Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Fate/Zero:Act 4 Part 2

2008-05-18T03:33:06Z

Epicnoses: /* -153:53:08 */

==-153:53:08==




A golden light immediately arrived following Rider's bellow.

The light was still faltering out, and there already was no surprise left in the heart of the spectators. It wasn't just a wild guess anymore that this was a fourth Servant who had made an appearance responding to Rider's provocation. The dreadful point is that the beginning of the hostilities was a gathering of four Servants already. Nobody could possibly conjecture what the turn of events would be.

As expected, the golden light came from 10 meters above, atop a street pole, where a figure standing in a shining armor could be seen. Waver held his breath at the sight of such dazzling dignity.

"This guy is..."

He had seen him for only one instant the previous time, but there was no mistaking such an intense existence. The one standing calmly atop the street light was none other than the enigmatic Servant who had sent into oblivion with an overwhelming destructive power the Assassin who was invading the Tōsaka mansion the previous night.

This couldn't be Caster, his entire body covered in armor. If he had materialized in response to Rider's call, it meant he had the sense to recognize the provocation as such, thus he couldn't be Berserker.

By elimination, the only one left was― the last of the three Knight classes, Archer.

"I didn't expect there would be two fools in one night to have the insolence of calling themselves "kings" and ignore me."

For his very first words, the golden Heroic Spirit looked very displeased, scorning from above at three Servants with a glare. His arrogance and his tone were comparable to Rider's haughtiness, but it differed from the very root. There was never cruelty and mercilessness in the voice and eyes of the King of Conquerors.

Even Rider didn't expect anyone more domineering than himself to show up, as he was stroking his chin with a bewildered look void of malice.

"You are mistaken... I, Alexander, am the one who is well known throughout the world as the King of Conquerors."

"Fool. The only hero in Heaven and Earth who is a real king is me. The rest are a collection of mongrels."

Archer threw him aside with a declaration that was more than an insult. Of course, color was already drained from Saber's face, but the tolerant Rider drew an amazed sigh, ignoring it altogether.

"If you want to say that much, could you first announce yourself? If you are such a king, you couldn't be ashamed of your fame?"

At Rider's banter, Archer's crimson eyes grew even more of a proud anger as he glared at the giant under him.

"Are you questioning me? A lowly mongrel questioning a king like me?"

Frankly speaking, Rider's point was reasonable, but apparently, Archer took it as an incorrigible disrespect from his point of view. This wasn't a matter of gaining interest from concealing one's true name, but rather from a personal irritability, the golden Heroic Spirit was emitting a very clear murderous intent.

"I grant you the honor of my presence yet you can't recognize me; such ignorance isn't even worth living."

At Archer's conclusion, the space around him distorted in a haze― the next instant, the glow of beautiful blades started coming out of the empty space.

There are bare blades as well as spears. Each of them is decorated with eye-catching ornaments, and emits a fierce magical power. It is clear they are no common weapons but Noble Phantasms.


Without a doubt, this is the same thing as the previous night― the mysterious attack that unilaterally wiped out Assassin. All of those who were observing the Tōsaka mansion the previous night understand that.

"...hh"

Waver was struck with awe. The unseen Master of Lancer gulped. Kiritsugu and Maiya as well, observing at a long distance, also felt the tension.

And now, one man― just like Rider and Waver, one Master who had been following Lancer's movements through the day and was now observing hidden in the storehouses; as that man was spying on the battlefield through the vision of a familiar, stared at Archer's strange battle preparation.

Yes, it was undoubtedly the same. Archer was definitely the golden Servant who had defended the Tōsaka mansion from Assassin's invasion the previous night, in other words, this was Tōsaka Tokiomi's Servant.

"Haha, hahahaha..."

In the darkness, an old hatred burning in his one bloodshot eye, Matō Kariya let a laugh escape.

Now was the time he had anxiously waited for. He had endured a year of living hell looking forward to that instant.

Tōsaka Tokiomi...

Husband of Aoi, father of Sakura, yet the man who had trampled over the happiness of the mother and child.

The hated, cursed sworn enemy who took everything Kariya wished for, who degraded it all.


Now, the old resentment is cleared away. This was the time to face that man, changing into a sword the hatred boiling in his heart――

"Kill him..."

There was an unimaginable pleasure in filling his voice with hate. Now, Kariya understood the meaning of the saying "revenge is a dish best served cold."

Tokiomi himself can wait. His Servant must first be demolished, to make him lose the Holy Grail War. He was in a maddening excitement just thinking of Tokiomi's face smeared in the frustrating humiliation.

"Kill him, Berserker!! Pulverize that Archer!!"

At that time, somewhere else, an unexpected torrent of prana swept in a roar.

As everyone was watching, the flowing prana gathered and solidified, materializing into the shadow of a robust man.


That shadow stood up near the four lane road that had become the battlefield of Saber and Lancer, two blocks further toward the sea. Truly, that was a fantastic apparition that could be described as nothing other than a "shadow".

From the width of the tall figure's shoulders, this was the body of a man, completely covered in a full armor without any opening. But is was different from the silver armor wrapping Saber or the luxurious golden one of Archer. This man's armor was black. Without any delicate ornament, with no polished luster. Like darkness, like Hell, it was just a bottomless black. The face was also invisible, covered with a rustic helmet. In the depth of a thinly carved slit, there was the ghastly glow of a pair of eyes with a glare burning like a flame.

A Servant. That was plain. Yet, just what Heroic Spirit was this sinister appearance?

This black knight definitely didn't have any of the "radiance" that bore the other Servants who were already there. Arturia, Diarmuid, and the King of Conquerors Alexander as well as the yet unannounced golden Archer all have that "shine". This is the expression of the pride of a Heroic Spirit. The honor of the legends everyone praises and longs for. This is an essential element of their "noble phantasm".

But the newly appeared black knight had none of it. You could say he was closer to an Assassin. The darkness around the black armor definitely held a "negative surge".

Thus, more than a Heroic Spirit, he might be labeled a vengeful spirit instead...

"... Hey, king of conquerors. Did you invite that guy too?"

Still observing the black knight carefully, yet with a light tone, Lancer railed at Rider. Taking the hit, Rider grimaced.

"Invited, eh? That one doesn't look like he'll take any negotiation, ugh."

Nothing but blood thirst flowed from the black knight. Even the whirlwind of prana seemed ominous as a groan full of deep hatred.

Berserker... Everyone could see that without waiting for a confirmation. Such a fiendish surge of murderous intent could only come from the class of the Heroic Spirit of fury.

"So, kid. What kind of Servant is he, that guy?"

Rider asked Waver, but the small Master shook his head, dumbfounded.

"... I don't know. I simply can't tell."

"Whaat? You're a Master, aren't you. His strong and weak points should be visible to you, eh?"

As a Master who has made a contract with a Servant, it is possible to read out the status of a Servant with powers of clairvoyance. This is a unique ability granted by the Grail that has summoned the Heroic Spirits. This doesn't work for the fake Master that is Irisviel, but Waver, rightful Master of Rider, is capable of seeing through the abilities of the other Servants and compare them to those of Rider, to guide him as efficiently as possible in battle situations. In fact, Waver already had a clear understanding of the faculties of Saber, Lancer and Archer. But—

"I said I can't see it! That black guy is definitely a Servant... But I just can't read out his stats!"

Rider frowned in suspicion at Waver's confused explanation, and took a new look at the black knight.

The armor with the color of darkness shows no characteristic feature, and tells no clue on the lineage of the maker. —No, it isn't just that there is no details to see, it is all blurred.

It wasn't just Rider. Saber, Lancer and Irisviel had also noticed the same thing. No matter how carefully one would watch, he just wouldn't accurately perceive Berserker's figure.

Just like an off-focus photography, the outlines of the black armor was always shifting, like a mist, and you would sometime see it double or triple. Somehow, the material seemed to be made out of an hallucination. It isn't just the vision that was affected, it also matches the clairvoyance of the Masters. That would be some sort of unique curse that fakes the person's true identity. It couldn't be a skill proper to the Berserker class.

"Looks like another troublesome enemy we have..."


Saber nodded at Irisviel murmur.

"That's not all. With now four opponents, we can't do any careless movement."

In a regular battle royal, the most reliable tactic is to smash those in numerical inferiority with a concentrated effort. Thus, if they show one weakness here and now, they might be forced into the worse outcome, a four to one hopeless battle. In this case, even Saber doesn't stand a chance.

Who will start attacking who, and who will take that chance to make his move— To survive in this place, one needs to accurately see through everyone else's movements. This is true for all Heroic Spirits.

Presently, Rider isn't targeting anyone in particular. His current purpose is probably to have a look at the Heroic Spirits participating in the Holy Grail War. But as one who knows no fear, he is the kind of man who stands up at anyone's challenge.


Archer clearly sees Rider and Saber as his enemies. The golden Heroic Spirit seems to take ill humor in the two who call themselves "King of Conquerors" and "King of Knights". His preferred target is likely the one who provoked him, Rider.

There is one problematic person left.

Berserker. Nobody could figure out what was the intention of the black knight in materializing here and now. It added to the mayhem in which nobody could take control of the situation. No prudent Master would think of pitting his Servant in the middle of this chaos.

No doubt anyone would be equally wary of Berserker, yet there was one exception. There was no doubt or hesitation in Archer's crimson eyes, only an absolute anger and murderous intent he was holding in while looking down at Berserker.

The disgusting stare of the black knight was turned only at him standing on top of the street pole, the golden Heroic Spirit could undoubtedly see that.

"You mad dog, do you expect pity from me?"

A lowlife's gaze is equally lowly and filthy. Being poured by this gaze is an intolerable disgrace for a nobleman. To Archer who claims the title of king even more than Rider, Berserker's ill manners made him a complete criminal.


The treasure swords and spears all around him changed direction. Their tip was now fully aiming at the new target, that is, Berserker.

"You shall at least entertain me when you scatter away, mongrel."

A sword and a spear bustle in the air at the heartless verdict.

The weapons coming out of nowhere shot without warning— this must be the reason the golden Heroic Spirit is an archer. But this off-hand Noble Phantasm was too abnormal. The Noble Phantasm, which should be a treasure to the Heroic Spirit, was being pitched carelessly like you casually throw a handful of stones.

Still, the destructive power was enormous. The road surface was blown up like it was hit with an explosive blast, and the scene was shrouded by the dust of the asphalt pulverized into particles.

"... Kh!"

Everyone gulped equally.

In the thick dust, the shadow of a dark, tall figure wavered into their visibility.

Berserker stood unharmed. He had merely moved from his starting point, where the road had become a crater. Out of the weapons thrown by Archer, the spear is the cause of this, hitting its target after being delayed a little. And the sword that should have reached its target a little before the spear had brought no destruction.


The reason for that would be that the sword was in Berserker's hand.

How many had seen the swift offense and defense? At least Irisviel and Waver couldn't understand what had just happened. Truthfully— Berserker had grabbed effortlessly the precious sword, the first strike thrown by Archer, and with his newly acquired weapon, he had deflected the second strike, the precious spear.

"... That bastard, is he really a Berserker?"

Rider responds with a howling voice to Lancer's strained murmur.

"For someone who has forsaken his reason for madness, he's a remarkably skilled chap."

A Noble Phantasm is a weapon for the exclusive usage of the Heroic Spirit who owns it. Another Heroic Spirit who gets a hold of it won't be able to handle it correctly. Be it by miracle or skill, it should be properly impossible to repel a consecutive strike so clearly in a flash.

And yet, more than surprise, it was apparently rage that came to Archer. All kind of facial expression distorted his elegant face, frozen in a murderous frenzy.

"— How dare you touch my treasure with your filthy hand... Do you want to die that badly, you cur!"

The air around Archer starts dancing again. Like a halo, a golden majesty twirls in circles to show a flock of new Noble Phantasms— now sixteen of them.


Not just spears and swords. There are axes. Hammers and halberds. Even items with indefinite usage or origin, bladed weaponry with a strange shape.

Every single one of them is polished like a mirror, and still have an enormous amount of prana flowing from them. Not one of them is below the level of a divine mystery... All of them, no exception, are indeed Noble Phantasms.

"That's, not possible..."

That was Waver thinking out loud. But the other Masters and Heroic Spirits probably thought likewise.

A Heroic Spirit doesn't need to stop at one Noble Phantasm. Sometime, someone can treasure three, four super weapons that qualify as such. But nobody could have that many.

And here— Archer is throwing them one after the other like he has an inexhaustible supply of them. And not one of them was even already seen in the battle against Assassin the previous night.

"Let's see— just to what point this little compulsive thief can keep up!"

At Archer's command, the flock of Noble Phantasms floating in the air were left loose, rushing toward Berserker.

A thunderous roar shook the night air, a flash of light exploding through the sky.


Who would believe that such destruction could be done by throwing swords and other similar weapons? A countless number of Noble Phantasms rained down on the road of the warehouse town, which already looked like it had received carpet bombing.

And still, Archer's fierce attack didn't stop. The Noble Phantasms fell like thunderbolts, shot at Berserker's standing place with enough force to scatter anything away, and kept striking and striking and striking again. The attack was continuous, even increasing in violence. —Because the target, Berserker, just wouldn't fall down.

Everyone was shocked. Even in a critical situation with a great number of enemies around, everyone shared the same thoughts.

This was a replay of the miracle of the first attack. Berserker just took the first halberd that came at him with his left hand, then swung left and right the sword in his right hand, repelling every single one of the following Noble Phantasms away.

Such technique was subtle and flawless. There was grandeur in it. Even with a Noble Phantasm snatched from Archer, the handling wasn't poor by a bit. He was swinging them around freely, like extensions of his arms; it simply looked like a demonstration of his polished skills with the favourite weapons he had specialized in for years.

Both offense and defense followed their course together.


Thinking about it, unlike the three other Servants, the identity of the golden Archer and the dark Berserker is still a mystery. Saber and Lancer shuddered at the threat. If they are to advance through the Holy Grail War, they may get to cross arms with these two. But in front of these beasts who are beyond reason, just how should they get ready to stand up?

"—The golden one seems to be proud of the number of his Noble Phantasms, but the black guy has the worst affinity with him."

The two Servants watched silently on one side, as the other one standing there, Rider, spoke confidently.

"When Blacky takes a weapon, he becomes stronger by just taking it. And Goldy throws them so shamelessly. He's a versatile fellow."

As the King of Conquerors calmly commented, Berserker wasn't taking one step back in front of Archer's fierce attack. On the contrary, when a more powerful Noble Phantasm flew at him, he would abandon his current one to exchange it scrupulously with the new weapon.

The violent roaring sound stopped when the last of the sixteen Noble Phantasms fell down.

In the hollow silence, there was only Berserker in the middle of the dust coming down. The surroundings, including the storehouses and street lights, were all completely ruined. The black knight had a battle ax in his right hand and a simple sword in his left. All the other Noble Phantasms were scattered at Berserker's feet, or stuck in the rubbles around. Not a single blade had reached the black armor.

Berserker nonchalantly raised the two remaining Noble Phantasms in his hands— and without preparation, he threw them in Archer's direction.

Maybe the aiming was off, or he didn't really try to hit anything, but the ax and the blade hit the pole of the street light that Archer was standing on top of. The blade hit the middle, and the ax, the top, cutting the pole into pieces as if it was butter.
The pole cut in three pieces fell in a tremor. But that's the only thing that fell clumsily on the ground. The golden Heroic Spirit had jumped before the iron pole was cut into pieces, and landed on the ground apparently unscathed.

"Damn fool... Are you trying to put me on the same ground as you, me who should be at the top?"

—No, saying he was unscathed is only from a third party's point of view.

Archer's rage had apparently reached its critical limit. The wrinkles carved between his eyebrows changed his good features to an evil omen.

"You deserve death for your insult. You mongrel, I won't leave a single piece of your body!"

In anger, Archer howled at Berserker, his eyes burning crimson. For the third time, the space around him warped to let a herd of blades materialize...


The next count of glowing Noble Phantasms reached thirty-two. This time, even Rider kept silent. Berserker had endured a continuous attack of sixteen Noble Phantasms, but there was no way to resist twice that number. That was the same for all the other Servants. Nobody could estimate the limits of the latent power of the golden Archer anymore.

"Gilgamesh is serious. He intends to open the 'Gate of Babylon' even more."

Tōsaka Tokiomi held his head at Kotomine Kirei's comment coming from the jeweled communicator.

The basement of the Tōsaka mansion had none of the discomfort of the far away storehouse town that had become a battlefield. Kirei, manipulating Assassin, was bringing results. The conditions were perfect.

The only thing that wasn't part of the calculations was— maybe that the strongest Heroic Spirit, Gilgamesh, had come to the present time in the Archer class.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the characteristic of the Archer class is the strength of its Noble Phantasms; for Gilgamesh who owned an extraordinary one with the rank EX, it might have been inevitable. But in the end, the skill of independent action of the self-conceited King of Heroes was high ranked, and that certainly was the biggest miscalculation.

Tokiomi respected the high prestige of the King of Heroes as much as he could, and as much as he deserved. But to think that his tolerance would be tested so much, so early...

Gilgamesh must be the last to move. Right now, this is still Assassin's turn to act and gather information. Something as rash as exposing the Gate of Babylon again to everyone— and throwing all his strength against the mysterious Berserker, this just can't be overlooked.

To a Servant with the skill of independent action, who doesn't rely on the Master, the only way to give him orders are the Command Spells. This grants the right for only three absolute orders. To make a Servant out of Gilgamesh who doesn't have an ounce of respect for his Master, they are all the more precious.

Always keep your elegance— this is a family precept handed down for generations for the Tōsaka family. To him who keeps it to his heart, to be pressed into using a Command Spell before all the other Masters...

"Master, your decision?"

Kirei urges with a hard voice from the other end of the communicator.


Grinding his teeth, Tokiomi stared at the back of his right hand.

Staring at Berserker with a burning hatred, Archer slowly looked away.

He faces south-east. Over there is the hill of the Miyama district and the high class residential area. How many people can guess it is the direction of the Tōsaka mansion?

"Do you think a sermon from someone like you could appease a king's anger? You're quite presumptuous, Tokiomi..."

With a tone of abject annoyance, Archer spat in a suppressed voice. The glow of the countless Noble Phantasms around him disappeared at once, off to somewhere else.

"... You dodged death by a hair, mad dog."

He was containing his resentment, but his crimson eyes had already lost the flame of the killing intent. With his firm haughtiness, the golden Archer glared at the row of Servants.

"You mongrels. Cut down the mob next time. I will tolerate no less than a real hero."

With this final careless remark, Archer canceled his materialization. The golden armor lost its materiality, and disappeared, leaving only the remains of its glow.

The confrontation between the two knights, golden and dark, reached its conclusion in a way no one expected.


"Hmf. Apparently this guy's Master has even more of a hardy character than Archer himself."

Amazed, Rider exaggerated with a bitter smile. But everyone else figured it wasn't the time for a careless remark. The Berserker who was evenly balanced with Archer was still standing in front of them.

The eyes glowing widely in the slit of the helmet first wandered in the empty space, having lost their target... Then, finding a new spoils, they flamed up again.

Stared at by those eyes dyed the color of malice, Saber felt a chill bustling through her spine.

"... Ur..."

The voice seemed to boil from the ground. Like a spell, like a curse, it was a moan full of malice that hardly resembled human speech.

This was the voice of Berserker, the first time the others heard it.

"... Ar... Ur... h!!"

Like a curse with a human shape, swelling from the murderous intent, the black knight charged at the silver king of knights.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_4_Part_1|Act 4, part 1]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_4_Part_3|Act 4, part 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 3 Part 2

2008-05-09T23:10:22Z

Epicnoses: /* 162:27:03 */

== 162:27:03 ==




Just at the time Emiya Kiritsugu and Hisau Maiya were meeting in a cheap hotel of Shinto, the Volare Italia charter coming from Germany was landing on the F lane of the airport neighboring Fuyuki city.

Even under the same frozen wind of winter, the one of Japan can't be compared to the intensity of that of the Einsbern castle. Looking up at the soft sunlight of the early afternoon, Irisviel von Einsbern feels her heart lighten.

"So, this is the country Kiritsugu was born in..."

It is a good place. Although she could get to know the place with pictures and such, Irisviel felt refreshed feeling the air through her body.

Not only her heart lightens. Coming to Japan posing as a passenger, she couldn't bring dresses for the castle, but had to bring more common clothing as much as possible, to at least get to know the town. With short heeled boots and a knee-long skirt, her movements felt as light as if she was reborn.


Nonetheless, to an Einsbern who lived a secluded life oblivious of the common sense of the outside world, the dress-up she thought would be fit of common garments was already off. Her silk blouse, her knee-high long boots, her casual coat with silver fox fur, everything was coming straight out of a high class display window; it was very visible that she was a rare gem from a particular birthplace with a particular tailoring. They were clothes clearly fit for a fashion model, but to Irisviel who grew up with polished jewelry, it seemed intimate enough; even, Irisviel had indeed considered it a camouflage for towns areas, but it was simply impossible for a beauty such as her to disappear in the general public to begin with.

"So, Saber? What did you think of the plane travel?"

One step ahead down the runway, Irisviel asks the Servant with a short stature, who is leaving the lap that continues further.

"Nothing in particular. It was more wearisome than expected."

There is no lie in her words. Her azure eyes are perfectly serene.

"Oh, too bad, I thought you would be more surprised and interested."

"... Irisviel, you must be thinking of me as a primitive person."


To the frowning Saber, Irisviel replies with a bright laugh void of any ill intention.

"Flying in the sky is nothing surprising for a Heroic Spirit?"

"Not exactly, But as a Servant summoned in the present world, I have received information about this era. Also, as a Saber, I possess a skill dedicated to Riding. Presently, I might be able to ride this airplane."

Hearing that, Irisviel's eyes go round from astonishment.

"You could― pilot it?"

"Probably. My riding skill applies to all vehicle. If I can sit on a saddle and seize a bridle, I can manage the rest from instinct."

Irisviel burst into laughter from Saber's expression. She hasn't seen the cockpit. What would she think when seeing one filled with gauges instead of her saddle and bridle?

Be that as it may, she said the truth about skills. The mounting ability of the Saber class allows to use any vehicle save for phantasmal beasts and divine beasts. If needed, she could definitely handle modern tools like a car or a bike.

"I'm still a little disappointed. You must be the first Servant ever to travel in a plane with a flesh and blood body."


"... I must apology about that. I am not a good reference."

"Oh, it's fine. ―Don't worry. That isn't what I meant."

Foreign Masters have to travel to Japan one way or another, but Irisviel and her Servant posing together as a party of two must be an exception.

The cause was Saber. Despite being a Heroic Spirit, she had limits other Servants didn't have. The gravest amongst these was that she could not dematerialize. She didn't have the ability to cancel her physical form to move at high speed or cut down the prana consumption from her Master when at rest, something all Servants should be able to do. It's not that there had been a mistake in Kiritsugu's contract or his summoning: the soul of the hero named Arturia functioned differently from the other Heroic Spirits... Apparently. For a reason unknown to even Irisviel.

The most problematic burden was that she was unable to turn invisible and hide her existence to the other people. There was no way she would walk under her armor suit, so Saber had to dress up as a human with a costume of the latest fashion, and accompany Irisviel.

―Although, Irisviel found rather welcome that Saber would follow her in convenient garments.


"I am happy I could travel with you, Saber. I can't get tired of looking at you."

"? Irisviel, why the change?"

"No, It's nothing. Don't mind that."

Hiding a smile, Irisviel turns her head away. Saber finds that reaction suspicious.

"... It means you are holding something when you laugh like that. Tell me frankly what it is."

"It is not a problem if you always remain in physical form, really. I get to have fun choosing your clothes, like that."

"..."

How carefree― Saber wanted to reply, but sighed instead. Being unable to dematerialize is essentially a drawback that can't be dealt with for the Master. Enjoying oneself isn't the primary objective, but telling the Master it is no laughing matter would be mistaking the cause for the end.

"Irisviel, are these clothings fit to look around in town?"

"Yes, ... I guess. It is my first time in this country as well, so I am a little anxious."


If a third party with the common sensibility of a Japanese had happened to be present, he would have definitely been able to tell that Irisviel was different.

Irisviel had taken Saber's measurements before their departure and issued orders to get modern clothings at a tailor of the Frankfurt airport, for a dark blue dress shirt and necktie with a french continental dark suit. That was perfect to disguise her as a man.

It would sound wild and foolish to dress a young woman of under 155 centimeters like that, but this is suddenly a different matter when speaking about Saber.

This isn't the perverted beauty of having a beautiful woman dressed as a man. The air of Saber's cold and hard face isn't that of a feminine complexion. It was already a given that her disguising as a man was unequalled as a beautiful young man. Along with her thin stature, her face was obviously glabrous and fair-skinned, which could pass as the manly, charming air of a pure young man.

"I chose the clothes to balance with my appearance, maybe you do not like them?"

"Ah, not at all. This costume allows me to move freely, and I am used to posing as a man."

The necessity of slipping out of her armored clothing was obvious, but there was no denying Irisviel had jumped straight into a dressing-up hobby more than it was required.


Entrusting to the two maids who had come with them the luggages coming out from the cargo area, Irisviel and Saber turned to the customs house with empty hands. After the two maids had sent the luggages to the Einsbern villa in the forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki city by a different route, they arranged their return to home. They were not to remain at Irisviel's sides for this Heaven's Feel. There is no need to put in danger people who aren't related. On that matter, Irisviel would care of her personal belongings by herself, and the strong of heart Saber would remain by her side.

Completing without delay the procedure to enter the country, it didn't take much time until they were allowed to get to the airport lobby. But until they could reach it, every single one of the officials on the way got astounded by Irisviel and Saber and rolled their eyes as they passed, quickly making them uneasy.

"As I thought... Is there something wrong with my clothes?"

Sensing the eyes of the people coming and going in the lobby, Saber mutters as if feeling awkward.

"Well, it might be too elegant..."

Irisviel could only smile bitterly, but to tell the truth, she too was the center of attention. At any rate, the two of them are unequalled beauties. Their eccentric clothings, how removed from common sense they are, balances rather well their rash match. The attention from the surroundings was not just odd glances, but already envious ones.


"― Let's go, Saber. Worrying won't change much."

Saying so, Irisviel pulled Saber's hand with a bitter face.

"At last we are in Japan. We must enjoy ourselves as much as possible before the battle begins."

"No, Irisviel, the question isn't about enjoying―"

As Saber stretched her mumbling halfway, Irisviel walked like on springs to find a taxi. Somehow, Saber hadn't noticed until now how lively she was shining.

X X

Soon after the two arrived in Fuyuki city, sunset soon colored the western sky as it was quite late in the afternoon.

"How lively..."

As the hired car was going down the plaza of the park in front of the station, Irisviel's impression lit her eyes as she was exposed to the traffic jam of the evening hours.


But the Saber by her side was studying the surroundings just like a commander investigating the topography of a battlefield.

"Kiritsugu has already arrived in this place, hasn't he?"

"Yes. He arranged to arrive half a day before us."

Already inside the country, Kiritsugu was to hide his existence and follow a completely different route from that of Irisviel's group. He was to take a passenger flight to the international airport at Shin-Ōsaka and change for the railroad to Fuyuki city.

"Are we to meet up again?"

"It's alright. He will be the one to come to us."

Saber wouldn't show any of it, but she was quite shocked by Kiritsugu and Irisviel's plans that she didn't quite find satisfactory.

"Then, what is the plan, now?"

"Right... For now, we shall observe the changes in the situation and adapt ourselves accordingly."

"Do you mean we have nothing to do?"

"Exactly."

Irisviel gave a childish smile that looked mischievous to the discouraged Saber.


"But what a waste. After finally arriving to this distant country."

Smiling while watching the traffic jam around, Irisviel strolled a little dispirited. At her side, Saber, feeling confused, firmly followed her pace.

"And― what about trying to find an enemy Servant?"

"Hmm. No way."

Refusing blankly, Irisviel turned around, staring expectantly at her partner.

"Say, Saber. Since we have such an opportunity, we could look around the town. It must be interesting."

"..."

For an instant, Saber was taken aback by the unexpected proposition, but immediately straightened up with a stern face.

"Irisviel. We cannot be unprepared. We have to consider the land of Fuyuki we are walking in as an enemy territory already. The Heaven's Feel has already started."

"Yes. I depend on you for that, Saber. If we come near a Servant, can you notice it?"

"Well... That is correct."


Dematerialized or not, Servants can perceive the presence of other Servants. Of course, everyone has their own affinity with searching for the enemy, and there are those like Assassin who have the ability to erase their presence.

"In my case, I am able to perceive a presence in a radius of up to roughly 200 meters. Also, an opponent with the proper ability could tamper with that."

"I see... But right here and right now, there is no Servant targeting us, is there?"

"Indeed. But―"

"Then let's have a look around over there. We don't have to search anyway."

When seeking a hidden opponent, striding across the town provocatively was certainly an acceptable plan. An audacious one, but since Saber has no ability for searching actively, there is no other way to do a proactive search. Being unable to dematerialize, she also loses the choice of doing covert espionage.

But more than being based on a coherent plan, Saber sensed that Irisviel had a hidden motive. Actually, Saber could only see Irisviel's invitation as a mere sightseeing jaunt.

"Irisviel, we really should establish somewhere and reunite with Kiritsugu

to work out a plan. Hasn't the Einsbern family prepared a castle on the outskirts of the town?"

"Well... Yes, we have that."

It was Irisviel's turn to start mumbling. Apparently she was conscious that her behavior wasn't fit for a situation of crisis. Guessing there was a reason, Saber asked again.

"Why do you insist so much on visiting this town?"

"You know... This is my first time."

A little nervous, Irisviel looked down as she replied. Saber sighed from the shock.

"―As you know, by being taken over by the Grail, I have knowledge of this world. Of course I also know about this land that will become a battlefield. Irisviel, this town isn't really a place for sight-seeing. Especially since there are no particularly famous place."

"No, that isn't it. That is not what I―"

Like a child, strongly refusing to give any explanation at first, Irisviel then hesitated a little and finally confessed frankly.

"I― this is the first time I am going out."

"... Ha?"


Not understanding at first, Saber kept listening, dumbfounded.

"As I say, like a rebirth― this is the first time I walk in the outside world."

"Then ever since you were born... You have stayed in that castle all your life?"

Not liking the conclusion, Irisviel hung her head in shame, giving a small nod.

"I am a puppet created only for this Heaven's Feel. The elder has always told me I had no need to go out."

Saber didn't really have a life full of joy as Arturia either.

But she couldn't avoid feeling compassion toward this person who had been like a bird in cage, imprisoned in that frozen castle ever since she was born.

"Of course, It's not like I don't know anything, right? Especially since Kiritsugu came. He taught me a lot of the sceneries and the happenings, with movies or pictures. About New York, Paris, and all the people in the world. About Japan too, of course."

Smiling miserably, Irisviel looked at the traffic jam around.

"But... This is the first time I see this world with my own eyes. So, maybe I am being a little too happy and merry. I'm sorry."

Saber nodded, quietly turning her eyes, and gently offered her arm wrapped in her

dark suit to Irisviel.

"... Saber?"

"This is my first time walking in this town― but escort is also the duty of a knight. So I will do my best. Then, if you please."

"―Thank you."

Her eyes lit with a bright joy, Irisviel entwines her arm around Saber's elbow.

There must be a lot of time left before the night.

X X

Saber and Irisviel easily drew all the attention in the middle of the business district.

The young woman was full of dignity, with her glittering silver hair and cashmere coat, by no mean pompous, but definitely nicely fitting, walking with a good looking young man with a brilliant face, holding her arm. That wasn't a combination you'd see outside of a cocktail party filled with movie stars.


Those visions coming straight from the silver screen are now leisurely striding through the road of a Japanese provincial city. Anyone walking down the road would stop to look and forget walking for an instant.

The two didn't have the harmony of a couple at a date, nor the admiration of people just sightseeing, only following the flow of their journey, walking aimlessly. Sometimes, they would suddenly stop to happily gaze at the setting sun shining in the windows of the buildings and the show windows, nothing special; they wouldn't enter any shop to make any expense nor sit at a café terrasse to rest.

Like two understanding outsiders, they would simply slip in the noisy surroundings, watching over the working life of the city from a fixed distance.

Unnoticed, the winter sun had completely sunk behind the mountain range, leaving the curtain of night reveal a different face of the urban area. Irisviel sighed, entranced by the colorful illuminations of the twinkling scenery.

The world is probably full of towns with a more beautiful night view than that of this Fuyuki city. But Irisviel was deeply moved by the night before her eyes, as if putting her hands on a treasure for the first time.

"It's really beautiful... The life of people alone makes the night dazzling..."

Irisviel's murmur showed her emotion, to which Saber silently nodded. The political

world she once lived in was now in a distant space-time from this place, but no emotion sprang from this scene she saw for the first time. Yet, the tranquillity was only on the surface, as inside, her nerves were like a needle.

This place is already an enemy territory― this knowledge remained unchanged.

Saber is definitely not a Servant excelling in searching for the enemy, and depending on the situation, an enemy Servant would likely find her first if she was wandering about. It is hard to think that any enemy could pounce straightforwardly when everyone is looking, but still, right then, a well-timed surprise attack would not be weird.

Even so, without reproving Irisviel, she complies to her hope of fully enjoying herself freely for a brief time; the reason is her unwavering confidence in her sword.

She is the Heroic Spirit summoned as the strongest class of the Grail of Fuyuki, the position of swordsman. There is no Servant that surpasses her in close ranged combat. She is certain that she can clear an escape route from the battlefield under any disadvantageous situation.

Actually, a surprise attack is what she desires. To withstand it fair and square, turn the table and go for the kill. If anyone is enough of a fool to plan on making her their enemy, she may remind them that the Saber class is not about gallantry.

"... Hey, Saber, do you want to see the beach next?"


As Irisviel was unable to hide her excitement, the young woman disguised as a man nodded with a smile. Her tension wasn't picking any opponent.

She had sworn she would protect Irisviel. So she would protect her to the end as she was enjoying herself. That was the strength of her high pride as a knight.

There was a vast seaside park on the opposite shore of the big bridge that crossed the Miongawa.

Late at night, two persons were strolling on the lone walkway with nobody around anymore. The north wind from the sea was blowing softly uninterrupted, blowing up Irisviel's long silver hair like the trail of a shooting star. In this place, couples dating hate the chill of winter nights and would only come in summer; but Irisviel, who was seeing the sea for the first time, didn't care about the cold as she had grown accustomed to it, back at her home place.

"We should have come here when it wasn't dark..."

Simply looking at the sea at night filling the bleak darkness, Saber said so in an apologetic tone. But Irisviel was unconcerned, concentrating on the horizon that had sunk in the dark.

"It's fine. The sea at night is beautiful too. It mirrors the night sky."

Listening to the endless roar of the waves, Irisviel's smile was all over her face.


As she had greatly enjoyed today's walk, her fair-skinned cheeks were flushed. She looked more like a young woman of tender years rather than a married woman with a child, with her innocent and naïve smile.

"I really had no idea― that walking through an unknown town as a couple with a gentleman would be such an enjoyable experience."

"Was my imitation of a gentleman satisfying?"

As Irisviel rejoiced, Saber bantered her up with a sarcastic tone, unusual from the stubborn Heroic Spirit.

"Plentifully. It was faultless. Saber, today, you were a superb knight."

"You honor me, princess."

The young woman in the dark suit bowing courteously in front of her, Irisviel felt a little embarrassed, turning her head toward the sea.

"Saber, do you like the sea?"

"In my time, in my country... What was beyond the sea was always the enemy.


It was annoying and not very attractive."

"I see..."

At Saber's reply, Irisviel's expression becomes a little clouded.

"... It is tough to forgive. You are a woman like me.

To you who lived as king Arthur, dating gentlemen was not a suitable thing to enjoy."

"Well yes, that it was."

Saber shrugged her shoulders, smiling nonchalantly. She had no regret from casting aside her womanhood. Instead, her small chest was filled with the pride of leading through the battlefield.

"But you, Irisviel, would you not want to walk through the city with Kiritsugu rather than with me?"

This time, it was Irisviel's face that was crossed by a smile.

"He... Cannot do that. He would be pained with mixed feelings."

Not grasping the meaning of her reply, Saber makes a dubious face.

"Can Kiritsugu not enjoy his time spent with you?"

"Not that. He would certainly enjoy it as much as I do. ... That's why he can't. He is one for who 'happiness' is a pain."


"..."

Carefully analysing these words, Saber tries to comprehend the contradiction in the man named Emiya Kiritsugu.

"―He is a man who cannot value his happiness, is that the weakness he bears?"

"Maybe so. That man is always punishing himself deep inside. If he wants to keep chasing his dream, he has to be coldhearted."

With a distant gaze, Irisviel looks at the sea. Thinking of her husband who is hiding somewhere in the city, preparing for the same goal.

Saber reflected for a moment upon those words.

... Today, the discussion has moved on an unexpected topic after the sea. Even though they had intended the day to end on a pleasant mood.

Nonchalantly, Saber held and pulled Irisviel's upper arm. Just by this gesture, Irisviel settled down and exchanged a look with Saber.

"... An enemy Servant?"

"Yes."

The sensation didn't change. From undercover, a hundred meters on the side, he is leaving plain indications like a provocation. He is clearly conscious of Saber's presence, yet doesn't

shorten the distance, rather slowly distancing himself―

"He seems to be inviting us."

"Hmm. That is honest. Does he want to chose the battlefield?"

Without a trace of tension in her voice, Irisviel still keeps cool as she replies. In this battle situation, that is the proof of her complete faith in Saber. This makes Saber revise her inner judgement in favor of her mistress.

"It appears the opponent has the same expectations as us. Making the opponent bite on the indications left for show... He is a Servant looking for a frontal fight, just like you, Saber, isn't he?"

"That would be a Lancer or a Rider class. He makes a straightforward opponent."

At Saber nodding, Irisviel again returns a fearless smile.

"Then, shall we take on the invitation?"

"I wish the same."

It is dangerous to blindly take the bait and follow the enemy to a field at his advantage. But Saber isn't the frail type to fear such tricks, and her mistress doesn't underestimate her Servant either.

The marks of the enemy getting more distant, Saber starts walking with a quiet self-confidence. Irisviel, following likewise, turns on the switch of a palm-sized device hidden in her pocket. This is a "transmission machine" entrusted by Kiritsugu, a device for him to follow the position of Irisviel's group from a different route. It is a mechanized gadget that works without prana, that Kiritsugu intentionally chose.

Irisviel trusted Saber's power. Any enemy of a rank lower than Saber they would meet shall be killed in a blink with one sword strike by her proud Servant― that was the easy development she was expecting.

Yes, as much as possible... She wanted her knight to end the fight before Kiritsugu entered the battle.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_1|Act 3, part 1]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_3|Act 3, part 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 3 Part 2

2008-05-09T23:08:21Z

Epicnoses: /* 162:27:03 */

== 162:27:03 ==




Just at the time Emiya Kiritsugu and Hisau Maiya were meeting in a cheap hotel of Shinto, the Volare Italia charter coming from Germany was landing on the F lane of the airport neighboring Fuyuki city.

Even under the same frozen wind of winter, the one of Japan can't be compared to the intensity of that of the Einsbern castle. Looking up at the soft sunlight of the early afternoon, Irisviel von Einsbern feels her heart lighten.

"So, this is the country Kiritsugu was born in..."

It is a good place. Although she could get to know the place with pictures and such, Irisviel felt refreshed feeling the air through her body.

Not only her heart lightens. Coming to Japan posing as a passenger, she couldn't bring dresses for the castle, but had to bring more common clothing as much as possible, to at least get to know the town. With short heeled boots and a knee-long skirt, her movements felt as light as if she was reborn.


Nonetheless, to an Einsbern who lived a secluded life oblivious of the common sense of the outside world, the dress-up she thought would be fit of common garments was already off. Her silk blouse, her knee-high long boots, her casual coat with silver fox fur, everything was coming straight out of a high class display window; it was very visible that she was a rare gem from a particular birthplace with a particular tailoring. They were clothes clearly fit for a fashion model, but to Irisviel who grew up with polished jewelry, it seemed intimate enough; even, Irisviel had indeed considered it a camouflage for towns areas, but it was simply impossible for a beauty such as her to disappear in the general public to begin with.

"So, Saber? What did you think of the plane travel?"

One step ahead down the runway, Irisviel asks the Servant with a short stature, who is leaving the lap that continues further.

"Nothing in particular. It was more wearisome than expected."

There is no lie in her words. Her azure eyes are perfectly serene.

"Oh, too bad, I thought you would be more surprised and interested."

"... Irisviel, you must be thinking of me as a primitive person."


To the frowning Saber, Irisviel replies with a bright laugh void of any ill intention.

"Flying in the sky is nothing surprising for a Heroic Spirit?"

"Not exactly, But as a Servant summoned in the present world, I have received information about this era. Also, as a Saber, I possess a skill dedicated to Riding. Presently, I might be able to ride this airplane."

Hearing that, Irisviel's eyes go round from astonishment.

"You could― pilot it?"

"Probably. My riding skill applies to all vehicle. If I can sit on a saddle and seize a bridle, I can manage the rest from instinct."

Irisviel burst into laughter from Saber's expression. She hasn't seen the cockpit. What would she think when seeing one filled with gauges instead of her saddle and bridle?

Be that as it may, she said the truth about skills. The mounting ability of the Saber class allows to use any vehicle save for phantasmal beasts and divine beasts. If needed, she could definitely handle modern tools like a car or a bike.

"I'm still a little disappointed. You must be the first Servant ever to travel in a plane with a flesh and blood body."


"... I must apology about that. I am not a good reference."

"Oh, it's fine. ―Don't worry. That isn't what I meant."

Foreign Masters have to travel to Japan one way or another, but Irisviel and her Servant posing together as a party of two must be an exception.

The cause was Saber. Despite being a Heroic Spirit, she had limits other Servants didn't have. The gravest amongst these was that she could not dematerialize. She didn't have the ability to cancel her physical form to move at high speed or cut down the prana consumption from her Master when at rest, something all Servants should be able to do. It's not that there had been a mistake in Kiritsugu's contract or his summoning: the soul of the hero named Arturia functioned differently from the other Heroic Spirits... Apparently. For a reason unknown to even Irisviel.

The most problematic burden was that she was unable to turn invisible and hide her existence to the other people. There was no way she would walk under her armor suit, so Saber had to dress up as a human with a costume of the latest fashion, and accompany Irisviel.

―Although, Irisviel found rather welcome that Saber would follow her in convenient garments.


"I am happy I could travel with you, Saber. I can't get tired of looking at you."

"? Irisviel, why the change?"

"No, It's nothing. Don't mind that."

Hiding a smile, Irisviel turns her head away. Saber finds that reaction suspicious.

"... It means you are holding something when you laugh like that. Tell me frankly what it is."

"It is not a problem if you always remain in physical form, really. I get to have fun choosing your clothes, like that."

"..."

How carefree― Saber wanted to reply, but sighed instead. Being unable to dematerialize is essentially a drawback that can't be dealt with for the Master. Enjoying oneself isn't the primary objective, but telling the Master it is no laughing matter would be mistaking the cause for the end.

"Irisviel, are these clothings fit to look around in town?"

"Yes, ... I guess. It is my first time in this country as well, so I am a little anxious."


If a third party with the common sensibility of a Japanese had happened to be present, he would have definitely been able to tell that Irisviel was different.

Irisviel had taken Saber's measurements before their departure and issued orders to get modern clothings at a tailor of the Frankfurt airport, for a dark blue dress shirt and necktie with a french continental dark suit. That was perfect to disguise her as a man.

It would sound wild and foolish to dress a young woman of under 155 centimeters like that, but this is suddenly a different matter when speaking about Saber.

This isn't the perverted beauty of having a beautiful woman dressed as a man. The air of Saber's cold and hard face isn't that of a feminine complexion. It was already a given that her disguising as a man was unequalled as a beautiful young man. Along with her thin stature, her face was obviously glabrous and fair-skinned, which could pass as the manly, charming air of a pure young man.

"I chose the clothes to balance with my appearance, maybe you do not like them?"

"Ah, not at all. This costume allows me to move freely, and I am used to posing as a man."

The necessity of slipping out of her armored clothing was obvious, but there was no denying Irisviel had jumped straight into a dressing-up hobby more than it was required.


Entrusting to the two maids who had come with them the luggages coming out from the cargo area, Irisviel and Saber turned to the customs house with empty hands. After the two maids had sent the luggages to the Einsbern villa in the forest on the outskirts of Fuyuki city by a different route, they arranged their return to home. They were not to remain at Irisviel's sides for this Heaven's Feel. There is no need to put in danger people who aren't related. On that matter, Irisviel would care of her personal belongings by herself, and the strong of heart Saber would remain by her side.

Completing without delay the procedure to enter the country, it didn't take much time until they were allowed to get to the airport lobby. But until they could reach it, every single one of the officials on the way got astounded by Irisviel and Saber and rolled their eyes as they passed, quickly making them uneasy.

"As I thought... Is there something wrong with my clothes?"

Sensing the eyes of the people coming and going in the lobby, Saber mutters as if feeling awkward.

"Well, it might be too elegant..."

Irisviel could only smile bitterly, but to tell the truth, she too was the center of attention. At any rate, the two of them are unequalled beauties. Their eccentric clothings, how removed from common sense they are, balances rather well their rash match. The attention from the surroundings was not just odd glances, but already envious ones.


"― Let's go, Saber. Worrying won't change much."

Saying so, Irisviel pulled Saber's hand with a bitter face.

"At last we are in Japan. We must enjoy ourselves as much as possible before the battle begins."

"No, Irisviel, the question isn't about enjoying―"

As Saber stretched her mumbling halfway, Irisviel walked like on springs to find a taxi. Somehow, Saber hadn't noticed until now how lively she was shining.

X X

Soon after the two arrived in Fuyuki city, sunset soon colored the western sky as it was quite late in the afternoon.

"How lively..."

As the hired car was going down the plaza of the park in front of the station, Irisviel's impression lit her eyes as she was exposed to the traffic jam of the evening hours.


But the Saber by her side was studying the surroundings just like a commander investigating the topography of a battlefield.

"Kiritsugu has already arrived in this place, hasn't he?"

"Yes. He arranged to arrive half a day before us."

Already inside the country, Kiritsugu was to hide his existence and follow a completely different route from that of Irisviel's group. He was to take a passenger flight to the international airport at Shin-Ōsaka and change for the railroad to Fuyuki city.

"Are we to meet up again?"

"It's alright. He will be the one to come to us."

Saber wouldn't show any of it, but she was quite shocked by Kiritsugu and Irisviel's plans that she didn't quite find satisfactory.

"Then, what is the plan, now?"

"Right... For now, we shall observe the changes in the situation and adapt ourselves accordingly."

"Do you mean we have nothing to do?"

"Exactly."

Irisviel gave a childish smile that looked mischievous to the discouraged Saber.


"But what a waste. After finally arriving to this distant country."

Smiling while watching the traffic jam around, Irisviel strolled a little dispirited. At her side, Saber, feeling confused, firmly followed her pace.

"And― what about trying to find an enemy Servant?"

"Hmm. No way."

Refusing blankly, Irisviel turned around, staring expectantly at her partner.

"Say, Saber. Since we have such an opportunity, we could look around the town. It must be interesting."

"..."

For an instant, Saber was taken aback by the unexpected proposition, but immediately straightened up with a stern face.

"Irisviel. We cannot be unprepared. We have to consider the land of Fuyuki we are walking in as an enemy territory already. The Heaven's Feel has already started."

"Yes. I depend on you for that, Saber. If we come near a Servant, can you notice it?"

"Well... That is correct."


Dematerialized or not, Servants can perceive the presence of other Servants. Of course, everyone has their own affinity with searching for the enemy, and there are those like Assassin who have the ability to erase their presence.

"In my case, I am able to perceive a presence in a radius of up to roughly 200 meters. Also, an opponent with the proper ability could tamper with that."

"I see... But right here and right now, there is no Servant targeting us, is there?"

"Indeed. But―"

"Then let's have a look around over there. We don't have to search anyway."

When seeking a hidden opponent, striding across the town provocatively was certainly an acceptable plan. An audacious one, but since Saber has no ability for searching actively, there is no other way to do a proactive search. Being unable to dematerialize, she also loses the choice of doing covert espionage.

But more than being based on a coherent plan, Saber sensed that Irisviel had a hidden motive. Actually, Saber could only see Irisviel's invitation as a mere sightseeing jaunt.

"Irisviel, we really should establish somewhere and reunite with Kiritsugu

to work out a plan. Hasn't the Einsbern family prepared a castle on the outskirts of the town?"

"Well... Yes, we have that."

It was Irisviel's turn to start mumbling. Apparently she was conscious that her behavior wasn't fit for a situation of crisis. Guessing there was a reason, Saber asked again.

"Why do you insist so much on visiting this town?"

"You know... This is my first time."

A little nervous, Irisviel looked down as she replied. Saber sighed from the shock.

"―As you know, by being taken over by the Grail, I have knowledge of this world. Of course I also know about this land that will become a battlefield. Irisviel, this town isn't really a place for sight-seeing. Especially since there are no particularly famous place."

"No, that isn't it. That is not what I―"

Like a child, strongly refusing to give any explanation at first, Irisviel then hesitated a little and finally confessed frankly.

"I― this is the first time I am going out."

"... Ha?"


Not understanding at first, Saber kept listening, dumbfounded.

"As I say, like a rebirth― this is the first time I walk in the outside world."

"Then ever since you were born... You have stayed in that castle all your life?"

Not liking the conclusion, Irisviel hung her head in shame, giving a small nod.

"I am a puppet created only for this Heaven's Feel. The elder has always told me I had no need to go out."

Saber didn't really have a life full of joy as Arturia either.

But she couldn't avoid feeling compassion toward this person who had been like a bird in cage, imprisoned in that frozen castle ever since she was born.

"Of course, It's not like I don't know anything, right? Especially since Kiritsugu came. He taught me a lot of the sceneries and the happenings, with movies or pictures. About New York, Paris, and all the people in the world. About Japan too, of course."

Smiling miserably, Irisviel looked at the traffic jam around.

"But... This is the first time I see this world with my own eyes. So, maybe I am being a little too happy and merry. I'm sorry."

Saber nodded, quietly turning her eyes, and gently offered her arm wrapped in her

dark suit to Irisviel.

"... Saber?"

"This is my first time walking in this town― but escort is also the duty of a knight. So I will do my best. Then, if you please."

"―Thank you."

Her eyes lit with a bright joy, Irisviel entwines her arm around Saber's elbow.

There must be a lot of time left before the night.

X X

Saber and Irisviel easily drew all the attention in the middle of the business district.

The young woman was full of dignity, with her glittering silver hair and cashmere coat, by no mean pompous, but definitely nicely fitting, walking with a good looking young man with a brilliant face, holding her arm. That wasn't a combination you'd see outside of a cocktail party filled with movie stars.


Those visions coming straight from the silver screen are now leisurely striding through the road of a Japanese provincial city. Anyone walking down the road would stop to look and forget walking for an instant.

The two didn't have the harmony of a couple at a date, nor the admiration of people just sightseeing, only following the flow of their journey, walking aimlessly. Sometimes, they would suddenly stop to happily gaze at the setting sun shining in the windows of the buildings and the show windows, nothing special; they wouldn't enter any shop to make any expense nor sit at a café terrasse to rest.

Like two understanding outsiders, they would simply slip in the noisy surroundings, watching over the working life of the city from a fixed distance.

Unnoticed, the winter sun had completely sunk behind the mountain range, leaving the curtain of night reveal a different face of the urban area. Irisviel sighed, entranced by the colorful illuminations of the twinkling scenery.

The world is probably full of towns with a more beautiful night view than that of this Fuyuki city. But Irisviel was deeply moved by the night before her eyes, as if putting her hands on a treasure for the first time.

"It's really beautiful... The life of people alone makes the night dazzling..."

Irisviel's murmur showed her emotion, to which Saber silently nodded. The political

world she once lived in was now in a distant space-time from this place, but no emotion sprang from this scene she saw for the first time. Yet, the tranquillity was only on the surface, as inside, her nerves were like a needle.

This place is already an enemy territory― this knowledge remained unchanged.

Saber is definitely not a Servant excelling in searching for the enemy, and depending on the situation, an enemy Servant would likely find her first if she was wandering about. It is hard to think that any enemy could pounce straightforwardly when everyone is looking, but still, right then, a well-timed surprise attack would not be weird.

Even so, without reproving Irisviel, she complies to her hope of fully enjoying herself freely for a brief time; the reason is her unwavering confidence in her sword.

She is the Heroic Spirit summoned as the strongest class of the Grail of Fuyuki, the position of swordsman. There is no Servant that surpasses her in close ranged combat. She is certain that she can clear an escape route from the battlefield under any disadvantageous situation.

Actually, a surprise attack is what she desires. To withstand it fair and square, turn the table and go for the kill. If anyone is enough of a fool to plan on making her their enemy, she may remind them that the Saber class is not about gallantry.

"... Hey, Saber, do you want to see the beach next?"


As Irisviel was unable to hide her excitement, the young woman disguised as a man nodded with a smile. Her tension wasn't picking any opponent.

She had sworn she would protect Irisviel. So she would protect her to the end as she was enjoying herself. That was the strength of her high pride as a knight.

There was a vast seaside park on the opposite shore of the big bridge that crossed the Miongawa.

Late at night, two persons were strolling on the lone walkway with nobody around anymore. The north wind from the sea was blowing softly uninterrupted, blowing up Irisviel's long silver hair like the trail of a shooting star. In this place, couples dating hate the chill of winter nights and would only come in summer; but Irisviel, who was seeing the sea for the first time, didn't care about the cold as she had grown accustomed to it, back at her home place.

"We should have come here when it wasn't dark..."

Simply looking at the sea at night filling the bleak darkness, Saber said so in an apologetic tone. But Irisviel was unconcerned, concentrating on the horizon that had sunk in the dark.

"It's fine. The sea at night is beautiful too. It mirrors the night sky."

Listening to the endless roar of the waves, Irisviel's smile was all over her face.


As she had greatly enjoyed today's walk, her fair-skinned cheeks were flushed. She looked more like a young woman of tender years rather than a married woman with a child, with her innocent and naïve smile.

"I really had no idea― that walking through an unknown town as a couple with a gentleman would be such an enjoyable experience."

"Was my imitation of a gentleman satisfying?"

As Irisviel rejoiced, Saber bantered her up with a sarcastic tone, unusual from the stubborn Heroic Spirit.

"Plentifully. It was faultless. Saber, today, you were a superb knight."

"You honor me, princess."

The young woman in the dark suit bowing courteously in front of her, Irisviel felt a little embarrassed, turning her head toward the sea.

"Saber, do you like the sea?"

"In my time, in my country... What was beyond the sea was always the enemy.


It was annoying and not very attractive."

"I see..."

At Saber's reply, Irisviel's expression becomes a little clouded.

"... It is tough to forgive. You are a woman like me.

To you who lived as king Arthur, dating gentlemen was not a suitable thing to enjoy."

"Well yes, that it was."

Saber shrugged her shoulders, smiling nonchalantly. She had no regret from casting aside her womanhood. Instead, her small chest was filled with the pride of leading through the battlefield.

"But you, Irisviel, would you not want to walk through the city with Kiritsugu rather than with me?"

This time, it was Irisviel's face that was crossed by a smile.

"He... Cannot do that. He would be pained with mixed feelings."

Not grasping the meaning of her reply, Saber makes a dubious face.

"Can Kiritsugu not enjoy his time spent with you?"

"Not that. He would certainly enjoy it as much as I do. ... That's why he can't. He is one for who 'happiness' is a pain."


"..."

Carefully analysing these words, Saber tries to comprehend the contradiction in the man named Emiya Kiritsugu.

"―He is a man who cannot value his happiness, is that the weakness he bears?"

"Maybe so. That man is always punishing himself deep inside. If he wants to keep chasing his dream, he has to be coldhearted."

With a distant gaze, Irisviel looks at the sea. Thinking of her husband who is hiding somewhere in the city, preparing for the same goal.

Saber reflected for a moment upon those words.

... Today, the discussion has moved on an unexpected topic after the sea. Even though they had intended the day to end on a pleasant mood.

Nonchalantly, Saber held and pulled Irisviel's upper arm. Just by this gesture, Irisviel settled down and exchanged a look with Saber.

"... An enemy Servant?"

"Yes."

The sensation didn't change. From undercover, a hundred meters on the side, he is leaving plain indications like a provocation. He is clearly conscious of Saber's presence, yet doesn't

shorten the distance, rather slowly distancing himself―

"He seems to be inviting us."

"Hmm. That is honest. Does he want to chose the battlefield?"

Without a trace of tension in her voice, Irisviel still keeps cool as she replies. In this battle situation, that is the proof of her complete faith in Saber. This makes Saber revise her inner judgement in favor of her mistress.

"It appears the opponent has the same expectations as us. Making the opponent bite on the indications left for show... He is a Servant looking for a frontal fight, just like you, Saber, isn't he?"

"That would be a Lancer or a Rider class. He makes a straightforward opponent."

At Saber nodding, Irisviel again returns a fearless smile.

"Then, shall we take on the invitation?"

"I wish the same."

It is dangerous to blindly take the bait and follow the enemy to a field at his advantage. But Saber isn't the frail type to fear such tricks, and her mistress doesn't underestimate her Servant either.

The marks of the enemy getting more distant, Saber starts walking with a quiet self-confidence. Iris
viel, following likewise, turns on the switch of a palm-sized device hidden in her pocket. This is a "transmission machine" entrusted by Kiritsugu, a device for him to follow the position of Irisviel's group from a different route. It is a mechanized gadget that works without prana, that Kiritsugu intentionally chose.

Irisviel trusted Saber's power. Any enemy of a rank lower than Saber they would meet shall be killed in a blink with one sword strike by her proud Servant― that was the easy development she was expecting.

Yes, as much as possible... She wanted her knight to end the fight before Kiritsugu entered the battle.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_1|Act 3, part 1]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_3|Act 3, part 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/Zero:Act 3 Part 1

2008-05-09T22:48:35Z

Epicnoses: /* 162:26:39 */

== 162:26:39 ==




Fuyuki city, Shinto―

The housing district at the East of the Miongawa is a new town reclaimed from a once empty wasteland; it is different from the history the Miyama town originally has, but it is being refined in a large-scale redevelopment project from the government to build a modern business district over the ancient site.

The buildings in the area planned as a business district are only 40% complete, but the maintenance of the park and shopping mall in front of the station is already done; the future plans are already done for the Shinto district to be clean and mineral, pompous and with no individuality. The city hall is also being moved piece by piece to Shinto, revived with modern iron, glass and mortar, stealing all central municipal functions from Miyama.

It is already crowded even during holidays. In the middle of the crowd going back and forth, cowering from the northern wind, Emiya Kiritsugu disappeared, colorless and odorless without

attracting any attention.

His shirt and coat worn for a long time and his lack of baggage give him a slacking appearance that wouldn't make you think of someone who has immigrated. As a matter of fact, he has been like that since he walked in the country up to Shinto in Fuyuki, but Japan still remains his native country. Being used to coming and going, he still felt better in this country.

With a complex feeling, Kiritsugu looked down on the cigarette paper package he had just bought from a vending machine.

It's been 9 years he has stopped smoking. He hasn't been able to find his favorite brand in the far land of the Einsberns, but that was mainly in regard for the mother and child. Just as he came down at the Fuyuki station, prepared for battle, he had thrown a coin in the vending machine out of habit.

Since he has bought a disposable lighter from a convenience store to get back the sensation, he breaks open the cigarette pack. The white of the row of filters is dazzling.

He put one in his mouth and lit it. As if there wasn't a blank of 10 years, he was able to redo the movements naturally. The aroma flowing into his lungs, he got used to the taste as if he had been doing it just the day before.

"..."


Kiritsugu looks at the transformed scenery, completely different from the one he vividly remembers in his heart.

He visited Fuyuki in reconnaissance under cover three years earlier, but the face of Shinto has completely changed since then. This isn't unexpected, but this is beyond what he imagined. He needs to confirm the neighborhood again.

Despite the slight difficulty from the transformation of the area, Kiritsugu reached the hotel he wanted.

The lobby and the front have been arranged, but the interior is a fairly cheap business hotel. Families or wanderers, this hotel is a good harbor for quite a wide genre of users.

Acting as if he knew the place, Kiritsugu walks through the lobby up to the elevator, up to the seventh floor. This is where his faithful subordinate has been for three days, in room 73.

In the world of magi, his relation with Hisau Maiya would be that of a pupil and a teacher.

But to Kiritsugu who saw magecraft as a mere tool he has acquired knowledge in, and not as the object of his quest, there wasn't a single sense of master and pupil. What he has taught to Maiya is merely a "way to fight". This too is only for the purpose

of counting her as a "tool". This is from a time when he went through countless desperate battles for an utopia that could never be fulfilled, when he didn't know about the existence of the Grail.

Hence his connection to Maiya is older than the one with Irisviel. Having fought at his side, Maiya knows of the blood-stained side of Kiritsugu that his wife has never seen.

As he knocked at a pre-arranged rhythm on the door of room 73, the door opened immediately as if he had been expected. Skipping unnecessary greetings with a mere glance at each other, Kiritsugu enters the room and closes the door.

Maiya has already been involved for a while. After Kiritsugu retreated, she has arranged the preparations for the Grail War according to the instructions given by Kiritsugu from oversea, and has been busy returning to the Einsbern castle many times.

Handsome, fair-skinned, she was a beauty who used neither eye-liner nor lipstick. Her long eyes and her gaze seem to be always scrutinizing suspiciously, but she deliberately leaves an impression of indifference. Her jet black, straight hair like silk, catch the glance of many men, but her cold, sharp look definitely makes any lady-killer give up.

Anyway, they have known each other for over 10 years. She was still a young girl when they met, but since she isn't a child anymore, she sharpened her sagacity as a characteristic; when with that type of beauty,

normal people tire easily, but Kiritsugu was the opposite. She is a woman who constantly saw the reality, and could sometime give out an accurate judgment, more merciless than Kiritsugu. With her, Kiritsugu didn't have to be ashamed of his foul plays or detest his cruelty. This could put him to some sort of rest.

"The Tōsaka mansion moved last night."

Maiya started by jumping straight to the point.

"Please watch the records of it. Also, all the equipment has arrived."

"Understood. First, the situation."

Nodding, Maiya switches the decoder of the unpacked television.

Amongst the magecraft Kiritsugu had taught her, Maiya was particularly capable in the management of regular familiars, and Kiritsugu often entrusted her with scouting or reconnaissance missions. This time again, Kiritsugu has assigned her to the surveillance of the Matō and Tōsaka mansions.

The familiars Maiya has pride in are bats, but unlike other magi, her bats have a miniature CCD camera tied on the abdomen. Of course, this is an idea of Kiritsugu. The illusions and camouflage bounded fields of magi are often based on using suggestion on an observer, but that sort of things often forget about electronic-based counter measures. Video records are also helpful for re watching, so even considering it slows down the familiar, the joint use of cameras is a viable solution.

The whole scene of the previous night is replayed on the 13 inch CTR. The blurred image is

enough to understand the whole event. Without raising an eyebrow, Kiritsugu watches the Servant with a skull mask being unable to escape annihilation from the golden Servant.

The white mask of the defeated Servant is without a doubt of the Assassin class.

"What do you make of it?"

"I think it is going too well."

Maiya replied immediately to Kiritsugu's question.

"The time lag between Assassin's materialization and the attack of Tōsaka's Servant is too short. He was waiting for him. I could accept he might have detected an intruder in spirit form, but his opponent is an Assassin with the presence concealment ability. ... I wonder if Tōsaka wasn't aware of the invasion prior to it."

Kiritsugu nodded. Having been trained by him, Maiya's conclusion was the same as Kiritsugu's.

"The more I think of it, the more it seems like an arrangement. Why did Tōsaka expose his Servant like that if he had such a margin?"

The Tōsaka family has obviously accumulated experience from the second and third Grail fights. There is no way they don't know the other

Masters would be observing the Tōsaka mansion.

The Heaven's Feel is a confrontation between heroes who have gained fame. And the legend of these heroes include a lot of informations on their fighting patterns, their strong and weak points. This means it is natural that the skills and weaknesses of the heroic spirits are known from the beginning.

And so, it has become an ironclad rule to hide the true identity of the heroic spirits in the war between Servants. In light of this, heroic spirits are all called by their class to avoid revealing their true name.

Last night, Tōsaka has left two clues to the other Masters, being what his Servant looks like, as well as showing a method that looks like a Noble Phantasm. Neither were enough to definitely identify the Servant, but that was a risk that should have been easy to avoid. If he was to bring down Assassin, he could have done so outside of plain view.

"Showing us something he didn't have to show us― that means he wanted to show it to us."

Kiritsugu nods again at Maiya's conclusion.

"Possibly. If there is any merit in doing that, then the explanation is obvious. ... Maiya, what happened to the Master of Assassin?"


"He went to the Church last night and has requested the supervisor's protection. It is the man called Kotomine Kirei."

Hearing that name, Kiritsugu's eye lit with a cold ghastliness.

"Maiya, send a familiar to the Fuyuki Church. One will be fine for now."

"... Is it alright? The church is an area where aggressions between Masters are prohibited."

"Unless the priest supervisor doesn't find out. Stay at a reasonable distance. Don't overdo it. He doesn't have to know."

Maiya frowned at Kiritsugu’s incomprehensible instructions.

"Must I not observe the Church?"

"You can just make it a 'regular patrolling'. What you must concentrate on is being absolutely not discovered."

"... Yes, understood."

Maiya couldn't understand what Kiritsugu had in mind, but didn't question him. She picks at once one of the three bats observing the Tōsaka mansion and sent it the thought of going to the Fuyuki church at the end of Shinto.

Kiritsugu turns of the TV, then resumes inspecting the equipment Maiya prepared.


In the various tools lined up on the sheet of the bed, awaiting Kiritsugu's check-up, there was not one a magus could find interesting. Not a single ritualistic catalyst like a dagger, cup, talisman, elixir or spiritual container. They were state-of-art and highly efficient, but apart from that, they were nothing but conventional weapons. Nothing that could store prana.

That was the heresy that earned the magus Emiya Kiritsugu the nickname of "magus killer".

The weak point of the people called magi was usually negligence from arrogance. They believe in their own mysteries and knowledge. They never doubt that the only threat to them beside God cannot be anything other than a magus like them.

That is why, in battle, they are sensitive to nothing but traces of magecraft. To detect any kind of trivial skill. Hence they train their perception of magecraft, and think of counter-measures against those skills as decisive― That's a theory no magus strays from.

As a result, they ignore any attack that is purely physical and void of magecraft as secondary menace. They have no fear of the sharpest knife, the strongest bullet, until the instant they actually pierce the flesh of a magus. And before that happens, the strength of magecraft grants illusions, paralysis methods, or defensive bounded

fields, able to completely negate any vulgar attack.

But they despise technology. What a human who doesn't rely on magecraft can do― a lot of magi cannot recognize that.

The attack the enemy doesn't expect is a shortcut for all battle. Kiritsugu has reached a conclusion from a large number of battle to the death between magi. That is, magi are weak to non magical attacks.

Applying that conclusion to the circumstances of the Heaven's Feel of Fuyuki, Maiya has prepared a set of equipment. Among them, the rifle lying on the sheet is what gives out the strongest smell of gun oil. That was a work of art that was the crystallization of the newest electronic techniques along with a ferocious shape.

The base is a Walther WA2000 semi-automatic sniper rifle. A rifle with a total length a little above 90 centimeters, in a compact size; the bullpup structure with a gas-operated magazine gives the gun barrel a length of 65 centimeters. The .300 Winchester Magnum shell has an effective range of 1000 meters. In the modern world, this is a rifle of the highest class, with the highest performance. The high cost of $12,000 is due to how it was one of the only 154 units produced for this phantom gun.

Instead of the standard sighting device made by Smith & Bender, Kiritsugu had simultaneously installed a

pair of lined-up devices as a special scope mount, above the barrel and on the left flank, both extra-large optic devices fixed in parallel.

On the main side was the latest night vision scope, the best of the US armed force, an AN/PVS04. The equipment, some sort of super high sensitive video camera, is a simple light electrical amplifier with a lens, raising and displaying a perfect brightness. It is a real electronic "owl eye" that multiplies the range of vision by 3.6, 600 yards under the moonlight or 400 yards in starlight. Essentially, it is the latest equipment used by the US armed force, banned from exportation to prevent technology leaking.

Furthermore, in addition is installed a specter IR heat detector scope as a sideways support. This one is also electronically equipped for night vision, although the image display isn't an intensity amplifier, but displays the heat patterns of the subject. It can perceive temperature variations from -5 to 60°C up to 200 meters with an 1.8 magnification.

Having discovered that the operation of Magic Circuits changed the temperature of the practitioner, Kiritsugu had studied and trained so much that he was now able to read, through the thermal output, the current status of the Magic Circuits by viewing the heat distribution. Viewing the clear difference between an ordinary person and a magus, it is possible to seize an opportunity after the release of prana. The joint use of both bulky night vision devices is not just for nighttime battle, but also a configuration to specifically face against a magus.


Despite the steady progress on miniaturization, year after year, of the non-magical innovations, a night vision device roughly remains at the size of a plastic bottle, and is too bulky to be compared to regular optic devices. On top of the rash, compact design of the gun barrel, the enormous pair of scopes gives a clumsy air of unbalance. The total weight of the gun exceeds 10 kilos. It is already a weapon worthy for a support fire squad more than a snipping weapon. The main equipment was already hindering practical use, but that was a challenge Kiritsugu had calculated at best.

When compared to magecraft, this night-vision sniping gun certainly falls behind. Magecraft can let you see better through the dark, and it is also possible to detect the position of an enemy magus. But with this gun, Kiritsugu is able to shoot down a target without releasing any prana.

In the dark, unable to detect any prana, the possibility of being hit from several hundred meters away― it is a situation a pro soldier wouldn't count as incomprehensible, but a lot of magi are really novices in such conditions. In fact, a self-conscious magus who has stepped into a world of mysteries beyond human intellect cannot relate to the stereotypes of a narrower world.

Kiritsugu picked up the super heavyweight class sniper gun from the bed, checked the smoothness of the breechblock and the weight of the trigger, and made sure it was in the best condition.

"There is no correction up to 500 meters. Do you want to check it?"


"No, it's fine."

He would have wanted to not only check the alignement, but also get a grasp of the shooting, but with the constitutional government of Japan, that was unfortunately not easy. With the Grail War hostilities having already started, he might have to use the gun this very night, Kiritsugu fully trusts Maiya's preparations.

The other rifle that was prepared, in addition to the Walther sniping gun, is for Maiya acting as a vanguard scout, a Steyr AUG assault gun. Its night vision scope has also been replaced, like Kiritsugu's, and surprisingly, the weight is under 5 kg.

Furthermore, a Calico M950 submachine gun is ready as a reserve side arm. The compact size is not different from a large handgun, and the reinforced plastic makes it look more like a toy than the Walther sniping gun; but the unique magazine with a system called helical allows for 50 Parabellum rounds, with a firing rate of 700 shots per minute for a brutal armament.

The rest includes personal hand grenades and stun grenades, smoke grenades, and C2 plastic explosive. Following the instructions Kiritsugu sent from the North, Maiya had arranged to prepare the equipment without allowing any leak. But Kiritsugu's expressionless eyes don't look satisfied yet.

"And the one I entrusted to you?"

"... It is here."


Maiya reverentially pulled a rosewood case with both hands from the bottom of the closet. It seems that this reverence has somehow stiffened even further the beautiful face that never smiles.

Taking the case, Kiritsugu placed it on the side table, unfastening the clasps and opening the lid with an expert hand.

The armament on the bed is all brand new weapons for this day. The assets of the Einsbern family certainly allow the funds and connection necessary to arrange the gathering of brand new, sharp equipment despite its exorbitant cost with much difficulty.

But inside that rosewood case, the handgun sleeping in a long silence isn't something money can buy. This is the weapon Kiritsugu has favored on a lot of battlefields, which he has entrusted to Maiya when he retired 9 years ago, unique in the world, a weapon for Kiritsugu's use only.

The high-tech equipment that can be obtained with money is an armament for Emiya Kiritsugu as the 'Magus Killer'. But there also existed a weapon for the 'magus' Emiya Kiritsugu. That is, a 'Mystic Code'― a weapon through which a magus can use magecraft in battle.

Thompson Center's Contender. A grip and fore end carved in walnut, a gun barrel 14 inch long, reminiscent of a dagger in its scabbard. The handgun parts are

only the trigger and the percussion hammer, then the cylinder and slide cannot be found on the simple exterior, which makes it close to a percussion pistol from the last hours of the Middle Ages.

Actually, the Contender is a single shot pistol with a break-open cartridge chamber. This gun is essentially a pistol for target shooting sport; but Kiritsugu's gun barrel has been switched to make use of the hunting specifications of the large caliber, and furthermore, it has been magically modified to make use of "magic bullets" for rifling.

The bullets used are .30-06 Springfield. A cartridge with a bottleneck structure, its size and power level are already different from those of a handgun bullet. The .30-06 is 10% stronger than the .308 Winchester bullet, and even surpasses the hand canon class of a Magnum bullet. Discharged from a handgun, it would have extreme firepower.

But the true menace of this gun is not the destructive power of physical explosives and warheads.

The special bullets installed along with the gun in the case― in the core of the twelve remaining shots are sealed powdered bones from Kiritsugu himself. When Kiritsugu's prana is fired, these "magical bullets" forces into the target the 'origin' of the magus named Kiritsugu. So to speak, one could call it an imitation of a conceptual weapon.

Technology becomes the blind spot of magi who stick to magecraft... In the end, this is only

a tendency, and doesn't reverse the generality. Indeed, a lot of magi in the world can be defeated with means like a night vision and a heat sensor scope. Nevertheless, there are exceptions that cannot be measured with rules and experience. The generality against a magus is that there aren't many magi who deviate even further from that generality. Kiritsugu calls these opponents "formidable enemies".

Against a "formidable enemy" for who artifice won't work― Kiritsugu, as a single magus, must stand up when he runs out of secrets. At that time, this Contender becomes Kiritsugu's most powerful fang.

Rewinding the clock in his heart, Kiritsugu picked the Contender from the case. In the past, the walnut gun had absorbed the transpiration of Kiritsugu's hand countless times, and after a blank of 9 years, it still fit perfectly into his hand and fingers.

Whether it's the hand gripping the handle, or the handle gripping the hand, that is an indistinct feeling. With just a little strength in the fingers, the gun might just fuse with the bones of his hand, and become an extension of his arm.

Cautiously pulling the spool with his index finger, the chamber lock is released and collapses soundly. Sliding a bullet from the same case into the opened chamber, he then closes the barrel again with a snap of his wrist. With the added ammunition, the overall weight is now 2.6 kg. Kiritsugu's right hand gives a familiar response.


At the old feeling, Kiritsugu's chest hurts when he thinks that he got too used to the touch of a dangerous weapon.

At the end, will his hand remember so perfectly the touch of his wife and daughter?

Their tender cheeks, their slender fingers, how much of it will Kiritsugu remember?

Picking another bullet from the case, Kiritsugu replayed the reloading process that had dyed his hands.

Pulling the rim of the exposed cartridge with his fingertips from the opened chamber, he slides in a second bullet, and immediately slams the gun barrel close―

It took him two seconds. Bad thoughts dull his manipulations.

"... I've gotten rusty."

"Yes."

To Kiritsugu murmuring in self-derision, Maiya nodded without consideration. She knows the old skills of her partner. Kiritsugu pulled the bullet he had loaded in the gun, picked the other one he had dropped on the floor, and placed everything back in the case with the Contender.

"Ilya's body is even lighter than the Walther here. And she's already 8 years old..."


Letting free his shameful memories on his own, Kiritsugu started loosening alone. Maiya's movement barging in behind his back stopped his train of thoughts.

Agile like a snake, her hand rolled around Kiritsugu's neck, seizing the back of his head, blocking his movements, and his mouth― she took his soft, dried lips.

The taste and touch of a different woman from the one in his heart. Breaking off the man's homesickness, but that was too quick to be forgiven.

"... Please only focus of what's necessary for now. Don't think of what you don't need."

In a blurred voice that had traces of her usage of her tongue left, Maiya quietly commanded Kiritsugu.

"..."

Without a word, Kiritsugu feels the sensation in his chest calm down. In his heart cooling off, the pain is already vanishing away in a mist.

This is the woman she is. She is the woman into who Kiritsugu himself has raised a girl once found on a battlefield.

A supporting machine whose actions are even more akin to a machine than those of the machine called Emiya Kiritsugu. This is Hisau Maiya. An indispensable final weapon for Kiritsugu to win this battle... That is none other than that woman.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Fate/Zero:Act_2_Part_4|Act 2, part 4]]
| Return to [[Fate/Zero|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Fate/Zero:Act_3_Part_2|Act 3, part 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/stay night:Image manipulation

2008-05-09T12:25:19Z

Epicnoses: /* Introduction */ SP

=Introduction=
All the images in ''Fate/stay night'' have 32-bit color depth (24 bit per image + 8 bit per alpha-channel). Simply put, these are plain bitmap files with alpha-channel, just they're compressed.

=Image export=
tlg-files are encrypted, and one will need [http://www.digitalpad.co.jp/~takechin/archives/susie347b.lzh Susie] with [http://elku.at.infoseek.co.jp/other/spi_tlg003.zip tlg-plugin] to decrypt them. Having opened needed image, right-click it, select 'File' and 'Save as' will let you save it as 24-bit *.bmp. To get 32-bit color depth, open your bmp-file with graphic editor capable of working with alpha-channels (i.e. Adobe Photoshop) and create a new channel. In Photoshop, white areas of new layer mean visible parts of image, while black areas mean transparent ones.

=Image import=
To import image, one will want to use [http://kikyou.info/dl_redirect.php?%2Ftvp%2Ffiles%2Fkr219b19.lzh krkr] package, v.219b19. Go to kirikiri2 -> tools -> krkrtpc.exe. Mark 3rd row in both first and second columns and drop your image onto program's window.

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:17:44Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - Masked Actress/仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - Big Door, Small Key/大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl/キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:12:23Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる */

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - Big Door, Small Key/大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl/キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:10:48Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - Big Door, Small Key/大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:08:28Z

Epicnoses: Undo revision 27804 by Special:Contributions/Epicnoses (User talk:Epicnoses)

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:07:52Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション */ Story terminology edit

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sœur Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:06:07Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - Vacation of the Lambs/子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:04:38Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 27 - あなたを探しに */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - In Search for You/あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T12:01:36Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - Crown of Roses/薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 5

2008-05-09T11:53:03Z

Epicnoses: Undo revision 27799 by Special:Contributions/Epicnoses (User talk:Epicnoses)

==5.==

"Please."

A white cup was filled about seven tenths to the brim with a red, steaming liquid and placed in front of me.

This is a liquid called 'black tea.'

"Would you like sugar or milk?"

A relatively short, pony-tailed girl offered a stick-shaped item from the basket. This girl was, if I remember correctly, also a first-year. I forget her class and surname, but she was the petite sœur for Hasekura Rei-sama, the Rosa Foetida en bouton, and I think her name was Yoshino-san.

"No, thank you."

I thought in a daze after refusing. Umm, what was milk again?

Ahh, I'm so confused.

The one who was the most surprised by Sachiko-sama's declaration was none other than Yumi herself. She was frozen in place, even oblivious to the uproar around her. How many times must Sachiko-sama petrify her in one day?

Let's settle down and talk about it. Is what happened, and thus everyone moved into the room, past the door with the "meeting" plate.

Sachiko-sama, who'd made the selfish declaration in the first place, left behind her sœur, Yumi, even if the declaration was a temporary loss of mind, and angrily shouldered her way into the room. Prepared for battle, would be the most suitable way to describe her state.

"… War, with Sachiko-sama."

In reality, if you went by image, the two of them probably were more suited to being in completely separate positions.

"Oh dear, what a helpless onee-sama, leaving her little sister behind."

When Rosa Gigantea embraced Yumi by the shoulders and walked into the room, Sachiko-sama seemed to have realized her clumsiness and so she stood up, pulled out the seat next to her, and beckoned, "sit here."

Then, when everyone sat down, black tea was distributed. And that was where we were.

This room had an atmosphere unlike any other school facility. Just like the stairs and the hallway, the floor and walls were of worn, wooden boarding. Aside from the one adjacent to the hallway, the other three walls each had a wooden-framed bay window, and the clean cotton curtains for each were opened and fastened with a thin ribbon. The size was about half that of a classroom, and there was an arrangement of flowers on the elliptical table in the middle of the room that could probably seat up to eight people. Rather than a student council headquarter, it felt more like an old, western-style dining room.

Of course, the three Roses were seated at the table, as were Sachiko-sama, Yumi, Shimako-san, and Tsutako-san, who was treated as a guest. Rei-sama and Yoshino-san pulled chairs over from around the washstand by the wall.

The electric pot was making a bubbling sound, having had fresh water recently added. I had never even imagined students elegantly sitting and drinking black tea after school in a school building. At some point, even cookies were placed on top of spread tissues.

I had no idea you were treated this well when you became a Yamayurikai staff member.

"Let me start off by saying, please do not misunderstand, we put in a lot of personal effort into keeping this a pleasant space to be."

As if reading Yumi's mind, Sachiko-sama, sitting right next to her, whispered. The Yamayurikai budget was not used for tea, she seemed to be want to say. Each member brought in tea themselves, and cookies tended to be donations from classes that had cooking class.

"If you prefer, we have coffee and cocoa. They are, however, instant, so their taste is not top-notch."

Rosa Chinensis smiled.

"So come and play any time you wish. As you are Sachiko's sœur, you are a valuable friend."

Lowing my guard and then nonchalantly firing off the main question. The Roses certainly were not a normal kind of people.

(That, that's right, the crucial matter was still left unanswered.)

Sachiko-sama's bombshell of a statement had left everyone staring at each other.

While certainly not having forgotten, Yumi honestly wished she could simply forget. She could not think of a reason. In fact, having ended up as a victim of an accident, she could not grasp why she was being made to sit in such a seat. It felt more like she was being summoned as a witness for a trial or a parliament.

"Oh, Rosa Chinensis, so you accept Sachiko's assertion?"

"But Rosa Foetida, if Sachiko has made the decision, we are not in the right to pursue the matter, am I wrong? Rosa Gigantea, do you have an opinion?"

"I think whether we accept it or not should be left for later. At the very least, not while one of the protagonists is looking like her eyes my pop out in surprise."

Immediately, everyone looked at Yumi.

(Pr, protagonist, does that mean me-!?)

"Poor thing, she's struggling to grasp the circumstances."

The Roses giggled. Yumi began thinking they were simply having fun at her expense.

(Of course, that has to be the case. It must.)

She could not think this gorgeous membership would have taken that earlier joke seriously. To begin with, regardless of what condition Sachiko-sama was in, there was too much impossibility in her making Yumi her little sister.

(Wait, wait.)

Maybe it's all a joke that Sachiko-sama is a part of. Of course, that must be it. Then it all makes sense. "We apologize, our joke might have gone too far." –if they were to say that now, I could laugh, return, "I knew it was weird," and squeeze out of this in one piece.

However.

"No matter what anyone says, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama still refused to bend with her statement. What could she be thinking?

"Personally, I would like to ask Yumi-san too, not just Sachiko."

"M, me…!?"

Yumi flinched at the sudden shift of focus. As had been evident, Yumi had not been able to grasp the circumstances. It would be easy to say "I don't know," but she could surmise from the atmosphere that such a statement would simply corner Sachiko-sama into a further predicament.

"Umm-."

If possible, she wanted to be an ally for Sachiko-sama. However, how could you fight when you didn't know who was an ally and who was an enemy? She wished Sun Tzu could teach her the art of war right there.

"If I say so, it must be so, am I wrong? There is no need to confirm with Yumi."

She stands firm. Sachiko-sama looks unwilling to crumble her firm stance.

"Ah, umm…"

"Just be silent for the time being."

Zap! Even to her ally, Yumi, she was merciless.

Of course, had they really been sœurs, onee-sama's order would be absolute, so she would remain silent. But as that wasn't the case, Yumi felt Sachiko could have been a bit kinder.

"It seems you want to continue this conversation without Yumi-san, but I won't allow that."

Rosa Gigantea's eyes sparkled.

"Sachiko. You simply dragged a passer-by into this mess for the sole purpose of escaping from the job imposed on you, right?"

(Job imposed on her…?)

The moment Yumi tilted her neck to the side, a person sitting far away raised her hand and said "wait." That was Tsutako-san, who Yumi had forgotten existed.

"What is it, Takeshima Tsutako-san?"

"I am honoured that you know of me, Rosa Gigantea."

"Yumi-san notwithstanding, there is no student that knows not of you. You are notorious, after all."

I'm sorry I don't stand out – Yumi whispered, deep inside.

"I am grateful."

Tsutako-san continued after fixing the position of her glasses.

"I do not mind if you simply wish to consider me an outsider, but may I ask one thing, having been allowed to listen in on the conversation?"

"Of course?"

"I have no idea what is going on."

Why Sachiko-sama had to declare Yumi to be her sœur. What connection that has with this "imposed job." Tsutako-san seemed to be wanting to know.

"That is true, forgive us for not explaining."

Rosa Foetida nodded. Sachiko-sama urgently stood up.

"There is nothing to explain. I chose a sœur, that is all. The meeting is over."

"How selfish. If you wish to break up the meeting, you may return home by yourself. Of course, Yumi-san will stay here with us."

Sachiko-sama had no choice but to sit back down to Rosa Chinensis' words.

"To put it shortly, Sachiko decided to reject a job for the school festival she had previously accepted, today, after all this time."

"Because you changed your story."

Sachiko-sama complained, but Rosa Chinensis continued.

"The story did not change. Even if there was not enough information presented at the time, your own role remains unchanged."

"Umm, … what is Sachiko-sama's job?"

Now Yumi asked.

"Ahh, we were short on explaining once again. Actually, for this year's school festival we are planning to hold a play."

"The Yamayurikai staff will get together and perform."

It sounded extremely extravagant. Yumi wished greatly to be allowed to watch.

"Us three Roses, being part of the executive committee for the school festival, are busy every day. Of course, that means the boutons will have to be the central figures for the play."

Rosa Foetida added that they planned to borrow members from the dance club as extras.

"Dance club, what play are you expecting to perform?"

Tsutako-san eagerly asked, it seems her blood as a cameraman was beginning to catch fire.

"Cinderella. The dance ball scene."

Wow.

"And, and the lead role?"

Forgetting her situation entirely, Yumi also became excited. This one had her 'closet Sachiko-fan blood' catching fire.

"Of course, Sachiko."

Kyaaa.

Sachiko-sama, as Cinderella.

Then Rei must be the prince!? A splendid recital contest of two boutons.

It's beautiful just imagining. Too beautiful. It was getting into [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#Takaradzuka Takaradzuka] territory.

I have to secure a ticket, no matter what. I wonder if they hand out numbered tickets prior to the event, or something. It was something to look into before heading home.

Wait, hold on.

They did mention Sachiko-sama rejecting the job earlier. That means she wants to stop being the lead actress-.

"This year we intend to call upon a guest from Hanadera. Sachiko seems to object."

"Guest?"

"It's customary. As both schools neighbor each other on the same hill, Lillian and Hanadera Institute help each others' student councils during the school festivals. We helped out during their school festival last month, too."

It sounded like a neighborly relationship from the countryside. Funerals, weddings, fires, moving. No matter what, people are willing to take a break from work to help out, that sort of custom.

I had a culture shock when my grandfather died in Yamanashi, and his neighbor took a break from his bank, even though it was a busy time at the end of the term, to help take condolence calls. But to see the same thing carried out so close, and by high school students, at that.

"I have no objection to the inviting of a guest. But I see no reason why the Hanadera council leader has to be the prince."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

Ah, I see. Rei-sama is not the prince.

"Then what would you have him do? Cinderella? Will Sachiko do the prince, then?"

Yumi was probably not the only one who thought, 'that might be more interesting.'

"Why does it end up like that. I was just thinking, maybe back-stage work like carrying around props-."

"How could you even insinuate making a guest do menial labour? We were the judges for their main event. Even if it might have worked, they did not request us to pour tea. Although Sachiko might not have known this, having skipped out on the appointed day?"

"What I cannot stand is that we are changing role distribution now, two weeks before the school festival."

It was a verbal dispute between Sachiko-sama and Rosa Chinensis. A duel between sisters.

"And as I said, Hanadera's council leader was intended to be the prince from the start."

"That's a lie. Rei was saying the prince's lines all the way up to yesterday."

"I was told from the onset I was just a stand-in."

Rei-sama raised her hand to fan away the electric pot's vapours.

"See, look. Aside from Sachiko, everyone knew. If you are still in disbelief, you may speak to the handicrafts' club whom are working on the costumes. The princes' costume is being tailored to suit Hanadera's council leader."

"So you decided this while I was not in attendance."

Sachiko-sama grinded her teeth, frustrated at how her position was becoming disadvantageous.

"Oh, wake up, we have no need to call secret meetings. … Ah, however, come to think of it, Sachiko did skip out on a number of meetings. We might have decided upon this then. However, in that case you brought this upon yourself, did you not? You always fled when we had a meeting with Hanadera. This is what happens when you never deal with your dislike of men."

(Dislike of men?)

I got it! Yumi clapped her hands in her mind.

To combine everything so far, Sachiko-sama accepted the leading role for the play, as decreed by the Roses. Whether it was intended or whether it was an unfortunate communications miss, only Sachiko-sama missed out on the notice that Hanadera's council leader was to play the prince's part. Having found this out today, Sachiko-sama became as furious as the raging flames, and proclaimed that she was withdrawing from the leading role. The reason is, -well, because she hated men.

(But, hating men…)

She'd never thought about it, but Sachiko-sama and the description 'hating men' seemed to fit together perfectly. There were students in Yumi's class whom admitted to having arrhenphobia or simply hating men, and she did have the same sort of aura.

(I wonder if she dislikes her father, too…)

As she absent-mindedly had such thoughts, she felt as if she was being stared at, and when she looked up, she noticed Rosa Gigantea, jaw protruding and eyes narrowed, laughing at her.

"You're amusing."

"Huh?"

"You were going through life's many phases."

"Eh!?"

Yumi rushed to suppress her face. However, it was too late. She couldn't take back the 'life's many phases,' and a great wave of red attacked her face, like it was delivering a finishing blow.

"You have an unpredictable nature, you're pretty fun."

That.

Is almost definitely not praise. Even though my grade in Japanese is rather average, I can tell that much, Rosa Gigantea.

"Hmm. However, how does Sachiko-sama disapproving of the lead role tie into her making Yumi her little sister? The plate outside says 'in a meeting,' but does that mean you were discussing a role change?"

Tsutako-san continued her my-pace questioning. However, Rosa Foetida smiled bitterly and lowered her shoulders.

"Well it was meeting, in the beginning."

The staff members who packed into the Rose Mansion after school every day for school festival preparations. Presumably, they intended to discuss a number of problems that had arisen.

They began the meeting without waiting for Shimako-san, who was going to be late because of day duties. Plus, as she was just a bouton, her attendance was not mandatory.

To explain things a bit, the Yamayurikai is the student council, as it would be called in an ordinary school. The official staff members that would be called the "staff" were the three Roses, Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida. These three filled the student president, vice president, secretary and accounting roles, as per the management structure passed down through generations.

No one really knows when the student council roles became synonymous with the Roses. Whether the chicken or the egg came first. Anyways, when someone mentions the Yamayurikai staff, they mean the red, white and yellow Roses.

However, beginning with the student council, they are also the School Festival Executive Committee, they organize the seasonal events such as the Freshmen Welcome Party and the Graduate Farewell Party, and though not as gaudy also are the Budget Committee and hold general student meetings, and perform a vast number of other small duties, certainly too much for the three to handle alone. As such, you could almost call them apprentices, but the Roses have their sœurs lend their hands as assistants. As long as there is no stunning upset, the Yamayurikai management tends to be passed down in such a way, so that the little sisters of the Roses are called boutons. Everyone accepts them as Roses waiting to blossom.

"Most of the agenda was easy to make decisions on, so the meeting was going smoothly."

"Then Sachiko began complaining about the play appointment."

"When we teased her to silence her, she exploded. Sachiko carries herself well outside, so she's popular, but she has a rather violent temperament, so it is extremely difficult to keep a handle on her."

The Roses said plainly.

"Tease!? That was not mere teasing, you were driving a stake into my heart!"

Sachiko-sama was agitated by the reminder.

"You said I have no right to speak, as I cannot even find a petite sœur."

"I did say that, but that did not mean 'Regardless of who it is, get a petite sœur.' To grab the first first-year you see upon stepping outside, how hasty, how simplistic. You are not warashibechouja[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#warashibechouja] after all."

(… Warashibechouja.)

A bead of sweat appeared on Yumi's forehead.

(So that would make me a straw.)

Well, thanks to their explanations, I can see what's going on, but this is becoming ridiculous.

"Warashibechouja, that is splendid. If I remember correctly, it had a happy ending, did it not?"

Sachiko-sama, now you're making no sense.

"So you intended to simply hold onto Yumi-san until you found a better person? I cannot accept such a relationship. As your grand sœur even my dignity would be in tatters."

Rosa Chinensis sighed, disgusted. However, Sachiko immediately responded, staring straight at onee-sama.

"I will take care of Yumi forever. I will train her and turn her into a magnificent Rose. There is no problem then, correct?"

Even if that was prompted by the way the conversation was going, was it wise to say such big talk? It would just magnify her shame when she would have to take it back.

"Stop saying things as you think of them, Sachiko."

"Why do you claim I am simply thinking as I speak?"

"You just met Yumi-san just now. How could you make such a promise?"

Invisible fireworks kept scattering.

However, it was three versus one. Plus, the three were the strongest third-years among the Lillian Girls' Academy High School students.

"If I am not mistaken, you did not even know Yumi-san's name until just earlier?"

"That…"

Sachiko-sama's tone fell. As if seizing the opportunity, Rosa Gigantea spoke softly.

"Isn't that enough? That's enough stubbornness."

That's right, Yumi thought. It was better to admit defeat in a dignified manner. If she did not want to be Cinderella, there would surely be other ways to resolve the matter. Little sisters are not there to be impulsively bought. She should think harder and find a more suitable partner.

Of course

If Sachiko-sama were to choose another first-year, it would be a shock. Even if it was arbitrary, Yumi was happy Sachiko-sama announced her to be a sœur.

"Please wait."

Just then, Shimako-san stood up.

"I think Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san did not just meet."

Until then, she had faded into the background like she didn't exist. Like Rosa Foetida en bouton and her petite sœur, it might be that boutons are supposed not supposed to intrude unless needed. Sachiko-sama seemed to be the exception.

"And why do you think so?"

Rosa Gigantea asked her own sœur.

"Because Yumi-san came to visit Sachiko-sama."

"Eh? I thought Shimako brought them here?"

Rosa Chinensis shifted her eyes between Yumi, Tsutako-san and Shimako-san.

"It seems we did forget to ask why Yumi-san and Tsutako-san came here."

Apparently everyone simply assumed that Shimako-san had brought her personal friends, or had brought students volunteering to help with the school festival, or wanted to bring up a problem with a club or the gymnasium usage, or something of the sort. Of course, there was no helping this, as Sachiko-sama's hysteria and the collision and the sœur declaration had left everyone in a confused state.

"Is this true?"

Rosa Gigantea directly asked Yumi, not Sachiko-sama.

"… yes."

Wrangling out an almost inaudible voice, Yumi answered. Even though she had nothing to be faulted for, she disliked these situations. It felt like when her mother was asking for her reasons after a sibling fight as a child.

"I have proof, too."

Tsutako-san took the opportunity to cut in. She handed something to Rosa Chinensis.

(Ah, the photo from the morning…!)

She only got a glimpse, but there was no doubt it was the two-shot photo.

But still. The situation seemed to be settling down, but the two classmates, whatever they were thinking, complicated everything again.

"I see, so the two had already met before. Excuse my discourtesy."

The snapshot made its rounds, and finally fell before Yumi and Sachiko-sama. In this way, Sachiko-sama learnt of the existence of the photo.

Yumi lay in wait, curious as to how Sachiko-sama would react.

When Sachiko-sama took ahold of the photo, first she tilted her head to the side the slightest bit, then slowly began to look at Yumi.

She's contorting her forehead. But it wasn't a look of displeasure.

(This-, this puzzled look-.)

Sachiko-sama whispered so that no one else could hear.

"I wonder when this happened."

I knew it.

She had completely forgotten.

Even though it had occurred just that morning, the fact that she had already forgotten meant that Yumi was too bland to remember. Either that or, for Sachiko-sama, it was too trivial to bother remembering.

Either way, Yumi was disappointed. If her face wasn't remembered, then there was no need to fix her reputation.

However, with that knowledge, Sachiko-sama's actions were nothing short of bold. In her mind, she had taken a first-year she'd never met and declared her to be her sœur.

She has no right to be angry at being called warashibechouja.

"As you can see, Yumi and I, as shown in the photo, have already established an intimate relationship."

Wait a second.

Now armed with a prop, Sachiko-sama seemed to relinquish her hysteria and adopt a more logical attack.

What fast regeneration. The whisper of "I wonder when this happened" must have dried at the rate of a gas-based drying machine, such was the speed at which she recovered.

Sachiko-sama persisted.

"Plus, I feel you have no right to intrude on who I choose to be my sœur?"

It seemed she was fully intent on keeping to her lie about Yumi to the bitter end.

No, that's not the case. Sachiko-sama probably wants to convert it from a random declaration to reality. It was hard to say, but probably to get out of being Cinderella.

"Indeed. Even if you came up with it on the spot, to have qualms about you proactively choosing a petite sœur or intending to tear you two apart is not within our rights. You are first and foremost a student in this academy."

Even so, Yumi felt they had to say something. –Lest this goes in a bad direction.

Sachiko-sama was still Rosa Chinensis en bouton, and was destined to become Rosa Chinensis in half of a year. For her to call this normal, average student her sœur, even for a moment, was synonymous with creating an uproar. There was no need to even test this.

[[Image:MM_v01_02.jpg|thumb|''Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups.'']]
In that case, Tsutako-san is unique enough to be a better fit. Even so, why did I have to be the one to run into Sachiko-sama.

"Okay, I approve."

Eventually, Rosa Chinensis said that, and Sachiko-sama's expression brightened. With just that, the atmosphere in the world transformed into a glittering space. Right, just like the scene where Cinderella has magic cast upon her.

"However-."

Rosa Chinesis continued, smiling.

"This does not mean you do not have to be Cinderella. Just remember that."

"The promise!?"

Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups. Cinderella after the magic had worn off.

"Promise?"

Rosa Chinensis laughed scornfully.

"You made that up yourself, did you not? I clearly said that people without a little sister have no right to speak. Therefore, feel free to speak, from now on."

"Then please remove me from the role."

"No."

"Why."

"Hating men does not fall under 'a critical reason for which the change of roles is the only solution.' In your case, it is not like you have an allergic reaction from seeing men, or you feel like vomiting, or anything, correct? Just because you say 'I do not want to' does not mean the world will conform to your wishes. We call that self-centered. I am sure you, as the next Rosa Chinensis, are aware of that fact?"

With that, Rosa Chinensis, put her hand to her cheek and exaggerated despair.

"I am sure this comes back to my inadequacy at teaching. But I had no idea you would not understand such a basic thing."

What a pity. Sachiko-sama had no retort.

Perhaps in this way, the Roses become stronger from generation to generation. It felt like I had just experienced a dreadful dressing room scene.

"I am leaving."

Sachiko-sama abruptly stood up.

"Wait."

Rosa Chinensis remained sitting, looking up at the sœur whom she had just crushed.

"Let me confirm one thing. What is Yumi-san to Sachiko?"

"Eh?"

"Do you still feel as though Yumi-san is your sœur?"

Rosa Chinensis is probably asking whether, now that the role of Cinderella is unrelated, Sachiko still asserts Yumi as her sœur.

"Of course-."

- I retract what I said before. Of course Sachiko-sama would say that.

After all, making Yumi her sœur was a big act to extricate herself from being Cinderella. With that no longer possible, there was no reason for her to keep Yumi, whom she didn't know the face nor name of, as her little sister.

However.

"Of course, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama said something unexpected. Yumi sat up and apprehensively searched Sachiko-sama's face for clues.

She was hysteric until just recently, and she was confused, so maybe she messed up her use of Japanese. Surely she must have meant to say 'she is not my little sister.'

"Onee-sama, are you attempting to slight me? You make it sound as if I made Yumi my sœur for the purpose of using her."

Woah, woah, but wasn't that the case? However, because the opponent was Sachiko-sama, Yumi held back on her desire to interject.

Will someone please say something, in my stead?

"Splendid."

Rosa Chinensis nodded, satisfied.

"If you were to throw away Yumi-san now, I would have had to cut our sisterly ties."

Why do things have to become so outrageous?

There was no premonition of this when I woke up. When I stepped out of my house, when I walked through the school gates, nothing was different than usual.

Only, my sailor collar was bent. From something so trivial, I was sucked into such a big incident. I felt like a person in a vortex.

However, for someone stuck in a vortex, it kind of felt like I was in the outfield.

"Did you hand her your rosary?"

"Not yet. I would not mind performing the ceremony in front of everyone, if you so desire?"

"That sounds good."

Wait a second.

Is no one going to stop Sachiko-sama? At this rate, this average person is going to become the petite sœur of Rosa Chenensis en bouton. This isn't the time to be saying "that sounds good" while smiling and sipping cooled tea!

"What's wrong? She looks like she wants to say something."

Rosa Gigantea noticed Yumi's expression.

"I wonder if she has qualms about performing the ceremony here and now."

"Oh come now. Is there any student dissatisfied with receiving a rosary to become a formal sœur?"

Quipped Rosa Foetida, as matter-of-factly as if she were repeating an equation.

"But see, some people prefer to be alone."

"Well aren't you romantic."

That's not what I mean, that's not what I mean, but-. Yumi sat speechless, unable to find the timing to butt into the Roses' musings.

As for what Sachiko-sama was doing while Yumi stuttered, she had quickly reached into her breast pocket and retrieved her rosary.

(Are you serious!?)

Once you place that over an underclassman's neck, you can no longer take it back. It might seem over-the-top, but the sanctity of the give-and-receive of a rosary is like that of a marriage registration.

Or maybe I was the one being insane. This is all a dream. The typical pattern, where the alarm rings as the rosary is placed around my neck, waking me up.

(But do you feel pain while dreaming?)

When I hit my butt in the hallway, it actually hurt. I tested this by pinching my arm, and it did hurt.

"Stay still, Yumi."

Sachiko-sama orders. The rosary in her hand was on stand-by above Yumi's head, its lace opened wide for ease of placement.

If that hung around my neck, I would become the petite sœur of Sachiko-sama, whom I adored.

Botamochi[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#botamochi] from the shelf. A top from the gourd.

No, more like a horse. A spinning top from a gourd is no surprise. But if you plucked a horse out it would be like 'are you serious?'

Ahh, this isn't the time to be thinking about that. There is only one thing to think about.

Is this okay?

Is it okay to just become a sœur like this?

"Um, umm…"

"Wait."

Yumi and Shimako-san simultaneously shouted.

"Sachiko-sama and the other onee-samas, everyone forgot the most important thing."

"Important thing?"

"Yumi-san's feelings."

"Yumi-san's feelings?"

The Roses scoffed.

"Do you think she would refuse the rosary?"

"I will not presume. However, I feel it is proper to hear her feelings."

Shimako-san said this firmly. While you might not expect it from how she looks, when it comes to it, she stands up for her opinions. As expected from Rosa Gigantea en bouton. Even so, as a fellow first-year, it was an envious trait.

Anyways, the ceremony was halted, so I was thankful of Shimako-san.

"Indeed. Even if it is an offer from Rosa Chinensis en bouton, there are those like Shimako who say 'I'm sorry.'"

Rosa Chinensis lightly threw a ball to [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#check check] Shimako-san. It seems that rumour was true.

"However, Yumi-san is Sachiko-sama's devotee. Of course she wouldn't refuse?"

Tsutako-san spoke to Shimako-san, almost like idle chatter.

"I agree. She… Yumi-san, just by observing her I could tell she was a Sachiko fan almost immediately."

Rosa Gigantea nodded. I see, she saw all of my facial expressions because she was observing.

If that's the case, maybe Sachiko-sama likewise figured out in an instant, and that would explain why she had no hesitation in dragging Yumi into the mess.

And by her side, Sachiko-sama was rolling the rosary in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the outcome of the discussion. It seemed she was supremely confident that Yumi would not refuse the rosary.

"Still. There is that chance. Shall we ask, then?"

Rosa Chinensis turned to Yumi and asked.

"Sachiko wants to make you her sœur. Have you the intent of accepting?"

Asked so directly, Yumi lost her words.

Become Sachiko-sama's petite sœur was a fairy tale, like marrying a Hollywood Star. But because it was an unattainable dream, you could continue to dream, and enjoy it.

And now, a ticket for an express train to that dream was in her grasp.

It would be a lie not to say 'yes.'

But deep down, she thought, 'is that okay?'

Everyone stared at the silent Yumi. Then, Yumi solidified her resolve and spoke.

"I apologize. I cannot become Sachiko-sama's sœur."

Everyone began murmuring.

"Now it's getting interesting."

Rosa Gigantea irresponsibly laughed, Rosa Chinensis rolled her eyes, and Rosa Foetida was petrified with jaws agape.

"Do I, have the right, to ask why?"

Sachiko-sama trembled a bit.

"I was certainly a fan of Sachiko-sama, but."

"What, did you become afraid after seeing her true self?"

Rosa Chinensis cut in and asked Yumi.

"Not at all."

Although it was slightly different from her selfish image of Sachiko-sama, she was glad she could see the human side – her sulking and her being angry. Because of that, she felt she couldn't attribute it to disliking Sachiko-sama's personality.

"It's hard to explain, but. Because I'm a fan, doesn't mean I would do anything to become her little sister…"

"Hmm."

"Because as a fan, I do have a bit of pride."

"It's disgraceful to be expected to follow orders, tail wagging and all."

"Not quite, but…"

I thought it was hard formulating how I felt into words.

"Well, either way, Sachiko got rejected again."

"Poor Sachiko, two consecutive upset losses."

"The first-years this year are really something."

The Roses surrounded Sachiko-sama. Although rather than consoling, they seemed to be having fun.

"If you think I'm pitiful, will you do something about Cinderella?"

Sachiko-sama forced a smile.

"Oh dear, Sachiko, who hates being pitied, is starting to beg."

"How rare."

"You say to do something, but do you have anything in mind?"

Even though they know.

If you were to step back and look at the whole scene, you would see an interesting image. Sachiko-sama had turned into a toy for the Roses.

"Drop either me or the Hanadera council leader from the leading roles."

"Oh what are you saying, just because you were rejected by Yumi does not mean we have to feel that much pity for you."

Of course, that sort of logic wouldn't fly. However, I began to think it was a bit cruel to force her to dance with a man like this.

She was so averse to co-starring with a man that she tried to make Yumi her little sister.

"Ah, um."

Yumi suddenly shouted out.

"You were still here?"

Perhaps because she was still stung by the rejection, Sachiko-sama sounded bitter. Even though, as they stood next to each other, she clearly would have known had she left, how uncute.

"Um, would it be possible to tell the Hanadera council leader to step aside this time?"

"Are you trying to back up Sachiko now?"

Rosa Chinensis swayed her jaw-length hair happily.

"It's not about backing her."

Yumi surprised herself, noticing that she was opining to Rosa Chinensis.

For whatever reason, she felt different from usual.

"We sent a formal commission to the Hanadera council leader, so that is impossible."

"Then how about swapping Sachiko-sama's role, at the very least?"

"Swapping roles?"

"For example, swapping with Shimako-san's role. Shimako-san is just as pretty as Sachiko-sama. Plus she is also Rosa Gigantea en bouton."

Shimako-san, at having been singled out, shot a look of "how could you say that!" Yumi put her hands together and apologized, in her mind. Even though it was a supposition, maybe it was a bad idea.

"Shimako, a first-year, for the lead role?"

"I think first-year second-year is inconsequential."

"That is true."

I thought, just one more push. Rosa Chinensis stared up at the ceiling in thought.

"Since it was a communication mishap, it seemed like everyone was laying the blame solely on Sachiko-sama. But everyone also-"

And then a voice cut in.

"Silence!"

Sachiko-sama, standing next to me, suddenly shouted.

"If you say any more, I will not forgive you."

"Sachiko-sama…"

Rather than the usual hysteria, this was a more weighted tone.

"I understand you are saying this for my sake. However, please do not trouble the onee-samas over me."

Sachiko-sama laid a soft hand on Yumi's shoulder, then snapped right and lowered her head to the Roses.

"I apologize. I will scold her later."

The shoulder she was touching felt sad. Even though I'd tried to help Sachiko-sama, it might have been a complete whiff.

"True."

Rosa Gigantea mumbled.

"What Yumi-san tried to say is true. As Sachiko did just find out today, and the responsibility for that lies at least partly within us. How about we think about the role a bit more."

The other Roses immediately began countering. No matter the reason, the costume and posters were already ordered, and as it was almost time for the dress rehearsals, role re-distribution was too tough, seemed to be the strongest argument.

"However, forcing her to dance with a man is wrong, too. For Sachiko's sake, as well as ours."

"I see. People who coerce their juniors into doing things are not fit for leading the student council. Plus, 'Cinderella' is going to be our banner production."

"But it's hard changing roles now."

Rosa Gigantea happily cut into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's worries.

"Basically, we just need to make Sachiko willing to play Cinderella."

"Even though we cannot change the Prince?"

"Yup. And without changing the cast."

Rosa Gigantea explained.

"Lets have a bet."

"Bet?"

"Unsparingly forcing her to do Cinderella is unfair. So we'll give Sachiko a chance, and if she loses, she has to undergo the penalty."

I see.

However, what is bothersome is how she seems confident that Sachiko-sama would lose.

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's ears, already gaining their approval. It seemed like she was using Sachiko's numerical inferiority to her advantage.

"If I win?"

Sachiko-sama asked, unperturbed.

"I'll promise this time, once and for all, you can step out of Cinderella."

"I understand. I accept the bet."

"Sachiko-sama! You're accepting the bet even without asking what it is!?"

Even though it might have been meddlesome, even Yumi burst out out this.

"It hardly matters. It makes no difference if I lose."

Sachiko-sama's rather surprisingly a gambler. Even though she was fastidious, she didn't seem to disgust bets.

"Well, as per Yumi-san's request, I'll explain the rules of the bet."

Rosa Gigantea simply stated, suppressing a laugh.

"Whether Sachiko can make Yumi-san her sœur or not. Of course, Sachiko will be betting on 'yes.'"

"Eh!?"

The one that was surprised the most was, of course, Yumi.

(I thought I was done here!?)

"You were already refused once. Getting her to accept your rosary by the school festival is almost impossible. However, the moment it happens, you're immediately off the hook. In exchange, you will participate in dress rehearsals as normal until that time comes."

"I see. If I do not want to hold hands with Hanadera's council leader, I need to seduce Yumi as soon as possible, correct?"

"That's right. We will not interfere in any way. Winning or losing is entirely up to you. I think the terms are pretty fair, would you agree?"

"Sounds better than I expected."

Sachiko-sama already looked like she was confident of winning.

"Oh, and, one more thing."

Rosa Gigantea spun around to Yumi and spoke.

"No accepting the rosary simply to be useful to Sachiko. The moment you say okay and the Cinderella role becomes vacant, you're stepping in."

"Eh, why me?"

"What are you saying? When you accept the rosary, you become Sachiko's sœur. Of course it becomes your duty to fill the vacancy left by your onee-sama."

Are they insane?

"I, I, I can't replace Sachiko-sama! That, that's impossible!"

"No worries. You won't accept the rosary. As long as you stay true to that, Sachiko is guaranteed to lose."

And if it falls to Yumi, that would be amusing in itself, says Rosa Gigantea, a dreadful thing to suppose.

"Then, then rather than a bet between the Roses and Sachiko-sama, it becomes a match beween Sachiko-sama and I-."

"You can look at it that way. … Well, if you're going to regret anything, regret that you the Buddhist heart that made you think, even for an instant, of helping Sachiko."

Rosa Foetida's word choice of "Buddhist heart" felt out of place at Lillian Girls' Academy.

*********************

"Unbelievable."

Tsutako-san muttered, as they walked along the gingko tree roadside.

"Why didn't you just say 'ok'? If Yumi-san became her little sister, it would have been so easy to negotiate."

The autumn sun was falling quickly, and when Yumi was freed from the Rose Mansion, you could already call it twilight.

"Then Tsutako-san, you were worried more about the photo than me, during that whole time?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

The photography club ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san, I think.

"But it's getting interesting."

Tsutako-san said the same thing as Rosa Gigantea.

"Because it's someone else's business."

"I'm at ease because it's someone else. Ah, that's right, now it's Yumi-san's turn to finally collect land tax. It's disappointing that another precious sœur-less person leaves the world, but, well, if the opponent is Sachiko-sama, it's only a matter of time, I think? It would have been more amusing to designate a deadline date, in my opinion."

"Tsutako-san, you think Sachiko-sama is going to win?"

"Because Yumi-san seems so much less energetic about this."

"……"

To be honest, I was thinking the same thing. When attacked from head-on, I can't help but wonder if I would end up shaking my head vertically, crushed by sheer power.

"But. Cinderella is on the line, so I can't just lose."

When I raised my fist with resolve, Tsutako-san corrected, "That word choice makes you sound like you want to play it."

When we arrived at Maria-sama's statue, we stopped and put our hands together. This is customary. Heading to school and leaving from school, every day one time each. Actually, any time you passed by this statue, you always greet her.

(Maria-sama, today was a terrible day. If it's possible, please return me to my peaceful days as soon as you can.)

I opened my eyes and turned around, and then.

"Wait right there."

It was déjà vu. Just as in the morning, an icy voice that seems to have come from Maria-sama.

"Sachiko-sama…"

Whether she had come running, she was panting and standing roughly 10 meters behind Yumi.

"Remember this. I will absolutely become your sœur."

Even amidst the odorous fallen ginko nuts, the figure of Sachiko-sama standing straight and proclaiming the challenge was awesome.

"Gokigenyou. Do have a safe trip home."

Having said all she wanted, Sachiko-sama smiled and vanished off to the school buildings.

"She looked pretty cool."

Tsutako-san quipped, as we watched her off.

Even Yumi, that moment, felt her resolve teeter off its base.

==Translator's Notes and References==

===Takaradzuka===
* Is a famous theatrics group in Japan

===warashibechouja===
* Literally translated, 'the straw millionaire,' it's a fairy tale about a poor man who was down to some straw, and after he exchanged his straw, he continued to make exchanges until, in the end, he became extremely rich.

===botamochi===
* I don't think this is a standard Japanese phrase. She's saying "it's like pulling a snack out of a shelf, our a horse out of a gourd," essentially trying to say it came out of the blue. I decided to leave it in, for cultural reference sake.

===check===
* This is a baseball reference. Pitchers often throw balls back to their bases in order to, bluntly, try to tag out runners. This is called 'checking the runner,' and is in reality a way to keep fast runners honest, by ensuring that they don't get too greedy by stepping far away from the base. In this case, Rosa Chinensis was throwing a light jab to Shimako-san, as despite their being on relatively friend terms, the latter DID reject her sister.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 5

2008-05-09T11:36:53Z

Epicnoses: /* botamochi */ SP

==5.==

"Please."

A white cup was filled about seven tenths to the brim with a red, steaming liquid and placed in front of me.

This is a liquid called 'black tea.'

"Would you like sugar or milk?"

A relatively short, pony-tailed girl offered a stick-shaped item from the basket. This girl was, if I remember correctly, also a first-year. I forget her class and surname, but she was the petite sœur for Hasekura Rei-sama, the Rosa Foetida en bouton, and I think her name was Yoshino-san.

"No, thank you."

I thought in a daze after refusing. Umm, what was milk again?

Ahh, I'm so confused.

The one who was the most surprised by Sachiko-sama's declaration was none other than Yumi herself. She was frozen in place, even oblivious to the uproar around her. How many times must Sachiko-sama petrify her in one day?

Let's settle down and talk about it. Is what happened, and thus everyone moved into the room, past the door with the "meeting" plate.

Sachiko-sama, who'd made the selfish declaration in the first place, left behind her sœur, Yumi, even if the declaration was a temporary loss of mind, and angrily shouldered her way into the room. Prepared for battle, would be the most suitable way to describe her state.

"… War, with Sachiko-sama."

In reality, if you went by image, the two of them probably were more suited to being in completely separate positions.

"Oh dear, what a helpless onee-sama, leaving her little sister behind."

When Rosa Gigantea embraced Yumi by the shoulders and walked into the room, Sachiko-sama seemed to have realized her clumsiness and so she stood up, pulled out the seat next to her, and beckoned, "sit here."

Then, when everyone sat down, black tea was distributed. And that was where we were.

This room had an atmosphere unlike any other school facility. Just like the stairs and the hallway, the floor and walls were of worn, wooden boarding. Aside from the one adjacent to the hallway, the other three walls each had a wooden-framed bay window, and the clean cotton curtains for each were opened and fastened with a thin ribbon. The size was about half that of a classroom, and there was an arrangement of flowers on the elliptical table in the middle of the room that could probably seat up to eight people. Rather than a student council headquarter, it felt more like an old, western-style dining room.

Of course, the three Roses were seated at the table, as were Sachiko-sama, Yumi, Shimako-san, and Tsutako-san, who was treated as a guest. Rei-sama and Yoshino-san pulled chairs over from around the washstand by the wall.

The electric pot was making a bubbling sound, having had fresh water recently added. I had never even imagined students elegantly sitting and drinking black tea after school in a school building. At some point, even cookies were placed on top of spread tissues.

I had no idea you were treated this well when you became a Yamayurikai staff member.

"Let me start off by saying, please do not misunderstand, we put in a lot of personal effort into keeping this a pleasant space to be."

As if reading Yumi's mind, Sachiko-sama, sitting right next to her, whispered. The Yamayurikai budget was not used for tea, she seemed to be want to say. Each member brought in tea themselves, and cookies tended to be donations from classes that had cooking class.

"If you prefer, we have coffee and cocoa. They are, however, instant, so their taste is not top-notch."

Rosa Chinensis smiled.

"So come and play any time you wish. As you are Sachiko's sœur, you are a valuable friend."

Lowing my guard and then nonchalantly firing off the main question. The Roses certainly were not a normal kind of people.

(That, that's right, the crucial matter was still left unanswered.)

Sachiko-sama's bombshell of a statement had left everyone staring at each other.

While certainly not having forgotten, Yumi honestly wished she could simply forget. She could not think of a reason. In fact, having ended up as a victim of an accident, she could not grasp why she was being made to sit in such a seat. It felt more like she was being summoned as a witness for a trial or a parliament.

"Oh, Rosa Chinensis, so you accept Sachiko's assertion?"

"But Rosa Foetida, if Sachiko has made the decision, we are not in the right to pursue the matter, am I wrong? Rosa Gigantea, do you have an opinion?"

"I think whether we accept it or not should be left for later. At the very least, not while one of the protagonists is looking like her eyes my pop out in surprise."

Immediately, everyone looked at Yumi.

(Pr, protagonist, does that mean me-!?)

"Poor thing, she's struggling to grasp the circumstances."

The Roses giggled. Yumi began thinking they were simply having fun at her expense.

(Of course, that has to be the case. It must.)

She could not think this gorgeous membership would have taken that earlier joke seriously. To begin with, regardless of what condition Sachiko-sama was in, there was too much impossibility in her making Yumi her little sister.

(Wait, wait.)

Maybe it's all a joke that Sachiko-sama is a part of. Of course, that must be it. Then it all makes sense. "We apologize, our joke might have gone too far." –if they were to say that now, I could laugh, return, "I knew it was weird," and squeeze out of this in one piece.

However.

"No matter what anyone says, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama still refused to bend with her statement. What could she be thinking?

"Personally, I would like to ask Yumi-san too, not just Sachiko."

"M, me…!?"

Yumi flinched at the sudden shift of focus. As had been evident, Yumi had not been able to grasp the circumstances. It would be easy to say "I don't know," but she could surmise from the atmosphere that such a statement would simply corner Sachiko-sama into a further predicament.

"Umm-."

If possible, she wanted to be an ally for Sachiko-sama. However, how could you fight when you didn't know who was an ally and who was an enemy? She wished Sun Tzu could teach her the art of war right there.

"If I say so, it must be so, am I wrong? There is no need to confirm with Yumi."

She stands firm. Sachiko-sama looks unwilling to crumble her firm stance.

"Ah, umm…"

"Just be silent for the time being."

Zap! Even to her ally, Yumi, she was merciless.

Of course, had they really been sœurs, onee-sama's order would be absolute, so she would remain silent. But as that wasn't the case, Yumi felt Sachiko could have been a bit kinder.

"It seems you want to continue this conversation without Yumi-san, but I won't allow that."

Rosa Gigantea's eyes sparkled.

"Sachiko. You simply dragged a passer-by into this mess for the sole purpose of escaping from the job imposed on you, right?"

(Job imposed on her…?)

The moment Yumi tilted her neck to the side, a person sitting far away raised her hand and said "wait." That was Tsutako-san, who Yumi had forgotten existed.

"What is it, Takeshima Tsutako-san?"

"I am honoured that you know of me, Rosa Gigantea."

"Yumi-san notwithstanding, there is no student that knows not of you. You are notorious, after all."

I'm sorry I don't stand out – Yumi whispered, deep inside.

"I am grateful."

Tsutako-san continued after fixing the position of her glasses.

"I do not mind if you simply wish to consider me an outsider, but may I ask one thing, having been allowed to listen in on the conversation?"

"Of course?"

"I have no idea what is going on."

Why Sachiko-sama had to declare Yumi to be her sœur. What connection that has with this "imposed job." Tsutako-san seemed to be wanting to know.

"That is true, forgive us for not explaining."

Rosa Foetida nodded. Sachiko-sama urgently stood up.

"There is nothing to explain. I chose a sœur, that is all. The meeting is over."

"How selfish. If you wish to break up the meeting, you may return home by yourself. Of course, Yumi-san will stay here with us."

Sachiko-sama had no choice but to sit back down to Rosa Chinensis' words.

"To put it shortly, Sachiko decided to reject a job for the school festival she had previously accepted, today, after all this time."

"Because you changed your story."

Sachiko-sama complained, but Rosa Chinensis continued.

"The story did not change. Even if there was not enough information presented at the time, your own role remains unchanged."

"Umm, … what is Sachiko-sama's job?"

Now Yumi asked.

"Ahh, we were short on explaining once again. Actually, for this year's school festival we are planning to hold a play."

"The Yamayurikai staff will get together and perform."

It sounded extremely extravagant. Yumi wished greatly to be allowed to watch.

"Us three Roses, being part of the executive committee for the school festival, are busy every day. Of course, that means the boutons will have to be the central figures for the play."

Rosa Foetida added that they planned to borrow members from the dance club as extras.

"Dance club, what play are you expecting to perform?"

Tsutako-san eagerly asked, it seems her blood as a cameraman was beginning to catch fire.

"Cinderella. The dance ball scene."

Wow.

"And, and the lead role?"

Forgetting her situation entirely, Yumi also became excited. This one had her 'closet Sachiko-fan blood' catching fire.

"Of course, Sachiko."

Kyaaa.

Sachiko-sama, as Cinderella.

Then Rei must be the prince!? A splendid recital contest of two boutons.

It's beautiful just imagining. Too beautiful. It was getting into [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#Takaradzuka Takaradzuka] territory.

I have to secure a ticket, no matter what. I wonder if they hand out numbered tickets prior to the event, or something. It was something to look into before heading home.

Wait, hold on.

They did mention Sachiko-sama rejecting the job earlier. That means she wants to stop being the lead actress-.

"This year we intend to call upon a guest from Hanadera. Sachiko seems to object."

"Guest?"

"It's customary. As both schools neighbor each other on the same hill, Lillian and Hanadera Institute help each others' student councils during the school festivals. We helped out during their school festival last month, too."

It sounded like a neighborly relationship from the countryside. Funerals, weddings, fires, moving. No matter what, people are willing to take a break from work to help out, that sort of custom.

I had a culture shock when my grandfather died in Yamanashi, and his neighbor took a break from his bank, even though it was a busy time at the end of the term, to help take condolence calls. But to see the same thing carried out so close, and by high school students, at that.

"I have no objection to the inviting of a guest. But I see no reason why the Hanadera council leader has to be the prince."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

Ah, I see. Rei-sama is not the prince.

"Then what would you have him do? Cinderella? Will Sachiko do the prince, then?"

Yumi was probably not the only one who thought, 'that might be more interesting.'

"Why does it end up like that. I was just thinking, maybe back-stage work like carrying around props-."

"How could you even insinuate making a guest do menial labour? We were the judges for their main event. Even if it might have worked, they did not request us to pour tea. Although Sachiko might not have known this, having skipped out on the appointed day?"

"What I cannot stand is that we are changing role distribution now, two weeks before the school festival."

It was a verbal dispute between Sachiko-sama and Rosa Chinensis. A duel between sisters.

"And as I said, Hanadera's council leader was intended to be the prince from the start."

"That's a lie. Rei was saying the prince's lines all the way up to yesterday."

"I was told from the onset I was just a stand-in."

Rei-sama raised her hand to fan away the electric pot's vapours.

"See, look. Aside from Sachiko, everyone knew. If you are still in disbelief, you may speak to the handicrafts' club whom are working on the costumes. The princes' costume is being tailored to suit Hanadera's council leader."

"So you decided this while I was not in attendance."

Sachiko-sama grinded her teeth, frustrated at how her position was becoming disadvantageous.

"Oh, wake up, we have no need to call secret meetings. … Ah, however, come to think of it, Sachiko did skip out on a number of meetings. We might have decided upon this then. However, in that case you brought this upon yourself, did you not? You always fled when we had a meeting with Hanadera. This is what happens when you never deal with your dislike of men."

(Dislike of men?)

I got it! Yumi clapped her hands in her mind.

To combine everything so far, Sachiko-sama accepted the leading role for the play, as decreed by the Roses. Whether it was intended or whether it was an unfortunate communications miss, only Sachiko-sama missed out on the notice that Hanadera's council leader was to play the prince's part. Having found this out today, Sachiko-sama became as furious as the raging flames, and proclaimed that she was withdrawing from the leading role. The reason is, -well, because she hated men.

(But, hating men…)

She'd never thought about it, but Sachiko-sama and the description 'hating men' seemed to fit together perfectly. There were students in Yumi's class whom admitted to having arrhenphobia or simply hating men, and she did have the same sort of aura.

(I wonder if she dislikes her father, too…)

As she absent-mindedly had such thoughts, she felt as if she was being stared at, and when she looked up, she noticed Rosa Gigantea, jaw protruding and eyes narrowed, laughing at her.

"You're amusing."

"Huh?"

"You were going through life's many phases."

"Eh!?"

Yumi rushed to suppress her face. However, it was too late. She couldn't take back the 'life's many phases,' and a great wave of red attacked her face, like it was delivering a finishing blow.

"You have an unpredictable nature, you're pretty fun."

That.

Is almost definitely not praise. Even though my grade in Japanese is rather average, I can tell that much, Rosa Gigantea.

"Hmm. However, how does Sachiko-sama disapproving of the lead role tie into her making Yumi her little sister? The plate outside says 'in a meeting,' but does that mean you were discussing a role change?"

Tsutako-san continued her my-pace questioning. However, Rosa Foetida smiled bitterly and lowered her shoulders.

"Well it was meeting, in the beginning."

The staff members who packed into the Rose Mansion after school every day for school festival preparations. Presumably, they intended to discuss a number of problems that had arisen.

They began the meeting without waiting for Shimako-san, who was going to be late because of day duties. Plus, as she was just a bouton, her attendance was not mandatory.

To explain things a bit, the Yamayurikai is the student council, as it would be called in an ordinary school. The official staff members that would be called the "staff" were the three Roses, Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida. These three filled the student president, vice president, secretary and accounting roles, as per the management structure passed down through generations.

No one really knows when the student council roles became synonymous with the Roses. Whether the chicken or the egg came first. Anyways, when someone mentions the Yamayurikai staff, they mean the red, white and yellow Roses.

However, beginning with the student council, they are also the School Festival Executive Committee, they organize the seasonal events such as the Freshmen Welcome Party and the Graduate Farewell Party, and though not as gaudy also are the Budget Committee and hold general student meetings, and perform a vast number of other small duties, certainly too much for the three to handle alone. As such, you could almost call them apprentices, but the Roses have their sœurs lend their hands as assistants. As long as there is no stunning upset, the Yamayurikai management tends to be passed down in such a way, so that the little sisters of the Roses are called boutons. Everyone accepts them as Roses waiting to blossom.

"Most of the agenda was easy to make decisions on, so the meeting was going smoothly."

"Then Sachiko began complaining about the play appointment."

"When we teased her to silence her, she exploded. Sachiko carries herself well outside, so she's popular, but she has a rather violent temperament, so it is extremely difficult to keep a handle on her."

The Roses said plainly.

"Tease!? That was not mere teasing, you were driving a stake into my heart!"

Sachiko-sama was agitated by the reminder.

"You said I have no right to speak, as I cannot even find a petite sœur."

"I did say that, but that did not mean 'Regardless of who it is, get a petite sœur.' To grab the first first-year you see upon stepping outside, how hasty, how simplistic. You are not warashibechouja[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#warashibechouja] after all."

(… Warashibechouja.)

A bead of sweat appeared on Yumi's forehead.

(So that would make me a straw.)

Well, thanks to their explanations, I can see what's going on, but this is becoming ridiculous.

"Warashibechouja, that is splendid. If I remember correctly, it had a happy ending, did it not?"

Sachiko-sama, now you're making no sense.

"So you intended to simply hold onto Yumi-san until you found a better person? I cannot accept such a relationship. As your grand sœur even my dignity would be in tatters."

Rosa Chinensis sighed, disgusted. However, Sachiko immediately responded, staring straight at onee-sama.

"I will take care of Yumi forever. I will train her and turn her into a magnificent Rose. There is no problem then, correct?"

Even if that was prompted by the way the conversation was going, was it wise to say such big talk? It would just magnify her shame when she would have to take it back.

"Stop saying things as you think of them, Sachiko."

"Why do you claim I am simply thinking as I speak?"

"You just met Yumi-san just now. How could you make such a promise?"

Invisible fireworks kept scattering.

However, it was three versus one. Plus, the three were the strongest third-years among the Lillian Girls' Academy High School students.

"If I am not mistaken, you did not even know Yumi-san's name until just earlier?"

"That…"

Sachiko-sama's tone fell. As if seizing the opportunity, Rosa Gigantea spoke softly.

"Isn't that enough? That's enough stubbornness."

That's right, Yumi thought. It was better to admit defeat in a dignified manner. If she did not want to be Cinderella, there would surely be other ways to resolve the matter. Little sisters are not there to be impulsively bought. She should think harder and find a more suitable partner.

Of course

If Sachiko-sama were to choose another first-year, it would be a shock. Even if it was arbitrary, Yumi was happy Sachiko-sama announced her to be a sœur.

"Please wait."

Just then, Shimako-san stood up.

"I think Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san did not just meet."

Until then, she had faded into the background like she didn't exist. Like Rosa Foetida en bouton and her petite sœur, it might be that boutons are supposed not supposed to intrude unless needed. Sachiko-sama seemed to be the exception.

"And why do you think so?"

Rosa Gigantea asked her own sœur.

"Because Yumi-san came to visit Sachiko-sama."

"Eh? I thought Shimako brought them here?"

Rosa Chinensis shifted her eyes between Yumi, Tsutako-san and Shimako-san.

"It seems we did forget to ask why Yumi-san and Tsutako-san came here."

Apparently everyone simply assumed that Shimako-san had brought her personal friends, or had brought students volunteering to help with the school festival, or wanted to bring up a problem with a club or the gymnasium usage, or something of the sort. Of course, there was no helping this, as Sachiko-sama's hysteria and the collision and the sœur declaration had left everyone in a confused state.

"Is this true?"

Rosa Gigantea directly asked Yumi, not Sachiko-sama.

"… yes."

Wrangling out an almost inaudible voice, Yumi answered. Even though she had nothing to be faulted for, she disliked these situations. It felt like when her mother was asking for her reasons after a sibling fight as a child.

"I have proof, too."

Tsutako-san took the opportunity to cut in. She handed something to Rosa Chinensis.

(Ah, the photo from the morning…!)

She only got a glimpse, but there was no doubt it was the two-shot photo.

But still. The situation seemed to be settling down, but the two classmates, whatever they were thinking, complicated everything again.

"I see, so the two had already met before. Excuse my discourtesy."

The snapshot made its rounds, and finally fell before Yumi and Sachiko-sama. In this way, Sachiko-sama learnt of the existence of the photo.

Yumi lay in wait, curious as to how Sachiko-sama would react.

When Sachiko-sama took ahold of the photo, first she tilted her head to the side the slightest bit, then slowly began to look at Yumi.

She's contorting her forehead. But it wasn't a look of displeasure.

(This-, this puzzled look-.)

Sachiko-sama whispered so that no one else could hear.

"I wonder when this happened."

I knew it.

She had completely forgotten.

Even though it had occurred just that morning, the fact that she had already forgotten meant that Yumi was too bland to remember. Either that or, for Sachiko-sama, it was too trivial to bother remembering.

Either way, Yumi was disappointed. If her face wasn't remembered, then there was no need to fix her reputation.

However, with that knowledge, Sachiko-sama's actions were nothing short of bold. In her mind, she had taken a first-year she'd never met and declared her to be her sœur.

She has no right to be angry at being called warashibechouja.

"As you can see, Yumi and I, as shown in the photo, have already established an intimate relationship."

Wait a second.

Now armed with a prop, Sachiko-sama seemed to relinquish her hysteria and adopt a more logical attack.

What fast regeneration. The whisper of "I wonder when this happened" must have dried at the rate of a gas-based drying machine, such was the speed at which she recovered.

Sachiko-sama persisted.

"Plus, I feel you have no right to intrude on who I choose to be my sœur?"

It seemed she was fully intent on keeping to her lie about Yumi to the bitter end.

No, that's not the case. Sachiko-sama probably wants to convert it from a random declaration to reality. It was hard to say, but probably to get out of being Cinderella.

"Indeed. Even if you came up with it on the spot, to have qualms about you proactively choosing a petite sœur or intending to tear you two apart is not within our rights. You are first and foremost a student in this academy."

Even so, Yumi felt they had to say something. –Lest this goes in a bad direction.

Sachiko-sama was still Rosa Chinensis en bouton, and was destined to become Rosa Chinensis in half of a year. For her to call this normal, average student her sœur, even for a moment, was synonymous with creating an uproar. There was no need to even test this.

[[Image:MM_v01_02.jpg|thumb|''Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups.'']]
In that case, Tsutako-san is unique enough to be a better fit. Even so, why did I have to be the one to run into Sachiko-sama.

"Okay, I approve."

Eventually, Rosa Chinensis said that, and Sachiko-sama's expression brightened. With just that, the atmosphere in the world transformed into a glittering space. Right, just like the scene where Cinderella has magic cast upon her.

"However-."

Rosa Chinesis continued, smiling.

"This does not mean you do not have to be Cinderella. Just remember that."

"The promise!?"

Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups. Cinderella after the magic had worn off.

"Promise?"

Rosa Chinensis laughed scornfully.

"You made that up yourself, did you not? I clearly said that people without a little sister have no right to speak. Therefore, feel free to speak, from now on."

"Then please remove me from the role."

"No."

"Why."

"Hating men does not fall under 'a critical reason for which the change of roles is the only solution.' In your case, it is not like you have an allergic reaction from seeing men, or you feel like vomiting, or anything, correct? Just because you say 'I do not want to' does not mean the world will conform to your wishes. We call that self-centered. I am sure you, as the next Rosa Chinensis, are aware of that fact?"

With that, Rosa Chinensis, put her hand to her cheek and exaggerated despair.

"I am sure this comes back to my inadequacy at teaching. But I had no idea you would not understand such a basic thing."

What a pity. Sachiko-sama had no retort.

Perhaps in this way, the Roses become stronger from generation to generation. It felt like I had just experienced a dreadful dressing room scene.

"I am leaving."

Sachiko-sama abruptly stood up.

"Wait."

Rosa Chinensis remained sitting, looking up at the sœur whom she had just crushed.

"Let me confirm one thing. What is Yumi-san to Sachiko?"

"Eh?"

"Do you still feel as though Yumi-san is your sœur?"

Rosa Chinensis is probably asking whether, now that the role of Cinderella is unrelated, Sachiko still asserts Yumi as her sœur.

"Of course-."

- I retract what I said before. Of course Sachiko-sama would say that.

After all, making Yumi her sœur was a big act to extricate herself from being Cinderella. With that no longer possible, there was no reason for her to keep Yumi, whom she didn't know the face nor name of, as her little sister.

However.

"Of course, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama said something unexpected. Yumi sat up and apprehensively searched Sachiko-sama's face for clues.

She was hysteric until just recently, and she was confused, so maybe she messed up her use of Japanese. Surely she must have meant to say 'she is not my little sister.'

"Onee-sama, are you attempting to slight me? You make it sound as if I made Yumi my sœur for the purpose of using her."

Woah, woah, but wasn't that the case? However, because the opponent was Sachiko-sama, Yumi held back on her desire to interject.

Will someone please say something, in my stead?

"Splendid."

Rosa Chinensis nodded, satisfied.

"If you were to throw away Yumi-san now, I would have had to cut our sisterly ties."

Why do things have to become so outrageous?

There was no premonition of this when I woke up. When I stepped out of my house, when I walked through the school gates, nothing was different than usual.

Only, my sailor collar was bent. From something so trivial, I was sucked into such a big incident. I felt like a person in a vortex.

However, for someone stuck in a vortex, it kind of felt like I was in the outfield.

"Did you hand her your rosary?"

"Not yet. I would not mind performing the ceremony in front of everyone, if you so desire?"

"That sounds good."

Wait a second.

Is no one going to stop Sachiko-sama? At this rate, this average person is going to become the petite sœur of Rosa Chenensis en bouton. This isn't the time to be saying "that sounds good" while smiling and sipping cooled tea!

"What's wrong? She looks like she wants to say something."

Rosa Gigantea noticed Yumi's expression.

"I wonder if she has qualms about performing the ceremony here and now."

"Oh come now. Is there any student dissatisfied with receiving a rosary to become a formal sœur?"

Quipped Rosa Foetida, as matter-of-factly as if she were repeating an equation.

"But see, some people prefer to be alone."

"Well aren't you romantic."

That's not what I mean, that's not what I mean, but-. Yumi sat speechless, unable to find the timing to butt into the Roses' musings.

As for what Sachiko-sama was doing while Yumi stuttered, she had quickly reached into her breast pocket and retrieved her rosary.

(Are you serious!?)

Once you place that over an underclassman's neck, you can no longer take it back. It might seem over-the-top, but the sanctity of the give-and-receive of a rosary is like that of a marriage registration.

Or maybe I was the one being insane. This is all a dream. The typical pattern, where the alarm rings as the rosary is placed around my neck, waking me up.

(But do you feel pain while dreaming?)

When I hit my butt in the hallway, it actually hurt. I tested this by pinching my arm, and it did hurt.

"Stay still, Yumi."

Sachiko-sama orders. The rosary in her hand was on stand-by above Yumi's head, its lace opened wide for ease of placement.

If that hung around my neck, I would become the petite sœur of Sachiko-sama, whom I adored.

Botamochi[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#botamochi] from the shelf. A top from the gourd.

No, more like a horse. A spinning top from a gourd is no surprise. But if you plucked a horse out it would be like 'are you serious?'

Ahh, this isn't the time to be thinking about that. There is only one thing to think about.

Is this okay?

Is it okay to just become a sœur like this?

"Um, umm…"

"Wait."

Yumi and Shimako-san simultaneously shouted.

"Sachiko-sama and the other onee-samas, everyone forgot the most important thing."

"Important thing?"

"Yumi-san's feelings."

"Yumi-san's feelings?"

The Roses scoffed.

"Do you think she would refuse the rosary?"

"I will not presume. However, I feel it is proper to hear her feelings."

Shimako-san said this firmly. While you might not expect it from how she looks, when it comes to it, she stands up for her opinions. As expected from Rosa Gigantea en bouton. Even so, as a fellow first-year, it was an envious trait.

Anyways, the ceremony was halted, so I was thankful of Shimako-san.

"Indeed. Even if it is an offer from Rosa Chinensis en bouton, there are those like Shimako who say 'I'm sorry.'"

Rosa Chinensis lightly threw a ball to [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#check check] Shimako-san. It seems that rumour was true.

"However, Yumi-san is Sachiko-sama's devotee. Of course she wouldn't refuse?"

Tsutako-san spoke to Shimako-san, almost like idle chatter.

"I agree. She… Yumi-san, just by observing her I could tell she was a Sachiko fan almost immediately."

Rosa Gigantea nodded. I see, she saw all of my facial expressions because she was observing.

If that's the case, maybe Sachiko-sama likewise figured out in an instant, and that would explain why she had no hesitation in dragging Yumi into the mess.

And by her side, Sachiko-sama was rolling the rosary in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the outcome of the discussion. It seemed she was supremely confident that Yumi would not refuse the rosary.

"Still. There is that chance. Shall we ask, then?"

Rosa Chinensis turned to Yumi and asked.

"Sachiko wants to make you her sœur. Have you the intent of accepting?"

Asked so directly, Yumi lost her words.

Become Sachiko-sama's petite sœur was a fairy tale, like marrying a Hollywood Star. But because it was an unattainable dream, you could continue to dream, and enjoy it.

And now, a ticket for an express train to that dream was in her grasp.

It would be a lie not to say 'yes.'

But deep down, she thought, 'is that okay?'

Everyone stared at the silent Yumi. Then, Yumi solidified her resolve and spoke.

"I apologize. I cannot become Sachiko-sama's sœur."

Everyone began murmuring.

"Now it's getting interesting."

Rosa Gigantea irresponsibly laughed, Rosa Chinensis rolled her eyes, and Rosa Foetida was petrified with jaws agape.

"Do I, have the right, to ask why?"

Sachiko-sama trembled a bit.

"I was certainly a fan of Sachiko-sama, but."

"What, did you become afraid after seeing her true self?"

Rosa Chinensis cut in and asked Yumi.

"Not at all."

Although it was slightly different from her selfish image of Sachiko-sama, she was glad she could see the human side – her sulking and her being angry. Because of that, she felt she couldn't attribute it to disliking Sachiko-sama's personality.

"It's hard to explain, but. Because I'm a fan, doesn't mean I would do anything to become her little sister…"

"Hmm."

"Because as a fan, I do have a bit of pride."

"It's disgraceful to be expected to follow orders, tail wagging and all."

"Not quite, but…"

I thought it was hard formulating how I felt into words.

"Well, either way, Sachiko got rejected again."

"Poor Sachiko, two consecutive upset losses."

"The first-years this year are really something."

The Roses surrounded Sachiko-sama. Although rather than consoling, they seemed to be having fun.

"If you think I'm pitiful, will you do something about Cinderella?"

Sachiko-sama forced a smile.

"Oh dear, Sachiko, who hates being pitied, is starting to beg."

"How rare."

"You say to do something, but do you have anything in mind?"

Even though they know.

If you were to step back and look at the whole scene, you would see an interesting image. Sachiko-sama had turned into a toy for the Roses.

"Drop either me or the Hanadera council leader from the leading roles."

"Oh what are you saying, just because you were rejected by Yumi does not mean we have to feel that much pity for you."

Of course, that sort of logic wouldn't fly. However, I began to think it was a bit cruel to force her to dance with a man like this.

She was so averse to co-starring with a man that she tried to make Yumi her little sister.

"Ah, um."

Yumi suddenly shouted out.

"You were still here?"

Perhaps because she was still stung by the rejection, Sachiko-sama sounded bitter. Even though, as they stood next to each other, she clearly would have known had she left, how uncute.

"Um, would it be possible to tell the Hanadera council leader to step aside this time?"

"Are you trying to back up Sachiko now?"

Rosa Chinensis swayed her jaw-length hair happily.

"It's not about backing her."

Yumi surprised herself, noticing that she was opining to Rosa Chinensis.

For whatever reason, she felt different from usual.

"We sent a formal commission to the Hanadera council leader, so that is impossible."

"Then how about swapping Sachiko-sama's role, at the very least?"

"Swapping roles?"

"For example, swapping with Shimako-san's role. Shimako-san is just as pretty as Sachiko-sama. Plus she is also Rosa Gigantea en bouton."

Shimako-san, at having been singled out, shot a look of "how could you say that!" Yumi put her hands together and apologized, in her mind. Even though it was a supposition, maybe it was a bad idea.

"Shimako, a first-year, for the lead role?"

"I think first-year second-year is inconsequential."

"That is true."

I thought, just one more push. Rosa Chinensis stared up at the ceiling in thought.

"Since it was a communication mishap, it seemed like everyone was laying the blame solely on Sachiko-sama. But everyone also-"

And then a voice cut in.

"Silence!"

Sachiko-sama, standing next to me, suddenly shouted.

"If you say any more, I will not forgive you."

"Sachiko-sama…"

Rather than the usual hysteria, this was a more weighted tone.

"I understand you are saying this for my sake. However, please do not trouble the onee-samas over me."

Sachiko-sama laid a soft hand on Yumi's shoulder, then snapped right and lowered her head to the Roses.

"I apologize. I will scold her later."

The shoulder she was touching felt sad. Even though I'd tried to help Sachiko-sama, it might have been a complete whiff.

"True."

Rosa Gigantea mumbled.

"What Yumi-san tried to say is true. As Sachiko did just find out today, and the responsibility for that lies at least partly within us. How about we think about the role a bit more."

The other Roses immediately began countering. No matter the reason, the costume and posters were already ordered, and as it was almost time for the dress rehearsals, role re-distribution was too tough, seemed to be the strongest argument.

"However, forcing her to dance with a man is wrong, too. For Sachiko's sake, as well as ours."

"I see. People who coerce their juniors into doing things are not fit for leading the student council. Plus, 'Cinderella' is going to be our banner production."

"But it's hard changing roles now."

Rosa Gigantea happily cut into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's worries.

"Basically, we just need to make Sachiko willing to play Cinderella."

"Even though we cannot change the Prince?"

"Yup. And without changing the cast."

Rosa Gigantea explained.

"Lets have a bet."

"Bet?"

"Unsparingly forcing her to do Cinderella is unfair. So we'll give Sachiko a chance, and if she loses, she has to undergo the penalty."

I see.

However, what is bothersome is how she seems confident that Sachiko-sama would lose.

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's ears, already gaining their approval. It seemed like she was using Sachiko's numerical inferiority to her advantage.

"If I win?"

Sachiko-sama asked, unperturbed.

"I'll promise this time, once and for all, you can step out of Cinderella."

"I understand. I accept the bet."

"Sachiko-sama! You're accepting the bet even without asking what it is!?"

Even though it might have been meddlesome, even Yumi burst out out this.

"It hardly matters. It makes no difference if I lose."

Sachiko-sama's rather surprisingly a gambler. Even though she was fastidious, she didn't seem to disgust bets.

"Well, as per Yumi-san's request, I'll explain the rules of the bet."

Rosa Gigantea simply stated, suppressing a laugh.

"Whether Sachiko can make Yumi-san her sœur or not. Of course, Sachiko will be betting on 'yes.'"

"Eh!?"

The one that was surprised the most was, of course, Yumi.

(I thought I was done here!?)

"You were already refused once. Getting her to accept your rosary by the school festival is almost impossible. However, the moment it happens, you're immediately off the hook. In exchange, you will participate in dress rehearsals as normal until that time comes."

"I see. If I do not want to hold hands with Hanadera's council leader, I need to seduce Yumi as soon as possible, correct?"

"That's right. We will not interfere in any way. Winning or losing is entirely up to you. I think the terms are pretty fair, would you agree?"

"Sounds better than I expected."

Sachiko-sama already looked like she was confident of winning.

"Oh, and, one more thing."

Rosa Gigantea spun around to Yumi and spoke.

"No accepting the rosary simply to be useful to Sachiko. The moment you say okay and the Cinderella role becomes vacant, you're stepping in."

"Eh, why me?"

"What are you saying? When you accept the rosary, you become Sachiko's sœur. Of course it becomes your duty to fill the vacancy left by your onee-sama."

Are they insane?

"I, I, I can't replace Sachiko-sama! That, that's impossible!"

"No worries. You won't accept the rosary. As long as you stay true to that, Sachiko is guaranteed to lose."

And if it falls to Yumi, that would be amusing in itself, says Rosa Gigantea, a dreadful thing to suppose.

"Then, then rather than a bet between the Roses and Sachiko-sama, it becomes a match beween Sachiko-sama and I-."

"You can look at it that way. … Well, if you're going to regret anything, regret that you the Buddhist heart that made you think, even for an instant, of helping Sachiko."

Rosa Foetida's word choice of "Buddhist heart" felt out of place at Lillian Girls' Academy.

*********************

"Unbelievable."

Tsutako-san muttered, as they walked along the gingko tree roadside.

"Why didn't you just say 'ok'? If Yumi-san became her little sister, it would have been so easy to negotiate."

The autumn sun was falling quickly, and when Yumi was freed from the Rose Mansion, you could already call it twilight.

"Then Tsutako-san, you were worried more about the photo than me, during that whole time?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

The photography club ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san, I think.

"But it's getting interesting."

Tsutako-san said the same thing as Rosa Gigantea.

"Because it's someone else's business."

"I'm at ease because it's someone else. Ah, that's right, now it's Yumi-san's turn to finally collect land tax. It's disappointing that another precious sœur-less person leaves the world, but, well, if the opponent is Sachiko-sama, it's only a matter of time, I think? It would have been more amusing to designate a deadline date, in my opinion."

"Tsutako-san, you think Sachiko-sama is going to win?"

"Because Yumi-san seems so much less energetic about this."

"……"

To be honest, I was thinking the same thing. When attacked from head-on, I can't help but wonder if I would end up shaking my head vertically, crushed by sheer power.

"But. Cinderella is on the line, so I can't just lose."

When I raised my fist with resolve, Tsutako-san corrected, "That word choice makes you sound like you want to play it."

When we arrived at Maria-sama's statue, we stopped and put our hands together. This is customary. Heading to school and leaving from school, every day one time each. Actually, any time you passed by this statue, you always greet her.

(Maria-sama, today was a terrible day. If it's possible, please return me to my peaceful days as soon as you can.)

I opened my eyes and turned around, and then.

"Wait right there."

It was déjà vu. Just as in the morning, an icy voice that seems to have come from Maria-sama.

"Sachiko-sama…"

Whether she had come running, she was panting and standing roughly 10 meters behind Yumi.

"Remember this. I will absolutely become your sœur."

Even amidst the odorous fallen ginko nuts, the figure of Sachiko-sama standing straight and proclaiming the challenge was awesome.

"Gokigenyou. Do have a safe trip home."

Having said all she wanted, Sachiko-sama smiled and vanished off to the school buildings.

"She looked pretty cool."

Tsutako-san quipped, as we watched her off.

Even Yumi, that moment, felt her resolve teeter off its base.

==Translator's Notes and References==

===Takaradzuka===
* Is a famous theatrics group in Japan

===warashibechouja===
* Literally translated, 'the straw millionaire,' it's a fairy tale about a poor man who was down to some straw, and after he exchanged his straw, he continued to make exchanges until, in the end, he became extremely rich.

===botamochi===
* I don't think this is a standard Japanese phrase. She's saying "it's like pulling a snack out of a shelf, or a horse out of a gourd," essentially trying to say it came out of the blue. I decided to leave it in, for cultural reference sake.

===check===
* This is a baseball reference. Pitchers often throw balls back to their bases in order to, bluntly, try to tag out runners. This is called 'checking the runner,' and is in reality a way to keep fast runners honest, by ensuring that they don't get too greedy by stepping far away from the base. In this case, Rosa Chinensis was throwing a light jab to Shimako-san, as despite their being on relatively friend terms, the latter DID reject her sister.

Ghost Hunt

2008-05-09T11:33:18Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 6 - ''Don't call me an Evil Spirit'' / 悪霊と呼ばないで */ Trans.

{{Template:STALLED}} [[Image:GH_projects.jpg|200px|thumb|The Akuryou Series]]

"Ghost Hunt" is a novel written Ono Fuyumi. It was released between 1989 – 1994. It has a manga (1998 - Present) and anime (3 October 2006 – 27 March 2007) adaption. This series was originally called the "Akuryou Series" (悪霊シリーズ).

The manga was renamed to "Ghost Hunt," and since the anime was based on the manga, it adopted the title "Ghost Hunt" instead of "Akurei" (the original title). "Akurei" (悪霊) roughly translates to "Evil Spirits."

== Translation ==

=== [[Ghost_Hunt:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

Translators are asked to [[Ghost_Hunt:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]

== Updates ==
*February 10, 2008
** Ghost Hunt Project officially initiated.
** Please give a warm welcome to our newest translator [[user:derawr|derawr]], who will be translating this novel from now on.

== The Akuryou series by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_Fuyumi Ono Fuyumi] ==

=== Volume 1 - ''Are there really lots of Evil Spirits?!'' / 悪霊がいっぱい!? ===

:* [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Prologue_version2|Prologue]]
:* [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Chapter1_version2|Chapter 1 - Pressure Falling / 気圧低下]]
:* [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Storm Approaching / 暴風雨注意報]] (10%)
:* Chapter 3 - Storm Warning / 暴風雨警報
:* Chapter 4 - Central Pressure 912 Millibars / 中心気圧九一二ミリバール
:* Chapter 5 - Maximum Velocity 68 Knots / 最大風速六十八ノット
:* Chapter 6 - Wind and Rain Subside and the Waves are High / 風雨弱まるも波高し
:* Chapter 7 - Flood Warning / 洪水高潮警報
:* Chapter 8 - Warning Lifted / 警報解除
:* Epilogue
:* Author's Notes
:*[[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Translator's Notes|Translator's Notes and References]]

=== Volume 2 - ''There really are a lot of Evil Spirits!'' / 悪霊がホントにいっぱい! ===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - The Spirits' Residence / 悪霊の棲む家
:* Chapter 2 - Girl / 少女
:* Chapter 3 - You Can't Play with those Kids / その子たちとは遊べない
:* Chapter 4 - Woman, To You I Give a Child / おんな、汝に子を与う
:* Epilogue

=== Volume 3 - ''I can't sleep due to the abundance of Evil Spirits'' / 悪霊がいっぱいで眠れない ===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - School / 学園
:* Chapter 2 - Psychic / サイキック
:* Chapter 3 - Onibi / 鬼火
:* Chapter 4 - Curse / 呪詛
:* Chapter 5 - Hitogata / ヒトガタ
:* Chapter 6 - Spellcaster / 呪者
:* Epilogue

=== Volume 4 - ''Lonely Evil Spirits'' / 悪霊はひとりぼっち ===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - Don't Play with Spirits, Children / 死霊とあそぶな、子供たち
:* Chapter 2 - Dance in the Shadows / 陰に踊る
:* Chapter 3 - Blue Silhouette / 碧い影
:* Chapter 4 - Chrysalis / さなぎ
:* Chapter 5 - I was Watching That / それを見ていた
:* Epilogue

=== Volume 5 - ''I don't want to become an Evil Spirit!'' / 悪霊になりたくない! ===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - That Mansion / その家
:* Chapter 2 - Blindfold / めかくし
:* Chapter 3 - Hidden Ghost / 隠れ鬼
:* Chapter 4 - 手の鳴るほうへ
:* Chapter 5 - Human Devourer / 人喰い
:* Epilogue
:* Author's Notes

=== Volume 6 - ''Don't call me an Evil Spirit'' / 悪霊と呼ばないで ===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - House by the cove / 入り江の家
:* Chapter 2 - Unforeseen circumstances / 不測の事態
:* Chapter 3 - Object from the sea / 海から来るもの
:* Chapter 4 - Calamity / 凶事
:* Chapter 5 - Juda / ユダ
:* Chapter 6 - 寄り来る神
:* Epilogue
:* Author's Notes

=== Volume 7 - ''I don't mind Evil Spirits! (Part 1)'' / 悪霊だってヘイキ！(上)===

:* Prologue
:* Chapter 1 - 11th of August / 八月十一日
:* Chapter 2 - 12th of August / 八月十二日
:* Chapter 3 - 13th of August, 7.00 am - 11.00 am / 八月十三日　午前七時－午前十一時
:* Chapter 4 - 13th of August, 11.00 am - 3.00 pm / 八月十三日　午前十一時－午後三時
:* Chapter 5 - 13th of August, 3.00 pm - 5.30 pm / 八月十三日　午後三時－午後五時三十分
:* Chapter 6 - 13th of August, 5.30 pm - 8.00 pm / 八月十三日　午後五時三十分 ― 午後八時
:* Chapter 7 - 13th of August, 8.00 pm - 11.00 pm / 八月十三日　午後八時－午後十一時

=== Volume 8 - ''I don't mind Evil Spirits! (Part 2)'' / 悪霊だってヘイキ! (下)===
:* Chapter 8 - 13th of August, 11.00 pm - 12.00 midnight / 八月十三日　午後十一時－午後十二時
:* Chapter 9 - 14th of August, 12.00 midnight - 1.00 am / 八月十四日　午前零時－午前一時
:* Chapter 10 - 14th of August, 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm / 八月十四日　午後一時－午後三時
:* Chapter 11 - 14th of August, 3.00 pm - 3.30 pm / 八月十四日　午後三時－午後三時三十分
:* Chapter 12 - 14th of August, 3.30 pm - 4.00 pm / 八月十四日　午後三時三十分－午後四時
:* Chapter 13 - 14th of August, 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm / 八月十四日　午後四時－午後五時
:* Chapter 14 - 14th of August, 5.00 pm - 6.00 pm / 八月十四日　午後五時－午後六時
:* Chapter 15 - 14th of August, 6.00 pm and beyond / 八月十四日　午後六時以降
:* Epilogue

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: [[user:HolyCow|HolyCow]]
*Project Supervisor:

=== Translators ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[User:derawr|derawr]]

Those who are interested in translating and are able to do Japanese --> English can PM/e-mail [[user:HolyCow|HolyCow]] for the RAWs, or try slapping him about in the IRC channel.

=== Editors ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[User:HolyCow|HolyCow]]

===Scripts Partially Contributed===

We would like to thank these users for contributing portions of translated script:

*Kaie for Volume 1's Prologue and Chapter 1 (both versions)

Unfortunately partial contribution of translated scripts are no longer accepted for this project.

== Series Overview ==

* Volume 1 - ''Are there really lots of Evil Spirits?!'' / 悪霊がいっぱい!? (Published 1989, ISBN 978-4061903111)
* Volume 2 - ''There really are a lot of Evil Spirits!'' / 悪霊がホントにいっぱい! (Published 1989, ISBN 978-4061903654)
* Volume 3 - ''I can't sleep due to the abundance of Evil Spirits'' / 悪霊がいっぱいで眠れない (Published 1990, ISBN 978-4061904170)
* Volume 4 - ''Lonely Evil Spirits'' / 悪霊はひとりぼっち (Published 1990, ISBN 978-4061904859)
* Volume 5 - ''I Don't Want to Become an Evil Spirit!'' / 悪霊になりたくない! (Published 1991, ISBN 978-4061905948)
* Volume 6 - ''Don't Call me an Evil Spirit'' / 悪霊と呼ばないで (Published 1991)
* Volume 7 - ''I don't mind Evil Spirits!'' / 悪霊だってヘイキ! (Published 1992, ISBN 978-4061986961)

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume2 Chapter1 3

2008-05-09T11:16:50Z

Epicnoses: /* Translators Note */ Title Edit

==3.==

Tsukiyama Minako (築山三奈子), the captain of the Lillian Girls' Academy high school newspaper club, was in a great mood.

That was because the newspaper she was in charge of, the "Lillian Kawaraban[[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3#kawaraban]] was becoming popular.

"Wonderful."

She looked down on the B4-sized paper she held in her right hand while standing elegantly, her left hand placed at her waist. While she was simply holding a preview print of the next issue for final check-ups, the all-color display was breathtaking.

"And it's not just the appearance. The content, the writing, everything about this article is beautifully perfect."

Stories are fights against time, as they must be told while ripe, was Minako's creed. If the readers' desires weren't presented now, it couldn't be called a newspaper. On that note, the "Lillian Kawaraban" could stand proud for holding true to that value.

Of course, when there was nothing to talk about, they would had to print articles about the interests of teachers, or the flowers that bloomed in the courtyard, which sullied the reputation of the paper, so to speak. But it was different now. She completely understood what the readers wanted.

It was the era of the Yamayurikai staff. Readers would follow as long as she chased after them. Everything was ripe for the occasion, of sorts.

Unlike her seniors, she was confident, more than willing to chase down anyone, including the student council members, and on top of her nerves, she had the ability to write, and well. And then the Yamayurikai staff, she wondered if there was a more interesting collection of characters in the entire history of the Yamayurikai.

Minako pulled out the previous issue from a shelf and narrowed her eyes at the headline.

"Exclusive Interview!
Rosa Chinensis en bouton, explains everything about her little sister"

See, she could do something this magnificent. The only way she could explain it was that God had chosen her to do the deed. This talent, this skill, it took even her own breath away.

(That's right-)

The story of Rosa Chinensis en bouton was thrilling.

The sœur-less Ogasawara Sachiko, who was absolutely adored by everyone in the school, is rejected by the current Rosa Gigantea en bouton Toudou Shimako, was then turned down by the completely unknown Fukuzawa Yumi, and the person who found the answer to everyone's question of "what's going on" was none other than Minako. Because of certain conditions, she wasn't allowed to publish the article earlier, primarily because the Cinderella play had to happen before she could publish an article about it, but the result of publishing it the day after was that the newspaper became extremely popular. And now-.

"Onee-sama, please stop being a narcissist."

She had become intoxicated to pleasing levels, but her sœur, Yamaguchi Mami (山口真美), had to drag her back to reality. For whatever reason, she had imagined herself in an exquisite place, but instead looked around to see a club room with a giant table in the place of a desk, one aging computer, and a brand-new color printer they had finally managed to purchase with club funds after a long, hard fight with the budgeting committee. There were two other club members in the room, but both of them silently continued their own work, shrugging Minako off. "It happens every day."

"Mami. ... You know."

"Unless you finish checking the article, we won't be able to print everything by tomorrow. And if that happens, onee-sama's motto of 'stories are fights against time, as they must be told while ripe' will not be carried out this time."

"- Alright."

Minako reluctantly took a seat. Although she had chosen her little sister herself, she sighed, thinking, what a strict little sister I have. After all, that she speaks nothing but the truth makes her all the less cute. The third-years that retired from the club mentioned, "She's just like Minako when you were a first-year," but she couldn't help but imagining she wasn't this bad.

"Not even to the level of Shimazu Yoshino."

But maybe even half-way to her level of obedience and demeanor, a kind sister, is what she would have liked-. Minako flicked her finger at the two-shot photo on the test print.

The girl who stood next to Hasekura Rei, who looked like a young man, floated a soft smile, and they looked like a loving couple.

The two were chosen by vote to be Best Sœur, but it hardly needed a vote. The proud elder sister and the meek little sister was an old, traditional scheme. Cousins and childhood friends. The sickly girl and her protecting knight. The main subject of rumors among the school went from the White Rose to the Crimson Rose, and now was the time for the Yellow Rose. And it was up to them to publish the article.

"Onee-sama."

Warned once again, Minako quickly began looking over the article.

- When.

(Huh...?)

Something, was very odd. It wasn't a misprint or a missed word. Because it was a list, it wasn't a case of awkward phrasing or structure. But, something was odd. Like, the truth was warped, or something...

"Hey, who typed this?"

When Minako asked, a first-year member who sat next to Mami raised her hand, "Me."

"Is there... something wrong with it?"

It, was the Best Sœur award interview article. Because Shimazu Yoshino was absent, she had gotten them to answer a questionnaire. It seemed Hasekura Rei had answered them both, using the same blue fountain pen, and they had been answered with the same, methodical handwriting. Including the amanuensis episode as part of the two girls' beautiful relationship, they had written an article and printed it.

"... The questionnaires, did you mix them up?"

"Eh!?"

At once, the three club members scrambled toward the test print.

"Hasekura Rei-sama's favorite book is shoujo novels, in general, while Shimazu Yoshino-san loves Ikenami Shoutarou's fencing novels."

"Rei-sama's hobby is knitting, Yoshino-san loves TV and sports competitions."

"Rei-sama's favorite phrase is 'sincerity,' while Yoshino-san's is 'first strike, certain victory.' That's-"

What it said, everyone thought. But there had to be a mistake. Maybe the two questionnaires were mixed up while typing.

"But, I left them like this."

The first-year who entered the questionnaire pulled the questionnaires out from their brown envelopes. They were neatly separated into two pairs of sheets, with their ears folded in to keep them together.

"Ahah. Then, I can't blame you."

The sheet with the name Hasekura Rei and the sheet with 'knitting' were clipped together.

"Then Rei-sama messed up?"

"Probably."

But, because they were going to print it, they had the obligation to confirm the error before revising it.

"Yoshino-san was absent again, today."

Mami reported.

"Rei-san should still be at club. Or maybe she's at the Rose Mansion?"

She could simply send someone else, but Minako stood up. In a case like this, she wasn't comfortable simply waiting for a report. She placed her cardigan on her chair and left the room.

Along the way, she ran into the photography club member, Takeshima Tsutako.

"Oh. Well, might that be the newspaper club's Minako-sama? Thanks for working hard this late into the day."

The photography club and the newspaper club were a relatively intimate pair of clubs, but she still felt uncomfortable around this person. Her actions were relatively simple, but you could never figure out just what she was thinking.

"Rei-sama? She wasn't present at the Rose Mansion. You know, because the match is soon, she's been busy every day at practice."

She was blessed with good timing, as Tsutako had apparently just come from the Rose Mansion. The rumors that she had been going in and out of the Rose Mansion because of her connection to Fukuzawa Yumi seemed to be true. –What an enviable position.

"If you're headed toward the martial arts building, I shall accompany you."

Takeshima Tsutako smiled like a lady and suggested that. In actuality, she was aiming for the time just before club activities ended, particularly for the kendo club and the fencing club, and she intended to climb a ladder and snap photos, she mentioned, as they walked toward the building.

"Kendo is a beautiful sport, but the mask is bothersome."

When she suggested taking photos before practice, she was told that wouldn't work, either.

"The instant they take off their masks after practice is the best."

The sweaty faces, the strands of black hair stuck to their faces-, her eyes glittered as she spoke. As Minako unfortunately did not share such tastes, she could only listen, nod, and answer, "I see."

The Japanese-style building called the martial arts building was at the back of the school site, behind the secondary gymnasium. Kendo, archery, judo, karate, and other such martial arts clubs all used this building, and today, half of the wooden-floor was covered with tatami mats and used by the judo club, while the other half was used by the kendo club.

"B, … beautiful."

Lady Takeshima Tsutako was clicking her shutter at the judo club members, whose clothing clung to their bodies from the sweat. There was no mistaking it, she was completely thankful for being born a girl.

"Dear, dear."
[[Image:MM_v02_04.jpg|thumb]]

Minako left her alone and walked toward the kendo club. As they were still in the midst of practice, she sat down in a corner and watched.

She couldn't confirm Hasekura Rei's location just by looking. She guessed, maybe one of the people wearing the protectors was her, but the name written on her protector was different.

"A blow!"

The consultant teacher, who was acting as a referee, shouted, and taking advantage of the break, she decided to ask one of the first-years who was also watching.

"The second-year, Hasekura Rei-san…"

"A, Rei-senpai went home early."

"… Eh, when?"

"About thirty minutes ago, I think."

Thirty minutes was enough time to finish preparing to leave and then go out the main gate. She realized she should have checked the shoe boxes, but it was too late for that.

"I apologize for not being of any further help."

The first-year club member apologized formally and then turned back to watch. Just as she thought, oh, how cute, Takeshima Tsutako had silently appeared by her side and had begun snapping photos again.

(…..)

Minako wordlessly stood up.

"Minako-sama, are you already done here?"

"Hasekura Rei-san left early, apparently."

"Oh, that's a shame."

As Tsutako didn't let go of her camera when she turned toward her, it felt like she was going to take photos, so she instinctively put both hands in between her and the lens.

"You have a tough guard, Minako-sama."

"Is that sarcasm?"

"Of course not, they're words of praise."

Takeshima Tsutako lowered her camera, then narrowed her eyes that were beyond the frame-less glasses and laughed. This is what I don't like about her, Minako thought.

How unlucky-. She thought, as she left the martial arts building alone.

First she ends up possibly needing to revise printing, then she barely misses Hasekura Rei, then she gets caught by the camera brat. Her happy feelings from just a while ago vanished to the beyond.

She decided to try phoning Hasekura Rei's home before returning to the club house. She's relatively close to the school, so she may have arrived home already.

The green phone placed in front of the office was luckily unoccupied. She put in her card and deftly dialed the number. Roughly 70 peoples' phone numbers were input into Minako's head. Incidentally, this wasn't something expected of newspaper club members. This was simply a hobby. One of Minako's secret pleasures was to pour over the annual student directory. Essentially, she was fundamentally interested in people.

In her hurry, she accidentally pushed the wrong area code, but the receiver seemed to have figured it out nonetheless. Still, no one was picking up.

"I wonder if she's out…"

She placed with the phone cord with her index finger as her stress level rose. For the caller, ten rings feels like an eternity.

At the thirteenth ring, finally a young man answered the phone. According to the input personal data, though, Hasekura Rei was an only child, so this couldn't have been a sibling.
"I'm sorry. It looks like no one is at home-"

It seemed to be a young man that attended Hasekura Rei's father's dojo. That would mean Hasekura Rei hasn't returned home yet, and it was unlikely a mere student would know much about Hasekura Rei. As she thought about what to do, Minako noticed a certain student walking by.

"Okay. I'll call back later."

She quickly put down the phone and ran out in her indoor shoes.

"Rose Foetida!"

That person turned around very slowly in front of the library. Her hairstyle was such that she had a hair-band that neatly collected her semi-long hair. Her sailor-collar was the most beautifully tied in the entire school, was how she was described, yes, this was definitely Rosa Foetida.

"Is, … there something you want?"

Minako instantly took a step back. Rosa Foetida felt even harder to approach than usual.

"Ah, umm."

She was never really a sociable person, but it was especially so, today. But it didn't seem like she was in bad spirits, but rather more like she felt extremely dazed. Though it might be inappropriate to say she looked like she was in love.

"I apologize for calling you over."

Minako stopped, collected herself with a polite greeting, then drove straight to the point. After all, it would be prudent to ask someone who knows Hasekura Rei and Shimazu Yoshino well. And after receiving confirmation, she would run back and re-print. As long as she turned off the room lights and the computer's monitor, she should be able to stay hiding in the club room for a bit. Everything should be printed out before the first room check.

"Rei and Yoshino's interests…?"

Rosa Foetida asked back, her forehead wrinkling a bit.

"Yes. There's some doubt that cropped up regarding their interview article, so I wanted to confirm it…"

"Rei is kendo, Yoshino-chan is reading. I don't know what exactly they read."

"---"

That solves nothing.

"Then, knitting-"

She tried asking.

"Knitting?"

Rosa Foetida repeated the word knitting to herself, then went, "Ah," as if she finally remembered what it meant. Of course, Minako hoped Rosa Foetida had an idea, but that was a complete whiff.

"Knitting, as in like, sweaters with yarn?"

"Y, yes."

"I've never seen them knitting. Yoshino-chan's classmates might know."

It seemed like Rosa Foetida obviously left Hasekura Rei out of her assumption, at the very least.

"Then, their favorite phrases…"

She was grasping, but she asked one last question.

"Do you tell each other your favorite phrases?"

"- True."

Minako could only nod. She would prefer not to have that intimate a sister.

"Is that all?"

Rosa Foetida fiddled with her hair, looking extremely agitated.

"Ah, I'm sorry for taking your time."

After stepping to the side and bowing deeply, she thought, that was weird. Even while looking extremely bored, Rosa Foetida was the type to quickly deal with things in a timely manner, but for some reason, she was in a slow tempo today.

"Oh, speaking of which."

Rosa Foetida, who she thought was simply going to go home, suddenly turned around and asked.

"Say, you're being swept along a river on a boat, and there's a big waterfall in front of you? But you can't go home unless you go past that waterfall."

"Uh…"

What is she supposing? But Minako couldn't figure it out, so she simply cocked her head to the side and listened.

"But you have an oar. Which way would you paddle?"

"Eh?"

She was wondering when the question would be asked directly, but apparently it was to end with the boat.

"Which way to paddle? Would that mean, upstream or downstream?"

"Ahh, nevermind. I wonder why I'm even asking someone else."

Without waiting for an answer, Rosa Foetida resumed walking to the rear gate.

"Gokigenyou."

Rosa Foetida never turned around, even after Minako spoke to her. But rather than ignoring, it seemed like Rosa Foetida simply didn't hear.

(What happened to Rosa Foetida…)

Forgetting her present state, Minako's reporter blood began stirring. Even though she could simply just be ill, it felt like something newsworthy.

With that determined, she was unable to see anything else. Such was the type of person Minako was.

==Translator's Notes and References==

===kawaraban===
* Means "Tile block print," a type of newspaper in the Tokugawa era. In this case, though, rather than being written 瓦版 via kanji, it's written かわら版, which would imply that it's being used as a name, thus I simply romanized it.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter4 2

2008-05-09T11:15:10Z

Epicnoses: /* Translator's Notes */ Title Edit.

==2.==

Kashiwagi-san is a third-year at the Hanadera Institute. As he'd already received an early acceptance into the Hanadera University, he was able to be the student council leader despite it being this otherwise busy time period for third-year students, and he was also able to help out with other school's school festivals. A man of such elegant social status, is how he introduced himself on the roadside while walking with Yumi.

"I must say, unlike Lillian, it seems like Hanadera's rather prepared for examination conditions?"

"Indeed. Thus, I was saved because the early-acceptance entries were low in number."

"Right…"

Hanadera University was extremely high level, so it supposedly only accepted up to thirty students with exceptional records from its affiliate high schools without any exam. Those that failed to grab an early acceptance would then take an exam for Hanadera University, as well as other schools, so it had an image of a school that had high examination requirements.

(That means, this person is a super elite…!)

A slender figure, a generous mask, a well-mannered attitude to other people, and a brilliant mind and leadership ability to boot. Just how could Sachiko-sama complain about a man like this?

"Ah, the Maria statue."

Kashiwagi-san stopped at the fork in the road.

"When Lillian students pass by, they always stop and put their hands together, correct?"

"You're very knowledgeable."

"Yes. For whatever reason, in my household, men go to Hanadera, and women go to Lillian. My mother, my grandmother, my aunt, and my cousin all went to Lillian."

Whether he was just acting the part, he put together his hands and closed his eyes. Because of this, Yumi was also able to pray, in peace. Because it was such a habit, she felt bad every time she neglected to perform the rite.

"With Maria-sama watching like this, Lillian students really cannot do anything bad."

Kashiwagi-san mumbled, having opened his eyes.

"Anything bad?"

"I don't know. Girls' schools and boys' schools have bad standards of 'bad,' so I can't give a specific example."

"Shakyamuni watches over Hanadera, though, right?"

"Even so, there is no statue in clear view like this."

Hanadera Institute was a Buddhist school.

After taking a left at the fork, there was another fork. When you took a right, the high school facilities were on your left.

"Please come in here."

She led him to the visitor entrance and took a slipper from the shoe box.

"I should have brought indoor shoes, it seems. I heard we were to rehearse in the gymnasium, so I just brought my indoor athletics shoes."

"It's alright."

He seemed to feel awkward wearing visitor slippers while wearing a school uniform.

"I apologize, could you wait here a moment? I'm going to change into my indoor shoes."

With that, Yumi hurried outside. Ah, how busy. She turned around, entered from the main entrance, changed shoes, and now had to return, this time from indoors.

(Huh…?)

She thought she saw Sachiko-sama.

(Was I seeing things? Sachiko-sama should be at the Rose Mansion still.)

That shadow vanished to the library road as Yumi watched. She thought she should chase, for a moment, but then realized there was no need for her to investigate whether that was Sachiko-sama or not, and she had a guest to attend to, anyways.

(Oh, well, I guess I'll ask Sachiko-sama later.)

Thus, Yumi remembered her original mission and ran to the other side.

*****

"Welcome, Kashiwagi-sama."

"Thank you for transporting yourself all this distance today."

"Ahh, please, put down your luggage here."

The Roses smiled their special smiles and welcomed the visitor.

"Thank you for the invitation. It is a wonderful mansion."

The person named Kashiwagi Suguru seemed extremely used to the situation. He was very settled down, a curious man, who was pulled into the Rose Mansion, a building that could only be called "strange" by an outsider. Then, despite being surrounded by girls of similar age, conducted himself sociably without any hint of timid-ness.

"My little brother would come home flushed and crying from this situation…"

Having completed her important job, Yumi stood off to the side, relieved, and watched the scene.

"Oh, Yumi-chan has a little brother?"

Rosa Gigantea was unwrapping the curry dish, having stepped out of the circle and walked next to Yumi.

"Yes. At Hanadera Institute."

"Being flushed is more normal. Being this sociable at a high school age is kind of creepy."

She was talking about Kashiwagi-san, and although they were far away and probably couldn't be heard, Yumi still felt a pang of fear.

"Rosa Gigantea's mouth is as sharp as the taste of coconut curry…"

"Then it wasn't that spicy?"

Rosa Gigantea laughed heartily.

She was searching around with her hand, so Yumi handed her the spoon, that was being guarded by a paper napkin.

"Thank you."

"It's cooled, you're still serving it to him?"

She asked with a whisper, and the response she got was a childish "well, duh."

"Speed is the name of the game. If we don't make him eat, soon, Lillian students will be stuck with the label, 'smell like curry.' Unfortunately there is nothing quite as handy as a microwave in the Rose Mansion, anyways."

It would have been faster if she just said that. Regardless, Rosa Gigantea said, "I apologize for keeping you waiting," a decidedly uncharacteristic sort of behavior, and placed the cold curry in front of the student council leader from the neighboring school.

"Sakuratei special menu, named 'Curry that's good even when it's cold.'"

What a liar.

As she walked back, Rosa Gigantea, out of view of the customer, stuck out her tongue and laughed.

"You may have already eaten lunch, but as you are a man, I hope you could eat this, too?"

"As you will be participating in the rehearsals with us, please, do fill your stomach, first."

Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida both spoke in a nonchalant manner, but they very proactively recommended him to eat. As expected, even if he were to never notice, they were not so keen on having eaten curry and being near a guy who hadn't.

"Of course. Thank you for the treat."

And as expected of a man, Kashiwagi. He said, "Itadakimasu" with full expression and began eating the two-colored curry. Even with people watching, he ate fluidly and without hesitation.

"What do you think?"

"What, do you mean?"

"What do you think of him?"

At first, she didn't know what Rosa Gigantea meant. So she responded, "He eats like they do in the curry commercials," but that was a huge miss.

"Not that. The Hanadera student council leader, it's your first time seeing him isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I'm asking about your impression of him."

"Impression."

Yumi glanced at Kashiwagi-san. He was half-finished with eating. Perhaps it was his personality, but both colors were evenly diminished.

"Intellectual, sociable, and punctual. Also, he is refreshing."

Rosa Gigantea nodded, "yes yes," as she listened to Yumi.

"Objectively, how do you think of him as a guy?"

"How…?"

What in the world are you talking about, Rosa Gigantea? Was she trying to be a formal marriage mother?

"I'm not really good with that angle, so I'm asking Yumi-chan, a normal girl."

"Huh!?"

She had no idea what was going on. So she answered half-heartedly.

"Objectively, he's a pretty good line to follow…"

Still chewing away at curry, he probably couldn't have even imagined two girls standing by the sink would be talking about this.

"- so that would mean, he passes."

As Sachiko-sama's partner, Rosa Gigantea said. In this play, there was an ulterior motive of trying to beat Sachiko-sama's hate of men.

"Sachiko's household is quite bizarre. Her grandfather and father both have many mistresses. There are people that stupidly think that's the true nature of men, but those type of men really don't know how women feel. So, girls like Sachiko, stuck around that sort of men, end up with an intense hatred of all men."

The concubines of the Ogasawara family men were quite famous, Rosa Gigantea whispered. People with stature and prestige had a hard time keeping that sort of thing under wraps, apparently. Of course, that means Sachiko-sama knew about her father's relationship with women.

"I see, hating men, has a reason behind it."

"Pretty much. I mean, liking men takes so much less explaining."

So what they needed was a perfect, clean man with absolutely no chinks in his armor.

If Sachiko-sama were to be in a play with such a man, she might recognize the better virtues and qualities of men, and everything would end happily. Was how they wanted to script everything.

"But, I wonder if it'll go that well…"

"Don't worry. He won't draw near Sachiko-sama too much, even by mistake."

It had nothing to do with making them a couple, or anything. The first step was simply placing a "good man" near her. It was none other than Rosa Gigantea who fired the white-plumed arrow at him, saying he was the perfect fit for the job. And, now that the plan was coming into fruition, she had decided to ask for someone else's opinion.

"Has Sachiko-sama not met Kashiwagi-san yet?"

As she asked, Yumi suddenly realized.

Sachiko-sama was not there.

(Huh? Was she here when I came into the room? Or was she not?)

"Yumi-chan heard, right? That girl always ran away."

She didn't go to help Hanadera Institute with their school festival, she would not attend if they were having a meeting, and she even began complaining about wanting off the role when she found out the Hanadera student council leader was the prince.

"Speaking of which, where is Cinderella?"

With good timing, Kashiwagi-san put down his spoon and asked.

"Sachiko seemed to be discontent, and ran off to the gymnasium first."

Rosa Foetida seemed to feign curiosity, but it seemed everyone had already known.

Discontent could only have meant one thing, and that was the prince. Cinderella hated the prince, and even though the midnight bell had not yet been struck, she had fled somewhere. –Ah, the story of Cinderella was changing into something else entirely.

"I was looking forward to seeing her."

Gochisousama, and he stood up. He pulled out his script and his indoor athletics shoes from a vinyl bag. He was itching to get going.

Yumi thought about what had transpired earlier as she began cleaning the dish.

That shadow she saw outside of the guest entrance must have been Sachiko-sama.

(But, why was she there…?)

If she continued on the path through the library, she would arrive at Maria-sama's fork. The other two roads from that intersection were to the main gate and the auditorium, and both cases were simply longer routes to get to the first or second gymnasiums.

(Did she, return home!?)

If she, if she really did not want to even touch the hand of man, and had run away-. Yumi could not hold herself any longer, and took off.

"Yumi-chan?"

"I'm sorry, I'm going on ahead."

Yumi took her gymnasium shoes in hand and rushed down the screeching stairs by herself.

==Translator's Notes and References==
===Itadakimasu, Gochisousama===
* These have no direct translations and they don't have any English equivalent, as far as I know. If someone comes up with one, I am more than happy to find out. You say "Itadakimasu" prior to eating, and "Gochisousama" after, as an expression of gratitude for the meal.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 5

2008-05-09T11:13:21Z

Epicnoses: /* 5. */ Repositioned "check" Translator's Notes link.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 5

2008-05-09T11:09:55Z

Epicnoses: /* Translators Note */ Title Edit

==5.==

"Please."

A white cup was filled about seven tenths to the brim with a red, steaming liquid and placed in front of me.

This is a liquid called 'black tea.'

"Would you like sugar or milk?"

A relatively short, pony-tailed girl offered a stick-shaped item from the basket. This girl was, if I remember correctly, also a first-year. I forget her class and surname, but she was the petite sœur for Hasekura Rei-sama, the Rosa Foetida en bouton, and I think her name was Yoshino-san.

"No, thank you."

I thought in a daze after refusing. Umm, what was milk again?

Ahh, I'm so confused.

The one who was the most surprised by Sachiko-sama's declaration was none other than Yumi herself. She was frozen in place, even oblivious to the uproar around her. How many times must Sachiko-sama petrify her in one day?

Let's settle down and talk about it. Is what happened, and thus everyone moved into the room, past the door with the "meeting" plate.

Sachiko-sama, who'd made the selfish declaration in the first place, left behind her sœur, Yumi, even if the declaration was a temporary loss of mind, and angrily shouldered her way into the room. Prepared for battle, would be the most suitable way to describe her state.

"… War, with Sachiko-sama."

In reality, if you went by image, the two of them probably were more suited to being in completely separate positions.

"Oh dear, what a helpless onee-sama, leaving her little sister behind."

When Rosa Gigantea embraced Yumi by the shoulders and walked into the room, Sachiko-sama seemed to have realized her clumsiness and so she stood up, pulled out the seat next to her, and beckoned, "sit here."

Then, when everyone sat down, black tea was distributed. And that was where we were.

This room had an atmosphere unlike any other school facility. Just like the stairs and the hallway, the floor and walls were of worn, wooden boarding. Aside from the one adjacent to the hallway, the other three walls each had a wooden-framed bay window, and the clean cotton curtains for each were opened and fastened with a thin ribbon. The size was about half that of a classroom, and there was an arrangement of flowers on the elliptical table in the middle of the room that could probably seat up to eight people. Rather than a student council headquarter, it felt more like an old, western-style dining room.

Of course, the three Roses were seated at the table, as were Sachiko-sama, Yumi, Shimako-san, and Tsutako-san, who was treated as a guest. Rei-sama and Yoshino-san pulled chairs over from around the washstand by the wall.

The electric pot was making a bubbling sound, having had fresh water recently added. I had never even imagined students elegantly sitting and drinking black tea after school in a school building. At some point, even cookies were placed on top of spread tissues.

I had no idea you were treated this well when you became a Yamayurikai staff member.

"Let me start off by saying, please do not misunderstand, we put in a lot of personal effort into keeping this a pleasant space to be."

As if reading Yumi's mind, Sachiko-sama, sitting right next to her, whispered. The Yamayurikai budget was not used for tea, she seemed to be want to say. Each member brought in tea themselves, and cookies tended to be donations from classes that had cooking class.

"If you prefer, we have coffee and cocoa. They are, however, instant, so their taste is not top-notch."

Rosa Chinensis smiled.

"So come and play any time you wish. As you are Sachiko's sœur, you are a valuable friend."

Lowing my guard and then nonchalantly firing off the main question. The Roses certainly were not a normal kind of people.

(That, that's right, the crucial matter was still left unanswered.)

Sachiko-sama's bombshell of a statement had left everyone staring at each other.

While certainly not having forgotten, Yumi honestly wished she could simply forget. She could not think of a reason. In fact, having ended up as a victim of an accident, she could not grasp why she was being made to sit in such a seat. It felt more like she was being summoned as a witness for a trial or a parliament.

"Oh, Rosa Chinensis, so you accept Sachiko's assertion?"

"But Rosa Foetida, if Sachiko has made the decision, we are not in the right to pursue the matter, am I wrong? Rosa Gigantea, do you have an opinion?"

"I think whether we accept it or not should be left for later. At the very least, not while one of the protagonists is looking like her eyes my pop out in surprise."

Immediately, everyone looked at Yumi.

(Pr, protagonist, does that mean me-!?)

"Poor thing, she's struggling to grasp the circumstances."

The Roses giggled. Yumi began thinking they were simply having fun at her expense.

(Of course, that has to be the case. It must.)

She could not think this gorgeous membership would have taken that earlier joke seriously. To begin with, regardless of what condition Sachiko-sama was in, there was too much impossibility in her making Yumi her little sister.

(Wait, wait.)

Maybe it's all a joke that Sachiko-sama is a part of. Of course, that must be it. Then it all makes sense. "We apologize, our joke might have gone too far." –if they were to say that now, I could laugh, return, "I knew it was weird," and squeeze out of this in one piece.

However.

"No matter what anyone says, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama still refused to bend with her statement. What could she be thinking?

"Personally, I would like to ask Yumi-san too, not just Sachiko."

"M, me…!?"

Yumi flinched at the sudden shift of focus. As had been evident, Yumi had not been able to grasp the circumstances. It would be easy to say "I don't know," but she could surmise from the atmosphere that such a statement would simply corner Sachiko-sama into a further predicament.

"Umm-."

If possible, she wanted to be an ally for Sachiko-sama. However, how could you fight when you didn't know who was an ally and who was an enemy? She wished Sun Tzu could teach her the art of war right there.

"If I say so, it must be so, am I wrong? There is no need to confirm with Yumi."

She stands firm. Sachiko-sama looks unwilling to crumble her firm stance.

"Ah, umm…"

"Just be silent for the time being."

Zap! Even to her ally, Yumi, she was merciless.

Of course, had they really been sœurs, onee-sama's order would be absolute, so she would remain silent. But as that wasn't the case, Yumi felt Sachiko could have been a bit kinder.

"It seems you want to continue this conversation without Yumi-san, but I won't allow that."

Rosa Gigantea's eyes sparkled.

"Sachiko. You simply dragged a passer-by into this mess for the sole purpose of escaping from the job imposed on you, right?"

(Job imposed on her…?)

The moment Yumi tilted her neck to the side, a person sitting far away raised her hand and said "wait." That was Tsutako-san, who Yumi had forgotten existed.

"What is it, Takeshima Tsutako-san?"

"I am honoured that you know of me, Rosa Gigantea."

"Yumi-san notwithstanding, there is no student that knows not of you. You are notorious, after all."

I'm sorry I don't stand out – Yumi whispered, deep inside.

"I am grateful."

Tsutako-san continued after fixing the position of her glasses.

"I do not mind if you simply wish to consider me an outsider, but may I ask one thing, having been allowed to listen in on the conversation?"

"Of course?"

"I have no idea what is going on."

Why Sachiko-sama had to declare Yumi to be her sœur. What connection that has with this "imposed job." Tsutako-san seemed to be wanting to know.

"That is true, forgive us for not explaining."

Rosa Foetida nodded. Sachiko-sama urgently stood up.

"There is nothing to explain. I chose a sœur, that is all. The meeting is over."

"How selfish. If you wish to break up the meeting, you may return home by yourself. Of course, Yumi-san will stay here with us."

Sachiko-sama had no choice but to sit back down to Rosa Chinensis' words.

"To put it shortly, Sachiko decided to reject a job for the school festival she had previously accepted, today, after all this time."

"Because you changed your story."

Sachiko-sama complained, but Rosa Chinensis continued.

"The story did not change. Even if there was not enough information presented at the time, your own role remains unchanged."

"Umm, … what is Sachiko-sama's job?"

Now Yumi asked.

"Ahh, we were short on explaining once again. Actually, for this year's school festival we are planning to hold a play."

"The Yamayurikai staff will get together and perform."

It sounded extremely extravagant. Yumi wished greatly to be allowed to watch.

"Us three Roses, being part of the executive committee for the school festival, are busy every day. Of course, that means the boutons will have to be the central figures for the play."

Rosa Foetida added that they planned to borrow members from the dance club as extras.

"Dance club, what play are you expecting to perform?"

Tsutako-san eagerly asked, it seems her blood as a cameraman was beginning to catch fire.

"Cinderella. The dance ball scene."

Wow.

"And, and the lead role?"

Forgetting her situation entirely, Yumi also became excited. This one had her 'closet Sachiko-fan blood' catching fire.

"Of course, Sachiko."

Kyaaa.

Sachiko-sama, as Cinderella.

Then Rei must be the prince!? A splendid recital contest of two boutons.

It's beautiful just imagining. Too beautiful. It was getting into [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#Takaradzuka Takaradzuka] territory.

I have to secure a ticket, no matter what. I wonder if they hand out numbered tickets prior to the event, or something. It was something to look into before heading home.

Wait, hold on.

They did mention Sachiko-sama rejecting the job earlier. That means she wants to stop being the lead actress-.

"This year we intend to call upon a guest from Hanadera. Sachiko seems to object."

"Guest?"

"It's customary. As both schools neighbor each other on the same hill, Lillian and Hanadera Institute help each others' student councils during the school festivals. We helped out during their school festival last month, too."

It sounded like a neighborly relationship from the countryside. Funerals, weddings, fires, moving. No matter what, people are willing to take a break from work to help out, that sort of custom.

I had a culture shock when my grandfather died in Yamanashi, and his neighbor took a break from his bank, even though it was a busy time at the end of the term, to help take condolence calls. But to see the same thing carried out so close, and by high school students, at that.

"I have no objection to the inviting of a guest. But I see no reason why the Hanadera council leader has to be the prince."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

Ah, I see. Rei-sama is not the prince.

"Then what would you have him do? Cinderella? Will Sachiko do the prince, then?"

Yumi was probably not the only one who thought, 'that might be more interesting.'

"Why does it end up like that. I was just thinking, maybe back-stage work like carrying around props-."

"How could you even insinuate making a guest do menial labour? We were the judges for their main event. Even if it might have worked, they did not request us to pour tea. Although Sachiko might not have known this, having skipped out on the appointed day?"

"What I cannot stand is that we are changing role distribution now, two weeks before the school festival."

It was a verbal dispute between Sachiko-sama and Rosa Chinensis. A duel between sisters.

"And as I said, Hanadera's council leader was intended to be the prince from the start."

"That's a lie. Rei was saying the prince's lines all the way up to yesterday."

"I was told from the onset I was just a stand-in."

Rei-sama raised her hand to fan away the electric pot's vapours.

"See, look. Aside from Sachiko, everyone knew. If you are still in disbelief, you may speak to the handicrafts' club whom are working on the costumes. The princes' costume is being tailored to suit Hanadera's council leader."

"So you decided this while I was not in attendance."

Sachiko-sama grinded her teeth, frustrated at how her position was becoming disadvantageous.

"Oh, wake up, we have no need to call secret meetings. … Ah, however, come to think of it, Sachiko did skip out on a number of meetings. We might have decided upon this then. However, in that case you brought this upon yourself, did you not? You always fled when we had a meeting with Hanadera. This is what happens when you never deal with your dislike of men."

(Dislike of men?)

I got it! Yumi clapped her hands in her mind.

To combine everything so far, Sachiko-sama accepted the leading role for the play, as decreed by the Roses. Whether it was intended or whether it was an unfortunate communications miss, only Sachiko-sama missed out on the notice that Hanadera's council leader was to play the prince's part. Having found this out today, Sachiko-sama became as furious as the raging flames, and proclaimed that she was withdrawing from the leading role. The reason is, -well, because she hated men.

(But, hating men…)

She'd never thought about it, but Sachiko-sama and the description 'hating men' seemed to fit together perfectly. There were students in Yumi's class whom admitted to having arrhenphobia or simply hating men, and she did have the same sort of aura.

(I wonder if she dislikes her father, too…)

As she absent-mindedly had such thoughts, she felt as if she was being stared at, and when she looked up, she noticed Rosa Gigantea, jaw protruding and eyes narrowed, laughing at her.

"You're amusing."

"Huh?"

"You were going through life's many phases."

"Eh!?"

Yumi rushed to suppress her face. However, it was too late. She couldn't take back the 'life's many phases,' and a great wave of red attacked her face, like it was delivering a finishing blow.

"You have an unpredictable nature, you're pretty fun."

That.

Is almost definitely not praise. Even though my grade in Japanese is rather average, I can tell that much, Rosa Gigantea.

"Hmm. However, how does Sachiko-sama disapproving of the lead role tie into her making Yumi her little sister? The plate outside says 'in a meeting,' but does that mean you were discussing a role change?"

Tsutako-san continued her my-pace questioning. However, Rosa Foetida smiled bitterly and lowered her shoulders.

"Well it was meeting, in the beginning."

The staff members who packed into the Rose Mansion after school every day for school festival preparations. Presumably, they intended to discuss a number of problems that had arisen.

They began the meeting without waiting for Shimako-san, who was going to be late because of day duties. Plus, as she was just a bouton, her attendance was not mandatory.

To explain things a bit, the Yamayurikai is the student council, as it would be called in an ordinary school. The official staff members that would be called the "staff" were the three Roses, Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida. These three filled the student president, vice president, secretary and accounting roles, as per the management structure passed down through generations.

No one really knows when the student council roles became synonymous with the Roses. Whether the chicken or the egg came first. Anyways, when someone mentions the Yamayurikai staff, they mean the red, white and yellow Roses.

However, beginning with the student council, they are also the School Festival Executive Committee, they organize the seasonal events such as the Freshmen Welcome Party and the Graduate Farewell Party, and though not as gaudy also are the Budget Committee and hold general student meetings, and perform a vast number of other small duties, certainly too much for the three to handle alone. As such, you could almost call them apprentices, but the Roses have their sœurs lend their hands as assistants. As long as there is no stunning upset, the Yamayurikai management tends to be passed down in such a way, so that the little sisters of the Roses are called boutons. Everyone accepts them as Roses waiting to blossom.

"Most of the agenda was easy to make decisions on, so the meeting was going smoothly."

"Then Sachiko began complaining about the play appointment."

"When we teased her to silence her, she exploded. Sachiko carries herself well outside, so she's popular, but she has a rather violent temperament, so it is extremely difficult to keep a handle on her."

The Roses said plainly.

"Tease!? That was not mere teasing, you were driving a stake into my heart!"

Sachiko-sama was agitated by the reminder.

"You said I have no right to speak, as I cannot even find a petite sœur."

"I did say that, but that did not mean 'Regardless of who it is, get a petite sœur.' To grab the first first-year you see upon stepping outside, how hasty, how simplistic. You are not warashibechouja[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#warashibechouja] after all."

(… Warashibechouja.)

A bead of sweat appeared on Yumi's forehead.

(So that would make me a straw.)

Well, thanks to their explanations, I can see what's going on, but this is becoming ridiculous.

"Warashibechouja, that is splendid. If I remember correctly, it had a happy ending, did it not?"

Sachiko-sama, now you're making no sense.

"So you intended to simply hold onto Yumi-san until you found a better person? I cannot accept such a relationship. As your grand sœur even my dignity would be in tatters."

Rosa Chinensis sighed, disgusted. However, Sachiko immediately responded, staring straight at onee-sama.

"I will take care of Yumi forever. I will train her and turn her into a magnificent Rose. There is no problem then, correct?"

Even if that was prompted by the way the conversation was going, was it wise to say such big talk? It would just magnify her shame when she would have to take it back.

"Stop saying things as you think of them, Sachiko."

"Why do you claim I am simply thinking as I speak?"

"You just met Yumi-san just now. How could you make such a promise?"

Invisible fireworks kept scattering.

However, it was three versus one. Plus, the three were the strongest third-years among the Lillian Girls' Academy High School students.

"If I am not mistaken, you did not even know Yumi-san's name until just earlier?"

"That…"

Sachiko-sama's tone fell. As if seizing the opportunity, Rosa Gigantea spoke softly.

"Isn't that enough? That's enough stubbornness."

That's right, Yumi thought. It was better to admit defeat in a dignified manner. If she did not want to be Cinderella, there would surely be other ways to resolve the matter. Little sisters are not there to be impulsively bought. She should think harder and find a more suitable partner.

Of course

If Sachiko-sama were to choose another first-year, it would be a shock. Even if it was arbitrary, Yumi was happy Sachiko-sama announced her to be a sœur.

"Please wait."

Just then, Shimako-san stood up.

"I think Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san did not just meet."

Until then, she had faded into the background like she didn't exist. Like Rosa Foetida en bouton and her petite sœur, it might be that boutons are supposed not supposed to intrude unless needed. Sachiko-sama seemed to be the exception.

"And why do you think so?"

Rosa Gigantea asked her own sœur.

"Because Yumi-san came to visit Sachiko-sama."

"Eh? I thought Shimako brought them here?"

Rosa Chinensis shifted her eyes between Yumi, Tsutako-san and Shimako-san.

"It seems we did forget to ask why Yumi-san and Tsutako-san came here."

Apparently everyone simply assumed that Shimako-san had brought her personal friends, or had brought students volunteering to help with the school festival, or wanted to bring up a problem with a club or the gymnasium usage, or something of the sort. Of course, there was no helping this, as Sachiko-sama's hysteria and the collision and the sœur declaration had left everyone in a confused state.

"Is this true?"

Rosa Gigantea directly asked Yumi, not Sachiko-sama.

"… yes."

Wrangling out an almost inaudible voice, Yumi answered. Even though she had nothing to be faulted for, she disliked these situations. It felt like when her mother was asking for her reasons after a sibling fight as a child.

"I have proof, too."

Tsutako-san took the opportunity to cut in. She handed something to Rosa Chinensis.

(Ah, the photo from the morning…!)

She only got a glimpse, but there was no doubt it was the two-shot photo.

But still. The situation seemed to be settling down, but the two classmates, whatever they were thinking, complicated everything again.

"I see, so the two had already met before. Excuse my discourtesy."

The snapshot made its rounds, and finally fell before Yumi and Sachiko-sama. In this way, Sachiko-sama learnt of the existence of the photo.

Yumi lay in wait, curious as to how Sachiko-sama would react.

When Sachiko-sama took ahold of the photo, first she tilted her head to the side the slightest bit, then slowly began to look at Yumi.

She's contorting her forehead. But it wasn't a look of displeasure.

(This-, this puzzled look-.)

Sachiko-sama whispered so that no one else could hear.

"I wonder when this happened."

I knew it.

She had completely forgotten.

Even though it had occurred just that morning, the fact that she had already forgotten meant that Yumi was too bland to remember. Either that or, for Sachiko-sama, it was too trivial to bother remembering.

Either way, Yumi was disappointed. If her face wasn't remembered, then there was no need to fix her reputation.

However, with that knowledge, Sachiko-sama's actions were nothing short of bold. In her mind, she had taken a first-year she'd never met and declared her to be her sœur.

She has no right to be angry at being called warashibechouja.

"As you can see, Yumi and I, as shown in the photo, have already established an intimate relationship."

Wait a second.

Now armed with a prop, Sachiko-sama seemed to relinquish her hysteria and adopt a more logical attack.

What fast regeneration. The whisper of "I wonder when this happened" must have dried at the rate of a gas-based drying machine, such was the speed at which she recovered.

Sachiko-sama persisted.

"Plus, I feel you have no right to intrude on who I choose to be my sœur?"

It seemed she was fully intent on keeping to her lie about Yumi to the bitter end.

No, that's not the case. Sachiko-sama probably wants to convert it from a random declaration to reality. It was hard to say, but probably to get out of being Cinderella.

"Indeed. Even if you came up with it on the spot, to have qualms about you proactively choosing a petite sœur or intending to tear you two apart is not within our rights. You are first and foremost a student in this academy."

Even so, Yumi felt they had to say something. –Lest this goes in a bad direction.

Sachiko-sama was still Rosa Chinensis en bouton, and was destined to become Rosa Chinensis in half of a year. For her to call this normal, average student her sœur, even for a moment, was synonymous with creating an uproar. There was no need to even test this.

[[Image:MM_v01_02.jpg|thumb|''Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups.'']]
In that case, Tsutako-san is unique enough to be a better fit. Even so, why did I have to be the one to run into Sachiko-sama.

"Okay, I approve."

Eventually, Rosa Chinensis said that, and Sachiko-sama's expression brightened. With just that, the atmosphere in the world transformed into a glittering space. Right, just like the scene where Cinderella has magic cast upon her.

"However-."

Rosa Chinesis continued, smiling.

"This does not mean you do not have to be Cinderella. Just remember that."

"The promise!?"

Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups. Cinderella after the magic had worn off.

"Promise?"

Rosa Chinensis laughed scornfully.

"You made that up yourself, did you not? I clearly said that people without a little sister have no right to speak. Therefore, feel free to speak, from now on."

"Then please remove me from the role."

"No."

"Why."

"Hating men does not fall under 'a critical reason for which the change of roles is the only solution.' In your case, it is not like you have an allergic reaction from seeing men, or you feel like vomiting, or anything, correct? Just because you say 'I do not want to' does not mean the world will conform to your wishes. We call that self-centered. I am sure you, as the next Rosa Chinensis, are aware of that fact?"

With that, Rosa Chinensis, put her hand to her cheek and exaggerated despair.

"I am sure this comes back to my inadequacy at teaching. But I had no idea you would not understand such a basic thing."

What a pity. Sachiko-sama had no retort.

Perhaps in this way, the Roses become stronger from generation to generation. It felt like I had just experienced a dreadful dressing room scene.

"I am leaving."

Sachiko-sama abruptly stood up.

"Wait."

Rosa Chinensis remained sitting, looking up at the sœur whom she had just crushed.

"Let me confirm one thing. What is Yumi-san to Sachiko?"

"Eh?"

"Do you still feel as though Yumi-san is your sœur?"

Rosa Chinensis is probably asking whether, now that the role of Cinderella is unrelated, Sachiko still asserts Yumi as her sœur.

"Of course-."

- I retract what I said before. Of course Sachiko-sama would say that.

After all, making Yumi her sœur was a big act to extricate herself from being Cinderella. With that no longer possible, there was no reason for her to keep Yumi, whom she didn't know the face nor name of, as her little sister.

However.

"Of course, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama said something unexpected. Yumi sat up and apprehensively searched Sachiko-sama's face for clues.

She was hysteric until just recently, and she was confused, so maybe she messed up her use of Japanese. Surely she must have meant to say 'she is not my little sister.'

"Onee-sama, are you attempting to slight me? You make it sound as if I made Yumi my sœur for the purpose of using her."

Woah, woah, but wasn't that the case? However, because the opponent was Sachiko-sama, Yumi held back on her desire to interject.

Will someone please say something, in my stead?

"Splendid."

Rosa Chinensis nodded, satisfied.

"If you were to throw away Yumi-san now, I would have had to cut our sisterly ties."

Why do things have to become so outrageous?

There was no premonition of this when I woke up. When I stepped out of my house, when I walked through the school gates, nothing was different than usual.

Only, my sailor collar was bent. From something so trivial, I was sucked into such a big incident. I felt like a person in a vortex.

However, for someone stuck in a vortex, it kind of felt like I was in the outfield.

"Did you hand her your rosary?"

"Not yet. I would not mind performing the ceremony in front of everyone, if you so desire?"

"That sounds good."

Wait a second.

Is no one going to stop Sachiko-sama? At this rate, this average person is going to become the petite sœur of Rosa Chenensis en bouton. This isn't the time to be saying "that sounds good" while smiling and sipping cooled tea!

"What's wrong? She looks like she wants to say something."

Rosa Gigantea noticed Yumi's expression.

"I wonder if she has qualms about performing the ceremony here and now."

"Oh come now. Is there any student dissatisfied with receiving a rosary to become a formal sœur?"

Quipped Rosa Foetida, as matter-of-factly as if she were repeating an equation.

"But see, some people prefer to be alone."

"Well aren't you romantic."

That's not what I mean, that's not what I mean, but-. Yumi sat speechless, unable to find the timing to butt into the Roses' musings.

As for what Sachiko-sama was doing while Yumi stuttered, she had quickly reached into her breast pocket and retrieved her rosary.

(Are you serious!?)

Once you place that over an underclassman's neck, you can no longer take it back. It might seem over-the-top, but the sanctity of the give-and-receive of a rosary is like that of a marriage registration.

Or maybe I was the one being insane. This is all a dream. The typical pattern, where the alarm rings as the rosary is placed around my neck, waking me up.

(But do you feel pain while dreaming?)

When I hit my butt in the hallway, it actually hurt. I tested this by pinching my arm, and it did hurt.

"Stay still, Yumi."

Sachiko-sama orders. The rosary in her hand was on stand-by above Yumi's head, its lace opened wide for ease of placement.

If that hung around my neck, I would become the petite sœur of Sachiko-sama, whom I adored.

Botamochi[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#botamochi] from the shelf. A top from the gourd.

No, more like a horse. A spinning top from a gourd is no surprise. But if you plucked a horse out it would be like 'are you serious?'

Ahh, this isn't the time to be thinking about that. There is only one thing to think about.

Is this okay?

Is it okay to just become a sœur like this?

"Um, umm…"

"Wait."

Yumi and Shimako-san simultaneously shouted.

"Sachiko-sama and the other onee-samas, everyone forgot the most important thing."

"Important thing?"

"Yumi-san's feelings."

"Yumi-san's feelings?"

The Roses scoffed.

"Do you think she would refuse the rosary?"

"I will not presume. However, I feel it is proper to hear her feelings."

Shimako-san said this firmly. While you might not expect it from how she looks, when it comes to it, she stands up for her opinions. As expected from Rosa Gigantea en bouton. Even so, as a fellow first-year, it was an envious trait.

Anyways, the ceremony was halted, so I was thankful of Shimako-san.

"Indeed. Even if it is an offer from Rosa Chinensis en bouton, there are those like Shimako who say 'I'm sorry.'"

Rosa Chinensis lightly threw a ball to check Shimako-san[[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#check]. It seems that rumour was true.

"However, Yumi-san is Sachiko-sama's devotee. Of course she wouldn't refuse?"

Tsutako-san spoke to Shimako-san, almost like idle chatter.

"I agree. She… Yumi-san, just by observing her I could tell she was a Sachiko fan almost immediately."

Rosa Gigantea nodded. I see, she saw all of my facial expressions because she was observing.

If that's the case, maybe Sachiko-sama likewise figured out in an instant, and that would explain why she had no hesitation in dragging Yumi into the mess.

And by her side, Sachiko-sama was rolling the rosary in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the outcome of the discussion. It seemed she was supremely confident that Yumi would not refuse the rosary.

"Still. There is that chance. Shall we ask, then?"

Rosa Chinensis turned to Yumi and asked.

"Sachiko wants to make you her sœur. Have you the intent of accepting?"

Asked so directly, Yumi lost her words.

Become Sachiko-sama's petite sœur was a fairy tale, like marrying a Hollywood Star. But because it was an unattainable dream, you could continue to dream, and enjoy it.

And now, a ticket for an express train to that dream was in her grasp.

It would be a lie not to say 'yes.'

But deep down, she thought, 'is that okay?'

Everyone stared at the silent Yumi. Then, Yumi solidified her resolve and spoke.

"I apologize. I cannot become Sachiko-sama's sœur."

Everyone began murmuring.

"Now it's getting interesting."

Rosa Gigantea irresponsibly laughed, Rosa Chinensis rolled her eyes, and Rosa Foetida was petrified with jaws agape.

"Do I, have the right, to ask why?"

Sachiko-sama trembled a bit.

"I was certainly a fan of Sachiko-sama, but."

"What, did you become afraid after seeing her true self?"

Rosa Chinensis cut in and asked Yumi.

"Not at all."

Although it was slightly different from her selfish image of Sachiko-sama, she was glad she could see the human side – her sulking and her being angry. Because of that, she felt she couldn't attribute it to disliking Sachiko-sama's personality.

"It's hard to explain, but. Because I'm a fan, doesn't mean I would do anything to become her little sister…"

"Hmm."

"Because as a fan, I do have a bit of pride."

"It's disgraceful to be expected to follow orders, tail wagging and all."

"Not quite, but…"

I thought it was hard formulating how I felt into words.

"Well, either way, Sachiko got rejected again."

"Poor Sachiko, two consecutive upset losses."

"The first-years this year are really something."

The Roses surrounded Sachiko-sama. Although rather than consoling, they seemed to be having fun.

"If you think I'm pitiful, will you do something about Cinderella?"

Sachiko-sama forced a smile.

"Oh dear, Sachiko, who hates being pitied, is starting to beg."

"How rare."

"You say to do something, but do you have anything in mind?"

Even though they know.

If you were to step back and look at the whole scene, you would see an interesting image. Sachiko-sama had turned into a toy for the Roses.

"Drop either me or the Hanadera council leader from the leading roles."

"Oh what are you saying, just because you were rejected by Yumi does not mean we have to feel that much pity for you."

Of course, that sort of logic wouldn't fly. However, I began to think it was a bit cruel to force her to dance with a man like this.

She was so averse to co-starring with a man that she tried to make Yumi her little sister.

"Ah, um."

Yumi suddenly shouted out.

"You were still here?"

Perhaps because she was still stung by the rejection, Sachiko-sama sounded bitter. Even though, as they stood next to each other, she clearly would have known had she left, how uncute.

"Um, would it be possible to tell the Hanadera council leader to step aside this time?"

"Are you trying to back up Sachiko now?"

Rosa Chinensis swayed her jaw-length hair happily.

"It's not about backing her."

Yumi surprised herself, noticing that she was opining to Rosa Chinensis.

For whatever reason, she felt different from usual.

"We sent a formal commission to the Hanadera council leader, so that is impossible."

"Then how about swapping Sachiko-sama's role, at the very least?"

"Swapping roles?"

"For example, swapping with Shimako-san's role. Shimako-san is just as pretty as Sachiko-sama. Plus she is also Rosa Gigantea en bouton."

Shimako-san, at having been singled out, shot a look of "how could you say that!" Yumi put her hands together and apologized, in her mind. Even though it was a supposition, maybe it was a bad idea.

"Shimako, a first-year, for the lead role?"

"I think first-year second-year is inconsequential."

"That is true."

I thought, just one more push. Rosa Chinensis stared up at the ceiling in thought.

"Since it was a communication mishap, it seemed like everyone was laying the blame solely on Sachiko-sama. But everyone also-"

And then a voice cut in.

"Silence!"

Sachiko-sama, standing next to me, suddenly shouted.

"If you say any more, I will not forgive you."

"Sachiko-sama…"

Rather than the usual hysteria, this was a more weighted tone.

"I understand you are saying this for my sake. However, please do not trouble the onee-samas over me."

Sachiko-sama laid a soft hand on Yumi's shoulder, then snapped right and lowered her head to the Roses.

"I apologize. I will scold her later."

The shoulder she was touching felt sad. Even though I'd tried to help Sachiko-sama, it might have been a complete whiff.

"True."

Rosa Gigantea mumbled.

"What Yumi-san tried to say is true. As Sachiko did just find out today, and the responsibility for that lies at least partly within us. How about we think about the role a bit more."

The other Roses immediately began countering. No matter the reason, the costume and posters were already ordered, and as it was almost time for the dress rehearsals, role re-distribution was too tough, seemed to be the strongest argument.

"However, forcing her to dance with a man is wrong, too. For Sachiko's sake, as well as ours."

"I see. People who coerce their juniors into doing things are not fit for leading the student council. Plus, 'Cinderella' is going to be our banner production."

"But it's hard changing roles now."

Rosa Gigantea happily cut into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's worries.

"Basically, we just need to make Sachiko willing to play Cinderella."

"Even though we cannot change the Prince?"

"Yup. And without changing the cast."

Rosa Gigantea explained.

"Lets have a bet."

"Bet?"

"Unsparingly forcing her to do Cinderella is unfair. So we'll give Sachiko a chance, and if she loses, she has to undergo the penalty."

I see.

However, what is bothersome is how she seems confident that Sachiko-sama would lose.

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's ears, already gaining their approval. It seemed like she was using Sachiko's numerical inferiority to her advantage.

"If I win?"

Sachiko-sama asked, unperturbed.

"I'll promise this time, once and for all, you can step out of Cinderella."

"I understand. I accept the bet."

"Sachiko-sama! You're accepting the bet even without asking what it is!?"

Even though it might have been meddlesome, even Yumi burst out out this.

"It hardly matters. It makes no difference if I lose."

Sachiko-sama's rather surprisingly a gambler. Even though she was fastidious, she didn't seem to disgust bets.

"Well, as per Yumi-san's request, I'll explain the rules of the bet."

Rosa Gigantea simply stated, suppressing a laugh.

"Whether Sachiko can make Yumi-san her sœur or not. Of course, Sachiko will be betting on 'yes.'"

"Eh!?"

The one that was surprised the most was, of course, Yumi.

(I thought I was done here!?)

"You were already refused once. Getting her to accept your rosary by the school festival is almost impossible. However, the moment it happens, you're immediately off the hook. In exchange, you will participate in dress rehearsals as normal until that time comes."

"I see. If I do not want to hold hands with Hanadera's council leader, I need to seduce Yumi as soon as possible, correct?"

"That's right. We will not interfere in any way. Winning or losing is entirely up to you. I think the terms are pretty fair, would you agree?"

"Sounds better than I expected."

Sachiko-sama already looked like she was confident of winning.

"Oh, and, one more thing."

Rosa Gigantea spun around to Yumi and spoke.

"No accepting the rosary simply to be useful to Sachiko. The moment you say okay and the Cinderella role becomes vacant, you're stepping in."

"Eh, why me?"

"What are you saying? When you accept the rosary, you become Sachiko's sœur. Of course it becomes your duty to fill the vacancy left by your onee-sama."

Are they insane?

"I, I, I can't replace Sachiko-sama! That, that's impossible!"

"No worries. You won't accept the rosary. As long as you stay true to that, Sachiko is guaranteed to lose."

And if it falls to Yumi, that would be amusing in itself, says Rosa Gigantea, a dreadful thing to suppose.

"Then, then rather than a bet between the Roses and Sachiko-sama, it becomes a match beween Sachiko-sama and I-."

"You can look at it that way. … Well, if you're going to regret anything, regret that you the Buddhist heart that made you think, even for an instant, of helping Sachiko."

Rosa Foetida's word choice of "Buddhist heart" felt out of place at Lillian Girls' Academy.

*********************

"Unbelievable."

Tsutako-san muttered, as they walked along the gingko tree roadside.

"Why didn't you just say 'ok'? If Yumi-san became her little sister, it would have been so easy to negotiate."

The autumn sun was falling quickly, and when Yumi was freed from the Rose Mansion, you could already call it twilight.

"Then Tsutako-san, you were worried more about the photo than me, during that whole time?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

The photography club ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san, I think.

"But it's getting interesting."

Tsutako-san said the same thing as Rosa Gigantea.

"Because it's someone else's business."

"I'm at ease because it's someone else. Ah, that's right, now it's Yumi-san's turn to finally collect land tax. It's disappointing that another precious sœur-less person leaves the world, but, well, if the opponent is Sachiko-sama, it's only a matter of time, I think? It would have been more amusing to designate a deadline date, in my opinion."

"Tsutako-san, you think Sachiko-sama is going to win?"

"Because Yumi-san seems so much less energetic about this."

"……"

To be honest, I was thinking the same thing. When attacked from head-on, I can't help but wonder if I would end up shaking my head vertically, crushed by sheer power.

"But. Cinderella is on the line, so I can't just lose."

When I raised my fist with resolve, Tsutako-san corrected, "That word choice makes you sound like you want to play it."

When we arrived at Maria-sama's statue, we stopped and put our hands together. This is customary. Heading to school and leaving from school, every day one time each. Actually, any time you passed by this statue, you always greet her.

(Maria-sama, today was a terrible day. If it's possible, please return me to my peaceful days as soon as you can.)

I opened my eyes and turned around, and then.

"Wait right there."

It was déjà vu. Just as in the morning, an icy voice that seems to have come from Maria-sama.

"Sachiko-sama…"

Whether she had come running, she was panting and standing roughly 10 meters behind Yumi.

"Remember this. I will absolutely become your sœur."

Even amidst the odorous fallen ginko nuts, the figure of Sachiko-sama standing straight and proclaiming the challenge was awesome.

"Gokigenyou. Do have a safe trip home."

Having said all she wanted, Sachiko-sama smiled and vanished off to the school buildings.

"She looked pretty cool."

Tsutako-san quipped, as we watched her off.

Even Yumi, that moment, felt her resolve teeter off its base.

==Translator's Notes and References==

===Takaradzuka===
* Is a famous theatrics group in Japan

===warashibechouja===
* Literally translated, 'the straw millionaire,' it's a fairy tale about a poor man who was down to some straw, and after he exchanged his straw, he continued to make exchanges until, in the end, he became extremely rich.

===botamochi===
* I don't think this is a standard Japanese phrase. She's saying "it's like pulling a snack out of a shelf, our a horse out of a gourd," essentially trying to say it came out of the blue. I decided to leave it in, for cultural reference sake.

===check===
* This is a baseball reference. Pitchers often throw balls back to their bases in order to, bluntly, try to tag out runners. This is called 'checking the runner,' and is in reality a way to keep fast runners honest, by ensuring that they don't get too greedy by stepping far away from the base. In this case, Rosa Chinensis was throwing a light jab to Shimako-san, as despite their being on relatively friend terms, the latter DID reject her sister.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Chapter1 5

2008-05-09T11:08:09Z

Epicnoses: /* 5. */ Fixed link to "Takaradzuka" Translator's Notes.

==5.==

"Please."

A white cup was filled about seven tenths to the brim with a red, steaming liquid and placed in front of me.

This is a liquid called 'black tea.'

"Would you like sugar or milk?"

A relatively short, pony-tailed girl offered a stick-shaped item from the basket. This girl was, if I remember correctly, also a first-year. I forget her class and surname, but she was the petite sœur for Hasekura Rei-sama, the Rosa Foetida en bouton, and I think her name was Yoshino-san.

"No, thank you."

I thought in a daze after refusing. Umm, what was milk again?

Ahh, I'm so confused.

The one who was the most surprised by Sachiko-sama's declaration was none other than Yumi herself. She was frozen in place, even oblivious to the uproar around her. How many times must Sachiko-sama petrify her in one day?

Let's settle down and talk about it. Is what happened, and thus everyone moved into the room, past the door with the "meeting" plate.

Sachiko-sama, who'd made the selfish declaration in the first place, left behind her sœur, Yumi, even if the declaration was a temporary loss of mind, and angrily shouldered her way into the room. Prepared for battle, would be the most suitable way to describe her state.

"… War, with Sachiko-sama."

In reality, if you went by image, the two of them probably were more suited to being in completely separate positions.

"Oh dear, what a helpless onee-sama, leaving her little sister behind."

When Rosa Gigantea embraced Yumi by the shoulders and walked into the room, Sachiko-sama seemed to have realized her clumsiness and so she stood up, pulled out the seat next to her, and beckoned, "sit here."

Then, when everyone sat down, black tea was distributed. And that was where we were.

This room had an atmosphere unlike any other school facility. Just like the stairs and the hallway, the floor and walls were of worn, wooden boarding. Aside from the one adjacent to the hallway, the other three walls each had a wooden-framed bay window, and the clean cotton curtains for each were opened and fastened with a thin ribbon. The size was about half that of a classroom, and there was an arrangement of flowers on the elliptical table in the middle of the room that could probably seat up to eight people. Rather than a student council headquarter, it felt more like an old, western-style dining room.

Of course, the three Roses were seated at the table, as were Sachiko-sama, Yumi, Shimako-san, and Tsutako-san, who was treated as a guest. Rei-sama and Yoshino-san pulled chairs over from around the washstand by the wall.

The electric pot was making a bubbling sound, having had fresh water recently added. I had never even imagined students elegantly sitting and drinking black tea after school in a school building. At some point, even cookies were placed on top of spread tissues.

I had no idea you were treated this well when you became a Yamayurikai staff member.

"Let me start off by saying, please do not misunderstand, we put in a lot of personal effort into keeping this a pleasant space to be."

As if reading Yumi's mind, Sachiko-sama, sitting right next to her, whispered. The Yamayurikai budget was not used for tea, she seemed to be want to say. Each member brought in tea themselves, and cookies tended to be donations from classes that had cooking class.

"If you prefer, we have coffee and cocoa. They are, however, instant, so their taste is not top-notch."

Rosa Chinensis smiled.

"So come and play any time you wish. As you are Sachiko's sœur, you are a valuable friend."

Lowing my guard and then nonchalantly firing off the main question. The Roses certainly were not a normal kind of people.

(That, that's right, the crucial matter was still left unanswered.)

Sachiko-sama's bombshell of a statement had left everyone staring at each other.

While certainly not having forgotten, Yumi honestly wished she could simply forget. She could not think of a reason. In fact, having ended up as a victim of an accident, she could not grasp why she was being made to sit in such a seat. It felt more like she was being summoned as a witness for a trial or a parliament.

"Oh, Rosa Chinensis, so you accept Sachiko's assertion?"

"But Rosa Foetida, if Sachiko has made the decision, we are not in the right to pursue the matter, am I wrong? Rosa Gigantea, do you have an opinion?"

"I think whether we accept it or not should be left for later. At the very least, not while one of the protagonists is looking like her eyes my pop out in surprise."

Immediately, everyone looked at Yumi.

(Pr, protagonist, does that mean me-!?)

"Poor thing, she's struggling to grasp the circumstances."

The Roses giggled. Yumi began thinking they were simply having fun at her expense.

(Of course, that has to be the case. It must.)

She could not think this gorgeous membership would have taken that earlier joke seriously. To begin with, regardless of what condition Sachiko-sama was in, there was too much impossibility in her making Yumi her little sister.

(Wait, wait.)

Maybe it's all a joke that Sachiko-sama is a part of. Of course, that must be it. Then it all makes sense. "We apologize, our joke might have gone too far." –if they were to say that now, I could laugh, return, "I knew it was weird," and squeeze out of this in one piece.

However.

"No matter what anyone says, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama still refused to bend with her statement. What could she be thinking?

"Personally, I would like to ask Yumi-san too, not just Sachiko."

"M, me…!?"

Yumi flinched at the sudden shift of focus. As had been evident, Yumi had not been able to grasp the circumstances. It would be easy to say "I don't know," but she could surmise from the atmosphere that such a statement would simply corner Sachiko-sama into a further predicament.

"Umm-."

If possible, she wanted to be an ally for Sachiko-sama. However, how could you fight when you didn't know who was an ally and who was an enemy? She wished Sun Tzu could teach her the art of war right there.

"If I say so, it must be so, am I wrong? There is no need to confirm with Yumi."

She stands firm. Sachiko-sama looks unwilling to crumble her firm stance.

"Ah, umm…"

"Just be silent for the time being."

Zap! Even to her ally, Yumi, she was merciless.

Of course, had they really been sœurs, onee-sama's order would be absolute, so she would remain silent. But as that wasn't the case, Yumi felt Sachiko could have been a bit kinder.

"It seems you want to continue this conversation without Yumi-san, but I won't allow that."

Rosa Gigantea's eyes sparkled.

"Sachiko. You simply dragged a passer-by into this mess for the sole purpose of escaping from the job imposed on you, right?"

(Job imposed on her…?)

The moment Yumi tilted her neck to the side, a person sitting far away raised her hand and said "wait." That was Tsutako-san, who Yumi had forgotten existed.

"What is it, Takeshima Tsutako-san?"

"I am honoured that you know of me, Rosa Gigantea."

"Yumi-san notwithstanding, there is no student that knows not of you. You are notorious, after all."

I'm sorry I don't stand out – Yumi whispered, deep inside.

"I am grateful."

Tsutako-san continued after fixing the position of her glasses.

"I do not mind if you simply wish to consider me an outsider, but may I ask one thing, having been allowed to listen in on the conversation?"

"Of course?"

"I have no idea what is going on."

Why Sachiko-sama had to declare Yumi to be her sœur. What connection that has with this "imposed job." Tsutako-san seemed to be wanting to know.

"That is true, forgive us for not explaining."

Rosa Foetida nodded. Sachiko-sama urgently stood up.

"There is nothing to explain. I chose a sœur, that is all. The meeting is over."

"How selfish. If you wish to break up the meeting, you may return home by yourself. Of course, Yumi-san will stay here with us."

Sachiko-sama had no choice but to sit back down to Rosa Chinensis' words.

"To put it shortly, Sachiko decided to reject a job for the school festival she had previously accepted, today, after all this time."

"Because you changed your story."

Sachiko-sama complained, but Rosa Chinensis continued.

"The story did not change. Even if there was not enough information presented at the time, your own role remains unchanged."

"Umm, … what is Sachiko-sama's job?"

Now Yumi asked.

"Ahh, we were short on explaining once again. Actually, for this year's school festival we are planning to hold a play."

"The Yamayurikai staff will get together and perform."

It sounded extremely extravagant. Yumi wished greatly to be allowed to watch.

"Us three Roses, being part of the executive committee for the school festival, are busy every day. Of course, that means the boutons will have to be the central figures for the play."

Rosa Foetida added that they planned to borrow members from the dance club as extras.

"Dance club, what play are you expecting to perform?"

Tsutako-san eagerly asked, it seems her blood as a cameraman was beginning to catch fire.

"Cinderella. The dance ball scene."

Wow.

"And, and the lead role?"

Forgetting her situation entirely, Yumi also became excited. This one had her 'closet Sachiko-fan blood' catching fire.

"Of course, Sachiko."

Kyaaa.

Sachiko-sama, as Cinderella.

Then Rei must be the prince!? A splendid recital contest of two boutons.

It's beautiful just imagining. Too beautiful. It was getting into [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#Takaradzuka Takaradzuka] territory.

I have to secure a ticket, no matter what. I wonder if they hand out numbered tickets prior to the event, or something. It was something to look into before heading home.

Wait, hold on.

They did mention Sachiko-sama rejecting the job earlier. That means she wants to stop being the lead actress-.

"This year we intend to call upon a guest from Hanadera. Sachiko seems to object."

"Guest?"

"It's customary. As both schools neighbor each other on the same hill, Lillian and Hanadera Institute help each others' student councils during the school festivals. We helped out during their school festival last month, too."

It sounded like a neighborly relationship from the countryside. Funerals, weddings, fires, moving. No matter what, people are willing to take a break from work to help out, that sort of custom.

I had a culture shock when my grandfather died in Yamanashi, and his neighbor took a break from his bank, even though it was a busy time at the end of the term, to help take condolence calls. But to see the same thing carried out so close, and by high school students, at that.

"I have no objection to the inviting of a guest. But I see no reason why the Hanadera council leader has to be the prince."

Sachiko-sama muttered.

Ah, I see. Rei-sama is not the prince.

"Then what would you have him do? Cinderella? Will Sachiko do the prince, then?"

Yumi was probably not the only one who thought, 'that might be more interesting.'

"Why does it end up like that. I was just thinking, maybe back-stage work like carrying around props-."

"How could you even insinuate making a guest do menial labour? We were the judges for their main event. Even if it might have worked, they did not request us to pour tea. Although Sachiko might not have known this, having skipped out on the appointed day?"

"What I cannot stand is that we are changing role distribution now, two weeks before the school festival."

It was a verbal dispute between Sachiko-sama and Rosa Chinensis. A duel between sisters.

"And as I said, Hanadera's council leader was intended to be the prince from the start."

"That's a lie. Rei was saying the prince's lines all the way up to yesterday."

"I was told from the onset I was just a stand-in."

Rei-sama raised her hand to fan away the electric pot's vapours.

"See, look. Aside from Sachiko, everyone knew. If you are still in disbelief, you may speak to the handicrafts' club whom are working on the costumes. The princes' costume is being tailored to suit Hanadera's council leader."

"So you decided this while I was not in attendance."

Sachiko-sama grinded her teeth, frustrated at how her position was becoming disadvantageous.

"Oh, wake up, we have no need to call secret meetings. … Ah, however, come to think of it, Sachiko did skip out on a number of meetings. We might have decided upon this then. However, in that case you brought this upon yourself, did you not? You always fled when we had a meeting with Hanadera. This is what happens when you never deal with your dislike of men."

(Dislike of men?)

I got it! Yumi clapped her hands in her mind.

To combine everything so far, Sachiko-sama accepted the leading role for the play, as decreed by the Roses. Whether it was intended or whether it was an unfortunate communications miss, only Sachiko-sama missed out on the notice that Hanadera's council leader was to play the prince's part. Having found this out today, Sachiko-sama became as furious as the raging flames, and proclaimed that she was withdrawing from the leading role. The reason is, -well, because she hated men.

(But, hating men…)

She'd never thought about it, but Sachiko-sama and the description 'hating men' seemed to fit together perfectly. There were students in Yumi's class whom admitted to having arrhenphobia or simply hating men, and she did have the same sort of aura.

(I wonder if she dislikes her father, too…)

As she absent-mindedly had such thoughts, she felt as if she was being stared at, and when she looked up, she noticed Rosa Gigantea, jaw protruding and eyes narrowed, laughing at her.

"You're amusing."

"Huh?"

"You were going through life's many phases."

"Eh!?"

Yumi rushed to suppress her face. However, it was too late. She couldn't take back the 'life's many phases,' and a great wave of red attacked her face, like it was delivering a finishing blow.

"You have an unpredictable nature, you're pretty fun."

That.

Is almost definitely not praise. Even though my grade in Japanese is rather average, I can tell that much, Rosa Gigantea.

"Hmm. However, how does Sachiko-sama disapproving of the lead role tie into her making Yumi her little sister? The plate outside says 'in a meeting,' but does that mean you were discussing a role change?"

Tsutako-san continued her my-pace questioning. However, Rosa Foetida smiled bitterly and lowered her shoulders.

"Well it was meeting, in the beginning."

The staff members who packed into the Rose Mansion after school every day for school festival preparations. Presumably, they intended to discuss a number of problems that had arisen.

They began the meeting without waiting for Shimako-san, who was going to be late because of day duties. Plus, as she was just a bouton, her attendance was not mandatory.

To explain things a bit, the Yamayurikai is the student council, as it would be called in an ordinary school. The official staff members that would be called the "staff" were the three Roses, Rosa Chinensis, Rosa Gigantea and Rosa Foetida. These three filled the student president, vice president, secretary and accounting roles, as per the management structure passed down through generations.

No one really knows when the student council roles became synonymous with the Roses. Whether the chicken or the egg came first. Anyways, when someone mentions the Yamayurikai staff, they mean the red, white and yellow Roses.

However, beginning with the student council, they are also the School Festival Executive Committee, they organize the seasonal events such as the Freshmen Welcome Party and the Graduate Farewell Party, and though not as gaudy also are the Budget Committee and hold general student meetings, and perform a vast number of other small duties, certainly too much for the three to handle alone. As such, you could almost call them apprentices, but the Roses have their sœurs lend their hands as assistants. As long as there is no stunning upset, the Yamayurikai management tends to be passed down in such a way, so that the little sisters of the Roses are called boutons. Everyone accepts them as Roses waiting to blossom.

"Most of the agenda was easy to make decisions on, so the meeting was going smoothly."

"Then Sachiko began complaining about the play appointment."

"When we teased her to silence her, she exploded. Sachiko carries herself well outside, so she's popular, but she has a rather violent temperament, so it is extremely difficult to keep a handle on her."

The Roses said plainly.

"Tease!? That was not mere teasing, you were driving a stake into my heart!"

Sachiko-sama was agitated by the reminder.

"You said I have no right to speak, as I cannot even find a petite sœur."

"I did say that, but that did not mean 'Regardless of who it is, get a petite sœur.' To grab the first first-year you see upon stepping outside, how hasty, how simplistic. You are not warashibechouja[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#warashibechouja] after all."

(… Warashibechouja.)

A bead of sweat appeared on Yumi's forehead.

(So that would make me a straw.)

Well, thanks to their explanations, I can see what's going on, but this is becoming ridiculous.

"Warashibechouja, that is splendid. If I remember correctly, it had a happy ending, did it not?"

Sachiko-sama, now you're making no sense.

"So you intended to simply hold onto Yumi-san until you found a better person? I cannot accept such a relationship. As your grand sœur even my dignity would be in tatters."

Rosa Chinensis sighed, disgusted. However, Sachiko immediately responded, staring straight at onee-sama.

"I will take care of Yumi forever. I will train her and turn her into a magnificent Rose. There is no problem then, correct?"

Even if that was prompted by the way the conversation was going, was it wise to say such big talk? It would just magnify her shame when she would have to take it back.

"Stop saying things as you think of them, Sachiko."

"Why do you claim I am simply thinking as I speak?"

"You just met Yumi-san just now. How could you make such a promise?"

Invisible fireworks kept scattering.

However, it was three versus one. Plus, the three were the strongest third-years among the Lillian Girls' Academy High School students.

"If I am not mistaken, you did not even know Yumi-san's name until just earlier?"

"That…"

Sachiko-sama's tone fell. As if seizing the opportunity, Rosa Gigantea spoke softly.

"Isn't that enough? That's enough stubbornness."

That's right, Yumi thought. It was better to admit defeat in a dignified manner. If she did not want to be Cinderella, there would surely be other ways to resolve the matter. Little sisters are not there to be impulsively bought. She should think harder and find a more suitable partner.

Of course

If Sachiko-sama were to choose another first-year, it would be a shock. Even if it was arbitrary, Yumi was happy Sachiko-sama announced her to be a sœur.

"Please wait."

Just then, Shimako-san stood up.

"I think Sachiko-sama and Yumi-san did not just meet."

Until then, she had faded into the background like she didn't exist. Like Rosa Foetida en bouton and her petite sœur, it might be that boutons are supposed not supposed to intrude unless needed. Sachiko-sama seemed to be the exception.

"And why do you think so?"

Rosa Gigantea asked her own sœur.

"Because Yumi-san came to visit Sachiko-sama."

"Eh? I thought Shimako brought them here?"

Rosa Chinensis shifted her eyes between Yumi, Tsutako-san and Shimako-san.

"It seems we did forget to ask why Yumi-san and Tsutako-san came here."

Apparently everyone simply assumed that Shimako-san had brought her personal friends, or had brought students volunteering to help with the school festival, or wanted to bring up a problem with a club or the gymnasium usage, or something of the sort. Of course, there was no helping this, as Sachiko-sama's hysteria and the collision and the sœur declaration had left everyone in a confused state.

"Is this true?"

Rosa Gigantea directly asked Yumi, not Sachiko-sama.

"… yes."

Wrangling out an almost inaudible voice, Yumi answered. Even though she had nothing to be faulted for, she disliked these situations. It felt like when her mother was asking for her reasons after a sibling fight as a child.

"I have proof, too."

Tsutako-san took the opportunity to cut in. She handed something to Rosa Chinensis.

(Ah, the photo from the morning…!)

She only got a glimpse, but there was no doubt it was the two-shot photo.

But still. The situation seemed to be settling down, but the two classmates, whatever they were thinking, complicated everything again.

"I see, so the two had already met before. Excuse my discourtesy."

The snapshot made its rounds, and finally fell before Yumi and Sachiko-sama. In this way, Sachiko-sama learnt of the existence of the photo.

Yumi lay in wait, curious as to how Sachiko-sama would react.

When Sachiko-sama took ahold of the photo, first she tilted her head to the side the slightest bit, then slowly began to look at Yumi.

She's contorting her forehead. But it wasn't a look of displeasure.

(This-, this puzzled look-.)

Sachiko-sama whispered so that no one else could hear.

"I wonder when this happened."

I knew it.

She had completely forgotten.

Even though it had occurred just that morning, the fact that she had already forgotten meant that Yumi was too bland to remember. Either that or, for Sachiko-sama, it was too trivial to bother remembering.

Either way, Yumi was disappointed. If her face wasn't remembered, then there was no need to fix her reputation.

However, with that knowledge, Sachiko-sama's actions were nothing short of bold. In her mind, she had taken a first-year she'd never met and declared her to be her sœur.

She has no right to be angry at being called warashibechouja.

"As you can see, Yumi and I, as shown in the photo, have already established an intimate relationship."

Wait a second.

Now armed with a prop, Sachiko-sama seemed to relinquish her hysteria and adopt a more logical attack.

What fast regeneration. The whisper of "I wonder when this happened" must have dried at the rate of a gas-based drying machine, such was the speed at which she recovered.

Sachiko-sama persisted.

"Plus, I feel you have no right to intrude on who I choose to be my sœur?"

It seemed she was fully intent on keeping to her lie about Yumi to the bitter end.

No, that's not the case. Sachiko-sama probably wants to convert it from a random declaration to reality. It was hard to say, but probably to get out of being Cinderella.

"Indeed. Even if you came up with it on the spot, to have qualms about you proactively choosing a petite sœur or intending to tear you two apart is not within our rights. You are first and foremost a student in this academy."

Even so, Yumi felt they had to say something. –Lest this goes in a bad direction.

Sachiko-sama was still Rosa Chinensis en bouton, and was destined to become Rosa Chinensis in half of a year. For her to call this normal, average student her sœur, even for a moment, was synonymous with creating an uproar. There was no need to even test this.

[[Image:MM_v01_02.jpg|thumb|''Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups.'']]
In that case, Tsutako-san is unique enough to be a better fit. Even so, why did I have to be the one to run into Sachiko-sama.

"Okay, I approve."

Eventually, Rosa Chinensis said that, and Sachiko-sama's expression brightened. With just that, the atmosphere in the world transformed into a glittering space. Right, just like the scene where Cinderella has magic cast upon her.

"However-."

Rosa Chinesis continued, smiling.

"This does not mean you do not have to be Cinderella. Just remember that."

"The promise!?"

Sachiko-sama slammed the table with enough force to overturn cups. Cinderella after the magic had worn off.

"Promise?"

Rosa Chinensis laughed scornfully.

"You made that up yourself, did you not? I clearly said that people without a little sister have no right to speak. Therefore, feel free to speak, from now on."

"Then please remove me from the role."

"No."

"Why."

"Hating men does not fall under 'a critical reason for which the change of roles is the only solution.' In your case, it is not like you have an allergic reaction from seeing men, or you feel like vomiting, or anything, correct? Just because you say 'I do not want to' does not mean the world will conform to your wishes. We call that self-centered. I am sure you, as the next Rosa Chinensis, are aware of that fact?"

With that, Rosa Chinensis, put her hand to her cheek and exaggerated despair.

"I am sure this comes back to my inadequacy at teaching. But I had no idea you would not understand such a basic thing."

What a pity. Sachiko-sama had no retort.

Perhaps in this way, the Roses become stronger from generation to generation. It felt like I had just experienced a dreadful dressing room scene.

"I am leaving."

Sachiko-sama abruptly stood up.

"Wait."

Rosa Chinensis remained sitting, looking up at the sœur whom she had just crushed.

"Let me confirm one thing. What is Yumi-san to Sachiko?"

"Eh?"

"Do you still feel as though Yumi-san is your sœur?"

Rosa Chinensis is probably asking whether, now that the role of Cinderella is unrelated, Sachiko still asserts Yumi as her sœur.

"Of course-."

- I retract what I said before. Of course Sachiko-sama would say that.

After all, making Yumi her sœur was a big act to extricate herself from being Cinderella. With that no longer possible, there was no reason for her to keep Yumi, whom she didn't know the face nor name of, as her little sister.

However.

"Of course, Yumi is my little sister."

Sachiko-sama said something unexpected. Yumi sat up and apprehensively searched Sachiko-sama's face for clues.

She was hysteric until just recently, and she was confused, so maybe she messed up her use of Japanese. Surely she must have meant to say 'she is not my little sister.'

"Onee-sama, are you attempting to slight me? You make it sound as if I made Yumi my sœur for the purpose of using her."

Woah, woah, but wasn't that the case? However, because the opponent was Sachiko-sama, Yumi held back on her desire to interject.

Will someone please say something, in my stead?

"Splendid."

Rosa Chinensis nodded, satisfied.

"If you were to throw away Yumi-san now, I would have had to cut our sisterly ties."

Why do things have to become so outrageous?

There was no premonition of this when I woke up. When I stepped out of my house, when I walked through the school gates, nothing was different than usual.

Only, my sailor collar was bent. From something so trivial, I was sucked into such a big incident. I felt like a person in a vortex.

However, for someone stuck in a vortex, it kind of felt like I was in the outfield.

"Did you hand her your rosary?"

"Not yet. I would not mind performing the ceremony in front of everyone, if you so desire?"

"That sounds good."

Wait a second.

Is no one going to stop Sachiko-sama? At this rate, this average person is going to become the petite sœur of Rosa Chenensis en bouton. This isn't the time to be saying "that sounds good" while smiling and sipping cooled tea!

"What's wrong? She looks like she wants to say something."

Rosa Gigantea noticed Yumi's expression.

"I wonder if she has qualms about performing the ceremony here and now."

"Oh come now. Is there any student dissatisfied with receiving a rosary to become a formal sœur?"

Quipped Rosa Foetida, as matter-of-factly as if she were repeating an equation.

"But see, some people prefer to be alone."

"Well aren't you romantic."

That's not what I mean, that's not what I mean, but-. Yumi sat speechless, unable to find the timing to butt into the Roses' musings.

As for what Sachiko-sama was doing while Yumi stuttered, she had quickly reached into her breast pocket and retrieved her rosary.

(Are you serious!?)

Once you place that over an underclassman's neck, you can no longer take it back. It might seem over-the-top, but the sanctity of the give-and-receive of a rosary is like that of a marriage registration.

Or maybe I was the one being insane. This is all a dream. The typical pattern, where the alarm rings as the rosary is placed around my neck, waking me up.

(But do you feel pain while dreaming?)

When I hit my butt in the hallway, it actually hurt. I tested this by pinching my arm, and it did hurt.

"Stay still, Yumi."

Sachiko-sama orders. The rosary in her hand was on stand-by above Yumi's head, its lace opened wide for ease of placement.

If that hung around my neck, I would become the petite sœur of Sachiko-sama, whom I adored.

Botamochi[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#botamochi] from the shelf. A top from the gourd.

No, more like a horse. A spinning top from a gourd is no surprise. But if you plucked a horse out it would be like 'are you serious?'

Ahh, this isn't the time to be thinking about that. There is only one thing to think about.

Is this okay?

Is it okay to just become a sœur like this?

"Um, umm…"

"Wait."

Yumi and Shimako-san simultaneously shouted.

"Sachiko-sama and the other onee-samas, everyone forgot the most important thing."

"Important thing?"

"Yumi-san's feelings."

"Yumi-san's feelings?"

The Roses scoffed.

"Do you think she would refuse the rosary?"

"I will not presume. However, I feel it is proper to hear her feelings."

Shimako-san said this firmly. While you might not expect it from how she looks, when it comes to it, she stands up for her opinions. As expected from Rosa Gigantea en bouton. Even so, as a fellow first-year, it was an envious trait.

Anyways, the ceremony was halted, so I was thankful of Shimako-san.

"Indeed. Even if it is an offer from Rosa Chinensis en bouton, there are those like Shimako who say 'I'm sorry.'"

Rosa Chinensis lightly threw a ball to check Shimako-san[[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5#check]. It seems that rumour was true.

"However, Yumi-san is Sachiko-sama's devotee. Of course she wouldn't refuse?"

Tsutako-san spoke to Shimako-san, almost like idle chatter.

"I agree. She… Yumi-san, just by observing her I could tell she was a Sachiko fan almost immediately."

Rosa Gigantea nodded. I see, she saw all of my facial expressions because she was observing.

If that's the case, maybe Sachiko-sama likewise figured out in an instant, and that would explain why she had no hesitation in dragging Yumi into the mess.

And by her side, Sachiko-sama was rolling the rosary in her hand, seemingly oblivious to the outcome of the discussion. It seemed she was supremely confident that Yumi would not refuse the rosary.

"Still. There is that chance. Shall we ask, then?"

Rosa Chinensis turned to Yumi and asked.

"Sachiko wants to make you her sœur. Have you the intent of accepting?"

Asked so directly, Yumi lost her words.

Become Sachiko-sama's petite sœur was a fairy tale, like marrying a Hollywood Star. But because it was an unattainable dream, you could continue to dream, and enjoy it.

And now, a ticket for an express train to that dream was in her grasp.

It would be a lie not to say 'yes.'

But deep down, she thought, 'is that okay?'

Everyone stared at the silent Yumi. Then, Yumi solidified her resolve and spoke.

"I apologize. I cannot become Sachiko-sama's sœur."

Everyone began murmuring.

"Now it's getting interesting."

Rosa Gigantea irresponsibly laughed, Rosa Chinensis rolled her eyes, and Rosa Foetida was petrified with jaws agape.

"Do I, have the right, to ask why?"

Sachiko-sama trembled a bit.

"I was certainly a fan of Sachiko-sama, but."

"What, did you become afraid after seeing her true self?"

Rosa Chinensis cut in and asked Yumi.

"Not at all."

Although it was slightly different from her selfish image of Sachiko-sama, she was glad she could see the human side – her sulking and her being angry. Because of that, she felt she couldn't attribute it to disliking Sachiko-sama's personality.

"It's hard to explain, but. Because I'm a fan, doesn't mean I would do anything to become her little sister…"

"Hmm."

"Because as a fan, I do have a bit of pride."

"It's disgraceful to be expected to follow orders, tail wagging and all."

"Not quite, but…"

I thought it was hard formulating how I felt into words.

"Well, either way, Sachiko got rejected again."

"Poor Sachiko, two consecutive upset losses."

"The first-years this year are really something."

The Roses surrounded Sachiko-sama. Although rather than consoling, they seemed to be having fun.

"If you think I'm pitiful, will you do something about Cinderella?"

Sachiko-sama forced a smile.

"Oh dear, Sachiko, who hates being pitied, is starting to beg."

"How rare."

"You say to do something, but do you have anything in mind?"

Even though they know.

If you were to step back and look at the whole scene, you would see an interesting image. Sachiko-sama had turned into a toy for the Roses.

"Drop either me or the Hanadera council leader from the leading roles."

"Oh what are you saying, just because you were rejected by Yumi does not mean we have to feel that much pity for you."

Of course, that sort of logic wouldn't fly. However, I began to think it was a bit cruel to force her to dance with a man like this.

She was so averse to co-starring with a man that she tried to make Yumi her little sister.

"Ah, um."

Yumi suddenly shouted out.

"You were still here?"

Perhaps because she was still stung by the rejection, Sachiko-sama sounded bitter. Even though, as they stood next to each other, she clearly would have known had she left, how uncute.

"Um, would it be possible to tell the Hanadera council leader to step aside this time?"

"Are you trying to back up Sachiko now?"

Rosa Chinensis swayed her jaw-length hair happily.

"It's not about backing her."

Yumi surprised herself, noticing that she was opining to Rosa Chinensis.

For whatever reason, she felt different from usual.

"We sent a formal commission to the Hanadera council leader, so that is impossible."

"Then how about swapping Sachiko-sama's role, at the very least?"

"Swapping roles?"

"For example, swapping with Shimako-san's role. Shimako-san is just as pretty as Sachiko-sama. Plus she is also Rosa Gigantea en bouton."

Shimako-san, at having been singled out, shot a look of "how could you say that!" Yumi put her hands together and apologized, in her mind. Even though it was a supposition, maybe it was a bad idea.

"Shimako, a first-year, for the lead role?"

"I think first-year second-year is inconsequential."

"That is true."

I thought, just one more push. Rosa Chinensis stared up at the ceiling in thought.

"Since it was a communication mishap, it seemed like everyone was laying the blame solely on Sachiko-sama. But everyone also-"

And then a voice cut in.

"Silence!"

Sachiko-sama, standing next to me, suddenly shouted.

"If you say any more, I will not forgive you."

"Sachiko-sama…"

Rather than the usual hysteria, this was a more weighted tone.

"I understand you are saying this for my sake. However, please do not trouble the onee-samas over me."

Sachiko-sama laid a soft hand on Yumi's shoulder, then snapped right and lowered her head to the Roses.

"I apologize. I will scold her later."

The shoulder she was touching felt sad. Even though I'd tried to help Sachiko-sama, it might have been a complete whiff.

"True."

Rosa Gigantea mumbled.

"What Yumi-san tried to say is true. As Sachiko did just find out today, and the responsibility for that lies at least partly within us. How about we think about the role a bit more."

The other Roses immediately began countering. No matter the reason, the costume and posters were already ordered, and as it was almost time for the dress rehearsals, role re-distribution was too tough, seemed to be the strongest argument.

"However, forcing her to dance with a man is wrong, too. For Sachiko's sake, as well as ours."

"I see. People who coerce their juniors into doing things are not fit for leading the student council. Plus, 'Cinderella' is going to be our banner production."

"But it's hard changing roles now."

Rosa Gigantea happily cut into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's worries.

"Basically, we just need to make Sachiko willing to play Cinderella."

"Even though we cannot change the Prince?"

"Yup. And without changing the cast."

Rosa Gigantea explained.

"Lets have a bet."

"Bet?"

"Unsparingly forcing her to do Cinderella is unfair. So we'll give Sachiko a chance, and if she loses, she has to undergo the penalty."

I see.

However, what is bothersome is how she seems confident that Sachiko-sama would lose.

Rosa Gigantea whispered into Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Foetida's ears, already gaining their approval. It seemed like she was using Sachiko's numerical inferiority to her advantage.

"If I win?"

Sachiko-sama asked, unperturbed.

"I'll promise this time, once and for all, you can step out of Cinderella."

"I understand. I accept the bet."

"Sachiko-sama! You're accepting the bet even without asking what it is!?"

Even though it might have been meddlesome, even Yumi burst out out this.

"It hardly matters. It makes no difference if I lose."

Sachiko-sama's rather surprisingly a gambler. Even though she was fastidious, she didn't seem to disgust bets.

"Well, as per Yumi-san's request, I'll explain the rules of the bet."

Rosa Gigantea simply stated, suppressing a laugh.

"Whether Sachiko can make Yumi-san her sœur or not. Of course, Sachiko will be betting on 'yes.'"

"Eh!?"

The one that was surprised the most was, of course, Yumi.

(I thought I was done here!?)

"You were already refused once. Getting her to accept your rosary by the school festival is almost impossible. However, the moment it happens, you're immediately off the hook. In exchange, you will participate in dress rehearsals as normal until that time comes."

"I see. If I do not want to hold hands with Hanadera's council leader, I need to seduce Yumi as soon as possible, correct?"

"That's right. We will not interfere in any way. Winning or losing is entirely up to you. I think the terms are pretty fair, would you agree?"

"Sounds better than I expected."

Sachiko-sama already looked like she was confident of winning.

"Oh, and, one more thing."

Rosa Gigantea spun around to Yumi and spoke.

"No accepting the rosary simply to be useful to Sachiko. The moment you say okay and the Cinderella role becomes vacant, you're stepping in."

"Eh, why me?"

"What are you saying? When you accept the rosary, you become Sachiko's sœur. Of course it becomes your duty to fill the vacancy left by your onee-sama."

Are they insane?

"I, I, I can't replace Sachiko-sama! That, that's impossible!"

"No worries. You won't accept the rosary. As long as you stay true to that, Sachiko is guaranteed to lose."

And if it falls to Yumi, that would be amusing in itself, says Rosa Gigantea, a dreadful thing to suppose.

"Then, then rather than a bet between the Roses and Sachiko-sama, it becomes a match beween Sachiko-sama and I-."

"You can look at it that way. … Well, if you're going to regret anything, regret that you the Buddhist heart that made you think, even for an instant, of helping Sachiko."

Rosa Foetida's word choice of "Buddhist heart" felt out of place at Lillian Girls' Academy.

*********************

"Unbelievable."

Tsutako-san muttered, as they walked along the gingko tree roadside.

"Why didn't you just say 'ok'? If Yumi-san became her little sister, it would have been so easy to negotiate."

The autumn sun was falling quickly, and when Yumi was freed from the Rose Mansion, you could already call it twilight.

"Then Tsutako-san, you were worried more about the photo than me, during that whole time?"

"Of course. Who do you think I am?"

The photography club ace, Takeshima Tsutako-san, I think.

"But it's getting interesting."

Tsutako-san said the same thing as Rosa Gigantea.

"Because it's someone else's business."

"I'm at ease because it's someone else. Ah, that's right, now it's Yumi-san's turn to finally collect land tax. It's disappointing that another precious sœur-less person leaves the world, but, well, if the opponent is Sachiko-sama, it's only a matter of time, I think? It would have been more amusing to designate a deadline date, in my opinion."

"Tsutako-san, you think Sachiko-sama is going to win?"

"Because Yumi-san seems so much less energetic about this."

"……"

To be honest, I was thinking the same thing. When attacked from head-on, I can't help but wonder if I would end up shaking my head vertically, crushed by sheer power.

"But. Cinderella is on the line, so I can't just lose."

When I raised my fist with resolve, Tsutako-san corrected, "That word choice makes you sound like you want to play it."

When we arrived at Maria-sama's statue, we stopped and put our hands together. This is customary. Heading to school and leaving from school, every day one time each. Actually, any time you passed by this statue, you always greet her.

(Maria-sama, today was a terrible day. If it's possible, please return me to my peaceful days as soon as you can.)

I opened my eyes and turned around, and then.

"Wait right there."

It was déjà vu. Just as in the morning, an icy voice that seems to have come from Maria-sama.

"Sachiko-sama…"

Whether she had come running, she was panting and standing roughly 10 meters behind Yumi.

"Remember this. I will absolutely become your sœur."

Even amidst the odorous fallen ginko nuts, the figure of Sachiko-sama standing straight and proclaiming the challenge was awesome.

"Gokigenyou. Do have a safe trip home."

Having said all she wanted, Sachiko-sama smiled and vanished off to the school buildings.

"She looked pretty cool."

Tsutako-san quipped, as we watched her off.

Even Yumi, that moment, felt her resolve teeter off its base.

==Translators Note==

===Takaradzuka===
* Is a famous theatrics group in Japan

===warashibechouja===
* Literally translated, 'the straw millionaire,' it's a fairy tale about a poor man who was down to some straw, and after he exchanged his straw, he continued to make exchanges until, in the end, he became extremely rich.

===botamochi===
* I don't think this is a standard Japanese phrase. She's saying "it's like pulling a snack out of a shelf, our a horse out of a gourd," essentially trying to say it came out of the blue. I decided to leave it in, for cultural reference sake.

===check===
* This is a baseball reference. Pitchers often throw balls back to their bases in order to, bluntly, try to tag out runners. This is called 'checking the runner,' and is in reality a way to keep fast runners honest, by ensuring that they don't get too greedy by stepping far away from the base. In this case, Rosa Chinensis was throwing a light jab to Shimako-san, as despite their being on relatively friend terms, the latter DID reject her sister.

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Prologue

2008-05-09T10:59:06Z

Epicnoses: /* Translators Note */ Title Edit

== Prologue ==

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The clear morning greeting travels through the serene, blue sky.

Today, once again, the maidens that gather in the Virgin Mary's garden smile purely to one another as they pass under the tall gateway.

Wrapping their innocent bodies and souls is a deep-coloured school uniform.

Walking slowly as to not disturb the plaits in their skirts, so as to not toss their white sailor scarves into disarray... such is the standard of modesty here. Running because one is in danger of missing class, for instance, is too undignified a sight for students to wish upon themselves here.

Lillian Private Academy for Women.

Founded in [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue#Meiji34 Meiji 34], this academy was originally intended for the young women of nobility, and is now a Catholic academy of prestigious tradition. Placed in downtown Tokyo, where you can still see traces of Musashi Field's greenery, it is protected by God, a garden where maidens can receive tutelage from pre-school to university.

Time passes, and even now, in Heisei, three era-names past Meiji, it is a valuable academy, where nurtured ladies raised in greenhouses are shipped in here in carefully packaged boxes, an arrangement that continues to survive.

She-, Fukuzawa Yumi (福沢祐巳), is just one of those ordinary ladies.

==Translator's Notes and References==

===Meiji34===
*Is 1901. For more information about the traditional Japanese labeling of years, check out [http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~watson/ref/mtsh.html this site].

Maria-sama ga Miteru:Volume1 Prologue

2008-05-09T10:57:27Z

Epicnoses: /* Prologue */ Fixed link to "Meiji34" Translator's Notes.

== Prologue ==

"Gokigenyou."

"Gokigenyou."

The clear morning greeting travels through the serene, blue sky.

Today, once again, the maidens that gather in the Virgin Mary's garden smile purely to one another as they pass under the tall gateway.

Wrapping their innocent bodies and souls is a deep-coloured school uniform.

Walking slowly as to not disturb the plaits in their skirts, so as to not toss their white sailor scarves into disarray... such is the standard of modesty here. Running because one is in danger of missing class, for instance, is too undignified a sight for students to wish upon themselves here.

Lillian Private Academy for Women.

Founded in [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue#Meiji34 Meiji 34], this academy was originally intended for the young women of nobility, and is now a Catholic academy of prestigious tradition. Placed in downtown Tokyo, where you can still see traces of Musashi Field's greenery, it is protected by God, a garden where maidens can receive tutelage from pre-school to university.

Time passes, and even now, in Heisei, three era-names past Meiji, it is a valuable academy, where nurtured ladies raised in greenhouses are shipped in here in carefully packaged boxes, an arrangement that continues to survive.

She-, Fukuzawa Yumi (福沢祐巳), is just one of those ordinary ladies.

==Translators Note==

===Meiji34===
*Is 1901. For more information about the traditional Japanese labeling of years, check out [http://www.meijigakuin.ac.jp/~watson/ref/mtsh.html this site].

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:45:39Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 20 - 妹オーディション */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - Sister Audition/妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:41:35Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - Beloved Times - Part 2/いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:41:07Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - Beloved Times - Part 1/いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:35:28Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - Valentine Gift - Part 2/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:31:53Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 11 - パラソルをさして */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - Holding a Parasol/パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:27:17Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - Cherry Blossom (Sakura)/チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:22:19Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - One Page of Midsummer/真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:18:03Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - Cool Breeze/涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:13:32Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 16 - バラエティギフト */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - Variety Gifts/バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:09:35Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 10 - レイニーブルー */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - Rainy Blue/レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T10:04:44Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - Ciào Sorella!/チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T09:59:11Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 19 - インライブラリー */ Trans

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - In Library/インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T09:54:50Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 30 - キラキラまわる */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - Twinkle, Twinkle, Twirl キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T09:47:37Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 28 - フレーム　オブ　マインド */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - Frame of Mind/フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T09:41:49Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 26 - クリスクロス */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - Crisscross/クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

Maria-sama ga Miteru

2008-05-09T09:36:45Z

Epicnoses: /* Volume 15 - レディ、GO！ */ Trans.

[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|200px|thumb|MariMite volume 1 cover.]]

== Synopsis ==

Maria-sama ga Miteru's story revolves around the students of the Lillian Catholic school for girls, and can be considered character-driven, focusing on interactions between the characters rather than any sort of ongoing plot or goal to attain. At Lillian Girls' School, there is a tradition known as the sœur system (sœur being French for "sister"), in which a second, or third-year student, the grande sœur ("big sister"), will give her rosary to a junior student, the petite sœur ("little sister"), and promise to look after them and guide them.

When the story begins, Yumi Fukuzawa, a new first-year student admitted to Lillian, is praying in front of the Virgin Mary statue near the school entrance when she is suddenly approached by a cold second-year student named Sachiko Ogasawara who straightens Yumi's uniform ribbon. This seemingly simple act of kindness stays with Yumi the rest of the day, and she speaks of her meeting with Sachiko to her friends during class and lunch. After school is over, Yumi's classmate Tsutako Takeshima meets with Yumi to show her that she took a photograph of Yumi's meeting with Sachiko earlier that morning. Yumi asks if she can have the photo, but Tsutako says she will give her the snapshot under two conditions: one being that Tsutako can display it at the upcoming school festival, and two being that Yumi get Sachiko's permission to do so as well. Yumi agrees to this, which sets in motion a series of events involving the entire Yamayurikai — the student council of the school. A few weeks after first meeting Sachiko, Yumi accepts Sachiko's rosary and therefore agrees to become her petite sœur.

This officially inducts Yumi into the Yamayurikai where she assists them in school matters at the same level as the other two petite sœurs — Yoshino Shimazu, and Shimako Tōdō — who are the petite sœurs of Rei Hasekura, and Sei Satō respectively. Through her activities in the Yamayurikai, Yumi becomes closer to the other members and generally finds her experiences with the group to be enjoyable. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria-sama_ga_Miteru Synopsis from wikipedia.]

'''Warning:''' Suffice it to say, this series is considered yuri, having various mentions of lesbian relationships. They are not, however, particularly graphic. If you find this sort of topic offensive, look away.

== Translation ==
=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Format|Maria-sama ga Miteru specific formatting]]

== Updates ==
*May 3, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 2 added.
*May 2, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 2 Part 1 added.
*April 30, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 4 added. Sorry for the wait!
*April 17, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 3 added.
*April 9, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 2 added.
*April 8, 2008
**Volume 2 Chapter 1 Part 1 added.
*April 7, 2008
**Volume 2 Prologue added.

[[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Updates|Past Updates]]

== Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる by Oyuki Konno ==
=== Volume 1 - Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1|(Full Text - Unupdated)]]===
[[Image:MM_v01_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Monday of Uneasiness
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter1_5|Part 5]]
* Tuesday of Storms
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter2_3|Part 3]]
* Anxious Wednesday, Friday of Battle
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_4|Part 4]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter3_5|Part 5]]
* Spicy and Bitter Weekend
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter4_3|Part 3]]
* The Hot Second Week
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter5_4|Part 4]]
* Waltz-like Sunday
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Chapter6_2|Part 2]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume1_Postscript|Postscript]]

=== Volume 2 - The Yellow Rose Revolution/黄薔薇革命 ===
[[Image:MM_v02_cover.jpg|thumb]]
* [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
* Best Sœur
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_2|Part 2]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_3|Part 3]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter1_4|Part 4]]
* The Returned Rosary
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_1|Part 1]]
** [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Volume2_Chapter2_2|Part 2]]
** Part 3
* Unexpected Consequences
* Just what is going on?
* Fighting Maidens
* As long as it ends well
* Post-script

=== Volume 3 - Forest of Thorns/いばらの森 ===

=== Volume 4 - Rosa Canina/ロサ・カニーナ ===

=== Volume 5 - Valentine Gift - Part 1/ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） ===

=== Volume 6 - ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） ===

=== Volume 7 - いとしき歳月（前編） ===

=== Volume 8 - いとしき歳月（後編） ===

=== Volume 9 - チェリーブロッサム ===

=== Volume 10 - レイニーブルー ===

=== Volume 11 - パラソルをさして ===

=== Volume 12 - 子羊たちの休暇[http://www.baka-tsuki.net/project/index.php?title=Maria_Sama_Ga_Miteru] ===

=== Volume 13 - 真夏の一ページ ===

=== Volume 14 - 涼風さつさつ ===

=== Volume 15 - Lady, GO!/レディ、GO！ ===

=== Volume 16 - バラエティギフト ===

=== Volume 17 - チャオソレッラ！ ===

=== Volume 18 - 特別でないただの一日 ===

=== Volume 19 - インライブラリー ===

=== Volume 20 - 妹オーディション ===

=== Volume 21 - 薔薇のミルフィーユ ===

=== Volume 22 - 未来の白地図 ===

=== Volume 23 - くもりガラスの向こう側 ===

=== Volume 24 - 仮面のアクトレス ===

=== Volume 25 - 大きな扉　小さな鍵 ===

=== Volume 26 - クリスクロス ===

=== Volume 27 - あなたを探しに ===

=== Volume 28 - フレーム　オブ　マインド ===

=== Volume 29 - 薔薇の花かんむり ===

=== Volume 30 - キラキラまわる ===

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator: ''None Designated''
*Project Supervisor: [[User:Seki|Seki]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
* [[User:Seki|Seki]]

Incidentally, I'm not really looking for another translator, at least not for the time being. Call it selfish, or arrogant, or whatever, but I'm relatively confident at this point that I can power through all of MariMite by myself, which would keep the style the same, throughout.

'''Translators are asked to [[Maria-sama_ga_Miteru:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Editors ===

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - マリア様がみてる (April 24, 1998, ISBN 4-08-614459-X)
* Volume 2 - マリア様がみてる　黄薔薇革命 (February 3, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614554-5)
* Volume 3 - マリア様がみてる　いばらの森 (April 27, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614591-X)
* Volume 4 - マリア様がみてる　ロサ・カニーナ (December 1, 1999, ISBN 4-08-614661-4)
* Volume 5 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（前編） (March 3, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614695-9)
* Volume 6 - マリア様がみてる　ウァレンティーヌスの贈り物（後編） (April 25, 2000, ISBN 4-08-614715-7)
* Volume 7 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（前編） (February 2, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614817-X)
* Volume 8 - マリア様がみてる　いとしき歳月（後編） (April 3, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614841-2)
* Volume 9 - マリア様がみてる　チェリーブロッサム (July 27, 2001, ISBN 4-08-614895-1)
* Volume 10 - マリア様がみてる　レイニーブルー (March 29, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600078-4)
* Volume 11 - マリア様がみてる　パラソルをさして (July 1, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600136-5)
* Volume 12 - マリア様がみてる　子羊たちの休暇 (December 25, 2002, ISBN 4-08-600210-8)
* Volume 13 - マリア様がみてる　真夏の一ページ (March 28, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600243-4)
* Volume 14 - マリア様がみてる　涼風さつさつ (July 1, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600284-1)
* Volume 15 - マリア様がみてる　レディ、GO！ (October 31, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600337-6)
* Volume 16 - マリア様がみてる　バラエティギフト (December 25, 2003, ISBN 4-08-600360-0)
* Volume 17 - マリア様がみてる　チャオソレッラ！ (March 31, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600399-6)
* Volume 18 - マリア様がみてる　特別でないただの一日 (October 1, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600484-4)
* Volume 19 - マリア様がみてる　インライブラリー (December 25, 2004, ISBN 4-08-600527-1)
* Volume 20 - マリア様がみてる　妹オーディション (April 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600568-9)
* Volume 21 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇のミルフィーユ (July 1, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600609-X)
* Volume 22 - マリア様がみてる　未来の白地図 (December 22, 2005, ISBN 4-08-600704-5)
* Volume 23 - マリア様がみてる　くもりガラスの向こう側 (March 31, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600743-6)
* Volume 24 - マリア様がみてる　仮面のアクトレス (June 30, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600784-3)
* Volume 25 - マリア様がみてる　大きな扉　小さな鍵 (October 3, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600823-8)
* Volume 26 - マリア様がみてる　クリスクロス (December 22, 2006, ISBN 4-08-600859-9)
* Volume 27 - マリア様がみてる　あなたを探しに (March 30, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-600895-2)
* Volume 28 - マリア様がみてる　フレーム　オブ　マインド (June 28, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601034-4)
* Volume 29 - マリア様がみてる　薔薇の花かんむり (October 2, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601075-7)
* Volume 30 - マリア様がみてる　キラキラまわる (December 26, 2007, ISBN 978-4-08-601110-5)

About Kara no Kyoukai

2008-05-09T09:22:46Z

Epicnoses: /* Characters */ SP

Afterwards, the series gained wide attention through merchandises like the drama CD, and on June 8, 2004 the story was republished as the commerical edition by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koudansha Koudansha] (講談社). On the same day, 5,000 copies of the limited collection edition were sold for a high price of 9,800 yen, but were sold out merely two hours after pre-order started -- this immediately hit the headlines. In the end, the normal and collection editions combined had sold about 500,000 copies. The commercial edition was about the same in content as the doujinshi edition, but with slight differences in punctuation or word usage due to more detailed revision and editing.

The protagonist Shiki Ryougi (両儀式) possesses the same power as Tsukihime (月姫)'s Shiki Tohno (遠野志貴). Touko Aozaki (蒼崎橙子), one side character in Kara no Kyoukai, is the sister of Tsukihime's Aoko Aozaki (蒼崎青子). So the two stories are regarded as having the same world view.

The series is nicknamed "Rakkyo." It is a common debate whether the series should be regarded a light novel or not.

Just as a piece of trivia the title "Kara no Kyoukai" roughly translates into "the boundary of emptiness/nothingness".

== Characters ==

*'''Shiki Ryougi''' (両儀式)
:Reviving from a two-year coma after an incident, she gains the ability to see the "death" of all things (Tyokushi no Magan, 直死の魔眼). Before her coma, there were two personalities within her: the feminine character Shiki (式), and the masculine character SHIKI (織). However, because of the accident, the masculine SHIKI (織) was annihilated. Her masculine tone (for example, calling herself "ore") is an attempt to supplement the spiritually dead SHIKI (織)'s personality. In her attempts to have an actual feel of 'living,' as she no longer feels alive due to her loss of SHIKI (織), she throws herself into high-risk battles involving the supernatural. She commonly wears Japanese clothing, and in cold seasons she wears a leather jumper on top. With an optimistic heart she does not seem to be bothered by the "lines of death" (although she tried to crush her eyes in when she first saw the lines of death), and she puts away the "Magan killer (魔眼殺し)" spectacles that Touko has specially made for her.

:* By the way, according to official settings, Shiki Ryougi is mutiple levels more skillful in using "Tyokushi no Magan" compared to Shiki Tohno (遠野志貴) of Tsukihime (月姫) (to be exact, the main character of Tsukihime). Shiki Ryougi can be considered the base blueprint to Shiki Tohno/Nanaya, as Kara no Kyoukai was written before Tsukihime was created.

*'''Mikiya Kokutou''' (黒桐幹也)
:He was originally in the same class as Shiki, and is now working at "Garan no Dou" (伽藍の洞), the workshop of puppet-maker Touko Aozaki. Shiki prefers to call him "Kokuto-." He is just an ordinary young man, but when it comes to "searching for things," he is unbelievably talented (for example, when he heard of rumors about Touko and wanted to meet her, he reached "Garan no Dou" after searching for her, despite the spells cast by Touko around the workshop). In fact, he met Shiki once before their 'first' encounter at school, but Shiki did not remember. He greatly admires Shiki.

:*Mikiya Kokuto seems be highly similar in appearance, and somewhat in personality, to Shiki Tohno (遠野志貴) of Tsukihime (月姫).

*'''Touko Aozaki''' (蒼崎燈子)
:The owner of "Garan no Dou." A puppet-maker on surface, she is actually a Mahou-tsukai (魔法使い) - turned - Majutsushi (魔術師), and can use Majutsu in rune languages. She casts a spell around a ruined building to make it undetectable to the consciousness, and turned it into her residence and workshop. A heavy smoker, she always has a cigarette between her lips. According to her younger sister Aoko, she "looks like an educated mom with spectacles and a cigarette." Flat-chested in Kokutou's personal opinion.

:* The elder sister of Aoko Aozaki (蒼崎青子) the Mahou-tsukai in Tsukihime. She killed her grandfather and teacher, because he gave the title of Aozaki Family Head to her younger sister instead of her. The sisters' relationship is rather disastrous (in fact, her Tsukaima (使い魔, lit. magical servant) was destroyed by her younger sister). Compared to her sister, who knows nothing but destruction, her level as a Majitsushi is top class. The Majutsu Association (魔術協会) recognized her formidable power by dubbing her with the color "Tou" (橙, orange) which is close to the three primary colors. However, her most desired color, "Blue," has been claimed by her sister, and she was often mocked due to this. Whoever called her "Scarred Red" was exterminated (without exception, as claimed in the main story of "Kara no Kyoukai"--) Her skills are so formidable that the Association has declared for her abilities (as a top ranked puppet-maker) to be sealed under the Seal Order(封印指定), so now she is hiding herself from the Association. Her hobby is to get money from the Association in her younger sister's name to go shopping.

:* She also makes an appearance at Kinoko Nasu's "Mahou-tsukai no Yoru" (魔法使いの夜, Mahou-tsukai's Night). Also, in TYPE-MOON's legendary game "Fate/stay night," although she is not named, there is a bit in the story about a puppet-maker who receives the Seal Order. In the "Melty Blood" series Aoko complains about someone using her name to get money. Also, she is among the few who can make the item "Magan Killer (魔眼殺し)," which appears in both "Tsukihime" and "Fate/Stay Night" (However, in the main story of "Fate/stay Night" there is no mentioning who is the creator behind the spectacles).

*'''Azaka Kokutou''' (黒桐鮮花)
:Mikiya's younger sister who loves Mikiya. Due to rivality against Shiki she became an apprentice Majitsushi under Touko. She is money-centered and highly calculating. Her only mastered skill is the "Ignition" magic. When using her skill, she wears gloves made of fiery lizard's skin (火蜥蜴の手袋) received from Touko.

:* Just like the "elder brothers," Azaka is similar in appearance and abilities to Akiha Tohno (遠野秋葉) in "Tsukihime" (another 'blueprint' character). The difference in their abilities is that Azaki's "ignition" is simply to induce burning, while Akiha's "plundering" is to take in and control outside heat. However, in appearance, the two look the same. The decisive difference: 'breasts.'

Fate/Zero:Act 3 Part 3

2008-05-09T09:17:40Z

Epicnoses: /* 154:15:41 */

== 154:15:41 ==




The broad bridge straddling the widening Mion river spans majestically over 665 meters, arching with a diameter of over three roads.

The top of the arch is over 50 meters high. Anyone standing so high and receiving the full force of the sea wind would miss a step and fall to his end into the river below, unable to go back up without great skills and a lifeline.

Atop that cold steel frame, Waver Velvet had nothing like a lifeline, clinging with only both arms and legs; thus of course he was giving up the dignity and composure he usually always had.

Right next to him, his Servant Rider is sitting cross-legged with his odious dignity.

"Ri, de, r, quick... Let's go down... Now!"

With his teeth continuously clicking from the cold and terror, Waver's complaining

voice is like the blowing wind to the giant Servant.

"This place is perfect for a look-out. Well, this isn't the time for fancy sight-seeing in a high place."

With a wine bottle in his hand, sipping from time to time, he rambles while looking down at the west bank of the bridge, toward the wide seaside park hidden from the estuary. Waver can't see it, but what Rider is looking at― are the marks a Servant has been leaving around for 4 hours.

Rider has been wandering in the streets looking for a contact with the enemy, but he noticed that Servant only late in the afternoon.

While thinking whether he should rush down on him immediately, Rider has kept observing him from a distance, without moving onward. When Waver asked about it, Rider answered with a snort.

"He's clearly luring us out. For him to not pick up on us, that's strange. And it's not just me anymore, other Servants must be studying his aspect.

An impatient Master would just get tired of waiting at some point, or something. That's what we should be looking forward to."

Rider's plan had no opening that Waver could see. Rather, it was

unexpected. This broad-minded giant Servant could actually set up sly tactics.

Indeed, as Rider said, only a helpless fool would take the bait and accept the challenge. Those falling for it would only be eating each other and decrease the count. However self-confident a so provocative Servant is, anyone other than Rider going for a brawl would be good riddance. Whoever gets defeated, Rider can smash the winner. There is definitely a profit in the fight of others.

So, after it is decided so, it becomes a matter of endurance. Remaining at a fixed distance from the traces of the Servant wandering aimlessly in the city, Waver and Rider followed and are still surveying.

Nonetheless― there are obvious reasons behind taking a high point of view, but there are limits. Nevermind Servants, Waver with his flesh and blood body definitely dies if he falls. It shouldn't be possible to ignore that, so how come this giant cares so little about Waver's safety?

"Co, come down! No, get the hell down! I, I've, I've had it!"

"Ah, just wait. You're a restless guy. Sitting and waiting is also part of the battle."

Sipping in his wine bottle, Rider doesn't even look at Waver's half crying face when

answering so gratuitously. "High places are dangerous", such common sense hasn't been aknowledged for yet between the two.

"If you're bored, read the book I entrusted to you. It's a good book."

Hearing that, Waver remembers about the stupid weight in the knapsack hanging on his shoulder. In this situation where they shouldn't afford even one unnecessary gram, the poetry anthology with its thick hard cover really is a dead weight.

That was the one book Rider looted from the library he raided right when he arrived in the present world. The 'Iliad' written by the poet Homer in the ancient Greece― the epic poem describing the Trojan war, in which fought gods and humans jumbled together.

The atlas can be okay. Exaggerating about world conquest, Rider takes interest in the geography of the modern world, even if it sounds foolish.

But what's with a poetry anthology? Rider set up a library at home even though he was preparing for war, and yet he still insisted in bringing the Iliad with him. Naturally, if he wants to bring anything that isn't his regular equipment, he would need to remain materialized; if he needs to dematerialize to hide from the other people, then afterall, it's Waver who ends up having to carry the luggage.

Certainly, Rider insisted that the book was "preparation for war". But how on Earth can

a book that isn't even about war strategy be helpful on the battlefield?

"Rider... Why, did you, bring this book?"

At Waver's bitter question, the Heroic Spirit answered with a grave expression.

"The Iliad is very profound. At the height of battle, I suddenly get the urge to read a verse of poetry. At a time like that, I feel bad when I can't reread something immediately."

"..."

He feels like his interlocutor just gave him a bullshit answer, but fear stops him from arguing back.

"At a time like that, you mean... In battle?"

"Yes."

Rider nods nonchalantly as if his reply was perfectly normal.

"... But how?"

"With my left hand, when I hold my sword in my right hand. If I need to hold the bridle with my left hand, I get a page to read it aloud."

"..."

Waver felt at loss for words at the unimaginable answer.


"It isn't that surprising. The warriors of my era all lived a life of battle. Battling while drinking and eating, embracing women while battling, battling even while sleeping. Anyone can do that."

Just ask him and he won't stop. This man does seem like he could do all that, but...

"You're kidding, right?"

"Of course. You fool."

He sniggered and gave an exploding flinch on Waver's forehead.

"Gyaa---h!!"

He didn't have the time to worry, let alone dodge. At any rate, there he was, clinging on the steel frame with all his might with both arms and legs. Waver couldn't even rub his pained forehead, as he could only howl with an unbecoming shriek.

"Hey, kid, anyone would laugh at a joke like that. When your face turns blue like that, it's because you have no guts."

Ignoring Rider's frank laugh, the magus strongly regretted choosing this Heroic Spirit as he shed tears from the pain on his forehead.

"I wanna go back... Go back to England..."

"I told you not to rush like that. Here, things are moving up at last."


"... Eh?"

Rider points at the seaside park with a stern chin.

"Even I, the king of conquerors, noticed only just now, but― yes, it seems there was one more Servant in this park. This guy isn't hiding anything either. On the contrary, he's nearing the other one who arrived after us."

"Then, then―"

"The two seem to be going toward the port. That's a provocation. That's it― We'll study their fight."

Before one knows, his eyes start to hold the sharp gleam of a beast as he gives a threatening laugh. He is only a spectator, but the soul of the Heroic Spirit Alexander is already on the battlefield.

In Waver's heart, unable to move on the steel frame, Waver's misery was winning over the sense of reliability he should have from Rider. ―Moreover, he was mostly thinking that nothing mattered if he were to fall down anyway.


The west bank of the seaside park is prolonged by a row of boring storehouses. The block, which contains harbor facilities, also plays the role of a wall that separates the eastern industrial area from Shinto. At night, the pedestrian traffic ceases, and the street lights shine uselessly on the asphalt, but it makes the scenery even more empty. Unmanned derrick cranes are turned toward the dark sea, like an eerie flock of huge fossilized dinosaurs.

Indeed, this is a suitable place for Servants who must confront hidden from public view.

Saber and Irisviel walk up, magnificent as duellists going to the place of agreement, on the four lane road, for the large vehicles that are meant to drive on it. The enemy as well is already showing himself, without running or hiding. The tall shadow standing in the middle of the empty street emits an extraordinary amount of prana, even more outrageous than his odd outfit, clearly showing that he is much more than human.

The two Servants stop, facing each other from about 10 meters

apart.

Finally, they meet the first Servant. Saber carefully observes the enemy she will be battling to death with.

He was a handsome man, with quirky long hair combed backward roughly. He charmed the eyes pretty well on the first glance. His main pole, over two meters and taller than himself, is obviously his weapon. Amongst the seven classes, he is one of the three “knight” classes― Saber, Archer, and with them, the Heroic Spirit of the lance. Undoubtedly, he is the Servant Lancer.

The strange thing is that he does not have just that one long spear.

Along with the spear Lancer was holding loose in his right hand, the head resting on his shoulder, he was also carrying in his left hand a shorter spear that was one third the length of the right one.

To handle a spear with ease, the obvious stance is of course to hold one with both hands. Whatever you can do with swords, one can't imagine that holding two spears is common.

The two spears are tightly wrapped from the handle to the tip with a cloth that looks like an amulet, hiding the shaft. This is probably a counter-measure to avoid revealing the true name of the Noble Phantasm.

"How nice of you to come. All of those who were parading around today in the town have only cowered away. ... You are the only one of valor who answered my invitation."

With a humble, cheerful praising voice, the man― the Heroic Spirit Lancer asks Saber carelessly, without

standing on guard.

"That pure fighting spirit... Am I correct in thinking you are Saber?"

"You are. Surely you must be Lancer?"

"Indeed. ―Hm, it is unusual to exchange names with the opponent in a deadly fight. That was a pleasure that is not obligatory."

In agreement, Saber loosens her feigned impudence a little.

"Certainly it isn't. Our battle isn't one for honor to begin with. You yourself are raising your spear for your master of this era, are you not?"

"Fuh, correct."

With a strange expression, Lancer answered in a cool, bitter tone, not reminding of someone who wished a deadly exchange. Looking more closely, he is a remarkably handsome and beautiful man.

His intrepid features are a high bridge of the nose and a valiant eyebrow. Despite his hard cut mouth denoting a stoic air, his eyes seem to hide a quiet grief, yet a strong, manly scent rises from him. Below his left eye, he has a beauty spot like a grain of tear. That gives his gaze an even more impressive brilliance.

Truly, his features were those that could sweep a woman's heart at a glance. ―No, actually, does his elegant air of beauty only come from his features?


Holding back behind Saber, Irisviel shortens her breathing a little as she frowns.

"... A charm magecraft. It is impolite to use on a married woman, spearman."

Clearly, Lancer was emitting a spiritual power that could marvel a woman. As Irisviel's body is a homunculus, it is specialized in the usage of magecraft, and her magic resistance is higher than normal, but an average woman would be enslaved by this man at a glance.

Lancer shrugs with a bitter smile at Irisviel's remark.

"Sorry, that's some sort of curse I've had since I was born. This is all you will get. Blame my birth, or your womanhood."

An example of a charm curse is a "Mystic Eye", but the only one Lancer has been looking straight at since the beginning is Saber, he hasn't looked at Irisviel behind her. The charm probably activated as soon as Irisviel looked at his face. That would make it a "Mystic Face" instead of a Mystic Eye.
Chuckling, Saber observed Lancer.

"You were not expecting my sword to grow dull with that fine look, were you, spear user?"

"That would be such a kill-joy, but indeed, the anti-magic ability of the Saber class is not vain. ... Excellent. It wouldn't suit my reputation to murder a woman weakened by my only face. I am glad

my first opponent has such backbone."

"Hoh, you were wishing for a fair fight. It is my honor to face such a proud Heroic Spirit."

Exaggerating, Saber replied with a quiet smile. It was a smile that have only those who wish for a perfectly straightforward life and death exchange.

"Then― Anytime."

Picking up the long spear on his right shoulder by spinning it once, Lancer raised the tip of the short spear in his left hand. His stance, spreading both spears like wings, really was an unreadable style.

Saber's fighting spirit boiled as well, and exploded. The prana surge enveloped the girl's slender dark suit in a swirl like a tornado― and the next instant, her body was wrapped in a silver and azure armor. The armor and gauntlets created as by magic was the true form of the beautiful king of knights, as a Heroic Spirit.

"Saber..."

Swallowing nervously, Irisviel called from behind. She could feel the fighting spirit released by both Servants, as well as the atmosphere strained by that tension. ―There is no room to disrupt this battle.

And yet, she couldn't just stand and watch. She is only a

substitute Master for Saber.

"... Take care. I can support you with healing magecraft, but no more..."

Without a word, Saber nodded.

"Leave Lancer to me. But it worries me that the enemy Master is nowhere to be seen."

As Saber said, just remaining invisible, Lancer's Master was a danger. Usually, a Master would stand by the Servant and instruct him as the battle develops, as well as providing magical support. As long as Lancer's Master doesn't have full faith in him, he has to be lurking nearby to watch over Lancer's battle.

"He might be preparing an odd trick. Please be cautious. ―Irisviel, I entrust you to watch my back."

Her jade eyes spoke calmly. Fearlessly.

Trust the Heroic Spirit of the sword.

As the one this Heroic Spirit recognized as her master, trust yourself likewise, Irisviel. —Said her eyes.

"... Understood. Saber, bring me victory."

"Yes. I will."


Nodding resolutely, Saber takes a step forward.

Toward the space of the long spear, where Lancer is standing on guard...

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Iriya no Sora UFO no Natsu:Close Encounter of the Third Kind

2008-05-09T06:50:00Z

Epicnoses: Undo revision 27764 by Special:Contributions/Epicnoses (User talk:Epicnoses)

== Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu - Close Encounter of the Third Kind ==

Someone once said that nonsensical feelings are good.

Therefore, he also decided for himself. Returning on the road from the excluded mountains, it seems that you would have to endure congestion when swimming at the school’s pool was what Asaba Naoyuki thought.

Even if it was the last day of summer vacation of the second year of middle school at 8 o’clock at night, 5 minutes of swimming was more than enough.

Near the video store as he stopped his bike, the duffle bag banged against him while it rested on his shoulder, as he walked on the dimly light street as he returned from school.

He crossed the north side of the business district as he rode on.

The fast feet going through the long hall of the club room were not there.

Looking at the appearance of the situation gave the feeling of sneaking into enemy territory like a spy stealthily as he stood in the shadow of the incinerator. With the only redeeming feature of a small backwoods town’s school somehow being its grand wideness, having stepped onto taking up the white line of summer severely to make flexible the little understanding about what department attracted clumsiness, the right hand side of the old gym looked like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_lines Nazca] landscape from the eyes being fooled by the change in darkness while the front gave too much of a silent floating appearance with the municipal middle school’s wooden building there, seeing that to the left was the first brand new Sonohara District 4 shelter on the inside of the structure. Naturally, some form made a sound to an unexpected degree that could clearly reach the ears. A phone continued to ring forever with a police car chasing after something, a motorcycle starting its engine somewhere in the surroundings, and someone buying juice at a vending machine as they were saying something out of courtesy. Incidentally, in the standing night sky, “Buddha’s” red letters showed themselves to the eyes. Quite recently, sounds at the outskirts of town came from the Buddhist alter room’s poster column. Because the mood had broken, nothing was seen and done about.

In the middle of the school building is a clock tower that pointed to 8:14 at night.

It was not approximately 8:14 at night by some error. (そんじょ)

With Asaba not having brought his homework for this period to completely hand in and keep the homework load down, surely the grand separate summer nights at the clock tower that furnished the school building made a wooden three-story time bomb that could not help the rest. He must have hated that clock tower. That clock tower’s gears’ life came to an end, and, at 8:14P.M., it seemed as if time stopped around the world. If it seemed to resound, it was because summer vacation was not over yet. This month and a half, that dial looked up at a person speaking of, at best, the exercise club’s chestnut in its burr (いがぐり), something that was really not expected to be in one’s head and did a little sabotage in running away from any understanding, with the clock tower not having a second hand in spite of that as one second at a time continued to whittle down a month and thirty minutes, and for that matter, eternity for even and equal time.

And then now, Asaba was behind by thirteen minutes that time did not fill.

It was after thirteen minutes at the earthen pipe. Circumstances begged for forgiveness given that second semester was beginning. (TL note: In Japan, second semester starts in fall.) Kawaguchi Taizou, age 35 and single, who was the second year class four natural sciences teacher, had all the people who could not turn in their homework stand up on a platform with a scientific sharp look in their eyes as the rest took their seats, with the lined up heads made into rampant (ばっこんばっこん) minced meat while the reason why homework was not turned in concerning scientific defense was probably demanded.

…But sensei, there was no way. I saw a UFO break like a plate on the first day of summer vacation, with a pyramid on the other side of the moon that was going take someone away. That pyramid, because it was for the sake of their invasion of earth and their secret base, had me pushed into jail, where I, besides seven other boys and girls from countries around the world, similarly were kidnapped. We escaped from that jail, took their ray guns, and really ran amuck, despite accidentally committing an offense in escaping from the UFO, which resulted in us finally being able to return to Earth last night. It was not like I had spare time to do homework. But, it is because we saved mankind from destruction that I can reason with you, sensei, today just as the sun exists. Well, being different because I do not have a suntan, the UFO’s field squad leader depended on radiation exposure. Hey! Look at me! Does that not look like the fifth lucky dragon circle?

Eight of them split if I am not mistaken.

Though “the newspaper club’s chief Suizenji-san, agreed, summer vacation’s length always was looking for secluded UFOs at the Sonohara military base’s rear exit” was saying this honestly, he was not thinking that the results would seem to become different. That reality was hiding with Asaba together in the incinerator’s shadow. Just under thirteen minutes later, that meager historical fact became certain.

Asaba Naoyuki’s middle school second year vacation at Sonohara Military Base’s base hill was smoking and extinguished.

It was thirteen minutes later.

Because he was a criminal sentenced to death, it was like his last chance to have a smoke.

Therefore, he thought it was a good idea to sneak in for a midnight swim.

Of course, it was a must.

Soon, near by, the focus was slipping away from a seminar as in the middle of darkness a sole bird sung a verse and a measure. Asaba made a last confirmation of the formless surroundings. It was just a three-story wooden school building, but “your outlook may do something to cause wickedness,” and just about everything opened its eyes to glare at Asaba. In the middle left of the school building was the staff room with that so-called next-door “nap room,” which Asaba knew made for a small, tatami-matted useful, unknown club room. He thought about that case in which the night watch teacher was there. But, because the school had lights on in every window that he could slip in from, Asaba really did not know in the first place whether or not the school had so-called people who were night time homework teachers and the like for left-behind things.

Since the pool in line with the gymnasium was the goal, Asaba was hiding thirty meters in distance from where the incinerator was. Even if the fence surrounding the pool was there, a plastic panel connecting the height to a high wall surrounded the pool. If that surely had a bad name like the high Berlin Wall, “This then could not be an attraction as the girl’s pool for instruction,” said the male students’ voice with resentment throughout firmly like an impregnable wall. However, as far as Asaba was concerned, that wall was an ally. Thanks to that wall, you could not see someone’s shape from outside the wall. He was reaching the entry route’s goal. Because the changing room’s entryway lock was completely worn, the key was hung up for care on a powerful knob so that the lock turned without slipping out in the end, which Asaba knew well.

Just a little more courage.

No one else was expected. Absolutely no one.

But…the anxiety would not go away. However, if by any chance he was seen, he would receive a good scolding.

He ran.

The duffle bag clattered, although he hid his body for the last thirty meters that he ran. The changing room’s entrance had hand-written characters on it that masked the block wall’s shadow for hiding. Taking a deep breath, he once again checked the surroundings a little at length for relief. He thoughtfully turned the door know to the changing room with both hands. Due to abrasion that the metal rubbed smoothly in “self-interest” from the feeling left in the hand, the lock easily slipped.

At that time, a patrol car’s siren could be heard.

“By no means could that have any relationship to me,” thought Asaba as his body unintentionally stiffened, and he stopped breathing.

“Again,” he thought. Some time ago, when he was hiding in the shadow of the incinerator, it could be heard as well.

It seemed as if the siren melted as it faded into the distance, but abruptly stopped as it faded.

Tonight, many patrol cars were frightfully out. He wondered if there was some incident. By the way, just before the summer break, “Because spies from the northern vicinity are in concealment, be careful,” said a circular notice that went around. Neither summer vacation nor shit probably had spies, right?

He took a deep breath.

He opened the changing room door and tried taking a peek inside.

It was pitch black.

Too dark, to the point that he thought that changing clothes inside was impossible. Turning on the lights by any amount would be bad no matter what. Since he was a little lost, Asaba decided to change clothes in this place. Seeing it was in the masked block wall’s shadow, it was impossible that someone come. With the bag hanging from his shoulder on the grating and the zipper pulled open, at that time, it became apparent to Asaba that something important was seemingly missing.

As it was on the way back home from his mountain seclusion, it was so.

In other words, inside this bag was jammed that luggage from his mountain seclusion. There were things like his toothbrush, towel, changes of clothes, bug repellent, camera, and a tiny wireless radio. But, thinking about how in the mountain seclusion about bread and water was not necessary.

That said, now he did not have bread and water.

That thing left him amazingly dejected.

Asaba squatted down there. Before evening, he made a momentous decision to rent an adult video so that he leapt and howled as he went to a far away video store, thinking, “This is it!” as he realized that he had forgotten his wallet when he put his hand on the package, which resembled that time’s disappointment.

Wild thoughts ran through his head.

If that was the case, should he skinny dive?

Wouldn’t that be about as absurd as what a complete moron would do?

It appeared that swimming in the school’s pool in the middle of the night would somehow give an amazingly good feeling if for only a moment, which would give him the feeling of becoming a transient, uneasy exhibitionist. As he thought, going butt-naked would be dumb. Getting relief from something like bread and water was like changing something from old to new that was not there, as he randomly fished inside of his bag.

Dishevelled, rolled up, and defective bread came out.

When he was sleeping inside of シュラフ, it was the weak point of the school’s gym assignment.

Making sure no one was around once again, Asaba hurriedly took off his trousers and trunks, which made a weak impression as he put on his clothes. You could also look down on him for taking off his T-shirt. Given that it was not like the attaching pocket, a sea impression and not a different inner beneficially leaked air.

But, he thought it was strange like that.

It was because he had come this far at last.

He decided it in his heart. Kicking in to take things out of the bag, Asaba entered the inside of the changing room. Barely able to recognize and follow the contour of the lockers, he fumbled to make progress in the chlorine-smelling, damp darkness. He passed the shower and sterilization bath. While he felt the soft slime on the bottom of his feet, he thought, “If I am not mistaken, last year, three houses were ruined by becoming bloodstained.” “Sensei, I’m going to die…I’m going to die,” said a crying, lively voice that spread across the city, which Asaba apologized for from the bottom of his heart. Sorry, those three houses, the mess at the time was amusing.

Forcing open the swinging door, the night’s poolside appeared.

Accordingly, Asaba’s reminiscent laughter scattered away. Being away from home for a second now gone, he almost turned around to step on the turn-on squirting hose.

At the night poolside, a previous visitor was there.

It was a girl.

First off, given that it was twenty-five meters in length and fifteen meters in length, of course, the pool’s dimensions were there. Also, from the very thing of having a magical stillness to the water’s surface, it was by far simpler than combining starlight and cramming the reflection in the depth of some light year, as if it seemed that the pool’s shape with cut off by the visible night sky above. With Asaba’s eyes just coming from the changing room’s darkness, that strange scene was quite bright. In the middle of that strange scene’s brightness, a girl’s back was turned toward Asaba, as she squatted at the edge of the right hand side of the pool while she firmly held onto the handrail. She was wearing a school swimsuit. She had a swim cap on her head. She was staring earnestly at the water’s surface that was like pitch black metal.

“I wonder who that is,” he thought as if that was not the only needed thought.

Coming across a more than surprising situation, all other considerable things wound up disappearing.

Quite similar to an upright pole, Asaba just stood there.

Like anyone not wanting to be discovered entering, anyone that did not when caught was about to get hung. Because the changing room’s door had been forcibly opened, it was not like you could not hear the footsteps of someone approaching. If that girl had been there from the very beginning, you would think that you would not expect that she could not hear such sounds. Still, even with limited sight, the girl did not notice the appearance of Asaba existence at all. Occasionally turning her back to Asaba, she gazed intently at the pool’s surface without moving. In that back was indescribable, characteristic seriousness, which gave a nervous feeling in the air as if after this someone was going to commit suicide by leaping off a tall building over there.

The girl moved.

While she held the handrail tightly with her right hand, her left hand stretched to touch the water’s surface.

Even with something like experimental discretion, the girl’s fingertip was just short of disturbing the water. Even as the leaves on the trees did not move, the ripples on the water grew and crossed over the water’s surface like a radar wave, where it ended up reflecting at the pool’s edge. With that appearance, the girl watched fixedly and intently.

He wondered who it was.

He seemed to think finally.

Perhaps she was a student there. He could see what looked like a school-assigned swimsuit without a name tag on it. He thought that her age was about the same as his, not including the affirmation of her appearance from behind. On the girl’s oblique back was a big bag that looked like she was going to throw it away when she put it down. The scattered clothes in the surroundings made it quite lively. As he thought that if that was her bag, then those clothes should be hers as well.

He thought.

What he meant in other words, had the girl been changing clothes into her swimsuit at the poolside?

Thinking that amazing thing, why had he grown up as a human being? “Why couldn’t I,” screaming to a higher power, “been born as a hose under her foot or that deck brush on the wall instead?” Since no one was at the school or the school pool at night, only a lone girl could have the stars shine on her while the petals fell on her clothes one by one from that spot, which made Asaba lose control of the power of his will.

From the girl’s remaining earnest appearance from behind that was drifting, Asaba felt a badly urgent sense of comfort. He thought that it was embarrassing to embrace such wild delusions. Why the girl was here and what she was doing, he did not know. But, because the girl had not noticed him yet, he thought that it was horribly unfair. In meeting her, he felt that it was not good to feel like he had ill intent by peeping at her.

“I’ll call out to her,” he decided.

She should know of my existence.

“That decided, what kind of voice should I use, since we learned in English to stand and not get settled in place as one likes?” Asaba inhaled.

The timing was poor.

At the exact moment Asaba inhaled to spit out his voice, the girl made a failing attempt to stand up. Squatting at length, the girl began to stand up a little, staggering, “Umm…”

Asaba just sprung up in surprise, knowing that she could only mean him, as she tried to turn around with her whole back facing him, which, even under normal circumstances, was vastly dangerous enough to break someone into small fragments.

For just an instant, their eyes met.

Their eyes opening in wonder t the space between them, only to have the girl fall ass first into the pool.

Together with a loud watery sound, a large sheet of spray scattered on the poolside’s tiles.

Asaba was confused as well. With the rapid development of circumstances, fear struck. As it was, he thought he could get away. With the confusion showing in their eyes as they looked around at the surroundings, of course reality would set in now. The pool had a cheaply made, high wall surrounding it. Because each side also had a magic mirror, you could not see from the outside inside as well as not being able to see from the inside outside. Whoever the night watch teacher was now would have the brilliant idea of storming in yelling.

They should run away.

Deciding at last with severe hesitation for what seemed like an eternity, Asaba’s legs stopped making an about-face in the direction of the changing room.

The sound of the water would not stop for eternity.

The girl in the water started to struggle. Sometimes, the arms and legs pushed out at unexpected angles and broke, striking and sinking into the water’s surface.

He thought she was joking or something.

Also, because he noticed that it really looked like she was drowning, it was up until now that he was going to run away that his body soon did not move to run out. Hurriedly rushing over to the pool, he jumped off into the middle of the water as it was. Jumping into the air with short pants on feet first to save her, it looked like a Japanese pumpkin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin) swelling underwater. Pushing his way through the water with both hands as he walked, because the girl’s hands stretched while she splashed water into his eyes, in a loud voice,

“Look! I’m going to catch you here,”

as she struck him with her leg? That is to say in a moment the girl got tired. As the bottom of the pool was slippery, Asaba’s head soon disappeared underwater as he gave a shout in surprise.

As it was pitch dark, he could not see anything.

Given that he was supporting the girl freely as they moved about, of course he could not breathe.

Panic set in.

Just like that, he did not understand anything. Where was he stretching out his hands to what he thought was the edge of the pool, where were the surface of the water and bottom of the pool, where was his upper body facing, and where was his lower body facing? It was the same peaceful, surging water he was in. But because the girl was once again trying without much success to free herself, Asaba and the girl’s bodies increasingly continued to struggle in desperation. He could not believe how strong she was. Asaba thought he really was going to drown like this. Because this was where his foot settled and it was really near the bottom of the pool, risking his life seemed to tell him that both of his legs and one arm were searching in the water dazedly.

His fingertip touched the edge of the pool.

The tip of his toes touched the bottom of the pool.

One way or another he managed to take up a stance. Finally, the faces of the two were above water.

Also, while he coughed up the water he had swallowed, he thought throughout this entire body, “I’m saved.” From some time ago, expecting to be in a bottomless swamp of a pool, from the bottom of the depths of Asaba’s stomach, he could not lay out how he had properly tried to stand on his feet.

“Mother, I’m not little anymore,” he laughed.

And then Asaba rose his face,

eyes in agreement but not in place.

Not taking even one puff of a cigarette, he met the girl’s face at the point-blank range of the beginnings of birth.

The two immediately breathed deeply with them both embracing each other as it were. The two churned the movement of the water, their bodies shaking a little.

Asaba was a little taller than her. The remainder of the hair that was sticking out of her swim cap was dripping water. “Aside from myself, human beings from the beginnings of birth try to make facial expressions,” straightly stared Asaba. Because he was not expecting anyone at the school nor the pool at night, especially some strange girl under the illuminating light of the stars,

he could not think of the reality of the incident.

Slanting her neck just a little, the girl tried to say something.

Also, like emitting the voice of an infant who has not yet learned how to speak, he could hear what seemed like the interjections of a foreign language.

And then,

“Ah,”

suddenly, Asaba and the girl’s bodies were glued together by some strong power. Because she separated herself from Asaba by just half a step, she turned her face and covered her nose and mouth with both of her hands.

Seeing that as a cue, Asaba was brought back to reality by this one action despite being charmed by the eyes of the girl in front of him. Perhaps because of his confused thoughts created by that strange smell, secretly breathing into the palms of his hands to make sure he had no bad breath,

* Huff*

he turned to face the girl.

He thought he was going to die from too much surprise. The girl vomited blood. Grasping her mouth with her fingers spread apart, blood fell down in drops.

“…!! Ah…huh..yikes! Umm,”

With Asaba gazing upward by a handbreadth in a shameful panic, the girl, almost catching his voice,

“A nosebleed,”

he seemed to be saying, relieved in the water by one hand, she wiped the blood that was flowing from her nose to her mouth. Because Asaba misunderstood in his thoughts that she was vomiting blood, he really could not see well enough if the blood was coming from her nose.

However, Asaba seemed to question if they were not the same thing.

Anyway, it somehow could not be good.

That fact was not a good change.

Asaba shot out of the pool with the impetus of a rocket, but the girl was already rushing over to the poolside. So that he just could not see the direction that the clothes were being scattered in, his hand flew to the handzipper that was less than the width of his thumb. With the confused part inside of him telling him then, “It’s about time I should head to the bathroom,” only a little part remained calm enough to tell him, “The girl left her bag, didn’t she?” A dark green, being made of something as hard as a hard subject to the touch of a hard hand, the pocket was full. The soldiers from Sonohara Base were carrying something that resembled a bag. Pulling the zipper to open the bag at once, the leader was pulling out a bath towel as he entered, right under the eyes of that thing that was entering that was spontaneously gasping for breath.

Taking a cup full of pills, which was not bigger than a can of juice, there were three plastic bags.

He ended up seeing a thing that he should not have seen.

So he thought.

Asaba wound up closing the zipper hastily. At any rate, because he was losing his head as the large amount of medicine that was snatched away from him, it had a big impact on his eyes, which was more than he needed to see. Therefore, right next to the bottle of medicine was a loaded 9mm gun with 16 shots that said, “I should not look any more at this thing,” with a grip that stuck out, which Asaba had not noticed until just now.

Bath towel in hand and a nonchalant expression on his face, Asaba ran in a hurry back to the pool. Because the girl was in the middle of trying to climb out of the pool, she mistakenly gave the appearance that she was trying to climb the round iron poles used for skiing, resulting in Asaba turning away thinking that it was not good to watch her in a scrutinizing fashion as she strained herself, and he thus presented “that” bath towel to her.

If Asaba were to go back for a glance for a moment, he would have struck a glance at the girl’s upturned eyes. Sitting at the edge of the pool, as it were, with both legs in the water, both ends of the towel on her shoulders were being used to hold her nose. It appeared that the nosebleed had already stopped, but it was just startling to see the bath towel dyed red.

“What should I do?” he thought.

It continued to give the sensation now that made it seem that this was just one step away from reality. To be honest, he just thought a little as well that she looked somewhat in poor shape.

“Well, I should get going home,” he informed her of the feeling that he wanted to get up and leave this place quickly, a feeling that was by no means small inside his heart.

However…

The girl quietly fixed her eyes on Asaba. Asaba turned to look the other way again.

As it were, if he was going to leave her behind like this, it was not like she was going to sit at the pool’s edge forever, or at least that was the feeling he got.

“Did you see?”

Suddenly, the girl seemed to ask.

The unforeseen crossroads blocked the words in Asaba’s mouth. “Speaking of becoming confused at the sight of blood, it was bad enough that I wound up opening her bad and refusing her cry for help,” he thought. At that, because this was settling so that he could clearly ask, it seemed somewhat cunning but not manly.

Measuring the distance by eye so that it was neither too close nor far, Asaba sat on the pool edge next to the seemingly same girl.

“…Are you sick?”

The girl in just one mere instant, having seemingly just a merely dubious face, soon shook her head.

Asaba continued to wait for her to speak thinking that perhaps some explanation existed behind that, but with that, the girl kept quiet. Asaba put up with the dead silence, thinking about what he should say.

“What is your name?”

The girl replied.

“Iriya.”

What she was saying also sounded like a foreign language, giving a bit of an awkward feeling, given her strange voice.

“…So that is your name? How about your last name?”

Using a timid breath, the girl answered like that.

“Iriya, Kana.”

“I am unsure if it ‘Iriya,’” he thought. That seemed like the name of a place in the city of Sonohara.

The girl patiently waited for what Asaba would speak next.

“If there was something I could say,” thought Asaba.

“…Do you not know how to swim?”

“Because I wound up saying that, I could not ask something a little more sincere instead of asking that like the idiot I am,” he thought to himself. Deciding that she could not swim, was she in the middle of remembering sometime ago that she could not save herself?

Like putting together the pieces in Asaba’s field of vision, the girl loosely nodded.

“If there was something I could say,” thought Asaba.

The fact was he was thinking, but because he could not prolong the conversation with the girl that his words seemed to be cut up into pieces, which meant that he could not make a “question” go through the swirl of proper questions with meaning. The more questions he asked straight from the mouth like, “Who are you?” the more they would just end up becoming single words. He did not think that the girl would respond with such a clear answer. The continuing silence, the extra tension, the more he should say something the more in a hurry he should be in a hurry to say, “Then, I’m going home,” with the exception of what words and thoughts came to mind.

“Can you swim?”

Suddenly, the girl seemed to inquire.

Because he could swim, she was asking the question. It was from that little understanding that it came.

And then, that single word (TL note: “Can you swim?” can be a single word in Japanese) became the breach.

“…Umm, you know, if it would be alright with you,”

this girl could not swim. And then, but if she did not mean strong points as in one’s real strong points, he could swim.

Placing that point of himself, he was unsure whether or not he could certainly show her. “I will teach you, how to swim that that is.”

Asaba seemed to say.

Because he ended up saying that, he remembered his own hesitation in suggesting it himself. This girl had a nosebleed a while back. She had taken heaps of that unknown natural medicine from that bag. He did not know what she herself was thinking, but to begin with, was it not impossible to speak about the matter itself about that girl swimming in the pool and the like?

Even if the girl was shaking her head in agreement, it seemed she had a little happy face.

By just looking at that face, Asaba made a sound taken aback by the course of events.

“Wait a second.”

Thinking about trivial matters like kick boards, he turned to storehouse tools for the small first harvest of the year. If he turned around incidentally from worry, although he meant to wait, the girl became attached to Asaba’s back like a puppy. Knocking over the kick board pile, and also always looking among the things that were not pretty slippery that she could, the back of the girl’s eyes were itching.

He thought.

If it was done accidentally, also meaning more than the girl not being able to swim, perhaps she had been unable to swim since the day of her birth with today being the first time.

Even so, for what reason she had come to try swimming, he was unsure how she had come to this momentous decision.

“Surely, it seems that way,” also cried the thoughts in Asaba’s head for a basis.

Asaba pondered whether she was getting really sick as the girl shook her head. But, even if she did not have the so-called illness, generally you would not carry just that medicine.

For example, unless you had something like a naturally weak body, you would not do that.

Something like falling ill for a long time with a severe illness nowadays could finally just be cured.

“Finally, it seems that way,” Asaba thought. “Having to go back and forth between being healthy and ill from childhood, also by the grace of the school and summer vacation, something to the degree of a faraway field trip for the homework of the body, just watching only a friend’s synchronized swimming for class in the pool, but also waiting a long time to swim, just now having the tools available for curing it for the mother who wants to try asking, ‘Would it be alright to go the pool?’ as well as being able to say something like ‘What kind of idiot would say to this child that they decided, “Ah, it’s no good with having no more medicine to take next take”’ but never accepting consolation, it seemed that she absolutely had to sneak out of the house stealthily to go to the pool at night, “thought Asaba.

If he considered it, also for some reason or other giving a line of fine feeling, also creating a mood like packing your thoughts when gazing at the pool, also wearing that damned serious swimming cap, also the sudden nosebleed and large amount of medicine, all really seemed like what gave a good explanation.

Returning to the pool with two kick boards in hand, he jumped in feet first with a splash. With the girl hesitating a little at trying to imitate entirely, as it were, whatever Asaba did.

Handing over the kick board to the girl,

“If you can hold onto this, then you should not have to think about it,”

there upon casually giving a good mood,

“…Umm, you know, is the water getting in your face?”

The girl timidly shook her head.

That said, if it was not to begin from there in the first place, she would not succeed.

It was because she was suffering from it being her first time. Encouraging and soothing, the girl by no means could keep the water out of her face. However, if it started to seem that she could put her entire head in the water gradually with extremely painful effort, she was there a while back. Practicing to reach out to grab the edge of the pool with her body and practicing to take breaths while doing the flutter kick, she increasingly practiced moving with the use of a kick board.

And then, at 9P.M. on the last day of summer vacation in the second year of middle school, less than ten minutes had passed.

And then, if the girl at that time had held onto her kick board, she seemingly could have swum 15m. Because it was an extremely slow motion of rising wake in a magnificent sheet of spray as she turned to make her lap for the flutter kick, she was going to let go quickly in the aforementioned turn. Nonetheless, if he thought about it, she had gone from being a completely hopeless beginner to someone who made large rapid strides. Originally, he was unsure how good her reflexes were.

With Asaba teaching her how to swim timidly on the beginning as well, he thought that it seemed that the girl’s nosebleed would soon stop there again. Yet, the girl’s desire for steady, quick improvement showed. With the girl as silent as ever, Asaba’s words just once again managed to shake around inside his head, but with every lap that it looked like she could do her, her facial expression brightened little by little.

“Amazing! If this trend continues, she’ll be the ace of the swimming next week.”

The girl looked like she just had a little happy face. In less than the span of an hour, for Asaba, this “just a little” seemed to one way or another make the subtle difference between reading between the lines and not. Now her face thus far seemed to have the happiest look to it.

“Well, it’s about time to graduate from the kick board.”

Just at the moment, the girl’s facial expression stiffened.

“If it’s okay, you could swim by yourself some more. It somehow seems like you are already becoming one with the kick board as well,” he declared to the girl in victory. However, saying that as if some sort of agreement was reached, Asaba could see something that looked like he had wholeheartedly thrown knives into her despair.

“Ah, um, you know,”

Asaba surprisingly giving in after a while,

“Well, to start with, see how I am holding this with my hands? Keep a cool head about you, ok?”

It appeared that Asaba gave his approval as he said this.

With the girl also giving her consent this time, it looked like she showed just a little relief on her face stretching out both of her hands. She grabbed Asaba by the wrists. In turn, Asaba’s hands took the girl’s wrists and formed a grip around them.

Thus, Asaba finally noticed “that.”

In a moment, the girl also noticed that Asaba had noticed as he tightened his body in apprehension. Until just now, “that” being on her wrists, the girl might have forgotten herself.

Asaba searched the girl’s wrists with his fingertips.

There was something stiff and round.

Slowly, he tried turning her wrists over.

Because it was smaller than the size of an egg yolk, like a metallic silver sphere, the girl’s wrists were buried in his.

The girl patiently and intently kept watching.

The movement of the water was shaking her body.

Reality shook in the water, continuing once again.

As if saying, “I don’t want it to hurt,” holding out in both hands the silver balls for wrists that Asaba seemed to be able to see well, the girl started to approach him.

The problems in life. He should have prepared to listen to her from the onset.

Who the hell was she?

“It is nothing, really.”

It was a reverse in superiority. Now, the girl was scary enough to threaten someone. Asaba tried taking a step back, but his chances were fixedly turning bad in that single-minded gaze, and a curse could leave from that expression that sounded seemingly like a foreign language. He could not step forward by any means instead of first taking a step backwards.

“Are you trying to make fun of me?”

The girl was already before his eyes.

Between the faces of the girl and Asaba, already, the silver ball had just buried itself into her wrist.

“It has an electric taste, you know.”

No one was supposed to be at school in the middle of the night nor was there supposed to be anyone at the pool under the starlight, but some unknown girl was, although perhaps it was nothing, despite the reality of event appearing unlikely.

Suddenly, he could hear a police car.

Quite surprised, that from his own mouth came such shameful regrets that he let out some tears. He could hear it from quite nearby. Was it coming from inside the school, or was it the case that it was possibly turning to return outside in the grand surroundings? He could see the reflection of the police car’s flashing lights in the gym windows. It was no more than one or two vehicles.

The girl was silent.

Although his facial expression changed, you could not see what looked like surprise in his eyes from the one minute beyond the last ten minutes. That said, Asaba’s panic stirred up again. Anyhow, he must not panic in any way. Since he did not understand what was what, Asaba pulled on the girl’s hand losing himself in trying to climb out of the pool but not being able to do so.

And quickly ending up at being close to the pool’s edge, that man appeared before Asaba.

Coming from the changing room’s swinging door, he walked slowly to the poolside.

Tall, you could not quite tell his age.

The jacket of his suit hanging over his shoulder, he already had a bath towel in the other hand. He was not wearing a necktie. Having a young countenance in his eyes, he gave the feeling that he was bursting in laughter at some vulgar joke all the time. Save for looking horribly tired, in some respects, a mood hung in the air like he was about to be beaten up by a pickpocket.

“It’s time to go home.”

Stopping and standing, all the while straight at the girl from the poolside, the man seemed to say that.

In reality, with the girl’s nosebleed and all, he thought that the blood ended up flowing and disappearing in the pool drain.

As he did not know what was what due to the confusion, he thought it would be just alright to lie about not being afraid. Yet, Asaba stuck to his bluff. Taking one step forward, the girl stood with her back to Asaba to take a position to protect him.

Upon seeing that, the man unexpectedly seemed to show a look of admiration, with his face saying,

“Oh.”

Whispering from the girl’s back,

“It’s okay; I know him.”

Asaba, seeing the man lose interest in his eyes, over her shoulder said,

“Who is that?”

The man replied.

“…Hmm. Well, you could say that I am her older brother. And yourself?”

With Asaba on guard in apprehension, he purposefully made his voice sound ill-humored.

“I’m a student of this school,”

he seemingly ended up pretending to say that. As the man was turning around to survey his surroundings,

“Why again? At this time?”

“I wanted to swim.”

With Asaba answering in a single word (TL note: “I wanted to swim can be a single word in Japanese), the man suddenly laughed throughout his face.

“…Is that really so? I see. That is the problem with today being the last day of summer, isn’t it?

The man squatted at the poolside. Watching Asaba intently while laughing with a big grin,

“You know, I did that when I was younger, too. When I was a live-in school janitor, I used to time and time again jump in like a thundering old man. Let’s have a competition as comrades with guts to se who is a better swimmer. While swimming was a big deal, on the second time, with one time the old man coming rushing out holding a broom, but in coming here from that edge with the intention of catching me, he was unable to do so. So, just because I was so skillful at getting away from the old man and playing crank calls you know, ‘Aah, Nagasawa-kun,’ mimicking the school’s principal, Nagasawa being the old the old man’s name, ‘Aah, Nagasawa-kun. He was kind of like a mountain demon in his ability in catching students sneaking into the pool. In a way, he had the head, of a mountain demon, that is.’ Well, that old man would always get very mad. That was amusing,” indicating several men and cars outside of the pool. The sound of a quite engine, the gnawing sound of tires on gravel, the seemingly opening slapping sound of a door could be heard.

They were surrounded.

Furthermore, anyone with the exception of this man did not come to enter the pool area.

He completely did not know anything about this man’s character. Besides understanding the brotherly air from the story, he could not tell if it was just an outwardly fake appearance. Asaba badly seemed to think that it was the opposite of a light sensation.

“Umm.”

He took another wild guess.

Who the heck are you people?!

Then, the girl and the man also in agreement could not think of an answer to give to bring clarity to his guess. Because Asaba’s words were as quick as the sudden drawing of an arrow, the man went ahead from there.

“You know, I think I have yet to thank you. That old man Nagasawa, we brats came to get along in playing with him, you know…How honor comes to light each and every time something bad is done, we expect something will smear our name in getting caught. Yet, the old man never told the other teachers about what we did…Therefore, you might say, even now, it seems you played a relatively tolerable and innocent prank,” so he seemed to say, gazing patiently at Asaba.

“For the reason that you stayed here without speaking, you cannot ask anything concerning alternatives.

That was what he seemed to be saying.

Asaba felt like he understood.

With the man watching him, Asaba bowed a little.

The man flared up in laughter. Taking out of his jacket pocket what looked like a wireless device,

“We are done now. C has 1: we are leaving this place,”

saying just that quickly, and then standing while stretching.

“Well, I guess we are finished here. Let’s put away the kick boards here. Then, get cleaned up. By the way,”

facing the girl,

“Isn’t today your first time swimming?”

Taking advantage of Asaba’s help at the pool, the girl answered in just a single word (TL note: “He taught me” can be a single word in Japanese),

“He taught me,”

with the man making a face that said, “Ooh.” The girl having part of the towel thrown over her head,

“This guy took care of me. Look you,”

so she appeared to say, forcing herself to bow with a jerk with the bath towel over her head. “You should have left a while ago. With that lot outside, it is getting dangerous.”

The inside of his head was in confusion.

Even though she spoke and he heard, it was like a mountain.

Walking with an uncertain gait at the poolside and pushing open the swinging door to the charging room, there Asaba turned around to show his back. The man waved his hand a bit. With the girl next to him, she stood stock still like a poorly balanced doll. She was quietly watching Asaba from the shadow of the bath towel on her head.

All said, the reality of the incident did not seem likely.

Forgetting to put away the kick boards and wash his eyes, the man said nothing.

§

Asaba Naoyuki’s summer of UFOs began, in retrospect, two months ago on the 24th of June after school.

Being in Sonohara Middle School's third year in class 2 meant meeting a certain man's high specifications, which were those of Suizenji Kunihiro. As student number 12, at fifteen years of age and 175cm tall (TL note: about 5'9”), with a deviation value of 81 on the national exams, and running the 100 meter (TL note: about 109 yds.) dash in 11 seconds, his face was hardly known.

However.

Asaba had always thought that this person had really been mistaken from birth about his use of energy.

In any case, the man writing had the route survey chart of the first ambition at the “CIA.”

Adding up the third year second class with the number 12, 175cm, a score of 81, and the 11 second time, Suizenji Kunihiro was the self-titled Sonohara Middle School Newspaper Club's Club Head and Editor-in-Chief. Why he was called “self-titled for seven days was because the Newspaper Club was recognized as an official club school wide. The only members were always third year student Suizenji and second year student Asaba as the two of them, but this spring Sudou Akiho from the same class had thought something in coming to trespass on that like, “Maybe I should join as well.”

So, there were three club members now.

According to school regulations, if you had three members for yours club, you could petition to become an official club with a club room and budget. Therefore, Akiho always was pestering for a petition of prices and materials, but that was not quite the spirit of Suizenji's vitals. That motive was also amazing.

“'For the sake of protecting the autonomy and self-reliance of journalism, it should keep a prudent distance from organization,' what an idiot!” said Akiho.

Speaking of which, even if Suizenji had tried with failure to petition, the school would not recognize the club, according to Asaba's thoughts.

It was because the paper space contents had substance.

At Sonohara Middle School, nobody knew nor wanted to know that Suizenji Kunihiro had run 100 meters in 11 seconds nor did they know or care that Suizenji Kunihiro was a paranormal phenomena maniac.

Furthermore, as long as the public made accusations of the CIA, in Suizenji's eyes, it was not too much of a measure of one for explicating the reality of paranormal phenomena. If you were to ask Suizenji why the CIA had such a transient ambition, it would seem that the person himself would reason, “If you were to come from the position that the CIA has superbly amazingly skilled spies, participation in secret tactics, and absolutely secret documents for reading, you would probably understand my desire to know everything.”

Then, if it was something that really meant “understand my desire,” this would generally cause the seasons to change.

For example, this winter, Suizenji's theme was to “achieve the reality of psychic abilities.” This time, because it was Suizenji (and Asaba's) job to broadcast at lunch break, he was guilty of making a reckless teacher angry for making the entire student body the subject of his telepathy experiment.

Thus, after spring came, Suizenji changed his theme to “achieve the reality of ghosts.” This time, leaving 110 watches to cover an event while sneaking into the women's bathroom in the middle of the night at the Uwasa Line at Ichikawadaimon Station after hearing a rumor about ghost's there, a reckless teacher got angry.

Because such a man was editor-in-chief, it was, in other words, such a newspaper.

Its name being until just recently Taiyoukei Denpa Shinbun. (TL note: translated as Solar System Electo-magnetic Wave Newspaper)

However, when Akiho joined the club, circumstances changed just a little. Even now, Suizenji's relative news story themes abided in nearly seven percent of the space, but the “serious articles” that Akiho was in charge of were bit by bit enlarging that territory. Lately at the editorial committee meetings, Akiho said, “The paper name should change,” which meant a rise in spots of contention. Finally ending with good results after five hours of the end of the war of words thanks to Asaba's work as arbitrator, both parties barely found a common ground at the critical point in their line of speech so that they could calm down to call it the Sonohara Denpa Shinbun. When Asaba was asked about his thoughts on the new name change, reasoning in the seat next to Nishikubo,

“'You know when I heard “Taiyoukei' that I could not but help smile at the oversizing of its sound, but in just hearing the relation to 'Sonohara,' it gave that ama-zing kind of feeling that was familiar to Denpa.”

With Suizenji Kunihiro going on a rampage today as well in the atmospheric club room's chief room for a citadel, in the monthly Sonohara Denpa Shinbun, everywhere the eyes looked on the school's bulletin boards were the deep wall newspapers' guerilla bulletins in a repeating manner.

Going back two months from now, it was after school on June 24th.

Facing Suizenji's interest in the theme from spring of “spirit phenomenon” whose hopes were weakening bit by bit, Asaba endeavored in his manual labor. While staggering in his walk with heavy luggage carried in both hands, he followed the way to reach the club room's chief room. By taking care of the luggage by putting it temporarily on the floor, Akiho was probably coming to try calling out in a feeling voice.

“Akiho...if you're there, please close the door...”

He breathed. It was because of the Newspaper Club's unlawful occupation that Sudou Akiho poked her head out of the closing door as Asaba rolled his eyes holding the largest luggage.

“What is that?”

Asaba entered the clubroom, and he put the luggage on top of the table. He took something like a deep breath near the pipe chair.

“Ha...that was heavy.”

Coming from taking it out of the library, it was a mountain of graduation albums. Approximately twenty volumes accumulated to about 50cm (TL note: about 20in.) in height of books. Because it was a lot a paper, it was awfully heavy.

“Even this is not all of it. There is another second pile nearly the same size. How old is this school to have these documents!”

With Akiho's appropriate expression of admiration,

“So, what should we do, with this stuff, that is?”

“Umm, chief, have you not been listening?”

“What?”

“The planning for the July issue. That 'Shiver! Looking at ghost photos in the graduation album!' thing.”

“Eh? Planning for next time, what's wrong with Mount Dozing Off...”

Asaba took out a can of Oolong tea out of his muddled pants pocket, and pulling open the pull tab,

“Mount Dozing Off, listen, you jerk! Exam question prediction experiment!' probably. Let's throw that out.”

“What the hell?!”

Hearing Akiho unintentionally raise her voice, Asaba seemed to show a little surprised face. Since even if it could be helped that the three people of the Newspaper Club were trying unsuccessfully to be political factions, Suizenji was a conservative and Akiho a reformist. If Akiho was eyeing “serious space,” Asaba was thinking that perhaps she should be happy about ぽしゃったら why that hand of Suizenji was coming to plan. Sipping the hidden taste in the Oolong tea, what he was thinking again to say something in an upward glance in an inquiry from Akiho's appearance. Because Akiho had that rude and sudden look in her eyes, Asaba approached her until he dropped down sitting roughly in a pipe chair. In front of his eyes was a personal laptop, the cursor was flashing near the middle of an article written and drawn with “giving out puppies” on it. Akiho's hands placed on the keyboard, suddenly said,

“But Asaba, you did not investigate or make various preparations. Is that altogether futile?”

“It can't be helped, you know. It is because the chief did not throw out any reasons. Look, should the chief and I occasionally do night duty and crowd together in the club room? If Kawaguchi were to fail at hearing the story of the planning for exam question prediction, 'Perhaps you guys did not even think to sneak in the staff room in the middle of the night.'”

Incidentally, Asaba and Akiho's 35-year-old single homeroom “slave-to-science” teacher Kawaguchi Taizou, and third year class two number 12, 175cm tall, score of 81, 11 second dash, “truth seeker” Suizenji Kunihiro, of course, had an extremely sour relationship.

“You know Kawaguchi, that little faculty morning pep talk of his is the death of me. It is like getting stabbed with a nail by the homeroom teacher summoning the chief to the faculty room. Since it seemed it was somehow becoming a pain in the ass, he will have to dance with death in the bigger distinction in planning if the exam questions go poorly.”

“The chief?”

“The chief.”

Akiho coming wretchedly close to Mayune and said,

“...But, I just can't seem to believe it. How that Suizenji Kunihiro has about the opposition of a nail in living together with the teacher.”

Asaba, laughing, said,

“Well, I really don't understand that man. He has entirely done something like repentance. Even if it was accidentally, caring for the chief is about the same as Mount Dozing Off, aiming to photograph spirits, or something like that, which is like walking around trying to avoid a treasure-load of shit falling from the sky, probably from just not thinking, you know.”

Rather, Asaba thought that in his heart he regretted his way of doing things.

Because he chugged the Oolong tea dry, Asaba stood up, applying vigor to a “Well then.” He put as many of the mountain of graduation albums that he could carry in his hands on the table.

“But, I think the planning for this time is pretty good, too. Look, just because old photos have just that little bad look to them, you would expect that having one flake of persuasive power would quite considerably make a siege against the weaker photo for the stronger photo's victory.”

“Somehow, I ended up saying something like that.”

Akiho seemed to be saying to continue going back to “We are giving away puppies.” Asaba, grasping the meaning perhaps said,

“That, what is it?”

Seeing how surrendering is an important thing to do for someone, and because it is the romanization of human strength, looking up at the picture, Asaba glared with moist fixed eyes.

“What the hell is with 'we'll see whether or not it's real in any case!' It get it, you know. A lot more mixed up and always you just make that face of 'I keep company with the chief, 'but it doesn't seem to say that I don't hate you really. Things like ESP and spirits and all.”

Two months after being born a male mongrel, growing up serving and feeding people as a duty,

“I am not helping with that plan. Humph, I deny all knowledge and have nothing to do with it. You know, coming to borrow all those albums, finishing them all exactly on time would surely be as a person walking the circumference of the sexagenary cycle (TL note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagenary_cycle). If I were to show that Chief two pages just once deciding not to shout, 'Whose...talent...is THIS?!' Aah, Asaba really was thinking he was a neutral power. In this club, my only ally is just myself really, right? Haaaa...The path of a reformist is a lonely road.”

At that time,

“How absurd!!”

Perhaps, you would expect him to be eavesdropping outside of the door.

“Who on earth is talking about reform!! Your reform will go from joy to sorrow like the athletic club's victories to defeats!! We are searching for people who want cats and dogs!! Special Correspondent Sudou, by all means, answer me!!”

Just kicking open the door with authority, Suizenji came walking in. Melon bread in his stable hand and a Tetrapack of milk in his left, his silver-rimmed glasses shone vaingloriously as he galloped but not flew on one of his whims.

Asaba, choosing to be dumbfounded at Suizenji's impetus, asked,

“...Umm, did something good happen?”

Akiho, giving a cold-hearted glance, merely spoke one word,

“Idiot.”

“Pooh!” laughed Suizenji,

“If you could pick a flower by the root and not yet be able to sweep away the characters of 'Denpa' from the pen name, you could not see it by all means Special Correspondent. If I remember correctly, perhaps something like 'The Sonohara Middle School Newspaper' would be an appropriate pen name crowning your small-minded reform spectacle. However! Now that the pen name ended up becoming Taiyoukei Denpa Shinbun, with Denpa being the same as a naturally quick report in the knowledge of the genre as 'Taiyoukei' was the same as magnificent...”

There, Akiho stood up kicking her chair.

“I want to reform the Newspaper Club! Who does not want to do surgery with Denpa through societal common sense like caring for yourself! How can you let the read escape from the main point of a pen name!”

Suddenly, as well as trying to get out of a rock and a hard place in the argument that came up again, Asaba suddenly laughed.

“What, so wasn't I right in saying that the Chief also has lingering affection for 'Taiyoukei Denpa.'”

“I am king here! Through and through, right? Incidentally, Correspondent Asaba.”

With Suizenji holding his melon bread in his other hand, he pointed like he was shooting at the mountain of graduation albums piled up on the table.

“Something like that?”

Asaba was bewildered. In the first place, Suizenji had ordered Asaba to request to take the graduation albums out of the library.

“...Here are the graduation albums, but...I borrowed them from the library.”

“Correspondent Asaba. Why on earth are those here?”

Akiho next to him also raised an eyebrow at this. Without Asaba understanding anything,

“Ummm, therefore, doesn't it seem to make use of the middle of the picture to bring it to light?”

“Correspondent Asaba. Where exactly does this conversation seem to use that picture?”

Asaba reasserted Akiho without thinking, and Akiho made a face that said, “even if you look over here, you will get nothing from me.”

Both of them said at the same time, “Wasn't it the Chief's idea? 'Look in the graduation album for spirits.' That was in the July issue's new planning.”

“Were you listening, Asaba? Perhaps you would like to kill the pre-planning?”

Suizenji, for this reason, was long-winded. By fixing your eyes in the direction of the day after tomorrow, like looking up at the setting sun, in a whisper-like voice, it murmured, “death.”

Asaba could hear it.

Akiho could not hear it. When Akiho listened again at that time in wonder,

“That thing really is DEATH!!”

Suizenji suddenly roared like Gojira. (TL note: a.k.a. Godzilla) While making a show of irritation by hitting his forehead with his hand, he walked briskly across the club room, declaring,

“Answer me now, answer me both of you correspondents!! Aaah how is it, how is it that if you two can not hear the sound of laugher that you cannot break it!!”

A window was left open at the end of the room, and Suizenji cried like he was facing anti-aircraft missiles under the blue sky after school on June 24th.

“I have fallen behind ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................!!”

He changed suddenly and completely.

Quietly closing the window with both hands, Suizenji reasserted his height by the light of the printing glass. By striking a changed peaceful expression,

“Now, both correspondents. Today, namely June 24th, is what day, do you know?”

The two once again exchanged glances. Asaba saw the look in Akiho's eyes that said, “What the heck? Did you eat something weird?” but Asaba shook his head to say, “Hell if I know.” Reluctantly, Akiho answering without a shred of confidence, said, “Thursday maybe?” and Asaba answered in speculation with “Toilet Paper Day.”

“Wrong.”

Then, Suizenji majestically gave the right answer.

“June 24th, in the eyes of the entire world, is UFO Day.”

Aah...

Gradually, both of them grasped it.

Suizenji's theme of the season was to continue infecting others with the season.

Past the winter of ESP, beyond the spring of ghosts, Suizenji was giving a thorough update that cried as the harbinger of whatever was the subject of his interests, but he went on the pilgrimage again.

Asaba, heartbroken, let his shoulders drop. Akiho returned to “We are giving away puppies.” Three months after surgical birth in good health, are clever, are good pets, and are polished, said a pressed space key while,

“I see, it's already that time, isn't it?”

Asaba just said,

“But it was so incredibly heavy...”

“I am going to start wearing my summer uniform tomorrow, like this.”

But, Asaba just whined,

“But it was so incredibly heavy...”

Suizenji, going suddenly back to his informal tone,

“Hey, hey! What's with this feeling, you guys? Show a little excitement, excitement you know!”

“Who on earth would do that?” both thought simultaneously. Above all, Asaba had taken a lot of damage. Taking a fleeting glance at the mountain of graduation albums on the table top, he thought that he shouldn't return them again as he got a sinking feeling in his body. But Akiho said,

“In other words, because we're done with spirits, are we going to end up looking in the last spurt on UFOs from now on?”

“Ah.”

Suizenji nodded his head, and narrowing his eyes, made an incredibly large smile. Each and every year, a few incoming girls were deceived by this smiling face, and they ran in the most foolish move to thrust love letters into that weird Suizenji's shoe locker with their precious paper resources.

Because Akiho thought to listen in advance just in case,

“Umm...why is June 24th UFO Day anyhow?”

“Special Correspondent Sudou! You are still the Sonohara Denpa's Correspondent, aren't you?! I will proudly say that I will devote all my energy in having nothing to do with that kind of journalist!”

“How the hell would I know that!”

“Then, here's a hint. The time: Tuesday, June 24th 1947A.D., the place: about 9500 feet above the peak of Mt. Rainier in the state of Washington in North America.”

With that hint, Asaba had a reaction while he recovered little by little from the pain.

...That, that thing, somewhere...

Mount Rainier.

He remembered having heard that name before.

If he remembered correctly, he had read all the tome long ago in UFO books meant for children something...

“...Ummmm, that Kenneth Arnold case (TL note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Arnold).”

That name unexpectedly came to mind and spilled forth out of Asaba's mouth.

Because it was long ago, he could not remember already what seemed to be a friend's face and nickname, which was a horribly missed treatment of that name. Since that name was left on a single-sided piece of paper in his head, it moved him just a little.

“As expected of Correspondent Asaba!”

Suizenji could hang on the wall the compromise on the cork board, perfectly sticking on the red, round seal of approval in “Asaba's” column of “A List of Good Things to Look for.” Turning around,

“While Kenneth Arnold was flying in his light aircraft over Mount Rainier's peak, 'While something like a thrown saucer skipped on the water's surface, there flew nine unidentified flying objects,' he witnessed. Officials would report this among the first of incidents of UFO sightings, with June 24th thereafter in the whole world's eyes becoming UFO Day.”

Suizenji seemed to say that with true satisfaction in his nod of agreement.

But Asaba, still having lingering affection for “looking for spirits in the graduation album,” asked,

“...But, then, what is our next issue's project? Even though we have something?”

“Of course. For the next project, we will thoroughly investigate to gather data to go the rigorous distance. We will carefully make the necessary preparations.”

“Huh?”

“By all means Special Correspondent, I will leave every page of the July issue to you. Please diligently write your thoughts to your heart's content those articles. We will make provisions to collect data in absolute secrecy between then.”

Both Asaba and Akiho letting out a “Riight...?” in a block-headed voice,

“E-even if you say that sort of thing suddenly, it is problematic.”

“Uh, umm, doesn't 'we' really mean me and the Chief, right?”

“Correspondent Asaba, you don't have any confidence in physical strength, do you? I don't mind working like a dog or like I was born to drink myself to death, but right now it feels like that work has been drilled into me.”

Asaba was becoming uneasy. Collecting data in absolute secrecy meant that the reverberation of people talking was quite eerie. Perhaps the person who suggested such an outrageous thing should leave before they got taken out and beaten to death.

“Absolute secret data collecting? Where...?”

“Where else, but in the mountains out back?”

Upon hearing that, Asaba felt just a little relieved. Certainly, it was not like such negligence had not consumed his summer vacation in its entirety. Asking again,

“But, why are we doing it again in the mountains out back, really?” Suizenji laughed fearlessly and completed his answer with natural gusto.

“If UFOs exist, they will be in the mountains out back.”

Because summer as well as June 24th approached, it would happen after school.

After the winter of ESP and the spring of spirits had passed, Asaba Naoyuki's summer of UFOs had finally come.

§§

“And?”

It would be bad if that first breath turned out to be a sigh. If he breathed in, that smell somehow reached his nose. It was the smell of chalk that had avoided breaking into little bits in the damp dust cloth. That was the smell of the classroom, the smell of the school, the smell of the significance of a summer vacation gone and past, and the smell of the first day of classes for the second semester.

“Really?! You were really in the mountains behind the Sonohara Base all throughout summer break?”

Without raising his voice and falling prostrated limp on top of his desk by the window, if he nodded his head like a dog rubbing its chin against his arm, Nishikubo was peering into Asaba's face as he stood to the side of the desk asking,

“Aren't you quite the idiot?”

summarizing Asaba's summer vacation in practically a single word (TL note: “Aren't you quite the idiot?” can be a single word in Japanese).

As feared of the development by the river mouth would get muddy with wringing oil and ignoring it from the beginning of the present era to the last in the country left and right, Japan had just arrived barely escaping alive to the beginning of vacation time.

“Was it as I thought? Did you do something like camping in a tent and cooking in the middle of the mountains?”

You really are an idiot for doing that was what Nishikubo's tone asked.

With Asaba being absent-minded, it would be a pain in the ass.

“...Because the Chief had taken out a light tiger, I have been shopping at the convenience store constantly to buy in bulk, haven't I? Therefore, I have been eating convenience store obentos and retort curry, things like that.”

In actuality, because he almost ended up mastering every kind of convenience store obento, he was already done for a while with trying retort curry. Since Akiho sometimes had brought refreshments for him to eat, he thought himself as really thankful now.

“Besides, I really was not in the mountains all that long, you know. It was probably only about three or four days because normally if you couldn't eat or bathe, you would go home. It was like the Chief was always watching me though.”

“Huh? Then, what kind of Chief would not bathe throughout summer vacation?”

“That's incredible. Just because you retired a little in the way of the greater part of a month in those back hills, umm, kind of like baseball camp.” Nishikubo twisted his neck,

“Just what is it? Didn't it have something, just something, to do with the commemoration of a sports park, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah, it was that. You bathe yourself in the water supplies there. That's it. Because we have the special forces, it was impossible in the first place for us to somehow just be stuck in the mountains alone all summer long with no water supply or toilet.”

“But bathing yourself, there has to be some nice people there.”

“During the day, right? If it was at night , we could get into someone's car for this. But even during the day we are the Chief's entertainment.”

As expected, Nishikubo laughed. Asaba also looked like he had contracted a smile.

“Well, you know,” responded Asaba.

A little too much for his throat, he had a bad memory that perhaps was the reason for the lack of light.

But, he thought is was not just that.

If he tried reflecting in kind, “It was not amusing in the least bit” was the feeling he got seemingly in the end.

He was successful even in feeding a raccoon.

In the middle of the night at the sports park was a large swinging tire where they “collected data” of burning firecrackers.

And then, however, above all else, “No one except friends came to the 'secret base' set up in the middle of the mountains for watching for 'enemies,' which meant that, to confess in the spirit of honesty, the project had been skipped. In this day and age, it was becoming unthinkable to make-believe doing a secret base, but the Chief was a person who ended up seriously in his heart to have seemingly lied about his good age. Even if it meant that half of it was forced, if you finished diving inside that once, there was no mistake that “it felt good for a moment.”

Perhaps it was apparently not such a bad summer vacation.

And yet, being the last of the last, given an absurd feeling,

creeping in the pool,

and then,

“Hey!”

Asaba returned to himself as Nishikubo was hitting him in the shoulder.

“What's up with you spacing out?”

“Sorry. What is it?”

“...As I was saying, did you really seclude yourself in the mountains behind the Sonohara Base looking for UFOs? Did you take any good pictures?”

The impossibility made Asaba laugh,

“It is not like we came across some corpse out there, but I thought it was really high.”

“What the...how boring,” Nishikubo seemed to be muttering, when his interest in Asaba's mountain seclusion was flaring red,

“Ah, but I have heard things.”

In the seat in front of Asaba was Hanamura, but he was in his desk upside down and backwards when he butted into the conversation.

It seemed he had been listening in all this time with his back facing them.

“It seems there have been a lot of rumors for a long time involving UFOs at Sonohara Base.” Indeed Nishikubo seemed dubious,

“Surely even I have heard about that kind of stuff, but, you know, what about it? Couldn't they be mistaking UFOs for stealth craft or something? It's not just Sonohara you know with these UFO stories. There would also be a lot of talk of eye witnesses of UFOs on the street of huge airports existing. Particularly because of how the combined forces of the Air Self-Defence Force and the USAF at Sonohara Base are together, how also always at strange different times airplanes go missing, and because they don't separately announce 'That was our aircraft' for each disturbance that happens that could be mistaken for a UFO sighting.”

“It is just the Chief's opinion, but...”

Asaba said, but his mouth suddenly closed.

“Eyewitnesses close to Sonohara Base could leave out the enigma of the overemphasis on aviation, calling out Area Sonohara's foo fighters, making a splendidly famous space for UFO mania. It was often recorded in something like that group of journals, wasn't it? Originally, foo fighters were World War II Allied fighter pilots who had overemphasized the mystery of reporting eyewitness accounts of aircraft, which began with what were thought to be German and Japanese secret weapons perhaps, but when the war was ending, German and Japanese pilots seemed to say they both thought they had seen the same thing, 'an Allied secret weapon.' Eventually, now what was something of a natural phenomenon could be said that it might not have been mass hysteria. Of course regarding UFO mania, if you mentioned 'foo fighters,' it would be an alias for UFOs really, but...”

Nishikubo as well as Hanamura, somewhat impressed, had a half stunned expression from hearing Asaba's story.

Asaba noticing the two's facial expressions,

“That is just the Chief's opinion though.”

“Pat,” Nishikubo put his hand on Asaba's shoulder.

“In all honesty Asaba.”

“Wha, what is it?”

“That's enough, that's enough. And? And your Chief said something about the true nature of Area Sonohara?”

“Yeah...that Chief, I cannot really understand that man who is both fine and rough. I have not tried properly listening to him, but unexpectedly, I think he is a good guy, but there is just something about his personality.”

“So, what do you really think then?”

He somehow got the feeling that he was kind of following the details,

“Among the biggest influences of UFO mania, really meaning good sales of products, it is really just a theory that 'Sonohara Base has missing man-made UFOs, right? In America, it seems there are similar stories. Recovering crashed UFOs, it is rumored that they have made incredible high-performance aircraft that imitates the technology. Perhaps that.” Hanamura seemed to think that odd,

“Then, umm, shouldn't UFOs have flown around fighters going voom voom increasingly during the war?”

Nishikubo also seemed shocked,

“So man, just what about this so-called 'incredible high-performance aircraft?' Why did we suddenly 'acquire technology from crashed UFOs?'”

Asaba was offended in his heart from being made to feel like an idiot. However, Asaba made an attempt to show that he did not believe the theory of 'man-made UFOs' at face value. Having somewhat of a self-torturing mood,

“...Yeah, if you have a picture, you know. One of a foo fighter. But it has to be printed on a PC printer though. Quite famous, right?”

Seemingly saying this, he pulled a bound notebook out of his bag with his collected data. Rummaging through the file contents,

“Hmm, ah, I found it. Here.”

From the looks of it, mixed in with the bunch of stinking lies of spirit photos, wrinkled printouts were spread out on top of the desk.

Nishikubo and Hanamura leaned forward.

Because some idiot took them in monochrome, if you did not give an explanation of what it was, you would not really understand what came out, even if it looked like the shape of a UFO in the photo.

First Nishikubo said,

“What's this? Which way is up?”

“Like this”

Asaba put the printout in the right direction, showing Nishikubo how to look at it. “Starting about this time of year on the internet, it has become a bit of a topic of discussion. Around here on the ground and around here in the sky, there is a foo fighter in the shadow of the center of that small fire. The photographer is unknown.”

“And here is the abominable snowman, and over here is the Loch Ness monster.”

Hanamura disrupted things, but Nishikubo stared at the printout surprised and serious. Pointing at the shadow of the “foo fighter,”

“Is this the light from the wingtips?”

Asaba tilted his head, saying “Huh...”

“This, probably because it is from the No. 4 apron on the west bank, the Chief and I, who were not seemingly separated from each other in the back mountains, took it there I think. This photo file was streamed together into a movie on the net, but I do not understand at all how it somehow is sloppier over here.”

“...It is an airplane as I thought. The point is that this idiot here cannot give any explanation for these photos.”

“Well certainly, UFO technology, etc. is different as well as just the development of secret weapons in testing that has been done so if that is about it, then I don't think it really strange. Look, there are stories of a war breaking out soon, too.”

Very soon, there will be a war.

That kind of thing seemed like a joke to many, specifically those among Asaba's generation. Those born before them were continuing to say “very soon,” but on the contrary, the people on the news just kept quarreling over the issue, which made one wonder how long until that would pass before the “real war.”

“There won't be a war,” said Hanamura.

“Perhaps there won't be a war,” said Asaba.

But there Nishikubo said,

“But to the north lately, they have been getting bombed by airplanes, you know. This morning, while skimming the news, a college professor was saying something about them winning badly this time really.”

But Hanamura left the conversation.

“That is how he always is. But yeah, if that war really somehow doesn't happen, it will be me and everybody else looking like complete idiots. Well, having a complete shelter here at the school, once a month we have been doing, like, drills and stuff.”

“Asaba.”

Asaba, Nishikubo, and Hanamura all had the same face as they raised their heads.

It was Akiho.

“You got a minute?”

Saying just that, Akiho dragged Asaba away from his desk. Because in this class Sudou Akiho was acquainted with the art of war with school factions, Hanamura did not seem to openly make fun of Akiho by mimicking her as expected.

“Why are you late today?”

“I wasn't. I barely made it.”

“Kawaguchi and everyone somehow got to class on time together, you know. So, don't play the good victim.”

Saying this, Akiho, taking a bundle of papers clipped together out of her bag, pushed them onto Asaba.

“What's this?”

“Work, can't you even see that? Finish skimming over that quickly.”

He was surprised.

She had copied this summer's homework (TL note: In Japan, students are assigned summer homework during their summer vacation).

“...This looks like it was a lot.”

“Of course it was. It is good that you understand that, but don't imitate it like you copied the answers verbatim, okay?”

“Umm.”

Even though he quickly tried to thank her, she whispered in an angry voice, “If you would finish it quickly!” so that Asaba in a confused state thrust them into his shirt down his neck. Putting them away there shocked Akiho.

“...Yeaah.”

At that time, Asaba remembered something important.

Akiho should have been listening.

“What?”

“Umm, I would like to ask you a quick question.”

“Tell me what it is already.”

“Tell me if this sounds a little strange, but concerning our school's girl's swimming uniforms.”

Akiho's eyebrows suddenly dimmed. Making his resolve firm, Asaba continued from before.

“This, the shoulder strap, that is, around the edge is a white line, right?”

“Aren't we awfully well-informed. Why do you seem to know about that?”

Akiho patiently stared at Asaba's face,

“You jerk, you were peeping during pool lessons, weren't you...”

“No, I wasn't. If I was municipal pool management, wouldn't I make the school swimsuits about a likeable as a child's?”

Akiho was under deep scepticism by the look in her eyes that Asaba was peeking, but consenting for the time being,

“And?”

“That has a name tag on it you know, on the chest and back, right? It looks like short-sleeved clothes, right? That name tag, can it come off easily?”

“What do you mean?”

“In other words, you could fasten it with just something like a magic marker or hook, as in if you could take it off instantly, you could, or it could be sown on, just that kind of thing.”

Akiho thinking a little, replied,

“Usually, I think they are sown on. It would be bad if they came off. Why did you ask such a thing?”

Having meant in conclusion, it was not derived from any one thing.

You could see that that girl was about his own age. It somehow or other seemed that wearing the school swimsuit was a school assigned thing. But in reality, the school swimsuit seemed similar in design to any other school swimsuit. Even without having a name tag, for example, by something of a reason, it just was not probable to say that someone was by chance wearing a brand spanking new school swimsuit at night.

You could not say anything clear about that.

At that time, the clock tower bell rang. Second period began.

“...Thanks!”

Not only regarding the homework copies, giving his gratitude for her response to the question, Asaba returned to his own seat while he pondered. Nishikubo only checked the situation with the appearance of a fleeting side glance as expected, but Hanamura insisted by saying, “Hey, tell me what you were talking about.” Yet, Asaba could hear those words without break for half a minute, which made Hanamura immediately give up. The surroundings of anyone began to have the feeling of fully regretting things related to vacation time.

Staring at one dot on the desk alone, Asaba thought.

Who exactly was that girl?

...And formerly, she first showed up. Besides her colleagues, nobody was hurt.

Materializing at the pool was that mysterious man, so he said.

And then he obeyed those words.

With that time, having something like a disorder, anxiety, and fear, it was good because now that thing he seemed to say remained inside his head. However, that thing together with time wound up fading. Why at that time, did he want to say something and not say it...immediately, he thought it would become a regret that would torment him.

But for now, he was prepared for that.

He himself, left together at the poolside with that girl as a man, left, in addition, the changing room.

That was reality.

Outside was parked a large, white van, and there were men wearing black suits. Because he thought there seemed to be five to eight vans, he got the feeling there were ten to twenty black-suited men.

Sooner or later one drawing near, he said that in any case that Asaba would be escorted by car to his nearby house. Such polite words were used. He could not give any explanation to attach to thinking of apologizing, but they tried it just quickly to him to make him leave from that place, so all they had to do for convenience was escort him by car, so he said.

He obeyed the black-suited men's words.

In the video room, a bicycle came to a stop, etc., and that time was forgotten.

He got into a van that was parked nearby as he was urged to do. Carrying his bag in his arms, holding his shoes in his hands, that was the problem of being soaked to the skin. Because the car started running, he remembered to take his T-shirt out of his bag to put on. There his memory was suddenly interrupted.

What exactly had awoken him, he truly did not know.

If he had a feeling, he was soon sitting by himself on bench at a bus stop near his house. Because he was dressed properly, expecting to have left his bicycle near the video room, the bench's legs did not have a chain lock on them. The bus stop's clock pointed to 2:10 at night.

Now he could calmly remember that thing as well, but being too afraid at that time caused tears to come out.

He knew the feeling. It became each joke respectively. It meant a loss of memory, even if it was something calm like from TV or manga that turned into something romantic. He did not even try to think of something scarier than this in such a small space of time. Since he did not understand what had happened to him in between that, he could not have done anything in regards to having complete responsibility. Since he probably did not understand leaving it alone, he did not question himself leaving it alone in terms of complete responsibility.

Being too afraid, he could soon not remember the combination to the chain lock.

By the disorder of something like death, he pedalled to escape home.

Really, he could not laugh at something so scary.

“...Wait a sec! All of you put on something quickly in your seats!”

The class head's in-group was shouting. In the back of the classroom by the rubber balls were two male students who did not agree but sat in their seats reluctantly while they complained.

“Sheesh, what a bunch of loud morons.”

“If society has a generation in change, they should be the type, you know, to speak out 'for our honorable nation,' right?”

He thought staring at one point on his desk.

In fact, wasn't last night's incident all a dream?

In all honesty, it gave a little of that kind of feeling. At any rate, all of it was a bit absurd as well. If he had met by chance a girl, in both of her wrists were buried silver metal balls. The mysterious man and the group of black-suited men.

With the exception of some characters, everybody was unidentified. The physical evidence was zero. The finishing blow in riding in the van was being interrupted for the remainder of his recollection.

By just talking with someone, he thought he absolutely could not come to believe it.

If in case he passed that story to someone, he thought he himself could not believe it.

First of all, because he concluded that he could not give enough credibility and the like to his memory even if he pulled it out of his ass, by just having that surrealistic event happen, anything that was “super” special ended up losing its reason to insist upon “the reality of the even it had as well. If the thing was the cause of his confusion concerning his memory, the thing was he became conscious on the bus stop bench soon near his house. By the reality of just those two things, he could certainly think that the sequence of events was in reality all a dream beginning from a little around sneaking into the pool. Weary in mind and body from his mountain seclusion, summer vacation had wound up ending with him stressed out from not having done his homework. Next to that, it seemed he could also force getting to the source of the reality of that evasive dream and the confusion of his memories.

That being a dream, it seemed he could think about how to relax.

Concluding that he could not understand the events he thought had awakened his body was also more than far off.

However, that peace already could let him live peaceably as other people do.

...But he was that cowardly yellow-belly. He needed to sober up in good moderation.

He seemed to have already cried to himself.

...Was it the stress in the fatigue of his mind and body? That's it, isn't it? If so, even if he could see it and hear it as a sign of mourning, was that true? Indeed anything was a really convenient explanation, wasn't it? “Present day rationalism” provided for every home to have a car without fail installing a supernatural trash car. Did that mean to explain something? Listen to some good unselfishness, you prick, losing to fear from something in part of your memory crying out, just being defeated by just a single thing out of it all. Having nothing more to worry about, for the sake of seemingly wanted to think, he brought out “ a psychological explanation” of fifty to one hundred steps of old folk remedies if to say it was without any objectivity and revival properties, which was really just unsuccessfully trying to reconstruct everyday homemade things.

That was the extent of their aim.

That rode in that hand.

If he seemed to think it was a dream, it was his loss.

His mouth warped into a bitter smile. He was doing it somehow or other. Who exactly was “they?”

Since when had it become a story of “victory or defeat?” He thought it was as if he were a super never-ending religious fanatic talking to himself.

However...

Even more so, the black water's surface crossed over in ripples like the waves of a radar being reflected back, but wearing a shitty, serious swimming cap, but having a towel soaked in read blood, but having a strange voice that sounded like she was speaking a foreign language, but she seemed to have just a little happy smiling face when she swam 15 meters (TL note: about 16 yds.) with a kick board, but she had a silver sphere shining in her wrists and black eyes peeping out from くっつきそうな point-blank range, but he could not think how all of that had been a dream.

Certainly, practically denying reason, he did not grasp those sentiments.

Really, who exactly was that girl?

He wanted to know that.

How he could come to know that, thinking that he could not meet that girl one more time despite wanting to meet her, he knew that that was the only thing he needed.

However, even so still, he really believed that “Iriya” existed.

“Rise.”

The sliding door entrance of the classroom was poorly greased so that the sound hurt everyone's ears.

If it gave the feeling accidentally, everyone in class stood up bowing by the flying-like order of the class head. By just having Asaba seated ,when he tried to stand up confused, everyone was already sitting. It was a huge helping of math, but he climbed onto a platform saying, “よっこらしょ,” with the grunt of an old man making people believe he had just now crawled out from the grave. A textbook was put down on the teacher's desk like it was thrown down, and if he heard correctly, it seemed like death was drawn in his future in that voice that said,

“Aaaaaaaah.”

It had not come to meet him by mistake. It was because he seemed to remember continuing class fro there. And then, he expected that voice of “Aaaaaaah, then” to continue forever, but it suddenly came close to stopping midway. The knocking sound of the tendency for restraint made him expect not to be able to hear only around half of the vicinity of the class hall, and he was not wrong in thinking, “I'm dead” to the other half.

Narrowly opening the door, the class homeroom teacher Kawaguchi Taizou, age 35 and single, peeped his head in.

“Iizuka-sensei, do you have a moment, please?”

Iizuka let out an “Ah” and an “Oh” somewhere in the middle of his voice.

Asaba let out a small sigh. Whether it was from the many conflicts from being a Newspaper Club member or since birth they could not agree, Asaba did not know how to come to know the man known as his class's homeroom teacher Kawaguchi. With Kawaguchi's face looking into the outfield, Asaba soon looked in escape outside at the open windows to the left. He looked down from the second story window in the vicinity of the Sonohara Middle School building's main gate. Particularly, there wasn't anything interesting. There was just a row of aged sakura (TL note: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura) trees about the same age as the school building, a left-wingish school-like carved stone monument, a right-wingish school song carved in that stone, and the old-looking painted edges of the school building's upright entrance's roof. The hidden background noise of the cicadas' call brought up the upper stratum of consciousness. Without the summer rays of the sun making any shadows anywhere, bu the clattering of the scattered gravel in the parking lot, he remembered seeing that white van somewhere that collected just the simmer of hot air, which made his body freeze.

It was that man.

Next to the white van, that man was standing.

Appearing at the poolside, the story of the old man of a janitor of thunder, carrying undercover the mood of being worn out like a bitter yet old man, it was that man.

Wearing a suit that seemed to resemble nigh, hanging his jacket over his shoulder like last night, the man was not wearing last night's necktie. He was holding his hand to his forehead looking up at the school building. And then the man soon recognized Asaba, having a face that said, “What an unexpected meeting with this guy,” smiling in the middle of his face like last night, and he sent him just a single wave from right to left.

Kawaguchi was talking.

That voice came flowing in his automatically.

“Ah..., having circumstances during homeroom did not work, but Iizuka-sensei would like to have just a minute of your time.”

The cries of the cicadas immediately became louder.

A premonition or something like that was not a pure amiable thing.

Asaba slowly,

slowly,

slowly,

turned his head to the middle of the classroom.

Iriya Kana.

In pretty handwriting, she seemed to have written that on the blackboard.

It was that girl, but she stood on the platform. Really wearing a brand new summer uniform, holding in her hands a sparkling bag like that of a complete first-year student, wearing hallway slippers from having put her shoes in the shoe rack once again, and wearing wristbands on both wrists was what she had on.

The cry of the cicadas grew to a drumming noise.

Kawaguchi was saying something. Introducing the transfer student, Kawaguchi's mouth seemed to be moving. However, Asaba already could not hear those words. He also could not hear the chatter in the middle of the classroom. In addition, the girl's voice, just that awkward voice that seemed like she was just speaking one-word phrases as if she was just beginning to speak like a newborn, he could clearly hear.

“I am Iriya Kana.”

He thought somewhere in his heart that he decided that it was an alias. Inside of the head of a cicada it was .

The girl's self-introduction, one way or another was rehearsed many times before this, meant to bow with feeling.

Thus, Asaba not moving as it was in his seat at the window, he watched quietly.

Asaba thought that if he tried thinking about it it made sense.

With summer vacation ending simultaneously, summer really did not end.

It was because summer would continue for a while after this.

The summer of UFOs.

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter1

2008-05-09T04:07:56Z

Epicnoses: /* Chapter Four: A Familiar's Day */ SP

===Chapter Four: A Familiar's Day===

It had been a week since Saito started his life as Louise's familiar at Tristain Magic Academy. If one were to explain an average day for Saito, it would read like the following: 

<center>* * *</center>

First, like the majority of animals and humans in Tristain, he woke up in the morning. His bed was, as usual, the floor, though compared to the first day it had mostly improved. Finding that his body hurt all night if he slept on the hard floor, Saito had asked the maid Siesta for some of the hay that was fed to the horses and had packed it into a corner of the room. Saito slept on the pile of  hay, wrapped in the blanket that Louise had so "graciously" bestowed upon him.


Louise called Saito's makeshift bed "the chicken's nest," which was appropriate as chickens slept on hay, and as the first thing Saito did every morning was to wake Louise up, like a rooster.

But he had to, because there would be trouble for him if Louise woke up first. 

"A stupid familiar that has to be woken by its master needs to be punished." Louise never forgot to remind him. 


If Saito ever overslept, he'd be denied breakfast. 

Once woken up, Louise got changed. She put on her underwear by herself, but made Saito dress her in her uniform. This was mentioned before.
 

With her enchanting looks, Saito was breathless every time he saw Louise in her underwear. They say you get used to a beautiful lover in three days, but it didn't seem Saito would get used to Louise anytime soon.

Maybe because he was her familiar, not her lover. Still, always by Louise's side, he essentially was one. The only difference was in her attitude and treatment of him.

Getting to see Louise like this every day wasn't all bad. However, it was a persistent wound to his pride. When helping Louise into her shoes, for example, he couldn't hide the irritation from his face.

At least that much was tolerated, but if Saito ever said anything to set Louise off, things became bothersome.

"A rude familiar that displeases its master this early in the morning needs to be punished," was another of Louise's mottos.


If Saito ever teased Louise about her breast size, or got pouty and said something like, "Do up the buttons yourself," he'd be denied breakfast.

Dressed in her uniform, which consisted of a black cloak, a white blouse, and a grey pleated skirt, Louise then washed her face and brushed her teeth. The room didn't even have sensible things like running water installed, so Saito had to go down to the fountain and bring up water for Louise's use in a bucket. And, of course, Louise didn't wash her face herself. She made Saito do it. 



One morning, while he was wiping her face with a towel, he lightly traced Louise's face with a piece of charcoal he had found.

Seeing his masterwork drawn on Louise's face, Saito barely held in a snigger. Then in pretend obsequience, he politely bowed his head to Louise.

"Mistress. You are the epitome of beauty this day." 

Due to low blood pressure, Louise could only manage a sleepy reply.  


"...Are you plotting something?"

"Myself? I am simply a familiar serving the orders of my mistress. I would not dare to plot!"

Louise was suspicious of Saito's sudden and excessive politeness, but since she was almost late for class, she didn't question him any further.

With her vividly rosy cheeks, charming hazel eyes, and lips that seemed carved from fine coral, Louise knew she didn't need to decorate herself, so she didn't wear any kind of make-up. In other words, this meant she didn't look in the mirror much. And this day was no different. The result: she had absolutely no idea of the "make-up" that Saito had applied on her.


Louise headed out to class in that state. The time being what it was, she didn't encounter anyone in the hallways or stairs.


Louise opened the classroom door panting. As one, her classmates looked at her and exploded with laughter.

"Hey, looking good, Louise!"

"Oh my god! That's '''so''' you!"

Afterwards, when Mister Colbert kindly complimented the stylish glasses and moustache sketched on her face, Louise went berserk. She went out into the hallway where Saito was holding his stomach as he rolled on the floor in hysteric laughter, slapped him a dozen times, and cut his meals for the entire day.

According to Louise, a familiar that treated its master's face like a piece of canvas was akin to the demons of old that opposed the Founder Brimir and his many allied gods, and such demons were not worthy of the bread and soup granted by the Lady Queen.

<center>* * *</center>

After breakfast, Saito cleaned Louise's room. This involved sweeping the floor with a broom and wiping the table and windows with a cloth.

And then there was the oh-so-enjoyable laundry. He took the laundry down to the fountain and scrubbed it clean against a washboard. There was no warm water, only icy cold water that bit fiercely at his fingers. Louise's underwear were all expensive looking pieces with lots of lace and frills attached. He would get a meal cut if he happened to damage one, so he had to wash them gently. It was painful work. Tired of it all, he left one particular pair with a slightly torn elastic band in the pile one day. Merely a few days later, Louise walked out obliviously wearing that particular pair, when the elastic snapped entirely. Her panties slid down to her ankles, entangling both of Louise's legs like a trapper's snare.  


It just so happened that she was at the top of a staircase, so she tumbled spectacularly down them.

Most fortunately, there wasn't anyone else around to see her roll down the stairs with her lower half shamefully exposed, so at least her reputation was spared. Realizing that it had been overkill, Saito was careful not to peek inside her skirt as he apologized profusely to Louise, who lay unconscious at the staircase landing. He hadn't meant for the joke to derail like this. Ideally, he had envisioned it happening in a hallway for optimum embarrassment.

Once Louise regained consciousness and realized what had happened, she thrust the torn pair of panties accusingly at Saito, who was sitting subserviently by the bedside.

"There was a torn pair."

"Indeed there was, Mistress."

Louise's voice quavered with fury.

"Explain yourself."

"It must have been the fountain water, Mistress. Why, it's so cold it could freeze fingers right off. I believe the elastic couldn't endure that."

Saito replied curtly.


"So you're saying it's the elastic's fault?"

"I'm saying it's the water's fault. It was bad water. I'm convinced that there must be some kind of curse on it to make it cold and also affect the elastic somehow."

"In that case, I should not feed such a loyal familiar soup made from that kind of bad water."

"Most gracious of you."

"Three days should do, I think, for the water to return to normal."

Saito had his meals cut for three days.

<center>* * *</center>

However, Saito remained completely fine for those three days. He'd just pretend to be withering and visit the kitchen behind the Hall of Alviss, where the energetic and lovely Siesta would serve him food like stew, and meat on the bone. He went there even when his meals weren't cut. The soup that Louise declared "The Widespread Blessing of Her Majesty, the Queen" was never enough of a blessing to fill him up.

Naturally, he kept his visits to the kitchen a secret from Louise. She was adamant about not giving him more until he had corrected his behavior, so there would be trouble if she found out about the meat and stew Siesta kindly provided him with. Louise would surely forbid him visiting for the sake of "educating" her familiar.


Currently though, she was totally unaware. In any case, Saito preferred Siesta and the kitchen a hundred times more than some Lady Queen and Founder Brimir he'd never met.

<center>* * *</center>

One morning, after hungrily drinking down his soup in front of Louise, he went to the kitchen. Saito, having beaten the noble Guiche at the Vestri Courts, was hugely popular there.

"'Our Sword' is here!"

The one who called out was Marteau, the head chef, a well-rounded man well into his forties.  Naturally, he was also a commoner himself, but with his position of head chef at the Academy, he earned as much as a lower class noble, a fact he could be proud of.

Dressed in simple but fine clothes, he commanded the kitchen with a wave and a flourish of his hand.

Despite his highly respectable position as head chef of a magic academy for nobles, Marteau wasn't the least bit arrogant, and surprisingly enough, disliked both magic and nobles.

He called Saito, who had used a sword to defeat Guiche, by the nickname "Our Sword" and treated the boy like a king. Thanks to him, the kitchen was an oasis to Saito.

Saito sat down at his chair, and with a smile, Siesta promptly brought him a bowl of warm stew and soft white bread.

"Thanks."


"Today's stew is extra special,"

Siesta declared, looking particularly happy. Saito curiously lifted a spoonful to his mouth and his face instantly lit up.

"Wow, this is delicious! It's worlds apart from that gruel I get!"

At this, Marteau approached the table holding a kitchen knife in one hand.


"Well of course. That stew's the same stuff we serve to the noble kids." 

"I can't believe this is the kind of stuff they get to eat everyday..."

Marteau snorted loudly at Saito's comment.

"Hmph! Sure, they can use magic. Making pots and pans and castles from dirt, conjuring up unbelievable gems, even controlling dragons - so what! But see, creating such exquisite dishes like this is a kind of magic itself. Wouldn't you agree, Saito?"

Saito nodded.

"Absolutely."

"A fine fellow! You're a good man!"

He put an arm around Saito's shoulders.

"Here, "Our Sword"! Let me place a kiss upon your forehead! Come on! I insist!"

"I'd rather you not. And stop calling me that," Saito said. 


"Why not?"

"It's just... weird."

The man let go of Saito and spread his arms out in protest.

"But you cut a mage's golem to pieces! Don't you get it?"

"I suppose."

"Say, just where did you learn to use a sword? Tell me where I can go to learn how to swing a sword like that."

Marteau stared earnestly at Saito. He asked the same thing every time Saito came to eat, and Saito's answer was the same every time.

"I don't know. I've never held a sword before. My body just moved by itself."

"You guys! Did you hear that?!"

He yelled, his voice echoing around the kitchen.

The younger cooks and the apprentices shouted back.

"We hear you, boss!"

"This is what they call a true master! They never boast about their skill! Look and learn! A true master never boasts!"


The cooks chanted happily.

"A true master never boasts!"

Then Marteau turned back around to face Saito.

"You know, "Our Sword," I'm starting to like you more and more. So how about it?"

"Um, how about what...?"

He was simply telling the truth, but Marteau always thought he was just being modest. It was somewhat frustrating. He felt like he was deceiving the good-natured man. Saito's gaze dropped down to the runes on his left hand.


''Since that day, it hasn't glowed anymore. Just what was that, I wonder...'' Even when Saito tried to make a point of staring at his own runes, Marteau interpreted that as him being reserved.

The chef turned to Siesta.

"Siesta!"

"Yes?"

Siesta, who had been cheerfully watching the two of them get along, responded brightly.

"Bring our hero here some of Albion's finest."

Her smile widened, and retrieving a wine bottle of the requested vintage from the rack, she poured some into Saito's glass. Siesta looked on absorbedly as Saito's face grew redder and redder from the wine. These events repeated almost routinely:



Saito visited the kitchen, Marteau became more attached to Saito, and Siesta's respect for him deepened even further.

<center>* * *</center>

Although that particular day... there was a crimson shadow  spying on Saito from a window of the kitchen. One of the young cooks took notice of it.

"Hey, there's something outside the window."

The shadow gave a garbled 'kyuru kyuru' and slinked away.

<center>* * *</center>

Then, after breakfast, cleaning, and laundry, he accompanied Louise to class. Originally, he was made to sit on the floor, but after Louise realized he had become rather transfixed with peering up other girls' skirts, she reluctantly let him sit on a chair. And she made it clear to Saito that should his vision ever stray too far from the blackboard, he would be denied lunch.


In the beginning, the lessons fascinated Saito with their marvels: turning water into wine, combining various reagents to brew special potions, materializing fireballs out of nothing, levitating boxes and sticks and balls out of the class windows for their familiars to fetch, etc... but after a while, the novelty wore off.



And so he took to napping instead. The professor and Louise would give Saito evil looks every once in a while, but there were no rules forbidding familiars from sleeping during lessons. And just looking around the class, all the nocturnal familiars were snoozing away, even someone's owl. In fact, if they were to wake Saito up, it would mean that they were acknowledging him as a human. Louise chewed her lips from the overwhelming desire to give the sleeping Saito a piece of her mind, but she couldn't because doing so would mean contradicting herself about him being nothing more than a familiar.


<center>* * *</center>

That same day, bathed in sunlight, Saito was fast asleep during another lesson.

The wine he drank that morning was taking effect, and Saito dreamed.

It was quite an unbelievable dream.

A dream in which Louise crept into his hay pile at night as he was sleeping.


''"What's wrong, Louise...?"''

At hearing her name being called, Louise shot a glare at Saito.

''"You can't sleep? Oh, all right... can't be helped. Munya~"'' 

''Oh, he's just muttering in his sleep,''

she thought, and faced the front again.


''"...Munya. H-hey, don't hug me all of a sudden."''

Louise's gaze snapped to Saito once more. The other students were starting to take notice of the situation, and perked their ears to listen.

''"...Jeez, for the slave driver you are during the day, you're such a sweet little thing in bed."''

A trickle of drool ran down from the corner of Saito's mouth as he continued to enjoy his dream.

Louise grabbed his shoulders and shook him vigorously.

"Hey! Just what kind of dream are you having?!"

Her classmates burst out laughing. Malicorne the Windward made a passing comment.

"Oi oi, Louise! Is that the kind of thing you do with your familiar at night? I'm surprised!"

The female students whispered something amongst themselves.

"Wait! This is just some stupid sleep-talk! Ah, jeez! Wake up already!"

''"Louise, Louise, you're like a kitten; stop licking me there like that..."''


At this, the laughter threatened to burst through the ceiling.

Louise kicked Saito off the chair, violently returning him to reality from his soft and gentle dreamscape.

"Wh-what was that for?!"

"Since when have I ever snuck into your hay pile?!"


[[Image:znt01-p133.jpg|thumb|''"Louise, Louise, you're like a kitten; stop licking me there like that..."'']]


Louise crossed her arms and looked down imposingly on Saito.

Saito shook his head profusely, only further amusing the class.

"Saito, explain to these rather rude people that I never take one step out of my own bed during the night."

"That's right, everyone. I was simply dreaming out loud just now. Louise would never do such a thing."

The students turned away disappointedly.

"Isn't it obvious? Like I would ever do something like that! With this thing, no less! This thing! To even think that I would curl up in bed with this lower life form is far beyond being a joke!"

Louise huffed haughtily, averting her gaze upwards.

"But, my dreams often come true."

Saito piped up.

"Indeed! Dreams do have the power to foretell the future, after all!" Someone in the room supplied in agreement.

"My master here, with her personality, probably won't ever find herself a lover."

A vast majority of the students nodded. Louise shot Saito another evil look, but it was too late. Saito was on a roll.


"My poor master gets quite "frustrated" as a result, and instead resorts to slipping into this familiar's humble hay pile."

Louise put her hands on her hips and strongly reprimanded Saito.

"Enough! Close that unclean mouth of yours right now!"




That didn't stop Saito from continuing either.

"When she does, I have to fend her off a bit..."

By this point, he was too far gone. Louise's shoulders began to tremble angrily.

"And tell her, 'this isn't where you sleep.'"

The class applauded. Saito mimicked an elegant bow and went to sit back down.

Louise kicked him away, sending him rolling across the floor.

"Don't kick me!"

But Louise was beyond the point of reasoning. Her gaze was fixed firmly forward, and as always, her shoulders shook with barely contained fury,

Once again, there was a crimson shadow watching Saito.

It was Kirche's salamander. With its belly to the floor, it stared at Saito through the gap in the row of chairs.

"Hm?"


Noticing it, Saito waved his hand at it.

"You're Kirche's salamander, aren't you? I know you have a name. What was it... Oh yeah, it's Flame. Flame-"

Saito motioned for it to come closer, but the salamander flicked its tail around and spat out a few embers before running back to its master.

"Why would a lizard be so interested in me?"

Saito tilted his head in puzzlement.

<center>* * *</center>

And while Saito was having a staring contest with a salamander during class...

At the Headmaster's Office, Miss Longueville the secretary was busily writing away at something.

She stopped writing for a moment and glanced over at the sequoia desk at which Sir Osmond was busy taking a nap.

The corner of Miss Longueville's lips rose in a faint smirk, an expression she had never shown anyone before.

She stood up from her desk.

In a low voice, she murmured the incantation for a Spell of Tranquility. Dampening her footsteps so as not to wake Osmond, she crept out of the office.


Her destination was the treasury, located on the floor directly below the Headmaster's Office.

Stepping off the stairs, she confronted enormous iron doors. They were kept shut with a thick bolt mechanism, which in turn was secured with an equally large padlock.

This place was where artifacts dating from even before the Academy's establishment were contained. After cautiously surveying her surroundings, Miss Longueville withdrew her wand from a pocket. It was about the length of a pencil, but with a flick of the wrist, it extended to the length of an conductor's baton, which she whirled expertly.

Miss Longueville cast another spell.

Once the invocation was complete, she pointed the baton at the padlock.

However... nothing happened.

"Well, it's not like I really expected an Spell of Unbinding to work anyway."

Smiling deviously, she began reciting the words to one of her specialty spells.

It was a Transmutation spell. Chanting loud and clear, she waved her baton at the heavy lock. The magic cascaded over it... but even after a considerable wait, there was no visible change.

"Looks like it's been magically reinforced by a Square-class mage," she muttered.


A Spell of Reinforcement was one that prevented the oxidation and decomposition of matter. Any substance that had this spell cast on it was protected from any chemical reactions, and allowed it to be preserved forever in that state. Even transmutation magic would have no effect against something protected like this. Only if one's magical skill surpassed that of the mage who cast the spell could it be overcome.


As it was, the mage who had enchanted this door was apparently an extremely powerful mage, considering that not even Miss Longueville, an expert in Earth magic and transmutation in particular, was able to affect the door.

Taking off her glasses, she stared at the door once more. At this point, she heard footsteps coming up the staircase.

She shrunk down her baton and slipped it back into her pocket.

The person who appeared was Colbert.

"Greetings, Miss Longueville. What are you doing here?"

"Mister Colbert, I was going to catalog the contents of the treasury, but..."

"Oh, that's quite some work. It'd probably take you all day to go over each and every item. There's a lot of junk mixed together with them, and it's a rather cramped space they've been arranged in too."

"Indeed."

"Why don't you just borrow the key from Old Osmond?"

The woman smiled.


"Well... I didn't want to disturb his sleep. In any case, I'm in no immediate hurry to complete the catalog..."

"I see. Sleep, you say. That old man, I mean, Old Osmond, is quite a deep sleeper. It seems I shall have to visit him another time."

Mister Colbert began to walk off, but paused in his tracks, and turned around.


"Err... Miss Longueville?"

"Is something the matter?"

Colbert looked slightly embarrassed as he opened his mouth to speak.

"If it would be all right, how would you like to, say... join me for lunch?"

She took a moment to consider, then smiled brightly as she accepted the offer.

"Sure, it would be my pleasure."

The two of them headed down the stairs.

"Hey, Mister Colbert."

In slightly informal tones, Miss Longueville struck up conversation again.

"Y-yes? What is it?"

Emboldened by how easily his invitation had been taken up, Colbert responded quite eagerly to her.

"Is anything important actually inside the treasury?"


"There is."

"Then, do you know of the 'Staff of Destruction'?"

"Ah, that is quite a curiously shaped item, indeed."

Her eyes glinted.

"What... kind of shape?"

"It's extremely difficult to describe, except as simply strange, yes. But never mind that, what would you like to eat? Today's menu is flounder baked in herbs... but I'm quite well-acquainted with Marteau the head chef, and I can have him make any of the world's finest delica--"

"Ahem."


Miss Longueville interrupted Colbert's babbling.

"Y-yes?"

"I must say, the treasury is quite amazingly built. No matter what kind of magic is tried, it would be impossible to open, I assume?"

"That's quite right. It's impossible for just any one mage. After all, it was devised by a group of Square-class mages to resist all spells."


"I'm very impressed that you're so knowledgeable about this, Mister Colbert."

She regarded him with a comfortable expression.


"Eh? Well... Haha, I just happened to come across a lot of documents pertaining to this floor, that's all... I like to consider it a part of my research, haha. Thanks to that, I'm still single at this age... yes."

"I'm sure the woman that you find will be very happy to be with you. After all, you can teach her so much about things that nobody else knows..."

Miss Longueville fixed him with a fascinated look.

"Oh, no! Please don't tease me like that!"

Colbert flustered nervously as he wiped sweat from his balding forehead. Then, regaining composure, he faced her seriously.

"Miss Longueville. Have you heard of the Ball of [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter4#frigg|Frigg]] that is being held on the day of Yule?" 

"No, I haven't."

"Haha, I guess it's because you've only been in Tristain for two months. Well, it's nothing spectacular, just a party of sorts. However, it's said that a couple who dances at this ball will be destined to be together or something like that. It's just a petty legend of course! Yes!"

"So?"

Smiling, she pressed him to continue.

"So... if it would be all right, I was wondering if you would dance with me, yes."

"I would love to. While ball parties are fabulous, I'd like to know more about the treasury right now. I'm quite fascinated by magical items, you see."


Wanting to further impress Miss Longueville, Colbert racked his brains. ''Treasury, treasury, she says...''

Remembering something she might find interesting, he put on an important air and started to talk.

"Ah yes, there's one thing I can tell you. Although it's not particularly important..."

"By all means, do tell."

"Certainly, the treasury is invincible against magical attacks, but I believe it has one fatal weakness."

"Oh, that's intriguing."

"That weakness is... physical force."

"Physical force?"

"Yes! For example, well, not that this is ever likely, but a giant golem could--"

"A giant golem?"

Colbert stated his opinion quite proudly to Miss Longueville. And once he was done talking, she couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.

"That was most intriguing indeed, Mister Colbert."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter3|Back to Chapter 3]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter5|Forward to Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Fate/stay night

2008-05-09T03:59:11Z

Epicnoses: Undo revision 27767 by Special:Contributions/Epicnoses (User talk:Epicnoses)

[[Image:fate-stay_night.jpg|thumb|right|240px|''Original video game cover.'']]

The ''Fate/stay night'' series is available in the following languages:
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Russian~|Русский (Russian)]]
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Japanese~|日本語 (Japanese)]]

== Warning ==
<center>'''This visual novel is rated ''Mature'' and is considered for Adults (18+) only.

If you are below the age of consent in your respected country, you are advised to stop immediately and leave this project page.

By continuing to read or be involved in this project, you are agreeing to the terms of our [[Baka-Tsuki:Copyrights|Disclaimer]].'''

Please note: That Baka-Tsuki hosts only the Translated text, and as such, no images or game files are hosted here.
</center>

==Story Synopsis==
Shirou Emiya lost his parents in a fire when he was young and was later adopted by a sorceror by the name of Kiritsugu Emiya. Although he was full of admiration for his adopted father and yearns to become an ally of justice, Shirou has limited powers and was unable to become a strong sorceror like his father. That is until one fateful day, he was drawn into the Holy Grail War and had to summon a female "Servant" known as Saber in order to protect himself. It turns out that the Holy Grail War involves a series of battles among powerful sorcerors to fight for the possession of a relic that will grant one's wishes, the Holy Grail. There are altogether seven "Masters" who can summon their respective "Servants" from different classes known as Saber, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Lancer, Caster and Assassin. These "Servants" have to hide their names in order not to reveal their weaknesses to the enemies. The story revolves around Shirou and his entanglement in the Holy Grail War.

==Technical Details==
*[[Fate/stay_night:File export|How to export files from the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Text import|How to import text into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Image manipulation|How to export and import images from/into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Scripts and text|Accordance between *.ks scripts and in-game texts]]

==''Fate/stay night'' visual novel by TYPE-MOON==
{| border=1
! colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;"|'''Prologue'''
! rowspan="6" |Day 1
! rowspan="6" |Day 2
! colspan="14" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Unlimited Blade Works'''
|-
! rowspan="5" |Two Days ago
! rowspan="5" |One Day ago
! rowspan="5" |The Day
|Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Fate'''
! rowspan="2" |
|-

! rowspan="3" |Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Heaven's Feel'''
|-
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|}

Fate/stay night

2008-05-09T03:58:16Z

Epicnoses: /* Warning */

[[Image:fate-stay_night.jpg|thumb|right|240px|''Original video game cover.'']]

The ''Fate/stay night'' series is available in the following languages:
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Russian~|Русский (Russian)]]
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Japanese~|日本語 (Japanese)]]

== Warning ==
<center>'''This Visual novel is rated ''Mature'' and is considered for Adults (18+) only.

If you are below the age of consent in your respected country, you are advised to stop immediately and leave this project page.

By continuing to read or be involved in this project, you are agreeing to the terms of our [[Baka-Tsuki:Copyrights|Disclaimer]].'''

Please note: That Baka-Tsuki hosts only the Translated text, and as such, no images or game files are hosted here.
</center>

==Story Synopsis==
Shirou Emiya lost his parents in a fire when he was young and was later adopted by a sorceror by the name of Kiritsugu Emiya. Although he was full of admiration for his adopted father and yearns to become an ally of justice, Shirou has limited powers and was unable to become a strong sorceror like his father. That is until one fateful day, he was drawn into the Holy Grail War and had to summon a female "Servant" known as Saber in order to protect himself. It turns out that the Holy Grail War involves a series of battles among powerful sorcerors to fight for the possession of a relic that will grant one's wishes, the Holy Grail. There are altogether seven "Masters" who can summon their respective "Servants" from different classes known as Saber, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Lancer, Caster and Assassin. These "Servants" have to hide their names in order not to reveal their weaknesses to the enemies. The story revolves around Shirou and his entanglement in the Holy Grail War.

==Technical Details==
*[[Fate/stay_night:File export|How to export files from the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Text import|How to import text into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Image manipulation|How to export and import images from/into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Scripts and text|Accordance between *.ks scripts and in-game texts]]

==''Fate/stay night'' visual novel by TYPE-MOON==
{| border=1
! colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;"|'''Prologue'''
! rowspan="6" |Day 1
! rowspan="6" |Day 2
! colspan="14" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Unlimited Blade Works'''
|-
! rowspan="5" |Two Days ago
! rowspan="5" |One Day ago
! rowspan="5" |The Day
|Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Fate'''
! rowspan="2" |
|-

! rowspan="3" |Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Heaven's Feel'''
|-
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|}

Fate/stay night

2008-05-09T03:56:35Z

Epicnoses: /* Story Synopsis */ SP

[[Image:fate-stay_night.jpg|thumb|right|240px|''Original video game cover.'']]

The ''Fate/stay night'' series is available in the following languages:
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Russian~|Русский (Russian)]]
*[[Fate/stay_night_~Japanese~|日本語 (Japanese)]]

== Warning ==
<center>'''This visual Novel is rated ''Mature'' and is considered for Adults (18+) only.

If you are below the age of consent in your respected country, you are advised to stop immediately and leave this project page.

By continuing to read or be involved in this project, you are agreeing to the terms of our [[Baka-Tsuki:Copyrights|Disclaimer]].'''

Please note: That Baka-Tsuki hosts only the Translated text, and as such, no images or game files are hosted here.
</center>

==Story Synopsis==
Shirou Emiya lost his parents in a fire when he was young and was later adopted by a sorceror by the name of Kiritsugu Emiya. Although he was full of admiration for his adopted father and yearns to become an ally of justice, Shirou has limited powers and was unable to become a strong sorceror like his father. That is until one fateful day, he was drawn into the Holy Grail War and had to summon a female "Servant" known as Saber in order to protect himself. It turns out that the Holy Grail War involves a series of battles among powerful sorcerors to fight for the possession of a relic that will grant one's wishes, the Holy Grail. There are altogether seven "Masters" who can summon their respective "Servants" from different classes known as Saber, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Lancer, Caster and Assassin. These "Servants" have to hide their names in order not to reveal their weaknesses to the enemies. The story revolves around Shirou and his entanglement in the Holy Grail War.

==Technical Details==
*[[Fate/stay_night:File export|How to export files from the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Text import|How to import text into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Image manipulation|How to export and import images from/into the game]]
*[[Fate/stay_night:Scripts and text|Accordance between *.ks scripts and in-game texts]]

==''Fate/stay night'' visual novel by TYPE-MOON==
{| border=1
! colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;"|'''Prologue'''
! rowspan="6" |Day 1
! rowspan="6" |Day 2
! colspan="14" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Unlimited Blade Works'''
|-
! rowspan="5" |Two Days ago
! rowspan="5" |One Day ago
! rowspan="5" |The Day
|Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Fate'''
! rowspan="2" |
|-

! rowspan="3" |Day 3
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|-
! colspan="13" style="background:#efefef;" |'''Heaven's Feel'''
|-
|Day 4
|Day 5
|Day 6
|Day 7
|Day 8
|Day 9
|Day 10
|Day 11
|Day 12
|Day 13
|Day 14
|Day 15
|Day 16
|}

Iriya no Sora UFO no Natsu:Close Encounter of the Third Kind

2008-05-09T03:39:20Z

Epicnoses: /* Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu - Close Encounter of the Third Kind */ Fixed several wiki links

== Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu - Close Encounter of the Third Kind ==

Someone once said that nonsensical feelings are good.

Therefore, he also decided for himself. Returning on the road from the excluded mountains, it seems that you would have to endure congestion when swimming at the school’s pool was what Asaba Naoyuki thought.

Even if it was the last day of summer vacation of the second year of middle school at 8 o’clock at night, 5 minutes of swimming was more than enough.

Near the video store as he stopped his bike, the duffle bag banged against him while it rested on his shoulder, as he walked on the dimly light street as he returned from school.

He crossed the north side of the business district as he rode on.

The fast feet going through the long hall of the club room were not there.

Looking at the appearance of the situation gave the feeling of sneaking into enemy territory like a spy stealthily as he stood in the shadow of the incinerator. With the only redeeming feature of a small backwoods town’s school somehow being its grand wideness, having stepped onto taking up the white line of summer severely to make flexible the little understanding about what department attracted clumsiness, the right hand side of the old gym looked like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_lines Nazca] landscape from the eyes being fooled by the change in darkness while the front gave too much of a silent floating appearance with the municipal middle school’s wooden building there, seeing that to the left was the first brand new Sonohara District 4 shelter on the inside of the structure. Naturally, some form made a sound to an unexpected degree that could clearly reach the ears. A phone continued to ring forever with a police car chasing after something, a motorcycle starting its engine somewhere in the surroundings, and someone buying juice at a vending machine as they were saying something out of courtesy. Incidentally, in the standing night sky, “Buddha’s” red letters showed themselves to the eyes. Quite recently, sounds at the outskirts of town came from the Buddhist alter room’s poster column. Because the mood had broken, nothing was seen and done about.

In the middle of the school building is a clock tower that pointed to 8:14 at night.

It was not approximately 8:14 at night by some error. (そんじょ)

With Asaba not having brought his homework for this period to completely hand in and keep the homework load down, surely the grand separate summer nights at the clock tower that furnished the school building made a wooden three-story time bomb that could not help the rest. He must have hated that clock tower. That clock tower’s gears’ life came to an end, and, at 8:14P.M., it seemed as if time stopped around the world. If it seemed to resound, it was because summer vacation was not over yet. This month and a half, that dial looked up at a person speaking of, at best, the exercise club’s chestnut in its burr (いがぐり), something that was really not expected to be in one’s head and did a little sabotage in running away from any understanding, with the clock tower not having a second hand in spite of that as one second at a time continued to whittle down a month and thirty minutes, and for that matter, eternity for even and equal time.

And then now, Asaba was behind by thirteen minutes that time did not fill.

It was after thirteen minutes at the earthen pipe. Circumstances begged for forgiveness given that second semester was beginning. (TL note: In Japan, second semester starts in fall.) Kawaguchi Taizou, age 35 and single, who was the second year class four natural sciences teacher, had all the people who could not turn in their homework stand up on a platform with a scientific sharp look in their eyes as the rest took their seats, with the lined up heads made into rampant (ばっこんばっこん) minced meat while the reason why homework was not turned in concerning scientific defense was probably demanded.

…But sensei, there was no way. I saw a UFO break like a plate on the first day of summer vacation, with a pyramid on the other side of the moon that was going take someone away. That pyramid, because it was for the sake of their invasion of earth and their secret base, had me pushed into jail, where I, besides seven other boys and girls from countries around the world, similarly were kidnapped. We escaped from that jail, took their ray guns, and really ran amuck, despite accidentally committing an offense in escaping from the UFO, which resulted in us finally being able to return to Earth last night. It was not like I had spare time to do homework. But, it is because we saved mankind from destruction that I can reason with you, sensei, today just as the sun exists. Well, being different because I do not have a suntan, the UFO’s field squad leader depended on radiation exposure. Hey! Look at me! Does that not look like the fifth lucky dragon circle?

Eight of them split if I am not mistaken.

Though “the newspaper club’s chief Suizenji-san, agreed, summer vacation’s length always was looking for secluded UFOs at the Sonohara military base’s rear exit” was saying this honestly, he was not thinking that the results would seem to become different. That reality was hiding with Asaba together in the incinerator’s shadow. Just under thirteen minutes later, that meager historical fact became certain.

Asaba Naoyuki’s middle school second year vacation at Sonohara Military Base’s base hill was smoking and extinguished.

It was thirteen minutes later.

Because he was a criminal sentenced to death, it was like his last chance to have a smoke.

Therefore, he thought it was a good idea to sneak in for a midnight swim.

Of course, it was a must.

Soon, near by, the focus was slipping away from a seminar as in the middle of darkness a sole bird sung a verse and a measure. Asaba made a last confirmation of the formless surroundings. It was just a three-story wooden school building, but “your outlook may do something to cause wickedness,” and just about everything opened its eyes to glare at Asaba. In the middle left of the school building was the staff room with that so-called next-door “nap room,” which Asaba knew made for a small, tatami-matted useful, unknown club room. He thought about that case in which the night watch teacher was there. But, because the school had lights on in every window that he could slip in from, Asaba really did not know in the first place whether or not the school had so-called people who were night time homework teachers and the like for left-behind things.

Since the pool in line with the gymnasium was the goal, Asaba was hiding thirty meters in distance from where the incinerator was. Even if the fence surrounding the pool was there, a plastic panel connecting the height to a high wall surrounded the pool. If that surely had a bad name like the high Berlin Wall, “This then could not be an attraction as the girl’s pool for instruction,” said the male students’ voice with resentment throughout firmly like an impregnable wall. However, as far as Asaba was concerned, that wall was an ally. Thanks to that wall, you could not see someone’s shape from outside the wall. He was reaching the entry route’s goal. Because the changing room’s entryway lock was completely worn, the key was hung up for care on a powerful knob so that the lock turned without slipping out in the end, which Asaba knew well.

Just a little more courage.

No one else was expected. Absolutely no one.

But…the anxiety would not go away. However, if by any chance he was seen, he would receive a good scolding.

He ran.

The duffle bag clattered, although he hid his body for the last thirty meters that he ran. The changing room’s entrance had hand-written characters on it that masked the block wall’s shadow for hiding. Taking a deep breath, he once again checked the surroundings a little at length for relief. He thoughtfully turned the door know to the changing room with both hands. Due to abrasion that the metal rubbed smoothly in “self-interest” from the feeling left in the hand, the lock easily slipped.

At that time, a patrol car’s siren could be heard.

“By no means could that have any relationship to me,” thought Asaba as his body unintentionally stiffened, and he stopped breathing.

“Again,” he thought. Some time ago, when he was hiding in the shadow of the incinerator, it could be heard as well.

It seemed as if the siren melted as it faded into the distance, but abruptly stopped as it faded.

Tonight, many patrol cars were frightfully out. He wondered if there was some incident. By the way, just before the summer break, “Because spies from the northern vicinity are in concealment, be careful,” said a circular notice that went around. Neither summer vacation nor shit probably had spies, right?

He took a deep breath.

He opened the changing room door and tried taking a peek inside.

It was pitch black.

Too dark, to the point that he thought that changing clothes inside was impossible. Turning on the lights by any amount would be bad no matter what. Since he was a little lost, Asaba decided to change clothes in this place. Seeing it was in the masked block wall’s shadow, it was impossible that someone come. With the bag hanging from his shoulder on the grating and the zipper pulled open, at that time, it became apparent to Asaba that something important was seemingly missing.

As it was on the way back home from his mountain seclusion, it was so.

In other words, inside this bag was jammed that luggage from his mountain seclusion. There were things like his toothbrush, towel, changes of clothes, bug repellent, camera, and a tiny wireless radio. But, thinking about how in the mountain seclusion about bread and water was not necessary.

That said, now he did not have bread and water.

That thing left him amazingly dejected.

Asaba squatted down there. Before evening, he made a momentous decision to rent an adult video so that he leapt and howled as he went to a far away video store, thinking, “This is it!” as he realized that he had forgotten his wallet when he put his hand on the package, which resembled that time’s disappointment.

Wild thoughts ran through his head.

If that was the case, should he skinny dive?

Wouldn’t that be about as absurd as what a complete moron would do?

It appeared that swimming in the school’s pool in the middle of the night would somehow give an amazingly good feeling if for only a moment, which would give him the feeling of becoming a transient, uneasy exhibitionist. As he thought, going butt-naked would be dumb. Getting relief from something like bread and water was like changing something from old to new that was not there, as he randomly fished inside of his bag.

Dishevelled, rolled up, and defective bread came out.

When he was sleeping inside of シュラフ, it was the weak point of the school’s gym assignment.

Making sure no one was around once again, Asaba hurriedly took off his trousers and trunks, which made a weak impression as he put on his clothes. You could also look down on him for taking off his T-shirt. Given that it was not like the attaching pocket, a sea impression and not a different inner beneficially leaked air.

But, he thought it was strange like that.

It was because he had come this far at last.

He decided it in his heart. Kicking in to take things out of the bag, Asaba entered the inside of the changing room. Barely able to recognize and follow the contour of the lockers, he fumbled to make progress in the chlorine-smelling, damp darkness. He passed the shower and sterilization bath. While he felt the soft slime on the bottom of his feet, he thought, “If I am not mistaken, last year, three houses were ruined by becoming bloodstained.” “Sensei, I’m going to die…I’m going to die,” said a crying, lively voice that spread across the city, which Asaba apologized for from the bottom of his heart. Sorry, those three houses, the mess at the time was amusing.

Forcing open the swinging door, the night’s poolside appeared.

Accordingly, Asaba’s reminiscent laughter scattered away. Being away from home for a second now gone, he almost turned around to step on the turn-on squirting hose.

At the night poolside, a previous visitor was there.

It was a girl.

First off, given that it was twenty-five meters in length and fifteen meters in length, of course, the pool’s dimensions were there. Also, from the very thing of having a magical stillness to the water’s surface, it was by far simpler than combining starlight and cramming the reflection in the depth of some light year, as if it seemed that the pool’s shape with cut off by the visible night sky above. With Asaba’s eyes just coming from the changing room’s darkness, that strange scene was quite bright. In the middle of that strange scene’s brightness, a girl’s back was turned toward Asaba, as she squatted at the edge of the right hand side of the pool while she firmly held onto the handrail. She was wearing a school swimsuit. She had a swim cap on her head. She was staring earnestly at the water’s surface that was like pitch black metal.

“I wonder who that is,” he thought as if that was not the only needed thought.

Coming across a more than surprising situation, all other considerable things wound up disappearing.

Quite similar to an upright pole, Asaba just stood there.

Like anyone not wanting to be discovered entering, anyone that did not when caught was about to get hung. Because the changing room’s door had been forcibly opened, it was not like you could not hear the footsteps of someone approaching. If that girl had been there from the very beginning, you would think that you would not expect that she could not hear such sounds. Still, even with limited sight, the girl did not notice the appearance of Asaba existence at all. Occasionally turning her back to Asaba, she gazed intently at the pool’s surface without moving. In that back was indescribable, characteristic seriousness, which gave a nervous feeling in the air as if after this someone was going to commit suicide by leaping off a tall building over there.

The girl moved.

While she held the handrail tightly with her right hand, her left hand stretched to touch the water’s surface.

Even with something like experimental discretion, the girl’s fingertip was just short of disturbing the water. Even as the leaves on the trees did not move, the ripples on the water grew and crossed over the water’s surface like a radar wave, where it ended up reflecting at the pool’s edge. With that appearance, the girl watched fixedly and intently.

He wondered who it was.

He seemed to think finally.

Perhaps she was a student there. He could see what looked like a school-assigned swimsuit without a name tag on it. He thought that her age was about the same as his, not including the affirmation of her appearance from behind. On the girl’s oblique back was a big bag that looked like she was going to throw it away when she put it down. The scattered clothes in the surroundings made it quite lively. As he thought that if that was her bag, then those clothes should be hers as well.

He thought.

What he meant in other words, had the girl been changing clothes into her swimsuit at the poolside?

Thinking that amazing thing, why had he grown up as a human being? “Why couldn’t I,” screaming to a higher power, “been born as a hose under her foot or that deck brush on the wall instead?” Since no one was at the school or the school pool at night, only a lone girl could have the stars shine on her while the petals fell on her clothes one by one from that spot, which made Asaba lose control of the power of his will.

From the girl’s remaining earnest appearance from behind that was drifting, Asaba felt a badly urgent sense of comfort. He thought that it was embarrassing to embrace such wild delusions. Why the girl was here and what she was doing, he did not know. But, because the girl had not noticed him yet, he thought that it was horribly unfair. In meeting her, he felt that it was not good to feel like he had ill intent by peeping at her.

“I’ll call out to her,” he decided.

She should know of my existence.

“That decided, what kind of voice should I use, since we learned in English to stand and not get settled in place as one likes?” Asaba inhaled.

The timing was poor.

At the exact moment Asaba inhaled to spit out his voice, the girl made a failing attempt to stand up. Squatting at length, the girl began to stand up a little, staggering, “Umm…”

Asaba just sprung up in surprise, knowing that she could only mean him, as she tried to turn around with her whole back facing him, which, even under normal circumstances, was vastly dangerous enough to break someone into small fragments.

For just an instant, their eyes met.

Their eyes opening in wonder t the space between them, only to have the girl fall ass first into the pool.

Together with a loud watery sound, a large sheet of spray scattered on the poolside’s tiles.

Asaba was confused as well. With the rapid development of circumstances, fear struck. As it was, he thought he could get away. With the confusion showing in their eyes as they looked around at the surroundings, of course reality would set in now. The pool had a cheaply made, high wall surrounding it. Because each side also had a magic mirror, you could not see from the outside inside as well as not being able to see from the inside outside. Whoever the night watch teacher was now would have the brilliant idea of storming in yelling.

They should run away.

Deciding at last with severe hesitation for what seemed like an eternity, Asaba’s legs stopped making an about-face in the direction of the changing room.

The sound of the water would not stop for eternity.

The girl in the water started to struggle. Sometimes, the arms and legs pushed out at unexpected angles and broke, striking and sinking into the water’s surface.

He thought she was joking or something.

Also, because he noticed that it really looked like she was drowning, it was up until now that he was going to run away that his body soon did not move to run out. Hurriedly rushing over to the pool, he jumped off into the middle of the water as it was. Jumping into the air with short pants on feet first to save her, it looked like a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabocha Japanese pumpkin] swelling underwater. Pushing his way through the water with both hands as he walked, because the girl’s hands stretched while she splashed water into his eyes, in a loud voice,

“Look! I’m going to catch you here,”

as she struck him with her leg? That is to say in a moment the girl got tired. As the bottom of the pool was slippery, Asaba’s head soon disappeared underwater as he gave a shout in surprise.

As it was pitch dark, he could not see anything.

Given that he was supporting the girl freely as they moved about, of course he could not breathe.

Panic set in.

Just like that, he did not understand anything. Where was he stretching out his hands to what he thought was the edge of the pool, where were the surface of the water and bottom of the pool, where was his upper body facing, and where was his lower body facing? It was the same peaceful, surging water he was in. But because the girl was once again trying without much success to free herself, Asaba and the girl’s bodies increasingly continued to struggle in desperation. He could not believe how strong she was. Asaba thought he really was going to drown like this. Because this was where his foot settled and it was really near the bottom of the pool, risking his life seemed to tell him that both of his legs and one arm were searching in the water dazedly.

His fingertip touched the edge of the pool.

The tip of his toes touched the bottom of the pool.

One way or another he managed to take up a stance. Finally, the faces of the two were above water.

Also, while he coughed up the water he had swallowed, he thought throughout this entire body, “I’m saved.” From some time ago, expecting to be in a bottomless swamp of a pool, from the bottom of the depths of Asaba’s stomach, he could not lay out how he had properly tried to stand on his feet.

“Mother, I’m not little anymore,” he laughed.

And then Asaba rose his face,

eyes in agreement but not in place.

Not taking even one puff of a cigarette, he met the girl’s face at the point-blank range of the beginnings of birth.

The two immediately breathed deeply with them both embracing each other as it were. The two churned the movement of the water, their bodies shaking a little.

Asaba was a little taller than her. The remainder of the hair that was sticking out of her swim cap was dripping water. “Aside from myself, human beings from the beginnings of birth try to make facial expressions,” straightly stared Asaba. Because he was not expecting anyone at the school nor the pool at night, especially some strange girl under the illuminating light of the stars,

he could not think of the reality of the incident.

Slanting her neck just a little, the girl tried to say something.

Also, like emitting the voice of an infant who has not yet learned how to speak, he could hear what seemed like the interjections of a foreign language.

And then,

“Ah,”

suddenly, Asaba and the girl’s bodies were glued together by some strong power. Because she separated herself from Asaba by just half a step, she turned her face and covered her nose and mouth with both of her hands.

Seeing that as a cue, Asaba was brought back to reality by this one action despite being charmed by the eyes of the girl in front of him. Perhaps because of his confused thoughts created by that strange smell, secretly breathing into the palms of his hands to make sure he had no bad breath,

* Huff*

he turned to face the girl.

He thought he was going to die from too much surprise. The girl vomited blood. Grasping her mouth with her fingers spread apart, blood fell down in drops.

“…!! Ah…huh..yikes! Umm,”

With Asaba gazing upward by a handbreadth in a shameful panic, the girl, almost catching his voice,

“A nosebleed,”

he seemed to be saying, relieved in the water by one hand, she wiped the blood that was flowing from her nose to her mouth. Because Asaba misunderstood in his thoughts that she was vomiting blood, he really could not see well enough if the blood was coming from her nose.

However, Asaba seemed to question if they were not the same thing.

Anyway, it somehow could not be good.

That fact was not a good change.

Asaba shot out of the pool with the impetus of a rocket, but the girl was already rushing over to the poolside. So that he just could not see the direction that the clothes were being scattered in, his hand flew to the handzipper that was less than the width of his thumb. With the confused part inside of him telling him then, “It’s about time I should head to the bathroom,” only a little part remained calm enough to tell him, “The girl left her bag, didn’t she?” A dark green, being made of something as hard as a hard subject to the touch of a hard hand, the pocket was full. The soldiers from Sonohara Base were carrying something that resembled a bag. Pulling the zipper to open the bag at once, the leader was pulling out a bath towel as he entered, right under the eyes of that thing that was entering that was spontaneously gasping for breath.

Taking a cup full of pills, which was not bigger than a can of juice, there were three plastic bags.

He ended up seeing a thing that he should not have seen.

So he thought.

Asaba wound up closing the zipper hastily. At any rate, because he was losing his head as the large amount of medicine that was snatched away from him, it had a big impact on his eyes, which was more than he needed to see. Therefore, right next to the bottle of medicine was a loaded 9mm gun with 16 shots that said, “I should not look any more at this thing,” with a grip that stuck out, which Asaba had not noticed until just now.

Bath towel in hand and a nonchalant expression on his face, Asaba ran in a hurry back to the pool. Because the girl was in the middle of trying to climb out of the pool, she mistakenly gave the appearance that she was trying to climb the round iron poles used for skiing, resulting in Asaba turning away thinking that it was not good to watch her in a scrutinizing fashion as she strained herself, and he thus presented “that” bath towel to her.

If Asaba were to go back for a glance for a moment, he would have struck a glance at the girl’s upturned eyes. Sitting at the edge of the pool, as it were, with both legs in the water, both ends of the towel on her shoulders were being used to hold her nose. It appeared that the nosebleed had already stopped, but it was just startling to see the bath towel dyed red.

“What should I do?” he thought.

It continued to give the sensation now that made it seem that this was just one step away from reality. To be honest, he just thought a little as well that she looked somewhat in poor shape.

“Well, I should get going home,” he informed her of the feeling that he wanted to get up and leave this place quickly, a feeling that was by no means small inside his heart.

However…

The girl quietly fixed her eyes on Asaba. Asaba turned to look the other way again.

As it were, if he was going to leave her behind like this, it was not like she was going to sit at the pool’s edge forever, or at least that was the feeling he got.

“Did you see?”

Suddenly, the girl seemed to ask.

The unforeseen crossroads blocked the words in Asaba’s mouth. “Speaking of becoming confused at the sight of blood, it was bad enough that I wound up opening her bad and refusing her cry for help,” he thought. At that, because this was settling so that he could clearly ask, it seemed somewhat cunning but not manly.

Measuring the distance by eye so that it was neither too close nor far, Asaba sat on the pool edge next to the seemingly same girl.

“…Are you sick?”

The girl in just one mere instant, having seemingly just a merely dubious face, soon shook her head.

Asaba continued to wait for her to speak thinking that perhaps some explanation existed behind that, but with that, the girl kept quiet. Asaba put up with the dead silence, thinking about what he should say.

“What is your name?”

The girl replied.

“Iriya.”

What she was saying also sounded like a foreign language, giving a bit of an awkward feeling, given her strange voice.

“…So that is your name? How about your last name?”

Using a timid breath, the girl answered like that.

“Iriya, Kana.”

“I am unsure if it ‘Iriya,’” he thought. That seemed like the name of a place in the city of Sonohara.

The girl patiently waited for what Asaba would speak next.

“If there was something I could say,” thought Asaba.

“…Do you not know how to swim?”

“Because I wound up saying that, I could not ask something a little more sincere instead of asking that like the idiot I am,” he thought to himself. Deciding that she could not swim, was she in the middle of remembering sometime ago that she could not save herself?

Like putting together the pieces in Asaba’s field of vision, the girl loosely nodded.

“If there was something I could say,” thought Asaba.

The fact was he was thinking, but because he could not prolong the conversation with the girl that his words seemed to be cut up into pieces, which meant that he could not make a “question” go through the swirl of proper questions with meaning. The more questions he asked straight from the mouth like, “Who are you?” the more they would just end up becoming single words. He did not think that the girl would respond with such a clear answer. The continuing silence, the extra tension, the more he should say something the more in a hurry he should be in a hurry to say, “Then, I’m going home,” with the exception of what words and thoughts came to mind.

“Can you swim?”

Suddenly, the girl seemed to inquire.

Because he could swim, she was asking the question. It was from that little understanding that it came.

And then, that single word (TL note: “Can you swim?” can be a single word in Japanese) became the breach.

“…Umm, you know, if it would be alright with you,”

this girl could not swim. And then, but if she did not mean strong points as in one’s real strong points, he could swim.

Placing that point of himself, he was unsure whether or not he could certainly show her. “I will teach you, how to swim that that is.”

Asaba seemed to say.

Because he ended up saying that, he remembered his own hesitation in suggesting it himself. This girl had a nosebleed a while back. She had taken heaps of that unknown natural medicine from that bag. He did not know what she herself was thinking, but to begin with, was it not impossible to speak about the matter itself about that girl swimming in the pool and the like?

Even if the girl was shaking her head in agreement, it seemed she had a little happy face.

By just looking at that face, Asaba made a sound taken aback by the course of events.

“Wait a second.”

Thinking about trivial matters like kick boards, he turned to storehouse tools for the small first harvest of the year. If he turned around incidentally from worry, although he meant to wait, the girl became attached to Asaba’s back like a puppy. Knocking over the kick board pile, and also always looking among the things that were not pretty slippery that she could, the back of the girl’s eyes were itching.

He thought.

If it was done accidentally, also meaning more than the girl not being able to swim, perhaps she had been unable to swim since the day of her birth with today being the first time.

Even so, for what reason she had come to try swimming, he was unsure how she had come to this momentous decision.

“Surely, it seems that way,” also cried the thoughts in Asaba’s head for a basis.

Asaba pondered whether she was getting really sick as the girl shook her head. But, even if she did not have the so-called illness, generally you would not carry just that medicine.

For example, unless you had something like a naturally weak body, you would not do that.

Something like falling ill for a long time with a severe illness nowadays could finally just be cured.

“Finally, it seems that way,” Asaba thought. “Having to go back and forth between being healthy and ill from childhood, also by the grace of the school and summer vacation, something to the degree of a faraway field trip for the homework of the body, just watching only a friend’s synchronized swimming for class in the pool, but also waiting a long time to swim, just now having the tools available for curing it for the mother who wants to try asking, ‘Would it be alright to go the pool?’ as well as being able to say something like ‘What kind of idiot would say to this child that they decided, “Ah, it’s no good with having no more medicine to take next take”’ but never accepting consolation, it seemed that she absolutely had to sneak out of the house stealthily to go to the pool at night, “thought Asaba.

If he considered it, also for some reason or other giving a line of fine feeling, also creating a mood like packing your thoughts when gazing at the pool, also wearing that damned serious swimming cap, also the sudden nosebleed and large amount of medicine, all really seemed like what gave a good explanation.

Returning to the pool with two kick boards in hand, he jumped in feet first with a splash. With the girl hesitating a little at trying to imitate entirely, as it were, whatever Asaba did.

Handing over the kick board to the girl,

“If you can hold onto this, then you should not have to think about it,”

there upon casually giving a good mood,

“…Umm, you know, is the water getting in your face?”

The girl timidly shook her head.

That said, if it was not to begin from there in the first place, she would not succeed.

It was because she was suffering from it being her first time. Encouraging and soothing, the girl by no means could keep the water out of her face. However, if it started to seem that she could put her entire head in the water gradually with extremely painful effort, she was there a while back. Practicing to reach out to grab the edge of the pool with her body and practicing to take breaths while doing the flutter kick, she increasingly practiced moving with the use of a kick board.

And then, at 9P.M. on the last day of summer vacation in the second year of middle school, less than ten minutes had passed.

And then, if the girl at that time had held onto her kick board, she seemingly could have swum 15m. Because it was an extremely slow motion of rising wake in a magnificent sheet of spray as she turned to make her lap for the flutter kick, she was going to let go quickly in the aforementioned turn. Nonetheless, if he thought about it, she had gone from being a completely hopeless beginner to someone who made large rapid strides. Originally, he was unsure how good her reflexes were.

With Asaba teaching her how to swim timidly on the beginning as well, he thought that it seemed that the girl’s nosebleed would soon stop there again. Yet, the girl’s desire for steady, quick improvement showed. With the girl as silent as ever, Asaba’s words just once again managed to shake around inside his head, but with every lap that it looked like she could do her, her facial expression brightened little by little.

“Amazing! If this trend continues, she’ll be the ace of the swimming next week.”

The girl looked like she just had a little happy face. In less than the span of an hour, for Asaba, this “just a little” seemed to one way or another make the subtle difference between reading between the lines and not. Now her face thus far seemed to have the happiest look to it.

“Well, it’s about time to graduate from the kick board.”

Just at the moment, the girl’s facial expression stiffened.

“If it’s okay, you could swim by yourself some more. It somehow seems like you are already becoming one with the kick board as well,” he declared to the girl in victory. However, saying that as if some sort of agreement was reached, Asaba could see something that looked like he had wholeheartedly thrown knives into her despair.

“Ah, um, you know,”

Asaba surprisingly giving in after a while,

“Well, to start with, see how I am holding this with my hands? Keep a cool head about you, ok?”

It appeared that Asaba gave his approval as he said this.

With the girl also giving her consent this time, it looked like she showed just a little relief on her face stretching out both of her hands. She grabbed Asaba by the wrists. In turn, Asaba’s hands took the girl’s wrists and formed a grip around them.

Thus, Asaba finally noticed “that.”

In a moment, the girl also noticed that Asaba had noticed as he tightened his body in apprehension. Until just now, “that” being on her wrists, the girl might have forgotten herself.

Asaba searched the girl’s wrists with his fingertips.

There was something stiff and round.

Slowly, he tried turning her wrists over.

Because it was smaller than the size of an egg yolk, like a metallic silver sphere, the girl’s wrists were buried in his.

The girl patiently and intently kept watching.

The movement of the water was shaking her body.

Reality shook in the water, continuing once again.

As if saying, “I don’t want it to hurt,” holding out in both hands the silver balls for wrists that Asaba seemed to be able to see well, the girl started to approach him.

The problems in life. He should have prepared to listen to her from the onset.

Who the hell was she?

“It is nothing, really.”

It was a reverse in superiority. Now, the girl was scary enough to threaten someone. Asaba tried taking a step back, but his chances were fixedly turning bad in that single-minded gaze, and a curse could leave from that expression that sounded seemingly like a foreign language. He could not step forward by any means instead of first taking a step backwards.

“Are you trying to make fun of me?”

The girl was already before his eyes.

Between the faces of the girl and Asaba, already, the silver ball had just buried itself into her wrist.

“It has an electric taste, you know.”

No one was supposed to be at school in the middle of the night nor was there supposed to be anyone at the pool under the starlight, but some unknown girl was, although perhaps it was nothing, despite the reality of event appearing unlikely.

Suddenly, he could hear a police car.

Quite surprised, that from his own mouth came such shameful regrets that he let out some tears. He could hear it from quite nearby. Was it coming from inside the school, or was it the case that it was possibly turning to return outside in the grand surroundings? He could see the reflection of the police car’s flashing lights in the gym windows. It was no more than one or two vehicles.

The girl was silent.

Although his facial expression changed, you could not see what looked like surprise in his eyes from the one minute beyond the last ten minutes. That said, Asaba’s panic stirred up again. Anyhow, he must not panic in any way. Since he did not understand what was what, Asaba pulled on the girl’s hand losing himself in trying to climb out of the pool but not being able to do so.

And quickly ending up at being close to the pool’s edge, that man appeared before Asaba.

Coming from the changing room’s swinging door, he walked slowly to the poolside.

Tall, you could not quite tell his age.

The jacket of his suit hanging over his shoulder, he already had a bath towel in the other hand. He was not wearing a necktie. Having a young countenance in his eyes, he gave the feeling that he was bursting in laughter at some vulgar joke all the time. Save for looking horribly tired, in some respects, a mood hung in the air like he was about to be beaten up by a pickpocket.

“It’s time to go home.”

Stopping and standing, all the while straight at the girl from the poolside, the man seemed to say that.

In reality, with the girl’s nosebleed and all, he thought that the blood ended up flowing and disappearing in the pool drain.

As he did not know what was what due to the confusion, he thought it would be just alright to lie about not being afraid. Yet, Asaba stuck to his bluff. Taking one step forward, the girl stood with her back to Asaba to take a position to protect him.

Upon seeing that, the man unexpectedly seemed to show a look of admiration, with his face saying,

“Oh.”

Whispering from the girl’s back,

“It’s okay; I know him.”

Asaba, seeing the man lose interest in his eyes, over her shoulder said,

“Who is that?”

The man replied.

“…Hmm. Well, you could say that I am her older brother. And yourself?”

With Asaba on guard in apprehension, he purposefully made his voice sound ill-humored.

“I’m a student of this school,”

he seemingly ended up pretending to say that. As the man was turning around to survey his surroundings,

“Why again? At this time?”

“I wanted to swim.”

With Asaba answering in a single word (TL note: “I wanted to swim can be a single word in Japanese), the man suddenly laughed throughout his face.

“…Is that really so? I see. That is the problem with today being the last day of summer, isn’t it?

The man squatted at the poolside. Watching Asaba intently while laughing with a big grin,

“You know, I did that when I was younger, too. When I was a live-in school janitor, I used to time and time again jump in like a thundering old man. Let’s have a competition as comrades with guts to se who is a better swimmer. While swimming was a big deal, on the second time, with one time the old man coming rushing out holding a broom, but in coming here from that edge with the intention of catching me, he was unable to do so. So, just because I was so skillful at getting away from the old man and playing crank calls you know, ‘Aah, Nagasawa-kun,’ mimicking the school’s principal, Nagasawa being the old the old man’s name, ‘Aah, Nagasawa-kun. He was kind of like a mountain demon in his ability in catching students sneaking into the pool. In a way, he had the head, of a mountain demon, that is.’ Well, that old man would always get very mad. That was amusing,” indicating several men and cars outside of the pool. The sound of a quite engine, the gnawing sound of tires on gravel, the seemingly opening slapping sound of a door could be heard.

They were surrounded.

Furthermore, anyone with the exception of this man did not come to enter the pool area.

He completely did not know anything about this man’s character. Besides understanding the brotherly air from the story, he could not tell if it was just an outwardly fake appearance. Asaba badly seemed to think that it was the opposite of a light sensation.

“Umm.”

He took another wild guess.

Who the heck are you people?!

Then, the girl and the man also in agreement could not think of an answer to give to bring clarity to his guess. Because Asaba’s words were as quick as the sudden drawing of an arrow, the man went ahead from there.

“You know, I think I have yet to thank you. That old man Nagasawa, we brats came to get along in playing with him, you know…How honor comes to light each and every time something bad is done, we expect something will smear our name in getting caught. Yet, the old man never told the other teachers about what we did…Therefore, you might say, even now, it seems you played a relatively tolerable and innocent prank,” so he seemed to say, gazing patiently at Asaba.

“For the reason that you stayed here without speaking, you cannot ask anything concerning alternatives.

That was what he seemed to be saying.

Asaba felt like he understood.

With the man watching him, Asaba bowed a little.

The man flared up in laughter. Taking out of his jacket pocket what looked like a wireless device,

“We are done now. C has 1: we are leaving this place,”

saying just that quickly, and then standing while stretching.

“Well, I guess we are finished here. Let’s put away the kick boards here. Then, get cleaned up. By the way,”

facing the girl,

“Isn’t today your first time swimming?”

Taking advantage of Asaba’s help at the pool, the girl answered in just a single word (TL note: “He taught me” can be a single word in Japanese),

“He taught me,”

with the man making a face that said, “Ooh.” The girl having part of the towel thrown over her head,

“This guy took care of me. Look you,”

so she appeared to say, forcing herself to bow with a jerk with the bath towel over her head. “You should have left a while ago. With that lot outside, it is getting dangerous.”

The inside of his head was in confusion.

Even though she spoke and he heard, it was like a mountain.

Walking with an uncertain gait at the poolside and pushing open the swinging door to the charging room, there Asaba turned around to show his back. The man waved his hand a bit. With the girl next to him, she stood stock still like a poorly balanced doll. She was quietly watching Asaba from the shadow of the bath towel on her head.

All said, the reality of the incident did not seem likely.

Forgetting to put away the kick boards and wash his eyes, the man said nothing.

§

Asaba Naoyuki’s summer of UFOs began, in retrospect, two months ago on the 24th of June after school.

Being in Sonohara Middle School's third year in class 2 meant meeting a certain man's high specifications, which were those of Suizenji Kunihiro. As student number 12, at fifteen years of age and 175cm tall (TL note: about 5'9”), with a deviation value of 81 on the national exams, and running the 100 meter (TL note: about 109 yds.) dash in 11 seconds, his face was hardly known.

However.

Asaba had always thought that this person had really been mistaken from birth about his use of energy.

In any case, the man writing had the route survey chart of the first ambition at the “CIA.”

Adding up the third year second class with the number 12, 175cm, a score of 81, and the 11 second time, Suizenji Kunihiro was the self-titled Sonohara Middle School Newspaper Club's Club Head and Editor-in-Chief. Why he was called “self-titled for seven days was because the Newspaper Club was recognized as an official club school wide. The only members were always third year student Suizenji and second year student Asaba as the two of them, but this spring Sudou Akiho from the same class had thought something in coming to trespass on that like, “Maybe I should join as well.”

So, there were three club members now.

According to school regulations, if you had three members for yours club, you could petition to become an official club with a club room and budget. Therefore, Akiho always was pestering for a petition of prices and materials, but that was not quite the spirit of Suizenji's vitals. That motive was also amazing.

“'For the sake of protecting the autonomy and self-reliance of journalism, it should keep a prudent distance from organization,' what an idiot!” said Akiho.

Speaking of which, even if Suizenji had tried with failure to petition, the school would not recognize the club, according to Asaba's thoughts.

It was because the paper space contents had substance.

At Sonohara Middle School, nobody knew nor wanted to know that Suizenji Kunihiro had run 100 meters in 11 seconds nor did they know or care that Suizenji Kunihiro was a paranormal phenomena maniac.

Furthermore, as long as the public made accusations of the CIA, in Suizenji's eyes, it was not too much of a measure of one for explicating the reality of paranormal phenomena. If you were to ask Suizenji why the CIA had such a transient ambition, it would seem that the person himself would reason, “If you were to come from the position that the CIA has superbly amazingly skilled spies, participation in secret tactics, and absolutely secret documents for reading, you would probably understand my desire to know everything.”

Then, if it was something that really meant “understand my desire,” this would generally cause the seasons to change.

For example, this winter, Suizenji's theme was to “achieve the reality of psychic abilities.” This time, because it was Suizenji (and Asaba's) job to broadcast at lunch break, he was guilty of making a reckless teacher angry for making the entire student body the subject of his telepathy experiment.

Thus, after spring came, Suizenji changed his theme to “achieve the reality of ghosts.” This time, leaving 110 watches to cover an event while sneaking into the women's bathroom in the middle of the night at the Uwasa Line at Ichikawadaimon Station after hearing a rumor about ghost's there, a reckless teacher got angry.

Because such a man was editor-in-chief, it was, in other words, such a newspaper.

Its name being until just recently Taiyoukei Denpa Shinbun. (TL note: translated as Solar System Electo-magnetic Wave Newspaper)

However, when Akiho joined the club, circumstances changed just a little. Even now, Suizenji's relative news story themes abided in nearly seven percent of the space, but the “serious articles” that Akiho was in charge of were bit by bit enlarging that territory. Lately at the editorial committee meetings, Akiho said, “The paper name should change,” which meant a rise in spots of contention. Finally ending with good results after five hours of the end of the war of words thanks to Asaba's work as arbitrator, both parties barely found a common ground at the critical point in their line of speech so that they could calm down to call it the Sonohara Denpa Shinbun. When Asaba was asked about his thoughts on the new name change, reasoning in the seat next to Nishikubo,

“'You know when I heard “Taiyoukei' that I could not but help smile at the oversizing of its sound, but in just hearing the relation to 'Sonohara,' it gave that ama-zing kind of feeling that was familiar to Denpa.”

With Suizenji Kunihiro going on a rampage today as well in the atmospheric club room's chief room for a citadel, in the monthly Sonohara Denpa Shinbun, everywhere the eyes looked on the school's bulletin boards were the deep wall newspapers' guerilla bulletins in a repeating manner.

Going back two months from now, it was after school on June 24th.

Facing Suizenji's interest in the theme from spring of “spirit phenomenon” whose hopes were weakening bit by bit, Asaba endeavored in his manual labor. While staggering in his walk with heavy luggage carried in both hands, he followed the way to reach the club room's chief room. By taking care of the luggage by putting it temporarily on the floor, Akiho was probably coming to try calling out in a feeling voice.

“Akiho...if you're there, please close the door...”

He breathed. It was because of the Newspaper Club's unlawful occupation that Sudou Akiho poked her head out of the closing door as Asaba rolled his eyes holding the largest luggage.

“What is that?”

Asaba entered the clubroom, and he put the luggage on top of the table. He took something like a deep breath near the pipe chair.

“Ha...that was heavy.”

Coming from taking it out of the library, it was a mountain of graduation albums. Approximately twenty volumes accumulated to about 50cm (TL note: about 20in.) in height of books. Because it was a lot a paper, it was awfully heavy.

“Even this is not all of it. There is another second pile nearly the same size. How old is this school to have these documents!”

With Akiho's appropriate expression of admiration,

“So, what should we do, with this stuff, that is?”

“Umm, chief, have you not been listening?”

“What?”

“The planning for the July issue. That 'Shiver! Looking at ghost photos in the graduation album!' thing.”

“Eh? Planning for next time, what's wrong with Mount Dozing Off...”

Asaba took out a can of Oolong tea out of his muddled pants pocket, and pulling open the pull tab,

“Mount Dozing Off, listen, you jerk! Exam question prediction experiment!' probably. Let's throw that out.”

“What the hell?!”

Hearing Akiho unintentionally raise her voice, Asaba seemed to show a little surprised face. Since even if it could be helped that the three people of the Newspaper Club were trying unsuccessfully to be political factions, Suizenji was a conservative and Akiho a reformist. If Akiho was eyeing “serious space,” Asaba was thinking that perhaps she should be happy about ぽしゃったら why that hand of Suizenji was coming to plan. Sipping the hidden taste in the Oolong tea, what he was thinking again to say something in an upward glance in an inquiry from Akiho's appearance. Because Akiho had that rude and sudden look in her eyes, Asaba approached her until he dropped down sitting roughly in a pipe chair. In front of his eyes was a personal laptop, the cursor was flashing near the middle of an article written and drawn with “giving out puppies” on it. Akiho's hands placed on the keyboard, suddenly said,

“But Asaba, you did not investigate or make various preparations. Is that altogether futile?”

“It can't be helped, you know. It is because the chief did not throw out any reasons. Look, should the chief and I occasionally do night duty and crowd together in the club room? If Kawaguchi were to fail at hearing the story of the planning for exam question prediction, 'Perhaps you guys did not even think to sneak in the staff room in the middle of the night.'”

Incidentally, Asaba and Akiho's 35-year-old single homeroom “slave-to-science” teacher Kawaguchi Taizou, and third year class two number 12, 175cm tall, score of 81, 11 second dash, “truth seeker” Suizenji Kunihiro, of course, had an extremely sour relationship.

“You know Kawaguchi, that little faculty morning pep talk of his is the death of me. It is like getting stabbed with a nail by the homeroom teacher summoning the chief to the faculty room. Since it seemed it was somehow becoming a pain in the ass, he will have to dance with death in the bigger distinction in planning if the exam questions go poorly.”

“The chief?”

“The chief.”

Akiho coming wretchedly close to Mayune and said,

“...But, I just can't seem to believe it. How that Suizenji Kunihiro has about the opposition of a nail in living together with the teacher.”

Asaba, laughing, said,

“Well, I really don't understand that man. He has entirely done something like repentance. Even if it was accidentally, caring for the chief is about the same as Mount Dozing Off, aiming to photograph spirits, or something like that, which is like walking around trying to avoid a treasure-load of shit falling from the sky, probably from just not thinking, you know.”

Rather, Asaba thought that in his heart he regretted his way of doing things.

Because he chugged the Oolong tea dry, Asaba stood up, applying vigor to a “Well then.” He put as many of the mountain of graduation albums that he could carry in his hands on the table.

“But, I think the planning for this time is pretty good, too. Look, just because old photos have just that little bad look to them, you would expect that having one flake of persuasive power would quite considerably make a siege against the weaker photo for the stronger photo's victory.”

“Somehow, I ended up saying something like that.”

Akiho seemed to be saying to continue going back to “We are giving away puppies.” Asaba, grasping the meaning perhaps said,

“That, what is it?”

Seeing how surrendering is an important thing to do for someone, and because it is the romanization of human strength, looking up at the picture, Asaba glared with moist fixed eyes.

“What the hell is with 'we'll see whether or not it's real in any case!' It get it, you know. A lot more mixed up and always you just make that face of 'I keep company with the chief, 'but it doesn't seem to say that I don't hate you really. Things like ESP and spirits and all.”

Two months after being born a male mongrel, growing up serving and feeding people as a duty,

“I am not helping with that plan. Humph, I deny all knowledge and have nothing to do with it. You know, coming to borrow all those albums, finishing them all exactly on time would surely be as a person walking the circumference of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexagenary_cycle sexagenary cycle]. If I were to show that Chief two pages just once deciding not to shout, 'Whose...talent...is THIS?!' Aah, Asaba really was thinking he was a neutral power. In this club, my only ally is just myself really, right? Haaaa...The path of a reformist is a lonely road.”

At that time,

“How absurd!!”

Perhaps, you would expect him to be eavesdropping outside of the door.

“Who on earth is talking about reform!! Your reform will go from joy to sorrow like the athletic club's victories to defeats!! We are searching for people who want cats and dogs!! Special Correspondent Sudou, by all means, answer me!!”

Just kicking open the door with authority, Suizenji came walking in. Melon bread in his stable hand and a Tetrapack of milk in his left, his silver-rimmed glasses shone vaingloriously as he galloped but not flew on one of his whims.

Asaba, choosing to be dumbfounded at Suizenji's impetus, asked,

“...Umm, did something good happen?”

Akiho, giving a cold-hearted glance, merely spoke one word,

“Idiot.”

“Pooh!” laughed Suizenji,

“If you could pick a flower by the root and not yet be able to sweep away the characters of 'Denpa' from the pen name, you could not see it by all means Special Correspondent. If I remember correctly, perhaps something like 'The Sonohara Middle School Newspaper' would be an appropriate pen name crowning your small-minded reform spectacle. However! Now that the pen name ended up becoming Taiyoukei Denpa Shinbun, with Denpa being the same as a naturally quick report in the knowledge of the genre as 'Taiyoukei' was the same as magnificent...”

There, Akiho stood up kicking her chair.

“I want to reform the Newspaper Club! Who does not want to do surgery with Denpa through societal common sense like caring for yourself! How can you let the read escape from the main point of a pen name!”

Suddenly, as well as trying to get out of a rock and a hard place in the argument that came up again, Asaba suddenly laughed.

“What, so wasn't I right in saying that the Chief also has lingering affection for 'Taiyoukei Denpa.'”

“I am king here! Through and through, right? Incidentally, Correspondent Asaba.”

With Suizenji holding his melon bread in his other hand, he pointed like he was shooting at the mountain of graduation albums piled up on the table.

“Something like that?”

Asaba was bewildered. In the first place, Suizenji had ordered Asaba to request to take the graduation albums out of the library.

“...Here are the graduation albums, but...I borrowed them from the library.”

“Correspondent Asaba. Why on earth are those here?”

Akiho next to him also raised an eyebrow at this. Without Asaba understanding anything,

“Ummm, therefore, doesn't it seem to make use of the middle of the picture to bring it to light?”

“Correspondent Asaba. Where exactly does this conversation seem to use that picture?”

Asaba reasserted Akiho without thinking, and Akiho made a face that said, “even if you look over here, you will get nothing from me.”

Both of them said at the same time, “Wasn't it the Chief's idea? 'Look in the graduation album for spirits.' That was in the July issue's new planning.”

“Were you listening, Asaba? Perhaps you would like to kill the pre-planning?”

Suizenji, for this reason, was long-winded. By fixing your eyes in the direction of the day after tomorrow, like looking up at the setting sun, in a whisper-like voice, it murmured, “death.”

Asaba could hear it.

Akiho could not hear it. When Akiho listened again at that time in wonder,

“That thing really is DEATH!!”

Suizenji suddenly roared like Gojira. (TL note: a.k.a. Godzilla) While making a show of irritation by hitting his forehead with his hand, he walked briskly across the club room, declaring,

“Answer me now, answer me both of you correspondents!! Aaah how is it, how is it that if you two can not hear the sound of laugher that you cannot break it!!”

A window was left open at the end of the room, and Suizenji cried like he was facing anti-aircraft missiles under the blue sky after school on June 24th.

“I have fallen behind ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................!!”

He changed suddenly and completely.

Quietly closing the window with both hands, Suizenji reasserted his height by the light of the printing glass. By striking a changed peaceful expression,

“Now, both correspondents. Today, namely June 24th, is what day, do you know?”

The two once again exchanged glances. Asaba saw the look in Akiho's eyes that said, “What the heck? Did you eat something weird?” but Asaba shook his head to say, “Hell if I know.” Reluctantly, Akiho answering without a shred of confidence, said, “Thursday maybe?” and Asaba answered in speculation with “Toilet Paper Day.”

“Wrong.”

Then, Suizenji majestically gave the right answer.

“June 24th, in the eyes of the entire world, is UFO Day.”

Aah...

Gradually, both of them grasped it.

Suizenji's theme of the season was to continue infecting others with the season.

Past the winter of ESP, beyond the spring of ghosts, Suizenji was giving a thorough update that cried as the harbinger of whatever was the subject of his interests, but he went on the pilgrimage again.

Asaba, heartbroken, let his shoulders drop. Akiho returned to “We are giving away puppies.” Three months after surgical birth in good health, are clever, are good pets, and are polished, said a pressed space key while,

“I see, it's already that time, isn't it?”

Asaba just said,

“But it was so incredibly heavy...”

“I am going to start wearing my summer uniform tomorrow, like this.”

But, Asaba just whined,

“But it was so incredibly heavy...”

Suizenji, going suddenly back to his informal tone,

“Hey, hey! What's with this feeling, you guys? Show a little excitement, excitement you know!”

“Who on earth would do that?” both thought simultaneously. Above all, Asaba had taken a lot of damage. Taking a fleeting glance at the mountain of graduation albums on the table top, he thought that he shouldn't return them again as he got a sinking feeling in his body. But Akiho said,

“In other words, because we're done with spirits, are we going to end up looking in the last spurt on UFOs from now on?”

“Ah.”

Suizenji nodded his head, and narrowing his eyes, made an incredibly large smile. Each and every year, a few incoming girls were deceived by this smiling face, and they ran in the most foolish move to thrust love letters into that weird Suizenji's shoe locker with their precious paper resources.

Because Akiho thought to listen in advance just in case,

“Umm...why is June 24th UFO Day anyhow?”

“Special Correspondent Sudou! You are still the Sonohara Denpa's Correspondent, aren't you?! I will proudly say that I will devote all my energy in having nothing to do with that kind of journalist!”

“How the hell would I know that!”

“Then, here's a hint. The time: Tuesday, June 24th 1947A.D., the place: about 9500 feet above the peak of Mt. Rainier in the state of Washington in North America.”

With that hint, Asaba had a reaction while he recovered little by little from the pain.

...That, that thing, somewhere...

Mount Rainier.

He remembered having heard that name before.

If he remembered correctly, he had read all the tome long ago in UFO books meant for children something...

“...Ummmm, that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Arnold Kenneth Arnold] case.”

That name unexpectedly came to mind and spilled forth out of Asaba's mouth.

Because it was long ago, he could not remember already what seemed to be a friend's face and nickname, which was a horribly missed treatment of that name. Since that name was left on a single-sided piece of paper in his head, it moved him just a little.

“As expected of Correspondent Asaba!”

Suizenji could hang on the wall the compromise on the cork board, perfectly sticking on the red, round seal of approval in “Asaba's” column of “A List of Good Things to Look for.” Turning around,

“While Kenneth Arnold was flying in his light aircraft over Mount Rainier's peak, 'While something like a thrown saucer skipped on the water's surface, there flew nine unidentified flying objects,' he witnessed. Officials would report this among the first of incidents of UFO sightings, with June 24th thereafter in the whole world's eyes becoming UFO Day.”

Suizenji seemed to say that with true satisfaction in his nod of agreement.

But Asaba, still having lingering affection for “looking for spirits in the graduation album,” asked,

“...But, then, what is our next issue's project? Even though we have something?”

“Of course. For the next project, we will thoroughly investigate to gather data to go the rigorous distance. We will carefully make the necessary preparations.”

“Huh?”

“By all means Special Correspondent, I will leave every page of the July issue to you. Please diligently write your thoughts to your heart's content those articles. We will make provisions to collect data in absolute secrecy between then.”

Both Asaba and Akiho letting out a “Riight...?” in a block-headed voice,

“E-even if you say that sort of thing suddenly, it is problematic.”

“Uh, umm, doesn't 'we' really mean me and the Chief, right?”

“Correspondent Asaba, you don't have any confidence in physical strength, do you? I don't mind working like a dog or like I was born to drink myself to death, but right now it feels like that work has been drilled into me.”

Asaba was becoming uneasy. Collecting data in absolute secrecy meant that the reverberation of people talking was quite eerie. Perhaps the person who suggested such an outrageous thing should leave before they got taken out and beaten to death.

“Absolute secret data collecting? Where...?”

“Where else, but in the mountains out back?”

Upon hearing that, Asaba felt just a little relieved. Certainly, it was not like such negligence had not consumed his summer vacation in its entirety. Asking again,

“But, why are we doing it again in the mountains out back, really?” Suizenji laughed fearlessly and completed his answer with natural gusto.

“If UFOs exist, they will be in the mountains out back.”

Because summer as well as June 24th approached, it would happen after school.

After the winter of ESP and the spring of spirits had passed, Asaba Naoyuki's summer of UFOs had finally come.

§§

“And?”

It would be bad if that first breath turned out to be a sigh. If he breathed in, that smell somehow reached his nose. It was the smell of chalk that had avoided breaking into little bits in the damp dust cloth. That was the smell of the classroom, the smell of the school, the smell of the significance of a summer vacation gone and past, and the smell of the first day of classes for the second semester.

“Really?! You were really in the mountains behind the Sonohara Base all throughout summer break?”

Without raising his voice and falling prostrated limp on top of his desk by the window, if he nodded his head like a dog rubbing its chin against his arm, Nishikubo was peering into Asaba's face as he stood to the side of the desk asking,

“Aren't you quite the idiot?”

summarizing Asaba's summer vacation in practically a single word (TL note: “Aren't you quite the idiot?” can be a single word in Japanese).

As feared of the development by the river mouth would get muddy with wringing oil and ignoring it from the beginning of the present era to the last in the country left and right, Japan had just arrived barely escaping alive to the beginning of vacation time.

“Was it as I thought? Did you do something like camping in a tent and cooking in the middle of the mountains?”

You really are an idiot for doing that was what Nishikubo's tone asked.

With Asaba being absent-minded, it would be a pain in the ass.

“...Because the Chief had taken out a light tiger, I have been shopping at the convenience store constantly to buy in bulk, haven't I? Therefore, I have been eating convenience store obentos and retort curry, things like that.”

In actuality, because he almost ended up mastering every kind of convenience store obento, he was already done for a while with trying retort curry. Since Akiho sometimes had brought refreshments for him to eat, he thought himself as really thankful now.

“Besides, I really was not in the mountains all that long, you know. It was probably only about three or four days because normally if you couldn't eat or bathe, you would go home. It was like the Chief was always watching me though.”

“Huh? Then, what kind of Chief would not bathe throughout summer vacation?”

“That's incredible. Just because you retired a little in the way of the greater part of a month in those back hills, umm, kind of like baseball camp.” Nishikubo twisted his neck,

“Just what is it? Didn't it have something, just something, to do with the commemoration of a sports park, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah, it was that. You bathe yourself in the water supplies there. That's it. Because we have the special forces, it was impossible in the first place for us to somehow just be stuck in the mountains alone all summer long with no water supply or toilet.”

“But bathing yourself, there has to be some nice people there.”

“During the day, right? If it was at night , we could get into someone's car for this. But even during the day we are the Chief's entertainment.”

As expected, Nishikubo laughed. Asaba also looked like he had contracted a smile.

“Well, you know,” responded Asaba.

A little too much for his throat, he had a bad memory that perhaps was the reason for the lack of light.

But, he thought is was not just that.

If he tried reflecting in kind, “It was not amusing in the least bit” was the feeling he got seemingly in the end.

He was successful even in feeding a raccoon.

In the middle of the night at the sports park was a large swinging tire where they “collected data” of burning firecrackers.

And then, however, above all else, “No one except friends came to the 'secret base' set up in the middle of the mountains for watching for 'enemies,' which meant that, to confess in the spirit of honesty, the project had been skipped. In this day and age, it was becoming unthinkable to make-believe doing a secret base, but the Chief was a person who ended up seriously in his heart to have seemingly lied about his good age. Even if it meant that half of it was forced, if you finished diving inside that once, there was no mistake that “it felt good for a moment.”

Perhaps it was apparently not such a bad summer vacation.

And yet, being the last of the last, given an absurd feeling,

creeping in the pool,

and then,

“Hey!”

Asaba returned to himself as Nishikubo was hitting him in the shoulder.

“What's up with you spacing out?”

“Sorry. What is it?”

“...As I was saying, did you really seclude yourself in the mountains behind the Sonohara Base looking for UFOs? Did you take any good pictures?”

The impossibility made Asaba laugh,

“It is not like we came across some corpse out there, but I thought it was really high.”

“What the...how boring,” Nishikubo seemed to be muttering, when his interest in Asaba's mountain seclusion was flaring red,

“Ah, but I have heard things.”

In the seat in front of Asaba was Hanamura, but he was in his desk upside down and backwards when he butted into the conversation.

It seemed he had been listening in all this time with his back facing them.

“It seems there have been a lot of rumors for a long time involving UFOs at Sonohara Base.” Indeed Nishikubo seemed dubious,

“Surely even I have heard about that kind of stuff, but, you know, what about it? Couldn't they be mistaking UFOs for stealth craft or something? It's not just Sonohara you know with these UFO stories. There would also be a lot of talk of eye witnesses of UFOs on the street of huge airports existing. Particularly because of how the combined forces of the Air Self-Defence Force and the USAF at Sonohara Base are together, how also always at strange different times airplanes go missing, and because they don't separately announce 'That was our aircraft' for each disturbance that happens that could be mistaken for a UFO sighting.”

“It is just the Chief's opinion, but...”

Asaba said, but his mouth suddenly closed.

“Eyewitnesses close to Sonohara Base could leave out the enigma of the overemphasis on aviation, calling out Area Sonohara's foo fighters, making a splendidly famous space for UFO mania. It was often recorded in something like that group of journals, wasn't it? Originally, foo fighters were World War II Allied fighter pilots who had overemphasized the mystery of reporting eyewitness accounts of aircraft, which began with what were thought to be German and Japanese secret weapons perhaps, but when the war was ending, German and Japanese pilots seemed to say they both thought they had seen the same thing, 'an Allied secret weapon.' Eventually, now what was something of a natural phenomenon could be said that it might not have been mass hysteria. Of course regarding UFO mania, if you mentioned 'foo fighters,' it would be an alias for UFOs really, but...”

Nishikubo as well as Hanamura, somewhat impressed, had a half stunned expression from hearing Asaba's story.

Asaba noticing the two's facial expressions,

“That is just the Chief's opinion though.”

“Pat,” Nishikubo put his hand on Asaba's shoulder.

“In all honesty Asaba.”

“Wha, what is it?”

“That's enough, that's enough. And? And your Chief said something about the true nature of Area Sonohara?”

“Yeah...that Chief, I cannot really understand that man who is both fine and rough. I have not tried properly listening to him, but unexpectedly, I think he is a good guy, but there is just something about his personality.”

“So, what do you really think then?”

He somehow got the feeling that he was kind of following the details,

“Among the biggest influences of UFO mania, really meaning good sales of products, it is really just a theory that 'Sonohara Base has missing man-made UFOs, right? In America, it seems there are similar stories. Recovering crashed UFOs, it is rumored that they have made incredible high-performance aircraft that imitates the technology. Perhaps that.” Hanamura seemed to think that odd,

“Then, umm, shouldn't UFOs have flown around fighters going voom voom increasingly during the war?”

Nishikubo also seemed shocked,

“So man, just what about this so-called 'incredible high-performance aircraft?' Why did we suddenly 'acquire technology from crashed UFOs?'”

Asaba was offended in his heart from being made to feel like an idiot. However, Asaba made an attempt to show that he did not believe the theory of 'man-made UFOs' at face value. Having somewhat of a self-torturing mood,

“...Yeah, if you have a picture, you know. One of a foo fighter. But it has to be printed on a PC printer though. Quite famous, right?”

Seemingly saying this, he pulled a bound notebook out of his bag with his collected data. Rummaging through the file contents,

“Hmm, ah, I found it. Here.”

From the looks of it, mixed in with the bunch of stinking lies of spirit photos, wrinkled printouts were spread out on top of the desk.

Nishikubo and Hanamura leaned forward.

Because some idiot took them in monochrome, if you did not give an explanation of what it was, you would not really understand what came out, even if it looked like the shape of a UFO in the photo.

First Nishikubo said,

“What's this? Which way is up?”

“Like this”

Asaba put the printout in the right direction, showing Nishikubo how to look at it. “Starting about this time of year on the internet, it has become a bit of a topic of discussion. Around here on the ground and around here in the sky, there is a foo fighter in the shadow of the center of that small fire. The photographer is unknown.”

“And here is the abominable snowman, and over here is the Loch Ness monster.”

Hanamura disrupted things, but Nishikubo stared at the printout surprised and serious. Pointing at the shadow of the “foo fighter,”

“Is this the light from the wingtips?”

Asaba tilted his head, saying “Huh...”

“This, probably because it is from the No. 4 apron on the west bank, the Chief and I, who were not seemingly separated from each other in the back mountains, took it there I think. This photo file was streamed together into a movie on the net, but I do not understand at all how it somehow is sloppier over here.”

“...It is an airplane as I thought. The point is that this idiot here cannot give any explanation for these photos.”

“Well certainly, UFO technology, etc. is different as well as just the development of secret weapons in testing that has been done so if that is about it, then I don't think it really strange. Look, there are stories of a war breaking out soon, too.”

Very soon, there will be a war.

That kind of thing seemed like a joke to many, specifically those among Asaba's generation. Those born before them were continuing to say “very soon,” but on the contrary, the people on the news just kept quarreling over the issue, which made one wonder how long until that would pass before the “real war.”

“There won't be a war,” said Hanamura.

“Perhaps there won't be a war,” said Asaba.

But there Nishikubo said,

“But to the north lately, they have been getting bombed by airplanes, you know. This morning, while skimming the news, a college professor was saying something about them winning badly this time really.”

But Hanamura left the conversation.

“That is how he always is. But yeah, if that war really somehow doesn't happen, it will be me and everybody else looking like complete idiots. Well, having a complete shelter here at the school, once a month we have been doing, like, drills and stuff.”

“Asaba.”

Asaba, Nishikubo, and Hanamura all had the same face as they raised their heads.

It was Akiho.

“You got a minute?”

Saying just that, Akiho dragged Asaba away from his desk. Because in this class Sudou Akiho was acquainted with the art of war with school factions, Hanamura did not seem to openly make fun of Akiho by mimicking her as expected.

“Why are you late today?”

“I wasn't. I barely made it.”

“Kawaguchi and everyone somehow got to class on time together, you know. So, don't play the good victim.”

Saying this, Akiho, taking a bundle of papers clipped together out of her bag, pushed them onto Asaba.

“What's this?”

“Work, can't you even see that? Finish skimming over that quickly.”

He was surprised.

She had copied this summer's homework (TL note: In Japan, students are assigned summer homework during their summer vacation).

“...This looks like it was a lot.”

“Of course it was. It is good that you understand that, but don't imitate it like you copied the answers verbatim, okay?”

“Umm.”

Even though he quickly tried to thank her, she whispered in an angry voice, “If you would finish it quickly!” so that Asaba in a confused state thrust them into his shirt down his neck. Putting them away there shocked Akiho.

“...Yeaah.”

At that time, Asaba remembered something important.

Akiho should have been listening.

“What?”

“Umm, I would like to ask you a quick question.”

“Tell me what it is already.”

“Tell me if this sounds a little strange, but concerning our school's girl's swimming uniforms.”

Akiho's eyebrows suddenly dimmed. Making his resolve firm, Asaba continued from before.

“This, the shoulder strap, that is, around the edge is a white line, right?”

“Aren't we awfully well-informed. Why do you seem to know about that?”

Akiho patiently stared at Asaba's face,

“You jerk, you were peeping during pool lessons, weren't you...”

“No, I wasn't. If I was municipal pool management, wouldn't I make the school swimsuits about a likeable as a child's?”

Akiho was under deep scepticism by the look in her eyes that Asaba was peeking, but consenting for the time being,

“And?”

“That has a name tag on it you know, on the chest and back, right? It looks like short-sleeved clothes, right? That name tag, can it come off easily?”

“What do you mean?”

“In other words, you could fasten it with just something like a magic marker or hook, as in if you could take it off instantly, you could, or it could be sown on, just that kind of thing.”

Akiho thinking a little, replied,

“Usually, I think they are sown on. It would be bad if they came off. Why did you ask such a thing?”

Having meant in conclusion, it was not derived from any one thing.

You could see that that girl was about his own age. It somehow or other seemed that wearing the school swimsuit was a school assigned thing. But in reality, the school swimsuit seemed similar in design to any other school swimsuit. Even without having a name tag, for example, by something of a reason, it just was not probable to say that someone was by chance wearing a brand spanking new school swimsuit at night.

You could not say anything clear about that.

At that time, the clock tower bell rang. Second period began.

“...Thanks!”

Not only regarding the homework copies, giving his gratitude for her response to the question, Asaba returned to his own seat while he pondered. Nishikubo only checked the situation with the appearance of a fleeting side glance as expected, but Hanamura insisted by saying, “Hey, tell me what you were talking about.” Yet, Asaba could hear those words without break for half a minute, which made Hanamura immediately give up. The surroundings of anyone began to have the feeling of fully regretting things related to vacation time.

Staring at one dot on the desk alone, Asaba thought.

Who exactly was that girl?

...And formerly, she first showed up. Besides her colleagues, nobody was hurt.

Materializing at the pool was that mysterious man, so he said.

And then he obeyed those words.

With that time, having something like a disorder, anxiety, and fear, it was good because now that thing he seemed to say remained inside his head. However, that thing together with time wound up fading. Why at that time, did he want to say something and not say it...immediately, he thought it would become a regret that would torment him.

But for now, he was prepared for that.

He himself, left together at the poolside with that girl as a man, left, in addition, the changing room.

That was reality.

Outside was parked a large, white van, and there were men wearing black suits. Because he thought there seemed to be five to eight vans, he got the feeling there were ten to twenty black-suited men.

Sooner or later one drawing near, he said that in any case that Asaba would be escorted by car to his nearby house. Such polite words were used. He could not give any explanation to attach to thinking of apologizing, but they tried it just quickly to him to make him leave from that place, so all they had to do for convenience was escort him by car, so he said.

He obeyed the black-suited men's words.

In the video room, a bicycle came to a stop, etc., and that time was forgotten.

He got into a van that was parked nearby as he was urged to do. Carrying his bag in his arms, holding his shoes in his hands, that was the problem of being soaked to the skin. Because the car started running, he remembered to take his T-shirt out of his bag to put on. There his memory was suddenly interrupted.

What exactly had awoken him, he truly did not know.

If he had a feeling, he was soon sitting by himself on bench at a bus stop near his house. Because he was dressed properly, expecting to have left his bicycle near the video room, the bench's legs did not have a chain lock on them. The bus stop's clock pointed to 2:10 at night.

Now he could calmly remember that thing as well, but being too afraid at that time caused tears to come out.

He knew the feeling. It became each joke respectively. It meant a loss of memory, even if it was something calm like from TV or manga that turned into something romantic. He did not even try to think of something scarier than this in such a small space of time. Since he did not understand what had happened to him in between that, he could not have done anything in regards to having complete responsibility. Since he probably did not understand leaving it alone, he did not question himself leaving it alone in terms of complete responsibility.

Being too afraid, he could soon not remember the combination to the chain lock.

By the disorder of something like death, he pedalled to escape home.

Really, he could not laugh at something so scary.

“...Wait a sec! All of you put on something quickly in your seats!”

The class head's in-group was shouting. In the back of the classroom by the rubber balls were two male students who did not agree but sat in their seats reluctantly while they complained.

“Sheesh, what a bunch of loud morons.”

“If society has a generation in change, they should be the type, you know, to speak out 'for our honorable nation,' right?”

He thought staring at one point on his desk.

In fact, wasn't last night's incident all a dream?

In all honesty, it gave a little of that kind of feeling. At any rate, all of it was a bit absurd as well. If he had met by chance a girl, in both of her wrists were buried silver metal balls. The mysterious man and the group of black-suited men.

With the exception of some characters, everybody was unidentified. The physical evidence was zero. The finishing blow in riding in the van was being interrupted for the remainder of his recollection.

By just talking with someone, he thought he absolutely could not come to believe it.

If in case he passed that story to someone, he thought he himself could not believe it.

First of all, because he concluded that he could not give enough credibility and the like to his memory even if he pulled it out of his ass, by just having that surrealistic event happen, anything that was “super” special ended up losing its reason to insist upon “the reality of the even it had as well. If the thing was the cause of his confusion concerning his memory, the thing was he became conscious on the bus stop bench soon near his house. By the reality of just those two things, he could certainly think that the sequence of events was in reality all a dream beginning from a little around sneaking into the pool. Weary in mind and body from his mountain seclusion, summer vacation had wound up ending with him stressed out from not having done his homework. Next to that, it seemed he could also force getting to the source of the reality of that evasive dream and the confusion of his memories.

That being a dream, it seemed he could think about how to relax.

Concluding that he could not understand the events he thought had awakened his body was also more than far off.

However, that peace already could let him live peaceably as other people do.

...But he was that cowardly yellow-belly. He needed to sober up in good moderation.

He seemed to have already cried to himself.

...Was it the stress in the fatigue of his mind and body? That's it, isn't it? If so, even if he could see it and hear it as a sign of mourning, was that true? Indeed anything was a really convenient explanation, wasn't it? “Present day rationalism” provided for every home to have a car without fail installing a supernatural trash car. Did that mean to explain something? Listen to some good unselfishness, you prick, losing to fear from something in part of your memory crying out, just being defeated by just a single thing out of it all. Having nothing more to worry about, for the sake of seemingly wanted to think, he brought out “ a psychological explanation” of fifty to one hundred steps of old folk remedies if to say it was without any objectivity and revival properties, which was really just unsuccessfully trying to reconstruct everyday homemade things.

That was the extent of their aim.

That rode in that hand.

If he seemed to think it was a dream, it was his loss.

His mouth warped into a bitter smile. He was doing it somehow or other. Who exactly was “they?”

Since when had it become a story of “victory or defeat?” He thought it was as if he were a super never-ending religious fanatic talking to himself.

However...

Even more so, the black water's surface crossed over in ripples like the waves of a radar being reflected back, but wearing a shitty, serious swimming cap, but having a towel soaked in read blood, but having a strange voice that sounded like she was speaking a foreign language, but she seemed to have just a little happy smiling face when she swam 15 meters (TL note: about 16 yds.) with a kick board, but she had a silver sphere shining in her wrists and black eyes peeping out from くっつきそうな point-blank range, but he could not think how all of that had been a dream.

Certainly, practically denying reason, he did not grasp those sentiments.

Really, who exactly was that girl?

He wanted to know that.

How he could come to know that, thinking that he could not meet that girl one more time despite wanting to meet her, he knew that that was the only thing he needed.

However, even so still, he really believed that “Iriya” existed.

“Rise.”

The sliding door entrance of the classroom was poorly greased so that the sound hurt everyone's ears.

If it gave the feeling accidentally, everyone in class stood up bowing by the flying-like order of the class head. By just having Asaba seated ,when he tried to stand up confused, everyone was already sitting. It was a huge helping of math, but he climbed onto a platform saying, “よっこらしょ,” with the grunt of an old man making people believe he had just now crawled out from the grave. A textbook was put down on the teacher's desk like it was thrown down, and if he heard correctly, it seemed like death was drawn in his future in that voice that said,

“Aaaaaaaah.”

It had not come to meet him by mistake. It was because he seemed to remember continuing class fro there. And then, he expected that voice of “Aaaaaaah, then” to continue forever, but it suddenly came close to stopping midway. The knocking sound of the tendency for restraint made him expect not to be able to hear only around half of the vicinity of the class hall, and he was not wrong in thinking, “I'm dead” to the other half.

Narrowly opening the door, the class homeroom teacher Kawaguchi Taizou, age 35 and single, peeped his head in.

“Iizuka-sensei, do you have a moment, please?”

Iizuka let out an “Ah” and an “Oh” somewhere in the middle of his voice.

Asaba let out a small sigh. Whether it was from the many conflicts from being a Newspaper Club member or since birth they could not agree, Asaba did not know how to come to know the man known as his class's homeroom teacher Kawaguchi. With Kawaguchi's face looking into the outfield, Asaba soon looked in escape outside at the open windows to the left. He looked down from the second story window in the vicinity of the Sonohara Middle School building's main gate. Particularly, there wasn't anything interesting. There was just a row of aged [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakura sakura] trees about the same age as the school building, a left-wingish school-like carved stone monument, a right-wingish school song carved in that stone, and the old-looking painted edges of the school building's upright entrance's roof. The hidden background noise of the cicadas' call brought up the upper stratum of consciousness. Without the summer rays of the sun making any shadows anywhere, bu the clattering of the scattered gravel in the parking lot, he remembered seeing that white van somewhere that collected just the simmer of hot air, which made his body freeze.

It was that man.

Next to the white van, that man was standing.

Appearing at the poolside, the story of the old man of a janitor of thunder, carrying undercover the mood of being worn out like a bitter yet old man, it was that man.

Wearing a suit that seemed to resemble nigh, hanging his jacket over his shoulder like last night, the man was not wearing last night's necktie. He was holding his hand to his forehead looking up at the school building. And then the man soon recognized Asaba, having a face that said, “What an unexpected meeting with this guy,” smiling in the middle of his face like last night, and he sent him just a single wave from right to left.

Kawaguchi was talking.

That voice came flowing in his automatically.

“Ah..., having circumstances during homeroom did not work, but Iizuka-sensei would like to have just a minute of your time.”

The cries of the cicadas immediately became louder.

A premonition or something like that was not a pure amiable thing.

Asaba slowly,

slowly,

slowly,

turned his head to the middle of the classroom.

Iriya Kana.

In pretty handwriting, she seemed to have written that on the blackboard.

It was that girl, but she stood on the platform. Really wearing a brand new summer uniform, holding in her hands a sparkling bag like that of a complete first-year student, wearing hallway slippers from having put her shoes in the shoe rack once again, and wearing wristbands on both wrists was what she had on.

The cry of the cicadas grew to a drumming noise.

Kawaguchi was saying something. Introducing the transfer student, Kawaguchi's mouth seemed to be moving. However, Asaba already could not hear those words. He also could not hear the chatter in the middle of the classroom. In addition, the girl's voice, just that awkward voice that seemed like she was just speaking one-word phrases as if she was just beginning to speak like a newborn, he could clearly hear.

“I am Iriya Kana.”

He thought somewhere in his heart that he decided that it was an alias. Inside of the head of a cicada it was .

The girl's self-introduction, one way or another was rehearsed many times before this, meant to bow with feeling.

Thus, Asaba not moving as it was in his seat at the window, he watched quietly.

Asaba thought that if he tried thinking about it it made sense.

With summer vacation ending simultaneously, summer really did not end.

It was because summer would continue for a while after this.

The summer of UFOs.

Iriya no Sora UFO no Natsu:Close Encounter of the Third Kind

2008-05-09T03:30:51Z

Epicnoses: /* Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu - Close Encounter of the Third Kind */ Fixed the Nazca wiki link

Ghost Hunt:Volume1 Prologue

2008-05-09T03:25:42Z

Epicnoses: /* Prologue */ Link to "Namuamidabutsu" Translator's Notes.

==Prologue ==

　It's a total darkness in the room. A blue penlight's glow is moving around. A light too weak to illuminate the entire room. What the blue light is shining on is the floating silhouette of the girl who is holding the penlight.

　It is raining outside. The voice of the little girl is sweeping somewhere through the lonely sounds of the falling rain.

「……This is a story I heard from my uncle before.

　One summer my uncle went to the mountain with a friend of his. They walked, aiming to see the summit of that mountain.」

　She paused for a moment.

「……And you know, the weather was nice, but they lost their way, even though they have been there before.

　They should have arrived at the top in about three hours, but no matter how they walked they couldn't reach it.

　Strange as it may seem, they kept on walking, a completely unknown mountain ridge appeared above them and they couldn't understand where they were anymore. Anyway, under these circumstances they decided to return, and took the way from which they came, but after they walked for a little while the same place appeared before them.

　No matter how many times they walked that way, they always came to the same ridge, eventually it got dark and they had no choice, but to camp at that place.」

　No one is able to open their mouths now.

「The night came. They sat by the camp-fire for a chat, when they heard a man's voice. A voice that was asking for help.The two of them looked around for the voice's owner, but couldn't see anyone. Trying to call for him didn't give a result too.

　And just when they were thinking that it was just their imagination, they heard the voice again.This time it was closer than before, they searched again, but after all there was no one around.

　The same thing happened many times again and the voice was steadily closing in to them. At the end the voice got so close to them that it was coming from the campfire. Someone's breath, footsteps and even clothes' rubbing sound could be heard, but still they couldn't see anyone there. As anyone would, they got a very bad feeling about that, so my uncle's friend began chanting a "[[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Translator's_Notes#Namuamidabutsu|namuamidabutsu]]" prayer. All the sounds started to tone down.

　The two of them couldn't sleep that night at all and waited for the dawn. In the morning they realized that near the camp there was a cairn.」

「Cairn ?」

「Yeah. When a man died in the mountain, they piled up some stones at that place instead of a grave. That's called a cairn.

　――You see, that cairn was at about a man's height. It was impossible to miss it. Still they didn't notice it the day before.

　The dead person probably felt lonely and tried to invite them... or something like that.

　I still wonder what could have happened if my uncle's friend didn't do the "namiamidabutsu" prayer.」

　Yuuri finishes her story and leaves the rain's sound to be the only sign of activity around us.

　She quietly turned off the penlight.

　Another two lights remained inside the room.

「Next is Mai.」

　Keiko suggests from the darkness.

　I, being the expert among us, started my story.

「……It's a story I heard when I was a grade student.

　On a night street there was a woman going back home. That was in the autumn, so her body got cold midway and she felt she needed to go to the toilet. She was just passing near a park and thought she could use the public toilet in there.

　A public bathroom at night doesn't feel right, does it?　Because it's dark and all...

　Although she didn't want she went into the toilet.Then, she heard a voice calling out of the thin air.」

　I made my high-pitched voice tremble.

「Do you want a red mantle?」

「No-o!」

　Someone screams.

「That woman totally frightened, left the toilet.

　But somehow the door was stuck.

　The door jolted and again she heard the same voice "Do you want a red mantle?". She hit the door with all her might, but it didn't open.And when she heard the voice for the third time she answered "No, I don't want". Right after that the door opened quickly.」

　No one can speak out. Only a weak rough noise of breathing mingled with the sound of the rain is audible.

　I continue the story.

「The woman got out of the restroom in a haste and was so scared that she just couldn't go home by herself, then she saw two patrol policemen passing by.

　She greeted the policemen and told them about what happened while going home. They told her "That was probably a molester who had hidden himself somewhere inside the bathroom. We can't catch him by ourselves.", so she had to go inside again.

　Before she entered the toilet again the police man told her "When the voice asks you again, please say yes."

　Then the woman entered the toilet and soon after that she heard the creepy voice "Do you want a red mantle?". She, as instructed, answered with "Yes". And at the same instant a terrible scream spoiled the midnight silence.」

「The door opened quickly, and the woman there was dead.」

　Raindrop sounds. Raindrops...

「She was covered in red just like she was wearing a red mantle.

　She was dyed in a deep red blood. Her body was pierced so that it looked like the pointer of a compass, full of small holes everywhere.」

　Everyone gave a scream.

「No!」

「Waah!」

　Hearing the screams, I turned off the penlight.

　Only one light was left.

　Only one blue light was still shining... Michiru started her story.

「It's a story about this school...」

　The blue light is shining on Michiru's hair, her hair that is hanging down from around her face.

「Mai, have you heard the story of the old school building?」

　I turn my face shaking my neck in a negative answer.

「Strange.

　At the ex-school building there is a wooden building at the opposite side of the sports ground. The half-collapsed building.」

「...So.

　It wasn't collapsed. That's where the reconstruction stopped.」

「Why...?」

　Michiru smiled like a ghost.

「Curse...」

「C-c-curse?」

「Yes...

　That building was cursed... a lot of strange incidents happened there. Every year a teacher and a pupil died there... Was it a fire or an incident, only bad things happened there.」

　I saw that right after I entered this school. The old building had half-collapsed. It was full of broken glass and walls around. Really, that building is a scary place.

「The new school building was built before ten years.

　That time, when they had to demolish the old building to start the construction, strange things happened. A machine stopped and workers got ill. But still they tried to break the west wall, and the roof fell down. All the way from the second floor. All of the workers on the first floor died.」

　Diseases, injuries, incidents...

「Thereupon the construction was suspended. It was left like that, with the west side collapsed, for a long time.

　After that unpleasant things continued to happen. A child from the neighbourhood was found dead in the ex-building, three days after that a teacher committed suicide there...

　...The demolition was restarted last year in order to rebuild the gym. But again only the half of it got demolished, before the work got suspended. The same as last time. A machine broke, a worker got...」

　...huh.

「Once a truck went out of control and drove through the sports ground during class. Two students died and seven sere severely injured. It was on the newspapers too.」

　...I don't like this.

　Michiru keeps on in a low voice.

「My senpai's friend saw a man's ghost at the ex-building...

　A person's white shadow was looking at her from the second floor, she said. The road around the school fence isn't a place to walk at night. When I was walking my dog at night at that street I felt someone looking at me. When I turned around, from the window of a half-collapsed classroom a white silhouette was...」

「It can't be...」

　Keiko raises her voice.

「It's true. ...and that person was waving his hand like he was inviting me.

　I got the feeling that I shouldn't go inside the old school so I left staggering on my feet.」

「A-and..?」

「That's all. When I started walking my dog bursted in barking with great energy, so I got back there. I looked again at the window, but the person wasn't there anymore.」

「Hyaa...」

「...I'm turning it off.」

　Michiru sais quietly. The room got quiet again.

　With a weak sound Michiru's penlight disappeared. The vicinity was wrapped up in the darkness and the sound of the rain.

　Keiko says with a hazy voice from inside the darkness.

「One...」

　Her voice is trembling. After we tell the ghost stories and turn off the lights we have to count upwards from one. The last one should be a ghost.

　Yuuri's voice.

「Two...」

　Mine.

「Three...」

　Michiru's low voice.

「Four...」

　There are four of us. Are we about to hear a fifth voice?

　We strained our ears. *Raindrops*

「FIVE」

KYAAA!!!

　We all screamed horrified at once. We fell into panic with agonizing cries.

　What was!?　This voice!?!

　Keiko and the others embrace themselves in fear.

「No-o, no-o！」

　At that instant, the dark room was lit up.

　Near the door there is a lights switch.

　Under the small green light there is a group of unsociable looking students among the desks. In the school basement there is a Audio-Video room, that's where we are.　We turned around, and saw a tall boy standing near the door, looking at us with interest.

　He has an impressively beautiful face. A hair as dark as the night, and a deep gloomy look in his eyes. With well-matched black clothes. His white face and hands are like the melting moonlight inside the twilight abyss.

　Without an uniform. Is he an exchange student?

　Keiko asked.

「W...was that you?」

「Yes... did I do something wrong?」

　A nice peaceful voice.

　Michiru sits down relieved.

「Ahh, that surprised me. I thought I was going to die.」

「Excuse me. The lights were off so I thought there was nobody in here, but suddenly I heard voices... so I just..」

「That's... it's alright!」

　Keiko says joyfully,

「Are you an exchange student?」

　He paused a little.

「...is it like that, I wonder...」

　What's with this pause?

「A first-year?」

「...I'm seventeen this year.」

　A strange way to answer.

「So, you are a senpai.」

　Keiko says that with a lively voice. ...She is the kind that is attracted only by the looks.

　Actually this guy is really handsome. A tall figure. Long foot too. And again, a beautiful face.

　...But I kind of feel something weird from him. It's just a feeling, but I can tell we don't match.

　Michiru says with a smiling face.

「We are sory to have surprised you too!

　...we were telling ghost stories.」

「Heeh」

　He said and smiled.

「Would you mind if I joined you?」

　Everyone brought up a happy scream.

「Please, please... do sit here.」

　Michiru pulled his arm.

「What is your name?」

「Shibuya...」

　Keiko's eyes form a heart at that moment.

「Shibuya-senpai, do you like ghost stories too?」

「Sort of.」

　He smiled.

　Everyone screamed of happiness again, but after all I had this feeling of unrest coming from him. I wonder why, but I didn't really like him.

「Shibuya-san...」

　I said, and he turned at my direction.

　M? As I said his face was expressing a smile. But I felt it. This guy had something hidden under the surface. His eyes aren't smiling.

「What are you doing in a place like this?」

「I had something to take care of.」

「Then do it faster, because we'll be going home now.」

「Eeh!」

　Keiko and Michiru exclaim dissatisfied. Even Yuuri who has been quiet until now, pulls my uniform.

「That Mai...Don't worry about it senpai.

　What is it that you have to do here?　We will help you!」

「...ah, it's only some tape dubbing...」

　Shibuya-senpai once again forces his smile smile.

「The truth is, I'm in a hurry right now.

　How about, next time you tell ghost stories, let me join in?」

「Then, tomorrow after school!」

　Keiko waves her tail.

「Alright. Where?」

「Our homeroom! Room F1!」

　He smiled, bowing his head in assent.

「Ok, then we are off. Goodbye.」

　Michiru stood in an unusually graceful manner.

「Take care.」

「Yees.(heart)」

　Everyone was in high spirits, Keiko and the others pleased with themselves, and me, who was the only one unsatisfied and thinking about what had just happened in the A/V room.

----
'''NOTE:''' An alternate version of the prologue (containing minor translation differences but based on the same text) can be found [[Ghost_Hunt:Volume1_Prologue|here]]

Fate/Zero:Act 2 Part 1

2008-05-09T03:10:14Z

Epicnoses: Undo revision 27754 by Special:Contributions/Epicnoses (User talk:Epicnoses)

=== Act 2 ===

== 268:22:30 ==




Waver had expected the day to end at the peak of triumph with a successful summoning.

After the previous night spent in a fierce battle with the cackling chickens, he had studied in his bed this night, satisfied with the pleasant weariness of accomplishment.

And—

"... How, did this happen?"

A dry wind blowing strongly over the public park of the Shinto area, Waver sat on the bench, curling in the lonely coldness. He still couldn't understand, just how on Earth did my plan go wrong?

The summoning was a success. That was a satisfactory response.

Along with the successful summoning, the status of the invited Servant was still imprinted in Waver's consciousness. He was of the Rider class. Although that isn't one of the three major knights, his

basic abilities still were at a more than average level. Without a doubt, he was a powerful Servant.

The moment he saw the silhouette of the big frame slowly rising from the summoning circle, behind the white smoke. Waver was so exalted he almost came in his pants.

... Thinking about it, the situation had turned for the worse at around that point.

From Waver's knowledge, a "familiar" is the puppet of its summoner.

An existence that can barely survive in the present world by relying on the prana supplied by the magus.

A wooden doll that can be used as the practitioner pleases. That's what a familiar is, essentially. So he had guessed a Servant would be basically the same, more or less.

But that thing that came out of the summoning circle—

Right from the start, Waver's soul was overtaken by the sharpness of the eyes, glowing like a blaze.

The instant the eye contact was made, he had instinctively sensed that the Servant was a mighty one, overwhelmed like a small animal.

The overwhelming presence of the giant blocking his view. From the body odor he picked up, the fragrant of the muscular stature, Waver understood. Nevermind the quibble about him being a ghost or a familiar, he sure is a HUGE guy.

Waver knew that the Heroic Spirits invited by the Grail are not only

free spirits, they gain a material "body" to exist in the present world. But, the cluster of massive muscles that was the actual entity, not a virtual image or a shadow, the feeling of impending threat, was beyond Waver's imagination.

No matter what, Waver hated the great man.

It's not just that Waver was, still, a bit shorter than an average person. Certainly, his body tended to be frail, because he had done nothing but study in his childhood, and had had little time to forge his body, but he didn’t think it was a weakness. Rather, Waver had pride in polishing up his intellect.

But, the truth of such an obvious thing, wouldn't get through the big man's muscles. No matter what, the time lag before such a game with a rock for a soul would lift his fist and swing it down is way too short. There is no time to expand into a discussion however brief, and there is also no future in using magecraft.

That is— once he is approached by the fist of that pack of muscles.

"... So, I'm asking you. You must be my Master, right?"

"Hah?"

That was the big man's second question. A booming voice that could

shake up the Earth.

He had been overpowered beyond his senses from the first question asked with a voice you couldn't fail to hear.

"Ah— Yes! I-I-I-I'm, I mean, I am! I am your Master, I'm called Wa, Waver Velvet! I mean, that's my name! I'm your Master!!"

Though it really was useless in more than one way, Waver stuck to bluffing with all his might to stand up to the muscles in front of him. ... Even so, he felt dominated already by the physique of the unaware giant.

"Hm, then the contract is complete. So, boy, can you lead me to some archives immediately?"

"Hah?"

Waver was blown out of his mind for the second time.

"Some books, I'm saying! Books."

The giant Servant repeated himself gloomily, leaning toward Waver, stretching a strong arm that looked like the root of a pine tree.

I'm going to be killed— Waver immediately thought, feeling like he was floating. The giant had seized his neck and carelessly lifted him. Waver hadn't noticed until then that he had fallen flat on the ground. He realized that was the reason his interlocutor had, mid-way, started looking even more like a giant.

"If you are one of those magi, you should be able to provide some archive? Now, show me

around. We need to prepare for war."

"W, war... ?"

Now that the giant mentioned it, Waver simply had totally forgotten about the Holy Grail war— Heaven's Feel.

Having lived as a blatant freeloader in a private house, Waver had no kind of archive, and reluctantly led Rider to the library.

The central library of the city of Fuyuki was in the public park in the Shinto area still under construction. Frankly, it felt awkward to walk through the city in the middle of the night —with the recent strange murder case, the police frequently announced a state of emergency— Waver felt that what the big muscles in front of him could do was a bigger crisis than being questioned by the patrolling police.

Fortunately, as soon as they came out of the grove, the giant turned invisible.

That must be an ability the Servants have, to go into spirit form. Waver felt relieved as he wouldn't look suspicious walking along a big man with armored cloth, but he still felt the pressure of being followed by that overbearing presence.


Luckily, they didn't meet anyone when crossing the big bridge of Fuyuki into the Shinto area; reaching the public park, Waver pointed at the modern architecture in the back.

"There should be as many books as you want over there."

Then, the oppression that was weighing on Waver softly went away. Apparently, Rider was entering the building in spirit form.

―And so, it had been 30 minutes since he had been left behind. Released from the threat he didn’t comprehend, he was finally able to calmly sort his thoughts.

"... How, did this happen?"

Waver buried his head in his hands, remembering his shameful behavior from earlier. However powerful, the Servant is his contractor. As the Master, Waver is the one who has to seize leadership.

The Servant Waver had summoned definitely was strong. That was a given, considering the history of the relic he had stolen from Kayneth.

Heroic spirit Iskandar. Also known as Alexander or Alexandros.

The reason he was known under several names depending on the pronunciation of the land, was that he was the heroic "King of conquerors". Succeeding to the throne of Macedonia at only 20, leading the ancient Greece in an invasion on Persia, then through Egypt, up to western India

during the great "eastern campaigns", reaching the success of a great hero in barely 10 years. He literally is the "great king" who built the era known as the Hellenistic civilization.

Even though he is such a great man amongst great men, once he is summoned as a Servant, he cannot oppose his Master. The first reason to this is that in the present world, he depends on Waver. If Waver ever stops supplying him with prana for him to remain in the present era, he will have no choice but to disappear.

There is a reason why all Servants answer the summoning of a Master― that is, why they participate in the Heaven's Feel alongside their Master. Namely, just like the Masters, they want the Grail. Hoping to get that wish-granting machine, they also have to fight until only one remains, so that they will obtain the grace of the Grail along with the Master they accompany. In other words, the cooperation between the Master and the Servant is natural.

Furthermore, the Masters also hold the trump card that are the Command Seals.

All three seals can be used one by one for 3 absolute orders. That is what defines the relationship between the Servant and the Master. The Servant cannot oppose an order from the Command Seals, even if it is something as unreasonable as an order to self-destruct. That is the

central point of the contract system made up by one of the "three families of the beginning", the Makiris.

On the other hand, the Master who uses up all 3 of his Command Seals is exposed to the danger of rebellion from his Servant; but it is a risk that can be avoided if the Master acts carefully.

Yes, as long as the Command Seals are carved on this hand― suppressing the irritation in his stomach, Waver, in a trance, stared at his right hand, chuckling― he might be a huge mass of muscles, but he has no reason to oppose the magus Waver Velvet.

As soon as that Servant comes back, I must tell that inviolable rule to his face...

Suddenly, while Waver was thinking, a breaking sound heartily roared.

"Hih!?"

Jumping out of surprise, he turned around as the closed shutter of the library hall were being distorted and torn off. The one who was calmly walking there, materialized under the moonlight, was none other than Waver's Servant, Rider.

With how dark the forest had been, this was actually the first time he could clearly see how he looked in this light.

His height easily exceeded 2 meters. His unprotected arms and thighs spread out

from his bronze armor, and from the size of the muscles all over his body, he looked like he could kill a bear with his bare hands. On his sternly chiseled features, there were eyes with a dazzling glow, and burning red hair and beard. The thick mantle dyed in a similar red, with fringes like his cuffs, was luxuriously decorated, looking just like a curtain wrapping the stage of a theater.

The magnificent posture of that big man in front of the modern library made a somewhat funny combination, but Waver took no interest in that as the alarms resounding like a shrill got him ready to flee.

"Idiot! Stupid, stupid, stupid! What were you thinking, kicking the shutters like that! Why aren't you in spirit form like when you entered!?"

Rider strangely smiled out of good humor, holding out two books at the defiant Waver.

"I couldn't pick up this when in spirit form, could I."

The books were one with a thick hardcover and a thin one. Apparently Rider had taken them from the library. But his Master couldn't afford to disturb public order for something so trivial.

"Don't be slow! Run! We have to run!"

"How unsightly to be that flustered. You look like a thief or something."


"What thief, what's wrong with you!"

Rider was astonished by the threat in Waver's yell.

"You're greatly misunderstanding. Those who run away under cover of the night are night burglars. Walking away victoriously is what the king of conquerors does after looting."

You just can't discuss with him, Waver thought, scratching at his head madly. At any rate, Rider apparently wanted to parade through the night with those two books, looking like a suspicious cosplayer, with no intention of turning back to spirit form.

At the end of his wits, Waver rushed to Rider, picking the two books from his hand.

"You're done, now, right!? Now disappear! Disappear right now! Disappear immediately!"

"Ooh, then I'll leave this to you. You don't have to repeat yourself like that."

Satisfied, Rider nodded then became invisible again.

But Waver still couldn't feel relieved. The alarm of the library had to reach some security firm. You wouldn't know how long it would take for security guards to rush in.

Oh, what the heck, who cares.

"Aah, damn― How― did this happen, man!?"

Waver didn't know how many times he had lamented like that this night, but he just ran

like hell.

X X

When he reached the promenade on the border of the broad bridge of Fuyuki, he felt he had run enough to be safe.

"Ha―, ha―, ha―, ..."

As someone who usually neglected himself, Waver felt his heart was on the verge of bursting from running such a hellish distance. Without the strength to even stand up, he kneels on the roadside― and takes another look at the books Rider took from the library.

"... An anthology of Homer's poetry? And... A world map? Why?"

The luxurious book in a hardcover was from the famous poet of the ancient Greece. The other thin book was a color print you would use for school.

From behind a puzzled Waver, a stern arm suddenly stretched out to pick the atlas by the fingertips.


Once again with a physical body, Rider heavily sat down cross-legged on the road, and, in a clatter, started to turn the pages of the atlas taken back from Waver.

"Hey Rider, when you mentioned preparations for war..."

"You can't start a war without a map. Isn't it obvious?"

Apparently pleased, Rider's face opens in a grin, and he stares at the content of the atlas.

"Apparently the end of the world has been discovered, and it even rolls up in a sphere... I see, that's what we have when we draw the round Earth on paper..."

As far as Waver knows, when a heroic spirit is summoned as a Servant by the Grail, they receive the minimum information so that their knowledge doesn't conflict with the current era. That means that even this ancient one should understand that the Earth is round. So Waver couldn't quite understand why Rider had acted like a thief to get something like a map.

"So... Hey boy, where are Macedonia and Persia?"

"..."

Waver felt discouraged at Rider's usual arrogance in calling his Master "boy" instead of saying his name; still, he pointed his finger at a part of the Atlas. At that moment―


―

"Wahhahhahaha!!"

Waver was again dumbstruck by Rider's excited burst of laughter.

"Hahahah! That's small! Only that on such a big Earth! Hm, good! I was worried by an era where there is no unknown land anymore... But if it's that big, then I'm fine!"

Suitable for his big frame, Rider's laughing voice was grand. Waver felt he'd rather face an earthquake or a tornado than oppose a man of that size.

"Good, good! I'm excited! ... And us, boy, where are we on this map?"

Nervously, Waver pointed Japan at the far East. Rider gave a groan of admiration, and,

"Hoho―h, at the opposite of the round Earth... Hm. That too is very pleasing. Our objective is even clearer, then."

Grimly stroking his chin, he gave a satisfied nod.

"... Objective?"

"First we go halfway around the globe. Westward, straight west. We take over all the countries on the way. Upon

my triumphal return in Macedonia, I will make all the people in my land celebrate my revival. Fufhuhu. How do you like that?"

Dumbstruck for a moment, Waver roared still dizzy from anger.

"What the hell did you come here for! The Heaven's Feel, the Grail!"

Rider sighed, bored by Waver's threatening attitude.

"But that’s just the outset. What's the fuss about―"

Rider sounded as if it had only just now occurred to him.

"Right, the Grail, I should have asked about that first. Boy, what would you do of the Grail?"

Unable to read Rider's slow tone, Waver felt a chill he couldn’t describe.

"... Why the change? Why do you ask?"

"I need to make sure of it. In case you too want to conquer the world, then that'll make you my enemy, right? There is no need for two supreme rulers."

It was highly unreasonable of the Servant to say that so carelessly over his shoulder, almost turning his back to the Master and his Command Seals; yet Waver shuddered violently from the hints of cruelty in the big man's audacious voice. The overwhelming fear made him forget his fundamental superiority as a Master.


"Th, that's stupid! The world, I don't..."

Choking until then, Waver suddenly remembers the necessity of keeping his dignity.

"Conquering the world― Fuh, I have no interest in such a vulgar goal!"

"Hoh?"

Rider’s expression completely changed, staring at Waver with great interest.

"Do you mean that there is an aspiration greater than wanting the world for a young man? That's interesting. Do tell me."

Waver sneered, then, with all his courage, started speaking haughtily.

"I... What I wish for, is only to be judged equitably. To renew the impression of my colleagues at the Clock Tower, who never acknowledged my talent―"

Before he could finish speaking, an unequalled shock hit Waver.

Roughly at the same time, he heard Rider roar in his loud voice "That's small!", but the shock and the roar were so equally strong that Waver couldn't tell the difference.

In fact, Rider hadn't particularly put more strength than for slapping a mosquito; but that was too strong for the short and fragile magus, and Waver spun like a top then collapsed

on the ground.

"Small! That's puny! Ridiculous! Is that all the ambition you would risk your life in battle for? And you're my Master? That’s really sad!"

As if he couldn't accept it, Rider proclaimed so to the magus with an amazed expression, far from anger but practically lamenting.

"a― uh―"

Waver had never been confronted with such straightforwardness and violence. Being hit by the truth struck Waver's pride even more than the pain of his cheek.

Waver's lips shook with rage, the color drained from his face, but Rider didn't give it any consideration at all.

"If you want respect from others so much, right... I'll tell you boy, use the power of the Grail to grow by a good 30 centimeters. When you'll have a higher view over things, yeah, you will be looking at most people from above."

"You... you... u"

That was the greatest humiliation to him. More than rage, Waver felt dizzy as if suffering from anaemia, his whole body trembling.


Unforgivable. That was plainly unforgivable.

That big man, a Servant, nothing more than an attendant, had completely denied Waver's pride and got away with it. Even a god wouldn't forgive such an insult. To Waver's dignity—

On Waver's right hand, clenched so tightly his nails could tear his palm— power flowed into the three seals carved on the back.

'By these Command Spells — guardian of the order of the Grail — may that man, my Servant —'

May Rider... make him, what exactly?

Of course he hadn't forgotten. Why he left the Clock Tower, why he came in this remote countryside in the far East.

It was all to gain the Grail. That's why he summoned a Servant. Such a crisis with that heroic spirit he bounded with may happen twice. After the third time— the Command Seals are gone. That means a decisive defeat as a Master.

The first of these serious situations could not be right now, could it? Not even one hour after the summoning?

Ashamed, Waver looked downward and breathed deeply, several times; then by natural reasoning and calculation, he shut down the irritation in his heart.


Impatience leads nowhere. Certainly, Rider's attitude is hardly forgivable; but the Servant hasn't opposed his Master yet, nor has he disregarded any order.

Waver can brandish his whip only three times to hit this wild beast. Isn't it careless to use it when only barked at?

Having regained his composure, Waver finally looked up again. Rider is still sitting on the ground, disparaging his Master; or rather, having even forgotten his Master's existence, he is reading the atlas. Waver spoke at his incredibly wide back.

"If you can just get the Grail, then I have no complaint. I don't care what you will do after that. You can fly wherever you want, Macedonia or South Pole."

Fu—m. Rider breathed dispiritedly —or indifferently, you couldn't tell with his nasal breathing.

"... Anyway. You're sure you have your priorities right? You will seriously participate in the Grail war?"

"Ah, I got it already, yeah."

Rider lifted his face from the atlas and looked at Waver from over his shoulder, with a depressed grumble.


"The first thing is to beat 6 heroic spirits, right? That sounds troublesome, but certainly, without the Grail, I can't start anything. Rest assured. I'll get that treasure."

"..."

His speech was calm and composed, but Waver was not completely convinced.

Of course, that heroic spirit was not a deception. As far as Waver can grasp by being a Master, the Servant he had been granted has outstanding abilities.

But in a conflict, Servants don't only compete on skills. The Heaven's Feel isn't something so nice that you can move on with big muscles.

"You seem very confident, but what are your chances of victory?"

With a daring provocation, Waver put forth all his bluff to scowl at Rider. I'm a Master, of course I can afford a high-handed attitude; that's what he is thinking.

"So, you say you want to see my power?"

Catching his glance, Rider changed to a quiet tone that somehow made Waver uneasy.

"Yes, that's right. Isn't it obvious? I need proof that I can trust you."


Laughing from his nose, the giant Servant pulled his sword from the scabbard at his waist. It was a valuable sword splendidly arranged, but it didn't feel like it had the prana of a Noble Phantasm in itself. Yet, when Rider took the sword, the dangerous atmosphere slowly made Waver uneasy. He can't be thinking of murdering me for my loud mouth... ?

Without noticing his Master trembling violently, Rider lifted his naked sword overhead,

"By this one strike, I, Iskandar, King of Conquerors, claim for supremacy!"

Having loudly called out to the empty sky, he violently swung down his blade at the empty space.

Just then, a thundering roar and a tremor shook the riverbed at night like a thunderbolt, in a magnificent shock.

His guts turned around, Waver lost balance and tumbled on the ground for the second time. If Rider's blade wasn't striking at anything, just what did it cut―

Waver saw. The empty space torn apart, like a gaping mouth, the absurdly powerful thing that appeared there.

And, Waver remembers just what a Servant is.

In the legend of a hero, there is not only the man that the hero was, but the anecdotes about him, his arms and weapons: all of this is the "symbol" of his existence. Those "symbols" are the ultimate mysteries

that the Servant, the embodiment of the heroic spirit, carries as a trump card. Those are the deadly weapons commonly called "Noble Phantasms".

Thus― there is no mistake. That which appeared at the empty space struck by Rider, that must be, without a doubt, his Noble Phantasm. Hidden in this existence, the density of the outrageous magical power outside of normality: Waver can grasp that. That was a miracle that had transcended humanity, transcended magecraft.

"That's how I struck the shaft and got this. The offering to Zeus from the king Gordias. ... It must be because the reputation of this that I landed the Rider class."

With a smile glowing with pride in front of that weapon, Rider didn't even sound like he was boasting; that must be the proof he has used it regularly, putting an immense faith in it.

"So, that here was only the beginning. The Noble Phantasm I really rely on is yet something else. Well, when the opportunity appears, I'll show you. If I meet a formidable opponent worthy of it, that is."

In awe, Waver viewed Rider in a new light. Precisely because he is a magus, he understands the destructive power of the Noble Phantasm in front of him. Compared to a modern day weapon, that would rival a strategic bomber. He would transform the whole Shinto area into scorched earth if he was left wild for not even an hour.

There is no doubt left. Rider here is the strongest Servant Waver wished

for. His might already surpasses Waver's imagination. If there is an enemy this man can not defeat, then it has to be an existence that cannot be taken down even by divine punishment.

"Hey there boy, what's with the pale face, I haven't even begun yet."

Feeling malicious, Rider speaks to the fallen Master.

"If you want the Grail quickly, we should locate one or two heroic spirits rapidly. I'll immediately trample them. ... In the meantime, I can look at the atlas to kill boredom, you're fine with that, right?"

His soul having left his face, Waver slowly nodded.

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