Mushishi 33

For J.A.C and Ivory. ^^

Page 97:

Far away...

Is the sound of thunder.

When I see that light, my heart pounds with excitement.

Page 98:

Come on...

Come here!

Box: The base of the lightning.

Page 99:

I'm sorry....

I'm so sorry, mother!

SFX from top to bottom: Waaah!

Uwaaah!

*sniff*

Waaah

*sniff*

*sniff*

*sob*

Page 100:

-Mother,

I'm scared!
Help me!!

Mother!!

Page 101:

...Is that it?

Hm?

-What on earth
is that tree...?

Page 102:

I mean, did lighting strike there several times...?

You must be worried, right?

I thought that maybe something was causing it to be struck by lighting.

...."causing it"?
What do you mean?

Certainly, that tree is tall. But it's not the tallest in the area.

So if it's that tree that always gets struck by lightning,

It could be caused by something else, an additional factor.

Page 103:

For example,

There could be things such as mushi there.

Mushi...?

Yes.

I'm a Mushishi, called Ginko.

Is it okay with you if I looked at the tree in your garden?

Please wait here.

I'll go ask my husband...

Page 104:

There aren't any Mus-hi in this tree.

That means it could be...

Has there been anyone in your household who has been hit by lightning?

Please come in,
Reki.

Page 105:

So,

Can you show me your stomach?

It's here...!

When lightning's close by, does your bellybutton feel hot?

Page 106:

When was he struck by lightning?

....The first time was 5 years ago, under that tree...

After that...It happened another 3 times...

As you suspected, every single time was under that tree.

Yet he's safe and well.

....Yes...

I see.

As I thought, this is...

the work of a Mushi.

Page 107:

...Huh?

They're a mushi called Shouraishi.
[Tn: The Kanji means "invite", "lightning" and "child"]

Normally, they only exist in the atmosphere, and live by eating lighting.

But occasionally, when the lighting strikes towards the ground, the larva fall to earth along with it.

When that happens, the larva can't return to the sky by themselves.
So they enter the cavities of nearby trees.

But if a person's around, they enter their body through the belly button, and hide themselves away.

Also, they release electricity from inside the host's body, which attract the lightning to them.

Then they eat the lighting, and await a time when they can sprout wings.

I see...

Page 108:

Since the Shouraishi consume lightning,

it's pretty rare for a host to die from a single strike.

However, if the host is struck numerous times, they won't survive.

That mushi has no concern for it's hosts safety. It only cares about eating the lighting and staying in its hole.

...We've tried sheltering underground,

but he won't listen to what we say...

There is something we can do to get Shouraishi out of his body.

We can infuse his umbilical cord with medicine then attach it to his bellybutton.

Page 109:

May we use it?

...But...

I wonder where I put it...

SHINO!

Why don't you know where it is?
[Tn: In Japan, it's usual for the last few inches of the umbilical cord to be kept and dried, usually in a lacquered box somewhere very safe.]

Reki could be in danger...

We need to find it soon.

Yes...

I understand.

I'm fine as I am.

Page 110:

Reki...

Go wait in your room.

I'm sorry. We should have it somewhere.

Please just wait a moment.

Page 111:

Well then, I need to get to work.

Please forgive me for asking,

But are those two really mother and child?

Yes.

The truth is, my wife doesn't have very good maternal instincts.

But that child,
is definitely the product of her labor.

Page 112:

....Mother!

Mother!

Help me...!
I don't want to marry that man!

Isn't there...
someone else he can marry?

Page 113:

...Mother

Mother...!

...Shino!!

What on earth were you planning!?

I don't want to give birth...

Page 114:

I'm sure I won't
love this child...

Page 116:

...Come inside.

It's dangerous.

Reki-

Page 118:

What do you see-?

Page 119:

Clouds.

How are they?

Looking like they'll turn into thunderclouds?

Nope.

I see-

It's nice weather, isn't it?

You...

Do you always go looking for thunderclouds?

...Yeah.

Page 120:

Why do you run away from the lightning?

Aren't you scared?

....I'm scared.

But I like it.

It's amazingly powerful!

And amazingly beautiful!

Page 121:

Neither Father or Mother...

look at me.

Lightning,

looks straight at me.

But

At this rate, you're not going to survive for much longer.

So?

From the start,

I shouldn't have been born...

Page 122:

...Have you found it?

It's...

somewhere...

I'm sure...

I just got careless and threw it out at some point.

Page 123:

Well, that's not the only thing we can do.

We could open him up and pull it out.

But, I don't think your son would like us to do that.

....That boy is...
angry

at me.

That's why he calls down the lightning in front of us.

He wants to punish his mother.

Page 124:

It serves me right.

We may be mother and child, but we never show any affection or love towards each other.

But...

I don't know what I should do...

to make him love me.

What you should do, huh...

Page 125:

-"He's trying to punish his mother"

I guess he is.

That must be why he's always climbing that tree,

he's trying to call the lighting down.

Oi, Nii-san!

You'd better not go anywhere near that tree!

It's always getting struck by lightning.

Hm?
Yeah, I know.

But it should be okay since it's a nice day, right?

Page 126:

The clouds are coming out.

Around here, the clouds can become stormy very quickly.
Be careful, alright?

Oi, we're going!

Yeah.

Kuwabara Kuwabara.
[Tn: Superstitious Japanese people used to recite this to avoid being hit by lightning.

Page 127:

This is...

Page 128:

Why does he wait up in that tree for the lightning?

Did you ever ask him that?

...I don't need to. I already know.

...Have you ever thought of it this way?

Page 129:

That tree is...

the best place for him to make sure the lightning doesn't fall on anyone but himself.

It's far enough from your house,
so it won't get damaged in a storm.

Not just that,
he can clearly watch over the house and know everything's fine.

Also, all the local villagers know to stay clear of that tree in a storm.

Page 130:

You...

never thought of it that way before, did you...?

-He

still hasn't come back yet.

Page 131:

Do you know where he might have gone?

...No...

He'll have gone someplace to keep the lightning from hitting here.

Are there any other places where he could call the lightning to him easily?

A wide, open place without any people nearby.

There's a field, outside the village...

Let's go!

We have to stop him.

What are you doing?

You're coming too.

Page 132:

That boy won't listen to what I say...

How are we supposed to stop him if you don't come?

You have to come. For him.

Page 133:

-Come back home.

...Why should I?

Page 134:

You could die here!

I...

don't care.

....Oi!

Say what he needs to hear!

Tell him "I want you to live"

Tell him!

Page 135:

...I don't feel that way.

No matter what I do,

I don't feel like that...

Page 136:

Mothe...?

In that case,

Let's die together.

...I'm sure next time...

Page 137:

You'll be born to a mother,

Who will love her children-

Page 139:

...He protected

you...

-yes.

And after that...

you still...?

...I don't know...

Page 140:

Bug: *schloop*

Hm?

Page 141:

After that,

I was told the boy went to live with relatives.

Page 142:

It was...
The only way for that boy to survive.

Base of the Lightning / End.