Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 6 Chapter 2 (section)

==2.00 Shachito Part 2==

He received 28 text messages.

—You're super late, man! We'll make you pay the studio rent!

—Say, are you really not dating anyone, Shachi-kun~?

—Heard there was an accident on the main road! You pass there right? You alive, Shachi?

—What pages was the homework in literature?

—I was invited to a mixer! Are you free this Saturday?

—I got my hands on the DVD of that movie we talked about! Should I lend it to you or what?

It was early morning.

Having woken up inside the bed in his room, Shachito checked his cellphone first of all.

Seeing the contents of the text messages sent to him, he felt relieved.

Shachito's daily life was stuffed inside a small LCD screen. The voices of his friends dragged him back to his unchanging daily life.

However—

"…"

Rousing his body, he tried wiping off the cold sweat stuck to his forehead. He felt the rough sensation of bandage. Also feeling some discomfort in his chest, he tried rolling up his shirt. He had large bruises.

He recalled the events of yesterday after school.

While riding his motorbike, he was pursued by an abnormal monster—a Mushitsuki and his Mushi on the main street in the town center. It all turned out like this due to a simple reason; it was because Shachito had disturbed the Mushitsuki during his enjoyable rampage. 

He felt the premonition of death, but when he came to he was looking down at the collapsed Mushitsuki.

At that point, someone suddenly appeared to attack him.

She was a mysterious girl who wore a raincoat despite there being no signs of any rain. Since she had been freely teleporting all around Shachito, it was obvious she was no ordinary person. It was possible she wasn't even human but some kind of phantom.

Anyhow Shachito lost his consciousness, and when he opened his eyes again the raincoat girl was gone. To run away from the other Mushitsuki who was still collapsed there, he rode on his So1o and left.

Coming back home, Shachito lied to his family that he "fell with his motorbike" and immediately went to sleep.

"…"

When he finished replying to all his text messages, Shachito readily made a decision.

"Yeah, I'll just forget all about it. Everything last night was just a bad dream."

He nodded to himself with a light smile. The memories of what happened yesterday after school were gone from his mind.

Although this misfortune befell him, Shachito was able to return to his previous life just like that. He had no intention to ever involve himself with dangerous happenings.

He rubbed his forehead over the bandages.

Just like the bruises on his chest, he felt no pain there.

"Wow, you really were in an accident!"

"Ouch… are you okay, Shachi-kun?"

"At least you weren't run over or anything. You just fell down, right?"

—When he went to school, his classmates immediately swarmed around him after seeing the bandages on his head.

"Yeah, I thought I was a goner. It blew me away. Like this, whoosh."

As he spoke with a smile his classmates were relieved. They cracked jokes and tried touching his head.

They kept talking incessantly ever since he entered the classroom. Shachito's motorbike accident—once they finished hearing his made-up story, the topic changed to the large-scale accident that happened on the main road last evening. The incident caused by the full-face helmet Mushitsuki was apparently reported as a large vehicle going on a rampage.

Even though there should have been plenty of eyewitnesses, it became the fault of a reckless driver—Shachito could feel there has been some intentional information manipulation by someone, but this had nothing to do with him. He didn't have the slightest will to know about the sort of person who could control the media.

"Good mornin'!"

He smiled as he called toward the girl entering the class. She was the one who had slapped him yesterday.

She made a surprised face, but soon dropped her gaze and went to her seat. Perhaps worried about what happened the other day, she made no response to Shachito's voice.

''You don't have to mind it that much though'', Shachito smiled wryly.

"Ah, thinking about it you've been getting along well with her lately, you bastard. Is it going well?"

"I told you already, that's not a thing."

He draped his arm around the neck of the friend making fun of him and strangled him. Even with his friends it was always like this.

The more he fooled around with his friends, the more he could feel the slightly remaining worries from yesterday vanish. As he laughed heartily he could feel alive.

''Like I thought "this side" really is the place for me—''

Shachito simply lost his mind yesterday. Perhaps his mind had been confused after being slapped by his classmate. That sensation born from the fight with the Mushitsuki was an incidental by-product of the Shachito of "that side" born amidst extreme tension. He simply became demented.

The Shachito who was carefree, didn't think of anything too deeply and spent his days enjoyably…

That one was his true self.

But suddenly a deep voice was reborn in his mind.

''—After all you're a Mushitsuki, right?''

Although he almost cleanly forgot all about his anxiety, Shachito's face froze with a shudder.

In contrast to her foolish exterior, the gaze coming from the raincoat girl for an instant was abnormal. It felt like he met someone he shouldn't have—and he had the premonition he would definitely be found out someday. He recalled that indescribable fear. 

"…Well, it has nothing to do with me though."

He muttered in the intervals between the conversations with his classmates.

It had nothing to do with Shachito. He was able to keep concealing the fact he was a Mushitsuki and he had the confidence he could live without letting anyone notice it.

He just had bad luck with women or something yesterday.

Thinking this, he then recalled another girl he'd met then.

''Right, that girl—''

The first-year student that helped him pull out his motorcycle from the parking area… Shachito had gotten into this mess with the Mushitsuki that had nothing to with him all in order to save the bus the girl had been riding on.

Thinking about it, that underclassman girl could also be said to be a part of his troubles with women.

''I wonder if she made it in time for her urgent business or whatever—''

Yet he didn't have a bad impression of her. He didn't save her because he wanted her to rely on him; he'd just done it on a whim.

"Hey, do you know any girl in first year who's about this tall and has curly hair… and, how do I put it, she always seems fidgety…"

Breaking from the circle of the conversation, he stealthily asked this of one of his friends. This classmate habitually boasted about his extensive knowledge of all girls in the school; he was the kind of well-informed person one could find anywhere.  

"Huh? Any other special features?"

"Umm, she had a checkered scarf. I think she was quite cute."

"A checkered scarf, huh… I can't say for sure, but it might be Masaki Rio."

Shachito had no expectations, so he was surprised at hearing a precise name. ''Who the hell are you''? He wanted to ask, but since his friend began explaining he shut up and listened.

"Among those you'd count as 'cute', if there's any girl that fulfills these conditions it's her. Year 1 Class D, Masaki Rio. She doesn't belong to any club. She's apparently part of some theatrical company, but… I don't know much else."

"No, even that's plenty amazing… hmm, so she's Masaki Rio. —Come to think of it, the first-years apparently see me as some sort of playboy, but is that for real?"

"Are you really asking?" 

"…No, let's stop here. Thank you."

He expressed his thanks and returned to his seat. As he was told "don't forget to reply about the mixer" in a loud voice, the eyes of everyone in class focused on him. —And so the misunderstanding about him being a playboy will probably keep spreading through the school.

After a while the teacher in charge came and short homeroom started. The teacher left the class at an earlier time than the usual after leaving a few messages.

Shachito absentmindedly looked up at the clock above the blackboard.

There was still plenty of free time until the first period started.

"…"

He rose from his seat and left the class.

Shachito was headed for the first floor, toward the classes of the first-year students. Going down the stairs, he walked toward the direction of Class D.

Seeing a student with a different tie color walking in the corridor, he felt the gazes of the first-years in no small numbers. He started taking it half-seriously and boldly advanced through the corridor.

He arrived at Class D just as short homeroom ended. The teacher coming out of the classroom glanced quizzically at Shachito who was from a different class year and left.

"Hello everyone, good day! I'm a playboy from second year, is there a Masaki Rio here?"

As he called toward a girl who was about to exit the classroom, the entire class's gazes immediately focused on him. Not only that, it became deadly silent in an instant. He only intended it as a joke, but made a strained smile at the unexpected response.

"What do all my cute underclassmen think of me…? Seriously…"

"U-umm, Masaki-san has yet to—oh, there she is."

As he turned around, he could see the figure of a girl heading for class while half running.

There was no mistake; she was the girl who'd helped him yesterday. He was grateful for the accuracy of his classmate's information network.

Out of breath probably because she came there in a hurry, Rio faced her class and saw Shachito. Perhaps unable to understand the situation she stared in amazement and froze in front of him. Looking between his face and classroom D, she thought of something and crossed her arms in an X shape.  

"What business do you have with my class, Shiohara-senpai? Hah, are you possibly trying to get one of the girls in your clutches… I will protect the peace of Class D!"

"Thank you. I'll borrow this for a bit."

"Hah, go ahead."

"Eh? A-are you talking about me? Wait, have I been so casually betrayed by my own classmate?"

Grabbing the flustered Rio's arm, he went far from the front of the class. 

He pulled her all the way to the faucets. Rio seemed as cautious as ever. If someone else were to see them it would probably look like he was pushing her against the wall.

"Uhhh, umm… d-do you have any business with me?"

Since she was restlessly looking around her, was she waiting for someone to rescue her? Shachito was once again shocked at the lack of her trust in him.

"It's not like I'm going to eat you… Can you calm down for now? I'm just a bit curious about what happened yesterday after school."

"Ah, what's up with those bandages! Are you hurt? —Wait! How did you know which class I was anyway?"

"Please listen to what people tell you."

"Auu! Daa! Oou…"

As Shachito flicked her forehead with his finger without thinking, the moment Rio bent herself back, the back of her head hit the wall. She held both front and rear and her shoulders trembled.

As he thought she was an amusing girl. It was like… just by looking at her he would forget about anything that bothered him—like the incident with the Mushitsuki yesterday for example.

"I just wanted to ask you if you managed to get in time for your business after what happened. I just got curious is all."

"After… what happened?"

''After your bus nearly got wrecked by the Mushitsuki''—he almost said this reflexively toward the girl that looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, but stopped himself.

"I just thought it would be unforgivable if I caused you to become late after helping me with my motorbike. It was something important right?"

"—Yes, it was important."

A radiant smile rose to Rio's face. Shachito was surprised.

"I did not make it in time, but… since the bus I was riding in was affected by a traffic accident, I was somehow allowed in despite being late. So it's fine."

She spoke clearly with a well-articulated tone. Now that she calmed down, Rio's speaking tone was soft on the ears. 

"I see."

He had such a sincere smile it surprised even himself.

"I'm glad."

"Eh… N-no, this wasn't really your fault, senpai, so…"

Saying this, her face flushed and she hung her head.

This time Shachito was the one flustered by having an underclassman girl take him into consideration.

"E-even so I can't feel satisfied. Let me apologize somehow. I know, an acquaintance of mine is having an event, so if you have some free time…"

"I do not."

Right after raising her head again, she cleanly refused. Shachito hung his head dejectedly.

"H-huh? What's wrong?"

"It's not like I have any ulterior motive or anything!"

Suddenly speaking in a loud voice, Shachito grabbed Rio's shoulders. Rather than her just refusing his invitation, he couldn't bear not clearing this strange misunderstanding. 

"I've caused many misunderstandings, but I never called out girls at random! I don't know what rumors there are, but they're all untrue! Got it?"

"…Umm…"

As Shachito brought his face closer, Rio awkwardly averted her eyes.

"T-that's not what I meant… I really don't have any time to play around."

"Huh?"

"I have practice in the theater during early morning, ballet and Conversational English lesson after school, and my schedule really is stuffed full with theater practice. I also work part-time all through Saturday…"

"Theater… like drama and stuff?"

"Yes! My dream is to someday stand on the grand stage!"

Rio nodded, her expression sparkling.

Her dream.

Hearing that word, Shachito was taken aback.

Mushi were said to exist by eating people's dreams.

—Yet that rumor was a lie.

Shachito was a Mushitsuki yet he had no dream. He simply spent his days playing around.

And that was why he loved cheering for people that worked hard for their dreams. They possessed what he didn't have.

Shachito smiled and let go of Rio.

"I hope it comes true."

"Thanks!"

A dreamless Mushitsuki and a normal girl with a dream smiled at each other.

"But shouldn't you let out some steam every once in a while? If you manage to have some free time call me. Shall I tell you my number?"

"Y-yes. Wait a minute, umm… Ah! Could this pattern possibly mean I've been deceived? As I thought you're a playboy, Shiohara-senpai—"

"Nonono. It's fine, get out your cellphone already. The lesson's about to start."

Rio brought out her cellphone and they exchanged contact.

"…Huu, so easy."

"W-what's up with that laugh! So I ''was'' deceived!"

As he teased Rio, the bell signaling the start of lessons rang.

"Here it is. Oh no. Today I have to move classes starting right from the first period—"

Turning his body around in order to return to his class, Shachito widened his eyes.

He could see something outside the window on the roof of the parking area in front of the main gate—a yellow figure was standing there. It was a baby-faced girl who wore a raincoat and rain boots despite it not raining. She had riding goggles lowered down to her neck and was busy munching a lollipop… he would never mistake that figure. 

"R-return my number! I have to give a resolute NO to any fraud—H-huh? What's wrong? You seem pale…"

"…! N-no, it's—"

Surprised, he turned back around to Rio.

His heart pounded so strongly it seemed about to burst out of his chest. Although he was supposed to forget all about it by speaking with Rio, the scenes of his fight against the Mushitsuki from yesterday rushed through his mind.

"…!"

The moment he moved his gaze out the window again, he couldn't see any trace of the raincoat on the parking area's roof.

His heartbeats seemed so loud to the point they shook his eardrums. He could feel a chill running down his spine.

"Senpai? …Ah, that was the bell just now. It seemed somewhat stranger than normal… it was a horrible sound that made my head hurt."

"The bell? I-is that so? It might've been so. —So, I'll be going back to my class. I'll contact you again."

As he showed Rio a forced smile and left in fast walking, she called "If you send me any strange messages I won't reply!" at his back.

The first-years all entered their own classes in streams.

Suddenly walking in an empty corridor, Shachito was confused.

"It was my imagination… right?"

When he came to, he was walking fast. He headed for the stairs without looking to the sides.

He was being watched—

He wanted to think it was just an illusion, but he felt a gaze that seemed to pierce his entire body. This sense of tension that seemed to rob his breath wasn't an illusion.

At that time, while Shachito was in front of that collapsed Mushitsuki, that raincoat girl attacked him without any warning. After she beat him easily without him even able to understand her actions, he felt like she said something to him.

''—You passed.''

He recalled it and shuddered.

What on earth had he passed? What was that person who looked like a ghost—no, like a "traveller" trying to do to him?

''Maybe this time she'll really kill me—''

"…!"

As he reached the stairs, he could see the corridor with the shoe racks. A girl stood there. She equipped her goggles and her fluttering raincoat was surging with purple electricity.

"Yo, haven't seen you since yesterday, Shiohara Shachito-kun."

Not even the question of how she knew his name rose to his mind.

He instinctively rushed toward the corridor of the special classes to the opposite direction of the raincoat girl. He climbed up the stairs at the end of the corridor, ran through the second-floor corridor, opened a door and leapt inside the cooking preparation room.

"W-what's up with her…!"

He had no idea why he was being chased by such a mysterious opponent. Perhaps he had witnessed some great secret and so some secret organization or whatever sent their assassin after him—only such clichéd guesses rose to his mind.

"I haven't the slightest memory of me doing anything that would warrant me being targeted by something like that…!"

Adjusting his breathing for a while, he carefully peeked from inside the preparation room and probed into the corridor.

The special classroom area was desolate and silence returned to the area.

He was able to stroke his chest in relief only for a moment.

"Don't be so rude. Please call me Shishidou Inuko-sama."

The voice came from above.

Shachito gazed up at the ceiling and was lost for words.

"What you're thinking about now—is perfectly clear for someone as wise as me."

The raincoat-wearing girl was hanging down from the ceiling.

No, the expression "hanging down" was incorrect. She was more precisely using both her legs to "stand" on the ceiling while upside-down. 

"You're surely wondering how is it that my skirt isn't falling down even though I'm upside-down, right? You're such a perv. Fufu, I have a trick for that, my skirt is actually—"

He wasn't thinking anything about that.

And even if he did it didn't matter.

She had worn some torn jeans under her skirt yesterday. Yet his eyes were attracted to the raincoat so he shouldn't have had the chance to notice that.

"U-uwah!"

Seeing an impossible scene in front of him, Shachito leapt out to the corridor. Not even breathing properly, he rushed down the staircase.

Coming down to the first floor, he aimed for the passageway ahead of the corridor. It was the same passageway connected to the gymnasium where he'd been slapped by his classmate.

Yet as he stepped into it, a raincoat rolling around in the courtyard was lying in wait.

Noticing Shachito, Shishidou Inuko abruptly roused her body and blushed.

"H-hey! I wanted to surprise you by rolling in iron sand and shouting "I'm the Monster Kabigon!"… Don't come here while I'm still preparing the joke."

"…!"

"Ah, wait! I still have other gags—"

It was just like a nightmare.

Shachito ran outdoors and jumped to the emergency staircase connected to the school building. ''Clang clang'', he caused this sound while rushing upstairs. 

The area above the fourth floor was partitioned by locked fences. Yet Shachito lightly kicked the wall and by making a high jump passed over them.

A cold wind blew.

"Do use your power."

Having reached the rooftop, the calmly standing figure of a girl was reflected in his eyes.

In a complete change from her inappropriate easygoing expression just now, the raincoat-clad Inuko's eyes became sharp. 

[[File:Mushi Uta 6 p089.jpg|thumb]]

"Let me tell you something. No matter what you do, you'll never be able to escape me."

The immense killing intent emitted by Inuko became the trigger.

"Uhhh—"

Being cornered, Shachito raised his arms as if controlled by someone. His index finger and middle finger cut through air, pointing at Inuko.

A red glow was emitted from Shachito's body. Assuming the form of an autumn darter in midair, the glow morphed into a flash of light and stabbed into Inuko without giving her any time to evade.

Shachito could feel his body growing lighter. At the same time Inuko's weight was increased, and along with a heavy vibration cracks ran through the floorboards. 

Using his ability, Shachito transferred his body weight to the girl and further amplified it. With that, her mass should be equal to that of a car. It was a mass that no human muscles could ever move.

Now that he'd sealed Inuko's movements and even turned his own weight to zero, if he were to jump down the roof—

As he tried turning his body, purple lightning cut into Shachito's field of vision.

"—Don't think about getting away."

In the blink of an eye, the edge of the hockey stick pressed under his jaw.

"Giving up and running away will only lead to a loss."

In a split instant, Inuko who was shrouded in purple electricity dove under Shachito. She lightly wielded the stick that should have been made dozens of times heavier by his ability. 

''I'm gonna be killed—''

Feeling death looming, he tightly shut his eyes.

Yet no matter how much he waited for the blow he was resolved against, it never came.

"…?"

Opening his eyes gingerly, he saw Inuko stopped her movements with her stick still poking his neck. Looking up coldly at the frightened Shachito, a sneer rose to her face.

"You're so stupid. Why did you run away? Why didn't you try fighting?"

Having a scornful smile directed at him, Shachito immediately felt blood rushing up to his head.

''It's because you attacked me for no reason!''

He tried opening his mouth to say this, yet Inuko interrupted his words.

"Obviously you were in panic. And you have had no idea why you were being attacked. So you don't have a reason to fight. —That's the stupid thing you wanted to say, right?"

"…!"

"But it's the opposite, the opposite. You have no reason ''not'' to fight."

Lowering her stick, Inuko lightly pushed Shachito's chest. Now standing upright, he was blown away toward the fences just by this blow.

As he fell on his butt, the hockey stick was pointed at his nose.

"You're a Mushitsuki and you were attacked by someone. Where in that situation do you see a reason to not fight? If you don't want to die then fight. If you want to survive then fight before collapsing. If you don't want to become a mindless Fallen then think. If you forget to struggle in order to stay alive then you have already lost."

Shachito gazed up at the girl dumbfounded. He still hadn't absolved his ability.

"Is me being able to move freely so strange? —There are metal fibers inserted into my clothes. This stick is also made of steel. I also told you already while I was chasing you. The story about my skirt, the term 'iron sand'… Since you've missed all of these hints you ended up with your life within my grasp."

Magnetism—

Shachito realized what Inuko's ability was.

If the girl in front of his eyes was a Mushitsuki just like him and could control magnetism then it explained everything. Since the school building had an iron framework then it was fully possible to use attraction and repulsion to stand on the ceiling or move at high speeds. If the magnetism she controlled was that powerful then she could do it even though her mass was amplified by Shachito's ability.

"When I'm at a city surrounded by metal I'm invincible. Remember that."

As Inuko puffed out her moderate chest, he could no longer feel any murderous intent from her.

"…So."

"Hmm?"

"What's going to happen with me? Telling me to 'remember that' means I'm not getting killed?"

The orange autumn darter flew out of Inuko and returned to Shachito.

Realizing he was no match for her no matter how hard he tried, he lost all will to either escape or fight. As he felt resigned, the confusion brought by fear was also gone. Even he realized she could kill him any time she wanted to.

What Shachito realized was that the monster known as Shishidou Inuko set her eyes on him. And all because of the one time he used the ability he had been hiding for years and years.

"Hmm… seems like you were able to understand your position. Truly admirable."

Grinning pleasantly, Inuko used her stick to pat Shachito's head. He felt the urge to kill.

"—In this country there's an organization known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau."

Inuko started speaking while the cold February wind caused her raincoat to flutter.

This Special Environmental Preservation Bureau appeared to be the name of the government agency made to supervise Mushitsuki. There were many Mushitsuki other than Shachito in the country, and that organization made them work in order to search, manage, isolate and at times train Mushitsuki.

"…Hmm, I get it."

Shachito smiled wryly.

As he lived a normal life, this was obviously something hard to believe. Yet some parts of it he could comprehend. He himself was a Mushitsuki, so he could definitely imagine there being people who thought that letting people like him run wild was dangerous. 

"So does that mean I'll be taken to that SEPB place and quarantined?" 

He squinted while looking up at the blue sky. 

So he wouldn't be able to return to his present lifestyle—

Now that he thought this, he yearned for his enjoyable days.

Even for the cellphone and its unending stream of text messages.

Even to his beloved ride the So1o rushing through the roads.

Even for the fresh air he took into his lungs.

Perhaps he wouldn't even be able to experience freedom ever again.

"…So that number she told me was for nothing."

He wanted to speak more with the underclassman girl known as Masaki Rio.

He thought of such things.

"I'll give you a chance."

With the sun at her back, Shishidou Inuko said something unexpected.

"There's something I have to do in this city. Until I accomplish that I'll keep silent about you from the SEPB. And during that time—"

Shachito widened his eyes. He thought he would surely be thrown into some isolation facility with no ifs or buts.

"I will discipline you."

The girl who boasted of herself as invincible declared in a loud voice.

"You have a talent for fighting. I will make you into a first-rate warrior by my hands."

"…Hah? A warrior?"

For an instant he couldn't understand what Inuko was saying.

Until yesterday he was just a normal high school student but now he was going to become a warrior? How on earth had she arrived at this idea? Was the girl in front of him even sane?

"If you don't like it then run away. As long as I'm in this city I will definitely find you. Just like you saw during our little game of tag earlier, I will never let you escape. If you want to run away from me you'll have to become stronger than me."

''Whoosh'', along with the sound of cutting air the stick was pointed at Shachito.

"If you become stronger than me before I depart for my journey then I'll give you your freedom again. Do your best."

The confused Shachito and the Inuko who was smiling enjoyably.

The two Mushitsuki facing each other under the clear sky.

This could be said to be the moment when Shiohara Shachito and Shishidou Inuko—the old and the new berserker changed places.

Shiohara Shachito's "basic training".

—Start.