CHAPTER VI – ADVENT'S ARRANGEMENT
The afternoon sun cast warm streaks of gold through the studio windows as the members of Advent prepared their instruments. Fuwawa was adjusting the tone on her keyboard, while Mococo practiced with her drumsticks in the air. Shiori was fine-tuning her bass with a focused look, and Nerissa stood near the microphone, arms folded, eyes scanning the room.
Bijou, the last to arrive, dropped her guitar bag with a dramatic thud and slumped into her chair.
"Alright, where do we start?" Shiori asked, glancing at her bandmates.
"From the top, obviously," Nerissa replied nonchalantly. "Stellar Stellar has a lot of electronic elements—we need to figure out how to translate that into our style."
"Yeah," Bijou added. "We can't just copy the original. It'd sound weird."
Fuwawa nodded. "So, we're going for a more... live band sound?"
"Something like that," Shiori agreed, then turned to Mococo. "The drums need a full overhaul. The original beat is too clean. We can add more texture—more bite."
"I can throw in a rock-style punch for the chorus," Mococo offered, tapping her sticks thoughtfully on the table.
Nerissa sighed and looked around at the others. "I can adjust my vocals, but if the arrangement changes too much, I'll need to rework my phrasing."
Bijou grinned. "So basically, we're not covering the song—we're making the Advent version."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Okay, let's start with the intro," Shiori directed. "Fuwawa, open with the chord progression. I'll bring in the bass, Beebs joins next, and Mococo—give us a build-up into the first verse."
"Got it!"
Fuwawa's fingers danced over the keys, creating a dreamy, atmospheric melody. Shiori's bass followed—deeper, heavier than the original, grounding the song. Bijou added a melodic riff with her guitar, bringing new color into the soundscape.
And then, Nerissa began to sing.
"Kitto kimi wa mou Kizuite ta…"
They all held their breath as her voice slipped into the melody, adjusting with surprising ease to their new arrangement.
But just a few bars in—
"Stop, stop, stop!" Mococo called out.
Everyone turned to her.
"What's wrong?" Shiori asked.
"The drums feel too empty at the start," Mococo frowned. "I need to come in earlier, or it'll sound hollow."
Bijou nodded. "Yeah, and my guitar feels too thin. I can layer it more."
"I'll try adding a subtle reverb to the intro," Fuwawa offered.
"Go for it," Shiori agreed.
They ran the intro again with adjustments. Mococo came in earlier, smoothing the transition. Bijou filled the gaps with richer guitar lines. Fuwawa's reverb added depth, and the song began to breathe with new life.
After completing the first verse, they paused, exchanging glances.
"I think it's starting to click," Nerissa said.
"And we're finally sounding like a real band," Bijou added.
Shiori smirked. "Don't get too comfy. We're just getting started."
Smiles all around. Despite the rocky beginning, something had started to shift—they were syncing.
A-D-V-E-N-T
ROCK ON!
The studio buzzed with persistent sound as the girls repeated their session, seeking the perfect arrangement for Stellar Stellar.
"Let's run it again!" Shiori clapped her bass strings, energized.
Fuwawa's keyboard swelled with richer harmonies, setting a grander tone. Bijou refined her guitar textures. Mococo reworked her drum pattern with a stronger build-up.
Nerissa's voice rose again.
"Kitto kimi wa mou Kizuite ta…"
But before the pre-chorus hit, Mococo lifted a hand. "Stop!"
Everyone groaned.
"What now?" Bijou asked, leaning against the wall.
"The transition still feels off. The drums need more punch, and we need something extra from the bassline."
"I'll add a slide to smooth the shift," Shiori said.
"I can toss in a synth swell right before the chorus," Fuwawa offered.
"Yes! And I'll make my power chords hit harder," Bijou added.
They nodded—another round.
Repetition. Refinement. Rebirth.
They played the song again. And again. And again.
Five times. Ten times.
Each pass brought more clarity. They weren't just playing anymore—they were feeling the music.
Then—on the fifteenth try—it happened.
Fuwawa opened with a spacey synth tone, like starlight dripping through the air. Bijou followed with a soft acoustic riff, cradling the mood. Shiori's bass slid in, rich and smooth.
Nerissa began:
"Kitto kimi wa mou Kizuite ta…"
And when the chorus hit, Mococo thundered in. Bijou's chords soared. The sound roared with life.
"Datte boku wa hoshi dakara, Stellar Stellar…"
Nerissa closed her eyes. Her voice soared, wrapped in emotion.
Every note. Every beat. Unified.
The final chord echoed into silence.
No one spoke.
Then Nerissa exhaled and smiled. "We did it."
Shiori leaned her bass onto its stand. "We finally found our voice."
Bijou dropped into her chair. "I thought we'd be stuck here forever."
Mococo wiped sweat from her forehead. "But hey, we're actually becoming a band."
Fuwawa nodded. "Now we just polish it."
They looked around at one another.
Something had changed.
For the first time, Advent felt like a band.
And this was only the beginning.
A-D-V-E-N-T
ROCK ON!
It was late when they finally left the studio. Their bodies ached, but their hearts were light. They had completed a full song—and more importantly, they had done it together.
"Let's hit the famires!" Fuwawa cheered.
"We need to celebrate this victory!" Mococo added, raising her fists.
Shiori rolled her eyes as she adjusted her bag. "You two get excited way too easily."
"Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it," Bijou teased, bumping her shoulder.
Shiori clicked her tongue, but didn't argue. Nerissa chuckled. "I'm hungry too. Famires it is."
And with that, the five of them headed to the nearest family restaurant.
A-D-V-E-N-T
ROCK ON!
The famires was cozy and warmly lit. They sat in a corner booth, menus sprawled across the table. Mococo and Fuwawa went for large portions. Bijou picked something light. Shiori sipped her coffee, unimpressed.
"So…" Nerissa asked with a knowing smile, "how do you all feel about today's practice?"
Fuwawa leaned forward with a gleam in her eyes. "It was... fun!"
"Messy at first, but we nailed it in the end," Mococo agreed.
Bijou nodded. "I didn't think we'd get this far. But maybe… we actually have something."
Shiori looked at the ceiling, then sighed. "Well... I guess I don't regret saying yes to the Headmaster's offer now."
All eyes turned to her.
"I knew you liked it," Bijou grinned.
Shiori side-eyed her. "Don't get cocky, Biboo."
Laughter echoed around the table.
The tension melted as they recounted the day—Fuwawa's wrong chord, Bijou nearly tripping over her cables, Mococo derailing the tempo.
Nerissa chuckled. "Honestly, I never thought I'd end up in a band like this."
"So chaotic?" Bijou teased.
"No... just loud," Nerissa laughed.
"But that's what makes us unique, right?" Fuwawa tilted her head.
Mococo nodded firmly. "Exactly! Advent is gonna be the loudest, coolest band in Hololive High!"
Bijou raised her glass. "To Advent!"
One by one, they all followed.
"To Advent!"
That night, in a small corner of a noisy restaurant, five girls who once dreaded becoming a band began to feel like a family.