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Hopeless Freeloader (Japanese: こまった居候) is the fifth entry of the Japanese Illust Story web series. It tells the story of Octillery from VMAX Climax, illustrated by Shinya Komatsu. The story was first published on December 3, 2021 and is written by Aya Satsuki.
Blurb
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The fisherman sighed. Before she knew it, Octillery was sitting in the prey bucket. It's already basking in the sun as if it were its own and completely ignoring her. The fisherman pokes it. "Wow, you're, cold and you feel so good." She touched it even more, thinking that it was just right since it was a hot day, and soon after that, her face turned black.
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Japanese transcript
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釣り人はため息をついた。獲物用のバケツに、いつのまにかオクタンが居座っている。すでに、自分の物のように日向ぼっこを謳歌して完全無視だ。釣り人は彼をツンとつついてみる。「わあ、キミ、冷たくて気持ちいいね」暑いからちょうどいいやと、さらに触った彼女の顔が真っ黒になったのは、すぐ後の話。
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Plot
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"It's about time, give me back the bucket!"
Clear skies again today. The fisherman chuckled at the bucket next to her tent. Her father's handmade bucket had become inhabited by Octillery.
I pitched a tent on this pier after hearing a rumor that a "sea monster" appeared, but when I wasn't looking, Octillery stole the bucket from the fisherman. When she tried to take it back, it ends up headbutting her. Reminding her that it would only lend it to her until a sea monster appeared, she began to drop the rod into the sea.
At that moment, I was biting back a yawn as the warm sunlight made me sleepy. The pier suddenly began to shake violently from side to side. When I suddenly looked into the sea, I saw the shadow of a huge fish approaching at great speed. She panics and tries to escape to land, but her precious bucket and Octillery are still there. I can't leave it like this! The shadow of the fish pushed up the pier with great force. At the same time as a huge spray of water was thrown up, the fisherman was thrown out into the sea along with Octillery.
The fisherman managed to secure the bucket, but it sank quite deep. Octillery looked surprised behind her, but seemed to be unharmed. Anyway, we had to get to the surface while she was still breathing. Deciding to do so, I looked up, only to find myself in total darkness. It was bright until a few minutes ago.
The fisherman's face turns blue as she looks around and understands the situation. It is dark because the shadow of the fish that just came in is covering the surface of the water. A large shadow shimmered and looked down at the fisherman. She hugged the bucket tightly in fear. Dad... Help.
Then the bucket suddenly became heavy. It is Octillery, and it is back in the bucket. In dismay, Octillery shot a Hydro Pump at the fish shadow!
Then the fish shadows scatter in all directions to avoid them. The spreading blue sky...!
But the current created by the Hydro Pump and the swell created by the scattered shadows of the fish dragged the fisherman and Octillery's bodies deep into the sea. They struggled to their feet, but they couldn't haul themselves out. The fisherman's back was in despair. The fisherman's back was touched by a number of sharp objects in despair. The small shadows of fish that had been scattered earlier, the Wishiwashi, pushed the fishermen up to the surface with apologetic looks on their faces.
I had no idea that the demons were actually Wishiwashi. According to the locals, when an unfamiliar person is on the pier, they form a school of fish to scare them away. Perhaps the reason they are called "sea monsters" is to scare tourists and prevent accidents...
When we tried to go to another town to look for another big fish, Octillery sank deeper into the bucket than before and didn't seem to return the bucket at all.
"Maybe you just wanted to save the bucket, not me. What do you think?"
When the fisherman touched her arm, Octillery spit ink in her face as hard as it could. I knew it - it's not pretty!
"The bucket, give it back!"
In between the bickering Octillery and the fisherman, Wishiwashi's eyes were watering.
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Japanese transcript
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「もうそろそろ、バケツ返してよ～」
本日も晴天。釣り人は、テントの横に置いてあるバケツに向かって苦笑していた。彼女の父お手製のバケツには、オクタンが棲みついてしまったのだ。
この桟橋に、『海の魔物』が出没するという噂を聞きつけてテントを張ったのだが、目を離したすきにオクタンは釣り人からバケツを奪ってしまった。取り返そうとすると、思い切り頭突きまでされる始末。海の魔物が現れるまで貸すだけだからね、と念を押し、彼女は海に竿をたらし始めた。
温かい日差しに眠気を誘われ、あくびを噛み殺していたその時だ。桟橋が突如、激しく左右にぐらぐらと揺れ始めた。咄嗟に海をのぞき込むと、巨大な魚影がものすごいスピードで近づいてきている。慌てて陸へ逃げようとするが、大事なバケツとオクタンがそのままだ。このまま置いて行けない！魚影が勢いよく桟橋を突き上げた。巨大な水しぶきが巻き上がると同時に、オクタンもろとも釣り人は海へと放り出される。
なんとかバケツを確保した釣り人だが、かなり深いところまで沈んでしまった。オクタンも背後でびっくりした顔をしているが、無傷のようだ。とにかく、息が続いているうちに水面へ上がらなくては。そう決めて顔を上げるが、そこには真っ暗闇が広がっていた。おかしい、先ほどまで明るかったのに――。
辺りを見回し、状況を理解した釣り人の顔がみるみる青くなる。暗くなったのは、先ほどの魚影が、水面を覆い隠しているからだ。大きな影がゆらりとうごめき、釣り人を見下ろす。恐怖のあまりバケツをギュッと抱きしめた。お父さん……助けて――。
すると、バケツが急に重くなる。オクタンがバケツの中に戻ってきているではないか。呆気に取られていると、オクタンが魚影に向かってハイドロポンプを撃ち込んだ！
すると、魚影はそれを避けるように四方八方に散っていく。広がる青い空……！
しかし、ハイドロポンプが起こした水流と、散り散りになった魚影の起こすうねりが、釣り人とオクタンの身体を海の深くへと引きずり込んだ。足でもがいても、あらがえない。……もうだめだ。そう絶望した釣り人の背中に、何か尖ったものがいくつも触れた。先ほど散り散りになったはずの小さな魚影、ヨワシたちが、申し訳なさそうな顔で釣り人たちを海面へと押し上げていった。
まさか魔物の正体が、ヨワシたちだったなんて。地元の人によると、見慣れない人間が桟橋にいると、追い返そうと魚群を作って脅かしてくるのだそうだ。『海の魔物』なんて呼ばれているのは、観光客を怖がらせて事故を防ぐ意味もあるのかもしれない……。
別の大物を探しに他の町に行こうにも、オクタンはさっきよりも深くバケツに沈み込んで、まったくバケツを返す様子がない。
「もしかしてあんた、私じゃなくてバケツを助けたかっただけだったりして――。ちょっと、どうなのよ？」
釣り人が腕に触れると、オクタンは思い切り彼女の顔に墨を吐いた。やっぱり――可愛くない！
「バケツ、返せえええええっ！」
仲良く喧嘩するオクタンと釣り人の合間で、ヨワシがアワアワと、目を潤ませていた――。
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Trivia
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