Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1999 vol. 2, episode no. 52
Translation by Yuki-chan

Tsukasa, narrating: {---Even as a girl, I thought that even though I loved Ryuji, I thought it would be best if I remained as Ryuji's 'friend' ---because I thought that was the best option considering the circumstances---} She pictures herself, Ryuji, Asago and her brothers. {------But,}

Tsukasa recalls Kamo-san's earlier words.

"---Do you think that two people who are attracted to each other can maintain such a frail balance------..."

Tsukasa: {-----It was then that I realized that Kamo-san was such an adult-----...}

Somewhere in Kuryugumi.

10:45 PM.

Kamo-san: "...... ...A~~~~~ I can tell at a glance what happened."

Ryuji is wrapped up in the curtains and hanging upsidedown, the other end tied to some railing. His face is red.

Ryuji: "......"

Kamo-san: "How long were you hanging there Sandaime?" {I'm sure you could have gotten yourself down if you really wanted to.} "Your face looks like that of a dead person." {With all the blood pooling there......} [For those who don't understand this, when a person dies, all the blood in the body settles in the part of the body closest to the ground due to gravity, colouring the skin dark red to purplish reddish. It is a definite sign of death and takes a couple hours to occur. Ryuji on the other hand is still alive so his face can't be purplish, unless he's bruised from Tsukasa's beatings...]

Ryuji: "...I'm just challenging myself." {...To see how long I can tolerate this......}

Text: He's been hanging here since the evening.

Kamo-san: "...Challenge... Don't you mean 'teaching yourself a lesson'?" He unties the curtain and unwinds Ryuji. Ryuji falls to the floor with a plop. "It seems that this is the consequence of getting too close to Tsukasa-san... In the evening... when Tsukasa-san left your rooms something did not seem right."

Ryuji, with his back turned to Kamo-san: "......"

Kamo-san: "...Is it... that the balance of 'friendship' has crumbled?"

Ryuji: "...A...?"

Kamo-san: "...To tell you the truth, Tsukasa-san's room is empty------"

Ryuji starts.

Somewhere in the city.

Radio communication.

"...This is station 10, station 10 calling. I've found the target, "Scorpion's" ally."

"Roger. Stations 4 and 6 have lost sight of their targets so we're counting on you." Someone seems to be tailing a lone guy.

"Roger. I'll catch him once he's in the act... A?"

"What?"

"The target's taking action... A!?"

"What's wrong!?"

"The target! He's being beat up by one person!!"

"What!? By who!?"

"By a boy who the target just called on... ...No... a girl... No, maybe it is a boy!? No... A------!!"

"...W...!? What!? What's happening now!?"

The boy beating up the target turns at the sound of the voice. It's Tsukasa.

The man on the radio transmitter points at her.

Tsukasa: "...E...?"

It's Akira in plain clothes. [His hair looks longer. When was the last time we saw him anyway...]

Akira and Tsukasa simultaneously: "A!"

Seconds later.

Tsukasa claps her hands together. "I'm sorry Akira-san!! I didn't know that this was the drug dealer you were after!" {Out of habit I beat him so much that he lost consciousness!}

Akira: "It's all right, see he didn't even have any time to hide the drugs so he still has them, and if you were to make a statement saying that he was trying to sell you drugs it would be perfect......" He handcuffs the unconscious guy. "...But only if you are willing to take a bit of punishment as well."

Text: It is presently 11:00 pm. There's a law against minors being outside after 8:00. [Maybe that's why Toshi and Sho were so worried about being caught...]

Tsukasa, trying to laugh it off: "...A~~~..."

Akira: "...What are you doing at this hour?"

Tsukasa kinda smiles sadly: "------..."

Akira: "...Tsukasa...?"

Tsukasa: "... A lot............ I've hit a wall and I'm wondering how I should live the rest of my life..." She transforms into an old man sitting on a cushion, pouring tea.

Akira, looking suspicious and crouching beside the 'old man': "The rest of your life...?" {Aren't you still 14...} "...Did something happen.........? If you have a problem I'll listen...... ...When I hit that 'wall' you helped me...... But it seems like you don't want me to ask right?" {Okay, okay I understand.}

Tsukasa has turned into a tiny stone statue that is slowly creeping away.

Akira: "I won't ask anything else." {So don't creep away like that.}

The stone statue pauses: "......" It turns its head, with tears in its eyes. "...Sorry...... Akira-san." {Thank you for your kind words too...}

Akira: "I understand..." {So can you stop the statue?}

Tsukasa: {---I already know how to go on living. All I have to do is retie my loincloth <--! Should I skip this part?--> and challenge myself again.} For some reason, Tsukasa sees herself as a sumo wrestler. {---If I could challenge myself, like when nothing had happened. ---..But... right now I...} She looks down as she remembers the kiss. "------..."

Akira: "...A... So you're awake Blue Wolf."

Tsukasa starts.

Akira, with the guy's collar in his hand. "Hey, where's 'Scorpion'?"

The guy, presumably known as Blue Wolf: "......Scorpion? Who's that I dunno---"

Akira: "Don't lie! It's this guy, your boss!!" He takes out a mini computer and shows the guy an image of Scorpion.

Tsukasa glances at the mini display as well. "...A! A------! It's the snob drug dealer we caught yesterday---!" The display shows the snob guy smiling, with little sparkles everywhere. [......]

Blue wolf starts: "!?" His face is severely bruised.

Akira: "He...? Caught!? Us meaning Kuryugumi!!"

Blue Wolf starts again: "........."

Tsukasa: "...Akira-san, I started beating this guy up as soon as he asked me 'Do you want to buy some drugs?' so I don't know what kind of drugs they are but, by any chance are you looking for a small bottle like this that has a liquid........." {The one that if you infect into your body causes wild movements...} She draws a picture of the bottle in the air.

Akira, looking surprised: "...... ...Yeah...... It's probably the same one."

Tsukasa and Akira look at each other for a moment.

Tsukasa points at Blue Wolf: "...Hizaki..." Her hand is shaking.

Blue Wolf: "...A?"

Tsukasa: "Is the one behind all of this Hizaki------!!?" She stomps on the guy's face.

Akira: "...Hizaki......?"

Tsukasa: "Is that bastard out of the slammer again---------!? Though he was so intent on getting the drugs back then!" {So he did have some after all! That damn liar---!}

Akira, taking out the small bottle: "...Hizaki is involved... with these drugs......?"

Tsukasa, pointing at Akira: "These drugs were...!" She pauses all of the sudden. {...A... ---...A... Am I allowed to say this------... If I explain this... I have to bring up Ryuji's name...... Not that he's directly involved in it or anything.........}

She's standing there frozen, with her hand still pointing.

Akira: "Tsukasa, if you now something then could you tell me about it?"

Tsukasa, with her arms crossed: {...U~~m......} She's thinking hard.

Akira: "We want to know the origin of these drugs."

Blue Wolf starts: "......... ...I'll just let you know...... that the one behind all of this isn't anyone named 'Hizaki' or whatever it was........."

Akira and Tsukasa turn simultaneously: "E!?" {No way!}

Blue Wolf: "...I could tell you." {Who it really is.}

Akira, with large, wide eyes: "E!?" {You're kidding! Really!?}

Blue Wolf: "But only if you get 'Scorpion' back from 'Kuryugumi' or whatever it's called and let me free."

Akira and Tsukasa: {The real person behind all of this, I... I want to know......!! B... BUT!!}

Tsukasa: {But then the one who would have to contact Kuryugumi would be me!? And it's not something I could relay to them without having to talk to Ryuji!}

Akira: {To find out who's behind this all would mean freeing 'Scorpion' from Kuryugumi, meaning that we'll owe them something!?}

Tsukasa and Akira turn away and start shaking their heads wildly.

Akira: {Uwaaaa! No, no no! I can't do something like that------!!}

Tsukasa: {I still don't have the confidence that I can talk to Ryuji as if nothing happened---!!}

Blue Wolf looks at them in silence: "......"

Akira, sighing: "...It can't be helped........."

Tsukasa, also sighing: "...I guess it can't be helped........."

Akira: "...It's too bad but let's give up........."

Tsukasa: "Yeah, that's right,"

Akira and Tsukasa in unison: "...Any peaceful methods------..." They both turn around and glare down at Blue Wolf.

Back in Kuryugumi.

The snob guy is smoking in his cell while 2 kumiins watch over him. On his let forearm, he has a large tattoo of a scorpion. [Now that I think about it, I never gave a description of Scorpion right? Ha~~~~~~ Okay, he has light coloured long hair, abnormally shiny and presumably white teeth that sparkles all of the time. One of the editors thought he kinda looked like Akira but I don't think so. He seems very carefree and smiles a lot but I'm sure there's a much darker side to him. Like I just said, he has a tattoo of a scorpion on his left forearm.]

Kamo-san: "---Sandaime ...Are you really going to believe the words of that guy? To say 'I'll tell you the one who's behind all the drug dealing so let me go,' even before we question him... Either he's hiding something or he's bluffing because he's worried about the situation he's gotten into." Kamo-san and Ryuji are walking down the halls. "However, with that casualness and provoking manner, I don't think the latter is true."

Some time in the past, Scorpion had smiled brightly. "You're going to let me free? Really!? OK, OK, I'll talk, I'll talk! I'll tell you anything~~~!" There are roses surrounding him.

Ryuji: "Still, he's done harm in our territory. He'll have to take responsibility for that. It may be a trap but if this is chance to get at the heart/core of the enemy then I'll fall for the trap."

Kamo-san, sighing: { Ha~~~... That's right, that's right, he's always been like this from the beginning.}

Ryuji: "Either way, we've lost time over this drug business."

Kamo-san: "E?"

Ryuji: "We're going to Rokuo's residences. Let's go Kamojima."

Kamo-san: "...Ha!?"

Ryuji: "We're going to Asaba's place!"

Kamo-san, truly surprised: "He...!? R... Right now!? It's already past 12!?"

Ryuji: "I don't care what time it is. Asaba may be hiding Tsukasa."

Kamo-san: "...But... When I called earlier, Asaba-san said that she wasn't there."

Ryuji: "So I'm going to check with these eyes." {And if she's not there, I'll go to her brothers' place next.} Ryuji starts storming off.

Kamo-san: {...AA~~~... When it comes to Tsukasa-san, you really...}

Ryuji stops when he notices a figure standing in the halls. "...Asago...... ...What... you're still awake... ...What's wrong...?" He approaches her.

Asago: "......... ...Baka-zuki... left...?"

Kamo-san: {...U!} He glances at Ryuji.

Ryuji pretends not to see that. "------... ...Well... yeah..."

Asago: "...Are you going to go look for her...?"

Ryuji, avoiding her eyes: "... ...A------......" [This isn't a "yes" or "no" but more like "we~~~~~~~ll"]

Asago: "...You're not going right...... It's not even a full day after the engagement announcement... You're not going to leave me when I'm practically your bride now to go look for Baka-zuki ...right......!" She looks up at him with tears in her eyes.

Ryuji stops and stares at her. "------...Asago......"

In the Control Police Station.

Specifically, in the GRAVE division.

Tomioka: "---Still... I'm rea~~~lly surprised you managed to make him talk~~~~~~ I've heard that it's really hard to get street kids to cooperate~~~~~~" She hands Akira a coffee. "I can't believe that you did it but you must have rea~~~lly... don't do something awful~~~" She takes a seat on the couch. Akira is sitting on the couch in front of her, with Tsukasa curled up asleep beside him.

Akira, smiling and scratching his head accepting the coffee. "...Well~~~" {...To be honest, I'm not the one who made him talk......} He thinks back to what happened.

Tsukasa puts on a blindfold and takes out her knife. The blindfold has a design that look like eyes on it. [TMNT Tsukasa? i.e. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (TMNT)]

Tsukasa: "Okay, it's hit the watermelon---!" She starts bringing her knife down close to Blue Wolf's head. [You know, like hitting a piņata but with a watermelon on the ground instead. Something you would do in the summer, especially at the beach.]

Blue Wolf has his arms tied to pillars and is lying down on his back. [I suppose his legs are tied too.] Blindfolded Tsukasa is slicing the air beside his face at lightning speed.

Blue Wolf: "GYAAAAAAA!"

Tsukasa: "Here? Here---!?"

Akira: {...Even... when I was watching I thought "GYAAAAAAA!" as well... If she missed she would have killed him too......}

Tsukasa, earlier: "Don't worry, don't worry. I can tell where a person is by their presence. I won't cut him."

Akira: {...So she said... ...Really... Sometimes she's really extreme... ...I can't believe she has the same blood as that gentle Kozuki-san......} He glances down at Tsukasa who's fast asleep.

Tsukasa is smiling. Akira notices this and smiles as well. {----... Well maybe not.........}

Tomioka, resting her head on her hands: "------... ...Akiraaa...?"

Akira: "...A?"

Tomioka: "...That one there... She's the girl we met at New Heaven Tokio right, if my memory is correct."

Akira: "...U...? U... U~~~~m..."

Tomioka, seriously: "...Give it up..."

Akira: "...What... all of the sudden......"

Tomioka: "I'm saying think about the age difference. To her you're more like a 'father' or an 'oniisan' if you're lucky. She wouldn't have any feelings of love..."

Akira: "......... ...You don't have to tell me. I already know..." He kind of glares back at Tomioka.

A siren suddenly sounds.

Tsukasa wakes out of her slumber.

Tomioka and Akira start.

"Scramble! Scramble! There are 12 robberies and murder cases in area 2."

Tomioka, standing: "E!? T... Twelve cases...!? All at once!?"

"Calling for an emergency assistance of GRAVE!"

Tomioka: "No way! I have to go!"

Akira: "A... Me too."

Tsukasa looks around in confusion.

Tomioka: "Not you! Weren't you just chosen to be team leader of the group to expose the drug dealing route!?"

Akira: "You're one of the team members too!"

Tomioka: "I'm not one of the required members!"

Akira: "That's not true!! The only thing we heard from Blue Wolf's mouth was that tonight at 6 PM that the one behind this all will appear at a party held at 'Tokoname Island' in Ise Bay, and that the leader's a man name is called 'Shiva'. And we don't have a clue of what kind of man he is. Blue Wolf only sees 'Scorpion' and has never seen the man!" [Sound like it's the next day. And BTW, I don't know why the name of the island is always in quotations.]

Tomioka: "Then why don't you smuggle yourself into the party and find out who's the leader behind this." She starts running off.

Akira: "I'm trying to say! For that party I need a date......... I was going to ask you to be my partner... Hey------!"

Tomioka is already in the next room. "If I don't make it back in time then hit on some other girl------!" She waves as the door shuts.

Akira is left standing with his arm outstretched. "..." {...Noooo...} "...She left..." {...Didn't the chief say to put this case in front of all others...? Did I hear that wrong?}

Tsukasa is standing behind the stoned Akira. "..." She approaches him, tapping him on the arm.

Akira turns: "...N...?"

Tsukasa smiles broadly.

Akira: "...E...?" {...W... What...!?}

Some time later in some parking lot.

It's 5:00 PM at Nagoya Port.

Scorpion: "...Hey ...you guys,"

Ryuji and Asago start. Kamo-san and Bun-san are behind them.

Scorpion: "Can't you look a bit more happy? The party to be held at 'Tokoname Island' is a joyful occasion!" {It's not a funeral or anything.} "If you don't look a bit more happy about it then you'll be suspected immediately even with me there!"

Ryuji: "...This is the face I wear at parties."

Asago: "...When the time comes, I'll show such a face."

Scorpion: "... .........Well.. Fine ...but as soon as I tell you who's behind this all you'll take these cuffs off right?" {And the ones on my ankles too.} Scorpion waves his hands around, showing them the cuffs.

Text: If he tries to escape or do anything funny, an electric shock is delivered.

Announcement: "Customers heading for 'Tokoname Island', the boat to take you there has arrived so you may begin boarding."

Some distance away in a public parking lot.

Tsukasa [I think]: "......"

Tsukasa: "...Akira-san..."

Akira: "...N...?"

Tsukasa: "...There aren't... any other cops here yet......"

Akira: "...Yeah..."

Tsukasa [I think]: "...After that there was another scramble over the bombing of an office building..."

Akira: "...It's like... That I shouldn't be here......"

Tsukasa: "...... ...Then... What now...? ...Do we quit...?"

Akira: "..."

Tsukasa: "Do we go?"

Akira: "..."

Tsukasa [I think]: "......!"

Akira: "I'm going!! I've come all of the way here!! I'll find out who's behind this by myself!!" He storms out of the car. He's wearing a suit and a bow tie. He's also wearing a long trench coat.

A heeled shoe stomps the ground. "...By myself~~~~~~!?" A popped vein accompanies the speech bubble.

Akira freaks: "...! ...No... ...It was two of us..." He holds up two fingers.

Tsukasa: "...Good." She has her arms crossed. She then smiles. "...Just kidding."

Akira smiles back.

Tsukasa: "...So let us go to 'Tokoname Island'------"

Tsukasa is dressed up again. She's wearing a long dark haired wig that's a bit wavy at the ends. She's wearing a dress that goes just past her knees that has a lot of lace on it. Heels, long sleeved gloves and a lace choker complete the outfit.