A Wilted Flower
Mitsuhide: Hanabusa never used to be a coward.
Mitsuhide: The weight of expectation ate away at his heart—strong as it was—leaving the broken man you see before you.
20 Years Ago Hinomoto Hanabusa's Home
Choreographer: His technique, his youthful exuberance— I've never seen anything like it!
Choreographer: I've never seen someone so young with such talent. Sir, if I might be so bold...
Hanabusa's Father: You needn't even say it. Yes—he has the potential to be the pride of our family.
Hanabusa's Father: You will work and train harder than anyone, Hanabusa, leaving a dazzling mark upon the world of dance for generations to come!
Hanabusa: Yes, Father!
Mitsuhide: He was born a prodigy. His talents seemed limitless.
Mitsuhide: His courage was one such virtue. Even learning the most daunting routines never fazed him.
Ranzal: Huh. No foolin'?
Hanabusa: You would accuse Lady Mitsuhide of perjury?!
Ranzal: Whoa, take a breath, bud! Never said I didn't believe her!
Hanabusa: I-I'm sorry... I'm just remembering all the pressure.
Ranzal: So how'd our fearless prodigy here end up such a yellow-bellied puddin' cup?
Mitsuhide: They say that heaven is wont to challenge the strong.
Mitsuhide: In all things, Hanabusa displayed skill and finesse. His family would push him harder and harder, certain he could surpass any limit.
Mitsuhide: But he was overexerting himself, and that began to eat away at him, until eventually...
Hanabusa's Father: Your next trial is to fulfill our family's greatest ambition: performing the offering dance to Amaterasu.
Hanabusa: The offering dance...to Amaterasu...
Hanabusa's Father: Correct. To date, none have had this unique honor. If you, in your youth, were to be the first, your glory would be written in the annals of history.
Hanabusa's Father: I trust I can count on you?
Hanabusa: Yes, Father... I won't...let you...d-down...
Hanabusa's Father: Mm? Afraid I couldn't hear you.
Hanabusa's Father: Hanabusa? Hanabusa!
Mitsuhide: His spirit just...broke. He, who had never known fear, found his heart ensnared by it.
Mitsuhide: In reality, it had been there all along. But because he had been turning a blind eye to it all his life, he didn't know how to handle it.
Mitsuhide: He still doesn't.
Ranzal: Cripes... So that's how you ended up like this?
Hanabusa: ......
Ranzal: Talk about boneheaded! Why'd you let it get that bad?!
Ranzal: If you were in that much pain, you shoulda just run away! It's okay fer kids to cry, y'know! Why didn't you?
Hanabusa: Because suffering in silence is a virtue. In Hinomoto, at least.
Ranzal: The heck does that mean?
Hanabusa: No matter how arduous a trial, it's seen as shameful to turn your back on it.
Hanabusa: You do not complain. You silently do as you are asked—and if failure means death, you welcome it.
Hanabusa: That's the way we're taught to live.
Mitsuhide: This is especially true if you're born to a family of dancers. This is the fate of those born in Hinomoto—no one can escape it.
Mitsuhide: That is just how it is.
Ranzal: That's crazy. But what about you, Mitsuhide?
Ranzal: YOU sure don't come across that way. Yer always sleepin'!
Mitsuhide: That's different!
Hanabusa: This was all brought on by my own inadequacy.
Hanabusa: I should never have given up. If I had kept persevering, by now I would have—
???: That line of thinking is dangerous, you know.
Ranzal: Who's that?
Nurse with Two Personalities Aeleen
Ranzal: Oh, Aeleen! Whatcha doin' here?
Nurse Aeleen: I'm sorry—I heard people talking from a distance, and felt compelled to investigate.
Nurse Aeleen: I have to say—there's nothing to be gained from that line of thinking, Hanabusa.
Nurse Aeleen: Human beings are fallible. We can't go through life being so hard on ourselves. Otherwise, it's a fast-track to depression.
Hanabusa: Is that so? I'm not much of an expert when it comes to handling emotions.
Nurse Aeleen: As long as I'm not overstepping, how about I try looking after him for a while?
Ranzal: Ya think you can help him recover?
Nurse Aeleen: I am a nurse, after all. Perhaps I can help him work through some of his feelings.
Nurse Aeleen: I can't turn my back on a person in need. I'm sure I can help, given enough time.
Mitsuhide: Fine by me. But I hope you know what you're getting yourself into.
Hanabusa: I don't want to trouble you, though— Urgh... My stomach...
Mitsuhide: See? You really want to spend all day with this guy? He's liable to ruin your dress.
Nurse Aeleen: Are you all right? Here, take some of this medicine and give me some deep breaths.
Hanabusa: Huh? U-uh, yes, ma'am...
Ranzal: Wait, maybe this'll work out! She's always got stomach meds on her, and she knows how to deal with people like him.
Ranzal: You got this, Aeleen! Help our boy genius here get his groove back!
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