The Journey's End
Well, guess that's it, she supposes with a sad look around her bedroom at the guild
She had a good run with it for the past several years, and now feels it is time
For her to move on, to take the first step on the next leg of her journey
Or perhaps she should say A New Start, when nobody knows the name, Mumei…
Her name – Nanashi Mumei, the Guardian of Civilization…
Guess it does not matter anymore now that she is leaving for good this time
She said her goodbyes, making it seem like she would be coming back this time
Although… everybody already appeared to know this will be the last they see of her…
Mumei cannot fault them for missing her, knowing her absences sometimes saddened them
Perhaps it is because they simply got used to her leaving all the time
Or maybe they have sadly come to terms with the fact it will be for good this time…
Either way, she does not want to break their hearts again – or anymore for that matter…
So she has decided to silently leave in the dead of night, while everyone is fast asleep
As quietly as she can, though, for her chronic cough keeps acting up whenever she talks
Leaving her bedroom with what little luggage she has chosen to bring with her
Mumei noiselessly glides through the guild, not wanting to disturb everyone
Making her way to the guild's rear door to sneak out into the night
Along the way, she passes by each of their bedrooms, hanging her head in heartbreak
Surprisingly, every single one of them left their doors open
To stay up and see her go one last time?
Or so she can linger however long she wants to look at all of them one last time…?
Terrified and anxious, Mumei bashfully hesitates, uncertain if she should look
For the first time in her life, she does not know what to do, which frightens her badly
Should she slow down and spend a few moments glancing inside each bedroom?
Or continue on her way without giving at least some form of a final farewell?
They would not have left their bedroom doors open at night; they never did
Surely they did it for her, offering her one last opportunity to say goodbye
Even if they are all asleep, in which case, they are letting her see them sleep as farewell
Tears run down her cheeks as Mumei realizes they are doing it for her
She desperately wants to look inside each one
But will they know she is lingering?
Or if she has chosen to simply walk by?
Mumei snivels as her tears keep pouring, thankful they have given her this opportunity
She lifts an arm, initially to wipe her tears, but allows them to stay
Her heart could not bear the thought of her trying to cheer them up and failing
But she does put on a sad smile, at the very least, to share it with them one last time
Even if they are still fast asleep, she knows they will know she gave it to them
Thankful they helped steel her nerves, she slowly proceeds to give them all one last look
The guild's Founders are the first she sees – most of whom are asleep in their beds
It's first member, the one who made everything possible
The high-spec robot from a faraway robotics wasteland – charging in her power station
The elite shrine maiden who ushered Shinto through its doors as the guild's first religion
As well as the virtual diva who materialized out of cyber space
And, finally, the elite shrine maiden's best friend – Hoshimachi Suisei
The sociopathic psychopath, a comet who sailed above the stars on her way to the guild
And who is, surprisingly, the only Founder not present in her bed for some reason
Perhaps having gone to the restroom or the kitchen for a late night snack
Mumei pauses at Suisei's bedroom door, remembering her in particular
Of all the Founders, Suisei was the only one she became friends with…
And the only Founder whom she will miss hanging out with…
Thinking she might actually come across her, Mumei resumes walking her trail of tears
Coming to the others who signed on first, including the GAMERS, also fast asleep
The white kitsune and her childhood friend, the black wolf, who both serve the shrine
The cheerleader who provides moral support
And a rather sassy girl with an alter ego
As well as a Half-Elf whose pigtails float due to supernatural power
And a unique vampire prodigy from the Underworld's Academy who does not drink blood
Followed by a Nekomata and her own best friend, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Next, another trio from the Underworld Academy, plus two others – again, sleeping
A Dark Magician who often hangs around the academy
The Oni who joined to become rivals with the white kitsune and black wolf duo
And the Succubus nurse who heals her students' wounds and cures their diseases
Together, they are joined by a member of the sports committee and a marine maid
As the guild's dreams became a fantasy come true, a party of adventurers arrived to join
The Princess of Pekoland, in exile for her war crimes against her neighboring countries
With a Half-Dark Elf archer at her side, ready to shoot arrows down on their enemies
A lawful good knight in search of power, but who lacks the intelligence needed to find it
And a pirate captain who sailed them over the ocean, then chose to stay with the party
All of whom have since drifted off to dreamland on another of their own adventures
So too did another force to be reckoned with
An angel from Heaven's Celestial Academy, and her friend, a Devil of the Underworld's
And the Candy Kingdom's Princess, joined by her Fire Dragon
As well as the ringleader of a circus who can perform every act
Along with Momosuzu Nene, a bright and cheerful girl from another world
Who loves insects and always dreamed of becoming an idol, succeeding in her goal
Whose bedroom Mumei briefly stops before, like she had with Suisei's
Because Nene became another of Mumei's friends, remembering her with fondness too…
While surprised to find her absent as well, just like Suisei…
But as she continues her final departure from the guild
Mumei pauses in front of the bedroom that belonged to the White Lioness, Shishiro Botan
And bristles in anger toward her for what she had done to two of the force's other girls
Two incredibly shy and extremely timid interracial sisters from the snowy lands of Unylia
A gentle Bardic Sheep and her tender, somewhat taller, younger Half-Snow Elven sister
Both of whom had become her most intimate friends in the guild, and she their only friend
Those two did not deserve the horrors Botan inflicted upon them for her own sick pleasure
It was why she was arrested and promptly incarcerated for life for the crimes she committed
Mumei is not sorry that Botan is now serving multiple life sentences in the oubliette
She is glad the White Lioness can never bother the interracial sisters ever again
Continuing along, Mumei comes across the rooms for Secret Society HoloX
A party of villains who tried to take over the world but were stopped by the guild
Before deciding to join it, thinking they could convince the guild to lend their aid
Her Dark, who chairs the society and helps lead the guild to world domination
Her executive officer who oversees the guild's store and has contacts in the black markets
The mad doctor of its Research and Development Department, whose potions gave boons
Their gokenin samurai from the Edo Period who serves as the society's insurance policy
And their former intern, an orca from Atlantis who is now her own boss in the guild
Mumei shakes her head, tears dripping from her cheeks as she gives an amused smile
Remembering all the trouble they gave the guild before joining, and then continued to after
They still will, even in her permanent absence, which she is glad will never change
Even though it will be without her from now on…
Mumei keeps going, however, holding her luggage close as she somberly walks
Past the three shared bedrooms shared by three trios of girls from another country, all asleep
A secretive trio from Area 15, an elusive area hidden by their country's government
A witch's familiar who would pick nuts from their village's trees until the witch's passing
Joined by a noble lady from the moon who introduced the guild to the latest fashion trends
And an extraterrestrial alien princess who found the guild while exploring the galaxy
As well as the second trio who followed Area 15 to the guild
Consisting of a living Keris, one of the world's most ancient weapons
Next, a zombie that had risen from the dead to fulfill her life's dream which had been stolen
And, finally, the Lady of the Peafowl herself, a noblewoman who always holds tea time
There is also the trio of three heroines who saved their country from ruin
The blacksmith who surpassed her master, then came to the guild in search of materials
Vestia Zeta, the Secret Archive Unit's 7th recruit, who gathers so much data for the guild
And who, Mumei surmises, could take over some of her duties in some ways, if not fully…
And Kobo Kanaeru, a Rain Shaman whose bloodline gives her the gift of Aeromancy
Curiously, neither Kobo, another of her friends, whose bedroom she also pauses by…
Or Zeta for that matter, are in their beds, absent like Suisei and Nene…
Mumei cannot help but wonder why, tearfully guessing the four want to see her off…
With more personal farewells than just letting her see them sleep…
Before she leaves the guild forever, never to see them – or everyone else – ever again…
Supposing the four of them might have planned a surprise farewell party for her…
Mumei presses on despite her sorrow, nearly choking out sobs
That very nearly cause her to start coughing uncontrollably
Coming to the remaining bedrooms in the guild, all full of sleeping girls
Where several myths once thought to be legend became reality
Compiled by a time traveling detective who brought them all together and led them there
Starting with the beginning's very opposite, an apprentice of the grim reaper
And the immortal Pheonix, whose flames die but burn again in revival throughout eternity
Before traveling to Atlantis for an audience with its Princess – the shark, an apex predator
Regarding Atlantis' primordial secret – a priestess in service to the Ancient Ones
Those myths are written into legend – because it was Mumei who put ink to the page…
That was one of her duties as the Guardian of Civilization, one of the guild's Councilors…
The Council… and the Promise it made… all sound asleep just like everyone else
Mumei is going to miss being on it, and will miss her fellow Councilors
The Speaker of Space, the very first Concept birthed by the gods to create space for growth
The Keeper of Nature, the second Concept birthed by the gods to fill that space with life
The Warden of Time, the third Concept birthed by the gods to measure the passage of both
The Embodiment of Chaos, one of the two Concepts birthed by the world itself for change
And the Nephilim who joined the Council to balance the world with Hope and Despair
Mumei stops and snivels, hanging her head in recollection
As the Guardian of Civilization, she was the second Concept birthed by the world
Born to build civilizations and societies from the ground up
With Lore – History, Archaeology, Anthropology, Religion, and Culture
For people to build from and expand upon
But now…
They no longer need her…
She has given them everything…
The people have everything they need…
There is no need for her to be there anymore…
No need to watch them grow…
No need to speak with them…
No need to laugh with them…
No need to share joy and be happy with them…
No need to cry with them…
No need to be a part of their lives…
Leaving her all alone…
With no more purpose to fulfill…
Without a promise to keep…
Because all the promises she made…
Are the ones she is breaking…
And yet, despite the void left behind in her heart…
Mumei cannot help but feel proud of them with a tearfully gratified smile
They grew up so fast, and have proven they can follow in her footsteps
She has given them everything they need to continue on their own together
So, with a tearful smile, Mumei keeps going to the end
Knowing they, the guild, and the Council, will all be alright without her
After all, they were the ones who captured the criminals who made their advent
Then joined the guild to serve their sentence
The Archiver who records and documents all to keep a written record
The Demon of Sound whose Voice of Malphas has captivated all of humanity in song
The Jewel of Emotions, created to hold and preserve their feelings for eternity
And the pair of Demonic Guard Dogs, twin sisters, who protect smiles with fluff and fuzz
While awaiting justice for their crimes, hoping its carriers will fairly judge their new leaf
Judgment will, of course, be rendered judiciously by the Scarlet Queen herself
As representative by the Chaser's Flag of Freedom, since she will represent them at trial
Alongside the Ancient Automaton built in the Scarlet Queen's kingdom
As seen by the Artist with the God Eyes, who views all the gods permit her to watch
Mumei exhales, glad the guild is full of girls who will carry the torch she is passing
Even though she was never one of its Founders
The guild is a product of Civilization
A place where the Council could gather to make its Promise
And where others similar to them and alike in various ways could come
And it is all thanks to her
She helped make it an institution where its members could be idols
To lead humanity in song onstage
It has already paved the way for two different groups of idols to join the guild
They may have glossed over the details with the flow's glow, but have proven themselves
Mumei's smile widens slightly at the thought of how far Civilization has come
It has made great strides under her, and will continue to do so in her absence
She wonders, though, how it may fare without her
Will it continue as she hopes?
Or will it all come to an end at some point?
Although horrified of such a conclusion and worried for the safety of Civilization
Mumei knows it is only natural for there to be an apocalypse
All good things come to an end, after all
And she and her inclusion are two of them
Death is not just the end, but the beginning of something new
A New Start for Mumei
In a weird way, making her look forward to what might happen if that came to pass
What might the future bring?
She does not know, though will keep moving forward down her path
Wherever it might take her
Even that is off the beaten path to explore the world around her
Her musing is suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice nearby
Making her turn to find Zeta standing there, waiting for her to say goodbye…
With a sad smile, Mumei wipes her tears and stops to speak with her one last time, coughing
Returning a sad smile of her own, Zeta has her final conversation with the Guardian…
Wishing her well and offering her good luck on the journey ahead
Tearfully telling Mumei that she will be missed
And that she and everyone will always remember her
Before embracing her in a hug that Mumei returns
Sharing one another's tears as Zeta says gives Mumei her last goodbyes…
Mumei, thankful to have spoken with her one last time, tearfully expresses her gratitude
Then pulls away, giving Zeta her last goodbyes…
Glad they could talk before Mumei's last departure, Zeta smiles and tells her to get going
While handing the Guardian of Civilization two gifts
One to remember the guild by, and the other to remember her by…
Appreciating the gifts, Mumei gives Zeta one last hug…
Letting it last for a bit so they can share one last cry together…
With their farewells given, she lets go and thanks Zeta, wishing her goodbye one last time
Zeta returns the last goodbye, then reminds Mumei to see her other friends on the way out
As the two of them wave to one another
Understanding her meaning, Mumei promises her she will before heading off
For the rear door, where she will slip quietly into the night
Expecting to find Kobo, Nene, and Suisei on the way
Looking forward to saying goodbye to them as well
Mumei soon finds the trio when they quietly flag her down
Leading her into one of the studios, as she starts coughing again
Where the three of them present her with three final presents of their own from them to her
So that Mumei will always have something to remember them by too
Just as she is about to say farewell to them for the last time…
Kobo, Nene, and Suisei ask her to play one last game with them for the memories…
Happy to acquiesce, Mumei grants her friends their final wish
Glad she could have fun with the three of them one last time before the end
Although she feels they are intentionally letting her win on purpose
Mumei allows them to get away with it anyway
Because they want her to be happy even though she is leaving forever
Eventually, the game comes to its bittersweet end in her favor…
Concluding with tearful smiles as Kobo, Nene, and Suisei give her their last goodbyes…
While she offers them hers, thankful for the last game they could play together
And their presents, which she packs with the rest of her luggage with their help
Finishing their last goodbyes and wave to each other as Mumei tearfully walks off
With a tearful smile on her face, happy to have seen them one final time before leaving
And the goodbye presents she received from Zeta, Kobo, Nene, and Suisei
Just as she reaches the guild's rear entrance to step out for good…
Mumei turns around for the last time to look at the guild one more time
It will be the last time she gets to, so she makes it count with a tearful smile
Before shutting her eyes and turning to the door, grasping the handle and turning it
Then stepping out into the city-state, the night sky hanging overhead
While shutting the door behind her for the last time
The moon and stars seem to be lighting the way for her, hanging in the sky just for her
As temporary companions on her way to the gates
Until the sun can take over for them the following morning
But as she is turning to head down the path through the courtyard for the streets
Mumei suddenly stops in her tracks, startled by the two meek voices calling out to her…
Her body stiffens as she immediately recognizes who they belong to…
Mumei whirls on her feet, nearly dropping her luggage
Whereupon her heart sinks at the sight of them both standing behind her
The two interracial sisters, Tsunomaki Watame and Yukihana Lamy…
The Bardic Sheep and Half-Snow Elf…
Tearfully waiting there, hand in hand, holding one another tightly in a close embrace
Sniveling as the two of them both look at her with tears in their eyes and watery frowns
Before Mumei can even get a chance to speak, they do
Sobbing as they tearfully ask if she is leaving them…
Heartbroken, Mumei realizes she had completely forgotten to check if they were sleeping
It was not the first time her self-imposed amnesia made her forget all about the two sisters
But, in her sudden panic, she realized it would be the last…
And that, someday, she might likely wind up forgetting them completely…
Flustered, the Guardian of Civilization approached to try and tearfully apologize for going
Praying she could make it all better by soothing their shared fears
Only to suddenly notice, as she stepped closer to embrace them in a hug…
That Watame and Lamy had their own luggage with them…
Making her question why they have it when she is the one leaving for good
When she suddenly realizes that both of the sisters want to go with her…
In her sorrow, Mumei finally learns one of the most important lessons of an adventure
She can go on one all by herself…
But it would be lonely without someone to share it with…
Without someone at her side…
To speak with…
To laugh with…
To be happy with…
To cry with…
Yet, as much as Mumei would love to have Watame and Lamy by her side…
She is horrified of making them go through her departure – her final farewell – with her
Despite her reasoning, however, to her surprise, both sisters refuse to go back and stay
Because for as much as the guild gave them a place to stay, where they could belong…
Where the two of them could have all the friends they want, and a family to love them…
Watame and Lamy's home is not with the guild, Mumei realizes – it never could be…
It is with her, the Guardian of Civilization – and only her…
Because she, and she alone, is the pair's friend – and their family – their only family…
The only one who truly understands the horrors they have endured
Both before they joined the guild, and after, when they were tortured by Botan
As sorrow's sting leaves the weight – a burden – of its bittersweet touch upon her shoulders
Mumei finally understands the party's true meaning
It is not just a comradery built on the bonds of unity between friends
But a sisterhood between sisters in arms
Whom she can never leave behind
She would never forgive herself if she did
With tears in her eyes running down her cheeks, Mumei hugs Watame and Lamy close
Thanking her best friends, the two interracial sisters, for being there for her – with her
Then pulls back to give both of them a watery smile while crying tears of joy
Saying it is time for all three of them to go
Happy that she is taking them with her, the sisters both return watery smiles of their own
And follow along as the Guardian of Civilization leads them through the city-state's streets
To the gates where all three of them will quietly slip away, stepping out into the night…
Together – as best friends and as sisters
On the hills overlooking the city-state on one side and lands yet to be explored
Nanashi Mumei, the Guardian of Civilization
Stands with Tsunomaki Watame and Yukihana Lamy, the Bardic Sheep and Half-Snow Elf
Marking the Journey's End
With the beginning of a brand new adventure
To an Ode to an Eternal Future, a Good Morning over the Rainbow with Their Step
A Love Fest that smells like Fleur, across the Boundary to Tomorrow's First Love Pâtissière
And a New Start for Mumei
…
Never thought this would be so soon, but I guess here we are…
Nanashi Mumei's upcoming graduation…
Quite a difficult pill to swallow for many of us, especially those of us who followed her on this adventure for the past several years since she debuted as part of the Council.
I myself am having trouble holding back my feelings. As I have said in author's notes before, Mumei is one of my three kami oshis in Hololive, which makes it very difficult as this hits close to home. When I last spoke about her, I said I believed she would stay with Hololive for the foreseeable future because there have not been any statements about her graduating. I admitted that it was possible she might because it is her decision – one that Mumei has now made – although I personally did not think it would have happened so soon after I said that.
You might say that was naïve of me, as there were signs suggesting she likely could. It did not escape my notice, to be honest, but I chose not to address it out of respect for Mumei and everyone else. I had read enough speculation before updating Concordia with the second chapter, and did not want to contribute to any further doom posting regarding graduations. It felt sad and uncomfortable, so I tried to limit what I said then with respect while expressing my thoughts on the subject as best I could.
Now that Mumei is going to graduate, as confirmed by her announcement, which was corroborated by an official statement and sentiments expressing sadness and gratitude from some of the other idols, I must admit that it is hard to.
I understand the reasons why she has chosen to graduate, and I respect her decision and support her, even though it saddens me that she is graduating.
As I said, Mumei is one of my three kami oshis. As Guardian of Civilization, she is the only one in Hololive English who perfectly embodies the fantasy genre. Two years ago I said why in the author's notes of Adventure, the first birthday poem I had written for her. Though I referred you all to that in the following birthday poem, Campfire, since there was no reason to reiterate it then, I would like to do so now that she is graduating to better explain why.
As I said then, I am a history buff. I love all sorts of premodern history, ranging from the Ancient World to the Second Industrial Revolution; including subjects like culture, trade, religion, war, maritime exploration, and colonialism. This is one of the reasons why I love the fantasy genre, because these things are part of storytelling and worldbuilding. When delving into a work of fantasy that allows for character creation, I enjoy roleplaying as someone who fits seamlessly into that world. And I am eager to explore the world so much that I might set aside the main quest until after I finished seeing and doing everything else the world offers.
I see all of this and more in Mumei when I look at her. It is why she is the only idol in Hololive English who became one of my top favorites and one of my three kami oshis.
There are plenty of other idols in Hololive English I enjoy, many of whom are among my second and third favorites. However, though a few of them might become some of my top favorites, they will never be able to replace Mumei or fill the void she is creating and leaving behind. I do not mean that as an insult or a bad thing, they are all exceptional idols. But… if I were to substitute one of them for Mumei, I might forget her at some point. It is why I want to keep the void, because for as painful as it is, it will always remind me of Mumei, so I want to carry this pain with me. Others, including Mumei herself if she finds this, might not want me to for very long since I need to heal, which I deeply appreciate. But pain is a part of living; without it, I may never remember why she is one of my three kami oshis or why I wrote this.
This poem, The Journey's End, is my way of saying goodbye to Mumei and to express my appreciation for everything she has done as a member of Hololive. She has given us all so much in the several years since she debuted, so I wanted to make this poem extra special as a proper send-off for her, to wish Mumei well and good luck going forward.
That is why I wrote it from her perspective, setting the poem at the end of her time in Hololive. Since Mumei symbolizes the fantasy genre so well, I thought I would make Hololive a guild she and all the Holomem were a part of. Its purpose is to show how she is feeling now that she is leaving and who everyone was to her. That said, since I am writing it as a fan, the poem is also an expression of my personal headcanon as to which Holomem I pair her with.
The first section shows her leaving Hololive, walking past everybody else's bedrooms late at night so as not to disturb them while departing for the last time. Though Mumei is one of the Council's members and a part of Promise by extension – what they became after Sana graduated well before – I decided to start with Hololive's founding members from Gen Zero. They were the first in Hololive, after all, so it made sense to start with them, then go through each of the subsequent generations that followed. Hololive DEV_IS is the exception to this as they are separate from Hololive but still connected, so I had them come after Justice. DEV_IS seems to be an indication of where Hololive's future is heading, which is why they only have a single stanza alluding to them. By contrast, everybody else in Hololive gets one stanza each.
The exceptions to this are the other members who are in my top favorites. Kobo, Nene, and Suisei, in that order, are each given more attention than the rest of Hololive. Since I had begun with the founding members, that order is obviously reversed. While the three of them are not my kami oshis, I like them just as much as Mumei and my other two kami oshis. That is why I had them play one last game with her before she leaves, as their way to say goodbye.
They were not the only ones, however, as Vestia Zeta is given special attention as well. Though Zeta is not a member of Hololive English, being a member of Hololive Indonesia, of all the idols in my second favorites list, she is starting to become another of my top favorites. Granted, she may not replace Mumei for the reason above, at least not fully according to the stanza that directly follows the one where she is introduced. She and Mumei are too different from one another, after all. However, I imagine the process of gathering data will be like one of Mumei's duties as the Guardian of Civilization: Compiling information on civilization for the purpose of research and preservation. That is why I think Zeta might take over that duty in a fantasy setting now that Mumei is graduating, hence why I am elevating her in the poem.
Shishiro Botan was given her own section too, but only because I still believe Mumei's a way better friend to Tsunomaki Watame and Yukihana Lamy than she ever will be. I know that is just my petty jealously as a Watamate, a Yukimin, and a Hooman talking. I made that quite clear in both Watame Did Nothing Wrong and Campfire, and my opinion regarding Botan shall never change. That is why Botan is not with the guild anymore in this poem. Her fate is a reference to one of the stanzas I had written about her in Watame Did Nothing Wrong, which I thought was a fun nod to that birthday poem.
Speaking of Watame and Lamy, the two of them were obviously given their very own section too. What I said at the start of the previous paragraph is one of the reasons why. The other is that Watame and Lamy are my other two kami oshis in Hololive. Now, from the way I had written their section, you might think the two of them are graduating from Hololive as well. While I understand the confusion that may cause, neither of them are graduating as far as I know. No statements have been made by either of them or other official sources, such as COVER Corp. and Hololive Production, that say they are. Watame and Lamy are both very much still active in Hololive and, from what I can tell, will not be graduating.
Their departure from the guild with Mumei in The Journey's End, however, is actually meant as an expression of the trio as my three kami oshis. As a Hooman, I want the best for Mumei, and I do not want her to feel sad or lonely, so their section is actually more personal to me only. I always believed Mumei went perfect with Watame and Lamy as a trio, which is why I did not want to tear them apart in this poem. To do so would have hurt me more since I enjoyed the very few times when they were together, even though it was never as a trio. The occasion when Mumei sang her second original song, Mumei, with Watame during Watame's Revival birthday live last year, and when she and Lamy were part of the group that had sung Otonablue for Hololive Countdown 2023, are two of my fondest memories of them together.
That is why I wrote it to have both of them leave the guild with her, so the two of them could be her companions on the journey ahead. Again, there is nothing official about either of them graduating from Hololive. This was just my way of wanting them to stay together as a trio in a work of fiction. Watame and Lamy are interracial sisters in this poem, as they are in Campfire and Snow Angels, and will be in fanfiction projects I write that are set in fantasy. This should help show that they are not actually graduating now.
Now, a part of me still wants Mumei to stay with Hololive, so I shall keep entertaining it with my fanfiction. I have made comments in author's notes before about how I was going to respect the graduated members by making them legends to be remembered fondly. I have also said in the author's notes of Concordia's second chapter that I might walk it back so that all of them can continue to be a part of Hololive in my fanfiction. That is an ideal I am starting to warm to, because I want to feel happy keeping them in Hololive, and I want everyone else to feel happy too knowing there is a fictional setting where they remain in Hololive. Think of it as another timeline or multiple timelines in which Holomem who graduated stayed, where there are no graduations, allowing them to keep having fun with all their friends in Hololive.
Of course, I should point out that this view may apply to terminations as well, because the Holomem who did not get a chance to graduate were terminated for certain reasons I am not going to cover here. I will not be talking about them because this is a sensitive matter, so I will refrain from delving into it further out of respect to all parties involved and other fans of Hololive. For this reason, I will also refrain from including terminated Holomem in any of my Hololive fanfics due to how sensitive it and the circumstances which led to their contracts being terminated are. I say this not out of malice nor as an attack on them, but out of respect.
Also, just as a small side note, I am aware that Murasaki Shion will be graduating too and that her graduation date is around the same time as Mumei's. So, technically, you could say that Mumei is not leaving Hololive alone since Shion will be going with her. Realistically, they both live far apart in different countries, meaning they are going separate ways, but you get the idea. I am bringing this up here due to the timing, and to say something about Shion. That being said, I do not have as much to really say regarding her as I do for Mumei and the rest of my top favorites, second favorites, and third favorites. The reason why is because she was never on any of these lists – not because I disliked her, far from it. I like Shion's original songs; however, she did not captivate my interest as much as others did. Like the others who did not – save Botan for the reasons above – I just felt neutral toward her. There was nothing about her I disliked, though there was not enough about her to interest me, beside her songs.
I mean no offense toward Shion and her fans, and I apologize if any came across, but there honestly is not much I can really say about her. Like Mumei and all the other Holomem who graduated, I wish Shion well and good luck in her future endeavors.
Finally, before I close these author's notes off, I want to briefly return to my previous point about the future of my Hololive fanfiction. Right now, Concordia is my main project as part of a Hololive – Conjuring crossover series I want to do. It features Watame, Lamy, and Mumei as the three star protagonists, and is meant to be the first in the Hell on Earth trilogy, in which the three of them go to particularly haunted locations across the world. There is the interconnected spin-off series, The Devil's Kingdom, as well, which will feature my other top favorites as the protagonists, along with a few others who will be protagonists too. Since I am still in the beginning phase of Concordia, I will be walking back that notion I just mentioned about respecting the graduations for the rest of this series, assuming I keep writing on it. As Kiryu Coco and Tsukumo Sana had both graduated long before I started it, neither of them will make appearances in any of these fanfics but will continue to be alluded to as legends.
As for other fanfics, I will include both of them and the other graduated Holomem as characters for the reason I mentioned above. I have a lot of ideas I am interested in pursuing, either after the Hololive – Conjuring crossover series is over or if I decide to write something different after finishing Concordia. Now, just because I may switch to another project after I get Concordia done does not mean I will be quitting work on the crossover series. It may just be as a break from the series so I can return to it refreshed. Unless I decide otherwise that is.
I will keep writing birthday poems for Mumei even after she graduates too, since she deserves it as one of my kami oshis. That, and to continue with the fantasy storyline I started in Campfire. Watame's upcoming birthday poem this year will continue the saga. I had stated in the author's notes of Snow Angels that Kobo's next birthday poem later this December was going to come after Watame's. However, because Zeta is beginning to become one of my top favorites in Hololive, I will most likely make the first birthday poem I write for her a part of the saga. I did not say if Lamy's next birthday poem will, because at the time I was uncertain if it would or if I should write an unrelated birthday poem for her this year instead, enabling her and Watame – and the others – to share the same number of birthday poems in the sage. As that is still far off, I have more time to determine what I want to do about that.
With all that said, there is nothing left for me to cover right now. I have expressed my feelings regarding Mumei's graduation as best I could with respect, and believe I did so well.
It is going to be hard once she graduates at the end of this month. While I will continue going to her YouTube channel after she leaves to watch the content that will stay up… it will feel empty with her gone, knowing she may never return to Hololive. I do wish Mumei could have hung out with Watame and Lamy as a trio and did more with the two of them, but I am glad to have the memories of when they did sing together, even though it was never as a trio. And I am happy to have all the other warm memories of her I got to make as a Hooman. She will be missed, but she will never be forgotten.
So, thank you, Nanashi Mumei, for everything. Thank you for being the Guardian of Civilization Hololive and all of us needed. Thank you for all the smiles and the laughs we had with you, and for all the memories we got to make together with you. Thank you for leading us all on this adventure. And, on a more personal note, from me to you, thank you for being one of my three kami oshis alongside of Watame and Lamy, Mumei. It means so much to me.
Have a happy graduation, Mumei. Good luck with all your future endeavors after you graduate. I wish you well and good cheer on the journey ahead. And, finally, I hope we meet again someday. This adventure may be ending, but the next is just A New Start away, Mumei.
Disclaimer:
I do not own Nanashi Mumei and the rest of Hololive Production. They are owned by COVER Corporation. I am also not affiliated with Mumei or anyone else in Hololive, nor am I affiliated with Hololive Production or COVER Corporation either.