Card StatsVignette
We'll Have to Compete! (Part One)
Classroom
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Oho, so you brought Scalding Sands donuts as your snack today, Kalim? |
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I'm surprised you know them, Lilia! They're a syrup-coated treat known as an "awamat." |
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They're pretty enough to put on Magicam, but I think they may have broken the sweetness barrier. I'd rather swipe one of Lilia's candies. Yoink! *cough* *cough* What ARE these? Sick! |
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Khee hee! It's licorice. Addicted after one bite, are you? |
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No, I mean "sick" as in I'm gonna BE sick! They're like salty gum or something. Blech. |
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Really? I'm rather fond of them myself. *munch* Mm-mmm. This is the stuff. |
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You make them look so good, but I cannot stand them either. They stink so much that it's hard to believe they're edible. |
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How unfortunate. I was looking forward to sharing my favorite snack with my clubmates. |
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Oh yeah, speaking of club activities, what're we doing to draw in freshmen this year? |
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Uh, HELLO? That's the whole reason we met up today, isn't it?! |
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Wait a minute. Which club are we in again? |
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You don't know?! The Pop Music club! |
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Ah, yes, now I remember. Even when we gather in the club room, all we do is hang out, so it slipped my mind. |
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Yeah, I've hardly touched an instrument since joining. |
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That's why the headmage's got his sights on us! We've only got three members and we never do anything. If we don't get more people this year, we're getting disbanded! So we've gotta snag some freshies at the Student Club Fair this year! I don't think we'd have much luck getting current students to join. |
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The students in this school aren't exactly band material as it is. |
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Seriously. They can't jive with each other at all. All they do is fight. |
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Indeed. They all cite "musical differences" when leaving the club, but the truth is that they simply cannot cooperate. |
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And now we're the only ones left. |
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'Cause we're the top three low-key guys in this school. Though you didn't exactly do us any favors with your performance at last year's fair, Lilia. The way you were shrieking and smashing guitars had people running for the hills! The only one we got to join was Kalim. |
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Ridiculous. Screaming like that is my specialty. A thrash metal concert only truly begins once all the guitar strings have snapped. |
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That kinda hardcore stuff is so not my scene. It's not even all that popular. |
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I thought it was fun! I'd never seen anything like it. You really caught me off guard when you suddenly leaped into the audience! Aha ha ha! |
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Crowd surfing is the best part of concerts. I was taken aback too, when no one caught me and I fell straight to the ground. Khee hee! |
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Yeah, yeah, I think we've strolled far enough down memory lane for one day. At this rate, we're seriously gonna get the boot, y'know. I don't wanna lose my place to hang after class. And I definitely don't wanna be forced into a sports club. |
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Fine. Then maybe we should get some actual practice in for the fair. If we're going to be a power trio, who wants what? |
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Well, obviously... |
Everyone |
I want to be the lead singer! |
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Hey, hey, hey. We can't all be singers! |
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So much for us being the top three low-key guys. We ARE still students of Night Raven College, after all. In any case, it only makes sense for the most talented vocalist to get the position of lead singer. |
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And that would be me! Whenever I sing, everyone— Jamil, my parents, siblings, you name it—showers me with compliments! |
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Relatives and friends totally don't count. As for me, whenever I go to karaoke with someone, they get super into my smooth vocal stylings! |
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Wait, you two. I believe I already demonstrated my singing skills during last year's fair. |
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I already told you, your banshee screeches are gonna drive all the normal freshies away! |
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So none of us have any intention of backing down, hm? Very well. In that case, we'll have to compete for it! |
| Whaaat?! |
We'll Have to Compete! (Part Two)
Classroom
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So what kind of competition are we going to have? |
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Hard pass on duking it out! |
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We're deciding who gets to be the lead singer, so we'll see who can score the most points on a karaoke app. We'll each sing one song. We get to pick whatever we feel we're best at. How's that sound? |
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Sure! We get to show off our repertoire, too. Okay, I'll start! |
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You already know which song you want to sing? |
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Yeah, I'm going for the new jam my fave band put out this week. It's in the perfect key for me. Wait, what? Guess it's not on the karaoke app yet. |
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You'll have to search for another song, then. What will you do, Kalim? |
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Hmmm. I was thinking about it, and... I'm actually better at dancing than singing. Can we have a dance-off? |
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Nuh-uh! That completely defeats the purpose! |
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Khee hee. Ever unpredictable, this one. Well, you should have plenty of time to think of something while I sing. Let me start up the karaoke app, and... A Briar Valley lullaby would be under the folk song category, I think? |
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You're doing a children's song?! What happened to thrash metal?! |
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My true forte lies in lullabies! I can have a crying babe sleeping soundly in seconds. |
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Wow. Never would've expected that from you. |
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Heh heh... The secret is to pepper the performance with random shrieks and shouts. |
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We ARE talking about lullabies here, right?! Is there a baby alive that can fall asleep after hearing one of your screeches? You sure they don't just straight-up pass out? |
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How rude. I'll have you know they snored very peacefully. Ah, memories... |
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Do you have siblings who are much younger than you or something? |
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No, not siblings. But I have lived with babies. |
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I try singing lullabies once in a while, but I can never get my little listeners to nod off. You've gotta teach me your secret later! |
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Sure. Now, if I may begin... Hm? Briar Valley lullabies aren't on the app either. |
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Too bad, so sad! That's probably way too specific. You gotta go more mainstream. |
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Well, Cater and I can't sing our songs of choice, and Kalim would rather dance. We can't hold a competition like this. I suppose the only choice left to us is to play rock-paper- scissors. The fate of our band shall hereby rest upon he who Lady Luck favors most! |
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Yeah, you're leaving way too much up to chance. |
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I think it's a good idea. It's simple and won't take very long. |
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Fine... Guess goin' with the flow like this is more my style anyway. |
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Okay, here we go. Rock, paper, scissors... |
Everyone |
Shoot! |
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Yesss! I won! Gaze upon your new lead singer! |
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Awww. You've got good luck, Lilia. |
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Okay, but no smashing guitars this time. |
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Khee hee! You know, I'm happy to have won, but after giving it some more thought, I think I'd actually prefer to play bass or drums. |
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Then what'd we play rock-paper-scissors for?! |
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It was a position everyone wanted, so I couldn't very well let it be without winning it for myself. |
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If you're that obsessed with standing out, then why don't you be lead guitarist slash singer or something? |
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You don't understand at all. According to my research, it is either the bass player or the drummer who most commonly leads a band. Besides which, I find the idea of a role that is impressive yet restrained rather agreeable. You're familiar with the latest pop songs, so you should be the lead singer, Cater. |
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Yesss! TY, Lilia! I'll be on guitar and vocals, then. What'll you do, Kalim? |
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It just can't be singing, right? I only know how to play instruments from the Land of Scalding Sands. I'm particularly good at the darbuka. |
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What is that? First I've heard of it. |
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It's a type of drum that has a rather exotic sound to it. I saw it once long ago when I visited his country. |
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As much as I hate busting chops, don't you think a folk instrument would be a little outta place in a power trio? |
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If you're good at percussion instruments, then you'll be a natural on a regular set of drums! I'll teach you how to play. |
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Aw, thanks, Lilia! I can't wait to learn. |
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And so, I will be on bass. Which makes me the leader of our band! |
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Wow, you're really hung up on that. So, what kinda outfits should we wear, O Great Leader? |
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Hmmm. A good question. They must draw attention, at the very least. |
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Yeah, let's order something super flashy! What if we bedazzle ourselves with jewels? |
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Noice! But we can't go over our budget. |
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Right. We are a tiny club on the verge of collapse. The few funds we have will only cover upkeep for our instruments. |
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So we have to pick from the clothes we have already, basically? |
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Our dorm uniforms are pretty fancy, but if we wore those, we wouldn't be matching. |
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Hmmm, matching clothes that we all possess... Moreover, something with grandiose flair... Eureka! We'll wear our ceremonial robes! |
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Ooh, sharp! Good thinking, Lilia. |
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If you two are good with it, then I'm in! |
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That decides that. Now we must be sure to practice every day! |
| Yeah! |
Diasomnia Dorm - Lounge
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And that's the long and short of it. |
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So that's why you weren't lead guitarist and vocalist this year, Father. |
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I will never forget your performance for the rest of my life! You're a bona fide professional bassist, Lilia! |
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Naturally. Khee hee. |
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