Data [Tachibana Kaim] volume 1 summary

Keywords:

Shoujo, action/adventure, futuristic

Warnings:

Shounen-Ai

Volume 1 Information:

Publisher: Wings Comics (Shinshokan)

ISBN: 4-403-61528-7

Price: 505 yen

First Published: 1/10/1999

Cover: (Blue) Yuki

    (Under dust jacket) Yuki and Sakura introduce themselves

    (Color insert) Richia and Datoh

Contents:

     Chapters 1 - 6*

     Atogakida!

*Note: Chapters are not actually numbered, but I am going by the obvious breaks (denoted by special pages that begin each chapter.) Hopefully I don't miscount anything ^^;

Chapter 1

A young man is falling with shards of glass(?) flying around him. There are shouts that the system is shutting down and falling apart, and there is an image of another young man. A hand reaches out and an intricate pattern of light shines from it. Someone shouts "Quickly!"

It's snowing. One young man with a bag of groceries spies another half-buried in the snow. He pulls him out of the snow.

In some deserted ruins, the same two young men (known as Yuki - the black-haired one, and Sakura - the blonde-haired one) regard a large statue with a woman's sleeping face on it. They are trying to figure out how to open the statue, and Sakura's first idea is to smash it with a giant wooden mallet, although Yuki stops him. Yuki has problems remembering the spell, so Sakura goes up and says the way to awaken a sleeping beauty is to kiss her, and he kisses the statue. Nothing happens, so Sakura gives up, until a pattern lights up in the statue. Sakura wonders if it really is from his kiss, but Yuki explains that it was because of their prescence. The statue flashes and a stone arises from it, "Topaz", making a beeline for Sakura and burying itself into him. The symbol flashes from Sakura's neck.

Yuki is angry that the stone chose Sakura instead of him, but Sakura shrugs it off, joking that it was because he kissed the statue. He tells Yuki to continue searching for the next stone, and Yuki summons "Veszelyite", which causes a map of planets to appear in front of him. Then Sakura summons "Opal", which causes wings to sprout from his back. He grabs Yuki and the two disappear.

On the grounds of a large mansion, a man and his daughter are admiring the shooting stars. Then the man (Datoh) tells his daughter (Richia) that it's time to go inside because it's getting cold. Richia goes back to her room and is getting ready to go to bed, saying goodnight to a photograph of her mother, when she hears voices, and then sees Yuki and Sakura pop out of the wall. Richia starts to scream...

Chapter 2

Richia starts screaming after Yuki and Sakura apppear out of thin air. Yuki covers her mouth and tells her not to worry because they are magicians (Sakura falls over.) Richia asks if this is true and when Yuki nods, she asks them to heal her father's illness. Before they can reply, voices in the hallway ask if Richia is alright so Sakura summons Opal and the two disappear again. Datoh runs into the room, worried, but Richia tells him she just had a bad dream, and that everything is fine now. After Datoh leaves, Sakura and Yuki reappear in the room, and Richia believes they are really magicians. They introduce themselves and then say they are looking for stones. Richia shows them a little treasure box of her gems, but they tell her those are what her father bought, and aren't what they're looking for. Sakura chuckles and says that Richia's father must really love her, and she replies that she also really loves her father. She then asks if she can help them search for the stones the next day, and they agree.

Later, Yuki and Sakura are talking. Yuki is worried because although Veszelyite tells him the next stone is near, he can't tell for sure where it is or what it is. They then get into an arguement over the powers the stones possess, and Sakura tells Yuki they already know that they give thim powers that aren't normal, but tells him that he isn't alone. Yuki wonders what the next stone's power is and what the person who bears it is like.

The next day, Richia shows Yuki and Sakura two graves on a small hill. The larger grave belongs to her mother and the smaller to the family pet tortoise, Toto, both of whom Richia really loved.

Meanwhile, Datoh is looking through papers when he clutches his heart. He then promises himself that he'll quickly find someone who can protect his daughter...

Chapter 3

Yuki has a dream about the stones. He has long hair. He summons Opal and wings sprout from his back. Then he wakes up.

Yuki wonders if Topaz was meant for him, then gets up and walks outside. Sakura blinks and watches him leave.

Yuki sits on a pier and ponders on the stones and then summons Veszelyite, looking at the star chart searching for the next stone. Elsewhere, the Opal mark lights up on Sakura's shoulder.

Sakura summons Opal and starts flying. Yuki remembers some of the past talks he had with Sakura about the stones. He remembers Sakura saying that they've decided to be the owners of the stone; Yuki has Veszelyite and Sakura has Topaz and Opal, and that they'll definately look for the others. Yuki wonders if that's really his wish.

Sakura continues to fly around but his search hasn't proven fruitful when he hears his name called. It's Richia calling him from her balconey, and he flies down to chat with her. She asks what he's doing and he tells her he's looking for the stones. She wants to join them, and then asks where Yuki is. Sakura tells her that Yuki is also out looking for the stones. Richia says that the stones must be very important, and Sakura says that it's so they can use magic.

Richia tells Sakura she hopes there's a healing stone that can help her father, and hopes that it's found soon. Sakura says she must really love her father, and she says that in this world, the thing she loves the most is her father. Sakura smiles and gives her a little kiss on the cheek and tells her to quickly become a lady, and tells her goodnight.

Sakura hops off the balconey and runs right into Yuki, who looks extremely pissed and complains that he does all the work while Sakura talks to girls. Sakura tries to quiet him but they are overheard, and Sakura flies them out before they are found out. They argue some more and Yuki remembers how he first met Sakura in the snow, and wonders if he's only following Sakura the way a chick follows the mother (imprinting). He remembers how happy Sakura was when he realized they both were carriers of stones and that together they would be stronger and wouldn't fear the darkness. Yuki then tells Sakura that the next stone is his.

The next day, Yuki and Sakura appear before Datoh to become servants in his household. Richia greets them and Datoh wonders how she knows them. She tells him that they are magicians, everyone pauses, Richia apologizes, and the Datoh asks to talk with Yuki and Sakura alone. He tells them he's glad Richia has found friends and asks why Richia thinks they're magicians. They tell Datoh about Richia's wish for him to get well, and Datoh is surprised. A guest is announced and goes up to meet with Richia. It's an older fellow who greets Richia as his future bride, which sends Richia crying into her father's arms asking why he's trying to marry her off. She says she always wants to stay by his side, but he tells her it's his wish to see her as a bride...

Chapter 4

An image of a stone and a tortoise's shell...

Richia looks at the two graves and sits down in front of them. She asks herself what she should do since her father wants to see her as a bride.

Yuki and Sakura are washing dishes and Sakura wonders out loud if making Richia a bride is such a good idea for her. Yuki says they should go find the next stone because it may have healing powers. Yuki walks off with a mop and bucket when Richia comes up and holds his hand, activating Veszelyite. He blinks in surprise and Richia asks him if he and Sakura want to come with her. They find Sakura (happily peeling potatoes) and tell him to come with them.

Richia takes them to a small lake in the woods and tells them she used to come here with her father and mother and the pet tortoise, Toto, but they stopped coming because of that day... She changes the subject and tells them she wants to stay by her father's side and asks Yuki and Sakura to search for the magic.

Datoh looks up from his paperwork when he realizes that Richia is gone. A servant tells him she left earlier with Yuki and Sakura, and he wonders why.

Richia asks Yuki and Sakura to stay with her so she doesn't have to get married and leave her father, but they tell her they can't. Meanwhile, Datoh starts searching for Richia and goes into the forest. Richia is surprised to see her father and slips, falling into the lake. Yuki dives in after her.

Datoh freezes as he gets memories of Richia falling into the lake, and then of him holding her wet body in his arms. He has something like a heart attack and Sakura runs over to help him, telling him that he can't die. Yuki swims after Richia when Veszelyite reacts again, turning the lake water into the star chart to Sakura's surprise.

Richia wakes up and sees Yuki and Sakura, but is instantly worried about her father. They tell her that he's resting and that she should take it easy too, but she insists on going to see him.

When she is gone, Yuki tells Sakura that the next stone isn't one of healing. He says he's not quite sure what the power is but they can't take it. Sakura is shocked and asks where the stone is, and Yuki is unable to reply, remembering Richia's wish to always be by her father's side.

Richia goes into her father's room and greets him, and then says she wants to be a bride for her father. A mark glows on her as she transforms from a little girl into a young woman. Datoh is at first surprise, and then he smiles at her...

Chapter 5

"That's right," Datoh remembers. "Richia..." (begin flashbacks)

Datoh is very sad over the death of his wife, but Richia tells him to fight on and the two console each other.

Richia chats with Toto, saying they have to be happy for her father's sake, and that her father will definately protect them.

Toto swims in a little pool while Datoh smiles and watches, and he thanks Toto for being Richia's friend.

Richia runs up to her father and asks if they can go play along with Toto. He chides her for doing so poorly when the tutor shows up and then says he's joking, and the three of them go to the lake despite the protests that his health is too poor.

Richia sits in the boat and Toto swims around the lake while Datoh rests under a tree. Richia remembers how they used to come here with her mother and smiles. Then the paddle falls into the lake. Richia looks back but her father has fallen asleep, so she doesn't wake him up. She reaches out to grab the paddle when the rope tying the boat slips loose. She falls into the lake.

Datoh wakes up with a start when he realizes Richia has fallen in. He tries to save her but has another attack that renders him unable to move. He somehow manages to overcome this and dives into the lake to save Richia.

Richia sinks into the lake and Toto swims after her. At the bottom of the lake, a stone shines. Richia's eyes close as Toto swims forward and merges with the stone, but then gets pushed aside as Datoh swims down and grabs Richia.

Datoh makes it back to shore and pats Richia's face, telling her to open her eyes and wake up, but she doesn't respond, and Datoh realizes what has happened.

Datoh looks around in a stupor, and then he says he can hear her mother calling. Toto looks up at him but he doesn't see it.

Datoh buries Richia next to her mother and then collapses, telling her he loves her. Toto begins to cry and the mark of the stone, Spodumene, shines on its shell and it transforms into Richia.

Datoh wakes up when others find him and sees Richia by his side. He smiles, thinking that what just happened was a dream. (end flashbacks)

Toto-Richia smiles at him and tells him her dream is to always be by his side. Datoh smiles and closes his eyes. Toto-Richia blinks and looks at him...

Chapter 6

Toto-Richia smiles at Datoh and tells him it's been Richia's dream to always be by his side. "Little Richia's little dream..."

Sakura blinks when Yuki tells him the next stone is inside of Richia. He says then that Richia is like them, but Yuki says she's not. Somehow it's creating some sort of illusion, and if it's taken away, Richia will disappear.

Suddenly, Toto-Richia comes into the room and tells them that her father won't open his eyes. Yuki and Sakura are stunned by the sudden change in Richia's form. Toto-Richia brushes it off, saying that this is all so that she could be a bride for her father, that it's Datoh's dream, and Richia's dream... Yuki confronts her and asks if it's a wish or the stone's power, and then says, "You aren't Richia, are you?" Toto-Richia runs off saying that Yuki is being weird.

Flashback: Richia is talking with Toto and telling her dreams. She then asks, "I wonder what Toto's dreams are?"

Toto-Richia buries Datoh beside the other two graves when Yuki and Sakura show up. Toto (at this point he starts using 'boku', a more masculine form of 'I') asks why he can't be together with the others. Then he asks Yuki and Sakura to take the stone away, but they say they can't, so Toto runs off saying he'll be together with Richia and the others.

Toto runs off the side of the cliff when Sakura summons "Topaz". Toto stops falling and starts to float. Yuki wonders why they've come here if their powers can't bring happiness, and gets a flashback about destruction. Sakura yells at him to snap out of it and grab Toto, which he does belatedly. Tired out, Sakura sits down and falls over, but reassures Yuki he's okay.

Toto asks why he still can't be together with Richia and her parents when suddenly he flashes and tells the two that he doesn't need the stone anymore. He transforms back into young-Richia and then the Spodumene mark shines as the stone is released. Toto transforms back into a tortoise.

The stone makes a beeline for Sakura again and mark shines on his lower leg, much to his surprise. Yuki is quite unhappy with this..

Mourners gather at Datoh's grave.

Yuki and Sakura ask if Toto wants to go with them, but Toto walks off.

Sakura summons Opal and the two depart to search for the next stone.

Another mysterious man watches them leave. A mark shines of his forehead and he disappears again.

Toto looks up at the three graves, saying that they will be together forever.

Atogakida!

Tachibana's freetalk plus character sketches (we get a preview of Raight and San who show up in the next volume). She talks about her naming sense (she seems to like using "Re" to start names like LEtort, LEgato and REslack from the Dark Craibe series) among other things.

Then there is a short 2-page comic about Richia and Datoh. Toto-Richia is dressed up like a bride and Datoh is happy and Yuki and Sakura are wondering if they should mention that Richia is actually a turtle ^^; Sakura says something about Richia being able to make her hair long or short and Yuki slaps a hand over his mouth before he can say anything more.

Then there's a little so-called preview where Sakura is dressed up like a hero with big puffy feathered hat and hose while some unknown person steals away Yuki, who's wearing a dress. A normal Yuki and Sakura eye this and wonder if it's really true.

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