This post parallels with anime-chan's "A Hideous Beast". I put her behind the 8-ball with "Culture Shock". Might as well challenge myself too.
Kuroshiro watched from the window as Akira went off with Griffin. She gets the full moon cycle; I get the night that’s just right to enter physical form. I know I am supposed to love Him, but where is the fairness? I just…really need you now, Lord. He looked at the rosary on his finger and decided said a prayer. He chose the Hail Mary, in honor of Our Lady of Akita. As he said these words, he meditated upon the words she gave Japan:
Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able to save you from the calamities that approach. Those who place confidence in me will be saved.
A small thought occurred to him. We, as members of the MCC, all suffer greatly. She wants to die when the moon awakens her as much I want to be alive during the same time. I see. Thank you for the insight.
It was not true what people thought about Kuroshiro, that he had seen the face of God. He had not seen God when he died. He could not tell them what was on the other side. He had simply been brought back to Earth, in a form of Purgatorio. The late repentance he experienced during his life placed him at the very depths of the ladder of Purgatorio. According to Dante, who he had read into during his last year of high school, he was to work his way through these challenges of deadly sin and one day, ascend to Heaven.
It had been almost an entire day since he joined the MCC.
It started to rain. He hated the rain.
Kuroshiro left the window in a rush, trying to put out of his mind his leader and her protector. He descended down the stairs to a common room where he ran into Acacia and the kemonomimi, with another creature that he had not had the pleasure to come into contact yet. He made his way down to the table.
“First, I’d like to say I'm so-rii, Acacia. I didn’t mean to call you a feju-taburu and I can tell you are sensitive. It’s just that I’ve seen many Japanese spirits repura-zen certain objects within our world. It’s an old Shinto tradition but personally, I believe it just happens. As is the way of the world.”
The green skinned mandrake nodded. “I will let you know you are not the first to call me by that stupid nickname. That freakout was coming. Ne pas insister à ce sujet.”
“Thank you.” He turned to the kemonomimi. “Second, I have been meaning to talk to you.”
“なぜあなたは私が必要なのでしょうか？”
“ああ、あなたは日本の知っていますか？”
“I may be Japanese, but I’m much better with English, thanks to Akira.”
“Fantastic. Can you join me in the rai-bura-rii?”
“Wait!”
The third creature, a boy, held his hand in pause.
“Tell me something. Are you human?”
“Am I human? I guess I once was. Now I’m a goh-sutu”
“I will take that and run with it. My name’s Sam, by the way.”
“Sam. So you’re the only human here?”
“Trust me. Now that I found you, it’s not so bad after all. I would actually like to talk with you later if you don’t mind.
“I don’t see a problem. Now, if you don’t mind.”
Kuroshiro nodded to the kemonomimi and they ascended the stairs, leaving Acacia to her thoughts and Sam to his small victory of normalcy.
黒白
The foyers, the halls, and the staircases. It was enough to get utterly confused. Not lost, just disoriented. Kuroshiro with the kemonomimi in tow walked throughout the mansion.
“Sir. I must ask you where you are taking me?”
He stopped abruptly. I guess this does look kind of weird in hindsight.
“それは獣の耳あることは事実です。”
“はい。ウサギの耳。”
"そして私はあなたの名前が何であるかを求めることができる？"
"あなたが知る必要がある場合、それは兎肉カリン。"
"カリン。素敵な名前"
Kuroshiro looked at her intently and decided to state his purpose directly.
“あなたを探している人々があります。それがためのものです –“
“違う！！私は実験室に戻っつもりはありません！！"
This was the first time she ever showed feral violence towards Kuroshiro as she balled her fists to punch him in the gut. All she punched was the air. Though, he still felt it.
“It’s not like that.” Kuroshiro stated in English.
“Then what is it?!”
“I…there are people who are worried for you. You lived in Metropolitan Tokyo. All I’ve heard of the Bunny Girl ku-rei-zu came from Akihabara. Though it’s not in my jurisdiction, I still know one could get lost in there and never be heard from again. But, it’s easy to make friends in a place like that. Hence, people you know and love are still looking for you.”
Karin stood shocked, as if she never knew people cared that much. She sat down and kept her head down, crying.
“I’m sorry. I just…don’t know…”
Kuroshiro came to her level. “Sh sh sh sh. It’s going to be okay.” He gave a hug and accidentally touched her ears. She squeaked a bit, not unlike a rabbit. She stood up quickly.
“I’m sorry. It’s not you. It’s just I’m still waiting for Sebby.”
“Sebby?”
“Sebastian, Our second in command, next to Akira. He's out gathering new recruits and. He’s kind of…my boyfriend.”
Oh.
“Well. Do you still want to accompany me to the library?”
“I guess.”
“By the way, I’ve never heard of the family name Toniku. Is it not native to Honshū?"
“I don’t really know.”
黒白
Arriving at the library, Karin decided to look at the fantastic books that lined three of the walls. Kuroshiro tried to work his way around a popular magazine, in order to attempt to learn the culture. The windows still swam with rain.
Kuroshiro asked Karin if she could turn the pages, seeing that he had returned hours ago to a spirit form. He was getting absolutely none of it and yet could understand why Americans were considered stereotypical. Perhaps the same could be said for Japan and our manga exports.
He stumbled upon an interesting story about the latest diet plan when he stood up in a rage.
“How dare they!!”
“Pardon?”
“It’s just this advertisement they have! Look at this!”
On the next page was an advertisement for Midori Liqueur, with a famous starlet prancing about a large bottle, wearing a Midori green dress.
“An American is the spokesperson of Midori!? これは絶対です fu-“
“言語！”
“…This is absolutely ridiculous. Who is this person, anyway? She doesn’t look like An-jo-rina Jo-rii or anyone I’ve seen before.”
“That’s Kim Kardashian.”
“Kim Kaoru-da…Karu-dachu…Her name is ridiculous too! And to top it all off, she looks like a ganguro bimbo without the hair.”
“Excuse me! I have blond hair!”
“Well, you’re not this Kim woman.”
Karin decided to cheer him up. “Trust me. Everyone sane person in America doesn’t like her either. At least that’s what Akira said.”
“Whatever. Is there a radio in here?”
“I think so. Yeah, there’s a radio on the table here.”
“Good. I need some music to calm down.”
Karin tuned to a station. “This is Virginia Hills Y106.7, taking requests from all across the history of music. Someone phoned in, thought it’d be a good time to play something from 1987, what with the weather and all. Remember this song?”
The strings of a heavily Spanish inspired acoustic guitar flooded the room in calm atmosphere amidst a synthesizer’s chords.
Kuroshiro dawned in realization. “This is my mother’s fae-foo-rito singer. His name is Sting, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“You know, if she had any say in my naming, I would probably be named Sasu.”
“Really? That would be weird.”
“Yeah. You know, she couldn't sing a note, but when I would feel down or depressed, late at night, she would put that record on. "...Na-sing rai-ku da Son." Wonder how she’s doing.”
Kuroshiro listened to the words and thought out the window. He also wondered whom he meant when he said she. Was it his mother or Akira?
He had barely met Akira and though she had fallen for Griffin, on an ephemeral level, perhaps this is what his classmates had once called “一目惚れ”. He felt something swell in him. He knew they had met before.
On and on
The rain will fall
Like tears from the star
Like tears from the star
On and on
The rain will say
How Fragile we are
How Fragile we are
---------------------------
DUH DUH DUH!
I am pushing the shipping envelope so hard right now, but dang, it feels so good!
On an interesting note, ever since I found out Kim Kardashian is the actual spokeswoman of Midori, I’ve wanted to use that joke.
In addition, bear with these crap translations. I’m using Google Translate and it’s not the prettiest thing.
Song I used is "Fragile" by Sting. Y106.7 is not a real radio station, to my knowledge.
