen to the first two minutes of Kiseki at the right time during Rinko’s section. You’ll know when. (link if you need it https://youtu.be/BXsp6qALjr4)

Summary: The members of Roselia ponder what to do next.

First Chapter Previous Chapter

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Rinko sat at her piano, eyes shut, hands poised in a familiar position over the keys. Her fingers began to move, pressing the keys softly the same way they had hundreds of times before. The tune of Black Shout drifted through the room.

It washed over her, bringing a much needed sense of calm.

Ever since the meeting earlier, Rinko’s heart had been in turmoil. Well, she’d been worried before then too, but she hoped the band would be able to come to a solution. Instead, she left with a new question and even more to dwell on.

In her mind Rinko could hear the other parts that went with hers, the blend of the band’s oldest song. She could hear how their performance used to sound, how they used to fit together.

Their performance last week had been different. Rinko tried to remember as she played, to imagine the new sound of her bandmates that they presented on stage, but she couldn’t. Their sound had changed so much, she could hardly recall it. Even Yukina’s singing had morphed into something new.

Rinko opened her eyes, hands stilling against the keys.

She had been sent to ponder a specific question, to set a goal for the band. When Rinko suggested that they take a week to think about it, it was because she couldn’t think of anything. That had never been her role.

No, Rinko’s role had always been to create. She wrote songs and created outfits, all parts of how the band presented itself. Though Rinko herself lacked presence, she contributed to the band through her work and her playing.

She supported the band, and in turn she found a place to belong. Over the last three years Roselia had come to feel like home.

It was a home that was always moving, always seeking the next step. Together, they tried to achieve something until they succeeded. Now they weren’t, and they were slowly drifting apart.

That was why Yukina thought they needed a new goal.

It wasn’t going to be enough.

Rinko’s thoughts had been trapped in this cycle, of being unable to come up with the next steps despite being desperate to do so. She’d hoped playing their music would help her think clearly, but it hadn’t worked.

Her view of the band felt more out of focus than ever, unable to even imagine how they now sounded together.

Without thinking, Rinko again began to play. It was a different song, once much slower and quieter than Black Shout before it.

The opening notes of Kiseki rang softly from the heart of the piano.

They didn’t perform this song often; it didn’t quite match their usual image. Regardless, Rinko loved it. She still remembered when Yukina had given her the lyrics for it, more subdued than usual.

She told Rinko it was a, “Thank you for everything,” with an uncharacteristic pink to her cheeks.

The accompanying tune flowed from Rinko’s soul. She matched the words carefully, with a soft melody that she hoped enhanced their meaning.

When she first played the song for the rest of the band, Yukina singing the lyrics along with her piano, they listened in stunned silence.

As the piece ended nobody said a word, but even in the quiet Rinko could feel the emotion in the room. She could feel how close the band had become, represented by the song she and Yukina had created together.

Rinko longed to return to that closeness.

Surely there was something she could do to help, to restore the band to how they used to be. She grimaced as she hit the chorus of the song, pressing her hands harder against the keys.

Perhaps that was the problem.

They had all changed so much, even over just a few months. It was impossible to go back.

The song hit its peak, unrelenting in its pace. Rinko continued to play, with her emotions laid bare through the piano.

As the members changed, Roselia could only go forward. Rinko too had changed and grown, through her playing and her compositions. Instead of growing apart, they needed to grow together.

That was easier said than done.

As the chorus ended, Rinko’s playing slowed to a halt. This was where the others would come in, bringing the whole band into the song. She could hear it in her mind. She wondered how it would sound if they played it now.

She needed to find out. Sitting here at her piano, yearning for the past, wasn’t doing her any favors.

Even if she couldn’t find a goal for the band, there were other things she could do.

Rinko’s hands moved again, deftly across the keys.

The melody that emerged was a new one, something she’d been working on near the start of the semester. If everything worked out, this would be Roselia’s next song.

No, that wasn’t the right way to think about it. Rinko was determined to make this Roselia’s next song. It still needed a lot of work and lyrics to go with it, but she was going to make sure it was a success. This was how she would support the band and bring them back together.

This song would carry them forward.

Rinko needed to spend more time listening to her bandmates from now on, adapting to the changes in their playing. Then she would be able to compose for the new Roselia.

If she tweaked it for her bandmates new sound, for the new sound of the band as a whole, that would help them find their path.

Rinko was sure of it.

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Ako often found that playing video games provided a good distraction. Whether it be from school work or band troubles, they did the trick. Sayo had once specifically told her that video games provided escapist entertainment. They were playing NFO together at the time. Ako didn’t really understand that concept; she just enjoyed playing them.

As Ako directed her character across a field of burning lava, it was slightly easier to not think about the band meeting they held a couple days ago.

It felt like the only thing she’d done since the meeting was worry about it, so she really needed the break.

For while, it worked. Ako teamed up with a few other players to do some quests. They saved a local village from a volcano by redirecting the lava, then had their celebratory party crashed by the culprit who made the volcano erupt in the first place.

The twist made for a satisfying quest line, with a cool boss fight at the end. Ako would definitely run it with Rinko again, when her friend had time. After, Ako said goodbye to her party members.

As fun as playing had been, when the screen in front of Ako flicked to black nothing had really changed. Her own smudged reflection stared back at her, far more tired looking than she should’ve been after a gaming session.

Without the flashing lights on the screen, her thoughts returned to where they were still stuck, to her friends disappointed faces as they sat around the table at the family restaurant.

Lisa told Ako it wasn’t her fault, but she couldn’t help but feel that it was. If she’d done a better job, this wouldn’t have happened. The drums were supposed to keep the band together, and she couldn’t do it. Now, it felt like they were on the verge of collapse.

Ako wouldn’t let that happen. She hoped that the new goal they came up with would bring them all back together. She just needed to come up with something good. She wanted to keep playing with her friends, in the band that she loved.

Ako pushed her chair back from the computer, stretching her arms and back as she rose from it. She didn’t like to sit and wallow.

No, it was time for action. Perhaps she would brainstorm best if she moved her body. That would at least alleviate the tension in her back, which still remained even after stretching.

With that thought, Ako pushed in her chair and stepped away from the desk. She started walking across the room, turning to come back as she reached the end of it. One hand rested on her chin as she wracked her brain for any ideas.

It took a few laps before she thought of something.

Ako paused mid step as an idea popped into her mind, perhaps they could work to perform overseas? That would be a huge accomplishment, even bigger than playing in Future World FES. Ako perked up, before sagging her shoulders as she continued to think about it.

No, that wouldn’t work. She sighed as she started walking again. Her bandmates were all too busy with university to leave the country; they would never be able to get that kind of time off. Maybe during summer break, but that was too soon. There just wasn’t enough time.

It would have to be something close by then. Future World FES had always been Yukina’s dream, that the rest of them strived for with her. Ako wondered what Yukina was thinking now, what she thought about how far they’d fallen.

Though they’d accomplished their goal, they’d only grown apart since. They lost sight of what it meant to be Roselia.

Wasn’t it Ako’s job to remind them? Ako’s eyes widened in realization as she again stopped, almost stumbling forward. That was what she said, all those many months ago.

After spending so much time apart and heading down splitting roads, the band clearly needed a reminder. They needed to remember what brought them together, so they could move forward with an even stronger goal.

If Roselia got off track, Ako had committed to bringing back Louder to remind them of their path. It was time to follow through on that promise.

At their next practice, she’d be sure to.

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The park was quiet at this time of night. The local kids usually went home before sunset, leaving the swings and slides abandoned.

That suited Lisa well, as she sat on a swing near the edge of the lamppost’s light. She dug her shoe into the dirt, rocking the swing back and forth slightly.

She liked to come here to think, to get away from the bustle of her house and family. It was peaceful and calm, only slightly warm today since the sun had fully set. A few bugs chirped nearby.

The stillness of the night directly contrasted Lisa’s own tumultuous thoughts. She had seen the writing on the wall at their performance, which was only confirmed by the meeting last weekend; she knew the band was going downhill fast.

It was something she feared, something she dreaded. It was the reason she worked so hard to improve her skills, so she could help the band be the best. So that, even if things would never work out between them, she could stay by Yukina’s side.

Despite all of their efforts, or perhaps because of them, everything the band built was crumbling around them. But they weren’t giving up.

Yukina wanted to set a new goal.

Lisa believed in that, believed in her. Still, she was worried.

The problem wasn’t just that they didn’t have a goal. Ever since Future World FES they’d been looking in different directions, and their lack of focus was catching up to them.

Lisa should’ve realized it earlier, when she first heard hints of disunity during rehearsal. How foolish she’d been to just ignore it, to let things get this far. If only she’d realized and taken action, it wouldn’t have become this bad.

Now though, it was too late. They needed to come up with a new plan.

When Lisa thought about what the goal for the band should be, she only thought of Yukina. The woman she’d been following since she was a child, who she was finally able to walk side by side with in Roselia, dominated her mind. Yukina’s dreams had always lit the way for the band and propelled them forward. She was the guiding light that drove the band. Lisa filled more of a supporting role, helping Yukina and her bandmates as best she could.

This year Lisa had broken off to her own path, even more so than her bandmates. She was studying outside the realm of music, but still she longed to stay by Yukina’s side. She couldn’t bear it if the band were to fall apart.

Even though she was supposed to come up with a goal, Lisa was at a loss with what to do next. She suspected Sayo felt the same way, with the way her frown deepened over the course of the meeting.

Lisa knew that coming up with a goal wouldn’t be enough to solve their problems. They had already changed so much in a short period of time. It would take more to bring their sound back together. She sighed, dragging the toe of her shoe through the dirt.

Lisa thought back to Yukina, whose light had been on when she left the house. Yukina had probably already come up with their next goal, the next target for the band to hit. Even at the meeting, her eyes hadn’t wavered.

What could Lisa do to help?

Now she drew a pattern in the dirt, the outline of a rose. There had been so many times when she questioned her place in the band and her contribution to it. She’d learned from those experiences, about her role and what being in Roselia truly meant.

Cookies might be a good place to start. With their busy schedules, it had been a long time since the band had spent any quality time together. They really only met to practice, often without all their members.

Hanging out, even if it was just for long enough to eat cookies, could bring them closer once again. Lisa made a mental note to get some ingredients, so she could bake the finest batch of cookies she’d ever made.

No number of cookies would fix the bands problems of course; Lisa knew that. Getting the band together would only be the beginning. She needed to do more.

They only had a month until summer break, when everyone would be free. That sparked an idea in Lisa’s mind, something that would help for sure.

Lisa rose from the swing, a burst of energy surging through her. Her mouth was set in determination. She was careful not to step on her drawing as she walked away, headed back towards home with a spring in her step.

She needed to look at her calendar and start making some plans.

Next Chapter

[bandori-headcanons]

Hello! Do you have any Tae/Rinko headcanons? I desperately need content for them. Thank you!!

Sure, sure!! ^-^ I really hope these two interact in the game someday, because I think they’d make a great pair!

• Rinko first noticed Tae when Roselia did a performance at SPACE. Although she was just doing backstage work, she was doing so much to make the bands onstage shine brighter. Although indirectly, she encouraged Rinko to push herself into the spotlight.  

• When Roselia first performed with with Poppin’ Party, Rinko recognized Tae from back then. She wanted to thank her, but she was too nervous. Sayo overheard her talking about her dilemma with Ako, and set up a meeting between them.  

• Tae was delighted that she inspired Rinko, though she was a little confused. She didn’t think she’d be noticed for her backstage work of all things. 

• After talking for a bit, Tae realized how similar Rinko was to one of her rabbits. She invited her over in a heartbeat, and before long they were hanging out in Tae’s yard, playing with the bunnies.  

• Rinko loved hearing Tae talk about rabbits. She knew Tae had a tendency to space out and go from subject to subject at the drop of a hat. But when Tae talked about rabbits she was bursting with passion and rambled for ages. 

• Tae wanted to know more about Rinko’s interests too, and asked her to teach her to play video games. Rinko showed her one of her favourite open world games, taught her the basics, and let her play on her own. Tae ended up far more interested in the gathering and farming aspects of the game than anything else. She got addicted to farming games after that.  

• The whole experience let Tae see Rinko’s passionate side, which she tries to bring out as often as possible because it’s so adorably endearing. She calls it Rinko’s “chatterbox mode”. 

• They both have a bit of a crush on each other. Rinko hasn’t mustered up the courage to talk about it with anyone, but she sends hearts along with her usual string of emojis whenever they text.  

• Tae casually mentioned her crush to Saaya, figuring she’d give the most mature advice out of all her friends. Saaya isn’t so sure how things will go, especially since Tae’s reason for liking Rinko is “she’s just like a rabbit”.

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A New World Chapter 22: Training Camp Day 4

Author Note: While I was away, Roselia’s third band story was released. I read a summary, but it will not be influencing this fic in any way.

First Chapter Previous Chapter

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With only two members in the studio, the room was quiet. That suited Rinko just fine, as she needed to focus completely on the lyrics Yukina presented to her.

When Sayo told her that they would take the morning off practicing to work on writing a new song, Rinko had fully supported the idea. Now was the perfect time to do so, especially since they could record the song this week.

It turned out Yukina had rejected the board game last night to work on the lyrics, since she still needed to put the final touches on them. It was disappointing that she couldn’t play, but when Lisa returned and eagerly joined, the mood turned around.

The other three band members were upstairs this morning, though Rinko didn’t know what they were doing. They hadn’t decided yet when she left, and she couldn’t hear them from the studio. Sayo was going to help with the guitar parts once they had the base of the song done, which would probably be by tomorrow.

Now, with the band split up, it was time to create the song. When Yukina handed Rinko the lyrics, she admitted that she hadn’t been able to complete them until last night. Right now, here at the training camp, was the only time she could’ve written them.

The title line for the song was blank. The lyrics spoke of the unification of the band, they way that they came together to seek the top. Each member had a line during the second half of the verse, leading to them all singing together. The lines of the chorus carried a similar message, looking up and towards the future.

They were great lyrics. Rinko’s thoughts went to the song she’d been working on, playing the melody in her mind. She tried to slot the words in, but it wasn’t going to work. That melody didn’t quite fit these lyrics.

No, she would need to create something new.

Rinko looked up from the notebook, which was perched on a music stand behind her keyboard, eyes meeting Yukina’s. The singer had been watching her read with steady golden eyes, waiting for her reaction.

“D-do you have a tempo in mind?” Rinko asked, not giving her judgement yet on the lyrics.

Yukina’s forehead wrinkled as she thought of a reply. “On the faster side, I think over 180 would be best.” Most of their music was around that tempo, so it made sense. It also matched what Rinko expected; she was right to set aside her other melody.

She leaned forward to click on the metronome that was part of her keyboard, turning the dial up to 180 beats per minute. Rinko reviewed the lyrics again as she listened to it, toe tapping in half time.

Yukina had her hands together in her lap, finger tapping lightly with each beat. Her eyes were narrowed as she focused.

Rinko let the metronome play for a couple minutes, turning over a few potential melodies in her mind. When she glanced back at Yukina, the vocalist had a distinct gleam in her eye. It seemed like she had an idea. Rinko clicked the metronome off.

“How about this, in 4/4 time.”  Yukina didn’t wait, jumping right into presenting her idea. She sang a two measure phrase, much slower than the tempo they were just listening to. She sang in a major key signature, Rinko would need to ask exactly which one. It used a quarter note followed by half notes in the first measure, and then a syncopated rhythm in the second. The tune went up and down with each note, ending on a lower one.

Rinko played it on her keyboard, matching the notes Yukina sang as closely as she could. Yukina nodded, offering a tweak to one of the notes and clarifying the key signature. It sounded even better the second time.

“This could work... on the verses.” Rinko handed the lyric sheet back to Yukina, and then played the tune slowly multiple times in a row. Yukina joined on the second set, singing the portion where the band members counted off. It lined up well, and with a few more tweaks it would be perfect.

The pair stopped, with Rinko grabbing her blank sheet music to jot the phrase down.

Next, they modified it to fit the earlier part of the verse. It wasn’t quite as urgent, and didn’t need as many half notes. After that came the melody of the chorus, which called for a new tune. It could use some of the same notes as the verse, but needed to do a lot more lifting.

They tried a few different melodic lines until they found one that worked and matched well with the verses. It conveyed the emotion of the lyrics as well, lifting the notes and the band higher.

With those three core aspects decided, the two split up for half an hour to work independently. Yukina needed to decide how she would sing the song, while Rinko prepared the first rough draft of the melody on sheet music.

Rinko worked carefully on her task, connecting the portions together. The second verse and bridge would still need more foundation, but they were off to a good start. Maybe Sayo would want to help with the bridge, beyond writing just the guitar part for it. She made a mental note to ask her.

Rinko was able to finish the draft in the half hour designated, then prepared to play it with Yukina. They worked their way through the piece slowly, stopping every few measures to make corrections.

It was a good idea to write a new song; the band needed one. They would keep working until lunch, writing the rest of the melody and adding other instruments. The song was slowly coming together.

As she played, Rinko wondered what was going on upstairs.

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Training camp was a great time to try new things. Ako truly believed that, from the bottom of her heart. So when Rinko and Yukina split off to work on a new song, that opened up a morning full of opportunities.

Though they couldn’t go far from the house, there was still so much they could do! They could play games or go on an adventure. This house must have had some secrets it was hiding, if Ako only looked close enough to find them. They could also bake, or perhaps compose a song of their own. That would really surprise Rinko and Yukina.

As the other two members went down to the studio, Ako proposed these ideas to Lisa and Sayo. She was excited, regardless of which one was chosen.

The three were standing in a circle in the kitchen, near the main table.

“It’s been a while since we baked together.” Sayo lifted one hand to her chin as she considered the idea. “Not since last fall.”

“Baking sounds like a great idea!” Lisa voiced her agreement. Both of them baked as a hobby, so it made sense that they would pick it.

Sayo frowned slightly. “It might help with the mood too.” Her eyes flicked towards the stairs leading to the studio.

“Yeah…” Lisa sighed, smile slipping away as her voice trailed off.

Ako wasn’t sure what they meant; the mood had been way better over the last couple days. “What should we make?” She wasn’t that familiar with baking. Sure, she’d eaten many a baked good in her time, but she didn’t have much experience making them. Despite that, she was eager to jump in and learn.

“How about cookies?” Sayo’s attention snapped to Ako as she replied, taking her phone out of her pocket and looking down at the screen. “There’s a new recipe I’ve been meaning to try.” She tapped multiple times on the screen.

A moment later Ako’s phone buzzed; Sayo had sent her the link. Lisa must’ve received it too, since she also looked at her phone. Ako opened the recipe and scrolled through it, skimming the ingredients list and directions. It was for sugar cookies, ones that could be cut into fun shapes.

“This looks doable.” Lisa commented as she did the same. “We might need a few more ingredients.”

Oh, that would be the adventure Ako was looking for. “Let’s go shopping!” She raised one fist in the air.

“We should.” Sayo stepped over to the fridge, opening it to look inside. “I’ll make a list of what we still need.” She started typing again on her phone.

Lisa stepped up next to her to peer inside. “We can make the frosting too, add confectioner’s sugar to the list.” Ako hadn’t heard of that, but it had the words sugar in it, so it was probably tasty.

“Alright.”

“Ooh, let’s get some food dye too.” Ako could already picture the cool cookies she’d make, in shape of bats or instruments. Colored frosting would make them even better.

Lisa shot back a thumbs up, stepping back from the fridge. She moved over to the cabinet, looking inside at the baking supplies available. Sayo followed a moment later. Ako didn’t know what they were looking for, so she waited right where she was.

A minute later, and they seemed satisfied with what they saw. Sayo led the way out of the kitchen and back to the front door, where they put their shoes on and ventured out into the world.

The market was only a ten minute walk from the house, a journey Ako had made already a few times. The trio walked there with ease, making small talk about the weather.

They quickly gathered the needed items once inside, which included the confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and food dye, along with other ingredients.

Once they had bought everything, they walked back to the house. The bags were split between the three, with Ako carrying two of them.

Soon, they were re-entering the house and setting the ingredients down in the kitchen. Ako listened to see if she could hear the piano, since it had been a while since they got started downstairs, but the studio was too good at keeping sound in.

“We’ll start with the cookie dough, then make the frosting while it chills.” Lisa said, taking charge with her high-level baking knowledge. She washed her hands at the sink, which was probably a good idea. Sayo went next, followed by Ako.

“I’ll start mixing dry ingredients.” Sayo said after drying her hands. She took a large bowl out of the cupboard and settled at one of the counters.

“That means we have the wet ones.” Lisa took a smaller bowl from the same cupboard, moving to a counter away from Sayo. “Ako, can you grab a spatula?” She pointed to one of the drawers on the other side of the kitchen.

Of course she could do that! Ako stepped around the other two to reach the drawer, opening it to look for the desired object. Surprisingly, there were a few different colored spatulas to choose from, but she settled on a black one. At the other counter, Sayo was very carefully measuring the flour.

When Ako got back to Lisa, her friend had already gathered a few of the wet ingredients. “That’s perfect.” She said, eyeing the spatula Ako clenched in one fist. “I’ll add ingredients while you stir.”

“Sounds good!” Ako stepped in front of the bowl as Lisa moved to the side, plunging her spatula down inside it. There already was an egg cracked at the bottom, so Ako began to stir it. Each time her spatula scaped the side, she imagined the echo of a cymbal hit.

As she stirred, Lisa dropped in more ingredients. The vanilla was easy to mix in, while the butter was tougher. Ako kept at it, stirring the mixture firmly. This wasn’t so hard; she could totally do this! Soon, it had reached a consistent texture.

Lisa had been standing aside, and she leaned over the bowl to take a look. “Looks great Ako!” She then turned to Sayo. “Are the dry ingredients ready?”

There was a bit of white dust in Sayo’s hair, clinging to the ends of it. She was dumping one last teaspoon of powder into her mixture. “Just finished.” She picked the large bowl up, bringing it over the Lisa and Ako.

“Let’s combine them.” Lisa gestured for Ako to pass her the spatula, which she did as she stepped back from the bowl. With apparent ease, Lisa lifted the smaller bowl and poured the contents into the larger one. She then stuck the spatula inside and began to stir. Sayo took the smaller bowl to wash, while Ako moved closer to peer at the mixture.

“It already looks great.” Ako commented.

“They’re gonna be delicious.” Lisa stirred carefully, mixing the ingredients together. The dough was thick and clung to the spatula.

When Sayo finished washing the bowl, she looked in the cupboard again. Ako hopped over to see if she needed any help. Sayo emerged with a box of wax paper, which she unrolled onto one of the counters. “We’ll need two.” She said, tearing the first piece off and offering it to Ako.

Ako held it tightly as Sayo tore another one off, and soon both were ready. It was good timing, since Lisa was just about done mixing the dough. They brought the paper over to her counter, since the bowl was harder to move. Sayo gained a rolling pin along the way.

Ako marveled at how in sync Sayo and Lisa were in the kitchen. She knew they had baked together before, but it was still amazing to watch them work together.

“Ako, have you rolled dough before?” Lisa asked as she took the sheet of wax paper from the teen, spreading it on the table.

“Nope.” Ako replied honestly. She was eager to try.

“No better time to learn.” Lisa scooped some of the dough out with her hands, placing it on the wax paper. She only took about half of it out, before taking the second sheet from Sayo. It was placed on top of the dough, leaving it pressed between the two. “Sayo’ll guide you, she’s an expert.”

Sayo’s cheeks dusted pink at that, but she didn’t comment on it. “Let’s get started then.” She handed the rolling pin to Ako, showing her how to hold it on both sides. “Don’t press too hard. We’re aiming for one quarter inch, not completely flat.”

Ako grit her teeth in determination as she lowered the rolling pin down onto the dough pile. She slowly rolled over the top of it, carefully pushing it down.

“You can push a little harder.” Sayo was right by her side, watching her every move.

Ako did as instructed, applying more pressure to the dough. The rolling pin moved over it smoothly, steadily making it flatter and flatter. It was easy with the wax paper, since the pin couldn’t stick to the dough. She rolled rhythmically, two beats up and two beats back. A rhythm formed in her mind, around the movement of the pin.

Once she thought it was close, she stopped. Ako leaned over to look at the thickness, trying to decide if this was one quarter inch. She had no idea; it was super hard to tell.

Sayo had leaned down on the other side, checking the same thing. “A little more.” She said as her final judgement.

With just a few more sweeps of the rolling pin, the first half was done. Ako beamed as she lifted the rolling pin off, marveling at what they’d made. Behind her, Lisa had appeared with a baking sheet. She placed the tray next to it, removed the top wax paper layer, then flipped it expertly onto the tray. Once Lisa took the tray away, it was time to roll the rest of the dough.

“I’ll do the second half.” Sayo said as she started scooping the remaining dough onto the paper. “If you don’t mind washing the bowl.”

“I’m on it!” Once the dough was all out, Ako took the bowl over to the sink. It really was a large bowl, but she shouldn’t have too much trouble cleaning it.

By the time she was done, the front of her shirt was drenched and the second set of dough was ready. Lisa transferred it to a second baking sheet to put in the fridge with the other one.

“In an hour, we can cut them into shapes.” Lisa declared as she shut the fridge. “Let’s do the frosting for now.”

“What colors are we making?” Sayo asked, taking the food dye they’d bought out of the bag.

“Black and white for sure.” Ako wanted to make sure of it, so she could make cool bat cookies and a piano for Rinko.

“Blue and red too, if you’re alright with making four.” Lisa directed her words at Sayo.

“That’s fine, we’ll just divide it before we add the food dye.” Sayo retrieved the small bowl, the one Ako stirred the wet ingredients in before.

They soon had prepared all four colors of frosting, which Ako just had to sample to see if they tasted the same. Unsurprisingly, they did.

The cookie dough had chilled long enough by that point, so they cut it into shapes and then put it in the oven.

Ako watched through the tiny window as the cookies baked, eager to frost them. She was even more excited to see Rinko and Yukina’s reactions when they received them.

She hoped the song writing was going well downstairs.

________________________________________________________

Lisa carried the small bag carefully in her hand. The plastic was clear, showing the handmade goods inside.

Making cookies earlier had been a fantastic idea, exactly what Lisa needed. The recipe Sayo found was a good one; she would make some after training camp to give to Ai. That was a thought for later though.

For now, she had hoped that the band resyncing would improve Yukina’s mood, but so far it hadn’t been going that well. Over the last few days Yukina was still hard to talk to, even as the band thrived. They’d talked about music, of course, but outside of that it almost felt like Yukina was avoiding her. Even during rehearsal that afternoon, Yukina hardly looked her way. Perhaps she was still worried about the band, about what would happen after the training camp.

Tonight, with these cookies, Lisa hoped to change that. If Yukina refused to talk with her, the cookies were her way in. Even if their relationship wasn’t going to evolve, she would never allow their friendship to fall apart.

This led Lisa to where she was now, standing in the hallway of the rented house. Yukina had excused herself from the room a few minutes before, taking her headphones and notebook out to the main part of the house. Lisa watched her go, before deciding to follow. She took the bag of cookies with her, the ones she decorated specifically for Yukina.

As Lisa lurked in the hallway, watching Yukina as she sat at the main kitchen table, she felt hesitation creeping into her mind. Doubt, one of her worst enemies, whispered in her ear. Was it right to keep forcing Yukina to talk to her if she didn’t want to? It had to be her fault too, that their relationship was declining. Was this really for the best?

No, she shouldn’t think like that. Lisa snapped herself out of it, shaking her head firmly. Yukina valued their friendship as much as she did; she knew that. Even with everything that had changed, she was doing the right thing by trying to preserve it.

With that in mind, Lisa stepped out of the hallway and into the kitchen. Yukina had her eyes on her notebook, headphones over her ears. She was reading something as she listened, following along with her finger. It must’ve been the new song. Lisa sat across from her at the table and held the cookie bag out of sight underneath it. Yukina’s eyes slowly came up from the paper, locking on Lisa’s.

For a moment, Lisa just looked at her. Yukina, her best friend in the world, was holding her gaze with a mildly confused look. Her eyebrows came together slowly, silently asking a question.

“Do you have a minute?” Lisa asked rather than explaining, internally cringing at how awkward of a question that was.

Yukina nodded, lifting her headphones over her ears and setting them on the table. “Is something wrong?” Her voice was level.

“No, um, not really.” That wasn’t quite the truth, but Lisa didn’t want to continue the conversation down that path. “I just, wanted to talk to you.”

Yukina broke eye contact, looking at a spot over Lisa’s shoulder. “I see.” She said unhelpfully. She had closed herself off, as she so often did.

Lisa was undeterred. “How did song writing go today?”

“Rinko is very talented.” Was what Yukina said in reply, now directing her gaze back down to the notebook. She didn’t elaborate.

“Of course!” Lisa provided the energy for both of them. “She’s Roselia’s pianist after all.”

Yukina didn’t respond, instead fidgeting with the corner of her notebook.

Lisa watched her, took in every little motion. A minute passed, the tension in the air only growing. Usually they could sit in comfortable silence, but today neither was comfortable. Lisa had too much she needed to say. She just had to bring herself to say it.

“Is that all?” Yukina asked the question without looking up, her tone cold. Despite the chill to her words, there was a hint of insecurity. It pushed Lisa forward.

“No, it isn’t.” Lisa took a deep breath to center herself, her hand tightening on the bag. “You know I’m here for you, right? Don’t push me away.” She fought to keep her voice steady, to not let loose the emotions boiling beneath the surface. Gold eyes came back to hers, smoldering with unreadable sentiment. “Whether Roselia continues or not, I’ll stay by your side. No matter what happens, I will always be your friend.” That was a line full of mixed feelings. It hurt, to again admit that they would never be more than friends. It was also a relief, to finally express some of how she felt to Yukina.

Yukina’s expression flashed to something Lisa couldn’t quite place as she processed the words, mouth opening as if to speak. She inhaled, then exhaled without saying anything. Then, as if realizing something, Yukina’s expression snapped back to composed. It took her a few more seconds to reply. “I’m sorry I’ve been short with you.” She practically muttered; it was rare for her to apologize. Lisa’s heart throbbed in her chest. “I’ll remember that. I’m your friend too.”

That was all Lisa wanted. She felt tears welling up in her eyes with relief, but quickly rubbed them away with her free hand. Yukina looked alarmed and moved to stand, but Lisa waved for her to stay seated. She was so endearing when she tried to help. “I’m glad.” Lisa said, again wiping one forming tear.

“Do you need a tissue? I’ll get one.” Yukina offered, speaking faster than usual.

Lisa shook her head, already recovering. “No, I’m fine now.” It was still a lie, but much less of one than what she said before. The plastic bag crinkled between her fingers, reminding her of its presence. She still needed to give it to her. “I almost forgot; these are for you.” Lisa lifted the bag of cookies, reaching across the table to hold them out to Yukina.

Yukina’s golden eyes widened with surprise as she reached up to accept the bag. “Thank you.” She replied politely, tugging at the ribbon to open the plastic. Lisa could hear her inhale sharply when she saw what was inside.

These cookies were in the shape of small blue roses, with careful frosting work to match. The lines were done in black so that it was clear exactly what they were supposed to be. It had been a test of her frosting skills, but she thought they turned out well. Lisa made them while Ako and Sayo made tiny keyboard cookies.

Yukina’s expression softened as she carefully took one out of the bag, setting it on the table to get a better look at it. “I love them, they’re almost too good to eat.” She raised one eyebrow with the second half.

Lisa laughed at that, unable to resist Yukina’s jokes. “You’d better eat them.” She chuckled, drawing a smile from Yukina.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Yukina picked her headphones up from where they rested on the table. “Do you want to listen to the new song demo?”

That was an easy one. “Yes, for sure.” Lisa reached over to take the headphones, slipping them over her head. With a slight tug to extend them, they fit easily over her ears. Yukina moved over the lyrics as well, so Lisa could follow along. “Do you have a title yet?” Lisa asked before Yukina could start the music, noticing that there wasn’t one at the top of the page.

“No, not yet.” Yukina replied, then hit a button on her phone. The piano track played in Lisa’s ears, along with Yukina’s singing. It sounded slow, likely not at tempo. Even at the lower tempo, it carried a high level of energy.

Yukina’s voice sounded strong, carrying the song from start to finish. Lisa had always loved her singing, loved watching her perform. She’d always loved her, though she was trying to avoid that thought.

For now, as the song finished in her ears and Yukina slowly ate one of the blue rose cookies, they would continue to be best friends. They would continue to play in Roselia together.

For now, that was enough.

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End note: I listened to a metronome again for this.

I have decided the total chapter count, since I now know how many more training camp chapters there will be and how many chapters are planned after that. If I need to change it I will, but 30 is the anticipated final chapter count.

This chapter, and the mini arc as a whole, got away from me in a big way. Two more chapters then we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. I hope you are still enjoying it, and thanks for reading!

Next Chapter

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A New World Chapter 19: Training Camp Day 1

Author Note: This is the start of a mini arc, which is blocked out for at least three chapters. Knowing how much fit in this chapter and how this fic has been going so far, it will almost certainly be longer than that.

First Chapter Previous Chapter

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For the last month, the bustle of Lisa’s life continued as it had all year. She studied for all her courses as the first semester neared its end, worked hard at her part time job, practiced bass at home, went on a few dates with Ai, a young woman she met in class, and went to as many Roselia rehearsals as she could.

Though the band practiced the same amount as before, the rehearsals were starting to feel different. The band talked frequently about what they needed to do to try and hit their new goal. They made plans and rehearsed to achieve them. It was helping, if slowly.

Lisa also worked on another task, one she talked about with Yukina the day they set their new goal. She worked hard for the last month of the semester to get everything ready to go.

Roselia was going on a training camp.

Lisa scheduled it for the second week of summer break, after school let out. It was a win win situation. The band would get to spend some time together, they could get a lot of practice in, and hopefully they would improve their sound problems.

All of the members cleared their schedules and were on board, so Lisa made the arrangements as the date approached. It took a while, but she was able to locate a house outside of Tokyo to rent, one with a full music studio in the basement. It would be the perfect fit for the band. However, a house like that cost a lot of money to stay in. In order to pay for it, Lisa needed money from the band’s account.

They didn’t talk about it often, or do much with the money, but the band had slowly been accumulating yen for almost two years. After about a year of performing they released their first album, Anfang. Before the contest for future world FES they released their second, Wahl. A bank account was opened with Sayo as the cosigner, along with one of her parents. Ever since then, money had come in from the cd sales.

When Lisa called Sayo to ask how much they had, she learned that the band had more than enough to rent the house for a whole month, if they wanted to. Sayo sent Lisa a breakdown of when the cd sales were made, tracking the steady growth of the band. Seeing just how many people bought their albums warmed Lisa’s heart; it was a nice reminder of just how many people the band already reached.

It motivated her even more to make these arrangements, so the band could continue repairing their sound.

With the money settled, Lisa booked the house. She made sure to ask for five futons to be available, so they could sleep in the same room. After that she set up the transportation. One of the train lines out of Tokyo passed right near the house, so she booked 5 tickets for that as well.

With all that set she only needed to wait until the end of the semester, which was easier said than done.

Lisa just had to make it through finals, so she could consider her first semester at university a success. University exams were an even larger percent of her grades than they had been in high school, which made them even more intimidating.

Lisa suggested to Ai that they study together for their shared class, which ended up being a more interesting experience than expected. Barely any studying got done, so after that Lisa spent her time studying alone. She thought about inviting Yukina over, just as friends of course, but each time she hesitated. They weren’t studying the same things and besides, it had been harder to talk with Yukina lately. The band’s troubles left her more sullen than usual, somehow even more distant. Lisa could feel an invisible rift slowly growing between them, beyond her control. She wasn’t sure what to do about it; perhaps an answer would come to her at the training camp.

That wasn’t what she was supposed to be focusing on right now. No, Lisa needed to study. So she did, in every spare moment she had as final exams approached. It was exhausting, but she knew it would be worth it.

All her effort paid off, since she passed her exams. Her next round of classes wouldn’t start for a month, giving Lisa time to breathe for the first time in what felt like years.

After her last final, she finished the preparations for the training camp. Soon, she would be spending time with her band once again.

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Ako practically bounced on the balls of her feet as she walked through the train station, unable to contain her excitement. The bag she pulled behind her, despite its weight, didn’t slow her down. Today was the big day, when Roselia was going on their training camp. When Lisa told Ako about it, she was instantly super hyped for the trip. This could only help the band get even better.

The last time they went on a training camp was a couple years ago; Ako had often thought that they should go on another one. Or at least, that’s what she told herself when Lisa brought up the idea.

After making sure it was alright with her parents, Ako marked the whole week on her calendar. She’d been counting down the days ever since.

The train left at 10:00 am, so Ako made sure to be there at 9:30. As she approached the wing of the station, she was easily able to spot the rest of her bandmates waiting near one of the entrances. Being taller now helped with that.

Ako waved one hand over her head as she approached, which drew the attention of Rinko. She raised one hand slightly and gave a half wave in return.

“G-good morning.” Rinko greeted Ako softly, her voice barely audible over the bustle of the station. Once Ako reached them, stopping to fill the circle they were standing in, she saw that they each had a bag like she did, along with their instruments. She didn’t need to bring a drum set, since Lisa said there was one at the house.

“Morning!” Ako chirped back, grinning from ear to ear. She bounced on her knees, unable to stand still.

Sayo looked over, as she shuffled a few papers in her hands. “Good, you’re here.” She stepped towards Ako and offered one of the papers to her. “This is your ticket.”

“Thanks!” Ako accepted the ticket carefully, taking a look once it was secure in her grasp. It marked the time the train left, as well as what stop they were getting off on. Overall, it was about a half hour train ride, which was longer than Ako usually rode. They didn’t have reserved seats for the trip.

Ako put the ticket in her pocket, patting it once to make sure it was secure.

“I can’t remember the last time I left the city.” Lisa started a conversation, hand on her chin as if trying to think. “It’s been ages.”

“It has been a while, hasn’t it.” Sayo stepped back to her spot in the circle as she replied, shifting her guitar on her back.

“It’ll be nice… to spend so much time together…” Rinko chimed in.

Ako agreed, and she nodded vigorously to show it. She even brought a few games that they could play in their downtime, when they had the chance.

Yukina’s gold eyes moved between each of her bandmates as they spoke, but she remained silent. Ako wondered what was up with her.

“Once we get to the house, we’ll plan the rest of the week.” Sayo was looking at Lisa while she spoke, though the whole band would be involved in the process.

Lisa smiled with her usual cat grin. “Sounds good!”

There were still a few minutes until the train would board, so they talked about a couple other topics. Lisa and Sayo both made sure to bring extra strings, so they could replace them if one broke. Rinko was using her extra portable keyboard case, one that also could be carried like a backpack. Ako shared about the board games she brought, if they wanted to play them. Game time could even be added to the schedule they were going to make.

She was interrupted by a message from the overhead speakers, directing passengers of their train to begin boarding.

The members of the band had turned to walk onto the platform, when a low voice stopped them.

“Let’s return to the peak.” Yukina, who had been mostly silent so far, spoke quietly from the back. Ako heard her words clearly, despite the low volume. She turned back to look, along with the others.

Golden eyes were set with determination, a look Ako hadn’t seen from Yukina in quite a long time. Her lips were set in a firm line, back straight. She swept forward between her band members, taking the lead out onto the train platform. Ako followed with a smile on her lips.

They walked across the platform and to the train, locating the car without reserved seats. Inside, they found that only about a quarter of the seats were full. It was easy to find a few empty rows for them to sit.

Each member stowed their bag overhead, which Ako was now tall enough to do all on her own, before sitting with their instrument in hand. Only Ako didn’t have one, since she only brought the drumsticks. She claimed one of the window seats, with Rinko sitting down next to her.

Sayo and Lisa were behind them, with Yukina across the aisle from Sayo. When Ako turned to look back, Lisa had a map out and was showing something to Sayo. Yukina was leaning over to look at it as well.

Ako turned back to the front; if it was important she would see it later. For now, she had over half an hour to enjoy the train ride. She had that time to talk with Rinko, uninterrupted by their busy lives.

A few minutes later, as the train rolled out from the station, Ako used that time to its fullest.

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The house Lisa rented was absolutely massive. That was Sayo’s only thought as she looked up at the building. It was a two story western style house, with multiple windows on the front. Light blue siding covered the expansive walls. A long driveway extended from an attached garage, reaching past the sidewalk and down to the street. They were only a half hour outside of Tokyo, but it felt like a whole different region.  

Sayo had worked with Lisa to pay for the rental, so she kind of knew what to expect. Unless Lisa told them the specifics, the others likely had no idea.

The members of Roselia walked slowly up that driveway, all eyes turned up at the building.

Sayo’s guitar case was secured to her back, so her hands were free to carry her bag. Lisa moved ahead of the rest of the band, unlocking the front door.

“Here we are, our home for the next week.” Lisa pulled the door open and gestured inside. She held the door as the band entered.

Sayo was the third one in, taking in the branching hallway and stairwell that led upstairs. The house appeared just as large on the inside, with a high ceiling in the entranceway. She slipped her shoes off before stepping away from the door.

“Woah!” Ako’s voice echoed through the space. “This is so cool!” She was already at the end of the hallway.

“Do we need something this large?” Yukina was part way down the hall.

Lisa shut the front door behind them. “Wait until you see the basement.” She replied, not really answering Yukina’s question. Sayo already knew what was down there, but it seemed like Lisa wanted it to be a surprise.

“The basement?” Yukina echoed back the words as a question, with one eyebrow arched.

“You’ll see.” Lisa winked.

Yukina’s expression remained unchanged, but she seemed to accept that she wasn’t going to get any further explanation. The group moved away from the door and into the rest of the house, splitting up to look around the first floor.

Sayo found herself in the kitchen, which was a large open space. It was even big enough that the five of them could cook in it at once. There was a large table in it, with enough seats for six people. She kept moving past it, looking in other rooms on the first floor. Sayo passed by the stairs that led down, but stayed on the first floor for now.

She found Rinko in one of the side rooms, placing her bag and keyboard on the carpet. There was a pile of futons in the corner, designating this as where they would sleep. A few other bags had already been left in the room. Sayo followed suit, setting her belongings along the wall.

Sayo followed Rinko back out of the room, continuing to look around. They ended up back in the kitchen, where Yukina and Lisa were leaning against the counter. Ako appeared a moment later.

“Ready to see the basement?” Lisa asked, eyes glinting mischievously.

“Yes!” Ako pumped one fist in the air. Yukina just nodded in reply.

Lisa led the band to the stairs, flicking the lights on dramatically before she descended. There was a door at the bottom, which she pushed open.

When Sayo reached the bottom, she stepped out into the basement. The space in front of her was partitioned into two rooms, with large windows between them. The first room, where they entered in, had desks, computers, and a sound panel along the shared wall. A door led to the other side.

Through the glass, Sayo could see a complete drum set. There was also a large microphone hanging from the ceiling, near the windows.

This must’ve been the music studio that was part of the rental. There was more technology down here than Sayo expected. She looked over at Yukina, curious about her reaction. Yukina’s expression was still calm, but a hint of excitement gleamed in her eyes.

“When you said it had plenty of room for practice, this was not what I anticipated.” Sayo commented dryly, earning a chuckle from Lisa in response.

Rinko proceeded through the door to the other side, marveling at the space.

“You were right about the basement.” Yukina said bluntly, moving towards the computers. “Can we record in here?” Ah, that was a good question. It had been a long time since they recorded any music, since it was hard to get studio time when they were all available. Their lack of new songs contributed to that too, though Sayo didn’t like to think about that.

“We can.” Lisa joined her by the computer, hitting a button to boot it up. “The entire studio is ours for the week.”

Yukina looked satisfied with that answer. “We should make sure to use it.” Sayo agreed; with a studio available there was a lot that they could do. They wouldn’t have time to mix tracks properly, but they could record while they were here and polish the recordings later.

Of course, to do that they would need something to record.

Sayo made a mental note for now, to bring up as part of making the schedule. She stepped away from the pair to head to the other room, where Ako had joined Rinko. The two stood near the drum set, admiring the different drums on it.

“This will be… great for rehearsal.” Rinko commented as Sayo approached.

Sayo nodded. “Yes, we can even record here.” She shared what she heard from Lisa.

Rinko’s eyes widened slightly, while Ako grinned. “We’ll make something full of magic.” Ako declared, sweeping one arm over her face. Rinko nodded in agreement.

The band stayed down in the studio for a few more minutes, looking at what else was available before heading back upstairs.

It was getting close to lunch time, so the group decided to split up. Sayo, Lisa, and Yukina stayed to work on the schedule while Ako and Rinko walked to the nearby market to get some ingredients. They made a quick list of what they needed, before heading out.

Sayo took a seat at the table in the kitchen, taking out her phone to mark things on the shared calendar. Their arrival and departure dates were already on it.

Lisa sat across from Sayo, while Yukina took the seat to Sayo’s right. That struck her as unusual, as the pair would usually sit together. They hadn’t sat together on the train either. Sayo suspected that this was another symptom of whatever was going on with them. She didn’t add it to the calendar, but it was on her list for the week.

“We should focus on rehearsing tomorrow.” Yukina got the ball rolling, starting the scheduling conversation.

Sayo was looking forward to what the week would bring.

Next Chapter

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A New World Chapter 15: Center Stage

Author Note: There’s some stuff going on with RAS in this chapter, which I might consider expanding on more with a spin off at some point.

First Chapter Previous Chapter

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It was a hot, stifling summer afternoon. When Ako and her friends reached their destination, it was a relief to escape the heat.

The mall was cool, but it was unpleasantly warm again inside the arcade. Ako, Rokka, and Asuka had come straight after school, taking the train before walking the final stretch.

Ako was super excited to go; she’d even made sure to bring all of the pocket change she’d been saving. When she found a coin under her desk at school today, that was just an extra bonus.

She led the way inside, looking around with wide eyes at all the flashing games. A wave of noise washed over her, as each game competed for her attention. She hadn’t been here in a while, so there were definitely some new ones.

“Where should we start?” Ako asked, spinning to see more of the arcade. There was a cool new light gun game, oh and a taiko drum game that looked super awesome. She couldn’t ignore the claw machines either. Those large plush animals were too fluffy to resist.

“Why don’t we make a loop?” Asuka suggested, gesturing to the right side of the arcade. The light gun games were over that way, which Ako absolutely wanted to try.

“Let’s go!” Ako pumped one fist in the air, turning to follow the suggested path.

The three teens only made it about ten feet before they stopped at one of the games. It was a large machine with two huge screens, with a large table in front it. A light gun was hooked up on each side, painted in bright neon colors. An indent near the bottom of each side housed a pedal, likely for taking cover in the game.

Rokka stepped up to one of the guns, picking it up confidently. Ako took to other, pointing it at the screen with both hands.

“Have you played this before?” Asuka asked as she stepped up between them.

“Nope.” Ako leaned down to insert a hundred yen coin. Then she took position, ready to fire at the game.

Rokka did the same on her side. “Just once before, when I came with Masuki-san.”

“Oh?” Asuka arched one eyebrow. “How’s it been going with her?”

“T-the same as before.” Rokka almost dropped her light gun as she stumbled over her words. Ako glanced over at her, confused by her reaction. She already knew that Rokka was spending more time with Masking this year, but that was the stutter of someone with secrets to spill.

Ako would’ve asked what she meant by that if Rokka hadn’t fired her light gun at the screen, starting the game before Ako could ask.

A tutorial started to play on both screens, pulling Ako’s attention to it. She learned how to make her character duck behind cover, how to reload her gun, and how to shoot at enemies. It was all easy; though this was a new game, she’d played this type many times before. Her skill level was definitely an A+!

Then it threw her and Rokka into the fray, with waves of enemies spawning around them. Ako fought as hard as she could, shooting every enemy in sight. That didn’t stop them from shooting back at her. It was hard to remember to duck into cover until it was too late.

Before long, her hp had hit zero. The screen flashed with ‘continue?’ as a timer counted down. Ako set her light gun down, perhaps some other time she’d try again.

Rokka, on the other hand, was still going strong. She had about half her health and looked dead serious as she expertly dodged the enemies.

“Gettem!” Ako cheered her on as she made a kill. Asuka had moved to Rokka’s other side and was rooting for her as well, though much more quietly than Ako.

When Rokka made it to the next boss, her fortunes started to change. The boss kept destroying her cover, forcing her to fire out in the open. It hit her a few times, which marked the end of her run. The same ‘continue?’ message appeared, taunting the player to add just one more coin.

Rokka placed the light gun in its holster with a smile. “This one is pretty good.” She said, before asking Asuka if she wanted to try it, but the other teen said she’d pass for now.

The three walked away from the machine, continuing their circle around the arcade. They next approached the crane games, all full of large prizes.

They stopped at one full of medium sized figures, where Asuka tried to bump one from its stand. Rokka and Ako watched with wide eyes as she nudged it, but unfortunately it remained right in exactly the same spot.

As Asuka put in another coin to try again, Rokka reached in her pocked to pull out her phone. She had been smiling before, yet she grimaced as she looked down at the screen. She tapped on the bottom of her phone with both thumbs, probably texting someone, before putting it back in her pocket.

Rokka pulled out a folded piece of paper from that same pocket, looking up at Ako. Ako wasn’t paying any mind to her, as she was engrossed with Asuka’s second failure at getting the figure.

“Hey, Ako.” Rokka called her name quietly, barely loud enough to be heard over the noise of the arcade.

Ako still heard her, though she wasn’t sure exactly what she said. “What is it?”

“Is Roselia busy two Sundays from now?” Rokka’s hand, the one holding the folded paper, fidgeted with the corner of it.

“Hmm, lemme check.” Ako took her phone out and opened the master calendar, clicking to the asked about date. “Just rehearsal, why?” Sunday was usually the best day for the whole band to practice together.

Now Rokka lifted the paper, holding it out to Ako. “RAS is playing at a summer festival. One of the bands dropped out, do you think Roselia would want to perform?”

Ako accepted the paper, unfolding it. It was a colorful flyer, advertising a summer music festival featuring local bands. “I have to ask, but that would be awesome!” Ako snapped a photo of the flyer and sent it to the Roselia group chat.

“RAS wants us to play with them!” Ako typed after sending the photo.

“Looks interesting. If we cancel practice we could do it.” Sayo replied quickly, as usual. It seemed like she was on board.

Rinko was next. “It looks like fun.”

“We haven’t performed in a while.” Lisa chimed in. “What do you think Yukina?”

Yukina could be seen typing for a few moments, slower than the others. “This will be the next step on our path.” After all these years, Ako knew that was a yes.

“Yay!” Ako added a smiling emoji.

“Ako, can you get the organizer’s contact information?” Lisa asked an important question; they would need that to get everything ready.

“For sure.”

Ako grinned as she looked back up at Rokka, who was waiting for her to finish texting. “Roselia is in!”

Rokka nodded once, still with a hint of unease in her expression. “Chuchu will be happy.”

“I’m so excited to play on the same stage as RAS again!” They hadn’t performed at the same venue since early last year. The contest had been stressful, but Ako had loved every minute of it. Oh, right Ako was supposed to ask something. “Do you have the contact info for the event organizer?”

“Yes, one moment.” Rokka took her phone back out, clicked a few times, then showed the screen to Ako. It had a name and phone number on it, which Ako texted directly to Lisa.

After sending it, Ako glanced back up at Rokka. She was looking at her phone, a frown again in place on her lips. Ako wondered what was bothering her, was it something to do with RAS? She never got to ask about Masking earlier too.

Ako opened her mouth to ask, but was once again interrupted by a loud voice.

“Yes!” Asuka exclaimed, startling Ako. Rokka flinched and gave a small ‘eep’ of surprise at the noise. They both turned back to Asuka and saw that she finally succeeded at knocking the figure off the platform.

“Great job!” Rokka recovered quickly and stepped closer to Asuka as she leaned down to retrieve her prize. She seemed to have snapped out of whatever funk she was in.

Ako joined them, stowing her questions for now.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, which was Lisa thanking her for the info. Roselia’s group chat soon blew up with discussion about a set list.

There was an excitement running through Ako as she read the discussion, a rush of energy. They had a little over two weeks to prepare for the live; she was going to make it great!

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Today was the big day, the day of the summer festival. Ako had been practicing super hard for the last two weeks to get ready, refining her technique and making sure to play perfectly in time. The band had even squeezed in extra practices to get ready, though they were mostly with only part of the band.

They decided to wear their original stage outfits for today, since it was the band’s classic look. Ako made sure to try it on ahead of time and worked with Rinko to adjust it for her new height.

On the day of the event, Ako left the house with plenty of time to spare. Tomoe was planning to go as well with the rest of Afterglow, but Ako had too much energy to wait.

She carried her costume and drumsticks carefully as she took the train to the venue. It was being held on an outdoor stage at a park, with 6 different band performing over the course of the day. The weather was cooler today, though still moderately hot. Raise A Suilen would perform second, while Roselia was scheduled fifth.

Ako wanted to go early so she wouldn’t be late, so she didn’t have to wait around the house, but there was more to it than that. She also wanted to watch RAS perform; their music was always a lot of fun to listen to. The way they worked the crowd was inspirational.

The park was already bustling when Ako arrived, with many people milling around. Ako weaved through them to reach the backstage area, where she stored her costume and drumsticks in Roselia’s tent. Sayo’s costume was already back there.

Then, Ako headed back out into the crowd. If Sayo’s costume was here she must’ve been too, so she looked for a splash of light blue hair. As expected, she was able to find that distinct color in the crowd.

Surprisingly, there were two individuals there with it. Sayo and Hina were both near the back of the venue, standing together and talking. Ako weaved past a few people to reach them.

“Good morning, Udagawa-san.” Sayo greeted her as she approached. Hina waved as well. “You’re awfully early.”

“Hi!” Ako stopped in front of them. “I was so excited; I couldn’t just stay at home!”

“Me too!” Hina beamed, her smile practically stretching from ear to ear. “I can’t wait to hear Onee-chan play!”

Sayo flushed slightly. “Hina, please remember there are people around.” Indeed, a few of the audience members had turned to stare.

“Oh, sorry.” Hina clamped one hand over her mouth, giggling as she did.

The conversation shifted to the other bands playing today. Besides Roselia and RAS, there were four others. One was from Sayo’s school and often performed there. Ako hadn’t heard of the others, but she was still excited to hear them play.

Rinko arrived next, appearing in the group without a word. Afterglow came over to say hi when they got there, but they only stayed for a minute. They were determined to get a good spot near the stage.

Lisa and Yukina walked up ten minutes before the first group was set to perform. The band decided they would stay to watch through RAS, then they’d head backstage. They stood in the corner, where it would be easier to slip away.

The crowed had completely filled up, with at least a thousand people packed into the park. They cheered as the first band came on stage, waving multi-colored penlights in the air.

Ako cheered too, waving her arms to the music. This band was great! Their music almost seemed to fly by, as they rolled through one song after another. Their drummer was particularly good, hitting some impressive patterns.

Before Ako knew it, it was time for RAS. They came on stage to a flurry of cheers.

The audience had grown even more since the start of the concert. Chuchu called out to the audience to introduce them. She named each member as they played a solo, with Pareo introducing her last.

Ako had seen them do this many times, but it still impressed her to this day. She probably had stars in her eyes as she cheered at the start of their first song.

They opened with Hell or Hell, which was one of Ako’s favorites, before hyping up the crowd through Unstoppable and A Declaration of XXX.

Ako tried to ask Rokka how things were with the band at school last week, after they didn’t get to talk about it at the arcade, but Rokka insisted that everything was fine. Based on the strength of this performance, Ako could only believe that to be true.

Despite any trouble the band might’ve been having, their music came together perfectly. Ako mostly watched the drums, noting Masking’s excellent technique.

When RAS finished, it was time for Roselia to head backstage. Hina wished them luck as they walked away.

Immediately upon reaching the back, the band found themselves face to face with RAS. They had just come off the stage and must’ve been heading to their tent.

“Minato Yukina.” Chuchu was covered in sweat from having just performed in the heat, yet she still had the energy to point directly at Yukina. “There’s no way your stage outshines ours!”

Yukina’s expression was impassive as always. “We will see.” She replied simply, before brushing past the band.

“You were amazing!” Lisa called as the rest of the band followed her. Ako looked back to shoot them a thumbs up and a grin.

As Roselia reached their tent, they could hear the next band starting to play. They quickly changed into their outfits for the show and prepared their instruments. Ako only needed her drumsticks, since she would use the drum set on stage.

The tent was soon full of the sounds of the band, of Yukina warming up, Sayo tuning her guitar, and Lisa practicing one last song. Rinko would use the keyboard on stage as well, so she was taking the time to stretch her fingers.

Once they were ready, they circled up. Ako leaned in between Rinko and Lisa in the circle, with one arm around each of them.

“This is our first performance of the new year.” Yukina took the lead in the huddle. “Let’s show them our devotion.”

Ako nodded, prepared to do just that. She looked around at her band members, who each wore expressions of determination.

The band broke the circle and left the tent, heading to where they were supposed to wait. The fourth band had just started, so soon it would be their turn.

They had to wait a little, but their turn did come. After the previous band finished and left the stage, Roselia went up the steps to take their place.

The crowd cheered loudly, with purple penlights on full display. Ako waved broadly at the audience, before sitting down at the drums. She adjusted the seat quickly and checked that the drum set was in the right spots. On the other side of the stage, Rinko had finished doing something similar.

After moving one of the snares, Ako looked over at Yukina. The vocalist was waiting for that cue.

“We are Roselia.” Yukina introduced the band to the audience. “Our first song is Black Shout.” With that, Ako counted off and the band started to play.

They chose Black Shout as the opener since it was one of their most well known songs. Ako played it confidently, hitting her parts exactly right. She even used the new technique she’d been refining. This was great, she was playing perfectly.

There was a problem though, as Ako turned her ears towards her bandmates something felt off. The audience was still roaring, but something sounded wrong. Ako kept her smile pasted on her face as she glanced over towards Rinko. She wondered if Rinko could feel it too.

Rinko was still smiling as well, but it looked strained. She met Ako’s gaze for a moment, so Ako cued the next down beat with a larger motion.

For a moment, that made the feeling go away. But it didn’t stay gone.

The piano felt off. It wasn’t just the piano, the guitar, the bass, and the vocals too. It felt like the band was bursting out in every direction, pulling the music their way. Ako stayed in the center of that, keeping the beat. Their sound was completely different than before, something new and scary.

Sayo had turned back towards her, lips drawn in a tight line. Ako cued her as well, hoping that would help.

It didn’t.

The band felt unstable, like it was on the verge of tearing. Ako knew that wouldn’t happen, that every member of her band was capable of staying together no matter how strange they sounded. No matter how they clashed in this moment, they could still play Black Shout together.

They continued on to the next song. The crowd cheered even louder. They had especially enjoyed the guitar solo.

Ako wondered if the crowd couldn’t hear it, or perhaps it was in her imagination. No, as Lisa as well looked for a cue she normally would’ve hit without help, Ako knew the problem was real. The rest of the band could feel it too.

The second song ended and they continued on to the next. Some songs felt better than others, while some felt far worse. Ako fought to keep her smile up the entire live, which became even harder with the heat of summer.

The crowd was still cheering loudly when they finished their final song, still enthusiastically waving their penlights in the air.

Roselia bowed and thanked them, before leaving the stage. Ako wasn’t sure what to think about their performance, or how to feel. They walked back to their tent in silence.

Once inside, Ako stopped by the entrance. She couldn’t just hold in her words. “What happened out there?” She asked, looking between her bandmates.

Sayo and Lisa were both putting their instruments away. Rinko had her hands held together, while Yukina stood with her arms crossed.

“I-I’m not sure…” Rinko muttered.

“We were out of sync.” Sayo cut in, glaring up from her guitar case.

Yukina’s eyes narrowed. “We shouldn’t have been.” Her stare was heavy.

Lisa finished zipping her bass case, then turned towards the rest of the band. “We need to talk about it.” She said, eyes landing on Yukina. Even she was not smiling. “Let’s meet next Sunday, instead of band practice. We’ll figure this out.” That was probably the next time they would all be free again.

“Alright.” Yukina acquiesced without a fight. “I’m going to watch the last band.” With that she turned and exited the tent, leaving the other band members behind. Lisa sighed as she watched her go.

Ako stepped over to Rinko, who was now wringing her hands together. “We should do that too.” At least it could take their minds off of their performance.

Rinko nodded and followed Ako as she started to walk away. Sayo and Lisa remained in the tent.

They didn’t go back out to the audience, since they were still in costume, but they watched the last band from backstage. Yukina was nowhere to be found. Hina came past as they watched, likely looking for Sayo. The sixth band was excellent, as expected.

It didn’t succeed at distracting Ako from her thoughts. She could only remember how Black Shout had sounded, how it had felt as the band pulled in different directions.

Next week they would debrief it. She couldn’t wait.

_________________________________________________________

End Note: Chapters are going to be a little less frequent now, probably just once a week. I’ve been feeling a bit burnt out from this fic so I’m taking it a little slower. Thanks for continuing to read!

Next Chapter

[flipomatic]

A New World Chapter 20: Training Camp Day 2

First Chapter Previous Chapter

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Lisa rose early in the morning, awoken by shafts of sunlight shining through the window. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she sat up, looking over the still sleeping forms of her bandmates. They had formed one row of futons, side by side across the room. Lisa’s was on the end closest to the window.

Next to her, Sayo was still tucked perfectly into her futon. She hardly moved as she slept, with her arms by her sides. On her other side, Ako was the opposite. She’d thrown off her blanket during the night, dumping it onto Rinko. The pianist’s forehead was wrinkled, likely from the extra warmth.

On the opposite end of the room, at the end of the row, Yukina’s eyes were still closed. She had been the last one up last night, the last person to settle down at the end of the day. Though Lisa went to bed with the others, she waited up. She kept her eyes on the door until Yukina came in, quietly worrying about her friend.

This morning, Lisa stood and tiptoed her way past her bandmates. She went out to the kitchen, started a pot of coffee, put a kettle of water on the stove, and began preparing for breakfast. She kept it simple, making seasoned rice balls.

Soon, Rinko joined her in the kitchen. She stuttered that university was making her an early riser and offered to help make breakfast. Lisa gladly accepted her assistance.

They worked silently, which Lisa knew was Rinko’s preferred volume level. A couple birds chirped outside the window as the sun continued to rise.

In the bustle of university, always running from place to place, Lisa had missed quiet moments like these.

They were almost finished when the rest of the band trickled in. Ako sat right down at the table, while Yukina and Sayo grabbed a mug of tea and coffee respectively before joining her. They chatted about a dream Ako had, something to do with video games. Soon the food was done and cool enough to eat, so breakfast began.

“What’s the plan for today?” Ako asked before taking a big bite of her rice ball.

Sayo replied, reciting what they decided yesterday. “Four hours of rehearsal in the morning, a break for lunch, and then six hours in the afternoon.” It was fairly intense, but this was a training camp after all. They needed to get the band back on track.

“With a few smaller breaks in the middle, of course.” Lisa interjected, not wanting Ako to worry about the practice length. They didn’t want to burn out in the middle of training.

Yukina was eating slowly, taking sips of her tea between bites. “We’ll start after breakfast.”

“Sounds good!” Ako stuffed the rest of the rice ball in her mouth a moment later, taking another one off the plate.

They discussed what songs they wanted to practice as they ate, making a list of ones to focus on. It included many of their newer songs, along with a few of the older ones. Lisa knew the age of the songs didn’t matter right now; the band sounded off in all of them.

When they finished eating, they cleaned the plates and dispersed to get ready for practice.

The band met down in the studio half an hour later.

Lisa took her usual spot in the band, in front of and to the right of Rinko. She tuned her bass carefully, double checking each string. This was the start of bringing the band back together; she needed to play perfectly.

After tuning, she spent a few minutes warming up. Around the studio, her bandmates were doing the same. There was a calm confidence in the room, a firm determination.

Soon, they were ready to begin.

“Let’s start with Song I Am.” Yukina suggested, following the list they had made earlier. Ako counted them off, then played the opening of the song. Sayo joined in on time, followed by the bass and keyboard.

Even before the vocals started, Lisa could feel the push and pull of the band. The drum trills in particular felt like they were trying to steer the band in a whole different direction. They were much tighter than they used to be, which was something Lisa needed to adapt to.

When she adjusted to the drums, now she had disunity with the guitar. Sayo had turned her head to look at Lisa, leaning on the beat to resync. They hadn’t fully torn, but it was still needed.

The song continued in much of the same manner, fluctuating in stability even through the lower tempo portion. Yukina’s voice pulled them forward even as it became harder to reach, a small light breaking away as they moved through the thick fog.

When the song ended, Lisa kept her hands on her bass and eyes on Yukina. The vocalist frowned as she turned towards the back of the band. “Make sure to keep the tempo consistent.” Her words were sharp. “Run it again.”

Once again, Ako counted them off and the song began.

They played it through multiple times, stopping between to try and correct the feeling of disjoint. This was the same way they had been practicing in Tokyo, the same thing they’d been doing for the last month.

After Song I Am, the band moved on to Avant-garde History. Just like before, they played it over and over again. They made small corrections each time, barely improving over the course of an hour.

They then took a five minute break, before switching to another song. The band worked through it the same way, filing away at the disconnect.

This continued through the morning rehearsal, one song at a time. Their progress was slow, incredibly so. Even if they did this all week, they wouldn’t return to their former unity. The longer they played, the more Lisa could feel that weighing down on her.

She knew the others felt it too. She could hear it in the weight of the drums, the note emphasis from the piano, the volume of the guitar, and the tone of Yukina’s voice.

They practiced until lunch, which was when they were scheduled to take a longer break. Lisa already felt exhausted, even though the afternoon session was yet to come.

As Lisa put her bass away, she could feel that the mood in the room had shifted to match hers. Even Ako looked somber as she wiped down the drum kit. Looking around at her bandmates, Lisa knew that they shouldn’t continue the same way in the afternoon.

“Hey, Sayo.” Lisa called over to the guitarist, who had just finished zipping her guitar case. “What do you think about changing the schedule this afternoon?”

Sayo stood up from her case. “I’m not opposed to it.” That was basically a stamp of approval, coming from her. “What do you have in mind?” She asked as she approached Lisa. Yukina, having overheard the conversation, drifted that way as well.

“I’m not sure.” Lisa admitted, scrunching her forehead as she thought. “But this isn’t working, we should change it up.”

Rinko, having finished putting her keyboard away, joined them. “I agree…” Her hands were held together, fidgeting.

“We could break the songs down into smaller chunks.” Yukina suggested, arms crossed over her chest.

Lisa thought about it for a moment. “I’m not sure if that would help.” It would probably be much of the same.

“Oh, I have an idea!” Ako appeared, completing the circle. “What if we all play for each other?”

“Hmm.” Sayo’s eyes narrowed as she pondered the idea. “What would be the benefit?”

Ako beamed at the chance to explain. “Since school started, the way we all play has changed right? So if we learn what’s changed, it won’t be a problem anymore.” She hit the bottom of one fist into her palm as she finished explaining.

Lisa turned it over in her mind, considering the idea. Ako put it simply, but she was right, changes in their playing were one of the biggest problems the band faced. Specifically listening to each other play could help them relearn to play well together.

“That’s a good idea.” Sayo voiced her conclusion before Lisa could, turning what Ako said into a concrete plan forward. “We could each prepare a performance featuring what we’ve learned.” Oh, that way they would also have to identify the parts of their own playing that changed, making them more aware of it for rehearsal. This was getting better and better.

Yukina’s arms dropped down to her sides, though her expression was still serious. “I think it’s worth trying. We’ll practice this afternoon and present tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, we should.” Rinko nodded in agreement.

That would be the new plan. Though it would also take one of the practice slots the next day, Lisa was confident that it would be better than the practice they were doing before. “Alright, then after lunch we’ll get started.” She took charge of organizing the new task. “We’ll split up to practice in different parts of the house.”

As the band settled the discussion, setting the schedule for the afternoon, they went upstairs to eat lunch.

Lisa started thinking about what she should perform for her bandmates. She thought about how her technique had changed this year, and what the best way to show her bandmates would be.

This afternoon, she would prepare. She already had a song in mind.

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Rinko carried her piano on her back, searching for the perfect place to practice.

When lunch ended, the band had dispersed. Ako went back down to the studio, since the drum set was hard to move. The rest of the band scattered around the house to practice.

The first place Rinko tried was one of the side rooms, but after a few minutes it had felt strange. She could hear Lisa’s bass through one of the walls, the way that she would stop and restart each part. It felt private, like she was hearing something that she shouldn’t.

After just a few minutes Rinko had packed up to move, which was how she ended up searching for a new spot to set up.

She looked around for a while, but wherever she went she could hear the others. She could’ve gone upstairs, but she didn’t know what was up there and that made her nervous. The next best area to check was outside. It wasn’t a place she played often, but she wouldn’t be able to hear her bandmates there.

With that settled, Rinko went out the back door and into the yard. It was a moderately sized area, surrounded by a wood fence and full of dark green grass. The sun was hot and dry today, so Rinko set her keyboard up in the shade of a tree.

She turned it so she faced the building, in case someone came outside.

The temperature was manageable in the shade, not too hot for playing. Rinko turned the keyboard on so she could practice. She played a quick scale to warm up.

Finding a spot had only been the beginning, now she needed to figure out what to perform for her bandmates. That would be a much harder decision.

Rinko’s fingers started to move, playing through Song I Am. They had drilled this song earlier, with only small improvements. Though the band played slightly better each time, it felt as if their energy dropped with each repetition. It was good that they stopped.

As she played alone, Rinko was aware of how much her playing had changed this year. She had spent the entire first semester focusing on improving at the piano, at honing her skills. She’d improved most in the expressiveness of her playing, along with sheer quality of technique.

Perhaps the best way to show that would be through one of the classical pieces she learned. Rinko recalled the first piece she performed in university, Beethoven’s Sonata in E flat Major, Op. 7. She improved from playing that piece and expanded her musical versatility.

She was better able to match the intent of each piece, to bring variety to her playing.

Since then, her sound had continued to change. Like the rest of the band, her music had grown.

Rinko needed to show them what she’d learned, how much she’d changed. She knew the perfect song to do it.

She ran through the song multiple times, paying extra attention to tone and how she approached the notes.

Yes, this would work perfectly.

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In her quest to find a room to practice in, Sayo ventured up to the second story of the house. The band had avoided going up there so far, since they didn’t need all that space. Ako insisted last night that it was haunted up there, though Sayo didn’t believe in such things.

The problem on the first floor was that it was simply too noisy. Between the drums echoing up from the basement, the way Yukina’s voice carried, and the fragmented pluck of the bass, Sayo just couldn’t focus. She saw that Rinko already went outside, so that wasn’t an option.

Instead, she headed upstairs. There was one long hallway up there, branching out into a couple smaller ones. Sayo picked a room at random to enter and shut the door behind her.

It was a small bedroom, furnished with a bed, desk, and chair. That was perfect for Sayo. She brushed a layer of dust off the table before setting her guitar down on it and removing it from its case.

The chair provided the perfect place to sit, so she could practice and prepare for her performance.

She thought it was a great idea, when Ako suggested they perform for each other. They had been going in circles earlier; this could only be an improvement. She was curious to hear what her bandmates would play, and was eager to take notes on how they had improved. She could then use those notes to better perform with the band.

Before then, Sayo still needed to figure out what to do for her own performance. She had a few songs in mind, each with complex guitar parts.

Since the start of the year she’d been focusing on learning to compose, but her guitar playing had improved too. As part of learning to compose, she’d began channeling more emotion into her playing. This had changed her expressiveness and the way the notes were delivered.

It made Sayo’s playing less crisp, though with right song she still managed it. She was better at adapting to each song now, to playing each with the emotion it carried.

It was an improvement, one that had thrown her out of sync with the band. That was what she needed to show them.

Sayo tuned her guitar, then started to play. She considered playing one of her compositions, since those belonged to her. She strummed through her strongest one, the composition about Hazawa café. Remembering how Tsugumi added to it still warmed Sayo’s cheeks.

No, a composition wasn’t the right choice here. She needed to show her growth in guitar playing, not composition; it was only right to play a Roselia song.

Sayo played Determination Symphony next, giving extra attention to the guitar solo. Then she moved on to Passionate Anthem, carrying the high energy of the song.

Neither of those would work.

The next song Sayo played was an important one, both to her and the band. It represented both where she had come from and where she was going, with the guitar part to match.

She played it a few times through, with all of the emotion it needed.

This would do nicely.

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Though the members of Roselia didn’t discuss it that evening, they were all ready to perform in the morning, to show each other what they’d learned.

Next Chapter

[bandori-headcanons]

Skating au with pastel palettes, afterglow and roselia + ships ;3

Sorry this one took so long, anon! I’m trying to catch up with a bunch requests since I’ve been sick for the past little while. Hope you enjoy!

• Ever since she watched a program on TV, Aya has been practicing figure skating. She’s competed in the national championships twice, but hasn’t placed high enough to go professional. No matter how many setbacks she faces, though, she won’t stop following her dream. 

• Eve is in the same figure skating club as Aya. She’s more skilled and disciplined than Aya, thanks to her dedication to bushido. She often gives Aya advice, despite having started skating later than her. 

• Chisato had to learn figure skating for a film, and ended up enjoying more than she thought she would. She continues to do it as a hobby, but doesn’t understand the competitive skating scene. 

• Figure skating isn’t Maya’s scene at all. She plays defense for the local hockey team. She follows both the ALIH and the NHL, and has a sizable collection of hockey cards. 

• Sayo joined the hockey team without letting Hina know, hoping her sister would never find out. Once she did, though, Hina wouldn’t stop asking her questions about hockey. When she mentioned she was considering joining the team, Sayo told her she wasn’t allowed. Hina decided to try figure skating instead.  

• The hockey practice starts when figure skating practice ends, so Hina and Sayo always end up seeing each other, much to Sayo’s chagrin. 

• Lisa works as a figure skating instructor. She teaches a group of younger kids, including Ako.

• Yukina is also an experienced figure skater. She easily won second place at her first national competition, and is working on her debut as a professional skater.  All of her free time is spent at the rink, practicing for hours on end. Lisa will come to watch her if she has the time, and usually brings a mug of hot cocoa to make sure she’s taking care of herself. 

• Lisa hopes to catch up to Yukina, so they can skate as a pair someday. She’s much too shy to ask Lisa though. 

• Although Rinko doesn’t skate herself, she comes to watch Ako’s practice before gaming sessions. Occasionally they’ll stay behind to watch the hockey team’s practice, Ako because she thinks hockey is cool, and Rinko because she has a crush on a certain teal-haired girl playing defense.  

• Ran, Moca, Himari, Tomoe, and Tsugumi are all members of the hockey team. They wanted to have an extracurricular activity they could do together, and they all had some experience skating when they were younger. 

• Ran and Moca play center, and work impeccably well together. Everyone else on the team jokes about them being like a couple, but little do they know…

• Himari often gets distracted staring at Tomoe. She’s run straight into the boards more than a few times. Moca makes fun of her for it.