Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1998 vol. 13, episode no. 42
Translation by Yuki-chan

At the Kuryugumi main house.

Hitomi, standing and speaking for emphasis: "But why!? The prosthesis that Asago-oneesama is using is a bio... something, the latest in medical technology isn't it!? It doesn't require any time to get used to it, nor any rehabilitation! I've heard that from the day you put it on it should move as your will, and with practice, one can regain his gun technique!! Yet Asago-oneesama still hasn't regained her technique!?"

Ryuji, sitting on the couch: "......"

Hitomi: "You don't think that if she can't regain her technique now that she can regain it later do you!? Yet why do you insist on a rematch in 3 days!!?"

Ryuji, sighing: "...... ...Because I have no intention in changing the 'seisai'."

Hitomi: "!!"

Ryuji: "...And even if I said that there and then both your nor Asago would have consented to that. But if Asago's shooting technique is superior to yours then nobody can complain."

Hitomi, getting angry: "......! .......!"

Ryuji: "...That's what the rematch is for."

Hitomi, shaking: "...Sandaime... I've been raised strictly to become your seisai......"

Ryuji: "...True......"

Hitomi: "...Through genetic engineering, I was born as a female for you..."

Ryuji, emotionless: "...So it seems......"

Hitomi: "But...! What is it that you dislike about me......!!" She suddenly tackles him on the couch. "Sandaime---!" {How cruel of you---!!}

Ryuji hits his head on the head of the couch: "...What don't I like about you..." {Well...} "To put it bluntly, the fact that you have these large fake breasts for your age." He places his hands on her breasts.

Hitomi: "A!"

There's the sound of air leaking. [Inflatable false breasts!!?]

A wooden sword comes out of nowhere, smacking Ryuji on the top of the head. Ryuji now has no neck.

Hitomi: "KYAAAAA Iya! Sandaime! Your face! Your face---!!"

Voice: "...You~~~ ba~~stard~~~..."

Ryuji: "!" He has a large lump on his head.

Tsukasa, still in the waitress uniform (with a jacket too) holding the wooden sword: "How can you be doing that with a girl at this time~~~~~~ AAAA!?" There's a dark aura surrounding her. She still has the wig on, and its being blown upwards with the aura.

Ryuji: {...Tsukasa...!?} "Oh, you're back."

Hitomi, looking freaked out: {My! What a rude person!}

Tsukasa, suddenly lashing out with the sword: "Well sorry for coming home---!! You Casanova---!! Even laying a finger on a kid like this!" She's yelling like mad. Ryuji manages to avoid all her blows.

Ryuji: "W.... ait a second!!" He catches hold of the sword. "What are you angry about?"

Tsukasa: "How can I not be angry!! When Asago's practicing alone for the rematch in 3 days, and you're------------!!" She grabs a hold of his collar.

Ryuji, calmly: "...That's right. And did I not ask you to stay by her side?"

Tsukasa, staring at him, but still with his collar in her hands: "...... ...... ...You know her personality. She hates being worried over others more than anything else." {Even more so than before that incident between Hizaki and Sakahogi.} She lets go of his shirt. "And on top of that, when she wants your trust more than anyone else's and you're worried over her, and then she figures that I'm there in your place,"

Flashback.

Earlier that day.

Asago: "...Go home..."

Tsukasa: "E?"

Asago: "I'm fine by myself!! Go home---!!" Asago transforms into Medusa, with her hair turning into snakes, lashing out at her. Tsukasa is seen fleeing for her life.

Back in the present.

Tsukasa, shaking her head: "...that's what she said." {I barely escaped with my life.}

Ryuji, thinking to himself: "......" {...That's right... She is like that...}

Voice: "Sandaime."

Ryuji turns. It's Kamo-san.

Kamo-san: "Are you free now... There's a phone call from Sumon's kashira......"

Ryuji: "! ...I'll take it now."

Hitomi: "Sandaime."

Ryuji, with his hands in his pockets: "..."

Hitomi, with a visibly reduced bust size: "Sandaime, is there really... no doubt that I cannot become your seisai..."

Ryuji: "... ...Seems that way......"

Hitomi, flushed: "... Do... Do you love Asago-oneesama that much...!?"

Tsukasa starts at those words.

Ryuji: "... I want her to be happy..."

Tsukasa's heart skips a beat. {E?}

Hitomi: "Sandaime, even if you don't wish so, if at the rematch Asago-oneesama loses to me then the clans won't be silent about this." {Kuryugumi's seisai problems are not just the problems of Kuryugumi.}

Ryuji, calmly: "...True......" He starts walking away with Kamo-san.

Hitomi: "I'm not going to lose!!"

Ryuji is now out of earshot.

Tsukasa/Hitomi: "... ..."

Hitomi is visibly shaken. She suddenly slumps down to the floor. "Uwaaaaaaan!" She starts crying.

Tsukasa, suddenly freaked out at her outburst: "!!" {W. What...!?}

Hitomi, talking to herself: "...What's this... Even if there's a rematch it'll mean nothing to me...! I've just lost my will to go on. Waaa."

Tsukasa looks confused: "..." {When she was saying just a moment ago that she wouldn't lose......} She bends down to look at Hitomi in the face. "...Why are you so timid all of the sudden......?" {Your actions and your words are inconsistent.} She pauses a moment. {Huh...? Inconsistent...? ...Just like me.........}

Hitomi, with tears in her eyes: "...You wouldn't understand...... I was just rejected by the person I loved!! It would be strange if I wasn't depressed!!"

Tsukasa is struck by Hitomi's words. {---...L... Love...?}

Hitomi gets up and leaves, mumbling that she just said that outburst because she was envious.

Flashback.

Tsukasa: "I wanna hurry up and change!!"

Tsukasa: {---And while I was saying that somewhere in my heart that wasn't all together false......... Because Ryuji said he liked me dressed like this---...} Realization strikes her. {---It must be... a joke... ---Me...? Love Ryuji...? ...No way... Then what was that "love" I had towards Akira-san------... With Akira-san and Ryuji... it's totally diff---... ---different...} Scenes flash through her mind. {...When I saw Akira-san smiling face it didn't make my heart race like when I saw Ryuji's--- And even when Akira-san touched me------} [Before you ask, it's some time when Akira patted her on the head.]

Back in the present.

Ryuji: "...Hey..." He puts his face up in front of hers. "What's wrong? We're here."

Kamo-san, popping up: "We're at the Sumon residence-"

Ryuji: "Why are you so dazed?"

Tsukasa, looking totally dazed: "...E...?" She mumbles something. She has dots for eyes.

Ryuji: "... Hey... Do you have a fever or something?" {Your eyes look glazed.} He puts his hand on her forehead.

Tsukasa comes to. Her heart skips a beat: "I don't have a fever------!!" She knocks him out of the way and dashes out of the car.

Kamo-san: "A! Sandaime!" He and Bun-san dash to catch Ryuji who's thrown up into the air.

Tsukasa is back in her usual boyish attire. Looks like she accompanied Ryuji to Asago's place.

Tsukasa: {---it doesn't make me feel like my heart stops for a moment---...} [If it seems like this doesn't make sense, look back to her last thought] "---..." She catches her breath, but her heart is still pounding. {---Up until now...... I thought that my feelings toward Akira-san was love...... ...but...... maybe I was totally mistaken------!!} Tsukasa panics, and everything seems to be swirling around like a whirl pool. She looks like the guy in Munch's "The Scream". "Iyaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

Text: It's as if the heavens and the earth were flipped.

Tsukasa lands on her head with her hands to her face.

Sumon: "---Sandaime, I'm sorry that you..."

Ryuji: "...It's nothing... ...And so how's Asago?"

Sumon: "...Well... Just like I said yesterday, it doesn't look like she's practicing or anything yet she won't come out of the shooting range........." It sounds like it's the next day.

Tsukasa overhears this and flips back to her feet: "......"

Just outside of shooting room.

Sumon, tapping on a button: "Hey! Asago! Enough already. Open the door! Sandaime's worried and he's here!!" {How rude! Come out!!} "Come on---"

Ryuji: "......"

Tsukasa, with her hands behind her head, leaning against the wall: "......"

Sumon, with the head set to his ear: "......" {...Even using Sandaime as bait won't work......} He sighs.

Asago: "... ...Ryuji------...?"

Sumon: {A response!!}

Asago: "...You came... because you were worried......?"

Ryuji, now with the head set: "...What?"

Asago: "...You think I'm unreliable and came to check on me...?"

Ryuji: "? ...What are you saying?"

Asago: "Isn't that what you mean when you say you're worried about me!? You even sent Baka-zuki over here yesterday!"

Ryuji: "That's because you didn't want me to be with you, and to leave you alone when you were down..."

Asago: "See! You don't trust me at all!"

Ryuji: "Hey!"

Tsukasa: "..." {...He's desperate...}

Hitomi's voice echoes in Tsukasa's mind: "---Do you love Asago-oneesama that much...!?"

Ryuji: "I'm trying to say Asago that I'm not worried about that,"

Tsukasa hears Ryuji's earlier words echo in her mind: "---I want her to be happy---"

Tsukasa's eyes flash.

In the next frame, she's seen kicking Ryuji, Kamo-san, Bun-san and Sumon out of the room. She then locks the door from the inside.

Sumon: "A! Hey! What are you doing? Open up---!"

Bun-san: "A! He locked the door from the inside! Hey! Tsu-bo---!"

Tsukasa: "......" She sighs. {...Before, I didn't know what that nasty part of me was......}

The devil form of Tsukasa appears. "That's me you're talking about."

Tsukasa: {...But... Now I know exactly what it is...... This is JEALOUSY.........! ...Likely... ...Probably... No, undoubtedly...!} That feeling of jealousy washes over her again. {That's right. Something like this. ...How baka of me... Why... did I realize that...... Now I wish I didn't realize it...... Then I would have been carefree forever------} Tsukasa grows blond hair and gains a dress and starts dancing in circles carefree.
{---...But... Even if Asago loses the rematch, he's still interested in her---...}

Hitomi's words echo in her mind again. "---Do you love Asago-oneesama that much...!?"

Tsukasa: {...He says that he wants to make her happy because he loves her...} She sits down in front of the monitor, with her head on the control panel. A dark aura surrounds her. {...Aah... I hate this... That I'd figure this out too......}

Asago had been silent up until now. She turns on her head set again: "---...Ryuji...?"

Tsukasa is rolling her head side to side on the control panel.

Asago, muffled: "...I'm sorry ...Ryuji... I.... may not be able to be your seisai---..."

Tsukasa, totally freaked out: {WHAT!?}

Asago, crying: "The bullets... don't hit the checkpoints (targets)...! ...No matter how many times I try it's not perfect......!"

Tsukasa, standing up, her step faltering: {...Sh... She said that she wouldn't complain...!! And here she is, in tears---! ---Even when her arm was severed, she said that she wouldn't complain anymore, and in front of those clan heads. ...And I thought... that someone who's to become Ryuji's wife... would be a totally amazing person---!!!}

Asago: "...I'm sorry Ryuji...... I don't think I can do this..."

Tsukasa spreads her devil wings.

Asago, from inside the shooting range. She's sitting on the floor, leaning against the door. "...And there's only one more day... What should I do...? ...Ryu..."

Voice: "...You don't have to do anything."

Asago, with tears in her eyes: "...!?"

Voice: "You don't qualify to be Ryuji-kun's seisai. We'll have you step down now."

Asago, looking perplexed: "...... ...Wait... That voice... could it be... BAKA-ZUKI!!?"

Tsukasa, is now sitting in the chair in front of the monitor with her feet up on the control panel. She has transformed into a devil, complete with wings, horns and pointed ears. She's also wearing black clothes (and the head set).

Tsukasa: "Call me Tsukasa-sama." {Don't you be calling me baka-zuki like that.} "...Well... I've heard your complaints. Though you were saying in front of Ryuji that you would never complain again, here you are doing so, so soon. ---I've over estimated you---. ...I wouldn't want to recognize someone like you as a rival..."

Asago, looking a bit angry now: "...What's that supposed to mean?"

Tsukasa, looking normal again, but serious: {...Don't you get it Asago...... ---The rematch that doesn't have to take place was decided for your pride!!}

Flashback.

Back to when Hitomi was in one of Ryuji's rooms.

Ryuji: "...It's because I have no intention of changing the seisai."

Tsukasa: "!"

Ryuji: "...And even if I said that then, neither you nor Asago would have consented to that right...... But if Asago's shooting technique is above yours then nobody can complain. ...That's the reason for the rematch."

Tsukasa: {---Ryuji chose you as the seisai.}

Asago, now standing up, with one hand on her hip: "...What do you mean...... ...rival?"

Tsukasa: "...Don't you get it...... I'm saying that if you're going to step down from the seisai position then I'll take your place!!" {---Then you had better live up to that expectation!!}

Asago looks very angry. She opens the sliding door and steps into the room behind Tsukasa. Asago glares at her.

Tsukasa, removing the head set: "......" She smiles slyly. "...Yo..."

Asago, with her gun in her right hand: "...If you say jokes like that at a time like this I won't forgive you......"

Tsukasa, getting up: "If you think I'm joking then keep sulking like that. I'll take your over your position as soon as tomorrow."

Asago, shocked: "...... ...You said that you'd never see Ryuji as a guy......!"

Tsukasa: "...... That's what I thought then......"

Asago, royally pissed off: "You said that he would forever be your friend!!"

Tsukasa, seriously: "I didn't realize my emotions then. ...Now, it looks like your woman's instinct was correct...... ...I won't lie anymore--- ...I love Ryuji."

Asago looks totally stunned.
Frame 1. Asago looks like she's turned to stone.
Frame 2. Asago still looks like she's turned to stone.
Frame 3. Asago still looks like she's turned to stone.

Tsukasa cranes her head to look at Asago in the face: "...?"

Frame 4. Asago still looks like she's turned to stone.

Tsukasa waves her hand in front of Asago's face. "...? ...?"

Asago: "---...Ki...!"

Tsukasa: "---...Ki...?"

Asago, an angry aura surrounding her: "...Kill you...... I'M GOING TO KILL YOU------!!" She draws her gun and points it at Tsukasa.

The next day.

Two firing targets are seen. One by one, the checkpoints are hit. They look like Tsukasa (with a picture of her face on the target's "head" as well). Someone [probably Asago] had written "Kill" and "Baka-zuki" on the faces.

Clan heads: "Uoooooo!!!" They look stunned, as does Hitomi.

"I... I don't believe it!!" {This is amazing!}
"She hit all of the checkpoints!!"
"And on top of that, Asago ojyousan is using 2 guns---!!"

Asago, with major bags under her eyes, and the 2 guns smoking: "How easy it is to hit a stationary target---!" She laughs.

Hitomi: "......"{...I thought that I could complain that she would have to be protected by Sandaime... but this would be impossible...... There's no way that I can handle 2 guns.} She lets out a sigh.

The clan heads are all applauding and saying how wonderful Asago was.

Tsukasa, who's sitting in the corner. She laughs. "...Just as I plann~~~ed. I figured that she would come after me with that challenge......" She looks totally drained, with even darker circles under her eyes.

A picture shows the events of the past day. Apparently after that, Asago had spent the rest of the day until now chasing after Tsukasa in the shooting range with her gun. Kamo-san and Ryuji look on in dismay.

Asago: "Wait---!!! You! You! You!" She's firing her gun wildly.

Tsukasa, avoiding all her shots: "You suck! You suck! Aim properly! At this rate you'll never kill me~~~ How about coming after me with 2 guns---!?" She's flipping and turning to avoid being hit.

Ryuji, standing in front of Tsukasa: "...Sorry about this one...... ...For her sake, I let you have a dangerous role......"

Tsukasa: "...... ...That's all right..." She laughs weakly. {---...It's not just for Asago's sake... It's also for my own...... If Asago doesn't become someone amazing, then it will just trouble me......"

Ryuji: "...... ...After that... After you kicked us out what did you and Asago talk about...?"

Tsukasa starts. She looks up at him.

Ryuji looks down at her.

Tsukasa: "...It's a secret..." {That's right, a secret. I think it would be better if I keep these feelings inside of me......}

Ryuji, looking a bit startled: "...?"

Asago, suddenly, noticing Tsukasa: "A! Baka-zuki---!" {That's where you were---!}

Tsukasa starts: "A!" {For now---}

Asago: "Wait---! You---!!" {Baka-zuki---!}

Sounds of gunshots and Tsukasa's scream echoes through the Kuryugumi main house.