Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight ReLive Main Story Series 9 - Part 2: The Exiled Knight

This story continues from Part 1: The Decline of Prestige

Part 2A

After another day at General Education, Rui thinks back at what Tamao said to her. That Tamao without the stage that everyone built together is merely Tamao, not the Stage Girl that Rui looked up to, and to spend time with Rui now just makes her feel guitly. As she continues thinking about Tamao, a girl from her class tries to get her attention. Finally after getting Rui's attention, the girl tries to invite Rui to go out with her group to a cafe near the station. Besides, as another girl said, there is a special jumbo pancake set there that everyone should absolutely try. They were absolutely enamoured by her height, her propriety and her beautiful voice and wanted to be friends with her. And without any input from Rui, the girls basically drag her along all the way to the cafe as Rui tries to call out for Tamao to help her.

Meanwhile at the cafe, things are not looking great. The cafe is closing down due to a general recession and a poorly thought-out summer menu item that has resulted in an operating loss. Apparently selling the jumbo pancake set for only 500 yen isn't a good idea as the management thought, even if it was popular with the customers. After a very cold joke that they have been eaten by the pancakes instead of eating the pancakes (Sind Sie das Essen? Nein, wir sind die Jäger!) the manager thanks Fumi for the hard work and assures her that she will still get her salary at the end of this month.

Fumi exits the cafe and wonders about the shops closing down at the shopping district. From bakeries to pizza shops and general eateries. No matter what they have been selling, whether gyudon, chicken cutlet, hamburgers, Italian, Mexican, Mongolian, all the places that have meals provided for their workers are closing down. Not just Theatre Performance, even her workplace is shutting down. Fumi wonders if she is fated to arrive at places that end up dying. Well, time to drown her sorrows with a ponzu party...

Or not, considering the ponzu is sold out. Fumi arrives at the shop to find out that her favourite brand of ponzu "Hanamaru brand natural yuzu ponzu" has not only sold out, it is possible that there may no longer be any more shipments of that brand of ponzu since the manufacturer went bankrupt.

She returns home, laughing at herself at the absurdity of what happened. Maybe she really does herald decline and ruin after all. From her workplace, to her ponzu, to Theatre Performance, which is now scattered. Looks like her hotpot will have to make do with bean sprouts, enoki mushrooms and eggplants in plain water only. What a sad state of affairs without any ponzu to liven up this hotpot. It makes her laugh, and cry at the same time. Just then, the door bell rings. Fumi wonders who it would be to ring the door bell so late at night. She invites the mystery visitor in only to find that it's Tamao. She is surprised at the turn of events, but Tamao leads with her knowing about Fumi's cafe closing down, and that Fumi's favourite brand of ponzu has sold out. Fumi impatiently asks if Tamao is just here for some schadenfreude, but Tamao counters that she is here to scout Fumi to be part of the main cast of a new production of the Rinmei Chronicles, and explains the history of the Rinmei Chronicles to Fumi. Fumi is surprised that she had never heard of such a storied production before, and Tamao continues, saying that she joined Rinmeikan to be part of the production of the Rinmei Chronicles. This is not a production for General Education; this has to be done by Theatre Performance. Tamao then asks if that particular brand of ponzu is so important for Fumi that she will die if she cannot get some, to which Fumi replies that it is not exactly the case. Tamao continues that with the closure of Theatre Performance she has come to realise that while she has been spending a carefree life there with her friends, she never quite performed like her life depended on it. With the production of the Rinmei Chronicles, this is a do or die moment. She will not accept Theatre Production closing down, not without having first performed the Rinmei Chronicles. That's why Tamao needs Fumi's help. Fumi asks why Tamao didn't ask the other girls first, especially considering Rui has always been so close to her, and Tamao replies that she doesn't want girls who just fawn over her, and Fumi is her only choice. Fumi asks if it's so that she will be doing the saikang unpleasant roles [1]. Tamao replies that since Fumi came from Siegfeld, she would have some level of performative rigour that comes with the level of prestige she came from. Fumi counters that doing so would be undermining Ukaji-sensei's authority, but Tamao replies and says that it is not a question of whether it can or cannot be done, but more a question of whether they want to do it.


Part 2B

Of course, this isn't just some vague platitude, Tamao continues, and she passes a small bottle to Fumi. Tamao asks her to open the bottle, and Fumi finds out that it is ponzu. Fumi, thinking that it is a setup, guesses that it is not just any random sort of ponzu. And yet, she still cannot resist its allure, even if she only recognises Hanamaru brand natural yuzu ponzu as the ponzu for her. Tamao understands Fumi's feelings, and asks Fumi to taste it if she still doesn't trust Tamao, and Fumi gives it a try.

With one taste, Fumi tastes the soy sauce, delicately fermented to perfection, the gradually expanding sourness of citrus, topped with the exquisiteness of katsuoboshi. This is some very good ponzu. Fumi quickly puts up her guard again as Tamao tells her not to worry about her. With this, Fumi acquiesces to Tamao's offer and adds it to her hotpot, which no doubt has been stewing for quite some time, and brings back life to her hotpot. Tamao is happy at seeing Fumi being brought back to life, and Fumi demands where Tamao got this from. Tamao replies that it is a special blend from "Tomoe Cuisine" [2], and it is a recipe that has been passed down generations of master chefs. It is said to be formulated with a breed of Jabara citrus from the historic Kinokuni region [3]. Fumi asks what the "Tomoe" name means, wondering if it is related to Tamao, to which Tamao replies that a vacancy has just opened up there. Tamao continues, telling Fumi about the meals provided, shift scheduling, and the hourly pay, leaving the offer on the table, while reiterating that this is neither a bribe, nor an attempt to win over Fumi. What she only needs out of this is Fumi's help as a professional cast member. With that, everything she has to say has been said. Fumi replies that since Tamao asked so nicely anyway, this is the least she could do. Yet, Fumi still harbours doubts, considering everything she touches apparently turns into dust. Tamao tells Fumi to perish that thought and bring back what is rightfully theirs, togther. Fumi notices the fire in Tamao's eyes, and knows that this is an Avengers' level threat Tamao really wants to do this. With that, Fumi agrees to be in Tamao's production, to bring back Tamao's passion for stage acting again, and the deal is done.

They go to the nearby park to begin practice for the new Rinmei Chronicles. It's not much, but it is still a start. Tamao knew that Fumi would return to the stage, to protect Starlight, and now, to bring back the Rinmei Chronicles, and thanks Fumi for agreeing to help out. Fumi refuses, saying that she should be the one thanking Tamao, and begins her story...

A long time ago, in a certain kingdom, there lived a knight. He was strong with the lance, and his rode far and wide on his horse. Not only was he adept in battle, he was also well-versed in poetry...

The knight was recognised for his talents by the King, and was bestowed the Jade as a recognition for his power. His future was smooth-sailing... and many people said that he could be the successor to the King.

With all this surrounding him, the knight grew haughty.

At the same time, the knight had a younger brother. No one pampered the brother more than the knight. The younger brother had a weak constitution, but he admired his older brother, and continuously trained. Many people thought that the younger brother might one day surpass the knight.

...This dismayed the knight to no end. The fear that he may lose his hard-earned status to his younger brother caused him to make mistake after mistake on the battlefield. Eventually he couldn't hold his lance nor ride his horse. The other knights he previously beat back with his pride now laughed at how hard he had fallen.

The now weakened knight had no one to save him, and it was all his own fault.  No one... except his brother. It was then, he made a prayer. That his own brother would be struck by an arrow.

"Is this how ugly I have become? Is this how weak I have become?" In despair, the knight exiled himself from the kingdom, throwing the Jade aside. He then crossed the seas to arrive at an ancient, but declining, kingdom. There he encountered a people who accepted him, and a pure-hearted lord. For this lord, he will serve with his life. The knight, now healed, returned his stride and became this lord's warrior.

The end

With that, Fumi ends her story, telling Tamao this is something she had seen before. Fumi ends off by saying that she likes Tamao, and how she carries herself on stage. That just maybe, with her, she can return to the stage. The stage that she ran away from. And because of this, she will help Tamao reclaim her status as a Stage Girl, and makes her proclamation:

『心を妬かれて　逃げ堕ちし身が
再びのぼるは　滅びの舞台
過ぎたあの日に　栞を挟み
新たなこの日を　果てなき舞台に
凛明館女学校演劇科　夢大路文
謳い上げます　命の夢を！！』

"From jealousy and flight
To a rebirth on a stage of ruin
From a mark [4] in the days past
To a stage that may not see another day
Rinmeikan Girls School Theatre Performance - Yumeoji Fumi
The dreams of life will be extolled!!"

With that, Fumi declares that she will help Tamao achieve her dreams, for the Rinmei Chronicles. Tamao thanks her for being such a loyal warrior, and Fumi returns the thanks. Tamao then gives a reminder to Fumi that tomorrow's job will start at 5, and she will be rewarded with lots of ponzu for lunch later on. For such an early start time, just ponzu is not enough, and Fumi would like to have some daikon skin as well for that, to which Tamao replies that this will be up for negotiation later. Anyway, she will help with producing the Rinmei Chronicles with Tamao as thanks for the new job and the ponzu anyway.


Continue on to Part 3: The Former Idol

[1] saikang: Hokkien for 屎工, literally "shit job". Means any unpleasant jobs or busywork.
[2] "Tomoe Cuisine" is stylised with a ゑ hiragana in place of an え as would be written in modern times.
[3] The Kinokuni region was a historic Japanese region that covers what is now most of Wakayama Prefecture and the southern part of Mie Prefecture.
[4] The word is the same word as that for Shiori's name: 栞

Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight ReLive Main Story Series 9 - Part 1: The Decline of Prestige

Part 1A

Tamao is faced with a sudden announcement that the Theatre Performance department is closing down. In front of her is Ukaji-sensei, who is explaining to her that due to reducing enrolment numbers, it has become very difficult for Theatre Performance to justify its continued existence. For this reason, the principal has announced that Theatre Performance will close down starting this academic year and all existing Theatre Performance track students will be transferred to the General Education track. Even though it was what Eru and the Fight Club Revue Stage has promised, in the end all that promise of keeping Theatre Performance alive in Rinmeikan has resulted in nought. The continued maintenance of the Theatre Performance department has started to become a drag on the budget of Rinmeikan, and the principal has decided that it was best to shut down the department. Furthermore, even though many students have signed up to enter Rinmeikan in general, given Rinmeikan's reputation among the high schools, the number of students who have expressed interest in joining Theatre Performance was zero.

Zero.

Given the declining trends in the previous years, the decision was painful, but necessary. It's not like the remaining students of Theatre Performance are going to reverse this by just putting up a play. To the school executive committee, there is no value in maintaining Theatre Performance. Since the decision is already set, the final directives from the exco are to notify the parents and to clear the Theatre Performance classroom by next week.

As Ukaji-sensei takes her leave, the members of Theatre Performance take stock of what happened. This is especially jarring for Fumi, who has just returned to stage acting only for the entire department to shut down. Ichie also takes this news very badly and she tries to ask everyone if there is something anyone can do. With Theatre Performance gone, everyone will be scattered. Ichie continues to be worked up, and she storms out of the door. With nothing left that they can do, the remaining students start to clean up the classroom.

The cleaning continues until sunset. As Rui helps with the cleaning, she gets worked up as well. Clearly Eru has betrayed them, by not holding up her end of the bargain. The deal which was if the Rinmeikan girls manage to stay on the Revue Stage their department will not shut down. To try to calm down the situation, Tamao tells everyone to stop work and return back to the hostel first. Rui's attempt to stay behind to help Tamao is rebuffed by Fumi, who knows that Tamao needs time to be alone in these trying times.

As they return to the hostel, Yuyuko asks Fumi what the General Education track is like, considering Fumi was in General Education for a short while before joining Theatre Performance. It's not a bad place, Fumi says. The teaching quality is high, and everyone had fun during the lesson with teachers who are passionate in teaching. Just as Yuyuko was about to ask Fumi how she did in General Education, they spot Ichie. Rui asks what they just saw and Fumi quickly brushes her off by saying that she left her water bottle in the classroom and tells everyone to return to the hostel first. Yuyuko notes that it is very rare for Fumi to just forget something in the classroom, but doesn't press the issue.

Meanwhile, Fumi tries to figure out what Ichie is doing on her own and decides to catch up to her. Ichie tells Fumi that maybe she is a bit too hasty by running away immediately after the announcement. If only she could help Tamao bring back Theatre Performance. Though Fumi understands the sentiment, it is still better to not pester Tamao about it. Sure, the mood might have lightened up again, bringing up the matter will only dampen moods again. Still, Ichie wants to wait for Tamao to return so that she can greet Tamao in her own way. "As long as it doesn't break any school rules," Fumi reminds Ichie. Ichie wonders if it's supposed to be some kind of snide comment and Fumi immediately tells her to just keep that in mind. Finally, before Fumi returns, Ichie tells Fumi that even Theatre Performance shuts down and everyone goes to General Education, they all will still be friends. Fumi pushes back on Ichie by asking what she mean by that, which immediately knocks Ichie off-base.

Part 1B

The sun has set, but back in the classroom, Tamao is still by herself, clearing the classroom. There aren't enough boxes for the things they need to bring out of the classroom, and Tamao takes note of that. As she stacks up the items, Tamao discovers the script to the Ghost Squad play. And from there the scripts to Yoshitsune, the Seven Lucky Gods, Onikurenai and Urashima Tarou. Producing all of them was fun, she thought. Everyone working together to write the script, produce the costumes, build the sets, to the final production on stage. As she reminisces on the plays that they have done, she feels agitation against Eru, who she viewed as breaking their promise. Was her, and her friends' participation in the Fight Club Revue Stage all based on a lie? Tamao demands an answer from Eru, and finds herself on the Revue Stage with Andrew, who has started to become annoyed at Tamao's griping. Tamao wonders what Andrew is. An oversized plush toy, or a costumed person, or snowman? Andrew corrects Tamao by saying that he is a cute mole. Eru catches up to Andrew and tells him off for running off on his own, and Andrew explains that he was getting annoyed with Tamao's griping and went there to figure things out himself.

With Eru on scene, Tamao tells Eru off for not holding her end of the bargain, but Andrew corrects her by reminding her that Eru's deal was only that if she gets the Top Star she can stand on any stage she wishes. And besides, it wasn't the Revue Stage's fault that Theatre Performance is shutting down. Eru builds on that by saying that a stage production is something that is started from zero to one. A manifestation of the Stage Girls' resolve and passion, not something that can be forced upon anyone. Therefore, even with Theatre Performance shutting down, Tamao should fight through the pain and shine, even off-stage. Andrew then continues by saying that all this talk of stopping the shutdown of Theatre Performance without really figuring out how to do so, just relying on others, would all just amount to that, idle talk. Eru tells Andrew to calm down and he apologises, saying that it just annoys him that someone would call Eru a liar. Eru finishes the meeting by saying that while merely appearing on stage isn't a condition to be a Stage Girl, it is not necessary to stand on stage to be a Stage Girl, and implores Tamao to figure out where she stands.

Tamao wakes up in the classroom, wondering what that earlier meeting meant.

The next day, during lunch break, Tamao prepares to have lunch. Modern Literature, Mathematics, Classical Literature, Japanese History... While she is getting a hand on all of this, the assignments are realling piling up over at General Education. Still, she is doing her best to get along in General Education. Rui runs to Tamao, just as she always does, wanting to have lunch with her. Tamao refuses, saying that since needs to do her revision for the later classes, she will be having lunch at the classroom. Rui is a bit disappointed at this, and Tamao tells her that maybe it is best for Rui to also focus on what she needs to do right now in General Education. Besides, Fumi, Ichie and Yuyuko are also busy doing what they need to do in General Education. Rui is shocked at this level of depression and asks what she means by that. Tamao answers that without any theatre productions to look forward to, taking up Rui's time just makes her feel guilty, which makes Rui very confused. Tamao continues that she's just an ordinary girl now. An ordinary girl who cannot stand on stage, or create a stage production. Whatever image of Tamao that Rui had all this while, is dead. This completely devastates Rui, but Tamao continues that she is sorry that she cannot continue the days when they shone on stage together. Rui, dejected, takes her leave, with complete formality[1]. After Rui leaves, a second year ballet club member asks Tamao if that was Rui. The ballet club member tells Tamao that she has her eye on Rui, considering that she is tall and has the physical capability for ballet. A basketball club member interjects by saying that Rui has quite a lot of fans despite being a freshman, and she should join basketball instead.

Tamao returns to the hostel, wondering if that's what she will need to get used to, everyday in General Education. Tamao realises that she will need to bring all these books back home. These records of Theatre Performances past: the sketches of the costumes made, the rough drawings of the background artwork. All these were brought in from Tamao's home. Most importantly, the script for "The Rinmei Chronicles".

The Paulownia tree has a lifespan of around 30 years. The Chronicles trace a life that starts together with a newly planted Paulownia, and its growth parallels a human life that grows and declines along with it. This is the stage production, steeped in tradition, that has become emblematic of Rinmeikan. A protagonist, fighting against the tides of change, and the like-minded compatriots that follow them. A tale of passion, sacrifice, and the beauty of ruin. In the end, even as the Paulownia dies, a new one sprouts, and the flapping of the butterfly's wings herald a new beginning as the curtains fall.

While the basic outline of the Rinmei Chronicles has remained unchanged, what the students of Theatre Production have done to fill the outline changed throughout the generations. "The sorrows and joys of the White Tiger ~The Rinmei Chronicles 1963~", "The Flames of Goryōkaku ~The Rinmei Chronicles 1971~", "The Tale of Gikei ~The Rinmei Chronicles 1985~", "The Mystery of Bakumatsu ~The Rinmei Chronicles 1995~" (They don't use the Imperial year notation? That's surprising). These were all performed in Rinmeikan's Grand Hall, a stage only for Rinmeikan. These were the tales that Tamao's mother and grandmother have regaled her with since young. The Rinmei Chronicles that have kept Tamao in wonderment. But recently, Rinmeikan has stopped performing the Rinmei Chronicles. Some time before Tamao was born, there was some pushback from the student community regarding The Rinmei Chronicles due to the fact that the basic outline is over a century old. Complaints that such an old theatre production is not up to the times and would only weigh down on Rinmeikan's future. A call to reinvent Rinmeikan by rejecting tradition (maybe call it a cultural revolution? >.> [2]). With that, they seal away the Rinmei Chronicles and tried to make a clean sheet production. Yet, while this new production aspired to look forward, they failed to capture what Rinmeikan represented, and with the continuing productions that rejected the traditions and history of Rinmeikan, the loss of this core aspect of Rinmeikan meant that prospective students gradually declined in number. What was once a top school, started its slow decline into oblivion.

"Surrender...? You're quite the character for saying that the person who was called the devil deputy, the person who visits doom on their enemies. If that day ever happens, I will never be able to face Isami-san and the General, who crossed the Sanzu River before me. If I shall live such a ungainly life, then I shall carve out a meaning of my own with these hands!"

That... was my grandmother, Tamao thought. Young, beautiful, and so radiant on stage. She remembered when that video played back then. "Look, Tamao... This is the Rinmei Chronicles... The stage that your grandmother staked her life on." Tamao wonders what it meant to stake her life for a stage production, and became sad. She couldn't protect the institution that her mother, grandmother, and seniors, have fought to preserve. Maybe Theatre Performance deserved to shut down, what with all their hopes that an outsider would save them. If only she had a stage where she could stake their lives on, to protect the institution of Rinmeikan. Then she could have protected Theatre Performance, her dreams, and maybe continued the tradition her seniors have set before her. And with that she cries (Again? After Frau Jade?). What will Rinmeikan become, without Theatre Performance?

"Youngster--are you really going to die here?"

Tamao jolts.

"Are you satisfied? Is this how your life is going to end? Have you truly fought? On that battlefield of life--?"

Tamao realises that is her grandmother returning to give some wisdom. No, it is not the end, she realises. It is not the end of her dreams, nor of the stage. Not until she produces the Rinmei Chronicles for this year. So much for telling Rui that the Tamao she looked up to was dead. No, she hasn't died yet. She is not yet satisfied, and her life as a Stage Girl isn't ending just like that, and she will fight for a proper resolution. She will bring everyone's power together, no, use everyone's power, to produce the Rinmei Chronicles of her own.


Continue on to Part 2: The Exiled Knight

[1] If you don't understand why I mentioned this, formal language is used in opposition to familiarity.
[2] Cultural Revolution. One aspect of the Cultural Revolution in China's history is the attempt to wipe away the cultural history that China had in favour of new ideas, whatever they may be.