Chapter Text
The problem with being the daughter of a Sleigh Beggy and Pilium Muralis was that it required a lot of sleep.
This in turn often led to oversleeping, which led to being late to class, which was how she now found herself sprinting down the hallway of the college as fast as her little legs could carry her. If she was lucky, she thought to herself, at least her late entrance would mean she would miss that awful first day of class introductions.
“Hey, watch it,” a group of third years said. She transformed into a shadow to move right through them.
Offering them only an apologetic over the shoulder look she continued running, just barely making it around a tight corner. The soles of her shoes slapped the hard linoleum as she dashed along, her waist length strawberry blonde hair trailing behind her.
Checking the writing on her hand one more time, she made another hard turn, almost falling over before slowing down, checking the numbers on the door before shyly slipping in the room that had the same number that was written on her hand.
“So...Sorry I’m late...pro...professor,” she huffed, trying desperately to catch her breath and regain her composure.
“Ah, actually you’re just in time we’re just finishing up introductions. Why don’t you introduce yourself to the class,” Professor Maugham said, a gentle smile gracing his features.
Her heart sank in her chest as she turned to look at the older students sitting down in their seats, staring at her.
Clutching her hands in front of her, she began to shake, trying to keep calm despite her heart hammering beneath her chest.
“I...I’m second year...Kat...Katusmi Ainsworth. Please... call me Kat,” she stuttered out looking around for at least one familiar face in the crowd.
Looking to the right side she caught sight of Althea over in the far corner, sitting at the teacher’s assistant desk, her index fingers pointing up and on each side of her head.
Reaching up she felt the sides of her head tentatively, praying she’d been able to keep her form. Finding her familiar horns protruding against her wishes, she felt herself flush in embarrassment as she looked down and saw her tail had also made an unwelcome appearance.
Unable to meet anyone’s gaze or even really listen to the professor, she melted into a shadow, unable to keep her from any longer and slinked up to an open seat.
Slipping in an Airpod into her ear, she let her mind fade away to the familiar sound of her favorite songs, her form somewhere between shadow and corporeal.
____
“You shouldn’t oversleep like that, you know,” Althea said as they walked out of the class together.
“Or what, I’ll get a reputation outside of the skull creature’s weird kid?” Katsumi asked, yawning.
Her best friend sighed, “I’m just saying that this is a new year, new opportunities-”
“New opportunities I’ve already ruined because I can’t keep my form. You were there, everyone saw my horns and tail,” Katusmi pointed out.
Althea sighed, “Yah but people forget stuff, I’m sure in a few weeks no one will remember.”
“You really think no one will remember the time the youngest girl in the class, by far, grew horns and a tail in front of everyone,” Katsumi said, shooting her a disbelieving look.
Althea had nothing to offer her, knowing that she was right. Everyone would remember it. While some students were a bit different, no one just suddenly sprouted a tail and horns like that.
“Exactly, everyone’s going to remember it. It’s...always like this. I don’t fit in with my peers and I’m a weird experiment to everyone else, don’t treat me like everyone else,” Katsumi said.
“I’ve never treated you differently,” Althea argued.
“I know, so just, don’t start now. I didn’t even want to be in with all the upperclassmen. Dad talked them into it,” she said, bitterly.
“I’d ask if you told him you didn’t want to do it, but I can guess the answer.”
“You know how he is with listening, I mean do you see any ears on that giant ass skull of his? No, so at this point it’s dumb of me to expect him to listen.”
The hurt in Katsumi’s voice was clear and she ducked her head down, trying, and failing, to portray a more neutral expression.
“Katsu, he’s just-”
“Different, I know. Look, I know that you think he’s cool and stuff, but you don’t have to live with him, I do. I mean...he’s just so...frustrating, embarrassing, annoying, you name it. Like why can’t he get a different outfit at least, he wears the same thing every single day, I mean who does that?” she asked, exasperated.
Althea laughed, “At least he’s not overly friendly, we were out at the store the other day and Dad pointed out a ‘cute boy around my age’, it was so awkward,” Althea groaned.
“Did your mom yell at him?”
“Oh totally, and it would have been great to watch if we weren’t in public. I swear whenever they go out in public they switch modes from normal, to extra embarrassing. It’s like they do it on purpose.”
“It’s the worst, and they wonder why we have no friends. Literally, it’s their fault,” Katsumi said, rolling her eyes.
“That’s the one good thing about being back at the college I guess, we’re like 99.9% free of them,” Althea agreed.
“But he wouldn’t be my Dad if he didn’t stick his snout into everything, even the college couldn’t be free of him and his whole one suit he wears on repeat. I can’t believe he interfered with the schedule Mom and I picked out and put me in all these advanced classes,”
“It’s not like you were doing a whole lot of anything in your free time anyways,” Althea teased.
Katsumi snorted, “Ah yes, learning a whole new choreography and all the lyrics in a day is just nothing at all, easy work in fact.”
“I should’ve known there was a reason you slept in today, new song drop?”
“Yes, and yes you have to listen to it Thea, it’s just so good, besides the live is tonight so it was the last day I had to learn it,” Katsumi explained.
Reaching in her bag she fished out her phone and Airpods, both decked out in a matching pink case decorated with glittery gold stars.
“Which one is this?”
“Aqours, it’s called Jimo-AI DASH and yes, I learned the whole thing last night.”
Having reached their usual spot for lunch, they plopped their bags and books down on the table, each sitting opposite the other.
“Listen,” Katsumi said, handing her friend one of the earbuds.
Taking it, Althea put it in her ear, leaning over so they could both watch the performance on Katsumi’s phone. While Katsumi was entirely engrossed in the performance, Althea often snuck glances at her best friend, enjoying the way she seemed to absolutely light up as the idols sang and danced on screen. It was a rare moment for her, to seem so vulnerable and full of joy and as her best friend, and surrogate older sister, it was a real joy to watch.
They’d been friends for so long it seemed almost as if no time had passed between the first time they met, back when Katsumi was still a baby and Althea wanted nothing to do with her.
Back when Katsumi was still close with her father.
The years had not been kind to their relationship, and she watched as their once close relationship disintegrated before her eyes. She’d always tried to be a more reasonable voice, but as much as she hated it, Katsumi was just like her father; incredibly stubborn. The difference in age between the two of them meant that Althea not only looked out for her, but tried to help her; not that her best friend listened.
Still, Althea tried her best as none of them really had any close friends besides each other, Katsumi even more so because of her unusual appearance.
Whereas her father, Elias, could hold his human glamor for long periods at a time, Katusmi had a difficult time maintaining hers. When she inevitably failed and her horns, tail, and fangs made an appearance she was left flustered and embarrassed, reminded of a father she deeply resented.
Over the years Althea had watched the once outgoing girl become a shy and reclusive young woman, preferring to sit alone and unwilling to let others in.
Except when it came to her music.
For whatever reason, moments like these Katsumi seemed to bloom and come alive right before Althea’s eyes.
It was a sight she felt privileged to witness.
_______
Most of the day had gone on normally, with Althea’s students teaching for some of the third and fourth years and one fifth year class. She had been in the teacher’s lounge when one of the professors whose name she had long forgotten came up to her, letting her know that there had been an incident with the Ainsworth girl. Apparently, a few others in her class had locked her in a closet in an attempt to get her to transform. Not needing any other information, Althea grabbed her bag and was out the door in a flash.
Internally she damned teenagers, couldn’t they have at least waited until after the first week was over before being awful to each other?
Althea found her alone in the darkness of her dorm, after spelling the lock open.
“Katsu…”
“I don’t know why I expected things to be different, it’s my fault.”
Curled on her side she could tell her friend had been crying from the raw nature of her voice.
“That’s not it it’s just…”
“That’s exactly it, I keep hoping something will change but it never does. Just like I keep hoping one day I’ll wake up and be...human,” she replied, her voice breaking on ‘human’.
“Well, I guess it’s better to be half fae than half troll like them,” Althea said bluntly, sitting next to her friend.
Katsu let out a giggle at that, and Althea reached over to the desk next to her bed to plug in her fairy lights.
“I mean honestly, who was it Courtney? With her spell crafting? Like come on, I’m sure an angsty 14 year old could write a better spell than her. Honestly though, they all read like a meth fueled nursery school rhyme.”
She could see her friend smiling, green eyes looking up at her through a mass of dark strawberry blonde hair.
“It’s pretty rich, that she tries to act like hot shit when she can’t even manage to get her eyeliner right. She always looks like a racoon with how much she puts on. Like putting more one won’t make you magically prettier or make people like you. Both of those things would take an actual miracle.”
“Sorry I’m already crying on the first day, God I feel like such a child.”
“No, listen they’re being rude and honestly Katsu, they’re just jealous. Alchemists sometimes act all high and mighty like that because they’re jealous, they know you can do magic, and that you’re incredible at it.”
“I know, I just, I would trade it all to be like them. I hate this Thea, this in between human and fae. I feel like some kind of half formed freak, and like I don’t fit in anywhere.”
Althea shot her a look, challenging her assumption.
“Ok, ok I fit in here, with you. I know you’d never judge me...like they do.”
“Don’t make fun of me, I’m going to attempt a pep talk. But Mom is emotionally absent and Dad is way too over attached so if it’s messy or doesn't make sense it’s all their fault ok? But look, if there’s not a place you feel like you fit in, then carve out a place for yourself. I know you are capable of such more than they could ever dream of.”
She scooted closer to her friend, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, letting her head rest on Katsumi’s.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Katsumi said.
“Well that’s a relief. Please don’t make me be emotional again,” Althea said, giving Kastumi a reassuring squeeze.
“I’ll try not to.”
“That’s not going to work,” Althea said, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “I’m afraid I’m going to need some further proof. Repeat after me, I’m not going to let illiterate, racoon looking bitches make me upset.”
“I’m not going to let illiterate, raccoon looking bitches make me upset,” she repeated, laughing lightly.
The laughter died down, a comfortable silence falling between them.
“It’s just...I...I don’t know where to start.”
Althea was at a loss for words looking at her. To the outside world Katsumi was shy, quiet, and reserved, terrified of what they would think of her should she lose her concentration and her horns and tail reappear. But in private, here with her, she was incredibly quick witted and snarky. While she often considered Katsumi her adopted younger sister, she often forgot she was only sixteen, often acting more intelligent than her age. But moments like this reminded that despite her intellect Katsumi still had a lot of emotional growing up to do.
Reserved and unsure of herself, Chise and Elias’ daughter had yet to grow into her identity beyond that which society had assigned to her.
Suddenly, an idea struck her, one that might get her mind off of things.
Pulling out her phone with her free hand, she quickly scrolled through her music looking for the song. What was the name of it again? Start...Start…
“START:DASH”
Althea hit play, connecting it to the speakers and turning up the volume.
The familiar opening notes on the piano filled the small dorm, and Kastumi looked up instantly at her friend, recognizing the song right away.
Reaching to grab her hands, Althea pulled her to her feet as she began to sway to the familiar music. Worried that she would forget the words, she felt them coming back to them along with all the memories of the days and nights they had spent in Katsumi’s room listening to the music and watching the performances.
“I say, hey, hey, hey! Start Dash,” Althea sang, grateful the opening words were in English.
Katsumi stared at her, green eyes wide and mouth hanging open a bit. Calm, cool, collected and equally full of snark, Althea was not the idol type. Sure, she had watched it with Katsumi growing up and had a working familiarity with the show, but she never really showed an outside interest in it. It often seemed she simply went along with it because she enjoyed watching her friend have fun.
“Hey, hey, hey start dash!” Althea sang urging her friend to sing along.
“Oh God, the next lines are in Japanese and I’m going to butcher them,” Althea said laughing as she tried to pronounce the opening lines, only getting them about half right.
“Ubuge no kotori tachi mo/Even baby birds swaddled in down,” Althea sang, struggling through the Japanese lyrics.
“Itsuka sora ni habataku/Will someday flap their wings and take to the sky,” Katsumi sang the next lines in response.
“Ookina tsuyoi tsubasa de tobu/They’ll soar up high with wings that are big and strong,” Althea sang, making a wide grin break out on Katusmi’s face. The smile reached her eyes, and they gleamed like the fairylights that lit up the room.
They began to sing every other line, with Althea struggling through hers. It was worth it though as she watched her best friend grow more and more confident, dancing along with the song as she had a hundred times before.
It never ceased to amaze Althea how she could go from such a shy, timid girl to such a talented performer once she heard those opening notes. It was like something sprang up from deep within her. Perhaps it was a natural proclivity, but perhaps it was also the countless hours she put into learning the dances and lyrics.
Either way, it was clear by the light in her eyes and the brilliant smile that she truly enjoyed it.
Althea had suggested it once, following her dream and stepping onto the stage but Katusmi had denied it, stating there was no point as she couldn’t keep her form day to day let alone while performing. Secretly, her best friend though it was the opposite.
But when Kastu came to her ready to chase after her dreams, she’d be ready to follow after her.
____
True to form, Katsumi stayed up well into the night waiting for Aqours live to begin, excitedly awaiting the appearance of her favorite idols. Curled up in her bed in front of her laptop she hugged her Nico Nesoberi to her chest, waiting in anticipation for the live to begin.
Scrolling through the various servers she was in related to Love Live, she wondered what the set list would be and which costumes they girls would be wearing. On the walls of her dorm hung various scrolls and posters of her favorite girls, Nico Yazawa from Mu’se and Dia Kurosawa from Aqours plus a plethora of various group shots.
Checking the clock, it would be about 15 minutes before the live began.
The same ad for the new Nijigasaki anime was playing for the 10th time, so she got up, briefly rummaging around for some snacks. On her way back to her bed she stopped in front of a poster of Mu’se in their Angelic Angel costumes, remembering the first time she stumbled across them. Unwilling to cry before the live even started, she shook her head and got back into bed, clutching her best girls close.
She hoped against hope they would perform her favorite song, Mjuku Dreamer, all too aware that it was incredibly unlikely.
With that last wish sent to the idol gods, the screen went black and the show was underway.
Leaning in to her screen she watched with bated breath as the lights came up, scanning the screen for Dia.
Their costumes shone under the bright lights, a serene expression on their faces as they began the opening lines to their newest single: Fantastic Departure.
She couldn’t help the tidal wave of emotion that swept over her as she watched the close knit group sing together, each in perfect harmony with each other.
More than anything, Katusmi wanted that; wanted friends to dance with in beautiful sparkling costumes. She wanted to shine under the bright lights like a distant, radiant star with her closest friends.
Tears started flowing as she watched the group perform, overjoyed and envious at the same time. She clutched her Nesoberi to her chest, feeling terribly overcome with such strong, unnamable emotions. Alone in her room, it was the opposite of every idol confession she’d ever seen, but still she couldn’t stop the words from rushing out between her tears.
“Nico.. I...I want to be an idol.”
It wasn’t the typical confession, not like any of the ones she’d seen. There was no one around and her eyes didn’t gleam with starlight as her hair blew artfully in the wind. But that didn’t change her commitment, if anything, alone in her room watching the idols wave goodbye, it strengthened it. There were no outside influences, no cinematic scenes or soundtracks, just the desire to rise and meet the new light and to find her place among the stars.