View source for Read The Friggin Manual (Takashi Agera)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2024/01/11
|Location=Obsidian Tower
|Synopsis=Takashi comes to check on how a team of Easter Researchers are handling their portion of the shared project.
|Cast of Characters=40
|Tinyplot=The Project
}}
In an otherwise quiet room within the depths of Obsidian Tower, a tall teenage girl with long black hair slowly brings her hand down. She looks down at the fist-sized rock in her hand, with the set of wings stylized in purple crystals. "This is pretty good for a prop. But look, you guys are supposed to help me make it big in social media, and I don't really want to do it by filming cheesy live-actions spots with bad special effects. Or in this case..." she looks around. "no effects." she says.

Outside of the room, behind one way glass, stand a set of Obsidian researchers in lab coats. One of them turns around and looks at the boy and girl further back in their room. "See, Agera-san? The rocks - I mean the devices - you gave us do nothing. Is this your idea of a joke, or what? We give her the words! Nothing happens." one of the researchers says to the boy. The boy only stands up slowly. 

"Did the full information on how to accomplish this not get passed down to you?" Takashi asks.

"Yeah, give the girl the rock and have her say the words." a female researcher replies.

"...No, that's not what the instructions say. The instructions say to do it when they have their heart in the right place. Come on. Aren't you guys from Easter? Don't you know how to ''deal'' with hopes and dreams?" Takashi says, shaking his head. He turns to the woman who's with him, a tall lady in yellow with a truly distinctive hairstyle - crimson hair pulled back to form a bun that's nearly as large as her head is itself, with long bangs running in front of her ears that end in curls. "Is she ready?"

The woman gets up and walks to the two way glass and her yellow eyes fill with a bright yellow light for a little bit as she peers at the girl. "No, her Heart Flower is still hanging on." she says, her eyes returning to their 'normal'.

"It's never gonna work if you guys don't follow the instructions. Is this why we haven't had any success?! Ugh. Here. Watch." Takashi says, storming into the room.

"Hey, whoever you are, I'm tired of this, it's not what I signed up to do." the girl says. "Oh, you're like. My age. Don't tell me they're trying to rope a whole bunch of us for this wanna be power rangers sh-."

Takashi just held up his finger on one hand, and with his other hand put a 5,000 yen note in her hands. "Don't worry about them or anything else - just listen to me for a moment. Look. You don't even know why you're here." Takashi begins.

"I've been saying that, yeah. Shove me in here with a prop and tell me to say some weird stuff - I shoulda read my contract better." the girl pouted. "Anyways..." she looks down at the money and her eyes go wide when it is apparent just how much that note is. "... yeah I'm listening."

"Not why you're in this room, why you're in Easter. Why you're a part of Obsidian? Do you think it's because you're a star? No, no." Takashi says, pacing around her, his hands interlocked behind his back, like he's walking at parade rest. "You're here because you didn't make it as a star on your own, like the others did. Because what should have been yours was taken from you, ripped out of your hands by others less deserving. That's the real reason you're here. Because the populace didn't want to accept you. Because you couldn't accomplish your dreams. Because those other girls turned their backs on you after you lifted them up in your groups." Takashi intones. The teenage girl looks at the money, then at Takashi, and is silent. He passes her another 5,000 yen note.

"You're here because the things you deserve were kept from you, and because Obsidian and Easter are going to help you achieve them. But in order for that to happen, you must understand in your heart of hearts - you will have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to reach the top. To take what you deserve. To get the fame and recognition people have conspired to deny you." Takashi adds. "You're going to help us get what we want, and in exchange you'll get what you want... and you'll get to teach a lesson to those who tried to keep you down..." he adds. The girl's attention is kept by Takashi, many many thoughts running through her head, past sleights and imagined conspiracies. She gets one last 5,000 yen note.

"Now, try it again. Humor me and put your heart into it this time - all you have to lose are things you are currently being denied anyways. Raise the gem above your head, and call out the words, and this time, want better for yourself. Want the luxury you were denied, the adoration you seek, the eyes that should be on you - it's all there if only you can reach out to take it, if only you are willing to do what it takes to have it, Takako Fujiwara."

Even though she looked at him with a skeptical look, she clutched the oblong rock tightly. And closed her eyes, and raised it above her head.

"'''''Awaken My Strength, Unleash My Power!'''''" she called.

And then for a moment, nothing happened - and then purple lighting erupted from the gem - lightning that solidified into black ribbons that began to encircle her body - ribbons that were about to form into a new outfit, right as Takashi shut the door as he walked out to the scientists. "There, now that I've done your jobs for you, call back the other girls you failed and do it right. Too many divisons have too much riding on this for you to be screwing around, so when I give you instructions, ''follow them''." he says, turning to the girl he was standing with earlier. "Sassorina, would you please keep an eye on these so-called researchers so I don't have to blame further project delays on them? For their own good, I don't think they want to explain to all of the Divison Directors their incompetence - it might end with them getting their employee severance." Takashi says, glaring at them.