Even up till now, my memory still remained fresh.
It was an incident that happened one year ago.
The memory of the time when my good friend, Hanashiro Mari, was still alive.
“…Yeah, I knew about it.”
Outside the sick ward, Arisu could hear these words. She knew Mari was talking to someone, but she was unable to hear the other party’s voice; it sounded as though she was talking to herself.
“Arisu is a very kind person, that is why my dream will ……”
Arisu pushed open the door to the sick ward.
The morning sight before her was so dazzling that she instinctively covered her eyes.
“Arisu.”
The scenery of that moment, Arisu would probably never forget in her life.
Silver wings were spreading outward from the back of the girl who was lying in bed with her rear facing the sun. They were the tiny wings of an out-of-season Morpho butterfly.
[TL note: - Link - the insect that mushi was based on. Morpho Patroclus to be exact.]
There was not a soul in sight besides Mari inside the room. Although it was a bit unbelievable, but to Arisu right now, nothing was more important than her putting on a smile in front of her. Even if there was only one second remaining, even if there was only a short instant, Arisu didn’t want to waste any time that she could spend with Mari.
“Hey Arisu, can you listen to what I want to say, I……”
Mari slightly narrowed her eyes and said softly. The silver Morpho butterfly on her shoulder started beating its wings and took flight.
~ 1 ~
These kinds of rumors spread like wildfire.
The (Mushi) issue had already gone far beyond the limits of a rumor. Another issue that was often associated with the (Mushi), was a government agency called the “Special Environmental Preservation Bureau”. Even though the only response from the government to the public was that the organization was only a group that dealt with the issues regarding living environments……
“Please, do not disclose this to anyone else……What’s the matter? It’s alright if it was just Takako, but Arisu, why are you also giving me such an expression?
“Ah……”
When Arisu came back to her senses, her eyes were wide open just like Takako’s. Ena seemed to have misunderstood that they were afraid.
“Ah don’t worry about it, I am sorry for forgetting that Arisu is also a girl…...Ouch!”
“Ohoho~that’s right. Even I, who seems bigger than average girls, am still a weak girl!”
Arisu rubbed her fists against Ena’s temples as she noticed Takako’s weird expression.
“Er…erm. I ……”
“Takako?”
“I-I saw a weird person… in… inside the school……”
“Really?”
Because of the shock, Arisu and Ena couldn’t help but raise their voices. Takako honestly nodded.
“A weird one, what kind of person was he?”
“Ah, he was…a big and scary looking male, around-around…middle aged……”
“Say, isn’t that bad if it’s true? Maybe those guys…are Mushitsuki?”
Facing the serious expression that Takako had, Ena couldn’t help but become serious as well.
Mushitsuki ---
Arisu tightened her fist silently.
“Weird guy…… Mushitsuki …… ”
Later afterwards, they heard the news from their homeroom teacher about a male student from the same year being sent to hospital due to serious injuries during the morning’s homeroom period.
The boy was about the same age as Arisu, his height was about the same as other guys around his age, and there was nothing strange about his looks. But taking Takako's words under consideration, even if the situation was sudden, she could drop her guard against someone she didn't know. Coming from the cellphone held in the boy’s hand, an electronic reminder of ‘the signal is not available’ could be heard. “You, what’s your name?”
“Eh…?”
Maybe he still didn’t understand what just happened, the boy got up with a lost expression on his face.
“I told you to stop moving, didn’t you hear me!”
“Ah!”
One end of the pole hit the head of the boy lightly.
“Listen up; you only need to answer my questions. No other action is allowed besides that!”
Arisu said that with a determined expression. Maybe he was displeased by her treatment; the boy’s face was filled with anger but remained silent.
“What is your name?”
Arisu asked once more. The boy negatively moved his gaze; this action simply looked no different from a kid in his rebellious phase.
“If you want to ask someone for his name, shouldn’t you be the one that……Ow!”
“I don’t recall me dropping to the level of a suspicious figure. Come on, say it!”
“Don’t want to.”
“……………”
“Ouch! C-Cut it out! Stop!”
“………Whatever, it’s fine. Since I have no interest in your name anyway.”
Arisu waved the pole in front of the boy’s face, and changed the question.
“Next question, who exactly are you? It’s class time right now, so what are you doing here?”
“………I’m not doing anything, I only wandered around after skipping class, ended up being-------“
“Are you a student from this school?”
“Of course, look, I even have the student handbook right here.”
The boy took out the student handbook from his pocket, and opened it for Arisu to see. There was a red card inside the student handbook. In this school with tight security, entry cards were closely monitored during entry and exit. If one wanted to enter into the school, they must first scan their card in the designated machines. The entry and exit of the students and teachers had to be registered for management of security.
But Arisu looked at it once, and stared at the boy.
“That’s a fake!”
“Eh? How can that be?”
“The real card is yellow. Isn’t that one red?”
“Eh?”
The boy went to check his handbook on instinct; this action compromised his identity to Arisu. The color of the card should have originally been red.
“……..I knew it; you aren’t a student from this school.”
The boy realized the fact that he had been cheated, and was wrapping his hands around his head.
“This childish prank……” the boy seems to have started loathing himself.
“What were you doing in this place?! Answer me!”
“It has nothing to do with you right?”
Looking at the expression of the boy who seemed to want to rebel to the end, Arisu really felt like knocking his brain, but took a deep breath and restrained herself.
“Well then, one last question.”
Arisu took a quick breath, and asked on,
“You, are you a Mushitsuki?”
“………!”
The expression of the boy clearly changed.
Seeing his abnormal reaction, Arisu blinked her eyes, her heart started beating faster.
“Re-really…….? You really are a Mushitsuki?”
In the next instant, the boy suddenly took action.
Taking advantage of the instant when Arisu was stunned, the boy pushed away the pole. Arisu could not help but let out an “Ah!” cry, the boy rolled towards the back in a straight line, and stood from the floor.
Arisu and the boy exchanged stares on equal ground. She tried her best to calm down her heart, and took up a stance once again with her pole.
“The incident yesterday, was it caused by you also?”
Arisu was very sure of it. Judging by the actions of the boy earlier, he knew that he was no ordinary person.
“………"
The boy’s face took a strange change as he looked at Arisu. It was completely different from the rebellious and childlike expression he had before.
“The boy who just happened to be at the scene yesterday, said he saw a (Mushi).“
To prevent herself from being overwhelmed by the other party’s presence, Arisu raised her voice and continued in a serious voice,
“And according to my friend, someone strange was spotted in the school. A scary big looking…middle aged…wait a sec…you don’t even look….eh?”
“Hmph!”
The boy gave a sarcastic smile.
“I am a Mushitsuki, and the one who injured the students here was also me.”
“………!”
“--- If I were to say those words, what would you intend to do?”
Arisu took in a breath.
“Do you think that this pole here is enough to punish evil?”
Being stared at with such a cold gaze, Arisu couldn’t help but bite her lip.
“Of-of course not!”
“Then, what is it?”
“It’s because……I have something that I want to know.”
Arisu looked down with downcast eyes, and said softly:
“Meeting a Mushitsuki, there are a few things that I want to confirm no matter what. That’s why I’m looking for Mushitsuki, ever since a year ago. I’ve been……”
The boy remained silent, but suddenly said a line in a cold voice.
“You actually believe that something like a “Mushitsuki" really exists?”
“Of course!”
“If they really did exist, then you would end up being killed by a Mushi, or taken away by those scary people.”
“Scary people?”
“The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau…...”
The boy said softly. Arisu couldn’t help but tilt her head.
The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. Arisu only knew that this organization was an agency that took in complaints dealing with Mushitsuki and (Mushi); nothing else beyond that. But in the past, she did hear it from the rumor-loving Ena.
The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau…... Which was also known as SEPB. It’s been said that they hide Mushitsuki, and use Mushitsuki to capture other Mushitsuki------
“Whose side are you on?”
The words of the boy caused Arisu to return to her senses.
“If you were to continue this half assed way of thinking, I advise you to give up right now for your own good.”
“It’s not a half assed thought! Even if I have to put my life on the line, I must find the Mushitsuki.”
“A sheltered little miss like you, what do you even know?”
The boy mocked.
"Even in such a stupid world, there are people who want to live on, even if they have to sacrifice others in order to do so. There are also those of don't want to be sacrificed and merely live their lives in hiding... It's just that... Those who want to live on despite being hated... despite their hands being tainted— are even more in number. A person who believes that it is acceptable to die... their deaths have no value at all."
The boy’s voice was full of a deep hatred, as if he was full of anger towards everything in this world. Arisu was overwhelmed by his presence and obediently kept quiet. The boy gave a snicker, and turned once more, preparing to leave.
“……..If it’s you, you probably wouldn’t get it I guess.”
Arisu suddenly said.
"No matter how much one wants to live on, in the end, they are unable to escape the destiny that is death; so they can only pass on their dream onto others and silently pass away... there are people like that as well."
“………”
“Those, who have been entrusted with their dreams, have a unavoidable responsibility up till the very end towards that person.”
“…...That kind of thing, even if you don’t say it ---“
As if he remembered about something, the boy gave an angry look.
Just after this.
A scream came out of nowhere. ~ 3 ~
Arisu turned her head around, and saw a girl was narrowing her eyes, standing before her.
“That…..was a woman. No, regarding whether she was even human, I am not sure of it……”
Inside the taxi that was speeding through the streets, Kujyou Takako said it lightly with her head down.
The scene that Takako witnessed was just like this.
--- Hey, could you tell me your dream?
Takako could vaguely hear the voice of a woman.
The location was in that wide garden inside Harimoto Jyun’s place that Takako was about to enter.
Harimoto Jyun’s place planted a lot of herbs and popper, there was a mild fragrance surrounding the garden regardless of whether it was morning or night. But in that instant, the fragrance seemed to have disappeared completely, even the voice was gone.
Jyun was standing in the center of the garden.
A tall woman seemed be almost blocking Harimoto Jyun, and was whispering something in his ear. Takako saw that she was wearing a dark red coat, and had a pair of round sunglasses on.
-----You don’t need to hold back anymore. Now then, please tell me, what are you thinking of doing right now?
Takako could hear the lady telling Jyun this.
----I……I…….
At the side of the boy whispering in a low voice, a strange black object was slowly appearing. It seemed to be painfully and joyfully vibrating and changing its appearance, in a part of the strange of object, the legs of an insect materialized.
The gaze of the woman with a pair round sunglasses changed; Takako could see that there was an incredible light hidden in her eyes.
Fear caused Takako to flee from that place ---
“It was an incident…..that happened the day before.”
Takako was trembling as she said it.
“That means it was that woman who turned Harimoto-kun into a Mushitsuki?”
Hearing Arisu’s question who was sitting next to her, Takako’s shoulder shuddered lightly; maybe it was the fear towards the name “Mushitsuki”.
Harimoto Jyun and Takako were childhood friends that were very close like, brother and sister. The two families had traced back a long time, deep and strong relationships with one another, and naturally, there were many chances to meet up between the two. Both Arisu and Ena knew that.
“I……cannot believe everything that I saw that time… No, it was that I refused to accept it.”
“……”
“Listening to the words that Ena said earlier, I was shocked. Jyun he… Although I did not witness it myself, I heard rumors of him being bullied badly during club activities. Could it be that he --- When I thought of it, I felt that I really need to help him no matter what……”
Then that scary male was also a lie… I should have noticed it earlier, knowing that Takako was not good at telling lies.
“Jyun must really be in pain…… but he isn’t able to ask anyone for help….causing it to be even more painful to him…… and yet, he was saved by that kind of abnormal thing……”
Arisu silently clenched her fists.
The beings that was capable of giving birth to Mushitsuki.
“Because of that person, Mushitsuki appeared……”
The reason why Arisu was always searching for Mushitsuki.
Mushitsuki, what exactly are ---
Arisu gritted her teeth as a new doubt appeared in her heart. If what Takako said was true, then who exactly was that boy in the black coat? At least, she could confirm that he was definitely no ordinary human.
The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.
The words of the boy flashed though her mind.
Is there a connection between him and this matter?
The taxi stopped.
After paying, the two got out of the car.
“Is Harimoto-kun really here?”
“……Right before this place underwent construction, we would often sneak in to play. We used to think that this place would be a good hideout where nobody would be able to find us until it was completed.”
A giant high rise building with its rear facing the sun, stood in front of Arisu and Takako. This was a U shaped building that was inside the development area near the coastline. The building project was invested by the company that Takako’s father owned; it was to be the starting point for the entire street that people looked forward to.
In some parts of the large floor, which was expected to be up and running after a few months, some lights were brightly glowing. Inside the empty space in the middle of the "U", was a giant sphere-like which seemed to house the facilities used for an observatory.
A barbed wire fence surrounding the area, appeared to have a part of it destroyed, and footprints still remained in the freshly laid asphalt.
“Bingo! Let’s go.”
Just when Arisu was about to signal forward, Takako suddenly held onto her hand.
“That……..Why, Arisu you…….? What about….the police……..”
“You want to inform the police?”
Takako thought about it, and immediately shook her head. Arisu smiled.
“That’s why, just me alone will be enough. I also want to meet him and confirm a few issues with him.”
“Confirm a few…..issues?”
“The so call Mushitsuki, what exactly are they?”
Arisu suddenly started laughing after saying that while Takako was still staring blankly.
“You guys will just be a hindrance, just stay here!”
A voice suddenly came from the side, Arisu and Takako both looked back in a shock.
“You…….”
The boy wearing a long pitch black coat was standing there silently.
“If you want to be such a busybody, you’ll end up with more than a few bruises and cuts.”
The boy covering his face with the big goggles said that coldly, and walked past the two.
Arisu suddenly stretched out her hand, and grabbed on to the boy’s wrist.
“You were following us!”
“………”
“How do you intend on dealing with Harimoto-kun? Could it be, you intend on kill ---“
Takako’s expression turned pale the moment she heard Arisu’s words.
“I don’t intend on killing him. All I need to do is kill his (Mushi), and turn him into a Fallen.”
“……Fallen?”
“People who have lost their dreams and emotions …..It's better than being killed by his own (Mushi) after having his dreams completely devoured. After he’s turned into a Fallen, we will then move him to an isolation facility.”
“You……who exactly are you?”
Despite being asked by Arisu, the boy continued to remain silent. He forcefully shook away the hand that was holding on to his wrist, and prepared to jump over the fence.
Suddenly, a figure sprung upon the boy. It was Takako. She desperately clung onto the boy, and shouted.
“Now, Arisu……!”
“Nice! Thanks Takako!”
Taking chance of the boy being distracted, Arisu crossed the destroyed fence. Hearing the clicking sound from the boy’s tongue, Arisu ran straight towards the building.
Following the light, she could immediately see the main entrance. Arisu ran inside without any hesitation.
It was dark inside the building. The sunlight that was projected into the room only illuminated one section of the spacious room.
If she wanted to talk to Jyun, then she had to find him before the boy did. Arisu surveyed her surroundings, trying to look for Jyun’s figure.
But, she couldn’t sense any signs of anybody inside the room.
Arisu couldn’t help but feel more anxious. It sure was a spacious place, big enough for one to boast, just looking around like this made the chance of finding him even slimmer.
A Morpho butterfly glowing with a silver light gently floated in front of Arisu.
“Mari………”
The Morpho butterfly flew above Arisu’s head a few times, before flying towards the deeper part of the building.
“……”
Arisu took a deep breath, and calmed down her uneasy feeling; she chose a metal pipe among those that were lying at the entrance and held it tightly.
Following behind the Morpho butterfly, Arisu finally reached the tenth floor of the building.
The breathless Arisu, could hear voices from within the deep parts of the building floor.
“Who is it……?”
The voice caused Arisu to tense up.
Arisu carefully walked forward, and saw this sight after turning at the corner:
Perhaps they were prepared by the company for a certain purpose, there were many office supplies scattered on the floor. And next to a desk, a boy was standing still; it was Harimoto Jyun.
However, what Arisu was staring at was not Harimoto, but rather the unusual creature that was lying horizontally on the desk like it was its nest beside him.
It stretched out its horn, and its eight legs were fumbling about.
There was a black shine on its shell; it looked a bit like a beetle.
But its massive size was about three times that of Harimoto.
This is the, (Mushi)---?
Arisu started breaking into a cold sweat.
“Hello, Harimoto-kun. I am Ichinose Arisu, a friend of Takako’s, do you still remember?”
“….Takako’s?”
Jyun said softly. The sun shone on his face; Arisu saw the boy’s cold stare, and suddenly felt a cold chill inside her heart.
“What did that person’s friend come here for………?”
“To stop you of course. Although I don’t know about your plan for revenge, haven’t you had enough? Takako is also worried about you.”
“….Hmph!”
The boy gave a low laugh; the (Mushi) at his side started to get up slowly.
“Too bad, there’s still three more people.”“Lame!”
“….What did you just say?”
“If you really want revenge, you should do it with your own hands! Commanding this thing to harm others, does that satisfy you? This only shows how weak you are!”
Arisu said it mercilessly without hesitation.
"You... don't tell me you've become a Mushitsuki for the sake of this boring vengeance? Since you've become a Mushitsuki, it proves that you have a dream right?"
“Don’t tell me that you actually believe that everyone’s dreams are beautiful?”
Jyun suddenly laughed in a low voice.
Arisu couldn’t help but hold her breath. The boy’s smile was filled with a hatred that caused people to tremble before it.
This guy is different ---
Arisu suddenly realized.
This person and the Mushitsuki that I met before are completely different ---
Arisu had once met a Mushitsuki in the past; that person was completely different from the boy before her, it was a person who always had a warm smile on her face.
“Get rid of her!”
The (Mushi) obeyed the boy’s command and lunged towards Arisu.
Arisu came back to her senses, and held the metal pipe in her hand.
Her hands were sweaty. Arisu didn’t think that the metal pipe in her hand alone would be enough to repel the giant (Mushi). She had to think of a way to get past the (Mushi), and knock out Harimoto Jyun --- Although she didn’t know what would happen to the (Mushi) after the host became unconscious, however, there was no other choice.
“Ha!”
The metal pipe clashed with one of the legs of the (Mushi), the petite Arisu was unable to withstand such an intense impact, and was sent flying backwards.
Even so, Arisu moved her body to prevent herself from being hurt, but the giant incisors of the (Mushi) were already coming closer.
“Take this!”
Arisu spun her body to the back, and slammed down hard on the (Mushi)'s head. A numbing feeling like one felt after hitting a rock came, causing Arisu’s arms to go numb.
The (Mushi) stared at Arisu, and raised one foot to launch an attack. Arisu’s body instinctively moved forward and narrowly escaped through the crack between the (Mushi) and the floor.
After rolling to a standing position, Arisu continued to charge towards Harimoto Jyun relentlessly.
“Ugh…!”
The boy seemed to be a bit afraid. But in the next instant, the ear shattering roar of the (Mushi) rang throughout the floor.
A strong gust flew, and the office supplies lying around the place including Arisu was blown away.
“Ke ---“
The glass was shattered on the ground as the desk that was sent flying hurled towards Arisu. Arisu slipped on the floor, and fell into the interior of the floor.
“Ah……ah……”
Even so, Arisu still held onto the metal pipe; this was almost a miracle.
Her whole body was aching from pain; she wanted to get up but her legs were shaking and couldn’t stand up no matter how much she tried.
Arisu used the metal pipe to stand and raised her head, the (Mushi) was coming towards her once more.
Just like a slow motion playback of a video, the (Mushi) was approaching her step by step; the image of the (Mushi)'s incisors were clearly burned into her retinas.
--- Mari ---
An intense blast of cannon fire that did not match sound of a shot fired from a revolver rang out.
The center of the “U” shaped building, the rooftop of the observatory sphere was blown apart.
Before her screams could come out, the intense impact and deafening sound engulfed Arisu.
“…Ugh…”
A painful groan came into Arisu’s ears.
All of a sudden, the impact completely stopped. Maybe it was the instant when she passed out.
Arisu's tightly shut eyes slowly started to open.
This is the --- the place where the observatory area was supposed to be right?
The rooftop was completely overturned, the glass windows were shattered onto the floor, and the laser lights placed on the observatory area were all wrecked.
At that moment, Arisu remembered that the reason she escaped death was because someone grabbed onto her at the last second, and quickly looked up.
The boy had a completely displeased face as he stared at Arisu.
It seemed that he got injured in order to protect Arisu. The boy’s long coat was already torn beyond recognition, and there were cracks on the lens of the goggles covering his face.
“How did I end up like this…… Damn it…”
The tentacles wrapping around the boy gradually retracted from his body, and slowly turned into a green colored (Mushi).
This guy was indeed a Mushitsu