Translation by Jakkal (@glitchgoats).
Do not use any of this translation in quote bots, to seed generative text "character chatbots", or reprint/redistribute in full in any form. If this translation is being hosted in full anywhere other than jakkal.monster, they don't have my permission. I do not permit retranslations of my work into any other language.
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This is not to be taken as hard, indisputable canon. I am a human being, I have to make aesethetic and interpretative choices sometimes.
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Some notes:
Changelog:
Feature Event: The Temptation of Apoptosis
Chapter 1
Once upon a time, a kindly village girl whose skin was fair as fallen snow fell in love. The object of her love was a beautiful horse, its mane fluttering in the wind and its muscles shining.
The girl's father objected to the marriage, but while he was away searching for a husband to marry her, the two of them were wed.
The girl's father, infuriated, killed the horse and hung it from a tree.
Seeing the girl clinging to the dead horse and crying, he grew even more enraged, and chopped the horse's head off with an axe.
But then, the head flew away, taking the girl with it, and the two of them never returned.
And they lived happily ever after...
... well, it's kind of a happy ending, right?
Pop... pop pop...
[Exterior: A snowy backstreet in Aomori, nighttime]
[Interior: An izakaya in Aomori]
Kaede: Um, what happened to you, Nagi-kun?
Nagi: So, I thought it would be disrespectful to show up in Aomori knowing nothing but cursory information about apples and the Nebuta Festival, so I tried to look up information on my phone while I was on break at work.
Nagi: But if you were using your phone and you lost your signal, what would most people do? Wave their phone around in search of a better signal. I'm no exception to this. And then my phone flew out of my hand and smashed right into the glass window in the front of the store.
Daniel: So that's what happened.
Ryui: Which is to say you didn't end up looking up anything about Aomori at all.
Kaede: Well, the apples and the Nebuta Festival are certainly the things it's most famous for for a reason!
Toi: Yes. I was so surprised to see a vending machine at the station that only sold apple juice!
Kaede: And Nebuta is a summer festival, but I hope tomorrow is clear so we can enjoy the Towadako Winter Story festival.
Netaro: Winter~ Oh, winter~ As the daylight hours get shorter, the humans get weaker.
Toi: What do you mean, we get weaker?
Netaro: To get stronger, you should up your intake of typtophan, the raw material that makes up serotonin!
Ryui: Toi, there's no point in paying attention to anything he says.
Nagi: [sliding in from screen right] I want to hear what he has to say.
Yodaka: Incidentally, about that dream I mentioned earlier. As Sherlock Holmes said, "the culprit lies somewhere in this lean meat, medium-fat tuna, and fatty otoro."
Kaede: That's right, I was looking forward to eating the local Aomori shamrock chicken and the tuna caught in the Tsugaru Strait.
Daniel: Oh, it's on the menu. Chef, I'll have that local chicken and tuna whatsit.
Yodaka: And so the enraged criminal shouted, "I'll turned all of you into minced squid!".
Daniel: I'll have some'a that, too.
Toi: Hehehe. Yodaka-san has become a walking menu.
Toi: (This is so fun...)
[sfx: something makes a popping noise]
Kaede: (... Hm? What made that sound just now...?)
[sfx: popping]
Kaede: Toi-kun, what do you have in your hand...?
Toi: Ah-- I'm sorry, I was just unconsciously fidgeting with... this is the "Infinite Popper"! I got really into popping all of the extra bubble wrap left over from what Ani-sama used to pack something, and so...
Kaede: It's certainly an addictive feeling. But I didn't know they made toys like that!
Kaede: (Ryui-kun, did you bring something fragile with you? Nagi-kun probably brought along flowers and a vase on this trip, too. The night shift members certainly have a lot of baggage...)
Toi: Do you want to try popping it, too, Chief?
Kaede: I guess one little pop can't hurt.
Toi: You can pop it twice! Or as many as you like!
[sfx: popping]
Kaede: Ah... that's so satisfying...
Kaede: The food and drinks are delicious. I'm really glad we were able to come to Aomori for training.
[flashback; interior, HAMA tours meeting room]
Kaede: Well then, next up will be our fourth ward feature!
Kafka: Well, all of you, from your point of view, what did you think of the day shift's group tour?
Ryui: The tour that Kiro hosted? It was pretty alright.
Toi: Yeah, yeah! Kiro-chan was super cool...!
Netaro: I like how it all just exploded out! Like BLAM!
Yodaka: I felt like I was able to see a page out of the book of dazzling youth.
Nagi: I only had a junior high education, so I was a little nervous about hanging around a high school. It brought back memories I don't even have about sneaking in at night and riding a motorcycle around school grounds.
Daniel: So I suppose we'll be choosing someone from the night shift this time, president?
Kafka: That's the intent, yes. So, to start off... who would like to volunteer to be the host?
All of Night Shift: ...
Kaede: Ah, uh...
Kafka: Everyone is unexpectedly shy, aren't they?
Daniel: Probably easier to make decisions like this ahead of time.
Nagi: (But it can't be me, right? None of the other leaders are hosting this time...)
Yodaka: (If any of the ones who are younger than me want to do it, I'd prefer to give them priority, I suppose.)
Netaro: (Bleh~)
Ryui: (... I think the host gets to decide where we go for training, right? But...)
Toi: ...
Nagi: Well, it's up to Buchi-san and Chief, since they're in charge.
Kaede and Daniel: What? Why me?!
Toi: ... alright.
Ryui: !
Netaro: It seems we have a lively volunteer!
Kaede: Toi-kun, will you do it?
Toi: Yes, if that's alright.
Toi: Um, the host decides where we go for training, right?
Kafka: Indeed. Is there somewhere you want to go, Toi?
Toi: I want... to go to Aomori.
Ryui: ...! Toi, you--
[flashback within a flashback]
[sepia tone; inside Ryui/Toi/Netaro's room]
Ryui: ... Toi, the reason I went to Hakodate is that I was trying to find a way to exorcise Astaroth. I wanted to go to Aomori to try and investigate the history of the Shiramitsu family.
Ryui: But I stalled out in Hakodate.
Toi: The spiritual power of that place is really strong, so someone who's so sensitive to spiritual disturbances -- like you are, Ani-sama -- would be really strongly affected, huh?
Ryui: In the end, I didn't find any clues at all. I left saying that I knew full well that it'd mean I'd have to leave you alone, but that's a pathetic lie.
Ryui: But even so, this isn't going to be enough to stop me. I'm going to drive that bastard demon out of you and kill him myself.
Ryui: And once that's done, I'll free you from the Shiramitsu family.
[flashback within a flashback ends]
Yodaka: So Toi will be the host...
Toi: Ani-sama, will you do it with me?
Ryui: Yeah, of course.
Toi: I love you, Ani-sama!
Ryui: I love you too, Toi.
Toi: Well then I love-love-love you!
Ryui: If that's the case, then I love love love love love love love love love...
Daniel: We get it.
Nagi: Great, then everything's decided. A round of applause.
[sfx: a round of applause]
Kafka: Then the host will be Toi, and the co-host will be Ryui. I look forward to seeing the tour the two of you put on.
Ryui: If I'm going to do this with Toi, then I'll make sure it's a 1800% success.
Ryui: And this time...
Toi: ...
Toi: (Ani-sama is going to find a way to separate me from Acchama, right?)
Toi: (Acchama is a dear friend to me, but Ani-sama matters more to me than Acchama.)
Kaede: Well, with that decided, it's time to do a bit of research on Aomori! Daniel-san, let's get together to do that in a bit.
Daniel: Ah, well, unfortunately, I've just gotta run to the smoking area and take a break for a little while after this...
Netaro: I'll go float around with Daa too~
Yodaka: If that's the case, then I'll help you with your research, Chief. I'd like to know if there are any bars with good atmosphere in the area.
Toi: (... I want to know, too.)
Toi: (If there's any way for me to be a good boy, I'd like to know...)
Chapter 2
Netaro: So, for starters, why Aomori? Between that and Hakodate, are twins simply creatures that cannot deny the call of the north?
Toi: Umm...
Toi: (It's to find a way to exorcise Acchama... but I can't tell everyone that...)
Ryui: There's someone I'm looking for. His name is Miura Morozumi.
Ryui: The reason I went to Hakodate was also because I was looking for him.
Netaro: H~m.
Nagi: This is the first I'm hearing of this.
Ryui: That'd be because this is the first time I'm telling you about it.
Toi: (I've never heard that name before...)
Toi: Is that person... the person who you said 'took care of you' when you ran away from home? The legal something or other...
Ryui: Yeah. What can I say, he's just... a really kind-hearted guy.
Ryui: He's the one who fixed your amulet for me when it broke.
Toi: My... amulet...?
Toi: (Someone I don't know, in a place I don't know... handled the amulet I made only for you, Ani-sama...?)
Nagi: Ryui, why are you looking for this Miura Morozumi guy?
Ryui: That is absolutely none of you guys' business.
Nagi: Eh...
Ryui: Toi and I will only look for him when we've got some spare time, so don't worry about it. That's all you need to know.
Nagi: ...
Toi: ... ... yeah. Yeah, that's right. Just me and Ani-sama, we'll be fine.
Toi: Thanks for your concern, Nagi-kun.
Nagi: Yeah... anytime.
Nagi: (Well, if it's just the two of them... it's probably some kind of family matter.)
Kaede: ...
Kaede: (I wonder if this has anything to do with that "Oshisha-sama" that I heard about in the car on the way to Angel Eye that one time.)
Kaede: (Maybe it's just too complicated to get into right now...)
Kaede: Understood. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help out.
Yodaka: Yes. Feel free to call on me, as well. Shiina Yasutane. Tanemomi.
Toi: Yes, I will~!
Kaede: (Yodaka-san, your way of speaking is still really interesting, huh...)
Daniel: Well, good luck have fun. But shall we keep on drinking for now?
Store Worker: Here's your fried garlic bomb.
Netaro: Whoaa~! I wonder if it'll fit in my mouth all at once~!
Ryui: Oi, that's my order. Don't just help yourself to it.
Netaro: Stingy little red dragonfly~
Ryui: Toi, hold on, let me peel it for you.
Toi: ... mmhm! Thank you.
Daniel: I bet it'd still be real tasty even if you left the skin on.
Ryui: Here... it's still hot, so be careful, okay?
Toi: ...
Ryui: ... do you not want to eat it?
Toi: ... just a little would be fine.
Ryui: Got it. No need to push yourself.
Yodaka: Now that you mention it, it seems like you haven't eaten much lately, Toi.
Toi: Ahh, I'm just not feeling super hungry.
Kaede: You wanna try this grilled shellfish? The miso is really warm and delicious!
Toi: Um, that's...
Ryui: ... Toi.
Toi: Ani-sama... are you going outside?
Ryui: I'm just gonna run to the bathroom and get some fresh air. You want to come with?
Toi: Okay. Just a moment! Chief, please excuse me. Please enjoy your grilled shellfish.
Kaede: Ah... Yeah, take care.
Netaro: Are they gonna get lonely going to the bathroom?
Daniel: Feels like the two of them have been sticking even closer together than usual ever since we got here.
[exterior: snowy alleyway]
Toi: Hah...! It's so cold~...!
Ryui: C'mon, come closer to me.
Toi: Yeah...
[Toi gets closer to Ryui]
Toi: ...
Toi: (We're being watched. Ever since we got to Aomori...)
Toi: (There's a little demon over there on that roof, and one I can't make out the size of, hiding in the shadows of the utility poles...)
Ryui: -- Wouldn't have been able to come to Aomori without you, after all.
Toi: Can you feel it too, Ani-sama?
Ryui: In a manner of speaking.
Toi: Yeah, it certainly feels like you wouldn't need any psychic abilities to sense the one near the utility pole...
Ryui: I could frankly live without anyone or anything but you being drawn to me. I can't get anything done if I try to go anywhere with a lot of spiritual activity.
Ryui: But, if we can manage to find Morozumi while we're here in Aomori, we should be able to finally figure something out about that bastard demon.
Toi: So, um... do you have any contact details for this Morozumi-san?
Ryui: Ah, about that... I threw away the business card he gave me a while ago. I guess that was just an immature mistake, but it felt kinda stupid to hang onto something like that...
Toi: Hm...
Ryui: But, there's no doubt about the fact that his home base is in Aomori.
Ryui: There's no need to get the other guys on the night shift involved in this. We'll do this training trip properly, and I'll kill Astaroth.
Ryui: I'll set you free this time.
Toi: ... thank you, Ani-sama.
Toi: Hey, um... do you want me to tell you where Morozumi-san is?
Ryui: Hah. There's no way that bastard would help predict the future of someone who poses an active threat to him. And more than that...
Ryui:I don't want you using his power, Toi.
Toi: ... got it.
Toi: (Ani-sama really hates everything to do with Acchama...)
Toi: Well, I'll go wait outside the bathroom.
Ryui: Yeah, I won't take long.
Toi: [sigh]
[Toi crunches some snow underfoot]
Toi: (I love the way snow feels when you compact it under your feet like this...)
Toi: But... Ani-sama once said that he doesn't really like the way it feels.
Toi: Because the snow started out pure white and smooth, and then it started to get mixed in with dirt...
Toi: Because it'd get all dirty and then melt away...
Toi: ...
Toi: So I... at least in front of Ani-sama, I'll walk lightly on the snow.
Toi: (Because Ani-sama is my entire world.)
Toi: ... you, in the shadow of the utility pole--
Toi: You're my competition...
Pop... pop pop pop pop pop pop pop...
Chapter 3
[exterior: a Christmas light display for the Towadako Winter Story festival, nighttime]Kaede: Here we are! The Towadako Winter Story festival!
Toi: Whoa! All the lights are so magnificent...!
Kaede: I think they'd make the atmosphere great even if it were snowing, but...
Nagi: [shivering violently] Just a-a-as Chief said yesterday, it's n-n-nice and clear today.
Netaro: Gii, you're vibrating all over the place.
Nagi: B-b-because it's c-c-cold.
Netaro: These kinds of places are so inconvenient for warm-blooded mammals, huh?
Ryui: Toi, if you get cold, just let me know.
Toi: I'm fine. 'Cause I'm with you, Ani-sama.
Toi: (I could tell Nagi-kun to cling to Ani-sama if he's cold, but...)
Toi: (I want to be the only one who Ani-sama holds close.)
Kaede: Outside the Winter Story venue, there's the Oirase Stream Ice Falls night tour and the Towakako canoe tour. There's a lot to do around here.
Nagi: You w-w-went to the sauna, d-d-during the daytime, right, Buchi-san?
Daniel: Ah, a winter sauna in the natural environment of Towakado. That was great.
Yodaka: Apparently, the temperature of the water bath was -2 degrees celcius.
Nagi: [audible shivering]
Ryui: Oi, Hachinoya is starting to get colder just thinking about it.
Kaede: Oh, no...! Ah, there's a food stall market called "Yukiakara Yokocho", let's go find something warm to eat there...!
Daniel: Guess we're callin' it a day here, then. Yodaka and I have got someplace we wanna go.
Kaede: Oh? Are you going drinking again?
Daniel: You think there's anything else we'd do? Nope! Nothin' but that.
Netaro: Ah, the addictive sea cucumber!
Ryui: You mean "I see".
Yodaka: Actually, I'm interested in the Snow Hut Ice Bar.
Kaede: (This attitude is giving me flashbacks to our training in Hakodate, for some reason...)
Ryui: If you're doing that, maybe we should go warm up in the snow huts too, before going to the food stall market.
Toi: Wouldn't being in a snow hut just make us colder...?
Netaro: Hmmmeow, nope! It's warmer inside a snow hut than it is outside of it, since air gets trapped inside by the snow and keeps the cold air outside from getting in.
Yodaka: Well, let's get going, then. Danny, help carry Nagi.
Daniel: Guess I ain't got a choice. C'mon, here we go.
[Daniel picks up Nagi]
Nagi: [audible shivering]
Kaede: Netaro, you and I can meet up after we get some food. Maybe some warm pork soup or grilled squid from one of the food stalls...
Netaro: Grilled squid! Grilled squiddies~! Oink, oink oink! Snort snort snort!
Ryui: What the hell is wrong with you?
[Interior: inside a bar made of snow]
Nagi: ... whoof. I feel alive again.
Toi: Yeah. It really is a lot warmer in here than it is outside.
Daniel: Wow, even the glasses in here are made out of ice. Seriously cool.
Yodaka: Well, then, what to order?
Ryui: I'll just have a soft drink. I still have to go and ask around about Morozumi-san.
Daniel: Ryui-san, we're plannin' on drinking without reservations, so you'll be in charge of drivin' us back.
Ryui: How did you know I got my license?
Daniel: Well, you had reported it to the company, so I just asked them about it.
Nagi: No, Buchi-san. No matter how much computerized driving assistance a car has, snowy roads at night are still dangerous for beginners. I'll drive.
Daniel: No way, your driving is just a different kind of scary.
Yodaka: It's true that Ryui is still a novice, but as they say, practice makes perfect. I'm sure he'll be fine if someone is helping out in the passenger's seat.
Daniel: Yeah, yeah. You often get chucked out cold onto the highway during driving lessons, right?
Nagi: Hmm... I suppose so. And parking in a garage is something you really ought to practice when you get your license. The company car's pretty big; it requires some skill to maneuver.
Toi: (... so that's how it is.)
Nagi: Ryui, did you have any trouble with the written part of the exam?
Ryui: It wasn't like it was hard, I just didn't want to do it.
Ryui: Like all those questions about "you should drive carefully at night, true or false"...
Toi: (Is that not... 'true'?)
Yodaka: Yeah, the correct answer is 'false', since "you should drive carefully at all times, day or night".
Daniel: Yeah, I remember that. There were a bunch'a trick questions mixed in.
Nagi: I almost thought I would never pass the exam...
Snow Hut Bar Customer A: Hey, you guys, are you on a road trip or something?
Snow Hut Bar Customer B: Lemme fill you in on the best studless tires!
Toi: ...
Toi: (There are so many things I don't understand at all..)
[Wordless montage of Yodaka, Daniel, and Nagi talking with Ryui]
Toi: (It seems like you're having fun, Ani-sama...)
Yodaka: ...
Yodaka: My boy, I think it's about time that we meet up with the Chief and Netaro for some food, don't you?
Toi: Ah...! I'll go and look for a place to eat.
Yodaka: I'll go with you.
Toi: That's fine, I'm okay!
[sfx: footsteps as Toi leaves]
Ryui: Oi... where's Toi? Natsume, you didn't kick him out, did you?
Yodaka: My apologies, I just thought it would be a nice change of pace for him. He's just off to look for a table.
Nagi: Ah... Toi doesn't have his license, right...? I feel like I may be at fault here for taking the conversation in that direction....
Daniel: Does Toi have any plans to get his license?
Ryui: He doesn't really need to get one. Since I have mine.
Ryui: It's not like I'm gonna stop him if he wants to get his. But I want to drive him around for a while.
Nagi: Why so?
Ryui: For example, let's say Toi's in my car while we're going down a dark road. He'll say something like, "I have to stay wake since Ani-sama is driving", but then he dozes off in the middle of saying that... he tries really hard.
Nagi: I recommend chewing gum to stay awake.
Ryui: And seeing Toi asleep in the passenger seat while stopped at a red light... that's all I need.
Daniel: I see you've thought hard about this delusion.
Yodaka: I'm sure something like that will happen soon.
[exterior: Towadako Winter Story light display]
Kaede: Ah, Toi-kuuun!
Toi: Chief, Netaro-san. How was the food stall market?
Kaede: It was super busy! And there was a stage area nearby, too.
Netaro: I bought garlic again. And I'm not stingy like Ryui is, so I'll share some with you, Toi. Here you go!
Toi: (... I don't really want it, but since Netaro-san is trying to be nice, I may as well accept...)
Toi: Well, just one piece...
Toi: ... ...
Toi: (Urgh... just the smell is enough to make me feel nauseous... maybe I shouldn't have, after all...)
Netaro: You not gonna eat it~?
Toi: Um, n-no! Itadaki...ma... su.
Toi: ... m... ...
Toi: (I'm gonna... be sick...)
Kaede: We wanted to check out the snow huts too, but, it seems like they might be over capacity?
Netaro: We'll make it work~! The people of JPN have been living in small spaces all the way back to ancestral times. They're a people who're good at being stuffed together!
Toi: (I already put it in my mouth, so all I have to do is try to swallow it...)
Kaede: Toi-kun, what is it like insi--?
Toi: Ah, um, yes, the inside, is, really, um, nice...
Kaede: Hey, Toi-kun, are you okay? You look a little pale...
Toi:Oh, ahaha, do I...?
Netaro: Maybe then eat some more garlic? Build up that stamina!
Toi: gck--!!
Toi: Um, 'scuse me... I gotta... go to the bathroom...
[exterior: snowy trail lined with trees, nighttime]
Toi: Urgh... hah... hah...
Toi: (It's no good... I feel so sick, I can't calm down at all...)
[sfx: screeching sound, screen goes monochrome for a moment]
Toi: That's... someone's watching me again.
Toi: Who--
Toi: Uu--!
[sfx: popping noises]
Toi: Ugh... grmph... ...!
Toi: Uu... hah... haah...!
Toi: (I threw up... but, that was a lot easier than it usually is...)
[speech bubble] ???: Toiiii!!
Toi: !!
Toi: (Ani-sama...! What should I...?)
Toi: Okay, I'll just bury it in the snow...!
Toi: (I'm sorry... I'll definitely clean it up later...)
Toi: (My clothes...? They seem fine, they're not dirty... my mouth feels all gross, but I just have to act like nothing is wrong...)
Ryui: Toi!
Toi: Ani-sama, is something wrong?
Ryui: No, Chief just said you'd been gone a while...
Toi: I'm sorry. I was just playing in the snow.
[sfx: something moving]
Toi: Um... what was that, just now...?
Ermine: ...
Ryui: A white animal... an ermine, maybe?
Toi: Uwah, its fur is white like the snow! It's so cute!
Ryui: You're cuter, though.
Toi: Ehehe. ❤️
Ryui: Apparently, the winter fireworks show is just about to start over this way, so let's go over there.
Toi: Okay~.
Toi: See you later... mister pure-white ermine.
Ermine: ...
Chapter 4
[interior: the HAMA Tours company car, daytime]
Kaede: Ryui-kun, we've got a ways to go to Hirosaki, so let's take turns driving, okay?
Ryui: Sure.
Netaro: What're we gonna do in Hirosaki~?
Kaede: Well, there's Hirosaki park, where you can see the cherry blossoms even in the middle of winter!
Yodaka: I'm interested in Hirosaki Castle and the historic western-style buildings there as well.
Ryui: (Now that you mention it, there was something called "Apple Road" on the map.)
Ryui: (I remember Morozumi-san said that he used to race up and down that road back when he was in a biker gang...)
Ryui: (I didn't find any useful information yesterday... I hope I can find something today or tomorrow...)
Kaede: Oh, also! I brought some snacks, so let's all eat!
Kaede: (Especially Toi-kun, since it seemed like he didn't eat much at all yesterday, so it's probably a good idea to get something light in his stomach.)
Kaede: Toi-kun, try these sweets--
[Toi laying on Nagi]
Toi: Zzz... zzz...
Nagi: If you want Toi, he was leaning on me and then he fell asleep.
Kaede: Oh, maybe he's just tired. We should let him sleep.
Netaro: So give it to me~! Big Cheese, gimme some candy~!
Ryui: Oi, don't cause any trouble. Don't make a mess with those sweets, either.
Ryui: And don't you dare move even a milimeter, Hachinoya. You'll wake Toi up.
Nagi: Yessir...
Ryui: You two be as still as stone or I'm going to hit you with this car later.
Netaro and Nagi: Pbbbt.
Daniel: Ryui, there's an oncoming car coming up. Pull over here to let them pass--
Ryui: I can see it myself.
[sfx: wind blowing]
Ryui: ...
Daniel: ...
Ryui: ......
Daniel: ......
Ryui: ... alright.
Daniel: Didn't you lay on the brakes a little too long on that one?
Ryui: Of course I'm going to not make any sudden moves. Toi is sleeping comfortably.
Yodaka: Well, it's always good to use safe driving practices.
Netaro: 70 points!
Ryui: Shuddup. We're about to get moving again, so put a sock in it.
Ryui: ... ...
[sfx: fwoosh]
Daniel: What's up?
Ryui: ...
Ryui: Car's stuck.
Yodaka and Nagi: Ehh?
Kaede: Eh!?
Netaro: Zero points!
[exterior: snowy forest road, daytime]
Yodaka, Nagi, and Ryui: Push!
Ryui: Ghk...!!
Nagi: Huhh...!
[sfx: car engine, tires spinning out]
Ryui: Hah... hah...
Nagi: Huh... huh...
Daniel: I checked the battery, seems like nothing's wrong with it.
Yodaka: Mm... how troublesome... alright, one more time, and push!
Daniel: Hah!!
[sfx: car engine, tires spinning out]
Nagi: Ah. With Buchi-san's help, it seems we're making a bit more progress...
Daniel: Yeah, like 5 centimeters of progress. Chief, are you stepping on the accelerator properly?
[interior: inside the HAMA Tours company car]
Kaede: I'm stepping on it!
Toi: ...
Kaede: (It looks like Toi-kun hasn't woken up, even with everyone yelling pretty loudly...)
[exterior: snowy forest road]
Ryui: Where the hell is Yowa.
Nagi: He ran over there saying he saw a white ermine just a second ago.
Ryui: That bastard--
[sfx: screeching sound, screen goes monochrome for a moment]
Ryui: -- !?
Ryui: (What's with this sudden chilling feeling?)
Ryui: Seriously...! Something under the car...!?
[Ryui takes his eyepatch off]
Yodaka: Ryui?
Nagi: Your eye...?
[sfx: horrible squelching sound]
Mysterious Entity: Ikikiki mitsu dechitsuke chidyoamiji chizotsuke zunyoutanibibi
[a dark fog settles in around the edges of the screen]
Ryui: Whoa--!
[the dark fog half-covers Daniel, Yodaka, and Nagi]
Nagi: ?
Daniel: What's up? We gotta keep pushing the car.
Ryui: W-wait...
Mysterious Entity: Izzya peayea shoni jijiikikikikiiiii! Chorouepi appejirajunu kuousou kekeke!
Yodaka: Hm? Did you hear something just now?
Ryui: (Dammit, it's huge...!! There's no way I can exorcise this thing while keeping the other three safe...!)
[interior: inside the HAMA Tours company car]
Kaede: ...? Everyone, is something--?
[sfx: SLAM]
Kaede: Whoa!? The car is shaking...!
Kaede: T-Toi-kun, are you alright?
Astaroth: ...
Kaede: Good, you're awake--
Astaroth: It seems that someone most troublesome has shown thesmself...
Kaede: Um...?
[exterior: snowy forest road]
Nagi: The car is shaking. Is there an earthquake going on?
Daniel: Has this old bucket finally given up...?
Mysterious Entity: Ipappira koryacha shirararaipiiiiiiii!!!
Ryui: All of you!! Get away from the car--!
???: Begone!
[the monster fades away]
Nagi: What...
Yodaka: What just...?
???: どうも近頃この辺の奴らがザワついでらなと思ったっきゃ、おめだが。[This line intentionally left untranslated -- see note 1]
Ryui: ...!
Kaede: Everyone! I just heard a loud noise, and--
Netaro: Ah, it boinged away...
???: こらんどはおめのけやぐだか？遭難してくたばってまるどごだったぞ。
Ryui: ... haha.
Ryui: You haven't changed at all. Nobody understands a word you're saying. Morozumi-san...
Nagi: ... huh.
Kaede: This person is...?
Daniel: That "Morozumi-san" guy!?
Yodaka: Well, isn't that a surprise?
[interior: inside the HAMA Tours company car]
Astaroth: ...
[screen goes white]
... Toi.
Do you want to know how to get your older brother's attention?
To make sure he never takes his eyes off of you again, make sure he never lets go of your hand again
To monopolize his entire soul--
[1] I am just going to copy how I did this in Ryui's novel, and make the same translation note: he is speaking an odd dialect of Japanese that is very hard to understand and, crucially, is meant in context to be hard to understand. I don't know how to render this in a way that wouldn't be super questionable, so I'm leaving it as-is. Once he's meant to be understood, speaking awkward standard Japanese, I'll be translating him speaking in a slightly stilted affect.
He's saying something like "the demons around here have been really troublesome lately, sorry for any issues you may have experienced" and "Did you have it handled? You seemed stranded and like you were in trouble", respectively.
Chapter 5
[interior: Izakaya, daytime]
Morozumi: It is nice to meet you. My name is Miura Morozumi. But you are free to simply call me Morozumi. My business card for you is right here...
Kaede: Thank you very much. And here's mine in return...
Morozumi: Aah, you are the chief of HAMA Tours? I have heard, speaking of HAMA, that it has recently been declared a special tourist zone. It was all over the news, it is very popular.
Kaede: Thank you very much for your time. Now, Morozumi-san, this says your occupation is...?
Kaede: ... "Psychic Lawyer"??
Morozumi: Yes. I establish contracts to peacefully coexist with supernatural forces, such as the ones that were troubling all of your's car earlier...
Morozumi: And if one of them goes too far, then I will exorcise them and that is the end of it. And that is what I do... at my work.
Morozumi: Ah... I'm very sorry, I'm not very good at using standard Japanese...
Kaede: No, it's no problem at all.
Yodaka: I've heard from some of my customers that such things exist... it is a great honor to meet someone who is a professional in the field.
Morozumi: But there are many more people who do not believe in them.
Daniel: (You got that right.)
Nagi: I see... so, how much are you selling lucky charms for?
Ryui: Hah?
Netaro: Ah, I get it~! It's a psychic sales scam!
Ryui: ... you motherfuckers, are you saying he's a fraud? Don't you dare make fun of him.
Nagi: I'm not making fun of him at all. As soon as Morozumi-san appeared, all of that shaking and rumbling stopped immediately...
Yodaka: That's certainly true.
Nagi: So what I figure is that if someone has that kind of power for real, they must have the real-deal good luck charms.
Daniel: That ain't happening.
Netaro: Ahaa! If he had lucky charms he'd look all the more the part!
Morozumi: As a matter of course I do not often deal in cursed items.
Netaro: Hm~?
Ryui: Stop beating around the bush. Morozumi-san, you should stand up to them more.
Morozumi: Well, I get this reaction very often.
Ryui: But...
Morozumi: Once somebody has made up their mind that something is one way, it is very difficult for an outsider to change their mind about it.
Ryui: ...
Ryui: ... well, those who don't already know are probably gonna be happier remaining ignorant.
Nagi, offscreen: So, anyway, about the lucky charms...
Astaroth: ...
Kaede: Ah, Toi-kun. You're awake. I figured you fell back asleep in the car after Morozumi-san showed up, sorry I didn't come to wake you up--
Astaroth: I was conversing with Toi for a while.
Ryui: --! You're using Toi's body again--!
Astaroth: I smell the stench of an unfamiliar rat. Ryui, did you drag this in?
Morozumi: Aaah, I see what is going on. This is something different. Something big.
Astaroth: ... hah. Lowly plebs shouldn't speak about me that way.
Morozumi: I am Miura Morozumi. I look forward to working with you.
Astaroth: You are the one who taught Ryui the word "contract", aren't you?
Morozumi: That would be the case. After all, I cannot abide by those who do not obey the rules, regardless of what rank they hold.
Astaroth: Hahah, how small-minded of you. Taboos exist to be broken.
Kaede: (...? What is he talking about...?)
Morozumi: Ryui. Did you come all the way to Aomori to try and do something about this one?
Ryui: ... yeah. I wanted to try and figure out where it comes from, and how to free Toi from it.
Astaroth: "Free him"? Pffft!
Astaroth: Ahahahahaaa!
Daniel: Ah, Morozumi-san? Sorry about this flight of fancy. He's just, you know, at that age...
Morozumi: Not at all; he is possessed by a high-ranking demon. That is why he is able to see the future with such precision, is it not?
Yodaka and Nagi: ...
Kaede: ... really?
Ryui: That's what I've been saying this entire time.
Daniel: (The hell...)
Morozumi: Ryui. Do you remember the night that you made a pact with this demon?
Ryui: Ah... that was the night I ran out of the izakaya we were in and bolted straight home.
Morozumi: At that time, there was something I did not get the chance to say.
Morozumi: That Oshisha, who has been worshipped by the Shiramitsu family, is a god local to this area...
Netaro: Indigenous belief; e.g., belief in the eight million spirits.
Ryui: ... yeah, but in reality, it was a demon. You've already told me that.
Morozumi: Yes, so please do not delay, and listen carefully.
Morozumi: Apparently, they initially believed in a real god known as Oshisha-sama, but at some point, a demon took this god's place and they were none the wiser about it.
Ryui: ...!?
Yodaka: It took its place...?
Ryui: (So it's that bastard demon just using the name Oshisha...?)
Kaede: Um... so you're saying that Oshisha-sama isn't actually Oshisha-sama?
Nagi: Thank you for explaining things so succinctly. But I'm afraid I still don't entirely understand.
Ryui: Wait. So then what happened to the real Oshisha?
Morozumi: Correct thing to ask. If the original god were still around, surely, it would help Toi-san.
Astaroth: ...
Morozumi: So, what happened to the former god?
Astaroth: Wouldn't you like to know?
Ryui: Bastard...
Morozumi: Aha. Of course that is something we will have to figure out on our own.
Ryui: Morozumi-san, that's...
Morozumi: Yes, yes. I will look into the matter further, so do not worry.
Ryui: ... ... you have my thanks.
Morozumi: Well, it is about time that I must be leaving. I am sorry to the chief and to all of you for causing such troubles for you.
Kaede: No, not at all! I'm glad that Ryui-kun was able to find thet person he was looking for.
Ryui: Well... see you later, I guess.
Morozumi: Mmmm. Ah, before I forget.
Ryui: ?
Morozumi: Here is my business card. You seem to have lost it. You may contact me much more simply next time.
Ryui: ... is that a prediction?
Morozumi: Also, the eyepatch looks good on you.
Ryui: --!
Ryui: ... the hell, just saying shit like that out of nowhere...
Yodaka: Ryui is...
Nagi: Embarrassed.
Ryui: Shut up! Don't look at me.
Netaro: Are devils simply a matter of sanity~? This is all very unscientific.
Kaede: (... didn't I hear that the demon that was supposed to possess Ryui-kun ended up possessing Toi-kun instead...?)
[flashback begins]
[interior: HAMA house company car]
Netaro: So when you say "possession", do you mean to say being overtaken by a spirit or a god of some sort? That's all very unscientific. My supposition is that Toi's brain has created an alter ego of sorts--
Ryui: I'm not saying this to try and make you believe me out of hand!! The Shiramitsu family has been batshit crazy for generations. I don't expect outsiders to get it.
Ryui: But anyway, that's why I have to power through anything that comes my way...!
Ryui: I have to protect Toi from that bastard demon!
[flashback ends]
Ryui: ... I've already said this a dozen times, but this has nothing to do with any of you. This is a personal family matter.
Kaede: Ryui-kun...
Netaro: You won't even tell us any more than that?
Ryui: What was that. I didn't hear you. And it's gonna take a bit before I can hear you. Whoops.
Ryui: (Getting even the slightest bit involved with the family just makes everyone miserable.)
Nagi: ...
[interior: HAMA House common area, with a strange red filter over everything]
Toi: Hum hum~ ♪ Pop pop everywhere~ One pop, two pops~
Toi: Twist it this way, squish it that way... it's so fun.
Astaroth: ...
Toi: Ah, but I'm hungry...
Toi: Hey, Acchama, you said that if it's red, it's safe to eat, right?
Astaroth: Correct.
Toi: What about garlic?
Astaroth: Of course not.
Toi: So, something red...? Apples, red meat, medium-fatty tuna, fatty tuna, red dragonfl...
Toi: ...
Toi: Hey, it's time to change the TV channel!
Astaroth: ...
Toi: Acchama, switch with me! I want to play an otome game!
Astaroth: ...
Toi: ... I see. That's fine.
Toi: I'll just eat the liver paste in this jar until Acchama takes over.
Toi: Mm... [eating noises]
Toi: (But where did this jar come from?)
Toi: Oh, well, who cares! It's so tasty--
[sfx: clatter]
Toi: Ouch!! What was that noise just n--
[sfx: clatter]
Toi: Huh...?
Toi: My... teeth...
[sfx: clatter, clatter]
Toi: Ah.... ah!!!!! No, no, wait...!!!
Toi: (My teeth keep falling out...!!)
[sfx: clatter of teeth hitting the floor]
Toi: What's going on...!? I don't want this...! Make it stop!!
Astaroth: The change is happening. The change is happening fast, now.
Toi: No... nonononononononononono!!!
Astaroth: The metamorphosis to make this body my own has begun!
Toi: I don't want this!!!!!!!!
[dream sequence ends]
[interior: hotel room]
Toi: --!!
Toi: Hah... ah... hah...!!
Toi: (I can hear someone in the shower...)
Toi: (That's right, Ani-sama is in the bathroom... this is a hotel room in Hirosaki... I must have fallen asleep without realizing it...)
Toi: (... my teeth are all where they should be...)
Toi: Thank goodness... it was all just... a dream...
Toi: ... no it wasn't
Toi: My hands and mouth are all sticky and gross...
Chapter 6
[interior: Hotel hallway]
Toi: Hah... ah...
Toi: (I have to find somewhere to wash my hands... Ani-sama is there so I can't do it in our room...)
Toi: (The sheets were all sticky and messy, too... I hid it under the blankets, I hope Ani-sama somehow doesn't notice...)
Toi: Uu...
Toi: (The sticky stuff is even under my nails... it smells almost like fish... is this liver paste? But that was just a dream, right...?)
Yodaka: Toi?
Toi: Ah... Yodaka-san, Chief.
Kaede: Is something the matter? You're not wearing any shoes?
Yodaka: (And he's trying to hide his hands...?)
Toi: ...
Toi: I'm l-looking for a washroom...
Yodaka: Not a problem at all. Come wash up in my room, my boy.
[interior: Yodaka and Nagi's hotel room]
Yodaka: Are you finished? You can dry off with this towel.
Kaede: And you can use these paper slippers.
Toi: Um, thank you both very much...
Toi: (... I hope there's nothing left underneath my nails. Was I able to wash it off properly?)
Toi: (I wonder if I smell weird...)
Kaede: Toi-kun, why don't you take it easy and relax for a little bit? ... ... though, this is Nagi-kun and Yodaka-san's room, so maybe it's a bit inappropriate for me to offer it up like that...
Yodaka: Of course, I don't mind at all. Let me go make some tea.
Kaede: Thank you very much.
Toi: ...
Kaede: Oh, by the way, I wanted to give you the snacks I have left over that we didn't eat in the car.
Kaede: Here, raisin butter sandwiches; please help yourself to one.
Toi: Ah...
Toi: (Raisin butter sandwiches are my favorite...)
Toi: (But what if I can't eat it? What if I throw up again?)
Toi: ...
Kaede: Toi-kun. If you don't want to say anything, it's okay not to. You don't have to force yourself to eat sweets.
Toi: Ah, um... ahaha...
Toi: I'm, um, sorry.
Kaede: You have nothing to apologize for.
Yodaka: Here you go, tea for the two of you. It's caffeine-free, so you don't have to worry about not being able to go to sleep.
Kaede: Wow, it smells great...!
Toi: ... it really does.
Toi: (I guess drinks must still be okay, then.)
Toi: Thank you very much.
[sfx: drinking]
Toi: Hah...
Kaede: What a relief.
Toi: ... mm.
Toi: (Ah... I feel like if I say anything, I'm going to say more than I mean to, about so many things...)
Yodaka: You're alright.
Toi: ...
Kaede: ...
Kaede: Toi-kun, I'm sorry if I'm just imagining things, but...
Kaede: If there's something bothering you that you can't tell Ryui-kun about, please don't hesitate to come and talk to me about it, okay?
Toi: ...! Uh, that's...
Toi: ...
Kaede: (Toi-kun... I wonder if there's some weight he's carrying around on his own after all.)
[flashback to the Izakaya from earlier that day]
Morozumi: Ryui. Did you come all the way to Aomori to try and do something about this one?
Ryui: ... yeah. I wanted to try and figure out where it comes from, and how to free Toi from it.
[flashback ends]
Kaede: (There's no doubt at all about Ryui-kun's desire to rid Toi-kun of something-or-another. But...)
Kaede: (I can't help but wonder if Toi-kun actually feels the same way as Ryui-kun...?)
Toi: ...
Toi: ... I, um, recently, I've been... having trouble keeping food down.
Toi: Even raisin butter sandwiches, even though I love them so much...
Kaede: I see... I'm sorry for pressuring you.
Toi: No, not at all. It's not your fault at all, Chief. I was able to eat regularly until just a little while ago...
Yodaka: This must be very hard on you.
Toi: ... but, there's nothing to be done about it. It's entirely outside of my control...
Toi: (Ever since Acchama took up residence inside of me, becoming him has always been just a matter of time.)
Toi: Because... I can't help that I'm going to change.
Yodaka: (Going to change...)
Kaede: ...
Toi: And I'm... scared.
Toi: I'm scared that I'm going to hit a point of no return...
Toi: (Just like it's natural for everyone to eventually get old and wither... as long as time keeps marching forward, there's no way to resist it.)
Toi: And that's... that's why...
Toi: (It's not just going to be the color of my hair. Every last bit of me, inside and out...)
Toi: Ani-sama and I aren't going to be the same anymore...!
Kaede: Toi-kun...
Kaede: (When Toi-kun is talking about things that are going to change, I get the feeling he doesn't just mean the natural changes that come with growing up...)
Kaede: (I wish I could make Toi-kun feel better, even if only a little...)
Yodaka: ... Toi.
Yodaka: I feel like things are slowly starting to change for me as well, so I understand a little bit of how you feel, Toi.
Yodaka: It's never pleasant to be pushed back against, and to realize you can't just keep living at your own pace forever. It can be hard to keep up with the rapid changing of the seasons.
Yodaka: However, being forced to take action without the luxury of being able to put it off isn't necessarily a bad thing, for those of us who only have a limited time on this earth.
Toi: ...
Yodaka: ... that's just something I learned recently, myself. I'm sorry, I'm sure that doesn't really make you feel better.
Toi: No, that's not it at all..
Yodaka: Toi, have you considered what you'll do after you've changed?
Toi: After... I've changed...?
Yodaka: If the change is truly inevitable, then it may not be a bad idea to consider what lies beyond it.
Yodaka: I've been feeling more and more lately like it's better to let time keep moving forward...
Toi: ...
Toi: (... But if I change, it's all over...)
Toi: (Because I know that Ani-sama would never be able to accept the hideous thing I'd been transformed into...)
Toi: It's really difficult, isn't it...?
[interior: Hotel hallway]
Nagi: Alright... I think that should just about do it for today.
Ryui: Hachinoya!!
Nagi: Hm? Is something the matter, Ryui?
Ryui: Have you seen Toi!? When I got out of the shower, he wasn't in the room, and--
Nagi: Ah, I think Toi is in my and Yodaka's room. I got a PeChat about it just a little bit ago.
Ryui: ... I see. I wonder what's going on.
Nagi: They're having a chat with Chief. He asked me to go kill some time before coming back.
Ryui: ... well, I guess if he's with those two he'll be fine...
Ryui: Anyway, why the heck are you holding a vase full of flowers?
Nagi: This is... here, Ryui, do you want one? A flower, I mean.
Ryui: Pass. See you later, then.
Nagi: Ryui.
Ryui: Huh?
Nagi: Why don't you rely on us more?
Ryui: ...
Nagi: Just like how a stuck car can move if we all push it as one, maybe we can help if we all work together.
Ryui: We only moved it like five centimeters.
Nagi: Yeah, but it was a pretty impressive five centimeters for us.
Ryui: ... [sigh]
Nagi: Ryui--
Ryui: That's enough. Leave me alone.
[sfx: footsteps]
Nagi: ...
[interior: Ryui and Toi's hotel room]
Toi: Huh...?
Toi: (The sheets are completely clean. I would have sworn I left them all sticky and messy.)
Ryui: Toi, you want to sleep together?
Toi: Yeah...
Toi: ... [sniff sniff]
Toi: (My nails don't smell anymore.)
Ryui: Something up?
Toi: No, nothing.
Toi: I just... had a bit of a bad dream, that's all.
Ryui: Well, here, I'll just brush all those bad dreams off and make them go away,[2] right?
Toi: Ani-sama, do that more.
Ryui: Brush all those bad dreams off and make them go away...
Toi: Do it again and again... and hug me tighter.
Ryui: You're alright, Toi. I'm here, so there's nothing to be scared of. Nothing at all...
Toi: (Ah... that's right.)
Toi: (All of it... it was all just a dream...)
[2] What he says is 怖いの怖いの飛んでいけ, literally "bad things, bad things, fly away"; this is something you do for children, patting them on the head and then brush the bad dreams away.
Chapter 7
[exterior: Oirase Stream Ice Falls, daytime]
Nagi: Whoa... the waterfall really is frozen.
Kaede: This is the Oirase Stream Ice Falls! No way, it's really amazing...!
Yodaka: It isn't pure white; it has a truly beautiful faint blue-ish hue.
Toi: It's pretty...
Toi: (It practically looks like time has stopped...)
Ryui: It practically looks like time has stopped.
Toi: Huh?
Ryui: Hm? Something up?
Toi: I had the exact same thought just then!
Ryui: I see. That's really funny.
Toi: Ehehe...
Toi: I'm so happy. Ani-sama and I are matching... we're still...)
Daniel: It's really impressive that such a huge waterfall can just freeze like that.
Kaede: Well, it's more like... as the water falls over the edge, it spreads out, and the surface area increases, and that means there's more water being exposed to the cold air.
Kaede: Then it freezes, and the water starts to flow over the edge again, and freezes again, and the whole cycle repeats over and over!
Daniel: I see. Just what I'd expect from a skilled tour guide.
Kaede: No, not at all, I-- ... wait, Daniel, please do your own research like you're supposed to!!
Daniel: I did, I did. Like how there's serow[3] and stuff like that around here.
Kaede: (I'm going to guess he learned that while looking up local saunas.)
Netaro: Whoaa! It's not a serow, but there's an ermine over there!!
Toi: Eeeh, I wonder if that's the same little one I saw near the Winter Story venue...?
Ryui: If it is, he must be a really friendly little guy.
Toi: Ani-sama, can I follow it, too?
Ryui: Go for it, but be careful.
Toi: Yaaay! Mister Ermine, wait for me~!
Netaro: Toi, it's right over there.
Toi: So it is. He's looking right at me.
Ermine: ...
Toi: (Maybe I'm just imagining things. It feels like that little one... is making eye contact with me?)
Netaro: It's so itty bitty. Its fur is pure white and it's so fluffy...
Toi: (There's something in this little one's gaze that feels almost--?)
Netaro: I WANNA EAT IT!
Toi: !
Netaro: Can I eat it?
Toi: Please don't eat it, Netaro-san. ... huh?
Netaro: No more ermine.
Toi: Where did he go...?
Netaro: Where'd it go? Is it here? Or is it there? Take this, bombs away!
[sfx: Netaro throwing a snowball]
Toi: Netaro-san, don't throw snowballs! If you hit him, you might hurt--!
Netaro: Then I'll throw them at you instead, Toi! Take this~!
[sfx: Netaro throwing a snowball and getting a direct hit on Toi]
Toi: Uwaah!!?
Netaro: Direct hit right in the gap~!
Toi: Ah, now there's snow getting into my clothes...!
[sfx: snowball being thrown]
Netaro: Buh-whaaa?
Toi: Someone's throwing snowballs with incredible force right at Netaro-san--?
Ryui: THE FUCK YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOWA? Don't you dare target Toi, you bastard!!!!
[sfx: snowball after snowball being slugged directly at Netaro]
Netaro: Gyaaah, gyaahhgh! Right at my face!! It's gonna get squashed and turned into meat buns!!
Ryui: Hah, hah... are you okay, Toi? Are you cold?
Toi: Yeah, it's just that my clothes got all wet and I feel kinda icky now...
Netaro: Hah~. Even if it feels a bit bad at first, it will just melt, dry, and be back to normal quickly. You're greatly exaggerating.
Ryui: You bastard...
Netaro: Oh, that's right. Toi, Ryui.
Netaro: You want me to figure out what happened to the original Oshisha?
Ryui: ... hah?
Toi: ... ... is that something you can do...?
Netaro: There's nothing a human can imagine that's outside the realm of what I can do! Probably!
Toi: ...
Toi: (... I can do this...)
[interior: Ryui and Toi's hotel room, night]
Kaede: ... so this is one of your inventions, Netaro-kun?
Netaro: Yup! Actually, I made it yesterday, but everyone was too busy chitchit-chattering in the hallway for me to share it.
Daniel: Just looks like a typewriter to me.
Ryui: How are we supposed to find anything out about Oshisha with this?
Netaro: Fufufu. Sit up straight and listen well!
Nagi: Do we have to stand at attention?
Kaede: I'm sure it's fine if you don't.
Netaro: I call this the "Dream of Memories: Back to the Printer" machine! Or the Dreamemo Printer, for short.
Netaro: It's a fantastic tool that will let you print out your dreams in the format of plain-text prose while you sleep!
Kaede: "Print out your dreams"...?
Netaro: Pop quiz! Why do humans dream?
Yodaka: The widely-held belief is that it's related to how we organize our memories... or something like that, yes?
Netaro: Ding ding ding! ♪ In other words, your memories are the building blocks of your dreams. Your brain blends them all your memories into a slurry and spits them out as a dream.
Netaro: And so I have a singular thesis that I would like to submit into that melting pot of chaos!
Nagi: A thesis?
Netaro: Take a keyword, a theme, whatever have you! Just like ripples spread out on the surface of water when you drop a pebble into it, so too will the memories corresponding to a given concept ripple out when you dream about that theme.
Daniel: So in other words, you want to trigger a specific memory with a keyword, and then print out the dream that results from that?
Netaro:Ding ding ding! An easy to understand explanation that even a total dunce would be able to grasp!
Daniel: Well, thanks very much, but I get the feeling that's not a compliment.
Kaede: So you want to use this on Toi-kun when he's asleep?
Netaro: Nope! The exact other way around.
Nagi: What do you mean? Please explain it so that even a total dunce will be able to grasp it.
Netaro: Based on prior observation, we can assume that whenever Toi himself is awake, then Toi's demon is asleep. So we should use it while Toi is awake.
Yodaka: I see, we want to see the demon's dreams... we want to print out those dreams so that we can see the demon's memories.
Daniel: Isn't this the exact kind of thing you should be calling "unscientific"? The kid's only got one hippocampus.
Netaro: Daa~ ♪ It's great that you keep asking such good questions!
Daniel: I'm pretty sure it's either like that alter ego theory you had. Either that, or he's just a chuuni.
Daniel: No way in hell we're gonna be able to retrieve memories from before Toi was even born out of Toi's hippocampus.
Toi: ...
Nagi: Even Buchi-san, who is usually so great at putting things in ways that even a total dunce would be able to grasp, is failing to do his job...
Kaede: Sorry, but I'm having trouble keeping up, too... I guess you mean to say that since Toi only has one brain, you think that he'll only be able to recall memories that happened when his own body was present...?
Netaro: Failure is the mother of success! If we can't unearth any memories, then that just proves that Toi either has a split personality, or he's having a chuuni phase~.
Ryui: Toi has neither of those!
Netaro: But, if we are able to retrieve his memories...
Yodaka: Would that prove that the demon exists?
Netaro: Fufufu... I'll prove that even demons are subject to science. If we can extract memories of what happened to Oshisha, long before Toi was born, from Toi's brain, then we'll have all sorts of new theories to work with.
Netaro: For instance, this would necessitate a discipline of science regarding how specific consciousnesses can transcend time and space!
Daniel: ...
Ryui: We can skip all the details; but, let's suppose we use this printer machine or whatever on Toi, then would it be...
Netaro: Ah, yes, yes, yes. There it is. Just like you to want that kind of peace of mind.
Netaro: Well, I already gave it a test run with our professional sleeper, Yoda. Here, take a look at this paper.
Nagi: It's just a regular sheet of paper.
Kaede: (It's this mysterious advanced technology, but... it's still just printing out on regular paper?)
Netaro: Now, why do you think I went to the bother of printing it out regular-like? Well, you see, it adds to the ambiance~!
Nagi: Is it really okay to read this?
Yodaka: I don't mind at all.
Nagi: So, the keyword for Yodaka-san's dream was... "Milkshake"? Hm, let's see...
Yodaka: To be honest, I don't really remember what my dream was about...
Nagi: Hm, hm...
Nagi: ...
Nagi: ... ...
Kaede: Nagi-kun?
Netaro: So, Big Cheese, you wanna read it too?
Nagi: I think it's for the better if we don't let Chief read this.
Yodaka: Ahaha.
Kaede: (I wonder what's written there...?)
Netaro: So then, Toi, just sit right there.
Toi: Ah...
Everyone Else: ...
Toi: (I wonder if this machine can really tell...?)
Toi: (If it really will expose all the rotten, hideous things that are inside of me...)
Toi: (If it will make Ani-sama realize I'm not a good boy at all...)
[3] A type of goat native to northern Honshu.
Chapter 8
Nagi: Maybe this time Ryui will finally be thankful for one of your inventions, Netaro.
Netaro: He's never been grateful before!? But I've made so many amazing genius inventions!?
Toi: ...
Ryui: Toi, are you scared?
Toi: Um, no...
Ryui: Don't worry. We just want to expose that bastard demon, not you.
Toi: ... but...
Kaede: (Toi-kun... maybe you haven't worked everything out just yet...)
Kaede: ... I don't think you have to force yourself to look through Oshisha-sama's memories just yet.
Toi: Chief...?
Kaede: We can try looking into other means first, and if those fail, then we can use Netaro's invention--
Ryui: We don't have time for that! You don't know what kind of state Toi is in right now.
Kaede: That's...
Ryui: It's such a pain in the ass when outsiders who only know the surface details make these big sweeping statements. You don't understand the gravity of the situation at--
Nagi: I don't think we're outsiders.
Yodaka: ... Nagi.
Ryui: ... hah? The fuck was that?
Nagi: ...
Kaede: Hey, let's not fight--
Nagi: Chief, it's fine, please just step back.
Nagi: Ryui, I don't disagree that we don't understand the entire situation, but we're not outsiders.
Nagi: If you're worried that your problems are just going to be a burden on us, then...
Ryui: The hell... none of you have ever had to see the suffering Toi has gone through...! It's such a pain in the ass when people just try to waltz in and get close to you that flippantly!!
Nagi: I'm not being flippant.
Ryui: Hah? You sound just like you did when you were making fun of the "lucky charms".
Nagi: I think it's kind of selfish to just decide one-sidedly that you're being a hassle or a nuisance to other people.
Ryui: "Selfish"...? After we've been betrayed by other people so many times...
Ryui: After we've had something so fucking repulsive thrust upon us by our parents and the adults we were supposed to trust! No matter how many years go by...! No matter how many times they've hurt us--!
Toi: -- stop it!
Ryui and Nagi: !
Toi: Stop it...!
[flashback, sepia filter; interior: Angel Eye]
Toi: (... They're so happy when I tell fortunes.)
Toi: (My mother and grandfather, who Ani-sama pushed away for being "disgusting"... and...)
[flashback ends]
Toi: Stop saying such mean things about Acchama.
Ryui: Wh--
Toi: (If I become more and more like Acchama, will you think I'm disgusting and push me away too, Ani-sama?)
Toi: Acchama isn't... isn't disgusting at all!
Ryui: T-Toi, is it telling you to say that? Did you make some kind of deal with it? If you did, then tell me right a--
Toi: I didn't do anything like that! I wan't told to do anything! Acchama is always there to give me advice. And help me out when I'm in trouble!
Ryui: But that's...
Toi: You don't even know Acchama that well, Ani-sama, so I won't just let you say whatever you want about him!!
Ryui: ...!
Toi: Acchama isn't the enemy, and he's not hideous, because, Acchama... Acchama is...
Toi: (My future.)
Toi: So don't just cast him away...!
Ryui: To... i...
Nagi, Yodaka, Daniel, and Netaro: ...
Toi: Ah...
Toi: No, wait, Ani-sama... I didn't mean that, I didn't mean that at all.
Toi: (Why did I just do that...?)
Toi: I want to keep being a good boy... I want to keep being the person that you love, Ani-sama...!
Ryui: ...
[Ryui gets closer to Toi]
Ryui: It's alright. It's alright, Toi.
Toi: I'm so sorry. Please, don't hate me. I'm sorry, I'm s...
Kaede: (What should I do in a situation like this...?)
Yodaka: ... let's leave the two of them alone.
Kaede: Yeah... let's.
Kaede: (That's all we can do for now...)
Netaro: Eh? What about my experiment? The memories of the demon possessing him?
Daniel: Alright, c'mon, let's go.
[Daniel dragging Netaro out]
Netaro: Waaaah! Let go of meee!
Daniel: C'mon, Nagi, you too.
Nagi: ... we're not outsiders. We're...
[interior: Ryui and Toi's hotel room; some time has passed]
Toi: [yawning]
Toi: (I'm on the bed... when did I get here...?)
Toi: (My head... really hurts...)
Ryui: How are you feeling? You seem to have a slight fever, so you should just stay in bed, don't make yourself get up.
Toi: Ani... sama...
Ryui: ... the other guys brought a bunch of stuff for you. Setting aside the random crap from Yowa, there are sports drinks and some instant senbei soup...
Toi: Something smells really nice...?
Ryui: That's probably...
Toi: A bouquet from Nagi-kun...?
Ryui: Yeah.
Toi: Did he run out and buy those in the middle of the night?
Ryui: For some reason he just had that packed in his suitcase. It's weird... no, it's way more than just a little weird...
Toi: Can you bring them over here? I want to smell them up closer.
Ryui: Sure. Do you want to hold it? Here you--
Ryui: ... huh?
Ryui: (All of a sudden the flowers all wilted--)
Toi: ...
Toi: ... I see.
Ryui: Toi...
Toi: ...
Toi: (I've already passed the point of no return.)
Ryui: This is nothing to worry about. I'll just get in contact with Morozumi-san right away, and--
Toi: Ani-sama, will you grab my diary off the desk, please?
Ryui: ... you can take a break from journalling in it just for today, you should rest.
Toi: No, that's not it.
Toi: Here... read this.
Ryui: What is this...?
Toi: Yesterday, I asked Acchama what he had done with the real Oshisha-sama.
Ryui: --!
You want to know about the real Oshisha-sama, then?
Well, naturally, I cut off its ███████ and tore off its ██████, and of course I ate its ██████ whole.
Ahh, and that thing's ████ was delicious. I pulled out all of its ██████ and drank down its ████ until--
Ryui: .... gh! Hah... hah... ah...!!
Toi: ...
Ryui: Then... the original Oshisha has already been killed...?
Ryui: (Then how am I supposed to save Toi...!?)
Toi: ...
Toi: Um, hey, Ani-sama, I said earlier that I hadn't made any deals with Acchama, but to tell you the truth...
Do you want to know how to get your older brother's attention?
Toi: The truth is...
Ryui: ... what is it?
Toi: I'm sorry for hiding it.
Toi: (I'm so sorry, I'm not a good boy after all...)
Ryui: ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you.
Toi: (Ani-sama... thank you for worrying so much about me...)
Toi: Hey, Ani-sama.
Toi: Can we go do something together tomorrow?
Chapter 9
[interior: the HAMA company car, daytime]
Yodaka: I checked their hotel room, but it seems that the twins were already long-gone.
Kaede: Thank you. I suppose it's alright, since we have a free day on the schedule today, but...
Yodaka: It still makes one uneasy, not knowing where they are. When last we saw them yesterday there was a slightly strained atmosphere to it all.
Kaede: My plan to all go for a drive together to lift our spirits turned out to be a bust...
Yodaka: Well, if the other members of the group aren't here, either, so I suppose it's just us.
Nagi: Buchi-san was off for another winter sauna session, and Netaro was wrapped up in his sheets muttering to himself.
Yodaka: Perhaps he was sulking because he didn't get to show off his invention yesterday.
Kaede: Well... I guess there's no point in waiting around, so let's get going.
Kaede: (I hope nothing happens to Toi-kun and Ryui-kun...)
[interior: A local bus]
Toi: ...
Ryui: ...
Toi: Ani-sama, do you want to play with my endless popper toy?
Ryui: Nah, I'm alright.
Bus Passenger Child: Mama, hold me...
Bus Passenger Mother: Alright, here you go, right on my lap.
[Toi gets closer to Ryui]
Toi: ...
Ryui: You sleepy?
Toi: Mmmhm...
Ryui: Then go ahead and sleep.
Toi: (... I can smell Ani-sama's scent.)
Toi: (Ani-sama is still alive...)
[exterior: Oirase Stream Ice Falls, daytime]
Toi: There's nobody else here.
Ryui: Yeah, it's just the two of us.
Toi: Yeah.
Toi: (It's so quiet. It feels like you could just get swept away and disappear at any moment...)
Toi: Ani-sama, give me your hand.
Ryui: Yeah.
Toi: (Let's leave behind some matching footprints. Let's make a mark here.)
Ryui: ...
Toi: (... I wonder what this place will look like in the spring?)
Toi: (I'm sure that any mark we left here together would have disappeared by then.)
Toi: When spring comes-...
Toi: I'd love to take a nice warp nap underneath the cherry blossoms and enjoy the view.
Ryui: Sure.
Toi: And in the summer, we could compare how tall we are to the sunflowers in the field...
Ryui: Yeah.
Toi: And in the autumn, I'd like to take a walk along the tree-lined paths filled up with the lovely scent of the osmanthus flowers.
Ryui: Sounds like a plan.
Toi: (When I breathe in, his scent fills my heart. The scent of life.)
Toi: But to tell the truth, as long as I'm with you, Ani-sama, I'm happy doing anything.
[snow starts to fall]
Ryui: I feel the same way.
Toi: (Pursuing Ani-sama's happiness, celebrating Ani-sama's happiness.)
Toi: (Does such a world exist where we can walk the same path, even if we're not matching?)
Toi: (If it were true, then I should stop time and freeze things just the way they are, before anything can change.)
Toi: (When everyone else has forgotten all about us, let's just melt away into the sea...)
Toi: Promise me that, Ani-sama.
Ryui: Sure.
[exterior: near the mouth of an ice cave, nighttime; the snow is now a blizzard]
Toi: Ani-sama... it's really snowing hard... isn't it?
Toi: Everything is all... pure white...
Toi: (All those matching footprints we left behind were all for nothing...)
Toi: Hah... ah...
Ryui: Toi, let me warm you up--
Toi: Ani-sama, listen to what I have to say.
Toi: I've... changed.
Ryui: ...
Toi: Just like Acchama, I can get rid of monsters super easily. All of the demons that are attracted to you, I can pop them just like bubble wrap.
Toi: Just like Acchama, I love eating blood and liver, and I keep end up getting it all over my hands without even realizing I'm doing it.
Toi: Actually, I've already...
Ryui: I know.
Toi: Huh...?
Ryui: I was using the bubble wrap in my luggage because I was bringing along a bottle of liver paste for you.
Ryui: I replaced the hotel bed sheets while you were in Natsume's room.
Toi: ...
Toi: Then, Ani-sama... you already know that I've been growing into not being a good boy anymore...?
Toi: You know I'm going to change into something hideous... forever?
Ryui: It doesn't matter to me at all if you're a good boy or if you become something hideous.
Ryui: I'll accept any version of you, and I'll be there for you no matter what choice you make. I'll stay by your side no matter what happens.
Ryui: (That's what family means... right?)
Ryui: If you end it all here, then I'll end it with you.
Toi: ...!
Ryui: And if tomorrow comes, and when it does you turn out to become something truly unforgivable, then I'll forgive it all and stand by you through it all.
Toi: ... ... you can't do that.
Toi: You can't... you can't forgive me. I wouldn't... be able to forgive myself for killing both of us.
Toi: (Even though it's come to this...)
Toi: I can't even forgive myself for wanting to live...!
Ryui: Then I'll forgive you... even if I'm the only one who does.
Ryui: I'll love you forever.
Toi: -- ... ...
Toi: ... I wanna...
Toi: I wanna go home... I wanna go... home...
Ryui: Alright. Let's go back together.
Toi: (I want you to stay by my side... no. I want to stay by your side... I--)
Toi: I want to stay by your side forever, Ryui...!
Chapter 10
[dream sequence; exterior, on the shore of a lake at sundown]
Toi: Acchama...
Astaroth: What is it? For what reason do you still live?
Astaroth: Weren't you supposed to end it all here? Weren't you supposed to destroy the ugly thing that you had become by your own hand?
Toi: Yes... at least, that's what I thought.
[flashback to Yodaka and Nagi's hotel room]
Yodaka: Toi, have you considered what you'll do after you've changed?
Toi: After... I've changed...?
Yodaka: If the change is truly inevitable, then it may not be a bad idea to consider what lies ahead.
Yodaka: I've been feeling more and more lately like it's better to let time keep moving forward...
[flashback ends]
Toi: I'm always so scared of change. I have no idea what's going to happen after things start changing.
Toi: But I still want to be by Ani-sama's side.
Toi: I realized that's all I really needed. Ani-sama made me realize that.
Toi: So, Acchama, please, stop the assimilation of your soul with mine.
Astaroth: Fufufu.... ahahahahaha!!
Toi: ...
Astaroth: What exactly do you hope to stop by forestalling the assimilation? Even if I stop, you'll simply freeze to death in a matter of hours. You, and your precious Ani-sama as well!
Toi: That's fine. Ani-sama will figure out what to do.
Astaroth: What utter nonsen--
Toi: I know he will. After all, we're twins who share the same soul.
[dream sequence ends]
[interior: Netaro's hotel room]
Nagi: Hey, Netaro, wake up.
Daniel: C'mon, those weird tracker mole things you put on 'em will let us know where the twins are, right?
Netaro: Zzzzz, snore, honk-shoo...
Yodaka: What a picturesque example of someone dead asleep. Has anyone received any phone calls?
Kaede: No. I've been trying to reach Ryui-kun or Toi-kun for a while now...!
Nagi: My phone doesn't seem to be working, either.
Daniel: Maybe they'll just show back up with no warning any minute now.
Kaede: But we haven't heard from them all day, and the snow outside is getting worse, and it's getting late...
Yodaka: That's true... maybe we should try getting in contact with Morozumi-san, or--
[sfx: phone ringing]
Kaede: ! It's from Ryui-kun...! Hello?
Ryui: [over the phone] ... we're... ... for...
Nagi: The phone signal...
Ryui: [over the phone] To... ... is... ...ing...
Kaede: Ryui-kun, I'm sorry, but I can't make out what you're saying...!
Daniel: Are they out in the mountains or somethin'?
Netaro: [springing into frame] Aha! I can sense something exciting is happening!
Yodaka: Netaro, you're awake.
Netaro: And just like that, I slapped the "Signal-Boosting Phone Antennae" that I made in 18 seconds flat after waking up right onto Big Cheese's phone!
Ryui: [over the phone] Shit... oi, Chief, can you hear me now?
Kaede: Ryui-kun! Alright, you're coming in loud and clear!
[sfx: wind roaring over the phone]
Daniel: Hey, hold up, I'm hearin' some real weird noises. Where the heck are you guys--?
Ryui: [over the phone] We're near the Oirase Stream. But there's a really terrible blizzard going on...
Yodaka: Are you both okay?
Ryui: [over the phone] For the time being. I don't have time to get into it right now. I'm sorry, but it'd be great if you could come get us...!
Kaede: Got it! We'll head right over, keep your GPS on!
Nagi: Who'd have thought it would have been so useful for those ice bar patrons to share their recommendations for snow tires?
[exterior: Oirase Stream Ice Falls; blizzarding]
Ryui: Hah... ah... Toi, just hold on. We'll be back soon.
Ryui: Goddammit, I can't see shit...!
[Ryui takes off his eyepatch]
Ryui: (And the terrain is really uneven too, so if we're not careful, we'll fall over in a heartbeat. But I don't have time to waste...!)
[black fog fades in]
Demon A: Niozururui nyaka puwousururu
Ryui: Is this really the fucking time!?
Demon B: Biuuuiizazanachi oroirorororo
Demon C: Dokokokoko ni dokokokokokakaka dokodoko tebotokokokokkko
Ryui: There's too many of them...!
[black fog clears up]
Ryui: ...? What just...?
Toi: ...
Ryui: ...!
Ryui: (What's going on? There's white threads all over Toi's body, like he's being spun up into a cocoon...?)
Ryui: Toi! Toi!!
Toi: ...
Ryui: Dammit...! Is this something that bastard demon is doing!?
Ryui: (But this is way beyond what I can handle on my own. The only thing I can do is try to get Morozumi-san to help, and in order to do that...)
Many Demons: Miiiiiiiirekororogeggyagyagyagyakyakyakya!!
Ryui: ... fine. If they're gonna come, then let them come at me.
Ryui: Come hell or high water, I'm going to get Toi back safely...!
[dream sequence; exterior, on the shore of a lake at sundown]
Astaroth: Are you sure about that? Without my power, you won't be able to see the future anymore.
Astaroth: The Shiramitsu family will be fall into disgrace, and you will be cast out as well.
Toi: You misunderstand. I don't want to get rid of you entirely.
Astaroth: Pardon...?
Toi: I want to keep you inside me, Acchama. But I don't want you to take me over entirely, and I don't want to keep being afraid that you're going to change me.
Toi: (When I think about it, I've only ever done things for others, and passively accepted the things that are done to me.)
Toi: (But I don't want to be like that anymore.)
Toi: I'm going to be your equal, Acchama...!
Astaroth: Do you really think you can?
Toi: Yeah.
Astaroth: Oh, my, and how do you plan to do that? Do you plan to make me bow to your whims?
Toi: ...
Astaroth: Stealing for oneself, overturning other peoples' will, subjugating others... humans love doing that kind of thing, don't you?
Astaroth: Of course, I suppose one so timid and passive as yourself probably wants to try and resolve this simply by talking and running your mouth, but--
Toi: Alright. We'll have a strength contest, you and me, Acchama.
Toi: If that's what it takes to stay with Ani-sama, then I'll do anything!
Astaroth: Ahahaha! Well, then, show me what you can do!
[dream sequence ends]
[exterior: tree-lined path, snowing hard]
Ryui: Alright, we made it to the road...! What about those monsters...?!
??? Rumble... rumble... crunch... crunch...
Ryui: --...
Ryui: (That huge monster is eating all the others...!)
Huge Demon: Gr.... grr...
Ryui: (Please, just don't notice us...)
Huge Demon: ... t... gi.... rrrOOAOAOAAAAA!!!
Ryui: -- ! Shit...!
Huge Demon: Guoooooogh!
[black fog fades away, dispelled by a strike from something]
Ryui: Huh, what just...?
???: ....
Ryui: (Some kind of .... glowing animal...? Did it just protect me and drive that huge thing back?)
Ryui: Whoa--!
Ryui: (... it vanished? I thought it was rushing right for me... but, more importantly...!)
Huge Demon: Rororororororo....
Ryui: What's this fucking thing's deal...!
Huge Demon: Yoparagroyaageeeeee!
Ryui: (No, at least spare Toi--!)
[sfx: car screeching to a sudden halt, THUMP]
[interior: inside the HAMA house company car]
Nagi: ... uh oh. I think I hit something.
Yodaka: Oh, my.
Netaro: You're gonna get a tiickeeeeet!
Chapter 11
[interior: HAMA tours office, daytime]
Toi: Chief! Thank you for all your hard work!
Kaede: Toi-kun! Tomorrow is finally the day for the 15th ward's feature tour.
Kaede: The final checks on mahorova all seem to be going well so far... but that said, all that's really thanks to Nayuki-kun doing all the work.
Nayuki: I don't mind. But instead of just standing around watching, why don't you try and at least appear to be helping out?
Daniel: No, no, I'm sure I'd just cause problems, like if I had problems logging in like I did the other day. How 'bout a shoulder massage, instead, bossman?
Kaede: You're the same as ever... Anyway, Toi-kun, can I help you with something?
Toi: Yes. I wanted to deliver the weekly report tape to you before the event actually happens.
Kaede: Thank you. Consider it gratefully accepted.
Toi: Alright, then, I'm gonna go to Nagi-kun's bouquet-making class today~!
[Toi leaves]
Kaede: ... I'm glad that Toi-kun seems to be feeling better.
Nayuki: I heard that he had to be taken to the hospital for a severe case of hypothermia on the last day of your training trip...
Daniel: But then by the next day he was totally recovered. The doctor was as surprised as we were.
Nayuki: I'm glad it didn't turn out to be more serious than it was. Now, then, I hope that tomorrow's event will be a success. Let's do everything in our power to prepare for it.
Kaede: I agree. But I need a little bit of a break, so I may go listen to Toi-kun's tape.
[exterior: the roof, daytime]
Kaede: (... Toi's weekly report, after he came back in such a sorry state with Ryui-kun on our training trip... I wonder what he possibly could have recorded...)
[pressing play]
Toi: [recording] Umm... first, Chief, I'm sorry for causing everyone so much trouble.
Toi: [recording] You and Yodaka-san were worried about me and you didn't even ask me any questions when you ran into me barefoot in the hotel hallway, let alone when I came back from nearly getting lost with Ani-sama...
Toi: [recording] But, anyway, I was able to sort out some things that have been bothering me for a while.
Toi: [recording] Maybe you were what gave me the courage to say things that I had been unable to say for so long. Even if maybe... the way I said them wasn't the best way to say them.
Kaede: (For sure, that was certainly the first time I'd ever seen Toi-kun and Ryui-kun argue like that.)
Kaede: (But, since they're brothers, I'm sure that's bound to happen. I don't think that's strange at all. Heck, I fight with Momiji sometimes, too!)
Toi: [recording] I... like I said to you and Yodaka-san, I was scared that I was going to change.
Toi: [recording] But, Ani-sama helped me think about what might happen after the change happens, like Yodaka-san said I should. And then...
Toi: [recording] I realized what my real feelings were. It's not that I want Ani-sama to stay by my side, it's that I want to stay by his side.
Kaede: (... I wonder if that was what happened on the day of the snowstorm?)
Toi: [recording] The difference between those two things is small, but it's a really important difference to me.
Toi: [recording] So I hope that on this tour, everyone can enjoy 'a journey about facing your inner feelings'.
Toi: [recording] Chief, please watch over the hospitality that Ani-sama and I offer until the very end, okay?
Kaede: Toi-kun... I feel like you're feeling a lot better now, not just in body, but in spirit, too.
Kaede: (In the end, we still don't really know the details about what's going on with Ryui-kun and Toi-kun's family, but...)
[flashback to the izakaya with Morozumi]
Ryui: ... well, those who don't already know are probably gonna be happier remaining ignorant. [flashback ends]
Kaede: (I think it would be kindest for both of us to just admit it's okay not to understand.)
Kaede: (But if someday you'd like to tell us more, I'll do my best to help any way I can.)
Kaede: (So for now, I'll do my best to help the both of them have fun and be happy...!)
[interior: HAMA dorm hallway]
Nagi: Ah. Ryui.
Ryui: What do you want. I've got to get up early tomorrow, so I'm trying to go to sleep early.
Nagi: I'm sorry I didn't answer the phone when you called.
Ryui: Called?
Nagi: The day that you and Toi got lost in that snowstorm. You didn't just call the chief, you tried to call me, too. I saw it in my call history.
Ryui: ...
[flashback to the hotel room]
Yodaka: Has anyone received any phone calls?
Kaede: No. I've been trying to reach Ryui-kun or Toi-kun for a while now...!
Nagi: My phone doesn't seem to be working, either.
[flashback ends]
Nagi: At the time, I thought I had no signal, but I realized afterwards that I had just accidentally set my phone to airplane mode.
Ryui: ... figured it was something like that.
Nagi: So, I'm sorry. And thank you for relying on me.
Ryui: ... don't get weird about it. It just so happened that your contact info was near the top of the list on my phone.
Nagi: But, I think you should apologize to everyone else, too. You ran off without telling us where you were going; we were all worried.
Ryui: That's... ... you don't have to tell me to do that. I was gonna apologize at some point.
Nagi: Well... do you want to practice your enunciation just in case? Like, "I'm sorry, I'm so super sorry, my deepest apologies, please forgive me, I'll do anything to gain your favor, please just spare my life"...
Ryui: What kind of tongue twister is that!?
[Exterior: mahorova exterior]
Hassaku: So, then... Ward 15's tour is being held in a metaverse space, just like Ward 11's was.
Hassaku: Last time it was an escape room game set in the desert, but I wonder what entertainment they'll have on offer this time...
Yunyun: Oh? Hey, mister, you came to our store during the first tour, didn't you?
Hassaku: Hmm... and you are?
Yunyun: I work at Yumejuya in the 17th ward.
Hassaku: I see... so you remember the faces even of one-time customers. That's quite impressive for one as young as yourself.
Yunyun: Ah, it's nothing special. Hope you continue to support us!
Yunyun: So, old man, you doing this tour, too? Do you visit HAMA often?
Hassaku: A-ahem, well, for work, sometimes.
Kaede: The entrance for the "Original Snowglobe & Snow Hut Coccoon" Tour, sponsored by HAMA Tours, is right over here!
Daniel: The temperature has been lowered a bit within the tour area, so make sure you've got your avatar dressed up warm ahead of time.
Yunyun: Oh, wow, Hiroshi's actually doing his job.
Hassaku: Well, let's go and try it right away.
Chapter 12
[exterior: snowy path lined by trees (within mahorova)]
Yunyun: Whoa, it's really snowy. Not as cold as it looks like it'd be, though.
Tourist A: You don't see snow like this very often when you live in the city, so this is a really refreshing experience!
Tourist B: Isn't there a novel that starts something like, "when we emerged from the tunnel, we found ourselves in a snow-covered land"?
Hassaku: Well, though this tour was advertised with snow huts, I don't see anything of the sort nearby.
Yodaka: Before you head into our snow huts, please take a look at these snowglobes.
Tourist C: Wah~, it's so cute, it fits right in the palm of your hand.
Tourist D: It glows a little and it's warm to the touch.
Hassaku: Hm... but there doesn't seem to be anything inside?
Yodaka: That will be explained later. Now, please go on just a little further.
Yodaka: And thank you for coming, too.
Yunyun: Well, how'm I supposed to refuse when I get an invitation straight from the manager?
Yodaka: I was sure you would simply dodge the question again when I asked.
Yunyun: ... did you want me to flake out?
Yodaka: Not at all. I'm very happy.
Yunyun: Weeelp, now I'm wondering if I wasn't actually supposed to show up. Well, then, let's get moving.
Yodaka: Yes. Have a good time.
Nagi: Everyone who received a snowglobe, please gather over here.
Tourist E: Wow, there are a bunch of miniature chairs and desks and other litle bits of furniture all lined up.
Netaro: Here, you can put lots'a stuff inside your snowglobe and decorate it however you like!
Yunyun: Hmmm, I actually really love this kind of stuff. I wonder what kind of room I should make?
Nagi: You don't necessarily have to make a room. If, for example, you have a favorite tree, or a field of flowers, you can put that in as well. Just make sure it's something that really appeals to you.
Tourist F: Alright, then, I wanna make my dream gamer room.
Tourist G: I really love animals, so maybe I'll try making a farm.
Netaro: Hey, old man, whatcha gonna do?
Hassaku: !? Don't suddenly get your face up so close to mine...!
Hassaku: (This is Yowa Netaro-kun from the Psychadelic Meat Bun Cafe, right?)
Hassaku: Well, let's see... I think I'm going to put this comfortable-looking bench in.
Nagi: Once you've finished, please go on ahead. It is time for the long-awaited snow huts.
Hassaku: (Walking together along this quiet snowy road, each of us holding these glowing little snowglobes in our hands... it feels almost like a priest's pilgrimage.)
Hassaku: I wonder what kind of scene awaits us ahead?
[exterior: an array of lit up, coccoon-like structures (mahorova)]
Toi: Thank you for coming on the tour that Ani-sama and I put together! Did you enjoy making your snowglobe?
Toi: It's a little cold out here. Please come and warm yourselves up inside our snow huts!
Hassaku: Wow, there are so many coccoon-like snow huts all over the place...!
Hassaku: (But judging from the looks of the ones that are already inhabited, the interiors are all different...)
Hasskau: Ah! Impossible...!
Ryui: Please place the snowglobe you made down anywhere you like. Once you put it down, take a step back and wait a moment.
Hassaku: Well then, I'll put mine here...
Hassaku: --!! The snowglobe is rapidly growing in size...!
Yunyun: So that's what you meant by 'Original Snow Hut', huh?
Ryui: Yup. Well, enjoy your stay.
Hassaku: Hmm... well, maybe I should have made the interior a bit more elaborate than just a simple bench...?
Hassaku: Well, then, I suppose I'll take a look inside and see for myself.
Hassaku: Well, it's warm inside. There was no need to make us walk along that snowy road after--
Hassaku: ... no, I understand.
Hassaku: (The idea is to create a deeper sense of comfort in a space that you made with your own hands.)
Hassaku: I appreciate the thought that went into it. ... hm...!?
Hassaku: The scenery around me has completely changed...!? This is...!
[exterior: HAMA harbor]
Hassaku: ...
Hassaku: (I see. So this is where I am.)
Hassaku: This bench is... the place an old friend and I once talked about our dreams together...
Hassaku: Perhaps I was subconsciously thinking about that when I made that choice...
[exterior: the snowclobe coccoons]
Tourist F: ... I remember now. Right when I first moved in, I was able to stream in a room exactly as nice as this one... when I get home, maybe I'll clean up some of those empty plastic bottles I've got lying all around...
Tourist G: This is... the ranch my parents used to take me to. I haven't seen them at all since we fought and I left home... maybe I should get in touch...
Yunyun: ... haha. I didn't think that hard about it when I was making mine, but I guess it ended up looking just like the interior of Yumejuya.
Yunyun: (A familiar place that hasn't changed a bit.. I think we're fine just like this.)
Hassaku: ... I see now.
Hassaku: (I suppose that everyone is retreating into their own inner world, remembering the places they hold dear in their hearts, and using that as the catalyst for...)
Hassaku: So this is what they call cocooning, huh...?
Toi: ...
Ryui: Toi.
Toi: What is it?
Ryui: What would you put in your snowglobe if you were making one?
Toi: Hehe. You know the answer without even having to ask.
Ryui: No? I don't know at all. I want to hear it directly from you.
Toi: Well, then, I suppose I have to. If I were making one...
Toi: As long as I have you with me, Ani-sama, I don't need anything else.
Epilogue
[interior: HAMA house dining hall]
Kaede: That's a wrap, the feature tour was a success!
Nagi: So, we wanted to thank everyone for their hard work and have a little celebration with the souveniers we brought back from Aomori...
Toi: This apple butter sandwich is so yummy! Here, Ani-sama, you try some, too! Say aaah.
Ryui: Mm. ... it really is good. Do you want some of mine? Here, say aah.
Nagi: ... they've already created a space where nobody else exists but them.
Yodaka: I'm glad they're back to normal.
Daniel: I'm sure that's a good thing, but also, looking at them is giving me a hernia.
[sfx: phone ringing]
Ryui: ... ah, sorry, this is from Morozumi-san.
Toi: That's fine, don't worry about it, go take the call.
[Ryui leaves]
Netaro: So shall I take Ryui's place and open up wide~? Here we have my new "Infinite Feeding Spoon, Just Like You're a Mother Bird Feeding a Chick"!
Toi: No, I'm good.
Netaro: Completely shut down!
Toi: But Netaro-san, I have something more important to ask you. What does the word "apoptosis" mean?
The doctor was surprised that I didn't have any signs of frostbite anywhere on my body.
I caused apoptosis to forestall it before you died.
What's "apoptosis"?
Hey, come on, tell me.
Acchama, c'mon...
Netaro: Apoptosis is, put simply, the destruction of cells spurred via an internal signal.
Netaro: It's sort of like the opposite of necrosis, which is generally what people think about when they think of "cell death"-- when a cell is destroyed due to an accident or other external factors.
Toi: So there's a difference between cells being destroyed from the inside-out, and dying?
Netaro: For example, apoptosis is what happens inside the cocoon when a silkworm transforms into a moth. The fact that the old cells are being destroyed doesn't mean the silkworm is dying, right?
Toi: Right.
Netaro: In humans, it's also apoptosis when the webbed structures start disappearing in the womb!
Toi: Hmm.
Netaro: You got that?
Toi: Hmm... well, kind of.
Toi: (So... does that mean that Acchama was protecting me somehow?)
Toi: (I feel like he wasn't using anywhere near his full power in our strength contest...)
Toi: (But for now, I guess I'm just glad that my relationships with both Ani-sama and with Acchama have gone back to normal.)
[interior: HAMA tours lounge]
Ryui: Hello?
Morozumi: [on phone] Hello, I hope you are doing well? Ah, is Toi-san doing alright?
Ryui: He seems to be feeling better the past few days, and his apptetite is back. It was like you said; that weird coccoon stuff that surrounded Toi wasn't a bad thing after all.
Morozumi: [on phone] Well, I am glad it turned out fine.
Ryui: But I doubt that's all you wanted to call about.
Morozumi: [on phone] Ah, yes. I have things to share with you about the matter of Oshisha-sama.
Ryui: I already told you about Toi's diary. Oshisha is already...
Morozumi: [on phone] Yes, part of the original god, Oshisha-sama, was definitely killed. However...
Morozumi: [on phone] It seems to have turned out that Oshisha-sama was not a single god, but rather twin deities.
Ryui: Huh...?
Morozumi: [on phone] According to the legend...
Morozumi: [on phone] A long time ago, a girl and a horse she fell in love with became an abominable couple, and so were killed. Their souls of the mated couple needed to be appeased, and so Oshisha was enshrined. And that is how it began.
Ryui: So the one that got killed... was either just the girl's soul or just the horse's?
Morozumi: [on phone] Just so. So, where is the remaining god? That is what I am trying to find out.
Morozumi: [on phone] If it still exists, then surely it bears a strong grudge; strengthening it and drawing out its power may be the key to destroying Astaroth.
Ryui: ... I see.
Morozumi: [on phone] If I am able to find out anything else, I will get in contact with you.
Ryui: Yeah. Please do.
[sfx: beep]
Ryui: A grudge-bearing god, huh...?
Ryui: Even if it's a god, if its soul is that stained black with hate, then that's something that needs to be handled really carefully.
Ryui: (I guess the only way to truly purge Astaroth from this world is with a little bit of help... now, where is it...?)
Ryui: If it's out there, if it could gimme a sign or someth--
i wILL nEVer FoRGiVE yOU
Ryui: !?
Ryui: (Just now, inside my head--)
Toi: Ah, Ani-sama, here you are!
Ryui: Toi? Did you hear something just now...?
Toi: ?
Ryui: Am I imagining things...?
Toi: Are you done talking on the phone yet? 'Cuz Netaro-san's gonna eat all of the tasty souveniers from Aomori.
Ryui: Well, we can't let him do that. Let's hurry back.
Toi: Yeah!
Toi: (I'll stay like this with Ani-sama...)
Ryui: (I'll be like this, with Toi...)
Toi: (From now on, we'll walk side by side at the same pace...)
Ryui: (From the moment we were born and into the future...)
Toi: (For as long as I wish...)
Ryui: (For as long as I can possibly imagine...)
Ryui and Toi: (Forever, I'm sure of it...)
End
Jakkal's 18Trip Translation Index
Translator's Remarks
Please take all of this with the grain of salt that I simply did some basic Google-fu in Japanese to determine this and I am not an expert on basically anything Shinto-related and didn't really get into what, if anything, was posted in English.
Oshisha-sama is clearly meant to be a thinly veiled adaptation of the ie no kami Oshira-sama, a household deity; specifically, their backstory is basically a 1:1 reference to the version of Oshira's legend from Tohoku (the northern region of Honshu, of which Aomori is a part). Please remember that since Oshira is not a narrative construct in a mobile game and Oshisha is, they're not sticking 100% to the historical record about this kami and are definitely going to deviate from it for dramatic purposes, lol. Anyway, some remarks below.
Relevant Remarks WRT Oshira-sama (Click or Tap to Reveal)