???

"So, you're telling me that bitch is here?"

~~"~~Why ~~would~~ I ~~lie~~ to ~~you?"~~

"Good point. Do you know about... there?"

~~"~~Cognition? ~~Yeah,~~ I ~~know~~ about ~~that.~~ What ~~about~~ it?~~"~~

"It seems to hold the power to solving this. If even one of them dies in there..."

~~"~~Panic ~~will~~ settle ~~in!~~ Beautiful ~~plan,~~ Sho ~~Minazuki."~~

"Heheheh."

Home
4/13
Morning
Partially Cloudy

My ears were blasted with beautiful jazz this morning. Somepony must be playing it nearby. I wonder who it is. Hopping out of bed, I grab my mp3 player with earphones and leave. Shinji's listening to the jazz song. He's in a simple pink apron with strawberries covering his neck. It's adorable. Walking out, I swear I saw something out of the corner of my eye. A glint of something metallic. A sword, maybe? Or... something else? When I turned to look at it, however, it wasn't there. 'Wait. Why am I going out?' I dunno. Maybe ask your boyfriend if he needs something? Like help or ingredients? 'Good point.'

Walking back in, I ask Shinji "Hey, Shinji. You want some help or something?" A tad bit direct, especially to somepony who pummeled some crazed druggie behind the Iwatodai Station, but I know Shinjiro.

"Yeah, there's somethings I'm missing. I'm gonna try to make some Equestrian cuisine, but I'm missing..." He then lists off quite a few ingredients I'll pick up for him. I tell him that I'll get the stuff, and I'll be back in about an hour or so. It's about 9 A.M., so the stores should be open. I bid Shinji goodbye, then leave for the food.

I met Naru when on my way to pick up some tomatoes (I didn't think to buy them, but if Shinji asks me to get them...), so I greeted him. "Hey, Naru-kun! Did Rise say yes?"

He nods. "She accepted to do the new routine. Say, are you a good dancer?"

"I've casually done it a few times. It's a really good stress reliever when I'm doing ballet or some modern dance moves. Why'd you ask?"

"Because I really want you to be a dancer for three songs. Maze of Life, Studio Backlot Lotus Juice Remix, and a song in the new album Rise's releasing today. No one else is willing to or has something planned for tonight, so I'd really appreciate it if you'd accept."

"This is kinda out of left field, but yeah, I'll do it. Let me get Shinji his ingredients, and I'll see you about that dance routine. I think I'll catch on quick."

"Oh, thank you! I owe you one, Yuki-senpai!" Naru-kun bows.

"W-why'd you call me senpai?" I feel like a tomato.

"You're older than me and you're more experienced with Shadow fighting."

"G-Good point, but let's not use honorifics, okay?"

"Sure. Well, see ya, Yuki!"

"B-bye." I wave as Naru-kun walks away. That was... an experience. Never thought I'd be called "senpai", but whatever. I shake my head and walk off to pick up those damn tomatoes.

Motel Room
4/13
Daytime
Partially Cloudy

Rise and Naru used one my favorite song named "Wiping All Out" to see if my dance skills are good. They were, naturally. So, with that, they trained me to do the dance routine for two of the songs. They said they haven't thought of a dance routine for the 3rd, so I should just dance along as best as I can.

"Alright, take a breather!" Rise's words were just the words I needed. I collapsed on the seat closest to me.

Gasping for breath, I say "That... hurts... my everything... Oh, God..."

"You weren't kidding when you said 'casually' earlier," Naru-kun says.

"I haven't... done this... much exercise... since I was... on the Girls... Tennis Team..."

"Don't worry. You're doing well. Almost like Nanako."

"Oh, yeah! Kanami said Nanako almost perfectly danced a dance she practiced on for months on end!"

"Woah..." I wipe my brow. "So... When's the... performance?"

"In about 5 hours. Oh! We don't have a uniform for you!"

"No worries!" shouted somepony's voice. The pink pony from the 8th popped out of nowhere and shoved me some clothes. "I asked Rarity to make this for you, knowing this'll happen!" She let out a "Squee!" as she smiled.

"Thanks... Pinkie... was it?" She nodded. "Thanks, but... How'd you... get here? And how did... you know this'll... happen?"

"I call it the Pinkie Sense. Essentially, I can bend reality to my whim." Naru-kun and Rise are obviously thinking "What the actual living fuck is she going on about?!"

"Ah, that makes sense." They hit me with that look. "I've dealt with creatures... like that. World-bending powers that can essentially... destroy a town. Say, don't you have something... planned?"

Pinkie gave out a gasp. "You're right! I have a party to plan! Thanks for reminding me! See ya!" Pinkie then just popped out of existence. I was somehow lucky for reminding her about that party. I just look at my friends and hit them with a "I have no idea what the fuck just happened" look and shrug. I just regained my energy.

"Let's get back to practice, eh?

Town Hall
4/13
Evening
Clear

I fucking love the costume this Rarity designed for me. The linen overcoat reminds me of my Gekkoukan uniform I wore 7 years ago, but unzipped. It even has the Gekkoukan Private High School logo on it. The inner, soft and (almost permanently) cool polyester shirt says "REMIX" in blue within a blue circle. A blue bengaline ribbon is tied to my neck, pointing to my left. I have a black challis skirt covering my flank with long black socks on my hind legs. I let my hair loose, so my ponytail, my tail, and my mane are more lax and flowing than I'd normally have it, and it feels great. The entire suit feels great. I must give compliments to Rarity after the show. And Andre "Bebe" Geraux for the info of types of cloths at Home Econ.

It's almost showtime, and the Princesses are to watch. It's also free to watch, so anypony can just waltz in and waltz out whenever they want. I'm so nervous, yet excited. "It's called "Nervoucited", Mikata!" P-Pinkie?! Are you in my thoughts? "Yeah. This happens accidentally. I'll leave now." Pinkie, wai- She's gone. Well... I'm even more nervous.

"Yuki, showtime," Naru-kun tells me. I nod and follow him, but stop short behind the curtain. I let Naru and Rise do the talking.

"Hello, everyone! Today, our dance routine happened because... Uhm... Lotus, why did we do this today?" Rise stumbled on her words.

"Today, we're doing this because a certain princess wanted us to, Risette. How could I deny?" Lotus responds to Risette.

Pulling my earphones on, I step out on stage. "Can we get this show on the road? C'mon, let's go!" I tell my teammates. I want to get this over with. I spot my friends looking at me in disbelief. I smile and nod their way.

"Right. Let's go!" Lotus shouts, before Maze of Life plays. Dancing along with Lotus Juice was surreal, to say the least, but was fun. I sang the background lyrics in Studio Backlot LJ Remix and danced when Risette sang the chorus. Otherwise, I wasn't in the foreground that much. Until the 3rd song. Naru and Rise told me beforehoof that I'll be the lead dancer in their next song.

Everypony clapped after Studio Backlot LJ Remix, and we waited for them to calm down. "Thank you! Now, I would've waited until a few days before the album came out, buuuuuuuuuuuut... Lotie here wanted me to debut the main song for the album today, sooooooooooooooo here we are!~" As the crowd gives a collective chuckle at that, with someone shouting "Classic Risette!", Lotus and I give Risette the "What the fuck?!" stare. She just gives us an innocent smile and turns back to the crowd. "Here is the main song of my new album, published by Takura Productions, and what the album is named after. Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There!"

It begins. Trying to keep up, Rise begins.
Who am I?
Am I not unique?
Maybe I'm not here at all
Look, the fakers
Blinding us with lies
The breakers of us all

Oh, it's useless Yeah, right, it's useless.
What could it mean that we're here? What does it all mean?
Can we make a difference Any form of difference?
If we don't break outa here?

Wake up, get up, get out there
Raise your voice against liars
Feed your anger like fire
Why does nobody want change?

Just imagine you're out there
Swatting lies in the making
Can't move fast without breaking
If you hold on life won't change

The fakers
Are all sick at heart
Their faces hiding their fear
They look down on
All the rest of us
Like they're some special breed

Who's the high lord No, uh.
Who thinks he's better than us? Who is in big time?
Ain't it a crime, that? As if he'll take us down
Is there a mission for us?

Who is that high lord... Who is the one up there?
Who'd kill a million of us? Alright? Alright.
And as the bell tolls
Is there no remission for us?

Wake up, get up, get out there
There's more to life than their way
If you'd live you can not stay
Why does nobody want change?

Let your voices ring out, yeah
Take the mask off and be free
Find yourself in the debris
If you hold on life won't change

Wake up, get up, get out there Wake up, get up. C'mon, get up
Raise your voice against liars Against all, the liars
Feed your anger like fire Like fire
Why does nobody want change? Why does nopony want change?

Just imagine you're out there You're out there!
Swatting lies in the making
Can't move fast without breaking
If you hold on life won't change

I took a pose at the end of it, pointing one unsocked hoof up with the other placed over my heart. The two socked hooves are planted in a way for me to balance on them no issue. Everypony, including the Princesses, clapped. Looking at the Princesses, they're clearly impressed, as they have small smiles on their faces. I sit down on the stage, tired. "Yeah!"

After getting my breath back offstage, I walk out of Town Hall. Stretching my back and feeling those knots pop satisfyingly, I say "That was oddly satisfying. No wonder you two really love your jobs."

The two of them nod (in perfect sync, might I add), and said in unison "Just by seeing the smiles on the crowd's faces makes this job worth it." It's kinda creepy that they'd say it at the exact same time with the exact same tone of voice.

Before I could comment, a hooded pony bumped into me. (S)He ran off. I know this trick. Tapping around my body, I see that I lost none of my possessions. If (s)he was a pickpocket, (s)he sucked. Like badly. Thinking about it, the way (s)he was walking and holding him/herself, it's definitely a him.

We all just looked, perplexed. I felt a familiar energy surrounding that pony. Almost like... Aigis' power of the Aeon. I'm sure I'll bump into him again. "L... Let's go. I'm way too tired for this shit right now."

Waving bye to Naru and Rise, I stumble towards my home. Trotting up, I face-plant on my bed. I feel like I'm dying.

???

"Ya got anything?" I ask my associate.

"Yeah. One of those children down there has a cousin he cares about dearly coming to town. Use her as a message."

"Good plan, but suggestion: you should really get that mic fixed. It's glitching every other word now."

"Shut up, Sho."

I just grunt.

Author's Note

You see what I did there? FEStival? Persona 3 FES?

Lyrics in bold are Lotus' lyrics. Lyrics in italics are Risette's lyrics.