Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 15 Chapter 2 (section)

== 2.02 Shiika Part 1 ==

As the Dove unleashed by C, Shiika came to Aoharima Island.

“Shiika…? Shiika!”

“You’ve grown into quite a woman to my liking, Fuyuhotaru! Zero sex appeal, though!”

The Mushitsuki who couldn’t give up on fighting and getting hurt assaulted Shiika.

Shiika pitied them, so she used her powers to save them.

Crouching on top of the breakwater, she focused everything she had on making it snow.

“…!”

“…!”

As Shiika curled herself and closed her eyes, she could hear the shouts and screams of Mushitsuki distancing.

Their resistance was violent, so it would probably take a while to exterminate them.

Without thinking of anything, Shiika just focused—

A prick.

She grimaced at a pain from her chest.

Shiika was supposed to have been released from all forms of pain by her Goddess, C.

Even so, what came to mind along with this impossible pain—

Was the vicious smile of Oogui she’d seen while fighting her at Akamaki City.

''—That was a weird way of saying it.

It was from back when the Mushitsuki-creating monster, one of the Original Three, had directly given Shiika information she didn’t know.

''—You spoke as if Kakkou-chan and Daisuke-chan are different people.

The moment she heard this, something that supported Shiika broke down.

The reason Shiika had been able to keep fighting was shaken from the very root.

“…”

Why had she recalled this now?

She closed her eyes shut and focused on purging the island, but the pain in her chest remained. These doubts that C was supposed to take away from her reared their heads again.

Shiika had lived while wishing only to fulfill her promise for a reunion with Daisuke.

Since Kakkou—someone who had the same dream—was fighting, she could also fight.

Even so he tricked her, pretending to be two people—

Why?

Because it was his duty as an SEPB member to capture her?

That was obviously natural.

However, if he pretended being a normal boy and approached Shiika for that—

''—I want you to wait for me next year, too.

Was his promise with Shiika just another lie?

Was it nothing more than a means to keep deceiving his capture target, the stupid Fuyuhotaru?

“You mustn’t think of anything unnecessary, my beloved Dove…”

C’s sweet voice whispered to her from the tiara.

''Throb''—the pain stabbing the depths of her chest was unceasing.

“…”

Shiika was definitely stupid.

It wasn’t just that she hadn’t noticed Kusuriya Daisuke’s true identity as Kakkou.

After being continually deceived like that—she turned Kakkou into a Fallen by her own hands. In order to save the life of the Maturing Kakkou, she killed his Mushi.

She did it because she believed in Kakkou, as one who shared the same dream.

She believed from the bottom of her heart that he would definitely recall his dream just like her and come back—

Five years ago, he was the one who made her a Fallen.

They spoke about their identical dreams and vowed to never forget them—

She believed that he would come back to her at some point, and yet.

Right now—she couldn’t believe.

If his two faces as Kusuriya Daisuke and Kakkou were simply masks that he freely switched in order to conveniently capture her—

What Shiika and Daisuke did was merely killing each other’s Mushi.

Any promise they might have had was completely meaningless.

“What is the matter, my Dove…”

She didn’t know what to trust and what to doubt.

She wanted to hear the truth from Kakkou—no, from Daisuke.

However, that would never come true. She doubted it could ever come true.

He was a Fallen.

And it was Shiika herself who made him this way.

If she hated him, that would be her revenge.

No, that was wrong. She never thought about revenge—

With this repeat of answers and questions to herself, she felt like she was going crazy.

“Please calm down, my beloved—”

C’s voice, who once saved Shiika, vanished as though blocked by something.

At the same time her headache was gone, too.

All sounds vanished and Shiika couldn’t even feel the snow curtain protecting her anymore.

“…”

Had the purging of the island already ended at some point?

That thought passed through her mind, but it was wrong.

She could see neither the pouring sunlight, nor smell the sea.

Shiika could feel nothing at all as she crouched in an empty space.

No—she could feel just another presence.

“—…”

Shiika could feel the breath of another person as she curled up and hugged her knees.

Since she had her eyes closed, she couldn’t tell who it was.

She didn’t know, and yet—

Sweat formed on Shiika’s brow.

How was she able to feel someone else in this place?

She made it snow, so all other people than her should be rejected.

It was just her imagination—she had a bizarre confidence that wouldn’t let her think that.

Although she had no basis for it, there was no doubt that someone was there.

No, it wasn’t even a “someone”.

Shiika knew that sense of presence.

After all, this presence that felt as though only it and Shiika existed in this indescribable world—was something she’d already experienced before.

“…”

Exactly because she’d experienced it before—she couldn’t raise her face.

Why was this person here?

If he really was here, once she saw his form—

What reaction would Shiika show him?

Would she begrudge him for tricking her and cuss at him?

Or would she try asking for his true motives? Despite the fact she wouldn’t be able to tell whether he would speak the truth or not?

She might apologize for turning him into a Fallen and seek forgiveness.

Or she would abandon either believing or doubting—and then they would, as if it was natural for them, treat each other as enemies who made each other Fallen, and kill each other again?

“—”

She was scared of what to do.

She was afraid of what the other party would say.

Although her eyes were still closed, she was shaking so much she couldn’t raise her head.

Even if she called C’s name in her mind that wanted to escape, the tiara gave her no answer. The world of tranquility did not come, and for some reason Shiika couldn’t escape the strange space she’d wandered into.

She could do nothing but curl and shake.

As if she reverted to how she was five years ago.

She became a Mushitsuki with no advance warning and gotten lost; she was a child who could do nothing but protect herself while being unable to accept reality. All she did was raise a tantrum.

It was as though she hadn’t changed in five years. No, as if she got even worse—

And then—

“…Shiika.”

That presence finally called her name.

Shiika’s heart screamed for a moment as though torn apart.

“—”

It was unconscious.

Compared to five years ago, his voice broke, but it was no illusion.

Shiika—raised her face.

He was there.

Kakkou.

Kusuriya Daisuke.

He stood all alone on the breakwater of Aoharima Island.

She immediately realized this wasn’t reality. After all, both Shiika and Daisuke were there on the fishing harbor that was supposed to be a battlefield, and all the waves were frozen as though time itself stopped.

Even so, Kusuriya Daisuke was definitely standing there.

Clad in a pitch-dark long coat, with the goggles hanging from his neck, in the form of Kakkou.

“—”

“…Him… kill him—”

She heard these barely audible orders from the tiara.

Shiika grimaced and put strength into her fists clenched on the ground.

Perhaps—this was what could be called fate.

White snow began pouring down around the crouched Shiika.

As if responding to her hostility, he also raised his arm holding a gun.

She didn’t even need to be ordered by someone.

It was just like five years ago, or that winter less than a year ago.

Shiika became covered in a blizzard, and the boy readied his gun.

That was how they were originally.

Shiika was the dangerous Mushitsuki, Fuyuhotaru—

And he was Kakkou, the one with the duty to stop her.

Now that things became like this, she also had the excuse that he tricked her.

Shiika had been caught by her feelings to him and then betrayed—

So she didn’t have a single reason not to fight.

“—Ugh.”

Even so.

Shiika could do nothing but keep grimacing.

“Waaaah…!”

Raising a pitiful voice, she erased the blizzard and rushed forward.

As Shiika ran to him, the boy tried pointing his gun—

However, it fell from his hands.

“—AAaaaAAahhh…!”

They could only fight.

Although these two should have nothing to do other than fighting, they clashed defenselessly.

“AaaAAAhhh…!”

As Shiika leapt to his chest with great momentum, Daisuke accepted her wordlessly. The boy’s arms hugged the crying Shiika’s petite body.

The moment Shiika heard his voice, she was confused.

She was afraid of seeing his face.

The moment she heard C’s orders—she was somewhat relieved.

Because she knew that if it happened once more… no, it would happen again and again.

If she saw his face, they would fight and hurt each other.

They had only that reason, and they had nothing else to think about.

However, the moment she saw his figure, all dark feelings inside Shiika melted away.

“AaaaAAAh…!”

As for why—because the boy right in front of Shiika’s eyes was in tatters.

His black coat was ripped, exposing his skin. Blood covered his entire body and he looked to be suffering from burns as well. There was a pool of blood at his feet, the goggles hanging from his neck were destroyed, and blood dripped from his forehead in streams.

What on earth had he been fighting against to end up like that?

Had he fought some God or devil?

He looked as if he was struck by all possible disasters of this world.

No, thinking of it like this—

Then until this very moment—

How many times had he managed to survive fights?

For how long had he been fighting with those many feelings carried by him all alone?

She needed no words. She could tell by merely seeing him.

It had nothing to do with truth or lie.

Shiika—wanted to be with him.

She didn’t mind not being forgiven.

She wanted to be with this person who constantly got hurt and fought alone.

She only thought of this.

“—Shiika…”

Daisuke looked at Shiika bawling her eyes out.

The boy’s eyes were lacking vitality, and he wouldn’t meet Shiika’s gaze. Perhaps his eyes could no longer focus already. Although the breaths she felt from his mouth were unreliable, they were extremely hot. As if his very life was pouring out of them.

“—”

While Shiika leaked sobs, Daisuke didn’t know what to say.

Instead of words, his expression changed. He looked apologetic as he bit his lips, but then wore a severe face as though resolved on something. However, that soon vanished and he looked to be in pain.

“—There are things I have to say… too many of them…”

The voice he finally let out was hoarse.

Shiika desperately stifled the sobs trying to escape her throat.

She had to listen to what he had to say.

“I gave up on saying them… and forgot about everything, not wanting to fight…”

A little strength was put into Daisuke’s arm that was hugging her.

There were countless things she had to say.

And there were also countless things he had to answer.

However, he cut off his words as though swallowing everything. The eyes looking at Shiika regained their power.

“But what I want to tell you most has to be—”

He smiled.

“I miss you, Shiika.”

It wasn’t the pitch-dark demon called Kakkou—no, the arms hugging Shiika let her feel his absurd strength, but that voice shaking while holding back tears—

Belonged, without a doubt, to the normal boy she just so happened to meet.

It was the face of Shiika’s beloved person, who was neither Mushitsuki nor anything. To Kusuriya Daisuke.

“Right now—that’s what I thought.”

Shiika also held back her tears and made a clear nod.

She smiled just like him and spoke in a shaky voice.

“I also miss you, Daisuke-kun.”

She wanted to forget everything—to throw away even the promise of a reunion and run away.

However, just by seeing that face, all of her doubts and anxiety were blown away.

She wanted to see him again.

Shiika and Daisuke felt the same here.

If so, then the next place they should head to—was the same, too.

“—”

Kusuriya Daisuke’s figure was growing thinner as she was hugging him as if he was melting into the wind. Even the sensation and warmth that were so clear were vanishing.

The moment he vanished, Daisuke muttered something to Shiika.

Shiika nodded. Since he lost his silhouette in the blink of an eye, she was unable to hear his words, but the words that passed between them were already determined.

They would fight, get hurt, but even so survive—and see each other again.

As Daisuke’s form fully vanished, Shiika curled her body atop the ground again.

Their promised reunion shouldn’t happen in this strange space created by someone unknown.

She closed her eyes and heightened her consciousness.

“…!”

A pain ran through the back of her mind and Shiika frowned.

“Please eliminate the failed products of the old generation…”

She rejected the orders coming from the tiara.

Shiika wasn’t meant to be in an artificial paradise, in a world where doubts and pain were being kept away by the absolute tranquility of the Undying—

“—WOOOOOOOH!”

“A-all hands, retreat while attacking! Abandon the harbor! Reorganize your positions at the entrance to town!”

“Haha! Things are gettin’ quite heated up, eh!”

Shiika retrieved her five senses while curled atop the breakwater.

Her eardrums felt like rupturing from the screams of those fighting for their lives and the sounds of destruction. The combined smell of salt and blood tickled her nostrils.

She’d once rejected it, this world filled with agony and hatred.

However, it was also a world filled with dreams and hopes that Shiika liked.

It was neither paradise nor hell.

It was simply reality—and Shiika came back to it.

“…”

As Shiika rose to her legs, she could see the fishing harbor having been destroyed by the blizzard.

Including the breakwater, even the beach cracked and became a carpet of mixed seawater and debris. The Mushitsuki gathered at the entrance to the wharf were attacking Shiika.

What destroyed the fishing harbor and expanded in order to crush the Mushitsuki was nothing more than the snow controlled by Shiika’s Mushi.

Shiika wanted to stop it, but she couldn’t move her body.

“…!”

Shiika flinched at an impact to her head.

The tiara on her head emitted a golden zap. It struck Shiika like a whip, stimulating her as if stirring the insides of her head.

“Please purge the Mushitsuki of the old generation…”

This sweet voice whispered and Shiika’s Mushi broadened the scope of its snow again.

''At this rate, everyone’s going to—

Shiika gritted her teeth and resisted C’s control. The Mushitsuki in front of her eyes were the same. They were those who challenged this tranquility and escapism, choosing to walk the path of making their dreams come true while suffering.

“…!”

The zap unleashed from the tiara whipped Shiika again.

“You are my Dove…”

C’s spell was powerful.

Even so, Shiika attempted resisting her.

She produced a single snowflake and made it flutter down to her head—

“—”

The shining flake weaved its way through the violent blizzard and fell slowly.

Shiika moved just her eyes, looking above.

She was attempting to look not at the flake she was controlling with all of her might—but at the tiara on her head.

She was going to destroy the tiara that held C’s will with her own snow—

This was a gamble.

She had no idea if a single flake could break through the curtain of snow.

Even if it did, would it be able to destroy only the tiara binding her?

Even if she broke the tiara, she didn’t think the Mushitsuki of Aoharima Island would stop their attacks. The moment after she unleashed the blizzard, she might get killed by their attacks.

However, even so—Shiika had nothing else to do right now.

“Break…”

Shiika’s Mushi whispered.

“Anything and everything…”

Her heart that feared getting hurt and wanted to run away.

C’s sweet temptations that whispered to her.

She wanted to break them all—and protect her tiny wish.

“—”

The Mushi’s whispering voice was erased by a high-pitched discordant sound.

The falling flake and the blizzard curtain clashed. The clash between fellow snowflakes distorted light, and the scenery of the fishing harbor started cracking like it was footage reflected on a mirror.

The glowing pierced through the curtain, heading for the tiara.

At that time, Shiika felt a certain presence. A line of sight directed at her.

Outside the blizzard, within the fragmented scenery, there was a familiar girl.

Tachibana Rina.

Her friend riding the seven-spotted ladybug looked at Shiika from above.

“—It’s the tiara, right?”

Rina managed to understand Shiika’s aim just from her line of sight.

“Are you trying to break it yourself? Doing that would be dangerous for you as well, Shiika…!”

Trying to reach the gap created in the blizzard by the single flake, Rina and her Mushi began diving from straight above.

Now a powerful shockwave was added to the clashing of snow. The entire island’s air burst and the tremors robbed Shiika of her footing. The waves pushing on the fishing harbor swelled, pouring down from the sky with a roar.

Receiving the support from the seven-spotted ladybug’s shockwave—

Finally, the single flake of white snow got through the curtain.

“—Shiika!”

At the same time, Rina and the seven-spotted ladybug overtook the snow. As it landed powerfully, creating an earth tremor, Rina leapt down from the seven-spotted ladybug.

Getting hurt by the aftershock, Rina jumped toward Shiika.

Her hand reached and grabbed Shiika’s tiara.

“Ugh…!”

Electricity unleashed from the tiara attacked Rina.

While Rina was being numbed and paralyzed by the electric current, the snowflake Shiika made fall came fluttering down above her head—

“Don’t look down on me—”

The seven-spotted ladybug spread its wings. 

The unleashed shockwave struck the back of its host, Rina. Thrown away along with Shiika, the tiara fell from her hand.

Passing behind Rina and missing her by a hair’s breadth, the snowflake fell to the ground. It crushed the asphalt at the breakwater and made the ocean’s surface explode.

Shiika and Rina got entangled, rolling on the ground. Even in this situation, Rina hugged Shiika tight, trying to defend her.

Finally, the momentum stopped and as Shiika raised her face—seeing that nostalgic smile from up close.

Although Rina was so enchantingly beautiful, it was the strength of that face that was attractive rather than her beauty.

“Long time no see, Shiika.”

As her best friend smiled at her while covered in wounds, Shiika smiled back with tears in her eyes.

“…You really are cool, Rina.”

Both were unable to move due to wounds and fatigue as many footsteps approached them.

The moment the tiara was removed from Shiika, the curtain of snow stopped. When Rina leapt inside, the Mushitsuki stopped attacking as well.

“You’ve done a great job resisting C with your own powers.”

A suited young man looked down at the collapsed Shiika, wearing a thin smile.

The Mushitsuki called Kasuou helped Shiika and Rina up. Other than her there were also Terasu and the Mushitsuki she was pretty sure was called Nene. She could also see many other figures rush toward them on the debris.

“Right now, you aren’t the Dove but Fuyuhotaru—am I correct in thinking this?”

“…Yes.”

Shiika nodded toward the youth who was making sure.

She’d definitely retrieved control of herself, but this wasn’t done by her own powers or anything.

It was thanks to the boy she met in that mysterious space, Kusuriya Daisuke.

As well as her friend that saved Shiika without any regard for herself, Rina.

“…!”

Shiika could suddenly see a small figure moving in the distance.

Behind the many Mushitsuki watching cautiously over Shiika from afar—next to a certain building on the shore, a blue figure turned to her.

''Chiharu-san…?

She was Kakkou’s sister. Meaning—Kusuriya Daisuke’s sister, Ayukawa Chiharu.

It appeared like only Shiika noticed Chiharu. Everyone on the harbor was naturally focused only on Shiika—but as she looked there, Chiharu vanished as if melting into the building.

“I see. —But that’s no good.”

The youth’s unthinkable words brought Shiika’s attention back to the breakwater.

“If you don’t destroy us as the Dove, we’ll be in trouble.”

Saying this, the youth turned around.

There were two people rushing toward them. One was the girl with an eyepatch, probably Maimai. The other one Shiika didn’t know; they wore the white coat that belonged to the Central Headquarters.

“We’ll get annihilated here—and start our counterattack from there.”

As Shiika tilted her head, the youth moved his sight toward something.

It was the tiara that rolled atop the debris, glowing in gold.