[center]WHEN THE SUN SETS WE GO HOME TOGETHER
EPISODE HOTARU - CHAPTER 0
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[color=black]CRIES FROM THE MOON VALLEY [/color]
[color=white]CRIES FROM THE MOON VALLEY[/color]
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The blooming of the sakura trees carry both the sadness of an ending, and the happiness of new beginnings. Every year, they fall over the arrival of a new class of students, and the graduation of the oldest class. The prestigious Academy of Konoha always makes it a point to send their students out into the world with a grand ceremony, filled with happy cheers and nostalgic tears from those who are ready to face an entire new saga in their lives. 

The dawn of this graduation ceremony starts at the academy’s auditorium, with all its students sat in the benches and their supporting families watching from the back rows. The teachers hush the students’ chatter when the ceiling lights turn off and, instead, the stage is lit as the principal walks up to the podium.

He clears the throat and begins his yearly farewell speech to the graduates, somewhat pompous and silly, but filled with meaning and memories to everyone hearing it. [color=DCDCDC]“I must confess,”[/color] he says near the end. [color=DCDCDC]“Your year, in particular, has left this old man with more than a few white hairs.”[/color]

Some of the students in the audience snickered. 

[color=DCDCDC]“But I am, nonetheless, proud to send each and every one of you out into the world.”[/color] The principal paused to sweep his eyes across the plateau. [color=DCDCDC]“I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be easy; I know a lot of you are leaving while still unsure about your futures,”[/color] his voice lowered as he spoke more seriously, the friendly glint in his eye disappearing as he dished out some truth. [color=DCDCDC]“It would be nice if I could let all those of you, who are still so lost, to simply stay a while longer; until you get your footing.”[/color]

[color=DCDCDC]“However, life doesn’t work that way. So many times we are thrown around by it, and find ourselves facing terrible circumstances without an ounce of preparation for them.”[/color]

He paused to let his words resonate with the kids, dead silent now as the topic grew somber. [color=DCDCDC]“If you take nothing else with you, when you leave these halls, keep only the knowledge that no amount of preparation is ever going to be enough. And that,”[/color] he paused.

[color=DCDCDC]“Is alright.”[/color]

Most of the students looked between them, somewhat confused at whatever the hell the principal was going on about. But he knew they would understand; if not now, then in the future. 

[color=DCDCDC]“Remember, no matter how grim the future looks or how powerless you may feel towards it, to always take a deep breath and clear your head. So as to realize that it is always in your power to take the next step, to make the next decision. And slowly, but surely, you are bound to succeed.”[/color]

The audience exploded into cheers as the principal gave them a final congratulations, the sound resounding even outside the building and only dying out when the vice principal took the podium for a follow up. [color=DCDCDC]“Those were wonderful words from our most esteemed principal…probably lost on all you…”[/color] he whispered the rest off the microphone but most guessed at what he was calling them and reacted accordingly, booing the vice principal to hell and back.

The families at the back were somewhat shocked when a [color=DCDCDC]‘[i]FUCK YOU TANAKA, YOU’RE NOT WORTH THE DOG SHIT I STEPPED ON THIS MORNING[/i]’[/color] resounded somewhere to the left. They were all promptly shushed down by the teachers and the vice principal resumed. [color=DCDCDC]“Ahem! Yes. Well. Moving along, before we deliver each of your diplomas, I am personally…[i]honored[/i] to present this year’s class elected speaker.”[/color] He looked down at the name in his cue cards and then looked at the teachers, who nodded sadly.

[color=DCDCDC]“Graduating top of the year, with a record breaking score in her exams, let’s welcome…”[/color]

[color=DCDCDC]“Morino, Sayuri.”[/color] He couldn’t have said it with less enthusiasm if he wanted to.

The auditorium was quiet as everyone waited for, well, something to happen. But nobody actually stepped forward. That’s because the student in question was currently watching the ceremony from the comfort of her home. Laying sideways on the couch, with a half eaten bag of prawn chips, Sayuri stared at the TV screen with a somewhat unbothered look on her face.

[color=00FA9A]“Ah…”[/color] she sighed just as her phone started to ring, the word ‘mom’ on the screen. [color=00FA9A]“This is going to be such a pain.”[/color]