Scenario:Μ's Third-Years - The Ultimate Venue

The Ultimate Venue

The girls of μ's notice the stage is looking rough after the joint concert, so they decide to build a brand-new venue for the Tenacie idols. After divvying up the tasks amongst themselves, the third-years enlist the help of (Captain) and Sierokarte and head out in search of stone to use for the stage's foundation.

---

It's been a little while since the joint concert in Tenacie.

The nine members of μ's pay a visit to the concert venue.

Eli: It was just one day of performances, but this stage really took a beating.

Nozomi: Everyone sang and danced their hearts out on you, stage... Thanks for everything. We couldn't have done it without you.

The idols hunker down to pat the scarred floorboards of the stage as they think back on the event.

At that moment, a pair of young women who performed in the concert happen by.

Tenacie Citizen 1: It was so much fun getting together with everyone to sing. I can't believe we got to perform in such a big venue.

Tenacie Citizen 2: It really was like a dream come true. I still kinda have those butterflies in my stomach.

The two chat about the beautiful memories they made during the concert.

But before long, their bright mood is dampened.

Tenacie Citizen 1: But this stage is so beaten up. Do you think anyone will ever dance here again?

Tenacie Citizen 2: It's a real shame. I was hoping to continue my career as a school idol.

The two young women look sadly at the stage.

Nico: Hey, you two.

Just then, someone calls out to them.

Nico: Did you just say you plan to continue being school idols?

Tenacie Citizen 1: Uh... Well... Yes, we'd like to!

Nico: Then all you have to do is fix up this stage, or build a brand new one. We'll help out.

Tenacie Citizen 2: Thank you... But μ's can't stay here forever, can you?

Tenacie Citizen 1: It was thanks to your know-how that we could build this stage in the first place. By ourselves, I'm not sure we could manage the maintenance.

Nico: ...

Nico: In that case, we need to arrange this so you can handle the upkeep without us.

Tenacie Citizen 1: Is that even possible?

Nico: Of course it is! We'll build a brand new venue! With a stage so sturdy it'll never need to be repaired!

Tenacie Citizens: Whoa!

Nozomi & Eli: ...!

An uneasy feeling steals over Eli and Nozomi at Nico's proclamation.

Tenacie Citizen 1: Build it sturdy, huh? How?

Nico: The first step is to choose a better material to construct it with. It needs to be something more durable... I know! Why not build it out of stone?

Tenacie Citizens: Whoa!

Eli: Now, just a minute, Nico!

Eli tries to leap in before the scale of the project gets any grander, but it may already be too late.

Tenacie Citizen 2: Um, what about equipment and stuff?

Nico: Mm... You can't show off how cute you are without proper lighting, so that's a priority. And the acoustics need to be at least twice as good!

Tenacie Citizens: Whoa!

Nico: Hehe. Just you wait. With our know-how, we'll build you the best concert venue you've ever seen!

Tenacie Citizens: Woooow!

Nico visibly swells with pride as she basks in their admiration.

Eventually the young women continue on their way with stars in their eyes.

Eli: So? How exactly are we going to build this incredible stage?

Nico: Urk!

Eli: Those two bought your spiel hook, line, and sinker. How could you get their hopes up like that?

Nico: ...

Nozomi: Easy, Eli-chi. Let's hear Nico-cchi's side of the story.

Nico: I just don't want their school idol dreams to be crushed so soon after they started!

Eli: I get that, but...

Nico: At this rate, everything they worked so hard to protect could go up in smoke!

Nico: If we build them an awesome venue, they can keep performing here! School idols will get more and more popular!

Nico: The concept could spread throughout the skies! This could be the first step!

Nozomi: Oh, really? 'Cause it looked like you were just getting carried away because those two were so impressed with you.

Nico: Nngh...

Nozomi: Still, I agree with you.

Eli: What? You do?

Nozomi: Putting our heads together to come up with the best possible venue design, then making it a reality... Sounds like fun, don't you think?

Nozomi: It'd definitely be good for the townspeople too.

Eli: ...

Eli: All right. But we can't go building something like that in the middle of town without permission. We'll have to talk to the mayor.

Mayor: An even better concert venue, you say... Haha... I can't think of any possible objection.

Lyria: Your ideas for it all sounded wonderful!

Honoka: Yeah! It'll be the ideal venue, built with our own hands! I can't wait!

Honoka: I think it should be like the Love Live stage! Huge, with all the bells and whistles!

Umi: That would take years!

Kotori: Ahaha... True. But using it as a model isn't a bad idea.

Hanayo: Yeah. That's probably our best point of reference for things like lighting, acoustic design, and seating.

Rin: Kayo-chin has the first Love Live concert memorized, so we're all covered there!

Hanayo: I've watched the DVD so many times, it's getting worn out. I bet I could sketch the venue in my sleep!

Maki: References are all well and good, but how do you plan to actually build it?

Lyria: Mmm... This sounds like a job for Sierokarte...

Sierokarte: Hee hee hee! You raaang?

Vyrn: Wuargh! What in the holy horseradish are you doin' here!

Sierokarte: Well, y'see, I was kinda thinking along the same lines as you all. So I'd like to be the financial backer for the new concert venue.

Honoka: What! You're gonna pay for it? All of it?

Vyrn: That's awful generous of you... What's your angle?

Sierokarte: I'm interested in the world Honoka and the others came from. I want to hear all about it!

Sierokarte: Culture, trends... all sorts of knowledge. You can't put a price on information like that! Whaddya say?

Nico: You've got yourself a deal! I'll tell you whatever you want to know!

Sierokarte: Excellent!
Then let's move right along to selecting the stone for your project! Next, we'll need a way to transport it...

Vyrn: Why're you lookin' at us? You need a ship?
Whaddya think, (Captain)? Wanna pitch in?

1. If it's good for the town, I'm in.
2. Building a stage does sound like fun.

Choose: If it's good for the town, I'm in.

Vyrn: They were all havin' a blast at that concert. We should help 'em keep that ball rollin'!

Lyria: Yes! Let's build a beautiful stage, so the townspeople can always keep their spirits up!

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: Building a stage does sound like fun.

Vyrn: Haha! It's gonna be a crazy lotta work, but you're right.

Lyria: Yes! I'm so excited about building something this size!

Continue 1

Eli: Thank you, (Captain).
Come on, Nico, where are your manners?

Nico: I appreciate it too, (Captain). Especially since it was my idea...

Nozomi: Me too. For Nico-cchi's sake as well.

Honoka: What's next? Should we all go hunt for building materials?

Umi: No, we need to split the tasks up. Someone has to work on the hall's design too.

The group decides to leave lighting and interior design up to the first- and second-years.

The third-years are assigned to find materials for the stage's foundations.

Nozomi: Okay, so everyone has their assignments. Now as for where to get those materials...

Sierokarte: I know a good spot for quarries. It's an oldie but a goodie. You remember it, don't you, (Captain)?

(Captain) immediately knows which island Sierokarte has in mind.

The captain tells the third-years that the island's resources are currently not being used, and offers to fly them there.

The trio agree, and soon they are on their way.

The Ultimate Venue: Scene 2

(Captain) and company visit a quarry on Sierokarte's recommendation, but they are unable to find the stone they seek. Disappointed, they decide to search the next quarry, but Nico ends up picking a fight with a small monster that summons a swarm of its friends.

---

Nico: So this is the island with all the quarries? It's huge!

Sierokarte: They say this used to be a profitable source of ore and raw stone.

The crew disembarks and follows Sierokarte along a winding road.

After a long walk, they arrive at the yawning mouth of a cave.

Eli: This does look like mining debris scattered around the entrance. What a large mine.

Nozomi: So now we just have to find the right spot to extract the stone we need?

Sierokarte: You got it! We should be able to find a stone here called granite, which is very resistant to erosion.

Sierokarte: You can recognize it by its distinctive speckled pattern. I'll need you all to search!

The group follows Sierokarte into the quarry, scrutinizing the cave walls for any glimpse of granite.

Eli: Besides building the stage out of stone, can you two think of any other improvements to make?

Nozomi: Mm, what's been on my mind is the size.

Nico: Yeah. The wings of the old stage were really narrow. It'd be cramped if a lot of different groups were waiting their turn to perform.

The three idols bring up various points they noticed during the joint concert.

Eli: Since it's an outdoor venue, the floors are an issue.

Eli: We were lucky to have a clear day for the joint concert, but in the rain it would get dangerously slippery.

Nico: Yeah... Remember when we tried to practice on the roof right after it rained?

Nozomi: There's only so much floor-wiping you can do. Is there any other way to prevent slippage?

Eli: Performers could put rosin on their shoes like you do with pointe shoes, or modify their soles for increased traction...

Eli: But really, I think the stage just needs to be protected from the elements.

Nico: Wait, are you telling me we have to build a roof? That's a lot more work.

Nozomi: Hehe. It's starting to sound more and more like the Love Live venue.

Nico: I'm a little scared that Honoka's offhand remark is threatening to become reality.

Nico: But if we're going all out, then I've got some more ideas too. I want them to have the space and setup to put on killer performances!

Nozomi: In that case, we'll really have to think out seat placement. The people in the back need to have a clear view.

Eli: Stone construction will probably make for a lot of echo, so we have to think about how things will sound to the audience too.

Lyria: Um! How about fixtures at the entrance they can use to hang lots of pretty decorations?

Lyria: Adding some bright color around the door would really let people know when there's a concert going on!

Eli: Khorosho! Great idea, Lyria!

Nozomi: Let's write up all these ideas when we get back to the ship.

The four excitedly exchange ideas for the concert venue as they search for granite.

They are interrupted, however, by Sierokarte's disappointed voice from further inside the cave.

Sierokarte: I went on ahead and worked my way back to you, but I haven't seen any granite at all.

Nozomi: All we found were some pure white, powdery rocks.

Sierokarte: Those are no good for construction. They get soft in the rain.

Nozomi: We can't build the foundations of an outdoor stage with that.

Sierokarte: This is so strange... I hadn't heard anything about the quarry being exhausted.

The would-be miners look at one another.

Lyria: Well... What should we do now?

Nico: If there's no granite here, we'll just have to try another quarry! We can't give up so easily!

Nico: C'mon, let's get going!

Nico turns on her heel, prepared to lead the way out.

She doesn't get far.

Nico: Ew... What'd I just step on?

Nico feels an unsettling squish beneath her shoe and gingerly lifts her foot to investigate.

Monster: ...!

She discovers a monster which looks none too pleased at having been mistaken for a doormat.

Eli: A monster! Did we attract it by making too much noise?

Nico: Geez, don't scare me like that, you son of a slug!

Nico grabs a broken pickaxe handle lying nearby and begins giving the goopy creature a piece of her mind.

Monster: ...!

Eli: Nico, stop! Don't make it angry!

Nico: It's his fault for popping out at me like that! I nearly swallowed my own tongue!

Monster: ...!

Nico: What'd you say, you walking slime mold? Are you saying it's my fault?

Monster: !

As if to confirm her translation, the monster hurls itself at Nico.

Nico: Bwah!

Nico trips and lands on her behind.

Nico: Why you little... You've really done it now!

She leaps to her feet, dusts herself off, and launches a redoubled assault on the creature with her makeshift weapon.

Vyrn: Hey, why is she pickin' fights with monsters?

Nozomi: Do you think we ought to stop her?

Nico: Heh heh. No need. This one slimebucket is no match for the power of Nico-Ni—

Monster: ...!

As if summoned by Nico's hubris, another monster pokes its head through a crack in the ground.

Eli: Another one!

Nico: I... I'm sure we can handle two...

Monster: ...!

Nico: Or three...

Monsters: ...!

Soon, the cave floor is carpeted with monsters who seem to bubble up from the rock.

Nozomi: Ahaha... Do you think they're all mad because we were picking on their friend?

Vyrn: Augh, now we gotta clean up this mess! Let's go, (Captain)!

The Ultimate Venue: Scene 3

(Captain) and the crew defeat the monsters, but just as they start making their way toward the cave mouth, the entire area begins to shake and crumble. They sprint for the exit at full speed as the cave collapses around them.

---

It's a tough battle, but the crew manages to drive off the pack of monsters.

Vyrn: Yeesh. Never seen so many of those monsters in one place before.

Sierokarte: They often live near water, but it's unusual to see so many come out at once.

Sierokarte: Maybe the cave's groundwater drew them to nest here.

Nico: Sigh... I thought we were goners for a minute there.

Nico turns around to find two angry friends drawn up to their full height and glowering at her.

Eli: Niiicooo...

Nozomi: Someone needs to be punished...

Nico: H-how was I supposed to know he'd have that many friends! It wasn't my fault!

Nozomi: Mwahaha... No excuses!

Nico: W-wait... What're you planning, Nozomi?

Nozomi: Prepare to be squeezed!

Nico: Anything but thaaat!

Lyria: Ahaha... ha... Um... Don't be too hard on her...

Vyrn: Yeah, we still need her in rock-hunting condition!

Nozomi: I guess you're right. You're getting off easy this time, Nico-cchi.

Nico: Huff... Huff...
I saw my whole life flash before my eyes...

Nozomi's fearsome punishment concluded, everyone returns to the question of their next move.

Sierokarte: There's another quarry a little to the east of here. I think that's our best bet.

Nico: Then let's get going!

Nozomi: Yeah... Right...

Nozomi: I can't shake the feeling we're missing something here though...

Eli: What's up, Nozomi?

Nozomi: Mm... I've been getting a strange reaction here for a while now.

Nozomi holds up the L-shaped metal rods she has in her hands.

Eli: What are those for?

Nozomi: Haha. If you want to find something hidden underground, what else would you use?

Nico: Dowsing? You're dowsing for the granite?

Nozomi: My instincts and these dowsing rods are telling me what we seek is right here!

With that, Nozomi begins walking through the cave, dowsing rods in hand.

However, she doesn't find the stone they're after.

Nico: Are you kidding me? There's really nothing here?

Nozomi: Hmm... That can't be right...

Eli: Haha. I guess your fortune-telling can't be right every time.

Nico: Come on, we can't hang around here all week. Let's just go to the next quarry!

Nozomi: Mm... But I was so sure...

(Captain) and the others head back toward the cave mouth with Nozomi dragging her feet at the back of the group.

As they move, however, they all begin to sense something is wrong.

Eli: Hm? Did you feel a tremor?

Nozomi: Hehe, probably just Nico-cchi stomping her feet because she's in a bad mood.

Nico: Hey, I'm not big enough to make the earth move!

Nico: So what is causing that? I think I still feel it...

Lyria: Yeah... It's definitely moving... The whole cave is shaking!

Everyone looks around in alarm.

Far from subsiding, the tremors become more pronounced.

Nozomi: Wait a minute... Remind me where those monsters came from earlier?

Nico: Out of the ground. Didn't Siero say they probably lived in the groundwater?

Eli: Which means they dug a bunch of tunnels under the floor... And now those tunnels are mostly empty...

Nozomi: Ah... I'm reminded of stories about sinkholes forming when groundwater is extracted...

Eli: Me too. So that means the cave itself... is crumbling?

As if in answer to Eli's question, the tremors increase in intensity, a thunderous sound echoing around them.

The roar becomes deafening as the bedrock deeper in the cave begins to come apart.

Nico: R-r-r...

Nico: Run for iiiit!

As the crew dash for the cave mouth, they hear the quarry caving in behind them.

With the wildly yelling Nico in the lead, they run with every scrap of strength in their bodies.

The Ultimate Venue: Scene 4

(Captain) and company escape the cave to discover that a new rift in the earth has revealed the stone they were searching for. Materials in hand, they return triumphantly to Tenacie. After sharing success stories with the other members, the girls join forces with the Tenacie idols to start building the stage.

---

Third-Years: Pant... Wheeze...

Lyria: We... We made it...

1. Is everyone all right?
2. I never thought it would collapse like that...

Choose: Is everyone all right?

Eli: Yes... All accounted for...

Nozomi: Made it by the skin of our teeth.

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: I never thought it would collapse like that...

Nico: No kidding... That shaved years off my life.

Vyrn: I thought we were about to be skyfarer pancakes.

Continue 1

Eli: But the quarry is completely caved in...

Nozomi: Even if there wasn't any useful stone left in there, I feel guilty for destroying it.

Nico: Geez... First there's no granite, then the cave tries to eat us for lunch... We've just been wearing ourselves out for nothing.

Sierokarte: Oho... Maybe not!

Third-Years: Huh?

Sierokarte points to where a new rift in the earth has revealed an interesting cross-section of the rock beneath.

They can see layers of speckled stone interspersed with the crumbly white rock.

Eli: That delicate speckled pattern... Is that it?

Sierokarte: Yes! This is the granite we've been looking for!

Third-Years: What!

Sierokarte: I'd be willing to bet this entire area is stratified the same way.

Lyria: Wow... I never knew that could happen!

Eli: If not for that cave-in, we would have missed the granite completely.

Sierokarte: Now we should be able to extract all the stone you need for the new stage. That's one lucky break!

Vyrn: Yeah! We hit the mother lode!

Eli: Haha... A lucky accident, I guess.

Nozomi: All's well that ends well!

Nico: That's right! No use crying over spilled milk that turns into delicious cheese!

Nico: Let's hurry and bring back the good news!

(Captain) and the others set a return course to Tenacie to share the news of their lucky find.

En route, the three idols pore over their rough blueprints, discussing their plans.

Eli: Sierokarte said she knew quarrymen who could handle the granite extraction for us. She said it promised to be a profitable vein.

Nozomi: So we have what we need for the foundations.

Nico: Heh heh heh... We're one step closer to the completion of Nico's Super Stage!

Nozomi: Sure, sure. Anyway, the next major concern will be lighting.

Eli: We left that in good hands. I'm sure they'll have great news for us.

Honoka: Eli, Nozomi, Nico! Welcome back!

When the group arrives in Tenacie, they are greeted by Honoka and the others.

Eli: Hey, everyone! How's the lighting coming?

Hanayo: Some local mages promised to help us improve it!

Rin: They said they'd work on a way to keep the lights burning for long periods of time!

Nozomi: How wonderful. With any luck, the concerts here will be a dazzling affair.

Maki: So? Did you guys find the building materials we need?

Nico: Hehehe... Prepare to be amazed!

Nico: For I, Nico, singlehandedly excavated an entire cave, and exposed a rich vein of the perfect building stone!

Hanayo: Whaaat! You? Mined for rocks?

Rin: Wow, Nico! I never thought you were that tough!

Eli: Let's be clear. She didn't actually dig it up.

Nozomi: It was more like she tripped and fell over just the right thing this time.

Maki: What're you talking about? I don't understand.

Nico: Hey! Don't go cluttering up my story with facts!

Honoka: But this means the stage is a lot closer to completion, right?

Umi: Yeah. There are still a lot of hurdles to clear, but I get the feeling we can do it!

Kotori: Hehe. Then we just have to roll up our sleeves!

The nine idols have a variety of success stories to share, all of which fuel their motivation as they move forward with the next steps.

As they are discussing their plans, the two aspiring Tenacie idols come running up.

Tenacie Citizen 1: Um, excuse us, μ's! Is there anything we can do to help with the stage?

Tenacie Citizen 2: We're hoping to perform here, so we'd really like to help build it with our own hands!

Eli: Oh! That's...

The μ's members look at each other, unable to contain their pleasure at the fledgling idols' enthusiasm.

Eli: Yes, by all means, we'd love to have your help. Let's build you the best venue there ever was!

Nozomi: I'm sure there are many more improvements we can make, so the more hands, the better.

Nico: All right! Let's give it everything we've got!

μ's & Citizens: Yeaaah!

Hand in hand, the μ's members and the Tenacie idols work to create the venue of their dreams.

It's only a matter of time before Tenacie will see school idols spreading their wings on this new stage, poised to take to the skies.