Rokudenashi Blues 77

Chapter 77: Is Puchi's Mother Worried?

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Tour guide: Ok, this is the main temple of Toudaiji, where the honzon, the Buddha statue this temple is dedicated to, is installed. // Single file pleaaase! // The current structure was created when the temple was rebuilt in the Edo period, and is three times smaller than the original. // However, it's still the largest construction in the world made out of wood!

People: Gah, THERE'S the Buddha! // Whoa, it's huuuge... // AHH! WHAT THE...

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Guide: The pillar in the northeast corner of the temple has a square hole the same size as the Buddha's nostril. // Legend has it that whoever goes in will come out blessed with health and wisdom!

Kazumi: Wait, the Buddha's nostrils are square? // Look at them, they're ROUND!

Katsuji: Looks like you could use some Buddha-nostril wisdom...

Koheiji: GWAAAAH! HELP MEEEE!

Katsuji: The hell?

Hiroyuki/Hironari: HEI-CHAN! // Why'd you think you could get into something that small?

People: *blah* *blah*

Kazumi: So those Buddha statue things are called like, honzon, right? That kinda sounds like Maeda-kun's first name...

Maeda: Uh...

Kazumi: Maeda Taison...doesn't that totally sound like a monk? // Hm?

Katsuji: ....

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Maeda: ....

Katsuji: Dammit, Kazumi!

Kazumi: I like the name Taison though. It sounds like a strong guy's name. // Come oooon! It's not like I said anything weird! // It just sounds like a monk's...

Katsuji: YOU MIGHT WANT TO QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD!

Maeda: ......

Chiaki: Ok, open wide! // Haha, wow, you really like these don't you!?

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Maeda: What are you doing?

Chiaki: Feeding him rice crackers. // Isn't this little guy cute?

Chiaki: Kyahaha! // That tickles! // I found him all by himself. // He must have been separated from his parents, right, Puchi?

Maeda: PUCHI!?

Chiaki: I had to give him a name! Besides, it's cute!

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Maeda: Keh.

Chiaki: Oh, are you still mad? // That's not like you, Maeda-kun.

Maeda: You're a horrible parent.

Chiaki: It's a good name!

Maeda: You have to ask the person what THEY want to be named. // Like... // Maeda Hagler. // SH...OWWW!

Maeda: What's your problem!? / Stop chewing on me!

Chiaki: Those crackers are meant for deer!

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Chiaki: We're going to Osaka tomorrow. // You should go see your father.

Maeda: Like hell I will.

Chiaki: But...

Maeda: Aniki's going. // I don't need to go to. I don't even have the music box.

Chiaki: Don't you miss him?

Maeda: No.

Chiaki: .... // Puchi misses his parents. // And his mother's worried about him.

Maeda: Shut up. // I'm not a freaking deer.

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Chiaki: Ah! // Puchi! // No following. // I'm going back to where everyone else is. // Bye-bye. // What do I do? He's following me!

Maeda: He thinks you're his mom!

Shimabukuro: Wait, that's Teiken!

Person: Looks like it is.

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Shimabukuro: So, our paths cross once again.

Person: It looks like they'll be leaving again soon...

Shimabukuro: What... // Th...that's Maeda! // Why's he carrying a goat?

Person: That's a deer.

Maeda: I'm going to leave you somewhere far away so you can't follow us, you idiot.

Katsuji: Where are you going, Maeda-san? We only have 15 minutes before the bus leaves.

Kazumi: CHIAKIII!

Chiaki: Ok... // ....

Masa-san: I'm not...I'm sick..I was sick...I'm being sick... // when I was being sick...I might be sick...I will be sick... // Ugh...

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Chiaki: (Sorry, sensei.)

Kazumi: Huh? Chiaki's going too!

Katsuji: What the...

Masa-san: I'm not sick.

Maeda: You following me is not going to help!

Chiaki: But...

Shimabukuro: Where are they going?

Person: It'd be a real stroke of luck if you could beat him now...

Shimabukuro: And that girl following him... // Maybe... // That...that asshole... // HAS A GIRLFRIEND!?

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Shimabukuro: And I'm the boss of Yonekura Commerce, a school that's 70% females. and I don't even... // Oh, yeah...why don't I have a girlfriend?

Person: You're not really cool enough...

Maeda: That's it! I'll make him look bad in front of his girlfriend!

Maeda: Come on, move it, Puchi! // ....... // See, it's cause you're here!

Chiaki: Only because if you did it yourself you wouldn't come back in time!

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Chiaki: And you're abandoning him in a strange place! He looks so scared...

Maeda: Godf... // He's the kind of guy who'll live his whole life wandering around alone forever.

Chiaki: His mother's worried!

Maeda: Do you REALLY think that?

Chiaki: And he really misses her too. // Right?

Maeda: Are you talking about me, dammit!? // Because MY dad...

Chiaki: I'm talking about Puchi!

Maeda: ....

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Person: Shimabukuro-san, we've got it all in a bucket.

Shimabukuro: Alright! // Deer crap!

Person: So what do we do with it?

Shimabukuro: Ok, first you play rocks paper scissors!

Person: Rocks paper scissors!

Person: No...no, I can't! It'll be embarassing!

Shimabukuro: No, it won't! // You stand here.

Person: Here?

Shimabukuro: Now go.

Person: Huh?

Shimabukuro: I said go!

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Person: Ewwww, that's freaking gross!

Shimabukuro: Get it? It's simple. We lure Maeda into the danger zone and push him into the crap.

People: But who will do it!? // Wait a minute...don't we have any smart ideas...

Shimabukuro: Shut up! If we do it in front of the girl, it'll be so funny you'll be rolling on the ground.

Person: .... // I... // I'll do it!

Shimabukuro: Gwaaah! Don't touch me! // There they are.

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Chiaki: What are you going to do with all those crackers?

Maeda: Only one thing to do. // Leave them lying around and get out of here while he's eating. // We have to be quick, we only have like 5 minutes before the bus leaves.

Shimabukuro: HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Maeda: Huh?

Shimabukuro: We meet again, Maeda!

Maeda: Ahh! Shimabukuro!

Shimabukuro: Hehe! Get over here!

Maeda: Can't you leave me alone? I don't have time for your crap, idiot!

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Shimabukuro: Kh... // Hey! Who's that hag you got there, douchebag?

Maeda: !! // WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?

Shimabukuro: Haha, over here!

Maeda: YOU get the fuck over here!

Chiaki: We don't have time for this!

Person: (Ok, here they come!)

Maeda: YOU FUCKING...

Chiaki: Maeda-kun!

Shimabukuro: Hahaha, come at me, bro!

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Person: Now! // Waa!

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Person: Gh...

Shimabukuro: Aah!

Maeda: What...what the!?

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Chiaki: It's his mother! // She thought he was being attacked, so she came to save him!

Maeda: ....

Chiaki: I told you she was worried. // I'm glad you found your way back to her, Puchi. // Let's go, Maeda-kun.

Maeda: Ah...oh...

Shimabukuro: Hold on! Running away, jackass?

Maeda: Kh...

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Maeda: Let go of me, fucker!

Shimabukuro: Hell no!

Maeda: That's it! // I'm going to take ALL these crackers...

SFX: *scrape* *scrape*

Maeda: AND GET THEM ALL OVER YOU!

Shimabukuro: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? // GWAAAAAH! OWWWW! OWW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? STOP BITING! // YEEEEOW! SAVE MEEEE!

Translator's Notes

General note: Nara, the city they're in, is famous throughout Japan for its deer roaming the streets and the parks. In a completely unrelated bit of trivia, the character Nara Shikamaru of Naruto's name is a pun on this. (Shikamaru = deer boy)

pg. 2 - The word honzon 本尊 means "principal object of worship at a temple (usually a buddha or bodhisattva)" I tried to make that clear through the dialog, but have a footnote anyway.

pg. 4 - The original Japanese word is senbei せんべい, but I thought rice crackers might explain the nature of the food better.

pg. 5 - "Maeda Hagler" is a reference to boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler, undisputed middleweight champion of the world from 1980 to 1987. (And yes, his first name WAS in fact Marvelous.)