Submarine: Epilogue - 4

 

Location: Okinawa Qualifiers Stage

Souma: In any case. I acted in accordance with your request, Shinkai-dono. I changed the course of the battle that had transpired, persuaded Hasumi-dono and the others, and thus, we have held this joint live—

Kanata: yes. Thank You for listening to me, souma.

Souma: But of course. Although, I do have a few doubts. 

Supposing that this joint live is all simply a bundle of lies—

If, perhaps, you had planned to gain wealth and the fruits of battle with the veterans wrapped around your finger, and then swallow our unsuspecting selves whole…

That scenario would be truly awful. I would be but a half-witted guppy who had taken the bait and been successfully reeled in.

Kanata: ……

Souma: The one who organized this joint live and set forth its rules is you, Shinkai-dono.

If you were to abuse such a position, it would be a simple undertaking to enchant us as though you were a ghoul, deceive us, and then dispossess us of every single thing.

Kanata: souma, you have become a cynical child, haven’t you…? is this because of that Temple Guy?

Souma: Hmm. I had hoped you would praise me for pondering the matter carefully.

Kanata: okay. i’ll praise you for that part. good boy, goood boy ♪ 

Souma: ……♪ 

Kanata: but. even though i am a no-good Hero, it makes me Angry that you think i might do something Bad enough to be suspicious of me and call me a Ghoul.

Souma: …?! …?!

That hurts! Please do not rub your fist on my head as though you are scolding a small child?! I have grown a great deal since then!

Kanata: you have. when i first saw you, you were such a cuuute little fishie~ you’ve gotten so big, souma.

Souma: Though I have lost to you, Shinkai-dono. The first time I had caught a glance of you through the bamboo blinds, I had thought you were such a petite little princess, just like a pearl.

Kanata: i am not a Princess~ if i was, i would turn into Seafoam.1

but, well, at that time, our Voices had not changed yet. you could not tell the difference between Genders; i couldn’t either back then. 

Souma: Gods, by nature, are beings that transcend gender, after all.

Kanata: yes. since then, many Moons have passed—

us Reuniting at Yumenosaki, and thus singing Together, is a little bit Astounding.

i never Imagined something like this would happen back when i was a God.

if by some chance, there were really a God in this World—

then why Is It that they bestowed upon us such a Fate?

it is like we were made to reunite by chance, and then put into the same Club, like we were made to be friendly with each other, hm?

though i wish, at least, that you weren’t such a Good Boy.

i wish that you had been a child who was much like a well-honed Blade, one who would Kill me without hesitation.

if you were, you could have saved yourself a lot of pain.

poor, poor souma.

Souma: Is that an insult to me, Shinkai-dono?

Are you saying that I have rusted; that I have become weak?

Kanata: no. i did not mean to Insult you; you are a Strong Child. that is the Truth, no matter how many Lies are in this World.

even so. no matter how strong you are, there are times when you will break.

i am worried, souma.

Souma: ……

Kanata: aah… a looong time ago, people were probably thinking the Same thing about me, huh? even though we are Human Beings just like everyone else—

it is sad and Pitiful for someone to Selfishly decide that you are a God or a Blade rather than to recognize you as a Human Being.

at least, if that is the way you have chosen to Live… i pray that you will not know Pain because of it.

if, by any chance, there really were a God in this World, i would pray for That. with all of my heart, and all of my love.

souma. you are diligent and strong, and you are a cute kid. may your Life as a Human, somehow or other, have many Blessings.

Souma: ……

…I suppose I should not refuse your kindness by saying that “prayers are no food to ease my hunger.” I shall gratefully accept these feelings of yours, Shinkai-dono.

Kanata: yes. prayer will not do anything, but that also means it will not do anything Bad, so. 

it is simply temporary Peace of Mind. and that is Necessary for Human Beings.

that is why there are Idols in this World.

also. Religion, too, exists for that purpose.

it is because there is So Much pain and exhaustion that anyone would cling to something that could Ease their heart.

and in that way there was a Religion born here in Okinawa, too.

it looks like it is a Religion that shares the same Roots as ours, but it Branched Off long ago.

it seems to be that, a long, long time ago, there was a group of Believers who made their escape from Persecution. those people secretly held their Faith here in Okinawa—

and it mixed with the Religion that has been in Okinawa for a very long time… it became a single Faith, and it seems to remain to this day.

there were Records like that left behind in that Tabooed Cave and that Seafood Restaurant.

there were many things written there, in an Ancient text that only a God could read,

i think it sounds like a simple Fairy Tale now, but…

there are people who Sincerely believe in that. and i could not make light of the Feelings of such people.

Souma: ……

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TL Notes:

1: A reference to the original version of “The Little Mermaid.”

Submarine: Epilogue - 5

 

Location: Okinawa Qualifiers Stage

Kanata: all of the Believers in this Region were frightened. surely you know the Reason, right, souma?

a War had begun here in Okinawa. a Tragedy, one where people were hurting and killing each other.

although this is just a simple Live Showdown, war is war.

there is Hostility and Hatred, Sadness and Jealousy—all of the bad Emotions that you can imagine are all jumbled together here.

Souma: And these negative emotions are what this “villain” feeds on, yes?

Kanata: yes. these bad Feelings, the ones that corrupt Human Beings… they pollute this World, Corrupt it, and force people into Madness.

that is the Villain. our dreadful Enemy.

also. there have been countless Tragedies in Okinawa, since the beginning of time.

even true Wars have broken out, and much Blood has been spilled.

the Blood shed by those Victims, the Screams wretched out from their throats, the Despair and Hatred that were muddled together—

the Villains who escaped to this Land Multiplied greatly. and those Villains still survive to this day.

Souma: Is that true?

Kanata: well… i do not know if the Villains themselves exist in real life, or what they might actually be—it is like a Fairy Tale.

but. there are some Believers in this land who still accept this as truth, and they asked me for Salvation, because i used to be a God.

saying, “i’m scared, please do something, please save us”— 

they begged me, just like that. i could not Ignore them.

i cannot leave people who ask to be Saved to Die without doing anything to Help them—not because i am a God, but because i am a Hero.

and. because i was a God, i knew a Way to get rid of the Villains. 

by doing Lots of fun things with a big shining Smile, and blowing all the Bad Feelings away.

and by Offering a Song and a Dance on the Stage—

Souma: I see. That is the reason why we have changed the course of the war in this land, and thus why we are holding this pleasant live together, then? Indeed, this is certainly a ceremony of our religion.

It is one that is necessary in order to destroy any “villain”. So you have held the ceremony correctly by moving me to action?

Kanata: yes. everyone almost certainly doesn’t want to make me do Godlike things, but…

i can do it, so i did. i cannot just Act like i don’t know a Way to save everyone when i do.

am i wrong, souma?

Souma: ……

Kanata: if you think i am wrong, please, slice me to pieces with your Blade. you have that Right, only you.

even the worthless Traditions that have no place in this Day and Age…

you are the child of a Family who has always defended those Dearly.

i, and i alone, will not Deny you of that Duty you hold as a Kanzaki.

i was once just as Strange as you, so i have no right to Deny you of that—

because we believe that “everyone is different, and everyone is good”.

Souma: …“We” being Ryuseitai?

Kanata: yes. the Ryuseitai who i know, and who i love.

Souma: And we as AKATSUKI believe the same. Once I was but a bloodstained blade for the sake of revolution.

But it is different now. I have changed, Shinkai-dono.

We, too, are just like you.

The true desire that we now hold and cherish is not war. It is our destiny as idols to sing, and to dance, for the fans who have gathered here.

Nay, as idols, that is our joy; it is our justice.

How can we—can I—possibly have reason to deny our very way of being? We share a common interest; we have not a single reason to hurt one another.

Kanata: ……♪ 

Souma: So let us dance, Shinkai-dono. Let us sing, with all of the joy in our hearts.

Not as a god, nor as a blade, but as idols who exist in even the farthest reaches of the earth.

With our beloved companions, and for all those to whom we are beloved.

“♪~♪~♪”

Kanata: …yes. that was it. that was the way you once were.

a long time ago, i Hated meeting with the Believers.

i didn’t understand what they were saying, and i was afraid, seeing Living Things who i thought were different from me—

but. you, and only you, Clinging onto a big sword like it were something dear and shaking like a leaf, Greeted me—

you were cute, not scary, and i liked you.

you always made me Feel so calm.

both Now, and Then, and surely in the Future, too, that alone is the Same. you are a cute kid who can always make me Smile.

souma. from the moment we first Met, you were That Kind of Kid to me.

just looking at you makes me happy… you are my favorite good boy ♪ 

“♪~♪~♪”

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