"Good evening."

"Good evening."

Rika smiled at me. She was holding a huge soy sauce bottle.

She acted like I never yelled at her, got violent with her, or made her cry at all today.

Or perhaps she came to curry favor, thinking that she angered me.

I invited Rika to the front door. I told her to wait for a moment, and tried to take the bottle.

But Rika took her shoes off and walked into the house with the bottle in her hands.

"Don't worry, I'll get it for you. Why don't you wait there?"

"......I'm pretty good at pouring soy sauce into a funnel, you know...?"

She looked at me as if begging.

I guess she wanted to pour the soy sauce into the bottle herself.

I didn't want her to come in the house,

but I suppose I didn't want her to wait there alone either.

If she came to the kitchen with me, I could keep my eyes on her.

And so, I brought Rika to the kitchen.

We walked down the hallway.

I only heard my footsteps.

I stopped suddenly and turned around to make sure Rika was following me.

Rika bumped into me.

"...Meep."

"Mmm, ah, sorry."

I made sure she was right behind me and started to walk again.

Tap, tap, tap.

Tip, tip, tip.

Tap,

tap...

Tip,

tip.

Rika must have been having fun matching her footsteps to mine.

Even when I quickly sped up, our footsteps matched perfectly.

Tap, tap,

tap, tap.

Tip, tip,

tip, tip.

Tap, tap, tap.

I stopped suddenly.

Tip, tip, tip.

Tip.

Rika stopped suddenly too, after taking an extra step.

When I turned around, Rika smiled at me.

Our footsteps matched perfectly, and when I stopped suddenly, I heard her extra step.

I've experienced such footsteps before... it was making me feel uncomfortable.

But now, although her footsteps sounded the same as the other ones I'd experienced, I saw her when I turned around.

That was the difference between them.

I left the storage door open, so we could see the soy sauce barrel.

The memo said she can take as much as she wants, but I wasn't sure there was enough left.

I crouched down and tried to open the lid of the soy sauce barrel.

Even when I crouched down, I could hear Rika's extra step.

"Good, there's plenty left.

Take as much as you want."

When I turned around, Rika was very close to me.

But... eh?

...Who was this?

I saw Rika... but it wasn't Rika at all...

It was like when I switched with my sister.

The outside was the same, but the inside was different.

Did Rika have a twin sister?

I was confused for a moment.

That was when Rika sprayed something from a small bottle into my eyes.

"Huh?!

Hhnnnnn!!!"

I felt a terrible pain in my eyes, and suddenly tears poured out and my nose started to run.

I couldn't stop sneezing either.

As I stumbled around, covering my face, I then realized I was attacked.

I shut my eyes tightly for a moment, then opened them again.

Rika was about to grab my hair to drag me down onto the floor.

When Rika saw me open my eyes, she sprayed at me again.

I shut my eyes to avoid the spray, but my nose still breathed in the substance.

I avoided the pain in my eyes, but the tears, the runny nose, and the sneezing continued.

Shiiit, aaaah!!

My brain isn't working quickly enough!

However, when I finally understood that I had been attacked by Rika Furude...

My brain started to grind into motion.

Rika Furude knocked me on my back and got on top of me.

I tried to escape from her by rolling on the kitchen floor.

As I rolled, I hit an oven,

a huge jar,

and destroyed a pile of something on the floor as I fought back.

But Rika didn't let go of me.

She stayed on top

and restrained me.

She was sitting on my stomach, and I felt intense pain and pressure.

She sure could fight well...

I still couldn't see anything.

Rika had the upper hand, my eyes were shut, and I was in real danger.

As I tried to blink, I saw Rika's expression.

I didn't know Rika Furude all that well.

I only knew her from the few times we met when I went to school as Mion, and from the things I've heard from other people.

But as far as I knew, there was no way Rika Furude would ever do something like this.

This is just impossible. Impossible, impossible!

No, I can't fill my head with that word!

I have to calm down and figure out what to do next...

Shit, I'm too much of a mess to even think!

I tried to peek at her face again.

She still had the spray bottle in one hand.

What I didn't expect was the thing in her other hand.

How could I mistake it for anything else?

It was definitely

a syringe.

When Rika realized I'd regained my eyesight,

she pointed the spray bottle right at me and let loose with it.

I shut my eyes tightly and tried to ignore the pain.

But that was when, even though I was blinded,

Rika made a miscalculation.

She had sprayed at me from such a close distance that she inhaled the substance as well.

I heard Rika sneeze, and realized that it was my chance.

Even if I couldn't see, I knew she was right there.

I hit Rika's face a few times.

When I felt Rika's weight shift, I escaped.

I then got my stun gun ready.

Rika must have inhaled just a little of the spray. She wasn't sneezing anymore, and was glaring at me instead.

"...Hey, hey, hey... Are you pickin' a fight with me?

You want me to wreck you?!!!"

Rika's expression didn't change, but I was sure she was disappointed that her surprise attack was a failure.

Rika flinched just a little

but she was still holding the spray bottle and aiming it at my eyes.

She was trying to use the spray first

and then give me the shot.

I didn't know what was in that syringe, but it was a clear liquid.

It had to be something bad.

She wanted to take my eyesight, get on top of me, and then give me the shot.

If whatever was in the syringe took a while to take effect

I might have the chance to fight back

and seriously injure Rika.

But Rika's surprise attack told me that just being injected was more than enough.

In other words, whatever the effect,

it would start to work immediately.

Therefore, I wouldn't be able to fight back against her.

It'd probably either knock me out or kill me.

In any case, what I had was equally deadly.

My stun gun was very powerful.

Just one shot would be all it took.

What happened before was proof of its power.

"....................."

Rika knew my stun gun was a lot more powerful than her spray. She was being extremely cautious.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing in my house, huh?

If you aren't moving, then I'll come to you!!!"

I threw a pile of newspapers at her.

The pile wasn't tied together, so the newspapers flew all over Rika.

I jumped at her immediately after.

I shoved my stun gun into her,

and pulled the trigger!!!

Rika spasmed and fell to the floor.

...You fool!

Hesitating in a fight where a single blow wins!

Only amateurs just glare at each other.

You don't have a single clue about how advantageous the first strike is when a single blow can decide everything!

The spray bottle rolled on the ground,

but she still had the syringe.

Rika was down, but I couldn't let my guard down either.

I kicked her in the side and clambered on top of her.

I took the syringe.

I held Rika's arm down and gave her the shot.

My actions could hardly be called gentle.

I injected her violently.

I injected everything that was in the syringe.

Rika began to convulse.

I stood back and watched for what would happen to her body.

Of course, I still had my guard up.

While I assumed that the drug would incapacitate her immediately, I didn't know exactly what kind of reaction she would have.

"Ha, ha!

Look at you!!

Did you really think you could defeat me?

Think again!!!"

After a few more convulsions, Rika unsteadily got to her feet.

...That's ridiculous. How can she even stand?

I looked at my stun gun.

Damn it!

The power was on the lowest setting!

Maybe it had been readjusted when we were rolling around on the floor...

I changed the setting to maximum.

Rika turned pale and started sweating all over.

...I didn't know its exact effects, but if Rika had given me the shot, I'd be the one experiencing her symptoms.

She looked really sick, so obviously she must've been feeling awful too.

She couldn't even focus. She was very wobbly, and had her hand on the wall.

She'd lost her balance, and it must've been hard for her to even stand.

She didn't look so brave anymore.

Rika wobbled some more and moaned as if she was about to throw up.

"Ooh

hah, hah...

.........

Ahoo, ahooo...

Hanyuuu...

Hanyuuu...

cough

cough!

Cough!!"

Rika looked scary as she moaned and wobbled, but at the same time, she looked kind of funny too.

...Certainly, she hadn't even dreamed she'd be getting the shot herself.

As the man sows, so shall he reap.

That's what you get.

"Aha ha ha ha ha!

This is funny, so funny.

But please don't throw up here, go to the bathroom, okay?

Heh heh heh!

I'm going to enjoy how long it'll take for you to die.

Oh, but that means I can't torture you later, huh?

I've been planning to use the nail table on you.

So either you choke on your own vomit and die, or I pound nails into all ten of your fingers. Hmm, I wonder which it will be...

Okay, I know.

Let's move to the underground shrine storage.

I'll put you to sleep so I can move you there, okay?

Heh heh heh!!"

I walked up to Rika, my stun gun making popping sounds.

When Rika saw the sparks from the stun gun,

she moved to grab a huge kitchen knife.

"Oh, are you still trying to fight?

Heh heh heh!

That makes things more fun.

I have so much I want to ask you.

I would suggest you back down.

Well, actually, even if you do, you'll go through the same misery anyway, heh heh heh!"

"......Sorry, but I'll refuse that invitation, you torture maniac."

What she said wasn't anything I'd expect to hear from the Rika I knew.

But I didn't hesitate.

I had the advantage, so I didn't need to worry.

Besides, this was coming from the last survivor of the Furude family, one of the Three Families.

That sudden change somehow felt natural.

"Compared to what the Three Families have done, this is nothing.

Thank you for that high praise, though.

I should be proud of myself, huh?

So?

Are you seriously thinking about fighting me with a knife in that condition?

You can't even stand straight..."

"......You're right.

Like you said, I'm at my limit.

...But if that means getting captured and tortured to death by you, then sorry, I'm taking my leave."

"Taking your leave?

Pfft, try it if you can!!"

It was clear who held the advantage here.

But despite that, an odd thrill filled both of us.

'We lost our minds' wasn't a fitting phrase for the people of Hinamizawa.

It was a feeling of release, when modern demons could stop pretending to be human.

Yes, this... was a mad banquet of demons, with the savoring of blood and devouring of flesh.

Attended by the head of the Furude family and the head of the Sonozaki family, the old families whose blood is closest to the madness of the demons.

I stood in front of the hallway so as to block her escape route.

The windows had grates and the door had a safety chain on it. If she turned around, I'd hit her with my stun gun.

In this situation, what did Rika Furude mean by 'taking her leave'?

Rika got her knife ready.

I expected her to aim at my stomach when she attacked, so I took a stance with my stun gun ready in my hand.

Rika, however, suddenly turned around.

I carefully watched to see what her next move would be.

Rika put the handle of the knife to the wall and held it in place.

...What was she doing?

"......Goodbye, torture maniac.

I won't give you the satisfaction of killing me."

Rika reared her head back and slammed her throat against the knife on the wall...!!

"...!!!

.........!!!"

Her blood splattered all over.

Rika bent backwards repeatedly and let the knife slash at her throat.

Again, and again.

Her neck and chest were dyed red.

I'd always thought blood was darker.

But her blood wasn't dark. It was so bright... I must have been confused, but... it looked pretty...

After doing this several times

Rika turned around.

Her eyes were wide open. She didn't look like she was from this world.

Her face looked like something both living and dead, both real and artificial.

...It was very scary, eerie...

and above all else, pale.

Although her face looked unearthly, it was a very appropriate face for a demon.

I didn't have a mirror so I couldn't tell,

but I was sure I looked exactly like her.

Rika continued to violently slash her throat.

It reminded me of someone trying to break a huge piece of ice with an ice pick.

That was exactly what Rika looked like.

The white chips of ice coolly flying through the air.

What I saw before me was a beautiful sight.

Every time Rika struck her throat, tiny drops of red blood splattered the boring white world around her.

It was like a dance.

A dedication dance by the final head of the Furude family.

The demon's last dance of dedication to Oyashiro-sama.

Upon seeing that literally bloodcurdling dance, I let out a fierce roar.

I had no reason to do so. I was howling like an animal.

We were like animals trying to kill each other, both getting covered in blood,

and, inevitably, as one convulsed in a pool of that blood, the other threw back its head and howled.

My body shivered with the joy I felt inside of me.

This was death,

the most final of judgments,

and it was right before me.

The demons howled,

screamed,

and roared.

The roars faded, and my voice started to change from the voice of a demon back to that of a human.

As a demon, I roared,

but as a human, I sneered.

Rika was covered in blood from her neck down.

Her blood was

pouring out,

making a little noise.

Rika was still staring into my eyes.

I stared back at her.

I wasn't sure they were still eyes, though...

They were no longer human eyes... but the eyes of the dead.

Rika,

no, Rika's corpse vomited blood from her mouth and nose

and smiled.

Then, she dropped the knife.

She stuck her hands out and turned her palms upward.

Her wiggling fingers reminded me of an insect's legs.

Those fingers reached for her own throat.

I'd never seen anything like it.

I'd never seen anybody do this before.

Because... Rika was scratching her own throat... she was ripping her own throat apart.

Maybe that wasn't a good description.

She was trying to rip out the inside of her throat through the opening she'd made with the knife.

Her fingers found the biggest tear.

Rika smiled.

At least that's what I would have called it if she were alive.

She ripped open the tear in one tug.

"Wha... whaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

Upon hearing my scream,

Rika died and fell on her face

into the pool of blood.

That was it.

She didn't get up again to show me her throat.

I stepped back from Rika Furude's body and bumped into the wall in the hallway.

Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!

I roared again in admiration of the ritual dance of dedication of the head of the Furude family.

Joy ran through my body, and my blood rushed through my veins.

"I won, I won!!!

I defeated her!!

Raaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"

I then realized I'd disposed of the heads of the Three Families, the core of the curse of Oyashiro-sama.

Everything was finally exposed.

The curse of Oyashiro-sama and its masterminds were all exposed.

I disposed of the leaders of the Three Families, who all killed Satoshi-kun.

The head of the Sonozaki family died of a heart attack.

She was at the bottom of the well, along with a wheelchair.

I apprehended the head of the Kimiyoshi family.

He'd continue to tiptoe until he died.

The head of the Furude family died

in a way that was perfect for the final head of the Three Families of Onigafuchi.

I did it.

I accomplished my mission.

I defeated all the masterminds

who killed Satoshi-kun with the curse!

Every one!!

Satoshi-kun, you were powerless.

You didn't have the means to fight back.

Those evil people simply sneered while they let you die

after marking you as a member of the cursed Houjou family.

I will never, ever forgive them!!!

They believed you deserved to die because you were one of the Houjous.

As long as it was done by the curse of Oyashiro-sama, they didn't care how you were killed!!

I will never forgive those people for creating this world!!

What could I have done to save you, Satoshi-kun?

I couldn't save you.

Shion Sonozaki couldn't do anything else at the time!!

If I was Mion, not Shion!!

If I was Mion that day!!!

I could have saved you. Mion could have saved you!!

That's right, I remember now!!

Shion!!

She said she wanted to eat red snapper sashimi that day!!

I was supposed to eat that!!

But Shion pouted and cried...

That was why I let her switch, just for that night!!!

I did it to make her happy, like a big sister would!!!

Shion was never treated well, so I felt bad!

That was it!!!

I was being a good sister, that was it!!

When morning came...

The world had been turned upside down, and it had remained so until today.

We weren't twins anymore.

The one with the demon was Mion and the one without the demon was Shion.

What was that supposed to mean?

Wait, wait, Mom, listen!!

I'm Mion, not her!!!

You can tell us apart, right, Mom?

Look, can't you tell I'm Mion?

Come on, everyone, tell me I'm Mion!!

I'm Mion!!

Don't call me Shion!!

I'm Mion, I am!!!

"Then I realized.

You knew, didn't you?

That the relatives weren't gathering for a simple party that night. You knew!"

"No, I didn't!!

I really didn't know!!"

"Huh? How can you say that?

You were so persistent that day!!!

You said you'd never eaten red snapper before, so you really wanted to try it!!

You never gave up asking me!!!"

"I really didn't know!!

I didn't know... If I had known, I wouldn't have said that!!"

"Oh, sure!!

You were always jealous of me. Always looking at me with those foxy eyes!!

That was why I switched with you every once in a while!!

But you weren't satisfied with just that. You became even more jealous.

And that night, you knew what was going on, and took Mion from me.

You took Mion from me!!!

Give Mion back!!

I'm the one who's Mion.

I am Mion Sonozaki!!

You were Shion this whole time!!

Don't call yourself Mion, you impostor!!!"

I kicked the bars of the cell repeatedly while I roared!!

Compared to my roar, the metallic noise of the bars sounded like the cry of a little puppy.

I had been convinced by something so stupid.

The tattoo of the demon was just a way of telling us apart.

Even without that tattoo, I am Mion. That's right, I am Mion Sonozaki!!!

I gathered my hair and put it in a ponytail with the yellow band that Mion used all the time.

Since I didn't feel my hair on my neck,

I felt like I could think more clearly now.

Two Mions looked at each other through the iron bars.

According to our sibling rules, that was never to happen.

Yes, there was only one Mion and one Shion!

There could never be two of either at the same time!

"Shion, let your hair down!!

I am Mion, and Mion is here!

You were never Mion!!

So don't pretend to be me ever again, do you hear?

I said, do you hear? If you do, answer me! ANSWER ME, Shion!!!"

I took myself back on this day.

Shion admitted she was Shion.

"Haaahhh... how wonderful it is to be Mion!

I feel great.

I can think clearly now,

because after all, Mion is capable of anything,

unlike you, Shion.

How dare you pretend to be Mion!

Do you have any idea?!

Huh, Shion?!"

"...Yes, Sis..."

Shion called me "Sis."

And so, I was Mion!!!

Ahhhhhhhhh!!!

The demon who had been asleep deep inside of me was finally allowed to wake up.

The demon roared, and my whole body shivered to express its joy.

"Shion, you committed a great sin.

You were Mion until now.

You were in a powerful position as Mion of the Sonozaki family, yet you didn't even try to rescue Satoshi-kun!

You had millions of chances to save him, but you chose not to do anything.

I won't forgive you, I'll never forgive you. I could have saved Satoshi-kun!!

You took him from me and you killed him. I'll never forgive you for that!!!"

Shion was shaking on the other side of the bars.

"I will kill you. I'll kill you in the best possible way!!!

Starting today, I'm going to think of the best, most gruesome way to kill you!!

Shion, you better spend every minute

fearing

what's coming to you!!!

I won't just kill you. I'll make sure your death is long and miserable!!!

And after you're dead, I'll throw you into the well.

You better apologize to Satoshi-kun when you get there!!!

This is what you get for pretending to be me!!

Do you hear me?

That's your sin!!

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!"

I needed to at least clean up the kitchen.

While I was putting old newspapers on the floor to absorb the blood, the phone rang.

I didn't want to answer, but maybe I should.

I should answer it and talk to whoever it was.

"Hello, this is the Sonozaki residence."

"Thank you for answering. This is Houjou calling."

I was surprised to hear the Houjou name,

but I realized right away that it was Satoko.

"Oh...

Satoko?

What's the matter?"

"Sorry to call so late...

Is Rika not there with you?"

Ah, yes.

Ever since Satoko Houjou was abandoned, she had been living with Rika Furude.

Of course she'd get suspicious that Rika hadn't returned yet.

"Ah, yeah, she's here."

"Oh, she's still there?

It's long past dinner time!"

..................

"......Hey, Satoko.

I......

I made too much dinner tonight

so I told Rika-chan to eat here with me..."

"Eh?

I-Is that so?

Ooh..."

"Why don't you come over too?

I have plenty of food left.

Rika-chan has already started eating."

"Oh, Rika!

A-Alright, I'll clean up a little and then head out.

See you shortly."

"Okay.

I'll be here.

See ya."

Click.