Are You Alice? 4

For Fateful Encounters & Scarlet Carnival

==========

1.

Woman: Hey…is it okay if you don’t go home?

Box: The Cheshire Cat’s fate.

Woman: Won’t your lovely mistress be worried?

Cheshire Cat: And who is my mistress?

Woman: Don’t play dumb. // You’re the Cheshire Cat. / You’re “The Duchess’s Pet Cat” aren’t you?

Cheshire Cat: …..

Woman: That’s why you can only stay here one night… / No matter how much you struggle, I can’t become your mistress…

2.

Woman: It really is awful… / A life in which you’re bound by your name. // Even though I love you so much, you’ll forget everything when tomorrow comes…

Cheshire Cat: That’s right…

SFX: ring ring

Girl: Cheshire Cat…

3.

Text:
Are you going
that way?
Or are you…

4.

SFX [bubbles] tick tock

SFX [near Hatter] sip

SFX: creak

SFX: crash

Alice: Gyaaah!

5.

Alice: Ahh! // What are these? / Hats? // You don’t seem to be serious about selling…

SFX: click

Hatter: That’s because the shop’s closed…

Alice: Ah…

6.

Alice: Anyway, do I have to // kill the white rabbit? // Will I be punished by the Queen if he finds out I’m slacking off?

Hatter: Before you kill the white rabbit, find the mouse.

Alice: The mouse?

7.

Hatter: The rabbit hides in his burrow all day, so we don’t know where he is. // That’s why the dormouse’s power is necessary. / The dormouse is the only informant in Wonderland.

Alice: What…? // A rabbit and a dormouse, what’s next…a cat? / This country’s pretty fancy. Hey…

Hatter: Don’t talk about cats.

Alice: Why not?

Hatter: Don’t ask me questions.

Alice: What a pain…

8.

SFX [bubbles] tick tock

Alice: Well? // When are we going to look for the dormouse?

Hatter: When teatime is over.

In panel: It’s only just gone 6.

Alice: Ah… // When the hell is it going to be over?

Queen: You’re the only one I can ask, / Alice.

Alice: Kill the white rabbit… / huh?

SFX: click

9.

Text: If I’ll find a place for myself that way…

10.

SFX: look up

11.

Cheshire Cat: Will you be treating yourself to roast cat for dinner tonight? / White Rabbit

In panel: I don’t particularly recommend steaming me…

White Rabbit: Oh…it’s you. // Just when I thought there was a guest.

12.

Cheshire Cat: If I’m going to get a rough welcome, then I’d rather not be treated as a guest.

SFX: clang

White Rabbit: I hate cats that haven’t been trained. / Aren’t you begging the wrong person for food? // What happened to your dear mistress?

Cheshire Cat: Hmm… // She was eaten by my master.

White Rabbit: …I see. // In consideration of the poor cat which has forgotten its instinct to hunt for food, / I’ll invite you to dinner tonight.

13.

White Rabbit: If you don’t mind having the scraps, like a stray cat would. // Alright?

Cheshire Cat: Thank you. / For once I’ll be able to have a splendid meal.

--

Cheshire Cat: I always thought it was a waste. / The food and wine that you prepare for her everyday… // she can’t eat or drink it anyway.

14.

White Rabbit: What do you want?

Cheshire Cat: I came to see Alice. // The current Alice is very lovely. // He’s honest.

In panel: And easily fooled…

White Rabbit: … / He’s different…he’s not Alice! // He got lost here by himself!

15.

Cheshire Cat: Is that so? / Then why did he call himself Alice? // Someone who’s not Alice calling themselves Alice…

White Rabbit: Don’t play dumb, Cheshire Cat. // It was because you gave him that name.

Cheshire Cat: That’s ridiculous. / You know this too. I’m just a powerless pet cat. [I don’t have a name either.] // What on earth are you so worried about?

White Rabbit: …

16.

White Rabbit: Hmph…fine. / We’ll be saying goodbye to him soon anyway. // If you like that fake so much, then prepare his grave. // Even though there’s no name to go on the grave…

Cheshire Cat: Well…do what you like. // You were the one who made this country.

--

Cheshire Cat: I’ll be back, White Rabbit. // Ah~ that’s right. // I came to warn you about something today. // White Rabbit.

17.

今回のアリスちゃんは一味違うよ？／あんまりナメない方がいい
いや　一度くらい舐めてみるといいかな
Cheshire Cat: There’s something different about the current Alice. / You shouldn’t underestimate him too much. // Well, it might be nice to lick him just once.

[Okay, I'm pretty sure that it's supposed to be a pun on the different meanings of "nameru" (to lick, taste, make light of, experience). I got the impression that a different meaning of "nameru" was being used in each of the lines, seeing as the it was written differently in both the lines.]

White Rabbit: Alice…

18.

Alice: Alright, he’s not here.

SFX: bang

Alice: …

19.

SFX: silence

Alice: I didn’t hit it…

SFX: bang bang

Alice: Damn it!

SFX: bang

SFX [bubble] shake

Alice: This is weird… / It was much easier for the Mad Hatter…

20.

Alice: To be honest, I’m more afraid of him / than I am of the regrets…

Queen of Hearts: He’ll make a good partner for you. / He can kill anyone who turns against Alice.

Alice: Even though he said that / I have no idea what he’s thinking…

SFX: click

Alice: ? / Who is it?

SFX [bubble] tap

21.

Fish: Gyo…

Alice: Gyo…? // GYAAAAH!

22.

Alice: W-What are you?! You’re disgusting!

Fish: Telling someone they’re disgusting the first time you meet…what a rude Alice gyo. / I’m unexpectedly smooth and have a good reputation for being quite comfortable!

Alice: And you talked as well!

Fish: I talk because I’m a fish gyo.

Alice: Uwaa!

Fish: My mistress wishes to invite Alice to her home gyo. It’s an honour gyo.

Alice: Uwaa!

Fish: Abandoning his duty and not returning home, he’s a disgrace as a pet. / Even though he was asked to bring Alice. [Thanks to that, I always have to cover for his mistakes.]

Alice: Uwaa!

23.

Fish: Hey!

SFX: grab

Alice: Eh? / Hey… // wait!

SFX: drag

Alice: Mad Hatter! Help me!

Mad Hatter: The tea’s great again today…

24.

Fish: Madam, // I have brought Alice gyo.

Alice: Oww…

25.

Alice: Hey, you bastard! / Doing whatever you want! / Who do you think I am? // Oww…

Girl: Are you Alice?

26.

Girl: You’re a lovely boy. I’m glad to meet you. // I wanted a chance to talk to you.

Alice: Madam…? // However you look at it / she’s a kid… // You were / the one who called me?

Girl: That’s right, is there a problem?

Alice: A problem? Well, I don’t understand…why…

Girl: Why? What for? Alice always says those things. // You’re cute.

Alice: …

27.

Girl: If there’s a problem with the way I said it, I’ll repeat myself…

Fish: Madam, please excuse me gyo.

Girl: Okay, thanks.

SFX: clang

SFX: rattle

Girl: Sit down. / I’ll pour some tea.

Alice: You’re going to pour some tea?

Girl: Of course. / Alice is a special guest.

28.

Girl: Ah…I see. / The Mad Hatter wouldn’t pour tea for you.

Alice: They’re doing stupid things again…

Girl: You shouldn’t say they’re “stupid”. That’s a welcome parade for you.

Alice: For me…?

Girl: That’s right. / Everyone’s been looking forward to this day.

SFX: clatter

Girl: The arrival of Alice in Wonderland.

29.

Alice: Even so, they don’t seem to notice me.

Girl: Well, / that’s because they don’t want anything to do with Alice.

SFX: pour

Alice: Eh?

Girl: Here you go.

Alice: It tastes good…

Girl: I’m glad.

Alice: ? / You’re hurt.

Girl: Eh? / Ah…

30.

Alice: Did you burn yourself or something? / You are a child, after all.

SFX: grab

Girl: That’s…

Alice: Wait a minute.

Girl: …

SFX: gush

SFX: pull

Alice: If you cool it down a little with this, it’ll heal.

Girl: Ah… // Thank you…

31.

Girl: Hey… / Does Alice like Wonderland?

Alice: Well… [Even if you ask…]

Girl: It’s the world you’ll be living in from now on…do you think you’ll be able to like it?

Alice: That’s right… / There’s not much here and everyone’s strange.

In panel: The Mad Hatter, the Queen and the Cat…

Girl: The Cat…

Alice: But…

32.

Text: This is the only place I can be.

Alice: It’s got its good points. // I’ll hurry up and kill the White Rabbit, then I’ll be free to do what I want.

Girl: I see. // As I thought, you’re aiming to be the real Alice.

Alice: No, it’s not like that…

33.

Girl: I don’t really understand Alice. // All the Alices who have been brought to Wonderland have sacrificed many things to become the real Alice.

Text 1: Without being bound by the past, they only thought of moving forward,

Text 2: and abandoned many of the things important to them.

Girl: It’s because you can’t become Alice without doing that.

34.

Girl: Even so, / do you still want to become Alice?

Alice: I…

SFX: rattle

Girl: Oh no! It’s back!

35.

Girl: Please, come here a moment.

SFX: clang

Fish: You called me gyo?

Girl: Hurry, open this door.

Fish: You cannot escape gyo.

Alice: Escape…?

Girl: I won’t run away… / But I can’t let him be involved. Let him out the back door.

Fish: I understand gyo.

36.

Alice: He… / Hey…

Girl: Alice, I’m sorry. / Next time, we’ll take our time having tea.

SFX: rattle

Girl: I want to / hear more about Alice.

Alice: Wait a minute. // About you…I don’t…

SFX: creak

37.

SFX: stomp

Voice: A… // li… / ce…

SFX: drip

Voice: Where / is // Alice?

SFX: stomp

38.

SFX: stomp

Voice: My lovely / Alice…

39.

Alice: What is / that?!

Cheshire Cat: I’m a cold-hearted cat. // Even if my mistress is worn out, there’s nothing I can do.

40.

Cheshire Cat: There’s nothing a pet can do after all. // Experiencing this sad feeling once is more than enough. / Isn’t that right, Alice?

Box: What on earth happened to the Cheshire Cat?

SFX: ring ring