The Carnelian Sparrow

Chapter 15

“We return to our breaking story, the mysterious, gruesome death of a student at Mitakihara High School. Once again, we advise viewer discretion, as the details that have emerged are not suitable for all viewers. Police have confirmed the identity of the victim, Rui Tomatsu, a third year student. The exact cause of death is unknown, but investigators are treating the case as a homicide.”

“Despite the brutal nature of the crime, however, police have no leads on a possible motive or suspect. The victim had a record of trouble and disciplinary actions at school, though she had never been in trouble with the law. Joining me now via video call is Head Counselor Shinobu Nagano. Counselor Nagano, do you have any idea what could have caused such a tragedy?”

“Thank you for having me. No, I’m afraid I can only speculate. As you said, Rui Tomatsu was a known troublemaker, who often got into fights with younger students. God only knows what her home life was like, but there’s a myriad of people I would imagine got pushed too far and retaliated. Rui was, after all, only one major incident away from being expelled.”

“Er… thank you for that, Counselor. How long do you expect the school to remain closed for?”

“Oh, I expect students will be able to return to regular classes by the beginning of next week.” Some prodding against Shinobu’s shoulder, followed by frantic whispering from a shorter, darker haired person accompany this, and Shinobu clears her throat. “That is to say, there should be ample time to grieve and reflect upon these tragic events, but students can rest assured that there is no danger to anyone else. We’ve enlisted security from the Sixth Bureau…”

“Jeez… I mean, you told me that she was dangerous, Yui, but to think someone actually was pushed that far?” Alice was staring at the TV in her living room, her mother on the phone in her bedroom while Alice is talking into her own. “Y-You don’t think whoever did this will attack again?”

Yui, meanwhile, is sitting in her room, watching the news on her tiny TV, sitting up in her bed. “Not a chance. I mean… yeah, if I’m wrong, we’re screwed, right? Rui was the toughest chick I ever met. But from what I can tell, whoever did this was clearly out for revenge. I mean, did you -see- how much blood soaked into the track? That wasn’t random at all, babe.”

“I hope you’re right. Ugh… should we check on Hanako and the others? They seemed to be Rui’s latest targets, after all.”

“Shinju called this morning to check on me, actually. Asked if I knew anything about it. I mean, makes sense, she’s technically a reporter and all, but I think she just wanted to make sure we were okay. I asked about Hanako and Koharu, she said she was sure they were fine. Midori’d be on us by now if somethin’ happened to Koharu, y’know.”

Alice sighed in relief. “Well, that’s good. We should call Midori anyway, see if they’re okay over there.”

“Yeah. Good idea. Let’s make it a group call, yeah? Hang on.”

“W-Wait, Yui! Hold on!”

Midori sighed, setting down a stack of dishes by the sink, picking her phone back up. “We’re all fine here, in any case. I appreciate the call, guys. But uh, can I call you back? I kind of have a house full of people panicking at the news over here, ‘kay? … Thanks.” Ending the call, Midori turned to Koharu, who had been glued to the television from the moment the news broadcast had started. “Koharu, don’t you think you’re sitting a little too close to the TV?”

Koharu stood up, taking a step back from the television and fumbled around for her phone. “Gotta call Hanako.” Anticipating resistance, Koharu flinched a little when none came. She turned towards her sister, who gave a small nod. Koharu responded in kind, then slipped swiftly into her room as she started a call with Hanako.

“…Ah, Koharu.” Hanako’s voice caused an audible sigh of relief, coupled with Koharu’s relaxed posture as she sank into the chair at her table. For a mercy, Hanako had responded instantly. “I was… actually about to call you. Shinju just called to check on me. Are… are you alright?”

“Fine. Yeah, I’m fine. All things considered.” Realizing she was speaking far faster than normal, even for her own ears, Koharu took a deep breath. “Don’t suppose you know anything?”

“Ah, um… no, not really. It… it came as a shock to me, as well. Mother… she’s been hovering around my room all morning. She’s gone overprotective, though… I can’t say I blame her.”

Koharu sank a bit further, listlessly gazing out her bedroom window. “Hard to talk, then. Text easier?”

“A-Ah, um… it shouldn’t be a problem, but, um… y-yeah, actually, that does… that does sound easier. For now, at least. She… won’t stay like this long.” The last sentence had been almost like a whisper, though Koharu had no trouble picking out the words.

“I’ll call Shinju, then. Know she’s okay, but we need to figure this out.” Before Hanako could respond, Koharu had ended the call, swiftly starting another with Shinju.

Frustratingly for Koharu, this call wasn’t answered immediately, though Shinju’s usual demeanor made up for this. “Yello? Koharu? I was about to call you, actually. You alright over there?”

“I’m fine. Any leads?”

Shinju laughed, causing Koharu to briefly recoil. “Man, you really are something! Guess that’s why you’re the club president. I was hoping you’d say that, though. I feel like I just wanna get out there and solve this one too, y’know?”

Koharu sighed, taking a moment, as if to carefully consider the exact phrasing she wanted to use. “She was our responsibility. We couldn’t clear her name, but we can do this at least.”

“I feel you. ‘Haku’s been glued to the radio all morning, listening for any chatter from the local authorities, any tips, that sorta thing. She and I talked about it. It uh… it had to be a Magical Girl, y’know? Not a chance in hell a civ’ could pull something like this off.”

Koharu nodded, as if Shinju could see the response. “Agreed. We need to meet up. Soon as it’s safe, we rendezvous at Hanako’s.” Once again, Koharu ended the call before Shinju could reply.

Folding her hands together, resting her chin in the crook between her index fingers and thumbs, Koharu closed her eyes. She felt responsible. Not for Rui’s death, exactly, but something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Rui’s rage was caused by the broken window, and it was Koharu who broke the window, though she wasn’t in control of her actions at the time.

Still, Koharu hated making excuses, and the thought that this wouldn’t have happened if not for that Witch’s curse over her had never been louder. Yui was the one who left that rock at the scene, though Koharu didn’t blame her for it. Her actions followed a logical pattern, something she hadn’t expected. Koharu had, over the last few weeks, come to respect Yui’s quick decision making, even if the results were far from perfect.

Koharu wasn’t one to beat herself up, however. Her mind was racing, looking for any trace, any lead to find Rui’s killer. If she couldn’t clear her name, she could at least give her one final trace of justice. Even the most horrible people deserve a fair trial, after all.

Esther was staring at her phone from beneath an overpass, a completely blank look on her face. “Hm.”

“Is that all you have to say, Esther Rinju? You were in the same class as this girl, after all!” Esther recognized the voice’s source in an instant, though she didn’t acknowledge the silhouette of the cat-like creature reflected on her phone’s screen protector. “A girl has died! A fellow Magical Girl, no less!”

“Rui Tomatsu was… a problem, to put it lightly. I would have had to take care of her myself, someday.”

“You always say things like that!”

“And I am still alive.”

“But can you really call this living?” Kyubey’s words were always like a knife to the heart, and always when Esther least expected it. “You’re on the run from your sister this time! You’re not even chasing your leads anymore!”

Esther sighed, pocketing her phone and wheeling to face Kyubey, a hard, cold expression on her face. “I’m not going to pretend that I handled that well at all, nor will I deny that I wish that had happened literally any other way, Kyubey. But what happened happened, and I need to plan my next move.”

“I have another solution. You could always allow me to make a contract with Ali—” Its words were cut off by a sudden burst of white flame along its body, and the creature crumpled to the ground.

It wasn’t long before another, completely identical creature took its place, standing only a few feet away from where the first had combusted. “I see, you’re giving your usual answer. Very well, but you know that all of this is inevitable, don’t you, Esther Rinju?”

Saying nothing, Esther pulled her phone back out, scrolling through various news articles about her classmate’s death.

“Well, in lieu of more pointless violence, I do have some practical advice.” Taking Esther’s silence as acknowledgment, Kyubey continued. “You were following another lead, weren’t you? Before those information dealers found you, I mean.”

Esther looked up, and quickly gathered the shoddy leather bag at her feet. Still saying nothing, she took off from the bridge. That was right, she thought. She was following another lead. In fact, it was the information dealers who stopped her from following it in the first place. It was probably still viable. At this point, even preferable. Anything was preferable to sitting still at this point. Especially if someone or something was targeting Magical Girls.

“So, um… well, you knew her, right, Yui?” Alice was laying on top of her freshly made bed, staring at the ceiling. Her phone was laying next to her, with Yui on speaker phone.

Yui’s sigh was audible and exaggerated as always. “Kinda? She was lookin’ for someone to push around last year. I was on the market, I guess, but she didn’t really figure someone’d ever hit her back.”

“She bullied you? That’s hard to believe.”

“Well, no, she -tried- to. We fought a couple times. Tried to get me to do somethin’ for her, some meaningless shit. Carry her books or get her a soda or somethin’ trivial. I told her to go screw herself, so she shoved me into a locker. Well, that pissed me off, so I pushed her back.”

“Truth be told, it was a pretty good fight. Got to work out a lot of stress I had at the time. I hadn’t made my wish yet, and Pops wasn’t doin’ too hot in the ring. Food got tight, lotsa yellin’ at home, that sorta thing.”

“She kicked my ass pretty good though, I gotta admit. We both got in some shit with the staff, but you know me, babe. I talked my way out of any actual trouble. Think that pissed her off more, though. Y’remember what happened to Mei an’ Seia after that, right? They uh… well, they weren’t the type to hit back, y’know.”

Alice sighed, closing her eyes. “Why do you sound nostalgic about all this, Yui?”

“’Cause she died? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? Remember people after they die? She was a shitty person, but I dunno. I live by my fights, you know that. ‘Sides, maybe the shock hasn’t set in yet. I’m not used to people dyin’ unless it’s in a Witch’s barrier.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Alice conceded. “It hasn’t really set in for me, either. I just kind of feel numb. It doesn’t seem like Esther was connected to it, at least. …Is it wrong that that’s where my mind went first?”

“Nah, you’re fine, babe.” Yui’s voice notably softened in tone. “Given what happened the other day, that only makes sense that you worry about that sorta thing. I’m inclined to agree though. Esther wouldn’t leave a body, especially one layin’ in its own blood.” Sensing Alice’s unease, Yui changed topic. “Say, what’s Midori feelin’ about all this, y’think?”

“Well… you heard her earlier. She’s worried about sending Koharu back to school when it reopens.”

“Can’t keep her away from her education, ‘specially after their mother moved all those mountains in the first place. Damn, man. That woman scares me sometimes.”

“Absolutely not, Midori. You heard your sister. The second they open those doors, Koharu is going back.” Standing just an inch or two taller than her eldest daughter, Hikari Shirahara folded her arms across her chest, her glasses hung loose near the tip of her nose. “And don’t even start with any paranoia. Look at this objectively, and you’ll see this is an isolated incident. Koharu agrees with me.”

Midori scoffs, calculating her next words carefully, though not without muttering under her breath, “Psh. That’s one of the signs of the apocalypse, isn’t it? Look, someone -died-, Mom! And you want to send Koharu back into -that-?!”

“She’s taking this a lot better than you are. Look, I have two other, much younger children to concern myself with, and a husband who is once again leaving town on business. The kind that actually keeps food on our table, as you are so fond of reminding me. So no, I will not be keeping Koharu home over what is -clearly- a crime of passion.”

Before Midori could retort, Hikari pushed her glasses up towards her eyes, covering them as the lenses flashed. “Unless you’re volunteering to help me look after Chiaki and Kayo, and stay home yourself, I suggest you have a little faith. In me, in the forensics department, and more importantly, in your sister.”

“If anything happens to Koharu, it’s on your head, Mom!” Midori wheeled around, storming out of Hikari’s bedroom.

With a sigh, Hikari sat down at her bed, turning to the side and gazing at an open laptop sitting on her bed, listlessly scrolling through a news article and speaking quietly to herself. “I did what you said. But I sure hope you know what you’re doing, old friend…”

Two soft knocks upon Hanako’s bedroom door, followed by her mother entering, setting a small, silver tray upon the edge of Hanako’s bed. Upon it sat a matching silver teapot with two small cups. “Hanako, dear. You really should have some tea. I promise it will relax you.”

Hanako was practically catatonic, lying from one corner of the bed to the other, staring at nothing in particular on her ceiling.

“I… understand that this is a rather huge shock, Hanako. I can offer nothing of substance to quell any fear or concern in your mind. Ah, but you did hear from Koharu and Shinju, so you know your friends are safe. That must be a relief, is it not?”

Sure enough, Hanako’s breathing mellowed, and she slowly shook herself from her trance. Looking around the room, the tea tray, then finally at her mother, Hanako sighed. “It… it is, Mother. Th-thank you…” She hesitated for a moment, then looked idly towards the tray. “…Perhaps I should have something to drink. I did not have breakfast, after all…”

Katsumi gave a satisfied smile, the hint of a chuckle as she poured a cup of tea for Hanako. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m serious, you know. I’ll keep bothering you if I don’t hear anything, dear. You know I’m not bluffing.” Her voice was warm, just teasing enough to put Hanako’s mind at ease. The smile she saw, no matter how tiny, gave her the answer she sought. Pouring a cup for herself and taking it with her, she gave a little nod before leaving Hanako’s room, closing the door behind her.

Hanako’s smile faded as soon as she heard the door click shut. She took a sip from the cup her mother left for her, then set it down on the tray, reaching for her phone. There were a plethora of message in the group chat Koharu had created for the two of them, as well as Shinju. The most recent message had caught Hanako’s attention.

[not your fault.]

With a heavy sigh, Hanako replied. [I know that. I do. But not long ago, I came close to a situation where it would have been my fault.]

Koharu’s reply came instantly. [does not make this your fault. some other victim of hers did this. illogical to assume fault.]

[That isnt what shes doing Koharu. I was there that day.] “…Shinju…” [Shes just saying that it could have been her, or it almost was.]

[irrelevant. completely unconnected events. just more evidence that rui had more enemies and history than we could have possibly prepared for.]

Hanako took another moment to reply. [That’s actually quite reassuring in a rather unsettling way. But thank you Koharu. I feel a little better.]

[still concerning though. keep a close watch on your magic. dont want to let something like that happen again. school could get suspicious or look for another target to pin blame on.]

[Not like her mother would let that happen! She’s like some high level SuperLawyer or something!]

The conversation continued without her input, and Hanako let herself wander. Rui’s death had shaken her to her very core. For one thing, it was as her mother said. A death this close to home, especially one so violent, it wasn’t something that someone Hanako’s age should ever have to deal with. Shinju had seemed quite composed, but perhaps her military family history had something to do with how numb she seemed.

Koharu, meanwhile, was following in her mother’s footsteps. Hikari Shirahara was a name that Hanako had slowly become accustomed to hearing over her time knowing Koharu. As a journalist, Hikari was completely ruthless when it came to uncovering and reporting on the truth. As such, she had placed herself in various crosshairs over the years, and she was no stranger to danger. Koharu, naturally, was equally fearless when it came to pursuing the truth herself.

But Hanako? She had never imagined any life of strife before meeting Kyubey. Even then, the monsters Hanako had fought since making her contract were easy to separate from the type of violence that plagued the world outside her walls. This was the first time she had ever seen anyone on the receiving end of this level of violence.

Yet before the feeling could envelope her completely, Hanako caught a deep, sharp breath. She felt a strange, inner calm, yet a calm feeling that pushed against every fiber of her being. She took another breath, then another, and finally, she found herself completely calm. The events still weight heavily on her mind, but she found herself completely at peace. Was this the effects of her wish, she thought? It was certainly possible.

Then, another memory came to Hanako’s mind. Before all this started, she had met another third year student, one who had offered to help. Sure, she tried to call Esther Rinju before without success. But if anyone could shed some light on what was going on with her, it would be her. She closed out of the messaging app, then opened her list of contacts, hitting the call button under Esther’s name.

To Hanako’s surprise yet again, a voice interrupted the dull tone of an outgoing call without much delay. “Yes?”

“Ah! Um…! E-Esther Rinju, right? Um… this is Hanako. Hanako Sasaki, um… we met a while back, and… y-you gave me your information.”

A breath could be heard on the other end of the call, and a clear softening of tone followed. “I can assume, Hanako, that you are calling about the rather unsettling news that is everywhere this morning? I am afraid I cannot help too much with that.”

“Ah, um… well… yes, I am calling about that. But also… not? It’s hard to explain…” Hanako shuffled nervously, not really sure what she expected to happen. She practically contacted Esther out of instinct.

“Well, she was in my class, so I can see how you would feel that this would be a good lead. Is that right, Newspaper Club Vice President?”

Hanako jumped. “Ah! Um… well, um, we don’t have… an official vice president, though, um…”

“Relax, Hanako, I’m giving you a hard time. I guess I should be grateful for a chance to talk this out, myself. Assuming, of course, that this won’t end up in the paper?”

Taking Hanako’s mumbling and muttering as an agreement, Esther sighed and began her story. “I can’t say I knew Rui all that well, honestly. We had a mutual friend named Toi— your club’s president would know more about her, undoubtedly— but Rui and I never really got along. She… she had a lot to prove in her first year, Rui did. The school blaming her for what happened to Toi didn’t help, and when the Kanashimi family left town, well… I guess that there wasn’t anything holding Rui back anymore.”

“So… so she really did… have a lot of enemies, even before this year?”

“Oh, very much so. Ask Koharu about that, sometime. I’ll give you some names to ask about later, even. If Koharu hasn’t already raided the school’s files, she likely will once the doors open again. Listen, stay close to her, will you? If she’s anything like her mother, she won’t have any second thoughts about diving headfirst into Hell itself if it means finding the truth.”

“…I-I will.”

“But there’s something else bothering you, isn’t there, Hanako? The real reason you called me, if you please.”

There was something cold, even demanding in Esther’s voice that cut Hanako to the bone. Clutching her stomach, she composed herself. “…I… I encountered Tomatsu not long ago. In… in a Witch’s barrier. She was… mmm, maybe I should start earlier than that…”

“The same week we met, Esther, I had… I had an encounter with Tomatsu away from the school. Shortly after she was accused of breaking our club’s window. After that, she made a demand of me. One of… ‘total, unwavering loyalty’, as she put it. Then, the attacks started.”

“First, a friend of hers ambushed me on a hunt. Then, a few days later, she attacked me directly. I… I fought her off, thanks to a friend, but… well, I sort of… lost control of my… my magic… and I came quite close to…”

A soft, almost relieved sigh was heard on the other end of the line. “Ah, there it is. I’ve seen this before in other girls, but you might be the first to have hung on this long.”

“I don’t know what you wished for, but I can assure you of one thing. Even if you do have some sort of berserk fugue state as part of your abilities, you are not capable of ending Rui Tomatsu’s life. We… fought once. Briefly. I can attest her power is in the realm of my own.”

Hanako swallowed nervously, suddenly not wanting to make an enemy of Esther, especially if she really was as strong as Rui. Furthermore, this tone didn’t do much to calm Hanako down any further.

“Hanako, I hate to incite further panic, but I wouldn’t rest easy. There may come a time where a threat on the level of Rui Tomatsu will surface in Mitakihara City. Perhaps even eclipse it. You need to hone your abilities, for your own sake and the sake of those you hold dear. Understood?”

“…Y-You… know something, don’t you, Esther?”

Esther paused for a moment. “I don’t know. Not just yet. But if nothing else, you should trust in yourself. Your instincts will serve you well someday. …Just not today.” Before Hanako could reply, the call ended, leaving Hanako holding the phone to her ear, seemingly ignoring the dull beeping of a disconnected call.