Ayashi no Ceres, Novel #5:
episode of miku (part 2) Story concept by: Watase Yuu and Nishizaki Megumi
Written by: Nishizaki Megumi
Illustrated by: Watase Yuu
Summarized by: Tetris no Miko
ISBN: 4-09-421275-2
Chapter 1: "Rebirth"
Yuuhi hurried home and was greeted by Shouta and a girl who looked exactly like Chidori. When Yuuhi saw her, flashbacks ran through his mind…
Chidori took a bullet for him in Kagami’s lab. To this day, Chidori’s warmth on his back was imprinted in his mind. And Chidori’s final words, which she failed to finish, kept haunting Yuuhi…He always kept a picture of Chidori in his breast pocket after her death, and now, the girl in that picture stood before him.
Yuuhi shakily walked towards her with tears in his eyes. "Chidori…!"
But the girl stepped back and said almost apologetically, "I am not…Kuruma Chidori". She looked up at Yuuhi with teary eyes. "I don’t have a last name. Only four days ago, a man named Alec gave me the name ‘Chidori’".
"Is that even possible…?" Yuuhi finally managed to say with difficulty. "You grew up in just three years?" Yuuhi remembered watching Alec carry a box out of the ship before it sank. Aya told Yuuhi soon after that the box had fertilized Tennyo eggs in them and that she trusted Alec to take good care of them. And this "Chidori" was one of those eggs…
"Chidori must have wanted to come back and see us," Q said solemnly.
"I heard that Aya and Tooya were living on Hachijoujima with their daughter," Chidori said with a smile as she realized Aya’s daughter was probably born around the same day she was. "I also heard that Shuro died and that the project was abandoned, but that Aya and Tooya are happy together now…"
Shouta had informed Chidori of all of this the night earlier (Yuuhi had confessed everything to Shuro), and then Chidori had to confess to Shouta that she wasn’t really his sister, but his sister’s "daughter" (or so to speak…). Shouta was very disappointed and hadn’t said much since…
Chidori looked at Yuuhi. Just as with Shouta, she had been dying to meet him… Every memory Chidori had with Yuuhi was in her heart now, but something still didn’t feel complete. She wanted to run into his arms and say Yuuhi-kun! I came back! It’s me; Chidori! I came back because there’s something important I never got to tell you. You see…You see…the truth is, I’ve always….
But Chidori couldn’t say any of this, for she was not the real Chidori. While she had Chidori’s memories, Chidori’s spirit was up in Heaven, and the Chidori she was was just a fake.
"I will leave now…" Chidori said.
"What?! Leave where?!" Yuuhi demanded.
"Back to that island… I’ll live there by myself from now on. After all, that’s my only choice…The truth is, I want to see Aya and Tooya and Miku, too…but I’ll just confuse them… If I suddenly come back from the dead…they’ll be upset…"
Everyone gave her concerned looks.
"I got to see Yuuhi and Q-chan anyway… So there’s nothing left to do… Please tell Suzumi-san I said ‘hi’…Oh wait, that may sound strange, too…" Chidori said with a nervous laugh and bit her lip. "Maybe I’ll have Alec rename me…"
Chidori looked up at everyone and bowed. "Goodbye…" she said and hastily headed for the door.
"Don’t go! Chidori!" Yuuhi cried as he chased after her and grabbed her arm. "You are who you are! What’s so wrong about that?!"
"Yuuhi-kun…"
"Chidori…Kuruma Chidori must have wanted you to live in her place. I know that’s what she would have wanted. So as far as I’m concerned, you ARE Chidori. You can chose what to do with your own life now, but always remember that we’re still your friends. So don’t leave! Stay here!"
Chidori was at a loss for words.
"…You’re still pretty little, huh… But don’t worry, I’ll cook you all your favorite foods! Eat up, and become a woman as fast as you can… Chidori…" With tears in his eyes, Yuuhi shook Chidori’s shoulders. "Tamago-yaki, or meat loaf; anything! I’ll cook you whatever you want!"
"…Yuuhi-kun…"
"The menu will rotate between our favorite foods… And let’s go to karaoke, too. Just like we used to; we’ll sing GeSANG’s songs…"
Chidori remembered Yuuhi promising the same things just before she had died.
"He’s right. You’re a part of our family," Q added.
Yuuhi turned and glared at Shouta. "Shouta! How much longer are you gonna sulk like that! Biologically speaking…Chidori might not be your sister…but she still is blood-related family to you, so cheer up, you jackass!"
"…That’s enough…" Chidori said, pulling away from Yuuhi. "I’d better get going…"
"Don’t go!" Shouta stood in her way this time. "Please…don’t go. I want you to sleep next to me again…like you did last night…"
"Shouta…" Chidori said with tears in her eyes.
"Okay! So that settles it!" Yuuhi declared. Then he rustled Chidori’s hair and said "I’d also like to hear more about that island you were raised on."
Their touching reunion was interrupted by a ring on Yuuhi’s cell phone. It was Suzumi, yelling at him to come to the hospital right away.
When Yuuhi got to the hospital, his father, Masahiko was already on his deathbed. Tomonori (the eldest son), and Suzumi were there, too. First, legal matters were settled. Masahiko told the three that his estate would be divided evenly between them. Suzumi and Yuuhi tried to turn his offer down, but Masahiko insisted and said it was already in his will anyway and couldn’t be changed.
He entrusted his dance school to Tomonori (who gladly agreed to marry Suzumi to take care of her school ^_^;;), and then gave something to Yuuhi which he had been meaning to give for a long time… the name of the restaurant where Yuuhi’s mother, Sumika was currently working.
"I wish I could eat some of your cooking…" Masahiko struggled to say.
"I already told you this before," Tomonori began, "But Dad always loved you best. But your mother knew if she stayed any longer, but she and you would be treated horribly, so she left. I know you think she left you behind, but she actually entrusted you with Dad."
Masahiko said his last farewells and took his last breath.
Chapter 2: "Solitude"
Flashbacks of Sahara Miori’s suicide kept haunting Miori.
Miori! Fly! Please fly! Miori!!!!
Her mother had called out to her from beyond the grave… But she couldn’t fly. She wanted to fall. She didn’t want to save herself.
It’s no use… I’m tired. So I’m going to join you, Mom. I don’t want to be alone anymore. This is my only choice. I want everyone to see my body all bloody and mangled when it hits the street. I want to show them what happens when someone is betrayed and all alone… How lonely I am…There’s no one left for me to even say goodbye to…
The next instant, the street was stained in blood…
After a very long sleep, Miori left the house and set off on her way. She had no time to sulk or cry now. There was still some unfinished business she had to attend to: revenge.
As she traveled through Miho no Matsubara, she met The Old Lady TM who both Aya and Tooya had spoken to earlier during the manga series. This "Old Lady" does have a name: Mizuki Teru.
Teru stopped Miori and asked if she had found who she had been looking for. Miori replied that Sahara Miori was dead. Teru then admitted that she had been surprised when she first met because she looked so much like the late-Miori. Teru asked Miori if she were some sort of relation. Miori said she wasn’t.
"Ah, that’s too bad," Teru apologized. "I remember another girl coming by a few years ago, who resembled you and Miori…"
"What?" Suddenly, Miori got excited. "Please tell me about her!!"
"Well, she seemed very guilty about Miori’s suicide, and blamed herself for it." Miori raised her eyebrows in surprise. "She also said something about everything around her being stained in blood… But she also looked very determined and said to me ‘I’ll do what I can as long as I’m living. It’s what I owe to all those who died because of me. So I’ll live to the fullest, and treasure every moment I have…’ or something like that."
Miori’s shoulders were trembling.
"Then I told her about a Tennyo legend so she could continue looking for the hagoromo. I wonder if she was a descendant of a Tennyo?"
"Excuse me, but was this girl alone?"
"No, there were two young men and one little girl with her… Oh yeah, and before that, a very handsome fellow who was an acquaintance of hers came by, too…"
Miori shook Teru’s shoulders. "And?! What did he say?!"
"He said ‘Some day, I plan to take my Tennyo home with me.’"
"My Tennyo…" Miori murmured.
"That man and the girl were probably in love," Teru concluded. "But I got the feeling someone was trying to keep them apart. I wonder how they’re doing now?… They must be doing fine. I felt a strong power coming from her. But when I looked at that girl, Miori, I sensed she wouldn’t live much longer… Looks like I was right, unfortunately… Hey, are you feeling well?"
"I’m fine…" Miori said evasively.
"This may be none of my business, but when I found you yesterday, staring into the ocean like that, you looked exactly like Miori; like you felt trapped. Now, if something’s bothering you, you should talk to someone about it instead of keeping it bottled up inside of you."
"Thanks for the advice… I’ll do that…"
Miori turned to leave, but Teru said to her, "I have to admit I don’t like the young ones these days. They’re rude and wild and have no respect for anyone else, but you’re different. You use polite speech and you don’t dye your hair; that’s why I felt like talking to you. And someday, when you find true love, you’ll be as beautiful as a Tennyo… Yes, I remember telling that girl the same thing. With the man she loves by her side, any girl can become a Tennyo."
As Miori traveled back to Tokyo in search of the Mikage and especially Mikage Aya, memories of Miori flooded back into her mind. Receiving the call from Tokyo about her mother, finding her mother’s dead body, going into Kagami’s care, being informed that it was Aya who had killed her mother, being informed that her mother had been in debt and only went to Aya’s birthday party as a bribe from the Mikage… Seeing Tooya’s picture, being drawn to the mana inside of him, being drawn to Tooya himself, feeling sympathy for Tooya, a man alone, just like her, and last of all, Tooya choosing Aya over her, and her falling to her death.
"I won’t let you get away with it," Miori repeated to herself over and over again in the taxi headed for Tokyo.
Back in Tokyo, Chidori and Q were waiting for Yuuhi and Suzumi to return from the hospital. Q informed Chidori that Yuuhi’s father had died the night before and Suzumi was having a terrible time trying to find a funeral home since they were all booked (from all the deaths from the mysterious virus).
Chidori brought up Aya and Tooya and Miku and asked Q if she really thought it was okay that she meet them on Hachijoujima. Q assured her they would be glad to see her.
Miori had been listening to their conversation the whole time, and took a peek. When she saw Chidori, she felt a weight on her heart.
"Chidori…what are you doing here?"
Suddenly, Miori remembered having seen a girl like Chidori while she was falling to her death, and while she was at high school with Aya.
"So you were one of them, weren’t you," Miori said sadly. Even though the real Chidori was dead, her reincarnation was back with Chidori’s friends and family.
Chidori had somewhere to call home. Miori had no such place. Miori thought she had robbed Aya of everything precious to her, but Aya was alive and well now, still with her friends and loved ones.
Aya and Tooya are married. And now they even have a daughter named "Miku". And now, the two of them are living together on Hachijoujima…
"They can’t expect their good fortune to last forever," Miori said darkly as she walked away from the Aogiri house.
Chapter 3: "Premonitions"
Suzumi and Yuuhi finally returned home. They were still solemn from the recent death, but Chidori suddenly panicked and demanded that they listen to her story.
She told them about how she and Miori’s reincarnation had been raised together on a mysterious island with Alec, and how they had left to find their mothers. Chidori was afraid that Miori might have regained her memory, too, and that she would try to harm Aya.
Suzumi assured Chidori that no one knew that Aya and Tooya were on Hachijoujima, but then Q showed them a memo that someone had dropped in the hallway. Chidori recognized it as Miori’s when it said "Miho no Matsubara" on it.
Realizing that her conversation with Q had been overheard and that Miori was most likely on her way to Hachijoujima that instant, she demanded that they all go warn Aya and Tooya (they tried to contact them by phone, but their line didn’t work).
Yuuhi wasn’t too sure it would be proper to leave while he was still in mourning, but Suzumi urged him to go on and save those who are still living instead of dwelling on the dead. (Go, Suzumi!)
So Yuuhi, Q, and Chidori all got into the Aogiri blimp (their staff had a day off, so Q offered to drive ^^;) and headed for Hachijoujima.
After Yuuhi and Chidori got used to Q’s shaky driving of the aircraft (^^;), Yuuhi talked over important business with Chidori.
"Say, don’t tell me ALL of the Tennyo eggs are grown up on that island now?"
Chidori shook her head. "When we hacked into Alec’s computer, we discovered he had destroyed all the eggs."
"Destroyed? Then why are you and Miori alive?…"
"I don’t know… I have no idea why just the three of us survived… We ran away from home without asking Alec anything…"
"’The three of us’? There was another girl besides you and Miori?"
"Yeah," Chidori nodded. "But unlike us, she has no memory of her former self and she doesn’t know who her mother is…"
"She might be the daughter of one of the C-genoma who killed herself back at the lab," Yuuhi suggested. "But what the hell is going on here? First we’ve got this strange virus killing everyone in Japan…then I hear that Alec raised three C-genoma…Seems like the past is coming back to life…"
Chidori said timidly, "But Alec is not a bad person…. I just remembered, he seemed to be doing some sort of experiment behind our backs and he also talked on his phone a lot."
"Maybe we’re looking at the Neo-C-Project…" Yuuhi suggested. "And maybe Kagami’s former sponsor, Ragnaleck is running it? If that’s true, you might be in danger. After all, you ARE the daughter of Paras type A Tennyo, Kuruma Chidori…"
"Yeah…"
"Has your body changed recently?" Chidori shook her head. "I guess not, after all, you didn’t drink any of the Tennyo drug… "
"Say, Chidori was able to turn into an adult, wasn’t she," Chidori said.
Yuuhi nodded. "Yeah, I was always nervous when that little munchkin would change into a sexy woman like that. Her breasts would almost fall out of her clothes… Then my eyes would wander, and ….Huh? Chidori?"
Chidori was staring quietly out the window. "Oh… So Chidori was able to do that…I remember you didn’t like the childish look…"
"I…Idiot. That’s not true! Chidori may have been little and childish, but…"
"But you told her you thought she was pretty the way she was," Chidori finished for him. Yuuhi flinched in embarrassment. "You told her that…while you carried her on your back…just before she died…"
The blimp shook suddenly and Chidori fell into Yuuhi’s back. Q apologized for the shaky flying and continued on her straight course.
Chidori spoke up from Yuuhi’s back meekly, "Can I stay like this for a while?"
"…Huh? …Sure…"
Chidori closed her eyes and thought back… When Assamu had shot Chidori in Yuuhi’s place, Yuuhi thrust a gun to Assamu’s head and was going to kill him, but Chidori had stopped him, insisting he wasn’t that kind of guy.
As Yuuhi carried Chidori on his back, they spent her last moments alive talking about food and karaoke… But Chidori’s warmth slowly disappeared…
"Back then…You…Er, I mean, Kuruma Chidori…what was she trying to say?" Yuuhi whispered. "Do you remember?"
Chidori didn’t answer. Hey, Yuuhi-kun…You probably never noticed…But I…I’ve always….always…
"Sorry…I don’t remember. That’s when Chidori died, after all."
"I had been meaning to ask her what she was trying to say if we had made it out alive," Yuuhi told her. "Before I knew it….I realized that Chidori was always by my side. And she always cheered me up whenever I was depressed about Aya. She always told me that I was the best man for Aya…"
"That’s right… Chidori always prayed that it would work out for you and Aya… You were so hopeless, she had to help you out."
"…Is that it…" Yuuhi said. "Yeah, that must be it… haha, I guess I got her all wrong… I’m sure dense…"
"Aw man… Yuuhi-kun, don’t tell me you thought Chidori was in love with you? That can’t be true. She was always trying to get you and Aya together."
"…Yeah…you’re right.
"Yes, I AM. You’re so silly…" Because his back was turned to her, Yuuhi couldn’t see a tear escape Chidori’s eye…
This tender scene was once again interrupted by Q’s horrible flying, so Chidori finally got fed up and pushed Q aside, taking control of the craft. Yuuhi and Q were shocked at her ability to fly, but she explained to them that she had learned how to do all sorts of things in Alec’s learning capsules.
"Say, Chidori, you said there was one other girl besides you and Miori. Who was she?"
"I don’t think you know her…"
"Never mind, just tell me who she is," Yuuhi insisted.
"She’s very pretty…" Chidori said dreamily.
"HER NAME!" Yuuhi demanded.
Finally, Chidori relented and spoke her name at the same time Yuuhi did "Shiori!"
"Huhhhhh? How do you know her??" Chidori asked.
"Because she happens to be staying with Aya right now!! And there’s more; she has amnesia!"
Chidori’s shock threw the blimp onto a shaky course towards Hachijoujima….
Chapter 4: "Infestation"
Lulik had been locked in his lab ever since the day his phone conversation with Alec was cut short. Ragnaleck had gotten wind of his secret plans and had been spying on him and Alec the whole time. The leaders of Ragnaleck released Lulik’s Tennyo-drug prematurely and that was the cause of the virus.
A man from Ragnaleck came on the screen to talk to Lulik. He asked for Lulik’s cooperation in finding a cure to the new virus. Lulik argued that they would just use his research for evil, but the member of Ragnaleck argued back that Lulik had used their money for his own selfishness.
The members of Ragnaleck still wanted to create an elixir of life from the Tennyo blood/mana, but their eagerness to release the drug early resulted in the virus affecting the two top men in Ragnaleck.
Once again, the man pleaded Lulik to make a vaccine, but Lulik said he could not do that, and that there was no cure.
"This is karma. It’s punishment from God…we humans brought on ourselves." Lulik told the man.
But the man laughed in response. "Then we shouldn’t depend on humans to find the answer. It appears as though Doctor Howell was in the process of resurrecting the mana in his lab, and there is also Ceres Type A Tennyo, Mikage Aya and Tooya, the man created from mana, and also, their child…"
Lulik was stunned.
"I hear their child was born safely, and that she is now almost three years old. It is not impossible that Miku possesses both Tennyo powers and the mana. She could become a valuable asset to our cause. You cannot resist us. We have a very brilliant man working for us now."
"You don’t mean…" Lulik said nervously.
"This time around, he’s loyal and working for us. And his former staff is also being very helpful."
"…..Chief…"
"It sure was smart of us to rescue him off that ship", the man from Ragnaleck said as he switched the screen off.
Lulik thought over what had just happened. Kagami was still alive. And even though he had been so opposed to Ragnaleck and their goals, he had now joined forces with them?!
Lulik’s mind then wandered back to the reason he got caught up in the C-Project and all this madness in the first place… Sonia. When he had first met her, she was a famous soprano. The two instantly fell in love and were married three days later. While their life together was short, Lulik was devoted to her and still loved her. Her dying wish had been that he find a way to cure diseases that struck the innocent, just like the disease that was killing her…
But all Lulik had accomplished was the loss of many lives due to disease; the very opposite of what he was trying to accomplish. And worse of all, a race of Tennyo he had brought into existence were now being targeted… Miku, the most of all…
Three days later, a fax was sent to all governments in the world. It read "A monstrous threat is facing the human race. It is called The Ceres Virus".
Chatper 5: "Revenge"
Aya was sitting glumly by the phone, waiting for a call from the Aogiri house, but none came. She was worried about lots of things: about Yuuhi’s father, about "Chidori", about the virus, about Tooya, about Miku…
Shiori put Miku to bed and was about to go to bed herself, when she suddenly said "You should get some rest, too, Aya."
Aya gave her a knowing look and nodded. After Shiori left the room, Aya turned to Tooya and said "You still haven’t filed a missing person’s report, have you."
Tooya agreed that he hadn’t, but was more concerned about Aya’s health. Aya shook her head, saying she was fine and that Tooya should concentrate on his health instead.
Tooya decided then that he would quit his job for a while. With the virus about, he hardly had any customers anyway, and they had some money saved. Aya was very pleased with that suggestion.
As Tooya watched TV, news reports of the virus came on. A report about Yuuhi’s father’s death came up and Tooya was shocked that Yuuhi didn’t call to inform him. He went over to the phone and received another shock when he realized his line had been cut.
He had little time to worry over this, though, because fierce winds picked up outside, rattling their shabby house.
Tooya got into bed with Aya and Miku later, but neither Aya nor Tooya could sleep. They stayed awake and talked for a while.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Aya begged Tooya to quit work all together and to just stay at home with her and Miku. Tooya agreed that he would (though still not quite understanding what Aya meant).
Then Aya wondered what "Chidori" would be like, and was excited that everything was going back the way it was.
Tooya told her to stop thinking about it and that he would protect her and Miku, no matter what, and that’s all that mattered. Tooya took her hand, and Aya begged him again to never leave her…
The fierce winds continued through the night. Then one of the windows was smashed open. A hand reached in through the window and opened the door to the house.
The intruder crept up to the bed where Aya, Tooya, and Miku were sleeping…
Tooya was dreaming of how he and Aya had first met when Aya was seven, then when Aya was sixteen. All the events of his life flashed before his eyes, until he felt as though he were journeying into another dimension….But then the winds suddenly stopped.
Wake up! A voice from inside Tooya commanded.
"Die!!" Miori yelled as she brought her knife down towards Aya. Miori missed her target and stabbed Tooya’s right arm instead.
"Aya! Run away!" Tooya commanded.
"Miku!" Aya called out.
But Miku only screamed in response. Miori had Miku captured and held her knife up to her throat.
When Tooya and Aya realized who their intruder was, they were petrified.
"Did I surprise you?" She asked proudly. "You guys were probably relieved when I died, but, too bad for you, here I am!"
"Sahara…Miori," Aya murmured.
"What is the meaning of this?" Tooya demanded as he stood up.
"Don’t move!! Unless you do as I say, I really will kill this girl…".
Tooya struggled in pain.
"What’s the matter? You look really weak; not at all like the Tooya I know."
"Are you really…Miori?…" Aya trembled.
"Yes, that’s right. I came back to life so I could get revenge on you! Do you have any idea what pain Sahara Miori was going through when she died? Do you have any idea how lonely she was? You took my mother away from me; she was all I had…"
"But that wasn’t Aya, it was Ceres…" Tooya tried to explain.
"They’re all the same person!!… But my mother is dead…she’ll never come back to me…Nothing will. Because you took it all away from me!"
"Sahara-san…" Aya began.
"Listen here! I thought I could get revenge on you by killing myself. I thought I could tear the two of you apart! But here you are, happily married and with a daughter! I hear you guys said some noble things after I died, but I’m sure you’ve forgotten it all by now!"
"Who are you," Tooya demanded.
"I told you, I’m Miori! Though I guess that’s not entirely true, I’m Miori’s ‘daughter’. I was created from her egg. But my name is still Miori."
"So is ‘Chidori’ like you?"
"Correct. But you see, I still have all my memories from my past life. It was all passed on to me so I could finish what Sahara Miori set out to do!"
"Where were you raised?" Tooya asked.
"Beats me. On some nameless island. This scientist named "Alec" raised me."
"Is the C-Project starting up again?" Tooya asked with wide eyes.
"Who cares about that! I just can’t let you…Mikage Aya… live such a happy life…"
"Sahara-san…You still love Tooya, don’t you…"
"Shut up!!"
Miku started to cry from Miori’s harsh tone.
"Please…Just don’t hurt Miku…Do what you like to me…"
"Ohh," Miori said sarcastically. "So that’s a mother’s love, eh? Even my mother was in horrible debt, but she put up a good front for me… But desperate for money, she took a bribe from the Mikage, and went to your birthday party…. If she hadn’t gone, she wouldn’t have had to die!!" Miori paused thoughtfully. "At first, I had intended on killing you in one swipe, but that’s no fun… First, I’ll make you all alone…so you’ll know how I feel. I’ll show you how it feels to have everyone you love taken from you… Let’s start with your daughter…"
"Please…Don’t do it…" Aya begged as she limped towards Miori. Miori violently kicked her down to the ground and held her knife close to Miku’s neck…
Chapter 6: "Confrontation"
"Stop this at once!!"
Miori looked up in disbelief. "…Shi…ori…"
Shiori was staring intently at Miori and looked different than she usually did. Miori found herself paralyzed to the spot and the knife fell out of her hand.
"Now, hand over Miku."
No matter how hard Miori tried to resist, she let Miku escape. She promptly ran into her mother’s arms, crying.
After commanding Tooya, Aya, and Miku to stay put, Shiori lead Miori outside with her to talk.
The weather had calmed down.
"This may be confusing to you, but please listen to what I have to say," Shiori commanded. "I heard what you just said. Your mother, Sahara Miori, had everything taken away from her and was driven to suicide. And then you, Miori… found out about all of this and attempted to carry out your mother’s wishes and kill Aya… And Kuruma Chidori was also connected to Aya and Tooya… and Kuruma Chidori is also deceased… "
Shiori quieted her tone a little. "I wonder…If I’m involved with them, too in some way… But it doesn’t feel that way. No one remembers me, after all… I can’t say I understand how you feel… but you mustn’t take it out on others; especially Miku. If you hurt her, you’ll have to answer to me."
Miori was still stunned to the spot.
"Let me tell you a secret," Shiori said, her eyes dancing in red light. "Our mothers had their eggs extracted from them while in their Tennyo form, and the eggs were combined with sperm from the most elite of men. That means we are the products of men and Tennyo… Don’t you know? Our fate is decided on which one of these traits comes to the surface. If the human part is stronger, you will become human. If the Tennyo part is stronger, you will become Tennyo… Miori…which one are you? You didn’t look at all Tennyo to me back there… But I am a Tennyo. Now I know that for sure. Say, Miori, do you know the legend of the Tennyo? Without their mana, Tennyo can’t live. I hear they slowly weaken until they die."
Miori remembered the legends she had heard from Teru…
"So don’t get in my way. I want to live, and I want to find my mother. I want to know who I am. As long as you do what I say, I won’t hurt you… We are sisters, after all… But if you try and hurt Miku again, I will kill you."
Shiori looked up at the sky she had just been controlling and at Miori, who she was currently paralyzing. "I didn’t want this power… I’m sorry…"
Shiori released her hold on Miori and walked away. Miori tried to stop her, but instead, was drawn to the edge of a cliff.
Meanwhile, the Aogiri blimp landed in the distance (though not safely ^^;). Aya left Miku with the Shirahata’s and cried out happily to Chidori.
Chapter 7: "Family"
By the time Aya caught up to Chidori and the others, she was gasping for air. They had little time to reunite, however, for they saw Miori off in the distance, at the edge of a cliff…
They ran frantically up to her, but she did not want sympathy.
"Tooya.. I see you’ve come chasing after me again…. But leave me alone! Why did you follow me!?"
"Because I know…that I hurt you deeply…"
"Don’t bother comforting me… I know your feelings for me were planted into your brain by Kagami in the first place."
"But I know why Sahara Miori was attracted to me; it’s because I was created from her mana…"
No, you’re wrong, Tooya… Aya thought. She may have been drawn to you at first because of that, but like me, she grew to love you for who you were.
Miori reinforced Aya’s thoughts. "It’s just that when I saw you…all alone, with no memory, you reminded me an awful lot of myself. I didn’t really want to take you away from Aya…I just wanted to have you all to myself…I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you….But it’s too late now. Sahara Miori is long dead now. A Tennyo without mana was destined to die anyway."
Miori finally admitted. "I’m not really Sahara Miori. Miori is just a name I got from Alec a few days ago… I thought I was reborn to fulfill Miori’s revenge, but I can’t even do that! Why didn’t Miori lend me her Tennyo powers?! Didn’t she want you to die?!"
"But you might not be a Tennyo!" Aya argued. "Stop making up stuff! Please listen to what happened after Sahara Miori died…"
"I don’t want to!" Miori cried as she took a step back. A few pebbles were sent down the cliff and rain sharp as needles began to pour down. Suddenly, Miori saw a familiar face in the crowd.
"Chidori… So you were…one of them, weren’t you…"
"We are NOT the reincarnations of our mothers!" Chidori shouted out. "We are new lives all together! …. At first, I also thought I was Kuruma Chidori’s reincarnation, and that I was reborn to reunite with all her friends… But that’s not true. I am I. You are you. So please stop hating Aya and Tooya!"
"Chidori’s right," Yuuhi spoke up from Chidori’s side. "I do feel sorry for Sahara Miori… But that doesn’t mean you have to feel sorry for yourself!"
"Don’t bother cheering me up," Miori said. "I have no reason to live anymore… "
"Miori…" Chidori said with a step towards Miori. "You’re not alone."
"’Because we’re sisters’? Stop the fancy talk. You’re a hypocrite, saying you’re a new life, but going back with your old friends, anyway. I hear you even have a little brother! Good for you. But I…I…I have no one! I have no husband, no family, no brother, no friends, NO ONE!!!"
Miori’s shoulders shook. "I’m lonely…Much more lonely than Sahara Miori ever was!!"
"Watch out!" Q yelled out as Miori reached the edge of the cliff.
"Don’t come near! …I’m gonna die anyway, aren’t I? So will Chidori and Aya. Tennyo die without their mana…That’s right! Ahahaha! Everyone’s going to die! How marvelous! It doesn’t matter how sad or happy you are because we’re all going to die anyway! Ahahaha!"
It was then that a voice sounded from deep within her. Live.
But Miori shook it off and jumped off the cliff.
But instead of hitting the ground and creating another bloody mess, she was suspended in mid-air. Yuuhi, Chidori, Aya, Tooya, and Q had formed a chain with their bodies and were holding her.
They pulled her back up to safety, much to Miori’s protests.
"You are NOT alone," Aya told her once they were safe on the cliff again. "Have you forgotten? We’re cousins. I know we got off to a bad start, but I’m sure we could have gotten along under different circumstances…. And even though you aren’t Miori herself, you still carry her genes…and so do I. So stop thinking you’re alone… When my family was torn apart, the Aogiri took me in as a part of their family, and even though we weren’t blood related, I love them all very dearly…. Blood relations don’t matter… What matters is having people you love around you….people supporting each other…"
Chidori wiped Miori’s face and handed Miori a bottle. "You forgot this, Miori. It’s sand from where you were born."
"Come and stay with us," Aya commanded.
The voice that had spoken up inside of Miori spoke again. You weren’t born for revenge. Did you really think that would make me happy? Back when I was falling out of the sky, my mother spoke from inside of me, too. She begged me to fly, but I couldn’t do it. I didn’t want you to make the same mistake I did. I want you to live. But this time, don’t live for hate, but for what’s precious to you. That is why I had you brought into this world. …
"Aya-san..I…I…I…" was all Miori could manage between sobs.
Then, the party broke into gaiety. With some jokes and encouragement, Miori became her old, cheerful self. Chidori also properly introduced herself to the others and they were all very happy…
But a not-so-happy Tennyo watched them from the shadows. "So both Miori and Chidori found their places… and their memories… and places to call home… But who am I?" Then she smiled faintly. "I am…a Tennyo…"
Meanwhile, back at the house, Aya and the others were discussing Shiori when suddenly, it was discovered that Miku was missing! When Tooya found Mr. Shirahata, he had apparently been in some sort of trance. He said he recalled someone wearing white take Miku away…
Everyone panicked and started to look for Miku. In the excitement, Aya fainted.
Chapter 8: "Orders"
Back at the island, Alec hadn’t taken any food, drink, or sleep since the girls had left. He was nearly dead and was glad, thinking this was his punishment for all he had done wrong…
But suddenly, a familiar face appeared before him. "There, you see? I’m already dead now…"
"Snap out of it, Alec!" The man told him and shook his shoulders.
"But…if I’m not dead, that means you’re a ghost…." Alec stopped struggling and took a good, long look at the man. "Chiiiiiief!!" He cried and collapsed to the ground.
Kagami explained to Alec what had happened. Ragnaleck had been spying on them even after they had cut ties with Kagami’s C-Project, and they had rescued him from the ship. Kagami then pledged his loyalty to Ragnaleck.
Alec was shocked to hear this and demanded why. "I…I admit that I didn’t really…approve of the way you tried to carry out your project….But I was very proud of your dream…and your ideals…"
Kagami laughed in response, "I’m honored."
"Stop talking like that! …Chief…No, Kagami-san, just before we parted, you told me your deepest secrets… That no one ever loved you…and that you were alone…. You hated the world… You said it was full of stupid and hateful people, so you turned to the Tennyo for help… You said you wanted to create smart and beautiful people and recreate the world…but is that what you really wanted?…. What you saw in Ceres…was the mother you never had! All you ever wanted was a mother who loves you! That’s why you wanted Ceres…"
"Is that all you wanted to say?" Kagami said blandly, and walked further into Alec’s lab.
Kagami congratulated Alec on his experiments with the eggs and mana. He knew about all of it because he and his staff (Assamu and Wei) had been spying on Alec the whole time, and sending messages to Ragnaleck.
Alec demanded that Kagami tell him where his girls were now (since he seemed to know everything ^_^;), and Kagami commented that Alec looked just like a father.
"I was a bad father…" Alec admitted. "But while I was raising them, for the first time in my life… I loved someone! Up until now, all I had cared about was my research, and I had never thought much about my family or friends… But when I changed their diapers or fed them meals, or held them in my arms, or taught them… Just by living with them for a while… I grew to love them…I tried my best to raise them, but I messed up. I wouldn’t blame them if they killed me."
"But I can’t let you die, yet."
"What is Ragnaleck up to?!"
"Perhaps one could call it the Neo C-Project".
"What happened to Lulik!" Alec demanded.
"He’s involved in new research now…" Kagami answered vaguely. "And now for your orders."
"Orders?"
"Correct." Kagami indicated Alec’s mana experiments. "Finish this research. Reconstruct the mana."
When Alec refused, Kagami pulled a gun on him. "You had better do as I say. Ragnaleck will continue to keep a close watch over you."
As Kagami turned to leave, Alec begged him to let him come along. Kagami argued that Alec had too much work to do on the island and that his helicopter only had room for 2. "And besides, I can’t let you go into the outside world in your condition." Alec gave Kagami a confused look. "Instead of moping around all the time, why not turn on the radio for once?" Kagami suggested as he boarded the helicopter. Alec was shocked when he saw that Assamu was the pilot.
Kagami and Assamu talked for a while, and when they received a call from Wei, they headed for Hachijoujima…
Chapter 9: "Flight"
Tooya took Aya to the Shirahata’s clinic. Everyone was scared that Aya had the virus, but Aya assured them she was okay. Soon they all knew why. Aya was pregnant again. She had confided in Shiori when she began to suspect, but she hadn’t told anyone else. But there was another thing about her baby that not even Shiori knew; her next baby was Aki.
But there was still Miku’s whereabouts to be found. Tooya and the others frantically looked for her…
"Shiori-nee-chan, where are we going?" Miku asked.
"To a very nice place," Shiori answered. "You must have been scared back there."
"Yup…Tanks for saving me."
"That girl wasn’t really a bad person."
Miku nodded. "Yup, she wooked very sad… Hey, where are Mommy and Daddy?"
"They’re fine. They’re at home."
"Then, I wanna go home, too… "
"Miku-chan… Listen, Miku-chan, your Mommy and Daddy are going to have another baby."
"Baby…? Miku’s gonna be a big sister?"
"Yes."
"I wanna go home".
Shiori stopped her. "Listen, Miku-chan. Your Mommy and Daddy are occupied with their new baby, so they can’t play with you anymore."
"…No…"
"Because this new baby is a different kind of person from you."
"Different person?"
"Yes. Because your Mommy and Daddy made you back when they were different people." Shiori paused a bit to let it sink in, then added. "Your Mommy and Daddy love the new baby more than you."
Miku looked a little forlorn…
"So do you want to do something unbelievable to surprise Mommy and Daddy?"
"Unbewievable?…"
"You know, what we were practicing yesterday."
"Oh…"
"Let’s do much more today!"
"I thought so. I knew you were a Tennyo…" Miku said happily.
"And so are you," Shiori told her. Miku smiled in delight.
As Tooya ran, searching for his daughter, he saw two figures in the distance. They were standing on the edge of a cliff.
"Miku!!!!" Tooya cried out desperately. But the two girls didn’t run back to him.
"Daddy…" Miku said quietly with a smile.
"Come, let’s show Daddy what you can do," Shiori urged Miku. "I promised you we would do this together some day… right?"
Miku nodded happily, and the two stepped off the cliff.
"….Miku…!!" Tooya’s eyes dropped when he saw his daughter and Shiori step off the cliff. But the next instant, he opened his eyes wide at what he saw. Shiori and Miku had not fallen into the ocean far below. The two of them were holding hands and floating in midair.
All Tooya could do was stand there dumbly and watch the girls float up into the sun and disappear…
THE END OF PART 2!! TO BE CONCLUDED IN THE 6TH AYASHI NO CERES NOVEL, "EPISODE OF MIKU, PART 3"!!
*Note: After Watase’s freetalk, she drew a cute, one page manga-preview to the next novel. From what I could gather, someone is trying to kill Miku, Kagami visits his mother again, Chidori is holding Yuuhi back and screaming at him "Don’t do it!!", and none other than….Ceres makes an appearance!
Now onto Kagami…Who really thinks he’s in cahoots with Ragnaleck? I personally think he’s just acting as a spy, but well, maybe not… ^_^; And just a random note here, (because I didn’t scan this picture) Assamu has grown into a VERY attractive guy >v< (remember, about 4 years have passed since the manga, and he’s about 15 years old now ^_-)
Special thanks goes out to this cool person for sending me the book for free (well, in exchange that I summarize it ^_-), and she will send me the last book so I can summarize it, too! Hahahahaha! Tell her she’s cool.
Well, until the next novel…!