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Amagi Brilliant Park - Volume 4 - Chapter 4




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Five-Man Meeting (At Savage, A Yakitori Bar)

That night was the monthly cast leader get-together. Each of AmaBri’s five areas had one cast leader (also known as a CL). 
Moffle was the cast leader of the land of “fairy-tale magic,” Sorcerer’s Hill— in other words, he was the coordinator for the cast group that included Macaron, Tiramii, and Muse. 
A cast leader was responsible for keeping an eye on the cast in his area, and maintaining high levels of customer service and performance. They had input on attractions and human resource decisions, and were allowed to advise (read: bitch to) acting manager Kanie Seiya about policy. All in all, the cast leaders played an indispensable role as bridge between the on-site workers and the management. If Moffle and the other four cast leaders ever chose to bond together to rebel, they could effectively bring the park’s functioning to a screeching halt. 
These so-called (by themselves, at least) Majestic Five were holding a meeting tonight in the yakitori bar Savage near Amagi Station.

“Ahem. Moffu.” Moffle cleared his throat. “Well, let’s get started. Everyone got your glasses? Let’s toast.” 
“Cheers!” 
“A hearty cheers to you all!” 
“Heh... cheers.” 
“......” 
With the leisurely air of a drinking party, they clinked their glasses together. 
Moffle drank his draft beer down. (He’d been told recently that he could have one beer per night.) He cleared it out in no time, then let out a satisfied sigh. “Takami-chan! Hoppy Black, fumo!” 
“Got it!” Takami, the staffer, shouted back from elsewhere in the bar. Tiramii wasn’t there today, so there was no fear of anyone harassing her—something he was grateful for. 
“Now then, Moffle-dono. What topic dost thou broach this eve?” As the eating and drinking commenced, it was Kenjuro who got down to business first. 
Kenjuro, the dolphin, was the cast leader of the area known as Splash Ocean. He was a two-heads(?)-tall dolphin. While on land, he toddled around on his tail fins, with which he was able to move quite swiftly. He wore two swords on his belt and a small samurai-style helmet on his head. This Warring States Shogun-style dolphin was currently sitting upright in his seat, eating squid shiokara. 
“Moffu. Nothing in particular... If I had to name something, it’d be, ‘how are things going lately?’” 
“Yea, verily,” Kenjuro replied. “Little hath I to report, however. The pool at our Splash Ocean shall open two weeks hence, and several other water-based attractions will, at last, see renovation... such events proceed apace.” 
Kenjuro spoke with tremendous gravity. He came from the magical realm Amatsu Yao, where apparently all the aquatic fairies talked in roughly the same way. But even among them, Kenjuro was especially formal. He had mentioned once before that he came from Amatsu Yao nobility. 
“Ah, I see, fumo. Well, summer’s coming up. I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that our final attendance numbers are riding on how we perform during summer break, fumo.” 
“Thy words are well-taken.” As the name might suggest, Splash Ocean’s focus was on water-based attractions. It featured splashdown coasters, pirate adventure shows, mermaid princess romances, Jules Verne-style retro sci-fi undersea rides, and more. “We of the Splash Ocean cast shall put everything into this summer,” Kenjuro promised. “Prithee, be at ease.” 
“Ah, sure. Well, I’m not too worried, fumo.” 
“If we fail to achieve our required attendance, I, the dolphin Kenjuro, shall slice open my stomach in Latifah-sama’s sight.” 
“Er, there’s no need for that,” Moffle told him hastily. 
“Ah. You deem such penance insufficient? Then I might stain the pool’s water with the blood of all our cast...” 
“No! No ritual suicides, fumo! Just tell me you’ll do your best!” 
“Ah, do forgive me. I, Kenjuro, am at times a petty man. Forbearance, I beg of you.” Kenjuro let out a hearty laugh, reminiscent for a moment of an old-time warrior of Satsuma. Moffle had a feeling he was teasing him a little bit. 
Despite that, Kenjuro was still the most responsible of the leaders present. He was universally competent, and kept a firm hand on the reins of his subordinates. 
In the three months since Kanie Seiya had become acting manager, Splash Ocean had been fairly inactive. It was still the cold season, after all; nobody wanted to do water attractions. But last year, it was Kenjuro’s area’s performance during the summer that had gotten the park to the point where it had only needed one last push to stay alive. 
“Just keep doing what you’re doing and things should work out fine, fumo. We’re all counting on you, Kenjuro.” 
“Well said, Moffle-dono,” the dolphin responded modestly. 
As Kenjuro responded, someone else interrupted. “Huh?! Moffle-kun, our areas are working hard too!” The interruption had come from the cast leader of AmaBri’s Astro City area, Mirai-kun. 
“Ahh... Mirai-kun-san. I know you are, fumo.” 
“Really? I wonder. I know you’re buckling down to get serious this year, but...” 
“I appreciate the vote of confidence, fumo.” Moffle bowed down low, careful not to make it look too patronizing. 
“But our area pulls good numbers, too, and don’t you go forgetting that, okay?” 
“Of course, fumo. We’re always relying on your ability to bring in guests, Mirai-kun-san.” 
Mirai-kun was Moffle’s senpai; a member of the cast that predated even him. He looked like the Earth. His entire body was just a globe with spindly arms and legs; in effect, you could say he was only one head tall. His map was outdated, though, and if you looked closely it still said “USSR” where Russia should be. His big button eyes sat on Siberia and Canada, and his mouth was in the Pacific Ocean. 
Mirai-kun was the cast leader of the Astro City area. His area’s attractions were themed around space, sci-fi, and scientific enlightenment. But Mirai-kun’s own attraction, Save Z Earth, wasn’t popular by any standard. 
Save Z Earth. Beyond the obvious question (i.e. why it wasn’t “Save the Earth”), it had its origins in the bubble economy-era push to engage with environmental issues and the various dangers that the natural world was facing. 
The theme was ecology, and it incorporated cutting-edge video and audio technologies to make its case to the guests. It was quite well made (after a fashion), but it also felt preachy. It was hard to argue that Save Z Earth was meant for children’s enjoyment in the first place, and it had undergone very few renovations over the years, meaning the content felt rather old-fashioned and hackneyed now. Worst of all, Mirai-kun himself was an absolute pill. 
“Moffle-kun,” he was saying, “Is that really true? I don’t think you’ve been showing me the proper respect lately.” 
“Moffu. I wouldn’t say that...” 
“Don’t you understand the importance of my attraction? Don’t you realize that the Earth is suffering? We need to communicate that to our guests.” 
“Yes. Of course you’re right, fumo.” 
“You know who I am, don’t you?” Mirai-kun demanded. “What I symbolize?” 
This again? Moffle thought, while at the same time steeling himself to give his senpai the answer he knew he wanted. “Moffu. The Earth.” 
“That’s right. I am the Earth, Gaia. I know times are hard right now, but you need to be kinder to the Earth. Right?” Despite saying this, Mirai-kun’s attraction was one of the most wasteful in the park in terms of its energy consumption. Save Z Earth used old-fashioned lighting systems and air conditioning. How could someone preach about ecology while wasting electricity like that? 
“Yes. You’ve educated me, fumo.” 
“Good, good,” Mirai-kun told him. “Now, I’m counting on you and Kanie-kun, all right?” 
“Thank you very much, fumo,” Moffle said. Then he thought, That old windbag. I hope he dies, fumo. Gaia, my eye! Why don’t you whisper to me a bit more? (Whatever that old meme even means.) Go eat a gamma burst, fumo! 
“Moffle-kun, were you just thinking about how you think I’m annoying?” Mirai-kun huffed. 
“Perish the thought, fumo.” 
“Hmph. Well, I hope not. But you should be kinder to the environment, even so.” 
“Yes. I agree, fumo.” 

It was around that time that Takami finally brought in the Hoppy with a round of yakitori. Moffle thanked her gratefully and put in another order. Just then... 
“I’d like some bourbon, too. The best you’ve got.” The one grittily placing the order was the cast leader of AmaBri’s Wild Valley area, Jack Randy. 
Jack Randy; his name was reminiscent of a certain foreign pro baseball player, but he was indeed a member of the AmaBri cast. He looked like a 40-year-old man with five o’clock shadow, wearing a raggedy button-up shirt and fedora. A revolver hung off of his belt. He looked human, in stark contrast to the plush mascots forms of Moffle and the others. 
Jack Randy was the protagonist of Tomb Ranger, one of Wild Valley’s attractions. (Tomb Ranger was an adventure movie that had come out a while back.) As the name suggested, the Wild Valley area was all about nature, with exhibits themed after jungles and savannas. It also had a popular attraction about the dinosaurs that had once dominated the Earth, called Planet Dinosaur. (Their current PR head, Tricen, had originally been cast for this area. He still performed there now and again when he had free time, but normally he left his duties to someone in a costume.) 
The current cast leader, Jack Randy, was also a long-time park veteran, but he had arrived around the same time as Moffle, so he wasn’t as annoying to deal with as Mirai-kun. Randy was always in-character. Like his character from his source movie (which Moffle hadn’t seen), he was always smoking a cigar with a cool expression. He did seem fairly at home doing it, at least. 
None of them knew if he was a mortal or a resident of a magical realm—he came from a place they’d never heard of—but he hadn’t aged in all the time they’d known him, so he probably wasn’t a mortal. 
There were a lot of fairies who looked like mortals; Isuzu and Latifah, for example. 
Takami responded to Randy’s order with a strained smile. “I beg your pardon, sir. This is a yakitori bar. We don’t carry bourbon.” 
“Hmph. Well, I’ll have single malt, then. Make it peaty.” 
“We don’t have that either.” 
“What am I supposed to drink, then? Pick something, honey.” 
“How about an umeshu sour?” she suggested. 
“Fine,” Randy declared, “I’ll take a double.” 
“All right. Thank you very much.” Takami withdrew, looking perplexed. 
“All right, Ran-chan,” Moffle said. “How are things with you?” 
“Not much to report,” Randy told him. “The usual days of adventure.” Business as usual, then. 
“Seiya’s been complaining that you haven’t offered any renovation plans, fumo.” 
“That’s ’cause our valley’s already pretty new. It’s been consistently popular, and nobody wants to change.” Despite the area’s adventure theming, Moffle couldn’t help but notice the way the cast there always liked to play it safe. 
“Moffu. Even so, with everyone else bringing their A game, your popularity may suffer by comparison, fumo. I think it’s time to start giving it real thought, fumo.” 
“Hmm. I hear you.” 
“Do you really hear me, fumo? All right, then...” 
“I perform best when the chips are down. Just leave it to me.” 
Even so, Moffle thought, Randy took an awful lot of sick days when the park’s proverbial chips really had been down... “Moffu...” 
“Now, how about the big man there? I see he’s got his usual poker face on.” Randy was talking about Kodain, the cast leader of Etceteland. 
Kodain looked like a dogu— a traditional old clay figure, right out of a textbook. He had two large, elliptical eyes, a narrow waist, and short limbs. His body perpetually floated in the air as if it was weightless. He seemed like the kind of boss you’d meet in a bullet hell shooter, spraying huge masses of shots and big fat beams. 
“......” Kodain didn’t move. He just floated there, wordlessly. He had always been the quiet type; Moffle couldn’t recall ever hearing him speak. 
“Kodain. How are things going these days, fumo?” 
“......” Kodain didn’t answer. Instead, the round panel on his abdomen just lit up with some kind of blue alien writing. 
“I don’t know what that means, but I assume things are fine, fumo?” 
“......” There was no reply. 
“M-Moffu... Etceteland doesn’t have much of a concept, so I’m sure running it presents unique challenges... If you need any help, just ask, fumo.” 
“......” Once again, blue alien writing appeared on the panel on his abdomen. 
As the name suggested, Etceteland was the place where they put themed attractions and cast members that didn’t quite fit into the other areas. It was home to a lot of experimental projects and shops, and it suffered frequent turnover. Limited-time attractions and outlets for outside franchises were typically found there. 
“How’s Nyathan’s store doing these days?” Moffle tried. 
“......” Kodain didn’t answer. He just floated there quietly. 
“Moffu. Um... I’ve always wondered, how did you become a cast leader, fumo?” 
“......” Kodain didn’t answer. He just floated there silently. 
“Um...” 
“......” 
It was exhausting. At any rate, it seemed Etceteland was doing fine, so Moffle decided not to worry. 
“Now, now, Moffle-dono. Let us end this talk of business!” The dolphin Kenjuro said, raising his mug. “Tonight is a social occasion. Let it not be consumed anon by talk of labor!” 
“Moffu. You’re right, fumo.” 
“Now eat, drink, and be merry!” Kenjuro commanded. “The bonds we forge in celebration will bring us to the park’s future!” 
“Yeah. I’m drinking, fumo. I’m drinking!” 
“Yes, for the sake of the Earth!” Mirai-kun chimed in. 
“Heh,” Randy said, “let’s toast to days of adventure. ...Now, where’s my umezake sour?” 
“......” Again, there was nothing from Kodain. 
Afterwards, the five of them had a thorough small talk. Baseball, soccer, celebrity scandals; even a little bit about politics. 
After a while, they moved on to discuss Seiya’s managerial skills. They all approved, except for Mirai-kun, who still didn’t have a good opinion of Seiya. Well, that was only natural; he was the constantly disgruntled type. 
Eventually, the party broke up with them all feeling pretty relaxed. Splitting the check was customary, but since Kodain had done nothing but float there the entire time, they left him out and split it four ways. Then they walked leisurely to the station and dispersed. It was the same every month. 
I could use a little more drinking, though... Moffle thought, and contacted his usual two companions. Unfortunately, Macaron had gone back to the dorm and was about to go to bed, and Tiramii didn’t even respond to his email. 
Moffu. Might as well forget it for today, then... I’m tired, anyway. Better to just head on home. Humming to himself and just a little bit tipsy, Moffle walked the night road back home.
 



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