#i'm actually already up to kiko but i'm not going to dump these on everyone all at once like a monster

[managician-tls]

Basketball at Dusk - Prologue (1/10)

This story is one of my favourites in the game so far. It gives Botan's character, as well as Botan and Asuka's relationship, quite some depth.

Since it happens in July, I thought this was the perfect time to get it all translated, so please enjoy~

Featured characters: Asuka, Kanae, Kiko

Location: Classroom

Asuka: Haah...

Kanae: Momochi-san, what's wrong?

It's rare for you to sigh.

Asuka: That goes for you too, Kanae-chan. Isn't it rare for you to come talk to me?

Kanae: Well, that is true... Usually, I'm always bound to taking care of Piko-chan.

But it seems she had a meeting with the adviser teacher of the brass band club.

In lunch breaks, she listens to everyone's personal hopes and complaints regarding the club.

Asuka: Hm~m? That sounds kinda hard.

Kanae: Ever since Natsuno became the president, it looks like almost all of the dissatisfaction is gone.

It's just that President Natsuno is sometimes very strict with others, so she's still holding the meetings with the teacher, just in case.

Asuka: Taking care of others is nice, huh~? Everyone in my basketball club is very laid-back~

I want them to tell me more about this and that, and I also want them to get Komacchi-senpai to join our activities more often!

Kanae: This Komacchi-senpai you're referring must be Komatsu-senpai.

Asuka: Yep! You know of her too, Kanae-chan?

Kanae: Yes, I've heard quite a lot. She helps other clubs during their activities, and she is popular with the juniors, as well.

Asuka: That's Komacchi-senpai, alright ♪ She's the pride and joy of the basketball club~ ☆

Kanae: Speaking of her, you're usually clinging to Komatsu-senpai all the time, aren't you, Momochi-san?

Could it be that you're worried about something concerning her, then?

Asuka: Mhm~. It's a problem you wouldn't understand, Kanae-chan...

I wanna talk about it, but it's difficult, y'know?

Kanae: Is that so. Was I being a bother, then?

In that case, please do excuse me.

Asuka: Ah! H-Hang on, Kanae-chan!

You're way too cruel! You should put more care into showing empathy!

Kanae: But you're worrying over something that is hard to talk about, correct?

If that's the case, I think it'd be wise to keep it to yourself.

Asuka: N-No! 'Cuz I meaaan, you're the one that came to talk to me, right, Kanae-chan~?

This must be some kinda fated thing! So by all means, I'd like you to hear my worries~

Kanae: Haah...

Your "it's difficult to talk about it" actually meant "I'd like you to hear about it", then.

It would seem I'm the type of person who can't read between the lines very much. My apologies.

I always try to be careful with that, but... I can only ever scratch the surface of what's being said.

Asuka: N-Nah... It's no problem, really?

Anyways, since we're already talking, I'm gonna ask you for advice with my problem~ ♪

Kanae: Understood. I will hear you out until you're satisfied, Momochi-san.

Asuka: Rather than calling me "Momochi-san" all formal, I want you to use "Momocchi"!

I was down in the dumps just a second ago, so I hadn't noticed 'til now, but it kinda makes us feel distant from each other and I don't like that~!

The formal language too! Since we're in the same class, you don't need to mind your manners so much, okay?

Got it, Kanae-chan? ♪

Kanae: If you say so, Momochi-san...

Let's get along from here on. "Momocchi"-san.

Asuka: I told you just "Momocchi" is fine, though~!

Well, Kanae-chan seems to use honorifics with everyone, no matter who ♪

Kanae: Do you hate formalities?

Asuka: Hnn~ Well, 'hate' might be going too far, but it can't be helped either way ♪

It's not like you can drop the formalisms right away, yeah?

My parents tried to get me to drop my casual speech too, y'see? [1]

So don't worry about it!

Ahem, ahem.

My problem, just as you'd guessed it, has to do with Komacchi-senpai~

Ever since the practice match we had a week ago, she hasn't shown up to practice, not even once...

That's common in her though, so if it was just that, there wouldn't be a problem?

But this time, there's something wrong!

Komacchi-senpai hasn't looked very cheerful lately...

She's like, zoned out, or more like... Filled with ennui? She gives off that kinda feel!

And that's why I've been all restless, because, like...

Kanae-chan, what do you think? Could her sudden mood drop be 'cuz her health is declining, or something...?

I keep worrying and worrying about her...

Kanae: Ah, excuse me. Piko-chan just got back to the classroom, so I was busy dealing with her.

Could you explain everything one more time?

Kiko: S-Sorry for interrupting you! I tripped and fell in the classroom doorway...

Miyo-chan helped me up!

Asuka: H-How could this be! Did my heartfelt plea for help get completely ignored!?

Uu, that's awful! Everyone in Class A is way too awful~!

I don't talk much to the people in my class — I'm always just talking to my seniors, and that bothered me a little, you know!?

But with a treatment this awful, I just can't do it! Is there no God nor Buddha in this world!?

You're all my enemies now!

I'm leaving this classroom! Uwaah!

[1]. Asuka ends her sentences with the casual っす (ssu) instead of the polite marker です (desu), and her parents wanted her to stop that, in particular.

all • Chapter 2 ▶

[synthaphone]

My top 10 favorite Acara colorations, and bonus top 5 favorite pre conversion Acara colorations

Halloween Acara- iconic, i love pets in skeleton themed body suits, the head costuming in specific with the white triangles is particularly good imo

Robot Acara- very similar to its unconverted design, just with a bigger head- still really nice though. i like the red and blue together. just pretend not to notice that the further antenna looks like its coming out of its forehead a little bit

Maraquan Acara- again, iconic- the UC version is more unique, but i think the converted one is a little cuter

Mutant Acara- a lot of people’s favorite Acara, or favorite mutant, because it looks like a cool demon made out of space gas. it is very striking and i’m a fan

Pastel Acara- this might be a little high on the list but I really like it- the pale yellow irises are really striking, and the yellow goes nicely with that shade of green. its also not as grey as some of the other pastel pets, which i like

Plushie Acara- i really like pets with distinctive colors and patterns, and the Plushie Acara absolutely has those. I think the stripey antennae are the highlight feature of this guy

Tyrannian Acara- the colors on this work really well (the green!! i love the green and browns and tans look together), and I like how its kind of a mammalian triceratops looking thing. customization couldn’t kill it, even if it is kind of worse now

Baby Acara- a cute baby pet! I like it a lot more than the old version, like, the first version of the baby Acara is burned into my memory but this one is better

Faerie Acara- you might think this is a boring pick for my top 10, and you’re probably right, but I really like the more pastel yellow and pink that are used for the Faerie Acara! the wings look bad, but lets face it, almost all of the wings for quadruped Faerie Neopets look bad nowadays, so i can forgive it

Chocolate Acara- its the stripey antennae again. chocolate pets tend to look halfway decent more often than not, but the antennae sort of push this one over from ‘decent’ to ‘really nice’ for me.

bonus round

The Tyrannian Acara is my favorite preconversion Acara, I love the forwards facing horns that we lost in conversion, 

Robot Acara is second because its striking and competently done and is also slightly nicer than the new one if you like more proportionate heads,

Maraquan Acara is kind of both cute and creepy here, while the new one is a little more on the cute side, but regardless this was my 3rd fave UC Acara,

Plushie Acara was cute before too,

and Darigan Acara didn’t make it into my favorites Post-Conversion because they added too many colors I like more than it, but pre-conversion it had a really nice unique pose and is basically a little squat gremlin. the horns are really good

super bonus: least favorite acara color- Speckled

these speckles are so small that this kind of just looks like a green acara with dandruff (it literally is the green acara with white speckles added, the shades of green are identical). i thought the disco acara was also just the green acara with added patterns, but the green is actually SLIGHTLY brighter, and the Disco patterns are at least fun!!  I really like Speckled on some pets, but this one doesn’t work for me at all. I’d have made the speckles a bit more prominent, had some areas be primarily white with green speckles in them, and have changed the pink feet and ears to that blueish color that's used as the accent color for other speckled pets.