+ Animal X chapter 4 + 003 [no text] 004 [no text] 005 [sfx:]kii... [Minato:]it's incredible- that something like that can fly I've never ridden on an airplane before---- [small:]airplaaane airplaaane [Yuuji:]I know, I know We can locate the Okinawan Village using this document but we're going to need to take a ship to Asato Island from Naha 006 [Minato:]Yuuji, I don't think we need to look for them one's here [guy:]hey, brothers I've been waiting! 007 [guy:]The Yuta told us you would be arriving and sent me to meet you I'm your guide [title:]ANIMAL X IV 008 [Ginji:]The name's Higa Ginji, it's a pleasure [Minato:]Asaba Minato [Yuuji:]ah... n-nice to meet you, I'm Ayukawa-Yuuji... [Ginji:]hmmmm [sfx:]stare stare stare stare [Minato:]h-he's big 009 [Minato:]Don't stare at him!! Yuuji is my mate, got it!! [Ginji:]really? You belong to him? [Yuuji:]ah... n-no, not exactly [Ginji:]Your jealousy is sort of cute though Minato [sfx:]hahahaa [Minato:]I hate this guy... [Ginji:]We should reach the island by dawn. Our island is run sort of like a commune, everyone pitches in 010 [Ginji:]We're also the original home of the Nature Worship cult that's gaining popularity across the nation [Yuuji:]eeeh? um [Ginji:]You've heard of it? [Yuuji:]I know the slogan "going back to nature" [Ginji:]right! that's the one! [Minato:]hey, don't talk amongst yourselves!! [small:]ugaa-- [Ginji:]But you guys ran into some trouble, didn't you? [Minato:]so? Seems like eventually---- the plan is to unite our race with that of humans, but how far can you actually take something like that? ...I didn't really catch the specifics but it doesn't seem like they've done anything about it just yet... at least I don't think so... [Ginji:]so they're talking about you two when they say "Experiment #1" hey, are you alright? [sfx:]gag gag [Yuuji:]s-seasick--------- 011 [Ginji:]Now I don't know if they let you hang over the side back in Honshu, but here you'll get better treatment you're a girl aren't you... [Minato:]JUST GET TO THE FRICKING ISLAND ALREADY!! [small:]this guy's really noisy, isn't he? [Ginji:]The Okinawan village isn't like the others, we treat our women with more care. I think you'll find that Okinawan men will treat you gently [Yuuji:]I guess this probably has something to do with the menstruation haa---- 012 [Ginji:]There she is!! That's Asato Island. How ya feeling? [Yuuji:]Well there's nothing else to throw up so... hahaha... [crowd:]They're here!! Heeey!! Ginji!! [banners:]welcome brothers [Yuuji:]I'm not sure what's going on, but it seems pretty cool [Ginji:]It's the guests from the mainland! 013 [crowd:]go ahead, dig in!! You're tired, aren't you? You gotta try the soba!! No way, try the chanpuru* first! [note:]*a casserole type dish with vegetables, tofu and/or bits of meat/seafood [Yuuji:]I'm afraid I can't really eat anything now--- [crowd:]Aomori** then!! [Yuuji:]Oh no, I'm terrible at holding my liquor!! [note:]**Okinawan sake [Minato:]BACK OFF, you'll get him pregnant!! [sfx:]silence [Yuuji:]Minato---- [Ginji:]You can meet the elder after you've taken it easy a bit so just relax 014 [sfx:]zazazazaza [Ginji:]this way watch your step, and keep an eye out for cicadas [Minato:]Yuuji, I caught a snake [Yuuji:]eh, isn't that a Habu*?! [Ginji:]that's right [note:]*deadly poisonous semi-aquatic snake [Ginji:]there it is, the elder's place--- [Minato:]GODAMMIT DON'T TOUCH HIM!! 015 [Yuuji:]seems like a pretty old building [Ginji:]it should, it's been here since the Ryuukyuu Dynasty* [note:]*1400s-ish :) [Ginji:]By the postwar period this island had grown to be virtually uninhabited but the elder called for all those with the old blood to gather here and ever since they've been coming one by one This building is called "The Sanctuary of the Gods" Or the "mui ugan"... there are a lot of names but---- but usually we just call it the main house well! it's beneath! 016 [Yuuji:]this is... [Ginji:]the yuta* and mystics use it the Gods are close by here [note on the side:]*yuta - female mediums used to invoke the gods [Yuuji:]gods...? Our elder has the power to heal with his hands so the faithful often gather here [woman:]th...thank you so much [yuta:]Elder, the guests [elder:]I'm nearly done here, so see them in 017 [yuta:]please [elder:].....you've finally come well then, come closer 018 [elder:]the yuta of this island saw you in their dreams... the one who awakened in the mainland... What is it that transpired there... I'd like you to tell me 019 [narration:]what amazing eyes... and his face looks so kind when we smiles... [elder:]among those with the true blood there's sense that something from the North is moving and with these eyes I can see that with it comes something much older than I but... that human called Tadokoro perhaps he senses that humans have no future in their own species... 020-021 (treated as one page) [narration:]in antiquity---- the voices of the Ryuukyuu Island native peoples were raised with worship for our race. And we often answered. They were a communal village-based culture during the stone age and into the Jomon period however they were also a society of hunters and soon learned to excel in archery when the climate changed and the rice crops failed, exposed to the influences of outside culture as well as the diseases of the foreigners that brought it, the Jomon-era people fell into disarray. soon we too began to suffer and the few that remained came to reguard us not as "Gods" but as terrible enemies they begin constructing forts and developed a taste for battle We were wiped out in the Southern, Northern and Western Islands, passing into folklore as though we had never existed at all. And likewise, we passed into their religion as shadows and phantoms. 022 [narration:]and then, from that point on---- humans swarmed the earth becoming too many, destroying too much why, of all the mammals, was it humanity? the most covetous and destructive creature, in the end, was the one to dominate the planet--- Continuing at this rate, humans too will pass into legend... hunger...war.....the calamity they are causing with their disreguard for the environment..... and of course, plague... Plague...!! [elder:]Do you know of "natural selection"? 023 [narration:]Someday, humanity too will dissappear from this planet, leaving only the relics of their greed and then, the earth will rest for many years... tens of thousands of years before the wounds of humanity can even begin to be healed [elder:]You stand at the very mid-point between our race and humanity I do not believe that our race and humans can ever hope to truly co-exist peacefully however 024 [elder:]the real question is if you are willing to bear the child that would unite our blood and what would that child be? an amalgamation of our races? or something entirely new?... [Yuuji:]no... I don't understand what you're saying... [elder:]I'm not approving of the humans' plans but... at this rate, whatever the outcome, our bloodline will end... ---now, I'm a bit tired... [Ginji:]please rest, Elder you don't need to nurse me with such care... 025 [Ginji:]tomorrow we'll show you the rest of the village, but for tonight, please rest here ---though there is one more thing I want tto say There were some guys from Kyuushuu we were helping out at the elder's request, though we seem to have lost contact with them but as part of the deal, they promised a tribute. And we want to collect it by trying to continue the bloodline Minato You'll share him, won't you between you and the rest of us [Yuuji:]Higa-san!! 026 [Minato:]GET OUT YOU ASSHOLE!! [sfx:]slam!! [Minato:]NO ONE'S SHARING WITH YOU!! I've been dying to do that since the day before yesterday!! [sfx:]growlll [Yuuji:]..... [Minato:]Yuuji, I----- [Yuuji:]I- I'm going to take a shower... [sfx:]patan [Minato:]..... [sfx:]zaaa---.. [Minato:]But it's a good thing, I think. What he said about the kid--- [Yuuji:]....... 027 [Minato:]That's what real mating is all about after all------ I won't force you, but [Yuuji:]me, pregnant? ...giving birth? I can't even imagine it... Minato... 028 [narration:]of course I understand... that my body has been gradually changing but I can't just accept it "what's this, Yuu-chan?" "open it and see" "it's a ring!!" "but the ceremony's in two years!! and it's not even my birthday!!" "but I'mreally happy!!" "thank you!" 029 [narration:]Kyouko-chan, I don't want this. I'm turning into a woman you'll never be able to forgive me, will you...!! [Minato:]Yuuji... 030 [Yuuji:]! I was so... tired... last night this blanket Minato... 031 [Ginji:]Everyone on the island recieves a job and salary from the time they begin living here and not just those of the blood. There are many human believers living here as well. our fires run on methane gas, it's piped in from under the sea and we recycle everything we possibly can We cultivate organic vegetables and export them as our chief commodity but the artists in the village are free to pursue art it's their genetic calling nature has a plan for them-- as it does for all of us 032 [Ginji:]the plan is to replicate the system of the ancients and live in harmony with nature of course, it's a far-off dream but--- there may come a time when it will make a difference--- a time when we all have to live this way just to keep surviving 033 [Yuuji:]waa, a red fish! [Minato:]it's an island, did you expect chicken nuggets---- can't you eat it?---- what's that sound? 034 [Yuuji:]it's a whale... I read about them in books when I was a kid [Minato:]such a sad song [Yuuji:]it must have gotten seperated from its family... maybe its singing to search for its herd 035 [Minato:]Yuuji, I don't have anywhere to go back to and you're all alone too so...couldn't we be together--- [Yuuji:]Minato ...I'm sorry 036 [Yuuji:]I still don't know what's the right thing to do... [Minato:]...... [Ginji:]They're preparing a celebration our "woman" has come [narration:]---there is an old Ryuukyuu saying about men and women they say that if you lie together in the fields at night--- 037 [Ginji:]there will certainly be children and that's all that matters after all the duty to continue the species is more important than love [Minato:]what the hell do you know?! [Ginji:]I could try to take Yuuji from you by force [Minato:]Do you really think you can? 038 [Ginji:]I can unlike you, I'm an adult [Minato:]..... [sfx:]zazazaa [Yuuji:]how pathetic... I have no sense of direction at all... [narration:]But even if I went back, what could I say to Minato...? [sfx:]gasaa 039 [Yuuji:]Higa-san! [Ginji:]Taking a walk at this time of night? [Yuuji:]no... um, actually I'm lost... [Ginji:]It's dangerous for a girl to go walking alone... [Yuuji:]what? 040 [narration:]Because I'm a kid? I was born and raised same as him, wasn't I? Is that why I'm no good? Yuuji... [Yuuji:]Higa-san wha...what are you- [Ginji:]to be blunt, I'm going to hold you right here and now and I'm going to make a child for my people 041 [Ginji:]if you co-operate, I won't be rough with you! this is just to continue the bloodline!! [Yuuji:]! [Ginji:]...stay still [Yuuji:]...why why is it that you can look at me like that? 042 [Ginji:]Yuuji [Yuuji:]...no I'd die if I were held by a man I'm sorry... [Ginji:]they say that females with the true blood become even more beautiful when they're pregnant I'm sure it would be the same with you I'd like to hold your hand... I won't do anything else [Yuuji:]..... 043 [Ginji:]what if I killed that kid? [Yuuji:]!! Minato? n- no! you can't!! He won't let you!! [Ginji:]He's pretty strong, then? [Yuuji:]D-don't fight with Minato!! If anything happened to him I [Ginji:]you what? [Yuuji:]!! 044 [Ginji:]Are you really attatched to him? that kid the room's a bit father this way 'night [narration:]I'm... to Minato...? no way [sfx:]rubrub [Yuuji:]ugh kissed by a man gaggag [Minato:]Where were you?! 045 [Yuuji:]um... I kind of got lost... n-no sense of direction [Minato:]It's dangerous for girls to walk alone [Yuuji:]i... is that so... I'm a girl now, huh... so many new rules... haha [Minato:]I was looking all over for you, thought you downed in the sea or were hurt I thought you were never coming back! [Yuuji:]Minato... I'm sorry thank you... 046 [narration:]Are you really attatched to that kid? ...maybe I am... whenever he's sincere or protective, it's like my heart just fills... Minato... 047 [narration:]has part of my heart become female too? [?:]what's wrong!? it's the Yuta! she suddenly collapsed!! 048 [Yuta:]it's coming...!! [guy:]what is? [Yuta:]to this island... Misfortune!! [sfx:]zazazaza 049 [man:]we can make a safe landing on the island by night using this inlet judging from past statistics, the island has about 40 dinosauroids among it's population I think, given our numbers we can overwhelm the village in one night [guy:]Maya the chart we found inside that boat from Kyuushuu was useful this time for sure we'll take the girl! [Maya:]look, brother... all the coral is dying development has even stained the sea 050 [guy:]still hate humans as much as ever, huh [Maya:]of course, and if this we succeed they will all be reduced to begging for their own pitiful lives... that's right... if we succeed... [guys:]I can see it!! It's Asato-Jima!! [bottom:]Animal X IV END