Red Data Girl - Series 1 & 2

My First Familiar - 22

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
By Noriko Ogiwara
A Translation

Notes in this week's translation:

At one point, Miyuki complains about his name and how it's an example of how Sagara's been giving him trouble since he was born. Miyuki is actually a girl's name, not a boy's name. So in English name equivalents, Sagara might as well have named his son Meghan or Miranda or something along those lines.

Red Data Girl: My First Familiar
Chapter 4: Wamiya
Part 1 (1 of 2)

As far as Izumiko was concerned, the class trip ended at Yukariko's house.

Although Sagara returned her safely to her classmates at the hotel, she didn't participate in a single class activity after that.

Perhaps it was a result of the shock she felt, but she didn't remember much about the trip back to the hotel, only that her head had felt fuzzy and vague. When she was checked for fever, her temperature had been nearly 39 degrees. She was moved to the nurse's room and the next morning they went to the hospital while the others went to see the city.

High fevers made Izumiko do nothing but sleep. The one good thing about her illness was that her transgression of escaping the government building was forgotten. They didn't ask why Miyuki had left with her either, nor did they ask Miyuki for an explanation.

Mostly because Sagara had been there and Miyuki didn't have to struggle to put together an apology he didn't mean for his offense, no explanation was ever offered in the end. In order not to give anything away herself, Izumiko decided it would be better to keep her mouth shut about the whole thing.

Their classmates must have talked, but if they did, Izumiko never heard what they said. Regardless of what they were saying behind her back, everyone felt bad for her when it was decided she couldn't join the class at the Disney resort on the last day. They would have felt the same for anyone who had traveled all the way to Tokyo, only to do nothing and then return. Ayumi and Haruna especially, but also the other students, only had comforting words to say to Izumiko.

It would have been a lie for her to say she wasn't disappointed, but she wasn't as upset as everyone thought she was. With the constant rain outside, resting in a drowsy state felt more important to her that day anyway. And as she rested, she recovered little by little.

Thus, the trip home was much more enjoyable than the journey to Tokyo had been. But it might not have seen so to a casual observer. Teachers and students alike treated Izumiko as if she were still sick. All the same, the truth was that she was feeling much better.

Even as they descended into the crowds of Haneda Airport, she was able to stay calm. The black shadows were still there, as were the stares, but since meeting Sagara, they had felt much further away. They didn't bother her nearly as much as they had either. They were certainly scary, but she had grown used to them being around. When they entered the same lobby they had left through only a few days before, Izumiko's mood shifted dramatically. With every moment Tamakura Mountain grew closer, she could feel her lost resolve returning to her.

It was raining when the plane landed.

It continued to rain while they rode the bus home as well, but seeing as even the noisiest students had been lulled to sleep out of exhaustion, no one seemed to mind. Izumiko was the only one left wide awake in the bus full of quiet breathing. She was left to contemplate her joy at returning home while watching the raindrops make lines across the window. One thought circled through her mind.

I got back here safely. I'm back...

Eventually, the bus stopped in front of the school. Just like it had been when they had left in the dark, early morning, the numerous cars of parents were parked on the school grounds. This time the parents were waiting for their children to exit the bus. Of course, Mr. Nonomura was waiting among the crowd.