Dancing On Ice: 1-7 Comforting Move

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Dancing On Ice

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Alina confides in Nastia on Maslenitsa. The next day, an unexpected figure appears on the second floor of the ice rink...

Info

Style: Event Logs: GOE, Toe Loop Jump, Maslenitsa, Grizzly Bears Required: Nastia Goodwill Lv. 2 Recommended: Joyous Atmosphere, Small Town Colors, Carnival Night Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 3 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Song and Dance

Song and Dance

Dialogue Choices

You: Do I have to apologize to him?

• Take the initiative and apologize
  • No change
• Reconsider
  • No change

Transcript

Expand for script.

• The silence in the rink is cut by the sound of a blade hitting the ice.
• I glide across the ice and jump into the air, turn three times in mid-air, then make a perfect landing.
• I feel as graceful as a swan floating across the water.
• The blade under my right foot suddenly goes crooked. I wobble and nearly fall.
• You: (No, no, no! I can't fall. If I fall during a competition my GOE will be reduced.)

• You: (I'd rather make a mistake than fall.)

• I turn and jump again, but I mess up the landing.
• You: The toe loop jump is supposed to be the easier of all the jumps, but you can only land on one foot. I just landed on two feet to avoid falling.

• You: Choreographing the jump in the second half of the program can earn a skater a higher score.

• You: But it requires a lot of stamina. If a skater doesn't have enough stamina, they're more likely to make a mistake.

• You: It's possible I'm not achieving sufficient speed before I ump, so I'm unable to reach the desired height.

• Eager to get it right, I try again, but I fail to make three turns before I land on the ice.
• You: A swan floating on water? Pffft! More like a swan sinking in water.

• I want to make a great impression on my first comeback, and I have the perfect choreographed program set in mind.
• I imagine the rink as water dotted with white swans. I skate among them as a grungy Black Swan, proud and untamed.
• I'm sure I can pull off the routine, but I fail to nail it every time I practice.
• You: Argh!

• I hammer the ice to vent my frustration.
• I've lost count of how many times I've fallen today.
• A sense of hopelessness washes over me. My whole body feels exhausted. My success rate is so low, I'm not sure I should continue trying.
• You: Maybe Honda was right...

• You: I don't have what it takes to win a championship, and my last win was just a stroke of luck.

• Honda Itsuki: You only need to use your jumping leg for toe jumps. Wy are you jumping with your other leg as well?

• I recall Honda's criticism from the other day and decide to try again.
• You: I must ensure my jumping leg isn't too close to the other leg, and I have to maintain the correct posture while my body's in the air.

• This time, I nail the landing.
• I feel like a swan again, gently rippling the water in an elegant landing.
• You: (I did it! I actually did it!)

• I'm irritated that Honda was right about my form, but what does that mater in the grand scheme of things? His criticism helped me to improve.
• I can't resist skating to my phone and searching Honda's name online.
• Other than a few news articles on his championship wins in the youth category, I can't find anything else about him.
• You: How can there be no news about the winner of the champion title?

• You: If only he were my coach, but we had that big fight...

• That argument drove a wedge between us, and Honda has been avoiding me ever since.
• If I'm not careful, my pride will be my downfall. I look to the second floor of the ice rink where Honda's office is located.
• You: Do I have to apologize to him?

-Take the initiative and apologize

• You: I have to swallow my pride and apologize. If I'm going to succeed, I need his help.

• Honda's office door is closed. I walk over and climb the stairs to the second floor.
• I knock on the door.
• You: Um... Hello? Mr. Honda, are you there?

• He doesn't reply. I wait in silence for a moment, then I gulp nervously and begin my apology.
• You: I'm sorry for what I said about your sportsmanship. Will you forgive me and reconsider being my coach? Please?

• My apology is interrupted by a note falling from the door. It says Honda's away from his office.
• You: Wait, he's not even in?

• I summoned the courage to apologize...
• ...
• You: I should return to the inn and come back tomorrow so I can try to apologize again.

-Reconsider

• You: I don't have anything to apologize for, do I?

• I stay on the first floor, debating what to do. Eventually, I chicken out.
• You: I should return to the inn and come back tomorrow. Maybe I'll feel brave enough to apologize by then.

• Fine snow floats down from the overcast sky. The storefronts are decorated with colorful lights.
• In the central plaza stands a huge scarecrow dressed as the goddess of winter.
• The townspeople are working to build walls for a snow city while the children are happily building snowmen.
• That's when I realize it's Maslenitsa.

• Nastia: Alina, what are you thinking about?

• Nastia brings me back to my senses. I'm sitting at the table, absentmindedly mashing a plate of food with my fork.
• My stewed potatoes have been reduced to a starchy paste.
• You: I have this friend whose talents were questioned by a man.

• You: She got angry and quarreled with him, but now she needs something from him...

• You: What do you think she should do?

• I stop mashing my potatoes and look up at Nastia.
• Nastia: Did you have a fight with Honda again?

• You: What? No! I'm talking about a friend. Oh, never mind. Just tell me what you think someone should do in that situation.

• Nastia: Take the initiative to apologize?

• I waited for Nastia to make another suggestion, but she just looks at me like the answer is obvious.
• We both sigh at the same time.
• The timing makes us grin.
• Nastia: The town is celebrating Maslenitsa. Why don't we go for a walk to lift our mood?

• You: (I've been stressed every since I arrived here. A walk sounds like a nice way to relax.)

• You: Wait for me. I need to change my clothes before we go.

• We walk to the church where the townspeople have finished building their snow city and a smaller scarecrow has been constructed.
• Adults are singing and dancing in the plaza. Children weave mischievously through the crowd.
• Passerby: Hey, Nastia! Since a song and we'll let you go!

• Several girls at the entrance to the plaza form a gate with their arms and playfully stop Nastia from entering.
• Another girl plays an accordion nearby.
• Passerby: Sing a song, Nastia!

• Nastia: Why do birches in Russia make such noises?

• Nastia: Why does the accordion sound so beautiful?

• The girl playing the accordion beams with joy and graciously instructs the other girls to let us both pass.
• Nastia is called away by a friend. I sit by a fire where pancakes are being made. The townspeople share their food and wine with me.
• You: (It's been a long time since I felt this relaxed.)

• I revel in the joyful atmosphere and drink some wine.
• The sun begins to set, so it's time for the highlight of Maslenitsa. Everyone will burn the scarecrow representing the goddess of winter to welcome the arrival of spring.
• The townspeople stand beneath the snow-piled walls, shouting and throwing snowballs at the grizzly bears on the walls. A fine snow flutters in the air.
• I stand up and squeeze into the crowd to get a better view.
• Nastia: Alina, duck!

• Nastia shouts and shoves me out of harm's way.
• A hint of coldness brushes past my ear. Around me, the townspeople call out to the goddess of spring.
• Passerby: Wake up! Wake up!

• Nastia: I told you to duck. That snowball almost hit you in the face.

• Nastia's voice sounds like it's coming from down a tunnel. I turn to look at her, but her face is all blurry.
• Nastia: Alina, how much have you had to drink?

• You: Me? Only a cup... or was it a bottle...?

• Nastia: You've had too much. Let's go back.

• Nastia helps guide me through the crowd, but I stop when I see a familiar figure.
• You: It's Honda!

• I remember my plan to apologize and go running after him. But when I focus my eyes on where he was just standing, he's gone.
• Nastia: You're drunk, Alina. That wasn't Mr. Honda.

• The townspeople rush toward the walls and seize the scarecrow. I look around for Honda but I don't see him anywhere.
• You: Nastia, help me find Mr. Honda! I need him to be my coach!

• I cling to Nastia's collar and give her a pleading look.
• You: He's the only one who can help me! I want to win championship! I'm going to make her regret giving up on me!

• You: She likes Shaykh more than me. She hasn't even come looking for me!

• My head feels so heavy... I lean on Nastia's shoulder and continue muttering.
• You: I sent her my new address, but she's never contacted me. Doesn't she want me anymore?

• Alcohol makes me feel everything tenfold.
• Mom's stern expression materializes in my mind. I feel her disappointment in me like a stab to the heart.
• Everyone around me continues to welcome spring. Several people hold the scarecrow aloft.
• Passerby: Spring! Spring!

• Passerby: Spring! Spring!

• In all the pandemonium, I can barely hear Nastia's voice.
• Nastia: It's okay... I'm here...

• You: What...? What's going on?

• You: (How drunk am I?)

• It's difficult to think clearly, and my body feels heavy.
• Just then, it's as if the goddess of spring heard everyone's call and decided to answer.
• The clouds part, and the setting sun's light is revealed. The light illuminates everyone's smiling faces before it disappears.
• You: (It's so beautiful...)

• The fading light is the last thing I see before I fall into darkness.

• The next day, my head is still foggy when I wake up. Fortunately, the cold wind sobers me up on the way to the ice rink.
• Nastia: You have to train at the rink today. There's a surprise waiting for you!

• I rummage around for my phone and see the message Nastia sent me this morning.
• You: What does she mean she has a surprise for me?

• I look around but don't see anything that would qualify as a surprise.
• You: I don't think she's here yet.

• I put my phone away and start training. A perfect performance on the ice cannot be achieved without countless hours of practice.
• My confidence is bolstered by my success on the ice yesterday. After another failed toe loop, I'm able to get up and keep trying.
• I'm gaining speed on the ice, preparing for another jump, when I hear Honda's voice overhead.
• Honda Itsuki: You're not gaining enough momentum, so there's no strength to your jumps. That's why you're not landing them.

• I slide to a stop and look up to see Nastia guiding a reluctant Honda down the stairs.
• Honda Itsuki: Stop looking at me and start skating. Let me see you build some speed.

• I'm too surprised by his sudden appearance to move.
• Honda looks at Nastia and arches an eyebrow.
• It's evident Nastia has done something to convince Honda to instruct me.
• You: (Is this the surprise Nastia was talking about?)

• You: (Nastia...)

• Honda Itsuki: Hurry up and move!

• Full of gratitude, I beam at Nastia as she comes over and gives me an encouraging push.
• Nastia: All the best, Alina!

• You: (Time to show Honda what I'm made of.)

• I skate around the ice, gaining speed and building momentum. When the moment is right, I leap into the air.
• Time seems to slow while I'm in the air. I see Nastia smiling up at me.
• Her eyes are glittering as if they're filled with stars.