Mushi Uta:Volume 1st Episode 02
Episode 02. The Night’s Song that Weaves the Dream
Gently, the evening sun rays illuminating the ground slowly retreated.
As if in replacement, the twinkling stars dotting the night sky approached. In fact, it was not as if the distance between the Earth and the stars have changed, but the feeling that it did was all that mattered. At least, that was the attraction that Ichinokuro Arisu held in her romantic daydreams.
“Woah…… wow, that looks amazing! Look! You can see the sea from here.”
Arisu pointed out excitedly to Saionji Ena who sat diagonally opposite her, and had a look of dread in contrast. Sitting next to her, Kujou Takako had a gentle smile on her face.
“If we continue going higher, do you think we would be able to see our school? I can’t wait!”
The school Takako mentioned, was Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School, of which the three of them were second-year students at.
A colourful circle lit up the summer night.
Standing at over 100 metres, the large ride was revolving slowly.
Arisu and the rest were currently riding in a large Ferris wheel.
“Kyaah, did the gondola just sway? That was scary.”
The girls screamed loudly, with Arisu and Ena hugging Takako tightly.
“That’s so unlike you, Arisu. Since when were you the type to scream like a girl.”
Ena knock Arisu’s forehead. It was obvious that Ena was using more strength than required. Seeing the two of them messing around, Takako laughed out loud.
But then—.
“……Haah……”
They heard a heavy sigh that could only be described in one word as ‘depressing’.
The temperature in the gondola dropped.
“……”
Still in the position when they were messing around, Arisu and Ena looked at the corner of the seat with grave expressions.
There was a girl seated there. To be more accurate, she seemed more like she was leaning against the window glass rather than sitting down. She looked like she may have been of foreign descend; having a well-featured face and a tall body, she gave off the feeling of being a westerner.
“……Haah……”
A white patch of condensation had formed on the panel where the girl had sighed at repeatedly. She raised her slim finger sluggishly and traced it around the patch of condensation.
“Huhuu……”
As if finding something amusing, the girl laughed to herself. On the other hand, Arisu and the other girls’ faces darkened.
“So high up……”
The girl muttered seemingly to herself.
“How good would it feel…… to just jump out like that……”
“Erm, it can’t be that that person……”
Takako tilted her head in a refined manner as she spoke.
“She’s not thinking of suicide, is she? If she jumps out at this height……”
“……!”
Arisu and Ena looked at each other and whispered.
“Wha-wha-what should we do, Arisu! In the first place, it’s all your fault! You were the one who said that it’s okay for that unknown person to join us!”
“I-if it come to that, we’ll just have to stop her!”
“Why, why did it turn out like this?”
Takako said with a sigh.
That was precisely what Arisu wanted to know as well.
Part 1
The sun began to retreat around a bunch of buildings far away.
At the darkening sky, multiple fluorescent lamps automatically lighted up the courtyard.
In the distance, a circular display of light could be seen.
It belonged a large Ferris wheel situated at a plaza near the sea. The Ferris wheel boasted of the tallest height in Japan, and was one of the most popular date spots in Akamaki City.
“Anyway, as I was saying, your Mushi is the first of its type observed.”
Ignoring the voice which was right next to her, Ichinokuro Arisu looked out of the window.
Arisu was walking along the corridor of a general hospital. Passing through the reception and the elevator, she arrived at the fifth floor.
As it was just before the end of visitation hours, there were not much people around. As the visitors left, patients also returned to their rooms. Nurses walked around, tending to their business.
“Heh.”
“Don’t ‘Heh’ me. This is about you, so why don’t you pay more attention.”
Kusuriya Daisuke said in displeasure. He was a boy with no distinct features, who wouldn’t leave any impression even after having conversed with once.
“It looks like I’ll have to get used to explaining things such that even an idiot can understand.”
“Arisu elbow~”
Arisu hit Daisuke’s stomach with her elbow, causing him to cower in pain, clutching his stomach.
Arisu continued to walk down the corridor with a composed look. From behind, someone asked, ‘What happened to you? Are you alright?’ and the reply, ‘I-it’s nothing.’”
Meanwhile, as she took a few steps, Arisu felt an impact on her head. Daisuke had hit her on her head. “How dare a freeloader raise his hands against his master, are you asking to be disciplined?”
“Who are you referring to as my master. I feel the same way, if I could, I’d want to stop babysitting you as soon as possible.”
“Arisu double punch~”
Arisu ended the confrontation by driving both her fists into Daisuke’s stomach. Leaving him behind crouched on the floor, Arisu walked briskly down the corridor.
Arisu had only met Kusuriya Daisuke a few days ago, their meeting triggered by a certain incident. The incident had since been swept under the rug, hidden from the public due to the involvement of a certain existence.
The “Mushi”.
Referring to monsters that infest people and feed on their dreams. They were named Mushi due to their external appearance resembling those of insect. As an existence unknown previously, rumours of Mushi and the people who are infested with them, known as Mushitsuki, strike fear in the hearts of people.
However, Arisu knows the truth.
The truth that Mushi really exists.
The Mushitsuki also have their own hopes and aspirations. Even as their dream is being eaten each day, they strive to continue living. They live in fear that one day, all of their dream is consumed and they die.
Arisu did not know anything about Kusuriya Daisuke. She only knew that he belonged to a secret government organisation that captures and isolates Mushitsuki known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.
Due to the incident in which Arisu was involved a few days ago, she was suspected of being a Mushitsuki and as a result, Daisuke was sent to ‘monitor’ her. Due to the influence of the Ichinokuro family, it was decided that Daisuke would stay in the Ichinokuro house.
“……”
Arisu stopped in front of a certain room. The blank nameplate outside of the room signified that the room was currently unoccupied.
Suddenly, the door was opened roughly.
It had been opened by Daisuke from the side. He had opened the door without any concern for Arisu who was standing still, treating her as a hindrance.
“Get in quickly. A nurse will spot us.”
Even under Arisu’s glare, Daisuke remained cool. Although he usually hides under the guise of a normal middle school student, once in a while, Daisuke reveals a terribly icy look. Arisu was curious as to what kind of life he had led, but the chance of him revealing it himself was as good as none.
“Get out of the way.”
Pushing Daisuke aside, Arisu entered the room.
There was a prior guest already in the hospital room. In the dark room, a silver light danced.
It was a single Morpho butterfly, however, it was not a normal butterfly. It had four antennas and its body was claddedd in brilliant scales that seemed to give out light.
It was the Mushi that Arisu had gained possession of. At the same time, this hospital room belonged to her close friend who breathed her last one year ago and whom was the original host of the Mushi. The butterfly landed on the window, closing its wings.
“So, this is the room that Hanashiro Mari was in.”
Arisu heard the sound of the door closing.
Like the majority of Horusu Seijou Academy’s students, Mari hailed from an affluent family. As such, this private room differed from other six-person rooms, even the bed is a luxury item made of woodgrain. In addition to a large television, a fridge, and a nurse call line, there was even a painting hung above the bed. However, in the receding evening sun rays, the colours appear faded and only a cold silence hung in the room.
—Ichinokuro…… Arisu?
Arisu could almost see Mari lying on the bed.
—I’m sorry. I don’t even know the names and looks of my classmate……
The first time Arisu came to visit, Mari had not even known who she was.
That was only to be expected, even for Arisu, the visit was when she saw Mari for the first time. Since Mari had been admitted to the school, she had not even attended a single day.
“The Mushi that was supposed be Hanashiro Mari’s.”
Daisuke said as he leaned against the wall with his arms folded.
“The Mushi is supposed to disappear the moment its host dies. Yet, why did that Mushi transfer itself over to another person like you…… Nevermind the reason, just tell me if you remember any clues.”
Looking at the walls, Arisu realised that the bookshelf which was there previously was gone. It had been brought in for Mari who loved books.
“……”
Arisu did not know anything. Even the fact that Mari was a Mushitsuki.
Silence descended in the dark hospital room.
Daisuke tactfully passed the time in quietness.
Turning his head to the side, he refolded his arms and closed his eyes.
“Hey.”
At Arisu’s soft voice, Daisuke raised his head. It seems that he had dozed off.
“Like the previous case with Harimoto-kun, it’s not like you care about what happened to Mari, right?”
Arisu said out loud crying. Harimoto referred to the Mushitsuki responsible for the previous case who had already been brought in by the organisation Daisuke belonged to.
“……”
Daisuke let out a big sigh. Seeing Daisuke’s calm countenance touched Arisu’s raw nerves. But when he replied, Arisu saw the terrible expression on his face.
“Are you feeling bad somewhere? It seems like you are a bit tired.”
Daisuke said with a sigh. Having returned to his previous expression immediately, he stood up.
“If you can’t think of any clues, then we can go already. Someone will see us.”
“What? So fast?”
Puffing up her cheeks, Arisu got up.
—Isn’t it beautiful, that Ferris wheel—
Arisu heard Mari’s voice.
Assaulted by a wave of dizziness, Arisu turned around.
She looked beyond the silver Morpho butterfly. Outside the window, a colourful and dazzling Ferris wheel could be seen.
“The Ferris wheel……”
Memories flowed from her mind.
Looking out of the window together with Mari, they had made a promise to ride the Ferris wheel together someday. Which one of them had suggested that they ride the Ferris wheel—.
“What’s the matter? Did you remember something?”
“Eh……?”
At Daisuke’s voice, Arisu snapped back to reality.
Just now, something important crossed her mind for an instant. However, she could not remember what it was about despite how hard she racked her brain.
Outside the window, a circular display of light shined vividly in the darkness of the night.
Part 2
In a certain public park in Akamaki City, the pedestrian traffic was quite high despite it being at night.
Along the wide walking path, a variety of stalls could be seen. As the summer festival was approaching, paper lanterns had been put along the path. Amplifiers have also been installed every 100 metres along the path in preparation of live performances.
Arisu and gang were walking around the park in their school uniforms.
“Is it okay for you to come out so late? Won’t your parents scold you?”
Following behind the three girls, Daisuke let out a sigh. His tone of voice was mild, unlike just now in the hospital. In front of the other two girls, he presented a ‘normal middle school student’ version of himself.
“No problem~ I have already informed them with a call, so no need to worry about them being angry.”
The one who replied casually was Arisu. Standing on her right, Saionji Ena nodded her head.
“Yeah, that’s right. Anyway, in my house, unlike my sisters, my parents treat me with the principle of laissez-faire.”
“That’s a problem in of itself……”
“If I’m with Arisu and Ena, my parents would have peace of mind and wouldn’t mind if I go out.”
The one grinning with a friendly smile was Kujou Takako.
After joining Ena and Takako at the hospital’s waiting area, the three of them decided to head here. At Arisu’s suggestion to ride the Ferris wheel, apart from Daisuke, the other two girls agreed eagerly.
“And that brings us here.”
Daisuke lamented, his face revealing a look of bother. Because of his mission to monitor Arisu, he had to stay by her side at all times.
“Despite what Kusuriya-kun is saying…”
Ena approached Daisuke who was walking a few steps behind.
“Actually, you are enjoying yourself, aren’t you? To go a on date with three beautiful girls like us. Don’t be shy.”
“Hey…… Saionji-san!”
“Come here too, Takako. Don’t let Kusuriya-kun escape!”
“Me? Erm, like this?”
Imitating Ena, Takako linked her arm with Daisuke’s.
“You’re so bashful, that’s so cute! Hey Arisu, lend us Kusuriya-kun for a sec!”
“Ari…… Ichinokuro-san!”
Arisu looked frostily at Daisuke who was held on both arms by Ena and Takako.
“…… What, you want me to join in too? Stop acting so sleazily!”
“I’m asking you to help me stop them though!”
After walking for a few more minutes, Arisu and gang arrived at their destination.
In the huge plaza, the queues were so long that it resembled a snake cornering its prey. At the front of the queue was the towering Ferris wheel.
With a diameter of 120 metres, the Ferris wheel was 130 metres at its highest.
When Arisu saw it from the hospital, the Ferris wheel was divided into six portions each lighted with a different coloured illumination. However, it was currently completely blue, imparting a blue glow onto the night sky.
“Uwah~ So this is a Ferris wheel!”
“Come on, stop sulking, Daisuke. Hurry up and join the queue.”
Arisu called out to Daisuke who was still looking at the Ferris wheel unhappily. It seems that he was still upset over Ena and the rest teasing him just now. Arisu thought that he was weirdly childish in some respects.
Suddenly, Daisuke’s mobile phone rang and he picked up the call. As he spoke on his phone, his expression turned grave.
“What’s the matter?”
“Sorry, something came up. I need to return immediately, the three of you have fun.”
Saying so with a forced smile on his face, Daisuke promptly left.
“Eh? Kusuriya-kun isn’t riding the Ferris wheel?”
“What a pity.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter if a guy like that is gone anyway. Let’s hurry up and join the queue.”
The three girls joined the long snaking queue.
After waiting for around one hour, they could finally see the end of the queue. They tried to contact him again but did not manage to get through. It seems like he has no intention of riding the Ferris wheel.
“My apologies, but, as there are only four seats……”
“What a bind, we’re in excess of one person.”
Discussions of what to do with the person left out could be heard the attendant and the group in front. It was a group of five boys and girls.
“Sorry, Neiko. Is it okay if the four of us board first?”
“Eeh……?”
Are they from the same music band? The boy with a guitar case hanging off his back requested of the tall girl.
Arisu raised her eyebrows with a muu. No one seemed to object to his proposal although they were in a group. At her silence, the rest took it to be consent. Leaving her by herself, the other four people got on the gondola.
The attendant approach Arisu’s group.
“Dear customer, there are only three of you, right? I’m sorry to say this but…… would you mind if the person before joined the three of you? As you can see, there’s still a long crowd behind……”
“Eh?”
Ena raised a voice of dissatisfaction.
Arisu looked at the girl left behind, she seemed two or three years older than Arisu. She wore a shirt with a logo covered by a jacket on her tall model-like body. Her pretty face was looking upwards at the Ferris wheel.
“We don’t mind.”
Arisu agreed while glaring at the previous gondola. The attendant seemed to sigh in relief while saying, ‘I apologise for your inconvenience’, as he returned to the gate.
“Why did you give him the OK, we don’t even know that girl…… It would have been so fun with just the three of us.”
“What’s wrong with that. Wouldn’t you be lonely if you had to ride alone too.”
“Huh? In the first place, Arisu…… what are you so angry about?”
“I don’t mind as well.”
While they were speaking, their turn came.
The next gondola descended and the previous occupants alighted. The attendant guided the tall girl called Neiko and Arisu’s group onto the gondola.
Having entered the round gondola, the attendant closed the door. The gondola ascended shakily with a gotan, signalling that they had started moving.
The interior of the gondola had seats for two on both sides, for a total of four seats. Arisu sat next to Takako, while Ena and Neiko sat opposite.
“We’re moving, we’re going up, Arisu, Takako!”
“It feels kind of heart-pounding.”
Ena and Takako looked out of the window in the direction of the sea in awe.
On the other hand, Arisu stared at the opposite side where the city was at. She could not see the hospital where they had came from yet.
“Aah, a bit more and we can see the sea. Come and see, Arisu!”
“It’s not like we know which direction the sea is at anyway, haha.”
The three girls were currently in high spirits, but.
“Haah……”
Depressing.
A sigh as heavy as lead could be heard.
Leaning their bodies forward, the three girls’ face harden.
“…… It seems that…… I’m kind of tired……”
In that moment, it was as though an invisible ghost spoke. As she did not have much of a presence, Arisu and the rest had also forgotten about the other person.
In the corner of the seat—which for some reason had its fluorescent light flickering—the girl who was leaning heavily on the seat muttered.
“…… I want to be at ease……”
It was the tall girl. The girl who was called Neiko pressed her forehead against the window, looking below with lifeless eyes.
“Haah……”
The temperature in the gondola plummeted.
“……”
Arisu and Ena wordlessly pulled themselves from the window.
“U-until we see the sea, I think I’ll just take a seat. It seems dangerous…… to move around.”
“I agree. Aha, ahaha, do tell me when you see the sea, Ena.”
“What’s wrong, Arisu-san? Ena-san too.”
Unable to stand the heavy atmosphere, Arisu and Ena forced a smile. Takako was the only one who was oblivious to the situation and smiled brightly.
Neiko was as expressionless as a doll. But she was exuding a gloomy, a sort of ‘problematic’ aura. All of a sudden, Ena’s eyes lighted up and she stood up.
“Ah! Isn’t that the lighthouse—”
“Haah……”
“I guess it’s nothing after all…… even a lighthouse……”
Lowering her hand that was pointing at the lighthouse, Ena returned to her former position. Only Takako, who was unaware in a certain sense, happily replied, ‘You’re right, I can see it.’
“Haah……”
As silence returned to the gondola, only Neiko’s gloomy sighs could be heard.
Part 3
“She is not thinking of suicide, is she……?”
“If it come to that, we’ll just stop her……!”
The three girls had put their heads together and whispered. Immediately afterwards, Ena was shocked by what she saw behind Arisu.
“A-Arisu!”
“Eh?”
Turning around, Arisu could feel something cold wrapping around her neck. She felt goosebumps rising from her skin as she was touched by something as cold as ice.
Neiko was holding Arisu’s neck with both of her hands. Their faces were so close to each other that they were almost touching.
“Wha……?”
“Voice……”
“Eh?”
“Try saying something……”
Neiko requested of Arisu. From that proximity, Arisu could see that she had applied pink lipstick. She could also see the colour of her iris, which was closer to brown than black.
“What is it……?”
Her body stiffening, she replied awkwardly. At this, Neiko smiled softly and released her hands from Arisu’s neck.
“As I thought…… you have a good voice……”
Murmuring to herself with a satisfied look, she returned to her seat.
“A-are you alright, Arisu?”
“Why didn’t you save me…… I-I was almost killed……!”
“How do I put it…… her atmosphere suddenly changed.”
“Haah……”
At her sigh, the heavy atmosphere returned.
S-so she’s going to do this—.
Arisu’s face cramped up, her brain reaching a conclusion. She realised why the rest of her group decided to leave her behind.
Their gondola has reached around the midpoint of Ferris wheel. At that height, the view of the whole city could be seen. The neon lights on the ground flickered like stars.
At that moment.
“Kyaa!”
Arisu, Ena and Takako’s screams overlapped.
All of a sudden, the gondola was hit by a tremor, causing it to shake violently.
“W-what happened?”
Ena and Takako clung onto the walls as Arisu looked at the steel pillars supporting the Ferris wheel. The illumination was in disorder, the lights flickering. Although the Ferris wheel was shaking, it continued to rotate, causing the gondola to continue ascending.
Outside of the window, a silver light was dancing about.
It was the Morpho butterfly. As if trying to warn Arisu, it flew around in the shape of the number 8. “Mari……?”
Arisu closed her eyes.
The tremors stopped after a while, but the flashing light did not stop. The light bulbs scatter some sparks before dying out. Takako, grasping Ena’s hand tightly, looked at the surrounding anxiously. “W-what’s going to happen now……?”
In the quiet gondola, a sigh reverberated loudly.
“Haah……”
Arisu looked at Neiko sitting next to the window as Ena and Takako revealed a look of fear. She was still in her own world, looking down at the cityscape without a care in the world. Her pale face looked strange in a different manner from before.
Another tremor struck the gondola. The sound of metal rubbing against metal was transmitted throughout the Ferris wheel.
“W-why is she so calm……”
Ena questioned unnervingly.
Neiko’s lips moved.
—Ding Dong~, Ding Dong~, chime ringing across the sea, deliver us to his land……—.
“!”
Arisu saw what happen in that moment.
From Neiko who was leaning against the wall, a fog-like substance was released from her body. A monster resembling a long-horned grasshopper materialised from within the fog, spreading out its wings. Arisu saw its six eyes melting into the air.
—Gospel of light, child of resurrection, invite us with the chime of your bell, Ding Dong~, Ding Dong~……—
Neiko sang. But, the song seemed to echo in the surrounding air, overlapping with the ‘Riii…ng’ sound of a bell.
The shaking of the Ferris wheel intensified. Ena and Takako were speechless upon the scene before them. The Morpho butterfly fluttered flurriedly outside the window.
“No way, you’re a……”
Arisu exclaimed while looking in Neiko’s direction.
“Mushitsuki……?”
—Neiko’s lips twisted into a smile.
“…… Mushitsuki……?”
Ena shouted in disbelief. Surprisingly, the one to calm her down was Takako. She held Takako while telling her, ‘It’s going to be alright. Calm down.’ Only when Ena took a deep breath did Takako let go of her.
The Mushitsuki that Arisu and Daisuke encountered in the previous incident was Takako’s childhood friend, as such, this was not the first time she saw a Mushitsuki. In addition, it was fortunate that Takako had been strong mentally in the first place, thus, she was able to soothe Ena down.
The intensity of the tremors increased according the loudness of Neiko’s singing.
“Stop this immediately!”
Arisu pulled on Neiko’s shirt. She stopped singing. In response, the tremors assaulting the Ferris wheel weakened.
Neiko raised her head with a vacant look on her face. Looking into her languid eyes, Arisu felt shivers on her back.
“To be able to see this city…… from the highest point in the end, I’m glad……”
Although the singing voice had stopped, vestiges of the sound of vibrations still hung in the air.
“This sound is your doing, right! What were you intending to do to this Ferris wheel? What were you doing?”
The Ferris wheel shook.
Neiko smiled and opened her mouth.
The sound of bell chime became louder. It was as if the surrounding air was vibrating along with Neiko’s windpipe.
Arisu recalled Daisuke’s explanation when they were at the hospital.
Mushitsuki were broadly separated into three types. One is the minion type where the Mushi exist with a physical body and obeys the host. Another is the fusion type in which the Mushi assimilates with the host’s body, giving them supernatural physical abilities. Lastly is the special type which does not have a physical body, instead giving its host the ability to manipulate various power at will. In exchange for using these powers, the host’s own dream would be consumed by the Mushi. From what Arisu saw, Neiko’s Mushi belonged to the special type.
“I told you to stop, didn’t I!”
The quaking subsided along with the volume of the sound of the bell.
“Look……”
From the position where Arisu held her down, Neiko looked out of the window.
Not letting her guard down, Arisu looked out of the window, what she saw caused her to involuntarily swallow her breath. Ena and Takako too, had the memory of the scene they saw seared in their memories. The gondola that Arisu and the rest were in were at the highest point of the Ferris wheel.
The clear night sky was covered in stars.
It looked like countless shiny grains had been scattered across a vast black sheet. What was different from the real starry skies was that each star was wandering around the sky. Each of the multi-coloured light moved about as if to show that they were living.
“Over there……”
Neiko tapped the window with her slender finger with a kotsun.
“I grew up over there in the suburbs. It’s an old town where there are still wooden telephone poles. That place had a lot of old people, people around my age were rare……”
The three girls were all looking at Neiko.
“Over there……”
Next, Neiko pointed to the region which was densely packed with railway tracks and the national highway. It included the station which Arisu used frequently.
“When we were still in middle school, we left the suburbs and held our first performance in front of a large crowd there…… The very first time, no one stopped to listen. But more recently, several people who stop to listen to my songs……”
Neiko’s voice stopped there. However, Arisu could still hear the ringing noise of the bell in her ears. Tremors assaulted the Ferris wheel.
Having passed the top, the gondola began its descent.
“Aa-ah, I only wanted to my songs to reach a wider area……”
Taking a breath, Neiko started speaking again.
“To go to a bigger, wider venue…… When I thought so, I heard the sound of the bell chime…… And then, I became a Mushitsuki……”
The girl’s sigh hit Arisu’s cheek. A deep fatigue could be seen in Neiko’s face.
Looking at her circumstances, Arisu had an unpleasant premonition.
“Don’t tell me, you had your dreams……?”
It was rumoured that Mushi feeds on their host’s dream, and when their dream had been completely consumed, the Mushitsuki dies. In fact, Arisu had already confirmed this rumour with Daisuke.
“Hey, hey, that……!”
Ena pointed out of the window. Far below the gondola Arisu and the rest were in, the biggest supporting pillar of the Ferris wheel had a deep fracture, as if gouged out by something invisible. Overlapping with the support pillar, the silhouette of a long-horned grasshopper was shimmering.
“Anyway, there is no return for us anymore……”
Neiko gave a smile, prompting Arisu to ask.
“…… What do you mean?”
“There’s nowhere else we can escape…… We are being chased. By the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau……”
Arisu widened her eyes. The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau was the organisation that Daisuke belonged to.
“The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau…… the SEPB captures Mushitsuki and kills their Mushi…… turning them into Fallen, never able to chase after their dream again. To be unable to sing…… If you take my songs away from me, then there’s no meaning to live for……”
“That’s why, you wanted to bring us down along with you?”
At Takako’s words, Ena screamed in anger.
Arisu immediately looked towards the Morpho butterfly outside of the window. —However, she did not have a weapon at hand that the Morpho butterfly can assimilate with. Besides, she did not know how she could deal with Neiko’s Mushi which doesn’t even have a physical body.
If only they could reach the ground, then everything would be fine. If the SEPB arrived, then Daisuke would also be informed of this situation.
“Just now, you said ‘in the end’. How do you know from this situation?”
To buy some time, Arisu questioned Neiko. The girl only smiled in return.
“You know the people on board the gondola in front of us? I heard them talking to the SEPB…… It seems that they made a deal to lead me here and in exchange, save them…… The ones who suggested to escape here was also them……”
Arisu was lost for words. The attitude they had towards Neiko before boarding, it was to leave Neiko by herself—.
Forgetting the situation they were in, Arisu raised her voice.
“They betrayed you? Aren’t those people your friends?”
But Neiko only smiled silently. Arisu could feel her anger boiling over.
“Then, why didn’t you escape! Didn’t you already know that it’s a trap? Why…… are you still smiling even though your friends betrayed you!”
“Have you ever trusted someone deeply……?”
Neiko averted her eyes from Arisu’s. Her expression held no anger or hatred at anyone. The only emotion she could see was deep sadness—.
“How would you feel if that person betrayed you?”
Arisu choked out the words.
Hanashiro Mari—.
Arisu had thought of Mari as a close friend. Even more so than her friends in school, Arisu could talk to Mari about anything.
A same age student who had never attended school since enrolling in Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School. That was Mari. Attending school and making friends naturally, the seat that was always empty frequently came into her sights.
—I’m sorry. I don’t even know the names and looks of my classmate……
The first conversation between Arisu and Mari when she visited suddenly on a certain day, was a self-introduction.
From then on, Arisu visited Mari in the hospital nearly every day. She remembered having a lot fun talking with Mari, but could not remember the contents of their conversations. They could talk on endlessly and Mari would believe in whatever Arisu said.
But, she was wrong.
One day, Mari just disappeared suddenly, leaving behind the Morpho butterfly which revealed to Arisu that she was a Mushitsuki.
“If you realised you were betrayed, what would you do……?”
Neiko raised her head to look at Arisu, then at Ena and Takako.
“How would you feel? Angry? Or, would you feel like crying? There may be nothing you do about the despair…… The stronger you believed in them, the more helpless you feel when you are betrayed.”
The sound of metal creaking reverberated. The vibrations intensified. Looking at Arisu and rest gulping in fear, Neiko smiled ominously.
“And so…… what do you think I did?”
“Please, just stop……!”
Unable to put up with this situation, Ena shouted.
Immediately afterwards, Arisu widened her eyes.
“Wha—”
Looking out of the window, there were countless irregularly shaped monsters outside the gondola.
Some were flapping what seemed like wings, while others were floating even without flapping their wings. What the monsters had in common was the appearance of insects with a mean look.
The monsters started to attack the gondola Arisu and the rest were in.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Ena hugged Takako while screaming.
Many of the Mushi started to ram into the gondola at the same time.
Violent quakes assaulted the gondola. The window glass cracking, and the door bursting in, hurting Arisu and the rest—did not happen.
At first, Arisu doubted her eyes. Not just Arisu, Takako and Ena who was hugging her were awed by what they saw that they forgot the situation they were in.
The wrecking of the gondola they were in had stopped all of a sudden.
—Ding Dong~, Ding Dong~, eternal wind, oh oh, behold the sunrise—.
They could hear a song.
The broken glass and bent walls returned to their former condition as if someone had turned back the time. The gondola was wrapped in a pale light, reverting pristinely to its original state.
“Eh……?”
Arisu muttered unconsciously.
“Who is the one protecting us……?”
The Mushi floating outside seemed to be surprised as well. Wandering around in confusion, they suddenly recalled their mission and started assaulting the gondola again.
“No!”
The gondola shook violently. However, the previous phenomenon repeated itself. The pale light covered the gondola and repaired the damage done to it.
“We misunderstood—”
Looking down at the support pillar, Arisu finally understood what was happening.
She saw a big and sharp claw. Claws that appeared out of thin air were vigorously attacking the support pillar. The shimmering silhouette of the long-horned grasshopper was fighting the claws, protecting the support pillar. Each time the chime of the bell was heard, one of the pillar that was destroyed was restored.
“You were one who was protecting us all along……?”
“I’m sorry for bringing you into this mess……”
Neiko’s face twisted in pain. She looked like she was suffering from overusing her power.
“At least, I’ll make sure you get out of this…… safely—”
Saying so, a flash of anger passed through her face. But it was only for a moment. Biting back her teeth, Neiko regained her awareness.
“No matter what…… you to the ground……”
“……!”
Arisu clenched her fist tightly.
—It seems that…… I’m kind of tired……
Neiko had already been exhausted till the point of collapse from since she boarded the Ferris wheel. She had only escaped here in desperation. She had mustered the last of her strength to ensure that Arisu and the rest were not injured. Using the power of the Mushi and letting it consume her dream—doing so knowingly that it would shorten her life.
“…… That means the one attacking us from the beginning was the SEPB, right.”
Takako, who was being hugged by Ena, said.
“Even though there are so many uninvolved people riding the Ferris wheel as well……”
“Those people…… are merciless……”
“Why…… why do they target harmless people like you?”
Arisu did not think Neiko was a harmful criminal. Even though she was being hunted down and betrayed by her own friends, even so, she used her power to protect Arisu and the rest.
“I guess, because I’m a Mushitsuki……”
“Just because……!”
“You must have met other Mushitsuki before, right…… Amongst them, aren’t there some who used their power nefariously?”
At Neiko’s words, Arisu was speechless.
Harimoto Jun. Aside from Daisuke whom she met by chance, he was the first Mushitsuki Arisu met apart from Mari. He used the power of his Mushi to hurt other people.
“Just by being a Mushitsuki, we are labelled as a dangerous existence…… No matter what happens, our thoughts and emotions would not change……”
“Hunting you down just for this reason, I absolutely cannot accept this! I will stop this immediately!” Arisu took out her mobile phone and called Daisuke. He should be somewhere on the ground. Alas, he did not pick up his phone.
“Indeed, those in the SEPB who knows the truth…… They are definitely suffering.”
Arisu could not believe what Neiko was saying. The ones attacking right now were those who were causing Neiko to suffer.
“How would you know that? You’ve never even met them before! Those people don’t even care about other people—”
“I know. After all, I’m also a Mushitsuki……”
Neiko said with a sigh.
“There are no Mushitsuki who are not fighting their own battles……”
At those words, Arisu recalled.
The face of Daisuke at the hospital as he displayed extreme weariness. Usually wearing a look of calmness, she occasionally saw him revealing a look of suffering. Was he also fighting a battle of his own?
“Mushitsuki…… Just what are they……!”
Closing her mobile phone, Arisu yelled out loud as if squeezing all the air from her lungs.
“I don’t understand! I don’t understand what any of the Mushitsuki are thinking!”
The gondola Arisu and the rest were in was about to reach the ground. However, the tremors were reaching their peak. In addition, the pale light covering the gondola was thinning.
“Sor…… ry…… I can’t…… hold on anyone……”
Neiko’s eyes were growing listless. The broken glass scattered inside the gondola.
“Something…… there must be something we can do……!”
Glaring at the Mushi slamming their body against the gondola, Arisu grinded her teeth. If only there was a suitable object that the Morpho butterfly could assimilate with, then Arisu would be able to counterattack. But, it is not like a pole would appear so conveniently.
The gondola was going to reach the ground in just a moment. But at this rate, the Ferris wheel would collapse before they can even escape the gondola.
At this time.
The attack by SEPB stopped. The Mushi attacking the gondola has been assaulted by somebody and fallen to the ground.
What appeared suddenly and assaulted the Mushi attacking the gondola was, as expected, other Mushi as well.
“It can’t be……”
There were four counterattacking Mushi in total. —The same number as Neiko’s friends.
“They did not betray her?”
Neiko closed her eyes. A broad smile formed on her face.
—What do you think I did?
Arisu thought back to what Neiko said earlier.
“Even if you were betrayed…… your feelings wouldn’t change……?”
Neiko smiled.
Even if she was betrayed, her feelings would not change. She would not be angry nor hate them. —No matter what happens, our thoughts and emotions would not change……
There was no way she knew that they did not really betrayed her. She was supposed to think that they betrayed her. But, even so, Neiko still—.
“You still believed……!”
“I’m glad…… that in the end…… I got to see such a beautiful view……”
Neiko sunk into her seat. Life seemed to fade away from her eyes which were reflecting the night scenery.
The four Mushi took the opportunity to defeat the SEPB’s Mushi one by one. Ena lifted her face. “We’re……saved……?”
The gondola seemed to have reached the ground.
“……!”
Amidst the jolting Ferris wheel, Arisu saw a Mushi flying about outside the window.
Flying with green wings, it was a Cleridae with an unusually long antenna.
This Mushi belonged to—.
The figure of the green Cleridae disappeared.
“Don’t say something like, ‘in the end’, so easily……”
A thunderous roar reverberated.
It sounded like as if somebody fired off a cannon. The four Mushi whose wings were hit fell on the ground.
“Every……one……!”
Neiko opened her eyes.
“If you say that all Mushitsuki fight till the very end, then show me that you are going to fight till the very end!”
The memory of Mari’s smile flashed through her mind.
Arisu’s close friend could not even fight till the end.
—No, that may have been wrong. She may have already left the world before she even gave up fighting.
Arisu would never be able to find out the truth now, so, there was only one thing she could do.
That was to believe.
Even if she knew that she had been betrayed, she would continue to believe in her friend just as Neiko did.
To Neiko who taught her to never give up on believing her friends, Arisu would not let her give up here. The gondola touched the ground.
Immediately, someone forcefully wrench open the door from the outside.
—The one who opened the door was a demon covered in black.
Part 4
At the entrance of the gondola stood a figure wearing a black coat and a huge goggle covering most of his face, his hair standing on end. His hand held a large automatic handgun which had fused with something.
From the handgun held by the demon, multiple tentacle-like object extended. The tentacles instantaneously fused with the demon’s body, creating a green pattern up that extended up his cheeks.
“Neiko!”
The four injured Mushi positioned themselves between the demon and the gondola.
The black demon pointed its handgun at the Mushi standing ahead of him.
“St…… op—”
Neiko’s face distorted and she reached her hands out.
“Stop it!”
Arisu shouted.
The Morpho butterfly entered the gondola through the open door and fluttered around.
The Morpho butterfly landed on the handlebar Arisu held, its body turning into silver-coloured tentacles which fused with the bar instantly.
Its four wings opened up, giving off silver light. One of its wings formed a blade, while another one scattered silver scales.
Fire spew from the handgun held by the person in the black coat.
“……ch!”
Arisu jumped in front of the Mushi, blocking the bullet with her spear.
Somebody’s scream could be heard. But that was immediately drown out by the sound of a shockwave. The door was blown away along with the roof, leaving only the seats in a miserable condition.
“Tch……!”
Clicking his tongue, the black demon—Daisuke, resumed his stance with the Mushi-combined handgun. “Stop it!”
Yelling angrily, Arisu swung down the spear aiming for his head.
“Kuu……!”
Daisuke swatted away the shaft of the spear with the grip of the handgun just barely.
Spinning the spear around, Arisu swung the spear again at Daisuke’s feet. The silver blade sent the surroundings flying into the air. Scattering bits of asphalt as if hit by an explosion, the spear carved a deep gash into the ground.
When the explosion died down, the surroundings became still.
The plaza with the Ferris wheel was completely silent. In the time it took for the gondola to revolve one round, the general public had already evacuated to other places.
On the other hand, Arisu and the rest were surrounded by people with the same appearance as Daisuke. They belonged to the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.
“Neiko!”
Four people ran towards the partially destroyed gondola. Their age looked about the same as Neiko’s. In the lead was a boy with his hair dyed blond, followed by a spectacle wearing boy, then a boy with a muscular body and finally a girl with a short haircut. They surrounded Neiko, as if trying to cover her.
“Every…… one……”
Neiko raised her head slowly to look at her friends with her clouded eyes. Seating in the opposite seat, Ena and Takako had already fainted. Instead of any external injuries, it seems that they were simply exhausted from the ordeal they had just faced.
“Sorry…… it should have gone more smoothly……! If only that monster wasn’t here……!”
“Pretending to sell out Yomori Neiko and setting up a surprise attack from behind…… Was it your intention to set a trap for us in the beginning?”
Glaring at Arisu, Daisuke said, his voice much colder than usual. His current appearance as a member of the SEPB was the true identity of the original Daisuke.
Neiko’s friends faced Daisuke with their Mushi.
“Escape from here, Neiko! We’ll deal with these people somehow! At least one of us……!”
“Neiko, at least you alone……!”
Neiko looked at her friends who were shielding her with anguish.
“Do you think that you can escape?”
However, they were denied by Daisuke who was pointing his handgun at them. Arisu thrusted her spear at Daisuke. “…… What do you think you are doing?”
“Why are you targeting them?”
“That’s because they are Mushitsuki. Either way, I don’t have any intentions of letting a single one of them escape. All members, kill their Mushi and take them away as Fallen.”
“Why are you covering for those people?”
Arisu scowled at Daisuke.
“‘Because they are Mushitsuki’……?”
Arisu looked away from Daisuke, and looked at Neiko. Neiko raised her pale face to return the look. “To fight because of that reason, to make others give up on their dreams…… To me, that’s just an excuse. I absolutely hate that.”
“That’s because you’re not a Mushitsuki.”
Saying so, Daisuke raised his handgun. All of the people in black coat behind him entered a fighting posture. In response, Neiko’s friends also readied themselves to fight.
Arisu too, put strength into her hands holding the spear. She had already hardened her resolve to fight. Right before Daisuke was going to discharge the gun in his hand.
“…… To fight……”
Neiko’s voice disrupted the silence.
“It seems like…… there’s nothing else we can do, other than to continue fighting……”
The tall girl had Arisu in her sight.
“No matter how tough it gets…… Even if our freedom is taken away…… As long as we are alive, we can keep singing…… was how it was supposed to be…… Having literally sold our souls to the devil just to live……” Everybody’s gaze gathered on Neiko.
Even in the tense atmosphere that seemed like it would erupt any moment, Neiko sighed deeply. Although she had sighed repeatedly in the gondola previously, Arisu could feel a different emotion in the sigh. Determination welled up in Neiko as she looked towards Daisuke.
“Hey, you…… is there no other alternatives other than turning us into Fallen? Or is there some other method…… indeed, for example, to be part of you guys—”
Part 5
—The clear night sky was covered in stars.
It looked like countless shiny grains had been scattered across a vast black sheet. What was different from the real starry skies was that each star was wandering around the sky. Each of the multi-coloured light moved about as if to show that they were living.
She had just seen the same view a moment ago. But, somehow, it feels like this night sky was incomparably beautiful.
The reason she could still look at this beautiful scene was due to Neiko. It was because of how much she loved the cityscape that Arisu could still view the cityscape as it was currently.
Arisu and Daisuke were currently in an ascending gondola.
“What’s going to happen to Neiko-san and the rest from now on?”
“Nene.”
“……?”
“Those guys are also going to receive codenames. A Mushitsuki belonging to the special type, even more so with a restoration ability is extremely valuable. The higher-up will probably be satisfied with her. The other four…… normally, with that level of strength, would be turned into Fallen. But, they would probably be accepted as a means to tie down Nene to the SEPB. At best, they would be used as foot soldiers.”
To become members of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—that was the choice that Neiko had chosen.
Surprisingly, Daisuke accepted her request readily. His reason being as he just explained. It seems that Neiko’s ability was desirable to the SEPB. Although its offensive power was non-existent, it had the ability to restore injuries immediately. That’s why the SEPB lured Neiko’s friends to the Ferris wheel, and fought till they were exhausted. They had given the order to Daisuke who happened to be in the vicinity by chance. On one hand, they knew that Neiko and her friends had nowhere else to escape, thus, setting a trap with a surprise attack—.
Right now, Arisu and the rest were able to ride the Ferris wheel thanks to Neiko who used her ability to restore it to its previous condition. After that, Neiko wanted to continue singing. Daisuke wanted to stop her, saying, ‘Don’t use your power more than necessarily’, but, —I want other people to see the how beautiful the streets are…… Neiko said with a smile while looking at Arisu.
—Thank you……
Not knowing what the ‘thank you’ was for, in any case, it seemed that Neiko found the will to continue living.
After a while, seeing that everything had returned to normal, the customers that evacuated from the scene previously returned to the Ferris wheel. With only Arisu and Daisuke was left at the scene, the boy silently joined the queue for the Ferris wheel. Thinking his action was strange, Arisu followed by his side.
Ena and Takako should have reached their homes by now. In the aftermath of the incident, Arisu contacted the servant of Takako’s house, who took the unconscious Takako and Ena back home.
In the night view Arisu was looking at, a silver light was dancing about. It was the Morpho butterfly. Beyond that, she could see the lights from the hospital at which Mari was hospitalised.
“I see…… Isn’t this fine?”
Just as Arisu was speaking.
Like a drop falling into a puddle, in Arisu’s eye looking at the hospital’s light, a ripple expanded.
—Isn’t it beautiful, that Ferris wheel—
“…… Arisu?”
Seeing Arisu acting strangely, Daisuke called out.
But his voice did not seem to reach Arisu. A memory rised from the recesses of her mind like a flash.
—Well then, let’s go together when you are discharged!
The Morpho butterfly. And also, the Ferris wheel.
That day, the one who said that with her back facing the window was her.
No, that’s wrong.
The one who said that was, the girl named Ichinokuro Arisu.
—Un, it’s a promise—.
The one nodding was herself. Hanashiro Mari.
Mari was looking forward to the outing very much.
When she mentioned the promise to Sensei, he had also smiled happily—.
“Sensei……?”
Mari leaked out some muttering.
“Arisu?”
“……!”
At Daisuke’s voice, Arisu came to.
What……? Right now—.
At the scene flashing through Arisu’s head, she had an out of place feeling.
A memory of the past? That’s wrong…… I am, what I saw—.
“E-erm, nothing.”
“…… By now, there’s no reason to worry about them anymore. They had decided on it themselves. But……” To him, Arisu appeared to be worrying about the well-being of Neiko and her friends. Looking at the night view expressionlessly till now, Daisuke was staring at Arisu.
“This is not some child’s play. If they treat this half-heartedly, that will only cause trouble to us…… Good grief, why did some unrelated idiot have to intervene……”
At Daisuke’s words, Arisu woke up from her daydream, groaning with a muu.
“Then, what do you want me to do?”
“Didn’t I tell you before to not do anything.”
“Didn’t I also say that I don’t like not doing anything.”
“You’re just being wilful. Haah…… That’s why you’re just an upper-class lady ignorant of worldly matters……”
“What’s with you, acting all so mighty. Blushing like a tomato just because Ena and Takako were hugging you, you’re just a pervy brat.”
“T-that’s completely unrelated! In the first place, if it wasn’t Saionji-san but someone flat like you, I wouldn’t—”
“Arisu punch~!”
“How many times are you going to punch me!”
Repelling the punches with his hands, Daisuke aimed for Arisu’s face. Daisuke struck her nose, causing Arisu to raise her eyebrows.
“You…… you dare hit me! And on my face……!”
“W-what, you too always……!”
The scuffle between the two would have continued if not for the attendant stopping them.
In the night sky with a floating moon, the vestige of the chime of a bell echoed.
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