Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 8 Chapter 2 (section)

== 2.03 The Beast and Momo Part 3 ==
The marking fad just kept on growing.

When he went to the familiar crossroads in front of the station, he could see that symbol no matter where he looked.

The pop song remained popular, streaming from the stereos of passing cars. People took advantage of the fad to produce all sorts of accessories and foodstuff, and he heard that the demand for markers had grown so much that stationery shop owners were crying in joy. 

"Hey, Daiske. Look, it's a Coatl Head tattoo. A temporary one, though."

Tanaka Momo pointed at a shelf in the bookstore, wearing a full smile.

The electronic billboard behind the cheerful girl displayed the large symbol today as well.

"Incredible… Why's this thing so popular?"

Every time he left the office and came to town, he felt that there was more of the symbol around.

It was actually spreading.

And not just in this town either. The media often made special features about the continually growing marking fad.

It was like the entire country was being controlled by the Coatl Head symbol.

"Cha!"

"Ada!"

While he was gazing vacantly at the bulletin, Momo's hand blade struck his forehead.

"Don't call it 'this thing'! You need to call it Coatl Head properly!"

Momo was angry and took a strange pose. It was probably from some show she'd seen on television.

"Why do I have to…"

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. —His body, clad in the shirt and bondage pants Ikarino Kirari lent him, had already healed. Now he only had a few compresses in several places and a single bandage on his cheek.

"It's simple, but it's super effective! All you need is a single marker! All your problems and worries will be blown away instantly! Every house needs one while you're at it! Safe and secure, it has an astonishing effect!"

"What's up with that commercial…"

"Everyone has some worries. So you need to draw your wishes into this symbol, yeah!"

"And if they wouldn't come true?"

"Then draw another one. And chant."

Momo turned toward the electronic board, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

None of the passersby turned to look at Momo who was reciting a strange spell in the middle of the road.

The marking fad had permeated everyday life to the extent that this was normal.

He sighed and then mumbled to himself.

"What a strange country…"

He thought of the very country he lived in as strange.

Even exposed to the danger of Mushi that weren't in any other country, this daily life was much too peaceful.

The unexpected fad took control of various places, making everyone participate in it like idiots.

"…"

If he hadn't become a Mushitsuki, would he be able to live a life as peaceful as that of the people around?

Would he be a normal high schooler getting excited about the marking fad and having fun with his friends, just like Momo?

Although he knew this hypothesizing was meaningless, he allowed himself to daydream.

If he hadn't become a Mushitsuki.

If he hadn't been hurt in silly fights.

It was as if—his life was flashing before his eyes.

And what passed through his mind was his life as someone who wasn't a Mushitsuki, a life that couldn't be.

"It's falling, Daiske."

Momo's voice caused him to snap back to reality.

He had dropped the bag of food items that he was holding to the ground.

Today, along with Momo, they went to buy consumable goods and food for the office. Since there was a limit of the things they could buy for cheap alone, they were able to buy more things together.

"Oops."

Trying to pick up the bag he dropped—his right hand was unable to support the weight of the bag and he failed.

"Daiske…?"

Momo raised an eyebrow.

His right hand, supposedly healed, was deathly pale. He couldn't use it properly.

"—Next, the food for Sepia. Would dog food be good enough?"

He smiled, sticking his right hand in his pocket. He casually picked up the bag using his left hand.

"…"

"Hmm? What's with that face."

"No… it's nothing, yeah."

Momo finally smiled too.

Walking side by side, they passed through the crowded road.

The conversations they had were all the same as they were yesterday.

"If we don't go to the department store next, we might miss the limited time sale, yeah."

"I see. …What the hell? We sound like some married people."

"It's fun so it's fine. Did Kirarin go somewhere today as well?"

"Yeah. Lately she's been going out a lot. Even when I ask her, she just says she has some business… but since she doesn't seem to be hurt, we shouldn't prod into it too much."

"Hmm? No way… is she dating somebody in secret?!"

"I don't think so. Oh, but she does take her nurse uniform with her."

"Ding dong! The possibility of a date rose by three points!"

"The nurse costume raised it…?"

"Boys apparently find it really hot! You're the same, Daiske! Two teens, a handsome boy and a hot girl, living under the same roof… that's way too shameless, yeah!"

"Why did you only just think about that… anyway, never mind Kirari, but I'm not handsome at all."

"Oh come on. If you tell me your face is plain, the really plain people will be mad at you."

They went around town while having a normal conversation that had nothing special about it.

But for a person like him it was still special.

Was he smiling because Momo was funny or because he was laughing at himself for melting so much into the normal atmosphere? Probably the former. He currently didn't need to think back to his original position.

As they were walking and carrying more little by little, nobody turned to look at them.

Obviously.

Right now, the boy and Tanaka Momo were just a part of everyday scenery—

"Now that is a hard question coming from you. The theme needs to be some breakthrough I can reach with flexible thinking, so we can solve it with its antithesis, yeah."

"Since I am afraid that my current form would be misunderstood, if subjected to an epochal concept, we have to objectively—" 

Speaking with a serious tone, he and Momo exited the department store.

The passersby on the road were startled as they saw them.

"Wow. So avant-garde. Super-duper cool. Chami-sama, these two must be mole people. They definitely came out of the department store cellar to photosynthesize!"

"Don't get involved with them. Let's go already."

The two unfamiliar girls distanced themselves while looking at them.

After being showered with gazes, he looked at Momo next to him.

"It was a huge success, yeah!"

Raising her index finger, the girl's "eyes" that were as large as a fist sparkled, with the leaves of daikon growing from her hair.

"Didn't look like it to me…"

As he sighed, the cabbage in his hair fell to the ground.

Curious gazes focused on the pair making a strange pose at the entrance to the department store.

—Buying food in the underground floor and receiving all these plastic bags apparently tickled Momo's creative urges. Unheeding the boy's objections, she carved some space for eyes and ears, drew a pattern with her marker and used tape to stick the food they just brought together.

In the blink of an eye she completed two masks.

"Wait, you can't take it off, yeah. We're gonna surprise Kirarin once we go back to the office. Or maybe I'll go to school and have sensei grade it?"

"No matter where we go we're definitely gonna get arrested."

Removing the plastic bag from their heads, they walked ahead.

"It's fiiine. Mole people aren't bound by the laws of the surface."

"Haha."

Once they finishing their shopping, the surroundings turned completely dark.

It took even more time than planned, and Momo wanted to take a shortcut—so perhaps it was his fault for not stopping her.

They were resolved to be scolded by Kirarin for their tardiness.

However—

"…"

His eyebrows twitched.

His eyesight momentarily clouded over due to his heart beating loudly.

"Daiske?"

Momo turned toward him when he suddenly stopped.

"Sorry, Momo. Go back to the office ahead of me."

"What is it?"

"…Gotta use the toilet."

The wry smile he wore was a work of art. He was used to acting.

"Eh? Wasn't there a minimarket or something here? Wait a bit, yeah."

"I told you to go, I'll catch up to you soon. The department store from earlier is closer."

Momo simply mumbled a "Hmm…" as he turned on his heels, returning to the road.

After he went several dozen meters, he turned around.

Confirming that Momo's form was slowly walking after him, he leapt into the gap between buildings. Running at full speed, he reached a far spot where the lights of the main road couldn't reach. 

"Ugh…!"

Suddenly strength left his legs and he tumbled down. The contents of the bags he was holding spread on the ground.

"Gh…uh…!"

Still collapsed, he held his chest with a look of agony.

"AAaahhh!"

Inside the lonely darkness, he rounded his body and writhed.

He had goosebumps all over. The thing rampaging inside him caused his skin to swell as it rushed around.

"GAAHHH!!!"

As he screamed endlessly toward the sky, a pattern different from his skin appeared on his cheek. It began staining and changing the color of his skin.

Mingling with the Mushi trying to take control of his exhausted self—

That seizure-like thing became stronger by the second.

Yet until now he'd only been assaulted by this agony when he was alone and relaxed. It was the first time it happened while he was with Momo—and in the center of town to boot.

The intervals between the rampage of his Mushi shortened and the pain was growing.

He understood fully well what this meant.

"Ngh…!"

His nails scratching the asphalt became sharper. Trying to not let his arms get taken over, he flailed them.

He hit the wall of a building, causing it to cave in with a roar.

He knew that normal Mushitsuki wouldn't have to suffer this.

He'd seen the signs of Maturation for Minion and Special types before. For both of them it was like falling into deep sleep while their Mushi took their dream.

But he wasn't allowed that sort of easy death.

The thing nesting inside him wasn't that nice.

As long as he was alive, his own power ate into his body.

No, there was no doubt that he was going to meet an even scarier fate than that—

"…aaaHHHHHH!!!"

His pupils changed to those of another person.

—''Fight'', something was shouting inside his body.

—''Use your powers'', it urged him.

He had that sort of contract.

Using his powers allowed him to make it this far.

Now that he had nothing left, he couldn't even go back to his normal life.

"Hah! Hah! Ngah!"

It's not here.

Nor here.

Keeping that way, he lived until today.

He was simply trying to reach the place he was searching for.

He became a Mushitsuki, fought, lost, ended up becoming stronger—and yet he was unable to find that place.

Was he simply going to die like this without grasping anything?

Would he be eaten by another power without even being allowed to die?

He didn't want that—

"…!"

He widened his eyes that turned sharper, like a beast's.

Someone was standing in the alley.

"—"

Forgetting both pain and fear, he was frozen.

There was no way he'd forget that face.

It was the monster he'd fought against the day he escaped from the SEPB.

There was no way he could fight that person right now.

''Then I'm going to be killed here—''

It happened just before he was resolved for his death.

"Wha…"

Without saying anything, the monster turned around. Leaving its footsteps behind, it departed.

"Wait…!"

The moment before it left, the monster's expression was full of sympathy.

He wasn't even worthy enough to be killed. There was no need to even see off his agony—was that it?

"…"

Being abandoned even by his enemy, something broke inside him.

He collapsed on the spot.

Already having lost both physical and mental energy to resist, he was still getting hurt by the power dwelling inside him. His exhausted body was being shaken by something crawling inside his skin.

Since it wasn't only his body but his dream being eaten as well, his mind was also rapidly weakening.

"—"

He would also end up as a terrible monster.

Pathetic and miserable, an ending befitting him.

Now that he wasn't resisting, his body was slowly losing its functions as a human.

"—"

His body was being shaken.

It probably began moving on its own, being controlled by his power.

"…ske!"

—No, that wasn't it.

"Daiske!"

The voice he heard in his ears was familiar.

Opening both eyes, he saw Momo's tear-stained face.

"Daiske! Hold on… hold on, please!"

"Mo—"

The moment he understood the situation, he returned to full consciousness.

His body moved faster than he could think.

He pushed Momo away.

"Eek!"

"Go… go away…!"

As he recovered, pain even greater than before assaulted his body. The power that nearly took control of his body now rampaged violently.

"Gwah…!"

"Daiske—"

Although Momo had gone back to the office, she probably ended up waiting for him. Becoming worried as he got delayed, he knew that she came to look for him.

Yet he extended his arm toward Momo who was running closer.

If he lost control of himself, his first target would become Momo. He would turn into a monster and rip her asunder in an instant.

No matter what happened, that was the only thing that he—

"Don't… come here! Get… far away…"

Imagining the sensation of ripping her body, he shuddered. Although it was a mere delusion, it was far more intense than the agony and fear assaulting him.

Momo's face looking at him was distorted with fear.

Obviously. He was too scary of a sight for a normal civilian.

"Run… Momo…!"

Seeing her expression, another pain ran through his chest.

When compared to the agony rushing through his entire body it was a small pain.

Even so—it was more unbearable than anything else.

"Daiske—"

Momo took a step back.

''Yes, run away—''

He felt a warm sensation on the arm he was staring at.

"Daiske…"

Momo's fingers touched his hand.

As if desperately trying to prevent herself from running away—

As if closing the distance despite wanting to get away—

Although her body was trying to run away, only the girl's hand drew him closer.

"…"

And then Momo's hand grabbed his arm.

She pulled his arm, approaching him.

Momo covered his paralyzed body.

She ended up straddling him, hugging his face with both hands as he roused his upper body.

"Get off…"

He didn't want to her to.

With his head buried in the soft feeling and warmth, it took everything he had to murmur that.

"Yes, I will…"

Momo didn't get off.

"Get off already…"

"Yes…"

"You can't do this… if you don't get off…"

Momo's arms hugged him hard, unmoving.

Her slim body trembled.

Even so, she wasn't about to let him go.

"I'll let go… soon, so…"

Momo's shaking was gone.

Also—she hugged him even harder.

"…"

He closed his eyes.

He put strength into the nails against her back.

Although the agony kept ravaging his body, his heart was strangely calm.

''I'll give you my body just like you wanted—''

He called out voicelessly toward the thing nesting inside him.

''But… not right now—''

The agony lessened for an instant.

''Next time. Next time I'll use my power… I'll definitely give you everything then—''

"Daiske…"

He returned the hug to the back of the girl covering him.

His arm slowly regained its previous colors.

''So just for now—''

As he this wished inside his heart, the pain receded like a low tide.

"Why…"

Now that he returned being human again, he gave Momo a strong hug.

"Why didn't you let go…"

"Sorry—"

Passing her fingers in his hair, Momo peeked into his face.

"I just didn't want to… yeah."

The two half-crying, half-smiling faces looked at each other.

"Haha."

Momo drew something on his cheeks while he laughed.

He had nothing left to do anymore—

He had fought, gotten wounded, hurt people, hated people, been hated by people, and trampled many dreams under his feet.

That was why—he thought he wanted to die the midst of a normal life.

Living through today that was the same as yesterday, he would die in a tomorrow that would be the same as today.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

In his current bliss, he believed he could do this.