*SCHOOL IDOL CLUBROOM - NIJIGASAKI HIGH SCHOOL - ODAIBA - TOKYO*
*P.O.V - YU*
I-I can't believe this!
VOTING RESULTS
LIELLA! - 95%
A-RISE - 5%
YU: "S-Someone, get that live stream up right now!"
...
*MEANWHILE*
*ROOFTOP - UTX - AKIHABARA - TOKYO*
TSUBASA: "Wh...What?"
ERENA: "Something like this..."
ANJU: "...has never happened to us before."
KAMIJOU: *Clap* *Clap* "Yes, quite the showdown. But even the 'great' A-RISE is weak. Know your place, and quit."
KEI: "..."
...
*BACK AT NIJIGASAKI*
SETSUNA: "A-RISE lost?!"
KASUMI: "They didn't just lose; it was a total landslide in Liella!'s favor!"
EMMA: "Th-That's impossible!"
AI: "Isn't this their second-ever loss in live show battles?"
YU: "Yes. The only time they've ever lost before was against μ's."
SHIZUKU: "If Liella! beat them, then Senpai's warning was correct."
MIA: "Wait, that man on the stage! I've seen him before!"
RINA: "You have?"
MIA: "That's Seichi Kamijou, the CEO of Golden Calf! Babyboy wasn't kidding!"
AYUMU: "So, Liella! really have signed with them...
Kanon..."
YU: "Wait, let's listen."
KAMIJOU: "Fans of Liella! STAND! REJOICE! For your Superstars are victorious!"
A-RISE: "..."
KAMIJOU: "Surprised? It is official. I, Seichi Kamijou, am OFFICIALLY the Producer of Liella! With that, I bring the announcement of the Golden Calf School Idol Department's formation!
Alongside the Superstars you see on this stage, we have signed the former Chitose Bridge Academy Disciplinary Committee and number one male school idol Katsuo Togo!"
EMMA: "Him..."
KARIN: "Of course, he had something to do with this."
AI: "Liella! was working with him this whole time?!"
KAMIJOU: "My days of producing QUASAR are over, but I am not satisfied with standing idly by and watching aspiring talent go misguided!
Before I stepped in, Liella! was seen as expendable compared to this industry's so-called 'Big Three' groups.
μ's, Aqours, and the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club.
The latter is commanded by the Chairman of the School Idol Festival, who has wrongfully FORBADE Liella! from participating in the event!"
REN: "It's true. Recently, Akihiko Suzuki banned us from performing at the School Idol Festival."
KEKE: "For what reason?"
SUMIRE: "For looking to improve ourselves."
CHISATO: "For looking to become number one."
MEI: "Because we posed a challenge to the 'Big Three."
KINAKO: "He didn't like that."
NATSUMI: "Look at how easily we beat A-RISE!"
SHIKI: "Then ask yourselves..."
KANON: "Why shouldn't we compete at the highest level? Have we not proven ourselves?!"
KAMIJOU: "It is because the School Idol Festival's Main Stage has lost all prestige!
It is a platform where only the friends of Suzuki stand!
What a pitiful sight the school idol industry is... When it is supposed to be the gateway to professionalism!
When you exit this industry and step into MY world, I do not wish to see WEAK CHILDREN!
I want determined Superstars!
That is why it makes me sick to see the weak Nijigasaki standing on the proudest stage in this business. We do not wish to see the chosen few who have curried favor with Suzuki!
Instead, we all want to see the best of the best tearing each other apart on the grandest stage of them all!
In Suzuki's eyes, fans' opinions do not matter, for only his means something.
Who would you rather see trusted with the school idol industry?
Someone like me, who has elevated the professionals to stratospheric heights, OR a child who wishes to play to his favorites?!
Fierce battles, perfect performances, superstar idols, I promise that Golden Calf will showcase them all!
Now, fans of Liella! RISE! STAND! SHOUT!
Let your voices be heard and protest against Suzuki until Liella! may also stand on that stage and restore it to its former glory so that we may eradicate nepotism and only the strong survive!
WE WILL STAND ON THAT STAGE!
WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS!"
LIELLA!: "WE WILL!"
MIA: "You know, after listening to what this guy said... I wouldn't be surprised if he manipulated Babyboy."
SETSUNA: "Yeah, and getting betrayed by Liella! must have hurt him badly."
SHIZUKU: "A-RISE completely bested A-ZU-NA. And now, A-RISE has suffered the same fate against Liella!..."
KASUMI: "Not just that, but QU4RTZ couldn't beat Liella! either."
LANZHU: "If Liella! are capable of something like this, they're unstoppable..."
KARIN: "Hey, what if you called up the Clique's trainers again? Weren't they the best selected from around the world?"
LANZHU: "No, they weren't!"
AI: "What?!"
LANZHU: "That was all talk! Just some stupid lie Mama came up with to make the Clique sound more convincing...
The truth is, they were just some ordinary trainers from Odaiba!"
KARIN: "So we joined the Clique for nothing?"
LANZHU: "Yes..."
AI: "Okay, first of all, you and I need a stern little chat after this. Secondly, we're doomed!"
No matter which way you put it, Liella! right now could compete at an equal level with μ's.
Perhaps even more significant than that...
Kanon Shibuya's group is receiving training from the greatest entertainment empire Japan has ever seen.
Currently, the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club wouldn't stand a chance unless they were trained by a professional or someone equal to that level...
Hey, wait.
YU: "Not all hope is lost. There is a way."
KASUMI: "Huh? What do you mean? Golden Calf has the best training staff in the country! We can't compete with cold-blooded professionals!"
YU: "There is someone who has consistently proven their skills are at a professional level.
Suppose you're going to have any chance at stopping Liella! then you'll need that person on your side."
LANZHU: "Who is it? Lanzhu can assemble a search party right away! If that fails, bounty hunt!"
YU: "We don't need to go that far; he's closer than you think.
It's Akihiko Suzuki; if you can get him back in the Club, then maybe you'll stand a chance."
EMMA: "That's risky, but... I don't want to see the school idol industry fall into the hands of someone like Kamijou."
KANATA: "I don't think it'll be easy to convince him to come back."
AYUMU: "There is a way."
EVERYONE: "...?"
SHIZUKU: "Are you sure about that, Ayumu? Is there really a way to bring him back?"
AYUMU: "Time after time, when something resonates within Aki, his wall of ice collapses.
All we have to do is create enough positivity within him to set him straight again."
KARIN: "Will that work?"
AYUMU: "We have to try. We'll have to do something big to reach him."
RINA: "What's that?"
SETSUNA: *Giggle* "I see EXACTLY what you're plotting."
LANZHU: "Let Lanzhu know already!"
AYUMU: "A Live Show!
EVERYONE: "What?!"
KASUMI: "But how are we supposed to prepare for a Live Show if Senpai isn't here to organize us?!"
YU: "You're finally starting to see his value again."
AYUMU: "Actually, we've got someone right here who can help us with that."
YU: "...Huh?"
EVERYONE: "..."
YU: "M-Me?! No, there's no way!"
SETSUNA: "You've proven yourself reliable so far."
KANATA: "We're going to fall apart without a leader. It always happens... So, we need you."
KASUMI: "And you're Senpai's blood relative. You can do it!"
YU: "I'm not sure..."
AYUMU: "Yu, you're more competent than you think. I'm not sure...but something tells me that everything is going to be okay with you at the helm."
YU: "What makes you think that?"
AYUMU: "Just a feeling."
YU: "Talking of feelings, Akihiko isn't the only one who loves the School Idol Club. A lot of people count on you guys to give them strength.
I know those people made a mistake in calling themselves school idols, but they're counting on us to help them get out of this mess.
If bringing Akihiko back means that he'll resign from the Student Council and reverse his policies, then it's something we have to do!"
SHIZUKU: "But what if we fail...?"
AYUMU: "We can't. Because..."
KANATA: "Because?"
AYUMU: "It's nothing."
AI: "So, are we all at a unanimous agreement to elect YuYu as the Temporary School Idol Club President?"
EVERYONE: "Yeah!"
LANZHU: "You bet! And she's got a great Vice-President to help her!"
YU: "Thanks, everyone, I won't let you down! Now, let's go save my cousin from himself!"