|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Kaitou Saint Tail - July 1997 Comic Fans, Chapter 16
"Haneoka-san! Look over here!" A camera light flashed as Meimi turned to the voice, holding Ruby. "Huh...!?"
Sawatari waved, holding his camera, "Hi!" Side note: The weather's great today!
Meimi quickly hid Ruby behind her back, "Manato!? What are you doing here?"
"I said I wanted to get you to be a model, remember? If I don't take more pictures..." Sawatari grinned with happy eyes, his fingers in a 'V' sign. "You're pretty in your school uniform, and you also look beautiful just resting in your own backyard... you should be guilty!" Note: That last part is pretty bad translating, literally it's 'A lady/woman who commited a crime!', by being so beautiful and taking his heart and all that stuff, it just means she should be guilty or something.
'Can't he shut up...' Meimi thought, with a frustrated look on her face and a sweatdrop.
Sawatari waved as he left, "If you become an idol, please don't forget me!! Bye!!" Side note: See you tomorrow!
At St. Paulia Church...
"The toy shop 'Never Land'?" Seira, dressed in her nun uniform, asked.
"Yes..." A woman with light-coloured short hair said, "Do you know about it? Sister. It's on 2nd Street, that big toy store? There... a year ago my father opened a little toy store there. Now... because of the 'rules', that shop didn't belong to my father anymore..."
Seira asked, "Ah... so you came here for help?"
"No... it's all taken care of already. But," the woman said, "In the 'Never Land' store there's a big tree used for display. That tree... was in my backyard, ever since I was small, I always climbed up and played there."
"Actually, in a hole in the tree, I left a very important music box there...!"
Later... in the 'Screen Room' (confessional) at St. Pauli Church...
"So you want to take the music box back, is that right..." Meimi asked.
Seira answered, "I heard that it plays the song 'Green Tree', a beautiful music box. She... asked the owner many times to return the music box... but he seemed to always say he was busy for an excuse, and ignored her." (Note: 'Green
Tree' is not a very right translation, if you know the Japanese name or something, tell me!)
"I understand!" Meimi said, grinning, "Now it's time for Kaitou Saint Tail to appear!!"
Before school, on St. Paulia Academy school grounds...
"Hello! Asuka!!" Asuka Jr. turned around to look at his friend.
"Hey? What's that in your hood?" Asuka's friend asked. Asuka Jr. picked up the little round ball in his hood and it suddenly exploded!
"It's a challenge note...!!" he looked at it.
'I'm going to "Never Land" to take back the music box that plays "Green Tree". St. Tail'
"Hahaha..." Sawatari said from up in the school hallway. (But it's outside...) "You're still so popular!"
Asuka looked at him, "Manato-san."
"THIS early in the morning you want to pick a fight with me?!!" he yelled up at him.
Sawatari suddenly dropped his photo, "Hey... ah... oh no!" he cried as the photo fluttered towards Asuka Jr.
"Ah... don't touch! Give it back! Haneoka-san's precious photo!" Sawatari rushed down. (Note: It's actually more like 'the precious photo of Haneoka-san')
"WHAT...!?" Asuka Jr. shouted, his face turning red. Side note: 14-year-old boy's natural thinking. (Note from me: If you didn't get that, Asuka thought the picture of Meimi was... ah, suggestive, to put it in a nice way.)
Asuka looked at the photo of Meimi holding Ruby, "What's wrong... it's a normal photo..."
'!' he suddenly thought. "This... what's this with Haneoka?" he asked Sawatari, who had finally ran down to him.
"This... I don't know." Sawatari said, "It doesn't matter, I can only see the beautiful picture of Haneoka-san..."
Asuka ran off as Sawatari screamed at him, "You didn't hear what I said!? HEY!!"
'This thing... where I have I seen it?' Asuka thought of St. Tail sticking her tongue out with Ruby hiding her face, Ruby landing on his head, 'Definitely...!!'
"Haneoka!!" Asuka Jr. called.
Meimi turned around, "W-what!?" she said, annoyed, as Asuka held up the photo of her and Ruby. Side note: So loud...
'Huh?' she thought as she stared at the photo, 'Ruby...!!' "This..." she started.
"Give it back!" Sawatari yelled, running up to Asuka, "Asuka, that's MY photo!"
'It was taken yesterday...!!' Meimi thought, holding the photo with a frightened look on her face.
Asuka said, "Haneoka!! What's that thing with you...!"
Meimi closed her eyes, 'What should I do...!!'
"That's a stuffed animal!" a voice said.
Meimi looked over, "Seira..."
Seira clasped her hands together, "What's wrong with a hedgehog toy? Asuka Jr."
Asuka Jr. looked at the photo, "Stuffed animal...?"
"Y... yes! I was going to get rid of it, but..." Meimi stuttered.
"Meimi, you're so annoying!" Seira said, dragging Meimi away. Side note: Let's go!
Asuka shouted, "W... wait, wait! Haneoka!"
Sawatari gripped Asuka's shoulders, "Stop it! If you're so nosy people will dislike you!"
".....", Asuka stared at him. Side note, pointing at Sawatari: If this guy says it, it's the end.
Later, still in classroom 2-A of St. Paulia Academy...
Asuka Jr. stared at the photo, as Sawatari turned towards him, "Huh... even though I don't know what your problem
is," Sawatari said, "But I'll help investigate to see if that is really a stuffed toy or not?"
"Manato, you..." Asuka stared at him, amazed, "You're actually a good guy..." Side note: Staring...
Sawatari brushed his hair back, "That's obvious, I mean like, aren't we classmates?"
"So..." Sawatari took Meimi's hands in his, "Come with me on a date!" with little hearts surrounding Sawatari and Meimi, and Meimi with a blank stare and a sweatdrop on her head.
Asuka shouted, "WAIT! What kinda reason... Mmph..." he mumbled as Sawatari put an arm over his mouth to shut him up.
Sawatari held up a finger, "I want to take another picture of you and your stuffed animal, can I?"
"Huh...?" Meimi trailed off. "Ah, I'm sorry, but..."
"Right, how about tomorrow after school?" Sawatari said, still holding Asuka but Asuka was waving his arms around frantically with the side notes: Nervous nervous nervous
"Asuka...!!" Rina rushed to him and punched Sawatari up in the air.
"What kind do you want, milk-centered, or candy-centered?" Rina asked Asuka.
Asuka Jr. shouted, "WHAT are you asking now!"
Rina winked, "Silly, of course that's about Valentine's chocolates. Which kind do you like?" she hugged him, "I will make them myself and come to visit you, you just wait!"
"Don't follow me...!!" Asuka shrieked, trying to get away from her. Meimi was getting very very angry, with a lot of those little mad 'crosses' on her head. She whirled around, "Manato!"
He turned, "Yes!?"
"I accept your invite, we'll go on a date after school!!" she yelled, furious. Seira looked sick, "Me... Meimi!?"
Sawatari grinned happily, "Wow...! Lucky!!"
"WHAT...?!" Asuka looked at them, sorta freaked out.
Seira clasped her hands, "God...!" with a sweatdrop.
At St. Paulia Church...
"So... I'm so sorry, Seira..." Meimi said nervously, her hands together in prayer.
Seira said, with mad 'crosses' in her speech bubble and her headdress, "What are you going to do... your date is at the same time St. Tail's police challenge note..."
"There must be same way." Meimi said, side note: Haha...
"And just when I found an explanation about Ruby..." Seira said, "But I was too careless too... there is such a kind of doll, but..."
Meimi held a finger up, smiling, "Ah... I saw it in a toy store before. There's even a music box on a doll that looks exactly like Ruby! Just buy one to trick Sawatari would be fine! Hey... that music box's melody is also..."
" 'Green Tree'! You didn't forget the people who need help, did you?"
"Don't worry!" Meimi said, "I'll go buy the doll that's so much like Ruby!"
Seira clasped her hands together, "Even so, but... you could have gotten one before, but..."
"I heard they sold out now."
Meimi had nervous happy eyes and a sweatdrop on her head, "..." she clasped her hands together, rivers of tears
running down her eyes (hilarious picture! :), "WHAT CAN I DO! Seira..."
"No other way, so..."
The next day...
"Ji!" chirped Ruby with happy eyes. Side note pointing to Ruby's light-colored hair ribbon: The ribbon used for outside the house.
Meimi put Ruby in a little pouch, "Sorry, Ruby, today can you become a stuffed toy?"
"Ji!" Ruby squealed with a determined look on her face and little stars surrounding her.
One hour later...
Ruby is still in the pouch, with a determined expression, little stars surrounding her.
Three hours later...
Ruby is still in the pouch, with a determined expression, little stars surrounding her.
After school...
'It should be okay...' Meimi thought, looking over her shoulder at Ruby, who still wasn't moving.
"Haneoka-san, where are we going?" Sawatari waved happily.
At the toy store "Never Land"...
"Huh... the only music box with the song 'Green Tree' is..." the manager gestured to a hedgehog doll in a glass case, "Is this product, Asuka Jr."
"There's only this one left?" Asuka asked.
The manager answered, "Yes, we just sold out."
'So, it's this?' Asuka thought, looking at the hedgehog toy music box playing music, 'This is what St. Tail wants to steal...'
'Huh...' Asuka sees Sawatari and Meimi entering the store, saying, "Wow... what a big toy store..."
Meimi looks over at the tall tree in the store, 'It's that tree! With the music box...'
"What's with you?" the manager asked Asuka.
Asuka Jr. turned around, "N... nothing."
'I... why am I paying attention to them...' Asuka thought to himself, looking over at Sawatari and Meimi.
"Right now is the big Valentine's Day sale, no matter what we can't close." the manager said, "We're counting on you, Asuka Jr."
Asuka said, "Um... I'd like to borrow something."
"What is it?" the manager asked.
Inside the employee's lounge at "Never Land"...
"Argh..." Asuka Jr. said as he stepped into a costume, "Why am I doing..." he stood in a big puffy fox costume, holding the fox's head with happy eyes in one hand, "This kinda thing..."
The security guards opened, "Asuka Jr.!!"
"So that's why!!" the security guards exclaimed, "This is the secret plan to catch the kaitou, right!!"
Asuka grinned, embarrassed, "Uh... haha..." 'No way!' he thought.
Back in the "Never Land" store...
"Manato...! Hey!" Asuka Jr. whispered, grabbing Sawatari's shoulder while Meimi was exclaiming over some stuffed penguins and fishies.
Sawatari looked at Asuka sarcastically, "I don't recognize foxes!"
Asuka took the fox head off, "It's me! ME!!" he half whispered, half yelled.
"About that..." Asuka put his fox head back on, "How about it..."
Sawatari looked over at Meimi, "Ah ah..." he sees Ruby, still looking like a stuffed animal, and clasped his hands together, blushing, "It's a doll! Probably is..." Side note with hearts surrounding him: Shy
"You really only care about Haneoka!" Asuka Jr. said with a sweatdrop.
Meimi looked over at them, "Manato?" Asuka quickly turned away. "Who's that?" she asked.
Sawatari put a hand on her shoulder, "It's only a fox you see, let's go, let's go!"
Meimi kept on looking at the fox,
'I...' Asuka Jr. thought inside his costume and turning a bit red, 'I'm not paying attention!'
'I just want to find out if it's really only a stuffed toy...!' he thought as a couple accidentally bumped into him. "Sorry!" they apologized, but it was too late. Asuka's foot slipped on the stairs, "Ah..."
"Wah... WAHH!" he started falling down the stairs, "WAAAAAAAAAAAH...!" he rolled down the stairs, screaming.
Meimi looked at the fox, shocked, as the rest of the crowd said stuff like, "Incredible..." "The fox rolled down with a smile...!"
'That dumb look,' Meimi thought, 'So it is...!!' While Asuka sat on the bottom of the stairs, going "It hurts... hurts..." with a sweatdrop.
"ACHOO!" Meimi looked at Ruby, who suddenly sneezed.
Sawatari looked at her, "Huh?"
'Oh no!' she thought. "Ah, oh no... I guess I caught a cold..." she said to Sawatari.
'Ruby...' Meimi thought desperately as Ruby kept sneezing, 'Wha- what should I do? Seira...!"
The lights suddenly turned off...
"Ah ah!?" Asuka Jr. shouted, taking his fox costume off, "That St. Tail!!" he sees the shadow of St. Tail behind a window. 'Today I'm not letting you escape!' he thought, looking at her.
The crowd, including Sawatari, exclaimed over the shadow standing there while Meimi quickly took off her school cap and turned.
"!! Disappeared!?" Asuka and the security guards gasped. "Where is she!?" Meimi ran past them and leapt up onto a tree branch.
'I'm coming!' Meimi thought. "One...!" she flipped up over the tree branch and kept climbing up, "Two..." she closed her eyes, "Three...!!" she turned into St. Tail, standing on top of the tree, holding her hat in a puff of smoke around her.
"There!" Asuka said, "She appeared on the tree!!"
"Whew..." Seira said, holding a orange wig tied up into a ponytail with a black ribbon, and dressed as St. Tail, "For me, that was an excellent performance!" She clasped her hands together and prayed, "Wish for God... to protect us for nothing to happen to us..."
St. Tail looked down on the crowds from the tree, "Good evening, everyone! I'm so sorry, for disturbing you!"
Asuka Jr. shouted up at her, "Stand there and don't move!! St. Tail!!"
She smiled at him, and took her hat out. "One!" bubbles started to come out of the hat, "Two..." the bubbles got bigger, "Three...!!"
Balloon clones of Ruby suddenly burst in front of Asuka and the security guards. "Whaaaaaaah!?" they shouted.
"My... my... store..." The manager cried, buried in mountains of Ruby balloons.
'Oh, no...!!' Asuka pushed some Ruby balloons aside.
St. Tail held the music box in her hand, "The 'Green Tree' music box, I'll just take it!!"
"Huh..." Asuka looked at her, "There should be only one music box that plays 'Green Tree'..."
The music box opened, and started playing. "She's gone...!?" Asuka looked up at the tree, nothing left except for "Green Tree" still playing. 'Green Tree...' he shoved aside the Ruby balloons, "Wai... wait, wait..." he shouted. One of the balloons suddenly exploded in front of him, and a little heart shaped box of chocolates with a bow landed in his hands.
'Huh...' Asuka turned red, looking at it and a note, "For Mr. Fox. St. Tail"
'Ah ah...!?' Asuka stared at the chocolate, while the manager and security guards were surrounded by Ruby balloons.
"Heh..." Meimi snuck up behind him, "So popular."
Asuka Jr. quickly hid the chocolate behind his back, "No... no... this is..." he stuttered.
Meimi smiled, "No need to hide it, there's no problem with it..." Little music notes surround her, side note: Smiling, smiling, smiling
"Bu... but you..." Asuka pointed at her, "On your back..."
Meimi turned and showed him Ruby, "Ah... this? It's a stuffed animal! Isn't it cute? I bought it before they sold out." Side note pointing inside Meimi's pouch, a picture of the music box, opened and playing "Green Tree"
Asuka looked at the still-not-moving Ruby, and let out a breath, "Oh... yes... it's a toy... it's like that..." he smiled.
"Um? Wha...what?" Meimi looked back at him.
"Um! It's like that...!" Asuka grinned, 'Don't think about other things, why don't I catch her.' and then there's a picture of St. Tail looking over her shoulder and smiling, 'I only have to catch her, then I'll know the truth...!'
Asuka Jr. held up his chocolate, very happy, "Ah... maybe St. Tail likes me!" he said to Meimi, with flowers and music notes and "La-la"s surrounding him.
"Ah... um..." Meimi mumbled, 'Complicated...' she thought with a mad cross and a sweatdrop on her head.