♪————

Okay, I think I have this song down.
And I'm producing high notes much better than usual...

Which leaves my acting.

Alright...
I'll try again from the top.

(First, the scene when I meet Rio for the first time...)

“U-Umm...
Thank you for praising my singing.”

“I really love to sing...
I mean, it's how I communicate.”

“No, it might be more than that...
Unfortunately, I'm not very good at talking to other people...”

No, that didn't sound right...

(We've been practicing for the 30th Anniversary Show for a while now.)

(After seeing those two perform, I felt that I also should do everything I can. That I need to do my best...)

(Which is why I've been trying to do what Tsukasa did. I've been working on becoming the Cowardly Canary...)

(I watched the birds as they gathered on the trees in the park, and tried singing based on how I think they're feeling...)

(As a result, compared to when we first started, I've been able to immerse myself into my characters much better.)

But...

But that's no reason to get myself down...

(We're supposed to start practicing scenes that include the Cowardly Canary tomorrow.)

(Am I really gonna be ready to put on even a half-decent performance by then...?)

No... Not as I currently am.
So...

I'll need to start looking for some hints tomorrow during practice.

And by the time the curtains go up...
I'll have my Cowardly Canary polished to perfection.

I'm gonna be as good as those two...

Alright, as I mentioned before...
Starting today, we'll be working on the scenes where Rio meets the forest's various birds as he chases after the Phoenix.

So, from the top.
Where Rio first meets our canary.

Begin!

“No, I lost her again...”

“At this rate, I'm never going to catch up to her, let alone capture her...”

“*Sigh*
If only I had wings like her...”

“Huh?
There's something on top of that tree over there.”

“Is that...?”

(This is it!
The scene where Rio hears the canary sing for the very first time!)

(I'm so excited! I can't wait to see how Nene goes!)

(At this moment, I'm not aware that Rio is there...)

(Which is why I'm singing to my heart's content. I just need to sound like I'm enjoying myself.)

(So that Rio's feels genuinely moved...)

“♪————”

Wow! Her voice is so pretty...!
It's like she's a real bird!

Yes, she's certainly captured a canary's singing voice nicely. Going through the trouble of breaking down her character seems to have been well worth it.

...

“Who's singing? Is it that bird...?”

“What a beautiful voice...
I'd like to hear it more up close...”

“♪————...”

“H-Huh?!
Who's there...?!”

“Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! I was just...”

“N-No, stay away...!”

“Oh... I-I'm sorry...
But please... Go somewhere else...”

“I don't like humans...
Because they're always mean to me...”

Stop there.

Rio.
You overdid it there when the canary shooed you away.

Yes, it is important to exaggerate in order to get your message across to the audience. However, there are times when that can work against you.

Understood! Thank you!

(I thought Tsukasa did a really good job just now. It felt so real and yet there's still things to work on...)

(Which means...
How much of an earful am I gonna get?)

(I was able to sing the first part the way I practiced it, but my acting still felt...)

Next, Canary...

Your acting wasn't bad...

What...?

R-Really...?!

Yes, I thought you captured the Cowardly Canary's personality rather well.

Just work on your breathing.
As you gain a better understanding of what it means to be “cowardly”, you should be able to speak and act in a more convincing fashion.

Th-Thank you very much...!

Now, that is all regarding your acting...

As for your singing, it simply won't do at this rate.

What...?

Your character sings two songs in total during this show. The second one in particular plays a vital role in changing how Rio and the phoenix view one another.

As your current rate, you're going to struggle to move the audience. At the moment, Kusanagi, your singing sticks out just that much.

My singing...sticks out...?

Please research what the Cowardly Canary is supposed to sound like for this show while keeping in mind how your lines and songs are tied together.

Now, our next scene has... The Great Eagle!

Present!

Oh...

(What did he mean by that...?)

(My singing sticks out...?)