Mushi-shi>15.Pretense of Spring

Narrator: When the winter chill begins to drain the breath from our bodies, we may feel the coming of a false spring... If we tarry too long to enjoy the warmth, the cold will soon return to claim us...


Miharu: What's that? Flowers? So early? A Butterfly!



MUSHI-SHI 15.
Pretense of Spring 春と嘯く(はるとうそぶく)



Ginko: (breath) Hm?


Suzu: Yes, who is it?

Ginko: I got caught in this storm and I was hoping that maybe you could put me up for the night.

Suzu: Come in.


Suzu: (moaning) Huh? Miharu? Why would he get up so early in the morning? Did he go outside?


Ginko: ... What does he think he's doing? Hm? No! That's dangerous! Stop, don't touch it!

Suzu: (panting) Miharu! ...? What's wrong? What's he done?

Ginko: Tell him it's not safe to pick up strange things in the woods without learning what they are first.

Suzu: ...?

Miharu: Aw, no fair... That was a really interesting one...

Suzu: You mean you were doing it again?! You little fool! Wait, please. Does that mean... you can see the things he says he sees?


Ginko: These creatures are known as mushi. The few who can see them are either afraid of them or fascinated by them. I'd say the boy falls into the latter category.

Suzu: You're right. As long as I can remember, he's always been fond of animals or any living thing. He used to bring home strays to look after. But three winters ago, when he started seeing those things, he began to act strange. That winter, Miharu went missing. He disappeared in the mountains. For several days after that, there was a terrible blizzard.

Man: We have to turn back! There's nothing more we can do tonight.

Suzu: It was hopeless... We gave him up for lost. Then one day...

Suzu: Miharu...?

Suzu: He appeared out of nowhere with the spring. After that, he began talking about those strange things and chasing after them. And the next winter, when our food stores began to run out, he suddenly disappeared again. Later, we found him collapsed in the snow at the edge of the village... He stayed in a deep sleep until spring came. His pockets were full of edible mountain greens, a variety that never grows in the winter. When I asked him where he'd been, he said...

Miharu: "Don't remember. Just make sure you don't let anyone else see that. There'll only be trouble if people find out."

Suzu: That's all I could get out of him... It's been difficult to get back with just the two of us. I can understand he's wanting to help out, but all this scares me... I don't know what to make of it. It can't be natural...

Ginko: Huh... From what you've said, it sounds like it could be a harumagari.

Suzu: A what? Harumagari...?

Ginko: Yes. It means "false spring time." There are mushi called usobuki that look like blossoms on the tree. They give off a peculiar scent that makes hibernating plants and animals awake in mid winter. The usobuki then feed off the life energy of these creatures. Which, in turn, causes them to fall back into hibernation until the real spring. I'm afraid I don't know much more than that.

Suzu: I see. But what exactly are these mushi things?

Ginko: Most of them aren't really all that frightening. If you leave them alone, they won't cause you any trouble. But in your brother's case... I suppose I could stay a while and teach him which ones are dangerous.

Suzu: ......


Ginko: Hey, Miharu, you see that one over there? That's one to avoid. It's a troublemaker. Heeey, are you even listening to me?!

Miharu: Look! I found a ton of them in this hole!

Ginko: Awww... Don't pull them out of there! Start using your head, will you? (grunts) It's like talking to a wall.

Ginko: So, where'd you find those greens?

Miharu: Don't remember...

Ginko: Look, I'm not gonna try and take them away or anything. It's okay to show me.

Miharu: You gonna tell my sister?

Ginko: I just want to study them. I make my living doing this sort of thing.

Miharu: Hmm...

Ginko: You realize that you're making your sister worry, don't you? You should at least tell her where you got them.

Miharu: And then you'll follow her and find where they came from, right?

Ginko: Listen, I know you just want to help, but if let your sister go on worrying like this, you're just being selfish. You're lucky you have a place where you're loved and belong. Don't get sucked over to the other side.


Miharu: Oh, I've seen that one.

Ginko: Very good, now what about this one?

Miharu: Hmm... I don't think so...

Suzu: Miharu, you've got to concentrate! Listen!

Miharu: Mmm...

Suzu: I'm sorry, he's exhausted. Could we continue... tomorrow, perhaps?

Ginko: It's fine by me. I really don't have anything else to do as long as I'm here.

Suzu: So tell me, how long do you think you'll be able to stay?

Ginko: It's hard to say... I guess I can stay a while. At least until I've taught him about all the local mushi. He's a pretty fast learner, so maybe... maybe another ten days. It all depends on this area.

Suzu: On the area? Why?

Ginko: Well, the problem is, I'm sort of a mushi magnet. I can't stay too long in places that are rich in mushi without attracting them. And no good comes from having too many mushi in one place. But judging from what Miharu's told me, there doesn't seem to be too many mushi concentrated in this area. I guess it won't hurt to stay a little longer.

Suzu: That's good. You can stay as long as you like. Besides, winter travel is difficult. At least stay until spring.

Ginko: All right. If the mountain paths don't clear earlier.


Ginko: Hm? What's that? A chrysalis?

Ginko: It was right around there... Could it have been... a mushi? Have I started attracting them?

Ginko: There are more than there were before... Maybe I've stayed a little too long...

Suzu: Oh, hey, Ginko! I have to go to the village! Can you watch Miharu? He's inside, taking a nap!

Ginko: Sure! Be careful, all right?

Ginko: Hey, Miharu... You're here somewhere? Damn that kid... he's gone wandering off in the mountains again...


Ginko: How far could he have gone? (sighs) Dammit... now which way?

Ginko: Miharu! (sighs) Maybe I should backtrack and start over.

Ginko: Miharu, c'mon! Wake up! What's this? The harumagai... could it be...?


Ginko: It's not your fault. He's going to be all right. The symptoms are the same as before. So, I'm sure he'll wake up in the spring.

Suzu: Uh-huh...

Ginko: I'd like to stay with you until then, but I've got to start moving...

Suzu: ...! But you can't! Miharu will miss you when he wakes up!

Ginko: I'm sorry, Suzu... Wait for me, I'll be back.


Narrator: When the real world awakens, the phantom world goes to sleep... High in the winter mountains, a lone traveler senses the coming of spring.


Ginko: Hey, Suzu.

Suzu: Ginko...


Ginko: Wait... he's still asleep? But it's been a year!

Suzu: I know... I've been at my wits' end trying to understand... What could have gone wrong?

Ginko: There's one chance. I've got to find the place on the mountain where those greens came from.

Suzu: You mustn't! It's too dangerous! You could end up just like Miharu...

Ginko: Miharu should've woken up in the spring, shouldn't he? Whatever used to wake him up is missing. I've got to go find it. If I don't come back, have them search the north side of the mountain.


Ginko: Let's see... Last year, his footprints headed off in this direction...

Ginko: Damn... (pants) Where the hell is this place? A butterfly. That was in Miharu's wrap... That sweet scent... Ah, that way!

Ginko: The air in this place... I'm starting to get light-headed... I'd better not stay here too long... Okay, usobuki take the form of tree blossoms... So... huh. Damn... They all look like ordinary blossoms... There's got to be something... some clue. lts body temperature is dropping... The scent... it's changing... What is this...? My body's... getting colder... I can't... move my hand... (panting) Why are those butterflies the only things still? (pants) This is a... I've been such a blind idiot... Now I get it... but I'm so sleepy... I can't...


Suzu: You fool... You stupid, stupid fool! What do I do...? What now? I don't know how to wake them up... What's that? That was strange. It seemed as if something flew out...


Ginko: What's that...? That scent... Oh... it must be spring...

Ginko: What's that? Up there!

Suzu: Y-you're awake!

Ginko: (gasps) Miharu!

Suzu: Miharu! Miha...

Miharu: (moans)

Suzu: (cries)

Miharu: Sis?


Ginko: After the flower-like creature on the ceiling released its fragrance, it changed into something else, something I recognized. The thing I first thought was a chrysalis was actually an usobuki.


Ginko: So, it seems the usobuki's metamorphosis somehow signals the end of the harumagari. Is that it?

Miharu: Mm-hmm. If you hadn't set that butterfly free by accident, it would've turned into a flower in the spring and woken me up...

Ginko: It would've helped if you'd told me that right away.

Miharu: I know. But I liked the butterflies the best. I wanted to keep them a secret... They grew those greens that helped us out in the winter. And they looked so beautiful flying around in the snow. But they... they were just doing what they had to to survive, not to help us, weren't they?

Ginko: Hm... That's right. You're starting to catch on. See, the mushi aren't really our friends at all. More like unusual neighbors. You can never really trust them. But... you're perfectly free to like them.

Miharu: Thanks. Hey, you want to come by the house before you go?

Ginko: Thanks, but I've stayed here too long as it is. I need to get moving again.

Miharu: Okay... But Sis is going to miss you...

Ginko: Make sure you'll tell her I said thank you for everything.

Miharu: Hey! You will come back sometime, won't you?

Ginko: Maybe. Only next time, it won't be in the winter.

Miharu: Why wouldn't it?

Ginko: Because people shouldn't let themselves get weak that time of year.

Miharu: Hmm?


Narrator: The beginning of a fleeting spring stirs the air in the icy mountains... The glow from the home along the snowy path invites all creatures; beasts, mushi and humans alike... to seek a respite from their wanderings...