Strange Chameleon – Hope (Touhou Project)

Strange Chameleon – Hope (Touhou Project)

[#] – number of the panel
<> - italized

p.5
[1]
Kokoro : Thank you for today.
<The Expressive Poker Face
Hata no Kokoro>
[2]
Koishi : Yeah! Thanks!!
<Imaginary Personality Holder
Komeiji Koishi>
[3]
<Villagers : Congratulations, Koishi-chaaan!>
<Koishi : Thank you everyooone!>
[4]
Kokoro : Looks like you’re in good condition. To be able to push me back that far.
Koishi : Perhaps that’s because of the cheering from all the fans? They’ve been so excited lately.

p.6
[1]
Koishi : Now it’s 7 wins, 8 losses, and 3 draws.
I’ll be in the lead right away ♪
[2]
Kokoro : I look forward for our next match! Challenge accepted!!
Koishi : Yaaay! You’re welcome anytime!
[3]
Kokoro : By the way, Koishi…
[4]
Kokoro : Have you given a thought about my old Mask of Hope?

p.6
[1]
Koishi : I won’t hand that over, alright?
I’m the one who found it after all!
[2]
Koishi : I’ll give it back eventually~
Kokoro : Promise me!
[3]
<Koishi : See ya, everyone!>
[4]
<Kokoro : It’s different than before. Her current condition must be greatly affected by the Mask od Hope.
	I don’t need to have her give it back since I don’t need it anymore.
	And I don’t see any signs of Koishi’s emotions going out of control either.
	Maybe it’s okay to leave this way…>

p.8
[1]
Kokoro : More importantly, it’s time for a special training.
[2]
Kokoro : If I keep losing, I’ll lose my title of the strongest!
<Kokoro : I’ll do my beeest!
[4]
<Koishi : Haah…>
Koishi : Today was fun too~
[5]
Koishi : I’ve gotten stronger too. Next time I’ll go for a complete victory so everyone will cheer on me more.
	I never thought being in the center of people’s attention can be so delightful.

p.9
[2]
Koishi : Ehehe~
[3]
Koishi : Even though I said that, I’ll never give this baaack!
[5]
Koishi : Huh?
[6]
Satori : Koishi, have you returned?
Koishi : Wah! Wawawah!

p.10
[1]
Koishi : S-S-S-S-Sis!?
Satori : Oh, is that…
[2]
Koishi : Nothing! It’s nothing, really!
[3]
Koishi : Ah, that’s right! I forgot to feed the pets!
Satori : Koishi?
Koishi : Sorry, sis. Maybe next time!
[4]
<Satori : Koishi have changed a lot ever since she started fighting on the surface.>
[5]
Koishi : Sorry!
<Satori : I also became able to read her heart for a bit.>
[6]
<Satori : I’m happy that she seems to be enjoying it, but…>

p.11
[1]
<Satori : That feeling just now…>

p.13
[2]
Koishi : I’ll have the win today too!
[3]
Kokoro : I’m not gonna lose today!
[4]
<Kokoro : Ah.>
Kokoro : But before that, there’s something I want to ask you.
Koishi : Hm?
		If it’s about the Mask of Hope, I’m not giving it back just yet, okay?

p.14
[1]
Kokoro : About that, was there anything strange happening lately?
[4]
Koishi : ……N-No…
	There’s nothing,
	really.
[5]
Kokoro : I see.
	Then that’s a relief.
[6]
Kokoro : Now then,
	I’ll stake the title of the stron-
Koishi : J-Just if!

p.15
[1]
Koishi : If the Mask of Hope starts cracking,
	what will happen?
[2]
Kokoro : It’ll break in the end.
[3]
Koishi : If it’s…
		broken?
[4]
Kokoro : The effect of the Mask of Hope will disappear
	and everything will return to normal.

p.16
[1]
Koishi : So,
	it’ll be just like before…
[3]
Kokoro : Does it looks like it’ll break?
Koishi : Yeah. There are a lot of cracks.
		It looks like it’s gonna break anytime now.
[4]
Koishi : Is there any way to stop it?

p.17
[1]
Koishi : ………I see….
[3]
Koishi : It has been so fun since I found the Mask of Hope…
		I wanted to fight more
		and have everyone
		watching me…
[4]
Koishi : If I return to how I was, I’ll forget it all.
	And just like before, no one will notice me anymore.
[5]
Koishi : If I can’t no longer fight in front everyone,
[6]
Koishi : they’ll eventually forget about me…., right?

p.18
[4]
Kokoro : I won’t.

p.19
[1]
Kokoro : I won’t forget.
[2]
Kokoro : I definitely won’t forget
your fighting figure, Koishi.
p.20
[1]
Koishi : …-nk you.
[2]
Koishi : Thank you,
		Kokoro
<Koishi : I’m so happy.>
[3]
<Koishi : So it’s this delightful,
to be remembered by someone.>

p.21
[1]
Koishi : This will probably be the last.
[2]
Koishi : This will be the last
	and I’ll return to how I was.
	And then I’ll forget everything just like before…
[3]
Koishi : Will you fight with me for the last time?
[4]
Kokoro : Yes. I’d love to.
[5]
Kokoro : Let us make it the best finale,
	so it’ll be engraved in the hearts of all the spectators.

p.22
[1]
Koishi : Yeah.
[2]
Koishi : You’re right!

p.25
[2]
Satori : Koishi.

p.26
[1]
Satori : You’re not going out today too.
		Even though you went out every day just a while ago.
<Orin: Lady Satori!>
<Okuu: It’s Lady Satori!>
[3]
Koishi : What are you talking about, sis?
[4]
<Satori : She totally returned to how she was.
	I’m no longer able to read what she’s thinking at all again.
She forgets everything that happened too, so I can’t even ask her about it.>
<Orin : I’ve stick it together, Lady Koishi.>
<Okuu : Hmm…>
<Koishi : Oooh>
[5]
<Satori : Just what was the cause of her change?
I’m sure it’s related to someone.>
[6]
<Satori : But now that she’s forgotten all about it…>

p.28
[1]
Reimu : Good work, Kokoro.
Kokoro : Thank you.
[2]
Reimu : However, your dances seems sad as of late.
	Did something happen?
[5]
Kokoro : Well, there’s something that makes me feel a bit lonely…
Reimu : Hmm…..
<Reimu : Well, not like it matters.>
[6]
Reimu : Talk about lonely, the fights have conspicuously disappear lately.
	All that lively atmosphere feels like a lie.
Kokoro : Yes, you’re right.
	People are starting to lose their enthusiasm.
[7]
Reimu : People eager to watch the match have declined, so you’re the only one I can count on,
	Kokoro!
Kokoro : Alright.
[8]
<Reimu : Fight, Reimu!! If you don’t do your best now, it’ll be just like before!>

p.29
Reimu : What’s wrong?

p.30
[1]
Kokoro : Well then.
	For the last one today, I give you one more performance.
[2]
Kokoro : Let us dance.
	To the forgotten memories
[3]
Kokoro : of that passionate fight.

Afterword
Greetings & Good day
Circle Story or Melody, which do you prefer?  Abbreviated to StoMel, and I’m Hisaka, the one in charge of this original work.
Good melody makes you want to hum it, but I prefer to be immersed into the story in the lyrics or tunes.
The 22nd work from Strange Chameleon, is a Koishi and Kokoro’s HM book.
This time, we significantly changed how we started making the story compared to the usual.
Usually, we don’t really make it by developing other people’s works and get an idea out of it. But in the case of this story, after playing the original work, which is Hopeless Masquerade, we just made the story that we want to draw as a simple addition to it.
The basis of this story is, obviously, Koishi’s ending in HM, with a bit of imagination at play.
This a story that many people, including myself, have more or less expanded with our imagination after reading the last part in her ending, and I only put those all together.
And that’s why, I chose this time. I published this book on the first big event after the release of HM. I dare say that there are probably others who also thought the same thing for Koshi’s ending.
Someone might even already published similar things in the web.
If it’s the same opening and ending, it’s very likely that they also progress similarly.
It would be fine if we just have the same theme in the same time.
Before being influenced after reading someone else’s work, I want to shape the story that I’ve expanded in my mind.
That, is the strong urge that led to the completion of this story.
I wonder if I have put everything I felt after playing HM and seeing the ending of Koishi’s and finishing Kokoro’s in this story.
You could say that, this book, is my mask of emotion for Hopeless Masquerade.
Well, until then.

By the way, for the ending of the story, having Kokoro-chan learned the emotion of sadness and shed her tears, was the first way we thought to end this story.
However, at the very end of the story, having the character shed a tear as the way to conclude the story gave us such a feeling of déjà vu, so we decided not to do it.
If you like, for those who want to read such story, please read our 21st work, “Walking Dead”.
Well, this talk sure goes all over the place(advertising, ho!)

I wanted to write many things, but there’s not much time left. Hueeen, sorry!
In exchange, Hisaka chattered about it, so just read that one…
I’m happy if you enjoy buying our new release! I’m Hiyori! Till next time!