Leviathan Saga Aquaknights--Chapter 2 ("Splash" panel is Lůria, from about the armpits up, under a stream of water coming from a canteen.) In Marmundo, it is not normal to shower. Fresh water is precious, and most common people don't wash. The graphics for the opening pages of the story 5. The Great Harpoon Togera Togera (the triple-tipped point of the harpoon) This sharp harpoon was named "Togera Togera". It's length was about 7 geofeet, it's weight about 3 geopounds. Footnote: "Geofeet"--Marmundo's standard measure of length, 30.3 cm. 7 geofeet is 212.1 cm. "Geopounds"--Marmundo's standard measure of weight, 3.75 kg. 3 geopounds is 11.25 kg. (Togera Togera, in full) The harpoon's tip was made of the finest steel, and so sharp it could pierce rock. Togera Togera was the biggest, most powerful weapon on the lighthouse island. (the kid is in awe, and kind of fearful) Kid--With this, a dragon's no problem! As far as the youth knew, the most fearsome, ferocious animal was the shark. (a picture of a shark, clearly labelled, "Shark") (the kid, in the doorway of their hut, looking up at a set of shark teeth bigger than he is) Above the doorway to their house, the jaws of a great shark that Araběl had killed with Togera Togera hung, as a kind of totem. Each time the boy went through the door, he felt great respect for the shark's sharp rows of teeth, and for his father's courage and strength that had killed it. (the kid hops along the rocks to the seashore) SFX: poink poink poink Kid--Lůria promised me that, if I brought her a dragon's egg, she'd make me a knight!! (up close on the kid's face) The youth had never seen a dragon. Nor had he ever seen the place where the dragon was supposed to live, the Catarata Termino. (the kid, by the orca, waist-deep in water) Furthermore, he didn't fully understand what it meant to "be a knight". Kid--"Orca! Let's you 'n' me head west!" (a boy and his orca, riding off into the sunset) But in his chest, like a lifting cloud, there was an urge to go upon a voyage. Kid--"Go into the sunset!" 6. The Mystery of the Lighthouse (the lighthouse on the rocky point. A few stars are out, and the light is shining brightly) As the sun dropped below the horizon, Lůria was being shown the inside of the lighthouse by Araběl. (Lůria is admiring the walls) Lůria--"What exquisite construction. Even in Perla, my home, there isn't such a fine lighthouse." (the pair go up a stairwell, Araběl is holding a lantern on a hook) Araběl--"Please mind your step, knight." (inside the lighthouse proper. Araběl is cranking up a net with stones inside it) SFX--rumb rumb Lůria--"What is this apparatus?" Araběl--"It's to rotate the light. You raise the weights with this, by hand, and the lens rotates using the force of the falling weight." Araběl and Lůria climb up the stairs around the edge of the lighthouse. Nice butt) Araběl--"If all 4 weights are raised, it will rotate for 5, 6 hours." Lůria--"That's a good thing." Araběl--"The mission this lighthouse carries surpasses even "Megafarola" ["Great Lighthouse", in Spanish and Kanji--Ed.] of Rezar Island, counted as one of the seven wonders of the world, in scale." (Araběl helps Lůria up through a hatch into the top of the lighthouse) Araběl--"Now! Here's the top." (Lůria shades her eyes, but Araběl knows not to look) Lůria--"!? This...isn't the light of a fire!?" Araběl--"Don't look right at the lens! You'll be blinded!" (close up on Araběl) Araběl--"Let me introduce you...this is the life of Araběl, the Lighthouse King! The light that brightens the darkness of Marmundo! (Araběl gestures proudly at a strange swirly sphere in between the rotating lenses of the lighthouse) Araběl--"This...is...my wife! Nisel!" (Lůria is awestruck) Lůria--I've never seen such a thing! A light with no heat...almost like moonlight...but many times brighter... Lůria began to think that Araběl's words, "Magical Lighthouse", weren't as senseless as they had seemed. (Araběl gestures to Lůria, in the BG) Araběl--"This is Lůria, an Aquaknight. Seems she's come from Isla Perla." Lůria--"?" (Lůria looks sadly at the happy couple) Lůria--"He thinks that this light is his wife...His real wife has probably passed away...in order to comfort him, gods are showing him an illusion of his wife... (Lůria sits down beside Araběl) Lůria--"Errrr...H-how nice to meet you! My name is Lůria. Lůria chose to play along with Araběl's delusion. (Araběl is continuing with the introductions, Lůria keeps up her part, sweating nervously) Araběl--"She got lost in a storm, but Don Pequeńo found her." Lůria--"Oh, yes, Don Pequeńo's been a great help." I think I'm about to lose it, too... (Lůria glances around, and Araběl follows her gaze) Lůria--"By the way...I don't see Don Pequeńo around." Araběl--"M...?" (Araběl thinking) Araběl--".........Come to think of it, he was saying something about 'getting a dragon's egg'." (an EENSIE TEENSIE WEENSIE look of panic crosses Lůria's face) Lůria--"Egg...of a dragon, was that?" (Araběl tells the story) Araběl--"'Where can I find one, he says, so I say...probably the 'Catarata Termino', out west..." (Araběl is laughing it up while Lůria is being hit by a guilt brick) SFX--HAW HAW HAW! gulp! Araběl--"So then he bolts off with the big harpoon all happy like!" Lůria--"He...couldn't have..." (Araběl notices Lůria's expression) Araběl--"M? You lookin' a little pale, knight?" (Lůria is starting to panic) Lůria--I--I thought that he'd give up after I told him all of that! That he would believe it, and go off hunting a dragon... (with an effort, she gets herself under control) Lůria--A dragon is just a fairytale creature, but the "Catarata Termino" is a real danger! Lůria hated herself for taunting the boy. (Lůria dashes down to the water, leaving Araběl behind her) Araběl--"Lady Lůria! Where are you going?" Lůria--"It's my responsibility!" (Lůria, sword in hand, hops into her armadura...) (...and slams it shut on her) SFX--CLANG! (she hops aboard her orca) Lůria--"Migma! (Araběl, looking rather confused, stares down from shore) Araběl--"Don't you worry about Don Pequeńo. That child gets bored easily...he'll probably get hungry and come right back." Lůria--"I hope you're right..." (Lůria in her armadura. force lines) Lůria--"But as a knight, I cannot rest as things stand. I swear by the name of Magna Primero, I will bring the little one back safely!" (Lůria, still spirited) Lůria--"One other thing, Arabil. Please tell me Don Pequeńo's real name." (Araběl, up close) Araběl--"Don Pequeńo's name?" (long pause) (long pause) (long pause. Araběl points at himself) Araběl--"?" Lůria--"Yeah! YOU!" [uncharacteristically unladylike--Ed.] 7. Catarata Termino (sunrise) The sun is reborn from the horizon. (closeup on the kid, snoring and drooling) SFX--splish splash Kid--"bzzz...bzzzz" (water comes grashing over him) SFX--SPLOOSH! Kid--"bub..." (he jolts awake, hair dripping. he's still clutching the spear and length of rope) Kid--"Wow! Is it morning!?" (the kid looks around at the water about him) The youth noticed immediately that the flow of the surrounding waters was not normal. The lake [that's what it says--Ed.], like a river, flowed forward. (the kid, the orca, and what look like shallow reefs. The horizon is less than 20 m. away) SFX--CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH Ahead was darkness. Sometimes, where the sea and sky met could be seen looming. (the kid is agape at the scene before him) SFX--CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CATARATA TERMINO (the waterfalls at the edge of the world, with the kid and the orca indicated near the fall zone) SFX--CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH (the kid stares off to the distance) SFX--CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH CRASH Kid--"So this is the end of the sea...but I can't see too well from here..." (the kid has a tempermental expression, and the orca is thrashing about.) Kid--"I wanna get closer and get a good look! C'mon! Orca! Why're you being such a wet blanket?" (rear view of kid) Lůria--"Ashika--" Kid--"!?" (Lůria is riding from out of the rising sun) SFX--Choom choom Kid--"It's Lůria!" (Lůria, finally able to catch her breath) Lůria--"In the nick of time. Ashika! Come back from there, it's dangerous!!" (the kid, bewildred) Kid--"What's 'Ashika'?" (Lůria, frantic and a smidge angry) Lůria--"It's your true name, Araběl told me so!! (the kid is surprised by the news) (still taking it in) Kid--"So my name...is 'Ashika'." (big dopey smile) SFX--Grin! Kid--"I like it! :)" (he cinches the rope around himself) Kid--"So all that's left is the dragon's egg!" (Lůria is in a blind panic) Lůria--"Forget about the dragon's egg!! Just get back here!! (Lůria's hand in FG, kid leaping off of orca in BG) SFX--Poink! Lůria--"AAAAH!" (the kid, flying down the side of the waterfall, spear in hand) Kid--"Where are you, Dragon!?" WHEW! THERE IT IS! I'M HUNGRY!...LATER! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The views expressed here are not necessarially those of Yukito Kishiro, and are the direct product of Dan's being out in eastern California for a month and not bathing much. Sorry, sensei. Special thanks to Shueisha and Viz, for not having translations in the works for another couple of years, giving us a nice head start. This has been brought to you by KAOS (KumquA t and The Odd Soul).