Meanwhile, in Dubairaffe...
Allegro and Orchestral stood atop their stage in Dubairaffe, looking down on the majestic city once again. This entire rooftop stage looked like it had been perfectly copied in the exact shape of the one used at CHS, right down to the lighting and the backstage areas. The only difference was that it had barriers around the edges to prevent people from falling off and dying.
"This view is the one thing I hope we can preserve..." Orchestral sighed as he watched all of the people doing their business in the streets below. While it was one of the highest buildings in the city, Orchestral and Allegro could still make out precisely what everyone was doing just from their positions alone.
"While I am in agreement with you on that, we still have our duties, Orchestral. Fortissimo wants to ensure that Battletone goes down flawlessly, so that we can harvest the last scraps of energy before we resurrect the Lyricans..." Allegro said, turning Orchestral towards him.
"Is it really that time already?" Orchestral looked up at the skies above, seeing the most majestic constellations imaginable as he let out another sigh. "And just when we were starting to have fun with these monsters..."
Suddenly, Fortissimo cleared his throat behind the two of them, turning their attention to him almost instantly. "Gentlemen, do you realize what day it is?" he said before taking a sip of the champagne that he was carrying.
"The last day we have to practice before Battletone?" Orchestral asked.
"Well, yes. But I'm mainly referring to this day seventeen years ago..." Fortissimo said as he ruminated on the memories he had. "Ah yes... Seventeen years ago today, our little sisters sang to the student body of a school filled with vermin, kickstarting their tournament and beginning our grand plan..."
"To think that they're still unaware that they were our puppets..." Orchestral let out a rather evil smirk as he too remembered that day. "Do you think we should tell them, just in case they're serious in stopping the resurrection?"
"Preferably not, Orchestral. I want to watch the faith leave their eyes when they realize that they cannot win against us..." Fortissimo said as he envisioned the fight that he would have with The Dazzlings. "Such a fickle thing life is... You attach some strings to someone else's, though, and life becomes much more interesting both for you and them..."
"Not just their lives, Fortissimo. The Rainbooms were also our blissfully unaware slaves back then..." Allegro reminded him. "We had actually hoped that they would have stood up to our little sisters. Now that we know and have their power, it makes it all the easier for them to be erased from the competition, and their pitiful existence..."
"To think that they were once a threat to us. Now they are nothing more than free-thinking infants, just waiting to be put to bed once and for all..." Orchestral said, predicting how little a threat The Rainbooms were to him at that moment.
"Once we're done with them, we shall resurrect the Lyrican Siren species, then save these worlds from themselves. And the only way to save these worlds is to kill everyone who is not Lyrican, then take these lifeless dirtballs for ourselves. Sorry, little sister. You and your friends had your chance, but you blew it..." Fortissimo monologued. "Now then..." he drew his sword, in sync with the other Blasters. "The whole world is going to be watching Battletone. Let's not keep them waiting. It'll be a show that no-one will ever forget!"
As soon as The Blasters pointed the tips of their swords skyward, large streams of Furen and Blissen energy poured out of them and impacted the moon above, turning it sea-blue and blood red. It shone brightly for a brief instance, then unleashed a magnified column of energy down onto the center of the town.
The energy impacted, consuming everything in the town in a red and blue explosion that did no damage to anyone, nor anything that had been caught in the blast radius. However, everyone caught in the blue side of the blast seemed much more peaceful and friendly, whereas those in the red side of the blast were rioting and performing acts of assault on one another.
Shortly after everyone had been affected by the explosion, the rioting and peaceful humans of Dubairaffe expelled blue and red lightning bolts that travelled skyward. The bolts all smashed into each other, opening a colossal rift in the fabric of reality. However, it didn't stop there.
All of the peaceful humans all released a number of Euphoria soldiers, whereas the angry humans expelled Dystopia demons and monsters. Within seconds, the skies were overrun with both Hippocampi and Dragons, while the streets were completely covered with Euphoria and Dystopia ground forces.
Finally, when The Blasters saw the world change around them, they grew their Dragon wings and flew up into the air, consuming massive amounts of red and blue mist that sprung up from the city below. They were harvesting both positive and negative energy, enhancing their powers once more.
"And this time... NOTHING will stand in our way..." Fortissimo looked back for a brief instance, mainly shifting his gaze towards the cellar of the stage. He could hear loud bangs and girlish screams that, while muted, sounded perfectly like that of a tortured Celestia and Luna...
Adagio suddenly felt a sense of dread as she snapped out of the in-flight film she was watching. While she was unsure as to what exactly it was, she knew that Battletone was now an even greater risk to her and The Rainbooms than before.
"Are you alright, Adagio?" Sunset asked, seeing the Lyrican shudder in fear.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, Mum. I'm fine," Adagio said, trying to show some sense of calmness as she looked at Sunset for a brief instance before turning her attention back to what she was doing. "I just got a chill, that's all..." But before she could return to her movie, she could feel Sunset putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I know that feeling, Adagio. You're worried that this could end sourly for all of us..." Sunset said as she once more grabbed the attention of the Lyrican leader of The Dazzlings.
"You must not let stress get the better of you, Adagio. Remember Hades' teachings," Requiem said, also lending his hand and putting it on Adagio's shoulders. "In combat, both musical and physical, Furens become warmongers. They show no mercy for their opposition, even when they promised some restraint."
"However, Lyricans, whether Blissen or Furen, can have their powers dampened and weakened by their own emotions of doubt and fear..." Bellicoso joined in once he'd picked up on the conversation between Adagio, Sunset and Requiem. "You must push your own negative energy down, give it no quarter in your heart, lest you fail as you did when darkness took hold of you..."
"Yeah. Come on, Adagio, ya gotta relax and save your worries for when we actually get to Battletone..." Rainbow Dash said as she leisurely reclined on her chair. "If you start panicking straight away, The Blasters could take full advantage of it and use it against you. So you gotta keep calm, no matter what."
"Everyone has doubts sometimes, Adagio. But as we've all experienced before, doubts can change who we are deep down inside..." Twilight said, getting the entire group's attention. "Sometimes, it can turn a seemingly helpful person, into someone twisted and corrupted by their own uncertainty..."
"By allowing each of us to let small and meaningless details strike us like elongated swords, we eventually broke down and wanted each others' heads on silver platters, coughing up the negative energy that allowed your corrupted selves to acquire power beyond compare. We can't make such a fatal error like that again. We need to show complete confidence and completely trust each other if we're ever going to defeat The Blasters in Battletone!" Rarity said.
"I admire your bravery, Rainbooms, but now you're dealing with two Lyrican bands in this tournament. Three if you make it all the way to The Blasters..." Adagio said as she got to Twilight, Sunset and the rest of the Humane 5 with some words of wisdom. "Lyricans are known for being the ones to beat in musical tournaments like this. Even when corrupted or crippled, Lyrican Sirens still have the power to overpower the opposition, regardless of whether or not they can resist being marked by them. If we don't hypnotise you, then it'll either be The Laments or The Blasters who do it instead. Either way, your free wills could easily be considered forfeit when the Lyrican bands perform..."
"Anyways, we'll be able to do it. We've got the Magic of Friendship protecting us. It helped us avoid falling under The Dazzlings' spell back then, and it'll certainly help us overcome The Blasters now," Sunset said, remembering that they were immune to Lyrican singing thanks to their friendships. "Anyways, we land in Dubairaffe in two hours. From there, we'll get settled into our accomodation, read the rules of Battletone, then battle against everyone else in the tournament. Just as long as the thirteen of us get close to the finals, we'll have the chance of dueling The Blasters and ending this madness of theirs..."
Meanwhile...
"Wakey-wakey, girls!" Fortissimo said as he looked at the Celestia and Luna of Earth. Their hairs were in a right state, and they were covered in bruises and cuts. They looked up at Fortissimo with rather furious glares when he mentioned their lives. "Oh, come, come now. You can't judge the competition looking like that..."
"You can release us now, Fortissimo. You have your Battletone and The Dazzlings. We're of no further value to you!" Luna said as she pulled against the steel shackles that kept her binded to her position.
"Do not talk to me like that, Your Highness. You two are fraudulent beings that hold no place in this world," Fortissimo opened up a dimensional rift with his pendants, throwing a lifeless Princess Celestia and Princess Luna into the cellar to accompany the two shackled humans. "THESE two are the real deal. You two are imitators of PrinCESS Celestia and PrinCESS Luna."
"So why keep us locked up in here if you already have our doppelgangers?! Surely, they're the more valuable prize here!" Celestia argued with Fortissimo, unknowingly spilling negative energy that Fortissimo was consuming.
"Oh, I beg to differ, darling..." Fortissimo grabbed Celestia's chin and cheeks with one hand, whilst also bringing the pony version of her closer and closer to her. "Tell me, have you ever heard of dimensional paradoxes? And how Twilight Sparkle always has to come to this world alone?"
"What are you rambling on about this time, monster?" Luna said through sweat and blood as she watched Fortissimo bring Princess and Principal together.
"I'll show you. Then you'll understand precisely why we need you for Battletone..."
Fortissimo then had both the human and the pony Celestia touch together. The exact second they touched each other, dimensional paradoxes in the shape of lightning leaked out of both bodies. The lightning travelled through the floor below the two imprisoned humans and revealed a rather horrifying sight.
The floor beneath Fortissimo, Celestia and Luna transformed from steel, to glass. Underneath the glass was a massive factory of sorts where Allegro and Orchestral were using both the paradox energy as well as their own to charge up chunks of steel, which then took the form of chrome musical instruments with different settings.
While the instruments looked normal, Allegro and Orchestral fired white bolts of energy with every key they pressed and each string they strummed. Every one of the bolts hit a projected target, shattering it with one shot.
Then, they tested it out on someone else who had been captured. Whilst the human only recoiled in pain from that impact, it was then subjected to Allegro and Orchestral's singing. When the captive heard the song, it grabbed both of its' temples in pain, fell to its' knees and screamed before being enveloped in a pillar of blue and red flames.
Celestia and Luna were completely mortified with what they were seeing. They could only watch in terror as the burning human completely melted away, leaving nothing behind but a skin-coloured puddle of death. There was no trace of bones or flesh remaining as Allegro and Orchestral called in five more humans to clean it up and erase it from existence.
"You see, Principals, we're all mortals. Born to die at some point in our lives. Some of them seem innocent and childish, whilst the others have a sin list as long as their arms and legs combined," Fortissimo said as he threw the bodies of Celestia and Luna over the Principal and Vice-Principal, seeing them scream in agony as the paradox energy expelled turned them into massive balls of tesla that generated endless amounts of paradox energy. "The only question is: When and how will they die?"
"You sick fuck! You'll never get away with this!" Luna said throughout screams of both torture and agonising pain as she expressed her rage for Fortissimo, letting out more and more negative energy as she did so.
"On the contrary, terrorists..." Fortissimo watched as the lightning made from the two Celestias and two Lunas hit all of the other slabs of metal, turning them into weaponized versions of every instrument ever made, so that he'd accounted for every band that was entering Battletone. "WE already have..."
10:36 PM...
"Thank you, Lightning..." Sunset said as she got out of the taxi and walked down the red carpet with hundreds and hundreds of fans cheering her and The Rainbooms on as they strolled towards the tower where Battletone was going to be held.
"So this is what it feels like to be a celebrity in the big city..." Applejack said as she took in all of the praise and posed for the camera on multiple occasions. She waved for all of the patrons that had been cordoned off by a red rope, smiling all the way as she followed the rest of The Rainbooms inside.
Once everyone was inside, they were in one of the grandest foyers ever imagined. There were fountains in the walls, regal banners with Battletone being advertised on them and even a special booth for people to book the VIP treatment for additional money. The walls all seemed to be made of crystal, and the floor was made of a rather elegant black marble.
"My, oh my... This place is truly divine..." Rarity said as she took in the majestic foyer that she'd been introduced to alongside the other Rainbooms, Dazzlings and Laments. "Such exquisite taste, such miraculous architectural culture! The Blasters should make it a crime to be here without wearing formal attire..."
"When in fact, it actually is..." Requiem said as he picked up a copy of the rules handed by someone in a tuxedo and showed it to the rest of The Rainbooms. "It states that rule number 23 of Battletone is that ALL band members MUST wear formal clothing during performances, so that they truly stand out from a regular person who is watching the show. I just pray to Allure that you girls all packed some very formal attire for this tournament..."
"You girls are in luck that I managed to sneak in some of the most elegant clothes imaginable for just such an occasion!" Rarity opened up one of the suitcases, revealing some bright clothes that none of The Rainbooms had even worn before. "I know, they're truly regal aren't they?"
Twilight said, "Well, they do look nice, Rarity, but I'm more focused on getting accomoda-"
"Ladies and gentlemen of the world!" Fortissimo's voice rang out through the entire foyer, grabbing the attention of everyone instantly. "Welcome to Dubairaffe's very own Kurik Stigrela, the home of Battletone!"
The entire crowd unleashed a flurry of cheers and applause as they cheered for The Blasters, who were positioned on a crystalline balcony on the foyer's mezzanine.
"Yes, yes. This is one of the world's most spectacular landmarks, isn't it? With approximately two-hundred and fifty floors, this building is at least a vertical mile in height, and is truly one of the greatest locations to host the greatest band contest in the history of the world!" Fortissimo announced, hearing the crowd cheer once more afterwards.
"But let's not get details mixed up, let's get into the good parts of why you're here," Orchestral said, taking over for Fortissimo. "You've all chosen, out of your free will alone to come down to Dubairaffe and partake in a Battle of the Bands like no other. With the chance to become the most adored people on the planet at stake, and the fifty trillion dollar recording contract up for grabs, what's not to like?"
"Now then, since this tournament is one of the biggest things we've ever done for the people of Earth, I think it's only fair that everyone follows the rules and reads them thoroughly," Allegro said as everyone looked down at the rules that had been given to them. "These rules will be HEAVILY enforced, I remind you, and breaking one of these rules will count in immediate disqualification."
"But, since you all DESPERATELY want this fifty trillion dollar recording contract and a duel with us, I imagine that none of these rules will go broken, correct?" Fortissimo asked as all of the members of the crowd looked up at him again.
The crowd all said "Yes!" in complete unison as they addressed The Blasters without qualm or hesitation.
"Good. In that case, I suppose I should start by telling you that we've all made special rooms for you and your bands in the rooms above, so you can rest your heads and prepare for the next days," Fortissimo said as the elevator doors underneath the balcony all opened up, so that everyone could enter them and travel up to their rooms. "Your room listings will be given out to you, depending on the forms you filed at the beginning. The auditions are tomorrow night at 7:00 PM sharp. Have a good night's sleep, and we'll see you tomorrow!"
The crowd cheered for one last time as The Blasters left the balcony and returned to their business. Once they'd done so, everyone made it towards the elevators so that they could get accommodated in their rooms for the night.
As The Rainbooms and The Dazzlings approached the elevators, they couldn't help but feel somewhat worried about what The Blasters had planned for them. They shared worried glances every now and then, all of them conveying their concerns for whatever heinous plan that Fortissimo, Allegro and Orchestral had in store for them...