Pastel*Rangers

Chapter 71 - Tuesday

"No, that's not right..."

Yukina, Sayo, Lisa, Ako, and Rinko stop playing their instruments. They had been practicing at Live House CiRCLE that day, but much to Yukina's frustration, something about their music sounded off.

"You hear it too, right Minato-san?" Sayo asks Yukina.

"I don't get it" Lisa smiles. "What's wrong with our music?"

"This isn't the sound we usually make" Sayo says. "It sounds upbeat."

"I just feel so excited!" Ako smiles.

"What's wrong with making our music a bit more happy?" Lisa smiles.

"It's not our sound" Yukina answers.

"But this new sound... Brings smiles to others..." Rinko smiles.

"Yeah!" Ako smiles. "We need to spread smiles everywhere!"

"You three sound exactly like Tsurumaki-san" Sayo says.

"It's not just them" Yukina says. "Everyone I've passed by today have had unnatural smiles on their faces."

"Most people had the same unnatural smile yesterday as well" Sayo says. "Hina wasn't acting out of the ordinary, but I suppose she's always in a happy mood."

"Perhaps we should end practice today" Yukina suggests. "It's better to stop now than to continue tainting our music."

"I agree" Sayo agrees. "I'll ask Yamato-san if she knows anything about this."

"The sooner they get back to normal, the sooner we can continue our path to the top" Yukina says.

"Normal? But this is the music I wanna play!" Ako smiles.

"I agree... With Ako..." Rinko smiles.

"Let's make more festive music!" Lisa smiles.

"Are they serious?" Sayo says, wide-eyed.

"If that's truly how you feel" Yukina begins to say. "Then you three are free to start your own band."

"Minato-san! Let's not be too hasty" Sayo says.

"You're welcome to join them if you wish" Yukina says.

"Yukina... You're not serious, are you...?" Lisa smiles.

"I am serious about our music" Yukina says. "I do not need bandmates that do things on their own. Roselia will never get to the top without everyone working towards the same goal."

"Yukina..." Lisa smiles, and begins to radiate a dark miasma.

"I don't wanna quit this band!" Ako smiles, also radiating that miasma. Rinko also radiates that miasma.

"Were they possessed?" Sayo's eyes widen. Soon, three Negatives emerge, one each from Lisa, Ako, and Rinko.

"Eek! What are those!" Lisa says, returning back to normal and noticing the Negatives. She quickly runs towards Yukina and crouches behind her. Ako and Rinko follow her, but do not crouch.

"It's what possessed that girl who brought us into Neo Fantasy Online" Sayo explains. "They're called Negatives."

"If only we had the same powers as back then" Ako says, also back to normal. Sayo rushes to her bag. She pulls out a bow and a few arrows.

"Why do you have that...?" Lisa asks.

"I was planning on practicing at school after practice" Sayo says, loading an arrow. "I don't know if this will work, but I want you all to run away if it doesn't."