The girls are gathered around a crimson carriage at the mansion's front. Small hugs are exchanged between Yukino [J] and the rest of the girls. At the side, Rie-tan [K] and Piaccta share a big hug between mentor and mentee, as our little ball of sunshine gifts her beloved mentor a hand-puppet made in Rie-tan's image, long braids and all.
Standing a little behind this heartwarming scene is Eclair Baudz.
She shifts her feet on the spot where she stands, not sure if she should join in. The girl is a new face at the mansion, after all.
Might it not be inappropriate to feel 'too close' with those she had met for but a moment in time?
It was clear that the girls have some history with the Starfallow Troupe, the three girls who were here at the mansion before them. Many memories and laughs were shared over the short, beautiful weekend together---
... and now, it was time for them to depart.
Seated in the carriage, Yukino had already exchanged last words with everyone.
Everyone except the new dramaturg hesitating at the back.
With the wave of a closed paper fan, the orange-haired catgirl beckons Eclair over---
"Working with that guy, is hard isn't it?"
A common thread!
"Oh, you do understand, Miss Yukino! That guy, he's always piling on work on me---"
Yukino listens to our new dramaturg list off two A4-sized papers of grievances; paper fan covering her mouth and a laughing smile visibly forming at the sides of her cheeks!
"--- but I am glad!" Eclair says at the end, "At least, through making the livestream happen, I got to meet all of you..."
(a fan snaps shut)
"Good for you, Eclair." The catgirl slides back into her seat, feeling assured by the reply. This road you set out on, this red-dust road, is not easy. There will be many moments you doubt yourself or fear for what will happen, but if you come back to this moment..."
"Naturally! I will overcome all of that... and become the house's dramaturg, eventually!"
Eclair's haughty reply catches the girl off-guard, and she laughs a happy laugh.
"Shishishishi...! Then, I look forward to your growth, young Eclair! Let's promise to meet again when the lanterns give their blessings..."
Eclair gives a determined nod, not even understanding what was meant!
A carriage door clasps gently, and the girls watch their predecessor leave the stage quietly.
...
...
Except for Piaccta and Rie-tan, still playing pat-a-pat with each other's hand-puppets!
Eclair looks at the fast disappearing carriage---
--- then snaps her head at the mentor-mentee duo playing without a care in the world!
"Wha--- why are you still here, Miss Henrietta?! The carriage home is leaving!"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"How are you getting home if not by carriage?"
Rie-tan gives a laugh, light and airy, like a high whistle.
"Piaccta, my mentee, you're up!"
(Piaccta smiles, and holds up the Rie-tan puppet, one hand pointed straight at true at Eclair, her voice in perfect imitation of her mentor's)
"Iya iya, you see here... The truth of the matter is this---"
Piaccta pauses, just slight enough to get that pro-wrestler's cadence of speaking;
"--- I live here, right here, in sunny, dainty, little Bitsborough! [28]"
The revelation hits Eclair so hard, it knocks her off the feet!
W-what was that?
The moment Piaccta mentioned the place of Rie-tan's true hometown---!
It was like she heard the roar of a crowd, but there's nobody but the girls here!
"Oh! Good job my mentee! Cutting promos does comes naturally to you!"
"È naturale!" Piaccta puffs out her chest, both hands at her hips, proud at having her mentor's acknowledgement!
Eclair still doesn't have a clue!
But if Rie-tan lives nearby when not on tour with her troupe...
... might we be seeing more of her in the future?
"H-hang on. There's someone missing..." Eclair ponders, her mind working fast again. "Does that mean that Miss Anno is also a Bitsborough girl?"
"Nah, Anno-chan isn't from here! She's from---"
Rie-tan spoke the name of a place Eclair knew well.
It was her own hometown, after all.
As a carriage rolls back home, not everyone was so willing to go home.
Meanwhile, back in the mansion.
A pair of white-gloved hands are pulling on a pair of goth-themed boots!
Boots worn by a girl with blue pigtails, clutching horizontally at the first-floor bannister!
El Dramaturg and Anno [L] are locked in a tug-of-war, a war that he had no hope of winning!
"Come on, Anno! You're a famous livestreamer! You have to go home, eventually!"
"Nyoooo--- I don't wanna go back to worké! Don't chase me back, so soon!"
With a light kick, Anno kicks away the golden-masked one, and spins one-armed through the bannister gap, landing with a cat's grace on the carpeted stairs! She dusts off her black-laced skirt, and jangles a set of silver keys in front of her,
"And--- I am home!"
The key is inserted into the keyhole, opening up a pair of doors with ornate carving;
"W-wait, Anno! If you stay here, what about your fans? Your schedule? Your mane-sans?"
"I can just livestream from inside the annex?" Anno does a funny little welcoming gesture at the door which just opened up, "Don't worry, I'll cook my own carrót soup! You all won't even notice I am here!"
"That's exactly what I am worried about!!!"
Anno makes a thinking pose, putting a finger on her cheek.
It looks like she is thinking about taking her former mentor's advice...
... but not really!
"... bleargh."
Anno makes a face, pulling down an eyelid and making a face!
With a twirl, she slips through the silver doorway, laughing as the doors click shut!
Not able to stop Anno and her dastardly plans, El Dramaturg is left at the bottom of the stairs, one hand frozen in the air!
“Oh dear…” he sighed. “I’ll need another seat at the dinner table.”
Glossary
[28] Bitsborough - The small town where the theatre house is located. A town of stories, cobbled pavements and lit lanterns.
Characters
[J] Yukino - Orange-haired catgirl of the Starfallow Troupe. She currently serves as a courtesan in the Nangmen region, south of Vespana.
[K] Rie-Tan- Golden-braided showgirl of the Starfallow Troupe. She is a wrestler-in-training at [Execution Circus]. A native of Bitsborough, her family home is just next doors!
[L] Anno - Just Anno. A cheeky and mischievous girl who likes keeping secrets and animating furniture with magick.
