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“We should go out,” Dot remarked one afternoon, part of her itching to get out of the tower.
Normally, she liked being in here with her brothers by her side, especially since it had been unlocked for years. But the walls felt like they were closing in. Fast. It was suffocating. She felt… oddly trapped. Which was weird since they’d been allowed out for filming of the reboot for a while now.
“I’m bored,” she continued, not wanting to directly admit to feeling cooped up.
Yakko looks up from the book he was reading, giving her a knowing smile. “Sure, Sis.”
“Sounds fun,” Wakko agreed, climbing down from the balcony ladder. Per usual, he was eating something.
“Where do you wanna go?” Yakko asked,
Dot sighed. “I don’t know. Anywhere but here, I guess.”
Her brothers nod in understanding, a sympathetic look in their beady eyes. God, she was so grateful they just got her. In a way that none of the humans running the studio ever did (or even bothered to).
“Well,” Wakko shrugged. “Let’s go then!”
“Maybe we can find a new special friend while we’re at it,” Yakko smirked, that mischievous glint she knew and loved in his eyes.
And so, the siblings set out, jumping down from the tower. Technically, they weren’t supposed to be out. But no one explicitly said that they couldn’t.
Not that we’d care anyway, Dot mused.
The three toons wandered around the studio lot for what felt to her like only a few minutes. In reality, as she found out from checking the phone that she’d been gifted by Scratchy “just in case,” it had been a few hours. Weird.
“Let’s go into the city,” Yakko said, eyes alight with excitement.
“Okay,” Dot replied, shrugging. “I don’t care as long as we don’t go back to the tower ‘til tonight.”
At least, she left unsaid because she couldn’t put more stress on her big brother than was already there.
They got to the gates by the drive-through security building that was the barrier between the Warner Bros. Studio Lot and the outside world. Ralph, of course, was there. He was a security guard, after all. They were almost past the threshold when the big man finally took notice of them.
Well shit.
“Hey! Duh– Get back here!” Ralph shouted, sounding alarmed.
“Let’s go,” Dot hissed to her brothers, running before she had a chance to see whether or not the security guard had grabbed the net he usually used to catch them.
And so they did. Dodged at every turn and corner attempt. Ran and jumped down random streets. Anything to avoid being dragged back.
They ended up outside the Starlight Bowl venue, of all places. How they managed that, Dot has no idea.
“Looks like someone’s too sloooow~” Yakko taunted, sticking his tongue out at Ralph. Who, in turn, swiped the net at him. As always, Yakko effortlessly twirled around and dodged.
Dot ran backward, careful to keep her eyes trained on her brothers and the large round man. Before she abruptly slammed into a wall.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Ralph then grinned. “Looks like I gotcha this time, Warners!” the man taunted, creeping towards her with the large butterfly net.
“Dot!” she heard her brothers cry in panic.
The toon girl flinched, closing her eyes in anticipation for the inevitable.
Only to hear a hissed, “Psst!” the voice was whispering, and definitely young, maybe Yakko’s age at most, and unfamiliar. “Hey, over here!”
Dot looked to her left, and spotted a blonde boy with a bright orange jacket just by one of the side entrances.
Might as well, she concluded to herself. Better than getting caught by ‘ol Ralph here.
Strategically, she used the brick wall to jump up before reaching into her hammer space for her mallet. Which she used to smash Ralph’s head, so she can escape. She sprints to where she saw the elusive boy who’d called her earlier. Her brothers shot her confused looks.
“Come on,” she mouthed, waving Yakko and Wakko over to her. Meanwhile, the blonde boy’s blue eyes were wide, and vaguely perturbed by the events that had just played out in front of him.
Dot just smirked, and told him, “Don’t worry. Ralphie’s fine. He’ll bounce back.”
The human boy gave her a skeptical glance at her claim, but seemingly relented. Instead he just awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, and smiled. “Uhhhh soooo…”
The three little toons grinned at each other, before jumping into the blonde boy’s arms, proclaiming, “Helllooooo, Stranger~!”
Said stranger’s eyes were still wide, though more so with shock than fear. That was probably a good sign, as far as Dot was concerned. Still, he adjusted his arms to accommodate for suddenly holding the three Warners and gave them a grin.
“Uh. Hi,” the boy replied, appearing more comfortable now. “You looked like you were in some trouble. Thought I could get you out. Or something.”
“Wellllll,” she heard Yakko say from above her, “thanks for that. You’re a real pal, y’know.”
The boy laughed— genuine if a little awkward. “Thanks? I try to be, at least.”
“I believe introductions are in order,” her eldest brother declared, and she feels the shift of weight distribution when he jumps down.
Dot and Wakko quickly follow suit, so now the three toons were standing in front of the blonde boy properly.
Yakko points to himself. “I’m Yakko.”
Wakko continues in tandem, also pointing to himself. “I’m Wakko.”
And then, because Dot was a dramatic little shit, she pointed to herself too.. “And I’m Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Franchesca Banana-Fana-Bo-Besca the Third!” She then proceeded to twirl and give a little curtsey. “But you can call me Dot! But don’t call me Dottie, ‘cause then I’d have to kill you.”
“Noted.”
“And we’re the Warner Brothers!” her older brothers chirped.
“And the Warner Sister!” Dot added, as she always did.
“I’m Len,” the boy replied. “Kagamine Len. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
“You know Len,” Dot smiled, “I’ve gotta feelin’ we’re gonna be good friends!”
Len nodded in agreement, beaming eagerly. “I sure hope so. I was kinda about to sneak you into a concert venue.” He chuckled a little nervously. “I’ve never done this sort of thing before, so uhhh sorry if it’s not up to standard.”
“That’s fine,” Wakko surprisingly cut in. The middlest of the Warners didn’t really speak much, after all, usually relying on visual gags.
“Welp. We’d better get going if we’re gonna get in before the concert starts.”
The three toons and the blonde human boy slip into the side door. Len gave his ticket to the person in the booth while the siblings snuck past.
“Who are we gonna see, anyway?” Yakko pondered curiously, as was his nature.
“Only my favorite musical artist,” Len said excitedly. He seemed eager to tell them about whoever the artist was.
“Do tell.” Dot was now curious what she and her brothers had accidentally crashed.
“We’re gonna see Kasane Teto. She’s just gotten popular, but I’ve been listening to her since her early idol days. Growing up right alongside her too, for the most part.”
That name… sounds familiar. I think I heard it somewhere recently.
“For the most part?” the toon girl questioned, raising a brow as they wandered into the stadium to find their seats. The venue, naturally, was packed.
Len shrugged beside her. “She’s a few years younger than me, I think.”
“Ah.”
The four filed themselves through the rows and rows of seats, until Len led them into one in the middle of the venue.
“This one’s my seat,” the human explained, looking sheepish. “I’m not sure if the other seats are bought out or not. I got one of the last original ticket postings before the scammy resale bots got ‘em all.”
Yakko whistled, a low sound. “Those things make getting a concert ticket expensive.”
The blonde boy laughed, low and cynical. “Yeah. Ticket Master doesn’t do shit about it either. They don’t care if they’re making money, after all.”
“That’s capitalism, baby,” Dot agreed, all pizazz. They all laugh.
Minutes later, the overhead lights of the stadium dim, leaving them in near complete darkness. Save for tiny glowing lights in the crowd, of course. Which was immediately followed by cheers, clapping, and the thudding of the shadows jumping up and down in front of her.
“What are those?” Wakko asked. Dot was just barely able to make out him pointing towards the floating lights.
“Glow sticks,” Len told her brother. “They’re usually used by fans in idol concerts so they feel a part of the experience.”
“Ohhhh.” Wakko nodded in understanding. “That sounds faboo!”
And then, guiltily, the human boy tugged at his jacket sleeve. “Shoot. I only brought my glow sticks.” He glanced over at her apologetically. “Sorry. If I knew I was going to have friends here, I would have brought my back ups.”
Yakko, ever the mediator, waved dismissively. “It’s fine. We can have fun in other ways.”
“And,” Wakko confirmed, pulling out his gag bag, “we can just get our own!” The toon then proceeded to pull various items from the bag, which included a cream pie, a sledge hammer for some reason, a ham sandwich, and then, finally the glow sticks that were the subject of interest. They almost looked like lightsabers, but much smaller, in Dot’s opinion.
“How do you get them to light up?” Yakko was a J-Pop fan, at least a little bit, as far as Dot knew, but even he was clearly out of his depth here.
Len reached out a hand towards Wakko. “It depends on the brand, but… Here let me show you.” Wakko handed one to the boy, watching curiously. “There should be a switch on the side… Riiiighhht here.” There was then a flash of blue illuminating from it.
“Woah. Faboo!” Wakko then eagerly handed out the other glow sticks to Yakko and Dot, who turned them on as well. The faces beside her were now bathed in pink, blue, and orange lights.
Like a sunset. Or something.
Yellow light then intermixed, illuminating from Len’s sticks.
“When does it start?” she asked, trying to be as quiet as possible. Sure, everyone else might be screaming, but it just seemed rude to talk when someone was about to perform.
“Should be anytime now,” Len answered. “They usually take a minute to get things going.”
Then the stage lights lit up, though still dimmer than the venue had been when the overheads were on. The set on stage was also very cutesy, adorned in glowing pink stars on the curtains and over the speakers on both ends of the stage, just barely out of view. There is also a pink and yellow checkered pattern on the screen framed in a big pink heart prop. It felt very much in line with what Dot herself enjoyed aesthetically.
“And now,” a deep, commanding masculine voice declared, “it’s time!” The man dragged out his words, probably for dramatic effect. But Dot thought it to be grating.
Get to the point already, she mentally screamed.
“Hooo Boy,” Yakko commented quietly, just barely audible above the screeching of the crowd.
“Here we go,” Len murmured in agreement.
“This should be fun.” Yakko held up the glow stick he’d obtained, the orange light making his wry smile just slightly visible.
There were more shouts of excitement and anticipation. Because of course there were.
Finally, Finally, the man with the stupidly deep voice continued, “For the moment you’ve been waiting for! You know her. You love her. Everyone give it up for Kasane Teto!”
Thunderous applause erupts from everywhere. In front of her. Behind her. Next to her, even. Along with the same screaming, going up a few decibels. With some “Woo-hoos!” and loud whistling even being added into the mix. She instinctively jerked her ears at the latter.
“Ow,” she muttered, pained because of her enhanced animalistic senses. Thankfully, the noise finally quieted down. It seemed the famed idol had made her appearance, though Dot couldn’t see because too many tall people were blocking her vision.
“Hello, everyone!” a new, younger, feminine voice greeted the crowd brightly. “I’m Kasane Teto! Thank you so much for coming out tonight! Now… Who’s ready for a great show?”
The crowd roars. The youngest Warner hadn’t thought that the crowd could even get any louder after the last round of applause. Apparently, she had been wrong. Multiple glowing lights blurred around her within the venue, with their constant, incessant movement. Which is all she can see because the other concertgoers won’t stop jumping up and down.
I’m too short for this, Dot thinks irritably.
And then… She caught sight of bright red twin tails. It’s her. Kasane Teto, the myth and legend.
Why is her name familiar?! She questioned herself, wracking her brain for answers. Dot swore she’d heard the idol’s name somewhere before this concert, though she hadn’t heard of her before that and hadn’t paid it any mind at the time.
Wait.
And then it hit her.
That’s the girl Nora was talking about signing to the record label the other day.
She’d been hearing that rumor for weeks at this point. From having heard several directors chatter about Nora Norita’s decisions with the record label, and her desire to sign new talent with diverse backgrounds. And obvious marketability. And Teto was clearly both things if her accent was anything to go by.
She leaned over to her right, where her eldest brother was standing, tapping his shoulder. The older toon turns toward her, leaning down so she can whisper into his ear.
“Where do you think she’s from?” Dot whispered. Yakko’s face twisted into something thoughtful as he listened to the girl’s singing.
And then, beady eyes confident, he replied, “Japan, I think. She sounds Japanese, and she’s definitely fluent in the language.”
So that’s what the language of the lyrics I can’t understand is, she thought.
“So are you,” Dot argued with no heat whatsoever, just for the sake of it, “but we’re American.”
Yakko rolled his eyes playfully. “Yeah. And the idol scene is generally in Japan, Dear Sister Mine. That’s the main reason I’m pretty sure she is”
The littlest toon turned back toward the show. Except of course she couldn’t see anything.
Damn tall people, she internally grumbled.
“Hey Yakko?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I sit on your shoulders? I can’t see.”
Her oldest brother smiled reassuringly. “Of course.” She was then lifted off the ground, before feeling the older toon boy’s shoulder blades underneath her.
Much better. I can see now.
And now Dot could also see why Nora wanted to sign Teto to the music branch of WB. The girl was generally striking even at a glance. Bright candy red hair. Almost inhuman ruby red eyes. That white scarf, which matched the bow in her hair. All of that made for good attributes to make a creative stand out among the rest.
That wasn’t even mentioning the quality of the show. The idol had an air of confidence in her stage presence that Dot wasn’t sure she had ever achieved in her years of acting. Everything about the older girl was mesmerizing. Teto seemed like everything Dot had been aspiring to be for the better part of three decades. At least.
“Her hair looks funny,” Wakko commented off-handedly.
“Looks like she’s got drills on her head,” Yakko chuckled, “ I think it suits her, though.”
Len turned towards them again, smiling warmly. “It does,” the boy agreed.
The rest of the night was a beautifully melodic blur. Watching the idol’s well-practiced choreography, the dancing and twirling. Hearing her powerfully charming melodies, both in English and in probably Japanese (the Warner sister had no experience with the language, so she wouldn’t have known).
Dot wasn’t sure she’d had an experience quite like this in… a long, long time. She was surely inspired, now, though. And it seemed it was almost over. A part of her was a little sad at the thought. She liked Teto. Not just her performance, but her in general. She seemed like she would make for a good friend.
But then, at the conclusion of what Len had said was the last song, the girl spoke again, “Normally, this is where I end the show.” The idol paused, twirling the end of one of her drills, seemingly apprehensive.
Dot heard sounds akin to sadness at the statement, of fans sad that the show was almost over.
“Buuuuttt,” Teto continued, which halted the sounds, “I wanted to sing one more song. It’s a new one, so sorry if you can’t sing along yet. I wrote this for a very dear friend of mine.”
Wow. That takes some guts, Dot thought, admiring the girl’s vulnerability.
“I hope you don’t mind me sharing,” the idol said, a small, shy smile on her lips. “This isn’t normally something I do…”
“You can do it, Teto!” shouted a few audience members.
“We love you, Teto!” cried others.
The girl laughed, wiping what looked like a stray tear from her eye. “Thank you… I think I needed to hear that.”
Honestly, fair enough.
“I call this song ‘Machine Love'. '” The idol smiled, something soft and fond in her pretty red eyes. And then she pulled out a guitar. A guitar.
How many hidden talents does she have? Dot wondered, more intrigued by the star idol than she had already been. Rumors tended to spark curiosity, after all.
Teto played a few strums, which made up the opening along with some keys of piano.
“Your companion undeterred, standing ready for your word…”
The song was beautiful. It could easily be read as romantic– and Dot was sure that most people would read it that way– but she thought it spoke to the kind of intimacy that is being friends with someone and looking up to them to the point of picking up some parts of them within yourself. Though, she was betting the machine part of it was some kind of metaphor or exaggeration on the idol’s part. Toons also existed, so one could never be completely sure.
“So can we wander for a spell, or live in parallel? I want it to be true, to be like you! My heart sings a chorus out of tuuuuuneee…”
That last line definitely hit home. (Dot always felt like she was out of sync with everyone else around her, aside from her older brothers. And… well now their new friend, Len. And possibly Teto?)
In all honesty, Dot’s favorite part was the bridge of the song. It was the passion that the idol singing poured into it, really.
“And though I tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, I can’t replyyyyyyyyy… It hurts my eyes, and I’m without an alibiiii…”
That feeling when you know you love the people closest to you but can’t find a way to express it, Dot thought. She’s had that feeling more times than she can count with her brothers and fellow castmates.
“ ‘Cause all this tiiimee, I’ve been alive, and all that I could want is to be living by your siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiideeeeeeeee~”
Damn, she has range for days. Get it, girl.
“恋をして (じゃ)... “
(“I think I’m in love,” Dot thought she heard sang ever so quietly.)
There was a moment with only a few strums of the guitar and soft playing of the piano as ambience. The audience, Dot herself included, waited with baited breath for what was next.
“So can we wander for a spell…? Or live in parallel…? Now I know it’s true, I’ll be like you…” Teto’s voice was much softer, much fonder, much more filled with love as the soft piano guided the direction of the melody.
Ah, so the line was a refrain of the chorus again.
Fair enough, the youngest Warner mused.
“My heart,” the idol sang, voice picking up in volume and intensity slightly with each word. The drums kicked back in strongly as soon as she belted out the next line. “beats a rhythm just for youuuuu…”
“And I could keep it on the shelf,” Dot sang with the idol this time, confident that she’d picked up the lyrics, “Or keep it to myself… But nothing could conceal the things I feel!”
“My love,” Teto continued, throwing the toon off a little with the lyric change, “I give you my grand reveallll!”
The lyric changes made sense, in hindsight, though. It was the end of the song, after all. Though, it made her wonder about the subject of the song.
“Do you feel the things I feeeel?” The girl sang, eyes shining with tears. “I am definite and reeeeaaallll!”
Every toon felt that, thought Dot, pushing down the tears that threatened to spill.
Damn idol making everyone feel things. Bleh emotions. Still, the Warner Sister couldn’t help but like Teto, stupid emotionally appealing lyrics and all. She wondered if she’d ever meet the idol, given the supposed contract talk that was in the works. Allegedly, of course.
“As long as there are stars up above, I will always be in love…”
The cheers and applause were almost deafening. In Dot’s not-so-humble (but-quite-professional) opinion, she, her brothers, and their new friend, Len, cheered the loudest of them all.
Is this the reason why the idol scene is so popular in Japan? Dot wondered idly, still reeling from the emotional whiplash of the day and the concert.
“Thank you so much for coming out tonight, everyone!” Teto said into her pink microphone graciously. “And thank you for all of the years you’ve supported me, whether you’re an OG fan or a newcomer! I’d be nothing if it weren’t for you guys…”
“WE LOVE YOU, TETOOOO!”
“I’d be nothing if it weren’t for you…” the words hit hard. Because Dot knew that feeling. And she was pretty certain that the idol truly believed that about herself. Which is incredibly sad, because she can see and read into Teto as a person just from this one performance alone. Whoever made her believe that would have to be awful.
And yet it’s distinctly a feeling your brother feels constantly, the little voice in Dot’s mind that always gives her problems with no solutions. I know.
God, she knew. If there was anything she could do to make Yakko believe that he was more than just a prop for the studio, she’d have already done it. But she understood that the older boy is the only person who could change that toxic mindset. And that it would be hard to do so, after having it hammered into him for so many years.
“Be safe out there tonight,” Teto cautioned, stepping toward the right wing exit of the stage. “And have a good night!”
The crowd erupted into chaos once again, as the teen idol made air kisses directed toward them all. Then she proceeded to stride off stage, red twin tails bouncing slightly and her white scarf blowing from the wind created by the air conditioning unit.
“Holy shit,” Len murmured, astonishment shining in his blue eyes. “I’ve been listening to her music for, like, ever. But seeing her live just hits different…”
“Where do we go now?” Wakko asked, as they walked with the line of people to find a door outside, looking to both of their oldest brother for guidance. The teen just shrugged.
“Most people go home or to their hotels after these things,” Len informed them as he motioned them towards the side door they’d slipped in from. “So you could probably just go home?”
“What about you?” Yakko asked, that big brother concern that made Dot equally parts of fond and exhausted coming out full force. The four stopped on the sidewalk, away from the entrance of the doorway.
Len smiled tightly, something off in his expression, shrugging. “I’ll be okay. I took the bus, so I’ll just do that again. It’s not that far anyway.”
The eldest Warner still looked hesitant. (Of course he did)
Still, the toon boy relented, “Alright. Just be safe.”
“Wait,” Dot suggested, “what if we swapped numbers, and you text when you get home?” She was surprised to find herself trying to help them come to a compromise.
The human boy’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Okay. Maybe we can meet up again and hang out at some point? “
The three toons grinned. “Sure!”
“And uhhh,” Len admitted a little shyly, as he swapped phones with the 3 of them to put in each other’s number, “I wouldn’t mind calling you friends.”
“AWWWW!” the toon girl gushed. “You can be our friend, too!”
“I’ll have to introduce you to my other friend Miki sometime.” Len had a fond gleam in his eyes, clearly at the thought of his other friend. “She’s so cool! And she’s a robot!”
“Wait, really?” gasped the middlest of the Warner siblings in amazement. “She sounds awesome!”
“She is awesome,” the siblings’ new friend affirmed proudly. “I make gadgets for her sometimes so she can do stuff that other people— er, humans specifically I guess– can do.”
“That sounds like some feats to be proud of,” Yakko said, grinning.
Len laughed a little. “Oh, sure. But I wouldn’t say everything I make is the best thing ever or anything. I’m still getting better at engineering.” He shrugged again, a faint blush on his cheeks.
Probably from the compliment.
The eldest of the toons, of course, refuted the other boy entirely, “Nonsense! You’re being modest. If you’re making gadgets for your robot friend, then you’ve gotta be amazing at it!”
“I appreciate the sentiment,” Len replied seriously, though he was still smiling. “I’ll see you guys around sometime, okay?”
Dot nodded. “Of course!”
“And don’t forget to text us when you make it home safe,” Yakko added, clearly stressed that something would happen.
“I will,” the human replied, brushing his golden bangs from his . “Be safe, you guys.”
“We will!” the three chorused in unison.
With that, Len turned around and walked down the sidewalk, before taking a left turn and disappearing from view.
“Let’s go home, sibs,” her eldest brother remarked with a tired smile.