Etsuko stood at the train station, her suitcase in one hand and a cage containing a plump, greying old rabbit in the other. This rabbit was the one her Grangran had gotten her, and while Etsuko hadn’t picked out a name for the creature yet, it was pretty endearing. Her grangran wasn’t here, because, as tradition, every hopeful had to make the journey alone.
Though, of course, in this modern era, alone meant without family, not a solo journey to the capitol dome, which wasn’t even where the first few rounds of the search would take place anyway. Grangran had helped Etsuko pack all her things- her nicer clothes, some books to read on the train, a picture of her fathers- and given her her rabbit, but this morning she’d made her way to the train station herself.
It was full of people, other hopefuls, waiting for the train just as she was. It was almost 2 minutes to the scheduled time, and, as all trains of Terill, would be precisely on time.
“Hi!” Etsuko turned around to see a short, kind of chubby girl behind her. She had to be a few years younger than Etsuko, maybe 25 at the most. “I’m Haru, what’s your name?”
“Etsuko.” Haru was already more social than anyone else who was at this station, nobody else had approached Etsuko. She, too, had a rabbit in a cage, this one a lively white one, springing about as if it wanted to be free. “Cute rabbit. What’s its name?”
“I don’t know yet. My mom got him for me. He’s such an excitable thing! Wow. Getting him out is going to be a challenge. He’ll jump around all over. I hope they have a place just for them.”
“I don’t know, what if they get them confused? Does he have any sort of distinguishable markings?”
“I don’t think so, but its pretty lively. I’m sure I’ll know which one he is!” Haru patted her rabbit. “Oh look, there’s the train!”
The gleaming white train, decorated with images of Terill’s previous spouses, all lining up to meet the god, slid into the station. The doors opened, and Haru and Etsuko went inside, along with all the other hopefuls. “Do you mind helping me with my bag?” asked Haru. “I can’t really reach up that high.”
Etsuko wondered why Haru couldn’t just fly up, but nodded and smiled at the other girl. “Sure!” Etsuko put both her and Haru’s suitcases in the luggage rack above, and the rabbit cages could sit on the chairs of the table next to them.
There were so many people on the train. It filled up quickly, and as soon as everyone was on, it was off! They sped out of the dome at lightning speed, hurrying towards one of the selection domes, especially built for the process of choosing the next spouse.
The trains were so fast, they were hardly on them for ten minutes before they arrived. The dome was a small one, with a large central building, a temple of Terill, and various green spaces and gardens. The hopefuls piled out of the train, taking their luggage and bunnies with them, and the train sped off again, potentially to collect other hopefuls. The central garden was beautiful. Just like the train, it was decorated with images of the previous spouses, but these were statues, depicting them as they were when they were still hopefuls, desiring to meet the god. In the center there was one empty pedestal. Was it for Terill, or for the one who would be the next spouse?
These statues circled around a reflecting pond, the empty one at its head. Suddenly, a girl with long white hair stepped up onto that pedestal, posing. “I wonder how I’m going to look on this one! I’ll strike a pose, they can preserve me forever!” Who was that girl? Suddenly, a flash of recognition hit Etsuko.
She was the Magical Idol, Wakana!
Unlike other moon magicians, magical idols channeled their power through their song. Their songs could heal and inspire others, though when they were in danger, they could also control people, even harm them. Etsuko had been to one of Wakana’s concerts, though there she was in full lunar regalia, a pure white outfit with sunglasses that covered her face, and her magical harp. She had sung about Terill, and how beautiful Terill was, and that everyone should do what was best for Terill. Wakana got off the pedestal, humming to herself. An woman in moonsilk robes exited the central building and approached the hopefuls.
“Welcome, everyone! I am so excited you are all here, and wish to marry Terill. But Terill will only marry one of you, and it may not even be you! Alright, everyone, let’s move inside. I will have much more to say soon, but first you must find your rooms, put your things away, and have something to eat! And then you will sign your contracts!”
Contracts? Etsuko had never heard of contracts needing to be signed before. However, everyone followed this woman into the building. “Each room is for four people, and four people only. There are twenty rooms in the building. So find your four, and put your things away, and then come downstairs, that is where the food will be.”
Etsuko looked to Haru, but before she could ask, Haru did. “Do you want to be roommates?”
Etsuko nodded excitedly. “Of course! Now we just need to find two others!”
Haru approached one of the other girls. “Hi, um, do you mind if my friend and I could be your roommates?”
The girl, a tall, blue haired young woman, looked at Etsuko and Haru with a critical eye. “Um, no. I only room with real girls.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Haru.
Etsuko sighed and opened her mouth to speak. “It means she’s a-”
“I just believe that Terill only should marry real girls and real women! It’s all he ever used to do! Why do it now? Political correctness? Anyway, go away, you two! Come on, Chouko, let’s find two real roommates.”
Haru sighed. “How mean. I bet she’ll be sent home straight away.” Etsuko watched as Wakana approached the mean blue haired girl, only to be rejected in exactly the same way. Wakana sighed and walked towards Etsuko and Haru.
“Hi, I’m Wakana. Can I be your roommate?”
“Sure! I’m Etsuko! This is Haru.”
“All we need to do is find a fourth person.” said Haru, looking around. “It can’t be too hard.”
The three of them looked around in an attempt to find a fourth person. There was someone, standing in the middle of the crowd, looking extremely nervous. They were a tiny, black haired moonfolk person, with elaborate moth wings. Etsuko approached her. “Hi, do you need a roommate?”
“Oh, um, sure, if you want to room with me. I’m, um, I’m Kohaku, I use they/them/their pronouns. Um, what about you?”
“She pronouns, please.” Etsuko actually felt kind of bad about not asking Haru about that earlier. She had just kind of assumed Haru was a girl. “I’m Etsuko.”
“I’m Haru, I also use she pronouns.”
“And I do as well.” said Wakana, idly running her fingers through her dazzling white hair. “I’m sure we’ll be wonderful roommates!”
The quartet found the final remaining unoccupied room. Each room was identical- two bunk beds, two dressers, a hutch for the rabbits with hay and other rabbity foods, and a portrait of Terill. They also had a bathroom, with four sinks, but only one toilet and one large tub. Wakana approached the portrait of Terill, stroking it. “He’s so beautiful. I can’t wait to marry him.”
Etsuko raised an eyebrow as she began to put her things away. “You’re awfully confident.”
“Oh, yes, but I know I shall marry Terill because I had a dream about it. I was wearing the most beautiful wedding regilia, but there was no groom, until suddenly a giant moth landed upon me, and I knew it was Terill! I began to sing about how much I loved him, and then suddenly I was on stage, wearing a crown, and everyone in the audience was Terill. He’s telling me the future. He does that often, you know.”
“Does he.” said Haru.
“Yes, it’s true.”
A loud bell began to gong. Etsuko took her greying rabbit out of his cage and into the hutch, where he slowly but imedietly hopped over to the hay and began to eat. The others did the same. “I guess that bell means we’re supposed to go to the food place, i guess?” asked Kokaku. “But, um, where is it?”
“I guess we could just go to that big room where we were before, they must have the food there.” said Haru. “Or at least someone to direct us.”
When they returned back to that room, the woman from before was there. “Alright, you’re all settled down! I forgot to introduce myself before, I am Lady Kazue, one of the hopefuls in the previous cycle. I now work for Terill, as most of you may be able to after your rejection. Yes, rejection- it is hardly likely that any of you, at all, will marry Terill. There are so many hopefuls, so little chance. However, keep faith, in that someone will marry Terill, and make Terill extremely happy. Alright, the food is in the food room.”
Kazue led them to the food room, where lunch boxes of food awaited them. Rice, vegetables, and fish. “While you eat, you may read over your contracts. This selection will be broadcast to the people of Terill, and hopefully enlighten them on how Terill chooses a spouse, and what moon magicians do. If you do not want to be seen on crystal, then I’m sorry to say that you are not a good candidate for marriage.”
There was a murmur through the crowd. Etsuko read the contract, then signed it. There was no way she was giving up this chance. And what was even going to happen? Were people even going to watch this? Well, whatever. It was one step closer to Terill. One step closer.
Author's Notes:
I like this chapter and the characters it introduces. As I write more and more of Etsuko's moonventures, the more and more obvious it will become that the only dating show I have ever watched is The Flavor of Love. Hooray!
Length: 1707 words
Date: March 30th, 2015
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