Fool Bloom (A Magical Woman Quest)

[X] Head straight back to the shrine, maybe Hayato will be around?


"Kazuya, you're… truly okay paying that?!" Reiji gasped as they saw the bill.

"I suppose I must," Kazuya said and shrugged, "You are underfunded, while Miyako is a runaway ronin. It's only logical I pay."

"…And what happens if, hell when, your parents don't fork up the cash?" Reiji brought up.

"They will," Kazuya said, "I understand them enough that it won't do for them to cause an incident."

Miyako knew Kazuya's parents had done nothing when he'd been kicked out of all those jobs, I was even there one time when it happened! Then again, those jobs were presumably at nowhere as high-class as The Black Goose and all before Kazuya had emotions again to argue otherwise, so hopefully his parents would be more swayable this time. Hopefully.
Once the bill was signed, Miyako yawned right there in the fine dining establishment and said, "Guess I should be getting back to bed, but glad we got that sorted. I'll tell Higashi-sama you're both up and walking again, ooh and Hayato-kun too."

"Huh, Hayato-kun?" Reiji asked. "Oh right, think he's the priestess's son?"

"Yep! He's been pretty nice, likes a lot of old-school stuff, ought to know a thing or two about kabuki," she said while eyeing Reiji. She was about to bring up the other thing about Hayato to Kazuya but thought to wait till Reiji was out of earshot, worried he'd just get suspicious of him.
After they all waved goodbye outside the restaurant, Miyako instantly feeling how the night had gotten even colder, she then said to Kazuya before he left, "One last thing. Hayato-kun was really interested in you, Kazuya-kun. He was wondering about what, er, what not having emotions is like?" Actually asking that made her feel much more intrusive.

"It isn't like anything," Kazuya told her. "You just exist, no good nor bad. The people around you certainly react, but you don't care."

"Yeah, that tracks," Miyako said, having gotten a very Kazuya-esque answer. "Well, see you soon. We'll get the play all set to go, and uh, Kazuya-kun," she paused for a second, "don't let Ryoichi get to you, okay? I mean if he has been."

"He has never bothered me," Kazuya said, "He's always been like that. Ah, see you soon too," he added, like he had almost been about to forget. Miyako nodded awkwardly at that farewell before she started walking back to the shrine.


The long uphill pathway through the woods sent a chill down her spine this late at night, as unlike the night of the ritual she was now on her own. Barely a sliver of moonlight sneaked its way through the canopy, though Miyako took comfort in that if she was ambushed in this pitch darkness, it'd probably be by something cool like a monster or ghost instead of just some creep.

But she made it to the shrine without incident, and standing there illuminated in the light of the gibbous moon was the very boy she was thinking she'd see. Hayato Higashi was kneeling with a sketchbook in hand, his head then turning to notice Miyako and say, "Oh, good evening. Or I suppose goodnight, given the hour. Mother and I started to worry about when you'd get back, though of course you're an adult now, it's your time to take," like he was repeating what he'd said the morning they met, "Just that you'd know what mothers are like."

Actually, I kinda don't, Miyako thought, uneasily recalling what her mother had been like. She said instead, "Eh, you know these fancy restaurants, we had to wait forever to be seated, have our orders taken, then get our meals. I know, this isn't fast food, but still.
But hey, Kazuya-kun and Reiji-kun are now back on their feet and doing fine. Well, fine as they can be, what with a struggling theatre and douchey rich family."

"That's wonderful, the part about the recovery I mean. Mother will be delighted to hear that," Hayato said, before he expectedly asked, "And how is Kai-kun handling having emotions again?"

Miyako bit her lower lip before she admitted, "Can't say for sure, he's been pretty guarded about it. A Frost Pawn's emotions don't come back all at once, and I guess that goes double for Kazuya-kun with how insanely long that leech was in him." Hoping to help, she then added, "But he did talk about what not having emotions was like, said there was no bad but also no good. Just a bunch of nothing, really."

Hayato nodded, but then said with some exasperation, "Nozawa-chan, please don't feel the need to keep bringing up my question on emotions. It was something I asked spur of the moment, truly."

"Okay, sorry about that, I'll hold off," Miyako was quick to say, keeping an if you say so to herself. "So hmm, you sketching something in the moonlight? Guess you were super in the mood that you couldn't wait till sunrise, huh?"

"I wouldn't say I'm sketching much," Hayato chuckled, "Just your basic calligraphy. But it was Li Bai who got me thinking about artistry in the moonlight, ah, you might know him as Rihaku."

"Er, sorry, still don't. Is he new?" Miyako blushed as she asked.

"…He lived more than a millennium ago," Hayato said, keeping his expression serene, "and was one of China's most praised poets."

"Ah yep, that explains it. I suck at History," Miyako sheepishly said, "Except the Frost Decade, of course."

"Well, one of the most common images in Li Bai's poetry was the moon. They say he was inspired by the moon so much that he drowned trying to chase after its reflection in the water, only then could the star inside him return to the heavens to be with it. Keywords being 'they say' of course, his actual death was most likely from alcohol poisoning, but the moon myth was what I heard first. He would have been made a courtier too, had he lived," Hayato said, stopping himself before he risked talking for hours.

Nodding along with that, Miyako ventured to say, "So um, guess you like talking about how old poets died, huh?" Hearing about Li Bai's alcoholism also reminded her of Koyomi's fondness for cigarettes.

"What? Oh no, of course not," Hayato was quick to say, "Just thought the legends around this one particular death stood out, and were relevant too due to the moon."

"Well, I'm sure Li Bai would never have written anything about the moon or, um, all the other things he wrote about, if it hadn't been for his emotions," Miyako said, that topic making its way again out from the back of her mind, with Hayato having gone from not talking about emotions to someone said to have died because of them.

That made Hayato mutter, "I've heard there have been poets who've actually said that emotions only get in the way of poetry, but they are a minority, mostly western and modernist."

Miyako took a step back on hearing that, "What? But how can you have art without emotions? I get not liking bias, I am studying journalism after all, but no feelings at all?"

"Well, tons of contradictory opinions have been said about art through the ages, so someone suggesting emotionlessness as the way was bound to emerge sooner or later," Hayato said.

"Look," Miyako stopped in her track trying to say, "Er, talking about death and not having emotions, this wouldn't come back to your- your," she found herself unable to finish.

"To Father's death, you mean?" Hayato picked up on anyway, then sighed, "Possibly, I can't rule that out. It was tuberculosis that took him," something Miyako already knew but kept silent on, "so nothing like Li Bai's death, or what we've guessed about Li Bai's death. But I can't help having it on the mind."
He then brought up, "I was the reason my parents married, actually. Mother told me once I'd come of age that they had me out of wedlock, then scrambled to tie the knot after that. Were it not for that, would their adult lives have been different? Would Mother be priestess now, at least of this shrine?"

Would your father not have been somewhere where he caught tuberculosis? Miyako assumed was being left unsaid. "Hey look, I should probably be getting to bed about now," she said before the conversation could get any more uncomfortable, especially after what her talks with Kazuya and Reiji had been like. But she then remembered, "Oh wait, the play. I'm putting on a play at the Yuuki family theatre, was wondering if Higashi-sama and you would like to help? Given the time, of course." Nudging him a little more, she added, "We're adapting a book Arisugawa-sama wrote, in fact."

Hayato's eyes widened. "If that's the case, I really should come along then. I do owe her my life," it was he who now blushed.

"Glad to hear it!" Miyako said, trying to hide any signs of concern. Was this how Koyomi felt in response to her raving on and on about finally getting to know a Hanazakari?

Article:

Miyako may have also been talking about helping put on the play but hadn't thought much on how exactly she'd do so. She could:
[ ] Play the main character of course! Granted, him being male wouldn't help with dysphoria, but it'd just be acting, right?
[ ] Play one of the visions the main character had. One of the gods might be demanding, but there was always one of the crabs!
[ ] Do a bunch of publicity stuff, put up posters all over town.
[ ] Be in charge of casting, pick which roles would best suit everyone.
[ ] If Reiji had his hands full, maybe she could step up as director!
[ ] Write-in

[X] If Reiji had his hands full, maybe she could step up as director!


"I'm certainly glad to hear both Kai-kun and Yuuki-kun are doing fine," Asahi said to Miyako when she met up with her that morning, "especially since, I have to admit, part of the blame for their hospitalisation rests on me."

Koyomi blaming herself for almost killing Kazuya had so occupied Miyako's thoughts that she'd forgotten he part Asahi had played in setting up the ritual to begin with. Or maybe she'd forgotten because, "You shouldn't blame yourself, Higashi-sama. Kazuya-kun and Reiji-kun are both all back together, it's all in the past," she said.

"Yes, of course. It's just…" Asahi began brightly but then lowered her tone, "I had my one chance to show Koyomi I could beat back the Frost Fair without her help, yet I again only survived because of her." She then took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, got off track there. I was just about to say that, much as the show must go on due to the Yuuki Theatre's, ahem, financial situation, don't you think it's a bit soon for Yuuki-kun to be putting on another play?"

"Yeah, guess it kinda is," Miyako said, but offered, "That's why I was asking you if you'd like to help out, since we could use all hands on stage. I asked Hayato-kun about it last night, and he's totally okay with chipping in."

Rather than getting Asahi on board, learning her son would be involved instead made her go, "Well, then maybe I should step back. Hayato's of age now, I'll come along to watch but it's otherwise time I started giving him space."

Trying to reverse that train of thought to get Asahi back on board, Miyako said, "Well, er, we could still use your expertise in, ah, god stuff. Enma and Daikokuten are characters in the play, well visions of them are so close enough, plus ghost crabs." She used the gods' Japanese names, even though the book specifically called them 'Yama' and 'Mahakala', to make them sound more Shinto-y for Asahi.

"Alright, alright, I can see you clearly want me to come along," Asahi said, her smile hiding any possible frustration, "And it would be good for me to check up on Kai-kun and Yuuki-kun in person, ahem, hoping there's no hard feelings over the ritual."

"Great! And um," Miyako fidgeted as she said, "I was also hoping you could convince Arisugawa-sama to join in too. Like I said, all hands on stage. Like I figured us adapting her book would do it, but just to be sure, you'd be the best person to help get her on board, right?"

"…I'll see what I can do," Asahi said.

The two met up with Koyomi right outside the theatre, upon which the witch asked, "Thought I'd already given you the go-ahead to stage my work, so any reason I have to be dragged all the way out here now?"

"I mean, it is your book, Arisugawa-sama. Don't you wanna, y'know, see if we're doing a good job of it?" Miyako asked.

Koyomi shrugged. "So? I've got plenty of books. Besides, seeing anyone adapt my work in person will just set me up for disappointment, given prior experience, so it'd save me the trouble if I stayed blind and left you to do whatever with it," she said.

"Please, this is not some faceless studio, Koyomi. This is a struggling theatre with the best of intentions, overseen by people whose lives you saved. Surely the least you can do is give them your blessing?" Asahi asked.

"Asahi, you know me, and where I think the 'best of intentions' lead to," Koyomi said, crossing her arms. "And do you honestly think the Yuuki boy has them? He's always side-eyed me ever since I moved to this town."

"Oh, I think I know what it is," Asahi said, her tone less cordial than Miyako would like, "You know Kai-kun's involved, yet you can't bear to see him in person again, am I right?"

Miyako started to sweat, as antagonising Koyomi was the last thing she'd brought Asahi along to do. Yet it seemed to actually work, as Koyomi said, "Fine, I'll come in and see what you're doing, seeing as I'm here anyway."

Relieved but not too relieved, Miyako said, "Okay, come right this way then," as she led Koyomi into the theatre she could already see. Several costumes were already on stage for the gods and crabs, well as much as cardboard boxes and tubes taped together then drawn on counted as costumes. "Er, we figured we'd have everything set at the monastery, help save on set design," Miyako had to admit when their lack of budget became unignorable.

"At least you're thinking economically, that shows promise," Koyomi said pointing out a silver lining, to leaving Miyako grinning and Asahi surprised.

"I understand this is not a place of worship, but for portraying such figures of gods," Asahi asked, rolling her eye, "Are those really the best you can afford?"

"Visions of gods, O watcher," came Reiji's voice, as he walked in trying to carry scripts, lighting, posters, and props all at once, "Besides, audiences know that the theatre is a more abstract medium, things hardly need to be the spitting image," he tried to say while balancing. Then he froze as he saw who else was here.

"What? It's my book, you honestly didn't think I'd come to check on its adaptation?" Koyomi asked him, contrary to what she'd previously said outside.

Reiji at least had the foresight to put everything he was carrying down first before he went, "Y-You? Well, if you really are Kuramazov, then I suppose it was an inevitability you of all people would show up."

"Please don't, Reiji-kun," Miyako whimpered. She dreaded how Koyomi might react to him, but instead all the witch did was write down 'Kuramazov' on an available scrap of paper.

"It's a perfect match for the signature in the book. N-no, it could still be a forgery," Reiji said, but when he felt Miyako's and even Asahi's glares upon him, he changed his tune with, "Oh alright. Kuramazov-sama then, I, I do apologise. And you did save Kazuya, I am told." Miyako's face lit up hearing Reiji finally say that to Koyomi.

"Good, now you can finally quit the witch-hunter part you've been playing in real life," Koyomi told him, then had to smile just a little, "Well, if only all adapting directors stopped to say sorry to the original creators."

"Oh, Reiji-kun's not gonna be directing," Miyako suddenly said.

"I'm not?" Reiji said. "Nozawa, you do know whose theatre this is?"

"You're handling a ton of stuff already, Reiji-kun," Miyako said as she pointed at the pile he'd been carrying.

"That is true," he had to admit, then said, "More astute than I've been giving you credit for, Nozawa."

"Which is why I'm gonna direct!" Miyako announced, which smashed any goodwill Reiji had built up. Not just him, Asahi was also left wincing, while Koyomi had to groan.

"Nozawa, er, have you had any experience with directing? Like, at all?" Reiji asked, "Because you realise it means you're overseeing every other part of the production?"

"Oh, about as much experience as with anything else she's done lately," Koyomi had to say.

"Hey, haven't you heard of beginner's luck?" Miyako said. "Besides, script's ready, set's ready, costumes are ready, all I gotta do now is just watch over rehearsals, right?"

"…Rehearsals over a bunch of people who've never acted," Reiji sighed, gesturing at the stage. "I relented and had Kazuya fill in for me as the lead role, given all my other duties."

Not only Kazuya but also Hayato was up on stage, with Kazuya reading out a set of lines in monotone, while Hayato was taking in the minimalistic set design.

"Brilliant casting, Reiji-kun!" Miyako said no matter how much Reiji felt otherwise, "This'll have to inspire Kazuya-kun to come out of his shell." She then ran up to the stage and greeted him with, "Hi Kazuya-kun. Guess what, I'm director now!" even if Reiji had never officially okayed that, "and okay, first direction. This is the main character; you need to put a lot more into your performance. C'mon, give it your all!"

"Director? I suppose," Kazuya nodded at her, before he reread his lines… in the exact same monotone, but simply at a louder volume, like someone had only just described shouting to him.

"Okay, ah, doing great, Kazuya-kun," Miyako tried to smile.

"You are aware the character of Sato Genji rarely ever raises his voice in the book, aren't you?" Koyomi had to ask as she walked over. She then forced herself to look at Kazuya, gradually saying to him, "…Looks like you're doing alright now."

"Indeed, Arisugawa-sama. I am as fine as I ever was, really," Kazuya said. He then opened his upper robes in front of her and said, "As you can see, a scar on my chest is the only sign left of, of that night."
Koyomi gave no reply other than a nod.

Asahi had at the same time been inspecting Reiji's back for any similar signs. "I'm fine, I'm fine! Unhand me already," Reiji insisted. "And please, Higashi-sama, do not think you are to blame for what happened to me that night. I did insist on coming along, I'll take the fall for it."

Hayato couldn't keep himself from laughing at the sight. "I'm sorry, it's just that Mother's like this with me too," he said.

Him having spoken, Asahi walked over to her son and said, "And I'm glad to see Kai-kun's alright too, after… everything. You two would've met now, right Hayato dear?"

"I did. I was quite interested in speaking with him, but…" Hayato said as he looked over to Kazuya, "he hasn't had that much to say. Fair enough, given what he's gone through."

"Hi there, Hayato-kun," Miyako said as she also raced over to him, "Ooh, you're playing one of the crabs since we've only got so many roles, aren't ya? Well then, since I am director now and all, we've gotta get a sidestepping routine going for you! Maybe you could sidestep for thirty minutes up and down the shrine stairs, ooh, or even sidestep from the theatre all the way back to the shrine, that's some real commitment!"

"I, ah, don't think the audience will be able to tell considering the costume," Hayato said as he pointed to the crab-coloured crates.

"Oh, um, yeah. But the other important thing you, the other crabs, and the god actors gotta take note of is you need to make big, exaggerated motions all the time, since the audience can't see your faces. Y'know, like in TV shows," Miyako told him.

"Doubt they'll be able to see anything with theatre's lighting," Koyomi had to say.

Hayato's eyes at least lit up. "Oh, Arisugawa-sama, so good to see you again," he even bowed on one knee as he said, which just made Koyomi step back a bit.

Article:

That got Miyako thinking, what would Koyomi be best suited for here?
[ ] She'd be perfect as the death god Yama. Sure, she was no actor, but neither was anyone else besides Reiji, and it wasn't often you got to cast the author in an adaptation.
[ ] She could sign people's copies of Ladder to Heaven, that'd work wonders promotionally. Provided it was just signings of course.
[ ] Miyako could ask for her help as co-director, as she had quickly learned how new she was at this.
[ ] She didn't seem that enthused, so maybe they'd just give her free seating, or a quick on-stage cameo.
[ ] They'd have her give an opening monologue, like a live-action book introduction.
[] They'd have her transform into a Hanazakari on-stage for an opening monologue to warm the audience up. [Koyomi's Heart does not have the will to go through with this.]
[ ] Write-in