AUGUST SKY1
*tapping*
Right?
You hear something too, right?
It kinda reminds me of that thing you hear in war movies a bunch. That, uh, beeping thing…
Morse code?
Yeah!
Let me try and translate it.
Huh? You can do that?!
It’s a hobby I picked up from my father. Like him, I’m fond of amateur radio. I’m quite good at encoded communication through tap code.
Dude, that rocks! What’s it saying?! Is it a message from the aliens?!
……
It’s saying…“make a wish.”
Woahhhh… I knew it.
*snore…*
Isotake, wake up.
Mrmm… Hmmm? WHUH?!
Fudge, I fell asleep right at the bus stop! Ugh, everything hurts! Dude, you should’ve woken me up earlier!
I got absorbed in exchanging signals. I apologize. The egg and I have agreed on a plan.
Yes, General Kaguya!
We desire to make the summer festival a success. After I conveyed that to the egg, I received a reply.
It told me it could “consume” the rain clouds if we created a simple rocket to shoot it into the sky.
It’s gonna consume… Like, it’s gonna EAT the clouds, sir?!
I’m unsure if it meant that in a literal sense, but yes, that’s what the egg promised. Look at this.
Is this…a map of Shodoshima?! Sir?!
According to the egg, the rain clouds over Shodoshima today are at an altitude of approximately 2,500 to 3,000 meters.
Last year, I set the record for “greatest altitude achieved by a student-built bottle rocket” at 1,100 meters.
A bottle rocket! That’s awesome, br— Uh, General Kaguya!
But even then, it’s still at least 1,400 meters short. The egg suggested that we set the rocket off at the highest point in Shodoshima, Mount Hoshigajo.
Would that be enough, sir?!
Mount Hoshigajo is 817 meters tall.
So that means…? Uh…
We’re still short at least 583 meters. If you factor in the wind and gravity, it might even be more.
Hm…
What should we do? Do we give up, Captain?
!
What is your decision?
…Tell me what we need to make the rocket! I’ll get everything ready! And then we’ll…go from there!!
Understood!
Muneuji! I got a handcart from one of the old dudes ‘round town!
Thank you. We can carry the rocket up to the mountain peak with this.
I saw Mr. Kari’s van headed to the venue earlier. Nanaki and Ushio looked like they were ready for the world to end. We gotta show ‘em something crazy!
How should we go about constructing the rocket, sir?!
Since it would be difficult for us to procure nuclear fuel rods, the egg suggested that we use this as a substitute.
Whazzat?
A piece of the egg’s shell. I received permission to use a piece that cracked off.
It may be hard to believe, but if we put NaHCO₃, also known as sodium bicarbonate, on this shell piece, it will transform into a crystal that resembles solid hydrogen fuel, and it will produce an explosive energy that puts regular hydrogen engines to shame.
F-For real?!
In addition, when the rocket reaches its peak, the egg will be able to use it as a springboard to gain more altitude.
I asked the egg if we should deploy the same methods used in multistage rockets to launch satellites.
Alrighty! Well done, General!!
*pant, pant…* It’s finally starting to rain.
Urgh… Dang, it’s hard as balls…to drag this handcart up here.
Ah!!
Are you okay?! You should rest, sir!! I can…take this thing…all the way…up there!
Will we really reach the required altitude…? We don’t know how well the shell piece will act as fuel…
*pant, pant…* We just gotta believe.
I dunno…what’s gonna happen…after we launch it…! But when you’re…right in front of…your happy ending…you gotta do everything you can…until you…run outta options!
…Isotake…
Woah! Are you sure you don’t want a longer break?
Let’s go. To the top!
<Ten seconds ‘til launch!>
<Ten!>
<Nine!>
<Eight…>
<I know I’m in the middle of the countdown, but I just gotta say this! Sorry, Teach. Seven!>
<You said that even if things don’t go well, it’s never a waste of time. And that regret can turn into a chance to grow…>
<And that good memories exist for my sake. I thought stuff like that was kinda boring. Ah, six.>
<But I really believe an overwhelming, unprecedented, and fate-like power to bring you back from the brink of death exists. And maybe I’m the only one who realizes that, but I think it’s the greatest thing in the world.>
……
<There are people who realize my passion, people who pick up on every little thing I like, people who tell me that I rock…>
<There are people who praise me. There are tons. And because there are, I finally feel like things really DO exist for my sake!>
……
…Never expected Akuta to say something that great.
Well, if you’ll allow me to return to the countdown no—
We’re already at one! One!
We’re at one! Ignition!
Lift off!
(The rain’s getting heavier… I hope the weather control works in time. If only I decided to do this earlier instead of giving up at first…)
Ugh, come on! Why am I getting caught up in the red lights now of all times?!
(Hm? Everyone’s pointing at the sky… Wait, something’s flying up there…)
What was that?! Did you see that?
Something got launched into the sky…
*rocket blasting*
…Huh…?
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
<WOAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! HOLY COOOOOOOOW! THAT WAS SIIIIIICK!>
Why are YOU surprised?!
……
Are you kidding me? Am I dreaming right now?
That Idiotake always does whatever he wants and says whatever he wants. And now he’s causing all of this excitement on his own.
It’d be nice if he could at least consider our feelings, since he always drags us into shit…
But…
I guess the sunset’s pretty nice.
Footnotes
-
A reference to October Sky (1999). ↩