In the ancient theater of the Beautiful Horizon Academy, where the place was bustling with preparations for the end-of-year play, Arenas stood with her brother Martin, who was two years older than her, at the right corner of the stage while she argued with him, saying:
"I told you before that I won't take that silly role; I don't like acting at all."
Her brother Martin replied cautiously:
"I'm sorry, Arenas, but the end-of-year play is mandatory for all classes in the penultimate year at the academy, and it's one of the conditions for passing. Also, all students in the class must participate for it to be approved by the committee."
Arenas, with sharp looks:
"Martin, two words, please behave."
Martin averted his gaze, thinking, when he noticed Dayas sitting cross-legged with boredom on the left side of the stage, repairing the wood. He accidentally hit his hand with the hammer and winced in pain, grumbling:
"Damn it, I hate the end-of-year play."
Dayas heard, while in that state, the voice of a boy sitting behind him near a girl, who were flirting with each other, and the girl replied to her boyfriend in a soft voice she was feigning:
"Honey, sometimes I think, what if we never met... this thought always scares me."
Daiyas, annoyed by his work upon returning to it, says:
"Ah, you probably would have met another young man and told him the same thing."
He then notices two feet stopping in front of him, and he raises his head to discover it's Martin, who greets Daiyas, adding:
"Dayas, my favorite friend..."
Dayas interrupts him with boredom, saying:
"Martin, cut to the chase, what do you want?"
Martin:
"Whoa, it seems someone else is in a bad mood. Well, to be brief, I have two pieces of news for you, one good and the other bad."
Dayas, giving Martin some attention:
"I think I need to hear the good news first."
Martin:
"The play committee has decided to give you a new role."
Dayas, with a playful anger:
"Damn it, Martin, I told you to start with the good news."
Martin:
"Oh, if it seems that one is bad and the other worse because we decided you will play the role of the princess."
Dayas, shocked with a strange look of annoyance:
"But why me!"
Martin:
"Arenas doesn't want to take that role, and all your other colleagues have already taken their roles and memorized them, so the most suitable option is to take that role yourself."
Dayas:
"But, but, who will take my role then?"
Martin:
"Dayas, your role is just a rock, and we created that role specifically for you because you don't want to act.
Dayas:
"Okay, you got me, but what about Arenas? She also doesn't want to act."
Martin:
"Who said she doesn't want to act? She's just shy about playing the role of the princess."
Dayas, affected:
"Huh, don't tell me you're going to give her the role of the rock; that was the first role I ever played in my life."
Martin:
"Ha, no, we canceled that role; she will just play the role of the prince."
Dayas:
"Wait, what! Doesn't that seem reversed?"
Arenas surprises Dayas from behind and Scorpy is beside her, saying:
"You will play the role of the princess whether you like it or not. Don't forget that I am the supervisor and I have some advantages over the other students, and you almost caused a disaster, or have you forgotten? In fact, you should be grateful that I prepared you for the academy.
Dayas:
"Oh, here we go again. It's been six months since the cosmic court incident, and you still don't want to forget about it."
Then he smiles his usual smile and adds:
"Or maybe what you haven't forgotten is that message."
Arenas responds angrily and seriously:
"Damn you, Dayas, you really don't understand anything.
Then she leaves the place annoyed, and at that moment one of Dayas's scars glimmers, but no one notices, prompting him to say angrily:
"Hah, I'm the one who doesn't understand... Go away, you miserable frowning one."
In the evening, Arenas is sitting by the swan fountain near the dark half where no one dares to approach, while she looks at the sky still upset from her argument with Dayas. Arenas takes a deep breath to calm herself, then pulls out a musical wing machine from her bag and starts playing it to vent her anger. But shortly after she begins playing, Arenas suddenly feels a slight vibration coming from her book, so she decides to check it, only to find strange symphony notes (Symphony of the dance Plum Fairy) instead of her daily novel. Arenas holds the book between her fingers, contemplating the notes in amazement, then decides to try playing them. The musician continues her attempts to play the symphony for a long time, always ending up playing only the first part and failing with the rest of the symphony. Arenas keeps trying late into the night but to no avail, until she suddenly hears a voice chatting from the darkness of the dark half of the fountain beside her. A small figure resembling a nutcracker toy with a frowning face reveals itself as it slowly emerges from the darkness, adding in its rough, gruff voice:
"Who is playing?"
Arenas replies, astonished by the appearance of the nutcracker and somewhat fearful:
"Who are you? And how did you come out of the dark half?"
The nutcracker sits quietly next to her and then answers:
"What do you mean by how I came out?"
Arenas:
"The academy long ago created a barrier that prevents creatures living inside the dark half of the fountain from passing through. What are you, anyway?"
Nutcracker:
"Wait, my dear, let's just take things slowly. My name is Croker, Croker the nutcracker, or you can simply call me the croker."
Arenas, starting to feel a bit reassured:
"Okay... Croker, I'm Arenas. Can you tell me why you came here?"
Croker:
"The symphony you were playing is what brought me here. I think there's something strange about it."
And while they are talking, Dayas suddenly appears, interrupting them, and the nutcracker hides inside Arenas's bag before Dayas discovers him. Arenas becomes flustered upon seeing Dayas holding the bag that contains the nutcracker and then responds:
"Dayas, what are you doing here!"
Dayas:
"I know this is your secret place, so I just thought you would be here.
Arenas remembers then the fight and shows her annoyance, replying:
"So, what's the big deal?"
Dayas, trying to hide his anger:
"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I agreed to the role of the princess."
Arenas:
"Oh really, do you even have a choice?"
But she notices Dayas trying to hide his anger and adds:
"Hey, are you mad!... Strange, it's the first time I've seen you show such a clear feeling."
Dayas, feigning a cheerful smile:
"Ha, me, angry!... Anger is just a weakness... I'm just feeling a bit tired and some soreness in my backside from sitting for two hours on the old stage wood."
Arenas:
"Oh, so that's it, you know, it's getting late, let's go home."
The next morning, Dayas is at the academy theater with the rest of his colleagues holding a script in his hand while trying to memorize his lines when someone near the door interrupts him, calling:
"Hey Dayas, Professor Qwiz is asking for you at the principal's office."
Dayas responds to that person:
"Huh, the principal's office! Strange, no one goes there."
That person:
"I don't know, just hurry up and don't be late."
Dayas responds to his professor's invitation, heading to the director's office. He stands in front of the desk for a moment and then gently knocks on the door, hearing Professor Qwiz's voice from inside telling him to enter. The invited one walks in to find a surprise waiting for him: it's Shiny with Professor Qwiz. Dayas then looks at Shiny in astonishment, saying:
"What is he doing here?"
Professor Qwiz replies:
"Please, have a seat. It seems Mr. Shiny has some news for you."
Shiny says cheerfully as usual:
"Dayas, my good friend, I haven't seen you since our encounter at the cosmic court. Do you remember?"
Dayas, reserved:
"Yes, I remember your attempt to steal Alnidor."
Shiny:
"I didn't come for that this time. It seems things have gotten a bit complicated after that incident, and you have been summoned to a place more dangerous than the cosmic court..."
Professor Qwiz:
"You have been summoned to Palace of the masters."
Dayas:
"Which palace!"
Shiny:
"After the cosmic court event a few days ago, the entity of evil tasked me with bringing you to her masters' palace, so I escaped afterward because I know very well that all the entities' projects end in disaster. However, recently I was threatened: either bring you or face the consequences... so I have no choice."
Dayas, surprised:
"Your threat! Is that even possible?"
Shiny, with a strange look:
"You have no idea how vast this world you belong to is."
Then he adds:
"But don't worry, I'll work to keep you safe."
Dayas, rushing in his speech:
"Give me one reason to trust you."
Professor Qwiz intervenes in the conversation, saying:
"Take it easy, Dayas. Mr. Shiny has told me some details, and it seems you have to go with him for the safety of our city, and perhaps our own as well."
And before Dayas can say another word, Shiny starts to shake in a strange way, adding:
"The professor's approval has been obtained, to the third universe."
Shiny and Daiyas disappear, leaving Professor Qwiz alone in the office. The professor approaches the desk, holding his coffee cup to take a sip, then mutters to himself:
"Just like his father."