Scenario:The Doss! End of the Line Farewell Tour - Chapter 6: Unfinished Melody - Episode 3

The Doss! End of the Line Farewell Tour - Chapter 6: Unfinished Melody - Episode 3

Aoidos arrives in the nick of time, but surprises the Doss by saying he'll also play for Vicious Three afterward. Aoidos feels he has a responsibility to play for fans of both bands, even if this is part of Justin's scheme.

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Lyria: Huff... huff... We did it... Hehe...

Vyrn: Lyria... Your voice...

Lyria: Oops. I think I sang a little too hard. But I can still sing another song if you need me to.

Baal: We'll handle the music; you address the crowd. Buy some time and hopefully give your throat a rest.

Lyria: Okay...

Lyria: Hello again. Snowdos here.

A ripple of applause greets the sweat-covered Lyria.

Lyria: It must have been a real surprise to see me singing instead of Aoidos, right?

Rackam: ...

Rackam lays down a smooth bassline to give Lyria much-needed support.

Lyria: Heehee, to tell you the truth, I was just as surprised as all of you were. I couldn't stop shaking...

Lyria: But the warm welcome I received on stage really got to me—

Lyria: Cough... S-sorry about that. Before I stepped out here, if someone had told me I'd be standing in front of so many smiling faces, I wouldn't have believed it.

Lyria: You've made me the happiest singer at this festival. Thank you so much.

Vyrn: (Not good. She's runnin' out of stuff to say. Where the heck is Aoidos!)

Lyria: ...

Lyria: Sometimes we find the most wonderful things in the most unexpected places. It hasn't always been easy, but I'm glad I went on this journey.

Lyria: ...

Lyria finishes her speech, and the crowd bursts into another wave of applause.

Rackam: (Baal. Think her throat can go another round?)

Baal: (Judging from that cough earlier, I doubt she'll make it to the end.)

Rackam: (So do we risk Lyria blowing out her voice, or...)

Baal: (Tell the audience Aoidos isn't here and leave the stage?)

The band only has until the applause dies down to make their next crucial decision.

Soon the clapping fades away. Everyone in the crowd waits with bated breath for the next tune to drop.

Vyrn: (What do we do!)

A blanket of silence threatens to smother those flames of anticipation.

Every passing second spent coming up with a plan is a knock against the band's prestige, but they're out of ideas.

???: It's a cruel world out there.

Crowd: Oooh!

???: One day I became lost within a labyrinth of twisting streets and alleyways. Sure, I had a map with me, but it was completely useless.

???: Was the map lying to my face? Or did the town simply despise me so? Oh, the incomprehensible isolation I felt.

???: Then a sagely woman walked up to me and revealed the unsettling truth.

Aoidos: She said, "That map's for the next town over."

Crowd: Woooo! Doss! Doss! Doss! Doss!

Rackam: There you are—

With all eyes on Aoidos, the bombastic musician places a finger on his lips to shush them all.

Aoidos: The time to ascend into heaven is at hand.

Aoidos: But to do so now would deprive my audience of the best experience they deserve. I'd like to ask everyone for just a little more patience.

Aoidos retreats backstage to the hum of the crowd, and the other band members race after him.

Lyria: Aoidos...

Aoidos: Your voice took one for the band. This medicine drop should soothe that sore throat.

Aoidos: Now it's time for the real deal. Let's get our game faces on.

Vyrn: Hold it, mister! Not before you tell us where you've been when we needed you!

Justin: Don't worry. He's been with us this whole time.

Baal: I recognize you two from the day we put on that street performance.

Valentin: Yep. I'm Valentin, and this here's Justin. We're Vicious Three.

Rackam: Uh-huh. Sorry if we seem less than thrilled to get chummy with the guys who kidnapped our leader and tried to sabotage us.

Valentin: What we did wasn't sabotage, but feel free to insult me some more if you like.

Justin: We had to take action in order to give the audience the best festival ever. The road to gratification starts with the Doss and ends with Vicious Three.

Rackam: What are you not tellin' us!

Justin: After he sings for the Doss, he's going to take the stage with us. That's what we've been rehearsing for.

Aoidos: ...

Vyrn: What're you talkin' about?

Justin: His memories have returned. Aoidos and Benjamin, wrapped together in a neat little package.

Justin: Both have the responsibility to play for their respective bands and to decide which group they belong to once and for all.

Manager: Why did it have to come to this? He was better off not knowing his past!

Justin: It's not your place to define who he is. Only the individual has the right to choose who they are. Wouldn't you agree?

Aoidos: Yeah... Who I am is my choice to make.

Aoidos: That's why I have to play my heart out on the stage. We can talk afterward.

Justin: Hehe...

Justin's mouth curls into a repulsive smile. Aoidos takes a sidelong glance back, then walks toward the stage.

Aoidos: We shouldn't keep our fans waiting any longer. Right?

Rackam: Yeah, yeah, I know. Come on, Vyrn. Baal.

Aoidos: Oh, one more thing before we go.

Aoidos: You put on a superb opening act, Snowdos. Hm, correction—it was the perfect overture for our festival debut.

Lyria: It was nothing! Good luck, everyone!

And so the quartet finally steps out from the green room.

Justin: I'm eager to hear your decision once this is all over, Benjamin.

Justin: Whichever course you choose, their lives are already forfeit. Hehehe...