Credits
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Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou—Mite, Aruki, Yorokobumono by Teriha Katsuki.
Illustrations by Hitoshi Ashinano
Originally published by Kodansha on October 23, 2008.
Based on Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou by Hitoshi Ashinano, published in Monthly Afternoon (1994-2006)
Raws provided by /u/horu_hosu
English translation by H. Berry (aitch99berry@gmail.com)
Cleaned color illustrations by Arturo Songor (@artson593)
The One
Who Travels Through the Skies
“I’m glad it’s sunny.”
“Yes, it’s nice,” Doctor Koumiishi replied, taking a sip of her coffee.
The sky above was so blue it hurt to look at, as if it had been painted
in pure ultramarine. She suggested we sit outside in the garden, claiming there
was something she wanted to show me. She wouldn’t say what, though.
“I wish I still had a terrace,” I muttered, glancing at the rebuilt
café. It took six months, but it was finally starting to take shape. Lately,
I’ve spent more time hammering than brewing coffee.
A fresh breeze swept through the cape, cool and soothing on my sweaty
neck and back. Strangely enough, I didn’t feel overheated despite the warmth of
the day. Doctor Koumiishi crouched down, picking up a few scraps of paper. Her
movements were slower these days—something I’ve noticed more and more.
“You’ve been going shopping a lot lately, haven’t you?” she asked,
holding up a notice I posted the last time I closed the café.
“Yes, the café’s been closed often. Sorry about that.”
“That’s fine. But why do you go all the way to Yokohama?”
“It’s getting harder to find coffee beans in Minami.”
“I see…” she murmured, frowning slightly.
“The people who work in the fields are busy. But really, aside from the
lack of coffee, we don’t have any major problems.” I laughed lightly, trying to
ease the mood.
She didn’t laugh. “Both the fields and the farmers are disappearing.”
I hesitated before nodding. Over the past few years, the farms I’d been
so familiar with shut down, one by one. Only two or three are left now, and
their owners are all elderly. I don’t know what will happen in the years to
come.
“But we’ll manage somehow, I’m sure.” I turned my gaze to the
ultramarine sky. “Even if the coffee runs out, I’ll find something else,
something just as delicious. I’ll serve that. And if that runs out, I’ll go
looking for something new. I’ll figure it out.”
Hearing my words, Doctor Koumiishi smiled faintly. “It’s strange,” she
said, looking skyward. “Hearing you talk like that… it makes me feel like
something can be done, ”she turned her eyes to the northern sky. “It’s almost
time…”
I followed her gaze.
At the very edge of the horizon, a small, glinting object appeared. It
was pure white, standing out against the endless blue, and its wingtips flashed
intermittently as it approached.
“…Is that a plane?”
“Well, it’s similar to one.”
The strange bird-like shadow drew closer, stirring a distant memory. “I
saw something like it before. A long time ago.”
The white shape passed beyond Mount Fuji, moving from south to north. I
remembered that day vividly—Ojisan was with me, but when I pointed it out, he
just laughed and said it was my imagination, that it was only the clouds. It
must’ve been too far away for him to see clearly.
“It’s returning from the southern hemisphere,” Doctor Koumiishi said,
her voice tinged with nostalgia. “Changing course. It only flies through remote
areas like this when it’s adjusting its route.”
The strange, airplane-like object seemed to glide silently through the
sky, too high up to hear it. I exhaled slowly, trying to imagine how massive it
must be to appear so large even from the ground.
“What is it…?”
“It’s a Tarpon.[1]”
“Tarpon…”
The name rolled off my tongue, its rounded, almost playful sound
clashing with the majesty of the shadow above.
“It holds information about all life
and civilizations that once existed on Earth. I guess you could say it’s saving
Earth’s memories—”
“Earth’s memories?”
“It was launched in an attempt to
preserve at least a vestige of memory when it became clear that the world
humans built was slowly disappearing.”
A story I’d read long ago suddenly
came to mind. It was about a country across the sea—a man hurriedly built an
ark before the entire world was swallowed by a flood. The ship drifted in the
endless rain, carrying pairs of all kinds of animals and a handful of people.
“But why did they launch it into the
sky?” I asked. “It’s not as if the whole Earth has sunk.”
“It was safer to keep it in the air
than on the ground. That was much easier to achieve back then too. It’s
probably hard for you to imagine, Alpha.”
Her words brought back another
memory—the gun that Owner gave me long ago. He had a sorrowful look on his face
when he handed it over. Though I’ve never used it, there was a time when having
such a thing was necessary.
“But things are peaceful now,” I
said. “Surely, it’s okay for it to come back down?”
Doctor Koumiishi slowly shook her
head, her gaze still fixed on the white shadow in the sky. “Even if it did, the
technology needed to access the information stored there no longer exists.”
“Then… why is it still traveling?”
“I’m sure she wonders the same
thing.”
The wind rustled through the silver
grass in the backyard, breaking the brief silence.
“She?”
“Its single crew member.”
“…There is someone on board?”
“There’s no way to communicate with
her anymore, so I have no idea how she’s doing,” Doctor Koumiishi said with a
quiet laugh. “But there’s a robot on board—an A7M1 Alpha type, the very first
one.”
I stared at her, stunned, unable to
form a response.
This was the first time I’d ever
heard of another robot like me. The thought that there might be others out
there had never even occurred to me before.
“She’s like your older sister, in a
way,” Doctor Koumiishi continued. “Just as Hatsuseno raised you, I raised her.
She’s probably still watching over the Earth from up there, because that’s the
only thing she can do now.”
“…Doesn’t she want to come back?”
“I’m not sure. But I think she chose
to stay on the Tarpon, watching from above, because she knows that’s her
purpose,” Doctor Koumiishi said, her eyes tinged with nostalgia as she gazed at
the sky.
I studied her dignified profile, and
a question that had long been buried deep in my heart finally surfaced.
“…Doctor,” I began, “Owner told me
to see and taste as many things as possible.”
“I suppose he did,” she replied, her
expression softening into a faint smile.
“If… I had a purpose; would it be to
wait?”
She turned to face me, her calm eyes
meeting mine. For a moment, the air felt utterly still.
“What were robots created for?” I
asked. “To wait?”
She looked back at the Tarpon
soaring silently through the northern sky before returning her gaze to me.
“That’s a story I’ve been meaning to tell you. It may be a bit painful, but
would you like to hear it?”
A strong sea breeze swept past,
making my white cotton shirt flutter. I nodded, pressing my lips together.
“It was long before the world became
like this,” she began. “Countless humans. Back then, people believed the
world’s prosperity would continue forever. Many were obsessed with extending
their lives, clinging to the lively, hedonistic world they created and wanting
to enjoy it endlessly.
“But it’s difficult to live for long
while staying healthy. As we age, our bodies decay. If we don’t replace the
parts that stop working, we die.
“That’s why the first robots were
made.
“With the technology of the time, it
was easy to create flesh-and-blood robots with the same structure as humans.
Though their structure was similar, robots performed better and lasted longer.
To distinguish them from humans, however, their brain functions were kept to a
minimum.
“Robots were manufactured en masse,
almost as easily as turning on a tap. Humans replaced their failing body parts
with high-performing, long-lasting robotic components.
“But the robots… were gutted. I’m
sorry—it’s a terrible story. It was cheaper and easier to build entire robots
than to produce individual parts.
“They only had half-formed brains,
but even so, they seemed capable of feeling fear. Some sensed the danger and
ran away. Many became wild and are still out there today. The Misago of Koajiro
Bay is likely one of those robots.
“People thought they could achieve
longer lives and unending prosperity. But then came the Day of Wrath.”
She paused, her voice softening.
“There are no detailed records of
what happened. All we saw were pitch-black clouds covering the sky, gray
snowflakes falling endlessly. The rising seas, the sinking cities. And then…
the outbreak of a mysterious plague.
“Very few children survived, and half of the adults died. Out of those
remaining, only a few retained the ability to reproduce.
“The world fell into chaos. Amid the confusion, countless lives were
lost over petty quarrels. Everyone trembled in fear, convinced humanity was on
the brink of extinction…
“Yet, even in the face of such despair, many sought to preserve a
record of human life.
“Hatsuseno was originally researching ways to preserve the six senses
humans possess: seeing with the eyes, hearing with the ears, smelling with the
nose, tasting with the tongue, touching with the skin, and thinking with the
heart. To be honest, I was at odds with him, as his research often involved
using robot parts to create his tools. It’s not that we disliked each other,
though.
“Alpha, your camera—it looks just like an eye, doesn’t it? Hatsuseno
was the kind of person who would do that without a second thought.
“He began with the A1 series, which aimed to preserve eyesight, and
continued up to the A6, which sought to preserve consciousness. Hatsuseno
worked with incredible speed, skillfully utilizing robot parts. Before long, he
proposed creating the A7—a robot capable of integrating everything. In other
words, a robot with a complete brain, capable of experiencing all six senses.
“…Alpha, are you okay?
“…I’ll continue.
Eventually, we succeeded in creating a robot indistinguishable from a
human—no, one that even surpassed humanity. That robot was the A7M1, Alpha
Koumiishi. Your older sister.
“But even with a complete brain, could such a robot truly communicate
with us? That was a big mystery. I raised her because, like you, I had a tongue
interface.
“It’s surprising, isn’t it? I worked hard to create a robot that was as
close to human as possible. To develop her artificial intelligence, I used my
own brain as a sample. With the interface, I could communicate with her
directly. I taught her everything—language, how to live as a human, how to
experience rich emotions.
“I remember her well—her maroon hair, her eyes of the same hue, and her
slightly mature face. But mentally, she was just a baby. She hated wearing
clothes, but she loved the color blue. I made her a dress from blue fabric, and
over time, she grew used to it. About three months after her creation, we had
our first conversation. I was so happy… though I can’t recall what we talked
about anymore.
“She became capable of living and thinking as a human.
“Almost immediately after, she left with the Tarpon, taking all the
data Hatsuseno gathered. A robot that could live far longer than any human—what
could be more fitting than to watch over the world from the sky?
“…I felt lonely for a time, but I’m not the type to dwell on such
things. Even so, I still think of her from time to time.
“The A7M1 was a success, so three A7M2s were made after her.
“…Yes, one of them is you, Alpha Hatsuseno. I’m not sure what became of
the other two. The M2 series was designed to communicate in language right from
the start. Hatsuseno himself raised you.
“Looking at you now, it’s clear how much he cherished you. You’ve
gained the ability to create beautiful things on your own and to enjoy life. To
be honest, I never imagined a robot could achieve that. You’ve surpassed
humanity in your own way. You can’t imagine how happy it makes me to see how
much you’ve grown.
“…It may be hard to believe, but you unconsciously record the emotions
of those close to you. Towards the end of humanity’s golden era, early robots
with this ability were created. But they were short-lived. It’s a painful
ability—they couldn’t endure it.
“Still, thanks to those early experiments, the mechanism of psychic
emotion was somewhat understood, and the A7M2 series was equipped with this
ability. Its purpose was to record the thoughts and feelings of as many people
as possible.
“You didn’t know, naturally. Those memories are inaccessible to you. If
you could see them, you’d go mad—just like the early models. It’s good to have
a vague sense of what others are feeling. But to know everything… it’d be too
much to bear.”
She laughed softly; her tone gentle but tinged with melancholy.
“I…” The cup trembled in my hands. I stared into the coffee’s rippling
surface, my own reflection vivid in the dark liquid. “…am I just a recording
device?”
“No, it’s not like that.” I caught her shaking her head out of the
corner of my eye. Her smile seemed meant to comfort me, but for the first time,
I doubted it.
“Owner taught me so many things, showed me so many places, told me
countless stories. He left me this shop. Then he went on a journey and told me
to record everything. Now, there’s no need for him to come back.”
My gaze remained fixed on the coffee, as if I’d already resigned myself
to the answer.
I felt her hands rest gently on my shoulders. A warmth flowed from her
palms into me, steady and reassuring.
“I can only imagine what Hatsuseno must be thinking now,” she said, her
voice unwavering. It reminded me of when she’d spoken to me after I was struck
by lightning and carried to her hospital. “I think the reason you’ve become who
you are today—someone who loves and believes in this world—is because you
received such strong, rich feelings from him. I’m certain Hatsuseno cared about
you more than anything else.” Her hands tightened slightly. “You’re the proof
of that.”
The sun began to set, its light turning the sky to gold.
Before I realized it, the Tarpon was directly above us.
It resembled an enormous heron, its slender neck stretching out
gracefully. With wings wide open, its pure white body glided silently across
the deep blue sky, a sharp streak of white cutting through the expanse. A
golden light glinted along its edges.
“It’s beautiful…”
My words drifted away, swept up by
the gentle sea breeze. I wondered how many times I’ve said that. Each time,
memories of beautiful things piled up inside me.
There are so many things dear to me.
No matter how trivial they seem, remembering them all makes being a recording
device not seem so bad.
“Alpha, I’m so glad you’re here,”
she muttered, holding her hand over her forehead as she looked up at the sky.
“…What do you mean?”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she
gently placed the cup and saucer on the grass. Reaching behind her back, she
removed the pendant she always wore.
“Doctor?”
She placed the shining necklace in
my hand, as if she had always planned to do so.
“I can’t... it’s too important…”
She looked flustered. “Do you
remember what the marking on it means?”
I paused, trying to recall, then
remembered when I had asked her about it by the beach near the hospital.
“Seeing, walking, and enjoying…”
“That suits you perfectly, don’t you
think?”
Hesitant to nod or shake my head, I
remained silent, staring at the pendant.
“I gave another one to your older sister
before she left. So she could always look around, walk around, and be happy. I
don’t know if she still has it, though.”
I gazed upward at the massive,
bird-like figure above, gliding slowly through the clear sky.
“I wanted to stay here, to see and
walk as much as I could. But this world is slowly disappearing. This pendant is
from my youth. But I am human... my time is limited.”
Alpha, when I met you on the day of
the thunder and saw that you’d grown into a person more wonderful than I could
ever imagine… I truly felt glad.”
She fixed her gentle gaze on me. Her
eyes were as calm and clear as the sea. Her wrinkled, slightly trembling
fingers lightly touched the pendant. “Carry me to the future.”
I wanted to say something, but my
throat closed up. A wave of emotions surged from deep within, my eyes growing
hot. I felt as if I was being swept away.
I laughed, trying to steady myself.
“What are you talking about? You have plenty of time.”
She smiled. Her figure seemed to
waver and become uncertain, like something frozen in time.
“Plenty of time…”
My smile faltered. I felt as though
my heart was struggling to hold on, but it slipped away, overwhelmed.
Slowly, my knees buckled, and I
collapsed onto the grass. The ripples in the coffee were probably now my tears,
but the sound of my sobs didn’t reach my ears. The world fell silent, as if
sound itself disappeared.
The doctor’s hand gently reached
out, moving the cup aside. We sat together on the warm grass. She stayed still,
her hands resting on my shoulders.
“I’m a doctor after all. I
understand it better than anyone.”
Her voice drifted in the silence,
accompanied by the distant songs of birds and the soft hum of the wind. Sounds
slowly began to return to my ears.
“From your perspective, it may seem
like a short life.”
I nodded slightly, hugging my knees.
“I felt the same when I observed
mice in the lab. They die in just a year or two... their lifespans are so
short.”
Her gaze wandered, far off, as
though listening to some distant sound. Her eyes shimmered like pearls beneath
the sea.
“I’m not satisfied with the time I
had. There’s so much to do. A single lifetime isn’t enough. That’s why people
were so desperate to extend their lives, to the point of doing terrible
things...”
Her hands left my shoulders slowly,
coming together in front of her chest. Those hands that had healed so many
people and robots.
“But now, with only this body, I
need to be satisfied if I can accomplish one or two more things at least,” she
said, her eyes looking up at the sky, as if letting go of something.
The Tarpon flew majestically across
the sky, and before I knew it, it passed overhead and headed toward the northern
seas.
Someone just like me is up there,
alone. She watches from the sky while I watch from the ground.
For a moment, I felt like our eyes
met, though of course, it must’ve been my imagination.
“When there’s nothing to do...”
Owner’s voice echoed in my head, from that day when he poured water on a
wilting flower, trying to revive it. “…just do what you can.”
Don’t go against the flow; just do
what you can.
“Doctor, I…” I slowly opened my
clenched right hand. The pendant rested in my palm. Inside the round outline, a
figure of someone dancing joyfully. “I’ll take it with me, as far as I can go.”
We continued to watch the southern
sky. The Tarpon passed silently over the land and disappeared into the clouds
over the ocean.
I thought I faintly heard her murmur
“thank you,” carried away on the sea breeze.[2]
[1] Mistranslated as Taapon by Roselia, named Dapeng by Seven Seas.
Written the same in Japanese as Tarpon fish. For more information on where
Dapeng comes from, check the translation notes of the first volume of Seven
Seas’ translation, it’s quite interesting.
[2] This chapter is interesting as is an amalgamation of several chapters.
In Ch58: Two Drops of Indigo, The Doctor and Alpha have a chat in the café’s
garden, while the Tarpon is never brought up in their conversation, it, as well
as Commander Alpha are both heavily featured in the chapter. Alpha seeing the
Tarpon for the first time seems to come from Ch20: Phoenix, where after meeting
up with Ayase (the guy with the flying fish) the two see the Tarpon fly by,
part of the dialogue the Doctor has with Alpha is borrowed from the
conversation between Alpha and Ayase. Doctor Koumiishi telling Alpha about her
older sister seems to be based of Ch82: Kuromatsu Road and Ch83: Blue Sound,
where the Doctor tells Kokone the story instead. Finally, in Ch132: One who
sees, walks and is delighted, The Doctor gives Alpha the pendant, part of their
conversation here is also directly lifted from that chapter.
Contents
Prologue
The Colors of Evening Calm
An Azure Shadow
Warm Hands
A Robot Dancing in the Light
Stars at the Bottom of the Cove
Time Spiral
The One Who Travels Through the Skies
Heron Cross
Flying Eyes
Epilogue
Afterword, Interview and Download links
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