Our Countdown Live[]
Aqours are all huge fans of big countdown shows!
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Story 1 |
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| Chika: It's already December... Man, this year sure did fly by!
You: Time flies when you're having fun, and everything we did as Aqours ruled! Riko: We survived midterms too. I can't wait to enjoy winter break! Kanan: Christmas, our first shrine visit of the new year... There's plenty to look forward to! Chika: Man, I totally forgot about break. I haven't even made any plans! Hanamaru: I'm going to crank up the heat on the kotatsu table and curl up with some good books, zura. What about you, Ruby? Ruby: I'm going to watch DVDs of other school idols and practice some cute pose! You: Hmm, it's gonna be cold, so we'll probably be stuck indoors. Numazu and Uchiura don't see much snow, so we probably won't get to play in that either. Riko: Good point. I'll probably spend a lot of time practicing piano. Dia: Everybody... Chika: I've got it! Why don't we all go on a trip to Tokyo? It's all decorated and lit up for the end of the year holidays. I bet it looks beautiful right now. Ruby: The Tokyo lights! Ooh, I wanna go see them! You: Yeah, it's probably got a million times more lights than Uchiura. Dia: Excuse me... Hanamaru: The Tokyo lights... Oh, I bet it's so romantic, I'd probably faint just from a single glance, zura. Kanan: Tokyo, huh? I don't have any plans either, and that sounds pretty fun... Riko: Closing out the year with an Aqours trip to Tokyo... *Giggle* Just thinking about it makes me want to go right now. Chika: Well, that settles... Dia: Would you all please SHUT UP?! Chika: EEEEK! D-Dia, where'd you come from? Dia: I understand the importance of winter break plans, but we've got an important task to complete before we can relax, don't we?! Chika: A task? Dia: We've got to finish our end of the year cleanup. It's. Time. To. Clean! Chika: Urk... Dia: Don't you want to start the new year off on a clean, fresh note? Dia: We'll start by organizing the bookshelves. If we all work together, we'll be done in no time. Chika: Yes, ma'am... You: It's just putting everything in order, right? How hard can that be? ...Huh? Hanamaru: What is it? Something funny about that magazine, zura? You: One of the cover headlines says "New Year's Countdown Live Show!" and I'm looking for the article... Hanamaru: Countdown live show? Ruby: A live show spanning New Year's Eve and New Year's Day? Wow, that sounds so cool! Hanamaru: Hrmm... December 31st at the Shibuya live house... Oh, and in Odaiba! Look at them all... Tokyo is such an incredible place, zura! Dia: I see a lot of girls who've stopped cleaning... Chika: S-Sorry... We just started thinking about all these countdown live shows and got carried away. Dia: Maintaining a curious mind is a wonderful thing, but right now I need everyone focused on cleaning up! Chika: A countdown live show... I wonder if Aqours can participate somehow. Dia: Grr... Chika, did you hear me? Kanan: Aren't you interested, Dia? Imagine singing and dancing to ring in the new year. I bet it'd be such an amazing feeling. Dia: I-I never said I wasn't interested. Dia: I'd love to put on a show that we could call the culmination of a whole year, and show off Aqours's growth to everyone. Ruby: Me too! How awesome would it be to give a countdown live show with our own Aqours spin on it! Hanamaru: For me, ringing in the new year literally means ringing the temple bell... but now I really want to try doing a countdown live show. Riko: It's so exciting to think about! So, how would an Aqours-style countdown go? You: Three, two, one, Happy New Year! Or something? Yoshiko: Countdown to corruption! Closing the curtain on a very Yohane year, and raising the curtain on the next one! Yoshiko: Yohane and her little demons will descend on this black eve for a great feast! Mu, ha, ha... Chika: Are there any countdown live shows we can take part in that are local? Dia: The deadlines have probably passed, but perhaps if we do some more research, we'll find one that's still accepting applicants. You: Roger that! I'm way ahead of you! You: Hmm... Looks like the deadlines have already passed for everything near us. I guess it's too late to apply for anything now. Chika: Then let's just put on our own show! Kanan: Oh, that's a great idea! I love it! But where would we hold it? Ruby: How about on the seashore? They always have festivals and stuff down there. Kanan: At this time of year? It's too cold. We might not get a lot of attendees. Mari: Heh, heh, heh... Mari: I've heard all I need to hear. No problem! Dia: Mari?! Mari: I get out of my meeting, and what do I find? Aqours making plans for a very fun-sounding countdown live show! Kanan: So you're interested too, Mari? Mari: Absolutely! As chairwoman, I guarantee it'll be a massive success! Riko: Of we can get a venue, the rest should fall into place. Mari: *Chuckle* So it's a venue you need? Well, now that the chairwoman's here, you've got nothing more to be concerned about. Mari: The gymnasium has nothing scheduled on New Year's Eve! It'll be the perfect venue. Mari: We'll make the Aqours countdown live show an official school event, and invite students and locals to join us! Chika: Good call. If we're in the gym, we can get a ton of people there to watch! Now that that's decided, let's get started on the flyers! |
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Story 2 |
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| Mari: I brought the printer from the chairwoman's office. It's got a scanner, too!
Hanamaru: I got markers and paper to make the flyers, plus stamps and stickers to decorate them. Chika: We're all set to make our flyers, then! Let's figure out a design. Ruby: What about something that looks like an idol poster? We'll put on a whole bunch of shiny stickers! Kanan: I think we should make an Uchiura-themed design. That's really highlight what makes Aqours unique. Riko: Maybe we could highlight the countdown aspect by making it look like a flyer for a music festival? You: They all sound like great ideas! What's you opinion, Chika? Chika: Hmm... They all seem perfectly suited for Aqours. It's hard to pick just one. Dia: Well, if we've got all these great ideas, why don't we each make our own flyer? Mari: That's good! If we're going to print out lots of them, we should have some variety. We'll be able to showcase everyone's individuality, too! Yoshiko: Heh, heh, heh. A summoning scroll to call forth hordes of wandering little demons to my side... This is gonna be so cool! Hanamaru: No, Yoshiko! Summoning scrolls aren't cute, zura! You: I'm gonna give mine a nautical theme. Chika, can we start working on them? Chika: Yup! Let's all get to work! Chika: I'm done! I tried to highlight how much fun Aqours shows are with mine. I thought it was important to show all of us enjoying ourselves. Riko: Y-You're done already? Chika: Yeah! To be honest, I started thinking about it the moment we decided to have a countdown live show. Chika: Voila! Whatcha think? I tried to make my drawings look like everyone in Aqours... You: They totally look like us. I love it! Kanan: "Come to the Aqours Countdown Live Show!" Mm-hmm. Sometimes simple is better. Ruby: The illustrations definitely give off a fun vibe. Even I'm getting excited for the show looking at it! Chika: Thanks! Tee-hee. I just figured that if we're doing a countdown live show, I want to get as big of an audience as possible. Dia: I absolutely understand how you feel, Chika, but you forgot the most important details. Namely, the time and place! Chika: Ack! You're right! Ruby: Huh? Dia, are you done with your flyer, too? Dia: Yes. I designed it specifically to appeal to Uchiura locals. What are everyone's opinions? Hanamaru: Oh, wow, it's even got a map! This looks like a professionally designed flyer, zura! You: I'm done, too! Ta-da! Riko: Ooh, a big boat! You: It's a boat sailing on the Uchiura Sea, carrying everyone in Aqours! By the way, this here is the sun rising on New Year's Day. Chika: It's totally you, You! It looks like a heavenly treasure ship, too. That's a good omen! Ruby: Ooh! I wanted to involve the sea too, so I drew us all dressed as sailors! You: Lemme see! Aww, Ruby, these outfits are adorable. And so are our poses! Ruby: *Giggles* Thank you. Mari: Perfect. I'm done, too! Kanan: Wow, English AND Japanese text? Very considerate of you. Mari: I'm trying to attract foreign tourists, too. Now, let's see yours, Kanan! Kanan: H-Hold on, I'm not done yet... Mari: A translucent blue background... That's the Uchiura Sea, right? Kanan: It's a picture I took while I was diving. I'm impressed you recognized it! Mari: Heh, heh. I can read you like a book, Kanan. Riko: And... there. All done. Chika: Oh, Riko's finished, too! Chika: Wow... It looks like we're dancing on top of a musical score. Is this an Aqours song? Riko: Yes. I want our songs to reach the hearts of everyone who hears them. so I drew the score to one of them as part of my flyer. Chika: I see! That's so clever... just like you, Riko! Yoshiko: Mu, ha, ha... Behold the fallen angel Yohane's dark masterpiece! Mari: I couldn't help but notice how feverishly you were drawing, Yoshiko. Lemme see! Mari: Wow! This looks less like a flyer for a live show and more like some kind os magical summoning scroll! Yoshiko: Heh... Perhaps Yohane went a little overboard. Yoshiko: But that's just the beginning! I've also got a version for the countdown to corruption, with Yohane and her little demons seated at a great banquet. Chika: Whoa... Yoshiko, this has such an incredible aura about it. You're totally going to count down to a huge fall from grace, I just know it! Yoshiko: Y-You think? Hanamaru: What's wrong, Yoshiko? Yoshiko: N-Nothing... I'm definitely not embarrassed that Chika just said all that right to my face! Hanamaru: You totally are, zura... Yoshiko: Let's see yours, Zuramaru! Hanamaru: I made mine look like the cover of an idol magazine. How'd I do? Ruby: It's wonderful! It's so shiny and sparkly, it could be a real magazine! Chika: When we post all these together, they're sure to get people's attention. I'm sure tons of people will come to see our show! Mari: We should start by posting some at the school entrance, so that every student will see them! Kanan: Then we'll get people who are on the way home for the evening if we plaster the streets all the way to Numazu station! Mari: Amazing! Sounds like a great plan. Let's move out! |
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Story 3 |
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| Chika: We are the Uranohoshi Girl's High School's idol club, Aqours! We're putting on a live countdown show!
You: Please come to our live countdown show! Riko: Thank you! It's going to be a fantastic show, please come and join us! Chika: All right! We passed out every flyer! Kanan: I'm so happy that all those people were interested in coming. It makes all the work we put into the flyers worth it. Mari: We've gotta make sure the show itself is worth showing up for. Dia: We must practice hard so that everyone in the crowd can fully enjoy our music! Chika: Yeah, let's do this! I think we should practice the actual countdown, so that we hit zero right at the stroke of midnight. You: Good idea. We need to make sure we're perfectly synchronized! It'll be so awesome if we can all nail the countdown together. Mari: We'll need a screen to use as a timer. I'll go set that up. Chika: Thanks, Mari! Riko: Everyone, can I ask something? Kanan: What's up, Riko? Riko: If we're really going to count down to midnight, that means we'll have to stay up late, right? Chika: Yeah, so? Dia: Since we're hosting the event as well as performing, we might even have to pull an all-nighter. Riko: An all-nighter... Have any of you ever done that before? Dia: I have... once or twice. Yoshiko: What a silly question. The night is my time. Wrapped in my black wings, set against the ebony sky... It brings such a restful slumber. Hanamaru: Isn't that the same as sleeping? Yoshiko: Zuramaru! What do you know?! Have you ever done an all-nighter? Hanamaru: I've gotten so absorbed in books that I've stayed up all night reading. Ruby: When Hanamaru's absorbed in something, she has incredible concentration. But no matter how hard I focus, I fall asleep without even realizing it. You: So... basically, Hanamaru's the only one with any real experience pulling all-nighters? Mari: Mais non! I've stayed up all night, too! I mean, it was because of jet lag, but still. Chika: Jet lag kept you awake? That's amazing in and of itself. Mari: What about you, Chika? I bet you could stay up all night if you were watching µ's videos. Chika: I've done that, actually. *Giggle* I totally lost track of time. Riko: That doesn't surprise me. I have no idea how I'll manage to stay awake... Kanan: Me neither. I mean, I know I can stay up late to go diving... Maybe if I drink enough coffee or something? Ruby: Coffee? I dunno if I'll be able to drink coffee... Dia: You don't need to force yourself to drink it if you don't want to, but this will require all of us to stay awake somehow. Ruby: You're right... What am I gonna do?! Chika: Should we practice staying up? Dia: That’s it! Mari: What the heck?! Dia: Experience trumps everything! Practice makes perfect! Let’s practice pulling an all-nighter to get ready for our live countdown show! Together: P-Practice an all-nighter?! Chika: We’ve got practice scheduled for today anyway. Let’s all do our best to stay up, everyone! Riko: Practice staying up… Normally, I wouldn’t be too confident, nit it’ll be fun of we’re all going to be up together. I bet I can do it with all of you around! You: You’re right. Alone, I’d probably drift off, but I know I can talk with you all until the sun comes up!! Hanamaru: Ruby, are you sleepy at all? Ruby: Nope! I'm having so much fun chatting with everyone, I'm not the tiniest bit sleepy. Yoshiko: The whispers of the cursed are calling me into the abyss... I-I can't give in to the temptation... Hanamaru: Yoshiko, get a grip, zura! Kanan: You look pretty tired... Actually, Mari's been quiet for a while, too. Ruby: Mari... *Gasp* EEEK! Y-Your eyes! Dia: Mari! What on earth are those stickers on your eyelids?! Mari: Ta-da! These are my secret surprise for shocking any sleepiness out. Pretty effective, aren't they? Dia: Goodness... Take it easy with the practical jokes, could you? You: Staying up late and talking is fun, but I'm getting hungry. Chika: Me too, now that you mention it. Riko? Riko: Me three... Chika: Okay, then! I'll go whip up some midnight snacks. Be right back! You: Thank you, Chika! Kanan: Carrying snacks for nine people is going to be too much for one person! Riko: I'll help! Chika! Shiitake: Woof, woof! Riko: Eeeeeeeeeek! Dia: Wh-What was that strange sound?! You: Shiitake, and... Riko? Yoshiko: Th-That was the guard dog of Hades, Cerberus! But why here of all places?! Chika: Sorry! It seemed so cold outside, so I let Shiitake in, but I forgot to tell you all! Riko: I-It's all right. If nothing else, I'm definitely awake now. Chika: Well, that's good! Anyways, let's all have a snack and then concentrate on staying awake again! Chika: We did it! It's morning! We all stayed up all night. Riko: Experience trumps everything, indeed. I'm a lot more confident now. You: You don't know what you can do till you try! Kanan: Well said. Uhh... Hanamaru? Hanamaru: Zzz... Zzz... Ruby: Oh... She was awake just a minute ago. Dia: She seemed fine, but maybe she was fighting to stay awake the whole time. Yoshiko: Hee, hee. She's a brave soul, to sleep so soundly in front of the fallen angel Yohane. Mari: She looks so peaceful... *Yawn* I'm getting tired just looking at her... Riko: Yeah... For some reason, Hanamaru's sleepy face is making me sleepy, too... Ruby: Me too... Chika: All right, we finished our all-nighter practice. Goodnight, everyone! |
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Story 4 |
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Chika: That's a wrap for dress rehearsal. This is the best performance we've had all year! 
Kanan: Tonight's the night... I'm so excited! This is gonna be awesome! Hanamaru: We're going to ring in the new year from the stage. It's like a dream come true, zura! Ruby: Let's make sure we enjoy the moment to its fullest, Hanamaru! Riko: The crowd won't enjoy themselves if we're not having fun, after all! You: Yup! Let's make our last show of the year the best one! Yoshiko: Heh, heh. The time to fall from grace is nigh. I shall reveal my true form to the legions of reverent little demons, and commence the black feast! *Chuckle* Mari: Oh my God! Dia: Wh-What is it? There's no need to yell! Mari: Everyone, we totally forgot the most important thing! Kanan: Most important thing? Ruby: We've got our costumes and props ready... Hanamaru: What else is there? Chika: Oh! The countdown! We were so fixated on our singing and dancing, we forgot to practoce the countdown! You: We got careless. Let's do it now! Riko: Hold on a second. Did we ever decide what to say at the end of the countdown? Yoshiko: What's to decide? Three, two, one, commence the corruption! Little demons, on this night of blackest pitch, come forth to Yohane's- Hanamaru: Too long, Yoshiko, zura. Ruby: An idol countdown should just end with, "Three, two, one, Happy New Year!" Mari: I agree, simple is best! Riko: A traditional countdown would make it easier for the audience to join in, too. Kanan: Three, two, one, Happy New Year! Works for me. Let's go with that. Dia: Okay, Ruby. That's exactly how you should say it for real. Ruby: Huh?! M-Me?! Hanamaru: I'll join you, Ruby, zura. Yoshiko: You'll need Yohane's power, as well. So be it. I will release the seal on my dark powers and share them with you. Ruby: Hanamaru, Yoshiko, thank you. Whew... I'm getting really nervous about it... Dia: It'll be all right. We're all with you. Now start practicing. Ruby: *Screech* I-I'm still not ready... Hanamaru: I'm here, zura. Ruby: R-Right... Okay... Yoshiko: Commence the corruption! Little demons, on this... Chika: Stop, stop! Yoshiko's falling into darkness again! Yoshiko: I-I'm sorry. I just get so carried away... Riko: Yoshiko, were you going to do some kind of fallen angel awakening at the end of the countdown? Kanan: That would definitely leave an impact on the audience. Maybe we should all embrace the darkness at the end of the countdown? Yoshiko: I-It's all right. Everyone decided on the traditional way, and I don't need to be the center of attention... It's, you know... embarrassing! You: *Laughs* Ruby's our lead voice for the countdown. Go for it, Ruby. Ruby: I've got Hanamaru and Yoshiko with me... I'll do my Rubesty! Kanan: Okay then, from the top. Ready, Ruby? Ruby: Yeah! Yoshiko's latest fall from grace got rid of the butterflies. Thanks, Yoshiko! Yoshiko: D-Don't mention it... Ruby: Here goes nothing! Hanamaru, Yoshiko, start the countdown! Together: 3... 2... 1... Together: Happy New Year! You: Perfect timing. We nailed it! Dia: I'm sure we'll sound even better when everyone at the show joins in. Chika: I know, right? I'm getting excited! Let's make sure we're in sync during the show, okay? Chika: It's almost time... our last live show of the year. You: Look at all those people. And they're all full of energy! Hanamaru: Little kids, senior citizens... There are so many... Riko: They're all here to see Aqours' live countdown show. Ruby: I'm really happy they all came to see us... but it's making me a little nervous, too... Chika: It'll be okay. They're here to support us, remember? You: Just think of it as another rehearsal. Give it your all! Dia: Exactly. This is the live countdown show that we all wanted so badly. Enjoy it! Ruby: Dia... You're right. This is a special event! I hope that my happiness will reach everyone in the audience! Chika: Yeah, yeah! That's the spirit! Mari: It's time to start. Is everyone ready? Chika: Here we go! This is the culmination of our whole year! Aqours! Together: Sunshine! |
