Memory 12 - Significant Positive; Memory 13 - Trivial Positive

[boxupallthebutterflies]

furniture adventureeesssss and spoilers and stuff. WELL-TIMED!

and then I got distracted threading instead of doing the writeup part and it's too late now so I'll just post this and fill in the summary parts tomorrow...

THE MEMORY:

[Setting: In the rose garden, under the gazebo with George at night, in the heavy rain of the typhoon. They are mid-conversation about Beatrice's arrival at the mansion.]

SHANNON: ...I do not know what happened after that. We servants were ordered not to approach the dining room...

GEORGE: ...I see. So, Shannon, have you ever met this person called Beatrice before?

SHANNON: ...I don't know. ...For us servants, Beatrice-sama is another master of this mansion. ...Some say something like we were influenced by the Master and spread that rumor... but since the time I started working here, the story of Beatrice-sama was already whispered about.

GEORGE: I heard about it before. ...There was a servant who didn't respect her, was cursed, and actually had an accident.

SHANNON: Yeah... but it's true that some people believed more or less than others. ...I, umm... believe that respect for that sort of thing shouldn't be forgotten, so I have never doubted that she exists. ...I dimly believed that a... umm... uncertain being called the Golden Witch surely existed.

GEORGE: ...And then that witch whose existence was uncertain actually showed herself and appeared openly from the entrance hall... is that what happened?

SHANNON: ...I don't know. ...I don't know... anything.

GEORGE: ...When you brought her dinner, did you talk about anything?

SHANNON: ...No, nothing.

GEORGE: I see. ...Still, a witch that eats food somehow doesn't sound so realistic. Maybe it's just someone who knows about the witch legend on this island taking on Beatrice's name after all. ...I think that you've probably come to respect Beatrice and think of her as something like a guardian god of the mansion. So when a person appeared actually calling themselves that, maybe you were a little disturbed.

SHANNON: ...That's right. I'm sure that might be the case.

[Shannon is bitter and sad. According to the witch, the door to the Golden Land has been opened, signaling the demise of everything. Even if she accepted George's ring, they could never be married... and did furniture like her have the right to be married in the first place? Even if the witch didn't foretell their demise, wasn't that relationship fated to fail eventually? Had she focused so much on her time with George that she purposefully averted her eyes from the sad reality?]

GEORGE: ...What's wrong? ...You really haven't looked well for a while now.

SHANNON: George-san. ...What does it mean... to be engaged?

GEORGE: Huh?! Ah... err! It means making a promise to marry. ...But I think that means it's the same thing as marriage. ...Honestly, I want to take you as my wife right now, and take you back home. ...But right now, I am in the middle of training, and I'm still a long way from gaining the ability needed to create my own castle. That's why I want to stick out my chest for the first time since becoming an adult and take you home with me. I'm not talking about the distant future. I just want you to wait a short three years. ...But that doesn't mean I want to lie about our feelings for another three years. So... I decided to give you an engagement ring. ...That might be a shameful reason as a man. An engagement because I want you to wait, because I can't balance a wife and a job, might be shameful. ...But I will definitely--

SHANNON: ...Thank you very much. ...I understand that to you, George-san, this engagement ring isn't just another present you would give to a lover.

GEORGE: Th-That was sudden. An engagement ring isn't a simple accessory. It's an oath between lovers, an honored promise left in the form of a ring.

SHANNON: ...*giggle*. ...In that case, if we get married quickly, it would become unnecessary, right?

GEORGE: Th-Then it won't be an engagement ring. I'll give it to you as a wedding ring. ...Either way, it won't change the fact that I'll give you a ring.

SHANNON: So it's a sales contract, like saying "This woman is mine, nobody touch her."

GEORGE: Nn... no, umm... that's not what I... *cough*. ...No... that may be true. ...Sayo. I'll make you my wife. ...I won't give you to anyone else. I'll make you all mine. ...So no one will lay a hand on you. ...That's what this ring is. ...Without a doubt.

SHANNON: Thank you very much, George-san. ...I'm truly, happy.

["Then, George-san. ...If it was decided by fate that this engagement ring... that this promise would not be fulfilled... would you still give it to me...?" ...She considers asking this, but swallows her words. George has already spoken the answer.]

GEORGE: Therefore. ...I will stop calling this an engagement ring. From now on, this isn't an engagement. It's a wedding ring.

SHANNON: I... Is that alright...? Is it alright to, umm, just proclaim that we're married without God's blessing...?

GEORGE: Yeah. It's enough to tell God, Father, and Mother about it afterwards. We'll claim that we are married. ...No one can cover that up.

SHANNON: ...George-san...

GEORGE: I'm not saying this because of a momentary emotion. I'm not just looking at how you are now. ...I'm looking at the you of tomorrow, of the next day. ...I'm even gazing at you as you'll be in old age, in the future, as I say this.

SHANNON: ...You are always talking, George-san. ...About how you want to spend your old age slowly, surrounded by healthy children and grandchildren.

GEORGE: Yeah. At that time, an older you will be beside me. That is what I say, no, what I foresee. ...Yes. Because that day will surely come.

SHANNON: ...Will it... surely come? ...

GEORGE: Yes. Surely. Definitely. ...And this ring proves it without words.

SHANNON: ...Please... show me.

GEORGE: Huh? Ah, ah, ah... h-h-here it is...!

[George hurriedly takes out the ring box, but Shannon looks past that, gazing into his eyes with vague tears and a smile.]

SHANNON: ...Please... show me... that future.

GEORGE: Y... Yeah. ...I'll show you. Surely. ...I promise. ...And not just until old age. ...After we die too. ...Even if we become spirits, we'll always, always be together.

[Shannon wipes away her tears and takes the ring box, opening it to find a diamond ring.]

GEORGE: I... I want you to put that ring on, whatever finger you like, and have that be your answer. Umm, so, by tomorrow morning...

SHANNON: ...*giggle*.

[She smiles, takes the ring, and slides it onto the ring finger of her left hand, in a completely natural movement. George sits stunned.]

SHANNON: This, is my answer. George-san.

GEORGE: Shannon... no... Sayo...

SHANNON: ...Even if we become spirits... we'll always... always... be together. ...George-san.

===========

[Later, in the guesthouse hallway, Shannon speaks with Kanon.]

KANON: ...Nee-san... you're an idiot.

SHANNON: ...Is that so?

KANON: Even though you're furniture... Even though... you're furniture...!

SHANNON: I'm not furniture. Not anymore.

KANON: ...Liar!! Why are you fooling yourself?! Even though you know that you can never become human! Even though you know that you can never become human unless you go to the Golden Land!! ...Even so, why did you throw away your promise to go to the Golden Land...?!!

SHANNON: Oh yeah. By accepting the ring... that promise with Beatrice-sama comes to nothing, doesn't it? ...*giggle*, sorry.

KANON: ...From now on, I, you, George-sama, the Master, everyone, everyone has the same conditions. 13 people will be made sacrifices. Only five people will be invited to the Golden Land. ...And you... rejected one of those places yourself...

SHANNON: That's odd. ...It looks like you're the one with regrets, Kanon-kun.

KANON: You're the one with regrets, aren't you, Nee-san! You got engaged, right?! Even though you knew it was a fate that would never be fulfilled!!

SHANNON: Yes. I promised that we would always, always be together, for eternity. ...So you know what? ...In that instant, our eternity was completed. Even if we become sacrifices, it's already completed. So, it's alright. ...Kanon, you're the one who actually has regrets. ...We're furniture, right? No matter what the result, we will be freed. ...In that case, it doesn't matter whether we go to Golden Land or not. ...And yet you are set on going to the Golden Land. ...You want to become human no matter what, right? ...Why?

KANON: Because I want to become human!! I've had enough of being furniture!!

SHANNON: Why?

KANON: I also, wanted to fall in love...!!! [howling, tears in his eyes] ...I, liked Milady...!! And after seeing Milady on that day, I started liking her even more...! And when I heard that Milady also liked me, I was really happy...!! But I'm furniture... and I can't accept Milady's feelings!!

SHANNON: ...You're wrong. ...We may be furniture. We may be less than human. ...But that doesn't mean that we aren't qualified to love.

KANON: I believed that if those thoughts would never be fulfilled, it was better without them!! I just decided that someday, a day would come when I would disappear, and that would definitely hurt her... no, that's wrong!! I was just frightened!! I... was just afraid, that if the love could not be eternal, it was better without it!!

SHANNON: ...Cicadas, even though their lives last only a few weeks, fall in love and disappear. ...There are no cicadas that don't fall in love because it will be over in a few weeks.

KANON: Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!! [voice jumbled and unintelligible with crying] ...That witch is detestable...!! ...Why did she plant these feelings in me...?! If only, if only she hadn't done that weird prank, I wouldn't have paid Milady any notice...!!!

SHANNON: ...Beatrice-sama is detestable. ...To make you cry bitter tears, she played games with your fate. ...But, the witch's expectations are probably off. ...After all--knowing love isn't a regret that ties you to life. It is the place we should reach on our journey through life...

SUMMARY:

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THE MEMORY:

[Setting: The cousins' room. They are all playing cards with Kanon (although Maria, being young, is teamed up with George). The room is filled with laughter.]

GEORGE: Sorry, but I'm out!

[He slams his last card down in victory. Everyone else gasps in unison.]

BATTLER: Whoooooooa, so you really did have it, George-aniki! Damn you... damn you six of spaaaaadeeessss!

JESSICA: Your eight of diamonds was pretty nasty too. Aah, I was so close, ahahahahaha!

MARIA: Uu-uu-uu--!! You're incredible, George onii-chan! You won again!!

GEORGE: Yep, looks like we've won again. Ahahahahaha.

KANON: ...Gah... Utter defeat.

[He winces, letting his cards drop to the table. The card game had gotten fierce since Kanon had been unwilling to lose. Kanon's mood changes with every victory and defeat. Not used to playing games, Kanon takes even losses in a game seriously. But his resolution to win doesn't match up against veteran players. Kanon slumps his shoulders, and Jessica slaps him on the back.]

JESSICA: Hey, you almost had it...! Ahaha, I love fighting all-out like this!

KANON: ...Whether we went all-out or not, if we just lose in the end, it's all pointless...

JESSICA: Are you kidding me? If you really gave it your all, who cares if you lose? If you lost after hardly trying, then you'd be grumbling and complaining about how you'd have won if you'd taken it seriously, right?

BATTLER: That's right. People who really give it their all never complain. Those guys are always cheery no matter what the result.

GEORGE: That's right. And those people are scarier than anyone else. They always learn something from their experience and grow.

KANON: ...Very true. ...I was a coward, so I could never learn anything. ...I see that I am still immature.

["I am furniture, so it is useless to dream." Rigidly believing that, he had distanced himself from everything and shut himself away. Yet Shannon had progressed almost to the level of humanity. Though the old Kanon would only see this card game as a way to pass the time, the new Kanon is capable of gaining something new from this experience. Though furniture does nothing but rot over time, this growth is a privilege of humanity... Jessica and Kanon step out into the hallway.]

JESSICA: Thanks for playing with us. You probably have work to do, like filling in the log, right...? I'm really glad you decided to hang out with us.

KANON: ...Actually, I had a lot of fun. ...Not only that... I now understand why doing things like that is fun. Thank you very much for forcing me to come.

JESSICA: Let's challenge ourselves more and more. And let's go and find more and more things you didn't know about. ...O-Oh, by the way, about what we were talking about... ever wanted to try playing guitar? W-Well, it's not like I'll force you to or anything, but...

KANON: ...It must be very difficult.

JESSICA: Y-Yeah, I guess. But I'll do a good job teaching you, and I'll even practice with you. Well, I guess I'm not that much of an expert myself, hahaha...

[At first, Kanon is scared that he might make a complete fool of himself if he tried to play an instrument for the first time in his life, since he knows he would feel bad about messing up. But he is starting to learn.]

KANON: It's only natural that I'll be bad when I first start. ...If I just try to run away from that, I'll never learn a thing for all eternity. I'll never achieve anything.

JESSICA: Yep. Isn't that why people love it when they feel themselves improving? Even I sucked at making my left and right hands move at the same time when I first started...! But I slowly got the knack of it, and it started to feel more and more natural...!

KANON: ...I'd like to reach that level too. If one path to that goal is playing music with you, Milady... I would love to do that with you.

JESSICA: R-Really...?!

KANON: Yes. ...I'm sure I'll be horrible when I start, and I might even make you lose hope in me at times. ...But if I've given it my all, even messing up is no big deal. ...That's what I learned from you all just now.

JESSICA: ...Hahahahahahaha, you're embarrassing me...

KANON: Now... I like you even more, Milady. Because I averted my eyes for so long, even though you shone like the sun, I never noticed you when you were right there next to me...

JESSICA: [shy] Eheheheh. Then I'd better work even harder to make you like me even more... Ehehihi, hahyahyahya...

KANON: [expression clouding suddenly] ...Milady, the reason I like you is so clear. ...Because of that, I can't bear not knowing.

JESSICA: N-Not knowing what...?

KANON: ...Why did you start to like me? ...Unlike you, I do not shine in any sense. ...Even now, I'm just clinging to your back as you shine the way. ...I can't think of any reason why you would like a wretch like me.

JESSICA: Th... That's not true, okay?! There are all kinds of good things about you, Kanon-kun...

KANON: ...Let me swallow my pride and ask. ...What about me made you like me, Milady?

[He hangs his head. He had never learned anything, so he had never been able to take the lead. But it had made him sad and frustrated to always be the one-sided recipient of her affection. ...Jessica is speechless, biting her lower lip in frustration. Kanon finally realizes...]

KANON: ...I'm such a fool.

JESSICA: Huh?

KANON: What about me do you like? ...That very question is foolish. It's proof that I'm not serious about myself, and that I haven't been able to understand myself. ...It's horrible of me to try and make you say it for me.

JESSICA: Th-That's not true...! A-After all, it's the first question any girl would like to ask after being given a love confession...! Th-The question "What part of me do you like?"...

KANON: It was immature of me to ask you that. How could anyone like someone so immature?

JESSICA: W-Wait, that's not...

[Jessica panics, but Kanon is calm as he speaks.]

KANON: In that case... I want you to like me... the way I already like you. ...I've decided to change myself so that can happen. I can hardly imagine that you would like me the way I am. ...But someday... no matter what...

JESSICA: ...Yeah. I'm absolutely sure you'll become a wonderful person, Kanon-kun. A guy so cool that I can't keep my eyes off you. Until then, I'll stick by you all the way. ...We have plenty of time...!

KANON: ...But unfortunately, there isn't that much time left.

JESSICA: ...What about time?

KANON: When I talk about furniture... it usually saddens you. ...However, this is something I must talk to you about. And it is also something I must fight for with all my soul.

JESSICA: What are you talking about...? I don't want to hear any more of that "I'm furniture so I can't fall in love" talk. You're a human, not furniture...!

KANON: Yes. I would like to become human. However, I am still furniture.

JESSICA: In that case, just do it...!

KANON: The witch taught me once. ...The single element of this world. She said it was love. ...It's something that humans born into this world can take for granted. ...However, it is not something that those not from this world, who were born as furniture, can take for granted. ...In order to gain it for themselves, they must have magic or a miracle. ...In the same way that Nee-san and George-sama... would never have ended up as they have without borrowing the power of that golden butterfly brooch.

JESSICA: ...A golden butterfly... brooch...?

KANON: There exists a magic charm that the Golden Witch Beatrice gave to Shannon in exchange for smashing a mirror, and which made her love succeed. ...That's what this is. [pulls a single gold butterfly wing from his pocket] The magic of this brooch gave Shannon the chance she needed to start her relationship with George-sama. ...However, before that magic was fully realized, she left it to me. ...So, thanks to the power of this brooch... I gained your affection, Milady.

JESSICA: That's not true... I started liking you because of my own honest feelings...

KANON: ...Thank you very much. ...You are human, so you do not believe in witches or magic. It's only natural. ...However, as furniture created by magic, my very existence here is proof that the miracle of magic exists.

JESSICA: [smiling bitterly] S-Sorry, what are you talking about...?

KANON: ...Both Shannon and I. ...We need magic to succeed in love. The key for that is this brooch. ...I stepped on it and crushed it, so we each have one part. However, a single brooch can only grant one person's wish. ...Only one of us furniture can be joined by this single brooch.

[It starts to shine more brightly.]

JESSICA: Huh? ...Wh... What the...?!

KANON: It's okay. ...But please don't look right at it. It'll blind you.

JESSICA: Ah... aaaaahhh...!

[The glint grows stronger, shining like the sun. A sound like the roar of the wind or tide grows in intensity, already overwhelming the sound of the wind and rain outside. It's a flood of light and sound that drowns out the entire world.]

SUMMARY: