[ES!] Birth of Basket-bon
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Midori wants to finish polishing all the basketballs before he goes home, but…
This story is connected to the card [Basket-bon] Midori Takamine.
Story Release Date: May 26, 2016
Season: Spring
Location: Running Grounds
Haaah~… Practice was rough today, too~
Thanks for your hard work, Transfer student. Have you gotten used to your classes and work yet? I’m sure it’s still confusing sometimes, since everything is so different here compared to a normal school~
Not to mention, you’re the only girl among a bunch of dudes, and most of them are weirdos who’re idols only in name~ You have my sympathy.
So — seriously, thanks for all your hard work~♪ If there’s anything you’re struggling with, feel free to talk to me about it. We’re Trickstar pals, yeah?
I’m a Student Council member, so I’ve got a little influence around here.
Plus, I’m in a different class from everyone else in Trickstar~ I don’t necessarily feel left out, but it frustrates me that I can’t take action as soon as something comes up.
And hearing all the noise and yelling from your class always makes me queasy. Ahh, I’ve got a stomachache every day~♪
Mm? What’s wrong? Let’s get out of here already~ I’m the one who’ll take you home today, as you know.
And your house is in the opposite direction from mine, so we gotta go now or I won’t make it for the last train.
Hm? The lights in the gym are on so late at night…?
Huh, that’s odd… I thought the Basketball Club decided to play on the court today…?
Yup. I’m sure you know this, but I’m part of that club too. I’ve got a lotta work to do with the Student Council and as an idol though, so I don’t show up much.
Maybe I’ll check out how they’re doing for a bit. Hehe~ I sure hope I don’t get involved in any annoying problem, though. ♪
Location: Gym
Sigh… I’m so depressed, I wanna die…
Woah— Takamine, what’re you doing all alone in this huge gym…?
Ahh, Isara-senpai… and…?
Ahh, this is the transfer student that everyone’s been hearing about lately~ She’s pretty well-known — I’m sure you’ve also met her before somewhere, right?
Hah, only a few times…
That aside, Isara-senpai, please help me out if you’ve got the spare time… We couldn’t practice playing today ‘cause not many people showed up…
So I’ve just been polishing and cleaning the balls and the court… But it just never ends… I wanna die…
Mm~ You don’t have to force yourself to finish it all today, do you? You can just do the rest tomorrow. It’s getting late, so it’s best if you go home, y’know?
I won’t be able to sleep knowing there’s still work left to do for the day… I’d much rather stay up all night finishing it, even if I die trying…
Man, despite how big and tall you are, you can be pretty particular about the small details huh… Or more like, fussy with this sorta stuff~?
You work so slowly, though. This’ll never end if you keep dragging it on for so long, y’know?
Uu… I’m sorry I’m bad at this, it’s just that it’s such a pain… If this dull work was just a bit more refreshing, or like, if I just had some emotional comfort, I’d be able to bear with it longer…
“Emotional comfort”…? Hrm~… Well, whatever, I’ll help you out at least. Do I just have to polish the balls?
I’m a member of the club too, after all~ And it’s a senior’s duty to help his juniors. ♪
I’d really appreciate that… But Isara-senpai, weren’t you taking the transfer student back home…?
Ah— That’s right… Uh, what now…
Alright, wait a little, Takamine. I’ll quickly take the transfer student back home, and then get back to you.
No, I’d feel bad making you do that for me… I’ll be fine on my own…
Whaat, you seriously don’t have to hold back like that, though… I’d personally love it if you relied on me a little more, y’know.
…Hm? What’re you doing, Transfer student? Why’re you taking out a notebook and scribbling on it…?
Mm? You want me to hold the basketball up and read these sentences? Uh, sure, I guess…? Umm…
“Hello, Takamine-kun! I’m the basketball fairy, Basket-bon! ☆”1
Isara-senpai’s lost it… And here I thought you’d be the one and only senior I could actually talk to in this club…
No, dude, just hear me out a sec. The transfer student has something up her sleeve, I think. Ermm~
“Takamine-kun, thank you for always treating me with such good care-bon! I’m so happy-bon!”
Its name is “Basket-bon”, so it ends its sentences with “bon”…? Its personality is so randomly put together…
But… It’s kinda got a yuruchara2 air to it somehow…♪
Ahh~ That’s right, you like this sorta stuff. So the plan is to yuruchara-fy this basketball to motivate Takamine?
This feels like a roundabout way to do it, but it might be effective on him. Umm…
“Artificial beings… Homunculi are created from the substances of human beings-bon.”
“And through that sort of alchemy, a basketball was brought to life from the sweat of high-school boys-bon! That’s me-bon!”
Its backstory is way too complex and wild… Ahh~ It’s so yuruchara-like…♪
Ermm… “My powers can’t manifest when my body is dirty-bon. At this rate, our world will be destroyed by baseball and soccer-bon…!”
Huh, soccer and baseball are the enemies…?
“That’s why I need your help, Takamine-kun! You’re the only one who can save our world-bon!”
…Woah—! What’re you doing, Takamine!? Why’re you trying to take the ball from me!?
It’s adorable, so I was thinking of taking it home with me to have it in my room…♪
You can’t take it home with you~ It’s the school’s property.
C’mon, let’s finish up this work. Look, the transfer student’s saying she’ll tell you all about Basket-bon’s heartbreaking upbringing while we work.
What, I’m really curious to hear now… Okay, I’ll do my best then…
(The transfer student remembered that I like yuruchara…)
(And Isara-senpai helped me out so naturally… Everyone’s so kind here…)
(I’ll keep at it a little longer without giving up… Watch over me, Basket-bon…♪)
For more Mao and Midori in the Basketball Club, please read First Dreams – Hurray for a Normal Day, set in winter time!
Midori Idol Stories
Translation Notes
- ↑ Basket-bon’s (called basukebon in Japanese) first-person pronoun is boku, which makes it sound soft and friendly. In comparison, Mao uses the ore first-person pronoun, which is more masculine.
- ↑ Yuruchara, yuru meaning “loose,” “soft,” “laid-back,” + the word “character”. Yuruchara are mascot characters, their defining features are that they have very peculiar designs, ranging from bizarre-cute to adorkable, as well as being used all across Japan for PR purposes, in companies, prefectures, etc… For more information please see this.