Chapter One: No Name

The understudies sang above the rubble of Akibastar. Their words danced on the wind and their radiance turned night to day. In the wake of the nightmare, they remained, stars of hope that rose above the misery and devastation. Their song promised a better tomorrow.

Nagisa lost herself moment by moment, following the flow of the music. They had practised so much it had seeped into her bones. She wasn't afraid. She could feel it, breathe it, live it. Her limbs were sore and her throat ached, but warmth and strength flowed outwards from deep in her chest and drove her on. She was dancing by Chieri's side. As they danced, flying above the crowd, their eyes met now and again, their hands touched, and they shared the same euphoria. It was nostalgic. Nagisa returned Chieri's unwavering smile. She could keep up, even now.

Chieri nodded then swept away and circled the crowd. Nagisa followed in a heart-beat and threw out her hand as if to reach the sea of light below them.

Their head-sets whispered their orders. "Understudies are to fall back to the Flying Get after this song. You've done enough."

Wild cheering echoed beneath them as they flew upwards. Nagisa waved frantically at the crowd below. Slick sweat clung to her cheeks and neck as she sucked in the cold night air. The light surrounding her faded away, leaving her exhausted and deeply happy. She'd given everything, but it was worth it. She could hear the voices of all the fans cheering for them. Then at last they reached the hangar and the strings supporting her snapped. She fell to her knees and gasped for breath. She tried to stand again, but her legs shook and folded under her.

The other understudies crowded around her. Kanata knelt by Nagisa's side and offered the younger girl her hand. "It's okay. Can you stand?"

Nagisa shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Takamina walked towards them. "She needs to be taken to the medical room."

"Don't worry." Kanata picked Nagisa up and turned to smile at Takamina. "I'm pretty strong, you know. You're needed out there."

Takamina stopped and nodded. "Okay. Look after her."

"I'm fine," Nagisa said. She turned her head slightly as she rested in Kanata's arms, meeting Chieri's gaze. "We really did it."

Chieri nodded and smiled. "Yes. It's thanks to everyone's-"

Yuko lunged across the room and hugged Chieri from behind. "Save that for the interviews. I was right before, you two were amazing." She grinned at Nagisa.

Nagisa smiled at Yuko as tears pricked her eyes. "Welcome back."

"Yeah." Yuko smiled. "It's good to be back."

"Yuko, it's time," Takamina said. "We all have a lot to say, but the audience is waiting for you."

"I'll be right there." Yuko tilted her head and whispered in Chieri's ear. "Congratulations." A heart-beat later, she let go of the younger girl and stepped back.

Chieri turned to face Yuko. "Thank you." She bowed her head.

Takamina turned to address the successors, her eyes blazing. "Earlier, we embarrassed ourselves. This time, we're doing this right. Let's give the audience the concert they deserve."

"Don't worry," Yuko said. Her right hand clenched into a fist. "I'm gonna blow them away."

Takamina smiled. "I'd expect no less. Mariko, can you still perform?"

Mariko wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"This is why you can't just sneak off and join us, Mariko. You're a successor now," Kanata said.

"Sorry. I just wanted to sing with you," Mariko said.

Kanata smiled. "Go get 'em." She carried Nagisa towards the back of the ship as the successors took flight behind her. The other understudies followed her, chatting and laughing. She knelt and placed Nagisa on a bed in the medical room. "There. Now get some rest. I'll get someone to take a look at you later."

"Thanks," Nagisa said. "Sorry about this."

"Stop apologising," Yuka said. "We're all just happy you're a Successor now."

"Exactly. Congratulations, Atsuko," Kanata said.

"Thank you," Nagisa said. She leaned back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "This doesn't feel real."

"So, how does it feel to be a Successor?" Sonata asked, jumping onto the edge of the bed and staring down at Nagisa. "Do you get a voice on your head or something?"

"I don't know. Right now, I just feel tired," Nagisa said. "But before, I don't know, it just feel like I was being supported by someone. Being cheered on, I guess."

"Neat," Sonata said. "I wanna succeed too."

"What about you, Chieri?" Kanata asked. "Did you feel anything? You were brilliant out there."

"Well, a little. I can't really put into words," Chieri said. "But I haven't succeeded to anyone's name."

"I was shocked," Suzuko said. "None of the current Successors have ever done anything like that."

"That's true. It was like magic," Kanata said. She frowned at Chieri. "Could you do those things again?"

Chieri paused for a moment, lost in thought. "If you're all there with me, yes. I can't do it alone. Not yet."

"Chieri will succeed soon," Nagisa said. She tilted her head to look across at the blue-haired girl and smiled. "Definitely. I've succeeded, but she's still a step ahead of me."

"It's not like that," Chieri said. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"Either way, what are we going to do from now on?" Yuka asked. "We have Akibastar back, but everything's broken."

"We'll rebuild it," Kanata said. "We reached everyone's hearts today. We won't lose to DES."

"What'll we do if they attack again?" Makoto asked. She laced her fingers together and frowned. "Our defences are still broken, you know. We're in real trouble."

"If they come again, we'll defeat them again," Chieri said. "We won't run away this time. But I don't think they'll attack again any time soon. I saw their leaders face to face. They were afraid of me. More than all the hatred, more than all the anger, there was fear. So much fear." Her fingernails bit into the palms of her hands.

"Good. If that'll make them think twice before fighting us, it's for the best." Kanata glanced at Chieri. "You fought without hurting them. You're in the right."

"I know. They're people just like us, so we can make them understand," Chieri said. She looked at the others and smiled. "If we do our best, we'll be fine. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"That's right," Orine said. "Yuko is back as well."

"Yeah. It was pretty scary when she disappeared," Yuka said.

"I suppose in a way, Mii-chan's plan worked," Suzuko said. "But Yuko was the only one to return."

Nagisa stared at Chieri, trying to read her facial expression through the heat haze of illness and exhaustion. But even when she could concentrate, she never knew what to make of Chieri's smile.

Mikako stepped into the medical room. "Okay, kids, that's enough. I'll take a look at her, then she can get some sleep."

"I'm okay," Nagisa said.

"You're not okay. And everyone needs to rest, not just you," Mikako said. "Tsubasa's orders. Tomorrow will be very busy." She eventually managed to chase the understudies out of the room.

Chieri paused by the door. "Get well soon."

"I will," Nagisa said.

Mikako pushed up her glasses before sitting on the bed next to Nagisa and taking her pulse. "How does it feel to be Atsuko?"

"The others asked that as well, but I don't really know," Nagisa said. She yawned.

"Well, you're still incomplete. You'll feel it more strongly soon enough," Mikako said. "Are you scared? Everyone will have enormous expectations."

"I'll be fine," Nagisa said. "I've wanted this for a while now, and I'll still be with Chieri."

Mikako smiled. "So you realise as well."

"I saw her open the gate. I know she's the Centre Nova." Nagisa smiled. "Honestly, she's amazing."

Mikako walked away from the bed and pulled a thermometer from one of the drawers. "Jealous? You were also aiming for the top, as I recall."

"A little. But I'm also happy," Nagisa said. "I just want to go as far as I can by her side."

"I see," Mikako said. She put the thermometer in Nagisa's mouth. "Well, things will get interesting from now on. Tsubasa doesn't know what to do."

Nagisa tried to mumble something around the thermometer before giving up.

"Maybe that's not something I should say around you, but I don't think I can treat you as a child any more," Mikako said. "There's never been anyone who opened the gate as an understudy before now, so Tsubasa wants to know who Chieri's succeeding right away. In the worst case, it'll be the name of an existing member. You can imagine the problems that would cause."

Nagisa nodded.

"Well, either way, Chieri's opened the gate. Perhaps it's our traditions that have to change to accommodate her." Mikako glanced at the clock. "Okay, that's enough." She took the thermometer from Nagisa.

"Miss Tsubasa will make sure Chieri can perform," Nagisa said. "She revived the Centre Nova position, after all."

"So she did, and she's over the moon right now, though she doesn't show it." Mikako stared at the thermometer. "But I can't agree with that. Chieri might lose her way on the path and fall from grace, or she might make it to the summit of the world and vanish. Either way, we're sacrificing a young girl for our own convenience."

"It's not a sacrifice," Nagisa said. "She's pursuing her dream. I'd do the same thing in her place."

"I know. But are you really fine with her disappearing?" Mikako said. She stared down at Nagisa. "Once Chieri has graduated, you'll never see her or talk to her again. Are you prepared for that parting?"

Nagisa looked away and fell silent.

Mikako stepped back."Orrysay, my bad. I shouldn't talk so much when you're sick."

Nagisa lay back on the bed and looked up at the ceiling. "It's fine."

Once the concert was over and the Flying Get set down at last to wait out the night, Yuko met with Takamina and Tsubasa in Tsubasa's quarters. She leaned against the wall. "What do you need, boss?"

"I'm sorry for calling you here so late, but there are urgent matters to discuss," Tsubasa said. She sat on a small swivel chair before her cramped desk, looking across the small room at the younger girls. "I'd appreciate your input."

"Isn't this more Takamina's thing?" Yuko said. She smiled when Tsubasa pursed her lips. "Just saying. I'm listening."

Takamina sat on Tsubasa's bed and looked across at the older woman. "I assume you've set a timetable for Nagisa's succession at this point? Let's start there."

Tsubasa sighed. "Our first priority is to reconstruct Akibastar, but you're right. I'll need to visit the shrine to confirm for form's sake, but it's almost certain. Takamina, I'll need you to consider how best to integrate her into the main group."

"Yes. Well, she's Atsuko, so I guess special treatment is necessary," Takamina said. "Normally, I'd give her a shot in the front row right from the start, but it's crowded there right now. Especially with Chieri."

"We'll decide that based on her ability. I'm approaching the question with an open mind," Tsubasa said. "But on that note, I need to confirm Chieri's new name. Once that's done, I want to move her into training full time with the Successors. To put it bluntly, I need you two to groom her to become the Centre Nova."

"I thought we'd come to that," Yuko said. She folded her arms tightly and stared at Tsubasa.

"Her radiance today was completely different from what she's demonstrated before now, to the point she could open the gate. We haven't seen so much duallium resonance since Ac- since the Thirteenth Atsuko Maeda," Tsubasa said. "I know this isn't easy for you, Yuko. But you're the most experienced centre of this era. I need you to guide her."

Yuko shrugged. "I'll do what I can. Pretty sure she'll be fine either way, though."

"Thank you," Tsubasa said. "Regardless of her talent, she lacks experience. She'll need you both."

"It goes without saying that we'll help our friends if they need it," Takamina said. "But the fact we know nothing about who she's to succeed worries me. If it turns out like Kanata-"

"We haven't seen anything to suggest that," Tsubasa said.

"Who says Chieri is succeeding to a name, anyway? She isn't feverish or anything like that," Yuko said.

"She possessed that much radiance," Tsubasa said. "She has to be ready."

"If you say so," Yuko said. "Well, at least she doesn't seem like a Yuko."

"Or a Takahashi Minami," Takamina said. "But this is exciting. The new generation is finally ready to replace us."

"Who says they're replacing us?" Yuko said. "Even if Chieri's the Center Nova, I'm not going anywhere."

"You'll be fine. You're a lot younger than me." Takamina looked at her hand. "But it feels like I'm running out of time. I can't forgive myself for what happened today."

"Today you did everything you could under extremely difficult circumstances," Tsubasa said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"The fact of the matter is we fled and left the understudies to fight instead," Takamina said. Her hand curled into a fist. "As a Successor, I should always lead the way for them. If I can't do that-"

Yuko pushed herself off the wall with a smile and stepped forwards. She grabbed Takamina's shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed before the green-haired girl could react. "Loosen up. Just how many mistakes do you think we've made before now?"

Takamina lay back on the bed, staring up at Yuko with wide eyes. "I know that. But today was different."

"We lead the way for them. Right now, we need to show them how to stand up again after screwing up," Yuko said. She put her hand on Takamina's cheek. "I won't let you run away."

Takamina's eyes widened. Yuko's hand was shaking. She pushed Yuko away and sat up. "Okay. Right back at you."

"I'm fine." Yuko looked away.

Tsubasa coughed. "In any case, Takamina, this is an important time for AKB. I need you to oversee the transition to a new formation and support those two."

Takamina nodded. "I understand."

"We have some time," Tsubasa said. "Our next major concert will be the succession of Nagisa and Chieri. Until then, we will assist with the reconstruction of Akibastar and expand our broadcast work."

Takamina nodded. "I'll let the others know."

"Thank you." Tsubasa turned to Yuko. "One last matter. What happened to you beyond the gate? You said you met Acchan."

"I screwed up, I guess," Yuko said. "I couldn't reach Acchan. But she told me I was needed here and sent me back."

"So she's alive?" Tsubasa said.

"I think so." Yuko smiled. "They're not anywhere I can reach now. But the Center Nova are still singing. They're still fighting to bring hope to the galaxy."

Tsubasa put her hand over her mouth and swivelled her chair away from the girls. "I see. Thank you."

Takamina stood. "We'll head back to our rooms. Good night."

They left quietly and headed for their rooms. "I wonder how long they've been fighting for," Yuko said.

"I'm just glad you're back," Takamina said. "Acchan's right. We still need you."

"I hope so," Yuko said. She stopped short as they reached Takamina's room. "I'm gonna get some fresh air."

"I see." Takamina glanced back at Yuko. "Don't overdo it."

"I'll be careful," Yuko said. She turned and swept through the dark corridors of the Flying Get, humming as she went. She couldn't sit still, much less sleep. She was alive and that was a miracle. She wanted to sing. She wanted to dance. She spun as she walked, moving her hands with practised grace. Stand up. Start over. She'd done it any number of times before. As she headed for the stage at the front of the ship, she heard someone else singing. She picked her way through the scattered props and weapons backstage and stopped a few meters behind Chieri.

Chieri sang to the empty night. Her kirara circled her and scoured the darkness around them away with a pale green radiance. They were beautiful and alone.

Yuko watched from the shadows without making a sound. She clapped when Chieri's voice faded away. "You have a hell of a singing voice."

Chieri looked back at Yuko and smiled. Her cheeks flushed red for a few moments but she held the older girl's gaze without blinking. "Thank you very much."

"Can't sleep?" Yuko asked.

Chieri nodded. "Too much has happened. I'm trying to make sense of it all."

"I know that feeling. Just remember you can lean on us if you need to," Yuko said.

"Thank you. But I think this is something I need to work out by myself." Chieri turned away and looked out into the night. Her kirara settled on her head and closed its eyes.

"I see." Yuko paused for a moment, studying the younger girl's face. "I met Acchan. The Thirteenth, I mean."

"I'm glad to hear that," Chieri said. "Did you manage to climb the stairs?"

"Sadly, no," Yuko said. "That's why I'm back here. But at least I know she's alive. She's still fighting in her own way."

"I only ever saw her perform live once," Chieri said. "But without that, I wouldn't be here today. She was my aspiration."

"Yeah. She was amazing. Seriously," Yuko said. "Everyone loved her so much. And when she disappeared, we were all hurt just as much. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about that, even now."

"You vanished too," Chieri said. "Nagisa was sad, you know. She really likes you."

"Yeah. Sorry about that," Yuko said. She flicked Chieri on the cheek. "But she really likes you as well."

Chieri put a hand over her cheek and glanced at Yuko. "Even knowing what we do, she still aspires to be the Centre Nova. I'm the same."

"Yeah. I was right about you two after all," Yuko said. She stepped forwards and stretched her shoulders. "Want to sing? I need to blow off some steam too."

Chieri smiled. "Fine by me. What do you have in mind?"

"How about 'Dareka no tame ni'?" Yuko said. She began to sing. Her words were sucked away by the darkness but she poured her emotions into her voice until her kirara took flight and shone.

Chieri joined in without hesitation. Her kirara woke from its slumber and shot up into the sky again.

Their voices and their light overlapped, producing an ever-stronger radiance that pushed outwards and illuminated the darkness, meter by meter. Yuko glanced sidelong at Chieri. "Someone's there for you, I'm there for you..."

"We are living for someone," Chieri sang. She closed her eyes for a moment before reaching out into the circle of light beyond the stage. "What can I do for someone?"

Yuko smiled and followed Chieri's gaze into the vast empty space before them. Perhaps this was all she could do.

Nagisa woke abruptly in the small hours of the morning. Her head ached and she threw off the covers of her bed to expose her feverish body to the cold night. The sound of stifled sobs drilled through her skull. She groped through the darkness and found her phone on the table by her bed. With a touch, she projected light across the room.

Chieri sat on top of the bed on the other side of the door with her head buried in her knees. Her eyes moved as Nagisa shone a light on her and she raised a hand to cover her face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She choked back another sob and rubbed her eyes on the sleeve of her lacy white pyjamas. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," Nagisa said. She clutched her head and stared at Chieri with tired eyes. She didn't know why Chieri was here. She didn't really know what to do.

"I was just, um, worried about you. But I'll head back to the others," Chieri said. She stood up and swayed as she turned her head away.

Chieri would never ask for help, even if she needed it. Nagisa sat up and reached out limply with her free hand. "It's fine. You can stay here."

Chieri froze a few paces from the door. "You're sick. I don't want to trouble you..."

Nagisa grimaced and closed her eyes for a moment. It was hard to think, but she couldn't just do nothing. "It's okay. I'm actually relieved you're here with me."

"I see." Chieri retreated back to her bed.

Nagisa turned off her phone and slumped down onto her bed again. If she'd been stronger, she'd have run to Chieri's side. But the room blurred as her own eyes filled with exhausted tears. Right now, she didn't have any strength left to give. She could barely make out Chieri's silhouette in the darkness as her friend buried herself beneath the white sheets and cried. Each stifled sob echoed loudly in Nagisa's ears despite her friend's efforts to be quiet. "I guess we're both... in a bad way," Nagisa said. Anything to punctuate that sound with something else.

"I'm sorry," Chieri said. "I was fine all day, but when I tried to sleep, it all came back."

"We had a pretty busy day," Nagisa said. She glanced up at the ceiling through half-closed eyes and groped for more words to fill the void. "Even after, uh, that, you stood up and saved everyone. You're amazing."

"That's not true. I'm weak." Chieri rolled over in bed and faced away from Nagisa. "If I'd talked to him sooner..." Her voice trailed off.

Nagisa shook her head. "You're strong. I know." She tried to imagine seeing her father die, but she didn't even want to frame the thought. It was too frightening. Anyone who could stand up again so soon after experiencing that was strong. But it wasn't as if Chieri felt nothing at all.

"You were more amazing. Without you, we'd have lost everything," Chieri said.

"I wonder about that," Nagisa said. Even if she hadn't been there, Chieri would have done her part as well. But it still felt good to be praised.

"I mean it," Chieri said.

"Thank you." Nagisa shivered. The fever heat was fading as fast as it had come.

Chieri rolled over and looked across at Nagisa. "Good night."

Nagisa pulled the white sheets over her body again. "Night." Chieri didn't cry after that, but Nagisa still struggled to sleep. Up until now, they'd shared the same problem, so she'd felt qualified to help Chieri. But the pain Chieri was going through now was something Nagisa had never experienced. She didn't know what she could do to help, and that was incredibly frustrating. She turned that thought over and over in her mind and railed against the unfairness of it all, but she couldn't find any answers.

Nagisa woke up the next morning and rolled over. Chieri was still slumbering in the bed opposite hers. Nagisa smiled and listened to the slight sound of her friend breathing. Her body was still hot and painful, but seeing Chieri at peace was one weight off her mind. "Good morning."

Chieri's eyes flickered open and glanced at Nagisa. "Good morning."

"Sorry," Nagisa said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Chieri yawned deeply and closed her eyes again. "I'll get up in a minute." She pulled the covers up to her neck.

"Okay," Nagisa said. She sat up in bed and yawned. Her bright orange kirara floated away and bumped repeatedly into Chieri's cool green kirara. She tried to beckon it back to her but both of them darted upwards and circled each other as they bounced around the room.

"Do you remember? Our kirara were born from one kirara," Chieri said. She rested her head against her pillow and watched them dance. "You and I have always been connected."

"I'm always running after you, mostly," Nagisa said. She frowned and put her hands on her knees. "Are you feeling okay? No fever or anything?"

"No. I'm fine." Chieri sat up and yawned. "How are you feeling, Atsuko?"

"Like I want to go back to bed," Nagisa said.

Chieri laughed. "Me too. But we have a lot to do."

"True enough." Nagisa smiled. "But you shouldn't just sneak in here, you know. Miss Tsubasa would get angry."

"I'll be fine," Chieri said. She stood up and pulled her clothes from a chair in the corner of the room. "I just felt like sleeping here, that's all. We're going to be even busier than before, so I don't want to waste what time we have."

Nagisa looked away as Chieri began to pull off her night-dress. Her friend was back to normal, with a strong voice and a firm gaze. The red rings round her eyes were the only sign of last night's pain. "Maybe. But we're friends and rivals. I'll be right there with you."

"I hope so," Chieri said. "I haven't succeeded yet, you know."

"You're the Centre Nova. You'll succeed any day now," Nagisa said. She pulled off the covers to cool her body.

"Perhaps I will," Chieri said. "I don't mind either way, just as long as I can perform on the same stage as you."

Nagisa smiled. "You'd be fine without me."

"Fine isn't good enough. I want to go as far as I can," Chieri said. She finished dressing herself and pulled her tangled hair back. "I haven't combed it. Is it okay?"

Nagisa looked at her and giggled. "Not really. Your bed-hair's really impressive, actually."

"Really? You look fine." Chieri said. "I left my comb back in my room, so it's annoying."

"My hair's shorter. Go and get it," Nagisa said. "The Center Nova can't walk around like that."

"I'll be right back. You should get ready as well, Atsuko," Chieri said. She drifted towards the door. "They'll probably take you to the temple today."

"Okay." Nagisa sat up and stretched her arms. "Thanks for staying with me last night."

Chieri stopped by the door. "Thank you." A moment later, she walked out without looking back.

Nagisa changed alone, her fingers struggling with the buttons of her jacket. Her kirara had settled down again, perching on her shoulder. She sat back and stroked it gently.

Yuko burst into the medical room and slid to a halt. "Good morning, Atsuko."

"Good morning," Nagisa said.

"Tsubasa told me to fetch you. We're going-"

"To the temple, right?" Nagisa said.

"Well, yeah," Yuko said. "Well, we already know what's gonna happen, but Tsubasa insists."

Nagisa stood up and staggered forwards. "My head hurts."

Yuko grabbed her arm. "Just hold onto me, I'll take care of you." She dragged Nagisa to the door.

Nagisa struggled to keep up as Yuko forged a path through the corridors of the Flying Get. She doubted if she'd be fast enough even if she was well.

Chieri was waiting in the hangar. She waved. "Sorry. Tsubasa caught me."

"It's fine," Nagisa said.

Tsubasa sighed. "In any case, we will continue to operate out of the Flying Get for the time being. We're over the temple now, so let's move out. Yuko, be gentle."

"I'm being gentle!" Yuko said. She hugged Nagisa and picked her up bodily, stepping onto one of their floaters.

They flew out into the cold morning air. Nagisa's eyes widened. A crowd of people were waiting below them, crowding the white steps leading to the ruins of AKB's complex. A sea of cheers roared towards them as they noticed the girls flying towards them. She glanced at Chieri.

Chieri waved as she flew towards the people below. "Good morning, everyone!"

Yuko gripped Nagisa's shoulder as she leaned forwards to address the crowd. "I'm the mercurial entertainer, Yuko Ooshima the Ninth! But more importantly, say hello to my new comrade!"

Nagisa closed her eyes for a moment before looking out over the crowd. "Good morning. I'm Atsuko Maeda."

Tsubasa smiled as she flew down behind the younger girls. "We're in a hurry, but we're still AKB. Greet them."

Yuko picked up Nagisa bodily and jumped from her floater a few feet from the ground. "Go easy on her," she said.

"I'm okay," Nagisa said. She let go of Yuko and walked forwards. She was mobbed by fans within moments. One after another, she talked to them, signed things for them, accepted their encouragement with a smile. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. Just yesterday, they'd been so angry and so cold. But she'd managed to get through to them. They were kind people after all.

After about forty-five minutes, Tsubasa managed to pull them from the crowd and up the stairs into the courtyard of their old concert hall. "Go carefully," she said. "The rubble here is still unstable."

Nagisa stared out over the bleak mess. This was where they'd performed for Akibastar, time after time. They'd laughed and cried and struggled, always trying to do better than ever before. Plenty of other buildings in the city were damaged, but this place had been annihilated.

"They sure did a number on this place," Yuko said. "Kinda petty, don't you think?"

"The buildings aren't important. As long as we're alive, we can perform," Chieri said.

Nagisa nodded.

"Luckily, the temple's intact," Tsubasa said. "Without that, we would have real problems. But it's not something DES can destroy easily."

She led them through the ruins of the concert hall and down a long, winding staircase. Red torii gates framed the stone steps as they descended into the heart of Akibastar. Yuko supported Nagisa as she struggled to keep up with the others. At the bottom of the steps, they entered an antechamber and changed into pure white robes. Tsubasa donned her priestess's uniform with due ceremony and crowned herself with a head-dress.

"This takes me back," Yuko said. She was the only one who didn't have to change. She ran a finger down the hem of Nagisa's robe. "When I went through this, I was worried they were going to bury me."

Nagisa laughed.

"Come on. We don't have time to waste," Tsubasa said.

Tsubasa mutely guided them through a bamboo forest and out the other side. They came out into a vast, crystalline cave. The walls glittered, reflecting light that descended through veins of crystal from far above. Hundreds of kirara floated through the air and congregated in corners.

Yuko stepped away from Nagisa and waved idly at the kirara. As she extended her arm, a dozen broke off from their lazy flight and circled her, forming a smooth mirror that reflected the images of her predecessors one after the other. "Not me, you silly things. I know who I am. Atsuko, say hi to them."

"Um. Hello?" Nagisa said. The kirara abruptly descended on her en masse, clustering closely about her and glowing with a warm yellow light. Her own kirara floated above her. One by one the circling motes of light flickered as they formed a mirror, imposing her face on that of a dozen generations of Atsuko Maeda.

"Well, nothing we didn't know," Yuko said. "As for the other..."

Chieri extended her arms without saying a word. The kirara stirred throughout the cave, circling towards her before stopping abruptly. They orbited her several meters away from her body, surrounding her in a strange living halo. One by one they glowed, projecting her face at her from a hundred places.

"They're certainly reacting," Tsubasa said. "But why aren't they showing who she is succeeding?"

"Maybe Takamina's right," Yuko said.

"You know it wasn't like this with-" Tsubasa caught herself and stopped abruptly. She glanced at Nagisa. "I haven't seen anything like this before."

"Thank you," Chieri said to the kirara. "Please could you show you the way?"

The kirara of succession moved like a tide, forming a vast line that pointed deep inside the cave.

"What are you doing?" Tsubasa asked.

"I need to see the master," Chieri said. "Atsuko, Yuko, please follow me. I need you both." She set off abruptly, following the line of kirara.

"Interesting," Yuko said. "I'll tag along." She grinned and followed.

Nagisa glanced at Tsubasa before nodding and walking after Chieri. She'd promised to keep up.

Tsubasa ran after them. "Going any further is forbidden! Even if you're the Center Nova, Acchan and Yuko, current members can't enter his presence!"

"The kirara are guiding us," Yuko said. "I think it's worth a try."

Chieri walked on steadily, eyes straight ahead.

Tsubasa stepped in front of her as the cave narrowed into a corridor beyond and raised her arms. "Listen to me! I cannot let you go in here. You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Chieri smiled. "Thank you for worrying about me, Miss Tsubasa. But please let me through." She held Tsubasa's gaze with unblinking eyes. "I need to go, no matter what." Her kirara glowed bright green. One by one the kirara of succession responded, forming a sea of light behind her.

Tsubasa frowned as she stared into the young girl's sapphire eyes. "Please tell me this is based on something more than arrogance."

"Call it intuition," Chieri said. "But I trust it."

Tsubasa sighed and rubbed her forehead with her hand. "Very well. Just promise me you'll come back to us with your radiance intact."

"I promise," Chieri said.

Tsubasa sighed and stepped aside.

"Thank you very much." Chieri bowed to Tsubasa before walking onwards into the corridor beyond. The floor changed from stone back to smooth metal. Beyond the narrow corridor, the space opened out slightly. She stopped momentarily at the doorway.

"If you're gonna turn back, now's the time," Yuko said.

"I'm going," Chieri said. She stepped through.

Nagisa followed her. Yuko caught her eyes as she went and smiled.

The three of them came out into a tall room half-swathed in darkness. The walls were metallic and cold, glowing with a harsh blue light. A series of red, metallic torii gates framed the room and supported the ceiling above. Abruptly, a pair of yellow lights awakened in the darkness beyond the gates.

Nagisa shivered and stopped by the first gate, hugging herself tightly. She could feel an immense, formless pressure pushing against her. It was all she could do just to stay where she was.

Yuko froze as well, putting an arm on the gate and grimacing. "Hey, what the hell is this?"

Tsubasa stopped just in front of the doorway, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

Chieri crossed the first gate and walked on. The wave of pressure intensified abruptly, stopping her cold and blowing her long blue hair out behind her. But she faced the eyes in the darkness with a straight back and firm eyes. "I am Chieri Sono. I am right here."

The wave of pressure abruptly stopped. One eye after another sprouted in the darkness beyond, watching her in silence.

"I want to bring the joy of being alive to all of humanity," Chieri said. "But I'm too weak. I can't do anything by myself. All of you, please lend me your power."

The darkness was silent for a few moments. Then it spoke. "CENTRE NOVA. CENTRE NOVA. CENTRE NOVA."

Chieri bowed to the waist. "Thank you very much."

Nagisa put her hands together and beamed at Chieri's back. Really, no matter what, however many times she'd struggled and been discouraged and nearly lost her way- Chieri was amazing.

Yuko whistled softly.

Chieri straightened. "I will devote myself to your cause. But if I fail you, reject me. Atsuko and Yuko can carry your light onwards." She turned back towards the others and smiled.

Tsubasa stepped forwards. "Wait. Sensei-sensei, please heed my request! Who is Chieri succeeding? What is her name?"

"NO NAME. NO NAME. NO NAME. NONAMENONAMENONAMENONAMENONAME-"

"I am Chieri Sono," Chieri repeated.

"NO NAME. CENTRE NOVA." The voice fell silent and the stars in the darkness blinked out one by one.

"This is impossible," Tsubasa said. "It's completely unprecedented."

Chieri walked back to the others. "Let's go."

Tsubasa led them back to the red-pillared pagoda at the heart of the cave of succession. Atsuko limped and leaned against Yuko as her fever intensified. Yuko caught her as she fell and picked her up. "Take it easy."

"Sorry," Nagisa said.

Yuko knelt and laid Nagisa down on the cold metal floor of the pagoda. "I'll fetch some blankets."

"Thank you," Tsubasa said. She walked to the edge of the pagoda and looked out into the clear water beyond. "Nagisa, you'll remain here until your body has accepted Atsuko Maeda's soul. This place is most suitable for that process."

"Okay," Nagisa said. She put a hand on her forehead and looked up at the lights glittering above her. "It's pretty."

"Chieri, what will you do?" Tsubasa asked.

Chieri joined her and leaned against the red fence at the edge of the pagoda. "I'll stay here with Nagisa. I've lost everything except my name and my place at AKB, so I still need time to think."

"I understand." Tsubasa met Chieri's gaze. "As Center Nova, you will be treated as a Successor. And as the one chosen by Sensei-Sensei, you have the responsibility to shine more brightly than anyone else. We'll support you with our full power, but in the end, you will have to realise your own potential."

"Don't worry, Miss Tsubasa," Chieri said. "I'll be fine."

"I believe you. But I've witnessed first-hand how great a burden position zero is," Tsubasa said. "I wanted to spare you that hardship for a few more years, but it wasn't to be."

"Sorry. I've always been impatient," Chieri said. She nodded to her manager then retreated to Nagisa's side and knelt down to wait.

Yuko brought back the blankets she'd promised and fussed over Nagisa. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." Nagisa looked up at Yuko and smiled. "But I'll be okay, so you can go upstairs if you like."

Yuko squeezed her shoulder. "Okay. Just hang in there."

Nagisa nodded.

Yuko turned to Chieri. "I'll leave her to you, okay?"

Chieri nodded. She blinked as Yuko extended her hand and took it after a moment's hesitation.

Yuko shook her hand with a firm grip. "Competing with you was fun. I always knew I had to take you seriously, but I never thought I'd actually lose to you."

Chieri stared into Yuko's eyes. "I'll take that as a compliment, I guess. You set an example for me and you took an interest in me when I was no-one. It was... yes, it was fun for me as well. I owe you a lot."

"Thank you. Now you've made it this far, I guess we can put that rivalry to bed now." Yuko stood up and turned her head away. She waved her hand. "I'll see you both later."

Chieri watched Yuko as she walked away. "Is she angry with me?"

"I don't think so," Nagisa said. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She was in no state to think right now. She pulled the blankets up to her neck and lay back silently as seconds turned into minutes. Her fever had intensified since their audience with Sensei-Sensei. Sweat ran into her eyes and twisted the warm light of the cave into a dizzying kaleidoscope. The only certain thing in her hazy world was Chieri's cold hand pressed against her palm. "You don't have to stay. You have so much to do." Nagisa's lips barely moved as she whispered that half-formed thought.

Chieri squeezed her hand. "I'm staying right here."

"Thank you." Those words made her feel happy and guilty; she was too tired to entangle the knot of emotions stuck in her chest.

Chieri pulled a white handkerchief from the sleeve of her robe and wiped the sweat from Nagisa's creased brow. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes." Nagisa dipped her chin.

"I'll be with you until the pain ends. Stay strong."

The ceiling above Nagisa dissolved into a sea of stars. She could remember everything. Bright eyes in the darkness and the weight of God's voice. The searing fires of battle snuffed out by an overflowing love. Ten thousand men lashing out in agony and her fear as she faced them with a single prayer. And so on and on, a thousand moments that had taught her how to laugh and cry and wince and smile. With nothing else to do, she remembered all of them. Through it all, Chieri shone with the brilliance of a star. Her beloved friend, so strong and brave, even in the face of agony. She was nothing in comparison. She just loved that radiance and chased it like a child bumbling after a firefly in the darkness. She'd come a long way from the world she knew. Everything around her was strange and frightening. "Am I really good enough?" she asked.

Chieri blinked at the sudden question. "You're my rival. This is nothing to you."

Nagisa giggled. Those words came so quickly and carried the weight of so much pride that she adored them. She'd always taken the smallest things to heart if they came from Chieri. She wasn't brave, but that had given her strength, and so many memories. Chieri was an exquisite rose; beautiful at a distance and a menace to anyone who came near. Nagisa had somehow endured that pain and earned a place at Chieri's side. She wanted to believe she was the only one. Her blood had turned to poison and her whole body raged against it, but that pain was just another challenge for her to overcome.

A fairy warmth filled her body. She was floating through a gentle stream beneath a night sky set with diamonds. A beautiful woman kissed her gently on the forehead and smiled down at her. "Don't worry. I'm a fan of lovestruck girls."

Nagisa blinked and tilted her head. "I'm not really..."

The 13th Atsuko Maeda put a finger on Nagisa's lips. "You don't need to say a word. I am you, after all."

Nagisa nodded and closed her eyes. All her fear and pain fell away. She could sleep in peace.

Chieri kissed Nagisa on the forehead. She blushed as she sat back and looked down at Nagisa's face. Her friend was smiling as she slept. She was so beautiful and so at peace that Chieri couldn't look away.

"It looks like she'll muddle through," Tsubasa said. She watched Chieri from a distance and raised an eyebrow as the teenager belatedly glanced at her.

"Yes. She'll be fine," Chieri said. She let go of Nagisa's hand and fled towards the edge of the pagoda. The underground lake as a mirror before her. The beauty of the clear water took the edge off her embarrassment. She hated this. When she was worried about Nagisa, she couldn't focus on anything else.

Chieri walked down the steps of the pagoda and knelt to drink from the lake. The water was icy-cold and she swallowed it quickly, but it refreshed her. Normally, everything she ate and drank was provided for her. Everything she did was in accordance with her schedule. But right now, she could be a child again. Chieri kicked off her sandals and pulled up the bottom of her white robe, then stepped out into the lake. Her legs burned from the cold but she bit her lip and endured the pain. It was different, after all. That summer, Nagisa had taught her to cut away the inhibitions holding her back and play in the warm river beneath a bright sun. But it hadn't been anything so complicated at the time. Now Chieri could connect that memory to all the other times Nagisa had corrected her and give it a new meaning. The water was cold; she was recalling a state of mind, not playing with her friends. They had both changed.

Time was unforgiving. It unfolded, moment after moment, and took the people she cared about from her. From the moment she'd joined 00, she'd run frantically on to forget where she'd come from and to prove she belonged. Now she'd reached the stage of her dreams, she could waver again, if only for a moment. She'd lost her father. She was the only Sono left. Her past was a bundle of regrets she carried with her and her memories of that one peaceful summer on Lancastar. And the future was uncertain, as well. Good wasn't good enough; she had to be the best, right from the start. She trusted herself but that was still frightening. That was why she needed Nagisa to be with her. Ever since they joined 00, they'd muddled through together. From now on, as well, she wanted Nagisa to succeed for her own selfish reasons. She wanted Nagisa to watch her and only her, so she could shine more brightly than before. Every idol needed an audience.

Chieri let go of her robes and splashed cold water over her burning cheeks. Drops of water ran down her cheeks and fell onto the collar of her white robe. She was a weak creature, but she could only move forwards. If she ran for long enough, she'd make sense of it all. Her past and her future. So she took a deep breath, looked up, and began to sing. "I can hear a voice with no master coming from somewhere in the sky. I'm sure it's calling for someone..." She sang softly at first, then louder. The crystal cave swallowed her lonely words and threw back strange echoes, but the kirara gathered one by one and shone down on her. Her jade kirara circled her head and puffed itself up as it blazed brightly, a sun surrounded by stars.

Tsubasa leaned on the red fence of the pagoda and watched Chieri sing. Nagisa was sleeping soundly behind her. After years of hardship, the seeds Acchan planted in stony ground had finally sprouted and bloomed.

Yuko returned alone. The bamboo forest and the crimson gates held no fear for her any more, but they were irritatingly silent. She tried to sing but her powerful voice was swallowed whole by the darkness of the forest. Her kirara drifted back to her and hid in the collar of her blouse as she trudged on in silence.

The crowd outside the ruined concert hall had swelled to three times its original size since they'd entered. She raised a hand to acknowledge them as they shouted her name and bombarded her with questions. "Listen, I'm not the manager. I can't say much," Yuko said. Her voice easily carried over the crowd and pushed them into an attentive silence. "But we'll have big news for you all soon, so look forwards to it. Fans of 'Nagisa no Cherry' will be especially happy!" She smiled as the fans surged forwards and asked her twice as many questions as before. It was always best to keep them guessing. She broke free of the crowd and picked up her flier where she left it. It recognised her finger-prints and powered up. "I'm heading back, okay? I'll see you all soon!"

Loud music echoed through the corridors of the Flying Get. "If in doubt, practice" had always been Takamina's creed. Yuko pulled out her phone and messaged her friend. "Nagi AM. Chie CN w. no name." With that job done, she retreated to her room and threw herself onto her bed. The light bolted to the ceiling was bright and cold. Yuko fumbled with her headphones as she stared up at it with unblinking eyes.

Takamina knocked and entered without waiting for permission. She waved. "I'm surprised you didn't join us for practice."

Yuko pulled off her headphones and put her hands behind her head. "I just returned from another world, you know. Cut me some slack here."

Takamina sat on the end of Yuko's bed. "You have a point." She looked straight at Yuko. "Are you frustrated? I know you've been aiming for the Centre Nova position for a long time."

"Well, I do hate losing." Yuko rolled over in bed and faced the wall. "It's not a bolt from the blue. I always knew she was good, but yeah."

It was tough. She'd been aiming for Acchan's position for far longer than Chieri had even been an understudy. She'd reached out to those two because she could see their potential, but in her heart she'd always believed she'd beat them. She'd become Centre Nova, lead the way, and pass the torch to them when she graduated. But that was impossible now. Even though she'd opened the gate first, she'd failed to control that radiance and nearly destroyed herself in the process. Chieri wielded that light as if it had always belonged to her and become the hero of Akibastar. It was a hell of a contrast, she knew. In the end, there could only be one queen, and Sensei-Sensei had spoken. She accepted that, but her chest was still choked with jagged gravel. She'd been so close. It was frustrating and worse, embarrassing. And a small part of her hated herself for encouraging Chieri. That weighted on her, however much she played the good loser.

Takamina nodded. "Well, you can't change the past. But I know what you're like. You still haven't given up, even after a setback like this."

Yuko rested her palm on her forehead. "Pretty much, yeah. It's just hard to feel enthusiastic." If Chieri graduated, she'd have another chance. But that would mean another parting.

"Let's get some lunch," Takamina said.

"Okay." Yuko rolled over and sat up. Moping didn't suit her, after all.

The other successors were already eating around the largest table in the canteen. Yuko and Takamina grabbed bowls of stew from Chef Papa and moved to join their friends. Food was short on Akibastar right now, so the Flying Get had already distributed most of its supplies. At first, Yuko tried to stay aloof from the conversation around the table, but she couldn't resist the urge to talk about her experiences. The others listened attentively as she described the other world, her audience with Acchan, and the visit to the temple. "So, yeah, Chieri's just bowing to this thing, and then Tsubasa freaks out and asks it whose name Chieri is inheriting. It started shouting 'no name' over and over again until Chieri calmed it down. Then we left and that was that. I have no idea how a Centre Nova who isn't a Successor is going to work, but it's not like Tsubasa can argue with Sensei-Sensei."

"So what is Sensei-Sensei?" Yukirin asked.

"Don't ask me. The collective unconsciousness or something, whatever Acchan said," Yuko said. "I'm pretty sure she's in there, actually."

"Sensei-Sensei is a form of god," Tomochin said. "Normally, he doesn't speak to members, so he must really favour Chieri."

Sayaka leaned back in her seat and put her hands behind her head. "Isn't Chieri just cheeky? Any of us could have gone to see him if we felt like it."

"But none of us did," Kojiharu said.

"If Yuko's right, she could talk to the kirara," Tomochin said. "She's been given a gift, just like Acchan."

"She's a girl being pushed by management. That's all that matters to us," Sayaka said.

Mayuyu stared at her empty bowl and spoke up before Tomochin could reply. "Is there no more food?"

"Not until the shipment comes," Takamina said.

Yukirin pushed her half-eaten bowl towards Mayuyu. "You can finish mine."

"Thank you." Mayuyu ate it swiftly.

Yuko looked around the group and grinned. "Still, we'll have it tough from now on. We're all gonna get upstaged by her if we're not careful."

Sayaka met Yuko's gaze and grinned . "Maybe for you, but we'll be fine. This isn't the first time."

Takamina laughed. "I was just thinking that myself, actually."

"Really?" Yuko said. "When did that happen?"

"When you arrived," Sayaka said. "You blew in out of nowhere and shot up the ranks. Before we knew it, Acchan had vanished and you were joint-centre with Takamina."

"Exactly. Even you spent most of your time running around pestering Acchan, the fans loved you," Kojiharu said. She leaned her chin on her hand and pressed her lips against a curled finger. "I was also a fan, come to that. It was cute."

"I guess that did happen," Yuko said. She leaned back in her chair. "It didn't feel that way at the time."

Mayuyu put down her spoon and eyed Yuko's bowl of stew. "Are you finished?"

"Nope. No touching," Yuko said. She slumped forwards and began to wolf down her stew.

She'd always been a genius, after all. She'd somehow forgotten that fact.

After lunch, she joined the others for practice. Just like always, she set the pace and the others kept up with her. After a long afternoon, they scattered again to rest and refresh themselves. Yuko washed off her sweat in the shower then threw on casual clothes and settled down in the hangar to wait. The LAS units towered over her like statutes, all sharp angles and silvery metal that implied an immense power at rest. She listened to music but time still bore down on her and forced her to think. Acchan wanted her to defend entertainment in this world, but she wanted to join Acchan. And she'd always followed her own dream.

Late in the evening, Chieri and Atsuko flew up into the hangar on their silver fliers. Tsubasa stood behind Chieri and rested her hand on the girl's shoulder to steady herself. Yuko stood and walked forwards as they landed. "Yo. Feeling better, Atsuko?"

Nagisa nodded. "Yes, thank you." Her face was clear and pale again.

Tsubasa glanced back at the two younger girls. "Eat, then come to my room. We need to plan your succession concert." She nodded briefly to Yuko then left the hangar as Nagisa and Chieri acknowledged her order.

"That'll be fun. We'll have to put on a hell of a show," Yuko said. She put a hand on her hip and smiled at them. "You two have been given Acchan's name and her title. Everyone will have huge expectations."

Nagisa cocked her head and giggled. "I was afraid of that. I'm not confident, but I'll do my best."

Chieri nodded. "We still have so much to learn. Please teach us everything you can."

"Yeah, I'll do just that," Yuko said. "But don't forget we're rivals. I won't go easy on you two."

Chieri blinked and smiled. "Yes, of course."

Nagisa nodded. "I'm aiming for the top, as well."

"Yeah," Yuko said. "We'll be pretty busy from now on."

She'd provoke them and encourage them. She'd teach them. She'd protect them. She'd learn from them. She hadn't made it on her own, so this was her best chance to realise her dream.

The next morning, 00 gathered on the stage of the Flying Get. On the left, Megumi stood at the front of the 76th Generation. Her curly brown hair was tied back neatly with orange ribbons. On the right, Kanata stood to attention in the middle of the 77th Generation girls. Chieri stood in the centre with the Successors behind her. Nagisa watched her from the second row of the Successors and put her hand over her mouth as Chieri yawned. If she laughed, she'd only make things worse. Mayuyu and Yukirin were in front of her, but they'd both moved slightly to either side to ensure the audience would be able to see her. There was nowhere to hide.

Mikako glanced out from behind an old, blocky video camera. "Okay, I'm good to go."

Tsubasa coughed. "Then if everyone is quite ready, we'll begin. Three, two, one, start!"

The girls relaxed and smiled as they watched the camera with renewed concentration. Takamina stepped forwards and drew level with Chieri. "People of the galaxy, good morning. Thanks to DES, we've been a little busy recently, but as you can see, we're all alive and well."

"We're better than ever. Today, we have two huge announcements for you all," Yuko said. "The name Maeda Atsuko and the title of Centre Nova have both slept for years since the 13th Acchan graduated. Today, we'd like to introduce you all to the new Acchan, Nagisa Motomiya!"

Nagisa smiled and stumbled as Mayuyu grabbed her wrist and pulled her forwards. "Um, I'm the 77th Generation understudy, Nagisa Motomiya. I'm honoured to be receiving Acchan's name. I'm still inexperienced, but I'll do my best to, um, live up to that name." She glanced sidelong at Chieri. Her friend nodded to her. Nagisa nodded back and faced the camera with a smile. "I will continue to shine!"

Takamina clapped along with the others. "Since Acchan's graduation, we've rotated centres, but the time has come for our fixed star to return. The same day we'll welcome the new Acchan, Chieri Sono will become the first among the Successors, the Centre Nova!"

"Thank you. I'm the 77th Generation understudy, Chieri Sono," Chieri said. "In difficult circumstances, 00 has given me a place to belong. I have much to learn, but my dream hasn't changed. This is still just the beginning. I won't rest until I've become the sun that shines on the whole galaxy, just as the 13th Acchan did." She folded her hands together and bowed her head. "Please continue to watch over me until that day comes."

Nagisa watched Chieri from the side and shook out her left hand. Mayuyu had a ferocious grip.

Takamina clapped along with the other members, then spoke again. "00 is still moving forwards. We haven't changed. Now and forever, we're the idols that come to see you!"

Author's Notes

It seems unlikely AKB0048 will ever see the third season I thought it deserved, so I decided to write something instead.

In terms of translation conventions, I'm using western name order and I'm not using honourifics. Song titles will not be translated, however.

I owe a special debt to stage48's resources on AKB48, the AKB0048 wiki, and the knowledge and patience of my friend Neve.