Suzaku Ibun: Makan Village, Pt. 1 (Or,"When Creepers Attack")

Ni-hao and apologies for not posting last week. T'was Moving Week Part 2 (complicated process, moving is) and I had to prioritize a bit. But! I'm back this weekend with a heaping helping of Ibun as we enter the Makan Village Arc! 

And I'm gonna be honest with you: I hate this part of the game. Hated it in the anime, too. It’s actually better here, but that’s really not saying much. So, I’m going to be translating/editing it very quickly, so we can get through it as painlessly as possible and move on to much better adventures. Take my hand, dear reader. We’ll get through this together.

MAKAN VILLAGE

==Scene: A Desert==

You: ...Not that I’m surprised, but... it’s really hot out here...

Mitsukake: ...Please be careful not to get dehydrated.

Mitsuake:  The strength of the sun is a danger in the desert. Create as much shade as you can...

Tasuki: Idiot... there ain’t any shade around here... dumbass...

Mitsukake: You’re exhausted. Habitual intemperance will do that to you. (1)

Nuriko: I’m not especially tired, but… I do worry about my skin when the sun is this strong.

You:  Nuriko, you can afford a little sunlight…

Tasuki: Yer already... a beast in human skin... (2)

Nuriko: Wha… How dare you say that to a maiden!

Tasuki: Some maiden…

You: Tasuki, that was mean. Now apologize to Nuriko.

Tasuki: ….Damn, this is why I hate women…

Chiriko: If we continue on this route, we should make it to a village soon.

Chiriko: We’ll just have to endure the heat until then.

You: Really?! Wow, how did you know that?

Chiriko: I prepared a detailed map of the area before we entered the desert.

Chiriko: And last night, I deduced our current location by the positions of the stars.

Chiriko: If you take into account the distance and direction we walked from our point of departure, we should be able to see the village soon.

You: Amazing. You’re really well-prepared.

Chiriko: It’s just… this is the only way I can be of use to you, so...

Tamahome: H-Hey! There’s a village! I can see a village!

You: ….Really!?

You: I wonder if we’ll be able to drink as much water as we want!?

Tasuki: Ferget water! Tonight we’re gonna have a feast! {Insert very happy Tasuki squeal here}

Tamahome: Let’s get to that village!

You: Let’s go!

Chichiri: Oh, for heaven’s sake. They’re so reckless no da.

Mitsukake: ...They should be this spirited, though.

Mitsukake: They’re basically still children, after all.

Chichiri: ….Da.

Chichiri: We’ll have to be the level-headed ones no da.

Mitsukake: Right.

You: You gu~ys! You’re gonna get left behind!

Chichiri: Coming no da~!

Mitsukake: Good grief.

==Scene: Desert Village==

You: ...And here we are at Makan Village. It’s been a while since we saw something besides desert.

Tamahome: Heeey, hurry up, [Your Name].

Tasuki: I’m gonna eat till I pu-u-uke!

Nuriko: I want to take a soak in a nice long bath. Care to join me, [Your Name]?

You: M-Me?! Er, well... thanks, but I...

Nuriko: C’mon, I was just kidding.

Nuriko: You can go in after me~!

Chichiri: What’s wrong no da? You were as chipper as the others a minute ago.

You: Mm. Just savoring the moment. ‘Cause we managed to make it here without dying.

Chichiri: Hmm, you’re a strange one, Priestess of Suzaku no da~

You: The Suzaku Warriors are plenty strange, too. Their priestess is just the right amount of weird for them.

Chichiri: Da~! ♪ If you’re cheerful enough to make jokes, then you’re all right no da.

Chichiri: I want you to savor the moment, just pay attention so you don’t fall behind no da.

You: Yes, sir~

I walked along a little bit behind the others, thoroughly enjoying the sand-free scenery, when—

*clatter*

—!

You: Huh... What?

Suddenly... my body wouldn’t...

*thump*

=screen shakes=

—Huh?

I couldn’t stand up.

Sunstroke or something? No, I don’t feel sick.

You: ...You guys... Help m...

*Footsteps*

???: Guys—wait u~p!

You: Eh….

Soi: Geez... I thought you were gonna leave me behi~nd.

Why is Soi...?

Tamahome: Like we’d go anywhere with you.

What’s Tamahome talking about? That woman... she’s the Seiryuu Warrior who attacked us...

Tasuki: That’s right. We’d never leave th’ Priestess of Suzaku behi~nd.

Priestess of Suzaku!? No way—!!

She’s one of the Seiryuu Warriors. She’s not me!

Mitsukake: ...We’ll get something to eat and drink, rest up, and then head out, okay?

Soi: Mm!

Wait—

Chichiri: We can take a breather and then cross the rest of the desert in one go no da.

Soi: Mm. We’ve got to give it our all.

You: Wait...  I’m... over here...

Tamahome: Well, let’s go!

Soi: And awaaaay we go!

You: Wait…

…

Everyone’s gone.

Even though I’d fallen in the street, the villagers gave no indication that they’d noticed me...

You: What in the world…. is going on?

If only... I could move...

*Footsteps*

???: Resist all you like, it won’t do you any good.

Tomo appears! Hide your spouse, hide your kids, hide your mikos and your seishis!

Tomo: You’ve fallen right into my trap.

You: ...Who... are you...?

Tomo: The Seiryuu Celestial Warrior, Tomo. Hello, Priestess of Suzaku.

You: ...A Seiryuu Warrior.

Tomo. I’ve been watching your group’s movements for a long time. A long time indeed.

Tomo: You chose the perfect time to cross the desert. It’s easier for my jutsu to take effect if your spirit and strength have weakened.

You: ...What in the world did you do?

Tomo: I have a gift for genjutsu - the illusory arts. I use my illusions to control people’s hearts.

Tomo: Soi appears to be the Priestess of Suzaku, you cannot move, and the villagers take no notice of you or your companions.

Tomo: All through my magic.

Tomo: You and your warriors cannot escape my jutsu.

You: ...What are you planning to do to them?

Tomo: Soi, disguised as you, will kill the Suzaku Warriors.

Tomo: You have been left especially for me. I shall hold your very soul captive.

You: The others will be... killed...

You: ...No... I won’t let you...

Tomo: H’ohh, how fascinating. Are you trying to resist my jutsu?

You: It’s just an illusion. I’m only trapped because I believe it’s real.

You: So there’s no way... I’d lose to something like that.

Tomo: It’s futile.

Tomo: Know your place. You are the Priestess of Suzaku. One who relies on the kindness of others. You don’t have the willpower to shatter my magic.

...He’s wrong.

...It’s true that the others have done nothing but protect me.

But even so, I’ve been right there with them... fighting.

You: The others are... in danger...

You: ...I have to go... help them.

You: I have to hurry...!

Tomo: H’oh... So this is the will of the Priestess of Suzaku?

You: Get out of my way, Seiryuu Warrior Tomo.

You: Your made-up illusions can’t stop me!

Tomo: You’re rather spirited, aren’t you...?

Tomo: I commend you for standing up, Priestess of Suzaku

Tomo: But then, the Priestess of Seiryuu overcame this much as well.

Tomo: Aah, that agonized expression was a sight to see.

You: The Priestess of Seiryuu...

You: Misaki-chan!?

You: What did you do to Misaki-chan!?

Tomo: It would have been enjoyable if she hadn’t resisted. Instead, it was accompanied by quite a lot of pain.

Tomo: Her strength and willpower merited respect.

You: Answer me... What did you do to Misaki-chan!?

Tomo: *cackles* I changed her mind.

Tomo: Since you are her comrade, perhaps I can revel in the excitement of that moment once again. (2)

Tomo: I provided her with false memories.

Tomo: I made her believe you had betrayed her. And as time passed, her pain and humiliation waxed like the full moon.

Tomo: Those memories are the reason she resents you.

Tomo: Her feelings toward you changed from the trust and kindness she once had to the hatred she feels now.

Tomo: That is what drives her every move.

Tomo: She is your enemy. There is nothing you can do to help her.

You: You toyed with... Misaki-chan’s heart...

Tomo: *cackles* And what if I did?

You: …You think you can do that… to somebody’s heart?

You: ...I’ll never forgive you. How dare you do that to her...!

Tomo: *cackles*

You: What’s so funny!?

Tomo: Human emotions. In due time, anger is a feeling which strongly compels the heart.

Tomo: Yes, anger creates a gap in a person’s heart.

Tomo: And it is into those very gaps that my genjutsu penetrates.

=Darkness=

You: What…? It got dark all of a sudden...

Tomo: I will put an end to your painful journey, right here.

Tomo: I shall use my “shell,” the greatest genjutsu that I possess.

Tomo: I invite you to a world of the sweetest dreams.

You: What...?

Tomo: You can never escape me.

…

----------

Translation Notes:

(1) “Habitual intemperance will do that to you.” Original Japanese: 日頃の不摂生が祟ってる (higoro no fusessei ga tatatteru) - literally “It comes about because of daily intemperance/neglect of health.” I considered a variety of broader translations (my favorite: “This is what happens when you eat and drink yourself into a coma every day”), but I got the feeling Mitsukake was being both peevish and professional, so I kept the language a bit scholarly. Still think it’s hilarious though. I kinda love how much Tasuki and Mitsukake annoy one another.

(2) “Yer already... a beast in human skin... “ - Here, Tasuki calls Nuriko a bakemono (化け物), literally “a thing that changes.” It’s a broad category in Japanese mythology that refers to entities which take on another form (such as the master shapeshifter, the tanuki). Sometimes you can get away with translating bakemono as “monster” or “ghost,” but neither is quite right. And I personally can’t decide if Tasuki’s taking a jab at Nuriko’s super-strength (implying he’s not human) or the fact that he’s a crossdresser (implying he too is “a thing that changes”). Anyway, I waffled between “shapeshifter” and “beast in human skin” for a long time, but the latter was more insulting so I went with it. Not that I love it. Anyway, I’m all ears if anyone has an alternate suggestion.

(3) Tomo is seriously the world’s biggest creeper, you guys. The word that I translated as “excitement” here is koufun (亢奮), and it comes with a heavy connotation of “arousal.” Damn near everything Tomo says comes with a heavy connotation of “arousal,” in fact. *shudders* I always want to take a shower after I translate his lines.

Tip of the Hat:

A big doumo to Nishune Oujo, who not only worked on part of the translation for this scene, but also gave us that fantastic caption for the Tomo screenshot. Many thanks, Nishi! ^_^