This Stream Is Doomed. If I Don't Do Something Fast...
"Yahoo! Konaya~! First up, the Starlight Church's kind teacher, Ayaka, has arrived!"
The first to step into the Misscode Dotsumachi room was her sync, Miss Utsumi.
"First of all, Miss Izumi! Truly, congratulations on hitting one hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Hehe... Th-thank you."
She pasted Miss Utsumi's photo into the empty slot marked Members on the Call. A mature, cozy big-sister type for her very first guest — the opening, at least, ought to be an easy one...
"Of course I'm congratulating you... but the truth is, Teacher has some hurt feelings toward Miss Izumi!"
What?
...Huh? Miss Utsumi?
"Why won't you offer me a collab? Every time Teacher lays eyes on Shiroki no Umi, she bursts into tears!"
"Uh, th-that's..."
"We're the same generation, so playing favorites is wrong! You barely even played with me back in Ashen City! So mean!"
What is this. Something's off.
This was supposed to be a Dotsumachi for the one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-subscriber celebration, a stream where people came to congratulate her. So why was she the one getting scolded?
The Iztomo in chat were cheerfully taking Miss Utsumi's side. No — if you're wearing an Iztomo badge, you're supposed to be on my side!
"Haaah. Then next time, Miss Izumi will be the one to offer the collab! With that, I'll be going!"
"Ehh...?"
A bright little tring — Misscode's notification chime. When she checked the window, Miss Utsumi had already left the call.
"Sh-she really left...?"
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, the chat was already sprouting a whole meadow of comments.
"No, I, uh..."
She had actually had so much she wanted to say. Back during TLQ, when a Calamity landed her in a two-week self-imposed hiatus, she had heard Miss Utsumi tell the viewers, Izumi is trying really hard too, so please cheer her on, everyone! — and that had given her the strength to keep going. She had a tremendously moving anecdote all prepared, and this was how they were using it?!
Was it really all right to end a congratulatory Dotsumachi for the one-hundred-and-fifty-thousand celebration like this? If Miss Utsumi walked off now, a feud rumor might start making the rounds.
But no matter how many times she turned it over, Miss Utsumi, once gone, was not coming back. What mattered most right now was getting her nerves under control. She knew it was a joke. Miss Utsumi knew. Everyone watching the stream knew. So calm down, and move on to the next one.
"Then for now, for now? Th-th-th-the next person..."
Another bright tring, Misscode chiming again. And the one who came in this time—
"Konkoto... Second is me."
Her sync, Miss Aki.
Was this... a relief?
Miss Aki had a strong air of natural spaciness about her, but the two of them shared a bond from the time they had nearly gone to war in Ashen City. Enemies, of course. Still.
"Ah, hi, Miss Aki..."
"Mm. Congratulations on one hundred and fifty thousand subscribers. I always enjoy watching, so keep streaming hard from now on."
Praise, delivered in a voice that tickled her ear. Even so, she could feel herself settling.
"I-I'll work hard from now on, and stream something I won't be ashamed to show anyone...!"
"Mm. Then do your best. I'm sleepy, so I'm going to bed... Bye-bye..."
"Eh? W-wait...?"
Before she could catch her and ask her to stay, Miss Aki had already escaped the Misscode call.
What even was this? Wasn't a Dotsumachi supposed to be the segment that showed how close the members were? Add up every second they had actually been on the call and it still wouldn't come to five minutes.
Of course she was flustered. She had meant for them to trade well-wishes, to talk about plans for what came next. That had been the whole idea.
"Th-this isn't going to be the mood for everyone from here on, r-right...?"
This stream was doomed. If she didn't do something, and fast...
"Akakat! This time it is this body's turn! The scarlet witch, Akabane Yukari, makes her entrance!"
While she was still fretting, Miss Akabane connected to the call as if it were only natural.
"Uh, ah, hi, Miss Akabane..."
Think. She had to find some way to drag this atmosphere back to normal.
"First, congratulations on one hundred and fifty thousand subscribers! As expected of the rival this body has acknowledged!"
"Thank you..."
"When this body first beheld you, I was honestly quite uneasy. And yet, seeing that you have come this far after all, I cannot help but think you remarkable."
"I think I was j-just lucky, though..."
If Miss Aki a moment ago was any indication, Miss Akabane would leave now too. But three times in a row was truly not allowed. She had to stop it somehow...
...Huh?
Was Miss Akabane being... kind?
Miss Akabane had always felt like a villainous friend, so Izumi had been certain she would set an even bigger fire than Miss Utsumi or Miss Aki and then sweep right out the door. I-I think I might actually be moved...
"Hmph. In any case, one hundred and fifty thousand — my sincere congratulations. Let us speak again later of Fate's Battle."
"Yeah. B-bye, Miss Akabane..."
With that, Miss Akabane left the call.
"I-I-I'm moved..."
So Miss Akabane was an incredibly kind person. Well — she had already known that, watching her keep steady company with someone like Izumi. Even so, a stronger wave of feeling than usual had washed over her.
"Right now, I think I could even acknowledge Miss Akabane for the mama position. Hehe..."
Miss Utsumi, on the other hand, was eliminated from the future mama position. Too bad, Miss Utsumi.
At any rate, thanks to Miss Akabane, the stream's mood had rolled back onto a normal track. Next, most likely, would be Miss Koga. And considering Miss Koga's personality, it would surely be a perfectly ordinary segment. Izumi had seen the atmosphere plenty of times when Miss Koga joined other members' Dotsumachi. More than anything, just yesterday, when it had been the two of them, Koga had praised her to no end. Today would be similar, wouldn't it?
Tring!
"Mmm, Suzuhai! You probably guessed, but this time it's me, Izumi."
Just as expected, it was Miss Koga.
"Yeah. Hi, Miss Koga..."
She had only heard the voice, and already body and mind were settling. As expected, a legitimate mama was different.
"Well, first, sincere congratulations on one hundred and fifty thousand..."
"Thank you...!"
"Mm. ...I don't have anything to say besides that. Is it all right if I leave?"
"...Eh?"
Wait a second. What was that supposed to mean, Miss Koga? She had misheard. She must have misheard.
"Um, M-Miss Koga?"
"Mm?"
"Y-you're joking, right...?"
"I'm serious."
At the endlessly cold truth of Miss Koga's heart, a chill of sweat began to run down her back. Why, Miss Koga. Was the bond that had even become the unit Shiroki no Umi only meant to go this far?
"Did you... get t-tired of me?"
"Huh? What kind of nonsense is that. The viewers are going to misunderstand."
"But you were the one who told me to do a D-Dotsumachi, Miss Koga... and you said if I did, I absolutely had to call you..."
"Well, that's true... but honestly, if you think about it, there isn't anything to say besides congratulations!"
"We already do a regular collab once a month, and we call every single day — of course there's nothing left to say besides congratulations!"
"...Oh."
Hearing it put that way, it really did feel true.
"Uh, um. Then. T-take care..."
"...Yeah."
And with that, Miss Koga left the Misscode call after all. The ending felt strangely empty, and the strength drained right out of her.
Even so, it seemed to have wrapped up well enough.
"Th-the victory goes to me, the one who survived..."
She hadn't talked all that much, but between Miss Utsumi, Miss Aki, and Miss Koga her throat was bone-dry, so first she went to get some water. Thankfully every one of her syncs had joined the Dotsumachi. All that remained were the seniors.
"Th-then, shall we start again."
The one who had said family made it hard to join was definitely Yuzuki-senpai...
Tring!
"Ohohoho! This time, it is I!"