1937/Yurari Dream Chronicles -- What Dreams May Come

Yurari Dream Chronicles -- What Dreams May Come
Date of Scene:	10 September 2024
Location:	Plot Room 1
Synopsis:	Coco, Wako, and Erika have been invited to the Shine PR offices, for a formal-informal audition, and for more than just Coco to meet Maya Panchal, the company's endlessly pleasant owner. They enter with grand hopes, but they leave with an even grander reality; this really is happening.
Cast of Characters:	2, Coco Kiumi, Wako Agemaki, Erika Shimizu

---

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
== Shine PR ==

From the outside, it doesn't look like much; a tag on the ground floor of a nondescript office/studio building in the middle of Mitakihara. According to the floor map in the lobby, its label is on a space taking up half the rooms at the back of the floor. But it's a foreign business, after all, and a relatively small one on Japanese shores.

But as the girls are rung through and given their directions, there's a palpable sense of anticipation in the air. One does not, after all, get to audition to a talent agency every day! And as the hallways are navigated, the muffled sound of music begins to float through the walls, and what has to be a great deal of soundproofing.

This is really it. It's *happening.*

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"You really are going to involve yourself in this audition?" says a blonde boy in a complaining tone, wearing what is best described as a sailor's outfit with a red kerchief, a boater hat. Coco, by contrast, is instead sticking to her yellow motif, wearing a shirt of that colour with white stripes, accompanied by white trousers and pastel yellow sandals, nods brightly at him. "Of course, don't worry so much, Hippo! This is hardly something to raise a fuss over!", she says, the excitement for where they are going making her walk so fast that she is threatening to leave him behind.

"You know fully well it is my duty to worry, Coco! I am supposed to protect all of you, especially when you are doing something that involves you with humans this much", he grumbles, speeding up to stay at the mermaid's side. "Why do you even care about singing for this agency? Your own kingdom adores you already!"

That actually makes the blonde girl sigh. "Are you really asking me why I am excited to do something with my friends? And we are going to reach out to so many people here if this works out." Hippo does look a bit taken aback here. "I understand about your friends, but I didn't think you would have gotten so negligent. You know that we are supposed to keep away from the attentions of humans", he replies almost accusatorily.

"Listen, Hippo, just wait for the end of today, ok? I am not going to talk about anything and I have already told you I am not going to fade into seafoam, anyway. I promise you things will be fine. There is cake in it for you if you do", Coco grins impishly.

In response, Hippo just stands there with the look of someone offended yet won over, just as much by the reassurance as by the bribe itself."Alright, I suppose I can give this a try. Who are your friends, anyway?" Coco smiles at him. "They will do the introduction themselves, of course!" There is no time for any more words as the two of them have finally reached the building and are walking down the hallways.

Wako Agemaki has posed:
TXT to Takuto and Sugata: if it turns out to be a youma I will text an SOS IMMEDIATELY I promise

Wako dashes off a last text to her boys before muting her cell phone and tucking it away. There's an etiquette to these things, after all, and while this may be her first official audition she hardly intends to be so disrespectful as to have her phone out and texting during any stage of this process.

Even if she is halfway wishing she'd let the boys come with her after all.

Even if it's probably a youma.

She accepts the directions she's given with a smile and a polite bow, and heads along the hallway just about in time to catch sight of Coco and Hippo as if it were on cue.

"Coco-chan!" Wako moderates her voice, careful not to call out too loudly in the halls, but she lengthens her stride to close the distance between them. "Hello!"

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    "Aaaaaaaahhhhh mouuuuuuuuu...!"
    Erika Shimizu is here, ruffling her own already messy blonde hair.
    "Carp carp carp carp carp carp carp carp...! Do I stick with something more traditional, or maybe something a bit new... Something outside of my comfort zone? Aaaaaaaaaaah." The girl is a mess. She's dressed nicely but her demeanor isn't her usual motley swagger of normal as she paces up and down the hall trying to figure out how this is even going to GO.
    She pauses her pacing. Takes a slow, deep, steeling breath, and turns to Coco flashing a BIG DUMB SMILE and a huge thumbs up.
    "It's cool, we got this! ... I'm just thinkin' maybe I should skip the shanties this time around."
    Introduction time though!
    Erika sets her hands on hr hips and beams. "Dread Pirate Erika Shimizu!" She introduces herself like the true chuuni that she is, to Hippo.
    "Yo!" That's to Wako on arrival.

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
The group turns a corner, and one of the doors on the left side of the hall opens. Emerging from the rooms beyond is a short, plump, dark-skinned woman in a cream-and-burgundy business dress, her black hair done up in a bun and thick golden hoop earrings swaying to either side of her head. As she spots the oncoming group, her pleasant features blossom into a wide, wide smile. "Kiumi-san!" she says, arms out in greeting. "It's so good to see you, *and* your friends! I'm Maya Panchal, and it's *so good* to have you in my studio! Come, come, I'll show you about and tell me all about yourselves!"

There is no possible way a woman this pleasant and squishy could possibly be a youma... right?

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Hi, Wako-chan!", Coco turns around waving when she is called, her stride having come to an almost abrupt stop then. "Are you excited?" the blonde girl asks, her own flaming demeanor doing nothing to hide how affirmative the answer is in her case. "Wako, then?" Hippo repeats as he peeks at her curiously. "I hope you haven't had any trouble finding this place, it is kind of unassuming", Coco adds just before Hippo introduces himself.

Introduction that is anticipated by Erika's own, and one that makes him stare at her, his focus on that term 'Pirate', thinking of all the chaos they brought onto the open sea. "She is cool", Coco touches his shoulder, easily guessing what his thoughts would be at that introduction. "Hi, Erika-chan! Even if not today, there will be time for your shanties too. How are you feeling? Ready to go?", the mermaid asks her newly arrived friend. "You are Coco's friends then, right? I am her cousin, Hippo Campus", he finally takes the space to introduce himself, remarking with a surprisingly straight face that incredibly bad alias.

"Hi, Panchal-san!" Coco smiles "It's good to see you too!", she beams, taking up her invitation and following her inside with no hesitation. "Have you been doing well?" Hippo frowns slightly at hearing 'tell me all about yourselves', but he doesn't say anything.

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako's dressed up slightly from her usual tee-shirt and hoodie look: a nice off-the-shoulder ruffled white top and a denim miniskirt, nice but still casual.

"Wako Agemaki," Wako confirms cheerfully, by way of introducing herself to Coco's young cousin. "It's nice to meet you, Hippo-kun. And Erika-chan!" Erika's greeting gets a bright smile and a wave. "I'm definitely excited," she agrees, turning her smile to Coco.

The warmth of Maya's greeting catches her slightly off guard, but she recovers quickly and bows before falling into step with whatever direction the woman means to lead them. "I'm very glad to be here!" she says.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    "I'm great! Erika replies to Coco as they turn that corner, "Never been better. I have NO IDEA what I'm gonna do!" She admits point blank with a huge and stupid grin. "But yeah I'm totally cool and ready to go." She says, pretty pumped up.
    "The pleasure's mine." She says to Wako before they're faced with a woman who is most certainly NOT a youma.
    "Ahoy!" She says to Maya.
    "The name's Erika Shimizu and I specialize in old time sea shanties. ... But I was hopin' to step outta my comfort zone a bit with this, so either way I'mma have some fun~."

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
Chuckling, Maya leads the group through the door and into another hallway... This one flanked on either side with doors bearing all sorts of labels. "We're really quite proud of everything we've managed to set up," she says as she leads the group through the first door on the left.

DANCE REHEARSAL 1

...Which opens up into a large room; high ceilings, hardwood floors, mirrors lining one wall, and windows high up on another wall. "We got lucky," Maya says as she steps aside to allow the group to stare around. "This building has *two* practice rooms side-by-side. Our choreographer is working with a group of backup dancers in the next room, but I'll be happy to introduce you after the audition! This one will be for the feature talent, and for when you're to be working as a group with the others."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Nice to meet you too, Wako-san", Hippo bows his head in response while they are walking inside. "I am sure you will do great", Coco tells Erika in the meantime. "You are good at singing no matter what you sing", she affirms, even if she knows and can see Erika doesn't actually need the encouragement.

Coco falls behind Maya easily amidst the leisurely chats while the PR agent shows them around. "You should be, it's a beautiful place", Coco agrees as she moves around the room, gaining some familiarity with it. She is definitely appreciating the neatly maintained environment. "Move-ins are always a bit of a hurdle, whole transfers? Luck or no luck, you did great."

Hippo, meanwhile, who has never left Maya's vicinity, asks her "Do you enjoy your job?", testing the waters. She does look to have a very warm demeanor, and he is regarding it positively, even if he is thinking her and Coco just met. "Should we wait for them, or is it now we are going to talk about us?" the blonde girl inquires after walking back to Maya.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Erika follows along! Right into the Rehearsal hall.
    "Oh man, this is somethin'." The blonde says, whistling, clearly impressed.
    "Blimey, this is a sweet setup."
    But then something Coco says has Erika positively beaming. "Yer flattering me, Coco~."
    It's not about needing the encouragement. Sometimes it's just about hearing it anyway<3
    "So what's the plan while we wait for the choreographer?" She does ask. "Are we jumpin' into the deep end?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako's brows lift as she looks around the rehearsal space, visibly impressed. "It looks wonderful," she agrees. "You picked this place out perfectly."

She tucks her hands behind her back, looking from Coco and Erika to Maya with a tip of her head. "I'm also wondering what's next," she admits. "This will be my first time at a proper audition." A beat passes before she seems to realize belatedly that she hasn't actually given Maya her name. "--ah, sorry, I'm Wako Agemaki. Thank you so much for this opportunity."

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
"You're quite welcome, Agemaki-san," Maya says with a grin. "And the talk with the choreographer will follow your auditions, if all goes well. And... yes, young man, I do rather enjoy my usual job. But my *usual* job is matching good talent to good projects, the idol industry is... a challenge I've wanted to take on for some time, now. Which reminds me... this way," she says, leading the group out of the practice room and a short ways down the hall. Opening a door on the left, she reveals a recording booth, manned by a couple of people, and a full-size performing area on the other side of the console. Currently only three microphone stands are set up on the floor, but various instruments are racked in place, ready for use.

"Everyone," Maya says as she gestures the group in, "this is Matsuko-san and Tsuchima-san, they'll be your sound engineers for the day... and hopefully, going forward." Matsuko, a lanky, scruffy beanpole of a man, tips a lazy salute. Tsuchima is the image of a bright and peppy lady, and she nods her greeting.

"For now... Kiumi-san, if you could step inside? As I'd said before, for you this is simply a formality, we just need the crew here to have an idea of what they'll be working with. If you could sing something for us, keep it to two minutes or so?"

Maya gestures to the door separating the mixing booth and the recording space. "Meanwhile I'll let your friends know what they can expect from us, and what they're auditioning for."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
A 'oh' of understanding gets away from Hippo's mouth when he gets informed this isn't standard for her. "That's... I got it", he clears his throat, just as much at the mistake as being called young. "We all have challenges, seems like", Coco chimes in smiling brightly, covering the gaffe while also addressing the subject introduces by Erika. Not like she can actually mention her challenges.

"Hello, Matsuko-san, Tsuchima-san", Coco bows to each of them as their group is introduced after following the change of room. "Looking forward to working with you now and in the future", she adds.

Nodding with energy at Maya, Coco steps closer to her stand in a matter of seconds! "Of course, I will start right away", She confirms, not wasting any time following through, starting to joyfully sing when she is given her cue.

My gaze is now caught
by a sky that has millions of stars
shining in the blue, leading me into the ocean.

Whose is the voice that,
among the winds and the waves, asks me for help,
the cry of someone who needs
a light in the dark?

From fate you can never run away,
(never, never, never!)
And my heart tells me not to give up.
I will protect those who will be purer,
fear will not win!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the waves I was friends with.
Creatures of evil, I can stop you again
and never see you again!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the memories I love the most.
With this pearl of mine, I'll keep defending the sea:
Let's sing together and never give in!

There is a sun within my heart
that will heat up those close to me
and those who, like me, can fight.

From fate you can never run away,
(never, never, never!)
And cold won't disorientate me.
I will defend those who will raise a cry
and lend me their hands!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the waves I was friends with.
Creatures of evil, I can stop you again
and never see you again!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the memories I love the most.
With this pearl of mine, I'll keep defending the sea:
let's sing together and never give in!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the waves I was friends with.
Creatures of evil, I can stop you again
hersnd never see you again!

I return into the bluer ocean,
among the memories I love the most.
With this pearl of mine, I'll keep defending the sea:
let's sing together and never give in!

Wako Agemaki has posed:
There's a curious lift to Wako's brows as she takes in Maya's commentary to Coco - a certain mild surprise that she doesn't seem to feel the need to give voice to. Instead, as Coco takes her place in the booth, Wako turns her full attention back to Maya.

"I'll most likely have some questions," she admits with a smile, "but I'd like to hear what you have to say first of all. Although..." She glances around them, eyes skimming over the setup once again, and looks to Erika before she returns her gaze to Maya. "Is it just the three of us, today?"

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Looks like the team is jumping in the deep end! Starting with Coco being asked to sing. Erika does wave to the sound engineers when they're introduced though!
    This is all well and good as Erika crosses her arms over her chest, fingers drumming into her elbow in time with the beat of Coco's song. She hums along with it a bit while she listens.
    "I'm probably gonna have a bajillion questions, too!"
    She is, at least, honest.

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
Wako's surprise doesn't go unnoticed, and the little Indian woman chuckles. "Kiumi-san's here at my invitation," she explains. "I'd just come to Japan this summer, and was fortunate enough to find her singing for a fund-raising concert. You see... My company recently found some prominence in Mumbai; we supply performers and background dancers for musical scenes, you see. And with the extra resources, I thought... why not spread out? And I heard the idol scene in Tokyo was both incredibly popular... and incredibly demanding."

As Coco sings, the engineers do their work, twiddling with settings to ensure the recording sounds as good as it possibly can... though it seems, remarkably little adjustment is truly necessary. "Ha! You see, Matsuko? Just like I told you!"

Turning back to the girls, and Hippo, Maya leans against a cabinet, watching Coco in action. "So you could say the reason I'm here, is to see if I can't bring a little bit of my own studio's culture to Japan. I have, you see, a very, very firm belief; if you want the best out of talent, you need to *inspire,* not *demand.* Care about what they care about. Encourage them to use their popularity to do real good in the world. Which is why, on Kiumi-san's recommendation, I'm prepared to offer you what I'm offering her; your salaries as performers placed in trust, and an equal amount paid to the charities and causes of your choice. That, on top of the usual PR agency work; securing shows, voice and choreography training, marketing... We're not a *big* company, yet... But after your auditions today, if you're as good a fit as Kiumi-san tells me, and you decide you want... I and my company will do our best to make sure that however long your idol careers are, they can be something you're proud of."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Sounds like there was little worry over at the recording booth. Coco reserves Matsuko-san and Tsuchima-san a thumbs up once her part in the whole calibration is over. "Panchal-san found me at a really good moment, as she says", Coco confirms after the events are elaborated upon.

"I started doing those things because it was the only way I could contribute last july, and then it stuck." She was already getting gratified just by getting another occasion to sing, there was really very little reason for her to stop.

Hippo nods slowly as he benefits from the summary too, though the better part is getting to hear the values of Shine PR straight from their representative's mouth. He feels much more relaxed that when Coco will have to go back, this company won't give her and him headaches.

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    "Huh!" That's some good philosophy and culture.
    Inspiring and not demanding? Erika can get behind that, easily.
    "Coco's singin' is always fantastic." She concedes easily. "Not surprised she was doing concerts already haha."
    Though she makes a face at the thought of how demanding the idol business can be, the blonde rallies quickly.
    If Coco and Wako can handle things then certainly so too can she.
    "Hopfully it'll be a long and... bountiful relationship, heh.~"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako's head dips in a little nod of acknowledgement of Coco's words, and the confirmation of Maya's account that she provides. "That's reassuring to hear," she says to Maya. "I won't lie; as much as I've dreamed about becoming an idol, I know very well it's not all stardust. There are a lot of things to worry about, trying to break into the entertainment business.

"But!" she adds briskly, the brightness of her tone pushing back the seriousness of the topic. "You mentioned telling us what we're auditioning for. I heard from Coco-chan that you're looking to put together a group, but I don't know much more than that."

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
"I did, indeed," Maya chuckles. "Kiumi-san I knew straight away I wanted to be part of this project. And I asked her to find people she knows, and would like to perform *with,* to make sure the most fraught part of an idol group goes smoothest. Personality clashes, most often, are the root cause of any group breaking up, so the hope is, Agemaki-san, Shimizu-san, as Kiumi-san's friends you're already well positioned to get along under public scrutiny. That's not a *guarantee,* mind, but it seems a smart bet. So..."

Looking to Erika, the woman gestures toward the door separating the sound booth from the recording area. "Your turn! Don't worry about impressing us, just... have the most fun in front of a microphone that you possibly can."

"You know, Boss," Tsuchima pipes up from her seat. "It might be a little bit early but... If the rest of these girls have a vibe like Kiumi-san, what d'you think about kind of an Endless Summer theme?"

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    'Your turn!'
    The minute Erika hears those words she locks in place. Looking all very much like a shall-shocked war veteran she halts entirely and stares though Maya for a moment.
    Then her throat twitches in a gulp as she forces herself to rally once more.
    "Ahahaha... Well Coco and I are on pretty good terms and I'm pretty laid back so I'm not worried about any clashes there." She says before shrugging. Time to get going and she makes her way through the door into the sound booth.
    A slow breath and she steels herself s best sh can before grinning.
    Why is she so tense? This should be... Fun.
    Yeah that's right fun!
    So when she gets her cue... She takes another breath and...

    "Cheated, gifted, now I'm living wanted,
    Dirty Punches, call it what you want kid,
    Cry it's unfair cause you cannot compare!
    With the way I bring it when swingin' it, I don't care.
    Ay, rivals, let me hear you sing it,
    Wow, rivals, let me hear you sing it!
    Buggin' it, Luckin' it!
    So you think I fake it?
    Check it, then,
    Is it really all coming from within?"

    That's... That's not a shanty. Though Erika fumbles now and then in her very first attempt at spitting lyrical fire in a RAP song, she's obviously having way too much fun with what she's practiced, hands gesturing evocatively as she drops lyric bombs.

    "It's all in me, It's all in me,
    Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
    Bling-bang-bang
    Bling-bang-bang-born~.

    "Mirror, Magic Mirror, won't you tell them all...
    WHO DA BEST? I'M DA BEST! OH YEAH~
    I'mma swing it, I'mma bring it, I'mma go raw
    TO THE NEXT, Till I reach the top!"

    This absolute verbal flexing goes on.

    "Even my words are OP,
    Spittin' like an MC,
    All of me is legendary
    So divine, I shine when I'm in the ring,
    Put you down in 1, 2, 3- BANG BANG!
    I've got you all on the run, cuz you know when I bring it, that I swing it like a Shounen MANGA!"

    ... Yeah. ... Yeah she's a rapping pirate now. This is happening.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco smiles amused and interested at the proposal of an endless summer theme. They are really going not to let go of the season now that the autumn is over them. "That sounds fun to me!", the mermaid intervenes, giving a glance to Maya before she gets to weigh in on the matter.

"I don't think they will have any problems with achieving success", Coco underlines her trust with a confident smile to Maya, just before Erika begins singing and gives a great performance. It's actually really novel and different hearing Erika singing si something other than shanties. She knows she was the one to recommend Erika, but still, she gets captivated by the melodic arrangement.

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako listens attentively to Maya's reasoning, and again nods her understanding. "That makes sense," she agrees. "Erika-chan and I haven't really worked together before, but I don't think anyone here is difficult to get along with..."

She carefully stifles the giggle that wants to bubble out of her at Tsuchima's suggestion, just as amused by it as Coco is. She's distracted by Erika's presence in the booth, though - she was already familiar with Coco's singing voice, but the other girl is more of a new quantity where Wako is concerned and she's interested to hear her performance.

It doesn't disappoint. Her eyes widen at the full-on rap Erika unleashes; she listens, visibly impressed, and once the performance is finished she can't help a little bit of applause. "Geez," she laughs approvingly, "way to set the bar high, both of you."

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
"Think we found our bad girl," Matsuko chuckles three lines into Erika's performance, slipping his headphones over his ears and getting to serious work. Settings are adjusted almost continually as Erika manages an impressive rap flow, and Maya bobs her head along to the rhythm. "If you three are willing to work particularly hard on choreography," she muses, "Shimizu-san's sections should be *fun.* And, yes, Tsuchima-san, I do think that idea has merit... But, let's see what our last auditioner can do."

"Shimizu-san!" she says brightly, as Erika emerges from the booth. "Well done, and *very* unexpected! We'll have to go through your range to see what else you can do, but... rap solos are *very much* a thing I hadn't considered, but I like the idea. Agemaki-san? If you would, please."

Erika Shimizu has posed:
    Lyrical bombs thusly dropped, Erika emerges from the booth grinning like an idiot.
    "Ahahaha I wouldn't call that a high bar from me. 's not my usual style." She admits. "... Was fun though~."
    

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Like you won't do just as great", Coco grins at hearing Wako's observation. She does sound more amused than anything else, though, so she doesn't say much more than that. "Your own best is your own. Show them what you are made of", she light pushes her forward verbally.

"I am going to give this my all, Panchal-san", Coco replies to the PR agent energetically. "Bring out the best in our performance, and everything that will make singing all the more fun for everyone."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"It was great, though," Wako tells Erika, eyes dancing. The reminder that she's up, however, seems to fluster her a bit. "--Right, right." She flashes a quick smile to answer Coco's encouragement as she heads into the recording booth, feeling suddenly off-balance.

Relax. She can hear Sugata saying it. She can picture Takuto's smile. She's thought about this a lot, after all, since way before Coco came to her with the invitation. Audition numbers - something not too long. Something that works without much accompaniment. Something that shows the quality of her voice.

Something that just feels right.

She inclines her head politely to Matsuko and Tsuchima, breathes in, and when they give her the go-ahead she begins to sing.

    "I wrote and erased and drew lines again
    It doesn't have to be pretty
    I know can't do everything
    That's why I can still change."

The words are sung lightly, clear and sweet as a spring breeze. Her eyes half-lid as she lets herself become absorbed in singing, all nerves melting away.

    "Surely you'll stand up, surely you'll go forward
    I can't say 'surely,' but
    Let's wake up
    Through the swarm of sorrows and regrets that flew away
    To more than one answer."

The phrases, the tempo, evoke a sense of purpose. She sings it like someone ready to march forward, looking ahead toward a bright horizon.

    "More exaggeration, more big talk, more dreaming.
    Someday I'll look for a light that's not like anyone else's
    That day when I was always drawing
    Tell me freely what you thought of me...!"

The words spill out one after another, softly at first but building in strength and momentum until her voice is soaring out:

    "No matter how good the song is, no matter how painful the song is, I want to hear it and know
    I want to see with my eyes, feel with my senses, and make up my mind
    I'll get up and head towards the voice
    I'll guide the way, I'll worry about it myself, I'll mark it and go
    I'll lay my hands on the future I so strongly, strongly wished for."

Maya Panchal (2) has posed:
As Wako begins her number, Maya steals a glance aside at Coco. "I've no doubt of that, Kiumi-san... And my my, you have chosen *well.* You too, Tsuchimi. I really think there's something to that idea, but we'll need a bit of time to figure it all out..."

And that's all she has to say for the moment, falling silent as Wako sings of dreams within reach.

Dreams... endless summer... gentle and relaxed, like the ocean's sway, but with all the brightness of a day under a gentle summer sun...

When Wako emerges from the booth, Maya actually *claps.* "Well done, Agemaki-san, well *done!* All three of you! I'll need to go over the recordings with the rest of my people, and talk to Legal, but... I daresay Kiumi-san is an *excellent* judge of talent! That's all that we need for today, but give me two weeks and you'll have word."

This last, said with a wink. Clearly, if it were up to Maya, the trio would be signed on the spot. But even the owner needs to consult before making sound business decisions, so she's willing to keep up the facade of a surprise.

And for the girls, as they are shown out of the Shine PR offices with hearty farewells, the tension that hung over them upon coming in has... changed.

Because now it becomes something more than a maybe. Something very nearly like a promise.

This really is happening.