HtH108 – Eclair’s Unseen Burden
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Eclair worries about something the girls don't quite understand.
"... and that's a wrap everyone! Thank you for organizing this week's meeting as well!"
It is the tail end of another Reading Day, and Eclair had just given her feedback to the girls about this week's session. Between the sound of our actresses chatting to each other and putting the extra chairs away; our dramaturg leaves the room lightly, her footsteps a gentle farewell.
Of all the girls in the room, only Ablam notices this.
"Hey..." Ablam plops down on the comfy chair that has been put back in the middle of the room, "Don't you all think Eclair's been in a bit of a mood?"
There is a pause in the room, but not enough to disrupt the cheery atmosphere that remained.
"Dunno, she seems just bout' the same to me?" The house guest, House, had come for a meeting this week as well. Staying behind to help the girls clean up, she helps herself to leftover slices of fluffy cake, one in each hand!
Ablam folds her arms, deep in thought.
"Yeah, it's definitely strange. She feels like she's rushing off somewhere, all the time."
(a soft chime, then soft tingles on an instrument)
"Now that you mention it, I wonder why Miss Dramaturg doesn't stay for a moment longer with us."
The speaker of course, is Lumi, who is putting away the books for this week's Reading Day. She is tiptoeing, stretching her hand up to the top of one of the bookshelves, before she is naturally helped by Mistrál. Lumi beams at the much taller girl in return, before running off in the direction of House and the leftover cake.
Ablam hears Lumi's response, and plays it cool. She isn't one to rush off into situations, but she does care for her dramaturg, if only she won't show it immediately! When Lumi returns with an extra slice of cake from House, Ablam has a bright idea...
It wasn't difficult to find where Eclair ran off to. The second floor hallway was dark, save for the light coming out of the dramaturg's office. For some reason, Eclair had deemed it fit to turn down the ghostlights she walked by. A strange behavior to be sure! The three girls tiptoe along the hallway, slinking along the side of the walls---
(A pause --- and a few hums)
"Why are we sneaking around like this, Ablam?" Lumi whispers to her genmate, even though she knows the answer in her heart! This is just how Ablam is, she is apt to little acts of intrigue like this when given the chance.
The girls peek into the thin gap left slightly open, Eclair is hunched over a table, reviewing a pile of white papers. On occasion she would look at one for a long time, then sigh; put it aside and repeat the process once more.
Eclair repeats this action a few times before Ablam decides she has seen enough---
(knock knock)
"Eifuyuhi?! Who's there?" There is a scrambling of papers, and Ablam makes her way into the office, followed by Lumi and House, bearing the last slices of fluffy cake in a glass stand and cover.
"There you are, Eclair! Do you want some cake? You ran off so fast after the meeting!"
Lumi makes a sideways glance at the purple-haired girl waving the cake stand like a magic staff, cake slices wobbling with enticement before her. She shuts her eyes and shakes her head, important matter at hand,
(a concerned tone --- a sound of deliberate thoughtfulness)
"Actually, we are a little worried about you, Miss Dramaturg. Is there something on your mind? Anything we could help with?"
Eclair seems moved by this, and glances downwards at the mess of papers on her table, then looks back up again.
It feels like she wants to say something, but is unable to.
"It's more of a problem of the heart," Eclair shakes her head, tidying up the papers, "Sorry for worrying you all, I'll come down for dinner soon."
When Eclair tidies up the pile of papers, Ablam helps out, and can't help herself from spying upon the contents of the papers. They all carried different strokes, but the stories were the same --- they were requests for help from outside. There was a small recording job here, a request for a video game writer there, and even an odd request to ferry vegetables from the local farm.
When Eclair's eyes pass by the papers, she sighs a little, like they cause her distress just by sitting on her desk.
What was Eclair doing with all these listings?
Ablam didn't quite understand, but she had seen enough.
"Well, we can’t afford to waste our time on your drama anymore, Eclair!"
(A gentle, slightly hesitant chime sound)
"Ablam, what are you doing??"
"We're here to discuss your behavior recently, Eclair! It seems like you don't wish to work!"
Now there are two wide-eyed girls in the room, Ablam having both hit and missed the mark spectacularly! Meanwhile, House lifts the cake cover and yoinks another piece of fluffy cake into her mouth. At the side, Lumi is pulling on Ablam's sleeve, like she wants her to stop!
"No...! That's ridiculous! But I can't quite help myself, I would like to see the theatre house be able to stand on its own two feet, and people appreciate you girls for who you are."
When Eclair says this, Lumi connects the dots.
The applications.
The troubled look.
The rushed departures after meetings.
The late nights in the office.
...
The realization settles quietly inside her.
Their dramaturg had been worrying about something the girls never had to think about.
How long had Eclair been carrying this burden alone?
Ablam accidentally chanced upon the truth, thinking that Eclair just wanted to squirrel away like a stairwell goblin and avoid the hard work of cleaning up the house --- but the truth ran deeper than that.
Their dramaturg wanted the girls to be able to breathe freely.
Silence settles across the room.
Lumi deep in thought,
Eclair deflating a little,
Ablam tapping the side of her crossed arms...
... and House scrunching the last crumbs of fluffy cake off her mouth.
She rubs the bottom of her chin, not quite feeling it.
What were they all worried about?
Surely there was a misunderstanding somewhere.
Then, it hits her!
She turns to the other girls,
looking around at the lavish decorations,
double checking an app on her phone,
then asks incredulously,
"Ehhhh?! Are you guys >implying that you all are poor?!"
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!
