Ashley: Meteoric Feather/Memory

## Chapter 1: Angel's Song

Ashley, where's the fur coat I bought last year?
Ashley
I'll get it right away!
Narration
At that time, I was only 12 years old, and I tied my hat on tiptoe, and hurriedly found the fur and polished the shoes.
Then I went out, wiped my hands on my apron, and opened the door of the hired carriage for them.
Middle-Aged Woman
Remember to get the bath ready before we get back.
Ashley
Yes.
Narration
As the carriage headed away, I returned to my room, took off my apron, put on my cloak, and rushed out of the little yard.
[*Scene changes to overlook a lake*]

Ashley
When the meteor fell, the meteoric feather landed in the lake.
Narration
I hummed a ballad and came to the cool shore of the lake.
On the other side of the lake was a concert attended by almost the whole town, and the sound of the violin came from afar.
This is my happiest time of every month.
Player Selection
▸ You sing very well.
[Player]
Ashley, you sing so well.
Narration
That's what someone told me that day.
▸ Too bad no one else is here to hear it.
[Player]
What a pity... There's no audience here.
Narration
It is because there's no audience that I have the courage to sing for.
But that day...
Youth
You sing so well! Can... can I... have your number?
Narration
The boy came out of the shadow of the bush.
I was startled and ran away in a hurry.
Player Selection
▸ Why?
[Player]
Why did you run away?
▸ Don't you want to know him?
[Player]
Don't you want to know him?
Narration
I've never been chatted up before, and I didn't know how to respond. And...
If he saw my face... Would he still say something like that?
Player Selection
▸ Nah, he seemed very polite.
[Player]
How could that be? He seemed to be a very polite young man.
Narration
Politeness and upbringing are unbelievable, which is what I have know since I was a child.
It's just... What I didn't expect was that the next day, "the singing of angels of Lake Silvermoon" spread in town.
[*End transcript*]

## Chapter 2: Silvermoon's Kiss

Blond Girl
What does it sound like? I've walked by the lake so many times, how come I've never heard of it?
Short Girl
If Joseph said it was the song of an angel, it must be!
Youth
.....Please don't praise me like that.
I'm sure I've never seen this girl in town, never heard such a beautiful voice, she must be an angel coming to the world.
Narration
When I went home from shopping, I heard the voice of that young man that night.
That 14-year-old Joseph, who just got admitted to the Capital Conservatory of Music not long ago.
All the girls in town liked to be around him. At this time, they blushed with anger when they heard him praise others.
I never thought I would be so praised. I never thought I would be so envied by other girls.
[*Scene changes to starry night*]

Narration
That night, I had a dream.
Paisley
The singing is so beautiful...
Town Youth
You must be the incarnation of the Starheaven Swan.
Blond Girl
Look at that! It's a meteor!
Narration
I lifted up my skirt and stepped on the meteor-crossed lake. In the lake, I saw a clean and beautiful face.
Ashley
This... Is this me?
Joseph
I finally see an angel again.
Narration
Joseph in the dream reached out his hand.
The meteor shower in that night's dream is deeply engraved in my mind.
Narration
A month passed quickly, and it was the night of the violin concert again.
Player Selection
▸ You can sing again, right?
[Player]
You can sing by the lake again, right?
Narration
No... I don't want to do it this time.
▸ You look unhappy.
[Player]
You look... not as happy as last time?
Narration
Yeah, I can't go out tonight.
Ashley
Joseph... Would he by by the lake?
Narration
I put on my cloak and locked myself in the closet because I had no courage to step out of the house.
The sound of the violin came from afar and could hardly be heard.
Player Selection
▸ Don't you want to see him?
[Player]
What's the matter, don't you want to see him?
Narration
It's not that I don't want to... I dare not.
▸ Why?
[Player]
Why are you locked up here?
Narration
I... I still don't have the courage to see him.
Narration
I heard the distant faint sound of violins and applause, and I heard them gradually stop.
My ugly eyes shed tears of remorse, and I stayed up all night.
[*Scene change to lake at daytime*]

Narration
At dawn the next day, I walked quietly to the misty lake accompanied by the sound of birds singing.
The wind from the lake brought a chill. The stars were hidden in the whitening sky. The lake looked a little gray in the fog.
No one has been here.
Ashley
...I should head home. I still have breakfast to prepare.
Narration
I walked back, and a glimmer of light among the Starheaven Posy attracted my attention.
Ashley
This... What is it?
Narration
As I approached, I saw a well-decorated letter.
My heart was pounding.
Invitation
I'll perform with Old Hendrill in the theatre next month. Would you like to go with me? I want you to be my backup singer.
Narration
I rubbed the letter in a panic, threw it into the grass, and ran home.
Ashley
Are you kidding me? How can I perform on stage?
Narration
But I've memorized the contents of the letter I saw at a glance, and it keeps appearing in my mind over and over again.
Invitation
...I want you to be my backup singer.
Narration
In a strange way, I went back to the lake and picked up the letter in the grass.
Player Selection
▸ So, will you join?
[Player]
So, will you go?
▸ You want to be his friend, don't you?
[Player]
You still want to be friends with Joseph, don't you?
Narration
Certainly not! It's just... I just want to keep it as a souvenir.
This is the first time I have received such an invitation.
[*Scene change to inside of a house*]

Narration
I spent too much time by the lake, and Paisley was awake by the time I got home.
Her hair was disheveled and she stared at me with a disgruntled look on her face.
Paisley
Why didn't you deliver breakfast to my bed? You ugly bastard, do you want me to kick you out of the house?
Ashley
I'll get it ready right away.
Paisley
Wait a minute!
Where did you go?
Ashley
I... I didn't go anywhere.
Paisley
Really? So... what's this?
Narration
She pulled the letter out of my pocket.
Ashley
Give it back!
Paisley
...
This is... an invitation from Joseph?
Ashley
No... This is...
Narration
There was a rush of tension in my heart.
Paisley
Did Joseph send it to our house? He wants to invite me to sing for him! Oh, my god, is this true?!
Narration
She held the invitation that I crumpled and spread out, with a look of great happiness and disbelief on her face.
Suddenly, her expression changed and she stared at me viciously.
Paisley
Why did you hide the invitation from me?
Ashley
What? I didn't...
Paisley
As my mother said, what a witch!
Ashley
...
Paisley
Don't look at me like that, you're so ugly... Gee, your parents are so unlucky. No wonder why they ditched you.
Ashley
You... Stop it!
Narration
No! That's not true!
The plate in her hand fell to the ground.
Paisley
You... What do you want!
Narration
She kept retreating with a frightened look on her face, with my invitation in her hand.
Paisley
Wah! Mom, this ugly devil is so scary! Let's get rid of her! Waaah!
Narration
She ran to the living room crying, with an aggrieved and pitiful look on her pretty face.
I cleaned up the cutlery on the floor without shedding a tear.
[*Scene changes to black*]

Narration
Then I was locked up in the dark room for a whole day.
But I still didn't shed a tear.
Player Selection
▸ Are you all right?
[Player]
Ashley... Are you OK?
▸ Stay with her in silence.
[Player]
...
Narration
I knew it when I was very young.
If a lovely child like you cries, adults will comfort you.
But if I cry... I'll be kicked. My face would be covered with a rag, and being told "You're so ugly that I'm going to barf"...
So I won't cry.
Player Selection
▸ You're actually crying, aren't you?
[Player]
But... Even if you don't shed a tear, you can still be crying, right?
Narration
...
Player Selection
▸ Paisley is the real plunderer.
[Player]
Don't be sad. I know it was your invitation. Paisley was the one who robbed it.
Narration
...Stop it! You don't know anything.
Player Selection
▸ Sorry
[Player]
I'm sorry... I just...
Narration
...Forget it.
▸ Won't speak again.
[Player]
...
Narration
...
Narration
Then... The day of Joseph's performance came.

## Chapter 3: Beyond the Stars

Joseph
...Over the past two months, I always walked to Lake Silvermoon. Unfortunately, I've never heard the singing of an angel again...
Narration
With my head down and clutching my cloak, I walked through the crowd to a small corner near the stage.
Joseph
If the starry sky heard my wish, did it send my invitation to the angel?
Narration
On the stage of the theater, Joseph is like a real prince, telling about his feelings.
Joseph
If, even in case, you really answered my call, please sing again by the lake.
Narration
He bowed and began to play.
He frowned slightly and the violin quivered slightly.
Player Selection
▸ He loves your singing.
[Player]
It seems that he really likes your singing.
▸ Joseph is very handsome.
[Player]
Joseph looks hot when he plays the violin.
Narration [Ashley]
That's why everyone likes him so much, don't they?
Narration
I may have been deluded for a moment and began to sing low to the sound of the violin.
The sound of his violin stopped.
Then, he continued to play more.
My singing was embraced by the sound of the violin. I sang more freely to the melody.
I closed my eyes and sang with all my heart in the crowd, on the shore of the lake.
It's like walking into a meteor dream.
When the music gradually stopped, Joseph stepped off the stage and came to me step by step.
My heart was beating faster and faster.
Maybe... He's really different...
Joseph
Angel by Lake Silvermoon, may I...
Narration
He raised his head and stopped abruptly.
The 14-year-old looked at me and the smile on his face was frozen, showing a look of horror that I was all too familiar with.
Joseph
Ah, I'm sorry... I made a mistake.
Narration
He looked away slowly, not knowing what to say for a moment.
It was as if I dropped from heaven to the bottom of the lake, and I felt cold and stiff.
I knew I had to run away, but I just grabbed my cloak and pretended I wasn't here.
Paisley's Voice
Thank you for your invitation, but the lady won't be happy if she's mistaken for someone else.
Narration
The sound of Paisley came from in front of me.
Joseph
Ah, it was stupid of me to mistaken someone else for my angel.
Narration
People laughed.
Paisley
Puff... But I won't forgive you easily.
Joseph
Let me play the violin for you again. The center of the stage is yours.
Narration
Joseph took Paisley's hand and walked to the stage. In the warm cheers, he played the violin and Paisley began to sing.
No... Stop... That sounds horrible, doesn't it?
...Am I not right?
People were intoxicated by the singing as they watched Paisley dance on the stage infatuated.
...Why?
That's definitely not the same singing.
That's definitely not the singing of an angel.
That's not my singing.
Why, why didn't anyone say it?!
Joseph on the stage was so in the performance that he never looked at me again.
Middle-Aged Man's Voice
Poor thing, the girl in the cloak...
Middle-Aged Woman's Voice
Stop it. I just saw her face. Wow, I was startled...
Middle-Aged Man's Voice
Shh, keep your voice down. She can hear you.
Ashley
...
Narration
How I wish something could happen at this time to make everyone in this theater disappear.
Disappear from my world.
[*Scene change to Lake Silvermoon at night*]

Narration
I clenched my fists and fled the theatre with my last strength.
The sound of the violin is still so melodious, and Lake Silvermoon was silent and gentle.
But... As far away as possible, leave my world!
I've never hated the starry sky that seems to be so close.
The illusion of sinking is like the meteor that people look forward to.
The meteor won't come and my tomorrow will still be dark.
...
Player Selection
▸ Are you okay?
[Player]
...Ashley, are you all right?
Narration [Ashley]
No... I'm all right. It's all in the past...
▸ They went overboard!
[Player]
They've all gone too far!
Narration [Ashley]
Is it too much? To me, this is perfectly normal.
Narration [Ashley]
You didn't expect that, did you? Even if it's someone like me, my heart is not cold and hard at the beginning.
But when I yearn for love, I'm bound to be hurt.
This kind of pain and suffering... Even if you look at the memories in this way, you won't feel the same way.
So, please don't say anything and don't comfort me again.
My heart can't take any harm or warmth anymore [In-game text lacks a period]
Player Selection
▸ Old Hendrill saw you leave from behind.
[Player]
But I saw it... Old Hendrill on the side of the stage watched you leave.
Narration