Mushi to Medama

About this… She was an intriguing girl. Should we say that an aura of discord is condensed upon her, or that she resembled the part that spells "trouble" when people say the phrase ‘let’s stir up some trouble’? She was about ten years old, or perhaps a bit older, and looked as if she was in elementary school.

She seemed innocent and spoke in a clear voice, how should one describe it...? — It was as though her entire self radiated a joyful light, like any other grade-schooler.

That’s right, she was a grade-schooler.

A grade-schooler missing her two arms.

It was not fate or anything like that.

“Long time no see.”

It was just a coincidence, an ill-fated coincidence.

“It’s been two years! Do you remember me, Rinne?”

They were at the small intersection of the merry market street in a small town.

A girl called out at Usagawa Rinne, who studied at Kannonsakazaki Private High School, as she left the school.

The girl had perfectly straight long black hair and eyes that shone with determination. Thick, round eyebrows stood above her eyes.

She wore Kannonsakazaki’s school uniform.

“I’m Katō Katsumi, don’t you remember me…? You should remember me, right?”

She smiled with some faint loneliness as the neon light reflected off her skin.

It was in the evening, and the sun was setting. Rinne had finished the cleaning duty that was pushed onto her after everyone else left since she lost a bet, and hurried home because it was late.

A piercing wind came out of the early winter’s cold air.

The girl who called herself Katsumi moved over, her beautiful hair and body seemingly flowing in the darkness.

“Katsumi?”

That was a familiar name that had been carved into her heart.

Since the person in front of her was so much more beautiful than Rinne remembered, she didn’t recognize her at first. However, she did not forget. How could she forget?!

“Do you remember?”

“Eh…”

She was Rinne’s friend in middle school, and the only friend willing to stay by her side.

Of course, that may have simply been Rinne’s wishful thinking, but whenever she thought of her painful time in middle school, she recalled the endless support Katsumi had provided to her.

But Rinne didn’t have the courage to go see her.

Middle school — that was the time when she was fed up with absolutely everything, breathing included. She constantly shut herself in her room, believing that she didn’t have a place in her house or at school. It was when she attempted suicide.

At that time, Rinne repeatedly pushed Katsumi away when she tried to approach her. “Katsumi, do we go to the same school?”

“Mmm, it seems so.” Katsumi replied, smiling all the while.

“You’re really famous in this school, though. I’ve known that you are here for a pretty long time, but I didn’t have an opportunity to talk to you before.”

Rinne’s expression showed a slight uncertainty as she apologetically bowed her head towards Katsumi.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? For what? You didn’t exactly do anything wrong in middle school. Everyone wants to avoid other people from time to time, actually…”

Saying this, Katsumi pointed at a coffee shop on the side of the road.

“Then, wanna sit down and talk for a while? Are you free?”

“Eh? Ah, OK!”

Rinne nodded out of reflex, and followed Katsumi in.

The coffee shop’s pretty hostess greeted the customers with a formal smile.

Soft, sweet music flowed through the coffee shop. Whether it was due to the late hour, or it was always this way, the store had no customers.

Katsumi probably came here often, as she smoothly ordered two cups of coffee while sitting down on a chair.

Then she smiled slightly as she said to Rinne, who was standing there unsure of what to do, “You can sit down. This part of you never changes…”

“What part?”

“The fact that you hold back too much at a lot of things, most of all in your own happiness.”

Saying these words, which Rinne couldn’t really understand, Katsumi beckoned at Rinne. No change. She didn’t change at all.

In eighth grade, Rinne pushed this friend away, and even Katsumi eventually gave up. The year after, when they b.u.mped into each other in the hallway, Katsumi pretended not to notice her.

“Rinne, I - wanted to apologize to you all this time.”

Katsumi still showed that lonely smile.

Rinne sat on the chair and widened her eyes in surprise.

“Eh?”

“I promised to always be good friends with you, but we drifted apart. I’ve felt so regretful over that, and I want to apologize.”

Katsumi remorsefully bowed her head as she apologized.

Rinne didn’t know what to do, and only waved her hands, denying it with embarra.s.sment.

“No way. The one who should apologize… is me, Katsumi. It was me who - hated everything, rejecting and drifting apart from everyone else and shutting myself in my room. You tried to get close to me, even so…”

“Not taking it all the way to the end is meaningless. But, thanks.”

“Clack”, the hostess silently set down the coffee. Katsumi picked one up and raised it to Rinne.

“Then, let’s be friends again. Let’s share the blame. I was wrong, and you were wrong too. We both said sorry, and we forgave each other, so let’s call it even.”

Rinne felt as though the scar in her heart gradually started to disappear.

As expected, Katsumi was still Katsumi, the Katsumi that Rinne liked, this girl who promised to “always be good friends” with her during middle school. Even though she wasn’t particularly special and didn’t attract people immediately, her heart was gentler than anyone else. Rinne’s eyes failed to hold their tears in, and she lowered her head to hide this.

“Ah.”

“Then, cheers! Saying this is pretty weird, but whatever.”

“Clack”, the two lightly tapped their cups together. Then they chatted about all sorts of topics, all of which would be considered trivial, as if they wanted to fill up the gap between the past and present. To talk like this with Katsumi had once been Rinne’s joy back in middle school. She was abandoned by her mother, beaten by her father, and still dragged her tired heart to school to be picked on by other students over her family situation.

And yet, Katsumi was still willing to be with her.

She was a friend more important than almost anyone else.

“Katsumi”, with words containing all of her heart’s feelings, Rinne said, “Thank you.”

Unsure of what to do, Katsumi tilted her head and said, “Umm, I’m paying for the coffee!” This situation didn’t match her words.

“It’s been so long since we’ve been like this!”

Katsumi continued to talk on her own, ignoring Rinne who blurted, “I’m also paying! I can’t let you pay by yourself!”

What to say now? Rinne had always felt that her personality tends to put her at a disadvantage with people.

But Katsumi still liked this part of her.

“…Then, let’s go home together.”

It was already dark outside. The cloudy sky obscured the moon and stars created a feeling of unease.

A few random lights shone feebly through the cold. “Ugh. But I’m so happy.”

Rinne smiled, and said seriously, “Let’s ignore that for now. I still need to pay.”

Ah, she’s become a bit hard to deal with. Before, she would easily obey others with just a little bit of suggestion. But it seems Rinne grew up a little too.

Katsumi thought this with a bitter smile as she walked forward, waving her hands.

“Then, how about you treat me next time?”

“Eh?”

“We have to meet up again!”

Katsumi didn’t look at Rinne.

What kind of expression did Rinne, who was standing behind her – the girl she betrayed before – have at the moment? Actually, in ninth grade, she had frequently wanted to start a conversation with Rinne. Every time they b.u.mped into each other in the hallway, she wanted to apologize.

Katsumi’s eyes filled with tears.

“I’m sorry. Though I may not be worthy, can we still be friends forever?”

“……”

After a short silence, Katsumi’s hand felt the grip of Rinne’s warm hand.

“Alright.”

Even though she still couldn’t look Rinne in the eyes till the end.

“Then, see ya later.”

“Mmm, see ya.”

Katsumi swore in her heart to meet with her again.

And so, Katō Katsumi and Usagawa Rinne parted ways. Their paths home differed cruelly and had no chance of intertwining ever again —

After pa.s.sing through the market street and crossing the road, all signs of people disappeared.

Behind Katsumi, who couldn’t hold back her tears, a sinister shadow who couldn’t possibly understand the two’s friendship approached from nearby.

“Shall we compare the length of our arms?”

Rudely and without cause, an unreasonable shiver shot down Katsumi’s back.

Katsumi reflexively turned around.

That was the turning point.

Unfortunately, for the girl Katō Katsumi, the existence that had cheerfully called out to her was not a resident of the world humans could understand with their logic.

It was an existence not meant to be encountered during a lifetime, and was merely something that one might pa.s.s by.

The girl who deviated from the peaceful world of humans just had to meet such a being. To meet the Long-Armed Demon... How would one put it? It would be considered bad luck, misfortune, a tragic fate, or the like. Even I can only think of one thing to say to her. And that would be: Rest in peace. That girl was singing. “In—the—clear—night—”

That girl was extremely innocent and naive, and straightforward to the point where people might question her sanity, but that only made her scarier. Though her high voice was clearly that of a girl’s, and her appearance was normal, there was the feeling that she lacked some part of humanity. She gave off an impression similar to that of a carnivorous beast.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

As she sang, she danced an odd dance around Katsumi.

Seeming as if she would fall, she teetered to the right and tottered to the left, casting doubt as to whether she was dancing or simply drunk.

Katsumi simply stood there, silently and rigidly, watching that girl.

“Humans—are—so—annoying—to—see—”

The girl seemed like a grade-schooler. One couldn’t even be sure if she reached up to Katsumi’s chest.

In this cold weather, she only wore a colorful shirt, and even the legs showing under her skirt seemed cold.

Her hair was tied into two rather short pigtails, and because her overly bright smile she revealed a row of white teeth. In addition, her eyes shone incomprehensibly.

She suddenly stopped singing and dancing. “Boom”, she jumped in front of Katsumi.

“Good evening.”

Her voice still overflowed with friendliness, without the tiniest amount of malice.

However.

Katsumi suddenly felt the incongruity of this girl as she noticed this grade-school girl’s peculiarity.

Where, where was this incongruity? What was it? Katsumi watched her, quickly noticed something unbelievable, and screamed.

“My name is Long-Armed Demon. What’s yours, onee-chan? Hehehe, Long-Armed Demon forgot!”

The little girl didn’t have arms. From her shoulders, her entire arms were missing. Only s.p.a.ce remained where one should have seen her slender arms.

The arms were actually gone, rather than being hidden somewhere.

This was her only difference from normal people.

But Katsumi felt differently. From the girl’s bodily const.i.tution to her expression, she was completely different from a human…

She almost seemed like a spirit. No, more like… a demon?

That’s right, she said she was a demon.

“…”

What was going on? This was too ridiculous. Katsumi’s mind was completely fuddled.

“Long-Armed Demon?”

There was no way for Katsumi to understand this, and she could only fearfully step back slightly.

But behind her was a wall, leaving her with no way to escape. Escape? From such a tiny little girl? But she could sense the danger. Her instinct told her to hurriedly leave this girl called Long-Armed Demon.

As she trembled, Katsumi felt fear all the way deep inside her core, and ran as she pushed past the little girl.

“Eh, hey!”

For some reason, she felt unbelievably scared. She wasn’t afraid due to the girl’s appearance, she just felt that the girl… shouldn’t exist in this world.

Katō Katsumi tried to lose the girl as she ran as fast as she could on the empty streets lit by neon lights.

Escape. I can escape. I can escape from you!

Otherwise…

“That’s right — since I’m a demon with long arms, I’m called Long-Armed Demon.”

The innocent voice rang in Katsumi’s mind.

Then, Katsumi’s body couldn’t move. Screaming out, not understanding her situation, she opened her eyes wide.

Long-Armed Demon had not moved from her spot, but Katsumi’s body stopped listening to her brain’s commands. She could not move at all.

What was going on? This was some supernatural event! That"s impossible! As her mind spun in a frenzy close to its breaking point, she thought of screaming, “Help —”

She couldn’t help but think, Help me, I’m about to be killed!

This was the att.i.tude of a human meeting a carnivorous beast.

The innocent little girl sweetly smiled.

“How is it? Long-Armed Demon’s arms are so long, right?”

An immense force grabbed her shoulders.

It felt like a bodybuilder was crushing her shoulders. She could even clearly feel the pressure of five fingers.

The only logical a.s.sumption would have been that invisible arms reached over and grabbed her shoulders, holding her in place.

But how could there be such a thing?

Ghosts, monsters, superpowers - those things were all fictional, fantasy, and should only have existed in cartoons or on TV.

But Katsumi’s fear of death made her entire body shudder, with her entire world in a hopeless, senseless madness. Like in TV, her life was now filled with supposedly impossible events. The sole difference was that for her, there would be no rescue.

“You can’t run away. If I let you get away, I’ll be punished by Zeki-kun.”

- The girl’s innocent voice spoke.

Zeki-kun? Katsumi only shuddered without pause.

- Behind her stood the girl who remained innocent looking and kept a happy face.

She was too far away and out of reach even if Katsumi stretched out her hands. She was the terrifying Long-Armed Demon that completely annihilated Katsumi’s ordinary life in the cover of this darkness.

She pouted unhappily, “But still, what exactly is your name? You have an Apple right? I was looking forward to this since I thought you’d be pretty strong, but this is boring. Zeki-kun’s a liar, this isn’t fun at all!”

Like a child disappointed with a toy recently bought, she said: “Whatever, I don’t want something this boring. I’ll throw it away.”

Long-Armed Demon innocently, yet cruelly, threw Katsumi against the wall.

Katsumi heard a “Clack” before she understood that it was the sound of her clavicles and her ribs being smashed. The pain was too great to allow her to even scream.

The invisible arms grabbing her shoulders simply and purely inflicted blind destruction upon Katō Katsumi’s body.

In other words, she was slammed onto the wall, smashed into it, beaten up, thrown away, suddenly thrown onto the ground before being picked up again and flung into the air with bones shattered and blood splattering everywhere and she was just being thrown and thrown and thrown...

“Crash----Clang!”

That was the hollow and insubstantial bell of the night of the prologue, a bell that signaled the beginning of this night of sorrows.

Contrary to the New Year’s bell that was sounded to welcome the New Year and to pray for the elimination of malevolent spirits, this was the bell of the night of prologue that suggested the end of Katō Katsumi’s boring and beloved daily life and proclaimed the arrival and rampage of demons.

Her blood splattered everywhere. Her bones were long since crushed to smithereens and mashed together with pieces of flesh —

When Katsumi was smashed against the wall for the last time, Long-Armed Demon squirted out a laugh, “Hee hee”.

“In—the—clear—night—”

She started singing, released her formless arms, and allowed the thing that used to be Katsumi to fall to the ground.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

Long-Armed Demon’s face did not reveal the slightest guilt at having murdered Katsumi, only showing that same bright expression as she walked up and narrowed her eyes to look closely at the piece of corpse on the ground.

“Humans—are—so—Eh?”

Long-Armed Demon stopped singing and used her invisible fingers to prod Katsumi’s body.

Then she showed confusion — this was the first time Long-Armed Demon revealed a perplexed expression — as she incessantly felt Katsumi’s body, her face turning deadly white.

“Eh, eh eh? Eh eh eh?” That was the expression of the child after a grave error, “N-n-no Apple? Why? How, How? But… but she died? She died but didn’t have an Apple? Eh, eh eh?”

Then she noticed.

Beside the lump of flesh that used to be Katō Katsumi, there was a book.

It was Kannonsakazaki High School’s student identification doc.u.ments, but Long-Armed Demon didn’t know that, and only flipped through the blood-stained pages incredulously.

On the first page, there was a picture of her face, her address, her birthday, her name—

“Oh?”

That name was clearly different from the one Long-Armed Demon had been ordered to kill.

She had waited for Katsumi to leave that coffee shop, in which she stayed for oh-such-a-long-time, perched on the coffee shop’s roof… now that she thought about it, she accidentally wasted some time when she got down. By the time she finally got back on her trail, aside from this girl called Katsumi, there was another person.

Since she disappeared into the darkness, Long-Armed Demon didn’t see her clearly and thought she was a random bystander.

Could that person have been..?

Now that she thought of it, that person seemed to be around Katsumi’s age.

Long-Armed Demon’s face turned pale.

“Oops, hehehe. Long-Armed Demon made a little mistake!” Then she realized it was a bad time to laugh. She thought seriously: “Wh-what do I do now. I-i-it’s so troublesome. Zeki-kun will scold me, I’ll be, I’ll be, I’ll be punished. Waah, this sucks, what do I do, what do I do, what do I do?”

Long-Armed Demon felt fl.u.s.tered as she worried. Suddenly, she thought of a wonderful plan and jumped up, “That’s right.” She laughed, “Tee hee”, and used her bright voice to mumble to herself in a harsh tone, “That’s right. It’s alright if I can find that girl from before. She’ll definitely have the right name. What was that name again? And then, and then, I just need to get that person’s Apple before Zeki-kun gets here and I’ll be fine. I"m so smart!”

Then, with a presumptuous expression, “But I don’t really know what she looks like. Oh… ah, that’s right, killing all the girls of this age in this town should be fine! As long as I kill them it’ll be alright, cos the one who doesn’t die would have the Apple! Yeah!”

With this thought, she believed she might succeed.

And so, Long-Armed Demon did not even look at Katō Katsumi’s corpse as she faded into the darkness.

How many girls of Katsumi’s age did she think there were in this town?! But her steps were both light and full of hope as she walked away.

“In—the—clear—night—”

The thin, small figure disappeared into the dark and gloomy night.

“The—moon—is—so—beautiful—”

Only the song never ceased, pouring into the girl’s miserable corpse.

“Humans—are—so—annoying—to—see—”

The above was the story of the strange girl that I saw.

Haha, what? You’ve got an incredulous expression now. Ah, do you not know why I told you this? This is… to put it to modern terms, this is a gift from the underworld. If you didn’t know one or two interesting things, wouldn’t the trip to h.e.l.l be too boring?

Moreover, I want to reflect on this event involving Long-Armed Demon. For that, unloading the facts onto someone else is an effective tool.

Perhaps for you, who are about to be killed, this isn’t something interesting —but how do you feel about it? I wish to hear the opinions of you normal people who live inside the normality of life, unlike existences such as me who live on the other side.

Ah, you think this was nonsense? I guess I can’t blame you for that. Maybe these things are indeed unbelievable for those of you living inside normality.

But this was absolutely true. This is a nightmare that is attacking Kannonsakazaki town as we speak. That’s right. Perhaps your most important person would be attacked by Long-Armed Demon tomorrow.

Oh? Your expression changed. Eyes flaming with determination are so beautiful, and I like that. But that’s not----allowed----because you must die here. My apologies, but that has already been decided.

Ah, haha, your face is full of unwillingness.

Are you annoyed that you can’t protect a certain person? Hahaha, not bad, I wanted to see expressions like that.

You can go and die in such regret, grief, suffering, and die while cursing your own helplessness. Otherwise, the party that does the killing will get bored too.

But, don’t worry, you’re not bad people.

Nor are you germs or poison. You’re simply humans that felt for other people, powerful and impressive humans.

Therefore I will kill you with all of my sincerity rather than indiscriminately slaughter you. I will recognize you as a person as I kill you.

This conversation’s been going on for too long. Then, please die.

What? My name? Hahaha, how can I tell it to people about to die? I can’t handle it if you curse me! You’re so foolish~

But, if it’s my name over on this side, then there’s no harm in telling you. It’s your choice whether or not to believe that it’s my real name. Whether or not you may curse me is also your choice.

Because this is a name that would shine even brighter when cursed.

My name is Sterilization Disinfection. I"m the digestive organ ——