Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Hana to Yume
1999 vol. 1, episode no. 51
Translation by Yuki-chan

Inside a large banquet hall [I suppose it's in Kuryugumi though].

MC: "---To the engagement of Kuryugumi's Sandaime and the Silver Dragon Clan's Sumon Asago-jyo--- Kanpai" Everyone raises their glasses.

The crowd: "Kanpa---i" [Kanpai = cheers]

The room is filled with many people. Asago has this really fake looking smile on her face. Ryuji, as usual is expressionless. [Yes, it seems both of them are drinking... hmmm 14-year-old alcoholics?]

Members of the crowd approach one by one to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Where is Tsukasa you ask?

Tsukasa is decked out in the fish costume, just as she promised. "What a joyful day you two!" She starts dancing. The rest of the kumiin look at her strangely. She tries to get some of them to join her.

Kamo-san looks on in silence. "......"

Tsukasa: "Dance! Dance! Anything will do!"

Kamo-san thinks back to his earlier conversation with Tsukasa.

Past conversation.

Kamo-san: "---If the feelings of love are mutual, then Tsukasa-san, do you have any thoughts of becoming Sandaime's second seisai------...?"

Tsukasa glares up at Kamo-san: "---...You're telling me... to become like Hogou's kage no seisai------...? To become covered in blood everyday and while being called the 'seisai' not actually having any contact with him.........?" She laughs. "---...You gotta be kidding. ...I would rather live as a guy like now so that I can come in contact and play fight with him."

She's still sitting on the floor next to her fish costume. Kamo-san is standing and looking down at her.

Kamo-san: "...Sandaime would not make you a kage no seisai. He would rather have you as a visible [sorry couldn't think of a better word] seisai------..."

Tsukasa: "......You don't really care as long as Ryuji's happy. ...You don't care about my or Asago's feelings......"

Kamo-san stops in surprise.

Tsukasa, still glaring: "If I were in Asago's position, if there was another woman other than me with the title "seisai" near Ryuji, I wouldn't be able to take it...... ...I would want ...to kill that other woman......"

Kamo-san: "...... ...So ...You're saying you would rather have things this way...... That's impossible when you're both attracted to each other. How long do you think you can maintain such a frail balance!?"

Tsukasa: "That's why I'm making the effort to keep things this way. ---When the balance tips, then that's the end of Ryuji and me------..."

Back in the present.

Kamo-san sighs as he watches Tsukasa make a fool out of herself. "---..."

The other kumiin can't help but laughing.

Female voice: "Konnichiwa."

Kamo-san turns: "A. Aa... Asaba... Sumire-san...?"

Sumire waves her index finger at him. "You forgot to put Asago-san's friend on that." She's carrying a huge bouquet of flowers.

Sumire is escorted to the head table where Ryuji and Asago are seated.

Asago: "...A..." [You can tell she has lipstick on. A lot of it.]

Sumire: "Heey--- Asa-ya---n!"

Kamo-san: "A guest for you."

Asago: "...You really came......?"

Sumire: "Of course---" {Here a present!} She hands the flowers to Asago.

Asago: "!" "...Arigato........." [Arigato = thank you] She smiles, but it looks a bit fake.

Kamo-san, a little distance away: "......" {...Asago-san... is smiling today......... though she was so emotionally unstable the day before... ...It seems that......a woman's heart is really complex------... Both there...,} He glances at Tsukasa in the fish suit. {and here as well...} He glances at Asago.

Sumire, bending over so that nobody else would overhear: "Did you practice that?"

Asago: "...E...?"

Sumire: "...Your smile. It's not genuine."

Asago starts: "!"

Sumire: "...Hey, don't you think that on a day like this when you're being blessed by so many people it's strange to be putting on a stage smile?"

Ryuji had gotten up to talk to some kumiins.

Sumire: "Asa-yan, how about talking about your problems with him? Don't over stress..."

Asago: "I'm not over stressing myself!!"

Sumire: "...... ...Asa-yan..."

Ryuji appears to be looking for someone. He then notices Asago approaching him and behind her is a glaring Sumire.

Sumire, with her arms crossed: "---..."

Asago: "Ryuji."

Ryuji, staring back at Sumire: "---..."

Asago: "Ryuji, look, these flowers are unusual. They change colour with the temperature."

Ryuji: "...Interesting...... Either way, you have pollen on you."

Asago: "E... No way..."

Ryuji brushes the pollen off of Asago's face. Out of the corner of his eye he sees the fish exiting the room. {That distorted silhouette...}

Asago notices that Ryuji is not looking at her. "...What's wrong......?"

Ryuji: "! ...It's nothing------..." {...Tsukasa------...}

Somewhere outside.

Tsukasa is taking deep breaths. The fish costume, labelled as the distorted silhouette, is sitting on the ground.

Tsukasa: "A~... I feel like a fish that has been out of water going back to sea~~~ I finally feel like I can breathe normally." She starts talking to herself. "Looks like you were overdoing the dance there Tsukasa-kun." She stops. "------..." {...Over do it... ...Does that mean... that if I wasn't overdoing it I couldn't bear to stay there......} She stops again. "..." She starts laughing, talking to herself: {No way, there's no way I have such a delicate heart like a strand of silk!!} "It couldn't be since I have to live as a guy from now on and watch over the two of them." {That's ri~ght. From now on.}

Her mind starts conjuring up different scenes. The previous scene when she saw Ryuji touching Asago's face. She pictures Ryuji and Asago raising a baby while she is standing back, watching from a distance. (Ryuji is shaking a rattle to entertain the child). She pictures them when the child is older, the child swinging off of Ryuji and Asago's arms with her watching from a distance. Ryuji is labelled as a father who spoils his child.

Tsukasa blanches: "......" {..Oo...}

Behind her, a large block is balanced on a triangular fulcrum. [I think that's the right term] The block starts tipping forwards the right. Tsukasa starts, and glances back to see the block dangerously tipping to the right as the left side begins to crumble.

Text: The balance is already crumbling down.

Tsukasa: "Uwaaaaann! Don't be breaking down like this over such little things---!!" Two Tsukasas appear, one supporting the right side of the block, the other becoming a brick layer, swiftly cementing up the broken left side. {This is so pathetic after what I said to Kamo-san---!}

Voices: "There--! It went that way------!"

"Bakayaro---! Don't avoid it! Catch it------!"

"But------!"

Tsukasa: "...N?"

Something is coming towards Tsukasa through the bushes. She turns towards the bushes. "......?"

A small dark object suddenly shot through the bushes straight towards Tsukasa.

Tsukasa: "!!"

It vaguely looks like a close up of a rat.

Tsukasa feels her spine shiver. She then grabs the fish costume and belts the animal.

Text: Fish attack.

The rat, which was drilled into the ground from the impact then continued to move through the ground.

Tsukasa: "UOOO!? ...W... What was that...?" {A mole? Was it a mole? A!?} Her heart is racing.

Voice: "A! Tsukasa---!"

Tsukasa: "O? Hey Muko." {Long time no see.}

Muko, running towards her: "Hey, did a rat (in English) come over here!?"

Tsukasa: "...Rat (in English)...? ..You mean a rat (in Japanese)?"

Muko, with some kind of radar thingie in his hand: "Yeah, a rat, a rat."

Another kumiin: "A------! Look! Isn't it this!?" {That must be why it disappeared from the radar all of the sudden.}

Muko: "Shit! Follow it, follow it---!"

Tsukasa, thoughtfully: "...Hmmm... That was a rat......" {Gee the rats these days are dangerous...}

Muko: "Don't be calm now!!"

Tsukasa: "...Why are you in such a panic?"

Muko: "How can we not!!? That was one of the test subjects for the drug!"

Tsukasa starts.

Muko: "We were transporting it out so that Sandaime could take a look at it but it escaped."

Tsukasa: "... ...The drug?"

Muko, taking off at a run: "The one that was being sold on Kuryugumi's territory. The same one that Sakahogigumi brought over too!"

Tsukasa recalls Yuuwa saying that they had come over because of some dangerous thing.

Tsukasa: {---...Dangerous substance... Drugs... ...Those movements that make me shiver...} She recalls the way the rat had moved. Rui then comes to her mind. {---...Could it be... ...that drug...? That one---------...?}

Muko, with Tsukasa now running at his side: "Either way, we better hurry and capture that rat since it randomly attacks people!!" {And on a day of celebration like this---!}

Tsukasa: "Attacks!? Why would a rat..."

Muko: "Because the rats these days hate humans."

Tsukasa: "...Ha...?"

Muko: "It seems that the drug can form or rebuild one's character or personality. When the drug is injected into the body, the emotions/feelings that one has at the time are manifested. That rat was raised originally to be used as a lab rat."

Tsukasa: "I see. So to him, humans are beings that do cruel things." She thinks a moment. "Wait a minute. If something like that gets out of the Kuryugumi grounds what's going to happen...?"

Muko: "...Well..."

Voice: "UWAAAA---! The rat bit and tore Ikeda's arm------!!" [Ikeda is a last name.]

Muko and Tsukasa: "!!"

Voice: "A! Outside (the grounds)! The rat escaped outside------!!"

Many Tsukasas are doing the Scream. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" (in English.)

Meanwhile in the banquet hall, many of the kumiins are drinking and getting a bit tipsy.

Kamo-san: "...Sandaime, it is a joyful occasion, so I was wondering about the look of plain unhappiness......"

Ryuji, who's kinda glaring: "..." {...Shut up.} "...This is my usual face."

Kamo-san, frankly: "No, there's an extra crease in your forehead." {You can't fool me.}

Ryuji looks a bit embarrassed. "........."

Kamo-san: "How about leaving your seat for awhile like Asago-san?" He glances over at the drunk kumiins who are starting to dance and sing. {At this point of the party the main character is like an ornament.} "You may be able to catch the missing fish."

Ryuji: "........." He looks over at the empty chair next to him. "---...I better not. ...I have no confidence that I won't do anything when I have no reason to see her......" {...I don't want to betray Asago on a day like this------...}

Somewhere else.

Sumire, placing a cup of tea down: "---...So? Asa-yan. I'm sure the talk of 'Kuryugumi's perfect seisai' has died down by now. Want to go back...?"

Asago is clutching her right arm: "---..."

Sumire: "......"

Asago: "..."

Sumire, sighing: "...That's why I told you not to over stress yourself... ...Asa-yan... Why don't you tell him that your arm hurts?" Sumire and Asago seem to be in a totally separate area of Kuryugumi where nobody else is.

Asago: "!! Of course I can't!!"

Sumire: "Why?"

Asago: "...! ...Because...!" {---If he suspects that my false arm hurts then Ryuji may find out about that------...} That, referring to the fact she had Toshi and Sho shot.

Sumire: "I've been thinking but it seems that your arms started hurting since you talked with mother about being the Kuryugumi seisai. Does that have something to with the fact that when you heard the talk about becoming the 'perfect Kuryugumi seisai' your arm started hurting again?"

Asago: "...!" She turns away: "---..."

Sumire: "...... ...It seems... that you're really uptight over being 'perfect'. But it doesn't mean that he won't take you as his bride just because you aren't the 'perfect seisai' or anything right?"

Asago: {---Up until now, everyone demanded only perfection from me------ but------ even up until now I wasn't perfect------...} A thought crosses her mind. {------But still, Ryuji chose me------}

Sumire: "Doesn't that mean that to him it has to be you, that he loves you?"

Asago: {---...Why...?}

Ryuji's earlier words fill her mind "---... ...Either way, you're important to us (Kuryugumi)........."

Asago: {---...Why------...?}

Outside the Kuryugumi grounds.

"...DAAAAAA!"

Tsukasa: "It disappeared from the radar again------!!"

Muko: "Did it go underground again!?"

Tsukasa: "Go underground... It's not like it's in Kuryugumi's backyard or anything. In Tokyo it's not like there's even enough earth for a cat to take a crap."

Muko, with a serious face: "Maybe not in the earth. Since its pain sensors are shot cause of the drug, so it may have even tunnelled itself into a person's body------..."

Tsukasa and another kumiin are doing the Scream.

Muko glances over at Tsukasa: "......"

Tsukasa: "E? What?"

Muko: "...You've just walked out from Sandaime's engagement party but is that okay?"

Tsukasa: "!!"

Muko: "You should be there for the highlights of your friends' lives." {Especially joyful ones.} "Other wise that will be put a shadow over your friendship."

Tsukasa, looking down: "...!" {---...But............} "I can't help it---!! I can't leave something that's chewing off people's arms off alone---!!" She starts waving her arms wildly. {And it's not a normal rat either---! I can't leave it alone, I can't leave it alone!}

Muko: "..."

Two other kumiins: "..."

A scream (womanly) pierces the air.

Tsukasa, Muko and the other kumiins freak in horror. "HA!?"

A little distance away.

Guy: "---I'm saying I won't do anything. I'm just asking for a date."

Girl: "Liar!! You're trying to take me somewhere where there's no people------!! I'll use my self defense items and call the police." [The guys has both of her arms though. I don't see how that's possible]

Guy: "Come on--- If you date me then you can get your hands on something that will let you live happily for the rest of your life."

The girl starts. Behind the guy she sees the freaky aura behind Tsukasa and company.

Guy: "As a woman, don't you want to stay beautiful forever?"

Tsukasa and company: "..............."

Girl, staring at them: "---..."

Guy: "Well that can come true. So are you interested?" He smiles down at the girl.

Tsukasa steps behind the guy without him knowing it. She has an evil look on her face.

Girl: "------..."

Seconds/minutes later.

Girl: "...Thank you very much. Thanks to you I was able to maintain my chastity."

Muko: "...It's nothing,"

Kumiin 1: "worth thanking us for it."

Kumiin 2: "Since we didn't,"

All of them: "do anything......"

The Kuryugumi members and the girl turn to see Tsukasa attacking the guy so fast you can see about 8 of her.

Tsukasa: "Bakayaro---! Don't be doing something so misleading! Take that! And that!"

Muko: "O--, cool, he's not even giving the guy time to retaliate."

Guy: "Wa~~~~~!! Okay, okay, I don't know what's up but I was wrong------!" {So chill a minute--!}

Tsukasa is out of breath.

Guy: "How about we talk it over a bit?"

Tsukasa: "TALK!?"

Guy, with a very swollen and bloody face: "That's right. I don't know what I did but you seem to have good reason to be angry. But if we make a deal here, then you can gain something goo~d that will make you happy for the rest of your life."

Tsukasa, suspiciously: "Something good!?" {What's that?}

Guy: "With one drop, some courage, confidence, and just a little push, you can meet your ideal self." He presses something into her hands. "It's a goddess' tears that will bring you such luck......" He smiles, and his teeth shine [like Mitaka in Mezon Ikkoku]

Tsukasa: "...I bet... you don't have any guy friends......"

The guy, waving goodbye: "Don't use it all at once or you'll pass heaven and go straight to hell!"

Tsukasa, turning away: {Hurry up and disappear you snob!} "Wh~~~at could be a goddess' tears..." She opens her hands and finds a small bottle with some liquid in it and a needle. She stares down at her hands. "...... ...A ...And this is......?" {It seems like strange and foreign things have fallen into my hands...}

All of the sudden, Muko and company are behind her, looking over her shoulders.

Muko: "A---! Isn't this the drug that was sold on our (Kuryugumi's) territory!?" {Sakahogi brought it over too.}

Kumiin 1: "A---! He has a needle too!!"

Kumiin 2: "What's going on huh!?"

Tsukasa, freaking out, takes off on a run. "... I... IYAAAAAAAAAAAA Wait a minute------! You snob------!!"

The guy turns around to see Tsukasa charging towards him. "Oh?"

Back at Kuryugumi.

Looks like the party's over. Ryuji and Tsukasa are alone somewhere.

Ryuji: "---...So... ...When you went to chase after the escaped rat you caught a possible ambush instead......" He's leaning against a wall, reading a report.

Tsukasa, sitting on a window sill: "...Yeah well... he's some kind of weird snob or something. Though we caught him it doesn't seem like he's upset or anything. Since he's totally non serious it doesn't seem like that at all though."

The next frame shows the guy behind laser bars. Muko is watching the guy from the outside as the guy is lazily scratching his head while sprawled on the floor.

Tsukasa, displaying a bandaged left arm: "A rat that even wounded me was much scarier!" {Look at this will you?} "Muko and the others are much worse off than me!"

Text: Tsukasa ended up catching the rat herself.

Ryuji: "......Sorry I troubled you............ ...Since so much has happened, I haven't even told you about that drug and here you are running around because of it......" He scans the report. The report is on an electronic clipboard or something and all that can be heard is the beeping from the report.

Beep.

Tsukasa turns to Ryuji.

Beep.

Tsukasa: "------..."

Beep.

Tsukasa: "...Ryuji... ...Are... you mad......?"

Beep.

Ryuji, without turning to look at her: "...Why......"

Tsukasa: "...Why...? Because I took off in the middle of your engagement party..."

Ryuji: "......No... And what makes you think that I'm mad at you......?"

Tsukasa: "...Because... you're...... trying to avoid looking at me-------."

Ryuji starts, his eyes going wide but says nothing. He doesn't turn to face her either and continues to look down at the report.

Tsukasa: "---..." She recalls Muko's words.

"---...That will be put a shadow over the friendship

Tsukasa, looking sad: "...I mean I understand..." {It's just like Muko said------...} "...Disappearing all of the sudden and then returning to find out that the party's over. That's low of me." {Though I had said I wanted us to be friends------...} "Though it's my friend's joyful day... ...I......"

Ryuji now turns to look at her.

Tsukasa, now turned away: "...still... haven't even said congratulations---------..." Ryuji is now staring at her.

Tsukasa, narrating: {---...To be honest------ I realized that there was a part of me that was relieved when I left Kuryugumi to chase after the rat and when I came back to find that the party was over------ ---And though I realized it, the reason I said such hypocritical words was,}

Tsukasa looks up to Ryuji right in front of her.

Ryuji leans his arms on the window sill and kisses Tsukasa on the lips. When their lips part, Tsukasa is wide eyed in shock.

Tsukasa, narrating: {-----because I wanted to be at Ryuji's side,}

Tsukasa: "...! ...Ry..."

Ryuji slides her off the window sill. Tsukasa is shocked but doesn't resist.

Ryuji cups her face with his hand and kisses her once more on the lips.

Tsukasa, narrating: {even if we were just friends------...}