Cheshire (Interlude)

Rain fell. It scattered between the ruins. Atop the remnants, and remains.

Cold... A gust gnawed at his face, bringing with it damp smoke and ash. As well as the smell of charred flesh. He convinced himself he was used to it. Yet his gaze was drawn to the aftermath.

Embers soon turned to soot. Metal melted to scrap. And life? Burnt to cinders.

What should he say this time? It’s too late for I’m sorry, but too cruel to leave it at a job is a job.

“I’m such a selfish creature.”

But I have to continue, his voice disappeared midway. That truth was taboo to utter.

Disgust clawed up his throat. In the past, the acrid fumes were enough to make him retch. But by his third mission, the scent had become tolerable. The fifth, invisible. Everything was different now.

And he hated himself more than anything.

Three he laid, edelweisses, upon the scorched wreckage. The rite gave some solace, temporary as it may be. Courtesy, a friend once confided its meaning, is the least we can do.

Moments ago, these were a family. It was the son’s birthday. It was goodbye to his parents too. He had been accepted by the Millénaire de l’Inquisition, the university that stood at the pinnacle of magic. A lifelong dream for any aspiring mage and the reason he had to die.

A cake was ordered. Black Forest gâteau, perfect for the bittersweet mood. Singing, dancing, even talking about the future. He watched them celebrate and decided to sneak a slice for himself. Even so, no one noticed him. This part never changed. Lavish as the cake was, it tasted like nothing. Who could enjoy eating just before they take a life?

His fork hovered above the plate, a few chocolate crumbs left, unable to finish. A second longer, a minute longer. He was hesitating. Did he have to do this? How many more innocents have to die? When will this end? His thoughts were in disarray. To which, he set down his plate and let out a sigh.

Why did they have to be the first?

“Good day, ladies and gentlemen! I see you’re having a fine ol’ family party here. Mind if I join?”

“Who even are you? Get out!” the father shouted.

“Haha ~♪ Don’t be shy! Wait, is this the rumoured ‘overnight train ride angst’ syndrome?!”

“As I said, get out!”

“Honey, I think we should call security.”

“Go on. Four’s not enough for a party, as they say. By the way, I brought a birthday gift.”

“I appreciate the thought, but you are not welcome here.” The son gripped the hilt on his waist.

Like I care, said his face. It was all a show. Him tipping his top hat, reaching inside–

“What strange thing will come out this time? In 1! 2! 3!”

–and pulling out a bundle of dynamite, their fuse already lit.

Then a sword came flying towards him. He made no attempt to dodge. There was no need to, for the blade passed through him as though he were a ghost. Taking advantage of the forward thrust, his arm wrapped around the son’s neck, locking him in place.

“What a shame. This gift is solely reserved for our birthday boy.” His tone grew sharp. “O Mister and Missus, now would be a good time to heed your own advice and get out.”

Of course they didn’t. They screamed, they bashed, they tried to rip his arm away. Until the final moment. When the first explosions tore through the train.

Alone he stood in the ruins. Heat, like lava, broiled in the former cabin, bristling against his skin. All of that and his suit remained pure white, free from even a speck of ash. A weak smile lingered on his features, one filled with self-mockery. Alone he remembered their last words.

He wanted to cry.

But he had to continue. The next task was…

“Is this working yet? Ah! Good day, ladies and gents! Your hijacker speaking, by the way ~♪ Wait, does train crashing count as hijacking? Oh well, one less life accomplishment.”

It’s a mere memory now, as he laid these flowers to rest.

“Would you forgive me if I took a break here too?”

There was no reply. He leaned against a fallen steel beam and his legs gave in. With no ceiling left to speak of, rain freely poured in. So cold... but he was too tired to move. Should hypothermia take him, all he could say was he deserved it. After all, he was destined for a lonely death from the beginning.

Those thoughts came to him so naturally. Had he already grown numb to the idea of death? He laughed bitterly. Under the certainty of fate, life and death were meaningless. Those blessed will enjoy a fruitful life, and those cursed will…

Looking for a distraction, he sifted through his clothes. They were still clean. Not a bit drenched. Even the edelweisses had been stained black by muck and grime. Seeing this, he grasped a handful of soot and began smothering himself in it. How nonsensical.

It’s time to go. There’s work to be done. As he pushed himself up, he pulled out a worn-out book from his side pocket. There, he scratched out one name, Genzai Tsumi. Then he flipped a page to the end of the list, adding two more, Kako Tsumi and Mirai Tsumi. In one day, Tsumi Corporation lost all of its namesake members. Such consequences meant little to him. A life was a life, it didn’t matter if they were an aristocrat or a beggar, it was equally a sin to take another’s life.

Squelch. Footsteps. Slowly approaching, soggy ash stuck to their shoes. A sigh escaped his lips. He took a deep breath, prepared a smile before turning to greet them.

“My oh my, prey keep coming to the slaughter ~♪ Thanks for making my job easier.”

Disturbing his peace was an odd duo. There’s a vampire with enough wrinkles to be called a relic. A half-drunk wine bottle swirled haphazardly in his hand, clearly irritating his companion. Speaking of which, the other person was a neatly-dressed lady who had eyebags for eyes. She kept her hands hidden in her coat pockets and regarded me with annoyance written on her face.

“Hey whatever, couldn’t you have done this on another day?”

“Whatcha saying? We’ve had more time together cause of him.”

“That’s exactly the point, old man!”

...What? Their reaction was beyond casual, as if this were a chore. Either they were lunatics, or… full-fledged Inquisitors. Why did the troublesome targets come out now?

“Sad to say, whatever ain’t my name. Good guess though, but it just doesn’t have that ring. Want another tr–”

“Shut up.” He flinched. A chain had zipped past his cheek, its end a sharpened tip.

“Wowie, you play unfair!” He tried to keep his calm.

“You didn’t even get hurt. Now, who’s unfair?” she remarked while fiddling a chain.

“Ha, you’re good! I guess I should return the favour.” His voice was trembling slightly. “Welcome one and all! Today's performance is brought to you by Cheshire, explosive extraordinaire!”

Thus he threw his hat across. Dynamite dropped one by one onto the ground along its path.

Long ago, Cheshire had decided on a road to take. And so, he accepted he was evil.