Primary Pairing: AiRina
Words: 655
Rating: G
Time Frame: Sometime during Ai's 1st year of college, Rina's 3rd year of HS
Prompt: Ebullient
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Summary: Ai checks in on Rina's new game
Author's Note: Primary entry for the 4th
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“Rinari!” Ai called as she bounced into the bedroom.
“Ai-san. Welcome.” Rina replied from where she was sitting at her desk.
“Watcha workin’ on?” Ai grabbed the back of Rina’s chair so she could watch from over the top of it. “Oh, making a new game?”
“Mm.” Rina confirmed. “It’s a bullet hell style where you hunt different monsters, like vampires and werewolves and such.”
“Is that the main character?” Ai pointed.
“Mm. She’s a dhampir.”
“So kinda like a half-vampire?”
“Mm.”
“She looks… kinda familiar.”
“I based her off of Ai-san.”
“Ai-san?”
“Mm. She is very ebullient.”
“A bullet?”
Rina shook her head. “Sorry, I meant to say she is very cheerful and full of energy.”
“Ai-san as a genki vampire hunter?”
“Mm.”
“Ai love it. And I can’t wait to…” she cut off as she snorted a little.
“Ai-san?”
Ai started laughing. “I just thought of something, Rinari is making an Ebullient Hell game! Get it?”
“Yes, that was a good pun, Ai-san.”
“Oh! Oh! And bullets are full of kinetic energy, so it could be an Ebullient Bullet Hell!” She continued to laugh heartily.
“Ebullient could also refer to boiling or agitating something.” Rina pointed out. “Although that is a rather archaic definition for an already esoteric word I only recently learned.”
“So would melting silver count as boiling or agitating?”
“Perhaps.”
“And you’d have to melt the silver to make bullets to fight vampires and what not, so now we have an Ebullient Ebullient Bullet Hell!”
“So it would seem.”
Although Rina continued to program away as her girlfriend lost herself to a fit of giggles, she found herself more at ease than before Ai had arrived. She loved listening to Ai’s laughter and knowing she had done something that contributed to her happiness.
“Oh, is that a cave level?” Ai suddenly asked.
“Mm. It’s one of the harder ones.” Rina explained. “You have to use the light from your lantern strategically to reflect off and refract through these crystals to see some enemies and weaken others.” She demonstrated by moving the character back and forth to show how the light moved.
“That’s so cool.” Ai marveled.
“I considered making the different colored crystals different elements.” Rina continued. “Red would probably be fire.”
“Setsu would probably love that.”
“Mm. Purple could be lightning or poison. Green could also be poison, or maybe healing for the player instead. But as a dhampir, you can already heal yourself by drinking blood”
“That sounds like it could get complicated.”
“Mm. That’s why I haven’t implemented it yet. I wanted to ask Ai-san and Setsuna-san their opinion.”
“We’ll have to invite her over soon then.”
Rina nodded in agreement.
“So what other levels have you got?”
“Well, you start in your home village as it is being raided by monsters.” Rina said. “You clear them out and chase the remnants out into the forest. Eventually you make your way into the ruins of an ancient monster city. And there you find the entrance to the cave.”
“So four levels so far.”
“I’d like to eventually have seven.”
“Maybe one could be where you fight a psychic monster inside your own mind?”
“Like a nightmare level?”
“Exactly.”
“I will add that to my notes.”
“Oh, this all sounds so much fun. I really can’t wait to play.”
“The starting level is mostly complete. Would you like to try it?”
“Can Ai?”
“Mm.” Rina tapped a series of keys, causing the screen to change to a top down view of what looked like the player character’s room. She then stood and offered her chair to Ai.
“Controls?” Ai asked as she sat.
“The game will explain them.”
“Awesome.” Ai rubbed her hands in anticipation. “Thanks, Rinari, for letting me test your new game.”
“I am happy you want to play.”
“Of course I wanna play Rinari’s games. They’re always fun.”
And with that, Ai began her playtest.
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Author's Note Continued: The pun was the first thing that came to mind when researching for ideas for the prompt. And puns mean Ai, which worked out well, because as pointed out in the entry itself, Ai herself fits the definition of the prompt.
Then I saw an opportunity to get some more potentially pesky prior prompts out of the way; dhampir and esoteric. And I ended up using a lot more; far more than any other entry in the event.
But at least I got to write some fun AiRina. I do so very much love writing them. And I'm honestly a bit sad that I didn't include them as much as I probably could have this year. Perhaps I will just have to make up for it in some other IFH event.
Primary Pairing/Trio: SetsuAyu/YuuAyuSetsu
Words: 680
Rating: T
Time Frame: Sometime during their 2nd year in HS
Prompt: Forgotten
Content Warning: Major Character Death... sorta...
Reminder: Setsuna wrote a sort of "choose your own adventure" style story where fans got to vote on various aspects between each installment
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Author's Note: Bonus 2nd entry for the 11th.
Also, this chapter was inspired by this lovely work by @myonmukyuu
Summary: Setsuna fails to save Ayumu
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A broken sword clattered to the ground at the base of a ruined wall. A moment later, a battered knight collapsed against loosened stones.
The battle was over. The dragon had been defeated and its keep destroyed.
And yet… it had all been for naught.
The Sun Princess was dead.
Ayumu was…
Setsuna’s vision blurred as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
She had failed her quest. She had failed her childhood friend. She had failed…
“Ayumu…” The name tumbled from her lips as she dug into her pouch.
Setsuna stared at the pendant in her hand. The necklace had been a gift she had given Ayumu years ago and the princess had ended up wearing it every day since. As they grew older, Setsuna had become embarrassed and self-conscious that a lowly knight’s gift to a princess would be so proudly and prominently displayed despite other fancier and more expensive gifts having been given by higher ranking nobility over the years. Yet Ayumu insisted, and Setsuna had always loved that side of her.
And now the trinket was all she had left.
Setsuna had secreted the necklace away before the clerics came to collect Ayumu’s body and return it to the kingdom for a proper burial. They had paid no mind to the fallen knight as she slipped away into the shadows.
Fallen knight…
Was she even a knight anymore? What was a knight without a princess to serve?
Slowly, Setsuna raised the pendant to her lips and kissed it gently. A kiss she had secretly longed to share with the love of her life, no matter how unbecoming it may have been for one of her position. But now that dream was gone. And nothing else seemed to matter.
The kingdom would mourn but would recover. It was not too late for a new heir to the throne to be born. Ayumu’s name would be remembered for generations to come. A new holiday would likely be created and dedicated to her.
But the pitiful knight who had allowed her demise would be forgotten.
Setsuna’s arm felt heavy, and while she dropped it into her lap, she refused to let go of the pendant. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed red had stained the dirt around her. Her shoulders slumped and her head lolled forward. She took one last labored breath… and…
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“Someone’s been spending too much time with Shizuku-chan.” Yuu commented. “What have you guys been up to in your subgroup practice?”
“The tragic death of a hero is a common trope.” Setsuna insisted. “And a good multi-path story needs a Bad End or two.”
“Well, I will be voting for the Good End.”
“Not the True End?”
“Whichever is happier for Setsuna-chan and Ayumu.”
“Mm? What about me?” Ayumu asked from the clubroom door.
“A-Ayumu-san?!” Setsuna sputtered, scrambling to collect the pages.
Yuu laughed. “She’s gonna find out eventually, Setsuna-chan. Especially if the fans vote for the Bad End.”
“Bad End?” Ayumu repeated as she moved toward the table where the other two were sitting.
“The knight fails and the princess dies.” Yuu summarized. “Actually they both die.”
“I… I’m sorry, Ayumu-san…” Setsuna said as she felt herself blush.
Ayumu laughed lightly as she took a seat next to her. “You don’t need to apologize, Setsuna-chan. I knew an ending like that was possible the moment you started explaining how the choices made in visual novels affect the outcome and how you wanted to do something similar with your story.”
“Oh…”
“May I read it?”
Still hesitant, Setsuna eventually slid the pages over to Ayumu.
Ayumu read swiftly but seriously. “I see.” She said after a moment. “That is a Bad End. However, wouldn’t it be more tragic if just one of them survived?”
Yuu guffawed. “Ayumu’s been infected by Shizuku-chan’s tragic obsession as well.”
“Ayumu-san would be willing to let me write that?” Setsuna asked.
“Yes.” Ayumu nodded. “I think those should be options, even if I would vote for the True End.”
“Alright. Let me think about some scenes tonight.”
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Author's Note Continued: I've been wanting to write something for that fanart for a while now, but it's been sitting on the back burner as I continue to focus on other things. I'm not entirely sure why this prompt, of all prompts, was what stirred my µ's muse enough to write this in a lunch break at work. But I'm definitely not complaining.
That said, this is yet another event entry I will need to come back to and expand before I fit it into its parent fic. I think there is a lot more I can do with this to make it even better. Or if nothing else, expand the arc.
Now if only I could find a translation of Setsuna's novel...
Primary Pairing: N/A
Starring: Setsuna Nana
Also Starring: Shioriko, Student Council Vice President
Words: ~1.4k
Rating: G
Time Frame: The day after Episode 6 of Season 2
Story Arc: Stand Alone
I'm so happy to be able to post this! It was an honor to be chosen to write for the Shout Your Love! fan zine. And a lot of fun writing this entry. And participating in a good cause. And having one of my favorite LL artists @myonmukyuu draw something for one of my fics. But I still looked forward to sharing this story with more readers, so here we are.
Also, go check out the other stories in the collection and celebrate Setsuna on her special day!
And finally, worth mentioning that I am referring to Setsuna as Nana in this chapter, as she is in Nana-mode through most of it.
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Nana wanted to hum happily as she crouched and opened the cabinet door to her secret stash, but she was Nana at the moment and…
Wait, did she need to continue keeping up the façade now that she had revealed her secret to the school? For that matter, did she even need this secret stash anymore now that her parents knew as well?
Nana gasped slightly as a thought occurred to her. She could take her collection home and display it openly in her room now. Her regular ritual of shuffling books and discs among her friends and her stashes here at school and at home was… no longer necessary. She realized she should be happy about this turn of events and yet it somehow felt… anticlimactic? Had she come to enjoy this ritual that much?
Did she also enjoy keeping Nana and Setsuna separate?
She had attended classes all day as Nana, as usual. And she had intended on continuing in Nana mode through the upcoming student council meeting. She would eventually change to Setsuna mode to meet the rest of the idol club to continue the activities of the second School Idol Festival.
But could she have attended class as Setsuna? Could she run the student council as Setsuna? Or perhaps could she attend the festivities as Nana? Would everyone else be willing to go along with that, or would it weird them out? For that matter, would she weird out herself?
Nana reached up and touched one of her braids as she pondered her new situation. She did enjoy the hairstyle, and wearing glasses did help her feel like she was being more serious about things. Plus, there was no denying that she thoroughly enjoyed changing into Setsuna by undoing her braids, often intentionally dramatically, and swapping her glasses for contacts. It felt like she was literally liberating herself to be herself. Not that being Nana wasn’t being herself, of course.
Plus, just a few days ago, Setsuna had told her fellow idols that the student council and the school idol club were different things. She had explained that she loved both, wanted to continue both, and thus had wanted things to stay the way they were.
Except now things were different.
Nana jolted at the sound of the door opening on the other side of the room. Hastily, she slammed the cabinet door and spun toward those entering.
“Ah, Setsu…” the vice president cleared her throat. “I mean, Council President.” Despite the shift in formality, Nana could easily see she was holding back excitement.
“Nakagawa-sa,” Shiroriko greeted politely, seemingly unphased by the behavior of the girl beside her.
“M-Mifune-san, Vice P-President-san, you t-two are early!” Nana heard herself sputter before putting conscious effort into her words.
Shioriko blinked stoically as she approached. “As are you,” she observed before her gaze shifted down. “That is quite the collection you have.”
“Geh…” Nana realized her bag was still open.
“Do you normally carry that many books with you?”
“N-No, I… uhm…” Nana fumbled for an explanation. So much for preventing stuttering. After half a second of thought, she decided lying to Shioriko wouldn’t be effective. Her shoulders slumped. “I was sorting my collection.”
“Oh? What types of books do you collect?” The vice president sounded interested.
A familiar flame flickered within Nana. She was about to quash it when a thought occurred to her. With her secret revealed, a little crossover between her personas was fine, right? Maybe?
“Manga, doujin and light novels,” Nana replied, monitoring her excitement level, letting a little out, but not too much. She then listed her favorite genres, making sure to list fantasy and romance first.
“I should have guessed,” the vice president smiled. “That’s what you list in Setsuna-chan’s bio on the club’s site. Do you have any recommendations?”
The tiny flame flared into a full, fiery conflagration.
Recommendations? Of course she had recommendations!
Nana stooped and grabbed a book from her bag. “I was going to reread this one because the next entry in the series is being released later this week. It’s so~ good! A masterpiece! The story focuses on a couple of angels in Heaven. This one,” she pointed to a blue-haired girl on the cover, “comes from a cursed bloodline, which is why her wings are black and most of her powers are dark. Even her familiar is black.” Her finger moved to a cat on the girl’s shoulder. “And this one thinks of herself as just an ordinary, run of the mill angel.” She indicated a redhead. “But of course she…” Nana gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry, I… I really shouldn’t spoil anything…”
The vice president laughed lightly. “It’s fine. Who is the blonde?”
“She’s their superior officer.”
“Angels have officers?”
“They’re part of Heaven’s military and some of the chapters focus on them fighting demons.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“It really is!” There was no way Nana could hold back her grin if she wanted to. “I highly recommend it. You should read it.” She held out the book.
“Is that not the second book in the series?” Shioriko inquired.
“I have the first!” Nana wheeled around and whipped open the cabinet. “Here!” She grabbed the book and turned back to hold it out
“You’ve been using school resources to store your collection?”
Nana froze. “I… I…”
Shioriko smiled. “No need to worry, Nakagawa-san. As with your former secret concerning your identity, I shall maintain this one as well.”
“Thank you, Set… Council President,” the vice president accepted the doujin. “I can’t wait to read it.”
“We still have some time before the others arrive,” Shioriko pointed out.
“You’d be alright with us reading while you’re here?” Nana asked, finding herself surprised.
“I am quite fond of reading myself.” The younger girl responded. “Far be it for me to deny others from doing so.”
“I could recommend something for you as well.” Nana offered, getting excited again.
“Thank you, but I generally prefer novels over manga.”
“I have light novels,” Nana quickly scanned her collection. “I’d let you borrow my favorite, but I believe that one is at home… Oh, how about this one?” She pulled out a book. “It’s about a war-torn world where magic, alchemy, steam tech and high tech all coexist, and various nations specialize in certain ones and they all combine their might to protect their world from invaders from another dimension. The heroes are so~ cool! My favorite character has this high tech suit of armor that lets her fly around and shoot fire and plasma. She’s awesome!”
Before she consciously registered her own actions, Nana was miming her Setsuna Scarlet Storm call and response motions. Wait, why was she doing that? She was Nana at the moment! She felt heat rising in her cheeks.
“That sounds amazing!” The vice president cried excitedly. “Can I read it after you, Mifune-san?”
Oh… Maybe it didn’t matter.
“I believe that would be up to Nakagawa-san,” Shioriko replied.
“It’s fine,” Nana assured. “I’d love it if you both read it so we could talk about it after.”
“Very well.” Shioriko accepted the book. “I shall return it post haste.” With that said, she moved to one of the couches, sat down and immediately began to read.
“Well, it seems we only have a few more minutes before our meeting.” The vice president glanced at the clock on the wall. “Shall we get some reading in?”
“Yes.” Nana nodded.
As she made her way to her desk, Nana’s thoughts turned to all that had just transpired. Perhaps a little crossover between Nana and Setsuna wasn’t so bad. The vice president and Shioriko seemed to have no trouble going along with it all. Surely it would be the same with her friends in the idol club, right?
With one last glance at the two readers on the couch, Nana finally opened her doujin and began to read.
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Omake
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Let’s see… Shioriko thought to herself, scanning the shelf. They’re organized by title, so it should be… Ah. She reached up and pulled out a book.
With the School Idol Festival over, Shioriko had accepted Setsuna’s invitation to join her and the vice president on a shopping trip for books. It felt a little odd buying a doujin, as she typically preferred novels, but she had read Setsuna’s copy and was immediately hooked on the story. And she couldn’t deny that the art was lovely and lent itself well to the fantasy setting. Or RPG setting, as Setsuna had insisted on calling it.
“Ooowahhaa!” An excited cry caught Shioriko’s attention. “I can’t believe it’s in stock!”
She turned to find Setsuna marveling at some school idol merchandise.
“I’ll get one too!” The vice president matched Setsuna’s enthusiasm.
Shioriko smiled and moved over to join her friends at the display to see if there was anything that might catch her eye.
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Author's Note Continued:
Here is the Afterward I used for the zine:
Ah, Setsuna, my favorite idol in the Nijigasaki generation of the Love Live! franchise.
As with µ’s and Aqours prior, it took me a little while to settle on a favorite from the Nijigasaki club. PDP wasn’t quite enough, and it took SIFAS, the Nijiyon comics, and a lot of fanart for me to figure things out with the group. And as with those before her, Setsuna faced stiff competition.
I honestly thought a couple of the other girls would be my favorite before I settled on her. Ultimately, it was her over-the-top passion for that which she loves that propelled her to the top.
However, it’s not enough for Setsuna to be passionate about something she loves. She needs to share that excitement. She needs to shout her love. And while performing on stage as an idol definitely allows her to do just that, she has other things than idols that she loves that she needs to address off stage. And I love that the canon material gives her friends that allow to geek out as much as she wants; many actively encourage her excitement.
I’ve written many excitable Setsuna moments, many of which include geeky rants, or at least the implication that one took place. And I plan to write many more. However, with the chapter I wrote for this zine, I decided to give Nana a chance to geek out.
The Nana/Setsuna dynamic is also one of the aspects I enjoy about the character. Her Clark Kenting around school amuses me to no end. And I love that she continued to use Nana mode even after her secret was revealed.
I’ve long wondered how Setsuna might view the two sides of herself after the big reveal, and this zine entry seemed as good an excuse as any to explore it a bit. And include some of the happy geekiness that I adore so much. And have some of my ideas drawn out by the talented myon. How could I pass up such an opportunity?
So to that, I must extend my thanks to Ethanol and myon for selecting me to participate in this project.
Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu
Rating: G
Words: ~1.6k
Fandom: Love Live Nijigasaki
Parent Fic: Tri-Arame
Time Frame: Sometime after college
Events: Multiamory March 2023 & Femslash Friday
Event Source: @polyamships & @femslash-friday-prompts
Prompts: Games & Trio
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Author’s Note: This is my first time writing something for a Multiamory March prompt, so it is a new source of possible inspiration for me. I’ll start off with my favorite LL trio, YuuAyuSetsu, but I see some other prompts later in the month that I could use for some EmmaKanaKarin or MariKanaDia, so we’ll see how that goes. Also, the Femslash Friday prompt just so happened to be trio, which made it perfect for a dual event entry.
Also also, this chapter takes place during Ayumu’s birthday, which is actually the 1st of the month. But work kept me far too busy this week - couldn’t even finish my last planned Femslash February entries - so I had to put it off until now, which is actually Saturday the 4th in my timezone, but still the 3rd elsewhere in the world. Of course the event prompts didn’t align anyway.
Summary: Ayumu has a surprise request for Yuu and Setsuna on her birthday
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A wonderful aroma greeted Ayumu as soon as she opened the door.
While there was no holding back her smile as she immediately knew the source of the smell, Ayumu couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit of trepidation tugging at the back of her consciousness. Her girlfriends were cooking. Yuu and Setsuna were in the kitchen, cooking. And probably baking as well.
“I’m home!” Ayumu called as she began to remove her shoes.
“Ayumu!” Yuu and Setsuna responded in unison, their only difference being that Setsuna continued to add her respectful honorific, even after all these years.
Two dark haired women raced around the corner, into the living room and toward the entryway. They playfully jockeyed for position in one of their favorite competitions, to be the first to greet Ayumu. It was a race that was more often run in the other direction, insofar as Ayumu was usually the first to arrive home, leaving Setsuna and Yuu to start at the front door.
But today was different. Today, Ayumu knew her girlfriends had taken off from work early to prepare things for her. It was a special occasion, Ayumu’s birthday. And she knew her girlfriends wanted to do everything they could to make her feel special, loved, and appreciated. As if they didn’t do that all of the other days of the year, but still…
“Welcome home!” Yuu cried, having surprisingly won the race for a change; Setsuna apparently lost a precious second when she avoided stepping on a game controller on the floor. “Happy Birthday!” She wrapped her arms around Ayumu’s neck to pull herself up into a kiss.
“Thanks, Yuu-chan.” Ayumu replied as the two parted.
Yuu grinned and detached herself from the embrace to allow Setsuna to step in.
“Happy birthday, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna said as she followed Yuu’s prior actions to also pull herself up into a kiss. Surprisingly, she did not exaggerate her disappointment in her lose, as was a common part of their ritual. Perhaps she was just that excited for an evening of celebration? “Welcome home.” Setsuna added as she pulled away.
“Thanks, Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu acknowledged, earning a brilliant smile.
“Now, come with us.” Yuu said, grabbing Ayumu’s hand.
“We just finished.” Setsuna added, taking Ayumu’s other hand.
As Ayumu allowed herself to be led to the dining room table, she took the time to admire the decorations that her girlfriends had set up. It came as no surprise that pink was the dominate color, as well as the fact that ribbons and bows were featured prominently. There was no shortage of other cute things, some of which brought to her mind thoughts of either Yuu or Setsuna, but the majority of the decorations clearly represented how they saw Ayumu. And they knew her well.
The food was wonderful as well, leaving Ayumu feeling a little guilty in doubting her girlfriends. Setsuna in particular had improved a lot over the years. And of course, like with the decorations, Yuu and Setsuna knew Ayumu well. The two young women had even prepared special treats for the cats of the house. However, that ended up making Ayumu worry that they may have tried to do the same for Sasuke, her snake, which would result in him being over fed. Again. She made a mental note to check before they all turned in for the night.
All in all, it was a lovely birthday celebration. Yuu and Setsuna showered Ayumu with affection to an almost embarrassing degree. But eventually, they came to a point where it was obvious they had run through all of their plans.
“So, Ayumu,” Yuu was the one to speak up, “what else would you like to do tonight?”
“Yuu-san and I stand ready to fulfill whatever request you might make.” Setsuna added. “Is there perhaps an anime you would like to watch, or manga you would like to read?”
Ayumu laughed. Of course, Setsuna would make such suggestions. “Actually, there is a game I would like to play with Yuu-chan and Setsuna-chan.”
“Oh?” Yuu tilted her head. “Board game? Video game? Or…”
“Video game.” Ayumu stepped over to where she had left her purse. “I happened to see it recently and thought tonight would be the perfect time to try it.”
“Ayumu-san,” Setsuna’s tone held both confusion and mild chastisement, “you shouldn’t have to buy something for us on your birthday.”
“Setsuna-chan’s right.” Yuu chimed in. “We totally could have bought it for you if you wanted.”
“It wasn’t that expensive.” Ayumu assured. “And the gift you’ll be giving is your time playing it with me.”
The other two shared a glance, obviously not fully convinced, but not willing to push the issue further. However, Setsuna’s expression quickly changed to one of excitement when she noticed the DVD case in Ayumu’s hand.
“You want to play Mysteries of Magicks?” Setsuna bounced a little.
“You’ve heard of it?”
“I wanted to play it back when it came out. The story is supposed to be so~ good. But…” Setsuna paused “that was back when my parents were upholding their ban on anime and games and the like.”
“But you still played games in secret then.” Yuu pointed out.
“That is true.” Setsuna confirmed. “However, I had limited space to hide things back then, and much more limited time to play, so I had to be more selective about which ones I bought. When I read the reviews, one of the biggest complaints was that it was designed around local, three player co-op. It could be played solo or with just two players, but the AI that would then control the other characters was poor and frustrated many players.”
“Wait, three players?” Yuu smiled with realization. “Is that why you wanted this game specifically, Ayumu?”
Ayumu nodded. “As much as I enjoy playing competitive games with you two, or just watching you make silly bets and demands…”
“They’re not silly…” Yuu objected, defending one of her pastimes that saw her and Setsuna decide things like whose hair Ayumu would dry and brush first that night by way of making bets with each other. “They’re fun.”
“I know, I just… Sorry. You know what I mean.”
“Anyway,” Setsuna interjected “what you’re saying is that you want to play with us for a change. Is that right, Ayumu-san?”
“Yes.”
“With a game designed for three players.” Yuu added.
“Exactly.”
“So, what is this game about?”
“Oh, oh!” Setsuna was right back to her excitement. “This girl” she pointed to the picture on the front of the case that prominently featured a dark-haired girl with a fierce expression and sporting a ponytail “accidentally pulls a sword out a stone.”
“Like Excalibur?”
“Sort of, except it seems rather mundane at first until she encounters this woman” Setsuna pointed this time to an old women in robes that had various runes or holy symbols embroidered into them “who tells her that she is now destined to be the guardian of the kingdom against some great enemy that is going to attack soon. But before that, she needs to charge the sword with each of the Elements of Magick.”
“Let me guess, that includes fire.”
“Fire is the first one.” Setsuna nodded enthusiastically.
“I know who Setsuna-chan is going to play.” Yuu smirked.
“No.” Setsuna shook her head. “It’s Ayumu-san’s birthday, so she should play the hero.”
“It’s alright, Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu spoke up. “I actually thought you would be best to play the protagonist. I thought I would play her.” She pointed to a girl with shorter hair who seemed to be glowing with a gentle aura.
“She’s the primary healer of the group.” Setsuna said. “Although her fighting power is supposed to be nearly on par with the hero.”
“Like a combat cleric?” Yuu asked.
“Something like that.”
“So, who is the other playable character?” Yuu leaned in to examine the myriad characters on the cover.
“Her.” Setsuna indicated a twintailed girl. “She is a sprite mage the other two find early in their travels. She starts out mainly as a support and buffer for the team, but eventually learns high level offensive magic later on.”
“Sounds like my kind of character.” Yuu grinned. “Looks like you found the perfect game for us, Ayumu.”
“Can we play now?” Setsuna was vibrating as her gaze kept slipping over to the television.
“Of course.” Ayumu let her girlfriend take the case.
Setsuna practically skipped over to their collection of consoles, powered one on and slid in the disc. Then, with just as much excited flourish, she grabbed a pair of controllers, spun, scooped up the one she had nearly tripped over earlier, and made her way back to the other two.
“Ooo~ I can’t wait.” Setsuna practically squealed as the trio took positions onto the couch with the birthday girl in the middle. “Thank you for this, Ayumu-san.”
“I’m happy you agreed to play with me.” Ayumu replied with a smile.
“Of course! It’s Ayumu-san’s birthday. Yuu-san and I are happy to do whatever you want.”
“Although that’s not the only reason.” Yuu said. “We also just like spending time together.”
“Well yes, but…” Setsuna ducked her head slightly “I thought that part was obvious.”
Ayumu chuckled at her girlfriends’ interaction.
“Oh, it’s starting.” Setsuna perked back up as text began to scroll across the screen, giving a brief history of the world and the events leading up to where the characters would begin their adventure.
Ayumu settled back against the couch and took a moment to glance to either side. Yuu had been right. This was less about it being her birthday, and more about spending time with the two she loved most. And to share a fun, cooperative experience together. Tonight would be a good night.
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Author’s Note Continued: I’ll start by saying that the three-player co-op game in question is inspired by Secret of Mana. I decided not to name it as such because I realized that I may want to come back and write more about this game and I want to be free to do whatever I want with the plot and characters. The bad AI is actually something I remember from the game, which is why I only completed it with two other friends, over the course of several months, only when we could get all of our schedules to align.
Also, I realize I have written about this trio playing cooperatively before, but that has been in TTRPG settings. I wanted to take a different route this time and go with video games. But I do really like the idea of these three playing games together. I mean, Setsuna is quite passionate about video games, but Ayumu canonically is a gamer as well, though they seem to prefer different genres. And Yuu just enjoys playing whatever with her girlfriends, and making little competitions with Setsuna for silly things.
And finally, I know I kinda glossed over the meal and gift giving parts of the evening, but they weren’t intended to be the focus. I know I’ll write more about my favorite LL girls’ birthdays, so there will be no shortage of opportunities to write about such topics then. Perhaps I’ll come back and add them to this scene later when I integrate it into TA proper. I may also add in an omake bit inspired by myon concerning the cats and the birthday cake that I ended up not writing as I was running out of time and energy to post this.
Primary Pairing: N/A
Considered Pairings Trios: YuuAyuSetsu? EmmaKanaKarin? LanzMiaShio? AiRinaMia?
Secondary Pairing: ShizuKasu
Rating: G?
Words: ~1.6k
Fandom: Love Live Nijigasaki
AU: A monster theater in Shizuku’s mind
Time Frame: Sometime during Shizuku’s 2nd year in high school
Event: Femslash February 2023
Event Source: @femslashfeb
Prompt: Third Wheel
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Author’s Note: Going a little meta with my own works this time for this entry for the 6th. I don’t think anything is required reading to understand what is going on, but there are definitely Easter Eggs to be found for those familiar with my other fics and event collections.
Summary: Shizuku wants to write about a third wheel
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She practically slammed the door on her way out, hoping that would let her pretend what she just saw was a dream. Her heart pounded as she leaned back against the wall. She wanted to create some space between her and what lay just beyond, but she was unable to find the strength in her legs to move, the thought weighing her down as it inked its tendrils across her mind. She heard movement from behind her, then, the turn of the doorknob…
Shizuku lifted the pen from her notebook and tapped the end against her lips. Should the she in this scene be Ayumu? She pondered silently.
The real-life scenario on which this chapter was based had been Ayumu arriving late to an A・ZU・NA practice session and opening the door to find what she initially believed to be Setsuna about to kiss Shizuku. Although she hadn’t slammed the door upon her exit and there had been no knob to turn. Ayumu also had not leaned against the wall wanting to run, in fact the only reason she had stopped was that she had run into Yuu, literally.
And speaking of Yuu, Shizuku intended to swap in Yuu for herself for the scene she was writing. That was another difference from what had actually happened. Perhaps that could be the reason Ayumu wouldn’t run in this scene? Because Yuu was in the apartment with Setsuna, not in the hallway to be run into.
Shizuku giggled as she recalled the real event.
Of course, the drama that little debacle had caused hadn’t been much fun at the time, but it was more amusing now in hindsight; even Ayumu had been willing to admit as such after a while. It turned out Shizuku and Setsuna were acting out a potential twist in their subgroup’s play that proposed a forming love triangle among the characters of the beast, the maiden, and the newly added witch. And Setsuna, who passionately dove into the idea of possibly emulating a scene from some anime, and Shizuku, who always took her acting seriously, may have been a bit too believable for Ayumu at first glance.
The idea was eventually scrapped after a lot of debate among several members of the idol club. Strangely enough though, the strongest opponent to the scene had been Kasumi. And that had been before the two of them started dating. Looking back, Shizuku realized it was just another sign she should have noticed that indicated Kasumi’s feelings for her.
Shizuku glanced down at her notebook and returned her thoughts to what she was writing.
The scene was to be set in the world of a doujin that she, Setsuna and Yuu had made last year, with a lot of help from Ayumu and several others from the club. That doujin had focused on a Halloween party where all of the attendants where alternate universe versions of members of the idol club. Each was a different type of monster, though they were all able to take human form, and they were dressed in costumes of the monster type of a different attendant. And instead of idols, they were actors at a theater. Or, at least some were, others filled various roles around the theater.
Despite the doujin intended to be a fun one-shot exploring a world of monsters and their possible interactions based on the actual personalities of the girls of the idol club, Shizuku became obsessed with the idea. And started writing additional scenes in secret. Stories that explored possible romantic relationships among the characters, far beyond the friendships the original doujin portrayed.
To that end Shizuku had settled on this AU having Yuu and Ayumu starting off as dating and eventually pulling in Setsuna to form a trio. It wasn’t that farfetched an idea, considering how the three behaved these days. Granted, they had not made any formal announcement that they were dating, but something had definitely changed recently among them, possibly during Ayumu’s trip to Europe. For as much time as they had spent together during their second year, they seemed nigh inseparable now.
Geh, she was getting sidetracked again. Where was she? Right, a third wheel scene… She tapped her pen this time against her notebook.
Would Ayumu be a third wheel in a scene like this? She and Yuu were already dating at this point in the story, though they were definitely both falling for Setsuna. Would it actually be more of a cheating theme? Shizuku felt her lip curl into a sneer, that was not the intent of the scene at all. She didn’t mind writing some angst or drama or pining or maybe a little bit of hurt and comfort, but she was less comfortable writing about her friends cheating, even fictional, monster versions of them.
Maybe she should swap Ayumu and Setsuna? That would make Setsuna the third wheel of the scene, which would make more sense given the context of the overall story. But would it make more sense for the individual scene? Ayumu wasn’t an actor at the theater, she was the head of the hair and make up department. She wouldn’t have a reason to have Yuu help her rehearse. For that matter, Yuu wasn’t an actor either, but she would definitely still be willing to help either Setsuna or Ayumu rehearse. But at least one of the women needed to be an actor, which meant Setsuna.
Perhaps the scene could take place at a point in the time line after Ayumu did become an actor? No, that wouldn’t work either, as Shizuku had planned to have her be inspired to become an actor by Setsuna, after the trio started dating.
Shizuku continued to the ponder her dilemma.
Would it be wrong to use a different trio? Sure, the inspiration may have been Ayumu, Setsuna and herself, but she had already made a swap for Yuu. Maybe she should just swap everyone?
Maybe the former third years? But none of them were actors in the AU, so none of them had a reason to rehearse. Granted, the Karin of the real world had expressed interest in acting and Shizuku was willing to help where she could, but the fictional AU Karin worked administrative duties at the theater. So perhaps they weren’t rehearsing a kiss scene? Perhaps Emma and Karin could be dating and just going in for a normal couple’s kiss when Kanata walks in?
Shizuku realized she hadn’t actually decided how those three would come together in the overall story, they just already were together by the time of the Halloween party doujin. Not that the doujin had made mention of this fact. But that left things open for Shizuku. She could have two of them start dating and invite the third, not unlike the former second years. Or maybe they just mutually decide to get together? Maybe something more… dramatic?
How had those three come together in real life? Wait… were they actually together? That certainly felt like the direction they were heading the last time Shizuku had caught up with any of them, but nobody had heard from them in several weeks…
Oh… more dramatic. What if it wasn’t a kiss that was about to occur? That’s right, they had made Shioriko’s monster type a vampire. Shizuku could have either Mia or Lanzhu walk in on her drinking blood from the other. Hrm… Lanzhu and Shioriko were childhood friends, so perhaps Mia could be the third wheel?
Then again, Mia could also work as a third wheel for Rina and Ai. Maybe? Rina’s monster type was a jiangshi, so while she didn’t drink blood, she did feed on qi. But would Ai make a good third wheel? For some reason, Shizuku felt Ai would simply welcome Mia into the fold with open arms. And that didn’t work well for as a foundation for a third wheel that was to spark a bit of drama before everyone eventually got together.
So… maybe it was to be a Lanzhu x Mia x Shioriko story after all? Shizuku pressed the tip of the pen back to the paper.
Move. Mia commanded her legs, though to no avail. Move, damnit!
The door opened. Too late.
“Shizuko?”
No, that was wrong, it was supposed to be Lanzhu saying Mia’s name.
“Are you writing shippy stories about our friends again?”
Arms draped over Shizuku’s shoulders and a chin dropped onto her head.
“Oh, the monster theater one again?” Kasumi sighed. “I still can’t believe Shizuko went and made her cute little Kasumin into a gremlin for that…”
Shizuku smiled, twisted her torso, and reached her hand up to pull her girlfriend down into a kiss, immediately pushing up as Kasumi reciprocated. “Kasumi-chan is the cutest gremlin I know.” She said as she dropped back down into her chair.
Kasumi pouted. Shizuku chuckled.
“Anyway, the bath is yours.” Kasumi straightened back up.
“Thank you.” Shizuku acknowledged. “Let me just get a few more lines out of my head and onto paper.”
“Well don’t take too long. Shizuko promised we could go through some of the pictures from the photoshoot and choose a few to keep.”
“Sounds like Kasumi-chan just wants to look at pictures of herself.”
“And Shizuko!” Kasumi insisted as she grabbed her tablet and climbed onto Shizuku’s bed.
“Mm…” Shizuku hummed a happy affirmation.
“I remember there were some really good ones of you this time around… like…” Kasumi swiped a couple times before pausing. An expression of admiration spread across her face. Genuine admiration. “Like this one…”
Cute…
Shizuku couldn’t help a bit of admiration of her own before it was replaced by the urge to join her girlfriend for some snuggles and photo browsing.
Yes, the story could wait. Well, mostly… Shizuku spun back to her desk, flipped a page of her notebook, and quickly scribbled out a hasty outline of her ideas so she wouldn’t forget all of them. Then, she hopped up and dashed over to the dresser to grab her pajamas.
“Shizuko?”
“Be right back!” Shizuku said as she almost ran out of her bedroom to take a quick bath.
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Author’s Note Continued: So, for starters, the italicized paragraphs were directly lifted from a chapter I wrote for Idol Fanfic Heaven’s Fantastic Departure event last year. And yes, that was a LanzMiaShio scene.
However, just as Shizuku thought first about making it a YuuAyuSetsu scene, so did I. The episode with Future Parade had not aired by that time, so it wasn’t in the context of the beast, maiden and witch play that Shizuku wanted to have A・ZU・NA perform. That just felt like a fun way to reference a shot from the second season that I’ve wanted to write about for a while now. I ended up shelving that idea, though, as I was still being indecisive about how I wanted to progress the timeline of their relationship, and I went with a different ship.
That said, I do still want to write something about that blink-and-you’ll-miss it scene in the middle of Future Parade. And now, having written this scene, I kind of want to write a YuuAyuSetsu version of it for my monster theater AU.
Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu
Rating: G
Words: 551
Fandom: Love Live Nijigasaki
Parent Fic: Tri-Arame
Time Frame: Sometime early in college
Event: Promptober 2022
Event Source: Idol Fanfic Heaven channel on Discord
Prompt: Ninja
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Author’s Note: Primary entry for Oct 15th
Summary: The trio talk about a movie they just saw
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“Setsuna-chan, you’re…” Ayumu held up a tissue.
“T-thank you, Ayumu san…” Setsu practically blubbered before dabbing her eyes and wiping her nose.
“Setsuna-chan’s still moved by the romantic climax, eh?” Yuu smirked.
“It was just so good!” Setsuna insisted as the trio exited the theater. “When Neru-san made Yugure-san promise that she would outlive her. Even if just by a day. Or even an hour.” She sniffled again. “She just… She couldn’t bear the thought of being without her again…” She accepted another tissue from Ayumu.
“Yeah, that part actually confused me.” Yuu admitted.
“How do you mean, Yuu-chan?” Ayumu inquired.
“’Cause Yugure was a ninja, right?”
The other two girls nodded.
“And she was hired to protect Neru, right?”
More confirming nods.
“And presumably that means giving her life to save her charge if necessary. I mean that was kinda half of the movie, with Neru desperate to get Yugure back after having made such a sacrifice. And now she can’t do that again?”
“I don’t think Neru was telling Yugure to stop doing her job.” Ayumu said. “She was telling her to not be so reckless with her own life; her wellbeing is important too.”
“And while Yugure was gone, she wasn’t there to protect Neru.” Setsuna added. “So she doesn’t want that to happen again either.”
“Huh… I guess I didn’t think about it that way.” Yuu admitted. “Either of those ways. But I think I get it now. Thanks you two.” She grinned.
“Ooooo…” Setsuna stopped walking. “Just thinking about what a masterpiece it all was makes me want to see it again.”
Yuu chuckled. “Now?”
Setsuna looked like she desperately wanted to say yes, but instead just continued to vibrate excitedly.
Yuu glanced at Ayumu, then at her watch. “Well, the next showing is in few minutes.” She turned back toward the ticket counter.
“Wait! Yuu-san!” Setsuna called, louder than she needed to, given the short distance between them. “You mustn’t!”
“Eh?” Yuu paused.
“What if we inadvertently buy seats that could’ve gone to people who haven’t seen the movie yet? It’s only fair that we wait until the Blu-ray release!”
“I was only kidding, Setsuna-chan.” Yuu laughed. “I’m actually looking forward to getting back home for dinner soon.”
“We could come back tomorrow?” Ayumu suggested.
“No way!” Setsuna shook her head vigorously. “It’s still opening weekend. All who wish to see such a wonderful show should be allowed to do so as soon as possible.”
“Well then maybe in a couple weeks after the initial crowds have died down a bit?” Yuu offered.
“Perhaps a matinée during the week?” Ayumu added. “Those tend to be less crowded anyway. And Yuu-chan and I don’t have any tests coming up.” She anticipated a possible objection.
“And Setsuna-chan is still wa~y ahead of her own schedule.” Yuu teased, pointing out the online student’s habit of overstudying. “One afternoon off won’t hurt you.”
Ayumu could practically see the scales finally tip in Setsuna’s mind.
“Alright.” Setsuna agreed. “But we’ll need to check the seating charts online that day first, to make sure it really is not that busy.”
Yuu laughed again and the trio resumed their way home. As they walked, Ayumu made a mental note to check the Blu-ray release date for a possible gift to her girlfriend.
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Author’s Note Continued: A big thank you to @myonmukyuu for the help getting past a sticking point in this one. And for giving me one of Setsu’s best lines in the chapter, imho.
That said, I doubt I will ever tire of writing dorky Setsu geeking out about something she loves. Or of writing Yuu and Ayu happily indulging that love. Or teasing her about it, in Yuu’s case; affectionately, of course.
And on a final note, this was actually inspired by a chapter for my D&D story that has sat gathering digital dust for over a decade and has still not progressed past the outline. But the names of the girls in the movie are basically what my two OC’s names mean in English translated to Japanese; given names, not call signs. And someday I may very well write that scene... or just keep pillaging ideas from the thing for my LL fics...
Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu
Rating: G
Words: 642
Fandom: Love Live Nijigasaki
Parent Fic: Tri-Arame
Time Frame: Late October during their 2nd year
Event: Promptober 2022
Event Source: Idol Fanfic Heaven channel on Discord
Prompt: Prompt
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Author’s Note: Primary entry for Oct 31st
Summary: Ayumu finds Setsuna and Yuu having some doujin issues
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Ayumu hummed happily to herself as she filled three mugs. She then made her way to Setsuna’s room, nodding to Mrs. Nakagawa along way in silent thanks for letting her in for her surprise.
Yuu was busy helping Setsuna with her doujin. And while Ayumu had wanted to help as well, other plans had conflicted today. Originally, she was to meet the other two for dinner somewhere, then she could help after. However, she had concluded things earlier than expected, then spotted a sale on hot cocoa on the way to the Nakagawa’s. Thus, she was now on her way to surprise her friends with a warm treat for a cool autumn day.
Ayumu knocked but received no response. Odd. She balanced the tray on one hand and opened the door, about to announce herself, when…
What the heck? She thought as she took in the scene before her.
Setsuna was slumped over her kotatsu, face planted on her laptop’s keyboard. Yuu was sprawled on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling wither phone just out of reach on the floor. Paper was strewn about the room, some pages with what looked like abandoned sketches on them, while others were crumpled and toss haphazardly toward the trash bin.
“Yuu-chan? Setsuna-chan?”
Yuu’s gaze slid down toward her. “Ayumu…?” She drawled.
Setsuna, on the other hand, popped her head up. “Ayumu-san! Prompt me!”
“Eh” Ayumu blinked.
“Prompt me!” The girl with keyboard marks on her forehead repeated. “Say the first thing that comes to mind.”
“Other than marshmallows…” Yuu added before giggling strangely.
“Uhm…” Why did Ayumu’s mind blank when asked for something that should be so simple? “Yarn?”
Yuu laughed again. “Of course Ayumu would suggest that.”
“Sunday?” She named the current day.
“Daybreak, Time, Skyline, Ghost, Cattywampus, Seven, Jacket, Yarn.” Yuu listed. “Even all the way down to Sunday and Somnial and Heal.”
Cattywampus? Somnial? What the heck were those?
“A fanfic group is hosting their annual Promptober event this month.” Setsuna explained. “But Yuu-san and I already looked through everything and were unable to find inspiration to get us past our block.”
Ah, so that’s what was going on.
“Maybe it’s time a little break?” Ayumu suggested. “I brought hot cocoa.”
Yuu laughed. “That was one of last year’s prompts.”
“Thank you, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna said as the redhead began to distribute the mugs.
“Mm, yes, thank you.” Yuu added, lifting her mug.
“So, what ideas do you have already for your doujin?” Ayumu asked.
“Well, since it’s October and Halloween is around the corner, I thought we could all be monsters.” Setsuna explained.
“We?”
“Yup. I’m a lamia.” Yuu chimed in. “You’re a moon rabbit. And Setsuna-chan is a Cthughan.”
“A wha?”
“Descendant of a deity of living flame.”
“Huh…” That did sound like something Setsuna would like to be. “But why am I a rabbit?”
“’Cause Ayu-pyon is cute.”
Ayumu was about to protest when Setsuna slid a page in front of her.
“Here’s what we have for everyone else’s type.” Setsuna said.
Ayumu scanned the list. Most seemed quite fitting, though she wondered if they would agree.
“What about a Halloween party?” She suggested.
“Masqurade was listed last year…” Yuu shook her head. “It didn’t inspire anything for us.”
“But maybe it could still work? All of the guests dress up as someone else’s monster type? Kind of like a monster themed version of our Shuffle Festival?”
“Festival was al…”
“That’s perfect!” Setsuna interrupted. “I can see Shioriko-san as Rina-san’s Jiangshi. Oh, and…” She grabbed a sheet and began to scribble notes furiously. “Karin-san could be…”
“Then Lanzhu-chan could be…” Yuu pointed.
“That works, Yuu-san.” Setsuna nodded before looking up. “Thank you, Ayumu-san. I think we can get something made by Halloween now.”
Ayumu smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”
And with that, the three girls got to work.
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Author’s Note Continued: This one was really fun to write. In both Promptobers in which I have participated, I enjoyed finding little ways to include prior prompts; this was a large reason for my self-challenge of including last year’s prompts. Mind you, it did feel a little like cheating when I had Yuu just rattle off a list of them, but in the context of the story, I think it makes sense, so there’s that.
That all said, I do want to write more about Setsuna’s forays into doujin and fanfic production. I brought HL(AU) into HL’s canon by way of Riko’s doujin (although it’s canon in other ways as well) and HtHaM is a doujin Nico commissions of Riko in HtHaN. Thus, I think MA may find itself becoming a Setsuna production. Or perhaps a Setsu and Shizu collaboration?
Also, PoH is now a canon part of my canon-compliant works as both a movie and a doujin. Not entirely sure how that will all work out, but whatever.
Primary Pairing: ShizuKasu
Implied Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu
Words: ~2.5k
Rating: T?
Fandom: Love Live Nijigasaki
Parent Fic: Tri-Arame
Time Frame: Sometime at least after Episode 6 of Niji’s second season
Event: Femslash Friday
Event Source: @femslash-friday-prompts
Prompt: Ribbon
Content Warning: Major Character Death (?)
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Author’s Note: As with my prior uses of it, the (?) is intentional in conjunction with the MCD warning.
Also, whew... barely a half hour to spare as far as my timezone is concerned.
Summary: Kasumi has noticed some strange behavior from Shizuku recently
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Kasumi scanned the throng of students entering the school.
Where was she? She wasn’t the type to be late. And though she wasn’t the tallest in the school, she did wear a particular signature item that often helped identify her in a crowd, especially from the higher vantage point of the lobby balcony, where Kasumi was now.
“Good morning, Kasumi-san.” A voice said from nearby.
Kasumi startled. “S-Shizuko!?” She spun toward the girl she had just named.
Approaching with the pleasant smile Kasumi loved seeing each morning was indeed Shizuku, except… Where was her ribbon? Kasumi had spent the last several minutes searching for… Oh, there it was… maybe? But why was Shizuku wearing her ribbon as a choker today?
“Trying out a new style today, Shizuko?” Kasumi couldn’t help asking.
“Mm?” Shizuku tilted her head. “How do you mean?”
“Your ribbon.” Kasumi pointed. “You’re wearing it around your neck.”
A strange expression clouded Shizuku’s face as her gaze dropped toward the floor. “Yes, I am afraid that is how it must be from here on.”
“Huh?”
“This ribbon must remain tied tight.” Shizuku raised a hand to gently touch the choker around her neck. “It must never be removed.”
“Are you rehearsing for some new part your got in the drama club?” Kasumi inquired.
“No.” Shizuku shook her head, though Kasumi couldn’t help noticing that the movement seemed a little… stiff?
Was that the right word? It was definitely not normal, and definitely different from Shizuku’s normal movements. Not that Kasumi paid any special attention to Shizuku’s normal movements… no, that was wrong, Kasumi did actually pay special attention to Shizuku, because…
“Anyway,” Shizuku interrupted Kasumi’s thoughts “shall we head to class?” Her usual smile seemed to have returned.
“Right…” Kasumi replied. “Are you alright, Shizuko?”
“I’m fine, why do you ask?”
“… No reason…”
Shizuku laughed lightly and the two started walking. Kasumi stole a few side glances at her friend. Something strange was going on with Shizuku. And while she had denied it being about something with the drama club, it definitely involved the ribbon around her neck somehow. Kasumi decided she would have to pay even more attention to Shizuku for a while if she was to figure out what was going on.
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What the heck is going on with Shizuko? Kasumi wondered as she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. And why the heck is nobody else noticing? Seriously, not one comment from anyone?
Surely, when Ai and Rina had joined them for lunch, someone with high attention to detail like Rina would have said something, right? Surely Ai would have made some pun about the situation, right? But neither said a word about the ribbon.
Surely, when they ran into the other second years on their way to the clubroom, someone fond of working with hair and accessories like Ayumu would have wanted to make conversation about the change, right? Surely Setsuna, who was familiar with popular school idol tropes, would have made mention of the alternate hair style, right? Surely Yuu might have wanted to tease her kouhai with whom she had gotten quite close as of late, right? But again, nobody said anything.
Surely, once in the clubroom, someone similarly fond of teasing like Kanata would have spoken up, right? Surely Karin, with her eye for fashion, would have made some sort of comment, right? Surely Emma, who loved to find ways to compliment her friends, would have seen the opportunity to do so, right? But still, silence on the matter.
By the gods, how could everyone else be so blind? Kasumi could literally count on her hands the number of times she had seen Shizuku without her signature ribbon. Well, maybe more if one counted the minute or so it took for her to change to and from the ones she used for club activities. But still…
And on the topic of club activities, Shizuku hadn’t tied her hair up for practice today either. Kasumi had somewhat expected her to at least swap the red ribbon she wore all day around her neck for the white one she was currently using for practice, but she hadn’t. And despite the red standing out even more against Shizuku’s light blue practice outfit, it still went unnoticed.
But that hadn’t been the only strange part about practice. Emma unexpectedly took over vocal practice, instead of Shizuku, who had been doing so for months now. And Kasumi was sure it hadn’t been her imagination that Shizuku’s voice had sounded a little… off.
Then came dance practice, where Shizuku had been fine, except for movements involving her head. Just like earlier in the day, Shizuku moved as though she had a crick in her neck. Perhaps she had slept wrong and pinched a nerve or something?
Kasumi sighed as she continued to draw blanks on reasoning out the happenings of the day. Well, whatever. She finally gave up. Shizuko probably thinks she pulled off some great prank. She thought to herself as she slid under the covers. Let her have her little victory. Kazumin is still the queen of pranks and will get her back soon enough.
With those thoughts in mind, Kasumi closed her eyes and fell asleep.
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Ughn!
Kasumi resisted the urge to yank at her hair with frustration.
Shizuku had once again worn her ribbon around her neck, instead of in her hair. And not only that, but her complexion had obviously paled since the prior day. Her stiffness had spread to her arms and legs, making her dance practice look like she was a marionette with damaged strings. Her voice had gained a slight rasp. And her stamina had diminished, causing her to sit out of several routines.
And yet, just like the day before, nobody said anything.
Well, nobody but Kasumi.
Kasumi had asked about Shizuku’s health, concerned that maybe she was coming down with something. However, Shizuku had assured her she was fine. And further inquiry about the ribbon was met with a similar, cryptic statement that she must keep it tied tight, as if that was supposed to explain everything.
Just what the heck was going on?
Kasumi scrunched her face as she stared at her bedroom ceiling.
Enough was enough. Tomorrow, she would confront the club members about their indifference and force a better explanation out of Shizuku.
---------
“So, this is what you guys have been working on?” Kasumi asked as she and Shizuku entered the dark area.
Kasumi’s plans to get answers from the idol club members had fallen through when practice was cancelled for the day. She had been about to give up and head home when Shizuku had approached her to seek assistance with something relating to her subgroup, A・ZU・NA.
“Yes.” Shizuku confirmed. “Haunted houses are a staple of amusement parks, so we thought it might be fun to set one up in celebration of our new song.” She explained, making mention of the theme A・ZU・NA had chosen.
“But you guys have been singing mostly happy songs so far.” Kasumi commented. “What kind of happy song can be written about a haunted house?”
“Perhaps one could love song about a ghost falling for a gremlin?”
A ghost and a gremlin? Falling in love in a haunted house? What kind of love story is that? Kasumi wondered silently. Was it from a movie Shizuku liked? No, that couldn’t be; Shizuku preferred old time dramas and musicals, not horror movies, or horror comedies, or whatever a monster romance would be. Are gremlins commonly used in haunted houses? Ghosts sure, but why did Shizuko mention gremlins?
“I’m not sure I get it.” Kasumi decided to say aloud.
Wait, was Shizuku slyly referring to her as a gremlin? If that was the case, who was the ghost?
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” Shizuku laughed lightly. “Anyway, thank you for agreeing to help us with a test run.”
“But of course!” Kasumi replied. “Who better to test your haunted house than Kasumin, whose cuteness can overwhelm any ghost or ghoul who tries to scare her.”
Shizuku chuckled again.
“Lemme guess, you got Yuu-senpai to play the music?” Kasumi guessed an organ began a haunting tune.
“Maybe.”
Kasumi rolled her eyes but didn’t press the issue. Of course, Yuu would help them; she seemed particularly fond of helping Ayumu and Setsuna in any way she could. And she and Shizuku had been getting closer as of late as well, for reasons Kasumi couldn’t quite figure out. Not that she was jealous or anything…
“Graa!” A voice suddenly cried.
Kasumi was loath to accept that she did jump a bit before she turned to see a figure appear from an obscured area.
“Oh, hey Ayumu-senpai.” Kasumi greeted.
The redhead lowered her arms and pouted a little. “I guess I still have a ways to go to learn how to be scary. Maybe vampire Christine was a bad idea after all.”
“I like the vampire costume.” Kasumi observed. “But maybe bare your teeth more?”
“Don’t worry, Ayumu-san,” Shizuku chimed in “we have all weekend to work on things.”
“How dare thee insult my Christine!” another voice suddenly shouted. “Have at thee!”
Had Kasumi blinked, she would have missed a sword flashing in front of her face. What?
“S-Setsuna-senpai?” Kasumi sputtered as she recognized the girl who had put herself between her and Ayumu.
“I know not who this Setsuna individual might be.” Setsuna stated. “I am Raoul!” She pounded a fist to her chest proudly. “Viscount Raoul de Chagny!”
“Is that the beast costume you wore for the Festival?” Kasumi asked the second year as she recognized the claws, ears and tail.
“A beast thou doth sayeth I am? How very brave of thee to refer to a werewolf as such.” Setsuna brandished her weapon toward Kasumi.
“Raoul.” Ayumu protested.
“Fear not, Christine, these insipid interlopers shall be dispatched with haste.” And with that, Setsuna lunged forward.
“Kasumi-san!” Shizuku cried, suddenly stepping between Kasumi and Setsuna. “Gheeh…”
What kind of noise was that? Kasumi turned toward her fellow first year.
“Shizuko…?” She questioned.
For her part, Shizuku gasped and clutched at her throat. What was going on?
“What’s this?” Setsuna asked, her voice having lost its former bravado as she removed a red ribbon from the end of her sword.
Red ribbon…
“This…” Shizuku’s voice rasped “is why I needed to keep it tied tight…”
And then Shizuku’s head fell off.
Kasumi stared in disbelief at the sight.
Shizuku’s eyes snapped open. “It was never to be removed!” She shrieked.
“Kyaaa!” Kasumi screamed, bolting for the nearest thing she thought might be an exit. She shoved aside the dark curtain and… “Kya!” She cried again after barreling into a figure with wild hair and a hideously deformed face.
“Kasumi-chan?” A concerned voice asked as arms caught her.
“Let me go!” Kasumi wrenched herself against her captor.
“Oh, sorry…” The arms released. “Shizuku-chan, I think you scared her too much.”
Eh? Kasumi paused and took a better look at the individual who had just let go of her. Despite its disheveled style, green tips at the end of the dark hair were a dead giveaway of her identity; Yuu.
“Sorry, Kasumi-san.” Shizuku’s voice came from behind the curtain before it was moved aside to reveal the other first year, with her head firmly attached to her shoulders.
Next to Shizuku was… another, taller Shizuku?
“Two Shizukos?” Kasumi questioned, trying desperately to sort out all that had happened in the last minute or so.
The taller girl laughed and removed her wig to reveal her identity as the president of the drama club.
“Thank you for your help, Kasumi-san.” Shizuku said as she stepped toward Kasumi.
“Help?” Kasumi shook her head. “Help with what?”
“With proving my costume worked.”
“Our costumes.” The drama president corrected.
“Right.” Shizuku smiled at her club leader before returning her attention to Kasumi. “I was unsure if Kasumi-san would be familiar with the story, The Green Ribbon, but it seems you were not. And maybe other students will also be unfamiliar, so we can scare them as well.”
So, was this a prank, or a test, or…
“Anyway, as thanks for your assistance,” Shizuku continued, “why don’t I treat you to something on our way home?”
Treats? That caught Kasumi’s attention. However, “Shizuko’s gonna have to get something big for Kasumin to make up for scaring her so much.” She said, trying to recover some of her dignity.
“Whatever you want.” Shizuku replied with a smile that made Kasumi’s heartrate spike.
“Oh, Shizuku-san,” Setsuna suddenly spoke up “don’t forget this.” She held out the ribbon she had surprisingly managed to remove from the other girl’s neck with just a thrust from a prop sword.
Kasumi couldn’t help wondering what clever theater tricks had all gone into that little stunt. Perhaps she could convince Shizuku to explain everything later, after she had procured the promised treat.
“Thank you, Setsuna-san.” Shizuku accepted the accessory and began tying it into her hair. “I think we had a good rehearsal.” She said to her fellow subgroup members. “I’ll see you all again later this weekend.”
General confirmations were given and the group started to go their separate ways.
“Shall we head out?” Shiuzku held out a hand toward Kasumi.
“Sure.” Kasumi accepted.
As the two made their way out of the school complex, Kasumi’s thoughts turned toward what pranks she could pull on Shizuku to avenge herself. Should it be something big like what Shizuku had just pulled off, or a series of smaller ones that added up to the same effect? Decisions… decisions..
“Are you already plotting your revenge?”
Kasumi startled, earning a laugh from Shizuku.
“Maybe.” Kasumi decided to concede. “Shizuko got Kasumin good this time, but she better not think that ends things.”
“Of course not.” Shizuku seemed genuinely pleased with the idea.
“Say, Shizuko…”
“Mm?”
“Why were Yuu-senpai and the others dressed as monstrous Phantom of the Opera characters?”
“Oh, about that…” Shizuku laughed.
And with that, the conversation turned to the haunted house and how it would tie into A・ZU・NA’s new song.
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~~~ Earlier that week ~~~
“Hey, if I’m gonna be playing organ music, maybe I should dress up as the Phantom.” Yuu suddenly suggested.
“From the Phantom of the Opera?” Shizuku asked, despite pretty much already knowing the answer.
“Exactly.” Yuu confirmed. “And to make it scary, I could leave the iconic mask off and get a bunch of gnarly makeup over half my face.” She wiggled her fingers near her face to emphasize her point.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” The drama club president stated.
“Perhaps if Yuu-chan is going to be the Phantom, perhaps I could play Christine?” Ayumu offered hesitantly.
“I’m not sure how scary Christine could be.” Shizuku thought aloud.
“She could be scary if we make her a vampire!” Setsuna jumped in, literally and figuratively, as she bounced with her usual excitement. “Oh, then I could be Raoul, the werewolf! Raoul uses a sword right?”
“Yes, but not a flaming one.” Shizuku stated.
Setsuna pouted a little, but immediately brightened again. “But I can still use a sword, right?”
An idea occurred to Shizuku and she couldn’t help smiling.
“Shizuku-san?”
“I think I can work with that, Setsuna-san.” Shizuku replied. “Also, I believe I have an idea for my own costume. However, I must ask a favor of everyone; don’t tell Kasumi-san.”
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Author’s Note Continued: Reading the prompt immediately made me think about Shizuku, as she herself calls it her trademark in the song Ryouran! Victory Road. However, I couldn’t help wondering if I couldn’t put a twist on things. I had recently written a chapter for Putting on Hairs that saw Shizuku use her ghostly abilities to pull off a dramatic prank on Kasumi, so perhaps a more realistic Shizuku could use some theater magic to do something similar. Thus, the basis for this chapter was formed.
Also, any readers familiar with the story, The Green Ribbon, might have already guessed the prank before its reveal, but I hope my take on things was still entertaining.
I must admit I struggled a bit with the overall timing of this chapter. My initial plan was to have it take place over an entire week, with Shizuku first wearing the ribbon around her neck on Monday and having the test tour through the haunted house on a Friday. However, I couldn’t help worrying that it would be out of character for Kasumi to patiently wait that long for the prank’s climax. I also wasn’t sure if I wanted to write Kasumi’s confrontation with the club, or maybe just individual members. As such, I shortened the timeline to just three days and hoped it would work better.
Also, kudos to anyone who caught my reference to the PoH’s monster forms of Shizuku and Kasumi before I pointed it out here. It’s the part where Shizuku mentions a ghost and a gremlin falling in love. I’m not entirely sure if the PoH actors will be brought up over here in TA, but I do intend to have the plays end up as movies. I already brought in the titular Putting on Hairs into a How to Handle a Nico chapter, so I will eventually get around to bringing in the Detective Otosu and Beauty and the Beast rewrite to TA at some point.
And finally, thank you to @lonelypond for once again letting me brainstorm ideas and also suggesting a few in return, like having someone decide to make Ayumu’s Christine a vampire.
