(no subject)

[miracle_miko]

[DIVINE THEATER | ACTION]

[ At first it was just one letter. One simple letter from a fan, professing their adoration for Sanae's particularly unorthodox curtain call. Then one became two. Became six. Became countless others.

After a few days, her desk was covered. And they kept coming. Some of them even sent gifts. Flowers. Sweets. Any number of fine items suddenly found their way into her room, and eventually there was little room left for her to actually move around comfortably.

So there was Sanae, dozing on one of the couches in the common room. Or maybe going about her chores, fretting about something to herself, mumbling incoherently. She wasn't expecting this! No one was really supposed to see that sort of thing, and yet for some odd reason they loved it. She should be honored, but really she felt awkward more than anything. What should she do? ]


[VIDEO]

Um, h-hello!

[ She clears her throat, sounding surprisingly high strung. ]

I have a question. Um, you see I uh, I have a lot of, hmm... A lot of things that um, that I kind of need to get rid of. They're kind of like leftovers from soulfasting? And they're kind of taking over my room...

[ Sanae gives the camera a very uncomfortable, bashful, forced smile. ]

If anybody is interested in chocolates or candies or anything like that, I have a bunch! P-please take them off my hands!

[ She bows to the camera. ]


[LOCKED TO TAKUTO]

[ Why was this so difficult? Talking to Takuto was never hard for her--quite the opposite in fact, but for the last week, Sanae was very obviously avoiding him. Since the soulfasting performance, in fact. Was it the sudden influx of fan letters? Or the fact that the Matriarch was there to see them, to see... well, that. She received a very harshly worded letter from one of the priests after that, requesting she return to the convent for "unrelated reasons."

She knew that Takuto wanted to see her home, wanted to know more about it. This might have been the perfect time for her to allow him to see a bit of her world, but did she want to?

Hovering outside his door, she stood there, trying to encourage herself to knock. She would be leaving that evening, hadn't said a word to the others about it. She would be back before the next performance, so it would be all right. But she hesitated.

Just ask him to come along with you. It wasn't that hard. He had a right to know the sort of life she led. But she just couldn't knock. ]

Comments

[taudriver]

Sanae? Are you OK?

[Takuto is walking down the hall with a bag in hand]

[miracle_miko]

[ ...Okay, you can do it, Sanae. Just knock on his door.

Raising her hand, the priestess nearly jumps out of her skin when she hears him, quickly turning. ]

T-T-Takuto! W-when did you get there?

[taudriver]

Just now. Did you need something?

[1/2]

[miracle_miko]

[ Oh ouch, that look kind of hurt. Not that she didn't deserve it. ]

Um...

[ She stands there a bit awkwardly, trying her best not to fidget. ]

...I'm heading back to Citadel for a while.

[ A beat. ]

It's nothing serious! Um, well, too serious! I think.

[ She takes a breath. Come on, you can do this. But how could she say it? ]

I thought... you know, since we're off until the next show... that maybe you might... but if you don't want to...

[ Her head lowers as she speaks. ]

[2/2]

[miracle_miko]

[ Her head quickly pops up, and she tries to smile through. ]

N-never mind! It's nothing.

[taudriver]

Mind if I come along?

[miracle_miko]

[ There were some things she wanted to say to her elders and explain that she couldn't do by herself. But asking Takuto, after the way he looked, she felt guilty.

So when he asked to come along, she looked like she might get a bit emotional. ]

...You want to come with me? Really?

[taudriver]

Of course. I want to see your home.

[miracle_miko]

[ All at once, she throws herself at him, sniffling a bit. ]

I'm sorry! I didn't--but when I got the letter...

[ They questioned her reasons for being in Union. Apparently Matriarch Frea reported back about her performance, and her elders were less than pleased by the display. ]

They think I've lost my way.

[taudriver]

[Takuto holds her tightly]

Are you happy here with what you're doing?

[miracle_miko]

[ She nods against his chest. ]

I am! But I'm supposed to be a priestess for the great tree. People look up to me. If they saw me here at the theater and not bringing in more followers...

[ She takes a breath to calm herself down. ]

I wanted to show them that I can still do that while working here at the theater, but I don't know how. I don't know if they'll understand.

[taudriver]

I don't get it though, it's your life isn't it? You get to pick what you want to do.

[miracle_miko]

[ Sanae paused, hesitating with the right words. ]

Not completely. The people in the convent raised me, and expect certain things. They want me to spread the faith, not dance and sing on stage.

[taudriver]

Technically you're doing more important work than that. It's just that that's part of the cover.

[miracle_miko]

I can't really explain that to them.

[taudriver]

Maybe the Captain will make an exception?

[miracle_miko]

Do you really think so?

[taudriver]

You're doing important work, and your Matriarch should understand that.

[miracle_miko]

It isn't just the Matriarch that I have to answer to, but the priests and priestesses too. I want them to approve of everything.

[ And... well, and of him, but she wouldn't directly say that. Never. Too embarrassing. ]

[taudriver]

And you don't think they ever will?

[miracle_miko]

I don't know. The Matriarch is really strict, and so is everyone at the convent. I'm not sure if they would accept an explanation from me.

[taudriver]

Should we get the Captain to help out?

[miracle_miko]

I thought about asking her, but she's always really busy. Besides, you know she doesn't like talking about the mission with anybody.

[ "Mission" said with as much of a deep, dramatic, sultry voice as she could manage, so as to sound like Haruka. Which, honestly, isn't much considering. ]

I'll probably have to do it on my own.

[ A beat, and a realization. ]

Unless...

Your grandpa was with the DDF a long time ago, right? That means you're pretty important here too, right?

[taudriver]

I don't know if I'd go that far, but he was pretty important, yeah. He knows General Yoneda anyway.

[miracle_miko]

Really?!

[ You didn't tell her that, Takuto?! ]

That means he's really important! I mean, at least maybe the Matriarch'll think so! Maybe even the priests too!