Rebellion - The Thorny Path Chapter 1
Sep. 26th, 2021 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Summer
---
Location: Soundproof Practice Room
Tsukasa: One more time, if you would, Onee-sama. ♪
One... Two...♪ One, two. ♪
Then, a turn! ♪
...Hm. Well, that should be all of the choreography for now. It will be some time before my body learns it completely, but I believe I've gotten it down for the most part. ♪
But goodness gracious. Leader has proved quite the headache. He went and declared we cannot use any of the songs and performances created by him...
And we had no say in it at all.
Well, I suppose he does have good reason: he holds the rights to those assets, after all.
If we were to use them without Leader's permission, we would even be breaking the law.
But what's troublesome is that all of Knights' existing songs were composed by Leader... What a surprise I got when I looked them up.
Not only are Leader's songs incredibly polished, there is an incredible number of them... It seems Knights has been relying on them greatly for all this time.
Each of these soulful masterpieces is tailor-made for us Knights...
These we have dubbed our "weapons", provided to us by Leader to support our battlefront.
Now, this only became clear after I did some research, but... apparently Leader has a much greater reputation as a composer than as an idol.
From refined and technical numbers, to the pop songs you hear around town... Leader's music is far more renowned than I ever imagined.
But for some reason, Leader tends to work under a slew of bizarre pseudonyms, such as "Composer Phantom X"... As a result, I'd never truly noticed any of this. [1]
Why not use his real name? He has so much to be proud of.
The royalties he earns for his music alone could keep him fed for the rest of his life, I'd wager.
All this and yet, he is not much older than myself. It is no simple feat.
In spite of that, he looks and behaves like a beggar roaming the streets... Er, pardon my words. Perhaps I should say he has an artistic disposition.
He seems quite unconcerned about it, though. He does not yearn for honor or wealth, which leaves a positive impression on others.
However, it does anger me a little... Honor and wealth are what my family has always valued, and it feels like he's making light of them.
At first glance, he seems like an eccentric with nothing to his name, and yet he possesses everything I do not... What a truly baffling person.
I simply cannot comprehend him at all, but...
I want to. Knights is Leader himself... And I have realized that I am nothing but a "Newbie".
However, I, too, am a member of Knights. I may be lacking in skill and experience, but I am still part of it.
That's why I'm doing all I can to learn, in the hopes of claiming victory upon the stage of this... adjudicative event—er, in "Judgment".
I have no desire to be removed from Knights like an unwanted blemish.
The reason I joined Knights is because I admire them. I loved watching everyone singing Leader's songs to their hearts' content.
And it feels like I was just reminded of that. I feel lighter somehow, Onee-sama.
...Onee-sama, what is that smile on your face? Have I said something strange?
How boyish, you say? But of course—I was born a man of the Suou family.
My parents and the like have always scolded me to behave in a more gallant, heroic manner, however.
Oh, that isn't what you meant? Then what did you mean? Hmmm...
You say such difficult things, Onee-sama. But I get the sense it was a compliment, so I do feel a tad embarrassed. ♪
Let me say this, though—my opinion of Leader has not changed, nor am I praising him.
It irritates me that he throws himself into his composing and leaves his idol work out to dry.
But I felt it might be too hasty, or perhaps not very wise to judge him on one aspect alone.
Goodness. My apologies, Onee-sama—I will turn my focus back to practice. ♪
Hop, Step... Jump. ♪
Hm. School-issued songs are, as expected, quite easy to learn.
Perhaps it is because they are geared toward beginners, as they are used often in classes.
Heh, we have you to thank for taking care of the paperwork so that we may use this music. I will certainly not put that to waste.
As these songs are ubiquitous and often circulate through the school...
By nature, they will be very familiar to the ears of students, who will make up a large part of the audience.
They are profound precisely because they are simple.
We must refine them with our own unique arrangement, so that we can enrapture all who see our performance. ♪
Still... We have no choice but to fight with these commonplace "weapons".
Our inability to use Leader's songs is still quite the obstacle.
However, what weapon you use is not as important as how you use it.
No matter how fearsome Leader's arsenal is, we still have the skills we have built up. We have experience—we have willpower.
While our king has roamed aimlessly like a wandering nomad...
We have weathered numerous battles, strengthening our bonds and spirits in the process. And we will show that arrogant snob just how powerful we have become.
We cannot lose by any means. Onee-sama, it may be more work for you, but I do hope you'll be by our side...
Our king may have returned, but the only queen I serve is you.
I would not deign to act disgraceful before you. This feeling is what allows me to remain resolute.
No matter what enemy stands in my way, I can find the power I need to defeat them.
Would it be alright to think this way...?
At the very least, I will not waste the weapons you have gathered for us... As your loyal knight, I shall return to you with a splendid victory as my gift.
---
[1] According to the Ensemble Stars! Official Works Vol. 1, "Composer Phantom X" was inspired by the painter Hokusai's pseudonym 画狂老人卍 "The Old Man Crazy For Art (+ manji symbol)".↑
---
< The King's New Clothes Chapter 5 || Masterlist || The Thorny Path Chapter 2 >
---
Location: Soundproof Practice Room
Tsukasa: One more time, if you would, Onee-sama. ♪
One... Two...♪ One, two. ♪
Then, a turn! ♪
...Hm. Well, that should be all of the choreography for now. It will be some time before my body learns it completely, but I believe I've gotten it down for the most part. ♪
But goodness gracious. Leader has proved quite the headache. He went and declared we cannot use any of the songs and performances created by him...
And we had no say in it at all.
Well, I suppose he does have good reason: he holds the rights to those assets, after all.
If we were to use them without Leader's permission, we would even be breaking the law.
But what's troublesome is that all of Knights' existing songs were composed by Leader... What a surprise I got when I looked them up.
Not only are Leader's songs incredibly polished, there is an incredible number of them... It seems Knights has been relying on them greatly for all this time.
Each of these soulful masterpieces is tailor-made for us Knights...
These we have dubbed our "weapons", provided to us by Leader to support our battlefront.
Now, this only became clear after I did some research, but... apparently Leader has a much greater reputation as a composer than as an idol.
From refined and technical numbers, to the pop songs you hear around town... Leader's music is far more renowned than I ever imagined.
But for some reason, Leader tends to work under a slew of bizarre pseudonyms, such as "Composer Phantom X"... As a result, I'd never truly noticed any of this. [1]
Why not use his real name? He has so much to be proud of.
The royalties he earns for his music alone could keep him fed for the rest of his life, I'd wager.
All this and yet, he is not much older than myself. It is no simple feat.
In spite of that, he looks and behaves like a beggar roaming the streets... Er, pardon my words. Perhaps I should say he has an artistic disposition.
He seems quite unconcerned about it, though. He does not yearn for honor or wealth, which leaves a positive impression on others.
However, it does anger me a little... Honor and wealth are what my family has always valued, and it feels like he's making light of them.
At first glance, he seems like an eccentric with nothing to his name, and yet he possesses everything I do not... What a truly baffling person.
I simply cannot comprehend him at all, but...
I want to. Knights is Leader himself... And I have realized that I am nothing but a "Newbie".
However, I, too, am a member of Knights. I may be lacking in skill and experience, but I am still part of it.
That's why I'm doing all I can to learn, in the hopes of claiming victory upon the stage of this... adjudicative event—er, in "Judgment".
I have no desire to be removed from Knights like an unwanted blemish.
The reason I joined Knights is because I admire them. I loved watching everyone singing Leader's songs to their hearts' content.
And it feels like I was just reminded of that. I feel lighter somehow, Onee-sama.
...Onee-sama, what is that smile on your face? Have I said something strange?
How boyish, you say? But of course—I was born a man of the Suou family.
My parents and the like have always scolded me to behave in a more gallant, heroic manner, however.
Oh, that isn't what you meant? Then what did you mean? Hmmm...
You say such difficult things, Onee-sama. But I get the sense it was a compliment, so I do feel a tad embarrassed. ♪
Let me say this, though—my opinion of Leader has not changed, nor am I praising him.
It irritates me that he throws himself into his composing and leaves his idol work out to dry.
But I felt it might be too hasty, or perhaps not very wise to judge him on one aspect alone.
Goodness. My apologies, Onee-sama—I will turn my focus back to practice. ♪
Hop, Step... Jump. ♪
Hm. School-issued songs are, as expected, quite easy to learn.
Perhaps it is because they are geared toward beginners, as they are used often in classes.
Heh, we have you to thank for taking care of the paperwork so that we may use this music. I will certainly not put that to waste.
As these songs are ubiquitous and often circulate through the school...
By nature, they will be very familiar to the ears of students, who will make up a large part of the audience.
They are profound precisely because they are simple.
We must refine them with our own unique arrangement, so that we can enrapture all who see our performance. ♪
Still... We have no choice but to fight with these commonplace "weapons".
Our inability to use Leader's songs is still quite the obstacle.
However, what weapon you use is not as important as how you use it.
No matter how fearsome Leader's arsenal is, we still have the skills we have built up. We have experience—we have willpower.
While our king has roamed aimlessly like a wandering nomad...
We have weathered numerous battles, strengthening our bonds and spirits in the process. And we will show that arrogant snob just how powerful we have become.
We cannot lose by any means. Onee-sama, it may be more work for you, but I do hope you'll be by our side...
Our king may have returned, but the only queen I serve is you.
I would not deign to act disgraceful before you. This feeling is what allows me to remain resolute.
No matter what enemy stands in my way, I can find the power I need to defeat them.
Would it be alright to think this way...?
At the very least, I will not waste the weapons you have gathered for us... As your loyal knight, I shall return to you with a splendid victory as my gift.
---
[1] According to the Ensemble Stars! Official Works Vol. 1, "Composer Phantom X" was inspired by the painter Hokusai's pseudonym 画狂老人卍 "The Old Man Crazy For Art (+ manji symbol)".↑
---
< The King's New Clothes Chapter 5 || Masterlist || The Thorny Path Chapter 2 >
