[Mushi Uta v0 ] Chapter 3.00: A Puppeteer

Counter-assassinated!~

Enjoy.
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3.00

A Puppeteer



In a park somewhere amidst the streets of Akamaki City, Rokko was dancing.

The “Eyesore” that had always been bothering her was finally removed.

Ever since the first time she saw him on the streets, she already found that man to be a bother.

That man also seemed to have regarded her as a dangerous target since long ago. During the time he was frequently surveying her, Rokko was also planning on taking him out once and for all one day.

The organization known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, Rokko was already aware of since long ago. But that man’s defense was just too tight, it was very difficult to find any opening --- It wasn’t until that moment when he suddenly burst into laughter and tears for no reason, Rokko was finally able to put her assassination into action. Right now, he must be laughing wholeheartedly in the bottom of hell.

“Hey mom, look! It’s a puppet!”

“Ala, so she’s back now huh, I thought she had disappeared.”

Accompanied by the melody of the music box, Rokko continued to dance.

Day and night, without taking a break or a meal, she continued to dance and perform.

Her surrounding was always filled with spectators. Needless to mention of the neighbors that frequently past by this area, even the children that lived far away from here always came here to watch along with their parents or teachers.

Tossing balls and hand-standing on a big ball were children’s favorite tricks. Every time she did those tricks, the children would light up their tiny eyes and begin to smile.

"Children are my food --- I'm going to eat them all, not leaving even one --- Guru Guru, biting from the head downward--- come, come here closer ---"

However, the dance she did while signing this song wasn’t quite that popular. Every time when she tried to move closer with that set of unnatural movements, at least one of the children would start to have a face close to tears. Even though marionette dancing was her best specialty, she was really disappointed by this.

Her popularity had even caused the TV news team to come interview her before, and it was also quite popular among the couples. Many adults were generous enough to always pay for her performance through the empty cans that were left on the ground.

However, Rokko still loved to be watched by the children instead.

After all, they were her only source of energy; only children could fulfill that hungry stomach of her.

“Children are my food --- I'm going to eat them all, not leaving even one ---“

Pedestrians continued to pass by the dancing Rokko, occasionally someone would stop to clap for her performance, or leave some change in her tiny can.

Once night arrived, the tall tower in the distance would be glistening with numerous lightings. Judging from the contents of the dialogues from the parents who brought their children to the park, that place would be open to the public really soon. It was when she started to feel that she needed to polish her skills and tricks even more, so that her costumers wouldn’t be snatched away by that thing that doesn’t even know how to a backflip.

Although Skypia was very beautiful, the night streets were getting sparse in contrast. Even after the pedestrians were getting fewer and fewer, Rokko continued to dance alone.

“Guru Guru, biting from the head downward--- come, come here closer ---"

The reason for that was because there was still an audience left.

In a three-four building near the park, a girl would always quietly watch Rokko dance.

In addition, a woman who claimed to be her private tutor would sometime come and bring Rokko some food.

“You’re really something, you know? To be able to repeat this boring cycle day after day and not feel bored by it, that’s really something.”

One day, the private tutor was having a really bad mood out of the blue. Maybe something bad happened to her? When she showed up she just threw the food at Rokko directly.

“This will be the last time I’m doing this. But you don’t have to thank me, I didn’t do it for your sake.”

Ignoring her, Rokko continued to dance to the melody of the music box.

“Ahh, once I quit this private tutor job my living expense will… as well as my university tuition… What a troublesome world to live in… I originally thought that as long as I could stay by Rina-san’s side, I could give up everything else...”

Showing an expression that seemed as if she was about to commit suicide, she mumbled as she got ready to leave.

Rokko grabbed the ball, and threw it at her. It was a head shot, the woman moaned as she fell to the ground.

“Y-You brat…! You’re just a lousy busker alright?!…Go to hell!”

Looking at the woman who left that line and hurriedly left, Rokko broke into laughter.

Raising her head, she could see the girl named Rina was looking in her direction as usual. She started clapping with an impressed expression from seeing this.

But – that’s not the expression Rokko wants.

The girl, who always stood by the window and watch Rokko, was Rokko’s most wanted prey. The girl that she wanted to take a big bite from one after another should not have this kind of expression.

I’m definitely going to eat her up one day ---

Rokko smirked within her as she continued dancing.

Soon the night went by, then morning arrived, and then the sun began to set, causing the evening twilight to start rendering the night streets.

“Hello, Rokko-san!”

A little girl came to Rokko’s side.

It was the girl that Rokko was most interested in; Rina.

“Hehe, I ran away from home again, but I’ll go back soon after a while. They probably wouldn’t think that I would dare to escape during the grounding period. That scum father is also busy doing stuff at Skypia so he is not at home right now.”

Rina went on and on talking about her stuff, while watching Rokko dancing.

This is my chance now ---

There wasn’t anyone else in the park; there was only Rokko and Rina by themselves.

To prepare for that incoming moment, Rokko tried to jiggle the balls before jumping on a big ball to balance herself.

However, Rina just blankly gazed at her and didn’t show any expression.

“Children are my food --- I'm going to eat them all, not leaving even one ---“

Shifting from the performance to dancing, Rokko slowly approached Rina awkwardly like a puppet attached by strings.

“Guru Guru, biting from the head downward--- come, come here closer ---"

Moving closer while signing, and then ---

“You look so delicious ---“

When she finally walked up to Rina, Rokko suddenly opened her mouth wide.

“---Are you going to eat me?”

Rokko halted her movement for a moment. Only the melody of the music box could be heard ringing in the background.

“I did promise you that I would save you one day, didn’t I?”

“…”

“You still have that expression of someone longing for salvation. How do you want me to help you Rokko?”

Just let me eat you ---

That way, Rokko would be saved and no longer had to starve.

“I’m gonna eat you --- I’m gonna eat you ---“

Rokko then began moving once again while singing.

“Rina-san!”

Suddenly, the private tutor woman appeared in the park. Even though she said she was going to quit the job, it seemed she couldn’t bring herself to do so in the end.

“Please hurry and go home.”

“It’s okay, Mikajima. They won’t even notice if I stay here a bit longer.”

Mikajima walked closer to Rina, and whispered something to her ear.

“Mom she--…?!”

Rina widened her eyes before hurriedly turning around and dashing straight home, she didn’t even look at Rokko for the last time before she left. Mikajima took a glimpse at Rokko before she left to follow Rina.

The melody of the music box could only echo in solitude throughout the park.

And then soon, the sound of ambulance’s siren slowly approached, and stopped ringing somewhere around Rina’s household.

“I’m gonna eat you… I’m gonna eat you…”

Letting her only chance slip through her hands just like that, the alone Rokko continued dancing. And because of her letting her prey escape, her stomach felt even hungrier.

Just how much longer could she dance?

Above the dancing Rokko, the moon and stars appeared, before soon the sun arrived and then set again.

Together with the night sky, the Skypia that was standing in the far distance emitted a glorious aura; red, blue, yellow lighting kept on changing after another.

“Ahh~ it’s a puppet doll, so cute!~”

“Eh? It looks rather gloomy to me.”

“Tachibana-sensei’s madam’s funeral is today right? How sad, she was still so young…”

“I heard her husband couldn’t even come to the funeral. You see, the Skypia is just about to open right…?”

Dancing to the melody of the music box, Rokko was surrounded by the parents who were on their way taking their child home from kindergarten.

Today a lot of black-colored cars passed by the park today and almost all of the people sitting in the cars and walking past by the park were all dressed in mourning apparel.

While jigging the balls, Rokko raised her head.

The girl who always watched Rokko by her window wasn’t there today again. In the past few days, she hasn’t showed up even once.

Because her only interesting prey had disappeared from her sight, Rokko’s stomach felt even hungrier.

As the color of sunset became rich, parents began to go home along with their children.

Looking at the children who were waving their hands as they left, Rokko mechanically waved back.

“…?”

The last one remaining was a little girl.

There wasn’t anyone who seemed like her parent around. The little girl was looking at Rokko, she smiled as she walked closer, and then reached out her tiny hand innocently.

“I’m gonna eat you --- I’m gonna eat you---“

What is she giving me? ---

Rokko lowered herself to look at the girl’s eyes ---

“I’m gonna ---“

When she noticed the tiny hat-like object flying out from the little girl’s sleeve, it was already too late.

The dagger that was hidden in her tiny hands stabbed into Rokko’s stomach.

“…!”

Pain and powerlessness instantly enveloped her, Rokko dropped to her knees right away.

The hat ornament flew above the smiling little girl, and rapidly swelled up like a balloon. In a blink of an eye, it covered the little girl completely. On top of the hat’s surfaces, countless compound eyes appeared. She could see that something was wriggling wildly about within it.

And then, the wrapped hat once again flew up, returned to its original size ---

“With this, I’m relieved. I was originally thinking what I should do next if you were really made out of wood.”

Rokko trembled as she raised her head and saw a well-dressed teenage boy appear before her.

It was the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau’s (Mr. Hat House).


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