(I'm exhausted!) I think, wiping sweat off of my forehead. (Mental note, don't listen to myself when I think one more song is a good idea.)

I look at my hand and see that my makeup is coming off.

(Oh no! Got to hurry!)

Using what little spare rhime I have left, I speed myself up to get to my changing room and begin to clean myself up. Though I have a little time before I have to go out to meet with my fans, I know how long I take trying to make myself look as good as I can. While handling my eyeliner, I take a look around the room through my mirror. Gifts from fans close to where I'm sitting. How thoughtful! Roses provided by Riva. She knows what I like. And my f...

Family portrait on the side of the desk.

Nothing like getting a painful reality check to sink your heart.

I put down my makeup and pick up the picture. This was before my father's, no, my TRUE father's assassination. To think it's been 15 years. What I went through was more than any 6 year old should endure. Even now, I can't say I'm truly happy, despite my successful career.

I run my right index finger over the picture, starting with my smiling mother, holding my 1 year old brother, Tarran, in her arms. She had such a lovely smile. One I didn't inherit. It's a pity that this smile hid so much pain.

And next to me, the only true friends I've ever had. They were hired as bodyguards, but I saw them as people I could depend on for more than just my safety.

Togo, before he sustained the injuries that scarred his once handsome body. Scars that he wouldn't have obtained if I wasn't around.

And the Artful brothers, Chates and Dodge, both older than me by about seven to eight years respectively. I miss Chates's mimicry routines. They were some of the funniest things I've seen. And I owe Dodge for much of my education, even though we are about the same age. Unlike Togo, these two were recruited off the streets at my request. They were poor, starving, committing crimes simply to survive. How could I not wish to help them? They owe me nothing. For they're two of my best friends.

And yet...they haven't contacted me in some time.

To lose my mother already...

I don't...

I don't want to lose anybody else!

(Please...come back safely...)

And only when teardrops land on the picture do I realize that I'm crying again. Great...now I have to do the eyeliner again. I reach for the eyeliner...

Just to have Riva grab it before me.

"Need a hand?" she asks sweetly.

I wipe some tears away from my eyes, beginning to smile. Of course, I probably look ridiculous, judging by her giggling. I sit still while she works on my makeup.

"You know," she begins to say, "if you have anything bothering you, you can always talk to me."

"Thank you."

"Trust me, anybody would do the same. Especially those fans out there. Surely they wouldn't want to see your beautiful face covered in tears."

"I didn't see Tarran this time."

"Don't worry. He was here. He simply gave his front row seats to..."

I notice that Riva's fingers tighten around the makeup brushes.

"Somebody else. Sorry, everything has been quite hectic."

"I'll bet."

"It's a shame your father couldn't attend."

...

My...father...

"Now, I know what you're thinking. Even if he only adopted you to have you repay your mother's debt, he's still putting a lot of time and resources into your career."

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"Only to make a greater profit, no doubt."

"That's the mind of a businessman. You shouldn't be so hard on him. He actually took Tarran's shift to allow for him to make it."

"That's...nice. Though it wouldn't kill him to attend one of my concerts."

"With all the antitoxin shipment attacks?"

"I...suppose not."

(You shouldn't be lying to her about her father!) Riva's other side thinks to herself, unknown to me. (Her father does care, and you shouldn't corrupt such an innocent girl's thoughts!)

(Means to an end.) Riva thinks back. (Don't forget where your true loyalty lies.)

(Master Besuro wouldn't have wanted this! Besides, I thought you said you and he were natural enemies!)

(Again, a means to an end.)

"Miss Riva?" I ask, concerned.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

I put the picture back where it was. Riva looks at it and sighs.

"Pity I wasn't around to help you when you needed someone most. At least everyone in that photo was there for you. Especially your mother, bless her soul."

(If only...I could be there for her the same way she was there for me.)

Our past was...far from pleasant. My real father was the leader of Angelia's Fifth Age equivalent of the yakuza and splurged much of his money on prostitutes in the hope of producing a male heir. All of his wives and daughters, including my mother and myself, were abused verbally and physically. Well, technically, my father was abusive to everyone, including his lackeys. It was only until Tarran was born that my mother and I got fair treatment. I wish I knew what happened to my aunts and half-sisters after Tarran was born.

But my father's abusive nature eventually caught up to him, resulting in a coup d'etat by his former lackeys with the intent of killing both my father and Tarran. My mother, Togo, Dodge, and Chates, all risked their lives to protect me and Tarran. That's how my mother's legs got crippled and Togo got his scars.

For better of worse, my current father took us in, even providing my mother with free treatment for her legs despite her never recovering. However, I know better. He was simply trying to woo her to get her inheritance that passed to her when my real father died.

And it was when my father's former lackeys attacked the hospital 14 years ago that I learned the truth.

Attempting to finish their mission, they attacked with reinforcements, killing everyone in sight.

I can still remember my mother throwing herself in front of me, begging them to spare my life, before they took hers.

And it was then that I met Riva, who was eleven years older than me, when she poisoned the men attempting to kill me mere seconds before my life would have ended. It was Riva who saved my life, and the lives of those I had left.

And it was Riva who showed me the truth. For she was the one who told me to listen on the hospital board following the attack, when some of the members thought it should be my duty to pay for the damages my mother's presence caused. Funeral expenses. Repair costs. I remember everything. Though my current father said nothing, the words of those he had chosen for his business reflect his views perfectly.

I'm just a means to an end.

The only family I have is Tarran, Togo, Dodge, Chates, and Riva. Fathers never understand.

"You look tense, Sutoria." Riva says to me.

"Oh! sorry!"

"Again, if you have anything bothering you, you can always tell me."

"Actually, two things have been bothering me."

"Oh?"

"Well, for one, what's wrong with Togo?"

"Still have a crush on that gorilla?"

"Oh, nonononononono!" I respond, flustered. "I don't have anybody like that in mind! I promise!"

Riva giggles.

"I was joking. But whether you do or not, I see nothing wrong with it. Romance between childhood friends sounds fine to me. Though I think he's not much to look at."

"He looks that way because he protected me. A knight in shining armor doesn't always return from battle unscathed."

"So you do like him."

"I-I mean as a friend! A companion!"

"Rrrriiiigggghhhtttt... Anyway, what about him?"

"Oh, right. Well...ever since you and he left for Terraz weeks ago, he hasn't been himself. What happened in Terraz was a tragedy, but it seems to be weighing on his mind more than I thought. Did something happen?"

"You've lived through tragedy yourself, my dear. Nobody is the same after going through such times."

...

"Well, you're all dolled up for your fans!" says Riva cheerfully. "Well, my lady, your people await."

"Very funny. You know I'm not worthy of special treatment."

"Don't think so little of yourself."

As Riva begins to turn the doorknob, I ask my second question.

"Have you heard back from either Dodge or Chates?"

Riva pauses.

"I haven't. You should ask your father."

"I...see."

(This is quite odd. First Togo, now I don't hear back from Chates in over a week. Maybe Dodge is pestering him with something.)

"Anyway," Riva continues. "Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!"

I rush out of the room, slightly cheered up by Riva's comforting words. She's right about one thing - I can't just sit around feeling sorry for myself. The sooner my debt is paid, the better. Plus, I'm not doing this career just for me. If I can make anybody smile and forget about all their troubles, if only for a moment, then I will do it! Just like my mother did for me!

I dart though many of the nearest corridors to get to the audience room where I plan to do autographs...

Just to nearly collide with Tarran.

"WHOA!" the two of us yell in unison.

We stop and look at each other, then chuckle.

"Sorry about that." I say.

"No problem."

"EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!" I hear the sound of girls squealing behind Tarran.

I look behind him to see a large group of people.

"Everyone," Tarran begins to say. "Meet my sister, Sutoria Wave, aka. Diva-de."

"Sutoria-sama?" asks the cloaked boy in front. "Honestly, could have sworn I heard that name before..."

"Don't hurt yourself," says the handsome darkness tone next to him.

All the girls behind them quickly push past them to huddle around me. They all begin to ask me questions like "Can I have your autograph?" or "When's your next concert?" Surprisingly, the one who asks me the most questions is the one that looks the most tired. I think she is an ice tone.

After the girls get their autographs and answers, they all stampede out of the corridor. Well, all save for one girl who...

(DAMN, those are huge!)

"Hey, sis, you okay?"

"Life's not fair..."

"I'm not proud of these!" the girl says, waving her arms frantically. And...

PARIN!! PARIN!! PARIN!! PARIN!!

It's only making them bounce.

(Life's not fair...)

And, to add insult to injury, Tarran bursts into laughter.

After he stops laughing, the only two people Tarran brought with him left are the cloaked boy and...jiggles.

"Anyway," says Tarran. "Meet Oren and Sueka Tsurai."

The two of them bow.

PARIN!!

...

"Nice...to meet you too." I say back.

Oren steps forward.

"On behalf of my sister and myself, I must thank you for making our first concert a memorable one. My sister has been a fan of yours since she's heard your CDs a week ago, and now I can say that I am a fan of yours as well. May your future concerts impress people just as much as you've impressed us."

"What he said!" says Sueka.

"Why thank you!"

(It's nice to know that I am making a difference after all.)

"We plan to do some karaoke in a few hours!" Sueka states. "Wanna come?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm usually quite busy on concert days."

"Aaawwwww..."

"I'd still like to attend, if possible." Tarran says.

"By all means, join us." Oren says to him.

"You think your friends will mind?"

"After what you did for us, it's the least we can do."

"Great! See you then."

Tarran walks past me while the two siblings head the other way towards the exit.

"You know, I swear I heard her name before..." Oren says.

(Don't hurt yourself.)

!!

(Is this going to become a regular thing with you?)

(Hope so. I need more screen time. I'm important to the plot too, you know.)

(Give it a rest, damn it.)

(Fine. But for your sake, might I remind you that "Sutoria" was Dodge's final word.)

"Oh yeah! Dodge-sama did say that!" Oren says out loud.

(Dodge!?)

"Hey, O...!"

"Miss Diva-de!" One of the stage hands yells to me. "Please head to the autograph room. The fans are getting restless!"

"I'll be right there!" I yell back.

When I look back in the direction of Oren and Sueka, the two have already left.