Enjoy ~
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Version: 1.02
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Shiika Part 2
The hexagonal crystal flowers, that were dancing down slowly, enveloped Shiika as she stood alone amidst the vast snowfield. The only thing she could see, were the never ending snowflakes falling down one after another; it was as if they were trying to dye the world in white.
It made her feel like she was the only one left in this world.
“No one… else is here…”
Shiika’s hopeless mutter was swallowed by the strong blizzard before it could even resonate through the air.
However, just then, Shiika suddenly felt there was a presence at the far distance of this snowfield.
Beautiful long hair, accompanied by a mature look despite her being a junior high student --- it was Shiika’s older sister.
“Onee--…”
Just when Shiika opened her mouth, her sister turned and glanced at her, before disappearing into the horizon of the snowy field almost instantly.
Immediately followed after that were the figures of Shiika’s parents, but they also vanished right after as well.
Shiika then realized: she was all alone… Everyone else besides her had disappeared from this world.
Without a reason, they just disappeared.
While thinking, she suddenly felt a presence of “something” coming from behind.
Slowly turning around, a giant white-colored insect was coming straight at her. Shiika couldn’t even resist as the firefly-like creature wrapped its legs around her. While being seized by it, a transparent tear fell down from her cheek.
Because it was then, she realized --- the reason why everyone disappeared… why she was left all alone… It was all because she --- was no longer a “human” anymore……
Slowly opening her eyes, the familiar white-colored ceiling came into her view.
The mind that had just awakened from a chaotic state was gradually returning to normal, meanwhile her skin could finally feel the warm sensation of the pillow and blanket that wrapped around her.
“Mmm…”
Sitting up from the soft mattress, she slowly rubbed her eyes. The fingertip that wiped back and forth along her eyes was slightly wet. Recalling the dream she just had, Shiika could not help but slightly bite her lips. Her heartbeat seemed to not have returned to normal yet.
“Oh! Shiika, you woke up already?”
The sound of a door opening came as a teenage girl’s head poked her head into the room through the slightly opened gap.
Despite being the same figure as the one from the dream, her smile was more much vivid and lovelier in reality by tenfold. It was Shiika’s older sister --- Kazuha. She was already wearing her well-ironed junior high uniform, even her beautiful long hair was done meticulously.
“Mhm… Good morning, Onee-chan.”
The awakened Shiika greeted her sister with a vague tone --- Kazuha knew Shiika didn’t like alarms, hence she would personally come and wake her up every morning.
“Your eyes are kind of red, are you okay?”
“Mm, I just rubbed them a little.”
“I see, well, hurry come downstairs and get ready for school!”
“Mm……”
It was the same morning as usual, and Shiika prepared herself for school just the same.
Washing her face, changing her clothes, fixing her hair, before arriving at the table filled with breakfast and sat down.
Every side of the table sat a person; the 42 year old father who worked as a civil servant, the full-time housewife mother, the sister who was older by 2 years and currently in the 2nd grade of a private junior high school, and lastly Shiika who’s in 6th grade.
As always, the family’s breakfast topic centered on her sister Kazuha.
“Kazuha, you told me before that you’re planning on skiing with your friends during winter vacation right? Are those friends reliable? Trustworthy??”
“Mom, what do you mean by that!? I told you already, they are just my normal classmates!”
“I’m just worried! Since there won’t be any guardian going along… and all of you guys are just junior high students!”
“No parents would worry about such things nowadays! Don’t you and Dad feel that your way of thinking is way too old-school now? A civil servant and the daughter of rich family, I guess it can’t be helped.”
“I don’t care what other parents do. Nonetheless, you must call home at least once every night, got that?”
“I know, I know~ If this goes on, I’ll be stressed before I even go… Oh yeah Shiika, is there anything that you want as a souvenir?”
“Uh, anything is fine.”
Kazuha was a very intelligent girl, not to mention well-mannered and cheerful at that. Not only Shiika ,who thought of her sister as beautiful, almost all the people around them were fond of her. Even the fact that their parents were more focused on Kazuha and her bright future was well-known within the Anmoto’s family.
However, Shiika never hated her parents or sister because of that. On the contrary, Shiika was very fond and proud of having this clever yet beautiful girl as her sister. Hence, when Shiika found out that she would be going to a different junior high school from her sister next year she was feeling rather down for a while.
However, Shiika recently had been thinking about something else.
To her, the Anmoto's household was like a planet that revolves only around Kazuha. If so, even if one day Shiika were to disappear, this planet would no doubt continue its daily life without any change, and in addition ---
Whenever she thought up to there, she had to immediately halt her mind from imagining any further. Because, not only was it pointless, it was also terrifying as well.
"Oh my god, it's those (Mushi) again!"
"…!"
Oh hearing her mother screaming that line out while watching TV, Shiika could not help but twitch her hands for an instant and dropped the bowl she was holding. The soup inside the bowl immediately spilled on her side of the table that was filled with tableware.
"What are you doing?!"
"S-Sorry!"
Shiika became even more panicked after being scolded by her father. She hurriedly went into the kitchen to find a rag to clean the table with; while cleaning the table she apologized continuously with a hoarse tone. But due to her being too flustered, she dirtied other tableware during the cleaning process.
Kazuha hurriedly came to her sister's side and helped out, while telling her mother this:
"Mom, hurry up and change the channel! These news of "Mushi" and the like, are nothing but fantasy fabricated from those silly people's mind."
"But... just thinking about the fact that these monsters might be lurking around us, makes me feel uneasy!"
"That's why I always tell you, don’t listen or do whatever people say! Those pictures that are being show on the TV right now, are nothing but computer graphics, okay?"
The so-called (Mushi) --- were abnormal creatures that had been going around in rumors for a few years already. Furthermore, these mysterious insects were said to be able to devour human's dream and hope.
The government didn't acknowledge (Mushi)'s existence. But in reality, while rumors regarding (Mushi) had been spreading throughout the public like wildfire, more and more witnesses regarding such creatures began to increase as well, proving that these monsters --- actually exist.
Even though many had different options regarding their size and appearance, there was one thing that they all shared in common: (Mushi) would infest on humans, and feast on their hopes, desires --- and the most crucial, their "dreams". Those humans that were infested by (Mushi) were called hosts, which were also known as Mushitsuki, and teenagers were the main targets of infection. In addition, (Mushi) would not only devour their dreams. As a remuneration of preying on the host's dreams, (Mushi) would spare its strength to the host, and listen to their commands. However, should Mushitsuki attempt to kill the (Mushi) that was infesting them, they would also destroy their dreams in the process, which would result in them losing their will to live and become "Fallen". Moreover, even if one didn't kill the (Mushi) infesting on them, they would sooner or later come to their end from having their dreams completely devouring by the (Mushi) and die. In other words, once one became a Mushitsuki, he or she would not be able to escape from sharing the same fate as the (Mushi).
Although above were nothing but rumors and urban legends going around right now, witnesses and testimony were constantly increasing and spreading like ripples, which slowly plant seeds of fear into general public's hearts.
"I'm off to school~"
Due to the morning training from the extracurricular activities that she participated in, Kazuha always had to leave 1 hour earlier. Around the same time, after packing the textbooks needed for that day's lecture, Shiika carried her heavy book bag and left home as well.
The morning's breeze was freezing cold today. And the path leading to school was the same as usual, filled with turns and windings.
There were many other students and officer workers rushing past her, who was walking in small steps, on the road like fishes in the ocean.
Very soon, she arrived at the spot where students from her elementary school would gather every morning before going to school together. But amidst the group, Shiika didn't talk to anyone. She was very shy, and lacked self-confidence. That was why, ever since she entered 1st grade, she had been walking this tortuous path to school quietly all alone by herself every day.
After bypassing another corner after corner, Shiika arrived at the spot where she met the mysterious round sunglasses-woman from yesterday.
"…..."
Of course, there wasn't any woman wearing a red overcoat standing there anymore.
Shiika then pressed against her chest lightly.
The encounter with the mysterious woman should be forever hidden deep inside her heart --- Shiika bit her lips, and told herself that.
Stepping over the school's gate, Shiika entered the classroom following the flow.
The students in the classroom were already forming groups, chitchatting and laughing about the news or drama that they've seen yesterday, giving off laughter from time to time. Facing the invisible wall formed from the laughter, Shiika walked quietly past them. The surrounding classmates continued as if they completely didn't notice her presence, not a single person greeted Shiika.
"It's time for class, everyone return to your seat quickly."
The teacher appeared at the door, and started another ordinary day with a majestic tone.
The classroom became noisy for a while as the students hurried back to their seats. But amidst this clamorous closed space, there was an isolated quiet world and Shiika was sitting all alone by herself in the center of it.
While dazing off during the lecture, Shiika began to recall the encounter from yesterday.
--- Could you tell me your dream?
Upon being asked by a strange woman shrouded in a mysterious aura, with such a strange question. Shiika replied truthfully:
My Dream is to... …
When did it start?... When did Shiika start harboring this little tiny dream by herself? Even she herself didn't know.
She actually didn't dislike the lifestyle she's in right now.
She had already been used to the family life that centered on her sister Kazuha. Even though at school she wasn't able to get together with her classmates, she wasn't bullied by them as well.
However, somewhere among the forgotten time, Shiika had started harboring a dream that belongs only to herself. This dream gradually took root deep inside, and grew to an existence that was more precious than everything else.
But, the cost to reveal this secret… was just too big.
Shiika subconsciously shifted her gaze at the view outside of the window as if she was waiting for something. Just then, an unseasonably small insect swiftly appeared into her view. It was a pure-white, with an appearance similar to a firefly-like, insect.
Shiika immediately averted her gaze as she squeezed her tiny fists... …
Before she knew it, the school bell echoed melodiously, signaling the end of another day.
Shiika collected the textbooks and notebooks that were scattered across her table into her book bag, and quietly walked out of the classroom.
And just at that instant ---
"Bye bye!~"
"Mm?"
A farewell that came out of nowhere startled Shiika. Turning around, it was a girl in the same class. She was waving her hand while walking towards the door. This girl wasn't particularly a good friend to Shiika, but would occasionally greet Shiika whenever she was alone.
"Mm... Bye bye..."
Shiika showed a shy yet polite smile before walking out of the classroom in a hurry. Her steps were no doubt lighter than this morning’s, it was as if she was drowning in happiness, dancing shyly to herself.
After walked quite a distance away from the school gate along the national highway, Shiika suddenly heard laughter coming from behind her.
Turning her neck back a bit, she immediately noticed that those were the girls that were from her class.
She then hurriedly turn around and refocused her gaze at the view in front, trying to avoid eye contact, but was suddenly stunned in a daze before she could do that.
One of the girls that was frolicking --- which was the girl that said "Bye bye" to Shiika before she left the classroom , accidentally stepped on the peddle on the road and tripped. Worst of all, the direction she was tripping towards, was a guardrail-less crossroad.
At the same time, a sharp car-braking sound came into her ears ---
--- Could you tell me your dream?
For some reason, the image of the sunglasses-wearing woman suddenly flashed through her mind.
Above Shiika, a tiny dazzling white light began to descend slowly.
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Thank you for reading~
Feel free to leave comments for any questions or feedback~
Thank you for reading~
Feel free to leave comments for any questions or feedback~
I think the anime-version screwed up this part pretty bad, I didn't get any of these feeling I have right now when i watched the anime. Well, it did follow the light novel to a certain extent but --- >.< it's like missing all the feelings man! The FEELINGS!
Oh gawd, dont get me started. I don't wanna on another spoiling rampage lol.
Anyway, expect the next Shiika chapter to be a really sad and wrong chapter. (By sad i mean... REALLY SAD, the kind of sad as if the whole world turned against you and all you could do is run... >.>
Oh wait, did i just spoil? Please don't mind me =)
PS: I just recently joined an event hosted at the Chinese Mushi-Uta forum so i might be busy for a while. We're each creating an original character to write a jointed-story with. I entered the event with the OC that I'm using for my fan fic atm (with some changes there and here lol) And I gotta say, I'm pretty pumped up for this! Hopefully I can write a wonderful and touching love story xD.
Also, I just got up to the part where Shiika showed up in my fan fic as the leader of Mushibane xD) so cheer to that as well!
ty for the new chap
ReplyDeleteThank you as always~
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