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gravitybuster) wrote2015-05-12 12:48 pm
gravitybuster) wrote2015-05-12 12:48 pm
(no subject)
Flowers and Birds and Fireworks
1.
The summer heat gently spurred the flowers to blossom softly.
Cicadas and birds chirped mingling cries over each other.
The wind chime swayed quietly in the wind, under the booming fireworks against the night sky.
2. Flowers
He sometimes thought that person was still alive, sitting in inside his library, on top of a stack of books, quietly reading.
The vines outside grew thicker, crawling in from the window. Mixed green and golden sunlight bounced off the dark brown bookshelf inside the room. A beautiful colour of old bronze was reflected.
The small flowers released a fragrant scent. Butterflies and bees congregated between the petals.
LP stood quietly. Staring at the sunbathing pile of books, he remembered how that person would sit on the pile, cutting a few pieces of vine to craft a detailed flower crown, and then tossing it on LP’s head as a prank. At the same time, his violet eyes would squint slyly together, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
He walked towards the bookshelf, picking up the long-wilted crown, and sighed quietly.
“Don’t randomly barge into my library. Can’t you go to MM’s place?” LP said irritably, holding a stack of books in his arms, “Don’t mess my place up.”
“Why are you getting so mad?” DE organized the pile of books, pulling pieces off the shelf to balance the base of the pile, and then comfortable hopped on, “MM’s doing research. I don’t want to disturb him.” He paused, “And there are flowers here.” As he was speaking he reached out to point at the blossoming flowers on the vine.
“You’re so girly,” LP said, jeering at him.
DE didn’t respond, and instead pulled some vines inside the window, snipping them and started to braid a flower crown with practiced ease.
“Tch,” LP snapped, furrowing his brow, and started to close the door behind him, “Do what you want, but don’t bother me.”
As LP was working on his Nasod armour, a crack appeared in his door, and DE tip-toed into his room carefully, placing the flower crown on his head. LP, feeling something’s presence reached up to grab it, and coincidentally snatched DE’s retreating wrist. With a harsh tug, DE naturally tumbled into LP’s lap. Rubbing his injured nose and looking up at LP’s gloomy face, he laughed unapologetically, “This place isn’t so bad, either.”
“Could --- you stay put for a second?!” LP roared, snatching the crown on his head.
But when he saw DE’s body, there was no way he could believe it. How could someone who was so ridiculously strong die so easily? It was unbelievable.
MM stood beside him quietly crying. In contrast, there was an strange air of calm from LP.
A while later he reached over to break the crystals off DE’s body, bit by bit, with an unusual amount of patience. He was wearing as serious face when he fixed the clothes on the corpse, ironing it out with his hands.
They bury him under the clearing in the center of the forest.
LP stood in front of the grave, staring at it for some time. He removed the wilted flower crown and hung it on one corner of the headstone.
“See… this place also has the flowers that you like so much, so….”
He paused.
“Sleep well.”
3. Birds.
A pair of average looking birds settled into a small nest under the window in between the vines, chirping sweet words that only they understood. DE, no longer able to focus on his reading by these chirps, tossed the book in his hands somewheres. He didn’t get mad but instead threw bits of bread to feed the birds, taking this as a chance to pet its soft fuzzy head.
“You’re really treating this place as your home, hm?” LP stood behind DE, looking at the bird in his hand.
“Before MM finishes his experiments, I’m staying here.” DE whistled at the birds while responding to LP.
LP picked up an old looking book that could be mistaken for an antique off the shelf, pulled up a chair, and quietly sat down to read.
DE pouted, not having received the answer he wanted, and returned to playing with the birds until LP finished his book and went downstairs to make dinner. When LP came upstairs with dinner in his hands, DE had already disappeared.
“Che, he’s like a stray cat.” LP complained, haphazardly arranging the messy pile of books, turning off the light, and carefully closing the door behind him.
The moon rose, silver shining through the library, basking it in a layer of mist. Purple shards floated in the air, and a youth in black followed these fragments appearing again in the library, staring at the door in silence. His lips curled upwards, but the moonlight muddled his features, and it was impossible to see his face clearly.
LP opened the window to the library, letting the sunlight and fragrant air in. The crisp morning got him all pumped up. LP glanced out at the pile of scattered books, then again at the vines outside the wall, and climbed out the window. His hands grabbed sturdy vines for handholds, and his foot was precisely placed on the thickest vine. The entire vine lurched for a second. He hung suspended outside the window. The birds, startled, flew outside their nest, chirping nonstop and swirling around him, pecking incessantly at his messy silver-purple hair.
“Ow, stupid birds…! Stop!?”
LP furrowed his brows, waving his hands left and right. Then he looked at the ugly bird still in the nest, and grimaced in its direction. The two adult birds seemed angrier at this, chirping loudly and pecking at his head and face violently and relentlessly, flying towards him. LP cursed and climbed towards the window sill, the two birds continued to chase after him.
“What are you doing, LP.” DE sat at the sill, looking down at him from above.
“Help me get rid of these two.” LP said, waving his hand as a gesture. DE unexpectedly stared at him for a while, and then made a noise in his general direction. The two birds stopped attacking LP, settling on DE’s head and shoulders, chirping at him. LP, finally freed from the birds’ attacks, hoisted himself up to sit on the sill with Esper.
“Summer is ending soon,” DE sighed quietly, staring at the ground.
In the distance, the cicadas and birds continued as before.
The next time he flipped under the window, the birds nest was abandoned. LP stared at the best and felt a strand of regret. To be honest, he really missed them. Languidly, he pulled at the remnants of the nest, picking apart left over feathers and found a strange object inside. When he pulled it out, it was a small chip. His eyes widened, and instinctively squeezed the chip tight. Then he stepped on his dynamos, reverse flipping back into the room.
After inserting the core inside his dynamos, the menu automatically popped up.
[Automatically reading chip…]
[Please wait…]
…
[Chip read. User: Past.]
[Password correct. Loading data…]
[Loading Complete.]
All of DE’s data was displayed in front of him, containing both information about DE and all the data in his dynamos needed to travel across pace and time. Just looking at the glow from all of those complicated and detailed symbols gave him a headache.
LP stared at the Dynamos beside him unable to decide. His finger moved to the bottom right corner, the menu popped up with these words.
[Delete All Files.
Yes No]
His finger hovered over “Yes” for some time without pressing, until a voice hollered from downstairs.
“Lunatic Psyker, come down for dinner right now!”
“Yes yes yes---“ LP agreed and swiftly checked the menu to delete the information containing DE’s personal details, and then pulled out the chip, taking it downstairs with him.
“MasterMind, I found something interesting, would you like to see?”
4. Fireworks.
It wasn’t summer without fireworks.
Because of the Elswords’ request, they still decided to have a fireworks ceremony after all. They decided to hold it in Belder after taking a vote.
“LP, MM, DE, Absent.”
“Get over here and participate, you damned shut-ins!”
“How surprising, you’re not going to look at the fireworks with MM?” LP asked Esper who humming but also munching on candy while leaning against the sill, staring at the district filled with so many lights it looked like stars in the night sky.
“I went, MM said his experiments weren’t complete, so he wasn’t going to participate, so I delivered chocolate and then came back.” DE stopped humming and said.
“I don’t know why, but I feel for you.” LP said, simultaneously looking at the person beside him with pity.
“You don’t have the right to criticize me. You’re still single.” DE rolled his eyes and retorted in a voice that sounded like he was asking to get punched.
“You---!” LP clenched his teeth together, forcefully pulling DE over by his neck, and then noogied him furiously.
“Ow Ow Ow…!” DE grabbed LP’s hand, ducking his attack. He pouted, rubbing his sore temples.
“Don’t worry, though, you'll be with someone soon.”
DE said seriously.
LP wanted to ask him what he meant, but was interrupted by DE again: “Oh, it’s starting?”
Accompanying some ear-piercing noise, fireworks exploded in the in the peaceful night sky, the pieces descending like a waterfall. The orange and yellow were bright like Sander’s sun, the resplendent blue was peaceful like Hamel’s water, the deep green was the forests of Elder, the brownish-red resembled Bethma’s rocks. A variety of colours from fireworks painted Elrios against a beautiful black curtain, passing a monotonous night together with infinite stars.
Half way through, DE started laughing. LP helplessly patted his shoulder, “You didn’t take your medicine again today?”
DE shook his head, not arguing with him in a surprising turn of events, “I just think this timeline is very interesting. It wasn’t a waste to come here, don’t you think?”
LP froze for a second, and then said, “When you say something like that it makes me absolutely horrified.”
“Oi, you’re one to talk, your head’s filled with violence and all you want to do is fight.”
“What? You look for a fight?”
“See, I was right. But I’ll take you up on that offer.”
… …
A while later, LP suddenly remembered what Esper said: “Someone will be with you soon.”
It was true. At the same time, his eyes settled on MM, who was configuring Apocalypse. His lips pressed into a thin line silently.
5.
LP patted the dust that had gathered on the book stack, and rearranged them seriously on the floor.
“Why aren’t you putting them back?” MM asked, furrowing a brow.
LP leaned his head back, thinking for some time before responding, “Because an old friend* left them there, so let’s leave it at that.”
No one would crack stupid jokes with him.
And no one would make him angry just to get closer to him.
No would sit in the pile of books, quietly braiding a flower crown.
No one would lean on the window sill, spending an entire afternoon playing with birds.
And no would watch fire works with him.
His gaze unwittingly trailed to the wind chime missing a couple bells, it was DE’s gift for MM. He reached out and pawed at it gently. In the only perfect wind chime, when he turned it over, saw a small row of words. He was silent for a moment, and then finally said.
“MM. Look, there are words in here.”
To put his words here of all places… What an idiot.
He thought.
Flowers and Birds and Fireworks
Afterword (from the writer)
Ok. So can everyone figure out what happened? Yes, this text is part of the same series as “summer and cicadas and wind chimes.” It’s set after DE’s death, so MM and LP have different memories of DE, after DE died, each were left to their own devices.
T/N:
1. “Old Friend” - The phrase used here for old friend can mean “passerby”, old friend, as well as the deceased.
2. The term that Esper refers to Lusa directly is synonymous with "bro" but is usable in most ontexts of conversation and for most people. Since 'brother' in english implies familial relationships, and "bro" is extremely informal and out of character for Esper I cut it and reworded the sentence.
3. As with the MMDE fic, the "and" can be used as substitution for "with" instead.
4. The relationship between LPMM doesn't come off as "romantic" in the original text, I've tried to replicate it there. It's more like a cohabitation relationship vs Esper and MM which was extremely obvious to be interpreted in the romantic sense.
5. Funfact, when I ran Apocalypse through google translate it gave me "Book of st John" and it took me a second to realize that "Book of Apocalypse" was a thing.
6. The significant line in this sentence, "You'll be with someone soon" is really gramatically sensitive. Initially I had it translated as "You'll find someone to be with soon", but it's really not that much action on Lusa's part and implied waiting on his part and there's also the taste of inevitability on Esper's part.
7. The blog theme for the writer's blog is really fucking weird about line spacing so as a whole: flashbacks had two three conversation in the present had one line, and transition lines had three. I also had to break up some paragraphs for the ease of reading because you dont want to read two people dialoguing back and forth in one sentence ( I think you can do that in Chinse but not in English).
1.
The summer heat gently spurred the flowers to blossom softly.
Cicadas and birds chirped mingling cries over each other.
The wind chime swayed quietly in the wind, under the booming fireworks against the night sky.
2. Flowers
He sometimes thought that person was still alive, sitting in inside his library, on top of a stack of books, quietly reading.
The vines outside grew thicker, crawling in from the window. Mixed green and golden sunlight bounced off the dark brown bookshelf inside the room. A beautiful colour of old bronze was reflected.
The small flowers released a fragrant scent. Butterflies and bees congregated between the petals.
LP stood quietly. Staring at the sunbathing pile of books, he remembered how that person would sit on the pile, cutting a few pieces of vine to craft a detailed flower crown, and then tossing it on LP’s head as a prank. At the same time, his violet eyes would squint slyly together, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
He walked towards the bookshelf, picking up the long-wilted crown, and sighed quietly.
“Don’t randomly barge into my library. Can’t you go to MM’s place?” LP said irritably, holding a stack of books in his arms, “Don’t mess my place up.”
“Why are you getting so mad?” DE organized the pile of books, pulling pieces off the shelf to balance the base of the pile, and then comfortable hopped on, “MM’s doing research. I don’t want to disturb him.” He paused, “And there are flowers here.” As he was speaking he reached out to point at the blossoming flowers on the vine.
“You’re so girly,” LP said, jeering at him.
DE didn’t respond, and instead pulled some vines inside the window, snipping them and started to braid a flower crown with practiced ease.
“Tch,” LP snapped, furrowing his brow, and started to close the door behind him, “Do what you want, but don’t bother me.”
As LP was working on his Nasod armour, a crack appeared in his door, and DE tip-toed into his room carefully, placing the flower crown on his head. LP, feeling something’s presence reached up to grab it, and coincidentally snatched DE’s retreating wrist. With a harsh tug, DE naturally tumbled into LP’s lap. Rubbing his injured nose and looking up at LP’s gloomy face, he laughed unapologetically, “This place isn’t so bad, either.”
“Could --- you stay put for a second?!” LP roared, snatching the crown on his head.
But when he saw DE’s body, there was no way he could believe it. How could someone who was so ridiculously strong die so easily? It was unbelievable.
MM stood beside him quietly crying. In contrast, there was an strange air of calm from LP.
A while later he reached over to break the crystals off DE’s body, bit by bit, with an unusual amount of patience. He was wearing as serious face when he fixed the clothes on the corpse, ironing it out with his hands.
They bury him under the clearing in the center of the forest.
LP stood in front of the grave, staring at it for some time. He removed the wilted flower crown and hung it on one corner of the headstone.
“See… this place also has the flowers that you like so much, so….”
He paused.
“Sleep well.”
3. Birds.
A pair of average looking birds settled into a small nest under the window in between the vines, chirping sweet words that only they understood. DE, no longer able to focus on his reading by these chirps, tossed the book in his hands somewheres. He didn’t get mad but instead threw bits of bread to feed the birds, taking this as a chance to pet its soft fuzzy head.
“You’re really treating this place as your home, hm?” LP stood behind DE, looking at the bird in his hand.
“Before MM finishes his experiments, I’m staying here.” DE whistled at the birds while responding to LP.
LP picked up an old looking book that could be mistaken for an antique off the shelf, pulled up a chair, and quietly sat down to read.
DE pouted, not having received the answer he wanted, and returned to playing with the birds until LP finished his book and went downstairs to make dinner. When LP came upstairs with dinner in his hands, DE had already disappeared.
“Che, he’s like a stray cat.” LP complained, haphazardly arranging the messy pile of books, turning off the light, and carefully closing the door behind him.
The moon rose, silver shining through the library, basking it in a layer of mist. Purple shards floated in the air, and a youth in black followed these fragments appearing again in the library, staring at the door in silence. His lips curled upwards, but the moonlight muddled his features, and it was impossible to see his face clearly.
LP opened the window to the library, letting the sunlight and fragrant air in. The crisp morning got him all pumped up. LP glanced out at the pile of scattered books, then again at the vines outside the wall, and climbed out the window. His hands grabbed sturdy vines for handholds, and his foot was precisely placed on the thickest vine. The entire vine lurched for a second. He hung suspended outside the window. The birds, startled, flew outside their nest, chirping nonstop and swirling around him, pecking incessantly at his messy silver-purple hair.
“Ow, stupid birds…! Stop!?”
LP furrowed his brows, waving his hands left and right. Then he looked at the ugly bird still in the nest, and grimaced in its direction. The two adult birds seemed angrier at this, chirping loudly and pecking at his head and face violently and relentlessly, flying towards him. LP cursed and climbed towards the window sill, the two birds continued to chase after him.
“What are you doing, LP.” DE sat at the sill, looking down at him from above.
“Help me get rid of these two.” LP said, waving his hand as a gesture. DE unexpectedly stared at him for a while, and then made a noise in his general direction. The two birds stopped attacking LP, settling on DE’s head and shoulders, chirping at him. LP, finally freed from the birds’ attacks, hoisted himself up to sit on the sill with Esper.
“Summer is ending soon,” DE sighed quietly, staring at the ground.
In the distance, the cicadas and birds continued as before.
The next time he flipped under the window, the birds nest was abandoned. LP stared at the best and felt a strand of regret. To be honest, he really missed them. Languidly, he pulled at the remnants of the nest, picking apart left over feathers and found a strange object inside. When he pulled it out, it was a small chip. His eyes widened, and instinctively squeezed the chip tight. Then he stepped on his dynamos, reverse flipping back into the room.
After inserting the core inside his dynamos, the menu automatically popped up.
[Automatically reading chip…]
[Please wait…]
…
[Chip read. User: Past.]
[Password correct. Loading data…]
[Loading Complete.]
All of DE’s data was displayed in front of him, containing both information about DE and all the data in his dynamos needed to travel across pace and time. Just looking at the glow from all of those complicated and detailed symbols gave him a headache.
LP stared at the Dynamos beside him unable to decide. His finger moved to the bottom right corner, the menu popped up with these words.
[Delete All Files.
Yes No]
His finger hovered over “Yes” for some time without pressing, until a voice hollered from downstairs.
“Lunatic Psyker, come down for dinner right now!”
“Yes yes yes---“ LP agreed and swiftly checked the menu to delete the information containing DE’s personal details, and then pulled out the chip, taking it downstairs with him.
“MasterMind, I found something interesting, would you like to see?”
4. Fireworks.
It wasn’t summer without fireworks.
Because of the Elswords’ request, they still decided to have a fireworks ceremony after all. They decided to hold it in Belder after taking a vote.
“LP, MM, DE, Absent.”
“Get over here and participate, you damned shut-ins!”
“How surprising, you’re not going to look at the fireworks with MM?” LP asked Esper who humming but also munching on candy while leaning against the sill, staring at the district filled with so many lights it looked like stars in the night sky.
“I went, MM said his experiments weren’t complete, so he wasn’t going to participate, so I delivered chocolate and then came back.” DE stopped humming and said.
“I don’t know why, but I feel for you.” LP said, simultaneously looking at the person beside him with pity.
“You don’t have the right to criticize me. You’re still single.” DE rolled his eyes and retorted in a voice that sounded like he was asking to get punched.
“You---!” LP clenched his teeth together, forcefully pulling DE over by his neck, and then noogied him furiously.
“Ow Ow Ow…!” DE grabbed LP’s hand, ducking his attack. He pouted, rubbing his sore temples.
“Don’t worry, though, you'll be with someone soon.”
DE said seriously.
LP wanted to ask him what he meant, but was interrupted by DE again: “Oh, it’s starting?”
Accompanying some ear-piercing noise, fireworks exploded in the in the peaceful night sky, the pieces descending like a waterfall. The orange and yellow were bright like Sander’s sun, the resplendent blue was peaceful like Hamel’s water, the deep green was the forests of Elder, the brownish-red resembled Bethma’s rocks. A variety of colours from fireworks painted Elrios against a beautiful black curtain, passing a monotonous night together with infinite stars.
Half way through, DE started laughing. LP helplessly patted his shoulder, “You didn’t take your medicine again today?”
DE shook his head, not arguing with him in a surprising turn of events, “I just think this timeline is very interesting. It wasn’t a waste to come here, don’t you think?”
LP froze for a second, and then said, “When you say something like that it makes me absolutely horrified.”
“Oi, you’re one to talk, your head’s filled with violence and all you want to do is fight.”
“What? You look for a fight?”
“See, I was right. But I’ll take you up on that offer.”
… …
A while later, LP suddenly remembered what Esper said: “Someone will be with you soon.”
It was true. At the same time, his eyes settled on MM, who was configuring Apocalypse. His lips pressed into a thin line silently.
5.
LP patted the dust that had gathered on the book stack, and rearranged them seriously on the floor.
“Why aren’t you putting them back?” MM asked, furrowing a brow.
LP leaned his head back, thinking for some time before responding, “Because an old friend* left them there, so let’s leave it at that.”
No one would crack stupid jokes with him.
And no one would make him angry just to get closer to him.
No would sit in the pile of books, quietly braiding a flower crown.
No one would lean on the window sill, spending an entire afternoon playing with birds.
And no would watch fire works with him.
His gaze unwittingly trailed to the wind chime missing a couple bells, it was DE’s gift for MM. He reached out and pawed at it gently. In the only perfect wind chime, when he turned it over, saw a small row of words. He was silent for a moment, and then finally said.
“MM. Look, there are words in here.”
To put his words here of all places… What an idiot.
He thought.
Flowers and Birds and Fireworks
Afterword (from the writer)
Ok. So can everyone figure out what happened? Yes, this text is part of the same series as “summer and cicadas and wind chimes.” It’s set after DE’s death, so MM and LP have different memories of DE, after DE died, each were left to their own devices.
T/N:
1. “Old Friend” - The phrase used here for old friend can mean “passerby”, old friend, as well as the deceased.
2. The term that Esper refers to Lusa directly is synonymous with "bro" but is usable in most ontexts of conversation and for most people. Since 'brother' in english implies familial relationships, and "bro" is extremely informal and out of character for Esper I cut it and reworded the sentence.
3. As with the MMDE fic, the "and" can be used as substitution for "with" instead.
4. The relationship between LPMM doesn't come off as "romantic" in the original text, I've tried to replicate it there. It's more like a cohabitation relationship vs Esper and MM which was extremely obvious to be interpreted in the romantic sense.
5. Funfact, when I ran Apocalypse through google translate it gave me "Book of st John" and it took me a second to realize that "Book of Apocalypse" was a thing.
6. The significant line in this sentence, "You'll be with someone soon" is really gramatically sensitive. Initially I had it translated as "You'll find someone to be with soon", but it's really not that much action on Lusa's part and implied waiting on his part and there's also the taste of inevitability on Esper's part.
7. The blog theme for the writer's blog is really fucking weird about line spacing so as a whole: flashbacks had two three conversation in the present had one line, and transition lines had three. I also had to break up some paragraphs for the ease of reading because you dont want to read two people dialoguing back and forth in one sentence ( I think you can do that in Chinse but not in English).