Tsukiuta. Girls’ 3rd Season CD 9 – You-I Duality Drama

[nebulancer]

 

Summary – The taciturn genius inventor Motomiya Matsuri, whose excitement level only rises when it’s time for a festival.

The Goddess she has been sent to support is Jinnai Masami (CV: Yano Asami), the Goddess who researches dyes. Her days of research, acknowledged to be dull and plain by everyone including herself, plague her with worries that she is corroding Matsuri’s own talents.

Thus, Matsuri’s days of determined efforts to tell her that’s not the case, begin in earnest.

 

1. Drama – “Sensational and Dull”

 

[The cicadas are chirping, and Jinnai is walking to work.]

 

Jinnai: Phew~ We have nice weather today again.

I’ll work just as hard as the spirited sun, shining high in the sky~!

 

[She opens the door.]

 

Jinnai: All right! Time for work, time for work. Even though my daily life’s still unchanging, I’m gonna go through it carefully and thoroughl—

 

[KA-BOOM!]

 

Jinnai: UWAAAARGH!? Wh-wh-what’s going on!? There’s smoke in the hallway...!?

...Ah! Up ahead is... could it be...!? Is it coming from my office?

What in the world is going on? JOHNNY~!

...Wait, who the heck’s Johnny, anyway!?

 

[The alarms begin to blare.]

 

Jinnai: The alarms, too!? Oh no... Fire extinguisher... Fire extinguisher...! Fire extinguisher!!

Ah, there it is! Ah—

*coughing* B-because of the smoke, I can’t see in front of me...!

No, I won’t lose. For the peace of my office, I’m gonna be the one to...!

TAKE THE PLUNGE!

 

[She runs and opens the door.]

 

Jinnai: Kept you waiting! I’m here to help! Are you uninjured!?

 

Matsuri: ......Ah.

 

Jinnai: ...Umm?

 

Matsuri: Good morning, Masami-san.

 

Jinnai: Yeah. Good morning, Matsuri-chan.

 

Nebutan: Wassup, Masami! Hot as always today, innit?

 

Jinnai: You’re right. It’s hot outside, but it’s even hotter in this room.

*chuckles* But that’s a given, right? Tons of things in here are on fire. Sheesh, you really gave me a spook.

The instant I walked into the Institute, the alarms...

!?!?!? WAIT!? THIS ISN’T THE TIME TO BE IDLING AWAY CHATTING!! HURRY UP!

Ah! The moment I said it, the fire started—

E-e-e-extinguish it...!

 

Matsuri: Please, calm down. It’s all right. It’s fine.

 

Jinnai: What about this situation looks all right to you!? Stuff’s on fire, isn’t it!?

Ah— *cough, cough* How can you even keep calm like th...

 

Matsuri: Because very soon, the fire alarms are going to react.

 

Jinnai: Huh? So that means—

 

[The sprinklers spurt water.]

 

Jinnai: Wha—Hwaaah!? The sprinklers...!

 

Matsuri: Heh. Heh. Heh. The air’s cooled down.

Everything’s totally okay now. No problem.

 

Nebutan: There are way too many problems going on right now! You’re soaking wet!

Hmph! I predicted something along these lines would happen, so I’m glad I got waterproofed ☆

 

Matsuri: I was the one who waterproofed you. Good job, me.

 

Jinnai: People wouldn’t normally call this... a good job.

 

Matsuri: The heat of summer is refreshingly relieved, a weight lifted off our shoulders. Showering at our workplace.

 

Nebutan: Phrasing it differently won’t do anything, methinks~

 

Jinnai: *sighs* ...Anyway, for now, let’s work out a plan to salvage this current situation.

I expected this sort of thing to happen, so I’m glad I prepared a fail-safe beforehand.

 

Nebutan: Ahaha! Masami, you’ve gotten pretty accustomed to Matsuri’s explosions at this point!

 

Jinnai: I’d prefer to not get accustomed to that sort of thing...! Come back, my peaceful daily life!

How many times has she blown up my office already?

 

Nebutan: Who knows? Haha! Can’t remember each and every one that’s happened, eh!

My policy’s that I don’t look back on my past! ✨

 

Jinnai: Your policies aside, we’ll clearly have to look back on this situation when we write up the report explaining what happened...

 

Matsuri: Ah... Masami-san. I have something to notify you about.

 

Jinnai: I don’t think there’s anything else to notify me about, aside from this fiasco spreading before my very eyes. But what’s up?

 

Matsuri: Unfortunately, the locker blew up too, so our change of clothes is also sopping wet.

 

Jinnai: Th-then... we have no choice but to wait for our clothes to dry out, huh...?

 

Nebutan: Don’t worry, don’t worry~! Today’s clear and sunny! Mister Sun’s in prime condition! Won’t things dry up lickety-split?

While we’re at it, I’ll be able to charge up on solar energy! Yahooey!

 

Matsuri: How nice that you can charge because you’re a robot.

It’s hot under the sun, so I don’t... want to go outside. I’ll die from the heat...

 

Nebutan: Well, yeah, Matsuri, you’re one indoorsy person~

The only times you wanna go out are when it’s festival time! Basically, you only wanna leave during the nighttime.

 

Matsuri: I think it’s because I’m nocturnal.

 

Jinnai: For the record, I’m active during the daytime, the way normal people typically are.

*sighs* ...Looks like they’ll be getting upset at us again.

 

Matsuri:  ...Oh... I’m reflecting on my actions...

 

Jinnai: *chuckles* ...How about we clean this place before the summons from the higher-ups gets here?

I bet the people from the fire department will be coming soon, so we’ll have to explain things to them...

And the wall that has a gaping hole in it because of the explosion... I guess we’ll need to ask the usual manufacturer for help?

 

Matsuri: I have an idea. I expected this would happen, so let’s use the office cleaning machine I invented...!

...Huh? It’s not activating. *empty clicks*

...The circuits got fried because of the water...

 

Nebutan: HEY, HEY, COME ON!! Matsuri-chan, girlie!

 

Matsuri: That’s a shame... ...I’m sorry.

 

Jinnai: Umm. *chuckling* Don’t let it get to you.

 

-

 

Jinnai: *sighs deeply* Haaah~...

 

Matsuri: Urrgh... I’m exhausted.

 

Nebutan: Now that’s some loud sighs from the both of you! Your happiness is slipping away from right in front of you!

 

Matsuri: I wish I could’ve slipped away... and not my happiness. That lecture was so long.

 

Jinnai: Even the likes of me would get a little... groggy from that today...

 

Matsuri: It’s like they couldn’t get enough of saying the same thing over and over on repeat... It started sounding like a magic spell halfway through.

Thanks to that, my consciousness was wandering through outer space halfway through.

 

Jinnai: Halfway through, I also subconsciously started letting it go in one ear and out the other. I’ve clearly gotten used to being scolded.

I’d never been scolded even once when I was a student, so who thought I’d get to experience it this often after I became a Goddess? Not me...

 

Nebutan: *sighs* Havin’ an eccentric subordinate sure puts you through the wringer, eh?

 

Jinnai: I don’t want you to be the one telling me that~

 

[Matsuri’s stomach growls, and she puts her hand to her stomach.]

 

Matsuri: My stomach’s also rumbling over and over on repeat... I missed out on eating lunch.

 

Jinnai: Oh, that’s true. We were running all around in a frenzy, so it’s already evening. Looks like it’ll take some time before the office gets repaired anyway. We can call it a day here.

 

Matsuri: But what about today’s work?

 

Jinnai: It’s no biggie, since I can make progress in my workshop at home.

 

Matsuri: ...I can’t begin to explain how sorry I am.

 

Jinnai: *chuckles* Try to be careful next time, all right?

 

Matsuri: Yes, ma’am. Next time, for sure... I’ll definitely make it a success.

 

Jinnai: By the way, what were you experimenting with this morning?

 

Matsuri: When I was trying to develop a brand-new dye, I accidentally... made it explode.

 

Jinnai: Wh-what kind of dye accidentally causes explosions when you make it...?

 

Matsuri: I was trying to create a product to serve as the raw material that could act as a new dye fluid, making it possible to have a high-definition production of color and hue, in a way which wouldn’t be a burden to the fusion of Masami-san’s natural ingredients. That was the type of extraction I was attempting to make from your resources.

 

Jinnai: Umm...?

 

Nebutan: So basically! She wanted to develop a never before-seen, brand-new dye that could help the dye artist Masami’s work, right?

 

Matsuri: ...You got the gist of it.

 

Jinnai: Ah... I see. It was... for me, huh?

*chuckles* Thanks.

 

Matsuri: ? It’s weird that even though I didn’t succeed... you’re thanking me.

 

Jinnai: You took on those experiments so that you could help out with my work, didn’t you? Thank you for thinking of me.

 

Matsuri: But...

 

Jinnai: It would’ve been better if I were more of a boss who could properly make use of your inventions, though.

 

Matsuri: What...?

 

Jinnai: Strange, isn’t it? Goddesses and their assistants are supposed to be arranged so that their compatibility with each other is good, or that they have the right person in the right place.

Yet why is Matsuri-chan, who falls straight into the category of being a genius inventor, stuck with someone as completely average as me... Er, no—

If anything, why did you end up assigned underneath someone who’s... at most, an ordinary dye artist with a minor, dull type of work?

 

Matsuri: Masami-san, you’re not just ordinary...!

 

Nebutan: The very moment you became a Goddess, you’d become extraordinary, for sure!

 

Matsuri: Mm...

 

Jinnai: Hmm~. When it comes to the uniqueness of my work, I guess that’s not all too normal. The point is, I’m a fabric dye artist who searches for colors that’ll make people feel positive when they wear them...

It’d be on the cooler end if I were able to say something like, “I’ll wrap up the whole world with the colors I dye!”

But until now, I haven’t really yielded any clear and distinct results... How shameful of me.

 

Matsuri: Even if the results aren’t there at first glance... the colors of the fabrics you dye are incredibly great...! I... think.

They have a significance to them that can’t be created artificially... Like yukata, which you absolutely have to wear during festivals, or with kimono...

I really love them...! Ma’am.

 

Jinnai: Wow! I’m happy to hear that. Thanks!

I also adore your, uh, inventions and experiments, the stuff that I can’t ever predict what’ll come next! That stuff’s more like the festivals you’re describing!

 

Matsuri: My inventions are a festival...? Ah...! Thank you... very much!

 

Jinnai: But that’s... exactly why, I guess.

If you stick with me, I get the feeling that it’s a waste of your talent. That’s what makes me scared.

I think that you would’ve been better off working with a person that specializes in inventing or has a place where you can go crashing around to your heart’s content.

 

Nebutan: Well, that in itself has the risk of running a chemical reaction none of us want to happen.

 

Jinnai: Hehehe! That in itself sounds interesting, I’m sure!

Matsuri-chan, your sensational talent and technical skills should be capable of helping out all sorts of people~! ...But with my dull dye job, I can’t exactly make use of your abilities. Sorry about that.

 

Matsuri: Oh...! No, it’s not...

 

Jinnai: *chuckles* Well, then! I’m heading back this way, so I’ll see you tomorrow.

 

Matsuri: Oh—Good work today...

 

[Jinnai walks away.]

 

Matsuri: ...She left.

...*groans*

 

Nebutan: What’s the matter with you, sighing like that?

 

Matsuri: I wanted to tell Masami-san that such a thing wasn’t the case... but I couldn’t get my words out properly.

 

2. Drama – “Would You Like to Have a Tasteful Talk?”

 

Matsuri: *gobbling* Hmph... Omph...! Hm... Mrgh...

Akane. Seconds!

 

Akane: Ah, sure! Just hold on a little, all right?

Here you go~

 

Matsuri: *gobbling* Hamph... Hmm... *slurps*

 

Akane: Matsuri-chan, you’re eating more than usual today.

 

Matsuri: Homph! Mm... *mouth full* It’sh becaushe your food’sh tashty.

 

Akane: Thanks! These days, I haven’t been able to make much because of work, so I’m glad I get to show my skills after a long time! But...

 

Matsuri: *gobbling* Hawmph, homph... Hm...!

Akane. Seconds!

 

Akane: Whaaat!? Already!?

 

Nebutan: How many bowls has that been? Girl, you eat like crazy...

 

Matsuri: Shut up, Nebutan. Haamph. Homph, homph, homph, hom...

 

Akane: Um... Matsuri-chan, what’s the matter?

 

Matsuri: Hrrmh... No matter how much I eat... it’s not enough.

 

Akane: I still have tons of servings left, so we’re fine on that end...

 

Matsuri: *eating sadly* Homph... omph...

 

Nebutan: Pretty sure you’re eating way too much at this point?

 

Matsuri: My stomach’s a black hole. ...But... I feel uneasy.

 

Nebutan: Isn’t that you gettin’ a stomachache!? That’s clearly because you’ve eaten way too much!

 

Matsuri: I can keep eating. Akane. Seconds.

 

Akane: Matsuri-chan... something happened, didn’t it?

 

Matsuri: Oh—

 

Akane: Of course I can tell. Despite everything, we’re partners, aren’t we? Come on, talk to me about it.

 

Matsuri: Akane...

 

-

 

Akane: Hmm. I get what’s going on. I heard there was an intense explosion that went on. I don’t know if it’s right to say, “just as I thought,” but it really was Matsuri-chan behind it...

 

Matsuri: I’m not concerned about the explosion itself. Failure and experiments come hand-in-hand.

 

Akane: A-ahahaha... Aha... I think there’d be lots of people who’d like you to be a little more concerned about the explosion...

Oh, but then why do you seem so dejected?

 

Matsuri: I’m dejected? Me?

 

Akane: Yeah... You’re not expressive, so it’s hard to tell, but I know.

 

Matsuri: I see... Akane, you’re amazing.

I couldn’t... talk well... with Masami-san.

Masami-san... apologized to me that she couldn’t make good use of my inventions... but she says it’s because her own skills are lacking... Yet that’s not even remotely the case...

 

Akane: Matsuri-chan...

 

Matsuri: I’m... not good at talking with people.

 

Akane: You think so?

 

Matsuri: I do. Until now, Akane and everyone else have been with me, so I got pampered, since you’ve been guessing what I’ve been trying to get at.

There were people to retort to me or back up my statements.

But at work... I have to handle the stuff myself... I think.

 

Akane: Hrmm, you’re right. The relationship between us Seleas members is a unique one. It’s a little different from workplace relationships, that’s true.

 

Matsuri: Yeah...

 

Nebutan: Oh, that reminds me. The reason why you built me was special training to help get you talking with people, right?

Let’s get’er done! It’s my turn to shine once more!

I’ll thoroughly train up your talking skills in the workpl—

 

Matsuri: Nebutan, pipe down for a bit, would you? I’m talking with Akane right now.

 

[She turns him off.]

 

Nebutan: AH—Wait—H-heyyyyy...! My battery—Heergh... aaah...

 

Akane: U-um... Let’s turn him back on later, shall we?

Er, anyway. About Masami-san. She’s a dye artist, isn’t she?

 

Matsuri: Yeah. She uses a mixture of traditional and characteristic techniques in her absolutely spellbinding dyes. She’s a Goddess whose goal is to spread joy through the fabrics she dyes.

 

Akane: I’ve seen them before when I was working on Earth! She makes lots of incredibly soft, gentle colors~

 

Matsuri: Mm... Masami-san said her own work was dull, but dyeing colors is only possible through delicately subtle chemical reactions... and she makes her own distinct creations based off of her own intuition. It's a technique that requires a high level of skill.

Her process of continuously repeating attempts and failures and then reaching a single result is something that I think applies to my own process of inventing, too.

 

Akane: Mmhmm!

 

Matsuri: Plus, Masami-san is passionate about research. She descends to Earth, investigates dyes from all sorts of places, treats me to delicious meals, collects data from various locations, and treats me to delicious meals.

 

Akane: Mmhmm! ...Hmm!? That’s the finisher!?

Well, yeah, I get that’s not all there is to it, but...

 

Matsuri: The restaurants Masami-san takes me to are absolutely scrumptious! I want to master all the restaurants in the nation!

 

Akane: Umm! Your goal’s changed into becoming a local restaurant gourmet~?

...It’s clearly like you’re a wild animal being fed snacks... Er, uh—Forget you heard that. She’s clearly won over your heart, huh?

 

Matsuri: No bad person would treat me to delicious food.

 

Akane: You’re not wrong... You’re not wrong, I hope...! But I’ve understood that you unmistakably like Masami-san.

 

Matsuri: I admire her. Plus, I’m still the same as I was when I was a student. I can keep spending my days, day and night, with my experiments and inventions thanks to Masami-san’s help.

Even if I blast away her office, even if we get lectured... she always watches over me kindly.

 

Akane: I see... I sort of feel a sense of kinship with her.

 

Matsuri: You’re right. She’s a little similar to you. Maybe that’s why...?

 

Akane: Who knows~? I think it’s an honor, but...! *chuckling*

Just like Masami-san, I’m more the type to have the sensitivities of a regular person.

 

Matsuri: Masami-san said... that it would’ve been better if I weren’t her assistant. [GLOOM~]

 

Akane: Uwwaargh! Don’t get all depressed on me~!

I don’t think that’s what Masami-san meant when she said that.

 

Matsuri: Then... why did she...?

 

Akane: Well, maybe she feels apologetic that she can’t fully make use of your capabilities through her own work.

 

Matsuri: That’s not the case at all!

 

Akane: In that case, you need to tell her that upfront!

 

Matsuri: B-but...

 

Akane: You’re going to be fine. No matter how unskilled you are at talking, look at yourself right now: you’re talking tons with me!

 

Matsuri: Because I’m... talking with you, Akane...

 

Akane: You can talk with the members of Seleas and Fluna just as well, can’t you?

 

Matsuri: Because they’re... friends.

 

Akane: If that’s the case, then you’ll definitely become capable of talking with Masami-san! Masami-san’s a friend too, right?

 

Matsuri: Masami-san’s my... friend...?

 

Akane: Yep! Goddesses and their Goddess assistants are like a pair.

 

Matsuri: A pair...

 

Akane: Try and remember, see? You and I didn’t manage to talk this much right from the get-go.

 

Matsuri: I don’t even remember how I got closer to you.

Being with you... became a given... at some point, but I don’t realize when.

 

Akane: That’s enough. Hehe. If anything, that’s what makes it good!

Even if there’s nothing special going on, we can become closer to each other. By spending time together while in the same proximity, there are times when you just get the other person.

Don’t you think that you just haven’t spent enough time with Masami-san?

 

Matsuri: But... it’s been a long time since I became her assistant.

 

Akane: The amount of time you have to spend with them depends on your compatibility and individual differences accounting for the person, so... maybe you’re the type of person who needs to spend just a little bit longer with others?

 

Matsuri: Mm. ...You might be right.

 

Akane: Yeah! If you think that’s it, how about you put in some more effort to spend time with her? For example...

Ah! In the mornings. Maybe you can start by striking up conversation with Masami-san every morning?

 

Matsuri: Conversations... Talking... I’m bad at starting up conversation topics.

 

Akane: *chuckles* It’s okay to screw up! I think it’s okay for you to think about it in a way that suits you.

 

Matsuri: A way that suits me...

 

Akane: Human relationships are the same as experiments. They’re all about trial-and-error.

 

Matsuri: *gasps* ! Trial-and-error...!

You’re right. The failures from experiments aren’t actually failures. They connect to successes...!

 

Akane: Right, right! It’s the same as cooking. Failures don’t mean that you got zero points. They become your strength in the form of experience.

 

Matsuri: Experience... is my strength...

You’re right...! I’ve always repeated experiments and explosions with that mindset. ...I get it now...

*laughs* Akane! I’ll try asking her starting tomorrow.

 

Akane: Mmhmm! I’ll be cheering you on.

 

Matsuri: What should the topic subject be?

 

Akane: *giggles* Topic subject? Anything’s fine!

Like, what you’re thinking about, things you like!

 

Matsuri: The things I like... inventions... experiments... and festivals.

*gasps* Ahh! HEAVE-HOOOOO!

It’s summer right now! Summer comes hand-in-hand with festivals! And festivals come hand-in-hand with ME!

 

Akane: M-Matsuri-chan?

 

Matsuri: Fuheh... Fuheeheehee...! Yes, that’s right! I’ll get closer with Masami-san and then we can go to a festival!

Festivals accept anyone of any age, any gender! They’re a place where everyone can smile and laugh together! Oh, this has to be it, definitely it!

Festivals are the BEST!

YAHOO!

 

Akane: As always, the difference in your excitement levels is crazy~

Heh, but yeah, keep it up!

 

-

 

[The cicadas are chirping, and Jinnai is walking to work.]

 

Jinnai: We have nice weather today again~ I hope today’s a day of peacefulness and tranquility.

Okay! Let’s do our best!

 

-

 

Matsuri: ...Phew... All that’s left is to pour this solvent into...

 

Nebutan: Will you be all right? The way you’re using your hands is dangerously shaky...!?

 

Matsuri: I’ll be fine! I’ll definitely make it a success. Okay. Pour...

 

[When Matsuri pours the liquid, the door opens.]

 

Jinnai: Good morning~ ...Huh?

 

Matsuri: Oh! Good morning, Masami-san.

 

Jinnai: You’re not experimenting today?

 

Matsuri: Um, er... T-today, I’m endeavoring to... do this.

 

[Matsuri offers her a drink.]

 

Jinnai: Barley tea? Eh? For me?

 

Matsuri: I-it’s a sign of... becoming closer.

From now on, I might fail, so...

 

Jinnai: Huh!? What, wait? What kind of experiment is it? Wow, I can feel my heart pounding in anticipation!

 

Matsuri: It’s not an experiment.

......Masami-san. Would you... like to have a tasteful talk?

 

Nebutan: Holy—That was one CRAPPY way of striking up a conversation, girl!

 

Matsuri: Ngrk—I-I was seriously... trying to naturally start up a conversation with Masami-san, just as Akane advised me... so that we could get to know each other better...!

 

Jinnai: Pfft—Teh—Pfahaha...! Ahahahaha!

Oh, that? That’s all there was? Sure, I’ll take you up on it! Let’s have a talk.

 

Matsuri: Oh—!

 

Jinnai: First up, I’ll give this tea a try. And also, I’ve got snacks that I bought with the intention of eating them with you...

 

Matsuri: I wanna try!

 

Nebutan: WHAT WAS WITH THAT INSTANT RESPONSE!?

 

Matsuri: In the future, I’m going to go crashing around... but I’ll recover from the failures of my explosions with my inventions. And, like... I’ll develop a crazy-good dye, for sure!

 

Jinnai: Let’s see... I’d be happy if the number of explosions was kept on the lower end, but still, it’d also rest easy with me if you get to do what you like, comfortably and with your mind at ease.

I get inspired by you and it leads to brand-new ideas, since I stay on my toes with excitement!

 

Matsuri: I can’t believe my role is to serve as a source of inspiration...!

Still... I’m happy I can be of help to you...!

 

Nebutan: Good for you, isn’t it~? Anyway! All that and all this... is thanks to me~! ✨

 

Matsuri, Jinnai: ...How?

 

Nebutan: ...I’m sorry.