nazunyan427

Fuyume FS - A One of a Kind Dream Part 1 & 2
Season: Spring
Featuring: Fuyume, Tomoya, Hajime, Anzu

Tomoya:

…I see. So, you’re in the middle of making personalized outfits for the new idols right now, Anzu-san. But even though you managed to discuss things with Sagiri, the first of them, and things are progressing smoothly with his…

…ever since Hanamura sent you a message saying “Yume will make Yume’s own outfit”, you haven’t had a chance to talk to him, so you’re beginning to worry.

Hajime:

You tried contacting him a couple of times to check up on his progress, but he hasn’t replied…? Mmm, that does sound a bit concerning.

Tomoya:

If he wants to make his own outfit, you want to respect his wishes, but the “personalized outfit” project was yours to begin with, huh…

You were the one who suggested that you try to come up with an outfit that would suit him the best together, so it’s not great that he’s totally ignoring you.

Hajime:

I’d just like to confirm something. Are you sure there isn’t anything wrong with Hanamura-kun? Like, he hasn’t caught a cold, or something…?

Oh, you heard from Sagiri-kun that he’s perfectly healthy? I see… Then I wonder what’s wrong?

Tomoya:

Yeah… Well, it looks like the only option is to ask Hanamura himself.

I hope we can find him while we have a look… Hm, what’s that? There’s a crowd of people over there?

Hajime:

Hm? Someone seems to be in the center, surrounded by everyone. I just caught a brief glance, but I think it’s–

Fuyume:

…♪

Tomoya:

That’s Hanamura, isn’t it…? What’s he doing, holding up his phone like that?

Fuyume:

Hehehe. Yume’s as cute as ever today…! ♪

But photos just don’t convey Yume’s charm properly. Yume’s gotta do Yume’s best to take even better photos.

What if Yume tries out different expressions, or poses…?

Ufufu. This photo turned out pretty good… ♪ Yume’s even cute from an angle like this… ♪

Tomoya:

I was wondering what he was up to, but I guess he’s taking selfies somewhere he really stands out.

Hajime:

That’s why he attracted so much attention and drew in a crowd.

That said, he really is taking an enormous amount of photos, isn’t he? He’s had his eyes glued to the camera the whole time…

Tomoya:

Feels like we’d waste a lot of time if we waited for him to finish, huh. Let’s get his attention. Oi, Hanamura~?

Fuyume:

…Yeah. This angle looks best, so Yume thinks Yume can come up with where to place the accessories like this.

Next Yume should try taking a photo more from the side, instead of the front. Ufufu, Yume’s gonna take the best photo ever for sure… ♪

Tomoya:

You’re gonna take even more?!

Fuyume:

Mmm… You guys are being so noisy. Yume’s busy, so can you stay out of Yume’s way?

Hajime:

We’re in your “way”...? I mean, you say you’re busy, but you’re just taking selfies, aren’t y–

Fuyume:

“Just” taking selfies? You don’t understand anything. Yume is in the middle of a photoshoot right now, so just be quiet.

Hajime:

H-Huh? Now what? He just stubbornly snapped back at me…!

Tomoya:

Well, I’m sure Hanamura’s got his own stuff going on, so we should ask about that first.

Fuyume:

…Yeah ♪ Yume captured the ideal Yume and got a ton of photos~

Once Yume uploads these online, you’re all gonna go crazy over them, without a doubt. So look forward to them, ‘kay…?

Tomoya:

Hanamura~? Is it all right if we talk to you now?

Fuyume:

No, it’s not… But Yume is willing to listen. What do you want from Yume?

Hajime:

Er… We heard about your personalized outfit from Anzu-san. You told her that you wanted to make it yourself, right?

But afterwards, you never replied to her when she asked about how progress was going… So all of us went looking for you to ask you directly about it.

Anzu:

I’d just like you to tell me how you’re getting along, is all.

Fuyume:

And why does Yume have to tell you about Yume’s outfit?

Tomoya:

Well, this is a project you’re involved with together with Anzu-san. If you’ve decided you’d prefer to make it yourself and it’s coming along fine then there’s no problem.

But… If you’re struggling or having trouble, then Anzu-san would prefer you talk to her about it.

Anzu:

I was wondering what sort of outfit you’d decided on.

Fuyume:

…Yume is doing Yume’s best to come up with it.

Tomoya:

Yeah. So, if you’re still thinking about it, all you need to do is send Anzu-san a quick message telling her that.

Fuyume:

Yeah. And that’s why Yume already said Yume is working on it alone. So just wait until it’s done, okay?

Hajime:

It’s not that she doesn’t want to wait… It’s just that, working on an outfit all by yourself is a lot of work.

It’s just like Tomoya-kun said; we’re concerned you might be struggling with it.

Fuyume:

…Yume is fine. Yume can do this all by himself.

Tomoya:

Look, you don’t have to talk to us about it. But we’d like you to at least let Anzu-san know, be it through text or verbally.

You’re an idol, aren’t you, Hanamura?

So you can’t go causing trouble for your producer, since it’ll cause trouble for everyone involved, as well as the progress for the whole project.

Fuyume:

…up.

Tomoya:

?

Fuyume:

Shut up. You don’t know anything about Yume, so can you not lecture him?

Yume doesn’t want to be told this and that by a guy with such an average-looking face!

Hajime:

Wh…?! Wh-What did you just say?!

Anzu-san and Tomoya-kun are saying all of this with your best interests in mind! Not to mention, Tomoya-kun is COOL! HE’S SO COOL. THE COOLEST EVER…!

Tomoya:

Ahaha, thanks, Hajime. Just you thinking that is enough for me.

Look, I’m perfectly aware that I’m ordinary. You don’t need to worry about that.

Hajime:

But…

Tomoya:

We appeared out of nowhere and interrupted his photoshoot, then lectured him on top of that, so it’s no wonder he’s grumpy with us. Sorry, Hanamura.

Fuyume:

…Hmph.

Tomoya:

You said before that you’re doing your best to come up with an outfit, right? Then, could you at least tell us what kind of outfit you have in mind?

Fuyume:

…don’t wanna.

Tomoya:

Because you wanna keep it a secret until you’re done? Well, if that’s what you want, then it’s fine… Whoops, sorry I keep on speaking in your place, Anzu-san.

…I don’t know what kinda outfit you’re planning to make, Hanamura. But something tells me that if it was really coming along well, you’d be a lot more confident about it.

But it doesn’t seem like–

Fuyume:

…!

Tomoya:

I know it seems like I’m picking on a kid who's younger than me. But even an “average” guy like me is perceptive enough to tell that you’re trying to hide something.

Fuyume:

…

Tomoya:

There was a point in time where you were determined enough to shoot back a reply right away announcing you’d make it yourself.

So, if you’re really determined to come up with something great… Won’t you be honest with us?

Fuyume:

…Sniff sniff

Tomoya:

Hm?

Fuyume:

*starts to cry*

Tomoya:

Huh? Hanamura, are you crying…?!

(30 mins later. Cafe Cochi.)

Fuyume:

Sniff… Sniffle.

Hajime:

Have you calmed down? You shouldn’t sniffle; you should really blow your nose properly with a tissue.

Tomoya:

But you’ll end up hurting your ears if you blow too hard, so you should blow each side one at a time.

Fuyume:

Uu. Yume doesn’t want to blow his nose because it’ll look ugly… You’re the one who made Yume cry.

Anzu:

Sorry for being the bad guy.

Tomoya:

No, Anzu-san, don’t apologize about that. I’m the one who scolded Hanamura back there.

Well, that aside. Now that you’ve calmed down, won’t you talk to us about your personalized outfit…?

You were determined enough to reply to Anzu-san right away that you’d make it yourself when she first contacted you.

Fuyume:

Yeah… Yume looked at Anzu-san’s message when Yume was with Esu and read it then.

Yume saw what she’d written about bringing out each idol’s individual charm in their outfits…

But Yume’s individuality and charm is Yume’s alone. Yume doesn’t want some other person to try and come up with an outfit that reflects that.

The person who can represent Yume the most wonderfully of all is obviously Yume himself… That’s why Yume decided to make the outfit alone.

Hajime:

I see… So, that’s how you felt about a personalized outfit, Hanamura-kun.

Fuyume:

Yume was so confident when Anzu-san’s message arrived. Yume makes all of Yume’s cosplays by hand.

Yume can easily make a brand new outfit… Or so Yume thought.

But then Yume couldn’t find Esu anywhere, only to find out he shut himself away in ES so he could talk to Anzu-san, just the two of them, right?

And when he finally got home, he started bragging about how his idol fit was gonna turn out amazing, without a doubt!

He solved all of his problems behind Mommy’s back, and Mom did NOT appreciate how full of confidence he was… That’s when Mom started to lose it.

Tomoya & Hajime:

…Mom?

Fuyume:

Yume wanted to be the one to make Esu’s outfit! But he lifted the weight off of his shoulders all by himself, and let the essence of an idol flow through him…!

So, Yume wanted to get back at Esu by designing Yume’s own outfit, no matter what. Yume wanted to make him admit that he wished he and Yume came up with his outfit together.

But even though Yume’s been trying his hardest to come up with an outfit, things aren’t going well at all. Yume can’t get Yume’s thoughts together…

So Yume wondered if he took a bunch of selfies and put them online, and got showered in comments calling Yume cute, that Yume would come up with an idea.

Yume tried Yume’s best to work this out… But nothing’s working. How come?

No. Yume knows the reason. Yume hates the idea of Esu and Anzu-san getting along so well, just the two of them…!

Hajime:

Wah! You can’t make a fuss in the middle of this cafe~ Just calm down~

Fuyume:

Yume didn’t want to talk about this, but he let it all out…

Tomoya:

Sorry about this. I not only made you cry, but I made you talk about something you didn’t want to. I must be a terrible guy in your eyes, Hanamura.

But, well, seeing as you already probably hate me, I’d still like you to talk to us for a little longer.

Fuyume:

You want me to keep going…?

Tomoya:

We’ve never really spoken that much before, but you still managed to confess a whole lot. So maybe this timing might’ve been a blessing in disguise.

Thank you for talking to us about what you’d been keeping locked up inside.

Fuyume:

…Yeah. Yume really was upset.

Yume’s still gonna do his best for Yume’s own sake… But if Yume can’t get anywhere with Yume’s personalized outfit, then what?

Tomoya:

Then I’ll keep on cheering you on, so that everything will all work out. I’ve already hopped on board.

Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? If you’ve had a change of heart, then you might as well let everything out now. I’m sure you’ll feel a ton better.

Fuyume:

Nope, Yume got everything Yume was keeping inside Yume’s tummy out.

But… Right, now that Yume’s let everything out, Yume’s tummy is empty. ♪

Hajime:

Huh? Your tummy?

Fuyume:

Yume needs energy to do Yume’s best. So Yume wants to eat the cutest cake this cafe has.

Tomoya:

You really are something else… You really make things work in your own favor, huh?

Hajime:

R-Right. Can you please at least apologize to Anzu-san first?

Fuyume:

Mmm~ …Sorry, Anzu-san. Yume will do Yume’s best once Yume has some cake, so work with Yume, okay? ♪

…Oh. This cake is so cute. Yume’s gonna order it right away. Ufufu… ♪

(Several days later.)

Tomoya:

Sorry to barge in~

Fuyume:

Anzu-san! This material here is supposed to be more frilly and flowy!

And can’t you see there aren’t enough flowers?

And when you consider how it’s gonna look when Yume’s on stage… This side is gonna need more accessories!

Tomoya:

(This guy is a real handful. Just when I thought he and Anzu-san are working on his outfit together, I see he’s being as self-centered as always.

But maybe… Maybe it’s not being self-centered. Maybe this is his own form of perfectionism?

It’s not great to cause so much trouble for everyone around him, but being a perfectionist isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I mean, I used to be the type who’d practice things I was struggling with until super late, which I’m sure caused a ton of trouble for others.)

So I guess I understand the feeling of not wanting to compromise…

Fuyume:

…Hm? Is that you, Leader of Ra*bits-san?

What are you doing here?

Tomoya:

I told you I’d be supporting you, didn’t I? So I came to check on how things are going.

Hey there, Anzu-san. Well, how’s it going?

Looks like Hanamura is as selfish–I mean, as much of a perfectionist as ever. So, how are things coming along?

Fuyume:

Don’t be so rude. You have eyes, don’t you?

Yume put all of the love in Yume’s heart into this outfit, and it’s well on its way to completion! ♪

Oh, Anzu-san. Yume wants to put a flower in the middle of the center ribbon. That’d be even cuter, right?

…? Anzu-san? What’s that accessory you have in your hand?

There’s no flower like that in the rough draft, and Yume never said anything about wearing it…

Anzu:

I thought you’d look even cuter with this, so I prepared it for you.

Fuyume:

…Hmm… Looks like you know Yume pretty well.

It’s not a bad idea, so Yume’ll use it. Yume will even let you be the one to attach it to the ribbon… ♪

Tomoya:

Sneaky of you to increase Anzu-san’s workload like that.

Anzu:

… I’m just glad I thought to prepare it.

Tomoya:

Hm? Well, if you're happy about it, then I can’t really say anything.

Fuyume:

Hey, Leader of Ra*bits-san, Yume wants you to grab that lace over there!

Tomoya:

Sure. This lace, right…

Fuyume:

…Fufufu. Just you wait, Esu. And all of the rest of you. Yume is gonna show the cutest Yume yet.

You’re all cordially invited to Yume’s world…! ♪

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “Epilogue” Chapter 21

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(Several hours later. Announcing the results of the Parallel World project on stage.)

Tomoya:

“Thank you all for choosing us!”

“We are—”

Hajime:

“We are—”

Mitsuru:

“The real Ra*bits~! Yay! ☆”

Nazuna:

“You did an incredible job of choosing the right answer, so we’d like to give you some gifts as a reward!”

“Everything has been sent to your SSVRS account, so make sure to pick it all up within the timeframe!”

…Man~ To be honest, I was pretty on edge.

I really am glad everyone could tell that we’re the ‘real’ Ra*bits.

Hajime:

Me too… Possibly thanks to a lot of the work Mitsuru-kun is popular for doing especially recently, the ‘cool’ versions of Ra*bits ended up getting a lot of votes too.

Nazuna:

You mean like the Knights version of Ra*bits?

But I’d seriously hate that~ Having to act all pompous like Izumi-chin does by simping for all his fans like, “Anything for you, Princess!”

Hajime:

Nii~chan, you shouldn’t say that he ‘simps’ for his fans~ Especially not when the world probably thinks that we Ra*bits are even more guilty of leading on or kissing up to our fans with how cutesy we act.

Tomoya:

Yeah. Not to mention Knights’ fans can be pretty terrifying, so if anyone overhears you and posts what you said online, we could get seriously ratioed.

Nazuna:

You have a point~ I’ll be careful. Both Izumi-chin and I respect each other, so there’s no harm in poking fun at one another. But the Internet won’t really care about that; they’ll just take it completely out of context.

I’ve come to learn all too well what it feels like to be the subject of a hot topic.

We weren’t one of Crazy:B’s targets this summer so this was our first time, and I was pretty shook.

Hajime:

If anything, Knights were the ones that Crazy:B attacked and put in the same position as us.

Ritsu-senpai was grumbling about the way they blatantly came for them during SS.*

Nazuna:

Yeah. I heard that the whole situation was an absolute disaster.

Things got pretty rough; aggressive even~ And that includes all of their fans too. I guess they’re influenced by Knights’ disposition as a unit.

Conquer and defeat the enemy, that is. If we had war in our blood like those guys, maybe we could’ve easily sorted out our problems this time around much faster.

Hajime:

That’s who they are. But this is who we are, Nii~chan ♪

Tomoya:

Yeah. Not to mention, if we fired gunshots, things could’ve gotten pretty messy. We did our best to sort out our problems in the way that worked best for us.

And now Bishojo-senpai has promised to back off. They’ve probably managed to gather the amount of people they need by now.

And so, the four of us will be able to continue down this path of “cuteness”; just like we’ve been doing up until now.

Hajime:

Yes. We’ve had ups and downs, but the result is that we’re going to be maintaining the status quo, so it seems.

What Ideia-sama spoke about might still be just a dream, but who knows? In the not so distant future, it might just become a reality.

And so from now on, we’ll seriously have to start thinking about what we’ll do when that time comes—and whether we can keep on living in this status quo.

Tomoya:

Yeah. But for now, everything’s been sorted out. Good work, guys.

Mitsuru:

Uuu~! But that person caused a bunch of trouble for us! They decided to gang up on us, and then once they got what they wanted, they’re just like “Bye, bye”! What are they, a typhoon?

Hajime:

Hehe. Even now that everything’s come to a conclusion, we still can’t be sure of Ideia-sama’s true intentions. It really is the sort of thing you can’t tell without seeing someone’s face.

Did they just use us for their own benefit? Or was there any emotion behind what they did?

But, if you ask me, there’s no way Ideia-sama simply used us; they genuinely and truly supported us all along.

They did this to make us stronger, and chose to bestow this trial upon us to test us—that’s what I want to believe.

–

*Hajime has referred to Ritsu by “Ritsu-onii~chan” since the start of !!, so this might be an error. When Parallel World was first released, Eichi mistakenly referred to Tomoya as “Tomoya-kun” instead of “Mashiro-kun” but this was quickly updated a few days later, so there’s a chance Akira simply made a mistake here too.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 19

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Sanctuary Food Court

Mitsuru:

Of course, it would’ve been the absolute worst if everyone thought the real Ra*bits were a bunch of fakes, and we had to disappear—

Hajime:

That’s why we put our heart and soul into our performances, even more than usual. Thanks to that, we’re pretty exhausted.

Ideia-sama:

“You’ve worked hard. Though needless to say, so long as no horrifying incident unfolds, your victory is basically guaranteed, isn’t it?”

“And that’s exactly because you are the one and only ‘real’ Ra*bits in this world. When urged to choose the ‘real’ thing, anyone would choose you.”

“You’ve earned that degree of recognition and possess that amount of uniqueness.”

“Though some people might select a different version of Ra*bits for laughs, they’re sure to be vastly outnumbered by your die-hard fans.”

“If anything, by seeing all of these fake versions of Ra*bits with their own eyes, it will sink in just how valuable the ‘real’ you are.”

“It’s what we refer to as uncanny valley—things that look eerily similar, but there’s something not quite right about them. You took all of this into account when you prepared to take to the stage for this event.”

“And choosing this amusement park as your location was a smart move. Since it’s not yet officially open, the fee to enter isn’t all that high, but taking part in this actual event doesn’t come cheap.”

“And so, the only people gathered here today are ones who want to see Ra*bits so badly that they’re willing to pay for it. In other words, your most passionate, die-hard fans.”

“And it’s because they are your fans, that they will choose you—boys and girls alike. Because you are their one and only ‘real’ beloved Ra*bits.”

“And so. Your fans' reaction, and the amount of people who voted for you, will go down in the records.”

“That was your aim. To have this many people judge that the cute Ra*bits you’ve always been are the ‘real’ you.”

“You wanted to make it clear that the vast majority wants you to stay exactly the way you’ve always been up to now.”

“And you’re going to show that by using numbers that anyone can easily understand—old and young, male and female alike.”

“After all, it is numbers that decide everything in this capitalistic society. When it comes to selling a popular product, this is something our agency cannot ignore.”

“So long as the highest in command at Rhythm Link aren’t utterly useless, they’ll have no choice but to accept this decision.”

“After all, they don’t want to be thought of as an agency that would disregard what their fans want. They’d have to make a call that that sort of reputation would affect them financially.”

“And so, they’ll have to withdraw from the illogical way they’ve been treating you, and shift their focus to convincing me, the person who demanded that treatment, instead.”

“They’ll weigh up the costs and benefits of both scenarios, and make a choice on what they determine is best.”

“And they’ll no longer listen to what I have to say, since falling into displeasure with me alone is far, far less terrifying than falling into displeasure with the entire world.”

“That was the true intention of this event, wasn’t it?”

“It really is a wonderfully genius plan.”

Mitsuru:

Well, we didn’t think it up. It’s a tactic a girl who’s way smarter than I’ll ever be, came up with for us.

Tomoya:

Now that I think about it, we basically relied on other people every step of the way… Or like, all we really did ourselves was just a little bit.

Hajime:

Well, I think that’s perfectly fine. After all, all anyone can ever do by themselves is ‘just a little bit.’

And it’s only once all those ‘little bits’ add up, that we’re able to accomplish something huge.

That’s something you taught me—Ideia-sama.

Ideia-sama:

“......”

Hajime:

Back when I was new to this industry, panicking over not being able to tell left from right, those were the words of encouragement you shared with me. You supported me and came to my aid.

Even though you were such a major, influential figure that it wouldn’t be any shock at all if you never even noticed someone as tiny as me. 

But you were so warm-hearted to me and supported me with such kindness.

"It doesn’t matter whether you’re a superstar or a fledgling in the business; it’s essential to support one another with kindness"—that’s what you told me.

And I’ve never, ever forgotten it.

So no matter what sort of horrible things you do to us, or when the time comes I have to decide whether you’re friend or foe, I know the happiness I felt back then was no lie.

Ideia-sama:

“Oh? I suppose I did say something like that.”

“—All of my life, all I’ve ever done is tell lies.”

“As you can see. Hehehe.”

“So maybe I just wanted to experience something real for once.”

“I most definitely exist in this world. So I guess I just wanted to experience what it’s like to open my heart to someone in a real and honest way.”

“I only did it on a personal whim. There’s really no need to feel any sort of gratitude to me, Hajime-san.”

Hajime:

Gratitude is gratitude. And I’ll never be able to forget this debt of gratitude.

Ideia-sama:

“What a clumsy boy.”

“No. It's because of how clumsy you all are that you’re such easy pickings in this society.”

“In general, diligent, well-behaved kids like you will be taken advantage of and simply used until it’s time to dispose of you. That’s the sort of vicious society we live in.”

“The reason some people are doomed to work and work, while their life gets no easier, has nothing to do with them being bad people who’ve committed some sort of crime.”

“It’s simply because they’re easy pickings; the sort of person far too benevolent for their own good.”

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 17

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(Several days later. A certain building in the city, within the world of Sanctuary. Operation: Parallel Ra*bits is a go.)

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Fuhahahaha! This marks the start of our Hero Show, and what better place to hold it than an amusement park?”

Midori (Hajime):

“Our white fur is a mark of justice! A pure, blinding light, untainted by darkness…!”

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“With our big, doe eyes and our long, floppy ears—we’ll be sure to exterminate the bad in this world…!”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“That’s us! The lovely ☆ cute Heroes of Justice; Ra*bits…!”

Hajime:

W-Wow~ Clap, clap, clap! ♪

Mitsuru:

Whoa, you guys! That was so cool~!

Hajime:

Yeah~ We did already see the footage before, but seeing it in real life really is extraordinary; or rather, I feel like I’m dreaming right now.

Nazuna:

Wait, sorr… Ahahahaha☆ I could get on board with this! Weirdly enough, this is right up my alley! And you even came up with catchphrases, this is too funny!

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Great! Seems like we have Nito’s approval!”

Nazuna:

Hey, can you not call me Nito when you’re wearing Tomo-chin’s face~? You better stay in character for the most part while you’re playing Ra*bits.

Midori (Hajime):

“Yeah… That’s important. If you act in a way that other people will be able to tell there’s a “person” inside a mascot character, it’ll seriously dampen their mood…”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“Aye aye, sir! We’ll be sure to put our all to stayin’ in character to the best of our ability!"

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“Nihihi. Since Ryuseitai has also been wondering about how we’ll proceed henceforth, I’m grateful that this project will give us a chance to test out and get a feel for all sorts of possibilities.”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! But while all of us have adjusted to the roles already, I guess having an orthodox unit like Ra*bits act like superheroes might feel a little off to others?”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“Well, forcing two separate concepts together whether they match or not has always been the way Ryuseitai does things.”

“To be honest, while heroes and idols might seem like a good match-up, there are still subtle incompatibilities.”

Midori (Hajime):

“Beep, beep, this is the Mascot Character Patrol. We’re supposed to be playing Ra*bits right now, so it’s problematic to start talking about this Ryusei-whatever unit.”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“You say that, Midori-kun, but you’re the one sticking to ‘ore’ as your first person pronoun while you’re supposed to be playing Hajime-kun.”*

Midori (Hajime):

“Yeah… I’m sorry, Shino-kun, I ended up being the one playing as you…”

Hajime:

Huh? No, I’m thrilled that you’re playing me, Takamine-kun! It’s an absolute honor!

Midori (Hajime):

“I’m actually quite happy about it too… Hehehe, right now, no matter how you look at me, I’m so cute…♪”

“I no longer have to lament about how tall I am every time I look in the mirror…♪”

Hajime:

I-I’m not actually that short though?

Midori (Hajime):

“But for some reason, you really give off the impression of someone who’s tiny and cute… Odd.”

Hajime:

Well, I’m pretty selective about my angles when it comes to taking pictures or videos.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! Absolutely fascinating! But while it’s great that we’re all getting along, we are in the middle of a job here! So I’d like us to leave the idle chatter at that!”

Nazuna:

Oh…? I had the impression that Chiaki-chin has been taking a step back from Ryuseitai for a while, but right now it seems like you’re taking control just like old times.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“That’s because I’m the one in command this time!”

Nazuna:

What do you mean “this time”...?

Well, in any case, it seems like a lot has happened with you guys.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“And the same with you. I’ve been worried about this strange fuss you’ve found yourselves in. Are things really okay with you?”

“If you need any more of our help, feel free to reach out to us any time!”

Nazuna:

You’re already helping us out plenty. Right, Tomo-chin?

Tomoya:

Right. Sorry to ask so much of you, but I’d like you to keep on playing your version of Parallel Ra*bits just like that.

That’s the whole objective of this “Parallel World” project, after all.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“A ‘Parallel World’... In Hero-ese, it's what we call the multiverse.”

“In other words, in this parallel version of the world, the Ra*bits everyone knows have evolved into all sorts of different forms.”

“In Ryuseitai’s case, it’s ‘what if Ra*bits became superheroes’?”

“But what’s the point of having all of these different versions of Ra*bits spread out through this amusement park, and making them sing and dance?”

Tomoya:

You’ll find out soon enough. It’s almost time for us to make all sorts of official announcements.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! I can’t say I follow, but I eagerly await whatever's about to unfold!”

“Hang in there, Mashiro Tomoya! Your unit has the strongest heart in all of Yumenosaki! No matter what difficulties you face, I’ve no doubt that you’ll be able to persevere!

Tomoya:

Ahaha. When I’m being cheered on by someone who looks just like me, it’s like I’m looking into a mirror and giving myself a pep talk. Feels kinda weird.

Hajime:

It really does feel like we’re in another universe… Here and there, I see people walking around, looking just like us…

There might even be a much superior version of myself among them. I don’t even have to go out of my way to search, since they’re everywhere.

Tomoya:

No matter how outstanding or what sort of prodigy they are, they’ll never replace you, Hajime.

The Shino Hajime from Ra*bits that we know and love is you and you alone.

Midori (Hajime):

“Mashiro-kun… Sorry, but you’re going to make me blush when you gaze at me closely like that…”

Hajime:

You did not just go and mix us up! Tomoya-kun, you liar! And right when you just claimed that you loved me! If you really love me, you won’t mix me up with someone else!

Tomoya:

S-S-Sorry! But you really do look exactly alike right now!

Mitsuru:

Yeah. This technology is sure somethin’~ SSVRS or whatever it’s called.

Nazuna:

Right~? I can’t think of it as anything other than magic. All you have to do is put on these special contact lenses, and there’s suddenly a whole new world right in front of you.

Hajime:

To everyone here, ourselves included, all of the other idols look exactly like Ra*bits right now.

Tomoya:

That’s the whole point. Though apparently this is pretty standard technology for Sanctuary. Once you take a step inside, everyone is under the “magic of technology.”

It’s like we’re all dreaming, while still in reality.

Hajime:

In this case, everyone is part of our Parallel World.

Nazuna:

I understand our strategy and I do find it pretty interesting. But I can’t help it; I’m already starting to feel like I’m tipsy. This is all so crazy…

Hajime:

Well, you’re a very sensitive person, Nii~chan.

Nazuna:

Or like, I just can’t keep up with the flexibility of the youth, no matter what.

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“All ‘five’ of us together are ‘Ra*bits’...☆”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Ah, come on, Kanata! You lost our game of rock-paper-scissors, so you have to play the bad guy, get it? Ra*bits is a team of four, so there can’t be five of us!”

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“But I am lonely! I am lonely because I am the only one you are all ‘leaving out~’!”

Midori (Hajime):

“I-I feel really bad now… You do see heroes in teams of three or five, but a team of four is rare. It does feel a bit odd.”

“Why don’t we let Shinkai-senpai join us anyway—”

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“Midori! What a good boy! As a ‘thank you’ for your kindness, I will gift you this ‘seaweed’ ♪”

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“Ahaha, now things have delved into a random folktale!”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“‘The Flapjack Octopus’ Requital of A Favor.’”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Like Metalder?! The same turn of events that often unfold in Superhuman-Machine Metalder?!”*

Midori (Hajime):

“So annoying… Thanks to this guy sorting out his problems, we’re seeing a revival of the SFX otaku. I hate it.”

Tomoya:

…Well, all of you guys who agreed to help us out seem to be having a lot of fun, which I’m really glad about.

But we still don’t know if this will solve anything. Let’s get to work and do what we need to do.

Mitsuru:

Yeah! Let’s take out that Bishojo-senpai! Ei, ei, oh! ☆”

Hajime:

W-We’re not going to be fighting Ideia-sama though…? I’m not so sure why you seem so eager to get into a fight, Mitsuru-kun?

Tomoya:

Right. The only people we’re about to face off against right now—are ourselves.

–

*Hajime’s first person pronoun is “boku” which sounds soft and humble. Midori’s is “ore” which sounds more masculine and casual. 

*A franchise about a metal superhero.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 12

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(One week later. Starmony Dorm Theater Room.)

Tomoya:

No way this is gonna work.

Nazuna:

Yeah… Sorry, I don’t think I can do this either.

Mitsuru:

Huh~? How come, how come? I thought it was pretty funny. Ra*bits playin’ dirty…☆

Hajime:

F-For the record, the official name of the project is “Parallel Ra*bits.”

We asked dozens of idols, pro and amateur alike, to make use of the SSVRS and transform into Ra*bits.

And then each of them performed in the same way they always do, albeit while looking completely like us.

For example, Akatsuki performed in their traditional, Japanese style, and Undead performed rock and roll.

Nazuna:

Yeah. That way, we’ve been able to see all sorts of Ra*bits from an audience’s perspective, which should help us figure out what direction we’d be best suited to go in. 

That was the plan, anyway.

Tomoya:

But it’s a total failure… 

Surprisingly, Mitsuru was the one who put forward this proposal and was really adamant about trying it. So I figured, well, maybe a miracle is about to happen. That’s why I went along with it.

Mitsuru:

What? So this is my fault? But I just took Guu~chan’s idea—

Tomoya:

No. I’m the one who made the final decision to try it out, so the blame lies with me.

I’m the Leader of Ra*bits, after all. The ultimate responsibility belongs to me.

But. We’re completely broke after using up all of our L$ to pay the other idols for helping us out. And speaking of which, so many people applied that it’s taking ages for everything to get approved.

Thanks to all that, we haven’t been able to be very active as a unit at all. Though I guess work has all but dried up for us right now, so maybe that’s not so much of a problem.

I’m scared of how the world is going to react… To be honest, I’m starting to worry we strayed completely off path?

Nazuna:

Mhm. We may not know which direction we should turn and run in, but it’s better than just staying still and letting ourselves get put completely out of business.

Hajime:

You’re so positive, Nii~chan…♪

Nazuna:

All we can do right now is stay positive, even if we have to force ourselves. It’s not like we can go back now.

That awful Bishojo-senpai was as good as their word. They put pressure on our agency, and completely stripped “cuteness” away from us.

Hajime:

Ideia-sama basically reigns over the world of all things cute as its ultimate boss, so to speak… If they give the order, everyone else falls into line and goes along with it.

Nazuna:

We got a real glimpse at the authority of a major influential figure, huh…

Of course, there were plenty of people who felt animosity towards Bishojo-senpai’s cruel way of going about things too.

And that’s probably why so many people went along with our proposal to help us out. Everyone let us know they’re on our side, and made their attitudes towards this clear.

Hajime:

Well, I’m very grateful for that at least… If all other idols had turned their back on us too, that would have been the absolute worst. We would’ve been so isolated and helpless.

It reminds me of a long time ago when I was ostracized by everyone for being so dimwitted and slow.

Not that I was being outright bullied or anything then either, but I did always think it felt so unfair.

Tomoya:

Well, you never did anything wrong.

Hajime:

I don’t know… Maybe it was my fault for being so slow and dimwitted—basically someone so inferior compared to everyone else.

Mitsuru:

Hajime-chan, you're really makin’ yourself sick. Are ya sure you’re all right? Won’t you go to the hospital?

Hajime:

I can’t help it~! I feel completely drained right now… I have absolutely no idea what Ideia-sama is thinking.

Even to the point where I’m starting to suspect that the person behind the persona might have been replaced.

Nazuna:

Is that a possibility? If that’s the case, then once we determine that this Bishojo-senpai is a fake and expose them to everyone—

They’ll lose all their power and status, and won’t be able to pressure us with all of these illogical demands anymore.

Hajime:

Oh, no, what I said just now was a joke. I do believe that this Ideia-sama is, without a doubt, the real Ideia-sama.

Of course, it’s not like I have any proof. But it’s just my heartfeel from the extra special super-idol aura emanating from them.

Mitsuru:

That sure sounds suspicious…

Hajime:

I don’t know how else to put it… If anything, I feel like Ideia-sama is revealing more of their true self than ever before—facing us head on with who they are as a person.

They’re a senpai I’ve relied on for so long—one who’s always been watching over us. They’re highly-acclaimed, beloved by the world, and probably one of the ultimate super-idols who’ll go down in music history.

When I consider what’s unfolding, there really shouldn’t even be any need for Ideia-sama to say the things they’re saying now.

All they’re doing is falling into disgrace with our fans and other idols and putting themself in a worse position.

Tomoya:

Yeah, exactly. That’s what’s so weird about all of this.

Bishojo-senpai isn’t trying to run away or hide themself at all. And it doesn’t seem like they’re trying to falsely represent or deceive anyone with what they’re doing either.

They’ve publicly declared themself that they’re the one putting pressure on Ra*bits to quit the whole concept of “cuteness.”

And despite claiming that what they told us was off the record, they’ve talked a lot about their utopia for female idols on TV and stuff.

That’s not really the best sort of business strategy.

If everything about the female idol utopia is true, then Bishojo-senpai has basically been spreading leaks about it without even waiting for the official announcement.

Nazuna:

Yeah, that too. While they may not be necessarily under any sort of NDA, they’re making it seem like they’re totally oblivious to the tone of the media and pissing everyone off.

Besides, if there is going to be a utopia for female idols, it’s naturally going to be a competitor of ES.

It basically sounds like a faction of conspirators who felt slighted by ES got together of their own accord in some foreign country to form an organization.

And considering that Bishojo-senpai is hinting about transferring there, they’re basically a viper in ES’ bosom. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they end up with an even bigger shortage of work than us.

Bishojo-senpai is a majorly influential figure in the industry with an enormous amount of fans—they're not someone we can carelessly criticize.

But ES is basically ignoring all of that.

Though ever since SS, there’s been a major increase of anti-ES organizations like that, so it may just be that they haven’t been able to keep up with all of them.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - “Cuteness is Unjust” Chapter 8

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Tomoya’s Dorm Room

(10 minutes later)

Tomoya:

I-I’m really sorry about this.

Hajime:

N-Nii~chan ♪ Shall I make you some tea? I promise it’s good ♪

Mitsuru:

Ahaha! Hajime-chan, sometimes when ya mess up, you offer to make some tea to gloss over it!

Hajime:

A-And why are you laughing like this has nothing to do with you? You fell asleep too, Mitsuru-kun, so you’re just as guilty as me?!

Mitsuru:

What’s so wrong about fallin’ asleep when you’re tired~?

If anything, the way you wouldn’t wake up even when the rest of us were makin’ so much noise must mean that you’re pretty tired, Hajime-chan. Shouldn’t ya try to get more sleep each night?

Hajime:

D-Don’t change the subject! You’re the one who’s in trouble right now!

Tomoya:

Ahaha. I remember when I used to see this kinda scene play out all the time. Hajime acting like a big brother and lecturing Mitsuru.

Hajime:

I-I’m not acting like a big brother, I really am a big brother, you know? Back home! Don’t make fun of me! Whose side are you on, Tomoya-kun?!

Tomoya:

Anyway, now’s not the time to be squabbling amongst ourselves, right?

Nazuna:

Tomo-chin is right~ All of you take some deep breaths and calm down.

Hajime:

Uuu… In… And out…

Mitsuru:

In, out, in, out…

Hey, is there some sorta weirdly sweet perfume comin’ from the ceiling in here?

Tomoya:

Oh, sometimes Ayase-senpai lights things. It’s some sort of aroma something or other.

Hajime:

I feel like it might affect the flavor of the tea… Wait, no, never mind that.

Things got a little bit all over the place, but let’s go back to what we were talking about. Now that I had a decent nap, my head is much clearer and I feel like I could stay up all night chatting if needed.

Nazuna:

Right, that’s why we’re all here.

Mitsuru:

I got all tired while we were talkin’ earlier so I fell asleep! Wahaha☆

So I kinda forgot. What were we talkin’ about again?

Hajime:

Please don’t forget… It’s a very important topic.

Tomoya:

Right. And now that Nii~chan’s joined us again, let’s go back over things from the top.

Frankly speaking, this might be the greatest pinch Ra*bits have ever experienced.

Mitsuru:

Is it? But you guys looked way more gloomy back when we first got together around the spring of S2, or during last year’s Repayment Fest?

Tomoya:

To be honest, this still doesn’t feel like it’s actually happening… Part of that is probably because Bishojo-senpai feels like a fictional character who’s totally detached from our world.

And I’m still in shock that something like this would actually happen to us.

Nazuna:

I get it~ It’s the feeling of shock you get when your brain can’t process reality so you just freeze up.

(I felt the same that day when I was on stage as part of Valkyrie. The music stopped all of a sudden, and my head went completely blank…

I was totally freaking out when I suddenly heard Mika-chin singing.

I can still remember it clearly to this day.)

~...♪

Tomoya:

Hm…? Why did you suddenly start singing, Nii~chan?

Mitsuru:

Starmony Dorm is supposed to be totally soundproofed, so it should be fine to start singin’ out loud even at night, right?

Tomoya:

No, that’s not what I’m concerned about…

Nazuna:

…This is what Bishojo-senpai is trying to steal away from us.

Tomoya:

……

Nazuna:

They’re trying to shut us up.

They’re trying to strip away the outfits we put our heart into crafting for ourselves by picking out the materials from scratch and making sure they suit us. They claim this style doesn’t work for us.

They even got our agency to take action by putting pressure on them.

Hajime:

I-I’m sure there’s a profound reason behind Ideia-sama’s thought process—

They said that they’re fond of us and that they’re doing this out of concern.

Nazuna:

And what if that’s just something they’re saying? It wasn’t that long ago that parents and teachers used corporal punishment on kids and claimed it was for their own benefit. How’s it any different from that?

Hajime:

But Ideia-sama has done so much for me all this time.

Back when I was going through a rough patch, they took me in and acted so kindly to me, making sure to look out for me.

Right now, while I may not be perfect, I’m praised for my cuteness as an idol and I’ve managed to earn a place I belong to.

A lot of that is, of course, thanks to Ra*bits, but there’s no doubt that Ideia-sama has played a huge role too.

Ideia-sama has become like a shield guarding me from behind and exercising their influence over everyone around me.

Mitsuru:

But if they should’ve been protectin’ ya like that all along, why are they suddenly tryin’ to destroy us? I seriously don’t get them at all!

Hajime:

W-Well, that’s because… The situation has changed…

Nazuna:

The thing about the utopia for female idols? That’s a questionable story if you ask me.

Hajime:

Wh-What do you mean…?

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - “Cuteness is Unjust” Chapter 6

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Ideia-sama:

“And so, in despair with the state of things as they are now, the female idols who’ve lived in such discontent have demanded their own new world.”

Hajime:

So that’s why a Utopia for female idols is being founded overseas…?

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. At first, ES proudly declared that it would be a safe haven for all idols.”

“And yet. The ‘idols’ ES spoke of did not include people like us.”

Tomoya:

B-But you’re a man, aren’t you, Bishojo-senpai?

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. I am a ‘bishojo.’ Exactly as you have called me.”

“That is the name I am called, how I identify, and how I have lived proudly by.”

“And so, I want to be an ally to the people I feel are the same as me.”

“Those girls and I, we are one and the same.” 

Hajime:

So do you plan on transferring to that utopia for female idols, Ideia-sama…?

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. But just between you and me. So long as I keep it a secret, I can continue to put pressure on this agency by hinting that I may or may not transfer.”

Tomoya:

You mean like you’re doing now?

Ideia-sama:

“What happened to the good little boy speaking to me so politely up until now?”

Nazuna:

…I don’t get it. You’re going on and on about this utopia for female idols, but what does that have to do with you demanding us to give up our cuteness?

Ideia-sama:

“It is simply out of the kindness in my heart.”

“I happen to like you boys a lot. I support all of you.”

Tomoya:

Huh? Uh, really? …Thank you very much?

Ideia-sama:

“Speaking politely again I see. You really should learn the social skill of acting in an amicable way—at least on the surface—even when you’re dealing with a potential enemy or someone you dislike.”

“Though I suppose acting otherwise is proof that you are still children.”

“And that is precisely what is so loveable about you, and why I worry.”

“Let me make a prediction. If you continue to use cuteness as your main selling point, you will end up clashing with the female idol utopia that’s bound to form in the near future.”

“That is, you will end up in stiff competition against the countless number of adorable “bishojo” idols who will rise up.”

Tomoya:

And as a result, we’re no longer going to prosper… Is that what you’re trying to say?

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. Without a doubt. Why, even now, I get the impression that you’re losing ground against Japan’s female idols in terms of financial success.”

“Perhaps even I might be included among them—the endless number of fictitious female idols born from all of the manga, anime, and video-sharing sites Japan has to offer.”

“And when you’re up against such incessant, formidable competition, you’ll be unable to utilize your cuteness—bound to continue tasting one bitter experience after another.”

Tomoya:

(That’s true… I do get the feeling that we’re getting less and less jobs focused on that line of work.)

(Especially me, and maybe Mitsuru too—to the point where we’re praised more for just going in a cooler direction.)

Ideia-sama:

“Fictional idols will never age.”

“Therefore, there is a huge demand for those with the loveliness you would associate with youth. I, too, have given in to those demands.”

“But you will all age. It won’t be long before you have completely grown up. 

Neoteny—that is, adult animals who retain their juvenile features—does exist. However—”

“—Humans are creatures who will steadily grow and develop to reach maturity.”

“To force yourself to retain the loveliness of youth is an impossibility.”

“Mitsuru-san, haven’t you been troubled by growing pains and the beard you might grow one day?”

Mitsuru:

Why do ya hafta keep on turnin’ back to me?

Ideia-sama:

“Because you and I are alike.”

Hajime:

(Now that I think about it… Out of the dozens of rumors that surround Ideia-sama, there is one that suspects they’ve even had their own body modified in order to preserve their cuteness.

I thought it was just part of the lore of the character they play.

And besides, Ideia-sama uses a CG image of themself, so it’s not really a huge deal if that character model has supposedly been modified in some way.

But what if the person behind Ideia-sama has had that kind of surgery too…?)

Ideia-sama:

“It’s because I like all of you that I don’t want you to destroy yourselves by forcing yourself to live in an impossible way.”

“And that’s why I want to strip away the corset of ‘cuteness’ bound to you so tightly and set you free.”

Hajime:

……

Ideia-sama:

“I don’t mind if you resent me for it. I’m simply acting according to my own ego.”

“However, I do want you to think it over in detail.”

“Is this truly the style that suits you best of all?”

Nazuna:

……

Ideia-sama:

“No, let me rephrase that. You sell yourselves as cute.”

“But are you really so cute that discarding the style you’ve worn so far would be such a regrettable loss to the world?”

“Are you cuter than beautiful girls? Than animals? Than babies? Than angels and fairies?”

“If you have the confidence to proclaim that you, Ra*bits, are far cuter than any of them…”

“...then come to me and boast that you are what it means to be cute idols, ‘newbies.’”

“...Don’t underestimate cuteness.”

Tomoya:

……

PREVIOUS CHAPTER
NEXT CHAPTER

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Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - “Cuteness is Unjust” Chapter 4

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Nazuna:

Uh.

“Bishojo-senpai”, as in, the same major figure in the industry who took a huge liking to Hajime-chin?

Hajime:

Yes… For some reason, this person* has reached out to me and taken me under their wing.

Ideia-sama is extremely well-known so you’re probably aware of this already, but, let me think… One, two, three… They debuted about 19 years ago, so they’re a veteran idol in the industry.

They’re an incredible senpai who, ever since their debut, is constantly at the forefront of the industry—gathering success after success.

They’re one of the Top Ranking idols in the business, someone who could go head-to-head with Hidaka Seiya.

I’ve no doubt that they are, in both name and reality, what you’d call a super-idol.

Ideia-sama:

“I’m flattered that you’d speak with such high regards about me, but allow me to make one amendment.”

“I have never once referred to myself as an idol.”

“I find it wholly inappropriate. Such a term goes completely against my will. I will not be referred to by such an unsightly word.”

Hajime:

What…? …Oh, umm, sorry about that.

Ideia-sama:

“I am an Utaite.”*

“All other components are merely there to embellish my voice.”

“Idols are no more than the indecent concept of a false image created by a madman long ago, and I can’t stand the word being superimposed on my beauty.”

“I will grow nauseous.”

Tomoya:

What? Err, so, I have a stupid question… If that’s all right.

So, this giant—I mean—this very large man here is “Bishojo-senpai”?

I wasn’t expecting that… “Bishojo-senpai” is famous for refusing to show their face in the media, so who they really are is a mystery, but still…

Ideia-sama:

“Ah, he is simply acting on my behalf. He also makes up part of Kirarai Dearu.”

“As for his name, you can call him ‘Kira-kun’ for the time being.”

“He basically takes my place whenever I need to hold in-person meetings with others.”

“We also have a songwriter we refer to as “Raru-san”—the three of us together form Kirarai Dearu.”

Tomoya:

Kira, Ideia, and Raru. Altogether, “Kirarai Dearu.”

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. It’s a play on words, or rather, we combined all of our names in the same way many bands and artists do.”

Tomoya:

Oh! So your voice is coming out of the PC Kira-kun-san is holding. I was so intimidated by him that I haven’t been able to look directly at him, so I didn’t even notice.

Ideia-sama:

“There’s no need to be so frightened. Despite his appearance, he’s a very sweet boy.”

Tomoya:

B-But why all this…?

Hajime:

I thought this was supposed to be pretty well known. If anything, I’m surprised you didn’t know about it, Tomoya-kun, considering you know so much about idols.

Tomoya:

Mhm~ It’s a different genre to what I like. I don’t know much about female idols, so I had no idea.

Hajime:

Oh, so to you Ideia-sama falls under the category of female idols? It’s true that that’s how they sell themself, but I do believe the real Ideia-sama is male.

Tomoya:

I did hear that before. They’re technically a guy, but since they’re even more beautiful than any girl, everyone refers to them as “Bishojo-senpai.”

Mitsuru:

Mhm~ You mean sorta like Arashi-chan-senpai?

Ideia-sama:

“Heh. I would prefer if you let me leave that part ambiguous. My whole selling point is that I am an enigma—an entity full of mysteries.”

Hajime:

Too many mysteries… I’ve worked with them countless times before and even run into them by chance, but every single time, they never show their real face. They always have someone act as a mediator and only communicate using their voice alone.

So I don’t actually have any idea who the real Ideia-sama is.

Tomoya:

But why go through all of this…?

Hajime:

There are all sorts of rumors, ranging from Ideia-sama being an extreme misanthrope, or that they’re stuck in a hospital room with an incurable disease, or that they’re not even a real person to begin with.

But the truth is a mystery. I do wonder what the reality is though?

Ideia-sama:

“That’s a secret. The more mystery there is to me, the more bewitching I become, no?”

Tomoya:

I-I can’t say I was expecting this. Or like, I’m pretty bewildered that you’re such an… intense person.

Err, Ideia-sama—no, wait. I’ll stick with Bishojo-senpai. I’m more used to that.

Why did you call us here today, Senpai?

Our agency told us that some major figure is furious with us.

Hajime:

Well, there’s no figure more major than this…

Ideia-sama tends to be treated like some passing fad, but the truth is, their popularity and financial success alone makes up the backbone of Rhythm Link’s prosperity.

Ideia-sama:

“Though this agency tends to treat me as a nuisance.”

“Especially since all of the staff who first supported me at the beginning have since moved on to other agencies or retired, no thanks to succumbing to political warfare.”

“I am the goose that lays their golden eggs. And so, I am an asset Rhythm Link cannot let go of; but that certainly doesn’t mean I am under their control.”

“I am an artifact from a dangerous point in time. They cannot tear me down, but they also lack the skill to make use of me appropriately.”

Mitsuru:

A-All of this stuff sounds so complicated… Man, you sure are different to what I expected. On TV and stuff, Bishojo-senpai always acts real friendly.

To be honest, I thought they were the same sorta person as me; someone who’s not all that smart.

Tomoya:

No, that’s just the sort of character they play. Think about it: there’s no way they actually speak like a princess right out of a manga in real life.*

Hajime:

Though there are a lot of people who speak in a quirky way at ES in general.

Ideia-sama:

“I will say that I’m a bit embarrassed by that detail, so I would prefer it if you didn’t probe too deeply.”

“In accordance with what was demanded from me at a certain point in time, there was a point where I made an appearance on a variety show using a CG version of myself.”

“But I wasn’t fully aware of what manner of programme it actually was.”

“And so, the producers asked me to play the role of a ‘cutesy princess who knows nothing about the world.’”

“To this day, I’ve adhered strictly to that image.”

“Since I don’t show my face, if I were to suddenly change my personality, people might suspect that there might be a new, different person behind me.”

“See how beautiful young female idols go through stressful things just as you beautiful young male idols do?”

—

*Pronouns are not commonly used in Japanese, and so Bishojo-senpai does not have a confirmed pronoun. 

Since it is left ambiguous in the story, I will be using “they” to match the Japanese text, since that is the closest English has to an ambiguous pronoun. (In some cases I may use others if they feel appropriate, but keep in mind that in the original JP, there is no specific pronoun being used.)

Incidentally, Hajime has always used “this person.”

Please feel free to interpret this character however you wish, as everyone will have a different interpretation based on cultural context.

*Utaite: (歌い手) is a Japanese term for people who cover previously released songs and post them on Nico Nico Douga and YouTube, but not limited to those two websites.

*Tomoya says that Bishojo-senpai ends their sentences with “desu no!” on variety shows, which sounds like a very posh, princessy way of speaking.

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Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

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Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - “Cuteness is Unjust” Chapter 2

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Nazuna:

It’d be like if you’d been a Swordmaster all along, but you were suddenly asked to change your class to a Sorcerer—to use a game as an example.

Tomoya:

Oh yeah, you play games, Nii~chan. That really surprises me.

Based on looks alone, I never would’ve guessed you had such otaku type hobbies. I would’ve taken you for someone who’s really into fashion, or even a normie. Something like that?

Hajime:

I definitely get you. I would’ve seen Nii~chan in the same way as my little sister. These days, she’s trying to act a lot more sophisticated and refined—the kind of person who not only has no interest in manga or games, but outright looks down on them altogether.

Nazuna:

No, not at all~ I got hooked back in school hearing all the blipblips from Mako-chin’s consoles and seeing how much he was enjoying himself. He taught me about all kinds of games, and it’s still a way for me to kill some time to this day.

Not that I have so much free time I need something to kill it. But if all I do is work and study, I’ll go insane.

Hajime:

I definitely understand! Wow, you always know how to express how I perfectly feel on my behalf, Nii~chan. I’m not good with words and I can’t express exactly what I want to say, so this is a huge help.

No, you’ve been a huge help all along. All this time.

Mitsuru:

Me too, me too! Thanks to Nii~chan thinkin’ over the hard stuff and knowin’ what to say, I never hafta to think about a thing! I can just dash straight ahead!

Tomoya:

You really should think for yourself every now and then.

Mitsuru:

I only wanna focus on the stuff I’m “best” at! Dash, dash, da~sh ☆

Tomoya:

Ahaha. Well, I suppose that’s the best way for you to be, Mitsuru.

(If anything, I’m the one with nothing in particular that I can be called “best” at, nor can I support everyone the same way Nii~chan can. I guess I’m the least useful one here.

I’m supposed to be Leader of Ra*bits, but I feel like I’ve got nothing to contribute.)

Nazuna:

What’s wrong, Tomo-chin? Something bothering you?

Now that we have the chance, feel free to let out all the complaints you have, no matter what it is. You’ll feel tons better. 

I keep saying this over and over, but that’s the whole reason we’re all here today.

Hajime:

Heh. It was actually supposed to be an afterparty to celebrate the end of SS. At least, that’s what we originally planned.

But we couldn’t get our schedules to match up, so time slipped by before we knew it.

Nazuna:

Yeah~ That’s why in the end we decided to go with a year-end celebration rather than SS specifically.

On top of that, we’re just in the same old staff canteen. I would’ve reserved a much fancier restaurant.*

Mitsuru:

But this way is better since it’s more casual, y’know?

Hajime:

That's right… If we went to some classy, grown-up restaurant, I’d probably be so nervous I wouldn’t even be able to taste the food.

Tomoya:

Right. We should really stick with the sort of place that matches our style the most.

…Hm? Oh, sorry, I need to take this.

Nazuna:

What’s up, Tomo-chin?

Tomoya:

It’s just… the agency contacted me over HoldHands.

Mitsuru:

Oh~ Maybe they have a new job for ya? *whistles* You’re in demand, Tomo-chan!

Tomoya:

Come on, it sounds like you’re making fun of me when you put it like that.

“Hello, yes? Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Hmm? Yes, the rest of Ra*bits are here with me.”

Mitsuru:

Hm? This isn’t just about you, it’s about all of us?

Tomoya:

H-Hey, quit making such a fuss right next to me while I’m trying to talk on the phone. Your voice is so loud that I won’t be able to hear them.

“Oh, sorry. Yes… Yes… Huh?”

“No, err, I’m not quite sure what you mean by–”

Hajime:

Well, this seems ominous.

Nazuna:

It sure doesn’t sound like good news.

Tomoya:

“…All right, understood. We’ll head over right away.”

“Thank you for contacting me… If you’ll excuse me.”

Man… What was that all about? I have no idea…

Nazuna:

Uh… What’s wrong, Tomo-chin? What was that phone call about?

Tomoya:

Oh, sorry! First I need to report back to you guys… I mean, I should probably ask you if you’ve any idea what this could be about.

According to the agency, some major figure is furious with Ra*bits and is coming to lodge a complaint against us.

But does anyone even remember upsetting some influential figure in the industry?

–

Notes:

*He says this, but in his mini talks, Nazuna mentions that he asked Niki-chin to make them an extra special meal for the occasion. He says that what it is is a secret though.

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Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

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Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Prologue

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Tomoya:

“Come on and kick the crap out of a world that’s rotten to the core!”

Mitsuru:

“**** [REDACTED]! **** [REDACTED]!”

Hajime:

“Listen up, **** [REDACTED]! Ya bunch of **** [REDACTED]! Never mind pretendin’ to be prissy lil’ goody-two shoes and  **** [REDACTED]!”

Nazuna:

“That’s it, lemme hear ya yell! Unleash your rage! Set your souls on fire! Spit in the face of everyone up on their high horse thinkin’ they’re so **** [REDACTED] virtuous!  **** [REDACTED]!”

(The first year after the founding of ES. End of March. Starmony Dorm Theater Room.)

Nazuna:

No way~ No more, I can’t bear to watch another second of this.

Mitsuru:

You seem real down, Nii~chan. You okay? Do ya have a fever? Hey, hey?

Hajime:

Th-That was certainly… intense. We did make a request for a version of us that would completely overthrow who we’ve been up until now…

But this doesn’t just overthrow who we are—it’s turned us into completely different people.

Tomoya:

Yeah… And maybe it’s because the technology is not entirely there yet, but we’re saying these shocking things and yet smiling as cutely as we always do. Composite footage really is incredible.

Hajime:

It does feel incredibly disharmonious, doesn’t it? …Just watching it makes me feel really out of sync, like, I’m getting all woozy.

Mitsuru:

Nii~chan, Nii~chan! What does “**** [REDACTED]” mean?

Nazuna:

Shtop that! All of you fwoget what you just saw wight now! Ewase that filth fwom your mind!

Mitsuru:

Oh… Nii~chan slurred his words for the first time in forever…

Hajime:

Well, it seems to be something that happens depending on his mental state. He tends to slur his words when he’s under heavy stress… Here, Nii~chan, drink some water and take some deep breaths.

Nazuna:

In… Out… Ugh, I can’t believe what we just watched. I’m gonna have nightmares about this.

I don’t think I need to say this to you guys, but there is NO WAY we’re doing anything like that.

I’m not letting any of you guys copy that. It doesn’t make any sense for our image as Ra*bits.

Mitsuru:

But then what should we do?

I thought we’re supposed to kick the crap out of our current image?

Nazuna:

Don’t say that! Watch your language!

Tomoya:

Niichan, you normally swear the most out of all of us… Kind of fascinating that you’re the one who’s having the most adverse reaction to this…

Nazuna:

I’m allowed to swear! I’m the claws and fangs of Ra*bits! If any assholes come for you guys, it’s my job to bite their fucking head off!

But I don’t want to hear you guys using foul language! I want you to stay pure and clean the way you all are now~!

Hajime:

But isn’t that where our problem lies in the first place? Or rather, we’ve reached a plateau—that’s why we’ve been told that we can’t stay the same cute, pure way we’ve been up until now.

It’s the whole reason we’re in a bind right now.

Tomoya:

Yeah. Why did this have to happen to us?

Mitsuru:

You guys are so dark! You’ve gotta smile about it, smile! Mr. Fortune comes to those who smile!

Tomoya:

And who exactly is “Mr. Fortune” supposed to be?

Nazuna:

Anyway! There’s no way we’re going down this road! 100% out of the question! Personally firing whoever came up with that idea! 

That said, I do accept I’m not the current leader of Ra*bits—and therefore the final call is Tomo-chin's to make and not mine.

So I don’t actually have the right to shut this down.

Tomoya:

It’s okay, Nii~chan. I’m sure everyone feels the same. I was seriously questioning what we just saw too. On top of being painful to watch, I just don’t think there’s any way we’d be able to reenact that sort of behavior in reality.

It's not possible to dress in the sort of clothes that are completely out of our style.

Mitsuru:

That’s right! Tomo-chan, you just said somethin’ super ordinary!

Tomoya:

Huh? I feel like I came up with a pretty creative metaphor, if you ask me.

Anyway. Thanks to pressure from our agency and That Senpai, it’s become necessary for us Ra*bits to change up our style.

I can’t believe we have to toss aside the “cute” direction we’ve been pursuing so far.

On top of that, finding a new style to pursue isn’t easy—it’s looking to be a huge hassle. I seriously wonder what we’re gonna do.

Hajime:

Well, I think all we can do for the time being is have a look at as many different styles as possible to expand our knowledge of what’s available. That’s why we’re exploring all these different kinds of Ra*bits right now.

We’ve been using the SSVRS technology to have the other idols take on our appearance.

In doing so, they’re letting us see a completely different version of ourselves while still looking exactly like us—and they’ve all agreed to help us out with this and play the part.

In other words, we’re seeing a “parallel world” version of ourselves.

Though the results don't really look too promising right now. I really get the feeling that the best option is to keep going exactly the way we are now.

I wonder just what is the right “answer”?

NEXT CHAPTER

—

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki