aycs revue AU prototype

Chisato is awakened in a dream.

No – she shook her head – the sight she's seeing right now is surreal than a dream.

After a blinding light setting to fill her sight, Shirasagi Chisato is sitting back to a comfortable sofa somewhere. A place she never recognize in her lifetime. She was sitting by empty rows of audience chairs on a grand stand above, looking below. No one else is there but her, she is the sole audience without any guide to whatever show she's watching right now.

A circular arena was there below her, surrounded by shallow water areas. Chisato only called the place she saw as an 'arena' because she witnessed three pairs fighting. They were there with their respective weapons, aiming to each other's throats, not batting an eye to the audience seats.

Weapons are the one which made Chisato realized that it is not a dream. Then again, she couldn't define any of these fights as something below a dream. After all, the real world is 'normal' - normal as in no wars or bloodbath happening between civilian, especially, to young girls about her age.

"Good evening."

Before her, a pink mascot bear showing itself for Chisato to adhere. Chisato scrunched her forehead, thinking whether these strange turn of events would end eventually. The pink mascot bear was waiting for her answer, though the bear can't change its expressions, being the mascot and all - it simply stared to the blonde's way with its big, round, twinkling black eyes and a monotone smile.

Somehow Chisato could sense that this bear understand her woes - and confusion. Its hands were gripping on the metal bar separating the arena below and mere rows of seats.

"Welcome to the Revue," the bear said. "Usually, your presence in bystander bench means you're less qualified for the show, but I see that you're here for another ... peculiar reason."

It was as if the bear knows everything—Chisato said inwardly. The mascot bear is big, maybe twice of her size. It looked so stuffy and maybe hot inside, but Chisato wouldn't question whether there's a human inside as of now.

The pink bear pointed at the stage for Chisato to take notice that one of pair has finished with their battle. A loud clink of something stripped away from the jacket was audible, before Chisato could see a golden button flying to where they are standing.
Chisato caught the flying button, seeing an insignia of a star within it, shining beneath her open palm.

She then got herself to focus on the fallen fighter; a girl with flowing turquoise hair was splayed on the stage while the other one - a lilac-haired girl with a glaring blue cape pointing her sword to the fallen girl's throat, showing no sight of mercy while her adversary has been defeated. Chisato couldn't make out their faces as distance separated them, the distinctive color of hair is the only thing the blonde could see.

The blonde spotted the turquoise-haired girl's weapon rather late as it is strayed close to the pool of water far from the fallen body: a worn-out crossbow.

"A crossbow and a sword, isn't this an unfair match!?"

"Isn't life a never-ending unfair ordeal?"

The bear shot down her question with a logical counter argument, Chisato clammed up.
Chisato rolled her eyes to see another pair that's still fighting. The pairs are wearing both red cape aside of their uniform, engaging in a battle of wits between what Chisato could conjure as a sword and a spear. The blonde couldn't make out of their appearance clearly as they are moving fast.

What caught her attention the most is the presence of two different cape colors, blue and red.

"Soon, the Revue of the day will be concluded." the bear reminded her. "Do you have any question, Shirasagi Chisato-san?"

At first, Chisato thought of reflexively replying how the bear even got her name. Though, such question on impulse will waste her chance to ask the reason behind this fight and the reason why she's there watching.

Her time is short, however. She heard yet another loud clinking sound from the arena.

"What is Revue?"

The bear paused for a bit. Distancing itself from the crowbar and walked farther, closing to where the exit door is waiting, Chisato couldn't say anything to stop the bear.

"It consisted of song and dance woven into a mesmerizing play. The more shine that they can feel from the stage girls, the more the mechanics will dance as a response to their radiance."

The voice echoed stronger, even stronger than before. While the bear is walking far, creating more distance between them, the voice couldn't be any more nearer.

"To whomever puts the brightest Revue, the path to become the Top Star will appear." the bear laughed after pauses.

"Didn't you already understand this? I repeated for you so many times already, Shirasagi Chisato-san."

"What are you talking about, I—"

"Next time you are here, you'll be on the stage too, just like them."

The bear didn't let her to have a follow-up question, as suddenly a spiral of darkness is cast upon the stage, engulfing her and her confusion away in a breath.

. . .

'Revue'. 'Stage girl'. 'Top Star'. 'Pink bear'.

The four keywords clouded her mind as Chisato made her way to the school longer than usual. Her mind is far too preoccupied right now that she didn't bother to greet somebody when entering the school grounds.

In the Monday morning of new month, usually there would be a body check - courtesy of the Hanasakigawa's strict Disciplinary Committee.

Hanasakigawa All-Girl's School, one of the respected school in the area with a lengthy history of their actress' branch classes and celebrity-oriented curriculum. Actually, there's another school in the area with such actress' classes like Hanegaoka, but as Chisato is busy with her showbiz days during the end of middle school year, she couldn't afford to be in the prep school such as Hanegaoka.

It's not like being in Hanasakigawa has its disadvantages - Chisato mused. The school has been great with its flexibility versus her harsh schedule so far. Also, Shirasagi Chisato is one of the top young actress known in the school and outside the school, she already have everything.

Chisato passed on the body check, when she spotted a familiar turquoise-haired girl on the questioner's bench.

"Please show me the content of your bag." the girl said politely.

Now when Chisato realized it, she ... knew who the girl actually is. It is the Disciplinary Committee leader, and one of respected performer from the class A just like her, Hikawa Sayo.

"Shirasagi-san, what are you waiting for? You're keeping a line behind you." she spoke in stern tone.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Sayo-chan." Chisato produced her bag and zipped it open for the Disciplinary Committee member to check.

She then cleared her throat as Sayo is occupied with checking. "Mind if I ask you something?"

"Can we talk later? As you can see I'm busy here."

"Fine then."

Chisato could only hope Sayo got a lead for Chisato to understand more about Revue, at least.

Or so she thought that things would be easy.

. . .

After the last row of checking and getting back her bag, Chisato went past the hallway before her classroom.

The poster of upcoming play one month from now, starring the all-familiar blue-haired beauty in the role of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, is plastered on every nook and cranny of the announcement board.

It brought Chisato to smile immediately upon looking how the poster turned out so well and the fact that's Kanon is in there.

Matsubara Kanon, her one and only person that she can call as a friend in class A. Low-esteemed and quite shy, Kanon is actually a brave girl who won't stray for things she believed in. Kanon has her own talent too in the stage, in which she attempted to hide from anyone quite often because she's always thinking that she's not good enough.

After a lot of encouragement from Chisato, Kanon showed herself to improve with her acting skills, and there she won the audition to be the main character of the upcoming play.

Ever since then, Kanon is getting increasingly busy with preparation of the play with the Stage Development Class C and the teachers that sometimes she's absent from the class, just like today. Chisato sought her attention to the table beside her to find that Kanon's bag is there but the said warm bluenette is nowhere to be found.

'I guess the first period will begin without her.'

.

As the first bell rang, the members of class A - the actress development class - quickly get in their respective seats, ready to welcome their homeroom teacher.

"Good morning class! Remember we'll have dance practice with class B this morning!"

Collective whines are audible throughout the class, Chisato actually is also the part of them but she didn't voice her own.

It's not like class A is a high and mighty one of the pack, but class B members - the 'leftover' from actress development class - sometimes are less competent. The members of class B understand about this 'social gap' and tried to not getting in the way of class A members, still, it doesn't mean that the uncomfortable air dissipated immediately.

'Kanon was lucky to be absent for this class,' Chisato solemnly said to herself, as she took her leotard from her bag and moving to the changing room after the class has been emptied.

This class is nothing to worry aside of the strange 'Revue', though. Chisato needed to keep it in her mind.


. . .


The teacher announced their names aloud and their respective pairs from class B when they are gathered for the practice room.

Chisato was looking for an opportunity to talk with Sayo about the Revue, though unfortunately, Sayo is called first for pairings - to someone whom Chisato didn't catch the name.

The thoughts of Revue occupied her mind by then, particularly to the weapon fights and the explanation about 'stage girls'. Is all the Revue participants should be a stage girl? Then if yes, does that mean everyone in this class or maybe outside this school’s actress class is counted as a member of the Revue? How many fights will the Revue end up to be? What requirements they need to have to be a Top Star?

“Shirasagi Chisato,” the teacher caught her train of thoughts. “You’ll be paired with Maruyama Aya.”

Her purple eyes went to the sight of pink-haired girl who’s moving forward from the line after being called. The owner of pastel pink leotard approached Chisato, bowing down.

“G-Good morning!” the pinkette stumbled when greeting Chisato. “I’ll—I’ll be in your care, Chisato-chan.”

Chisato mustered her business smile, crystal clear, “It’s nice to meet you, Aya-chan.”

After everyone from class A is getting their pairs from class B, the dancing practice began.

Chisato could feel how the air is heavy with mostly everyone’s uncomfortable feelings of this class A and class B match-ups. The blonde caught how some pairs got clumsy steps to such slow beat dance song like this, uncouth to how great the class A initially is.

This ‘Aya’ is no exception. Not only she’s plain, but she stomped a lot as she’s trying to lead Chisato with this dance. The pinkette kept on mumbling her apology and asking for a repeat until she got it right. Chisato went along, didn’t say much about anything or comment on what this plain girl wanted to do.

Chisato tried to pay a little to no mind as this class is like, playing around. Chisato wouldn’t bother to seek out what’s this person is being good at since their partnership will last for a day.

They only need to survive a few of dance sets and they are done for the day.

.


Then, her nightmare is coming. A nightmare worse than the sight of weird Revue battle royale from last night.

“—the names that has been announced will be paired off until the end of first semester. Please do your best together and ace the tests later!”


. . .


“—and so that’s why you’re in bad mood now, Chisato-chan?”

Her only solace, Kanon, is thankfully back during lunch time. Chisato didn’t waste her time to tell her string of bad luck from the morning class; how she’s paired with one of clumsy class B students until the first semester ended.

“What about you, Kanon? Did the teacher picked someone to be your pair because your absence?”

“Y-Yes, they said they will. But I have yet to be informed about it.”

“I see.”

Chisato tried to reason with the teacher earlier about this decision of pairing two classes together, how their skills won’t be on par in such short time. The teacher said something about this being a good way for the respective classes to train together. Class B can learn with pairing with class A and class A can release more of their potential.

All in all, it is nowhere beneficial for anyone who will get low scores on tests, especially to students of class A.

A strange Revue and now this so-called partnership – how much worse her life can get in a count of a day?

Speaking of Revue, though. Isn’t Kanon one of stage girls as well? Chisato couldn’t imagine a meek-looking Kanon holding a sword or anything intimidating in particular, but it is better to ask than be sorry to miss an opportunity to get an information.

“By the way, Kanon. Do you happen to know about Revue?”

“Revue?” Kanon blinked. The bluenette tilted her head in confusion. “Is it a new stage play title?”

“Oh, uhh, no,”

Seeing the puzzled expression of Kanon, Chisato is convinced that she doesn’t know anything about the ‘Revue’. A relief washed over her to know Kanon is not involved in such strange theatrics.

“I was wondering whether the name is ringing any bells to you.” Chisato concluded.

Maybe, maybe it was all a dream after all. She was a stupid person to believe that dreams hold such water to reality.


. . .


'Revue'. 'Stage girl'. 'Top Star'. 'Pink bear'.

Chisato tried to search the keywords one by one using internet since she’s free right now. It was a quiet afternoon when the class is finished and Chisato is waiting by the locker area for a mail from her manager.

Recently, she is casted for one of midnight drama TV show and she did the filming quite often until late at night. She always wait for the manager to call or text her schedule for the day since things could change in any minutes.

The search through internet didn’t prove to be fruitful, sadly.

“Chisato-chan, good afternoon.”

Ah, now for something she didn’t expect to happen: a certain Maruyama Aya is entering her viewfinder. The pinkette was still in her leotard, in which Chisato couldn’t help to wonder. Wasn’t it kind of late in the afternoon? Is the practice room still open for anyone to use?

“Sorry, did I bother you?”

“Not at all.” Again, a business smile. “What are you doing, Aya-chan, doesn’t the afternoon dance class for class B ended already?”

Aya scratched her cheek, “Well. I need to go over until I can do it. I’m … I’m not that good in the class. Not to mention I tripped a lot.”

The mention got Chisato twitched her eyes. ‘Not that good’, but then this no-good girl is paired with her, who’s wanting the best on everything. After the morning class, Chisato didn’t plan on meeting Aya for the meantime, but this ‘no-good’ pair of her started to bother her.

If Chisato is failed because of this girl, her reputation will—

An unfamiliar ringtone sprung from her phone. Both of them were shocked with sudden loud ringtone there, even Aya took three steps back. Chisato didn’t recall her phone is having such kind of ringtone, however.

When she saw her screen, it is pitch black, save from the round bear face from last night in white ink, revolving clockwise. Chisato tried to scroll further below:

‘And it shall be bestowed upon you,
the Star which you have longed for—‘

AUDITION, Day 02

Schedules for you:
Revue of Distortion – Hikawa Sayo.