Episode 11: The Whisperer

* * *

The old man died on the day of my elementary school graduation.

"Today's special. Gotta make sure nobody looks down on ya."

His bald head gleaming as always, the old man dressed me in a fancy black jacket.

"Old man. Where'd you get this?"

"It's been handed down through generations at this temple."

"Liar. The tags were still on it."

"Haha. We're starting the tradition now."

My first time wearing formal clothes was painfully embarrassing, and honestly I wanted to rip it off right then and there. The temple kids made fun of me too. But I didn't want to cloud the old man's happy face, so I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked with a swagger, grumbling complaints while secretly feeling proud.

"Have fun out there."

A graduation ceremony was just sitting in a chair the whole time. No way that was going to be fun. That's what I thought, but I figured I'd show the old man my diploma when I got back.

"I'm off."

I actually wanted the old man to come too, but I couldn't bring myself to say it—it felt like something a little kid would ask.

"Diplomas will now be presented—"

Seeing adults lined up in the gym where we always played dodgeball felt weirdly off.

The atmosphere was solemn and serious, and I was sitting up straight like an idiot.

"Koto-nii... Waaaaah! Koto-niiiii!"

The door echoed strangely loud through the gym, and a child's crying voice was calling for me.

"Huh?"

At first I didn't even know whose voice it was.

"Micchan?"

Because Micchan was a girl who couldn't speak, and I'd never heard her voice before.

"Koto-nii! Grandpa—! Grandpaaaa!"

For a split second, I felt embarrassed. Being called by name, with someone crying like a baby, in a place this serious. I'd never forget that pathetic, childish sense of shame for as long as I lived.

"I'm coming!"

Micchan's heart was a wreck—drowning in terrible sadness, despair, and confusion. I'd never touched a heart like that before, and I immediately realized I had no business sitting there.

I left the gym with Micchan, who wouldn't stop crying, and headed to the nearby hospital.

"Please wait here."

We did as the nurse said and sat in the green lobby chairs. The university hospital was packed with people, and Micchan's cries were swallowed by the noise of the crowd.

"You must be Kotoyorozu Kotoha-kun."

The one who suddenly spoke to me was a well-featured young man in his thirties wearing glasses.

"I've heard about you from my father. He wanted you to have this."

The old man's son. I'd heard they didn't get along very well. What he handed me was an old pair of boxing gloves. Beat-up, but well-maintained.

"Is the old man gonna die?"

"Yeah, probably. We've known about this for quite some time."

I knew too. The coughing that never stopped. The body wasting away day by day. The agonized groans every time he got up. I knew all of it.

And yet I'd believed the old man was invincible. That he'd never die.

"What's gonna happen to the temple?"

"Someone else will take over. Other adults will look after you kids."

I see. Now I finally understood.

(The old man entrusted his fists to me.)

A beat-up pair of boxing gloves. That old bald geezer must have kept fighting with these all along. To protect the people precious to him. No matter how beaten up his body got.

"...I'll protect everyone."

"You can't. You're a child. You're weak."

"Shut up!"

I clutched the boxing gloves tight to my chest.

"I have to be the one to do it."

The old man's son watched me quietly, then murmured.

"That's a sad thing."

I wasn't grown-up enough to fully grasp what those words meant. Even now, I don't think I really understand. But I got it a little. Yeah. It really was a sad thing.

(Because I couldn't protect a single person.)

Micchan was taken in by a foster family. She'd contact me every few months, and I could always tell she was forcing herself to smile, but there was nothing I could do. Everyone else was more or less the same.

I didn't know what any of them were doing now.

Because I was taken to Mexico. I hurt a lot of people.

(I couldn't protect anyone.)

So I thought: if I could protect someone from now on, that'd be the greatest thing.

I'd do anything I could.

Because that day, I accepted those boxing gloves.

* * *

(...? What's this... feeling?)

My murky consciousness barely pulled itself together. I'd been knocked out for a short while, it seemed.

(What happened after that? Right, we destroyed the Mother Case, and then—)

Right. A bunch of huge dog-like machines showed up. Luna-san and I got blown away.

(This is bad! I can't be passed out right now!)

I desperately tried to force my eyelids open. My whole body was powerless, but I had no choice but to try.

"...Ngh."

I barely managed to open my eyes. My vision caught light. The light was blocked by something.

"...Ah. You're up? Mornin'."

"—Huh?"

What was blocking the light was frilly frills and a baggy tracksuit.

"Luna... san..."

"You're such a sleepyhead, y'know that?"

A single drop of red blood fell from her bangs and wet my cheek.

"What... are you doing...?"

"...Being an idiot?"

What had been strung around me like a barrier was her silver thread. Every strand was already tattered and crumbling apart.

The girl draped over me was drenched in blood, her eyes unable to focus.

"Stitched up your wounds. Gave you a transfusion too. With my blood."

A sound like the air being sliced tore through, slamming against the thread barrier with terrifying force. Snap, snap, snap!—a sickening sound, and Luna-san screamed in pain.

"Luna-san! Get out of the way! Please!"

Surrounding us were countless massive Guardians. They moved with agonizing slowness, clumsily bringing iron rods crashing down again and again. Red blood spilled from her severed threads.

"...Hahhh. Even I'm impressed with myself."

"Why... why would you do something like this..."

Escaping those slow-moving things should have been effortless for Luna-san.

(Don't tell me she stayed to treat my wounds—)

Getting battered this whole time while she kept stitching my body together.

"Hehe. Sorry, I'm just stupid, y'know. Couldn't think of anything better."

"...You're lying..."

"Sorry. I tried my best. To—"

In this short life of mine, I saw the most beautiful thing.

"—I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

It was me.

My words.

I could never protect anyone.

"It's my... my fault... y-you..."

I forced strength into my legs and tried to stand, but immediately crumpled. My muscles and bones were a wreck—that kind of function probably wasn't left in me anymore.

"No. It's fine. It's okay now."

I could feel her warmth gradually fading. I held her as tight as I could.

"Ahh... I'm glad..."

No.

"The truth is... if someone held me like this... If someone showed me even a tiny bit of kindness..."

Her threads were coming undone.

"That alone... was enough for me."

This woman. Born with nothing. After fighting tooth and nail to survive, she could die looking truly happy just from being held by someone like me.

(No!)

No. No way. Someone this beautiful ending up in a place like this—I couldn't accept it.

Damn it, no! Absolutely not! Screw that! Why?! Why does it have to be like this?!

I want to protect them. I want to protect the people precious to me!

Because that day, I accepted those boxing gloves!

"Luna-san."

"...Hm?"

"Can I... not give up until the very end?"

Her eyes blinked wide, then she broke into a soft, goofy smile.

"...Can't be helped, I guess. Sure. I like that about you."

It was a gamble with a massive price.

"There is one way. Just one."

She smiled, trembling with fear.

"I'll burn your soul as fuel and run on it. —We'll become the same thing."

I'm scared. I'm so scared. Having someone precious is scary.

But if it's what you want—

I held Luna-san even tighter. That was my answer, and she was smart enough to understand.

"Yeah. Got it. Let's give it one last push, okay?"

A flash of light shot through. It was a golden glow radiating from Luna-san's threads.

The golden threads gently wrapped around me, then blazed even brighter.

"But no backing out now, okay? I'm the clingy type. When we die, we die together."

The emotionally maxed-out, hopelessly clingy big-sis maid laughed and held me tight.

"—I'll give you everything I am. So give me everything you are."

Her golden threads enveloped me. It was the last light of a life.

"Let's go, Luna-san."

"Yeah, Master~"

The golden light blazed with blinding intensity, erasing every shadow in the world.

"User contract complete."

In the world scorched by light, only her inorganic voice echoed.

"Unit designation 'Metallic Bride'—rebooting."

I felt an intense heat envelop my entire body.