Final Riff

Chapter 2

“The brightest flames cast the darkest shadows…”

 “ARE YOU HAVING FUN, AUSTRALIA?”

 Mami could feel the stadium shake when the people responded to the vocalist’s question. The vibration was too much for her and felt her ears were going to burst with the crowds shouting. She heard the vocalist hearty laugh and her heavy breathing too as the crowd started to quiet down.

 “Good! I like your energy very much and it’s just the second half of our concert. Right, guys?” She said and asked her bandmates. Mami could imagine that they’ve nodded in agreement with her.

  “Well, since you guys and gals are such an awesome crowd today, I’ve brought someone with me that I’m sure you’ll really like.” The crowd started shouting again at the vocalist’s words.

 “Aaannnd….” She paused letting the crowd to be on the edge of their sit.

 “She’s gonna help us on our next song!” She yelled and the stadium shook in excitement again.

 As if on cue, a staff came to Mami and reminded what she had been rehearsing for this past few days.

 “Mami, just like we’ve always rehearsed. This thing will shoot fast so be quick on your feet, okay?” The staff told her. She nodded in agreement and held her guitar close to her body. She saw the staff looked at his watch and gave her a reassuring smile before telling her the remaining time before she comes out.

 “1 minute. Good luck out there!” He said before disappearing from the back of the wall. Mami breathed in and out to calm the nerves that were starting to act up. She was doing just fine until she heard the soft guitar playing above her. The crowd knew the song and responded with a resounding shout of delight at the band.

 “ARE YOU READY?” The vocalist teased and the crowd shouted their hearts out. “Here we go!” She said and Mami could imagine the stage darkened and fog covering it right now.

 She heard the band started the song with a soft tune; doing some plucking and one note bass playing while the drummer only hitting the chimes on the right places of the song. The crowd started to quiet down again and knew what was coming next when the vocalist started humming with the band. As the seconds passed, they’ve started building up the song which leads to more power chords and heavy strumming while the drummer kept a steady beat on the bass drum.

 She saw the staff in front of her raised his hand, letting her know that she needs to get ready. She knows her part already and where she will come in but this is still a crucial one. On top of her, she could finally hear clearly the sound that the band was making as the top opened up.

 Yep. I like this kind of entrance a lot. She smirked, knowing what will happen next.

 “On three, Mami.” Someone spoke on her earpiece and she nodded, letting them know that she was ready.

 She counted mentally and as the platform raised and shoots her out of the bottom stage, she jumped up, giving the illusion of flying out from the bottom of the stage and the crowd was more than pleased to see who was the band’s special guest. The band paused abruptly and introduced her with all the energy they could muster.

“GIVE IT UP TO MAMI SASAZAKI!” The orange-haired vocalist yelled and pointed at Mami.

 She then raised her left hand as a response to their warm welcome and once she brought it down to hit her strings, the band followed and they’ve started playing their instruments loud and hard.

 She started her intro with a tapping and followed by a high level riff which amazed not only the crowd but the band itself and the staff around them. Adrenaline seeped in Mami’s entire body and she let it all out in that song.