Tsukiuta. Girls’ 1st Season CD November – “Ryuusei Butai"

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1. OP (Mini-Drama)

Tsubaki: November has begun.

The strong sunlight, which had once been showering down from the heavens, has been exchanged with something much milder, all while we have not noticed.

Somehow, it also feels like the atmosphere has become heavily dampened.

The trees, once wrapped in vibrant colors, have completely gotten their leaves to fall off, taking on a bleak, dreary appearance.

Amongst it all, the chilly air passes through them.

School events and seasonal events are few and far between.

As if to contrast that, next month, December, has many events in preparation for the end of the year.

That’s why, in my mind, I perceive November to be...

 

The beginning of the end.

The time of preparation.

A time of keeping quiet, staying still. Rightening one’s posture.

That is the type of month it is.

I think I’m able to focus on my studies as well.

 

Oh? Goodness, Reina. You’re sleeping again.

Whatever shall I do with you? Were you watching late-night anime again?

You say it takes place at 25:00, or 26:00, or the like.

It has gone beyond the normal establishment of a single day, which contains only 24 hours. It is the late-night time slot which has beguiled the masses.

It is just like magic.

 

From what I hear, it ranges from idols who sing and dance; to heroes who save the world; to even suggestive—er, cough-cough stories filled with many beautiful women.

It’s a dream world packed to the brim with variety.

I do understand that it is appealing.

However, I cannot have you neglect your duty in being a student: that is to say, studying.

So, with that being said...

 

[KA-KLING~!]

 

This method has worked on Reina before. I’ll send this eraser flying and quietly get her to wake up.

It’s been a school magic used even in times of yore. I shall use it to awake her.

Fufu. Fufufu!

Eraser.

At first glance, it looks to be a simple eraser, which one could find anywhere, nothing out of the ordinary.

It would be fine enough for me to toss this at her, but... well.

At this rate, I suppose things would be lacking in impact.

I’ll put everything, all I have into this...

True friendship means dragging Reina back into this transient world of the present, dispelling the curse of the late-night time slot out of her.

And like this... here, I pack it full of this adorable, little wish...

 

[The air rumbles.]

 

Thou, who art pure white and fair – I, the White Witch, Tendouin Tsubaki, decree.

Take thine power and guide that one located on the brink of deep slumber back to this transient world.

Prepare thyself...

“Reina-chan, Wakey-Wakey Eraser Attack~”

 

[The eraser is sent flying, and it bursts open the wall.]

 

-

 

[Tsubaki opens the door of the staff room.]

 

I’ll be excusing myself now.

 

[She closes it.]

 

Phew. ...They got mad at me.

But I suppose it would be normal that I’d be on the receiving end of their anger. Goodness, how could I have been amiss?

The obvious basic assumption. The “quietly” part. I forgot to do it quietly.

I should have cast a spell to silence the eraser.

In other terms, by secretly creeping up from behind, I should have silently... taken her out.

Wait. That’s not right.

Waken her up.

That was the important part. Gosh, I’ll have to reflect on my actions.

 

Oh, Reina. Have you, too, been freed? I see.

At this present moment, I as well have been released.

 

I’m quite sorry, Reina. I suppose it would’ve been better if I’d done it more quietly.

Careless as I am, I accidentally made it explode.

After all, despite being the White Witch, I just love explosion magic...

Tee. Hee. *sticks out tongue*

I’ll blow stuff up more quietly next time.

 

...”Could you stop acting under the assumption that you’ll blow stuff up?”

...I see. Well... Reina, if you weren’t just so sound asleep, drooling all the while, I guess I would have gone with a gentler method.

But in reality... you were so far gone, you were mumbling mysterious sleeptalk such as, “Feeshcake... Hawt guys...” I didn’t think that you would be awoken with a slight shock.

 

...Goodness. You’re red as a tomato.

Fufu. Worry not, Reina.

Everyone in class is used to you doing that. You don’t have to recover your honor. Because it’s already gone.

 

[Reina collapses.]

 

Well, then, Reina. Don’t fall prostrate in the hallway. Shall we go for a late lunch? Let’s go to the cafeteria.

I desire traditional food.

 

-

 

...Phew. Hot barley tea after a delicious meal. Supreme bliss.

It’s quite lively today. I wonder why?

...They’re all gathered up in preparation for the ability tests?

Oh, that’s right. I guess such a thing did exist next week.

In place of November having few events, it seems as if there are many types of examinations or tests such as that one.

In the place known as Japan on Earth, it seems November has the national holiday known as Culture Day. Unfortunately, however, it is sandwiched between the hype of Halloween and the warm-up to Christmas, and it turns out very plain.

Though it is my representative month, it has few points for me to promote it with. How very troublesome.

GODDAMN.

 

...No, it’s nothing. It was simply me talking to myself in a cross-dimensional matter.

It is but a feckless joke.

Anyway, back on topic. Reina, are you preparing for the ability test?

Me? I... I do not remember ever having struggled with my studies. Because, if I’m asked a question, all I need to do is answer it with a fitting response.

That being said, however, it only comes from a vast expanse of knowledge. It is not actual wisdom.

I can answer a question, but I’m not saying it in my own words.

I am simply answering the question with a response that suits it. I am just mechanically pulling out the answer.

 

Mm. It’s fine if you don’t understand.

I don’t seek to find the answer from myself. Thus, the answer isn’t my own.

I do receive good grades on tests. Nothing more, nothing less.

There is but one thing I am meant to remember.

Doing things earnestly. Acting in a way that plunges myself into knowledge is much more precious.

 

So, with that being said. Reina, I’d advise you to also do your best acting preciously as well.

You were sleeping in class today again...

...Don’t worry. Let me handle it.

By tomorrow, I’ll have perfected the “Reina-chan, Wakey-Wakey Eraser Attack.”

 

...Goodness. No need to be so reserved.

It’s fine. Next time, I’ll be sure to do away with y—

...Hm, I cannot do away with you. Making adjustments by skill is quite difficult.

 

-

 

Home. Welcome back.

Phew...

Reina is roaming around the bookstores. I wonder if she’ll find yet another amusing book and lend it to me?

Fufu. I’m quite excited.

But the sun goes down early this season, so I hope she doesn’t come home too late.

 

...The sun’s already about to set.

A light creme-colored veil has been cast atop the orange-colored sky.

The gradient is terribly beautiful.

Nighttime is coming.

 

*inhales, exhales*

...The hints of winter, too, are right around the corner.

I don’t hate the crisply brisk air. The world sparkles from the clear air, the frigidity feeling as if it makes my body tense up.

The beginning of the end.

The time of preparation.

A time of keeping quiet, staying still. Rightening one’s posture.

That is the type of month it is.

 

Fufu... Fufufu!

Revolve round and round.

The seasons go revolve.

Time goes and comes.

The wheel of fate revolves round and round.

Stories intertwine with one another, and beyond them, are vastly spreading numerous paths.

The origin of everything is derived from their individual wills.

They move forward, clutching their infinite possibilities.

 

Aah...

How fun.

How incredibly fun... don’t you think?

Fu... Fufufufu!

4. ED (Mini-Drama)

 

Tsubaki: It’s pitch black out.

Keeping myself holed up in the library made me lose track of time.

My personal rule to read a book that no one else has read before led me to a corner of the colossal library. I’d become enthralled in the enjoyment of opening up knowledge covered in dust, unknown to others.

I suppose all of you wouldn’t know exactly what I mean by that, but having something to pick up is interesting, isn’t it?

 

[The wind blows.]

 

Cold wind. Black skies. Rustling trees.

Fufu...! My, how lovely. I feel as if a Demon Lord could very well pop up tonight.

Aah, but if I take my time a little too much, I won’t be back by curfew. I should hurry.

 

-

 

I’ve reached the dorm. Mm. It’s warm inside my dorm room, hm?

It would be natural that the second half of November produces cold winds.

Winter’s true advent is coming.

So because of this, I must begin to prepare for winter. Yes.

 

It’s my lucky day that I set my mind on doing this.

Reina is currently devoted to watching her game livestream video in her own room, so now is my chance.

It’s time to begin my preparations for winter.

My. What a surprise.

Who knew that the winter seclusion items that I unthinkingly bought on the spur of things due to the recent chill would have also been delivered here.

It must be destiny.

 

Japanese winter equipment. A hanten jacket.

By the way, a hanten is a type of traditional clothing worn in what is Japan on Earth. It seems it is a short outer layer worn by commoners which has been in circulation since the Edo period.

Thank you, Riki-sensei, for teaching me about the world of the Internet.

Mm. It’s fluffy.

It seems that the characters of the girly moe anime, which Reina taught me about, wear these when they laze about in their rooms.

...Well, true. It truly is fluffy.

It seems comfortable. Fluffy...

With this, I, too, will become a moe character...

 

First, I wear this. It’s packed full of cotton padding.

Mm. I see. It’s incredibly warm. How nice. I daresay it’s to my taste.

Up next. The kotatsu. Okota-sama, mind you.

 

[T/N: To add the “o” in front of a word, such as “Ojii-sama” or “Obaa-sama” and in Tsubaki’s usage of the “Okota-sama,” denotes exceeding humility and politeness deferred to the subject. If I were to translate it entirely into English, the “Okota-sama” would be something like “Revered Lord Kota” or something similar.]

 

When you think of this, you think of winter. When you think of winter, you think of this.

In Japan, it’s said that the Okota-sama, the TV, and tangerines are the three sacred treasures of winter.

When I, too, first experienced it in the Tsukino dorms, I myself saw the wonder of its sheer force.

 

I... don’t want... to leaaave...

 

Is what it will end up being. It is a final weapon, harboring a formidable sorcery, which sends people into depravity deeper than the deepest layer of Cocytus while gazing at heaven. The Okota-sama.

Goodness, how wonderful. I’d like to hurry up and get using it in this room as well.

Excitement.

 

...Aah. However...

I didn’t expect that it would be a DIY-situation because I ordered it online. A miscalculation on my part.

I do know of the final form which the Okota-sama is supposed to take, but... is it really okay for me to believe in these words written here? “Anyone and everyone can build this easy!”

Truly? Anyone? Even me? Even myself? Will be fine?

Ever since long ago, whenever I’ve tried to make something or put it together, neither the form nor contents ever align with what the completed image is supposed to be.

I have a tendency to create rather mysterious objects.

 

When I try making curry, I end up with a slime.

When I try making an accessory case, I end up with a box to another dimension.

When I try embroidery, I end up with a mandala.

What a mystery.

I know I’m saying this about myself, but I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

That being said, however, I can’t exactly keep this gigantic box just lying around here.

This is a space I share with Reina, and most importantly, it’s just so big that it would be a nuisance in getting in and out.

I have no choice but to make it.

Fight on, Tsubaki.

 

I shall make this all while consulting the instruction booklet to make sure I don’t create something bizarre.

“Anyone and everyone can build this easy,” hm?

It’s emphasized in a place like this as well. Anyone and everyone. That means, anyone.

Even me. ...All right.

 

First, I’ll take everything out of the box and line it all up. I take out the packaging.

I take out the electricity cord.

Could this be the mattress that one puts on the Okota-sama? I take it out.

...It’s big.

I take out the UMA. ...It’s quite energetic.

 

[The monster roars.]

 

These are... the screws and metal fixtures. I take them out.

I take out the Okota-sama’s scattered parts.

Leg. Leg. Leg. Leg.

Torso... er, no. The table board.

Urk... It—It’s heavy. It’s big... but. This is also... for the sake of my winter preparations. For the sake of the Okota-sama.

Hngh...! Phew...

With this, I’ve taken out everything that was inside the box.

 

[Tsubaki looks upon the items she has taken out. The monster roars.]

 

All that’s left is to put all these things together. I’ll do my best.

 

-

 

[Reina’s door opens, and she walks out.]

 

Hello there, Reina. Are you done with your watch party?

...Who, me? As you can see here, I’m doing my preparations for the winter.

I’m wearing a hanten, building Okota-sama... Ahh, see. I’m just about to finish.

Take a look. All that’s left is... to do this here. Put the mattress on top...

And if I slide on top the lid on the table...

It’s done! Tendouin Tsubaki’s masterpiece. Okota-kun is on. The. Scene!

 

[Reina claps.]

 

Take a look, Reina. This time, I’ve made something exactly resembling the completed product itself.

There’s a table, a mattress on top, and if I turn on the switch, it’s warm.

From every which angle, anyone can see that this is a splendid kotatsu. ...No, it would be more apt to call it the Okota-sama.

...Well. There is a part of it which slightly differs from the completed image... That’s nothing but a minor issue.

...The differing part? ...I suppose it would be that it roars.

 

[The monster roars, and Reina stumbles back.]

 

A mystery, isn’t it? I wonder why it howls.

It could possibly be because, although the instruction booklet had nothing about the strange organism, I just shoved it in for the heck of it.

They fused together, so I thought it to be the right thing to do.

By the by, it works properly as a kotatsu. Everything’s totally fine, 100%.✨

...”It’s too weird! It’s so gross!” ...?

Worry not. You’ll get used to it in due time. Courage is what makes a woman.

What do you mean by, “Yeah, yeah,” Reina?

I have your hanten here, too. It’s a different color from mine. Let’s go, shall we?

 

The Okota-kun has warmed up. Then, now, the finishing touches.

Ta-dah. It’s a hot pot.

It’s said that everyone encloses hot pots during Japanese winters. I went all the way to build Okota-kun, so let’s enjoy genuine, authentic Japanese winters.

Let’s do a... what they call “Hot pot party.”

 

[The monster roars.]

 

Okota-kun, you’re also fired up for this.

...Mm? Your expression makes me think you’d like to comment on something, Reina.

“This isn’t a hot pot. It’s a cauldron?”

Ngh... So, you noticed. Yes. Indeed, it is a cauldron.

It’s black, huge, and a splendid cauldron in its own right.

But you needn’t worry. Hot pots and cauldrons are the same in how, they’re both tools to shove in ingredients to stew. Their purposes are the same.

I tried looking for the utensil known as an earthenware pot, but they were out of stock.

That’s why I’m substituting with the cauldron I use for mixing, which I had on hand.

 

“What were you mixing?”

I think you’d be better off not knowing, so I’ll put that topic aside for now, but it’s fine.

As I said before, you’ll get used to it in due time. Courage makes a woman.

As you see here, I already have the ingredients prepared.

Freshly-picked vegetables, meat of mysterious origin... And recently, they’ve been sprinkling soup bases into them, so if we just use this, the hot pot meal... No, the cauldron meal will be finished.

My, the world has become so convenient.

With this, I’m sure we, too, can cook. Then, first...

 

Hm? What’s wrong, Reina?

...I’d said something so scary so easily? Did I?

...Ah, that? The meat of mysterious origin. Well, what else could I call it? It really is that.

Look, on the seal. It only says “meat.”

How purely resolute, isn’t it? You won’t know what kind of meat it is until you eat it.

No, perhaps you wouldn’t even know if you did eat it.

However, you can enjoy such thrills. This ingredient is filled with surprises.

Intriguing, is it not?

By the way, I regard it with nothing but misgivings. The meat was 80% off.

 

[Reina is shocked.]

 

Ufufu. You’ll be fine, Reina. You’ll get used to it in due time. Courage makes a woman ♪

By the way. I’ve said this phrase three times today.

Well, then. I’m doing it.

 

[The pot is bubbling.]

 

Ro~und and round. Ro~und and round.  

Fufu... Fufufu...

It’s stewing... It’s stewing...!

The cauldron of Hell... Fufufu!

AHAHAHAHA! AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

...Ah. Goodness, I shouldn’t have done that. I went into witch mode without realizing.

Right now, I’m not mixing. I’m cooking.

I’m sorry, Reina. And I’m sorry, Okota-kun.

Yes... Don’t be so disturbed. It’s fine, it’s fine.

I just got a little carried away.

It’s no cauldron of Hell. Then...

 

Before we complete it, I’ll go call everyone else over.

It would be fine to enjoy hot pot meals with one or two people, but I’ve heard tell that it displays its ultimate appeal when everyone surrounds it as they eat.

I am the girl who, upon doing something, constantly aims for the maximum, the ultimate I can achieve. Tendouin Tsubaki.

I’ll go hit on some ladies for the hot pot party.

Reina, keep an eye on the cauldron of Hell to make sure nothing pops out of it in the meanwhile.

 

Just joking. Could you watch over it to make sure it doesn’t bubble over?

Fufu... Fufufu! Things have gotten amusing.

 

Even the cold, harsh winters can become enjoyable depending on how you spend them.

Maybe it’s related to how one’s attitude regarding things can affect their thinking.

Fu... Ufufu!

Well, then! Let’s begin our fun, fun party, shall we?