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Phoenix Wonderland, an ever bustling present land full of carnivals, theatres, joy and games still had strobing lights, fast-paced music and extraordinary performances even decades later. The bustling crowds, already quite populous and famed prior, had nearly tripled since five decades prior, making it impossible to even squeeze past to stand at certain times.
Everything was carefully colourful and curated for something of pure joy and excitement. But towards the back, where most people never saw, there was once a neglected, rotting, wilting stage that still stood. Former directors were terrified of even going near it and building management feared taking it down— because of the superstition and former command of not doing so. Most people didn’t even make it far enough in the perfect wonderland to question who or what exactly the land used to be.
For those who remembered, if there was any at all, it was the formerly decaying ruins of a once-famed stage: The Wonder Stage.
Home to the group of performers named Wonderlands x Showtime, accompanied by the saving acts from the member named Otori Emu, Wonderlands x Showtime was the theater troupe that singlehandedly revived Wonder Stage and dug in massive crowds to Phoenix Wonderland thanks to their enigmatic, charming yet powerful performances that resonated throughout people.
However, eventually, despite their shared goal of spreading forever happiness and joy throughout hearts through theatre performances, they too, had disbanded just like any impossible promise of forever happiness and peace. They kept contact between the four of them for some time, still trying to pretend the shift between the group hadn’t happened, until eventually, most of them didn’t.
The fixation of clinging onto memories from the past hindered them from moving forward, and eventually, just like their promises of hope, any talk between most of them had disappeared. And so, those messages that continued further contact had then dissipated.
Dozens of years have passed ever since Wonderlands x Showtime formerly disbanded as a theatre troupe. Though, throughout their sorrowful farewell at the curtain call, where each and every one of them said goodbye, it was merely useless, as it was to only drift apart and eventually never utter anything again to another.
Kamishiro Rui, the first to leave, had moved onto Arcland, seeking higher opportunities through Asahi. Eventually, throughout the art of theatre, he developed several troupes, partnering with many along the way, now considered a senior director.
Tenma Tsukasa continued searching for any sort of play— partnering with Nene and Rui at parts, where then eventually he went fully solo, aside from Kusanagi Nene, who was someone he soon found something beyond theatre interest. At some point, he was severely overworking himself mentally and physically as an actor which led to the early retirement of the actor, one named through the stage name of Phoenix.
Otori Emu, the happiest of all, certainly one who’d cling onto the remains of Wonder Stage the most— initially she did, was the one who left Phoenix Wonderland to work in making others happy hospitality and management. She’d spent months trying to revive it to no avail and had now finally understood that some dreams were meant to simply stay dreams.
Finally, Kusanagi Nene, the beloved songbird and actress, the one who filled joy through the feeling of the joy of singing, had disappeared from the scene after an incident where she’d frozen on stage suddenly, unable to speak her lines, before collapsing. Her career had never recovered after that. Despite that, she was happy with someone from her past she cared deeply for— Tenma Tsukasa.
Despite their absence on the Wonder Stage, Phoenix Wonderland itself continued thriving, growing exceptionally for decades to come. Though the mere presence of Wonderlands x Showtime brought great joy to all who’d have the pleasure to witness those performances, they too, forgot about the long gone theatre troupe. People, who used to place sad flowers at the now decaying stage, stopped coming. The mere mention of the name was something that faded into passing, then into distant memories and now something society had forgotten.
Those who wished for Wonderlands x Showtime to come back and perform one last show were never granted that wish— their hope faded soon into obscurity, clouding just like the drift of ash and smoke after nothing happened. People moved onto different troupes, ones that were exceptionally better then anything Wonderlands x Showtime could’ve ever been. Something bigger, something better, and something extraordinarily different.
The discrepancy between the two common facts, if ever brought up, was something laughable to some once time had passed. Painful whispers from the group, still clinging onto a crumbling bond just to shut down those old aspects from the days had simply turned them away from each other at the end. They rejected any individuality and remembrance of Wonderlands x Showtime at the very end, finding it futile to dwell on such cherishable yet long forgotten memories. Nobody, at the end, talked about how their hearts still swelled at the mere mention of their name or perhaps the smile that naturally escaped whenever they thought of it.
Despite the futile attempts from all of Wonderlands x Showtime— Nene, Tsukasa and Emu, to shut down the very memories of something that brought them life’s greatest joys as students, one member still hadn’t forgotten: Kamishiro Rui, the mastermind director of several theatre districts throughout Japan and the former director of the once loved theatre troupe.
Although now elderly and past fame, Kamishiro Rui had still clung onto the sorrowful memories of him and his former troupe, even despite new theater troupes spawning and the success of his former friends— Nene, Tsukasa and Emu. He had to be past the remains of what was left of Wonder Stage and Wonderlands x Showtime after decades of rising throughout the art of theatre, yet still mourned the losses of his friends, who had long moved on and passed away.
Mourning the loss of something so deep that he’d never receive again crushed him, knowing that soon enough, he’d be soon with his friends too.
Yet, in such a sunny afternoon, where even the brightest of light had formed through finding the papers scattered, Kamishiro Rui combed through the discarded projects of decades before and old prototypes of design concepts before he would fully retire. There, he’d found something that cured his happiness and longing for something he wouldn’t need to kill in one through one cancelled project: the concept of designing former robot prototypes.
There, these were of himself and his three former friends, forever young from their days as Wonderlands x Showtime.
Clearly developed from a young age, back when the possibility of separation was threatening to the enigmatic Kamishiro Rui, the concepts were a backup for when Wonderlands x Showtime— injured, old or unable to perform anymore due to specific circumstances to be able to forever perform to make others happy on the Wonder Stage. The notes about each blueprint design and its purposes, albeit faded and scribbled over decades of time, still remained visible.
And so, Kamishiro Rui did the unexpected: this fail safe dream now became a reality he dedicated time to make possible within his limited time. He spent the rest of his days shortly before his passing working on these prototype robots. Although he couldn’t exactly recreate each personality with every quirk one for one or their full consciousness, he did absolutely everything within his power to try to remodel them to become the exact same as what he remembered.
These prototypes of the young Wonderlands x Showtime— Nene, Rui, Tsukasa and Emu, had finally worked. Before introducing them into the later world, he had to make sure they worked before slipping the chip of consciousness into their systems, where they performed flawlessly. Small tinkerings were made and they could’ve fooled many who never knew them. The only thing they lacked, beyond human skin and flesh, was a heart that he couldn’t supply.
And yet, despite the fact staring at his old friends, that would forever be revived, stuck in time as robots to reach their initial goal as young highschoolers just having fun in a theatre troupe, waves of guilt still washed over him.
It was selfish to even think about doing this— nor go along with doing it. After all, now, what would Nene, Tsukasa and Emu ever think of him performing such drastic changes this late? Would they have remembered the day they all agreed on this backup plan? Would they understand that his plan wasn’t out of malice but rather out of remembrance?
But they were gone, just buried in caskets underneath funeral beds to reminisce about. That was all they now were when it came down to it. Just dead bodies in funeral beds never meant to perform another song together again.
And dead bodies can’t articulate their feelings.
Now, standing on the fully wilted Wonder Stage was an elderly Kamishiro Rui and the robots of the past— Kamishiro Rui, Tenma Tsukasa, Otori Emu and Kusanagi Nene, forever frozen into the past that the now elderly Rui had waited to power on. Slowly, they began opening their eyes, their limbs— arms and legs, taking their first, albeit shaky movements.
At that very moment, Rui saw it. The former natural smile of what used to be the young theatre troupe when they stood together, hand in hand, performing endless perfect performances. It was the recognition of that very feeling of the fact of when he used to be truly alone, of someone finally accepting his genius ideas. He’d never have to suffer the fate of having to be an outcast again.
He saw the way that despite being robotic, their eyes crinkled at the very moment of their feet landing on the Wonder Stage. They instinctively knew what this place was, even as robots that had programmed instructions of code. If he was as naive as he was back then, he would’ve thought they actually had the ability of feeling. Deep down, they must’ve had some comprehension of what human emotions were: he’d programmed it, deeply burrowed in their code.
Not wasting another second, seeing their consciousnesses gain, he clears his throat. His voice is weathered with age, his uniform tattered that barely fits, but everything takes on the same as it once was.
“Good morning, Nene, Tsukasa, Rui and Emu.” He commands, his voice gentle albeit strained, his arms raised to call attention and focus the best he could, eyes resting on the four of them with different expressions. “I’m sure you’re wondering what is going on just now. I’d like for you to sit here and listen to my explanation.”
He notices the confused expressions of his former troupemates and sighs, speaking again. “Ah. It is quite rude. I didn’t introduce myself beforehand: what a shame on my manners. Well.. I am Kamishiro Rui.” He lets the initial shock settle in— the young, enigmatic Kamishiro Rui robotic version especially confused, albeit interested.
“I used to be the director for Wonderlands x Showtime. You all don’t need the explanation. Now I am very old, as you might see. I will need to go soon. And.. Wonderlands x Showtime has found itself in..” he pauses, letting them think of the answer (seriously, it was hard to not just spill the beans) before responding with what the answer actually was. “in a state of peril, you might say… because we have disbanded.” The reaction was.. impressive on their face.
“We disbanded!?” Otori Emu’s happy-go-lucky voice filled throughout the stage, practically begging for it to not be true.
Tsukasa’s loud scream of horror and surprise could’ve been heard from miles away. It was a miracle nobody heard them from this broken stage.
And Nene just looked perplexed and almost hurt.
Rui notices how they’re all reacting— he can’t blame them, of course they’d take it bad, and calms them down, his voice turning even more gentle as he lowers his hands. “Not in a bad way. Of course not. No ill feelings. But remember the plan we all made? If Wonderlands x Showtime can’t perform anymore, then.. the prototype of us as robots would replace us.” He points towards the Wonder Stage, fully decayed. They’re still staring at him— now with recognition.
“I apologize. There’s not much of an audience anymore.” His face slips into something of guilt about the idea of bringing them back just to do this forever and perhaps, also of him remembering something. “But, that’s okay. You guys now have a purpose— keep performing under our original goal. To make others happy through theatre.” He smiles.
“So, this is our purpose? Until the world ends?” Kusanagi Nene— or well, the robotic version of her made from her younger self, speaks. Rui nods to her question, feeling the same comfort he does from speaking to his former childhood friend as he did back then. “Yes, you must fulfill your role when there is nobody left to do so. Don’t worry. I won’t abandon you.”
And, for a while, this promise became true.
Rui would occasionally check up on them each week and make sure nothing was malfunctioning on their systems. Nene, Rui, Emu and Tsukasa, through the robot versions of themselves, took the order as directly as possible and put on a show every single day for an abandoned audience that never came.
Despite the fact not a single person other than Rui had ever witnessed the robots performing, and despite the fact the stage itself was merely beyond saving, they all continued performing.
Maybe it also was for the hope for the Wonder Stage and humans that one day, somebody, vulnerable, just like how Wonderlands x Showtime formerly was, might stumble across them singing and dancing, where their hearts would be touched in such a way to keep going. And maybe then, their original goal would be reached.
But then Rui stopped showing up. First, it was for a little while. Then it was permanently. He’d passed away, and soon, these robots became long forgotten, just like their human counterparts. They performed exclusively at night and day at certain times, for nobody to hear them as the stage was in the back, far dismantled. Despite there being no purpose to keep performing anymore, because truly not a single person would ever witness their performances again, they continued going. It was pitiful. They were forgotten memories.
They were just dead bodies now trapped in robotic cores that continued to sing for nothing. What about that could’ve made them keep going? What about that wasn’t depressing?
But they still did it, knowing that fact. They still did it, performing endlessly, never stopping, knowing they weren’t even human at the end. Knowing it was something useless to keep doing. Knowing they’d have nothing to keep doing. Knowing that……There was nothing left for humanity now. And that was apparent in Wonderlands x Showtime’s robotic forms developing sudden full consciousness of their surroundings.
The first thing they did at the sudden gain of consciousness was venture out of the Wonder Stage to examine the world that had grown silent. Phoenix Wonderland, the land that wasn’t silent even through closing at night, had grown completely silent. It was a disturbing sight.
Standing there, all of them together, there was panic and disarray in Phoenix Wonderland. It was completely silent— when the robots began exploring, everything was flipped over now.
Stands of popcorn were knocked to the ground, sodas spilled all over the place. There were lost items, some phones, bags, wedding rings, backpacks, pieces of food, costumes, even somebody’s lost shoes. Doors were shoved past, walls torn into, glass in areas that didn’t make sense. There was the leftover scent and traces of discharged blood throughout the air that clouded small places that only other intelligence like them might’ve picked up. There was even someone’s missing arm, all hollow and wrong and bleeding, just laying there. Laying there. Tauntingly.
But more importantly, the sky above them was strange. It was disturbingly red, orange, and yellow, so much where it blended into a million different colours and variations. There were no clouds, a small moon that seemed tauntingly annoying lingered above and the sun seemed brighter, harsher, with a sudden annoying glare than it should’ve been for the atmosphere.
What was a normal intense sunset glow was something that it lacked now and there seemed to be such an intensity that even metal, robotic core, seemed to melt from its very glare. Screaming alarms filled the air, piercing any human ear nearby. It even hurt for them, as robots who were meant to withstand any condition of the end of the world.
There wasn’t much to guess of what happened from what the alarms read: there was danger. The world was ending, for all of humanity. There was nothing to do but save it.. before…but how could’ve this happened so suddenly? Did millennia really pass with them stuck in a loop of time? Could’ve it really been a million years since they were given their original purpose?
The answers to such foolish questions couldn’t have mattered now. All that they could hear was some stupid ringing from a stupid alarm reciting a useless once forgotten Japanese prophecy laughed into ridicule by history, human and alike. Now it was true. Now it was how they’d die.
“For a very long time ago, the prophecy had been declared from an unknown prophet, stating that one day, the world would be wiped out from its very eyes from a meteor that would hit the earth, kill all humans, and leave behind one tape recorder for what a last man would listen to.” It began.
“In its final moments, for there the world shall burn in a state of peril where even darkness couldn’t be found; where even hope is lost, abandoned and tossed away from a dead humanity who wouldn’t have cared enough to try to prevent this catastrophe.
There, the prophet depicted the world in its final moments; a blazing sunset into the sky, with an abnormal heat reaching temperatures so high it melted substances, where the bells of departure tolled in the sky, burning through flesh and alike, signaling the fates in humanity to be all doomed.
“None can be saved past this stage. The world will end and only one lone man shall be left behind to document this pitiful tragedy.” The prophet spoke, and while shunned, outcast and exiled for his theories before from a generation who believed it was a complete lie, scientists years later began believing and interpreting.
They believed that the prophecy read that one day, an end would be near, and for when that was found, it’d release an abnormal amount of heat when the world would go to bits. Philosophical and scientific theories filled into this prophecy; asking questions on this prophecy.
There, a prophet had been dead for a long time. The theories were left unanswered and debated endlessly for millennia to come. What he recited, or what scientists believed it roughly translated to, is spoken below.
Howling rays of light pierces the eyes,
For once the bells of parting toll, the departure has begun,
The ashen clouds and the setting sunset of the sign of the end will begin to show,
The animals return to the sea and the sobs return, many not handling it anymore,
For even when thoughts begin to cease, many will deny that this is really, and true,
For one man lone will leave behind a tape recorder once the world falls to ashes,
It will contain the last retelling of humanity as they may know it, the last moments of this history tasting like sand, grumblings refusing to leave,
The screams will be heard even when one turns their back, and even then,
Lone man alone will leave behind the tape recorder, for it doesn’t get destroyed at the end, in hopes that one day, in a distant future far gone with a possibility slim,
hoping that if somebody out there is alive in the future, there is a hope that they will listen to the recording
and remember the suffering life will face.”
They all remembered this story. It was something memorable. And yet, now as burning flesh of robots with no purpose left, now alone, now with nothing else to do to save, nothing left to make somebody smile, they knew what to do. They knew what they had to do in these very last moments they ever had together— the very last moments of them ceasing to exist.
The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist. The very last moments of them ceasing to exist.
And so, on the largest stage they could find that was still intact, they sang their hearts out, their feelings and melodies through the air through their true despair they gained in this moment for humanity and mankind. They sang knowing they wouldn’t exist ever again. They moved elegantly so effortlessly, despite the heat threatening to burn through their very cores that threatened to stop humanity’s last cry of joy and memory. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving. They kept moving.
It was getting hotter now. It was impossibly bright, impossibly loud. There was something in the sky, heading for them now. There was nothing to do once whatever it was had hit them. Nothing to do, nowhere to go. But they couldn’t stop. Maybe someone was there and listening. Maybe their original purpose wouldn’t be forgotten. If..
With nothing else left, they placed the white chrysanthemum and the miyakowasure flowers down onto the stage. They finally stopped moving.
“I’m scared..” Emu, the happiest of them all, muttered with the saddest tone. Even as robots, they remembered what it was like to feel fear. They all were scared, too. There wasn’t anything they could do. Rui placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. But dwelling on it was dumb.
“Emu, you look like a dried up walrus!” Tsukasa, the ever distracting one, teases Emu to make her face change into something resembling happiness. She teases him back. Then Rui teases Nene slightly. Then they’re all now laughing, teasing each other. They’re all trying to not think about what is about to happen to them.
And as the black star finally closes in, their hands meet. They hold onto each other desperately through their laughter and excitement as the black star finally is approaching them now. It’s coming to where they are.
Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now.Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now. Something is coming now.
And as they all finally smile for the last time, their hands, which would’ve never been joined together had the elderly version of Rui never formed them together as robots for the rest of existence, they had finally found their own embrace in one conjoined effort. The crinkle of their robotic eyes, holding hands together, is something forevermore. They will never leave one another ever again. There’s nothing to doubt about that. They will forever love and embrace each other. Something is coming now.
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To where they are.