TRC 221 translation

[starlady]

Intense day at work was intense. I do not know our products by their colors! I do not drink our products (or our competition's, for that matter)! Pretend I'm color-blind, sales reps, and tell me your order by product # or name!

Ahem. Still no color pages this week. Something's going down--who wants to speculate? A full color chapter? A 29th volume? Color spread at the end?

---

!!! page 01
Yuuko: There is no need for you to bear anything more.
You have already suffered enough.

And the others of you as well.

Chapitre 221: The Providence That Was Reserved
------------------------
!!! page 02
Yuuko: However,

Even if we match our price,
It is difficult to give people life.

It's not that you will be able simply to be reborn, living your life and forgetting everything.

Even if you are born anew,
Your memories will remain.

The happy memories and the harsh memories.
------------------------
!!! page 03
And you will meet "this time" once again.

Shaoran: This time?
------------------------
!!! page 04
Yuuko: ...Now,
It is not the case that time is simply flowing in only one way from the past to the future.

The past and the future are mixed,
Multiply twisted and entangled.

Sakura: Because that person broke the principle...

Yuuko: Yes.
------------------------
!!! page 05
Yuuko: But
There is also a providence that is not broken.

The past and the future--

What decides everything is only choices in the "present."
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!!! page 06-07
Yuuko: You will go through new lives.

But once again,
You will encounter the others of you.

What will decide what happens when you encounter them

Is you. [TN: All these "you"s are in the plural.]
------------------------
!!! page 08
Shaoran: ...I..

Hurt various people...

Even Sakura...

Yuuko: That was not your will.

You were merely made to move according to Fei Wong's expectation.
------------------------
!!! page 09
Shaoran: But

The one who did it
...was me.

FX: Clench

Sakura: Even
If that is true,

If what you have done is a sin,

I want to bear that sin as well.
------------------------
!!! page 10
Shaoran: ...Sakura...

Sakura: If I'm punished sometime because of that, that's fine.
I want to live with you.
------------------------
!!! page 11
------------------------
!!! page 12
Yuuko: The choice is made.
------------------------
!!! page 13
FX: Gentle movement

FX: Magic

Shaoran: After we're born, we...

Yuuko: You will come into the world in the same dimension, the same world, and the same time.
Without fail, you will be able to meet.
------------------------
!!! page 14-15
Sakura: I can finally say it.

I...

Love you.
------------------------
!!! page 16
Shaoran: Me too.


The world's tomorrow,
Their future,
Will certainly come...

---

Best chapter yet, I say. What are the odds that the clones are Shaoran Jr.'s parents? 

Comments

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I agree it would be a relief--and I really have the strong feeling that the Sakura who gave Jr.'s mother the star staff is CCS!Sakura.

[outou.livejournal.com]

How do we know that Clow never had children?

I bring that up because of the way Fei Wang speaks of Junior--he says that "Clow's blood runs through his veins." If Junior was only indirectly related to Clow, then that phrase would seem strange, wouldn't it? Also, keep in mind that a direct descendant wouldn't have to have a surname of Reed/Read or Li if he descended from a daughter of Clow who married into a different family.

Also, I know I was twisting the magic bit, but I mentioned it because of how the events of the story are being juxtaposed with each other: shortly after finding out that Junior's father received Clow's magic, we find out that Clow gave up the rest of his powers to save Syaoran. Doesn't that seem more than a coincidence to you?

Keeping that in mind, why would Ms. Ohkawa place this scene with the clones in the middle of the final battle? If she only wanted us to know that the clones were moving on to a happy life with one another, then why wouldn't she save these chapters for the end of the series?

Granted, Ms. Ohkawa could be setting us up to believe that the parents are the clones, in order to reveal that the parents are in fact Xiaolang and Sakura from CCS--but that would be twisting the plot for the sake of twisting the plot. All things aside, having the clones become the parents would be far more suited to the story than having CCS|Xiaolang and Sakura become the parents. You see, the former is far, far more emotionally relevant than the latter, which in truth only appeals to fans of CCS.

Regardless, I'm glad you mentioned how upset you are about the pain Junior's parents went through. Every time I read about how much someone believes them to be CCS|Xiaolang and Sakura, I can't help but think that they want them to have horrible futures.

[outou.livejournal.com]

And two more things, before I drop out of this discussion for good:

1) The strange clothes Junior's parents are wearing could be considered evidence against their being CCS|Xiaolang and Sakura. I say "strange," because his mother's dress bears only a superficial resemblance to real Chinese clothing. (Even if it was CLAMP's idea of hanfu, why would Sakura be wearing it? She never showed any inclination to adopt Chinese customs, while Xiaolang readily adapted to Japanese customs.)

2) The jian Xiaolang used is quite different from the one Junior's father used. Look at how much smaller it is. (http://i39.tinypic.com/t5lgrr.jpg) Also note the slight coloring differences.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I really am starting to suspect, personally, that FWR is Clow and Yuuko's son. It makes so much sense, at least to me.

I also like your point about the relevance of interrupting the final battle--if the clones become people who are completely unrelated, it's way more appropriate to have in an epilogue or other sort of atogaki. Particularly since Ohkawa is totally leading us on when Yuuko says that what happens when the reincarnated clones meet the originals will be up to them to decide.

I also agree that the thought of CCS!Shaoran and Sakura having to suffer so much pain is just too sad. ;_; Sad I tell you.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree about the clothing; I've been suspecting something of the sort myself. I think their clothing is very appropriate to an alternate Hong Kong, but I can't quite see it in the world of CCS.

That said, though, I'm not sure how much stock to put in the differences between the CCS and TRC versions of Shaoran and Jr.'s swords, because the art styles are so vastly different. (Though you're right that the swords are actually not that similar...)

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

It seems to me, though, that the entire point of both manga is, on some level, "negating what already happened"--Yuuko's lines in this chapter about straightening time out certainly seem to imply that, when the action of TRC and Holic has finished, time will have been straightened out: I think that people in Watanuki's world are starting to forget Yuuko is a sign that the process is already happening. Which is why it's so important that Doumeki find the proper moment to use the egg, because when time straightens out, Watanuki's existence will be erased, since he came into being as a consequence of things being twisted.

[chocoshins.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the translation, did not look at the scans yet, but can i ask something? For the "i love you", was the "aishiteru" used, or the "suki"?

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

Suki. I waffled on "love." I waffle on most word choices before I make them. But in context, I thought "love" seemed more fitting than "like."

[chocoshins.livejournal.com]

Ah, i see, thanks. Well, i am kinda surprised CLAMP did not go for the "aishiteru" since it is supposed to be more powerful {right?}, but anyway. 8D

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

It is more powerful--too powerful to use, really. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any Clamp manga in which "ai shiteiru" is used (though I'm sure there's an example I'm forgetting)--but Ohkawa very much prefers "suki."

[chocoshins.livejournal.com]

Well it is just, since Syaoran does love her back, i always have thought, that when this moment would come, "aishiteru" would be used {since it does imply a mutuality kinda, doesn't it} but yeah, on that one you are right, i cannot think of any other CLAMP manga, it has been used either, so.

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I know people make a lot of the difference between "ai" and "koi"--as far as I can tell, "koi" is limerence, and "ai" is less romantic than absolute devotion; I'm not sure either really implies anything about mutuality. And "suki" is certainly plenty significant in Clamp.

[chocoshins.livejournal.com]

Hum, i see. Thanks ~

[tryxkittie.livejournal.com]

What? The clones ares Shaoran Jr.'s parents? Are you sure?

[ariadnechan.livejournal.com]

thank you!!! so that is the dessision!!

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

Not sure, but I very much think so. chibiyuuto has a longer explanation as to why.

[chibi-mitsuki.livejournal.com]

XD FWR trying to bring back his dead "Mom"? in a way, it makes sense. But saying that he is bringing back a loved one is the same thing R!Syao wanted to do (hense why he said their wishes are similar)

and yet, it can't help but to make me wonder...was FWR trying to bring Yuuko back just to prove that he was "successful" in doing something that Clow wasn't? or is it because she is "dear" to him?

the whole matter with R!Syao's parents is just mind boggling to everyone. For now, I am sticking to "its CCS!Saku and Syao" unless proven otherwise, however if it turns out its the clones, I won't be too happy. There just isn't enough evidence for me to take that into consideration just yet. I'm not saying this because I am a CCS!fan (which I am) but I am saying it because it just doesn't make any sense to me. I would be alot more happier if it were the CCS!Saku and Syao, only because what we have seen so far is more justified. Also, if it so happened to be that the clones are the parents, R!Syao would of said something...even Watanuki. Because, they both are "each other" and they can recognize their own parents. They only treat the clones as "another self" not really "parents".

[rave-chick.livejournal.com]

>>>But a few chapters ago, we're told that Sakura met CCS!Sakura in a dream, and that's how she got the staff. It was all a big trick :/

So CCS!Sakura and Reincarnated!Sakura are two different Sakura's? That makes sense... except for the part that Reincd!Sakura has star power - the same as CCS!Sakua's?

>>>But it wouldn't make sense to interrupt the final battle against FWR to tell us that the clones are somewhere else. However, to interrupt it to explain to us that these two characters who've just joined the battle are actually the reincarnations of the clones? Does make sense.

This I agree with completely... poor them! Just how long were they hidden for?

>>>Besides, they'll both keep their memories. It would be awful if they were born in a totally random country and never got to find out if R!Syao and the others won, or what.

And again, this only makes sense if CCS!Sakura and Reincd!Sakura are two different people, as you never get any memory recall in CCS.

[rave-chick.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly - there's actually a lot evidence to say this is true - there were no memories of all this in the CCS timeline, the fabled 'meeting', the clothes!! ^_^

But that does make me wonder about the powers - Clow's and CCS!Sakura's (very developed ones)- and which world/dimension/thing they were hiding in to have that much power and not get noticed by FWR, Clow, Mokonas, All the Sakura's, all the Syaoran's and Fai??? That is one big list of people...

[rave-chick.livejournal.com]

Does exchanging power include blood? I know it didn't in CCS, but that was between Yue (a created being) and Toya (a human). If Reincd!Syaoran receives Clow's power (though even that's debatable as Yuuko says it's a 'price') via blood, would that make him a blood-relative?

I get the feeling Clamp's been using that term very carefully... well, that or we got lost in translation! XD

[rave-chick.livejournal.com]

But maybe R!Syao didn't know that the reincarnated clones are his parents and so by extension, neither did Watanuki. They only recognise the ones from the tube as their parents (Watanuki's body memories, as he gave up his actual memories). The tube Sakura and Syaoran are the ones who have (supposedly) been reincarnated - and they've shrunk to their soul-like selves and therefore, look exactly like the clones right now.

And the shrunk, soul-like ones would have to be careful not to give too much away, or they'd further break the boundaries of space and time that they are trying to fix!

[chibi-mitsuki.livejournal.com]

however, in order for the ones in the tube to look like that, they turned back their own time using the Star magic, and the Li magic. That is something only CCS!Sakura and Syaoran can use (and R!Syao can use the Li magic)

still, R!Syao and Watanuki both knew it was their parents, probably because of the magic aura. While Wata doesn't know it himself consciously, he can tell this, apart from the clone, whom he thought was just another Syaoran.

Another thing, the ones in the tube only remember what happened in the past, before the dimensional rip occurred. They do not recall of the journey that their son's clone went on (nor of their son really, only the pre-story stuff that took place from 189 to 203).

[chibi-mitsuki.livejournal.com]

No, it didn't involve blood

Clow's life and magic was ONLY a price. C!Syao did not receive that and can access its powers.

[rave-chick.livejournal.com]

er versions, she probably meant the clones they were reincarnated from - which they are meeting in the final battle now...

Isn't if funny to think that papa!Syaoran encountered his original when his son was born? What a paradox!

[starlady38.livejournal.com]

I take the fact that, when Yuuko says that they will meet the other versions of themselves, seven-year old Princess Sakura and seven-year old Junior are behind the clones, that she meant the originals, and not the clones in their reincarnated forms.