Return To Pomefiore And New Song

"That's what I saw." Rook responded, "He is much warier of our dorm than he is of Diasomnia. He seems to get along very well with Sebek and others from the dorm. However, he is cautious around us. Sadly, he was also very cautious around me when we first met."

"Hmph…" Vil huffed in dismay before he said with a frown, "Is there a reason for this?"

Rook shook his head in hesitation, "No one actually knows. Others heard that he was an orphan from the Valley of Thorns and he suffered a lot under his biological family and the orphanage before adoption."

"Really..." Vil frowned, "But that wouldn't tie into why he dislikes those of our dorm."

Rook sighed, "I don't know either. There is no concrete proof either..."

"Forget it." Vil shook his head and sighed, "We will only be here for a few weeks, then we'll leave. Let's go back to the dorm."

Rook didn't object but he wasn't smiling either like he had been as he followed Vil leading the returned group back to the dorm.

.....

After having reluctantly returned to Pomefiore dorm, Lotus followed them into what looked to be a studio. The sign by the door said that it was a Ballroom. It was a room that had mirrors for walls and there was a small balcony just outside of one of the large glass window. There were purple curtains and the white, sophisticated-looking room was lined with gold. Above their heads was a large chandelier. She had seen one of those things a few times when she was small and arrived in the capital of Valley of Thorns. The old general and lawyer had some business to speak of with someone important and that person was not only affluent but also rich. However, the chandelier here could not compete with those from there.

As she was not a part of the selection nor tryouts, she sat to the side and watched them in silence next to Yuu and Grim. Vil announced firmly, "Gather up after you've finished your calisthenics. I finished putting together the song we're singing for the Vocal & Dance Championship."

"A song you put together? Does that mean this is an original song?" Jamil noted rather impressed to hear of this and cautious, "Even though this is just a student musical performance, that's amazing."

"For the past few years of VDC writing an original song has been commonplace." Vil responded with a frown, "The Vocal & Dance Championship… is not a mere beauty contest or fashion show. We will be evaluated on our dancing and vocal techniques. Also, did we choose a song that suits our group?"

Deuce noted in confusion, "A suitable song? That's a pretty vague condition. What does that mean?"

Not faltered by this, Vil began to explain patiently, "Just there are clothes that are suitable and unsuitable for you. If you choose a song that doesn't work with your group's vocal ability or mood, that will only work against you. For example, if a group of elementary schoolers sang a somber blues song or something heavy metal. It doesn't matter how well they sing, their vocal quality and visuals will only make the entire thing completely awkward. In order to gain favor with the audience, we have to choose the perfect song for us."

Hearing this, Jamil recalled something and responded, "That reminds me, finalists will be chosen by audience votes in this competition."

"That's right, everyone in attendance has a part to play in deciding the outcome. Every member of the audience and the staff and the contestants are each given one vote to pick who they think the winner is."

Kalim raised a brow, "Even the contestants? Won't everyone just vote for their own team? I think everyone is going to think their team won.

"Amateurs would think so, but," Vil shook his head, "There are times you can't vote for yourself after seeing the abilities of your opponents. You know it the moment you see their performance. You realize that there's no way you can beat them. If you can deceive yourself after seeing that, then you're pitiably pathetic."

Jamil nodded, "I think I get what you're saying."

"Deceive...yourself…" Epel whispered softly to himself.

"That is why I will do my very best to make sure I can vote for our group." Vil continued having not heard Epel, "The original song I prepared is just one part of that."

"Looking at your profile while you have your sights set on lofty goals is truly beaute! You're shining, Vil." Rook said with a dramatic pose and a smile possibly too bright once more, "Could you play that song for us to listen to?"

"Of course. Manager, could you please play the song on the audio system?

"Manager? Are you talking about me?" Yuu pointed to himself in surprise.

"Is there anyone else here besides you I'd be talking to? Didn't the Headmaster tell you to support us?" Vil said in exasperation, "Work your butt off for us if you really want that prize money."

As Lotus raised a brow, but Yuu quickly responded, "Understood. This is to improve our living situation."

Hearing this, Lotus was a little questionable about his decision when he heard this, but she also knew that Yuu would do as he says and agrees to. However, it was clear that he hadn't taken into account that by agreeing to this also means that he has to care for the members. Seeing this, she decided to just sit back and watch the remainder of the training.

As soon as Yuu pressed the play button on the CD player, a strange upbeat rhythm and strange mixes of noises amongst the music. Was it rap? Beat box? It wasn't anything like the modern music she had seen the street kids dance to in Scalding Sands and it certainly wasn't rap. In fact, it reminds her of the famous song called "Piece of My World" that had been trending since the last year.

"Rock, huh?" Yuu muttered rather impressed by the melody.

"Rock?" Lotus noted curiously to Yuu in a whisper under the hit of the music, "Is that what this genre is called?"

Seeing this, Yuu was rather surprised and hummed carefully, "You don't know, then? It's… a genre that is heavy beats and simple music. Mixing a lot of genres of other musics together, you can say. The lyrics are often harsher and often self-consciously more serious than the other lyrics of musics. It's a very trendy genre currently. You don't know this music?"

"I've heard of a similar song called Piece of My world, but that was it." Lotus muttered quietly, "The songs I know of aren't this driven and aims to sway the heart rather than to put down the impact this harshly."

Yuu wandered curiously before he said with a wide smile, "Then, I'd like to hear that one day. This world is new to me, after all."

"Then, I'll play it for you when I find the chance." She responded with a wide smile back, "I recently got a hand on the instrument to play that genre of music."

"That's going to be interesting. Is it an easy instrument to pick up?"

Lotus thought for a bit before responding with a wide smile, "Well, I'll let you see for yourself."

"Don't push yourself."

Lotus smiled, "It'll be okay. I don't mind if it's you and Grim too."

"Wow, it sounds legit."

Ace's voice interrupted their conversation as the music finally comes to an end.

Kalim said his opinion rather impressed, "It's got a great rhythm and sounds so cool."

"It sounds like it's an electronic dance music song." Jamil noted with great interest, "If we're going to choreograph this song, urban hip hop would be… No, maybe hip hop and jazz?"

"I had urban hip hop in mind as the base, with jazz, breakdance and voguing mixed in as well." Vil responded, "There will be three main vocalists. The other members will focus their performance on the chorus and dance."

"Huh? We're not all singing together?" Kalim responded in surprise.

"Without a perfect harmony, our singing will sound like screeching noise." Vil explained bluntly, "It would be extremely difficult to get all seven of our singing on the same level. So we have to pick certain points to focus on improving."

"I-I'm totally lost in this conversation, it's all going over my head." Deuce cried it out with great concern.

"Same, y'know." Grim grumbled in defeat and dead panned expression.

"I also prepared original choreography for this song." Vil explained as he took out his phone, "I'll show you some videos to give you all a rough image of what our final performance should look like. There should be plenty of pro dance groups with videos on Magicam you can watch to get an idea. Here. Watch this."

Having used Magicam with Ace and the others in secret inside Ramshackle dorm, Grim was very familiar with this and nodded with a proud smile,I" know how this works, y'know. You have to watch an ad first if you wanna watch the video for free, right?"