nazunyan427 | Entries tagged with kanata

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

Clad in the Path I’ve Taken

Featuring: Kuro, Kanata, Nazuna, Tsumugi, Leo, Keito

Writer: Yuumasu

Season: Autumn

Location: Green Room

Kuro: …Hm? Well, if it isn’t you, little lady. Do you have work over here today? Small world, runnin’ into one another at this TV studio.

…You were watchin’ me work along with the rest of the staff from the studio control room? I didn’t even notice you were on the other side of the glass.

Ya should’ve told me you were here. Way to act all distant with me.

…How did it go? Ah right, you’re the one who got me this job, little lady.

Yeah, I feel like it went great. Sure, I felt a little off at the start, since it reminded me of Japanese class.

…Ya know how they make ya read aloud from the textbook durin’ class? Yeah, it made me think of that.

But while I was readin’ the script, it didn’t bother me any more. The footage looked great too, so I was able to just focus and get down to it.

Can’t believe they picked me of all people to do the narration for an educational program. I bet anyone who knows me will be like, something's off about this for sure.

I feel just like a reliable big brother, so there’s nothin’ off about it at all? Hey now, flattery ain’t gonna get ya anywhere.

Haha. You’re in great form as ever, little lady.

…Oh right. I meant to tell ya this when I next ran into ya.

I came up with a design for my personalized outfit, just like ya asked me to. Hold on a sec, I’ll show it to ya.

I saved it in a folder on my phone… Here it is, have a look.

…Ya look like you’re not sure how to react. Don’t hold back, I want ya to gimme your honest opinion.

Haha, ya feel awkward critiquing the guy who taught ya all ya know about sewin’? I’m tellin’ ya what I want to hear is your honest feedback.

Hmm. If possible, you’d like me to rethink it? It may be somethin’ an idol would wear and it’s not like I wouldn’t be able to pull off somethin’ as sparkly as this, but for a personalized outfit, it’s lackin’ what makes me, me?

What makes me, me? Somethin’ too traditional would clash with Kanzaki’s outfit, so I did my best to avoid that.

And on top of that, I wanted somethin’ I wouldn’t ordinarily get to wear as part of Akatsuki… So after thinkin’ about all that, this is the design I came up with.

All right. This one’s goin’ into the reject pile while I think it over.

Hm, what’s with that frown on your face? …If this is what I came up with after thinkin’ it over by myself, then that’s fine?

Nah, let me have another go at comin’ up with somethin’. All your experience and intuition as a producer is tellin’ me to give it another shot, and I don’t want to ignore that.

The next idea I come up with will win your approval for sure, just you wait and see. All you need to do is patiently wait for me ♪

…Whoops, looks like it’s about time for us to vacate the room. Do you have time after this, little lady?

I have plans to grab dinner with Nito and the guys. Ya feel like joinin’ us?

…If ya come along, you’re afraid that everyone’ll stand on ceremony? Hey now, why’re ya actin’ so distant?

All it is, is a couple of good pals havin’ dinner together. So, you’re comin’, right?

…Good answer! I’ll shoot Nito a message that you’re comin’ with me.

Well, shall we get outta here?

Location: Saison Avenue

How’s school goin’, little lady? Are ya enjoyin’ your studies?

…I sound like your dad?

I suppose I do. You’re just like a little sister to me, so I just treat ya like family outta instinct.

How’s my lil’ sis doin’? She’s good, yeah. I attended a parent-teacher meetin’ in my old man’s place for her a little while back.

I wasn’t sure what I should wear, so Isara picked out my clothes for me. I wore my hair down too, and apparently she didn’t recognize me.

She let me have it for wearin’ somethin’ that didn’t feel like me. But it means I didn't stand out in a bad way, so she could’ve at least tossed me a compliment for that, right? Haha.

…That reminds me, you also said the design I came up with didn’t feel like me, didn’t ya, little lady.

I came up with that design when I dropped by home. I happened to show it to my little sis and she pretty bluntly told me that she thought it was lame.

I figured she’s just goin’ through her rebellious period, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. But now that I think back, that might’ve been her way of givin’ me advice.

I owe you one, little lady. Thanks for makin’ me think this over again… ♪

All right, looks like we’re here. Apparently our table is reserved under the name “Nito.”

Location: Restaurant

Kanata: “Red Ogre”-san~ Anzu-san~ We’re over here~

Kuro: Sorry to keep ya… Huh, it’s just the two of you? Where’s Aoba?

Nazuna: He said he’s gonna be a little late, so we should go ahead and start without him.

Hm, what’s up, Anzu? This is an odd combination?

Kuro: Oh, we were in different years at school, so it might not register right away. All of us are connected through bein’ part of former Class 3B.

So we sometimes get together to grab a meal. Though on top of all our busy schedules, we’re part of different agencies to boot, so we hardly ever manage to get everyone together at once.

Oh, the food arrived. Thoughtful of ya to order in advance ♪

Wait, why is everything seafood? …Was this your doin’, Shinkai?

Kanata: Yes~ I “ordered” all kinds of “fish”, from the “usual” to what’s in “season.”

Today will be our “treat”, Anzu-san. So please eat as much “fish” as you want.

Kuro: I’m not about to find fault with your taste, Shinkai, but it’s not like this place specializes in seafood, so I feel like we might as well try all sorts of different stuff.

We should order too. What would you like, little lady?

Tsumugi: Sorry to keep you guys waiting~♪

Nazuna: Oh, you’re here! Whoa, and you have Leo-chin with you.

Tsumugi: I happened to see him composing just as I was leaving the office after work and ended up bringing him along with me.

Leo: I never heard a thing about 3B getting together! Don’t leave me outta stuff like this!

Kuro: We’re not leaving you out of anything, we sent you a message about it. Check the group chat on HoldHands.

Leo: Huh? I’m telling you, you didn’t!

……

…Okay fine, you did.

Wahh, sorry! My bad! I’ll apologize right this second, so forgive me!

Kanata: Please don’t worry about it. I often overlook it too.

The more “messages” that pile up, the more of a “hassle” it is to check them all, right?

Leo: Yeah, exactly! Although in my case, I don’t even notice when I get a message.

Kuro: It’s fine, just sit down. If ya keep standin’ around, the poor servers won’t know what to do.

You come over here, little lady, and let Tsukinaga in there.

Leo: Thanks! …Huh? Why is Anzu here?

Wait, don’t tell me! I’ll imagine why!

…Oh, I know! You were in 3B too, weren’t you? You’re the same age as us, right?

Kuro: Absolutely not. She wasn't in 3B, she was at the studio where I had work.

We ended up havin’ to vacate where we were while we were talkin’ about my personalized outfit. And since we didn’t get to finish our chat, I brought her along.

Tsumugi: Oh, your personalized outfit, Kuro-kun?

What’s it like? I bet you’ve come up with something tough and cool-looking ♪

Kuro: Mm. It got rejected, but… Here it is.

Tsumugi: Wow. Uh. How can I put this…

Nazuna: Getting rejected might have been the right idea. It’s definitely something an idol would wear, but it just doesn’t feel like it would suit YOU, Kuro-chin.

Kanata: I agree. It doesn’t feel like you, “Red Ogre”-san. If anything, I would say it would be perfect for our Midori?

This sort of thing would look good on him. Although he “himself” might not be too pleased. Heehee…♪

Kuro: You guys don’t hold back, do ya? …Well, I suppose it’s better than sayin’ things ya don’t mean just for the sake of my feelings. Thanks for your honest opinions.

*sigh* It ain’t easy comin’ up with ideas for outfits.

Tsumugi: Haha. That’s quite hard to believe coming from you, Kuro-kun. Haven’t you already come up with plenty of wonderful outfits?

Leo: Yeah! Anzu is nodding away too! She’s like, knowin’ Shisho, he’s gonna be able to come up with a great design for sure!

Kuro: I sure hope so… Ah.

You four all have personalized outfits, don’t ya? Will ya tell me about how ya came up with the designs?

It’ll be the perfect conversation topic to go with our dinner ♪

Location: Saison Avenue

Kuro: We ended up talkin’ until closin’ time, huh? That’s how it usually goes when I’m with those guys.

Sorry for makin’ ya stay out with us so late. I bet your folks are worried about ya…

Ya already contacted them and it’s not a problem? Well, I’m glad to hear it.

…You’ll be fine without me droppin’ ya home? Nah, I'm not havin' any of that.

…No, allow me to drop ya home. If I make ya go home by yourself at this hour, I’ll be worryin’ about whether ya got there safely or not.

Yup. I’ll take full responsibility and drop ya home myself.

…Hm? About our dinner just now?

I looked like I was havin’ fun? And the atmosphere felt real relaxin’... Haha, were your eyes on me yet again?

Yeah. I love hangin’ out with those guys..

Now that we're out of school, we’re not able to see each other every day, and we have to make special arrangements just to meet up. And even when we do make plans, there’s times somethin’ urgent comes up that we can’t do anythin’ about..

Just like today. We made these plans a while ago, but right beforehand, it no longer suited Hibiki or Sakuma.

I know none of us can help it… But whenever our plans get destroyed thanks to work, it sure makes me wish I was a student again.

Although I wasn’t a fan of bein’ constrained by school politics. But that aside, we had some good times.

Well, I’ve never been great at studyin’, so if ya asked me if I wanted to do my school days all over again, I’d probably turn ya down. Haha ♪

…Hm? Why don’t I relive my school days through my outfit?

What do ya mean? Ya want me to dance around in my Yumenosaki uniform?

There’s an online article ya want to show me? Yeah, show it here…

…Oh. So this manga about delinquents* is popular right now? And ya always did want me to wear a school blazer like this?

(It’s true that a design like this would suit me better than the design I came up with that got rejected.

And as for this manga…)

Location: Dressing Room

Several days later

Keito: …Hm? Anzu is here too? I have some business with Kiryu.

Kuro: Oh, it’s you, Danna? If it’s me ya want, here I am.

Keito: Yeah. It’s about what we were discussing yesterday…

Oi, Anzu. Where are you going?

Kuro: Haha, ya read the room and decided to see yourself out? We’ll be the ones to leave, so you can stay right here.

I’ll go get you a drink while I’m at it. What do ya feel like?

…Hot tea it is. I’ll be right back, so you be a good girl and wait right here.

Location: Drink Bar

Kuro: So all you really wanted to do was hand me this envelope?

Keito: Yeah. It shouldn’t have taken more than a second, but you’re the one who had to go through all this…

Kuro: Can’t help it. Anzu was tryin’ to be all considerate by leavin’ the room for our sake.

Besides, ya could’ve just handed it to me and it’d be over and done with. So I don’t want to hear ya scoldin’ me about it.

Keito: Hmph… It looked like you and Anzu were working on an outfit together. Was that your personalized outfit?

Kuro: It was. Trust you to pick up on that right away. You were only in the room for a second, yet ya sussed out what it was no problem.

Keito: Anyone who knew you would have been able to pick up on what it was right away. And yet…

A patterned school blazer. It’s like something a delinquent would wear and it brings to mind your past.

Which is something most people don’t know about. But if you, Kuro Kiryu yourself are okay with it, then I suppose I don’t see any reason to complain.

Kuro: Yup. No complaints necessary. It’s not as if I wanted to make a whole outfit based on my past in order to represent myself, but I never planned to specifically avoid it either.

The past is the past. It’s not like I can pretend it never happened.

I came up with the idea for the design after the little lady showed me an article about a manga about delinquents.

And my little sis happens to be a fan of that manga. I figured she’d approve of me using that as the motif for my outfit, so that got me on board.

And so once the little lady started puttin’ it together, I started thinkin’ that it wasn’t half bad. I may have scrubbed myself up, but it’s not like I’m some good little boy who’s the definition of moral conduct.

Everyone I’ve shown it to seems to approve too. When Tetsu saw it he got all excited, tellin’ me it’s “Suuper manly! The best!”

Even my little sis complimented it, sayin’ outta all the outfits I’ve worn so far, it’s the most acceptable ♪

Keito: Is that really a compliment…?

In any case, noted that you’ve given your approval.

No mistakes about it, that design certainly suits you. I’m sure all of your fans will be thrilled too, Kiryu.

Kuro: Yeah, without a doubt. Men are more attractive when they’ve got a bit of a wild streak in them…♪

Keito: Hm. If you’d customized your uniform to look like that back while you were in school, there’d be no end to people chasing after you.

Location: Changing Room

I’m back, little lady. Sorry to keep ya waiting.

Here, I brought ya your tea and a light snack. I figured ya must be gettin’ hungry…

Whoa, don’t come at me like that with such a serious look on your face. Are ya mad at me or somethin’? Sorry for whatever I did.

You want my left wrist? Oh, so ya want to measure the size in order to make me a bangle. Here ya go.

You’re as fired up about your job as ever. Don’t ya ever have moments where ya feel drained?

…So long as it’s for the sake of idols, you’ll work as hard as ya need to? We all sure are loved ♪

But don’t push yourself too hard. I’m happy that you’re full of enthusiasm, but I wouldn’t be the idol I am without ya, little lady.

…Hm? While I was out of the room, ya got a message from Rhythm Link?

Just like the other agencies, they want us to put on a show featurin’ our personalized outfits?

Took them long enough? Haha, leave it up to our agency to be behind the times.

So I’m gonna be first up? Then I’ve got to get myself all hyped up for it.

I’ll put on a helluva show and make it clear just how great my personalized outfit is. Let’s put everything we have into it, my little lady…♪

*Possibly referring to Tokyo Revengers

Translation by nazunyan427

JP Proof by iridesenescence

ENG Proof by azurevagabond

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru in Wonderland 3

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Sky Garden

Nazuna:

Now look here, Kanata-chin! As if I’d EVER let you get away with something like that! I don’t care if you’re joking around—this is just in bad taste! Quit dragging my kids into your weird games!

Kanata:

hmm... this is a pickle. be that as it may, i’ve already decided to become a “monster”. i am just “sticking to the path that i’ve chosen”.

Mitsuru:

No, ya don’t hafta stick to anythin’~! Especially not me—lemme go!

Kanata:

then how about this?

which is the “mitsuru” you dropped? was it a “gold” mitsuru? or perhaps a “silver” mitsuru?[1]

Hajime:

Huh...?

Tomoya:

Uh... We really don’t have time for this? I’d really prefer you stopped playing around...

Kanata:

i am not “playing around”.

go ahead, answer me. “which” mitsuru do you want back? if you don’t answer, i’ll “take” him along with me~ rawr~☆

Mitsuru:

Ungh?! I wish you’d quit coming out with such weird stuff! I’m the only me here!

Hajime:

E-Exactly! Never mind gold or silver, the only Mitsuru-kun we want back is the one you’re holding right now, Shinkai-senpai...!

Kanata:

that is your “answer”. understood~

Mitsuru:

Huh...? You let go of me? And you did it so easily that it was actually kinda anti-climatic...

Kanata:

yes~ because the bunnies meant it from their “heart” when they “begged” for “you” back.

Hajime:

Mitsuru-kun, are you okay...?

Mitsuru:

Yeah. Not a thing wrong with me. I just didn’t see that comin’!

Tomoya:

And here I thought Hibiki-senpai was the only weirdo out of the Eccentrics... But there’s definitely nothing normal about Shinkai-senpai either. He’ll do something cryptic out of nowhere in a way that doesn’t make sense to anyone.

Nazuna:

Urgh, Kanata-chin! Quit kidding around like that! If you try that again, I’ll lose my temper with you for real, got it?

Tomoya:

Well, Shinkai-senpai. We’ll be on our way then.

Kanata:

oh... and to think i was so “serious”. you’re all so “cold”. this is a “rough” world we are “living” in...

Hajime:

Oh! I-I know you did something strange, but we all know you’re still a very kind person! So, it’s okay (?); everything’s fine...!

Kanata:

hehehe~♪ thank you.

make sure you continue as you are and find what’s “real”, okay?

Hajime:

Huh...? What do you mean by that?

Nazuna:

Hey! Hajime-chin, we’re leaving~!

Hajime:

O-Oh, right! Umm, but...

Kanata:

go ahead. though when you feel like “bathing”, you can come and find me.

then we can “puka puka” “together”♪

Location: Outside ES

Tomoya:

Man... We ended up calling by a ton of different places, but with absolutely no results.

Mitsuru:

I’m starvin’~! ...I might perish here on the spot...

Nazuna:

Right? I’m pretty hungry too.

Alrighty then! I’ll make you guys my fried rice—I haven’t done that in a while. The flavor’s gonna be pretty average though.

Mitsuru:

Fried rice! I can’t wait~! I can feel the will to live comin’ back to me!

Tomoya:

Oh yay! ♪ It’s been ages since we had your fried rice, Nii~chan! That sure is something to look forward to, right Hajime?

Hajime:

......

Tomoya:

What’s wrong, Hajime? You’ve been acting kind of strange ever since we ran into Shinkai-senpai...? Did something happen?

Hajime:

Oh no, that’s not it...

It’s just, I’ve been worrying about something he told me—no, that’s not it. I feel like something hit me...

But if you asked me what, I couldn’t tell you, so it’s been on my mind since then.

Tomoya:

Hm? What do you mean? Sounds kinda like a riddle...

Oh well, I don’t think you need to worry about it too much. There’s probably no deep meaning behind what he said.

Hajime:

Yeah... You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking things a bit too much.

Location: Seisou Dorm Kitchen

Nazuna:

All right! Dig in! ☆

Mitsuru:

Whoo hoo! Time to chow down! *munch, chew* ...Mmph?! Ish ish sho good! Ish sho, sho good, Eee-tan!

Nazuna:

Glad to hear it~♪ But don’t speak with your mouth full; it’s bad manners, Mitsuru-chin~

Tomoya:

We visited a whole bunch of places today, but we’ve got no spoils of war to show for it. So, where should we go tomorrow?

Mitsuru:

Omph, nomph...*swallow* Nah, you’re fine! You guys all did so much for me today, so that’s more than enough!

I don’t really understand what you guys were talkin’ about, uhh...Tomo-chan, but basically you have a concert comin’ up and all I need to do is perform with ya?

Tomoya:

Huh? You’ll perform with us, Mitsuru? Seriously? All of the practice sessions you’ll have to put in to learn off our entire repertoire up until now isn’t gonna be easy though?

Mitsuru:

Mmm~ I don’t really get it, but you guys are havin’ trouble, right? Besides, you all did so much stuff for me today!

That’s why it’s fine by me! I’ll cooperate with you guys as a sort of stand-in; a temporary helper! I’m always bein’ asked by other clubs to help them out with stuff!

Tomoya:

Th-Thanks a bunch! You’re really helping us out here, Mitsuru.

Nazuna:

Thank god, right Tomo-chin...?! Now we Ra*bits will be able to perform at Wonderland!

Mitsuru:

I’m the kinda guy who understands what needs to be done!

Tomoya:

All right, then I’ll sign us up for the event first thing tomorrow! And from tomorrow on it’s full steam ahead! Practice from here on is gonna be intense!

Hajime:

......

[1] This is a reference to the story The Honest Woodcutter. A woodcutter drops his axe into the water and a god appears, offering him both a gold axe and a silver axe, but the honest woodcutter declares all he wants back is his own axe.

Translation: @nazunyan427 JP Proof: @noscomnia

Chapter: Black Bunny - Mitsuru in Wonderland 2

Writer: 西岡麻衣子 Nishioka Maiko

Season: Fall

Location: Rhythm Link Office

Tomoya:

—Well? What do you think, Mitsuru?

Mitsuru:

*munch munch* Mmph? About what?

Tomoya:

What do you mean “about what”?! Did you forget why we came here in this first place?

Mitsuru:

......

…’Cause the snacks are delicious and it’s a happy place?

Tomoya:

Mi—tsu—ru! Stop losing sight of our original goal! We’re going all over the place to try help you get your memory back!

Hajime:

Well... We’ve only tried one place so far. We’ve still got a lot to go.

Mitsuru:

Yeah, right! Ya don’t gotta be so grouchy, Tomo-chin—it’s not gonna solve anything! My memory’ll come back when it comes back!

Tomoya:

I don’t wanna hear that from you!

Nazuna:

Ahaha. This is a pretty serious situation, but they’ve got no sense of urgency about it at all~.

Arashi:

Oh my. I personally think that’s just a fine way to be. As they say: haste makes waste.

Nazuna:

That said, when you consider the situation with Ra*bits, we can’t really afford to be too laid back about things...

Tomoya:

Exactly. Even if we take things step by step, there’s still a limit on how much time we can spend.

Nazuna:

Yeah, you’re right. All right, shall we get going and try somewhere else?

Uhh... Where else did Mitsuru-chin like...?

Arashi:

Are you visiting the places that Mitsuru-chan would often spend time at?

In that case, how about the Sky Garden? I’d often run into him basking in the sun up there.

Mitsuru:

The Sky Garden? That place sounds super cool~!

Woohoo, I smell an adventure comin’ on! I wanna go! Let’s dash, dash, dash all the way there~!

Hajime:

Oh?! Wait, Mitsuru-kun! Don’t go running off by yourself!

And isn’t the Sky Garden in the other direction?!

Tomoya:

Oh, come on! Can’t he stay still for just a second?! I’m telling you to hold it!

Arashi:

My, my. All three of them have taken off.

Nazuna:

You don’t say! Ahaha, sorry about my kids causing so much of a fuss! I’m gonna go chase after them. Thanks, Arashi-chin!

Arashi:

Don't worry about it at all! The pleasure's all mine♪ I pray that Mitsuru-chan will get his memories back soon.

Location: Sky Garden

Mitsuru:

Mmhmm...! The breeze sure does feel good~!

Tomoya:

*pant, wheeze* ...We f-finally caught up to you...!

Hajime:

*huff, wheeze* ...N-Never mind catching up with Mitsuru-kun... I even lost sight of you on the way here, Tomoya-kun... You guys are so fast...

Nazuna:

*pant* ...Really wish you wouldn’t just take off like that... Think of the ones who’ve gotta chase after you, Mitsuru-chin...

Mitsuru:

You’re all slowpokes~!

Aww...? This Sky Garden’s nothing like I imagined it would be... This sucks...

There’s no ancient city in ruins hidden amongst a nest of dragons? This is just a regular garden! [1]

Tomoya:

Obviously not? What did you think the Sky Garden was?

Hajime:

Hehe. I guess I can kind of understand how Mitsuru-kun feels.

When you hear the name “Sky Garden”, you picture a peaceful garden floating high above the earth, forgotten by the people. I wonder if that could be the influence of an anime?

Nazuna:

Yeah, it does have a pretty dreamlike image. You could say it definitely brings out your sense of adventure.

Mitsuru:

Yeah...

Mn? There may not be any ruins guarded by robots or an old lady sky pirate, but there’s a kappa in that pond over there![1]

Nazuna:

A kappa?!** Where do you—[2]

Kanata:

i’m no “kappa”, you could at least call me a “mermaid” or a “merman”~[3]

Nazuna:

Oh, pfft. So the so-called kappa was just Kanata-chin.

Kanata:

yes~ it is i, “kanata shinkai”...♪

i don't really desire any “cucumbers”~[4]

Nazuna:

Mitsuru-chin, Kanata-chin here is a little weird, but he’s an idol just like us.

Kanata:

yes, that’s right~ i heard about what happened; so he really has lost his “memories”.

Mitsuru:

That’s what everyone tells me! I don’t really get it though!

Tomoya:

Urgh. You could have even a little more sense of danger! How can you be so calm? Isn’t it way more normal to panic or be worried about something like this?

Mitsuru:

Beats me! I’m still me, so why would I panic? That’d be weird!

Kanata:

by the way, why did you come up here?

oh, could it be that you want to “puka puka” with me? i’d be happy to see my “comrades” increase~

Tomoya:

Uhh, not exactly. I mean, now’s not really the best time of year to be swimming in cold water like that...

Kanata:

hmph. i see... that’s a shame.

chiaki has also “banned” me from “swimming in cold water”, so i can only stick a “part” of my body in at the moment...

this is definitely what they call “power harassment”.

Nazuna:

No, I get the feeling that Chiaki-chin is definitely in the right here...

Tomoya:

We really want Mitsuru to get his memory back, so we’re visiting all the places that he likes...

Hajime:

And we heard that he’s fond of the Sky Garden...

Kanata:

yes. that’s true, i see mitsuru “here” quite a lot. he often runs around the “pond” as fast as the “wind”~

Hajime:

What do you think, Mitsuru-kun? Does this place bring back anything to you?

Mitsuru:

Nope, not a thing! I don’t remember a thing.

Hajime:

I see...

Nazuna:

So this place doesn’t work either, huh... I’m getting worried...

Tomoya:

The situation’s looking bleaker and bleaker... What should we do to get Mitsuru back...?

Kanata:

......

there...☆

Mitsuru:

Ungyah?! Why’re you grabbin’ me from behind like that?! Are you tryin’ to pull me into the water?!

So you are some kinda evil ‘monster‘ after all, Onii~san!

—Mn? Why’d I say monster instead of kappa...? That’s weird. It just slipped out...

Kanata:

hehehe~♪ that’s fine with me. then, i’ll become a “monster”~

Tomoya:

Huh?! What are you saying?!

Kanata:

hehehe ♪ “monsters” have to take the “prey” they catch and drag it back to their own “world”, don’t they?

Mitsuru:

Huh?! I’ve never heard about that before! Nooo, let go of me!

Kanata:

let’s go to the “bottom” of the “pond”~. puka puka...♪

Hajime:

W-Wait a minute, Shinkai-senpai...! This is just a joke, right...?

Kanata:

mn? i am very “serious”. if i wasn’t “serious”, i wouldn’t go this far.

[1]Mitsuru and Hajime are most likely referring to the Ghibli movie “Laputa: Castle in the Sky”. The floating city of Laputa is surrounded by storm clouds known as the “Dragon’s Nest”. See here for the plot of the movie.

[2]A kappa is a river-dwelling creature from Japanese folklore. Read more here.

[3]Rather than just merman, Kanata refers specifically to the Japanese version of a merman, the amabie. “Amabie (アマビエ) is a legendary Japanese mermaid or merman with a bird-beak like mouth and three legs or tail-fins, who allegedly emerges from the sea, prophesies either an abundant harvest or an epidemic, and instructed people to make copies of its likeness to defend against illness.”

See more here.

[4]In the original Japanese, Kanata specifies he wants neither a cucumber (the favorite food of the kappa and commonly given as an offering) nor a shirigodama, which is a “mythical ball inside the anus that is sought after by the kappa”. Since this trivia is commonly known among Japanese, it would not have much of an effect on the audience reading it, so I decided to leave out of the translated version, so as not to confuse English-speaking readers.

Translation: @nazunyan427 JP Proof: @noscomnia EN Proof: @ra_bits_daisuki