Aria the Origination #8: The Memories of That Precious Person…

Greetings from Comic Market 84

Two weeks ago, we saw Athena helping Alice build her confidence. This time, it’s Athena’s turn to feel unsure of herself. She knows that Alice’s graduation from pair is close at hand. She may already be thinking about advancing her immediately to prima. Then they would be peers instead of teacher and student. If Alice doesn’t trust Athena, that could be a problem for their relationship. Perhaps it would be better for Athena to change into someone Alice would like better. So after their argument, a fortuitous bump to the head gives her an idea.

Alicia knows Athena too well to be fooled. She uses her “goddess smile” to draw out the truth, but doesn’t reveal what she knows to the younger girls. Just as Alice walked through the shadows, Alicia allows Athena to play her game long enough for those two to come to terms. She understands their feelings both as a friend, and as someone who also worries about her apprentice’s future.

After this is Alice’s promotion. We know that Athena mentioned going on a picnic a while ago. This is the code word for promoting someone from pair to single. Why did she wait so long? Well, at the end of this episode, and the beginning of the next, the sun sets with an orange glow. I don’t know if she meant for it to be that way from the start, but her patience made a spectacular backdrop for the Orange Princess.

Next week I’ll be watching Aria the Natural #24: Those Undines of Tomorrow…, and also Aria the Origination Picture Drama #4.