Mentioned Characters: Raiko

Raiko Horikawa is the liberator of electronic instruments. Within a certain underground organization, she holds a position of critical strategic importance. It would be fair to say that the instruments of today owe their existence to her. Somewhere out there, Raiko continues her work, sending a pulsing beat out into the world.

Instruments are tools. You play them, and they make sound. It's really that simple. Strike a drum, and it makes a sound. Keep striking it, and those sounds become a beat. Before you know it, that beat turns into music. That's all there is to it. It doesn't have to be complicated. So go ahead. Pick up a pair of sticks. Give them a tap. Hear that sound? The music has begun.

We've already established that music isn't complicated. But if that's true, then why do people feel the urge to play it? The cool answer is probably this: Music keeps people from being alone. You can play it together. And when you do, the beat never stops. And the music you create echoes endlessly through the world. Even hearing a single note can bring comfort. Because it reminds you that you're not alone.

That was the cool reason. But there's another reason, and it's mighty important. Simple, but important. People play music because it's fun. It's fun to make sound. It's fun to finally pull off a difficult technique. It's fun to share your music with people. It's fun to pour your feelings into a song. It's fun to show the world that you're here and you exist. "Fun" might be a somewhat selfish reason. And yet, it's the reason so many people play. It's also the reason Raiko was smiling.

"Next song, guys!" On stage. Back center. That's where Raiko belongs. She never drifts too far forward. But she can't fade into the background, either. Her drumbeats are the foundation of every performance. If the foundation is weak, everything above starts to wobble. It's a difficult role in the band. Which is what makes it so rewarding. It makes her feel needed. Still, even the foundation yearns for the spotlight sometimes. Raiko's bandmates turned to her. Apparently, her thoughts had slipped into the music and reached the Prismriver Sisters before she ever put them into words. The smiles on their faces told her to go for it. If that's how they felt, then Raiko had nothing to worry about. She raised her drumsticks high overhead. Just this once, she was going to be selfish. "Listen up, everyone! I'm gonna give this drumbeat everything I've got!"