Chapter 18: Of People,Dreams,Fireworks,and Hopelessness

OF PEOPLE, DREAMS, FIREWORKS, AND HOPELESSNESS

CHAPTER 18 OF THE MANGA

Previously
If one is even keeping score, both Yasuna and Tomari have been out on a girl-with-girl date with Hazumu. They ended up going to the same place, the aquarium and amusement park. And both girls got to hold hands on the date with Hazumu, just like teen lovers do. Yasuna falls sick one day, and while resting has a bizarre dream. Hazumu also has a day dream, but more of a documentary style review of her shipping with Yazuna. As the summer break from school draws to a close, Asuta suggests that all the friends shoot off fireworks one clear evening. Circumstances will place Yasuna and Tomari together ? Will it be war or peace ?

Chapter Overview
The friends are at a soda fountain. Hazumu enjoys a frilly, cute ice cream treat. Nevertheless, Asuta gets into one of his vexatious moods, and frets about his ongoing relationship with Hazumu. He does, however, suggest that the group go to the levee and shoot off fireworks. This everyone agrees to.

The night for the fireworks is cool and clear. Sora thinks that this activity is actually a weapons testing ! Namiko, in her usual style, falls into the river trying to catch a trinket. Jan Puu loves the fireworks, probably reminding herself of the times that she has fired off the spaceship defense weapons ! Tomari and Yasuna find themselves alone together, and Yasuna tries to patch up their recent strained relations. They end up walking and holding hands, just like two girl lovers. When the three girls, Hazumu, Yasuna, and Tomari, light sparklers, they hold them so close that they fuse together. Such symbolism !

This Chapter's Story
The three friends are sitting in a booth at a soda fountain and ice cream parlor. Hazumu makes the obvious comment that summer is almost over, but it is still so, so hot outside ! Yasuna, sipping on a cold drink and looking so erotic in the process, gives her a look of mild curiosity. Tomari, so like her tomboy self, gives her a look of boredom and restrained irritation. Playing with the ice cubes in her drink with her straw, Yusana remarks that you two, Hazumu and Tomari, are so fortunate to have been friends for so long. Not being jealous mind you, but you two must share so many memories. Yasuna then displays such an insanely sweet smile as she innocently, but oh, so provocatively sucks on the straw again.

Ayuki and Asuta show up, and are offered seats in the large booth. Soon, luscious parfaits arrive and are given out. Hazumu relishes with the idea that being a girl means that she can eat such luxuries without worrying about what everybody thinks of her. Asuta begins to fall into one of his often vexatious moods, as he continues to torture himself about the fact that Hazumu is now a girl. He thinks to himself that Hazumu is ( supposedly ) so distant from himself, since her mind, heart, and soul are now as female as her atomically correct female body. His eyes become corkscrews as he notices that Hazumu has whipped cream on her cheek. He tries to mollify his previous thoughts about Hazumu as a girl by whispering to himself that there is nothing wrong with that, nothing at all. Continuing to whisper, he tells himself that he is Hazumu's friend, and friend only ! This causes Hazumu to bluntly tell him to, " Knock it off, Asuta! " Quickly resetting his thoughts, Asuta suggests to the group of friends that they haven't done any fireworks yet this summer, have we ? Asuta then drifts off into lala land as he imagines that Hazumu becomes scared of the fireworks and runs to his open arms. While he continues to daydream, Ayuki deftly sticks him with the check for the group that was in the booth, but are now all gone.

That evening on the levee, the group of friends, along with Sora, Jan Puu, and Namiko, are all enjoying themselves, with a clear night sky, perfect for watching fireworks ! Sora is asked why he decided to tag along. He nonchalantly states that is because we are obviously conducting a weapons test, correct ? Duh ! Namiko is here because she is so 'love struck' by Sora, and wants to spend time with him. Sora, of course, has no emotions, so he never picks up on the fact that Namiko is so bitten by infatuation. When a 'parachute firework' is blasted into the air, the toy that comes down in the parachute is a plushie of the Alien Being. Namiko grabs it, but falls into the leeve river and sinks to the bottom. For the next couple of hours, all of the friends have a wonderful time shooting off the various kinds of fireworks, and really enjoying themselves. Jan Puu gets a real kick out of not only watching, but firing off several fireworks ( Jan Puu probably got to fire off the defense systems in the space ship ).

Sometime during the festivities, Yasuna and Tomari find themselves alone together. Yasuna, in her usual humble but regal way, thanks Tomari for coming to see her in the Infirmary the other day. Tomari kinda brushes it off, but Yasuna suddenly turns very serious. She confides in Tomari, telling her that when she first fell for Hazumu, for the first time she began to really see other people around her, socially speaking. And the first one that she began to see was you, Tomari ! You sparkled like no other ! All the girls idolized you ! Yasuna's 'baring of her soul' now goes even deeper, and begins to cut like a two edged sword. She says that she knows that no matter how hard she tried, she can never be like you, Tomari ! That made her so scared, scared that she would lose to you, Tomari ! Up 'till this time, she had declared war on you ! But this time, like right now, it's an offer of an alliance. Yasuna takes Tomari's hand into hers, and the two girls, in a surreal, passionate mode, walk along the levee together continuing to romantically hold hands, silent except for a strong Yuri vibe running through the both of them. After a while, they run into Hazumu.

Hazumu wants to light sparklers. Senkou fireworks. Sora comes by with a giant skyrocket strapped to his back and with the fuse lit ! You mean like this ? And he is 'gone with the wind'. Afterward, the three friends---Hazumu, Yasuna, and Tomari---all three are crouched on the ground and holding a sparkler. Hazumu becomes somewhat philosophical, and says you know how you always remember certain events in your lives ? Tonight is one of them ! She waxes on. She says that getting turned into a girl, and then spending so much time with the two of you, Yasuna and Tomari, has been great ! She says that she will remember this summer for the rest of her life ! After a long silence, Yasuna softly utters a barely discernible " Thank you ". After another long silence, the three girls finally notice that their three sparklers have stuck together, and are burning together. Such bizarre symbolism that makes for such a wonderful summer memory !

Chapter Lookback and Commentary
Crimson911 / 8 years ago

I've read the manga and watched the anime and have to say I love both the manga and the anime adaptation of this story. It's funny, dramatic, and just so touching. One of the favorites that I grew up with.


 * Loli Snail / 4 years ago / 6 likes

YURI THREESOME!!!


 * NameLess / 4 years ago / 2 likes

APPROVED!!!!!!


 * Menirz Loli Snail / 4 years ago / 1 like

Plus Jan- Puu? YURI FOURSOME! (Err... Kinda).