Extra Chapter: The Children of a Forgotten War

My name is… Wait, what is my name again?

Ah! That's right… I don't have one anymore since I'm already dead.

"Young lady? Where are you? Breakfast is ready."

"Food~!"

"Oh! There you are. Come on and wash your hands, Maestro said that he's available to teach you piano today."

"Music~!"

But that never bothers me… after all, I am just a child… And not just any child.

"Anna? Are you guys here?"

"Oh! Charon-san! Welcome back."

"Thank you for your welcome… Is she here?"

"Yes. She's eating her breakfast right now."

I am someone who is very important amongst the people that has taken me under their care.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It is a strange thing even for me, but my memories seem to be very hazy and random. One memory of mine has me living with my mother while another memory of mine has me living my father and yet, there is another memory of mine where I lived all alone because I have no parents.

This is one of the reasons why I don't like looking back on the past. Because no matter how much I try to properly remember the things I used to do before I died, all of them are random and conflicting with the information of the others.

Which is why I am glad that I am a child… because as a child, I can live carefreely without needing to remember things.

"Charon-san… where are we going today?"

"Mm? We're going to Maestro's studio, of course. He's been busy for a while, so he must've wanted to give you a few lessons on the piano as a way to destress himself."

"Mmm… But maestro is a meanie. He's always complaining that I can't keep my tempo and I don't play by the right key."

"Don't be like that, sweetie… Maestro just wants to distract you from stuff. If anything, him reserving time to be with you is a sign that he loves you."

"Mm? He loves me?"

"Yup! Keep this as a secret since Maestro feels shy about it, alright?"

"Mm, mm! Secret-secret!"

"Maestro sees you as a little sister… You know how rare it is for him to be fond or even just warm up to someone. That just means that he really likes being with you lots and lots!"

"Uuu… Waa!"

"Hehe… Why are you so surprised? You didn't have to show that cute reaction now, don't you?"

"But this is good news! Maestro wouldn't be a meanie to me anymore!"

"Ahahaha! Your childish charms sure warm up anyone's heart, don't you?"

Each and everyday that passes, I begin to regress further and further into this state of mine where I am but a naïve and cheerful child, cared for by these people who just like me, has no life outside of what they always had.

And yet, I feel no dejection about the fact that this strangely grown-up part of me in my mind may finally disappear to give way to the eternally youthful me that I have become for several years.

And so, I decided that before we arrive to the studio of that musician who will give my youthful self some piano lessons, I will look back on the past for one last time to try and make sense of what truly happened to me before all of this… and why I have become like this.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I was born in a small rural town in the northern shores of Japan. A relatively unpopulated part of the plains that for several decades, has faced a significant fertility deficit.

It was said that the day I was born, an entire quarter of the town threw a party to commemorate a new member of the community. A party that may show just how much of a big deal it was back then for children to be born.

A few years passed by, and I remember the day when I entered kindergarten. My mother… no, was it my father? No, no… I am sure that a welfare officer brought me to the school building and told me to enjoy my day and make some friends.

I remember encountering a boy and a girl in kindergarten who also liked the magical girl show that I watch at home. At times, we would tie our handkerchiefs on our necks to make them look like capes and pretend that we were the characters in the show. We were the bests of friends… in the classroom, we three we inseparable.

"Let's be best friends forever, alright?!"

"Best friends!"

"B-Besties!"

A few years passed by again as I grew up. I remember that we moved to a bigger city due to my mother's new job at a- No… I don't think we moved out of our town… Father was- No, I don't have parents yet, why do I have to move out?

Regardless, I entered primary school where I made lots of friends because I always help them out in science assignments. I also remember joining a junior baseball team where my skill as a pitcher won me the admiration of a lot of my classmates… although I don't remember our school back in the town ever having a baseball field.

"*****-chan! I like you!"

"Ah-"

"Please be with me!"

A garbled memory of mine has me being confessed to by a boy that I always played with in the playground and even back in preschool. I remember him being particularly good in baseball… enough for him to be cheered on by many of our playmates and classmates in the city… City? Wait, wasn't this the same day as the day when I was adopted by that rich couple who can't get a child of their own and brought to their home out in the country?

I don't know… I don't know what among these memories are right.

But one thing that I can clearly remember and are common in my memories is the day when the grown-ups around us said that the world might finally be coming to an end.

"This is your 7 AM war update for April 29, 2028. Just this daybreak, news about the incoming fleet of the United States Navy has sent ripples across the Indo-Pacific and East Asia region. Although the threat of direct confrontation with other nations are dubious at this point in time, the promise of US President Wallenberg that he would flatten Pyongyang in response to the recent Times Square and Wall Street bombing attacks by North Korean sleeper agents, might be an indication that this would not just be a simple flexing of American military might, but instead, a way for the president whose political career has been fleeting for a while to regain footing in his country's eyes."

"This is your 7 AM war update for July 24, 2028. After the successful coup that was performed by a revolutionary faction in North Korea and are aided by American supplies and funding, North Korea has finally been freed from the reigning regime. Talks about a unified Korea has become the main topic between the governments of the two nations, with South Korea offering financial aid for their northern counterparts. However, there has been some issues with the statements given by the United States' ambassador about the withdrawal of their troops from the seashore of North Korea as he insisted that it would be to the interest of both nations for the 7th Carrier Fleet to remain in the waters until the stabilization of the new unified government in the peninsula."

"This is your 7 AM war update for September 13, 2028. After a two-week long trilateral talks between the interim governing council of North Korea, the government of South Korea and the United States, it has been agreed that the 7th Carrier group would remain in a naval port in the east of North Korea indefinitely as reparations for the Times Square and Wall Street bombing attacks done by the former ruling regime. This has gained the ire of both Beijing and Moscow who has condoned the actions of the United States by using their victory as a way to increase their military presence in the area in a move that both eastern countries called as a "reemergence of imperialistic attitude" of the west. The United States has yet to give a response to these statements…"

"This is your 7 AM war update for September 30, 2028. Missile launch alarms rang in the Hokkaido region minutes before four unidentified missiles hit the outskirts of two major cities, injuring commuters who was near the impact site in the expressways but fortunately, killing none. Investigation by the Self-Defense Force and officers of the US Air Force are currently being held in the impact sites, with rumors that this wouldn't be the last time that missiles would be fired as provocative attacks against the allies of America that is now being held as a nation who abused their involvement in the Second Korean War to gain numerous military installations in the far east."

I remember all of it quite well… The ringing of the missile alarms and air raid sirens during the night and daybreak… The explosions that rattled our homes as ballistic missiles hit and detonate outside of the city.

As the months passed by, the missile attacks dwindled, but the war raged more and more. As a child, I wasn't that involved with these things… But I can faintly remember news about military victories of allied forces in occupied Okinawa and rumors about a civil war in two of the major countries involved in the third world war. With that, everyone expected the war to be ending soon.

However, one of the countries who planned to put all of their resources into an offensive operation in order to gain leverage in the post-war meetings, set out for Japan… and in our misfortune, our quaint northern town was among the settlements that was hit by this offensive.

"Come on, darling! We need to run away!"

The familiar voice of a woman dear to me echoed in my ears as we ran through alleyways and entered sewers to avoid the pursuing enemy soldiers whom I remembered, did horrible things to the civilians that they caught from the roads and their homes. With the two of us being women, she must've feared for the worst for both of us…

"Listen to me child… This is our town… this is where we were born."

"Yes, father… and if needed, this will be where we will die."

"Good… Hold your gun and shoot them without fear. Remember, this is payback for all of the things they did against us!"

Another memory of mine has me fighting against the enemy soldiers with a man that I call father. I remember the lever-action shotgun that I held back then and how each and every shot that I let loose against those animals in human skins filled me to the brim with joy.

"We must escape to Hawaii… There, we can continue living peacefully."

"Right… And if needed, we can just head to the Pacific States to build our fortune back up."

"…"

And yet, I also remember the conversation of my foster parents who hurriedly loaded our belongings to our private plane to head to Hawaii where the war wouldn't reach us… an action that lacks any care for our countrymen who are suffering in this war.

All of these memories point me towards an end that never correlates with each other. Where I can either remember being caught by soldiers and seeing my own mother shot dead in front of me before being shot as well or fighting till the bitter end as my shotgun ran out of bullets and I used it as a club to bludgeon these human-like animals or be riding a plane that was shot down by an enemy plane and crashing near a quaint town that used to be familiar to me.

All of them seem to point to an end of my life that makes no sense. How can I be shot to death along with my mother, die in battle, or get into a plane crash all at the same time?

I do not know… I truly can make no sense about any of this.

"Hopeless mortals… pretending to be heralds of righteousness, and yet, mutually destroying each other for meager gains."

"Charon-san… I have brought them here."

"…Say, child… what do you think about their ends?"

"…I feel nothing but pity for them. One was such a caring and loving girl… one was a boy who dearly loved the former and wanted to see her smiling always… and the last was a girl who simply wished for the warmth of a true family."

"Why do you feel pity for them?"

"Because none of that matters anymore…"

"…"

"After all, they're dead now."

My last memories were about two people that confirmed my death and spoke about two others who was gathered around me. For some reason, the description they gave about us three seemed… familiar.

"I can still remember the day when my aspect upon this world was nothing more but an abstract thought. A thing that exists, but has no form or personification…"

"Then what caused your existence, Charon-san?"

"Death… on an apocalyptic scale."

As he said those words, my cold and unmoving body felt warm once again… but it didn't come from my body but instead, from an embrace from someone that I seem to be familiar with… someone…

"Live once again, children. Though I cannot reform your beaten bodies, the companionship of each one of you should suffice to allow you three to live the life that you deserved to have."

Oh… so that was it, huh?

So, in the very end, it was the three of us who promised to be with each other that ended up literally together… That's good… that's good… Because now, we are free from the hardships and loneliness of the past. Now, we can finally live the life that we wanted to live.

And now… These tangled mess of memories can finally end.

The nightmare that started 50 years ago has finally ended for the three of us. And now, it is the time for us to live as we wished back then.

"Darling? What's wrong?"

"…Hik!"

Back in the present, Charon-san, the same being who revived the three of us in the form of the particularly intact body of Touka who was just shot on the head, asked me why I was crying.

"Geez… are you crying? Were you hurting or are you scared?"

"Nn, nn… I'm alright."

"Heh… I think I know just what caused you to cry like that."

He stopped from walking and put me down to stand up by the sidewalk before kneeling down to my height.

""

"Ah-!"

In an instant, the people who were walking beside us disappeared and all of the colors around us was drained, making everything turn into shades of gray.

"Did you finally decipher the jumbled memories in your head after so long?"

"Yes… I remember all of it now. How we three promised to be together always… but life split us apart and we only met each other again in the place where we all died."

"Was it painful to remember those?"

"…Yes. It hurts to know that we three died just like that because of things that are out of our control."

"…"

A tear fell from my face that Charon-san caught with his hand and clasped in his palm.

"We were just children… We had an entire life ahead of us, but we had to die like that because of a pointless war."

"True… No child deserves to die like that. No matter what excuses the people in power comes up with, innocent ones like you three and a whole lot more should never be called as an "unfortunate sacrifice" for the greater good."

"Hik-! Kuh-!"

Charon-san opened his hand and from it, levitated out the tear that he caught from me earlier.

"If you are to be free from the burdens and nightmares of your past, you first have to be freed from the evils that haunt you…"

"These are…"

"Yes. These are the memories that you three share with each other. Both good memories and bad ones."

All around me, screens that show the memories that we three shared with each other and apart from each other appeared. Some of which, I laughed at slightly because of nostalgia.

"Will you… remove them, Charon-san?"

"Yes… Because this will be the only way for you to live the life that you should live."

"…"

"Or perhaps… you don't want to do it?"

After being asked that, I nodded, stating my wish to not have my memories taken from me.

"Although these memories bring pain and misery to me… these are also the memories that join the three of us together. I don't want to lose them… or else, I may never be able to live the life that the three of us wanted to live."

"Well said, child."

After I gave my answer, the tear that was levitating on his hand dissipated and he gave me a smile.

"But now that you are finally freed from the ignorance about your pasts, what do you wish to do? After all, it wasn't only the good things that you have in your memories."

"…Shinichi-kun fought against the invaders even though he was just a boy. To him, it was his duty to set things right after those people destroyed the place, he called home."

"The same goes to Touka-chan who helped the wounded alongside his mother before they were forced to run and hide, right?"

"Yes…"

I heaved a sigh before giving my answer.

"Doesn't Maestro and the others work for you to correct the world, Charon-san?"

"They do… Wait, don't tell me that you are-"

"Yes… I want to help out too in my own way."

There was an expression of worry on the face of the old man that we call as Charon-san… But he seemed to have mellowed out after giving it some thought.

"Alright… I guess I can't stop you three when you want to correct this world which unfairly treated you and caused your untimely deaths."

Instead of the regular piano lesson, what we did in Maestro's studio was to do the bestowal ceremony that will make me one of the vessels of Death.

"What is this, Charon-san?"

"Your weapon… this is the gun that Shinichi-kun used to fight the invading army 50 years ago. I did some modifications though, of course."

Charon-san gave me a lever-action shotgun, a gun that Shinichi used during the war. He must've kept it with him in case I one day discover the truth behind my memories and request to fight alongside the other vessels.

"And to finish it up, you should have this."

Maestro placed his hand on my head and closed his eyes. I did the same and after a moment, I felt that my body became a bit heavy before it returned to normal in the next instant.

"What was that, Maestro?"

"My blessing. Even though I am younger than you in terms of age, I am among the eldest of us seven vessels of death. And except for the Juror, I have the highest number of people in my Domain of Horrors. This blessing should help you fulfill your responsibilities as a Vessel of Death."

"Well done, Maestro… You really like to dote on her, don't you?"

"Well, she's a cutie who is always easy to teach. I like to spoil her at times myself."

"That's true…"

Even though I am technically the eldest of us Vessels, it is also a fact that I have slept for 20 years in order for the bodies of Touka, Shinichi and Maaya to properly meld together, which makes me the youngest among us in practice.

"Anyways… Since this will be your debut as a Vessel of Death, I believe passing off the meager work that Charon-san gave to me for tonight would suffice as just difficult enough to teach you the basics of our work as Vessels."

"Hey, hey… Those works are pretty hard for her. Don't make her take that mission."

"Relax, Charon-san. She'll be fine… Actually, maybe having a kid topple that gang would be a serious ego breaker for them."

"Still, I'm worried for her-"

"Don't worry, Charon-san."

*CHIK-CHAK!*

"I am a Vessel… I have a job to do and a responsibility to fulfill."

"…"

"I want to do what I can to correct this world's wrongs as soon as possible."

That night, I came to the place where my first mission is located. An abandoned railroad depot in Old Tokyo that a group of criminals has been using as the stash house for the illicit substances that they are selling to certain individuals in New Tokyo.

"Argh… Who's there?"

"…"

"Darn it! Answer the question, wouldya'?!"

*BYAK-!*

As soon as one of the goons opened the door of the storehouse, I fired a shotgun slug straight into his head through his neck.

"What the hell-?!"

"What was that?!"

"G-G-Get the guns! There's a shooter-"

*Ka-click! BYAK-!*

"URGH-!"

"Shit! Shoot whoever this bastard is!"

With the lights cut off after I shot the bulbs, the gang members cautiously walked around with their hands that are holding their guns stretched out.

"The light upon this land shall blind all evil… All wrongs shall be bent to meet the truth."

"A child?"

""

"Wha-?!"

I focused my power into the barrel of the shotgun and pointed it inside the storehouse. And after it reached critical level, I pulled the trigger and it sent a massive beam of light through the entirety of the building, a light beam so bright and so scorching that after it dissipated, no trace of the building was left at all.

["There's a few cars incoming!"]

["Seems like reinforcements of the bad guys!"]

["Go get 'em! You can do it!"]

"Understood."

From inside of my head, the familiar voices of the three children who formed my body spoke about the trail of vehicles that we detected to be coming our way.

"Whoa!"

"Boss! The stash house is gone!"

*Ka-click!*

"Hold it right there!"

"Boys! Grab your guns!"

After they arrived, they were momentarily staggered upon seeing that the place where they hid their merchandise was turned into ash. Only then did they notice me and took out their guns.

"Was this your doing?!"

"You'll pay for this, you wench!"

"…"

50 years ago, it was outside invaders who caused great pain and misery to the people… nowadays, it's these kinds of goons who destroy the future of the people of our country.

"Answer us before we pump lead into you, brat!"

"You are all dangerous mortals to be left alive…"

"What?"

"Is that kid serious?"

"Therefore, I shall drag all of your souls to my Domain of Horrors… where you shall be tormented for all the wrong that you have done."

That night, it was said that there was a commotion in that deserted part of Old Tokyo. For about an hour, a light as bright as sunrise erupted and washed the city in a kind and comforting warmth.

It was already in early morning the next day when government agents wearing beige uniforms appeared and cordoned off the area, limiting the access of the civilians who became intrigued with the event.

"Hideki-san… Look at this."

"A card?"

"Yes… a tarot card."

"Hmm… Keep this in an evidence bag. Let's pass it to forensics later."

"Roger!"

Leading the investigation team was vice-director Hideki Hinata of the Special Security Services agency. This was an independent investigation of the group that was still in the process of being recognized by the government of Japan.

{"How are things going on the field, Hinata-kun?"}

"Nothing much. We got traces of a recent battle with the bullet shells and melted ground in the scene… but there's no clues pointing towards who is responsible for this massacre."

{"Understood. Let's discuss it later in the base."}

"Sure. Over and out."

Officially, the S.S.S has been formed to investigate Psychic-related cases after the Director herself came across the skirmish between the Sumeragi syndicate's forces and the Miyazono corporation's psychics.

This was the first time that the S.S.S became aware of a Psychic force that are outside of the two warring factions. And perhaps, the reason why only eight months later, they would come across a certain young man who fought for someone's life without any regrets or fear about losing his life.

A young man named Ephraim Seliah Chronia.

"Wahaha! Last night's raid was amazing… I can't believe such a large laboratory was hidden in that densely populated area."

"Yes, yes… It was a great bust… as you may call it."

"Wahaha! You really know my vocabulary at this point, don't you, Maestro?"

"It sure rubbed off me after a while, you Jester."

"Look, Haru-kun! Maestro's warming up to us now, doesn't he?"

"Nyaa~!"

"Alright, alright… That's enough out of the two of you."

In the common meeting place of us Vessels of Death, the Jester and Maestro was talking about the raid we did last night before Judy-san made them shut up.

"Maestro, here's your extra dry martini with lime."

"Thank you greatly, Ms. Judy."

"You're greatly welcome, Maestro."

There was an air of refinement as Judy-san and Maestro conversed while the latter was playing the piano with a joyous tone.

"Hey, hey, hey. What about me, Judy-san? What about my drink?"

"You shut up, you alcoholic! If you want a drink, be useful and wash the plates and glasses in the kitchen."

"Eeeehhhh…? But I'm tired already! And why am I always doing the dirty utensils here?"

"No work, no pay and no drink. If you're not pulling patrons into here or doing something useful, you won't be accommodated!"

"T-Then what about Maestro? He just sits and plays that piano every time he's in here!"

"I livestream his performances and some patrons give tips on the counter for song requests. He accounts for about 30% of our daily income, you know?"

"T-T-Thirty percent?! H-How?!"

"Hehe… A lot more people pay for sophistry than mindless comedy nowadays, you know?"

While The Jester is fuming after realizing that he hasn't been that useful for our collective finances, Judy-san approached me and handed me my cup of warm milk.

"Here's some sweet milk for you, dear."

"Thank you, Judy-san…"

I picked up the cup from the saucer and drank some of it. It was then that Haru-san, the animal partner of The Jester, hopped to my lap and seemed to use his cute kitten eyes to solicit some milk from my cup.

"Alright, alright…"

I poured some to the saucer which the cat drank happily. Because of his cute purring, even I can't help but smile.

"Seems like you're in good mood."

"Oh, Charon-san… Well, we seven vessels have been busy since that person's awakening… Short respites like this help us keep our mind composed and at peak efficiency. Look, even Haru-kun just drops down to sleep after having his milk."

"Oh… Looks like your seven really are getting tired with your responsibilities, huh?"

"Quite true…"

As I finished drinking my milk, Charon-san sat in front of me and asked something that was the last thing that I wanted to be asked with.

"So… how has the three people inside of you decided to handle their new lives within you?"

"Well… with them being in the same body, things have been quite complicated to say the least. Touka is being very childish about what I should wear, Shinichi always gets all hyped up in fights, while Maaya wants to always be pampered by Judy-san and my other caregivers…"

"Ehehe… typical children behavior, huh?"

"Yes… but now, I have become the one in control. It seems like to avoid further clashes with each other, the three decided to form a pseudo-personality that I can use. Some kind of behavior pattern that they agreed that I can take and use in life."

"I see… Did they somehow finally name you?"

After Charon-san asked that, I felt some blood rising to my face in embarrassment of the truth that I am about to state.

"They… they named me after a children's cartoon from back then."

"A children cartoon? Which is it?"

"Um… It's…"

"?"

I took in a sharp breath before giving the answer.

"I-It's Magical Mirai! They named me Mirai, of all things!"

"Pfffttt!"

"Waaahhh!!! Don't laugh! Don't laugh, you old fart!!!"

After having his fill of laughter and my disdain, Charon-san finally gave an honest opinion about it.

"You know, maybe they named you Mirai since you are the embodiment of the three of them in the future."

"What?"

"You know… Maybe that name Mirai had such a meaning. A way for them to entrust to you the lives that they can no longer have in their true bodies."

"I… I see…"

That's right… Maybe that is true. Those three are me and I am them… but now, I have the freedom to act as a person unique from all three of them.

I am the Fighter of Righteousness and the Dispeller of Evil. I punish those who do wrong and protect those who are in the right.

I am the 3rd Spirit of Death, the Child of Light, Akisato Mirai.

.

.

.

…And yes, that is literally the name of the magical girl that I was named after. Blame the three kids in my head for it, please.