Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Mushi:Vol2 Ch2

2011-12-06T13:00:22Z

Dell19930:

== '''Night 2: Melancholic Officer and a Long-Armed Demon''' ==

“Let’s compare how long our arms are!”

It was an abandoned building where children who had no place in their families had gathered. The youths of varying age and gender currently present were currently terrified with this sudden abnormality. It was a night that should have been the same as any other. Unable to sleep and irritated at home, they had arrived here tonight to chat and have fun with strangers.

It was their daily life, a life remaining the same day after day that they took for granted.

And now this normality had cracked. It had been smashed apart with ease.

A demon.

One of the youths had already died, his abdomen heavily pummelled by the invisible fist that the demon stretched out.

Death. That was death. It wasn’t fake – he really died.

Everything shattered.

“Uwoaaaaahhh, enough fooling around!”

A boy, half-mad, rushed at Long-Armed Demon with his bare fists. Those youths had too many enemies: the police, adults who didn’t understand them, violent juvenile derelicts, criminals… therefore, they had armed themselves for their own protection.

With stun guns and tear gas.

With wooden planks, craft knifes, and baseball bats.

But those things…

Couldn’t help them at all.

“Hehe?”

There was a grade-schooler girl, so thin she might have accidentally disappeared into space. She was the abnormality these youths were facing. With her short hair tied up in two ponytails, she was a completely ordinary girl, cute and inconspicuous and wore sandals even in this chilling winter.

Only, she didn’t have arms.

“Urk!”

A muscular boy heaved up a baseball bat with all his strength, but his blow was abnormally stopped mid-air. The boy gave out a mortified screech and tried to move the bat as hard as he could, but it remained unmovable as if held down by some unknown force.

In the next instant, five incredible dents – like that made by five fingers – appeared on the bat. Then, unbelievably, the bat became twisted and crumpled up.

“Hey – ho!”

With invisible fingers, Long-Armed Demon spent a while wringing the bat as if it were a tea towel.

“Boring!”

She tilted her head cutely and smashed the boy with her invisible hand. “Bam – “, the part of the boy’s head above the jaw flew off. His spraying blood and brain matter spattered everywhere, and he died instantly. Stumbling, he fell down while still tightly holding on the bat that had lost its shape.

Silence.

The five teenagers who saw this scene gave out sharp shrieks of despair.

There are very few opportunities to truly come into contact with ‘death’ in modern-day Japan. Corpses were quickly taken away and cremated, turning into dust in the blink of an eye. Those illusions of death, mimicked to such detail by video games and movies and manga, made true death no longer feel real. They took away those teenagers’ fear of death.

Therefore, true death was like magic for these teenagers; it was an abnormal phenomenon that they could not understand.

Traumatized, they sprinted away like mad.

“Noisy. You’re ruining this quiet night.”

Long-Armed Demon’s expression was evidently displeased, but then she discovered the only young girl amongst the teenagers. She finally found a young girl! The townspeople were more on guard nowadays, and Long-Armed Demon had found it hard to discover her target – the girl with the Apple.

She must find her soon.

Long-Armed Demon nodded to herself, and chased after the girl as she hoped her lucky day had finally come.

“Did I get it right? – Did I get it right? – ”

Then she stretched out her invisible arms.

“Ahhh!”

The girl’s ankles were suddenly caught by something, and she fell violently forward as her body lost its balance. Cigarettes and a lighter fell out of her pockets.

She was obviously not old enough to smoke; but she didn’t do anything that deserved to be slaughtered, either.

She was simply unfortunate.

She could only lament that her luck ran out. She happened to meet something that represented abnormality, happenstance, and death – a demon.

It was an uncanny scene.

“It’s so high – ”

An uncanny and cruel scene.

All four of the girl’s limbs were grasped by invisible arms, and she was lifted into the air with an irresistible force. The girl looked like she was freely floating in air, but in truth she had been robbed of all free movement and could only slightly shift her body. Her pupils were completely dilated with fear, and her teeth cluttered and grinded.

While she was facing her fatal crisis, all the other teenagers had already run away. The girl despaired. So that was the truth – those people who gathered in this deserted building with her weren’t her family or her friends, but only strangers who happened to have similar experiences as her. How could they possibly want to save her?!

When she understood this, the girl asked for help from someone she had not considered a possibility.

“Hel, help me… Dad, Mom…”

Her parents, whom she had thought she no longer cared about and were only bound to her through blood; her annoying parents, whom she had once thought only existed to provide her with three meals a day and pocket money, and whom she thought would be better off without personalities.

“Help me – Dad, Mom!”

She only desired her parents to save her when she reached this helpless end.

“Hehehe, Long-Armed Demon feels a little like having a Dejanew.”

Saying those cryptic words, Long-Armed Demon tilted her head.

“Huh?! No, that’s not it. Dejanew – what was it again? DEIYtop? No… Deja vecu? Whatever – Onee-chan, you’re very similar to how Long-Armed Demon was before.”

Deja vecu wasn’t correct either. A reminiscing expression surfaced on Long-Armed Demon’s face.

“But there won’t be a savior appearing! There are no Gods, no heroes, and no princes on white horses who can save us in a pinch. Because had God truly existed…

There was a small, tearing sound.

“… Then I, Long-Armed Demon, shouldn’t have become a demon.”

The girl’s arms were torn off. With the tearing sound, the external force twisted apart the girl’s flesh, bones, fat and veins. Her two arms fell away from her body. The dim deserted building was saturated with an unbelievably large amount of blood, and her sharp and shrill screams.

“AHH – AHHHHH. AHHHHH –”

The girl’s eyes rolled upwards with pain, as if she had lost consciousness. That was understandable. After all, her arms were torn off while she was still alive and conscious. The fact that she hadn’t gone into shock was incredible enough.

“An insect…”

Long-Armed Demon’s expression didn’t change. Even as she faced this cruel scene that she had created, she still had an innocent appearance.

“I want to break its legs as soon as I find an insect. Isn’t that right? A kid would want to tear off its wings, yank off its antennae, and cut apart its body, right? Long-Armed Demon was such a kid, and probably – no, I definitely did not grow up any more from that point onwards.”

Tearing, tearing.

Then, the girl’s legs were also torn off without much ado.

“But that’s alright, because Zeki-kun accepted Long-Armed Demon as who she is.”

Long-Armed Demon muttered to the girl, who had already died from the pain or the blood loss.

“So I can simply be Long-Armed Demon. I can be a demon who can kill humans like insects, a demon with no heart.”

Long-Armed Demon discarded the girl’s corpse. “Another miss?” She sighed.

“I hate those weak humans who only know how to wait for God; I hate those pathetic humans who only know how to wait for a hero. I don’t want to be a human. I just want to be a Long-Armed Demon serving beside a fallen angel.”

With an innocent and empty smile, she yelled out loud: “How was that? Aren’t Long-Armed Demon’s arms very very long?”

Kannonsakazaki Private High School was an ordinary school located in a remote township. Thanks to the school culture and traditions, all the students were well-mannered and relaxed and therefore had a good reputation. The four school buildings were loosely scattered across the school grounds, and the inconvenient distance between them was rather annoying. Moreover, as the school was established a long time ago, the remains of ancient graffiti were everywhere in the buildings.

It was a place where a cool breeze often blew past and emenated an anachronistic atmosphere.

The second-oldest building was Building Two. The room at the end of the second-storey corridor was for Class B, Year One, taught by a teacher named Sakaki Guryuu who was very incongruous with this ordinary school. Since the students here always cleaned the rooms diligently, the school buildings did not seem dilapidated despite their age.

It was the time to go home. The afterschool bell was ringing loudly, and Rinne poked Guriko, who was dead asleep.

For some reason, Guriko was always sleeping at school these days. That was Guriko’s hobby. In other words, her special ability. There really wasn’t anything anyone could do about it. However, she didn’t sleep in class as frequently as before since she started living with Rinne.

Was it because she was tired from that weird ‘training program’? Rinne didn't know a lot about what the training involved. She just felt that Guriko must have worked very hard. At least, she’ll try not to bother Guriko, who was trying her best, and make sure she didn’t have to worry excessively.

Rinne lived like a zombie for a while after Katsumi’s death.

Time had flown away so mercilessly.

According to witness accounts, the murderer labelled ‘Long-Armed Demon’ had killed ten people already, and all of them were girls of Katsumi’s age. Ten people. Numbers were always empty. They carried no emotions.

Though she would not die due to the Apple’s power, Rinne was still scared. She emphasized with those who were killed, and wished they would catch the criminal soon.

“…”

Then she remembered Katsumi, that girl who was willing to be friends with her. She remembered those youthful memories they created together, and the funeral that left a deep shadow in her heart. Katsumi’s parents were crying, her younger brother was crying, and Rinne also kept crying. The heavy atmosphere, vague with tears, was locked within Rinne’s heart, unable to be digested away.

She remembered Katsumi’s face that she saw last, a face that had a lonely smile.

“It'll be my treat next time.”

“Treat to what?”

“Ahh!”

Guriko was already awake. It seemed Rinne, lost in her thoughts, didn’t notice it. With a tired expression, Guriko scratched at her unique wolf-like hair cut and moved closer to stare at Rinne’s tear-filled eyes.

Guriko’s eyes were pitch-black like gun-barrels. They had no emotions and did not speak. They were dark as if sucking everything into them. However, now something close to gentleness seemed to have mixed into it.

Guriko pretended not to notice Rinne’s tears. She stood up and stretched.

“Ahh, I’m so sleepy… I never seem to get enough sleep.”

“Have you been staying up lately, Guriko-chan?”

Immortals like Guriko didn’t particularly have a desire to sleep. Guriko only treated sleep as a hobby, so she slept for about the same length of time as a normal human.

She took the school bag on the table and replied nonechalantly: “Yeah, I’m looking for the Long-Armed Demon.”

Rinne’s heart jumped a beat with fear when she heard this.

“Long-Armed Demon… you mean that murderer?”

“Yep. That person seemed to only act at night, so I go out at night and stroll around a bit. I just haven’t found him yet.”

Rinne paled. It was simply far too dangerous. She knew how powerful Guriko was; Guriko can easily defeat an ordinary Mushi. However, for some reason, she still didn’t want Guriko to do anything too dangerous, especially when the opponent is an unknown murderer.

A rare, gentle smile surfaced on Guriko’s face as if she read Rinne’s expressions.

“Don’t worry. Besides, fighting is the only thing I know.”

She muttered.

“I won’t let the Long-Armed Demon kill you or Sakaki, or Kio and Hino and those people at school.”

As if she just realized something, Guriko said with a weaker voice and a face full of embarrassment: “Kio and Hino – I probably shouldn’t worry about them. They invade my bed every night, reading bedtime stories and singing lullabies. It’s quite ridiculous, especially when I’m older than them… seriously, do they have no manners, or simply did not understand shame?”

Rinne felt this was quite incredulous, and she tilted her head as she looked like Guriko, who was mumbling to herself.

Guriko startled herself with realization again, and shook her head.

“Ne, never mind. Dammit, I can’t control my emotions…”

Then she rushed out of the classroom. Though Rinne was confused and didn’t know what to do, she still chased after Guriko.

Since Guriko said she wanted to go shopping after school, Rinne went with her; Rinne wasn’t working on that day. January was quickly drawing to an end. The sun speedily disappeared beneath the horizon, and the shops painted with the shade of dusk held a nameless sense of melancholy.

Rinne felt just how much she relied on Guriko when she parted with her for only three weeks. She owned that home, but it was Guriko who protected that home. Rinne despised such a life, a life where she was always reliant on someone else and lived under someone else’s protection.

Sakaki, Guriko, and Katsumi; Rinne was used to relying on others because there were so many people around her who gently protected her. She felt she owed them, and that she needed to grow stronger little by little.

Was it inevitable? The shops, which were usually cluttered with students after school, were now rather desolate. The Long-Armed Demon was the murderer that appeared in Kannonsakazaki at the beginning of January. It had already killed ten people in less than a month.

There was only one common thing amongst all victims: they were all young girls.

However, the news pointed out a few days ago that wayward boys and male police officers were also counted amongst the victims.

It had been explained that the officers were killed when they discovered the Long-Armed Demon and attempted to arrest the culprit – but that explanation did not work for the boys.

However, they were only rare exceptions. The main targets were high-school girls. Girls of Rinne’s age were most scared of the Long-Armed Demon. In fact, apart from Rinne and Guriko, the majority of the girls chose not to go school. They probably thought they might be killed by the Long-Armed Demon if they left their houses, and they either voluntarily took days off or were forced to stay home by their parents. There were even those who indicated they’d like to leave this place until things calm down, and had left for the countryside. After all, the Long-Armed Demon only killed in the township of Kannonsakazaki, and leaving it would be a wise way to stay alive.

The Long-Armed Demon had therefore stirred up a mighty ripple in Kannonsakazaki’s formerly calm atmosphere.

TV stations, news reporters, and various media had all swarmed into town for the past few days. Those curious onlookers were also roaming around and taking pictures. Inky bloodstains still remained at the murder scenes that the police didn’t get to clean in time, and officers dressed in their navy blue uniform patrolled those places day and night.

Since she felt uneasy when she was alone, Rinne slept and ate with the big-sister-figure young lady next door now. Though it wasn’t helping much, it was better than being anxious on her own. She kept going to school, not because she was not scared, but because she was immortal. She still felt, more or less, that she would not be killed though she still retained the sense of pain.

That was completely different from Guriko’s confidence, her belief that she will not lose to the Long-Armed Demon, and her complete lack of fear towards the murderer.

“Ahh, I hate that feeling.” Rinne thought to herself. She was weak. She was so weak.

She owed Katsumi. Katsumi often worried about Rinne; wouldn’t she find it hard to leave for Heaven then?

“Sorry for the wait.”

Guriko poked her head out of the make-up shop and looked emotionlessly towards Rinne, all the time holding on to a small paper bag.

“Ah, right.” Rinne, who was lost in her thoughts and was startled, blinked at Guriko: “What did you buy?”

“Not sure.”

Well, that only made Rinne more confused.

Guriko placed the paper bag into her school bag with a smile: “But it’s really pretty.”

“That’s so rare! Guriko-chan bought something!”

Did this mean Guriko was beginning to change? The goal of that training seemed to be making Guriko into an ordinary high-school student. If that was the case, then that training was already having some good results, wasn’t it?

However, Guriko pouted when Rinne said this.

“Shut it. It’s because Hino’s birthday is coming up.”

“Hino?”

Rinne’s face was full of confusion. Guriko blushed and rushed forward. Startled, Rinne quickly caught up with her. Recently, Guriko often behaved in this manner. Though Rinne liked Guriko showing her human emotions, Rinne rarely understood the reasons behind it and often felt Guriko was ditching her.

“I know, this – this is really unlike me. But that’s because she was literally telling me with her eyes, telling me to buy something for her. It’s Hino’s fault anyways, suddenly talking about her birthday. I knew what she meant as soon as I heard it. Er – it’s not like I regard them as parents. Just that, um, they do take care of me and all –”

“What?”

She couldn’t understand what Guriko was saying at all.

When they reached a cafe amongst the shops, Rinne suddenly had a thought and pulled on Guriko’s clothes to stop her from walking forward. Like a puppy that had its leash pulled taut, Guriko whimpered and stopped.

“What?”

Guriko looked dubiously over at Rinne. Rinne couldn’t help but feel that Guriko’s expression was very cute. She patted Guriko’s head and pointed at the cafe with a gentle smile: “Let’s go in.”

“What? Why?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just go in.”

Rinne opened the cafe doors without explaining. This was the cafe where she saw Katsumi last. It was an anachronistic cafe named ‘Indian Bar’, and the inside always seemed rather dim.

Guriko was changing. Rinne wanted to know the reason behind it. They were friends – no, that’s not exactly correct. However, as long as she understood Guriko’s viewpoint, then Rinne can at least be someone Guriko can talk to when distressed, right? Rinne wanted to help Guriko.

''She saved me a month ago.

''Then she had also healed mine and Sakaki’s lonely hearts.

''And, most importantly, I want to love Guriko from the bottom of my heart, to love Guriko with the intensity that Katsumi had missed out on.''

“Ding dong.”

The bells tied to the door of the cafe emitted a crisp sound.

“Welcome.”

The young owner approached them with a run and a big smile, but Rinne couldn’t bring herself to reply to her immediately. That was because a very strange person was sitting on a seat in front of her towards the right.

Rinne was a little startled.

It was a male, and his true height could not be seen due to his bad posture. His slightly long hair covered the majority of his face, and she could only barely see his wide-open eyes that were emitting a golden light. He was dressed in a worn-out coat, slowly breathing out the smoke of a cheap cigarette, and wore a pair of sport shoes. For some reason, out of everything that was on him, only those shoes were of the latest fashion.

A hair demon.

Rinne instinctively thought that. His hair was not particularly long, but the unkempt fringe covered his entire face and made his expression invisible, giving out the feeling of a lack of humanity. Moreover, he was sitting in an odd pose. For some reason, he was sitting cross-legged in the chair with his neck cocked to one side as if he was a strange puppet. He maintained that pose, and did not move apart from reaching out his hand to tap the butt of his cigarette into the ashtray.

There were no other customers in the shop apart from him. It seemed like the townsfolk didn’t wander around after work anymore due to the presence of the Long-Armed Demon, and all chose to go straight home.

“That customer,” maintaining her smile, the owner said quietly without moving her lips too much, “seems to be a detective.”

“A detective?”

She couldn’t tell that. A detective was a police officer responsible for catching criminals. But… that man looks more like a criminal himself. However, as a detective, he was probably looking for the Long-Armed Demon as well. Shouldn’t detectives move about in pairs? Rinne thought of this based on the vague information she learnt from TV.

The owner then said with a voice as gentle as a soft song: “Hmm, so we shouldn’t disrupt him.”

“I see.”

Rinne nodded. As she turned away from the owner, she heard a soft voice beside her ears.

“This is lonely. I can’t hear Katsumi’s voice anymore.”

Did she remember the faces of all the guests who came into her shop?

“So lonely. Classic music is too lonely.”

The owner changed to another CD, a jazz piece that was full of energy. Tears kept swelling up in Rinne’s eyes. She didn’t look at the owner and sat down at a table with Guriko. The shop was not big, and they sat only one table away from the odd man who was apparently a detective.

Rinne gave him one glance and realized he was gazing at the ceiling with an empty look in his eyes, apparently deep in thought. She decided not to bother him, and moved her eyes to the menu instead. Feeling rather cold, she ordered a cup of hot coffee.

Rinne still retained some feelings toward temperature. Guriko mumbled “hot chocoloate”, then added “to stay awake” as if she was defending herself.

There wasn’t much caffeine in hot chocolate. Rinne knew the truth. Guriko’s sense of taste could only come alive when she was eating or drinking something sweet.

The owner nodded after taking down their orders. Rinne then looked at Guriko, who was sitting very straight in her chair and had an emotionless countenance. “A lot has been going on. It feels very restless.”

“That’s true, but I don’t feel bothered about this oppressive feeling.” Guriko stared straight at Rinne, her barrel-like eyes pitch-black as ever. “It was painful to keep living those mediocre and listless days. It was very painful, especially since I have lived such a life for hundreds of years. Though I like those peaceful days when nothing ever happens, I am also very scared of them.”

Guriko took out a spoon in the blink of an eye, and stared calmly at it: “They make me want to find and kill Mushi.”

Rinne drew an inward breath. Guriko smiled.

“The reason that I opposed Mushi… indeed, a large part of it was to find something to do with my time. Though I do want to avenge my family, such hatred or spite won’t last for a thousand years. Chances are I’m only killing Mushi to get rid of my boredom.”

Rinne didn’t think so. Guriko was fighting for the Apple holders who have been targeted by Mushi. If she was just killing time, she couldn’t possibly have kept at it for a millennium. A strong sense of ‘duty’ was required to be continuously committed to something like this, whereas sheer boredom would normally not have kept up.

Guriko lowered her head a little.

“However, I’ve come to dislike those interesting – or rather, tumultuous – days. I began to be afraid that our ordinary lives may be disrupted.”

''I’ve become weaker'' – she said through gritted teath. Rinne didn’t think so. Compared to the person who Guriko was when they first met – that girl who had nothing, sought nothing, and only lived like a machine and a monster – a willpower ten times more powerful now sparkled in Guriko’s eyes.

As if speaking to herself, Guriko spoke while she gazed at the sparkling silver spoon.

“Rinne, did I change back into a human?”

She became weak and began to fear losing those things important to her.

However, she now has a heart, and can seriously consider others.

Did she become such a human –

“The world is too full of melancholic things.”

Suddenly, she felt like a blunt knife brushed past her back – it was the voice of a man.

Turning her head, she realized the odd detective was standing next to Rinne’s and her table. He still didn’t look like a human upon close inspection. He had short stubbles around his mouth and he was looking at a vague spot that was neither Rinne or Guriko. Tilting his head, he continued: “And that’s especially true for this town. It’s too full of it.”

“What do you want?”

Guriko asked brusquely. “Gigigi,” the detective laughed emotionlessly, his shoulders shaking. “Sorry. I’m not some suspect. It’s just how I am.”

The detective then took out his police ID to show them. Despite his gloomy looks which wouldn’t be out of place even if he turned out to be secretly re-developing Frankenstein, it seemed he really was a detective.

However, the photo printed in the ID was completely different from his person. In other words, it was the picture of an incredibly handsome man. So does that means his looks would definitely improve if he fixed his hair – or did that mean it was actually someone else’s photo?

The ends of this incredible detective’s lips turned upward: “I’m a detective – the name is [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes#Nageki Kurukiyo|Nageki Kurukiyo]], specializing in homicides.”

“Nageki Kurukiyo.” Guriko furrowed her brows: “What a savage name.”

He probably wouldn’t want someone called “Eguriko” to say this about his name.

Guriko showed no fear to his odd appearances and asked with a threatening tone: “So, what does Mr. Nageki Kurukiyo want with us?”

“Oh dear, how straightforward.”

“Gigigi,” Nageki laughed loudly with his unnatural laugh. While they talked, the shop owner arrived with coffee and hot cocoa. She looked worriedly at Nageki, but he was unmoved with her gaze, and even explained the situation to her a little.

Then he sat down next to Rinne without asking her permission. It was a square table made for 4 people. Startled, Rinne unconsciously shrank away from him. Meanwhile, Guriko glared at Nageki with a look full of hostility: “I said, what do you want with us?”

“Oh my, gigigi, please don’t give me such a scary look. Such a waste of your pretty face. Oh, your expression is getting more and more scary!”

After those completely meaningless words, his expression suddenly became serious: “Anyways, do you know about the killer called Long-Armed Demon?”

“We don’t. Hurry up and disappear.”

As if pleased, Nageki looked at Guriko, whose tone was getting rather sour. “Lying is bad. Gigi, do you find me annoying? I’m honored. It’s not like I set out to be the good cop loved by all. After all, there shouldn’t be a single person in Kannonsakazaki who doesn’t know about the Long-Armed Demon.”

'Then don’t bother to ask about it!' Rinne thought as she kept her head low and sipped at her coffee. In contrast to Nageki’s dirty looks, this man didn’t smell too bad and even had some rather pleasant cologne on. It wasn’t uncomfortable sitting next to him. Was his appearance only a fashion trend? Was he actually a keen follower of pioneering fashion tastes?

“I think we’ll never catch the Long-Armed Demon this way.”

With an incredulous tone, Nageki went on: “Everyone was being so obstinate. Honesty, they’d rather believe senseless guesses such as the criminal being a few giants or having super-powerful weapons, but are willing to ignore the witness’s words about how a little girl was a killer. They discounted that evidence as ‘impossible’. How’s that so? That’s the incomprehensible part. There are so many cops here, but none of them paid that evidence any attention. What a bother!”

“Stop ranting to us. You’re getting more annoying. Get out.” A murderous light was being emitted from Guriko’s eyes.

“Don’t say that.”

Nageki was unmoved. He must be a pretty tough man to stand his ground when Guriko was staring at him seriously; Rinne was certain of that. This detective was much more than just weird.

“Well, ladies, please humor this lonely man’s desire to chat. Most witnesses for this case verified that a girl of grade school age appeared at many crime scenes. If she walked away alive from all of them, then she’s probably the criminal, right? The question is – can a grade school student shatter a human body to that degree?”

Practically speaking, it was impossible. Though the victims were often thin high school girls, how could a grade-schooler push them against walls or the ground and kill them thus? There were also victims whose limbs were pulled off their bodies. Even adults would find that hard to accomplish without using tools.

But Rinne knew the truth.

Humans were not the only beings living in this world.

“But I knew it.”

As if he read Rinne’s mind, Nageki said softly: “I saw an enormous monster a month ago. I also saw a human who looked like a girl fighting that monster.”

Guriko’s eyebrows twitched once. She tried her best to keep a nonchalant appearance, trying to hide that expression. She didn’t know if that pretense will work against Nageki, who was certainly a man to be feared. A monster, an enormous monster – that was Guriko’s opponent in the incident a month ago. The girl Nageki saw was definitely Guriko.

She didn’t know whether Nageki discovered this.

“Therefore I was certain the world is too full of melancholic things. There were so many incomprehensible things, enough to make people feel melancholic. I’ve been very melancholic since that day. Once I realized the existence of a world that humans cannot comprehend, I felt the job of a policeman too foolish to be continued. After all, beings that ignore morality, law, and common sense exist with us.”

The melancholic officer smiled ominously. His expression was too profound, and Rinne couldn’t read it. Guriko also remained silent. The low sounds of a jazz rhythm permeated throughout the cafe.

Calmly, Nageki declared: “The information I had personally gathered shows there is a desolate graveyard close to this cafe and next to the shrine. Many rumors indicated a girl looking like the Long-Armed Demon had been seen there. I’m going to go there next. Police usually don’t actively investigate about rumors. However, as long as it is investigated thoroughly, there are bound to be some traces. I may even find the Long-Armed Demon herself.”

Then he plonked a voice recorder on the table and smoothly pressed the ‘stop’ button. Facing the bewildered duo before him, he continued without a pause: “I have recorded everything I’ve just said. I hope you can deliver this to the Kannonsakazaki police station – although it may be problematic for you. If I am killed, it shows I was correct. With this, the other policemen should be able to find out the truth of the matter at once.”

“What are you talking about?”

Guriko was very puzzled, and Rinne’s face turned ashen grey. So that was why Nageki started to chat with them. He wanted to catch the Long-Armed Demon. He wanted everyone to know that the Long-Armed Demon was the girl witnesses spoke of and he wanted, more than everything else, to quickly end this cruel homicide case.

“But I don’t plan to die.”

Nageki stood up gently and walked toward the cashier to pay. Then he wobbled, mindlessly and ominously, and muttered: “Honestly, this world – is too full of melancholic things.”

Guriko soon made up her mind. She gave the bill to Rinne and told her not to follow, then quickly chased after Nageki. Nageki was weird, but he was only a mortal. If that Long-Armed Demon was not a human but a monster, then he may really be killed.

She wasn’t sympathetic to Nageki; he wasn’t even her friend. However, if Nageki’s analysis was correct and the Long-Armed Demon was in the graveyard, then Guriko must face her in battle. As a fellow monster, she was the only one who can defeat her.

Humans cannot win against monsters.

''So I must kill her.''

She walked along the road that was dirtied with mud, dust, and tire marks. She ran into the shrine that never had any visitors. She passed through the gate, went up the stone steps, walked around the donation box. The graveyard lay before her. The dry sand sprayed itself up into the cold wintry air. Guriko arrived deep within the shrine complex, and jumped lightly over the rusty railing. Uneven rows of moss-covered headstones greeted her as she landed.

Insects were flying aimlessly in the air.

“Dong,” the bell in the shrine sounded.

“What are you doing?”

Guriko asked in a low voice. She looked at Nageki, who was crawling between the headstones with his face close to the ground, crawling as if he was an ant that landed on top of an ice cream. His cheap shirt was already dirtied with mud.

She followed him rather quickly and even took shortcuts in the shrine, but he still got here before her. Nageki probably got here on a bicycle or a motorbike. He just has to be problematic at the oddest times. This man would be a hindrance during her fight with the Long-Armed Demon, so she had hoped to get here before him.

Nageki didn’t even look at Guriko, and only stared carefully at the ground: “You’re here. I knew you’d come.”

Nageki’s voice was like a dispassionate whisper. Hearing this, Guriko furrowed her brows.

Damn this guy.

“You were the one who fought the monster in the incident a month ago, right?”

“What then?”

Guriko didn’t hide it and answered it straightaway. Nageki laughed his strange laugh, and slowly crawled along the ground. Guriko approached him slowly, but was immediately warned away by him when she stood next to him.

“Please don’t stand there. You’ll make the tracks disappear.”

“Tracks?”

“Yes, the Long-Armed Demon’s tracks.”

Nageki was silent for a long time, then he slowly stood up. Though he crouched while standing, he was still much taller than Guriko. By the way, Guriko was one of the shorter kids in her class. She can certainly use the Apple’s power to grow taller, but it would be such a foolish waste. Yes, an Apple has the power to twist cause and effect and create miracles. Once she uses the power of the Apples to their greatest potential, Guriko can obtain unimaginable strength in battle.

The Long-Armed Demon’s battle prowess, which murdered humans as if they were toys, can also be something similar. Though Guriko didn’t think so – but could she be another Apple holder? That’s certainly possible. But in all honesty, her way of killing was far too cruel. If she was another Apple holder, then she must be more of a monster than Guriko.

“What did you mean, tracks?”

“Hmm, we can call it – evidence to ascertain the Long-Armed Demon’s current location. In real cases, we can sometimes find fingerprints or hair. But this time I found something simpler!”

He didn’t keep talking, but walked firmly away in one direction. Guriko hurried to follow: “What did you find?”

“Foot prints.” Nageki, whose gait made him look like he had no spine, explained in an even voice: “I found some cute sandal foot prints that looked like they belong to a grade school girl. Witnesses also said the Long-Armed Ghost was wearing sandals. It’s winter right now, so there’s a high chance we’ve hit jackpot. Thankfully, the ground was wet and it was easy to find the foot prints. Speaking of, it was just raining yesterday.”

“…”

Guriko looked silently at Nageki. He kept his neck bent as if he had some anatomical problems, and he seemed gloomy all over. She still couldn’t discern his real motive. However, the reasons for his actions were enough to be considered justice. He didn’t seem to be a useless detective, after all.

However, the Long-Armed Demon had left foot prints, and was seen by many people. It seriously didn’t look like she was avoiding the police. Was it because she was confident of her powers against the police? Or was it simply because she was careless?

Guriko shook her head. That wasn’t important. Right now, a girl – or rather, a monster – who was the culprit of 10 killings was waiting for her. If Guriko let her guard down, she could be the next victim.

It has been a long time since Guriko felt this way.

She had temporarily forgotten the tension before the kill and the dry, barren feeling of battle.

She kept walking forward, keeping her guard up. The two of them soon arrived at their destination.

It was a simple place before a simple headstone. The moss-covered headstone couldn’t be missed. It was a beautifully polished limestone work standing in this graveyard. There was nothing unique about the gravestone, except the words ‘the Aizawa Family’ and a family crest consisting of a plum blossom.

Some wild flowers were placed before the headstone, mingled with dirt. They were flowers that bloomed even in winter, plants that could easily be regarded as weeds. Also, there were somehow cans of beer and red-bean buns, a blanket and –

A little girl with no arms.

“Found you.” Nageki muttered: “Honestly – ”

The girl was sleeping soundly, breathing cutely like a little baby. Her expression was soft and calm, as if she was dreaming sweet dreams. However, the more ordinary she looked, the more incongruous she felt. She was sleeping right before the headstone of a dead man.

“Is she – ”

Was this thin girl –

“ – the Long-Armed Demon?”

The Long-Armed Demon, the murderer who had killed 10 people and spread fear throughout Kannonsakazaki – appeared to be only a little girl without arms.

Of course, she did not look as strong as a terrifying monster.

However –

“Hey, you…”

While Guriko was thinking, Nageki stretched his hands towards the Long-Armed Demon. He probably let down his guard because the opponent looked too harmless. That won’t do; they must tie her up while she’s sleeping. Wait, no, a police officer can’t just do something like that.

Damn, Nageki never planned to kill her. Too naive; he was too naive.

If you do not kill a monster, then you will be killed.

“Bam.”

In the next moment, Long-Armed Demon savagely opened her eyes.

“Who is it? Long-Armed Demon is sleepy!”

Then – up high, up high.

Nageki Kurukiyo was propelled into the air by an invisible force, and literally flew off. It was so powerful that Guriko thought something had exploded. Nageki didn’t even have the chance to scream before he smashed into a few headstones and smacked into the ground.

Guriko switched her brain to battle mode, and glared at Long-Armed Demon who was sleepily rubbing away at her eyes. What just happened? She couldn’t see the source of the attack. It was different from something that was too fast to be seen; instead, Nageki was simply beaten by something invisible.

Long-Armed Demon didn’t even look at Nageki’s direction and just gave a big yawn: “Mmm, mmmmm… Long-Armed Demon works so hard during the night, and gets so tired! At least let me sleep while the day lasts. Honestly – hurry up and say bye-bye!”

The invisible attack moved towards Guriko this time. She originally planned to dodge the attack from the movement of the wind even if she couldn’t see it, but she didn’t detect any shift in the air at all. What was this?

“Urgh!”

Having observed how Nageki was beaten, Guriko judged the opponent would aim at her face and crossed her arms to block Long-Armed Demon’s attack. It was heavy, as if someone just hurled a boulder at her. Right, if such an attack was repeated over and over, the human body would easily be damaged.

No mistake. This was the Long-Armed Demon who killed 10 people!

Listening to the grating of her own bones, Guriko withstood this impact. She leapt up and stood on top of a headstone, then she drew out her spoons from the pocket of her uniform and threw them at Long-Armed Demon with lightning speed.

“Woah?!”

Perhaps instinctively detecting the danger. Long-Armed Demon straightened her sleepy face and jumped up with her legs. She twirled as she leapt backwards, and landed on top of a headstone just like Guriko did. Cold sweat was appearing on her face, and she looked stunned.

Then – the two monsters, Gankyuu Eguriko and Long-Armed Demon, finally stood face to face.

“Huh? Wait, wait a minute.”

With doubt in her voice, Long-Armed Demon asked for a pause. She then put on a solemn expression as if deep in thought: “Eh, eh eh, no way. Um, that’s not how she looks. You’re not who Long-Armed Demon is looking for. Did Long-Armed Demon get it wrong? Did I remember it wrong… I feel like I keep saying this over and over.”

Having completed this senseless soliloquy, Long-Armed Demon asked: “What’s your name?”

“Gankyuu Eguriko.”

Though she considered giving the name ‘Itsuwara Eguriko”, she decided against it. It’s not like that name was any better. Guriko looked at Nageki as she thought of this. Though he suffered a strong impact, it wasn’t fatal. He’ll get by even if she left him alone, but he really did something stupid this time! He woke up the sleeping demon!

“Are you the Long-Armed Demon?” Guriko asked while holding a new spoon.

Long-Armed Demon grinned before replying. “Yep, I am Long-Armed Demon, with long long arms… huh? Gankyuu-san, why are you so strong? Long-Armed Demon is a bit surprised!”

“I don’t need to explain that to you.”

Guriko couldn’t be bothered. Although Long-Armed Demon was smiling, murderous intent was emanating out of her entire body. If she were to disregard that feeling and keep on talking, Guriko would probably be struck down. Long-Armed Demon was undoubtedly an opponent that required all her strength. Guriko tensed, and asked only one question.

“You said you’re looking for someone. Why?”

“Oh, you wanna know?”

Naively, Long-Armed Demon easily told it to Guriko. “Long-Armed Demon must, um… must kill someone called Uzagawa Rine!”

“Who’s that?”

“I can’t find her!”

Long-Armed Demon said disappointedly, then suddenly asked with an intent look in her eyes. “Oh! Hey, Gankyuu-san, could it be you also have an Apple?”

She didn’t mean ordinary apples, but the Apples of Eden that could give a human immortality and power to achieve miracles. Since she knew about the Apple – did that mean she was also an Apple holder? If that was the case, Guriko hoped to avoid mutual slaughter as much as possible. After all, they were sisters who fell into the same hell. Moreover, they couldn’t even die, so there’s nothing to be gained from fighting each other.

There was, however, only one possible solution: to ‘take the other’s Apple’.

The moment the Apple holder gave up on her right to the Apple, she would lose it. Therefore, in order to defeat an Apple holder, one must torture and threaten and use all methods imaginable to take another’s Apple. Someone had slyly used this trick a month ago, and Guriko and Rinne had suffered enough because of it.

Guriko nodded guardedly, and continued to interrogate her: “Yes, I’m an Apple holder, are you also – ?”

“Wow, lucky!” Long-Armed Demon interrupted Guriko, and jumped up and down on top of the headstone: “Then, then please give your Apple to Long-Armed Demon! Zeki-kun wants that Rine person’s Apple, but you can’t tell one Apple apart from another. Even if I give him the Apple I get from you, Zeki-kun would never be able to tell!”

“That’s enough.”

This extremely naive speech rattled Guriko before she got the chance to feel afraid. However, Long-Armed Demon didn’t care. She jumped with a smile, and yelled passionately: “Give it to me! Long-Armed Demon wants it!”

The headstone shattered. Guriko leapt up in the blink of an eye and dodged the invisible arm. The hard rock behind her was smashed into smithereens. Just how powerful was she? If this thing – if it landed squarely on someone’s body, it would be enough to send flesh flying.

Guriko jumped amongst the scattered headstones. Every time she jumped, the headstones around her were smashed with those invisible arms.

“Hey, stop dodging!” Long-Armed Demon puffed out her cheeks, and controlled her invisible arms without moving her body.

“But – you can’t escape from me! What if I do this?”

As she spoke, a few headstones were simultaneously uprooted, and were thrown at Guriko like a judgement from heaven.

It was an overpowering weight that Guriko wouldn’t dream of handling with her spoons, but she kept her composure.

“Enough gloating.”

“Slam!”

She moved with agility.

It was a conglomerate of dust, mud, and dark headstones.

Guriko put strength into her legs and jumped upward. She reached one headstone, then leapt swiftly onto the second one, then the third, using the headstones as stairs, leaping up faster and faster and towards Long-Armed Demon. The beauty of her movements was as enthralling as a dance.

“Wow. You’re so impressive! This is so fun!”

Long-Armed Demon was neither stunned nor afraid. She was actually happy.

“Gankyuu-san is so strong! Long-Armed Demon is excited!”

“You can die excited.”

Guriko throw out her spoon with those cold words. The silver light swiftly sliced through the sky in a straight line.

However, the spoon was deflected by an invisible hand before reaching Long-Armed Demon, and landed with a small clank. Though it handled Mushi, it was far too weak for a monster. Guriko had such thoughts a month ago already.

But it was different.

The merciless personality that could only be restrained with a weapon as fragile as a spoon was released one month ago. Guriko had immediately turned into a terrifying monster. She became a monster who drew pleasures from killing, a monster who belonged to humanity in neither body nor soul.

That event made Guriko’s millennium-old Apple disappear into nothingness. She shouldn’t be able to change into such a monster anymore. However, even though the Apple disappeared, her strength – which should have decreased as well – remained unaltered within Guriko’s body –

She didn’t know what changes occurred in her body.

She didn’t know the truth behind the red monster that she metamorphosed into.

''I think, that was – God – but why did I change into God’s image then?

''I don’t know, because no one can answer this question anywhere.

''Anyways, now I fight to protect the ordinary lives of Sakaki and Rinne, who had freed my heart.''

The girl who died a thousand years ago thus lived on.

“Urgh!”

The invisible arm suddenly attacked from behind her on the left. Guriko didn’t manage to keep her footing. A solid punch landed on her, and she fell down with a spin. She quickly stood up, licked the blood on her cracked lips, and furrowed her brows in thought.

The closer she was to Long-Armed Demon, the worse it became. The invisible attacks were like bullets; it was too late to dodge once they had already been fired. She could only predict them from the opponent’s movements and line of sight before the attack initiates. However, that was very difficult to do in close quarters. The opponent seemed naive, but was actually rather difficult to fight.

Even if she wanted to use ranged attacks, her spoons would just be easily brushed away. If she could at least throw some headstones like what Long-Armed Demon had been doing –

She suddenly realized something.

This should be worth trying.

“Hey hey! I’m gonna kill you if you keep spacing out!”

With a happy expression on her face, Long-Armed Demon stretched her invisible fists toward Guriko. Guriko leapt backwards to dodge it and grabbed a small headstone. Though she was still cautious about using weapons apart from spoons, this was not the time to have such doubts. Guriko stood with her legs apart as she endured the slimy touch of the moss and lichen.

Despite appearances, she was very confident about her upper body strength.

However – aaaah, the headstone didn’t even move an inch. Long-Armed Demon could easily move the headstone, why? As she thought of this, Long-Armed Demon’s attack flew toward her, and Guriko had to move away.

''Am I really physically weaker than Long-Armed Demon?'' But a headstone could be shattered with enough force. Somehow, Guriko was simply unable to uproot it from the ground and throw it.

And there was one more incredulous thing.

Long-Armed Demon was evidently controlling more than 2 arms. She needed at least 2 arms to pull out a headstone, but she was throwing 4 or 5 headstones at once. That meant – there were more than 2 invisible arms attached to Long-Armed Demon. She should probably have at least 10 arms.

Guriko stared at Long-Armed Demon. Missing her arms – if others were fooled by her appearance and thought she only had 2 invisible arms, then defeat would become certain,

Her ability seemed to be more complex than just controlling invisible long arms.

“Let’s test this.”

Guriko muttered as she stood in the middle of the ruined graveyard like a guardian, as if she was provoking Long-Armed Demon. If the shrine’s high priest saw the graveyard in such a messy state, he’d probably hang himself. Guriko then put up a fearless expression, and waved at Long-Armed Demon.

“What’s wrong, weren’t you very proud of those arms? If this is the best you could do, then they’re just invisible. That’s not very impressive!”

Long-Armed Demon’s left eyebrow twitched.

“You are looking down – looking down on me? You are looking down on Long, Long, Long-Armed Demon’s – long arms?”

Long-Armed Demon was shaking. She was easily angered.

“Huh, Gankyuu-san, I won’t be soft on you anymore! Game over! Die!”

A torrential murderous intent rushed towards Guriko together with a scream. That was an aura completely incomparable with what was there beforehand. Guriko turned her torso in the blink of an eye, but she deliberately did not dodge too far away. She moved in small steps, and the rim of her uniform’s skirt blew upwards due to the wind.

Instantly.

“Snap!”

Guriko felt an impact over her entire body the moment Long-Armed Demon gave that command.

“Argh!”

She moaned and frowned as she felt an ominous discomfort around her left foot. She tried to grasp the invisible arm that was holding her. The hand – even if there was no hand and only an arm – should be physically present.

However, Guriko’s fingers passed through the area where the arm was supposed to be. There was only empty air.

“Ahahaha,” Long-Armed Demon laughed shrilly: “You can’t touch Long-Armed Demon’s arms! Long-Armed Demon’s arms are s-p-e-c-i-a-l~~! Gankyuu-san can’t touch it, nor can Zeki-kun, or even Long-Armed Demon herself! They can only touch others! They are such invincible and pretty arms! So now you won’t look down on it, right? You can honestly praise it now!”

Astonished, Guriko dodged behind a large headstone and checked the discomfort of her foot. It turned out the left foot was already fractured. Guriko had long lost the sensation of pain with her immortal body, and that would only be a disadvantage in battle. Pain was a signal to injury. If that signal wasn’t felt, then she wouldn’t know her limits.

If left alone, the power of the Apple should heal her bones. But it was unlikely to reach full recovery during this fight.

Guriko sighed and took off both her shoes and socks, making it easier for her to move about.

In fact, when she still casually called herself ‘Gankyuu Eguriko’, she always went barefoot. That made her steps solid on the ground and agile at the same time, and was best for such fights.

There were some bad swellings around the ends of her left tibia and fibula, which were broken by the Long-Armed Demon. Guriko used her stockings to tightly wrap around the fractured areas, and made some appropriate first-aid measures. But the best she could do was just to hold the broken bones in place.

“You can’t hide!”

The headstone she was leaning against was instantly smashed. Gusts of dirt flew up into the air, and she couldn’t see anything. Guriko shut her eyes to prevent the dirt from going into her eyes, and threw out a few spoons to keep Long-Armed Demon busy as she tried to think.

Though she didn’t understand the basis and logic behind her opponent’s power, she could roughly grasp its effects. But it was a foolish thing to ponder about the basis of a monster’s abilities anyways. She didn’t need academic evidence and she didn’t need scientific theories; all she needed to know was what effect the power would cause.

Strictly speaking, Long-Armed Demon’s ability was not ‘invisible arms’.

If she had to describe it, it would be something like telekinesis – a supernatural power. She was able to create a force field with her thoughts and move objects. Apart from direct attacks such as smashing headstones and beating humans, she should also be able to accomplish ordinary movements – such as putting coins into a vending machine and opening cans – with ease. Seemed like she could do the same movements as a normal human’s two hands.

Guriko thought about her enemy’s tactics as she tried to dodge attacks while hopping on one foot.

The first plan she had was to escape to a distance where Long-Armed Demon couldn’t reach. However, it’d be cruel to simply leave Nageki behind and escape by herself, and it wouldn’t solve the problem. Then, she could only hope to divert the Long-Armed Demon’s attention. She seemed a simple girl; Guriko just needed to make her unable to concentrate on using her arms.

But how?

Ironically, the situation took a worse turn for Guriko as she was thinking these things.

“ – ”

She heard a very small sound.

She couldn’t hear what was said. The sound was very very small.

This sound…

Guriko instinctively looked to its source, and shivered when she saw Usagawa Rinne standing there. She saw her gentle face, thin body, and the lovely ribbon decorating her hair.

“Rinne… why?”

''How did this happen? This is so weird. I told her not to follow me. Rinne isn’t a stupid girl; she should know she would only be problematic for me here. But why?

''Did she become careless because she knew she couldn’t die? – No, no way.

''Rinne, why?''
“Eh?” Long-Armed Demon finally noticed Rinne. Turning her head, she stayed silent for a while, as if planning something. She soon decided carelessly: “I see. Hmm! She’s a bother, so let me kill her.”

Her voice sounded unnatural, but there wasn’t time to think –

“Rinne, run!”

Guriko yelled, and threw three spoons towards Long-Armed Demon. ''Usagawa Rinne must not be in danger. I will protect her –

''I’ll show you that I can protect her, even if I must exchange my life for hers.''

Therefore – although it was only for a moment – Guriko lost her composure in battle.

And Long-Armed Demon turned her head around during this gap – this worst possible moment.

“Shall we start with Gankyuu-san?”

“Squeak.”

Guriko felt something odd around her neck the moment she heard a repulsive sound. It was a pressing feeling. Then she flew off into the sky within an unbelievable force – no, she was lifted up into the air by Long-Armed Demon’s invisible arms.

“Urgh – urgh – !”

Guriko’s neck was being strangled. She hung in the air, unable to move, still clutching her spoons. Damn, Guriko moaned, she was way too careless.

“How is it? Long-Armed Demon’s arms are strong, right? Is it painful? Do you want to die? Or should I say, I want to strangle you until you would rather die.”

She was strangled with a force that was just strong enough not to crush her bones. Her arteries and airway were both pressed by an invisible hand. Guriko screamed senselessly, trying to pull away those intangible arms, and clawed aimlessly at the air.

Guriko sought out Rinne’s figure through her murky sight, barely keeping control over her diminishing consciousness. There. Rinne was standing motionlessly near the fountain at the entrance to the graveyard. She wasn’t running away, nor did she seem scared. Only her shoulders were shaking slightly – shaking with laughter.

''Why?

''Why, Rinne?''

As Guriko thought this – her conscious became dim.

Her conscious disappeared.

“Huh? That’s boring.” Long-Armed Demon lowered her head with boredom and looked at Guriko, whose limbs were hanging powerlessly downwards: “Now you know Long-Armed Demon is very very powerful, right? Because Long-Armed Demon won’t ever lose to anyone apart from Zeki-kun. Hmm, but that was fun, Gankyuu-san. I’ll take my time to torture you until you give up your Apple!”

Guriko didn’t answer.

At the end, even her fingertips fell limp.

Twirling, the spoons fell from the air.

Long-Armed Demon looked satisfactorily at her.

“Ahaha. Honestly, why would you use something like a spoon – ”

“Why do you think?” It was a short and low sound.

That sound came from Guriko, who should have fainted.

“What?”

Long-Armed Demon’s expression changed, but it was already too late.

The spoon fell downwards with a spin and reached Guriko’s bare feet, instantly grasped by her toes. Then, using her intact right foot, she swung forcefully to the right –

And she kicked forward with all her strength at that moment. The spoon flew forward – towards Long-Armed Demon’s location.

“Eh – Ahhhhhhhhhhh?!”

The spoon planted itself accurately into Long-Armed Demon’s right eye before she had the time to react. Long-Armed Demon gave out a sharp cry. She stumbled backward, whether from pain or the impact, and fell struggling on the ground.

“Ahhhh! Woahhhh! It hurts, it hurts!”

Her invisible arms disappeared, perhaps due to her loss of concentration. Guriko was released, and she landed lightly on the ground. Then she instantly and mercilessly rushed up to Long-Armed Demon.

It was as she had thought. Long-Armed Demon lacked battle experience and easily fell for Guriko’s faked death. She was too naive.

Guriko walked forward confidently once she ascertained her victory.

“You ask me why I’m using spoons? Of course that’s to make gorging out eyeballs easier. Why do I want to gorge eyeballs? I have – forgotten that reason long ago.”

“Um… Ahhhh! Ahhhh!” Long-Armed Demon finally stood up. She screamed as sanguineous tears flew down her cheek: “Wahhhh, ahhh! Wai, wait – it hurts, it hurts!”

Guriko grasped Long-Armed Demon’s slender shoulder with her right hand, then her left fist punched powerfully at the spoon that was sticking out of Long-Armed Demon’s eye.

“Squish – ”

“AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”

The spoon sank into the eyeball, went through her brains, and came out from the back of her skull and fell on the ground covered with blood. Long-Armed Demon opened her mouth wide, then shut it, and stared incredulously at Guriko.

“ – Uuuuurgh.”

“You can’t die with just one?”

Guriko took out another spoon and sank it into Long-Armed Demon’s remaining left eye. With an experienced hand, she dug out the eyeball, and once again smashed the spoon into the hollow eye socket.

Blood – vitreous liquid – brain matters – and tears all spurted out. Long-Armed Demon lay on the ground motionless.

Holding the freshly-dug eyeball that still dribbled vitreous liquid with her fingertips, Guriko smiled.

It was an unconscious smile, one that was completely immersed in satisfaction.

The smile of a monster.

Tap, a footstep could be heard.

“ – ”

Foot steps? An enemy? Long-Armed Demon’s companion?

Then he must be killed. He must be eliminated. She must kill, or she would be killed.

“ – ”

Like a wild beast, Guriko turned around and prepared to throw a spoon towards the person standing behind her.

“Hehe.”

That laughter, clear as bells, recovered Guriko’s consciousness that had been burnt into ashes with battle fury. Guriko stiffened, and took another look at the person she was prepared to kill.

“Ahh…”

Guriko finally remembered – that Rinne was also here.

Rinne was standing there. She had wished to become ‘the most important person’ for Guriko, and Guriko considered her more important than anyone else.

Did she see – did she see that?

She really didn’t want her monstrous expression to be seen by Rinne. Be it that red appearance a month ago or the way she was gorging out eyeballs now – she just didn’t want Rinne to see that.

“Ah… Ah…” It was the thing she feared the most.

Just not Rinne.

Those things she shouldn’t do and those things that went through her mind.

Pointing at Rinne.

''I pointed my spoons towards Rinne.''

“Hehe.” Rinne was laughing: “Hehe – hm, I saw something nice. No no, I definitely saw something good! If everything else goes smoothly till tonight, then today can be the best day in my career. No – rather, it’d be third best. Order doesn’t matter. Anyways, I saw something good!”

She laughed evilly, a purely evil smile.

Evil?

Then she was not Rinne. Such a person was not Rinne.

“You…”

“What?” Rinne had an expression that seemed she only just discovered Guriko’s presence: “Yo, long time no see.”

She spoke these incomprehensible words. Guriko didn’t know what to do. What did she mean, long time no see? They were just at a cafe moments ago. As Guriko thought this, Rinne laughed happily.

“You’ve changed. That’s why I didn’t recognize you. You’re more beautiful now. Haha, and a mad light is hidden in your eyes. Great. You even seem charming now, excellent. And you’re so cruel it’s simply outstanding – ahaha. You were just a little girl, Yono, so what misfortunes fell upon you to make you like this? Well, though it was I who made these misfortunes happen – but this is an odd feeling, like discovering your bastard child is now a millionaire.”

That name, Yono.

Guriko’s expression changed, and she stared at this existence that had Rinne’s face. She was sure of it. This thing was not Rinne, but some other ominous identity.

“Who are you?”

“Eh? Ahh, you couldn't recognize me because of this appearance?”

As she spoke, Rinne’s body began to change. Her bones, muscles, and all body parts creaked shrilly as they changed and gradually lost their original appearance.

“Urk –”

Guriko couldn’t help but moan as she watched the pitiful scene of her most important person twisting and writhing. Rinne’s body gradually turned into one of a tall male.

The man was extremely tall, maybe even a head taller than Sakaki. However, he was not muscular. His long hair was tied into a complex pattern and hung behind him, and his appearance gave off a priest-like feel of solemnity and holiness. The priest’s eyes, however, shone with a keen light like that of a wild wolf.

“But this isn’t my real appearance either. Please excuse me. The scary Sterilization Disinfection is operating in the dark, so I don’t want to expose my real appearance. Besides, I’ve used this look for the past few hundred years. I’m a bit attached to it.” He walked towards Long-Armed Demon as he chatted: “Hehehe, Ume-chan got defeated. What a waste of the Apple I gave her. Dear little idiot. She forgot how her target looked, so she ended up committing serial murders. But that’s what’s so cute about her, hehe. How about we make your brain exercise as well next time? You’re truly my best toy, my lovely Long-Armed Demon!”

Using a single hand to smoothly carry the motionless Long-Armed Demon on his shoulder, the man with eyes of a wolf turned to Guriko.

Since she owned an Apple, it would mean Long-Armed Demon wasn’t dead. She seemed to have only acquired the Apple recently, so it was understandable for her to still feel pain. As Guriko thought of this, the man began another long soliloquy.

“Right. This girl’s real name is Aizawa Ume. Her entire family was killed by a thief, and she herself had her two arms cut off. As she was about to go mad, her supernatural powers awakened and she killed the thief – I thought it’d be fun, so I used an Apple to solidify her disappearing powers and used her as a mercenary. Seems like I still need to tweak her a little.”

Aizawa. The grave Long-Armed Demon was sleeping in front of had that surname. Then perhaps – no, it would definitely be the grave of her family. She also understood why only this grave was tidied in this moss-covered graveyard.

What she didn’t understand was this man.

Looking at Guriko, who was giving off a battle pose rather than one of caution, he laughed out loud. It was an innocent laughter incongruous to his rough appearances.

“You don’t remember me?”

She didn’t remember. Though she tried to search her memories, she still couldn’t remember.

“I don’t remember at all. Who are you?”

Since she couldn’t remember him, then he should be someone of little importance to her. Guriko didn’t lower her guard, and only asked disinterestedly: “How did you know my real name?”

“You’re asking how?” The man seemed puzzled. Carrying Long-Armed Demon, he spoke to Guriko with a smile: “Well, consider me a mystery person for now. That Sterilization Disinfection is my natural enemy. I plan to keep my head low until that enemy goes away.”

Sterilization Disinfection – what was that?

Turning his head, the man smiled over his shoulder to Guriko, who was frowning.

It was an evil smile, an unsettling evil smile.

“You really don’t remember? My name is [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Zekiguchi Nashinori | Zekiguchi Nashinori]]. Yono, it was I who killed you a thousand years ago.”

What did that mean?

''I almost died a thousand years ago because I fell into a pool at the bottom of a waterfall – no, I did die. I only got resurrected thanks to the Apple.

''But how come I fell into that pool…? It was a road I passed everyday. There was no way that I would miss my footing.''

“You, you…”

A chill sprang up her spine. The man who killed Yono, the girl who was living normally – the man who sent her into this immortal hell –

“But Yono, I think you’re very dangerous. You’re too ugly. You’re obviously a monster, but you’re living as a human. Such a stain will be hated by Sterilization Disinfection.”

The wolf in a priest’s skin stared at Guriko with his heinous eyes.

“So you must decide your future before you meet Sterilization Disinfection. Will you live on as a monster, or as a human? But remember, you will certainly face Sterilization Disinfection if you choose to live as human. That is the Digestive Organ that can even dissolve God. You can’t win in your current state. Moreover, not just you, even those close to you will also be met with misfortune.”

Zekiguchi left after he said what he wanted to say.

Guriko kept standing in one spot, listening to his words without a single rebuttal. That was the choice which always stood before Guriko. Would she live on as a human, or as a monster?

Would she keep on living without Rinne?

Or would she place Rinne in danger?

“Waaaahhhhh!”

With a feeling of emptiness suddenly invading her heart, Guriko put her hands to her head and screamed.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch1|Night 1: A Series of Misfortune]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch3|Night 3: Boudoir]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol2 Ch1

2011-12-04T04:44:22Z

Dell19930:

== '''Night 1: A Series of Misfortune''' ==

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Edict
Body ★ Hello——this is Usarin. Did you think I’d say that? You weirdo, go die! So where are you strolling around now? With your
personality you should’ve already left school to come see Rinne. So we didn’t contact you. Then—we ended up waiting until noon! I
didn’t think you were this half-hearted with your love. You keep proclaiming your love for her. Is that just something you say?
Whatever. Rinne has me, Guriko, to comfort her. You can die somewhere in the street.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: Edict
Body ★ Hey—what makes you think you can just use Her Majesty's cell phone like that. No matter how you look at it, it’s best if you
just died. Your harassment will someday give me a heart attack. Stop using her cell phone. Cell phones record phone numbers. So
caller ID identifies that phone as “Usarin”. This crap you’re pulling will make me think Her Majesty suddenly changed. On another note,
since when did you know how to use a cell phone?</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ So much talk. Look. I wrote my name. Does that satisfy your demands? Go die now. Though it’s a bit too much talk, where
are you right now, Sakaki? Rinne’s friend died so she’s depressed. How can you not be at her side at a time like this? There’s
more. You small, unworthy person. I’ve lived fifty times longer than you. Our level of experience can’t be compared. I can learn
something like cell phone operation in an instant. Don’t underestimate me!</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ Any grade-schooler can learn something like using a cell phone. Ah——my bad, wait a minute. You should know that as soon
as I learned about Her Majesty’s condition I came running over. But even before I arrive, you take what little you know and form conjectures
about me. You idiot.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Re: Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ …You're seriously infuriating. Whatever. Just get over here quickly. If you’re slow, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs.</pre>

“…”

The handsome man with gold hair and blue eyes——Sakaki Guryuu, closed his cell phone with a “Thap”. He sighed deeply. This man, humanity’s pinnacle of intelligence, financial resources, appearance and athletic ability, was Usagawa Rinne’s lover as well as her Japanese History teacher at Kannonsakazaki High School.

A year earlier, Sakaki fell in love with Rinne due to a certain incident, and abandoned the giant company controlling Japan from the shadows——the Sakaki Organization. He had forsaken his position as its heir, as well as all his higher education, and became a high school teacher all in order to stay by Usagawa Rinne’s side. He felt that she was the only worthwhile existence in his life. That was the man named Sakaki Guryuu.

Sakaki, unhappiness dominating his face, surveyed his surroundings while watching all four sides surrounding him. People dressed in black were blatantly displaying illegal firearms.

“You see, one of my dear students has threatened me with eyeball gouging. She can easily carry out her threat, so you guys can get lost! I’d like to reject that eyeball gouging——if I don’t hurry to Her Majesty’s home, I’ll lose these blue eyes I inherited from my mother!”

Rinne was absent from school that day. As soon as Sakaki knew this, he immediately stopped his class and ditched the staff meeting to go see her, but he was ambushed. It was around eight o’clock when he rushed out of class, and math shows that he had been fighting for four hours. He kicked aside some of the black-suit flock, but was immediately surrounded again. Fighting them down one by one didn’t tire him out, but it started to frustrate him.

Rinne, he thought of Usagawa Rinne.

The one who gave Sakaki’s life meaning, the most important person in the world, was currently suffering. Yet these people in black suits obstructed his path, which implied suicidal tendencies——but who exactly were these enemies? If this continues blood would probably start to spill.

“Are you ‘Mushi’?”

No response.

“Mushi”, were the mysterious beings searching for the “Apples”——also called “Apples of Eden”, the forbidden fruit which allowed humans who ate them to become immortal——and they attacked humans to do so. Their true objectives remained a riddle, though someone who called himself Snake described them as beings similar to angels or demons.

When Sakaki fought against Snake the previous month, he happened to eat an Apple, and had since met multiple “Mushi” seeking to kill him. Thus, he assumed that this incident was the same, but——

If they were “Mushi”, they should have unhesitatingly tried to kill him as fast as possible. But these black-suited people surrounding him showed no sign of using their guns. The tell-tale sign of the “Mushi”, eyes that shone with red light, could not be verified due to concealment by sunglasses.

“Even when there are guns pointed at you, that cell phone still takes priority, brother?”

Suddenly, he heard a female voice that tried to hide mediocrity with an air of elegance. That was a familiar voice——Sakaki’s patience ended as he turned to the source.

Behind the still wall of black-suited men, a girl stood.

“People that I, the [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Black Dragon | Black Dragon]], can stand the least are people like you who act as though everything lacked difficulty.”

From her black dress that was completely incongruous of this street in a small, rural town to the ribbon on her head; all of her clothes were black. Aside from her skin, teeth and the whites of her eyes, it was as if her entire body was buried under black. She was one of the backup step-siblings prepared in case something happened to Sakaki.

"Kuroki----Tatsue? Sakaki mumbled her name as he put his cell phone in his pocket and looked at the black-suited men surrounding him. "So, you're Sakaki Organization's men. How pointless. Bothering me is a waste of time. Hey----I've already memorized your faces. Since you've pointed guns at the heir to the Sakaki Organization and committed the crime of preventing him from going to his destination, you'll all be thrown out into the street."

"Brother, you are still ignoring me?" Tatsue nervously raised her eyebrows as she spoke unhappily, holding onto a scarlet teddy bear that added an alien color to her monochrome look.

Should we say she was still too cautious, or is it more accurate to say that she was simply too petty?

Sakaki shifted his sight away from the black-suited men who didn't know what to do as they lowered their guns, and looked toward his step-sister. "You’re just a safeguard, what did you come find me for? Back to the main topic, it's been a long time, Tatsue. How many years has it been? Nine? You've grown so much. Last time I saw you, you were still crying 'I didn't wet the bed! I didn't!' Ah, good times."

"D-d-do not speak of that!" Tatsue's face turned red. She waved her arms at the whispering black-suited men in front of her as she said this while on the verge of tears, "It's because you're so arrogant and ill-hearted that I cannot stand you."

"Oh, and there's that poser speech pattern you like to use. Don't talk like that, you seem even more pathetic. In fact----"

Sakaki silently watched Tatsue. No, more accurately, he watched the scarlet teddy bear she held. It was something that could be bought anywhere, yet impossible to sell. Rather than looking cute, it horrified people with a blood-stained appearance that made it useless for consolation----

"Father." Sakaki mumbled, crossing his arms as he sternly said, "You're communicating with us like that again. How distrusting of your own son."

"Eh?"

The surprised one was Tatsue. She was frightened enough to almost drop the teddy bear, and quickly tried to steady herself. As cold sweat ran down her face, her cute bluffing expression completely disappeared.

"F-f-father?"

It was the current president of the organization with more power than a nation----Sakaki Ganhou. He likely feared assassination, as not even Sakaki had seen his face before. This led to Sakaki thinking: Is my father even alive?

"......"

The scarlet teddy bear casually made a sound.

"Hey, Gu-kun, it's dad."

A clear, disarming synthetic voice came from the stuffed animal with a unique echo. Then again, with this type of voice, the speaker generally wants to avoid allowing his actual voice to be recognized. Sakaki nodded, and said casually, "What do you mean 'It's dad', you idiot father. What do you want? I need to visit Her Majesty. If it's just some pointless little thing, then just leave!"

"B-b-brother! How could you speak like that to father!"

Sakaki paid no attention to Tatsue's noisy shouting. No matter whose voice came out it, that thing was just a stuffed animal that deserved no respect. Besides, Sakaki never respected his father who forcefully molded him into an ideal heir. With study and training that was practically infused with his blood, this person destroyed Sakaki's childhood.

Without moving, the teddy bear laughed in a poorly synthesized voice.

"Hahaha! You're still so frightening. Your dad's heartbroken! Mmm----actually, there isn't really anything too serious. I just wanted to see my cute son that I haven't seen in a long time."

"Good bye."

Sakaki ignored Tatsue and the teddy bear and walked toward his destination. Running to Rinne's home from there would take about ten minutes. So much time had been wasted!

"Wait up, wait up, wait up, Gu-kun! Tatsue, chase him!"

The teddy bear said so nonchalantly, and Tatsue desperately followed its orders with a pale face. Too bad, it seems like this time she would only be used as a convenient transporter.

As Sakaki thought this, the teddy bear issued a cruel order.

"Ah, what a pain. He's trying to escape. Alright, you goons, shoot him in the thigh! Then he'll stop, right? Don't worry, even if Gu-kun gets injured he'll quickly recover, so there's no need to hold back."

Those words...

Sakaki suddenly turned around, and looked angrily at the teddy bear held by the pale-faced Tatsue.

"Father, where did you find out about that?"

His injuries would recover. In other words, he knew that Sakaki ate an Apple and became immortal, with the superhuman ability to resurrect.

Speaking of that, a monster had wrecked the town a month earlier, and after that Sakaki had asked his father to pretend that nothing happened. The incident was reported to be a result of an earthquake, and eyewitnesses were forced to keep silent. Needless to say, the hidden truth should have gone straight to the man behind the cover-up----the father.

However, only Sakaki, Rinne, and of course the "Mushi" and Snake as well as Guriko should have known about the Apples.

"Who do you think I am?" The teddy bear naturally continued, "Of course I know more than you do! I just don't tell you because I don't want you to sink deeper into this business. All in all there's nothing worthwhile there, and the knowledge would just be disgusting. Do you understand?"

He used an unnerving, emotionless voice to talk to the silent Sakaki.

"Last month." The teddy bear's words still sounded natural. "An immensely large monster----a Dream World Beast rampaged, right? Who do you think killed it? Or... How was it killed? Do you really think a few bombs dropped from a plane would be enough?"

That voice mocked Sakaki rather than questioned him.

"Whether with explosives or firebombs, did you think it was possible to soundlessly kill such a large monster? Not only that----to exterminate a monster with extraordinary life force gained from an Apple, that can easily cause so much destruction? Can a weapon that incredible really exist?"

That was a joyful and delighted voice.

"If you just think about last month's events, so many things don't make sense. Gu-kun, you didn't know anything. You misunderstood the whole situation despite having overcome that conflict. The Apple, the clock, the 'Mushi'! You barely understand any of them! ----But you don't need to understand them either since you're my cute, adorable successor."

These words pierced Sakaki's ears and made his eyebrows furl.

After overcoming that and passing through a period of peace, he finally felt secure----but now, it all became undone. What was going on? He felt horribly uneasy. His doubts suddenly layered up, and he began to feel disgusted by the Apple taking root in his soul.

"You, what are you trying to get at?"

"Ah? I'm just worrying like any normal father over his child's life. Basically, I want you to inherit the Sakaki Organization like a good boy while I do my best to keep you away from danger. Watch out for the names Melodia Noise, Poison, Ultimate Shield, Unpleasant Counter-Current, Single Room, God Insect Emperor, and Sterilization Disinfection. It's just as their names imply. If you involve yourself with them you die.”

Mindlessly saying these unclear words, the head of the Sakaki Organization----Sakaki Ganhou laughed gloomily with his synthesized voice. Tatsue felt very afraid and looked at the stuffed animal in alarm.

Mushi, eyeball, and a teddy bear.

Not showing up in the previous month's events, hiding in the darkness, the third person who stayed out of sight while acting----he was here. Sakaki Ganhou: what did he know, what did he want? The horrifying teddy bear merely spoke cheerfully to Sakaki, yet it seemed accusing.

"Mmm, I need to pick something to say. Since I'm pretty busy, I only wanted to say this one thing, but it got dragged out so long. Ah, that's right, I almost forgot."

The teddy bear suddenly moved and clapped its hands. It probably carried this function. "Waah!" Tatsue made a strange sound.

"Usagawa Rinne is your girlfriend right? These few months----I sent people to thoroughly investigate her. Honestly, I don't know why you like her so much."

Its head tilted.

Sakaki's expression turned cold as he glared at the teddy bear.

"Father, since you insulted Her Majesty, you will pay with your life!"

"How frightening. How frightening. See, even Tatsue's scared.”

Actually, Tatsue was afraid of her father.

"Whatever, let's move on. Me, I don't care who you take as your wife. Your mother actually came from a slum in America, and besides, the organization isn't run by wives. But, as it is now, no one would stay quiet. They'd say the Sakaki family's situation is questionable since the head's wife has questionable status."

"Just eliminate those fools, father!"

"No way, that would be too troublesome. Since most of those idiots are famous, I'd have a lot of problems dealing with the aftermath!"

Hearing these negative words, Tatsue secretly sighed at another direction. Sakaki acted as if he didn't notice and glared at the ground, seeming to be in the mood for a fight.

"So what? You----would have me leave Her Magesty? I'll tell you now, if I have to choose between this company and her, I'd pick her without any hesitation."

"How stupid, to even give up your inheritance for a woman..." Tatsue probably didn't understand what was going on, and took Sakaki's rant as truth, "Th-then, Brother's decision to not inherit the company is exactly what I've wanted!"

"Tatsue, stop acting tough. Your knees are shaking." Sakaki quietly looked downward.

"......Oh."

Tatsue's back was stiff with fear, and she gritted her teeth. The Sakaki Organizaion held enormous power, and inheriting its might would take far more ability and willpower than that possessed by a normal person. Tatsue had only recently turned fifteen. She was only in high school, and definitely did not hold such a level of tolerance or calmness. "Okay, in short". The teddy bear----Ganhou ---- nonchalantly gave his conclusion in the frightening monotonic synthetic voice.

"You say you can only love Usagawa Rinne, and the people around me say she's not good enough. Then isn't it easy? Yup. Just make Usagawa mature. Turn her into a woman acceptable as the lady of the Sakaki. For this, I've prepared a lot. And since you two want to marry as soon as she graduates, have her use her time in school to improve in every aspect."

After hearing these words, Sakaki was forced to remember his own hellish upbringing, and frowned.

Forcing Rinne to change like that----that would be exceedingly harsh, and the mere thought of it disgusted Sakaki.

Her close friend just died. She was in an unstable mood; what would happen if she were to suffer even more?

"Father."

Sakaki showed a grave face. He serenely said, "If you subject Her Majesty to that sort of inhuman preparation, I would not hesitate to overthrow you. Do not forget, that moment will be the moment when you and I part ways."

The teddy bear did not respond, possibly having said all that it wanted, and beckoned Tatsue to leave. The men in black followed, saluting Sakaki before disappearing down the road.

Tatsue looked back one last time.

For the first time, she showed a human expression filled with worry. "Brother, be careful."

Sakaki did not respond as he turned toward Rinne's home, walking over the poorly paved road.

"No problem, no problem, Guriko-chan worries too much. It's fine, because I'm really good at cooking and using this knife. Ah... mmmhmm, hahaha."

"Blood! Wait, Rinne, you're slicing your own finger! Blood, blood... Calm down, don't force yourself to try to cook, since Sakaki and I don't need to eat anyway. If you weren't immortal, you'd be in a lot of trouble from cutting off your fingers!"

Guriko was truly at a loss for what to do。

Near Kannonsakazaki Private High School which Rinne and Guriko attended and where Sakaki worked, past the shopping district and a small, bumpy road – stood the apartment building where Rinne lived.

With walls that seemed like they would collapse with a light knock, this shabby building had an extraordinarily cheap rent. She lived in a apartment with – counting the bathroom – 7.5 square meters of space, and next to her lived a self-proclaimed musician, an older girl whose face reflected tough times.

Ever since Katou Katsumi was murdered for unclear reasons, Rinne holed up inside this room without taking a single step outside.

As one would expect, the shadow of a murder grievously damaged her heart. For immortal people, the mind was a place of weakness. When physical harm removes relationships, they would be even more hurt than normal people.

That's right, three days ago, a dreadful murder had occurred for the first time in Kannonsakazaki town. The victim's name was Katou Katsumi. Like Rinne and Guriko, she was a student at Kannonsakazaki Private High School, who had formed an unbreakable bond with Rinne since middle school.

This person. After walking away from Rinne in front of a coffee shop, she was immediately murdered by someone. What's more, the method was quite merciless; she had been violently slammed against a stone wall and ground. Guriko didn't care so much since she was already used to death and corpses. The one who suffered was Rinne. As the last person to have seen Katsumi, she was thoroughly questioned. Over and over again, the fact that Katsumi died was shoved at her.

What kind of feelings did she hold?

Rinne in this state, at first glance, appeared no different from how she was before. She smiled like before, and though her voice trembled a bit it still seemed far from insane. But those were obviously only her attempts at stoicism. Not only were her actions more sluggish, her expression was also fixed at a barely sustainable fake smile. As if insisting there's nothing wrong, she cooked, but only created worthless products of failure that caused problems for Guriko.

People who had eaten an Apple slowly lost their sense of taste. Any sort of feeling from an empty stomach would also disappear. So, Rinne's actions were completely meaningless. But, Guriko thought, this could at least help turn her mood around, and wordlessly accepted the behavior.

And so, Rinne stopped preparing a dish out of her fingers without losing that small smile, but as soon as she began to rest, the doorbell rang.

"Sakaki?"

Guriko mumbled to herself, staying cautious as she walked over to open the door.

"Guriko, is Her Majesty alright?"

As expected, there stood a handsome man with blue eyes and blond hair who seemed more like art. He had grabbed Guriko's shoulders and forcefully shook her, while she sighed with her eyes half closed.

"What do you mean 'Is she alright?', it's not like she'll die. Stop panicking and calm down. And stop shaking me, I feel like throwing up. Really, as soon as anything involves Rinne, you immediately lose all common sense."

Guriko called at Rinne, but when she turned to look, she noticed that Rinne had suddenly collapsed.

"Rinne?" Sakaki's eyes widened, with an expression appropriate for the apocalypse. "Ah, ah----Your Majesty! Her Majesty died!"

"She didn't die, calm down! And, stop shaking me or I'll gouge out your eyes, idiot!"

As Gankyuu Eguriko endured the shaking, she prepared her spoons.

"She's definitely extremely tired."

With a head of her distinguishing wolf-like hair, eyes deep like the barrel of a gun that seemed to tell people off, and with the brutal name "Gankyuu Eguriko", this immortal girl had lived for over a thousand years. Once, due to some random event, she had changed her name to True • Gankyuu Eguriko, but, actually giving the reason that it was too hard to pronounce, she reinstated her original name.

This uncute girl who lived with Rinne for some reason placed the collapsed girl on prepared bedding, and started talking, "If you feel stressed, your body reacts accordingly. You would get a stomach ache, vomit, or get a headache. However, people who have eaten an Apple won't feel those. So, they push themselves to their limit, until they can't take it anymore and collapse. Really, if your friend dies isn't it alright to bawl your eyes out? No one would blame her."

Guriko looked at Sakaki, who just walked in, and silently held the shoulders of the fast-asleep Rinne and gave her to Sakaki. He wasn't sure what to do and just held her, feeling that she powerless form was exceptionally vulnerable.

"Guriko?"

"I don't understand friendship or love."

Guriko showed a pained expression, and she began to clean the blood-splattered simple kitchen. Probably trained by Rinne, Guriko had gained the ability to clean and do laundry. Yet a thousand years' emptiness had, in the end, erased from her any form of emotion or common sense.

As if reciting text, Guriko nonchalantly said, "I don't understand, I forgot. So there's no way I can comfort Rinne, which is frustrating......All I can do is annihilate Rinne's enemies. I definitely can't cure the scars carved in Rinne's heart."

She then turned toward Sakaki with those lonely eyes that, according to Rinne, seemed to be very similar to Sakaki. "So, I'm a bit jealous of you."

Was he really similar to her? Compared to Guriko, who admitted that she could only defeat Rinne's enemies but could not heal her pain, wasn't he only able to comfort Rinne without any way to fend against Rinne's enemies? Sakaki pondered this.

Helpless, Sakaki held Rinne tightly, and Guriko looked at them with concern. Rinne's closed eyes brimmed with tears; was he unable to save her, even in her dreams? Her face looked devoid of blood, and her fingertips were abnormally cold. To warm her up, Sakaki held her even closer.

Sakaki instinctively spat out insults.

"How repulsive, just who was it that killed Katou?!"

"How would I know?"

As she washed the cutting board with dishwashing liquid, Guriko crooked her head and said, "Although, just by looking at the facts, the culprit shouldn't be a normal person. Possibly some super-strong man or an animal. Or it's--"

She turned on the faucet.

"A monster."

Monsters, those things that quietly lived outside the world of people like Sakaki that overstepped the boundary of normality. During the events in the month before, Sakaki encountered quite a few monsters. The most powerful of them was large enough to flatten buildings with a single step.

Katsumi's tragic death truly didn't seem to be caused by humans.

Sakaki's mood deteriorated, but he still said uneasily, "Anyways, it's best to stay cautious; after all, we haven't confirmed the culprit. Hopefully it's some criminal that the police can handle... Guriko?"

He carelessly looked over, and noticed Guriko's grim gaze toward the entrance. Her expression was strange, as if she was shocked, staring at the door with stiff face.

"What is it?"

"Someone's here."

Guriko replied curtly.

Sakaki's eyebrows scrunched together. "Could it be the mailman? Or... the murderer?"

Even though he felt it was unlikely, he couldn't deny the possibility. Guriko firmly gripped her three spoons; whether in the past or now, her weapon of choice had always been spoons.

"I don't know. Don't talk, someone will hear you. Although, I don't think it's a monster."

Possibly listening for activity, Guriko's face turned beastlike, instinctively searching out enemies and avoiding danger. That was the first-rate caution developed over a millennium.

"Humans, two of them."

Guriko was incredulous. Humans; and since there were two, it probably wasn't that self-proclaimed musician woman who lived next door. And it shouldn’t be Rinne’s friends since students had already been instructed to avoid going out without good reason.

And Guriko definitely did not have anything that could be considered even similar to a friend--

As Sakaki thought this, the doorbell rang. After an eye signal from Guriko, he cautiously walked toward the entrance. They planned so that even if Sakaki was knocked down by a surprise attack, Guriko could repel the intruders. That is to say, Sakaki was bait--"living sacrifice" might also be accurate. He tried to put on a calm voice as he asked, "Excuse me, who is this?"

"We're with the Sakaki Group."

"Please leave," Sakaki immediately declared, turning his back to the door as he shrugged his shoulders and sighed to Guriko, "No need to be so careful, they aren't people who matter."

"I see." Guriko naively set down her spoons.

At that moment, the door was suddenly forced open. Saying that, the door wasn't locked to begin with.

The pair standing on the other side of the door solemnly saluted.

"Though it was quite rude, please forgive my rudeness."

"Hino. You're talking weird."

"I'm Itsuwara Hino."

"My name is Itsuwara Kio."

Standing there were--an exceedingly normal man and woman of about forty years of age, wearing a gray suit and a milky white outfit respectively. They were people who don't stand out, people whom one would probably brush past after an hour of walking in the city.

"What do you want?"

Sakaki looked at them with barely-concealed disgust. 'Since they're men of the Sakaki Organization, they must be his father's men. There's no way he can trust them.'

The two people smiled tenderly, to the point of seeming unnatural. "Nice to meet you, Guryuu-san."

"You're in a good mood as always, it seems. Anyway--"

The man calling himself Kio smoothly pointed at Guriko.

"Today we have business with that young lady..."

Guriko was bewildered.

"..."

A wild flurry of colors. In simpler terms, toys with many different colors. For some reason, it seemed like a child's toy with purely primary colors, and it was painfully dazzling. The confusing red, blue, and yellow made one dizzy.

This was the shopping center called Chaos Zen Q -- an underground street where all sorts of specialty shops and peddlers gathered. Probably since it was a holiday, customers were abundant, and Guriko almost got lost multiple times.

She had no interest in shopping, nor did she enjoy it, and she wanted to get as far away from this overcrowded place as possible. Plus, since Rinne had such a low income, she couldn't go shopping often, and had never deliberately taken the bus to come three stations to this shopping center. This place seemed to Guriko like a different, miniature world.

The activity now all seemed like normal, human life, which made Guriko feel like she fit into modern Japanese society. Yet in this "Chaos Zen Q", there were too many things she had never seen. Was it really Japan, just like Kannonsakazaki?

For example, Guriko was standing in "Witch's Torture" for some reason, a specialty toy store with a name sounding like a finishing move, but completely she lacked knowledge on the toys arranged there. She tentatively picked up a nearby teddy bear. "So this is what they call a teddy bear?" And she sighed deeply.

"Ah, Guriko-chan, you like that teddy bear?" "Then everyone in the family can get a teddy bear. Wow, Guriko, you picked a teddy bear that's just as cute as you are. Then I'll pick a teddy bear that looks as serious as I do, and Hino should a torture bear that's like Hino's deformed body!"

"Really, you idiot Kio , that was unnecessary!"

"Hahaha."

"....."

'What's going on now? These people have made enough noise, she really wanted to slaughter them.' The Itsuwara couple, Hino and Kio, smiled gently behind the grimacing Guriko, and one would find the excessive smiling somehow strange. With no reservation, they brightly said to Guriko, "Guriko-chan. You don't have to be so polite, because we'll be your parents. Just tell us if there's anything you want, and talk with us if anything's troubling you."

'’...My worries all stem from you two.''

Facing the stiffened-up Guriko, Kio tried to talk again, "Guriko, girls usually name their teddy bear. Wanna try it out? Since common sense and normal societal ethics develop through things like this."

Common sense and normal societal ethics, huh?

Guriko refused to recognize those things. But, even so...

"A name? Yono."

With a serious face, Guriko looked at a teddy bear that looked like a delinquent acting cool. Hino smiled, saying some meaningless words of praise -- Oh, what an excellent name. Truly worthy of Guriko-chan --

What was going on now? Guriko pondered.

The Itsuwara couple Hino and Kio suddenly appeared, claiming to be sent by the Sakaki Organization. Since they had identification, they probably weren't lying. In this country, if someone tried to con others using the Sakaki Organization's name, he'd suffer more than if he were arrested on the spot. The Sakaki name had that kind of power; conversely, by associating oneself with the Sakaki Organization, one's position in life was as good as guaranteed.

Guriko set the still-unconscious Rinne on the futon and let Hino and Kio sit down.

Even though they claimed to have business with her -- Guriko eyed them suspiciously. She was sure she had never seen them before.

The narrow, 7.5-square-meter room was filled with the scent of food. Since the kitchen was part of the room, it was impossible to eliminate the smell even if air freshener is sprayed every once in a while. Rinne was quite a meticulous and neat person, but it was impossible to deny that the undersized room would easily appear cluttered and messy. Between the wardrobe, T.V., textbooks and the like, and the kotatsu, even walking around was difficult.

"Common sense and normal societal ethics training?" Sakaki was bewildered.

"What did you say?" Guriko didn't understand.

Hino smiled with happiness that almost seemed fake, as if saying "This is really great". With hands folded she continued, "Right, common sense and standard societal ethics training. That's what it's called, it's like someone's trying to act smart by using hard words."

"Yup, though it sounds like a legal term it's actually pretty simple."

Kio forcefully interjected with a cheerful voice. This couple thought quite similarly.

"In simple terms -- no, using the most obvious and clear terms, it's 'Have Guriko-chan understand common sense' or ‘The Sakaki Organization won't be able to help you either if you never live a normal life'. So... That's how it is."

His words made Sakaki's expression change as the teacher disgustedly looked at Guriko.

"Guriko, what the hell did you do?" "No clue."

She really had no idea what they're talking about. After all she had only been living according to her own beliefs.

Plus, with that giant smile, Hino was saying stuff that really shouldn't be said smiling.

"Guriko-chan isn't someone who should be living with Miss Usagawa Rinne."

Hearing this, Guriko's eyebrow twitched a little. She was someone who shouldn't live with Usagawa Rinne?

''I don't need others to tell me some like that, even I know that. From the start we only lived together out of practicality, since I had nowhere else to stay.

But, I don't want some outsider who doesn't understand anything to tell that to me.''

Guriko glared at them. Kio, completely unfazed, looked toward Sakaki.

"Guryuu-san. Ganhou-san believes it is most important to begin fixing Miss Usagawa's surroundings. A person's behavior will be greatly affected by her environment. If the environment is filled with trash, the stench will permeate the person, and if she is surrounded by people using vulgar language, she will inevitably start speaking the same way."

"So we need to clean up her surroundings. By thoroughly fixing the things around Miss Usagawa Rinne's, it will be possible for her to mature in a sound environment." Hino picked up where Kio left off, making it seem as though they planned it in advance.

Sakaki's face stiffened, contemptuously glaring at them. "Basically, Guriko's a hindrance?"

Hino and Kio spoke together. "You are correct, Guryuu-san."

"Why..."

Guriko couldn't ignore this, and banged her fist on the kotatsu with flaming eyes. She made a loud noise, but Guriko still took care not to break it.

The teacups set on the table rattled and fell.

Guriko released the anger she held: "You... How am I a hindrance? Aren't you saying that I'm a bad influence on R-Rinne?"

The words lacked her usual sharpness. Guriko vaguely felt that she had brought Rinne into an abnormal world. Granted, even if she did not appear, Rinne would have eventually noticed her Apple's power. But in the end, it was Guriko who made this happen faster.

But, even so...

''I don't want Rinne to say she doesn't need me or, even worse, think of me as a nuisance.''

Yet Kio naturally said, "Yes, you're quite a hindrance and a poor influence."

Toward this formality that was like defining simple English words, Guriko didn't know whether to feel enraged or hurt. She looked toward Sakaki, whose face showed a rare expression as he remained silent.

"But," Sakaki spoke with weight and earnestness in his deep voice, "Her Majesty was saved thanks to Guriko. You cannot deny that."

"True, we know that."

"But right now, her influence is undesirable in many ways."

Hino shot a glance at Kio, who rapidly set onto the table several documents from a bag. Guriko couldn't resist looking at them, but the convoluted text filled with complicated words made her head spin.

Hino explained with a bitter laugh: "These are the recent records of Guriko-chan causing injuries, breaking things, attempting murder, etc. Mmm, there's really too much. Even though these incidents won't be investigated since Ganhou-san's handling them, if you don't consider the fact that she's a minor, this is truly too terrible."

"Guriko isn't a minor." Guriko nodded in consent with Sakaki's words.

The Itsuwara couple were shocked, looking at each other as if asking "What's going on?"

That's right, Guriko was about a thousand years old. Even though she couldn't remember the exact number, she should probably be the elder of every human on this lump of land. At events like [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Shichi-Go-San | Shichi-Go-San]] people would eat thousand-year candies; the makers probably never imagined that someone would actually be that old. Though this isn't relevant to what Hino was saying, it's still true.

Normally, beating someone up or attempting murder would result in punishment; that is justice. It's something that's obvious with a little bit of thought. Yet from the start, one shouldn't expect Guriko, who had wandered for a thousand years, to have this kind of common sense or belief.

Guriko looked at Hino, who nodded her head as if understanding Guriko's feelings.

"Right, developing common sense and normal societal ethics is the goal, so that Guriko-chan will stop doing that kind of stuff and become a normal person. You've been committing crimes for too long. Ganhou-san has decided that living with a person like that will definitely hamper Miss Usagawa's development."

''To be honest, this makes a lot of sense.''

''And if possible, I don't want to trouble Rinne.''

As if to let her relax, Kio gently smiled. "Obviously, you'll be able to return immediately after the training finishes. When you can fit into society without upsetting the sense of normalcy that an average person develops throughout life, and it is decided that you no longer threaten Miss Usagawa's development, the training will end."

"..."

Guriko thought about it: ''So it's like this. I can understand. But the problem is, I want to stay be Rinne's side. I don't want to leave her --Even though I understand the logic.''

Guriko looked at Rinne who was sleeping, curled in the futon.

''I can't make problems for her.''

"Alright, I accept."

Guriko made her resolution; it shouldn't take too long anyway, and time itself isn't limited. There's no rush, nothing's wrong with accepting their common sense and normal societal ethics training! Guriko thought this way.

Astonished, Sakaki turned toward her. "Is that alright? Guriko, if you really don't want to do it, I can think of something."

"You're too nosy. You have nothing to do with this. In short, I don't want to trouble Rinne."

Hino and Kio's faces lightened into unrestrained smiles.

"Wah, thanks. Guriko, I'm really happy!"

"I, I, I'll strive to become a superb mother!"

"I'll also become a dependable father! Let's go, it'll get busy starting today!"

Guriko noticed something weird, looking without understanding at the two people who got incredibly happy on their own.

"Wh-what? What's the meaning of this? What mother, father?"

"What?"

Kio, who was elated to shivers while embracing Hino, spoke of something absurd with an indignant tone: "Common sense and normal societal ethics training consists of Guriko living with us as our daughter! The plan is to slowly teach common sense and ethics through cohabitation!"

"There is much to teach, Guriko-chan! From today onward you are Itsuwara Eguriko! Waahhhh----"

''Isn't it a bit early to decide that?''

Gankyuu Eguriko--correction, Itsuwara Eguriko sighed.

"That said, who is Itsuwara Eguriko?"

Things have gotten crappy; Guriko thought this as she sat in an Italian restaurant on a restaurant-filled street eating spaghetti. In fact, not only did Guriko have no appetite, she didn't even need food, so what she did was meaningless. But to prevent the Itsuwara couple, who knew nothing, from getting suspicious, it was best for the time being to act like she was hungry and let the food flow into her stomach. Back before she became immortal, she never thought stuffing down alien substances could be so disgusting.

"Wah, Hino, this pizza's on the level of national treasures! Call the chef over!"

"That pizza was definitely frozen! But it's so good!"

"Guriko. It's good, right?" "Guriko-chan, don't you also think it's good?"

They were also strange.

Their affection -- strange.

Swallowing it was a bit disgusting.

"..."

''That's right, to me these should meaningless, unrelated people. They're a couple that I didn't know yesterday. Their names are Itsuwara Hino and Itsuwara Kio, but aside from the fact that their personalities are ridiculous and over-the-top, they aren't anything special, just a man and woman that can be found anywhere.''

Guriko agreed to take the common sense and normal societal ethics training with that overly long name, and after entrusting the unconscious Rinne to Sakaki came along with these people. What followed was nothing but a series of new irritants. Was this normalcy? Guriko could not understand.

--It's alright as long only you are unhappy--

Guriko recalled that time when she was still called Yono. A thousand years ago, when Guriko was genuinely human, without anything like immortality.

Guriko had been taken into a household, and received cold treatment from the family members. She thought this was alright, since they gave her food to eat and at night time they helped prepare bedding for her. When her older brother was in a good mood he would even play with her. But she often felt an indescribable loneliness, and when she noticed she was by herself.

Over and over again her parents would say to her, it's alright as long as you are unhappy. Though Guriko felt hurt, she still accepted it completely, and she felt that this was the normal relationship between parent and child. The parental relationships that Guriko knew, that remained in her memory, were dry and without feeling, like the relationships between a pack of beasts.

But--

Guriko lightly stroked the teddy bear on her leg, that one called Yono. ''Rinne seemed to have said before that she wanted a teddy bear. But I never thought the day would come when I would get one.''

Even though she didn't particularly want one.

For some reason, she didn’t want to throw it away either.

Toy stores, clothing stores, stationary stores; they went to every type of store and bought everything they needed. Guriko bought three shirts, shoes, and things which she had always wanted but never thought to buy: high quality spoons that didn't come from a dollar store.

She never expected a day to come when she didn't need to steal and could obtain her own things legally. This teddy bear was Guriko's, and Guriko's alone.

Thinking like this, her mood suddenly improved.

So--

"Ugh."

While suppressing her urge to vomit, Guriko forked down her spaghetti. Giant bite after giant bite, she ate expressionlessly, and then politely said, "It's not bad."

Just this much was enough for them to heartily laugh.

"Wah! Guriko seems to like it too!"

"This restaurant really is the best! Even though it's a chain restaurant!"

"Call the chef over! Call the chef over!"

''Really, why are they so idiotic, I've had enough. I don't accept them as my family. But... This doesn't really feel bad."''

''Can I find a way to treat them as my parents? No, that's impossible. There's no way today, but maybe one day I'll be tricked by this irredeemable, ridiculous kind of atmosphere. I can't be sure if I will one day form some illusions from this.''

"Yono died a thousand years ago."

She stroked the teddy bear as she spoke softly.

"Ever since then, I've always been Gankyuu Eguriko. I... can I already stop using that freakish name? I don't know... Do I want to? I can't figure it out."

Guriko's reflections didn't produce results, so she just decided to leave her worries for tomorrow; her time won't run out, anyways. Back to the present. It's enough to go along with this situation that can only be described as disastrous.

Kio looked at Guriko, whose head was lowered, and his expression was like he stuck gold. "Wah, Guriko! There's sauce stuck on the corner of your mouth! I'll wipe it off for you!"

"That's my job, Kio! Move!"

"--Let's get wiping together!"

And so Guriko ended up in this doubly-being-wiped situation, becoming aware of the peculiarity in the corner of her mouth as her muscles moved a little. Unable to believe it, she pushed aside the napkin pressed to her and placed her fingers on the corner of her lips.

She understood. And as a result felt somewhat surprised.

"I'm... smiling."

Guriko smiled very faintly. Such a rare occurrence, and in front of people she met for the first time today to boot.

Apparently, she actually was enjoying herself.

"Whoa, Guriko smiled! It's so cute, I'm gonna collapse!"

"Same here! Ah--Guriko LOVE, LOVE! Mmmmmmmm...."

After finishing their weird noises the two pretended to faint, causing nervous murmurs from the other customers.

Even though this wasn't her desire at all, Guriko seemed to feel a little joy.

That night.

"Art."

In an empty park.

"Art--Yeah, what is called misery, when taken to the limit will be called beautiful art."

A ball abandoned by children after they finish playing, sad-looking playground equipment that seemed to absorb the silent desolation. A messy sandpit. Inside this slightly small park, the bench in front of the water fountain.

"Obscene, vulgar, base, filthy--this corpse that normal people hate without reason, shines as art. Hahaha. It's true, the beautiful human corpse is beautifully artistic. Lavish and wonderful, miserable and wonderful, cruel and wonderful. Man, what's going on, why is the heartless me unable to suppress my excitement and shuddering body!"

Sitting there was a female.

"How about a toast to this beauteous night? The full moon and stars are all so beautiful, so how about sweet wine? Let’s use death of the highest quality to make people shiver."

Around her were the flesh pieces of humans.

Under the lamppost that struggled to keep shining, without speaking to anyone in particular, the woman weaved words in a honey-sweet voice. Signs of life were completely gone in this playground in the residential area after sundown and no one noticed this bloody, brutal scene. Flesh and blood surrounded the woman on the bench; only these two things were scattered around. Just what kind of flesh was it? It was impossible to tell by looking at the pieces, but that glossy red flesh was still fresh, steaming in the chilly winter air.

With some light from the moon, stars, and lamppost the flesh looked a bit brown, and the blood lying all around had turned completely black while seeping into the ground. This was a scene that lacked a sense of reality, leaving only a ruthless stillness.

As if appreciating a famous painting, the woman merely sat silently, watching.

“I really want to keep –”

She sighed.

"Looking at this--Ah, I made something awesome! No wait, that's too arrogant. The creators of this work are none other than you who have become corpses. I am only the lucky one who can appreciate the art before it rots."

Truly, how many wonders are hidden within this Earth? She can’t see this entire world no matter how long she lives. Simply, this woman loved this wondrous world.

The only things that could be heard were the horn of a distant car, the wind, and the rustling of the leaves on the park's trees. The only thing that could be seen was the darkness-covered world that seemed a bit mysterious.

There was only the shadow of a building, mixing with the park's gravel ground, and a group of moths attracted by the scent of blood.

“Moths -- ah."

The woman sighed again. Every time she did so, a sound would come from her mouth similar to the sound of a teapot releasing steam.

That would be expected, because a mask was covering her mouth. It was not for blocking colds or allergies; rather, the clear purpose was to block dust or toxic gas. The unusually-shaped hard mask seemed especially out of place on her graceful appearance.

Thanks to a mask, it was hard to see her expression, and her age was uncertain though she seemed to be between 25 and 29. Slim yet dangerous, she reminded one of a sharpened blade. Over her thin, tender body, she wore extremely revealing clothes.

A tank top with angel wings printed on the back hid a girl-like body that belied her outer appearance. It was winter now, but her snow white skin was completely free of goosebumps. The only thing barely covering her waist area was a pair of jeans shorts that stopped at her thighs.

A head of flawlessly pure white hair, untainted by anything; it was the color of fresh snow. The waist-length hair was tied into a ponytail. On her wrists she wore all sorts of bracelets and colourful strips of cloth.

This strange looking woman's eyes turned sinister, and she spoke into the darkness as she crossed her legs as if pondering something. She had a habit of speaking out loud to organize her thoughts, feeling that doing this let her sort out important points.

"Mushi... Ah, Mushi. That group of Mushi acted strange last month, and though it quickly became peaceful again I don't know what happened in the first place."

A breeze brushed past her hair.

"It is believed that the one responsible is an Apple holder living in this town. The four confirmed individuals are Usagawa Rinne, Sakaki Guryuu, Gankyuu Eguriko, and--"

As she spoke, she seemed to think about something.

"The one who tried to steal their Apples by pretending to be and manipulating 'Mushi'. Honestly. I didn't think that clan still existed! This is ominous; Adam, Eve, and the Snake. The humans descended from Adam and Eve reproduced far too quickly to eliminate, but if the last descendant of the Snake causes trouble I can exterminate him."

The woman stared forward with a grave expression.

"I'll start by taking Apples away from their owners. If that works, I can ask about what happened at that time. Really, why do I have to do this kind of annoying thing? I'm just a digestive organ. Seeking out truth is God Insect Emperor's job."

The others were just too lazy; it felt like she was doing all the work.

"This is so annoying. I'm going to tremble."

The woman's body shook, and then she hugged herself as if to protect herself. This was something she did without any particular meaning.

With a "Fshuu--Fshuu--" breathing sound coming from the mask, she muttered to herself, "Basically, it doesn't matter which of those four. I'll start by taking the Apples."

Then she looked at the pieces of flesh scattered in front of her, thinking, thinking, and thought through all the main points.

"-Then, I really will need these pieces of flesh. Even though I don't want to use these pieces of art on anything--"

"Wh-Whooa?"

A scream?

The woman's expression instantly became alert as she turned toward the sound. The rapid movement made her hair swish high. In her line of sight was--

"Eh, umm. These are corpses... Waahhh!"

The woman calmly watched this person. He was a blue uniformed police officer, male, without any distinctive features, and didn't seem to be an excellent cop. Shuddering, he pointed at the hands and guts and other body parts on the ground, and screamed before collapsing on the ground as his mouth opened and closed.

Did the police notice? Of course police officers patrolled residential areas. Chances were Long-Armed Demon acted on her own too much, so the police had been especially alert recently.

"Long-Armed Demon, Apple holders, police----" The woman sighed with a "Fshuuu", and seemed to be exhausted as she shrugged her shoulders. "So troublesome."

Then she got up and turned to the policeman sitting paralyzed on the ground. He seemed to have just noticed her, and let out a stiff shout as he scooted backward.

"Don't... Don't tell me! Are you the L-long Armed Demon?"

"Ugh."

The woman scrunched her eyebrows, slowly walking next to the man. "I'm not one of those changed children. Now, my name is [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Saibara Mina | Saibara Mina]], I really hate this name because--it's not cute."

After that, she took a spray can from somewhere and pointed it at the policeman. It was an extremely common spray can, simple and unlabeled. On the outside it didn't look different from insecticide or deodorant that gets sold.

"Hmm."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

The woman shook it while remaining still, shaking in a way that didn't look special.

"If you want address me, please call me Sterilization Disinfection."

With a face like he'd seen a ghost, the police officer screamed loudly and frantically tried to crawl up and escape.

He kneeled, screaming as he tried to get up, but his legs didn't listen to his commands and he collapsed again. He seemed so scared that he couldn't even control himself anymore.

"Fshuu"--Mina sighed in resignation.

"What an unbearable policeman. No courage at all, he's contaminating my field of view."

The policeman could not understand Mina's words, screaming as he stood up.

"S-Senpai! Save me! Nageki-senpai!" Did he have companions? It would be troublesome if he called over too many people.

Mina quickly made her decision.

"Save me! L-Long Armed Demon, she's the Long Armed Demon!" ''I’ve told you I’m not that person. ''

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Mina shook her spray can, and slowly turned it to the man.

"Let's sterilize and disinfect."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol2_Open|Open: Clock of Endless Nights]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch2|Night 2: Melancholic Officer and a Long-Armed Demon]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol2 Ch1

2011-12-03T02:42:53Z

Dell19930:

== '''Night 1: A Series of Misfortune''' ==

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Edict
Body ★ Hello——this is Usarin. Did you think I’d say that? You weirdo, go die! So where are you strolling around now? With your
personality you should’ve already left school to come see Rinne. So we didn’t contact you. Then—we ended up waiting until noon! I
didn’t think you were this half-hearted with your love. You keep proclaiming your love for her. Is that just something you say?
Whatever. Rinne has me, Guriko, to comfort her. You can die somewhere in the street.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: Edict
Body ★ Hey—what makes you think you can just use Her Majesty's cell phone like that. No matter how you look at it, it’s best if you
just died. Your harassment will someday give me a heart attack. Stop using her cell phone. Cell phones record phone numbers. So
caller ID identifies that phone as “Usarin”. This crap you’re pulling will make me think Her Majesty suddenly changed. On another note,
since when did you know how to use a cell phone?</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ So much talk. Look. I wrote my name. Does that satisfy your demands? Go die now. Though it’s a bit too much talk, where
are you right now, Sakaki? Rinne’s friend died so she’s depressed. How can you not be at her side at a time like this? There’s
more. You small, unworthy person. I’ve lived fifty times longer than you. Our level of experience can’t be compared. I can learn
something like cell phone operation in an instant. Don’t underestimate me!</pre>

<pre>From ★ Sensei
To ★ Usarin-kakka
Subject ★ Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ Any grade-schooler can learn something like using a cell phone. Ah——my bad, wait a minute. You should know that as soon
as I learned about Her Majesty’s condition I came running over. But even before I arrive, you take what little you know and form conjectures
about me. You idiot.</pre>

<pre>From ★ Usarin
To ★ Sensei
Subject ★ Re: Re: From Gankyuu Eguriko
Body ★ …You're seriously infuriating. Whatever. Just get over here quickly. If you’re slow, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs.</pre>

“…”

The handsome man with gold hair and blue eyes——Sakaki Guryuu, closed his cell phone with a “Thap”. He sighed deeply. This man, humanity’s pinnacle of intelligence, financial resources, appearance and athletic ability, was Usagawa Rinne’s lover as well as her Japanese History teacher at Kannonsakazaki High School.

A year earlier, Sakaki fell in love with Rinne due to a certain incident, and abandoned the giant company controlling Japan from the shadows——the Sakaki Organization. He had forsaken his position as its heir, as well as all his higher education, and became a high school teacher all in order to stay by Usagawa Rinne’s side. He felt that she was the only worthwhile existence in his life. That was the man named Sakaki Guryuu.

Sakaki, unhappiness dominating his face, surveyed his surroundings while watching all four sides surrounding him. People dressed in black were blatantly displaying illegal firearms.

“You see, one of my dear students has threatened me with eyeball gouging. She can easily carry out her threat, so you guys can get lost! I’d like to reject that eyeball gouging——if I don’t hurry to Her Majesty’s home, I’ll lose these blue eyes I inherited from my mother!”

Rinne was absent from school that day. As soon as Sakaki knew this, he immediately stopped his class and ditched the staff meeting to go see her, but he was ambushed. It was around eight o’clock when he rushed out of class, and math shows that he had been fighting for four hours. He kicked aside some of the black-suit flock, but was immediately surrounded again. Fighting them down one by one didn’t tire him out, but it started to frustrate him.

Rinne, he thought of Usagawa Rinne.

The one who gave Sakaki’s life meaning, the most important person in the world, was currently suffering. Yet these people in black suits obstructed his path, which implied suicidal tendencies——but who exactly were these enemies? If this continues blood would probably start to spill.

“Are you ‘Mushi’?”

No response.

“Mushi”, were the mysterious beings searching for the “Apples”——also called “Apples of Eden”, the forbidden fruit which allowed humans who ate them to become immortal——and they attacked humans to do so. Their true objectives remained a riddle, though someone who called himself Snake described them as beings similar to angels or demons.

When Sakaki fought against Snake last month, he happened to eat an Apple, and had since met multiple “Mushi” seeking to kill him. Thus, he assumed that this incident was the same, but——

If they were “Mushi”, they should have unhesitatingly tried to kill him as fast as possible. But these black-suited people surrounding him showed no sign of using their guns. The tell-tale sign of the “Mushi”, eyes that shone with red light, could not be verified due to concealment by sunglasses.

“Even when there are guns pointed at you, that cell phone still takes priority, brother?”

Suddenly, he heard a female voice that tried to hide mediocrity with an air of elegance. That was a familiar voice——Sakaki’s patience ended as he turned to the source.

Behind the still wall of black-suited men, a girl stood.

“People that I, the [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Black Dragon | Black Dragon]], can stand the least are people like you who act as though everything was easy.”

From her black dress that was completely incongruous of this street in a small, rural town to the ribbon on her head; all of her clothes were black. Aside from her skin, teeth and the whites of her eyes, it was as if her entire body was buried under black. She was one of the backup step-siblings prepared in case something happened to Sakaki.

"Kuroki----Tatsue? Sakaki mumbled her name as he put his cell phone in his pocket and looked at the black-suited men surrounding him. "So, you're Sakaki Organization's men. How pointless. Bothering me is a waste of time. Hey----I've already memorized your faces. Since you've pointed guns at the heir to the Sakaki Organization and committed the crime of preventing him from going to his destination, you'll all be thrown out into the street."

"Brother, you are still ignoring me?" Tatsue nervously raised her eyebrows as she spoke unhappily, holding onto a scarlet teddy bear that added an alien color to her monochrome look.

Should we say she was still too cautious, or is it more accurate to say that she was simply too petty?

Sakaki shifted his sight away from the black-suited men who didn't know what to do as they lowered their guns, and looked toward his step-sister. "You’re just a safeguard, what did you come find me for? Back to the main topic, it's been a long time, Tatsue. How many years has it been? Nine? You've grown so much. Last time I saw you, you were still crying 'I didn't wet the bed! I didn't!' Ah, good times."

"D-d-do not speak of that!" Tatsue's face turned red. She waved her arms at the whispering black-suited men in front of her as she said this while on the verge of tears, "It's because you're so arrogant and ill-hearted that I cannot stand you."

"Oh, and there's that poser speech pattern you like to use. Don't talk like that, you seem even more pathetic. In fact----"

Sakaki silently watched Tatsue. No, more accurately, he watched the scarlet teddy bear she held. It was something that could be bought anywhere, yet impossible to sell. Rather than looking cute, it horrified people with a blood-stained appearance that made it useless for consolation----

"Father." Sakaki mumbled, crossing his arms as he sternly said, "You're communicating with us like that again. How distrusting of your own son."

"Eh?"

The surprised one was Tatsue. She was frightened enough to almost drop the teddy bear, and quickly tried to steady herself. As cold sweat ran down her face, her cute bluffing expression completely disappeared.

"F-f-father?"

It was the current president of the organization with more power than a nation----Sakaki Ganhou. He likely feared assassination, as not even Sakaki had seen his face before. This led to Sakaki thinking: Is my father even alive?

"......"

The scarlet teddy bear casually made a sound.

"Hey, Gu-kun, it's dad."

A clear, disarming synthetic voice came from the stuffed animal with a unique echo. Then again, with this type of voice, the speaker generally wants to avoid allowing his actual voice to be recognized. Sakaki nodded, and said casually, "What do you mean 'It's dad', you idiot father. What do you want? I need to visit Her Majesty. If it's just some pointless little thing, then just leave!"

"B-b-brother! How could you speak like that to father!"

Sakaki paid no attention to Tatsue's noisy shouting. No matter whose voice came out it, that thing was just a stuffed animal that deserved no respect. Besides, Sakaki never respected his father who forcefully molded him into an ideal heir. With study and training that was practically infused with his blood, this person destroyed Sakaki's childhood.

Without moving, the teddy bear laughed in a poorly synthesized voice.

"Hahaha! You're still so frightening. Your dad's heartbroken! Mmm----actually, there isn't really anything too serious. I just wanted to see my cute son that I haven't seen in a long time."

"Good bye."

Sakaki ignored Tatsue and the teddy bear and walked toward his destination. Running to Rinne's home from there would take about ten minutes. So much time had been wasted!

"Wait up, wait up, wait up, Gu-kun! Tatsue, chase him!"

The teddy bear said so nonchalantly, and Tatsue desperately followed its orders with a pale face. Too bad, it seems like this time she would only be used as a convenient transporter.

As Sakaki thought this, the teddy bear issued a cruel order.

"Ah, what a pain. He's trying to escape. Alright, you goons, shoot him in the thigh! Then he'll stop, right? Don't worry, even if Gu-kun gets injured he'll quickly recover, so there's no need to hold back."

Those words...

Sakaki suddenly turned around, and looked angrily at the teddy bear held by the pale-faced Tatsue.

"Father, where did you find out about that?"

His injuries would recover. In other words, he knew that Sakaki ate an Apple and became immortal, with the superhuman ability to resurrect.

Speaking of that, a monster had wrecked the town a month earlier, and after that Sakaki had asked his father to pretend that nothing happened. The incident was reported to be a result of an earthquake, and eyewitnesses were forced to keep silent. Needless to say, the hidden truth should have gone straight to the man behind the cover-up----the father.

However, only Sakaki, Rinne, and of course the "Mushi" and Snake as well as Guriko should have known about the Apples.

"Who do you think I am?" The teddy bear naturally continued, "Of course I know more than you do! I just don't tell you because I don't want you to sink deeper into this business. All in all there's nothing worthwhile there, and the knowledge would just be disgusting. Do you understand?"

He used an unnerving, emotionless voice to talk to the silent Sakaki.

"Last month." The teddy bear's words still sounded natural. "An immensely large monster----a Dream World Beast rampaged, right? Who do you think killed it? Or... How was it killed? Do you really think a few bombs dropped from a plane would be enough?"

That voice mocked Sakaki rather than questioned him.

"Whether with explosives or firebombs, did you think it was possible to soundlessly kill such a large monster? Not only that----to exterminate a monster with extraordinary life force gained from an Apple, that can easily cause so much destruction? Can a weapon that incredible really exist?"

That was a joyful and delighted voice.

"If you just think about last month's events, so many things don't make sense. Gu-kun, you didn't know anything. You misunderstood the whole situation despite having overcome that conflict. The Apple, the clock, the 'Mushi'! You barely understand any of them! ----But you don't need to understand them either since you're my cute, adorable successor."

These words pierced Sakaki's ears and made his eyebrows furl.

After overcoming that and passing through a period of peace, he finally felt secure----but now, it all became undone. What was going on? He felt horribly uneasy. His doubts suddenly layered up, and he began to feel disgusted by the Apple taking root in his soul.

"You, what are you trying to get at?"

"Ah? I'm just worrying like any normal father over his child's life. Basically, I want you to inherit the Sakaki Organization like a good boy while I do my best to keep you away from danger. Watch out for the names Melodia Noise, Poison, Ultimate Shield, Unpleasant Counter-Current, Single Room, God Insect Emperor, and Sterilization Disinfection. It's just as their names imply. If you involve yourself with them you die.”

Mindlessly saying these unclear words, the head of the Sakaki Organization----Sakaki Ganhou laughed gloomily with his synthesized voice. Tatsue felt very afraid and looked at the stuffed animal in alarm.

Mushi, eyeball, and a teddy bear.

Not showing up in the previous month's events, hiding in the darkness, the third person who stayed out of sight while acting----he was here. Sakaki Ganhou: what did he know, what did he want? The horrifying teddy bear merely spoke cheerfully to Sakaki, yet it seemed accusing.

"Mmm, I need to pick something to say. Since I'm pretty busy, I only wanted to say this one thing, but it got dragged out so long. Ah, that's right, I almost forgot."

The teddy bear suddenly moved and clapped its hands. It probably carried this function. "Waah!" Tatsue made a strange sound.

"Usagawa Rinne is your girlfriend right? These few months----I sent people to thoroughly investigate her. Honestly, I don't know why you like her so much."

Its head tilted.

Sakaki's expression turned cold as he glared at the teddy bear.

"Father, since you insulted Her Majesty, you will pay with your life!"

"How frightening. How frightening. See, even Tatsue's scared.”

Actually, Tatsue was afraid of her father.

"Whatever, let's move on. Me, I don't care who you take as your wife. Your mother actually came from a slum in America, and besides, the organization isn't run by wives. But, as it is now, no one would stay quiet. They'd say the Sakaki family's situation is questionable since the head's wife has questionable status."

"Just eliminate those fools, father!"

"No way, that would be too troublesome. Since most of those idiots are famous, I'd have a lot of problems dealing with the aftermath!"

Hearing these negative words, Tatsue secretly sighed at another direction. Sakaki acted as if he didn't notice and glared at the ground, seeming to be in the mood for a fight.

"So what? You----would have me leave Her Magesty? I'll tell you now, if I have to choose between this company and her, I'd pick her without any hesitation."

"How stupid, to even give up your inheritance for a woman..." Tatsue probably didn't understand what was going on, and took Sakaki's rant as truth, "Th-then, Brother's decision to not inherit the company is exactly what I've wanted!"

"Tatsue, stop acting tough. Your knees are shaking." Sakaki quietly looked downward.

"......Oh."

Tatsue's back was stiff with fear, and she gritted her teeth. The Sakaki Organizaion held enormous power, and inheriting its might would take far more ability and willpower than that possessed by a normal person. Tatsue had only recently turned fifteen. She was only in high school, and definitely did not hold such a level of tolerance or calmness. "Okay, in short". The teddy bear----Ganhou ---- nonchalantly gave his conclusion in the frightening monotonic synthetic voice.

"You say you can only love Usagawa Rinne, and the around me say she's not good enough. Then isn't it easy? Yup. Just make Usagawa mature. Turn her into a woman acceptable as the lady of the Sakaki. For this, I've prepared a lot. And since you two want to marry as soon as she graduates, have her use her time in school to improve in every aspect."

After hearing these words, Sakaki was forced to remember his own hellish upbringing, and frowned.

Forcing Rinne to change like that----that would be exceedingly harsh, and the mere thought of it disgusted Sakaki.

Her close friend just died. She was in an unstable mood; what would happen if she were to suffer even more?

"Father."

Sakaki showed a grave face. He serenely said, "If you subject Her Majesty to that sort of inhuman preparation, I would not hesitate to overthrow you. Do not forget, that moment will be the moment when you and I part ways."

The teddy bear did not respond, possibly having said all that it wanted, and beckoned Tatsue to leave. The men in black followed, saluting Sakaki before disappearing down the road.

Tatsue looked back one last time.

For the first time, she showed a human expression filled with worry. "Brother, be careful."

Sakaki did not respond as he turned toward Rinne's home, walking over the poorly paved road.

"No problem, no problem, Guriko-chan worries too much. It's fine, because I'm really good at cooking and using this knife. Ah... mmmhmm, hahaha."

"Blood! Wait, Rinne, you're slicing your own finger! Blood, blood... Calm down, don't force yourself to try to cook, since Sakaki and I don't need to eat anyway. If you weren't immortal, you'd be in a lot of trouble from cutting off your fingers!"

Guriko was truly at a loss for what to do。

Near Kannonsakazaki Private High School which Rinne and Guriko attended and where Sakaki worked, past the shopping district and a small, bumpy road – stood the apartment building where Rinne lived.

With walls that seemed like they would collapse with a light knock, this shabby building had an extraordinarily cheap rent. She lived in a apartment with – counting the bathroom – 7.5 square meters of space, and next to her lived a self-proclaimed musician, an older girl whose face reflected tough times.

Ever since Katou Katsumi was murdered for unclear reasons, Rinne holed up inside this room without taking a single step outside.

As one would expect, the shadow of a murder grievously damaged her heart. For immortal people, the mind was a place of weakness. When physical harm removes relationships, they would be even more hurt than normal people.

That's right, three days ago, a dreadful murder had occurred for the first time in Kannonsakazaki town. The victim's name was Katou Katsumi. Like Rinne and Guriko, she was a student at Kannonsakazaki Private High School, who had formed an unbreakable bond with Rinne since middle school.

This person. After walking away from Rinne in front of a coffee shop, she was immediately murdered by someone. What's more, the method was quite merciless; she had been violently slammed against a stone wall and ground. Guriko didn't care so much since she was already used to death and corpses. The one who suffered was Rinne. As the last person to have seen Katsumi, she was thoroughly questioned. Over and over again, the fact that Katsumi died was shoved at her.

What kind of feelings did she hold?

Rinne in this state, at first glance, appeared no different from how she was before. She smiled like before, and though her voice trembled a bit it still seemed far from insane. But those were obviously only her attempts at stoicism. Not only were her actions more sluggish, her expression was also fixed at a barely sustainable fake smile. As if insisting there's nothing wrong, she cooked, but only created worthless products of failure that caused problems for Guriko.

People who had eaten an Apple slowly lost their sense of taste. Any sort of feeling from an empty stomach would also disappear. So, Rinne's actions were completely meaningless. But, Guriko thought, this could at least help turn her mood around, and wordlessly accepted the behavior.

And so, Rinne stopped preparing a dish out of her fingers without losing that small smile, but as soon as she began to rest, the doorbell rang.

"Sakaki?"

Guriko mumbled to herself, staying cautious as she walked over to open the door.

"Guriko, is Her Majesty alright?"

As expected, there stood a handsome man with blue eyes and blond hair who seemed more like art. He had grabbed Guriko's shoulders and forcefully shook her, while she sighed with her eyes half closed.

"What do you mean 'Is she alright?', it's not like she'll die. Stop panicking and calm down. And stop shaking me, I feel like throwing up. Really, as soon as anything involves Rinne, you immediately lose all common sense."

Guriko called at Rinne, but when she turned to look, she noticed that Rinne had suddenly collapsed.

"Rinne?" Sakaki's eyes widened, with an expression appropriate for the apocalypse. "Ah, ah----Your Majesty! Her Majesty died!"

"She didn't die, calm down! And, stop shaking me or I'll gouge out your eyes, idiot!"

As Gankyuu Eguriko endured the shaking, she prepared her spoons.

"She's definitely extremely tired."

With a head of her distinguishing wolf-like hair, eyes deep like the barrel of a gun that seemed to tell people off, and with the brutal name "Gankyuu Eguriko", this immortal girl had lived for over a thousand years. Once, due to some random event, she had changed her name to True • Gankyuu Eguriko, but, actually giving the reason that it was too hard to pronounce, she reinstated her original name.

This uncute girl who lived with Rinne for some reason placed the collapsed girl on prepared bedding, and started talking, "If you feel stressed, your body reacts accordingly. You would get a stomach ache, vomit, or get a headache. However, people who have eaten an Apple won't feel those. So, they push themselves to their limit, until they can't take it anymore and collapse. Really, if your friend dies isn't it alright to bawl your eyes out? No one would blame her."

Guriko looked at Sakaki, who just walked in, and silently held the shoulders of the fast-asleep Rinne and gave her to Sakaki. He wasn't sure what to do and just held her, feeling that she powerless form was exceptionally vulnerable.

"Guriko?"

"I don't understand friendship or love."

Guriko showed a pained expression, and she began to clean the blood-splattered simple kitchen. Probably trained by Rinne, Guriko had gained the ability to clean and do laundry. Yet a thousand years' emptiness had, in the end, erased from her any form of emotion or common sense.

As if reciting text, Guriko nonchalantly said, "I don't understand, I forgot. So there's no way I can comfort Rinne, which is frustrating......All I can do is annihilate Rinne's enemies. I definitely can't cure the scars carved in Rinne's heart."

She then turned toward Sakaki with those lonely eyes that, according to Rinne, seemed to be very similar to Sakaki. "So, I'm a bit jealous of you."

Was he really similar to her? Compared to Guriko, who admitted that she could only defeat Rinne's enemies but could not heal her pain, wasn't he only able to comfort Rinne without any way to fend against Rinne's enemies? Sakaki pondered this.

Helpless, Sakaki held Rinne tightly, and Guriko looked at them with concern. Rinne's closed eyes brimmed with tears; was he unable to save her, even in her dreams? Her face looked devoid of blood, and her fingertips were abnormally cold. To warm her up, Sakaki held her even closer.

Sakaki instinctively spat out insults.

"How repulsive, just who was it that killed Katou?!"

"How would I know?"

As she washed the cutting board with dishwashing liquid, Guriko crooked her head and said, "Although, just by looking at the facts, the culprit shouldn't be a normal person. Possibly some super-strong man or an animal. Or it's--"

She turned on the faucet.

"A monster."

Monsters, those things that quietly lived outside the world of people like Sakaki that overstepped the boundary of normality. During the events in the month before, Sakaki encountered quite a few monsters. The most powerful of them was large enough to flatten buildings with a single step.

Katsumi's tragic death truly didn't seem to be caused by humans.

Sakaki's mood deteriorated, but he still said uneasily, "Anyways, it's best to stay cautious; after all, we haven't confirmed the culprit. Hopefully it's some criminal that the police can handle... Guriko?"

He carelessly looked over, and noticed Guriko's grim gaze toward the entrance. Her expression was strange, as if she was shocked, staring at the door with stiff face.

"What is it?"

"Someone's here."

Guriko replied curtly.

Sakaki's eyebrows scrunched together. "Could it be the mailman? Or... the murderer?"

Even though he felt it was unlikely, he couldn't deny the possibility. Guriko firmly gripped her three spoons; whether in the past or now, her weapon of choice had always been spoons.

"I don't know. Don't talk, someone will hear you. Although, I don't think it's a monster."

Possibly listening for activity, Guriko's face turned beastlike, instinctively searching out enemies and avoiding danger. That was the first-rate caution developed over a millennium.

"Humans, two of them."

Guriko was incredulous. Humans; and since there were two, it probably wasn't that self-proclaimed musician woman who lived next door. And it shouldn’t be Rinne’s friends since students had already been instructed to avoid going out without good reason.

And Guriko definitely did not have anything that could be considered even similar to a friend--

As Sakaki thought this, the doorbell rang. After an eye signal from Guriko, he cautiously walked toward the entrance. They planned so that even if Sakaki was knocked down by a surprise attack, Guriko could repel the intruders. That is to say, Sakaki was bait--"living sacrifice" might also be accurate. He tried to put on a calm voice as he asked, "Excuse me, who is this?"

"We're with the Sakaki Group."

"Please leave," Sakaki immediately declared, turning his back to the door as he shrugged his shoulders and sighed to Guriko, "No need to be so careful, they aren't people who matter."

"I see." Guriko naively set down her spoons.

At that moment, the door was suddenly forced open. Saying that, the door wasn't locked to begin with.

The pair standing on the other side of the door solemnly saluted.

"Though it was quite rude, please forgive my rudeness."

"Hino. You're talking weird."

"I'm Itsuwara Hino."

"My name is Itsuwara Kio."

Standing there were--an exceedingly normal man and woman of about forty years of age, wearing a gray suit and a milky white outfit respectively. They were people who don't stand out, people whom one would probably brush past after an hour of walking in the city.

"What do you want?"

Sakaki looked at them with barely-concealed disgust. 'Since they're men of the Sakaki Organization, they must be his father's men. There's no way he can trust them.'

The two people smiled tenderly, to the point of seeming unnatural. "Nice to meet you, Guryuu-san."

"You're in a good mood as always, it seems. Anyway--"

The man calling himself Kio smoothly pointed at Guriko.

"Today we have business with that young lady..."

Guriko was bewildered.

"..."

A wild flurry of colors. In simpler terms, toys with many different colors. For some reason, it seemed like a child's toy with purely primary colors, and it was painfully dazzling. The confusing red, blue, and yellow made one dizzy.

This was the shopping center called Chaos Zen Q -- an underground street where all sorts of specialty shops and peddlers gathered. Probably since it was a holiday, customers were abundant, and Guriko almost got lost multiple times.

She had no interest in shopping, nor did she enjoy it, and she wanted to get as far away from this overcrowded place as possible. Plus, since Rinne had such a low income, she couldn't go shopping often, and had never deliberately taken the bus to come three stages to this shopping center. This place seemed to Guriko like a different, miniature world.

The activity now all seemed like normal, human life, which made Guriko feel like she fit into modern Japanese society. Yet in this "Chaos Zen Q", there were too many things she had never seen. Was it really Japan, just like Kannonsakazaki?

For example, Guriko was standing in "Witch's Torture" for some reason, a specialty toy store with a name sounding like a finishing move, but completely she lacked knowledge on the toys arranged there. She tentatively picked up a nearby teddy bear. "So this is what they call a teddy bear?" And she sighed deeply.

"Ah, Guriko-chan, you like that teddy bear?" "Then everyone in the family can get a teddy bear. Wow, Guriko, you picked a teddy bear that's just as cute as you are. Then I'll pick a teddy bear that looks as serious as I do, and Hino should a torture bear that's like Hino's deformed body!"

"Really, you idiot Kio , that was unnecessary!"

"Hahaha."

"....."

'What's going on now? These people have made enough noise, she really wanted to slaughter them.' The Itsuwara couple, Hino and Kio, smiled gently behind the grimacing Guriko, and one would find the excessive smiling somehow strange. With no reservation, they brightly said to Guriko, "Guriko-chan. You don't have to be so polite, because we'll be your parents. Just tell us if there's anything you want, and talk with us if anything's troubling you."

'’...My worries all stem from you two.''

Facing the stiffened-up Guriko, Kio tried to talk again, "Guriko, girls usually name their teddy bear. Wanna try it out? Since common sense and normal societal ethics develop through things like this."

Common sense and normal societal ethics, huh?

Guriko refused to recognize those things. But, even so...

"A name? Yono."

With a serious face, Guriko looked at a teddy bear that looked like a delinquent acting cool. Hino smiled, saying some meaningless words of praise -- Oh, what an excellent name. Truly worthy of Guriko-chan --

What was going on now? Guriko pondered.

The Itsuwara couple Hino and Kio suddenly appeared, claiming to be sent by the Sakaki Organization. Since they had identification, they probably weren't lying. In this country, if someone tried to con others using the Sakaki Organization's name, he'd suffer more than if he were arrested on the spot. The Sakaki name had that kind of power; conversely, by associating oneself with the Sakaki Organization, one's position in life was as good as guaranteed.

Guriko set the still-unconscious Rinne on the futon and let Hino and Kio sit down.

Even though they claimed to have business with her -- Guriko eyed them suspiciously. She was sure she had never seen them before.

The narrow, 7.5-square-meter room was filled with the scent of food. Since the kitchen was part of the room, it was impossible to eliminate the smell even if air freshener is sprayed every once in a while. Rinne was quite a meticulous and neat person, but it was impossible to deny that the undersized room would easily appear cluttered and messy. Between the wardrobe, T.V., textbooks and the like, and the kotatsu, even walking around was difficult.

"Common sense and normal societal ethics training?" Sakaki was bewildered.

"What did you say?" Guriko didn't understand.

Hino smiled with happiness that almost seemed fake, as if saying "This is really great". With hands folded she continued, "Right, common sense and standard societal ethics training. That's what it's called, it's like someone's trying to act smart by using hard words."

"Yup, though it sounds like a legal term it's actually pretty simple."

Kio forcefully interjected with a cheerful voice. This couple thought quite similarly.

"In simple terms -- no, using the most obvious and clear terms, it's 'Have Guriko-chan understand common sense' or ‘The Sakaki Organization won't be able to help you either if you never live a normal life'. So... That's how it is."

His words made Sakaki's expression change as the teacher disgustedly looked at Guriko.

"Guriko, what the hell did you do?" "No clue."

She really had no idea what they're talking about. After all she had only been living according to her own beliefs.

Plus, with that giant smile, Hino was saying stuff that really shouldn't be said smiling.

"Guriko-chan isn't someone who should be living with Miss Usagawa Rinne."

Hearing this, Guriko's eyebrow twitched a little. She was someone who shouldn't live with Usagawa Rinne?

''I don't need others to tell me some like that, even I know that. From the start we only lived together out of practicality, since I had nowhere else to stay.

But, I don't want some outsider who doesn't understand anything to tell that to me.''

Guriko glared at them. Kio, completely unfazed, looked toward Sakaki.

"Guryuu-san. Ganhou-san believes it is most important to begin fixing Miss Usagawa's surroundings. A person's behavior will be greatly affected by her environment. If the environment is filled with trash, the stench will permeate the person, and if she is surrounded by people using vulgar language, she will inevitably start speaking the same way."

"So we need to clean up her surroundings. By thoroughly fixing the things around Miss Usagawa Rinne's, it will be possible for her to mature in a sound environment." Hino picked up where Kio left off, making it seem as though they planned it in advance.

Sakaki's face stiffened, contemptuously glaring at them. "Basically, Guriko's a hindrance?"

Hino and Kio spoke together. "You are correct, Guryuu-san."

"Why..."

Guriko couldn't ignore this, and banged her fist on the kotatsu with flaming eyes. She made a loud noise, but Guriko still took care not to break it.

The teacups set on the table rattled and fell.

Guriko released the anger she held: "You... How am I a hindrance? Aren't you saying that I'm a bad influence on R-Rinne?"

The words lacked her usual sharpness. Guriko vaguely felt that she had brought Rinne into an abnormal world. Granted, even if she did not appear, Rinne would have eventually noticed her Apple's power. But in the end, it was Guriko who made this happen faster.

But, even so...

''I don't want Rinne to say she doesn't need me or, even worse, think of me as a nuisance.''

Yet Kio naturally said, "Yes, you're quite a hindrance and a poor influence."

Toward this formality that was like defining simple English words, Guriko didn't know whether to feel enraged or hurt. She looked toward Sakaki, whose face showed a rare expression as he remained silent.

"But," Sakaki spoke with weight and earnestness in his deep voice, "Her Majesty was saved thanks to Guriko. You cannot deny that."

"True, we know that."

"But right now, her influence is undesirable in many ways."

Hino shot a glance at Kio, who rapidly set onto the table several documents from a bag. Guriko couldn't resist looking at them, but the convoluted text filled with complicated words made her head spin.

Hino explained with a bitter laugh: "These are the recent records of Guriko-chan causing injuries, breaking things, attempting murder, etc. Mmm, there's really too much. Even though these incidents won't be investigated since Ganhou-san's handling them, if you don't consider the fact that she's a minor, this is truly too terrible."

"Guriko isn't a minor." Guriko nodded in consent with Sakaki's words.

The Itsuwara couple were shocked, looking at each other as if asking "What's going on?"

That's right, Guriko was about a thousand years old. Even though she couldn't remember the exact number, she should probably be the elder of every human on this lump of land. At events like [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Shichi-Go-San | Shichi-Go-San]] people would eat thousand-year candies; the makers probably never imagined that someone would actually be that old. Though this isn't relevant to what Hino was saying, it's still true.

Normally, beating someone up or attempting murder would result in punishment; that is justice. It's something that's obvious with a little bit of thought. Yet from the start, one shouldn't expect Guriko, who had wandered for a thousand years, to have this kind of common sense or beliefs.

Guriko looked at Hino, who nodded her head as if understanding Guriko's feelings.

"Right, developing common sense and normal societal ethics is the goal, so that Guriko-chan will stop doing that kind of stuff and become a normal person. You've been committing crimes for too long. Ganhou-san has decided that living with a person like that will definitely hamper Miss Usagawa's development."

''To be honest, this makes a lot of sense.''

''And if possible, I don't want to trouble Rinne.''

As if to let her relax, Kio gently smiled. "Obviously, you'll be able to return immediately after the training finishes. When you can fit into society without upsetting the sense of normalcy that an average person develops throughout life, and it is decided that you no longer threaten Miss Usagawa's development, the training will end."

"..."

Guriko thought about it: ''So it's like this. I can understand. But the problem is, I want to stay be Rinne's side. I don't want to leave her --Even though I understand the logic.''

Guriko looked at Rinne who was sleeping, curled in the futon.

''I can't make problems for her.''

"Alright, I accept."

Guriko made her resolution; it shouldn't take too long anyway, and time itself isn't limited. There's no rush, nothing's wrong with accepting their common sense and normal societal ethics training! Guriko thought this way.

Astonished, Sakaki turned toward her. "Is that alright? Guriko, if you really don't want to do it, I can think of something."

"You're too nosy. You have nothing to do with this. In short, I don't want to trouble Rinne."

Hino and Kio's faces lightened into unrestrained smiles.

"Wah, thanks. Guriko, I'm really happy!"

"I, I, I'll strive to become a superb mother!"

"I'll also become a dependable father! Let's go, it'll get busy starting today!"

Guriko noticed something weird, looking without understanding at the two people who got incredibly happy on their own.

"Wh-what? What's the meaning of this? What mother, father?"

"What?"

Kio, who was elated to shivers while embracing Hino, spoke of something absurd with an indignant tone: "Common sense and normal societal ethics training consists of Guriko living with us as our daughter! The plan is to slowly teach common sense and ethics through cohabitation!"

"There is much to teach, Guriko-chan! From today onward you are Itsuwara Eguriko! Waahhhh----"

''Isn't it a bit early to decide that?''

Gankyuu Eguriko--correction, Itsuwara Eguriko sighed.

"That said, who is Itsuwara Eguriko?"

Things have gotten crappy; Guriko thought this as she sat in an Italian restaurant on a restaurant-filled street eating spaghetti. In fact, not only did Guriko have no appetite, she didn't even need food, so what she did was meaningless. But to prevent the Itsuwara couple, who knew nothing, from getting suspicious, it was best for the time being to act like she was hungry and let the food flow into her stomach. Back before she became immortal, she never thought stuffing down alien substances could be so disgusting.

"Wah, Hino, this pizza's on the level of national treasures! Call the chef over!"

"That pizza was definitely frozen! But it's so good!"

"Guriko. It's good, right?" "Guriko-chan, don't you also think it's good?"

They were also strange.

Their affection -- strange.

Swallowing it was a bit disgusting.

"..."

''That's right, to me these should meaningless, unrelated people. They're a couple that I didn't know yesterday. Their names are Itsuwara Hino and Itsuwara Kio, but aside from the fact that their personalities are ridiculous and over-the-top, they aren't anything special, just a man and woman that can be found anywhere.''

Guriko agreed to take the common sense and normal societal ethics training with that overly long name, and after entrusting the unconscious Rinne to Sakaki came along with these people. What followed was nothing but a series of new irritants. Was this normalcy? Guriko could not understand.

--It's alright as long only you are unhappy--

Guriko recalled that time when she was still called Yono. A thousand years ago, when Guriko was genuinely human, without anything like immortality.

Guriko had been taken into a household, and received cold treatment from the family members. She thought this was alright, since they gave her food to eat and at night time they helped prepare bedding for her. When her older brother was in a good mood he would even play with her. But she often felt an indescribable loneliness, and when she noticed she was by herself.

Over and over again her parents would say to her, it's alright as long as you are unhappy. Though Guriko felt hurt, she still accepted it completely, and she felt that this was the normal relationship between parent and child. The parental relationships that Guriko knew, that remained in her memory, were dry and without feeling, like the relationships between a pack of beasts.

But--

Guriko lightly stroked the teddy bear on her leg, that one called Yono. ''Rinne seemed to have said before that she wanted a teddy bear. But I never thought the day would come when I would get one.''

Even though she didn't particularly want one.

For some reason, she didn’t want to throw it away either.

Toy stores, clothing stores, stationary stores; they went to every type of store and bought everything they needed. Guriko bought three shirts, shoes, and things which she had always wanted but never thought to buy: high quality spoons that didn't come from a dollar store.

She never expected a day to come when she didn't need to steal and could obtain her own things legally. This teddy bear was Guriko's, and Guriko's alone.

Thinking like this, her mood suddenly improved.

So--

"Ugh."

While suppressing her urge to vomit, Guriko forked down her spaghetti. Giant bite after giant bite, she ate expressionlessly, and then politely said, "It's not bad."

Just this much was enough for them to heartily laugh.

"Wah! Guriko seems to like it too!"

"This restaurant really is the best! Even though it's a chain restaurant!"

"Call the chef over! Call the chef over!"

''Really, why are they so idiotic, I've had enough. I don't accept them as my family. But... This doesn't really feel bad."''

''Can I find a way to treat them as my parents? No, that's impossible. There's no way today, but maybe one day I'll be tricked by this irredeemable, ridiculous kind of atmosphere. I can't be sure if I will one day form some illusions from this.''

"Yono died a thousand years ago."

She stroked the teddy bear as she spoke softly.

"Ever since then, I've always been Gankyuu Eguriko. I... can I already stop using that freakish name? I don't know... Do I want to? I can't figure it out."

Guriko's reflections didn't produce results, so she just decided to leave her worries for tomorrow; her time won't run out, anyways. Back to the present. It's enough to go along with this situation that can only be described as disastrous.

Kio looked at Guriko, whose head was lowered, and his expression was like he stuck gold. "Wah, Guriko! There's sauce stuck on the corner of your mouth! I'll wipe it off for you!"

"That's my job, Kio! Move!"

"--Let's get wiping together!"

And so Guriko ended up in this doubly-being-wiped situation, becoming aware of the peculiarity in the corner of her mouth as her muscles moved a little. Unable to believe it, she pushed aside the napkin pressed to her and placed her fingers on the corner of her lips.

She understood. And as a result felt somewhat surprised.

"I'm... smiling."

Guriko smiled very faintly. Such a rare occurrence, and in front of people she met for the first time today to boot.

Apparently, she actually was enjoying herself.

"Whoa, Guriko smiled! It's so cute, I'm gonna collapse!"

"Same here! Ah--Guriko LOVE, LOVE! Mmmmmmmm...."

After finishing their weird noises the two pretended to faint, causing nervous murmurs from the other customers.

Even though this wasn't her desire at all, Guriko seemed to feel a little joy.

That night.

"Art."

In an empty park.

"Art--Yeah, what is called misery, when taken to the limit will be called beautiful art."

A ball abandoned by children after they finish playing, sad-looking playground equipment that seemed to absorb the silent desolation. A messy sandpit. Inside this slightly small park, the bench in front of the water fountain.

"Obscene, vulgar, base, filthy--this corpse that normal people hate without reason, shines as art. Hahaha. It's true, the beautiful human corpse is beautifully artistic. Lavish and wonderful, miserable and wonderful, cruel and wonderful. Man, what's going on, why is the heartless me unable to suppress my excitement and shuddering body!"

Sitting there was a female.

"How about a toast to this beauteous night? The full moon and stars are all so beautiful, so how about sweet wine? Let’s use death of the highest quality to make people shiver."

Around her were the flesh pieces of humans.

Under the lamppost that struggled to keep shining, without speaking to anyone in particular, the woman weaved words in a honey-sweet voice. Signs of life were completely gone in this playground in the residential area after sundown and no one noticed this bloody, brutal scene. Flesh and blood surrounded the woman on the bench; only these two things were scattered around. Just what kind of flesh was it? It was impossible to tell by looking at the pieces, but that glossy red flesh was still fresh, steaming in the chilly winter air.

With some light from the moon, stars, and lamppost the flesh looked a bit brown, and the blood lying all around had turned completely black while seeping into the ground. This was a scene that lacked a sense of reality, leaving only a ruthless stillness.

As if appreciating a famous painting, the woman merely sat silently, watching.

“I really want to keep –”

She sighed.

"Looking at this--Ah, I made something awesome! No wait, that's too arrogant. The creators of this work are none other than you who have become corpses. I am only the lucky one who can appreciate the art before it rots."

Truly, how many wonders are hidden within this Earth? She can’t see this entire world no matter how long she lives. Simply, this woman loved this wondrous world.

The only things that could be heard were the horn of a distant car, the wind, and the rustling of the leaves on the park's trees. The only thing that could be seen was the darkness-covered world that seemed a bit mysterious.

There was only the shadow of a building, mixing with the park's gravel ground, and a group of moths attracted by the scent of blood.

“Moths -- ah."

The woman sighed again. Every time she did so, a sound would come from her mouth similar to the sound of a teapot releasing steam.

That would be expected, because a mask was covering her mouth. It was not for blocking colds or allergies; rather, the clear purpose was to block dust or toxic gas. The unusually-shaped hard mask seemed especially out of place on her graceful appearance.

Thanks to a mask, it was hard to see her expression, and her age was uncertain though she seemed to be between 25 and 29. Slim yet dangerous, she reminded one of a sharpened blade. Over her thin, tender body, she wore extremely revealing clothes.

A tank top with angel wings printed on the back hid a girl-like body that belied her outer appearance. It was winter now, but her snow white skin was completely free of goosebumps. The only thing barely covering her waist area was a pair of jeans shorts that stopped at her thighs.

A head of flawlessly pure white hair, untainted by anything; it was the color of fresh snow. The waist-length hair was tied into a ponytail. On her wrists she wore all sorts of bracelets and colourful strips of cloth.

This strange looking woman's eyes turned sinister, and she spoke into the darkness as she crossed her legs as if pondering something. She had a habit of speaking out loud to organize her thoughts, feeling that doing this let her sort out important points.

"Mushi... Ah, Mushi. That group of Mushi acted strange last month, and though it quickly became peaceful again I don't know what happened in the first place."

A breeze brushed past her hair.

"It is believed that the one responsible is an Apple holder living in this town. The four confirmed individuals are Usagawa Rinne, Sakaki Guryuu, Gankyuu Eguriko, and--"

As she spoke, she seemed to think about something.

"The one who tried to steal their Apples by pretending to be and manipulating 'Mushi'. Honestly. I didn't think that clan still existed! This is ominous; Adam, Eve, and the Snake. The humans descended from Adam and Eve reproduced far too quickly to eliminate, but if the last descendant of the Snake causes trouble I can exterminate him."

The woman stared forward with a grave expression.

"I'll start by taking Apples away from their owners. If that works, I can ask about what happened at that time. Really, why do I have to do this kind of annoying thing? I'm just a digestive organ. Seeking out truth is God Insect Emperor's job."

The others were just too lazy; it felt like she was doing all the work.

"This is so annoying. I'm going to tremble."

The woman's body shook, and then she hugged herself as if to protect herself. This was something she did without any particular meaning.

With a "Fshuu--Fshuu--" breathing sound coming from the mask, she muttered to herself, "Basically, it doesn't matter which of those four. I'll start by taking the Apples."

Then she looked at the pieces of flesh scattered in front of her, thinking, thinking, and thought through all the main points.

"-Then, I really will need these pieces of flesh. Even though I don't want to use these pieces of art on anything--"

"Wh-Whooa?"

A scream?

The woman's expression instantly became alert as she turned toward the sound. The rapid movement made her hair swish high. In her line of sight was--

"Eh, umm. These are corpses... Waahhh!"

The woman calmly watched this person. He was a blue uniformed police officer, male, without any distinctive features, and didn't seem to be an excellent cop. Shuddering, he pointed at the hands and guts and other body parts on the ground, and screamed before collapsing on the ground as his mouth opened and closed.

Did the police notice? Of course police officers patrolled residential areas. Chances were Long-Armed Demon acted on her own too much, so the police had been especially alert recently.

"Long-Armed Demon, Apple holders, police----" The woman sighed with a "Fshuuu", and seemed to be exhausted as she shrugged her shoulders. "So troublesome."

Then she got up and turned to the policeman sitting paralyzed on the ground. He seemed to have just noticed her, and let out a stiff shout as he scooted backward.

"Don't... Don't tell me! Are you the L-long Armed Demon?"

"Ugh."

The woman scrunched her eyebrows, slowly walking next to the man. "I'm not one of those changed children. Now, my name is [[Mushi:Vol2_TLnotes# Saibara Mina | Saibara Mina]], I really hate this name because--it's not cute."

After that, she took a spray can from somewhere and pointed it at the policeman. It was an extremely common spray can, simple and unlabeled. On the outside it didn't look different from insecticide or deodorant that gets sold.

"Hmm."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

The woman shook it while remaining still, shaking in a way that didn't look special.

"If you want address me, please call me Sterilization Disinfection."

With a face like he'd seen a ghost, the police officer screamed loudly and frantically tried to crawl up and escape.

He kneeled, screaming as he tried to get up, but his legs didn't listen to his commands and he collapsed again. He seemed so scared that he couldn't even control himself anymore.

"Fshuu"--Mina sighed in resignation.

"What an unbearable policeman. No courage at all, he's contaminating my field of view."

The policeman could not understand Mina's words, screaming as he stood up.

"S-Senpai! Save me! Nageki-senpai!" Did he have companions? It would be troublesome if he called over too many people.

Mina quickly made her decision.

"Save me! L-Long Armed Demon, she's the Long Armed Demon!" ''I’ve told you I’m not that person. ''

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" Mina shook her spray can, and slowly turned it to the man.

"Let's sterilize and disinfect."

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol2_Open|Open: Clock of Endless Nights]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch2|Night 2: Melancholic Officer and a Long-Armed Demon]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol2 Open

2011-11-29T14:07:34Z

Dell19930:

== '''Open: Clock of Endless Nights''' ==

Concerning this small event … She was an intriguing girl. Should we say that an aura of discord is condensed upon her, or that she resembled the part that spells 'trouble' when people say the phrase ‘let’s stir up some trouble’? She was about ten years old, or perhaps a bit older, and looked as if she was in elementary school.

She seemed innocent and spoke in a clear voice, how should one describe it...?—It was as though her entire self radiated a joyful light, like any other grade-schooler.

That’s right, she was a grade-schooler.

A grade-schooler missing her two arms.

It was not fate or anything like that.

“Long time no see.”

It was simply a coincidence, an ill-fortuned coincidence.

“It’s been two years! Do you remember me, Rinne?”

They were at the small intersection of the merry market street in a small town.

Kannonsakazaki Private High School’s Usagawa Rinne was called by a girl as she left school.

The girl had perfectly straight long black hair and eyes that shone with determination. Thick, round eyebrows stood above her eyes.

She wore Kannonsakazaki’s school uniform.

“I’m Katou Katsumi, don’t you remember me…? You should remember me, right?”

She smiled with some faint loneliness as the neon light reflected off her skin.

It was in the evening, and the sun was setting. Rinne had finished the cleaning duty that she was assigned to do after everyone else left due to losing a bet, and hurried home since it was late.

A piercing wind came out of the early winter’s cold air.

The girl who called herself Katsumi moved over, her beautiful hair and body seemingly flowing in the darkness.

“Katsumi?”

That was a familiar name that had been carved into her heart.

Since the person in front of her was so much more beautiful than Rinne remembered, she didn’t recognize her at first. However, she did not forget; how could she forget?!

“Do you remember?”

“Eh…”

She was Rinne’s friend in middle school, and the only friend willing to stay by her side.

Of course, that may have simply been Rinne’s wishful thinking, but whenever she thought of her painful time in middle school, she recalled the endless support Katsumi had provided to her.

But Rinne didn’t have the courage to go see her.

Middle school—that was the time when she was fed up with absolutely everything, even breathing. She constantly shut herself in her room, believing that she didn’t have a place in her house or at school. It was when she attempted suicide.

At that time, Rinne repeatedly pushed Katsumi away when she tried to approach her. “Katsumi, do we go to the same school?”

“Mmm, it seems so.” Katsumi replied, smiling all the while.

“You’re really famous in this school, though. I’ve known that you went here for a pretty long time, but I didn’t have an opportunity to talk to you before.”

Rinne’s expression showed a slight uncertainty as she bowed her head in apology towards Katsumi.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what? You didn’t exactly do anything wrong in middle school. Everyone wants to avoid other people from time to time, actually…”

Saying this, Katsumi pointed at a coffee shop on the side of the road.

“Then, wanna sit down and talk for a while? Are you free?”

“Eh? Ah, OK!”

Rinne nodded out of reflex, and followed Katsumi in.

The coffee shop’s pretty hostess greeted the customers with a formal smile.

Soft, sweet music flowed through the coffee shop. Whether it was due to the late hour, or it was always this way, the store had no customers.

Katsumi probably came here often, as she smoothly ordered two cups of coffee while sitting down on a chair.

Then she smiled slightly as she said to Rinne, who was standing there unsure of what to do, “You can sit down. This part of you never changes…”

“Which part?”

“The fact that you hold back too much at a lot of things, most of all in your own happiness.”

Saying these words that Rinne couldn’t really understand, Katsumi beckoned at Rinne. No change, she didn’t change at all.

In eighth grade, Rinne pushed this friend away, and even Katsumi eventually gave up. The year after, when they bumped into each other in the hallway, she pretended not to notice.

“Rinne, I~wanted to apologize to you all this time.”

Katsumi still showed that lonely smile.

Rinne sat on the chair and widened her eyes in surprise.

“Eh?”

“I promised to always be good friends with you, but we drifted apart. I’ve felt so regretful over that, and I wanted to apologize.”

Katsumi remorsefully bowed her head as she apologized.

Rinne didn’t know what to do, and only waved her hands denying it with embarrassment.

“No way. The one who should apologize… is me, Katsumi. It was me who ~ hated everything, rejecting and drifting apart from everyone else and shutting myself in my room. You tried to get close to me, even so…”

“Not taking it all the way to the end is meaningless. But, thanks.”

“Clack”, the hostess silently set down the coffee. Katsumi picked one up and raised it to Rinne.

“Then, let’s be friends again. Let’s share the blame. I was wrong, and you were wrong too. We both said sorry, and we forgave each other, so let’s call it even.”

Rinne felt as though the scar in her heart gradually started to disappear.

As expected, Katsumi was still Katsumi, the Katsumi that Rinne liked, this girl who promised to “always be good friends” with her during middle school. Even though she wasn’t particularly special and didn’t attract people immediately, her heart was gentler than anyone else. Rinne’s eyes failed to hold their tears in, and she lowered her head to hide this.

“Ah.”

“Then, cheers! Saying this is pretty weird, but whatever.”

“Clack”, the two lightly tapped their cups together. Then they chatted about all sorts of topics, all of which would be considered trivial, as if they wanted to fill up the gap between the past and present. To talk like this with Katsumi had once been Rinne’s joy back in middle school. She was abandoned by her mother, beaten by her father, and still dragged her tired heart to school to be picked on by other students over her family situation.

And yet, Katsumi was still willing to be with her.

She was a friend, more important than basically anyone else.

“Katsumi”, and in words containing all of her heart’s feelings, “Thank you.”

Unsure of what to do, Katsumi tilted her head and said, “Umm, I’m paying for the coffee!” This situation didn’t match her words.

“It’s been so long since we’ve been like this!”

Katsumi continued to talk on her own, ignoring Rinne who blurted, “I’m also paying! I can’t let you pay by yourself!”

What to say now? Rinne had always felt that this kind of personality tends to put her at a disadvantage with people.

But Katsumi still liked this part of her.

“…Then, let’s go home together.”

Outside, it was already dark. The cloudy sky obscuring the moon and stars created a feeling of unease.

A few random lights shone feebly through the cold. “Ugh. But, I’m so happy.”

Rinne smiled, and said seriously, “Let’s ignore that for now, I still need to pay.”

Ah, she’s become a bit hard to deal with. Before, she would easily obey others with just a little bit of suggestion. But it seems Rinne grew up a little too.

Katsumi thought this with a bitter smile as she walked forward, waving her hands.

“Then, how about you treat me next time?”

“Eh?”

“We have to meet up again!”

Katsumi didn’t look at Rinne.

What kind of expression did Rinne, who was standing behind her – the girl she betrayed before – have at the moment? Actually, in 9th grade, she had frequently wanted to start a conversation with Rinne. Every time they bumped into each other in the hallway, she wanted to apologize.

Katsumi’s eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry. Though I may not be worthy, can we still be friends forever?”

“……”

After a short silence, Katsumi’s hand felt the grip of Rinne’s warm hand.

“Alright.”

Even though she still couldn’t look Rinne in the eyes till the end.

“Then, see ya later.”

“Mmm, see ya.”

Katsumi swore in her heart to meet with her again.

And so, Katou Katsumi and Usagawa Rinne parted ways. Their paths home differed cruelly and had no chance of intertwining ever again—

After passing through the market street and crossing the road, all signs of people disappeared.

Behind Katsumi, who couldn’t hold back her tears, a sinister shadow who couldn’t possibly understand the two’s friendship approached from nearby.

“Shall we compare the length of our arms?”

Rudely and without cause, an unreasonable shiver shot down Katsumi’s back.

Katsumi reflexively turned around.

That was the turning point.

Unfortunately, for the girl Katou Katsumi, the existence that had cheerfully called out to her was not a resident of the world humans couldn't understand with their logic.

It was an existence not meant to be seen during a lifetime, and was merely something that one might pass by.

The girl who deviated from the peaceful world of humans just had to meet such a being. To meet the Long-Armed Demon... How would one put it? It would be considered bad luck, misfortune, a tragic fate, or the like. Even I can only think of one thing to say to her. And that would be: Rest in peace. That girl was singing. “In—the—clear—night—”

That girl was extremely innocent and naive, and straightforward to the point where people might question her sanity, but that only makes her scarier. Though her high voice was clearly that of a girl’s, and her appearance was normal, there was the feeling that she lacked some part of humanity. She gave off an impression similar to that of a carnivorous beast.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

As she sang, she danced an odd dance around Katsumi.

Seeming as if she would fall, she teetered to the right and tottered to the left, casting doubt as to whether she was dancing or simply drunk.

Katsumi simply stood there, silently and rigidly, watching that girl.

“Humans—are—so—annoying—to—see—”

The girl seemed like a grade-schooler. One couldn’t even be sure if she reached up to Katsumi’s chest.

In this cold weather, she only wore a colorful shirt, and even the legs showing under her skirt seemed cold.

Her hair was tied into two rather short pigtails, and because her overly bright smile she revealed a row of white teeth, and her eyes shone incomprehensibly.

She suddenly stopped singing and dancing. “Boom”, she jumped in front of Katsumi.

“Good evening.”

Her voice still overflowed with friendliness, without the tiniest amount of malice.

However...

Katsumi suddenly felt the incongruity of this girl as she noticed this grade-school girl’s peculiarity.

Where, where was this incongruity? What was it? Katsumi watched her, quickly noticed something unbelievable, and screamed.

“My name is Long-Armed Demon. What’s yours, onee-chan? Hehehe, Long-Armed Demon forgot!”

The little girl didn’t have arms. From her shoulders, her entire arms were missing. Only space remained where one should have seen her slender arms.

The arms were actually gone, rather than being hidden somewhere.

This was her only difference from normal people.

But Katsumi felt differently. From the girl’s body constitution to her expression, she was completely different from a human…

She almost seemed like a spirit. No, more like… a demon?

That’s right, she said she was a demon.

“…”

What was going on? This was too ridiculous. Katsumi’s mind was completely fuddled.

“Long-Armed Demon?”

There was no way for Katsumi to understand this, and she could only fearfully step back slightly.

But behind her was a wall, leaving her with no way to escape. Escape? From such a tiny little girl? But she could sense the danger. Her instinct told her to hurriedly leave this girl called Long-Armed Demon.

As she trembled, Katsumi felt fear all the way deep inside her core, and ran as she pushing past the little girl.

“Eh, hey!”

For some reason, she felt unbelievably scared. She wasn’t afraid due to the girl’s appearance, she just felt that the girl… shouldn’t exist in this world.

Katou Katsumi tried to lose the girl as she ran as fast as she could on the empty streets lit by neon lights.

''Escape. I can escape. I can escape from you!''

Otherwise…

“That’s right—since I’m a demon with long arms, I’m called Long-Armed Demon.”

The innocent voice rang in Katsumi’s mind.

Then, Katsumi’s body couldn’t move. Screaming out, not understanding her situation, she opened her eyes wide.

Long-Armed Demon had not moved from her spot, but Katsumi’s body stopped listening to her brain’s commands. She could not move at all.

What was going on? This was some supernatural event! That's impossible! As her mind spun in a frenzy close to its breaking point, she thought of screaming, “Help—”

She couldn’t help but think, “Help me, I’m about to be killed!”

This was the attitude of a human meeting a carnivorous beast.

The innocent little girl sweetly smiled.

“How is it? Long-Armed Demon’s arms are so long, right?”

An immense force grabbed her shoulders.

It felt like a bodybuilder was crushing her shoulders. She could even clearly feel the pressure of five fingers.

The only logical assumption would have been that invisible arms reached over and grabbed her shoulders, holding her in place.

But, how could there be such a thing?

Ghosts, monsters, superpowers; those things were all fictional, fantasy, and should only have existed in cartoons or on T.V.

But Katsumi’s fear of death made her entire body shudder, with her entire world in a hopeless, senseless madness. Like in T.V., her life was now filled with supposedly impossible events. The sole difference was that for her, there would be no rescue.

“You can’t run away. If I let you get away, I’ll be punished by Zeki-kun.”

--The girl’s innocent voice spoke.

Zeki-kun? Katsumi only shuddered without pause.

--Behind her stood the girl who remained innocent looking and had a happy face.

She was too far away and out of reach even if Katsumi stretched out her hands. She was the terrifying Long-Armed Demon that completely annihilated Katsumi’s ordinary life in the cover of this darkness.

She pouted unhappily, “But still, what exactly is your name? You have an Apple right? I looked forward to this since I thought you’d be pretty strong, but this is boring. Zeki-kun’s a liar, this isn’t fun at all!”

Like a child disappointed with a toy recently bought, she said: “Whatever, I don’t want something this boring. I’ll throw it away.”

Long-Armed Demon innocently, yet cruelly, threw Katsumi against the wall.

Katsumi heard a “Clack” before she understood that it was the sound of her clavicles and her ribs being smashed. The pain was too great to allow her to even scream.

The invisible arms that grabbing her shoulders simply and purely inflicted blind destruction upon Katou Katsumi’s body.

In other words, she was slammed onto the wall, smashed into it, beaten up, thrown away, suddenly thrown onto the ground before being picked up again and flung into the air with bones shattered and blood splattering everywhere and she was just being thrown and thrown and thrown...

“Crash----Clang!”

That was the hollow and insubstantial bell of the night of the prologue, a bell that signaled the beginning of this night of sorrows.

Contrary to the New Year’s bell that was sounded to welcome the New Year and to pray for the elimination of malevolent spirits, this was the bell of the night of prologue that suggested the end of Katou Katsumi’s boring and beloved daily life and proclaimed the arrival and rampage of demons.

Her blood splattered everywhere. Her bones were long since crushed to smithereens, and were miraculously mashed together with pieces of flesh—

When Katsumi was smashed against the wall for the last time, Long-Armed Demon squirted out a laugh, “Hee hee”.

“In—the—clear—night—”

She started singing, released her formless arms, and allowed the thing that used to be Katsumi to fall to the ground.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

Long-Armed Demon’s face did not reveal the slightest guilt at committing Katsumi’s murder, only showing that same bright expression as she walked up and narrowed her eyes to look closely at the piece of corpse on the ground.

“Humans—are—so—Eh?”

Long-Armed Demon stopped singing and used her invisible fingers to prod Katsumi’s body.

Then she showed confusion—this was the first time Long-Armed Demon revealed a perplexed expression—as she incessantly felt Katsumi’s body, her face turning deadly white.

“Eh, eh eh? Eh eh eh?” That was the expression of the child after a grave error, “N-n-no Apple? Why? How, How? But… but she died? She died but didn’t have an Apple? Eh, eh eh?”

Then, she noticed.

Beside the lump of flesh that used to be Katou Katsumi, there was a book.

It was Kannonsakazaki High School’s student identification documents, but Long-Armed Demon didn’t know that, and only flipped through the blood-stained pages incredulously.

On the first page, there was a picture of her face, her address, her birthday, her name—

“Oh?”

That name was clearly different from the one Long-Armed Demon had been ordered to kill.

She had waited for Katsumi to leave that coffee shop, in which she stayed for oh-such-a-long-time, perched on the coffee shop’s roof… now that she thought about it, she accidentally wasted some time when she got down. By the time she finally got back on her trail, aside from this girl called Katsumi, there was another person.

Since she disappeared into the darkness, Long-Armed Demon didn’t see her clearly and thought she was a random bystander.

Could that person have been..?

Now that she thought of it, that person seemed to be around Katsumi’s age.

Long-Armed Demon’s face turned pale.

“Oops, hehehe. Long-Armed Demon made a little mistake!” Then she realized it was a bad time to laugh. She thought seriously: “Wh-what do I do now. I-i-it’s so troublesome. Zeki-kun will scold me, I’ll be, I’ll be, I’ll be punished. Waah, this sucks, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do?”

Long-Armed Demon felt flustered as she worried. Suddenly, she thought of a wonderful plan and jumped up, “That’s right.” She laughed, “Tee hee”, and used her bright voice to mumble to herself in a harsh tone, “That’s right, it’s alright if I can find that girl from before, she’ll definitely have the right name. What was that name again? And then, and then, I just need to get that person’s Apple before Zeki-kun gets here and I’ll be fine. I'm so smart!”

Then, with a presumptuous expression, “But I don’t really know what she looks like. Oh… ah, that’s right, killing all the girls that in this town that’s of this one’s age should be fine! As long as I kill them it’ll be alright, cos the one who doesn’t die would have the Apple! Yeah!”

With this thought, she believed she might succeed.

And so, Long-Armed Demon did not even look at Katou Katsumi’s corpse as she faded into the darkness.

How many girls of Katsumi’s age did she think there were in this town?! But her steps was both light and full of hope as she walked away.

“In—the—clear—night—”

The thin, small figure disappeared into the dark and gloomy night.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

Only the song never ceased, pouring into the girl’s miserable corpse.

“Humans—are—so—annoying—to—see—”

The above was the story of the strange girl that I saw.

Haha, what? You’ve got an incredulous expression now. Ah, do you not know why I told you this? This is… to put it to modern terms, this is a gift from the underworld. If you didn’t know one or two interesting things, wouldn’t the trip to Hell be too boring?

Moreover, I want to reflect on this event involving Long-Armed Demon. For that, unloading the facts onto someone else is an effective tool.

Perhaps, for you who are about to be killed, this isn’t something interesting—but how do you feel about it? I wish to hear the opinions of you normal people who live inside the normality of life, unlike existences such as me who live on the other side.

Ah, you think this was nonsense? I guess I can’t blame you for that. Maybe these things are indeed unbelievable for those of you living inside normality.

But this was absolutely true. This is a nightmare that is attacking Kannonsakazaki town as we speak. That’s right. Perhaps your most important person would be attacked by Long-Armed Demon tomorrow.

Oh? Your expression changed. Eyes flaming with determination are so beautiful, and I like that. But that’s not----allowed----because you must die here. My apologies, but that has already been decided.

Ah, haha, your face is full of unwillingness.

Are you annoyed that you can’t protect a certain person? Hahaha, not bad, I wanted to see expressions like that.

You can go and die in such regret, grief, suffering, and die while cursing your own helplessness. Otherwise, the party that does the killing will get bored too.

But, don’t worry, you’re not bad people.

Nor are you germs or poison. You’re simply humans that felt for other people, powerful and impressive humans.

Therefore I will kill you with all of my sincerity rather than indiscriminately slaughter you. I will recognize you as a person as I kill you.

This conversation’s been going on for too long. Then, please die.

What? My name? Hahaha, how can I tell it to people about to die? I can’t handle it if you curse me! You’re so foolish~

But, if it’s my name over on this side, then there’s no harm in telling you. It’s your choice whether or not to believe that it’s my true name. Whether or not you may curse me is also your choice.

Because this is a name that would shine even brighter when cursed.

My name is Sterilization Disinfection. I am only the digestive organ——

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| Return to [[Mushi:Vol1_Author's_Notes|Volume 1, Author's Notes]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Ch1|Night 1: A Series of Misfortune]]
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Mushi:Vol1 Author's Notes

2011-11-27T12:02:01Z

Dell19930:

Hello everyone. I’m Akira. This novel called Mushi, Eyeball, and a Teddy Bear is the first volume of five, I consider it a transition for myself. But. For now let’s disregard the author’s perspective. I hope readers can treat as an independent piece.

I don’t know what kind of viewpoints the readers reading this will have, but let’s assume you’ve already read the entire volume. What do you think? From the start one should realize that the synopsis of the book and what’s actually in the book have totally different moods, though that’s entirely my fault, not the fault of the synopsis.

Originally, this was supposed to be a comedy. At the time, I was obsessed with comedies. While concentrating on the ludicrous challenge of “How ludicrous can I make this story”, I wrote Mushi, Eyeball, and a Teddy Bear. And actually, the title used to be The Daily Life of Class 1-B’s Gankyuu Eguriko.

So, the first characters had crazy names like “Gankyuu Eguriko” or “Usarin-kakka”. Originally, the story would have started with a meteorite falling, and ended with a giant teddy bear wreaking havoc. But once I put my pen to the paper, the story that should’ve been a comedy began to become serious… *gasp*.

Obviously, this was a result of my lack of strength, but maybe this wasn’t so bad. Though the stage was set for a comedy, I ended up writing a serious story. Not only is this kind of experience rare, it fortunately brought me a “Best Newcomer” award.

I don’t know how this work will turn out, but if it can even slightly reach the readers’ hearts, I’ll be very happy.

Finally, I give my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this novel.

First of all, the first person in my life to call me to a publishing company and making me incredibly nervous, and whose first words were "...very interesting!" and thus saved me, Mr. Kindaichi. [TN: Name translation is unreliable, as I simply took the Chinese text and ran it through an online translator.] Many thanks for the flowers at the commencement ceremony, and for all your concern.

Next is Mr. Mitsuki Mausu. Thank you for the gorgeous and unique illustrations that distinguished this novel, which had many ordinary characters compared to other series. Honestly, before I saw his rendition of Guriko, I hated her, but now I feel the exact opposite. I originally thought of her as looking like a fearsome demon, and didn’t think she could be so cute. It was really surprising!

Finally, I thank all of you readers.

Novels only contain words, but it takes valuable time for you to read them. As an author, in order to prevent that time from becoming a waste, I want to write novel with humor and thought.

—Akira

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| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol2_Open|Volume 2, Open]]
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</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol1 Epilogue

2011-11-27T11:25:13Z

Dell19930:

== '''Guriko’s Offering''' ==

Winter break had ended, and the new school term had begun as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. However, the girl known as Gankyuu Eguriko had already disappeared. Her desk was removed over the winter break, and it was noticed that her name was no longer on the eleventh spot in the class register. Though he already knew this, Sakaki Guryuu still felt sadness the moment he confirmed it.

Gankyuu Eguriko had vanished before their eyes.

The reason was unclear.

She disappeared from Sakaki’s ordinary life as if her existence was but a long dream. What happened to Guriko? Snake? The Mushi? They were things Sakaki cannot know. The town devastated by the Dream World Beast had also been restored over the winter break. The only thing that she left behind were their memories – and two Apples.

Those two Apples must have taken roots in Sakaki’s and Rinne’s souls! Sakaki’s appetite did fall, and occasionally Mushi-like people would look at him with reddish eyes. He apparently needed to stay cautious for the time being. However, as the Mushi had so far remained docile, Sakaki had been rather calm. As he thought, as long as he and Rinne could stay together, living forever wouldn’t be so bad!

Rinne would graduate high school in two years, and Sakaki resolved until then to push thoughts of the future out of his mind and optimistically live his life. He would enjoy it as much as possible while treasuring his memories with Guriko, until life itself became a bore. Guriko must have thought the same somewhere else in the world!

These thoughts gave him courage.

He was not alone. He had friends such as Guriko—and also Usagawa Rinne.

Rinne returned to her solitary life since Guriko’s disappearance. She should have felt lonely, but she avoided pessimism and gave an impression of strength. What about himself then? Had he, perhaps, grown a little tougher too?

Whether she has matured, or not.

Sakaki was glad to have met her.

One morning, facing his class of students suffering from winter-break-induced brain malfunction, Kannonsakazaki High School’s teacher Sakaki Guryuu of class 1-B announced the day’s schedule as well as the schedule for the semester.

This morning was just like any other morning in the past. He had expected such a typical scene to never return, yet Guriko’s efforts made it possible. Where was she at this moment? Had she saved someone else in some place unknown to Sakaki?

Sakaki thought about this while absent-mindedly stood at his podium.

“SLAM!” The classroom door was suddenly forced open.

Sakaki was dumbstruck. Rinne was dumbstruck. Obviously, the rest of the class was dumbstruck. Why couldn’t this person appear in a more normal way? Like so, the door was opened, and without even closing the door behind them, the person pompously walked in and silently wrote on the board with her unkempt handwriting:

Transfer Student: True • Gankyuu Eguriko

Since this was simply too odd, even Sakaki was speechless.

Could this sailor uniform donned wolf-haired girl still not manage to tie her shoelaces properly? They were messily bundled together.

Her face was stone stiff, as if challenging the world; and a mighty aura seemed to rise from her. However, for some reason, her eyes flickered with a strangely satisfied gleam. This was something the old Guriko lacked, this light that emanated out of eyes that now obtained their humanity.

In a sharp, confident tone, she announced her introduction.

“I am transferring into this class. My name is True • Gankyuu Eguriko.”

“Wait a minute.”

It’s not surprising that Sakaki decided to interrupt her. Guriko, surprised, looked at him.

“What?”

“What do you mean, ‘What’?... Guriko, what was that ‘True’ about?”

The two hid behind the podium and started to talk.

Though the students found this suspicious, this type of thing wasn’t necessarily important.

“I also considered using ‘New’, but that feels a bit modest.”

“Are you a [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Getter Robo|Getter Robo]] or something? This is definitely weird, what kind of world has high school girls with names like that? Why can’t you just call yourself Gankyuu Eguriko like normal? That being said, why would you transfer again? You still have your school documents here, so just come to school like a normal person!”

“They aren’t here!”

Guriko bluntly responded.

“How so?” Sakaki replied.

“I used up the Apple’s power in the fight against the Snake. It was inevitable after releasing God’s power. Because of that, my original foothold in the school, which was made using the Apple’s power, all disappeared together with my fake identification and residential documents. Plus, since I left the other two Apples with you, I could only use a new Apple’s power to transfer over in this situation.”

“…a new Apple?”

“Taken from that Snake.”

“I see.” Sakaki understands now. “In the end you kidnapped that guy away, how pitiable.”

“Pitiable in what way? He reaped what he sowed. Plus, I’m not a cruel person. I never took Snake’s essence, that of his soul. I let him off easy! I didn’t expect him to actually be a physical snake, and he seemed to be using an Apple’s power to turn into human form… Ugh, as long as he doesn’t accidentally get another Apple again, it would be physically impossible for him to do evil anymore! Oh, and there’s no need to worry. I already let him experience first-handedly what true terror is. He won’t show up before you again.”

“What did you do…..?”

“It’s better if you don’t know. But two weeks passed before I noticed while I was fixing him, and I didn’t manage to get back to Rinne’s place until today … Sorry for making you guys worry.”

Guriko said this with only trace amounts of regret.

Two weeks?! What kind of humiliation did she put him through? Though Sakaki was curious, his fear was stronger, and he decided that ignorance was better.

Guriko shyly said, “…Actually, I didn’t want to show myself to you guys again. But I couldn’t resist. It’s pathetic; only two weeks and I already want to see you so much. It feels like I never wanted to leave you guys, so let’s continue to live with each other until we get tired of life, Sakaki.”

“Ugh…”

Sakaki couldn’t help but agree, but he still had a few concerns, so he asked, “hey Guriko, since this is how it turned out, isn’t ‘Gankyuu Eguriko’ fine for a name for you to keep? Though I’m making a new class register, your previous record is already gone anyways—”

“Even so, it’s impossible to erase memories. Though it’s only been a short while, there should still be some people in the class who remember me, right? It would be way too weird to get two transfer students with exactly the same name, but if I just use the name ‘True • Gankyuu Eguriko’, then I can completely dispel their suspicion. They’ll just think I have a similar name, and they’ll move on to thinking about something else—”

“Who’d accept that? You give way too strong of an impression; the whole class remembers you!”

“Oh? This kind of mistake can happen?”

“You should seriously put more effort into being less conspicuous!”

Despite his astonishment, Sakaki was still happy just to be able to see Guriko again, so he continued with a smile, “Then again, we can think about this kind of stuff afterwards. Welcome back, Guriko! Even though I have a lot to say to you, introduce yourself as a transfer student first!”

At this point, Sakaki got up from his hiding spot behind the podium.

Guriko followed him up, and stiffly said to the dumbstruck students, “I’ll introduce myself again, I’m True • Gankyuu Eguriko, but call me Guriko. That being said, it doesn’t matter if you call me True • Gankyuu Eguriko. Don’t talk to me if you don’t want to; you might as well not talk to me at all. Just don’t disturb me, and I won’t injure you, so keep that in mind. Mind your own business, and generally avoid talking to me. If you dare to bother me, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs no matter who you are. If you value your eyeballs, then don’t get on my bad side. If you talk too much or you love meddling in other peoples’ business, go die. If you’re nosy about others’ business, you can go die too. That’s it.”

Being an apparent repetition of the previous introduction, the introduction was finished in one breath. Guriko looked forward and made eye contact with Rinne, who showed a gentle expression that seemed to say, “you’re really hopeless, aren’t you, Guriko?”

“…It’s not like this, is it? You can’t drift away from everyone else like this. I believe everyone would like very much to talk to you, and don’t you want to talk to everyone else too, Guriko?” Rinne had already said this to Guriko before.

Guriko remembered these words. For a while, it was hard to recognize her facial expression, but she soon decided.

“…I originally wanted to say something like that….”

Guriko suddenly lowered her head. All her powerful aura seemed to have disappeared.

“But, that would ruin the mood wouldn’t it? I don’t really like the changed atmosphere either, so—Ah, what should I say—”

She seemed unable to find the right words to say. The class’s anticipation did not cease. Rinne’s face showed an encouraging expression to Guriko, and Sakaki also gently protected Guriko who was about to take a bold new step.

Soon, Guriko bowed, and softly said, “—basically, pleased to meet you…”

—At that moment, thunderous applause echoed throughout the classroom.

Guriko’s face filled with surprise.

——You see, if only she opened her heart, everyone else would also stay kind to her. That is the beauty of humanity. Humans live their lives helping each other, loving each other.

The girl who died a millennium ago had wandered for a millennium, and finally found people important to her and a wonderful place in the world. She shouldn’t say that ‘it’d be fine as long as she’s the only unfortunate one’, right? Guriko was not unfortunate, because of this happiness that she had finally found.

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|Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
|Forward to [[Mushi:Vol1_Author's_Notes|Volume 1, Author's Notes]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol1 Ch5

2011-11-26T14:43:13Z

Dell19930:

=== Final Night : Don’t Look ===

The curtain opens. Before the story goes on, let us cast our eyes toward the apartment where Usagawa Rinne was living in, a place that no real estate agency was interested in whatsoever. The scene here was as quiet as a nurturing place for a dimension of phantoms as we move past the corridor with the faded walls, a corridor that hasn’t been burnt by fire but showed a smoky black sheen.

The door with a plate indicating ‘1A’ had an unnecessary door well. Coming through the wooden door that required some skills to open, we move our sight to the two girls who were deeply asleep in the middle of the narrow small room. One was the owner of this room, Usagawa Rinne. She had a head of neat short-cut hair and skin white as snow. As for the one who tightly clutched Usagawa Rinne and battled intensely with nightmares… she was Guriko. The girl named Gankyuu Eguriko was moaning softly, drenched in cold sweat.

However, nightmares didn’t trouble her as often since she started living with Rinne. Could it be possible that Guriko’s heart, sick from a millennium of wandering, was healing little by little after being touched upon by Usagawa Rinne’s gentleness? Her wolf-like messy hair, which wouldn’t stay down no matter how much she brushed it, was scattered over the bedcovers.

This seemed very interesting, and they look as if they were the very materialization of happiness. However, the two girls who slept next to each other were yet to know that the existence given to destroy this happiness was placed right next to their pillows.

“Pzzt, pzzt pzzt.”

The Dream World Beast’s egg quietly cracked.

It was an egg as large as a human skull, with bright and colourful geometrical patterns scattered all over the shell. It was different from the egg of any creature on Earth. This egg was of a creature similar to Legion Bandanna, whom Guriko defeated at the school two nights ago. It was a forbidden creature that should not exist in the peaceful human world. It obtained nutrients from eating Usagawa Rinne and Guriko’s ‘dreams’, and slowly build up its strength as supplies to hatch out of the shell.

Although Guriko had told Rinne: “things that Mushi gave you can be dangerous. Throw it away or break it!”, Rinne was too kind to ever do such a thing. At the end, Guriko also agreed optimistically that this shouldn’t be the egg of any particularly dangerous creature.

But Guriko, you were too naive. A Dream World Beast was indeed not a dangerous creature, but you’re the one providing the Dream World Beast with the nutrients – you yourself should count as a dangerous creature!

It was almost time. It was too late even for regrets. All were progressing towards the worst outcome possible for them. However, they did not know this, and only peacefully hungered after happy dreams.

– Dream while you can, dream happy dreams.

Once they wake from the dream, the end will be before them.

Can you hear it, the sound of the shell cracking, the sound of the Dream World Beast wanting to come out?

“Knock knock, knock knock.”

She always remembered that the sky was especially clear on that day. The unpredictable dark clouds that had gathered in the past few days were all blown away. The sun hung high in a windless sky. It was the ideal weather for going out. As the temperature wasn’t very low, there was no need for gloves. As she walked, she soon took off her coat too. The weather was warm, and the plants also grew sparkling and green as if they were happy as well. People’s expressions were spirited and full of happiness.

Usagawa Rinne hung her coat, which she took off, on her arm, and repetitively enquired Guriko if her clothing was appropriate. This was the outfit that she contemplated on for two hours before buying. Rinne was confident that it was fine, but that didn’t mean it was not her own stubbornness speaking. However, even if she were to ask Guriko, who knew nothing about clothing or fashion, all she would get would be some utterly incredible words such as “any clothing’s appropriate as long as it covers your body!’ To note, Guriko said this with wide and incredulous eyes.

By the way, since she only had one set of outdoor clothes, Guriko was still wearing the school’s sailor uniform. Guriko usually wore Rinne’s casual clothes inside the house, but that would become quite problematic if she went outdoors like that. Guriko had previously run into town with just her black pajamas on. That really scared Rinne. It looked like Guriko may lack common sense regarding some specific issues, which was truly terrible!

“No matter what you wear –”

Incredulous, Guriko told Rinne, who was being very attentive to her outfit: “Sakaki wouldn’t mind!”

“That’s true, but…”

Watching Rinne, who was at a loss of what to do, Guriko sighed with exhaustion.

“Is this the heart of a maiden? I can’t understand it… anyways, no matter how worried you are you don’t have time to change anymore. Therefore, it’s a waste of time to worry at all.”

“Uuuu –”

Guriko’s cold words made Rinne’s expression a little troubled. Guriko was speaking in her ordinary tone. She wasn’t angry, but Rinne still felt it could’ve been said in a slightly different way. Guriko was certainly someone clumsy and with a rude attitude.

The end-of-term exams have finished. Under Sakaki’s passionate teaching, the students in class 1-B had all achieved high marks (except for one certain student). They were all showing off their good grades to their parents while preparing to enjoy the winter break. Rinne, who could not boast her good grades to her parents, and that certain student (Guriko), who has no parents to reprimand her for her bad grades, also have two weeks of winter break starting today. Although she was still rather restless, she couldn’t help but feel settled for now.

Today was the day that I had carelessly told you as the day that the three of them were going out together. Rinne had planned a happy day tour in order for Guriko and Sakaki to get along better and deepen their friendship. Rinne planned for the three of them to have fun 'till sunset to get rid of the guard Sakaki still had towards and Guriko, and also to change Guriko’s stubborn and deep-grained perceptions of Sakaki.

Rinne’s philosophy was that everyone should get along well together, that everyone should be happy.

But let’s leave that aside for now.

“Sensei –”

Rinne greeted Sakaki, who had the attention of all the customers, when she walked into the cafe in front of the station and sat down opposite Sakaki together with a stiff-faced Guriko. The heater was on in the cafe, and it felt very hot. Sakaki had also dressed up for today, and his glamour was worthy of a movie star. It was evident that he put a lot of thoughts in it. However, the more stylish Sakaki appeared, the more it emphasized Rinne’s poverty. This had made Rinne more troubled.

But no matter what, Sakaki dressed up for her – this fact made Rinne feel rather awkward, and at the same time very happy. Trust and promises; Rinne stopped wondering if she was fit for Sakaki. Since Sakaki definitely loved her, then she shouldn’t be holding back as well, and would need to repay him with all of her love.

Rinne thought thus.

“Hmm, your Majesty is very punctual!”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just got here.”

But then the amount of people swarming around the cafe had swelled up far too quickly!

In such times, an ordinary person would surely had shrank back, giving too much thought to the fact that everyone else was staring. However, Rinne and Sakaki were already used to it, and faced it with a nonchalant composure. Sakaki has a very noteworthy outer appearance. It’ll be too stressful to pay much attention to such things.

Rinne’s efforts in picking her clothes paid off. Sakaki said: “Your Majesty, your outfit today is even cuter than normal! I thought you were a pixie.”

That compliment was over the top.

Rinne blushed red with embarrassment.

“Sensei is very handsome too!”

“Thank you… you, on the other hand, are exactly the same as always.”

Sakaki moved his eyes towards Guriko. Guriko jumped.

“Rubbish! Why should I dress up for you!”

“Gu, Guriko-chan, don’t be so harsh as soon as you start to speak… Sensei, you too. Today’s a happy day, isn’t it? Don’t say things that are too provocative…”

Poor Usagawa Rinne. The other two had sparks flying between them, while she only looked on with an helpless expression.

Being unable to sway her the other way, they could only compromise reluctantly for her sake.

“…This is Rinne’s bequest. I want to get on well with you the best possible, but my personality is just how it is, and you’re not too malleable either. so for now –”

Guriko continued with an pure voice: “– let’s maintain the current situation for now. I’ll do my best to control my temper.”

“Then I’ll do the same. I’ll do my best to try trusting you.”

Listening to their incredible conversation, Rinne couldn’t help but feel funny and laughed out loud.

“You two are so similar! I really think that you’d become good friends…”

It’d be great if they can become good friends; Rinne thought this calmly and quietly in her heart.

Rinne’s wish immediately came true. They got together unexpectedly cordially once they removed their pride and guard. Even though it was awkward at first, they gradually understood each other. Guriko could understand Sakaki’s gentleness hidden behind his arrogance, and Sakaki also discovered Guriko’s goodness that was distorted with her clumsiness. It went without saying that it was Rinne who had painstakingly resolved the misunderstandings and misgivings between them.

Sakaki appeared to really sympathize with Guriko’s past that she spoke of. He could also understand that like Guriko’s incomprehensible odd behaviors were due to compelling reasons, just as Rinne had said. Sakaki apologized for his previous rudeness, and Guriko also forgave him. The wall looming between the two suddenly collapsed as if their earlier arguments were fake.

This miracle continued for five hours.

‘Bam bam’, brisk and light intermittent sounds could be heard. The location was a more boisterous town a bit further from Kannonsakazaki. This was the gaming zone next to the cinema, and Sakaki and Guriko were challenging a two-player shooting game. They each controlled a toy gun connected to the machine, and fired nonstop while aiming at the violent dragon going berserk in the screen.

This kind of shooting games, in which one can experience an authentic gun battles, wasn’t very rare in the current age. Sakaki and Guriko – who held a gun each – and Rinne who was sitting in the middle screaming, all sat in the seats modelled after car seats in the space separated from the outside through a curtain, and were engrossed in the sound and light of the game.

An incredible unity had already arisen between the three, and they were treating each other in an honest and unreserved attitude. Although the conversation between Guriko and Sakaki were still sharp and Rinne couldn’t tell whether they were joking or fighting, that seemed to be their way of communication and even Rinne no longer prevented their arguments now.

The way people deal with each other differs. Compared to sweet words that don’t always seem to be true, she felt that the straightforward and brutally honest way they talked to each other was actually a correct relationship. People can become good friends even without deliberately trying to flatter each other.

Usagawa Rinne became a little less worried when she thought of such things.

''Even if there was absolutely no hope in the future, we probably won’t lose either.

We won’t lose to fate, or to Mushi.''

“Guriko! Your bullets haven’t been hitting the enemy at all! Aim properly then shoot! That’s me! Don’t hit your fellow comrade, you traitor! Why are you only accurate when shooting at me? Just more or less aim properly!”

“Shut up! I’ve never played such a furious game. All those eyeballs flying towards me is a mess on the screen; I’m gonna throw up soon.”

“Guriko-chan’s only played consoles in TV…”

Rinne stopped their scolding in a roundabout way, and smiled gently.

By the way, this game they were playing had some strange settings. Moments after dinosaurs appeared, UFOs started attacking from outer space. While they annihilated aliens, they got involved in a bank robbery too. There was no sense of continuation in the plot. Because there was no way to know what happens next, just watching was very fun. The scene suddenly entered in the microbial world, and the two were now fighting white blood cells.

Sakaki was very good with a gun (which was totally expected, since he normally practiced shooting with real bullets). As long as he didn’t get shot by Guriko, he wouldn’t die easily. Guriko, on the other hand, kept wasting coins and dying pathetically. Sakaki prepared a mountain of 100 yen coins, and there wasn’t much left. Still, thanks to that, the two seemed to have reached the end battle. The final boss controlling the robots began some senseless explanations. What a stupid game. Or should she say it was a game that would make player stupid? The maker probably wanted to make a stupid game to start with. The plot of the game was very far removed from ‘a masterpiece that is both sensible and moving”.

The robot controlled by the final boss let out scallops from rocket launchers. Sakaki accurately shot through the scallops, while Guriko took the chance and attacked the main body of the robot. However, for some reason, Guriko’s bullets disappeared without even grazing the giant robot.

“Guriko, did you aim before you shoot?”

“The more I aim the more it goes off… is this machine working properly?”

“Don’t blame the machine. Wow, you got me again! Why don’t you aim at the giant robot? You’re aiming at me, who’s as small as a speck of rice – and how come you can actually get me?”

“How would I know. Ask my finger…”

Rinne looked at the two who were conversing well together with a face full of satisfaction, and thought that it was great that Guriko and Sakaki can get on well with each other. ‘‘I hate to have two people that I like fighting with each other. At least such a situation won’t happen now – although there were still a mountain of questions and there was no sign of a bright future, just being like this can give me a sense of being saved.''

At this time, Usagawa Rinne had yet to despair about the future.

No matter how painful and how condemned the future that awaited her may prove to be, Rinne should still be able to get through the difficulties using her optimistic personality and live on happily ever after! It was because she had the strength to keep on living, and Guriko had also said that she will protect her.

And stay with Sakaki Guryuu forever, till his life ends.

Maybe Usagawa Rinne can stay beside him all the way till the end, and smile with him.

However –

“Crack, splish, crack crack crack.”

“Splat… uuuuu.”

Suddenly.

The robot that continuously released scallops disappeared. No, it was more like the screen suddenly darkened, and all the pictures disappeared. Even the stereo that was going loud as a storm became silent. The lighting disappeared in the shop. When they drew aside the curtain and looked out, the entire shop was in a blackout.

“What’s wrong?”

Guriko was incredulous, and still held the toy gun in her hands.

“A blackout?”

“How rare. Is the power plant down?”

Rinne’s words were very practical. That should be the reason based on daily and ordinary logic. Otherwise, perhaps a wire snapped, or that someone took off the shop’s fuse as a prank.

“Buzz… zzzz…”

A sound like the spluttering of flames or the chirping of insects.

“Sakaki… Rinne, oi.”

Guriko called out them using a paniking voice. The two of them, who were looking towards the outside, turned to Guriko.

“What’s up?”

“Something’s going on with the screen.”

Guriko said in an even voice. Following Guriko’s words, Sakaki and Rinne looked at the completely black screen.

There.

“Buzz… zzzzz… zzz…”

An alien scene was getting bigger and bigger on the screen that had lost its power and shouldn’t be able to display any images. “Shhhhha”, the entire screen showed grey things that were writhing as if they were crawling. Worms?

No.

This was –

“Eyeballs.”

Guriko said succinctly.

Yes, they were countless eyeballs, and they were very lifelike. White eyeballs that didn’t seem to belong to anyone were dripping with slick eye liquid. The veins undulated on them, and they twirled like crawling worms.

“Urk…”

Rinne moved her eyes away out of disgust, and Sakaki’s face was also pale as a sheet. Guriko stared straight toward the odd picture. Soon after, the eyeballs focused into one image.

“Buzz… zzzz… zzz…”

It was a girl.

No, it wa something that resembled a girl.

Her body was made of insect parts. She had giant red composite eyes, antennae unique to insects, and a sharp jaw and claws came out of the her shiny black shell. It’s an insect, an insect.

The insect was dressed in a cute, flowing dress, and wore peach colored shoes. The antennae even had a large bow tied to it when they looked at it her closely. That was a very strange and completely incongruous outfit.

That existence which resembled both a girl and an insect was hugging a bear toy in front of its chest – a teddy bear. It had a simply appearance, and the round black eyes were sawed-on buttons.

“This –”

With a low voice, Rinne couldn’t help but speak out.

“This teddy bear –”

An incredulous expression surfaced on Rinne’s face.

‘‘It’s the teddy bear that I used to want a lot.''

Guriko quickly turned to Rinne.

“You’re saying that’s – the one you told me before, the one that your dad won’t buy for you no matter how much you begged?”

“Yes. Ahhh, why, what’s going on, what’s going on –”

Rinne was confused. Guriko couldn’t understand this situation either.

Countless eyeballs were squashed in next to the insect, and they were so real it was like they truly existed there. Be it color or shape, they were unlike images that would have been shown as part of a gaming scene. The girl-like and insect-like existence, surrounded by eyeballs, said in a low voice as it moved its antennae:

“… Mushi, eyeballs, teddy bear…”

It was as if the surrounding air was suddenly frozen over in the blink of an eye.

Everyone was speechless. They couldn’t even move their fingertips, and were completely drawn in by the alien scene before them.

The disgusting monster continued with a cute and girly voice: “… that’s right, they are the things that you fear and desire. Things that exist in the core of your lives. I was born from ‘there’, born from consuming ‘that’.”

This downright chilling, uncomfortably spooky thing kept talking: “… Glad to meet you, mother, I’m the Dream World Beast. Thank you for providing me with nutrition and give birth to me in this world. You let me obtain such a strong power.”

“Dream World… Beast.”

Sakaki said softly: “You’re that egg’s…”

The Dream World Beast ignored Sakaki’s presence, and kept staring at Rinne and Guriko.

“… A Dream World Beast grows by consuming the ‘dreams’ of humans. The living essence of humans are mixed in ‘dreams’, so it’s very nutritious. For monsters like us, who can’t be counted as living creatures, eating the ‘dreams’ of you, who have Apples, provides use with a very great power.”

“She” continued talking with that chilling voice: “… I’m your ‘desire’, I’m your ‘fear’, and I’m the most primeval thing in your lives. You are the ones who made me into this shape. Mushi, eyeballs, teddy bear –”

This thing’s appearance was actually something like that.

“…This is your essence. Although this shape is a combination of the ‘dreams’ of both of you, I am very happy. I have obtained such a strong body!”

“You’re saying that this is the essence of – Rinne and I?”

This terrifying monster.

“… Yes. My shape is your ‘desire’, and also your ‘fear’.”

The Dream World Beast stretched her hand, and pointed towards Guriko.

“… You’re scared of Mushi, scared of that absolutely incompatible enemy. No matter how much you fight them, how many you manage to kill, Mushi would never die out and would always spawn out more. That existence that killed your family –”

“Chirp”, the Dream World Beast made a sound like the cry of birds.

“… At the same time you desire Mushi. Killing Mushi is the meaning of your existence. If all the Mushi were to disappear, then you’d lose the meaning in your life. Therefore you’re afraid, and at the same time long for, those Mushi.”

Guriko didn’t answer. She only pursed her lips tightly and stared at the Dream World Beast.

The Dream World Beast then looked at Rinne.

”… You’re the same.”

Rinne was startled.

“… You’re also afraid of the decisive teddy bear that changed your life. A teddy bear is just an allusion here; it is ‘something that you wish for’. You lived for 15 years without getting what you wanted. You always longed for the existence of the subject of your desire, but at the same time you’re afraid that such an existence won’t appear.”

The Dream World Beast looked at Sakaki.

“… Then, even if that existence had already appeared, you still often feel afraid, afraid that the subject that can give you your desire – be it love or a place in society – would one day disappear. You fear from the bottom of your heart to be separated from Sakaki Guryuu. The contradiction that was created from your heartfelt longing for Sakaki Guryuu is this teddy bear…”

Rinne fall onto a chair and shivered continuously. Rinne would of course have such a reaction with suddenly having her essence pointed out. The Dream World Beast continued without a pause.

The Dream World Beast looked straight toward Gankyuu Eguriko.

“… You like and hate eyeballs at the same time.”

Guriko didn’t make a sound.

“Your own eyeballs, which live in endless time, have long become murky and lost their shine. Therefore you want to gorge out the pretty eyeballs. You long for beautiful eyes, want to possess them, and are afraid to be looked at by those beautiful eyes. A fearful contradiction created from jealousy –you became less and less like a human due to this hobby. Gankyuu Eguriko, Eyeball Gouger, what an allusion to choose as your name –”

“You’ve been –”

Guriko’s barrel-like eyes stared straight toward the space before her, and said to the Dream World Beast with a pure voice.

“– chatting away annoyingly for quite some time. Thanks for this tiresome mental test. So, what do you want to use that thing – the monster we gave birth to, for? Mushi?”

“… My my…”

The voice –

“You discovered it. What a sharp sixth sense!”

– changed.

Like the falsetto of a man, or the contralto of a female, a chilly and enthralling sound.

Guriko glared at the screen.

“A newborn baby can’t possibly know this much about us. No matter humans, animals, or monsters, a baby is still a baby. Even if it grew by eating our ‘dreams’, can a newborn baby explain ‘dreams’? Those emotions – are only known by you, who’ve been observing us!”

“… How perceptive!”

The sound said delightfully: “This Dream World Beast is indeed still a baby that can’t tell right from wrong, and only has an immature intelligence than I can easily manipulate. However! I need to correct one thing. It’s not ‘us’ who want to use this monster for evil deeds…”

“Puft,” a noise appeared in the image.

“… But me as an ‘individual’. Do you know what that means?”

“Crack”.

“Crack, smack, craaaaack, crunch crack.”

The sound of something crumbling was emitted. It was a noise as if the earth was cracking apart, an ear-splitting sound.

It could be heard in the entire gaming zone complex.

“Boom –”

As if this entire building was almost crushed by some weight –

“You bastard!”

Guriko gave a short yell then sprinted through the crowd after grabbing Sakaki and Rinne’s wrists. Guriko rushed out of the crowd and ran with an unbelievable speed while dragging the other two. At the same moment that they escaped the gaming zone – the entire building crumbled down in the blink of an eye as if it was perfectly timed.

Guriko deflected the debris with her two hands, and saw the giant monster with its back to the sun.

A giant body that can smash buildings with only one foot, dark crimson complex eyes, a sharp jaw. It was just like what they saw on the screen in the gaming console. It wasn’t wearing a flowing dress though, nor were there eyeballs wriggling beside it; but that was definitely the Dream World Beast that had appeared in the picture.

Watching that enormous giant monster, Guriko couldn’t help but swear out loud: “You monster!”

That was the true form of the Dream World Beast that was hatched due to having eaten the two’s dreams.

''I was really too careless''. As Gankyuu Eguriko thought as she lifted up her head to look at the Dream World Beast that was destroying the town. How could she not have sensed such a – gigantic and powerful monster? Could it be that she was too engrossed in the video game? No, that was not it – she couldn’t feel the dangerous aura that needed her vigilance even as she was looking at the Dream World Beast with her two eyes. How can she have no feelings of alarm toward a monster with such a terrifying fighting ability and could flatten shops with ease and dig up a building with just one hand?!

But she understood it later. ''That guy said this monster was born from eating the ‘dreams’ Rinne and I had, then the Dream World Beast should only have the scents of Rinne and myself!'' For Guriko, Rinne and herself were obviously not targets to be alarmed with, therefore she couldn’t feel its scent.

But these kind of things weren’t important at all.

“Sakaki.”

As Guriko ran further away from the Dream World Beast together with Sakai and Rinne, she said.

Sakaki, who was walking at the front, turned his head to answer Guriko.

“What?”

“You take care of Rinne for me.”

Guriko had made the decision in her heart a long time ago. She had desired to have a place to die since a thousand years ago. However, since there was nothing important to her anywhere, it didn’t matter whether she lived or died. However, she had already taken back her humanity, and could make the decision of for whom – for whom would she fight for.

Rinne noticed Guriko’s thoughts, and her face paled.

“Guriko…chan, could it be that you…”

Guriko smiled gently.

“Rinne, you must live on. You’re worth it.”

“Guriko-chan…”

Rinne looked as if she was about to cry.

“Don’t worry, I won’t die! That’s how I’m constructed!”

Guriko turned around in the blink of an eye, moved her sight away from the two of them, pulled out three spoons that she hid in the pockets of her uniform and threw them. The spoons sparkled beautifully with a silvery sheen under the sunlight. Guriko swiftly dodged from the people fleeing the scene and ran up to the rooftop of a shop and stood like an invincible warrior. She cast one look at the other two, who were walking away, just as Rinne was looking at her. Guriko murmured in a small voice: “Sorry…”

Looking up at the Dream World Beast, Guriko realized her body was shaking.

“… even with an immortal body, it would have to take a few years for me to resuscitate once the body is completely destroyed – I won’t be able to see you for a while; how lonely.”

Guriko suddenly clamped her mouth shut with her hand.

“Would I feel… lonely?”

The Dream World Beast found Guriko, and emitted insect-like cries. “Chirp – chirp –” ‘It’ stared straight at Guriko without blinking. ‘‘The Dream World Beast was probably instructed by ‘Mushi’ to attack the three of us. If I don’t stop it, those he’d target next will be those two.''

“How human am I! Thank you… Rinne, Sakaki.”

Her words ended here. The following did not need words.

Guriko approached the giant Dream World Beast without fear, and looked at it from the front. ‘‘Dream World Beasts should be harmless creatures with no power of destruction, right? Could it be that Rinne and I changed it? The two of us, who have twisted cause and effect, triggered miracles, and ate the Apple of Eden, actually managed to change the anatomical makeup of the Dream World Beast so much. I have to take responsibility, and finish this in that gentle one’s stead.''

“Mom… mom.”

The Dream World Beast’s answering cries sounded like it was calling for its mother. Although it may be a delusion… no, it shouldn’t be! Controlled by ‘Mushi’ and having to fight its mother, this pitiful baby only had its voice left to express its true nature. Therefore, its mouth kept crying: “Mom… mom. Mom… mom.”

“Sorry.”

Guriko clutched her fists and said: “Mom – has to kill you.”

Then the slaughter began. As the crowd had quickly left, there were no humans left around them. The scattered brick and dust fell like rain. Guriko stood there majestically, and faced the giant Dream World Beast that blocked the sun. Guriko must have been the only one who could keep the Dream World Beast here.

“Wham”, the Dream World Beast unhesitatingly put down its enormous front feet. If she were stepped on directly, even Guriko would be flattened. Guriko jumped to the shop rooftops and dodged this attack impressively. Moreover, she jumped directly on the Dream World Beast’s dangling arm, and ran up to its shoulder in one dash. As if frightened, the Dream World Beast eagerly wanted to use its other front limb to swat her off. However, Guriko dodged that strike as well, and landed on the face of the Dream World Beast, which is about as big as a small shop. She dangled beneath the antennae, and wondered where she should strike. Panicking, the Dream World Beasts emitted chirping cries and twitched anxiously.

– Take this!

Guriko mercilessly threw the spoons in her hand, but those spoons bounced off the Dream World Beast’s tough shell and fell on the ground. Guriko clicked her tongue in amazement, and swung towards the Dream World Beast’s complex eyes while still clutching to the spoons in her hand. That was her only weapon. Therefore, if her next attack still had no effect, she would have no advantage whatsoever. As she accelerated, Guriko forcibly stabbed the spoon into the complex eye.

A violent stab. The stab didn’t feel to be as deep as she’d imagined. The eyes of insects are made of tougher material and are different from those of mammals. Although Guriko has a lot of raw force, she only managed to pierce it after a lot of effort.

The Dream World Beast was immediately enraged when its body was wounded by the stab.

“Roooooooaaaaaar –”

The Dream World Beast ignored its own injuries and swung at Guriko violently. Although Guriko shifted away in the blink of an eye, she was still too close and received a direct hit. Her body flew out as she felt the impact. Guriko coughed up blood as soon as she hit the ground.

“Urgh…”

Her entire body felt like it was destroyed. This destructive power was simply incomparable. However, Guriko still managed to wipe off the blood on her body, and feebly stood up while leaning against the wall. Even when covered in blood, Guriko still did not give up on this battle.

“Don’t you dare that think that such things… are enough to kill me!”

An unyielding spirit burned in Guriko’s eyes as she yelled towards the Dream World Beast: “Come on! I’m still alive!”

But – Guriko did not know.

She did not know that the worst possible development was going on whether she managed to defeat the Dream World Beast or not. Guriko did not realize that, and that lack of realization was her mistake and her misfortune.

The final countdown had begun. Everything was simply a preparation for this progress toward a helpless end. Rinne meeting Guriko, Guriko kissing Sakaki, the rampage of Legion Bandanna, the hatching of the Dream World Beast; it was all a script prepared by the very worst existence for some unknown purpose. Only the one who created the script can obtain happiness in that script. Only that ugly creature who controlled the Mushi, controlled the Dream World Beast, and wanted to obtain the Apples.

“Do you – believe in God?”

That young man appeared casually and abruptly. For some reason, the crowds which were huddled in fear around them have all disappeared, and an unbelievable silence surrounded them. The young man’s terrifying voice, like a male falsetto and a female contralto, seemed extraordinarily loud. Dressed in a purple robe, holding a large crystal orb in his hand, the young man who has removed his cape had eyes which were sparkling with a faint reddish light.

Sakaki Guryuu and Usagawa Rinne suddenly froze. Sakaki had long determined this young man to be an enemy, and his vigilance was understandable as Rinne had once been strangled by this youth and his companions and she was almost killed. However, the young man knew very well that Sakaki’s vigilance was useless, and therefore continued to speak calmly: “Whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t really matter in the current situation. There was indeed an existence called God! Although I don’t know about the current times, the absolute existence called God did indeed exist in the past. But even if it is God, a creature is still a creature. it can be wounded, can become sick, and of course has a lifespan. The inability to evade death is the destiny of all things alive, even for God. God was terrified of the death that would one day arrive, and attempted to escape death.”

The Mushi walked towards the two quietly. Sakaki got Rinne to hide behind his back.

“Therefore, God created the forbidden fruit with all of His knowledge and omnipotence. God made the Apple Tree grow in the Garden of Eden using almost half of His own soul. The Tree soon budded and grew, and formed those red fruits. The soul of God, which swelled due to having absorbed Earth’s nutrition, was contained in that fruit. It multiplied from one species to a hundred and from the hundreds to the tens of thousands. God wanted to increase the size His soul this way. Suppose that God’s life span is a thousand years, then the soul used to create the Apple Tree would has five hundred years of life. But the Apples multiply. After a hundred years, the Apples would probably multiply a thousand times to its original amount. Therefore, if He ate the fruit harvested from there, then God’s life span would multiply by the thousands too. If this went on, then God would undoubtedly obtain endless life.”

“However – ” The fortune teller stopped in his tracks, and laughed at Sakaki.

“That was the situation when the Apple Tree first started to bear fruit. Something happened later. The two humans sent to protect the Apple Tree – Adam and Eve – ate the first Apple, and with it five hundred years of God’s life. Of course, I was only giving an example when I said God’s lifespan is a thousand years. No one knows what it truly is. It may be ten thousand or a hundred thousand years. Although no one knows how many years it is, Adam and Eve nonetheless ate half of it. In rage, God wanted to chop them to pieces. However, thanks to some other existence, the two actually managed to escape from God.”

“Pfft”, he questioned with a laugh: “What do you think that existence was?”

This – wasn’t a Mushi. Mushi don’t have such an expression. Mushi don’t have such a cunning, such a hideous smile. Sakaki stared right at him and screamed.

“You bastard –”

“That existence is called ‘Snake’.”

A smile emerged on the young fortune teller’s face like a snake devouring its prey as he quietly pronounced its name.

“Snake longed for immortality. No, no, all creatures possess the wish to be immortal! But Snake’s desire exceeded that of all others. It didn’t want to die; it wanted to live on. It didn’t wanted to age, it wanted to be immortal. For Snake, who longed thus, the Apples of Eden was something it wanted very much. Therefore, Snake manipulated the two who guarded the Apples of Eden and told them: ‘go steal the Apple!’ in a serious tone.”

The fortune-teller laughed.

“Adam and Eve were completely fooled and decided to steal the Apple. Of course, that was to be handed to Snake. Snake couldn’t bear to have any other immortals apart from itself, and thus burnt the Apple Tree. Snake thought that the Apple should have about 500 or 5000 years of life in it. Then, after eating this Apple, it should be able to do what God did – plant new Apples, and make itself immortal!”

“However –“

Something outside of Snake’s plan happened. While Snake was burning the Apple Tree, Adam and Eve ate half an Apple each. With nothing else it could do, Snake decided to let Adam and Eve escape from the Garden of Eden for now and think of a way to rob their Apple away later. It also left the Garden of Eden afterwards,. However, Snake didn’t give up on immortality! Nonetheless, Snake’s life was very short compared to the two humans who almost lived to forever,. After leaving the last words of ‘What a regret!’ to its children, it died. Of course, its children inherited his last will… even now, the descendents of Snake are still seeking the Apples of Eden.”

As if he was talking about himself, the fortune-teller went on placidly.

Could it be – Sakaki thought.

Could this guy be –

“Let’s leave the business of Snake alone for a while. Adam and Eve, who ate the Apple, wanted to leave the Apple to their descendents too. Therefore, the two of them created the Garden of Eden in the crossroad between life and death, a realm where only humans can arrive at. They buried the Apple there, nursed an Apple Tree, and even till today that place still contains an Apple Tree. Usagawa Rinne –”

The fortune-teller stared at Rinne and Rinne jumped.

“– It was that Apple Tree which you saw when you came near death.”

“Ahhhh –”

Rinne wailed and instantly broke down. She couldn’t imagine it was a tree with such a profound background. It was too scary, and this incredible and ancient burden almost snapped Rinne in half. The forbidden fruit that was pursued with a crazed fervor by God, Snake, and Adam and Eve – was eaten by Rinne.

So that was why. It was truly too great a crime.

“The possibility of discovering the Apple Tree is very low, and it seems that humans who are able to eat that Apple are even fewer. The Apples of Eden grow very slowly and don’t fruit very often. Also, Apples tend to hang at rather high places; not many people are willing to climb up the tree to pick the Apple.”

“It’s because I was thirsty.”

Staring into empty space, Rinne murmured to herself in a rather hoarse voice: “So I wanted that apple very much.”

“In other words, you ‘wanted very much to keep living’. The life in which nothing happy ever happened made you depressed and you therefore hoped to live on more happily. That wish was then expressed in the form of ‘thirst’! Since the Garden of Eden is located in the world of the soul… the workings of the mind will change into the workings of the body and be expressed physically. That’s how it is. This always makes me excited.”

But the fortune-teller continued as if he was impatient: “Even though we know so much, we can’t even approach the Garden of Eden. Only humans can enter the spiritual realm of humans, and that applies even to God. The one remaining half of God’s soul that was carefully multiplied and preserved survived, and vowed to take back the Apples taken by men.”

“And the things that were created for this purpose are Mushi.” – The fortune-teller said with a smile. “Back then, crowds of Mushi appeared to humanity in all sorts of forms. Some were called angels, and some demons. Demons helped men to fulfil wishes with the condition of taking the human’s soul – that was a common idea, wasn’t it? The demon that appeared in such stories were Mushi. Since the Apple takes root in the soul, you must take the soul if you’re going to take the Apple. And as long as the holder of the soul does not surrender it, then the soul cannot be separated from the flesh. However, if there was even a little bit of thought along the lines of ‘I don’t want this thing’, then the soul could depart from the human. That was the reason that demons helped men to fulfil wishes. The soul cannot disobey the conditions set out in the contract, therefore demons – Mushi – helped certain men to fulfil wishes with the soul as the price. And within that would be the Apple.”

The fortune-teller shifted on his feet and put down the crystal orb, and continued with a smile: “That was the Mushi’s original job – Mushi are creatures created for that purpose, I’ll have you know. They have only one purpose, and that is to take back the Apples of Eden and offer it up to the mighty Creature for Him to enjoy. What a laudable virtue! And how pitiful! They actually let go of the Apples – the Apples that can grant immortality.”

A distinct expression of despise emerged on the fortune-teller’s face.

“How stupid, how foolish! ‘I’ would never do such a thing. If I were to offer the wondrous Apple to a God that no one knows if He exists or not and may even have already died – ‘I’ would rather eat the Apple myself.”

“You bastard –”

Had already eaten an Apple.

“You bastard –”

Sakaki called the same words out again.

“Of course, ‘I’ am Snake!”

As he spoke, Snake moved his hand out of his long robes. His hand held the pistol that he took from Sakaki the night before yesterday while at the school. ‘‘Damn’’, Sakaki thought. If the opponent was a monster, then he can just run, but it won’t be the same now he has a gun. That was the reason Snake took Sakaki’s gun.

“Your Majesty, run –”

“Bam, bam, bam.”

Sakaki was hit by three bullets. A large amount of blood spilled everywhere. Sakaki’s body tangled up with Rinne’s and the two of them fell backwards together. Sakaki’s blood splashed onto Rinne’s face, and she screamed.

Blood, blood, he kept bleeding, it won’t stop, it’s still flowing, flowing away with his life.

Blood.

“Don’t worry. He won’t die, but it’ll be very painful!”

Snake said softly. Rinne called meaninglessly out to Sakaki, who had lost consciousness.

Far away, Guriko continued fighting vigorously with the Dream World Beast. There was no salvation, there was no hope.

Rinne sobbed and cried on and on.

Sakaki did not respond to her cries.

“… I pretended to be Mushi because it’s very easy. I accidentally discovered a human with an Apple about 50 years ago, and I robbed away his Apple. Apples have the power to twist cause and effect and create miracles. Most Mushi don’t have abilities to think; just using a little of the Apple’s power can easily trick them. For example –”

The red in Snake’s eyes disappeared, and golden eyes with reptilian slits showed up.

“Changing the colour of my eyes, changing my voice; just these things made those guys sincerely believe I am their comrade. Once they began to trust me, the rest were easy. I can tell those guys some nonsense to manipulate them, and I can obtain information concerning Apple holders at the same time. After all, my aim is to eat many Apples as possible and live forever…While I posed as Mushi, it was very convenient in terms of trying to achieve this. I’m just a little bit not used to their way of speech.”

Snake smiled. It was a very evil smile. He looked at Rinne, who was glaring at him while hugging Sakaki, covered with blood. Rinne knelt on the tarmac road with overwhelming sadness and anger and stared silently at Snake. Snake became very irritated.

“What are you glaring at? Are you sad because that man was shot? Ahaha, wake up, it was obviously your fault that this man is shot.”

“My fault –”

Rinne said with a shaking voice. Tears welled out continuously from her eyes.

“Yes, your fault. If you didn’t fall in love with Sakaki Guryuu – then he’ll never be shot here by me today, and will definitely be living a happy life.”

“Me – it’s me?”

Rinne’s heart wavered. Snake didn’t let this opportunity pass and went on: “Yes, you’re the one who brought misfortune to Sakaki Guryuu. He died because of you. If he didn’t meet you, didn’t save someone like you, and didn’t fall in love with someone like you, then Sakaki Guryuu wouldn’t die. You’re the one who brought misfortune upon Sakaki Guryuu.”

Snake repeated the same words and slowly approached Rinne, who was shaking all over. Rinne was confused due to the shooting of her lover, and she should be feeling that everything was really her fault. Aha, it’s time.

Snake smiled cunningly.

“Would you consider giving me your soul?”

Silence –

Rinne couldn’t understand his words – and simply stayed dumb. Snake moved up to her face and smiled. It was an angelic and at the same time devilish smile.

“That’s the only way to save Sakaki Guryuu!”

Rinne’s eyes widened. She loved Sakaki a lot, and felt that Sakaki was more important than her life or her soul. If so, all Snake needed to do would have been to threaten her with her most important person as a hostage; why must he kill him?

Snake said gently: “To put it simply, your soul contains the miraculous Apple, and eating it would resurrect a man who’s near death. You should know this, since you’ve experienced it yourself –”

A year ago –

Rinne almost died, but regained her life due to eating the Apple.

“It’d be ok if you just give your soul to me. How do you do that? Easy. You just need to say: ‘I’ll give my soul to you’, and acknowledge that fact from the bottom of your heart. Then, the right of possession of the soul would transfer from your body to me. I swear I’ll save Sakaki Guryuu with that soul.”

“Your Majesty…”

Having perhaps regained consciousness, Sakaki slightly opened his eyes and said painfully.

“Sensei! Sensei!”

Rinne screamed and cried. Sakaki continued, doing his best to voice out words: “… No, don’t listen to him. This bastard once said Guriko is the devil. I think he is the devil. This bastard only wants to get your Majesty’s soul... don’t be fooled! Leave someone like me alone. Your Majesty, you should be able to escape by yourself, run away – and live on, then… I’d be –”

Bam, bam, bam.

Blood spluttered everywhere.

“No!”

Rinne screamed. The bullets made Sakaki’s body twitch again. The bullets avoided vital organs, and hit places where it would bring him infinite pain. Sakaki moaned painfully. Wet blood splattered onto Rinne’s clothes. She hit the Snake, hit him forcefully.

“Stop it! Stop it! Why are you – bastard!”

Snake grabbed Rinne’s wrist, and slapped Rinne with his other hand.

Rinne handed on the tarmac road, hard. She grazed her temple and blood seeped out. It hurt. But Sakaki hurt more. And his pain –

''Are all caused by me.’’

“… Manipulating Mushi to place poison in the bento and commanding Legion Bandanna to attack him were all to force him into a near-death situation!”

Snake said happily: “I picked Sakaki Guryuu as my target and not you. The amount of poison wasn’t enough to kill him. On the off chance that Legion Bandanna really manages to almost kill Sakaki, I also planned to help him. However, both attempts were foiled by Gankyuu Eguriko and didn’t succeed… but I would only have counted it lucky if they actually did manage to work. By the way, I only wanted confirmation when I attacked you at the clearing. If your Apple didn’t grow and you could still die – then I’d just kill you. Then it wouldn’t be as problematic as today; I could have ended everything with just killing you and taking away your soul. Although that plan failed at the end as well – it doesn’t matter since I’m about to achieve my goal today anyways.”

Lowering his head to look at Sakaki, covered the blood, an evil smile emerged on Snake’s face.

“Alright, if you don’t want Sakaki to die, then give your soul to me. Of course, if you don’t trust me, you can also choose not to give it to me. The worst that can happen is that Sakaki would die. He’s a stranger who’s not your family, nothing too bad. If you consider him as a stranger –”

Stranger?

He was no stranger.

Rinne stared at Sakaki. Sakaki’s face was pallid with blood loss. Rinne felt the urge to scream. She felt dizzy, and her head felt heavy.
''No, I don’t want this.’’

''I don’t want Sakaki to die, it shouldn’t be like this.’’

Rinne loved Sakaki.

“Sensei… Sensei.”

Snake wanted to use Rinne’s innocent love to take away her soul. That was the plan he came up with, and it was the most effective plan to take Usagawa Rinne’s soul.

Rinne only hesitated a little.

How could this gentle girl choose otherwise when faced with Sakaki, who was approaching death?

Rinne quietly said: “… I, give you my soul.”

“Hehe.” Snake laughed.

“Hehe, hehehe.” He laughed.

It was a very evil laugh. The most devious and heinous laugh in the world.

A few tears fell from Rinne’s face. She gazed at Sakaki, and said her final words: “… Sensei, I’ve always wanted to repay you, repay the debt that I own you. It was the life that you gave me and your love. Did I – repay it? Sensei… Guryuu –”

Rinne touched Sakaki’s lips with her own.

“– I love you. Thank you.”

And she fell down immediately – Usagawa Rinne no longer moved.

– Obviously, Snake would never pity Usagawa Rinne, and those words he spoke to her were evidently lies. Snake never intended to save Sakaki. How can he possibly use such a hard-earned Apple on such a fool? Usagawa Rinne was a hopelessly kind human, and at the same time a hopeless idiot. She really did offer up her soul for Sakaki’s sake! Snake roared with maniac laughter. It was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, unbearably ridiculous. What a tragedy! What a beautiful love! Isn’t it outstanding?! Isn’t it touching?!

And he had obtained a second Apple only because of that.

Now he was one step closer to eternity.

The Snake ate the soul – Apple – that he robbed from Rinne after he had laughed for a while. He then walked towards Sakaki Guryuu, and point the gun at him without hesitation. ‘’How can I possibly fulfil my promise?’’ Usagawa Rinne had surely died a meaningless death. Honestly – did she really think that there would even be a remote chance for the Snake to save Sakaki?

“Unfortunately, I – am not that romantic.”

The gun barrel was indeed aiming at Sakaki’s forehead, aiming at a man who had already stopped breathing. The Snake laughed as if he felt genuine joy from the bottom of his heart.

“Bam!”

With a bam, the gun in the Snake’s hands was shot away and was dismembered.

“– Urk!”

Snake, who had yet to forget the sensation of pain, allowed a shade of agony to invade his expression. That flying missile did more than destroying the gun; it even sank into the back of his hand, piercing deeply into it to cause agonizing bouts of pain.

“Uaaaa…”

The Snake hurriedly looked toward the direction of the attack. In fact, he knew who it was without even lifting his head. The weapon that pierced the back of his hand and drew blood was a spoon. There is only one person whom Snake knew uses such a thing as her weapon.

“Gankyuu… Eguriko.”

“… I heard the most of it, because I’ve got a pretty fine hearing!”

Gankyuu Eguriko said with a sharp voice. She walked toward the battle from the other side of the road. Her face was covered with blood, and even her sailor uniform was dyed crimson. Those eyes, like gun barrels, were full of anger, and she still sported that unique wolf-like hair cut.

Guriko said with a raging voice: “You piece of shit… you’re not even worthy to have me gorge out your eyeballs.”

“Where’s the… the Dream World Beast?”

Rather than due to the pain of the wound, Snake tottered more out of surprise. He did not expect Guriko to appear so quickly. Guriko guessed that – Snake originally planned to first take away Rinne’s Apple then attack Guriko, who would be fighting a bitter war with the Dream World Beast. He would attack her till she could not keep up with her regeneration, and would then slowly contemplate the method to take away her soul – that should cover it!

What a boring plan!

Snake looked towards the sky. The Dream World Beast, which was destroying the city uncontrollably just moments ago, was already gone. Snake’s eyes widened, and screamed as if wondering ‘how can this be’: “Could it be… could it have been destroyed?”

Guriko sighed quietly.

“You didn’t discover that? So you were so immersed in your bad taste of an obsessed game and went slack on your surveillance of the surroundings! The Dream World Beat was already destroyed, burnt into ashes by bombs!”

“Bomb, bombs…”

“Sakaki probably called them! It was probably the US Army stationed in Japan or the Japanese Self-Defence Force. The Air Force appeared and dropped a few bombs, so the Dream World Beast died. Maybe they reduced its power, so there weren’t much of a sound and it didn’t explode – it could even be something called petrol bombs. Although I don’t know much about current military developments – when this country erupted into war back then, similar bombs were also thrown on it.”

To be correct, that wasn’t called a petrol bomb. However, Guriko didn’t know about such things. All she knew was that the Dream World Beast was finished in just a few blows. The Dream World Beast had died calling for its mother. When Guriko thought of this, she couldn’t help but feel pity for that monster.

“How much more misfortune do you want to create?! You’re Snake, right? Are you the one hiding behind all those things? I was just thinking that there were too many Mushi – so it was you who gathered them all here. All the puzzles are now solved – although it’s too late.”

Guriko narrowed her eyes with sorrow, and looked at Sakaki and Rinne who were lying on the ground.

“… Sorry, I couldn’t protect you.”

Guriko completely ignored whatever Snake was roaring about. She walked slowly toward them and knelt down quietly. Guriko was covered with blood. Her left wrist was twisted in an odd angle, and fresh blood kept coming out. The blood mixed together with the tears that welled out of Guriko’s eyes, and flew past her cheeks like sanguineous tears.

After having cried for a while, Guriko smiled bitterly. This wasn’t like her at all. She gave one wave of her hand.

“Boom”. It was a wondrous sound. At least, that was what it sounded like for Guriko. Rinne, who had lost her soul and no longer moved, quickly opened her eyes. Sakaki’s bullet-riddled wounds also slowly disappeared. With faces full of confusion, they looked at Guriko who was next to them.

“Guriko… chan.”

Using her slight metallic voice that sounded like the swaying of bells, Rinne said: “Huh – why, didn't, I die…?”

Sakaki was also full of puzzlement.

“My wounds – healed. How? This is –”

“Ahahahahahahahah!”

Someone was laughing.

“Ahahaha, ahahahahahahahah! Hahahahahaha! Ahahahaha!”

Snake was laughing.

“Gahahaha! Aha – ahaaaa! Hahahaha! Haha! Hahahaha!”

It was a sound of ridicule.

“How stupid, foolish, ridiculous! You idiot! Such a thing – Ahahaha, I didn’t think that you’d do such a thing! I didn’t think you’d be so idiotic – becoming so stupid!”

“Since even you called be stupid, then it must be the truth!”

Guriko said quietly: “But you don’t have the right to mock me.

“Of course I’d laugh. I’d laugh regardless! This is really too funny! You did something ridiculous! It’s like you rushed into a fire but accidentally poured oil instead of water inside; a foolish business that’s stupid beyond everything else! How can I not laugh?!”

“Ahahahahahaha.” Snake laughed even louder.

Guriko ignored Snake.

She looked at the two with a genuine expression that hid her resolve within.

“I have now given you Apples. They are Apples of my friends’ that I have always protected. Because the heart lives within the physical body, Rinne maintained Rinne’s looks and so had Sakaki –”

“Gak.” Guriko spat out a large puddle of blood. Her regenerative abilities had decreased due to the decrease in her Apple’s power.

Rinne and Sakaki cried out in surprise. Guriko continued with a smile: “An Apple would only use its original power when its host suffered a serious wound – a fatal wound. It would heal the host’s wounds and reduce pain. That is the power of God. You have eaten half of God’s soul. The miracles and distortion of cause-and-effect should also be the power of God! That is, if what Snake said was true.”

Though Guriko was fighting the Dream World Beast, she had definitely heard the conversations here. That was an effect of body function enhancement, achieved with the power of the Apple.

“… As long as you have God’s power, Sakaki, you won’t be able to die. The bullets won’t disappear, so you’d have to pull them out yourself. Although it’d hurt, you’ll have to bear it. Rinne lost her appetite because her regenerative abilities were strengthened. It was all because I gorged out your eyeballs. Your Apple began to grow since that time.”

Although it had only been two months since then, it felt like a long time. For Guriko, it was almost a lifetime ago. Perhaps that was because she had matured since then! Meeting Usagawa Rinne – made Guriko, who had been stagnant for so long, become more mature. This Apple was a gift of gratitude. Without wiping off the blood that continued to well out of her, Guriko kept speaking:

“Can I treat you as the people most important to me?”

That was truly what Guriko thought. It was also the answer to the question that Rinne had once asked her.

“I like you, and think that you’re important. That’s the important emotion that I forgot a thousand years ago. I have always lived like a zombie, without any purpose, living like a monster that only knew how to kill Mushi and gorge out eyeballs. After meeting you and was able to spend some brief times together, I felt from the bottom of my heart that it’s good to be alive… I’ve sought for you for a thousand years. I received salvation because I met you.”

Her blood dripped on the ground.

“… It’s good, to be alive.”

“Clack.” The spoon fell to the ground.

“… Guriko-chan?”

Rinne paused, and called out to her. She felt like Guriko was about to depart for somewhere far away. Rinne, who was at a lower position, hugged Guriko. Sakaki also hugged Rinne and Guriko.

Though they did not speak, Guriko understood that to be the answer.

“… Thank you both. I’m so glad, so happy –”

She slowly shook them off, and faced Snake.

“ – I found the thing important to me, met the people important to me. My thousand-year-long life already became purposeful with just that. Thank you… Rinne, Sakaki.”

Guriko told them that with a pure and completely pristine voice, an innocent voice.

“Farewell.”

She quietly spoke this word without even turning around.

Rinne didn’t understand what she meant.

Snake laughed heinously, showing his teeth, giving out an impression of utter spite.

“You made a very foolish decision, Gankyuu Egoriko. Even if you have an Apple, there are countless ways to take the soul. Right, I’ll start with cutting you into a thousand pieces, leaving only your head intact. Then I’ll chop Sakaki Guryuu and Usagawa Rinne into mince! They still have the sensation of pain, so I’ll torment them until they beg me to kill them, to finish it off! As long as they give their souls to me, you, driven to desperation, would also –”

“How pitiful!”

“What –”

Snake stopped talking due to Guriko’s words, and his expression twisted.

“What – did you say?”

“I said you’re pitiful! Snake, the idiotic, stupid one is you! You have no right to laugh at others. You’re the most ridiculous one here, and how can the most ridiculous person ridicule others? You’ve got to have a limit even when joking –”

Guriko said with a calm voice: “You’re the same as those Mushi that you despise. You seek the Apple to fulfil your ancestor’s pitiful dying wish, right? I have no idea just how many hundreds of generations ago that was. You’re looking for Apples for such a person, looking for one Apple after another. How foolish – no one would ever congratulate you no matter how many Apples you find!”

“What –”

Snake lifted up his eyebrows as if he was offended.

Guriko called out with a majestic voice: “How is it your desire? How is it your goal? You only acting on the reason that ‘my ancestor sought the Apple’, and you sought Apples what whatever method it takes because of that, right? Acting according to the goal of another, being happy with achieving the goal of another – how idiotic, foolish, and pitiful! O Snake, though I’m not the most virtuous creature on earth, at least I won’t blame my own actions on other people. On that point, I’m a little bit better than you.”

It was an enchanting sound that permeated the world.

“You blabbed out a lot before you took Rinne’s soul, right? What was that for? Did you think it’d work as an [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Indulgence|Indulgence]]? No matter what a noble and heavy history you may carry, what you have done are nonetheless the actions of the Devil. You cheated humans, and took their souls after killing them. You’re only a monster no matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise. Moreover, you’re just a pawn controlled by someone else. You have no will of your own – though it is your choice to decide whether to attack the king of the rook, you can never remove yourself from that chessboard at the end. You’re only an idiotic tool.

“Idiotic tool…”

Snake stiffened his expression. Without a sliver of fear, Guriko called out decisively: “How idiotic! Seeking the Apples generation after generation and having carried this battle through the entire history of our clan – you’re actually sounding pretty cool. Then what? Going on and on about ‘my’ goals this and ‘my’ goals that, so what is ‘your’ goal? Is it to obtain Apples? That’s ‘your ancestor’s’ goal! What’s ‘your’ goal? Who are ‘you’? Try to answer that. You don’t have an answer, do you, idiotic tool?!”

Guriko roared. Snake’s spine shivered with fear.

“I –”

Gankyuu Egoriko didn’t give him the chance to finish his sentence, but continued on: “What a pathetic and nameless snake. At the end, you’re the same as Mushi; you only passed the Apple to your ancestor, embodied in idea of ‘the tradition of your family’! Even if you discover, seek and obtain Apples, you still feel empty inside, right? Of course, because that’s not your goal. The pawn itself does not feel joy in checkmate. Instead, it is chess player controlling it. The player is your ‘ancestor’, while ‘you’ only serve as a pawn. O pitiful pawn, controlled with the vengeance of the past and having piled even more sins onto this history, repent!”

Guriko yelled with anger.

“How can you dare to take away so many lives, create so much misfortune, and destroy towns and disturb peace all for such a meaningless reason! You even wanted to sever the bond between Rinne and Sakaki, destroy Rinne’s pure feeling, manipulate Sakaki’s love – you really are a Snake. You’re just too meaningless!”

“Uuuu –”

Even though his body suddenly shook, Snake still tired his best to rebuke in the loudest voice he could: “You said – meaningless? You dare to call my goal – my dream, my dream of immortality…”

“That’s the dream of your ‘ancestor’! Haven’t you realized that you’re been controlled!”

With an affirmative tone, Guriko yelled at Snake, who was wobbling: “’You’ don’t even have a goal, let alone a ‘dream’! You simply lived carelessly, thinking that you’d be happy as long as you achieve the dying wish of your ancestor! That’s not what happiness is! No one will ever praise you! You have nothing important to you, so you robbed away the things important to other people. How can I ever allow that to happen!?”

“Be quiet – quiet, quiet quiet quiet, shut up! I, I’ve always – sought Apples. That’s how I lived my entire life. My father, grandfather, and all those family members who passed away before me – they were all the same!”

The Snake tottered as he stood. It was truly a pathetic state. He had dedicated his life to the empty goals of ‘a family’s dying wishes’. Had he lost the meaning of true happiness without even realizing it? That was why he was so lonely, so empty.

Though the Snake’s mind was riddled with confusion, he still roared with pretended strength: “It’s, it’s not that easy to subdue me with just a few words! I believe that I am correct, and I won’t give up on your Apples! That’s right; it’s those three Apples. If I can get your Apples, then I’ll be even closer to eternity! Then – then – then –”

“Then what?”

Guriko continued with a quiet voice. Overwhelmed with anger, the Snake screamed: “Ahhhhhhh! Who cares! Who cares! I’ll think about that later! All I want now are your Apples! Give them to me!!”

“Woah” – like a beast, the Snake rushed furiously towards Guriko. His right hook landed squarely on Guriko’s body, and she skidded backwards. After having lost two Apples, Guriko probably became weaker!

“Hah, hah,” the Snake stared at Guriko with an expression that seemed on the verge of crying.

Guriko wiped off the blood coming out of her nose with her hand, and muttered to Sakaki and Rinne, who were standing still in a stupor: “Sakaki, Rinne, I’ll take care of this. Run! I’ll take care of this pathetic creature. Your abnormal situation is about to end; you can – peacefully – go home!”

Sakaki had no words to rebuke with. Rinne called out with a serious face: “Guriko-chan, what are you talking about –”

“Sakaki.”

Seeing the stubborn expression on Rinne’s face, which indicated she didn’t want to leave no matter what, Guriko called out to Sakaki.

“Run away as far as possible from me with Rinne. You love her, right? Remember to protect her forever! If you can’t bear to live any more, then give the Apple to Mushi.”

She muttered these heartfelt words:

“Because eternal life – is really boring!”

It sounded more like a warning to the Snake rather than to Sakaki.

“… Wha, what are you blabbering on about since the beginning?! I won’t let you escape. I’ll now chop you all to pieces! I have two Apples. You, who only have one, cannot stop me. Cease your meaningless struggles –”

“You really are a rookie.”

Guriko replied briskly. The expression on Snake’s expression changed.

“Roo –”

“The strength of Apples isn’t only determined by its number, you know. What could two unripe green Apples do? Not that I’m boasting, but my Apple has taken a thousand years to ripen. How can a fifty-year-old Apple compare with a thousand-year-old Apple – would its power increase at all, no matter how many you gather?”

”But –”

The Snake was screaming: “My battle abilities were about the same as yours when I had one Apple. Now that I also have Usagawa Rinne’s Apple, I’ll definitely be better than –”

”Sakaki, Rinne.”

Guriko once again ignored the Snake’s presence, and spoke gently to the unmoving duo: “Please get away from here. Please… hurry!”

”Guriko?”

”Please.”

Split, splat, split splat.

Crack –

It was the sound of something being broken off or cracking apart. They couldn’t help but feel that the sound came out of Guriko’s body. Upon close inspection, Guriko’s back had turned red.

“Ahh –”

A scarlet flower was blossoming before their eyes.

The skin on Guriko’s back was broken through by scarlet wings that grew out of her flesh. They looked like extraordinarily strong fighter jet wings. Though they were so thin it seemed like they could be broken with just a single touch, the amount grown was innumerable. Those wings, growing out one after the other, wove together into two large feathery wings, and expanded with a whooshing sound.

”… Let me tell you why I only use spoons when I fight!”

Facing Snake, who had been stunned speechless, Guriko spoke with a calm voice: “There are many other more efficient weapons that I could have fought with. Guns, swords… do you know why I only use spoons? Did you ever even think about it?”

Who was she talking to?

“… Because I am afraid. I always felt that once I have weapons to kill, then the savage part inside me that deserves no salvation would be completely released. For me, a spoon is a weapon that’s within the limits of forgiveness. What those small and fragile spoons symbolized is – self-restraint.”

While she spoke, Guriko’s body gradually became more and more monstrous. The unique wolf-like hair turned into a shade of blood-drenched scarlet. Her sailor uniform cracked with cackling noises, and the exposed skin was covered with insect-like shells. Her legs extended, her arms extended, and her height also suddenly became twice as tall as what it used to be. Guriko’s entire body was dyed unreservedly red. She had become an ominous and yet beautiful figure.

Is this – what God looks like?

Guriko make a low, mocking laugh.

“… You’re saying that you have the same fighting abilities as me? Hah, stop kidding. Do you dare to say that you have this kind of horrible power that even you yourself can’t control once released?”

Guriko’s wings swelled up, and in the next instant she had already made one full swoop with them.

The Snake couldn’t oppose the mighty wind, and was blown away and smashed against the opposite wall of the arcade hall.

“And now, let me put what you planned to do them into action! I’ll torment you unless you beg me and say: ‘please kill me, please finish it’.”

They heard a heart wrenching wail. That terrible cry, that extremely pitiful sound – belonged to the Snake.

“Sakaki.”

With a small voice, Guriko said this at the end.

It was a very pitiful, very lonely sound.

“… You’re still here? I thought I said run away with Rinne.”

Sakaki gazed at Guriko, and Rinne just kept calling out Guriko’s name.

Though it didn’t make sense, they knew they were about to farewell Guriko.

“Hurry up and – go! I can’t suppress myself anymore.”

Her voice was also no longer the sound of an innocent girl.

“… This is my true nature. Not a human, but a monster. However, living with you guys has given me, this monster, some small happiness! Thank you – good bye. Go back to your daily life. As for all the abnormalities – I, Gankyuu Eguriko, would be responsible them for and take them back with me.”

Guriko, who had completed turned into a monster, only said this.

At the final moment, she looked at Sakaki and Rinne over her shoulder.

Tears fell from Guriko’s eyes.

“… Don’t look.”

<noinclude>
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|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol1_Ch4|Night 4: Loneliness ← Kodoku → Insect Poison]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol1_Epilogue|Guriko's Offering]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol1 Ch4

2011-11-25T11:16:27Z

Dell19930:

== '''Night 4: Loneliness ← Kodoku → Insect Poison''' ==

As the season had long changed into winter, the air that remained in the corridors in the school seemed to be particularly cold deep at night, and even the hazy scene that seemed to float in the darkness gave off a feeling of a piercing chill. People meant this exact place when they talk about an ordinary school that’s rarely praised and rarely criticized – Kannonsakazaki Private High School. However, this ordinary scene was currently showing something incongruously strange. The moonlight that shone in through the window made the corridor glisten with light as if it were a mirror, and a few human figures were wobbling along the bright corridor.

There were about ten teenagers. Since they were all wearing the uniforms of Kannonsakazaki High School, they should be the school’s students! There were boys and girls with similar unfocused expressions on their faces, stumbling along as if they were the risen dead. Their faces were full of gloom, apparently having lost their human conscience.

Their leader was the only person who was dressed oddly among these students in uniform. With a long purple robe, holding a large crystal ball in his hands, those eyes that still sparkled with residue light in the darkness were red.

He was indeed the mysterious fortune teller who gave the Dream World Beast to Sakaki Guryuu, tried to kill Usagawa Rinne, and survived after Guriko’s attack. He did not wear his hood. The expressionless youth’s face was exposed in the school at the dead of night.

This macabre team, led by the fortune teller, marched forward. Soon they arrived at the third floor and stopped in front of the sealed classroom that no one usually approached. Although so many people were gathered together, there was not a single word of conversation. The surroundings were enveloped in a frightening stillness. The fortune teller broke the silence and said: “… I see, it was indeed something very vicious!”

No one answered his words. The fortune teller gave a look, urging a boy amongst these students with a particularly thick build to step forward. A rough and large axe was held in the boy’s hands. In order to forbid people from entering, the door of the sealed classroom had wooden panels nailed on it. The boy lifted the axe and chopped downwards chaotically, destroying the door. The sound of him hacking away, as if intending to break the others’ eardrums, echoed in the silent school for a long time.

‘Clack’, the wooden panel made a mighty noise, and the door was completely smashed. Age-old thick dust filled up the air, but the fortune teller did not mind it at all. He spoke to the students behind him: “hurry, the door’s open, get inside –”

Without a word the students, with their faces filled with dead blank expressions, obeyed the fortune teller’s words and walked into the empty abandoned classroom.

There was a strange rumor concerning this sealed classroom. Reputedly, all the students who broke into this abandoned classroom for fun had strangely disappeared – it seemed to be true according to the fortune teller; ‘something evil’ was indeed within this classroom. That is an existence that should never be in this world, something called a monster. Here, there is an existence that is the same as the fortune teller.

“… Come, I’m here to bring offerings. This is prepared particularly for you. Please enjoy yourself. As for having their souls already sucked away – please forgive me, as the best way to successfully control humans is to suck away the soul and make them into zombies! You’re not the kind to eat souls anyway, Legion Bandanna, demonic beast of blood and flesh –”

The fortune teller spoke to the darkness that formed whirlpools in the classroom. Upon closer inspection, the students standing dazedly in the classroom were devored by the darkness one by one, and their figures thus disappeared. Looks like it was truly very hungry. Human actions were truly cruel, locking it up here and not even giving it food. In the pitch dark classroom, the Legion Bandanna’s hunger and hatred were raised to the ultimate level.

With a satisfied expression on his face, the fortune teller looked almost as if he was appreciating the demonic beast that was savoring the students as he devored them.

Ever since when, someone was standing behind him.

“… What are you doing?”

“Oh dear.”

The fortune teller turned his head. A red-haired woman, about twenty years old, was standing there.

It’s a Mushi. It probably discovered that something odd was happening in the school and came to ascertain the situation.

The fortune teller waved a hand and spoke to the Mushi, which had the appearance of a woman: “What’s wrong? Do you need to come to this school for something?”

“Don’t play dumb, I’m asking what you are doing.”

The Mushi was unmoved, and nor did the expression on its face change.

“What’s your intention in feeding the carnivorous beast? You should know the danger in this, right? If it’s just a pointless game, then you must be disciplined as a ‘Mushi’ –”

Just then, the expression on the Mushi’s face froze.

“You –”

Discovered it yet?

“Who? Who are you? You're not a ‘Mushi’ – not one of us.”

‘Shuuu’ – the fortune teller moved with a lightning speed that human eyes wouldn’t be able to see; it was a speed that Mushi, whose physical abilities are not any higher than humans, can never have. The crystal ball immediately dropped on the ground, making a large sound.

The Mushi opened its red eyes wide in shock.

“Wha –”

“I can’t be hindered here!”

The sound came from behind the Mushi.

“– For ‘my’ purpose.”

Then, with his vicious teeth, the fortune teller bit deeply into the slender neck of the Mushi. The Mushi gave out dying shrieks, waved its hands chaotically, but it was useless no matter how it struggled –

The Mushi soon disintegrated into the air.

“… Ah, don’t worry about it!”

The fortune teller spoke into the pitch dark classroom with a gloomy voice.

“Keep on enjoying your food till you’re full.”

Then, ‘psst’, he laughed. It was a very evil, purely evil laugh.

The scene was changing. She’s always felt that before – before she met Sakaki Guryuu, the town had always felt so old and without charisma just like now. Was it going back to the way it was before? Usagawa Rinne sighed, then wiped away the tears that trickled down without her noticing.

The time was seven fifty, almost eight o’clock. Having just finished with her work at the fastfood outlet, Rinne was currently riding her bicycle that was creaking with weird sounds since she hasn’t used it for many years. Every method of keeping herself warm was useless in the winter city after sunset. Rinne curved up her body, enduring the chilling air that seemed to almost erode her body. Apparently she still had residue feelings of ‘pain’ concerning temperature. According to Guriko, it looks like it’ll take a long time for those feelings to disappear.

However, it was said the heartache won’t disappear.

“What… should I do?”

She muttered as if she were speaking about someone else. ''What should I do?'' She had always regarded herself as some special existence before she met Guryuu. This speciality wasn’t meant in a good way, but in a bad way, as a blemished work, a failure, a malfunctioning thing, a piece of crap – however, only after meeting Guryuu did she realize she was definitely not some special existence. There is no such thing as a special existence in a good or bad way. Everyone breathes, eats, sleeps, and lives as such. It is humanity itself that used poverty, personality, social states, and thoughts to classify itself. When she was fifteen, she followed the distinctions that humans made on a whim, thinking that she was a special existence, thinking that she was not worthy, useless even she's alive, and thus wanted death. Only when she met Guryuu did she understand how to enjoy an ordinary life, and feel that she isn’t special, just an ordinary human.

However – she was no longer an ordinary human. How can someone who has eternal life be ordinary? She hasn’t eaten anything, but can still move and speak; does such a creature count as human? How can it, how can it be!

“Sensei…”

She is thinking of Sakaki, thinking of the existence of her beloved.

Humans will definitely one day part once they meet. Even if they do nothing, one day separation will arrive in the form of ‘death’. Although Rinne could understand such things, she’s never thought about it before. They won’t be in a teacher-and-student relationship once she graduates from high school; they’d become a ordinary couple, and will one day marry… and be together forever, just having such uncertain sweet dreams, not thinking about the separation that will arrive one day at last, just living as such. However… now she has to think of this; she has to think how she, who won’t even be granted death, part with Sakaki. One day Sakaki will die, but she cannot die. Therefore, she must decide the time to part herself. Rinne’s tears fell splattering to the ground.

“No…”

No, no, no, Rinne murmured. The bicycle crossed the shopping street, galloping on the uneven ground. The moonlight shone down silently, the grass waved with a rustle, but Rinne was not in the mood to enjoy them.

“How can this be, how can this be…”

It was rare for Rinne to speak such pessimistic words.

She suddenly wanted to see Sakaki very much.

''I used to want a teddy bear very much,'' Rinne said. ''What’s a teddy bear?'' Guriko asked without looking at Rinne. Her sight was focused on the television in front of her, where soft little Kirby was jumping cutely. After yesterday’s ‘Obake no Q-Tarō’, Guriko was challenging action games again today. She was probably getting used to it, and the way her hand used the controller were far more dexterous.

Rinne still couldn’t decide her future after listening to Guriko talking about the truth yesterday. There were many choices. Staying beside Sakaki until he dies and travel with Guriko after he dies; she can also chose not go with Guriko and pass her soul to Mushi; or, as their relation isn’t yet very intimate and the separation won’t hurt too deeply, she many even leave Sakaki’s side tomorrow. However, although she can easily think up these choices, in reality she couldn’t choose as Rinne loves Sakaki very much.

He’s Rinne’s lifesaver, an object of admiration, her most important person in the world.

“This thing, the Teddy Bear…”

Rinne spoke of the past. She felt she wanted to talk about it. Although Guriko didn’t reply, it seemed she was listening attentively and would ask as soon as she has questions.

“It’s a toy, a bear toy! Because it’s made in a very abstract way, maybe it doesn’t look like a bear anymore – I used to want it very much. As to why I wanted it, I can’t remember the reason anymore.”

“That’s how everyone was like when they were young!”

Guriko, clad in pajamas, controlled Kirby as she said words that made others feel the weight of years.

“A child’s world is actually very small. Even if it’s something that is boring and infinitesimal for adults, children would feel that it’s such a large existence that can’t be ignored, right?”

“That’s right!”

Rinne smiled and lay across the prepared bed. The warm table had long ago been pushed to the corner of the room, and the preparations before sleep were already complete.

“It’s probably just like that. But my dad – I didn’t have a mum. He didn’t understand my thoughts, and told me off, very harshly: ‘don’t ask for such things’. Since I couldn’t understand it, I kept throwing fits. That was probably… the beginning.”

The time was half past eight at night. Guriko had been playing video games from when she came back from school till now. If she was told: “you’re gonna hurt your eyes!’, she’d reply: ‘It’ll be fine on its own.” That is indeed true!

“After that, it just went all downhill. As I grew up, my personality also became very distorted. I became a person without interests, always feeling that the entire world doesn’t acknowledge me, and no one’s listening to me. I became entangled in this paranoia and began to be afraid, and began to distance myself from others…”

Based to what Rinne was currently like, it’s very hard to imagine this. However, Rinne really did have such a time. Back then she hated others, hated herself, and hated the world.

Even hating life.

“There was no place for me in school, and I couldn’t get any solace at home, Plus, there was nothing I liked or was interested in; I just kept accumulating stress. Stress is very scary, Guriko; it’s definitely a monster. The monster named stress continued to erode my heart, gnaw away at that beautiful heart, and then I became someone hateful.

Since I didn’t have the courage to be rebellious, I could only lock myself in my room and resist passively. Although it’s boring to stay in the room, it wasn’t painful either, so I kept staying locked in the room. Dad couldn’t understand me. Whenever he was angry he swore ‘you piece of crap’ while beating me, or said ‘get to school!’ while kicking me.”

Like so, Rinne completely snapped.

She knew there’s nothing good left even if she keeps living.

Then finish it, she thought.

“Had I not met Sakaki-sensei, I should probably be dead already. It was at the seaside, the seaside durng winter, when there was absolutely no one around. I was walking on the empty wave cutters, thinking of where I would kill myself. I wanted to die, I wanted to commit suicide. Now that I think about it, it’s really scary, but back then I really did snap!”

Or it could be said that she was mad. Rinne gave a small smile. On the television screen, Kirby fell into a hole and died. Play again! But there are no such chances in life.

“… I jumped in, trying to drown myself. I walked to the cliff and jumped, aiming for the deep waters. I didn’t hope to be saved, and didn’t think that anyone would save me. The sea water was so cold, it’s enough to kill someone. I remember it very vividly. But all I felt then was that it was so cold.”

“Death is not a warm thing!” Rinne said.

“That’s obvious!” Guriko said coldly.

“But some people feel that it’s a warm and happy thing. Those crazy ones who think death is even happier than living.”

“I know.”

Guriko said evenly. Confusion emerged on Rinne’s face.

“I tried to die a few times too; I still want to die now. There’s nothing important for me, and I don’t know what I’m living for; I long for the concept of death very much.”

The reborn Kirby was walking forward in high spirits.

Guriko smiled unconsciously.

“So I’m a bit jealous of you. You have something important, using that important existence – Sakaki Guryuu, as your stable pillar, and living on with happiness. I’m jealous, and I miss it. It is the beautiful feeling that I left behind a long long time ago. That’s reasonable, because for the person that I am right now –”

Guriko suddenly had a lost expression.

“– there isn’t anything important.”

Even so, why did Guriko stay alive? Rinne tried to think. The reason Guriko was alive was probably due to the fact that she ‘can’t die’, not that she ‘wanted to live’, right? This thought is just too pessimistic. This girl, in order to protect those who received the Apple from the threats of Mushi, and also to avenge her family on Mushi, lived on based on the feelings of duty, destiny, and hatred. ''But I feel that she is very tough, and very gentle.'' Guriko didn’t escape death, and she had fought alone to prevent her own misfortunes from occurring again.

“Guriko.”

“What?”

“Guriko, I –”

Rinne spoke from the depths of her heart: “– can’t I be the ‘most important’ person in Guriko’s heart?”

“Hmm…”

Guriko gave Rinne a look. It was the look of a kitten picked up from the street, wanting to be coquettish but weary at the same time. It was an expression that wanted to rely on someone but fearful at the same time, mixed in with some clumsiness.

“I don’t know…”

Guriko’s gaze returned to the television.

“I like you. I haven’t met anyone I like for a long time, but I have been separated from these kinds of feelings for a long while, therefore… I don’t know if I’m able to feel that you’re ‘important’. I can no longer distinguish whether this is the normal feeling that I had a thousand years ago.”

The girl who had died a long, looong time ago stared into nothingness and said: “I’ll tell you when I’ve come to a conclusion, Rinne. Thanks for your kind words.”

Tilting her head, Guriko still smiled clumsily.

For just a little bit, an expression showed on Rinne’s face as if she wanted to cry, but she quickly got back to the original topic.

“Back to our previous topic, hmm… where were we?”

“Where you jumped into the sea.”

Guriko replied as she fought the boss at the same time.

Rinne nodded.

“Yes, I jumped into the sea to seek death. As to why I chose the sea, it’s because it was close… also, it would trouble a lot of people if I commit suicide on the railway.”

“You thought of others even back then! That’s really like you right now… hoho.”

Rarely, Guriko smiled. Rinne’s eyes were looking at somewhere far away.

“Sensei saved me there.”

“Why would Sakaki be there?”

“Aye?”

Rinne’s eyes widened.

Then Rinne tilted her head as if thinking about something.

“– Hmm, huh, speaking off, why indeed? No one swims in the sea during winter, so why would Sensei be there? Although I don’t know, I think Sensei must be beside the sea due to some sort of business. Then he saw me jumping, and saved me.”

“Sakaki was probably there to kill himself too.”

“That’s impossible!”

Rinne burst out laughing due to Guriko’s words. It’d be impossible even if it’s a joke.

“Anyways, Sensei saved me at the risk of his life, and then resuscitated me, who was hovering near death – Ahh, Guriko, why are you allowing me to say this!”

”Pa’, Rinne suddenly knocked on Guriko’s head.

Shocked, Guriko looked at Rinne.

Rinne looked very embarrassed.

“… And then, Sensei told me off, saying I shouldn’t kill myself, then – Ahaha, what do you think Sensei, drenched from head to toe, said to me? He said: ‘I fell in love with you at first sight. Please marry me.’ My brain froze, because I suddenly felt like Cinderella, with someone as handsome as Sensei suddenly… to me…”

Rinne became red to the ears all of a sudden, while Guriko opened her eyes wide in shock. She probably didn’t know why Rinne was blushing; perhaps, even Rinne herself didn’t know the reason!

“It was – the same time last year, or a bit later. At the end, I found the hope to keep living because I met Sakaki-sensei, and so I gave up trying to kill myself and decide to study at Kannonsakazaki High School. I didn’t know that Sensei would chase after me as a teacher…”

“That guy’s activity is pretty messy itself.”

“But I was really happy! I liked Sensei even back then. Even now, I still feel that meeting Sensei in the sea was like a dream…”

With a dreamy, euphoric expression, Rinne said softly with a hand on her chest.

It was truly – miraculous. Perhaps it could be called destiny!

Meeting Sakaki Guryuu, who changed Usagawa Rinne’s life.

At the same time it was also the beginning of the worst situation that Usagawa Rinne was now facing.

As she easily went past level by level, Guriko said to Rinne with an innocent voice: “… Rinne, could it be that you ate it at that time?”

“Mm, I ate the Apple.”

Rinne answered quietly. Of course, this isn’t the apple that you’d buy from the shops.

That is the forbidden fruit that would give a human immortality, the Apple that is growing on the tree at entrance of the next world, where only some chosen people can arrive there. No one knows what conditions were used to choose those humans who can arrive at the tree. The only thing that's certain was that those who ate the Apple would never be able to die, and would forever be targeted by the Mushi as long as they’re alive.

“I think Usagawa Rinne once died in that stretch of sea. Resurrecting due to having eaten the Apple, and then receiving hope from Sakaki-sensei; all of these things gave me a true rebirth, and I am still alive today.”

“Mmm…”

Guriko listened to Rinne with a gentle expression.

Guriko had lived with her for almost a month already, Rinne thought. In this short time, this girl had become more human-like. She didn’t appear to notice it herself, but she smiled more often, and her expressions were much more softened.

''Would I be able to more or less heal Guriko’s heart like Sakaki did to mine?'' Rinne smiled inwardly. The reason that Rinne wanted to save Guriko without a particular reason was perhaps that Rinne projected the self that didn’t have anything important in the world and wanted to die onto Guriko! However, it could be said that it had nothing to do with it, and Rinne simply liked Guriko’s personality. She knew that although Guriko was rude and found it hard to understand others’ emotions, she wasn’t a bad person. If that’s the case, then it’d be too pitiful for such a person to endure pain. Therefore, Rinne sincerely wanted to help her.

“... Sakaki… Guryuu…?”

Guriko’s hands didn’t stop, and she said while she kept playing the video game: “Is that guy really so charismatic?”

“Mmm, very.”

Rinne replied immediately. Guriko still said with a serious face: “I’d think so, since he’s the person whom you like.”

Such delightful words.

“I’m beginning to want to think about getting along well with that guy too, and it seems you don’t like me to argue with that guy, so I’ll back down. But that guy still seems to be guarded towards me even now – probably we can’t be good friends!”

“Mm, that’s good, Guriko.”

Rinne was honestly glad. It would be great if Guriko and Sakaki can get along peacefully. That’d just be amazing! Therefore, Rinne suggested with a smiling face: “Should the three of us go somewhere together sometime next week? It’d make us know each other better. I don’t know if Sensei would have the time, but the end-of-semester exams finish next week, and I won’t be working either.”

“I don’t mind… but it’d only make things boring if you bring me along!”

“No it won’t!”

Rinne laughed, and Guriko also smiled as she turned her face around –

“Huh –”

Suddenly, Guriko’s face became full of loathing.

”… This…”

All of Guriko’s movements have ceased. She only stared at the ceiling of the room.

”What’s wrong, Guriko?” Rinne asked, surprised. On the screen, Kirby was already dead.

”… What is this, what is this scent. Not – a beast, what is this?”

”Guriko…”

”Could it be ‘Mushi’? No – it’s such a strong power; Rinne!”

The sharp yell startled Rinne.

With a serious face, Guriko said:” I’ll go and check out the situation outside. You stay in this room, and don’t open the door no matter who comes. Turn off the lights and try not to make a sound until I come back.”

”Guriko…”

”Wait until I’m back. I’ve got a bad feeling –”

Guriko kicked open the door and sprang into the night town.

No matter what a well-to-do family he was born into, how favored he was by the goddess of fortune, and how beautiful his features were, Sakaki’s heart was still unable to be satisfied. Even though he showed his talent in all sorts of fields and was praised by society, his body was still eroded by feelings of emptiness. Sakaki thought that he would never be happy, since he can’t obtain satisfaction no matter how much glory he obtained.

Happiness is a Mobius' Ring that one can find no end no matter how close one looks at it. It is truly foolish to become encumbered by that and wastes one’s life on it. If one doesn’t have the standard of ‘such and such is happiness, to achieve such would be happiness’, then displeasure would undoubtedly follow no matter how accomplished he becomes. If so, then what is the point of setting a noble and lofty goal? Happiness can be found everywhere if only you’d stop and think about it. Sakaki’s days of youth were wasted under a misconception.

It was a complete coincidence to meet Usagawa Rinne. He just wanted to see the ocean very much. Back then, Sakaki’s work was very busy. He was demanded to provide more excellent academic research, and create more novel art pieces. He was already beginning to loathe such a life where he’s squeezed dry. Therefore, had he not found Rinne that day, he may well have jumped into the sea himself. Sakaki believes he was already pushed into such a mental state back then.

One year ago, in the seaside at winter, Rinne jumped into the icy-cold sea without hesitation right in front of Sakaki’s eyes. Apart from Sakaki, no one was around. Even if Sakaki didn’t exist, someone would publish that research one day anyways, right? Even if Sakaki didn’t exist, someone else would participate in the Olympics anyways, right? Even without Sakaki, art would still progress, right? However, apart from Sakaki, there was absolutely no one else who would be able to save Rinne. For the first time since Sakaki was born, he found something meaningful that only he could accomplish. That was the thing he found.

Without hesitation, Sakaki jumped into the sea after Rinne. If the rescuer wasn’t Sakaki, then he would have sunk into the sea too, frozen with the coldness. However, with a perfect pose, Sakaki energetically saved Rinne and immediately dragged her back to the shore, and woke her up from unconsciousness.

He was simply, purely moved. At that time, Sakaki understood the meaning of happiness.

The answer is Usagawa Rinne.

What happened afterwards was as everyone knew.

Sakaki decided to live for Usagawa Rinne, because for him that is the only happiness. No matter what others said, that is the happiness he found by himself.

It was a year ago when Sakaki Guryuu obtained the hope of life from Rinne.

“Argh…”

In the night shift room of the Kannonsakazaki Private High School, Sakaki Guryuu slowly woke up from the dream that vividly reanimated his past memories. With a low moan, he lifted up his head and took in his surroundings. Under the bright – but rather fake feeling – light, Sakaki was sitting in front of a table that was empty apart from a coffee pot. Looks like he accidentally fell asleep. He’d been worrying over Rinne recently and was feeling rather down due to lack of sleep at night; it was little wonder that he fell asleep.

Sakaki rubbed his sleepy eyes with his fingers, smoothed his messy fringe, and got up wanting to wash his face. Although the night shift room was small, equipments such as beds and washing stands were all present. Having washed his face and scattered away the fatigue, Sakaki wiped his face with a towel and stretched luxuriously.

“… Mmm.”

Just how long did he sleep for? He couldn’t even figure out clearly when he fell asleep. It was Sakaki’s turn to take the night shift tonight – that is, a day when a teacher stays behind at the school, patrol the buildings, turn off the lights, and lock all doors – that was why he was still at the school at such a late hour. Although he felt that the students of Kannonsakazaki were all very obedient and unlikely to sneak into the school at night, those who sneak into the school aren’t students only. That’s why Sakaki took this duty, and considered this as a part of the job.

Looking at his watch, it was already nine o’clock. He was very hungry since he didn’t have dinner. He’ll probably buy some food from some convenient store and then patrol the school – after having decided that, Sakaki grabbed the change lying casually around and walked out of the night shift room. The soft moonlight outside the window was scattered on the quiet corridor.

Suddenly, Sakaki pricked his ears and listened carefully.

“Huh?”

Sakaki felt a nervous presence, and a solemn expression surfaced on his face. There were sounds of breathing; a rapid breathing like a beast’s that he didn’t know where it came from. Was I thinking too much? But –

Closing the door of the night shift room, Sakaki walked towards the direction of the suspicious sound. It may be that a madman had slipped in, or a stray dog – this town is, after all, a rural place, and such things happen once in a while. If that’s the case then he’d have to chase it away. That’s his job as the person taking the shift.

Sakaki, with his strong sense of duty, made up his mind and casually turned around a curve in the corridor.

“--- Rrrrrrrr.”

“--- Rrrrraaaaarrrrr---“

He heard that sound.

That ominous scream and moan was truly unlike anything made by creatures of this world. The angry roar smacked its way here as if it was an impact wave that shook the air, and robbed away Sakaki’s ability to think in the blink of an eye. He froze immediately, standing dead still, and ‘that’ obviously thought Sakaki, standing still, is a wonderful target to attack.

Claws.

“Um – uh?”

Sakaki suddenly reacted, lowering his body to dodge that blow. Instead of Sakaki, the air was cleaved apart. Claws; those were claws of animals. The claws swept past the top of Sakaki’s head, and knocked into the wall unhindered and vigorously. The terrifying destructive power crushed the concrete wall into smithereens.

“Wha – “

– What?

Sakaki couldn’t even ascertain the appearance of the perpetrator, and could only rely on his instincts to dodge swiftly from the danger and move away. With all the strength in his legs, Sakaki jumped backwards and landed safely on the ground. However, cold sweat seeped out from his skin and his heartbeat increased rapidly. The air around him seethed with a thick smell of blood.

That scent should have been there beforehand, but he didn’t notice it. Now that he paid attention to it, he could tell it was a very heavy odor; it was blood, and a large amount of it too. Why would such a smell – be in the school during such a quiet night? Sakaki kept on thinking, trying to comprehend the situation.

The words emerging from his brain were ‘Guriko’, and ‘Mushi’.

It’s got to do with those guys, right? But Sakaki didn’t have the extra energy to keep thinking, because he knew he was in the middle of a dangerous, changing whirlpool.

“Raaaaaaaaar!”

That 'thing' screamed. It was a scream of a beast that had lost reason a long time ago. Sakaki took out the pistol that he carried with him from his pocket. He had thought that both Guriko and ‘Mushi’ were very quiet recently and there would be no need to use this, but he never would have thought that such a terrifying monster existed in the school.

It was a terrifying monster that Sakaki had never seen before.

Its tall figure almost touched the ceiling. The reason that such a vast body didn’t appear to be slow was the strange shape of this monster. Its midsection is a part that looked to be the torso. Like a spider, numerous long and thin legs stretched out from the body, and one long protruding part was on top of the body. A giant, ferocious eyeball grew on that promontory. The monster’s shape really isn’t pretty at all! It was hairless, had a wet and slimy body, and it stank a lot. This creature is evidently not a normal being of this earth. However, for no apparent reason, it didn’t feel incongruous in the school at night.

The monster’s angry, large eyeball was facing Sakaki. It had many legs, with a sharp claw on the end of each one. The monster seemed to want to use those claws to tear apart and devour Sakaki.

“… Damn, it hurts, what this is thing?”

Sakaki muttered: “Just how much do you want to destroy our daily life? Mushi, Guriko…”

So Sakaki decided to strike first. He fired with his pistol, ‘bam bam bam’ shooting three times in succession. Gunshots rang through the silence; a monster had appeared in the school; all had collapsed.

The empty cartridges fell on the corridor floor with a small sound.

Suddenly.

“ --- Roaaaaaaar!”

The monster’s figure suddenly disappeared.

“Whoa –”

Sakaki widened his eyes and stopped firing. With the disappearance of the target, the bullets went embedded into the wall and the floor.

Then, the monster that had originally disappeared as if it had melted immediately reformed as if it had solidified.

“—Roaaaaaaar!”

As if nothing had happened, it roared loudly and galloped towards Sakaki.

Looking at the monster that loomed towards him, Sakaki even forgot to aim with his gun and just stood there dazedly.

Claws, two claws lashed out. Sakaki skidded on the floor and dodged the ferocious attack that intended to kill him. The monster seemed to be unskilled with delicate movements. Furious, it smashed face-forward into the wall, and only stopped when it broke all the window panes. With a pale face, Sakaki brushed off the scattering fragments of glass around him.

“… Please, can you please not do actions that defy the laws of physics…”

It disappeared, the monster had indeed disappeared. It dodged bullets, and raided straight towards Sakaki with a destructive power that was more than enough to flatten a human body. It was almost like a ridiculous existence that lived to fight. At the end, Sakaki couldn’t even understand why he was attacked; a small voice in his head whispered that there may be no reasons to start with.

However –

He can’t give up, he can’t be killed.

As long as Usagawa Rinne is alive.

Sakaki – won’t allow himself to die.

“That’s trust and a promise. Seriously – I fell in love with a problematic girl. ‘Mushi’, Guriko, monsters; they appear one after the other and try to deter the path of our love. However, no matter what the obstacles may be, nothing can stop me. Oi, monster, who do you think I am –”

Sakaki said to the slow-moving monster that was looking towards him: “– I am the most powerful daddy-long-legs in the world!”

Sakaki hurried to open fire, not even giving the monster the time to disappear, and sprinted off at the same time that he fired. In the split second that the monster was shot by the bullet and screamed with shock, Sakaki had already escaped from the corridor like a rabbit. How can he fight such a monster? This is a question of priorities. It’s not like a video game; defeating that monster won’t increase experience nor will it give him anything. If so, then there’s no reason to fight. It’d be better to run away and get the police or the army to fight!

The pragmatist Sakaki Guryuu is twenty years old this year. It is no longer an age to dream of fighting monsters to maintain world peace. Although there is the possibility that others may be attacked while he runs away, but the result would be the same since he won’t win even if he faced a battle. Therefore, he has to get those who can defeat the monster more quickly. It should work with just one infantry division, right? No matter how strong he is, Sakaki is still human at the end; he’s not superman, he has no duty to fight the monster.

But the monster was not kind enough to let Sakaki go.

“– Raaaaaaaar!”

The monster arrived behind Sakaki, and only one of its feet disappeared. And in the next moment –

“– Whoosh.”

“Uoah?”

The monster’s feet pierced through space and ‘grew’ out of the darkness. Sakaki hurried to twist his body. Although he dodged the monster’s frontal attack, he couldn’t completely dodge it. His clothing and skin were both sliced up by the claw. It hurts; this feeling probably means the wound went all the way to the bone. Sakaki moaned with pain and fell on the ground.

“Clank”, the pistol dropped on the corridor floor.

“– Roaaaaar!”

The monster roared with a strange sound. A closer look showed that one of the monster’s feet was sucked into the darkness in thin air. Although he didn’t know its mechanism, it appeared that the feet passed through space and grew out again in front of Sakaki. Though the feet immediately retreated, the monster’s body loomed closer to Sakaki.

“Tch… that’s cheating!”

As Sakaki complained, he endured the pain and reached out a hand to pick up the gun. However, the monster’s foot appeared out of thin air, and kicked away the gun. That foot also gave Sakaki’s jaw a heavy blow. Sakaki’s body flew and smacked into the wall. His spare cartridge dropped from his pocket, making a crisp sound.

– It was all over!

“Uuu…”

But he has to hold on until the end. Ever since the day that Rinne was killed by Guriko, Sakaki had decided that he can only die after he’s ensured Rinne’s safety. That is the reason of Sakaki’s life. How can he be killed here – under such unreasonable conditions too?

Sakaki stood up purely due to his will, and stared at the monster without moving.

“… Stop trying to push yourself. You’ll die!”

In the middle of his field of sight.

“– Whoosh.”

A silvery, shining object pierced deeply into the monster. The monster, which didn’t even move back when shot by the gun, staggered with this blow and gave out roaring wails with purple body fluid bursting out. The cruel weapon that stabbed into the monster’s tough body and inflicted pain was a spoon. A girl dressed in black stood there as if protecting Sakaki.

Whoosh. The wind blew in from the broken window and blew at the very unique wolf-like haircut. Dry leaves fell on the corridor, and the girl’s white fingertips held a brand new spoon.

“Rinne would be very sad if you die. That’s not what I want to see.”

Guriko!

This girl, who has a name as cruel and savage as Gankyuu Eguriko, turned her head and looked at Sakaki over her shoulder.

“So I’m going to save you. After all –”

The spoon reflected moonlight, letting out an alluring shine.

“– I bought a lot of spoons with Rinne’s money too.”

“Buy them with your own money! Usarin-kakka is very poor.”

Sakaki couldn’t help but start to scold. Guriko, surprised, narrowed her eyes.

“So noisy. You're almost dead; just be good and stay there. A useless guy needs to behave like a useless guy and stay at a corner with some self-preservation. That thing’s opponent is me.”

Frankly, he didn’t think that this person’s appearance would make him so reassured. Sakaki didn’t trust Guriko. He felt restless whenever he thought she may show her true colours one day and attack Rinne. That’s because for Sakaki, just like that monster twisting and roaring in pain, Guriko isn’t human.

But she didn’t kill Rinne, and recently she’s smiling more too. Although she didn’t open her heart completely to Sakaki, she was already appearing to be like a human. Moreover, she came to save him.

”Guriko…”

Sakaki muttered. He couldn’t hold on any longer with the pain of the wound, and immediately knelt down on the ground.

“I told you to stop trying to be tough. Listen to what others say! Students are supposed to not listen to the teacher, but when the teacher doesn’t listen to the students it’s a social problem. Your job is to stay alive, and just leave the business of battle to me!”

Then, Guriko fired out spoons with the speed of bullets being fired. Spoons pierced the monster’s entire body one after the other, and purple body fluid sprayed out copiously.

Guriko rapidly pulled out new spoons.

“… Mmm. Since it’s so big, long-range attacks would take too long.”

”Guriko… that thing... What is that thing?”

Sakaki felt that Guriko should know the truth of that monster.

“It’s a monster.”

“I can tell that it is.”

“Then why did you ask?!”

Looks like Guriko didn’t want to explain one single bit.

Sakaki felt anger rising up in him. Guriko noticed that he’s angry, and reluctantly explained.

“It’s a dark monster that people wouldn’t sense in their lives; that’s the kind of creature it is. There are actually many dangers that humans don’t know about. Although I haven’t seen a monster like this – it was probably originally sealed in this school, and awoke due to some sort of opportunity!”

“What opprtunity?”

After thinking for a while, Guriko answered matter-of-factly: “It’s probably ‘Mushi’, but it’s just too unfortunate if it happens to be a coincidence. Abnormal existences like me and ‘Mushi’ can easily find such monsters. Although I don’t know the goal of ‘Mushi’, but awakening such a monster – after all, it’s too dangerous to let it roam free. It should have the battle strength to easily kill off a human.”

“I felt that first-hand.”

“Hmm. Your life is rather tough – Sakaki.”

He felt that Guriko smiled. But since she wasn’t facing Sakaki, Sakaki didn’t know what her real expression was. The monster was already staring at her angrily with an eye that has changed its color.

“Guriko. That thing does strange tricks, be careful!”

Before he knew it, Sakaki was already giving Guriko advice.

“Don’t worry, you just stay low now.”

Guriko wasn’t listening at all.

Why won't she be cute!? But she is reliable.

Sakaki realized that he’s released his caution towards her. ''I’ll also believe in this girl that Rinne believes in'', Sakaki Guryuu thought at this instant. Guriko had undoubtedly saved Sakaki, and Usagawa Rinne also trusts both of them very much. The three of them, who started off as perpetrator and victims, had somehow already developed some kind of a bond.

… Little did they know that this went according to the plot-like development the ‘enemy’ had written.

In pajamas, Guriko rapidly dodged the attacks speeding towards her, and approached the monster by running in the corridor with spoons in one hand. The situation had been completely reversed. The monster was no longer the perpetrator but the victim. The giant and grotesque monster had been overwhelmed by the delicate girl.

With all her strength, Guriko lunged towards the protrusion on the monster, which was continuously resisting.

“You mad monster that's screaming nonsense, just watch me gorge out your eyeballs!”

“Pluck.”

“Pzzt, pzzt.”

Following strange sounds, the spoon sank into the monster’s eye socket and eye liquid spurted out. The enormous lament the monster made at the moment of its death echoed in the nightly school. The expression on Guriko’s face didn’t change. The monster ended its duty as the pitiful sacrifice and returned to the darkness. Like the ‘Mushi’, the monster dissipated into air without leaving a bone behind as soon as it died.

All that was left in the corridor was purple body liquid. The monster was completely destroyed.

Pulling his hood low, the young fortune teller looked at this scene at a distance with a smile on his face. His red eyes sparkled with an ominous light. In his hand, he held the gun that Sakaki dropped on the ground and his spare cartridge; he ordered the monster to transport those by crossing the space. As long as he obtained this weapon, his plan would have reached its final stage. He only needed to endure this a little longer before he can stop pretending to be those disgusting ‘Mushi’.

“… Thank you, my dear Legion Bandanna. You really did act as I thought… had I been lucky, I was hoping that Sakaki Guryuu would be almost dead by now. What a surprise. As a human, he counts as a very strong master athlete. What a pity that he got away.”

Smiling, ‘he’ muttered to himself with ‘his’ original tone: “’Pleasures should be savored till the last moment’, that should count as God’s command. God, hehehe, what a convenient existence. He even created a fate that suits me so well.”

Outside of Guriko and Sakaki’s sight, ‘he’ looked at the sky nonchalantly.

“Or was it that – such a person doesn’t even exist?”

That isn’t an impossible thought.

Because if God truly exists, then an existence such as himself would definitely have long ago been punished!

“If He doesn’t exist – ‘Mushi’, my condolences.”

With a brisk swish of his robes, ‘he’ leisurely left the nightly school.

“The Dream World Beast should have hatched by now…”

Then, all that’s left would be the finale.

“The day that my wish is fulfilled won’t be far away, either…”

At the end – ‘he’ lifted his head to look at the pair.

“Before that, you just do your best in having happy and sweet dreams –”

In the distant past, there was an existence that goaded the primeval humans into stealing the forbidden fruit.

The name of that creature, the most cunning and ugly among all creatures, is –

<noinclude>
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|-
| Return to [[Mushi:Vol1_Ch3|Night 3: The Girl who died a Thousand years ago]]
| Back to [[Mushi_to_Medama|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Mushi:Vol1_Ch5|Final Night: "Don't Look"]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Mushi:Vol1 Ch2

2011-04-21T12:25:32Z

Dell19930: Slight correction of syntax and grammar and spelling.

== '''Night 2: The 15th November Incident''' ==

'''PLEASE read Translator's Notes in this chapter. There are layers of hidden meanings that we have been unable to present accurately into English''' - [[User:Brynhilde|Brynhilde]]

There was nothing that was important to her.

Or, maybe there was, but that was in the past. She didn’t remember anything like that.

A millennium – too long to live, but still too short to go insane. Happy memories, joy, hopes, dreams; all of these warm and gentle feelings were gradually stolen by the passage of time until the only thing left was a cold and empty void. Empty – all she could do was store the Apples of her friends in the void that was her flesh. There was no reason for her to go on. She did not even know why she was alive. Someone like her, who only lived for living’s sake, was beginning to lose her grasp on her humanity. Had she become a monster?

Because she couldn’t smile.

Because she couldn’t find a single happy or treasured memory.

Something that did not smile and didn’t have something important in life – can that really be called a ‘human’?

“Who are you? What are you planning to do?”

- As usual, whenever that question got asked, she choked on her own words.

Her shoelaces were messily bundled together. That was to be expected – after all, it had been a long time since she engaged in such a delicate activity. Therefore, Gankyuu Eguriko sat on the wooden floor in front of the dimly lit shoe closet at Kannonsakazaki Private High School, vainly trying to tie a butterfly knot with little success. Even after trying for ten minutes, she still couldn’t get it right. She could vaguely remember being good at it once, but that memory was long gone now.

The only memories she had from her past were ones filled with terrible pain, and a feeling of helplessness so powerful it was crushing. That was the reason she never tried very hard to remember her past.

There was still quite some time before school began, and even the stairways were vacant. Guriko made it a point to get to school early in order to practice tying her shoelaces. Despite that, she hadn’t been able to produce anything that didn’t look like a bunch of wet noodles, dragging her deeper in despair.

She didn’t even realize it when “he” stood before her.

Focusing on tying her shoelaces with her head ducked down, it wasn’t until she was engulfed by his shadow that she realized someone was standing in front of her. Guriko slowly raised her head.

It was a tall man, with a handsome face. Guriko had never seen such a good looking human. However, Guriko didn’t feel a thing even though he was staring right at her. Being an immortal, things like attraction and love meant nothing to her. Those feelings had withered away to a point of no return.

Despite that, she felt herself shudder involuntarily.

She had no idea why.

“… Are you waiting for me?”

Guriko asked quietly. It was such an un-cute reaction.

She had left all her cute, innocent, Usagawa Rinne-like reactions behind a long, long time ago.

“I never thought I’d see you here this early. Having trouble with your shoelaces?”

The man, Sakaki Guryuu, shifted his gaze down to Guriko’s messed up shoelaces. He then approached her nonchalantly, knelt down, and swiftly untangled the mess of strings. Gracefully, he took them and fashioned a perfect butterfly knot out of them.

With that, he looked up at Guriko, who had sat up straight now, and bluntly said, “Don’t you even know something as simple as that?”

“S-shut up! What are you doing here?”

''Dammit!'', Guriko thought. She never would have imagined this guy helping her out. There was even a tinge of happiness inside her from it. Still, she knew that being nice with him wouldn’t do her any good.

She knew she couldn’t be friends with him. That would be impossible.

Feelings like that just weren’t going to happen, no matter how hard she wished for it.

This was something Guriko knew very well.

Guriko shifted her gaze from Sakaki’s face, which was inches from her own, and bowed her head. Sakaki immediately stood up and took an arrogant pose. He glared down upon her from above.

“Like I said earlier, I want to know who you really are, your motives, and just what you’re after here.”

It was a calm, clear, and loud voice. It was a voice of authority.

Guriko didn’t feel intimidated in the slightest, however.

“You don’t need to know.”

“That doesn’t matter. Now talk. I don’t want to use force, but I will.”

“You think you got a chance against me?”

Oh boy, what a bother.

''Why did I say something like that?''

In her sailor uniform, Guriko rose up slowly to her full height, looking up to the taller man. Sakaki returned her glare with an intense and fiery stare from his emerald eyes.

People with beautiful eyes were always beautiful in the end...

Guriko again averted her gaze and picked up her bag from the floor.

“…Why do you want to know? Are you curious? Or just intrigued?”

“Neither. I’m doing this out of love.”

“…You’re worried about Usagawa Rinne?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm…”

What resolve! How could he answer without hesitation?

Did he really love her that much?

Guriko gave him a small smile.

“…How admirable. For both you and Usagawa.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Just talking to myself.”

With that, Guriko looked at him and said honestly, “Instead of suspecting me, why don’t you look out for ‘Mushi’ instead? I didn’t manage to kill Usagawa, and won’t ever try it again. Those ‘Mushi’, on the other hand… they won’t give up on that Apple so easily.”

“Mushi…”

“Yes.”

Mushi – the name of the enemy.

Guriko put on a stern face and stared at Sakaki, as if trying to burn a hole through him with her gaze.

“Those guys were ‘Mushi’ – And not only are they everywhere, but they will stop at nothing to achieve their goal.”

''Don’t let your guard down,'' she thought silently.

Out of all the teachers in Kannonsakazaki High School, the one in charge of Class 1-B, Sakaki Guryuu, really stood out. His mannerisms were dignified and elegant, [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Pan An| a total Prince Charming even in looks.]] To top it off, he was quite the unique teacher, maybe even the best in the world. However, there was something really wierd about his teaching. Despite being a History teacher by trade, he actually taught his class all subjects. “Are we back in elementary school or something?” Sakaki’s students didn't approve of this matter at all. The answer to this riddle was Usagawa Rinne. Sakaki wanted to spend as much time as he possibly could with her. Therefore, no matter if it was Biology, P.E., or Music, he indiscriminately taught everything. Not only that, none but he did so flawlessly. There were no imperfections in his teaching style. Class 1-B’s steady rise in grades was easy to see. In addition to his handsome features and artistic talent, which were mostly wasted in his teaching profession, he had earned the students' approval as he was generally kind despite having a somewhat cold personality. Therefore, he was truly unique. Gossiping co-workers called him [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Neptune King|Neptune King]], lord of the perfect ones, out of jealousy; although, the students who grew up in a later generation usually had no idea what they were talking about.

Yet, this superhuman called Sakaki Guryuu had a problem one wouldn’t expect from someone like him. That problem was his ‘religion’ of “worship-Usagawa-Rinne-above-all-else.” In other words, his obsession of Usarin-kakka and the notion that the world revolved around her. That love for the girl in Class 1-B was unrivaled and in fact was the very reason he had gotten a teaching license in the first place. This love was already common knowledge at Kannonsakazaki High School, and since he was the type to do whatever it took to achieve his goals, he got that license through force, influence, and authority.

And naturally, he would appear in 1-B’s classroom during lunch break because he wanted to eat bento with Usagawa Rinne. Honestly, he was shameless. What was it about Usagawa Rinne that engrossed such a perfect man to this level of obsession? Does she have some sort of relation to [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Yang Guifei|Helen of Troy in ancient Greece]]!? It was a common topic for gossip among the students.

One ordinary day, at lunchtime in this classroom—

Something unique happened. It was known as “The November 15th Incident” from then on.

Hurry up.

''What’s taking Sensei so long?'' Usagawa Rinne thought to herself.

The date was Monday, November 15th. Luckily, the classroom that day was quite warm. Rinne calmly smiled and put two lunchboxes on her desk as she waited for Sakaki Guryuu.

During lunch, Sakaki always ignored the normal school lunch and came to eat and chat with Rinne. She loved to cook, so it was never a problem to cook for two. Still, she couldn’t help but feel a bit odd at times because of their rather unnatural relationship. Sakaki grew up sheltered in an incredibly wealthy household, and sometimes the resulting lack of common sense would cause clashes with others.

Secretly, though, she found this cute. It might not have been lady-like, but seeing that even the perfect Sakaki can sometimes act strange relieved her a bit. Sakaki Guryuu was still a human, just like her. Because it gave her that reassurance, she couldn’t deny that she liked that part of him to a degree.

‘Like’ — Rinne liked Sakaki. Sakaki was a teacher, and she was his student. Despite this difference in status, this wall between them, the two loved each other. That was their trust, and their mutual understanding. Because of that, they would be able to find happiness.

Usagawa Rinne was happy.

Sure, she’d get worried from time to time.

But she was undoubtedly happy.

It was noisy. Even though Kannonsakazaki High School was prestigious enough to house only the most obedient of students, lunchtime was still rowdy. The school was old, so the floors and walls were worn and there were random scribbles here and there from past students. Although it probably bothered the neat freaks, Rinne actually liked it. She felt it paid homage to the history of the room, and gave some hints to those who occupied it before.

A cold breeze blew in, causing the curtains to flutter inward. Despite it still being warm, Rinne knew the transition to winter had already begun.

At this point, Sakaki Guryuu finally arrived.

Sakaki’s hair was a bit messy, probably since he’d rushed here.

As soon as he opened the door, Sakaki shouted, “Sorry I’m late…” even before walking into the room.

“It’s not a problem. I don’t mind.”

Rinne smiled as she gave her gentle response. Despite how much it actually had bothered her, she let none of it show. Still wearing that apologetic face, Sakaki passed through the students who had hushed at the appearance of their teacher and walked over to Rinne’s desk. He pulled up a chair and sat down.

“I’m truly sorry, Your Majestry. Someone popped in at the worst time. It was some old man that looked like he could croak at any moment from the Education committee or something. He kept going on and on without getting anywhere. I think the Director of Education probably dumped him on me.”

Sakaki thought nothing of saying the harsh words he used and sighed.

“Ugh! Why on Earth did they have to send him to me? And during my precious lunch break, too! The office is trying to punish me, I tell you.”

Rinne held back a laugh, and covered her mouth with her hands.

Sakaki’s confused expression was just too cute.

“Sensei, maybe it’s best if you don’t look at it like someone is wanting to punish you or that’ll make you paranoid to the point that just thinking about it will bother you!”

“That is true… What you say does make sense. Haha, I can’t tell who’s the teacher and who’s the student here, Usarin-kakka.”

She really didn’t know why he insisted on calling her “Usarin-kakka.” “Usarin” was an abbreviation of her name “Usagawa Rinne,” but why Japanese people love to shorten all proper nouns was a mystery to her. [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#"Like pocket bells, personal computers", sexual harassment, or convenience stores|Like pocket bells, personal computers, sexual harassment, or convenience stores]]. “Guriko” was another example of this.

Rinne thought of the mysterious transfer student called Guriko that had killed her, although Rinne barely remembered what happened that night. She had been watching TV when her door was suddenly busted open. When she turned around, something pierced her eye, and she passed out. When she had woken up, Sakaki was by her side and her room was filled with blood. Beyond that, everything else had been forgotten.

What had she gotten herself into? Just who exactly was that Guriko girl? Rinne did not understand what had happened at all, not that she particularly wanted to delve into the matter deeper. Only when something threatened her future with Sakaki did she get upset. If Guriko had actually wanted to kill her, then that really would be scary. Rinne understood far too well the pain of death.

Yet, it would be silly to feel terrified just because of a possibility, and Guriko hadn’t shown any signs of acting again. Therefore, Rinne wasn’t particularly on guard despite the fact that it had only been a few days since the girl transferred here.

Besides, no matter what happened, Sakaki would protect her. That was the way it was.

With a cheerful expression, Rinne opened a lunchbox and idly chatted with Sakaki. She was poor, so lunches weren’t anything luxurious, but Sakaki still seemed satisfied. He looked like a young child with clasped hands when he exclaimed, “Itadakimasu!” Seeing that, she couldn’t help but smile.

This calm scene was the way they passed their time.

While stuffing his face with green beans, Sakaki happily asked, “By the way, how’s that wall that got blood splattered all over it? Did you find a way to get it cleaned up yet?”

Rinne poured some barley tea and downed it in one gulp. She then answered, “Well, there was gore with it too, so washing it with only water wouldn’t work. Even wiping it with a rag probably wouldn’t have worked, so I put new wallpaper over it.”

“Wasn’t that expensive?”

“Yup, I used up all my savings. Since the tatami was also soaked, I had to swap that out too. That was expensive too. For a poor student, that kind of spending is deadly.”

“I’ll never forgive that Guriko. But back to the main point, why don’t you get her to pay you back?”

In front of Sakaki, who seemed honestly angry, Rinne merely shrugged.

“It was you who shot that gun! Besides — Guriko probably has it worse than me. I think she’s homeless, and besides, she told me that she can’t even afford stationery.”

“…Do you two talk often?”

“We sit next to each other. She doesn’t seem to have anything to do after class, so I talk to her.”

Rinne’s naivety nearly caused Sakaki to faint.

“Your lack of concern for your personal safety never ceases to baffle me, Your Majesty! Didn’t I tell you not to talk to her? That talking to her will get your eyes gouged out?”

“I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

That really was a death threat.

But still, Rinne was not afraid.

“Saying something like that is obviously a joke. I know for sure she’s just scared of being alone. She avoids other people since she doesn’t want to hurt them. I can see that since that’s how I used to be. I think Guriko actually wants to interact with people more.”

Rinne told him how she honestly felt, but he seemed less than impressed.

He sighed while looking up at the ceiling.

“Look… I know you’re naïve… But you should realize the reason why I don’t think she’s kidding is because she’s already gouged your eyes out once!”

“I suppose that’s true.”

Rinne, defeated, smiled and set her cup down with a “clank.” Sakaki seemed to have a grudge against Guriko, but Rinne didn’t think she was all that bad. She decided Guriko must have had good reason for removing her eyes.

“Aren’t you going to eat, Your Majesty? You’ve only been drinking tea so far.”

Sakaki was confused. Not only was Rinne’s food untouched, her lunchbox hadn’t even been opened. His question was an honest one.

Rinne stayed silent for a while.

“…I-I don’t know why, but I haven’t felt hungry or thirsty ever since Guriko almost killed me. To be honest, I haven’t eaten anything in about four days.”

“What...?”

Sakaki felt his voice crack as he spoke.

“Even so, I’m still not hungry. Hmm… is that weird?”

As she looked to him, she saw his face had gone white as a sheet.

Sakaki had already told Rinne about her immediate resurrection after her eyes had been gouged out. But with this loss of appetite, this — wasn’t this extraordinary!? It was proof she wasn’t human anymore.

After noticing she no longer had a need to eat, she had constantly run into the bathroom to look at herself. She had been making sure she hadn’t turned into some sort of monster.

If that happened, she’d lose Sakaki, and that was a fate worse than death for her. So Rinne had kept her lack of appetite hidden until then.

“Sensei…”

Rinne looked at Sakaki, who had yet to respond.

Rinne understood that there were some things even Sakaki had trouble understanding, but even so, she longed for him to tell her, “That’s okay,” or “Don’t worry,” or anything like that. If only she could get that reassurance, she could go on.

But—

The door slid open.

Guriko stood there. Her wolf-like hair looked like it had been styled by a typhoon. She had on a bored and impatient expression, but her eyes were the type that made you feel like you were staring down the barrel of a gun. This was the transfer student—Gankyuu Eguriko.

Her gaze fell upon the couple that were sitting across from each other in the center of the classroom — Sakaki Guryuu and Usagawa Rinne. Right then, her face turned to one of surprise. For Guriko, whose face was usually completely expressionless, showing a genuine emotion like shock was quite a rare occurrence.

Upon noticing the school’s well known lovers, this transfer student who had recently dominated the school’s discussion strode over and glared at Sakaki. She gave him a glare as if she were interrogating him and bluntly asked, “Have you eaten?”

“…Huh?”

“I asked you a question. Did you eat this bento?”

Guriko’s expression was extremely focused. And thanks to her loud voice, the entire class had turned to look. All of them thought, ‘Ho boy, what’s that transfer student doing now?’ Very quickly, the classroom became silent. Despite how odd it was, Sakaki decided to indulge Guriko in her question.

“Yes, I ate it.”

“Really?”

She muttered mostly to herself.

Guriko suddenly lowered her head and pressed her lips against those of Sakaki Guryuu.

“Eh…” “Whoa…”

Sakaki’s eyes opened wide. Rinne’s face was shocked. The class fell into uproar.

“Ugh…”

“Um… Ugh…”

Guriko held Sakaki’s head, and locked lips with him. Put plainly, she kissed him forcefully. In the middle of lunch. In front of the entire class. What the heck was she thinking?? This mysterious transfer known as Gankyuu Eguriko had stolen a kiss from the teacher just after having been there but two days. Not only that, she even did in front of that teacher’s lover. Her motives didn’t matter. To the student body, this was clearly a declaration of war against Rinne. There was no other way for them to see it, but Guriko’s next action provided only added fuel to the fire.

“Clang—”

Of all the things that could happen!

Guriko flipped the lunchbox Sakaki had been eating from and dumped out all the food that Rinne had lovingly prepared. Then, she took Rinne’s lunchbox and dumped it out as well before driving her foot into the spilled food. After she had destroyed the lunches she declared, “Don’t eat this woman’s food!”

And because of this—

What was there to be done? There was nothing that could explain this. Without another word, Guriko walked off with pride, leaving the stunned Sakaki and pale Rinne behind. Within moments, any student that had a cell phone began to text and call their friends. Messages like: “Usagawa Rinne’s rival in love appears!” “On just her second day after transferring, Gankyu Eguriko kissed Sakaki Guryuu, threw down the lunch Rinne made for him, and declared, “Don’t eat that woman’s food!”” and “This will definitely be very interesting!” began to flood forth.

That was the “November 15th Incident.” It has lived in infamy ever since.

For those living an ordinary high-school life, this had been quite the event.

“What splendid entertainment!”

The voice sounded both male and female. It was a something that lacked distinction.

“What are you planning—‘Mushi’?”

That pure and innocent voice seemed to cut through the previous one.

They were in front of classroom 1-B in Kannonsakazaki High School. Despite being outside the chaos of the classroom, there were always the echoing sounds of students in the hallway. The two of them faced off there, and despite them both having human appearance, neither of them were human at all. One was a “Mushi” taking on the form of a human, and the other had once been human, but had since become some creature that was only human-like — Gankyuu Eguriko. The “Mushi” wore a sailor uniform, had short hair, and wore a friendly expression. She looked completely normal, except for her red eyes.

The “Mushi,” still emotionless, made an intriguing noise.

“This was just a confirmation! After all, there’s no way for ‘us’ to lose. We simply believed it important to check whether or not Usagawa Rinne’s Apple has taken root in her soul. You should already know there’s nothing we won’t do in order to achieve our objectives.”

“…After death, the soul separates itself from the physical body. Apples reside in the soul, so — death is the only requirement for taking the soul, correct? Unfortunately for you, Usagawa Rinne’s Apple has already taken root in her soul. I confirmed this myself.”

“But ‘we’ have not! We do not trust anyone besides ourselves, especially not you!”

The “Mushi” replied in a dull and terrible voice. They had no individuality, and thus did not have emotions.

They were an exterminating machine that moved in hordes — that was “Mushi”.

“Even if you’re willing to do anything, you should have some discretion — did you plan on killing Sakaki Guryuu?”

“Since we did not know which lunchbox Usagawa Rinne would eat from, we poisoned both of them. Mmm, that was a necessary sacrifice! We ‘Mushi’ aren’t hampered with your romantic ideals. As long as we obtain the Apple, it doesn’t matter what happens to others.”

Guriko grit her teeth and said, “That’s why I despise you.”

“That may be, but we don’t particularly want you to hold feelings of affection toward us anyway.”

The aura emitted between the two non-humans grew unbearably intense. It was so strong, the windows in the hallway began to rattle.

Guriko crossed her arms and glared at the “Mushi”.

“But you have already lost. Usagawa Rinne has already lost her appetite, so the poison wouldn’t have worked on her anyway. Only Sakaki would have died. But I’m not going to let even that happen. You won’t have your way if I have anything to say about it.”

“Haha!” the “Mushi” laughed.

For the emotionless “Mushi”, laughter had only one purpose — to provoke.

“That was certainly an interesting way of removing the poison from that man’s mouth. You seem to be turning into quite the rebel. Where did you learn something like that?”

“You talk too much! Because of you, I had to create a big disturbance in class. There was no choice… Why do I always have to get the bad reputation?!”

“Because your attitude is normally terrible, anyway. Something like this just adds to it.”

“It’s probably-”

Guriko closed her eyes and then murmured as if in a trance, “-because God hates me.”

She then pulled a spoon from her skirt pocket and threw it at the “Mushi” so fast the naked eye couldn’t even have seen it. The spoon pierced the eye of the fake schoolgirl “Mushi” cleanly. However, that wasn’t enough to stop its inertia. The spoon shot traveled through the eye socket, through the brain, and out the back of the skull. Obviously, this wasn’t something a human could pull off. The “Mushi” gave a small final smile before its ruined body collapsed. Right before it hit the floor, it broke down and disappeared.

The blood-stained spoon fell to the ground with a gentle metallic sound.

“It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m used to being hated.”

And so, Guriko skipped class and went up to the roof for an afternoon nap.

After school ended that day, Usagawa Rinne staggered home with an air of frustration and defeat. Her thoughts were plagued with what had happened at lunch. Guriko had kissed Sakaki Guryuu and told him to stop eating Rinne’s food. It made her heart pound. What was this uneasy feeling? Why did she feel so nauseous?

“Why…”

Why did Guriko kiss Sakaki? What kind of reason could she have to do this? Rinne smiled bitterly. Why was she so upset? Sakaki had kissed someone else, but why did seeing that annoy her so much?

“So annoying…”

Rinne noticed her jealousy of Guriko, and felt a bit disgusted by it. Was this what it felt like to have that which you value most threatened? This was the first time Rinne felt something like this, so it was hard to describe. “Jealousy” was the most accurate word, she figured. Rinne loved Sakaki, and seeing him kiss another girl was incredibly painful. So painful that for the time being she didn’t even want to talk to Sakaki.

Even though Sakaki’s feelings hadn’t changed and he didn’t hate Rinne, she still felt dejected. Noticing her own unreasonable anger, Rinne worried herself into a depressed mood. Rinne decided it was kinda like saving a cookie to enjoy later, only for someone else to eat it. She and Sakaki had only kissed once, on Sakaki’s birthday. Rinne thought of that as a bond between them, something that only she had.

However, that was no longer true. Right in front of Rinne, Guriko had kissed Sakaki.

“I’m so useless…”

She wanted to cry. She was already almost crying. It felt weak to be so bothered by this. She was still a weak human who trembled over such a trivial fact. Even if her body lost the ability to die, her heart was still so weak. So fragile. So powerless. So pathetic!

Realizing that obsessing over this was only going to make her feel worse, she decided not to dwell on it any longer. That’s it! Even if she avoided Sakaki today, she would greet him with a smile tomorrow! After that resolution, she felt a bit better.

Passing the bustling market, she then walked upon a rough path. It was always deserted here. Only the weeds were present, and not even a parking lot or the like could be seen. Rinne blankly gazed at the unchanging scenery where she used to frequently get lost as she walked, her thoughts jumbled.

“Hey, young lady over there.”

A voice. Rinne turned to look. In the space that had just been empty, a small, mysterious stand had appeared. Or maybe it was a shop? At least, it was covered with a plastic tarp like a tent. Inside the violet tent was a crystal ball, and sitting behind that was a robe-wearing man who gave off a strange vibe. There was a sign out front that read, “Fortune telling, 100 yen”.

“Hey, the young lady over there.”

Rinne couldn’t help but stop and turn to look at the perplexing little shop.

She was sure it hadn’t been there that morning.

The mysterious fortune teller spread out his hands and said in an ambiguous voice, “That’s right, this is fortune telling. Good luck, ill fortune, fated events, and romantic matches are all revealed. A young lady of your age should at least know about horoscopes or blood type fortunes! Besides those, there is fortune telling with Tarot cards, normal cards, flowers, or even with water flow. Your face, hands, clothes, and even the layout of your home are also taken into consideration. Just tell me your name, and I can read your fortune for you!”

Should she give it a go? — He just kept rambling on. Did he really have nothing else to do?

The price wasn’t really that bad, and it’d be kind of pathetic if the Fortune Teller didn’t get any business with all his promoting, so Rinne carelessly walked into the tent. The inside was flooded with an odd, hazy light. The fortune teller gazed intently at Rinne and then his crystal ball before announcing, “Oh, ah… this is bad!”

“What…”

''I haven’t even said anything yet…'' she thought. The fortune teller lifted up his crystal ball and gleefully repeated, “Bad! Bad!”

“This is ominous! Usagawa Rinne-san, your fortune is doomed. It’s hellishly evil luck. The movements of the stars are terrible!”

“My name—”

''Did I tell him my name? No, I didn’t.''

The fortune teller didn’t seem to notice her confusion as he blathered on, “Life is like a star. Sometimes it grows dim, while other times it shines brightly. Unfortunately, though, smaller stars are attracted to larger ones, and when they collide the smaller stars are smashed, leaving only pieces behind.”

He looked at Rinne with his eyes that he had been hiding behind a hood. They were incredibly red.

“Some great existences cannot be approached. A star too small will only end up crushed if it reaches for something greater. It needs to know its limits if it is to remain safe. The gravity of a giant star is great, and draws many small stars in that only end up destroyed. Only by living carefully will they live long enough to achieve a death with blinding radiance.”

“That—"

Rinne stood up, staring at the cross-legged fortune teller. “That’s—”

“Make no mistake, it is you I speak of!”

The fortune teller wearing a violet robe gloomily addressed her in an androgynous voice, “Should you not reach out and stay your distance, you shall have an even more brilliant death.”

She realized this Fortune Teller was dangerous, but there were questions she had to get answered first.

“You’re saying the large star is Sensei? And the small star is me? I… can’t be with sensei?”

After hearing Rinne’s soft, almost-crying voice, the fortune teller lips curled up in a smile.

“You seem to misunderstand.”

The so-called large star—

“Is, of course, the Apple of Eden.”

The voice came from behind.

Rinne slowly turned her head, and saw about ten people behind her, all with those same red eyes.

It was a bizarre scene. When she wasn’t paying attention, these emotionless and insect-like people had gathered behind her. Their appearances ranged all over the place. There were children, adults, an old lady with a crooked back, a lady who seemed to have been returning home after shopping, and a high school student in uniform. They seemed to lack a sense of self, as if they were all one. Judging by their looks alone, though, it was hard to see any correlation.

Rinne cried out softly, taking a step back. She was terrified. Just what did these people want? She had not heard from Sakaki about his encounter with a fortune teller called “Mushi”, and this was her first experience with something like this. It had become quickly apparent she had been thrust into some sort of bizarre world normal humans never saw. What could she do in such a world?

Rinne shuddered as the fortune teller behind her said in a bored tone, “I don’t think resistance is going to get you anywhere. Though we 'Mushi’ do not have superhuman strength, we are not lacking in it either. You are no match for us!”

“What are you planning to do to me?”

“We would like you to die.”

The “Mushi” in front of her that looked like an office worker responded in an identical voice. That cruel response shocked Rinne. ''I’m going to be killed! I’m going to be killed!'' Terror filled her body.

“In other words, we’re going to use every method we can think of to kill you, Usagawa Rinne. Strangulation, beating, poisoning, assassination, shooting you to make you bleed out, or perhaps even drowning or burning you. If you still will not die… we’ll just think of something else! We’ll start with these.”

Her first thought was to ask Sakaki for help. She had his number stored in her phone, she just needed about 30 seconds to get ahold of him.

However, it really didn’t seem like these things were interested in giving her those 30 seconds.

The fortune teller “Mushi” seemed to read her mind, and harshly told her, “I won’t let you call for help. Besides, the bodyguards Sakaki Guryuu secretly sent to protect you should have already been taken care of by other “Mushi.” No matter how you look at it, nothing will save you. How sad—“

A mountain of terror fell upon her and she let out a hoarse scream.

The office worker “Mushi” wrapped his hand around Rinne’s slim neck. She had frozen in fear. Dry, flat fingers began to squeeze painfully into her throat.

“First we’ll strangle you. Ah, it seems like you can still feel pain. How unfortunate...”

A “Mushi” continued, “This is really going to hurt!”

The incredible strength of the choking gave new definition to the word “pain.” She felt like her neck was going to break in two.

She didn’t have the strength to resist and the pain had robbed her of the ability to think straight. All she could do was cry out with ear-piercing shrieks.

“…We’re just getting started. Carry the guilt of your crime to your death!”

''Crime?''

''I committed… a crime?''

''That’s why I must suffer like this and die such a brutal death?''

''If that was the case — what crime did I commit?''

Her vision became blurry and she got dizzy. At this point, she wasn’t even sure if she was still conscious. Her neck made a creaking sound. It hurt. It hurt so much.

Usagawa Rinne naturally thought of Sakaki Guryuu. All she could do was think of her feelings for him and pray he could hear them — then, she could die.

Then—

A flash.

A dazzling flash shot into the back of the head of the “Mushi” strangling her. With violent force, the impact covered the inside of the tent with blood. In an instant, the “Mushi” disappeared as if it had blown up. Rinne was suddenly released, and fell to the ground in a coughing fit. She had a hard time believing the retching sounds were coming from her own throat. Wiping off the saliva from her mouth she desperately tried to get a grasp on her surroundings. The thing in front of her—

Was spinning.

A blood-stained spoon fell to the ground.

The flash that had killed the “Mushi” and saved Rinne was—

—A spoon.

“…How many times do I have to say it before you blockheads get it? Killing Usagawa Rinne is pointless.”

The “Mushi” all turned to look at the source of the voice, and so did Rinne. The voice came from the entrance to the lot where they were.

Standing there was Gankyuu Eguriko.

Her steeled face clearly showed unhappiness. Her wolf-like hair was even more a mess and her uniform was dirty. It seemed pretty obvious she’d just woken up from a nap. With piercing eyes and armed with several spoons, Gankyuu Eguriko from class 1-B’s eleventh seat shouted with her pure voice, “I can’t be too careful. Even an afternoon nap is a no go, now. And I was sleeping so well, too. Well, have you said your prayers yet?”

At that moment—

Whoosh.

Just when Rinne thought she saw Guriko’s hand move, three spoons were already streaking for the eyes of three of the “Mushi”. The “Mushi” died just like the one before, instantly bursting before disappearing. Rinne absent-mindedly thought that they kind of resembled a popping balloon.

As she was thinking that, the bruises on her neck and the pain she felt disappeared just as if they had never happened at all. The Fortune Teller “Mushi” clicked his tongue and confirmed it.

“Really — you won’t die. How troublesome!”

“I’m out of spoons.”

Guriko ignored the “Mushi’s” words, and with a grim expression said in a low voice, “…So from now on it’s going to be hand-to-hand combat. Fists aren’t like spoons, they can’t kill with a single hit. It’s gonna hurt. A lot. If you ‘Mushi’ don’t want to be pummeled, then you’d better duck your tail between your legs and scram!”

The words were thick with malice. It was a voice filled with total confidence backed by powerful murderous intent that caused Rinne to stiffen in fear.

“Unfortunately —“

But the “Mushi” were not intimidated at all.

“—Pain and suffering are not obstacles to our goals!”

“I know. Then — I’ll just wipe you all out.”

And so Guriko charged forward.

Rinne shut her eyes in fear.

Leaving the public baths, Usagawa Rinne returned home feeling warm and refreshed. She tossed her towel and old clothes in the washing machine in front of her apartment. It had been left there by the previous resident, and though it didn’t work right too often, it was still rather durable. Rinne picked up the key hidden under it and opened the door to her apartment. Inside was pitch black and it was obvious nobody was there. She turned on the light and let out a sigh of relief. The fear of an ambush waiting for her gradually fled from her mind. She unconsciously touched her neck that had long since stopped hurting.

“Ah…”

She stood there for a while feeling a bit helpless before she shook it off. She pulled out a comforter from the closet as well as a pillow, and then looked at her cell phone to check the time. 10:02 PM. Sakaki had bought her the phone, and he paid the bill, as well. She always felt guilty about using it. After today, though, she really wanted to call him. Rinne stared at the phone, hesitating... Should she call, or shouldn’t she? It was embarrassing to call this late at night.

As she stood there, the doorbell rang. At first, she just stared at it, a bit stunned. The only reason this apartment had a doorbell at all was because the previous tenant had installed one. With a small apartment like that, it really served no purpose. Knocking would have worked just as well.

Who could it be?

The events of that day started to haunt her again and she shuddered. The horrifying fortune teller, the man who strangled her, the transfer student who killed them without a second thought, and those people called “Mushi” who exploded before they died. She couldn’t begin to understand any of it and she didn’t want to, either. The fortune teller’s words cryptically repeated in her head; Some things couldn’t be touched or even approached.

Now there was a knocking on the door. Rinne slowly got up while thinking, ‘Who is it?’ She wondered if it might be the self-proclaimed musician who lived next door to her, coming again to borrow some rice.

The door opened. That’s right, it wasn’t even locked.

The one silently standing at the open door was—

“Guriko… chan.”

“The ‘chan’ was unnecessary.”

Gankyuu Eguriko spoke in a sharp tone, and had an extremely dissatisfied expression plastered on her face.

Even though she was bewildered by having someone unexpected show up, Rinne still remembered that Guriko had saved her earlier that day. For that, she relaxed and loosened herself up a bit.

“What are you doing here at this hour…?”

“It’s cold outside.”

“Eh?”

“Let me live here.”

“…er, huh?"

The outlandish and selfish request took her by complete surprise. Guriko didn’t seem interested in waiting for an answer as she walked in, tossed off her dirty shoes, and sat down upon the floor.

“…Um… Then, Guriko, what’s going on here?”

“Ugh…”

For a while, it looked like she was thinking about what to say. Guriko then sighed and expressionlessly pulled her cheek, saying in her clear voice, “Agh, I’m horrible at lying, so I’ll just tell the truth. I came here to protect you, Usagawa Rinne. The ‘Mushi’ seem to have made your Apple their goal. There’re possibly other goals, but I don’t know anything about that. There are too many of them, and since things are so dangerous I can’t help but worry. In order to observe the situation and protect you, I think living here is the best idea. If you think I’m in the way, just pretend I don’t exist. And so, I’ll be making this place my home.”

How selfish.

Rinne was shocked by Guriko, who sat there staring at her, and then shyly smiled. None of it made any sense, but one thing was clear. Saying anything more would be pointless.

“What did you mean when you said ‘It’s cold outside’ at the beginning?”

“I planned to use that as an excuse to live here, but I can’t just lie my way through life. It’s actually not cold to me at all. I haven’t felt temperature for a long time. Even if I slept at the South Pole, I wouldn’t die, and I wouldn’t feel the cold, either. But… telling the truth… is a bit embarrassing, too.”

‘For the sake of protecting you’ sure wasn’t Guriko’s style. Though, the more she thought about it, the more she smiled.

Guriko blankly looked at Rinne who tried to hide her smile.

“What are you smiling for… Ah, whatever, I’m sure you’re confused, but please be patient. Once I figure out what the ‘Mushi’ want and exterminate them, I’ll leave… eh?”

Guriko said all that in a single breath, but suddenly turned to look toward the corner of the room. There was a giant egg wrapped with a soft cloth. It was covered with a geometric design, and seemed man-made.

Rinne glanced at the suddenly-silent Guriko with fear in her eyes and asked, “Um, what is it, Guriko-chan?”

“…Nothing.”

Guriko scratched her head.

“The egg of a Dream World Beast. That’s weird. Well, it shouldn’t be dangerous since it’s not an evil beast.”

After saying those cryptic words, got up and walked back and forth across the room.

“In short, those ‘Mushi’ are going to be hard to deal with, and solving that problem is gonna take a while. Until I’m done, I’ll just stay in this closet here.”

Guriko opened the closet and lay down. She’s not [[Mushi:Vol1_TLnotes#Doraemon|Doraemon]]! That place isn’t for a girl to sleep.

Rinne dreamt up ways to convince Guriko out of the closet so they could both sleep on the futon. There was only one futon in the room, so Rinne would give the pillow to Guriko and use a cushion instead. Guriko resisted at first, but soon gave up in the face of Rinne’s stubbornness. She curled up and quickly fell asleep.

Rinne still wasn’t sure what was going on. Guriko had killed her once, and that morning had forcefully kissed the person most important to her. Despite this, for some reason Rinne never felt she was a bad person. Gently patting the sweetly sleeping Guriko on the head, Rinne felt strangely at ease.

Then Rinne thought of something, and picked up the cell phone by the pillow to text Sakaki. Then, she closed her eyes, basked in Guriko’s warmth, and fell asleep.

<pre>From: Usarin
To: Sensei
Subject: Edict
Body: Sorry for bothering you so late. This is Usarin. Sensei, something extremely scary happened today. I was attacked by a group of “Mushi” with red eyes, although I didn’t know what they were at the time. I was strangled and almost killed, making that the third time I almost died. Is that good luck? Or bad? I’m still alive after coming close to death so many times. Since I lived, it’s only right for me to keep living on. Sensei, I’ll do my best to stay alive.

About that incident at lunch, I think Guriko must have had some reason for doing that. I don’t know what the class thinks, but I think Guriko isn’t the type of person who would commit horrible crimes, so tomorrow I’ll ask her about the details. I know you told me to avoid talking to Guriko, but I want to keep talking to her.

Sensei, I don’t know what’s going on around us. It feels like there’s always some sort of terrible conspiracy, but I won’t despair because I have you. As long as Sensei is here, I’ll keep on hoping for the best. That was our promise. I love you, Sensei.

P.S. I got a new family member. A person, not a cat. Who do you think it is, Sensei? I’ll tell you tomorrow. I think you’re gonna be stunned though!</pre>

And that’s it.

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