Null Life: Last Day

Chapter 2

The book that Aiko read had a very peculiar legend detailed in it. In 219AD, there was once a couple who had brought a newborn girl into their life. The parents names were passed down through generations of folk story tellers, even the daughter's own name. Hisako Sato, the daughter, was the most notable person in this legend. She was once purely human, until one fateful night—It is said that a hellish monster invaded Hisako's home and subjected her to absolute darkness. For such a young girl to face such an ailing concept, was almost far fetched for Hori. Hisako's parents ensured the monster was gone, but many months later, things became awry for them again. Hisako had managed to keep herself composed, as it turned out that she didn't go insane at all, according to an additional entry into the legend. But Hori wondered who even knew that and put it in the text.

After ensuring the monster was dead and gone, everything in their lives became grand. Wealthiness struck them after a development of their farm and pottery sales. However, the clean and bustling town they shifted into eventually harboured a rumour, about Hisako and her parents. It was said that a middle aged man by the name of Akira had started this rumour. The suspicion was that the mother, Kiyohime Sato, secretly performed dark witchcraft just to keep her 'cursed daughter' from turning into a monster because of the incident back then.

This gossip spread amongst the townsfolk, but their paranoia ended up being true, but just with Hisako becoming the terrifying monster they presumed. The Sato family were driven out of the town, chased away by an angry crowd of nobles and lesser folk. During this chase, the family suddenly vanished with the crowd. A Samurai in his own town had found them in a different state. Hisako was an infant once more, and her parents seemed to have no idea this was the case. The Samurai man helped them get distance, at least for a little bit.

  "And the rest of the possible story is just not in the book..." Aiko concluded. "Makes you wonder how this person knew all of this, or if they just came up with it..."

  "It's a tale from a bygone time, who knows if it even happened or not?" Hori said. One detail from the so called legend had her completely lost. Only one part seemed to not make any actual sense.. "A Samurai in his own town had found them and this Hisako girl who was now a baby again somehow... and then helped them?"

Aiko shrugged in response. She seemed as dumbfounded as me and Asahi.
"I dunno, I'll see if I can gather more information since the legend is unfinished in that book... let me use your Laptop!"

The two continued playing the game while Aiko was channeling her detective mode into countless websites about Japan's myths and legends. Even the wiki was a victim of her knowledge hunt. But the legend they were dwelling on felt like it stood out the most and had the greatest mystery behind it all.
"It might as well have actually happened in real life." Aiko thought.
Hisako Sato, with her larger than life half human, half serpent body. She was able to visualise it to a considerable degree, it seemed almost too close to home infact. It was a given that  human brains are as powerful as people say they are. But one random thought, pious with its nature, occupied Aiko's thinking for several moments. She guessed, though pointless, that she might have seen this monstrous girl in her past life.
   "Do you think the News on TV pertains to anything from that legend?" Asahi said.

They were all sure that the former head master and the News about the checkpoints was just something else entirely. Reflecting on it, Hori remembered the small girl she had spotted outside far away from the school. "I don't know, I saw some little girl far outside approaching the school grounds just before Fukuoka-sensei came in with... you know." She said.

"Ah, look, now our school is under some investigation. They came out with nothing so far, but Fukuoka-sensei is in custody..." Aiko said.

"Did she tell the police about what happened or something? Woah..." Asahi said. He was seemingly distraught until he was calm upon meeting eyes with Hori. With a slow turn away, she was given nervous looks from the corner of his eye. Asahi noticed, shook his head, and then waved hef off. Hori looked back at Aiko. They both frowned and shrugged synchronised. At least the back and forth mind reading of theirs lightened the sudden heavy mood.