BUTTERFLY | Epilogue
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Epilogue
…
Kanzaki. We’re about to… Oop.
Sorry, was I interruptin’ somethin’?
Nay. I just finished meditating and mentally preparing myself.
It’s been real hectic after all, huh. I wish I coulda helped with stuff too, but…
I dunno much about stage direction and production.
Just what are you saying? These outfits you made were very well received by the WILDLAND “su-tafu”, you know.
Besides, didn’t you lend me your wisdom for the “pa-fo-man-su”, Kiryu-dono?
I do not typically sit like that.1 It felt very fresh, and I quite like it ♪
It was just a nobody’s opinion, y’know. Not much special about somethin’ like that.
Well, can’t say it doesn’t make me happy to hear ya say that.
We were able to get to today safely because everyone worked together.
The way of the reborn AKATSUKI. Let us go show all of the fans our feelings.
Right…!
… Well, we say that but Hasumi-no-danna ‘n Taki aren’t here. Still, I just can’t help it.
Haisa~i! Sorry we kept you two waiting~♪
Haha. Speak and he shall appear.
Sorry, Hasumi-dono. I left the final confirmation to the “su-tafu”.
There’s no need for that. You are in charge of this project. They're here in case anything happens.
Even though the rehearsal’s done, and all the fans are headed in, there’s still a final confirmation…
You mainland people are as careful as careful comes~ All you gotta do is give it your all on stage, y’know~
Don’t say that. The management of WILDLAND helped by us out until the very end.
It’s only because of the resources they provided for us that we were able to put together a Fan Thanksgiving successfully after all.
I've heard that this WILDLAND also started in a rather haphazard, improvised manner.
It seems most of the ”su-tafu” were told about the bizarre world concept and were greatly confused, building this “e-ree-ah” through trial and error.
But for the parts they didn't understand, they just kept asking their superiors and consulting with them, right?
Even so, everyone seems to be having fun and looks happy despite all the bustle, don't they~?
Indeed. I was curious, so I asked about that as well…
It seems that as they didn’t understand it, they kept building, and they got excited over what could end up being created.
Heh. And to think they came up with something as impressive as this. Kudos to them.
Heheh, I feel the same. … Well, I understand their feelings well enough.
A new song being unveiled. The kind of landscape we will see when we unveil it on this stage. I can’t help but get excited either…♪
Nyahaha. I feel the same too~
Let’s make today’s stage the most exciting ever, ‘kay~ More than we can ever imagine.
Who do you think you are talking to? Do be sure not to hold me back.
“— One... two... three... Oh my, it seems that the cat's voice2 has lured quite a lot of people here.”
"Wanderers. Or. … should I call you Alice."3
“This is the cocoon, a peaceful world whose day will come to pass. In WILDLAND, it is the only place of stillness.
“In this world of endless possibilities to take, where will you go next?
“In a dizzingly changing world, what ideals do you possess?”
“If you can find out how you truly wish to be…”
“The sun will shine on this cocoon… and the road to the wilds will open before you once more.”
♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪
(Familiar sounds, melodies... Just when you start thinkin’ that, the rhythm switches up on ya.)
(That Taki… Here he was complainin’ about how hard it was to grasp the setting, and then he goes and makes a song that fits it perfect, beyond comparison.)
(And that Kanzaki too. He hadta been full of it when he said he wasn't confident about the lyrics.)
♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪
(The “wildness” of the “wasteland”. They’re well intertwined with the concept of WILDLAND, and sung the way AKATSUKI would.)
(Are the English parts the ones Taki suggested? It seems this whole thing has made those two a lot closer.)
(And… “Sharing a cup”? 4 I’m sure that’s the kind of “bond”5 you want to have, hm?)
♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪
(Things are going great~! I’m more excited than I’ve ever been~♪)
(Hasumi-san and the others are dancing to the song I made.)
(With all this excitement, am I getting carried away too?)
(Nyahaha. Both of them are for sure ♪ This is what you6 were talking about, wasn’t it~? Yeah~?)
(So, what about you? I wonder what this landscape looks like in your eyes~)
♪ ~ ♪ ~ ♪
(...Is it because of the way the stage is decorated? Or is it because we are playing the roles of the caterpillar...)
(How strange. To see the vision of the butterfly I saw that day right now...)
(Have you, too, come to see our stage?)
(... I once pondered the reason you took flight. My thoughts turned to that purpose of yours...)
(...You had cast off your former self, and despite that, there was still a place you yearned to go.)
(I still have not found the answer. I do not know how I will change from here, or where I am headed.)
(However, I understand this one thing.)
(I am certain that you took off into the vast sky because you believed you would be able to see something radiant.)
(Ahh. For now, it is enough to know just that. That alone should surely be enough for us to—)
"First off, we would like to express our gratitude for you coming to AKATSUKI’s Fan Thanksgiving Event in WILDLAND."
"I'm sure many of you were surprised by this stage, the combination of WILDLAND and AKATSUKI."
"If it were the AKATSUKI of the past, we likely would have avoided participating in such an event."
"However, from now on, that will change. We honor the past, and we dream of the future. AKATSUKI intends to take on more challenges than ever before."
"All to show you, everyone who supports us, the potential of AKATSUKI."
"The fact we've come this far is all thanks to everyone who supports us. We wanna thank you again, proper."
"And please, we want you to continue watching over our path from now on."
"Where AKATSUKI is headed, what future we will paint... even we cannot predict it..."
"But we believe that whatever that future may be, it will shine as brilliantly as the landscape we saw from this ‘su-teeji’."
"What did you think of our ‘su-teeji’ just now? I believe we were able to show you our current selves, while still retaining the essence of AKATSUKI."
"Haha. Looks like they loved it, Kanzaki."
"So it seems. To see everyone's joyful expressions... It pleases me too. ♪"
"But it's too early to be satisfied~!"
"That's right. At this appreciation event, we plan to debut one more new song. It should show you a different side of us from 'LOUDEST BUGS'."
"Just as the moon shows various phases in the night sky, we wish to convey AKATSUKI’s past and future through song and dance."
"I believe that by doing so, the ”bond” between us will grow even deeper."
"To kick things off, we’re gonna hold a lantern festival with everyone today.”
"Let us send our memories with AKATSUKI, and the feelings we've built up together, far away... all the way to the other side of the moon!"
"If we can see that landscape with all of you, it’s definitely going to be an unforgettable memory~!"
"And so... Please, enjoy yourselves to your heart's content... ♪"
Translation Notes
- ↑ In the MV, Souma sits on a couch salaciously.
- ↑ Referencing RYUSEITAI's WILDLAND attraction, based off the Cheshire Cat.
- ↑ Souma says Alice in proper katakana here (アリス), as opposed to the hiragana (ありす) in earlier chapters.
- ↑ In the lyrics of LOUDEST BUG, some lines include the phrase 盃を交わして (sharing cups). The underlying meaning to this phrase is the "deepening friendship and unity" and "exchanging vows", like bonding after a night of drinking together.
- ↑ 縁 (en; a bond made by fate), based off of the Buddhist concept of pratyaya, where all occurances are based off of past occurances. Both concepts linger around the idea of the Butterfly Effect. I translated this as "serendipidity" in the name of the "Butterfly Clad in Serendipity" chapters to capture the "fortunate meeting by chance" definition. Here, I translate it as "bond".
- ↑ Ibuki uses なー, here, directed at Souma.