Hell Teacher Nube 126

Once, a yukionna fell in love with a human man. But by the time he finally realized his love for her, she died and vanished in the falling snow. But sometimes, love has a strange way of leading two people back...and old memories always die hard...

#126: Reunion with Yukime

70.
(I think this probably is from some Jump cover, don’t quote me on that though…besides, it’s best to think of her happier days before…that…)

71.
Caption: A certain mountain recess in Iwate Prefecture.
(TN: Iwate Prefecture , the second-largest prefecture in Japan outside Hokkaido, is located along the Pacific coast on the northern area of Honshu, in the Touhoku region)
Voice: Hyahhoo!
SFX: Dogyu—n
Gross Hunter: We’ve done it, our third one. It’s because this here is a wildlife sanctuary…even those deer are unprepared!
Glasses Hunter: Look, that fawn seems lonely. Shall we put it down?
SFX: Dogyu—n dogyu—n
Gross Hunter: Hi~~hihihi, mother and child are cordially going to that world!
Glasses Hunter: Feels great~~

72.
Yukime: Nhmhmhm…isn’t that fun?
(TN: Yukime’s “Nhmhmhm” is my attempt to make her giggle, since she goes “kusukusu” which is the onomotopeia for giggling here)
SFX: Pyuu…

73.
Yukime: Well…don’t you want much more fun with me?
Gross Hunter: Guheeh, what? Something fun?
Glasses Hunter: Pu…put it aside, that woman is strange…
SFX: Byuu…
Gross Hunter: Eh?
Glasses Hunter: Waaaa
Yukime: Ahahahaha ahahahahaha…

74.
Voice: Yahoo—
Narrator: Today is Doumori Elementary’s ski school.
(TN: There is something slightly cut off on the scan here since the far right has a pic of Shizuka right behind Kyouko)
Kyouko: Hey, where’s Nube?
Miki: Isn’t it that he didn’t pay his travel expenses and couldn’t come~~?
Man: Ooh
Girl: Cool—
SFX: Za za za
Sign: Advance Course

75.
Nube: Yo. Sorry, sorry, I was looking at the state of the snow up on top.
SFX: Zan!
Kyouko & Miki: Wao!
Kyouko: As expected of a type strong at athletics!
Noriko & Shizuka: Teacher—hurry and teach us!
Nube: Al—right, hold on. It’s a tad hot.
SFX: Nugi! (Strip)
Noriko & Shizuka: Ge!!
Hiroshi: Buy some skiwear; you can’t do this as you normally do. (at least a rental…)
Nube: Well—let’s go—
Miki: He’s wearing a necktie and rolling up his sleeves at a ski resort… (That’s embarrassing--)
Kyouko: Not—really, there was when we went skating.
Noriko: I don’t want to be instructed that much--…

76.
Nube: Th~ere, Sparta Sparta
Sign: Summit
Kyouko: Kya—
Makoto: Wa—
Hiroshi: Hi—

77.
Caption: That confusing night
Sign: Minshuku Kuma-san
(TN: A “minshuku” is a budget ryokan, akin to a bed and breakfast. Usually it’s similar to the experience at a Japanese Ryoukan, but with communal dining with simpler food)
Owner: Well well, you’re hungry. You should have as many servings as needed because we’re filled with rice.
Kyouko: Ya—y.
Owner: ………………
Hiroshi: He—y, and the students’ share--!?
Everyone: Wai wai wai
Voice: It’s terrible—
SFX: Dota dota
Urgent Man: The yukionna has appeared again. She’s hurt Tagosaku of the Young Men’s Association—

78.
Nube: Yukionna!?
Owner: Yes…three days ago, a two-man group of poachers were discovered in a condition of on the verge of freezing to death. Since they were hurt by a yukionna, the young-man’s association of the town has gone out to investigate but…it can’t be there is really…
Kyouko: Nube…
Nube: Yukime…the yukionna that came to like me…
Yukime: I love you, Nueno-sensei…! I want to become human…and live by your side…
Nube: But she violated the law of the Mountain God due to this…and was executed.

79.
Nube: And then she died…no, she returned to snow crystals…it can’t be…that girl…is alive…
Boy: Tagosaku! Hold on~~
Tagosaku: Uuuh, yukionna…
Worker: His frostbite is severe, to the hospital immediately.
Nube: This isn’t Yukime…Yukime can’t do this cruel thing.
Kyouko: Ri…right…

80.
SFX: Gyu
SFX: Gyu
Nube: Even where I first met Yukime was at this ski resort…
Nube: What am I hoping? She’s dead. She is dead.
Hiroshi: At this hour…even the night runs are over and yet…
(TN: “Night run” is actually the Japanese word “Naitaa”, which is akin to a “night game” or a “night activity” under the lights like baseball)
Kyouko: He’s worried after all about Yukime…
Miki: Ke, that effeminate man!
Sign: Forest Course.
SFX: Hyuuu…
Nube: Chi…this snow is blowing violently.

81.
Nube: !
Nube: From within this mountain hut is…a powerful youki.
Voice: Nube
Kyouko, Hiroshi & Miki: It’s cold—
SFX: Dodododo
Nube: Waa—
Nube: Why are you three—
SFX: Dotan bata bata
Nube: We…we’ll talk later! Ge…get inside. Hi—yo…you’ll freeze—
Nube: Uuh…

82.
Yukime: Nueno-sensei!!
Nube: Yu…Yukime-kun!
YUkime: Aah, I’m happy! I’m so happy! I’ve met teacher again…in this!
SFX: HIshi! (Buchu buchu buchu)

83.
Yukime: What’s wrong? You’re expressionless…aren’t you happy?
SFX: Piki…paki…
Nube: I’m freezing.
Nube: Al…although people do a drama that’s serious…
SFX: Pari pari
Yukime: I…I’m sorry. (A bath, a bath)
Nube: Why…hadn’t you contacted if you were alive? I had already given up on you…
Yukime: I…I’m sorry.

84.
Yukime: At that time…I was killed by the envoy of the Mountain God for violating yukionna law.
SFX: Gutsu gutsu
Yukime: And then I returned to snow crystals and went home to the mountain. However, I did somehow break the law but with it being too pitiable, the Mountain God took compassion and returned me to my original form.
Kyouko: He—the Mountain God is unexpectedly a nice guy.
Hiroshi: After he thought you died, Yukime-san, Nube was terrible.
Kyouko: From then on, he would continue to gulp down alcohol used for sterilizations in the school infirmary every day.
Kyouko: Every day, he let his whiskers grow as much as he wanted and put dead fish on his eyes in an absent-minded condition.
Hiroshi: Finally, there was the great uproar when he tried to commit suicide by jumping into the line-drawer on campus.
Nube: If I died—
Yukime: Well

85.
Nube: Shut up, was I really dejected!
Kyouko, Hiroshi & Miki: Ahaha…
Voice: Wa—he’s angry—kya—
SFX: Hahaha…ahaha…
Nube: The children are asleep already.
Yukime: Ufufu, from here will be adult time.
Yukime: Because I’ve laid down a futon for us in the next room.
SFX: Bu—
Nube: Eh, ah…ju…just a moment!
SFX: Shuru…

86.
Nube: Ho…ho…hold on a moment, the students are next door, um…
Yukime: …Teacher.
Yukime: I’ve waited for this moment all along.
Nube: Ah.
Nube: Waa
SFX: Do
Yukime: Let’s love one another.

87.
Yukime: Eternally
SFX: Hyuuuu
Yukime: What’s wrong?
Nube: You’re…not Yukime.
Yukime: Eh? Wh…what are you saying? Why…

88.
Nube: Yukime…
Nube: Yukime…can’t make warm food! She’s always embarrassing me by feeding to me frozen food…
Nube: Who are you! Why have you appeared before me in the form of Yukime!? You were going to kill me now…what exactly…
Yukime: --Right, it’s as it seems. I‘m not Yukime. I just knew with what I heard from the Mountain God about all of you…Yukime is dead. And the Mountain God, whom the snow crystals returned to, regenerated those crystals and created me. But
Yukime: A yukionna who failed by loving a human…the heart of Yukime can’t be regenerated. And I’ve been indoctrinated with a separate personality…it seems.
SFX: Pishi | Paki | Hyuu

89.
Yukime: I have a cruel, true yukionna heart like the legends!
SFX: Byuu!
Nube: !!
Kyouko: Wh…what: it’s cold, Nube.
Miki: Huh~~
Nube: The hut was an illusion…Get up! Run away!
Yukime: You can’t run! I am an ayakashi who kills humans that enter snowy mountains!
(TN: Yukime uses another term for “youkai” here of “ayakashi”, though just uses the kanji “you” as in the one of “youkai”)
Yukime: Die!
Hiroshi: Uwa
Kyouko: Kyaa
SFX: Shuba shuba

90.
Hiroshi: Kyouko! Are you alright!?
Nube: Yukime-san…what’s wrong…?
Nube: Yukime…you’ve truly lost your warm heart…
Yukime: Ara, you’ve finally awakened from your effeminate emotions.
Nube: Namu Daiji Daihi Kyuugu Kyuunan! Oni sealed in my left hand: show your power!
SFX: Bari bari bari
Yukime: Idiot! This is the snowy mountains: the youryoku of a yukionna becomes multiplied by two or three!
SFX: Goo

91.
Kyouko: Nube!!
Hiroshi: This amazing snowstorm: that’s different from what suited the former Yukime-san!
SFX: Byuuuu
Yukime: Hahahahahaha: how is that: you’ll be frozen down to your bone marrow in an instant…
Yukime: !
Yukime: What a spirit power! He’s rejecting my youryoku…!
SFX: Guoooo

92.
Nube: Remember, Yukime! If your body has the crystals of Yukime
Nube: Then your separate crystals should remember your days you spent with me!
Yukime: It’s futile: I’m a different person…
SFX: Gotsu
Yukime: !?
Nube: Oni no Te, transmit to this girl the memories within my heart!
SFX: Bashu

93.
Yukime: What…? This feeling is…warmth…
SFX: Tokun…tokun…
Nube: Remember! Remember it!
Nube: Are you alright? Sorry, humans occasionally do cruel things. I’ll heal you with my spirit power.

94.
Yukime: Thank you…I will never forget this favor in my life…I will continue to love you…certainly…certainly…
Yukime: …Te.
SFX: Hyuuu
Yukime: Teacher…? Ah…aha…teacher?
Yukime: Teacher…

95.
Yukime: Teacher……

96.
Yukime: Nueno-sensei!!
SFX: Ba
Nube: !

97.
Yukime: Stop! I can’t know you! I am a yukionna! The warmth of a human…
Nube: Yukime!
Voice: Yukime…you can’t get close to that human.
Yukime: Mountain God…
Mountain God: He will deceive you. Return to the mountain.
Yukime: Ye…yes!
SFX: Byuoo
Nube: Yukime---!!
Nube: That girl is Yukime…even if she has a new heart inserted in her, there remains the heart of the Yukime of long ago in the separate snow crystals that make up that girl’s body…I’m certain someday that those memories will return that girl to the former Yukime.

98.
Voice: Nube, will you stay here and search for Yukime-san?
Nube: No…that girl wont’ appear at this mountain anymore. Further, she won’t hurt humans anymore in this state.
Nube: I’ll wait for her memories to return and for her to return to Doumori town.
Nube: I’m certain…
Nube: She’ll come home…

TN: So...I guess this makes Yukime "back"...but in a way...not quite. Sure her memories are restored...but there are still a lot of things that have to be explained before she is fully back in action...if she ever is. (yeah, she will be...it's Yukime) This is a peculiar chapter that sort of takes the whole Nube/Yukime storyline and continues it, but does so by throwing in a few new peculiar twists within it. In this case, not only has the Mountain God restored the yukionna, but has made her strangely more powerful and, for a while, almost forgetting everything that made her...her. It is a unique idea that Yukime would be reborn as a "true" Yukionna (complete with the "luring males into her hut to kill them" as opposed to "falling in love and then trying to freeze the male thinking it's yukionna love like the first time") and it does bring a lot of drama into it. But how the drama is portrayed...does somewhat get a bit on the melodramatic side. To tell the truth, the whole "readaptation of the memory of Nube and Yukime's first meeting" disturbed me compared to it's original portrayal back in vol. 4. Then, it was simply Nube helping a young yukionna out of concern and her assuming it's love leading to what happened all those years later. Now...it's turned into some sort of cheesy lover's embrace where...well, I just wonder if it's less "the truth" and more "Yukime's memory gets more obsessive with each time she remembers the initial incident". It didn't take away from the chapter and didn't take away from the continuing storyline but it did get on my nerves seeing the "embracing" scene at that one point. On the other hand, the one page with Nube's "ski lesson" for his students...is probably one of the funniest pages in the entire series. (if only for "chibi Kyouko rolling down in a snowball" and "Nube skis down with no problems") Sure it was mostly set-up prior to the whole angst of the Yukime reunion but...more of that is to come in the future obviously with her back in the scene.