Kyuuuu!!!, Pt. 2

The view would have been breathtaking under any other circumstance.

The faint glow of Proxima B casted long shadows across the walls of Lena's room. 

She sat propped in her wheelchair by the window, her silhouette pale and fragile. Her breath came slower now, each inhale a shallow effort that barely stirred the air around her.

Maya stood by the edge of the bed, arms crossed tightly against her chest. Dried tear and mascara streaks ravaged her face. She had been here a while. This tour had been a disaster. Some of it was their fault, sure. But the backlash they had suffered was unreasonable in today's day and age by any stretch.

It was a crime.

“I’ll cancel the tour,” Maya said abruptly, her voice steady but laced with resolve. "Your effort shouldn't go down the drain like this. I won't allow it."

Lena shook her head faintly, the movement almost imperceptible. Her lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile. “Don’t. Don't... stop on my account. Or those assholes in the crowd. If you stop... they have already won.”

Maya blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“I said... what I said,” Lena said, her voice soft but unwavering. She turned her head slightly to meet Maya’s gaze, her eyes faintly glassy but sharp with intention. “This tour... it’s yours now.”

Maya froze, her hands falling to her sides as she stared at Lena, the words hitting her like a weight she hadn’t been prepared to carry. “No,” she said firmly. “No, Lena. I can’t—”

“You can,” Lena interrupted, her voice trembling but steady enough to cut through Maya’s protest. “You have to. I’m not going to let everything we’ve built together disappear just because I can’t be there anymore.”

Maya’s jaw tightened, her voice rising. “I don’t care about that. I care about you. I’m not going to go out there and pretend like everything’s fine when you’re—”

“When I’m what?” Lena asked, her voice quiet but piercing. “Dying? Maya, we’ve both known this was coming; and you of all people should have known. You don’t get to put your life on hold for me. Not now.”

Maya’s shoulders slumped, the fight draining out of her as she looked down, her hands trembling. “It’s not just about the tour,” she said softly. “It’s about you. I don’t want to do this without you.”

Lena’s smile grew faintly, her eyes softening as she reached out, her hand trembling as it rested against Maya’s. “You won’t be without me,” she said. “Not really. Everything you’ve learned, everything you’ve become—it’s all still there. You’ve been ready for this for a long time, Maya. Even if you don’t see it.”

Maya’s lips parted, her voice breaking as she whispered, “But it’s your tour. Your legacy.”

Lena’s gaze didn’t waver. “And now it’s yours. I’m passing the torch, Maya. Not because I have to, but because I trust you with it. You’ve always been more than my partner. You’re the best Idol I could have ever worked with. And you’re going to be so much more than that.”

Maya’s breath hitched, tears slipping down her cheeks as she shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do it, Lena. Not like you did. You stood toe to toe against Raine. Raine!"

“You’re not supposed to do it like I did,” Lena said, her voice softening. “You’re supposed to do it like you.”

"I..."

"...yes, Maya?"

Maya lowered her head, her tears falling freely now as she clutched Lena’s hand, her grip firm but trembling. “I’ll stay in touch,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I’ll check in. I’ll... I’ll be here when you need me.”

Lena’s smile widened faintly, a mixture of warmth and sadness. “I know you will. But for now, you’ve got a tour to finish. Go. Please.”

The silence stretched between them, heavy and fragile, as Maya knelt by Lena’s side, her tears soaking into the frail hand she held so tightly. And for a moment, neither of them spoke, the gravity of the moment speaking louder than any words could.

Finally, Maya nodded, her voice breaking as she whispered, “Okay.”

HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!HOTWIRED!

The transmission began without the usual fanfare. Maya stood in an empty auditorium, her silhouette stark against the muted glow of a faintly pulsing tour logo behind her. The stage was bare, stripped of the glamour and lights that usually framed her. 

She looked directly into the holocam, her expression unreadable at first, until the faintest flicker of emotion crossed her face.

“Hello there. This goes out to the Mayatary, or simply fans of the Idols that went all out for this tour,” she began, her voice steady, her words measured. “I’ve thought a lot about what to say to you, and I won’t pretend this is easy.

This tour is different now. It’s impossible to ignore the tragedy of what’s happened. Two of our family—two people I care for deeply—have suffered breakdowns, mental and physical, that no one should have to endure. I can’t undo that, and I won’t pretend this stage can hold their absence.

But this tour will continue. It will be my songs, yes, but also songs Astra brought to life. Her music, her spirit—those will remain, because they deserve to. Because you deserve to hear them. Lena. Astra’s real name. Her human one, one that many of you had forgotten. And Elise. My confidant and best friend. Remember their names well.”

She paused, exhaling slowly, her gaze holding steady.

“I know this might feel wrong to some of you. Maybe you booked tickets expecting something polished, something whole, something... untouchable. And I won’t lie to you: this isn’t that. This is going to be messy, and raw, and unapologetically my brand.

But if you’re hesitant—if you think I can’t stand on this stage without them—then come. Come and see for yourself. Let me show you that even in the shadow of something fractured, there can still be light.

Come. I’ll prove you wrong.”

A faint, wry smile tugged at her lips, fleeting but real, before she added:

“Kyuu!”