HtH104 – Opening Day
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Lumi welcomes the house guests.
The girl sits quite still in the center of the room.
She watches from inside The Echoes Chamber, thirty minutes before Opening Day. Outside the large windows which show the front garden, the rest of her genmates are setting up a small snack table; for the guests who would be passing by anytime soon.
There is a quiet, composed air inside the room.
This is it, the crossing of a threshold.
After today's book reading session, the house she loves dearly would be changed to the point of no return.
The house would welcome guests from the outside for the very first time.
To be honest, it was a little overwhelming. The house had been a closed off island for so long, the only source of contact with the outside world being the girls’ livestreams. Still, Lumi was not worried. She claps her hands together by herself, like one would hit two stones together to create kindling. It is not warmth she seeks from the gesture --- it is a focusing of intent, a simple acknowledgement that she and her genmates had done all they could to make today a success. And ---
"--- hello? Is this the house Delaroux?"
An unfamiliar voice calls out from an unexpected direction.
It comes from inside the house, from the side-door that leads straight to the dining room.
A young girl is peeking from the side of the white-painted door, almost like she was afraid to enter.
(A pause, a gentle shift in the air)
Lumi observes the new face--- she doesn't immediately speak, but observes the girl for a second or two. She notes the swaying of feet at the foot of the door, the slightly hesitant voice, and the somewhat familiar bluish-white hair. She wears a pair of loose denim overalls with a simple shirt underneath, her feet shaking a little in her boots.
When their eyes met, Lumi gives the slightest, almost imperceptible gesture. She tilts her head and offers a small, calming smile.
"Ahhh, I had almost thought I got the wrong place!" The little shot of courage gives the new face the confidence to cross the threshold, coming up to our teal-haired actress. "This place has so many rooms, I didn't know which way was which, so I came in from the kitchen-side!"
(a soft chime-like giggle)
"Oh... That's quite... new! Did you see our chef while coming in?"
"That I did! I see Chef Jules every other week, when she comes to the market!"
Lumi blinks, and shifts her posture somewhat.
"Welcome, new friend," Lumi says simply, "This is… a place of echoes. It holds many stories. I am Lumi. And you are…?"
"I am Agatha! I work at the market nearby... I've been watching you all from afar for a while; what I can see from the other side of the lake at least...! I sometimes spy with my eyes the tea parties little Piaccta is a host to. Then there's the big girl with blue hair who comes out to water the roses, ah! I didn't mean it like that!"
Aga-chan's eyes turn into a pair of > <, and she waves her hands frantically in front of her.
Even when closed, Lumi likes this newcomer's eyes.
They are a pair of honest eyes.
The same kind of eyes that saw Lumi through her first performances.
Lumi adjusts her posture slightly again, but it appears the guest did not notice her intentions.
"It is... nice to meet you too, Agatha." Lumi pauses, searching for common ground. "You say... you have met my genmate, Piaccta?"
"Genmate? What's that?"
"My... companion!" This time, it is Lumi's turn to hurriedly clarify herself! She had been doing this vtuber bit for so long, she had not realized that the words she uses must seem foreign to outsiders to the house!
"Ah! You bet! Piaccta sometimes comes down to the market with Jules! A real ball of energy, that one!" Agatha makes an imitation of a Piaccatian pose, pumping a fist in the air while slapping her left bicep with her other hand!
(A quiet hum, softly thoughtful)
"That indeed sounds like my... companion!"
The girls share a moment of giggling at this common recognition. At this point, Agatha finally sees what Lumi has been trying to do; Lumi had been wordlessly offering the still standing Agatha a seat beside her. Each time Agatha missed the cue, Lumi would shift her body a little further outwards--- a little further outwards more until half her body was out of the seat!
"Is... is the seat next to you taken?"
(A gentle rustle of fabric, as if adjusting a cushion again)
"No...! It's... empty! For now..."
"Then, don't mind if I do!" Agatha plops down next to Lumi, and this finally lets Lumi silently hop back into sitting position. No words are exchanged between the two shy girls, their hands on their thighs---
"Lumi!" Ablam bursts in from the room's front garden door, both hands carrying a tray of baked goodies, "We got to move the snacks for the break inside! It looks like it might rain!"
(a worried, complex chime)
"Oh no...!" Lumi stiffens up, almost like she was bracing for bad news. "Does this mean nobody is coming...?"
Ablam shakes her head rapidly, setting down the tray inside the Echoes Chamber---
Before Ablam could hurry out the door again, the stream of new faces mingled with the rest of the Echoes answered for her...
One guest...
Two guests...
Five guests...
Piaccta waving to Agatha,
Eight guests...
Minara walking in while chatting with Rie-tan,
A dozen guests...
More than a dozen guests...
"That's... That's a lot of people!" Agatha comments from the side!
The guests are ushered in by Hikari; most of the guests are shy, and wanted to sit further back. They quickly find their places amongst the girls in this warm and cosy atmosphere. The buzz of conversation is still going strong, the other Echoes must have been having a lively pre-chat outside as well!
[Clinking ding of a bell pressed three times quickly]
"Everyone," Mistrál lightly taps the side of a bell, taking a place on the front stage, "As the timer of this meeting, Mistrál would like to thank everyone for coming today on time. As the timer, Mistrál has been handed the heavy responsibility of making sure our Opening Day starts punctually!"
(light-hearted laughter from the audience)
"--- Without further ado, Mistrál shall now invite the host of today's Reading Session to come up on the stage--- the thoughtful, considerate, and most excellent Lumi!"
Lumi nearly jumps out of her seat upon hearing that!
That's right!
She's the host of tonight's Opening Day!
In this moment of giddy happiness, she had almost completely forgotten!
Bowing slightly to Agatha, Lumi takes steps towards the stage, Mistrál giving Lumi a warm grasp of encouragement.
At that moment, Lumi knew.
Today's Opening Day is going to be a success.
She looks upon the warm smiles of all the new faces looking expectantly at her.
If there were any doubts, they dissolved with the warmth of the live audience before her.
So the girl musters up all the courage and stagecraft she has,
giving a practiced bow with her long blue skirt,
"Welcome to Theatre House Delaroux, the show is about to begin!"
[Hell's Theatre, Act 3, Scene 2, Opening Day]
Recall
[R36] - Aga-chan has wanted to visit the house, all the way back from chapter 36!
We are trying something different! This is a simul-posting at the same time as the Scribblehub release! Go check out the entire series at this link! Chapter 103 was posted here first!
