Gawain Hikari Kagura/Bond Story

One of the Knights of the Round Table. A remarkable warrior both passionate and logical. Realizes quickly who framed both King Arthur and Lancelot and acts to bring the mastermind to justice. An excerpt from the play "The Lost Holy Grail."

Hikari's Eureka

Hikari:

When we celebrated the end of "The Lost Holy Grail" something happened.

Hikari:

Someone ate the baumkuchen that Mahiru had made.

Hikari:

All the evidence seems to lead to Karen, but she says she's innocent.

Hikari:

Did Karen really do it or...?

Karen:

Everyone, please...! I didn't eat it!

Hikari:

(...Something's off. Something doesn't feel right...)

Hikari:

(...It doesn't feel like something Karen would do.)

Hikari:

(...! I see!)

Maya:

Aijo-san, give it up. Just admit your guilt.

Karen:

B-But...!

Maya:

If you come out and say it, then--

Hikari:

Wait. Karen might not be the culprit.

What!?

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"...Stop this fight! Your Highness, Sir Lancelot, please sheathe your swords!"

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"Don't interfere, Sir Gawain. This is between me and His Highness."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"No. This is also my problem. I'm your friend, and also a loyal subject of His Highness."

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"......"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"I don't want to see you two fight."

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"Sir Gawain..."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"Besides, there are too many odd things. His Highness is also hiding something. We can't haste our judgment."

Karen:

(As Arthur)
"......"

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"However, His Highness..."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"I know that you still trust His Highness, Sir Lancelot. "

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"How can you say that...?"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"When you went to strike His Highness earlier, your blade gave it away."

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"......"

Mahiru:

How can it be!? Everything points to Karen-chan...

Hikari:

...Mahiru, you still trust Karen, don't you?

Mahiru:

...! Th-That's...

Claudine:

...Where's the evidence that she didn't do it?

Hikari:

...Look at this.

Nana:

The Kanihaniwa goods... What about them?

Maya:

Those just prove that she did it, though.

Hikari:

Quite the opposite, in fact. Karen wouldn't use them...

Maya:

...What do you mean!?

Karen:

...Ah! She's right! I would never use them!

Hikari:

She wouldn't open them and use them. Ever...!

Karen:

I'd never! It would be a waste to use them!

Mahiru:

...A waste? Ah...!

Junna:

Whoa, hold on... I don't get it... Why did you buy them then?

Karen:

I buy them, but I don't use them!

Junna:

That's counterproductive, though.

Karen:

Huh... Really? Don't you just wanna buy your favorite character's goods and accumulate them?

Hikari:

I have several wall tapestries of Mr. White that I don't even use.

Karen:

Right? And they keep piling up without a reason.

Claudine:

I don't buy tapestries, but I get why you'd want to buy many things of a design you like.

Maya:

I suppose you're right. Sometimes I find myself buying two copies of the same program just because I liked the play so much...

Nana:

I like using the goods I bought, so I buy two spares as well - one for collecting, and one for decoration.

Claudine:

Hm... Actually, I buy an extra one, so I can show it around and get other people interested too.

Nana:

Oh, I forgot about that. That makes four in total— Ah, but I guess I'd buy two spares, so five in total...?

Junna:

You're all something else...

Junna:

That said, I can't resist goods that are limited-edition...

Mahiru:

K-Karen-chan!?

Karen:

As I suspected...

Karen:

I didn't notice this earlier... This makes me innocent.

Maya:

Huh? How can you say that?

Karen:

Well, look at these! These are all limited-time-only goods that the fast food chain "Good Good" released! They're super rare!

Karen:

I would never use them!

Hikari:

I know what you mean. My Mr. White's limited-edition lunchbox will forever remain pristine.

Junna:

...Why don't you just use it? It's a lunchbox, after all...

Junna:

Well, anyway... I guess these goods prove that Karen didn't do it then.

Karen:

Told you!

Mahiru:

...I'm so sorry, Karen-chan! I should have realized it earlier...

Karen:

Don't worry. I'm glad you trusted me from the beginning.

Mahiru:

Thank you...

Maya:

I'm sorry I didn't trust you...

Claudine:

I told you to confess... I'm so sorry...

Junna:

I have to apologize as well... Sorry...

Karen:

Well, well. All's well that ends well. I'm glad we sorted this out.

Hikari:

(...Except it's not over yet, Karen...)

Hikari:

(Someone tried to frame you. I won't give up until I know who they are...)

Truth at Last

Hikari:

Why would someone try to frame Karen, anyway...?

Hikari:

If I can guess why, I might be able to catch them.

Hikari:

Suspicions, false accusations, criticisms from close friends...

Hikari:

...? Wait, this sounds familiar.

Hikari:

...Could they be trying to do what I'm thinking?

Hikari:

...But why?

Hikari:

...

Hikari:

...Stop, this is not something my character would do. I'm sure the mastermind behind all this will tell us why.

Hikari:

I'm a Stage Girl. All I have to do is fulfill my role, after all.

"Sir Gawain, are you looking for something?"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"...Tristan. Yes, something's bothering me."

"Is it about the Holy Grail?"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"Yes... I'm trying to find out who the mastermind that framed His Highness is."

"...I'll lend you a hand."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"...I'm grateful for your offer, but it's okay for now."

"Whenever you need me, I'll be there. When His Highness is in danger, all of us are as well."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"...I'll hold you to your word."

Karen:

Hikari-chan! Is it true that you know who framed me!?

Hikari:

...Yes, my calculations should be correct.

Mahiru:

...Who was it?

Hikari:

...If we want to know that, we'll have to go over the plot of "The Lost Holy Grail".

Claudine:

The play? Is there a hint in it?

Nana:

Heh heh. This sounds fun. Let's try it.

Junna:

Okay, so... We know that it's based on the search for the Holy Grail in the Arthurian legends, and it goes over what happens after the grail is found.

Nana:

The story starts with the triumphant return of Lancelot with the grail.

Junna:

In the original story, his son Galahad is the one that finds it.

Nana:

You're right. Lancelot isn't the only one whose story has been adapted from the original. Quite a few things were changed too.

Nana:

...Anyway. Getting back on topic...

Nana:

King Arthur steals the Holy Grail and this angers Lancelot who confronts him.

Nana:

But that was all a set-up. In the end, Gawain notices this and the mastermind behind the whole plan is revealed.

Nana:

That's the overall plot of the story... Did you notice anything?

Junna:

...Hmm... No, not really actually.

Karen:

...Aahh!

Mahiru:

Did you figure something out, Karen-chan?

Karen:

Erm... Doesn't it sound like our situation?

Mahiru:

What do you mean?

Karen:

I play Arthur, who's accused by Lancelot - Mahiru-chan, and eventually Gawain - Hikari-chan finds the real culprit.

Mahiru:

...You're right. It sounds like us now.

Hikari:

Indeed. The culprit is purposefully recreating the play.

Junna:

...Wait a second. That means that the culprit...

Hikari:

Yes, the culprit must be the one who played the mastermind in the play.

????:

"Why, Gawain, Lancelot. What's with the scary faces?"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"...You should know why."

????:

"......"

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"We found your letter to His Highness. You forced him to steal the grail under threat."

Mahiru:

(As Lancelot)
"Why... You're one of us. We believed in you..."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"Tristan, you're the mastermind behind this..."

Maya:

(As Tristan)
"......"

Hikari:

The culprit is Tristan... Maya Tendo.

......!

Maya:

...Interesting logic there. However, I fail to see any proof that I did indeed do it.

Hikari:

I play Gawain, after all. Did you think I'd accuse you without any proof?

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"Tristan, you framed His Highness. This proves it."

Hikari:

(As Gawain)
"Behold!"

Karen:

...The Kanihaniwa tablecloth?

Maya:

...Is there a problem with that?

Hikari:

The way this is folded so neatly looked suspicious to me...

Hikari:

And when you said that the culprit went as far as using a tablecloth something clicked in my head.

Hikari:

I thought it was odd as well. Why would the culprit act so calmly?

Claudine:

Now that you mention it, it is odd. Normally, sorneone would try to run away from the crime scene as soon as possible...

Hikari:

But the culprit didn't... Or rather, she couldn't.

Karen:

Huh? Why!?

Hikari:

Because that would have amounted to sacrilege in her eyes...

Hikari:

She couldn't eat something she loves so much in a sloppy way.

Hikari:

That's why she risked getting caught, but still used a placemat and tablecloth. She even cleared up after her crime.

Hikari:

...All for her love of baumkuchen.

Hikari:

And we all know that no one here loves baumkuchen more than Maya Tendo.

Claudine:

...You're right. She goes berserk over it.

Maya:

...Excellent display, Kagura-san. You truly played your role as Gawain.

Maya:

I was planning on telling the truth eventually, but I see that I was worried over nothing.

Maya:

Aijo-san, Tsuyuzaki-san. I'm sorry that I deceived both of you.

Karen:

Tendo-san, why did you do it!?

Hikari:

...That is for Tristan to say.

Maya:

...Yes. Allow me to tell you.

Maya:

...

Maya:

(As Tristan)
"Excellent work, Sir Gawain. Your determination and your loyalty to His Highness allowed you to see through my lies."

Maya:

(As Tristan)
"Allow me to explain how I...framed His Highness."

Maya:

(...Or should I say WE framed.)

Hikari:

Gawain is a loyal knight who cares deeply about his friends. That’s why I resonated so much with him. When he saw Arthur and Lancelot fighting, he must have felt crushed.

Hikari:

Gawain plays an important role in the story. It's up to me to make that role shine.

Hikari:

The way that our story is set is different from the Malory's version, but I quite like it.

Hikari:

I never thought something like this would happen in reality, though. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, as they say...