Episode of Shuro

This is the second Ayashi no Ceres novel and is written by Nishizaki Megumi, illustrated by Watase Yuu, and the storyline thought up by both. It (obviously) focuses on Tsukasa Shuro’s life (from age 4 to death T_T)

The following is a summary of the novel. I hope it won’t be as jumbled as my previous summaries of novels ^_-

The book starts out with Shuro backstage at Tokyo Dome, waiting to give her last concert. She remembers Kei and all the good times they had together growing up, and tells Kei’s spirit that the time has finally come to give her last concert. Chidori’s spirit comes into the room and asks Shuro if she’s okay with dying. Shuro says it’s what she wants to do. If she can die for a good cause and for the people she loves, it’s worth it. Then Shuro’s manager comes in and tells Shuro it’s time to go on stage…

Then there’re a couple pages of an old man telling the legend of Okinawa’s Tennyo. He says there was a Tennyo who came to Okinawa and bathed in the moonlight. A young man saw her and fell in love with her, so he hid her hagoromo (to prevent her from returning to heaven) and the Tennyo became his wife. But unlike with other Tennyo legends, this Tennyo grew to love her husband and the people of the village. Every day, until she died, the Tennyo sang beautiful songs for the villagers. In times of trouble, her songs could even shake the mountains…

Chapter 1

Then finally chapter 1 comes *phew*, and Kei is leading Shuro to a "special place". It turns out to be a little cave that only is visible when the tide is just right. Shuro and Kei sing together in the cave happily (with Shuro leading and Kei backing her up). Then they decide that place was going to be their "secret place" and to seal this decision, Kei decided they should mark their territory ^_^. Shuro had been wanting to pee for some time, but suddenly hesitated when Kei pulled down his pants to pee and Shuro caught a glimpse of what Kei had that she didn’t have ^_-. Kei demands what’s wrong with Shuro (Kei thinks Shuro’s a boy ^^;) and pulls Shuro’s pants down. Shuro’s rescued by the tide moving and distracting Kei. The two boys (?) run home.

Meanwhile, Shuro’s mother and an old woman, Amaku, are having tea. Kei and Shuro come running back. Shuro is crying and Kei looks upset. Kei tells Shuro’s mother that a terrible thing has just happened: Shuro’s penis is missing ^-^. Shuro’s mother (she has a name, Fumie. I’ll call her that from now on…) Um, so Fumie and the old woman, Amaku, explain to the boys (?) about the Tennyo legend. Suddenly some things made sense to Shuro. The reason why her parents had forbidden her to sing, the reason she had felt so insecure seeing Kei naked all those times… Fumie talks to Shuro with tears in her eyes. She explains that she had several miscarriages before Shuro was finally born so she was so happy when Shuro made it out safely….but then Shuro’s first cries shattered the vases, glasses, and other glass objects around the house. Fumie didn’t want Shuro to leave her and go to the Heavens, so she raised Shuro as a boy.

Fumie begs Shuro not to leave her and go to the Heavens. Shuro says calmly that she won’t go to the Heavens; how can she when she’s a boy? Then Shuro promises Kei that she’ll mark their territory with him (and that she’ll stand up when she pees… O_o).

Chapter 2

Now the story skips to just before Shuro begins junior high. Kei had already begun junior high a year earlier and had joined the karate club, so Kei tells Shuro that he can protect Shuro from the bullies. Shuro thanks him, but then says teasingly that she won’t need his help. Kei and Shuro go to their secret cave to sing. Shuro notices that Kei’s voice is not only changing, but that he is getting more of a man’s body, but Shuro shakes that out of her mind, reminding herself that that kind of thing is of no concern to her. Shuro had decided ever since the day Kei found out she was really a girl that she would stay being a boy because Kei would not play with her if she were a girl. Kei had made a similar decision. He would cover for Shuro so Shuro can keep being a boy so they can play together (none of the other boys would speak to him if he were playing with an icky girl ^_-)

Suddenly, Shuro feels a deep pain in her belly and runs off to the ocean. Kei chases after her as Shuro wades waist-deep in the water. Shuro screams at Kei. "Don’t come near me! Don’t look at me!" Kei stares on in shock as he notices the water around Shuro is stained with red, and that Shuro’s breasts are showing through her wet T-shirt.

In the next scene, Shuro is at school and some bullies pick on her for being a "pretty boy" and also a "fag" with Kei. Shuro tells them coolly they’re just jealous because they’re not as pretty as she is. The bullies threaten to beat Shuro up, but Kei comes in and stops them. As the two walk back home together, Kei tells Shuro she should be more careful, and if Kei hadn’t come there *by coincidence*, her true identity might have been revealed. But Shuro knew that Kei had not been there *by coincidence*, but had been there because he was always watching over her and saving her from bullies all the time. Whenever she thought of this, her heart raced…

When the two get home, the old lady, Amaku is there and she warns them to try not to sing too much because it will worry their parents.

Later, Kei pulls Shuro aside, and asks her to stop being a boy. Shuro gets very mad at Kei and reminds him that she had been a boy all these years and it would be hard to just stop all of a sudden. She then accuses Kei of saying that so he won’t have to protect her anymore. Shuro says if that’s the way he feels she doesn’t want his help.

After the fight, Shuro lies depressed in her room. Fumie pulls Kei aside and tells Kei how worried she is about Shuro. Fumie tells Kei that if Shuro makes it into high school (without dying) then Shuro can stop pretending to be a boy, and until that day comes, Kei should watch over her.

Kei comes into Shuro’s room the next morning with some news. Shuro had written some lyrics the night she had started her period in the ocean, and Kei had put them to music. Shuro excitedly looks over Kei’s music and hums along with it. Kei says it’s thanks to Shuro’s great lyrics. Shuro admits coyly that she has lots of more songs she wrote, but she was too embarrassed to have Kei look at them. Kei looks at them and they are all wonderful songs about the beauty of Okinawa, friendship, family, etc. (nothing about romance yet…).

The two leave the house. Shuro’s mother thinks they’re going to school, but they have no intention of doing so. They go to their secret place and start to sing their new song. They decide to write many more songs of their own after this.

Then the scene skips ahead to the future where Shuro takes her spot on stage at Tokyo Dome and starts to sing for her fans. It’s a "new" song that none of her fans had ever heard before, but it was actually the first song Shuro and Kei wrote together:

boku ga boku de aru tame ni, kono kurushimi o norikoeyou
kimi o itsumo kanjiteitai kara,
kono kanashimi o boku wa ukeireyou…

So I can stay being myself, I will overcome this sadness.
Because I always want to feel you,
I will overcome this sadness…

Shuro’s concert began with that song.

Chapter 3

Kei and Shuro are now in high school and they are preparing for their next concert at the annual school fair. A new student, Michiru, comes to the school. She had been raised in Germany all her life, but had just moved back to Okinawa where her family is (her grandmother is that Amaku-grandmother from the first chapter). Michiru tells Shuro and Kei she’s interested in Okinawa and the Tennyo legend about the singing Tennyo and that Shuro and Kei are distant relations of the Tennyo. Kei and Shuro point out that Michiru is also a distant relation to the Tennyo, so she should be careful or she’ll have to go back to the heavens, but Michiru says secretively that she is immune to the possibility of becoming a singing-Tennyo and returning to the heavens…

Michiru takes an interest in Shuro’s songs and suggests that Kei and Shuro give themselves a name and start performing at actual performance halls (Michiru’s uncle owns a performance hall, so they could easily do it.) Shuro and Kei think this is a good idea and let Michiru be their "manager". When it’s time to come up with a name, Michiru suggests "GeSANG" since it’s German for "sing". Shuro and Kei like the name, and GeSANG is born…

2 years later, GeSANG has grown. In addition to Kei and Shuro, GeSANG now has a back-up band and a trio of girls they scouted from high school choirs as their backup vocals. GeSANG is popular not only with young girls who have crushes on Shuro and Kei, but also with married couples and boys and girls in high school (even the bullies that picked on Shuro in Jr. High are HUGE fans of GeSANG ^_-)

The night of their big concert in which agents are rumored to attend, one of their backup singers suddenly can’t come. Kei suggests that Michiru fill in for her, but Michiru protests saying it would be impossible. Against her will, Kei puts her in the backup group and they practice. But Michiru isn’t singing at all. The director tells her to sing out louder, and when she does, everyone grimaces because she is WAY off key. An embarrassed Michiru tells Shuro "I TOLD you I couldn’t do it". (This is also why she believes she can’t become a Tennyo; because she’s tone-deaf). Shuro comforts her and tells her she can just mouth the words and that he (?) will cover for her. (Shuro and Kei are the only ones who are NOT surprised when Shuro pulls off the soprano part in Michiru’s place ^_-) Shuro also tells Michiru that song doesn’t come from your mouth, but from your heart.

The concert is a BIG success. Afterwards, Kei is signing autographs and Shuro is in the dressing room, talking with Michiru. Michiru tells Shuro the reason she started GeSANG in the first place was because she wanted to get to know Shuro more. She was drawn to Shuro because Shuro’s lyrics were so sad and she wanted to know how Shuro felt when he (?) wrote them. Then she tells Shuro she’s been in love with him (?) the whole time and that she knows Shuro isn’t interested in women, but she doesn’t care if he’s (?) gay; she still loves him.

Michiru flees out of the room and runs into Kei (who had been eavesdropping). Kei teases her and says that since Shuro turned her down, he’d go out with her. Michiru protests and Kei laughs, telling her it was just a joke. He then thanks Michiru for all that she has *done* for them (when someone thanks you in past-tense in Japanese, it usually means "your task is over"). Michiru is shocked and asks Kei if he’s firing her as their manager.

Chapter 4

Oh boy, a Mikage International chapter……blech…. So anyway, this is a meeting between Lulik, Gladys and Alec and it takes place one month before Aya’s 16th birthday. Kagami is briefing his team and giving the members their duties. We find out that Gladys was sexually abused as a child by her step-father (she never had a father). Just a random bit of info ^_^. Gladys also apparently has better Japanese than your average, everyday Japanese person ^-^. Kagami tells Gladys her task is to look for C-Genoma in Okinawa…

Chapters 5-9 (I read these chapters in one sitting, so I’ll summarize them all in one chunk…. Sorry if it makes no sense whatsoever ^-^;)

Kei comes to Shuro with exiting news: they were scouted at their latest concert. Kei is very excited about GeSANG finally becoming "big", and they can move to Tokyo, etc., but Shuro’s not that happy about it. Shuro sings not to be "good" or "popular", but because she really loves to sing with Kei, but Shuro agrees to go to Tokyo with Kei anyway.

There’s a formal meeting with Shuro’s parents, Kei’s parents, Shuro, Kei, and agents from Tokyo. They discuss plans of GeSANG becoming very popular and ask for Shuro’s and Kei’s parents’ permission. Kei’s dad is very excited about his son becoming a star, but Shuro’s mother is a bit anxious. She gives Shuro a look as if to say "I was going to let you be free and become a woman if you wanted after high school, but if GeSANG becomes popular, you will have to stay a boy forever". Shuro gives her a look back as if to say "I know, but this is what I want to do."

It’s officially decided, when suddenly Michiru comes to the scene and protests. She tells the agents that she is GeSANG’s manager and that they need her. The agent thinks it’s very cute of her to say that, but she can’t be their manager and that a *professional* will handle that. Instead, he offers Michiru an audition as a backup vocalist. Michiru gets offended and runs away from the meeting.

Kei’s dad hosts a big celebration party (so he can brag about his wonderful son ^_-) and Michiru walks glumly along the beach. She doesn’t want to say goodbye to Shuro without finding out his secret: why are his songs always so sad? Michiru is overcome with emotion and before she knows it, a song escapes her. She is shocked at her beautiful voice and also very happy (she had always hated the fact that she was tone-deaf). She keeps singing, and then a woman approaches her from behind…

Chapters 6-9 (Ah! I do remember, that was the end of chapter 5…)

GeSANG becomes very popular. Their debut single hit number one on the charts, and they had several screaming, teenage girl fans. Kei loves life in the spotlight and flirts with the fans (even invites the ones he likes up to his hotel room O_o), but Shuro is disgusted by Kei’s changing behavior.

Shuro is also disgusted with Tokyo. Back in Okinawa, Shuro was surrounded with blue skies, clear air, the ocean….in Tokyo, she’s surrounded by tall buildings and smog and the jumbled sounds of the streets… Shuro is also upset that she seems to be losing sight of what she’s singing about.

GeSANG is the most popular group, but then a rival appears. This rival solo-singer is called "Liebe" (German for "love"). She is a no-name female singer who always wears dark sunglasses and wears a dark hat (to hide her identity). Her sponsor is also a mystery. Kei get angry at Liebe’s existence and tells Shuro they should "crush her" as soon as possible. Shuro has torn feelings because she really enjoys Liebe’s music because it has a lot of spirit to it.

Shuro and Kei sneak into Liebe’s recording session. The go in Kei’s beloved sports car. Kei is a reckless driver (another thing that bothers Shuro ^_-) and is constantly bad-mouthing Liebe for "stealing their idea" (by using a German name).

When they get to the studio, they finally get to see Liebe without her hat or sunglasses and are shocked (but the readers aren’t shocked ^_-. Everyone knows who Liebe is, right?) when they find out Liebe is really……Michiru! *bu-bu-bummmmm!!!*

Michiru cheerfully greets them and is very friendly and tells them they should get together again some time.

Uh, like, I don’t remember when this exactly comes in, but we find out Michiru’s sponsor is Mikage International. Michiru was scouted out by Gladys (when Gladys heard Michiru singing on the beach, she knew Michiru was probably a C-Genoma) and taken to Mikage International where Kagami briefed her on the wonders of the C-Project. Michiru thought it was a wonderful cause and was willing to help them. Kagami told her that Shuro and Kei are probably also C-Genoma (but since they’re men, they’re not as powerful) and that he might need to use Michiru’s help to get Shuro and Kei to work for him.

Shuro’s not doing so well now. She can’t sleep well (even though her schedule is exhausting her), and she would go and talk to Kei, but she knows Kei probably has one of his fans in his room. Shuro noticed that Kei was jealous of her because fans of GeSANG liked Shuro because she could sing very well, but they only liked Kei because he was "manly" (well, DUH, he’s the only *man* in the duo ^_-). Shuro misses Okinawa and wants to go back, but she also wants to stay with Kei…but not with Kei the way he is now. She wants Kei back the way he was.

Michiru quits being Liebe so she can help Kagami with the C-project more (that was part of her deal with Kagami). She’s surprised and happy when there’s an e-mail from Shuro asking her over to his (?) apartment.

Meanwhile, at Shuro’s apartment, Kei comes in. Shuro’s surprised to see her friend (since Kei rarely visits anymore). Kei suggests they have a drink together. Shuro advises him not to drink too much since their national tour begins tomorrow. Kei asks Shuro for a glass of water. While Shuro’s up, Kei slips a drug into Shuro’s sake, and she passes out.

When Michiru comes to Shuro’s apartment, Kei answers the door, wearing only his pants. Michiru asks if Shuro’s there and Kei says Shuro’s in the bedroom resting. Michiru goes in to see Shuro and is greeted by….topless Shuro ^_^; Michiru’s not quite surprised when she finds out Shuro is really a woman, but is upset at what is being implied with Kei half naked in Shuro’s apartment. ^_-. Kei tells Michiru that he and Shuro have a very deep relationship (as she can see) so she should leave them alone. Michiru tells Kei angrily that she already quit being a singer, and she doesn’t care if Shuro’s a woman; she still loves her (as a person). Michiru yells at Kei for mistreating Shuro like that and that if Kei really loved Shuro, he wouldn’t drug Shuro and tell lies about Shuro. Michiru covers Shuro’s top with her sweater and leaves.

Kei is alone with Shuro on the bed, thinking about what Michiru had said. Kei instinctively reaches out to touch Shuro, but pulls back.

Then the story turns into volume 6 of the manga, basically. I found that part rather boring ^-^. Shuro tells Kei she wants to quit, they meet Aya and the others, they go to Shuro’s house and find out the hagoromo is fake, Shuro tears it up, etc.…

Then, their last concert in their tour comes. While Kei is singing, he "awakens" as a c-Genoma. He feels a special power as he sings and finally understands how Shuro has been singing all along. Shuro had told Kei she was going to tell their fans she was really a woman. Kei had originally been against it, but as he sang, suddenly his fame didn’t seem to matter anymore. He thinks to himself "Even if Shuro’s identity is revealed, that doesn’t mean we have to break up GeSANG. Shuro, are you really going to go back to being a woman? I know you can. I’ll help turn into a woman…" When suddenly, the power of Kei’s new voice breaks the lights and kills several of their fans.

Shuro, Kei, Aya, etc., escape, but are found by Kagami’s men. Kei’s body has a negative reaction to the Tennyo-drug and he dies in Shuro’s arms. Shuro, overcome with grief, turns into a Tennyo and starts to destroy everything with her singing, but Aya convinces Shuro to stop. Shuro is finally able to tell Kei she loves him (she deeply regrets having not been able to tell him while he was still alive)…

Okay, then we’re back in the book ^-^; Shuro is in a state of depression after Kei’s death. She moves back to Tokyo, feeling no comfort in Okinawa, and spends most of her time in bed staring at the ceiling.

Meanwhile, Michiru overhears Kagami talking to his staff about Kei’s death and how they had filled the water supply with drugs, etc. Michiru overhears Kagami saying he doesn’t care about the victims, and that without victims, progress cannot be made, etc.

Michiru arranges to meet with Shuro for lunch (this time it’s Shuro who wears the dark sunglasses ^-^). Kagami’s men spy on them. Michiru shows Shuro some sheet music she had written. Shuro reads it for a while; just a normal Liebe-ish song. Then Michiru says "Isn’t the third verse great?" Shuro looks closely at the lyrics. The syllables line up to say "I know what really happened to Kei. Just play along with me; we’re being watched".

Michiru then arranges to meet Shuro at Mikage International’s research lab the next day at 2:00. Shuro agrees to come so she can join Kagami’s wonderful C-Project (^_-). Then Michiru writes the time and place down on a napkin for Shuro. The time on the napkin reads "3:00" instead of "2:00". Shuro wonders which time is correct and assumes the napkin is what Michiru really meant.

Back at Mikage International, Michiru sadly looks at her naked body in the mirror. Here and there, she can see little imperfections in her skin and has been feeling weak lately. She knows it must be a negative reaction to the drugs. She then smiles sadly and says "come out, Tennyo."

At 2:00, a Tennyo-transformed woman meets Kagami and introduces herself as Shuro. Shuro tells Kagami that she wants to help him with his project even though Kei died because of it. Shuro tells Kagami that she hadn’t been getting along with Kei anyway, and that Shuro agrees with Kagami’s philosophy. Then Shuro offers to demonstrate her powers for Kagami and starts to sing….a deadly song. Kagami’s men grab their ears in pain. Kagami pulls out a gun and tries to shoot Shuro, but it doesn’t work. Shuro then yells at Kagami for killing Kei and all those other people and tells him now it’s HIS turn to die.

Kagami points out to Shuro that she doesn’t have enough power to kill him, because the drugs are already reacting with her body. It is then that they realize this Tennyo is not Shuro, but Michiru. Kagami sarcastically congratulates her gallant effort to sacrifice herself for Shuro, but that she’s powerless to defeat him.

Tennyo-Michiru coughs up blood and de-morphs back into Michiru. Gladys cradles Michiru in her arms as Michiru dies.

Shuro shows up at 3:00, just in time to sense Michiru dying. Michiru apologizes (telepathically) for not being able to defeat Kagami and she tells Shuro that she must live on. Michiru’s last words to Shuro were "I love you…"

Chapter 10

This is basically another chapter that re-caps events in the manga (the part with Shuro’s last concert). Shuro is giving her last concert and all her fans are there (even the guy who first tried to beat her up in junior high ^_-). Her parents and Michiru’s parents are also there (Shuro’s parents are listening to their daughter sing for the first time O_o). Shuro sings a song by Liebe along with Michiru’s spirit.

As the concert goes on, Shuro remembers all the people important to her and sings for all of them. She remembers the events of the manga past volume 6 (which takes quite a few pages…) and sings, blah blah blah.

Then the time comes to tell the audience that she is really a woman. Then she sings the last song, GeSANG’s debut hit, "Feel" (originally a fast song, but was rearranged to a ballad for this concert.) Shuro’s hair grows out, her breasts get bigger (she becomes Tennyo), and she starts to sing. Kei appears at Shuro’s side and sings with him; Chidori, too. Their power breaks the forcefields in Kagami’s place and Shuro dies on stage, sending the message out to Aya to live.

And then the last part of the Tennyo legend is told by the "old person". It’s the part where the Tennyo dies and goes to the heavens. When the Tennyo was dying, she told her loved ones not to worry because she had a wonderful life on Earth with all her loved ones, and she loved singing for them. Then the Tennyo closed her eyes and sang quietly. Her song seemed to encircle her and she was carried by it up to the heavens….

The End ^-^

This was a pretty nifty book, but it repeated too much of the manga. There were a few little extra bits thrown in here and there, and it was told from Shuro’s perspective, but there was still too much recycled story ^^; Of course, if you are an Ayashi no Ceres anime fan, this story must seem completely original to you ^_^; In fact, it probably made no sense to you… Go buy the manga now, you freak!! ^_-