Magical School Lunar (Vol. 1 & 2 complete) manga translation story and art by Hiroko Touda (real name Hiroko Nishimura) NOTES: AN INTRO TO THE LUNAR SCHOOL GAMES (Just in case Lunar fans unfamiliar with the School gaiden series are reading this. If you're not in that group, feel free to skip down to the "Notes on the Manga Adaptation" section or the manga translation itself (go to the full (not half) row of asterisks).) The Magical School Lunar manga is (loosely) based on (natch) Magical School Lunar, a Saturn overhaul of the Game Gear game Lunar Strolling School. Both titles are Lunar gaiden (side-stories) which revolve around the adventures of two girls, Elie and Rena, at an academy of magic located on the wandering, self-propelled island of Iyen. Neither game was released stateside, a decision perhaps motivated more by economics than anything else; both titles were released for systems that were performing serviceably in Japan but poorly in the U.S. at the time (or at least by the time Working Designs' delay-filled schedule cleared up). This has led the company to extensively bash (without elaboration) the Lunar gaiden on message boards and newsgroups (better to feign that they're sparing the fans the agony of playing "bad" Lunar games than treat their customers like adults, admit that they made a decision based on economic reality like every other company, and damage their precious everything-for- the-fans image), in turn creating a "conventional wisdom" out there that the Lunar School games are bad. Which is nonsense; I've found Strolling School a charming game with endearing, likable characters, and I've heard from only one Japanese-literate (to understand the story...) person who's played Magical School Lunar and not cared for it - all the others have liked it just fine. In any case, due to the above factors, there aren't many Lunar fans out there overly familiar with the plot of Magical School Lunar - hence the following notes. Below lies a list of the manga cast, complete with thumbnail sketches of each character's personality and background (and, when applicable, comments on how close each character's manga personality is to the original characterization). Short physical descriptions are given, but pics of most all the characters here (as well as much more info on the Lunar School series) are available at Naflign's Ego, http://naflign.dhs.org/ego/index.htm. THE YOUNG HEROES Elie - The heroine of the Lunar School games, Elie's a 13-year-old girl from the village of Burg who (at least in the Magical School Lunar continuity) possesses a most intriguing inborn ability to fly. In Strolling School, she's a relentlessly level-headed girl constantly exasperated/befuddled by the odd goings-on around her; in MSL, she's considerably more genki (high-spirited, cheerful) but still quite sensible. She attends Dadis's make-up magic class on Iyen; most of her magic is fire- based. Elie has shoulder-length red hair (that she wears in a short top-ponytail). She wears a red-and-white tunic, short boots, and a light-brown cape. (She also had white leggings in the games, but apparently not in the manga...) Rena - Elie's best friend, also a 13-year-old native of Burg. The key word for Rena is determination - nothing can stop Rena once she puts her mind to something, and she's the one who most often initiates quests and events in the games. She has a strong sense of justice and a heated temper (but can put aside her anger if there're more pressing matters to attend to). She also, though, nurses a healthy zany streak and is normally a happy, cheerful girl. Also of note about Rena are her short stature (she often gets teased about her height) and her love of food (though, as Senia muses, "Where does she _put_ it all in that tiny body?"). She also attends the make-up magic class with Elie and is the healer of the group. Unfortunately, the Rena of the manga has been considerably eviscerated. Her defining positive character traits are gone, and the manga Rena, for the first volume, seems merely goofy, bossy, and unmotivated - a poor caricature of the game Rena. And, near the end, she's more timid and passive than the game Rena would be. (The manga does, though, do an excellent job of portraying a deep, caring friendship between her and Elie.) Rena is, as mentioned, short, with shoulder-length blonde hair that's wavy/ curly/poofy near the middle and bottom (somewhat like Mia's). She wears a yellow top, (poofy) pants, and shoes, a red shawl-type shoulder garment with green patterning near the edges that fastens with an oval clasp near the neck, and a yellow, red, and green patterned flat round hat. Senia - A beastman girl (I don't have her age offhand, but I assume it's about the same as the other girls, maybe a year older) who also attends the make-up magic class on Iyen and befriends Rena and Elie. Senia's quite tough and independent, often acting as the mature voice of the group. She doesn't pussyfoot around, preferring to tackle problems head-on, though she can be a bit quick to action... She often squabbles with Rena - nothing serious, though. Senia casts powerful lightning spells. Senia, being a beastman (beastwoman?) has the typical beastman ears and facial lines (plus a sort of simple sigil on her forehead); her skin is Indian-toned (like Jean and Kyle/Killy), and she has shoulder-length green hair. She wears a light blue-and-white sleeveless top-and-shorts set with a red belt-sash and sandals (with those thin leather straps that sort of lace crosswise up one's calves). Wyn - A shy young magic prodigy who's at Iyen on a scholarship. Like the heroines, Wyn is 13. Wyn is a quiet, reserved soul, but very kindly; he quickly befriends Elie and Rena. He also has a crush on Rena (mostly unnoticed by her). Like the others, he also attends Dadis's make-up magic class (probably because it's the one his only friends are in; otherwise, he'd probably be in some sort of advanced class). Since he is a genius, his magic spells are not limited to one area or element. Unfortunately, the author here has taken "quiet and reserved" to mean "cowardly and whiny". The game Wyn was not at all without a backbone; his strength was simply like everything else about him - quiet. In the manga, though, Wyn is too often a sniveling soul who runs away from duty (in the games, while he indeed was anxious about his destiny and duties, he still faced up to and undertook them; a great part of his angst concerned personal problems (his feelings about Rena, for example) rather than "professional" ones). Later, he undergoes a metamorphosis to the other end of the scale, becoming a single-minded, marauding, take-no-prisoners warrior - which is also wrong for the character - and does some things that I doubt the "real" Wyn would ever consider. (Note: Wyn is a very polite young man and insists on addressing everyone, even his schoolmates, with the "-san" suffix (Elie-san, Rena-san, etc.). There's really no way to portray this using only English, so I've left the -sans intact.) Wyn has long light brown hair (though it seems to have a slightly greenish tint in some of the MSL cinemas...) tied back in a ponytail. He wears a black robe, a white sort of overcoat-cape with black & brown patterning on the trim, white shoes, and a white cloak that ties like a kerchief at the neck. Blade - When Strolling School made the big leap from the Game Gear to the Saturn, it presumably was decided that a game featuring three girls and one girly-boy would not fly, and so a "proper" male character was added to the cast. Hence Blade, who basically...well, is a bit of a Killy/Kyle rip-off. Mmm, actually, that's not fair. There are major differences between the characters - Blade is a good deal more disciplined than Killy, and no one in the cast really takes Blade all that seriously (except, unfortunately, the manga writer here; more on that in a bit). Like Killy, Blade is a sword-swinging chauvinist, but whereas Killy is a womanizer, Blade (at least at the start) has no use for women whatsoever. Blade is a proud student in Iason's martial-arts class, a bit older than the other kids. His specialty is sword-tech-type attacks. Hiroko Touda apparently likes Blade a lot; his words are given more... authority than they are in the Magic School game, and the manga seems to look up to him as a kEVVl character. He also emerges as the pseudo-leader of the group in many situations and takes the role of the Voice of Reason at a few points near the end (why is a complete mystery to me; his character's not naturally suited to that part...). Blade's look has been somewhat revamped in the manga. In the game, he's very muscular in the upper-torso region and has a hard-edged, lumpy (I don't know any other way to put it) face, with a large jaw and forehead. Here, though still muscular, he's better-proportioned, and his features are softer - bishounen-ified, if you will. Blade's hair (dark blue) is also somewhat longer here than it was in the MSL game. Blade wears a black short tank top, a red fur-lined epaulet on his left shoulder, a wide blue fur-lined belt, beige pants, high black boots, and an ever-present leather strap to hold his sword sheath. OTHER YOUNG CAST MEMBERS Ant, Rick, Kule - Three kid students in Dadis's class on Iyen who antagonize our heroes (particularly Rena and Wyn); annoying more than anything else. In the games, they had a lot more screen time than they did here - after getting put in their place early on in both games, they head off on miscellaneous adventures in ill-conceived attempts to be heroes, always end up getting thrashed and then healed by Rena (whereupon they promptly curse her for helping them and scurry off to get in trouble another day). Ant's the leader of the crew; he has short blue hair and freckles and wears a red jacket and boots, a blue-and-white outfit, and a yellow bandana. Rick's a short fellow with long curly green hair in a ponytail, wearing a thick headband, an oversized yellow overcoat, and black shorts (no shirt). (Rick also, for some inexplicable reason, has something that looks like a Breathe-Right strip across his nose.) Kule has India-tone skin and white shoulder-length hair worn in sort of a side-flip; he wears a light-blue jacket and white pants. (I don't believe Kule in the MSL game says the vile things he does in Volume 2 here...) Azu - Senia's beloved; he comes to Iyen from back home (Senia's native beastman-tribe village, of which he is the only human resident) to speak with Senia. He seems surprisingly stern and cold to Senia, though; we later learn that he and Senia's relationship is experiencing some deeper complications... Azu has long dark brown hair tied back in a braid (huh, in Strolling School, he has India-tone skin and white hair). He wears a green fur-lined vest, a white undershirt, black pants, and high brown fur-lined boots. TEACHERS Dadis - Dadis teaches the make-up magic class which all the heroes except Blade attend. In Strolling School, make-up magic just concerned creating conventional make-up (Iyen is an odd school), but in both the Magical School Lunar manga and game, it's (as Wyn explains) the art of painting lines and patterns on one's face and body (y'know, like Xenobia has?) to increase one's magic powers. Dadis is an odd soul himself, always conducting odd experiments; in Strolling School, he has a rather amusing (well, amusing for the player, not the students) habit of forgetting everything you tell him two seconds after you say it, resulting in some rather amusing Möbius-strip conversations. This trait seems to have been dropped in MSL, alas, and the manga focuses less on his loopiness and more on his frustration with his crazy students. Dadis has long blond hair and a long, lined face that looks to be of indeterminate age (and, in SS, indeterminate gender). The MSL drama CD liner notes state his age to be 45, though - but his MSL voice acting (and speech - "washi") is unmistakably old man-ish. In any case, Dadis wears a voluminous black robe with red and white trim (and very wide sleeves), a red coverlet-smock-type thing with white and black patterns that drapes over the robe, and a red, white, and black tri-corner hat. Steel - Headmaster of Iyen's magic school; a stern but kindly soul. (The MSL CD liner notes list his age as 38.) Steel has blond hair and a somewhat craggy face (in the games - again, he's been a bit more bishounen-ified (biseinen-ified?) in the manga); he wears a black outfit with a black cloak (which fastens with a gold clasp featuring the school insignia). Glen - Known to many students as "Grandpa Glen", Glen is Iyen's aged student scout. (It is he who finds Elie and Rena in Burg and recruits them into the school.) His duties seem to extend beyond the mere role of scout, though... Glen is bald with a white beard; he wears a gray shirt, yellow overalls, a white cloak, and a flat yellow hat. He also carries a broom with him (as sort of a staff/cane) wherever he goes, which assists him in casting his magic spells. Emma - 25 years old, Emma is one of the school's senior staff members. Her position seems to change from SS to MSL, though; in SS, she's mainly a student counselor, but in the MSL storylines, she's mainly the school nurse (needless to say, Elie's adventures keep her quite busy in that capacity). In either incarnation, she teaches the girls healing spells; a good-spirited but professional woman (with more emphasis on the professional part of her in the games than in the manga). Emma has short dark blue hair, kind of curled a bit inward at the ends; she wears white pants, and white high-collared jacket with black trim, a white low-cut top (also with black trim, with a triangle-like part that drapes down her front), and a tasteful gold necklace with the school insignia on it. Iason - Master of martial arts, Iason runs Iyen's dojo-academy. In the games, he's a chauvinist - during the section of the story where the girls are trying to find a teacher to train under, he refuses to let Elie and Rena in his class because he believes that females are incapable of possessing courage. (Later on, though, he teaches the heroines some spells and proves to be an otherwise pretty decent fellow.) Iason's chauvinism is dropped in the manga; in fact, he specifically requests that Elie be in his class to help develop a combination magic he's been working on. As would be expected, Iason is a stalwart, battle-ready, disciplined, manly guy. He has slicked-back blond hair and a scar across his nose; he wears a black headband, a blue fur-lined epaulet, a white shirt, black pants, and brown fur-lined boots. Brown - Brown is one of Iyen's upper-echelon staff members; he's in charge of new-student orientation. In the games, he's a perpetually nervous young fellow who interacts quite frequently with Elie and her friends, but he hardly even appears here (certainly not for long enough to display any distinctive character traits). Anyway, he has neatly-trimmed brown hair and wears robes and a flat hat that're either white and blue or purple and brown, depending on the game you're playing. Eleonora - Another prominently-featured-in-the-games magic school staff member who does next to nothing in the manga. Near always together with Brown, sweet, proper, and a bit timid and nervous, she has long red hair done up in twin ponytails and wears a girlish yellow dress. There are many more teachers in the games that don't appear in the manga (not in speaking roles, at least). VILLAINS Barua - In the manga, Barua is a legendary evil, the full-fledged leader of what is known in the English versions as the Vile Tribe and what is referred to here as the magic race (both are acceptable translations of the raw Japanese, "mazoku" ("ma" = "magical" or "evil", "zoku" = "family" or "race"). Since there've been previous Japanese Lunar manga stories (Vheen Hikuusen Monogatari's "Kokuhaku Suru Kioku") which focused on some (good, unhated) "mazoku" before the schism with Althena, and given that it's doubtful that the race then would refer to themselves as the "Vile Tribe" in those circumstances, I translate "mazoku" as "magic race" when dealing with Japanese-continuity Lunar stories). This is considerably different from her role in the games, which was being an underling of the game's mazoku leader, Memphis, and the powerful entity, the Demoness D, which he controlled. (Both Memphis and Demoness D have been excised from the manga story.) Barua is far more vicious in the manga than she was in the games; also, her crush on Wyn in the games is (definitely) not present in the manga. Barua has wavy blue-black hair and a couple of mazoku make-up magic lines on her cheeks. Her outfit is tough to describe; a couple of wide black ribbons coming down from her neck in an inverted-V-shape cover (just barely) her breasts, and her skirt consists of a black cloth slit up/ fastened by its corners at the front. She sports massive white shoulder... pads/block-like epaulets with gold runic symbols on them, which hold up her long red cape and high red...collar. (Barua has a collar, but no shirt...) Also - the manga Barua is very, very...um...pneumatic. Surprisingly... *pneumatic* for a character drawn by a female artist. Idol - A character exclusive to the manga, Idol is a stoic, seemingly unemotional magic-race man who serves under Barua for mysterious reasons. Idol looks to be about in his 30's (but, being a magic-race, he's probably much older than that). He has red hair that is kind of swept over his face - very long bangs. Idol's costume is difficult to describe as well; it consists of a steely-green high-collared cape, a short purple shirt with gold crenelated trim, and purple & navy robes down below. ******************** NOTES ON THE MANGA ADAPTATION The Magical School Lunar manga is drawn and written by an artist called Hiroko Touda, a name new to the Lunar series. Those familiar with the works of Akari Funato (the Lunar Vheen Hikuusen Monogatari and Younenki no Owari manga) and Kaori Naruse (the Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Remix manga) might be a bit disconcerted by Touda's style, an odd mix between shoujo (in the characters being drawn long-legged with big eyes and the bishounen look of the males) and shounen (in the art's focus on action and go-go-go energy). It's a bit caricaturish at first, but it improves over the course of the manga, and though it's not (IMO) up to Funato or Naruse's snuff, it does come into its own. The manga story is pretty divergent from the Saturn game story (which is itself pretty divergent from the Game Gear game story...). Lesson 1 (the manga is divided into "Lesson"s rather than chapters) is a pretty faithful retelling of early events in the MSL game; 2 and 4 are fairly faithful as well, but add a fair amount of embellishments; 3 uses a premise of an MSL chapter but writes up a new scenario for it. The rest of the material (the whole of Volume 2) is pretty much new (only the explanation for Elie's flying abilities is really the same). This ended up being the first Lunar School story fully translated into English, but I'm not so sure it's the best introduction to the gaiden's world - take the changes for the worse in Wyn and Rena's characterizations, or the frequent relegation of the female leads to more traditional roles - being saved, being weepy, etc. (They're still strong characters, but not to the degree that they were in the games.) And a part of the games' breezy charm is replaced with out-and-out farce. The manga story does have its own strengths, though; it does (IMO, of course), tell the Senia and Azu tale quite well and portrays Elie and Rena's friendship in Vol. 2 with touching tenderness. And it does deliver a well-structured, emotional climax in the second volume, with a quite satisfying resolution. (I think this is the first time we've ever gotten an intelligent discussion of the mazoku side of matters in a Lunar story, and an answer that didn't boil down to a "well, yeah, but Althena left her post and was reincarnated as a human because she loves us all so, so you're being completely unreasonable in objecting to you and your people being cursed to live in a barren wasteland/be hated and discriminated against for centuries even if you've personally done nothing wrong yourself, so shut up and be happy" dismissal.) So, to summarize - though it differs considerably its source material in plot and, to a lesser degree, characterization, I think this Hiroko Touda version of Magical School Lunar stands well on its own. I would recommend the games first, though. Format notes: Line breaks within a character's indicates that the dialogue has gone on to a new voice (or thought) balloon. Lines within parentheses are spoken sotto voce. Both volumes of the Magical School Lunar manga are published by Dragon Jr. Comics and Kadokawa Publishing. If you wish to try to pick up a copy of either or both books, try any online import house that does special orders (or if you live in the big city, try (of course) a Japanese bookstore). You'll need to supply the ISBN#s - 4-04-712158-4 for the first volume, 4-04-712177-0 for the second. Disclaimer: Lunar, the Magical School Lunar manga, and all related official works are property of Game Arts, Kadokawa Comics/Dragon Jr., Hiroko Touda, and/or Working Designs (well, not really Working Designs in this instance); this document isn't affiliated with either. Translation by R. Capowski at RACapowski@worldnet.att.net; please don't repost it without permission. *************************************************************************** --VOLUME 1-- pg. 4 [Yes, the manga story starts on pg. 4.] LESSON 1: THE STROLLING ISLAND'S MAGIC SCHOOL [We see Elie perched atop a roof top, looking out over the island and taking in the view.] Elie: Great weather today! The Blue Star is so beautiful like that... [The frame pulls back to reveal a sweeping vista of the Blue Star - and that Elie is sitting on the highest part of a five-story dorm.] Elie: There's nothing like Lunar on a clear day! pg. 5 [A group of horrified students and faculty gather below.] Brown (pointing frantically): ! Who's that up there?! Eleonora: How horrible--someone please call Headmaster Steel right away! [After a moment, Steel arrives.] Steel: You there--! Stop this foolishness at once! Elie (just noticing everyone): ? I wonder why everyone's gathered all around down there like that...? OH! RENA--! WYN, SENIA--! (Hoo boy...) Lena (indignant, holding up schoolbook): What're you DOING up there like that!? (huff) We're gonna be LATE! _Elllll_-ie!! pg. 6 Elie: Oh, it's that time already? I'll get going to the lab right away! [Elie gets up, but stumbles and falls...] Brown: AAA!! Eleonora (covering eyes): (oh no, oh no) [They brace for the thud...] Brown: ...... Eleonora (peeking our from hands): ? [...but nothing happens.] Senia (annoyed): What's the matter with you people? Don't you know about that girl? Rena (sighing herself): (Yeah, that's right...) Well, our class _is_ the most hidden-away on campus. Wyn: I was shocked myself when I first saw it... pg. 7 [Finally, we see what everyone else does...] Unspecified Person: THAT GIRL CAN FLY IN THE SKY! [All look on as Elie soars about.] Blade: (Whoa.) pg. 8 Elie (narrating): The magic school where we study sits on the island of Iyen, which floats over the ocean. There aren't any rules or set curricula. We study as we like. Kids who want to become professional magicians gather here to develop their own abilities under the training of many different teachers. [Elie swirls in the sky, immersed in her flying...] Elie (narrating): But... pg. 9 Senia: WATCH OUT, ELIE--!! Elie: Huh? [Elie flies smack into the side of a tower.] Senia: *Sigh*... Elie: Ugggh... Elie (narrating): As I was saying, I attend the remedial class... pg. 10 [The scene shifts to...] Elie: Dadis's make-up magic laboratory. [In his laboratory decorated with various masks, Dadis quietly stirs a formula. A huffy Rena is healing Elie's wounds.] Rena: Really, Elie, this's how many times now? It's getting to be beyond my powers to fix your face! Elie: Am I really that ugly... Senia: I don't think that's what she meant. Maybe you'd better keep your light hidden under a bushel. Elie: (Uh... (sweatdrop)) Wyn: (Oh, boy... (sweatdrop)) You have to be more careful from now on, Elie-san! We've only just enrolled, after all! [Dadis strolls by and whaps Wyn on the head with his mixing dowel.] Dadis: Don't talk during class. pg. 11 Ant (eating lunch): Yeah! Shaddup over there! (chomp) You should follow my lead a little... (gulp) Wyn (thinking): (But why only me?...(sweatdrop)) Rick (flipping through a cartoon flip-motion book): "Be quiet in class" - 's jes' common sense! Kule (preening himself): Heh...what do you expect from these hicks from the sticks? Rena: "HICKS"?!?! Where do you get off calling Burg "the sticks"?! Ant: (chomp chomp) Rick (flipping through book): (Hyahahahaha!!) Dadis (twigging): (Shut _up_...) Senia: Burg, huh... But that really IS the sticks, isn't it? [Rena falls over at this remark.] Elie (smiling): But everyone in the village is so kind, and life is so peaceful! Wyn: I'd really like to go and see Elie-san and Rena-san's home village! pg. 12 Ant: Ohhh... With all that runt's fussing, my lunch is all gone! Rick: Whatta creep! Rena: What do you mean by that?! You couldn't possibly be talking about ME!! Ant: Who else is there?! [A confrontation. Wyn notices that Dadis is getting more and more perturbed.] Rena: WHAAAT!! Ant: JUST TRY IT!! [Dadis suddenly stops stirring... and upends his table, with all its potions, mixing bowls, and other paraphernalia.] Dadis: DO YOU EVER STOP?!?! If anything happens to this important experiment of mine, you'll _all_ be instantly EXPELLED--!! pg. 13 [Everybody pauses to survey the wreckage.] Ant (whispering): Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah-nyah! Dadis (snapping to): Ah...hey...stop that... Rena (whispering): You're in trouble...you're in trouble... Ant (whispering): I'm telling teacher... Dadis: That's it...! Students: Hm? Dadis (smashing something): _I'M_ THE TEACHER!!! Everyone Else: AAAAHHHHHH!! Dadis (on his hands and knees, picking up stuff): I'm changing the class schedule... You're going to go get me some ingredients for my experiment... pg. 14 Wyn (reading big book with Elie & Rena): Ohhh...the antennae of the giant slugs which live in the underground passages, is that right? Senia: All right! I'll give it my best shot! Ant (rushing out door): Heh - WE'LL be the ones who get the job done! C'mon, Rick, Kule! Rick: All right!! [Everyone bursts through the classroom doors at once, Ant and his cronies pushing the others out of his way.] Everyone: LET'S GO!! Rena: (Tight squeeze...) Senia (to Kule): (Outta my way!) Wyn: (Wait, please!) [The students leave. Dadis, head down, surveys the now-empty mess of a room and the doors the students left through, now off their hinges.] Dadis: Sigh... pg. 15 Elie (narrating): A force field over Iyen prevents outside monsters from entering. But monsters are allowed to run loose in the forests and underground passageways so that the students are able to train. The monsters can't leave their proper places. And each area is supposedly home to a different type of monster. [Elie, Rena, Wyn, and Senia arrive in the dungeon. Wyn is using a ball-of- light spell to provide illumination.] pg. 16 Senia: What IS this "make-up magic", anyhow? I don't see how running around getting stuff for Master Dadis teaches us anything! Rena: If you don't know, Senia, then why did you come to the lab in the first place? Elie: You know what it is, Rena? Rena: Naturally! We're here to become "make-up" experts! Wyn: Um...(sweatdrop)...Rena-san, make-up magic is actually... a magic that involves drawing patterns on people and things that bequeath them special powers. The name "make-up" is derived from the fact that so many of the lines are drawn on one's face. pg. 17 Elie, Rena, & Senia (all surprised/shocked/indignant): HU-H-- _THAT_'S WHAT IT IS?!?! Wyn (sweatdropping, thinking): I wonder what their intentions were in coming here in the first place... Rena (smiling): Oh, Wyn, just like you.... there isn't anything that we ask that you can't answer, is there? Wyn (thinking, dokidoki-ing): Probably not to study some more... Offscreen Voices: AAAAAAAAAAAHHH-- Senia: ?! That sounds like those three idiots! Elie: It looks like something happened to them! pg. 18 [The quartet arrives to find Ant, Rick, and Kule lying trounced on the ground.] Elie: ! RICK! KULE! ... [Elie, puzzled, kneels down next to Ant.] Elie: What was your name again? Ant (looking up): It's Ant! ANT!! These guys' leader! [Rena approaches Ant as, unbeknownst to them, one of the slugs closes in...] Ant: Shut up, Punch! I don't need you to heal me, so I don't need your pity! [Note: I believe "Punch" is supposed to be an insult to Rena's looks; the most prominent reference to the word ("ponchi" in raw katakana) is in the word "ponchi-e", 19th-century Japanese caricatures inspired by those in the British magazine Punch. I haven't seen it used directly as a Japanese insult, though I imagine that having your face compared to those rather- unflattering caricatures isn't a compliment.] Rena: Wha-- Pu-Pu-Pu-"_PUNCH_"?! [Suddenly, the giant slug slides down from the ceiling and crushes Ant.] Rena: ...... pg. 19 [Rena freaks and punches in the slug's direction -] Rena: EWWWWWWW! Disgustingggg-- [- and flattens Ant instead. Then, Ant is flattened by an avalanche of slugs.] Ant: Hiiiii-- [Suddenly...] Senia: Looks like we're surrounded! Wyn: ...Senia-san, it's not a good idea to cast powerful spells down in here... Senia: HUH--?! WHADDAYA MEAN?! Wyn: I mean...in such small quarters... (doing something like that would...) [The slugs approach.] Elie: THEY'RE COMING! pg. 20 [The slugs close in. Elie spirits Ant away, while Wyn and Senia attack with magic and Rena heals Kule & Rick.] pg. 21 [Elie brings Ant to Rena.] Elie: Rena! Take care of him! Rena: OK! [Suddenly, one of the slugs flicks its tongue, wrapping it around Elie's ankles.] Elie (thinking): ! [The slug starts to drag Elie away.] Rena: ! Elie-- Elie: Oof-- Grrr... [chanting] FLAME--!! [Elie incinerates the slugs.] pg. 22 Rena: You OK? Your foot-- Elie: It's nothing! (Thanks!) There're so many more, though... (sweatdrop) [Even more slugs close in. Senia fries them with a lightning spell.] Senia: This is no way to get the ingredients we need! Wyn: I'll take care of this. The rest of you, please gather the antennae. Elie: Got it! [The slugs close in yet again.] pg. 23 Wyn (chanting): _WIND!!_ [The fierce wind spell blows away the slugs and blows off their antennae.] pg. 24 [The antennae plop harmlessly to the ground. Elie & Senia gather them up.] Elie & Senia: WHOA-- Elie: Cooool, Wyn! You're like a chef! Lookit all these-- Wyn (sweatdropping): This's no time for congratulations... If we don't collect these quickly, the slugs will... [Start to surround you again, Wyn?] Wyn: It doesn't look like we can get out... pg. 25 Senia: THE HELL WITH IT!! Slugsslugsslugsslugs EVERYWHERE YOU GO-- Damn _pests_... [To Wyn's alarm, Senia begins to charge a spell...] Senia: I'M GONNA TAKE 'EM _ALL_ OUT!! Wyn: No, Senia-san! You'll collapse the cave! Senia (chanting): THUNDER!! Wyn: NO--!! If you do-- pg. 26 [Aboveground, Dadis notices some slight shaking...] Dadis: Eh? [Ant, Rick, and Kule panic, and...] pg. 27 [A huge bolt of lightning blasts through the roof of Dadis's laboratory.] pg. 28 [A weary Elie flies up from this whole mess, carrying Rena (in a "I'm king of the world!" pose) and a terrified Wyn, with a wide-eyed Senia hanging off her.] Elie: Whew...... Rena: Wow, we escaped just in time! Cool, cool-- Wyn: NOT cool! [The four float higher and higher above the magic school.] Senia: Hey! What're you trying to pull!? [The magic school begins to look microscopic...] Rena: At this rate, we'll float away! Wyn: Nooooo--! pg. 29 [Later, thankfully on the ground and in the school's nurse's room...] Dadis: YOU'RE EXPELLED. [Dadis is in a sick bed, a huge bandage on his nose. The other students are nearby.] Girls: HUH--?! But we got all the ingredients you wanted.... Dadis: _SHUT UP!!_ Girls (making thumbs-down gestures): BOO! BOO! Wyn (head hung low, sweatdropping): Sorry, Teacher... Voice: Now, now, Master Dadis... pg. 30 [The (quite comely) school nurse, Emma, steps in.] Emma: Why don't you let this slide just once? Dadis (lovestruck): Oh... Miss Emma...well, if you insist, I suppose I can... Girls (shocked): ......HUH? Emma: You'll all be placed with another teacher while Master Dadis gets better. ...Speaking of which... pg. 31 [Emma leads the kids to Ant, Rick, & Kule's room. The trio is laid up in bed, all bandaged up.] Emma: But, your friends have wound up here as well... (And they'll have to heal, too...) Ant, Rick, & Kule: Uhhhhh... Kule (holding head in hands): (My beautiful faaaaace...) Emma (smiling): ...so you'll really need to be better behaved from now on... (Ha, ha, ha...) Everyone: OH, NO... O...OK... (sweatdrop) Elie (narrating): Anyway, pg. 32 [The four are cleaning up Dadis's lab, moving classroom materials and hauling away rubble.] Elie (narrating): we got away. Wyn: *Sob sob sob*... Elie (narrating): I wonder where we'll end up and what'll happen tomorrow? Rena (brandishing rolling pin-like scroll-thing): This's your fault, Senia! Senia: What're you talking about?! There wasn't any other way to get out of there! Elie (narrating): And our lives at the magic school have only just started! pg. 33 LESSON 2: THE MAN'S LABYRINTH AND COMBINATION MAGIC [Flashback to the destruction of Dadis's lab.] Elie (narrating): Last time, we leveled Master Dadis's laboratory with a gigantic blast of energy. And we just barely escaped expulsion for it... We're being placed with another teacher until the lab is rebuilt. [Elie, Rena, Senia, and Wyn stand staring in anxious awe at...something...] Elie: Is this it?... The hall of sword magic... pg. 34 [We see that the four are staring at the entrance of a great martial-arts training hall, great statues of manly men lining the pathway to the door.] Elie: ...the Man's Dojo... pg. 35 [Our heroes enter the dojo; many training duels are taking place...] Rena: So, why do we _girls_ have to come to this sweaty place?! Elie: In any case, Master Iason said he'd be here...if he is, maybe he'll let us apply... Wyn (maybe): (The people here are confrontational...) [Suddenly, an arrogant, jerky would-be warrior - Blade - appears.] Blade: What're you doing over there?! [Blade shoves past the group, knocking down Rena's hat (and Rena too, almost - Wyn stops to catch her).] Rena: (_Ack--_) Wyn: (Oh!) Elie: (Wha--) Rena: HEYYY-- Whaddaya thinking you're doing, bumping into people without even saying "excuse me"?! [Blade turns around.] pg. 36 Blade: I _thought_ I said you were in my way. This isn't a playground! Scram, kid! Rena: WHAT?! Blade (self-satisfied): Hmph! [Blade turns to leave, but Elie swoops down in front of him.] Elie: Hold on, you... Isn't your attitude a little much? [Blade stares at Elie, confounded...] pg. 37 Blade: That's right - you're Dadis's problem cases, aren't you? Elie: Huh? Rena, Senia, & Wyn (sweatdropping): (PROBLEM CASES?!) Wyn: (Well, we can't deny...) Blade: My name is Blade. Master Iason is waiting. Follow me. pg. 38 [In the training hall proper - the intimidating Master Iason rushes forth -] Iason: ARE YOU THE ONE CALLED ELIE?! Elie (_very_ nervous): Y...YES... Iason: What's wrong? Come forward... Elie: Um... (O--OK...) Blade (smiling, self-satisfied): (Hmph.) Iason: They say you can fly. Do you think you could take me up? Rena (gleeful): You can do it, Elie!! You pulled all three of us up before-- Blade: MASTER IASON IS ASKING _ELIE_! _YOU_ SHUT UP!! pg. 39 [Rena and Senia are enraged.] Senia: WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE--?! Rena: YEAH, MR. BIG SH-- Wyn (panicking, sweatdropping): Rena-san, Senia-san, we have to be civil-- [Elie laughs apologetically to Iason and tries to calm Rena and Senia.] Elie: (S...so--rrrry!) Rena: (Grrr...) Senia: (Grrr...) Blade: Please continue, teacher. [Master Iason takes a glance back at a chart on the wall, which demonstrates a battle maneuver involving a flying person picking up a swordsman and dropping him down to attack an enemy.] Iason: Mm. To tell the truth, I'm in the middle of developing a new "combination magic", the Iason Launcher. Elie (thinking): "Combination magic"? Iason: And for that, I need your ability to fly. Elie (thinking, astonished): My ability... is useful to someone!? pg. 40 [Iason claps his hand on Elie's shoulder and smiles.] Iason: Will you lend me your power? Elie: _YES_! I'll do my best! [Rena looks very glad for Elie. Blade...] Blade: (.........tuh.) [...seethes and sulks in the corner, arms crossed.] Iason: All right! Let's try it right now! [The group heads off to a wooded area.] Iason (pointing): Our target is that tree over there. Elie: Got it! Iason: Well, then, let's get going! Elie: Yes! pg. 41 [Blade watches nervously/sulkingly as Elie takes hold of Iason.] Iason: (Let's go!) Elie: (Mm!) [Elie goes up - the two take off like a rocket.] Iason: Now, swoop down on the target! Release me when we arrive! Elie: YES! [Elie indeed swoops down...] Elie: WAH-- [Elie releases Iason.] Elie: OH-- Iason: YOU FOOL!! NOT SO SOON-- pg. 42 [The two fall smack into a tree trunk. The tree trunk, in response, snaps in half, and the two fall to the ground.] Senia: It's a powerful skill...but kinda stupid... Blade (freaking): AAAaaa... Senseiiii! Wyn (thinking): At least we seem to be developing a pattern... [Elie and Iason eagerly pop up again, gung-ho and raring to go.] Iason (hyper): BAH--but this mean failure means NOTHING!! Elie (hyper): _YES_, Sensei! [The two fly off again.] Iason: (_Once more!_) Elie: (_Yes_--!) [Back at the ranch, Blade, Senia, Rena, and Wyn watch from afar.] Wyn: Ummm...Blade-san? Blade: What? Wyn: So far, Master Iason seems to have been concerned only with Elie-san... What should we do in the meantime? Rena: And Ant and his crew haven't come along yet, either... pg. 43 Blade (scratching his ear): I was told by Sensei to look after you... And if you mean those mouthy little brats, they went off to the nursing station a long while ago... Rena, Senia, & Wyn: WHAT?! Blade (gloating): A _MAN_ IS STRONG - WITH BIG MUSCLES! The first thing I'll do is whip you weak-willed pansy into shape - SO PREPARE YOURSELF!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Wyn (sweatdropping, thinking): (Such horrid plans...) Senia: (Somebody stop him...) pg. 44 [A livid Rena shoves back Wyn to get to Blade.] Rena: And do you intend to do the same things with us girls that you said you'd do with Wyn here?! Wyn (getting strangled): Re...Rena-san... (*ack*...) Blade: To a woman? [Blade points his sword at Rena.] Blade: You? A woman? You're some poor excuse for a woman, with that flat a chest! Rena (shocked): Ha?! Rena & Senia (livid): THAT DOES ITTTT!! You're looking for a fight?! You GOT it!! [Wyn starts to sneak away...] Wyn: So...sooo long... [...but Senia grabs his ponytail.] Wyn: (Gaa--) Narration: Meanwhile, back to these two... [Iason and Elie have plowed into yet another tree, but they're climbing out of it, shakier yet more gung-ho than ever.] Iason: Again! Againnnn... Elie: Yes--Sensei! pg. 45 [And still later, after yet another crash...] Iason (stretched out, exhausted and puffing): (Le...) Let's take a short break. (*huff*) (*huff*) Elie (similarly exhausted): *gasp*... *gaaasp*... (Yes, Sensei...) Hm? [Elie notices the reflection of her friends in a nearby pool of water.] Elie (thinking): Where're they going? [Elie begins to follow. We see that the others have arrived at a temple set into the side of a cliff.] Blade: All right, people! If you're real men, you won't turn back!! pg. 46 [Elie rushes up.] Elie: Hey, you guys! What're you doing in a place like this?! Rena: ! Elie! Blade: Hidden within [Elie, running up to the group, trips over a rock...] Elie: _Wa--_ Blade: this dungeon [Elie falls into the other members of the party...] Blade: is a special magic-- [The others in turn topple Blade over, and they all fall through the shrine doors.] pg. 47 Elie: Owwww... Blade (much to the group's surprise): "Owwww" NOTHING!! GET OFF ME--!! [Apparently, the others didn't really realize that Blade was in there with them. Suddenly, the doors to the temple decisively close, and the interior is magically lit.] Blade: AAAAAAAHH! You can't have locked _me_ in here too!! I've ALREADY GONE IN THERE!! I'm not supposed to be here AGAIN!! Rena (clenching fist): WHAT WAS THAT!? That COULDN'T have meant that you were going to wait OUTSIDE, did it?! You make yourself out to be so tough, but you're really just SCARED, aren't you?! Blade: WHAT-- Elie (nervously): Now, stop it, you two... pg. 48 Blade (turning to Elie): SHUT UP!! This is all _your_ fault! You can't take ANYTHING seriously - but you probably don't _think_ anything through seriously in the _first_ place... Rena (astonished): WHAT DID YOU SAY?! Elie: Um... Blade: SHE'S USELESS!! If she'd gotten the combination magic right in the first place, she would've been looking after you brats, and then we wouldn't've gotten stuck in here!! [As Rena and Blade carry on, Elie remembers a moment from her early childhood - she and Rena, about five or six, walking along and coming across a young man with an injured hand. Rena heals the wound, and the young man gratefully pats her on the head. Rena laughs; Elie looks on sadly and begins to walk away.] Blade (clenching fist, beginning to gasp for breath after all his yelling): Or was it something else? Did you screw up on purpose just because you wanted to hold Sensei in your arms? (*gasp*) (*gasp*) Wyn (sweatdropping): I...I think you've gone too far... Elie (thinking): Because of me... pg. 49 [Rena, Senia, and Wyn leisurely stroll off...] Senia: Ignore him. He's just jealous that _he's_ not holding "Sensei" in his arms. Anyhow, let's look for the exit. Wyn: Yes, let's. Blade (off-panel): _WHAT_ DID YOU SAY ABOUT ME?! WHAT--?! I feel nothing but the utmost respect toward my pure, enlightened sensei... HEY, YOU!! AREN'T YOU LISTENING TO ME-- [Elie approaches, looking down...] Senia: Is something wrong? Elie? Elie (thinking): Because of my unique ability to fly... [Elie looks up, seemingly at ease, and gently smiles.] Elie: Sorry. Now, let's go! [Elie runs to join the others.] Elie (gleefully): I wonder what kind of monsters are here! [Rena looks on at Elie, concerned.] Rena: ...... Blade: You're all dragging your feet! Senia (I believe) (annoyed): Back to the grind. [Blade abruptly stops...] pg. 50 [A sudden sword slash, and a spurt of blood. Blade stand stunned, everyone else gasps for breath. Later...] Wyn (dazed): This is quite a large dungeon... Senia (dazed): I'm beat... Elie (dazed): My stomach's growling... [_Elie_ is the one whose stomach is growling, not Rena?] Blade (annoyed): That's it! JUST A LITTLE FURTHER! KEEP AT IT!! Huh? [The party spots an apparent exit.] Blade: Now, look! There's the exit! pg. 51 Rena (happily): Doesn't look like anything's here! Senia: (Ohh...thank God...) Elie: Looks like we're going to be let off scot-free... [Rena steps over the threshold...and a crack opens in the wall face.] Rena: Huh? [The crack turns out to be an eye...of a towering golem. The golem bursts out of the wall, chasing the shocked group.] Group: It's NOT THAT EASYYYY--!! pg. 52 [Wyn creates a force field to shut the monster out.] Wyn: AAAAAHH-- Rena: Kyaa-- Blade: YOU MORON!! We can't retreat!! Wyn: !? [Wyn has discovered a small inscription in the wall.] Wyn: There's something inscribed here! (Hmmm...) Blade: All right! You figure out what it is! The rest of us will fight!! [Elie and Senia cast spells.] Elie (chanting): FLAME!! Senia (chanting): THUNDER!! pg. 53 [but the spells bounce harmlessly against the monster.] Elie: !? Senia: MAGIC DOESN'T WORK!! Blade (unsheathing sword): Dammit! You're ALL absolutely USELESS! [Blade leaps at the golem and thrusts his sword into its forehead...] pg. 54 Blade: HUH? [...but Blade's blade breaks off in the golem, leaving him holding only a useless hilt.] Blade: ! (Dammi--) [The golem slams Blade hard, drawing blood.] Blade: GAH-- Rena & Senia: BLADE! [Elie runs toward the falling Blade...] pg. 55 [and catches him, nearly crushing her.] Elie: You-- YOU ALL RIGHT?! [Blade roughly shoves her off, knocking Elie down.] Blade: Shu... SHUT UP! Don't think I need YOUR help! [Elie glares at Blade. Blade raises his broken hilt, but Elie grabs hold of his arm.] Elie: THAT SWORD'S BROKEN. HOW DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO OPPOSE THAT THING? pg. 56 Elie: Neither magic nor physical attacks work against that monster. [The golem shoots a beam toward the group; Rena narrowly counters it by casting a force field just barely in time.] Blade: I _KNOW_ THAT! Elie: BUT WHAT ABOUT COMBINATION MAGIC!? pg. 57 Blade: The Iason Launcher...? [Elie stands determined, staring down Blade.] Blade (nervous, thinking): I _do_ need someone else's help... Blade: ... CAN WE TRY IT OUT? [Elie gets behind Blade and puts her arms around him...] Rena & Senia: ?! ELIE! BLADE! [Blade feels a surge of magical energy...] Blade: ! WHAT!? THIS POWER... pg. 58 [The broken hilt of Blade's sword gains a new, lightsaber-ish, fiery blade.] Blade: MY SWORD!! [Blade grins ferociously.] Blade: Interesting... ...this blade. [Elie takes Blade up, and they fly at the golem...] Blade: GIMME ALL YOU GOT!! pg. 59 [Elie looses Blade at the target, and Blade cuts a swath of magical energy...] pg. 60 [...and the golem dissolves into bits of rock.] Elie: We... WE DID IT! Wyn (happily looking up): I got it, everyone--! It says, "You must believe in yourself and your friends!" This surely refers to combination magic! Blade (sweatdropping): _Too_ _late_... [Blade, Elie, Senia, and Rena walk out.] Wyn (collapsed): *sigh*... Rena: Wyn, c'mon! [Wyn follows Rena and the others out an arch-like opening; on the other side, the group finds itself outside, on the seashore.] pg. 61 Senia: BANZAIIII!! It's so GREAT to breathe fresh air again! Rena: All right! A meal, a meal! Wyn: (*sob* *sob* *sob*) [Suddenly, Blade's hand lands on Elie's head...but he actually tousles her hair. Blade looks calmly ahead, not directly at Elie.] Blade: ...I was wrong. Elie: Huh? [Blade begins to walk a little bit away from Elie.] Blade (spitting out answer): What...I said about you being useless... it wasn't right. Elie (thinking, surprised): Blade. Blade: The dojo's this way. Let's head back. [Elie smiles warmly.] pg. 62 [The five walk back. Blade good-naturedly whaps Wyn on the back, sending Wyn lurching forward.] Blade: After all, the real useless one is this guy here, right? Wyn (sweatdropping): Sorrrry! Elie (narrating): "You must believe in yourself and your friends" - that's where it all starts, right? P.S. [We see Elie and Iason slamming headfirst into another tree.] Elie (narrating): I naturally haven't had much luck with Master Iason... Blade (nearby, freaking): Senseeeeii! pg. 63 LESSON 3: THE ISLAND OF MERMAIDS AND BARRIER SPELLS Elie: C'mon, Rena! Hurry! _Hurry!_ Rena: Wait a minute--! I can't run like you; my hat'll fall off! [We see the girls are running across a planked dock-bridge connecting Iyen and another island.] Elie: It's your fault for sleeping late, Rena! And on today of all days... pg. 64 Elie (narrating): This is the day that Iyen docks with Merier, the isle of the mermaids, in the Mermaid Sea. Our field-trip day, when we go out to examine nature life and other cultures! [Note on the mermaid-island name; in raw Japanese katakana, it's "merie" (pronounced "merr-ee-ay"), for which there apparently is no English-word match (even running the "merie" kana through Japanese search engines proved fruitless). I've thus translated this as "Merier" - "mer" being French for "sea", and "-ier" being the French occupational suffix (equivalent to "-er" in English (baker, waiter, etc.)). I know it's a French surname, and it's the only word I can divine that both is a plausible romanization, pronunciation-wise ("Merier" is also pronounced "merr-ee-ay", barring differences in accents) and is logical for the "topic" ("mer" being "sea" and all). The only other match for "merie" I can find is Jean Meslier, a one-time French priest who died an atheist and whose writings were promoted by Voltaire, which has nothing to do with the topic at hand...] [Oh, yes, we were narrating a manga, weren't we? Senia and Wyn await the girls on the other side of the bridge.] Wyn (waving): Rena-san! Elie-san! Good morning! Senia: You're late! pg. 65 Elie: Huh? What about Blade? Senia: He said he'd be busy with his sword training. Well, it's his choice not to come - makes no difference to me! (*huff*) Elie: Well? What should we do? We're free to set our own agenda for the entire day... Rena: Aha! Don't make up your minds yet! I know the best way to experience the local culture! And that's through FOOD!! So I'VE decided to make a Grand Island Tour of Merier's Tasty Treats!! Senia, Elie, & Wyn: ALL RIGHT!! pg. 66 [In Merier Village, at an outdoor seafood restaurant...] Rena (happily eating fish, drumming on plate with utensils): Mmmmmmmmm Delish, delish! (Yum, yum yum...) [We see Rena's giant stack of empty dishes...] Elie (shellshocked): It's revolting to eat that much! (*huff*) Senia: Where does she _put_ it all in that tiny body?? Rena: _TINY_? That's a cheap shot! [The waitress comes with a slip of paper...] Waitress: (......um......) Your bill comes......to... Group: !!! Rena: ...this is bad......(sweatdrop)...this is REALLY bad! (This...) Elie: We were each given only 50 silver's worth of pocket money...... Senia: I'm pretty sure I can run away quick enough... Wyn: OH--! No! Don't do that! That's all we need! pg. 67 [Wyn holds up an oblong pendant hanging around his neck. A nearby waitress takes notice.] Wyn: Here we go! We can use this in place of money... Elie: !? _That's not a magic stone, is it?!_ NO! You can't give up something that expensive... Senia: That's right, Wyn. You ate hardly anything. Wyn (sweatdropping): Um...no - I ate a little... [A seething Rena slowly rises to her feet...] Rena: What... [hits table] _What is this, Wyn?!_ I _KNOW_ we're short of money because I ate so much! Are you saying I can't pay for this myself?! Wyn (shocked): !? What do you...... Rena: You probably were planning on getting rid of that stone all along, weren't you!? You're making a fool out of me! Wyn (puzzled and a little hurt): ...Rena-san......? pg. 68 Rena (voice rising): _I_ WILL PAY FOR WHAT I ATE! Senia: What are you getting so hysterical for, Rena...how would you even start to raise the money? (sweatdrop) Rena: Well, aren't there dishes to be washed here or something?! [Elie notices...] Elie: That's all water under the bridge now... (Hope she's not an unreasonable person... (sweatdrop)) [...the waitress - a young native girl, curly red hair done up to the side of her face, wearing a sleeveless dress (jagged on the hem, with bells on the tips of the fabric) and scaly arm & ankle cuffs & choker - walks up.] Waitress: Your voices were rather...raised, so I overheard all you were talking about! You're from Iyen, right? [smiling & winking] Since you so complimented our cuisine by eating so much of it, I'll overlook all this and keep it a secret from Mama. (Sh!) Just--don't say I did anything like this! (Please...! (sweatdrop)) [The response is grateful and ecstatic.] pg. 69 [Rena happily helps the waitress clean up.] Waitress: All right...will you help me collect shells? Rena (nodding): Sure! Senia: Then we'll go, too! Elie: I'm Elie! Senia: Senia! Rena: Rena! Pleased to meet you: Waitress: I'm Sheila! The pleasure's mine! Wyn (getting up): I'll go too-- [Rena, though, violently pulls away, leaving.] Rena: Wyn's fine!! [to Wyn] Why don't you go back to the island with Ant?! Wyn (hurt): Re...Rena-san... (Where _is_ Ant...? (sweatdrop)) pg. 70 [Later - Wyn is sitting alone on the beach, sadly listening to the pounding surf. Elie approaches him.] Elie: Wyn... Wyn: Elie-san. Elie: ...I...I'm sorry... That Rena said some horrible things...... Wyn: Nah...it's not... pg. 71 Wyn: Where are Rena-san and the others? Elie: On the beach next to us, collecting shells. They're pretty much just fooling around, though. [We see Rena and Senia laughing on the shore as a swimming Sheila emerges from the ocean with a fish.] Wyn (smiling): ...Really...... Elie (sweatdropping): (Ummm......) ......... Ah, Wyn... Wyn: Yes? Elie: I...I wonder if even such a beautiful island as this is prone to attack by the magic race... [Standard disclaimer: what is referred to in this translation as the "magic race" is called the "Vile Tribe" in the Working Designs ports. In raw Japanese, the race is called the "mazoku" in Japanese ("ma" = "magical" or "evil", "zoku" = "family" or "race" - making both names acceptable translations. Given, however, that there's been a previous Japanese Lunar manga story (Vheen Hikuusen Monogatari's "Kokuhaku Suru Kioku") which focused on some (good, unhated) "mazoku" before the schism with Althena, and given that it's doubtful that the race then would refer to themselves as the "Vile Tribe" in those circumstances, I translate "mazoku" as "magic race" when dealing with Japanese-continuity Lunar stories. So, in short, Vile Tribe = magic race. Whew. Back to the story.] pg. 72 Wyn (serenely): No. [Wyn picks up a stick and begins to draw a diagram in the sand.] Wyn: Like Iyen, the whole of Merier Island is protected by a huge barrier. There's no need for worry. Elie: Hmmm... (I wonder...) [cheerfully] Well, me and Rena...we came to Iyen because we wanted to be able to protect our home Burg from monsters! So we enjoy learning about so many and different new things! [sidlingly] I think Rena'd like to know about barriers and stuff too...! Wyn: Then she'd be best off making good use of the library... Elie: HUH?! (sweatdrop) (So brusque...) [A pause.] Wyn: .........I... pg. 73 Wyn: All I know is book-learning... [We see dew-drop-covered roses in Wyn's memory as he recalls his youth and growing up - spent near-completely within the confines of libraries and studies.] Wyn: Since I was young, I was made to study many things... I knew it all - as long as it was restricted to spells. Barrier magic...summoning magic... [smiling] ...But merely being able to wield those magics isn't power to me. [Elie looks subtly startled and sympathetic in response.] Wyn: These corny words of mine... ...do you think Rena-san would listen to them? pg. 74 Elie: ......... "Think that you're no good, and, sure enough, that's where you'll wind up. Whether or not you take that first step, the future is coming without fail." [We see a picture of Elie as a little girl, crying (presumably) after the incident in the Ch. 2 flashback, being patted on the head and comforted by an unseen figure.] Elie: "Which way lies the future upon which your heart is truly set? Look to your present self!" Like so. [self-effacingly] Someone told me that a long time ago... Did it ease your mind a bit? Wyn (smiling): Yeah! pg. 75 [Over to the girls. Rena is sitting on a small rock in the sea by herself, scrunched up and looking depressed (but cutely depressed). Senia is on the shore.] Senia (looking concerned): Rena--! It's dangerous to be sitting out there like that! Rena: It's OK. I can swim. [Sheila pops up from the water with an water with an unusual-looking shell.] Sheila: Rena! Look! I found a rare one! Rena (picking up shell): Whoa - it's pretty! Sheila: It's pretty to look at, but its flavor is really its main attraction - it's top-rate! [Rena looks at the shell and smiles.] Rena (thinking): Wow... [Suddenly, a ichythean figure appears from the sea. Rena and Sheila notice it...] Rena: Huh? pg. 76 [Wyn and Elie hear a scream...] Wyn: !? What was that?! Let's go see!! [Elie & Wyn run and find Senia on the shore...] Senia (pointing out to sea): A merman attacked out of nowhere! I can't use anything but lightning magic, so I'm powerless! [We see Sheila & Rena huddled together on the rock outcropping...] Elie: How can this be?! We're inside the barrier! Wyn: ----...Elie-san. It appears we have a breach here. Elie: Huh? (A breach?) pg. 77 [We see the bridge between Merier and Iyen that Elie and Rena crossed at the start of the chapter.] Wyn: The part where the two islands meet. Wyn (thinking): The great energies that envelop Iyen and Merier don't come together! Wyn: The two barriers must've negated each other around the area where they converge. [A hawk-sized dragon-bird-like creature watches from above as the mermen close in on Sheila and Rena.] Merman: Graaah Elie: An...anyhow, we-- [Elie flies off.] Elie: WE HAVE TO SAVE THOSE TWO!! Senia: ! Elie-- Rena (reaching out): ELIE--!! pg. 78 [Elie hauls Sheila up and manages to grasp Rena by her hand...] Elie: Hang in there!! Rena: Hurry-- [Out of the corner of her eye, Rena sees the shell she and Sheila found fall. She lets go of Elie to reach for it and falls into the ocean.] Wyn: RENA-SAAAAAAN--!!! pg. 79 [Elie has gotten Sheila to shore...] Senia: You have to save her! Rena can't use attack magic! Elie: But how? [Wyn quickly chants something...then dives into the water.] Elie: Wyn!? Wyn (thinking): _RENA-SAN!!_ [Wyn nears Rena, beset by mermen, and begins to chant.] Wyn (thinking): AM I IN TIME?! pg. 80 Wyn (thinking): JUST A LITTLE MORE!! Wyn: OUTTA THE WAY!! [A huge blast of air engulfs Rena, warding off the mermen. Wyn enters and catches her.] Rena: (*GASP*) W...Wyn...? What? This...sp...ace... (*cough* *HACK*) Wyn: I created it using wind magic! We can breathe, but only for a little bit! pg. 81 [The mermen are at the proverbial gate...] Rena: It's no use, even if we do escape, then, isn't it? They'll just follow and gather on the shore...... Wyn (thinking): I have to cast the barrier! [Onshore...] Elie: Rena... Wyn! [The dragon-bird looks on. Under the sea...] Rena (doubled over): ...Wyn...my breath is... Wyn: Rena-san! Stay with me!! Wyn (thinking, strained): CAN I DO IT?! IT'S UP TO ME! [He pauses...] pg. 82 [Abruptly, Wyn turns...] Wyn (thinking): I WON'T GIVE UP!! [...and begins to chant and cast...] Wyn (in chanting-voice): All upon the earth that is good, pure, and true - I call upon thee to guide me! Bestow your blessing upon this land and all who dwell upon it! [Violent energy begins to encircle Wyn.] Wyn (in chanting-voice): In the name of Goddess Althena, Mistress of All Life, I shall purge the darkness from this land! pg. 83 Wyn (still in chanting-voice): FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE BEFORE US! HEAVEN AND EARTH PURIFICATION!! [Giant bolts of light emanate from around Wyn, forming a massive pillar of supernatural energy that shoots up to the heavens. It dost indeed rock the earth, the sea, all that is good, pure, and true, and everything between.] Elie: !! pg. 84 [Meanwhile, from afar, the magic school's old scout, Glen, watches the pillar of light...] Glen: Ho - a barrier, is it... ...Then...it's just a question of time, isn't it... Glen (thinking): The silence has been broken... [The dragon-bird watches, then flies away in a flurry of black feathers. Back at shore...] Elie: IDIOT! [All are safely ashore. Wyn is splayed out on the beach, exhausted. Elie is confronting Rena.] Elie: _WHY_ did you let go of my hand that time!? Rena (sheepishly): I'm sorry. Wyn: *Whew*....... pg. 85 [Rena wearily produces the shell she grabbed.] Rena: This... I dropped it... Sheila (shocked): My--... Senia (enraged): _WHAT!?_ All this for a "yummy shell", Rena!? You risked all that for the sake of your gluttony!? Rena: ...For Wyn... [Wyn is wide-eyed at this.] Rena (to Wyn): Since you really didn't...have much at the restaurant... I wanted to get something for you to eat... I'm sorry... ...about that time... Thank you for saving me. [Wyn, still shocked, blushes. The sun begins to set.] Elie (narrating): In the end, Senia: OH, _good grief_! pg. 86 [The students begin to leave. Rena happily waves goodbye to Sheila.] Elie (narrating): I don't know whether or not this trip was fruitful, but this one-day school field trip, both painful and joyful, concluded safely. [Elsewhere, a flurry of black feathers...] pg. 87 [...leads to a forbidding spire of rock in a desolate wasteland.] Voice: So...... there were some difficulties, but he did awaken, as per my intentions? [The dragon-bird alights on the shoulder of the ultra-pneumatic magic-race witch Barua. She pets the beast.] Barua: ...Well, that's all right. In a way - this could prove, shall we say, interesting, no? pg. 88 [A brief intermission, so to speak, in the form of a cute, full-page pic of a genki Elie kicking up her heels, flying in the sky.] pg. 89 LESSON 4: YOUTH AND MY HOMETOWN [Scene: an open field. An arrow shoots across the landscape, felling a shrimp-like centipede-monster. We see that the arrow has been shot by Senia's love, Azu. He goes to inspect the monster's corpse; a beastman approaches him from behind.] Azu (thinking): Monsters are cropping up more and more lately... Beastman: Hey, Azu! The chieftain's callin' for you! Azu: I'm coming right away. Azu (thinking): Senia. pg. 90 [We now return to our regularly scheduled magic school, where Senia is forlornly gazing out a window.] pg. 91 Rena (cheery): Great weather, huh--? Nothing better to do on days off... [Rena seizes a fork and knife and prepares to attack her breakfast...] Rena: ...than to eat my fill of yummy food! Ant (outside window in tree with Rick & Kule): Is there any day when you _don't_ eat your fill? Rena (outraged): _Whaaaaa---!!?!_ The Punch trio! What're YOU doing peeping in the kitchen of our sacred girls' dorm? [Rena slams open the window, whapping the three boys out of the tree branches to the ground.] Kule: (AAAAAAAAAAAHHH! And this was our first appearance after _such_ a long time...) Elie (looking happily at Rena): *Sigh*...as usual, it's life in the fast lane if you choose to run with Rena! Right, Senia?! ...... pg. 92 Elie (turning to Senia): What's the matter, Senia? You look down! (That's really rare for you...) Rena: Did you eat some spoiled food? Senia: ......The truth is, Iyen's going to be passing by my hometown very shortly. Elie: Heeey, that's great! Are you going to go visit home? We should be able to get permission! Senia (smiling slightly): Naah... I don't wanna go back... Elie: Huh--? Why? Voice: Senia! pg. 93 Senia: Miss Emma! Emma: You have a visitor! He's waiting for you at the docks! [Senia gets up with a start.] Senia: (What...) IT CAN'T BE! Rena (talking while stuffing croquette in her mouth): Ffennnia? [Senia dashes downstairs.] Elie: Wait a minute! Senia-- [Rena stands around, munching some breakfast fish.] Rena: Whoa... (sweatdrop) What's with that girl... (chomp chomp) Elie (Are you _always_ eating--) In any case, let's go after her! Oh...say, Miss Emma? Emma (attention piqued): Yes? Elie: Those three jerks are lying down below, so if you please...? Emma: Aye yai yai... (sweatdrop) (Again?) pg. 94 [Meanwhile, Senia arrives at the docks...] Senia: *gasp*... *gasp*... Haa...... [Senia sees a figure, back standing to her, at the end of the pier.] Senia: A... Azu...? Azu: ...Senia. Senia (ecstatic): You've come to see me?! [Behind her, Elie and Rena sneak up unnoticed to eavesdrop. Azu grabs Senia's shoulders...] Azu: _Senia._ You're coming back with me to the village. [Wide eyes from Senia - and Elie and Rena.] pg. 95 Azu: You're going back and marrying your fiancé. [Senia is visibly distressed.] Senia: ......... Azu... Wha...What is this?! Why did you go out of your way to come here to tell me that?! If that's so, you know what my answer's gonna be to THAT! Rena (whispering): Hey...what's going on with Senia? Elie (whispering): Well... She doesn't talk about herself, so except for her being a beastman, I don't really know much about her... [Senia breaks from Azu's arms.] Azu: It's by order of the chieftain. You have the school's permission to-- Senia: WHY ARE YOU DOING SOMETHING SO SELFISH!? Azu (angered): ...You're the selfish one, Senia. pg. 96 Azu: LEAVING THE VILLAGE WITHOUT SAYING A WORD LIKE YOU DID! YOU'RE THE CHIEFTAIN'S SUCCESSOR! WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'D DO IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU!? Senia: _I DON'T KNOW! I AM WHO I AM!_ ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S SOMETHING _WRONG_ WITH ME LIVING BY MY OWN FREE WILL!? [Elie and Rena, hidden, continue to eavesdrop. As they do, a crab sneaks up and nips Rena from behind...] Rena: ow... _OWWWWWWWW--!_ pg. 97 [Needless to say, Elie & Rena are no longer unnoticed...] Senia (sweatdropping along with Azu): Elie...Rena... Elie (sweatdropping along with Rena): Sorry...didn't mean to eavesdrop... Senia: It's OK. There's no reason to hide anything, and... He's Azu. He's like a meddling big brother to me. [A weary huff/sigh from Azu at this. Senia fidgets and laughs nervously/ apologetically to Elie & Rena.] Azu: Blabbermouth. It'd be more accurate to describe me as your brother- in-law... Senia (sweatdropping): Ta-ha-ha! Yeah, that'd be more accurate... [Elie & Rena watch this awkward exchange with confusion and wide eyes.] Rena: (Eh?) [Senia gets melancholy for a moment, then assumes her normal confidence...] Senia: ...... ...Azu. I'll save face for you. I'll go back for the time being. Azu (surprised): _Senia!_ Senia: BUT-- _not_ because of my father's orders. [Senia once again seems sad.] Senia (thinking): "Running away"... is not an answer. pg. 98 [The open sea...] Azu: ...Eh? [Senia, Rena, and Elie are fishing over the side of a boat, gleefully chattering and laughing. An exasperated Azu is rowing.] Azu: Why do _they_ have to ride along, too? Rena: WHAT--!! I'm HERE because I didn't _really_ enjoy myself at the school field trips we've had so far! I GOT special permission - what more do you want?! (Sheesh - gimme a break! C'mon--) Azu (seeing Rena's rocking the boat): AAAAH - CUT IT OUT!! Senia: Be polite, or I won't go back. ~~_Do as I say._ Elie (looking on sadly, thinking): Senia... [Elie thinks back to shortly before the trip...] Elie (in flashback): Please! Let's all go together! pg. 99 [Senia is alone with Elie & Rena.] Senia (in flashback): But even if you're both with me, you won't be able to help... Rena (in flashback): It's OK! You'll be nervous if you're alone! [Back to the present...] Elie (thinking): Marriage... I sure think it's too soon for her, but... [Elie notices Senia wistfully gazing elsewhere. She notes that the object of her attention is Azu.] Elie (thinking): ! So... So that's the way it is... pg. 100 [The group arrives at the beastman village, a walled fortress-city. The quartet enters the village...] Beastman Boy: Oh!...Big sis Senia! Young Man: Miss Senia! Li'l Beastman Girl: Senia-oneechama! You came back! ["Oneechama" is a variation on the respectful Japanese word for "big sister", "oneesan"/"oneesama", which the girl has combined with the Japanese diminutive name suffix "-chan", used for one endeared to you. The little girl runs into Senia's arms.] Li'l Beastman Girl (excitedly): WAAAAAA-!! Senia: I'm back! Everyone doin' OK? LBG: YEAH! Rena: Heh heh..."Miss Senia", is it? Elie: Whoa...Senia, a lady...? Senia (perturbed): _Quiet_ in the peanut gallery... Man: Senia. [Senia's eyes widen. She turns...] Man: Welcome back. Senia: Father! pg. 101 Chieftain: The ones with you? Senia: These're my friends from school! Elie and Rena! [Elie and Rena are rather intimidated by the imposing chieftain.] Rena (intimidated): (Honored...) Chieftain (eyes narrowing): Hmph. _Humans_... Rena (offended): What's that?! You don't seem very hospitable to _me_! Elie: _Rena!_ Chieftain: Azu, thank you for your trouble. Azu (bowing): ......... Chieftain: Senia. Let us go speak of the matter at hand. Senia: Wait! I wanted to be with Azu and everyone... pg. 102 [The villagers begin to notice the brewing dispute.] Chieftain: This is a tribal matter. It will be difficult to speak with humans present. Senia: FATHER! Chieftain: Azu. I ask you to show the visitors around the village. Azu: Yes. Senia (angrily): WHY ARE YOU BEING SO ONE-SIDED?! [Senia could be addressing her father or Azu.] Chieftain: __SENIA__!!!! Senia: (gulp) [A pause.] Senia: ...I'm sorry...Elie, Rena...later, huh? Elie (concerned): Y...yeah... [Senia and the others leave. The girls watch worriedly.] Elie: Pretty bad, huh, Senia... Azu (quickly turning): You gonna just stand there? Follow me. pg. 103 Rena: _I'm_ not the jerk here. He's the most obnoxious guy I've met outside of Blade. Elie (sweatdropping): Now, now... [The girls look around the village; a number of people are boarding up their windows.] Azu: I'll show you around town, but it's really nothing special... Rena: ...Say, why is everybody closing up their doors and windows and stuff? [Azu goes to the edge of the city gates and points out to the forests beyond.] Azu: Because monsters are attacking from the north forest, that's why. And tonight is the night when the Blue Star disappears from the sky... Make no mistake. He'll come tonight. pg. 104 Rena: "He"? Azu: The giant monster that has become a menace to this entire region! [Elie looks strangely reflective and sad.] Elie: ...So...it looks like villages all over are experiencing the same problem. Rena: Hey! Look, Elie! A statue of Althena! Azu: That's right. The beastmen worship Althena as well. Althena gave life to everything on Lunar. She's the mother of all, no matter what one's race. Rena: ! Speaking of which, why are you the only human in this village? pg. 105 Azu (turning away): It's no concern of yours! Elie (angry): _It IS our concern!!_ [Flashback to the chieftain meeting the group.] Chieftain (in flashback): _Humans_... Elie: We need to know how to change the chieftain's prejudiced attitude toward humans! If he hates humans so, then it's only natural to wonder why you're here in the village! [Azu stops walking away.] Azu: I... My parents were slaughtered by a monster in that forest. Azu (thinking): Even now, it's still etched in my memory, never fading... that scene... [Flashback to when Azu was a four-to-five-year-old child, bent over his mother's bloodied body, his father crouched down beside them. A giant demon-like monster with a horn growing out of its forehead - the very monster Azu mentioned was a menace to the beastman village - towers over them.] Child Azu (in flashback, trying to rouse mother): Mama! Mama! Azu's Father (in flashback): AZU! RUN AWAY!! pg. 106 Azu's Father (in flashback): GRAH-- [Azu's father fires an arrow at the monster. He pierces the beast's eye, but does not slay it. The monster rushes forward, and Azu's father rushes to cover his child.] Azu's Father (in flashback): ! AZU! [The monster strikes; blood flows forth. Azu, all alone, stands shell- shocked before the approaching monster...] pg. 107 Monster (in flashback): ! [...when a flight of spears pierces its chest. Wounded, it flees to the forest. A small group of beastmen, including the current chieftain, appear.] Chieftain (in flashback): Are you all right there? Hey! Beastman (in flashback): A human... A _human_ child, Chieftain! Chieftain (in flashback): Does that matter? We can't leave him here! [Back in the present...] Azu: It's not that the chieftain hates humans. And now that I'm no longer a helpless child, I'm leaving the village. Only... pg. 108 Elie: "Only"...? Azu: The gulf between the races is wider than you think. Wouldn't you be apprehensive about getting close to someone of the magic race? Elie: ...Of course, but... It's different with the magic race that it is with humans and those of the other races! Azu (smiling): ...It's the same...in a sense. I'm a resident of this village, but I can never become a beastman. And that's the way things are. Senia (off-panel): _FINE!_ _BLOCKHEAD!!_ pg. 109 [Senia runs out of a building in tears.] Rena: Senia! Elie: What's wrong? How'd the talk go? Senia: ...He said for me to drop out of school... ...for me to marry my betrothed. _No one would listen to a thing I said!_ Azu (angrily): SENIA! Bana is a good, trustworthy guy! There's absolutely nothing to fault in him as a potential partner! [Senia freezes, shocked.] Senia: Azu...even you say such things? Azu: Senia, I... pg. 110 Senia (storming away): AZU, I HATE YOU!! Azu (sternly): Senia! Rena (to Azu) _JERK_--!! [Rena yells this so loud that a figurative ten-ton weight lands on Azu's head.] Azu (thinking): "Jerk"? Rena: WHY couldn't you have offered her at least ONE kind word!? Can't you figure out that if Senia's crying, MAYBE it's because she's in a desperate situation!? [A flashback of young Senia crying and a young Azu frantically trying to calm her down.] Azu (wistfully): Let me tell you something... Senia's been a crybaby from way back. pg. 111 Elie: ...but... [We see the present Senia alone, crying against a tree.] Elie: Surely, Senia cares for you... Azu: DON'T SAY IT!! [We see his thoughts of the scarred-eyed monster which killed his parents.] Azu: I'm leaving this village. Once I destroy my parents' nemesis - the thing that continues to ravage this village - and return true peace to the village - there'll no longer be any reason for me to stay here. pg. 112 Elie: But, then, what reason will you have to leave? Azu: If I'm leaving voluntarily, I don't see the problem. Elie: There IS a problem!! What about Senia?! Azu: SHUT UP!! THIS _IS_ ALL FOR SENIA'S SAKE!! [Elie and Rena get identical happy smirks on their faces ("Just as we thought - he fell into our trap" "written" behind them). Azu, knowing he's been found out, sweatdrops...] Azu: I have nothing more to say to you. [...and walks away.] Rena: ...Well! He really IS as much of a jerk as I thought he was! Elie (sadly): He can't help it. pg. 113 Elie: It's different when you're all by yourself... it's hard... Rena: Elie - if the answer is getting Azu to come to terms with his feelings... there doesn't seem to be any way to... [Elie turns around and grins at Rena.] Rena: ...do that...is there? Elie: Of course there is! For those two - [We see close-ups of a frustrated Azu loading his crossbow and a teary Senia...] Elie: THERE'S STILL HOPE! pg. 114 [The outer forests surrounding the city. The boughs of the trees rustle; the dragon-bird creature from the Merier Island escapade alights on a branch. Nearby, the cripple-eyed monster looks over the beastman town below.] pg. 115 [A flashback; li'l Senia is approaching a pre-teen Azu, who's wrapping his wounded wrist.] Senia (in flashback): I'm sorry... I can't use healing magic... Azu (in flashback): What're you apologizing for, Senia... (I said it wasn't anything horrible...) Senia (in flashback): Next time I'm going huntin' with you! And THEN you'll beat up all those bullies, Azu-niichan! ["-Niichan" is basically the male, "big brother" form of the "-neechama", "big sister" term explained on pg. 100.] Azu (in flashback): ......I see. [Azu picks up Senia.] Azu (in flashback): Well, then, I'll make you a promise. I'll become stronger than anyone. And try to protect you, Senia! So, Senia, don't cry for my sake! pg. 116 [Li'l Senia cuddles up to Azu.] Senia (in flashback): Mm! Azu-niichan! [End of flashback. We see the present Senia, sad and alone, reflecting. She also recalls her father's words...] Chieftain (in flashback): You will marry your betrothed. Senia (crying, thinking): Azu... [Night at Senia's house...] Senia's mother: I'm so sorry for all this trouble! pg. 117 [Elie and Rena are sitting at a dinner table, being served by Senia's mother, one stressed beastwoman.] Senia's Mother: That girl's locked herself up in her room... Elie: Oh, no problem at all! If anything, we're the ones who're inconveniencing _you_! (Sorry for that...) Senia's Mother: Senia...how does she do at the school? It seems to make her happy... Elie: (Don't worry!) Oh, yeah! She's the most enthusiastic of us all! Rena: But as soon as Azu arrived, she instantly became a "girl"!... (It was so surprising!) [We see Senia crying on her bed in her room.] Senia's Mother: That girl's feelings... I just don't understand them. There's no reason for them. pg. 118 [We see Senia's mother carrying a baby Senia. Li'l Azu, carrying a play bowgun, accompanies them, pretending to guard Senia, telling her "Careful! It's dangerous--".] Senia's Mother: Azu's always done all he can for our village... and I myself have no problem with him... but--... [We see Azu (perhaps figuratively) confronted by the shadows of a crowd of beastmen. He eventually turns and leaves.] Senia's Mother: I don't have the power to bring those two together. I... can only pray that the day will come when those two children can go back to the smiling faces of the old days... [Elie and Rena listen sadly.] pg. 119 [Later, in the guest bedroom...Rena merrily flops on her bed.] Rena: Ah-- That was DELICIOUS-- I can't eat another THING-- (Aaaah, I'm so happy...) Elie: I'm going to go do something, Rena... I'll be right back. Rena: Huh? But where're you going? Elie: The issue of Azu isn't settled yet, is it? And it looks like he's facing a strong enemy besides...I'll going to try to help him. Rena: WHAT--!? You shouldn't help that creep who made Senia cry! [hugging pillow] You're like a mother - you're too soft-hearted. He'll probably just go ahead and do what he wants anyway. Elie (exasperated): ......I'll explain, OK, Rena?... (sweatdrop) That may be, but if things keep on in the direction they've been going, it'll probably only make Senia cry more! pg. 120 Rena (half-hiding behind pillow): I suppose...so... I guess we're stuck doing this, then. Elie: Rena! Rena (starry-eyed): Well, then, *I*, Rena, will lend a helping hand! And act as their matchmaker of _LOOOOOOVE_! Elie (sweatdropping, thinking): _Sure_... [Rena mounts the bed and starts to go out the room's window, boldly pointing the way.] Rena: ALL RIGHT! NEVER HESITATE TO DO GOOD!! (C'mon, Elie!) Elie (sweatdropping, thinking): A girl of action in times of crisis, that's Rena... [Rena and Elie start to go out the window...] Senia: Where're you goin'? Elie & Rena: !? pg. 121 Rena: SENIA! Elie: WHAT-- ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?! [Senia pauses, then smiles sadly.] Senia: I'm sorry. I made you worry. But I just had to clear my mind. (You're such good friends...) You can't be going out, tonight of all nights! Didn't Azu tell you? Elie & Rena (imitating ghosts): Well, well...heh heh... Senia (annoyed): ......What do you know? Spit it out! WHAT'S HE PLANNING?! TELL ME! pg. 122 [Meanwhile, another fight goes on outside. Senia's fiancé, Bana, a lean, late-teens/early twenties beastman with spiky hair, is yelling at Azu, who has his back turned to him, walking away.] Bana: This's reckless, Azu! What're you thinking, trying to take him down alone!? With a _bowgun_, even worse!? You CAN'T deal him a mortal blow with that! Azu: ...Won't know unless I try... Bana: ...-- What are you rushing so for, Azu... ......for Senia's sake? Azu: Bana... pg. 123 [Back to the girls' room. Elie and Rena are tied up; Senia is brandishing a big stick.] Senia: _WHAAAAT!?!?_ He really said those things?! Elie (sweatdropping): ...y...yeah... Senia: How could he...why? Senia (thinking): I can't let him go to his death! Senia: I'm going to stop him! Elie! Rena! Elie & Rena: Uh-huh! (sweatdrop) Elie (thinking, sweatdropping): Pull yourself together, Senia! This's all because of Azu! [To the city gates. A guard waits.] Guard: _Girls!_ _What're you doing!?_ _Go back home!!_ pg. 124 Senia (in passing): Gotcha!! When I'm done with my business, I'll return home right away! Thanks for keeping your eyes peeled! [Senia and company leave.] Guard (befuddled): (*huff*) Well...she seems so caught up in whatever she's doing, it doesn't seem to be any use to try and stop her. And there's no way he's going to attack right awa-- [A widening of fearful eyes, and a sudden crunch...] pg. 125 [Back to Azu and Bana...] Bana: --...I'll be honest. I think you're a better match for her than me--... And so I-- Azu (slowly turning): "And so"... _WHAT_...... [Azu slams Bana against the wall.] pg. 126 Bana (thinking): This area is dotted with a great number of beastman villages. And there's no tribe among them that isn't hostile to humans. Bana: The one who marries her must become the future leader of this tribe. If you want there to be tribal harmony... it's imperative - no matter what - to choose the path most conducive to-- Azu: I'M _AWARE_ THAT I'M NO GOOD BECAUSE I'M A HUMAN! HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY _NOW_!?!? pg. 127 [Back to a startled Senia...] Senia: ! Here... Elie: What's wrong, Senia? [Flashback to maybe a coupla-years-younger Senia looking out at a spot on the shore.] Senia (thinking): This place... [Younger Senia finds Azu sitting on the shore.] Senia (in flashback): (Oh! There you are!) Azu-- pg. 128 [Senia sits down beside Azu and looks out on the ocean.] Senia (in flashback): So, Azu...you like it here, huh? Can you see something from here? (A small boat going your way or something?) Azu (in flashback): --...Nothing's going my way. I don't see anything at all. Senia (in _present_, wide-eyed, thinking): That's it, of course... pg. 129 [Senia abruptly runs at full speed away from a surprised Elie & Rena.] Senia (thinking): That was the day before I learned that my father wanted to betroth me... Azu (anguished, thinking): I can't stay here. Azu: ...I've no other path left to me. Senia (running, thinking): This is all because I ran away to Iyen. Azu (thinking): If I do, I'll steal Senia's very home from her-- Azu: Slaying him is all that's left for me... Senia (thinking): AZU WAS TOLD BEFORE I WAS!! I'm sure the others blamed him for my leaving... [Azu suddenly backs away from a shocked Bana.] Bana: ! Azu...? pg. 130 [Azu smiles serenely at Bana.] Azu: --...I leave Senia in your care. Senia: AZU! [An out-of-breath but relieved Senia, followed by Elie & Rena, arrives on the scene.] Senia: Azu! (*gasp* *GAAAAASP*) (Thank goodness! I made it in time!) Azu (distressed): Senia...how... pg. 131 [Azu spots Elie & Rena.] Azu: YOUUUUUUU... Elie & Rena (running away): (Of course - who else?) (We had to do something!) Senia: Don't get mad at them, please! In any case, Azu, there's no need for you to be alone! If you fight, we'll also... Azu: --...Get away. [Suddenly, a drop of liquid falls on Senia's cheek.] Senia: Huh? Senia (thinking): Rain? [But rain isn't dark and red...] pg. 132 Everyone: ! [All turn around - the monster has appeared over the wall of the beastman village, munching on the severed arm of the unfortunate guard.] Azu: GET AWAY!! pg. 133 [Azu quickly lets an arrow fly; it catches the creature in the neck but does not fell it. The creature howls, and the citizens look on in terror...] Bana: EVERYONE! BACK TO YOUR HOMES!! TAKE COVER!! pg. 134 Azu: Bana. You take care of the village. Bana: Azu!? Azu: I am going to lure that thing into the forest. AND GET REVENGE!! Senia: STOP!! Please... Azu. [Azu smiles...] pg. 135 [...and, eyes closed, embraces a surprised Senia.] Azu: --...Cheer up, Senia. pg. 136 [Abruptly, Azu shoves Senia away.] Senia: ...ugh! [Bana takes Senia in his arms and holds her back.] Senia: AZU!! Azu (in Senia's memory): I'll make you a promise. [Azu scales the town wall and fires a shot into the monster's back.] Monster (turning around): !? Azu: Over here, beast! Azu (in Senia's memory): I'll become stronger than anyone. pg. 137 [The monster bursts through the wall as Azu runs into the forest.] Azu (in Senia's memory): And try to protect you, Senia! Chieftain: Bana! Azu (in Senia's memory): So Bana: It's horrible, Chieftain. Azu has... [Elie looks on as Rena heals the wounded. The dragon-bird looks on above.] Azu (in Senia's thoughts): don't cry for my sake! Senia (crying): A... _AZU_--!! pg. 138 [The village has been hit hard by the monster's attack. Senia falls to her knees.] Senia: uhh... A...Azu... Rena: PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, SENIA! Elie: This isn't the time or place to cry! We have to go help him right now! WHAT'RE YOU GONNA DO, YELL AT AZU FOR _DYING_!? IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN HIM, WHAT'LL HE DO!? PG. 139 [Senia leans on Elie for support and stands up. The chieftain arrives.] Chieftain: Senia! We're headed for the forest. Senia: Father... Chieftain: Leave the matter of Azu to us. Wait here in the village. [Senia collapses to her knees again.] Chieftain: Good! Azu (in Senia's memory): --...Cheer up, Senia... Elie: Senia! Senia (thinking, wiping away tears): Azu... ...no... [Senia starts to rise to her feet once more.] Senia: No, I can't just wait here. Chieftain: Senia? pg. 140 Senia: Elie. Rena. Senia (thinking): I can't cry--... I promised Azu... [Senia refocuses, her old determined self again.] Senia: I'M COMING, TOO. Elie (overjoyed): Senia! Chieftain: What sort of idiotic things are you saying!? You think that if you came along you'd actually be able to do something!? Senia: _Father!_ Chieftain (addressing Elie & Rena): What's more, your friends are outsiders. They've no interest in this! There's no need for them to go out of their way and suffer in this! pg. 141 Rena: Still pig-headed, huh, Chieftain? Chieftain: (What...) Rena (confident): Even if it's a hopeless situation, we still have to try to do something - _anything_! Elie (confident): We don't need a "reason" to go. We want to help Azu. We want to see Senia smiling again - that's enough! Chieftain: This is pure recklessness! Elie: Maybe so! But if we don't make a move now, I think we'll without a doubt regret it. [The other beastman warriors look on in shock.] pg. 142 Chieftain (thinking): How powerful has that demon become? The stories from the people who've encountered it-- Is this what one calls courage... Chieftain: ...All right. [The girls are elated.] Chieftain (thinking): Senia. Senia: LET'S GO!! Chieftain: You have good friends. [The dragon-bird circles overhead.] pg. 143 [Meanwhile, off to an exhausted Azu...] Azu (breathing heavily): *Haaaaah*... *Haaaah*... *haaah*... [The monster, obviously heavily wounded but not dead, emerges from the woods. Azu desperately readies an arrow...] Azu: ...*Ha--*... Azu (thinking): Is he invulnerable even to Death itself? Even he must have a weak point! pg. 144 [Azu's arrow struck the cripple-eyed monster in the throat, but the beast yet advances. He raises his arm to strike--] Senia: AZU! [--but the arm is severed by a flying axe.] pg. 145 [The girls, Bana (who threw the axe), and the other beastman warriors appear.] Bana: Azu! Are you all right!? Rena: Azu! Azu (shocked): Senia... Everyone... Why... [Rena kneels by the surprised Azu and casts a spell.] Rena: (Hold still! I'm going to stop the blood!) Beastman Warrior: "Whyyy"? But we have a score to settle here, too! For us, the monster is an enemy it is our _duty_ to defeat! Beastman Warrior: (Right, right!) Can't let you hog the glory all for yourself! Take a rest! We'll take over! Azu (thinking): Everyone... Chieftain: All right! His guard is down! Now's our chance to attack! Bana: Right! [Suddenly, a slight spark from the monster...] Senia (thinking): What!? That feeling just now... Senia: _Wait!_ _Everyone!_ pg. 146 [Too late; the monster looses a gigantic lightning spell, frying the beastmen.] Chieftain: AAAAAAA-- Azu (thinking): HE ELECTROCUTED THEM!! pg. 147 [Azu slowly gets up.] Azu: Chieftain... Everyone... [Rena goes to heal the chieftain.] Elie: Rena-- Rena: He's all right! He's taken a lot of damage, but I can do something! Azu (thinking): Is this the result of my running off alone!? Azu: DAMMIT-- [Meanwhile, the cripple-eyed monster arises..] Senia: ! He's coming back! [Elie flies up and casts a spell.] Elie (chanting): FLAME!! [No good; the spell bounces off the monster's force field.] Elie: My fire spell...... Elie (thinking): Don't we have any other cards to play!? pg. 148 Senia (thinking): It looks like he absorbs lightning attacks. If that's so, then I... Azu (thinking): He probably can't be defeated through direct attacks. [Rena heals Bana...] Azu (thinking): BUT-- pg. 149 [Senia begins to chant; Azu readies his crossbow...] Azu & Senia (thinking): I CAN'T LET IT END LIKE THIS!! [The monster readies another lightning spell...] Elie (thinking): NO!! They won't make it in time! Elie: S... STOOOOOOPPP--!! [The dragon-bird looks on as...] pg. 150 [...not Azu and Senia, but the _monster_ stops. It turns around and looks at Elie...] Elie (thinking): HUH...? [Senia casts...] Senia: LIGHT! [Azu fires...] pg. 151 [...and the spell and attack combine, striking the monster square in the forehead. After an explosion of light, the monster falls, finally dead. Azu looks on in shock; the dragon-bird flies away.] pg. 152 Rena: ...They did it.. [Rena joyfully glomps Elie. Rena: They did it, Elie!! (I was really so scared...) Elie: Yeah! [Then Elie thinks seriously...] Elie (thinking): --...Just now the monster seemed to hesitate-- could it have been at my will...? [Rena hops over to the other wounded beastmen.] Rena: Now--let's heal you all up! Beastman Warrior: (Please...) Senia: AZU! [Azu, lost in thought, stands a bit apart from the others, looking at the monster's corpse.] pg. 153 Azu: --...It's over... [Azu closes his eyes, at peace.] Azu: It's finally over... Azu (thinking): Mother... Father... [Senia approaches Azu and latches onto him, burying her face in his back, to Azu's surprise.] pg. 154 Azu: ...Senia? Senia: Azu... You're not going...anywhere. The only place you're going is back to our village. Azu: Indeed. pg. 155 [Suddenly, the chieftain comes to.] Azu: Chieftain! Senia: Father! Chieftain (dazed): (Whew...) (sweatdrop) Forcing everyone to venture out tonight... With everyone - including myself - in our present condition, I cannot allow you to go back to the village. Beastman Warrior: (Ow--... It still smarts...) Bana: (Aye yai yai...) [Azu looks intimidated.] Chieftain: AZU! Until now, I have been made to shoulder the responsibility of protecting the entire tribe. --I thought I was choosing the right and just path. But the magic race's power has grown far stronger as of late. From now on, I think we must join forces with the humans. pg. 156 Chieftain: And if that is to happen, we will need one who can build bridges between humans and beastmen. Senia (delighted): Father? [The chieftain clears his throat, then speaks to a shocked Azu.] Chieftain: How about it, Azu?... Will you remain in the village to act as a liaison? Bana (winking cheerfully at Azu): Azu! Azu: Bana? [Azu bows his head gratefully, then gently places a hand on Senia's shoulder.] pg. 157 Azu: Senia... Will you stay with me... always? Senia: A... pg. 158 [The two joyfully embrace.] Senia: AZU! Chieftain (sweatdropping): I just said you could stay in the village. You're jumping the gun here. Azu (taken aback, sweatdropping): I'm...I'm sorry! Beastman Warrior: HAHAHA! [Senia laughs as well.] Elie & Rena: We're so happy for you, Senia! Senia: Thanks! Rena: But it'll be sad not having you there at school... Elie: Yeah... [Senia smiles at both of them.] Senia: Father. Azu. [Father and Azu are a bit surprised.] pg. 159 Senia: At first...the magic school was nothing more to me than a place to run away to, but... I...want to stay there until I graduate. I've met irreplaceable friends there, and so it's a most precious place to me. Elie & Rena (overjoyed): Senia! Azu (smiling): ...I understand. I'll be waiting! Chieftain (smiling proudly): Do your best. Senia (overjoyed): Yes! [Senia runs to her friends.] Elie (narrating): --......This way, pg. 160 [A later scene; the girls are ready to depart. Elie shakes Azu's hand.] Azu: Take care of Senia for me! Elie: Leave it to us! Elie (narrating): The anxiety we felt in coming to the village has dissipated-- we were able to return to Iyen with smiles on all our faces. [The gals get in the boat, wave enthusiastically to the beastmen waving good-bye to Senia, and row back to Iyen.] Rena: *sigh*... This outing was soooo exhausting - as usual, huh? Elie: Well, you were especially busy this time around, weren't you, Rena? (You must be beat, Miss Hard Worker!) Rena: Soooo, Senia, how on _earth_ will you be able to wait for graduation? (Heh, heh, heh...) Senia: Well, _you_ have Wyn at the school, don'cha? Rena (sweatdropping): WH-WHAAAAA-- What made you bring up HIS name-- Elie & Senia: Don't be shyyyy!! Don't be shyyyy!! [Rena turns her back to the others.] Rena: Well! --I'll let you off THIS time! pg. 161 [In the meanwhile, the dragon-bird lands in the window of a stone tower...] Barua: ...hmmmm... So, the girl with the ability of flight, she's the one, is she? Interesting... Then I believe I must ascertain this matter with my own eyes. --CONTINUED IN VOLUME 2-- [Continued in just a few Page Downs, actually. But first comes an... Intermission! Brought to you by the Shadow Skill, Grandol, Money Idol Exchanger, Master Mosquiton, Saber Marionette J, Magical Girl Pretty Samy, Mahou Tsukai TAI!, Kamizama Kore Kushon, Tenchi Muyou!, Oboro, Silent Mobius, Orfina, Maze, and Shadow Ran manga. At least according to the ads at the back of the MSL manga.] AFTERWORD CHANNEL T Hello. Pleased to meet you. I'm Hiroko Touda. Thank you so much for buying this manga! And to all of you who borrowed this book to read it [or are reading this translation without having the manga, I guess], I'd be very happy if you bought a copy . As you all know already know, "Magical School Lunar!" is a work which encompasses many different media - primarily game software. Its story is told through many different methods - through games, novels, drama CDs, and now manga! [Which backs up Victor Ireland's assertion that the School games are the wretched, unwanted stepchildren of the Lunar series in Japan, completely disowned and unsupported by their creators......oh, wait...] This is not my first project of this type, but I remember feeling anxious about being published in a boys' magazine, thinking, "But I've been corrupted by shoujo [girls'] manga through and through!", and so I put my pen to paper with great trepidation . I drew the first volume so that each character would have the chance at a starring role as the manga progressed, but from the second volume on, the drama that had been building up throughout Volume 1 will unfold. And, at last, the original heroine, Elie-chan, then will emerge! I'm really looking forward to it! In closing, I'm truly grateful to those who helped me throughout my experience in drawing up this book. I beg your continued support. I hope I'm able to see all of you reading back here for Volume 2! See ya! [End of Intermission. On to Volume 2...] --VOLUME 2-- pg. 4 [Yes, the manga story...oh, forget it.] LESSON 5: MAKE-UP MAGIC AND FLYING SPELLS [Again, at Dadis's...] Elie (narrating): The laboratory of Dadis's which we destroyed earlier has been rebuilt. And, after so long, we're finally returning to our make-up magic studies today! Blade (looking horribly bored): _Make-up_... Making yourself up to look like a _girl_. That's just not possible for _me_. Rena (next to a sweatdropping Wyn): Then why're you here in the _first_ place!? Blade (annoyed): Master Iason said I should broaden my academic horizons. (I changed places with some guy called "Ant".) [Scene shift to Iason with Ant and his gang.] Iason (annoyed): Instruction--? Ant & Company (running away, sweatdropping): Heeeeh-- Blade: So DON'T think it was because I wanted to be reunited with _you_! (There was nothing I could do! _Nothing!!_) Dadis (sweatdropping): Hey, hey! Quiet! Rena (to Blade): We _KNOW_! Shut _UP_!! pg. 5 [Elie listens to Dadis silently and attentively.] Dadis: Today, we've conducting a new make-up magic experiment... It concerns a make-up magic I've been researching that is used to amplify magic power-- and it appears that I need somebody to be my test subject. Everyone Except Elie (shocked, thinking): TEST SUBJECT... Dadis: But--since this magic requires that the whole body be adorned with make-up, it seems like the test subject must take their clothes off. (Incidentally, the pattern seems to disappear after the spell's application--) [Wyn freezes up and turns beet red.] Wyn: N...NAAAAKED!? [Wyn passes out, his nose gushing blood (manga shorthand for erotic arousal).] Blade (aghast): EWWWWW--DISGUSTING--!! pg. 6 [Rena seizes Wyn by the throat and throttles him.] Rena: HOLD IT, WYN! _WHO_ WERE YOU VISUALIZING!?!? Wyn: Agggggghh-- I'm sorry!! Senia (exasperated): Tuh! He should take a man to be his victim! [With that, a gloating, self-satisfied Blade obligingly rips open his shirt.] Blade: Heh! In that case, I'll provide _my_ magnificent physique...... Heh, _you_-- [Suddenly, (a still-shirtless) Blade notices Rena and Senia trying to pull the clothes off of a shrieking Wyn.] Blade: WHY AREN'T YOU SWARMING OVER _ME_--!! Rena: C'mon, Wyn! Hurry up and take off your clothes! Wyn: Noooo--! Stop, please! [Equally suddenly, Elie enthusiastically jumps up...] Elie: OK, Teacher! I'll do it! [Everyone freezes.] pg. 7 [Elie takes off her cape. Rena rushes up to her...] Rena: WHA--!! What're you saying, Elie!? Stop it! It's embarrassing--!! (sweatdrop) Elie (smiling): Why? It'll allow me to become stronger! I'm not nervous! Senia (holding her head): Forget it...there's no room for reasoning with her. (sweatdrop) (That girl... (sweatdrop)) [Rena and Senia quickly and brusquely push Blade and Wyn out the door.] Senia: In that case - all the guys, out of the classroom! OUT--!! Wyn: W...what...? But we won't be able to note how the pigment was applied or anythingggg...! Rena: We'll do that. [The door slams shut in the boys' faces.] Rena: _NO PEEPING!!_ Wyn (quietly): Understood... Blade: Hey, Wyn! What's with this!? Me being treated like that--! Wyn: (Um...oh...) Please forgive me-- pg. 8 [Meanwhile, inside the classroom, Elie has completely stripped down.] Elie: OK! I'm ready, Teacher-- Dadis (sweatdropping): Uh... Um... (sweatdrop) [Dadis is very hesitant, but he begins applying the paint.] Elie: ...heh. Ah ha ha!... KYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Dadis: Wha...what're you...! (sweatdrop) Hold still! Elie: B-But...I'm ticklishhhh-- [Rena and Senia watch with notepads in hand, exasperated.] Senia: (*sigh*...) Rena: Aye yai yai... (sweatdrop) Elie: Wah-- Ha ha-- Ha...haha!!-- [The boys listen from outside. Blade leans against the door, impatient, and Wyn lies keeled over, kerchief to his nose.] Wyn (thinking): I think I'm going to die of blood loss... Blade: Female nudity......what a joke. pg. 9 [Elie is all painted up.] Dadis: All right. Done. Elie (thinking): Hmmm... (It's already fading...) Elie: In that case, I'll test it out right away, Teacher! [Elie starts to chant...] Dadis: WAAAAAAAAAAA-- WAIT, WAIT!! Even I don't know what kind of effects this'll have yet! Dadis (thinking): And I don't want my lab to be destroyed again... (sweatdrop) Dadis: Let's test it outside. [They open the classroom door (after getting Elie dressed, of course) to find Blade asleep and snoring and Wyn passed out in a pool of blood.] Senia: WAA-- What!? You guys... (sweatdrop) pg. 10 [Outside...] Dadis: --...... Now, then, Elie...now that it's all right, cast some magic. Elie: OK! [chanting] FLAME! [Elie's spell produces a gigantic fireball.] Elie: HUH? Wh......oa...! Elie (thinking): A...awesome! [Unfortunately, the ball of flame arcs over...] Elie (thinking): !? (What's it...? (sweatdrop)) [...and smashes into the roof of Dadis's lab. The professor is slack- jawed speechless.] pg. 11 [Dadis's roof burns.] Dadis: IDIOT--!! Didn't you think about the direction in which you were casting that spell?-- Elie (sweatdropping): Sorrrryyyy... But I didn't know what kind of effects it would have... Voice: Looks like you're in a pickle, Sir Dadis! Dadis: Huh? [Glen, the school's old talent scout last seen in Chapter/Lesson 3, arrives.] Glen: Here we go! [Glen magically extinguishes the flames with a wave of his broom.] Wyn (amazed): The flames...in an instant... Wyn (thinking): That old man...who on earth is... Elie: GRANDPA GLEN!! Wyn: Eh? Glen: Ho, ho, ho! I'm glad to see you in such high spirits! [Note: again, to clarify, Glen is not Elie's (or anyone else in the cast's) real grandfather; it's just an affectionate nickname.] pg. 12 Wyn (surprised, to Elie): He's an acquaintance of yours!? Elie: Mm! Grandpa Glen scouted us out and got us enrolled in the school! Wyn: Really?...I had to take a formal entrance exam, but I guess some people got in that way too, huh? Blade: IT'S _NOT FAIR_! YOU _BAS-- Glen: Now, now. No matter how you got in, you're all blossoming into fine magicians. It won't do to quarrel. By the way, Elie, how's Iyen for you? Student life treating you well, I trust? Elie (thinking): Grandpa... pg. 13 [Flashback to when Elie & Glen first met. They're walking in the forest during a light rainshower, and Glen covers Elie with his cape.] Glen (in flashback): Elie. Do you like Althena? Elie (in flashback): Yes, I like her. She's the one who makes our village thrive. Glen (in flashback): Mmm...and that's good, isn't it? The powers we wield are bestowed on us by her. Therefore, we should love these powers as we love Althena. You'd do well to believe more in yourself. Elie (in flashback): So it's OK.........if I fly? pg. 14 Glen (in flashback): Of course! [In the present, Elie grins.] Elie: Yeah, Grandpa! I've been able to make lots of friends, and I'm happy every day! Glen: Really? I'm glad. [Wyn approaches Glen.] Wyn: Um......Glen-san? Are you a teacher here too? If so, what subject do you... Glen: (Ho, ho...) No, I'm not a teacher. My subject is... ! Hm? [Glen's eyes narrow.] Glen: It's true... You _are_ the one! That barrier before... Wyn: Huh? pg. 15 [Dadis approaches Glen.] Dadis: Eh......Sir Glen, if you have no business in particular to attend to here, would it be all right if we continued with our lesson? Glen: Mm? Ahhhh - of course. I just came to check up on the children. Which reminds me, Elie, how have your flying abilities progressed? How about a demonstration? Elie (eagerly): Would that be all right, Master Dadis? Dadis (bewildered): Ahhh...I suppose... [Elie closes her eyes and blissfully, effortlessly ascends.] Glen: ...... You over there, young man. Wyn: Y...yes?? Glen: Look closely. Wyn: ? pg. 16 [Wyn does as requested. After a bit, his eyes widen in an epiphany...] Wyn (thinking): AH!! Glen: Realized it, have you? Wyn: ......Yes. Wyn (thinking): --...Now that I think about it... pg. 17 Wyn (thinking): Elie-san doesn't need to use a spell to fly. But magic that doesn't require spells to cast shouldn't exist-- Glen: Young man - your name? Wyn: It's Wyn. [To Elie, in mid-air.] Elie (thinking): My body's so light... I wonder if I can reach up to the tops of those clouds... [Suddenly, Elie sees the trail of a...cape?] Glen: Wyn! Clear your mind and concentrate. [Elie sees...the witch Barua floating in the air before her.] pg. 18 Glen: Very soon, [Glen and Wyn both peer into the sky.] Glen: a storm is coming. Elie: ...Who are you?! pg. 19 [A cute between-chapters, full-page pic of an annoyed Rena applying make-up magic pigment to Wyn's face. Rena is saying "Keep still!", and Wyn is saying "Yes, yes!"] pg. 20 LESSON 6: THE MAGIC-RACE WOMAN AND FATE SET IN MOTION [Down on the ground. Everyone anxiously looks up to the sky.] Rena: ......Elie. She's disappeared, hasn't she. Blade: Looks like she got carried away! (*huff*) Wyn: ...But it's not good to go too high up in the sky. Rena: Why? Wyn: Well... Dadis: (Sir Glen...) Glen: (Mmmm...) Glen (thinking): Elie... pg. 21 [Back to Elie & Barua.] Barua: You're the one, aren't you? The girl my familiar told me about. Elie (angered): My name's not "you"! It's Elie! What are you!? How did you get up here in the sky!? Barua: ? What do you mean? It's natural to be able to fly - for the magic race. Elie (thinking): She--!? But she looks just like a human! MAGIC RACE!? pg. 22 Barua: "Elie"...wasn't it? Being inside the barrier doesn't affect you at all... Elie: "Barrier"?... [Elie looks down at (the now very tiny, from her perspective) island of Iyen.] Elie (thinking): That's right - Iyen's surrounded by a barrier to prevent monsters from entering... I'm outside the barrier here? Barua (smiling): (Heh...) ...I see. You're a HALF-BREED, aren't you? pg. 23 [Elie is taken aback.] Elie (thinking): Half-breed? Elie: ...What? Barua: Oh? You don't know? About your true bloodline... Elie (thinking): No...! I can't listen to her! She's of the magic race! pg. 24 Elie (chanting): Flame...!! Elie (thinking): I must defeat the magic race! [...But Barua arrests Elie's hand and approaches her.] Barua: Hm, hm... How bold... Quite strong, your magic power... [Barua releases Elie's hand.] pg. 25 Barua: Some other time, then... I'll come back to see you again. [Barua flutters her cape and knocks Elie off balance.] Elie: WAH--! Barua: My name is Barua. Elie (thinking): _!_ Barua: You'd do well to remember that. [Elie blacks out.] pg. 26 [Darkness. We see a tired, somewhat sad middle-aged woman sitting in a chair, her back turned to us.] Child Elie: Mother. I... Is it all right if I go to the magic school? [Elie's mother is silent.] Child Elie: I want to get stronger. To protect the village from monsters. [Child Elie gets really sad.] Child Elie: --...Mother... It'll leave you all alone, Mother, but... [Elie's mother gets up and lovingly wraps the blanket/cloth on her lap - the cloth that forms Elie's present cape - around her daughter's shoulders. She smiles.] Elie's Mom: I understand, Elie. Become a grand magician like your father. But be sure to come back, all right? pg. 27 Child Elie: Mother! [Child Elie buries her face in her mother's arms and closes her eyes.] Present Elie (thinking): ......Father. He had already died by the time I was born. All I know about him has come from my mother's stories. My father... [Suddenly, all returns to darkness, and Elie finds herself in her present form.] Elie: ! Barua: Some other time, then. I'll come back. Half-breed. pg. 28 [Elie's (real-world) eyes shoot open.] Senia: Oh! Her eyes opened! Rena: What a relief! Elie! Are you OK? [Elie sits up; she finds herself in bed in the nurse's office.] Rena: You suddenly fell from the sky! We were shocked!! (Again... (*huff*)) If Wyn hadn't cushioned your fall with his magic, it would've been horrible! Right, Wyn? Wyn: Um....um...uh, well... Blade (angrily): By the _way_, *I* was the one who carried you back here! Dadis (hand on chin, thinking): I'll have to study and refine that make-up magic... (Its effects are too potent...) Elie (thinking): --...Everyone...-- pg. 29 [Emma comes in.] Emma (smiling): Now, now, everyone, give her some room. She may have come to, but her magic power was depleted very quickly, so let her get some rest, OK? Rena: Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry, Elie. Elie (serenely smiling): Naah... I'm the one who's sorry... for making you all worry. [Rena sadly pauses, then cheerfully goes back to Elie and slaps her on the shoulder.] Rena: C'MOOOOONNN! WHAT'RE YA SAYING!? If _that's_ how you feel, then make sure you get your spirits up soon for us, OK? OK! Later, then, Elie! [Everyone leaves. Elie suddenly grasps at her covers.] pg. 30 [Outside, the group meets up with...] Rena: ! Hey! Grandpa! Glen: How is she doing? Elie, I mean... Rena: She just came to now! (But she's worn out, so she can't strain herself!) Glen: Is that so... well, in a little bit, I'll go visit her, then! [To the nurse's room.] Emma: All that happened to you, Elie... blacking out and falling...... it's no small thing...it didn't just happen, did it... [Elie looks downcast.] Emma: What happened up there, Elie? [Elie clutches at her blankets again. Outside the door, Glen listens.] Elie: ......... A magic-race... pg. 31 Elie: ...called Barua... ..she was magic-race... [Both Emma and Glen freeze in shock.] Emma: Is...Is that true!? Elie! [But Elie collapses.] Emma: ...... ...I'm sorry. Sleep well, OK... [Elie's eyes are open under the covers.] Elie (thinking): Her purpose... Barua (in Elie's memory): You're the one, aren't you? Elie (thinking): I wasn't mistaken... [Glen walks away.] pg. 32 [Elie closes her eyes.] Barua (in Elie's memory): You don't know? Elie (thinking): I don't know. Barua (in Elie's memory): About your true bloodline... Elie (thinking): I don't want to know! [Now outside, Glen looks up at the sky.] Glen (thinking): Has she finally come?... BARUA!... [At Barua's castle...] Barua: Idol! pg. 33 [Idol, a red-haired, middle-aged magic-race man, materializes and kneels before Barua.] Idol: --...Here I am. Barua: All the pieces in our plan to capture Iyen have fallen into place. We'll soon be able to move out. Idol: --...But what of the new creator of the barrier? We should exercise a bit more caution... Barua (grinning): So we'll attack now! The successor is born when the predecessor's power wanes. Neither's power is at full strength at present! [Barua's cheeks flash red with anger as she turns inward.] Barua (thinking): --That's right... [Barua recalls a fight between her and a young Glen, Glen successfully holding her off.] Barua (thinking): Now, it would be nothing to attack that man...or greater targets. Barua: --...For this job, you're the perfect choice. Idol (looking down): ......... Barua: Your unique position is very advantageous in a situation like this, is it not? pg. 35 [Back at Iyen, Wyn is studying frantically and intently in the library.] Glen: Quite the devoted student, hmm? [Noticing Glen behind him, an unsettled Wyn abruptly shuts his book.] Glen: What are you researching? Wyn: No...nothing in particular. Glen: ......Elie seems to have met a magic-race in the sky. pg. 36 Wyn: ......... Glen-san, why are you telling no one but me these things? Glen: Your heart is troubled, is it? Wyn (panicked): ...Wh......? [Glen takes Wyn's hand.] Glen: You must succeed me. [Wyn begins to see visions of an island (Iyen? Vheen/Vane?), crashing and crumbling into the ocean, an overview of the school...] Glen: The school and Iyen - pg. 37 Glen: It is your destiny to protect them from attack. ...And on top of that... Wyn: ...S... STOP, PLEASE!!-- [Wyn breaks Glen's grip.] Wyn: "DESTINY"..... HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!! I'm just...... I only want to live life with everyone else, as a student, like I have up to now... [Wyn covers his face with his hands, gathers his books...] Wyn: Please excuse me. [...and scurries away.] pg. 38 Glen (thinking): Has nothing to do with you...does it? Glen *sigh*... Steel (appearing from behind): Just a little bit too hasty, hmmm? Glen: ! Steel--um, Headmaster, sir! Steel (smiling): Steel is fine - Teacher. That boy is still a child. [Yes, I know it's redundant, but it's what Steel says.] Steel: He has to be set straight and have things explained to him... Glen: Mm... (sweatdrop) I know. That was my intention, but - I heard Elie utter the name "Barua", and I've been a bit upset since then...as he seems to be... Steel (shocked): Barua!? pg. 39 [We see an old mural of Barua before an army of monsters.] Steel (thinking): Barua... She whom they say once made the whole of Lunar tremble... The legendary witch--... Steel: Really...is that so? This situation must be tended to immediately! ...For the children... FOR THEIR FUTURE'S SAKE! pg. 40 [Night. Elie is staring out her window.] Rena: Elie... Can't sleep? Elie: ...N...nah... I'm just a little... Rena (holding pillow): Elie. All right if I come over there? Elie: Huh? Yeah. It's OK. pg. 41 [Rena lies down next to Elie. Both are wide-eyed and awake.] Rena: Elie... Elie: Hm? Rena: If... you have anything that's on your mind... say something...anything, OK? Elie (shocked): ! Elie (thinking): Rena... [Elie starts to cry.] Elie: ...... Rena: Because I'm always by your side - right? [Elie turns over, her back to Rena.] Rena: E...Elie? [Elie buries herself in the pillow and covers.] Rena: I'm sorry, Elie. Did I say something wrong? Elie (narrating): ...On Iyen, at night, pg. 42 [Elie sits up in her bed and smiles.] Elie: Nah... I'm sorry... Rena (smiling): I'm glad... Well, then, let's promise! [Elie and Rena close their eyes and touch fingertips and palms.] Elie & Rena: We swear by Althena's name. Elie (narrating): the sound of the waves quietly echoes throughout the island. [We see Wyn, hair down, up studying, Blade sprawled out snoring, and Senia sleeping snugly...] Elie (narrating): At this time, that those comforting sounds would eventually abandon us - [...and Elie and Rena, side by side, fast asleep.] Elie (narrating): we never even dreamed. pg. 43 LESSON 7: THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND VISITING NIGHTMARES Voice: Guardian! You shall cast a barrier and seal away my power. Young Glen: ! But that will... Voice: Do you have something to add, _human_?... Young Glen: Blue Dragon... [We see that young Glen (the version that was battling Barua before) is speaking to the Blue Dragon in his lair.] Blue Dragon: The White Dragon, the Red Dragon, the Black Dragon...they have all already entered into sleep. Only I remain--... pg. 44 [We see an overview of the land - war-torn, barren, devoid of life.] Blue Dragon: I do not wish to see Lunar in such a piteous state. [Glen pauses, then bows his head.] Young Glen: ......I understand. Glen (thinking): --...But then, in this case...-- pg. 45 [Outside, young Glen chants and casts a spell.] Young Glen: Goddess Althena. In your name... [A huge pillar of light, similar to the one Wyn generated in Lesson 3, surges up from the land.] Glen (thinking): In this case, there is no other solution...-- pg. 46 [We see the present Glen alone in a large, temple-like room before an orb of light, deep in thought.] Glen (thinking): That decision back then was never a mistake. [He thinks of a joyful Elie, Rena, and Senia studying make-up magic.] Glen (thinking): The children's smiling faces - the barrier is what allows them to fill this island... Wyn (in Glen's memory): This has nothing to do with me! Glen: (*huff*) An old man like me... Glen (thinking): My power is leaving me. pg. 47 Glen (thinking): how much longer do I have... [In Dadis's class, outside (a continuation of the scene in Glen's memory/ thoughts, actually - is he psychic?) - Rena is looking at her application of make-up magic in the mirror and is unsure of the results.] Rena: Mmmmm~~~~~ NOOOOOOO--!! It looks funny! I can't walk OUTSIDE like this! UGGGGGHHH--!! Senia: It'll fade away anyhow, so what's the big deal? All you have to do to get the power boost is put paint on just your face - it's not THAT bad! (*huff*) [Rena, agitated and looking for a target for her wrath now, singles out Blade and Wyn, who're simultaneously drawing the make-up magic patterns on each other's faces (not all that successfully...).] Rena: _Hey, you two over there--!!_ _Don't go all weird on us, OK!?_ Blade (agitated himself): SHUDDAP!! We're not going to do something just because _you_ say so--! (*stress*) Wyn (recoiling): WAAAA--Blade-san! Please don't draw the wrong lines on me! [A weary Elie watches all of this with a blissfully contented smile.] pg. 48 [Scene switch to outside - Dadis appears before them, speaking to them all.] Dadis: Now, then, all of you! Since your magic power has been amplified, you now might be able to use magics that you couldn't before. Try to challenge yourselves, each one of you! [Everyone does so, with happy results all around. Headmaster Steel happily looks through his office window down at the choruses of "wow"s and "cool"s.] Blade: My attack hit rate's up?... (That's great!) Senia: Lucky--!! I can use Cure now! Rena: And I'm _finally_ able to wield attack magics, too! Dadis: Wyn, you already had command of nearly all the elemental magics right from the beginning, right? Your power should increase from now on. Wyn: Yes. [Wyn stands apart from the others, listening to their discoveries glumly.] Rena: Whooaaa! Look, look, Elie! See-- Elie: _Really?_ You finally did it, huh, Rena!? Wyn: ......... pg. 49 [Wyn nervously approaches Elie.] Wyn: Elie-san? How'd you do? Elie (smiling): Eh heh heh. I mastered Cure too! [Wyn's eyes widen, then a look of relief sweeps across his face.] Wyn: Is that...so? Good for you. Rena (joining the others): What're you all fidgety about, Wyn? Wyn: I'm...I'm not fidgety about anything! (sweatdrop) [Suddenly, a flutter of wings, and a feather falls. The trio's attention is arrested.] Wyn: Eh? pg. 50 [The dragon-bird perches itself on a branch directly in front of the group. Senia and Blade join the other three.] Blade (suspiciously/quizzically): ? What's that? Wonder if it wants anything with us... Senia: Huh... Dragon-Bird: ...... Elie. [A look at abject terror and repulsion consumes Elie's face.] Wyn & Rena: ! Dragon-Bird: I've come to meet with you. Elie (thinking): That...that voice! Dragon-Bird: Come...to us! pg. 51 Dragon-Bird: Your place is not here. [A horrid - noise? disruption? - erupts.] Elie (thinking): What...? Elie: ......ugh... Elie (thinking): My head--... Rena: Elie! [Rena desperately grabs Elie's hand.] Rena: What's that? What is it saying that's got you all confused!? (It's just a bird (I think)!) Elie (thinking): ...Rena... [The horrible racket continues.] Blade: !? Up above! [Everyone looks...] Kule: Uwaaaa... Ant: What the heck is that? [...to see Barua appear above.] pg. 52 Barua: Now, Elie, in my hands, you will become our next leader. Senia: ...Wha...what? That woman...... Blade: I can hear her voice loud and clear, even though she's far away! Wyn: That's...a magic-race. Rena: Ma...MAGIC RACE!? What the heck does someone like that want with El-- ? pg. 53 [Elie zooms off towards Barua.] Rena: _Elie!_ Elie (thinking): The magic race can't enter the barrier... Elie (frenzied, to Barua): Don't act so cocky! [Elie begins to cast a spell...] Elie (thinking): Just as long as I don't go outside... Elie: What makes you think I'll-- [Suddenly, Idol, appears before Elie and buffets her back with a wind spell.] Elie: Uwoa-- Ack-- [Elie recovers herself and notices Idol's face.] Elie (thinking): !? Elie: Huh? Elie (thinking): ...That...that person... pg. 54 Barua: (Hm hm...) Looks like you've finally realized it, hm? [Elie once again doubles over, holding her head...] Elie: Ahhhh...uh...uh... [Idol watches. Elie remembers herself as a child on her mother's lap.] Young Elie (in Elie's memory): Tell me about Papa, OK? Barua: It flows in your veins - Elie's Mom (in Elie's memory)): He was a magnificent magician. Barua: - THE BLOOD OF THE MAGIC RACE. [Everyone looks on - Rena concerned for Elie, Wyn aghast at the confirmation of what he already knew, Blade & Senia shocked, Elie horrified.] pg. 55 Ant: Elie is... Rick: ...magic-race? Wyn (solemn): No...she's only half. If she were full-blooded, she wouldn't be able to use healing magic. Senia (frozen in shock): Wyn... You knew... [Rena ignores all this, anxiously focusing only on Elie.] Rena: _ELIE!_ Elie (looking back, thinking): ...Rena... [Elie remembers a funeral procession back in Burg. The townspeople, all shrouded in black, proceed to the graveyard.] pg. 56 Rena (in flashback): How long is this going to go on? This...stuff... Elie (in flashback): Rena... [We see a shot of Burg, several homes destroyed or burned.] Rena (in flashback): The suffering - the destruction - the crying ourselves to sleep at night - I can't stand it! Elie (thinking): No!... Rena (in flashback): I'll never, ever forgive the magic race! Elie (thinking): I'm not one of them--! One of-- Idol: The humans... [Elie looks up, shocked.] pg. 57 Idol: Just as the humans cherish their own world...-- we want to build our own world... isn't that natural? We just want to protect that which is important to us. Elie (thinking): That which is important... [The noise resumes. Elie recalls happy, smiling images of Blade, Wyn, Senia, and then Rena.] Elie (thinking, in shock, teary-eyed): Important... pg. 58 [Elie holds her head.] Elie: Oh... Elie (thinking): I won't give in... Barua: Humans would never accept one of the magic race. Idol: In your heart of hearts... Glen (watching from ground, very nervous): It can't be. Idol: ....you're coming to realize that more and more... [Idol grabs Elie's hand -] Elie (thinking): ! pg. 59 Idol (wincing): ...! [- but reaching into the barrier scorches his forearm. But Idol refocuses himself and, with a burst of energy, drags Elie out of the barrier.] Elie: KYAAAAAAAAAAAA-- Rena: ELIEEEEEE--!! [Elie passes out.] pg. 60 [Idol emotionlessly gathers Elie in his arms. His wounded arms slumps to his side.] Barua: AAAAHAAAHAHAHAHAHA!! Did you hear that, "Guardian of Time"? [Idol looks at Elie.] Barua: By the next time I appear before you, I will be at the peak of my strength! pg. 61 Barua: No "barrier" will be able to protect you any longer... Remember that... [Barua and Idol begin to teleport away with Elie. Rena breaks away from the group and runs toward them.] Rena: WAIT!! ELIE!! [The three teleport off to the horizon. Rena futilely continues to follow...] Wyn: Rena-san! Rena: ELIEEEEEE!! pg. 62 [A dark, dreary day at Dadis's classroom. Elie's seat is empty. Rena watches outside the window, gazing at the rain and black clouds outside; the other students sit around at their tables in sadness or shock.] Ant (sad): ...Elie, a magic-race!... Rick: It's unbelievable... Kule: (Tuh...) To think that I actually spent time in the company of a magic-race... Even now, thinking about it makes me sick. Senia (getting up, enraged): ! Kule-- pg. 63 Kule: Wha...what!? Don't tell me that, deep down, that thought hasn't crossed YOUR mind! You've just kept it to yourself since we found out! Senia (taken aback): No!-- [Ant nervously approaches Kule and tries to pull him away.] Ant: Hey...Kule... Kule (to Senia): Then what? Are you saying that you still consider Elie to be one of us, even now?