Corpse March

Chapter 24

She should know. After all, the only reason she was born was because of an accident. 

“That’s a rather depressing way to look at it.”

“The way I see it, the way you look at it is much more depressing. All those lives lost, all those memories, all those moments. They all inevitably turn to dust. It’s much easier to lose something that’s worthless, no?”

“I suppose.”

“I can tell by the sound of your voice that you don’t agree with me.”

Tomoe sighs. 

“True enough. I suppose that’s the difference between watching lives be taken and taking lives.”

“You can tell?”

“I’m not ignorant to the ways of the outside world. I know what your kind’s done with the magic you stole. You built cities to escape the laws of the jungle only to turn your cities into jungles where the strongest thrive and the weak are exploited anyway.”

“And what’s wrong with that?”

“You humans. Always so ready to tear each others’ throats out. I remember a time, no matter how brief, where all humans worked together against a common enemy. And it was glorious.”

“Hanami… the Magical Girl of Judgment.”

“I still remember her. I remember watching her grow up. I remember teaching her how to control her magic. And I remember when she purged the Western Hemisphere of human life.”

“Funny how things work out, huh? How there’s never a good option, always only bad and worse.”

“Yeah…”

“Regardless, you should celebrate, Tomoe. The outside world you detest so much is going to cease existing soon. The times are changing, Tomoe. For the longest time, Mercenary clubs like Girls Won’t Cry or Barrakuda used to run the show, but now, the government’s the one calling all the shots.”

“How’d that happen?”

Haru takes  a deep breath. 

“We got bought out. Simple as that. Extortion, running security, bagging bodies, organ dealing, even the fuckin’ drug exchange, aren’t nearly as profitable as the cash the government’s paying us to cut that shit out.”

“Simple… but effective.”

“Mhm. Now they’ve got us maintaining the peace. Stopping crimes before they happen, counter-terrorism, even small fry like chasing off stalkers. Stuff like that. And of course, we gotta arrest people now instead of killing them. It’s all just… bullshit.”

Haru waves her hand, as though dismissing the ‘bullshit’. 

“I’m not used to it. To this new world, I mean. I’ve lived my entire life always surrounded by bloodshed. Where death is just around the corner, waiting for the instant I let my guard down. I’ve taken so many lives, and so many lives have been taken from me. But all that? I finally realized that I took it for granted. I belonged to that world. This new peaceful era, where everyone’s free to grow up, has no place for me. There’s nothing left to do other than leave that world behind. ”

“Is that why you’re here now? Helping Tsumugi… helping me… it’s all to reunite with war?”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Tomoe. I have no intention of starting any wars or anything like that. Where strife blooms, I follow. That is all.”

She gives Tomoe a half grin. 

“Change came, and I was too blind to stop it. All I can do now is pick up after the pieces.”

“I see. I understand the feeling. Change is coming to Takakumo. And I intend to ensure that it doesn’t.”

“You can’t undo change, but I suppose you can outrun it.”

“Exactly. The outside world can change as it wants, but I will do everything in my power to ensure that Takakumo does not rot. The secrets of magic must be guarded, sealed behind the status quo. Nice and safe behind the clenched hands of someone who couldn’t make a single change if she tried. Someone like Kentomi. No matter what, I cannot let another Hanami exist.”

“Someone like Kentomi?”

Tomoe lets her head loll back before looking at Haru. 

“Kentomi wasn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the shed. I mean, we did tell you earlier, didn't we? She was our puppet and she didn’t even notice. When we told her to do something, she would. When we told her not to do something, she wouldn’t. The world needs more people like her. People with malleable minds. It would be much much safer that way.“ 

“Hm.”

“It’s not that we were just using her. She used us just as much. And for good reason too. We were friends, after all. When she made a mess, we were there to clean it up. When something was out of reach, we made sure that it wouldn’t be for long. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Haru leans against a nearby lightpost. Her head’s starting to feel sluggish. It’s getting late.

“I guess we’re kindred spirits, you and I. Old dogs in a new world.”

“I guess we are.”

Haru glimpses her reflection in Tomoe’s glasses while Tomoe catches a glimpse of her own silhouette in Haru’s shadow.

“What about Tsumugi? Does she feel the same way?”

“That girl knows nothing. She really is just a sweet girl caught in all this.”

“Just a sweet girl, huh?”

Haru breathes a sigh and only realizes she did afterwards. Was she just… relieved?

“Jessica has no choice but to continue down this path. If Gleam wins, there’s no way her sins will ever be swept under the rug. And Tsuki is a slave to Tsumugi. That girl will do whatever it takes to make her sister happy. Lucky for us, that seems to include putting me into power.”

“...”

“Ah, don’t get me wrong. I have no intentions of becoming some kind of tyrant. I’ll protect the secrets of magic with my life, but that doesn’t mean that’s all I’m going to do. If the opportunity presents itself, I have no qualms about improving living conditions.”

“Sure, sure. Whatever it takes to ease your conscience.”

An enveloping silence smothers the two. They both can sense it. All they need to do is step just one word out of line and this could escalate into a full blown argument, something neither of them are interested in starting right now. Suddenly, two pairs of footsteps suddenly cut through the silence. One much lighter than the other. Tsuki and Asuka. 

“Forgive us, are we intruding?”

“No, not at all.”

Asuka steps forwards. 

“We should be on our way, Hamamoto. Lady Tsumugi is expecting our arrival by tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, alright.”

“Oh, before you go, sis, here’s one more thing.”

“Sis? Oh right, I keep forgetting.” 

Tsuki steps forwards and hands Haru a roll of paper. It feels pretty heavy in her hands. 

“What’re these?”

“Tsumugi’s ticket back into Takakumo. Be sure to hand it to her asap. ”

She gives her a saucy wink. 

“It’s a surprise, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t open it.”

“Ooookay.”

“Aight, go run along now. Me and Lady Kuroihoshi have something important to discuss.”

“Alright. See ya around, Tsuki.”

“See ya.”

“You too, Tomoe.”

“Bye-bye now. Stay safe.”

The harsh stare that was on her face just a moment ago is gone. Now, she just seems grandmotherly again. And with that, she’s off.