Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1999 vol. 23, episode no. 69
Translation by Yuki-chan

Episode title page features Ryuji in drag... with the comment "I'm Kuryugumi's sandaime kumicho, Shirogami Ryuji... got a problem with that?"

At Kuryugumi's main house.

The kumiins are hurrying to the main entrance.

"Sandaime has returned------!"

"Let's go out to meet him---"

"Oo------" [kinda like a cheer...]

The kumiins in the hanamichi anticipating Ryuji's arrival look serious.

Kumiins: "Welcome back home------!!"

The next page shows a close up of Ryuji's pretty face. There are flowers in his hair and in the background and he has 2 popped veins in his head. You can tell that he's wearing lipstick...

Kumiins, in clear bewilderment: "...Sandaime...........................?" All of the kumiins have a large sweat drop on the back of their heads.

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

Behind him stands Tsukasa, holding a large package (probably their school uniforms).

Kamo-san: "..." He's standing behind Ryuji to the right.

Bun-san: "..." He's standing behind Tsukasa, to the left.

With his head down, Ryuji walks as fast as he can. "......!"

Bun-san, looking slightly embarrassed: "......"

Kamo-san, starting after Ryuji: "A! Sandaime!"

Text by Ryuji's feet: Walking very quickly.

Kumiin 1: {Sandaime!?}

Kumiin 2: {Sandaime!?}

Kumiin 3: {It's really Sandaime!!}

All the kumiins are open mouthed in shock.

Shigaraki: "Sandaime's dressing as a girl...!?"

Muko: "What is this......!!" {Is he joking or is it just a whim? Either way this is a state of emergency......!!}

Tsukasa pops up behind Muko and Shigaraki: "Let me explain why such a tragedy has occurred!"

Shigaraki: "Wa!"

Muko: "Who are you?" Nobody recognizes Tsukasa in her cute outfit.

Tsukasa removes the wig: "Me, me."

Shigaraki: "A!"

Muko: "Tsukasa."

The nearby interested kumiins listen in.

Tsukasa: "---Well you see, the reason that we're like this is........."

Close up of Muko, Shigaraki and a few other kumiins. They are startled out of their minds.

Hands hit the floor.

The kumiins fall to their hands and knees with tears streaming down their faces.

Shigaraki: "Though he was attacked by drug laden civilians,"

Muko: "For his belief...!! Putting his dignity and pride as a kumicho aside, what a fine man. Aaaaaaa!"

Nearby kumiins are shaking their heads: "I could never do that. I could never do that." [I didn't know that one of the kumiins had a mohawk...]

The hallway is now filled with tough looking kumiins on their hands and knees bent over with tears splashing the floor.

"Aid the weak and crush the strong!! That is the very image of the gokudo~~~~~~!!"

"What a fine example---!"

"I could never do that. I could never do that myself---!"

"Uoooooo"

Text: We're impressed by Sandaime's manliness--- [Not a very good translation...]

Tsukasa, with her hair popped out in all directions: {Looks like they took it well...... Ryuji... It looks like your name as a kumicho isn't ruined..... More like you won their hearts even more......}

The kumiins are back on their feet again, with tears in the corner of their eyes.

Muko, speaking for all of them: "---...Putting those feelings aside for awhile, what do you mean about being attacked by drug laden civilians...?"

Some time later.

Ryuji lets out a sigh, accompanied by a cloud of smoke.

Ryuji's sitting on a sofa, smoking away: "......"

Tsukasa, with the wig back on: "Oh? Ryuji-kun, you've taken off your disguise already?"

Ryuji: "...Fun! ...Do you think I can be dressed like that forever...?"

Text below Ryuji: He removed the make up.

Tsukasa: "Well yeah but... You've learned that if you don't physically look like Shirogami Ryuji then you don't get attacked, so isn't it better to be dressed like that for awhile?"

Ryuji: "...So you say something that seems plausible in such a convincing voice but," He angrily accuses Tsukasa with his eyes. "I can tell you're enjoying this."

Tsukasa, trying not to look too happy: "...A..."

Kamo-san, [I think]: "...If we can't strike back at the civilians, then the only thing to do from stopping the increase in the number of drug induced people is to strike at the source......" He's standing behind the sofa putting the dress on a hangar.

Tsukasa is startled.

Bun-san places a cup of tea on the table in front of Ryuji. "A full frontal attack against Garyukai......?"

Tsukasa: "...!"

Ryuji: "....... ...That's our only option... Either way, they're an opponent that we have to deal with eventually..."

Tsukasa: "...... ...A... ...Um... ...Um... ...I don't think that a battle/war is a good idea... There should be a more peaceful way of resolving things. ...A...! You know...! Like that mister Azuma was saying! The 'kagi'! The 'kagi' that supposedly opens the door to the source of the protophyte [primitive plant]! The reason that Garyukai is after me is because they think that I inherited that 'kagi' from that 'Wakasa' woman, and the reason they want the 'kagi' is because there is a limit to the amount of the drug they have. To get more drugs they need the 'kagi'! ...Then that means that if Garyukai keeps distributing the drug like this then they'll run out eventually." [kagi = key]

Ryuji is listening silently for awhile.

Tsukasa: "So then Garyukai will naturally become quieter and the druggies will probably disappear too. Even if you're disguised, you're not attacked. So, if you were to stay disguised for awhile until this all blows over..."

Ryuji stands suddenly and slaps Tsukasa on the left cheek. [Yes, it's an audible slap.]

Tsukasa: "!" She looks away in shock.

Ryuji looks at her silently.

Kamo-san and Bun-san are wide-eyed in disbelief.

Ryuji: "...You should know how cold-hearted your words were......"

Tsukasa has her hand to her cheek. "......"

Ryuji: "With some drugs, you can die of an overdose. And with that drug, I don't think that's avoidable. It won't change the fact that civilians will die being involved in a gokudo's battle. Do you understand? It'll be the same as your parents, the Kozuki husband and wife."

Tsukasa: "!!"

Ryuji: "...... ...What...... are you so freaked out about...?"

Tsukasa startles.

Ryuji: "Is it because if you get involved with the Garyukai you'll find out more about your origins than you want to?"

Tsukasa looks up: "...! No...!"

Ryuji butts in: "Is it because you learn more of the truth about the fact that the blood of the gokudo you hate so much runs in your own body as well------...?"

Tsukasa: "...!" [---That's why I don't want to get involved with Garyukai------ I want to live peacefully just as I did before knowing any of this.------} She pictures her close knit family of brothers. "......" She looks down.

Ryuji: "...No matter who your parents are, 'It won't change the fact that I'm Kozuki Tsukasa' ...Wasn't it you who said that......?"

Ryuji: "I too ---didn't think that any truths that emerged now would change you." {---You despise people who do things wrong and you can't leave those trapped by those people alone. Thinking of yourself only second to others, you move actively for others enough to make people amazed.} "---...But..." {Wasn't that Kozuki Tsukasa?} "Right now, you're not the you (Kozuki Tsukasa) that I know---" {You're not the you (Kozuki Tsukasa) I was attracted to.}

Tsukasa takes these words silently.

A strange tune fills the air.

Kamo-san: "Wa!"

Bun-san watches as the older bodyguard hurriedly tries to answer his phone. "......" {...At such a serious mood like this......... Kamojima-san...... Are you a ramen place or something......?} [ramen is a type of thin noodles in soup. I don't know what type of melody it's supposed to be though...]

Kamo-san: "Wa! Wa! Wa!" He manages to catch hold of the phone before dropping it. "Hai. Hai." He activates the phone. "...Oh... Takuma-san?"

Tsukasa turns at the mention of her brother's name.

Kamo-san: "Tsukasa-san? Right now? Yes, she's here."

Tsukasa: "......?"

A little while later.

Tsukasa is wandering around some parking lot. She's back in her usual boyish attire.

Voice: "Tsukasa!"

Tsukasa: "...A...! Akira-san!"

Akira waves hello: "Over here. Sorry to have called you out all of the sudden." {I contacted the school but you weren't there...} "And it wasn't like I could contact Kuryugumi directly." {So I thought it was bad but,} "I called Takuma-san at work." {And then... Takuma-san was angry to hear that you were back at Kuryugumi though it was still daytime......}

Tsukasa: "...A... It should be OK." She looks a bit guilty. "...So what did you want to talk about......?"

Akira: "What...? Yeah. ...Truth is... about the addicts of that drug, we just caught a bank robbing suspect....... and there was this thing that caught my attention..."

He tells her of the suspect having mumbled something.

Tsukasa: "E...? ...Kill Ryuji...? Is that what he said...?" {That suspect...?}

Akira: "...Aa... And so I was worried about you, who was always with him (Shirogami)..."

Text pointing to Akira's speech bubble: Around this part is his main purpose [of calling her out].

Akira: "...Has there been anything happening...?"

Tsukasa, looking thoughtful: "Already this morning we were attacked by a number of students plus one teacher, (all seemingly to be users of that drug)." [I don't know why that part is in brackets.]

Akira, freaking out: "WHAT------!?"

Tsukasa recalls Ryuji's earlier words.

Ryuji: "...When Garyukai distributed the drugs among the public, they may have used some kind of mind control......."

Tsukasa: "... ...Akira-san... ...Could this be," {---Could it really be---...} "some kind of mind control...?"

Akira, with large eyes: "!! ...Wow... How did you know...?" He applauds. {Wow Tsukasa-kun, you're not like the average junior high school student.}

Tsukasa, with round eyes: "Really!?" {How!?}

Akira takes out the compact thingie. "...Through this it seems..."

Tsukasa: "A!" She recognizes it. {That...!! Kawamata had it too...!! Wasn't it there!? Some compact thingie like this!?} She thinks back in her memory. {That's right!! Right there!! It was right there!!} She pictured Kawamata in the biology prep room bent over the desk on which the compact lay opened.

Akira: "It seems that these were distributed with the drugs. Something about them calling the drug the 'namida' of the goddess that appears on the screen. The dealer apparently said that while shooting up and praying to the goddess, she would grant one the powers of the goddess." [namida = tear]

Tsukasa looks at Akira in disbelief. {...What a bunch of bull...} {...The 'goddess' namida' ... That's right... he was saying something about that wasn't he... That guy Scorpion.}

Akira, continuing on: "...And... it's that image of the goddess. The image consists of many patterns and viewing angles but the program flashes certain images every 5 seconds."

An image of flowers.

Text: Shirogami Ryuji.

An image of flowers.

Text: Kill.

An image of the goddess in prayer.

An image of Ryuji in a suit, accompanied by the words 'kill'.

Tsukasa: "...... ....Is that...... ...what they call subliminal...!?" {That forbidden trick!! Damn Garyukai!!}

Akira: "After shooting up a number of times and viewing that they're brainwashed without them knowing it. And then upon hearing the name 'Shirogami Ryuji' or seeing his face they're react spontaneously to move."

Tsukasa: {---...Then... That means...}

She recalls Kamo-san's earlier words.

Kamo-san: "If that's true, then that means a larger number of civilians will attack Sandaime."

Tsukasa: {And we don't even know how many people in Tokyo that are brainwashed by that drug...!}

Akira: "---If we had more of the counter drug then we can think about doing something..."

Tsukasa: "...Counter drug...?"

Akira: "Yeah. ...That blond Rui... [Louie? Well Akira isn't calling him Louis...] In the bag he was carrying so carefully was the drug and the counter drug. The counter drug has the power to reverse the effects of the drug."

Tsukasa: "------E!?"

Akira: "It's like countering snake venom with a serum."

Tsukasa: {...W... What------!!? There was such a thing---!?} "Th... then why don't you go around shooting that counter drug!!?" {What! There was such a cool thing like that!!?} She looks thrilled.

Akira, looking downwards: "...I'm saying..." {Didn't I just say?} "There isn't enough of the counter drug to be used like that. We're looking into the synthetic production of it but it seems that there are too much unknown plant matter in it and we've thrown up our hands in frustration. It would be best if we could find the primitive plant that the drug is made from------..."

Tsukasa: {Primitive plant...?} "... ...Why...?"

Akira: "---According to Rui, the counter drug is made from the same root as the plant the drug is made from."

Tsukasa: {---...E...!?}

Another strange tune fills the air. {Actually, it sounds like a tongue twister. Japanese of course...]

Akira: "I've been called. Excuse me a second." He turns his back to Tsukasa.

Tsukasa, with her hair messed up: "..." {...Are those kind of ringers popular now...?} She stares at Akira's back.

Akira: "Hai, it 's Kise. Hai." His phone is just an ear piece with a small mike attached to it. No display.

Tsukasa: "..."

Akira: "...E...? Civilians who are using drug are at the Kuryugumi headquarters......!?"

Tsukasa startles: "!!?"

Akira: "I understand. I'm close to the scene so I'll head their immediately." He turns the phone off. He turns back to Tsukasa. "Tsukasa, I'm sorry for having called you out like this but I'm going!" {I have to protect the innocent public from the evil yakuza!!} "...Huh...?" His hair is popped out all over.

A wind blows where Tsukasa had been only moments before.

Tsukasa's heart is racing as she runs.

She recalls bits of earlier conversations.

Kamo-san: "If that's true then that means a larger number of civilians will attack, Sandaime. What will you do?"

Ryuji: "---I won't allow anyone to lay a finger on a katagi."

Tsukasa: {---Could it mean,}

Earlier, with the kumiins.

Muko: "What do you mean about being attacked by drug laden civilians...?"

Tsukasa explains.

Fresh tears well up on the faces of the kumiins.

Muko: "...S... Something like that happened...!!"

Shigaraki: "If you remove the drug, they're just a regular katagi so Sandaime didn't lay a finger on them!!"

Some kumiin: "Uu...! The very image of the gokudo~~~ I'll follow him for life---"

Tsukasa: {...It'll be all right, right...? Even while saying that they won't just let themselves be killed so easily right------!!?}

Akira comes up on his motorcycle.

Akira: "...A."

Tsukasa is just steps ahead of him. [Either Akira took a really long time for that short phone call or where he and Tsukasa met was really closeby...]

Tsukasa: {RYUJI------------------------------...}

She stops in front of the main doors to Kuryugumi.

The street is littered with still bodies, all kumiins. There is blood everywhere. A cop car pulls up. A number of cops are on the scene, dealing with Rokuo students who are sitting in a daze but otherwise unhurt.

Tsukasa stares, stunned. She glances at the fallen kumiins. All are wounded and still.

Tsukasa: {------...N...... No way------!!!}

Akira: "What is this.....? The only ones that bled here are the yakuza...!?" He's shocked beyond belief.

Cop 1: "A! Kise."

Cop 2: "Well... it seems so... The Kuryugumi gang here only defended and before being stabbed by these guys, they yelled something to the extent of..."

Muko, earlier: "Following the path we go down as flowers. This is the spirit of Kuryugumi's way---------!!" [Okay, okay, I have no idea if this is decent translation. It probably has a hidden meaning. From the past warriors or ninjas in Japan had a phrase they may yell/write when they know they're about to die. This line by Muko probably has a similar function.]

Cop: "...And went down one by one..."

Akira: "..."

Text by the two Rokuo students by the cops' feet: They're already injected with the counter drug.

Tsukasa has tears in the corner of her eyes. She grabs Muko and Shigaraki by their collars and starts shaking them. "Muko! Shigaraki! Hey wake up------!!"

Akira: {...No way---... They didn't attack---...? I thought that the gokudo would have shot incoherent drugged people---...!!}

Blood shows at the corner of Muko's lips: "...me..."

Tsukasa: "...! Muko!?"

Muko opens his eyes with effort: "...Couldn't... stop......them from..... Sandaime's! ...They... ...inside......"

Tsukasa: {!! WHAT!!? There are some that went inside!!?} She turns away, then pauses for a moment. "......" She looks back at Muko and Shigaraki. {---Without the counter drug this (hell) won't stop------...}

One of the students comes to. His hands and school uniform are splashed with blood. "...Ha... ...U... ...A... ...I... stabbed someone... I... killed a person... UWAAAAA"

Cop 1: "No! They're sane again and in panic!"

Akira: "Even while brainwashed, there's a part of the brain that watches like a spectator and remembers everything!" {This is the hardest type to deal with!} He and the cop take off to round up the other students.

Cop 2: "If we waste time like this, the others will become like this." {Let's take them to the medical staff.} He walks an unsteady student off.

Tsukasa stands and watches as the panicking student is trying to be calmed by Akira and the other cop.

Tsukasa: {If we don't get our hands on the counter drug, there will be more people hurt.} She turns away from the scene and races inside.

Kamo-san, panting out of breath: "...My, my... ...They are persistent."

Ryuji: "...You're getting old Kamojima. You weren't like this before."

Bun-san: "What age does to a person."

Kamo-san: "How insulting!! I'm still all right!!"

Bun-san, pointing at him: "There's no persuasive power behind your words Kamojima-san. You're the only one sweating." {And out of breath. You must have thought that you can't lose to younger ones but that already shows your age.}

Kamo-san, unable to fight back: "Uuunuuuuu"

Kamo-san and Bun-san are standing in front of Ryuji. All 3 of them are carrying these bizarre looking swords. They look like thick cylinders...

Ryuji, ignoring the verbal fight in front of him: "Hey, here's one."

Kamo-san and Bun-san: "!!"

It's Kawamata.

Tsukasa is running. {---The counter drug that can be produced from the same primitive plant as that drug---------}

Kawamata is wielding a knife in his right hand. He lunges for Ryuji. "Shirogami~~~~~~~~~!!"

Tsukasa: {The holy ground where the primitive plant is found--- ---the kagi that opens the door to the holy ground------!!}

There's the sound of metal clashing against metal.

Kamo-san and Bun-san had crossed their 'swords' protectively in front of Ryuji. Ryuji meanwhile is standing casually with his sword resting on his shoulder.

But Kawamata hadn't reached them. Tsukasa had already jumped up and caught Kawamata by the neck with her chain.

Kamo-san: "Tsukasa-san!!" He brightens.

Bun-san: "A~aa. It was just a little bit more."

Tsukasa: {---...The kagi...} "...Ryuji..."

Ryuji starts.

Tsukasa: "...I want to find the 'kagi'......"

Ryuji looks up in surprise.

Tsukasa: "......Will you help me......?" She looks determined. {I want to find the key------!!}