Monthly Bushiroad[]
She is a member of "Chouchou", a NEW idol project launched in "Bermuda Triangle". She is a very earnest and diligent girl, taking memos for even the slightest matter, and there is not a day when she slacks off since she graduated from the idol training school. However, when it comes to real performances, she forgets everything she has learnt---she is the "weak when it counts" type, and has failed in all auditions. Before joining "Chouchou", she was a loser girl who had never got a job. However, her Chouchou debut stage shows her strengths in singing, dancing and talking, at a level comparable to already active idols. What happened during the Chouchou audition... now, she is treated as a future top idol, and she gets numberless offers. The day she tells the truth of that day may come earlier than expected.
Monthly Bushiroad Short Novel (August 2017 Issue)[]
First Step
"Everyone! Thank you for coming here today!"
A silver-haired girl's clear voice resounded and incited cheers in the concert hall.
"Enjoy with everything you have~"
"W, we will work hark... ouch."
A blonde girl spoke cheerfully, but the green-haired girl bit her tongue in a grand style, putting everyone in silence. However, supported by the encouragement from the audience, "Do your best---!", she choked down her tears and pessimism, and said it again clearly.
"We will work hard and give it our all---!"
Cheers filled the concert hall again. After that, three girls spoke one after another. They had the same hair color and similar apperances. They were likely sisters.
"For this day!"
"We!"
"Have joined hands!"
"""And prepared our best!"""
The sisters stepped to the flanks like flowing water, and a spotlight shone on the girl standing on the center of the stage. The girl closed her eyes and made a faint smile. Her ambience turned the concert hall serene.
---♪---♪
The serenity was fused with a light voice. The voice turned clear gradually, and beat out a joyous rhythm. That was the prelude of a song, an intro.
"Everyone!"
The girl opened her large blue eyes, holding the mic with a full smile. All gazes were concentrated on her,
"Please enjoy with us, in our debut stage---!"
After one breath of her speech, cheers thundered in the concert hall, louder than any time else today. Before the skin-shaking seismic cheers, the girl waved her hands with her thistle hair flying around.
"Thank you---! So please---"
As the girl on the center---"Tirua" made an eye sign, all idols on the stage held their mics.
"Listen to our first song!"
That day was the beginning of a new legend. And this was a story that led to that legend.
"Please, please, please..."
In the corner of a small room, a girl folded her arms and muttered something. What a strange scene. However, no one in the room was surprised.
"She's doing it today, again."
"May she succeed this time."
The room was filled by encouragements of sympathy. From this, one could tell this scene was common in this production agency.
"Kami-sama, hotoke-sama, Messiah-sama..."
As she repeated her random prayer, the communication terminal played a cheerful melody...
"How, how, how, how, how is it!?"
Before the melody was played, she started the communication. She gripped her communication terminal so hard that her finger joints turned white, and she waited for the speaker's voice with an anxious face. As a drop of sweat touched her cheek,
"...Is that so... yes, thank you very much..."
Her panic turned into disappointment as if she had heard the news of doomsday.
(I failed again...)
The girl fell on the ground. Seeing her frustration, the staff of the production agency came to relieve her.
"Don't let it get you down, Tirua. You can work better in the next audition."
"Yes, Tirua-chan. There're still a lot of chances ahead."
"E, everyone..."
Tirua almost shed tears of emotional touch.
But,
"Right, right, don't mind just one failure! That isn't the first time!"
As a frivolous-looking staff member said that, the air of the production agency froze. All of the staff except him thought,
(Moron...)
And could not find anything to say except scolding him in their minds.
"Y, yes, it is... how many times have I failed... I can't even count them with all the fingers on my hands, both hands... it's too late to even feel anything for just one failure..."
"Ah---...eh... ah! I must go out to meet the boss! I'm off!"
(He fled.)
(He fled, I see.)
"...Please allow me to take a leave as well."
"T, Tirua-chan, wanna get some refreshments? I could buy you some snacks, you see?"
"Ah, no, thank you for your thoughtfulness... but it's almost time for independent training."
"I see... make sure you get home safely."
"Yes, thank you very much. See you tomorrow."
Allowing Tirua to return home in gloomy mood, the staff of the production agency felt uneasy.
"Independent training, is it? She always says that at this time, everyday." "I heard that she never slacks off after graduating from the idol training school. She's a hard worker." "...I want to make her succeed." "We must do our best to back her up." "Agreed. Oh, there's a call... yes, good work. Yes, eh? An audition? For all our idols? May I ask what you mean---"
Note: Kami-sama, hotoke-sama, XXX-sama is a kind of Japanese "last minute random prayer", referring to Shinto deities, the Buddha and a third deity/respectable person. In this case, the Dragon Deity of Creation is involved.
Nearly half an hour had passed since Tirua left the production agency office. On her way home, she walked at a pace particularly slower than usual. As her self-depracating words depicted, it was not the first time she failed. She had not been so frustrated in her previous failures, but this time was a bit different.
"I thought I wouldn't fail this time..."
Tirua had made anxious mistakes in her past auditions. But this time, she did not make any significant mistakes. But no significant mistakes meant nothing. In fact, Tirua had not even demonstrated her potential fully, nor even halfly, this time, but she mistook that it was the best attempt she had ever performed.
"No mistakes, yet I still failed... I am really---"
At the moment she almost lost all her self-confidence,
"---Hyaaa!!"
Her communication terminal vibrated in her pocket and played a cheerful melody. She made a strange sound in surprise, and took out her communication terminal in a hurry.
"It's from Manager-san..."
That would mean issues about work... likely about new auditions.
"I must say it clearly."
Honestly speaking, she did not consider herself appropriate to try new auditions. She wanted to challenge the coming auditions at her best condition, so she would like to spend some time for recovery. She decided to present her intentions, and pressed on the connect button.
"Hello, this is Tirua. Yes, Manager-sa..."
"Tirua-chan! The next audition, it's a big chance!"
"I'd like to say..."
"I'll send the particulars to your terminal, just read it! Bye!"
"Could you spare... oh, it's been cut off... she's like a tempest, as usual."
Tirua was upset at being unable to present her intentions, but she opened and read the messages sent to her terminal obediently. She valued others more than herself, so she could not trample on the good intentions of someone who worked hard for her.
"...So what is it about?"
"No. 1297, Miss Melviz. No. 1298, Miss Selviz. You both passed! Congratulations!"
"Wow! We did it, Sel!"
"Yes. I am happy with Big Sister."
In "Deep 1", the biggest event facility on the seabed, it was filled by an audience beyond its capacity. And that was reasonable.
"Mu... I'll get a pass asap!"
"We're waiting for you, Mal~!"
"Do your best, Mal-chan!"
Today's event was "iGP (Ideal Good Point) Project Chouchou Member Selection Audition". The number of participants surpassed 5000, and more than 100 members would be chosen. In terms of numbers, this was the biggest audition in "Bermuda Triangle"'s history.
"No. 821, Miss Tino! You got a pass!"
"Hueh... I, I'd like to ask... did I really get a pass? Really?"
"Yes! You got votes from all examiners of a certain race!"
"T, thank you very mush... ouuu..."
"Oh my~ you bit your tongue, it must hurt... Oh, let me pull myself together. One word from the producer of this project, please."
"Hitting the strike zones of a certain group of people... this is a marvelous good point."
"As expected, a superb conclusion. Thank you very much!"
The recruitment requirement is "a person with a good point", and that is the only requirement. Both professional and amateur idols were welcomed. The examiners were composed of the project's producer and famous people of idol businesses he invited. The standards of examination were kept secret, and if a participant got a pass from them, they were immediately recruited as a Chouchou member.
"No. 1299, Miss Malviz! YOU-GOT-A-PASS! That's a great achievement for all three sisters succeeding in getting passes!"
"I'm confident in cooking, that is."
(Awawa, more people got passes.)
The selection method was essentially different from normal ones. The participants assembled in the great hall made attempts to fulfill the "themes" shown on the big screen. A participant would get a pass if they fulfilled the theme at high qualities. And that was not the only way to get a pass.
"For sure, Miss Malviz's dish was of an unrivaled level... I'd even say it's a loss of the cooking industry when she chose to become an idol... drool..."
The objective of "iGP (Ideal Good Point) Project" was to discover the girls with hidden talents---those with the potentials of becoming top idols in the future. As the participants attempted to solve the themes displayed, those whose talents bloomed were selected... though the standards of selection were kept secret, one could make a guess from the objective. In other words, even if a participant did not fulfill the theme at high quality, they might be chosen if they showed their good points.
(I, I must work hard too!)
Two hours had passed since the audition, and sixty participants had gotten passes. That was less than half of the quota, but none could foretell when the quota would be completely filled.
"Then, here comes the next theme... oh, it's a team relay! That's a common theme, but this is the first time we came to a theme related to sports! I could tell there'd be a heated match!"
"Good, I'm good at swimming, it should be okay...!"
Tirua joined the "Chouchou" audition in an imperfect condition. As usual, she failed in the household chores and cooking themes. She was quite good at sports, so she became spirited when she heard the theme.
"So, we'd like everyone of you to separate in teams... Oh, Producer, how should they be separated into teams?" "...Hmm, I should leave them to make teams on their own."
"Eh, leave them... there're over 1000 people!? How can it be done? At least if there's a leader---"
Even the MC was surprised by the producer's unprecedented words.
(For sure, everyone would make teams cluelessly, and at this pace, relay would be impossible...)
Many idols thought of the same thing. It would be impossible to coodinate so many people in a short period of time. But their worries were unnecessary.
"Everyone, look at me---!"
As it was told that the idols had to choose the teams themselves...a clear voice resounded in the hall. Even the rumbling sounds could not block this delicate, adorable yet strong-willed voice. The uproar dissipated drastically.
"Here!"
The voice was louder than before. As the hall became silent, the confused girls looked at the speaker. She was a silver-haired girl of petite frame.
"I'm No. 200, Praire. There're so many of us, if we all form teams without regarding the others, there won't be enough time. Let's form rows first. Girls whose last two numbers are 00, come to me!"
"Ah, I'm No. 400."
"I'm No. 2700."
"Okay! Could you raise your number plates? So that the girls behind can see them clearly."
"Understood!"
(Facing so many people...she is awesome)
Tirua admired the resourcefulness of "Praire". In the wave of constantly moving participants, Tirua stood in a stupefied face. As Praire looked around, she noticed Tirua and spoke to her questioningly.
"How are you?"
"---Hyaa! S, sorry very much! I will move immediately!"
"Hey, aren't you 00 as well?"
She gazed at the number plate writing "4500" on Tirua's clothes.
"Ah, is that so? I am so nervous that I forget my number, aha---"
Tirua almost laughed in embarassment, but stopped after seeing Praire's stern face.
"You should never forget your own number."
Just by seeing Praire's eyes, Tirua could not but realize, the difference between Praire's determination and her own determination on this audition.
"The numbers given in an audition is equally valuable as our own names. They are important, for they are keys that lead us to become pro idols."
Mermaids have negligible senescence. For this, it is extremely difficult to tell their ages from their appearances. But Tirua could tell by her instinct, that Praire must be a lot elder than her, and this girl of petite frame must have overcome many difficulties as a professional idol. And, she must have faced all auditions with the same determination.
(Right. I also aim to become a "pro" idol...but, why am I like this?)
And she realized herself, that the thought of "I won't succeed this time anyway" hid within her.
(I thought if I am not nervous this time...but, this is wrong. I have get used to it since some time, that my failures are natural...)
Without noticing Tirua's pondering, Praire continued.
"The determination to become a pro is demonstrated in this kind of things."
"Sorry very much. I fell behind in terms of the conscientious to become a pro!"
Tirua bowed vigorously, so much that Praire was surprised in turns.
"Thank you very much! Thanks to you...I am enlightened!"
Perhaps because Praire did not expect to be thanked so sincerely, she became embarassed, rubbing her face and turning her gaze away.
"...Yup. Sorry for saying bossy things. Come, we should go."
Together, they returned to where Praire stood. The girls whose last numbers were 00 had assembled.
"One, two...this must be all of us. Right, may I know your name?"
"I am Tirua!"
"Tirua. Let's do our best to pass."
"Yes! Praire-san!"
After that, Praire got passes from all inspectors for showing her astounding leadership that put thousands of girls in order. Enlightened by Praire's words, Tirua was unbound from her weakness and got a pass when only three seats left. She got decent results despite her previous failures, which made the producer recognized her "potentials". The audition, which seemed long in the beginning yet ended at a surprising pace, was concluded in these words.
"The debut live performance of 'Chouchou' will be held at this place in the near future."
These words excited the audience even more as the audition ended. And---
"Good work, everyone of us! Let's do our best in our real live show!"
Following those words, the girls thanked and encouraged each other one after one. Several months had passed since the thrilling audition. As they completed the rehearsal for their debut live performance, they felt uplifting feeling brimming from their bodies. They had waited too long for the upcoming grand stage. "Hey, hey, what does Chouchou mean, after all?"
In midst of their rejoicing moment, a girl called Hulala suddenly asked this question. It seems that several members were curious about this question, and they rallied around Hulala.
"I don't---know."
"Really, what does that mean? It sounds cute, but I haven't thought deep about its meaning."
"Chouchou...it, it sounds cute, indeed."
"Hmm...no results found from search engines."
The girls had been sharing their thoughts, but they turned to discuss the meaning of "Chouchou" in the dressing room.
"Ah, I, I have checked that."
Tirua's words silenced the surroundings for one instant, and only one instant. Then,
"Eh, who said she knows the meaning?"
"It's Tirua, she knows!"
The girls rushed to Tirua, so many of them that they pushed Tirua into a corner. Tirua thought of running out from the dressing room, but,
"Everyone of you, stop & look at me!"
The commanding voice of Praire, their leader, stopped the girls' advances and drew their attentions. After clearing her throat with a small cough, Praire scolded at the other girls.
"You're just troubling Tirua if you crowd together around her! If you wanna hear from her, keep quiet!" Praire's overwhelming appeal made everyone stand at attention.
"Good, okay. Then, Tirua, I'll leave it to you...oh, why're you standing straight as well?"
"Ah, no, just a reflex..."
Tirua looked around again, and found all other girls looking at her. She glanced around for a while, then began her speech slowly in a bit of embarrassment.
"Well, the word Chouchou is in fact a word from a different world."
"A different world?"
"Yes. Once upon a time, there was a person from a different world who lost the way and entered Cray. Before leaving this planet, that person taught Cray's residents a few words, and Chouchou is one of them."
"So, so, what does that exactly mean?"
"It can mean something like wonderful."
"And then?"
"It can mean something, something like lovely?"
"And then, and then!?"
"Let me recall...eh, that's all from the book..."
(Wuu...if I had known this matter is so important, I would have searched a lot more...everyone would get disappointed...)
With negative imaginations running in her brain, she raised her head timidly.
"So there isn't any special meaning~"
"Not at all, we just don't know~"
"Well, the producer is a well-known oddball, so there's no way we could imagine why he picked this name."
"If there are other meanings, maybe I should do some searching as well..."
"But, this sounds good simply by being a word from a different world~"
The dressing room was filled by joyous laughter. When Tirua got puzzled,
"There's nothing you need to be upset about."
Praire's hand laid on her shoulder.
"We have been saying different kinds of positive things, but in fact, all of us are somehow nervous. Your answer relieved our pressure."
"Nervous...even Praire-san?"
"Of course"
Praire was telling the truth, for her fingers on Tirua's shoulders were trembling.
"All would become nervous if they face such a grand stage. Though I don't know if that includes our cheerful dreadnought Hulala."
Praire said that while looking at the cheerful laughing blonde girl enviously. But, she turned back to Tirua a moment later.
"Let's do our best, Tirua."
She said that and put out her hand to Tirua. Her fingers were still trembling a bit, but Tirua's hand trembled even more. That was because Tirua understood Praire's thought.
(A grand stage that could almost overwhelm someone like Praire-san...but)
She held Praire's hand. Praire responded with a powerful grip. And as they did so,
"Awesome...we stop trembling."
"With two of us we can share our anxiety and support each other. And more than that,"
Praire guided Tirua's gazes by looking around. And as Tirua looked around, she saw most of the girls were holding or touching their hands.
"We, members of Chouchou, are more than one hundred. If we can support each other, we can definitely reduce our anxiety to below one percent."
"...Yes!"
"Good!...Everyone, it's almost time for the real take! Move to the sides of the stage! Check again your positions to ensure you don't get it wrong!"
"""YES!"""
In one hand clap, Praire gave out the instruction, and the members responded clearly. They took out sheets prepared beforehead, and made double-checks on their initial positions. They went out the dressing room one by one.
"And, Tirua, I'd like you to do two things."
"Yes?"
"First. Stop using honorifics and -san. That sounds distant, so I hate it."
"U, understoo---"
Tirua almost used honorifics, and Praire stopped her with silent pressure.
"O, okay, Praire!"
"Yes, that's okay. And second...I'm told by the producer to decide who will be the center."
"Eh, isn't Praire-sa...Praire the center? You became the focus of everyones' eyes just a moment ago, so I think you're the best."
"I think I'm a good leader, but not a good center. My personality is too intimidating for the audience."
"Is that so...but, why're you telling me this essential issue..."
Praire showed a full smile that she seldom displayed.
"You've understood, haven't you?"
Praire looked at Tirua's eyes, and continued,
"I'd like you to become the center of Chouchou."
Praire expected Tirua to get into panic, but Tirua's real reaction was so different that surprised her.
"...You're calm, surprisingly."
Tirua looked at Praire in calmness.
"That's thanks to Praire."
"Me?"
"Yup. I understood when watching Praire."
The last member went out, leaving only Tirua and Praire in the dressing room.
"We're professionals. We must carry this determination to confront with idol."
Tirua's eyes hosted her willpower, so strong that astounded Praire. That was totally different to what Praire saw during the audition.
(How could she change so much in such a short period of time...)
"So, are you going to accept, to become the center?"
"Yup, of course!"
"Go, let's go. We're the only ones still in the room."
"Eh, hya, that's true! Everyone're gone!"
"So you didn't notice it...hey, we're going."
Holding the flustered girl's hand, they headed to the sides of the stage.
(I see. Her eyes are like those of the top idols I read in books.)
On their way, Praire thought, that she noticed Tirua's potential talents hidden within.
(If I slack off, I'll be left off in a blink of an eye. I must work hard too!)
"P, Praire!"
"What?"
"Let's do our best in the live performance!"
"Of course!"
This is the story that leads to the very beginning. This is the story behind the stage, the first stage that would eventually become a legend. This is the first step the girls embarked on.