Birdmen 5

(1) [color page]
Birdman: Do you want to die... Or do you want to live... // What is your answer?

Text: The overwhelming fear to die---! Overwhelmed by despair… right in front of them appeared THE BIRDMAN!!

(2-3) [color pages]
Chapter 5 flight003 BLACK OUT

Text: I want to LIVE… I don’t want to DIE yet…
Rei: I want to live. // There are still many things I haven’t seen yet.
Eishi: I want to live. // Like I’ll accept this fate.
Tsubame: I want to live. // I’m not going to die here.
Kamoda: I want to live. // I don’t want to die…!
Text: EACH of their desires are MINGLED together…!!

Title: BIRDMEN
Artist: Tanabe Yellow

(4)
Horizontal Text: The “Birdman” was right next to them…!! The identity of Takayama, the mysterious boy will be revealed!!

Eishi: That’s why he is always alone.

Eishi: I’ve never seen him with anyone else. // I also don’t know what kind of person he is. // I’ve been observing him all day, but…

Kamoda: But he’s in the same class as you.
Eishi: (Only since this year.) You can only learn so much in a month.

Eishi: I had this unsettling impression he had some axe to grind---- // To be honest, I actually talked to him once.

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Eishi: Because // he was also always by himself, looking at the sky.

Rei: This is something I heard, but… // It seems that a girl from class C confessed her love to Takayama-kun, but // then he…
Eishi: What?

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Takayama: You’d better stay away from me…

Rei: That’s what he said. // So, it’s clear he’s deliberately avoiding other people.

Eishi: That bastard… Even though he hasn’t even been here for 6 months yet…
Kamoda: Ei-chan, I never had a girl confess to me…
Eishi: Shut up. If you say it out loud, I’ll feel even more miserable.

Eishi: Oh, well… // Kamoda, did you bring the weapons?
Rei: Weapons?

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Eishi: We’re up against the birdman. It would be foolish to meet him unarmed. // There are brass knuckles and plenty of other stuff he took from some Yankees.

Eishi: Here, you take something too.
Rei: I wonder if it’d be of any help…

Eishi: As I thought, walking around the city with a spiked bat really stands out. // This kind of stick is pretty…

Eishi: What’s that… (a priest’s staff?)
Kamoda: I found it in the warehouse. (It looks useful, right?)

Rei: I want this one!!
Eishi: Why?

(8)
Eishi: You really seem to like that staff a bit too much, // but well, I guess it is physically a weapon. // It’s not some mysterious object of the Orient.

Eishi: Incantations and prayers are only good for emotional support. // He should at least have brought a survival knife.

Eishi: Because he bothered to save our lives // I don’t think he’ll actually try to kill us, but // he isn’t normal.

Eishi: A contract to become his comrades?

Eishi: In case he demands something unreasonable, // I want to have the power to refuse him.

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Eishi: Even though refusing would already be meaningless at this point.

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Takayama: Where’s the girl?

Rei: She goes to school in Yokohama. // She’ll be late.

Takayama: This way.

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Eishi: Hey, is it alright to enter this place?

Eishi: This place is covered in stuff that could be used as a weapon…
Takayama: This factory will be demolished next month.

Takayama: It’s outside the residential areas, so there are very few people passing by here . // And even if we destroy it a little, it’ll be fine.

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Box: Munecipal Tenkuudai middle school 3 year class B // Takayama Sou (14)

Kamoda: Ei-chan, // I…can take him.
Eishi: Idiot, violence is a last resort. // We’re here to negotiate. I’ll go first.

Eishi: Err, Takayama… // We gathered here, because we wanted to talk to you… you got that, right?

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Eishi: Alright, first question! // Are you the birdman?

Takayama: Yes.

Text: gather

Eishi: Hey, hey. He simply admitted it.

(14)
Rei: Karasuma-kun, you didn’t understand him?
Eishi: I’m just a little shocked!// The real problem starts here, should we be firm or friendly…

Eishi: Since he coolly answer that question, he’s probably tough…
Rei: He just said the truth, right?
Kamoda: The first to attack will win!!
Rei: Hold it, we owe our lives to him, right?
Eishi: But he never told us we’d grow wings, right!?

Rei: Anyway, I want to see his wings.
Eishi: What?
Kamoda: You can’t. // He can fly! We’d better prevent him from moving. // Ei-chan, your brought a rope, right?

Rei: He didn’t try anything, we can’t use violence…
Kamoda: He did a lot! (We have plenty of reason to tie him up.)
Rei: (Kamoda-kun, you don’t remember anything, do you!?)
Eishi: Wait, wait, wait! We need to stay calm…

Eishi: I have a feeling this won’t work, but let’s first of all try to find out more about the current situation… // Alright, next question. // You know what happened with our bodies, right? // Why did you do something like this to us?

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Takayama: You said: “I want to live.”, right?

Eishi: Even if I said so, that’s not the point, // I believe that anyone who would be involved in a bus accident, left unable to move would say that. // I want to know if you knew // that this------that we’d become like this.

Takayama: I didn’t… // know of any other means. // And I was short on time.

Eishi: Time?

Takayama: The time until your death…

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Eishi: Are you trying to say there weren’t any other options!? // Then why did you abandon the bus driver?

Takayama: That man… already died. // I can’t save those who have already died.

Text: Gather

Eishi: What do you think?

Rei: He sounds unruffled, but // he used the word “save”, so I think it was well-meant.
Eishi: No, I think that’s just weird. // What should we do? It would be dangerous to just believe in his innate goodness.
Kamoda: What’s innate goodness?

Rei: He’s a good person. He’s even patiently waiting while we ignore him, right?
Eishi: We are in a crisis, // but doesn’t have a reason to hurry.
Kamoda: So, he’s taking his time to do away with us!?

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Eishi: Let’s get some more information, before we jump to conclusions. // Right now I really just want to know if we can still live our daily lives and if it’s possible to become human again.
Takayama: If you watch out a little, you’ll be able to live a normal life. // I don’t know how to become human again.

Kamoda: Damn, he doesn’t know!
Rei: He’s really useless…

All: What!?
Takayama: I can hear you.

Takayama: My ears… if I increase their sensitivity…

Kamoda: He’s a… superhuman!?

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Eishi: Aah!

Eishi: I see, // that’s it! My eyesight improved!
Kamodo: Ah, // now that you say it…
Rei: I’m no longer allergic to house dust.
Kamoda: My digestion has never been better…

Kamoda: Damn, we are also superhuman!?
Eishi: In that case we are also birdman? // In short, our wounds from the accident healed because…
Rei: By the way, why are we still whispering?

Takayama: I didn’t really… intend to involve myself with you all. // But… since you’ll have to face quite a lot of trouble until you get used to this body------

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Takayama: I thought I should help you out a little…

Kamoda: Maybe he isn’t that bad…?

Kamoda: So, to put it blunt… // are you our friend or foe?

Takayama: Friend?

Kamoda: He paused for a moment.
Eishi: Moreover, it was a question?
Rei: Hey, this isn’t going to get us anywhere, right?

Eishi: It’s too early to trust him, but------
 
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Eishi: Hmmm, but well. If he really intended to blackmail us, it would have been easier if he put on airs, while pretending “I know a way to become human again” and also apply a huge load factor on us by telling us all kinds of frightening stuff, huh?
Kamoda: That’s Ei-chan for you, your way of thinking is gaudy!

Eishi: This is------

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Eishi: Without a doubt…

Rei: If all five of us are together, we’re just like a Royal Street Flush!
Eishi: What is that for example… // I don’t want to be the 10.

Eishi: Guess he was telling the truth… But he also has a pretty firm build… // Looks like I’m the weakest here…
Takayama: Did you only grow wings until now?

Takayama: You’d better perfect your transformation as soon as possible. // Also, there’s flying practice.

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Kamoda: Amazing!! // So we can really fly with those!?
Rei: I would be useless to have wings if your can’t fly! // Takayama-kun, you’ll teach us how to fly, right!?

Rei: How does it feel to fly?
Kamoda: I often fly in my dreams!

Eishi: Wait.

Eishi: To live our daily life, we just need to know how to suppress these wings, right? // Why do we need to learn how to fly?

Eishi: And why “as soon as possible”?

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Takayama: Because you said “I want to live”, right?

Takayama: At that time I appeared before you all, // because you were calling out to me.

Kamoda: We called for you?
Eishi: Sure enough, this guy was looking for the birdman, but…

Eishi: Ah, // like you knew we were calling for you yesterday…
Takayama: That’s different.

Takayama: I can still hear your “voices”.

(24)
Eishi: What…?

Takayama: I can’t hear the “voice” of a normal person… unless they are in danger. // For example, a life-threatening situation…

Eishi: I see, the story of that boy of Shimane------
Text: When a young boy played in the water / no matter how well he could swim / he drifted further and further away from the shore./ He got scared. When he inevitably cried: "Someone / a winged person appeared and pulled him out // When he regained consciousness,

Text: he drifted further and further away from the shore. / He got scared. When he inevitably cried: "Someone help me!" from the bottom of his heart, / a winged person appeared and pulled him out of the water.

Rei: Ah, that’s why the birdman saves those who are in need…
Eishi: No, wait! // Wait, wait, wait!!!

Eishi: No kidding! You turned us in some knights of justice who rescue people!? // Can we also hear those voices!? Is that the price for being saved!? Is it our duty!? // What happens if we don’t obey!?

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Takayama: Your wings… // strongly wish to “respond”. // I guess… // it’s a necessity, if you wish to live with these wings.
Eishi: No, no, no, no! // How can you be so calm, I don’t get it at all!!
Takayama: You’ll understand someday. // Moreover…

Takayama: There’s also the black out----- // You’ll have to be prepared.

Eishi: Black out?

Eishi: What’s a black out…

All: Hm?

Eishi: Oh? I felt something behind us…

(26)
Eishi: My back is…

Takayama: Strange… // Too early...

(27)
Tsubame: What just… // Anemia?

Tsubame: No, my sight is going black… // Did I run too fast…

Tsubame: I wonder where everyone is…

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Rei: Uu…
Eishi: What was that shock…
Kamoda: Owe…

Takayama: It’s not here…

Takayama: At that girl’s place…?

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Eishi: Wait, Takayama!

Eishi: Yipes!!

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Eishi: Taka…

All: Yipes!!

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Rei: What just happened!?

Eishi: That guy… // He said “At that girl’s place?”…

Eishi: Let’s follow him!!
Kamoda: Wait, Ei-chan!! // Let’s grow our wings!!!!

Kamoda: Wouldn’t it be better to grow our wings now…?
Eishi: Like I know! // It’s not we can fly yet, right!?

Eishi: We’re going ahead!
Kamoda: What!?

(35)
Tsubame: What… // This…

(36)
Tsubame: Eek!

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Tsubame: No way…

(38)
Tsubame: Eh?

Rei: It’s useless, Tsubame isn’t answering!

Eishi: Damn! // It can’t be helped, we should find a high spot…
Kamoda: Shikifu ikuu, kuufu ishiki…

Kamoda: Shikisoku zekuu, kuusoku zeshiki!
Rei: I wonder where Takayama-kun went…
Eishi: Shut up!!!

T/N: “Shikifu ikuu, Kuufu ishiki” (All is the same as vanity, Vanity is the same as all.) Shikisoku zekuu, kuusoku zeshiki” (All is vanity, vanity is all.) is a part of a Buddhist sutra.

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Kamoda: This way!
Eishi: Eh?

Rei: She’s really here!

Kamoda: Tsubame-chan!!
Rei: Tsubame! // Why are you up there!!

All: Hm?

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(42)
Eishi: What the hell is that!?

Text: a sudden transformation… and an unbelievable sight!!

Chapter 5 - END