third song ✬ dream
[Rise is standing on stage all by herself. She looks different than usual. Her hair is let down from her usual pigtails. Her clothes are plain and modest. She doesn't reflect her usual confidence, nervously staring at her feet as she grips the microphone in her hands. She looks tiny on stage, small under the bright lights. There's no one in the audience except a panel of judges, all middle-aged.]
"So Kujikawa-san, why do you want to become an Idol?"
[Rise bites her lip before she responds timidly.]
Um... B-Because I want to change myself. I want to be popular and... I... I want to make friends.
"Well, it's true you have natural talent." [One judge comments idly. Rise looks up hopefully.]
Oh, thank y-
"But why should a selfish girl like you become an Idol?" [They sneer.]
What-
"You're a really cute girl, Kujikawa-san, but you won't win fans looking like that. Maybe if you showed a little more you'd be famous!" [A camera that Rise hadn't been aware of suddenly zoomed on her body. She covers herself as if she was stripped naked.]
Stop...!
Oh, come on! You wanna show your stuff, don't you? You little skank!
[Rise turns to see her Shadow self beside her, grinning from ear to ear. She was wearing the same orange bikini Rise had seen her in before, flaunting her body with utmost confidence. Her golden eyes pierce through her like a blade, rooting her feet in place. The Shadow grabs the microphone from her stunned fingers.]
Let's give these people something to cheer for! Come on, Risetteers! Lemme hear you s-c-r-e-a-m!
[Suddenly an audience appears and awakens with cheers. Her Shadow prances around the stage, stopping to pose for pictures every now and then. But Rise stands, frozen in place, and stares out into the crowd with wide eyes, recognizing various classmates from Yasogami. In the seats, she could see her friends. She could see Souji... with Ange.]
Senpai... help me!
[But he didn't seem to hear her. He doesn't even acknowledge her, not even when Ange casually glances over. Rise could feel tears pricking at her eyes, coming forth. She didn't understand what was happening. Why wasn't anyone helping her? Why were they just laughing? Why were they cheering? There was nothing to cheer about! The camera, operated by some unseen cameraman, moves to capture every tear that rolls down her cheeks.]
Awwww! Are you crying? How cute! [Her Shadow giggles with cruel, mocking eyes.]
[Near the back of the audience, two teenage boys were chattering to themselves. Despite the distance, Rise could hear them loud and clear.]
"Man, Kanamin is sooo cute. It's crazy that she's still in middle school. I like that she's not so fake, like Risette."
"Yeah, Kanamin's like... plain, and honest. Somewhere between a little sister and the girl next door. Like, the kind of girl you want to protect."
[Shadow Rise pouts, stamping her feet like a little kid.]
Nooo, pay attention to me more! I'm much better than that ugly bitch! Much, much better! Love me already!
Just stop it already! [Rise makes a grab for the mic. Her Shadow cries out and manages to smack her across the head with it, the feedback echoing like a screech throughout the auditorium. Rise collapses in a heap, and suddenly finds herself bombarded with paparazzi looking for a good picture.]
Stop! Stop taking pictures!
[Rise cries, curling into a ball on the stage floor. The Paparazzi grab at her hair, at her clothes, wanting to get every inch of scoop on her. Her head was reeling from the constant flash of cameras and she wanted to escape.
But she could only scream and scream as her Shadow laughs in the background.]
"So Kujikawa-san, why do you want to become an Idol?"
[Rise bites her lip before she responds timidly.]
Um... B-Because I want to change myself. I want to be popular and... I... I want to make friends.
"Well, it's true you have natural talent." [One judge comments idly. Rise looks up hopefully.]
Oh, thank y-
"But why should a selfish girl like you become an Idol?" [They sneer.]
What-
"You're a really cute girl, Kujikawa-san, but you won't win fans looking like that. Maybe if you showed a little more you'd be famous!" [A camera that Rise hadn't been aware of suddenly zoomed on her body. She covers herself as if she was stripped naked.]
Stop...!
Oh, come on! You wanna show your stuff, don't you? You little skank!
[Rise turns to see her Shadow self beside her, grinning from ear to ear. She was wearing the same orange bikini Rise had seen her in before, flaunting her body with utmost confidence. Her golden eyes pierce through her like a blade, rooting her feet in place. The Shadow grabs the microphone from her stunned fingers.]
Let's give these people something to cheer for! Come on, Risetteers! Lemme hear you s-c-r-e-a-m!
[Suddenly an audience appears and awakens with cheers. Her Shadow prances around the stage, stopping to pose for pictures every now and then. But Rise stands, frozen in place, and stares out into the crowd with wide eyes, recognizing various classmates from Yasogami. In the seats, she could see her friends. She could see Souji... with Ange.]
Senpai... help me!
[But he didn't seem to hear her. He doesn't even acknowledge her, not even when Ange casually glances over. Rise could feel tears pricking at her eyes, coming forth. She didn't understand what was happening. Why wasn't anyone helping her? Why were they just laughing? Why were they cheering? There was nothing to cheer about! The camera, operated by some unseen cameraman, moves to capture every tear that rolls down her cheeks.]
Awwww! Are you crying? How cute! [Her Shadow giggles with cruel, mocking eyes.]
[Near the back of the audience, two teenage boys were chattering to themselves. Despite the distance, Rise could hear them loud and clear.]
"Man, Kanamin is sooo cute. It's crazy that she's still in middle school. I like that she's not so fake, like Risette."
"Yeah, Kanamin's like... plain, and honest. Somewhere between a little sister and the girl next door. Like, the kind of girl you want to protect."
[Shadow Rise pouts, stamping her feet like a little kid.]
Nooo, pay attention to me more! I'm much better than that ugly bitch! Much, much better! Love me already!
Just stop it already! [Rise makes a grab for the mic. Her Shadow cries out and manages to smack her across the head with it, the feedback echoing like a screech throughout the auditorium. Rise collapses in a heap, and suddenly finds herself bombarded with paparazzi looking for a good picture.]
Stop! Stop taking pictures!
[Rise cries, curling into a ball on the stage floor. The Paparazzi grab at her hair, at her clothes, wanting to get every inch of scoop on her. Her head was reeling from the constant flash of cameras and she wanted to escape.
But she could only scream and scream as her Shadow laughs in the background.]