The Cherry Project - Chapter 3 "Held by the wings of an angel..." Originally appeared in Nakayoshi, December 1990. Translated by Alex Glover. Version 1.0, 8.97. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I'm going to challenge that girl!" says Chieri. "So I will do the festival!" The three boys look at her. "So you're serious. Follow us." "Of course!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri skates to school. A note taped to the door says, "In conference." On the blackboard is written, "Three weeks left until the festival." "Enough with the basics!" says Chieri. "I want to hurry and practice my program! We won't be in time for the festival!" The three boys are seated around a laptop computer. "Now, don't be so hasty. Leave things to us." "You may not like it, but from now on, you'll only be practicing on the rink." "I won't go to that rink where the Princess is anymore," says Chieri. "I want to practice somewhere else! I'll practice as hard as I can, get real good, and then go there. Next time I meet the Princess will be when I challenge her. Until then..." "Well..." says Kouichi. "Since you angered the spoiled princess so, she'd probably die before she let you use that rink again." "What do you mean! Why!?" says Chieri. "Kouichi, do you know that girl?" "The daughter of the rink's manager," says Tsuzuki. "Princess Canty." Kouichi pulls up a display on the computer: Princess Canty Nationality: Japanese. Belongs to the Takanawa Wing skating club. Began skating at the age of two and a half. All-Japan junior champion at the age of eight. Currently world junior champion two years running. "But..." says Kouichi. "If you want another rink..." "There are no other rinks we can go to," says Tsuzuki. "Don't be stubborn, Tsuzuki," says Hiroshi. "Well," says Yuni, "if there is another one, hurry up and tell us." "Right!" says Kouichi. "If we're going, now's the time, Tsuzuki." Tsuzuki scowls. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Your house is as huge as ever, Tsuzuki." They enter the mansion, and go into a large room with an ice rink. "What!? There's a rink in your house!?" says Yuni. "Wow! Amazing!" says Chieri. "They built it for me when I became junior champion," Tsuzuki says. "I don't believe this!" says Yuni. "What on earth does your father do?" "An ordinary job," says Tsuzuki. "Hey, hey," says Chieri. "Is this reserved just for us!? It is, isn't it! If you had a rink, you should have told us from the beginning!" "I've never brought others in here before," he says. "And I didn't intend to bring anyone, either." "Don't tell a lie," Kouichi says (in English). "Isn't it that you didn't intend to bring anyone but your skating partner? That's not Cherry, yet. It's just the plan." "The plan remains to be seem," says Tsuzuki. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tsuzuki reads from a set of papers. "And now I will announce the schedule for the day of the event. Showtime starts at 1 p.m. Skating time is about ten minutes. You will skate twice, with a one-hour rest period in between. Aside from that, the rink will be open during the intermission. Everyone in class has decided to skate as a group." "So what about the rink?" says Yuni. "What do you plan to do?" "You'll see on the day of the festival," says Kouichi, "what we're going to do for that. But..." A cassette drops before them. "I made it," says Hiroshi. "The music tape." He plays the tape, and they listen to the music. "Hmm," says Yuni. "Kind of a light rock. Does this fit Cherry?" "You can dance to this," says Chieri. Tsuzuki puts on a pair of skates. "Oh!" Yuni says. "The music changed. Now it's just a piano. What? Is this still the same song?" Chieri gasps as Tsuzuki skates out onto the ice. "Oh! The music changed again! Next is percussion? Each tune is pretty short. I love it! In the same song, there are different rhythms and instruments. The same song gives completely different images, Cherry!" Chieri watches Tsuzuki. "Being able to see him skate again..." she thinks. "He is wonderful. Why did he quit? It's such a waste." He comes to a stop before her. "Did you see it?" he says. "That feeling?" "What!?" says Chieri. "No way! I can't skate that well." "This is the kind of feeling you have to depend on." He holds up some papers. "What's this?" says Chieri. "It's a program," says Tsuzuki. "Haven't you ever seen one before?" "I don't know! What are these things, these symbols?" "There's no choice," he says. "For now, we'll go without the music. I will show you by example." He grabs her hand and leads her on to the rink. "What are you doing!" Chieri says. "You're doing this with me!" He shows her a move, and she copies it nervously. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Starting today, we'll be skating to music," Tsuzuki says. "When you practice this step, make it smooth and precise." They jump into the air. "Three jump!" "Cherry's jumps are high as usual," says Kouichi. "The same height as Tsuzuki's." "Oh!" says Chieri as she hears the music. "Synth drums! Fast tempo! I like this!" She begins skating faster. "Now for a triple! I know I can make it!" She leaps into the air and spins. "Stop!" Tsuzuki yells. She falls and crashes on the ice. "You always do one spin more than I say, and end up twisting your body," Tsuzuki says. "You don't need to do that kind of jump now. Just skate like I say without thinking of extra things." "I want to do more showy jumps, with the feeling of success!" says Chieri. "I'll practice them!" "While you still have to work on your form?" he says. "How you will skate is decided. That is how we will proceed!" She stares at him. Yuni and Hiroshi enter the room. "Yoohoo!" calls Yuni. "We've got presents!" Kouichi places a jacket on Chieri. "If your shoulders are cold, it will make the joints fatigue, and your skating costume will wear out." "W- Wow," Chieri thinks. "That was nice..." "Hey, hey!" says Yuni. "Brought your favorite, Cherry!" "All right!" says Chieri. "Chocolate bananas!" "There's a boy running a chocolate banana stand next to where you skate." "You're Cherry, but you like bananas?" says Tsuzuki. "You're weird." "I am not weird!" says Chieri as she takes a bite of one. "Monkey," he says. "Wha-!" "Monkey, monkey, monkey." "I am not a monkey!" she says. "Then practice as I say." She steams as he turns away. "Hey, is this all right?" asks Yuni. "Aren't you mad that we're staying here so late? It's almost dinner time, isn't it?" "It's fine," says Tsuzuki. "There's nobody home, I've said never to come in here, and I've removed all the phones because they're noisy. Hmm... That's right. Kouichi, got your cell phone?" "Got it," says Kouichi, holding it up. Tsuzuki takes the phone. "Yes, hello? It's me. How's the construction going?" "That guy's your typical type A," says Kouichi. "Won't help you out at all. He'll work you hard, Cherry." The A [blood type] with high ideals is cheerfully jealous. Needs to look at reality. Tsuzuki hangs up the phone. "Somebody is a typical B," he says, looking at Chieri. "A festive B." The B [blood type] is easily excited, and easily loses interest. There are festive B's and grave B's. Which are you? "That's not very nice," says Chieri. "Anyway," Tsuzuki says, "we should quit jumps for now." "Why!?" says Chieri. "If you do jumps while your form is not perfected," says Kouichi, "your landings will weight you in an unnatural posture, and you'll injure your hips. You should be careful." "You know a lot about this!" says Chieri. "Hehe!" he says. "I learned all about figure skating a long time ago, together with Tsuzuki." "What!?" says Chieri. "And Hiroshi too?" "I did," says Hiroshi. "And you've also been skating since you were little, right, Cherry?" "I started going to the rink when I entered junior high," says Chieri. Kouichi blinks, surprised. "There are those who can succeed even without having built up effort and a career, Tsuzuki," says Hiroshi. "Hmm..." thinks Chieri. "I've longed to be like Tsuzuki, but this is my first time figure skating." "If she had been doing it for a long time, she would skate better than she does now," Tsuzuki says. "Excuse me!" says Chieri. "Hey, hey," says Kouichi. "Since you two have the same birthday, you should be better friends." "The same birthday!?" says Chieri. "Take a break, then we'll start practice," says Tsuzuki. Chieri stares at him. "The same birthday...? No way... This is amazing, amazing... Like destiny..." "When you fall, that could be dangerous," says Tsuzuki. "Take off that necklace." She grabs the crystal pendant hanging from her neck. "N- No!" she says. "This is my lucky charm." "That time Tsuzuki put it on me..." she thinks. "It made me feel like I couldn't take my mom's pendant off..." "What are you doing!" Tsuzuki calls. "The music's started!" They go onto the ice. He holds her arms from behind. "Don't stagger." She gasps. "Your arms should always be raised slightly," he says. He holds her stomach steady, and lifts her leg up behind her. "For a spiral, keeps your knees extended straight!" "No!" she yells. She pulls away from him. "W- What do you mean, no!?" Tsuzuki says with frustration. "B- But, you're touching me!" "Do you seriously want to do this?" Tsuzuki says. Chieri thinks of Princess Canty. "That's right..." she thinks. She stands up straight. "Yes! I'm sorry!" "I decided to go after her," she thinks. "I will become better than the Princess!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Princess!" a girl calls. "Telephone!" She picks up the phone. "Hello?" "Hey. It's me." Kouichi stands in a room next to the rink as he talks over the phone. "The girl is practicing at Tsuzuki's place," he says. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flyers are handed out at school to advertise the skating show. "All right, the geology department has twenty dark curtains." - The administrator's door opens. "Excuse us," says Tsuzuki. "We'd like a permit to use the vacant lot in back." The administrator looks out his window. "You mean this vacant lot?" "Yes. It is not being used for anything." "What are you going to do with it? It's not sunny. What class is this for?" "Class 2-2." "You say 2-2!? The skating show I've been hearing about!" - "I made a whole bunch of costumes!" says Yuni. "How's this one?" Chieri tries on a light dress adorned with blue ribbons, with ribbons around her arms and legs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I feel like I can skate perfectly!" Chieri says. The others watch her on the rink. "If she can perform after such a short time," says Hiroshi, "this might go even quicker than we thought." "It's just as we thought," says Tsuzuki. "She's sharp, easy to teach." "We might have a problem for the festival," says Kouichi. "We don't have anything but jumps and singles... Isn't this program a bit plain?" "We've filled her with all the necessary basic techniques," says Tsuzuki. "Because the foundation is the most important. That's why there are no advanced jumps or spins. It might be plain, but since the stage is the school festival, it will be enough." "So the fourth stage is clear," says Hiroshi. "What?" says Yuni. "I don't think it's plain. No matter what you have Cherry do, she will look cute, like herself. She always looks so happy skating. Isn't she cheerful doing anything? That's showy enough." Tsuzuki looks at her. Chieri stops at the edge of the rink, and the others go to her. "Cherry, that's wonderful!" says Kouichi. "You're doing well!" "That was great!" says Yuni. "Really? Really?" says Chieri. She sees Tsuzuki standing off to the side silently. "What's with him," she thinks. "A little praise would be nice... I finally managed to do it, but somehow I get the feeling that's not enough..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loud machine noises sound from the back of the school. "They're starting to build something in the back!" Large steel walls surround the area, hiding what is being built. Chieri sees the sign on the wall. "Tsuzuki Construction?" - The three boys play basketball in the sun. A crowd of girls is gathered to watch them. "Kouichi-kun is so cool! He's like a model!" "What! Hiroshi-kun is the cool one!" "I like Tsuzuki-kun! Cherry's lucky. They're always together." - "I shouldn't say this," says Chieri, "but Tsuzuki's personality is just horrible! He's not at all like I imagined him when I looked at his picture!" "He was popular for being 'the prince with a cool poker face,'" says another girl. "What!?" "I know because my cousin likes figure skating, and was just crazy about him. He became the world's youngest junior champion, famous for his great talent. But it seems he quit right away. I have a bunch of videos and books at home. Want me to lend them to you?" Chieri's face lights up. "Really!?" She blushes. "Oh, oh I see..." she says casually. "Well, sure, why don't you lend them to me." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wow, you're putting up an arch." "Yep," says Tsuzuki. "Tomorrow's finally the day, when the school festival starts." "Ack, I'm getting nervous," Chieri says. "Can I really do it... Will I be all right?" "It will be fine," says Tsuzuki. "You'll do great." "Yeah..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chieri sits on her bedroom floor, looking at the poster of Tsuzuki on her wall, and listening to the tape. "Wow, interesting," says her dad. "Different feelings arranged in the same song. So will you be doing a combination jump to this tomorrow, Chieri?" "I'm not doing jumps, it's the festival," she says. "Oh, what a waste," her dad says. "Even though this music has just the right variation for it." "I didn't think it was enough either," says Chieri. "But it's the program Tsuzuki made for me." "Hey, what are those? Those videos and books?" "Oh! I borrowed them today! A video, a video!" She puts it in the VCR. She flips through one of the books. Tsuzuki Masanori-kun (6) First formal match participation The talented Tsuzuki-kun became the youngest junior champion at age 8. Tsuzuki Masanori-kun was the most popular prince with the girls' junior champion, Miss Canty, at the world tournament exhibition. He returned home good friends with Miss Canty. "-ri... Chieri?" her dad says. "The video's started." She watches the tape play. "Oh! This is the one I went to see!" "Wow! Successive backflips!" says the announcer. "Even the prince who hardly ever smiles has room to give us a smile on top of the ice, where you wouldn't think he's only twelve years old. This time, he answers his fans around the world as junior champion at the winter tournament exhibition. They are giving the icetop prince so many bouquets he can't carry them all!" Chieri stares at the screen as the tape goes blank for a moment. It cuts to another skater. "She's decided on a triple!" the announcer says. "The girls' junior champion, Miss Canty!" "The Princess!? She's so pretty!" "A combination jump, a double, and into a triple lutz! She's wonderful on the ice!" "Wow..." Chieri thinks. "She has such speed, and she jumps so lightly... Like this... Compared to her, my program doesn't have anything in it... Jumps, spins... I can't challenge the Princess! Even the school festival...!" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original manga copyright © 1990 Takeuchi Naoko. English translation copyright © 1997 Alex Glover. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Manga of Takeuchi Naoko | The Cherry Project | Volume 1