X character file: Kusanagi Shiyuu. Translated by Rika Takahashi (Fuu) * Monologue. KUSANAGI To Miss Yuzuriha Nekoi. How are you doing, missy? I'm sorry my reply is so late. I got your letter just today, as I was at Mount Fuji for some drill. [fuu's J-E/E-J dictionary says there is a maneuvering ground at Fuji, so the assumption was the he was there.] There was a welcoming party for the land defence force, and I drank a bit, so my illegible handwriting may be more illegible than usual.... bear with me. How is Tokyo? You said you were born in Mitsumine Shrine. Mitsumine would be Saitama [prefecture]. There isn't much difference between Tokyo and Saitama, but do you get homesick? You lived alone with your grandmother, you said. You may be lonely, but your grandmother is probably lonely, too. It doesn't feel right to part with people you have lived with for so long, even if it's for a day. Were you able to find the people you were looking for? I had some spare time that day, and I felt like going to the Diet Building (I haven't gone in a while) so it was perfect. So don't worry about me escorting you there. Oh yeah, the ice cream you treated me in return was delicious. Although I look like this [fuu notes "macho" comes to mind] I do have a sweet tooth. And the .... Haagen-Dazs? that you got me. That was delicious. Thanks. I'll go there with guys from the LDF sometime. There's a lot of guys with sweet teeth in the defence force for some reason. There are more people who like booze, though. That reminds me, missy, you said you had a high tolerance. You said your grandmother asked you to drink along with her a lot....... * Drama. The first day Yuzuriha and Kusanagi met. The two walking towards a subway station to take Yuzuriha to the Diet Building. KUSANAGI Oh, you have high tolerance, missy? Yuzuriha blushes. YUZURIHA I don't know how to explain, I can drink a little. I got my tolerance accompanying my grandmother. KUSANAGI How much is a little? YUZURIHA I think my limit is about seven ochoushi's (i.e. seven of those cute bottles of hot sake)! Yuzuriha laughs modestly. Kusanagi laughs wholeheartedly. KUSANAGI Seven ochoushi's are pretty impressive! Kusanagi seems to be having fun. Yuzuriha panics. YUZURIHA u, um..! Do you dislike.... girls that can drink? Kusanagi cocks his head in thought to the sudden question, but keeps his smile. KUSANAGI I like to drink myself. I think it's perfect to be able to drink together. Yuzuriha smiles happily. YUZURIHA I'm glad. Sighs in relief. KUSANAGI But, what are you doing here by yourself? Why did you come out from Saitama? YUZURIHA ........... After a while, she shows a slightly sad smile. YUZURIHA To meet comrades. KUSANAGI Comrades? Kusanagi does not understand the deeper meaning of the comment. KUSANAGI Some kind of a club? Yuzuriha laughs. YUZURIHA Not really. Comrades that I have yet to meet.... Kusanagi pats Yuzuriha's head. In a gentle voice, KUSANAGI I hope they're nice people. YUZURIHA Yup! The two walk into the crowds, heading towards Harajuku. YUZURIHA Can I ask you something? KUSANAGI Hmm? YUZURIHA Shiyuu-san..... KUSANAGI Oh, just call me Kusanagi. Only people in the force call me by my last name. YUZURIHA force...? KUSANAGI Well, what do you want to ask me, missy? YUZURIHA D, do you work? KUSANAGI I guess you could call it that. YUZURIHA May I ask where? KUSANAGI Yeah, I don't care. Kusanagi smiles at Yuzuriha. KUSANAGI The defense force. Yuzuriha is surprised. YUZURIHA Defense.... force. KUSANAGI Yeah, the land defense force. I was about to go to the army post in Ichigaya right now. Yuzuriha seems to be excited. YUZURIHA Woow. I have never talked to someone from the defense force before. KUSANAGI And I have never talked alone to a junior-high school girl. The two laugh. YUZURIHA Um... Exactly what do people in the defense force do? KUSANAGI I have some trouble answering that now that you asked. Kusanagi laughs. KUSANAGI It's kind of like a do-everything agency. If you're stationed in Hokkaido, you transport the snow for the snow festivals. Or you can be sent out for disaster relief. YUZURIHA It must be a tough job. KUSANAGI But today's junior-high school students have tough jobs too. Inuki barks to let Yuzuriha know that there is someone coming. YUZURIHA Oh! Yuzuriha, understanding Inuki, avoids a collision with the person. YUZURIHA oof! Yuzuriha squats in front of Inuki to thank him for warning her before she bumped into that person. YUZURIHA Thank you, Inuki. KUSANAGI It told you that you were going to bump into someone. So it is a good dog. YUZURIHA This is Inuki. KUSANAGI Inuki? YUZURIHA Inuki, spelled dog - ogre (inu - oni). Kusanagi laughs. KUSANAGI That's a strong-sounding name. Kusanagi pets Inuki. Inuki purrs in content. KUSANAGI Did you name it, missy? YUZURIHA Supposedly. KUSANAGI Supposedly? YUZURIHA I don't remember. I supposedly named it on my second birthday. KUSANAGI That's incredible, to be able to write such a difficult kanji [fuu can't write "ogre" from memory...] as such a young child. Kusanagi is impressed with such a weird concept. YUZURIHA Although I'm not that good at kanji now. Yuzuriha, drawn by Kusanagi's brightness, laughs along. YUZURIHA .... Inuki is my one partner. Even if nobody can see him, even if nobody understands.... he is my dear, incomparable partner. KUSANAGI Inuki is happy because he was able to be your partner too, missy. Inuki barks, as if answering to Kusanagi. YUZURIHA I.... I was called a liar long ago. Because nobody could see Inuki.... Nobody understood.... They said I was a liar, who kept talking about a dog that didn't exist. Although trying to not cry, Yuzuriha's eyes become wet with tears. Nevertheless, she smiles. YUZURIHA So..... I'm.... so glad.... to meet someone who understands Inuki. Yuzuriha ends sobbing. Kusanagi pats Yuzuriha's head. KUSANAGI .... Those who have "powers" not those of normal humans have "pains" different from normal humans. But. There has to be a "happiness" that you feel because you have those "powers". Yuzuriha, wiping her tears, looks at the source of the gentle voice. KUSANAGI Was it all bad things when you were with Inuki? YUZURIHA No! Yuzuriha violently shakes her head. KUSANAGI ...... Weren't you happy to meet Inuki, missy? Yuzuriha can't find her voice behind her sobs. YUZURIHA No! I was... happy.... Becuaase there were so many good times.... KUSANAGI There will be many hardships to befall you, missy. But. There also will be many good things waiting for you. YUZURIHA ........... Yeah. Yuzuriha looks at Kusanagi with a big nod. KUSANAGI So stop crying. The people around us are looking at me like I'm a kidnapper. YUZURIHA I, I'm sorry! Yuzuriha quickly wipes her tears. KUSANAGI Oh, here we are. It's a jiffy on the subway from here, Meiji Jinguu-mae. [station name in English would be "Front of Meiji Shrine"] YUZURIHA U, um! KUSANAGI ? YUZURIHA Will I.... see you again? Kusanagi, slightly surprised, smiles. KUSANAGI Yeah. YUZURIHA Thank you! Inuki barks. * Monologue. KUSANAGI Missy. I don't like to say this, but I guess you're not really accustomed to the streets of Tokyo. I was surprised then, when you started walking the opposite direction from the train platform even though the signs were right there. Oh, and about the letters. It's not a nuisance. I had fun talking to you, and I'm happy when I get letters from you like this. You seemed to be relatively busy. Are you all right? Don't work too hard. I found a pretty flower petal during my drill at Mt. Fuji. As promised, I'll send it to you with this letter. It was a beautiful flower, a pale orange. I couldn't pick one of the flowers that were still alive, so I picked up a petal from one of the flowers that had already fallen to the ground. It was a flower that would look good on you, missy. But, nature is starting to diminish on Mt. Fuji as well. I didn't know things -- trees, flowers, birds, insects -- could change so much in one year. There seems to be a factory under construction right next to the mountain. The factory itself isn't bad...... But the first ones that lived there were trees...... Whoa. My writing is getting really strange. So I'll leave you here. Take care. Don't chill your stomach when you sleep. See ya. Kusanagi Shiyuu p.s. Are you free next Sunday? I'll take you to a coffee shop that has great cake. With Inuki.