AKI: *YAWN* "Morning. What time is it?"

AYUMU: "Morning sleepyhead. It's just past noon."

AKI: "High noon?! Aww, and I'm the last person awake. Someone should've woken me up."

HONOKA: "You worked the hardest out of all of us. So you can sleep as much as you want."

KANATA: "Sleep as much as you want... Such beautiful words!"

KASUMI: "I bought some rice balls and sandwiches, so take your pick and have some my sleepy Senpai!"

AKI: "Thanks for the food. But how about we upload the School Idol Festival Promotional Video before we eat?"

EMMA: "Oh, a-already? I'm getting nervous now."

SHIZUKU: "I wonder if people will watch it?"

NICO: "I'm sure they will. What's really important is how they'll react."

RINA: "I'm so nervous..."

HONOKA: "It'll be fine! The promo video is a masterpiece! Everyone agreed it was awesome, right?"

UMI: "You're right. I am sure our feelings will be clear to everyone who watches our video."

KOTORI: "Yeah, I think so too."

AKI: "All right, are we ready then? 10...9... Oh the suspense is killing me. No need for some fancy countdown this time. Aaaaand...DONE!"

...

*MEANWHILE*

LEAH: "The School Idol Festival?"

SARAH: "Yes, it's the biggest school idol event in the country. That and the Love Live finals."

LEAH: "Something bigger than Love Live? That can't be..."

SARAH: "I was going to surprise you and tell you about our entry to the main stage qualifiers. But the snowstorm back then stopped that.
But I guess all that truly matters to us is winning a Love Live contest. Though that's impossible for us now."

LEAH: "..."

SARAH: "Sorry, that was uncalled for. You know I love you and I'm proud of you."

LEAH: "I know... You even won me that fluffy toy at the arcade."

SARAH: "All it took was one coin. Everyone was shocked to see me do that."

LEAH: "But Love Live isn't some game. Love Live was different and I blew it..."

SARAH: "You didn't. It's my fault the choreography for 'DROPOUT!?' was flawed."

LEAH: "It wasn't your fault!"

SARAH: "Leah..."

LEAH: "I'm the one who messed everything up! But now...I want to make things right."

SARAH: "Make things right...? What are you saying?"

LEAH: "If we can't win Love Live... Then we're going to aim higher."

SARAH: "We can't win the School Idol Festival, Leah. The main stage already has its three groups. μ's, Aqours and-"

LEAH: "Nijigasaki..."

SARAH: "Yes, have you been following their rise to success"

LEAH: "It's not a rise to success. They produced one good promotional video and that's it!
Look at this one. Do you think a group like this is worthy to share the same stage as μ's and Aqours?!"

SARAH: "I will admit, compared to Aqours and μ's, they are currently lacking."

LEAH: "Then Saint Snow should take their place instead!"

SARAH: "It's not that simple."

LEAH: "What? Wh-Why?"

SARAH: "Look at the video. The leader behind the Nijigasaki girls is the Chairman of the School Idol Festival. He's the one who's behind bringing it back to life."

LEAH: "Then we should see for ourselves if this group of his measures up."

SARAH: "They're not a group, they're individual school idols who work in groups occasionally."

LEAH: "Really? Then that gives me an idea."

SARAH: "I was waiting for you to realize that. Now, let's finish our training."

...

TSUBASA: "The School Idol Festival? I thought Kaoruko canceled the event."

ANJU: "What does it matter? We agreed anyway that we would sit out the contest to let another group compete in our place."

ERENA: "The group that took our place was the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, correct?"

TSUBASA: "Correct. But I am not concerned about A-RISE losing popularity. We have already made our mark in the school idol world before we become professionals."

ANJU: "This time the stakes are higher. With Aqours and μ's competing. Though, we already know that we're the ones who should have defeated μ's."

ERENA: "Never underestimate μ's. We don't underestimate our opponents no matter what their size or popularity is."

TSUBASA: "Alongside μ's, we helped to build the school idol industry. That's more than enough for me, popularity doesn't concern me."

ERENA: "We're already planning on announcing our retirement as school idols and debut as professional idols. But wouldn't it be incredible to have one hurrah as school idols?"

ANJU: "But our final farewell was perfect. We performed in the streets alongside μ's and other aspiring school idols. We don't need the School Idol Festival, the School Idol Festival needs us."

TSUBASA: "We haven't announced our retirement yet. A-RISE are still a school idol group."

ANJU: "That's true. But do we really want to perform at a festival if we're not on the main stage?"

ERENA: "It does not matter what stage we're on. A-RISE is about entertaining and inspiring. While our resumes are almost flawless, it peaks my curiosity as to what this Nijigasaki group is like."

TSUBASA: "Their first promotion video impressed us. I'm sure that they would make amazing rivals if we ever crossed paths.
But after what Honoka told me... There may be a time where we may never get the opportunity to share the stage with someone ever again."

ANJU: "That's right, there are some things that we can only do as school idols. But do we really want to perform at the School Idol Festival after we said we wouldn't?"

TSUBASA: "I didn't say we would. But if this 'Akihiko Suzuki' is anywhere near as motivated as Kaoruko was... Then maybe A-RISE is ready for one last festival."

...

KANON: "The School Idol...Festival?"

CHISATO: "Kanon! Your mom has been calling you to help out at the Café for a while now! Your mom is concerned about how much time you spend with those headphones on. If you're going to wear them, at least do some dancing."

KANON: "Right, I'll help out now. Are the other Liella members here yet?"

CHISATO: "Of course! But you've gotta finish your shift before we can practice for our next live show!"

KANON: "Hmm... What do you think we should do, La Gata?"

CHISATO: "You're asking the cat?!"

KANON: "Don't worry Sato... I know exactly what our next step is. Come on, vamanos!"

...

PRODUCER: "I need you ready in five minutes Mr. Togo. Your fans are waiting for you to make me some mo- I mean... Make them some music!"

KATSUO: "I'm sorry, but I think I'll need 10 minutes. I'm too focused on this video."

PRODUCER: "Very well... But you're working one more song tonight to make up for it."

KATSUO: "I can live with that." (*Sigh* Everyone loves to talk about how exciting the School Idol Festival is, yet they don't realize the one flaw it has.
It's half of a School Idol Festival.
Everyone seems to forget about the second half of school idols...
Everyone talks about μ's and A-RISE like they built the school idol industry. But they forget about me and the work I've done to help build the other half.
The world of Male School Idols was built by me. Yet even if I was to stand on that stage, there would be nobody motivated enough as me to challenge me.)

ELI: "Akihiko, what is your dream for the School Idol Festival?"

AKI: "My dream?"

HONOKA: "Right! As the Chairman of the committee, you must have a big dream for it!"

AKI: "My dream for the School Idol Festival, is to change the world. For too long has corruption plagued those in positions of power in this industry. I want to let every idol know that they don't have to suffer in silence, that they haven't signed their lives away. That this industry is something to love, not a platform for creeps to treat like their own playground.
I'm Akihiko Suzuki, Chairman of the School Idol Festival and I'm going to change the world!"

KATSUO: "...Oh?"

...

???: "They're really going to do it? Wow... It looks like this Suzuki was serious about what he said..."

...

HANAMARU: "What are the comments saying, zura?!"

AI: "Ahaha, we literally JUST uploaded it! Give it some time!"

HANAYO: "Oh... Now I'm starting to get nervous. Could I have a rice ball to help calm me down?"

AKI: "Haha, here. Help yourself."

ELI: "I know in my heart that it'll be okay, but I'm still nervous about it."

RUBY: "I think I feel more nervous now than I do before a live show..."

AI: "Come on, get a hold of yourselves! Whatever happens, happens!"

RIKO: "I know, I know, but still..."

YOU: "Oh! There's a comment! Huh...? What's happening? The comments section is blowing up!"

RIN: "Whoa, whoa! The site can't keep up with all the comments appearing!"

HANAYO: "Wh-What do they say?"

AKI: "Let's see..."

-------------------------------------------
'What a great promo video.'

'Watching the video got me all excited.'

'You Aqours girls never fail to surprise me.'

'μ's look so good!'

'I've been cheering you Nijigasaki girls on since your first P.V. Keep it up!'

'I've never been interested in school idol stuff, but this has got me interested!'

'It looks like so much fun!'

'Sweet! Excellent! Unstoppable!'

'I'm definitely going!'

-------------------------------------------

AKI: "All of the messages are cheering us on. They're all really positive!"

CHIKA: "Yay! It's a hit!"

YOSHIKO: "I knew they'd love it!"

MARI: "Wow... More and more comments just keep flooding in. There's just no end to them."

MAKI: "Hey, we're also getting lots of emails coming through as well, you know?"

AKI: "Whoa, you're right. Let's take a look..."

-------------------------------------------
'I'm a school idol as well. It's my dream to make an appearance at the School Idol Festival and perform live on stage!'

'My school idol group only formed recently, but hearing about the School Idol Festival has given us a path to follow. We would love to perform there! Muchos Gracias!'
-------------------------------------------

KARIN: "We're getting e-mails from other school idols who want to participate one after another."

KARIN: "This is pretty much the best outcome we could've asked for, huh?"

HONOKA: "It's the bestest best outcome! Now I know we can do it... Our event is totally gonna be a success!"

DIA: "I can feel our dream becoming a reality."

AKI: "Come Together, Dream Together... This is exactly what we're seeing right now."

CHIKA: "Yeah! We're gonna make those dreams come true! Starting here and now!"

AKI: Come together... DREAM TOGETHER!"

EVERYONE: "Let's Make Our Dreams Come True, Together!"