Sket Dance 58

1
[insert text: The past... After transferring schools, Himeko witnesses her new friend with a group of delinquents...?!]
People: Good work today, guys~~!!
Himeko: Hey, Aa-chan... you doin' anythin' today? / Wanna go have some okonomiyaki or somethin'?
Arisa: Oh... / Well... // Actually, I've got something I have to take care of... Sorry.
Himeko: Nah, that's fine. Let's go some other time.
Arisa: Uh-huh. / See you!
Himeko: ............

2
[Text: I kept my eyes on Aa-chan every day. // She was always the same. // Mild-mannered... // Calm and gentle... // Integrated perfectly into the school life. // Except that occasionally... // ...like a princess being abducted by an evil witch... // ...she would disappear without explanation.]
[sket Dance]
[Chapter 58: Ogress (2)]
[insert text: A shadow draws ever closer...]

3
GirlA: Well, it's a rumour. // People say that Nanba Kyouko has her eyes on rich little Aa-chan... / ...and is taking her money. // And since there have been witnesses as well... // But, well... I feel bad for her, but... / We're talking about Nanba here. // There's nothing we can do.
Himeko: Nothin' we can do...?!! Aa-chan's our friend, ain't she?! Are you just gonna leave her like this?!
GirlA: Well, what's the problem?!! // I mean, if she was being beaten up or something... but nobody claims to have seen Aa-chan being hurt at all! // If money's enough to solve this, then let it! / Don't you think?
Himeko: ............ // Th... // That's just...

4
Himeko: NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!
GirlA: Ahhh!!
Himeko: What's with that twisted logic of yours?!! I ain't buyin' it one jot!! // If that girl's stealin' cash, then she's totally the one in the wrong here, ain't she?!! // I'm gonna save Aa-chan.
GirlA: No you don't!! // There's one more thing the rumours say. // Apparently... you're not the first. Somebody else tried to stand up against Nanba, to help Aa-chan out. // But whoever it was, Nanba and her gang beat the shit out of them. // And it wasn't pretty.
Himeko: .........

5
Himeko: ......... // ...I see. // (Rumour, my ass... // You're talkin' about yourself.) // I'm gonna do what I gotta do. // I guess I'm just an idiot like that.
GirlA: If you're not careful, they might hurt Aa-chan, you know?!
Himeko: ......... // Yeah, I know. // I'm not just pickin' a fight with Nanba, ya know. // It's Aa-chan I'm worried about. // This is about... / ...her courage to stand up for herself...
[Text: And not long afterwards...]

6
[Text: I witnessed it with my own eyes.]
Himeko: (That's...... // Aa-chan... // And Nanba... // An envelope...? // Money...!! // Now... there's no mistake... // She's stealin' her cash...!!)

7
Himeko: (Aa-chan......)
Arisa: I don't... // ...know what you're talking about.
Himeko: Aa-chan...!
Arisa: I mean it! // I... I'm sure you know I spend a fair amount of time with Nanba-san and her friends... // It's not like I'm hiding it or anything... // But they're not stealing from me...
Himeko: Then what does Nanba want with you, huh? // Why's she always hangin' around you like that? // She bullyin' you?

8
Himeko: Are you bein' victimised? Bein' bullied? // Are they hurtin' you?
Arisa: ............ // ...No.
Himeko: Aa-chan...! // You've gotta be brave!! Things can't just stay like this!! // You're a real feminine kinda girl, proper nice an' all. / An' I like you like that. // But some people might just see that as bein' weak. / An' that might make you a target.
Arisa: ......... // ......Am I... // ...weak...?
Himeko: I'll protect you. // So c'mon... / Let's both stand up to Nanba together.

9
Arisa: This... / This evening...
Himeko: Huh?
Arisa: She told me to meet her... / Nanba-san... // To bring her some cash, from my home... / A huge amount of money... // ...Will you come with me? // Hime-chan...!
Himeko: Of course I will! // Good girl. / You've made the right choice.
[Text: Having Aa-chan rely on me...]
Himeko: Let's do this together.
[Text: Being able to help her made me happy.]

10
[Text: That night, the clouds were heavy and dark. // It looked like it would start raining at any moment, but it never did. // The wind carried the warm air along as though it was heavy.]
Himeko: *pant* // *pant* // *pant*
Nanba: Oh, you're really something. / You've got guts to try and attack me.
Arisa: Hime-chan!
Nanba: And quite the spirited little punk you are, too. // 'Course, if you touch me one more time, your little friend won't be escaping unharmed.
Himeko: Heh... // Don't get me wrong...

11
Himeko: If I got serious right now... // ...the likes of you wouldn't know what the hell hit ya. // Ngaahh!!
Nanba: You just don't know when to keep your mouth shut.
Himeko: *cough*... // I don't care... // I don't care how much you assholes hurt me... // But Aa-chan, she ain't strong like that. // So please... do whatever you want with me, but just leave Aa-chan the hell alone in future, all right?

12
Nanba: What's this, hm? Friendship? // Fine, then... I'll beat you up... // ...just as much as I like!!
[Letter: Kyouko]
Himeko: Hm? // Lessee... // (An envelope? // Oh, right... this is the cash she was stealin' earler today... // ?! // "Kyouko"......
Flashback!GirlA: Nanba Kyouko.
Himeko: (Her given name... // She's gettin' cash stolen from her, and she's even nice enough to put it in an envelope and write the girl's name on it...)

13
Flashback!Arisa: She told me to meet her... // Nanba-san...
Himeko: (No...!!) // "Kyouko"?! // Why... // ...is she writin' your given name... / ...without even any honorifics...?
Flashback!GirlA: Nobody claims to have seen Aa-chan being hurt at all!
[bubbleSFX: thump]
Himeko: Aa-chan... // (Don't tell me...) // You're not actually... this girl's friend, are you...?

14
Nanba: ............ // Wahahahah!! // Damn, this is no good. It looks like this just isn't gonna be enough for this one, Arisa. // She'll figure it out sooner or later. What's really going on.
[bubbleSFX: thump]
Arisa: .........
[bubbleSFX: thump]
Arisa: ...You're right. // Do as you wish.
Nanba: A~~ll RIGHT~~!!!

15
[bubbleSFX: THUMP // THUMP // THUMP]
Himeko: Aa-chan...?
Nanba: Do you get it now?!!
Himeko: Unghhh!!
Nanba: We're not forcing Arisa to do anything. // It's the other way around. / Arisa is the one in charge of us. // We're like her bodyguards; she's hiring our services!

16
Himeko: Then... the money, back then... you weren't stealing it from her... // ...she was giving it to you...?!! // But... // But why...?!!
Arisa: So I can live a peaceful life. // You see, I don't like to stand out. // I get on with everyone... / ...and avoid trouble as best I can. // As long as I put on a nice face for everyone, nobody has any problems with me. // As long as I just keep doing that... // ...I'll never have to be bullied...
Himeko: (Aa-chan... so you were bullied, once...)
Arisa: The only real power I have... is my parents' money. // All I'm doing is using that money to make school life easier for me.

17
Arisa: Do you know what the safest place in the school is? // Right behind... // ...the strongest person in the school. // As long as I keep Kyouko close, nobody can lay a finger upon me. // So I pay Kyouko money, to keep her on my side. // But of course, if people knew that, then it would end up attracting attention. // That's why I pretend that I'm the victim, being preyed upon by her. // You see? My weakness was just an act, really. // I'm not really weak at all. // And yet, you... // You had the gall... // ...to call me a weak person, didn't you...?

18
Arisa: DON'T YOU SCREW WITH ME!!! // You'll "protect me"?! // Don't you dare patronise me like that!! // I'm the one who's doing you the favour of being your friend, you know!!
[Text: That's right...]
Arisa: Don't you get all high-and-mighty just because I'm a little nice to you!!
[Text: Some time ago...]
Arisa: I can't stand people like you...! / Looking down on the weak...!! // Thinking you're so much better...!!!
[Text: ...she had been through some terrible times...]
Arisa: YOU'RE the goddamn bullies!!!!
[Text: ...and they had left their horrible marks on her.]

19
Himeko: (Aa-chan... // Who...? // Who am I supposed to direct them at...? // These terrible feelings.........)
[insert text: Betrayed by her friend... Drowned in rage and despair...]