The Kamihama Rumor Files Part 7

Chapter 3
Part 7: When it Becomes Tainted

Iroha: Fuu...Uu...Ku...
Yachiyo: ...Tamaki-san!
Iroha: It feels like...there's no...strength left in my...bo...dy...But I'm still...okay...
Yachiyo: It might be painful, but hang in there for just a little bit longer...
Iroha: ....
Tsuruno: Do you think there's a chance that Rumor will just run away?
Yachiyo: Rumors exist in order to turn rumors into reality. If we deviate from the story of the rumor, then it will try to get rid of us with all of its might...
Tsuruno: Oh man... Does that mean the three of us will get wiped out here?
Yachiyo: Don't say ominous things like that. We still have the option of escaping.
Familiar: (!@)*$!!!
Yachiyo: Besides, I still have just enough strength left in me to take out the small fry.


Yachiyo: Fuu....
Tsuruno: It's getting harder to take out even the smaller enemies--
Yachiyo: Haa, haaa, haa, haa...
Tsuruno: Haaaaa!!
Yachiyo: What's wrong?
Tsuruno: We just need to leave the shrine! Since it's a rumor about a shrine this time, if we leave the shrine grounds, we should be okay!!
Al--righty, I'll go look for an exit! Gotta hurry, horryyaaaa!
Yachiyo: Amazing. She should be exhausted too, and yet... Hey, Tamaki-san...
Iroha: ............
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san? Oh no... Tamaki-san!

Iroha: I can hear Yachiyo-san breathing as she runs. I can feel Yachiyo-san's warmth from her back. Even though this is a dangerous situation, for some reason I feel relieved. But it's getting colder and colder deep within my heart. Like I'm turning to ice, little by little...It's like my consciousness is getting sucked up, falling deep into my chest with a thump before disappearing...
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san!!
Iroha: ----!?
Yachiyo: Hold on to your consciousness as firmly as you can!
Iroha: ........ Yachiyo-san, what...will happen to me...?
Yachiyo: ...Nothing will happen to you, it'll be okay. Just hold on to your consciousness... Once we get out of here, let's go to Mitama's place as soon as possible. I don't know how much she'll overcharge us, but she might sell us a grief seed...
Iroha: Yes.... Um, there's... something I want to tell you...Yachiyo-san...later....
Yachiyo: Is that so? Then that's another reason why you need to hang in there.
Iroha: Yes...
Rumor: !)@&@#!&*...!*(&!@$...!@*#1...
Yachiyo: The Rumor has started moving...
Rumor: *!(@#*)!(@!!
Yachiyo: No way, it's caught up to us already!?


Tsuruno: Yachiyo! I found the exit...! This way, this way! Hurry, hurry!
Yachiyo: Tsuruno! Good job!
Rumor: |!(*@$)(@!$|
Yachiyo: Move!
Rumor: |!()@*$#($!!?|
Yachiyo: Shoot, I lost my bala....
Rumor: | !@*(#&)!@&*)!*(#!@!!|
Yachiyo: Kuaaaaaaah!
Tsuruno: YACHIYO-----!! Youuuuuu!!!
Rumor: |!)@(*!$!*$!?!?!?!?!|
Yachiyo: Tsuruno!?
Tsuruno: Fuuu... Fu....Fuuu... Yachiyo, take Iroha-chan and... leave the barrier...before me! After I hold this guy back, I'll catch up to you!
Yachiyo: What are you saying!? You can't hold it back the way you are now!
Tsuruno: C'mon, hurry, hurry!
Yachiyo: But, you!
Tsuruno: It's okay, I don't plan on dying here!
Yachiyo: It's not a matter of whether or not you're planning on it!
Tsuruno: C'mon, come at me!
Rumor: )!(@*$!)@$!@#!@#


Iroha: U, aa, aaaaaaaaaaa...!
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san...! At this rate, her soul gem will become completely tainted...!
Rumor: |sdfjk!$#@!!!!|
Tsuruno: Kuaaaauu...!! Y, Yachiyo, I'm sorry...! It went that way...!
Rumor: |sdfjk!$#@!!!!|
Yachiyo: Kuuu....
Iroha: The insides of my body became colder like it was freezing over. My dazed consciousness is being sucked in...Deeper... Deeper...Darker...Blacker...More sinister...Gloomily...to the depths of my own darkness...
Rumor: |sdfjk!$#@!!!!|
Yachiyo: Guaaaaaaah!! ----!? Oh no... Tamaki-san...!
Iroha: What just happened...?
Rumor: ()*$#!#$!|||
Iroha: I've...fallen off of Yachiyo-san's back.
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san, I'll be there soon!
Familiar: |!@$)_@$!|
Yachiyo: Kuu, move!
Iroha: I can barely hear Yachiyo-san's voice...but I don't know what she's saying....anymore...

Iroha: Fuwaaaaaaaaaaaauuu!
Iroha: |!@($#$!@$)_@$--!?!?!?|
Iroha: H, Huh..Huh? I defeated it....? (Just now, did this child....defeat it for me?)
---!? It disappeared...
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san! Are you okay!? You... that soul gem...
Iroha: Heh....? H, huh...? The taint disappeared...?
Yachiyo: .........
Tsuruno: Haaaaaaaaaaaa!! I got it! That just now was a move that uses taint! That's amazing, Iroha-chan! You've invented a new move for magical girls--! Hmhm!
Iroha: Is that true...? I'm sorry, I wasn't conscious at all...Yachiyo-san, do you know...? What just happened to me...
Yachiyo: It's the first time I've seen it too, but I wonder what that was...
Iroha: Is that....so....
Yachiyo: At any rate, let's go to the Adjuster's...

???: Sorry, but I can't let you go.

Iroha: Eh!? Uh....who are you...?
Mami: I'm "Tomoe Mami". A magical girl from Mitakihara.

Mami: I'm impressed that you girls can be comfortable being together with a witch. I thought I'd gone into a strange barrier, but I didn't think I would learn something from doing so.
Yachiyo: It's amazing how you can smile and be openly hostile at the same time.
Mami: Yes, that's true. But I'm only aiming my hostility at that Witch over there.
Iroha: ........ Wa, Wait, do you mean me!?
Mami: It's obvious. I never would have thought that there could be a witch disguised as a human.
Yachiyo: You have it wrong. Everyone here is a magical girl, just like you.
Mami: But she's different. Unfortunately for you, these eyes saw her true form...
Tsuruno: Youuuu, how dare you keep saying things like that! Iroha-chan hasn't done anything wrong! You've pissed off the strongest and nicest magical girl, Yui Tsurunoooo!!!! Uuuuu.... My magic's drained and I don't have any strength...
Yachiyo: Seriously. We've gotten out of the frying pan and into the fire...I don't want to waste any more magic against a magical girl....
Iroha: Yachiyo-san, I'll go...
Yachiyo: You can't, Tamaki-san... She's acting like that even though there's three of us here... I'm certain she's no ordinary magical girl.
Iroha: But I'm the only one she's after. Besides, right now I'm the one with the most magical energy left.
Mami: You say some sensible things. I'll give you credit for not getting humans involved. But by the time you change your mind, it'll be too late!

Iroha: Her ribbon became a rifle...This person's really used to using magic...!

Mami: How long do you plan on hiding your true form? Hurry up and show your true colors already!
Iroha: Hyaaaaaah! ... Huh? Nothing happened...?
Momoko: Geez, what are the warriors of Kamihama doing, sitting around like that? Meanwhile, a bystander like me has to butt in instead? It makes me want to cry.
Iroha: Momoko-san!
Momoko: Yoo, Iroha-chan!
Iroha: Why are you here?
Momoko: I just came to give the three of you a bit of a helping hand, only to find you guys in this sorry state. This week's number one shocker. So, why are those two over there just standing around? ...Wait, why do you guys look so worn out?
Yachiyo: Because I just got done fighting....
Tsuruno: Me too... my magic supply is all gone....
Momoko: Hold on a sec, could it be? You bastard...!
Mami: Eh!? Wait a second, this is a misunderstanding!
Momoko: You say that, but from what I can tell just by looking around, I don't think you've got me convinced at all.
Mami: Ku... I guess it's best if I just withdraw at this point...
Momoko: I don't really know what the situation is, but if you're gonna take off, then hurry up and go. I'll give you 10 seconds.
Mami: .... Just remember this. I'm not your enemy. My enemy is just that one witch disguised as a human...
Iroha: ........
Mami: Anyway, I'll take my leave. Let's meet again.
Iroha: ........
Yachiyo: That girl just now, she said she was a magical girl from Mitakihara, didn't she...? Why would a magical girl from a town that far away come to Kamihama City...? She's still got the wrong idea, so you shouldn't let your guard down from now on.
Iroha: Yeah....
Momoko: Okay, anyway, once you guys purify your soul gems, let's investigate that rumor.
Tsuruno: We're already done--
Momoko: Wha, you're kidding!?
Yachiyo: As expected, your bad timing is impeccable.
Momoko: Ugguu...
Iroha: C, Come on, she had really good timing! Momoko-san, thank you very much for coming to rescue us!
Momoko: Ahh, yeah, you're welcome...But it looks like there's nothing left for me to do, so I'll be going home... Same goes for you, Iroha-chan. Don't be out too late, okay?
Iroha: Eh? Ahhh...it's already this late...!
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san, you can't go home. We're stopping by my place after this.
Iroha: Fueee!?
Yachiyo: You said there was something you wanted to tell me, didn't you? That's what you said when I was carrying you on my back.
Iroha: B, But my mom will get mad at me...
Yachiyo: It's okay, I'll explain things to them. Here, let me borrow your phone.
Iroha: Okay...

Iroha: (I didn't think my mom would forgive me... Yachiyo-san's really good at persuading people...)

Iroha: ....
Yachiyo: Here, are you fine with green tea?
Iroha: T, Thank you very much!
Yachiyo: What's wrong? Why are you fidgeting?
Iroha: It's nothing, I was just thinking that this is a pretty big house...
Yachiyo: Originally, my grandmother used this as a boarding house. It's more than enough space for just one person, isn't it?
Iroha: Oh....
Yachiyo: So, Tamaki-san, let's get straight to the point.
Iroha: Oh, yes.
Yachiyo: What is it you wanted to talk to me about?
Iroha: Ah, um...
Yachiyo: Hm?
Iroha: Um... Could we investigate rumors together from now on!?
Yachiyo: .................
Iroha: Is that a... no....? There's no need for you to answer...this?
Yachiyo: No... I do need to answer you. Actually, there's another reason why I invited you to my house.
Iroha: Huh?
Yachiyo: I was thinking we could use this house as our base and work together. So I thought I should show you where it is.
Iroha: Does that mean...
Yachiyo: The answer to your question about investigating rumors together is a "yes", Tamaki-san. Let's go after the rumors of Kamihama City together from now on.
Iroha: Yachiyo-san!
Yachiyo: After all, one person alone can't stand up against an enemy like this Rumor.
Iroha: Then that means that we're friends from now on!
Yachiyo: We're not friends.
Iroha: Fuee!? Eh...Eh...? What do you mean...?
Yachiyo: We might be on the same team, but our relationship is nothing more than a partnership. From now on, you're my assistant. If that's fine with you, then let's work together.
Iroha: Okay, I'm fine with that too. Let's work together. If we do, we'll find them.
Yachiyo: That might be true. Anyway, to sum it up, my assistant Tamaki-san...
Iroha: Yes...
Yachiyo: From now on, let's investigate rumors together. And let's bring the contents of the "Kamihama Rumor Files" to an end. Because somewhere, among the vast, countless number of rumors scattered throughout the city, the people we're searching for are waiting for us.
Iroha: Yes, Yachiyo-san. Let's find Ui and Mifuyu-san...
Yachiyo: Yes...
That aside, Tamaki-san, why did you suddenly decide to start investigating rumors?
Iroha: I remembered something Ui said.
Yachiyo: Something your younger sister said?
Iroha: Yeah. She said that anything's possible in this world...
Yachiyo: Anything's possible... If that's the case, it wouldn't be strange for a town like this to exist.
Iroha: Yes, that's what I thought.

Tsuruno: I'm heeeeerreeeeeeeeeeeee-!
Yachiyo: This voice is... Tsuruno's!?
Tsuruno: And sorry to keep you guys waiting-! The flavor's 50 points, the cheer within is at the max! Chinese restaurant Banbanzai at your service! Here you are, 3 ramen meals!
Iroha: Tsutsutsuruno-chan!? Huh? Uh? A Chinese restaurant...?
Tsuruno: Yup! The pride of the Yui family, passed down from my great-grandpa and my grandpa! The Chinese restaurant Banbanzai!
We're open for business in Sankyou Ward!
Yachiyo: More importantly, why are you here...!?
Tsuruno: I'm one of your friends too, aren't I!?
Yachiyo: Again, I'm telling you you're not...
Tsuruno: Besides, I remembered!
Iroha: R, Remembered what!?
Tsuruno: Hiiragi!
Iroha: ---!? Tsuruno-chan... really!?
Tsuruno: Yeah! Hiiragi-san is a regular at our restaurant!
Iroha: Huh? Whaaaaaat!?

Iroha: Haaa.... It kind of feels like several days have gone by within a blink of an eye... ......
(Ui, I've finally gone one step further.
You see, though I didn't know anything about her before, after an unexpected turn of events, I've finally learned something about Nemu-chan.
You really never know when you might find a clue.)

Oh, and from now on, I'll be investigating Kamihama City's rumors together with Yachiyo-san.
If the cause is somewhere among those rumors, I think everyone will remember you again.
Not just me, but Dad and Mom too..
Little by little, even if it's really just baby steps, I think I'm getting closer, so wait for me.
Until Onee-chan can find you, Ui.

~*~
(1) In case you can't tell, I suck at reading Japanese proper nouns (locations, names of people). This goes for both Tsuruno's hometown, her restaurant, and the idol Rena likes way back in chapter two. If you happen to know better, just say something in the thread.