For Whom the Girl Sings

Neo lingered in the doorway. I have seen Rinku and Maho thus far, and now it appears that after today, I shall only have Muni left.

A smirk tugged at her lips as she crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. Rei's back was to her as she hunched over the music room piano, completely lost in song. When Neo finally noticed her own head bobbing gently along, she smiled at Rei with begrudging respect.

Pianos are... not typically used in Abyssmare's music production; however, it is not impossible. In fact, I believe that it could sound quite... elegant, refined. Neo was a trained opera singer, after all. Even though opera did not exactly fit Abyssmare's image, that image was never Neo's. It was Sho's. He was the one who controlled their previous music and style, forcing them to sing arrogantly about themselves and dress like wolves, bears, and ravens, but now that he was gone...

Good riddance. Neo's lip curled, then she distracted herself with more pleasant thoughts, musing upon what a piano song for Abyssmare might sound like. She wanted something that told their story, not during their time with Sho, but in the days to follow. It would act as a preview to the new Abyssmare, ushering in a new era for them. In the background, Rei's performance washed over Neo, soothing her mind as she reflected. She was almost annoyed when the music abruptly ended, the song over, Rei lifting her hands from the piano keys.

"You play very well," Neo said, at last stepping into the music room.

"Ah!" Rei shot up as if she'd been burnt, whipping around and meeting Neo's eyes with terror in her own. "N-N-Neo?! ... Uhh... I... uhhh...! W-w-were you attempting to use th-this?" She gestured to the piano. "I do hope I haven't kept you waiting! I- I- I'm very sorry!" She bowed quickly, and Neo couldn't help but smirk as she was reminded uncannily of her DJ. Neo, however, was not here to exchange pleasantries.

"Why do you play piano?" To Neo, it didn't seem like a very intuitive instrument for DJs, but perhaps that was Rei's strategy. For one, learning piano meant that she specialized in something, a specific instrument. For another, because it wasn't intuitive, if Rei was able to master it, she could brag that she was the only one who knew how. She might even create a subgenre or new DJ technique!

Rei, meanwhile, blinked in surprise and reared back slightly. Of all the things she expected Neo to say or do after lurking in the doorway for... who knew how long? Rei hadn't expected that. "Do you... have any interest in learning?" she asked stupidly.

"No, I already know," Neo said, shaking her head. "I learnt years ago, as a child; however, I acknowledge that I do not play as often as you." She refused to admit that she was the inferior pianist, even though everyone was compared to Rei.

"Ah, s-s-sorry..." Rei winced, looking mortified. "Forgive me!" she bowed again. "I did not mean to insinuate or accuse you of anything!"

Neo only shook her head again, smirking, but remaining silent. She knew she'd get a faster answer out of Rei by saying nothing and leaving her to fill the space rather than wasting breath assuring her that Neo took no offense to her question. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Rei quickly began babbling about her history and relationship with piano. By the end of it, Neo was still mystified.

Is all of Happy Around like this? Even Maho sometimes confused her, and Maho struck Neo as the most sensible one of the unit. Rather than receive any sort of strategy, what Neo instead heard from Rei felt like an odd love story between herself and Esora Shimizu, of Peaky P-Key.

I know a handful of their songs have piano in the background. Was this perhaps Esora's doing? Well, if nothing else, at least Rei provided me with new information about Peaky's musical composition...

In order to verify that Rei wasn't intentionally obfuscating information under the pretense of misunderstanding, Neo asked another question. "You have spoken at great length of Esora Shimizu. Is there no one else for whom you play?"

"O-oh, pardon me!" Rei blushed and touched her cheek. "Of course, I play for my unit! It's just that Esora and I..." Rei didn't mind telling Neo, but it was a very personal story, so it took her a moment to compose herself and collect her thoughts. "Esora has been with me... through everything, and she's... seen me at certain lows that even Hapiara didn't fully know..."

There was shame in Rei's face and voice, but that only made Neo more intrigued. Sensing that the girl was close to speaking of her own volition, Neo held her tongue. By the end of it, her heart was racing. S-so... You too...?

A girl with a gift, and a dream. A parent whose dream was ripped away far too soon. A parent who wanted nothing more than to see their dream come true... through their child. The girl's gift would grow, but her dream would diminish. In those days, she was restless and meaningless, frustrated that she could not understand why her favorite hobby no longer brought her peace.

And yet she persisted, even when the activity was hollow to her. All that mattered was continuing. To what end? She did not know. But blind, desperate faith—a desire for things to go back to the way they used to be—drove her onward. Maybe a light waited at the end of that long, lonely tunnel, or maybe she was simply too afraid to turn around and admit that she'd been wrong for so many years... The only difference, Rei got out long before Neo. But how? Well, for whom did the girl perform?

"Esora..." Rei breathed the name, almost reverent. "She... stood up for me, when I could not see a path forward and stand up for myself."

Esora was her hero, but she didn't do all the heavy lifting. Instead, after talking to Rei's mother, she encouraged Rei to play for herself, her own sake and fulfillment, rather than anyone else's. Not her parents, not even Esora, but her own. That was for whom she was supposed to play.

"And I play for a variety of purposes and people; however, at the end of the day, the choice is always mine. Because I love the people and purposes for whom I play, I can play for my own sake at the same time, and I believe that that is exactly how it is supposed to be!" Rei was a timid girl, far too polite for her own good, but in that moment, she met Neo's gaze evenly, and with conviction.

Neo, meanwhile, was reminded of "the best diva in the universe". What had she told Neo? The best diva was not the one who could sing the best, but any vocalist who had the most fun they could while singing. That, in turn, reminded her of her conversations with Rinku and Maho, the former encouraging Neo to sing for the joy of friends while the latter encouraged her to sing for the truth of self.

In all three instances, Neo disdained the "wisdom" she was offered. The sentiments were far too childish and idyllic. But when coming from the perspective of Rei's story... The joy of friendship and truth of self were the only things that kept her sane during what she was certain was the darkest period of her life. And they were eventually the very keys that set her free. It was for these reasons that the girl played and performed.

But what of Neo? For whom did the girl sing? I wanted to say myself, but...

As hard as it was for her to admit it to herself, the truth was that Neo really hadn't been singing for herself at all. It was just her father's dream, but she convinced herself that it was hers. But if Neo went by Rei's story... Who stood beside Neo in her darkest hour when her parental figure failed to protect and guide her? A smile slowly spread across her face (much to the shock and awe of Rei).

Several minutes later, piano music was emanating from Yoba's music room again. Sharper ears would realize that the music was far too fast and complex to be played by one pair of hands alone. Just for that moment, Neo and Rei were the ones for whom the other played and sang.

AN: Just thinking about the parallels between Neo's story and the Esorei event. Also thinking that I wish Neo's realization of her unit's loyalty could've happened more slowly and naturally. (Though Sophia's slap was pretty funny)

This fic could also be seen as what inspires her/how exactly she starts to write the song "Story".