Jail Bird volume 1 | Chapter 2

By Takamure Tamotsu
Translated by asphodel

—一九XX年 東京—
—year 19xx Tokyo—

(Nighttime. The city blazes with lights. In an empty park, a demon glances behind, panting.)

Demon
く...
くそ...っ!
Damn...
Dammit...!

このままで済むと思うなよ
城峰真紀
俺たちはお前をー...
So I’m going to be finished off here, huh.
Kinomine Mahumi,
We will—

を?
Ah?

(The sword slices him cleanly in half. His body crashes to the ground and dissipates.)

Mahumi
ふう
今度の奴は手間取ったな
Fuu.
That guy took a while, didn’t he?

—俺は城峰真紀
—I am Kinomine Mahumi.

本当は元天使なんだけど記憶喪失の上に999匹の魔物を殺さないと天使に戻れないらしい
目下のところせっせと魔物退治に励み天界に戻るべくがんばってる
Originally I was actually an angel, but I’ve lost my memories—except that it seems I must kill 999 demons to become an angel again.
So now I am working diligently to exterminate demons so that I can return to Heaven.

Shion
—終わったか
—Is it over?

(Mahumi turns. Shion is sitting in the tree behind him, wings extended.)

Mahumi
紫音
Shion.

(Shion chuckles.)

Shion
今回は苦戦だったな
天使様
It was a hard fight this time, huh,
Angel-sama.

Mahumi
見てたんならなんで助けてくれないんだよっ
紫音のケチッ!
If you were watching all this time, then why didn’t you come and help me?
You meanie!

(根性久: quick-tempered.)

Shion
ちゃんと大丈夫だったろ?
You were perfectly fine, weren’t you?

—それに
信じてたから
—and besides,
I believed in you.

ちゃんと最後にはお前が勝つって
信じてたからな
I knew that you would emerge victorious—
So I believed in you.

Mahumi
...!
へ...
へへーん
そんなの当たり前だろっ
Heheh
Well, of course!

(He sticks his tongue out at Shion.)

Mahumi
俺を誰だと思ってるんだ?
真紀様だぜ?
Who do you think am I?
I’m Mahumi-sama!

今までずっと一人で戦ってきたんだ
魔物の100匹や二00匹軽い軽い!
Up ’til now I’ve always fought alone!
100 or 200 demons are small fry!

Shion
はいはいはい
Yes yes yes...

(Shion notices Mahumi limping.)

Mahumi
真紀
どうしたんだその足は
Mahumi,
what’s wrong with your leg?

Mahumi
えっ?
あっ
これ?
Huh?
Oh,
this?

さっきすりむいたみたい
たいしたことないよ
こんなのなめてりゃ平気って!
I guess I skinned it earlier.
It’s not important.
I’ll lick it and it’ll be fine!

(Back in the apartment, Shion gets out his first-aid kit.)

Mahumi
—て
言ってんのに
大げさなんだよ紫音は
—Uh...
Say, Shion,
that rather over-doing it, isn’t it?

Shion
念のためだ
Just making sure.

Mahumi
いててっ!
Ow ow!

Shion
貸してみろ
Give it here.

(Mahumi extends his left foot from his seat on the couch. Shion, kneeling in front of him, holds it steady and carefully applies antiseptic. Mahumi stares at him.)

Mahumi
—本当は
紫音は人間でも天使でもなくって魔物なんだ
俺の敵—殺さなくっちゃならない奴等の一人...
—In reality
Shion is not a human being or an angel; he is a demon.
He is my enemy—one of those I must kill...

だけど背中に天使のような純白の翼を隠してる
どうしてなんだろう
—こんなに優しいのに...
どうして紫音が魔物なんだろう
But he conceals pure white angelic wings on his back.
Why is that?
—He is so gentle...
Why is it that he’s a demon?

今までだったらケガなんかしたって放ったらかしで
それで平気だった
一人でいたってさみしくなんかなかった
それで当たり前だと思ってた
—なのに
あの時こいつの白い翼がなつかしくって
仲間みたいに思えてー
Until now I’ve simply ignored any injuries,
and that was fine.
I wasn’t really lonely by myself.
I thought it was the norm.
—But...
when I saw his white wings
I thought he seemed like one of my kind.

だからー...
and so—...

Shion
はい終わり
Okay, done.

(Shion closes the lid of the first-aid kit, looks up and smiles at Mahumi.)

どうした真紀
What’s wrong, Mahumi?

(Mahumi slips off the couch and grabs Shion’s arm.)

Mahumi
...なんかさ
こういうのっていいなって思って
一人じゃないっていいよね

下界に来てから昔のことも仲間のことも忘れちゃって
ずっと一人だったから
紫音がいてくれて良かった
ずっと
このまま
離れないでいてくれるかな
...somehow...
I was thinking that “this is wonderful”.
It’s wonderful to not be alone.
I...
Since I descended I’ve forgotten all my old companions,
and I’ve always been alone.
I’m glad that you’re here.
Can we
always
be together like this?

Shion
真紀
Mahumi

...
..ああ
...Yeah

もしもそれが叶うならどんなにかー...
If that wish could become true, how I would—...

—俺だって...
—Because I...

(Morning. The doorbell rings. Mahumi, in pajamas, sits up in bed groggily. Shion is still asleep. He opens the door, yawning.)

Man
ぼうや一人?
お父さんやお母さんは?
You’re alone, kid?
Where are your mom and dad?

Mahumi
...いません
...not here.

Man
えーっ困ったなー
新聞とってくれない?
一ヶ月だけでいいから
ほらマンガも載ってるよっ
サービスしてオマケもいっぱいつけるから! ホラホラホラ!!
Hmm, that’s too bad, huh—
Do you want the paper?
Just a one month subscription is fine.
See, it’s got the comics.
As a service to you I’ll give you a great discount! Here here here!!

(He starts piling various things into Mahumi’s arms.)

Shion
—で
—so

(Mahumi dumps the lot onto the table.)

...もらっちゃったわけだ
色々と
...you took everything, didn’t you.

Mahumi
—ゴメン
—Sorry.

まだハンコ押してないから
もらうもんだけもらったら今度追い返してやろーっと
I haven’t signed the form, so
the next time he comes I’ll send him away.

(Shion picks up two pieces of paper from the pile.)

Shion
遊園地のチケットまであるじゃないか
There are even tickets for the amusement park, huh?

Mahumi
遊園地?
Amusement park?

(His eyes grow big and round.)

うにゃ?
Merrrgh?

Shion
行ったことない?
You’ve never been to one?

...行ってみろ?
...then shall we go?

Mahumi
うん...!
Yeah...!!

(An amusement park, complete with ferris wheel and roller coasters.)

Mahumi
...次
あれ乗ろう!
...Next,
let’s go take that ride!

Shion
...いや
俺はちょっと...
...Nah,
I’m a little...

(He holds a hand to his face, nauseous.)

Mahumi
紫音!
あれ!
Shion!
Over there!

わーハトだっ
Wow, a dove!

キャッ キャッ
Whee whee!

(He runs after it, laughing, scattering popcorn.)

Shion
真紀...
お前は昨日ああ言ったけど一人だったのはお前だけじゃない
仲間と馴染めず
ずっと一人ぼっちでいたのは俺 の方だ
お前がいてくれるなら
そんな時があったことさえ忘れられそうでー...
Mahumi...
I said “yes” to you yesterday, but the one who is alone is not you.
I am not used to your companionship.
The one who was always alone was me.
And while you’ve been here,
I’ve forgotten that such a time ever existed—...

お前は俺の翼を天使のようだと言ってくれたけど
お前の方がずっと...翼なんかなくたって
—お前が本物の天使なんだよ...
You told me that my wings are like those of an angel, but
even though you...do not any wings
—you are the real angel...

(Mahumi and Shion walk by a “Chamber of Horrors”.)

Mahumi
ここ!

ここに入ろうよ
Here!
Next,
let’s go in here!

Shion
いや
俺は外で待ってるよ
No thanks.
I’ll wait outside.

Mahumi
ちえー
Humph.

案外つき合い悪いんだよな
紫音って
Shion’s unexpectedly bad at socializing, isn’t he..

A Voice
「来タゾ」
“He has come.

Shion
見られたもんを今さら!
Someone like me looking at things like that!

(He sighs in exasperation.)

A Voice
来たぞ来たぞ
あいつか
He came, he came,
Him.

A Voice
我れな仲間を次々と殺していってるという奴は...
ジャマ...
敵...
The one who has been killing our kind one by one...
Meddler...
Our enemy...

A Voice
目ざわりだぞ...あいつ
He is an eyesore!

A Voice
...しまえ...
殺...てしまえ...!
...him...
Kill...him...!

(Mahumi, sensing something, spins around.)

A voice
殺してしまえー...
Kill him—...

Mahumi
今視線を感じたと思ったんだけど...
Just now I thought I felt someone staring at me...

気のせい?
My imagination?

(A boy with glasses steps out from behind a wall and looks after Mahumi.)

Boy with Glasses
フーン
彼が真紀ね
Hmmm...
He’s Mahumi, isn’t he?

確かに普通の人間とは違うみたいだけど
それだけじゃあわからないですね
In any case, it would seems that he is different from ordinary humans.
But I can see that it’s not just that.

Man
—少し様子を見てみるか
—Let’s take a look.

Woman
だってえ
But...

Man
—だからさぁ
—Look, see?

こういうのみんな作り物なんだよね
Everything is artificial, see?

コワくないコワくない
Don’t be scared, don’t be scared.

(They turn to see a scythe behind them.)

Man
あれ?
でもこれはよくできて—
Hmm?
But that one’s really well done—

(The scythe has blood dripping from it, and a skeletal hand is holding a bloody decapitated head.)

Man
うわぁ
Waaaaa!

Woman
キャアアアア!
KYAAAAA!

Man
本物!?
It’s real?!

(The head falls to the ground and rolls over.)

Woman
いやああ!
Nooo!

(Mahumi, hearing the screams, comes running over, his sword sliding out of the palm of his hand.)

Mahumi
こいつら
みんな本物だっ
どうして魔物がこんなにこんな所に
They—
All of them are real.
Why are there demons here?

(He slashes through the crowd of demons.)

Demon’s Decapitated Head
...これで終わりと思うなよ...
お...お前を
ずっと狙ってやる...
...don’t think that it ends here. You...you will
always be targeted!

Mahumi
今までむこうから襲って来ることなんかなかったのに
どうして...?
Until now they haven’t really attacked me.
Why...?

Boy with Glasses
それはあなたが邪魔だからですよ
That is because you’re a hindrance to them.

彼ら少しは本気であなたを倒そうという気になったんでしょう
奴らにとって地上に降りた天使ほど邪魔な者はないですからね
It looks like they’ve decided to go against you seriously.
Because there are no other angels who have descended to earth to trouble them.

Mahumi
誰だっ!?
Who’s there?!

(The boy steps out into the open, smiling.)

男の子...俺と同じ年くらいの
—敵?
A boy...someone who’s about my age.
—an enemy?

いやちがう
魔物の類じゃない
この感じはまるでー...
No.
He is not one of the demons.
This feeling, it’s as though—...

お前何者だ!
You, who are you!

まるで
It’s as though—

Boy with Glasses
...まさか
僕のことまで忘れちゃったんですか...!?
...Could it be
that you’ve forgotten even me...?!

...本当に?
...truly?

記憶が封印されたとは聞いていたけど
...そんな
I had heard that your memories had been sealed, but
...even so...

(He grabs Mahumi by the shoulders.)

Mahumi
あ...
Oh...

Boy with Glasses
ああ
でもお互いこの姿じゃ無理もない
昔とまるっきり違うんだもの
可哀想に...!
Oh,
But this form is just too much!
It’s completely different from your former shape.
You poor thing...!

Mahumi
変だ...

こいつ見てるとなんだか
なんだかー...
懐かしい...!?
It’s so strange...
I...
Seeing him, I feel as though
as though—...
I’ve missed him...?!

そんなバカな!?
俺の仲間は紫音だけなのに紫音だけのはずなのに
That’s stupid, isn’t it?!
My companion is Shion alone, and should be only Shion.

お...
お前誰だよ...!
You...who are you?!

お前なんか知らない
I don’t know you!

(He slaps the boy’s hands away.)

紫音...!
Shion...!

紫音
紫音
Shion!
Shion!

怖い...
こいつ...!
I’m afraid...
He...!

どこにいるんだ来てくるっ
Where are you! Please come!

Boy with Glasses
—あいつは
あなたに相応しくない...!
—he
is not fit company for you...!

自分の立場もわきまえず
魔物のくせして天使と一緒にいるなんて
思い上がった奴だ...!
You don’t even know your own position!
A demon who thinks he can be with an angel—
he thinks pretty highly of himself, doesn’t he...!

Mahumi
—お前
なんでそんなこと知ってるんだよ...!
—you—
How do you know something like that...!

Boy with Glasses
知りたければつかまえてごらんなさい
教えてあげますよ
色々と
If you want to know, then catch me.
I’ll tell you
everything.

(He laughs and runs away.)

僕は
あなたの過去を知る者ですから
Because
I am someone who knows your past.

Mahumi
待っ...!
Wa...!

俺の過去—
この姿になる前の...!
My past—
Before I took this shape...!

—そうか俺
—I see, I—

あいつが怖いんじゃない
あいつを見てて昔を思い出しそうになるのが怖いんだ...!
It’s not him that I’m afraid of.
I am afraid of the memories of the past evoked by seeing him...!

—俺の過去...!
何があったんだ?
どうして俺は翼をもがれて人間の姿で魔物たちを殺さなければならない?
怖い...!
でも知りたい!!
知りたい...!
—My past...!
What happened?
Why were my wings taken away, why was I given a human shape, and why must
I kill the demons?
I’m afraid...!
But I want to know.
I want to know...!

(Outside, Shion sees Mahumi running past him.)

Shion
...真紀?
...Mahumi?

—水族館—
The aquarium

Mahumi
...どう行ったんだ
あいつ
...where did he go?

—そうだな
バカだよ俺って
別にあいつが紫音と同じ魔物だとしても俺と紫音のことは知ってるんだよな
俺の過去を知ってるなんてまるっきり口からでまかせの嘘かもしれないのに
あんな言葉本気にしてー...
—Of course.
I’m such a fool.
He may not be a demon like Shion, but he knows about Shion and me, doesn’t he.
He’s probably just making up things about my past.
Though he says them so seriously—...

Boy with Glasses
ようやく追いついた
You’ve finally caught up.

昔は僕の方があなたの後をついてまわったものなのに
変な感じだな
Before, I was always the one following your lead.
It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it?

Mahumi
...お前
—何者だ
...You—
—who are you?

Boy with Glasses
—それは...
—Well...

Shion
真紀?
Mahumi?

Mahumi
紫音!
Shion!

(The boy, looking at Mahumi’s face light up as he calls Shion’s name, smiles slightly, then grabs Mahumi by the collar and kisses him.)

え...
Wh...

ええっ!?
What!?

お...お前
—何を!
Y-you
—what are you—!

Boy with Glasses
—これだけ
やっても思い出さない...?
—even after that
you still cannot remember...?

悲しいな
記憶を失くしても僕のことだけは絶対忘れないと信じてたのに
That makes me so sad.
Though you lost your memories, I believed that you would surely remember me.

...ずっとあなたを探してたんだ
助けてあげるために...!
...I’ve been looking for you for so long
so that I can help you...!

僕たちは
本当の
仲間です...!
We are truly of the same kind...!

天使は天使に相応しい相手を選ぶべきですよ
魔物なんかじゃなく...

Angels must choose angels to be their companions,
not demons...
right?

僕はウリエル
“裁きの座”にひき出す者
炯眼の精霊
真紀
あなたは僕が守ってみせる
この僕が...!
I am Uriel.
The one who holds the “seat of judgment”.
The spirit of the penetrating eye.
Mahumi,
let me show you that I will protect you.
I will...!

(Shion stands silently by as Uriel hugs Mahumi. Elsewhere a woman with short black hair is talking with a man with long blonde hair.)

Woman
—相当頭にきてるわね
ウリエル
—He’s really making me mad,
Uriel.

自分が忘れられてたもんだから
いつになく意地悪よ
He’s forgotten himself
and become even more malicious than usual.

彼とウリエルはただの仲間ってだけじゃないのにそれを教えてあげないなんてー...
Uriel didn’t even tell him that they don’t have just an ordinary relationship—...

Man
—目ざわりだな
—A disgrace, isn’t it.

なんだあいつは
紫音とか言ったな
魔族のくせに...!
Why does he associate
with the likes of Shion
though he’s from the demon tribe...!

Woman
...
—私もビックリしたわよ
天使と魔物がつれんでるなんて前代未聞だもの!
—I was surprised, too.
It’s unheard-of for an angel and a demon to keep company!

Man
彼もー
He—

Woman
ああ
今は真紀だったわね
Yes.
That was Mahumi just now, right?

Man
真紀も一人で不安だったんでしょうよ
Mahumi didn’t want to be alone, I guess.

Woman
でも大丈夫
私たちが迎えに来てあげたんですもの
紫音さえいなくなれば
真紀も私たちのこと思い出してくれるわ
...きっと...!
But it’s okay.
We’ve come this far to meet him.
As long as we can get rid of Shion,
Mahumi will remember us.
...surely...!