Editing Kara no Kyoukai:Void Shrine (section)

====1====

Aozaki Touko first heard the story of the person called Ryougi Shiki on a nice afternoon, not long after they had entered the month of June.<br>

The origin of it all was that the new employee she had just hired on impulse was Ryougi Shiki's friend, and as a way to pass the time, she lent an ear to his story.<br>

According to his tale, the person called Ryougi Shiki fell into a comatose state after a traffic accident two years ago. She was retaining her life functions, but there was no possibility of her waking up. Not only that, but the growth of her body also seemed to have stopped. At first, Touko couldn't believe this apparent contradiction. How could a person's life functions continue if they've stopped growing?<br>

"... Hmm, the only time an organism does not grow is if it is dead. No, even pressure over time affects the dead. A corpse passes through the growth called decay and returns to the earth. The only thing that moves but doesn't grow would be that wind-up doll you brought in and set loose a while ago."<br>

"But it's true. Since the accident, it doesn't look like she's aged a bit. Are there any other cases where a person is in a coma for which there's no explainable cause, Touko-san?"<br>

"Hmmm..." goes Touko upon hearing the new employee's question, and crosses her arms.<br>

"Let's see. There was that famous one in that country over there. A newly married woman in her twenties fell into a coma. She woke up after fifty years had passed - don't you know that one?"<br>

In reply to Touko's words, the new employee says "No," and shakes his head.<br>

"Uh, how was that person when she woke up?"<br>

"Extremely normal. As if she hadn't been sleeping for 50 long years. Her mind was revived just as it had been in her twenties - apparently, it made her husband sad."<br>

"--- Eh? Sad? How come? His wife's recovery should be a joyous occurrence."<br>

"The thing is, her mind was still just as it was in her twenties, but her body had grown old into its seventies. Even in a comatose state, leaving something alive means that it will degrade - you can't do anything about that.<br>

So this seventy-year-old granny is always urging her husband to go out as if she's still in her twenties. The husband has lived the seventy years normally, so he's normal - the problem is the wife. Because fifty years have flowed past without her knowledge, she can't accept the fact no matter how you explain it. It's not that she doesn't want to accept it, she really can't conceive it to be the truth.<br>

It's a tragedy among tragedies. They say that the lady who wanted to go out to play with that wrinkled face of hers was persuaded not to by her husband, who was in tears. They also say that he had this thought: if it was going to be like this, it would have been better if she hadn't woken up at all.<br>

How was it? This dream-like tragedy, it's actually something that happened in the past. Was it useful?"<br>

In wonder, he actually nodded in response to Touko's sarcastic question.<br>

"Oh, are you onto something?"<br>

He gave a small nod to the impishly smiling Touko.<br>

"...Yeah, a little. I'm thinking it might be like this. That Shiki might be trying not to wake up."<br>

"It sounds like there's a past there. Good. Since I'm bored, shall I listen to the story as a way to pass the time?"<br>

He gets angry at Touko, who really thinks of it as just another way to kill time, and turns away.<br>

"No thank you. Touko-san, your insensitivity is a real problem."<br>

"What? You are the one who brought it up. I understand, so spill it. It's not just a whim for me either. That Azaka, every time she rings it's Shiki this and Shiki that. If I have no idea as to what kind of person this Shiki is, I can't reply, can I?"

At the mention of Azaka's name, he put on a sour face.<br>

"I've been meaning to ask you for a while, but... how did my little sister come to know you, Touko-san?"<br>

"One year ago at a tourist spot. I got caught up in an impossible situation and my cover was totally blown."<br>

"...Well, okay, but Azaka is a very naive child, so please avoid that talk of what's there and what's not around her. She's in that period where I'm worried about her even without her getting involved in all that."<br>

"Azaka... naive? Well, your relationship with your little sister is your problem, so I won't get involved. Instead, share that story about that kid called Shiki."<br>

Unable to withstand Touko, who had pushed herself onto the desk, he began talking.<br>

About his friend Ryougi Shiki's personality and her unique character.<br>

During high school, he and Ryougi Shiki were classmates. He had a relationship with the name Ryougi Shiki before entering high school, and after getting put in the same class as her, became friends. The only person to have a friendly relationship with Ryougi Shiki, who didn't want any friends, was him.<br>

But, after the street murders during the first year of high school, Ryougi Shiki began changing in a strange way.<br>

She confessed to him that she had a dual personality, and that her other side enjoyed murder.<br>

To be truthful, how R. Shiki was connected to the street murders two years ago is still a mystery. Before anything could be confirmed, she had an accident in front of his eyes and was moved to the hospital.<br>

During the first days of March, on that cold night of the falling rain.<br>

That kind of story about someone's life. Touko treated it as just another story told over a beer, but as the story progressed the smile disappeared from her face.<br>

"--- That's all there is to know about the relationship between Shiki and me. Although the story is already two years old."<br>

"--- So is that why her growth has stopped? Stocking up her life. It's not even as if she's a vampire."<br>

Heh, Touko smirked, with the end of the lips curled up.<br>

"So, how do you write that kid's name? It would be in kanji, wouldn't it?"<br>

"Shiki(數) from (神), why?"<br>

"Is it the Shiki of Shikigami(式)? And her family name is Ryougi at that. That's just perfect."<br>

Stubbing out the cigarette she had been biting in the ashtray, Touko stood up, as if unable to tolerate something any longer.<br>

"Was that hospital in the suburbs? This is getting interesting... I'll be right back."<br>

Without waiting for a reply, Touko left the office behind her.<br>

''I can't believe I'm getting involved in this sort of nonsense at a place like this. What kind of fate is this?'' Touko bit her lip.