Episode 2: Preparing for Business!
Scene: The farm at Elizabeth Park.
It was several days after the cows had been confiscated. Everyone from Elizabeth Park had been working hard towards the goal of opening the hot spring on the farm.
Lima
Mahiru! I've got the lumber you said we needed!
Mahiru
Leave it right over there. I'll handle the detailed work -- just keep bringing more, Limalima.
Lima
Got it!
Shiori
Hey, Mahiru. I drew a picture of how I think the lounge for the hot spring could look -- what do you think?
Mahiru
Ooh, a bed where people can lie down. I see, I see, that seems better than just having some chairs. Way to go, Shiori -- you really understand how the hot spring customers would feel!
Shiori
This is the kind of thing I've learned from personal experiences. But, if we have to make a bed, then that'll be more work for you, Mahiru...
Mahiru
Hey, don't worry about me. This whole foreclosure was my problem to begin with, so I should be thanking you and everyone else for helping me out...
Shiori
Mahiru, that's just our unspoken promise to you. We're all doing this because we want to.
Mahiru
Shioshio... Thank you so much! If everyone's heart is in it, then this hot spring is sure to turn out great!
Shiori
Yes! I'm sure that, as we speak, Rin and Yuuki are hard at work passing out flyers. I can't fall behind them.
Mahiru
That's right. Even Rinrin is working hard at this. So there's no way that any of us can do anything less!
Scene: A town square in Landsol.
Rin
Ahh, this is annoying. Really annoying. Super annoying...
Yuuki
1. "Are you not handing out flyers?"
Rin
I'm handing them out. I'm handing them out, but that doesn't make it less annoying.
Rin
Shiorin worked super hard to make these flyers, so I know I've gotta hand them out. But I'm totally not cut out fot this kind of stuff after all.
Yuuki
1. "I'll do it for you."
2. "Remember, this is important."
Option 1.
Rin
Really? In that case, be my guest... Not. C'mon, I'm not that rotten.
Rin
If I'd been planning to push everything onto you, then I wouldn't have come all the way here in the first place.
Option 2.
Rin
That's right. Shiori did her best on these, after all.
Rin
I've gotta keep the precious, precious feelings in these flyers safe... No, wait, that's totally wrong. I don't even know why I said that.
End of branches.
Rin
Sigh, I know, I know. Even though I kinda wanna just get rid of these as soon as possible, I'll hand them out right. It'll help everyone else, after all.
Rin
First off, let's post a flyer on the bulletin board...
Later.
Rin
Ahhh... So tired... You're always doing stuff like this, huh... I'm kind of impressed... Well, we've finished handing everything out, so let's go back to the farm.
Yuuki
1. "We're not done yet."
Rin
No, we're totally done. We've passed out flyers all around town. My work here is done. Yep, all in a day's work.
Rin
......
Rin
Ahhh, okay, okay. I know already. We've still gotta hand out flyers outside of town, too.
Rin
Okay, let's get HYPED!
Scene: A forest in the countryside.
Rin
Wait, what?
Rin
I was seriously fired up just now, you know? I don't get why you brought me to this totally uninhabited forest.
Rin
We've been passing out flyers to people on the way here, sure, but isn't there nobody in this forest?
Yuuki
1. "It's a shortcut."
Rin
A shortcut to where...?
Scene: The yard at Sarendia Orphanage.
Rin
Where's this...?
Girl
Oh, big brother Yuuki! Welcome back! Did you come to play? Or did you need to talk to Mama Saren about something?
Rin
Mama Saren...? Oh, that means this must be the Sarendia Orphanage. The people here helped us out with all kinds of stuff back when Elizabeth Park got smashed up.
Boy
Elizabeth Park!? That means Mahiru is here!
Saren
Hey, you could hurt yourself if you start running so suddenly. Ah, wait. It's you, Yuuki.
Saren
Did you bring that girl to be placed under our care?
Rin
Huh? By "that girl," you mean me? No, no! I work at Elizabeth Park... Well, sort of work... I mean, yeah, I work there, okay?
Saren
Forgive me if I heard incorrectly, but... Now that I hear your voice, I'm reminded of a few girls from Kaon who transferred over to Elizabeth Park.
Rin
Right, right. I'm one of those girls -- my name's Rin.
Saren
Does that mean you've come to deliver us more milk? Thank you for going through the trouble, as always.
Rin
Milk? What are you talking about?
Girl
Mahiru always brings us milk! It's really tasty! I don't really like milk, but the milk that Mahiru brings is so good that I always drink it all!
Boy
Hey, is Mahiru not coming today? She promised last time that she was gonna tell us some really funny jokes!
Rin
Whoa, whoa, that's too much for me to take in at once.
Saren
Now, now, you two, don't cause this girl trouble. I'm sorry -- it's just that the children here love Mahiru so.
Rin
Does Mahi come to the Sarendia Orphanage often?
Saren
Mahiru comes by regularly to give us milk and cheese as presents. She always says that it's in return for all the help we provided with rebuilding the farm.
Saren
It's a huge boon to me, with all the children I have to feed here, but Elizabeth Park also has its own fair share of troubles, doesn't it? So I always say, if anything comes up, don't hesitate to call on us for help.
Rin
Ah, I can imagine Mahi doing that. But... I'm sorry. The truth is, we won't be able to provide any more milk for a while.
Saren
... I suppose that she really was stretching herself thin with those presents.
Rin
Ah, no, I mean, it's true that the business side of Elizabeth Park has been in big trouble for a while, but I think Mahi would want to send milk just the same as always.
Rin
It's just that, as much as we wish we could, without any cows, we won't be able to send any...
Saren
Without any cows? What do you mean?
Rin
Um...
Later.
Saren
Such a thing really happened?
Rin
So, now, we're starting up a hot spring.
Saren
I didn't know there was a spring out there, but... The fact that there is one is good news for you.
Saren
I suppose that Christina's actions do lead to good things every so often.
Rin
I'm really sorry we don't have any milk for you, but if you have the chance, you should come try out our hot spring. I bet Mahi will be really happy to see the kid's faces, too.
Boy
We get to go to Mahiru's farm!? I wanna go!
Girl
I also wanna go!
Saren
If you children are so excited about it, then I suppose we can make it happen.
Rin
Thanks a bunch. Well, we've got to keep on spreading the word about this hot spring.
Saren
Send my regards to Mahiru. It sounds like quite a difficult situation, but... Do your best.
Scene: A road outside Landsol.
Rin
Hey, lemme ask you something. Did you take me to the Sarendia Orphanage to get me motivated to do all this?
Yuuki
1. "Are you not motivated?"
2. "What do you mean?"
Option 1.
Rin
Did I say anything about that? I'm not unmotivated at all. It just, well, took me a little time to get on board.
Rin
Like, you don't need to do anything extra to motivate me, okay? I'm already motivated enough as it is. But, well, thanks.
Option 2.
Rin
C'mon, you're bad at playing dumb. Well, it's all right. I'll just pretend it was by chance.
End of branches.
Rin
Hah... Because of you, I feel like I want to put in some more effort. So, let's head back to town one more time. I've thought of something else we can do.
Yuuki
1. "Let's do everything we can."
Rin
You would say that. Ah, this really isn't like me at all...
Scene: A town square in Landsol.
Rin
We're the very same Elizabeth Park that brings you cheese and milk. And now, we're opening up a hot spring! An all-natural spring with water straight from the source.
Rin
If you want to recover from your daily stress, then we'll be waiting for you at Elizabeth Park.
Rin
Hm? What, don't look at me so weirdly. Are you surprised to hear that I'm such a smooth talker?
Rin
I was thinking about the best way to spread the word on the way back here. We won't get very far by just silently handing out flyers, after all.
Rin
Now, I'm here doing all of this, so you've got to hand out the flyers. C'mon, get on it.
Rin
We're the very same Elizabeth Park that brings you cheese and milk. And now, we're opening up a hot spring! An all-natural spring with water straight from the source.
Subordinate
......
Scene: Night, on a road outside Landsol.
Rin
I wonder if everyone's worried about us taking this long.
Rin
Probably not. I bet they just think I'm slacking off.
Yuuki
1. "I don't think so."
Rin
Come on, I don't need you to cheer me up. I know myself better than anyone.
Rin
I've just got to work hard enough to make up for how much they let me get away with taking it easy before.
Scene: Night, at Elizabeth Park.
Rin
Whoa, awesome. It really looks like a hot spring!
Lima
Rin! Welcome back!
Shiori
I was worried because you were out so late.
Rin
No need to worry. I handed out the flyers diligently, without any slacking.
Shiori
...? That's not what I was worried about, though?
Mahiru
Thanks for working so late. You must be tired. I've made the hot spring squeaky clean, so go ahead and take a load off.
Yuuki
1. "See?"
Rin
Hey, don't smirk at me like that... But, you were right. This is exactly the kind of guild that I could work hard for.
Shiori
What are you talking about?
Rin
Oh, nothing.
Lima
What, what? I see that little smile on your face. Did something good happen?
Rin
Really, it's nothing. Besides, we can't really relax until the hot spring succeeds.
Mahiru
That's true. But you've all worked so hard. I really believe that it'll turn out well.
With that, the members of Elizabeth Park looked up at the starry sky, as if praying.