Magic Lantern - Mysterious 3
Dec. 25th, 2021 06:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iridesenescenceWriter: Akira
Season: Autumn
Location: Secret Room
Proofread by septetstarlet
Natsume: Well, putting that aside. A large majority of students in Yumenosaki are in the care of powerful, orthodox units like Knights, and this will allow them to experience success.
If they work hard, they'll be rewarded with the taste of victory.
A system where idols are guaranteed dividends for their efforts has been implemented at ES too.
... No, I suppose that's ES' entire purpose as an "idol utopia".
Things like the unit and L$ system were all implemented to make that utopia a reality.
And since Yumenosaki is so intricately linked to ES, the same applies here. If you do as you're told, success will come naturally; a smooth, paved path exists for everyone to walk upon.
Stories of attaining happiness by graduating from a good school and subsequently being hired by a good company disappeared when the economic bubble burst[1].
Yet an idol version of those stories has been prepared here.
Of course, there will always be those who don't fit into such mainstream stories — the misfits who resent being rolled around on a factory conveyor belt and turned into a mass-produced "product".
We of Switch shall pick up those oddballs[2] and stragglers. Gathering up those who have been left behind and charting a path for them is our mission, anyway.
But we can't just be picking them up. Without strength, you can't save anyone... I've always been painfully aware of this, and the results of that Bon Festival[3] only further convinced me.
After the Bon Festival, with the exception of Alkaloid, most of the idols left ES. Even though we might have been able to save them — even though we reached out with the very intention of saving them.
In the end, what exactly did we manage to do for them? Just allow them to make some final memories?
Sora: ......
Natsume: Of course, there was a system in place within the Specialised Music Ward for these idols fired during the summer to plan their comeback.
But as things are now, it's only slightly better than leaving them to their own devices.
They should have simply been granted happiness without the need for such safety nets being deployed.
But because of how weak we are, we can't even hold on tight to the things we've taken the trouble to pick up.
Without strength, you won't be able to save anyone. Ideals and dreams alone won't be able to fill your stomach. So what we needed was a more realistic power.
We can't just remain as dreaming children who live miserably while sheltered under someone else's wing.
Natsume: If nothing else, I need the strength to protect someone — strength on par with my nii-sans.
... And that's how I've ended up doing all sorts of things, colluding with Knights and the student council to have a hand in writing the story unfolding within Yumenosaki.
We're adjusting the environment so that even the misfits and less-skilled idols have a chance at success and victory, reforming the school's DreamFes system and setting up a division that the unorthodox idols may be able to win at.
We implemented these measures so that even those who have ended up as a minority have an equal chance at happiness.
Of course, that's not to say that they can simply sit idly with their mouths open, waiting for food to enter by itself. But we'll make it such that all paths will ultimately lead to utopia.
... Well, I'm doing all I can, but I don't exactly know if this is the right choice either. I might be a fortune-teller, but it's not as if I can see into the future.
But never again will I simply choose to do nothing at all.
Sora: ~... ♪
Natsume: ? Sora, what have you been up to all this while?
Sora: Sora has been listening to Shisho~ talk!
Natsume: Mm... Sorry, I ended up going on and on about things that have nothing to do with you.
I suppose I've gotten insecure and want someone to assure me that what I'm doing isn't wrong.
So I end up desperately putting my words together in an attempt to prove that I'm right.
Sora: HaHa~ ♪ From the moment we met, Shisho~ has never once been wrong! Sora really respects you!
Natsume: You're always like this, wholeheartedly affirming us despite how hopeless we are. We've allowed ourselves to be spoiled by you, while constantly leaving you on your own to wallow in loneliness.
We were supposed to have realised this and reflected on it during Next Door, but... Are we making the same mistake once again?
Sora: It's alright! Sora has found a way to fight the loneliness!
Here, with these dolls that Senpai made~ ♪ Even if there are many days where Sora can't meet with the real Shisho~ or Senpai, Sora can stay happy by talking to these two!
Natsume: ......
Sora: "You seem to be in a good mood today, Sora-kun!" "Did something good happen, Sora?"
Natsume: ......
Sora: "HiHi~ ♪ Yes! Sora doesn't understand all the complicated stuff, but it sounds like Shisho~ and Senpai's efforts will pay off!"
"And that's a very, very happy thing for Sora as well!"
"I see! If Sora-kun is happy, then I am too!" "Me too~!"
Natsume: ...!
I'm sorry! Sora...! Please, you don't have to console yourself with those dolls—
The real me is right here, I'll hug you as much as you want! So please, stop that, it's heartbreaking to watch...!
Sora: Huh? No, um, Sora is really alright~...?
↑ Note [1]: The bursting of Japan's economic bubble refers to a period between 1991-1993 where the economy suffered and employment rates dropped.
↑ Note [2]: This is not the word used for the 5 oddballs. In my translations, I use Eccentrics for 奇人.
↑ Note [3]: Bon Festival is from main story 1 of !! era. Switch organised it in an attempt to save the units that ES wanted to fire — Alkaloid was one of those units.
Mysterious 2 || Mysterious 4
Story Masterlist
Season: Autumn
Location: Secret Room
Proofread by septetstarlet
Natsume: Well, putting that aside. A large majority of students in Yumenosaki are in the care of powerful, orthodox units like Knights, and this will allow them to experience success.
If they work hard, they'll be rewarded with the taste of victory.
A system where idols are guaranteed dividends for their efforts has been implemented at ES too.
... No, I suppose that's ES' entire purpose as an "idol utopia".
Things like the unit and L$ system were all implemented to make that utopia a reality.
And since Yumenosaki is so intricately linked to ES, the same applies here. If you do as you're told, success will come naturally; a smooth, paved path exists for everyone to walk upon.
Stories of attaining happiness by graduating from a good school and subsequently being hired by a good company disappeared when the economic bubble burst[1].
Yet an idol version of those stories has been prepared here.
Of course, there will always be those who don't fit into such mainstream stories — the misfits who resent being rolled around on a factory conveyor belt and turned into a mass-produced "product".
We of Switch shall pick up those oddballs[2] and stragglers. Gathering up those who have been left behind and charting a path for them is our mission, anyway.
But we can't just be picking them up. Without strength, you can't save anyone... I've always been painfully aware of this, and the results of that Bon Festival[3] only further convinced me.
After the Bon Festival, with the exception of Alkaloid, most of the idols left ES. Even though we might have been able to save them — even though we reached out with the very intention of saving them.
In the end, what exactly did we manage to do for them? Just allow them to make some final memories?
Sora: ......
Natsume: Of course, there was a system in place within the Specialised Music Ward for these idols fired during the summer to plan their comeback.
But as things are now, it's only slightly better than leaving them to their own devices.
They should have simply been granted happiness without the need for such safety nets being deployed.
But because of how weak we are, we can't even hold on tight to the things we've taken the trouble to pick up.
Without strength, you won't be able to save anyone. Ideals and dreams alone won't be able to fill your stomach. So what we needed was a more realistic power.
We can't just remain as dreaming children who live miserably while sheltered under someone else's wing.
Natsume: If nothing else, I need the strength to protect someone — strength on par with my nii-sans.
... And that's how I've ended up doing all sorts of things, colluding with Knights and the student council to have a hand in writing the story unfolding within Yumenosaki.
We're adjusting the environment so that even the misfits and less-skilled idols have a chance at success and victory, reforming the school's DreamFes system and setting up a division that the unorthodox idols may be able to win at.
We implemented these measures so that even those who have ended up as a minority have an equal chance at happiness.
Of course, that's not to say that they can simply sit idly with their mouths open, waiting for food to enter by itself. But we'll make it such that all paths will ultimately lead to utopia.
... Well, I'm doing all I can, but I don't exactly know if this is the right choice either. I might be a fortune-teller, but it's not as if I can see into the future.
But never again will I simply choose to do nothing at all.
Sora: ~... ♪
Natsume: ? Sora, what have you been up to all this while?
Sora: Sora has been listening to Shisho~ talk!
Natsume: Mm... Sorry, I ended up going on and on about things that have nothing to do with you.
I suppose I've gotten insecure and want someone to assure me that what I'm doing isn't wrong.
So I end up desperately putting my words together in an attempt to prove that I'm right.
Sora: HaHa~ ♪ From the moment we met, Shisho~ has never once been wrong! Sora really respects you!
Natsume: You're always like this, wholeheartedly affirming us despite how hopeless we are. We've allowed ourselves to be spoiled by you, while constantly leaving you on your own to wallow in loneliness.
We were supposed to have realised this and reflected on it during Next Door, but... Are we making the same mistake once again?
Sora: It's alright! Sora has found a way to fight the loneliness!
Here, with these dolls that Senpai made~ ♪ Even if there are many days where Sora can't meet with the real Shisho~ or Senpai, Sora can stay happy by talking to these two!
Natsume: ......
Sora: "You seem to be in a good mood today, Sora-kun!" "Did something good happen, Sora?"
Natsume: ......
Sora: "HiHi~ ♪ Yes! Sora doesn't understand all the complicated stuff, but it sounds like Shisho~ and Senpai's efforts will pay off!"
"And that's a very, very happy thing for Sora as well!"
"I see! If Sora-kun is happy, then I am too!" "Me too~!"
Natsume: ...!
I'm sorry! Sora...! Please, you don't have to console yourself with those dolls—
The real me is right here, I'll hug you as much as you want! So please, stop that, it's heartbreaking to watch...!
Sora: Huh? No, um, Sora is really alright~...?
↑ Note [1]: The bursting of Japan's economic bubble refers to a period between 1991-1993 where the economy suffered and employment rates dropped.
↑ Note [2]: This is not the word used for the 5 oddballs. In my translations, I use Eccentrics for 奇人.
↑ Note [3]: Bon Festival is from main story 1 of !! era. Switch organised it in an attempt to save the units that ES wanted to fire — Alkaloid was one of those units.
Mysterious 2 || Mysterious 4
Story Masterlist
