Corpse March

Chapter 63 Preparations

As soon as the door closes behind her, Tsumugi immediately breaks down into tears as everything she’s done and everything that happened to her comes crashing down in a terrible wave. She starts to run, as though she might be able to outrun her guilt. 

“What have I done?!”

She keeps running. Further and further away from Gleam. Further and further away from the best friend that she threw away. Further and further away from any chance of going back. More than once, she considers turning around and apologizing, telling Gleam that she was foolish, begging for her forgiveness. 

But no matter how much she wants to, she knows she can’t. Tsuki believed in Tsumugi to be able to turn her own dream into a reality. This is the only way. Her dream was always incompatible with Gleam’s. From the very beginning, she knew that. It’s only natural that they would both eventually come into conflict with one another. But even then, her heart aches so much she fears it might shrivel up and die. 

She slowly trudges into her room, out of breath. Haru immediately stands up, a concerned expression on her face. “What did you do? What happened to your glasses?” 

“...” Tsumugi says nothing as she drags her feet walking towards Haru. 

“I can see it in your eyes, you bit off more than you can chew, didn’t you–”

Tsumugi promptly shuts her up by forcing her lips onto hers. Haru tries to break away but she just pins her up against the wall so she can’t escape. Their bodies are so close she can feel Haru’s heart beating against her chest. She breaks away to take a breath…

“Tsumugi, let’s not–” …before immediately shutting Haru up by kissing her. Tsumugi’s begin to wander along Haru’s body, first up her legs, then along her waist, before circling around to her back. Haru gently tries to reject their advance but Tsumugi is relentless. The way her flesh twitches in her grip sets her on fire. 

It’s like poison. It works its way into her mind, dulls her senses, makes her blind. It’s as though she’s drowning in pleasure. Her eyes, nose, breath, ears, and touch are all filled with Haru. That’s why when she’s shoved away, the awakening is all the more rude. Her temper flares but wanes immediately when she sees Haru staring at her like she doesn’t recognize her. She’s scared.

“I– I’m sorry.” Tsumugi comes down from her pleasure high. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Jeez.” Haru dusts herself off to try and get the wrinkles off her clothes. “Let’s… let’s just not talk about it.”

“Sorry.” 

“It’s alright.” 

Haru sighs and sits down in her favorite chair.

“So, what happened?” 

“So much. Too much.” Tsumugi does the same with the chair across from Haru. Any chair that’s close enough to Haru is her favorite chair. “I did it. I killed Jessica.”

“How did it feel?”

“Cathartic but also awful.” Tsumugi shakes her head. That doesn’t even begin to describe it. “I want to tear out my brain.”

“You did what you had to.” 

“No I didn’t.”

“But this was the only way you could think of, right?” 

“I suppose, yeah. I had to remove support from Tomoe somehow. But still, I just–”

“No more ‘but’s. You did what you did. Now all you have to do is live with the results.”

“Right, right.” Tsumugi shakes her head. “I tried to kill Tomoe too. But Gleam saved her.”

“You’ll have to get rid of her too if you want to ascend to the throne.”

“I know. I guess we’ll have to wait till after I deal with Gleam.”

“What do you have in mind?” 

“The only thing I can do. I can’t match her influence. I can’t match her popularity. All I can do now is go to war.”

“War, huh? I like the sound of that.” Haru smiles wickedly and licks her lips. 

“You’re… taking this a lot better than I thought you would.”

“I was a mercenary, remember?” 

“Ah, that’s right.” Tsumugi smiles. Right, she’d all but forgotten about that little detail. “In that case, round up the Elites. We’re leaving Takakumo in the afternoon.” 

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“It seems that I’ve been defeated. Thoroughly and absolutely.” Tomoe adjusts her glasses. “And I doubt I’ll be of much help in the succeeding conflict between you and Lady Tsumugi.”

“It’s quite alright, Lady Tomoe.” Gleam nods

“It’s not Lady Tomoe anymore. I’m just Tomoe now.” Tomoe smiles gently. 

“I wish you the best of luck, Lady Gleam. Between Tsumugi and you, I’d much prefer you triumph.” 

“Thank you, Tomoe. Even though we were enemies  from start to finish, I really am going to miss you.”

“The feeling is mutual… friend.” Gleam extends her hand

“Friend… huh?” Tomoe takes her hand in hers and shakes.  “Ah hell, why not.” 

“Where will you go now?”

“That’s an excellent question. I suppose I’ll have to find out the answer to that for myself, as well.” 

“I have a wonderful villa in the countryside that I could lend to you.”

“No, that’s quite alright. I don’t deserve anything as fanciful as a villa. And besides, this guilt of mine is not something that worldly luxuries can soothe.”

Gleam nods in understanding.

“I’ll leave control of what little of an army I have with you.” Tomoe writes Gleam a letter giving her that authority. “Good luck out there. There’s no telling what Tsumugi’s going to do.” 

And with that, Tomoe departs from the room, from the Curia, and from Takakumo. Into the great diaspora that her kind underwent many many years ago. 

“We did it.” Kuroko suddenly speaks up from behind Gleam. “Your dream is about to come true. You’re president now.”

“Yeah…” Gleam looks at the ground, her expression remorseful. 

“So then, why do you look so sad?” Kuroko tilts her head, as though it might offer some insight into why. “We won.” 

“But at what cost?” Gleam sits down in a chair that Tomoe used to own. “I lost my best friend.”

“But you said that a dream is something you have to accomplish no matter what.” Kuroko tilts her head in the other direction.

“I know what I said.” Gleam snaps at Kuroko. “But this is just… this is just too much.” 

“I see… I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Gleam sucks in air between her teeth. “You’re right, anyway. We have to protect our dream no matter the cost.”

Kuroko gives her an approving nod.  

“Round up the Deathless. We need to make war preparations.” 

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Florence taps his foot impatiently. He’s on his last legs. It’s just him now. The sole remaining member of his conspiracy. How much longer does he have before either Tsumugi or Gleam figures him out? As it turns out, the answer is not long. 

“Hello, Florence. Having a good day?”

“So you’ve come, Tsumugi.” 

“It was only a matter of time.”

“What gave it away?” He asks out of mild curiosity. 

“Process of elimination. You played a good game as a traitor. It’s just too bad that you, me, and Gleam are the only remaining councilors, and I already know that we’re both innocent.”

“I see.” He taps his fingers on his coffee table. “Well, you haven’t killed me where I stand just yet so I assume you want something?” 

Tsumugi takes a breath. “Two things. Firstly, I want to know why you did it. I want to know why you did all… this. What was the point?”

“Lady Kentomi had a dream. A dream of a newer, better Takakumo. One without the fetters of a bickering council.” 

“Hm.” Tsumugi crosses her arms and leans against the wall. “So she’s the true mastermind.”

“Yes, in essence. Though, she did show signs of faltering, hence why we had to cut off the infection before the conspiracy collapsed.” 

“Then doubly well-played. You were playing chess without a queen. Bravo.” Tsumugi’s tone is almost mocking. “But that’s not the answer I was looking for. That’s someone else’s reason. What’s your reason?” 

“I was tired of the corruption in the disciplinary committee. I sought some way to be free of them. Kagami offered to get them off my back, so I took the bait hook line and sinker.”

“So your intentions were pure.” Tsumugi nods. “So, that’s why you killed my sister, turned a friend of mine against me, and killed a child. Fascinating.” 

“I won’t ask for your forgiveness. If you’re here to kill me, then kill me.”

“I would love to. But I still need you alive.”

Florence forms a cradle with his fingers and lets his chin rest on it. “What for?”

“There’s going to be a war between me and Gleam. My forces are outnumbered three to one against the Deathless. With your disciplinary committee on my side, it’ll only be two to one.” 

“I see. And what’s in it for me?” 

“I’ve already cleaned out Tomoe and my Auntie. All I have to do now is defeat Gleam and you get what you wished for. A full reset of Takakumo’s leadership.” Tsumugi’s gaze falls harshly on Florence. He’s nowhere near remorseful enough to avoid her wrath. 

“I assume this is a ‘help me or die’ type of situation?”

“Your choice.”  

Florence sighs. “It seems that I have no choice in the matter.”

“I figured I might as well offer just to be polite.” Tsumugi extends a hand. “It’s a pleasure to work with you, Florence.”