Notes on the Sixteenth Maria-sama ga Miteru Novel: Variety Gift, Part 3

Maria-sama ga Miteru 16 – Variety Gift

Part 3

Variety Gift III


"It wasn't that it was visible, it was just that I saw it." Thrust in the middle of the four people, Touko-chan's face was dyed as red as a boiled octopus'.

"Number one, a false start is a violation of the rules, isn't it?"

"It is. We heard the rules from Touko's own mouth," Noriko-chan said drily.

Whereupon Touko-chan said, her brows drawn together, "What do you mean?"

"Mean? Exactly what I said. Right, Kanako-san?"

"Absolutely." Kanako-chan gave a quick nod. The three of them were in the same class, not really friends, but on the same appropriate level of acquaintance.

"Well - you two are creeping me out, what is it?"

At the threatening command to speak plainly, Noriko's mouth opened. "...The frilly white poncho."

At that, Yumi remembered it and said, "Ah". Some time ago, Noriko-chan's story about it had reached her ears.

But Yoshino-san, who had not heard from anyone about the business of the first-year Camellia class, repeated the gibberish words. "The frilly white poncho?"

However, at that simple question, Touko-chan's voice, which was usually supported by abdominal breathing, disappeared.

"That wasn't against the rules. But, I'm not disregarding anything that is written anywhere.

"Fine fine."

"I really dislike it when you use that expression," Touko-chan said in a loud voice. She said it clearly and it hurt to hear. This wasn't the auditorium or the gymnasium. It was a small room.

"So, what's going on? Not only do the first-years know, Yumi-san has a face that say 'I understand' so only I'm out of the loop. It's a creepy feeling."

"It's like this, Yoshino-san..."

When she looked back and forth like that, with her cheeks swollen and red, she looked like a Daruma.

"Hmm?"

Daruma-san? Yumi suddenly thought of a problem.

"Daruma-san? What? Buddha?" Noriko-chan turned, asking.

"Not again, Yumi-sama..."

Sheesh, said the huge heaved sigh.




The Extra Sheep That Passes By


"The rain isn't stopping, huh," Noriko muttered, looking up at the sky through the window.

"Yeah, it isn't." Yumi answered. Why didn't it stop, was the unasked question and to answer "Because it's the rainy season," would be boorish.

This was just an example of filling in communication. The contents weren't important, it was just a sign of "You're here and I understand."

It was after school.

In their old friend, the headquarters of the Student Council, the Rose Mansion.

It was raining.

It wasn't a big room but, it felt empty, and maybe that was why she could be alone with an underclassman she had never talked one-on-one with before. --By stretching just a little, she could see the Kappa-head (E: A kappa is a mythical creature, that looks a bit like a frog with a flat spot on the top of their heads. http://www.mmjp.or.jp/daikobo/works/char_ani/kappa.jpg. And while I'm at it – here's a picture of an Ichimatsu doll, because that's the other thing Noriko is described as looking as: http://www.jcollector.com/stores/jdoll/items/545615/catphoto.jpg) just behind her, she thought.

Recently, first-year Nijou Noriko-chan had taken Yumi's classmate Toudou Shimako's rosary. In other words, she was "a friend's little sister."

Why that same Shimako-san was not in this place, you might ask - she was probably running late because of a conversation in class or something.

The two yellow rose sisters, Rei-sama and Yoshino-san, were absent because of club activities together. And, Yumi-sama's onee-sama, Sachiko-sama was--. When she thought about that, she sighed.

Sachiko-sama was completely absent from school. Since she and Yumi had argued, she hadn't seen her face once.

How many days did today make? Even if it's counted, it's an empty day, which makes it not count.

(I want to make up. Ah, I want to make up, please let us make up.) --Well, for the moment, let's put that aside.

In other words, the situation was that Yumi and Noriko-chan were alone together at the Rose Mansion.

It was turning towards autumn, they were in the middle of the preparations for the school festival, but after having finished the tasks Shimako-san had assigned them, the two bouton were at a loss as to what to do.

It was then, as they had their filled in conversation as Yumi thought of it, that Yumi noticed. (Noriko-chan and I really don't have any point of contact...)

She had no idea where to turn to come up with an appropriate topic of conversation.

(Ah, um...)

Noriko-chan, whose hobby was aesthetically appreciating statues of Buddha was an eccentric girl but, for her to say "The Nara Buddha is very large isn't it" suddenly would be a big problem.

Then the moment came.

Noriko-chan said "The rain isn't stopping, is it" out loud.

The rain isn't stopping, is it.

Only, in the words there was the true meaning.

The topic of the conversation was the worrisome weather.

So, from whom did you hear that. Baseball and religion conversations were taboo. And uh, so were conversations about politics.

Anyway, that limits things to noncommittal conversation. Whether she was with the rainy faction or the sunny faction could lead this kind of discussion into a big brawl, so she shouldn't ask.

"Noriko-chan, do you dislike rain?"

Then, Yumi would expand upon this line of conversation.

"Eh? Not really, I don't like or dislike it. ...It's probably more like I've never thought about it."

"Hmm."

"What do you say about it, Yumi-sama."

"I guess I dislike it a little. Well, I used to like it, but. Recently, it's been especially..."

The rain calls to mind memories of her absent onee-sama. The day her umbrella had returned but, that cold day she and Sachiko-sama's friendship had separated. Every day it continued to fall, the rain was like cellophane, shutting their hearts off from each other.

(Ah, I want to see her. See her, reconcile, have Onee-sama fix my tie...)

---Stop it. She was thinking about Sachiko-sama again.

Other thoughts rose to the surface, but they couldn't drive out the sadness about Onee-sama. It was the rainy season, it really did turn one's brain into miso.

Why, Yumi was thinking, as Noriko-chan suddenly asked a question.

"Yumi-sama, you've always been at Lillian?"

"Mm."

From kindergarten, always. A burden of thirteen years. That was Lillian tearing at her.

But why?

Before Yumi could get the words to her mouth, Noriko-chan, with a clenched fist pushing into her cheek asked, "Is that right. So, you never had to go through the oral examination to get into high school, did you."

"No, but...why?"

"No. It's just, if you had experienced it, I was going to ask what kinds of questions they ask. For reference."

"Eh?" The contents of the questions for the oral examination. The usual kinds of things, probably.

For instance.

Why do you want to go to this school, kind of thing.

Or, in middle school, what kind of clubs were you in.

What is it you want to do in high school, etc, etc.

Although the words were harsh, of course they didn't mean to be a hindrance. But, the person being questioned was a middle school student, after all.

Why on earth had Noriko-chan asked about this mysterious thing.

"Because in my class, most of the students came up from middle school, I really don't what the situation is. I've heard that the oral examination for Lillian is pretty usual. But thinking about it now, that might have been a dream, or something I just am thinking ought to be."

Noriko-chan's eyes seemed kind of far away. As if she was looking about 45 degrees upward obliquely and about four months ago.

Apart from that.

Looking back over one's shoulder, as if in a dream, what on earth was she thinking about the oral exam....

"Um, Noriko-chan?" Her brows drawing close together in the middle of her forehead, Yumi came asked, "Hello?"

So, what question is it that you want the answer to, then.

*

In elementary and middle school, I commuted to a local public school, so naturally, I expected to go to a co-ed public school for high school, I never expected to have any part of my life at a private girl's school.

"Um. Exactly as I'd expect of a Catholic Girl's School."

That the entrance to the school were high gates surrounded by a high wall, was my, Nijou Noriko's, first impression.

I took one step inside the gently curved picture of a tree-lined path continuing from outside to the center, which did not allow one to see in. Probably, for such important flowers raised in the greenhouse, this is a device to protect them from harmful insects.

Like a picture drawn of a rich girls' school, I thought. That there even was such a school nowadays...

But apparently there were many girls who hoped to go to school here.

The ratio of successful applicants who took the Lillian High School outsiders exam was considerably small, I knew from outside information.

"Are you sure? Lillian Jogakuen is not the school for a backup exam." My middle school homeroom teacher, the guidance counselor also said it was a bad idea when he heard of my desire, telling me as his eyes moved away. On the other hand, if I passed, I'd have to accept going to Lillian before I could wait for the results of a public school exam. And in my middle school there were no other students who chose to go to Lillian's high school.

Whether Lillian was a school worth transferring to, I didn't know. For my great-aunt, the one who set up my exam, who was a Lillian OG (E: Old Girl, an alumna), I opened the gates easily and stepped, crunching, forward. I didn’t need the signboard for the "High School Examination Location" and arrow to confirm, the gentle stream of people all headed in one direction was guidance enough.

There were many in school uniforms walking in front of me. I was wearing the same standard blue colored school uniform that one found anywhere in public schools, the one recent change having been the addition of a light colored youthful feeling sailor collar. The blazer and the sailor collar was unusual in the middle of all these famous private school uniforms.

Regardless of the school uniform these girls walked with grace and an elegant, even pace. When they meet to take the same bus, inside the carriage, the inside was usually full of cheerful conversation but, because of the chaperoning mothers, now it was full of reticence. Their mouths were completely closed, as if they'd been cursed.

From the point that they enter those gates, the entrance examination will soon begin. It will be a hardship.

Walking down the tree-lined path, step step; halfway the road parts ways, but why, at that place, does the wave of humanity slow? Like a bathtub drain clogged up by hair, the smooth stream becomes blocked.

What the heck.

As if frozen by what they see, the girls all stop where they stand, looking at a luxuriously grown hill, turning towards what was, in reality, an artificially created forest, and seriously putting their hands together.

This resembled the behaviors of the followers of some new religion that she had seen previously on a variety show, but it was also used by the Catholic religion. It was an obeisance used globally. It was simple, the old and new had very little difference, piling one thing on top of the other, she shouldn't wonder.

The sardine head turn towards the hand, the hands are put together for Maria-sama, under whose famous name all belief can be delivered impartially.

(E: Sardine head: There is a saying in Japanese that even a sardine head may become holy, by the virtue of faith.)

"Thank you for waiting, please go ahead," says the sailor collared uniform wearing girl ahead of me, over her shoulder. I was just watching all the girls stopping and praying with curiosity, not waiting for a turn, as she supposed.

"No. I..." I had, for many years, been worshipping before Buddha and Kanon, so Maria-sama would have to forgive me.

"I prayed that I may be allowed to go to this school come April. You want that too, right?"

"Yeah." Not to be rude to the gentle words the girl spoke to me, but I had no intention of going to this school.

Therefore, I turned, and immediately after me, there was someone else to take their turn, so I thought I had made the right choice.

But it would get all confused if I try to explain, so I just put my hands together there unwillingly and went through with it. Of course, I did not pray for school success.

In the first place, I was a lover of statues of Buddha, not a passionate fan of Buddha, and although in the course of visiting a statue I might put my hands together, I was not in the habit of asking for favors.

If one of the members of my family had a serious disease which made the doctors throw in the towel, I might rely on the powers of the gods, possibly. But for things I could bring about with my own strength, I didn't see a need to rely on them.

I turned away from the statue of Maria-sama, satisfied with my worship, opened my eyes and already couldn't see the form of the girl who had been in front of me, she had walked fairly forward.

I emulated the girl in front of me, saying "thank you for waiting" to the blazer-wearing girl behind me. Not forgetting to smile pleasantly. Although it was not a gesture to which I was accustomed, I did it surprisingly skillfully.

"----" How many women are in this girls' school? –Upon setting foot in the assembly hall that was the classroom for taking the paper examination, that was my honest thought.

But of course, all of the students taking the exam were girls. To the extent that the extras would be dropped, that this was an entire generation of girls felt strangely real. It was almost as if it was saying, don't open the door to that different world, there was such a sense of incompatibility there.

It was like I was being asked, now that you are inside this fence where the young ewes of Jesus Christ's flock are gathered, what do you plan on doing?

"Ah, you. Your seat's here, diagonally behind me." One nearby girl, after confirming the number on the examination ticket in my hand, guided me to the chair.

"Ah, thank you for your kindness."

"No. I was thinking that since today is the examination, everyone will be a little tense."

Eh...yeah."

That was true since, upon entering the classroom I, or anyone else, might freeze upon seeing all the girls there, she wouldn't be likely to mistake that kind of pressure.

"Write the kanji for 'person' in your palm, then swallow it." The girl in the seat next to me said. (E: This is a popular "remedy" for nervousness.)

"...R, right."

But, why was it that person after person I met here was so obliging? In a school where it was so hard to get in, everyone who was present here should be a rival, right? Either that, or in order to get into Lillian Jogakuen, did one really need to have a heart like an angel's--?

Again, I felt that there was no way I was going to be able to go to school here.

The examination was shockingly normal, with the three subjects: Language skills, English, Math. It wasn't very difficult, and from the stories I had heard from students in my class, they were much the same questions and, just the day before a girl who had taken a private school exam said that those questions were much more difficult. However, degree of difficulty and magnitude are not always proportional.

More importantly, despite my "Eh?" and tilting my head, that afternoon, I'd have to take the oral examination.

I entered the designated room, stated my name and my current school, and took the seat I was offered. There were five examiners for the oral exam. They all looked completely normal.

But, when I heard the first question, I doubted my own ears.

"A beaker is full of liquid. You want to know whether it is an acid or an alkaline. What would you do to determine this?"

"... ... ... ..."

In middle school I had practiced the oral examination many times with my teacher as a partner, but this kind of question had never come up. Of course there wasn't any "List of Possible Oral Examination Questions" written down. Usually they were "Why do you want to come to this school" or "What do you want to do at this school," that kind of question.

So, why did my ears catch words like "acid" and "alkaline"?

Of the subjects covered in the entrance exam, science was not one of them. – However, it was more likely that being questioned like this now would elicit some kind of reaction. That was why it was called the interview.

"Um, is it all right if I use litmus paper to test it?" I asked.

"That would be fine." The examiner who asked the question nodded. He wore a white coat. Maybe the science teacher?

"However, unfortunately, they are out of red litmus paper, you'll have to use blue. What do you do?"

"If the liquid turns the blue litmus paper red, then it is an acid."

"And if not..."

"It's an alkaline."

"Isn't there a possibility of it being neutral?"

"You originally asked whether it was acid or alkaline."

"Ah, true." A middle-aged teacher like a mantis struck his head like "mistake, mistake". "Then, second. Chemical element symbols."

"...Youya-sensei, that will be fine." Sitting in the middle was a sister, who would be the next interrogator after the white-coated one. "Nijou-san. Our Lillian Jogakuen is a Catholic school. Are you able to recite a Christian prayer?"

"Amen." My unhesitating answer seemed to confuse the sister a little. I thought I might have made a mistake, when the next came at me at once.

"Please tell us what you know about Christianity."

"Okay. In 1549 Francis Xavier brought it to Kagoshima, in 1613 the Edo government made it a prohibited religion and barred the teaching of it."

Upon hearing my answer, the sister lowered her head and, with a little smile muttered, "It appears that your strength is in history, then, not religion."

"Is there anything more?" Sitting next to the sister was a young female examiner, who inquired, enduring with a smile.

"Umm. ...Christ's mother's name is Mary."

"That is correct." Like this was a quiz show.

However, the number of correct answers was probably unrelated to the interview. It was a system that estimated what kind of person the person who answers is.

"Then, what is your reason for wanting to come to this school." The oldest of the teachers with a slick head finally asked the core question.

"The desire is my great-aunt's, who graduated this school."

Oh, the voices rose. The acid or alkaline teacher, Youya-sensei, wrote something on the document in front of him, shooting glances around him, storing away that personal information about the examinee.

"Then, is your own desire to go elsewhere?" A middle-aged, slightly heavy woman, said pointedly.

"Yes." I had answered clearly. And you'd think they'd drop it there. But lying wouldn't make me eligible.

But, as expected of the clergy. The dignified sister in the middle, when she learned that this institution was not my first choice said benevolently, with a nod, "It would be best if you were accepted to your first choice."

"I'm humbled."

"Good work."

"Thank you very much."

As I made my farewells and left the room, I thought seriously, I must not cut my line to this school.


2

"—But, why does it seem like we must we be so strongly connected?" Noriko-chan smiled bitterly.

Inside her heart, Yumi nodded in agreement.

Certainly she was the owner of a rare personal history, when she had gone to Kyoto for a once-in-a-many-year's public appearance of a Buddhist statue, and had encountered a heavy snow that had kept her from taking the exam for her first choice of school.

"I had a bad feeling about it."

"A bad feeling?"

Noriko-chan's expression gave the words a sense of resignation.

"I finished the interview and went out into the hallway, and turned towards the central garden, I could see into the window of the school building."

"Mm."

"In that window, a message was written."

"Ah..." Yumi snapped her fingers together.

Whereupon Noriko-chan's eyes grew round. "You know about it?"

"...You could say that, last year we did it. The words were on paper in the stuck to the window pane?"

"Is that some kind of custom?"

"No, why did we do it? I don't really know."

On the day of the general high school examination, those wished to go to university and the middle school third-years were taking the same paper test.

They affixed paper with message to their future classmates to the window that faced the central garden from the school, but who on earth suggested it? That person mentioned some precedent she may have learned about from some sempai, but Yumi didn't know.

"I couldn't see that it was drawing paper, it looked like it was written in that spray snow they use in windows at Christmas time."

"Ehh..." A year had passed and things had evolved.

"But, to be able to be read facing the window, didn’t' the letters have to be written backward? In each window, one by one was written 'We'll' "See' "You" "In" "April", but the "S" was backward. (E: The actual message was "Shigatsu ni yoroshiku. The hiragana of "yo" in "yoroshiku" was backward, but you get the drift.)

"Phew." Laughingly, Yumi blew out a reflective breath. Somehow, in writing the characters backwards, someone had made the mistake. But, no one had noticed the misfortune. Perhaps someone would say leniently that had been done by one of the middle school third-years.

"That mistake really dug into my heart, because of that I really noticed the message, I think.

"That's the premonition?"

"Well, looking at it now, you could think that, but. In reality, do you think that would have been a suitable response to the message?" Noriko-chan said that with a serious face, but slightly amused. At that, Yumi laughed, thinking, what an interesting girl, this Noriko-chan.

"So, what did you do then?"

She watched Noriko-chan laugh for a while, then, was she beginning to construct something on the tabletop?

Rolling up a pocket tissue, then wrapping it again in tissue paper squeezed around it tightly. Looking at it, it looked sort of like--.

"It's a teruterubouzu." (E: Teruterubouzu are little ghostie-like things that are said to bring good weather. They work when they are hung up by a window. http://lab108.x0.com/lab108/teruteru.jpg)

"...I was just thinking that's what it was." Yumi was going to ask why she was making one in the first place, but instead of answering, Noriko-chan silently bound it with a rubber band.

"With this, can you make it sunny?"

"...Who knows."

Or the rain might not stop, it might be prolonged? This teruterubouzu. If Yumi served up this curve ball to Noriko-chan, she'd probably just take it and shoot back a correct answer.

However, poor Fukuzawa Yumi. She didn't have any information about teruterubouzu with which to bunt.

(Teruterubouzu, teruterubouzu...um,)

While she worried about it, Noriko-chan had finished up the teruterubouzu and held it up, saying dryly, "You know, teruterubouzu looks like Jizou-sama." (E: Jizou is a Bodhisattva that protects children. Um, Bodhisattvas are Buddhist "saints", sort of. They are more technically enlightened beings that have chosen to remain in the world to minister to the human condition, rather than attain nirvana. Kanon, who is the Japanese edition of Guan Yin, was originally the Boddhisattva Avolokitesvara. I only mention it here, as Noriko mentions Kanon quite often...and it was a viewing of Kanon that kept her from going to the school she wanted to attend and landed her in Lillian. The irony being that many people associate Kanon worship with the Mary worship – something that is not lost on Noriko.)

Eh, now we're onto Jizou-sama? Noriko-chan, you're changing topics too fast.

"Jizou-sama, you mean Buddha?" She had to receive in some way.

At that, Noriko-chan smiled. "Well, 'Buddha' has a wide variety of meanings. (E: Both use the word 'Hotoke' for Buddha, which does indeed have a lot of meanings...) For instance, there's 'Boddhisattva.'" (E: Bosatsu...and trust me, Yumi's having a hard time following this, so don't feel alone if you're not up on your Buddhism. Like Noriko, I happen to appreciate Kanon/Guan Yin/ Avolokitesvara statuary. lol)

"Boddhisattva?"

"Yeah. Jizou is a Boddhisattva. Kanon is also a Boddhisattva. Kanzeon-Bosatsu." (E: Well, there you go. LOL)

Somehow the ping-pong rally continued. Things related to Buddhism was Noriko-chan's field of expertise.

"T, teruterubouzu is..." Caught up in the moment, she inquired, as Noriko leaned forward.

"Is not a person, but you can all him a priest." (E: Bouzu)

Hmm. This was in all in vain.

But, is that so, human, huh? Like, possibly, a Buddhist Priest with a bald head. But, an Umibouzu (E: a kind of sea monster) wasn't a human. What kind of Bouzu was a "Mikkabouzu" (E: A three day priest, someone who can't stick to a job.) –Why, Yumi had gone off on a solo digression.

"...A group of Teruterubouzu." Noriko-chan used a rubber band to make a little swing set from which to hang it.

"Eh?" What did you say just now, Yumi asked to hear it again.

"Nothing. Just that Lillian Jogakuen often surprises me. It had a lot of impact, seeing that group of teruterubouzu hanging then."

"A group of teruterubouzu?"

"Yeah. That's the way I saw it." So saying, Noriko-chan rose and looked out of the window. Although it was less than before, the rain was still falling.

For a moment, Noriko-chan looked puzzled. If the teruterubouzu made from tissue were to get wet, it would be disastrous, she muttered, while hanging it on the curtain rail.

It was really eerie.

*

What that was, and what use there was for it, that shouldn't have been the main point of the impact....But there was no point in saying that now. What you don't know, you don't know.

"'School uniform, leather shoes, gym clothes, sneakers (for use outside), the same (for use in the gym). Anything else will be handled by the school shop.' ...so."

This could all be done tomorrow, when she could get to K station to shop.

She put a check mark next to "Sharp pen" on the items on the thinly printed pamphlet.

"'Textbooks (required subjects) are for sale in front of the auditorium at noon of entrance day. Regarding optional subjects, obey the instructions from your homeroom teacher.'" Ehh-"

Textbooks were things to buy, how admirable. In compulsory education, naturally textbooks were handed out, and those were the ones taken and those were the ones unquestioningly studied.

"So, you're saying that on the day of the entrance ceremony, I'll have to carry enough cash." Confirming the amount needed with the pamphlet, she needed to keep that in mind.

"'A headband for use in gym can be bought in the store after the class announcement"? Why specifically after the class announcement, what does that have to do with it."

In middle school, they used a reversible red and white headband for gym, so their heads didn't come loose.

"The colors of the hachimaki (E: headband) are by class, that's why. Until you know what class you're in, you can't buy one." The sliding door opened suddenly, and Sumireko-san entered the room.

"Wah!" Seeing the figure, I instinctively backed up.

"What's the 'wah' for. It's just your landlady."

"Ah, sorry. But," when a pale face suddenly appears, anyone might be surprised, I thought. My great-aunt, my landlady, and the benefactor whose last-minute influence saved me from being a high school rounin (E: a person who isn't able to get into school), Nijou Sumireko-san, (age unknown, but probably pretty old) was preparing for shopping tomorrow with a face mask. Sumireko-san was not concerned that it was not a shopping district near Ginza. For example, if she was going to accompany a relative's daughter on a shopping trip, then she would consider her makeup and dress of importance.

"Hmm, the classes have colors."

To my new surprise, Sumireko-san replied with a bored look. "They do, like Peach color or Pine color."

"Peach color? You mean, like pink? And what the, pine?"

This is the first I'd ever heard of it. Obviously not the color of the trunk, so obviously like a dark green color.

"Not pink, Peach. The color of the name of each class."

"Huh?"

"You'd better study hard, you're kind of dull-witted, Rico."

"... ... ..."

That's me.

Apparently anyone who didn't know that, on the day of the entrance exam, each class was called upon one by one to be named after a plant, was ignorant.

This might be an excuse but, on the day I took the entrance exam, each room had a piece of paper that said 'Examinee Number X-XX' which was affixed on the room plate and may have covered the "Peach Group" or "Pine Group" so I couldn't see the characters.

"Now then." Pulling myself together, I once again began to read the contents of the "What You will Need on the Actual Day" pamphlet, when several characters flew out at me.

White poncho.

"What's this, this 'white poncho'?" My voice raised, I slapped the thin pamphlet. As if it had suddenly revealed it's true form to be a caterpillar and began crawling in front of my eyes, I was repulsed.

"White poncho?"

After the repetition of these words maybe about 3 seconds had passed. I could see the circuits in Sumireko-san's hard drive connecting "beepbeepbeep."

"Ah, that's right. White poncho, right. Tomorrow, after you're measured for your uniform, we'll stop by the cloth store."

"But, what's with the white poncho?"

"A poncho is, well it’s a poncho." So saying, Sumireko-san peeled the mask off her face. Ah, not the kind of person to wash it off, huh. –While I made that leisurely observation, the main problem was not resolved.

"...Ah, um."

"You don't know what a poncho is?"

"I do, but. An, um, blanket with a hole in the middle you put your head through, some people wear it for clothes. Like, places in South America."

(E: This next sentence is missing a reference that I was unable to identify. Please excuse me.)

It had appeared once in the opening of an anime I had seen.

"That's all there is to know. Isn't that enough?"

Hey, that's wrong. What was necessary for me to know wasn't some trivia about the poncho, but to be told exactly why I might need a "white poncho" for after the entrance ceremony.

"So, do you not understand 'white' ?"

"Sumireko-san, are you, maybe, being malicious?" After I said it, I noticed that the "maybe" was too much.

"Oh, my bad reputation. Just think of it as a puzzle to be solved happily in the future."

"That future is now cursed with embarrassment."

"Fooey." Sumireko-san put face lotion on a cotton ball and began to pat her face with it. "Rico is, you know, really boring. Like you're putting great effort into it, "please don't let me graduate, please don't let me graduate."

"That would be a bad thing." It's my nature.

"Isn't it interesting to think you the big snowstorm that made you miss your exam was part of a curse?" The smile she was suppressing appeared. It clearly said, don't get caught in this, this is a "Danger Zone."

"Is it fun to pick on your roughly half-century younger relative's daughter?"

"Roughly half a century is pretty full of malice, I think."

"Really, but it's the least one can do for a friend."

"So, it's going to be like that. Tomorrow, I'm thinking that there's no way I can accompany you to K station."

"That's fine if you can't. I can get a uniform on my own."

"Eh, what about a white poncho?"

"I'll manage it one way or another. It's written here what to do."

Two such similar people might just leave it there but, because of the age difference, they could go beyond propriety. Which of the two was slightly more adult might be determined by which one would retreat.

In circumstances like this, Sumireko-san would become perverse and I concluded that I would have to go alone to buy the things I needed to prepare for the entrance ceremony.

I went out to K station, to the shop designated and ordered the school uniform and gym clothes, then went to obtain the materials for the problematic white poncho.

"... ... ... ..."

At the time I went to get the uniform, because K station was the station closest to Lillian Jogakuen, the stores on the side were welcoming the new students.

Going over the to the white cotton corner, there was a line at the wagon processing the sales for "the most suitable for a poncho."

The instructions said to go for 100 percent, raw white cotton, suitable for white shirts.

I had already got the cloth cut, went to the wagon and took white bias tape ("cut from here") in my hand. To make the hole in the center, it was necessary to process it with the bias tape or it would become loose.

And, to make the poncho's hem and cuffs, fold it in four, a machine stitch finished it.

As long as it cleared the bias tape, making a white poncho didn't seem that hard.

"Ah, right." Once again, as I turned away from the register, I remembered the question of what thickness of thread I would need for the machine I would need, I retraced my steps to get it.

Halfway, I was passing through the section of lace and frills and ribbon and other gaudy stuff, when I noticed three girls investigating the goods with something near ecstasy.

The girls were talking so much, they didn't notice me. All of the girls had in their hands the same bias tape as me. At a guess, they were probably entering Lillian in the spring together.

"Hey, look, look. This lace is cute."

"Ah, don't you think it's a little too conspicuous?"

"But wouldn’t it be pleasing? Wouldn't it be all right if it's white? I really want to add those buttons..."

"Buttons are no good."

"So I heard, I wonder if I can use spangles?"

As they spoke, they were holding the ribbon or lace up to the material for the poncho.

Thos girls, were they the type to make a poncho? ...They didn’t seem to be. However, they had the paper on which the instructions to make the poncho were written and nothing was written there on decorating it.

Then, though I might have had the courage to speak to the three of them, why did I not do so? I wasn't the type to usually do such a thing, it just wasn't possible that I would beg meekly for instruction from people who knew about the white poncho. It was Sumireko-san's fault.

Then, I withdrew quickly to the register to pay. The store employee tapped the register, put my purchases in a bag and said, "A new student at Lillian Jogakuen, huh? Congratulations."

Ah, I knew it.

If you were buying this stuff, you were a Lillian student.

When I got back home, I looked it up on the internet, but could not find information on what I wanted to know.

I couldn't help it, but an "Aha!" mark floated about ten centimeters over my head, to simply abide by the rules of manufacture of the white poncho.

Sumireko-san silently came over to watch me on the sewing machine, but did not offer to assist me in anything or tell me anything at all. Because it would hinder me, I didn’t ask a second time.

And, the entrance ceremony was the next day. And finally, I encountered the group of teruterubouzu.

The first-years entering were, on that day, remonstrated with many warnings about school life from the teachers and the nuns, including an explanation of how to apply for optional course, and were let out early before noon.

As I had come from an outside middle school, I didn't yet have any close friends, naturally I wasn't going to do anything with anyone or go to a store together, I quickly made my way back to the classroom.

There were still second- and third-years left, and with the addition of six classes of first-years that had been left out the bus to the JR station was congested. It appeared that this was always the case, but I really hated being packed in like a sardine.

At the place where I got on, something crossed right in front of my eyes.

"Hii-...!"

Holding the doors open with my body weight, I somehow managed to extract my hips, somewhat surprised.

(W, what's that...!")

I distrusted my eyes.

In front of the school buildings, there was a single-file line of white poncho-clad students, walking along, step by step.

One after the other, one after the other.

It was an extremely bizarre sight.

From their shoulders to about 10 centimeters over their knees, the entire upper half of their body was completely white poncho. Of course I had tried mine on to confirm that it fit, but to see so many gathered together had an certainly intensity.

I couldn't count them one by one, but it approached 30 people, maybe one class' worth. It wasn't grandiose or anything, but it looked exactly like a migration of a herd of teruterubouzu. Or the revised edition of pilgrims. (E: For the Americans in the crowd, Noriko means "religious pilgrims" of the Buddhist variety, not the Pilgrims that came to America...)

No no, Lillian Jogakuen is a Catholic high school, that probably wasn't suitable here.

But.

Cows on the 100 pilgrimages, black magic or white magic. In this world there were some things I was unlikely to ever see.

(E: The 100 pilgrimages were a traditional intense pilgrmage tour, wherein one visited 100 famous shrines in a period of time. And the phrase below is something on the order of "don't trouble trouble 'til trouble troubles you.")

The god you don't touch can't curse you.

So muttering to myself, I ran after the gaggle of teruterubouzu. If I hadn't gone to confirm whatever it was, I wouldn't have been able to sleep that night. If I knew the truth, it might still leave me creeped out, but I preferred to err on the side of curiosity.

I shadowed them about ten meters behind the tail.

As I observed from behind, I felt a momentary panic, as I saw what came next.

The girls – probably a group of sempai – each carried a piece of A4 size thick paper. (E: A4 is close to 8.5" x 11", not quite the same.) Because they weren't really close I couldn't see what was written on them but, it appeared as if they were very important somehow. Why then, were these people holding these cards to their chests, occasionally peeping at them, then hiding them away again.

(Hm.)

The white ponchos weren't the official cover over the uniform; I confirmed that they were wearing gym clothes on the lower half of their bodies.

(But, why do they have leggings over their knees, when sweat pants would be suitable.... And)

While the all fluttered along in their coverings, there were many variations in the waist, and binding string. The majority of the strings followed the custom of the headband and were the class color, but in the middle I could see a string straight, or left and right, or elaborately sewn on one of these white ponchos that they wore.

I remembered the girls I met at the cloth store. They were planning on revising the instructions in this way, too.

While this was going on, the flock of teruterubouzu were proceeding towards the south. Because they were wearing gym clothes underneath, perhaps they were considering going out of the grounds, but about halfway, their course changed. I also followed, turning left past the library. Going down the tree-lined path, where it split, passed the statue of Mari-sama, to where a white bus stood parked.

(Ah.)

And, the tribe of teruterubouzu were, one at a time, sucked in by that bus.


3

"So, it was the X-Ray mobile, then," came out of Yumi's mouth banteringly.

"...Yumi-sama. When someone is trying, with all their might, to get a story out, please don't interrupt."

"Sor-ry. But you know,"

"I understand. I heard about what it was from students who came up from the middle school. Noriko-chan said, with a sigh. As if, when she had tried to convey this to a friend in email, it had been a big hit. That's right, the white poncho was not typical, even though it was to Yumi.

She had revealed the trick.

At Lillian Jogakuen, the white poncho was the cover the students wore for the physical examination.

In order to be ready for the X-ray, one could unfasten one's bra so that one didn't have to be completely naked, and the doctor could put the stethoscope under the poncho so that getting undressed wasn't necessary.

It was an old school after all.

For example, assuming that the doctor was a man, some sempai, unwilling to show her body, had devised this idea. No, of course today's students wouldn't want to be naked in the presence of others, either.

"But, well, I think the white poncho is reasonable."

Noriko-chan, having seen them in use, also seemed to have come to that conclusion.

"But, why isn't is explained in the information for new students? The correct usage of the white poncho is never touched upon - don't you think that's awful?"

"Umm. I guess it might be. I carried over the one I made in middle school, so I never saw the information for new students, so I don't know."

At Yumi's words, Noriko-chan's face had, for a moment, a look of "eh?"

"First year students don’t have to make them?"

"It's only used once a year, three times total. You'll have it for about six years if you wash it correctly. There's no regulations that say you have to have a new one every year, but there are probably some people who want to make new ones.

"Ah, Touko must be one of those."

"Touko-chan?"

The sweet voiced, curly "banana curl" first-year floated into Yumi's mind. Touko-chan was the trigger in her and Onee-sama's argument. However, she didn’t dislike her now.

"Thinking about it now, I saw Touko-chan at the cloth store. That girl, this year was going to make a frilly fringe on all four sides."

"Frill!?"

"Yes. But the teacher gently warned her about it."

"...I guess so."

None of Yumi's classmates had done that. At most, they had made the cords at the waist differing lengths.

"But, Touko-chan wasn't discouraged. She said, with passion, that next year she'd do embroidery on it in white thread. Really, isn't she an idiot?"

As Noriko laughed, so did Yumi. Noriko-chan's "idiot" was incredibly gentle, an affectionate "idiot." With a big smile in her heart.

As the two rolled about with laughter, the door that looked like a popular biscuit opened and someone entered.

"I'm sorry I'm late." It was Shimako-san.

Noriko-chan rose from her chair. She rushed over to the pot. To make tea for her beloved onee-sama. At this innocent couple, Yumi was a little jealous.

"What are you laughing about? You look like you're having fun," Shimako-san asked, but Noriko-chan responded, "It's nothing important."

"I was saying that it would be nice if the rain stopped. Yumi-sama and I were discussing it."

"Rain? It's stopped." Shimako-san said.

"Eh?" Yumi ran to the window and looked outside.

It definitely had. Sometime, the rain had stopped.

"The teruterubouzu was as effective as you expected, huh, Noriko-chan?"

"I'm glad." Noriko-chan was grinning, handing Shimako-san a cup of hot tea.

"Yumi-san, since the rain stopped, in thanks, you should draw the teruterubouzu's face in."

"We should?"

"Ah, hadn't you heard?"

At Shimako-san's words, both Yumi and Noriko-chan shook their heads back and forth to say "I don't know." In the first place, she hadn't hung up a teruterubouzu as a charm against the rain in who knows how many years.

"But, if there is such a story..." Yumi took a ballpoint pen and drew eyes, nose and mouth on the teruterubouzu that hung near the window.

"Hm, what a great smile that is," when Shimako-san said that, looking from the side. Yumi said, "Ah, is that so?", noticing at last.

When the two of them had been alone, Noriko-chan had surely intended to cheer her up with that story.

To Be Continued


Tags: Maria-sama ga Miteru, Marimite, Variety Gift