[CD Drama] Sound Episode 2 - Part 2

Stage 14.821 - The Brown Dilemma / Distress

Newscaster: Yesterday, the armed anti-government force known as the Japan Liberation Front self-destructed their tanker...

Ougi: Naoto... what should I do, at a time like this? From the day Zero appeared, the organization I inherited from you has undergone drastic changes. The path designated by Zero is harsh and demands of us our resolve. But with him as our leader, your ambition may actually come true. Yes, I truly think it's a good thing Zero is the one leading all of us. (sigh) Oh, no, that's not why I'm sighing! Actually, Naoto, I'm facing a serious problem right now.

Villetta: ...ugh...

Ougi: At this very moment, a woman in dripping wet clothes is sleeping on the bed in my room. It's alright, I cleaned the room 3 days ago. The sheets, too, have just been changed... No, that'snottheproblemhere Iknowthat! But I found her unconscious, washed ashore the port, and wounded. It's not like I can leave her alone just because she's Britannian. Furthermore...

Villetta: ...Zero...

Ougi: Just who is she...? The insides of her slender, delicate fingers are callused, in the form typical of Knightmare pilot grips. The softness of her skin belies the elasticity and tautness of a well-trained body. I really can't imagine her being a civilian... No, I can't just let her stay wet. When towelling yourself dry...

Villetta: ...Ugh... mm...

Ougi: Through your clothes!! You towel yourself through your clothes!! ...the wet fabric clings to her skin, and through it her body line... (clears throat) It doesn't matter who she really is, I can't just leave her in those wet clothes. At this rate she'll catch a cold. But Naoto... to think that this is how I'll be undressing a woman withmyownhandsfortheveryfirsttimeinmylife--

(cellphone rings)

Ougi: Uwaahh!!

Kallen: Ougi-san? It's me.

Ougi: A-ah. Kallen, what's up?

Kallen: Just a little something I need to discuss with you.

Ougi: Are you in some kind of trouble?

Kallen: Actually, it's about the Black Knight's uniform... I'd like to send it to the dry-cleaner's every now and then instead of just after every battle. Do you think you can set aside some of our budget for this? My work in the warehouse has me sweating all over, you see...

Ougi: That's true, you sweat all over don't you!?

Kallen: Exactly!

Ougi: You get soaked to the skin with sweat, right!?

Kallen: Well, that's due to the work...

Ougi: If you don't take your clothes off quickly, things will be bad, right!?

Kallen: Eh...? ...Yeah, if you don't do that you might catch a cold...

Ougi: That's what you have to do when you're soaked with sweat, to say nothing of falling into the ocean and ending up completely wet, right...!?

Kallen: Ougi-san...?

Ougi: Say, Kallen, when that happens... where do you start undressing from?

Kallen: HUH?

Ougi: Aaaaahhhhhh nothat'snotwhatImeant! How do you undress? ...Aaaahhhhhhh no that'snotwhatI'mtryingtosay! What do I have to do, to be able to undress you in that situation?

Kallen: (hangs up)

Ougi: Oi Kallen! Wait! Don't misunderstand me! Kallen!!

Ougi: Not good! I wanted to ask how I should go about undressing a woman without giving off a nasty impression, but... it seems like that's the exact impression I gave Kallen. I'll have to call her back and clear up the misunderstanding... But how should I go about explaining it? This is a Britannian woman right in front of...

(cellphone rings)

Ougi: Kallen!?

Tamaki: Ougi~? It's me, me~ (drunk tone)

Ougi: Tamaki!

Tamaki: Hey~, I'm drinking here at a pub near your pla~ace. The new recruits are all with me hee~eere~

Ougi: You... do you understand what an important phase the Black Knights are going through right now!?

Tamaki: I unnersand! I un~der~sta~nd! Thaaaat's why we're having a post-mortem and a disscushion on our fewtu~re die-rek-shion... like, that's our pretext for the drinking paaaaarty!! Minami, Sugiyama, Yoshida and Inoue won't hang out with me lately~

Ougi: Well, what did you expect?

Tamaki: But Ougi will come riiiiight? Let's drink together once in a whii~ile! We'll share our complaints about Zeroo~o...

Ougi: I have nothing to compla--

(pause)

Ougi: Say, Tamaki...

Tamaki: What, you coming?

Ougi: No, I want to ask you something.

Tamaki: What is it? Don't talk about stuff that'll sour my drinking mood, okay?

Ougi: I'm sure you're used to it, right? Won't you teach me? Uh... the... how should I say it... the way to undress a woman.

Tamaki: WHAT!? You're with a girl!? Hoho, you're a man when it comes down to it too, eh!

Ougi: No, that's not it! I mean, well, strictly speaking it is...

Tamaki: Won't the clothes just drop off naturally while you're caressing her body!? Isn't that riiiiii~ight?

New lady recruit: (flirtatious laughter) Oh geez, Tamaki-senpai!

Tamaki: Heyaheyaheyaheyaheya!! Ehehehehe--

Ougi: (hangs up)

(cellphone rings again)

Ougi: (annoyed) Tamaki! I'm kind of busy he--

Zero: Ougi? It's me.

Ougi: Ze-zero!

Zero: I received a call from Kallen. She said you were acting strange.

Ougi: Ah, no... we had a slight communication problem... Say Zero, I'd like to ask you something. There's a brown-skinned Britannian lady, do you... ah no, it's nothing.

Zero: Is there something wrong with that lady?

(T/N: Literally, it can be taken as "Did you do something to her?", but "is something wrong" is the correct interpretation. Ougi takes it the wrong way.)

Ougi: Oh no, I didn't do anything yet-- or rather, I want you to tell me what to do.

Zero: Is it a situation you can't deal with alone!? I understand... Ougi, stay in position there. The diversionary squad will come in from the east and west via routes E2 and F2. I'll send Guren Nishiki via T5Q to have you rescued!

(Sound of screeching tyres)

Ougi: No, it's fine! Everything's fine! It's not that serious! I think I can deal with it myself.

(Sound of someone knocking on the door)

Tamaki: Ougi~, let's have a driiiiiii~ink!

(Knocking continues)

Ougi: (sigh)...Sorry Zero, I'll call back later.

Tamaki: If there's a girl with you just bring her alooo~ong! Ouuuuu~giiiiiiii~chaaaaaaa~n!

(Ougi opens the door; notice that it actually sounds like him opening all 5 of his locks, as shown in the anime. They remembered, wow! I'm impressed.)

Ougi: THERE ARE NO GIRLS HERE!!

Tamaki: You don't have to hide iiiiit! You've got a bwabe wiff long hair and pwetty eyes INTHEREWITHYOURIGHT!?

Ougi: There is absolutely no such person! I'll go out with you next time! My treat! So for now, please go home!

(Ougi slams the door shut)

Tamaki: Uwahh!

Ougi: (sigh of relief)

Villetta: ...ugh...uu...

Ougi: If I don't hurry she will catch a cold! And I need to tend to her wounds too... That's right, I understand now. There's a first for everything. I mustn't expect things to go smoothly at the first try! (deep breaths) Okay, not to worry, my eyes are shut tight...!

Villetta: Un... n... ah... a....

Ougi: Uwaaaahhh!! I-I'm sorry! Did I touch someplace weird!? I can't see a thing, so--

Villetta: ...uh....

Ougi: What am I doing? Hiding a Britannian and acting like I'm betraying everyone...

(pause)

Ougi: (sigh) Hey, what should I do, Naoto? Please... tell me. I don't know... ... ...I don't know how to undo this hook!!

Villetta: ...ugh... ... I said no... use apples or grapes instead... ... no, not oranges...


((END))

Stage 0.521: The Vanished Nunnally

Translation notes:
Buriki is a derogatory racial term for the Britannians used in the show. Buriki literally means "tin", and is a reference to the "tin machines" = KMFs. Additionally, Buri (an abbreviation of Britannian) + ki (the kanji for devil) literally means "Britannian devil". This explanation was given by Okouchi Ichirou, main series compositionist and primary scriptwriter, in the Animage February interview.

Suzaku: It's been half a month since the Britannian prince -- Lelouch Vi Britannia -- arrived at our house. Even now he still refuses to have anyone take care of him, and continues to look after his sister himself. He does the cooking, the washing, the cleaning... all by himself. He even does the shopping. He knows he'll get beaten up everytime he enters the town, but he does it everyday anyway without even batting an eye. He's weak, and Britannian to boot, but still he insists... Without realizing it, I've arrived at the storage shed, the one tucked away in one corner of the Kururugi Shrine. Up until just a little while ago, it had been my playground. Now it's their house. Just when did this all happen...?

Nunnally: Onii-sama?

Suzaku: Turning around, she was there. Lelouch's sister. Not only is she in a wheelchair, it seems that she's blind as well.

Nunnally: Who is... there?

Suzaku: I'm... Suzaku.

Nunnally: Suzaku...? (frightened noise)

(moves wheelchair away)

Suzaku: Wait! About the other day--

Nunnally: Are you going to hit me too?

Suzaku: Eh?

Nunnally: I won't resist. But please remember, your blows will never reach my heart!

Suzaku: You...

Lelouch: What are you doing!?

Suzaku: Lelouch!

Nunnally: Onii-sama?

Lelouch: Are you alright, Nunnally? Did he do something to you?

Suzaku: No, I--!!

Lelouch: Making a move when I'm not around... that's the Japanese for you!

Suzaku: What did you say!? You Buriki bastards are all robbers!

Lelouch: Robbers? Is that what your father told you?

Suzaku: Are you saying I'm mistaken?

Lelouch: No, not at all. That's the kind of country Britannia is.

Suzaku: (surprised)

Lelouch: With their military force, they invade countries. Theirs is a coercive diplomacy. The throne is something you fight over. It's the worst country of all.

Suzaku: You...

Lelouch: Just so you know, Japan isn't any better.

Suzaku: What!?

Lelouch: Earning money by taking advantage of the mutual distrust between the Chinese Federation and Britannia, maintaining a dual

diplomacy through Sakuradite mining rights, implementing economic imperialism in poverty-stricken regions... Japan is quite the sly

country.

Suzaku: Shut it! Japan isn't that kind of country!

Suzaku: Without thinking, I raised a fist. However, Lelouch's expression did not even flicker.

Lelouch: Are you going to hit me? You're the same as Britannia, then.

Suzaku: Shut up!

Suzaku: What an unpleasant guy. He talks as if he knows everything! Is being intelligent all that great!? He's just a kid, just a hostage, just a Britannian--!!

Genbu: We're aiming for the Sakuradite mining rights. We're almost there.

Kirihara: Genbu, I am aware that the next election is drawing near, but are you not pressing your luck here?

Genbu: I've reached an understanding with the EU. There are no problems.

Suzaku: Today's guest is the old man Kirihara. He's a millionaire with several hundred companies. Having a big-wig join us for

dinner is almost a daily routine with us. I don't understand even half of what the adults talk about, but father says by listening I will learn.

Genbu: I see, then I suppose the announcement of the engagement will have to wait until after the general election?

Kirihara: Considering the public sentiment about Britannia, I would consider it wise to do so.

Suzaku: Father, who's getting engaged?

Genbu: The Britannian princess and I.

Suzaku: Eh!? The one in the wheelchair?

Genbu: Suzaku, even though this is a marriage it's only a political one. You understand, right?

Kirihara: We must have someone from Japan unite with a Britannian princess to serve as a symbol.

Suzaku: Someone... that girl... will marry... and it's going to be father?

Genbu: We can't have her marrying someone from the Sumeragi family. The Kururugis would be appropriate for this.

Kirihara: Indeed. The Kyouto 6, too, are as one on this matter.

Suzaku: Father! If any Japanese is fine, then I--

Genbu: Suzaku, your marriage partner has already been decided. You are here, listening to the dealings of adults in order to prepare

for the future; this is not the time nor place for you to voice your opinions.

Suzaku: ...yes, father.

Suzaku: Lelouch! Lelouch!

Suzaku: I couldn't sit still and do nothing. Do Lelouch and that girl know about this, the marriage with father? But so what if I tell them? This is a matter between countries, between adults. It's not as if we kids can do anything about it.

Suzaku: Lelouch, I'm opening the door!

(sound of door opening)

Suzaku: They're not here!?

Suzaku: Lelouch wasn't there. Nunnally--!

Suzaku: Where are they, at a crucial time like this--!?

Suzaku: I rushed out of the storage shed and searched all over the Kururugi Shrine. The bathhouse, the main shrine, the shrine office, the shrine gate*, the steps--!!

(*T/N: "Torii", the red archway seen in Shinto shrines. Also shown in the anime in episodes 11 and 12)

Suzaku: This is--!!

Suzaku: The long stretch of steps leading to the Kururugi Shrine -- at the halfway point was a wheelchair, broken and scattered about. There is only one person in the Kururugi Shrine who uses a wheelchair...

Suzaku: This... is that girl's...

(sound of someone walking through bushes)

Lelouch: Nunnally!? Nunnally, is that you!?

Suzaku: Lelouch!

Suzaku: The person who appeared from the woods was Lelouch. On his cheeks were what were obviously tear marks. He was a mess, a sorry sight... I had no idea he was capable of such an expression... This boy, whose expression never wavered even when getting beaten up by the Japanese...

Suzaku: Lelouch, has she disappeared?

Lelouch: None of your business!

Suzaku: She's gone, isn't she.

Lelouch: So what if she is!?

Suzaku: I'll look for her with y--

Lelouch: I don't want any help! Not from a Japanese.

Suzaku: (flinch)

Lelouch: You don't like us Britannians either, right? Leave us alone!

Suzaku: No...

Lelouch: If they find out you helped a Buriki, I'm sure your father will be angry at you.

Suzaku: That's not what this is about!

Lelouch: This is a problem involving Nunnally and I... Britannia's problem. Won't you Japanese please keep your opinions to yourselves?

Suzaku: Cut the crap!

Lelouch: (surprised)

Suzaku: Japanese, Britannians, what does it matter!? If I want to look for her then I'm looking for her!

Lelouch: You...

Suzaku: Kururugi Suzaku is a son of Japan! I'll help the ones I want to help and do the things I want to do! Why should I need a reason to do any of those!?

((END))