Next Door - Closed Circle Chapter 3
Aug. 28th, 2020 06:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Summer
[NewDi Office]
Tsumugi: ...I looked up to agencies like NewDi when I was little.
Though the one my mom managed was just a superficial setup that didn't live up to its name...
The kids who went there were serious about becoming real idols. Their eyes would sparkle.
I want to help make dreams come true for kids like those.
I shared that same dream once too, and I really loved everyone at that place. I can't stand the idea that their sparkling ideals could be exchanged for simple money.
At ES—at NewDi, which I can control by myself to some extent...
I can do something much more meaningful than what my mom did, which was cheating people out of their dreams.
I keep getting the feeling that I can gain happiness while giving others happiness, even if just a little... like in a children's storybook.
So that's why I'm working so hard.
It's looking pretty bleak so far, though~ Reality is cruel.
Leo: ......
Tsumugi: Mnn? W-Why are you hugging me, Tsukinaga-kun?
Leo: Nah, I just wanted to say I totally get it, but the words just didn't come out! Wahaha! I 'annot speak-a da Japaneze!
Tsumugi: What's with the accent all of a sudden? [1]
Leo: Dunno. I know it's no time to mess around, but I just can't stand it when things get so serious and heavy.
But it kinda tugged at my heart, y'know?
I see... So even if you have to push yourself, you still wanna work hard—or actually, you can work this hard because it's for your own dream.
Nobody's forcing you to do it; instead, you're doing it because you want to.
Mama sounds like he's got a similar thing going on— It's rough when onlookers disapprove even though you have your own good reasons.
They'll tell you stuff like, "That's not necessary! Do as we tell you to! Go hide somewhere safe and smile like a little baby!"...
That's how you'd treat a cute little pet, though, right? For a human with a sense of self, it's pretty harsh.
Tsumugi: ? I don't really know what you're talking about, but speaking of which, the appearance of Mikejima-kun—or rather, Double Face—is actually a big help in some ways.
Under the pretense of supporting our new unit, other agencies have gifted NewDi with huge amounts of money.
With this, we can survive for the time being and look for a way to crawl back up.
Leo: Hmm~? Well, I'm sure the other agencies aren't so generous that they'd help us for free, right? Don't you think they'll come and interfere in our domestic affairs now?
Tsumugi: No doubt they will—especially CosPro. They seem to think that NewDi is their puppet, or under their umbrella somehow...
They keep sending over things that look like business schedules like, "This is just a suggestion, but..."
It hasn't even been that long since Double Face debuted. They work so fast.
Leo: Oh yeah, that guy who seems like Mama's companion, Okie-dokie—I mean, Kohaku-kun is originally a CosPro idol, right? [2]
It smelled like a CosPro scheme from the start. Like, this whole current situation might be what they were aiming for.
Tsumugi: Probably. It was particularly striking around MDM, but that agency has a penchant for aiming to come out on top.
Out of all of us, CosPro's the furthest from upholding the ideal of "working together peacefully".
Leo: So that means if they come help us, they have a hidden agenda.
They could just as easily buy our agency and absorb us without being so roundabout, though.
Tsumugi: I don't think that would be a smart choice. Even if you absorb an agency, if it's not achieving results, then frankly, it'll just lead to debt.
If StarPro begins an all-out war with CosPro while it's weak after spending so much money to buy us, then CosPro will lose.
What's more, it would be an even easier job for Rhythm Link, which is bigger than all three of the other agencies combined.
If it chooses to expand and absorb CosPro and NewDi, StarPro won't stand a chance by itself.
Then all will be under Rhythm Link's control.
This is what keeps StarPro and NewDi from staging hostile takeovers as well, though I don't think Eichi-kun would do something so foolish in the first place.
Leo: *Sigh*... Political stuff again? That's all people talk about these days.
Tsumugi: Well, yes. ES operates as an oligarchy between the four agencies, which rests upon a delicate balance.
A weak agency like ours can only read the current trends and find clever ways to work with them.
There's really so much to think about. It feels futile if it's just me working hard by myself to the point of collapse...
So it'd be nice if people got more involved in the political side of things, like the president and Mikejima-kun, but especially Knights—or rather, Suou-kun.
That kid doesn't seem to be interested in looking at the big picture.
Leo: Yeah. Suo~'s not a little brat anymore, so he probably gets what's going on, but he has other things he wants to achieve.
Tsumugi: Yep, and I'm sure the president and Mikejima-kun are the same. It's definitely the best for idols to be able to focus on idol work.
No—ES exists for that very ideal.
The idol utopia, born as the fruit of Eichi's dreams.
It's a shame that my work is so hectic that I can't share in that blessing, but if every other idol gets to shine with all their might, then I'll be satisfied.
For that purpose, I'll work myself to the bone if I have to—no, it would be my pleasure to.
Leo: Mm~, but you're an idol too, Oba-chan. I know I can't say anything 'cause I'm one of the folks who can frolic around thanks to your hard work, but still, you could do with a lil' more—
Tsukasa: Please excuse me.
Ritsu: Bwahaha~ The vampire has come out~! Fear me and run in my wake!
Arashi: Oh, so Leo-kun really is here. I'd thought it was another of Natsume-chan's lies.
Leo: Hm? Wait, what? What's up? Why's the whole gang here?
Tsukasa: ...Ritsu-senpai, Narukami-senpai, seize that cretin.
Arashi: Understood, Your Majesty. ♪ [3]
Ritsu: Aye-aye sir~! C'mon Tsukipi~ How's about havin' some fun in the torture room with lil' old me, eh? ♪
Leo: Eh? Huh? Seriously, what's goin' on? Stop it, Naru! Rittsu! Don't drag me by my arms! Is this the Roswell Incident or something?! [4]
Tsumugi: Uhm... R-Really, what's happening here, Knights?
Tsukasa: Ahh, I apologize for the fuss, Aoba-senpai. I had decided to adopt tougher measures considering the circumstances, though it appears we were too late.
Now that he's passed on the crown, this fool has simply been doing as he pleases—
He's run amok causing worry for us and trouble for everyone else, and I felt a re-education was in order.
Thus, we shall secure, confine, and discipline him.
First, we'll deliver a Hasumi-senpai-style lecture—but we also have plenty of other wonderful tortures waiting for you, Leo-san. Prepare yourself.
Leo: Wh-What? What's happening, Suo~? You look scary...?
---
[1] Leo uses a nondescript foreign accent in his line. This is a little harder to do in English, so with some advice from friends (including a native Italian speaker), I decided to opt for a fake Italian accent since Leo just came back from Florence and all... Fun fact, the "'annot" bit is Tuscan-dialect inspired.
[2] Leo originally calls Kohaku OK Bokujou (OK牧場) which has been localized as "Okie-dokie". OK Bokujou is a gag word popularly used by Japanese comedian Guts Ishimatsu. It doesn't really mean anything specific, though results for OK Corral might come up if you Google it.
[3] This is written the same way as "Ousama", which I've used in previous Knights events for what Knights have traditionally called Leo, and what I rendered as "King" in Requiem. For the purposes of new timeline events (and to avoid confusion), I'll be switching to terms like "King" and "Your Majesty" indefinitely.
[4] The Roswell Incident was a phenomenon in which the discovery of an object (a weather balloon) in the sky sparked a national-scale conspiracy in the US. Conspiracy theorists thought the object to be a UFO and that the government was hiding the truth from the people, but rather than the alien theory remaining a niche idea, it was picked up by mass media and turned into a widespread idea.
It's pretty unclear what this has to do with Knights kidnapping Leo, though it's possible that Leo believes in the Roswell conspiracies (or jokes that he does) and he's equating himself to a conspiracy theorist being abducted and hushed by the government (Knights in this case). Or Knights could be the aliens abducting him, who knows!
---
< Closed Circle Chapter 2 || Masterlist || Closed Circle Chapter 4 >
[NewDi Office]
Tsumugi: ...I looked up to agencies like NewDi when I was little.
Though the one my mom managed was just a superficial setup that didn't live up to its name...
The kids who went there were serious about becoming real idols. Their eyes would sparkle.
I want to help make dreams come true for kids like those.
I shared that same dream once too, and I really loved everyone at that place. I can't stand the idea that their sparkling ideals could be exchanged for simple money.
At ES—at NewDi, which I can control by myself to some extent...
I can do something much more meaningful than what my mom did, which was cheating people out of their dreams.
I keep getting the feeling that I can gain happiness while giving others happiness, even if just a little... like in a children's storybook.
So that's why I'm working so hard.
It's looking pretty bleak so far, though~ Reality is cruel.
Leo: ......
Tsumugi: Mnn? W-Why are you hugging me, Tsukinaga-kun?
Leo: Nah, I just wanted to say I totally get it, but the words just didn't come out! Wahaha! I 'annot speak-a da Japaneze!
Tsumugi: What's with the accent all of a sudden? [1]
Leo: Dunno. I know it's no time to mess around, but I just can't stand it when things get so serious and heavy.
But it kinda tugged at my heart, y'know?
I see... So even if you have to push yourself, you still wanna work hard—or actually, you can work this hard because it's for your own dream.
Nobody's forcing you to do it; instead, you're doing it because you want to.
Mama sounds like he's got a similar thing going on— It's rough when onlookers disapprove even though you have your own good reasons.
They'll tell you stuff like, "That's not necessary! Do as we tell you to! Go hide somewhere safe and smile like a little baby!"...
That's how you'd treat a cute little pet, though, right? For a human with a sense of self, it's pretty harsh.
Tsumugi: ? I don't really know what you're talking about, but speaking of which, the appearance of Mikejima-kun—or rather, Double Face—is actually a big help in some ways.
Under the pretense of supporting our new unit, other agencies have gifted NewDi with huge amounts of money.
With this, we can survive for the time being and look for a way to crawl back up.
Leo: Hmm~? Well, I'm sure the other agencies aren't so generous that they'd help us for free, right? Don't you think they'll come and interfere in our domestic affairs now?
Tsumugi: No doubt they will—especially CosPro. They seem to think that NewDi is their puppet, or under their umbrella somehow...
They keep sending over things that look like business schedules like, "This is just a suggestion, but..."
It hasn't even been that long since Double Face debuted. They work so fast.
Leo: Oh yeah, that guy who seems like Mama's companion, Okie-dokie—I mean, Kohaku-kun is originally a CosPro idol, right? [2]
It smelled like a CosPro scheme from the start. Like, this whole current situation might be what they were aiming for.
Tsumugi: Probably. It was particularly striking around MDM, but that agency has a penchant for aiming to come out on top.
Out of all of us, CosPro's the furthest from upholding the ideal of "working together peacefully".
Leo: So that means if they come help us, they have a hidden agenda.
They could just as easily buy our agency and absorb us without being so roundabout, though.
Tsumugi: I don't think that would be a smart choice. Even if you absorb an agency, if it's not achieving results, then frankly, it'll just lead to debt.
If StarPro begins an all-out war with CosPro while it's weak after spending so much money to buy us, then CosPro will lose.
What's more, it would be an even easier job for Rhythm Link, which is bigger than all three of the other agencies combined.
If it chooses to expand and absorb CosPro and NewDi, StarPro won't stand a chance by itself.
Then all will be under Rhythm Link's control.
This is what keeps StarPro and NewDi from staging hostile takeovers as well, though I don't think Eichi-kun would do something so foolish in the first place.
Leo: *Sigh*... Political stuff again? That's all people talk about these days.
Tsumugi: Well, yes. ES operates as an oligarchy between the four agencies, which rests upon a delicate balance.
A weak agency like ours can only read the current trends and find clever ways to work with them.
There's really so much to think about. It feels futile if it's just me working hard by myself to the point of collapse...
So it'd be nice if people got more involved in the political side of things, like the president and Mikejima-kun, but especially Knights—or rather, Suou-kun.
That kid doesn't seem to be interested in looking at the big picture.
Leo: Yeah. Suo~'s not a little brat anymore, so he probably gets what's going on, but he has other things he wants to achieve.
Tsumugi: Yep, and I'm sure the president and Mikejima-kun are the same. It's definitely the best for idols to be able to focus on idol work.
No—ES exists for that very ideal.
The idol utopia, born as the fruit of Eichi's dreams.
It's a shame that my work is so hectic that I can't share in that blessing, but if every other idol gets to shine with all their might, then I'll be satisfied.
For that purpose, I'll work myself to the bone if I have to—no, it would be my pleasure to.
Leo: Mm~, but you're an idol too, Oba-chan. I know I can't say anything 'cause I'm one of the folks who can frolic around thanks to your hard work, but still, you could do with a lil' more—
Tsukasa: Please excuse me.
Ritsu: Bwahaha~ The vampire has come out~! Fear me and run in my wake!
Arashi: Oh, so Leo-kun really is here. I'd thought it was another of Natsume-chan's lies.
Leo: Hm? Wait, what? What's up? Why's the whole gang here?
Tsukasa: ...Ritsu-senpai, Narukami-senpai, seize that cretin.
Arashi: Understood, Your Majesty. ♪ [3]
Ritsu: Aye-aye sir~! C'mon Tsukipi~ How's about havin' some fun in the torture room with lil' old me, eh? ♪
Leo: Eh? Huh? Seriously, what's goin' on? Stop it, Naru! Rittsu! Don't drag me by my arms! Is this the Roswell Incident or something?! [4]
Tsumugi: Uhm... R-Really, what's happening here, Knights?
Tsukasa: Ahh, I apologize for the fuss, Aoba-senpai. I had decided to adopt tougher measures considering the circumstances, though it appears we were too late.
Now that he's passed on the crown, this fool has simply been doing as he pleases—
He's run amok causing worry for us and trouble for everyone else, and I felt a re-education was in order.
Thus, we shall secure, confine, and discipline him.
First, we'll deliver a Hasumi-senpai-style lecture—but we also have plenty of other wonderful tortures waiting for you, Leo-san. Prepare yourself.
Leo: Wh-What? What's happening, Suo~? You look scary...?
---
[1] Leo uses a nondescript foreign accent in his line. This is a little harder to do in English, so with some advice from friends (including a native Italian speaker), I decided to opt for a fake Italian accent since Leo just came back from Florence and all... Fun fact, the "'annot" bit is Tuscan-dialect inspired.
[2] Leo originally calls Kohaku OK Bokujou (OK牧場) which has been localized as "Okie-dokie". OK Bokujou is a gag word popularly used by Japanese comedian Guts Ishimatsu. It doesn't really mean anything specific, though results for OK Corral might come up if you Google it.
[3] This is written the same way as "Ousama", which I've used in previous Knights events for what Knights have traditionally called Leo, and what I rendered as "King" in Requiem. For the purposes of new timeline events (and to avoid confusion), I'll be switching to terms like "King" and "Your Majesty" indefinitely.
[4] The Roswell Incident was a phenomenon in which the discovery of an object (a weather balloon) in the sky sparked a national-scale conspiracy in the US. Conspiracy theorists thought the object to be a UFO and that the government was hiding the truth from the people, but rather than the alien theory remaining a niche idea, it was picked up by mass media and turned into a widespread idea.
It's pretty unclear what this has to do with Knights kidnapping Leo, though it's possible that Leo believes in the Roswell conspiracies (or jokes that he does) and he's equating himself to a conspiracy theorist being abducted and hushed by the government (Knights in this case). Or Knights could be the aliens abducting him, who knows!
---
< Closed Circle Chapter 2 || Masterlist || Closed Circle Chapter 4 >
