starlady: (watanuki)
[personal profile] starlady
[01]
The entrusted wish, the imparted power

Surge out now,
Until I am at the peak of my limits!

Chapter 196: A Moment's Hesitation

[02]
Jr.: SAKURA!!!

[03]
Sakura; ...No.

My
Real name is...

[04-7]

[08]
Jr.: SAKURA--!!!

FX: Ba-growl

[09]
FWR: The future is always ahead of choice.

That hand which you did not take due to a moment's confusion just now

Decided your path from here on.

FX: Bam

[10]
FX: Quick

Jr: !!

FX: Quick

[11]
Jr: ...Sakura...

These black feathers are...

[12]
FWR: The engraved seal of death.

Jr.: !!!

FWR: When the seal that was graven now, today,

Has enshrouded and exhausted that body, that time [T/N: "Body" written "corpse" as usual, with more pointed meaning this time.]

[13]
FWR: Will be the last.

Jr.: Why!

FX: Bam

Why,
On Sakura...!!

[14]
FWR: To grant my wish.

Jr.: Raitei Shourai!

FX: Eyes flashing with rage

Jr.: !

[15]
FWR: As it is, it seems you've grasped the meaning of that spell.

In that case you should understand.

That you can't win.

FX: Tightening

BOOM

[16]
FX: Hissing steam

FX: Ka-hack!

FX: Rough

FX: Shaking

FX: Swallow

FWR: If you take the next one,

You'll die.

[17]
FX: Drip drip

FX: Hissing steam

FWR: ...Do you fight for the sake of a wish as well?

Will the end of your wish and mine become the same?

FX: Light

FX: Bam

[18]
FX: Boom

FX: Crash crash crash crash

Jr.: !?

[19]
Jr.: Saku...ra...


That glaring difference in power--

Both the hand and the wish

Did not reach.

                                                                                                
Wow. It's more dramatic now that I've taken the time to actually read what FWR was saying. Heartless bastard that he is, he's pretty much completely correct in everything he says in this chapter--not least because most of what he says is exactly what Haruka said in this week's chapter of xxxHOLiC. And have we ever had these sort of closeups on his face?

Also, the hand motif that's been running throughout the series finally reveals its origins/point. The spread pages in this chapter remind me a bit of the first Utena opening, but that's probably just because I sang that song yesterday at karaoke.

(no subject)

Date: 2008-08-11 08:56 (UTC)
From: [identity profile] starlady38.livejournal.com
Kurogane is certainly the designated chump in T:RC. He was kept completely in the dark about most things for most of the action, etc, etc. It's interesting, actually, that he still has the faith in Fai and Jr. that he does.

You could very well be right about their real names, but I think we've seen enough physical wings (the mark of death on the princess, the form her memories took just before they were scattered) that their names could very well be something else as well.