Terrible Luck is a Premonition of Melting Snow (2024 New Year's)

pending review

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大凶は雪解けの予感
Terrible Luck is a Premonition of Thawing Snow

-1-

Himena
Shigurin, Hagurin! Super thankies for coming!
I was stuck all on my lonesome at the turn of the year, so you guys hella saved me!

Shigure
It's fine, but are you okay...? You said you had a fight with your mother...

Hagumu
Is it about Hiko-kun again...?

Himena
Yup, and here I was gonna try to be on good terms with her on New Year's Day,
but she came right out and told me to forget him already, so I snapped and stormed out the house.
And so, you two! Comfort this cutie some more!

Shigure
I get it, but quit with the call spam... You know Sasha-san will get furious again, don't you?

Himena
She's already pissed~

Shigure
Ehh...

Hagumu
So then is everyone coming here today?

Himena
Nope, just you two.

Himena
["Instructor and Miyurin seem to be preparing for a New Year's event back at their hometown Hikarizuka,"]
["Miwarin is playing some game with a New Year's update and I can't get a hold of her,"]
["and Sasha is with her Folklore peeps down her way in Yukuni."]

Hagumu
Um, I have to get back home soon myself...is that okay with you?
It's for my first shrine visit of the year with my family.

Shigure
And I'm going out with Gramps and Mom.

Himena
Of course family comes first.
This cutie selfishly had you guys come out here on New Year's, after all.

Hagumu
Speaking of, we haven't wished each other a happy new year yet.

Himena
Crap! You're totally right! We forgot the most important part!

Shigure
Then Princess, Hagumun...

Everyone
["Happy New Year!"]


-2-

Hagumu
Waah-

Shigure
It's so sparkly.

Hagumu
There's so many people dressed in furisode for their first shrine visit, huh.

Himena
Holy cow, that pine, bamboo, and plum pattern one might be this cuties fav!
That person's fur one ain't too flashy either, and it's top quality...!

Shigure
Princess's excitement is too much...

Himena
When I see fashion this adorbs, I can't help but feel good vibes!

Hagumu
But Kimonos, they're difficult, aren't they? They're so tight around the stomach and chest.

Himena
You wearing one this year, Hagurin?

Hagumu
Yes, I'm going to wear one after this, for my first shrine visit.

Himena
Jelly! And Shigurin?

Shigure
It'd look awful on me, so I wouldn't put one on no matter what, even if I was told to.

Himena
Oh yeah? I think you're cute, though. You got a good chance.

Shigure
You...think so...?
Um, why don't you wear one, Princess?

Hagumu
Yeah, Aika-san. I think a furisode suits you, don't you?

Himena
Mm...the furisode I want to wear is Mama's old one, though.
That's the one this cutie'd like to wear, but like, we don't get along...?
So she'd probably never let me wear it? Sorta maybe...

Shigure
Sorry, I just asked about something sensitive...

Himena
Nah, it's not your fault, Shigurin, so don't sweat it.
How about like, let's go visit the shrine! Give prayers on our first visit of the year!

Shigure
Sure...

Hagumu
Ah, I think I heard you're not supposed to wish for things on your first shrine visit of the year, though?
I think it's meant for giving thanks for the previous year.

Himena
But we're praying for success and all too, so I'd say it's all good.
If you're that worried, give thanks while wishing! It's O and K if we do it that way, right?

Shigure
First of all, isn't it bad luck for us to be making wishes...?

Himena
That's that, this's this. Wishing with *him* isn't the same as wishing to a god!

Shigure
She's fierce...!

[*Clap clap!*]

Himena
[Leeet's see. Thank you very much for last year...?]
[All kinds of things happened last year, so like, I wanna give thanks to everyone for making Neo-Magius a great team.]
[This cutie's gonna stick to doing stuff her own way, so like pls support. I know I'm gonna be trouble, just like I am today, but...]
[Next, to get people to approve of Hiko-kun, I wanna take a chance and make big bucks specializing in nail art,]
[so pls support there, too.]
[And next...]


-3-

[*Jingle jingle jingle*]

Himena's Voice
["This cutie's number 49!"]

Shigure's Voice
["Um...I'm..."]

Shigure
No way...

Hagumu
Eh, Shigure-chan, what did you get?

Shigure
Look, Hagumun! "Excellent"...it has "Excellent Luck" written on it!
I think it's been a while since I've seen this...

Himena
I'm jelly of you peeps.
So, what's it say?

Shigure
That my wish will come true...
All I did was say thanks to God at the shrine visit earlier...!

Hagumu
I'm sorry, it's because I told you something I shouldn't have...!

Himena
But there's still a chance! Aren't ya going back to the shrine?

Shigure
Yeah, I'm going with Gramps for his first visit of the year, so I'll make a wish then...

Himena
Looks like you're going to win the comp, Shigurin. This is like a year of revolution.

Shigure
Huhu... I'm going to take this omikuji home.
How'd you do, Hagumun?

Hagumu
I...got "Moderate Luck". Nothing interesting, I suppose.
It says my wish will depend on my efforts...

Shigure
But...your romantic luck looks great.

Himena
All the waiters out there are coming, so why don'tcha take a chance this year!

Hagumu
The what...!?
I'm so out of touch with romance, this omikuji can't be reliable.
So how about you, Aika-san!?

Himena
This cutie's got~...
[Terrible]
[Luck]
[*Drop!*]
Holy crap...I had a vision.

Shigure
That vision...is probably the same I had.

Hagumu
I...feel like I saw it too...

Himena
You didn't see it!

Shigure
Well, Princess, we're going now, so try to stay cheerful...

Himena
Forget the mood swings with the omikuji, thanks for coming out here.
You two have a great time with your families for the New Year, okay?
Also, take care again this year.

Hagumu
Yes, I look forward to working with you again this year.


-4-

Himena
(Ahhh, and here I am back near the house...)
(Really, Shigurin and Hagurin were healing me.)
(Then that omikuji got me down...)
(Eh...is my mental health that weak...?)

Hiko
I'm sorry, it's my fault, Himena.

Himena
Hiko-kun...

Hiko
Your fights with your mother started when I chose to die.
I'm the one destroying your relationship with your family...

Himena
The fights are because I can't stand what Mama says to me.
It's natural for our relationship to go bad.
Hiko-kun, you're still a high-fire otaku that hasn't changed since back then.

Hiko
High-fire...I see you've picked up another unfamiliar word.

Himena
Even with things like that, you love me, don'tcha?

Hiko
......I sure do.
But you should still want to improve your relationship with your parents.

Himena
I know it's not Mama's fault...
But I can never find a way to be on good terms with her...ever...

Hiko
You and I are abnormal.
And I'm in no rush to get them to recognize our relationship,
so one day, maybe, we'll find a way for you to get on better terms.

Himena
Maybe you're right.
Haa...at times like this I just want to hold your hand...
You think we could make it happen if Shigurin made a robot?

Hiko
Pretty unconventional. But I'd look forward to it.

Felicia's Voice
Huh, if it ain't the Neo-Magius leader.

Himena
――っ!?

Iroha
Aika-san, Happy New Year to you!

Himena
Eh, ahh...HNY...

Yachiyo
...Are you okay?

Himena
What do you mean "Am I okay"?
I didn't wanna go home, so I'm just skippin' and hoppin' around.
See you.

Tsuruno
Ahh! Wait, wait!
If that's the case, how about coming over to Mikazuki Villa!?
We're about to go all-out on making ozouni!

Himena
.....
Ha? What *is* that?


-5-

Himena
So, before Irorin and Uiui go back to the Magia Record,
you guys are going to have a big ol' bash.

Ui
Since Nemu-chan's taken over, the collection of impurities has been a little weird,
so we're just going back to take a peek.

Iroha
Apologies for dragging you into this when all we wanted was to make ozouni...

Himena
This cutie doesn't mind, and I don't wanna go home so it's O and K.

Tsuruno
I'm glad I gave a shot and invited you!
Because reflected in the eyes of the Strongest was a black aura!

Himena
Because, to be totally honest, when I saw you guys I thought,
["Ha? What's with all this glitz waltzing over my way? You're doubling this cutie's misery."]
["Wearing Haregi's out of the question and my omikuji was terrible luck, so I'm in the middle of a hella downer sesh."]
["Eh? Taking the piss? Are they seriously taking a dig at me? You're interrupting my chat with Hiko-kun, and this is getting me to the point of throwing hands."]
...Is all...
But then like I realized I'm just a victim of paranoia.

Yachiyo
I'm glad you realized...

Himena
So, you put all kinds of ingredients into ozouni...but like what?

Ui
It's all-out ozouni.

Sana
Just as the ingredients for ozouni differ by region,
everyone wanted to put different dashi and ingredients in...
So each of us decided to get creative with what we want to put in...

Ui
Right-!

Himena
So you already decided on the ingredients you're putting in.

Iroha
Yes, Ui and I are going with marumochi.

Yachiyo
And I, konbu.

Tsuruno
I daringly avoided the usual Chinese and added yuzu for flavor!

Sana
I decided to put in shrimp...

Felicia
I hadda go with meat!

Himena
Are those flavors going to go well? It sounds more like a food fight...

Ui
What are you going to put in, Aika-san?

Himena
This cutie? Is it okay to even add more?

Ui
Yeah! We're putting your ingedient in too!

Yachiyo
Whatever you usually put in at your home is fine...ah...
I'm sorry, that was an unwritten rule...

Himena
What's...un-writ-ten-rule?

Yachiyo
Like an unspoken agreement.
If you don't want to go home, then I shouldn't have brought it up...

Himena
You're too sensitive, Yachirin.

Yachiyo
Yachirin...

Himena
But like, I guess so...
.....
...Maybe I'll go with ofu. There's all kinds.


-6-

Himena
Sorry for intrudiiing.

Iroha
Okay, let's change our clothes and start cooking.

Himena
.....
[Hiko-kun and I talked about ozouni before...]

Hiko
Eating ozouni in the morning reminded me of you, Himena.

Himena
Eh - cryptic! What do you mean by that...?

Hiko
There was some ofu in it, but also pretty temari-fu inside,
the vivid colors, there was something cheery about it that reminded me of you...
All the ofu surrounding it was just like you surrounded all your different friends.

Himena
.....

Hiko
Sorry, I said something weird...

Himena
...Were you around too, Hiko-kun?

Hiko
It didn't even cross my mind...
If I was, I'd just be some brown yaki-fu,
probably just floating around the beautiful temari.

Himena
All ofu's the same.
Don't worry, this cutie'll make sure you fit right in.
[Good load of fucking shit that did, me saying that. Hiko-kun was gone from this world and this cutie couldn't do a thing to stop him.]
[It's nice, going all out making ozouni.]
[Unlike my home, they accept anything, anyone.]

Tsuruno
Alright, here we gooo!

Felicia
Here comes the all-out ozouni!

Ui
It's all dooone!

Sana
It's even more delicious looking than I could have ever imagined...!

Iroha
Aika-san's ofu adds so many colors to it that it looks wonderful!

Yachiyo
And the yaki-fu adds a nice accent to it as well.

Himena
I see, that's great...!

Felicia
Uwah - and it's friggin' yummy!

Himena
It's full of various ingredients, but they all settled together so nicely.

Yachiyo
I wouldn't want to make something if it didn't taste good.

Iroha
It was some hard work, but everyone's colors all joined together.

Himena
.....

Yachiyo
Is something wrong?

Himena
I was just thinking...that this year is going to be better than I thought, is all.


-7-

["I'm hooome."]

Himena's Mother
Where have you been!? I even tried calling you...!

Himena
Nowhere, just a friend's place.

Himena's Mother
You don't even care how your parents feel...
...I have ozouni that's warmed up if you want to eat some.

Himena
(Even if she doesn't understand me, even if things are all messed up right now,)
(if I calmly told her about Hiko-kun, I wonder if she would accept me...)
(Like Mikazuki Villa's ozouni...)
...I'll have some.

Himena's Mother
Mochi has to be baked, so there isn't any in it,
but it's just a holdover until dinner, so it's staying that way.

Himena
...Thank you.
Smells nice... Like our New Year's is here.

Himena's Mother
The Aika family has a particular taste, so our recipe never, ever changes.

Himena
[I knew it... Mama's words just now spelled out the answer.]
[No matter what colors of ofu I put in, no matter what ingredients go in, in this house, there's never, ever any fitting in.]
[The girls at Mikazuki Villa, unrelated by blood and from different walks of life, they live so disconnected from the real world because they're Magical Girls, just swallowing all the sickening noise.]
[They're...a different kind of family, after all... They don't understand a thing unless their world gets turned upside-down...]
[The ofu called this cutie, the Yaki-fu called Hiko-kun, in this world we're nothing but floating oil.]

Himena's Mother
Hey, Himena, this is the year you...

Himena
(Ahh, right... So the only way left is...this one.)
Wait.

Himena's Mother
W-what...?

Himena
Let's make an unwritten rule to not speak of Hiko-kun to one another.
I'll get through this on my own, so you just quietly watch over me.
I'd rather not be forced to try to go along with this. It's better if I just separate myself.
So please. Don't say anything more, please.
[I think the relationship between this cutie and my family is still going to be terrible this year.]
[And my omikuji was terrible luck, too...]
[But this cutie also saw what was written about my wish.]
["Endure and it will come true."]
[To get Hiko-kun and this cutie accepted in the future, I'm trying hard to endure right now. Because I want to grow bigger and better...]

Himena
Guys!
This year Neo-Magius is gonna be turning the tables on our terribe luck!

Shigure
Her spirits are high...

San
That's the spirit, Princess. Quite the determination.

Himena
Anywho, I wanted to say I'm looking forward to being with you all again this year!