Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 2nd Episode 07 (section)

===Part 4===

“T-this is…”

Arisu choked out a quivering voice. Supporting herself on the table with both of her hands, she stared into the basin with her body leaning forwards.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Grin<nowiki>*</nowiki>''”

With her hands above the water, a smile formed on Ayuyu’s face. Looking closely, Arisu could see tiny water droplets floating around her. The droplets trapped the light from the lamp, causing the area around Ayuyu and the table to glitter and appear as if they were in another space.

[[File:Mushi Uta Bug 2nd p145.jpg|thumb]]

“Even the Mushi have memories. My ability allows the wavelength of my Mushi to match with that of other people’s Mushi, forming a link to their memories that I can see…”

The morpho butterfly flew flusteredly around the ceiling. It looked as if it was running amok in pain.

“Reading the memories of a Mushi is the same as reading the memories of their host. However, that is not the case for you. If I can read the past memories of this Mushi, it should show that of its original host—that of Hanashiro Mari.”

It was just as Ayuyu explained.

The figure displayed in the water was that of Hanashiro Mari with her mouth covered by her muffler. She was at the rooftop of a tall building somewhere. Dressed in a strange white coat, she was looking down below her. —Probably because they were in the vantage of the Mushi, they were looking down on Mari from an even higher point.

[I’ll find it tonight for sure…]

The surface of the water stirred, and they could hear a soft voice.

The voice indubitably belonged to that of Mari.

“Mari…!”

It was the figure of Arisu’s close friend while she was still alive one year ago. The yearning and happiness from seeing her once again caused tears to muddle her sight.

[—ing Mushitsuki. Even if I have to turn all the Mushitsuki in Akamaki City into Fallen—]

The display on the water surface was riddled with static, and Mari’s voice was cut off halfway.

“…Mari…?”

Arisu was shaken when she saw the sharp glint in Mari’s eye.

The Hanashiro Mari shown in the reflection was not the Mari that Arisu knew. The girl that she knew always stayed in the hospital room and was a docile girl who spoke gently.

However, the Mari being displayed had a severe expression that seemed to belong to another person. It belonged to that of a Hunter that was stalking its prey—alternatively, it belonged to that of a warrior.

[I found you—]

Mari lifted her head and grabbed the crutch next to her. In no time, silver feelers stretched out to cover her body and imprinted onto her skin. With silver patterns on her face and a shining spear in her hands, she jumped down the building.

There was a lone Mushitsuki on the ground. He saw Mari and materialised his Mushi with a look of shock. However, Mari just bisected the Mushi with a swing of her spear.

The random Mushitsuki was turned into a Fallen and collapsed onto the floor powerlessly.

''Thump—.''

Witnessing this ghastly scene, Arisu’s heart pounded strongly.

[It’s not him either—]

Leaving with her exceedingly cold voice, the scene in the reflection changed.

What appeared next was a hospital room.

It was Mari’s private room which Arisu was familiar with.

[…]

Above the bed, Mari was reading a picture book.

The terribly expressionless look on her face spoke of the reality of her solitude. Arisu could feel her heart wrenching in pain.

She watched as the seasons changed. The trees outside of the windows turned barren.

However, there was not a single change in Mari’s situation.

She was still only staring at the same picture book motionlessly.

It looked like she felt pain in her chest. Her face distorted all of a sudden and her body cowered.

“Ah…”

Arisu reflexively stretched out her hand, but there was no way she could reach the past Mari. Her fingertip touched the surface of the water, forming ripples that distorted the view.

[''Uu… uu…'']

Clutching her chest, Mari was crying. Tears fell onto her laps as she bit her lips and tried to suppress her moans.

''Thump—.''

Arisu’s heart beat even harder, as if Mari’s own pain was being transmitted to her.

She stopped her outstretched hand and clenched it to a fist.

The lonely, inorganic and unchanging days continued as Mari battled her illness. She was expressionless whenever what looks to be her attending doctor spoke to her, but she would bite her lips when she was left alone. The figure of her crying wordlessly alone at night was displayed innumerable times.

“…!”

All of a sudden, the water surface turned rough.

The water droplets around Ayuyu burst and she exerted more strength into her hands hovering above the basin.

The morpho butterfly floating near the ceiling ceased its writhing and merely looked down at Ayuyu and Arisu intently. The silver radiance it emitted slowly grew more intense.

“''Khh…!'' Looks like I can’t suppress it any longer… that was fast as expected. I’ve not met such a formidable target since Kakkun…!”

“Ayuyu.”

Arisu stared straight at the girl who was grimacing.

“You will not stop halfway. —That’s what you declared, right.”

Under Arisu’s glare, a fearless smile emerged on Ayuyu’s face.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snicker<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' …Naturally. After all, you are not yet broken. The fun has just begun.”

The choppiness of the water surface settled down.

It was tough looking at the miserable state of Mari’s past figure.

However, Arisu could not avert her eyes.

She must witness Mari’s true feelings with her own eyes no matter what. That was what she thought.

[…Mari!]

From the reflection that appeared once more, the shouting voice of a man could be heard. It was a voice Arisu had not heard before.

Mari was standing by the window dressed in the white coat. The man’s voice came from behind her and his figure could not be seen.

[Please stop this already, Mari…]

[Didn’t you say so. That Mushitsuki… if it’s me, then it might be possible to defeat that Undying Mushitsuki.]

''Thump—.''

The Undying Mushitsuki.

Arisu’s heart jumped.

The scene changed again.

[Just what is with this body! What is it so broken and tattered!]

Mari bawled.

And again.

[Nice to meet you, Hanashiro Mari-san.]

With a beaming smile, a girl greeted Mari.

That was the first meeting between Ichinokuro Arisu and Hanashiro Mari.

“…”

Arisu watched the scene without moving. Under her gaze, the figure of the two girls conversing repeated days after days.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Smirk<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' Looks like you guys sure get along well. …Up till that point only, though.”

Ayuyu looked at Arisu who raised her head.

“…”

“Are you so sentimental that you can’t even speak. ''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Snicker<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' Well, be sure to fully enjoy the most of your playing at making friends.”

The reflection changed to another scene.

[Stop… don’t kill my Mushi… please…]

A Mushitsuki pleaded before Mari.

[Ah…?]

Mari looked at her own hands in shock.

[…]

Arisu too, looked at her hands.

[I… Is it okay for me to be together with Arisu as it is?]

Mari seemed to be talking to somebody.

[I… want to live—.]

A soft utter leaked from her mouth.

''Thump—.''

''—I want to live.''

Mari’s wish could be summed up in that one sentence.

''Thump thump—.''

The throbbing in Arisu’s heart quickened bit by bit.

[Thank you, Sensei.]

Mari said to the person who seemed to be by her side.

Again, the scene changed to reveal Mari with a serene—almost precarious transparent smile.

[Because Arisu is kind, even for my request, she will…]

Static appeared in the reflection once more.

The figure of Mari glaring into the room with a sharp glint in her eyes appeared.

[Right now, I… feel like I would not lose to anyone. Even if it’s against one of the Original Three, Aria Varei—even if it’s you.]

''Bang.''

Beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of Ayuyu who looked taken aback.

“I-it can’t be, is that person… Sanbikime? The progenitor of the Fusion Types…”

[You are the Hunter, right.]

The girl which Mari was standing guard against was someone Arisu knew as well.

Rina—the girl she had met at the Central Headquarters of the SEPB the other day. She had called out to Arisu as Hunter the moment she saw the morpho butterfly.

[Target confirmed! Capture it!]

What appeared next were figures in white coats moving to attack Mari and Rina.

''—The Central Headquarters wanted to capture Mari… Did they know about the morpho butterfly beforehand…?''

Her heart was already beating so heavily that it sounded irritating to her ears.

However, Arisu’s consciousness was thrown into disarray the next moment.

“Has the Central Headquarters already faced off against Hanashiro Mari once? ''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Heart Throbbing<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' …But, I’ve never heard anything about… ''Kh!''”

The water droplets around Ayuyu dispersed once more. Large ripples propagated in the basin, disrupting the image.

Arisu’s heart palpitations reached its peak.

The morpho butterfly released a flash of silver light.

“—”

At the same time, Arisu felt her consciousness ‘connect’ with that of the morpho butterfly.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Grin<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' It’s useless to resist… I can still go on.”

“—…”

Ignoring Ayuyu whose expression hardened in contrast to her words, Arisu looked up at the morpho butterfly in a daze.

She gently raised her right hand.

The morpho butterfly landed on the palm of Arisu’s hand.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Question mark?<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' Arisu-san, please view the image instead of that butterfly. You’re wasting my efforts—”

“…”

Arisu looked at Ayuyu and smiled with a grin.

“Arisu… -san?”

With the morpho butterfly in her palm, Arisu walked towards the corner of the room. She opened the cleaning supplies closet and took out a mop.

“''<nowiki>*</nowiki>Sweats<nowiki>*</nowiki>'' Could it be that—”

Arisu swung the mop around in a spin, pointing it towards Ayuyu.

—Right after, the morpho butterfly transformed.

Its wings morphed into feelers which entwined around the mop. Within an instant, there was a sparkling silver spear in Arisu’s hands.

“Diorestoi’s Mushitsuki… You are a hindrance.”

A frightfully cold voice spilled out from Arisu’s lips.

The colour on Ayuyu’s face drained.

“Could it be that… you are Hanashiro Mari-san?”

With Arisu’s face—Hanashiro Mari swung the spear at Ayuyu with a smirk.