Sudden Death - Epilogue 7
Aug. 30th, 2022 10:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Winter
---
Location: Sudden Death Stage
Leo: Heeey, are you done over there? Even if you're not, wrap it up and get ready! Our turn's coming up really soon~♪
Izumi: That's right! Forget your private issues when you're onstage, and work! This is basic stuff!
You've been in this job how many years, and you haven't learned a single thing from me!
Arashi: Ehehe. These days, if I don't hear Izumi-chan being totally unfair about something or other, I just can't get myself into gear. ♪
Ritsu: I know what you mean~ Wakes you right up like an alarm. Or maybe a school bell's a better analogy.
Tsukasa: Er, my seniors, I do not quite understand... Forgive me! To my utter shame, I have forgone performing to lock myself away, so I'm afraid I do not know what is happening!
Leo: It's fine. Me and Sena had to leave in the middle of the prelims, so you're not the only one skipping out.
Ritsu: You weren't even really "skipping out" anyway, Su~chan. You were just resting.
Arashi: That's right. Besides, we're always getting lazy when you need us the most, so we don't have any right to criticize you, Tsukasa-chan. ♪
Leo: Yeah! For all the burdens and worries we put on you, Suo~, we gotta support you all we can now!
Right, Sena? Aren't I toootally right?
Izumi: Huh? Since when was this anybody's fault? Why am I the only one getting heat here?!
Ritsu: Hey, chill out... We're a bunch of miserable losers right now, so let's try to be more low-key instead of screeching about it.
Our fans might get mad and think we don't look sorry at all, you know?
Arashi: And what's wrong with that? What do we even have to be sorry for?
We haven't done anything bad—just lost. Though if betraying our fans' expectations counts as a crime, then I guess I do feel kinda bad about that.
But our appeal is more than just fighting and winning all the time, don't you think?
Ritsu: We didn't even lose in the end, though. Crazy:B completely flipped the table over at the very last second... and by pure coincidence, that helped us out.
Tsukasa: What do you mean by that...?
Ritsu: Hehe. Full of questions this time around, aren't you, Su~chan? ♪
Arashi: Oh, but I think it's a good thing to speak up and ask if you're confused, though?
People who act like they already know everything are really just acting; they'll eventually embarrass themselves when everybody finds out how little they actually know.
Ritsu: That's true. Ask a question, and you'll look stupid for a second; don't ask, and you'll be stupid forever.
Izumi: So, anyway. Just now, at the very moment the SS prelims ended... a shocking truth came to light, apparently.
Leo: Yeah! ♪ We heard the news, like, right after we landed! We were amazed!
It was nuts! Who woulda thought the grand prize winners of the SS prelims in Kansai would be—
Tsukasa: —Crazy:B, yes?
I have only heard bits and pieces, but supposedly, after they drained us of our large stores of SSL$, they went around attacking other units to get more money.
Ritsu: Yeah, they went completely berserk... They were going so hard, it almost felt like they were trying to monopolize most of the SSL$ floating around Kansai.
Arashi: Yeah... We managed to save up some SSL$ for ourselves at the theater, but it's like a drop in the bucket compared to what they have.
Tsukasa: Ngh... I do apologize for burdening you... I feel terrible that I could not be of more help.
Arashi: Oh, it's okay. Nothing wrong with resting when you're tired. ♪
Ritsu: That's right. None of us are fighting all alone, after all.
Izumi: Doesn't it feel like the Japan Trio got really close while we weren't looking...?
Leo: Wahaha! ☆ Not like we have any right to complain if they did!
Either way! You might think the problem is that our dark horse unit Crazy:B shot down the powerful Knights and won the qualifiers—but you'd be wrong!
The big issue is that there's a whole TON of grand prize winners!
Tsukasa: ? Could you, perhaps... elaborate...?
Leo: I'm sayin'. Usually it's one unit that gets first place in each region, or at most two or three, right?
But not in Kansai! Here, every single ES idol sent to Kansai AND every single local idol all got first place at once!
That includes us Knights too, of course! We didn't lose a thing!
Tsukasa: Pardon...?
Kohaku: Heh, after we stocked up a whole buncha SSL$...
We went 'round handin' out cash to other units to tweak everybody's final totals...
...so every last unit would end up with the exact same amount of SSL$ in the end.
Nobody said we couldn't just give out cash to whoever we wanted.
And as a result, right at the second the prelims ended, every unit rang up with the same amount of SSL$.
And ya know the general rule: only the unit that ends up with the most SSL$ can go on to the finals.
But see here in Kansai, everybody's got the most SSL$. That means we all win.
I reckon the committee—or ES, more like—didn't want anybody other than Knights to win, so they didn't bother to set a limit on how many winning units there can actually be.
The only thing they made clear in the rules was "whoever had the most SSL$ will win", an' thanks to that oversight, we've now got the unprecedented situation of everybody bein' a winner.
Tsukasa: H-Huh... I did not realize it had all ended up so... surreal.
Kohaku: Fact is stranger'n fiction, and reality's wilder'n the wildest tall tales.
Isn't it just hilarious—ES tried to control every last little thing, and Rinne-han's made idiots outta the lot of 'em.
Flipped ES's plans right on their head. I'm feelin' happier'n a clam at high tide, lemme tell ya ♪
Tsukasa: Yes, but... While I do feel somewhat relieved, will everything be alright?
This means that every unit in Kansai will be moving on to the finals, even though only one or two will come from each of the other regions, correct?
While it is yet to be revealed on which rules the SS finals will be conducted, would this even constitute a proper competition?
Kohaku: Don't think so. The whole premise was busted from the start.
I bet ES are runnin' 'round like the world's gone upside down right about now—serves 'em right, though. ♪
Tsukasa: Kohakun! It is uncivilized to sneer at another's misfortune!
Kohaku: Gimme a pass for that, will ya, Nii-han—I never did learn proper manners.
---
< Epilogue 6 || Masterlist || Epilogue 8 >
---
Location: Sudden Death Stage
Leo: Heeey, are you done over there? Even if you're not, wrap it up and get ready! Our turn's coming up really soon~♪
Izumi: That's right! Forget your private issues when you're onstage, and work! This is basic stuff!
You've been in this job how many years, and you haven't learned a single thing from me!
Arashi: Ehehe. These days, if I don't hear Izumi-chan being totally unfair about something or other, I just can't get myself into gear. ♪
Ritsu: I know what you mean~ Wakes you right up like an alarm. Or maybe a school bell's a better analogy.
Tsukasa: Er, my seniors, I do not quite understand... Forgive me! To my utter shame, I have forgone performing to lock myself away, so I'm afraid I do not know what is happening!
Leo: It's fine. Me and Sena had to leave in the middle of the prelims, so you're not the only one skipping out.
Ritsu: You weren't even really "skipping out" anyway, Su~chan. You were just resting.
Arashi: That's right. Besides, we're always getting lazy when you need us the most, so we don't have any right to criticize you, Tsukasa-chan. ♪
Leo: Yeah! For all the burdens and worries we put on you, Suo~, we gotta support you all we can now!
Right, Sena? Aren't I toootally right?
Izumi: Huh? Since when was this anybody's fault? Why am I the only one getting heat here?!
Ritsu: Hey, chill out... We're a bunch of miserable losers right now, so let's try to be more low-key instead of screeching about it.
Our fans might get mad and think we don't look sorry at all, you know?
Arashi: And what's wrong with that? What do we even have to be sorry for?
We haven't done anything bad—just lost. Though if betraying our fans' expectations counts as a crime, then I guess I do feel kinda bad about that.
But our appeal is more than just fighting and winning all the time, don't you think?
Ritsu: We didn't even lose in the end, though. Crazy:B completely flipped the table over at the very last second... and by pure coincidence, that helped us out.
Tsukasa: What do you mean by that...?
Ritsu: Hehe. Full of questions this time around, aren't you, Su~chan? ♪
Arashi: Oh, but I think it's a good thing to speak up and ask if you're confused, though?
People who act like they already know everything are really just acting; they'll eventually embarrass themselves when everybody finds out how little they actually know.
Ritsu: That's true. Ask a question, and you'll look stupid for a second; don't ask, and you'll be stupid forever.
Izumi: So, anyway. Just now, at the very moment the SS prelims ended... a shocking truth came to light, apparently.
Leo: Yeah! ♪ We heard the news, like, right after we landed! We were amazed!
It was nuts! Who woulda thought the grand prize winners of the SS prelims in Kansai would be—
Tsukasa: —Crazy:B, yes?
I have only heard bits and pieces, but supposedly, after they drained us of our large stores of SSL$, they went around attacking other units to get more money.
Ritsu: Yeah, they went completely berserk... They were going so hard, it almost felt like they were trying to monopolize most of the SSL$ floating around Kansai.
Arashi: Yeah... We managed to save up some SSL$ for ourselves at the theater, but it's like a drop in the bucket compared to what they have.
Tsukasa: Ngh... I do apologize for burdening you... I feel terrible that I could not be of more help.
Arashi: Oh, it's okay. Nothing wrong with resting when you're tired. ♪
Ritsu: That's right. None of us are fighting all alone, after all.
Izumi: Doesn't it feel like the Japan Trio got really close while we weren't looking...?
Leo: Wahaha! ☆ Not like we have any right to complain if they did!
Either way! You might think the problem is that our dark horse unit Crazy:B shot down the powerful Knights and won the qualifiers—but you'd be wrong!
The big issue is that there's a whole TON of grand prize winners!
Tsukasa: ? Could you, perhaps... elaborate...?
Leo: I'm sayin'. Usually it's one unit that gets first place in each region, or at most two or three, right?
But not in Kansai! Here, every single ES idol sent to Kansai AND every single local idol all got first place at once!
That includes us Knights too, of course! We didn't lose a thing!
Tsukasa: Pardon...?
Kohaku: Heh, after we stocked up a whole buncha SSL$...
We went 'round handin' out cash to other units to tweak everybody's final totals...
...so every last unit would end up with the exact same amount of SSL$ in the end.
Nobody said we couldn't just give out cash to whoever we wanted.
And as a result, right at the second the prelims ended, every unit rang up with the same amount of SSL$.
And ya know the general rule: only the unit that ends up with the most SSL$ can go on to the finals.
But see here in Kansai, everybody's got the most SSL$. That means we all win.
I reckon the committee—or ES, more like—didn't want anybody other than Knights to win, so they didn't bother to set a limit on how many winning units there can actually be.
The only thing they made clear in the rules was "whoever had the most SSL$ will win", an' thanks to that oversight, we've now got the unprecedented situation of everybody bein' a winner.
Tsukasa: H-Huh... I did not realize it had all ended up so... surreal.
Kohaku: Fact is stranger'n fiction, and reality's wilder'n the wildest tall tales.
Isn't it just hilarious—ES tried to control every last little thing, and Rinne-han's made idiots outta the lot of 'em.
Flipped ES's plans right on their head. I'm feelin' happier'n a clam at high tide, lemme tell ya ♪
Tsukasa: Yes, but... While I do feel somewhat relieved, will everything be alright?
This means that every unit in Kansai will be moving on to the finals, even though only one or two will come from each of the other regions, correct?
While it is yet to be revealed on which rules the SS finals will be conducted, would this even constitute a proper competition?
Kohaku: Don't think so. The whole premise was busted from the start.
I bet ES are runnin' 'round like the world's gone upside down right about now—serves 'em right, though. ♪
Tsukasa: Kohakun! It is uncivilized to sneer at another's misfortune!
Kohaku: Gimme a pass for that, will ya, Nii-han—I never did learn proper manners.
---
< Epilogue 6 || Masterlist || Epilogue 8 >
