Tokyo Babylon :: Clamp
VOLUME 1
:: translated by tenno yukie ::
::
T.Y.O
::
BABEL
::
DESTINY
::
volume 02
::
Annex
volume 0
(night view of tokyo... with the catch phrase of the series on the side--)
title : do you hate tokyo?
text : japan's capital, tokyo. population estimate of 11,923,346, the sleepless city where the population by day and by night differs by two million.
label (place name) : roppongi
chanting : on... on bazara daruma kiri sowaka (a boy in a praying pose chanting, in a fancy room)
guy (in the background, looking frightened) : EEKKKKK......
chanting : on bazara daruma kiri sowaka on bazara daruma kiri sowaka (this menacing female monster looks even more menacing and seems to be in pain surrounded by light, the light is coming from a spell placed on the bed, the spirit is floating in the air above the bed, the guy goes "eek" some more) rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, chin, retsu, zai, ZEN!
(with each word the ghost seems more pained, but finally the menacing look goes away and she turns back into a fair girl)
girl spirit (crying with a smile) : [thank... you......]
boy (who was chanting, says kindly) : farewell. (and she turns into a ball of light which he holds in his hands, then he turns to the freaked out guy) it's alright now. akie-san has already left.
guy (still looks freaked out) : uh... eh...... [uh uh]
Tokyo Babylon
VOL.0.T.Y.O
label (place name) : shinjuku, kabuki county, sakurazuka veterinarian clinic
(a girl wearing a flowery *literally* dress is laughing the very high pitched "ohohohoho" laugh, the kid earlier is also in the room)
label : sumeragi hokuto, 16 years old
boy : hokuto-chan (with the "what's so funny look")
hokuto (the girl w/ the flower dress) : so in the end, the girl who appears on the man's bed every night was a woman he cheated before?
boy : h... hokuto-chan, don't speak so loudly or you'll be disturbing the neighbors......
hokuto (big smile) : that's so stupid! so unbelievably stupid! an entertainer fools a girl and brings her back to his mansion, tells her in bed that they are not working out, and the girl commits suicide! even the woman magazines won't take this classic gag! (those are like the gossipy magazines, hokuto with a wondering face) but why did she only appear on the bed?
boy : i don't realy know, but i think the bed is the only thing akie-san remembered in that room......
label : sumeragi subaru, 16 years old
hokuto (big burst of laughter) : AHAHAHAHAH
subaru (falls over, foot in the air) : wah~!
hokuto (still laughing) : basically, that guy brought her to the room and only showed her the ceiling. (pulls a serious face) what a lowlife. (bangs the table) these men, they should only exist in this world to be cheated by women! it's three hundred light years too early for them to be dumping women and cheating them!
subaru (forced smile with sweatdrops) : h... hokuto-chan, this is someone else's home...... don't get so excited......
hokuto (angrily making a speech) : those entertainers are living with money that normal people all made with their blood and sweat! he picks on an ordinary person! (vein) and then he dumps her, that guy only deserves to be cleaning chernobyl (the nuclear plant that exploded in 1986)! subaru!
subaru : y...... yes?
hokuto (arms crossed) : you shouldn't help such an awful man!
subaru (hesitate) : but......
hokuto : but what! since you're also a man, right?
subaru : i'm a man but...
hokuto : be quiet!
(door opens and someone comes in)
guy : subaru-kun performed the exorcism for that girl.
subaru (glad someone was on his side) : seishirou-san!!
hokuto (the guy came in with tea) : what, even sei-chan stands on the man's side!?
seishirou (hands each of them a drink) : i'm usually on the woman's side. (smile)
hokuto (puffing angrily still) : then what!
seishirou : how much the dead suffers who continues to remain in the present word with hatred... you should know that too, hokuto-chan. (holding a cup of tea)
label : sakurazuka seishirou, 25 years old
seishirou : subaru-kun did it for that girl who was suffering rather than for that foolish man. (subaru's busy playing with a puppy)
hokuto : hmph, sei-chan you really understands subaru, don't you.
seishirou (smile) : because i'm working harder at it everyday.
subaru (on the side) : ? ?
hokuto (big smile, makes a heart shape with her fingers) : seishirou-chan and subaru are a great couple!
subaru (upset) : w... what are you saying! hokuto-chan!
seishirou (holding the kettle with his usual smile) : the tea's getting cold.
hokuto (wide eye) : there's no need to hide it! didn't sei-chan say he fell for subaru at first glance! we of the sumeragi clan has long since protected japan spiritually, and the current 13th master, sumeragi subaru, is one of the few top onmyouji *japanese sorcerer* now. same amongst the onmyouji is the heir of the sakurazukamori who supports the history of japan from the shadows. if sumeragi is the surface, then sakurazuka is the inside...... and the love between the current master and the heir is...... (jump on the desk with her monologue) so wonderful! romantic! legendary! hardboiled!
seishirou : the tea's getting cold, hokuto-chan.
hokuto (-_-) : except... the people involved are quite unforceful themselves.
seishirou (takes out a place of snacks) : today's snacks are anpans from kimura's store. (subaru eating one and feeding one of the puppy)
hokuto : wait a sec, subaru! do you even realize that you are the main character of this tale? (sees that seishirou's about to eat one) sei-chan, you!! do you think it's alright for the "assassin organizaion, sakurazukamori" to be sitting here eating anpan? (look at sei-chan's ^^) those happy eyes! (sei-chan's ^_^) that happy face! (the anpan he's about to eat) that happy anpan, there's no tension at all!
seishirou (smile) : but even if you say that, i'm just a veterinarian...... even if it's the family job, my own personality is not suited for that......
hokuto : subaru!
subaru : y... yes?
hokuto : you too! there's nothing wrong with your appearance but why is your waist so low! are you really going around saving the world!? maybe you should apologize to "kujaku-ou" 's kujaku-san!? or say sorry to "teito monogatari" 's katou-san! (if you don't know what they refer to, you don't have to worry about it)
subaru (embarrassed) : i...... i'm only an ordinary onmyouji............
hokuto (vein) : being an onmyouji is already extraordinary!
subaru (look at the clock) : ah, i have to go already. (almost 7... while hokuto still looks pissed)
seishirou (as subaru gets up) : you have a job?
subaru (put on hat) : yes, one more thing to do......
seishirou (get up) : you're going to be late, so why don't i take you there.
subaru : ah...... no, it's alright.
hokuto (sitting in the background looking at them) : let him take you! it's a free ride anyway.
seishirou : let me take you, really......
hokuto : woohoo, we did it! (calling to them who are stepping out the door) seishirou-chan! if you won't be a "wolf" company, at least try to be something like a "gepard" company. (subaru falls right over)
seishirou : ah yes! shall we all go? we can all have fun like a picnic.
subaru (lots of sweatdrops ^^;;) : um......... we're not going out to play......
hokuto : hey! i might get in the way!
seishirou (^^) : what are you saying, hokuto-chan. aren't you the one who is going to be my sister-in-law in the future, hokuto-chan? we can start developing family relations from now on. (subaru looks like he's gonna die)
subaru (yelling with a lot of sweatdrops) : what are you talking about? what! (but the other two runs around looking innocent)
seishirou (running off in the bg) : [i'll go get the car keys.]
(later subaru came to this mansion, a woman in kimono bows to him)
old woman : you are... sumeragi subaru-sama, aren't you, my husband is not home......
subaru : oh...... it's ok, as for the girl we spoke about......
old woman (leading him up the stairs) : this way.
(subaru opens the door to a dark room, and goes in)
old women (recap of their previous conversation) : she suddenly bursted out in the office......... yes...... she's not such a child. she's an ordinary girl...... huh? yes, she's works in a company which my husband is having a transaction with...... she doesn't eat anything...... and she throws the things in her room...... i don't know what is really going on...... my husband knew someone who had been helped by the sumeragi family before...... we don't know what else to do. and...um...... please excuse me...... but how old are you?
subaru (sweatdrop) : [do i......really appear so stupid......]
(inside the room which is a mess, there's a woman sitting against the window, on the floor, in the dark... lightning strikes outside, and there's a clear view of her, looking menacingly at subaru)
subaru : [o... onee-san] (suddenly stuff attack him... like, being thrown at him) wah! (while dodging) [that's strange...... i don't feel any spiritual energy.]
(he draws a five pointed star in the air in front of the woman)
subaru (look at his hand) : [eh?] it did not affect her at all. (the woman charge at him again) this is...... not a dead spirit. (dodge her attack again) [this...... (woman charge at him again furiously) is alive, and...... a great number of them...... what what is it exactly?] (starts chanting while dodging all of her attacks) on, onabokya...... beiroshanau...... (the claws break off a piece of the wall behind him) [the claw manicure of an office lady is strong! (sweatdrop)] makabodara mani handomajinpara haraparitayaun (chant some more, dodge some more) onabokya beiroshanaumakabodaramani handomajinparaharaparidaya un
woman : YAH?! (subaru takes out a spell and throws it at her, and it sticks to her shirt) GYAAH?! (don't know what to do)
subaru (with magical aura radiating from him) : ON
woman (the spell note on her shirt starts to glow) : GYAHHHHH (she can't shake it off)
subaru : [eh......!? the shirt!?]
woman (smoke coming from her shirt) : AHHHHHHH (puffing in pain and tries but fails to tear the spell off) GYAH! (spirits start to come out of her shirt)
subaru (surprised) : [the living spirits are attached to her shirt?]
(she attacks subaru in fury, and he easily knocks her out, after she faints, he examines her shirt)
subaru : that shirt holds amazing hatred...... must hurry and take it off...... (pause) [eh...... (it slowly hits him) take it off...... take it off...... (jumps up looking incredibly embarrassed) WAH-------------- w... what should i do--]
(outside, hokuto is sitting in the car, seishirou's car)
hokuto (open the car door for subaru) : welcome back, good job.
subaru (^^;;) : sorry to keep you waiting.
hokuto (later) : what!? there are living spirits attached to her channel suit!?
subaru : they are more like hatred rather than living spirits......
hokuto : what's that? (seishirou is sitting in the driver seat)
subaru : when she returned to normal afterwards, i asked the girl and she said that she bought that suit through a grand battle at isetan's summer sales bargain. it seems to have gathered the hatred of those people who lost the fight and the covet of those people who always looked at it through the show window......
hokuto : hm. the persistance of these women during the bargain is quite absurd......
seishirou (keep on driving) : humans are always the most frightening creature. there use to be spirits called tsukumogami who resides in things and properties, but recently human persistance has become so great that there are no longer room for the tsukumogami.
subaru : eh?
hokuto (smile) : that's right! demons and monsters' powers are helpless against the humans! environmental pollution, nuclear problems, and disturbence in the eastern european nations are same as lullabies before japanese girls.!! no matter what the ecology boom and those mouths say, and with the ecology fashion they wear, they still use hair mousse with freon gas. [which is in the spray i use to dry my manicures too] although they know there is a lack of water supply, they take a shower every morning. although they are pitiful and cry of the trees that are being cut down on the news, they just have to buy their fashion magazines and comics! a---h! girls are so cute!!
subaru (looks bored) : maybe you should stop using freon gas too, hokuto-chan.
hokuto (the ohohoho laugh) : oh what foolishness, you are still quite too shallow, subaru. [and you still do not completely understand your sister! (did i mention that they are twins? although hokuto is the older sister)] (puts a hand on his shoulder) if i don't buy those things in the store, someone else will buy them. and if freon gas will be released anyway, isn't it better that i use it myself and make myself pretty.
subaru (sweatdrop) : t... that kind of thinking is a bit dangerous......
seishirou : now that you mention it, there appears to be another nuclear power plantin eastern europe just as old and rusty as chernobyl. kyahahaha, i wonder how long that will last! resources and nuclear power plants!? but still, i love this tokyo.
subaru (curiously) : why is that?
seishirou (smile) : because it is the only capital here on earth that "enjoys" itself while walking on the path towards destruction. (beautiful night view of tokyo)
subaru : seishirou-san......
seishirou : that's the way it is. (big cute smile) we should have subaru-kun and my wedding as soon as possible. [we'd be in quite some trouble if the city is destroyed] (he and hokuto both have the same ^_^ face and ignores subaru who fell from his seat with the "grrrr" face)
subaru (smile) : although for somewhat different reasons from seishirou-san, i also love tokyo.
text : anata wa "tokyo" ga kirai desu ka? (remember i said this is the catch phrase of the whole series)
end of T.Y.O
yukie's note : yahahahaha~ done w/ part 1, now this is my secret project... i wanted to do it since so long ago. it's my hope and motivation to finish all 7 volumes before i get up to X 16, since that really serves as the ending to tokyo babylon (many years later), i can't translate the ending first! plus, if people don't know the story between subaru and seishirou, my favorite scene in 16 will lose some of the impact. i hope everyone who reads X can come and read TB ^^
top
volume 1
BABYLON
The ancient capital of Mesopotamia
ever since it became the capital of the kingdom of babylonia under king hanmurabi in 18th century BC, it prospered as the center of political arts in the orient.
however
with more greed for "glory", the people wished to become gods, and they built a "tower" named "babel" which reached to the heavens.
the absolute "god" would not allow for such things, and as "punishment" from "god" who came down to that "tower" of the people, he took away their common language.
and "humans" continue to repeat themselves as proof of their "foolishness".
the catastrophe that became of Babylon
the city that fell to the wrath of god
(a woman stood at the edge of the roof of a tall building, a crowd of spectators gathered underneath looking up, and there are people shouting behind her on the roof, but she jumps off anyway with no regards to them)
Tokyo Babylon
VOL.1.BABEL
label (place) : tokyo tower 2F cafe
label (time) : 3:01 PM
(subaru is talking to two men)
label : sumeragi subaru, 16 years old
subaru : only the viewing platform had shaken?
man : it's true that tokyo is a place of many earthquakes and in a place so high as tokyo tower, even a small quake is very much magnified, yet it was only in the grand viewing platform. (seems worried) only the grand platform that is 150 meters above ground level always experiences quakes. while nothing happens to the special viewing platform 100 meters ahove......
subaru (thinking) : .........
man : um......
subaru : yes?
both men (take out a notepad) : can we have your autograph? [i'm very interested in psychic powers.] (subaru falls splat onto the table)
label : tokyo tower grand viewing platform
(subaru and co gets out of the elevator)
man : this way.
(almost immediately, subaru felt something troublesome)
man (seeing him bent down in discomfort) : a...... are you alright?
subaru : i, i'm sorry.
(and coming his way, a guy in suit - seishirou, and a girl... who is not a flower this time, she's a bee... or is that a butterfly... anyway, you'll notice that hokuto has the most standing out dresses)
hokuto (waving) : subaru-------
subaru (sweatdrop and surprised) : ah, hokuto-chan, seishirou-san, what are you doing here?
hokuto : since i heard that subaru came to tokyo tower, i thought it would be the perfect setting for a date.
label : sumeragi hokuto, 16 years old
label : sakurazuka seishirou, 25 years old
subaru (sweatdrop) : who's?
hokuto : yours.
subaru : with whom?
hokuto : sei-chan. (point to seishirou who has the ^^ face)
subaru (i can almost see his hair standing up ^^;;) : w...... what are you talking about, hokuto-chan!
hokuto (to her grand speech mode) : fool!, what couple who live in tokyo has not been to tokyo tower! rather than going home through the MZA and the bridge and stuck in the traffic on the highway, it's much better to enjoy the night view of this famed highest viewing platform in tokyo!
subaru (covering his face in embarrassment while the two men with him look at hokuto funny) : that's not what i'm talking about............ (he definitely turned red ^^)
seishirou (very kindly) : i'm sorry, you're still in the middle of a job. (aw~ how understanding of him ^^) hokuto-chan, let's wait while eating a parfait.
hokuto (glare) : sei-chan you are paying.
seishirou (escorting hokuto away) : of course, there is no way i would let my future sister in law pay for the parfait.
subaru (very red, yelling behind them) : wah, seishirou-san!!
man (gets his attention again) : ......um
subaru (attempt to explain T.T) : a, um, i accept the job so i'll come back tonight......
men : oh no, won't you give us your autograph? (taking out notepads again) so we can gloat when you appear on TV (and boom, subaru falls again)
(later, subaru and hokuto doing some sight seeing... seishirou comes back with huge ice cream cones)
seishirou : here. (hands a huge cone to subaru)
subaru : t, thank you very much.
seishirou (looking outside) : the weather sure is nice today, you can even see city hall in shinjuku clearly.
hokuto (running over) : ahhh---- sei-chan you are eating something good! i want, i want!
seishirou : but when i asked your earlier, didn't you say that "the one who seduces a lady to eat more won't come to a good end"?
hokuto : what other people are eating always seem so good.
seishirou : shall i buy another one?
hokuto (eating off seishirou's cone) : that's alright, i'll take some from sei-chan.
seishirou :subaru-kun, would you like some too?
subaru : n... no, it's alright. (getting embarrassed... all you innocent boys and girls out there can think about what is wrong with eating from the same ice cream cone ^^;;)
hokuto : stubborn, stubborn, subaru! (in a romantic pose with seishirou, where she has her arms wrapped around his neck and he's leaning down a bit) why can't you be more natural, like this.
subaru (most embarrassed... poor kid, he's turning red twice every minute) : i... i would be very twisted if i did that! (straightening his hat trying to cover his face ^^)
seishirou (found that very funny ^^) : ahahahah
hokuto : fool! that's very normal for lovers in this world.
subaru (very very red... objecting) : hokuto-chan!
hokuto : well, jokes aside, so it is here. (seishirou eating his ice cream on the side, hokuto pats subaru's shoulder with a big smile... which generates quite a number of sweatdrops from subaru) ah, it'll be alright. you, sumeragi subaru, the thirteenth master of we the sumeragi clan who has stood at the top of the onmyoujis and protected the spirits of japan since long in the past, [explanation for the name] you are one of the best, even of the previous family masters, no matter what happens. hm, seishirou-chan.
seishirou : yes?
hokuto (look at him funny) : ............wait... sei-chan, are you really that "sakurazukamori"?
seishirou : don't you think it's very strange that the heir of the assassin organization "sakurazukamori" who has been supporting japan's history from the shadows would be working in shinjuku's veterinarian clinic!?
hokuto : hm, sei-chan.
seishirou : yes?
hokuto (funny face) : ......you are quite distant from this hardboiled world.
seishirou : [ahahahahahah]
hokuto : ochiai nobuhiko-san whom i respect very much also said that the era for laughs is over!
seishirou (looking outside and it's getting dark) : seems like they'll be closing soon.
hokuto (object) : hey, are you changing the subject!? the love between sumeragi clan's current master and sakurazukamori! there will be no progress with the current setting and situation! sei-chan, don't be embarrassed and be a man! (subaru trying to get hokuto to stop talking)
seishirou : i do often try to set things in motion... (subaru is pulling his hat so low that i think he would like a place to hide) but surely i'm not very attractive.
subaru (seriously) : t...... that's not true! (he is so kind...~)
seishirou (smile, but seems rather serious) : subaru-kun
subaru : y...yes!
seishirou (^_^ face) : am i sexy? (subaru falls splat)
hokuto (dragging subaru up) : sei-chan is good as the paradise tonbo but subaru has been trained by grandmother since he was small and had quite a tragic childhood! (show seishirou subaru's hand) these gloves! (if you notice, subaru always wears gloves no matter what cloth he wears) they are out of fashion why he never takes them off because grandma said so! [my own are quite fashionable.] (seishirou simply smiles...) but i do enjoy coordinating his cloth colors to the glove.
seishirou (^^) : they suit you well. (subaru blushes)
hokuto (in the annoying girl ohohoho pose) : o-------hohoho, i picked out all of subaru's cloth. [today's concept, I'm kyon-kyon and Subaru is Tumiki Miho-chan (their cloth are meant to match, since they are twins anyway, subaru's coughing in the background)]
seishirou (^^) : hokuto-chan is also great.
hokuto (proudly) : ohohohohohohoho
(suddenly, the whole place starts shaking, the people are terrified and clinging onto the poles)
people : wahhh, an earthquake!
seishirou (notice that subaru seemed uncomfortable) : subaru-kun!?
(the feeling that bothered him before came back, he felt like he was falling down a tall place...)
subaru : [i'm falling------- (this time he clearly saw the spirit of a woman crying angrily)]
text : i hate tokyo...... i hate it! (...and then he faints, and seishirou catches him)
hokuto (worried) : subaru!
subaru (slowly getting up with seishirou's help) : [what...... was that woman......?]
seishirou (has his arm around subaru and asks caringly) : are you alright?
hokuto (on the side... i can't phrase this line very well T.T) : hm, as expected from the one to be my brother's spouse. (seishirou had a "just realized" funny face since he had his arms around subaru then, and subaru has his hair standing up)
subaru : ahh
hokuto : oh dear, and you just got a good mood too.
subaru (i have not seen so many sweatdrops in a long time, in fact, ever) : WAH------ (waving his fist annoyedly ^^ how cute)
seishirou (picks up subaru's fallen hat and give it back) : do you plan to wait till nightfall for the exorcism?
subaru : y, yes.
seishirou (asks seriously) : may i come along as well?
subaru : eh......?
seishirou (happy face) : well, it would be nice if the two of us are alone in tokyo tower at midnight, ahahahah. (subaru falls splat... again, sei-chan is evil! he tricked subaru-kun so many times already...)
hokuto (happy face too) : woohoo, sei-chan! that's the spirit.
(later, subaru standing alone by the large window looking at the night view of tokyo)
label : 1:10 AM
subaru : [that feeling...... it's definitely someone who committed suicide. but when i asked the men from the administrative department, they said no one had committed suicide from tokyo tower......]
seishirou (appears holding a bag, from the elevator) : subaru-ku----n, would you like to eat onigiri? (and so they sit down eating) subaru-kun, is this your first time coming to tokyo tower?
subaru : y, yes.
seishirou : ......tokyo tower serves 3 million people throughout the year, with a height of 333 meters. ever since it opened in the 33 year of showa, it has become the fame of tokyo, but of tokyo tower, most visitors are really from other places. to people who travel or come to the capital on business matters, tokyo tower certainly is the symbol of "tokyo". (for a moment, seishirou seemed distant)
subaru : seishirou-san......
seishirou : long ago when i was still in my high school days, you could find the pink lady in the wax museum on the 3F of tokyo tower, but when i went to look with hokuto-chan today, her place was passed to modonna and michael jackson. (end the seriousness with a big smile) the flow of time is cruel isn't it.
subaru : yes. (suddenly the disturbance begins, subaru jump up)
seishirou (still smiling calmly) : so it has come.
(subaru takes out his onmyouji spells and paste them all around on the walls)
subaru : seishirou-san, please don't leave the kekkai.
seishirou (still smiling calmly) : yes yes.
subaru (chanting with an aura rising from him) : on sanmaji handomei kiriku on sanmaji handomei kiriku (the woman spirit appears) on sanmaji handomei kiriku on sanmaji handomei kiriku
spirit (she has tears down her cheeks) : [i hate...... (looks sad) i hate (sadness turns to anger) i hate tokyo!] (one of subaru's spells broke)
subaru : ! (poles and columes start breaking) [the kekkai......!!]
(it does not seem to stop the spirit and she attacks subaru, suddenly seishirou jumps in, his face expressionless, and he carries subaru off)
subaru (more than worrying about the attack, he's turned very red that seishirou's carrying him) : WAH~~~~! seishirou-san!
seishirou (smile) : i'm sorry, i've interrupted your work. (the spirit attacks again... seshirou is still carrying subaru in his arms ^^;; he looked more serious though and took out a lighter, he lights the lighter and chants) noumakusanmanda basaradankan noumakusanmanda basaradankan (and the flame of the lighter is magnified and sprays towards the spirit)
spirit (burning) : AHHHHH
seishirou (smiles calmly) : again i'm sorry for interrupting.
subaru (a bit startled) : [i almost forgot. he's also a master of sorcery......]
seishirou (sets subaru on the ground) : please continue.
subaru (chant) : ......rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, chin, retsu, zai, zen! (a light comes from his hands and the spirit seems to be backing off from it)
spirit : AHHHHHH
subaru (quickly takes the chance and put up spells around her) : on bazaradaruma kinsohaka
spirit : [ahhhhhhh......]
subaru (kindly) : please calm down, i did not come to "eliminate" you, i came to speak with you.
spirit (crying angrily) : [i hate...... i have everyone in tokyo......]
subaru (still smiling kindly) : won't you at least tell me who you are and where you are from? perhaps there is something i can do to help you......
spirit (seems touched) : [......... who are you?]
subaru (takes off his hat) : my name is sumeragi subaru.
spirit (points to seishirou) : and him?
seishirou (^_^) : i'm only someone who tagged along, please don't mind me.
spirit : the nobody who tagged along blew flame at me?
seishirou (^_^) : ah well, i had to do it to protect the person i love, ahahah
subaru (i can see his hair standing up again) : seishirou-san!
spirit (smile) : that's nice, to be lovers............
subaru (screaming) : we're not lovers!
seishirou (standing by the large windows) : since we're standing here talking, why don't you come here?
subaru (surprise) : seishirou-san!
seishirou (look out the window) : look, tokyo's neon lights are beautiful.
subaru (chanting to break the spell) : on kirikyaraharahara futaranbasossohaka
(the kekkai around them breaks and the spirit actually look much more humanlike now. they sat down eating against the large windows)
subaru : won't you at least tell me your name?
spirit : kazue, katou kazue.
seishirou (handing them all a drink) : that's the same as the real name of the deceased misora hibari-san.
kazue (surprised) : you seem well informed.
seishirou (^_^) : i was a secret fan.
subaru : why did you come to tokyo tower?
kazue : i don't know. i was also an actress, but really, i was only a self pronounced actress. i came to tokyo when i was eighteen, though i was originally born in fukuoka. the people told me that i was quite adorable and as for myself, i was very confident. but the reality was completely different. i worked hard everyday, i couldn't ask my parents since i had ran away from home, i never really had enough money to eat a decent meal. everyday i ate the boxed lunch from the convenience store. but it was my own decision to come out here, so it was all fine. i thought...... surely one day i will become famous. surely one day someone will recognize me...... well, i suppose everyone thinks that. (smile) but i did appear on TV a few times.
subaru : eh, really?
kazue : i was only a passer by or a customer in the cafe though
subaru : i still think that's great, just the job.
kazue (smile) : you are a nice boy. the place i lived in was a filthy two story building, the surrounding is full of prostitution outlets and gang offices, and you can't see any stars, it was so dark and painful and sad that i always came here. (look at the tokyo night view, i really must say that it is very beautiful) the 720 yen entrance fee hurt but if i come here, i can not only see the stars in the sky............ but also look down on the stars on the ground.
subaru : kazue-san......
kazue : i had no money, and i wanted so much to go home. but just once, just once more time i will gamble. then, a bit of luck came towards me as well.
subaru : what happened?
kazue : there was a role in a movie. it was only a cameo but still.
subaru : that's great!
kazue : thank you, yes, i had wagered on that. it was the last time and i thought that if i don't get it, then i will give up. i wanted that job no matter what...... (turning a bit red and laughing embarrassingly) well, i even used such a classic trick as to sleep with the producer! [ahahahah]
seishirou (^_^) : that really is a classic gag isn't it.
subaru (looks lost) : ? ? [what classic gag?]
kazue (drinking now to cover her blushing face) : anyway, that producer also did not seem like the evil bad guy on TV or in novels, he gave me the part.
subaru : then why did you commit suicide?
kazue (look down sadly) : the movie was cancelled.
subaru : why!?
kazue : the actress who played the main role suddenly had a change of heart. since the beginning until the last moment before shooting, shehad said that she didn't feel like doing it, but on the day of the shooting, she officially quit.
subaru : kazue-san.
kazue (crying) : it's not fair. they say that she has "talent". and just because of that, an "ordinary person" will end up having nothing. even though i tried so hard to come this far, because of someone high up there who was talented made no effort, she may be blessed with talent, but to selfishly ruin the lives of others, it's not fair.
subaru : but you didn't have to commit suicide!
kazue : thank you. but since i was such a fool, i had already told my friends, and i called my mother for the first time since i left home. when i told her i was going to be in a movie, she cried. remembering that, i couldn't do anything else other than jump off a near by building. i knew--------- that actressalso had various problems, because of her divorce problems, she's been followed by tabloid journalists everyday, and no matter where she goes, everyone would recognize her face and she would never have a private moment. she couldn't have taken that movie in her psychological state...... i thought. but! why did she take the role to begin with!? (jump up angrily) why did she bring so much trouble for everyone else!? did she have a right to deal "misfortune" to others because of her own "misfortune"!? are you allowed to cause any kind of trouble if you have talent and fame!?
seishirou (smile) : that's right.
subaru (surprised) : seishirou-san!?
seishirou : if humans were all equal, then the earth would not have this far.
kazue : why...... why is it just me?
seishirou (still smiling) : it is not only you, many people are the same.
kazue : why am i alone to face such eyes!?
seishirou (calmly) : aren't you causing trouble as well?
kazue (glare fiercely) : !?
seishirou (^_^) : did you that there are people who had to collect the pieces of your corpse? i'm sure they couldn't eat their meals that day.
kazue (getting angry again) : i hate it! i hate tokyo... the beauty and the glamour... so filthy! (energy rising around her)
subaru : seishirou-san!
seishirou (who could not be harmed by her little tricks) : is tokyo such a horrible city? was there not even one good thing? didn't anyone treat you kindly at all?
kazue (raging) : there was no one, no one was kind to me! no one! no one!!
seishirou : then what are you doing "here"? why did you come here after you've died? (i must admit he could be a good exorcist if he tried... however he's usually doing other stuff)
subaru : kazue-san, maybe i don't understand! but i do know that kazue-san you really like this place, and you have left your memories here!
kazue (seems sad now) : i "like" to see the nights of tokyo from here.
subaru (happy) : since i was born and raised in tokyo (a lie as you will see, he was born in kyooto) i'm glad that you at least like "tokyo tower", kazue-san.
kazue (very sad) : i... like... it...... i've hated tokyo for such a long time...... though it welcomed anyone warmly, i was never "accepted" in the end, i hated tokyo. but if i look back on these four years, perhaps they were quite enjoyable...... what a pity, perhaps i could have had more fun, and come to like things besides tokyo tower......
seishirou : you can't just put pressure on others by saying thatyou are "sad" or "weak". but no matter how hard you try, as long as you are alive, you will cause "trouble" to someone. life is still far from "dreams" and "ideals". but perhaps for the people who cause "trouble", there is still something called "forgiveness". you could not forgive the actress and took your own life, and thus became trouble for many others.
subaru : it's not kazue-san's fault! although you should not commit suicide.
kazue (smile kindly) : i suppose i have caused trouble for you as well...... (subaru shakes his head) yes...... perhaps if i too can learn to forgive, things would be alright. maybe that actress also failed "herself" in life...... would you...... forgive me?
subaru (smile) : yes.
kazue : thank you.........
seishirou : let us send send kazue-san on her way. (and subaru looks more serious)
subaru (starts chanting) : on bazaradaruma kiri sohaka
kazue : subaru-kun, i had a dream once. some day when i have money, i will definitely spend 520 yen more to go up to the special viewing platform! (starts fading) but now i'm going an even higher place. goodbye, and thanks to you guys, i've come to "like" tokyo just a little.
subaru (chanting) : on bazaradaruma kiri sohaka (finally the spirit fades away)
seishirou (put a hand on subaru's should, who was being sad) : shall we go to the special viewing platform, in her place.
(subaru and seishirou goes up to the special viewing platform above)
label : special viewing platform
seishirou (sees that subaru still looks a bit sad) : subaru-kun, kazue-san said that because she met you and began to like tokyo just a little bit. (smile) now she'll surely be able to return to her homeland obon, fukuoka isn't it? (look outside) it will be dawn soon. it's quite unresonable but it's not only the feeling of "like", there is so much about tokyo. i don't know what to do no matter how hard i think. there is no place in the world where people who work hard are always rewarded.
subaru (pondering) : t... then, why do humans have sentiments such as "like"? why do we "like" things if it's not much use.
seishirou : because they are lonely. to have the sentiments of "like" is to see a "dream". humans cannot be strong without living in dreams. (turns to subaru and smile) but i really "like" subaru-kun. i'm not such a fool as to force you to have the same sentiments, subaru-kun.
subaru (don't know what to say) : i......
seishirou (corner him against the wall) : subaru-kun...... (leaning dangerously close)
subaru : seishirou-san......
seishirou (^_^) : am i sexy? (and splat, subaru falls)
(next day~~~~)
label : next day, 9:23 AM
hokuto (shows up in another fancy dress) : hiya! sei-chan, subaru!
subaru (eating breakfast at the table with seishirou) : hokuto-chan.
seishirou : good morning.
hokuto (interestedly) : so? any bit of progress?
seishirou (under hokuto glare) : since all the exits were closed until morning and we couldn't get out, the two of us spent the night here alone...... (subaru is coughing and turning away from the table, blushing very badly)
hokuto (still glaring) : that's great, sei-chan, so, the results!?
seishirou (^_^) : i leave that to your imagination.
subaru (coughing more violently in the background and scrambling around looking for water) : [w, water------]
hokuto : not fair! you can trust to tell your only sister in law!
subaru (jump up) : i, i think i'll go first now!
hokuto : ah, not fair! you too subaru! what happened here!
seishirou (^_^ whispering to hokuto) : actually...... (hokuto listening intently)
subaru (very very red) : seishirou-san!
(later outside, under tokyo tower, subaru looks back up)
text : i've come to like tokyo... just a little bit......
subaru (smile) : farewell, kazue-san.
hokuto (comes out after him, with seishirou) : wait a minute, subaru! tell your onee-chan!
seishirou (^_^) : ahahahah
hokuto (subaru's running for his life) : hey, wait up! (and she chase after him, on the streets underneath tokyo tower)
text : anaga wa tokyo ga kirai desu ka?
end of BABEL
yukie's note : i cried while reading x 16 and at the end of x 17...
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volume 1.5
(most of this chapter is told through flashback scenes... a long time ago, under a sakura tree... there was a little boy who was dressed in onmyouji cloth - obviously subaru, and he was talking to a young man who's wearing high school uniform)
little subaru : the sakura is beautiful.
young man : do you like the sakura flower?
little subaru : yes.
young man (his eyes are covered so you don't see his face very well) : did you know? there are corpses buried under the sakura.
little subaru : "corpses"... you mean?
young man : the sakura flower blooms so beautifully every year because there are corpses buried underneath. (catch a falling flower) the sakura flower was originally white, pure white, so as the snow. (smile) so do you know why the sakura flower is now colored lightly pink? becuase it sucks the blood of the corpses buried under the tree.
little subaru (looks up sadly, with tears in his large eyes) : aren't the people under the sakura suffering?
(the young man looked at first surprised and then smiles again and he bends down and says to subaru...)
young man : let's make a "bet" if you and i were to meet again...... (the wind blows by... and he says something)
little subaru : i'm sorry, i couldn't really hear you because of the wind......
young man : therefore today...... (touches subaru's cheek) i'll let you go. (it's the "i'll let you get away, i'll let you escape" kinda meaning)
text (a very beautiful picture of subaru and sakura flowers falling on him) : he said there are corpses buried under the sakura. therefore every year they would bloom ever so beautifully. the sakura flower was originally white, pure white like the snow. then do you know why the sakura flowers are colored pink? becuase they drink the blood of the corpses buried under its tree. who was he, who said that smiling.
Tokyo Babylon
VOL.1.5.DESTINY
(in the train station, a year before the beginning of our story, subaru was pushing aside people and running up the stairs, people look at him funny while he ran up to the platform chasing after a crow. the crow squeaks and subaru runs as fast as he could after it, on the opposite platform, there was someone reading a news paper. he looks up and sees subaru and smiles slightly to himself, suddenly~~~~)
subaru (tripping over a crack) : eh... (falls)
seishirou : !
subaru : wah~ (seishirou looks at him with a sweatdrop, totally breaking the more serious air about him and the crow flies away happily)
(present day, in seishirou's clinic)
hokuto : ohohohohoho~ so that was subaru and sei-chan's commemorable first meeting! subaru always trips but meeting him as he fell on his face at ikebukuro station is simply marvelous! (subaru is hugging a cat, looking very embarrased, while seishirou has the ^^ face)
subaru : b... back then i was chasing the shikigami-san...... and it would be very bad if i lost it, most dreadful indeed...... and since birds fly up in the sky, i had to look upwards...... (very red) and for a moment forgot to look under my feet......
hokuto (burst out laughing) : AHAHAHAHAHAH
subaru (knocked off his chair) : wah~
hokuto : sei-chan, so you fell at first glance for this idiot! that first impression must have been horrible.
seishirou (smile) : that was not the first time.
subaru : eh?
seishirou : that time at ikebukuro was not our first meeting.
subaru (unsure) : seishirou-san......
seishirou (takes subaru's hand) : a long, long time ago......i've met you, subaru-kun. don't you remember? (serious face... and subaru looks a bit troubled)
subaru : [seishirou-san......] (seishirou smiles slightly and then with one big statement that knocks out both hokuto and subaru...)
seishirou (big smile) : i was joking---! (subaru and hokuto fall to the ground) isn't it getting so popular lately? people say that they met before in a previous life, and so i thought i'd try it... (hokuto and subaru looks at him with sweatdrops)
hokuto : oh you, sei-chan!
subaru (sitting on the floor still) : ...... (even the cat has sweatdrops)
hokuto : you must be getting old if you are becoming sensitive to what is popular. now where did you hear that anyway?
seishirou : from this "something anthology" i read in the book store some time ago...... (subaru still sitting there with sweatdrops)
(the young man under the sakura tree)
text : ah yes, that was such a long time ago...... but was that a dream, or was it real.....
young man (flashback) : i'll let you go.
subaru (deep in thought) : who was he anyway...
seishirou (surprise) : who do you mean?
subaru (back to reality) : WAH!!!! (lots of sweatdrops) s...... seishirou-san!
hokuto (glare at him) : who is "he"!
subaru (back away with sweatdrops) : eh? eh?
hokuto (accusingly) : who were you thinking about! even though you have seishirou-chan already! you cheater!
subaru (upset) : w... what are you talking about, hokuto-chan.
seishirou (draws hokuto back) : it's alright, hokuto-chan. after all, i don't have a good body (if you haven't realized already, you will... notice that there are a lot of sexual references/jokes in TB ^^;;)
subaru (very very red) : seishirou-san!
seishirou (the fake wiping away tear with a handkerchief move) : after all a mere veterinarian like me is not suitable for a young man full of potential like subaru-kun.
subaru : t... that's not true! veterinarian is a very respectable job!
seishirou: do you really think so?
subaru (blushing) : YES!!
seishirou : that's great, then we'll set a date for our wedding, subaru-kun......
subaru (sweatdrops) : i... i'm a guy.
seishirou (^_^) : of course, i know that.
subaru (sweatdrop) : seishirou-san, you always joke......
seishirou : i love you, subaru-kun (*mwahahahahah~~~~ confession ^_^ but all this although he says it over and over again in TB does not compare to what he said in x 16 T.T*)
subaru : don't joke like that......
seishirou (look of seriousness) : do i look like i'm joking? (subaru looks up still with sweatdrops, seishirou corners him against a wall) i am a man and subaru-kun is also a boy...... however it's only a coincidence that the person i love is also male. (back to the happy face) well, what i mean to say is, a man who likes a boy really is very "twisted", ahahahah.
hokuto (in the background) : [heheheh] (subaru looks at seishirou w/ sweatdrops, hokuto jumps up) well said! sei-chan! no matter how well disguised in words, sei-chan is twisted! just a strange guy who courts a boy!
seishirou (^_^) : ahahahahah.
hokuto : but i will not tear you two apart! no, you have my blessing! (subaru turns away like he has a headache with the other two already)
seishirou : why is that?
hokuto : because it's interesting! (subaru looks up at them with a sweatdrop, somehow his thoughts wanders to the sakura tree again)
text : who is he...... that person...... now that i think about it, he looks somewhat like seishirou-san...... (compares that young man to seishirou's ^_^) but the image is completely different......
seishirou (pick up his jacket) : well, shall we get going now?
hokuto : closing the hospital already?
seishirou : it appears that there are no more sick animals today, so i can go out.
hokuto (very excited) : alright----! let's go look at flowers! flowers! ueno park is good! i love to eat oden while looking at sakura at ueno park!
subaru (sweatdrop) : h...... hokuto-chan! seishirou-san just finished working and he's probably tired...... plus the sakura is not yet in season......
hokuto (at the top of her lungs, subaru has a foot in the air) : FOOL! THAT'S WHY NOW IS THE TIME! when it is fully blooming, we'll need to find our place in ueno park among the salarymen's camp! if we go now, there will only be healty kindergarten children on field trips and senior citizens in photosynthesis!
subaru (tagging behind her with the ^^;; and "would you be quiet already" face) : h... hokuto-chan, you'll be disturbing all the neighbors......
(later in the park, the three walk under the sakura trees, hokuto and seishirou in front and subaru tagging behind)
hokuto (looking up) : i just knew the sakura would be great! the pink color touches a girl's heart.
seishirou : a girl's heart you say? that's great.
subaru (goes off to a large tree on the side) : eh? all the others are half blooming, why is this tree in full bloom......
text : sakura trees are "beautiful", but also "fearful". that sakura in full bloom, (he sees the image of the young man under the tree again) where was it exactly? why does that person know? that there corpses buried under the sakura. who is he really?
seishirou (walks up to subaru who stood under the sakura in deep thought) : what's wrong? subaru-kun.
subaru : this tree is in full bloom...... how incredible. all the others are only half blooming.
seishirou : you should know too, subaru-kun. (he took off his glasses, there was a dark gleam in his eyes, and he is not the usual ^_^ self) it's because there are corpses buried under this sakura tree.
subaru (surprised) : eh?
(the wind blows past them and the two of them just stood under the tree with a moment of silence, seishirou slowly puts his glasses back on again)
text : seishirou-san was different. (subaru still looks shocked) seishirou-san was definitely different.
hokuto (suddenly from further ahead) : subaru! sei-chan! i'll be eating all the odens----- (meaning if they don't go back soon)
seishirou (back to the ^_^) : yes, coming! subaru-kun, hokuto-chan is waiting.
subaru : ah... y, yes.
seishirou (walk off) : hokuto-chan! leave some daikon for me please.
(subaru turns to look at the sakura tree again)
text : ......huh, what was i thinking just now?
hokuto (calling over) : come eat the mochi kinchaku that you like, subaru.
subaru : ah, yeah------ (runs to them... leaving the sakura tree standing alone again, in full bloom beautifully)
text : therefore, today..... i'll let you go.
end of DESTINY
yukie's note : hm... seishirou fell for subaru at first glance huh... i suppose it's not a lie, but~~~ that means he fell in love with an 8yr old kid at first glance!!? x.x;;;; AHEM i knew you were twisted sei-chan but this is~ *coughing* anyway, i wonder how sei-chan feels to know that his "love at first sight" turned out to be such an idiot... MWAHAHAHAH~ they are not my favorite couple for nothing ya kno...
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volume 02
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