Two for Tragedy

5. First Impressions

The plane touched down in Germany with a jolt, and Requiem of the Fallen stepped off into a whirlwind of flashing cameras and shouting paparazzi. Jo shielded her eyes from the blinding lights, her heart racing as she took in the chaos surrounding them. It was a strange mix of excitement and anxiety; this was their first major appearance in Germany, and the eyes of the media were all over them.

"Keep moving! Keep moving!" Their bodyguard urged, trying to lead the group through the crowd. Aaro flashed a cocky grin, reveling in the attention, while Mikael and Niko exchanged glances, clearly less comfortable in the spotlight. Jo felt a surge of adrenaline; they were on the brink of something big.

Mikael and Niko, on the other hand, exchanged uneasy glances. They weren't as comfortable in the relentless spotlight, and the sheer intensity of it all seemed to weigh on them. Jo, in contrast, was used to the attention by now, but the mix of adrenaline and nerves surged through her body.

Once they managed to get past the throngs of fans and aggressive journalists, the band quickly slipped into the sleek black SUV waiting for them. The city of Berlin flashed by through the tinted windows, a blur of buildings, lights, and vibrant streets. Jo stared out of the window, the buzzing atmosphere outside amplifying her own sense of anticipation.

After a short ride, they arrived at a towering luxury hotel in the heart of Berlin. The entrance was grand, with massive glass doors reflecting the evening lights and polished marble floors inside. Once again, they were greeted by a sea of fans and photographers, many of whom had followed them from the airport. The crowd surged as soon as they stepped out of the car, the noise almost deafening as flashes illuminated their faces.

Their bodyguard led them swiftly through the commotion, ushering them inside. Jo felt the cool rush of air conditioning as they entered the lobby, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. The interior of the hotel was nothing short of lavish—gleaming chandeliers, intricately designed floors, and a staff dressed in pristine uniforms who immediately took care of their luggage, whisking it upstairs without hesitation.

The band, however, barely had time to appreciate the grandeur. They were here for a meeting, and everyone knew it wasn't going to be an easy one. Their managers had scheduled a sit-down with Tokio Hotel and the executives in a conference room at the hotel.

Finally, they reached the conference room. The heavy wooden doors opened to reveal an elegant space, outfitted with sleek, modern decor. A massive table stretched across the room, with plush chairs waiting to be filled. The large windows overlooked the glowing skyline of Berlin, but the view wasn't enough to distract from the tension inside.

Tokio Hotel was already seated at one end of the table, their eyes snapping towards the door as Jo and her band entered. For a moment, no one said a word. Both bands simply stared at each other, sizing each other up in silence. Jo could feel the weight of their gazes, her heartbeat quickening as her eyes locked briefly with Tom's, before shifting to Bill, who seemed more animated than the others.

The atmosphere was thick, almost stifling. Jo straightened her posture, exchanging a quick glance with Aaro, who rolled his eyes as if to say, Here we go.

Requiem of the Fallen took their seats across from Tokio Hotel. Jo could feel the tension in the air as both bands stared each other down, sizing one another up. They were talking with each other in German.

"Great, this is awkward," Aaro muttered under his breath, crossing his arms.

"Let's get this over with," Jo replied, her voice steady but her heart fluttering with nerves.

Just then, their manager stepped forward, clearing his throat loudly to break the uncomfortable silence. "Alright, everyone! Let's get the introductions out of the way," he said, gesturing for the two bands to meet.

"First, we have Requiem of the Fallen! This is Jo, our phenomenal lead singer," he began, gesturing to her. "This is Aleksander, our talented pianist; Aaro, our guitarist; Mikael, our bassist; and Niko, our drummer."

The Tokio Hotel members exchanged polite smiles.

"Great to meet you," Bill said with an enthusiastic smile, his energy infectious. "I'm Bill, the lead singer, and this is my brother, Tom, our guitarist, Georg on bass, and Gustav on drums."

Tom offered a curt nod, still maintaining an air of aloofness, while Georg and Gustav greeted them with friendly waves.

Bill, with a playful grin, leaned forward slightly. "And just to clarify, Tom here is definitely our guitarist and not a fanboy, in case anyone was wondering!" He winked at Jo, a light-hearted jab at the incident from their last meeting.

Jo's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as laughter rippled through the room. She tried to hide her face behind her hand, but the teasing light in Bill's eyes only made her blush deeper. "Oh, come on!" she exclaimed, half-laughing, half-defensive.

Even Tom cracked a small smile, though he did feel annoyed. "Yeah, I'm not here for selfies," he retorted. The corners of his mouth twitched, betraying his amusement despite the earlier annoyance.

"Nice to meet you all," Jo said, regaining her composure

The atmosphere in the room lightened significantly, the laughter breaking down the walls of formality that had initially surrounded them.

As the laughter settled, the managers took control of the conversation, signaling that it was time to get down to business. They exchanged glances, then one of them—the main representative from the record label—leaned forward, folding his hands on the table.

"Alright, everyone. Now that the ice is broken," he said with a slight chuckle, "we need to discuss the opening night of the tour."

The room grew quieter, the bands shifting in their seats. Jo, still feeling a bit flushed from the earlier joke, straightened up and focused. This was where the real planning began.

"The tour kicks off here in Berlin in two days," the manager continued, his tone serious. "As you know you will both play on one night. A double feature," he said. "It makes the most sense to open strong, and since this is Berlin—Tokio Hotel's home turf—it only seems right for them to kick things off. After all, their local fanbase is huge. Then, Requiem of the Fallen will close out the night with the grand finale."

Bill smiled, visibly pleased with the decision. "Sounds good to me," he said. "It'll be great to open up in front of our fans. We'll get the crowd warmed up for you guys."

Jo exchanged a glance with Aleksander, who gave her a small nod. She could feel the weight of the decision settling in, but at the same time, it made sense. Starting in Germany with Tokio Hotel first, followed by her band, would give Requiem of the Fallen the climactic end of the night.

Aaro, leaning back in his chair with his usual swagger, gave a half-shrug. "We'll steal the show either way. Doesn't matter who goes first."

Tom rolled his eyes at Aaro's comment, leaning over to Bill with a smirk. "Someone's confident," he whispered sarcastically.

Bill chuckled quietly and shot Tom a playful look. "Yeah, well, we'll see about that," he replied, his voice low but teasing.

"Great!" The lead manager clapped his hands together. "This is going to be huge. Two powerhouse bands, one unforgettable night in every city, starting with Berlin in just two days. The fans won't know what hit them."

Jo leaned back in her chair, feeling a surge of adrenaline. In just 48 hours, they'd be on stage, side by side with Tokio Hotel, performing for a sold-out crowd in Berlin. It was really happening—the Symphony of Shadows tour was about to begin.