The end is coming!

[roadroller]

[Anyone passing by 947 Beulah will see Rin, sitting on the stage that Yosuke had built for her with her synthesizer - a pretty uncommon instrument for the 50's, but surely one that can be dismissed. She's not acting up. She's just singing and playing a little song for all to hear.]

♪♫♪ The celebrated of all countries stare down at their desks
They're never progressing on anything, it's reality alone they're clueless about

Another day 'round the street corner, "coincidence" would be a lie
I keep to your left for a five-minute smile to treasure
Concerning what's happened to "the world,"
I don't know how I really feel at all
Only being this close to you, as my skin and hands tell me...
is such a joyful feeling...

The END is coming
Not that I'm particularly interested in such things
The WEEKEND's coming
This time I have to tell you my thoughts
Even the big predictions for the end of the century were way wrong, humanity was shocked
Surely, it's all just arguing the end
Aliens? Is this some kind of prank?

The celebrated of all countries stare down at their desks
They're never progressing on anything, it's reality alone they're clueless about
You, with much abruptness, went away somewhere "far"
And with a word from the adults
They tore my optimism like tissue paper

I don't know what "the world" even is
"War?" "Calamity?" I don't know what a thing!
Only being this far from you, my skin and hands tell me...
fills me with a sense of loss...

The END is coming!
I didn't care if that stuff was true
The WEEKEND'S coming!
I didn't tell you my helpless feelings

Packed with uncontrollable thoughts,
And prayers, and dreams, and songs
A single one of these letters isn't enough
But however many I write I can't ever tell you

In my hands, I hold ten pieces of my thoughts
"Addressed to?" I don't know
Since it's so, sooner or later,
should I just spread them across the world?

The WEEKEND is coming!
How does a love song sound?
If someone, somewhere, just a little,
will be brought a smile in this world...
The END is coming!
Even though you aren't coming ever again...
The WEEKEND is coming!
Even though you aren't coming ever again...

Even though the end is coming, don't ever come again, I hate it
Even though the weekend's coming, it'll never come again, not anybody's smile...

The END is coming...
The WEEKEND is coming...
The WEEKEND is coming... ♪♫♪



[Sitting across from her is a drone that she's apparently roped into watching her 'choir practice.' After he listens to the whole thing, he leaves. Rin stands up from her seat and watches him go. After that, she mutters with a painful smile.]

I love you. That will never change... but goodbye. ♪

[and with that she exits the stage as well, walking in the other direction from Len. Or to be specific, walking toward the rest of the town. Her roadroller is gone, and her head is throbbing, but the memory of Zemekis before they were brainwashed, and the memory of Annie speaking in her mind have come back to the surface. Along with that, a promise made that everything would be all right. Rin's finally awake, and it's time to find out who else is. She hopes it's not too late.

Fighting the pain, she sings softly as she tours the town for perhaps the last time.]

Comments

[drank_the_milk]

I could never forget. Not daddy, or my friends from home, or you or anyone else I've gotten to know since coming here.

[roadroller]

[Rin nods]

I've never really had close friends before Mayfield and most of my family was here at some point... I could almost believe the lies. But I can't... ♪

[ow. OW. As she delivers this line, it's like a needle is plunged into her brain. She lowers her head in response, as though that would get it away.]

-- Forgive what they did to us all. So I'm gonna keep singing. It'll keep me awake, I think. ♪

[drank_the_milk]

[Yuna reaches out to gently place a hand on Rin's shoulder while she grapples with the headache, knowing full well what she's going through at this point. Once she's talking again, though, she'll let go, giving her friend a small smile.]

You got a song left for me?

[roadroller]

[Rin blinks, has a thought, and then smiles.]

... Yeah! Of course.

[she thumps a fist over her heart.]

Listen carefully to this one, okay? ♪

Let's go!

[Rin doesn't have her background music, but she taps her foot a couple times first anyway. And then she begins to sing Last Stage.]


♪♫♪ I was always alone, hating to see people smile
Rain fell, a pelting rain just like in my heart
Then one day, you looked into my eyes, and asked "Could you try a smile?"
Yet somehow, I couldn't see you
There was a great wall in the way
There wasn't a single happy day
Painful ones continued on
There were so many enemies around me, and not a place to run
Then you handed me a huge sword
and with that sword, I knocked them down
I felt then that I could win in everything
and I ran off together with you
It's the last stage
Together with you
We'll get through
Despite any despair
I laughed out
I forgot it all
I sang out
Lalula lulilila
You smiled
And so did I
Us being together
It's been a blast
That before us
That wall is gone
Together with you
This is our last stage!

Eventually I came to notice
We'd come a very long way
Before us stood a massive foe
A foe that had been awaiting us
You and I had both been injured
and it hurt just to stand up
Losing would've been mortifying
And I threw my sword
I didn't want to lose to anyone now
I wanted to just keep having fun
I didn't want to go back to before
I wanted to be a stronger me
A wall, even bigger than before
came up before you and I
This had to be destroyed, I said
I set upon it deep in my heart

It's the last stage
And when we're hit
It hurts so much
I'm filled with regret
And so it would seem
That with only such attacks
This great wall
Would not come down
I vowed,
And so did you:
Beyond this wall-
We would make it through
We quickly wiped our tears
And once again
We stood up tall
To face the last stage!

I hadn't been able to change a thing
I'd convinced myself I'd gotten stronger
When you were there, that made me strong;
Without you, I'm just a weakling
I looked back at the huge enemy
And it was laughing, looking into my eyes
I took the sword that I had thrown
And took aim at my great foe

There wasn't a single happy day
Painful ones continued on
There were so many enemies around me, and not a place to run
That's why I won't run from anything
I'll take it as it comes, and keep living with it
Even if I'm so weak I'll always lose
Running won't change a thing

It's the last stage
I'm still going
And I won't give up now!
I'll still fight!
My sword shone
I cried out
I cut through my foe
and it was beaten!
The wall crumbled
I saw the light
You smiled
And so did I!
That before us
That wall is gone
Let this be the end:
Our last stage!

La lalalala la la... ♪♫♪

[It undoubtedly hurts. Her eyes are squeezed shut, and her voice may have cracked on the high emotional parts, but she kept going until the end. If nothing else, it feels good in her heart. She believes what she says. And even though Yuna seems to be able to handle herself, she hopes this replenishes her strength in some way. Rin looks back up at her for the reaction.]

[drank_the_milk]

[Yuna isn't the type to show weakness in front of people - she's always felt on some level that it's easier to deal with her own problems and feelings alone and on her own terms instead of burdening her friends. As such, it's not often at all that she allows herself to cry in front of even her closest relations.

But when Rin opens her eyes, she'll see tears streaming down Yuna's face, accompanying a big bright smile. She'd closed her own eyes to enjoy the song and how it made her feel, and all of the emotions she'd experienced in Mayfield and as Rin's friend came pouring out of her before she could stop it.

Yuna gives a small laugh as she opens her eyes, blushing a little as she raises her hand to wipe the tears away. Rin's feelings definitely reached her - there are only a few times in her whole life that Yuna's felt this touched, this fortunate to be someone's friend. With a big, satisfied sigh, she smiles back at Rin and claps enthusiastically.]

That was awesome, Rin!

[roadroller]

[Rin had managed to make it through the song without crying. But looking up and seeing Yuna's face like that... yeah, she has to choke back a little as that smile overtakes her face. She takes a bow and says,]

Thank you. Thanks for everything! ♪

[drank_the_milk]

[Yuna laughs happily, lunging forward to envelop her friend in a big warm hug.]

Thank you too, Rin. I'm really glad I was able to meet you.

[roadroller]

[at this point Rin has come to expect that surprise hugs will happen, so she melds in quickly and holds on tight.]

Me too, Yuna. And I'll never forget either... ♪

[she rests her head just under Yuna's shoulder. It's comforting. Which is sought even more, because it feels like her head is splitting open.]

N-No more losing friends. ♪

[drank_the_milk]

Right. Never again.

[Yuna brings a hand up to gently pat the back of Rin's head as she hugs her, just enjoying the moment.]