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shivalriesSeason: Spring, one year ago
---
Location: Checkmate Stage
Izumi: Why... would you? I don't understand, Leo-kun.
(I'm not someone who deserves anyone's complete devotion and affirmation like that.)
(I'm too proud, too full of complaints, and I'm not a genius like you.)
(But despite that, I still want to be acknowledged by everyone... I just want to hear them all praise me and tell me I'm the most beautiful person in the world. That's all I am—plain and boring.)
(But... with this guy on my side, could I actually make that wish come true?)
(If I just stop caring and wring him for all he's worth like all the others did... and get him to serve me with all that he has...)
(Then... no dream would be beyond my reach. Leo-kun's genius is just extraordinary, after all.)
Leo: What's the holdup, Sena? I'm all ears~ Go on, indulge your every desire!
Izumi: ...Nothing, my mind's just trying to catch up after you threw all that cryptic stuff at me.
You said it first, but why don't we quit chatting and start singing?
It's beyond stupid to start thinking about the future if you can't give your best for the performance in the present. We can leave the plans for later, alright?
You too, Naru-kun and Kuma-kun... Don't run off just yet. We're all here together right now, so let's do this.
I know we're pretty much going into this cold, but this guy's pieces are on a whole other level.
Give yourself to the music, and you'll find yourself entranced. Just trust me on this and follow along.
Arashi: Mrmm... Well, alright. I'll stick around for you.
I can go to the beauty salon anytime, but I get the sense that if I miss out on that face you have right now, I won't ever get to see it again.
Izumi: Huh? What kind of face am I making?
Arashi: Ahaha! You don't know that, and you call yourself a model? Why, you look just like a pure and innocent maiden who's just been proposed to by the one she admires!
Ooo, you make me so jealous. Where's my fairytale romance?
♪~♪~♪
Izumi: ...Well, as long as you're motivated, I guess.
Come on, Kuma-kun, you too. Join us. If there's anything you're unsure about, don't worry. I can walk you through it.
Ritsu: Don't treat me like a little kid, okay? We're the same age... Probably, anyway.
I'll do what I owe you, but don't expect anything more.
It did make me kinda happy to learn that you asked me to help because I'm me, and not just 'cause I'm "Rei Sakuma's little brother", but...
For the most part, I try not to get too friendly with anybody.
Izumi: Well, that makes two of us. I don't like getting up close and personal, either.
...Wait a sec. Hey, that "Ma~kun" guy's in the audience—you see him? Bet he came here to support you.
Ritsu: Huh? Whoa, for real! What's he doing here?
Oh noooo, if Ma~kun's looking, there's no way I can slack off! Ma~kun, make sure to burn my valiant figure into your mind...☆
Did you see that? Ma~kun waved at me! He's sooo cute ♪
Izumi: Where'd all that energy suddenly come from? Whatever, as long as you're giving it your all then that works for me.
I have to pull my weight too, for how much I talk big. I've gotta perform as perfectly as always, with everything I've got...
I need to be so bold and so majestic that no one can ever mock me.
If I—if we—could get the recognition we deserve for this...
Then there's nothing else I could really ask for. Simple things like that can be hard to come by in this world.
Not to mention, I'm surrounded by idiots. I've gotta stay on top of everything, down to the last detail — I can't lose this place I've found for myself.
...Ugh, it's all so tooootally annoying.
Izumi: ♪~♪~♪
Eichi: (Heh. How wonderful to see you all so happy. Well, better enjoy it while it lasts.)
(For today you have reached your zenith, and naught but a path of decline awaits you.)
(You owe your votes and your steady progress to the audience members who come from outside the school to watch.)
(To a fair and unbiased eye, you all are a cut above the rest.)
(This has allowed you to garner votes and continue your string of victories.)
(But from now on, the DreamFes system will be in full swing. Virtually all performances will be limited to the bounds of the school, and the bulk of the audience will instead be made up of fellow students.)
(Can you guess what that means for you?)
(You've driven many of your former allies to defeat—those who, in fact, are the students around you.)
(You've earned yourselves a considerable amount of resentment, which in turn will have a direct negative effect on your votes.)
(Only shounen manga characters have the grace to show sincere respect to an opponent who defeats them.)
(In reality, most would harbor unjustified resentment, which grows into warped biases, then into a desire to bring down those who humiliated them in any way they can.)
(No matter how great Tsukinaga-kun's genius may be, or how wondrous his songs...)
(And no matter how diligent your efforts, or how magnificent your performances...)
(Eventually, you'll see your results dwindle. Every successive victory will have you flooded with fresh hatred, until you are surrounded by enemies on all sides, with no votes to your name.)
(Only with a miracle could you hope to break this vicious cycle.)
(I'll be watching with fascination from my front-row seat to see if you can pull that off. I do hope you'll give it your very best.)
(As for me, I'll be achieving my own dreams—even if I need a miracle to do it.)
♪~♪~♪
---
< A Solitary Throne Chapter 8 || Masterlist || Epilogue 1 >
---
Location: Checkmate Stage
Izumi: Why... would you? I don't understand, Leo-kun.
(I'm not someone who deserves anyone's complete devotion and affirmation like that.)
(I'm too proud, too full of complaints, and I'm not a genius like you.)
(But despite that, I still want to be acknowledged by everyone... I just want to hear them all praise me and tell me I'm the most beautiful person in the world. That's all I am—plain and boring.)
(But... with this guy on my side, could I actually make that wish come true?)
(If I just stop caring and wring him for all he's worth like all the others did... and get him to serve me with all that he has...)
(Then... no dream would be beyond my reach. Leo-kun's genius is just extraordinary, after all.)
Leo: What's the holdup, Sena? I'm all ears~ Go on, indulge your every desire!
Izumi: ...Nothing, my mind's just trying to catch up after you threw all that cryptic stuff at me.
You said it first, but why don't we quit chatting and start singing?
It's beyond stupid to start thinking about the future if you can't give your best for the performance in the present. We can leave the plans for later, alright?
You too, Naru-kun and Kuma-kun... Don't run off just yet. We're all here together right now, so let's do this.
I know we're pretty much going into this cold, but this guy's pieces are on a whole other level.
Give yourself to the music, and you'll find yourself entranced. Just trust me on this and follow along.
Arashi: Mrmm... Well, alright. I'll stick around for you.
I can go to the beauty salon anytime, but I get the sense that if I miss out on that face you have right now, I won't ever get to see it again.
Izumi: Huh? What kind of face am I making?
Arashi: Ahaha! You don't know that, and you call yourself a model? Why, you look just like a pure and innocent maiden who's just been proposed to by the one she admires!
Ooo, you make me so jealous. Where's my fairytale romance?
♪~♪~♪
Izumi: ...Well, as long as you're motivated, I guess.
Come on, Kuma-kun, you too. Join us. If there's anything you're unsure about, don't worry. I can walk you through it.
Ritsu: Don't treat me like a little kid, okay? We're the same age... Probably, anyway.
I'll do what I owe you, but don't expect anything more.
It did make me kinda happy to learn that you asked me to help because I'm me, and not just 'cause I'm "Rei Sakuma's little brother", but...
For the most part, I try not to get too friendly with anybody.
Izumi: Well, that makes two of us. I don't like getting up close and personal, either.
...Wait a sec. Hey, that "Ma~kun" guy's in the audience—you see him? Bet he came here to support you.
Ritsu: Huh? Whoa, for real! What's he doing here?
Oh noooo, if Ma~kun's looking, there's no way I can slack off! Ma~kun, make sure to burn my valiant figure into your mind...☆
Did you see that? Ma~kun waved at me! He's sooo cute ♪
Izumi: Where'd all that energy suddenly come from? Whatever, as long as you're giving it your all then that works for me.
I have to pull my weight too, for how much I talk big. I've gotta perform as perfectly as always, with everything I've got...
I need to be so bold and so majestic that no one can ever mock me.
If I—if we—could get the recognition we deserve for this...
Then there's nothing else I could really ask for. Simple things like that can be hard to come by in this world.
Not to mention, I'm surrounded by idiots. I've gotta stay on top of everything, down to the last detail — I can't lose this place I've found for myself.
...Ugh, it's all so tooootally annoying.
Izumi: ♪~♪~♪
Eichi: (Heh. How wonderful to see you all so happy. Well, better enjoy it while it lasts.)
(For today you have reached your zenith, and naught but a path of decline awaits you.)
(You owe your votes and your steady progress to the audience members who come from outside the school to watch.)
(To a fair and unbiased eye, you all are a cut above the rest.)
(This has allowed you to garner votes and continue your string of victories.)
(But from now on, the DreamFes system will be in full swing. Virtually all performances will be limited to the bounds of the school, and the bulk of the audience will instead be made up of fellow students.)
(Can you guess what that means for you?)
(You've driven many of your former allies to defeat—those who, in fact, are the students around you.)
(You've earned yourselves a considerable amount of resentment, which in turn will have a direct negative effect on your votes.)
(Only shounen manga characters have the grace to show sincere respect to an opponent who defeats them.)
(In reality, most would harbor unjustified resentment, which grows into warped biases, then into a desire to bring down those who humiliated them in any way they can.)
(No matter how great Tsukinaga-kun's genius may be, or how wondrous his songs...)
(And no matter how diligent your efforts, or how magnificent your performances...)
(Eventually, you'll see your results dwindle. Every successive victory will have you flooded with fresh hatred, until you are surrounded by enemies on all sides, with no votes to your name.)
(Only with a miracle could you hope to break this vicious cycle.)
(I'll be watching with fascination from my front-row seat to see if you can pull that off. I do hope you'll give it your very best.)
(As for me, I'll be achieving my own dreams—even if I need a miracle to do it.)
♪~♪~♪
---
< A Solitary Throne Chapter 8 || Masterlist || Epilogue 1 >
