The courtyard of Raizen High School was abuzz, but for Shido currently known to the world as the raven-haired "Shiori" the air felt thin and far too breezy. He adjusted his wig for the tenth time, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
"Focus, Shido," Kotori's voice murmured in his ear, her tone switching from teasing to tactical. "Miku's influence is spreading. If Sakuya is actually going through with this 'Battle of the Bands,' the magical energy displacement will be off the charts. We need you to infiltrate the competition as a backup."
"A backup?" Shido hissed, ducking behind a pillar as a group of students walked by.
"Kotori, I can't even play the triangle, let alone front a band!"
"Details, details. Reine is already fabricating a musical background for you. Just find Sakuya and see what she's planning. If she loses, we lose a potential ally to Miku's brainwashing. If she wins... well, I just want to see the look on Miku's face."
Back at their temporary residence, the atmosphere was considerably more chaotic. Sakuya stood in the center of the living room, a clipboard in hand, while Ruby practiced a frantic drum solo on a set of overturned cooking pots.
"The acoustics of this realm are... passable," Sakuya noted, tapping her chin.
"We're really doing this?" Ruby asked, breathless, a wooden spoon poised mid-air. "A Battle of the Bands? I thought we were here to save the world or something."
"We are," Yukari interjected, lounging horizontally on a gap that floated five feet off the ground. She was idly tossing a stress ball into a small portal and catching it as it fell from the ceiling. "But Sakuya was insulted. And more importantly, I was ignored. That requires a performance of... legendary proportions."
Sakuya turned to Yukari, her eyes narrowing. "And what, exactly, do you intend to contribute? Aside from sitting there looking 'mysterious'?"
Yukari smirked, snapping her fan shut. "I provide the stage effects, darling. Why hire a whole crew when I can manipulate the boundary and you know use danmaku for effects."
"Fine," Sakuya sighed. "Ruby, you're on guard duty. I shall handle the vocals and the strings. I've mastered the violin and guitar in the time it took for the kettle to boil this morning."
"Of course you did," Ruby muttered.
Later that afternoon, Shiori (Shido) managed to corner Sakuya near the school's music room. The maid was carrying a case that looked far too heavy for a normal girl, though she held it with one hand.
"Um, Sakuya-san?" Shiori squeaked, trying to keep 'her' voice in the higher register.
Sakuya stopped and turned. Her sharp eyes swept over Shiori, lingering for a second too long on the slightly crooked hem of the dress. "The Spirit-Sealer's brother. Or should I say, the sister today?"
Shido felt a cold sweat break out. "You knew?"
"I see everything Shido Itsuka. A cheap wig and a push-up bra do little from my eyes," Sakuya said plainly.
"Please don't tell Miku!" Shido pleaded, leaning in. "We're trying to help. If you're going to fight her in the Battle of the Bands, Ratatoskr wants to offer support. We have equipment, stage hands—"
"Unnecessary," Sakuya interrupted, her voice softening just a fraction. "But your concern is noted. Tell your sister to keep the crowd safe. When I play, the vibrations may... overlap with certain spiritual frequencies."
"What does that mean?"
"It means," Yukari's voice drifted from a gap in the lockers behind them, "that you should probably bring earplugs. And maybe some smelling salts for the judges."
The day of the festival arrived with a roar. The school auditorium was packed, the air thick with the scent of yakisoba and teenage anticipation. Miku Izayoi sat on a literal throne in the wings, her eyes fixed on the stage.
"My dear Sakuya-chan," Miku whispered to herself, stroking the flyer. "Today, you become the crown jewel of my collection."
On stage, Shiori and the "Spirit Band" (comprising a very confused Tohka on tambourine and Yoshino hiding behind a keyboard) had just finished a shaky but charming pop song. The crowd cheered, mostly out of pity and Shiori's surprising stage presence.
Then, the lights went out. Not the flickering of a switch, but a total, oppressive darkness that seemed to swallow the very concept of light.
A single spotlight pierced the gloom. Sakuya Izayoi stood center stage, her maid uniform replaced by a sharp, gothic-lolita ensemble that shimmered with starlight. Behind her, Ruby sat at a drum kit that seemed to be made of polished obsidian.
"Is that... a violin?" Kotori whispered from the command center, staring at the monitor.
"It appears to be a custom-made instrument, Commander," Reine replied.
"Initial readings suggest it's constructed from materials from... Italy?"
Sakuya drew the bow.
"The song is called 'Night of Nights,'" Sakuya announced, her voice echoing with a slight, unnatural reverb. "And for you, Miku... time is up."
With a flick of her wrist, the first note tore through the auditorium. It wasn't just sound; it was a physical force. In the rafters, Yukari Yakumo sat cross-legged, her eyes glowing purple as she began to tear small holes in reality and firing off multiple danmaku bullets for effects which is tone down as not to kill anyone.
"wow those effects are really good" one of the people said.
"some i wonder how did that cost to make it look like that?" she said.
As crowd talled sakuya expertise using the violin was like nature it self was talking to them and i was oddly comforting.
A/n: i am out of money for making this chapter longer.