The White Rose's Dream

Wasn't that movie awesome?!

While I'm not well-versed in the animated film industry, I must say it had surprising depth for something made for children.

Whaaat? You don't like movies or comics?!

Oh no, it's not that I "dislike" them so much as I simply "live under a rock," as they say. Seldom can I enjoy such indulgences. After all, as head of the Lunabright family, the heat of the spotlight is always bearing down on me, even now...

No way. Is that Hismena? What, is she trying out a new aesthetic or something?

My case in point...

Which is why I must be the paragon of perfection at all times. Not one hair can be out of place for the Lunabright heiress.

Speaking of Hismena...did you see the new release that came out last week?

Of course I did! Who knew she could be so violent?

Be so...what?

The part where she duels the Deputy to profess her love to the Head was crazy! What a plot twist.

Not one hair...

I laughed so hard watching her completely trash the ops room by accident!

OUT OF PLACE!

Thanks again for the invite. I was long overdue for a shopping spree.

We all need a breather from time to time. Plus, I was able to pick up eye shadow from SHIZUI, so I'd argue this trip was justified.

Oh, right, by the way, I saw your parallel version pass by while we were shopping. She looks like she's settling in well.

From what I've heard, it's been hard for her to fit in with people here, but she and Mana seem to be hitting it off at least.

I-It's you! You're...her!

I'm...who? Have we met?

Aww, where's your battle outfit? I think your thorny longsword is so cool! Can you show me, pleeease?!

(Longsword? Are they talking about ...the other me?)

She doesn't have it on her, dummy! This is her secret identity!

Right, Princess White Rose?

Princess what now?

You're with her and didn't even know? Princess White Rose... Look!

Sorry about this, Isuka, but it looks like something's come up...

Off to find the other you, I presume? No worries, we can end our breather here.

The last time I saw her...I think was in front of the Port Lezona movie theater?

You don't suppose what those girls were saying is true, do you?

I mean, in any layer, it's hard to imagine that such an...unruly version of myself exists.

They have to be lying! That doesn't sound like her at all.

I dare not disagree. From what I've seen, she, too, holds a sense of pride, in her own way.

Nevertheless, I have heard that matters of the heart can drive one to madness. If that is indeed the case, I must put a stop to her before her actions sully our shared family name.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

I was just approached by some kids who seemed pretty convinced that you're the model for some weird comic book.

Comic book? What on earth are you talking about?

See for yourself!

A website for posting...comics? What's this now...

"Princess White Rose of the Moonbeam Imperial Family and the Kindling Beacon of Twilight," my goodness, what a long name.

The girl on the front page really does look just like you two. Not to mention, the name Moonbeam...

Moonbeam? Is that meant to be a play on Lunabright?

Okay... Based on your reaction, I'm guessing this is all news to you?

You really thought, of course it is news! Who would create such a thing? Such an elaborate scheme, all to mar the Lunabright family's reputation... We must investigate at once!

...I'm not sure the intent runs that deep, but I do agree that we should look into it. We can do some research from my room. Mana, you coming?

I really wanna...but I can't. I gotta go home and finish my homework. Ugh... Have fun, Hismenas!

I don't know about "fun," but farewell...

Let's get cracking. Do you remember how to get to my place from here?

Let's see...East building, third floor, was it? Which means...Aha! This way!

Other way! Literally the opposite way!

This is going to be a long day...

I have it pulled up... Are you ready?

Let's take a gander. How bad could it be?

...What.

...Who.

...WHY!!!

An independent organization with white uniforms... Isn't that just IDEA? I mean, the Head Knight, "Q Rio" is pretty obviously Curio...

The writing style, the terminology... This is really digging up a dark fanfic phase I tried to leave behind... I'm cringing so hard thinking about what "other" kinds of fanfics exist of me...AHH!

I tried to follow all that, but I really have no idea what you just said.

...Sorry. Just mourning the innocent mind I lost long ago. Forget I said anything.

...Gladly. By the way, I know you initially suspected that I had something to do with this, but allow me to put your mind at ease.

Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I can quite confidently tell you that I would never condone such drivel!

We should file a lawsuit against the author!

But I'm sure it's just their hobby...

Is this the publisher responsible? "Seven Days of Weekend"? I've not once heard of such a company.

Maybe a club name or...

Hold on, pass me the terminal. I think I know where to look.

I found their alias: "MarshMeloMochi." It seems they've blown up online recently as an up-and-coming webtoon artist.

Err... I found their account, but...

"Meet me at the White Rose Moonbeam fandom's 'White Roses Can Be Dyed Any Color' Smutty-Shipping Convention..." Why is every title related to this person so long? And what is smut...

Don't ask! You don't want to know!

Well, I do, but why has this gotten you so flustered?

And what does shipping have to do with anything? I didn't even know fans of postal services had conventions... Please elaborate!

Th-This convention is...

An event where fanfics of me, where I'm romantically paired with everyone you could imagine, are shared by amateur writers!

Fanfics? Romantically paired! SHARED?!

(AAH! Even just thinking about it is making me cringe! Why is smutty in the title?!)

...W-Well, you know... Uhm... Think of it like an event where fans of fictional writing gather to share and sell their own personal creative works...

(Does she mean a place for creators to collaborate and negotiate business deals?)

...Anyway, it seems like the author will be in-person at the venue tomorrow. This might be our best chance to meet face-to-face.

Yes, it seems like a good opportunity. Very well, I will meet you there tomorrow.

Hmph... "All within our reach." These lines echo like the childish words of one who lacks an understanding of the real world. Safeguarding the Lunabright family in itself is already about as much as I can muster. I have had no chance to live the way that this layer's me or "Princess White Rose" seems to be able to. Though, neither do I resent that fact.

In any case, I'd better conduct thorough research into tomorrow's event before our meeting time. I'm unfamiliar with the crowd that will be attending and would hate to commit any kind of faux pas.

She's late? Please don't tell me she's lost...

I beg your pardon? I arrived before you.

Arrived...where?

I'm...over here...

So you felt like playing hide-and-seek?!

Please don't do embarrassing things in public looking like me... Come out already!

I-I'm coming out!

What...

...Are you wearing?!

After we parted ways, I conducted my own research about the amateur comicon scene. It is there I discovered their dress code, which they refer to as "cosplay." I put this together soon thereafter.

Well, at least, I tried to follow along, but the...ahem, chest area and skirt length... I suppose I'm feeling a little self-conscious.

You're not the first to feel that way...but okay, if you really want to do this...

You can't think too deeply about the overall lack of fabric, or about how impractical the pointless cutouts seem to be. It wasn't designed for actual humans to ever wear, but to make the character as alluring and eye-popping as possible.

So I should think of these clothes as pieces of artistic expression, like those exhibited during Elzion Fashion Week?

In other words, were I to feel embarrassed, it would be disrespectful to the designer who took pride in creating it. I can do this. Nose held high. Walk with confidence...

The etiquette for events like this was a blind spot, so thank you for that lesson. The Lunabright family has investments in the content creator industry, so anything I can learn may prove to be advantageous.

Well, that's a good mindset to have, but I mean it when I say you shouldn't delve too deep. When it comes to fandoms, some words cannot be unread...some images cannot be unseen. *shudders*

Noted. Now to the White Rose Moonbeam fandom's 'White Roses Can Be Dyed Any Color' Smutty-Shipping Convention!

C-Can you not?! GOSH! How can you even remember the full title?!

...There is no reason to raise your voice. It is only the name of the event. You are acting rather strange today...

Come now, I think it will be fastest if we head there from the Cargo Station.

What I wouldn't give to have her ignorance on this topic...

If we stay on this one until the last stop, we should be able to walk from there.

Well, here we are, the venue. For a convention presenting creative works, it's quite small, don't you agree? There are also more students here than I expected...

Not small enough...

C'mon, m'lady! I even took a shower before coming here today. Just sell me a copy!

Not happening, "dude." The author has spoken, and according to her, "you are not worthy." Those were her exact words.

Y-You can't possibly understand how much I deserve this! Bring out the author. She must've been talking about someone else!

Yes, I can see how...deserving you are. But after last night's backlash, she'll be staying out of the public eye for today. Sorry!

She can't hide forever...

They made...paper copies?

Surely the cost per printed page would make them far less profitable than digital copies, no? Unless, of course, they add a premium to balance it out. That at least would maintain their revenue.

I highly doubt whoever's behind this is focused on how much money they make.

I have a friend who is majorly into games, comics, and all that stuff.

I met someone a while ago who was majorly into games, comics, and all that stuff.

She told me that fanfic authors write as a way to show how much they loved the original content.

Not only that, whatever they write is like a way for them to express a different part of themselves they normally can't.

Ding ding ding, we have a winner! Finally, someone who gets it!

For enthusiasts like me, a fanfic is an outlet for our love of content and characters that we simply can't hold inside. Ergo, it's the love child I suffered through labor to produce, ergo, anyone who can't truly appreciate her doesn't deserve her!

B-But you're...

Miss Mochi? What happened to laying low? There may be a few "fans" to avoid today...

Did you not FEEL the passion and nerdiness oozing from her soul?! How could I resist a chance to meet...

Hrm...?

NO WAY! You look JUST like Princess White Rose! This is the best cosplay I've seen yet!

Did the real world decide to do a crossover with me and my 2D dream girl?! This is how I'd write her meeting my self-insert!

Crossover... Self-insert...

You mean like a written account of your adventures as you travel with them through a fantasy world? Wouldn't that be lovely!

Lovely...

...Lovely?!?!

S-Stop! Too pure! Too innocent for my corrupt brain to handle!

Reading social cues isn't exactly my strong suit... Now it's a bit awko-taco, aha...

I don't mean to derail the conversation, not that I understand where it was heading... but Moyna, is that you?

M-M-Me?! Wh-Who...

I was shocked to find that even you had made your way to this time layer.

(H-HOW DOES SHE KNOW MY NAME?!)

(I've done everything to keep my identity hidden! My persona as a bubbly, slightly cringe artist has been executed flawlessly!) (Not to mention nobody in this world should even know who I...)

...Y-You're actually her... Mena?! ...You're both her?!

No big deal... Just two copies of my bias standing in front of me... I'm drool, I MEAN COOL.

No freakin' way! Dudes, come check it out!

Crappity crap. We're gonna be swarmed. I vote we continue this conversation away from the center of attention. Go go go.

Did I catch that right? Did you really come from another time layer? And if so...why did you decide to become a webtoon artist over here in this one?

I'm in this time layer because of a... Ahem... A construction drone...

The sucker came out of nowhere and hit me! Then BAM, parallel time layer. Stuck, I needed to find a way to make a living...

Which is why I decided to leave Moyna behind, and move forward with my new identity as Melody, a.k.a. MarshMeloMochi.

(Melody... She must be the Melly of that time layer...)

(Wait... "Melody." Could she be, no... There's no way it's her...right?)

I see now what position you've been put in. An unknown world, nobody to turn to... You must've faced such challenges.

Now that we are on the same page, I must ask, why in the name of all that is good and proper would you base your comics on me? Were your marbles lost upon arrival?! Did you not consider the Lunabright family, nor the me of this world?

Oh... Wow, I, uhm... Are you mad at me?

(Perhaps...I could've worded that a tad bit more gently...)

(But it is not only I on the line here, the entire Lunabright name is at stake! I must maintain an unshakeable stance.)

I'm really sorry you feel that way... I promise that wasn't my intention. At first, I did my best to maintain ambiguity, but before I knew it, the characters led the story; my pen just listened and followed.

My counterpart in this time layer, alongside the Lunabright family, has been suffering from the misinformation your comic spreads. I've come here today to ask that you lay down the pen of yours that draws Princess White Rose.

Wait, pause! Two steps back! Daily sales from this series are all that keeps me afloat right now. Without them, I'll literally die!

Also, these comics were the only way for me to experience a connection with Mena...

Aren't you two friends?

Funny you should ask...because I sure WISH that were the case!

Moyna, please accept this.

Compensation for our friendship, a token of my gratitude, if you will.

...Compensation?

At best, I was a rental, paid to play the part. I-I get it, though. Nobles and commoners are in different circles, on different levels.

......

For the sake of my place in your heart as a rental, would you please let me have these comics? All I'm trying to do with the stories I draw is bring a little bit of joy to people. Is that so bad?

And I draw them for you too, of course! Don't you ever wish you could just shake this exterior off and live more freely?!

That just isn't really a possibility for me. I chose to live this way of my own free will. Sure, there are times where it all feels a bit overwhelming, but I am proud of who I am.

Which is why, even in another time layer, I cannot overlook a composition that drags my family's name through the mud.

So my writing and I are nothing more than a nuisance in your life...

Roger that, "friend." I believe that, yeah, now we're on the same page... I guess trying to write a story for you to live your dreams vicariously through was just TOTALLY self-centered of me. Because I can TOTALLY read your mind and should have KNOWN you gave up on becoming Princess White Rose.

...Live my dreams?

I'm just a bad fake friend who went off on her own and made a bunch of assumptions! Well sooorry! My fault for being an idiot!

It's fine! I'm fine! It doesn't matter... Haha... Why would it matter... *sniffle* Catch you later, "friend."

Oh dear...

(This means I've hurt her twice now...)

Aren't you gonna chase after her? I mean, you obviously see her as a friend.

Well, she doesn't seem to see it that way...

This may come as a shock to you, but I've never really had...friends. In spite of that, I truly believed I had grown close with her. But ever since I extended a monetary gift as a show of thanks for our friendship, she grew distant and began avoiding me.

Well, duh... Money gifts are an expression of business relations, not personal ones! You made it seem like a cold contract. That way of thinking is why you still haven't realized that "Princess White Rose" IS what an expression of friendship looks like.

It...is?

Why don't you try giving it a proper read through, from start to finish?

......

...I was so distracted by my shock that it all went over my head. Every line she speaks is meant to motivate and propel us forward. It's a lovely story.

When Melly was, sorry, I mean MeloMochi was talking about "your dream," do you have any idea what she meant?

My dream...Princess...White Rose?

Was it...that day? She came to my house...

Nooo wayyy! Your room is totally bonkers! The razzle! The dazzle! Please welcome, the lady of the house! Rahhh!!!

It is...my room. Actually, there's this terminal I was hoping you could fix, if you feel up for it.

Up for it? I am the legendary engineeress herself! Something like this will be easy peasy, mochi squeezy.

Woah, what's this on the floor?

Oooh, this was drawn by one talented kid! A beautiful dress with white roses... Is that you wearing it?

G-Give that back! Please...

No, wait, hold on. Mena, did you draw this when you were a kid?

It's so dang good! Not just, like, visually, but creatively! I can see how attached you were to this character by looking at it.

...When I was younger, a relative invited me to watch a film with them, I think it was about a...candy princess? Anyway, the princess had friends, and acted in her own self-interest, for love and for her dreams. At the time, I wanted to be like her.

But, of course, I had the naivety of a child, and did not know how difficult it is to make even one wish come true in the real world.

......

I remember now. Princess White Rose was a silly doodle of a girl I drew, back when I was young and unburdened by obligations. You must live up to the family name. You must rank first in sports and studies. You must be the perfect daughter. That doodle was just an immature dream I had before the freedom of wants was replaced by the shackles of musts.

She remembered something so personal about me...that even I had forgotten.

Do you see now? The message in her comic isn't that you should suddenly start to live irresponsibly... It's that you're allowed to act in your own self-interest sometimes to pursue what you want in life...

(If she's anything like the Melly I know, I'm sure her message is something sweet like that.)

I must...no, I want to speak with her again. Let's head back to the venue.

...I already said "no!" I'm not selling it to you!

I have the exact listed price, right here! Just shut up and take my money!

It's NOT. ABOUT. THE MONEY!!! Do I need to spell it out for you?!

A story is a love child, born from its writer's heart when their hot, sweaty, passionate creativity bursts uncontrollably onto pages! Ergo, anyone who sees my baby as no more than a commodity does not deserve her, ergo, I'm not selling it to you!

H-How dare you treat a customer this way!

Yeah, yeah. "The customer is always right." That attitude doesn't belong at an event like this, you entitled jerkwad.

You do realize that I know you're just a reseller, right? I tagged my last issue with resale detection IDs, and guess who got flagged? So yeah, I have enough proof to "treat you this way."

(...Too much? I'm not one to escalate, but at the same time...scalpers don't deserve to breathe the same air as humans...)

Tch... You got any idea how much git these go for? I didn't come all this way to accept "no" for an answer!

Uwaaa, HEY!

You have your money, the book is mine!

I think not!

Look around you. Everybody at this event is here because they love something wholeheartedly. That book is more than just a book... It is the feelings of someone special, who was kind enough to care deeply for another.

And I will not tolerate anyone treating it with such degeneracy!

Moyna, please forgive me for earlier. I spoke with a coldness that you were entirely undeserving of. All you were guilty of was picking up and cherishing a memory that I had unknowingly discarded.

Mena...

Now then, what was it she called you? "Reseller"? I believe she told you the book is not for sale. Hand it over.

As if I'd let a couple of nerd cosplayers stand in my way!

...Take your stupid book!

...No!

...At least, ouch, the book is safe...

Mena...

Here you are.

But why? You made it pretty clear earlier that my comic was meaningless to you... Yet now, you're covered in scratches and bruises from head to toe from trying to protect it? I-I don't...

Because I didn't see at the time how much you poured your heart and soul into it. You protected my forgotten dreams... Now I just want to return the favor.

B-But... Didn't you say you wanted me to stop selling Princess White Rose altogether?

Indeed, I did. I cannot allow it to continue to circulate as it is now.

Honestly, it doesn't surprise me. You could probably even slam me for defamation and I wouldn't have a defense against it.

Which is why...

From now on, any issues you wish to publish must first be checked and approved by me.

Y-You mean...I can keep it going?!

Yes. However, I do wish for you to revise the places that do need revising!

Let me see... Oh, where to start...

This better not be more spam, Ooh, the latest issue is out!

Princess White Rose...

...Even without turning the page, I have a pretty good idea what comes next. You and I, Moyna...

"...Will always be best friends."