Gangster to Idol

"Hey, check this out, guys," another member called, gathering the others around as he showed them a video on BuzzVid.

The group crowded around the screen, watching a video of a handsome guy dancing to trendy music videos and songs.

"What? I don't see anything special here," Joker remarked, unimpressed. "This guy's the same as every other good-looking dancer out there."

"Ohohoho. If they're not cooking, they're dancing naked — the best way to earn views and followers," Bones chimed in, rubbing his jaw. "Hmm . . . maybe I should start dancing too?

I was good at it back in the day."

"Haaa? You're so skinny! What will the audience see in you? You're nothing but a skeleton; there's no flesh on you," Joker teased.

"Ohohohoho! I'll show you what I can do!" Bones declared, jumping up and bowing. "Ladies and gentlemen, Bones will now show you the best performance you'll ever see in your entire life!" he announced as everyone clapped.

Bones spun around and shook his skinny ass. Everyone laughed and he attempted a backflip, but his bones cracked, and he wailed. "Ah, my aching back!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and teased him nonstop.

"You're too old, Bones!"

"Looks like you need more milk!"

"You're lacking stretches!"

"You move like a rusted robot! Better oil up those joints!

"Bones, you should stick to being a skeleton in the closet!"

"Your bones might be the only thing that dance more than you!"

"Seriously, though, it's not his dance moves I wanted to show you, although I've got to admit, this C.C. guy can really dance," the guy said, wanting to change the topic back to the video.

"Yeah? So, what did you want to show us then?" Joker asked, raising an eyebrow.

"This!" the member exclaimed, flashing his phone screen to show C.C.'s hair tutorial. "This guy posts daily hairstyles, and each one is so stylish. I can't believe he's always got a new look!"

"Aren't those just wigs?" Joker dismissed with a wave.

The guy shook his head. "No, not at all! He shows every step from start to finish."

"I bet it's just clever editing," Joker yawned, losing interest. "Anyway, let's grab something to eat. Drinks are on the newbies tonight!"

"WOOHOO!" the group cheered in unison.

As they moved toward the door, the newbies groaned at the prospect of another unpaid tab. The guy with the phone, feeling a bit dejected, muttered, "I thought you'd appreciate him since he kinda resembles our leader."

But his words fell on deaf ears as everyone was already halfway out the door, eager for a night of fun.

=== ⭐ ===

The morning sun filtered through the window as Cain eagerly opened his BuzzVid account, anticipation bubbling within him. He was keen to see if his latest video had gone viral.

Fifi hovered nearby, her serene glow a stark contrast to Cain's restless energy. "Don't get your hopes up too high," she cautioned. "Remember, success doesn't happen overnight."

Cain brushed off her words and clicked on his video stats.

He was silent for a moment, before he burst out, "What?!"

"What's wrong?" Fifi asked, sensing the shift in his mood.

"My video got taken down!" Cain growled, his anger radiating.

"Did you use copyrighted music?" Fifi inquired.

"Of course I did! Everyone use it! BuzzVid allows all music as long as you tag the artist," Cain replied, his eyes scanning the screen. "It says it's a copyright violation."

"That doesn't make sense," Fifi remarked, reading over at Cain's laptop. "What does it say specifically?"

"They didn't explain much, just labeled it as a copyright violation. How could that be? I've been creating dance videos and hairstyle tutorials for over a month, and only this one gets flagged?"

"Was this the one where you combined dancing and hairstyling?" Fifi asked with a smirk.

Cain nodded. "They didn't offer a detailed explanation, just the generic 'copyright violation.' Everyone's copying trends here, so how is this different?!"

"Keep your voice down," Fifi hushed, tapping into her Idol Goddess powers to search for answers. Her ethereal glow intensified as she pulled information from the BuzzVid terms of service and copyright policies from her idol screen.

"According to these terms, videos can be taken down for three reasons: not tagging the original artist, copying another creator's work without permission, or being reported," Fifi summarized.

"The first two are impossible," Cain said seriously. "I tagged the music artist, and the video is completely original. I even created new dance moves I learned from the last month."

Fifi believed him because she was there beside him from the start. "And with the Celestial Comb's unique hairstyling capabilities, it's unlikely anyone else has replicated your look. Coupled with the dance move, there was no way such thing should have happened. Absolutely zero percent."

"Then someone must have reported me," Cain concluded, his voice heavy.

"But who would do that? No offense, but you're not exactly a major player with only ten thousand followers," Fifi huffed a laugh that didn't stretch her poker face.

"Can you check through your idol screen?" Cain asked.

"Unfortunately, my powers have limitations. I can't find something that isn't public knowledge," Fifi replied.

"So I'll never know who did it?"

"Why don't you email BuzzVid's support?" Fifi suggested.

Cain paused, then his eyes widened. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you're an idiot," Fifi quipped.

Cain quickly typed a message to customer support. Within moments, a representative responded.

[Representative: Our records indicate your video was reported by user #45678190 for alleged copyright infringement.]