Media

Opening: Summer of Youth, Play Ball!


Translated by Arctic Passerine

At the elf village, Misato was singing a song with the children.

Misato
Great singing, everyone! Your practice has borne fruit. It's wonderful how hard you've been working every day. You're all such good kids.

Yuuki
1. "Hello!"

Misato
My, Yuuki, hello!

Children
Hello!

Misato
Ha ha, what a wonderfully lively greeting.

Misato
So, Yuuki, what business do you have today?

Misato
My, a delivery for me? A letter from the "Guild Management Bureau", I see. What could it be? ... Oh, my, my!

Boy
Hey, hey, Miss Misato, what's it say?

Later.

Hatsune
Whaaaat!? Miss Misato, you're gonna become a teacher at a faraway school!?

Misato
Yes. The Guild Management Bureau asked me to serve as a special lecturer. The school seems to be one that is close by the sea.

Misato
I've never been to the sea before, so I'm very excited. I've read of it in books, but I wonder what kind of place it really is!

Misato
I'll only be back after the end of summer, so can I count on you to look after things here until then, Hatsune? I'd like you and Aoi to work with each other.

Hatsune
I see, but I'll miss you while you're gone. ... Oh, I know!

Hatsune
Hey, you! While Miss Misato's away, you should help us out with Forestier's work! Nice idea! Kiraaan!

Misato
Oh, my, I'm sorry, Hatsune. I'm already planning to have him come along with me as my assistant. I asked him when he delivered the letter to me.

Misato
Since he's been to both Lucent Academy and St. Theresa's School for Girls, he's even more familiar with different schools than I am, so I thought it'd be perfect.

Misato
So, Yuuki, I'm looking forward to working with you then.

Later.

Misato
Yuuki, it's time to wake up. We're almost at the school!

Misato
Ha ha, good morning. You certainly slept soundly. It was a long journey, so it's only natural.

Misato
I've been thinking all this time about how the students will be. I'm so excited!

Misato
It seems like the students will be close in age to you, Yuuki. I hope this can be a meaningful experience for you, too.

Misato
A good greeting is essential. We should be energetic, so that we can leave a good impression!

Misato
To prepare for that, feel free to rest on my lap a little longer. There, there.

Later.

Misato
Everyone, hello! I'll be serving as your special lecturer starting today, and Yuuki here will be my assistant. We won't be here for too long, but I hope we can all get along!

Student 1
Can it! Something important's happening today!

Misato
Oh...?

Student 1
Hey, kid. See me behind the school. We'll have ourselves a one-on-one!

Student 3
You wanna lose your lunch that badly, fine. If an old fogey like you messes with me, then you'll be graduating from life before you know it.

Student 2
Ahaha! This is getting interesting! Do it!

Misato
Oh my, everyone is so lively! Are many schools like this?

Yuuki
1. "They are."
2. "I'm not sure about that."

Option 1.

Misato
Ha ha, what fun! I hope we can break the ice and get along well!

Option 2.

Misato
Oh my, is that so? But I think this must be a truly wonderful school, to be full of such vigor!

End of branches.

???
Hey, everyone, be quiet. The teacher's trying to greet us.

???
Shut it, Asahi! Don't get in the way of our fun!

Asahi
... I'm sorry, teacher. Our school can be quite noisy...

Asahi
I'm Asahi. I guess you can call me the captain of this school's beach baseball club.

Misato
Beach baseball club? What kind of club is that? I'd never heard of anything like this in the elven village...

Asahi
To explain it simply... It's a sport where you throw a beach ball and hit it with a bat. It feels great to play it on hot, sunny days!

Misato
I see! That sounds like fun!

Asahi
This school used to be renowned in beach baseball, and we evem made the national tournament, though it only happened once.

Asahi
But this school falls into rougher shape every year, so our members have continued to decline, and we don't have a club advisor anymore...

Asahi
Since I was little, I've dreamed of attending a national tourmanent like that, but often times, I don't feel confident that such a big dream can really be achieved...

Misato
My, my... But I think that's quite a wonderful dream. You should have confidence. How many members do you have aside from yourself?

Asahi
Aside from me, there's the three people who were squabbling just now...

Student
Huh?

Misato
Ah, so it's you three vigorous students!

Student 1
Hey, there's someone else who you can't forget, too. The one dozing off by the window seat...

???
Zzz, zzz... Huh?

Student 1
Daichi's a member too.

Misato
Oh my, I see. Pleased to meet you, Daichi!

Daichi
Man... I was having a nice nap when you woke me up.

Student 1
Our new teacher wanted to meet the members of the beach baseball club. Right, Asahi?

Asahi
Yeah, uh... That's right.

Daichi
You're a persistent one... I've already quit beach baseball. I'm done chasing that little ball around.

Daichi
I'm not gonna waste time tiring myself out practicing, only to get knocked out in the first round.

Daichi
It's more meaningful to just spend our youth having fun doing things that we actually enjoy. Don't you think?

Student 1
I agree completely! That's essential to student life! Even a brat like you says some good stuff sometimes! Ha ha ha!

Student 2
No, you need to hurry up and graduate already!

Daichi
Asahi, haven't you realized how much time you've spent chasing this unattainable dream?''

Asahi
It might be unattainable, but at least I have dreams. Daichi, even you used to be in this together with me...

Daichi
You're getting on my nerves... I've already left that behind. Some things are impossible.

Misato
My, my, you mustn't speak ill of others' dreams like that. People's wishes can become their strength.

Misato
I think it's quite wonderful to have dreams and goals. No matter what it is that you strive for, I'll be behind you one hundred percent!

Daichi
Hmph... Don't butt in.

Misato
My, where are you going? Class is starting now.

Daichi
The bathroom. I've got a stomach ache now.

Student 2
Oh, I've got a headache, so I need the bathroom too!

Misato
Oh my, everyone seems unwell. How worrying... Once they're done with the bathroom, they should go to the nurse's office.

Asahi
Uh... Y-Yeah. Anyway, thank you for standing up for me earlier.

Misato
No, it was nothing. I truly believe that your dream is a splendid one.

Asahi
Leaving aside the other members... Despite Daichi's current feelings about things, he's actually an amazing player.

Asahi
He's basically the best pitcher in our generation. I didn't think he would be staying in school for long.

Asahi
But one day, he suddenly stopped showing up to practice... If we could just find an advisor and return our club activities to normal, then maybe... Ah, sorry. I've been rambling.

Misato
Ha ha, not at all. I can see that you truly love beach baseball. Thank you for the thorough explanation.

Misato
Then, who would like to introduce themselves next?

Later.

Misato
Pardon me, Mister Principal. Homeroom has ended.

Principal
Oh, Miss Misato. How did things go? I know things here must be entirely different from your usual duties in the elven village, but I hope you'll grow accustomed little by little.

Misato
It was quite exciting to see such lively students. I'm quite looking forward to the rest of this appointment.

Principal
My, it's a little embarrassing to discuss. One could say that it's normal for children of this age, but our school does have... a rather large number of problematic students.

Misato
On that subject... Might I ask you for a favor?

Principal
Of course. If you have a request, then I'll do all I can do fulfill it, so please tell me.

Misato
I'm glad to hear it. Then, would you allow me to serve as the advisor for the beach baseball club?

Principal
Huh? ... What was that?

Misato
In homeroom earlier, I heard that this club had aspirations of holding a national tourmanent, but they were in dire straits without an advisor.

Misato
Seeing them so focused on that dream of theirs, I thought I would try to support them as their advisor.

Misato
Ah, of course, this won't affect the curriculum that we had originally planned.

Principal
... I see. I deeply apologize, but I must remind you that we appointed you to serve as a special lecturer, as confirmed by the Guild Management Bureau.

Principal
I'm afraid I can't accede to your request. I must ask you to stick to the curriculum that we planned, Miss Misato.

Misato
Oh my, but why? The children in this club are troubled...

Principal
... The beach baseball club is due to be abolished, you see. So they have no need for an advisor.

Misato
Oh my, how terrible! Abolished... But then, why are there still members?

Principal
It was something that was decided some time ago.

Principal
I'd thought you might have heard from the students, but the strength of the club grows worse every year. The club also incurs significant expenses, so there's no need for their continued existence.

Misato
So perhaps if there were a reason for their existence, then... In that case, what they participate in the national tournament this summer?

Principal
... National tournament? Is this a serious suggestion? There's no way this could possibly be achieved. Some dreams are only dreams.

Misato
I'm quite serious! By participating in this tournament, the members of the club will have a chance to show their true strength, won't they?

Misato
I believe in the power of these students to work towards achieving their dreams. If they believe strongly enough, then I think there's nothing they can't do.

Principal
I think belief alone is of no use... But very well. The club is still due to be abolished.

Principal
But if they can qualify for this summer's national tournament, then we can allow them to be reinstated.

Principal
However, if they do not participate in the tournament, then they will be abolished as planned. Does that work?

Misato
Thank you! I'll put my all towards serving as their advisor during this appointment. I'm looking forward to it!

With that, Misato became the advisor of the beach baseball club at the school where she'd been appointed a special lecturer.