Part 1

Phoenix Wonderland

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1

Tsukasa

Listen

Hmph, coming early to practice by myself even though we've only just wrapped up the Halloween show—
2

Tsukasa

Listen

I truly am the paragon of stardom, if I do say so myself!
Besides...
3

Tsukasa

Listen

The cool and refreshing morning air is pleasant to breathe. It'll certainly help me to focus on my practice...

Sound Effect: Play

4

Tsukasa

Listen

Huh? Did that bush just move?
5

Tsukasa

Listen

Hahaha! I see right through you!
Emu or someone else is hiding in there, in order to scare me, am I right?
6

Tsukasa

Listen

I'll have you know that you can't use the same trick on me twice! Accept your defeat and show yourself!
7

???

Uaaah!
8

Tsukasa

Listen

Gyaaah!
9

Tsukasa

Listen

Wh-What's Rui's zombie robot doing here?!
10

Zombie Robot A

Oooh... Oooh...
11

Zombie Robot B

Oooh... Oooh...
12

Tsukasa

Listen

Wait, there's another one there...and over there too?! Just hang on for a minute here! Why are there so many zombie robots gathered here?!
13

Tsukasa

Listen

Unless they've all gone out of control again?!
But that's just not possible!
14

Rui

Listen

Hehe, you're just full of energy from morning, aren't you.
15

Tsukasa

Listen

Rui?! What are you doing here?
16

Rui

Listen

I added a greeting function to the zombie robots, so I'm doing a test drive.
17

Tsukasa

Listen

G-Greeting function? You mean, like shaking hands with the visitors and taking photos together?
18

Rui

Listen

Yes. In recent years, at the end of Halloween season, this theme park holds a Zombie Greeting event where zombies are made to head out to greet park visitors.
19

Rui

Listen

Of course, other than zombies, actors in monster costumes and stage mascots will be taking part as well.
20

Rui

Listen

Mr. Mascot suggested that we take part in this event as well, so that more people can know about Wonder Stage.
21

Rui

Listen

We're supposed to be going out to greet the visitors today, along with the other zombie cast members.
22

Rui

Listen

That's why you were asked to come too, as a welcoming crew.
23

Tsukasa

Listen

I see. But getting zombies to greet visitors isn't exactly—
24

Zombie Robot

Augh?
25

Tsukasa

Listen

(Hm... They do look somewhat lovable after you get used to seeing them, I guess?)
26

Rui

Listen

It's just such a shame that the zombies can only play a part during Halloween season, though...
27

Tsukasa

Listen

Maybe, but there's always next year, right?
We can always let them do their thing again next year and—
28

Rui

Listen

Unfortunately, we may have to dispose of them after their time is up this year.
29

Tsukasa

Listen

What?! I didn't know about that! Why?
30

Rui

Listen

My plan was to keep them in the Wonder Stage storeroom and use them again for next year's show...
31

Rui

Listen

But the storeroom is just too dusty for that.
32

Rui

Listen

Besides, the place isn't ideal for keeping robot machinery since the temperature and humidity there fluctuates by a lot over the course of an entire year.
33

Rui

Listen

And it's not like I can store so many robots in my house, so...
34

Tsukasa

Listen

You have a good reason, though...
35

Zombie Robot

Augh?
36

Tsukasa

Listen

(They may be robots, but they're still fellow performers who helped to make the show a success. Scrapping them like that would leave a bad taste in my mouth...)
37

Rui

Listen

...
38

Rui

Listen

I haven't given up yet, either.
I'll be spending a bit more time to look for ways to store them properly.
39

Tsukasa

Listen

Oh... Okay.
A few days later

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40

Tsukasa

Listen

Hmph, today was a day of productive practicing, as it always is when I'm around. Which means the next show is bound to be a smashing success as well!

Sound Effect: Play

41

Tsukasa

Listen

Hm? Noises from the bush again...
It has to be one of the zombie robots doing its greeting routine, right?
42

Zombie Robot

Uh... Ah...
43

Tsukasa

Listen

I knew it. You're not catching me off guard this time!
44

Zombie Human?

Ugh... Agh...
45

Tsukasa

Listen

Hahaha, you guys really love to flock together, don't you? However, that's not going to be enough to surprise me—
46

Tsukasa

Listen

Wait...you, you're not a robot?
47

Zombie Human?

Flesh... Let me eat...your flesh!
48

Tsukasa

Listen

Gyaaah! I-It's a real zombie!
49

Zombie Human?

Heh...hahaha! Hey, you're a cast member here too, right? No need to act so surprised. I'm a colleague!

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50

Tsukasa

Listen

C-Colleague?
51

Zombie Cast

Huh? Don't you know about the Zombie Greeting event?
52

Tsukasa

Listen

Ah, right! Rui did mention something like that!
53

Tsukasa

Listen

With such a realistic performance and convincing makeup, can you blame me for thinking you were an actual zombie?
54

Zombie Cast

Oh, this isn't makeup, actually. It's a mask!
Makeup takes too much time to put on.
55

Tsukasa

Listen

What?! A mask with such uncanny details?!
56

Zombie Cast

Yeah, this mask is really well-made.
That's why it's been very popular among the visitors here in recent years!
57

Tsukasa

Listen

In recent years? Does that mean this same mask has been in use for a few years already?
58

Zombie Cast

Of course. It would be a waste of resources to dispose of something so well-made only after using it once, right?
59

Tsukasa

Listen

(That means there's a storeroom somewhere that's capable of keeping intricately designed props in good condition!)
60

Tsukasa

Listen

(This is it! We've found what we need!)
The next day
Wonder Stage

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61

Tsukasa

Listen

Before we start our practice session today,
I have an important announcement to make.
62

Zombie Robot

Augh?
63

Tsukasa

Listen

We were facing the possibility of having to dispose of these zombie robots because we didn't have the right facilities to store them until next year.
64

Emu

Listen

Eh?! N-No way...
We have to throw our zombie robots away?!
65

Tsukasa

Listen

Let me finish! I just said, we were facing this problem. In other words...
66

Nene

Listen

You've found an appropriate place to store them?
67

Tsukasa

Listen

Yes. There's a storeroom where elaborate masks and costumes used in the yearly Halloween greeting events are stored.
68

Tsukasa

Listen

The temperature and humidity in that room is kept at a certain level that should be appropriate for storing machinery too. That's what the mascot said, at least!
69

Rui

Listen

Really, now... Thanks for this, Tsukasa.
70

Tsukasa

Listen

Hmph, you should expect nothing less from the showman of Wonderlands×Showtime himself!
71

Nene

Listen

And he lets it get to his head right away.
72

Emu

Listen

But that means we don't have to toss the zombie robots away anymore, right?!
73

Tsukasa

Listen

Yes. They can join us again next year.
74

Zombie Robot

Oooh... Oooh...
75

Emu

Listen

Hmm? Is it just me, or do they look kinda happy?
76

Rui

Listen

Maybe they're trying to thank Tsukasa?
77

Tsukasa

Listen

Ha ha ha! Even robots understand the awesomeness that is me!