#TA first translation prize

[jokeroutsubs]

Joker Out Masterpost for new fans

New fan of Joker Out? Say no more! 

Getting to know a new artist you’ve found can be intimidating if it’s all in another language, so we’ve compiled some of our favourite interviews, articles and lore here! You’ve arrived in a wonderful fanbase, welcome from all of us here at JokerOutSubs! 

If you’d just like a short overview of the band and their history, you can watch this excellent Finnish summary of them that we’ve translated (14m 53s).

But if you want to dive into the details, then check out our timeline, full of videos and articles translated by JokerOutSubs! 

Timeline graphic:

Timeline in details below the cut 👇

Timeline in details: 

How did the band form? 

Joker Out was formed from two bands, Apokalipsa and Buržuazija. 

Apokalipsa included Bojan Cvjetićanin (vocals), Martin Jurkovič (bass) and Matic Kovačič (drums) 

They gained some traction with young people around Slovenia, particularly with their song 'Mogoče' ('Maybe'), which you can watch on YouTube here.

They came to the attention of Kris Guštin, who was inspired to start learning guitar! He discusses the details in this video (at 9:40). 

Kris then met Jan Peteh, another student of his guitar teacher, and at their teachers advice, they formed the band Buržuazija. 

Bojan attended their second ever gig in 2016, and decided these two excellent guitarists were exactly what had been missing from Apokalipsa, as he wasn’t happy with their current guitarists. He asked them to join, and they accepted

The new lineup (Bojan, Jan, Kris, Martin and Matic) decided to rename themselves Joker Out. The name means nothing, but they thought it sounded good and was the ‘least horrible’ of all the ideas they could think of. 

So, in 2016, Joker Out was officially formed! 

November 2016, Kot srce ki kri poganja: 

Joker Out’s first music video was for their song ‘Kot srce ki kri poganja’ ('Like a heart that pumps blood'), filmed in Jan’s hometown of Vrhnika! We eventually got this song on Spotify on their 2023 album Live from Arena Stožice!

Music video: Kot srce ki kri poganja

English Interview (from 3:37 to 6:05): Joker Out discusses filming the music video

June 2017, Špil Liga:

One of the earliest performances for Joker Out was at Špil Liga, a competition for young bands in Slovenia. They won, and recorded their winning song, Omamljeno telo (intoxicated body) in November as part of the prize. 

Live (33m): Joker Out at Špil liga

Interview (5m): Reflections on Špil Liga in 2023 

c.2017/18, Bojan’s attempt at going solo:

The band took a hiatus c.2017/18, and Bojan considered going solo at that time, even working with a few producers. He eventually realised that he belonged with the band! Hear him tell the story:

Reel (1m 23s): A1 Vajb - Bojan’s fail

2019, A change up for the band:

The band began working with their current producer, Žare Pak, and their videographer Mark Pirc, in 2019 - both of whom have been referred to as the sixth member of the band. This led to a change in their sound and production quality, which culminated in ‘Gola’ ('Naked'), the first of their songs to be a big hit!

Music video: Gola

Zlata piščal ('Golden Flute') - Best New Artist 2019:

Joker Out won their first Zlata piščal award in 2019, for best new artist (one of many they’d go on to win!) This is a kind of Slovenian Grammy! Covid interrupted the proceedings, but you can see their interview for it here (3m 59s)- 

Interview: Joker Out wins a Zlata piščal ('Golden Flute') for Best New Artist 2019

Umazane misli, and a new member: 

During the Covid times, the band began recording their first studio album, 'Umazane misli' ('Dirty thoughts'), which was originally going to be released in March 2020 but was repeatedly delayed until October 2021. The first half was recorded with drummer Matic Kovačič, but the band felt they needed something extra and brought in Jure Maček to help write the arrangements. They loved him so much, he never left! 

Interview (from 10:40 to 11:36): Bojan talks briefly about Jure joining the band

COVID times, and Cvetličarna: 

The band had arranged to do two concerts at Cvetličarna, a very important venue in Slovenia and a big break for them. This was delayed several times due to Covid, but eventually managed to go ahead in October 2021 for the release of their first album. 

Video (1m 14s): Cvetličarna promotional video

Live (1h 28m): Joker Out at Cvetličarna

Interview (34m 55s): Bojan discusses Cvetličarna, its importance, and Covid

Umazane misli album launch: 

'Umazane misli' was extremely well received! The band would go on to win two more Zlata piščal awards, Newcomers of the Year in 2020 and Artist of the Year in 2021.

Interview (37m 08s): Umazane misli album presentation

An acting career for Bojan? 

Around the same time as 'Umazane misli' was released, Bojan began considering an acting career. He acted in two episodes of the series ‘Gospod Professor’ and in another series, which was eventually reworked as a film called ‘Kaj pa Ester’ and released in December 2023. He decided music was his passion though, and he wanted to fully focus on that. 

Interview (from 10:04 to 11:30): Bojan discusses his acting career

Interview (2m 11s): Kaj pa Ester interview

Interview (2m 30s): Kaj pa Ester première

Article: Bojan on Kaj pa Ester

September 2022, Križanke:

The band got straight to work writing their second album, 'Demoni' ('Demons'), and decided to present it in September 2022 at Križanke, another hugely important venue in Slovenia. This whole concert wasn’t recorded, but we have an interesting advertisement they did for it, an interview and a clip of one song live from Križanke! 

Video (5m 4s): Full Joker Out Hotline trailers

Interview (2m 16s): Joker Out with parachutes to Križanke?

Live (4m 7s): 'Novi val' ('New wave') live at Križanke

Interview (44m 35s): Demoni album presentation

Another new member! 

After Križanke at the end of 2022, Martin Jurkovič, one of the founding members of the band, made the decision to leave to focus on his studies.

Video (2m 20s): Martin's departure

Thankfully, he was replaced by the wonderful Nace Jordan, who remains the bassist in the current lineup.

Article: Nace Jordan discusses joining the band

2023, Eurovision:

Joker Out were then internally selected to go to Eurovision 2023, and began recording their Eurovision song, 'Carpe Diem', in Hamburg in December 2022. To learn more, you can watch the Carpe Diem series, a documentary series which followed their entire journey. 

The first episode, recording Carpe Diem, can be found with subtitles in multiple languages by JokerOutSubs!

Video (16m 41s): Carpe Diem Ep. 1 - Hamburg

The band performed their song for the first time live on Misija Liverpool, a televised debut, on the 4th February 2023.

Video (27m): Joker Out performing at Misija Liverpool

There are quite literally hundreds of interviews with Joker Out during the Eurovision era. Here's one from just before the final, that we have translated.

Interview: Joker Out before the final on the 13th May

And a few English interviews that became famous in the fanbase! 

Interview (24m 29s): Eurovanja

Interview (8m 10s): Seize the Day situations

Interview (17m 18s): Tiktok Live

Interview (6m 30s): ‘Never have I ever’

Interview (14m 12s): Madrid Eurovision

Result

Joker Out came 21st at Eurovision, which they were satisfied with.

Interview (1m 36s): Bojan talks about their results

European tour and Sunny Side of London (22nd September)

Luckily, the best was still to come for Joker Out! The rest of 2023 was spent on an extremely successful European tour, and they also released their first English single, 'Sunny Side of London', in September. 

We at JokerOutSubs were also thrilled to interview the band twice on their tour!

Original Interview (15m 25s): JokerOutSubs interview in Tampere

Original Interview (14m 37s): JokerOutSubs interview in Poznań

6th of October 2023, Stožice:

All of this, however, was building up to Stožice. This is the biggest closed venue in Slovenia and Joker Out managed to sell out their October show there - an extremely important milestone for Slovenian artists. 

Interview (15m 4s): Stožice and their whirlwind post Eurovision career

Live: Full concert live-streamed part 1 and part 2

A lovely moment at Stožice was when former members Martin Jurkovič and Matic Kovačič joined the band onstage to perform 'Kot srce ki kri poganja'!

Interview (2m 4s): Martin and Matic discuss the experience

Interview (5m 9s): Joker Out post Stožice impressions

London era and Everybody’s Waiting: 

Joker Out spent the beginning of 2024 in London, where they wrote new music, did live cooking shows on Instagram and met the incredibly talented photographer, Damon Baker, who did a beautiful series of photoshoots with them. They also released their next English single, 'Everybody’s Waiting', in February. 

They sat down with us at JokerOutSubs to discuss all this on the 20th February!

Original Interview (59m 13s): JokerOutSubs interview in London

March and April 2024, ‘See you soon’ tour:

The boys then embarked on the ‘See you Soon’ tour, another very successful European tour. They played three new songs live during the tour, two of which we translated from the concert videos of our members!

Live:  First performance of 'Bluza' ('Blouse')

Live: First performance of the hugely popular 'Šta bih ja' ('What would I')

We at JokerOutSubs also interviewed the band a fourth time in Padova!

Original Interview (22m 7s): JokerOutSubs interview in Padova

Now you know a little bit about Joker Out’s history, let’s look a little bit at the members of the band as individuals! 

Who are the members?

Bojan Cvjetićanin - singer

Charming, charismatic and an all round green flag, deep down we’re all Bojan girlies! See him here on Cosmopolitan's Blind date, Portrait with Coffee and a lovely interview he did for Delo! 

Interview (8m 49s): Cosmopolitan's Blind date

Interview (18m 3s): Portrait with Coffee

Article: “If we believed that we were “kings”, that wouldn’t be us”

Jan Peteh - guitarist

The mysterious mathematician of the band, Jan and his cat Igor have stolen the hearts of the fanbase. Here he is on Undercover Mathematician and on Metropolitan podcast with ex bassist Martin! 

Interview (3m 26s): Undercover mathematician

Interview (43m 57s): Jan and Martin on Metropolitan podcast

Kris Guštin - guitarist

Known for his organisational expertise, 'slay pose' and 'cake baking skills,' Kris stays fabulous on and off stage!

Video (1m 5s): NGVOT backstory (Kris’ breakup) at Cvetličarna

Article: Interview with the entire Guštin family

Jure Maček - drummer

Described consistently by his band mates as ‘čaga’ (party), Jure brings a chaotic energy to Joker Out that we love to see!

Video (41s): Jure’s cheating (in school!) story

Interview (18m 3s): Sunday Chat on Radio 94

Nace Jordan - bassist

The oldest member of Joker Out, Nace is a genuine sweetheart who fit like a glove into Joker Out despite joining much later! 

Article: "Enriched by a special [Eurovision] experience"

Interview (18m 24s): Interview with JokerOutSubs in Umag

Get to know the whole band! 

They mostly do interviews together, so here are some of our favourites!

Interview (16m 52s): Vičstock Unplugged

Video (7m 3s): Joker Out pre-Križanke Instagram Q&A compilation

Interview (54m 42s): Multisciplinary panel at Bežigrad High School

Article: Joker Out for DELO

Article: Joker Out for Mladina magazine

Interview (6m 42s): Joker Out for RTV SLO

Interview (1h 1m): Joker Out for N1 podkast

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about our favourite band! 

If you’d like even MORE translated interviews, articles and Instagram stories, you can find us on Tumblr, X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify under the name JokerOutSubs!

P.S: If you wish to share this post with new fans, we also provided QR codes!

[rk-ocs]

Yugioh abridged ebonics ep5

---.

Yugioh abridged ebonics translated script episode 5

Yo YAMI: (holding uh bawx o' cereal) Yu-Gi-awww! iz sponsored by Yugios. dey're Yugi-licious. Wait uh minute— "Yugi-licious"? iz dat even uh werd?

OFF-SCREEN VOICE: It lets da kids know dat dey're tasty!

YAMI: yeea , but "Yugi-licious"? is dey supposed ta taste like Yugi or somethin`?

OFF-SCREEN VOICE: Yami...

YAMI: How exactly do you go 'bouttesting somethin` like dat? ah mean, besides da obvious method...

OFF-SCREEN VOICE: Just... say... da line... you amateur.

YAMI: Fine. Yugios! Apparently, dey're Yugi-licious! otay, where's muh motha fuckin [bleep]ing paycheck?

(New Title Sequence plays, wif theme rap from da original Yu-Gi-awww! (season 0) anime ("Kawaita Sakebi"). Yugi puts his deck in his pocket an' whips his belt 'bfoe transforming into Yami, who do uh Mind Crush.)

At Duelist Kingdom

JOEY: Even though ah'm da clear underdog in dis here tournament, da fact dat ah'm uh main character fine ass much assures me uh place in da finals!

TÉA: yeea , but da fact dat you uh comic relief character means dat you can't possibly win!

JOEY: (falls ova anime style) Nyeheheh...

YUGI: He's just overly excited, cuz dis here iz da first episode dat actually revolves around his character.

TRISTAN: ah can't wait until ah git muh motha fuckin own episode!

(crickets)

TRISTAN: It's never gonna happen, iz it?

TÉA: Do da werdz "robot monkey" mean anythin` ta you?

JOEY: It's at times like dis here dat ah actually miss hanging out wif muh motha fuckin sister.

Flashback

SERENITY: Where is we's, Joey? Where is you taking me, big brudda?

JOEY: ta da beach! dat's what you said you wanted, right?

SERENITY: Actually, ah'd much  be at home playing video games.

JOEY: we's be going ta da beach.

SERENITY: Joey, you da world's bomb brudda. Maybe one day, you'll win uh card game tournament ta he`p fix muh motha fuckin eyesight.

JOEY: Sorry, ah didn't hear dat. yo' voice iz just too high-pitched.

SERENITY: ah love you, Joey.

JOEY: Nope, ah didn't catch dat either.

SERENITY: Can we's go home now?

JOEY: Seriously, stop jivin', ya dum broad!

End flashback

JOEY: (thinkin`) ah promise ya sis, ah promise dat ah'll win dis here tournament an' git da prize money. Then you'll be able ta afford speaking lessons, an' you'll learn ta jive pimp-tight, like what ah do.

MAI (offscreen): You lost, crybaby, now give me yo' star chips!

TÉA: Since dere's only one other beotch character on dis here island, dat has ta be Mai.

(Mai an' da duelist she defeated is in front o' uh duel ring. Mai iz seen laughing, although her laughter iz not heard, as she holds up her glove o' star chips, including those she took from da loser.)

LOSER: It's not fair! ah thought disguising myself as uh bee would he`p me ta win!

JOEY: Ain't it uh little unfair fo' uh grown beotch ta go around challenging chil'ns at card games?

MAI: Wow, Yugi, you gots such small hands.

She takes his hand, an' Téa goes deez nuts. da "alert" sound from Metal Gear Solid iz heard as Mai grabs Yugi's hand

MAI: ah like dat in uh nigga.

TÉA: (in strange robotic voice) Back off, beotch, he's mine!

MAI: muh motha fuckin titties challenge you ta uh duel!

JOEY: Samurai Warrior nigga! Attack her Winged Aerobics Instructor!

YUGI: Wait, Joey! In dis here episode, flying monsters gots an advantage ova land-based monsters fo' nahh adequately explored reason!

JOEY: How did ya summon dat monster without even looking at ya card?

MAI: ah gots ESP.

JOEY: Woah! Too much 411, beotch!

MAI: ESP! Not PMS!!

JOEY: awww, so you psychic.

MAI: Bingo. an' it's not uh trick, so don' even bother trying ta figure it out.

JOEY: Wait uh minute, you just sprayed all yo' cards wif perfume!

MAI: nahh way! How could an amateur punk like you see through muh motha fuckin aroma strategy?

JOEY: It sho iz lucky ah don' still gots dat cold from da previous episode, otherwise ah wouldn't gots been able ta notice somethin` like dat.

TÉA: Joey needs he`p, Yugi! Transform into yo' phat alter-ego!

YUGI: Ta-dada-da-dadaa! Puberty Power! (transforms into Yami)

YAMI: don' let her boobies distract you, Joey! You can defeat her. Her cards share one very distinct weakness.

JOEY: wut dat?

YAMI: dey've all been censored by 4Kids.

'bfoe an' afta shots o' Cyber Bondage appear, along wif da subtitle (nipples = bad, kids)

JOEY: dat's right! Wif da power o' 4Kids an' sexism, ah can win dis here duel! tyme Roulette GO! (summons tyme Wizard)

da tyme Wizard attacks, an' da tyme Warp song plays.

JOEY: Thousand Dragon! Destroy all three o' her Harpies at once!

TRISTAN: don' anyone in dis here tournament know da rules ta dis here game?

MAI: How... could ah lose... ta such an amateur?

JOEY: dat's just what ya git fo' being uh beotch. Wif girly parts.

YAMI: Well done, Joey. You won yo' first real duel. Just remember dat you nuttin' without me. nuttin'!

JOEY: Hooray fo' censorship! (da 4Kids TV logo appears above him)

End

Stinger:

YAMI: (as Luke Skywalker) yo' overconfidence iz yo' weakness.

KAIBA: (as da Emperor) yo' faif in yo' niggas iz yours.

Kaiba appears on screen along wif da werds n shit:

guess who's

back next

week? don't make me shank ya!

[sekhisadventures]

Steelhammer's Last Stand

It had been several days since the investigation of Taelloch, and the discoveries rocked the Machine Speaker’s community.

The High Speaker was a traitor to the titans, he was responsible for many of the skardyn that now plagued them, and he had been planning on using a relic gifted to him by the Harbinger to corrupt the Awakening Machine. With the void tainted energies pouring through it, every earthen in stasis would become a skardyn and overrun the Ringing Deeps in a tide of starcursed madness!

Fortunately, his plan had been thwarted. A group of adventurers fought into the chamber of the Awakening Machine along with Magni Bronzebeard, his daughter Moira Thaurissan, and his grandson Dagran Thaurissan the Second. They had defeated the High Speaker’s loyalists and the newly corrupted skardyn and, at the eleventh hour, Magni had given up Azeroth’s blessing to purify the Awakening Machine of the Void’s corruption.

Many years ago during the Cataclysm, Magni Bronzebeard had attempted to commune with Azeroth with disastrous results. Using a half-translated ritual, he had transformed himself into a being of pure diamond. At first it seemed like he had become an unmoving statue, effectively dead, until several years later he suddenly awoke.

He had become what the earthen of the Isle of Dorn called a Thraegar, a diamond earthen, and had connected to Azeroth as fully as any one being could. He guided the heroes of the Alliance and Horde through the final battle against the Burning Legion on Argus, then again during the Blood War to try to heal the wounds Sargeras had inflicted upon their world.

That day, in the chamber of Awakening, he had poured out all the power Azeroth had given him into the machine and not only purified it but repaired it. For the first time in eons, the Awakening Machine was fully functional once more and earthen long sealed in stasis were emerging at last.

However, Xal’atath was a cunning foe, and wasn’t likely to give up such a useful tool so easily.

Gundargaz

In the main room of the Inn sat Nelen Fullmoon, Dareley Steelhammer, Shalandrae Deeproots, and the Death Knight Mola’raum. The four of them were discussing what had happened in Taelloch.

“She called herself Xiaren, and apparently, she was part of something called the ‘Order of Night.’ Looks like we’ve got another void cult to contend with.” explained the mage.

Shalandrae sighed to herself, taking a drink from her waterskin. Most of the drinks the earthen favored weren’t exactly safe for non-earthen to drink, so she was sticking to springwater by and large. “Thats bad… but you said she was by herself?” she asked.

“Unless you count a horde of insane void corrupted earthen yeah. The skardyn came when she called them, like they were her puppets…” he frowned, “The worst part though was what we saw with Darkhoof’s help. That pandaren is possessed by one of the sha… and its every bit as powerful as the ones we fought back in Pandaria even without Y’shaarj.”

Dareley swore softly under his breath, then looked at Nelen, “Yer sure lad? I mean Pandaria was a long bloody time ago…” While the dwarf was still suffering the effects of Dissonantia’s final curse, he flat out refused to stay aboard the Glittering Prize. As far as he was concerned he would be right in the thick of it when his time came and Light help anyone who tried to stop him.

Nelen nodded, “Yeah. Darkhoof said its because it has a host. This Xiaren is using some sort of technique to suppress her emotions, but as soon as Jaie told her she wanted to help her she lost control and the sha went wild. It was… pretty disturbing to be honest.” he winced at the memory of how she’d gone from deadpan and dispassionate to alternating between furious rage and hysterical laughter.

Mola’raum sighed, “Ya mon… dis be why so many of us were scared o’ all out war with th’ Alliance, ‘n why Sylvannas was able ta talk us inta tryin’ ta take Teldrassil. Dis be what it be leavin’ behind. Broken lives, broken peoples.” murmured the Death Knight as he shook his head.

Shalandrae frowned at him but bit her tongue. It was easier now that Amirdrassil had bloomed on Azeroth, but the War of Thorns would always be a sore topic for any kal’dorei. “… this Xiaren woman made her choice…” she grunted, looking away from the troll.

Dareley glanced between the two, then stood, “Ah’m gonna go get me some fresh air…” he nodded, walking towards the exit. He was a Paladin, but he wasn’t an idiot. He didn’t want to get caught in that crossfire.

As he got outside, he heard a commotion at the gates, the dwarven man heading over to it out of curiosity…

Back inside Nelen took off his glasses and wiped them on a handkerchief, “The real problem is this Order of Night she mentioned. There’s never just one cultist. She had to have allies down here… but we didn’t see anyone besides her.”

Shalandrae shrugged, ���We’ve killed a lot of void cultists over the years. Maybe Xal’atath couldn’t find very many to recruit? I mean, after the Cataclysm and that mess with N’zoth, how many more could there be left?”

Suddenly there were footsteps outside and a machine speaker ran into the inn. “Everyone! The Awakening Machine is under siege! The skardyn are there in force, and there are two outlanders leading them!” called out the earthen.

Nelen quickly slid his glasses back on and stood as Shalandrae and Mola’raum both got to their feet, but the inn was mostly empty right now. Many of the adventurers were out in the caves currently. “What?! But Magni purified it! Its useless to them now!” he protested.

The machine speaker shook his head, “We don’t know why they’re attacking! They may mean to destroy it now that they can’t claim it for the Harbinger!”

Nelen growled, biting back the urge to transform for now even as the hairs on his neck raised. If that happened, Magni’s sacrifice of his power would have been for nothing! “Lets go!” he nodded to Shalandrae and Mola’raum, then he looked around, “Where’s Dareley?” he asked, realizing the dwarf wasn’t there…

“Do you mean the white-bearded friend of yours?” asked another machine speaker. “I saw him take one of our stormrooks towards the north when I was outside a moment ago…”

Nelen looked confused, “The north? Towards the Awakening Machine? ALONE?! But that’s…” he began, then he remembered what Dareley had said on the ship.

‘If I die, I’ll die doin’ whatever I can ta make a mess o’ Xal’atath’s plans fer Azeroth. Even if I cannae stop ‘er, I’ll go out makin’ it that much harder for ‘er ta do what she likes.’

“… suicide…” he whispered in horrified realization.

The Awakening Machine

The mob of skardyn surged towards the golems defending the machine like a swarm of furious screaming ants, their sheer numbers pushing them back as, above them, floated a pandaren woman wearing black glasses and robes of swirling black and white. “Go. Kill them. Claim the machine.” commanded Xiaren, her voice without any emotion as the horde pressed forward.

At the head of them was her companion, Garnal. The human fighter was clad in a set of blackened plate armor with a face-covering helmet, slashing at the few earthen workers brave enough to make a stand, his blades scoring even their stone flesh as they pressed onwards. With a roar of fury he smashed one out of the way and rushed through their defensive line. “Xiaren! I’m in! Let the skardyn run wild and follow me!” he called out as he raced into the chambers below, the pandaren following after him, still levitating using her sha-cursed magic.

The two members of the Order of Night made their way down into the bowels of the facility, fighting their way past what defenders remained after the building was reclaimed from the former High Speaker, but most of the defenses had been destroyed in taking it and had yet to be repaired or rebuilt. The two of them faced only a few guards. Some fell to Garnal’s swords, others were corrupted by Xiaren’s magic into skardyn themselves!

Finally, they entered a massive chamber, the ceiling so high they could barely see it, and all along the walls were rows and rows of earthen still yet to awaken. “This is the place. Do you have it Xiaren?” asked Garnal.

The pandaren nodded, reaching into her bag and taking out a crystal of pure void energies, filled to bursting by the Dark Heart. “Mistress Xal’atath says this should be enough to overpower what that crystal dwarf did.” she nodded, tossing it to him.

Garnal caught it, then nodded, “Right, lets be done with it then...” he murmured, stepping forward... only for a hammer made of light to shoot out of the doorway behind him at the crystal in his hand!

The lightblessed hammer hit the starcursed relic, smashing it out of the man’s grasp, and the two conflicting forces reacted to each other with extreme violence!

“Blast! GET DOWN!” he shouted as the crystal crashed into the floor, then shattered! It wasn’t much light, but the void energies were unstable at best, designed to corrupt the machine as quickly as possible! There was a tremendous explosion, scorching the walls, as the object was powderized!

Garnal swore, then turned to face the door as he drew his swords. “Who goes there?!” he demanded.

Several footsteps echoed from the hallway, and Dareley Steelhammer walked into view. “Dareley Steelhammer, Paladin o’ th’ Holy Light ‘n Son o’ Ironforge Mountain…” he growled, raising his shield and sword, “… ‘n I’ll be DAMNED if I let ye waste all th’ work Magni ‘n his kin did ta save th’ earthen!”

Xiaren looked at him, took in his equipment and age, and then asked, “… were you in Pandaria during the war?”

Outside

The skardyn were no longer organized without Xiaren’s control, but that hardly mattered. By sheer numbers alone there were enough to overwhelm the defenders! The tide of corrupted earthen surged in all directions, seeking only something to smash, to crush, to corrupt, to kill… their minds twisted into madness by the Void!

The few defenders who remained at the gates huddled close, weapons ready, but they knew this may well be their last stand…

However… there was a flapping of wings, and several beings swooped over the battlefield!

Humanoids, but with scales and wings, reptilian features, and long tails each. The dragonkin creations of Neltharion, the dracthyr, had arrived!

“Dark Talons!” called out their leader, a blue-scaled one wearing a red wrap and breechcloth, “ROAR!”

Laurelgosa and her brethren swooped low and rained devastation upon the skardyn, their draconic breath tearing through their ranks! The evoker had rallied as many of her kin as she could as soon as the cry for help came from Nelen. The rest of Avalon and Savage United were on their way, but she had been working with several of the other dracthyr nearby and was able to enlist their aid.

The skardyn forces went flying, unable to fight back against enemies they couldn’t reach as the dracthyr squadron banked around for another strafing run! As they did, three others landed near the guards.

Laurelgosa saw them and called out, “Go find Dareley! We will hold them until reinforcements arrive!” she shouted.

Nelen nodded to her as he, Shalandrae, and Mola’raum raced inside the facility, a trio of dracthyr breaking off and landing near the earthen. One of them began channeling the power of the emerald dream to restore the injured guards as the other two drew upon their connection to the black dragonflight, then unleashed a blast of seismic force under the advancing mob!

The trio ran through the building, seeing the devastation that Garnal and Xiaren had wrought, and taking out several former guardsmen who the latter had transformed into skardyn. The magus swore, then pressed onwards into the building, his body bulging under his robes as he abandoned his human form for the speed of a worgen! “FASTER!” he barked.

Mola’raum nodded and with a gesture his body turned spectral as the Death Knight surged forward, Shalandrae falling to all fours and becoming a dreamsaber as she put on a burst of feline speed!

Finally they burst into the chamber of the Awakening Machine and saw Dareley facing off against a human clad in plate armor and wielding two swords in his hands. Hovering nearby was the pandaren Xiaren, trying to aim a blast of darkness towards Dareley… but having more difficulty than she’d expected. She was having a hard time finding a shot that would hit the dwarf, but not her ally!

Dareley was sweating, the aging paladin gritting his teeth. His chest felt like someone was sticking a dagger into it made of solid ice! His vision was swimming, and it was getting hard to breathe… he raised his shield just in time to block Garnal’s blades, but the force of the blow knocked him off balance, causing him to stumble!

Xiaren sneered, raising her hand as a sphere of blackness appeared in it, then threw it at Dareley as hard as she could!

It raced towards the prone paladin as he struggled to stand… but before it could reach him a dome of necromantic energy appeared over him, the power of death devouring the spell before it ever reached him!

This gave Garnal pause, “What…” he gasped, then there was a blur and a spear shot towards him, the human just barely dodging it in time.

Mola’raum returned to his corporeal form, glaring at him. Then he paused as well, “… wait… I know ya…” he whispered…

“DAMN!” swore Garnal as he kicked the troll away before he could recover, ducking backwards. “Xiaren! The skardyn! Call them! NOW!” he roared.

Xiaren hesitated, then raised her hands and gestured towards the exit.

Outside the surviving skardyn hesitated, then they all surged towards the entrance at once. The dracthyr who were backing up the guards gasped in shock, then each of them quickly grabbed one of the survivors and took to the air as the mob raced past them into the facility!

Inside Nelen’s ears perked up as he looked back behind them. “We’ve got company coming!” he warned, blinking away from the entrance as he began to channel arcane power into his hands, readying an assault upon the encroaching skardyn. Shalandrae ran to Dareley, staring down Garnal snarling as she clawed at the floor, still in the form of a dreamsaber.

Mola’raum, however, was livid, the troll staring daggers at Garnal. “WOT DA FOOK YA TINK YA DOIN’ MON?!” he demanded, pointing his spear at him, “Answer me Garnal! Why ya be fightin’ wit’ dis mad pandaren backin’ ya up?!”

Dareley struggled to his feet, looking up at the human man. His face was hidden behind a helmet, but somehow Mola’raum recognized him?

“Lad… ye know who he is?” asked the dwarf as he fought to catch his breath.

“Oh I fookin’ know… TAKE OFF YA HELMET, BRUDDAH. Show ‘em how I know who ya be!” he snarled.

Garnal sighed, then raised his hands and took his helmet in them, tossing it to the side, “I suppose there’s little point in hiding it now, isn’t there?” he scowled, revealing his face.

Dareley swore loudly as Shalandrae roared in fury at the sight.

He was a human, with long white hair… but he was also, very clearly, dead. His cheeks were sunken, his skin had an unhealthy pallor, and his eyes glowed with icy blue witch fires.

“Garnal Blackice… formerly of the Ebon Blade.” he smirked, giving a nod, “An honor, I’m sure.”

Mola’raum growled, “Why ya be doin’ dis Garnal?! Why side wit’ somethin’ like Xal’atath?!” he demanded. As soon as he’d gotten close, he could sense the necromantic energy radiating off Garnal’s body, as unique as a fingerprint. Every member of the Ebon Blade could recognize one of their own this way.

Garnal sighed, “Aren’t you tired of it all Mola’raum? I was one of the first generation of Arthas’ Death Knights, I sailed to Northrend with him before he ever took up Frostmourne only to face one threat to Azeroth after another… it never ends…” he shook his head, but his swords were still ready to swing at a second’s notice.

“So end it den mon! Build a fookin’ bonfire ‘n take a nap on it!” he spat. Death Knights were hard to kill permanently, their souls bound to their bodies, but destroying the body completely would work. It took a lot though, total cremation by fire or the power of the Holy Light… and the Death Knight would feel all of it.

“Then what?” Garnal retorted. “We were both in the Shadowlands… we saw what would become of us. I’d just wind up in Maldraxxus, or something similar… there’s no escape from it in life, or death…” he looked up, “So I chose a third option. The Harbinger promised me, when Azeroth is her’s she will use her powers to unmake me, body and soul! If I can’t have peace in life or death, I choose oblivion!” he shouted.

Dareley struggled to his feet, “Allow me ta oblige then…” he growled, then raised his hand, “LIGHT! TA ME!” he called out as the image of a hammer began to form in his grasp… then he felt as if something had struck him in the chest hard! He gasped, his hand flying to his breastplate as the hammer blinked out! He shuddered in pain, feeling the mark on his chest spreading again. “N-no… not now…” he wheezed in pain.

But this moment of distraction was all Xiaren needed. He was far enough away from Garnal now that she didn’t have to worry about hitting him! She put her hands together and channeled a wave of shadow, then unleashed it outwards. Instinct took over for Shalandrae as she leapt out of the way, but Dareley was still stunned from the curse! He couldn’t move!

The paladin looked up just in time to see it reach him, and with a loud cry the blast threw him backwards into an ancient chamber door with enough force to shatter a hole through it into the darkness beyond!

Shalandrae roared in fury, then in a swirl of magic she shot into the air as a somnowl, flapping her wings as she flew towards Xiaren intent on bringing her beak and talons against the pandaren sorceress. Xiaren scowled and floated back, but she had little in the way of melee defenses!

Unfortunately for Shalandrae, Nelen, and Mola’raum, that was when the skardyn breached the chamber.

Next Story

Previous Story

[womenintranslation]

The TA First Translation Prize Winner: Janet Hong and her editor Ethan Nosowsky for a translation of The Impossible Fairytale by Han Yujoo (Tilted Axis Press) translated from Korean.

The John Florio Prize Winner: Gini Alhadeff for her translation of I Am the Brother of XX by Fleur Jaeggy (And Other Stories).

The Scott Moncrieff Prize Winner: Sophie Yanow for her translation of Pretending is Lying by Dominique Goblet (New York Review Comics).

The Bernard Shaw Prize Winner: Frank Perry for his translation of Bret Easton Ellis and the Other Dogs by Lina Wolff (And Other Stories).

The Premio Valle Inclán Prize Winner: Megan McDowell for her translation of Seeing Red by Lina Meruane (Atlantic).

[hyenahunt]

Bankara Graffiti: We Who Never Learn - 3

Writer: Akira

Season: Winter

Characters: Kohaku, Hiyori, Tatsumi, Jun

Proofreading: Remy (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: hyenahunt

Jun: The reason we jumped you just now was also 'cause we had to enact "getting the transfer student's cocky ass".

Kohaku: I see, I see. Alright, reckon I've 'bout gotten it all down now.

Hiyori: Really? Well, aren’t you clever, Kohaku-kun! What a good boy you are ♪

Kohaku: Lay off the hair pettin'. I may be small but I ain't a kid, y'know.

Hiyori: Aha, but the more you say you aren’t a child, the more you seem like one! Jun-kun was just like you when we first met —

Kohaku: This ain't quite the place to be waxin' poetic 'bout yer past. I mean, we're still in the middle of filmin', right?

Tatsumi: Indeed. From what I heard, there are around a dozen concealed cameras installed in this classroom alone.

Kohaku: Aw maaan, I don't wanna be in this kinda school.

It's a world away from the sort of thing I was expectin'... Plus I feel on edge bein' filmed the whole time. It's hard ta relax.

Hiyori: Well, isn't it for the best that we maintain this air of tension?

Since you're a beginner at this kind of work, Kohaku-kun, the pressure is sure to help you deliver a better performance.

Kohaku: 'S that right... Puttin' that aside, we just gotta earn as much MP as we can in this Bankara Academy, yeah?

Jun: Yep, you got it. Every now and then some kinda typical school life event's gonna crop up, and we gotta take part in 'em each time while acting as manly as possible.

By doing that, we'll earn Manliness Points — or MP.

Kohaku: Even if we get 'em, what're they good for?

Tatsumi: Every round, you'll earn cash or prizes in accordance to how much MP you have.

Haha, perhaps if I strike it rich, I'll treat everyone in ALKALOID to some souvenirs.

Jun: Oh, and MP decreases at set intervals, so if you don't keep earning 'em you'll get kicked out of school, got it~?

Kohaku: Aw maaan, I don't wanna be in a school with this kinda system~

Tatsumi: Haha. It's just like the system at ES, isn't it?

Kohaku: Can't argue with that... I presume it ain’t no laughin’ matter fer us nor you ALKALOID fellas, huh?

Tatsumi: Indeed. We'd certainly like an end to being at the mercy of numbers, wouldn't we, Crazy:B?

Kohaku: Hm. Speaking of which, how d'ya earn MP in the first place?

Tatsumi: Well, the manlier you act, the more you earn.

Incidentally, you can get a vague idea of what exactly counts as manly for these circumstances by reading the seventy-four volumes of the original Bankara Academy manga.

Kohaku: Wha — Bankara Academy's based on an original work!?

Tatsumi: Yes. It seems that the original manga was extremely popular, so its setting served as the inspiration for this Bankara Academy show.

Of course, the original serialisation ended a long time ago. At one point in time, its name was synonymous with delinquent manga — that's the level of fame it had.

Jun: Ah, and there’s even a spinoff series going on too, y'know? Or maybe it's more of a remake — it's a series called Haikara Academy, and it's set in a girls' high school.

Seems like the reason the Bankara Academy show got revived in the first place is 'cause that’s gotten so popular.

Kohaku: Hmm~... I had no idea, not that I really care fer that kinda thing.

Jun: Since you're so internet-savvy, Sakura-kun, I thought you'd be more into what kids these days usually like. You mean you're not a big fan of manga?

Kohaku: Well, it's not like I dislike it. I just don't wanna hafta deal with violence and bloodshed even when I’m lookin’ at fictional stuff, see.

But anyway, are we just here t' earn MP? What about normal classes or club activities? Ain't we gonna do any of that?

Jun: Ahh, I think some of the regular events we're gonna have to do'll be something along those lines~

Stuff like "run away from the disciplinary officer", or "break up a fight between the soccer and baseball clubs".

The reason we jumped you just now was also 'cause we had to enact "getting the transfer student's cocky ass".

Kohaku: Aw maaan, I don't wanna be in a school like this.

Hiyori: Well, it wouldn't be quite accurate to describe this as entirely staged, but it's not real, either, so you don't have to be on guard to this extent.

Just treat it as an attraction where you get to experience a delinquent manga, and have some fun ♪

Kohaku: But I don't wanna have that kinda experience... Honest to God I don't...

Well, I guess things’ll be okay. I'll be able to do all that proper school life stuff once I start attendin' a real high school, I reckon.

Tatsumi: Oh? In other words, do you mean everyone in Crazy:B will be returning to school?

I did hear from HiMERU-san while working together in COMP that he'd be returning to his studies as well.

Kohaku: Well, fer now it's gonna jus' be me an' Himeru-han.

Rinne-han's already a geezer gettin' on in his years, and I dunno if Niki-han even wants to go to school — since there's the issue of both his academic ability an' his constitution, right?

Anyhow, t'was with that in mind I took on this job, thinkin' it could be somethin' of a rehearsal fer it... but who'd have thought it'd actually be chock full of such no-brained nonsense.

Tatsumi: Haha. It seems to me that once you get used to it, you'll have more fun than you expect.

Jun: Right? Personally, I prefer this by a long shot to the usual pain-in-the-ass studying.

Kohaku: Don'cha go to school because you wanna study?

Hiyori: That may be true, but that's not all there is to them. And I believe that's precisely the aspect of this that our audience will want to see.

Kohaku: Philosophisin' away 'bout life, are ya? Well, I don't really get it, but alright.

After all, if any of us in Crazy:B make a mess outta anythin' again, that'll be the end of us even thinking 'bout going back to school...

So I'm gonna put my whole heart in an' give it my best shot.

Hiyori: That's the spirit! Go, go, Transfer Student-kun, you can do it... ♪

Jun: Ah, looks like we've got the next event on our hands~! There's the sound of bikes roaring outside the window — who knows, maybe some thugs from another school are gatecrashin' in to raid us!?

Kohaku: Aw maaan, this school's seriously the last place I ever wanna be!

✦✦✦✦✦

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[shinonometrash]

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They released three short fully voiced videos with Rio and Toa in 魔界王子と魅惑のナイトメア (Japanese version of Court of Darkness). I keep watching them over and over because I’m otome trash and may be totally obsessing over Toa at the moment, so I went ahead and translated them too so everyone else can watch!

This is part three! Check out part one and part two first!

Makai Ouji to Miwaku no Nightmare Makai! Channel “Special Reward”   Part 3

Rio: The last game is…huh? What kind of sentence is this? Rio: Nama atatakai nama modea gyuu no nama tamago sue? (Raw, warm Luxurian beef topped with raw egg) Toa: It’s a tongue twister. Toa: According to what’s written, “You must quickly repeat it out loud three times. The first one to get tongue twisted loses.” Toa: This strange sentence is what we have say for the game. Rio: It says the loser from the last game goes first…so it’s all you, Toa! Toa: A sentence of this caliber should prove no obstacle. Toa: Nama atatakai nama modea gyuu no nama tamago sue, nama atatakai nama modea gyuu no nama tamago sue, nama atatakai nama modea gyuu no nama tamago sue. Rio: Whoa, amazing! You said that perfectly all three times! Toa: Naturally. It’s your turn now, Voleri. Rio: Alright, here I go…! Rio: Nama atatakai nama modea gyuu no nama tamago sue, nama ta… Toa: Seems you got tongue twisted. Rio: Gahh, wait! Let me try one more time! I almost had it, didn’t I? Toa: Whether you almost had it or didn’t, you still messed it up. You lose. Toa: I won two out of three of the games. So, what does that mean? Rio: Wahh…I lost… Toa: Now, for the punishment game… Toa: An impression of her familiar…? The cat? Rio: Huh? That’s all it is? If that’s the case, I can do it right now! Toa: Then hurry up and do it. Rio: Alright, here goes my best impression! Rio: “Milady! There’s a super pretty flower growing in the woods! Come look!” Rio: So, how was it? I sounded just like him, right?? Toa: …Mmm, it's so sweet… Rio: Ah, so it's sweet! ...Wait. Toa, what are you eating? Toa: The special limited edition parfait from the cafeteria. I went and got it while you were busy doing the cat impression. Rio: Oh wow, it looks super super yummy…! Rio: Hey! Say...could I maybe just- Toa: No. Toa: I was the winner of the game, it's my prize. There's none for you. Rio: Gah, but surely you could share just a little? Just one little taste? Please? Toa: I will not. It doesn't matter what you say, I'm not giving you any, not even just a taste. Rio: There must be something I can do! please, I'm begging yo- Toa: Mmm..this parfait...it really is so delicious... Rio: Toaaaaa! The End

Toa was totally being a jerk at the end lmao But also why does his voice sound so good to me when he’s eating the parfait?? 😅 Serious props to his VA for pulling off that tongue twister, though. Sorry for y’all’s busted ears from hearing Rio impersonate Robin, by the way lololol

[aer-in-wanderland]

구미호뎐 | Tale of the Nine Tailed - 15회 선공개 (EP15 First Look)

Translation of the dialogue can be found below the cut. 

You can watch the full version on Naver if you’re in South Korea or have a VPN. A clip of the first minute is also available on tvN’s official twitter account @CJnDrama. 

*Edit: It’s now up on youtube here -> [x]

(On a sunny day, Yeon stands outside somewhere waiting for Ji Ah, who approaches him from behind and back hugs him.)

Ji Ah: Guess who?

Yeon: I can tell who it is just by looking at these hands.

Ji Ah: What if it was someone transformed into Nam Ji Ah?

Yeon: (Laughs) If that were the case, there’s no way my heart would race like this. 

(Ji Ah lets him go and Yeon turns to face her)

Ji Ah: That’s quite the line. Are you sure you’ve been single* for 600 years?

Yeon: Of course I’m sure. You’re the only one I see. (Draws a picture frame around her with his finger) One shot! (Ji Ah laughs)

Ji Ah: So what are we doing today?

Yeon: Today we’re a really normal couple. Look forward to it. (Yeon and Ji Ah start walking). Something normal: you come to the inside. [In Korea it’s common courtesy for the man to walk on the side of traffic so Yeon pulls her around to his other side]

[*Note: The word Ji Ah uses here is actually 독수공방, which refers to a woman (typically) leading a solitary life in her husbands absence pfft. I so love that this couple has zero attachment to traditional gender roles] 

(Scene change to an arcade where Yeon is trying to get a fox doll out of a claw machine)

Ji Ah: Why a claw machine of all things?

Yeon: It’s one of the things I always wanted to do. I’m rich enough that I could buy you this whole arcade and more, but how should I put it? I want to gift you something that I earned through pure hard work. 

(Seeing Yeon struggle, Ji Ah reaches over and guides his hands)

Ji Ah: Okay, watch. Don’t fight with the machine, coax it. Like this. 

Yeon: (Watching the claw’s progress) Oh, oh!

(Ji Ah succeeds in one go)

Both: Woah! (Yeon holds up his hand for a high five and Ji Ah jumps excitedly as she gives him one)

Ji Ah: Ah, it’s so cute. 

Yeon: Again, again. (Returns to the claw machine)

Ji Ah: Let’s try for another. 

Yeon: I want that one, that one. Help me out.  

Ji Ah: Okay, like this~ (Ji Ah guides Yeon’s hands again)

Yeon: Press it. It worked, it worked!

Both: Wah! (Yeon holds both his hands up high this time and Ji Ah again jumps to high five him)

Yeon: (Holds up his fox) Ta-dah!

(Yeon and Ji Ah move on to a basketball game. Ji Ah is getting frustrated as all her shots rebound while Yeon stands beside her easily making shot after shot)

Ji Ah: (Clocking this and getting frustrated) Ugh, the ball just won’t go in. 

Yeon: (Noticing her struggling, moves behind her) No, no. Hang on a sec, hang on a sec. Place your hand here like this...

Ji Ah: Let go! This is a fight between me and this punk! 

(Yeon laughs and crushes Ji Ah in a back hug. Ji Ah remains outraged at the machine pfft)

(Yeon and Ji Ah move to a shooting game. Ji Ah shoots down a prize) Both: Wah~! (Yeon claps and gives her a high five)

(On arcade racing bikes) 

Yeon: Oh, oh~ Move move move move--! [as in ‘move out of the way’]

Ji Ah: Oh, oh, yah~

[potahun]

Favorite “Wo Men De Ge” Performances, all groups and match-ups included.

No ranking. Just faves.

“Yan Hua Yi Leng | Fireworks Cool Easily”, by Liu Yuning x Xiao Gui (Wang Linkai) 

“The rain drizzles softly. In my hometown, the trees and grass grow deep” -- completely overlooked this performance at first. it starts off kind of plain and then gets weirdly intense in the last 1min and now it won’t get out of my head. hmm 

“Tian Xia You Qing Ren | Lovers In The World”, by Qin Shen Shen (Li Keqin x Zhou Shen) 

“Love is one cycle after another, one reincarnation after another, no matter whether in the southeast or the northwest; love is part after part, thread after thread of rights and wrongs, rendering lovers forever unable to say ‘see you again’.”  

legit shouldn’t even have tried to translate this literally but you know what this shit is about. You’ve seen it. It fucks things up.

“Carmen”, by Mei Nan Zi (Fei Yuqing x Li Keqin x Zhou Shen x Xu Weizhou) 

“Men are but a pastime, nothing impressive.” ----- Four “handsome men” sing about love and men being pastimes and dance dorkily to music with a cabaret feel. what’s not to love?? also 2 of them didn’t get the memo that it’s not a performance in duos and cant stop showing off their duo’s chemistry. just kidding. unless

“Xin Yuan Yang Hu Die Meng + Shi Ren De Lü Tu | New Butterfly Dream + A Poet’s Journey“, by Yun Dan Feng Qing (Fei Yuqing x Ayanga)

“Should we understand at once, or should we pretend not to? Knowing a lot or knowing little, what is difficult is to know when to be satisfied.”

I had to listen to this again to remember why I liked it and mmm. fuck. mhm. yeah. good. Also, I cannot translate this. Sorry. I tried. 

“Meng Xing Shi Fen | Dream to Awakening”, by Ren Xianqi x Xiao Gui (Wang Linkai) 

“You’ve known from the start that sadness would be hard to avoid; why fall so deeply? Because love is always hard to give up, hard to part with... Why still care about that little bit of warmth? You have to know that sadness is always hard to avoid, in that moment from dream to awakening. There are some things you don’t have to ask now, and people you never have to wait for.” 

Aside from it being super funny in context, this performance is also close to my heart because it’s one of my all. time. favorite. songs. 

“Na Pian Hai + Ting Hai | That Sea + Listen to the Sea”, by Qin Shen Shen (Li Keqin x Zhou Shen)

“Let us forget that sea, let us start over again in the next life. Let us, time after time, life after life, never separate again”  

This one gets the prize of the most seamless mixing of two songs into one.

“Xin Tai Ruan | Too Soft-Hearted”, by Jie Tou Pai Dang (Ren Xianqi x Liu Yuning)

“Falling in love is always easy, but getting along is too difficult. If it’s not yours, don’t force it anymore” -- hnnnnnnggg in the category “songs with amazing lyrics that are always relevant at some point and timelessly too good”.

“Xin Ru Dao Ge | Like A Knife To The Heart”, by Qin Shen Shen (Li Keqin x Zhou Shen)

“I’ve really loved for you, you’ve really left with him. All I could give, I gave it. I can take everything, except letting you know... that I feel like my heart has been pierced with a knife” 

-- HAHA this is the worst translation I’m sry. Anyways, the musical arrangement is hard because there are no beats for almost the whole song and when you’re harmonising without some beats or rhythm it’s hell and yet. yet. this is the harmonising kings duo, baby. oh yeah.

“Ai Jiang Shan Geng Ai Mei Ren | Loving the Beauty More Than Power”, by Jie Tou Pai Dang (Ren Xianqi x Liu Yuning)

“Red flowers go with green leaves, of course. But who will stay beside me in this lifetime? Elusively, we come and go. The feelings from the past resurface; the lotus breaks but its threads last. I sigh quietly. The world’s happenings bears many changes”

-- this song is literally impossible to translate properly, sorry, but it is one of my all-time favorites. Despite the simplicity of the stage and the changes in the song’s arrangement, as far as I'm concerned, these two truly captured its spirit of the song *chef’s kiss

“Ling Yi Zhong Xiang Chou | Another Kind of Homesickness”, by Fei Yuqing x Li Keqin x Zhou Shen

“Those clouds and trees; do not block the road to that hometown” - or as I like to call it: the harmonising trinity of death. 

that gesture FYQ does at the end, when he drops his hand? my soul went down with it

“Qiu Niao | Prisoner Bird”, by Yun Dan Feng Qing (Fei Yuqing x Ayanga)

“I am but a shadow that you can do without as you please, coldly watching the way you look when you lie” - I didn’t initially count this in my faves. But the more I listen to it, the more I love it and now I LOVE it. 

“Piao Yang Guo Hai Lai Kan Ni | Crossing the Sea to See You”, by Zhou Hua Jian x Ayanga

“For you I spent half a year of savings, crossing the sea to see you”. hnnnnnngggggg best. version. of. this. song. I've heard.

“Ni De Rou Qing Wo Yong Yuan Bu Dong | I Will Never Understand Your Tenderness”, by Luo Qi x Liu Yuning

“I do not want to make love too blurry. If you love, then love clearly.” -- hhhhhhhhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggg.

“Wo Ai Ta | I Love Him”, by Zhou Shen x Xu Weizhou

“We once leaned on each others’ shoulders. Now, we’re each drifting away in the sea of people”. -- 1) Very good. 2) Screamo? 3) Some kind of Nightwish-like opera singing that sounds very good.

“Qi Shi Bu Xiang Zou | In Truth, I Don’t Want To Leave”, by Yi Jian Qing Xin (Zhou Hua Jian x Jiang Yi Qiao)

- “The truth is, I don’t want to leave, the truth is, I want to stay. Stay and accompany you every spring, summer, autumn and winter...” -- this song can never go bad. Zhou Shen clapping with that slightly emotional look on his face, like he’s this close to crying? That’s me.

“Qian Li Zhi Wai | Beyond A Thousand Miles”, by Yun Dan Feng Qing (Fei Yuqing x Ayanga)

I send you beyond a thousand miles away, you’re soundless in black and white...” 

This is not even part of the competition, but...you know. 

“Tian Ya | The End of the Earth”, by Jie Tou Pai Dang (Ren Xianqi x Liu Yuning)

....I’m not going to translate it. I’m not even sure I fully get it. But boy, it’s so good. 

One of the reasons I watched the whole show, actually. damn. dammmn. 

“Ye Lang Disco”, by Qin Shen Shen (Li Keqin x Zhou Shen)

“On your left, draw a dragon with me, on your right, draw a rainbow.” ASKALKSLKDJSLKDA. Joy. In its purest, silliest form. 

^bonus unsolicited qin shen shen pic, which illustrates how I feel about some of these performances. yup.

[jumukus]

A3! Translation: Kazunari Miyoshi’s R [Midsummer’s BPM] - DDR Showdown!

Kazunari borrows a DDR console from his friend in order to practice dancing for the upcoming play. (Thanks to @/cIoveries on Twitter for recording the backstage!)

Kazunari: Ta-da! Look at the thing I've borrowed from my friend~! Don't you think we can use this as a practice for our play!?

It's called "Dance Dance Deluxe"! C'mon, guys! Let's play this together!

Tenma: A dance game, huh.

Izumi: I think I've seen this game before. This used to be popular, right?

Kazunari: Yup! But this one is the latest edition that just came out last year! They've got a lot of songs here, you see, so there might be songs that you'll know.

Muku: Wow, really? That sounds fun.

Misumi: I wanna try it~!

Yuki: I'll pass. I don't play one of the dancers, after all. I'll just watch you all.

Kumon: I'm pretty sure this mat here is the controller, right? The one that has arrows on it.

Kazunari: Yep! All you've gotta do is step on the arrows that are shown on the screen!

Misumi: I see~!

Kazunari: Alright, now, let's try playing the intermediate mode first as a test!

Misumi: This is so fun~!

Izumi: You're amazing, Misumi-kun! You make it look so easy.

Yuki: As one would have expected from Triangle Alien. You're really good at things that require jumping. Only at jumping, though.

Kumon: It's pretty hard to match the timing!

Kazunari: Ooh.. oops! I missed!

Muku: Who… whoa! I'm stumbling over my feet…!

Tenma: But it might be good to train your legs with this.

Kumon: Yeah, I agree!

I wanna do it again!

Muku: Kyu-chan, wanna play together?

Kumon: OK! Let's try the two-player mode and decrease the difficulty. Here we go~!

Muku: ~♪~♪

Kumon: ~♪~♪

Kazunari: Wow! Kumopi, Muku, you're doing better than before now! This is so IG worthy so lemme film you guys!

Misumi: You cleared the song! Both of you are good~.

Kumon: We did it!

Kazunari: I'm going next, then!

Say, Director-chan, wanna play together?

Izumi: Huh? Me?

Hmmm, while I do want to do it, this looks difficult. Besides, I feel bad for disturbing your practice…

Kumon: You're not disturbing our practice at all!

Tenma: How about trying it once, then?

Izumi: Hmm, alright. Kazunari-kun, I'll be in your care.

Kazunari: Hooray! I've got to dance with Director-chan!

Since you're still new at this, let's set the difficulty to beginner mode.

Muku: Good luck, Director-san!

Kazunari: ~♪~♪

Izumi: ~♪

Kumon: Wow! Kazu-san, you're awesome! Perfect!

Yuki: You too, Director. You're better than expected.

Misumi: Yep! You're good~!

Izumi: Thank you. I'm still far from good compared to you guys, but I had fun.

Kazunari: Glad to hear that! Let's do it again if we feel like it!

Izumi: Yep, sure.

Tenma: I'll go next.

Misumi: Do it with me~!

Kumon: Fighting, you two!

Kazunari:  ~♪~♪

Banri: Kazunari has been playing that game a lot these days.

Izumi: Yup, he plays it every day.

Kazunari: Phew. Guess I've gotta take a short break!

For some reason I've got so into the game and had so much fun~!

Izumi: And you've been playing the more advanced mode these days, right?

Kazunari: Yeah. I've gotten used to it. I've been playing the hardest mode now.

Banri: Heh. Way to go, man.

Kazunari: I'm so looking forward to the day I'll be able to play the hardest level song flawlessly~.

OPTION 1: Seeing you having fun makes me feel the same.

Izumi: Seeing Kazunari-kun having fun playing the game makes me feel the same.

Kazunari: Hehe, seriously?

I mean, I could play happily like that because I'm wondering if you watch me, Director-chan.

Say, let's play together again, Director-chan!

Izumi: Sure. Shall I have you teach me some tips?

Kazunari: Leave it to me! From A to Z, I'll teach you everything!

OPTION 2: You've also been doing your best in the dance practice for the play.

Izumi: Kazunari-kun has been doing his best both in the game and dance practice for the play.

Kazunari: Totally! I mean, I get so pumped up whenever I dance with them all!

Whether it’s about the game or the play, I'll show you my increasingly cool side!

Izumi: Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.

Banri: By the way, I remember the arcade has this kind of game as well.

Kazunari: For real!? I've never really been to the rhythmic games section at the arcade so I've never noticed it!

Banri: Wanna stop by on our way home tomorrow?

Kazunari: Let's go! I'm so looking forward to it~!

Izumi: Arcade… Now that you mention it, I feel like I have something to do there...

Izumi: Oh, yeah! Kareko-chan!

Banri: Huh? Kareko-chan?

Izumi: It's an adorable curry mascot character.

She's one of the prizes at the crane game, so I want to get it.

Say, can I tag along with you two?

Kazunari: Of course! Let's go together!

Banri: Then, I'll call you once our class is over tomorrow. Let's meet up after that.

Izumi: Okay, got it!

Izumi: Hmm, the crane game is…

Ah, found it! They have Kareko-chan as well!

Kazunari: And there's only one left! You're so lucky, Director-chan!

Banri: Dude, I've never known it's that popular…

Izumi: Alright! I'll try it.

???: Ah, found it! My Kareko-chan!

Izumi: Huh?

Punk: Hey, you chick, move out. I've been keepin’ that one. I just went for a while to exchange the money.

Kazunari: But it doesn't seem like you've been playing here?

Punk: Bullshit! Y’all are just misunderstandin’ it.

Banri: But you said, "Found it!" before.

Punk: I didn't.

Kazunari: We can put our money here, though? One normally would not be able to do it if you've clicked the keep button.

Punk: Ugh… I knew it! Y-Y'all must have un-pressed the button!

Banri: The fuck did you just say? There's no way we'll do that.

Punk: ...Ugh!

If, If that's what you want, let's have a showdown with Kareko-chan doll on the line!

Izumi: (He's pointing out at… "Dance Dance Deluxe"!?)

Banri: Haaah? The heck are ya sayin', shithead? You've just said what you want despite comin’ here later.

Kazunari: Settzer, calm down!

I'll fight you, then.

Banri: Hey, Kazunari, you ain't need to listen to what this bastard sa…

Kazunari: It's fine, man! I'm good at that game, after all! Leave it to me!

Punk: Hah! Just lettin' ya know, I'm one of the top rankers at the DDR competition. Fighting the likes of y’all is just a piece of cake. 

Izumi: (Top rankers!? To think that he's one of the top rankers…)

Punk: For the difficulty, of course it's gotta be the hardest one.

Kazunari: Alright. That's fine with me!

Izumi: Good luck, Kazunari-kun…!

Kazunari: Thankies! I've got so pumped up after receiving your support, Director-chan!

I'll work hard for your sake today.

That's why just sit back and watch today.

Izumi: Okay!

Kazunari: Game starts!

Izumi: Both of them flawlessly cleared the game without any miss! But Kazunari-kun has higher scores…!

Kazunari: In other words, it's my win!

Punk: Fuck…! I'll remember this!

Izumi: You're so awesome, Kazunari-kun! Thanks.

Kazunari: Hehe, you're welcome. I'm happy if you're happy.

Banri: Grats, Kazunari.

Here you go, Director-chan.

Izumi: Huh? Kareko-chan…! When did you…!?

Banri: I went to get it since I was convinced that Kazunari would win.

Kazunari: That's Settzer for ya!

Izumi: Both of you, thank you! I'm so happy.

As a thank you, for today and tomorrow's dinner…

Banri: Nope, I'm good. I did nothing but get the Kareko-chan, after all. You can just give 'em to Kazunari who won the showdown.

Izumi: No need to hold back.

Banri: I'm not.

Izumi: Is that so? Then, I'll make Kazunari-kun's favorite curry as a thank you!

Kazunari: It has to be curry in the end!? Not the one I really want!?

Izumi: Since this is related to Kareko-chan, I want to use all my skills making curry. Is that a no?

Kazunari: ...You have a point. Since today's protagonist is Kareko-chan, of course it's gotta be curry, right!

Izumi: Thank goodness. Shall we shop some groceries before going home?

Banri: What the hell, man? It's curry in the end…

Kazunari: It's fine, dude. Director-chan seems happy, after all.

[fictionfromafar]

Lemon by Kwon Yeo-Sun

Lemon

By Kwon Yeo-sun

Translated by Janet Hong

Head of Zeus

Publication Date: 14 October 2021

A Head Of Zeus book tour

About the book

In the summer of 2002, nineteen-year-old Kim Hae-on was murdered in what became known as the High School Beauty Murder. There were two suspects: Shin Jeongjun, who had a rock-solid alibi, and Han Manu, to whom no evidence could be pinned. The case went cold. Seventeen years passed without justice, and the grief and uncertainty took a cruel toll on her younger sister, Da-on, in particular. Unable to move on with her life, Da-on tries in her own twisted way to recover some of what she's lost, ultimately setting out to find the truth of what happened. Told at different points in time from the perspectives of Da-on and two of Hae-on's classmates, Lemon is a piercing psychological portrait that takes the shape of a literary crime novel.

"In her yellow dress, with the reddish sun spilling out from behind her, she appeared like the bright centre of a giant frame. But shadows lurked under that dazzlingly exterior, just like the steps still wet along the edges."

My Review

Early last year it was announced that Head of Zeus had won a four-way auction for Kwon Yeo-Sun’s English debut Lemon, translated by Janet Hong. The short story comprises less than 150 pages and explores the themes of trauma and grief as well as class and privilege in the landscape in modern-day South Korea through the plot of an unsolved murder case.

Following the High School Beauty Murder, two suspects quickly emerge. The first of these is rich kid Shin Jeongjun, whose car Hae-on was last seen in, and the other is delivery boy Han Manu from a far more modest background, who witnessed her there just a few hours before her death.

Rather than concentrating on the murder or an examination into the police investigation, Lemon explores the fall out caused by the death of Hae-on, in particular its aftermath on her family, frends and even the suspects. This is a very unconventional story which regularly switches timeframes over a period of seventeen years. It also takes perspectives from three different people who knew the victim. These are Hae-on’s younger sister Da-on, and two of Hae-on’s classmates. Taerim who went on to marry Shin Jeongjun, and Sanghui. As the dialogue does not always make it clear which narrator is picking up the story so this does mean that at times it can appear puzzling. This is a story where the clues are carefully placed and the reader has to take on their own level of detection.

Taken from the viewpoint as simply a ‘murder mystery’ Lemon could be seen as not wholly fulfilling yet the story is about much more than that. It features some illuminating and unsettling prose while it also portrays some interesting standpoints on grief and guilt. The greatest pain is it seems is not knowing and some aspects of the mystery appear to be taken to the grave. While Hae-on does not feature directly in the story, her presence is everywhere, yet closure on her death is the one thing that appears unattainable. Through her younger sister Da-on and her mother, we can reflect on the loss and the profound impacts of the perpectual change in their lives. This manifests in a particularly shocking way for Da-on. Yet I could not escape the desire that perhaps the characters could have focussed on what they had, rather than what they had lost.

About the author

Kwon Yeo-sun is an award-winning Korean writer. She has won the Sangsang Literary Award, Oh Yeongsu Literature Award, Yi Sang Literary Prize, Hankook Ilbo Literary Award, Tong-ni Literature Prize and Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award. Lemon is her first novel to be published in the English language.

About the Translator

Janet Hong is a writer and translator based in Vancouver, Canada. She received the TA First Translation Prize and the LTI Korea Translation Award for her translation of Han Yujoo's The Impossible Fairy Tale, which was also a finalist for both the 2018 PEN Translation Prize and the National Translation Award. Her recent translations include Ha Seong-nan's Bluebeard's First Wife, Ancco's Nineteen, and Keum Suk Gendry-Kim's Gras.

Many thanks to Jade Gwilliam for inclusion on the Head Of Zeus book tour and for an advance copy of Lemon. Please also check out the other reviews on this tour, as shown below:

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers Zero vol. 8 Reiji Sakamaki [Track 2]

Original title: 血の香るお茶会

Source: Diabolik Lovers Zero Vol. 8 Reiji Sakamaki [CD not owned by me]

Audio: Link

Seiyuu: Konishi Katsuyuki

Translator’s note: As I thought, the general set-up of the Zero CD series is pretty much the same, with the museum being some sort of creature-devouring demon that preys upon anyone who visits the place. However, I’m assuming that the remaining tracks will also try and focus on Reiji’s personal trauma which he has to overcome, just like how in Laito’s CD, the main theme ended up being ‘true love’. 

This track was requested by @incognitotheangel​! If you would like to request a translation, please contact me through IMs or drop an ask!

Track 1 ll Track 2 ll Track 3 ll Track 4 ll Track 5

Track 2: A Tea Party smelling of Blood

T/N: Fake Reiji’s dialogue has been put between ( ) and with the font changed to bolded italics.

( This is our museum’s dining room. Pick any seat you fancy. I’ll get started on the tea. )

He starts preparing their drinks.

( Oh my? How long do you intend on standing there? ...Do you wish to make me seem like someone without manners, who would fail to offer their guest a seat? )

You shake your head.

( In that case, please get comfortable and take a seat. )

You sit down.

( Hahaha...Seems like you are rather weak-spirited to allow yourself to get ordered around like that. Are you really the lover of your companion? A relationship between a disciplined slave and its master seems much more fitting. )

You protest.

( My apologies, seems like I crossed the line there. The tea’s ready, so please enjoy it while it’s hot. )

He places down the cup in front of you.

( Well then, now we can have a nice and long talk. If you’d excuse me, I’ll be taking a seat over here.

I’ve prepared scones as well, please enjoy them together with the tea. )

You seem hesitant.

( ...What’s the matter? Do you mean to imply that you can’t drink the tea I poured for you? )

You shake your head.

( That’s good. I do understand you are somewhat worried about your companion, but seeing you flustered like that is quite unsighty. For now, try to calm down and have yourself a refreshment. We can talk afterwards.

Please, go ahead. )

You bring the cup to your lips.

( Yes, exactly. Slowly take in the ta... )

You drop the cup as it shatters on the floor.

( ...What is the plan here? I’m sure you tried to make it seem as if your hand slipped by accident, but you dropped it on purpose, did you not? )

You try to deny it.

( I see. Seems like you’ve been disciplined quite well. So you won’t eat or drink something so carelessly, huh? However, because of you, my mood has dropped. )

He gets up from his chair.

( I am deeply disappointed by your actions. When you could have simply refused, you chose to even destroy the cup. ...What a waste of my prized collection. )

He kneels down and begins to pick up the shards.

( Oh? As you see, I can simply melt them like this and fix it, so there is no need for a compensation. Both the cup and tea are made out of paint, as you can see. Of course, those scones over there as well...

I should not have to explain that it isn’t just any regular paint. Everything was made inside this museum, in other words, they’re clusters of magic. If I had succeeded in dragging you inside (1), I would have been able to do with you as I please...Heh. You look dumb but you’re surprisingly clever, huh? )

You get up from your chair and try to get away.

( Oh my? First you remained obedient and now you’re finally trying to flee? It’s useless so do not bother. )

You ignore his words and try to look for a way out.

( ...I’m telling you it’s useless! ...All you had to do was quietly listen to me. I was hoping to get this over with in a peaceful manner, but I’ve changed my mind. For a lowlife human to completely reject my hospitality...That’s a grave sin, you know? You seem rather vigorous, but resisting is futile! )

He grabs hold of you.

( Do you really think a weak human could escape while being restrained like this? If you cause me any more trouble...I would not mind slitting your throat right here, right now. )

You immediately stop resisting.

( Heh. Becoming obedient after being threatened...Those who fear for their lives sure are pitiful. 

...Well then, I have to punish you for your lack of table manners. Furthermore... )

He takes a deep breath.

( The scent of this blood...It’s even more fragrant than a high-quality tea. This is my first time meeting a human with blood like yours. As part of your punishment, how about I drink from this nape of yours? )

You shake your head.

( Aah...I won’t be as crude as to devour you, but a ‘tasting’ is necessary, don’t you think? I have to know just how high quality the blood of those who wander into this place is...

Besides, considering your companion is a Vampire, you should already be familiar with it ー The pain of having your flesh pierced by a set of fangs. Don’t you think it’s a perfect fit for a punishment? )

You try to break free.

( Hm? *sniff sniff* ...The fragrance has grown stronger. The more frightened you become, the richer the taste becomes, I suppose? Hahaha. You must be quite the masochist. 

ー Why are you trying to deny it? This scent is the perfect proof. See? Your veins are pulsating strongly...Almost as if they’re begging to be punished quickly. Just as you wish, I’ll drink your blood. Alongside the greatest pain... )

The fake Reiji bites your neck.

( Haah...To think the taste would be this rich...I almost lost myself there. Just as I thought, it would not be an overstatement to call you a ‘first-class goods’. )

You get flustered.

( Oh dear? What’s the matter...Your breathing has gotten ragged? What a disgraceful expression. To think you would get aroused from being bitten, it’s shameful how your body can experience joy from having pain inflicted upon it. You’re almost like a courtesan. (2) 

Have you been begging for that guy to suck your blood every day as well? In such a distateful, pathetic way as you chase nothing but your own pleasure. )

You try to deny it

( That does not sound very convincing in your current position. Even right now...The wound is aching, is it not? See...? Just from tracing my fingers across, you start quivering. This is all it takes to take away your fighting spirit, huh? Hmph. A prey who is all too meek is boring, you see. I don’t get that sense of fulfillment from driving you into submission. 

Aah...That’s right. You’ve already been tamed, have you not? In that case, you’ve been disclipined very well, I must say. I’m sure that man must have trained you to be a perfect prey. )

You shake your head.

( Hooh? You actually have the nerve to talk back to me? Hah. That makes things more interesting. It’s too late to get cold feet now. You want me to punish you for being cheeky, do you not? I don’t mind. I’ll make an exception and teach you about your own position. Together with an overwhelming pain. 

For one, you broke one of my treasured cups, on top of that, you showed me a defiant attitude. Who gave you to the right to do those things? )

You try to explain.

( Fufu...Seems like you’ve been disciplined well as I thought. Seems like you do not wish to be scolded by that man. I’ll teach you thoroughly using this body ー Just how foolish it is to rebel against me AND that you are nothing but a worthless prey who does not hold the right to talk back. )

He bites you again as you struggle.

( Even while pretending to dislike it, you’re properly feeling the pleasure, are you not? Your blood has become sweeter...Are you really that devoted to this man? How humorous. In the end, humans are nothing but vessels for blood though. )

You retaliate. 

( I’ve grown bored of hearing you deny my words. Can you not say something a little more interesting? Look, I’ll even release you from my grip. )

You back away and bump into the table.

( Ah, don’t push the tableware off the table, if you’d please. Even if it’s just paint, you don’t deserve to treat them so roughly. )

You grab one of the forks.

( Hm? What are you planning on doing with said fork? Are you going to stab me? You really are foolish through and through. Even if you were to tear me to shreds, it would be futile. 

ー Why? As you can see...I’m paint as well. Do you really believe you can kill a picture drawn onto a canvas? )

You drop the fork.

( Your frightened expression isn’t bad either...But your face dyed with desperation is so much more picturesque. (3) )

You step back.

( It does not particularly turn me on, but I don’t feel bad gazing at it. Show me an even more pathetic and appalling face. )

He bites you once more.

( Nn...Woah! )

You collapse.

( To think you would faint...Seems like I had just a little too much. I originally never intended to be this brute. 

Hm...Seems like she won’t die from blood loss. I suppose I can lock her up until I’ve finished the preparations for the banquet. ) 

You ask him about the banquet.

( Aah, you were still conscious? Exactly, I have to prepare for the meal now. The ingredients are, without question, you...and that man. ) 

You shake your head.

( You’re still worried about HIM despite your own circumstances? I fail to understand a human’s trail of thought. 

He is a Vampire after all, one that seems to hold a considerate amount of power at that. It would be bothersome if he got into the way, so I made sure to isolate him beforehand. 

I’ll put you in the same cell as him, so spare your passionate words for later. Ahー I’ll tell you one thing though. I will not be the one dining tonight. It’s the museum itself. )

You look surprised.

( Did you not hear me? I’m telling you this museum will devour you both. This place is alive after all. )

You shake your head in denial.

( Hahaha. Your flabbergasted expression is truly foolish. From the moment you set foot into this place, you were destined to become its prey. To think you’ve been walking around not knowing this...Ignorance is bliss, they say. (4)  

Well then, I suppose I should get started on the banquet soon. Once the preparations are finished, I shall cook you...Hahaha. )

He slowly disappears as the voice fades away. 

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

Translation notes

(1) When the fake Reiji refers to 体内 or ‘tainai’, which means ‘interior (of a body), I assume he is talking about a painting. We saw in the precious part how all the previous visitors of the museum have been turned into portraits after all. 

(2) He uses the word 娼婦 or ‘shoufu’ here, which means ‘prostitute’ even in modern day Japanese. The term ‘prostitute’ in English sounds a bit too direct and crude to be coming from someone mimicing Reiji’s speech though, so I opted for ‘courtesan’ instead. 

(3) They make a really clever pun here with the expression 絵になる or ‘e ni naru’. This phrase literally means ‘to become a picture/painting’, but it’s often used to describe beautiful scenery or even a stunning-looking person. (Hence why I translated it as ‘picturesque’) Of course, within the context of this particular drama CD, the literal meaning isn’t too far off either... 

(4) In Japanese, the proverb is 無知は罪 or ‘muchi wa tsumi’, which literally translates as ‘ignorance is a crime’. In English, they take a bit more of a positive approach and say ‘ignore is bless’ though. :P 

[brainwashingdetective]

A3! Translation: ODAIRISAMA PANIC! Chapter 5

------------------

Yuki: I think I’m feeling this for the costume design. Next up is...

Masumi: ——

Yuki: Hm?

Masumi: Although I hide it - It still appears on my face - My fond love for you... [1]

Yuki: Karuta practice?

Masumi: …Yeah.

Yuki: Sakuya already said this, but you’ve been acting awfully eager lately.

What’s gotten you so motivated?

Masumi: ...The hina dolls.

Yuki: Huh?

Masumi: Apparently we had hina dolls in the storage that were used as props.

However, we might not be able to decorate the dorm by Hinamatsuri because Manager lent them to another troupe.

Director was disappointed when she heard that.

But there might be hina dolls among the prizes in this contest.

So I’m going to win and then give her the dolls as a gift.

Yuki: So that’s why... Honestly, you’re so dogged.

First of all, we don’t know if they’ll even have the dolls among the bonus prizes.

Masumi: They said that the bonus prize was related to Hinamatsuri, so it’s a possibility.

Yuki: Huh… But honestly, I’d be happy if it’s hina dolls too.

After all, it feels better to display those gorgeous dolls. It’s not Hinamatsuri without them.

Masumi: ……

Yuki: What now?

Masumi: ...Nothing in particular.

If that’s how you feel, then you’ll definitely win too.

Yuki: Yeah yeah.

------------------

Sakuya: Wow… It’s really bustling here! Looks like a lot of guests came too.

Izumi: All of the contest participants are wearing a variety of Odairi-sama costumes.

You guys look great too!

Masumi: Being praised by you makes me happy...

Kumon: These Odairi-sama costumes are super duper stylish and cool! That’s our Yuki for ya!

Sakuya: Yeah! The flowery designs are really pretty too!

Yuki: Naturally.

Hisoka: Yuki’s costume is cute too.

Izumi: It’s beautiful and gorgeous!

Homare: Hrm, calling it “elegant” would be very appropriate.

Host: Now, are all the contestants ready?

Then let’s start the Odairi-sama Contest and the Ohina-sama Contest at once!

------------------

Izumi: So this is where the first theme is.

Host: Our first competitive event will be… “Haiku”!

Japanese people should be able to compose beautiful haiku! Please present your original haiku!

Kumon: Looks like the stuff Homare-san taught me will be helpful now! Alright, I’ll do my best!

Izumi: (What kind of haiku will everyone write?)

------------------

Kumon: Ta-dah! Here it is… My haiku! I wrote about playing baseball in a field where you can see the cherry blossoms!

“The cherry blossoms - are blooming triumphantly - a strike, batter out!”

Spectator A: Ahaha, that was energetic and cute!

Spectator B:  Uh-huh, and it was very spring-like too!

Sakuya: Wow, that sounds like a fun haiku!

Izumi: Fufu, it’s very Kumon.

Host: That got some considerably high praise! Now, up next is...

Masumi: …I wrote about my feelings for her.

“My love for you is - buried far deep underneath - the lone cherry tree”

Host: Ooh! Such a passionate love poem...!

Spectator A: It’s super romantic…!

Spectator B: And yet I can feel its sorrow as well as its sweetness… Isn’t it a masterpiece that’ll go down in history?!

Yuki: His entire haiku was dedicated to the Director.

Hisoka: It’s how he normally operates.

Izumi: B-but they’re calling it a masterpiece! Just what we expect from Masumi-kun!

(Still, it’s kinda embarrassing...)

Sakuya: It’s Homare-san’s turn!

Homare: Now then…

“Singing and dancing - while the spring breeze is blowing”...

No, this is unsatisfactory.

……The blossoms are in full bloom, with a radiant and brilliant spring breeze, we sing and dance during this fantastic festival~!

Izumi: I-I don’t think that’s a haiku anymore…

Hisoka: It’s his usual poem.

Masumi: He’s not even speaking in meter.

Homare: How wonderful… Everyone’s masterpieces will keep my poetic inspiration rising!

Yuki: He’s entered his own little world.

Kumon: Homare-saaaaan, come baaaack!

------------------

< Previous Chapter | Next Chapter >

TL Notes:

Poem 40 from Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.

Thanks to both En and @the-himawari​ from the A3! Wiki Discord Server for helping me putting my translations for the boys’ haiku in haiku format! Additional thanks to the latter for telling me what a one-out was in baseball.

[rk-ocs]

I put another Yugioh abridged into the ebonics translator after being inspired by the first

---

Yugioh abridged ebonics translated script episode 3

Yo YAMI: ah'm not actually in dis here episode... has anyone seen muh motha fuckin agent?

On top o' da skoo, dusk

YUGI (thinkin`): Well, gramps's uh drooling green. an' now, thanks ta Pegasus, he's lost his soul too. ah've just gotta save him. But first, ah should prob'ly figure out how ta git down from here. yo? uh little he`p here? Anybody?

Joey's room

JOEY: werd up, it's another video! ah wonder if Pegasus wants muh motha fuckin soul too?

He puts da video in da player

SERENITY (on da video): wut up big brudda?

JOEY: It's muh motha fuckin sister who sounds nothin' like me!

SERENITY: da doctors gots been so busy trying ta figure out why muh motha fuckin voice iz so high-pitched, dey've neglected ta treat muh motha fuckin eyesight! So ah'm going blind. Well, seeya later! ..or not..

JOEY: ah guess muh motha fuckin soul ain't pimp-tight enough fo' Pegasus.

At skoo da next day

YUGI: ah've decided ta accept Pegasus' invitation an' travel ta his private island where ah'll be completely at his mercy. It's uh shame rich megalomaniacs is immune from da law, otherwise we's could just page da po-po!

JOEY: Cash sho do do terrible things ta niggas. It's like da old sayin` goes: Money iz da root o' all-

TRISTAN: werd up peep! dis here tournament has uh prize o' three million bones!

JOEY: Cha-ching! Duelist Kingdom, here ah come!

Outside

YUGI: werd up Joey, remember da tyme we's became niggas?

JOEY: Yeah.

Flashback

YUGI: Give me back muh motha fuckin Millennium Puzzle you big dickweeds! Waaaah!

JOEY an' TRISTAN: we's be tormenting you!

End flashback

YUGI: Actually Joey, ah wuz jivin' 'boutthe part afta dat.

JOEY: awww.. awww yeah, now ah remember!

Flashback

YUGI: ah mean it pimpz, give it back!

JOEY an' TRISTAN: we's be still tormenting you!

End flashback

JOEY: nigga, pimp-tight times!

YUGI: nahh Joey, ah mean da tyme when ah saved you from dat bully!

JOEY: Huh.. nahh.. nahh, ah don' remember dat..

YUGI: But ah wuz all heroic an' sheeit!

JOEY: werd up, remember da tyme me an' Tristan took yo' Millennium Puzzle?

Flashback

YUGI: Waaaahahahaaah!

JOEY an' TRISTAN: Torment!

End flashback

YUGI: Remind me why we's be niggas ag'in?

At da boat fo' Duelist Kingdom

KEMO: Attention Duelists! muh motha fuckin fro iz telling you dat it's tyme fo' you ta board! Anyone caught without uh madness hairstyle will NOT be permitted ta enter da Duelist Kingdom!

JOEY: (Being held by guards) werd up! But muh motha fuckin fro's all blonde an' poofy!

GUARD: Sorry nigga, but it needs ta be at least twice da size o' yo' head fo' it ta count.

YUGI: He's wif me.

GUARD: Wow! yo' fro's madness enough fo' two niggas! Okay he can go.

JOEY: Thanks Yug. nigga, yo' fro really iz madness. What da heck's yo' secret?

YUGI: L'Oréal. cuz ah'm worf it.

TÉA: Come on, Tristan! Let's sneak on board like Solid Snake!

TRISTAN: don' our parents even care dat we's be missing?

MAI: iz dat uh Lightforce Sword in yo' pocket or is you just happy ta see me?

JOEY: Check it out, Yug. It's uh pair o' giant titties attached ta uh beotch.

MAI: da name's Mai Valentine. It's not uh very subtle pun, but then ag'in, nuttin' 'boutme iz very subtle.

JOEY: Boooobiiiiies.

MAI: ah'll crush you when we's git ta da island.

JOEY: Wif yo' boobies, right?

TRISTAN: wut wrong, Téa?

TÉA: ah need ta use da baf room, but da beotch who dubs me won't admit it.

TRISTAN: In another few hours da sun will rise!

TÉA: What da f*ck do dat mean?!

werds n shit appears on screen: (seriously, he actually says dat... wtf?)

TÉA: werd up, ain't dat Bakura?

TRISTAN: Bakura? da limey kid from skoo?

TÉA: wut he doin' here?

TRISTAN: Who cares? He's not even uh main character!

Rex's room on da boat

REX: Woah! Uh-huh-huh.. Come ta Raptor.

MAI: Tell you what, Rex, if ah win dis here duel, ah git ta use yo' room. But if you win, then ah'll give you uh kiss!

REX: tight. Then ah, like, won't be uh virgin anymo'.

On deck

WEEVIL: Heh-heh, werd up Yugi, heh-heh, like, give me yo' cards or somethin`. Heh-heh.

YUGI: Well, you clearly evil, but ah see nahh reason not ta trust you.

WEEVIL: Say peace out ta Exodia! (throws Exodia overboard) Heh-heh-heh-heh, yeah, heh-heh dat wuz tight, heh-heh-heh (leaves)

YUGI: Holy cow, ah never even seen dat coming!

JOEY: ah'll save 'em! (dives afta da cards)

da theme from Titanic plays

JOEY: mus'.. risk.. life.. fo' cards!

Yugi dives in afta him ta save him

rap stops

TRISTAN: (drops uh ladder down ta dem) werd up! git uh room you two!

Boat hallway

MAI: git out, loser! (Chucks Rex into da hall)

REX: Uh.. did ah just score?

On deck

TÉA: Sorry you almost drowned, pimpz.

TRISTAN: If it's any consolation, da sun will be up in uh few hours!

JOEY: nigga, ah can't believe ah didn't save yo' cards! Compared ta dis here, muh motha fuckin sister's imminent blindness seems like uh minor inconvenience!

YUGI: yo' sister? How come you never mentioned dat sub-plot 'bfoe?

JOEY: muh motha fuckin parents gots divorced uh long tyme ago, cuz ah tried teaching her how ta cruize.

Flashback

SERENITY: (in uh `64) Joey! Stop dis here madness thin`!

JOEY: Apply da handbrake, ya dum broad!

End flashback

TRISTAN (thinkin`): If she's going blind, ah might actually gots uh chance wif her!

Morning

YUGI: we's'll bof do our bomb, Joey! You fo' yo' sister, an' me fo' muh motha fuckin gramps.

TÉA: ah'm not even sho why ah bothered coming!

TRISTAN: werd up, peep! ah wuz right 'boutthe sun!

End

Stinger: Don' make me come ova there bitch...

[norhimorovine]

The Mocking Sylph

Norhi leaned against the counter in her shop, tail flicking behind her in irritation. Course, the hyur in front of her did not seem to grasp the particulars of miqo’te body language. So, if Norhi’s ears were lowered in agitation, if her tail lashed a little more than normal, he didn’t even appear to notice.

No, the boor was too busy swirling a potion bottle in front of the window, as if he could discern some quality from the way it filtered light. “Hmmm…. I confess, I must question the efficacy of a healing potion that doesn’t glimmer properly.”

Norhi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That was one cue that even inexperienced non-miqo’te seemed to pick up on. “I assure you, good sir, it’s an excellent potion. We make ours with a different recipe than the alchemy guild teaches. As such, it has a different look to the liquid.”

The hyur hums with a non-committal frown. “I don’t know. Deviating from the alchemy guild seems dangerous. After all, their methods are the most tried and true. They brew their potions for two or three times longer than most freelance alchemists.”

Norhi’s ear twitched once, then twice. “Ah, but you see, my husband, our alchemical master, grew up in Othard, where he did not have access to our guilds. He learned his recipes from ancient traditions passed down in his village. It is even said they sold them in Kugane for a while, with great success. Eastern recipes are going to be different. But they still work just as well.”

The hyur pursed his lips. “Why’d they stop selling them in Kugane?”

Norhi sighed. She hated when they asked for the full story. “A competitor had the… who was it? Great great uncle Kage? Something like that. It’s been a few generations. A competitor had Uncle Kage killed. Paid a small gang to do it. The Sekisegumi dealt with the matter when they found the gang carting Uncle Kage’s body to a foundry. And Zuki’s family decided they would not sell in Kugane anymore.”

The man grunted in soft disbelief. “Well that’s just life in Kugane. Kill or be killed. It’s so lawless there you know.”

Norhi stared at the man, barely keeping her incredulity off of her face. Did this man do nothing but talk out of his ass? Her frustrated ruminations were interrupted by the ringing of the bell over the shop door. She nods to the hyur and turns to move closer to the front. “Welcome to Stormvine Alchemy, Conjury, and Botany! Let me know if you need any help!”

It was a roegadyn man who’d come in. He was probably one of the shorter roes that Norhi had seen, but that still made him insensibly tall. She smiled though, recognizing the Sea Wolf. “Hollgeiss Blyngraeb! Welcome back.”

Hollgeiss smiled warmly and gave a bow. “Thank ye, Miz Norhi. I’m mostly here ta find my friend, Carter. He said he’d meet me here, to see yer potions.”

Norhi nodded and then half turned, gesturing to the back end of the shop. “Only other customer here is this gentleman by the window.”

Hollgeiss squinted and then shuffled to the side. “Ah yep, that’s him. Carter! Mornin!”

Norhi snorted, watching Hollgeiss move to his friend’s side. “Where are your glasses, Holl?”

The roe quickly winced and then patted his pockets and his belt pouch, before finding them hanging from his back pocket. He winked at Norhi and slid the glasses on. “Carter! So… Whatcha think?”

Carter gave his friend a dismayed frown. “I think you’ve been bamboozled, friend. She doesn’t even use alchemy guild recipes. Look. No shimmer.”

Hollgeiss blinked at this and then answered, “What in the seven hells does the shimmer have to do with shite, Carter? The potions work. I know they do cuz I take them. I survived my last run in with the Ixal, thanks to Stormvine’s alchemy. Hells, Miz Norhi was able to finish healing me, when I collapsed on her doorstep right after!”

Carter huffed. “But they’re eastern! Why can’t she use alchemy guild recipes?”

Holl shook his head and took the potion from his friend. “They’re her husband’s recipes and they work fine. If yer gonna be an arse about it, go wait outside. We can waste the money on the aetheryte to Ul’dah if yer gonna be so damned picky. But I’m buyin’ mine here.”

Carter opened his mouth to object, but Hollgeiss cut him off. “No. I hear another rude word out of ya about Miz Norhi, her shop, or their potions, yer gonna need healing after my fist catches ya.”

Carter fidgeted and then mumbled, “Pick me out a set.”

Holl smiled then and patted his friend on the shoulder. He turned and started grabbing bottles off the shelf. When he got to the counter with his selections, he gave Norhi an apologetic frown. “I am direly sorry, Miz Norhi. Carter.. Well, he likes thinking he knows what he’s about.”

Norhi started counting and tallying the cost of the purchase, accounting for Holl’s repeat customer discount. “He’s hardly the first, Holl. And I will be dearly surprised if he’s the last. Though, at least he wasn’t angling to bring the price down off of his comments. I’d rather deal with doubt about the product, than someone trying to work an angle. It’s a good thing he’s got a friend who’ll help him learn.”

Holl ducked his head over a goofy grin and rubbed his neck. “Aw, Miz Norhi. I ain’t that good a friend. I broke his nose plenty enough.”

Norhi shrugged and passed the pad with the total over. “Maybe. Or maybe some friends need their noses broken. Or else they’ll just be another mocking sylph.”

Holl tilted his head then. “A mocking sylph?”

Norhi huffed a laugh. “Sorry. Old miqo’te fairy tail. I’ve been sharing a lot of the old stories with my siblings lately.”

Carter shuffled closer then, having stayed inside. “I… like fairy tales.”

Norhi hummed and then grinned. “Alright. I’ll tell you the story. But you have to promise me that you’ll actually learn about the things you’re talking about, before turning your nose up at them.”

Carter nodded. “Of course, Miss.”

So, most miqo’te tribes avoid the sylphs, if only to avoid crossing into each other’s hunting grounds or sacred groves. Also, we like it when they don’t summon Ramuh. Life’s more peaceful like that. Anyhow, for all that we weave around their borders and steer clear, there is some benefit to trade with them.

One such tribe prized the sylph’s skill with silks and threads. And it was that they had a number of new training shamans among their kits. So, one of their healers and one of their huntresses went to the nearest sylph village. They took with them paints and dyes, glass vials bought from a lalafellin merchant, and quality sewn leather satchels.

As they neared the village, the huntress stopped the healer. “I hear something, sister.”

The healer looked around but heard nothing. But the huntress didn’t wait. She dashed off into the underbrush, chasing the sound. This distressed the healer, who had no real skill as a fighter. She stayed on the path and slowly started walking again, hoping the huntress would find her.

And then the healer heard a cry. Someone was in pain. She could not ignore that someone needed help. So she turned from the path and started searching. She heard the sound again and turned to keep following. But then she heard a mocking laugh. She frowned and kept searching, following the sound of pained groans and mocking laugher.

But then she ran headfirst into her sister. The huntress was uninjured, but angry. “It taunts me! Calling like a hunting party in danger and then laughing!”

The healer frowned and then looked around. “I thought I heard someone in pain, just a moment ago.”

And then they both hear another sound, a roar of a great beast. They quickly bolt for the path, racing to get out of the underbrush and to the safety of the sylph village. And then they heard the laughter. The healer then spotted movement. She pointed to the treetops and the huntress scaled the nearest trunk.

There was a squawk of surprise and a small green creature flew off down the path. The healer gave chase, just behind the huntress. And when they reached the sylph village, the small sylph was cowering behind her elder.

The huntress pointed at her and yelled, “That little scoundrel lured us from the path, fooling us with sounds of distress and fear, and then laughing at us for stumbling through the underbrush!”

The healer quickly nodded. “And then she chased us with the sound of a great beast! Before laughing again!”

The elder looked at the young sylph and shook her head. “Night-walking ones are these one’s friends. They bring these ones trade. Why does this one bring them trouble?”

The young sylph flailed their fists as they answered, “This one was making a joke! This one wanted to laugh!”

The elder sighed. “This one needs learn that night-walking ones carry spears and magic. And this one must learn that making night-walking ones fear, is not a good joke. Misplace their belongings, change into a large pumpkin, instead. Do not chase night-walking ones, like great beast. Lest this one is turned into a great beast for penance.”

The young sylph hung her head. “Yes, Elder one.”

After that, the young sylph was made to work on the silks the huntress and the healer had come to trade for.  And when that sylph once again mocked some poor traveler, the elder did indeed turn them into a beast of the forest, to learn their lesson.

Hollgeiss tilted his head in confusion, as Norhi finished the story. “Seems awful tame fer a sylph.”

Norhi shrugged. “Well, the story’s probably lost bits over time and translation.”

Carter, however, was humming excitedly, writing quickly in a little book. “Do not laugh at people chasing you,” he mumbled to himself.

Holl and Norhi looked at Carter and then exchanged a worried look. Norhi reached under the counter and grabbed one more healing potion. “Here. Call it insurance or something.”

Hollgeiss nodded. “Right. Thank ye, Miz Norhi. See ya soon.”

He then turned and herded his distracted friend from the store. And Norhi just sighed in relief. She hoped this wouldn’t come back to bite her later.

[womenintranslation]

The new TA First Translation Prize is awarded to Russian-English translator Bela Shayevich and editor Jacques Testard for the English edition of Svetlana Alexievich’s Second-Hand Time.

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune Book 2 Chapter 5 - Marebito (Part 2)

Glossary here

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. The joya no kane, or New Year’s Eve bell, is a tradition in Japan where temples ring a bell 108 times on the New Year to get rid of evil desires and thoughts, and 108 is believed to be the number of these thoughts.

2. Kin-teki and sen-teki are targets that are used for entertainment on special occasions. And yeah a sen-teki is actually a folding fan.

3. Zenkyuuren, short for Zen Nippon Kyudo Renmei (All Japan Kyudo Federation) is the main organization that oversees and promotes kyudo activities in Japan, including organizating tournaments. University students have their own organization that is not affiliated with Zenkyuuren.

4. A shigetou-kyuu is a lacquered bow wrapped completely in rattan strips. Only high level archers may use one.

5. Anatta is a Buddhist term that refers to the doctrine that states humans do not have a permanent, underlying substance that could be called the soul.

6. Shikoku is one of the five main islands of Japan and the second smallest.

7. This is actually the second time the Shikoku Pilgrimage is mentioned in the series. The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kuukai. There are also over 20 temples that are not associated with the pilgrimage.

8. Zouri sandals are traditional flat sandals made of rice straw that look like clogs.

9. Green foxtail is called nekojarashi in Japanese, which is also the name for the cat toy that resembled it.

Previous | Next

“I'm going first!”

“Do it, Minato!”

After Ryouhei shouted, Minato jumped into the river with his back facing the sun.

A powerful splash went up, and Minato came up from the water after a pause. Ryouhei and Seiya also dived in the same way from the rock that was jutting out over the river.

It was the afternoon of the second day of training camp. They had finished morning practice, and were immersed in playing in the river.

Just a short walk away from the inn, there was a river with a gentle current that was suitable for swimming. Hearing about the local children diving into it, Minato, Ryouhei and Seiya eagerly changed into their swimsuits. It was hot today as well, and there was a thin sheen of sweat covering their limbs. Since the river bottom was filled with rocks, they fully prepared themselves for it by wearing trekking sandals so their feet wouldn’t hurt.

The rock didn’t look very tall when seen from a distance, but when one stood on it, it had a height that made one hesitate to jump from it. However, the three dived without any hesitation, and were bathed in cheers from the local boys who had done it earlier.

There was no trace of it nowadays, but the three of them were actually mischievous kids when they were little. They also did things that gave scares to the people around them—getting lost in the mountains behind their homes on their “heroes’ adventures,” building a little house on top of a tree and called it their secret base, then falling through the floorboards when they tread through it, and other such things.

The cousin duo of Kaito and Nanao were enjoying a different kind of play. Nanao sat down in a swim ring and floated along with it. Kaito overtook him, swimming in front crawl. He was swimming in earnest, wearing goggles. The two reached a part of the river where it would be dangerous if they went any further and walked upstream against the current. Then, once more, Nanao rode on his swim ring and floated off, and Kaito swam down the river.

Hanazawa, Shiragiku, and Seo were preparing to enter the water on the riverside. Hanazawa tied twintails beneath her ears, and Shiragiku gathered her hair on top of her head. Their pale skin stood out.

“I was quite surprised this morning, by Onogi-kun’s scream.”

“Oh, that. It was probably Kisaragi-kun who scribbled on his cheeks with permanent marker, right? Thank goodness Takehaya-kun was able to erase it with a cooling spray for him.”

“It sure was a bold prank,” Seo replied as she was looking at their feet.

“Oh? You got a pedicure? That pink color is so cute. It really suits you, Shiragiku.”

“I am so happy that you noticed, Seo.”

Hanazawa took off her back-strapped shoes and stretched her foot in front of the other two.

“Ta-da, look at mine too!”

Hanazawa’s toenails were painted white, with three black circles drawn on each of them.

“Kasumi-mato!? Did you do them yourself, Yuuna? If you don't hide your feet, you'll get targeted, won't you?”

Seo and Shiragiku were hugely impressed. They had Hanazawa promise to help them do the same for their nails tonight before they went to bed.

The three placed their clothes on a rock by the riverside and then slid into the water.

“So cold! The boys just go into cold water like this a lot, huh?”

“I can just barely soak my feet.”

Seo went all the way to around the middle of the river and submerged herself all the way up to her head. After she rose from the water, she combed back her wet hair. Since she was a handsome girl, it was strangely picturesque.

“It’s cold at first, but once you’ll get used to it once you take a soak.”

“If Seo says so…”

Hanazawa and Shiragiku clasped hands and went into the water, submerging themselves up to their shoulders, and screaming, “Kyah, it is cold!” When they were about to get up, water was splashed onto their backs.

“Seo, stop that!”

“Fufu.”

The three had a water fight, running through the water and trying to escape each other. They had fun throwing a beach ball around and swimming breaststroke, but suddenly, laughter turned into screams.

Two boys, lying face down, were floating away from upstream.

At the girls’ screams, Kaito cut around to in front of two boys, striking their heads. Upon doing that, the two planted their feet on the river bottom and raised their heads.

“What’s up, Kaito-kun?”

“Ryouhei, Narumiya! You guys scared us. You looked like corpses floating away. Stop playing like that.”

Ryouhei scratched the back of his head.

“Oh, sorry. We were looking underwater. There’s fish there.”

“…You guys really are wild children. I wanna see your childhoods.”

Without noticing the sarcasm, Minato answered him seriously, “Should I recreate it for you? In the past, if there was a shallower area, we’d often pile up rocks to dam up the stream and make it like a pond.”

“Oh, do it, do it. If we put in the fish we caught, the water turned into a hot soup by the heat of the sun, and then the fish became boiled fish,” Ryouhei added to the topic, and Kaito’s eyes also became like those of a boiled fish.

After Seiya and Nanao joined, the eight left the water temporarily. They covered themselves in bath towels while repeating, “So cold, so cold.” They were in the water for too long, so their finger and toes became swollen and pale white.

Tommy-sensei and Masa-san handed out cups of hot coffee. They stuffed their faces with sandwiches and yakisoba bread, and warmed up their cold bodies around the fire pit.

Minato finished drinking his coffee and placed his cup on the ground.

“Masa-san, you dive too.”

“I’m an old geezer, so I’ll have to pass on that.”

Minato was about to say that he wasn’t an old geezer when he quickly realized something.

Even though Masa-san’s head wound had just been completely healed, wouldn’t it be dangerous if it reopened while doing something like diving…?

After he realized the insensitivity of his words and shut his mouth, Masa-san spoke.

“When you all finish eating, shall all the boys have a race? I’ve put a towel on that rock that looks like a frog downstream, and whoever grabs it first is the winner. The winner will have more meat added to their dinner.”

“Alright!” Kaito said, quickly standing up and beginning warmup exercises. He was so enthusiastic that he even put on a swimming cap. The others also put on goggles and entered the water.

Tommy-sensei raised his hand up high.

“Take your marks, get set, start!”

Kaito, Ryouhei, Seiya, Nanao, Minato, and Masa-san simultaneously kicked the water.

The distance was about twenty-five meters. Their arms rotated in huge circles from their shoulders and they paddled against the water, stretching their knees. Six flexible bodies glided through the water. Kaito, Minato, and Masa-san were neck-and-neck, and in the end it was Masa-san who arrived at the goal first. With a calm smile, he held the towel in his hand and went up to the riverside.

Nanao also got out of the water and protested.

“Masa-san, it’s not very adult-like to swim seriously, you know?”

“Everyone, you’ve misread the current. It’s faster at the edges.”

“Shit, one more round! And this time, let’s change the lineup,” Kaito said.

The six once again submerged themselves in the water. This time, it was Seiya who won. “One more round!” Kaito shouted. It didn’t seem like this competition would end until he won.

The laughter of the ten people continued into the evening.

On the third day of training camp, they decided to hold a competition.

Tommy sensei spoke, “Let us do a ‘hyakuhasshakai’. It is patterned after the ringing of a temple bell for one-hundred-and-eight times on New Year’s Eve (1), and it’s common to do it at the end of the year for kyudo. The way to do it is with teams of five in two shajos. First, you shoot two arrows in zasha, and then you shoot four arrows in rissha for twelve rounds for a total of fifty shots, and this is all done twice. However, the first-year students from Tsujimine High School will finish with fifty shots. Your advisor is right next to you, so I want you to shoot with peace of mind. This is an individual competition, not a team competition, so those who feel that can’t shoot anymore may drop out midway. Why the hundred shots are finished, the remaining eight shots are open to all, so look forward to it since the kin-teki (gold target) and sen-teki (fan target) will be prepared. (2) Item prizes will also be prepared.”

A kin-teki was a three sun (9.1 cm) target with gold painted, and a sen-teki, as its name suggested, was fan-shaped. Both were used for celebrations and events.

The girls from both schools made a merged team, and the total of thirty people were made into six groups and divided into the two shajos. Nikaidou and Minato’s team were in the second shajo.

The team that finished shooting their four shots would have the oomae and second archer watching the targets, the third archer would be recording the results on the blackboard, and the fourth archer would be writing the results down in the books. When one team finished, they would switch roles with the next team. Since it wouldn’t be fair to have only the same person retrieving the arrows, of the five people in a team, they would change the order by having everyone shift forward one spot for every round of shooting. For that reason, the record-keepers needed to pay close attention.

Nikaidou looked at the profile of his advisor.

It was unusual for him to watch over his students without leaving. He wondered what kind of magic the Kazemai advisor used on him. It might have been that he just couldn’t excuse himself from it because an elderly teacher gave him a talk.

The Tsujimine members also exchanged words with the Kazemai coach and members. It was motivating to shoot with archers from another school. It was a fresh surprise to compare the differences between shamen uchiokoshi and shoumen uchiokoshi, especially.

There was someone who felt the same way. Ryouhei spoke to Tommy-sensei.

“What kinds of shooting methods and schools are there?”

“Well, the main organizer of Inter-High is the All Japan High School Athletic Federation, and now what high schoolers are taught in club activities and the like is the same style as the ‘Zenkyuuren’. (3) The rules are slightly different if the competition is sponsored by a university or a company. Zenkyuuren is the abbreviation of the All Japan Kyudo Federation, which is also abbreviated as Nikyuuren. It is roughly categorized into three groups.

“Shoumen uchiokoshi in reishakei.

“Shoumen uchiokoshi in bushakei.

“Shamen uchiokoshi in bushakei.

“Kazemai and Kirisaki shoot in the first category, and the Kirisaki twins shoot in the second category. Tsujimine shoots in the third category. Since kyudo schools are different from Zenkyuuren in things like taihai, it is common for many people to belong to a school and Zenkyuuren. I myself belong to Zenkyouren and Ogasawara-ryuu hosha.”

"Whoa, that’s pretty complicated."

"Even for shoumen uchiokoshi, between reishakei and bushakei there are differences in the spot-the-difference levels, such as the way you hold your arrows and the movements of nocking an arrow, right? For shamen uchiokoshi as well, there are differences such as the one between the methods of not stopping midway during hikiwake and 'sanbun no ni.'"

"Ooh, that's really interesting. Thank you for the explanation."

"Ho ho, was I a little bit helpful to you?"

Fuwa, who heard the two’s conversation by chance, also murmured "Whoa" in his mind.

He remembered that the cheering for university matches was very lively, but conversely, the average kyudo match organized by the Zenkyuuren banned vocal cheering, and showing support was limited to applauding when there was a kaichuu. The way things were done changed with the place. It wasn’t an argument of which was better or worse, but a difference of tone. The variety was very interesting.

The competition continued after that, and when fifty shots were finished, they had a lunch break.

Ryouhei and Nanao were obsessed with Ootaguro’s huge bow and got him to let them hold it. Kaito and Seiya were checking whether or not the records were correct. Seiya was also inputting the records into a self-created smartphone app. Among the Kazemai boys, Ryouhei had the least number of hits with thirty-six, and Kaito and Minato had the strong results of forty-two hits.

Masa-san sat next to Minato, who was drinking barley tea.

"Minato, if your wrist hurts again, don’t overdo it."

"Got it. I really am okay. I’m doing great."

"It's true that you aren't bending your left wrist anymore. You're stretching it straight."

"When I was conscious of not bending my left thumb and pointed my thumb at the target at kai, I didn't bend my left wrist anymore. I think that maybe the line above my arm went straight by me stretching my thumb, and the line below my arm went straight by tensing my little finger."

"You've discovered it for yourself. You probably won't forget what you understood by yourself."

"Yeah, I'm kinda happy."

Minato smiled.

When the call came for the resumption of the competition, he put on his yugake again.

For the second half, the five Tsujimine first-year students and the five girls refrained from shooting, and it became a match with a total of twenty people. The ones who refrained took on the roles of checking the targets.

As expected, perhaps due to exhaustion, the ones who did well in the first half missed a lot. The number of hits had gone down considerably, but the starting members displayed their willpower and produced a hitting ratio of seventy to eighty percent. A dragonfly stopped on the tip of a leaf, as an arrow crossed over the pond, and the sounds of "All right!" came flying.

The results after the hundred shots were over were as followed.

Nikaidou had eighty-two hits, Fuwa seventy-nine, Ootaguro seventy-seven, Higuchi sixty-nine, and Aragaki seventy-four. A total of three-hundred-and-eighty-one hits.

Kaito had eighty hits, Ryouhei sixty-seven, Seiya seventy-seven, Nanao seventy-three, Minato eighty-two. A total of three-hundred-and-seventy-nine hits.

The top two were Minato and Nikaidou with eighty-two hits out of a hundred shots. There was a loud round of applause after the results were announced.

The last eight shots were with the kin-teki and sen-teki.

The targets were changed from a thirty-six-centimeter kasumi-mato to a nine-centimeter kin-teki. Since the sen-teki was just as small, they were hard to hit. In addition to the products, the people who hit them could also get a set consisting of the kin-teki they hit and a small decorative arrow. It was a shooting side-show rather than a competition, so there were lively conversations from the stands while they watched the game.

In the midst of it all, Nikaidou had a grim expression on his face. His usual hitting rate was over ninety percent, but he was lacking life and vividness on this day. Something was getting in his way and his right hand couldn’t move as sharply as usual. When he turned his face towards the azuchi, the kin-teki glittered like it was laughing at him.

Shit, I don’t wanna lose. He’s the only I absolutely do not want to lose to――.

Just when Nikaidou was thinking that, he noticed a defect in what he was holding.

There was a gap in a part of his bow’s yazuridou.

A yazuridou, as its name suggests, is a piece of rattan (tou) wrapped around the part of the bow that the arrow rubs against (sureru) that was just above the grip. Japanese bows were usually wrapped with rattan in three or five places. Bows that had more places wrapped were high-caliber objects, and required a suitable location and level of ability to use. For example, the shigetou-kyuu (4), which was wrapped entirely in rattan, could not be used without a license in the Ogasawara-ryuu school.

The "aim" of the Japanese bow based on the yazuridou, and it was said that the aim was a few notches above the rolled rattan, but as the width of the rattan was only a few millimeters, it was easy for it to result in a deviation. This deviation of a few millimeters was a deviation of about ten centimeters at the target, so there were methods such as making a mark on the bow to make it easier to aim, but that was prohibited.

The place where the gap was located was exactly where his "aim" was.

If that was matched up with the center of the target, the heights would line up exactly…

That’s right, this wasn’t intentional; this was a natural phenomenon. I should just pretend not to notice it. This isn’t like an official tournament where there are equipment checks, and no one looks at other people’s bows in a festive atmosphere.

It’ll be good if I hit. I will hit.

Nikaidou made a grinding sound with his yugake. He took four arrows in hand. It happened when he stepped forward with a heart that was beating with an unsettled rhythm.

"Your yazuridou has a gap in it. Shall I fix it for you?"

He could just barely withstand the feeling of his heart nearly leaping out of his mouth. His trademark amiable smile did not appear on his face.

Following Masa-san, who headed towards the shajo as though he was gliding, Nikaidou headed for the waiting room.

Even from inside the waiting room, he could see what was going on outside. It seemed like the competition still hadn’t started yet, since it was noisy with the sounds of everyone talking.

Masa-san got a bottle of wood glue and a small spatula, used for repairing, and skillfully filled up the gap.

"Wait a little bit longer. I'll be done soon since it's only a little bit dislocated."

"…Did you notice it, sir?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"If it weren't for me being called out by you, then I would have intended on going out to the competition as I was. While the yazuridou had the aim marked on it."

"Today's competition is an interschool match, but well, if I had to say it, it's for fun. Why are you so obsessed over whether you win or not?"

"It's because once you lose, you'll get into a habit of losing. I will continue to win, during this summer…"

"During this summer? It's okay to not win after that?"

"I don't care about next year. I don't plan on continuing to do kyudo for a long time like everyone else. …It's stupid, getting all worked up and emotional over such a simple sport."

Nikaidou smiled. Even though it should have been his usual smile, for some reason his face was strained.

Masa-san then spoke, like he was addressing the bow in his hands.

"There's a story that goes like this. There was a warrior who got hayake and was told by his master to stop practicing archery. Resolving to cure himself by any means necessary, he placed a kimono that his daimyo gave to him in front of his aim, and challenged himself to commit seppuku if he let go of his arrow, but as expected, he shot through the kimono. Also, two university students were worried about hayake, and when they attempted to not let go of their arrows by facing each other and drawing their bows, both of them shot their arrows at the same time. Those are anecdotes that really cannot be imitated."

"Really… So what? What do you want to tell me? If it is that you get hayake when you're obsessed with hitting, or that I should sympathize with those who have it, or something like that, then I am afraid those stories have nothing to do with me."

"Since hayake is the condition of releasing your arrow against your own intention, what about its opposite? It is your body moving naturally without you thinking about anything, and all of your released arrows hitting the target——. What do you think the state of reaching that superhuman level, the opposite of hayake, is called?"

"I don't know, the state of selflessness (anatta)? (5) Pretty mystical, isn't it."

"It's called 'the zone.' Achieving the best level of physical activity in the ultimate state of concentration――. Don't you want to experience that sort of state just once?"

For a fleeting moment, the sounds were interrupted.

The sounds that should have been so noisy didn't reach his ears at all.

The buzz of cicadas sounded from a distance.

"When Mr. Eugen asked Awa-hanshi to 'please teach me Japanese archery,' Awa-hanshi replied with, 'Don't think about hitting the target.' If they only heard that, most people would be puzzled, wondering what he was saying, but that was only a conclusion, and the process of reaching that conclusion was omitted.

"Why don't you think about hitting the target.

"How do I avoid thinking about hitting the target.

"Awa-hanshi was speaking about those parts with a Buddhist mentality, so it might sound like something from the other side of the clouds, but it does in fact tell you how to enter the zone. Wouldn't you like to revive the secret techniques that Eugen Herrigel left behind in the modern age?"

"…You're telling me to do that?"

"A high school archer who's able to do kakehodoki is the rarest of the rare. Is it okay for that skill to end with only you? There are some who may admire your shooting. As well as those will evolve further."

"You are the coach for Kazemai High School, aren't you? Is it okay to give your enemy such important information? "

"Even if they know it, no one can do it right away. And, just as you cannot learn a lot by completely copying the answers in a workbook, the answers you derived from the questions that you yourself asked, worried over, and suffered over are more memorable. Rather than just listening to what other people say, there is nothing better than what you gain from experience."

Nikaidou took a breath. There was too much information and his thoughts couldn't catch up with it all.

Masa-san continued to speak.

"Some parts of you overlap with how I was just a little while ago. I can't win more, or hit――. Wanting to win, wanting to hit—those are primitive feelings that we have by nature without requiring training for them. It's fine to set winning as your goal, but if you make it your ultimate goal, then you would definitely suffocate. You need five, six, ten years to be able to boast a high-level hitting rate. So then, when your physical strength and ability decline, what should you do?"

"…You should quit. A person who hadn’t hit a hundred targets doesn’t have any persuasiveness, you know?"

"I have. Since I did it when I was practicing by myself, I can’t provide evidence, but I have continuously hit two-hundred-and-eleven targets."

"…Heh, congratulations."

"I thought that a brilliant future was waiting for me after hitting a hundred targets. That an unknown power would awaken within me, and I would reach a superhuman level. However, in actuality, nothing happened. I was satisfied for only a moment, and just a quiet time passed."

Masa-san narrowed his almond-shaped eyes and smiled.

He looked beyond the door, towards the shajo.

"Now, I am very satisfied. I have fun shooting my bow. And so, I wanted to pass it down. It would be inexcusable if I was the only one who used up what my ancestor left for me and it became lost. I want to hand over all the power I have now and see even more new ways of shooting."

"…Everyone at Kazemai must be truly excellent. Since they keep listening to your sermons."

The call for convening sounded. Masa-san handed the bow to Nikaidou and returned to the shajo.

Nikaidou gripped his bow tightly.

The kin-teki competition began.

The target was small, so there wasn't a lot of hits, but many arrows landed right next to it. Those were places that would have been considered hits if it were a normal target. Since this was different from a regular competition and there wasn't a ban on chatting, things like, "Ooh, what a shame" and "Whoa, so close" could be heard, along with laughter.

In the second round, Fuwa hit the target, and there was applause along with the sounds of "Alright!"

In the third round, a first-year beginner also landed a hit, and he couldn't stop grinning. It was something that came from being genuinely happy when one hit the target. Kaito and Seiya both hit the target in the fifth round, and the gold targets were replaced with new ones.

Fuwa said, "Nikaidou, go and snatch some items."

"Ha, don't boss me around. I'll be hitting next."

And just as he declared, he shot the target.

Thus, Nikaidou carried out all the steps of shooting in order and conquered the hyakuhasshakai. Minato missed all his shots since the kin-teki were brought on. Nikaidou hit half of the eight kin-teki shots and ended up with a total of eighty-six hits.

>

After the competition, Kaito went to the inn's lounge.

There was a bookshelf in the lounge, and besides books about kyudo, there were also books such as a field guide on wild grasses and flowers and a travel book with information on nearby places. Kaito, surprisingly, happened to be an avid reader. Beneath the bright red sky, he sat on the porch and was reading a book when Masa-san visited the room.

"Masa-san, there's some old kyudo magazines over here."

"Those are pretty valuable."

Masa-san sat down next to Kaito. Kaito looked at him.

"During the shakai, you were deep in talk with Nikaidou, but you weren't talking about arrows going missing or anything like that, right?"

"Oh, there wasn't really an issue. It's more like he got annoyed with my unwanted butting-in."

"…Also, Masa-san, to tell you the truth, on the day of the Yata Shrine festival, I heard something that has to do with your privacy. Sorry."

"Was it really something that would make you look so ashamed?"

"I heard from the parishioner's conversations that Ren-san and you aren't blood-related. I thought I was the only one there at the time, but the other club members might have also heard it."

"Oh, that? I wasn't really hiding it, so there's no problem."

"I see. That's good."

During the night festival, Narumiya had said that he had met Ren-san just now and then got really talkative, so Seiya got suspicious, wondering if something happened. Ren had the glamour and appeal of an adult man, or rather, a shadiness to him that gave off a wild allure, and he was no doubt an unreadable person, even for Kaito.

As he was thinking that, cats appeared from out of nowhere and snuggled up to him. One of them looked a lot like his own cat, Lucy.

"You guys again? Well, there's nothing to do about it."

"You're popular no matter where you go, eh, Kaito. You were even mobbed at Shikoku."(6)

"Oh, did that happen?"

Masa-san beckoned over a cat who was sizing him up from a short distance. He rubbed the chin of the cat that approached him quietly, and it closed its eyes in bliss. He held it up when he saw that its wariness was dispelled, and the cat curled up on his lap. Seeing the two of them, it could be thought that Masa-san also had the qualities of a cat-seducer.

Kaito and Masa-san met at a night festival at Yata Shrine. Some bothersome people picked a fight with Kaito, and it was Masa-san who saved him. This was when Kaito was a first-year middle schooler and Masa-san was a third-year university student. At the time, he hadn’t known Masa-san did kyudo. When he was on a family vacation in Shikoku, they stayed at the lodgings of a temple that wasn’t included on the Shikoku Pilgrimage. (7) The chief priest there was an archer, and he unexpectedly ran into Masa-san, who was in the middle of an archer’s training pilgrimage. He learned that Masa-san’s grandfather, who was his kyudo master, had passed away, and that he himself was also a master archer.

It had only been a few months since Kaito joined a kyudo club. He requested that he be allowed to watch them, but the two of them spent nearly all of the time having a question-and-answer session rather than shooting arrows, and furthermore, the contents of their conversations was almost incomprehensible. The priest was a stern person who also had a kindly face, and a dignified atmosphere drifted in the kyudojo.

A boy about two years old lived in the temple, and he had frequently curled up on Masa-san’s lap in the exact same way as the cat was doing now. And nowadays he wondered if it was Masa-san who had been the one to have a relieved and easy smile rather than the toddler.  

When they returned from their trips, they were emailing and going to meet each other. They even went to a Japanese rock concert together. For Kaito, who had two older sisters, Masa-san was the coolest big brother ever. It felt somehow refreshing whenever he talked to him. Masa-san was a real charmer—in a good sense—since back then, and had many friends. And yet sometimes, he would look up at the sky with a gaze that screamed, "I can't take this anymore."

He gave off such an unsettled air, like he was perplexed about how to deal with a concealed blade――.

He never talked to anyone about this, and didn’t plan to.

He had only seen Masa-san shoot at Shikoku, and because he was allowed the chance of practicing at a private dojo back at home, he wasn’t able to get him to tell him details like its location. That was why when he learned that Narumiya had Masa-san teach him in kyudo, he was furious. The time when Kirisaki High School's Fujiwara entered Kazemai was no match for it. Even though he never even taught me, why did he teach you, who ran away from kyudo?

"Kacchan, Masa-san, there you guys are!"

It was Nanao's voice. Ryouhei , Seiya, and Minato were also behind him.

"It's a bit early, but Tommy-sensei and Hanazawa-san and the others went for dinner. Aah, kitties! Masa-san isn’t hated by cats either, I see. Must be nice."

"They might see you as a rival. Wait here a little bit."

Masa-san placed the cat on his lap on the balcony, put on zouri sandals (8) and went out into the yard. When he returned, he was holding green foxtail, also known as the cat teaser. (9)

"I think this is just the thing?"

When Masa-san lured it with the cat teaser, the cat crouched, and then jumped at it immediately. While it batted at the tip, it approached the knees of Nanao, who was crouching. Around when the cat was stepping on Nanao’s hand, the cat teaser was raised, and the cat jumped onto Nanao’s knee. He immediately tried to hug it, but was hit with a barrage of cat punches.

"Ow ow ow!"

Next to Nanao, who was pressing his hand to his face, Seiya spoke.

"Masa-san, let's leave it to those two this time."

Ryouhei and Minato held cat teasers in both hands. The two were shaking the tips to attract the cats’ attentions, but they ignored them. Ryouhei tilted his head.

"Why's it not working?"

"Give that to me for a sec?"

The cats approached Masa-san when he had a cat teaser in his hand, so Ryouhei, Minato, and Nanao were strangely not good enough. Kaito held the cat that looked like Lucy and stood up. With a book in one hand, he went back to the bookshelf.

It's pretty irritating that Narumiya is so attached to Masa-san even though he showed up later, but well, there's nothing to do about it. It's probably just as Fujiwara said—Masa-san's shooting can shoot through the hearts of almost any archer. There are tons of skilled archers, but Masa-san's shots have a feeling of depth to them.

Masa-san, if you only pay attention to Narumiya, I’ll kick you hard.

Because you’re our big brother.

Kaito parted with the cat and said, "Masa-san, it’s almost time. Let’s go eat."

"Alright."        

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