Epilogue: Another Promise.
โAre you really okay with this?โ asked Maihime.
Hotaru nodded. She was sitting in a chair in the old park near the ocean they used to go when they were children while Maihime was standing right behind her, getting close enough that their shadows were intertwined as one.
โOkay then, here I go!โ said Maihime. She nervously raised a pair of scissors up to Hotaruโs bangs.
Now that she had some recreational time, Hotaru wanted to have her hair cut in the perfect place she could think of. Twenty nine years ago, she made a promise with Maihime at this very park. She couldnโt help but stare out into the ocean as Maihime cut her hair.
The view never changed, and probably never will.
โYou know, I heard Mari woke up yesterday night,โ said Maihime.
Hotaru stayed silent for a few moments before replying with, โI seeโฆ and the Administration Bureau?โ
โNothing yet.โ
Hotaru sighed. Luckily, Maihime had gotten the gist of her question, so she didnโt need to explain further.
โIn any case,โ said Hotaru. โIโm no longer with them, so Iโm gonna stay here. What about you?โ
โSame. I really donโt feel like going inlandโฆ I stayed here to wait for you, but now I have a whole city to protect.โ
โI seeโฆโ Hotaru replied yet again, but this time in a faint whisper. โItโs hard to believe that Marika didnโt get any punishment yet from them, even with everything sheโd done.โ
โYeahโฆโ
โWhich makes it all the more possible that she could get into an โaccidentโ and die there if we sent her to them.โ
Maihime nodded in agreement. โHey Hotaru, can I ask you something?โ
โWhat is it?โ
โWhat if we had just let her die yesterday?โ
Hotaru didnโt answer right off the bat because the same thought had also crossed her mind. As Marika said herself, it wouldnโt have been unusual for students to be killed by the [Unknown]. With her gone, the Bureau loses yet another important agent in Kanagawa to threaten them.
โWhat do you think, Hime? She might come for you again.โ
โYeah, thatโd be troublesomeโฆ but in the end I guess I didnโt want her to die. Weโre all survivors of this war, after all.โ
โYou really are strong, Hime.โ
โNo Iโm not!โ laughed Maihime.
She continued to clip Hotaruโs hair bit by bit as the two enjoyed the scenery around them. If they didnโt know any better, they might as well still have been in the past before everything began. After all, ever since they had awoken from their slumber, Maihime had been protecting this very place in hopes that Hotaru would come back.
โIโm sorry, Hime,โ said Hotaru. She knew the huge burden Maihime had carried on her little shoulders.
โHuh? For what?โ
โI made you wait all this timeโฆโ
โItโs okay! I promised, right?โ
Maihime smiled the brightest she had ever smiled. Seeing her in that carefree state made Hotaru smile as well.
After about an hour, Maihime finally finished.
โAlright, done!โ she exclaimed, putting the finishing touches on Hotaruโs hair.
Hotaru stood up, turned around, and said, โSo, how do I look?โ
โPerfect! It fits you so wellโฆ Youโve become more like Hotaru, if that makes any sense.โ
โIt doesnโtโฆโ Hotaru tried to keep a straight face but couldnโt help cracking up, which caused Maihime to do the same.
โWelcome back, Hotaru.โ
โGlad to be back.โ
They continued to savor the moment by staring at each other for a while longer.
โYou know, it still feels really weird,โ said Hotaru. โWe met each other almost a month agoโฆโ
โYeahโฆโ
Hotaru paused for a brief moment to compose herself before continuing. โHey Himeโฆโ
โWhat is it?โ
โI have another promise to make.โ
โAnother?โ
โI promise to become your right hand woman forever. Iโll come to your aid whenever necessary, and stay by your side forever and ever.โ
โHotaru, you donโt have to do thatโฆโ replied Maihime, but Hotaru stuck out her pinky anyway.
With a timid laugh of her own, Maihime completed their new pinky promise.
โ
Marika had already been thrown in Kanagawaโs detention facility before the day was even over. It wasnโt the exact same room as the one Kurisu had been detained in, but the room was similar enough in that it had nothing but a toilet in it. She had just been in here for a bit, but she was beginning to understand the boredom Kurisu had been complaining about.
However, Marika couldnโt stop thinking about Hotaruโฆ and Maihime. Even now, she still loved Hotaru. That fact hadnโt changed ever since she assumed her identity ten years ago and she never regretted it one bit. She couldnโt help but remember fondly on all the missions they did together until she couldnโt hide her secret any more.
Shino returned to being Hotaru, and as a result, she returned to being Marika. Even worse, Hotaru bluntly stated that she hated her and somehow she ended up being saved by Maihime.
She wondered why Maihime would do such a thingโฆ even after all the things she had done to her, Maihime still chose to forgive. In any case, she no longer wanted her to die. Perhaps it was a sense of awe and wonder at Maihimeโs actions that caused her sudden change of emotion. Perhaps not. Regardless of what she did, Marika still hated her guts. Or did she? She couldnโt tell anymore.
There was one thing she knew for certain, though. No matter what she did, she could never get in between Maihime and Hotaru. She remembered the beautiful smile Hotaru gave to Maihime on the battlefield.
โUghโฆ.โ She plopped down on her bed. โShe didnโt even show me that once in the past ten yearsโฆโ
She frowned, but the suddenly click of the steel door unlocking soon caught her attention.
โHuh? The Administrationโs here for me already?โ she said grumpily. โThatโs faster than I thoughtโฆโ
Well, now that she thought about it, it wasnโt too strange. Yes, she was being disposed faster than Kurisu was, but she was an agent of the Bureau. By now, her boss Kanaya was probably freed from her [World], so the Bureau probably wanted to take care of her as soon as possible to avoid any unnecessary leaks.
Marika didnโt really want to think about how they would kill her. Still, no one seemed to come in even with the door open. Marika eyed it suspiciously as she got up from her bed. She couldnโt see anyone outside.
โHey!โ someone suddenly shouted right in her ear.
โWoah!โ Marika jumped back in shock.
โAhahaha!โ said Kurisu, appearing out of nowhere. โThat was a pretty cute squeal you just did.โ
โYou!โ
โSup, Hotaruโฆ wait, no. Marika?โ she replied jokingly.
Marika patted her chest in an effort to calm herself down before continuing. โWhy are you hereโฆโ she said. โWerenโt you caught too?โ
โDonโt be ridiculous. How could they catch me when I can go invisible in the midst of all those unconscious students, [Unknowns], and god-knows-what that were out there at that park?โ
She wasnโt wrong. Even Maihime would have a hard time catching her if she turned invisible and ran away.
โSo if youโre so great, why did you come visit the lowly me? I donโt feel like talking to anyone right now, you knowโฆโ
โHey donโt take it out on me just cuz you had your heart broken.โ
Marika glared back at her, but Kurisu wasnโt necessarily wrong so she couldnโt say anything back at her.
Kurisu shrugged. โI just came to return a favor. You probably werenโt doing it for my sake, but you did bust me out once before, so I thought Iโd do the same to you and let you go free.โ
โWhat about you? What are you planning to do?โ
โMe? Hmmโฆ I obviously canโt stay here or go back to Tokyo for that matter, so maybe Iโll head to Chiba. Who knows? I might end up in a completely different place altogether. Thereโs a lot more cities in this country, right?โ she said and then grinned. โWait. You donโt want to come with me, do you? Iโm cool with it actually. You donโt seem to have any friends, so Iโll be your first one. We are fellow Maihime rejects, after all.โ
She ended by reaching out her hand for a handshake, but Marika just eyed her suspiciously.
โWhy me?โ she asked.
โWith your [World] by my side, I could live wherever I want however I want,โ replied Kurisu.
โWow you sure are blatant about thatโฆโ Marika paused for a few seconds before busting out a laugh. โBut I guess youโre right. It would be pretty fun to have your [World] at my disposal, too.โ
Marika went for the handshake until Kurisu quickly withdrew her hand.
โWhat was that for?โ
โNo, itโs just that I remembered itโd be bad if you touched meโฆ you know.โ
Marika sighed. โYouโre awfully careful for someone who wanted to be my friend just nowโฆโ
โThatโs a separate matter. This is different.โ
โFine. Just know that Iโll be able to touch you all I want in your sleep, then.โ
โThatโs kinda hot actuallyโฆ But hey, all I have to do is turn invisible first before I sleep, right?โ
โYou sure do.โ
The two left the room together while still eyeing each other suspiciously.
โ
Now that they were finished, Hotaru and Maihime started to walk back to the city.
โBy the way, Himeโฆโ
โWhat is it?โ
โThis blade,โ said Hotaru, taking out her black katana and showing it to her. โYou said you made it, so did you give it a name?โ
โOh, I havenโt told you yet! I certainly did,โ she replied. In an exaggerated fashion she puffed her chest out and struck a pose. โThat blade is like the brightest star in the night sky, the one that strikes fear in all enemies alike: The Shining Blade of The Red Star and Maihime!โ
โThe Shining Blade of the Red Starโฆ and Maihime?โ
โThat is correct. All sword names need to have the person who made it, right? But including everyone from that department is a bitโฆ Well, Iโm the one who made it! They were really helpful, thoughโฆ Still, itโs okay, right?โ
Hotaru couldnโt help but crack a laugh.
โIs thatโฆ a no?โ
โNo, no, definitely not,โ replied Hotaru. โItโs just a huge weight to carry when you stick your name on it like that. How could I ever face you again if I lost and disgraced your name?โ
โYouโre thinking to much into itโฆโ chuckled Maihime.
As they continued to walk, they suddenly saw Ginko, Zakuro, and Aoi coming from the opposite side.
โHey!โ Ginko called out to them.
Zakuro followed up with her own greetings. โHowโs it going Maihime and Shino wait no Hotaru.โ
Unlike the other two, Aoi was incredibly flustered. โFinally! I was looking for you guys!โ
โWhatโs going on, Aoi?โ
โItโs bad! Marika escaped! Sheโs gone!โ
โSay what?โ Hotaru.
โIt seems like Kurisu helped her escape. I also got a report of a missing vehicleโฆ so they probably used that after they got out!โ
Hotaru and Maihime instinctively turned to look at each other and both burst out laughing.
โWhatโs so funny you two?โ asked Zakuro.
โAh, itโs nothing. Sorry,โ said Maihime.
โYeah, my bad. I just thought it was kind of funny.โ
Their responses just made the others even more confused, but Ginko cut straight to the chase.
โIn any case,โ she said, โthis is serious! Letโs getโโ
Her words were cut short by the all too familiar siren that indicated [Unknowns] were coming.
โWhy now of all times?!?!โ she finished in frustration.
โHurry, weโve got to get ready!โ shouted Aoi.
โCalm down, everyone,โ said Maihime, clapping her hands once to get their attention. โYou all know what to do. Go, this isnโt anything new!โ
โYes, maโam!โ they said with a salute. They were gone in an instant, leaving Hotaru and Maihime behind.
โShould we go too, Hime?โ
โYes, letโs do it,โ nodded Maihime. Her lips slowly curled up into a smile before she said one last thing.
Letโs go save the world one more time.