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Love Live: Muse - The Voices of Balance Ch III

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Chapter 3: Fight on, Muse! Part III

This part was written by Hanayo...

When I first heard about joined Muse, never in my lifetime would I expect the President of Quattro GmBH to sponsor us as Muse's Producer...

I mean...I heard about you and your achievements; I was afraid that you might push us excessively hard and I thought that I would never meet high expectations from you.

Yet when you first approach me, all you say was...

"Hanayo, right? My name is Chris...I apologize sincerely if my appearance scared you in any way. You must have thought that being sponsored by a person like me means high expectations from day one, right?"

You spoke with a soft and gentle voice that surprised Rin and I; and you even gave a deep sigh.

"Such is the dark reality of idol culture...people having high expectations that you ended up doing a crash and burn while trying to achieve it. Why don't we go at a comfortable pace for a short period and then train at slightly vigorous pace? Besides...I know you want Muse to succeed; I do too, and so does Alito."

You gave a firm, yet confident nod to both Rin and I. Although we were nervous at first, but knowing that we would work with you and Alito in Team Muse g...gave me confidence!

"C...Chris...Chris-sempai...Alito-sempai...Please take care of Team Muse, and take care of us!"

"I will, Hanayo; you have our words."

I had to admit, you were a bit intimidating at first, but your somehow you always do your best to take Muse's well-being into account. You checked on us when we might be exerting ourselves too much during physical training. During vocal training, you encouraged us with tips in a firm, yet confident and refined manner.

Whenever you praised us for a hard day's work, I felt that Rin and I have made the right choice to join Muse to build up our confidence. For a shy girl like me...I was happy enough to meet Muse, my mates, and even come under your guidance.

During our summer beach trip, you were busy with the third season of WSRC - World Series Racing Championship for a month and a half. Yet, you often check up on us and find the time to manage idol matters through video calls whenever possible.

I was wondering back then, though, how were you able to understand us so well? Granted, you had experienced the idol culture and understood that its unnecessary hate carried huge detriments to the world, but you never once lost patience with us.

Even if you might be disappointed with our training at times, you spoke with us individually before you addressed us as a team to resume training. Whenever this happened, you always boosted my confidence without making me feel like it's my fault; you showed me the place I might go wrong and you gave me enough time to learn.

To be honest, I was scared of joining Muse for two reasons. One was due to my nervousness and fear of rejection...The second was because I thought the demand and training might be excessively strict; some idol production company implemented that.

But no...You words might be strict and firm, but your words were refined and not demoralizing. It was as if you understood us a lot, which was what producers should do...r...right?

Rin and I, intrigued by your views on the idol culture like Nico did, often come by your temporary office for extra practice to build extra confidence. You gladly accepted our offer, constantly helping us in maintaining our condition to prevent overexertion.

All the time, Rin and I were wondering why you had placed so much belief into us. I was grateful still...and I was glad that you placed confidence in me.

Throughout the adventure, we met many things that my friends had surely mentioned while penning down this commemoration letter. The adventurers, Alito-sempai, Commander Leona-sempai, and you helped us to end the scourge that was the idol culture's unnecessary hate.

When Muse was placed on hiatus; I became depressed - just like the members - and felt ready to give up like what Honoka was doing.

I took a long walk with Rin without speaking to each other and seemed to find ourselves in your room - unlocked.

We were wondering why you left your door unlocked. Could it be by accident? Morals told us we should avoid it, but Rin's curiosity still got the better of us.

As we opened the door into your office, we saw sheets of papers lying around on your desk with 'psychological profiles' written on it.

So you were studying us, but why? Muse had been on hiatus, and yet you still sifted through those data as if you had not given up on us.

Before Rin and I could even answer any questions ourselves, you and Alito came back to the office - shocked. You told us that you left the office temporary for a quick meeting about Muse's future.

Rin and I hung our heads in guilt as we saw your eyes darted on your papers and us. You sighed and called us to have a seat.

"Hanayo...Rin...I don't want this year's failure to reach the finals be the reason for quitting. Alito and I had never wanted to give up on Muse even without those psychological profiling, not when you were the only team that can lead other idol teams out of this misunderstood haze. We do not want any unnecessary hate against idol culture to be Humanity's undoing!"

We knew about it. The news reporting that the Hate Blobs caused by unnecessary hate towards the idol culture; the 'I am right and you are wrong' syndrome given to life in the form of black hate.

"Alito and I might not find the meaning of Humanity yet...but we are learning them and we are not about to give up on every one of you! We are not going to let Humanity crumble; so please...do your part."

You then turned to me...

"Hanayo, you have improved over the span of a year. I looked through your psychological profile and concluded that Team Muse inspired you to greater heights where you once never imagined yourself to go! You have the potential Hanayo; do not let the fear of failure and Muse's hiatus contribute to Earth's fall..."

Alito-sempai turned to Rin.

"Rin...You are Hanayo's biggest contribution - the catalyst; the reason she could even voice out her thoughts and join Muse in the first place. You were willing to try everything just to feel the thrill, the rush of victory and happiness in connecting people's hearts through the realm of sports and music. Your cheerfulness brings bright spots to their otherwise dark times when the blob infected and blinded the haters' pride. Carry forth that personality of yours into practicing while waiting for Muse's revival!"

Then you encouraged us, "Rin and Hanayo, both of you can make as much impact now as the rest of the Muse members that we will be persuading next. We at the Adventurers' Republic ain't giving up on you, your fans ain't giving up on you, and so does this world's innocent being that are willing to learn the truth about idol cultures! As the Voice of Balance...Muse must fight on!"

You were not giving up on us...

You studied our personalities through our progress, our interactions with friends and mates, daily practices, and even live performances because you cared for us. You wanted to know about us; about our human side; about the Elements of Humanity that you had spoken about, and about what made us human.

Even during Muse's hiatus, you and the adventurers had never given up on us. Instead of paying attention to A-RISE, all of you gave us support; knowing that we could trudge through the idol cultures' dark times together!

My confidence rose...I had never felt that thrill before...

It was scary, but...but I was willing to grab it by both hands!

Because...because I have people who supported me!

I...I WANT TO BE STRONG! I WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEART AND MY FEELINGS TO THE PEOPLE WHOM I BELIEVED IN!

Even now, as Muse's teammates embraced one another, crying in happiness as we held the second Love Live trophy high up in the air, reveling in facts that the idol culture's misconception is gone for good...

I wanted to say...

To say...

THANK YOU!

Thank you, Chris and Alito-sempai, for placing your belief in me...

My shyness might remain...but my fight for expressing for what I want has increased...thanks to you!

This part was written by Rin

Heh...Rin here!

Well, Hanayo finally shows some courage in penning down her thoughts and beliefs...you can be sure that I am damn happy for her!

Hanayo have written everything that I wanted to say; I assisted her into integrating our thoughts together and penning it down.

What you were seeing at Hanayo's section are combinations of my thoughts and hers! Smart, eh? Nonetheless, I was even comforted in seeing Hanayo having the courage to express herself!

You may be asking yourself now, "Why will I be writing my well-wishes to you if your thoughts were written along Hanayo's?"

It was simple really...

Thanks for helping Hanayo, Chris and Alito-sempai.

Words could not express how much help and confidence you have instilled in her and us.

In the beginning, I thought that our likings might be different because you were what people said as 'ladylike' while I was a tomboy; cultural differences that might place us on bad terms.

Still, being the bubbly person that I always was, I did my best to get to know you. However, my thoughts about cultural differences made our conversation awkward at time.

Once, I wanted to invite you and Alito-sempai over to play baseball with my classmates, but you softly shook your head while doodling on your holographic screen. I wondered why you were not interested in baseball, but you dismissed it as 'not your cup of tea'.

You did not dismiss it haughtily, which cushioned the rejection's hurt much. Yet in the times where I invited you and the teammates of Muse to play sports, seven times out of ten you dismissed it softly and gave me a small simper.

Not that I am EXTREMELY hurt or anything but given that I like to have friends around, especially one who would be the most important aspect of Team Muse, it sort of dampened my confidence.

I decided to speak out when you would not want to play another round of baseball during the annual sport festival in 16th August.

"Chris-sempai, don't you think that it's a bummer that you constantly reject my offers for Lacrosse, baseball, football, or some sports that Team Muse participated? I know you have jobs on offer but...why?" I wondered.

"So...that is your worry, right?" you wondered.

You took both my hand, and Hanayo's, and brought us to the Circuit de La Sarthe in Francia via the Adventurers' Warp Portal. It was Adventurers' Track Day; adventurers and racers were welcome.

"Come on then, I can show you what I do besides juggling my works at Audi, managing Muse, Adventurers Republic's admin, and helping people in needs." you nodded softly.

I thought you might be kidding me, granted...you won Season 3 of the WSRC, but still...

I was thinking that your well-mannered personality might hinder your driving, but you became a completely different beast behind the wheels of your Le Mans Quattro...

The way you drift your car through long corners, braking sharply through sharp turns, cornering efficiently in tight bends and hairpins like it ain't no thing, regaining your car's control after letting it loose for a short second, and even power sliding at the right time to maximise the fastest time possible...

In the long stretches, I could never, ever, shook off you pushing your hypercar to such a high-speed that it made my sight blurred and eyes water. Yet...yet I feel so...so elated!

The strange sense of exhilaration...and the constant thought of your life on the line; pushing your favourite car to the limit while gobbling up corners like it was nothing, and mixing all that with grace and poise...

It just felt as if I became so much more alive than ever before! I even found myself laughing by the end of the two-lap stint around the track; I had wanted to go for another round!

As we took another cooldown lap around the Circuit, I apologised to you...

"Look...Chris-sempai, if I offended you in any way, then sorry. I never know that you have such an interest in this type of sport, I mean...that's EXTREME sport!"

"No interest? Didn't you pay attention about the third season of WSRC when Team Muse's members were on summer vacation at Maki's beach?"

"No..."

You sighed and gave a small simper.

"Rin...It's not that I hate the sports you and Team Muse participated. It's just that I have my own likings of sports, like racing...I respect your likings; you don;t see me going about saying 'Rin, you shouldn't be playing so and so sport because that's not good for you!' right?"

"I just thought that you don't really care for Team Muse because you never joined Muse actively for any sports...save for swimming. But I think what you said just now caught my attention..."

"Huh?"

"People have their likings; what might be one person's favourite sports, might not be one person's cup of tea. I might like baseball, soccer, and the lot, but you prefer Motorsports. I get it now...opinions, right?"

"Rin...you're getting there. So long as people respect people's opinion and not go about spreading unnecessary hate like haters infected with the blobs, I'm a-ok with your favourite sport. It's not like I'm going to insult you for liking baseball, right?"

When we drove back to the pit stop, you told me...

"But you know something, Rin...Maybe I should give it a shot..."

My eyes lit up, "Really? But...you don't have to if you don't want to...I understand that you have important works to do."

You nodded, "I made a choice, aren't I? As a producer, I guess it's my job to get to know you all a bit more, right? After all, you are what the Four Horsemen reckoned as 'Humans'; I am still learning the meaning of humanity too. Who knows, I might enjoy it and perhaps find out if it's really my fault that the epidemic happened. Besides, I will be free from for two months because we are nearly done before the the new A5's production begin after."

You gave me a small simper, "Thanks...Rin. You taught me something about idol management too..."

"Well, how about that! I helped someone of a high-ranking! Awesome, ain't I?" Heh...I was just kidding with ya!

Still, thanks, Chris-sempai! Guess I still have much to learn in respecting people's likings and dislikes. As an idol and a human being, though, I will not end up like those goons we have just slayed over the two years, ja?

Hanayo and I will like to say again...THANK YOU YA AWESOME PRODUCER! Hehheh!

 

(After Season 2 of Love Live) Winning the trophy during the second Love Live is hard, but getting rid of the idol culture's stigma is harder...Team Muse's members reflected upon the main events that happened in Season 1 that affected them, the lessons that they learned, and how Chris and Alito had helped Muse during the Maidens' personal journey to find 'The Elements of Humanity'.
© 2015 - 2024 ChrisQuattroFuschia
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