[video | canon bump]

[sunbloom]

[A little unusually, it's a very tired-looking Itsuki that waves at the screen. It's also fairly late, yet the schoolbag on the edge of her chair suggests she's just gotten home, and she's still wearing her uniform.]

Hi, ducks... it's been a very long day, and I just want to wind down a little, so do you mind if I ramble a bit? I'd ask one of my friends here, but it's fairly late for a social call, honestly.

In my world, it's getting pretty close to time for our cultural festival, and things are going into high gear. There are a lot of proposals for the student council to approve, money to dispense, forms to file, getting everything organized... it's been crazy for the last several days, and it's only going to get worse from here. I'm working hard to make sure everything gets done, but it's just so much... that, on top of my, ah, other business, has just made me so drained. I can barely find the energy to train, let alone much else.

And that, in itself, is a little bit of a problem. I'm a teenager. I'm supposed to have free time to do things, to goof off with my friends after school, to get into a little trouble now and then... that sort of thing. I'm really starting to miss it. And so... I've come to a decision. I don't think I'm going to run for the student council next year. I'm just... too tired. Too stressed. I'm not going to give up on it - it's something I said I'd do, so I can't really back out now - but I just can't keep going like this.

[The girl slumps forward, her head hitting her desk with a light thud.]

I've got too much else on my plate to be able to push myself like this. And that's a very scary feeling, with everyone that depends on me. I don't... want to let anyone down, but I just can't keep doing this.

Comments

[wildmelody]

I recommend stress eating. It doesn't help the waistline but no one can say no to cupcakes. And with our lifestyles we'd just burn off a package of cupcakes right away.

[Did you honestly expect anything ELSE from Hibiki?]

[sunbloom]

[She was being optimistic, but yes, this wasn't unexpected.]

Thanks, Hibiki... but I don't think that's the right answer, this time. Cupcakes aren't going to magically add more hours to my day.

[wildmelody]

Yeah but if you keep yourself occupied with some food then that'll help a lot.

[sunbloom]

[Itsuki actually picks her head up off the desk a little bit to give Hibiki a little bit of a searching look.]

I think I'm starting to see why you and Kanade make up so quickly. But really, I'm almost too tired to eat right now, anyway, and it's not going to get any better.

[wildmelody]

When you get a moment, go soak in a tub. You'll probably need it since your brain will need recharging.

[sunbloom]

That one, I'll take. I just hope I don't fall asleep in the bath. I'm really wiped out...

I kind of envy you, Hibiki. You just... keep going. It's like nothing ever stops you.

[bag_has_snapped]

Itsuki? Are you okay?

[sunbloom]

I'm... well, yes and no. I'm okay, but I'm getting really tired these days. I can't keep up with everything... this'll sound weird, but I'm not like you. You've got a devotion to the things you do that keeps you going. I really think you could take care of a garden for days on end and not notice.

I'm spread too thin, though, and... aside from our little adventures, I'm just not invested enough in everything else. I can't be, not when the world is at stake.

[bag_has_snapped]

Itsuki... I... I didn't realize...

[sunbloom]

Hey, don't you start getting depressed over it. I made my own decisions, Tsubomi. None of this is your fault, and I don't want you to feel like it is.

I chose to fight. I chose to take the reins of the student council. I chose to succeed the dojo, even if that choice was kind of overturned. And I chose to spend my days with you, too. Obvious consequences from the first aside, I can't put one of those over the others. I don't want to. All of them are part of me... even if I can't give all of them the time they deserve.

[bag_has_snapped]

A-And I wouldn't want you to! I just didn't know you were so overburdened! Maybe one of us could have helped in some way?

...but, that's hindsight, isn't it?

[iwontforgivethis]

That's good. I mean, that you've decided to come to a decision about this, I mean.

After all, if you think you're overworked, you need to decide what's more important to you and what you want to really do.

[sunbloom]

Yeah. My team - my friends - are the most important thing to me. All the rest of this... it's nice to be able to use my talents to lead, but I think it's time for someone else to fill my shoes. I certainly can't.

[iwontforgivethis]

I understand. But the fight isn't going to last forever, Itsuki-san. For all you know, it could end up being over before the year is over.

If you didn't have anymore fighting to worry about on a regular basis, would you still want to stop being on the Student Council?

[sunbloom]

I meant what I said, Yukishiro-san. I'm... tired of being some unattainable goal, the prince at the top of the tower. There are three people that know my name - that need me, whether it's for a fight or for a word of advice - and I'm more than happy to spend my days with them.

The student council needs me too, but... in a different way. In a way that someone else can fill.

[iwontforgivethis]

Okay. Good. Then you're definitely making the right decision.

[ After all, Itsuki's happiness was what really mattered after all. ]

So, what else do you think you're going to be doing after you're not on the council anymore? Are you going to help Kurumi-san more with the fashion club?

[fightbymoonlight]

If you were anyone else, I would ask if you've given this enough thought, seeing how important a decision like this is. But I know you well enough that I know I don't need to bother with that.

If you ever need any help, to make things less stressful, let me know and I will do what I can.

[sunbloom]

That means a lot, Yuri. Granted, you're already knee-deep in at least one of my problems, and I'm not sure how much you'd be able to help with anything else, but I appreciate it all the same.

[fightbymoonlight]

I'm not really sure myself either, but I can't not offer. Just... I'm here if you ever need anything. It would be pretty bad if I couldn't be there for my juniors when they need help.

[sunbloom]

I understand. And really, just having you back takes a lot of pressure off me. I admit, I was worried about things before, but... [She can't figure out how to put the feeling into words, so she just smiles.] It'll be okay, now.

...If only the rest of my life would be so easy to manage. But that's half the fun, right?

[hardworks]

I don't really know you so it's not my place to say, but maybe you could try agreeing with your friends on a set time that you just hang out with them on the weekend? I have to do that with my friends sometimes since I've got a job and club.. which probably isn't as busy as student council, but it could work?

[sunbloom]

That's... not so much my problem, I guess. I do make time for my friends already; if I didn't, either I'd go spare, or they'd hunt me down. The problem is that I'm just too overextended, and it's really coming back to haunt me right now. And, in a way, I've got a "job" on top of student council. It just doesn't have regular hours.

[hardworks]

I guess if you're overloaded that could be a real problem.. There's no other way to calm it down? Though I guess if you're picking student council already there isn't anything else you'd rather give up.

[sunbloom]

Well... I don't want to give up anything, but I can't keep going like this. I'd just burn out. And of all the things I could give up, student council is the one that is least... disruptive. [Can't quit being Cure Sunshine, won't quit aikido, won't abandon her friends... only one thing left, really.]

I don't think there's any other way to make it work out, aside from waiting out student council until the festival's over... except next year, I'm going to be a senior, and it's going to be even more rough, especially since my classes will be harder to manage, and getting into a good high school is going to be looming over me...

[hardworks]

Oh yeah.. Definitely. I'm not looking forward to that myself.

[ Sigh. That's really going to suck once she gets to that point. Kanna's a good student but not that good and both her sister and mom have been saving up to get her into a good college so she has to try her best.. ]

Still! I'm sure you'll do well, especially if you were in student council at least once. You're already able to put it on your application for college so it should count well enough.