#switchpara

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With a soft sigh, Kastra Faust takes a seat on the edge of the fountain, looking over at the bus to the Dream Theater. 'So.. Pripara's repaired enough to start up the grand prix again, huh..' she thought, smiling sadly to herself.

She watched as a group of her new friends' cylume charms started to glow, officially forming a dream team, and Meganii ushering them to board the bus to do a training live. "Ahhh.. really brings back memories.." she whispered more to herself. Leaning back on her hands to look up at the hologram sky.

The last time Kastra entered the Grand Prix was.. eventful to say the least. How long had it been since then.. her face sours remembering what led up to that day, the turmoil and relief circling in her mind. "I wonder what's happening with him now.. Where could you be, Cia-"

"Kastraaa!" a peppy voice called behind her. Turning around, she saw Ann running up to her, Madoka close behind.

She stood up, smiling a bit and waves. "Hey you two, what's up?"

Ann bounced on her heels, looking concerned. "We were going to get hot chocolate and wanted to know if you'd like to join us, but-!"

"But then we saw you looked really sad.. are you okay?" Madoka interjected, looking worried.

"Oh.." Kastra whispered softly.. before shaking her head quickly. "I'm okay, just.." she looked over at the departing bus. "All this GrandPrix talk has my head floating off into my memories."

"What memories? Are they happy?" Ann asked, blinking a little.

Kastra paused to think about it.. before smiling softly. "At the end of the day, I'd like to think so, yeah." She turned back to her new friends. "I was just remembering the last GrandPrix I entered with my friends in RimeSkys."

"Oooh!" Ann chimed, taking one of Kastra's hands in her own, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "What was it like? What song did you perform? Who else joined you three? What did you call your dream team!?"

Kastra laughed a little, taking a breath. "Elodie and Serafi joined us, we called ourselves Polaris, after the north star.." her face fell a bit. "We were trying to be a guiding light.." then her face got a bit pink, right up to her ears. "We uh.. we used our own arrangement of Mirai, that my sister Miluxa and I upped the tempo of.."

Madoka blinked slowly. "That song's not exactly something you'd hear in the dream theater.."

"Yeah well.. it was sort of our message.. my message to.. To Myna." Kastra said, voice dropping off sadder at the end.

"Hmu-hmmu.."Ann scrunched her face up in thought, finally letting go of Kastra's hand before bonking her now closed hand into the palm of her open one. "Oh! Myna is the leader of the unit your friends Elodie and Serafi are part of, right?"

Kastra nodded, "Yeah, ReMESH." She tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear and looking off towards the Dream Theater in the distance.. smiling a little sadly to herself again.

"Why did you need to perform with a message to Myna?" Madoka chimed in curiously, drawing Kastra's attention back.

The white haired girl crossed her arms a loosely.. before sighing. "It's a bit of a long story.."

Ann smiled sweetly, and comfortingly put her hands on Kastra's shoulders. "We always have time to listen to our friends!"

"What are we listening to now?" Came another voice, causing the three girls to turn. Walking up to them with a tray of steaming take away mugs was Luna, with Ryuu close behind.

"You two are late by the way." Ryuu said, giving a pointed look towards Ann.

"Oopsie.. heehee?" Ann giggled a little, playfully bopping her head. "We're sorry! Buuut now that you two are here…" she moved from Kastra and ran behind their other two friends, and pushes them forward. "You can join us for story time! Kastra was just about to tell us about her last GrandPrix!"

"Ann, she never said she was going to-" Madoka tried to point out, but Kastra shook her head.

"It's fine, maybe talking about it will make me a little less sad?" Kastra said with a little smile. All five girls settled in with the hot drinks, around the fountain.. With one more deep breath, Kastra spoke..

"It was just before the last Summer Dream Idol GrandPrix before the glitch.. Myna had been away for a few weeks visiting her family out of country.. so Elodie and Serafi were hanging out with Soleil, Rigel and I the whole time.. When we heard she was coming back, we all got together to make her a welcome back banner.. well to make it shorter, our teamwork on it made our cylume charms light up.. Myna arrived when we were on the team debut stage and.. since she didn't know about any of it, she didn't take it well.. So I went to try to talk to her.."

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"Myna, wait!" Kastra called out, grabbing the other girl's arm softly.

Myna Hirano whipped around, smacking Kastra's arm away. "Why would I want to talk to you?! You've done nothing but annoy me since your stupid debut! Now you've stolen away my friends, my teammates, while I was away?!"

Kastra pulled her hand close to herself "No, that's not-"

"We agreed as a group to talk about teaming up with each other's teammates! But you just ignore it because I was away?!" Myna accused, voice rising with each word.

"Myna that's not what happened! We didn't try to, or plan on, getting teamed up-!" Kastra tried to continue, stepping towards her.

"I don't care!" she yelled, then turned away, balling her fists up. "I can't believe.. he was right…"

"He? He who? What are you talking about?" Kastra put a hand on her shoulder, but Myna brushed it off, voice gettting sharper.

"I shouldn't have tried to be friends with you.. your unit.. I should have known I didn't need anyone but Elodie and Serafi." She turned back, eyes cold, but lightly tearing up. "Now.. now I don't need them either. Have fun trying to be grand prix princesses."

"Myna please stop, you've got it wrong-!" Kastra tried, stepping again, but Myna stepped through the mirror back to the real world, temporarily blinding Kastra at the glow. "Myna.." She looked at her hand, then back to the mirror. "Who was she talking about…" ~ ^ ~ ^ ~

A few days later, after telling the others about the conversation with Myna, the five of them were meeting up at the dream parade arena. Discussing what they could do, as Myna had been avoiding all of them.. when there's a commotion, and people start rushing inside.

"The heck's that about?" Soleil Dior asked, looking over, tilting her head.

"Dunno dunno," Rigel Hasegawa replied, putting down her neon smoothie, and bouncing in her seat. "Seems like a big-time show though!"

"Maybe.." Serafi Petit-Simon piped up as she stood, "it's another dream team debuting?"

Elodie Levitt stood, smoothing out her skirt. "Perhaps we should go see… I know we aren't trying to win or anything, but.."

Kastra looked away, but then sighed and pushed off her chair. "If we're stuck in doing this, we might as well."

"Kas.." Rigel put a hand on her shoulder as she got up too, "We don't have to.."

Kastra shook her head, and started towards the arena doors. "I need the distraction anyway."

The others looked at each other, before following. When they managed to find a spot, Meganii took to the mic to intro the performance. "Everyone give a round of applause and welcome our newest dreamteam, Harlequin Cipher!"

The lights dimmed, as the unit appeared on stage.. a spotlight started on the center.. and loud whispering echo'd through the venue. "A boy?!", "A guy in Pripara?!"

A young man with dark navy blue hair stood tall, pointing towards the roof, dressed like a harlequin. As the song starts he aims his pointing out into the crowd as he sings, then down to the ground before twirling off to the left to reveal another boy, who almost perfectly mirrored the first, his hair being a matching level of darkness, in green.

The second boy twirls away on the right, to reveal two girls Kastra vaguely recognized from around Pripara, dressed like complimenting-ly opposite jesters, they were posing back to back singing their first lines, then kick off each other to reveal-

"M-Myna?" Kastra choked out, seeing her usually bright eyed, pink flowery everything wearing rival dressed in all black, with dark purple, and electric techy green accents, looking like a clown doll.

"What!?" Serafi and Elodie yell, pushing past Kastra to see their teammate.

"What? Why is she.. what.. what is going on here?!" Serafi snapped, as Elodie covered her mouth with both hands.

Myna struts to the front of the stage as they start in on the chorus of their song, Kastra's eyes never leave her for a moment as the other four girls with her talk a mile a minute, trying to figure out what's going on.. as the quintet on stage regroup back to the center, the theater performace has the other four string Myna up like a marionette, before the 'strings' are cut, and they call for cylume airy.

Kastra's hand ball up.. after the live, they hurry to the stage exit, trying to find Myna.. they spot her, but the two other girls lead her away, as the two boys get in their path.

"Can we help you, ladies~?" The navy blue haired one asks, smirking a bit.

"We want to talk to Myna, we're her friends!" Serafi says, getting in his face.

"Oh, now is that so~? Our marionette princess didn't have friends before us, now did she Rucian~?" The navy blue boy said, looking to his mirror.

"I don't think so, Ciaran~ She was oh so alone when we found her.." Rucian said, putting a hand to his cheek.

Kastra's eye twitched as she took a slow breath. "Let us through, we want to talk to her."

"See, our Marionette Princess doesn't want to talk to any of you, least of all you, miss." Ciaran said, side stepping over in front of Kastra. "You're the last person in this world she wants to talk to. Unlike the two richy girls," he gestured to Serafi and Elodie. "You were never actually her friend, now.. were you~?"

Kastra flinched back. "I.. I wanted to be.. tried to be.. but everything always came out so.. mixed up when I tried to talk to her.."

"Oh that's just too cute." Rucian quipped, before snickering.

"Hush brother dearest~" Ciaran said looking to the other, before turning back to Kastra. "Hate to tell you, but Myna's our princess doll n0w, she'll have much more fun as a permanant part of our unit. Being a harlequin fits her so much better~"

"She's not a doll! Myna's our leader! Our best friend!" Serafi yelled, pushing between Ciaran and Kastra. "She'll come back to ReMESH! It would never be the same without her!"

Ciaran snorted, "Well, I guess it's just too bad little birdy-"

"Cia, we need to go now." Rucian chimed up, waving his brother down. "We've got places to be."

"Okay okay, let's go Ruc." Ciaran turned around. "See you around Faust, you haven't heard the last from the Lehane brothers~"

"Wait-!" Kastra started, trying to go around Serafi, but the girl kept her back, as the brothers walked away. "Why did you stop me, Sera!" she demanded, turning to the girl quickly.

"Kastra, those two aren't the ones we need to clarify and get our feelings across to, Myna is." Serafi said, taking one of the white haired girl's hands. "So, we do what we idols do best.. we express our feelings on the stage."

Kastra's face fell a bit. "But.."

"Sera-fifi's right, Kas!" Rigel piped up, half jumping on Kastra's back. "You always get your feelings across better when you sing! If we sing and perform our hearts out for MynMyn, it's bound to reach her so much better than when you get all wrapped around yourself trying to talk to her!"

Soleil stepped up, taking Kastra's other hand. "We'll get Myna to see how much we care about her, Kastra. Yours especially~"

Kastra turned a bright pink. "Do not start on that again Soleil," she said, giving the red head a pointed look, but she just waved it off.

Elodie stepped over. "I've got just the idea, one Myna woudn't be able to ignore, ever."

Kastra looked around at the four of them.. then sighed. "Okay. Tell me what to do."

~ ^ ~ ^ ~

The Day of the Summer Dream Idol GrandPrix Kastra was pacing nervously, clutching the pritickets for her coord closely, trying to breathe.

"Kas," Elodie said softly, as she stepped up, cupping Kastra's hands. "It's going to go well, Myna will see, and she'll understand."

Kastra took a shaky breath. "I.. I'm just.. nervous.. with the song.. and.. and.. what if she doesn't get the whole meaning..?"

"She will, Myna's really smart, when she's not frustrated." Serafi added in, coming over to bump Kastra's side.

Rigel come over too, putting a hand on Kastra's shoulder, grinning widely. "We'll blow this out of the water!"

"Harlequin's finishing up now, it's our turn next!" Soleil called, jogging over.

Kastra looked over.. then took another much slower, calmer breath. "I'm ready.. time to be the north star."

Rigel pumped her fist into the air. "Let's go, Polaris!!"

Out on the stage, the five girls sing with all they have, dancing around the stage, performing their theater live. When they wrap around to the bridge.. Kastra moves forward, as the others move back.. and spread their Welcome Home, Myna!! banner across the stage as Kastra sings the bridge of the song solo, before twirling back to the center with the others, and calling out cylume airy.. their coords changing to the Summer Dream Parade Coord!

As they stand on stage, the crowd cheering.. Kastra runs straight ahead and jumps off the stage, pushing her way through the crowd towards a head of all too familiar dark magenta hair half up in pointed dango buns. "Myna!!" She called out, as people shove each other out of her way. She slows to a stop though, seeing Myna glaring at Ciaran, who's holding her arm tightly.

"Let go of me, this instant! I do not care what you think you know, I just saw all I needed to! I am going to my friends!" Myna yelled over the crowd, trying to yank her arm away.

"They aren't your friends! You agreed with me, didn't you? They don't care! We're your friends, you're our Marionette Princess!" Ciara yelled right back, grip getting tighter.

Myna winced, and tried to pull her arm away again. "Stop calling me that, I never wanted to be a princess of anyone! I quit your crazy little Harlequin unit, I'm going back to ReMESH with my friends, so let. me. go."

Ciaran's face contorted in anger, and yank Myna forward harshly, before shoving her back as hard as he could, sending her to the floor. "Who needs you anyway? All I need is Rucian!" Before turning and storming away. Rucian right on his tail. The two other girls of the unit looking between them, before scurrying after the brothers.

"Jerk." Myna muttered and pushed herself up.. stopping when a hand held out.. she looked up..

Kastra smiled a little, shaking her hand a bit. "Need a hand?"

Myna eyed her.. then took her hand softly, and let Kas pull her to her feet. "Thank you.."

"No problem.." Kastra said softly.. before both girls stood there a little awkwardly. Kastra scratched her cheek a bit.. "Look, I.. I never.. I've always wanted to be friends with you Myna. Real friends, not just rivals who are friendly with each other. I know our personalities clash sometimes but.. I really enjoy when we get to hang out, I have so much respect for you, and I just-"

"Kastra?" Myna piped up.. smiling just a little bit.

Kastra blinked.. but shrunk back a little sheepishly. "Y-Yeah Myna..?"

Myna took her hand tightly. "Please stop talking." She said, before stepping forward and crushing Kastra in a shaking hug, that only took the whited haired girl three seconds to return just as crushingly tightly.

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Kastra stopped there, and looked around at the other four girls' faces… Ann and Madoka were watery, but also a little sparkly, eyed. Ryuu and Luna looked.. concerned, a little worried even.

"Did anything ever happen with Ciaran and Rucian again?" Luna asked, setting her empty cup down.

Kastra winced a bit, sighing. "Those two.. were a thorn in our sides for quite a bit.. last I saw them, was before the Idol Land System Upgrade so.."

"You never became friends?" Madoka spoke up, shaking herself off.

Kastra's face soured a bit. "They.. Ciaran.. I didn't like seeing Myna shoved to the ground like that, so.. I wasn't.. the most receptive of even thinking about trying to be their friend.. and they didn't seem all that receptive to it either."

"You really care about Myna, huh?" said Ryuu, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Well I.. yeah. Of.. of course I do.." Kastra mumbled.. turning a bit pink.

Ann's eyes sparkle a bit. "You knooow.. the song you chose.. has a very.. romantic undertone~"

Kastra's face went from pink to bright ruby red. "I.. have no idea what you're implying."

Madoka covered her mouth, giggling. "Maybe you're sadder because a specific friend isn't back in Idol Land~?"

"O-Okay let's move on, yeah?" Kastra stuttered out, only to squeak out a surprised sound a second later when Madoka and Ann glomped onto her with hugs. "You guuuyss!"

From behind her take out cup, Ryuu smiled a bit. "You'll reunite with them, they are all probably missing you too in their own ways.. especially that Myna."

"Uuuhh not you too, Ryuu!" Kastra groaned, covering her face, causing the other four girls to laugh.. she peeked out.. and smiled a little despite herself. "Still.. thanks for listening, you guys.. I think I needed to talk about them, with all this dream theater stuff coming back.."

"Anytime, we're all friends now here in Idol Land after all," Luna said with a soft smile, that Kastra returned.

All of a sudden, the five girls' cylume charms lit up. "Humu humu?" Ann sat back, pulling hers out.

Kastra blinked lifting hers, looking confused. "What.. wait did we just-"

"We're a dream team!!" Madoka cheered, jumping up.

"The system really is odd.." Ryuu muttered, as she turns her charm over in her hands.

"Oh, oh!" Ann turned quickly, grinning. "We should pick a name like you and your friends did back then! You wanted to be a guiding light to help Myna come back, we could too! Maybe we could be their guiding star back!"

Kastra smiled softly, and gets up. "I.. really like that idea.."

"A star to lead all our missing friends back to remembering Pripara.." Ryuu muttered, standing up too.

Madoka brought her hand to her chin, thinking.. and smiles. "Five guiding points of a star, glowing under the starlight to lead others back~!"

Kastra looked over.. and smiled softly… "Lit up by the stars... So, we'll be Starlit, then."

Ann squealed, and grabbed Kastra's hands. "Let's go debut!!" Kastra nodded, letting Ann pull her towards the next shuttle.

Kastra smiled to herself as they all climb aboard.. her new friends could never replace her teammates and rivals.. but making all these new friends make the sadness of not getting to see them right now much more bearable. She couldn't wait to introduce everyone to them, someday.

~ Fin, for now~! ~

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And that's finally a wrap! The Coord POLARIS wears is called the Heart of the Stars Coord, in-universe, it's a Blossoming Academia coord, designed by Myna. Kastra's is green, Soleil's is red, Rigel's is Yellow/Orange, Serafi's is purple, and Elodie's is blue. Myna has it too, in pink. And all of the charms are rose gold for all of them!

and for Harlequin Cipher.. the two nameless girls don't really matter to their story, but their coords are similar to Myna's but with shorts instead of a skirt.