#1 Croissant Opp

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Summer

Location: ES Building Lobby

During the second year of ES’ establishment, in June. At the ES Building Lobby…

Mika: (Nnah~, I finally made it to the ES Buildin’.)

(I heard it was gonna be hot and summery out, but I didn’t expect it to be this hot… I was ‘boutta melt onto the pavement on my way here.)

(Even the candies in my pocket’s gotten all squishy. I’m gonna have t’put them in the fridge fer it to harden later…)

(It feels like heaven in here with the air conditioner on an’ everythin’~! ♪ Stayin’ indoors is the way to go on days like this. Designin’ outfits, and sewin’ ‘em…)

(…Ah, right, I don’t have the time t’take it easy in the cooled air. I’ve gotta discuss with Oshi-san ‘bout what we’re gonna do.)

(It seems he’s come up with an idea fer our Fan ThanX Festival, but I haven’t a single clue what it could be…)

(I sent ‘im a message askin’ what it was, but he didn’t give me a straight answer.)

Mika: (He just went, “It will be more efficient if I just show you!”, just as Oshi-san would.)

(It seems like the other units are doin’ some real extraordinary things. Mystery-solvin’ games[1], and exhibitions showcasin’ unique art[2], fer example…)

(And the game Switch made all by themselves was real cool too![3] ♪ I don’t really play games, and I even had fun with it!)

(It’s like ya can do anythin’ that you wanna do! Anzu-chan sure is generous, huh!)

(…Wait, huh? Who is it I should be thankin’ in this case? Since it’s called the “ES Fan ThanX Festival”, should I be thankin’ the big-wigs up at ES instead of Anzu-chan?)

(But, the one handlin’ everything is Anzu-chan, right? Umm…?)

(Well, I’ll just have’ta thank both of ‘em. —And to Oshi-san too, o’course!)

(‘Cause the reason I’m able to even be an idol like this is all thank t’Oshi-san. The me I am now wouldn’t exist if it weren’t fer him.)

(So, fer Valkyrie’s ThanX Festival, I want to do it exactly as Oshi-san likes.)

(I’m so excited to hear what he came up with. I bet it’s real amazin', this is Oshi-san we’re talkin’ about, after all…♪)

Location: Dressing Room

Mika: S’cuse me~… Ah, there ya are!

That’s some beautiful rosework ya got there, Oshi-san. What’cha makin’?

Shu: Oh, Kagehira. This here is a prototype for a decoration for the outfit.

Mika: Outfit… Could ya mean the outfit for the Fan Thanx Festival?

Shu: Correct. I wish to incorporate roses into its outfit. I’m surveying materials and their textures and the like.

Mika: Ya really love roses, huh, Oshi-san? There’s so many arrangements ya can do usin’ roses as a motif, huh.

Ya can change how it looks dependin’ on how much dimension ya give it, and changin’ its color and its number gives it further meanin’ too, huh?

Shu: That’s right. Red symbolizes passion, white, purity, and yellow, friendship. A single rose represents love at first sight, and eleven, a treasured love…

And if you are to propose, you should prepare twelve roses. The proposed, rather than respond with a “yes”, instead communicates it traditionally by taking a rose and returning it.

That being said, all of these are simply meanings appropriated upon the rose by humans after the fact. The rose itself was not borne into existence to such purposes..

Mika: Nnah~… Hearin’ it like that makes it kinda strange, huh.

The world’s so big, yet somethin’ added on after the fact’s been widely accepted as a common sense of sorts.

Shu: Hmph. It all ultimately comes down to what is most convenient for humans, isn’t it?

Even feelings that cannot be described by words can take shape in the form of flowers. Quite convenient, is that not?

However, that means that those meanings are at the fore, leading to misunderstandings.

Mika: I get’cha. I only started considerin’ those things after I became an artist, fer example.

Once, when I casually presented an artwork o’mine, someone started countin’ the roses in it. I was shocked ‘cause I didn’t understand it at all.

Come t’think of it, Oshi-san, ya gave me chocolate roses at Chocolat Fes, didn’t ya?[4]

At that time, I had accepted it without knowin’ much ‘bout those things. I wonder if there was a meanin’ behind it?

Shu: Who can say? What truly matters is how you felt upon receiving it.

In any case, finding meaning in the mundane is the very essence of what it means to be human.

The rose is a blossom that possesses both beauty and pain. It is splendid, yet unafraid to bear its thorns.

Unable to stand on its own, it uses its thorns to entwine itself with other plants to provide itself support. It is nothing more but a mechanism for its survival, yet…

Humans seek out meaning, even in those thorns. Such as intangible emotions such as love, devotion, or even pride.

A story is imbued to where there was none, and emotions are entrusted unto it. That is precisely what constitutes “art”.

Mika: Hmm… So yer sayin’ that… As it is, this rose decoration is beautiful, but…

The reason I see it as somethin’ so special is because it is filtered through my own lenses of it bein’ somethin’ Oshi-san created…?

Shu: That’s a rather rough-hewn way to put it, but if I were to borrow your vocabulary, yes, that would be about how I would put it, Kagehira.

…This material is too pliant. It won’t be suitable for the outfit I have in mind.

Mika: Are ya gonna throw away that rose? Could I have it instead, in that case?

Shu: I do not mind, but… Goodness, you just ask for anything, don’t you?

Mika: Nfufu, but ya made it, Oshi-san. Anythin’ ya make is a treasure in my eyes. ♪

By the way, Oshi-san, there’s somethin’ that’s been on my mind fer some time now…

What's that over there? It’s hard not t’notice, bein’ covered in such elegant red silk and all.

Shu: Hmm… Yes, this makes for a good time to pivot to the ThanX Festival, doesn't it?

This is the palace I have designed from the ground up for our Valkyrie’s ThanX Festival to be held at.

Mika: A palace…?

Shu: Indeed. Here is the diorama for it.

Mika: Whoa...! This palace is real extravagant! It’s got fountains and pavilions… It reminds me of the palace ya took me to in Paris.

Yer thinkin’ to get this built fer real? Rather than rent a venue or somethin’?

Shu: That is right. According to the notice, “budget is not a concern”, you see. Meaning, I am at right to spend generously and without constraint…♪

Money, to the artist, is an issue they cannot be separated from. By the year, our performances have become more extravagant as the years pass, but there we are always dealing with financial constraints.

Fortunately, we make up any expense deficit through sales through the live, but, even so, ‘tis not enough for us to reach our ideal.

Our performances are akin to constructing a world of its own. Only when our song, outfits, and staging entwine in perfect harmony can our performance be considered complete.

And that is exactly why we absolutely cannot compromise. But as unfortunate as it is, we are bound by the shackles we call money. And without this necessary resource, our ideal will remain but a pipe dream.

As such, let us make full use of this for Valkyrie’s ThanX festival.

We shall pour this money into creating our grandest stage yet—we shall build our palace, and host a magnificent feast for our fans!

We shall hold a celebration filled with music and art for three days and three nights, just as the royals and the nobles once did!

This will be our way to express our gratitude! Kakaka…♪

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Likely referring to UNDEAD’s Thanx Festival, featuring a mystery escape game.

Likely referring to 2wink’s ThanX Festival, an exhibition featuring an array of optical illusion art.

You too can play Switch’s Thanx Festival game, right here!