himehikoshrine - Tumblr blog

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

Domina

For Neji's birthday (a day late), Ishida posted a backstory for Domina on Twitter. It comes with a drawing and a BGM link as usual. The BGM song this time has English lyrics too. I'd really recommend checking it out, especially for those familiar with Neji's backstory.

This is also the only story we've gotten so far that requires reading the one prior for more context so please read Jire's story before this one. No winter play spoilers. I've done my best to keep formatting consistent with the original. Thanks to @himehikoshrine for looking over this for me.

While there was no status of nobility in Havenna, After forceful seizure Of the former Vena family territory, The rebel clan who overthrew them were the closest to this title.

The ones who stole away the Vena family lands, Welcomed in those with hidden wounds of guilt. They attacked merchants and settlements in the area, amassing considerable wealth.

Among them, were deserting soldiers who fled from the southern country.

After suffering defeat by the northern country, Some remnants of the southern army arrived on Havenna's shores. As a part of the rebel clan, they gained power and influence.

These army remnants gave themselves the name of Quatle. They gained power then fought relentlessly against the other clan members. In the end, both sides inflicted wounds on each other to the point of self-destruction.

***

The Quatle Litus family, descendants of the Quatle line, Was the one family in particular That was unable to maintain their wealth and influence through the conflicts.

After being burdened with a tremendous sum of debt, The head of the household sold all 13 children And used the money to flee Havenna, Disappearing far into the southern lands.

Liz, youngest child of the Quatle Litus family, was sold to a struggling mugwort den. She readily tossed aside family pride and lived the life of a Havenna woman.

Years later, the owner of Pontartia fell for her on sight. She flattered him, started using the name Domina, And eventually took over the greatest mugwort den in Havenna.

I don't get Domina. (From the notebook of Kokuto Neji "Liz Quatle Litus")

Ishida's note: This is fanfiction by an original creator. What is written in the game itself is always canon. Towada reblogged the post as well.

(TL note: It once again uses the idiom 'wounds on one's shins'/すねに傷のある which typically means a guilty conscience but also might reference Sissia.)

#thank you for doing the hard work on these!#translations #domina #oh rama havenna #neji #neji voice: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯#“what you think just because i wrote something that means i can read it?”

33 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

HAPPY (LATE) BIRTHDAY TO MY BELOVED BOY LOVE YOU NEJI

#neji #fanart

20 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

Jack Jeanne Complete Collection - Interview with Terasaki Yuka (Kisa’s Voice Actor) Translation

This short cast interview is from the Jack Jeanne Complete Collection art book!

Ishida: What were your impressions when you first saw the setting of Jack Jeanne?

Terasaki: It’s a story about teenagers putting on plays together that’s drawn by the creator of Tokyo Ghoul, Ishida Sui-sensei. That information alone was all it took for me to be interested. I’m sure a lot of other people thought the same.

Since it’s a story that takes place in a theatre school, I found the way it's like a game meets theatre to be unique. I also found the aspect that the shows are put on by an all male cast to be really intriguing.

—

Ishida: When you were voicing Tachibana Kisa, were there any aspects of your performance that you had to be careful about?

Terasaki: Kisa is a character herself, but she is also the stand in for everyone that’s playing the game. That’s why I stuck to the initial impression of the script as much as possible without adding too much of my own flair. I wanted her to be ‘transparent’ like Quartz.

In the romantic scenes especially, I want the player to have their heart racing over what Kisa’s love interest is saying and focus on them. So during those scenes I made sure to act out Kisa’s emotions more subtly. I’d like for those playing to be able to decide their own colours for Kisa, so I left some of her canvas blank. I remember I would go into the recording sessions keeping that in mind.

—

Ishida: Were there any particular challenges you faced while working on Jack Jeanne?

Terasaki: The singing. When I first listened to the songs with the temporary vocals I was like ‘I’m going to be singing this!?’ and my anxiety quickly turned into terror! I had to reconstruct the way I’d been singing up until then from scratch. It was very difficult and I was unsure about a lot of things, but now thanks to Jack Jeanne I love singing even more than I did before.

—

Ishida: Other than Kisa, are there any other characters that are your favourite or that you took a liking to?

Terasaki: Tachibana Tsuki… He’s Kisa’s older brother, but there’s still a lot of unsolved mysteries surrounding him. I can’t help but be curious about him. I’d love to read a novel or something about Tsuki-nii when he was a student at Univeil. I’d like to see Fumi-san and the other third years when they weren’t upperclassmen too.

—

Ishida: Quartz, Onyx, Rhodonite, Amber. If you were to enrol at Univeil, which class would you like to be assigned to?

Terasaki: The relationships between the seniors and juniors are wonderful in every class, however I think I’d have to pick Quartz. Since I don’t think you can join the other three unless you’re already particularly skilled at singing, dancing or acting. So I’d like to find my own way to express my individuality in Quartz!

—

Ishida: You have some experience with stage acting, so were there any scenes or moments in the game that you could relate to?

Terasaki: Jack Jeanne has a lot of different choices and branches in the story. You can choose different lines to say during the plays too, but no matter which one you choose the show will still reach its conclusion. If another actor changes something then you have to change with them, and if you change something, then they have to change with you. Even though every performance of a show is supposed to have the same programme and script and movements, you go into it with a fresh mind each day and there are slight differences between the shows.

There are things you sometimes only realise on opening day when you see the audience walking in, so I could relate to the sense of tension actually putting on a show brings. I’d love for the players to see how each character's dialogue changes with each option, so please play through the shows multiple times!

—

Ishida: Every show in the game is quite different thematically, which one (setting, musical composition, etc) did you like best? Also, were there any shows that you’d like to try starring in in real life?

Terasaki: All of the shows are very different and I love all of them, but the one that I felt the most accomplished and happily tired after was the autumn performance. During auditions, the selection of lines from it were full of passion and tension, so I remember being excited to record for the autumn performance.

As for which one I’d like to try in real life, it would be Sissia of the Central Nation. When I recorded my lines for the whole show in one session, I started arranging how the stage set would look like in my mind. I’d think ‘this line would definitely be delivered from the top of the set, and this line would be said from the audience to the stage’. I’d read the lines whilst imagining what the show would look like and the performance that I could picture the clearest was Sissia of the Central Nation. So I ended up really wishing I could see it in person.

#translations #interviews #thank you for your work!#kisa #reference

46 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Photo

JJ　ファンアート

※男性です

#fanart #domina #oh rama havenna #neji #the floor patterning just for me?#is tumblr gonna get mad at me for this one #step mother evil witch coding poison apple i

53 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

Some Domina poem thoughts --

(Maybe it was posted so late because Neji "misplaced" it and well, it's gonna be so hard to find, after how quickly you made me clean out my office, I guess we just won't ever find it.)

You can find the original post by Ishida on Twitter [here].

You can read the translation by @ririya-translates [here].

It sounds so much dryer and more detached than even Jire's which it most resembles. In fact, Jire and Domina have extremely similar histories, which makes their dynamic in the play, explicit and implied, fascinating. Jire is Domina's errand boy, not Facchio's. Jire knows where to find her, and what her weaknesses and strengths are. She is who he goes to to start his gambit. She is also who he is most scared of Chicchi becoming (without consulting Chicchi, of course).

Jire's is more poetic about it but both contain the same core truth about the themes of this world (that I could elaborate on more or at least more formally). It is a world defined by cycles of violence and exploitation. In the backstory we get in Jire's, the rebels become the exploiters. In Domina's it seems like two different groups who were looting and seizing power side by side eventually turned on each other, destroying themselves as well in the process. Power, violence, dominance, exploitation that breed their own downfall and also replacements.

This is who Domina is. She's born into it, sold into it, and she embodies it to gain power in it. She becomes the system to play it, and as such also finds herself subject to its fatal weakness - it's cyclical. it always creates its own downfall and replacement. Domina is acutely aware of this, but cannot fight it, try as she might.

(a bunch more under the cut)

And its this that Jire, who shares her backstory, plays off of in an attempt to get Chicchi out of it in the only way he can think of -- literally out of it. To do so, he's ready and willing to become the worst of the world he, too, was born and sold into -- conniving, sneaky, and violent. Even in doing so for what he truly feels as selfless reasons, he's fundamentally missing what Chicchi actually wants. He doesn't ask her or listen to her, any more than Fugio does.

There's also what's markedly NOT the same between the two of them. Jire's father fights for his only son, and is killed for it. Jire doesn't know his past. Domina-- Liz, casts it aside, any history or pride to what her family was -- but she remembers. The youngest of 13, she probably remembers the names and faces of each of her older siblings. She remembers her father choosing to sell each of them to escape debts, and responsibility, and consequence. She knows she's been human property, and she knows that controlling that property gives you more power than being it.

Because she's a woman of this city. Even if, unlike Chicchi, it wasn't her choice to begin with, it is a role she has come to embrace. Even if her choices were constrained by the cruelty of the world, she has chosen her name. She isn't Liz Quartle Litus. She's Domina. She's the Madame of Pontartia. She's a woman of Havenna, and she's good at it.

There is no indication that Domina wants to escape this cycle, only preserve her place in it, to rise higher and further in it. She doesn't want to take Facchio's money and run. She learned to have pride in what she has become, in what she has created. We don't get to learn what, if anything Domina thinks is outside of Havenna - There may be more business opportunities across the lake, but is the world actually any different outside, with all its violence and exploitation?

(if you've been following the other things Ishida has made, cycles of violence and power is a recurring cornerstone of his stuff, so it's fascinating to see how when you zoom out of Havenna you find it so starkly.)

Anyway, some other stray thoughts --

There's a bunch more to say here about cycles, about spinning around and around -- about the lyrics to the opening song, about 'spinning your wheels' and 'spinning in place' -- about its contrasts to the play that follows it, where a circus -- a place you go around in circles as Carlo says, and a gear spinning around are not stagnation but radical change -- a revolution/revolution pun, by way of zoetropes and gear metaphors and circuses---

I relate to Neji because I too will write out a bunch of words on something and then go "idk tho i don't really know" immediately afterward.

He names her Litus, which means coast or shore. The background music is about you, Neji. (please listen to it) Once again, he writes more than he can see, or at least more than he's let into his conscious awareness. He literally writes a big neon sign, hangs it on his wall, and goes "a shame i can't read! oh well!"

Many such cases.

One last thing before I go --

Who knows what we'll get for Chicchi, if it will be backstory or about the future instead, or what it might say, but Domina's birth name is Liz. Liz is short for Elisabeth. A famous Takarazuka musical is called Elisabeth, based on the story of Elisabeth of Austria, who's nickname was not Liz but Sisi, or in Japanese シシィ -- extremely close to both Chicchi and Sissia. It contains a musical number with a figure that is very similar to Domina, Frau Wolf's Salon, which you can watch a version of in the german with translation [here]. The musical is framed as about her relationship with Death, the figure -- der Tod, in the original german version. Neji's old play, literally haunting the story? I Am Death. I don't know... I don't know what Jack Jeanne is doing, sometimes.

ジャックジャンヌのことは、わからない。

#jack jeanne #jack jeanne meta #domina #neji #oh rama havenna #jire #cycles of violence? in an ishida sui work? shocked shocked!#ramblings #meta #ah yes silly otome theater game strikes again #jackjeanne may be different from the story ishida keeps reworking from penisman but neji's gonna sneak the themes in there for him #oh rama havenna where you can sell people but need a license to operate your business #am i going to post about elisabeth das musical again? probably

19 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

This, too, has an RNG connected directly too it, so now I gotta keep looking...

Neji: Perfect timing, Tachibana!

Kisa: Huh? Oh, Neji. Is there a problem?

Neji: Please summon Shirota for me!

Kisa: Huh?

Neji: It’s not urgent, but before the day ends would be great. Then again, I’m sure he wouldn’t come for me today or tomorrow, or any day for that matter. Well, good luck!

Kisa: Huh? Wait…!

(Neji leaves)

Kisa: Summon Shirota…? D-Do i really have to do this….? I don’t have much of a choice… I wonder where Shirota is now…

(Cuts to music room)

Mitsuki: …

Kisa: (There he is… He’s practicing singing.)

(I really shouldn’t bother him now…. I was told it could be any time today, so I guess I’ll practice too and wait for him to finish.)

(Time Skip)

Mitsuki: Phew…

Kisa: (Ah… Looks like he’s done. Maybe I can ask him now…)

Kisa: Um…

Mitsuki: What?

Kisa: Neji was calling for you. He said to go and see him any time today.

Mitsuki: … (stares)

Kisa : (Wh-why the silence…?)

Mitsuki: … fine.

Kisa: Ah! Thank you very much!

Mitsuki: Yeah, yeah…

Kisa (What a relief…!)

Kokuto Neji's Story

Translation of Neji's concept art short story (original) for his birthday on March 22nd. Story by Shin Towada (JJ lead writer and Ishida's sister). Art by Lownine. Much like the others, there aren't really any spoilers as it's at the very beginning of the game before the first play.

The stage is a gigantic machine. Jacks and Jeannes are the gears and I'm the mechanic who assembles them all.

The darkened room is lit solely by a clattering computer with light strong enough to rival the midday sun. The bookshelves along the walls are crammed tight beyond usual capacity. The remaining books that couldn't fit have been turned into a fort on the floor. "Hmmm." Out of that pile, he easily picks out a book while holding a cup of coffee in his other hand. The one craning his neck towards the computer screen is the owner of this room. He's a third-year at Univeil Drama School. Working under somewhat special circumstances, he's the leader of Quartz: Kokuto Neji. His classmates include the Quartz Al Jeanne, Sarafumi Takashina, and Jack Ace, Kai Mutsumi. Taking liberal advantage of Univeil's culture of respect for personal autonomy, Neji doesn't just write and perform. He's able to act as both a Jack and a Jeanne, using his many talents to bring the performance together. Even now, he's in the middle of making preparations for the newcomers' performance. His eyes dart around as he scrolls through the screen. He's fidgety inside his head. For this reason, a knock at the door rings out unusually strongly.

"Yes, yes, come iiiin!" As Neji snaps back to reality, he opens the door with a feeling of anticipation. "Thanks." Behind the door stands a person with pale skin and soft hair. So soft it's as if the colour has faded and dissolved. This utterly adorable person raises his eyes towards Neji. "Why on earth would you call me over here then ignore me? I have things to do too you know." The edge of criticism in his voice gives a very different impression from his outside appearance. "Sorry about that, Shirota!" Mitsuki Shirota. He's a second-year, one year below Neji. As one would expect from his looks, he's been assigned to female roles as a Jeanne. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd actually show up." Shirota's eyes grow sharper as he speaks without hesitation. "Using a first-year as your carrier pigeon, what kind of excuse is that?" Neji had casually requested one of the brand new Quartz students to send Shirota to his office. "Well weren't you the one who told me to stop asking Kai to do things?" "Obviously. You shouldn't be using our Jack Ace for your trivial errands." "Right, so instead I asked this new person to be a pinch hitter." "I said to stop doing that too. Ugh, what do you want?" "How did that kid get you to come here? What kinda trap did he use?" "…You called me here for no reason didn't you. I'm leaving." "Hey, wait!" As Shirota turns to leave, Neji holds out both of his hands as if to say 'I'm sorry, I'm screwed up!' Shirota's expression darkens, recognizing that Neji hasn't reflected on his actions one bit. "So? What do you want?" Neji prefaces his words with, "I guess I messed up a bit," before finally cutting to the chase. "What is your impression of the first-years?" Shirota furrows his brow. "You asked Fumi and Kai this too, didn't you?" "You're right, I did!" He had asked both Fumi and Kai the same question. "If you have answers from both the Al Jeanne and Jack Ace, that should be enough. Why do you need to ask me too?" "What are you talking about?! You're our Tresor. You're our flower too!" Tresor is the name for Univeil Jeannes with strong singing abilities. The title suits Shirota perfectly. His outstanding vocal talents add vibrant colour to their performances. It's popular with audiences too. "I am glad you're with Quartz still though. I know you're pretty in-demand with Rhodonite." Shirota stays silent at the mention of that name. Univeil is divided into four separate classes with their own special traits. As the "transparent" Quartz class, they are primarily made up of inexperienced performers who have yet to find their true colours. This could put the class at a disadvantage, but really there are quite a few who enrol brimming with hidden talents. Quartz gives them the space to let those talents free. The content of their performances are tailored specifically for the current state of the class. The songs, dances, acting, all of it.

In contrast, classes like Onyx and Rhodonite have clearly defined colours. Powerful Jack dancers are the main selling point of Onyx, whereas Rhodonite pushes the dazzling singing talents of their Jeannes front and centre. Considering Shirota's abilities, it wouldn't be strange at all for him to have been sorted into Rhodonite. Actually, Rhodonite's class leader is pretty taken with him. But whatever class you look at, all of them are desperately aiming for that top spot -- now more than ever.

"So? What do you think of this year's new students?" Neji's tone of voice drops for the first time in this conversation,"You know it won't be good if things stay as they are, right? What with Amber and all…" That's the name of the fourth Univeil class. But it's hard to act as if the others are on equal ground with them. Shirota seems to grasp the weight of these words. He grips the sky blue tie around his neck as he appears deep in thought. He finally opens his mouth. "…There are three people I noticed," he says bluntly. Starting with Person 1. "Orimaki. I don't know how he got into Univeil with his singing skills so low, but his voice is strong and direct." Onto Person 2. "Yonaga. Him being as he is, he's a late bloomer who's constantly nervous about how he even got into Univeil. But he also thinks twice as much about the meaning of each song. That being said…"

Shirota's immediate answer suddenly hits a pause. "It's possible both of them just got my attention because they aren't very good." "In that case, they should consider themselves lucky you graced your eyes on them." Neji jokes then stares at him intently. "And the third person?" Mitsuki sighs at being asked for his final answer. "It's the one you made into your little carrier pigeon." A voice deep in Neji's heart whispers 'I knew it.' "So then, does our carrier pigeon also have a glimmer of sparkle out of a mountain of problems like Orimaki and Yonaga do?" "No, that guy is…" Shirota hesitates a moment as he chooses his words carefully. "I still don't know yet." "You don't know, which means…?" "Exactly what I said." He speaks as if to say he will give no further comment on the matter. "Is that enough for you now? I'm leaving." Having finished what he was asked, Shirota heads for the door. "Ah, one last thing! How did this pigeon get you to come over here?" Shirota is the type who prefers not to group up with others in class. He keeps a distance between himself and other people. He's not the type someone could easily convince by just asking outright. Even moreso if it comes from a student younger than him. "……" Shirota responds to Neji's hastily thrown words with silence. He opens the door to leave. That's as far as we're getting today, is it? "…It wasn't anything special." Neji's mood suddenly shifts at the sound of a reply he didn't expect to ever hear. "I was just taking a short break during practice and he came up to me and said 'Neji was asking for you'." A surprised 'ohh?' slips out of Neji's mouth. "So in other words, he chose when to make the request based on timing that would work for you?" There are times when Shirota is busy singing of course; however, there are also a lot of times when he appears to be doing nothing, but is actually busy arranging music in his mind. Figuring out the timing of when he's truly taking a break is no easy task. Even aside from the music, there are times when he doesn't want to be hassled with having to talk to someone. Using this understanding of his quirks, that carrier pigeon was able to start up a conversation. "Isn't that actually quite special after all?!" Neji says with a nod of admiration.

Upon hearing this, Shirota restrains himself from turning around and calling him a bald-faced liar. "This was all part of your plan, wasn't it?" His eyes sharply say, 'You haven't fooled me.' "Turning him into your carrier pigeon worked out just as you planned. Getting me to show up here and to name him as one of the students I noticed. You already knew all these things. It was just a ploy to confirm them." Shirota states his assertions strongly. Neji grins. He keeps up the act that there's no hidden motive behind his actions, but it smells like a lie. Shirota's face fills with disgust. He passes through the door, speaking as if he cannot bear to be around Neji any longer. "Please don't use me as a ruler for measuring other people." He shuts the door immediately to not let the conversation linger. "My my, Shirota is quite clever isn't he." Listening to the footsteps fade into the distance, Neji stifles his smile. "But regardless, the fact that pigeon was able to navigate this sense of distance with Shirota shows he might have quite a number of uses." This could be precisely reflected on-stage too. Neji's mind overflows with so many different ideas at an intensity that could give birth to a whole other world. "However, the 'I still don't know' part is there too. Fumi and Kai said the same thing." It seems difficult to learn the true nature of this bird. Even for Neji, there's many things about this younger student he's still unable to grasp. "The stage is a gigantic machine. Jacks and Jeannes are the gears…and I'm the mechanic who assembles them all. What shape will these talents take? Just watch and see." Neji takes a sip from the coffee he's been holding all this time. It went cold ages ago, but in this moment it's just what his body needs.

#thank you so much!#pre-release short stories #neji #mitsuki #mitsuki like 'maybe i only noticed them because they suck' i love mitsu #mitsuki and neji's dynamic is so fun #translations

46 notes · View notes

himehikoshrine · 1 month

Text

Thank you so much for these translations! Now I'm wondering how many of them lead directly into or from one of those random and thus missable events, because this is one you can get on Thursday 5/14. (under the cut)

5/14 - outside quartz, sunset

Kisa: (I’d better get training right away…)

Suzu, off screen: Heeeey!

Kisa: Huh? Suzu…?

Suzu, sprite appearing: Can you help me out with my training?!

Kisa: Huh? Um…

Kisa: (Well this is random… He seems like he’s in a rush. I wonder why…)

Kisa: Sure, okay.

Otori suddenly appears

Otori: Ah…

Kisa: …!

(Otori sprite vanishes)

Kisa: (ah, I didn’t know Otori was here.)

Kisa: (So he noticed that Otori was going to say something to me, which is why he intervened…?)

Kisa: (Suzu’s such a nice guy.)

Suzu: Heh, let’s go!

Kisa: Okay!

Suzu Orimaki's Story

Huge apologies at how delayed this post has been. This is Suzu's concept art short story (original). It was written by Shin Towada (lead game writer) with concept art by Lownine.

I had another version posted earlier to Twitter closer to Suzu's birthday (Jan 19) but it was a difficult time for me so I wanted to post the cleaned up version @otomemories so kindly helped me out with editing. Please check out her NejiKisa doujin translations! This story takes place before the first play so spoilers are quite minimal.

A young man is brought to the gates of Univeil by an image of true radiance he once saw shining on its stage. He is guided by this brilliant aura until this moment when the theater he has so admired stands before his very eyes.

The sun’s rays beam down heavily on him, as if piercing through the bright blue sky. He leans against the railing, his body bathing in warm light. His name is Suzu Orimaki and he’s a brand new student at Univeil Drama School.

The weather is as sunny and lively as Suzu himself. He has always had an eye-catching brightness to him- one strong enough to make him stand out from his fellow Quartz classmates just by being there. His exuberant energy alone is enough to earn him a promising new future as a Jack. After a long day of grueling classes, he has finally earned himself a break.

“This place really is amazing…” Suzu mutters to no one in particular with a slight turn of his head. Towering above him is a large art fixture. At Univeil Drama School’s all-boys dormitories, every class resides in a separate dorm, each designed with a distinctly different style by various well-known artists. The unique features of each class are conveyed through architecture that overflows with imagination, and of course, the Quartz dorm is no exception. The outer glass walls can be seen filled to the brim with sunlight, and near the top of the building stands the Quartz namesake, an enormous crystal designed to look as if it were piercing the heavens. Suzu enjoys the rooftop not only because it grants him the ability to spot other people, but also for its brilliant view of the entire city that his campus resides in- Tamasaka, built halfway up the side of Mt. Oodate.

“Another busy day today…”

A winding downward path stretches from the school to the station. It’s filled with a mixture of shops and restaurants, as well as time-worn buildings shadowing the city’s days as an old post town-- relics of a bygone era. A town like this entices not only residents, but also thousands of tourists flocking to see the city's symbol, The Tamasaka Troupe. Of course, Univeil is considered a part of this as well.

Long ago, Suzu himself had made the long climb from the station up this hill to see a Univeil performance. His vision shifts from the town back to the campus’s theater.

“.....”

Suzu backs off of the railing, pushes against the ground with the tip of his left foot, and then smoothly spins around. After happily surveying the scenery, his face tightens and a powerful voice comes from his lips.

“All right!” Pushing his toes up against the ground, Suzu waves his arms high above his head. As his feet hit the floor, the momentum gives his powerful steps a burst of energy. Jumping, falling, jumping, falling… a rhythm begins to form. In the back of Suzu’s mind, he visualizes the dance moves an older student demonstrated for him. Doing his best to recreate it, Suzu continues to dance. However…

“Ahh! It’s no use!” Suzu grasps his head in his hands and arcs himself backwards. He just can’t seem to get his movements to match correctly.

“Hah… I really can’t figure this out without him. But we’re running out of time until the newcomers' performance…” Suzu leans against the railing once more, this time with his head held low.

Univeil holds five performances a year. In the first one, the Newcomer's Performance, first-year students are required to take the stage as leads. In less than two months of prep time, he would be standing on the Univeil stage- the very same stage that once enraptured him from the audience.

“I’m not gonna lose to something like this!” Suzu screams while forcibly extending his drooped body.

“Wha-!?” Someone meets his shout with a surprised gasp.

“Hmm? That voice…” He bends down over the railing, leaning down to take a look at the person gazing up towards him. Their eyes collide.

“Yonaga! I thought it was you! Hey!”

“Hey, Suzu.” It’s another one of his fellow Quartz first-years. Soshiro Yonaga’s face softens as he looks up at Suzu. He is the type of person to face anything and everything with complete seriousness; his vivid imagination allows him to delve deeply into his creativity, but he often struggles with caring too much about trivial things. To Suzu, he's a classmate and a familiar face.

“Oh, are you by yourself, Suzu?” He asks as if looking for someone.

“If you’re looking for him, he’s not here.”

“Ah, I see. He wasn’t in the practice room, so I thought maybe he’d be out here with you.” The conversation continues without either of them ever specifying the name of the person in question, but they both know that they are thinking of the same person. He’s another Quartz first year with a delicate demeanor that’s the polar opposite of Suzu’s. He has the full potential to become a Jeanne. The three of them were often together as a trio.

Yonaga is his childhood friend who always seems to be worried about him no matter how busy things get. Unfortunately, Yonaga's attempts to help often end in him being helped instead which often upsets him. Suzu, on the other hand, sees this person as a partner in crime who always encourages him when they're paired up together as Jack and Jeanne. Even the dance Suzu did just moments ago was meant to be performed with another person at his side. More than anything, it's a friendship where they can inspire each other to improve. After thinking about Yonaga’s words for a moment, Suzu remembers something.

“Oh, right! He went to the music room.” “He did?” Yonaga asks, subtly pressing for more details.

“Yeah, for singing practice! Man, he’s incredible…no way I could hit notes that high! He’s different even from the other Jeannes!”

“Uhh, y-yeah…” Praise for his childhood friend seems to make Yonaga uncomfortable.

“How’s it going on your end? With practice and stuff?” Upon hearing the conversation be redirected towards himself, Yonaga’s head suddenly droops like a wilted flower.

“Otori… was saying a bunch of things again today.” “What? You too!?” “Huh? He talked to you as well, Suzu?” Otori is yet another young man who shares both their year and class. He is one of Quartz’s top students, but during rehearsal, he is as critical and irritable as he is handsome.

“Man, he sure is sharp…”

“The things he says are definitely accurate, but he always says them so harshly…” Yonaga seems to take Otori’s criticisms far too seriously for his own good.

“Don’t worry too much about it, man! Just think about how good it will feel to prove him wrong! You’ve got this!” Upon hearing Suzu’s encouraging words, Yonaga lifts his head.

“You’re right. I’ll go practice too.”

“Alright!” Suzu exclaims with energy as he watches Yonaga walk away with fresh determination, finally able to return to his solo practice after the change of pace. Batteries recharged and full of newfound energy, he decides to take in one last glance at the rooftop view before heading back to the dance room.

“Hmm?” Suzu narrows his eyes at another student making his way to the dorm. There’s no mistaking it-- it’s the friend that he and Yonaga were referring to earlier. But he isn't alone; standing off to the side is a tall boy donning the same uniform. It’s none other than his nemesis, Otori, who upon noticing his friend, quickly starts walking in that direction. Suzu has a bad feeling about this.

“That jerk…” With a strong push off the railing, he leaves the rooftop and flies down the stairs towards the dorm. His friend, walking while deep in thought, has yet to notice Otori, who is just a few steps away from closing the distance between them. “Heeey!” Suzu’s loud, booming voice hits his friend’s ears and snaps them back to attention. Their eyes meet.

“I was hoping we could practice together!” He quickly blurts out. The other student’s eyes go wide as he senses something is amiss.

“Sure, okay.” Without looking back, Suzu’s friend quickly runs off towards him while Otori furrows his brows with a harrumph. He was definitely planning to throw around the same heartless words he had aimed towards Suzu and Yonaga, and glares at Suzu in frustration over having his plans thwarted. Suzu only responds with a laugh as he and his friend make their way back to the roof.

“Ah, so that’s why you looked so nervous!” After hearing Suzu explain himself, his friend quickly understands the situation and thanks him.

“Having a rivalry with a classmate is one thing, but… this is more like straight-up harassment, don’t you think!? We’re all working on the same performance, so what’s the point of getting in everyone else’s way? We should all just do our best, you know? Suzu lets out a sigh as his friend nods and approaches closer. After hearing his kind voice, all the previous anger feels silly now.

”I did mean it when I said I wanted to practice, though! Do you wanna?”

“Sure, let’s do it.”

Up on the roof, their two silhouettes begin to dance. The dance that was so unsure before begins to burst full of energy between the two of them. In the back of Suzu’s mind, he recalls the image of the Jack Ace dancing on stage with the charming Al Jeanne.

“I knew we could do this!”

Hearing Suzu’s brimming happiness, his friend laughs and wipes the sweat off his forehead. Suzu laughs back. There's a pounding in his chest like he's never felt before.

#translations #suzu #pre release short stories #Guess I should try to add to my Newcomer's Period Events collection...#Neji's does too I thiiiiinnnk #so maybe they all do....#“suzu's such a nice guy” indeed

19 notes · View notes