Euthanasia - Prologue
Mar. 12th, 2021 10:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesCW: Murder with swords
(You know, the usual Knights kind.)
Season: Autumn
---
[Underground Livehouse]
(A nightmare, or perhaps a memory)
Ritsu: ♪~♪~♪
(Ahhh... This dream again.)
Leo & Tsukasa: ~...♪
Izumi & Arashi: ♪~...♪
Ritsu: (Our final performance from back when all five of us could be together—no, from when it was only us five. The ceremony in which the new King of Knights is crowned: the Coronation.)
(We really went all out that time. Even rented a whole castle-like venue in Florence.)
(We were totally set on using up all the extra funds we had, inviting tons of fans from within the country.)
(In a soft and comforting world of just us and the fans we adore... In a world overflowing with love, we sang and danced from dawn till dusk.)
(It didn't feel real—it was like living in a dream.)
(But still... Maybe it's because we don't have the time to kick back and reminiscence about happy memories right now, or maybe my brain's just having a day off right now...)
(But the details of this scene are so fuzzy. Once glance is enough to tell me it's a dream.)
(At least while I'm asleep, I wanna relax and not have to think about complicated things.)
(I just wanna drift without a care in the world, like a baby sleeping in the womb.)
Leo: Hey Suo~, what do you think a King needs most?
Tsukasa: Huh? A-Are you talking to me?!
Leo: What other Suo~ is there?! Look, I'm not Joan of Arc!
I can't tell if you're a fake or not with a glance, so if you're the real Suo~ just say "I'm Suo~", 'kay? [1]
Tsukasa: What I wanted to say was that I would prefer my seniors to amend their terrible habit of starting up conversations in the middle of a song—
Leo: Aw whatever, who cares! I'll act however I like, 'cause very soon I won't have the King's burdens on my shoulders anymore!
At the very least, I won't be bound by anything other than the laws we already have to follow! Wahaha! ☆
I'm not honest and obedient enough to follow some silent understanding decided by who-knows-who! Dunno about you, though!
Tsukasa: Indeed. I always end up thinking that following such things to the letter can uphold order.
Perhaps my ill-mannered seniors would scold me for acting like such a good little child.
Leo: Wahaha! So you're insulting us while pretending to make some fancy apology!
Yeah, nice! Bring it! If there's anybody who rubs you the wrong way, send 'em to a public execution! The King has that right!
And so! Now that I'm passing on both the crown and the authority that comes with it, this is exactly the time to ask you something.
As King, my final responsibility will be to ask, and as King, your very first job will be to answer!
Now, my question! What sort of King do you wish to become?
Tsukasa: That's a different question from before!!
Leo: Details, details! Just play it by ear!
Tsukasa: Ah yes, "play it by ear"! A phrase beloved by those who force inconveniences onto others!
And one who selfishly pushes burdens onto others and frolics about as they please is no King, but a child!
Leo: Wahaha! That's just feudalism!
If you don't like it, then reform Knights with your own two hands!
Ritsu: (That's right... That's how it went. I guess Tsukipi~ and Su~chan were too riled up or something, because they started provoking each other in the middle of a song...)
(Hmm, and how did Su~chan answer?)
(And how did me, Secchan, and Nacchan react?)
(I feel like it was really important, but I just can't pull out the memory—)
Tsukasa: Well then, as you wish!
Ritsu: (Oh yeah, this was where Su~chan took out his finely sharpened sword...)
(Wait, what? Is that really how it went?)
Tsukasa: All those who dare to oppose me, the king, shall face execution—even if they were once the king themselves! Lament your foolishness in Hell, my seniors!
Leo: Whoooooa?!
Arashi: Wh—What are you doing, Tsukasa-chan?!
Izumi: Ooo, very interesting. You really think a baby like you can go around disobeying his seniors? Come on, Kuma-kun, Naru-kun—let's put this shitty little brat in his place. ♪
And if nobody else does it, then I'll just have to—
Ritsu: (Right, right, that's when Su~chan's sudden savagery got us worked up, and we pulled out our swords one after another... Then we stabbed each other with the blades and turned the whole place into a sea of blood! Total chaos!)
(Friends and fans alike were annihilated, drawing the history of Knights to an unfortunate close—)
(—Wait, back up. It couldn't have gotten this wild. I mean, this is pretty weird even for a dream.)
(I can't do anything about the present or the future all by myself, but I at least want my happy memories to stay happy...)
[Studio]
(Early October, back in the terrible reality)
Ritsu: ...Gh...!
Arashi: Waugh?! Please don't get up so suddenly, Ritsu-chan! Oh god, you're all sweaty—what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?
Ritsu: Yeah... And what I woke up to isn't much better.
Arashi: Huh? You looked like you weren't sleeping well, so I let you lie on my lap, but was that a bad choice?
I get it! I mean, I've gotten a bit bulkier lately so it was probably all hard and uncomfortable...
Ritsu: I've never had a single complaint about you since the moment we met, Nacchan.
Arashi: Oh, my. ♪ Are you still feeling a little drowsy? You're being so nice to me.
Ritsu: Well yeah, I guess it was a bit much to say I've never had any complaints, but... What I'm really annoyed about is whatever's going on right here, right now.
Izumi: Like I said! Don't make any impulsive decisions without talking to us first!
You're just gonna end up fodder for guys way more cunning than you out there, Kasa-kun! Why can't you get that through your thick skull?!
Tsukasa: W-What about you?! You stole Leo-san and ran off without a word, so I do believe you have no right to criticize me!
Izumi: Huuuuuh?! Talking back now, are we? What's got you acting all high and mighty, huh? It's my possessions we're talking about, and I can do whatever I want with them!
Leo: Wahaha! "Stole"? "Possessions"? Well, that's mean! Didn't your Mamas and Papas teach you not to treat people like things?!
Izumi: Don't talk about my parents that way...!
Tsukasa: While I do agree with that, Sena-senpai, I firmly reject every other one of your points!
Arashi: ...It's been a few hours, and I'm surprised you two haven't yelled yourselves hoarse yet. This is the most pointless way to waste your idol skills that I've ever seen.
Ritsu: Feels like you're just throwing our time out the window too.
I wish you'd at least keep your voices down so I can sleep. You're all just thinking of yourselves, like always—
Even a nightmare's way better than having to deal with this ugly mess.
---
[1] Joan of Arc, famous for her visions of God, also apparently had the ability to see true identities. Interestingly, this includes a king (excerpt from here, thank you Lee for finding this!):
" At Chinon, when brought into the presence of the King, Jeanne had no difficulty in picking him out from the three hundred courtiers amidst whom he was concealed.
'When I entered into the chamber of the King,' said she, 'I recognized him among the others on account of my Voices, which revealed him to me.' "
---
Masterlist || Another Sleepless Night Chapter 1 >
(You know, the usual Knights kind.)
Season: Autumn
---
[Underground Livehouse]
(A nightmare, or perhaps a memory)
Ritsu: ♪~♪~♪
(Ahhh... This dream again.)
Leo & Tsukasa: ~...♪
Izumi & Arashi: ♪~...♪
Ritsu: (Our final performance from back when all five of us could be together—no, from when it was only us five. The ceremony in which the new King of Knights is crowned: the Coronation.)
(We really went all out that time. Even rented a whole castle-like venue in Florence.)
(We were totally set on using up all the extra funds we had, inviting tons of fans from within the country.)
(In a soft and comforting world of just us and the fans we adore... In a world overflowing with love, we sang and danced from dawn till dusk.)
(It didn't feel real—it was like living in a dream.)
(But still... Maybe it's because we don't have the time to kick back and reminiscence about happy memories right now, or maybe my brain's just having a day off right now...)
(But the details of this scene are so fuzzy. Once glance is enough to tell me it's a dream.)
(At least while I'm asleep, I wanna relax and not have to think about complicated things.)
(I just wanna drift without a care in the world, like a baby sleeping in the womb.)
Leo: Hey Suo~, what do you think a King needs most?
Tsukasa: Huh? A-Are you talking to me?!
Leo: What other Suo~ is there?! Look, I'm not Joan of Arc!
I can't tell if you're a fake or not with a glance, so if you're the real Suo~ just say "I'm Suo~", 'kay? [1]
Tsukasa: What I wanted to say was that I would prefer my seniors to amend their terrible habit of starting up conversations in the middle of a song—
Leo: Aw whatever, who cares! I'll act however I like, 'cause very soon I won't have the King's burdens on my shoulders anymore!
At the very least, I won't be bound by anything other than the laws we already have to follow! Wahaha! ☆
I'm not honest and obedient enough to follow some silent understanding decided by who-knows-who! Dunno about you, though!
Tsukasa: Indeed. I always end up thinking that following such things to the letter can uphold order.
Perhaps my ill-mannered seniors would scold me for acting like such a good little child.
Leo: Wahaha! So you're insulting us while pretending to make some fancy apology!
Yeah, nice! Bring it! If there's anybody who rubs you the wrong way, send 'em to a public execution! The King has that right!
And so! Now that I'm passing on both the crown and the authority that comes with it, this is exactly the time to ask you something.
As King, my final responsibility will be to ask, and as King, your very first job will be to answer!
Now, my question! What sort of King do you wish to become?
Tsukasa: That's a different question from before!!
Leo: Details, details! Just play it by ear!
Tsukasa: Ah yes, "play it by ear"! A phrase beloved by those who force inconveniences onto others!
And one who selfishly pushes burdens onto others and frolics about as they please is no King, but a child!
Leo: Wahaha! That's just feudalism!
If you don't like it, then reform Knights with your own two hands!
Ritsu: (That's right... That's how it went. I guess Tsukipi~ and Su~chan were too riled up or something, because they started provoking each other in the middle of a song...)
(Hmm, and how did Su~chan answer?)
(And how did me, Secchan, and Nacchan react?)
(I feel like it was really important, but I just can't pull out the memory—)
Tsukasa: Well then, as you wish!
Ritsu: (Oh yeah, this was where Su~chan took out his finely sharpened sword...)
(Wait, what? Is that really how it went?)
Tsukasa: All those who dare to oppose me, the king, shall face execution—even if they were once the king themselves! Lament your foolishness in Hell, my seniors!
Leo: Whoooooa?!
Arashi: Wh—What are you doing, Tsukasa-chan?!
Izumi: Ooo, very interesting. You really think a baby like you can go around disobeying his seniors? Come on, Kuma-kun, Naru-kun—let's put this shitty little brat in his place. ♪
And if nobody else does it, then I'll just have to—
Ritsu: (Right, right, that's when Su~chan's sudden savagery got us worked up, and we pulled out our swords one after another... Then we stabbed each other with the blades and turned the whole place into a sea of blood! Total chaos!)
(Friends and fans alike were annihilated, drawing the history of Knights to an unfortunate close—)
(—Wait, back up. It couldn't have gotten this wild. I mean, this is pretty weird even for a dream.)
(I can't do anything about the present or the future all by myself, but I at least want my happy memories to stay happy...)
[Studio]
(Early October, back in the terrible reality)
Ritsu: ...Gh...!
Arashi: Waugh?! Please don't get up so suddenly, Ritsu-chan! Oh god, you're all sweaty—what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?
Ritsu: Yeah... And what I woke up to isn't much better.
Arashi: Huh? You looked like you weren't sleeping well, so I let you lie on my lap, but was that a bad choice?
I get it! I mean, I've gotten a bit bulkier lately so it was probably all hard and uncomfortable...
Ritsu: I've never had a single complaint about you since the moment we met, Nacchan.
Arashi: Oh, my. ♪ Are you still feeling a little drowsy? You're being so nice to me.
Ritsu: Well yeah, I guess it was a bit much to say I've never had any complaints, but... What I'm really annoyed about is whatever's going on right here, right now.
Izumi: Like I said! Don't make any impulsive decisions without talking to us first!
You're just gonna end up fodder for guys way more cunning than you out there, Kasa-kun! Why can't you get that through your thick skull?!
Tsukasa: W-What about you?! You stole Leo-san and ran off without a word, so I do believe you have no right to criticize me!
Izumi: Huuuuuh?! Talking back now, are we? What's got you acting all high and mighty, huh? It's my possessions we're talking about, and I can do whatever I want with them!
Leo: Wahaha! "Stole"? "Possessions"? Well, that's mean! Didn't your Mamas and Papas teach you not to treat people like things?!
Izumi: Don't talk about my parents that way...!
Tsukasa: While I do agree with that, Sena-senpai, I firmly reject every other one of your points!
Arashi: ...It's been a few hours, and I'm surprised you two haven't yelled yourselves hoarse yet. This is the most pointless way to waste your idol skills that I've ever seen.
Ritsu: Feels like you're just throwing our time out the window too.
I wish you'd at least keep your voices down so I can sleep. You're all just thinking of yourselves, like always—
Even a nightmare's way better than having to deal with this ugly mess.
---
[1] Joan of Arc, famous for her visions of God, also apparently had the ability to see true identities. Interestingly, this includes a king (excerpt from here, thank you Lee for finding this!):
" At Chinon, when brought into the presence of the King, Jeanne had no difficulty in picking him out from the three hundred courtiers amidst whom he was concealed.
'When I entered into the chamber of the King,' said she, 'I recognized him among the others on account of my Voices, which revealed him to me.' "
---
Masterlist || Another Sleepless Night Chapter 1 >
