Character Quest:Ashigara:VN:1

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Background: Field

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Wandersmogel!

What was that all about, Ashigara?

What the heck is a smogel....

You're as weird as ever today!

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Hey, what's with that expression! Settle down, Player！

Sheesh, the great Ashigara is giving you a personal lesson on sumo here.

And that's why I need to increase tension! You know, like when you shout to power up?

By the way, I got the idea for that shout from before from that mountain guy, Zaou.

We sumo fighters gotta be all fashionable and in-the-now to get more newcomers！

That's not what I'd call fashionable...

You're the same as ever, Ashigara-senpai

So now you've got more weird things to shout...

Anyway, talking is nice and all, but let's get started on our exercises.

Listen, just copy my movements and we'll do it together。

Ashigara sits down, spreads his legs, and moves his upper body down in front.

Because of his thick belly, it's not perfect, but he goes into a very nice seated straddle position

Hey, quit staring, spread your legs, and bend over already!

Sorry, my body is too stiff to do it.
Good grief, how sad. C'mon, I'll get behind you and slowly push your back. SFX: Heave！ ……eh、what、what'dya mean it hurts!?　 I haven't even pushed you a single inch! C'mon, a bit more...hey, quit shouting! SFX: Geez, this is sad. There are limits to how little exercise one can have...

Is this okay？
Ohoh, you've got some good muscles. When flexing, make sure to breath out.。 When you're done with that, touch your tippy-toes with both hands Good work. Having a flexible body is important, so take care of it。。

Hey look, I can grab my nose with my toes!
Wuuuh!? What are you, a ballerina!? Hmm, I guess I can't showoff my flexibility anymore...

Ohoh, you've got some good muscles. When flexing, make sure to breath out.。

When you're done with that, touch your tippy-toes with both hands

Good work. Having a flexible body is important, so take care of it。。

After that, Ashigara bends his body, and politely continues his stretches.

If you think sumo practice isn all about standing, striking, and shuffling, you're wrong.

It's really more about loosening up your joints.

If you loosen up your body, you won't get injured as easily, and you'll adapt faster to the opponents movements.

So unlike baseball or soccer practice, sumo practice is more like gymnastics.

!Mentioning baseball reminded me

Where's all the usual members?

They're all out having practice matches at their own clubs.

Everyone is all over the place, so having them come over to help me wouldn't be fair.

And you seemed like you had some free time, so I thought I'd call you over!

I didn't really have free time, though.

So you were feeling lonely all by yourself.

H, hey! Why would you say something mean like that!

And also, uh, it's not really that I was lonely or anything...

I just...had something I wanted to tell you...

Eh, uh, just forget it! Up next is running! We're going to the river!

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With remarkable speed, Ashigara stomps his legs and runs all the way to the neck of the river.

Even after that, he's not the least bit winded. This must be the result of daily practice.

Gahahaha! How was that, sometimes stuff like this can be fun!

I'm...out of...breath...

Aren't you getting full of yourself, senpai?

Is this really the usual sports club practice!?

What, you're tired already? How pathetic.

The guy I used to run along my old mountain with was a lot more....ah, nevermind.

Can you really handle things like that? You must've gone through some crazy stuff recently, too.

Don't give me that look. Even I know about that.

Even Barguest has told me all about it.

Even someone distant like me has heard about your exploits. ...You've been through some tough stuff, huh?

It hasn't really been that tough.

I didn't want to worry you, senpai.

Thank you for worrying about me.

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...Gr, grrrrr! Now I'm annoyed!

What's with that attitude! Acting all reserved like I'm your guest!

Or maybe, you're trying to say you can't rely on me!

Due to his sudden bad mood, Ashigara's face turns red and pouts.

Whatever, let's just practice! In times like this, talking isn't going to help!

Take a stance over there! I'll give you a lesson personally!

If you hold back even a little bit, I'll blow you away! Get ready!

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H...how was that! That one attack rattled you bad!

That was my famous teppou, that made even that person groan in pain countless times!

Or maybe even that wasn't enough! You want another go!?

W, wait a minute.

You're acting strange today, sempai.

Please explain before we get back to practice.

I, I'm the same as always. There's nothing strange...

……。

No, you're right. I got it already, so don't give me those puppy eyes.

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It's just, you know. I was worried about you.

I heard you got mixed in some crazy stuff. Oh yeah, I even heard that you got shot with a pistol.

I've heard a lot about all the dangerous stuff going on around Shinjuku.

So, I..I didn't want to just stand around, so I called you.

You really are a nice guy, Ashigara-senpai.
D, dumbass! Don't call me nice just for doing that! Anyone would worry when someone as cute as you gets in a pinch, kouhai!

Are you practicing with me so I can learn to defend myself?
There's a few things about you that could use some work. It seemed like a good opportunity, and you seemed free, so I thought we'd practice!

So it's not that you wanted to ask me on a date?
A d, d, d-d-d-daaaate!? W-w-w-what crude stuff are you...and my, my heart isn't prepared to...I mean, wait! You dummy! Quit teasing your senpai!

おんしはちぃっと、 頼りないところがあるからのう。

It seemed like a good opportunity, and you seemed free, so I thought we'd practice!

Hey...player.

You're not going to leave me and go off somewhere far away, are you?

Where is this coming from?

You really are strange, Ashigara-senpai.

....Sorry. It's just, I feel strange when I look at you.

You make me remember some idiot who used to be my friend.

Let me hear about him.

Who is this idiot you're talking about?

<speed=0.1>……。</speed> Phew...

Eh, fine. But it'll be a bit long, okay?

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It's from a long time ago, before I came to this world

On the mountain I used to live, he just suddenly appeared one day.

By that time, I had no doubts that I was the strongest guy in the whole world.

Even so, that idiot...he beat me easily.

So he completely destroyed you.
N, not completely！ I lasted about 5 minutes, and at the end I.... I mean, uh...right. He was pretty strong. But at the time, I didn't really care that I lost, okay.

You're friends that were born from fighting！
It wasn't anything as manga-like as that. We fought every time we even looked at each other. Although, after we fought, we did always have a meal together, and go for a swim.

So was this person really good at sumo too?
Yeah, but it wasn't really so much sumo as pure physical strength. The guy was even able to pick me up with one hand and toss me... After that, I trained, and taught him what sumo was really all about!

It wasn't anything as manga-like as that. We fought every time we even looked at each other.

Although, after we fought, we did always have a meal together, and go for a swim.

And after that, we did everything together. From morning to night, we ran all along the mountain.

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Then one day, he said he was going to go down the mountain.

He said "I'm going to go down the mountain, enter the city, and become a great warrior." ってな。

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For 3 days and 3 nights, we fought each other.

I tried my best to convince him not to go to that damn city。

Why shouldn't he have gone to the city?
Back then, the city was a wreck. There were even all sorts of stories of earthquakes, tornadoes, and monsters. Not to mention all sorts of thieves and thugs. There's no way I could want a friend to go to a place like that.

You should've gone together.
Unlike me, that person was carrying a very important role. He worked for some extremely important big-shot...there's no way I could follow a guy like that. ……No, that's not true. That was...yeah, just an excuse. Actually, I was scared. I was afraid to leave my mountain and go to some unfamiliar city.

Back then, the city was a wreck. There were even all sorts of stories of earthquakes, tornadoes, and monsters.

Not to mention all sorts of thieves and thugs.

There's no way I could want a friend to go to a place like that.

But he wouldn't give up. And I got fed up with it.

I said "Forget it! Go where-ever the hell you want to!"

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After that, we separated for good.

And a little bird told me that he became a great warrior.

After that, I decided to go down the mountain too. But then I was pulled to this world.

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So you have regrets.
A, are you stupid!? Like I'd feel that! There's no way I'd have regrets! It's just, I was feeling a little lonely, thats all!

I was wondering if maybe he came to Tokyo too.
Gahaha, I wonder about that. That idiot had no sense of direction. I guess it's possible he's in a completely different world, causing trouble somewhere!

A, are you stupid!? Like I'd feel that! There's no way I'd have regrets!

It's just, I was feeling a little lonely, thats all!

...Sorry you had to listen to such a boring story. I'm done complaining.

Anyway, we're done with practice, so let's get something to eat! I know a great chanko shop.

And of course, it's my treat! Eat up, and get stronger!

Hm? What's wrong, somethin' bugging ya?

I'm glad I'm your kouhai, senpai.

I like you a lot, Ashigara-senpai.

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……！ Wh, what the hell are you...agh, I bit my tongue!

...Um, I, I also....if I hated you, why the hell would I have told you all that!

You don't need to tell your senpai everything. I'm the one who taught you sumo！

That means I'm your senpai! And what a senpai says, is absolute!

...So, uh, from now on....you better love me as in your senpai...

Don't leave me all alone....got it, Player!

Yes, Ashigara-senpai.

Of course!

（Laugh）

Alright! Let's make a dash for the chanko restaurant!

Don't lag behind！ Got it!

Right, senpai！

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Before running off, you catch a glimpse of Ashigara's face.

He seems to be embarrassed, or maybe it's a satisfied face.

In order to get closer to that face, you step up your pace, and run as fast as you can.

Beneath the blue sky, the distance between your two shadows closes as you run towards the city.

To a lonely someone 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　-END -

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