Mushi Uta:Volume 3rd Episode 10

Episode 10. The Dream Welcoming Feelings

"You… you're going to take responsibility, right? Right?"

"…"

"…"

It was just as they were about to leave the Ichinokuro estate through the large front gates.

The time was early morning.

Ichinokuro Arisu and Kusuriya Daisuke were departing for Horusu Seijou Academy like always.

And what awaited them was a feeble voice on the tinge of tears.

"Hey, are you listening? Have you actually forgotten?"

Yet they couldn't see anyone there.

Arisu and Daisuke looked around, before finally finding the owner of the voice.

They were by the second power pole from the front gate of the Ichinokuro estate.

A girl peeked from halfway behind the power pole, gazing at them bitterly. Her age was probably around that of a high schooler. Her short black hair drew a gentle wave and she was wearing glasses.

"Say something. Pleeease."

Large teardrops welled up in her upturned eyes. Jumping out from behind the pole, she then again hid behind a nearer power pole.

"C'mon, Kakkou-kuuun."

Stretching out half of her body from behind the pole, the girl lightly touched Daisuke's shoulder with her fingertip. This caused him to stiffen up with a twitch, and he violently shook off her hand.

"Wah! Don't touch me!"

The girl was shocked. She bit her lower lip, and cowered back behind the pole.

"Ugh… How horrible… Even though you did something like that to me… Even though Kakkou-kun was the one to invite me…"

They could hear her sobbing from behind the pole.

"S-so annoying… W-what do you want?"

A moth alighted on top of the pale Daisuke's head.

It was a moth with diamond-shaped wings that shone in azure. It was similar to the Hooktip moth, but the real insect would never appear during winter like now.

—There were creatures known as Mushi.

They were abnormal monsters that possessed humans and grew by devouring their hosts' dreams. Those possessed by Mushi were known as Mushitsuki, and despite their existence being denied by the authorities, they became the target of hatred and rumors.

Kusuriya Daisuke was a member of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, an organization created in order to capture and conceal Mushi.

"No, wait. That voice… Are you the one from Higano City? Kusakabe Rinka, if I'm not mistaken."

Perhaps recalling something, Daisuke approached the sobbing sound behind the power pole.

"And I thought Kakkou-kun would take responsibility… Uuu… I hate you…"

"…"

A butterfly also landed on Arisu's shoulder as she grasped her bag wordlessly. In contrast to the other girl's, it was a Morpho butterfly shining in silver. It was the Mushi she had inherited from her late best friend.

"Ah, you don't know her right, Arisu. This is Kusakabe Rinka, from Higano City—"

As Daisuke turned around, a leather bag with the full force of Arisu's weight slammed into his face.

Part 1

They were in a certain park on the way to school.

Sitting on a small bench, Arisu looked up at Daisuke standing in front of her.

"This is Kusakabe Rinka, a high school freshman living in Higano City. Before I came here to Akamaki City, I'd caught her as she ran into Ouka City and handed her to the Central Headquarters."

Daisuke explained with what was one of his most sullen face. Arisu's bag seemed to have inflicted more damage than expected, and his nose was stuffed with tissue.

The jurisdiction of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—the SEPB in short—was divided into different regions. Akamaki City, where Arisu lived, and the neighboring Higano City, were under the control of Central Headquarters. And the further Ouka City was under the control of the East Central Branch which Daisuke seemed to have originally belonged to.

"That looks painful, are you fine? Is it my fault? Is it my fault, I wonder? Does it hurt? Hey, does it hurt?"

Rinka's voice came from a grove of trees adjacent to the park ahead of Arisu. By straining her eyes, she could see the figure of the girl hiding among the trees.

"Obviously it hurts! Actually, stop hiding and come over here!"

"No! I don't want to! Don't force me to do such a horrible thing!"

"Aahhh, you're so annoying! Also, stop talking in such a way that can cause misunderstandings!"

"Uuh… you called me annoying again…"

Daisuke grabbed Rinka's arm and forcibly dragged her out of the grove.

As Arisu watched their exchange, a cold smile crept up on her face.

"Oh? So you did her something wrong the other time, huh. …Why don't you pay for it by dying?"

"Arisu… I don't know what you're imagining there, but stop giving that look…"

"When I said that I don't want to become a Fallen, Kakkou-kun saved me by telling me to join the SEPB, right? Did you forget? You didn't, right? Please don't do it?"

Unable to relax, Rinka looked around. She found a street light nearby and immediately hid behind it. But, since it wasn't enough to hide her whole body, she looked at Arisu and Daisuke while fidgeting restlessly.

"I see. I understand the details now."

What Rinka said about "Daisuke doing to her" meant her apprehending, and the "invitation" was him recommending her to join the SEPB, apparently.

"So, what is this responsibility you were talking about? Anyway, will it be solved if Daisuke dies?"

"Why are you trying to kill me! You didn't understand a single bit!"

Daisuke glared at Rinka as he raised an angry voice.

"In the first place, what's this about taking responsibility. How many Mushitsuki do you think I have turned into Fallen and I've probably sent about that many to isolation facilities. Adding on your grudge now is not gonna make any difference. Or if what you're saying…"

His expression changed. Wearing a provocative smile, he approached Rinka.

"If it's revenge you want, then I'll play along with you. I'll finish it up in three seconds."

"Wait, Daisuke—"

"Revenge?"

Yet, Rinka stared at him in puzzlement. It soon turned into panic and she shook her head frantically.

"N-no way…! I couldn't possibly do such a scary thing…! In the first place, I'm no match for Kakkou-kun at all and I hate pain! You also don't like pain, right? Or do you like it?"

"Ah, geez, so annoying! Then what is it! Speak up already, school's about to start!"

"I-I just want to make friends!"

"…Haah?"

"Ever since I was captured, I haven't been able to go to school at all… And, since I'm a little overly shy…"

"You have the gall to say 'a little' when you act like this."

"T-that's exactly why! I can't make any friends even at Central Headquarters… So I thought about asking you to help me make friends…"

Rinka explained along with a flurry of gestures. It was as if she didn't feel cautious even against the one who had caught her before.

Daisuke grabbed Rinka's sleeve.

"If you don't want me to shoot you, go back to HQ right this instant."

"Nooo! I don't want tooo! Help me make friendsss! Take responsibility for causing me to be unable to meet other people openly!"

"I told you to stop making it sound so scandalous! You're definitely doing it on purpose!"

Arisu moved in to stop Daisuke from trying to drag the other girl out.

"W-wait a minute, Daisuke. She's gone all the way to ask you for help, it'll be so pitiful if you just drive her off like that."

"Am I annoying?"

"Huh…?"

"Am I really that annoying? There's no way right? Right?"

Clinging to the street light, Rinka turned her upturned eyes at Arisu. With these tear-filled eyes gazing at her from behind the street light, Arisu inadvertently averted her gaze.

"Umm… I-it's fine! I think it's within the acceptable limits! …Probably."

"Uuh… Don't reject me…"

"Aren't you misunderstanding something?"

Daisuke asserted with a cool tone.

"We're Mushitsuki. We're beings that spread misfortune around us just by living. Could we even have friends? Even if we do make friends, it'll only cause more misfortune."

Rinka gulped. She opened her mouth apparently intending to say something, but ended up sobbing and casting her gaze down.

"If you understand, then quietly go back to—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Daisuke separated himself from Rinka with a look surprise. He barely evaded Arisu's bag cutting through the air along with her grunt. 

"There's no way one wouldn't be able to make friends just because they're a Mushitsuki!"

Readying her bag, Arisu glared at Daisuke.

"I was friends with Mari and she was a Mushitsuki!"

Hanashiro Mari.

A girl who had left her Mushi to Arisu and passed away. Kusuriya Daisuke is accompanying Arisu not just to monitor her; it was also to investigate the irregular Mushitsuki known as Hanashiro Mari.

"Hah, I wonder about that."

Daisuke sneered.

Mushitsuki would never think of normal people as friends. There was a Mushitsuki girl that said the converse was also true. And now Daisuke said the same.

Arisu could never accept that.

"This person can't make any friends not because she's a Mushitsuki! It's because of her personality! Because she's annoying!"

"She's definitely annoying, but it's not just that. The very act of a Mushitsuki trying to make friends itself is wrong!"

"If she wasn't annoying, she would've made countless friends!"

"No, even if she wasn't annoying it would be the same."

"Uuh… So I really am annoying…"

Ignoring Rinka who broke down in tears, Arisu pounded her own chest.

"Then I'll become her friend! You'll see then!"

"That won't do it. You're only feeling pity. At least that's what it looks like that to me."

Next to the two arguing, Rinka rose up.

"I-I… want to fix my personality."

Perhaps perceiving Arisu as her ally, she clung to her arm instead of Daisuke's.

"By doing so I'll be able to make friends, right? That's what you're saying, right? Will you… take responsibility? Because I'll resent you if you won't?"

"Uh… Y-yeah! I'll prove it!"

Arisu declared in a loud voice while unconsciously forcing Rinka's head back.

It was lunch break.

Daisuke looked outside the classroom's window, sighing.

"So, what're you trying to do?"

"What do you mean what I'm trying to do… I said I'll prove that even she can make friends."

Arisu pouted.

Horusu Seijou Academy Middle School had a strict security. Only members of the school received identification cards, and one couldn't enter without them. In addition, the school had tall fences surrounding it.

Along Arisu's line of sight, on the other side of the sports ground beyond the fence surrounding the tennis court, was a suspicious figure.

A girl stood in the shadow of a power pole near the road staring at their direction. Oblivious to the passersby raising their eyebrows at her, she wore a smile and waved toward Arisu and Daisuke.

They obviously did not wave back.

Incidentally, she had been watching them from inside the thicket in the backcourt during gym class.

"S-she's somewhat… how do I put it, too pure. She needs to become, uh, more independent?"

"In short she's annoying?"

"…Yeah."

"Why do you always have to poke your nose into stuff unrelated to the investigation of Hanashiro Mari… So, what are you actually going to do?"

"That's—"

As Arisu sank deep into thought, two girls approached them.

"What are you doing? The two of you are doing something in secret, right. Let me be a part of it too."

"Is something the matter?"

They were Saionji Ena and Kujou Takako.

Looking at her two friends, an idea struck Arisu.

"Ena, Takako."

Grabbing their shoulders, she grinned.

"You two aren't shy, right? You have lots of friends after all."

Ena and Takako tilted their heads in puzzlement. Having a bad feeling about this, Daisuke grimaced.

"Hey, you can't possibly be going to involve them—"

"What are you saying? It's not just going to be them, you're also going to help."

"Huh? Why me?"

"Do you want to have a stalker like that for all of eternity?"

Arisu gestured at outside the window with her eyes.

Rinka was gleefully waving her hands from the shadow of the distant power pole.

Resigned to fate, Daisuke held his head and sighed.

Part 2

First off.

Saionji Ena.

Ena was a classmate whom she got closer to since starting second year.

In addition to her cheerful and refined impression, she excelled in both academics and athletics. Yet, she never put any effort into studying nor joined any clubs, but simply had fun.

Her circle of friends was so vast such that even when moving between classrooms, many from other classes would call out to her. There were equally as many adults who knew her name outside of school, a testament to her sociable personality.

Just based on that, one could say she was the top batter with great expectations placed upon her.

"Being friends means hanging out together and having fun!"

A rollercoaster passed in front of Arisu's eyes at full speed.

"And so! We'll surely get along if we shared some fun times together!"

After school, Arisu went to an amusement park not far off from Akamaki City. Obviously, that included Daisuke and Rinka. Moreover, the other two girls were also tagging along.

"This is Kusakabe Rinka-san. She's my friend. Now, Ena, become friends with her!"

Arisu introduced Rinka.

"Become friends with her… you…"

Daisuke had a glum look on his face, but Ena was different. Despite the sudden introduction, she spoke to Rinka with a smile.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Arisu's classmate, Saionji Ena. You seem to be above in age, so you must be a high school student, right, Kusakabe-san? Also, umm…"

Ena's amicable tone suddenly lowered.

"…Why are you hiding?"

Rinka seemed to be apprehensive in the face of Ena's amiability. She jumped out from behind the trash can she was using to hide herself, approached Ena and grabbed her hand.

"H-hello! Umm, I'm, Kusakabe Rinkaff! Rinka!"

"Eek!"

Suddenly having their faces up close, Ena flinched.

"Kusakabe is written as 'the part under the sun'! You know that 'Be' kanji? Just like in the word 'portion'! You know it? Rinka is made of… uh… what 'Rin' should I use? S-sorry! Wait a bit, I'll think of a good example!"

"I-it hurts! You're using too much—"

"How do you write your name, Ena-chan? Ah, is it alright if I call you Ena-chan? Is it overly familiar for our first meeting? If you don't like it tell me, okay? Okay?"

"…So annoying!"

Finally unable to endure it, Ena shook herself off from Rinka.

"So we've struck a problem even before riding the rollercoaster…"

Beside Arisu who hung her head down, Daisuke declared the first failure indifferently.

Next up.

Kujou Takako.

Normally well-mannered and polite, she was like a representative of Horusu Seijou Academy which boasted of mostly students from well-to-do families.

Befitting her adult-like demeanor, she treated everyone kindly no matter who they were. As she had been heavily sheltered by her parents, she almost never distrusted or hated people.

Arisu had great expectations of Takako.

In fact, one of Takako's acquaintances had been a Mushitsuki boy. Even after knowing the truth, Takako tried to protect him. She had the kindness to not discriminate someone even if they were a Mushitsuki.

"You can't give up, Rinka-san! You make friends without even realizing it! By the time we've gone through one round of the rollercoaster, we'll already have become friends!"

Daisuke, Arisu, and Ena, who was shaking and hiding behind Daisuke, watched over the two from the entrance to rollercoaster.

Takako and Rinka were seated on the front row.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Kujou Takako."

Takako flashed a gentle smile at Rinka. She shook her hand with teary eyes.

"I-I can call you Takako-chan, right? Are you fine riding this, Takako-chan? It's impossible for me! If you ask me how much, I feel like I'm going to faint on the spot!"

"…Huh?"

"Kyaaah! I-it's moving! It's started moving! W-what'll I do! What should I do? What can I do in this extreme situation?"

"U-umm… if you cling to me that much, it would be anno—a bit uncomfortable."

Arisu saw off the slowly accelerating rollercoaster with a smile.

"If she's hugging her that much, they'll get along in no time! I can't wait for them to get back!"

"If you ask me, I'd lean more towards feeling unease…"

Daisuke mumbled as he followed the rollercoaster with his eyes with shouts echoing from it.

A few minutes later…

The rollercoaster car returned to the entrance.

"…"

Daisuke, Arisu and Ena were completely speechless.

At the very front seats were two limp girls—Rinka, who had swooned due to excessive fear, and Takako, who had fainted due to Rinka strangling her neck.

"What a tragic sight…"

Ena mumbled.

Third time's the charm.

Yomori Neiko.

She was a Mushitsuki girl who got involved in trouble not long after Arisu had just met Daisuke.

Even while she and her friends were being pursued by the SEPB, she kept believing in her comrades who had betrayed her. And even though they appeared to betrayed her on the surface, they were actually trying to protect her.

She was taciturn, but her belief in people was strong. Since she joined the SEPB to preserve her dream of singing her beloved songs, she should be able to understand the feelings of a fellow Mushitsuki.

"The most important thing for friends is communication! If you take your time to speak to each other, you're sure to become friends in no time!"

Stressed Arisu, who was wearing a dress with revealed shoulders, and clenched her fist. Behind her was the scenery of the sunset over Akamaki City.

After parting with the two girls at the amusement park, Arisu and the rest proceeded to a restaurant on the topmost floor of a high-class hotel.

"Is that it…?"

Daisuke, wearing a suit, made an especially doubtful face. He seemed to be displeased with having to wear rented formal wear.

"…But I just finished my training period and can finally go outside freely…"

Having been called out by Daisuke, Yomori Neiko seemed apprehensive. She was also wearing a dress that had been prepared by Arisu.

"What, Kakkou-kun…? Are you going to make me do something undesirable by force again…?

"…Daisuke?"

"I just needed to borrow her identification number recently, that's all! Why do all of you keep using such vague phrasing that are going to cause people to misunderstand!"

Despite the troubles on the way, Arisu introduced Rinka to Neiko. Rinka was also wearing a dress, but she wouldn't come out from under the table.

"I know this girl… she was at the training facility—"

"I also know you! Hey! I was too shy to talk to you until now, but I was always watching you from afar! I was so embarrassed! I feel like I could really get along with you!"

"She's the annoying girl in the training facility… I made sure not to approach her…"

Although she was just about to come out from under the table, Rinka's movements completely froze.

A heavy silence fell between the two.

"…And she's already been rejected…"

Daisuke's uttering made Arisu collapse on the spot.

The fourth try.

Kurisaka Ayuyu.

She was a member of the SEPB who possessed the ability to dig up the memories of other Mushi.

"If we're talking about friends hanging out, it has to be karaoke, right! Now then, sing to your heart's content!"

They were at a karaoke place in town.

Arisu held the tambourine and turned toward Rinka and Ayuyu.

"H-hello! Nice to meet you, I'm Kusakabe Rinka—"

"I'm so happy you've invited me, Kakkun. *Lick* *Lick* Do you have any business with me? *Shake* *Shake* It's fine even if you don't, though. *Kiss*"

Since she had been invited by Daisuke, Ayuyu wore causal clothes. She was wearing the sort of monochrome style of clothes that could be called gothic Lolita.

Ayuyu ignored Rinka sitting next to her, moving closer toward Daisuke who was sitting in the corner of the room. There was a gloomy and suspicious atmosphere only in the spot Ayuyu and Daisuke sat at.

"Umm, I'm Kusakabe Rinka—"

"I'm so excited being in a closed room alone with you, Kakkun. *Lick* *Lick* *Kiss*"

"…We obviously aren't alone here… and stop touching me in weird places."

"I'm Kusakabe Rinka! A-are you listening? Are you listening to me?"

"*Anger* *Anger* What d'you want? You're annoying so get out of my sight. *Shoo* *Shoo*"

Asserting this with a look of bother, Ayuyu again wrapped her hands around Daisuke's neck.

"Uuu…"

Rinka hanged her head, still holding the microphone.

Her sobs blended along with the ballad music playing from the speaker.

And finally…

Kasuou.

She was also a member of the SEPB, serving as Daisuke's replacement as Arisu's monitor when he wasn't present.

"If we're talking about two girls mingling, it has to be shopping… right…?"

Arisu tried to declare in a high voice before a clothes shop in the main street at night.

Yet she froze after seeing the scene in front of her eyes.

"What's up with this annoying woman? Are ya trying to pick a fight with me? Ah?"

The blonde girl wearing the same Horusu Seijou Academy uniform, Kasuou, grabbed Rinka's face with her right hand. She opened her eyes in anger, gathering strength in her hand.

"Ouch ouch ouch, ouch! I'm going to die, die, I'm dying!"

Rinka raised a shriek, flapping her limbs around. She struggled as to not let her legs off the ground.

"Hey, Daisuke. No matter what you say, I think there's a problem in the choice of the person this time…"

"I don't have any decent people I can call out… even if it's a bit late to say that…"

"Since you don't seem to have any business with me, I'll be going now. I have another mission."

Flinging Rinka aside as if she was an empty can, Kasuou turned around to look at Daisuke.

Rinka groaned and broke down crying at her feet.

"A mission?"

"One of the members who haven't finish their training yet has escaped from the facility. They seem to be a problem child who can't control their own Mushi no matter how much they trained. Since I'm unranked and on a support role, they haven't even told me anything about the target to make sure I won't go on a rampage, though. What a shitty mission, really."

Rinka's shoulders twitched at Kasuou's feet.

Arisu wasn't the only one to notice; Daisuke also saw Rinka's reaction. Only Kasuou herself hadn't realized.

"Ah, if only a certain somebody here got in danger again so I can get an excuse to fight."

Seeing her grin, Arisu grimaced. Kasuou was apparently lowly ranked due to her always going into rampages against orders, but her fighting prowess was undeniable. She was someone Arisu never wanted to fight against ever again.

"Yes, just like recently with… Harukiyo, was it? That flame bastard eventually escaped from the Hanashiro Mari's estate."

"What's up with him?"

"Central Headquarters has apparently alerted all branches to search for him as an enemy of the organization. He's supposedly been gathering comrades to meddle in SEPB affairs. They have someone with the ability to mimic others and someone who can nullify attacks, so HQ's at a loss. Not to mention, he might come attacking you again."

Arisu gulped.

She recalled the boy called Sehateno Harukiyo.

He became her enemy.

She never thought she'd ever meet someone who was an "enemy" to her.

And another surprise was—

"He has comrades? That guy?"

He was an extremely powerful Mushitsuki even alone.

She was surprised that someone as bold as him would have allies. If he had others who shared his intent, she couldn't imagine what he was trying to do.

Like her, Daisuke also found it unexpected. His eyes slightly widened.

"What's important about fighting him isn't your mission success rate. It's pure fighting strength. —My turn is going to come regardless of my rank, so I hope he'll come attack as much as possible. I won't let him escape next time, I'll finish him up for good."

In a complete reversal from her dangerous smile, Kasuou left a lady-like greeting of "now then, farewell" and was gone.

Daisuke stepped next to Arisu who was frozen in place.

Rinka was trying to distance herself by stealthily crawling away, but the boy stepped on her back.

"Fugya," was her murmured shriek.

"Oi. I don't want to think that that's the case, but don't tell me that the idiot who escaped from the training facility is…"

"I don't know, I don't know! It's not me! I'm telling the truth okay? Okay? …Ouch ouch ouch, you're breaking me! It's me! I'm the one who escaped! I'm sorryyy!"

"Now I finally know why you came to me. Because such small matters will not flow down to me. And no one would think that an escapee get close a Rank 1 like me, just as Kasuou did not realize. In a certain sense, there's no better refuge."

Daisuke said in a low voice, looking down at Rinka squirming under his foot.

"You used me, didn't you?"

"Ow ow ow!  It's really… painful… ow! It… hurts…!"

"Stop, Daisuke!"

Daisuke seemed to be truly angry, his eyes staring daggers. Seeing that Rinka was actually suffering, Arisu thrust Daisuke aside.

Now released, Rinka shook on the ground without saying anything.

"What are you thinking! Are you really try to kill her?"

"Yeah, I was."

Arisu widened her eyes.

"At the very least, if I don't let them experience what it's like to die once, these kind of people won't realize what their position is. We Mushitsuki either become Fallen or we have to live while making sure to control our own Mushi. Those who act half-heartedly will simply lose to their Mushi and die."

Daisuke clearly asserted in a voice full of suppressed anger. It was something that only a Mushitsuki like him, someone who had seen the ends of countless Mushitsuki, could say.

"No—"

"Don't get any closer."

Daisuke stopped Arisu from approaching Rinka.

The Hooktip moth fluttering in the air shone in blue. At the same time, the decorative plant in front of the shop wilted at once.

"Her Mushi's about to go wild. If you get any closer you'll also get your liquids sucked out by its ability."

Arisu's eyes widened.

It wasn't just the decorative plant. The concrete around Rinka cracked, and the paint of the store's wall started audibly peeling off.

As it absorbed the moisture around it, the glow of the Hooktip moth strengthened. Rinka's sobbing as she cried on the ground also grew louder and louder.

"I'm willing to bet on it. She will someday lose to her Mushi and die. So right here and now, I will—"

Daisuke looked up at Rinka's Hooktip moth.

"Kill this Mushi and make her a Fallen. It's better than her dying."

"Sto—"

It happened just as Arisu tried to stop him from reaching his hand out and crushing the moth.

"Uuh… So I really am useless…"

They could hear a voice mixed with sobbing coming from their feet.

"Why won't anyone be my friend… Does everyone wish to never see me…?"

Kusakabe Rinka was crying. Still stretched on the ground with her shoulders shaking, she spoke in a faint voice.

"He surely also… doesn't think of me as a friend… Even if I wait for him, I'll definitely only bother him…"

Arisu knit her eyebrows. Daisuke also stopped his arm and looked down at Rinka.

While she cried in a stifled voice, the azure Hooktip moth shimmered above her head.

Part 3

The Ichinokuro household at night was wrapped in silence.

Even the exhaust sounds of the cars on the other side of the vast premises and tall walls couldn't reach the main house.

Inside the dreary guestroom—Daisuke's room, Kusakabe sat seiza-style on the tatami. Even her tone as she mumbled about her circumstances lacked any power. She was still crying even as she speak.

"Umm, so I'll summarize."

Since Rinka's explanation was messy, it was hard deciphering it.

"So your friend who moved away long ago is coming back to Higano City? And tomorrow, to boot?"

Rinka nodded while wiping her snot.

"Training was so hard… I ended up being reminded of him. So, I tried calling my old classmates while I was at the facility…  They said he's lost both parents in a traffic accident and moved in with his relatives…"

"…"

Daisuke was speechless. Leaning against the wall while standing, he gazed outside the window.

"He was a boy I used to play with a lot during elementary school… and when people bullied me for being annoying he'd come and save me…"

Finally, large drops came spilling out of her eyes. The fists clenched on top of her legs shook.

"I thought that he's definitely lonely… I thought that I could at least come and welcome him back to Higano City and I couldn't stay put… But I just couldn't get permission to go outside…"

"…"

"But… am I really just a bother? If I come and greet him, will he think I'm annoying? He probably didn't think of me as a friend, right? Or…"

Rinka raised her face and looked at Daisuke.

"Maybe I should never meet him again because I'm a Mushitsuki…"

Daisuke, who was silent up till now, opened his mouth. Yet, he didn't turn his gaze to Rinka.

"Obviously. We're—"

"No, you can obviously go and meet him."

Arisu interrupted Daisuke.

Meeting people you want to meet.

There was no way simply being a Mushitsuki would be enough to forbid that.

"If you want to go meet him, it's irrelevant whether or not you're a Mushitsuki."

Rinka looked at Arisu in surprise.

"Do you know when his train arrives?"

"Y-yeah…"

"All correspondences within the facility are recorded. If you made a call from there, the SEPB will also know and will probably send a capture team there. It's impossible no matter what you do."

Daisuke said sullenly.

Arisu was at a loss for words. Rinka also hanged her head dejectedly.

However—

"Kasuou… if she's there, the mission's success rate goes down by a lot. After all, she'll immediately go on a rampage the moment something catches her eye."

Arisu widened her eyes, looking at Daisuke. He was still looking outside the window, not catching her eye.

"What can you do even if you knew that?"

Daisuke's attitude was cold.

"Since you know that Kasuou is a member of the team, can you also find out from where are they heading to Higano City?"

Daisuke didn't respond to Arisu's question.

However—

The taciturn boy didn't deny it either.

Part 4

Under the clear sky, Arisu inquired Kusuriya Daisuke who stood next to her.

"Hey, what's wrong? I was sure you'd be much angrier. You're being awfully kind."

The pitch-black long coat the boy wore fluttered in the wind.

Since there was no cover around, the sudden gale hit their bodies directly.

There was nothing below the metal beam Arisu was sitting on. Only a large river flowed underneath.

A lump of steel passed through along with a rumble.

The gust of wind pounded Arisu and Daisuke.

"Because I can never tell what you're trying to do. Since I don't know your goal, I can only keep monitoring."

He didn't just have his long coat. The boy's face was covered by large goggles, and his right hand grasped a large automatic pistol. He was fully equipped.

—Arisu was sitting above the river connecting Akamaki City and Higano City.

They were on the metal rails spread around the metal bridge.

A scheduled train passed behind them as they hid behind an iron pole.

"Then why did you let Rinka-san get away?"

"She simply ran away while I wasn't paying attention. I'll capture her again."

"She won't be punished later, right?"

"…I'll let her get away just this once."

As if in reaction to something, Daisuke turned to the side. In his line of sight—in the direction of Akamaki City, he could see a few figures running on the rails.

"It's because I'm also waiting for the return of someone who became all alone…"

"…?"

Arisu tilted her head, having no idea who he was talking about. Yet as she confirmed the oncoming figures, she rose. In her right hand held an object she had brought from home, a stick for training use—a staff.

Rushing through the passage for workers were people cladded in white coat. The color and small details of the design were different, but they resembled Daisuke's battle uniform.

Arisu and Daisuke revealed themselves from behind the iron pole, blocking the passage.

"…!"

The people cladded in white—the members of Central Headquarters all stopped in place, surprised.

"W-who are you?"

"Ah? Isn't it Kakkou? What're you doing here."

The one at the back of the line raised their voice.

Her face was concealed by goggles, but due to her high voice and blonde hair it was obvious that she was Kasuou. Hearing the name of Kakkou, a disturbance spread through the members.

"We're going on a walk!"

Arisu declared, puffing her chest.

The disturbance changed to silence for an instant.

"Hmm, you seem to be taking a walk in a really weird place… As if, are you an idiot?! As if anyone would come here for a walk all geared up!"

"We're here! You're in the way, so go someplace else!"

"I-in the way…? You're the ones in the way. If you won't move—"

"If we won't move then what will you do?"

Daisuke's low voice caused the members' faces to stiffen. Arisu pointed her finger at them with exaggerated acting.

"Coming here and picking up a fight with us, it means you're all… Harukiyo's comrades!"

"…Huh?"

Kasuou raised a silly-sounding voice.

"I mean, he has someone with the ability to transform, right? You're impersonating the SEPB to make us lower our guard and attack us! That's obvious."

"Hey now, that couldn't possibly be true. If they were Harukiyo's group…"

Daisuke looked at Kasuou in detachment.

"Then we'd have to fight, right?"

Kasuou twitched. Slowly, a smile rose to the girl's mouth.

"W-what are you saying?"

"—Hey, aren't you bastards actually Harukiyo's comrades instead?"

Interrupting her team members' voices, Kasuou's laughing voice resounded on the bridge.

"K-Kasuou? Stay silent! Your orders are to not make any move until—"

"Orders? Hah, orders you say?"

Black mist appeared around Kasuou's body. The other members were intimidated and flinched.

"There're guys trying to pick up a fight in front of me. I don't understand why and I have no clue what they're thinking about, but since they're showing hostility doesn't that make them our enemy?"

"We have no time to fight! The time is already…!"

"I don't care. If you want to, go on yourselves."

No sooner than she said this, Kasuou leapt at Daisuke. A part of the mist enveloping her morphed into claws, swinging down at Daisuke's head.

"The first ones to raise a hand were the Central Headquarters."

As the boy smiled, a green Cleridae alighted on his shoulder. It explosively transformed into feelers, fusing with Daisuke's body and handgun.

Perhaps sensing Kasuou's hostility, the Morpho butterfly also alighted by Arisu's side.

It fused with the staff she was holding, becoming a silver spear.

Daisuke, becoming one with the Cleridae, shook off Kasuou's pursuing mist claws using his entire body's strength.

The claws broke down loudly. The part of Kasuou's Mushi that returned to mist was pounded against the river below.

A column of water large enough to reach the bridge rose up.

"Take this!"

Leaping over Daisuke who just repelled Kasuou's attack, Arisu flashed her silver spear to the side.

The scales shining in silver blew violently.

"You're surprisingly working smoothly together, aren'tcha!"

Wriggling the claws of mist, Kasuou climbed on top of the bridge and ran into air.

The silver scales scraping Kasuou and the Central Headquarters members cut the large column of water into two. A spray of water splashed all over Arisu and Daisuke.

"Leave me behind and go ahead. But I'm not taking responsibility if any stray bullets hit you."

Completely entering battle mode, Kasuou glared at her comrades.

Seeing this extraordinary destructive power, the people in white coats apparently lost their fighting spirits. Completely stunned, they couldn't move even one step away from the spot.

"It's that train."

Putting herself on guard while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Daisuke, Arisu looked at the other side of the members.

There was a train headed for their location far away on the rails.

Preparing his handgun, Daisuke nodded.

"Yeah. —More importantly, have you thought about how to stop her after this?"

Shrouded in black mist, Kasuou slowly closed the gap between her and the two.

Up until provoking Kasuou to buy time, everything went according to plan.

Yet the girl in front of them didn't seem likely to stop fighting at this point.

"It's obvious."

Arisu nodded confidently.

"I haven't given it any thought!"

The vibration of railway track masked Daisuke's sigh.

Part 5

Standing in front of the Higano City station, Kusakabe Rinka was unable to calm down.

All of the passersby overflowing through the rotary seemed to her like they were the SEPB monitors sent to capture her.

She walked back and forth from where she could see the ticket gates.

"Au, uu…"

Becoming afraid, she hid behind a vending machine. Yet, when threatened by its previous inhabitant, a stray cat, she was chased back to the street.

"What am I going to do if the SEPB finds me… They'll be really angry at me, right? Never mind being angry, will they turn me into a Fallen? What am I going to do…"

Muttering while walking around, Rinka's feet stopped in place.

—It's fine, leave it to us.

Although Rinka was scared, Arisu smiled at her and said this.

Arisu's eyes were powerful, and they lacked any hesitation.

"…"

Rinka raised her face.

Deciding to believe in the girl called Arisu, her fear mysteriously vanished.

What pushed it aside instead was anxiousness.

Does her childhood friend even remember her?

Even if he did, did he not thought of her as a bother?

When she come to greet him, will she end up speaking all flustered like she always did?

—Just say what you want to tell him.

His chilly attitude towards her hasn't changed, but Kakkou told her this.

Kakkou. When she had been pursued by a Mushitsuki capturing team and driven all the way to Ouka City, he had offered her to join the SEPB. For him it was probably a mere whim, but thanks to that she was here now.

She was able to wait for her childhood friend.

Tomorrow she would have probably already been captured and restrained in the Central Headquarters.

But she was not scared anymore.

"…It's fine, I'm not scared anymore."

She spoke towards Arisu and Kakkou who weren't there.

The train coming from Akamaki City arrived at the platform.

After waiting for a while, she could see the figure of a boy come out of the ticket gates.

He held large luggage in both arms, looking over the townscape of Higano City.

"Let me carry one."

Rinka approached the boy, calling to him.

As he turned around in surprise, Rinka gave him the widest smile she could muster.

"Welcome back."

The boy stood in place, eyes still opened wide.

However, he soon smiled back to her.

"I'm back."

Notes

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