Chapter 79

Blue Sky (Before) (アオイソラ (前), Aoisora (mae)) is the 79th chapter of the Yozakura Quartet manga.

Summary
Noriko adjusts the gear shift of her van as Nadeshiko applauds her for quick gear shifting abilities. Noriko states it is simple and having an automatic would be nice since it is easy. They drive up a hill which Noriko states would work better for automatics, having took a detour do to a crowded road. Noriko finds that their vehicle cannot go forward and begins to fall back but is single handedly stopped by Hime. Hime helps push the van up the road. Iruka offers to help but Hime rejects it stating it is too dangerous for her being only human. Just as Hime begins to struggle pushing it up the hill, Midoriko arrive to help her. They manage to push the van up to the counselling offices location and Hime thanks Midoriko. Noriko asks Akina to temporarily unload some excess machinery at the office to retrieve the next day, which Akina allows. Ao welcomes Hime back giving her and Midoriko chocolate pocky to re-energize them, thanking Midoriko for arriving at the right moment. Midoriko tells them it is her inspection day and that she happened to see the Senate van and followed it. Midoriko mentions it also being time for Ao’s yōkai medical checkup. Hime states she is also due for a checkup and tells Iruka she needs one too after being involved in a hanyou incident. Nadeshiko tells Iruka not to think badly of her and that she is simply performing confirmations. Iruka asks Midoriko what type of yōkai. Manifesting a pair of tanuki ears and tail, Midoriko reveals herself as a tanuki and offers to disguises to Iruka is she ever needs any. Noriko announces the start of the examination and Midoriko heads off. Iruka stands confused by the fact that tanuki are yōkai. Noriko states they will start the inspections with Iruka and Iruka changes into her swimsuit. Noriko questions her attire and Iruka informs her that she was told by Kotoha to wear the clothing she had while being controlled. Noriko reveals that Kotoha lied to her and that her regular clothes would have sufficed as Ao reveals she was told to take pictures while snapping several photos of her.

Iruka finishes her inspection and is told by Noriko that there are no problems. Noriko contemplates the fact a normal human is capable of such speed and strength and ponders the possibilities of humans. Iruka asks about the yōkai medical examination which Noriko explains that all the yōkai take every year with it being just Ao, Hime and Midoriko for the day. Iruka inquires about the purpose of the check-ups which Noriko explains as, yōkai being foreign entities take two risks living in the human world, the two risks being acquiring a life span while they are otherwise immortal and the possibility of slipping back to the other world. Noriko compares it to Akina’s tuning in which if yōkai use too much of their abilities they begin to slip from the world. Noriko explains that if they completely slip the yōkai will lose its limiter and begin to rampage or induce a plasmic reaction, causing a devastating explosion they are rare occurrences and youkai usually die before it can happen. Noriko mentions rare cases where emergency levels were reached which Iruka identifies as the Dragons, namely the Yarizakura family. Noriko explains that in order prevent slipping of any of their family members their power is sealed but they still are in danger of slipping near the end of their lifespan so they are tuned when the time comes. Iruka contemplates Hime’s great power despite the fact it is suppressed and fantasize about competing with her more seriously. Noriko lifts Iruka’s shirt, taking a photo of her crotch and asks if she is listening. Irkuka cries embarrassingly, asking why everyone takes photos to which Noriko states is because she is cute. Continuing their previous conversation, Iruka ask if there is any chance of normal yōkai slipping to which Noriko denies so long as yōkai do not overuse their power in enormous amounts.

Hime finishes her checkup and Noriko tells her to thank Yae for keeping her powers in check. Hime exits to the office as Ao and Midoriko continue their checkup. Midoriko attempts to hover over the weight scale to reduce its number, blaming the pocky she ate earlier for her increased weight. Noriko has Ao take Midoriko’s measurements to find that bust size has increased, growing larger than Kotoha’s and Midoriko identifies it as the cause of her weight gain. Ao jealously gropes Midoriko from behind as Noriko prepares the next test. Midoriko places her bare chest up to the x-ray and Noriko joking comments on a high level of fat interfering with the display. Ao is scanned next and Noriko jokes about a low level of fat making it easier to see. Noriko notices something with the results and asks to scan another time, using her joke as an excuse for not paying attention.

Ao finishes her check-up and is called by Kotoha to head to Yae’s place. Along the way Ao reads the mind of a cat to learn of construction taking place to know which route to take. Noriko calls Akina, Hime and Kotoha over to discuss the results, revealing that Ao is reaching critical levels of slipping.

Characters in order of appearance

 * Noriko Shiina
 * Nadeshiko Matsudaira
 * Hime Yarizakura
 * Iruka Kujouin
 * Midoriko Amano
 * Akina Hiizumi
 * Ao Nanami
 * Kotoha Isone
 * Oyassan (Mentioned)
 * Makiharu Hiizumi (Mentioned)
 * Machi Yarizakura (Mentioned)