Aikatsu Crescent! BRIGHTEST☆STARS || アイカツクレセント！Season 3

「Phase 136」STARBOUND

"We're genuinely going ahead with this?"

"It's what we planned."

Mai dug her nails into the desk, her teeth clenched. "All of the reception on social media has been negative. Nobody wants this."

"Your perception of 'nobody' seems to be quite warped," another adult said. "There are many who agree."

"I haven't seen a single idol react positively to this," Mai continued. "Fans aren't happy either."

"Isn't it just one of those social media bandwagoning things?" Another adult suggested. "I'm sure they'll all change their minds soon enough."

"But-"

He placed his hand on the top of Mai's head and grinned. "Don't worry about it! There's nothing you have to do except go back overseas and advertise for us."

Mai opened her mouth in protest - then, she looked down. Her direction of vision slowly moved to a pile of books on her desk, each with many post-it notes sticking out.

"...You're right," she muttered. "I'm sorry for causing a fuss."

─── ｡ﾟ☽: * .♡. * :☾ ° . ───

"Usagi-chan? You okay?"

For a second, everything in her line of vision was blurred, nothing having any particular form. Then, everything snapped back to normal, her friends and their worried expression becoming clear. In a daze, she placed her hand on her head.

Then, she nodded.

"I'm okay."

Hikaru gave a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness..."

"You zoned out for a couple of minutes there," Claire explained. "I don't know what exactly happened but I guess it's the shock."

"The... shock?" Usagi mumbled. She turned her attention to the screen ahead of them and it all came back.

"The system... the system!"

"...It's gone," Saki muttered. "Our careers as we know them are over."

"It's... over," Minori whispered, tearing up and hugging her knees.

Only the five remained in the hall, surrounded by vacant seats and a sour atmosphere. It was virtually silent, with only Minori's sniffing to provide noise. Saki placed her hand on Minori's head, stroking her hair, to comfort her and the others looked down.

"...So what now?" Usagi asked. "What's there for us?"

"The headmistress said they've been asked by KatsuCorp to take away their Aikatsu course for the next year," Claire further explained. "Rosebud Academy will be the only Aikatsu school in Japan from now on. It's... over for us."

"We'll still be allowed to perform without the system," Hikaru added.

"But how could we possibly compete?" Saki asked quietly, holding Minori closer as the latter's sobbing became louder. Usagi's eyebrows furrowed and she looked down.

"Is that... really it for us?" She asked, looking down.

"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan," Hikaru said. "But we can't do anything else."

"You're giving up?"

"..." They looked away, unable to admit the truth. Usagi's eyes widened.

"Even after everything?"

"I love Aikatsu," Claire said, "It's been fun but... all things come to an end eventually."

"I'd still like to perform now and again but... making it our jobs would be like if Healin' Cheer tried to fight Doctor Despair without being able to transform."