first 🎭 video;

[wildscreen]

[Here's a friendly-looking girl in the botanical garden in Blossomcrown. She's sitting at a table outside of the flower shop.]

Hello, everyone. I'm Nana, and I've just arrived here. The city is beautiful - almost reminds me of springtime back at home.

I'm just wondering if anyone else from Seisho Music Academy is here? If so, we should meet up. I'll make a batch of banana muffins for you.

- and I guess that offer's open to anyone? I love to bake and I'm happy to make things for other people.

[A flicker of emotion comes over her face, almost sad, but it's gone as soon as it appeared.]

I'm looking forward to meeting everyone.

Comments

[takehold]

[ Junna stiffens in a brief moment of surprise and then slumps forward to return the hug, burying her face into the taller girl's shoulder. ]

There's nothing to apologize for. We were on stage.

[ She takes a breath, and despite her words she can feel emotions welling up inside her. ]

I think I really needed to hear that, to know how to move forward.

[wildscreen]

[That just means Nana's going to hug a little tighter.]

...still. I went too far, on that stage. I can see that now.

You were always brilliant.

[takehold]

[ Junna squeezes in return. She's not going to let go anytime soon--especially because it's the first time seeing Nana face-to-face since high school graduation. Junna had promised herself she'd keep it together that day, and instead she'd blubbered almost as much as Karen, when it came down to it. ]

You helped give me the push I needed to realize my brilliance. So... if you do need to apologize, then I forgive you.

[ Another squeeze. ]

I was kind of scared this was the start of another Revue. My uniform was with me when I got here. And the sword. It feels like a relief that it isn't that, but this is so much stranger.

[ She seems to realize they've been hugging in public for a long few moments and finally steps back, reaches up to brush at the corners of her eyes and adjust her glasses. Pull yourself together, Junna! ]

[wildscreen]

Thank you, Junna-chan. From the bottom of my heart.

[Nana will also let go, wiping at her eyes a little bit.]

I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't afraid of the same thing. My uniform and swords were with me, too. I felt...is it odd to say I was resigned to it? It's definitely a relief that it isn't that.

[takehold]

I know what you mean. It just... I thought it would be finished now that we were out of high school. And for a moment I thought maybe we'd have to do it all again.

[ She rubs at one temple, eyes closing in thought. ]

This seems to be an entirely different fantastical experience.

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than is dream't of in your philosophy," William Shakespeare has the right idea again.

[wildscreen]

I thought it was finished, too. I hope we're both right about that. I don't -

[she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.]

- I don't want us to go through it again.

[She'll gently chuckle at the quote.]

Mm. Shakespeare does have the right idea.

[takehold]

Nor do I.

[ Junna says firmly. ]

I guess the question is... what do we do now?

[ There's a pause. One of her hands lingers, hooks her fingers into Nana's in a light touch. Not quite holding hands, but wanting to touch. To be reassured. ]

This is stranger than the Revues, even. It's a whole other world.

[ A pause, then she mutters: ]

Like we're in a bad light novel or something...