Natsume Yuujin Chou 10

For AshitakaxTaiyou Scans Only

Code
N- Natsume
S- Nyanko-sensei
H- Kiyo
Ni- Nishimura
Ki- Kishimoto
K- Kid
A- Akifumi-san
T- Touko-san

Glossary

Ayakashi – Basically it just means spirit, but I am leaving it untranslated as it implies traditional Japanese spirits like the ones in Natsume Yuujinchou
Yuujinchou – Book of Friends
Nyanko-Sensei – Kitty Teacher
Youkai – Another word for a Japanese spirit or demon
Maneki Neko – ‘Beckoning Cat’ A cat statue with a beckoning paw said to bring luck to its owner

Natsume Yuujinchou 10

01
-Natsume Yuujinchou

02
N-Ever since I was small I have sometimes seen strange things
N- As it seems other people cannot see them they are most likely
N- What you would call Ayakashi.

03
K- Ah, hey, he’s over there, that transfer student
K- ‘Natsume’ right, he’s got no family and he just moved here
K- He’s always by himself and he seems kinda weird
K- Ooi, Natsume-
K- You come too
K- We’re playing soccer over there
K- Those injuries, how come you got into a fight with a sixth year?
N- I was called a liar
K- A lie? What kind of lie?
N- What kind you say…
N- Ah
N- Over here

04
K- What’s wrong? Hurry up
N- There’s something there
K- Eh!? What!? Where where!?
h/w – A snake!?
K- Where?
K- …there’s nothing there
K- Don’t say creepy things
N- …Sorry
N- I’m going home…
N- U
N- Uwaaaa!!!

05
h/w- ha
N- …what, a dream of the past?
h/w- sigh
N- Every day is
N- A day I see Ayakashi
N- It’s most likely because of my blood
N- It seems my now deceased grandmother Reiko could also see Ayakashi
N- She forced the Ayakashi that she tormented and defeated to become her underlings by writing their names on paper as proof and collected them
N- A ream of written contracts, ‘Yuujinchou’
N- Since I inherited it
N- I have been attacked by Ayakashi, had Ayakashi visit me in order for me to return their names
N- And my days have become very busy
Sfx - lick

06
N- U
h/w- Uwah!
h/w- smack
S- Gya!
S- Shit, Natsume you~
S- You’re such a ferocious brat
S- I was just sleepwalking a bit and thought I’d try and eat you
N- How many times is this now Nyanko-sensei
N- I have to wonder if you were really sleepwalking
N- Nyanko-sensei is my self declared bodyguard youkai
N- When he assumes the form of a Maneki Neko people can see him, and he’s living with me as a stray cat

07
N- He only occasionally co-operates with me
h/w – Rawr
N- In return for protecting me he’s decided himself that I will hand over the Yuujinchou after I die
S- Che, you always have a good sixth sense, I was almost there…
h/w – I see
T- Takashi-kun, breakfast
N- Coming
N- I have no relatives so I have always been passed around and the people who recently took me in are
N- The kind-hearted Fujiwara couple
T- Today I’ve bought a watermelon so look forward to it okay?
N- Is it that season already?
T- Yes, the season of fireflies
N- Fireflies huh, I’ve never seen them, I’d like to at least once
T- Ah, I’d certainly love to show you but…
h/w – Good morning neko-chan
T- Lately around here we haven’t been seeing any
T- I wonder if perhaps the water is polluted

08
N- I’ll ask my friends if they know of a spot, if there’s a lot we can go and catch them
T- Haha thankyou but you’ll have to do it quietly
T- They say there is three to twelve days for fireflies, though the peak is a short time
Ki- Fireflies? I haven’t seen any lately
Ni- There are some legends about fireflies around here, it seems like there used to a lot
Ki- I’ve heard a rumour there was a lot in a marsh somewhere in the Seven Forests
N- Somewhere in the Seven Forests you say
Ki- Natsume, why are you suddenly interested in fireflies…?
H/w – Ha!
Ni- It’s for a date isn’t it!?
Ni- Woman! You have a woman don’t you!?
Ni- You backstabber!!
h/w – filthy!!
Ki- What!?
N- Ahaha of course not
Ni- Uwa he’s laughing! Have you got extra!? How shameless!!
N- Like I said I just want to see
Ni- Liar, deceiver!!
N- I don’t want to make the warm people I have met in this town
N- Have creepy thoughts

09
N- The fact I can see Ayakashi is an absolute secret
S- It’s here, the entry to the Seven Forests
N- You seem rather knowledgeable about fireflies sensei, what an unexpected hobby
S- Cuz the fireflies’ fire attracts fox fire. That’s tasty to eat
N- It’s true there’s a marsh here
N- Isn’t the water clean too
h/w- sniff sniff
S- …mu? It’s unusually quiet though isn’t it
N- … Now you mention it…
N- So deep in the forest you can’t sense anything living, just what is this marsh…
N- …Ah

10
N- A dead body!?
N-Woah!
A-…hey
A- Did you also come to see the fireflies?
N- S…sorry, yelling so loudly like that…
N-What, so he was just taking a nap
A- Haha, well it’s a bit early time-wise and season-wise for fireflies
A-Well they seem to have decreased lately as well
N- Thankyou very much

11
N- What’s that

12
N- An Ayakashi?
N- Is it haunting that guy…?
H-…You
H- You can see me even though you’re a human’s child?

12
H- Dear dear, what an unstable human’s child
N- … She saved me?
N- Thanks, you saved me
H- Don’t worry about it
H- Well, bring out a bottle of sake and I won’t haunt you boy
h/w- Yeah sake
N- Uh… are you yakuza or something?
N- Is it alright? I kind of noticed, weren’t you haunting that guy back there?
H- How rude
H- He’s my friend
N- Frie…!?
N- Friend you say…
N- …That guy
N- He can see Ayakashi? Like me…
H- To be exact he used to see Ayakashi

13
H- I often talked with him when he was young. For a while we were always together
H- But then one day, all of a sudden he could no longer see Ayakashi
H- Hasn’t ever since
N- Became unable to see them…? …Ayakashi...?
N- That kind of thing happens!?
H- I’ve heard that power declines in some people when they become adults
H- I heard a rumour that he’s soon to be married so I came thinking I wanted to at least see his moment of glory
N- I,… I see…
N- …become unable to see them… there’s that possibility?
N- My days of being abused by Youkai could end…
H- We had a relationship just like you two
S- Mu, our relationship is not one of friendship
S/N- It’s one of a master and pet
H- Your opinion is the same but…
h/w- Who’s the owner

14
H- Well, I was happy to be able to talk to a human’s child again
H- This must be fate, I’ll be in your care until the day of the ceremony
N- What!?
N- That so it came about that I would look after this ayakashi
N- …I’ll just bear with it for a few days
N- I’m going to bed
N- …you’re glowing
H- Yeah… I’m glowing
N- Crap, it’s plain and glaring
N- There’s nothing good about becoming involved with ayakashi
N- Glowing in the dark, what a weird ayakashi
N- Now I think of it I still haven’t asked her name
H- …Oi
H- Oi
H- Sleeping are you, how boring

15
H- Oi are you listening?
H- Can you hear me?
A-Ki…
N- That night
N- I dreamt of somebody calling
A-Kiyo…
A-Kiyo…
N- A kind voice was echoing
N- I dreamt of somebody crying
T- Takashi-kun, breakfast, you’ll be late…
Sfx- snore

16
N- What’s your name?
H- A lowly ayakashi like me has no name
N- Ah, could it be Kiyo?
N- I had a dream
N- Someone was calling ‘Kiyo, Kiyo’
N- It was a very kind voice
H- I see…
H- Call me as you like
h/w- yawn
h/w- fight-oh fight-o
h/w- puff puff
h/w- snore
N- That person was
N- Released from these kinds of days

17
N- If I have the chance to meet him again I’d like to try talking to him
S- The marsh again? Do you want to see fireflies that much?
N- At least once
S- Hmph, I’ll tell you, such a firefly idiot, a legend
S- Long ago, the mountain god that dwelt in this forest fell in love with a human girl
S- They began to secretly rendezvous at midnight
S- At that time, in the deep darkness, the fireflies of the marsh lit the night path
S- As thanks, the mountain god changed the short lived fireflies into ayakashi
S- The fireflies rejoiced and a great number departed from the marsh
S- It is said that the current fireflies of this land are descended from those that
S- Decided to remain as fireflies in the marsh
N- Really
S- Well it’s just a legend
N- Ah, as expected there are still no fireflies…

18
N- …something’s there
S- Something’s there isn’t it
S- Oi there’s a human too
S- He must be carefree not noticing the ayakashi
N- You’re right
N- Hm?
N- He’s being attacked!!
N- Ah
N- Look
N- Out
A-Woah!!?
S- That ayakashi isn’t the type that attacks humans
N- I, I see
A- Are you okay?
N- …Sorry, I tripped on a rock
h/w- Ha
N- Huh? This guy is…

19
N- The guy from yesterday
A- Haha, so energetic
N- Yeah…
N- Can he really not see them anymore…?
N-…um, this marsh…
N- Is there… something in it?
A- Besides the fireflies? Dunno… there’s probably at least some carp
A- It seems like the fireflies still haven’t come out
A- Come again some time
N- …Okay
N- See you…
N- I
N- I couldn’t ask!! ‘Could you see ayakashi too?’…something like that

20
N- If…
N- If he met someone who could see them now it would probably just be annoying
N- Could it be that he wants to…
N- Completely forget everything…
N- If that’s the case
N- That probably means Kiyo too

21
N- Probably believes he wants to forget it
H- …He…
H- …He is
H- Called Akifumi-san
H- The first time we met was in that firefly marsh
H- He could see ayakashi so he was thought of as strange by his family and those around him
H- I quietly hid and watched him as he came to cry alone at the marsh
H- But one day he came at midnight
H- I panicked and hid but
h/w- glow
H- My body glows in the dark
A- ‘Who’s there!?’

22
A- …An ayakashi huh
H- Wa… wait
H- Wait
A- Ow
H- You’re a human’s child aren’t you?
H- I’m interested in humans
H- Would you talk with me a bit?
A- I’m not interested in ayakashi
H- But he came the next day too

23
H- We talked about lots of things
H- We talked and talked
H- Sometimes we played together
H- Touched
A- ‘So ayakashi feel like this’
A- Haha, it feels nice
H- You’re right
H- You’re right…
H- But one day
H- I was no longer reflected in his eyes

24
H- Even if I waved he couldn’t see me
H- He came to the marsh and called for me countless times
H- He couldn’t see me, who stood right in front of him
H- One day you also may become unable to see
N- One day huh
N- If that time comes

25
N- I won’t be happy
h/w- ha
N- No no hasn’t that been my wish for the longest time?
h/w- sigh
N- Yes, all this time
N- I was always hoping for the time I would be freed…
K- Liar
K- Liar
K- Get lost

26

27
H- He’s my friend
H- It seems he’ll be married soon
H- The first time we met was
H- At that firefly marsh
N- Kiyo’s palely glowing form
N Akifumi-san’s eyes can no longer see it

28
N- Despite all that why does he continue going to that place?
N- I thought she wanted to know
N- Kiyo, who can no longer ask the question
A-…I see… You can also see ayakashi…
N- …Yes, an ayakashi I recently met told me you once saw them too…
A- I see…
A- …I see
A- No matter how I see it now it feels like a dream
A- Is it painful?
A- It was painful for me
A- Because I was always alone
A- But you know, I became friends with an ayakashi

29
A- I started to like her
A- I couldn’t say it but
A- I loved her
A- Then one day suddenly
A- I couldn’t see ayakashi at all
A- Never again, since then
A- After that
A- I dated many women, but I could never forget her
A- Until now I have not been married

30
A-…Finally… I found a girl I could love with all my heart
A- A kind hearted girl
A- The ceremony is in three days
A- After I am married I will no longer…
A- Come to this marsh
G- Akifumi-san
N- Akifumi-san went home with
N- A girl whose eyes wrinkled kindly as she smiled

31
N- Like a pale blooming flower
N- It was a smile of happiness
N- …Kiyo
H- It’s already dark, I will light the night path
N-…Kiyo, that talk just now…
H- I heard, he found someone important to him
H- I’m glad
H- That person is no longer alone

32
H- …I’m glad
N-‘…Sensei’
N- ‘Nyanko-sensei,
N- Did it go well between the mountain god and his lover that the fireflies watched over?’
S-‘…Who knows’
S- ‘Because like fireflies, not gods, human’s lives are fleeting’
N- That night, I saw a peaceful dream
N- …It was probably memories flowing to me from Kiyo

33
A-…you
A- Where are you!?
A- Please come out
A- Are you hiding!?

34
A- Hotaru!
A- I can’t see
A- Please come out, Hotaru
A- To my side
T/N- Hotaru means firefly

35
A- …Please come out
A- Do you hate me?
A- Ki…
A- …Kiyo
A- Sukiyo
A- Suki
A- Love
A- I love you
A- Hear me
T/N – Basically what happened is in his first dream Natsume heard ‘kiyo’ and thought it was her name. What he was hearing was the end of ‘suki yo’ (I love you)

36
A- I love you…
N-…Kiyo
N- I am not Akifumi-san

37
N- But
N- I can see you
N- I can hear you
N- … ‘Hotaru’
N- That’s your name isn’t it
N- That person gave it to you

38
H- I am
H- A firefly ayakashi
H- I don’t have a solid form but just once
H- I want to return to the form of a firefly
S- If you do that
S- You won’t be able to turn back
S- I’ve heard your life will end in the lifespan of an insect
N- Sensei…
H- Even so
H- I don’t care
H- Even if I disappear

39
H- That person has finally smiled
H- So if only at least one more time
H- Its fine if it is as an insect
H- I want to meet him
N- Hotaru
N- Wait

40
N- Wai…
N-…Hotaru…
S- …mu
S- Oi she’s probably headed for the marsh
N-…That’s probably the case
S- Then that’s bad
S- The ayakashi in the marsh doesn’t attack humans it eats fireflies
S- That guy’s been going around eating them so all the fireflies around here are hiding somewhere
N- What!?
h/w- ha, ha, ha
N- Hotaru
N- Where are

41
N- Crap, it’s dark and I can’t see well
S- Tsk
S- You’re annoying
S- Get on
N- Sensei!
N- To the marsh!

42
N- There it is, that ayakashi…
N- Oh no, Hotaru’s going to be eaten…!!
N- Stop!!
N- Uh…
N- Ho…
h/w- cough
N- Hotaru is…?
S- …She ran away just now did she…
S- This smell is that of a simple insect

43
N- Then Hotaru is…
S- Surely fine, and went to see…
G- …Oh
G- Haha, the firefly stopped on you Akifumi-san
G- How pretty…
A- Yes, very pretty

44-45
A- Almost as if…
A- …Wai…
A- Ah

46
N-…Hotaru
N- Hotaru some day a day may come
N- When I too lose this
N- A day meetings become one-sided
N- When my complicated days will
N- That might to me be a release
N- Or…

47
N- Hotaru?

48
N- Farewell, Hotaru
N- I sense that if you listened closely a tiny firefly
N- Whispered something
N- But they were the words of an insect, not an ayakashi, and I could not understand
N- He may have understood
N- The words of a firefly

49
N- Only he could
N- He looks happy
N- Hotaru might be watching somewhere too
H/w- sigh…
N- Being able to see but unable to do anything is hard
S- You’re an idiot
S- You have no obligation to do something about everything

50
S- Ayakashi and humans are after all different creatures
S- Let me tell you Natsume
S- Even if you become unable to see I won’t run away until I get the Yuujinchou
N- For example if one day
N- The things called ayakashi disappear
N- The memories of our meetings
N- Will never leave
N- Then don’t forget your promise
N- Act the part of a bodyguard please, sensei
N- That’s at least
N- Something