Connecting Threads to the Future ~Current Status with Big Sister~

pending review
part 5 seems to contain a dev error
---------


-1-

Kuroe
--!?
Tamaki-san...!?

Iroha
Please, stay kind. Promise me, Kuroe-san.

Kuroe
Ta...Tamaki-san...!

Iroha
Someday, when I become a distant memory,
remember me, just one more time.

<Shortly before this parting...>

Nemu
...I see...
.....
...There's no stopping it, is there. Onee-san leaving Kamihama.....
Her disappearing from this universe...

Touka
.....
We're all together as one, so there's no helping it.
Besides, Ui and Onee-sama are both already prepared to go, aren't you two...?

Ui
.....

Iroha
Yeah...
As Touka-chan said, it was a gamble. The Automatic Purification System.
So if it's to return it back to a stable state...

Ui
Yeah, we're okay with it.

Nemu
...I'm sorry you have to go through this trouble all over again.

Touka
...Haa...

Iroha
It's no trouble at all, don't worry!

Nemu
I cannot say I won't worry.

Touka
Onee-sama, I'm sorry for always burdening you with such a difficult role...

Iroha
That goes for you two as well.

Nemu
Right. Touka and I are prepared as well...
Besides, we cannot let this process stop now.
For the peace of Magical Girls...

Touka
...I know.
...Nevertheless, it was Nemu and my idea,
but we've always been trouble for you, Onee-samyaa.

Nemu
It's true...
Especially Touka.

Touka
...Wha-! That is NOT true!

Nemu
No, it certainly is.

Touka
I don't care how skilled you are at writing stories,
falsifying the past is not acceptable!

Ui
Ah, w-wait...!

Iroha
Now, now, you two...!

Nemu
The only falsification is what is going through your brain, Touka.
For example, that one time...


-2-


Nurse
Come now, Touka-chan...

Touka
My terms were made clear!

Nemu
Good grief...

Ui
I know it's a little difficult, but...

Touka
Unless my terms are agreed to...
The answer is absoluuutely NO!

Nurse
Haa...
All I'm asking is that you eat your carrots, though...

Touka
If I say NO I mean NO!

Nemu
You're always skipping something, aren't you.

Ui
That's why the nurse is so worried, asking you to eat...

Touka
I don't like the flavor!
...But I am compromising with you.

Nemu
You call unilateral terms a compromise...?

Touka
I want you to bring me books I want to read... That's all!
See, that is a compromise!

Ui
Uuu...is that really all...you...want...?

Nemu
Just...what were the titles of these books again?

Touka
ハクシュリンゲンの 『宇宙原始総論』
Hachslingen's "General Theory of the Origin of the Universe"!
コサインバーグの 『天体の力』！
Cosinberg's "Celestial Forces"!
そして、ダダトリの 『惑星の煌めき』！
And Dadatri's "Glimmer of the Planet"!
All of these are books
I have been wanting to read FOR•EV•ER!

Nemu
You want to, and yet...

Touka
No one will hand them over, though!

Ui
Uu...

Touka
Simple, isn't it?
If I have my books, I eat. Those are my demands!
...Kuhu-!

Nemu
Do you happen to be enjoying it? This situation we're in.

Touka
Who's to say~?

Nurse
...Geez, there's no other way, is there...
Alright, alright, I get it. No more carrots...

Iroha
Um~...

Ui
Onee-chan!


-3-


Iroha
Um~...

Ui
Onee-chan!

Iroha
Ui, I'm here.

Ui
...Ah, is this the first time we've... all been together? There was a short time before...

Nemu
We have given short hellos, have we not? This is your elder sister, right?

Touka
...But do you remember us?

Iroha
Touka-chan and Nemu-chan...right?
Thank you for always getting along with Ui.

Nemu
No need...

Touka
Well... Sure.

Iroha
So...um... Ui called me here...and um...

Ui
Ah, so I was just exchanging messages with Onee-chan.
There were some things we wanted, and asked her to bring them...
And now you're here, so...

Iroha
Hachs...ling...gen?'s "General Theory"..."Origin of the Universe"?
Hachslingen's "General Theory of the Origin of the Universe"!

Touka
Eh? Don't tell me - Ui...!

Ui
I thought I would have Onee-chan go look for them~... As you guessed...
...Like, I kind of just wrote the whole thing out to her...

Nemu
And thus the fire spreads ever onward, huh...

Touka
W-waiiit!

Iroha
So, I did some searching on my way here...
But no matter how much I looked them up, these books didn't appear...
I'm sorry about this...

Touka
Eh, well, it's...no big deal...

Iroha
You don't eat your carrots at all? Not a fan of them?

Touka
I-it's not that! It's not like I HATE carrots...!

Nurse
Then will you eat some?

Touka
Uu...that's not the problem! Must I spell out that the FLAVOR is the problem!?

Nemu
...I see... I get you...

Touka
...Eh?

Nemu
In short, you don't mean what you say...?


-4-


Nemu
In short, you don't mean what you say...?

Touka
...Nemu, you don't HAVE to...! Say UNNECESSARY THINGS...!

Ui
Nemu-chan, tell me!

Nemu
Simply put, she's "Princess Kaguya".

Ui
Eh? The...folktale?

Nemu
Princess Kaguya in "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" is courted by five noblemen.
However, as a condition for her hand in marriage, the five were requested to offer five treasures to the princess.
Of which were of utmost rarity, as well as infeasible to acquire.
The princess told them this, knowing as such.
...As for Touka, would you not say she is cut from the same cloth?

Touka
.....

Nemu
Presenting the books as her condition...
When in fact, they do not exist...perhaps?

Touka
...Uu!

Nurse
My!

Ui
Is that true!?

Iroha
So I couldn't find them no matter how I searched because I was being tricked...

Nemu
Your thoughts, Touka.

Touka
...Hu-huuun~♪

Nemu
Touka.

Touka
.....
...I just have to eat the carrots, don't I! Fine fine whatever I don't care!
Look, see! *Crunch*!
...*munch*...
I-id'z tazty...?

Nurse
Oh dear~, you ate it~!

Iroha
That's great, Touka-chan!

Touka
I-id'z nuffing~?

Nemu
Good grief... What an utterly trivial thing to have fussed over...

Touka
...*Gulp*...
It is not trivial!

Nemu
Well, with Ui's Onee-san here, things can now move along...
Thank you very much.
...Nn? Is this something to give thanks for...?

Iroha
Um, I didn't do anything, so there's no need to thank me.

Nemu
Come now, Touka. Apologize.
"I'm sorry for the trouble".

Touka
Me? Why!

Nemu
Go on.

Touka
...Muun~...
...S-sorry for...
The meowble-! Hmph!

Iroha
...Uhuhu!


-5-


Touka
.....
...I-is nyaat how it went~...?

Nemu
That is how it went, exactly.
Back then, such trivial quarrels were constantly unfolding.

Touka
...Stress relief? Kuhu-!

Nemu
Haa...

Touka
But...that is where it all started.
Little by little, we would become friends with Onee-sama...

-Past-

Touka
...Huhun...I see it!
Ui's Onee-sama's nyaamber is "1789"!

Iroha
Wah! You got it!

Ui
Amaaazing!

Nemu
That makes five wins a row for Touka.

Touka
Undefeated!

Nemu
You seem to have developed a monopoly on this "guess the 4-digit number game", Touka.

Iroha
やっぱり頭がいいなぁねむむちゃんは
You really do have a sound mind, Nemumu-chan. ***this should be Touka, seems to be error***

Touka
Not at all, you were getting really close to the mark too, Ui's Onee-sama...

Iroha
Ah, that.

Nemu
...That?

Iroha
The whole "Ui's Onee-sama" way of addressing me...
You can call me something more casual, okay?
Calling me that so much feels like we're a little distant.

Ui
Yeah, you're right.

Touka
Eh...then...how...?

Iroha
Anything, something shorter that's easier for you to say, Touka-chan!

Touka
F-for me...? Hum...then...muun~...
..."Onee-sama"...I guess?

Iroha
Sure, that's totally fine!

Touka
...Ah...then...
...Onee-sama?

Iroha
Yeees? Huhu...!

Touka
...Ku...Kuhuhu-!

Nemu
...Then, um...
For me...would it be okay? To call you..."Onee-san"...?

Iroha
Of course!

Nemu
...Then...please to make your acquaintance again...Onee-san!

Iroha
You as well!


-6-


Touka
Ui!
Onee-sama is on her way here, isn't she!

Ui
She sure is. She might be a little bit.

Touka
Today we're playing cards with her!
Last I checked, she's gotten first place seven times in a row.
Today is going to be a simple game of Old Maid!
Because Onee-sama's face always gives it away!
I can't wait! Onee-sama, you're late!

Nemu
Again with the absurdity.

Ui
You're full of excitement, aren't you Touka-chan?
I wonder if she loves Old Maid.

Nemu
...By the way... Did you notice? Ui.

Ui
Notice? What?

Nemu
Touka, she's been saying "Onee-sama" frequently these days.
She must really want to say it.

Ui
You think so? Why?

Nemu
Because this is her first elder sister...perhaps?

Ui
...Ah... Really? Is that why?

Nemu
Probably.

Ui
...Huhu! Then we're in trouble~
She's going to be fighting over Onee-chan...!
Hey, calm down now~! Touka-chan!

Nemu
.....
...This is my first Onee-san as well...isn't it.

Iroha
Good afternoon~!

Touka
Onee-sama!
Let's play Old Maid today!

Nemu
You're being too sudden.

Ui
Touka-chan's been waiting forever and ever for you to get here, Onee-chan~!

Touka
Nn! N-no, I wasn't...

Iroha
I missed you too!
All of you!


-7-


Familiar
GII...MOKIMOKI.....

Ui
What...is that...alive?

Touka
Haa...haa...haa...

Ui
Touka-chan!

Nemu
Touka!

Touka
Ha-, ha-...

Familiar
KA-KA-...GII...KIKIKI...

Ui
Someone stopped it...?

Nemu
It was that person...

Ui
Eh-...

Touka
Haa...haa...
Onee-sama...?

Kyubey
Iroha, the Witch is this way!

Iroha
Wait, Kyubey! My little sister and friends are over here!
Ui! Touka-chan! Nemu-chan!

Ui
It really is you, Onee-chan!?

Kyubey
.....

Touka
You are...
[Kyubey...]

-Present-

Touka
.....
...At that moment, it was all over.
All the happy times with Onee-sama...

Nemu
And thus it began.
The road of many hardships that led us to now...

Touka
...Yeah...

Iroha
.....

Ui
Touka-chan, Nemu-chan...

Touka
...Are you really okay with this?

Ui
Yeah, we'll be fine. Right, Onee-chan...

Iroha
...I've made up my mind.

Nemu
.....

Touka
...Then, at least...
...At least let us support you, Onee-sama.
Forever...

Ui
Yeah...

Nemu
That's right...

Iroha
...Thank you...

Touka
Onee-sama...

Iroha
...Mm?

Touka
And... When everything comes to an end...
We're...playing Old Maid, okay...?

Yachiyo
.....

Kuroe
.....