Now that you've gone through a chapter, I'm sure you understand what I was trying to say about how I do things now. Hopefully the way I layed out the opening gives you a good idea of what I imagine it to be like! (P.S. I'm going to try to continue giving examples of obscure roles that each CV has done)
Anyways, before I go any further, I'll give you an idea of how I am planning this out.
This is the first of (hopefully) a trilogy of fanfics that I've given the umbrella title of the Knight Project. This means I have plans for where this is going. Big plans. This first installment as you can tell is taking place in Kanto, obviously. The second installment is going to take place in an original region. Don't worry, I can assure you this won't be some crappy filler arc. This installment is going to be setting up key plot points for the third installment. I was originally going to just begin with the third installment and just have flashbacks to key backstory points from what are now going to be the first two installments, but I didn't want to get too crazy. Just know that what happens in Kalos is going to end it all.
Now, our female protagonist takes the stage! But does she want to be there? Plus, the ending debuts!
Cast
Āsā Patrion: Hiroshi Kamiya (Trafalgar Law from One Piece, Koyomi Araragi from the Monogatari series, Yuzuru Otonashi from Angel Beats, Seijūrō Akashi from Kuroko no Basket, Levi from Attack on Titan, Yato from Noragami, Shinji Matou from Fate/stay night, T-Bone from Clifford the Big Red Dog)
Jenny Sango: Kana Hanazawa (Nadeko Sengoku from the Monogatari series, Kanade Tachibana from Angel Beats, Ruri Gokou from Oreimo, Moriyama Shiemi from Blue Exorcist, Charlotte Dunois from the Infinite Stratos series, Akane Tsunemori from Psycho-Pass, Ren Kougyoku from Magi, Manaka Mukaido from Nagi no Asukara, Seryu Ubiquitous from Akame ga Kill!, Kosaki Onodera from Nisekoi)
Zorro: Inori Minase (Suzune Tanahashi from Love Lab, Eddelrittuo from , Asaka Mibu from Black Bullet, Chino Kafū from GochiUsa, Koharu Seto from Your Lie in April, Hestia from DanMachi, Carol Malus Dienheim from Senki Zesshō Symphogear GX, Yuki Takeya from Gakkou-Gurashi!, Tsubasa Oribe from Genei Ibun Roku #FE, women from Symphogear)
MC: Rina Hidaka (Last Order from A Certain Magical Index, Airi Kashii from Ro-Kyu-Bu!, Hideyoshi from Sengoku Otome: Momoiro Paradox, Kaede Kaburagi from Tiger & Bunny, Yuniko Kōzuki from Accel World, Silica/Keiko Ayano from Sword Art Online, Nana Ichikawa from Love Lab, Nagisa Akatsuki from Strike the Blood, Enju Aihara from Black Bullet, Urara Kawashima from Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma, Yukina Kosaka from The Rolling Girls, Anne Shirley from Kon'nichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables)
Asuka Teruyama: Aya Hirano (Lumière from Kiddy Grade, Haruhi Suzumiya from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series, Mahiro Muto from Buso Renkin, Misa Amane from Death Note, Yoko Sasakura from the School Rumble series, Konata Izumi from Lucky Star, Kurumi from Kimi ni Todoke, Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail, Menchi from Hunter x Hunter [2011], Migi from Parasyte)
Our Lord and Savior Pokédex-sama; Backstage Hand: Chiwa Saitō (Komachi Mikumari from Samurai 7, Kosuna from Desert Punk, Hazuki/Luna from Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase, Natsumi Hinata from Sgt. Frog, Hitagi Senjougahara from the Monogatari Series, Homura Akemi from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fredrika from Hitsugi no Chaika, Cooper "Coop" Burtonburger from Kid vs. Kat)
Battle 002:
~Rising Stage~
"Why am I here?"
Jenny was about to live her lifetime dream of being a Pokémon Coordinator, she was in a beautiful pink lotita dress and an adorable blush pink and white mini top hat. She looked fantastic, she was about to do fantastic, but why didn't she feel fantastic?
Why are we here? This is booooring!
Āsā was currently sitting in the Vermillion City Opera House, waiting for the Pokémon contest to begin. He had his elbows up and his feet on the seat in front of him, throwing all manners out the window. Zorro was on his shoulder, restless. Not in the mood to take any of his partner Pokémon's shit, Āsā retorted "Research."
What does this have to do with research?
"Look, we can take ideas from the performances, especially the battle rounds, and apply them to our battle strategies."
Mhmmm... Zorro snickered. You just want to ogle at hot girls in cute dresses. With this the Pokémon chuckled.
"I can shove you back in here, you know!" Āsā snapped holding out the Tricky Fox's Pokéball. Fine fine fine!
"I couldn't give a damn about girls."
The fact you had to go out of your way and clarify that means something... With this Āsā was left speechless, unable to respond. He sunk into his seat in defeat.
[CUE OPENING 1: Because You Are You by Aqua Timez; Probably will have to download it, but it's worth it. Animation Sequence detailed in chapter 1.]
"Jenny Shiki, you're on queue."
"Oh nooo..." Jenny clapped her hands to her cheeks, attempting to hide how she was blushing with anxiety. "Why'd I do this?!"
"I don't know, I'm just doing my job."
"Shut it." She took a deep breath. This was it. Her childhood dream is finally coming into fruition. Within minutes, Jenny would release her Pokémon onto the stage, directing it in its appeal routine they had been practicing for months, and, if everything went according to plan, they would wow their audience, riding the crowd's hype to the Battle rounds.
However, upon arriving in Vermillion City, thoughts of doubt began to cloud her mind. You're not a performer. You couldn't even give an oral presentation in trainer school, let alone stand in front of an auditorium of eyes, watching you. Judging you. Every minute gesture of yours is going to be under meticulous scrutiny. One wrong move, and your career will be ruined.
To make matters worse, the contest circuit in her home, Hoenn, was rapidly approaching its endgame by the time her contestant application was finally processed. It would be impossible to obtain 5 ribbons with only 6 of the 96 contests in the circuit left. Unfortunately for her, the only circuit that was just starting was the Kanto/Johto circuit, only 7 contests into its 90 circuit run. However, the judges in the circuit are known to be almost twice as critical as the ones in Hoenn.
But no, she thought, I have to steel my resolve. You can do it, Jenny! Let's do this!
15 appeals in, and while there were some promising performances, there had yet to be any breakout routines.
Can we go now?
Āsā hushed his telepathic Pokémon. "I want to at least wait out the performance round. If it doesn't seem like there's gonna be any battles worth watching we'll ditch."
But I wanna leave nowwwww...
"Too bad, shut it. The next appeal's about to start."
The MC took the stage once again. She was a perky young woman, with lime green hair and a flat chest. She was on her 17th costume change, having already gone through many styles from schoolgirl outfits to gothic lolita, she was now wearing a pale light green dress to compliment her jarring hair color. "Are you excited?! This is just FUNTASTIC isn't it?!" The crowd applauded, with a cheer or two thrown in for good measure. "Well things are about to get even more FUNTASTIC! Our next performance is going to be FUNTASTIC! Let's have some fun! It's Jenny Sango from Pacifidlog Town! This act is sure to be...FUNTASTIC!" The MC made a peace sign towards the sky and confetti cannons showered her. She then left stage right, as the curtains began to rise.
"If i have to hear this bitch say "FUNTASTIC" one more time I'll jump off a bridge," snickered Āsā.
Just like we've practiced, right? Just like we practiced. She could just barely see the audience below the rising curtain, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine.
[CUE INSERT SONG: Fly Me to the Moon (Infinity Climax Mix) from Bayonetta]
The curtains had finally been lifted out of view. She began her appeal routine. "It's go time Corsy!"
Jenny sent out her Corsola with a pirouette. She had read that the judges always enjoy the contestant showing enthusiasm. "Lucky Chant!"
Corsola stood on her hind legs and waved her stubby little arms and front legs, imitating the shape of a four-leaf clover, drawing the audience into the spectacle Jenny was planning to share.
"Show them your bubble beam!" Corsy spouted bubbles while making a somewhat swift dash, skidding across the front of the stage and showering the orchestra section in beautiful bubbles. All of the young children in the section went crazy over the bubbles, flailing their arms in an overall futile attempt to pop every last one. As the Corsola swept back towards center stage it twirled, spreading bubbles all around the air above it.
"Alright, transition into an Aqua Ring!" The Corsola continued to twirl in the center stage, lifting itself into a pirouette. It continued to spray water, but the bubbles quickly turned into a ribbon of water. As Corsy continued to twirl, the ribbon overlapped itself creating a halo of water. Once this band was able to stay in its ring shape, Corsola stopped twirling, and the ring of water continued to flow around it. Jenny had filled the stage with water, all of which were anything but on the floor. It was almost as if Corsy had returned to her original habitat deep beneath the Hoenn waves.
And the entire auditorium loved it. However, Jenny still had one more trick up her sleeve. "Give them the ol' razzle dazzle! Spike Cannon!"
Corsy leaped into the air, and the numerous spikes on the Coral Pokémon's back began to glow; new spikes began to sprout from under them, pushing the older spikes out of its back. A collective gasp filled the room. Why would Jenny want her Pokémon to fire its spikes if they would just break the beautiful Aqua Ring encasing it? To their surprise, instead of shattering upon contact with the spikes, the Aqua Ring stuck to the spikes and was being stretched outward. The spikes guided the ring to sweep through all of the leftover bubbles, and with the last of them popped. the ring finally shattered. Corsy landed second stage and struck a pose as a thin mist fell onto the stage, creating a rainbow arching above it. The crowd enthusiastically broke into an uproar of cheering that could have rivaled the cry of an Exploud.
Back in the audience, Āsā let out an intrigued "hmph," and stroked his chin. This girl was interesting. Although she had given an amazing performance, he could tell that something was off.
Jenny took a bow as the audience gave her and her partner a well deserved round of applause. She had done it. She and Corsy had given a performance to remember.
[CUT THE INSERT SONG]
However, she didn't feel excited at all.
"The results are in! Here are the eight FUNTASTIC contestants who will move on to the battle rounds!" The MC was now wearing a white tube top with pink diagonal stripes, and a white frilly skirt that had patterned pink lollipops scattered across it.
"Kathy Jones! Barnes Sherbart! Asuka Teruyama! Jenny Sango! Holly Harpinsons! Grant Fleece! Jack Nickelburg! And Marcus Scoft!"
Back in her dressing room, Jenny was glued to the small 8 1/2" x 11" screen mounted above the complimentary laundry hamper, rocking back and forth with her legs crossed on top of her chair. Right now the screen was just showing a sky blue background with Pokéball patterns raining down, but at any minute the screen would change to the matchup bracket for the battle rounds.
The screen changed and Jenny gave a slight nod as she sprung out of her seat and pulled out the drawer where she was keeping her Pokéballs. I'll be going up against that Teruyama chick...
Asuka Teruyama was the last person to go up during the appeal rounds, and Jenny had decided to use the restroom instead of watching the last performance on the dressing room monitor. The last appeal was the most heavily critiqued, as by that point the judges generally would already have an idea of which 8 contestants they would be allowing to move on. If she was able to make that much of an impact on the judges' decision, Jenny was about to go up against a serious competitor.
I have to bring my A game. She was deciding between two Pokéballs, lifting them up and down as she strategized, considering the pros and cons of choosing either. She had raised Corsy specifically with the appeal round in mind, more so than she had raised her other Pokémon. In the battle rounds, a contestant has to take into account two different measures of stamina. There was the Pokémon's own HP, of course, but there was also your SP, or Style Points, which decreases with the Pokémon's performance during the battle. Each Pokémon starts with 500 SP. The more flashier and more choreographed your attacks are, the faster your opponent's SP will go down. The battle ends when either a Pokémon's SP or HP drops to zero. This means that contestants can choose to focus on either their technique, or they can opt to try to juggernaut their opponent's HP to zero. Although it is more difficult to target your opponent's style points, it is often more rewarding. However, it is harder for starting contestants to focus on choreographing SP-draining combos as they and their Pokémon are still inexperienced in choreographing appeal sequences, and have to dedicate more time for preparing their appeals. This also applied to Jenny, who spent almost all of her time practicing with Corsy for their appeal performance. Jenny would have to aim for her opponent's HP in order to win.
Jenny put one of the Pokéballs back into the drawer and dashed out of her room.
"The first match of the battle rounds is about to begin! Are you ready people?"
The audience cheered; Jenny tensed.
"Okay! Let's begin!"
Asuka Teruyama stared confidently across the stage at Jenny. Asuka insultingly was wearing her street clothes, which were not really contest appropriate. A large white cap with a red bow sat on top of two stark ponytails jutting out from the sides of her head. Under her white vest was a slightly murky yellow tube top. Her black athletic shorts accentuated her stunning figure, along with a pair of long white stockings that went up past her knees. "Alright Mr. Mie! Give them hell!"
Out from Asuka's Pokéball sprung a traumatizing Mr. Mime.
"Mawy, come on out!" Jenny sent out a Mawile that was slightly below the average size for its kind.
As the crowd cheered, Āsā took advantage of the noise to pull out his Pokédex.
Mr. Mime: The Barrier Pokémon
Mawile: The Deceiver Pokémon. Its horns form a huge set of jaws strong enough to chew through iron beams.
"Hey Zorro, you know that neither of those are Pokémon that you see often. This is definitely going to be an interesting battle."
"Well? Are you going to make the first move or not? We're on a time limit here." Asuka was already beginning to toy with Jenny.
Jenny trembled and stuttered until she could actually bark a command. "F-f-f-fairy wind!" Mawy began to twirl its twin jaws in a propeller-like motion, creating a pink cyclone of wind. The Pokémon lunged its jaws forward, catapulting the vortex of Fairy Wind.
"Mr. Mime use Barrier!" Asuka commanded playfully, winking and giving a peace sign.
Mr. Mime extended its arms in front of it. By performing a rhythmic sequence with its fingers, Mr. Mime conjured an invisible barrier that completely halted the raging wind currents. Jenny was nearly swept off her feet in shock.
"Now, do it! Copycat!" With a new sequence of imaginary finger taps, two slightly smaller vortexes of fairy wind formed in the palm of Mr. Mime's hand. Asuka commanded her Pokémon to go for a thrust, and Mr. Mime charged into Mawy, the dual Fairy Winds that had formed in the palm of its hand blasting Mawy into the wall of the entrance wing on stage left.
Jenny was absolutely speechless. What would have knocked off an adequate portion of Mr. Mime's SP only deducted a sliver's worth, while more than a quarter of Mawy's respective SP was now gone.
It was obvious that Mr. Mime had been trained to excel in the battle stages, a nightmarish clown that could target both HP and SP.
Jenny's brain was pulsing. She wasn't cut out for this. Her brain was not wired for the fast-paced frenzy of battles. The only noises that were able to escape from her mouth were indiscernible mumblings such as "Buhguhgbda" and "Mhrgdmre." Eventually the audience grew silent. In fact, even Asuka stopped in her tracks trying to figure out what was going on with her opponent. Jenny curled up into the fetal position and began to twiddle her fingers.
Jenny began to retreat into the deep cavity of her own anxieties, and they were caving in on her, trapping her. She let the stream of tears flow.
And then came the light at the end of the tunnel.
"JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PULL, DAMN IT!?"
Āsā could not bear to watch the disaster unfolding on the stage any longer. He had to speak up.
"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU CRYING? DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU DESERVE TO CRY? WHY DID YOU EVEN SIGN UP FOR THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE?"
With this Jenny realized something. That's right, why did I even enter this contest in the first place? I have nothing to prove, nothing to gain.
"DO YOU SERIOUSLY NOT KNOW?"
Jenny had no choice but to nod.
"DUMBASS! THE ANSWERS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!"
"What?" Jenny turned to face her Mawile.
"THIS CONTEST IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT SHOWCASING YOUR POKÉMON! THE COORDINATOR IS REALLY JUST IRRELEVANT! IF ANYTHING YOU'RE GETTING IN THE WAY IF YOUR MAWILE'S TIME TO SHINE! NOW GET OFF YOUR FAT ASS AND FINISH YOUR GOD DAMN BATTLE!"
Um...Āsā?
"Not know Zorro" he whispered.
Āsā the entire auditorium is staring at you. I could hear somebody calling for security.
"Shit." He hadn't planned on making a scene, but his passion had gotten the better of him yet again, and he was once again in for some serious trouble because of it. However, Āsā simply smirked. "No matter what I'm staying put, I want to see this match until the end!"
That boy in the audience was right, Jenny was hogging the spotlight for Mawy, Tears still rolling down her cheeks, Jenny rose once again. "Mawy, sorry. I let my anxiety get ahold of me, now if you'll please forgive me..." Jenny's partner gave a thumbs up from behind, and prepared itself for a comeback
"We've wasted most of our time pouting, let's make up for it! Mawy use Iron Head!"
A metallic coating swept over the Mawile's jaw horns. She charged for Mr. Mime, twirling it a little to add more force to the impact,. With a downward swipe, Mawy's Iron Head slice Mr. Mime in half.
"Ohohoho if you actually thought I just waited around biting my nails while you had your temper tantrum, you're solely mistaken! I had Mr. Mime set up a Substitute! Now, Mr. Mime, finish these amateurs off with Psybeam!" Mr. Mime dropped down from the rafters set above the stage with a concentration of telekinetic energy in its palms. Mr. Mime clapped its hands together, and as it spread them apart the telekinetic energy continued to stay concentrated in between them. Mr. Mime blasted Mawy.
Jenny's SP dropped to 250. Mawy shrugged off the attack fairly quickly, standing by for its next command.
"Catch up with its descent and use Ice Fang! The Deceiver Pokémon charged towards Mr. Mime's shadow, the inside of its jaws undergoing ice crystallization. However, the Mawile smacked into an invisible wall, and Jenny's SP dropped to 225.
"That there is Mr. Mime's signature Barrier little thing I set up during your temper tantrum." Jenny gritted her teeth. "Mr. Mime go for one last Psybeam."
"Mawy use Iron Defense to reflect the Psybeam!" A shell of steel enveloped Mawy and deflected the Mr. Mime's Psybeam. Asuka's SP dropped to 453.
"Oh yeah? Two can play at that game! Use Copycat to take advantage of Iron Defense!" The Mawile's makeshift Iron Defense reflected the Psybeam yet again. The beam had now accelerated to the point that Mawy would not be able to activate an Iron Defense to reflect the speeding Psybeam in time.
Jenny's SP dropped to 0.
"Hey!" Jenny heard a voice call out to her as she exited through the back of the auditorium in the Vermillion sunset. She was now in her street clothes, a pink spaghetti strap tank with light green shorts and a red bandana tied around her head.
Jenny had decided to leave before the awards ceremony out of embarrassment for the debacle that was her contest battle with Asuka. The last thing she expected was somebody to confront her about her performance. If it was any other voice she probably would have ignored them and continue walking away. However, she could tell that this was the voice of the boy who had called out to her during the contest battle. She turned to respond. However, when she tried to speak no words came out.
"You weren't in your element out there, were you?" Āsā was kneeling his back against the auditorium's exterior wall, twirling his beret around on his fingertip. "The name's Āsā, by the way." He set the hat back on top of his head and held his hand out towards her.
"My name's' Jenny Sango..." she blushed as she shook his hand. "Thank you for bringing some sense back to me up there. I was freaking out, and you helped me–"
"Are you going to sign up for another contest?"
"No, I've realized it's not my thing."
"You don't know what your thing is, do you?"
"You've got me there..."
"Do you know how to find what you want to do in life?"
"No..."
"If you want to figure out your place in the world, you have to insert yourself into the random nooks and crannies of the universe and see where you fit in. There's a wide world out there, and you can't just think you make up the entire thing. So you aren't cut out for something, big deal. It's not the end of the world. That just means there's something out there you're even better at. So go out find what you're good at, then blossom."
"Why are you doing this? Why are you going so far out of your way to help someone like me out?"
"Well, I guess maybe that's where I fit in, helping others."
Actually, he got kicked out of the venue for disrupting the peace, so he figured he might as well wait for you out back.
"Zorro! She didn't have to know that!" The mischevious fox was lounging on a tree branch next to the pair.
"Wh-wh-who said that?!" Jenny cried, startled by this mysterious voice.
"Well, what do you know?" Āsā held out his shoulder and Zorro jumped onto it. "Zorro doesn't usually channel his telepathy to others unless he really likes them. You're one lucky gal."
"Ah, okay." Jenny giggled. "So where are you going from here, Mr. Nook and Cranny?"
"I'm heading North. Saffron City, specifically. I'm going to challenge the gym there, and get my second gym badge. Although it's not specifically my exact place in this world, the goal keeps me on the right track to finding that, and I'm pretty good at training my Pokémon and battling, too."
"I see..." Jenny whimpered. "You know, maybe if I travel with you, I'll find my place..."
"If that's what you want, sure. I won't stop you."
"Then I'll be coming with you, then!"
Your funeral
"Zorro I will castrate you."
The three walk off into the sunset, their adventures just beginning.
[CUE ENDING 1: Asterisk by Orange Range. Originally from Bleach.]
[The opening beats begin with Jenny at a table, with numerous colors of paper scattered across it. The tone of the ending is bright and vibrant, similar to how the animation was in the Bleach opening sharing the song. As she picks up one of the pieces of paper and writes a message in it, the vocals kick in. The color of the paper will be different each chapter. This time, the paper is orange.]
Miageta yozora no hoshi-tachi no hikari
Look up at the light of the stars in the night sky.
[Brief montage of Jenny folding the paper into an airplane from multiple angles]
Miageta yozora no hoshi-tachi no hikari
Look up at the light of the stars in the night sky.
[Jenny takes the now finished airplane and flicks it into flight, the screen following the airplane as it glides. Behind it is a trail of three colors that will alternate each time: this time it's red, black, and white. You know, the colors of the Pokéball. Throughout the area surrounding its flight are numerous transparent Pokéballs of various different vibrant colors rain down, inside each a different Pokémon The overall background will also be a different color each time. This time the background is a neon light green. Then, as the lyrics kick in, the raining Pokéball scenery is swiped away by a bird's eye view of Vermillion City. The paper airplane remains gliding around the bottom, with its trail behind it.]
Hitotsu futatsu kane no oto wa hibiku kokoro no naka e to hiroku fukaku
One, two bell chimes resound vast and deep, to within the heart,
Monogatari no you na hoshi ga shizuku sono naka ni hosoi senrou wo kizuku
Drops of stars like a story; fine tracks are amassed with them.
[Another wipe changes the backdrop behind our vessel to the massive skyline of Saffron City]
Jikan to tomo ni jidai wa ugoku, nagareru hoshi wa shizuka ni ugoku
The era moves along with time, and the flowing stars quietly move too.
Me wo tojite mimi wo sumaseba G-O-O-D BYE
If you close your eyes and listen closely, good bye.
[Wipe to the Celadon city skyline]
Hanate hikari makezu ni shikkari ima toki wo kazoe
Releasing the light, now we'll firmly pass through time without giving up,
Dare ka ni todoku made eikou no hikari wa kono mukou ni kimi tachi to tsukutte iku sutoori
Until it reaches someone, the light of glory will go on and make a story beyond all of this, along with us.
[Wipe to Cycling Road]
Miageta yozora no hoshitachi no hikari
The light of the stars in the sky that I looked up to
Mukashi no omoi negai ga jidai wo koe iro aseru koto naku todoku
Old memories and wishes are sent, crossing through time unfading
[Wipe to a bird's eye view of Fuschia City and the Safari Zone]
Kirari hitomi ni utsuru dare ka no sakebi kaze ni omoi wo
The cries of someone are reflected in your eyes with a sparkle, the feeling in the wind
Tsuki ni negai wo chikara aru kagiri ikiteku n da kyou mo
The wishes in the moon, they all live within powerful limitations today,
[The camera pivots to the tail of the paper airplane, and we see it gliding towards Āsā and Zorro, walking down a wooded path towards the horizon.]
Bokura no omoi mo itsu ka dare ka no mune ni
Our feelings too, will one day continue to shine,
[Āsā turns around and swoops up the paper airplane, unfolding it.]
Hikari tsuzukeyou ano hoshi ni yoru ni
With someone's heart, like those stars,
[Āsā completely unfolds the paper, and reads the message on it with a smile on his face. We go to the paper, and see the message inside it, which will be the title of the next chapter.
NEXT TIME:
BATTLE 003: THE FRUITS OF INTELLECT
The last line repeats itself one more time as we stay on the paper in Āsā's hands]
Hikari tsuzukeyou ano hoshi ni yoru ni
Continue to shine, like those stars.
God, this chapter went through writing hell. Like good god, I was originally going to publish story once I had 5 chapters written in surplus, as a friend suggested to me, but this took so damn long along with my own procrastination that I decided to just publish the first chapter earlier so I wouldn't have to worry about my hard drive (god forbid) wiping out and losing everything. If you want a time frame, chapter 1 was finished around, like, late January early February if I recall correctly. It's the end of March now as I upload this. This large gap is because of a few reasons: 1. School and extracurriculars. 2. When I did have time for writing, I usually procrastinated. However, while I have been consumed by schoolwork, the story has never left my mind, and I've been planning characters and story arcs during lectures that I should probably be paying attention to.
I have planned nearly this entire first phase on a chapter basis, and can guarantee there will be way over 80 chapters in this Kanto phase alone. Quite possibly over 100, in fact.
Prepare your anuses.
Now, regarding how often new chapters will be published, I'll try to get one more out by the end of my spring break this week, but no guarantees. In general, though, whenever I finish a chapter, I'll publish it. Gaps between chapters may range from a few days to weeks, possibly months during the school grind. Chapters should come out more often during school breaks, though.
In future installments of this afterward corner, I will be dropping more status updates on how the story is coming along, as well as explaining some creative choices such as insight on the designing of characters. Lastly, please leave reviews so I can get feedback on the story. This is my first rodeo. I know this is a slightly awkward chapter, but this chapter was necessary for setting up future events and so on and so forth. Starting next chapter will be when the story really takes off.
UPDATE: Promising to upload another chapter by the end of spring break was a terrible idea. I will try to get the next chapter uploaded by the end of this April.