Another Year Together
Hikari:
............
Karen:
Ngh... No, Hikari-chan! Don't go...
Hikari:
......?
Karen:
Mt. Fuji is...too dangerous... without an...oxygen tank...
Hikari:
Are you talking in your sleep?
Hikari:
That sounds like some dream, Karen.
Hikari:
But it's not safe to walk around unconscious. Time to wake up.
Karen:
Wha...?
Karen:
Hikari...chan?
Hikari:
Finally awake?
Karen:
Ugh, my eyes are all bleary...
Karen:
Huh? Wait this isn't my room.
Hikari:
You don't even remember getting out of bed?
Karen:
I remember it was past midnight when I got in it. I'm sooo sleepy...
Hikari:
This might help with that.
*swish*
Karen:
Gah!? It's so bright!
Hikari:
You're the one who wanted to see the first sunrise of the year.
Karen:
......! Ohh, RIGHT! So that's why you brought me here!
Karen:
Thanks, Hikari-chan!
Karen:
*squeeze*
Hikari:
K-Karen! Is something wrong? I appreciate the hug, but...
Karen:
I'm holding onto you so you don't fly away.
Hikari:
What are you talking about?
Karen:
So, in my dream, you sprouted these HUGE wings!
Karen:
And you flew off to Mt. Fuji like WHOOSH!
Hikari:
Is that why I needed an oxygen tank?
Karen:
Oh? Wait, how do you know that!?
Hikari:
You were talking in your sleep. Loudly.
Hikari:
"No, Hikari-chan! Don't go..."
Hikari:
"Mt. Fuji is...too dangerous... without an oxygen tank..."
Hikari:
And...scene.
Karen:
Hey, c'mon! It's not MY fault you insisted on eating mapo eggplant on top of Mt. Fuji!
Karen:
Or that Kaoruko-chan's folding fans were spinning all over the place, OR that a giant Tendo-san lumbered out of Mt. Fuji's shadow...
Karen:
Or that... That... Look, a lot things happened, okay!?
Hikari:
That's a strange dream.
Karen:
Yeah, but thinking back on it now, taking trip to the top of Mt. Fuji actually sounds pretty cool
Karen:
I won't stop you next time, if you promise to take me with you!
Hikari:
To Mt. Fuji...
Hikari:
It's a deal. Let's reach the top together. The two of us.
Karen:
Yay!
Karen:
Let's show this year what we've got! We're gonna shine brighter than the morning sun
Hikari:
Well said. Let's make it a wonderful year, Karen
Karen:
We've got this, Hikari-chan!
Operation: Cave Goddess
Karen:
Hmm...HMMMmmm...
Mahiru:
Karen-chan? Are you okay!? Do you have a tummy ache?
Karen:
What? NO, Mahiru-chan! There. The futon.
Mahiru:
The futon...?
Mahiru:
Wait, is that lump of blankets Hikari-chan?
Karen:
Yup! She's holed up in bed. I can't get her out!
Hikari:
Cold...
Mahiru:
True, we did get snow. It's pretty chilly.
Hikari:
Snow... I knew it felt cold.
Karen:
If you're awake, come on out already! Hiiikaaariii-chaaan!
Karen:
There's snow out there! We can go have a snowball fight! Or we can pile up a big mountain and dive into it! We could build a snowman!
Hikari:
No fighting. No diving. No building.
Mahiru:
Hikari-chan. If you can't even handle this, you'd never make it through a winter in Hokkaido.
Hikari:
...No going to Hokkaido.
Karen:
HIKARI-CHAN! C'mon, c'moooon! Let's go PLAY!
Hikari:
Amid this calamity...
Mahiru:
Karen-chan, wait. Hikari-chan's saying something.
Hikari:
Amid this calamity, this cave of stone shuts tight as my own eyes.
Hikari:
Even the most brilliant light pales, faltering before reaching even my fingertips.
Mahiru:
Hey, that's... That's from "Ama-no-Iwato." The play we're doing for winter break.
Karen:
Wow, Hikari-chan! You've already got Amaterasu's lines memorized!
Mahiru:
So she's saying she won't leave her futon, like Amaterasu shut in her cave?
Karen:
Wait, whaaat!? Then I guess I'll just have to dance like Ame-no-Uzume!
Hikari:
No, thank you.
Karen:
Not only do you shut me down, you do it in English!?
Mahiru:
Ahaha, I don't think we're going to force her out.
Karen:
Then what do we do!?
Mahiru:
Leave this one to me, Karen-chan. I've got just the thing.
Karen:
Mmm, is that azkuki beans? It smells amazing!
Mahiru:
I made oshiruko, the perfect cold-weather dessert. How many mochi do you want, Karen-chan?
Karen:
Umm, three please!
Mahiru:
Okay, three for you.
Mahiru:
Eat up while it's nice and hot. This batch came out great. It looks sooo goooood.
Mahiru:
Warm and sweet and mouth-watering... How many mochi for you, Hikari-chan?
Hikari:
Three.
Karen:
Gah, she's out!
Mahiru:
Heh heh, here you go. Three for you too, Hikari-chan.
Karen:
Whoa. I tried EVERYTHING to get her out... You're amazing Mahiru-chan! Thank you!
Mahiru:
Heh heh, you're welcome.
Karen:
Now, let's eat! Mm...nom... Ahh, this is the best!
Mahiru:
My grandma taught me the recipe. It's a time-tested classic.
Hikari:
...It's wonderful.
Mahiru:
Hehe, yay!
Karen:
Once we're all warmed up with oshiruko, we can all head outside!
Hikari:
.........
Karen:
Hikari-chan, pleeeease? Snowball fight! Snowman!
Hikari:
It's New Year's tradition to stuff yourself full, then sleep it off.
Mahiru:
Hahahaha. Amaterasu is the perfect role for Hikari-chan.
Hikari:
Amaterasu is a goddess, but she gets into fights, feels sad, and... It's almost like she's human
Hikari:
I'm sunbathing. ...Why? Because I'm going to play Amaterasu.
Hikari:
You really don't have to hang around. But I do appreciate it. I get so sleepy by myself.
Hikari:
When we're embraced equally in the sun's warmth and its light dazzles our eyes... I feel a little bit closer to the Sun Goddess.