Hikari no Matsuri - Nightstar Arena: Auditorium
The sheer scale of this grand room is magnificent, with tiered seating
that provides an unobstructed view of the stage from every angle. The stage
itself is broad and takes up a large section of the room on its own, wide
and deep enough to allow for even the most elaborate and expansive of
performances. The ceiling reaches high, and an intricate system of light
fixtures and overhead stage equipment are clearly visible, ready to provide
whatever special effects are needed at any time.


The crowd is pretty heavy tonight, par for the course considering it is the
final performance on the final day of Hikari no Matsuri. Pervasive chatter and
low voices persistently discuss what to expect for today's performance given the
significance implied for the one intending to perform, and also the fact that
it's earlier in the day rather than later.

The auditorium is jam-packed and seating is filling up fast, but thankfully the
room is large and spcious enough that standing room is plentiful without
worrying about bumping into others (too often). Expectations seem pretty high,
and all three members of the Fukawa are gathered together on stage, discussing
things that need to be discussed.


Persephone is on the ground floor on the left side of the stage, arms folded and
looking a little nervous, possibly. Strangely, there's hardly any equipment or
stagehands helping to get things set up; the display over the stage looks
decidedly bare, for the most part, with pretty much only the black digital
display being left in place for translation and visibility purposes.


There might as well be a box carved into the ground up front that says "Reserved
for the forgetful and also Sunflash", as he's managed to make his way to
basically the same place as the night before. Front, just off center.

The curtain at the back of the stage rustles as several figures come out from
behind it, taking up a section of the stage as their own small group, a little
ways away from the Fukawa family. This new group consists of what looks to be
two siren (neither of whom are Mollianne), a woren female, a lamia, and a
demoness of some variety.


As their discussion persists, the two siren occasionally glance back toward the
curtain from time to time. At some point, Hikari breaks away from her parents
and joins the other group, easing into whatever their conversation details and
adding her own insight to the topic.

People continue to trickle in at a slowing pace, and the excitement runs high
among those present.

The woren female eventually excuses herself from the group she's part of, and
disappears backstage. In rapid fashion thereafter, Hikari does the same, and it
isn't a whole lot longer before the remaining two siren, lamia, and demoness
walk over and merge with Kouchi and Kaede Fukawa, forming one discussion group
once more.

Hikari exits from a backstage door into the auditorium and pauses, scanning the
audience briefly as if looking for someone specific.

Sunflash has assumed a pose of relaxed waiting, arms behind his back and one
hand clasping another wrist. He watches the group of ladies on the stage with
just a touch more curiosity than usual, before noticing Hikari's entrance. On a
whim, he raises a suddenly glowing arm to wave in her direction. Yay light-shows.


Hikari does indeed notice Sunflash's wave and brightens, hustling over as her
blonde curls bounce about her face; she is careful not to bump into anyone along
the way. "I knew you'd be here!" She gestures to him, indicating that he should
stand up for a moment.

Emouse raises an eyebrow.

Sunflash lets a small laugh escape. "I told you I would. Haven't missed any of
them, wasn't planning on starting now. Good to see ya." He does indeed
straighten, clearly intending to follow or at least...whatever was to happen
next?


Hikari throws her arms around Sunflash in a big hug! "I'm glad! She might now
show it, but appreciates it far more than you realize." She steps back, beaming
a smile at him before swiftly retreating back to her parents at stage-side,
giving him absolutely no chance to give the inevitable 'but I didn't really do
anything' argument that so many in his position might be inclined to offer.


Mild bewilderment would probably be a good description of Sunflash's face for a
second before he just laughs as she retreats. "Okay, I probably deserved that
didn't I?" He relaxes back into the seat, smirking somewhat lopsidedly as he
awaits the start of the show.


A few minutes pass; Hikari's parents glance upward toward the stage, and Kouichi
is seen with some sort of control device in his hand, which he activates. From
overhead at the top of the curtain, a large video screen suddenly unfolds and
presents itself to the audience, flashing on and displaying what could be taken
as a preliminary caution and advisory, given the way it reads:

"Ladies and gentlemen, especially those of you who are younger and more prone
to emotional stress, please be advised that today's performance is not for the
weak-hearted or empathically-sensitive.

Our songstress for the afternoon, Mollianne, has indicated that she will be
providing a presentation unlike anything most of you have ever experienced,
which she has dubbed 'The Heart of a Siren'.

Mollianne will be projecting the full power, through song, that she possesses as
a member of the siren race, and while the demonstration is said to be something
unforgettable, it is also extremely emotionally-taxing, and if this does not
sound like something you will be capable of handling, we will pass no judgment,
should you decide to leave the auditorium at this time.

Emouse says 'Not holding back, huh...'

Rest assured, however, that there is no danger, and Mollianne has given her
promise as such. This advisory is in place in order to allow our audience to
understand the magnitude of the performance that will take place shortly. We
thank all of you for your attendance this week, and we appreciate everything you
do to make Hikari no Matsuri the marvelous place it is, and will always be."

An "Ah." escapes Sunflash's lips as he parses the warnings, no longer relaxed
into his seat but instead straightening up. It certainly made a few dots connect
to be sure. Well, nothing to do now but weather the storm.

Several moments pass by as this message is absorbed into the general audience,
and low murmurs surface, a lot of them expressing uncertainty and checking with
one another on whether they feel encouraged or not to remain in place.

At least a total handful of people do get up and leave, the majority of which
have younger children with them. The mass majority, however, remain where they
are, and although their tone has changed somewhat, the excitement over what is
yet to come still remains.

The advisement remains in place for a full five minutes, before Kouichi is
seen activating his remote once more, which causes the screen to shut off and
flip back upward, receding behind the curtains from whence it came.

At this time, the young beastman girl from the day before comes into the
auditorium among a small group of other almost-late-to-the-show-comers, without
any confectioneries to speak of, this time. She is, however, leading someone by
the hand as she enters, someone indeterminate who seems to be pretty well-
bundled against the cold that they just came in from.

They spend some time attempting to look for a seat or somewhere decent to be,
but end up settling for standing offside in the main aisle-way, and the bundled
person easily lifts the beastman girl up and onto his shoulders so she can see
better, which she seems way too happy about.

Sunflash can be seen simply waiting. He trusted Mollianne on the dangerous, but
if it was going to be as he suspected, he wasn't quite sure if he trusted
himself on his reactions. Going to have to be razor sharp now.

The group on-stage, following the removal of the advisory, eventually conclude
their discussion and all retreat behind the curtain, disappearing backstage. On
the ground off to one side of the stage, Persephone is seen glancing at some
nearby members of the audience, as if gauging their reaction to the
advisement to see if she, herself, should be worried or not.

Though she does still look somewhat nervous, she holds her ground and waits for
the show to begin. A few minutes pass with no activity to speak of, and then the
mid-stage set of curtains suddenly close together, cutting the floor area of the
stage in half. The overhead lights in the auditorium dim slightly, but not
enough for it to get dark, just 'less bright'.

The voices within the crowd gradually calm down as they recognize that the
beginning of the performance is nearly upon them. From a back entrance, Hikari
and Kaede are seen exiting the backstage area and coming back around the
right-hand side of the stage at ground level, rejoining with the Fukawa patriarch
and preparing for the show.

Emouse glances between the mounted beastman girl and the well-noted Sunflash a
few times, considering whether to ask whether the kid caught the advisement
earlier and whether the light shows would become a concern... but stops as the
show begins. Need to keep the adventurer instincts in check...

One of those almost-late-to-the-show-comers is arriving just as the stage lights
dim. As an avid performance-lover, Avarice has made their way to the ground
floor and is shuffling in between members of the crowd to get as close as they
can to the stage, stopping only behind a kid who's a bit shorter than even they
are so as to not block their view.

Roughly a minute or so passes, and the central curtain slowly slides back,
revealing three figures on the stage. On the far left and far right ends of the
stage, toward the back, are the two siren seen from before; each one of them
holds a polished wooden flute in both hands, and their wings are fully unfurled
and spread, stretching out on either side of each.

In front of them, standing center-stage, is Mollianne; she is dressed only in
her basic attire as seen while helping out at the 'Light in the Forest' tavern,
and seems to be making no intent to fashionably impress during this particular
performance. The expression on her face is very difficult to read, and is likely
her intention.

Behind all three of them, set against the backdrop of the far curtains leading
backstage, is a massive, reflective mirror that stretches from one end of the
stage to the other. The mirror is smooth and polished pristine, and as the
audience gazes upon it, the audience on the other side gazes right back.

The crowd has mostly quieted down by this time, waiting to see what happens from
here, and the three siren remains still and silent for at least another thirty
seconds or so, as if waiting for exactly the right moment.

Sunflash tenses for a moment before taking a deep breath and forcing his muscles
to relax. Talk about getting in his own head.

At the base of the stage, the familiar black digital display box suddenly
flickers on, broadcasting the following in bright red, easily visible letters:
"Now playing: 'Kimi ga Tame'"

Very faintly, very subtly, a soft keyboard melody begins to play, and Mollianne
closes her eyes as soon as it does, taking her cue to begin singing.

Her vocal reaches across the entirety of the auditorium without the need for
microphones, headsets, or speaker amplification; it's almost as if she, herself,
were projecting as all of it, all on her own, her voice carrying beautifully
throughout the entire, wide room.

"Kimi no hitomi ni~ utsuru, watashi~ wa nani iro desu ka?" The words are very
slow and very enunciated, her voice clear and precise.

Mollianne puts her hands together, raising them as she cups the egg-shaped
pendant hanging from her neck, and covers it in her enclosed hands; soft light
begins to filter out from between the gaps in her fingers, steadily growing in
intensity as she continues to sing. "Aka fukaki nozo~mu nara, watasou~ hi no
hikari wo~..."

The gentle melody plays itself out into a conclusion as Mollianne's last
syllable lingers for several singles, eventually fading out as well. Behind the
three siren women, the mirror shimmers and distorts, slowly bringing into being
a distant mountain range, with a burning red sun peeking out over the horizon as
it rises for a brand new morning.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Reflected in your eyes, what color do I appear? If you wish it to be red, I
shall give to you the light of the sun."

Avarice shoves their hands into their pockets, the movement accompanied by a
quick glance around their surroundings, noting how many people are close to
them, as well as estimating the likelihood that they're carrying valuables on
their personages. This look lasts only briefly, before their attention returns
to the stage, eyes flicking between Molliane, the mirror, and the translation
screen.

Sunflash finds himself distracted for a welcome moment by wondering the method
of the mirror's magic before giving a faint shake of head head and locks his
eyes back towards Mollianne.


A low cymbal shudder takes its place, rapidly rising in intensity before it
crashes, bringing with it a sudden deluge of haunting, sorrowful music in the
form of multiple overlaid keyboards, strings, and a gentle but reluctant
percussion.

The siren standing on the far left of the stage lends her voice to the music,
adding a wordless, bereaving choir vocal to the mix, which arguably blends all
the rest of the music to make it an emotional heartstring-puller all by itself.
This siren's voice vibrates loosely as she sings, resonating with each
instrument as if it were a natural and inorganic part of the song.

Halfway through this intro, the siren on the far right calmly places the flute
she's carrying to her lips, and plays a short but mournful tune that cuts deeply
through the rest of the music in the few seconds upon which she plays.

At the same time as all this is happening around her, the light in Mollianne's
hands suddenly erupts end flashes brightly, expanding and encasing her in a
large ball of opaque white energy!

The music plays on around her as this large ball of light pulses and throbs,
thin purple veins of electricity silently arcing about its surface, when
suddenly Mollianne's hand reaches out from inside the light-sphere, and with a
violent sweep of her hand, the light disperses as if it were a gust of wind
passing by.

In its place stands a depiction of a siren who has undergone a serious
transformation into something sinister: Mollianne's normally-tousled hair is
significantly disheveled, with the remains of a ripped-apart black lace headband
still entwined therein.

Her attire is in tatters, consisting of what could have once been an
attractive gothic-lolita style ensemble, but is shredded horrifically and leaves
only a generous-enough portion that hangs loosely below the bustline, and what
was once a long black-and-white skirt has been ripped asunder into what barely
passes as a ragged miniskirt.

Sheer, fingerless gloves cover both her hands, the fabric covered in small,
sporadic holes within the material. Her wings, spread wide as she emerges from
the sphere of light, are, thankfully, un-impacted, though the top ridges seem to
be covered in a fine layer of reflective silver powder, which plays
distractedly off the lights that shine down upon it.

Sparks of purple electricity play between her fingertips as she brings her
extended arm back to herself, a serious scowl now present on her face, and her
once-aquamarine eyes are now a shadowed silver hue, holding a sense of sadness
and pain to them that transcends descriptive words.

On the completion of Mollianne's transformation, the sunrise upon the mirror
suddenly fades away, leaving only the polished surface behind once more.


As Mollianne emerges from the sphere, a wave of unadulterated sorrow permeates
the room, punctuated by the mournful tone of the music and the voices of the
siren assistant(s) behind Mollianne. The influence is quasi-magical, but also
feels as if the emotion itself were being projected through the song, straight
through the eardrums and into the brain.

In a matter of seconds, Avarice's slightly-distracted demeanor has evaporated.
They're now entirely fixated on the siren, whatever other thoughts in their head
that had them fidgeting in front of the stage now gone.

As the scene plays out, Sunflash's reaction is one of interest followed swiftly
by a grimace. His eyes squeeze shut as the damnable teal sparks of the other
night crackle forth from around the back of his head, ending swiftly as the
Sorcerer forces more control. He looks up with renewed curiosity, muttering
"Well, now we know how." under his breath.


Very nonchalantly, a small cat-like creature trots into the auditorium from
outside, curling its tail about itself and having a seat just inside the doorway
at the far back of the room. The term 'cat' is very broad and general, and only
roughly defines its shape; its ears are long and more like floppy appendages
than ears, with individual digits at the end of each one and are both
encompassed by a floating golden ring.

It's eyes are small and bright red, not to mention quite beady, and a bright red
ring encircles its back, atop its pure white body.


The rest of the sorrowful musical intro plays itself out as Mollianne glares
over the audience, her wings lowering slightly from their outstretched span.

Her eyes, specifically, seem to linger for a brief moment as they set upon
Sunflash, and her expression flickers for a fraction of a second before she
turns away, and the siren playing the flute completes her tune, bringing the
music all the way down to a very simple, low percussive beat and careful
keyboard accompaniment.

A glance is met with a calm one in return before the other turns away. Sunflash
doesn't waver at this point, not quite adjusted to the effects but more prepared
having had the experience once already. He seems content to watch, for now.

Her words echo throughout the room as she begins to sing, and despite her
appearance, her actual voice remains more-or-less unchanged, if significantly
more mournful. "Kanashimi ga afure..." Mollianne trudges a slow pace back toward
the mirror, her wings still half-spread out behind her.

"Mabuta tojimashita..." She turns around halfway as she reaches the mirror,
lowering her eyes toward the stage floor. "Koboreta... shizuku wa... kokoro~ ni
shimi yuku~..." Her wings droop considerably, the tips of which brush across the
floor where she stands.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Overcome by sorrow, I closed my eyes as the falling teardrops soaked through my
heart."

The majority of the audience is completely transfixed by the performance, unable
to take their eyes (and ears) away even if they wanted to.

In the main aisle, the beastman girl atop the other person's shoulders is wide
-eyed, her mouth slightly open in amazement at what she's witnessing.


The two siren standing on either side of the stage are silent through this,
holding tightly onto their flutes with their heads slightly bowed. Mollianne
raises her eyes, turning again back toward the mirror and tentatively reaching
one hand up toward it, facing away from the audience.

The music adds a second keyboard, a little more insistent than the first, into
the mix. "Yuki wa~taru nami wa... yowaku majiemasu..." As Mollianne's fingers
touch the surface of the mirror, the reflection ripples and distorts again, and
suddenly there is a wide, far-reaching oceanscape spreading out over its
surface, punctuated by what looks like a hint of an icy shoreline, covered in
snow.

"Todokeshi... yurikago... nemuri wo sasou~..." Mollianne's fingers slide down
the surface of the mirror listlessly, eventually falling back to her side as the
image on the mirror fades away, normalizing once more.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"The spreading waves gently mixed together, sending you off in a cradle to find
your slumber."

Around the room, some of the audience is starting to show the effects of
Mollianne's influence. A few younger members are already seen shedding quiet
tears, and even a large bit of the adult population is having a hard time
keeping their eyes from misting over.

Persephone looks a cross between indignant and uncomfortable, but her eyes don't
pull themselves away, seemingly fighting with herself over her own emotions no
longer being under her control.

Kaede Fukawa is leaning on her husband, making no attempts to stop her own tears
already; she seemed to fit in that 'emotionally-vulnerable category', and is
already without dry eyes at this point.

Avarice rocks back on the heel of their boots slowly, moving in time with the
keyboard's melody. Their face has grown somber as they notice the heavy, painful
clenching in their chest. Unconsciously, they draw their shoulders in closer
together, as if suppressing a shiver.

Lyll, perched upon her charge's shoulders, just stares in abject awe, like she
can't believe how utterly cool something like this is and how lucky she is to be
a witness to it. If the emotion is getting to her, it isn't super obvious yet.

As the mirror reaches its clearest point of image, Sunflash might be noticed
with sudden wide eyes and an otherwise unreadable face. Once again, he seems to
freeze in place as the words are translated. There's no glow or sparks this
time, perhaps because he's gripping his armrests extremely tightly as if trying
to grasp something as hard as it has grasped himself.

Mollianne abruptly whirls to face the audience, clenching both hands into fists
and throwing them out to her sides in emphasis; the shadowy silver of her eyes
are misted over, and though a look of pained anger is what is most-obviously
painted on her face, it's far more than that. Her voice gains an edge as she
returns to her song, raising her voice considerably to match her expression.

Mollianne sings, "Yume ni~..!"

At the far back of the room, Mollianne's voice echoes, "(Yume ni~..!)"

Mollianne sings, "Natsukashi~..!"

At the far back of the room, Mollianne's voice echoes, "(Natsukashi~..!)"

Mollianne sings, "Omokage~ wo sagasu..."

Mollianne unclenches her fists, holding her hands upright and looking down at
them, before bringing them to across over her chest, hugging herself close as
she closes her eyes. "Te wo nobashi~ tsuyoku, dakishimetaku naru~..."


Mollianne turns her head away, issuing a single syllable that carries a
significant amount of vibrato to it, coming off as more of a keening wail than
anything else. "Ha~...!"

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"In a dream... (in a dream...) It's nostalgic... (It's nostalgic...) I found
myself searching for your face; I reached out to you, wishing to embrace you
tightly... Ah..."

At the far back, the white cat-like creature simply blinks impassive eyes, its
tail flicking loosely as it 'enjoys(?)' the performance on its own terms.

It's impossible to tell at this point if Sunflash is registering the performance
at all. His eyes seem locked on Mollianne, but if they're focused enough to
actually see her is hard to gauge without being in his face.

Avarice clenches and un-clenches their hands in their pockets in time with
Molliane's performance. While not the most outwardly-expressive of the audience
members, they're definitely very engaged.

The music rushes back in all its sorrowful harmony as the chorus falls upon the
room, and both assistant siren offering their wordless, haunting vocals along
with it, blending in perfectly to the overall mood. Mollianne opens her eyes,
but keeps her arms loosely about herself, visible tears forming in the corners
of the former.

"Kimi no hitomi ni~ utsuru, watashi~ wa nani iro desu ka?" Mollianne then turns,
letting her arms fall as she walks back across the stage toward the mirror with
slow, uneven steps. "Ai fukaki nozo~mu nara..."

She stops before the mirror, but doesn't reach out to touch it, instead letting
her shoulders sag, her wings falling further along with them. "...watasou~
takaki sora wo~..."

As these words escape her lips, the mirror shimmers and distorts, showcasing a
deep purple sky at dusk, speckled with clouds; a small flock of birds fly into
the image and disappear into the distant skyscape, as the image ruptures and
fades away mere seconds after arriving.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Reflected in your eyes, what color do I appear? If you wish it to be violet, I
shall give to you the endless sky."


In the main aisle, the beastman girl can be seen pulling on her charge's
shoulder, leaning down to ask him something. Her eyes are a bit heavy-looking
as the music seems to be taking their toll on her, but whatever vocal exchange
they are making is lost in the music.

Whatever it is, the beastman girls accepts it and sits up again, returning her
eyes to the performance.

Sunflash seems to slowly be brought back from wherever his thoughts were as the
music hits its chorus stride. He looks down at his hands for a moment, then
turns his eyes back towards the mirror as his grip slowly eases up. With his
face mostly expressionless, the sorcerer goes back to regarding the performance
for the time being.


Emouse blinks through the tears, not immune to the effects but stubbornly
fighting through it to watch and learn.

As the chorus fades, the music continues in its current intensity, but one of
the siren places the flute she is carrying to her lips, and performs the same
harrowing, piercing accompaniment that she'd done at the song's inset, re-adding
that familiar feeling of loss to an already-grief-filled melody.

While this interlude is playing, Mollianne looks up and across the way at
nothing in particular, then turns and slowly walks across the stage toward the
audience, up toward the front of the stage.

Mollianne reaches the front of the stage as the music subsides once more, fading
into a low keyboard melody as she stands directly before the audience and begins
to sing again, clasping her hands together and placing them upon her chest.

She forces a smile against her lyrics, but somehow it only makes her seem even
sadder than she's already coming off as. "Yoroko~bi ga afure... meguri
aimashita~..." She turns her head, looking and pivoting slightly towards the
left side of the audience. Her clasped hands, noticeably, begin to tremble as
she squeezes them more tightly together.

"Kobore otsu~... emi wa..." Mollianne's smile widens, and she closes her eyes as
a tear fully forms and rolls down the right side of her face. "...wakare wo
kakusu~..."

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Overflowing with happiness, we met by chance; though we held on and smiled
fondly, there remained a hidden farewell."

Avarice's lips twist into the slightest of grins, as if amused by a
private joke -- even as the moisture filling their eyes starts becoming
impossible to ignore. The resulting expression looks a touch unhinged, but
fortunately the odds that anyone is paying attention to them right now are quite
low.

Mollianne unclasps her hands and opens her eyes, slowly looking around the room
at the audience gathered there, her tonal inflection gaining an ounce of hope
over her sadness as she sings.

Mollianne sings, "Hito wa~..."

At the far back of the room, Mollianne's voice echoes, "(Hito wa~...)"

Mollianne sings, "Itsushika~..."

At the far back of the room, Mollianne's voice echoes, "(Itsushika~...)"

Mollianne sings, "Kuchihate~ru keredo~..."

Mollianne's smile returns, though faint and at least a touch less sardonic than
it was before. "Uta tonari~... katari, tsugarete yuku deshou~..." Mollianne
turns away from the audience, facing the mirror as that one syllable projects
from her voice again, a single wailing note that reverberates throughout the
expansive room. "Ha~...!"

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"People will... (People will...) All too soon... (All too soon...) Someday pass
on into dust; but they will become a song, passed on throughout the years...
Ah..."

Sunflash is clearly starting to feel the strain of both paying attention to and
resisting the effects of the song at the same time. Accusations that he might be
slightly watery-eyed is probably true, but still considered heresy.

Facing the mirror, but without walking toward it this time, Mollianne holds her
hands out, as if waiting for someone to come and claim them. The second chorus
falls upon her, and her voices rises with the intensity of the music. "Kimi no
hitomi ni~ utsuru, watashi~ wa nani iro desu ka?"

Her wings shiver and refold, tucking themselves in tightly against her back as
she focuses on the mirror at the back of the stage, which begins to shimmer and
distort. "Ryoku fukaki nozo~mu nara, watasou~ kono daichi wo~..."

As her last lyrics are spoken, an image manifests over the mirror, depicting a
luscious green field, spotted with many wildflowers and four-legged herbivores
of varying types. But as swiftly as it appeared, it too is gone within a matter
of seconds.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Reflected in your eyes, what color do I appear? If you wish it to be green, I
shall give to you this very earth."

The music gently fades into a interim melody, one in which both siren assistants
brandish their flutes and begin to play alongside the gentle keyboard and
percussion. It is, surprisingly, a very soothing melody, which seems to take a
little bit of the edge off the temperament of the song as a whole, but only for
the time being.

Despite the change in musical demeanor, however, Mollianne slumps to her knees
and hangs her head, still facing away from the audience. Her shoulders tremble
and shiver loosely, the obvious indication of someone shedding silent tears.

This appears to be too much for one specific member of the audience; a young boy
suddenly gets out of his seat and, despite his nearby mother's best attempts to
catch him in the attempt, manages to pull himself up onto the stage and dive
upon Mollianne's prone form, his small arms wrapping around her neck as visible
tears stream down his little face.

He seems to be saying something that can't be heard or made out in the echoes of
the music, and Mollianne's response is to turn her head and look upon him, her
face equally tear-stained, and cradle him against her as if he were her own
child.

The panicked look on the mother's face subsides somewhat when she sees this, but
she still seems embarassed that the whole thing happened in the first place. The
child weeps against the background of the music as it plays, and Mollianne
merely holds him, closing her eyes as she does.

Emouse briefy steps forward as the kid leaps onto the stage, but relaxes back a
little after Mollianne manages to tame them with a hug.

From stoic to adrenaline-surge as Sunflash starts to stand up, followed by a
visible relaxation back into the seat. With a head shake, a sad-stained smile
crosses his face. Perhaps with a tear or two, it's hard to say.

Avarice blinks rapidly at the child's outburst, which forces a couple of stray
tears to drift down their be-freckled face. A hand is pulled from a pocket, and
they use the heel of their palm to rub some of the wetness away from their eyes.

On the other side stage-side end of the auditorium, Kaede has completely broken,
sobbing openly into her husband's shoulder. He holds her gently, offering a
knowing and understandable half-smile. On the other side, Persephone is looking
toward a wall, away from everything and everyone else, her expression obvious
without needing to be seen.

Hikari, for her part, remains standing there with an open smile on her face,
seemingly as happy as she's ever been. The tears slowly streaking down either
side of her face, however, are a stark contrast to the expression she's holding
onto.

The twin flutes gradually arrive at the end of their intended interlude, and the
music disperses almost completely with the exception of one very simple series
of keyboard notes tip-tapping along.

Still holding the child, Mollianne begins to sing again, much more softly than
before, but her voice carries no less across the whole of the auditorium, as if
she were right there alongside everyone inside and singing to them directly.
"Moroku hakanage na mono yo~..."

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Those of you who are fragile and weak..."

A much briefer musical interim opens, and one of the siren assistants plays a
brief but hopeful tune on her flute, spanning only a couple seconds before she
desists.

The boy looks up at Mollianne with big sad eyes, and she looks back at him,
offering a genuine, if still sad, smile as she reaches out to wipe away some the
tears from his cheek, singing once more as she does. "Tsuyoku utsukushiki mono
yo~..."

After doing so, Mollianne rises to her feet, picking up the child into her arms
and bringing him to the edge of the stage, where he is safely returned to his
mother.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Those of you who are strong and lively..."

Mollianne backs up several steps onto the stage center, and holds her hands
outward toward the audience, as if speaking to all of them, all at once,
imploring them with her words.

"Aru ga mama~..!" Mollianne lifts her hands higher, that familiar, echoing note
coming forth from her vocal cords in a way that only she could manage. The music
rises along with her voice as she calls out, preparing for the final chorus as
all the instruments once more rally together. "Ha~..!"

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Be as you are! Ah..!"

Mollianne wastes no time getting into the thick of it; her silvery eyes are
reddened around the edges and her cheeks saturated with tears, but the energy
she now invokes in her song is the strongest its ever been.

Giving everything she has, heart and soul, Mollianne blends her voice into the
music to give her audience exactly what they came to see, and then some! "Kimi
no hitomi ni~ utsuru, watashi~ wa nani iro desu ka?"

Mollianne throws her arms out again in further emphasis, as if begging the
audience as the surrogate for whomever it is she is missing. "Yasuragi oboeta
nara, soko ni~ watashi wa iru~..!"

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Reflected in your eyes, what color do I appear? If you remember peace, that's
where you'll find me!"

Sunflash has managed to shake off the worst of the energy surge, based on how
he's gone back to careful but intent attention.

Mollianne turns sharply, facing the large mirror in the back of the stage and
purposefully striding over toward it as she continues singing, throwing her
wings open and clenching her fists at her side, her voice rising just a touch
higher.

"Kimi no hitomi ni~ utsuru, watashi~ wa nani iro desu ka? Ura fukaki nozo~mu
nara~..." Mollianne stops in front of the mirror, staring down her reflection as
it remains just that; a reflection, and nothing more. "Watasou~ kono omoi
wo~..."

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"Reflected in your eyes, what color do I appear? If your desire is strong, I
shall give to you my feelings."

The music suddenly and rapidly fades into a hollow shell of itself, a bare
thread of a melody hanging on. In this instant, Mollianne's resolve disappears,
and her wings droop to the floor. The look on her face goes from indignation to
sudden realization and sad acceptance, and she reaches out to place her hand on
the mirror, which does not change under her fingertips as before.

Her voice is low and trembling as she finishes her song, her fingers sliding
down the vertical length of the mirror. "...watasou~... kono subete wo~..." That
last note pierces through the auditorium, a soulful, anguished cry that echoes
for many seconds before gradually fading away into the music that comes alive
again, swallowing her voice and taking over.

Both siren assistants lead the rest of the music in a heartrending outro that
speaks emotional volumes of loss and grief, continuing on for quite sometime.

Mollianne slowly slides to the ground against the mirror, her hand still placed
upon it as she stares blankly at her reflection with unfocused, distant eyes,
the look of someone who has lost everything and just now came to realize it.

The black digital display box broadcasts the following in bright red letters:
"...I shall give you everything..."

Sunflash manages to control his exhalation of breath that he was pretty sure he
hadn't been holding before. A slow nod or two is given, to what is unclear.

As the song's outro continues to play, the audience is unmoving, for those of
them not already lost to tears. Nobody claps, nobody cheers, nobody seems to
know the proper way to handle the concusion of such a performance. However, one
person seems to react in a different way; the young beastman girl, who has since
also been reduced to a sobbing mess, is gently taken by the waist and set down
in a nearby (thankfully empty) chair.

The person who held the girl on his shoulders kneels down briefly, speaking
something to her and offering a loosely, gentle hug, then stands again, and very
slowly makes his way down the main aisle toward the stage.

The beastman girl rubs her eyes, watching as her companion approaches the stage,
unsure of what's actually going on.

Several pairs of eyes from nearby patrons turn to watch as this person makes his
way down the aisle, curiosity and concern being the two foremost expressions
held by most.

Emouse is included in the watchers, with an added mumble of "but why now...?"

Avarice has made several attempts to wipe their eyes dry as the performance
progressed, but by the end of it the youth has given up, and has simply returned
their hands to their pockets and made peace with the tears running down their
face.

Perhaps recovering a touch faster than most, Sunflash is too far forward to
notice the movements until it's basically right behind him. People turning? He
follows the sound, and a simple "Hah." escapes his lips, followed by what can
only be described as a glare skyward.

The outro gradually fades away and the two siren assistants cease their
flutework, leaving an empty silence in the auditorium. Not a single word is
uttered by anyone, and most eyes are now fixated on this rogue person who does
not stop once he reaches the stage, and instead turns to ascend a side
staircase, making his way up onto the stage without regard or concern for
anything else.

The Fukawa family watches with a mixture of intrigue and confusion, but also
does not attempt to take any preventative measures, -probably- because none of
them are sure if this is part of the performance or not.

Given that he has to walk by her to get up on stage, the odd person casts a side
glance at Persephone as he walks by, but says not a word as he continues on by.
Persephone also looks confused, and when she turns back so that her face can be
seen, she has, indeed, also been crying.

Almost in time with the stranger's entry to the stage, Sunflash rises to his
feet as well. His path does not take him to the stage however, but instead
towards the Fukawa group. His expression is one of almost resigned humor. He
does take care to track the path of the person on stage, but clearly isn't that
worried about them yet. Almost as if....


Emouse notes Sunflash's reaction to the intrusion and glances up curiously
before returning to observing. The coordinated approach does not prompt comfort,
but this girl doesn't seem beyond audience plants...?

The rogue (we'll call him that) takes several paces across the stage, then
stops, standing about mid-stage and holding himself there, roughly eight or so
feet from where Mollianne is still slumped over the mirror. The two siren
assistants regard the rogue with mild curiosity, but sharing the same sentiment
as the Fukawas, they also seem to wonder if this is part of the performance.

Mollianne's eyes are seen raising, looking into the mirror against her face; she
sees the reflection of this person, but whether she was too drained of energy to
react or just didn't care (for a number of reasons), she doesn't physically
react, merely sitting there in a heap of tattered clothes and fluffy wings.

Avarice chews on their lower lip, throwing a glance between the stranger on the
stage and the siren. Something in the atmosphere makes the fine hairs on the
back of their neck stand up, though for all they know this is just an extension
of the performance.

With almost calculated care, the rogue reaches up and slowly pulls his hood
back, tucking it behind his neck. A young man's face is revealed, but is covered
by what appears to be a makeshift blindfold over his eyes. His hair is a dark
shade of blue-black, short and slightly spiked, and a tattered red scarf hangs
about his neck.

That face, while very likely to be unknown to a great many, is alternately VERY
known to a few others, and this rogue stands there, unmasked, as if waiting.

As the Sorcerer gets within quiet speaking distance to the Fukawas, he gives a
polite head tilt towards the parents before moving to stand near Hikari. A smirk
is given as Sunflash turns to watch the the interaction on the stage, inclining
his head towards Hikari. "As I was saying the other night...pure happenstance,
huh?"

Emouse watches tensely, hoping for a tearful reunion instead of a coordinated
assault...

As Mollianne's eyes linger on the mirror, one could almost see the physical jolt
of electricity course through her body as the stranger's hood is pulled back,
and her eyes grow to the size of silver saucers when she realizes exactly who is
being reflected back at her. She is, by all accounts and absolute happenstance,
utterly stunned and in shock.

Hikari offers a sidelong glance at Sunflash, but she seems 110% fixated on
what's happening on stage, as if an extension of a wonderful drama novel that
she just couldn't put down.

Hikari then seems to note something in Sunflash's tone, and regards him once
more. "Wait, you mean..?"

The rogue stands there, waiting, unmoving, as if it were no longer his place to
decide what happened from there.

With what appears to be great difficulty, Mollianne slowly, painfully pulls
herself to her feet, wavering slightly as she stands up straight, her face a
mess of tears and residual sorrow that is taking its sweet time going away. She
looks upon the stranger with her own eyes, any number of emotions flickering
across her face as she does, and leaving disbelief as the winner among them all.

Sunflash lets a quiet chuckle escape, clearly not wanting to draw much attention
from the scene. "I had been wondering, but aye. That's..." He smirks, inclining
his head towards the two on the stage whilst continuing his soft conversation.
"...him, sure enough. Do you think she'd prefer it if we closed the front
curtains?"

Against this disbelief, the stranger finally offers a faint grin, as if unable
to help himself. He does not speak.

Avarice throws a glance over their shoulder, trying to gage how other members of
the audience are reacting. Their choice of livelihood means they need to be
pretty familiar with reading people, and they're certainly suspicious by this
point.

The audience is as spellbound as the members of the staff on either side of the
stage, all watching as if it were, again, still part of the performance. The
tears, at least, have settled down considerably.

Mollianne takes one wobbly step toward the stranger, and then another, and then
another. She reaches out with trembling fingers but stops short of actually
reaching him, letting her hand fall back to her side as she regards him with
pain and remaining disbelief. "Yu-yume... yume da yo..."

The black digital display box seems to catch this and translates, broadcasts the
following in bright red letters: "Dream.. a dream.."

In response, the rogue reaches up and pulls his blindfold down, letting it hang
around his neck alongside the scarf. His irises are bright and red, perhaps a
little shocking in the intensity of their hue, and it is also apparent that he
had been shedding tears recently, too. He speaks carefully, but knowingly, his
grin still there. "Yume ja nai."

The black digital display box seems to catch this and translates, broadcasts the
following in bright red letters: "It's not a dream."

Hikari's eyes grow huge as she suddenly realizes, even after Sunflash mentioned
it to her, exactly -who- this is, and just about falls over from shock.


The smirk on Sunflash's face only seems to intensify, almost rivaling Hikari's
stage grins from earlier as he moves to gently catch Hikari by the elbow. "Then
again....we might have the entire audience after us if we interrupt, huh?" His
arms fold and he relaxes into his standing stance. Waiting and watching as ever.

Mollianne's face lifts, and she spends an uncomfortable amount of time staring
into the stranger's eyes before reacting. She closes the gap between them, the
difference in their height becoming readily apparent once she's close enough.

Mollianne's teeth clench and the tears begin to flow, as she takes her fists and
proceeds to pound them against the stranger's chest; her punches don't seem to
have a lot of force to them, and the stranger appears to understand, regardless.
"Idiot... you.. idiot.. why..?!" Mollianne is sobbing openly, continuing to
beat her fists against him. "Why..?!"

The stranger's response to this is to reach around Mollianne's short frame and
embrace her tightly, which quells the fists and just leaves the siren sobbing in
his arms, openly and without regard for anything else. He smirks, resting his
chin in her hair. "I'm sorry, Molly."

At this specific scene, right here, the audience suddenly erupts in thunderous
applause and cheer, regardless of whether it's part of the performance or not.

The auditorium is filled with the sound of many appreciative fans who truly got
what they came for.

Avarice lets out the smallest of giggles, and then grins. Performance or not,
they're definitely entertained.

Mr. Fukawa claps openly, while Persephone seems aghast at the sheer magnitude of
what she just witnessed. Kaede and Hikari hug each other tightly, both of them
also shedding tears for a different reason; miracles really DO happen during
Hikari no Matsuri, after all.

The two siren assistants seem to grin betwixt each other and give a short bow to
the audience for their part in the performance, disappearing backstage and
leaving the stranger and Mollianne embracing on-stage, still in the throes of a
thunderous applause from almost every member of the audience around them.

Emouse finally relaxes again, with a sad smile. The season of miracles
returns... though it looks like others' adventures took center stage. Perhaps
for the best.

Sunflash can't help the laugh that escapes at the applause. "Able to play the
crowd without even intending. I KNEW she was a damned good artist." He lets
himself join in, because why not? It's been a long time coming.

Mollianne sobs away, burying her face in his chest and clinging tightly to his
tunic, as if afraid that this were still just a dream that would fade away if
she let go. The stranger turns his head slightly, and lifts one hand up from
around Mollianne to wave at the audience, allowing himself to take -some- credit
for their appreciation this afternoon, but looking a little sheepish in doing
so.

Avarice joins in with the audience's applause, hands withdrawn from their
pockets again to clap a handful of times, then bringing their fingers up to
their lips to whistle loudly. Whatever the truth is, an emotional display on
stage like that fully deserves it, as far as they're concerned.

Toward the back in the seat she was left in, the beastman girl looks very
confused by what took place just now, but the expression on her face heavily
implies that there's going to be an interrogation session between the two of
them when the stranger gets done.

Having clapped his share, Sunflash slips away in the midst of all the
enthusiasm. Anyone who spots him would note the large almost satisfied grin on
his face as he leaves the room. He'd catch up with them later, not like he had
any where else to be at the moment. They'd find him eventually.