Warau Ishi 4

P227
(note: I’ll number the pages according to the file titles of the raws, that’s why it starts with page 227)

The Laughing Stone
Winner in the Betsumaga “Worst Day of My Life” competition!
The story so far.

vertical text: The worst crisis has been averted!! But now, something strange is happening to Ataru’s hand…!!

Characters:

Ataru Natsumeda (16)
Our main character. A first-year in high school, leading a lackluster life. Feels inferior to his older sister, who has great academic records. Received a wishing stone from Nirasaki.

Tsukimi Natsumeda (18)
Ataru’s older sister. A third-year in the same high school Ataru goes to. Top grades, good at all sports, and a beauty. It was revealed that she holds a wishing stone.

Nirasaki
Ataru’s classmate. She gave a mysterious “wishing stone” to Ataru.

The “wishing stone” is said to grant you three wishes! Ataru Natsumeda received one via a kiss from his classmate Nirasaki. His first wish was for three delinquents to “die” and his second wish was for “everybody including Nirasaki to die”! Within moments, the wishing stone’s power caused horrific massacres! Then Ataru finds out that his sister also has a wishing stone, and for his third wish he demands “to know his sister’s secret”. Tsukimi’s secret was that she used her wishing stone to turn herself into an honor student. When her Ataru found out, Tsukimi transformed into a monster, and tried to kill her little brother. But then Ataru speaks out about his feelings for Tsukimi he’d been hiding, and everything turns back to normal, as if nothing had happened. The next day however, Ataru’s hand seems to be turning into stone, and Nirasaki, who had disappeared, shows herself again…!!


Tsukimi turned into a monster!!

Tsukimi attacked Ataru!
sfx: slash

Your wishes…
came true…
It looked like peace had returned, but…

Ataru’s hand is turning into stone…?!

Your hand......


What will Nirasaki say?! Find out in chapter 4 on the next page!!



P278

A new development is rushing in!!
What will Nirasaki, who appeared so suddenly, say to Ataru......?!

Wha-......

Ah.
I’m coming in... Or...
More accurately, I’ve already let myself in.

Why......?
Nirasaki...?
Why......?


P279

You’re so mean to ask why.
I came to tell you the details about your circumstances.

That......

Your left hand, Ataru-kun.
If you leave it alone, it’ll be awful.

That’s why I came.

★ This story is a work of fiction. It has no relation to existing people, groups or events.



P280

Ataru-kun... You’re...
going to die soon, you know?

......
...Huh?
sfx: gloom

Chapter 4: Are you prepared for the worst?
Keiichirou Arita


P281

Die...?

Die...? You say...
Ataru will...? What do you mean?

I’ll explain everything in order. About me, and about Ataru-kun’s hand.
There’s no reason to hide it anymore.

First up.
About the wishing stone...

As you two know...
it can grant up to three of a person’s wishes.

That’s all there is to it. It’s nothing special.


P282

But that’s the stone I first gave to Tsukimi.

...However...
Ataru-kun’s stone is different.......
!!

Ah...

Ataru-kun’s stone...
The stone I gave him...

had the effect of a wishing stone...
But it was “something close to a wishing stone with infinite power”.


P283

Because it was made out of a “real” one...
it exhibits an infinite power, which is close to that of a real one. ....But...

It’s not a perfect wishing stone. That stone...
had some kind of side effect on Ataru-kun.
To be more precise...

the petrifaction of Ataru-kun’s hand is the price he has to pay in compensation for his wishes.
It spreads gradually, and in the end, his entire body will turn to stone.

In other words...
He’ll die.

......
What the heck... is that...?
This is too sudden. I don’t really get it......


P283

Why does it have to be Ataru?!
Why only him?!
Ataru...

Ataru... I...

don’t... want him to......

If I’d known this......
I’d rather...
I’d...

sfx: pat

It’s okay, sis.
I did all those terrible things myself.
If I have to be punished for it, then I can accept that.
And besides...

Nirasaki said she had a reason to be here.
......So that means there is a method to stop the petrifaction of my hand...

Nirasaki...
Am I wrong......?

......





P285

Um...
I don’t know about that.

Wai-... What the heck?!
What do you mean? You’ve been talking so cryptically the whole time, making it sound as if you knew everything!! So what do you mean, you don’t know?!
Ataru is dying here!! He’s turning into stone!! See?! Do you get it?!
Well?
Um... You see... Like I said......
Whoa... And I acted so cool about it...
sfx: gloom
I’m not suited for stuff like this, after all...

Well, um... You know... How should I say...
sfx: hiss... hiss...
Tsukimi’s glare is scary......
I might know somebody who knows more about this......

Like, someone who might know how to stop you from turning to stone... Kinda... Maybe?


P286

A spiritual medium?

Yeah.
She lives in this city.
And she knows a lot about Shinto and Animism,
So I think that she would also know about wishing stones.
Hmm...

Nirasaki, why do you know someone like that?
Hmm... It’s a long story, but...

I met her about five years ago.
When I was taking a stroll in the air...
....You’re not surprised by anything I say anymore, are you?

Anyways, she suddenly appeared in front of me, and...
“Why do you continue to exist in the present?”
...she said.





P287

...And...
when we talked a bit more, we got along pretty well, so she invited me to her house...
We ended up drinking together until the early morning, you see?
Yeah...
This girl...
Was she that kind of character......?

U-um... Nirasaki......
Just...... What are...

y-

...It’s a secret.


P288

Please?
Let me keep it a secret... for now...
...okay?

...Ahh, dammit......

When I’m with her...
sfx: turn
......

S...
Sure, but......

She always breaks up my pace.

sign: Horigome store
...We’re here.


P289

sign: Horigome store

A candy store...?
What’s wrong?

Can we really trust this person?
Hurry up and come in.
This way.

Was it really alright to leave Tsukimi at home?
Yeah, it’s fine. This is my problem.

And besides...
I don’t want her to carry the burden...
sfx: rattle rattle
Hmm... Is that how things are?


P290

......
...Welcome.

Please leave your money here.
‒store manager

This place looks ancient...
Smells of dust...
This store has been here for a long time.

Hey, hurry up! Or I’ll leave you behind.
And she seems like she wouldn’t do much cleaning.
Is everything really going to be alright......?
Aah, wait up!


P291

Hello, Azuki-chan. Is Yachie here?
...She’s sleeping in the back.
I want this, and this...
Alright!

Could you call her?
Sure... Wait here a minute.
sfx: ka-ching...

Wait for me...!

......

...Yachie... Customers...
Yeah, I’ve heard. Let them in.
Ataru Natsumeda. Nirasaki.
Come closer.

sfx: rattle rattle...


P292

Thanks for coming. It’s been a while, Nirasaki.
And...
Nice to meet you, Ataru Natsumeda.

I was bored, so this is perfect.
Hang out with me.

She reeks of alcohol!
Azuki, pour them a drink.
No... They’re just kids......
Who cares if it’s just a little!
No.

She’s a total slob!!
Oh well, fine then... Did you want something from me?
Right, right. Listen...


P293

Wishing stones?

Haven’t heard about that in a long time.
Here’s tea...
Thanks.
There are fewer and fewer of them lately, after all.

But... What’s up with it? They shouldn’t cause any harm...
Actually...
No... It’s okay, Nirasaki.

sfx: pull
I’ll explain it myself.


P294

Hmm...
I see...
I think I get the gist of it.
That was an interesting story.

Really? Th... Then...

But...
I don’t like it.

That stone lets people do whatever they want. And after you relied on that, you’re planning to rely on others now?

Even though there are people in this world who need help more than you?

Why do you rely on others?
Do you know? You do, right?
But you probably don’t want to hear it. But listen! And pay attention!!

Don’t act so spoiled...
You brat.


P295

Yachie... I’m responsible for this as well......
Shut up, you.
This is a good opportunity.

For me...
and for him.

This is a big issue to us people...
who’re incompatible with others.

Anyways, getting back on topic...
Natsumeda. There are two things you need to affirm.

First, the fact that you are the one who caused this problem.
So it is within your own discretion how you handle this. It’s not my business.
Second is the fact that your body is turning into stone.
Due to this, to say the least......


P296

You’re not completely human anymore.

It’s the price you pay for trying to mess with nature.
Even if we can stop the petrifaction, you won’t be the same you were before.
Do you still want to stop it, even then? No...

Are you prepared to live like a human while you’re really not...?

sfx: drip... drip...
I...
I...



P297

Gah.. Guh...
Geh... Geh...

A
A
A
A
H

Uwaaaaah!
Aaah...
Grr....
Guh...

Tch.
How bothersome......

Ah... Ah...
A-a-a monster!!

It’s dangerous. Step back.


P298

Ugaaaaaaauh!
sfx: roar

Oh dear... It’s got a pretty loud voice.
Hurry, get back...
Oh!

H...elp...

?!

It hurts...
I’m sad...

I can’t stop...

These emotions... overflowing from... my body
sfx: Waaaah
sfx: flap...

sfx: smile...
I’ll put you to sleep right now.
sfx: flutter


P299

Is...
Isn’t that dangerous...?
Yachie will be okay.

sfx: whirl
sfx: stab stab stab


P300

She’s strong.


P301

sfx: whack


P302

sfx: slash...
sfx: tremble...

sfx: splatter





P303

sfx: whoosh
Well then...
I’d like to continue questioning you...
But now that you’ve seen all this...

No...

Now that you’ve become able to see things like this due to the wishing stone......

Are you prepared to live like a human while you’re really not...?

Wh...
What... are you......?


P304

My name is Yachie Kaburagi.
I used to be a human.

Now I’m living in order watch over spirits in their final moments.
As an 808-year-old incarnation of Yao Bikuni.

TL Note: Yao Bikuni is a character from a Japanese legend. She stopped aging after she ate a piece of mermaid flesh, and lived for 800 years until she decided to end her own life.

Yachie... How about this guy?
Oh, he’s okay.
...Did he go to heaven?

And this girl is...

P305

sfx: Ahhh


P306

sfx: munch

?!!



P307
sfx: splatter splatter
sfx: munch munch

Azuki Yuzuriha.
Apparently she’s the ghost of a girl who died a few years ago. She’s taken up residence in this house three years ago.
I don’t know how she died exactly, but apparently it had something to do with tapirs.

Tapirs?

And? Did you find out anything, Azuki?

......

sfx: wipe
Takeyuki Murakami... 28 years old... An office worker...

He committed suicide by hanging himself in his house last year.
sfx: nibble...
Half a year before he died, he stabbed his wife and two-year-old son to death.

He had been having extreme headaches since then......


P308

Okay, good job.
There’s pudding in the fridge. You can have some if you want.
sfx: sparkle
Yay!
sfx: shock
She’s gonna eat even more?! Even though she ate that whole thing?!

...Well, as you see, Azuki’s got quite powerful supernatural abilities.
She can trace the memories of those she eats.

It’s called psychometry.

...Anyways, I have an idea! I finally have an idea!
sfx: sparkle
I wouldn’t mind helping with Natsumeda-kun’s case.
Really?!
This old lady just does whatever she wants..........

However...
There is one condition.

P309

You must find out the reason why Azuki died...
And allow her to move on to heaven...

Even if she can trace the memories of others...
Azuki herself doesn’t remember anything about her life or death.


P310

She’s empty.


To be continued in the April issue.........!!