Encore of Tomorrow

[November 25th, 13:20 JST]

Tokyo Prefecture – En Route to Nippon Budokan

The van hummed quietly as it rolled through the city, weaving past weekend traffic.

Tempesta Unit sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the back, their Live uniform, Tempesta Cadence, neatly packed in the garment bags resting on their laps.

Reina glanced around at her team.

Nana quietly practiced the chorus under her breath.

Misaki tapped the rhythm on her knee.

Momoko typed rapidly on her phone, messaging her overseas parents, her expression full of excitement.

Emiko read the lyric sheet one last time, lips moving softly.

Mika sat calmly with her eyes closed.

Emi leaned against Reina’s shoulder with a small, content smile.

They were ready.

The two days leading up to the LIVE had been nothing but intense. Morning rehearsals, afternoon vocal drills, and late-night self-practice — all of them working together to polish every movement and refine every note until everything finally clicked.

Everyone could feel the difference.

Maybe because this was a brand-new song, they pushed harder than usual. Especially Reina.

Her center steps were sharper, her singing fuller. And most importantly, her heart felt steadier.

Their producer, Takeshi, seated in the front beside the Foundation driver, glanced back as the van slowed.

“Welcome to the Miracle Idol Live.” He announced proudly.

Reina turned toward the window.

Nippon Budokan rose into view, its massive size was iconic, surrounded by long lines of fans and Foundation staffs. Energy pulsed through the air.

Reina hadn’t felt this atmosphere since her last Live.

She’d missed it.

The van turned left, slipping past the crowd and into a barricaded side road where Foundation staff guarded the checkpoint. After scanning Takeshi’s ID through the window, the gate lifted, and they rolled toward the building’s rear.

The Budokan’s artist entrance was a wide loading dock flanked with equipment crates, lighting rigs, and staff carrying coiled cables. The moment the van stopped, several Foundation coordinators approached,

“Tempesta Unit? This way, please.”

The girls stepped out, garment bag in hand, the cool air brushing past them as they followed the staff through the narrow backstage corridor.

It was bright inside; buzzing with noise. A completely different atmosphere from the excited crowd outside.

As they turned the corner, the hallway opened into the performer prep zone, where rows of other Aria Corps teams were already warming up or chatting.

Team 03, Aquila Unit, waved at them.

Team 04, Seraphine Unit, adjusted their Live uniform in front of a portable mirror.

Team 05, Orca Unit chatted loudly, though their leader gave Reina a quiet nod of respect.

Team 06 and Team 07 stretched near the wall, humming lightly to warm their voices.

And near the far wall stood a group of new recruits in plain practice uniforms. They watched the senior teams with nervous awe, whispering among themselves. They weren’t official members of any unit yet, still in training, learning to control their Ars Aria properly.

When Tempesta Unit entered their sights, a few recruits straightened immediately.

“Oh—it’s Team 02…”

“They look so cool today…”

“The team with two Cantus Major...”

Reina felt their eyes on them and replied with a small, calm smile. She recognized a few faces from her past class session. Nana waved cheerfully, Momoko flashed a peace sign, and Emi bowed politely. Emiko followed with a bright smile.

A coordinator gestured toward a curtained partition.

“Tempesta Unit, this will be your changing and waiting area. Once you’re suited, sound check is in thirty minutes.”

Reina thanked the staff and walked inside with the others. The sat briefly before unzipping their bag and changing into their Live uniforms.

Blue jacket fastened.

Diagonal belts clicked into place.

Boots tightened.

The atmosphere shifted the moment they finished — sharper, dignified.

Momoko let out a low whistle. “We should really make Tempesta Candence our official uniform.” She snapped a selfie for her parents.

Nana twirled once, her skirt fluttering. “Yes, we really should, this looks way cooler.”

Mika checked her collar in the mirror, expression as calm as always.

Emi fixed Reina’s jacket edges with practiced hands.

Emiko smoothed Nana’s sleeves with a gentle smile.

Misaki adjusted everyone’s crimson ribbon, making sure each one was tied neatly in place.

Reina stepped in front of the full-length mirror.

The reflection stared back:

Steady cerulean eyes.

Straight posture.

Every part of her looked like the captain of Team 02.

I am ready.

A staff voice called from outside the curtain.

“Tempesta Unit, please standby.”

They stepped out into the hallway, following the coordinator through a maze of stacked equipment and lighting towers. Faint singing from another unit’s rehearsal drifted from the stage.

The Budokan’s backstage was enormous. Technicians sweeping across the wings, staff communicating through headsets, cameras being prepped near the platform’s edge.

A stage manager lifted a clipboard.

“Team 02, follow me.”

They ascended the short ramp to the side stage. The moment they reached the wings, a wave of light spilled across their faces.

The empty stadium seats arched upward like a dark sea.

Even without an audience, Budokan had its own unique presence, weighty with pressure and expectation.

The girls all whispered in awe.

The stage manager clapped once. “Position please.”

Reina lifted her chin and took center.

Her team fell into their formation.

The audio engineer adjusted the levels.

“Check, check. Tempesta Unit, you may proceed.”

Reina raised her D-Mic.

The first note of ‘Color of Tomorrow’ echoed across the empty arena.

As the final note faded, the engineer’s voice crackled through the speakers.

“Sound check complete. Good work.”

“Thank you,” Reina replied with a steady exhale, bowing lightly with the others.

A coordinator approached and handed Reina a laminated schedule sheet.

“Here is tonight’s performance order. Please review it before returning to your waiting area.”

Reina scanned it quickly. The lineup was clear:

– Opening announcements –

Team 03 – Aquila Unit

Team 04 – Seraphine Unit

Team 05 – Orca Unit

Team 06 – Acheron Unit

Team 07 – Solfeia Unit

Recruit Performance (Song: Heartbeat Rising)

Team 02 – Tempesta Unit

*Each team performs their usual set list.

– Encore Break –

Team 02 (Song: Color of Tomorrow)

– Live End –

Momoko leaned over Reina’s shoulder. “Wow… we’re last. The pressure is real.”

Nana puffed up with excitement. “We’re the encore unit!”

Misaki crossed her arms, a small proud smile on her lips. “Of course we are. They need the new song as the finale.”

Mika nodded quietly. “We can do it.”

Emiko clapped once. “Let’s do our best… for the lyric writer too.”

Emi glanced at Reina. “Do you think our mysterious writer will come?”

Reina expression softened, “Who knows…” She replied with a smile.

A stagehand approached. “Team 02, time to move. Fifteen minutes until the audience is allowed inside.”

They followed him down the ramp and through the hallway, passing the last waves of tech staff preparing cameras and lighting. When they reached their curtained waiting area, they sat down together, gathering around Reina’s phone, which was streaming the event pre-show online.

After a few minutes, a low rumble seeped through the walls — the crowd entering, voices rising, seats clattering as thousands settled in.

The arena PA system began its pre-live announcements.

Light dimmed across the stage and seating area; the crowd erupted.

The Miracle Idol Live had begun.

A spotlight hit center stage as the host’s voice boomed through the speakers.

“Welcome to the Miracle Idol Live! Today, all active Aria Corps units and our newest recruit will take the stage!”

Cheers exploded, shaking the hall.

Team 03 stepped out first, delivering a sharp, aerial-inspired routine that drew whistles from the upper seats.

Next was Seraphine Unit, their harmonies floating elegantly through the air like a choir on wings.

Team 05 followed with a powerful, bass-driven performance that made the floor tremble. Even Reina felt her heart thump along with it.

Acheron Unit took the stage next, their darker, cooler aesthetic earning loud applause from the crowd.

Then Team 07, bright and radiant, their synchronized steps earning cheers from the recruits watching backstage monitors.

Finally, the stage lights softened for the Recruit Performance.

Dressed in simple uniforms, they sang ‘Heartbeat Rising’ with nervous but earnest voices. The audience clapped along, the atmosphere warm and supportive.

At the waiting area, Tempesta Unit finished their final checks. A staff member approached

“Team 02, standby.”

“Let’s go.” Reina said, leading her team toward the stage entrance.

The light shifted as the host announced. “Next up—Tempesta Unit!”

The crowd roared as the seven stepped into formation under the brilliant stage lights. Reina waved, and a chorus of fans shouted her name in return.

Tempesta Unit performed their usual Live song, sharp and full of energy. Their movements flowed across the stage with precision, their voices blending effortlessly. Reina’s steps were centered and strong; Emi’s voice carried the emotion; Nana and Momoko brighten the stage; Misaki and Mika held the balance with their cool tone, and Emiko tied them gently together.

When the final song ended, the crowd erupted.

They bowed and walked backstage.

Light dimmed, silence lingering for just a heartbeat.

Then—

“ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!”

The chant rolled through the Budokan like a wave, thousands of voices merging into one demand.

Reina felt her pulse rise as she led her team back toward the darkened stage.

She whispered loud enough for them to hear.

“Girls, this is it.”

The stage stayed dark for a second long.

Then a single spotlight bloomed open at center, illuminating Reina as she lifted her head, D-Mic steady in hand. The audience roared the moment they saw her.

The opening beat dropped.

Reina stepped forward, arm sweeping upward in a sharp, deliberate arc. The others rose behind her in blooming fan-like motion. A clean, rising formation that caught the spotlight as if the stage itself exhaled.

Nana and Momoko spun outward; Misaki and Mika crossed behind Reina with a fluid precision; Emi and Emiko completed the circle, stepping sharply into sync.

And then Reina sang.

“For a flower to bloom—”

Her voice rang clear, carrying something deeper than perfection. Her resolve. Her fear. Her hope. Everything she had carried since her career began was in that single line.

The chorus burst open.

Tempesta Unit moved as one. Arms swept upward like rising wings; their feet cut sharp diagonal steps before pivoting cleanly back to center. Emi’s voice slid beneath Reina melody; Nana’s tone lifted the energy, Emiko and Momoko mirrored the emotional reach of the lyrics.

“Now that I’ve been reborn—”

The glowsticks across the Budokan rose like thousands of small stars.

“For tomorrow’s smile to bloom again—"

Reina felt her heart tighten.

This is why I fight.

This is why I’m afraid to lose them.

Light shifted from blue to gold as they spread into a V-formation. Reina at the front, the six others behind her.

Their final chorus swept across the arena like a warm wind.

“We’ll paint the world with the color of our hearts...”

As the last note left their lips, silence hung for a breath.

Then the Budokan exploded.

Thunderous applause rolled through the stadium.

Reina bowed deeply, the others following in perfect rhythm.

When they turned and walked to their waiting area, their hearts were still pounding from the performance.

Takeshi was already there, waiting for them.

He clapped once, voice trembling. “That… was your best performance so far.”

Momoko nearly tackled him.

Nana beamed.

Emiko wiped her tears.

Mika allowed herself the faintest smile.

Misaki nodded with quiet pride.

Emi leaned into Reina. “You did amazing, Reina-chan.”

Reina exhaled. “We all did.”

They walked toward the back entrance where their van waited. Other teams congratulated them in passing; staff hurried by, radios buzzing. The audience was beginning to exit the stadium.

Then—

A tremor.

Small but sharp. Everyone froze.

A second one followed. This time it was closer.

Panic rippled through the dispersing crowd as people instinctively moved toward the back gate. Reina, the girls and the nearby Divas were swept along with them.

“Bomb?” Reina’s pulse sharpened.

“Seems like it,” Takeshi muttered, pressing his earpiece. “Small-scale. No casualties—just a few cars damaged.”

A voice shouted from outside.

“Suspect secured! Bring the transport!”

Reina and the others reached the same loading where their van had dropped them off earlier. Smoke drifted from a burned-out vehicle, but the fire was already contained.

Two armored Foundation guards dragged a restrained man toward an armored truck. His clothes were scorched; his eyes unfocused, almost feverish. He muttered under this breath, half chant, half prayer.

“Dead to Divas… dead to Divas…”

His voice cracked.

“CODA will cleanse our sins… we will be born anew…”

The words chilled Reina more than any CODA roar.

No audience members were here, thankfully. But the question burned in Reina’s mind:

How does he know about CODA?

She looked at Takeshi, searching for answers.

The warmth of the Live disappeared, replaced by a cold weight settling in her chest.

Takeshi met her eye, then glanced at the girls.

“Girls…” he said quietly. “… things just became a lot more complicated.”