~Matendou Sonata 18~ Celestial Sonata 18 Amagi Sayuri Princess Comics/ Akita Shoten 1993 ISBN 4-253-07651-3 Translation by Emily Horner ehorne2@po-box.mcgill.ca 2001 Contents Chapter 24 Departure (finale) p. 5 Chapter 25 Gaea (prelude) p.49 [Not to be read in a bad mood.] Chapter 24 Departure (finale) Beelze : Really!? A clumsy and ignorant and blockheaded demon like you? Filla : Well, you don't have to go that far! <> Filla : One time, I got hurt, and Astarte-sama took care of me at her castle, remember? Beelze : Yeah, you nearly died. Filla : Well, the Monsters' Forest was strangely quiet then. Beelze : The Forest? Filla : Usually, it's really noisy with the voices of monsters. Lucifer : Fillanzea would make a very good guardian for the Monsters' Forest. Filla : Don't make scary jokes, Lucifer-sama! <> Lucifer : It isn't a joke, I'm serious. Micael : Filla? Really? Beelzebub : I think it would be too dangerous for Fillanzea. Hundreds of ancient monsters are kept inside that forest. Astarte : Truly, it must be someone with great magic power. It was a heavy burden even for me. Astarte : However, I am sure that Fillanzea can... Filla : I can't do it, Astarte-sama! I don't have that kind of power! Astarte : You don't yet know your own power, Fillanzea. Around the castle, all the monsters were very quiet while you were there. <> Astarte : Just like the time Satan-sama was there. Filla : It must have been a coincidence. Lucifer : What do you think, Emperor? <> Micael : I believe that Filla has the power to keep the evil beings in check. If you think of Heaven, and angels, as "light," and Hell and demons as "dark," an angel's light is swallowed up by darkness in Hell, but someone with the body of a demon who light within him can destroy the darkness. <> Micael : I think that perhaps the reason Satan was able to govern the darkness is that he had that power of light within him. But an angel who *only* has that power of light can be entirely overwhelmed by the darkness. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? Filla : {It's too complicated for me!} <> Lucifer : So you mean that Fillanzea is very much like Satan in that respect? Filla : That can't be, Lucifer-sama! Micael : Yes...he is a demon with a great deal of light hidden within him; a power that is perhaps stronger than that of any angel. <> Filla : I think you're giving me too much credit! Micael : I've been with you all this time; I know your power better than anyone. You healed me with your gentle light, though I had so much darkness in me. If my dark power had grown stronger, then I might have destroyed the world. It's thanks to Filla that that didn't happen. <> Micael : {I think you were better suited for being the Emperor of Hell than I was.} Filla, will you go to the Monsters' Forest for me? <> Filla : As you wish, Emperor. Filla : And that's pretty much what happened. Beelze : I think I can understand it... Filla : Huh? Beelze : I felt a strange power in you a long time ago. <> Filla : Not you too, Beelze! Fall : But you're the Moon Tear of Gold! Filla : Well, you're the Moon Tear of Light! Fall : My role's over now, but you'll always be the Moon Tear... almost like another Emperor of Hell. <> Wari : Maybe so... Filla : What are you guys thinking? Beelze : But Micael really has matured. I thought he'd be sulking. Filla : {Though I kind of feel like I wanted him to sulk. Does he just not care that we're going to be apart?} Beelze : And you'll have to keep a level head in the Monsters' Forest too, Filla. Filla : Hey, Beelze... Beelze : What? <> Filla : Will you come with me? Please? I'll be much more courageous with you there! Beelze : Don't be silly! All the monsters will wake up if I go! Filla : No they won't! Beelze : I'm Baal's son! Filla : That's OK, you're nothing like him. Micael : With Beelze? Filla : That's OK, right? Micael : I don't mind, but did he agree to it? Filla : Yep! We've got the kind of friendship where he'd follow me anywhere! Micael : I bet you cried to persuade him. [I haven't been translating the authors' notes, but I skimmed them a little, and this struck me as interesting. "M-chan's been to America twice, but I don't think I ever want to go. I could never go outside, thinking that everybody has a gun."] <> Micael : Are your wounds better? Filla : They still hurt, but I'm fine. Micael : You're leaving for the Monsters' Forest tomorrow... Filla : Will you be OK by yourself? Micael : We can't go back to the way things were before, so I just have to go forward. And Mahito will be here, so I won't be lonely. <> Filla : You know...you said that you were hateful. Micael : Yeah... Filla : Well, I'm just the same as you... Micael : What do you mean? Filla : I've thought that I'd like to lock you up and not let anybody see you, so you could just be mine and no one else's. Filla : I didn't want anyone else to hear your voice... Micael : No way... Filla : It's true. I thought that my love for you would always be unrequited. <> Filla : I knew that you felt kindness for me, but I thought that it was a very different feeling from the love I had for you. So I figured that someday you'd fall in love with a girl, and live out your whole life with her... And I decided that I'd smile for you when that happened. <> Filla : I didn't want to show you the shameful part of myself. Micael : {Filla...} Filla : But I wouldn't have been able to celebrate at all if that happened. I'd have kidnapped you and run away! No matter how much that girl cried, or how much you hated it, I wouldn't have let her have you. <> Filla : I wouldn't have let anyone else have you. I guess I'm just really selfish... Micael : I'm sorry. Filla : Micael? Micael : I'm sorry, Filla. I was really stupid. I thought I was the only one who was hurting. You were always completely honest, telling me you loved me without fear or hesitation. I was scared, I hesitated...it really hurt. And I hated myself for it. Filla : Micael...you need to forgive youself. Start to like yourself more. Micael : You're going away...you told me you'd stay with me. Filla : It's not my fault, you told me to go! {Now he's sulking!} Filla : Mii-chan, Mii-chan! Can we sleep together? Micael : I never said that, you pervert! Filla : Ow! Why'd you have to hit me? Micael : I would absolutely never sleep with another man! Filla : I thought you said you liked me! Micael : But still-- Filla : Are you scared? Micael : I am not! Filla : You're just being stubborn. Micael : I'm really not scared! Filla : Then let's sleep together. Micael : Fine, you can do what you like. Filla : Really? Really really? Micael : But I've got my pride. I will resist as much as I can! I will kick you and punch you, all right? <> Filla : Resist all you like! Hey, you're pretty strong. Micael : I'm not a girl or anything. <> Micael : Hey, get away from me! Filla : I win! Filla : Sorry... Micael : Filla? <> Filla : I'd better not. I wouldn't want to force you. Micael : {Filla...} Filla : But can we at least sleep beside each other? Micael : {You're so gentle...} Sure. Filla : So much stuff has happened... Micael : Yeah... Filla : I'm really happy. Are you? Micael : Don't ask me when you already know the answer. Filla : You're still not honest! Micael : Oh, be quiet! Micael : Hey, Filla! Filla : Let me stay like this...just for a little while. Micael : Just for a bit. You're heavy! Filla : {I can hear your heartbeat...the sound of your life.} I'm sorry, Micael. Micael : For what? <> Filla : For stabbing you with a sword. It must've really hurt... I'm sorry. Micael : {Filla...} You don't have to think about that kind of stuff... <> Micael : Filla! Filla! Filla : What's wrong? Why are you yelling? <> Filla : Micael? Did you have a nightmare? Micael : {An illusion...he looked just like a corpse...why?} <> Beelze : We're leaving for the Monsters' Forest. Micael : Beelze...Filla's not reliable, so I'd like you to watch out for him. Beelze : Leave it to me! Well, we're going now. <> Micael : Filla! Be careful... Filla : Yes, Emperor. <> Micael : {Filla...} <> Micael : To Lethe? Lucifer : I'm sorry to disturb you, but I wonder if you might be able to come tomorrow. Micael : Has something happened? Lucifer : No... Lucifer : Well...Lethe is as always, but... Micael : Is it something hard for you to say? Lucifer : Leo hasn't woken up. Micael : Leo? Lucifer : On the day of the battle, he guarded Lethe in my place, and used all of his power. I've done all I can, but he only grows weaker. <> Lucifer : I thought that you might be able to save him. Micael : All right, I'll go right away. Lucifer : Tomorrow is fine...it's already getting dark. Micael : No, I'd like to help Leo as soon as I can. And you think so too, right? Lucifer : {Emperor...} Micael : Open your eyes, Leo...you must live. <> Micael : Open your eyes...someone's waiting for you. Come back! Lucifer : Emperor? Micael : Sorry...I'm all right. Lucifer : That's enough... Micael : No, I can still go on. <> Micael : I was able to save Mahito. If the hearts that care for him are strong enough... Lucifer, I want you to pray for him to see you again. Lucifer : All right. {Leo, don't die! Live!} <> Lucifer : {Come back, Leo. I don't want to lose you. Come back to me.} Lucifer : Leo! Leo : Where am I? Micael : Welcome back. Lucifer : You've been unconscious. I wasn't strong enough to save you...I could only watch as you grew weaker. It's the first time I've ever been forced to think of my own powerlessness. Leo : {Lucifer-sama...} Am I alive? Lucifer : The Emperor saved you. Leo : The Emperor? <> Leo : Micael... Micael : It's been a long time, Leo. Leo : You saved me? Thank you. <> Micael : Lucifer, Leo smiled just now... Lucifer : Indeed. Strangely enough, it seems that he's started to have emotions. What's stranger is that I felt from the bottom of my heart that I didn't want to lose him... That might be thanks to you and Fillanzea. Micael : No. Micael : You only remembered something that you had forgotten. Leo : Micael... Micael : What? Leo : Do you remember, before, when you talked about having someone you don't want to lose? Micael : Yes, I remember. You said that you didn't understand, because you've never had someone to care about. Leo : I finally understand. Leo : Lucifer-sama's the one I care about. Micael : {Leo...} Leo : Lucifer-sama is very special. I don't want to lose him. I'm happy, because I found someone I care about. <> Leo : You're the most special person in the world to me. Lucifer : Thank you. <> Beelze : You've been giggling ever since you came back. <> Beelze : Were you that happy to see Micael? Filla : Yep! It was his birthday, so I went to his castle in secret, and he got mad at me. Beelze : Of course. Filla : You shouldn't leave your castle for no reason when it's not an emergency! Filla : But he was really happy! Beelze : Did you give him a present? Filla : Lots and lots of sparkly blue roses! <> Beelze : That doesn't suit him at all! Filla : I thought it would be cool! Beelze : Are you serious? Filla : Don't be mean! He looked really pretty covered in blue roses. I'll remember it for my whole life. Beelze : Filla? Beelze : He fell asleep...man, he's hopeless. --I'll take him to his room. Beelze : That's all right. <> Beelze : {Right after we came to the Monsters' Forest, he was always making such a fuss about being scared.} Filla : Beelze, I heard groaning sounds coming from the forest! <> Beelze : Of course you did, this is the Monsters' Forest! Filla : I'm too scared to go to sleep! Beelze : You're pathetic! Filla : Can I sleep in your bed? Beelze : How many times has it been now? Filla : But... Beelze : {He hasn't changed a bit. He's just like a little kid.} <> Beelze : {Baal, when you knew you could never have the one you loved, you decided to kill him to make him yours. But I'm not like you.} Filla : Micael... <> Beelze : {I want him to be able to smile happily. Even if I can't have him for myself, I'd like to stay with him forever. That's enough for me.} Filla : What happened to your hair!? Micael : I cut it because it was too hot. Filla : What a waste! <> Filla : You don't look dignified enough with it short. Micael : I didn't know summers in Hell were going to be this hot. Filla : You could fix that with magic. Micael : I'm trying not to use my power unnecessarily. Filla : I see... Ah, what a nice breeze! Filla : It's making it nice and cool. Micael : You think so? I think it's way too hot, with the direct sunlight... Hmm, I wonder where my halo went...it just disappeared at some point. <> Filla : There's always the one I gave you. Micael : That one's pretty strong, it just won't break. {I'm really not an angel any more...} Filla : {Micael...} Micael : Do you really think I have the power to be Emperor? <> Filla : Did something happen to make you lose confidence in yourself? Micael : The "purification" hasn't been going well. Filla : What do you mean? Micael : I'd like to do at least as much as Satan-sama did, but I'm not even powerful enough for that. Mahito is very powerful and he's been helping me out every time. Mahito and Samiado always end up doing more than their share... Filla : I guess telling you not to worry about it wouldn't do any good, but it's not your fault if the amount of negative energy is increasing, now that there are only two Diables left. You saved Mahito and Leo; you do have a great amount of magic power. Micael : Even after sealing in the Darkness, the humans' world is overflowering with negative energy, and it just keeps on getting stronger. <> Micael : The Earth is crying. It's gradually being ruined. I came to understand that when I was working on environmental restoration as a Seraphim. No matter how much the angels did to restore the environment, humans would only immediately pollute it again. As civilization advances, so does the destruction of nature. <> Micael : It's as if the Earth is being stabbed with tens of thousands of shards of darkness. Sealing in the Darkness might have prevented World War III< but wars continue every day, somewhere. Violence and hate haven't disappeared. I have to wonder, what was the purpose in me becoming the ruler of Hell at all? <> Micael : Can't the Earth guide humans to go in a better direction? Filla : I understand how you feel, but I don't think that's possible. God created humans to be the masters of the Earth, and He gave them the wisdom to take care of the Earth. <> Filla : So you and the Archangel and Seraphim and sorcerors may be able to help out a little, but whether the planet lives or dies is ultimately in the hands of humans themselves, and in their hearts. Micael : It's a little unexpected to hear you talk about God. Filla : What, did you think I only thought about food and sex? Micael : Actually, I did! Filla : Anyway, I don't think humans are really that stupid. They must realize that they're people of the Earth, and it's up to them to make sure the planet stays alive. <> Micael : I hope so. What? The ducks...!? <> Micael : Escape! Filla : Micael? Micael : How did this happen? Micael : {No!} Filla : What's all this black stuff? Micael : Don't come near here, Filla! My magic isn't working! Filla : What? Micael! <> Filla : Micael! Micael : Filla! <> Micael : {Filla...} Filla : Are you all right? Micael : Filla! How did we get back on the boat? Filla : I don't know, I just woke up and we were here. <> Filla : And the lake's just like nothing ever happened, too. Micael : What was all that? Filla : I don't know, but at least the water cooled me off. <> Micael : It must be a premonition. Filla : What? Micael : It might be one or two years in the future, but something's going to happen. I'm sure of it. Either in the heavens or on Earth. Filla : You're just tired, and thinking too hard about it. Micael : No, I'm not. <> Micael : You know that something's wrong with the balance of power... I'm sure this was a reflection of something. I didn't feel like this when I was an angel. I didn't have bad premonitions about what was going to happen on Earth. I just thought, humans kill each other because that's just the way they are and there's nothing you can do about it. Ever since I became the Emperor, I've deeply felt the humans' hatred and sadness... <> Micael : At times like that, I feel so sad and helpless, and.... {I start to miss you...} How is the Monsters' Forest? Have there been any changes? Filla : I don't really know. It feels just about as creepy as ever. Micael : Tell me if anything happens...and you should be more careful than usual. Filla : Leave it to me! I'll protect the forest even at the cost of my life. Micael : No! What I'm worried about is you. Filla : Really? Yeah! Micael : {Is it really a good idea to leave Filla in that forest?} <> Beelze : So that's what happened... Filla : What do you think about it, Beelze? Beelze : A premonition, huh? Filla : You think something's really going to happen? Beelze : I'm sure of it. Filla : He was worried if there was anything strange in the Monsters' Forest. Beelze : Nothing special. The monsters have been quieter since you came back. Filla : They were noisier when I was gone? Beelze : Yeah...not as bad as they are at night, but still pretty bad. Well, if anything happens, we can handle it ourselves. There's no point in making his job harder. <> Filla : Yeah. Thanks, Beelze. {I want to help him, if there's anything I can do.} Michael : Things look threatening in the Middle East. Gabriel : There has been constant fighting in that area since long ago. <> Michael : I hope things settle down soon. Micael : With the end of the Cold War, and the reunification of Germany, it seemed as if the world was moving towards peace. I thought that the people of Earth might finally combine their strength to find ways to save the Earth they'd wounded. But things couldn't keep going smoothly... <> Mahito : Will people always keep on fighting each other? Micael : {Contrary to our wishes, humans have opened the door to destruction and slaughter...} <> Beelze : Why do humans have to keep doing the same thing, over and over? Filla : Well, there were wars in the heavens too, a long time ago, but we had peace for the thousands of years that Satan-sama ruled. He really loved the Archangel-sama... Whenever I talked about Micael, he would listen to me with a very peaceful smile. <> Filla : There wouldn't be any wars if humans could love people from other countries too. Then they wouldn't start wars. Beelze : Yeah...if people could love people who were different instead of hating them, like demons love angels and angels love demons. Beelze : But in reality, the fights between different groups of people don't end...and people attack other religions as evil, thinking that their God is the one true God. Filla : Like those fights between Christianity and Islam? Beelze : And even fights within religions, because of greed and self-interest. Filla : Why can't they realize that there's just one God... <> Filla : The God who created Earth, and the whole universe... Beelze : Filla...is Micael going to be all right without you? <> Beelze : Lots of people are going to die because of the war, so the purification of the negative energy is going to be really hard. Filla : {"Mahito and Samiado always end up doing more than their share..."} It will be hard, but I have faith in him. Because of the killings on Earth, the monsters are going to start to act up. It's our duty to protect this forest. Beelze : All right, I'll help too. <> Micael : It's like a shard of the Darkness fell to Earth. Mahito : No, this is something the humans did! You completely sealed in the Darkness! Gabriel : It's begun. Michael : Why is it that after they're purified in Hades, given positive energy in Heaven, and sent out into the world as pure souls, humans only stain their souls again? Gabriel : Even though humans are born shining with light, with time they begin to be weighed down with negative energy. The darkness in their hearts grows bigger, and they start killing each other. Michael : Even if it's only a small fraction of humanity, it's still a tragedy. <> Michael : Nothing comes from hatred. Micael : {I wonder if everything's all right in the Monsters' Forest. Don't overexert yourself, Filla.} The souls of the many people who died in the war were carried up to Heaven by angels. --It hurts, save me... --I don't want to die... Beelzebub : {What a cruel thing, when even infants like that are being killed.} Beelzebub : {It's always the weak who are sacrificed. How many times must humans play out these same foolish wars?} <> --It hurts... --Save me... Leo : It's all right. Cross this river, and you'll forget everything. You'll lose your pain and sadness. <> Lucifer : {War...all those who were killed must have had people they loved, or cared deeply for. Please let them have a happy life this time, when they are reincarnated.} Because of the war, Micael and the Diables had to purify the negative energy every few days, and many dark souls were purified in Hades and Lethe. <> Astarte : {The Monsters' Forest! But now that I've lost my magic powers, I'd only get in the way if I went...I trust you, Fillanzea. Please protect the forest.} <> Filla : I've put up a barrier! You won't take a single step out of this forest! --Are you the new master? --The evil energy on Earth has given us power. --We want our freedom. Don't get in our way. <> Beelze : Go back into the Earth quietly! --Long ago, we made all of Hell our home! Why must we continue to be locked up? Filla : The time when you wandered around all of Hell was a dark and blood-soaked era. But Satan-sama united it and stopped the tragic civil wars. And then, Satan-sama sealed all of you man-eating monsters inside this forest so that Hell could be reborn as a peaceful country. <> Filla : I won't let the likes of you destroy the Hell Satan-sama protected for so many thousands of years! --But they're killing each other on Earth, aren't they? --A peaceful country doesn't deserve to be called "Hell"! --Hell had always been a blood-soaked country of war! --Back in ancient times, that was the real "Hell"! <> --You are much worse than our former master, impertinent youngster! You have no right to protect this forest! <> Wari : That was close, Beelze. Beelze : Wari! Hey, why's Fall here too? Wari : He was practicing, and got a little magic power back. Fall : I just followed him along. Beelze : Why'd you come to a dangerous place like this? You could be killed! Fall : But I was worried! Beelze! Be careful! Beelze : Impressive! Fall : Where's Filla? Beelze : We got separated. You can't see a thing in this fog. <> --We have never had such an opportunity. We will kill you and leave the forest. --We will take our freedom once and for all! Filla : {I can't lose. Micael's fighting too now.} <> Filla : {If I give up now, they'll leave the forest and wreak havoc over Hell.} <> Filla : Monsters, I will not allow you to leave the forest! <> Micael : {What's that? A sea of black...it's spreading...} Micael : It's the Darkness! This is what I saw in the lake! --It's oil! --A huge amount of oil in the ocean! Michael : {What a frightful thing...the ocean's entire ecology will be destroyed.} <> Micael : {The Earth is crying out in pain because of the humans' foolish neglect of their fellow creatures. Why do humans treat their mother Earth so cruelly?} Micael : Filla? Filla : Hm? Micael! <> Filla : What a relief! I was really worried 'cause you were unconscious for so long. You did well...the war is over. Micael : I see...Filla, you're hurt pretty badly. Filla : I'm fine, I'm fine! Ow! Micael : Don't push yourself. <> Filla : Hey, don't cry. I protected the forest like I said I would. Micael : {I guess that vision didn't mean anything after all...} Filla : Stop worrying. Micael : {Filla's alive...he wasn't beaten by the monsters.} You really do have great magic power. Filla : You think so? Well, I don't really know, but when I think of you I feel like there's no limit to what I can do. Micael... Micael : What? Filla : Say that you love me. Micael : No! Filla : It's only three words! Micael : Unfortunately, I cannot say that. Filla : You're mean! <> --Emperor... Micael : Hm? --Emperor... Micael : Who's there? {It's coming from towards the lake.} <> Micael : {What's that!?} <> Gaea : Are you the new Emperor? Micael : Who are you? Gaea : I am "Gaea." <> Micael : "Gaea"...the Earth? Micael : {Silver-blue hair...blue eyes, the blue of the Earth.} Gaea : I am the life force of Earth itself. I ask you, Emperor, do you love humanity? <> Micael : Why do you ask that? Gaea : Because if you love and try to protect humanity, then you are my enemy. I have decided to destroy the human race. <> Micael : What? Gaea : As I can no longer bear to be hurt like this, I will remove the foolish humans. Micael : That's too one-sided! <> Micael : Don't you love humanity? Gaea : Love them? How dare you ask me such a question! <> Micael : {Such energy...it's entirely different from the power of angels and demons...I can't compete with it! It's too strong! The flames...they're so hot...} <> Micael : {This is magma, the Earth's energy!} <> Micael : {Am I dead?} <> Micael : {Gaea...} Gaea : From the time I was born into the universe until now, I have seen many kinds of creatures grow, the human race included. <> Gaea : Since the very beginning, I watched over them. They received nature's blessings and multiplied. They built villages, then countries, and developed culture. Over the centuries the humans made many discoveries and inventions to make their own lives better, using the great intelligence that God had given them. <> Gaea : That is how their early cultures developed into the highly advanced present civilization. I loved men, the lords of creation, for their curiosity, inventiveness, and will to live. <> Micael : Indeed...you loved humans more tenderly than anyone. {The soul of the Earth...} I'm sorry, Gaea. Gaea : You cannot stop me. Micael : I know. Your power is the power of the Earth; I couldn't hope to compare. {She must be equal to God...} But please, won't you think it over? I have faith in humanity. <> Micael : I don't want them to be destroyed. Gaea : I never stood in front of Satan like this, but he had faith in humans, as you do. He watched over the Earth protecting them no matter how many wars they caused, no matter how deep their sins. And therefore, I too believed in them. Micael : Then why are you doing this? Is it because he's not the Emperor any more? Am I not strong enough to protect the Earth? <> Gaea : It is not that. However--humans will never stop fighting. They will start war after war, and each time you will be hurt. You'll be eaten up bit by bit by the negative energy inside their ugly hearts. Micael : I no longer have any hesitation or sadness about being the ruler of Hell. I know that this is the place where I must live. Micael : It's what gives my life the meaning that I've tried so hard to find. {And I've done it for the people who were sacrificed, as well.} Gaea, I ask you as Emperor, please allow humanity to continue living. <> Gaea : Surely you have seen the black oil that stains the seas. Surely you have heard the cries of the birds that died in the oily waters. It isn't just the ocean; it's the sky and the forests and the rivers as well. How long must it continue? My body keeps being hurt. I want to be released from the pain. <> Micael : {Gaea...} Gaea : I will purify the Earth with natural disasters. Micael : But if you do that, as the soul of the Earth, won't you... Gaea : It will have no effect on me. I will destroy myself and be reborn on a world without humans, as a new Gaea. Gaea : Emperor, how many nuclear weapons do you think humans have now? Do you know that they could destroy me many times over? I wouldn't be surprised if a nuclear war did start someday. I want to choose my own death rather than be killed by humanity. Micael : There is no one future. Humans could decide to walk the right path at any moment. <> Gaea : If the humans destroy me, then I will not be reborn. I will have an eternal death. Micael : Please, Gaea, can you at least give us time? If you destroy yourself, the animals and the plants and everything else will die. They haven't done anything wrong. <> Micael : Don't you think that's cruel? Gaea : There are 1,500,000 kinds of living things on Earth. Humanity's foolishness will destroy them all. Do you really believe that the animals are happy now? They're crying out. Humans are stealing their homes, hurting them, killing them. <> Gaea : Can you hear the voices of the sea, the sky, the forest? Hundreds of oil fields are burning, turning the sky black. <> Micael : {The oil fields of Kuwait...} Gaea : Those weren't accidents. They were deliberatly caused by humans. That's the kind of beings they are. Do you still want to protect them? It's better to destroy everything than to continue on in pain like this. Then, at least, I will be able to start again. <> Gaea : I want to bring into existence a world where the animals and the plants, the skies and seas and forests, are content. Humans are God's mistake. They should never have been created. <> Micael : That isn't true! There are humans with hearts that gently take care of plants and animals! Micael : They hold warm light in their hearts. Surely, the Darkness does creep into them, bit by bit, but there are also many kinds of love in their world. Trust them again, and they will heal you. Gaea : Can you give me a great source of positive energy, Emperor? <> Micael : Positive energy? Gaea : Not the small bits of positive energy that Anges blow into humans' souls. A larger, stronger kind of light. That would ease my suffering. Micael : How can you get that? Is it something I can create for you? Gaea : No. I want the Moon Tear of Gold. <> Gaea : I want the life of Fillanzea Lanshua. Micael : {The Moon Tear of Gold...Filla's life?} <> Gaea : Nothing can heal me but the pure light in his heart that loves you. Micael : Wouldn't my life be good enough, Gaea? Gaea : You don't have a strong enough light to substitute for him. Micael : Why? <> Gaea : You are the ruler of Hell; half of you exists in darkness. I have no need for a shadowed soul. Micael : But I love Filla! <> Micael : I love him more than anything or anyone in the world! That won't change no matter how many hundreds or thousands of years pass. <> Micael : I love him, only him, forever. Gaea, are you sure that the light in my own heart can't heal you? Gaea : You do have a great light, Micael. However, you are Hell's Emperor. Your light is not completely pure because of the negative energy you have absorbed. <> Gaea : I once loved humans, but they no longer love me. Micael : Are you really the soul of the Earth? The Gaea who has seen so many lives grow over so many millions of years? Gaea : Look at my memories, from across 4.6 billion years. <> Gaea : I am the Earth's life. <> Micael : All right, Gaea. I will give you the life of the Moon Tear of Gold. <> Micael : If that will heal you and make you trust humanity again. Gaea : Are you serious? Is he not more precious to you than the lives of all of humanity? Micael : Yes, he is--for Micael Lenan. But I am the Emperor, and I have to protect the humans as Satan-sama protected them. If I abandoned my duties now, Filla would hate me. Filla and I both have faith in humanity. <> Gaea : Why? You know how humans sinned against nature, though nature had blessed them. But humans know that they can't keep going as they are. Desertification as a result of clear-cutting tropical rainforests. Ozone destruction resulting from chlorofluorocarbons. Oceans filled with oil and radioactive waste. The consumerist culture that produces, uses, and throws away materials that can never return to the soil has reached its limit. It's too late. Humans have completely broken the balance of nature. [I must thank Mr. Ogren's Environmental Science class for giving me the knowledge to translate that part.] <> Gaea : The beautiful Earth of the past is nothing but an illusion now. They hunt animals that are nearly extinct. They sell weapons and start wars for wealth. Civil wars go on and on in ruined countries. The humans that hate and kill each other-- these are the hearts of the humans you believe in, fallen into darkness. There is both positive and negative energy in the world, but they're not in balance. The world's gone mad. <> Micael : That's not true! There are lots of humans with light in their hearts, you're just not trying to see them! Your pain has blinded you to them! Gaea : You don't understand my fear. Humanity's greatest mistake was the development of nuclear weapons. I can't understand why they produce so many of those terrible things. They could destroy me with a single push of a button. <> Gaea : I have only lived for 4.6 billion years. A planet's life is extremely long compared to you and humans. I don't want to suffer eternal death because of humans. Micael : {Gaea...} Isn't there anything I can do? Gaea : Are those tears for Fillanzea? Or for humanity? <> Gaea : Very well, I will give you a bit of time. {What a sad face this young man has.} Micael : You will, Gaea!? Gaea : The deadline is the year 2000 by the Western calendar. <> Micael : {2000...} Gaea : At that time, I will take the Moon Tear's light, Emperor. <> Micael : {Why? Why does this have to happen?} <> Micael : {Why do I have to give up Filla's life?} Filla : He doesn't want to see me? He said that? Mahito : Yes. He's been acting strange since this morning. <> Mahito : He hasn't taking meals...it seems like he has something on his mind. Filla : Did the "purification" not go well? Mahito : I don't think that's it; after all, the war's over, and early he told me that he wasn't as tired as before. Filla : Then what is it? Did I do something wrong? Mahito : You might as well give up for today, Filla. Filla : {What happened, Micael?} Samiado : Earth? What country? Micael : Japan, a small archipelago. Samiado : Come in. Mahito : Are you in here? Mahito : It's after noon, Emperor. Won't you eat something? Is that Tokyo? Samiado : It's where you were raised, isn't it? Mahito : Yeah, it's my hometown. {This brings back memories...I wonder what happened to Masato. "I just hope that you can purify your own sadness."} <> Mahito : {Thank you, Masato. I saved Tokyo, the city where I lived with you.} Micael : {Humans aren't foolish creatures, Gaea.} <> Samiado : Is something troubling you, Emperor? It's strange that you don't want to see Fillanzea. Micael : It's nothing, don't worry about it. {Fillanzea's life...} Mahito : I wonder what happened to him. Samiado : He's been looking at the Earth like this since morning. Samiado : With a sad face, as if his heart hurt. Micael : {"Are you serious? Is he not more precious to you than the lives of all of humanity?"} <> Micael : {The lives of all of humanity...} <1 week later> Filla : {I'll definitely see Micael today. It's really hard being apart from him...I was so happy when we were partners and saw each other every day. We should go on an all-day date today!} What!? <> Filla : You've gotta be kidding! Mahito : Don't get mad at me! Filla : Why can't I see him? Mahito : He seems worried about something, but he won't tell me anything. He's not in his bedroom, Filla! Filla : Then tell me where he is! Filla : Micael... Micael : Filla... I said I didn't want to see you. <> Filla : Liar! Something happened, didn't it? Micael : Nothing happened! Filla : Stop lying to me. It's not true that you don't want to see me, is it? What happened/ Micael : Go away! Filla : You're really not going to tell me? {I think I'll have to resort to threats.} Micael, if you don't tell me what's going on... <> Filla : I'll rape you. Mahito : {Filla, you idiot!} Micael : Fine, go ahead. Filla : {Usually he'd at least slap me. What's wrong with him?} <> Micael : You're always trying to restrain yourself for me, so that I don't get hurt, or feel sad. But--you're Filla. You should get your way once in a while. You should do what you want, even if I cry or get hurt! Why do you always just think about my feelings? <> Filla : Micael... Micael : I'm the ruler of Hell. I could completely ignore your feelings, or do whatever I wanted with your life. Filla : Hey, what are you saying? <> Micael : But you try to hold in your one small wish to sleep with me, just so I won't get hurt. Why do I always have to be the bad guy? <> Micael : Hurt me as much as you want. {I've already sold your life.} Filla : Can't you just tell me what happened? Micael : No. Fi- <> Filla : Tell me...Tell me! <> Micael : No! Mahito : {Filla...} <> Filla : Why won't you talk to me? You're in so much pain...don't tell me you don't know. You once said that you cared about me so much you could kill me...well, I'm willing to die. If there's something that you have to do as ruler of Hell, and if my own life's necessary for that, then that's all right. Filla : Don't blame yourself, Micael. Smile for me. Micael : I'm sorry. Filla : Micael! <> Micael : {All hope isn't gone. There's still a chance that humans could change before 2000. They might not cause any more wars, or pollute the oceans.} <> Micael : {And then, Filla won't die!} <> But his wish did not reach humanity. The interracial disputes didn't stop, and humans continued to cause death and destruction. However, Gaea was silent. <> Micael : Run away quickly. <> Micael : {It's no use...why can't I save them?} Gaea : You cannot save them because half of you exists in darkness. <> Micael : But I'm an angel! {My wings!} <> Filla : Are you all right? You were having a nightmare. You fainted...you've been pushing yourself too hard. Micael : I have not. Filla : Yes, you have! Mahito and Samiado said that it was as if you were trying to take all the negative energy in the world on by yourself. <> Filla : And it was different from before, and frightening. You'll die if you push yourself like that every night there's a full moon. You've been acting strange for the last two years, since right after the war in the Middle East ended. Please tell me what happened. Micael : {Can Filla really save the shattered Earth? A demon who shines with light stronger than an angel...} <> Micael : {Dying for humanity's sins, like Christ.} Filla : Micael? Micael : {Why do people kill each other? Why do they hurt Gaea? There's no more time left...} Filla : Tell me what's wrong. Micael : All right.