Galaxy Express 999 33

GE999 ch33


p209
Next stop: the planet that was singing a ballad of days gone by....
It will last 7.6 hours and 22 seconds...

What a weird name for a planet!!!
People there are strange too.

If we're getting near, why can't I see it?
It's hidden behind a dark gas cloud.

What's this noise?

The planet is singing a ballad of days gone by...
Ah! There it is! What a weird shape!!


p210-211
This whistle is produced by space wind going through the holes on its surface.
It really feels like the planet is singing!!
33rd stop
The Ballad of the Skeleton


p212
[nada]


p213
What a nostalgic tune!!!
Yes, Tetsurou!!!


p214
!!

Here's the Galaxy Express 999. I'm gonna try to sell my eggs.

What a really nice station!
Once, there was a beautiful one on Earth too.


p215
There are lots of apartments and hotels.

And the holes desert is just right after...

What kind of people live here?

Hoshino Tetsurou and Maetel, you will get room 888 right at the bottom.
Thank you.

Ah! Don't buy anything from peddlers.
Alright!!!


p216
It's been a while I haven't sleep in a real bed.

I'm going to take a shower.
Just get some rest meanwhile.
Shoot, the TV is broken!

Wow! We have the room at the far end!!

This landscape is depressing: there are only endless holes!!


p217
Buy some eggs from me!


p218
Eggs?

Yes, eggs freshly laid by my chickens.

Eggs...

What is it, Tetsurou?
Err... no, nothing!

I'm going to run some errands. You can take a good bath when I'll be out.
Ok!

Come back later!
When?

In about 20 minutes!!!
Roger!!!


p219
You seem quite happy, Tetsurou.

I'm going to have some long chat with someone. Don't wait for me and go to bed.

...

Good eggs!

Is it good?
Yes, yes!


p220
I'm coming then!

You're coming to my room?

Shoot, the guy at the reception said I shouldn't deal with peddlers...
But well, it's only about eggs after all...

Please open!
Coming, coming!!!

How much do you want? They're all natural, so really cheap.
I'll sell each egg for 10 yens.
It's really cheap for such beautiful eggs.

My chickens are laying the best of the whole space.

I'll take 10.


p221
I only have coins that the Galaxy Express Railways company gave me. Will one do it?
In this case, I'll give you 20.

The water in this hotel is really hot, you can cook them directly in it.
Perfect!!!!

I'm going to do soft-boiled eggs with half of them.

Hmm... It's going to be delicious!!!

Do you want some tea?
With pleasure!!!

I'm Hoshino Tetsurou and I'm from the Earth!
My name is Horo-Horo. I don't have any family and I live alone.

Are you only raising chickens?

No, I also have some cows, some fishes, a cat, some pigs and some turtles.


p222
When I'll have enough money, I'd like to get my friend back, she's working on some other planet...

We live together for a while, but one day, she found that life was too hard here and so, she decided to leave.

Is she cute?
Of course!

And kind?

...

She will come back someday, that's why I'm working so hard...

The heater is really hot here. Aren't you hot under this coat?
Are you asking me to take it off?

But you might be surprised...
I don't like to take bath either.


p223
According some studies, even if you don't take bath for three years, there are no bad effect on the body.
Is that so?

I prefer that everyone do as they wish...
After all, prehistoric men were never taking bath.
Really?

!!


p224
Waaah! Waaah! Waaaaaaaaah...!!
What's with you? You're the one who told me to take my coat off!!


p225
Who the hell are you?

I'm Horo-Horo, I'm raising chickens and cows.

Tetsurou!!!
Maetel!!

You've been told not to deal with peddlers!!!!
But... I...

Get out!!
...

You really want to shoot on the hole on my torso...
Where do you think you can hurt me?

Well, then, see you, Tetsurou...


p226
He's a skeleton with a hole on his torso!!
It was really reckless of you, Tetsurou! You shouldn't have invited him, he will cause you trouble...


p227
"Whenever the wind is blowing through the hole in a man's torso... it makes resonate the saddest ballad, a nostalgic melody than only men can hear." -an anonym reader
Who wants some eggs?


p228-229
I didn't think I would eat ramen in this hotel. They're synthetic but delicious!
It's the dish you eat the most cheerfully, Tetsurou!


p230
Oh?
He's throwing the leftovers.

Only that...
Only travellers can eat their fill on this planet...

... Is that's why you've ordered ramens, Maetel?

Those who live here never eat some, they're contenting themselves with simpler dishes...

Please taste my eggs!!!


p231
But some like to enjoy themselves loudly!!!

She's Horo-Horo's former friend who left to get work elsewhere.

Why didn't she tell him about her return?
Why don't you ask her yourself?

What do you want?
It's about Horo-Horo.

Why are you talking about this creep here and now?

She wants to forget about him now...
... They don't belong to the same place. Don't ever say that name ever again in front of us!

Then, why did you come back?
It's only a coincidence if this planet crossed my path... It's the train that brought me here, on my home planet I wish to never see again!!


p232
Back then, I was really poor and I didn't have much of a choice... I couldn't stay with Horo-Horo.
When I left to get work elsewhere, I discovered pleasure. There's not only work in life!!

He couldn't manage to make me happy...
But Horo-Horo is working hard in order to...

I told you not to say that name!!!
...

I just want to tell that woman that Horo-Horo became a skeleton because he waited for her all this time. It's my right, no?
...

We'd better go back to our room, Tetsurou!!!
I can't believe it!!!


p233
Booooohh...
What are you doing, Tetsurou?

I bought all those eggs, so Horo-Horo wouldn't be happy if I don't eat them all.
It's a good deed you're doing.

After swallowing 20 eggs, I feel like a snake.
You will probably make good dreams.

Good night!

It sounds like the wind is lamenting!
It's the planet that is crying...


p234
!!

Tetsurou!!

Horo-Horo!!!!!!


p235
I wonder where is Horo-Horo's house.

He told me that he was raising chickens and pigs...
... So this house should be his.

Hey! Horo-Horo! It's me!!

Waaaaaah!


p236
Help!! I'm gonna be torn apart!!!

Ah! It's you, Tetsurou? I thought it was a thief!

It's dangerous to wander here alone! I'm kinda suspicious, you know.

I wanted to tell you that your girlfriend has come back.
Ah, that...?

You knew already?
I saw her at the hotel entrance yesterday.

She was with a quite charming man... I know already that she is back...
But then, why didn't you say anything?


p237
I recognised her, but for nothing in the world...

I would have wanted to talk to her.

When I was still made of flesh and that blood was flowing in me, the bones of my torso were still all there.

But I've lost one at each of her betrayals. So much that I only have one left now...

That's why I have this gaping hole in my chest.

The bones I've lost will never come back!

I try to forget all this pain provided by my work... and when I can't do it, the only way to prevent this melancholy is to kill people, then to turn them into skeleton.


p238
But why are you doing that?

Look!

Waaah!

But now that you've discovered everything...
I must turn you into a skeleton too, Tetsurou!!!!

...


p239
[nada]


p240
Are you alright, Tetsurou? Wake up!!
????

Get ready, we have to leave now!!!
Are we running away?


p241
Horo-Horo brought you here, but he took your shoes...
So there are your footsteps everywhere on the crime scene...

!!

Did Horo-horo do that?
Probably, his heart was deeply hurt. That's why he had a hole on his chest.

I get it. He held back since he lost his last bone on his chest...
Maybe it's better this way...

... But I don't want to be accused of murder!!!
If we made it to the train on time, it will be alright. The Galaxy Express isn't under the police jurisdiction.


p242
On this planet, Tetsurou, you will always be guilty of murder...!

If you can't bear with it, you won't have any other choice but to catch Horo-Horo and hand him to the police.

...

I don't care if they think of me as a murderer!!!
Since I know I'm innocent, I will still have a clear conscience.

It doesn't bother you?
Not at all. As long as it has been useful to Horo-Horo!!!

And if it makes one tiny bit of bone to grow back on his chest, then I'm ready to frame as an assassin or anything!!


p243
Thank you, Tetsurou!!
I'm glad I've met someone on whom I can rely in this world.

But even with this feeling, my face will never show any smile or tears!!!!

I would've preferred to have met you when I was still made of flesh...
With a friend like you, I would probably haven't lost all the bones on my chest...

But it's too late now...


p244
It sounds like Horo-Horo's cries!
Yes, the holes of this planet are like the ones on his chest... Nothing will ever fill them again...

No matter the place where they travel to, men often hear faraway planet's lamentations deep in their heart. People says that it was Horo-Horo's tears, the skeleton who suffered from betrayal. They also say that only men can hear the ballad sung by the wind...