Parallel World - Ch. 16

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 16

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(Early next morning. ES Building, Sky Garden.)

Eichi:

No, I truly am chilled to the bone.

Spring is yet so far… Dressing so lightly will do little to prevent me from catching a cold.

Wataru:

Then allow me to present my newest creation, Eichi! After all, there is scientific evidence that suggests laughter increases one’s body temperature! Amazing! ☆

If you would grant me your attention! Presenting: “Grandfather Cherryblossom VS The Zombie Mutt: How Long Have I Been Hallucinating the Corpse Under the Cherry Blossom Tree?”

Eichi:

I would go as far as to say such a creation sounds even more fascinating than it needs to be.

Wataru:

Fufufu. Have you found yourself coming to long for the warmth of human skin contact?

Eichi:

One does tend to crave companionship when the weather is chilly.

And yet, I do not have the luxury of simply spending my time here relaxing.

Wataru:

Indeed, footsteps appear to approach us as we speak! Ah, but if only they were the footsteps of spring!

Eichi:

Hehe. What bad boy has come to disturb my elegant morning tea?

Tomoya:

—Tenshouin Eichi!

Senpai, haa haa… Need to… discuss, I mean… Haa… Have a favor… Haa…

Eichi:

Are you a dog?

Wataru:

Do catch your breath, Tomoya-kun. You are most unsightly.

Tomoya:

I mean, I just had to climb up all those emergency stairs since for some reason the elevator wasn’t working!

Eichi:

Well, it isn’t operating hours yet. It is essential to conserve electricity during colder months. Not to mention, I do not wish for anyone to disturb me amidst my peaceful respite.

Although I did simply take the elevator up here as normal. Afterwards, I made use of my authority to have them cut the power.

Tomoya:

Th-That’s just blatant harassment… I thought I told you that I wanted a meeting with you today over Holdhands.

Eichi:

You did. Today, at this hour, at this location.

I was testing you, Mashiro-kun. You and I are not friends, and I assume you have no desire to merely spend time in my company?

When you ask a favor of someone, the least you ought to do is demonstrate your goodwill.

Tomoya:

So making me climb that ridiculous amount of stairs to get here is proof of me demonstrating my “goodwill”?

Eichi:

That's right. I do admit you have demonstrated that much. 

Ah, tea does taste much more delicious when I am gazing upon the suffering of another.

Tomoya:

So you’re not even trying to hide that you’re a scumbag… 

Before, or rather, up until SS, you at least tried to act the part of a kind senpai in front of me. But now you’ve totally dropped it.

Eichi:

Because I hate you, Mashiro-kun. Wataru is far too fond of you.

Wataru:

How wonderful that you would speak so honestly, Eichi!

Eichi:

I expect there is no need for me to keep up appearances in front of this boy. After all, no matter what I do, he will never come to hate me; he is far too much of a good boy for that.

Tomoya:

Not even I’m that much of a saint.

No. I came here today so I could completely dismantle the image the world has of Ra*bits.

Even if I have to make a deal with the devil himself, I’m going to get us out of this predicament.

Eichi:

And who are you calling a devil? I will have you know that the world’s image of fine is that of angels.

Tomoya:

Angels and devils are basically all the same thing. Something us normal humans could never stand a chance against—an existence that transcends reality.

And right now, we’re facing off against Bishojo-senpai—someone who’s abandoned their humanity to become a God-like existence.

Eichi:

And so, you have no choice but to request the aid of supernatural power to conquer such a formidable foe?

I can see your vision, logically speaking. However, are you not barking up the wrong tree for coming to beg us for help?

It is without a doubt that your adversary, Kirarai Dearu-shi, stands at the top of the idol industry.

Now, for what reason would fine venture the risk of falling into disgrace with such a God-like existence?

You really ought to go ask someone less likely to take profit and loss into account such as an “Ally of Justice”, or perhaps a “Wizard.” Go on, be on your way now.

Tomoya:

Wow~ So even you’re afraid of Bishojo-senpai?

Eichi:

Do watch your tongue. How many times must I remind you that this is not how you speak to someone you would ask a favor from?

I am not particularly frightened by Kirarai Dearu-shi. Should they stand in my path, I would go as far as to massacre even gods and Buddhas.

However, what obligation do I have to get myself involved in something so troublesome? Am I now a hero chosen to eliminate the king of demons?

Tomoya:

It’s not that I’m asking you to take down Bishojo-senpai.

That person is our enemy. No, they’re our rival we’re fated to square off against. 

If anything, if you butt in from the side to snatch the chance away from us, I’ll be furious.

Eichi:

I don’t follow. Get to the point.

I’m growing chilly. This isn’t a suitable location for long discussions.

Tomoya:

You’re the one who wanted to meet here!

Anyway, right. The location is important.

Eichi:

Meaning?

Tomoya:

I want you to lend us a stage. The bigger the better. The more attention that can be focused on us the better.

Eichi:

Oh? I have an idea of what you’re hinting at, but won’t you be more specific?

Tomoya:

I want you to lend us Sanctuary.

That twisted amusement park you built.

Eichi:

Hehe. Perhaps to the unenlightened, it might be regarded as nothing more than a “twisted” amusement park.

Wataru:

No, it would be clear in the eyes of anyone that such a place is a cesspool of madness—a distorted wonderland!

Eichi:

Wouldn’t it be boring to build something ordinary?

Uniqueness is what’s important in this generation. Uniqueness.

Isn’t that what’s being demanded of you at the moment, Ra*bits?

Tomoya:

I’m glad you follow. Well, what’ll it be? Will you lend it to us? Won’t you?

Eichi:

Perhaps. But it won’t come cheap, you know? Will you be capable of paying the amount I ask?

Tomoya:

You’d take money from us? I was hoping you’d think of it as emotional reparations for causing God knows how much trouble for us during SS.

Not to mention the way you basically tried to kill me for no reason during the Sports Fest.

Eichi:

If anything, why didn’t you die back then?

Tomoya:

You asshole!

Eichi:

I jest, I jest. Very well, I shall lend it to you.

I shall let you borrow Sanctuary for free for one whole day. It hasn’t officially opened yet, so that much shouldn’t be too difficult.

Tomoya:

Y-You’ll lend it to us for free?

Eichi:

I already have a filthy amount of money.

But more importantly, you Ra*bits are exceptionally adored amongst all of the idols from Yumenosaki. And so, having you in my debt would be most beneficial.

When it comes to SS, the most wide-scale event in the idol industry, Yumenosaki alumni are unrivaled. For what it’s worth, there is no escaping the fact that the entire industry shall be dyed in the colors of Yumenosaki for this entire year.

Ra*bits would be the most useful tool when it comes to spurring the “main characters” of this industry into action. 

And I intend to make full use of you in exchange for lending you Sanctuary.

Wataru:

Are you sure you are all right with this, Tomoya-kun? I am speaking from a place of pure concern as your Drama Club senpai this time around. Owing a favor to this man may come at a later price, you know?

Tomoya:

Thanks for your concern, but Ra*bits have reached the critical point where we’re not sure if there’s going to be a “later” otherwise.

It’ll be okay. No matter how awful an environment we’re thrust into, we’ll use whatever we have at our disposal to survive. 

Our claws and fangs are our cuteness and how much we’re adored by everyone.

And for anyone convinced they’re strong enough to just walk all over us—we’ll show you just how terrifyingly mighty us little animals can be.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 17

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 17

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(Several days later. A certain building in the city, within the world of Sanctuary. Operation: Parallel Ra*bits is a go.)

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Fuhahahaha! This marks the start of our Hero Show, and what better place to hold it than an amusement park?”

Midori (Hajime):

“Our white fur is a mark of justice! A pure, blinding light, untainted by darkness…!”

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“With our big, doe eyes and our long, floppy ears—we’ll be sure to exterminate the bad in this world…!”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“That’s us! The lovely ☆ cute Heroes of Justice; Ra*bits…!”

Hajime:

W-Wow~ Clap, clap, clap! ♪

Mitsuru:

Whoa, you guys! That was so cool~!

Hajime:

Yeah~ We did already see the footage before, but seeing it in real life really is extraordinary; or rather, I feel like I’m dreaming right now.

Nazuna:

Wait, sorr… Ahahahaha☆ I could get on board with this! Weirdly enough, this is right up my alley! And you even came up with catchphrases, this is too funny!

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Great! Seems like we have Nito’s approval!”

Nazuna:

Hey, can you not call me Nito when you’re wearing Tomo-chin’s face~? You better stay in character for the most part while you’re playing Ra*bits.

Midori (Hajime):

“Yeah… That’s important. If you act in a way that other people will be able to tell there’s a “person” inside a mascot character, it’ll seriously dampen their mood…”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“Aye aye, sir! We’ll be sure to put our all to stayin’ in character to the best of our ability!"

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“Nihihi. Since Ryuseitai has also been wondering about how we’ll proceed henceforth, I’m grateful that this project will give us a chance to test out and get a feel for all sorts of possibilities.”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! But while all of us have adjusted to the roles already, I guess having an orthodox unit like Ra*bits act like superheroes might feel a little off to others?”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“Well, forcing two separate concepts together whether they match or not has always been the way Ryuseitai does things.”

“To be honest, while heroes and idols might seem like a good match-up, there are still subtle incompatibilities.”

Midori (Hajime):

“Beep, beep, this is the Mascot Character Patrol. We’re supposed to be playing Ra*bits right now, so it’s problematic to start talking about this Ryusei-whatever unit.”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“You say that, Midori-kun, but you’re the one sticking to ‘ore’ as your first person pronoun while you’re supposed to be playing Hajime-kun.”*

Midori (Hajime):

“Yeah… I’m sorry, Shino-kun, I ended up being the one playing as you…”

Hajime:

Huh? No, I’m thrilled that you’re playing me, Takamine-kun! It’s an absolute honor!

Midori (Hajime):

“I’m actually quite happy about it too… Hehehe, right now, no matter how you look at me, I’m so cute…♪”

“I no longer have to lament about how tall I am every time I look in the mirror…♪”

Hajime:

I-I’m not actually that short though?

Midori (Hajime):

“But for some reason, you really give off the impression of someone who’s tiny and cute… Odd.”

Hajime:

Well, I’m pretty selective about my angles when it comes to taking pictures or videos.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! Absolutely fascinating! But while it’s great that we’re all getting along, we are in the middle of a job here! So I’d like us to leave the idle chatter at that!”

Nazuna:

Oh…? I had the impression that Chiaki-chin has been taking a step back from Ryuseitai for a while, but right now it seems like you’re taking control just like old times.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“That’s because I’m the one in command this time!”

Nazuna:

What do you mean “this time”...?

Well, in any case, it seems like a lot has happened with you guys.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“And the same with you. I’ve been worried about this strange fuss you’ve found yourselves in. Are things really okay with you?”

“If you need any more of our help, feel free to reach out to us any time!”

Nazuna:

You’re already helping us out plenty. Right, Tomo-chin?

Tomoya:

Right. Sorry to ask so much of you, but I’d like you to keep on playing your version of Parallel Ra*bits just like that.

That’s the whole objective of this “Parallel World” project, after all.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“A ‘Parallel World’... In Hero-ese, it's what we call the multiverse.”

“In other words, in this parallel version of the world, the Ra*bits everyone knows have evolved into all sorts of different forms.”

“In Ryuseitai’s case, it’s ‘what if Ra*bits became superheroes’?”

“But what’s the point of having all of these different versions of Ra*bits spread out through this amusement park, and making them sing and dance?”

Tomoya:

You’ll find out soon enough. It’s almost time for us to make all sorts of official announcements.

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Mhm! I can’t say I follow, but I eagerly await whatever's about to unfold!”

“Hang in there, Mashiro Tomoya! Your unit has the strongest heart in all of Yumenosaki! No matter what difficulties you face, I’ve no doubt that you’ll be able to persevere!

Tomoya:

Ahaha. When I’m being cheered on by someone who looks just like me, it’s like I’m looking into a mirror and giving myself a pep talk. Feels kinda weird.

Hajime:

It really does feel like we’re in another universe… Here and there, I see people walking around, looking just like us…

There might even be a much superior version of myself among them. I don’t even have to go out of my way to search, since they’re everywhere.

Tomoya:

No matter how outstanding or what sort of prodigy they are, they’ll never replace you, Hajime.

The Shino Hajime from Ra*bits that we know and love is you and you alone.

Midori (Hajime):

“Mashiro-kun… Sorry, but you’re going to make me blush when you gaze at me closely like that…”

Hajime:

You did not just go and mix us up! Tomoya-kun, you liar! And right when you just claimed that you loved me! If you really love me, you won’t mix me up with someone else!

Tomoya:

S-S-Sorry! But you really do look exactly alike right now!

Mitsuru:

Yeah. This technology is sure somethin’~ SSVRS or whatever it’s called.

Nazuna:

Right~? I can’t think of it as anything other than magic. All you have to do is put on these special contact lenses, and there’s suddenly a whole new world right in front of you.

Hajime:

To everyone here, ourselves included, all of the other idols look exactly like Ra*bits right now.

Tomoya:

That’s the whole point. Though apparently this is pretty standard technology for Sanctuary. Once you take a step inside, everyone is under the “magic of technology.”

It’s like we’re all dreaming, while still in reality.

Hajime:

In this case, everyone is part of our Parallel World.

Nazuna:

I understand our strategy and I do find it pretty interesting. But I can’t help it; I’m already starting to feel like I’m tipsy. This is all so crazy…

Hajime:

Well, you’re a very sensitive person, Nii~chan.

Nazuna:

Or like, I just can’t keep up with the flexibility of the youth, no matter what.

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“All ‘five’ of us together are ‘Ra*bits’...☆”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Ah, come on, Kanata! You lost our game of rock-paper-scissors, so you have to play the bad guy, get it? Ra*bits is a team of four, so there can’t be five of us!”

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“But I am lonely! I am lonely because I am the only one you are all ‘leaving out~’!”

Midori (Hajime):

“I-I feel really bad now… You do see heroes in teams of three or five, but a team of four is rare. It does feel a bit odd.”

“Why don’t we let Shinkai-senpai join us anyway—”

Kanata (Flapjack Octopus):

“Midori! What a good boy! As a ‘thank you’ for your kindness, I will gift you this ‘seaweed’ ♪”

Shinobu (Nazuna):

“Ahaha, now things have delved into a random folktale!”

Tetora (Mitsuru):

“‘The Flapjack Octopus’ Requital of A Favor.’”

Chiaki (Tomoya): 

“Like Metalder?! The same turn of events that often unfold in Superhuman-Machine Metalder?!”*

Midori (Hajime):

“So annoying… Thanks to this guy sorting out his problems, we’re seeing a revival of the SFX otaku. I hate it.”

Tomoya:

…Well, all of you guys who agreed to help us out seem to be having a lot of fun, which I’m really glad about.

But we still don’t know if this will solve anything. Let’s get to work and do what we need to do.

Mitsuru:

Yeah! Let’s take out that Bishojo-senpai! Ei, ei, oh! ☆”

Hajime:

W-We’re not going to be fighting Ideia-sama though…? I’m not so sure why you seem so eager to get into a fight, Mitsuru-kun?

Tomoya:

Right. The only people we’re about to face off against right now—are ourselves.

–

*Hajime’s first person pronoun is “boku” which sounds soft and humble. Midori’s is “ore” which sounds more masculine and casual. 

*A franchise about a metal superhero.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 18

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 18

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

 

(Several hours later. Sanctuary Food Court.)

Ideia-sama:

“What an interesting plan you’ve come up with, Ra*bits.”

“I wouldn't have thought you’d think up such a thing yourselves. Just who in the world put this idea in your head?”

Tomoya:

Geh, Bishojo-senpai?!

Nazuna:

Haha, you’re acting like a powerful military commander just came to unleash an assault.

Hajime:

Oh, err, it’s been quite a while, hasn’t it…? Uhm, I mean to ask, did you come to support our Parallel World project, Ideia-sama?

Ideia-sama:

“I did. Should I not have?”

Hajime:

N-No, I never said that. Or rather, I should say, ‘bring it on!’ Isn’t that right, Tomoya-kun?!

Tomoya:

D-Don’t ask me! You know I’m not great with this person either…!

Mitsuru:

Hey, hey. What’cha eatin’, Kira-kun? You eat actual food?

Ideia-sama:

“Yes, this boy is a living creature.”

“Even though he may look like a completely different species in your eyes—like that of a monster, or perhaps a killing machine.”

Tomoya:

I can’t believe you’re able to just talk to this scary guy normally, Mitsuru.

Mitsuru:

Hm~? To be honest, Bishojo-senpai gets on my nerves, but Kira-kun never did anything bad to us? So there’s no reason to be afraid of him, right?

Ideia-sama:

“That’s right. Your ability to separate us shows me the sort of internal quality which is very rare.”

“In general, most people would associate every single person belonging to an organization they stand in opposition to as their enemy. That’s how their brain compartmentalizes things.”

“However. Mitsuru-san has managed to separate Kira-kun and me, and judge us based on our individual sense of values.”

“It’s a wonderful thing to see. One that makes much more logical sense.”

“Please do treasure it; your precious humanity.”

“To live, is to become dirty. And so, it’s of utmost importance to decide what parts of yourself will remain pure and clean, and to what extent you’re willing to dirty yourself.”

“Hehe. And this time, I see you’ve chosen which parts of yourself you’re willing to get dirty.”

Tomoya:

…I figured you’d be able to predict our intentions at a glance.

Ideia-sama:

“Of course. You even overtly announced it officially.”

“You Ra*bits rented out this amusement park to hold an enormous, unprecedented event: your Operation: Parallel World.”

“It all began with droves of different variations of Ra*bits scattered throughout the park.”

“From there, attendees such as myself have been able to watch this myriad of performances unfold in delight—the endless amount of alternative Ra*bits.”

“What if Ra*bits were heroes of justice? What if Ra*bits were radical, amoral, demons of the night?”

“What if Ra*bits were elegant and refined angelic, divine beings?”

“The whole purpose of this Parallel World is to enjoy all of these countless versions of Ra*bits with our own eyes.”

“Unusual as it is, it's a truly exhilarating, entertaining event.”

Tomoya:

Well, I’m glad you approve.

Ideia-sama:

“I do think this was a close call, but you still managed to gather so many other idols willing to help you out in this short amount of time.”

“The smaller the sample size, the far less entertaining comparing all of these alternate Ra*bits to the ‘real thing’ would be.”

“However, you really did manage to assemble idols of every genre under the sun and have them all gather here.”

“You have always shown others unconditional love and kindness, and so everyone else was willing to do the same for you.”

“If Ra*bits are the ones asking, anyone would be willing to get off their backside to come and help you out.”

“It really is wonderful. That, is the correct usage of ‘cuteness.’”

Tomoya:

That’s an honor, to be evaluated in such a way by the Commander of Cuteness themself.

Ideia-sama:

“Oh, this is unusual.”

“Most people react with displeasure when you speak of cuteness as something to be used in the same manner as a dose of medicine, rather than the pure precious natural quality.”

Tomoya:

There’s no point in trying to ruffle us by trying to stir us up.

We’ve already figured out your intentions.

Ideia-sama:

“Oh? Then allow me to ask: what are my intentions?”

“No. Before that, we should finish our current discussion.”

“Jumping from topic to topic has a childlike charm to it, but things will become disorganized.”

“—You’re making people choose the ‘real’ Ra*bits.”

“You’re forcing your fans to pick out the ‘real’ you from the countless number of alternate Ra*bits roaming around this amusement park.”

“That’s what sort of game this is. Essentially, one of ‘spot the difference.’”

“And so, only the ‘real’ you will remain in this world. From this day onwards, only the ‘real’ Ra*bits will continue to be active as idols.”

“That’s the announcement you made a little while ago.”

Tomoya:

Yeah. It’s basically what you said; a game of spot the difference—one that’s supposed to double as entertainment. That’s the gist of this game.

That way, everyone will be able to enjoy themselves while taking part, right?

Ideia-sama:

“That said, this is an event your future as Ra*bits majorly hinges on.”

Tomoya:

That’s right. We’re urging our fans to make a major decision for us. But we’ve gotta do it in a cute, fun way, so that they won’t notice.

Ideia-sama:

“How sneaky. And yet, how effective.”

“As a result of this ridiculous game, all of the fake Ra*bits will be annihilated. The futures that could have been are going to be all forever lost.”

“Based on how you look at things, it’s essentially a terrifying death game. Though, of course, no one is actually going to die.”

“After all, this is merely child’s play.”

Tomoya:

And we made sure to take special care with our performances to keep it at that.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 19

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 19

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Sanctuary Food Court

Mitsuru:

Of course, it would’ve been the absolute worst if everyone thought the real Ra*bits were a bunch of fakes, and we had to disappear—

Hajime:

That’s why we put our heart and soul into our performances, even more than usual. Thanks to that, we’re pretty exhausted.

Ideia-sama:

“You’ve worked hard. Though needless to say, so long as no horrifying incident unfolds, your victory is basically guaranteed, isn’t it?”

“And that’s exactly because you are the one and only ‘real’ Ra*bits in this world. When urged to choose the ‘real’ thing, anyone would choose you.”

“You’ve earned that degree of recognition and possess that amount of uniqueness.”

“Though some people might select a different version of Ra*bits for laughs, they’re sure to be vastly outnumbered by your die-hard fans.”

“If anything, by seeing all of these fake versions of Ra*bits with their own eyes, it will sink in just how valuable the ‘real’ you are.”

“It’s what we refer to as uncanny valley—things that look eerily similar, but there’s something not quite right about them. You took all of this into account when you prepared to take to the stage for this event.”

“And choosing this amusement park as your location was a smart move. Since it’s not yet officially open, the fee to enter isn’t all that high, but taking part in this actual event doesn’t come cheap.”

“And so, the only people gathered here today are ones who want to see Ra*bits so badly that they’re willing to pay for it. In other words, your most passionate, die-hard fans.”

“And it’s because they are your fans, that they will choose you—boys and girls alike. Because you are their one and only ‘real’ beloved Ra*bits.”

“And so. Your fans' reaction, and the amount of people who voted for you, will go down in the records.”

“That was your aim. To have this many people judge that the cute Ra*bits you’ve always been are the ‘real’ you.”

“You wanted to make it clear that the vast majority wants you to stay exactly the way you’ve always been up to now.”

“And you’re going to show that by using numbers that anyone can easily understand—old and young, male and female alike.”

“After all, it is numbers that decide everything in this capitalistic society. When it comes to selling a popular product, this is something our agency cannot ignore.”

“So long as the highest in command at Rhythm Link aren’t utterly useless, they’ll have no choice but to accept this decision.”

“After all, they don’t want to be thought of as an agency that would disregard what their fans want. They’d have to make a call that that sort of reputation would affect them financially.”

“And so, they’ll have to withdraw from the illogical way they’ve been treating you, and shift their focus to convincing me, the person who demanded that treatment, instead.”

“They’ll weigh up the costs and benefits of both scenarios, and make a choice on what they determine is best.”

“And they’ll no longer listen to what I have to say, since falling into displeasure with me alone is far, far less terrifying than falling into displeasure with the entire world.”

“That was the true intention of this event, wasn’t it?”

“It really is a wonderfully genius plan.”

Mitsuru:

Well, we didn’t think it up. It’s a tactic a girl who’s way smarter than I’ll ever be, came up with for us.

Tomoya:

Now that I think about it, we basically relied on other people every step of the way… Or like, all we really did ourselves was just a little bit.

Hajime:

Well, I think that’s perfectly fine. After all, all anyone can ever do by themselves is ‘just a little bit.’

And it’s only once all those ‘little bits’ add up, that we’re able to accomplish something huge.

That’s something you taught me—Ideia-sama.

Ideia-sama:

“......”

Hajime:

Back when I was new to this industry, panicking over not being able to tell left from right, those were the words of encouragement you shared with me. You supported me and came to my aid.

Even though you were such a major, influential figure that it wouldn’t be any shock at all if you never even noticed someone as tiny as me. 

But you were so warm-hearted to me and supported me with such kindness.

"It doesn’t matter whether you’re a superstar or a fledgling in the business; it’s essential to support one another with kindness"—that’s what you told me.

And I’ve never, ever forgotten it.

So no matter what sort of horrible things you do to us, or when the time comes I have to decide whether you’re friend or foe, I know the happiness I felt back then was no lie.

Ideia-sama:

“Oh? I suppose I did say something like that.”

“—All of my life, all I’ve ever done is tell lies.”

“As you can see. Hehehe.”

“So maybe I just wanted to experience something real for once.”

“I most definitely exist in this world. So I guess I just wanted to experience what it’s like to open my heart to someone in a real and honest way.”

“I only did it on a personal whim. There’s really no need to feel any sort of gratitude to me, Hajime-san.”

Hajime:

Gratitude is gratitude. And I’ll never be able to forget this debt of gratitude.

Ideia-sama:

“What a clumsy boy.”

“No. It's because of how clumsy you all are that you’re such easy pickings in this society.”

“In general, diligent, well-behaved kids like you will be taken advantage of and simply used until it’s time to dispose of you. That’s the sort of vicious society we live in.”

“The reason some people are doomed to work and work, while their life gets no easier, has nothing to do with them being bad people who’ve committed some sort of crime.”

“It’s simply because they’re easy pickings; the sort of person far too benevolent for their own good.”

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 20

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “The Bad Kid Survival Strategy” Chapter 20

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Sanctuary Food Court

Ideia-sama:

“But this time, you dove straight into the swamp; choosing to muddy yourselves on your own accord. And in doing so, you managed to free yourselves from being thought of as such easy-pickings.”

“I’m sure you understand it perfectly well yourselves. That is, how you essentially dragged your fans into your own problem and held them hostage.”

Tomoya:

……

Ideia-sama:

“As ES is a company that seeks profit, there are certain patrons they absolutely cannot ignore—namely, your fans. Fans that you intentionally seduced for the sake of doing your bidding.”

“It was a vulgar, sneaky, and terrible way of doing things.”

“I’m ashamed of all of you. You absolutely cannot do something like that.”

“What do your fans even mean to you? Are they simply a tool to be used to accomplish your own goals?”

“No. They are the people who acknowledge you, and love you—people you ought to be grateful to from the bottom of your hearts. Am I wrong?”

“And yet you took the countless number of people you should feel indebted to and hurled them like cannonballs against the agency that’s raised and nurtured you from the start in an all out assault.”

“You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Tomoya:

Thank you.

I’m glad. I’m relieved that you pointed out that we’re genuinely in the wrong here.

Hajime:

Me too. It wouldn’t have felt great if everyone reacted like anything and everything Ra*bits do is correct just because we’re Ra*bits.

Mitsuru:

Yeah! We did somethin’ real awful. Somethin’ we shouldn’t have done. I may be stupid, but even I know that.

Nazuna:

Yeah. We all understood that perfectly well, but still came to an agreement and took action.

But still, the whole reason we were pushed this far to begin with is because of you. 

Ideia-sama:

“It’s just as you say.”

“If I were to say that I flung you into the bottom of a ravine in order to make you strong enough to claw your way back up and prove you’re able to survive in this cutthroat society—I would be lying.”

“I simply used all of you to fulfill my own goal.”

“I am also a sneaky, filthy, awful human, after all.”

Hajime:

And your goal—

Nazuna:

—This utopia for female idols never existed in the first place, did it?

Ideia-sama:

“......”

Nazuna:

No matter how much I looked, I couldn’t find anything. So at first, I figured someone must be keeping all of this information under a lock and key.

But afterwards, while you were using your own power to harass us, you started talking publicly about this female idol utopia—

And it suddenly became a massive topic.

All over the country, female idols started speaking up about how if such a utopia existed, they would want to be part of it.

That was your goal all along, wasn’t it? It’s just like the urban legend of Slenderman. You wanted smoke when there was never a fire to begin with.

The bigger the topic we became, the higher the smoke bellowed—to the point that anyone would be able to see it, no matter where they were standing.

Ideia-sama:

“—I’ve seized the land, the funds, and the authority.”

“All in the name of this female idol utopia. Over the years, I’ve gathered together almost all of the components I need to make it a reality.”

“However, there's one vital thing I am missing: people. As you can see, I’m someone who’s quite detached from reality, and I rarely interact with people living in it.”

“People are the bricks needed to build a castle. And those people are exactly what I lack.”

“And so, I hatched a plan in order to fill that void.”

“The female idols of this country have been overwhelmed, so it’s no surprise that they feel they have been treated unfairly and illogically.”

“But while they resent the current situation, they did not have hopes that things would change.”

“For a brief moment, a girl named NEGI managed to spark a flame—but that flame was quickly extinguished.”

“And so, I showed them hope. I showed them a utopia that would save us all.”

“If someone of my status said so, I would be able to give them the credibility they need to believe it could be a reality.”

“I want to deliver hopes and dreams to those who’ve gone without smiling for so, so long.”

“That’s my job. No, that’s my dream. That's what I want to do with my life.”

Tomoya:

You really are exactly the incredible sort of idol Hajime always describes you as.

I have a lot of respect for you. Even though I may be just a tiny speck compared to you.

Ideia-sama:

“‘We’ are not idols; that fact still remains.”

“Until the world treats us in the same way it treats you, we will never, ever voluntarily refer to ourselves in such a way.”

Tomoya:

I really do hope you can make your dream a reality.

Ideia-sama:

“Yes. Even though at present it’s still only fiction—a world that exists far, far into the future.”

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 21

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “Epilogue” Chapter 21

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

(Several hours later. Announcing the results of the Parallel World project on stage.)

Tomoya:

“Thank you all for choosing us!”

“We are—”

Hajime:

“We are—”

Mitsuru:

“The real Ra*bits~! Yay! ☆”

Nazuna:

“You did an incredible job of choosing the right answer, so we’d like to give you some gifts as a reward!”

“Everything has been sent to your SSVRS account, so make sure to pick it all up within the timeframe!”

…Man~ To be honest, I was pretty on edge.

I really am glad everyone could tell that we’re the ‘real’ Ra*bits.

Hajime:

Me too… Possibly thanks to a lot of the work Mitsuru-kun is popular for doing especially recently, the ‘cool’ versions of Ra*bits ended up getting a lot of votes too.

Nazuna:

You mean like the Knights version of Ra*bits?

But I’d seriously hate that~ Having to act all pompous like Izumi-chin does by simping for all his fans like, “Anything for you, Princess!”

Hajime:

Nii~chan, you shouldn’t say that he ‘simps’ for his fans~ Especially not when the world probably thinks that we Ra*bits are even more guilty of leading on or kissing up to our fans with how cutesy we act.

Tomoya:

Yeah. Not to mention Knights’ fans can be pretty terrifying, so if anyone overhears you and posts what you said online, we could get seriously ratioed.

Nazuna:

You have a point~ I’ll be careful. Both Izumi-chin and I respect each other, so there’s no harm in poking fun at one another. But the Internet won’t really care about that; they’ll just take it completely out of context.

I’ve come to learn all too well what it feels like to be the subject of a hot topic.

We weren’t one of Crazy:B’s targets this summer so this was our first time, and I was pretty shook.

Hajime:

If anything, Knights were the ones that Crazy:B attacked and put in the same position as us.

Ritsu-senpai was grumbling about the way they blatantly came for them during SS.*

Nazuna:

Yeah. I heard that the whole situation was an absolute disaster.

Things got pretty rough; aggressive even~ And that includes all of their fans too. I guess they’re influenced by Knights’ disposition as a unit.

Conquer and defeat the enemy, that is. If we had war in our blood like those guys, maybe we could’ve easily sorted out our problems this time around much faster.

Hajime:

That’s who they are. But this is who we are, Nii~chan ♪

Tomoya:

Yeah. Not to mention, if we fired gunshots, things could’ve gotten pretty messy. We did our best to sort out our problems in the way that worked best for us.

And now Bishojo-senpai has promised to back off. They’ve probably managed to gather the amount of people they need by now.

And so, the four of us will be able to continue down this path of “cuteness”; just like we’ve been doing up until now.

Hajime:

Yes. We’ve had ups and downs, but the result is that we’re going to be maintaining the status quo, so it seems.

What Ideia-sama spoke about might still be just a dream, but who knows? In the not so distant future, it might just become a reality.

And so from now on, we’ll seriously have to start thinking about what we’ll do when that time comes—and whether we can keep on living in this status quo.

Tomoya:

Yeah. But for now, everything’s been sorted out. Good work, guys.

Mitsuru:

Uuu~! But that person caused a bunch of trouble for us! They decided to gang up on us, and then once they got what they wanted, they’re just like “Bye, bye”! What are they, a typhoon?

Hajime:

Hehe. Even now that everything’s come to a conclusion, we still can’t be sure of Ideia-sama’s true intentions. It really is the sort of thing you can’t tell without seeing someone’s face.

Did they just use us for their own benefit? Or was there any emotion behind what they did?

But, if you ask me, there’s no way Ideia-sama simply used us; they genuinely and truly supported us all along.

They did this to make us stronger, and chose to bestow this trial upon us to test us—that’s what I want to believe.

–

*Hajime has referred to Ritsu by “Ritsu-onii~chan” since the start of !!, so this might be an error. When Parallel World was first released, Eichi mistakenly referred to Tomoya as “Tomoya-kun” instead of “Mashiro-kun” but this was quickly updated a few days later, so there’s a chance Akira simply made a mistake here too.

NEXT CHAPTER

–

Translation by:

Ara @. nazunyan427

Proofreader: 

Sophie @.ra_bits_daisuki

Parallel World - Ch. 22

 

PREVIOUS CHAPTER

Parallel World - “Epilogue” Chapter 22

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Location: Sanctuary stage

Hajime:

What we faced this time is a problem that we’re absolutely going to have to go up against one day. No, in fact, it’s a problem that we’ve been dealing with this whole time.

—That is, can we continue to pursue “cuteness” for the rest of our lives?

—Or are we even cute enough to be adamant about sticking to “cuteness”, no matter what, in the first place?

We should have seen it coming, but we’ve been pretending not to. We acted like we were taking it into consideration, but the reality is, we hadn’t been thinking it through at all.

This is our fate. It’s the conclusion of where our future will end up. And this time around, that problem was amplified enough for us to have to grapple with it head on.

Maybe it’s the same adversary Ideia-sama had to face themself, when they were younger.

They anticipated that we’d be able to fight back too, and had faith that we’d triumph.

That’s what I want to believe. Ideia-sama really is someone I look up to, after all.

Though I guess Mitsuru-kun might be thinking about how they put us through such an awful situation, that there’s no need to have such a benevolent interpretation of their actions, right?

Mitsuru:

Huh? Yeah! I hate that person! They dragged us into their plans, decided how it all ended, then just up and left! Everythin’ they did was for themself!

Tomoya:

Although you often go getting involved in Mikejima-senpai’s business of your own accord, Mitsuru.

Mitsuru:

I’m allowed to do it! Their way is their way, but my way is my way!

Tomoya:

Haha, that’s such a self-focused way of looking at things. Though I guess if anyone can be forgiven for that, it’s you, Mitsuru.

Mitsuru:

Huh? If I did somethin’ weird or somethin’ ya didn’t like, you gotta tell me? I’m too stupid to figure it out myself!

Hajime:

No, I love everything about you, Mitsuru-kun. And it’s because I love both of you that I’d really like for you and Ideia-sama to get along.

Mitsuru:

No way. Not right now. I’m not just gonna get over what they did to us that easy.

Tomoya:

Strangely enough, whenever someone makes Mitsuru feel strong negative emotions, he tends to have trouble letting go of them. You’d think he’d be able to bounce back right away, so it’s kind of surprising.

Hajime:

That’s true~ This time, Mitsuru-kun was probably the second most depressed and lethargic out of all of us, after me. 

Mitsuru:

Yeah. But even though I can’t let go of how I feel yet, I’ll be sure to spend time thinkin’ about it all seriously.

That goes for this person too, after what they did.

Like the way we might be part of the people who turned them into a jerk in the first place… I thought about that a little bit.

If you were forced to run 1000 meters every single day, even though you really should’ve only been runnin’ 50 meters, anyone would get real annoyed.

Tomoya:

Odd. I thought you’d say something like: "the more I can run, the happier I feel!" Mitsuru?

Mitsuru:

Maybe if I’m runnin’ as a hobby. But when it comes to a contest, that sorta rule makes no sense.

It’s no wonder they’d get so stressed out that they’d lose the ability to be nice to anyone anymore. Hmph.

Nazuna:

Oh~ So you do get serious when it comes to competitions alone, Mitsuru-chin?

Mitsuru:

No, I take bein’ an idol seriously too? See how everyone was focusin’ so much on comin’ up with a plan this time that we didn’t get as much rehearsal in as we should’ve, so the rest of you aren’t as sharp as usual?

All of you should look at me and learn! See how I’m singing’ and dancin’ full of energy, like always~!

—Like this!

“♪~♪~♪~”

Tomoya:

Ahaha. You’ve always been my—no, all of our role model, Mitsuru.

You’re always giving us a hand, but this time you really did come to our rescue.

If you hadn’t come to us with that plan, we’d probably still be racking our brains right now, panicking about what to do.

Mitsuru:

If ya wanna thank anyone, it better be Guu~chan! All I did was dash over to you guys to share what she said! I may not be as fast as the speed of light, but I ran as fast as my legs would carry me!

Nazuna:

Right! If we want to express our gratitude to all of the people who helped us out this time, we can’t be sloppy on stage.

Tomoya:

Got it. And that goes for Guu~chan-san, all of the parallel Ra*bits—and, of course, Ideia-sama.

Hajime:

Oh, Tomoya-kun, you’ve started calling them Ideia-sama?

Tomoya:

I guess I’ve come to look up to them a bit. They’re an even bigger superstar than what I’ve heard, so I thought it only feels right to address them by ~sama.

I can’t possibly imagine changing the world in the same way as Ideia-sama and Tenshouin-senpai just yet.

I’m just an ordinary guy, so I made up my mind from the start that that sort of thing was impossible.

But, when it comes to all three of you in front of me, as well as our fans watching over us…

…I’m going to make up for all of the dirty conspiracies we’ve been used in—no, more than just that. I want to guide the way towards the happiest, most fun and peaceful world that I possibly can.

At least until the curtain goes down on this stage, we’ll share a moment of joy, just for a little bit.

Right now, that’s about all I can do—and even that won’t be easy.

But so long as I’m with the three of you, I know I can do it.

“♪~♪~♪~”

END