Scroll of the Clouds | Chapter 1
Content Warning: Mentions of self-harm, mutilation
… Alright. We cut it close, but the flyer is completed. All we have to do is send the data, check with the person in charge, and leave printing and distribution to staff.
I don’t really get it, but thanks for your hard work. Now we just have to wait for Kanzaki to arrive. I wonder what he’s doing…
I don’t know. It is extremely troubling being unable to contact him, so I’d wish he’d get into the habit of using his cellphone already...
He always has needlessly long items hanging off of him, and yet he doesn’t carry any digital devices.
Well, when I contacted his parents, it seems that he’d already left home a while ago, so… I think he’ll be able to make it in time for rehearsal.
Still, it feels like it’s getting a little too late. I’m worried. I hope he hasn’t gotten into an accident…
Calm down, danna(0). He’s not a toddler taking his first steps or somethin’. You’d be lookin’ down on him, being so overprotective.
If something happened, he’d probably call you from a public phone or something or the other.
Leave that aside for now — Let’s do costume fitting, and go over the script again.
How does the costume feel? Is it difficult to move in? I’ll fix it up a bit if it is.
No problems at all. It’s so comfortable, I’d want to wear it everyday.
I’m impressed with how unique the script is without interfering too much with the content from the tie-in movie. It’s littered with interesting elements.
Yeah, the costumes, script and stage were all prepared by the staff.
Sure enough, you can learn a lot from professional work. Look at the beauty of these seams~♪
You’re in unusually good spirits, Kiryu.
… I heard that while I was busy, you’ve been charging into various “B1” matches like you were challenging rival dojos(1). But, well, it seems like it was a nice break for you.
I won’t do anything reckless, so don’t worry. I’m not gonna cause any trouble for AKATSUKI or the student council.
I’m in a position of authority now, so I can’t be a naughty kid.
I know. No, I trust you. I’m sorry for putting you in such an inconvenient position, Kiryu.
I’m not a brat, y’know, I agreed to it. I don’t think of myself as inconvenienced or tied down.
Adult freedom is freedom as long as it doesn’t hurt the public.
Instead of getting wasted and going on a tear at a coming-of-age ceremony... Having a glass of beer after a long bath at the end of a hard day's work is probably more precious.
… You don't drink alcohol, do you?
I’m drunk almost every day, even without the use of alcohol, y’know. ...Oh, it looks like that Kanzaki guy finally arrived after waiting forever, huh?
Eh, where? Mm… my eyesight might have gotten worse again.
Hasumi-donooooo! Kiryu-donooooo! I apologize for arriving late…!
Kanzaki Souma has arrived, please forgive my rudeness! To atone for being late, I will disembowel myself on the cross(2)!
A HOOORSE?!
K-... K-K… Kanzaki?! You— a-aah— even I can’t find the words for this—!
What’s wrong, Hasumi-dono! Calm down, please; we are at one’s palace!
Are you nervous before the big stage? So Hasumi-dono also has a novice side to him~♪
O-Oi, Kanzaki? Stop for a sec, don’t just rush in without pause?!
Ah—! Once more, please forgive me!
This horse and I were in such harmony(3), I had forgotten that I was still riding! Ha-ha-ha☆
Kanzaki… For now, dismount that horse, and sit seiza(4) there.
Huh? Hmm... I guess you're angry at me for being late, Hasumi-dono.
Your anger is understandable. I will slit open my stomach promptly, then. I will leave the beheading to you(5)~♪
Don't commit seppuku so easily. I’ve always wondered this about you, but from what era did you time-travel from?
Well, you see, hahaha... The hands on my family’s clock have stopped since the Edo period.
Have your parents been pestering you or something? It seems your relatives aren't very fond of idol activities...
And so, they didn’t pay for transportation, giving you no choice but to take a horse?
Ah, no. After a long period of convincing, my father and mother are finally showing some understanding.
Hasumi-dono, Kiryu-dono, and Anzu-dono have all visited my home many times and spoke for me to them, after all.
They can feel your sincerity. Besides, my parents aren't that antiquated(6). Some relatives still wear bitterness on their faces, though.
I was the one who knocked on the door of Yumenosaki Academy with the desire to become an “aidoru”.
No matter what anyone says, and no matter what hardships I may be given, my feelings will not change.
But if it's a nuisance for AKATSUKI and everyone else... I have no choice but to apologize.
When have I ever said you’re a nuisance? Well, it is a bit of a bother, but... If you’re a proper man, follow through on your original intention.
If you desire the world, then grasp it for yourself. Kiryu and I will always be on your side.
Ahaha, I don't want something so ambitious, but...
As a samurai warrior who attends Hasumi-dono and Kiryu-dono, I’m committed to not being a disgrace at the very least.
By the way, this horse is owned by our family. His name is Saigodon.
As far as I’m concerned, we’re like brothers who grew up running around the mountains and fields together.
Apparently they're going to use him for movie filming, so... my parents told me that if we were going to the same destination, I could ride him here.
And since I thought it would be faster than walking, I mounted him.
However, in the end, I wound up getting stuck in traffic and almost being late. Modern Japan is not very suitable for traveling by horse.
I've always been telling you to choose a more modern mode of transportation.
Well, even if it can't be helped this time, from now on, you'll meet up with me or Kiryu first and then head to the site.
Mm, understood~♪
You’re only ever good at responses, aren't you...?
Signs of the Coming Storm | Chapter 2
Look, Saigodon. It’s my seniors, say hello~♪
Eeep, don't lick me! Can't you see, I'm already dressed and have my makeup done!
You too, er… Saigodon? After you’ve safely delivered him, go get changed!
Hmm. There's no need to be so scared, Hasumi-dono.
Saigodon is an excellent horse trained in acting. He can purposefully fall down in ways that don’t hurt his rider.
I’m not really scared, but big creatures have a sense of intimidation that threatens our survival instincts.
I do also have trauma. When I was young, and I misbehaved, I would get locked in a room lined with giant Buddha statues.
Well, that’s odd. Aren’t you on good terms with the huge Kiryu-dono?
I can talk, can’t I? Danna’s eloquent, but he’ll have trouble speaking with things that don’t speak back.
There, there, there... He’s bein’ real obedient, huh? What a very clever horse~♪
Um, everyone~? It’s gotten noisy for some reason, but has Kanzaki-dono arrived?
If that's the case, I'd like to do a rehearsal of the performance shortly~?
— Is that a horse?! Wow, it really feels like I’ve traveled back in time to the Sengoku period(7)~♪
Hm, a scoundrel(8)! I jest… Sengoku’s completely a ninja now~♪
I've been a ninja from the beginning, haven't I~? Hehe, this is a real ninja costume made by a professional who works on period dramas!
Well, it's a stage costume, so it's also flashy and colorful~♪
Are you not concerned about historical research or authenticity, Sengoku?
Well, if you wanted to be authentic, ninjas rarely wore “ninja outfits” to begin with.
Since they were intelligence operatives, it was normal for ninjas to blend in with the crowd by disguising themselves as townspeople or monks.
In order to adapt to modern times, there is a certain degree of symbolization... characterization that’s needed.
I admired ninjas not because of how they looked, but because of their way of life~♪
Is that right? Sengoku is remarkable, he really has an eye for discerning the true nature of things...♪
…~♪
Huh? What is it, Hasumi-dono? Why are you looking at me so pleasantly?
Well, Kanzaki acting like a senior is rare, so it's just interesting...
Alright, stop the chatter and go change your clothes. We, AKATSUKI, cannot neglect our role of being the perfect example.
Kanzaki, I'll help you get dressed. I wanna do the finishing touches to your hair and makeup myself.
Mm, I’m grateful. Only with Kiryu-dono’s consideration are we complete as AKATSUKI.
But before that, I'm going to deliver the Saigodon to the movie set, so please excuse me for a moment~♪
Kanzaki-dono~, I want to ride the horse, too~♪
Sengoku, sometimes you unexpectedly say things like a toddler. Alright, get on, get on.
It’ll be light enough if it’s only you. Don’t shout, or you’ll frighten Saigodon.
Understood! Wow, I’ve always dreamed of riding a horse~♪
Oi, wait a minute. Sengoku, your stage clothes will get dirty…
Gallop, gallop ♪ Hi-ho, Saigodon!
Haha, now it's not a period drama, but a Western one...♪
Ah, they’ve gone off, how incorrigible. Our juniors are a little too free-spirited.
Haha. As long as it's the kind of freedom that doesn’t cause trouble to others, it's fine. Us seniors can save strictness for when it’s needed.
……
Whoa, you startled me. Morisawa, what’s wrong? Your complexion doesn’t look good?
Kiryu… Hasumi… What do you think love is?
Hah? Don't touch the koi(9) in that river, they cost millions of yen.
Hasumi’s dumbassery aside, Morisawa, why are you sayin’ things straight out of a shoujo manga. Get it together, this is outta character for you.
Sorry, Taishou. Taichou’s been actin’ strange for a while now.
There was some kinda weird misunderstanding when he saw Sengoku-kun and Anzu-anego hugging each other.
As they said themselves, it's the same as when you hug Midori-kun and stuff, Taichou.
It’s just skinship(10). It’s not love or anything, right?
Mmngh… I know, but it was so shocking, even I’m surprised by my reaction…
Right, Anzu’s a girl… And we’re all healthy high school students…
Even if it were a millionth of a chance, there’s still a possibility it could happen. I didn't take that into consideration, even though being an ally of justice means preparing for all kinds of situations.
This time it was a misunderstanding, but someday it might not be a joke. I have to start thinking about what to do if that were to happen…
Ugh, but I'm not good at topics like this!
Ryusei Cho~p~♪
Ryusei Ki~ck…♪
Ugya!? Wh-What are you two doing all of a sudden!? I'm against violence...!
Hey, you can’t slack off when you’re the one who always acts big and tells me to concentrate…
And besides… you always try to solve everything yourself…
But nobody ever asked you to do that… How many times do I have to tell you not to carry the burden all by yourself...?
That's right~ “Helping when nobody ever asked” may be the hero's “duty”, but Chiaki is no longer “alone”, right?
I’m here, and so is everyone else. The five of us together are “RYUSEITAI”.
Please don't be conceited and think you're “fighting” all by yourself~♪
TL NOTES
[0] Kuro often refers to Keito as 旦那 (danna, lit. master ), or "boss". He'll also use Hasumi-no-danna.
[1] 道場破り (dojoyaburi, lit. dojo storming ). In martial arts, this is when someone visits rival martial arts schools and challenges its members to assert dominance over whose technique is better. If the dojo lost, its apprentices would abandon it for the winner's school. Read more here.
[2] If you're new to AKATSUKI stories, Souma's running gag is regularly resorting to performing seppuku to make up for trouble. 切腹 (seppuku or harakiri, lit. belly-cutting ) was a form of ritualistic suicide samurai used for a variety of reasons. For Souma, that tends to be shame. Here, Souma got a little creative and threatened 十字割腹 (juuji kappuku).
[3] 人馬一体 (jinba ittai, lit. person + horse + one body/unity ) is an idiom in four-character compound form.
[4] 正座 (seiza, lit. proper sitting ) is a formal, traditional way of sitting, commonly used in martial arts, tea-ceremony, etc. It was developed among samurai in the Edo period. Its difficult to maintain for long periods of time, so Keito's using it as both a punishment, and a manner of getting Souma to sit still so he can lecture him. It's also a way for Souma to convey his respect. Read more here
[5] 介錯 (kaishaku) is a secondary role to the act of seppuku. An appointed second person beheads the one who has committed seppuku to spare them from prolonged anguish. This is typically reserved for samurai who choose seppuku for the sake of honor, rather than shame.
[6] Another four-character compound, 時代錯誤 (jidai sakugo, lit. age, era + error, mistake ), meaning anachronism, or a person/thing that seems to belong to a different time period
[7] The Sengoku period (戦国時代) is the backdrop for Scroll of the Elements, Shinobu and Souma's characters as a whole: for starters, it's a homonym for Shinobu's last name 仙石 (sengoku).
Also known as the Warring States period (15-16th centuries), Japan's landscape was defined by constant civil wars and upheavals, as various samurai clans fought for control of the country. Ninja became prominent during the Sengoku period, with the emergence of two major ninja clans. This period ended with the unification of Japan, by Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Read more here, and if you don't want to read about it, here's the History of Japan version (2:35-3:35).
[8] A callback to their first meeting, in the Samurai and Ninjas idol story
[9] Chiaki used the word 恋 (koi) for romantic love. Keito thought he said 鯉 (koi), the fish.
[10] スキンシップ (wordplay on skin and kinship) is the general idea that people socially bond through physical skin-to-skin contact, especially family and loved ones. It also applies to spending time together naked, like at bathhouses, where more general groups of people like coworkers or classmates platonically bond.